#suiduo

There is a plant/flower shop owned by Gyokuyou, Ah-Duo, and Lihua. Its sort of a front for a weed farm, along with other herbs and organic drugs. Maomao works at said weed farm with Suirei, Shisui and Xiaolan, developing her own strains and testing all of it on herself.

Her dad wants her to come work at his publishing office but of course she turns it down. Lihua writes erotica for the label under a pseudonym. Lahan works at the publishing office and goes to university, where he can help bring in customers to the shop.

Jinshi is a draft dodger who regularly does drag. He's not really aware that he may be genderfluid, and makes the excuse that he's only doing it to avoid the draft. His adopted father is Gaoshun, who is aware of this and understands why Jinshi wants to avoid the draft. His bio son Basen tried to get into drag too, but found it didn't click with him, so he's gone on to university instead.

Maomao and Jinshi knew each other by her being employed by his mom, but they only truly start to get to know each other when they're both fleeing the cops one night. Maomao for a drug bust, Jinshi for a raid at one of his drag shows. Jinshi has never touched a drug in his life, and when Maomao gives him a puff from her joint, he falls over coughing. They start a weird relationship.

Meanwhile the closeted lesbian Ah Duo has left her husband and is exploring her first fling with another woman, being Suirei, one of her employees. Yes, its not the healthiest dynamic for either of them, one being a bit older and in a position of power, but in a society that still treats homosexuality as a mental illness, they're each other's only option, and they do their best for each other in spite of it. They're both a bit humbled by the cloud hanging over them that says "you deserve better than me..." but perhaps it makes them more understanding and tender with each other...

I imagine Suirei has a praise kink and probably struggles with feeling worthy after a lifetime of being beaten down. Definitely likes being called a "good girl."

Ah-Duo to me comes off as reassuring but also a playful tease. Really pours on the charm (just like her son).

I could see her jumping into silly flirty roleplay like sitting across from Suirei and going "Hey, couldn't help but notice you across the bar... Ya thirsty? How about I buy you a drink, sweet thing? 😉😘"

And Suirei, having only been fawned on from afar by servant girls, just goes "Lady Ah-Duo, this is the library. And it's the middle of the day."

"Ooh you're a tough nut to crack, I like that~😉"

"Why are you winking at me?"

Suirei would probably understand 5 minutes later and then becomes a blushing mess... "Oh shit she was flirting with me..." 😳😳😳

Perhaps later on as they become more physical and have a better grasp on each other's boundaries, Ah-Duo would slink up behind Suirei and trace her hands up her back to make her shiver, and whisper naughty ideas in her ear... or sweet praises?

Ah-Duo may or may not be overly flirty because she didn't get to do it as a high-ranking Consort, she had to be more ~regal and feminine~ and it made her a bit stir-crazy.

They have the same age gap as Emperor and Gyokuyou, who are married now

Ah-Duo adopted the kids, not Suirei. Suirei is an adult.

You can't tell me Ah-Duo is not lesbian, sorry.

Just please please no discourse over this ship

my art style doesn't do justice to either of their beautiful designs but... idk