One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure.
"Get rid of it - that … that thing! … a 'she', … completely worthless!" Fire flared within his eyes and like the pits of hell, the flames were filled with hatred.
The wind howled like the lone wolf shaking its coat, throwing a torrent of raindrops, its white teeth flashing. It threw itself against the solitary brick structure, fighting a losing battle of entry even as its comrade, the cold, succeeded. The tortured wail of the wind was soon joined with another, that of a newborn babe. "Yao yah yao, Yao yah yao." A calming melody rose above the twin cries, not taming the wolf, but soothing the child's sobs to a soft whimper. "Bao bao huai jung shuay, Yao ni jang da." The soft brown eyes, that of a new borns', were slowly curtained by caramel lids, lashed with ebony. The child fought to stay awake, yet was unable to resist Chuang-Mu's call. "Yo liao sheewang, Bao bao kuai jang da." The babe's head nuzzled gently up against her mother's breast, the woman's chest heaving. "Bao bao kuai jang da." The woman's breath became even more ragged. "Lin Fu". She glanced down at the stock of midnight locks that lay plastered against the child's forehead. "Your name, my sweet, is Lin Fu - for you are as beautiful as jade and you will need all the luck of jade, once I leave you."
The silence was suddenly shattered by the clatter of hooves upon cobblestone. A high-pitched whine was heard as the horse was pulled to a stop. "Lijuan! Lijuan! Where are you?!"
The house shook as the door was thrown open, colliding with the wall. A figure stepped over the threshold, leaving a trail of water. Upon seeing her still form, he gave a cry of grief and dashed over to her side. He grasped her hand as though it was a lifeline. Tears of heartbreak blended in with the water droplets that slid from his hair. Her eyes darkened with sorrow gazed up at him. "My love, my Mushu," her fragile hand reached up to caress his face, "take care of her, look after our Lin Fu." Her body gave a shudder as her last breath escaped her lips, her hand slackening within his.
His cry of pain roused the child from her slumber. "No! No please, don't leave me, please!" Tears had cut pathways through the mud that covered his face as he buried it into the curve of her neck. A figure emerged from the shadow next to the doorway.
"Stop this nonsense immediately." The voice gutted the cry of despair into silence. Moonlight broke through the overhead coverage to reflect off the silver hair and beard of the newcomer and illuminate the crevices upon his face that seemed carved from marble. "You have nothing to mourn, except for lost time. Get rid of it - that … that thing! … a 'she', … completely worthless!" Fire flared within his eyes, and like the pits of hell, the flames were filled with hatred. "I knew that wife of yours was completely useless from the first time I laid eyes on her! Not only was she unsuitable, she was incapable of providing you with an heir! You should have taken my advice, but no! You 'loved' her! And now because of your foolishness, you may have brought the end to the Jiao family name." Spittle flew from his mouth as he stared down at his son with disgust, a cruel sneer curling the edge of his mouth. "You still have the chance to redeem yourself - Go find yourself another wife, a suitable one this time and hurry! You will have to get rid of that pathetic piece of flesh, as no proper wife wants to raise another incompetent woman's child, especial not a 'girl'." He spat the last word with revulsion.
"How can you say that?!" Mushu's voice was filled with so much venom that the older man had to step back. Standing, he glared into his father eyes. "I just lost the love of my life and all you can do is rant abuse! I don't know you any more."
"Come on! You sent me to a modern school, yet you mock what I was taught. You say I must marry, but scorn my love just because she was a businesswoman. Now you come in here and tell me to get rid of my daughter! I know that might have been considered the right thing to do during your time father, but times have changed!"
A work-chapped hand ran wearily through the mop of hair upon his head. "I loved my wife with all of my heart, as I do my daughter - there is no way in hell that she could ever be worthless to me."
With that, he gathered the whimpering child up in his arms and swiftly left out of the room.