Illuminate (Jinshi x OC)

Chapter One: One Last Day

Luomiere watched as her father popped another dumpling into his mouth, wordlessly asking herself how he maintained his bony figure despite all the sweet treats he ate, but of course, some questions simply didn't have answers.

I think Gramps mentioned something about how people gain weight at different rates. I could ask him about it...eh, I don't really care, actually.

Luomiere shook her head, brushing the thought away. Her father's aid, Rikuson, gave her an apologetic look, but she waved it off to show that it was alright. Luomiere knew better than most that nobody could truly control Grand Commandant Kan, apart from perhaps her little sister; however, that wasn't possible, so the task was mainly left to Rikuson and, sometimes, herself or Lahan.

"Dad, I'll be leaving for the pleasure district to say my goodbyes to Gramps and Maomao...I don't think she'd appreciate any more of your lavish gifts, but I'd be happy to pass along a message," she tried saying, but the master strategist had already fallen to his knees.

"Luomiere, take me with you! I want to see my precious Maomao!"

Luomiere sighed, placing her palm on her forehead. "Dad, you know you can't see Meowy. The madam of the Verdigris House will chase you with a broom again, and it'll only cause a ruckus."

Luomiere shook her head as her father began to pout on the floor. Truly, he was a sad sight to see. Lakan adored Maomao, his one and only biological child, but she looks at him like he's a maggot found in yesterday's rotten garbage. Honestly, Luomiere couldn't blame her sister for her animosity towards their father, since he abandoned Maomao and her mother for the first few years of her life. Maomao's mother, Fengxian, was a high-ranking courtesan, but having a child all but ended her career; since Lakan never returned to the brothel afterwards, Fengxian gradually lost her mind, and she tried to kill Maomao. Since then, she's been confined to a sick bed at the Verdigris House, unbeknownst to Lakan.

Maomao might have realized that Lakan didn't intend to abandon Fengxian, but by the time he had returned from his 3-year trip in the western capital, Maomao had already taken up with Luomen: Luomiere's grandfather and Lakan's uncle. Luomen is the person Maomao respects the most, and her viewing someone else as her father is simply inconceivable. Luomiere might have found it unfair to her adoptive father, but seeing the admiration Maomao has for Luomen made her realize that it was for the best.

Really, Meowy couldn't have been raised by a better man.

Although, Luomiere wouldn't have minded if the women of the Verdigris House had been less involved with her sister's early upbringing. Seriously, now she has brothel humor!

"Lady Luomiere, your carriage has arrived!"

Luomiere glanced back at the entry hall at the guard, smiling as she waved her hand in a circular motion. His cheeks tinted with red, but he nodded in understanding before heading outside.

Still beaming, she turned to her father. "Alright, then. I'm off!"

To spend my last day of freedom...

"Send Lady Maomao the master's regards!" Rikuson called, but Luomiere was already out the door.

~ ~ ~

Somewhere in the outer court of the kingdom of Li, a beautiful man lay with his head upon a wooden desk. The ebony locks of his hair were tied back in a piece of cloth atop his head, while the rest flowed down the back of his slouched figure. His usually sparkling eyes were open, revealing their magnificent twilight hue; they glanced around the room at the papers scattered across the floor and furniture, wishing desperately to discard the sight from memory. He sighed, such a lovely sound, reaching out for something invisible.