Lovely Blossoms

Fen Hua walked slowly towards the laughter coming from the room just ahead of her. She knew she was being reckless and was almost certainly in shock from the earlier events, but she couldn't leave this place without seeing him one last time. It was the first time she had ever felt these types of feelings. The pull and intensity of it was nothing like she imagined 'love' to feel like. Just seeing him made her feel happy, and the thought of leaving was painful.

She wiped at her eyes again, a few stray tears had managed to fall in the short walk to the room. She stood on the tips of her feet so that she could peek into the small window that was used for airing the room out. From here she had to shit around a little before she was able to see Liang Delun. He was lying casually on a group of pillows; his head was propped on his hands. His mother sat on a chair stripped of her normal regal appearance. This was the first time that Fen Hua saw her without all her makeup and neatly planned attire. Her hair hung down while Liang Yanyu brushed it. The atmosphere of the room was very relaxed.

"If you pull my hair one more time, I'll have your hands cut off you little twit," Liang Shu snarled. She grabbed a small cup in front of her and sipped at its contents.

"This servant will try harder," Liang Yanyu said in a soft voice.

"Now, now mother," Liang Delun said sitting up. "No need to be so harsh." Fen Hua could see his full face now and was satisfied. She knew she couldn't stick around any longer. She slowly lowered herself so that she could no longer see inside. She took a step away but was stopped by the words that followed.

"May I return to my room now Miss," Jingfei asked.

Fen Hua turned back towards the room. Why was Jingfei here?

"Go and remember now that we have given you what you want, you belong to us. Anything I ask of you; you will do it. Even if it means killing." Lady Shu said, her voice was as calm as if she had said a simple good night.

"I understand," Jingfei answered. Fen Hua's heart was beating out her c.h.e.s.t. This didn't make sense. Why would Jingfei willingly agree to something like that. She peeked back into he window, needing to verify it really was her. She watched as she walked out of the room, her hand twisting anxiously and her head down. Jingfei's mind was racing with thoughts. She knew she was wrong for what she did, but the idea of it had struck her so thoroughly and so swiftly that once it had come about, there was no going back. If only Fen Hua hadn't come to this house, if only she had never had to see her again, perhaps she would have been able to let go of all the damage that she had done to her life. But once she had stepped back into her path, that hatred was only fanned, and the fire in her stomach could not be contained.

As she walked back to her quarter, she did her best to forget the never-ending pain coming from her leg. Every step she took, every day of her life since that night, had been excruciating. The scars on her face, and the damage to her arm were awful, but she would willingly take more if it meant the pain would stop. Her mind flashed back to that night, as it often did. Especially when she was sleeping. The nightmare of the torture she had endured never left her.

Lady Meirong had taken every ounce of anger she harbored towards Fen Hua out on Jingfei the night Beak Zhiqiang had found out about the arranged marriage. She was beaten for what felt like hours, several guards hitting her with their full force until she could barley move. After she was beaten, she was stripped n.a.k.e.d and forced to stay alone in a dark room for days, maybe weeks. She was given slop to eat, rancid and molded, but she ate it hungrily and without a word of complaint.

When Lady Meirong had finally decided it was enough. She was given a tattered dress to wear and carted off to be sold. She was never able to say goodbye to her mother. She wasn't given a chance to do anything. Even if she had been given the chance, she didn't think she would have been able too, her mind was too consumed with the unnatural way her leg twisted, and the jarring pain she felt any time she moved it. All of this had happened because she befriended Fen Hua. Because she had chosen to be kind she was repaid with a lifetime of pain. There was no way she couldn't hate Fen Hua.

She thought that if Fen Hua would receive even a tiny fraction of the pain she had endured, of the humiliation that followed her to this day, she would feel a little peace. She didn't understand why she felt nauseous. Of why her hands wouldn't stop shaking. She didn't know why she kept turning towards the ally that would lead to that place, constantly wondering if it was too late to stop it. When she entered her quarters a few other servants grumbled, unhappy to be woken up at such a late hour. Jingfei made quiet apologies, maybe part of her was sending them towards Fen Hua.