The acrid taste of bile burned her throat, and cold sweat clung to her skin. Minutes passed before she finally sat back, panting, her limbs trembling with exhaustion. The nightmare still felt too real, too vivid, as if the stench of rotting food still clung to her nostrils.
A quiet knock on the bathroom door pulled her from her thoughts.
A moment later, Fu Wei stepped inside, concern etched onto his face.
He knelt beside her, brushing strands of damp hair from her face.
"What happened?" His voice was gentle yet firm.
Su Rong took a shaky breath, her stomach still churning.
"Su Yun… she…" Her voice faltered, her tongue thick with revulsion.
"She used spoiled food. Rotten vegetables, moldy rice… And the water—" She gagged again, barely able to continue. "She used the water she washed her feet in."
Fu Wei's expression darkened instantly. His jaw clenched, and a flash of disgust crossed his usually composed face.
"Are you sure?"