Exiled!? Ha! I have An Infinite Space

Chapter 169 -

The moment the final words of the ceremony fell—

"Bow to each other!"

Han Fuji and Bai Ming turned toward one another beneath the lantern lights.

For a brief second, everything else in the courtyard seemed to disappear.

Even the lingering hostility at the entrance.

Then slowly, they bowed together.

Silence followed.

Not the tense kind this time, but the kind that comes after something irreversible has been completed.

A breath passed through the crowd.

Then another.

And suddenly, the courtyard erupted into whispers again.

"It is really done..."

"She actually married him..."

"After everything that happened, it still went through..."

Li Manman stood frozen for a moment, as though she could not accept what she was seeing.

Fu Fong’s face darkened immediately.

Before either of them could react properly, Han Fuji slowly straightened up.

And this time, there was no nervousness on his face.

Only calm.

He turned slightly toward Bai Ming.

Then gently offered her his hand.

Bai Ming hesitated for only a second before placing her hand into his.

That simple contact somehow made the atmosphere shift again.

Han Fuji looked toward the ceremony elder, then toward the crowd.

And finally—

His gaze landed directly on Li Manman and Fu Fong.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Now that the ceremony is complete," he said calmly, "it is time to collect the bet."

The courtyard instantly went quiet again.

Even the wind seemed to pause.

Li Manman’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Fu Fong’s expression turned cold.

Han Fuji stepped forward slightly, still holding Bai Ming’s hand.

"Bai Ming has successfully married within two days," he continued. "Exactly as agreed."

His tone remained relaxed, but every word landed clearly.

"So now, we should all honour the agreement made in front of witnesses."

The crowd immediately erupted into murmurs.

"I was here that day..."

"I heard it clearly too..."

"They really made that bet in public..."

"This is going to get ugly..."

Li Manman suddenly laughed coldly.

"Collect the bet?" she repeated sharply. "You think this farce gives you the right to speak like that?"

Fu Fong stepped forward beside her, his voice low and dangerous.

"Do not forget your place," he said. "You are still nothing in front of me."

A ripple of tension spread instantly through the courtyard again.

But Han Fuji did not even blink.

Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly.

"Oh?" he said softly. "Then it seems you have forgotten your own words that day."

His gaze sharpened faintly.

"You said if she did not marry within two days, she would be publicly humiliated in Unit 50."

A few people in the crowd nodded immediately.

"That is true..."

"I remember that..."

"It was very loud when she said it..."

Li Manman’s expression twitched slightly.

Han Fuji continued calmly.

"And you," he said, looking at Fu Fong, "you said she would remain unmarried forever as punishment."

Fu Fong’s jaw tightened.

Han Fuji’s smile returned faintly.

"But unfortunately," he said, "reality has already chosen otherwise."

He lifted their joined hands slightly.

"Bai Ming is now my wife."

A wave of murmurs spread again.

Li Manman’s face darkened instantly.

Fu Fong took another step forward.

"You think marrying her changes anything?" he snapped. "She was still my wife first."

Han Fuji’s expression cooled slightly.

"Former wife," he corrected.

The word landed like a slap.

Silence followed.

Then Han Fuji’s voice became even steadier.

"So I will say it again," he said. "It is time to honour the bet."

Li Manman’s lips curled.

"And if we refuse?" she asked coldly.

Han Fuji looked at her for a moment.

Then answered simply,

"Then you will be known as people who cannot keep their own words in front of an entire crowd."

That statement immediately shifted the atmosphere.

Because in the barren lands—

Reputation mattered more than anything.

The crowd began whispering more intensely now.

"They did say it in front of everyone..."

"If they refuse now, it will be shameful..."

"This is not something you can simply ignore..."

Fu Fong’s face darkened further.

Then suddenly—

"Enough."

A calm voice cut through everything.

Everyone turned.

Su Long had stepped forward slightly, her expression unreadable.

Fu Sheng stood just behind her, watching carefully.

Su Long’s gaze moved from Han Fuji to Li Manman and Fu Fong.

Then she spoke quietly.

"What exactly happened that day?"

The crowd slowly quieted.

Fu Li immediately raised her hand excitedly from where she stood nearby.

"I know! I know!"

Su Long looked at her.

Fu Li pointed at Li Manman instantly.

"That woman said if Bai Ming did not marry in two days, she would strip and apologize in front of everyone!"

A loud gasp went through the crowd.

Fu Li continued quickly.

"And if Bai Ming succeeded, then she would take her place!"

Fu Tong, who had been listening from the side, suddenly added with disbelief.

"And Fu Fong said she would work at his inn like a servant if she lost!"

The crowd erupted immediately.

"That is outrageous..."

"They really agreed to that?"

"I remember now... it was said loudly in the street..."

Li Manman’s face went pale with anger.

"That is enough!" she snapped.

But the damage had already been done.

Su Long’s gaze turned slightly colder.

"And now," she said calmly, "you want to pretend none of that happened?"

Fu Fong clenched his fists.

"This is different—"

"It is not different," Su Long interrupted lightly.

Her voice was not loud.

But it carried clearly.

"You lost."

Silence fell again.

Han Fuji exhaled slowly.

"Then I will repeat the request," he said. "Honour your end of the bet."

The courtyard waited.

Every eye fixed on Li Manman and Fu Fong.

Li Manman’s lips trembled slightly, but her pride held her back from speaking.

Fu Fong’s jaw tightened so hard it looked like it might crack.

Behind them, whispers grew louder.

And for the first time since they arrived—

Neither of them looked as confident as before.

The moment the tension snapped fully into place, the crowd could no longer hold itself back.

"Do it!"

"Honour the bet!"

"They said it in front of everyone.. now they should follow through!"

Voices rose from every corner of the courtyard, feeding off one another until the atmosphere became sharp and suffocating. Even the lantern light above seemed to flicker unevenly as if reacting to the unrest below.

Li Manman’s face twisted instantly at the pressure from the crowd.

Before she could even speak, Fu Fong suddenly grabbed her arm and pushed her forward.

A collective gasp spread through the courtyard.

Li Manman stumbled slightly, then quickly regained her balance and turned sharply toward him.

"What are you doing?" she snapped, her eyes burning with disbelief. "Are you pushing your own wife forward like this? You shameless man!"

Fu Fong’s expression darkened immediately.

"Wife?" he repeated coldly. "You were the one who brought this humiliation upon yourself."

His voice rose, sharp enough to silence nearby whispers.

"You were the one who instigated everything. Now face the consequences."

Li Manman froze for a moment, as if she could not believe what she was hearing.

Then her lips curled in anger.

"So now you are acting righteous?" she laughed bitterly. "When it suits you, I am your wife. When it doesn’t, you throw me forward like trash?"

Fu Fong did not respond.

That silence alone confirmed everything.

The crowd erupted again, louder than before.

"She really said those words herself!"

"Now she wants to deny it?"

"This is getting interesting..."

Li Manman’s chest rose heavily as she looked around, realizing for the first time that the entire courtyard was watching her.

Watching her fall.

Her gaze snapped toward Bai Ming immediately, full of resentment.

But before she could speak—

Bai Ming stepped forward slightly.

And the entire courtyard fell silent at once.

Even Fu Fong and Li Manman paused.

Bai Ming’s expression was calm, but there was something sharp behind her eyes now. Something no longer willing to remain passive.

She looked directly at Li Manman.

Then spoke clearly.

"I will say this once."

Her voice was not loud.

But it carried across the entire courtyard without effort.

"I am not as disgusting as you are trying to make me appear."

A ripple of silence spread instantly.

Li Manman’s expression tightened.

Bai Ming continued, her tone steady but colder now.

"If you want to cling to that bet so badly," she said, "then you should first learn how to respect your own words."

She took a slow step forward.

Then added—

"Kneel."

The single word landed heavily.

The crowd froze.

Li Manman’s eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

Bai Ming did not flinch.

"You heard me."

Her gaze did not waver.

"Since you are so confident about humiliation and consequences," she continued calmly, "then kneel here and apologise properly."

The courtyard went completely silent.

Even Fu Fong looked slightly stunned for a moment.

Bai Ming’s voice remained steady.

"Apologise to me," she said, "right here. Right now."

A long pause followed.

The pressure in the air became unbearable.

Li Manman’s face turned pale with rage as she stood there trembling slightly, while the entire courtyard watched her, waiting.

Waiting to see what she would do next.