Illuminate (Jinshi x OC)

Chapter Two: The La Girl and the Celestial Nymph

A/N: I'll be going by the beauty standards that the original story seems to follow (i.e. pale skin, darker hair, large bust, kind of tall...), but that's not to say that I necessarily agree with them. I mean, just look at Maomao...she is glowing.

~

"Are you ready, Lady Luomiere?"

The woman in question looked to the brunette attendant in front of her, raising a curious brow. She was wearing a teal cotton garment with a white sash today: a stark contrast from her usual summer tones. Her pleated skirt was the color of denim, and it fell down to her ankles where the hem of white flats could be seen. For once, her dark hair was tied into a proper bun, but she kept two loose strands on each side of her head as a small act of rebellion. The whole ensemble had been Lahan's idea, so she had to add her own touch somehow.

"Rikuson, what's with the formalities?" she smiled. "We've known each other too long for that."

The blue-eyed man scratched his neck, giving her a rather sheepish grin. "My apologies. You just seem so different with your hair like that."

Luomiere chuckled; she supposed he had a point. Usually, she let her hair cascade down her shoulders in a long ponytail or, on rare occasion, a braid, but today was different. She would be meeting her new master, a high-ranking official in the inner court, so she had to look the part of lady-in-waiting. Lahan told her that they would probably give her new clothes when she arrived, but he tried his best to come up with something they would like. The outfit was a bit too conventional for her taste, but she figured she might as well get used to it.

Even Dad says my clothes are too revealing, but what does he expect from a girl who grew up in a brothel?

Luomiere lived in the Verdigris House for a significant portion of her young life, where she was taught to show off her assets. Maomao may have been petite and flat as a board, but Luomiere certainly wasn't. She was around 165cm (5ft 5in) tall, and her bust size was on par with the average concubine's. The madam had even tried selling her as a courtesan once, but Luomiere had such a bizarre personality that she ended up scaring off customers instead, which is what inevitably led up to the old hag kicking her out of the brothel. The ban wasn't permanent, but Luomiere was still forbidden from being around the customers.

Their loss, she supposed.

"You look lovely, my dear," Lakan spoke, and having forgotten he was with them, Luomiere was a bit startled.

She quickly recovered, as she always did, and grinned. "Thank you, Dad. I hope Master Jinshi approves of Brother's handiwork."

She was being honest here. She knew very little about the man she would be working for, but she was aware that he only had one other lady-in-waiting; she assumed he must have been an extremely particular guy to only hire one person, especially given that he had no servants to his name apart from a single guard. She tried not to come to any conclusions before she actually met the guy, but she couldn't help but feel that he was a bit finicky.

Chances are that he was forced into this like I was, she thought, although she wouldn't dare to say it aloud.

"Yes, yes," Lakan waved her off. "I don't much care for what that charlatan thinks, but take this."

The strategist stepped forward, and Luomiere felt a little prick on the top of her head. "A hairpin?" she asked, trying and failing to get a good look at it from atop her head.

"Yes. It's made from ivory and amethyst. I had a feeling you might like it."

Luomiere's eyes lit up, and she quickly tackled her dad into a hug. "Oh, thank you!"