Year: 2024

Quid Pro Quo Saintess Changying~ It’s true, when one loses a sense, the remaining become stronger. That is the case for this man. He can’t speak or move, but his hearing is exceptional. He is also remarkably intuitive. He realized strangers were coming this way from the subtle vibrations from their horses and noises coming […]

Let The Flames Burn, While The Embers Sting. Qing Yuan~ The details surrounding the events of that fateful night when Jinghua ended up in his current state remain shrouded in uncertainty. It all began when we decided to take Meili to the factory, a decision that would ultimately lead to unforeseen consequences. When we got […]

Saintess Changying~   I don’t hear his voice. I can’t read his thoughts either. Our unique relationship, undiscovered by the others, isn’t that defined. It’s more like when Chang Chang and I were little and we used to send each other hidden messages bundled up in clouds. We would make them invisible using the same […]

Saintess Changying~   Her hand sweeps her scarf back, revealing a youthful face partly covered by loose strands of windblown hair. Despite her refined features, her earnest demeanor overshadows, taking over the softness in her feminine appearance. Her skin is pale but marked with uneven red blotches, burned by the wind, rendering it rough and […]

Qing Yuan~ The power of even the smallest variation is remarkable. It can change everything. Meili joined us less than two weeks ago. Since then, our cozy, harmonious home has become chaotic. She constantly expects things from A-li, who always gives in because that’s just who A-li is. The other night, she sent her sister […]

Meili~ Meihua had tucked her in late at night, and she had been too tired to notice her surroundings. But now, in the light, Meili took a fresh look at everything. The frumpy nightshirt that had annoyed Meili the night before was actually a pastel rose colored nightgown with a single daisy embroidery that wrapped […]

Jinghua~ The gate around the manor is back, which is a relief. Our privacy is restored. Qing Yuan and A-li are playfully bickering like siblings, accusing each other of cheating during their late night dice game. While they argue, I hear something that she doesn’t. I wordlessly move my body instinctively in front of hers […]

The Eastern Palace~ The Eastern Palace was as serene as a temple. The mansion filled with statues of the Buddha and vast collection of classic writings, most transcribed on wooden scrolls, wasn’t a place for a ruckus, but there was one happening. Eunuch Bao almost tripped over the hunched figure in maroon. A senior eunuch […]

Magnolia Manor~ The kitchen was lively and filled with delicious aromas from succulent roasted suckling pigs, golden, crispy-skinned ducks, braised abalones, steamed whole fishes, longevity noodles, and sweet white shrimp filled the air. The summer mitten crabs from Yangcheng Lake and a variety of sweets like cakes, candies, caramelized fruits, crispy treats with honey, sesame […]

Qingshui City~ It was oddly satisfying. A-li found an unexpected pleasure fixing Jinghua’s hair. She dipped the comb into the special hair elixir she had made. The warm mixture was rice water infused with pomelo peels, ginger, and fleece flower root from the garden out back. With a practiced dexterity, a skill she gained from […]

Qingshui City Jinghua- While A-li prepared the dough, I tended to the stove fire. The long day ends with A-li making a simple dinner, liangpi: cold spicy noodles with fresh cucumber and cilantro, a dish perfect for the warm weather. We eat fast, relishing the flavor with little conversation. Afterwards, A-li wordlessly gathers the empty […]

Princess Yueli – A-li “I’m leaving in the morning.” Jinghua said. She hiccupped violently, painfully. Jinghua surprised her by suddenly announcing that he had been assigned a task by Jingyuan. He would be leaving tomorrow morning, as he revealed during the family meal. It was all too sudden. She gasped and choked on her food […]

Meihua- She winced and let out an audible groan, feeling the hot pressure radiating through her body. Meihua firmly pressed against her tender and bruised right side of her torso, but it did little to ease the pain. Her labored breaths came in short, forced pants as the throbbing from her cracked ribs intensified, making […]