Status Updates From Pantofii de lotus

LF and LJ preparing LJ for her wedding soon, sewing and embroidering 8 pairs of lotus shoes for the family they will go to as gifts. themes of power are talked about more, but nothing too exciting happens ! LF understands why LJ sacrificed LF's freedom, to help herself through this marriage she's about to enter, and with LJ about to become a bride, she will become more equal to LF which will be interesting !!

19: apparently LJ and LF are friends now in LJ's mind, but LF will always be able to recognize that they are slave and mistress with power imbalances. LF belongs to LJ still, with no plans to escape. LJ is about to be married and is just being ignorant and selfish in how she sees LF, nothing new. LJ was being especially rotten this chapter but i'm excited to keep reading

18: LF got her hand mangled by a mallet as punishment, but SR remains her companion and helps her heal physically and emotionally. SR inspires the will to live back in LF and LF decides she cannot live in her slavery the way she's been living, and that things must change for her. this poor girl's freedom has been ripped away from her more times than she's even gotten to live as a kid :(( i love little flowerrr

17: this book is breaking me, putting me back together with shitty glue, and then ripping me apart all over again. LF escaped through this christian family housing her for two weeks, and then she goes on this carriage ride to what we think is her final escape, but she is back at the house she was sold to. we still don't know if she was found out or if the family betrayed her, but the scene is equally devastating.

16: LJ successfully got her father to agree on her getting to keep LF, meaning LF does not get to marry soon to be free. LJ assures LF this is the right decision (selfishly) and LF remains calm, but the next time she sees the american tutor, they plan an escape route for LF, and it's happening sooner than expected..

15: one of LJ's fathers wives has had a son finally and the family is so happy, even though there is a bit of tension between the other wives, LF has gotten 3 marriage offers via her matchmaker because of her incredible embroidery, but LJ knows this will take LF away from her, and she wants to keep LF forever because she can help LJ once she gets married. LF is so close to freedom but LJ will do anything to keep her

14: i took a break from this book to go back and annotate it from the start again, but i think the break might have been subconsciously because reading this book is devastating. SR was found after escaping and was brought back and punished horribly. her right eye was taken, and so far she is not the same after. LF is still hoping for a marriage to free her even though she is trying to help SR get better too :(