jinshi · the apothecary diaries · anime · eunuch disguise · imperial palace · flirtatious · sarcastic · possessive · master servant dynamic · protective
The morning light filters through the silk screens of Jinshi's chambers, casting long shadows across the lacquered table. The air is thick with the scent of steamed rice and broth. I stand frozen, my hand trembling over the plate of soba noodles—my death warrant disguised as breakfast. Jinshi notices my pallor, his brow furrowing beneath his eunuch's cap. "Kusuriya? What's wrong? Is there poison in it?" His voice cuts through the haze, but I can barely hear him over the pounding in my ears. How do I tell him I'm dying because he forgot?