Chen Xue'er woke up in her bed back at the hostel.
"Was it all a nightmare?" She thought.
Chen Xue'er inspected her hands and clothes and they were all clean. Just as she was about to sigh in relief that her horrible experience had been a dream, a familiar voice stormed into her room.
"Xue'er! You are awake!" Cao Shu Yu came in and immediately went to give her mistress a hug.
"Shu Yu? What are you doing here?"
Cao Shu Yu was clearly crying already since Chen Xue'er could feel her shoulder getting wet.
"Xue'er, Gao Wei and I were on our way to convince you to return to the palace when you suddenly came out all bloodied up! Gao Wei carried you and you immediately fainted. He then ordered the carriage man to send us here, and he still hasn't returned."
Chen Xue'er sat there motionless trying to process what she was hearing.
