Exiled!? Ha! I have An Infinite Space-Chapter 116 -

I watched Fu Sheng as he stood up after breakfast, his gaze briefly meeting mine before he turned and walked back upstairs without saying anything.

I let out a small sigh and shook my head lightly.

"...I guess I really do not have a choice now," I said under my breath, a faint smile resting on my lips.

"What is wrong with brother?" Fu Li asked as she looked toward the stairs. "Sister-in-law, are you not both supposed to go to the farm today? Why is he going back upstairs?"

Before I could respond, Fu Fei spoke calmly from the side.

"Brother must still be tired," she said. "Both of them stayed up all night taking care of the boys. That kind of fever is not something light."

I nodded slightly.

"That is true," I replied.

Fu Li still looked unconvinced.

"But even if he is tired, he should rest properly," she said. "Why does it feel like something else is going on?"

I did not answer her directly.

Instead, I said calmly,

"He is waiting."

"Waiting for what?" Fu Li asked immediately.

I glanced toward the stairs, then back at them.

"For his reward," I said.

There was a short pause.

Fu Li blinked.

"Reward?" she repeated.

Fu Fei also looked at me, her expression turning curious.

Before they could say anything else—

Madame Fu spoke.

"That is enough," she said, her tone firm but not harsh. "Eat your food and mind your business."

Fu Li frowned slightly.

"But mother—"

"I said eat," Madame Fu repeated, giving her a look that made her stop immediately.

Fu Fei lowered her gaze and continued eating quietly.

Across the table, Bai Ming sat silently, but the faint curve at the corner of her lips made it clear that she understood what I meant.

Fu Teng, who had been eating without speaking, did not look up, but there was a slight pause in his movement before he continued as if nothing had been said.

Master Fu cleared his throat lightly, choosing not to involve himself.

The table returned to a calm rhythm.

I stood up slowly.

"I will go up," I said.

Madame Fu gave a small nod.

"Go," she replied.

I did not wait.

I turned and walked toward the stairs, ignoring the curious looks that still lingered behind me.

I had barely taken a few steps away when Fu Li’s voice rose again from behind me.

"Mother... what did sister-in-law mean?" she asked, her tone filled with curiosity that she did not bother to hide.

There was a brief pause at the table.

Then—

Master Fu suddenly laughed.

It was not loud, but it was enough to make everyone look at him.

Fu Tong, who was beside him, quickly stood up and helped him steady himself as he adjusted his seat.

"Father, be careful," Fu Tong said, though his own expression looked confused.

Master Fu waved his hand lightly.

"I am fine," he said, still smiling.

Fu Li looked between them, clearly growing more impatient.

"Why is everyone acting like they understand except me?" she said. "Mother, what does it mean?"

Madame Fu let out a quiet sigh.

For a moment, she did not answer.

Then she placed her chopsticks down and looked at Fu Li.

"Must you ask everything?" she said.

Fu Li frowned slightly.

"I just want to know," she replied.

Madame Fu looked at her for a moment longer, then shook her head.

"...You will understand sooner or later," she said.

Fu Li was about to complain again, but before she could speak—

Madame Fu added calmly,

"Whatever the reward is..."

She paused briefly.

Then continued,

"...I will likely have a grandchild soon."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Fu Li froze.

Fu Fei’s hand stopped mid-air.

Fu Tong blinked once, then twice, as if he was trying to process what he had just heard.

"...What?" Fu Li said slowly.

Bai Ming lowered her head slightly, clearly holding back a smile.

Fu Teng, who had been quiet all along.. couldn’t stop himself from laughing at that point.

Master Fu let out another soft laugh.

"It is not a bad thing," he said.

Fu Li’s face turned red instantly.

"Mother!" she exclaimed.

Madame Fu did not react.

"Eat your food," she said calmly.

Fu Li immediately lowered her head, but her ears were still red.

Fu Fei coughed lightly and continued eating, pretending nothing had happened.

Fu Tong scratched his head awkwardly.

"...I see," he muttered.

****

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Fu Sheng was already there.

He turned the moment I entered, his eyes settling on me as if he had been waiting. The room was quiet, but the air between us did not feel empty.

"They asked about your reward," I said.

He looked at me without moving.

"And what did you say?"

"I said nothing," I replied. "Madame Fu spoke instead."

He waited.

"She said they might be getting a grandchild soon."

There was a short pause.

Something shifted in his expression, though it was slight.

"They think too far," he said.

"That is what I said," I replied.

I took a step forward.

He closed the distance.

His hand came to my waist and pulled me in, not roughly, but firmly enough that I could not pretend it meant nothing. I looked up at him, and he did not look away.

"Then tell me," he said.

His voice was low.

Close.

"Do you want that?"

I knew what he meant but I did not answer.

For a moment, I just looked at him, but my thoughts had already moved elsewhere.

In my past life, I had never taken marriage seriously. It was something I saw from a distance, something that belonged to other people. Even children... I liked them, I could care for them, but the thought of having one of my own had always stopped me.

Carrying a child.

Giving birth.

Raising them.

Being responsible for everything they would become.

That weight had never felt light to me.

Even now, that feeling had not changed.

I looked back at him.

"...I am not sure," I said.

My voice was steady, but not firm.

"At least not now."

The words stayed in the space between us.

I saw it then.

His expression did not fall, and he did not pull away immediately, but something in his eyes shifted, something that had been there a moment ago quietly fading.

His hand at my waist loosened.

Not enough to let go.

But enough for me to feel it.

That difference did not escape me.

I paused.

Then added,

"It is not something I have thought about seriously," I said. "And when I do... it feels like too much."

He did not interrupt.

But he did not respond either.

The silence stretched.

His grip loosened further.

This time I felt it clearly but before I could say anything—

"Brother! Sister-in-law!"

Fu Tong’s voice broke through from downstairs, loud and sudden.

"The workers are here!"

The moment snapped.

Fu Sheng’s hand left my waist.

The space between us widened, and for a brief second, the quiet felt different.

He looked away first.

"They are here," he said.

His voice had returned to normal.

As if nothing had happened... Wasn’t he so eager to get rewarded a minute ago.

I decided to just play along.. even though I wondered why he had just changed his mood so suddenly.

I nodded.

"Yes."

I turned toward the door.

But before stepping out, I paused slightly.

Then I said,

"We should go."

I did not look back and behind me he followed.

When we finally came downstairs everyone seeme to have finished eating.

The moment I stepped into view—

"So soon?" Fu Tong said, his eyes lighting up as he looked between us.

Before he could continue, Fu Li and Fu Fei moved at the same time and pushed a bun into his mouth.

"Eat quietly," Fu Li said.

"Do not talk too much," Fu Fei added.

Fu Tong froze, his words cut off as he struggled to chew.

"Mmm—!"

Fu Teng shook his head lightly and looked away, clearly not interested in getting involved.

I did not react.

Fu Sheng also said nothing.

Madame Fu glanced at us once, her expression calm, but she did not ask anything.

Master Fu only adjusted his seat and remained silent.

The moment passed without anyone pressing further.

I turned and walked toward the courtyard.

Fu Sheng followed behind me.

They were already there.

The Zhao brothers.

All five of them stood together near the entrance, their posture straight and their expressions steady. Even in simple clothes, there was a quiet discipline in the way they carried themselves.

The moment they saw us, they stepped forward.

"Madam," the eldest said.

"Sir."

They greeted us properly.

I nodded once.

"You came early," I said.

"We said we would," he replied.

I looked at them carefully.

They had come exactly as agreed.

Fu Sheng stood beside me, his gaze passing over them before he spoke.

"You will be working on the land we bought yesterday," he said. "The work will not be easy."

"We understand," the eldest replied.

Fu Sheng nodded slightly.

"We do not keep people who avoid work," he added.

"There will be no need for concern," another one said.

I stepped forward slightly.

"You will start by clearing the land," I said. "Remove the weeds and prepare the ground properly."

They listened without interrupting.

"There is a small hut there," I continued. "You can use it for tools and rest when needed."

The eldest nodded again.

"We will take care of it."

I held their gaze for a moment, then said,

"We leave now."

But just then Fu Li’s Voice rang out.

"Han Fuji?!"