So, how's everyone doing with the coronavirus running around? We can fight this thing! I hope that this fanfiction helps alleviate the boredom/tension of everything happening. I know the Mulan release date was pushed back indefinitely, and that's what I'm most sad about. And I know there's not many words here, but it's all I could think of.

I couldn't fall asleep again. I wasn't ignorant. I knew the cost of a girl joining the army. Death and dishonor. Not that I cared about honor, but mama and father did. When I finally did fall asleep, I had fitful dreams. I was awakened by pattering feet. "Daiyu?" Mama shook me hard. "Where is Mulan?"

I sat up, seeing Mama and Father in the room with me. Grandmama rushed in after them. I took a deep breath. "She's gone."

Mama let out a sob and turned to Father. I saw now that she was holding Mulan's birthday present, the jade comb. "We have to go after her! She could be killed!"

"No." Father gently took the comb from her. "If I expose her, she will be." He wrapped Mama in an embrace, and I watched. I had never seen Father be this tender with Mama.

"Daiyu." Grandmama's voice was shaky. "Why don't you go to the market for us? We need rice, vegetables, and fresh incense sticks."

"Yes, Grandmama." My parents and grandmother left the room, and I quickly changed into Mulan's hand-me-down hanfu. The smooth fabric and sight of the holes and missing sash made me smile, as if Mulan was watching me from the battlefield. I grabbed a basket and made my way to the marketplace.

"Daiyu!" I looked up and smiled to see Kai jogging towards me.

"Hi, Kai!" I put a bag of rice in my basket and turned to face him. "What's up?"

"I wanted to check on your sister. After what happened yesterday..."

My words froze in my throat. "Ummmm…"

"Kai!" Holea walked up behind him. When she saw me, a cruel smirk spread across her face. "Oh, Daiyu. How's your sister doing after yesterday's unfortunate mishap? Can I see her? I'd love to give her some...advice."

I hated her so much at that moment that I wanted to pinch the smirk off her face. But I had to keep my head and think of an excuse why Mulan couldn't see anyone. "She's sick," I blurted. "We don't know what it is yet, but it might be contagious."

Holea's smirk froze on her face. "Oh my." She grabbed Kai's arm and dragged him away. "C'mon, Kai, we don't want to get sick."

The attitude of fear she exuded made me feel powerful. "It's really bad!" I called at her retreating form. "It's a skin disease, a red, runny rash!"

However, as soon as she disappeared, my confidence did as well. Of course she would tell her parents, and her parents would tell others. Soon, the news would be all over that Mulan was sick. And how long could we - correction; I - keep that lie up?

I had to tell my parents, but I put it off until dinner. As Mama dished out the steaming rice and dumplings, I began to speak. "Lin Holea was asking about Mulan today."

Mama looked up, terror showing itself plain on her face. "What did you say?"

"That she was sick," I replied. Mama sighed, out of relief or fear, I don't know.

"Well," said Grandmama, getting right down to the root of the problem, "how long can we keep that going? I mean, a person can only be sick so long before they get better or die."

"Grandmama!" Scolded Mama.

"It's true!"

"Stop arguing!" Demanded Father. "We'll have to think of something, and fighting won't help."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Snapped Mama. I gasped. I could never remember her snapping at anyone. She was too gentle!

"Mind your tone." Father was getting more irritable by the second.

"You scolding me isn't helping!"

"Son, stop it!" Now Grandmama was in on it!

"Both of you, listen -"

"What if we say Mulan has gone away?" I blurted. "That she went to another part of China for treatment?"

My family stared at me. An uneasy knot twisted in my stomach.

"That's brilliant!" Declared Grandmama. "We can say she's gone with cousins to get treatment, and we could pretend to get letters, and we could even- "

Mama put her hand on Grandmama's arm. "It's a wonderful idea, yes." She looked at Father, fearful.

A smile replaced Father's previous indignant frown. "I suppose I'm outvoted."