Mr. Zhou Ming bowed slightly, showing deep respect. "Master Liang, I am honored to have traveled from Jiangsu to meet you and discuss the matter between your son and my daughter, and this splendid garden." His eyes wandered over the meticulously tended flowerbeds. "It is a perfect garden. My daughter Jiao Ming would love it."
Shun Liang, standing tall, nodded with pride. "As we have previously discussed, it is time to arrange a proper marriage for my son, Xu Liang. He is now of an age where such matters must be addressed. He is a fine young man, unlike other men of his age. He does not indulge in drink or frivolities. He loves art, spends his time reading ancient texts, and is a scholar. He is strong and bold." Shun Liang’s voice swelled with pride, unaware that his son was concealed behind the thick mudan bushes, listening to every word.
Xu Liang crouched low, heart pounding. Unlike other men? he thought bitterly. In what way am I unlike them, father? Because I don't drink? Because I am a scholar? Or is it because I can't ever be the husband you expect me to be for Jiao Ming? He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of his father’s praise like shackles tightening around him. Of all the qualities his father boasted about, Xu couldn’t help but think, Does he not see how different I truly am?
Mr. Zhou Ming responded thoughtfully, “I understand. My daughter, Jiao, has been raised with all the qualities and education befitting a family of your stature. She will make a fine wife for your son.”
Xu shook his head, a quiet rebellion simmering inside him. Jiao Ming is the perfect daughter, and I am to be the perfect son. But what if I’m not? What if I can never be the man they expect? His mind raced. He wanted to stand up, to storm out from behind the bushes, to declare his truth in front of them both—but centuries of tradition weighed him down. How can I go against everything I was raised to believe?he asked himself, his mind swimming in conflicting thoughts.
"Your youngest daughter, Jiao, is an excellent choice," Shun Liang continued, "This marriage will benefit both our families. Our alliance will enhance our positions, securing prosperity for generations to come."
Alliance. Business. Prosperity. What for? Xu’s thoughts tumbled over each other in a jumble of frustration and dread. It’s not real. This isn’t love. He hated how easily his life was being bartered for status and wealth, as if his feelings, his very identity, meant nothing.
His heart sank further when he thought of Jiao Ming’s cousin. How could I be with her, when I’ve spent years yearning for someone else entirely?Her cousin had captivated Xu since they studied together at the Confucian Academy. They were both scholars, bound by a mutual respect and admiration, but for Xu, it had always been more than that. 
He understood me in ways no one else ever did. Xu could still remember the way his pulse quickened whenever they spoke, the way their hands brushed in passing. And he—he must’ve known too. Or maybe he didn’t. Maybe I was just good at hiding who I really am.
"The union of our families will bring great benefits," Shun Liang added, his voice filled with satisfaction. "Our combined resources and influence will secure our futures and improve our standing."
Xu's chest tightened as he listened to the finality in his father’s words. It's all been decided. By tomorrow, the preparations will begin—the ceremony, the dress, the dancers, even the emperor's invitation. Everything would move forward like a machine, unstoppable, inevitable.
Xu clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms as he emerged from his hiding place. The garden, once a sanctuary of peace and reflection, now felt suffocating. Every tree, every flower, every carefully tended bush seemed like a wall closing in on him. He took several hurried steps away, his breath coming in shallow bursts.
"The future feels so uncertain," he muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "Every option I consider seems impossible." He paused beneath a large plum tree, trying to slow the racing of his heart. How can I reconcile my own feelings with what is expected of me?
Xu leaned against the rough bark of the tree, feeling its solidity against his back. I can’t bring shame to my family. I can’t dishonor them like that. But... how can I live a lie for the rest of my life? His mind swirled with thoughts of duty, honor, and the crushing weight of family expectations. "The Liang family’s name is at stake. I can’t be the one to tarnish it."
But the thought of living in silence, of marrying Jiao Ming and pretending to love her, gnawed at him. What kind of life would that be? For her? For me? He thought of Jiao Ming’s innocence, how unaware she was of the storm brewing inside him. She deserves a husband who can love her. I can’t be that man.
"If anyone found out about my secret..." Xu’s voice trembled. He shuddered at the thought. "The royal court would never forgive such a transgression. The consequences—" His breath hitched. "It could mean exile. Or worse." He had heard the stories, whispers of what happened to men like him, men whose desires didn’t fit the mold society had carved out for them. Death. That’s the punishment for someone like me.
"I’m expected to marry Jiao Ming," he said, as if saying the words aloud might make them less real. "But how can I pretend? How can I live that lie?" His voice cracked with emotion. I don’t belong in this world of arranged marriages and societal expectations. My heart... it yearns for something else entirely.
He raked a hand through his hair, pacing beneath the plum tree. "Is there any way out of this? Any path that lets me honor my family without betraying who I am?"
His mind raced, searching for answers that felt as elusive as the breeze. There has to be a way. There has to be. But the future loomed ahead of him, dark and uncertain, the weight of tradition pressing down on him from all sides. I can’t let them control my fate. I have to find a way out.
Yet deep down, Xu knew that whatever path he chose, it would come at a great cost.