Days of freedom turned into weeks – something which she always wanted. But sadly, her happiness didn't last that long.

It all started with a whisper, which progressed to ghostly voices. It didn't stop there, because she began dreaming of a hand grabbing at her feet and dragging her into the shadows. But that was not the end. Eventually, the face of her enemy emerged; lips curling into an evil smile.

With a startled gasp, Xiaoyu jolted awake, her eyes wide and terrified.

Her hair was a mess, her face slicked with sweat. She placed a hand over her chest, feeling her heart hammering against her rib cage as if she had been running—which she did.

In her dream, a huge, black mass had chased her, caught her and ate her alive. Reduced her to nothingness. A cold burn seared across her skin accompanied with a chilling voice whispering in her ears, before she finally woke up.

An involuntary shudder went through her. She wrapped her arms around herself, taking a good glance at her surroundings. Still dressed in her nightgown, she realised she wasn't in her room, but on the cold, dirt floor right outside the house.

Tonight wasn't the first time she found herself waking up in odd places. It started a few nights ago. There were times where she found herself in the backyard, at the gate, or even outside a neighbour's house. And each time, she would slip back into her room quietly, hoping that no one would notice her disappearance.

Her stomach tightened. Thinking about her dream made her feel sick and nauseous.

She wasn't certain if sleeping in a separate room from Zhijian was the reason why her nightmares returned. They may be different from before, but they still evoked the same feeling from her — fear.

Zhijian was her amulet. As much as she wanted to run into his arms for safety and comfort, she held herself back. If she told him the truth, he was going to worry, something which she didn't want to happen. She didn't want to ruin the good days – the peace that they had worked so hard for.

When she returned to bed, she couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. By the time morning arrived, she was exhausted. The nightmares occurred for several days afterwards, more vivid than ever, and she didn't know how to stop them. The dark bags under her eyes gradually grew visible and her face was losing her glow. It wasn't long before the people around her started noticing the signs.

One morning, when she was preparing the ingredients for breakfast, her sister stepped into the kitchen to interrupt her work and pull her aside.

"What's going on?" Lanying asked, running her eyes over her. "You look terrible."

Xiaoyu masked her fatigue with a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. It's that time of the month for me."

"Oh." Lanying was quick to believe her lie, her frown dissolving into a look of understanding. "Do you want something warm to drink?"

"I'm good," she replied, burying the guilt in her heart. "Thanks."

Jiang Yuhan appeared in the kitchen then, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders and whispering affectionate words into her ears. When his eyes met Xiaoyu, he simply gave her a quick nod of acknowledgment.

Knowing how she found his presence uncomfortable, he respected her and would always maintain a distance from her. A couple of times, she had caught him shooting her a look of suspicion and yet, he didn't question her weary state. The only oblivious person in this house was Jiang Ming, because most of the time, he was out playing with his friends. Ever since his friend had made a move on her, he was avoiding Zhijian's wrath as much as possible.

And speaking of him, she wasn't sure how she was going to get past his suspicion.

For the rest of the day, she stayed in her room. When she was taking a nap – a rather restless one – she was vaguely aware of the door creaking open and the sound of footsteps approaching. A heavy weight settled at the edge of her bed, before a hand caressed the side of her face.

Her eyes fluttered open, watching as Zhijian stared at her with a worried frown. A small tray holding a cup of warm tea was placed on the bedside table right next to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

No matter how tired she was, the sight of him made a smile appear on her face immediately. She answered him with the same lie that she had told Lanying earlier. He wore the same look of understanding, before reaching for the tea and handing it to her.

"Drink this, it's ginger tea. Your sister said it might help."

"Oh." She accepted it, growing a little embarrassed. "Thank you."

Even though she wasn't having her period yet, she drank it to avoid raising his suspicion. The spicy aroma hit her nose and the strong, peppery liquid burnt her throat, but thanks to the tea, she was feeling a lot more awake now.

She sets the cup aside just as he was saying something. "If you aren't feeling too well, I guess we should stay in the house today."

Her curiosity was piqued. "We are going somewhere?"

He gave a light shrug. "It's the Harvest Moon Festival. People have already started heading into the nearest town to watch the night show. But your sister said that we should head down the lake and row a boat into the waters. That's where we'll get the best view–"

Before he could finish his sentence, she was already throwing off her covers and leaping off the bed. Getting out of the house was better than being cooped up in her room and letting her mind be occupied with troubling thoughts.

"Let's go," she decided. "I don't wish to miss this."

A smile lit his face. "Whatever you want, my love."

Hearing him call her with such an endearing term made her blush. She hurried out of the house without him but he caught up to her quickly, lacing his fingers through hers.

Shooting her a playful grin, he brought her to one of the hidden exit routes that only the people in this village would know of – a cave running through one of the mountains and connecting them to the outside world. Every exit was guarded and for this particular one, it was a man-made door disguised as a cave wall, with layers of vines concealing it.

Once they passed through it, Zhijian led the rest of the way. The sun had disappeared below the horizon, and was replaced with a full moon dangling low in the night sky.

At the wharf of the lake sat a couple of empty boats. They randomly chose one; Xiaoyu was about to pick up the paddle but he beat her to it.

"You're pampering me too much," she complained. "I can row a bow too, you know."

Placing his hands on her shoulders, Zhijian forced her to take a seat. "And let you be the man?" he scoffed. "No. Just sit back and relax."

She hesitated for a second, but eventually relented. With raised eyebrows, she watched as he picked up the paddles again and rowed the boat with ease. Although he looked lean in his clothes, it was deceiving. She had seen him without his top before and remembered that he had well-defined muscles.

"My eyes are up here but...I hope you're enjoying the view."

He caught her staring at him and his tease brought a blush to her cheeks. She averted her eyes, looking at her hands instead. "Are you sure you weren't popular among the ladies in the past?"

"Never had any time for them," he answered easily, "but for you, you're an exception. I'll always make time for you."

Embarrassed, her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red and he grinned. "I really love that colour on your cheeks."

The steady ebb and flow of the waves was calming. The boat stopped in the middle of the lake and it wasn't long before the festival's night show began; several paper lanterns started floating up into the night sky, bearing the people's wishes and blessings. The glowing orange orbs reflected in the waters like shimmering stars, stealing her breath away.

The entire scene was like a painting. It reminded her that there was some beauty left in this world, that all was not lost. That no matter how much darkness life brings, the night would end and the day would bring forth the light – a new beginning.

Two arms enveloped her slowly from behind. She turned and buried her face in the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"You're not being yourself," Zhijian murmured into her hair. His hands clutched her shoulders and he pulled back, his worried eyes searching her face. "You've been very anxious lately. There's something troubling you – I can feel it. Tell me."

"I'm fine, really," she insisted. "I guess I'm not used to having this freedom, everything still feels surreal to me. "

He frowned, clearly not believing her entirely. But he let it go and indulged her with a kiss, one that set her heart on fire and made her toes curl in excitement. She was so caught up in the feeling of his warm, hungry lips on hers that her fears were soon forgotten. When his tongue delved into her mouth, her grip on her sanity was lost.

As they kissed, only one question lingered at the back of her mind.

How long could she hide the truth from him, until he finds out?