"Please don't come again," Jú Lì stated, a smile on her lips but her words reflected in her eyes as she handed over the three cakes Xiao Yǔ had bought.

This was the second month since the man had first shown his face. Since that time, he had taken to coming to the stall at least every day, with the odd day that he didn't appear. She wondered if his business in the area had anything to do with the palace because the jewels on his person just continued to increase. She relished the sight of them, twinkling things she could never have—save the one heirloom her mother would pass on to her.

"Ah, but I will be back," Xiao Yǔ replied, as he always did.

The grin never seemed to leave his face, despite the hard look Jú Lì trained on him. He conveniently showed up when Xiǎo Lì left for her break, as if he'd timed it. She wondered if her younger sister would stick around one of these days to see him. Or maybe she was in on this and had some hand in his appearance. The girl had always had a knack for pranks, some of which blew out of hand quite easily. She had once ended up caught in a crab trap when they were younger while trying to scare Jú Lì.

"Yes, yes, but don't do that," she drawled, expression blank.

"Oh, but I want to."

"Oh, but you don't."

"I do."

"You don't."

"I do."

"You don't."

He made motions to speak again, to which she silenced him as she always did. Hand reached out towards the cakes wrapped in decorative paper, he attention was immediately drawn to the offending appendage. It was a sign almost like taking away the miracle of life that he had finally gotten his hands on. She supposed he would be upset if it were to disappear. He jerked back the cakes with such speed, she had wondered if she had even seen the action.

"I will be back," he declared, "And I will be inviting you out to dinner."

"What was that? Yā; this man!"

Bending over and scooping up a handful of rocks, she righted herself once more to toss them at him. However, he had all but disappeared in the lingering crowd of the evening. A soft huff of exasperation passed her lips, followed by muttered words, and she decided to distract herself with closing up shop.

There was not much to be done, aside from packing up the dozen or so cakes left over. Business had been increasing in the months since Xiao Yǔ's arrival. His presence seemed to bring people towards the shop, as if pulled in by him. She knew close to nothing in terms of science, but this felt a lot more like some kind of curse placed upon her.

Checking the new lock she had bought after her first encounter with Xiao Yǔ, she felt the tendrils of lethargy creeping into her. They threatened to possess her like spirits, but she shook of the need to sleep with the same ease she did on most days. Being keeping up with both Xiao Yǔ and Xiǎo Lì was draining. It made her think once more than her sister and the man were cohorts in some great scheme.

An unladylike snort sounded from Jú Lì as she walked back home, package full of sponge cake swinging with each step. A light chill touched the air, a signal of changing seasons. Soon, the rains would come down as they had in the spring, and then the snow. And this year they would be able to buy plenty of fabric for warm clothing. Her mother had already begun to prepare a list and estimating the size each member of the family would be by then.

Her thoughts were broken into by voices nearby. Older men, perhaps the same age as her father, chatted vigorously as they walked. There was already a whine in their voices, and she doubted whatever they spoke of was anything good.

"...they're raising the shuì again!"

"And only on the merchants!"

"Of course. The previous emperor had already started his campaign against us!"

"We already don't have much to give."

Jú Lì paused midstride, brows furrowing. But of course they would be increasing the taxes; many merchants had been overly wealthy and selling their wares for higher than they were worth. It was to protect the peasants, she assumed. But, what peasants? They had all been moved to separate provinces, to cultivate the land. She had heard of these policies from her father, who had borne witness to these changes.

He used to tell her how he had seen what the good this was, and understood why the people felt such contempt towards the merchants. Parasites, is what that had been seen as. Leeching off the works of others. Her father would often say that they were only a step away from being called merchants; they baked their own food, but also sold the few things they may have come across in their trading.

A sigh threatened to leave her, but she restrained herself. If she kept it up, she would age faster. She need only report the news to her father and mother and be done with it. Jú Lì did not have any reason to be so concerned; she may very well not be around for the tax increase.

Perhaps her thought was just a foreshadowing of the discussion she would later have.

She realized this in the moment that she arrived home, her mother watching her with a grave expression and her father appearing pained. As if her mother had wacked him in the side with Grandmother's cane.

"Jú Lì," her mother said.

"I have returned, Mother," she replied, bowing. She dare not risk disrespect with the expression her mother wore.

"We must talk."

"Yes, Mother."

"About your suitors."

"Yes?" It shouldn't have surprised her. She was, after all, seventeen years old. She marriage should have been decided when she was thirteen, as she had seen with some many other girls.

She was a late bloomer in this regard, a flower held shut by the rough sepals of circumstance. Her mouth felt as though it had been stuffed with cotton, her throat closing up. It felt hard to breathe, hard to bring air down to her lungs. She wiped a palm against the soft fabric of her skirts, gaze darting between her mother and her father.

Just out of the corner of her eye, she could see Xiǎo Lì peeking out from the garden window. She would remain silent, Jú Lì supposed, only because she must be getting the same treatment. They must have been planning this, she realized. Perhaps it had always been at the back of their minds, waiting to be brought to fruition. But what had taken them so long?

Without a word, she shuffled after her parents through the garden and into the house. The fading red of the wood was suddenly a sight she would never wish to leave behind. The many splinters they had given her suddenly seemed like kisses. She swallowed thickly as she lowered herself to the floor and awaited her mother's words.

"There are many men who wish to marry you," her mother began, "And we have decided that we would wish for you to choose one. They are all of good standing—wealthy men who have seen you in passing and have dreamt of you since then—and good health."

"Hā! Good health," her father muttered, earning him a pinch from her mother.

"They can take care of all of us," her mother concluded.

"But what about Xiǎo Lì," Jú Lì inquired.

"Xiǎo Lì will be married, as well," her mother responded, her voice holding an air of finality, "They are just as interested in her as with you."

Greedy.

A quick glance over to her sister, and she could see the girl's smaller frame quivering. She must have heard this news beforehand.

"Then if you seek to be cared for, let me be the only one to marry now," Jú Lì proposed, "As you said, these wealthy men could take care of you. You needn't involve Xiǎo Lì yet."

Her mother seemed to consider this a moment, before shaking her head.

"No; I fear that the changes coming to this land will not see us fully provided for. Both of you must be married."

"But, Mother!"

"But, nothing! We have decided and it is final!"

Ju Li's throat closed once more, sealing whatever argument she had. It was her sister, however, that took up the cause, but in a slightly different way.

"Mother, Ju Li has already gotten a suitor! Wealthy, at that."

"Xiǎo Lì," the older sister hissed.

"Do not interrupt your sister," her mother boomed. She had begun to work up a light sweat, and had thus picked up a fan to cool herself. "Xiǎo Lì: speak."

"Yes. He is called Xiao Yǔ, and he is always covered in jewels. He glitters like the light and he says such sweet things. He visits her every day. What can those other men say to that? Do they come seek her out if they dream of her every night?"

There was silence for a minute, all of which was spent with their mother looking between both girls. As if she were trying to discern truth from lie. She would find, much to her satisfaction, that there would be none. Embellishment, perhaps, but not a trace of a lie.

"Alright, then."

Jú Lì 'shead snapped up, expecting more from her mother. This could either be a blessing, or a disaster. The woman sighed, glancing over at their father before clicking her tongue and fanning herself a little more.

"We will see what this suitor has to offer."

Two days passed, and Jú Lì was without the presence of Xiao Yǔ. She had learned to anticipate his arrival and his disappearance; a habit formed in familiarity. Despite all her words, she did not detest the young man. Mildly perturbed by his presence, yes, but far from the kindling hatred she reserved for a select few.

Her mother lay in wait for the man, growing more cynical of his existence with each hour of each day that passed. Patient was she not, in her state of pregnancy. She looked as though she would pop if pressed on, like a bubble.

Still another day passed, and another, much the same. Never had she relied so much on the presence of the vibrant man as she did now. Jú Lì could only imagine what had kept him from the stall, and would make excuses for his absence. But just as her mother was impatient, she was stubborn. She would not release this operation of waiting until she had met with the man that was so taken by her daughter.

A week rolled on, and still no sign of the wide grin.

It was at the cusp of the second week that he reared his head, but without his grin. His features appeared as though they were sunken in, light purple circle residing below his eyes. At the sight of him, Jú Lì looked over to her mother. Jaw slack and eyes wild, it was evident that acceptance of this man was far past the horizon.

"He is ill," her mother proclaimed, hauling her away from the stand as Xiǎo Lì dealt with his request.

"He must be working hard; perhaps he is an official of some sort," Jú Lì countered.

"Pah! Officials do no work!"

"Surely they must, if they implement so many changes."

"What do you know of changes?"

"Only of what I hear."

"What you hear? Do you stand beside peepholes and listen through walls? I did not raise my daughter to behave as a eunuch would!"

"Mother! It is what I hear as I come home and while I am at market."

"Then why have I not heard of these changes you speak of?"

"Perhaps it is because you no longer come to the market. You must rest. Please, do not work yourself up over this any further."

After another moment of fretting and muttering, her mother conceded to resting on the one stool they had. When she had done so, Xiao Yǔ had already left.

// and here it is. please let me know if I fudged anything up here. hopefully, it's not too badly written. votes and comments are always appreciated. cheers, rem.