The Golden Lotus will bloom (Apothecary Diaries)

Chapter 18

Father had me bathed and cleaned up as soon as he got to his palace so that I wouldn't get ill, but I was not really reacting much concerning him.

Once he went back to his office with me, he found there waiting was his Mother with quite a frown on her face. She turned to him and held out her arms, and he knew it was a demand for him to hand over me and he did.

Anshi held me gently as I hugged her neck and she grinned at the affection. Father went over to his desk to do more of his work as she sat down with me and she ordered some of the attendants to bring some fruits.

Anishi fed me herself and I very much enjoyed them. "...You are quieter than usual." She hummed wanting me to open up, and I felt safe with her.

"Is it so wrong to get attached?" I asked her and her eyes widened.

Anishi looked sorrowful hearing me say that. "Liena, even adults can make mistakes." She admitted confusing me. "I made one."

Father froze hearing her say that but didn't look up to look at her while only I had a view of her weak expression. She looks so regretful and it looks like she is trapped.

"Grape." I pulled on her sleeve wanting to distract her. She happily fed me another as she could tell I wanted to help her as she did for me.

Not long after, my head was in her lap she stroked it gently while smiling down at me lovingly seeing I was fast asleep. "What made this child so upset?" Anishi asked with a harsh tone contrasting her appearance and expression at the moment.

"One of Lady Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting was fired. She was originally a maid that Liena allowed to follow her." He explained.

"A maid?" She asked him.

"Yes, Liena said she liked how she freely scolds her and how her major concerns lie with her wants not the Concubine she was serving at the time she was here." Father hummed. "She was the centre of attention of someone for once."

"Then why was she fired?" Anshi asked.

"She had a connection with Fengming." He answered. "She is the daughter of the one who helped with the delivery of Ah-Duo's child and my brother."

"...Bring her back." She ordered.

"I have ordered for that," Father informed her.

"Then...I will be taking this child for now." Anshi looked at him with a distrustful look, but he took no offence to it and nodded.

After that day, I hung out with Anishi a lot since she made herself free for me and when she couldn't I would spend my time with Lishu and it was really nice. She acted different from the times we had met before like she didn't see me as a potential enemy, but a child.

Lishu would put on her weird act by holding her head high making her seemingly confident but also snobby and I would smile at her. "Are you sure that's the right attitude to take with me?" I asked her and she huffed then puffed out her cheeks.

"Well, I'm practically your older sister here right now." She stated. I froze and so did her other ladies-in-waiting confusing her until she realised what she just said and went pale. "I'm-"

"Would you like to see my garden?" I asked something more shocking making her nearly scream. Lishu jumped out of her chair in a panic making me giggle as her food taster tried to calm her down.

"It isn't a trick?" Lishu turned to me after, and I shook my head. "I would love to!"

She came with me and her ladies-in-waiting threw a fit when they couldn't come in concerning Lishu since she doesn't know how to deal with them. "Of course, I don't want rodents near my love for my Mother." I hissed at them then took Lishu's hand and pulled her with me.