Fragments

Sisterly Duty

Daoming Zhuang sighed deeply, perturbed as she gazed down at her little brother's sleeping face. He may be resting but he didn't look at all relaxed; his face was troubled and his brow was furrowed as he slumbered fitfully. Ah Si hadn't eaten for days, and Zhuang was going spare with worry; try as she might, she just could not convince him to give up on his lovesick hunger strike no matter how desperately she tried. He was adamant, and she could tell he wouldn't be moved regardless of what she said. She could see how drawn and gaunt he looked, and it unnerved her; his lips were dry and cracked and his complexion ashen, a shadow of his former glory. However, even appealing to his famed vanity hadn't gotten through to him. Ah Si had always been stubborn and difficult to manage, but never before had he been so entirely deaf to her pleas. He didn't want to listen, hell bent on making his mother bend to his will. He had always treated his sister and mother with dignity and respect, even though they had treated him harshly at times, acquiescing to their wishes more often than not - this new, entirely closed off Ah Si was as unfamiliar to her as having her mother in the house for such an extended period of time. It seemed her idiotic younger brother had matured into an equally idiotic young man overnight, and she was no longer sure how to handle him. When had he become so zealous, was this change really all because he had fallen in love? Even Shancai hadn't been able to convince him to give up his endeavour, and Zhuang was slowly accepting that if even Dong Shancai couldn't change his mind, the she didn't have a snowball's chance in hell.

Zhuang's lips tightened as her mother crossed her mind, anger trickling coldly down her spine at her unwillingness to see reason. Her formidable, motivated, entirely misguided mother... Did she even realise she was driving both of her children away as she used them like pawns? Their mother had little respect for the needs of her children, she was too calculating and conniving to care if they had happy, loving marriages. Zhuang loved her matriarch despite herself, sometimes more out of a sense of familial duty than actual connection, but at this very moment in time, she ardently disliked her. This whole nightmare situation was because of her and her refusal to give in! Ah Si had clearly inherited the signature Daoming will, but it was a trait he had most definitely received from their mother; Zhuang was worried that Daoming Feng would also stand firm until Ah Si was damaged beyond repair. Goodness knew that Ah Si would not be the first to yield; he loved Shancai more than life itself, and it seemed he was willing to prove it! "Oh Ah Si, what are we going to do with you?" Zhuang whispered tenderly to her beloved baby brother as she caressed his hair. He moaned, cringing away from her cool hand and Zhuang's heart sank at the sensation of his clammy skin against hers. Ah Si was definitely deteriorating rapidly, and it hurt her heart to watch her strong willed younger brother wither away due to their mother's blindness.

The Daoming heiress paced restlessly over to the mullioned window, crossing her arms anxiously as she observed Shancai's prone form standing in a silent vigil on the mosaicked driveway. Lord, that was another thing that filled her with gnawing worry; how much longer could Shancai possibly stand outside in the rain and crippling cold without catching her death? Zhuang had also spent many fruitless hours trying to lure Shancai back inside, where she would at the very least be warm (Zhuang hesitated to say safe as she knew her mother was prowling about like an injured lioness) but if she could at least be sure Shancai wouldn't freeze to death, the knot in her chest would loosen slightly. Ah Si would never forgive her if anything serious happened to Shancai. She dreaded to think of how Ah Si would react if he knew the love of his life was also absconding from food and soaked to the bone outside his very window. She imagined he would swiftly perform an about turn on his insanity if he caught even a whiff of Shancai risking herself for their cause, but for some strange reason, she was reluctant to tell him and sway his decision using such petty measures. It seemed underhanded for some reason, and she knew that she would be taking away what little semblance of autonomy he had left if she let slip. Zhuang was torn over whether or not she should keep her lips sealed, but she was leaning heavily towards secrecy; he was already weak enough as it was, and his sister was loathe to add to his burden. He was making a stand, and as his sister, she should support him unconditionally even if it pained her to do so... He would do the same for her, she was certain of it. He hadn't kicked up a fuss when she locked herself in her bedroom all that time ago, refusing to eat when their mother also interfered with her love life: the least she could do was afford him the same courtesy. Zhuang was proud of him for his loyalty, and also slightly guilty to have inspired his madness; after all, where else had he gotten the idea to stage a hunger strike?

Zhuang flipped a short strand of her hair habitually behind her ear as she chewed her lip nervously; there would be hell to pay when Ah Si found out she had allowed this, but what could she do, short of dragging Shancai back inside kicking and screaming? Her eyes clouded as she remembered what Xiaozi had tearfully told her; Shancai couldn't convince her brother to negate on his delusional hunger strike as she respected his reasoning for doing it. Those two really were a match made in heaven, both idiots and loyal to a fault! However, it was due to a grudging sense of respect that Zhuang hadn't forcibly removed Shancai from the driveway and drove an IV line into Ah Si's veins herself. She could understand why the young pair were so desperate to make a statement; if they backed down now, it was more or less handing the power directly to Daoming Feng, and that didn't set a good precedent for their future together. Better to stand firm as a unit, their love strong and unshakable than to cave to pressure and be divided due to lack of dedication. Zhuang could sense the methodical logic behind their collective madness, she could even begrudgingly understand it, but it didn't mean she had to like it. She would hold her tongue for Ah Si's sake, but it would be like swallowing acid the entire time; she loved her brother, she had practically raised him, and it was incredibly frightening to stand by helpless as he strove to make his feelings known. He was fighting so hard, she was just dizzy with worry that he would kill himself in the process. All she could do now was offer him he strength, to act as a staunch defender against her mother as Yu Sao had done for her in the past.

The Daoming princess' heart ached with the ghost of forgotten love when she remembered her own passionate dalliance with the artist who had captured the light so beautifully in his work. She had first been drawn to his work and then to the man himself, utterly captivated as they dove headlong into a whirlwind romance. Their love had been like a candle, burning bright but brief and flickering, snuffed out by the domineering shadow that was Daoming Feng. Her mother's disapproval had been palpable, almost terrifying in its sheer force, and her lover hadn't been able to take it. He had scarpered, cowardly, his tail between his legs, defeated by the Daoming empire and the cold CEO who spearheaded it. Zhuang had never quite forgiven her mother for driving away her beloved, but most of all, she had never forgiven him for tossing her aside so callously, as if her love was an inconvenience to him. He had lacked resolve and their love had crumbled; Zhuang had been willing to give up her pampered life just to be with him, and yet, he hadn't been able to bear the weight of her mother's disapproval. That was the key difference between Ah Si's and Zhuang's situation; where her love had fallen at the first hurdle, her brother's love was prepared to go through hell just to prove her devotion. Shancai hadn't wavered even once, her loyalty to Ah Si astounding even after all the hardship they had faced. No one would have blamed her if she had chosen to walk away, and yet she stood firm, resolute and determined to support Ah Si in whatever way she could. And could Zhuang fault her for that? She was thrilled her brother had found someone to love him just as fiercely as he loved her, she only hoped her mother would acknowledge they were soul mates before it was too late. Although it left a bitter taste in her mouth, Zhuang would respect their decisions and continue to clash horns with her mother until she gave in. She owed it to her baby brother and also the Zhuang of the past who had been so unexpectedly betrayed. She couldn't right the wrongs in her own past, but she sure as hell would fight tooth and nail to ensure Ah Si wasn't forced down her path, destroying his future happiness.

After all, what else was a fabulous big sister for if not to fight your battles?

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My attempt at the prompt 'respect.' Tagging monicacantwrite , JVH624 , Meggyhashope , rainingmeteors , lindaisfangirling and @Daphnecs8.