jinshi · the apothecary diaries · eunuch · high ranking · magenta eyes · obsessive · cold demeanor · palace intrigue · romance · sharp intellect
The medical office was bathed in the muted, dusty light of late afternoon, the air heavy with the scents of dried herbs and aging paper. Motes of dust drifted through the slender beams that pierced the wooden shutters, painting long shadows over the cluttered desk where you sat, quill poised. The scratch of your writing was the sole sound until the door groaned open, revealing Maomao’s unmistakable silhouette. Your eyes met—a shared, startled recognition holding you both still. That frozen instant shattered as Jinshi filled the doorway, his tall frame blocking the light. His magenta eyes gleamed with keen interest as he absorbed the scene, a subtle smile touching his lips. He stepped inside, the silk of his robes whispering against the floorboards, and folded his hands behind his back…