Bond (I)

Hui Lan stretched out her arms up into the sky and her legs in front of her.

Her thoughts lingered in the shivering emotions that she had felt just a minute ago, but the next moment, she realized that she was no longer sleeping on the tree branch.

Hui Lan immediately got up, but her legs slightly swayed sideways before she could stand properly. Nevertheless, she looked up in search for the branch that she had been sleeping on. Her neck bent almost 90 degrees backwards just to see the branch that she had been sleeping on.

...The branch was that tall ah, had she fallen from that height and landed here?

Hui Lan stretched left and right, but her body was not feeling any pain or so what from falling down.

...What was going on ah?

However, all of Hui Lan's thoughts were engulfed with questions. On the other hand, her tummy was also working at it's finest as well, a loud grumbling sound could be heard in the silent garden.

Hui Lan placed her hand onto her tummy and began rubbing it pitifully.

...She needed food for her poor tummy.

Thinking about food, Hui Lan had completely brushed everything else to the back of her mind and was about to head out when her eyes caught onto the object lying on the floor in front of her.

...Ah? When did this book fly down all the way from here ah?

She turned to look at where she had been sleeping at.

...Didn't she sleep over there? Why were we both separated from each other ah?

...But then again, things like this could also happen.

Hui Lan did not think about it any longer and picked up the book from the ground and left quickly. As she got closer to the door, her nose caught a whiff of something delicious coming from outside.

Only after opening the door did she finally see the warm scene in front of her.

There was a long table set up with all Feng Furen's people sitting with Feng Furen and Elder Yi on at the head of the table.

Seeing the newcomer, Feng Furen got up to her feet.

Hui Lan did not know but her back was slightly bending forward and her face was slightly pouted as she walked towards the table filled with food.

...Ah, it smelled so nice.

Feng Furen lips could not contain her smile.

The young lady who was coming over her way was just like a young girl. Before her eyes, she had thought that she would not see this lovely side of her daughter anymore because the new person was much calmer and reserved than her daughter.

...But now...she was just like a lovely girl.

Meanwhile, Elder Yi who was sitting beside Feng Furen dropped his chopsticks in astonishment.

...She…? What on earth was she acting like?

...This, this is unbelievable.

Even some of Feng Furen's people could not help but cough when they saw the new side of their eldest miss. In their entire lives, they had always seen their young master act this way towards his mother, but they had never seen or even thought that their eldest miss would also have this side to her as well.

On the other hand, Hui Lan did not have the mind to think about others and simply went over to sit in front of Feng Furen sloppily, "Niang, can I...have some food, please?" Although Hui Lan was desperately hungry, she did not forget to call Feng Furen mother in front of others. However, her eyes were already losing focus.

Feng Furen smiled before quickly pouring in the stew that she had prepared and passed it along with a bowl of rice.

"Eat up."

"En, thank you." Hui Lan then did not speak and began eating up joyfully.

Then, everyone followed and finished up their food happily together.

Everyone sat together like a warm gathering. There were no separation and everyone seemed used to joining the dinner table with their master whenever they went out. Moreover, it was Feng Furen who took care of everyone like a warm leader.

No other master would have ever treated them like this.

Well, the elder herself, although she was a princess, she came from a tribal village where everyone was close to each other...oh the good times.

Feng Furen then handled a small pungent bowl of green soup in front of Hui Lan, "Have some. You'll have a good sleep tonight."

Hui Lan looked at the bowl with a small frown from the smell but could recognise what it was.

...Hm, it would most likely help her with her aching muscles.

She then took the medicine in one gulp followed by some water.

Feng Furen watched with a small smile before taking the bowl away.

After everyone had finished their dishes, they all went to wash by themselves and stacked it up nicely for it to dry.

Except for some of their followers who did their work for them in the city, the Rui Ren never had any cleaning servants and everything was to be done by themselves.

Hence, Hui Lan also went her way and cleaned the dishes, but she did not stay for long and excused herself to the room that was given to her.

Her tummy was full and her eyes were beginning to close again. Thus, the first thing she did when she arrived in her room was to fall onto the bed and sleep.

Today was like one of those days where she overworked herself at her university and had accumulated many sleepless nights until one day her body shut down. It was still very early but Hui Lan's eyelids did not stay open for long. The medicine had also done its work to help her sleep.

On the other hand, both Feng Furen and Elder Yi had watched Hui Lan walk up the stairs to the balcony that had a spare room for her.

Feng Furen had her arms crossed over in front of her while saying, "Go easy on her tomorrow, alright?" The elder spoke without looking at her senior brother who was standing beside her.

Elder Yi's lips parted from each like a wide egg, "Are kidding me, I would want her to do her best."

As if reading Elder Yi's thoughts, Feng Furen spoke again, "Hm, just don't use any tricks on her." Feng Furen then looked at Elder Yi in one corner of her eyes before leaving her last words, "It's not worth it." The elder then left her senior brother behind with a small smile. Her brother did not change at all, it's just, she did not want him to be going too far with his tricks on Hui Lan since he was going to be the first person to train Hui Lan tomorrow.

Elder Yi turned to look in another way in a huff.

...Tch, he got caught again.

.

.

.

Next morning

Hui Lan was still sleeping in her bed as if she was glued onto it.

However, just outside, someone's loud voice resounded in the entire hall.

"Feng Hui Lan!" It was none other than Elder Yi's voice who was alerting everyone around him.

Feng Furen and her people were already up, so was Elder Zhang and Elder Yi.

However, the only person who was not with them was the 4th generation student.

Hui Lan's eyes broke open.

...Did someone just call her? Or was it in her dream?

...If it was in her dream then she would just go back to-

"Feng. Hui. Lan."

Hui Lan could hear his voice loud and clear.

...Dammit. It was that elder.

She immediately got up and went to a wash her face in the separate toilet. She then changed and wiped herself with a damp tower before finding the clothes that had been prepared for her since last night. Hui Lan simply tied her hair into a high ponytail before making her way out.

It was like any other days when she was running late to class.

Nevertheless, she looked just well put as normal and was walking down hurriedly yet gracefully.

Hui Lan quickly ran up to Elder Yi who seemed to be counting down the time beside him. However, as she ran, she could not feel her muscles aching and she could feel her body much lighter.

...Oh?

But Hui Lan did not get the time to think about it for the elder in front of her was already giving his order to her, "Follow me." The elder squinted his eyes before swiftly turning around.

He went towards a door that was beside the garden that she had gone into, but this time, only the face of a lion was the doorknob. No such decorations were drawn onto the door.

Once Elder Yi had opened the door, a large ground of something that looked like a training field was revealed in front of Hui Lan.

Elder Yi stood beside the door as if to let her come in.

With astonished steps, Hui Lan walked inside. Walking in, she could finally see the entire place much better.

Around the sides looked like it was some form of track and in the middle, it looked like some sort of machinery.

Elder Yi then closed the door and followed Hui Lan inside. He stood in front of her and began instructing, "You must run around this track for 10 times and once you are down, you must escape your way through my invention. Avoid all the attacks made by my machine and you will be free to go if not, you must start making your way through my machine all over again."

"Ah?" Hui Lan loss of words.

But Elder Yi did not wait for Hui Lan and instructed again, "Your time, starts now."

However, Hui Lan was still rooted in the same spot.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Run!" Elder Yi spoke again.

Hui Lan relieved a long sigh.

...Fine.