Was it just a dream?

{Next Day}

Suyin tossed and turned, her head aching in pain. She didn't have a good sleep and she knew that she blacked out the night before. She was too elated to be sworn siblings with Yuan Fu that she got carried away with her drinking.

As if a thousand-pound bag of rice laid on her head, Suyin barely managed to get out of bed. She had no energy to walk, dragging her feet towards the table to grasp a cup of water.

When Suyin reached over the table, there was a small, black ceramic pot in the middle. A white note was stuck onto it, so Suyin grabbed the note, reading it.

"You'll feel better when you take this."

Suyin was uncomfortable with her headache. It must've been the night before that caused her to overdrink like this. She opened the cover of the pot, taking a whiff at it. The fragrance of chicken, rice, and a few dried dates instantly radiated to Suyin's nose.

How kind of the Teacher to be courteous of her after the night before! Suyin would make sure that she will thank him later. There was an empty bowl with a spoon, so Suyin directly slid it next to the ceramic pot, pouring some of the chicken porridge into the bowl.

Suyin beamed, shutting her eyes as she breathed in the food. It was making her headache feel a bit better, but then a sudden flash of memory passed across her head as she closed her eyes.

In Suyin's memory, she abruptly clutched Qin Fuhua, calling him handsome before she took the opportunity to go in for a kiss.

Suyin's eyes opened, flickering a couple of times with a baffled expression plastered all over her face. Why was she thinking of something like that? There was no way...

Suyin immediately dropped the spoon to the ground, her mouth plopping open.

It wasn't just a dream that she had the night before or a vision she randomly made up the night before. Suyin assumed that it was a dream, hence she did what she had done the night before.

Her cheeks began to feel warm, her ears turning hot. Her hangover was taken over by the humiliation of her actions. How was she going to face Qin Fuhua now?!

"Excuse me. Are you in?" A voice hollered outside.

"I... Uh. Just a second." Suyin directly got up, drawing all of her energy to slide the door open.

"I apologize for the bad timing." Teacher Zhou Lin clutched his hands together, bowing to her before he peeked up at her. He froze, blinking for a second as he leaned closer to take a look at Suyin's face.

"M-Miss" Teacher Zhou Lin whispered, looking around the hallway in case people were trekking by. "Are you sick? If so, you are allowed to rest today." He spoke. His eyebrows dropped, concerned about Suyin.

Sick? Suyin bobbed her head and hands, denying his recommendation.

"No, I'm not sick. I'm fine." Suyin spoke. Her cheeks and ears felt like they were fuming hot.

Just as Teacher Zhou Lin was about to turn around and leave, Suyin called out to him.

"Teacher Zhou Lin!" Suyin called. Teacher Zhou Lin turned around, darting at her with curiosity in his eyes.

"Hm? Is there anything I can do for you?" He questioned.

Suyin was reluctant for a second, not wanting to confirm her suspicions but she needed to know if she was dreaming or if what she did was real.

"Did the Prince of Qin come by yesterday?" Suyin questioned.

Teacher Zhou Lin darted his eyes from left to right, making sure that they didn't overhear what Suyin had just declared. He walked up closer to Suyin, "No. Why do you think so?" He smiled. "If you are feeling unwell for our trip, please do let me know."

"No, I'll be fine! I'll be out in a second." Suyin responded. She dismissed herself, sliding back the door shut.

Suyin set both of her hands on her left chest, taking in a deep breath. "Was it just a dream?" She softly expressed to herself.

"How did you know that it was me who came by yesterday?"

A voice uttered from behind the dark-brown wooden partition divider. It was shielding the window so that Suyin would get her privacy. Just that, Qin Fuhua found a way to sneak into her window to make sure that she wasn't feeling ill.

Qin Fuhua stood a couple of feet away from her, his arms crossed as he casually leaned on the partition divider. She couldn't bear to gape at his face, incapable of conversing as she tried to step past him so that she could dress up and get ready to go on the expedition.

As soon as Suyin grazed her shoulders right next to Qin Fuhua, he grabbed her arms to obstruct her from her path.

"What are you doing?" She asked, trying to evade eye contact with him as she attempted to let go of her arm.

"Is there anything wrong with you? It seems like something is disturbing you." He expressed, his sharp eyes staring into hers.

It bothered him that she wouldn't gaze directly at him. Suyin was the only one who would dare to stare frankly into his eyes and speak her mind to him.

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{Flashback to the night before}

"You're so handsome, did you know that?" Suyin uttered, her words slurring. She abruptly lifted herself to Qin Fuhua, who was holding her back as she pulled him in for a kiss.

Qin Fuhua's eyes widened, getting hauled in for the kiss. Suyin's eyes shut, with a big, huge smile on her face as she let go of her arms, falling asleep in Qin Fuhua's arms.

What girl pulls a man in for a kiss and falls asleep like this?

Qin Fuhua didn't know what to say or do. He still had his arms wrapped around her, as Suyin's whole weight plunked on his arms.

Did she just kiss him? Qin Fuhua didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life, he was startled by such actions, but he wasn't upset.

He lifted Suyin's legs off of the floor, holding her in his arms. One of his arms was beneath her leg, while he carefully supported her back, taking light steps to the bed as he set her down on the bed.

He stood up from the bed, observing her face as she snoozed soundly. Her long eyelashes, small nose, rose-lip cheeks, and small round face slept peacefully on the pillow facing Qin Fuhua. He was about to turn and leave but halted his steps.

He rotated back to Suyin, leaning in on her as he lightly kissed her forehead.

"You shouldn't be taking advantage of someone like that*, especially when you are drunk." He softly expressed. He pulled the blanket, covering Suyin as he got out of the bedroom.

(*He meant himself)

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{Present}

"Get out." Suyin pushed Qin Fuhua out of the room by forcing his back. Dream or not, she shouldn't dwell on it. She was hoping it was just a mere dream since Qin Fuhua wasn't overreacting or nitpicking about her, so she would just take it that nothing had happened. Suyin didn't want to be late, and she'll deal with this later.

Qin Fuhua didn't utter a single word, obediently obeying her orders as he cooly stepped out of the room.

Suyin slid the door closed, making sure that Qin Fuhua didn't have a chance to communicate another word to her. Suyin needed to get ready and dressed for the trip, and she couldn't bare to gaze at Qin Fuhua's face.

She cupped her hands over her cheeks, still sensing the warmth of her face. "Stop it, Han Suyin!" She said in her mind, shaking her head.

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Teacher Zhou Lin and the rest of the scholars got prepared. Suyin reached right on time as the others were out, drained from the night before.

Teacher Zhou Lin reported to the students that they would be going to Xian'er Forest, a location that was across from Teacher Zhou Lin's cottage.

Suyin searched for Qin Fuhua, skimming past the students, servants, and Teacher Zhou Lin but couldn't locate him.

Suyin then assumed that he had finished his business here, so she didn't pay too much attention to it as Teacher Zhou Lin voiced.

"In this forest, it's easy to get lost. Please don't trail off of the dirt and you won't get lost" Teacher Zhou Lin advised the students.

The group began their journey, hiking a mile before they crossed a wooden bridge that links one mountain to the other.

The bridge felt and looked old, but was sturdy as if it has seen war and peace. They followed along a dirt path, strolling past a bamboo tablet this time with the name of the forest.

"Xian'er Forest"

As the group hovered the gates to the forest, there was another pathway that led to a separate destination to the right. The middle was Xian'er Forest. The left path was where Suyin and the students came from, but the right side was another place that they didn't know where it led to.

A group of soldiers was in line, defending the entrance of Xian'er Forest.

Teacher Zhou Lin lifted his hands, halting the students and Suyin.

"I'll go see what's happening." He skimmed around, examining the soldiers as he approached them.

"No one can enter." The soldier remarked, staring directly ahead and not at anyone.

Teacher Zhou Lin revealed his nameplate, particularly given by the late King.

The two soldiers took a peek at it and then bowed down, clasping their hands jointly to welcome him.

"What's going on here?" He requested. His eyes were not staring directly at the guards, but at the pathway that led to Xian'er Forest.

"We are investigating some suspicious activity at the moment." One of the soldiers responded.

"Ahh."

Teacher Zhou Lin circled to the students. He appeared defeated because he wouldn't be able to reach where he wanted to take the students, but he knew that it was safe than sorry for them to go back to the base where they resided. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but it seems like we will have to head back."

The scholars began groaning since they were looking forward to this trip with Teacher Zhou Lin. Suyin, too, was dispirited because she wanted to see what lies ahead of Xian'er Forest. Though, it quickly disappeared when the group headed back to the wooden bridge.

"The...The bridge is gone!" one of the students hollered out.

The winds blew fiercely, and the sturdy rope that held the wooden bridge seemed to be cut loose by a knife.