The untraditional daughter (Mulan AU)

𝟩: 𝒟𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑜𝓃-𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝑒𝓂𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓉-𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒.

Zhou is worried about his daughter's whereabouts when she doesn't come home after four days. Ju is angry at Zhou's actions, and Shang processes his fathers death. In an act of guilt, he ventures into the village to try and find her for Zhou. There are some... complications of sorts... that arise. We also hear from Mulan briefly.

3rd person POV unless stated otherwise.

Zhou.

He paced anxiously. The entire house had been overcome with a thick air since Mulan left. His mother hadn't spoken to him either, which just made everything worse. Zhou often found himself praying that she would return safely. If only he'd kept his Gāisǐ mouth shut...

Zhou awoke early one morning and decided to do breakfast, in hopes of somehow getting through to his mother. He hobbled through but was surprised at the sight of the captain already sitting there, nursing a hot cup of tea. "Captain? What are you doing up so early?" Zhou exclaimed. The captain looked over, expressionless. "I couldn't sleep," He said. Zhou nodded to himself and sat on the bench. He poured himself a drink. "I want you to know... that my daughter has a temper, not unlike a Lóng. She will explode loudly and brilliantly and sulk for a while... but she will calm down eventually." Zhou wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure... "I feel like I caused it though... and because of my temper, she left," The captain sighed loudly. Zhou nodded slowly. "Well... you certainly didn't help matters," Zhou agreed.

The captain sighed again and dropped his head. "I wanted to apologise for yesterday... I... I was out of line," Zhou nodded. "All is forgiven. I understand that it was grief for your father," He smiled wanly. The captain chuckled bitterly. "It didn't matter anyway... Wei said he won't live to the next morrow."

Zhou blinked.

"Pardon?" He asked. "The surgery went well... but there was an infection. It was long at my father's heart before the surgery happened, probably even as far back as our journey here," Zhou's heart dropped. "Why are you not with him then?" He asked. The captain sighed quietly. "I do not wish to see him waste away... he would not want that,"

Zhou didn't say anything else.

~

Another four days passed. Mulan still did not return. Zhou worried more. Ju grew angrier. Yong died. Zhou had to deal with losing his daughter and his best friend in the span of a week. It was a hard thing to wake up and get on with the day. It was easier when Li died... he still had Mulan, and, Li was in more pain when she was living. Her passing on just made the grief easier: he knew Li was in pain no longer. Zhou watched as the local Yànshī guān came and removed his body. He shivered softly. He could never do their job.

"I think I will go into the town today. See if I can find Mulan," He stated loudly one morning. Ju muttered something over her shoulder, still not speaking to him. The captain sat in a daze, as he had done since his father died. "If she wanted to speak to you, Zhou, she would have come back home," Ju grumbled. "But what if she's in danger mama?" Zhou argued. "She's probably at her own house Zhou, lest you forget she isn't a Fa anymore." Ju threw her granddaughter's words back in his face. Zhou sighed. "I am aware I messed up, mother. I do not need your constant reminder, thank you,"

Ju grumbled again. "Um... If I may?" Zhou turned in surprise as the captain finally spoke. Zhou nodded. Ju glared. "I do not believe she has a house anymore," He said. Zhou frowned. "How? She has married. Even though Lao and Cheng are dead, rest their souls, she will inherit his estate." Zhou argued. Shang shook his head. "No, I'm ninety-nine per cent sure she said his mother went Biàn hú when he was called off. She sold all of their estates and fled China," Shang didn't break his gaze from his cup.