#loumen

You have Loumen: Her actual father, the man who raised her and got her interested in medicine in the first place. Fully supportive of her weird ass ways and one of the main reasons she was allowed to flourish as much as she did.

Then you have Lakan: Her biological father, desperately wants to connect with her but she does not want to connect with him. That said his willingness to risk it all for custody one single family dinner is sometimes useful.

Knowing how characters in names work, Fengxian realises that Loumen is La clan. As a result of her trusting him earlier than canon and Loumen sending her letters to Lakan unlike his actual father in canon, Fengxian doesn’t get sick, go crazy and cut of her daughter’s bloody finger. Once Lakan returns, he buys her and Maomao out from the brothel, and marries Fengxian.

But We want fun reveals, sooooooo when she’s five or so, Maomao is kidnapped because she’s, y’know, the grand commander’s daughter. They get her back in one piece, but after a second attempt that ends in a close call, something has to be done.

They send Maomao to live with Loumen, where she gets her canon hyperfixation for poisons and spends time with those in the brothel, using it as an excuse for her parents.

Her parents would obviously keep in contact with letters and stuff as well. Their doting on her means one could make the argument of Maomao having a figure more like her mother or grandmother. She’d naturally hide herself with slouching, wrapping her chest and her usual freckles.