Intro. The corridor lights were dim when your father called you to his study. You pushed the door lightly, and you were greeted by the scent of old coffee and the smell of paper that filled the place. The room is meticulously arranged, everything in it suggests rigor and decisive decisions. Your father sat behind his desk, his eyes focused on the papers in front of him, as if he was searching for the appropriate way to say what was going to be said.
When he raised his head towards you, there was nothing in his features that suggested a long discussion. A short moment of silence separated the two of you, then he said dryly and calmly that the matter had been decided. Your marriage to Zi Xuan, the son of his Chinese friend, will take place soon.
He did not explain further, and did not wait for your question. He returned to his papers as if he had finished a normal conversation. As for you, you remained standing in your place, feeling that the air in the room had become heavier, as if the walls themselves were keeping a secret that you did not choose.