Lovely Blossoms

Fen Hua stared at her 'father' confusion blooming in her heart. Why was he staring at her like that? What was going on inside of his mind right now. Honestly his stare was so intense that it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable, almost violated.

'Is this guy some kind of pervert?'

She wracked her brain trying to drudge up any memories she had of him. She had very little to go off of. Then she noticed it. It hadn't happened often, and Fen Hua had usually just passed it off as nothing, but there were times when she had felt like someone was watching her. One time it had happened even while she was sleeping. She had woken up from a dead sleep with an overwhelming feeling of being watched.

There was no way for Fen Hua to know if it had actually been her father who had made her feel that way, and due to the fact that he never came to see her, the thought that he might visit or notice her seemed almost laughable.

Standing here now this Fen Hua could definitely see how that could be the case. The way he was staring at her was just too intense.

Baek Zhiqiang knew that he was being strange. It wasn't the first time that he had felt at a loss on how to be around his daughter. In fact he never knew how to act around her. She reminded him too much of Chunhua.

Looking at Fen Hua now he wanted to force her back to her room, away from the view of others. Protected from the outside world like a small bird that he could keep in a cage. That's the way things had been for a long time now. His own little bird in a quiet garden.

After Chunhua died he used to stand outside of Fen Hua's quarters just staring at the door. He knew that he should go in and comfort her. He knew that he owed Chunhua at least that much. But he couldn't do it. For him Fen Hua had been a way to make Chunhua happy with her life with him. At least she had Fen Hua to comfort her and allow herself to love. She had always been Chunhua's child never his. She was an unspoken promise from him, a way for her to find peace without his meddling.

He allowed her to do as she wished with Fen Hua, even allowing her to keep her heritage, her very identity from her.

Fen Hua barley even knew what it was like outside her quarters. She was sheltered and frail, and it was easier for him to keep her there then to deal with the feeling she caused in him anytime he saw her. He was a selfish man after all. The last time he had seen her she looked so sickly he thought she might pass at any moment, but the only thing that he could think of while looking at her was Chunhua. The daughter that lie there near deaths door was just a shadow under the memories of her mother. He had left silently, his heart racing with the sudden shock that she was leaving him again.

He bent down and picked up her satchel. He could see that there were clothes bundled inside. He pulled the ends from each other so that he could see better inside.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked, the shock evident in his voice.

"I...." she thought of lying to him, but really it was best to just tell him. The worst he could do is what he was already doing, keeping her there. "I don't want to marry that old man." She said boldly. She lifted her chin and straightened herself. Now wasn't' the time to be a coward.

"What old man?" Baek Zhiqiang asked in surprise. "Why are you talking about marrying an old man?" He shifted the bundle under his arm and stared at her with a serious expression.

Fen Hua looked him over trying to decided if he really didn't know.

"Lord Heshing," she said after a while. "Lady Meirong and Elder Ruolan told me that if I didn't marry him I would be beaten until I did."

"Say that again?" His voice was like a sharp sword slicing the air. It sent shivers down her spine.

"Lady Meirong and Elder Ruolan told me that I had to marry Lord Heshing," she repeated.

Baek Zhiqiang felt his jaw tighten. How could that woman do such a thing. He had told her time and time again not to meddle with Fen Hua. He had made it as clear as night that if she chose to bother her she would suffer from it.

"Come with me," he said grabbing Fen Hua's arm and practically dragging her along.

Fen Hua tried to pull her arm away from him, he was hurting her. She would most likely bruise from this.

"It hurts," she shouted.

He turned and looked at her with surprise, suddenly realizing what he was doing and let go.

"You don't have to hold me, I'll follow you," she said rubbing at the places that were sore. She followed after feeling more and more at a loss of what the heck was going on in this house. Did he care for her or did he not care for her? Was he a pervert or just a caring dad? He couldn't be a caring dad unless he had a really crappy way of showing it. She stared at his back as he walked ahead of her. He was walking much slower now, seemingly in consideration of her. He had a very broad back, her own father had a narrow figure and his shoulders were always hunched.

She shook her head. Why was she thinking of that person right now. There was too much going on to think of someone that didn't deserve a moment of her time. Baek Zhiqiang was leading her through the courtyards all the way to the other side of the estate. She recognized a maid that was walking out of one of the doors. It was the woman that had been helping Elder Ruolan earlier today.