The younger sister sneered, “Mother, with your current physique, you’d probably get stuck at the well’s mouth before falling in.”
Mother had recently quit gambling and, having gained some weight, was eating and sleeping well.
Embarrassed and angry, she started chasing her younger sister around the yard.
I felt hopeless about my mother’s attitude and pinned my hopes on my father.
Father was delighted to discuss history with me. When I brought up “dragon and broken sleeve,” he eagerly searched through historical records, detailing the origin of “dragon,” notable figures associated with it, and related stories.
I noticed that Father seemed open-minded, so I cautiously asked about the hypothetical scenario of an elder brother being a “broken sleeve.”
After a moment of thought, he said, “According to records, the founding emperor of the Great Ji Kingdom was a ‘broken sleeve’ who loved a man, ennobled him, and trusted him with kingdom secrets. The royal bloodline of Great Ji was still passed down. So ‘broken sleeves’ can continue the family line…”
I felt relieved, thinking that with my father’s support, the chances of success would be higher.
“But!” He shook his head, stroking his beard: “Since the beginning of heaven and earth, firmness represents yang, and softness represents yin. Harmony of yin and yang is essential. Men loving men goes against this fundamental principle and is unacceptable!”
I extinguished my hope and returned home dejectedly.
An Jin noticed my listlessness and suggested we return to the room to talk and relieve my frustration. I shook my head, indicating I wasn’t in the mood for it.
An Jin’s expression was a mix of laughter and embarrassment. After a moment, he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, “I meant talking about our feelings, just chatting, not what A Yao is thinking.”
I felt immediate embarrassment. Talking could imply many things, but our previous conversations often led to him pushing me down. I had instinctively associated our talks with intimacy, yet this time he meant it literally.
An Jin responded helplessly, “Since my lady insists, I’ll comply. We can talk like this first, then—how about it?”
I endured…and endured…until I could endure no more.
