#17 E’zu

 

Lumeng Zumei did not have a happy life. Frail and ill as a child, she rarely left her home, and when she did, she faced discrimination. With their men strong, wealthy, and just, and their women beautiful, fertile, and wise, the Lumeng were known for being a fast-growing family of great status. Zumei was a disgrace in the eyes of the Ao Liese community even though the family itself did not treat her as an untouchable. Zumei herself hated bringing shame to her family name. Gloomy and self-loathing, she was known for having a love-hate “relationship” with the red swan emblem of the Lumeng. The symbol stood for strength and grace, two things Zumei never had. When she was 17, the heads of the family arranged a marriage for her, but she was only just barely strong enough to move into her new husband’s home when she was 19. Despite her chronic depression, Zumei and her new husband grew to love each other quickly, and it would seem that she would have some happiness in life after all. The blow would come when the couple realized that she was more than just too weak to have a child, she was barren. The sadness was too much for Zumei, and she commited suicide. She’s now said to visit orphanages and watch the children, trying to pick out one that looks enough like her and her husband so she may claim a child and prove she was not a waste of a woman.

Tags: 30 characters #30characters, 30 characters 2012, ao lai, axolotl, genrechowderstudios, ghost

Category: 2012, Fantasy, Manga