Olga held her breath as she probed the personal question right infront of Cixi. Cassian had revealed a few grim details about the kidnappers who took her daughter away, but hearing about it second-hand was not enough. She needed to know how Cixi felt.
Cixi lowered the porcelain cup to rest against her thighs, holding the warm ceramic between both hands. The polite smile vanished soon from her face, replaced by a shadowy stillness.
"My parents were not my biological parents," Cixi informed after a moment of pondering.
She did not entirely understand why she was sharing her past with Olga. Usually, she guarded her past fiercely, never opening old wounds for strangers to inspect. Perhaps she wanted Olga to realise that unconditional kindness made her uncomfortable, or perhaps she hoped that by laying bare her upbringing, Olga would understand why Cixi kept a wall between them no matter how gently she was treated.
