Suyin had been avoiding Qin Fuhua since their tense interaction in the morning. To distract herself, she kept busy, first by spending time with Teacher Zhou Lin and later catching up with Junli and Jiayi, listening to their stories and sharing a few laughs.
Despite the company, a sense of unease lingered in her heart.
As dusk settled, the sky was painted with hues of orange and pink, and the moon began its ascent.
Suyin wandered through the campgrounds, her hands clasped behind her back. She deliberately avoided Qin Fuhua's quarters, fearing another encounter. His bold demeanor and the morning's unpleasantness weighed heavily on her mind.
Lost in thought, she strolled aimlessly until she saw Weizhe approaching, a tray of food balanced in his hands.
He was on his way to Qin Fuhua's tent when he noticed her.
"Are you heading back to Qin Fuhua's tent?" Weizhe inquired, pausing beside her.
Suyin hesitated, then shook her head.
"No. I don't really have a place to stay, and Fuhua's been in a bad mood."
Weizhe sighed, suspecting that her unease was connected to what he had observed when he was with Zhaohui and Suyin when they were at the front of the gates.
He had to report his findings to Qin Fuhua, so that was probably the reason behind his bad mood the whole day.
"Is there any vacant tent or area I can stay in, temporarily?" Suyin asked, her eyes scanning the crowded campsite. "It looks like they're all occupied... so I was wondering if you knew of any."
"There isn't a vacant tent here. Most of the places are all cramped up," Weizhe lied smoothly.
Although there were indeed empty tents, he hoped to encourage reconciliation between Suyin and the Prince. He wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by.
"Ah... Okay. Well, I'll see you later then. I'm going to go for a walk," Suyin said, her voice tinged with resignation.
She nodded politely to Weizhe and continued her aimless wandering, while he headed back to Qin Fuhua's quarters, a determined glint in his eye.
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Under the cloak of night, the campground lay bathed in shadows, the soft glow of a campfire flickering at its edge, casting an ethereal light upon the solitary figure of Suyin.
She squatted before the fire, her form silhouetted against the darkness, seeking solace in the quiet solitude of her secluded spot in the corner of the stronghold.
The crackling flames danced before her, their warmth a stark contrast to the chill of the night air that enveloped her.
Suyin found herself lost in a maze of conflicting emotions, her thoughts consumed by the enigmatic figure of Qin Fuhua. His recent actions had left her feeling unsettled, her heart a tumultuous sea of uncertainty and fear.
Clutched in her hands, she held the cloth she had intended to investigate with Qin Fuhua, a tangible reminder of the tangled web of turmoil. But now, with the memory of his bold advances still fresh in her mind, she hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
As she reached out to warm her hands by the fire, her thoughts drifted to Teacher Zhou Lin's words, a somber reflection on Qin Fuhua's past and the shadows that haunted his every step. She could almost see the weight of his burdens etched into the lines of his face, the ghosts of his past looming large behind him.
Was he always alone in this cruel, cold world? Suyin wondered, her heart heavy with empathy for the man whose life had been shaped by betrayal and mistrust.
She rubbed her hands together for warmth, the chill of the night air seeping into her bones despite the fire's comforting heat.
And then, as if summoned by her thoughts, she felt a presence settle beside her, the quiet rustle of movement breaking the stillness of the night.
"Q-Qin Fuhua!" she gasped, her heart skipping a beat at the unexpected intrusion.
His voice, when he spoke, was a calm river cutting through the silence, his words heavy with unspoken meaning. "For the first time, you called me by my full name," he remarked, his tone soft yet serious.
"No, I'm not!" Suyin protested weakly, her voice barely a whisper as she struggled to contain the tumult of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
But even as she spoke, she could feel the weight of his gaze upon her, his eyes searching her face for signs of the truth that lay hidden within her heart.
"Why are you still up? You didn't come back," he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Suyin sighed, the weight of her own uncertainties bearing down upon her.
"There wasn't a vacant tent according to Weizhe," she explained, her words tinged with resignation. "And... I don't want to intrude on you and have to sleep in your bed. It doesn't look good on you," she added, her voice trailing off as she spoke.
His response was tinged with bitterness, a sharp edge to his words that cut through the night air like a knife. "Is it that embarrassing, when we've shared a bed plenty of times already?" he asked, his voice heavy with unspoken hurt.
As the words spilled from Qin Fuhua's lips, Suyin's instincts kicked in, propelled by a fierce desire to shield him from the repercussions of his own vulnerability.
With a quickened pulse, she darted towards him, her hand moving swiftly to cover his mouth before his words could be overheard by prying ears.
But fate had other plans in store, and in her haste, Suyin stumbled, her footing giving way beneath her. With a startled gasp, she tumbled forward, her body colliding with Qin Fuhua's in a chaotic whirl of limbs and fabric.
For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as they lay intertwined on the cold ground, their breaths mingling in the frosty night air. Qin Fuhua's eyes bore into hers, a silent plea hidden within their depths, as Suyin reluctantly released her grip on his mouth, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
And then, in a bold move that took her by surprise, Qin Fuhua reached out to her, his movements slow and deliberate.
Suyin's heart leaped into her throat, a dizzying rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins as she felt his touch.
But as quickly as it had begun, the moment shattered, broken by the weight of Suyin's own insecurities.
With a sudden surge of panic, she pushed herself away from Qin Fuhua, her mind reeling with confusion and fear.
With hurried steps, she fled into the darkness, the echoes of her own footsteps chasing after her like specters in the night. Suyin's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, her heart torn between desire and uncertainty.
For so long, she had been drawn to Qin Fuhua like a moth to a flame, captivated by the enigmatic allure of his presence. But now, faced with the reality of his bold advances, she found herself at a loss for words, her thoughts a tangled mess of fear and longing.
Suyin's mind was a tumultuous storm of emotions, a tempest of conflicting feelings swirling within her chest like a gathering thundercloud.
She couldn't deny the rush of excitement that coursed through her veins at Qin Fuhua's bold advances, the heat of his touch still lingering on her skin like an ember glowing in the darkness. But alongside the thrill of desire, there lurked a shadow of uncertainty, a nagging doubt that gnawed at the edges of her consciousness.
As she walked away, the echo of his footsteps following close behind, Suyin felt a sense of unease settle over her like a heavy cloak. She longed to escape the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to consume her, to find refuge in the solitude of her own thoughts.
But Qin Fuhua's presence was an anchor that tethered her to reality, his touch a reminder of the tumultuous bond that bound them together.
When he finally caught up to her, his touch gentle yet insistent, Suyin felt her resolve waver. She turned to face him, her gaze unable to meet his own, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air between them like a shroud.
"What's wrong?" his voice was a soft murmur, tinged with a hint of hurt that sent a pang of guilt stabbing through Suyin's heart.
"It's nothing," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper as she struggled to find the words to explain the storm raging within her.
But the silence that followed was deafening, a palpable tension hanging between them like a taut wire stretched to its breaking point.
Suyin could feel Qin Fuhua's gaze burning into her, his eyes searching her face for signs of the truth she dared not speak.
"Are you disgusted and afraid of being with me?" his words were a knife to her heart, slicing through the fragile facade she had erected to shield herself from the pain of her own uncertainty.
Suyin's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in shock at the raw vulnerability laid bare in his words.
She shook her head, the weight of his sadness bearing down upon her like a crushing weight. She was such an idiot to be running away from him because of her emotions, not realizing that she had probably been hurting him.
"I'm not afraid to be with you," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "And I'll never be disgusted with you."
She met his gaze head-on, her eyes locking with his in a silent declaration of her unwavering devotion. She could see the flicker of hope dancing in his eyes, a spark of warmth amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf them both.
"I missed you so much," she confessed, her heart racing as she felt the walls around her heart begin to crumble. "So, when I saw you, I was afraid that I would have to yearn for you again. When I'm with you, I feel as if my heart is about to burst."
Qin Fuhua's response was a soft murmur, his words a balm to her wounded soul.
"Since this morning, I realized that I'm afraid of losing you," he confessed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Losing you to another man. I missed you so much, the fear of losing you is more than losing my own very life."
Suyin's heart ached at the vulnerability in his words, the depth of his love a wellspring of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.
She reached out to him, her hand covering his mouth in a silent plea for him to stop, her eyes filled with a sadness that mirrored his own.
"I'm afraid of losing you," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath of air between them. "So don't you ever say that."
As Qin Fuhua leaned in, the world around them seemed to fade into insignificance, the only thing that mattered at that moment was the touch of his lips against hers.
It was a gentle caress, a whisper of warmth that sent shivers down Suyin's spine, igniting a fire within her that threatened to consume her whole.
In that fleeting instant, their hearts beat as one, their souls entwined in a dance of passion and desire.
The butterflies that had once fluttered wildly in Suyin's stomach now gave way to a sense of calm, a peace that settled over her like a warm blanket on a cold winter's night.
With her eyes closed, she surrendered herself to the moment, wishing with all her heart that time would stand still, that she could live in this perfect bliss forever.
And then, as if guided by some unseen force, Qin Fuhua's tongue found its way into her mouth, a bold yet tender exploration that sent a jolt of electricity coursing through Suyin's veins. She gasped in surprise, her senses overwhelmed by the heady mixture of his taste and scent, the lingering aroma of orange blossoms clinging to her lips like a sweet memory.
Beneath the soft glow of the full moon above, Qin Fuhua held her close, his arms wrapped around her as if to shield her from the world's harsh realities.
Suyin, in turn, nestled against him, her head resting against his chest as she listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a comforting lullaby that lulled her into a state of tranquility.
"I like you... I love you. I really love you," his words were a soft murmur against her skin, his breath warm against her cheek. "Until the last of my breath, my heart is only yours."
Suyin felt her heart swell with emotion, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she savored the depth of his love.
And then, with a trembling voice, she spoke the words that had been buried deep within her heart, words that now flowed freely from her lips like a river unleashed from its dam.
"If I'm the moon in your heart, you are the sun in mine," she whispered, her voice barely more than a sigh. "Because without you, the world would be dark. The love I have for you will never cease to exist in anyone else but you, Qin Fuhua."
And in that moment, beneath the watchful gaze of the full moon above, their love shone bright and true.