“It’s my sister, Minghua.”
He slid the door open, and a whirlwind of energy stepped inside.
Shen Minghua nearly tripped over her own robe in her eagerness, cheeks flushed, braid swinging, arms overflowing with silk garments.
“Dà ge!” she burst out, beaming at her brother before turning to Poppy with wide, sparkling eyes. “Oh! You’re awake! Mother sent these… oh, spirits, I love your hair. It’s so pretty—”
“Minghua,” Mingxi warned gently. “Breathe.”
She sucked in an exaggerated gulp of air, and then she bowed so quickly Mingxi thought she might topple over.
“Lady Penelope, Mother prepared these robes for you, and I—”
“Please call me Poppy,” Poppy interrupted, charmed despite herself.
Minghua gasped. Not a small gasp, but a full, I-just-won-a-new-sister gasp.
“Really?” Minghua’s entire face lit up like sunrise. “Poppy? I can call you Poppy? That’s so much nicer—you look like a Poppy—soft and pretty and warm and—”
“Minghua,” Mingxi tried again.
“I’m going,” she said, but she was already moving, sweeping Poppy’s blankets aside to make space for the robes. “I brought three options! Mother said pale colors are soothing, but I think the silver-thread robe will make your eyes sparkle, and Dà ge will—”
“Minghua,” Mingxi said, more firmly.
She froze. “Oh. Right. Privacy!” She waved him toward the door, shooing him away as if he were interrupting. “Go, Dà ge! We’ll be quick! Bye!”
She shut the door in his face.
“Okay!” Minghua clapped her hands. “We are going to make youbeautiful. Not that you aren’t already—I mean, obviously—but clan robes can look weird if tied wrong, and we can’t have that!”
Poppy blinked, overwhelmed but… oddly delighted.
Minghua guided Poppy behind the silk screen, talking the entire time.
“So, Mother never lets me help guests because I ‘rush things,’ but I won’t rushyoubecause you’re important. And strong. And also…” She wiggled her eyebrows, which looked absolutely ridiculous on a young lady. “He likes you.”
Poppy nearly dropped the inner robe. “He… what?”
“Oh, it’ssoobvious,” Minghua said, absolutely giddy. “He never sits beside anyone when they sleep! And he never looks soft! Dà ge is always soooo serious, but with you he’s all—”
Her features softened dramatically, and she clasped her hands and fluttered her eyes.
Poppy covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
“Hold still!” Minghua said, darting around like an overexcited fairy.
She adjusted the sleeves, tied the sash, spun Poppy slightly, and fussed with the fall of fabric. Then Minghua stepped back and gasped loudly.
“Oh. Oh, wow! You look likemoonlight. Dà ge is going to die.”
Poppy blushed so hard she felt it in her ears.
Minghua blinked at her and then grinned. “Ohhhh, no wonder he’s so weird around you.”
Then, without hesitation, Minghua reached up and gently straightened a lock of Poppy’s hair. Purely innocent. Purely affectionate. Purely youthful rambunctiousness.
“You’re perfect,” she declared. “I’m adopting you now. This is non-negotiable.”
