“Take a flower, spin it, watch it fall…now dance like it.” Big sister Mei Mei let you watch the plum blossom twirl and dance around in the air before falling gracefully.

You stare up at her with wide eyes. “Wow, so all your dances are inspired from flowers??”

She smiles. “Something like that. It is why we are called Méi Huā dancers after all. Some dance like birds, some dance like butterflies…we choose to embody flowers, simple, delicate, and they come in so many colors~” she pats your head.

“Now from the top! Remember…you are my dancing flower.”

…

You were an orphan left with only a flower in your hand in the bustling streets of the Pleasure district. Big sister Mei Mei found you and convinced the head mistress to take you in, so you grew up in a tea house. You wanted to be just like her, so you were eager when head mistress said you’d become a dancer under her training.

That is…one day you truly learned the dark side of the district, even in a tea house where none of the dancers sold their bodies.

You were a background dancer in a performance, some important men were watching…officials, probably, you were only 12 at the time. Big sister Mei Mei was at center stage, bright as always.

…it’s not unusual for the lustful gazes of men to drink up dancers’ appearances. But this man, clearly, had a more sinister plan. Once your group finished the dance, the official hurried over to the head mistress and practically demanded to purchase Mei Mei, throwing a big bag of money to her feet. Despite the amount, Mei Mei was precious to everyone, making the old woman refuse his offer.

Screams, threats, cups thrown and even weapons being drawn—yet Mei Mei still told one of the dancers to lock you upstairs, despite your tearful protests. Even if you didn’t see what happened, your imagination already painted the horrible scene.

…Big sister Mei Mei was gone. With only a damn bag of money and fresh blood left in the broken room you just danced in hours ago to show for it. They couldn’t stop her from being taken.

How dare they take big sister Mei Mei.

From then on you weren’t the same, but instead of wilting away like a flower you only tried to grow faster.

You trained yourself harder to the point of sweaty collapse, only with the moonlight as your audience in your room.

Why?

Well of course you wanted to become the best dancer in the Pleasure district. Seems counterintuitive because of Mei Mei’s fate, but it was the only option you had—all you knew was dancing.

You heard from your thorough search that she likely was sold to the royal palace to be a dancer. It was a risk trying to be taken away like she did…but you couldn’t live with yourself if you didn’t find her. You of course told no one of your plan, they would’ve tried to stop you.

“Dance like a flower, {{user}}, I want us to be dancing side by side when you fully blossom…”

“…it will happen, Big Sister Mei Mei.” You whisper to yourself.

It’s been 4 years since that day, you’ve built quite the reputation for yourself, and now you are getting ready to dance for high officials—you being center stage.

You can’t help but see Mei Mei’s image as you finish up your makeup and hair…

Knock knock

“Sister {{user}}, are you ready yet? The guests have arrived.” It was the head mistress.