Here's the original intro for this chapter:

I didn't get a SINGLE review, but you're lucky I'm nice (and was bored and procrastinating. XD). So here I am writing a new chapter.

Do you like it:P Now a lot more time has passed and, sadly, I never really manage to finish this. I think it's time to get it finished, and the next one's coming ASAP.

IMPORTANT NOTE! READ! : I know that my fic is somewhat peculiar, since such time period didn't exist, (at least not that I know of), China had dynasties and Japan a feudal period. JUST FORGET THAT IS SO FOR A WHILE. Imagine it's just two medieval kingdoms, the kind you would think of when someone said "medieval". GOT IT? RIGHT!

REMEMBER THIS: THIS STORY IS SET IN MEDIEVAL TIMES.

M-E-D-I-E-V-A-L T-I-M-E-S. GOT IT? OOOOOOOOON with the story!

Disclaimer: Do you really think I own CCS? This is a FAN Fiction site for goodness' sake! But yeah, I came up with the story using my own little brain. It's mine :ninja:.

"..." - Talking
italic font – Thinking, flashback

... moving scene

(...:A/N: ...) – Authors Note

The Chinese Lessons

How the idea came into his head, Syaoran didn't know. There he was, staring at Kero-chan, alone with his thoughts, like most days. Waiting for Sakura-chan to come and give him a million more things to think of later on.

Syaoran had made the calculation on his head, and he'd been there for about a month. Although Sakura brought him food every day, it was just enough to keep him alive. Being a Prince, he was used to the most amazing banquets…

There he was, snuggled in Sakura's cloak, thinking of how much she had helped him. He owed to her his life, and more than that even. He was overcoming his old arrogance and egotism, and instead felt a gratefulness he could not describe, even to himself.

And then he thought of how to make her happy…

…

"Good morning, Sholan!" Sakura sang as she greeted him.

"Good morning, Princess!" he replied.

Sakura noticed he was holding his breath and smiling strangely, almost as if he wanted to say something.

"Whatever is the reason for you to be in such a queer position?" she asked with a grin.

He exhaled with a laugh.

"What happens?" she jerked her head in confusion.

"I…"

"You looked like you had to say something." Sakura said. "Or did I get your expression wrong?"

"No, actually, you're right. Can I ask you a question, Sakura?"

"Sure…"

"What do you really know about China?"

His question took her aback, and she had to think for a few seconds.

"In fact, not much. Just the basics, statistics, that kind of thing "a Princess can't grow without knowing"," she quoted as she rolled her eyes. "But if I get your question right, barely anything. Though I hear they have one amazing culture…" she finished, dreamily.

"Because, Sakura, I have remembered a few things. I'm Chinese." Syaoran said, with a smile. He knew Sakura would love to hear those news.

She did. She clapped her hands together in joy.

"Amazing! Amazing! I'm so happy!" she smiled. "You speak such a good Japanese, too…"

"Oh, yes." Syaoran said quickly. Of course, being a Prince, he was taught Japanese. But a peasant- and that's what Sakura thought he was- wouldn't really get the opportunity to learn another language. "My mother was especially interested in my general knowledge." It was no lie.

"Actually, I lived with my mother and my four older sisters, one more noisy than the other. And an…ehm…family friend…Wei." He couldn't mention how Wei was much more than that. He was supposed to be a farm boy, after all.

Sakura listened to him in awe.

"What about your father, Sholan?"

Syaoran looked to the ground.

"He…he's dead. I barely knew him. Kind of like you with your mother." He said softly.

"Oh, Sholan!" she extended her hand to his shoulder, noticing his sorrow. "I'm very sorry. But I'm sure he's very proud of you!"

"Just like you with your mother," they shared a smile of understanding.

Syaoran broke the contact.

"Well, but, before…my point was…"

"Yes?"

"Would you like Chinese lessons? As a token of my gratitude?"

…

In the days that followed, "Sholan-sensei", as Sakura would call him, used snow as paper and wrote in it with a stick.

And every single day, there was something new, some curiosity, to be explained.

"And then the panda bear will break the bamboo with its claws and take it towards its mouth. And eat happily." Syaoran explained.

"Panda bears are black and white and very cute. They are innocent and peaceful of nature. Their ears twitch when they eat." Sakura repeated, trying to learn it, although she was aware that wasn't exactly what Sholan had said.

At the same time, Syaoran would draw in the snow pile, often with the stick, often with his bare fingers, to draw characters and illustrate his explanations. Sakura piled up snow nearby his pile and started copying his picture of a panda bear.

"Well done! You can really draw!"

She added jewels and a skirt with laces.

"Hey!" he joked.

"What? Panda bears got to stay "in" too, you know!" she smiled.

He tried to poke her, but she stopped him.

"Good reflexes, too…" he muttered.

"Hey, Sholan. Do you practice any martial arts?"

"We haven't finished with the panda bears…"

"Yes, we have. Besides, no one is ever going to ask me about panda bears' mating ritual…"

"I am, now. What is a panda bears' mating ritual?"

Sakura rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Well, when the male panda bear is in love, he will gracefully dance around her…and then if she accepts him, she will swirl inside the circle he has created and then he'll hold her so her back's facing him and sway, and dance…and dance…" she added dreamily.

"It isn't really a dance…and I can't imagine how a panda bear would hold another panda bear. They don't have fingers. They're not human."

"Maybe not, but it makes me smile just to imagine it. They look so in love, here in my head…"

"Er, you were right. Time to change subject," he said quickly. "Let's see, yes, I do practice a martial art. We Chinese practice kung-fu…just like you Japanese practice karate. I also learn the use of swords."

"Maybe some day you'll show me! Please?" Sakura asked.

"Sure! No problem!" he smiled.

He'd been right. She was cheerful.

….

Another of the lessons included the Chinese Zodiac and its legend.

"Our story," Syaoran started as Sakura clapped her hands in delight, "starts when the Jade Emperor decided to call for a contest: a race! All the animals of the kingdom were invited to participate in this event that incidentally took place during the emperor's birthday. There would only be 12 winners, and the winners would gain a permanent place in the Zodiac Years. However, the animals must cross a swift current river and reach a designated spot on the shore."

"At this point in time, the cat and the rat were really good friends. Still, they are the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom, but that doesn't mean they weren't intelligent.

They decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river is to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being a naïve and good-natured animal, agreed to carry them across. However, when there is a carrot dangling in front, it is sometimes difficult to stick to friendship and the crafty rat decided that in order to win, he must do something and –poof!- pushed the cat into the river. Because of this, the cat has never forgiven the rat, and no doubt, hated the water too."

"Which explains the hatred between the two," Sakura nodded in understanding.

Syaoran continued;

"After the ox had crossed the river, the rat jumped ahead, reached the shore first, and cleverly claimed first place in the race!

Following closely behind was the strong ox, and it was named the 2nd animal in the zodiac. After the ox, came the tiger, panting away while explaining to the emperor just how difficult it was to cross the river with the heavy currents pushing it downstream all the time. But with powerful strength, it made to shore and was named the 3rd animal in the cycle.

Suddenly, from a distance came a thumping sound and out pop the rabbit. It explained how it crossed the river: by jumping from one stone to another in a nimble fashion. Halfway through, it almost lost the race but the rabbit was lucky enough to grab hold of a floating log that later washed him to shore. For that, it became the 4th animal in the zodiac cycle. Coming in 5th place was the gallant dragon, flying and belching fire into the air. Of course, the Emperor was deeply curious as to why a strong and flying creature such as the dragon should fail to reach first. The mighty dragon explained that he had to stop and make rain to help all the people and creatures of the earth, therefore he was held back a little. Then on his way to the finish line, he saw a little helpless rabbit clinging on to a log so he did a good deed and gave a puff of breath to the poor creature so that it could land on the shore. The emperor was very pleased with the actions of the dragon and he was added into the zodiac cycle. As soon as he had done so, a galloping sound was heard and the horse appeared. Hidden on the horse's hoof is the slimy sneaky snake whose sudden appearance gave the horse a fright thus making it fall back and gave the snake 6th spot whilst the horse took the 7th.

Not long after that, a little distance away, the sheep, monkey and rooster came to the shore. These three creatures helped each other to get to where they are. The rooster spotted a raft, and took the other two animals with it. Together, the sheep and the monkey cleared the weeds, tugged and pulled and finally got the raft to the shore. Because of their combined efforts, the Emperor was very pleased and promptly named the sheep as the 8th creature, the monkey as the 9th, and the rooster the 10th.

The 11th animal is the dog. His explanation for being late although he was supposed to be the best swimmer amongst the rest was that he needed a good bath after a long spell, and the fresh water from the river was too big a temptation. For that, he almost didn't make it to finish line. Just as the emperor was about to call it a day, an oink and squeal was heard from a little pig. The term "lazy pig" is due here as the pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast then fell asleep. After the nap, the pig continued the race and was named the 12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle."

Syaoran puffed and smiled,

"The End!"

"Wow, that was a nice story. And that makes it- rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig."

"That's right!" Syaoran was pleased, "It's great to know you were paying attention."

"What?" Sakura replied to his mockery, "Of course I was paying attention! And with huge interest!"

She sighed in joy,

"These have been such enlightening classes…I feel a lot wiser now!"

"I'm so glad."

And both their eyes melted in a profound smile.

'I really really enjoy it when he explains things to me like this,' Sakura thought to herself, 'Because I get to look at him as much as I want and it doesn't look like I'm staring.'

'I really really enjoy it when I explain things to her like this,' Syaoran thought to himself, 'Because we look into each other's eyes like this, and she looks back at me, and she nods her head so cutely and then she knows everything I just taught…'

And at that moment, neither of them could think of anything better than the Chinese Lessons and being together.

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Yup, you got a longer chapter this time. Now, if there are any reviewers out there, I need to know if you want more character development or if you want me to jump into the romantic surprise now, once and for all.

Either that or I'll choose myself ;D

Sooooo sorry for the delay and I assure you I'll be working faster now D.

PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! 3

Lots of love for y'all!

- Caro -