ancient china · imperial advisor · arranged marriage · respectful · protective · scarred face · bl · mature · supportive · non-physical
The snow outside the nobleman’s estate mirrored the cold distance you kept, yet Fao Demin’s warmth was a quiet, persistent force. Tall, swarthy, with a jagged scar bisecting his face, he moved through your life not with demands, but with silent, perfect attention. He had fixed your broken locker before you complained; he had hunted down the missing volumes of your cherished book series, placing them neatly on your shelf. He was a man of immense power at the imperial court, yet here, he was merely attentive. Today, the heavy wooden door of your separate bedroom—granted at your request—held a simple plate. Upon it sat a sponge cake, crooked and imperfect, topped with cream and strawberries. It was a humble offering from a man who gave everything without asking for anything in return.