www.minghui.mewww.xinhan.meA sense of iending doonbsp; hung over the Hua household. They had naged to ignore the events of the afternoon for the rest of the day, but now, as they gathered around the dinner table, the tension was thick.
Mulan played with her food. She had no appetite. How could she when there was a rock in the ddle of her stoch fronbsp; the thought of her father fighting the northern invaders? Beside her, Xiu took a half-hearted bite and then put down her food. She wasn’t hungry, either.
Across the way, Mulan’s ther hadn’t even bothered to take a plate. She sat with her eyes locked on Zhou. Unaware, or choosing to ignore the looks fronbsp; his wife and daughters, Zhou ate with gusto.
“You’re a war hero,” Li said, her words soft as she broke the silence. “You’ve already de ny great sacrifices—”
Zhou didn’t let her finish. He knew what she was going to say. “Are you suggesting our faly not ply with the Ierial edict?”
The words were out of Mulan’s uth before she could stop the “But how can you fight when you can barely—”
Zhou’s fist slaed onto the table, stopping Mulan dsentence. Fury filled his face. His wife and daughters looked at hinbsp; aghast. He had always been a n who prided hielf on restraint and keeping his cal This outburst was unlike hiand it was frightening.
“I anbsp; the father!” he said, his voice boong through the sll roo “It is place to bring honor to our faly on the battlefield. You are the daughter.” He paused, his eyes boring into Mulan. “Learn your place!” Pushing hielf to his feet, Zhou lied fronbsp; the roo
At the table, Mulan sat still, her head hung low. Her father’s words stung. Not just because of their tone, but because of the aning behind the Her father had always been her biggest supporter. He had always encouraged her to be who she was; even when she was trying to hide her ietuous nature, she had still felt his love and encouragent. She had always believed her father knew that she wanted re, could be re.
But she had been wrong.
And worse still, his stubborn pride was going to put hinbsp; in rtal danger.
As if reading her thoughts, Li stood up and walked over to her daughter’s side of the table. She grabbed Mulan’s hand and then Xiu’s. “We st be strong,” she said. She paused. And then her eyes welled and her hands shook. Even she could not follow her own orders. “This ti he will not return,” she said, letting the tears fall. Her shoulders slued and she sank to the ground, overe by etion
Mulan played with her food. She had no appetite. How could she when there was a rock in the ddle of her stoch fronbsp; the thought of her father fighting the northern invaders? Beside her, Xiu took a half-hearted bite and then put down her food. She wasn’t hungry, either.
Across the way, Mulan’s ther hadn’t even bothered to take a plate. She sat with her eyes locked on Zhou. Unaware, or choosing to ignore the looks fronbsp; his wife and daughters, Zhou ate with gusto.
“You’re a war hero,” Li said, her words soft as she broke the silence. “You’ve already de ny great sacrifices—”
Zhou didn’t let her finish. He knew what she was going to say. “Are you suggesting our faly not ply with the Ierial edict?”
The words were out of Mulan’s uth before she could stop the “But how can you fight when you can barely—”
Zhou’s fist slaed onto the table, stopping Mulan dsentence. Fury filled his face. His wife and daughters looked at hinbsp; aghast. He had always been a n who prided hielf on restraint and keeping his cal This outburst was unlike hiand it was frightening.
“I anbsp; the father!” he said, his voice boong through the sll roo “It is place to bring honor to our faly on the battlefield. You are the daughter.” He paused, his eyes boring into Mulan. “Learn your place!” Pushing hielf to his feet, Zhou lied fronbsp; the roo
At the table, Mulan sat still, her head hung low. Her father’s words stung. Not just because of their tone, but because of the aning behind the Her father had always been her biggest supporter. He had always encouraged her to be who she was; even when she was trying to hide her ietuous nature, she had still felt his love and encouragent. She had always believed her father knew that she wanted re, could be re.
But she had been wrong.
And worse still, his stubborn pride was going to put hinbsp; in rtal danger.
As if reading her thoughts, Li stood up and walked over to her daughter’s side of the table. She grabbed Mulan’s hand and then Xiu’s. “We st be strong,” she said. She paused. And then her eyes welled and her hands shook. Even she could not follow her own orders. “This ti he will not return,” she said, letting the tears fall. Her shoulders slued and she sank to the ground, overe by etion