The War Bride

7 | Burying the Dead

Luwen grunted with effort, her breathing becoming ragged. Her hair plastered to her face, her wet clothes weighing down on her. Her skin became soaked, and she felt cold.

The rain was relentless and torrential, as if the skies were grieving for the deceased. Even so, they couldn't stop their work. The bodies were waiting.

She refused to give up.

She needed to live up to her earlier promise, otherwise, they would see her as a laughingstock. They would think of her as a pampered princess who kept to her room and knew nothing. They would continue to think of her as a threat if she didn't prove herself otherwise.

She wanted to show them she was a human with feelings, just as they were.

Fifteen more graves to go.

Together with Dai Yichen, they work quickly. It was impossible for her to dig a grave alone in this rain, but he was there to quicken the pace and finish the rest before they moved on to the next grave.

Their proximity increased her awareness of him. With each step she took, he stayed close to her; their shoulders brushing past each other a few times. She could feel his gaze on her sometimes, as if he was trying to figure out her intentions.

They continued working diligently, but it was difficult. The soil was getting wet and clumpy, making each shovel heavier. Her arms and thighs ached in pain. Her lack of stamina in this body was clearly a disadvantage.

When this was over, she really needed to build muscles and strength.

When she caught Dai Yichen staring at her again, she blurted out quickly. "Is there something wrong?"

Raindrops trailed down his face, running along his sharp features and coating his dark lashes. With the way his clothes clung onto his body tightly, Luwen couldn't help but notice how it emphasized the muscles in his thick arms and broad shoulders.

She stared longer than she should have, realizing only when his tone came out flat. "You have weak stamina."

Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. "Thank you for pointing that out," she mumbled. "I'm aware of that myself."

He watched her as she continued working, determined to work as long as she could before she passed out. "But," he remarked thoughtfully, losing the tough edge in his voice for the first time, "you got the right posture and technique. You do not seem like the princess that many described you to be."

Her breath stalled. "And how do they usually describe me?" Or rather the princess's.

"Someone who hated talking and kept herself in her room."

She froze suddenly, the end of her shovel dropping to the soil with a soft thud. Have I made a mistake in my act? Did I get caught?

A shiver ran through her from the chilly rain. She took a step away from him, but her foot sank into a muddy pit.

Fortunately, Dai Yichen was quick to grab her arm to pull her onto safe ground. "Be careful," he said sharply. "If you miss a step, you might fall into one of these graves and to your death."

She didn't know if she should laugh or flinch. "My death," she said dryly, "might be the best piece of news your clan would receive these days."

He frowned, his lips parting slightly as if he wanted to say something, but his hesitation stopped him.

A sigh escaped his lips. "Come." He ditched his shovel and reached out for hers to do the same. "We're leaving."

Luwen was confused. "Where are we going? What about the rest of the graves that we need to finish?"