The Flower That Blooms In Adversity | Male! Mulan x Reader

Chapter 2

Third Person POV

Your mother and Minsheng's pace the front of the building, a worried look on their faces. Where were you and Minsheng? "[L/N] [M/N], is your daughter here yet?" a short, plump woman asks. "The Matchmaker is not a patient woman."

"Of all days to be late... I should have prayed to the ancestors for luck," Minsheng's mother sighs.

"How lucky can they be?" Grandmother Fa scoffs. "They're dead."

"They'll be here soon, Fa Li," your mother consoles. "[Y/N] would not not show up for an important time such as this."

"I got all the luck we need," Grandmother Fa says, holding up a small cage with a blue cricket inside. She whispers to it, "This is your chance to prove yourself." She covers her eyes with her hands and begins walking out onto the busy road.

"Grandma, no!" Fa Li cries. Grandma Fa continues walking through the dusty road, the drivers yelling and screaming as they dodge her. Two carriages crash against each other, Grandma Fa getting lost in the smoke. Despite the wreckage in the middle of the road, Grandma Fa manages to cross the other side unharmed.

She uncovers her eyes and smiles down at the cricket. "Yep, this cricket's a lucky one!" she exclaims, waving to her grandchild.

Your POV

You unwrap your arms around Minsheng's waist and jump down from his horse. "I'm here!" you smile, holding your hands out. Your mother and Fa Li place their hands on their hips. "What? But, Mama, I had to-" you protest.

"None of your excuses," your mother interrupts, pushing you toward the door. "Now let's get you cleaned up."

"This is what you give me to work with?" the woman asks, staring at the piece of wheat in your hair. "Well, honey, I've seen worse." She pushes you behind a divider and undresses you quickly. With that, Minsheng turns around and steps out the door swiftly. "We're gonna turn this sow's ear..."

You exclaim as you collapse into the tub of freezing cold water. "... into a silk purse."

"It's freezing!" you shiver.

"It would have been warm if you were here on time," your mother says. The woman dunks water on your head, making you even more cold than you already are.

"We'll have you washed and dried," the woman smiles, washing your hair. "Primped and polished 'til you glow with pride." She grabs some shower gels and other hygienic essentials, and pours them all over you. "Trust my recipe for instant bride. You'll bring honour to us all."

Your mother takes your arm with a smile, but frowns. "[Y/N], what's this?" she asks, referring to the ink on your arm. You retract your arm and chuckle nervously.

"Uh, notes," you say. "In case I forget something."

"Hold this," Grandma Fa says and places the cricket cage in your mother's hands. "We'll need more luck than I thought."

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Two women pull at your hair, brushing it furiously. "Wait and see when we're through," the one wearing a purple hanfu dress says.

"Boys will gladly go to war for you," the other adds, tying your hair up with a red ribbon.

"With good fortune."

"And a great hairdo."

"You'll bring honour to us all," the both of them chorus.

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Your mother and Fa Li help you down the stairs. "A girl can bring her family great honour in one way." You stop at a table of two men playing Xiangqi. You glance down at the board, and move a piece strategically. "By striking a good match. And this could be the day."

Your mother pulls you away with a disappointed expression.

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You stand on a small chair, two more women dressing you in a gorgeous pink-coloured hanfu dress. "Men want girls with good taste," one of them explains.

"Calm," the other adds.

"Obedient," Fa Li smiles as a woman measures your neck.

"Who work fast-paced."

"With good breeding," your mother winks. You throw a look at her.

"And a tiny waist." You gasp loudly as a red ribbon is pulled tightly around your waist. "You'll bring honour to us all," they all say.

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"We all must serve our Emperor who guards us from the Huns."

You walk past a little girl playing with a doll, and two boys with swords. One of the boys takes her doll, but you take it right back and give it back to her nicely. "The men by bearing arms, a girl by bearing sons."

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"When we're through, you can't fail," a woman says, dipping a makeup brush in red paint. She draws on your lips, making your them look like bright cherries. "Like a lotus blossom, soft and pale." She draws the perfect eyeliner with one swipe, then you look at yourself in the mirror. "How could any man say, 'No sale'."

Your face has white powder on it, with pink blush and purple-ish blue eyeshadow. Two golden earrings hang from your ears, adding a nice touch. Your eyes widen at your completely new look. To make it more homely, you take a piece of your hair out. "You'll bring honour to us all."

Your mother unwraps a hair comb and places it on your bun. "There, you're ready," she smiles.

"Not yet!" Grandma Fa chimes in, holding an apple and a necklace. She shoves the apple into your mouth. "An apple for serenity, a pendant for balance. "Beads of jade for beauty. You must proudly show it," she tilts your head up. "Now add a cricket, just for luck. And even you can't blow it!"

Illıllııllıllı

You walk out the house, holding your hands together. "Ancestors, hear my plea," you plead. "Help me not to make a fool of me, and to not uproot my family tree," you look back at your family, including Fa Li and Grandma Fa. Minsheng stands there, waving at you with a smile. "Keep Minsheng's father standing tall."

Your mother passes you your parasol, and you start frantically running to your destination. "Scarier than the undertaker, we are meeting our matchmaker," you gulp. You spot the other girls and you join them as fast as you can.

"Destiny, guard our girls," everyone sings, "and our future as it fast unfurls."

You hold your parasol across your shoulder like a baseball bat, but then quickly hold it in front of you pointing down when you see the others doing so. "Please look kindly on these cultured pearls, each a perfect porcelain doll." You hold your head up high, closing your eyes to look at least a little bit professional.

"Please bring honour to us."

"Please bring honour to us."

"Please bring honour to us."

"Please bring honour to us."

You open your eyes and tilt your head nervously. "Please bring honour to us all!"

You open up your parasol and kneel down, placing it in front of you. The door suddenly opens, the Matchmaker stepping out. "[L/N] [Y/N]," she calls. You stand up and smile your best smile.

"Present!" you say.

"Speaking without permission," the Matchmaker notes.

"Oops," you sigh, face-palming yourself. This is going to go great.