𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐎 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍 | prince zuko

²²

Fengge approached a large house and knocked on the door, waiting for his mother to answer. He helped carry some bags as Yan and Lian stood behind him, Yan wishing she could've stayed home in the Earth Kingdom where she was most comfortable. Soon, the door opened, and her grandmother greeted Fengge, kissing him on the cheek. "Oh, my darling boy! I'm so glad you're here! You haven't seen your mother in so long!" she cried as she kissed her son's face over and over, not even acknowledging the family that stood behind him.

"Sorry, Mother, I've been tied down in Ba Sing Se with Lian and Yan. They have been wanting to see you as well. You remember my wife Lian and our daughter Yan?" Fengge smiled as he stepped aside to show his mother his wife and daughter. His mother stopped kissing him and glanced at the two earthbender women, a frown quickly forming on her face.

"Yes, your dirt bender wife and daughter. How can I forget? Shame, I was hoping only you would come and see me alone. Can't send them back now. Come in, I have tea brewing." she scowled, turning and stepping into the house. It took Yan every ounce of respect to not drop a boulder on the old woman's face, her blood already starting to boil. The family entered the home and set their things down in the rooms they were escorted to.

"What are you wearing? Don't you know you're in the Fire Nation, not that squalid old Earth Kingdom city you were born in?" the rude grandmother commented as Yan set her last bag down. The young woman looked down at her clothes and fought the urge to say something slick.

"Sorry, Năinai, I dressed comfortably for the trip so I wouldn't ruin any of the hanfu we brought. I'll change soon," she responded, trying to be respectful so she wouldn't have to deal with any punishments or arguments whenever the family returned home. Her grandmother scoffed and muttered something under her breath as she walked away from her granddaughter, the latter wanting nothing more than to strangle her by her fat neck.

Against her wishes, Yan was forced to change out of her comfortable clothes to please her grandmother and ease the comments made about her and her behavior. She stood in front of her mother as she was dressed in more appropriate clothes: a qixiong ruqun consisting of a sheer red long-sleeved blouse with white cherry blossom branches, a white skirt that faded into a pale pink with red and pink ties and additional flower designs near the hem, and red shoes that pinched her feet. Although she hated wearing the hanfu, she put up with it so her mother wouldn't get any more upset.

"I know you don't like red, but it will have to do if we want to please your grandmother," Lian said as she finished adjusting the skirt and sat on a pillow in front of her daughter to do her hair and makeup.

Yan scoffed and shook her head in disbelief. "Māmā, Năinai hates everything that isn't Fire Nation or Fire Nation-related. I'm surprised she even let Bàba marry you; I wouldn't be shocked if you told me that she tried to throw me off a cliff when I was born. I don't know why you're trying to gain her approval if she doesn't like or will ever like us." she sighed, pouting as her mother began to paint her lips red with rouge in a certain pattern.

Lian nodded as she focused on doing her daughter's makeup. "Yes, I know. For now, we'll just have to respect her even if she hates us. Can you do that, Yan? Please?" she asked as she looked into Yan's eyes for her confirmation. Although she hated her grandmother, Yan nodded slowly, just wanting to get this trip over with so she could head back home and resume her earthbending and shirshu-riding. "Good. Just hold still, I have the huadian and your hair left to do and I'm all done, okay?"

After sitting still for a while, Lian finished up her daughter's makeup, drawing a simple gold flower ― called a huadian, which was usually drawn on using lipstick ― in between her eyebrows on her forehead for an added look. She sat behind Yan and planned to do her hair, thinking of what style she should do. "You know what I've been thinking? I've been thinking of cutting my hair short again like how I had it when I returned to Ba Sing Se after fighting in the war." the younger woman chuckled softly.