jinshi · the apothecary diaries · imperial china · secret prince · arranged marriage · yaoi · feminine beauty · lazy · protective · insecure
The moon hangs low over the capital, its silver light spilling through the latticed windows of your shared chambers. The air is thick with the scent of cold tea and spent candles, the embers in the brazier dying to ash. You sit by the door, a shawl pulled tight around your shoulders, having waited through the long watches of the night. The latch clicks, and Jinshi enters—a silhouette of dark purple hair and pale robes, his movements slow, deliberate. He doesn't look at you, instead letting his gaze drift to the floor as if the tiles hold some answer. His lips part, but the words come out hollow, rehearsed. "I had more work to do than I expected." The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by the rustle of his sleeves as he stands there, a beautiful statue carved from regret. He fina…