#(poor Lu Yao)

[beardedmrbean]

BEIJING (Reuters) - After quitting the education industry last August due to China's crackdown on private tutoring, He Ajun has found an unlikely second life as an unemployment influencer.

The Guangzhou-based vlogger, 32, offers career advice to her 8,400 followers, charting her journey through long-term joblessness. "Unemployed at 31, not a single thing accomplished," she posted last December.

He is now making around 5,000 yuan ($700) per month through ads on her vlogs, content editing, private consultations and selling handicrafts at street stalls.

"I think in future freelancing will be normalised," said He. "Even if you stay in the workplace, you'll still need freelancing abilities. I believe it will become a backup skill, like driving."

China is under instruction to unleash "new productive forces", with government policies targeting narrow areas of science and technology including AI and robotics.

But critics say that has meant weak demand in other sectors and risks leaving behind a generation of highly educated young people, who missed the last boom and graduated too late to retrain for emerging industries.

A record 11.79 million university graduates this year face unprecedented job scarcity amid widespread layoffs in white-collar sectors including finance, while Tesla, IBM and ByteDance have also cut jobs in recent months.

Urban youth unemployment for the roughly 100 million Chinese aged 16-24 spiked to 17.1% in July, a figure analysts say masks millions of rural unemployed.

China suspended releasing youth jobless data after it reached an all-time high of 21.3% in June 2023, later tweaking criteria to exclude current students.

Over 200 million people are currently working in the gig economy and even that once fast-growing sector has its own overcapacity issues. A dozen Chinese cities have warned of ride-hailing oversaturation this year.

Redundancies have even spread to government work, long considered an "iron rice bowl" of lifetime employment.

Last year Beijing announced a 5% headcount reduction and thousands have been laid off since, according to official announcements and news reports. Henan province trimmed 5,600 jobs earlier this year, while Shandong province has cut nearly 10,000 positions since 2022.

Meanwhile, analysts say China's 3.9 million vocational college graduates are mostly equipped for low-end manufacturing and service jobs, and reforms announced in 2022 will take years to fix underinvestment in training long regarded as inferior to universities.

China currently faces a shortage of welders, joiners, elderly caregivers and "highly-skilled digital talent", its human resources minister said in March.

Yao Lu, a sociologist at Columbia University, estimates about 25% of college graduates aged 23-35 are currently in jobs below their academic qualifications.

Many of China's nearly 48 million university students are likely to have poor starting salaries and contribute relatively little in taxes throughout their lifetimes, said one Chinese economist who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"Although they cannot be called a 'lost generation', it is a huge waste of human capital," the person said.

'DOING THREE PEOPLE'S JOBS'

Chinese President Xi Jinping in May urged officials to make job creation for new graduates a top priority. But for younger workers unemployed or recently fired, the mood is bleak, nine people interviewed by Reuters said.

Anna Wang, 23, quit her state bank job in Shenzhen this year due to high pressure and frequent unpaid overtime. For a salary of about 6,000 yuan per month, "I was doing three people's jobs," she said.

Her ex-colleagues complain about widespread pay cuts and transfers to positions with unmanageable workloads, effectively forcing them to resign. Wang now works part-time jobs as a CV editor and mystery shopper.

At a July briefing for foreign diplomats about an agenda-setting economic meeting, policymakers said they have been quietly urging companies to stop layoffs, one attendee told Reuters.

Olivia Lin, 30, left the civil service in July after widespread bonus cuts and bosses hinted at further redundancies. Four district-level bureaus were dissolved in her city of Shenzhen this year, according to public announcements.

"The general impression was that the current environment isn't good and fiscal pressure is really high," she said.

Lin now wants a tech job. She has had no interview offers after a month of searching. "This is completely different from 2021, when I was guaranteed one job interview a day," she said.

REDUCED STIGMA

Shut out of the job market and desperate for an outlet, young Chinese are sharing tips for surviving long-term unemployment. The hashtags "unemployed", "unemployment diary" and "laid off" received a combined 2.1 billion views on the Xiaohongshu platform He uses.

Users describe mundane daily routines, count down the days since being fired, share awkward chat exchanges with managers or dole out advice, sometimes accompanied by crying selfies.

The increasing visibility of jobless young people "increases broader social acceptance and reduces stigma surrounding unemployment", said Columbia's Lu, allowing otherwise isolated youth to connect and "perhaps even redefine what it means to be unemployed in today's economic climate".

Lu said unemployed graduates understood blaming the government for their plight would be both risky and ineffective. Rather, she said, they were more likely to slip into "an internalisation of discontent and blame" or "lying flat".

He, the influencer, thinks graduates should lower their ambitions.

"If we have indeed entered 'garbage time', then I think young people could accumulate skills or do something creative, such as selling things via social media or making handicrafts."

[the-monkey-ruler]

Happily Ever After (2007) 凡间新仙人

Director: He Faming Screenwriter: Xu Liwen / Peng Kaiyi / Lin Jinlan / Sun Yiqun Starring: Huang Junxiong / Bai Weixiu / Chen Liping Genre: Drama / Fantasy Country/Region of Production: Singapore Language: Mandarin Chinese Number of episodes: 20 Single episode length: 45 minutes Also known as: Happily Ever After IMDb: tt12404462 Type: Crossover

Summary:

Every July 7th, Niulang and Zhinu meet on the Qixi Festival... Time flies, and now it is two thousand years later. One day, the magpie offered a plan to instigate Niulang and Zhinu to elope. When Niulang and Zhinu elope, they are caught by the gods and demoted to the human world as mortals. ... Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying always meet unexpectedly on the seventh day of the seventh month every year, but they can't meet. Mrs. Wang always tries to make them meet, but Yang Jian tries his best to destroy it. It seems that this is the wonderful fate between Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying, and also the struggle between Mrs. Wang and Yang Jian... Many gods in heaven learn from Niulang and Zhinu to elope.

Wang Tianqin/Zhinu (played by Bai Weixiu) grew up in a well-off family. Her parents died accidentally when she was five years old. A wealthy woman who calls herself Madam Wang (played by Chen Liping) adopted Wang Tianqin. Since then, Wang Tianqin has grown up in a good environment. Yang Tianying/Niulang (played by Huang Junxiong) was not so lucky. He was abandoned in a garbage chute by a cruel unmarried mother when he was born. Later, he was sent to an orphanage and then sponsored by Yang Jian (played by Yao Wenlong), starting his rough childhood.

Chang'e (played by Xie Wanyu) and Zhu Bajie (played by Yang Zhilong) failed to elope and were finally demoted to the mortal world. This "elopement trend" caused dissatisfaction among the gods. At this time, the gods led by Erlang Shen, Yang Jian demanded that the position of the Jade Emperor be selected by the selection system and not be re-elected. The Jade Emperor wanted to abdicate and leave, but the Queen Mother did not allow it. She also made a bet with Yang Jian that if the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl could love each other in the mortal world, the two could return to the Heavenly Palace and restore the original order of the Heavenly Palace; if not, the Jade Emperor had to abdicate. Yang Jian agreed, and from then on the Heavenly Palace was divided into two major factions. Yang Jian went down to the mortal world to help raise the Cowherd/Yang Tianying, and the Queen Mother was responsible for adopting the Weaver Girl/Wang Tianqin. The war between the Queen Mother and Yang Jian began...

On the other hand, Wu Gang (played by Zhang Yaodong), who had secretly loved Chang'e for a thousand years, was very anxious when he saw Chang'e being demoted to the mortal world. At the same time, the magpie confessed that Wu Gang was the god who instigated the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to elope. Wu Gang violated the heavenly rules, and the Queen Mother wanted Wu Gang to become her "agent" in order to protect the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Wu Gang agreed to this task in order to meet Chang'e in the mortal world. The Chang'e who was demoted to the mortal world was named Lu Yue, and everyone called her Ah Moon. She was poor since childhood and was determined to become rich or marry a rich man. Ah Moon often did whatever it took to achieve her goals.

Zhu Bajie came to the mortal world and became the son of a wealthy man, "Mr. Zhu" Zhu Wanjin, a veritable dandy. In addition to having a mutually beneficial relationship with Ah Moon, he fell in love with Tianqin, which destroyed the relationship between Tianying and Tianqin, and indirectly became a member of Yang Jian's faction... Later, Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying finally met, and the two remembered the past and were "reunited" sweetly. Unfortunately, the two had different personalities, backgrounds, and ideas, and could not live together well. The two always had conflicts, and Chang'e, Zhu Bajie, Yang Jian and others continued to sabotage, making the process even more difficult...

Source: https://tv-1.chinesemov.com/tv/2007/Happily-Ever-After

Link: N/A

[drama--universe]

Two Crushes (Part 2 - Lu Yue)

Pairing: Lu Yue x fem!reader

Word Count: 500 words

Part 1

Your head was pounding, probably because you were awake past midnight and you had been for 3 days now. Finding out about Lu Yue and K's affection for you was something that you didn't really want to know, but you now. Then again, you had a feeling that they did before they confirmed it. You didn't know what to do, you loved both but in a different way. Due to this, you didn't want to hurt the one that you considered a friend.

As you walked down the stairs, you noticed a monitor on and the camera light was red. Someone was filming, but due to the lack of light you could not see who. So you stepped closer and closer until you appeared in the camera's view, which created a lot of comments that started flashing across the screen while you focused on the name.

"Why are you up and streaming at this hour?" You asked, turning to Lu Yue in surprise and a bit of disappointment even though you were up as well. Said man was quick to look up, smiling brightly at you before quickly pulling you down to his level. This quickly evolved into him pulling you onto his lap, something you didn't protest this time around as you just settled down. The comments were going wild at the position you guys sat in, but you paid no mind to them as you leaned back against Lu Yue while he wrapped his arms around your waist softly. You listened as he talked to the fans, head softly falling on his shoulder as you started to feel more and more sleepy. Soon enough, you were fast asleep in Lu Yue's arms.

And of course fans weren't going to just let it go...

The next day was chaos, the PR-team was calling nonstop and demanding an explanation, which only caused poor Xiao Rui a headache. All the while, you and Lu Yue were basically banned from doing anything in the slightest. But of course you knew well enough what was happening, Tong Yao was kind enough to read the million of threads and comments while everyone listened.

"Alright, let's get this straight." Xiao Rui stopped his phone call as he sat opposite of you, staring at you and Lu Yue before continuing. "The PR-team will put out a statement, one that will reveal that you two are dating. They also asked for the two of you to pretend until this all blows down." Xiao Rui explained, something that you had honestly didn't expect.

"That doesn't sound that bad, they're basically dating already." Tong Yao spoke up and you gave her a short glare before yelping when Lu Yue pulled you closer. You chuckled before softly pecking his cheek as a joke, but the man just froze completely. Next thing you knew, his lips were pressed against yours and a couple of others groaned in disgust/annoyance. It was quick, so quick that you barely registered it before his presence was gone.

"We don't need to pretend." Lu Yue said and you could only laugh before agreeing.

"Yeah, we don't need to."

[aishangotome]

Chapter 7-3 Your Kindness is Too Great to Refuse (盛情難卻)

Chapter 7-2

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The wind howled past my ears, and I woke up with a jolt.

Dawn was just breaking. I was nestled in Qing Hun's arms, and all I could see in front of me were the shadows cast by the trees, like giant monsters.

Princess: What happened...?

Qin Hun: The temple was dangerous.

From Qing Hun's mouth, I learned that the people at the temple had seen the wanted posters of the current emperor and became suspicious of our identities.

The cautious monks went to the authorities to report us. Fearing we would run, they lit incense to make us drowsy beforehand. It was also because he smelled this scent that Qing Hun sensed something was amiss and took me away.

Qin Hun: We're far enough. It's safe here.

Leaving Qing Hun's embrace, I subconsciously reached for the "Yao Guang Lu" in my arms. Only after confirming the book was intact did I relax.

Princess: All the states in Dacheng are unsafe now. We should try to avoid people as much as possible.

Qin Hun: Yes.

This wasn't a place to rest. I parted the dense branches, about to move forward, when suddenly a wave of arrows rained down on us.

Qin Hun: Princess, watch out!

Qing Hun grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him, his Shadow Blade swiftly deflecting the incoming arrows.

Qin Hun: Go!

Princess: We can't escape. Turn and fight!

I decisively drew my sleeve arrows and stepped forward.

Princess: Who's there? Come out and talk!

As soon as the words left my mouth, the arrows stopped abruptly.

???: Y/N?

Princess: ...!

Why did this voice sound so familiar...? Could it be...?

???: Looking all over for you with no luck, yet finding you without any effort. We finally meet again.

Here it comes, that familiar, confidently mismatched tone!

The owner of the voice pushed aside the layers of branches and leaves. The first thing that caught my eye was his golden hair, softer than moonlight, followed by his smiling green eyes, like rippling pools.

Tuoba Yu: The most beautiful pearl of Dacheng, have you missed me?

Princess: Tuoba Yu... It's really you!

He disregarded the soldiers following him and looked me up and down without hesitation before sighing in relief.

Tuoba Yu: Thankfully, the Princess wasn't truly injured. Otherwise, this King would have died of heartache.

Princess: How did you end up here?

Tuoba Yu: The heroic tale of the Princess blowing up the city gate and escaping on horseback has spread throughout Beikun. Everyone knows about it.

Tuoba Yu: I was thinking at the time, after leaving the capital, the Princess would definitely go to the place you subconsciously feel is the safest.

Tuoba Yu: That's right, it's by this King's side.

Princess: ...

Tuoba Yu: This King couldn't wait and personally led troops to welcome the Princess.

I glanced at the soldiers behind Tuoba Yu. Judging by their numbers and equipment, they were definitely not just ordinary escorts.

Tuoba Yu didn't say it explicitly, but he was prepared to confront Han You.

I looked at the arrow deeply embedded in the tree trunk behind me.

Princess: Your Highness's "personal welcome" is truly unique.

I originally intended it as a joke, but Tuoba Yu's expression turned serious.

Tuoba Yu: From now on, no one will be able to harm you again.

The little blue snake had crawled up at some point, its slender tongue gently licking my palm.

Tuoba Yu: This King knows everything that happened in Shengning. My poor pearl, you've suffered.

Tuoba Yu: What are your plans next?

I was hesitating whether to tell Tuoba Yu about my intention to go to the Xi Qiong when he spoke up again on his own—

Tuoba Yu: Don't tell me yet, Princess. Let this King guess.

Tuoba Yu: The Princess definitely doesn't plan to go to the Western Palace.

Princess: Why?

Tuoba Yu: That place is full of barbarians. They could swallow a young lady like the Princess in one bite.

Princess: ...

Tuoba Yu: Come back to Beikun with this King. You'll definitely love the scenery there.

Han You probably wouldn't guess that I would go to Beikun, let alone that I had such a connection with Tuoba Yu. I could finally relax for a bit.

Moreover, that poem... I still couldn't let go of the dragon vein clue.

Princess: I'm a criminal of the Dacheng now. Aren't you afraid of bringing chaos to Beikun by taking me back?

Tuoba Yu: The warriors of Beikun always forge ahead bravely. This King never fears any enemy or crisis.

Tuoba Yu extended his hand to me with dazzling confidence.

Tuoba Yu: Are you willing to enter this King's world? My... pearl.

Princess: ... Okay.

The moment I placed my hand in Tuoba Yu's, the morning sun rose in the distance, and the gloom that had accumulated in my heart gradually dissipated.

Looking at the proud and confident smile on his face, I couldn't help but think that Tuoba Yu might truly possess an innate ability to inspire others.

Just like the real sun.

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Chapter 7-4

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[movielosophy]

Falling Into Your Smile | Praise me.

[shijiujun]

Ep 31 - San Tu!!!

[kakushigo]

@snicker-doodles mentioned Lu Yao’s lovely family, so I was going to do a little bit on that but then it morphed into Qiao Chusheng being overprotective and Lu Yao playing doctor again...

After Lu Yao had finished with his schooling at Cambridge, his father had tried to gently guide him into a job that would suit him- something worthy of the direct line of Emperors.  In politics, of course, where Lu Yao could do the most good for the people. It was the duty of geniuses to serve the people.  Of course, Lu Yao was a willful child, running off to Shanghai instead of coming back home as was proper. 

First, Mr. Lu sent Jiang Ziping.  The man was loyal to him and overly found of Lu Yao.  He wouldn’t hurt Mr. Lu’s precious youngest son, the baby of the family.  But he also wouldn’t fail in bringing him home.  It never crossed Mr. Lu that there was a third option- that he would receive a box from Shanghai containing...most of Jaing Ziping.  The letter with it makes it very clear that not only is his baby boy, the light of his mother’s eye before she passed away, under the thumb of Mr. Bai, but that Qiao Chusheng was even more involved then Mr. Lu’s spies had reported.  That simply wouldn’t do.  His son needed to be rescued from these lawless gangsters immediately.

Time to send in his daughter.  There was no way she would fail, she adored her little brother and wouldn’t let some gangster hold him hostage.

When it came to torture, Qiao Chusheng couldn’t say he enjoyed it.  Mr. Bai did, occasionally, deem it necessary though and he never shirked from it.  Torturing Jiang Ziping was the first time he didn’t want to stop though.  The man had thought he could drug and take Lu Yao away from him. If Lu Yao had been conscious and unhurt, though unwilling, Qiao Chusheng probably would’ve been content taking a hand or eye in payment.   If Lu Yao had gone willingly, Qiao Chusheng would’ve convinced him to come back home (though he can’t imagine Lu Yao leaving Shanghai- Lu Yao belongs in this city now, he’s one of her children).  Jiang Ziping would’ve only died in that scenario if Lu Yao had asked Qiao Chusheng to kill him.  The offer for Lu Yao to use Qiao Chusheng’s skills has always been open, though Lu Yao much prefers to use Qiao Chusheng’s wallet and they’re both quite happy with that arrangement.

For Jiang Ziping, he hadn’t waited for Lu Yao’s request.  Wasn’t even sure it would come.  Jiang Ziping lives three more miserable days after Lu Yao’s near abduction, missing a few more body parts each day until Qiao finally takes his head and packs it away in the box most of the rest of the body is.  Then he pens a letter (with Mr. Bai’s permission) making it very clear that while Mr. Lu is very welcome to visit his son, any attempts to remove Lu Yao from Shanghai will result in death.

When Lu Yao finally sees the wound on Qiao Chusheng’s shoulder (nothing too bad, but one of the kidnappers had gotten a lucky hit with a knife in) the next day, he lectures Qiao Chusheng even as he dresses the wound.  Once it’s wrapped in sterile gauze, Lu Yao kisses it and asks Qiao Chusheng is the man who did it is dead.  And he has a personal promise to never lie to Lu Yao, so he tells the truth. Not yet, but the man isn’t bound for this world long.

And Lu Yao graces Qiao Chusheng with a smile that usually comes on the heel of a solved problem- it’s pleased and a little smug.  All he says is that he trusts Qiao Chusheng to take care of it and the pleasure that burns in Qiao Chusheng’s belly keeps him warm even as Lu Yao slips out of bed to go back to work at Sassoon’s.  The stock markets don’t wait for him to take sick days, he teases Qiao Chusheng, giving him kisses.  

Qiao Chusheng waits until Lu Yao is out the door before ordering his men to keep an eye on him.  Last time, Mr. Lu’s men got lucky and nearly stole Lu Yao away from him.  There will be no second time.

[mxtxfanatic]

Alright, another character breakdown! Keep in mind that as long as this list is, this definitely is not all of the major players in the book. Because there are just sooooooo many characters, I’m choosing to highlight the ones I remember and care about the most (SPOILERS AHEAD for character deaths):

Xiao Fangxu: great dad, damn his death hurt me

Xiao Jiming: still cannot believe he guessed his brother had a crush based on his BLINKING PATTERNS LMAOOOOOO

Gu Jin: hope he got that girl he got ratted out about, cause after all this, he deserves the rest

Ding Tao: baby boy 🥺

Chen Yang: glad he got it together and stopped with the petty shit

Tantai Hu: there were a few moments I thought he was gonna fall from grace, but a true testament to the idea that honesty pays

Li Xiong: BABY 🥺🥺🥺

Qi Huilian (Grand Mentor Qi): did not realize how important he would become and when I did, did not realize that he’d be KILLED; honestly, a completely unexpected death for me

Ji Gang: man’s been through so much but STILL is dedicated to fathering all these orphaned sons. Best dad award right here

Fei Sheng: finally got a life and sense of self-worth, but at what cost?

Qiao Tianya: never thought being told you could be a monk could be considered a threat

Yao Wenyu: i hate the emotions he’s made me (and Qiao Tianya) feel, knowing he’s already come to terms with death and ain’t feeling the shit himself

Kong Ling: you worked so hard not to be the personal advisor of a conquerer just to end up the personal advisor of an emperor LOL

Yin Chang: genius af, funny as hell, how you a grown man afraid of baths??? His death hurt

Qi Zhuyin: BIG QUEER ENERGY

Hua Xiangyi (Third Missy/Hua the Third): surprise high femme queen sneak attack!

Lu Guangbai: reminds me of the pets from Homeward Bound, never doubted him for a second

Lei Jingzhe: he really had me there for a second; epic death

Hasen: alright, we get it! The bad guys have families too! They’re also human! Stop beating me with it—! (another painful death even as I knew it was inevitable)

Duo’erlan: ok coming in clutch at the last second to steal a spot as one of the most badass characters! Was praying HARD they didn’t kill her…

Xue Xiuzhuo: good longterm adversary, i wish him a very fuck you, asshole

Fengquan: massive security oversight: man worked under a man who plotted the emperor’s assassination, his “sister” assassinated the succeeding emperor, and y’all bring him back AGAIN to work under the third emperor??? But you’re surprised he’s the hidden assassin????

Ling Ting/Li Jianting: poor girl

Jiran: cute last minute baby addition!

Xiao Chiye: best soldier, best uncle, best brother, best son, best partner, best—

Shen Zechuan: nobody deserves the throne more than him, fucking fight me Xue Xiuzhou

Xiao Chiye x Shen Zechuan: fan-fucking-tastic power couple, round of applause for their resounding success and the fantastic sex!

Overall a great book if you love political intrigue mixed with a little bit of war action. Violence isn’t too gratuitous, and there are trigger warnings for the worst of it. The characters are characters, and there is never a dull moment in this book. I did find it weird, though, that everything was trigger warned for except the two moments of noncon and dubcon between the major couples, but that may have been a translator thing? Either way, I’d watch any drama adaptation of this.

[hamliet]

Qiang Jin Jiu: Retold in Memes

Shen Zechuan at the start of the novel:

Xiao Chiye greeting his husband for the first time:

Everyone trying to convince Emperor Xiande to execute Shen Zechuan because obvs this tortured fifteen year old is too dangerous to live:

Xiao Chiye pointed to himself. “Am I not a caged man too?”

Lu Guangbai and Zhao Hui said in unison. “Good for you.”

Shen Zechuan to Xiao Chiye when he is asked to bark like a dog:

Gao Zhongxiong and the other students when Shen Zechuan is released from the temple:

The Night Hunt where Xiao Chiye has everyone disguised as Prince Chu:

Xiao Chiye when he sees Lanzhou’s perfect nape:

Shen Zechuan to Xiao Chiye:

Meng whenever Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan bathe together:

The Empress Dowager vs. everyone in the entire royal court:

Shen Zechuan to Ji Lei:

Xiao Chiye to Shen Zechuan:

Shen Zechuan in response:

Gu Jin, Ding Tao, and Chen Yang on Xiao Chiye’s orders:

Shen Zechuan when Xi Hongxuan asks whether he really has something going on with Xiao Chiye:

Xiao Chiye during the plague threatening the doctor to cure Shen Zechuan like:

Meanwhile, Shen Zechuan: 

Ji Gang and Zuo Qianqiu when their mentees spar at the awkward dinner:

Shen Zechuan plotting and tricking Xi Hongxuan  into thinking he’s in prison:

Li Jianheng:

Cezhou and the Imperial Army leaving Qudu like:

Hai Liangyi during state meetings:

Kong Ling, Zhuo Gui, and Luo Mu, and also all of Zhongbo:

Ding Tao and Li Xiong:

Xiao Chiye finding out his kick set Shen Zechuan’s health back:

Yao Wenyu showing up in Cizhou with his cat to talk to Shen Zechuan like:

Xiao Chiye’s reunion with Daddy be like:

Yao Wenyu sending invitations to all the scholars of the world except Xue Xiuzhou like:

Meng every battle and also as a way of greeting to Xiao Jiming’s poor Yu:

Hua Xiangyi:

Shen Zechuan to Lei Jiangzhe atop the burning tower:

Three seconds later, Shen Zechuan (it’s okay A-Ye is there to catch him):

Hasen:

Xiao Chiye to Hasen over Xiao Fangxu’s head:

Xiao Jiming when Qi Zhuyin and Lu Guangbai ask how Libei got Shen Zechuan to ally with them:

Huo Lingyun killing King Yi and burning all his supporters:

Huo Lingyun when he taunts Xiao Chiye about Xiao Fangxu’s death:

Shen Zechuan to Huo Lingyun and Fei Sheng after putting Huo Lingyun with the Imperial Bodyguards:

Qiao Tianya:

Fei Sheng:

Qi Zhuyin:

[killerandhealerqueen]

Ten Characters I Fell in Love With in 2021 pt. 4

There will be one most post after this one, but here’s pt. 4!  You can find Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here

1. Jiang Shuo - Psych-Hunter

He’s a little shit and I love him.  He’s absolutely a sugar baby but he also love and cares for Qin Yinheng and his circus family and honestly, he’s just a good boy.  Did I mention he’s a little shit?  Because he’s a little shit

2. Qin Yiheng - Psych-Hunter

A doctor.  Are we surprised?  We shouldn’t be.  A rich kid but not an annoying rich kid.  He’s a good boy who cares a lot for Jiang Shuo, even though he didn’t believe in what he did at first because you know...he’s a man of science.  He and Jiang Shuo are so married, I can’t even

3. Qiao Chusheng - My Roommate Is A Detective

I love him.  I only watched 10 eps of MRIAD before I had to stop because of she who shall not be named, but he...he is a lot of fun.  I’m a fan of gangsters/mobsters and he definitely fits the bill.  He’s also just really bad ass and street smart, which is a perfect pair to Lu Yao’s book smarts

4. Lu Yao - My Roommate Is A Detective

Another little shit who’s too damn smart for his own good.  Also a fucking glutton but I don’t blame him.  Chinese food is fucking good.  A definite sugar baby who’s a bit of a scaredy cat but again, he’s just really smart.  He and Qiao Chusheng make a great pair and they should have been roommates instead of she who shall not be named

5. Han Juwon - Beyond Evil

An absolute drama queen who’s also a little shit when he wants to be.  His family life/background is so fucked up and you can’t help but pity him.  But his time in Manyang was good for him.  He and Dongsik are definitely enemies to lovers, slow burn, 500K fanfic come to life. 

6. Lee Dongsik - Beyond Evil

Oh this man...oh this poor, pitiful man.  His backstory is so sad as well but he’s also so damn strong...I honestly would have lost hope but he never lost hope in finding his sister and I respect him for that.  I loved his relationship with Juwon and that ending scene with Han Juwon clutching his hands and crying as he’s arresting him?  Fuck me up man

7. Genji Ando - Rasen no Meikyu: DNA Kagaku Sosa

The detective half of the detective/doctor ship.  Sure he’s an emotional mess sometimes but he’s a good dad and just wants to find the truth and solve cases.  He and Jin argue/bicker like an old married couple and you know what?  I love him for that

8. Jin Jinbo - Rasen no Meikyu: DNA Kagaku Sosa

The doctor half of the detective/doctor ship.  I swear to god I have a type of ship, what the actual fuck.  Anyways, he’s a no-nonsense kind of guy, which is why he works well with Genji because he’s the brains while Genji is the heart.  His relationship with Genji is so much fun to watch because they argue/bicker like an old married couple and his relationship with Genji’s daughter is just everything.  It’s also really cute that he has a sweet tooth.  You wouldn’t look at him and think that but...that’s what makes me like him

9. Fukamachi Naoya - Junkyouju Takatsuki Akira no Suisatsu

Oh Naoya...I honestly love him.  He’s so shy and introverted when we first meet him and to watch him grow under Akira’s love and care.  He first thinks his gift is a curse but with Akira’s help he realizes that he can actually help a lot of people.  His relationship with Akira is really beautiful to watch

10. Takatsuki Akira - Junkyouju Takatsuki Akira no Suisatsu

First of all, his fashion senses are god-tier.  I also really like how excited he gets to meet a “real ghost” or whatever and I love that when he promised Naoya that he would never lie to him, he really fucking meant it.  He’s never lied to Naoya and just wants to protect him and I just...I love him okay?  And he always wants to hug/touch Naoya and it’s just so cute

[rosethornewrites]

Fic: 只羡鸳鸯不羡仙

Relationship: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn

Characters: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji, Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Gusu Lan Disciple(s)

Additional Tags: Animal Transformation, Magical Accidents, Fluff and Crack, Ducks, Crack, Chases

Summary: Wei Wuxian has an accident with an experimental talisman. Now he has to find his husband.

Notes: See end

AO3 link

-----------

Wei Wuxian had to take a moment to assess the situation. He had… shrunk, and his robes billowed around him. He had no hands, and he couldn’t see what his appendages might be, given the darkness under his robes, which of course made getting out even more difficult.

Getting out took more time than he would have liked, his body… odd. He couldn’t quite seem to operate it right, and he let out a frustrated noise as his face encountered more fabric after finding the edge of one robe.

It was a quack. Unmistakably. 

Well, fuck.

He had somehow turned himself into a duck with his experimental talisman, which didn’t make sense to him. Wei Wuxian couldn’t recall having written the character for duck on it, and it wasn’t supposed to be a transmogrifying talisman in the first place—though he supposed it could be handy to trap enemies in their own robes.

Once he had an understanding of what he had become, it was easier to understand that his neck was more serpentine and could be used to delicately push through the folds in a way his wings would not. He kept those folded against his sides, as he could just see getting his wings tangled in the fabric and breaking one.

Finally, he found his way out of the robes, and collapsed gracelessly beside them, trying to think of his next move. He could just sit here until his husband found him, but that seemed like it would take an awfully long time. Lan Zhan had gotten a new batch of letters he had to sort out as Chief Cultivator and had retreated to the library to deal with them so as to leave Wei Wuxian in peace to work on his newest talismans.

It also might have been that he was purposefully distracting whenever he saw a vein throb in his husband’s forehead, which generally meant they wound up fucking. Unfortunately, that just delayed the inevitable, so they had learned to work apart—though Wei Wuxian helpfully sorted the mail beforehand, making sure Sect Leader Yao’s were at the bottom of the pile.

Now, however, this would mean leaving the jingshi and making his way to the library. Which in theory wasn’t too difficult, but in practice would mean finding a way to open doors.

His beak, he discovered, was quite strong, and so he was able to use it to find and widen the gap in the sliding doors of their home, then wriggled through it as best he could. It wasn’t terribly graceful, but Wei Wuxian was more focused on the task at hand.

That accomplished, he put his ruffled feathers back in order, then descended the stairs in a haphazard fashion before waddling his way down the stone path toward the heart of the Cloud Recesses: the library.

The plan, he discovered, was not a good one, as the first disciples he came across immediately decided that he was a poor wild duck trapped within the wards, and the humane thing to do was to catch him and release him outside.

If they succeeded, he was royally fucked. He didn’t know if he would randomly transform back to his normal self, and if he didn’t, he’d be trapped as a duck outside and Lan Zhan would have no way of knowing what had happened. Because of course he hadn’t thought to find the jade token that would let him through the wards in the folds of his robes and take it with him.

He supposed that at least, being Lans, they weren’t likely to eat him?

As he discovered, the disciples were not casual in their desire to “free” him, though they kept to the rule of no running. It didn’t help much, given that he wasn’t used to this body and it was so much smaller, but his feathers made him slippery, and that gave him a bit of an edge.

More frustrating was his inability to communicate. Anything he tried to say came out as quacks and hisses, and only attracted the attention of more disciples.

With little other choice, he led them on a merry chase around the Cloud Recesses. He didn’t mean to cause havoc—he just wanted to reach his husband, dammit, and somehow convince him that this duck was Wei Wuxian.

One of the braver disciples managed to grab one of his web-footed legs, and he was almost sorry to bite the poor boy, but he couldn’t let them catch him.

By the time he reached the library pavilion, he had a merry squad of at least fifteen juniors chasing him, though by this point they had taken to trying to herd him rather than grabbing at him. This was a relief, except one stood in the way of the library, and Wei Wuxian wasn’t having that.

He’d have to apologize later for the feathers he left in that disciple’s hair as he half-flew and half-scrambled over him. That led to them trying to grab him again.

Before he could try to figure out how to get into the library while dodging disciples, the door slid open, an occupant coming to see what the commotion was all about.

It was Lan Zhan, and Wei Wuxian took the opportunity to dart under his robes. Not the best plan, as finding his way out the other side was hard, but it was a rare graceless moment for his husband, obviously startled by the duck, and for the disciple that, too focused on catching the duck, collided awkwardly with him, sending them down in a heap that, fortunately, he didn’t wind up under.

Wei Wuxian made his move, finding the long end of Lan Zhan’s forehead ribbon and yanking it free.

The disciples made horrified noises as the ribbon fell away, and he got his beak around the hard metal cloud, darting away before he could be grabbed.

“Stop,” Lan Zhan intoned, and thankfully the disciples froze, instantly obeying even though Lan Zhan was sitting in a somehow-dignified heap on the floor.

This was going to make calling the juniors ‘ducklings’ exceedingly weird from hereon out.

Wei Wuxian took a moment to consider his options. He had to hope his husband would understand. He waddled forward and set the ribbon in front of Lan Zhan and quacked at him in the best approximation of ‘Lan Zhan’ that he could manage.

Lan Zhan blinked, then reached forward slowly, not for the ribbon, but for him.

“Wei Ying?”

He quacked, doing his best to nod, relieved to have been understood—of course his zhiji would know him, even like this.

“Talisman?”

He nodded again, this time more morosely. He nuzzled at the hand as it reached him, then let Lan Zhan pick him up without complaint.

Wei Wuxian relaxed, now thoroughly exhausted, as his husband dismissed the disciples.

As long as he had Lan Zhan near him, he could weather anything, though he expected this would put a halt to their every day until they could figure out how to undo the effects of the talisman.

How did ducks even have sex, anyway?

--------

For @writersmonth day 14, prompt “duck.” 

Title is from the Lu Zhaolin poem, “Chang’an nostalgia.” Mandarin ducks mate for life, and thus represent romantic love in Chinese culture. The line of the poem translates to “be envious of mandarin ducks, not of immortals,” but in the Chinese MDZS fandom the mandarin ducks are often replaced by WangXian to make it a fandom phrase, as discussed in this meta.

This fic might also be a possible variation on the idea of “it is a beautiful day, and you are a terrible goose,” except wwx is a duck.

[gingersnapwolves]

so, final thoughts on My Roommate is a Detective

honestly, I liked the ending pretty well! yeah, I do think they leaned pretty hard on the heteronormativity at the end, they very much went into “these two got married so this other guy isn’t with them anymore!” but honestly? kinda used to that. US media does that too. I mean, a canon OT3 is pretty much unheard of outside Leverage as far as I know. LY and BYN were leaving on their honeymoon, they weren’t leaving forever as they had discussed earlier (and even when they did discuss that, they invited QCS along! as straight friends do). sure the British told LY not to come back but LY/BYN were way too excited about the keys to that house to be planning to be gone forever, and it’s not like LY has ever registered a given fuck about what the British think of him.

the last scene was open-ended enough that I feel content to interpret it how I like. I don’t interpret LY folding up the cable into a paper airplane as him saying QCS doesn’t matter to him; to me that just reads as LY fooling around and being LY. he seems really happy in that last scene and I totally read that as “QCS still needs me! I still get to solve mysteries! turn this boat around, captain, I’ve got a murderer to catch!”

and then he did, and QCS moved into the new house with them and they solved mysteries together forever. the end.

overall 8/10 highly recommend

(whatever happened to poor Salim tho???? hope he’s doing okay)

((honestly my bigger problem with the ending was that Norman was behind basically every single crime Lu Yao had investigated, that shit went on forever lmaoooooo like really dude you’ve gotta chill))

[twinklescribbles]

Wolf’s Keeper. Chapter 05

Happy New 2021! We bring you brand new chapter!

Read all about it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27506542/chapters/69723192

And finally?! Or rather, Oh NO! Bai Youning makes an appearance! Poor Lu Yao looks terrified~! >.<”

[weilongfu]

Because I REALLY WISH LU YAO HAD GONE TO STAY WITH QCS IN EP 18.

@sarah-yyy @stebeee

------

Of all the things Qiao Chusheng had expected to disrupt his sleep that night, he did not expect it to be Lu Yao leaning against the doorway. With his robe open, and thus flaunting his underwear, Chusheng raised an eyebrow in greeting. Lu Yao’s face turned pink as his eyes scanned over Chusheng’s body. Lu Yao licked his lips and Chusheng smirked. However, before Lu Yao could say anything, Bai Youning barged past.

“If I wait for you two to finish your flirting, I’ll freeze outside and I’ll really become that little matchstick girl,” she said breezily without looking at either of them. “I’m going to bed first in your spare room, Qiao-ge. Good night.”

Chusheng sighed and looked up at Lu Yao who was now attempting to play innocent. “So this isn’t the kind of call I normally expect from you late at night.”

“Youning burned the apartment,” Lu Yao said with a pout. “Let us stay for tonight?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Would you let poor Yao Yao freeze?” Lu Yao did his best to widen his eyes and jut his lower lip out further.

“Poor Yao Yao? I wouldn’t,” Chusheng said as he ruffled Lu Yao’s hair. “San Tu? I might.”

“Unfortunately for you, they’re both the same.” Lu Yao stepped in and Chusheng closed the door behind him. 

As Lu Yao threw his jacket onto the couch, Chusheng put his arms around Lu Yao’s waist. At the press of Chusheng’s chest against his back, Lu Yao felt warmer already. “Well, depending on which one you are, you can either sleep with me in bed, or sleep on the couch.”

“Hey, I’m working on this case for you right now! Don’t you think I need my sleep? Don’t you see the bags under my eyes? How will my brain function for you if I’m sore and sleep deprived?” Lu Yao made a point of pointing to his eyes. “Won’t Chu Chu let Yao Yao sleep on the bed?”

“I will.. But only if...”

“Only if?”

Chusheng cupped Lu Yao’s cheek and pulled his face closer, brushing his lips across the smooth skin before he whispered in Lu Yao’s ear. “Only if you don’t call me Chu Chu ever again.”

“Don’t you think it’s cute?” Lu Yao objected.

“You said it with too straight a face. I’m not dealing with you acting like that after such a long day.” Chusheng patted Lu Yao’s cheek twice. “Now either you can come to bed or you can stay where you are,” Chusheng said as he went back to his bedroom.

“You’re being a bad example. There’s a lady in the house!”

“Good night, San Tu.”

“Wait, wait, wait, Yao Yao is coming!”

[sillyfanturtle]

Making a Move

Qiao Chusheng: So, who got beneath your skin? Her?

You say, Lu Yao, but that’s *some* gaze you’ve got, especially since Chusheng takes you up on your challenge.. (I really don't think he's worried about his ex here, given how this episode panned out, but hey, it could just be my Chuyao talking)

Chusheng turns on the charm... XD 

Why indeed? But Qiao Siye’s charm does work...

And I like how Chusheng feels the need to look back at Lu Yao before walking away with the ex...

Leaving poor Lu Yao at a complete loss for words... and drink...

Episode 21

Lu Yao: (Tong Li) is so beautiful and outstanding. Why would she fall in love with Lao Qiao?

So is your ex-girlfriend, San Tu (why else would you date her for over a year), and I’m glad it came to bite you back in the butt! (Okay, so maybe I have still not fully forgiven LY for that statement, because it may have held a grain of truth, but damn it, my Qiao Chusheng *was* still hurt!)

One day, I'll end up finishing that draft post on why QCS is a hit with independent ladies of all sorts while Lu Yao is just a hit with school girls xD

[shijiujun]

the only one (on my mind)

Lu Yao chases away four blind dates set by his sister in the same restaurant. Chusheng is the owner of said restaurant and decides to rescue Lu Yao from his fifth one after witnessing all of them.

@sarah-yyy for your chuyao fix hopefully? XD

--

“Chusheng-ge,” says the waiter at the door, who comes forward to take his jacket.

It’s still early yet at Qing Ling Tian, a traditional Hu cuisine restaurant and bar set in one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city in the middle of downtown Shanghai. Chusheng walks in, and immediately is greeted with the bustle of a packed hall tonight as well.

Qing Ling Tian is not one of the best restaurants in Shanghai for no reason — with the grand decor that is the retro style inspired from Republican-era Shanghai fused with contemporary elements, and having hired some of the best chefs in the region, Chusheng is proud to say that they’ve had full-packed reservations for three years running now, be it usual dinners or even wedding banquets.

While patrons go about their meals on the first floor, immersed in the warmth and liveliness of it all, the second floor features a much more sedate vibe. There’s a main space where the bar counter is, and the private dining rooms can also be found on this floor. Customers who wish to have a more romantic and quiet dining experience are usually found here.

As he approaches the bar where Liu Zi, his star bartender, is working behind the counter tonight, Chusheng’s eyes fall on a familiar figure seated in the corner of the room, and he doesn’t know whether to feel exasperated or fond.

He settles for something between both, and Chusheng doesn’t even know the man.

“He’s here again?” Chusheng asks, sitting down at the counter and gesturing towards the tall, handsome man with his date, comfortably settled around a two-person table not too far away from the bar counter. “Who is it today?”

“Another young, rich heiress forced to meet him for a blind date,” Liu Zi rolls his eyes, placing a glass of whiskey on the table before Chusheng. “Your boy is trying his best in chasing her away this time too.”

“He’s not my boy,” Chusheng raises an eyebrow, taking a whiff of his whiskey. “I don’t even know who he is.”

Well, that’s not quite accurate. Chusheng knows of the man — Lu Yao, the youngest son in the well-known Lu family that has managed to produce powerful politicians and army commanders with every generation — because this isn’t the first time he has brought a blind date to this restaurant.

Lu Yao is a bit of an oddball, according to those who mill about in the higher echelons of society, so to speak. Despite being a rich young master, he ran away from home after he finished high school and managed to flee all the way to the UK and Cambridge for university, where he supported himself without taking a dime from his family until he graduated with no less than three degrees under his belt.

Lu Zifu, Lu Yao’s father, then forcibly dragged him back to Shanghai, whereupon he began finding matches for his youngest son.

It seems that with his two older brothers, Lu Sen and Lu Yan, so successful and working in the army and his older sister, Lu Miao, a high-ranking government official in the incumbent party, Lu Zifu doesn’t have much high hopes for his youngest son except to have him enter a beneficial matrimonial partnership with another woman. Of course, the old man isn’t quite as cruel to have his son marry someone he doesn’t like, and thus, why continuous blind dates are being strangely and repeatedly held at Chusheng’s restaurant.

In fact, this is the fifth one, if memory serves Chusheng correctly. It was pure coincidence, the first time Chusheng witnessed Lu Yao and his blind date of the evening at the same table, a few weeks ago.

It wasn’t anything to cry home about — matchmaking and blind dates are still incredibly common and Chusheng has heard his fair share of blind dates gone wrong happening in his restaurant. On two occasions even, the disastrous date even escalated into fights, so it’s not as if he’s a stranger to the farce of terrible blind dates.

Lu Yao, however, is unabashedly a piece of shit, a spoilt brat, a vainpot and a greedy little thing — and the man has no qualms flaunting any of these qualities.

He’s a smart piece of shit though, and while he’s shameless, every time Lu Yao does something ridiculous, Chusheng can’t help but want to indulge him.

—

First Date

“How about we get to know each other first, Lu-xiansheng?”

“Sure,” Lu Yao nodded, setting his drink aside. “Firstly, I don’t have a car, or any property to my name. I probably won’t get a huge cut out of my dad’s inheritance when he dies. I’m a poor academic, and my dad doesn’t think very highly of me. If you want to get some money out of this arrangement, you’re out of luck. I don’t intend to find a well-paying job either, because I’m happy pursuing an academic career. In fact, you will have to give me an allowance to support me-“

Chusheng watched then, a little flabbergasted at the sheer audacity of this young, able-bodied and obviously capable man, and with no shame at all, how he tried to badger his way into a marriage that would keep him in the most comfortable of conditions, without consideration for the lady at all!

Understandably, when Lu Yao entered his second spiel without allowing the woman to interject even in the slightest, she got to her feet and stomped out of there.

“Useless asshole!” she spat as a parting gift.

Once she was gone, Chusheng noted with some interest that Lu Yao’s haughtiness seemed to fade away as he deflated entirely into the seat, pressing his fingers to his temple and downing his entire drink in one shot.

His phone rang then, and Chusheng could hear a woman’s sharp voice berating the man on the other end of the line, no doubt to yell at him for fucking up the date so badly.

“Aiya, Da-jie, I didn’t do it on purpose! If she cannot accept me for who I am, it is not true love!” the man whined, obviously trying to play the fool.

Chusheng remembers turning away at that moment, trying to hide his smile in his drink.

—

Second Date

“I think we both know we’re here at the behest of our parents,” the blind date of the week said coolly. “How about we make do with each other to get our parents off our backs? You can continue living your life and I continue living mine.”

Lu Yao nodded, “Sounds good to me.”

“Well, the only condition my parents have is the dowry. Given your family’s status and wealth, I think this,” and the woman holds up three fingers. “Shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Thirty thousand?” asked Lu Yao.

The woman’s face whitened almost immediately, but she continued, “You must be joking. The Xiao family is also considered one of the wealthiest families in the city. My parents will accept no less than three hundred thousand for my marriage into the Lu family.”

Lu Yao pretended to consider this, before he replied, “Think about this! You’re the CEO of the Xiao family’s banking empire, and in comparison, I’m just a student who’s looking to complete his PhD. I have nothing to my name, not even a single property! Don’t you think you should be paying my dad the dowry instead? I feel more like the one who's marrying out of my own family and into yours.”

Chusheng watched as Lu Yao got a cup of iced water to his face then.

The woman was as vicious as the first one when she said, “Shameless!”

—

Third Date

“So I hear that you want a dowry and an allowance,” Blind Date Number Three said, flopping into the seat opposite Lu Yao’s an hour late.

“Of course,” Lu Yao said matter-of-factly. “I’ve never had to serve someone else. I’m the youngest in the family, if I’m not doted on then who should you dote on?”

Chusheng could tell that Lu Yao was feeling rather pleased about this meeting because from what the woman said, it seemed he was gaining a reputation for himself, one that would hopefully ensure women stayed far, far away from him.

“You’re honestly starting to get a reputation,” the woman said as much, but she didn’t seem all too put out by Lu Yao’s demeanour. “If that’s what you wanted, congratulations. What’s good to eat here, I’m hungry.”

Lu Yao blinked, his interest piqued slightly.

“Well, I’m fond of the Ba Bao La Jiang, but… I’m not-“ he began, and the woman cut him off, “Yeah, yeah, you won’t pay. Geez, my treat, since I’m late. I was dragged here by my older brother while I was at an e-sports gaming competition, and I just want to eat.”

They didn’t talk much after that, busy stuffing their faces with food. It was then that Chusheng found himself staring at Lu Yao’s blissful face as he almost cleaned out half the plate and three bowls of rice on his own.

—

Fourth Date

It was Lu Yao’s turn to be late for this one, and Chusheng noted that he was in a bad mood today, for he wasn’t even turning on the i-am-so-innocent look with his blind date.

The moment he sat down, Lu Yao began, “Yes I want a dowry and a comfortable allowance. I’m kind of useless and entirely shameless, but I still want both of those things. If I want a baguette in the middle of the night, you have to get it for me. If I see an expensive Armani suit in the windows while I’m walking on the streets and want it, you should get it for me. If I’m hungry and want to have dumplings bright early in the morning before I wake up, I want you to get it for me. If I see something that scares me, you have to protect me.”

“And lastly, if I want you to give me your wallet, you should just give it to me,” Lu Yao finished, leaning into the back of his seat. “If you can do all of that, I’ll go to the Marriage Registration Office today with our hukou ben.”

The woman didn’t seem surprised at his outburst, and with a sigh, she commented, “I’m only here out of a favour for Lu Miao, we work together. I’ve obviously heard of your penchant for being incredibly demanding, and wanted to see it for myself. Doing this though… don’t you think you’re bringing shame to the Lu family?”

“Every single one of your siblings is successful in their own right, I don’t know how they ended up with you,” she said. “At the very least, you should be mindful of keeping the reputation and honour your family has painstakingly built over the years intact.”

“I’ll settle the bill for this one.”

That evening, Lu Yao got so drunk that Chusheng took it upon himself to send him home, not that the man remembers it.

—

And so here they are, two weeks after that sad blind date that probably hit a little too close to home for Lu Yao, on his fifth date.

This time, however, it seems that this woman isn’t as easy to dismiss as any of the previous ones. Chusheng suspects that there’s something wrong with her, to be honest.

“Lu Yao,” the woman says seriously, “I’ve been in love with you since I saw you at a family’s gathering when I was eight. I’ll treat you well, I promise! I’ve heard of all the conditions that you want, and I can fulfil all of them.”

Well, that is something none of them are expecting, least of all Lu Yao. Looking slightly stunned, Lu Yao sits up in his seat, and goes, “Everything? You’ll give me your wallet? How much dowry?”

“All of it! It’s not like I can’t afford it,” she nods enthusiastically. “I’ll do anything for you, Yao-gege.”

Lu Yao almost flinches when the woman reaches over, her hand tightly gripping his.

“Don’t you remember? It was dinner at the Feng mansion, you surely remember Feng-bo, right? I fell down the stairs when one of the other kids shoved me to the side while he was running, and you were the one who came over and helped me find my mother. You protected me, Yao-gege. I’ve always remembered that, and then when I heard you were looking for a match-“

“-I’m not, my sister and my father are looking for a match for me-“

“-I knew I couldn’t let this pass up. It’s okay if you don’t love me right now, you’ll see how much I am willing to do for you, and given time, I’m sure you’ll start to love me.”

Oh dear, Chusheng thinks as he sets his glass down.

—

“I can’t,” Lu Yao blurts out, snatching his hand back, properly spooked. “I’m… Chen Xue, you’re… I cannot marry you.”

“Why not? You said that as long as someone agrees to all your demands, you’ll marry them immediately! Is it because I’m not good enough?”

“I- I’m… No, of course not, you’re great, Chen Xue. I’m just… I cannot-“

What a time for his wilfulness to come back and bite him in the fucking ass, Lu Yao thinks, about to panic for real.

“If I’m great, then there should be no issue,” Chen Xue concludes, reaching over to grab Lu Yao’s hand again. “Yao-gege, let’s go now. We can get married today, and deal with the huge wedding and banquets later.”

He’s done for, Lu Yao knows that, and damn Lu Miao for finding him an obsessive match!

Just as he’s desperately thinking of something to say, a shadow falls over them both, and Lu Yao finds himself with another hand over his wrist.

Looking up, his throat goes entirely dry.

“He can’t marry you,” the tall, dark and handsome man says. “Because he’s going to marry me instead.”

Then smiling almost roguishly at him, the man continues, “Isn’t that right, baobei?”

Lu Yao feels shivers running down his skin at the sound of that, and despite himself, his breath catches in his throat when he tries to speak.

He remembers this man, sitting at the counter quietly every single time Lu Yao is here, nursing a glass of whiskey. And just two weeks ago, Lu Yao remembers someone buckling his seatbelt for him in the car, remembers the scent of a specific aftershave as the man leaned in close, and his voice when he told the driver to send Lu Yao home.

“Who the hell are you?!” Chen Xue asks, her eyes going wide. “What nonsense are you saying-“

“Yes,” Lu Yao interrupts, getting to his feet and plastering himself to the man’s side. “Yes, that’s right. I can’t marry you because I’m going to marry him instead. I’m sorry, Chen Xue.”

Chen Xue is silent for a whole minute, looking entirely betrayed. It’s a look that Lu Yao is familiar with, and so he prepares himself for the glass of water or wine that’s going to be splashed in his face in anger, but the moment Chen Xue reaches for the wine glass, the man next to him pulls Lu Yao behind him.

“Chen-xiaojie, wasn’t it? Qing Ling Tian welcomes any and all paying customers, including yourself, but I will not allow you to cause a scene here,” he says. “Please put that down.”

Shaking angrily, Chen Xue scowls, “I want to see your manager! Who the hell are you to talk to me like that, do you know who I am?”

Lu Yao’s hand unconsciously reaches for the man’s jacket sleeve, tugging in fear of the trouble this woman obviously is. While he’s grateful that the man has given him a way out, Chen Xue is indeed the daughter of one of the ministers sitting in the cabinet right now, and even Lu Zifu has to play nice with the old man. Lu Yao doesn’t want to get this nice man into real trouble either.

He opens his mouth to appease Chen Xue somehow, but the man beats him to it.

“Of course I do,” he says, cocking his head to the side. “Chen Xue, Chen Fu Man, Minister Chen’s only daughter. Lao ye-zi has a standing monthly appointment with Chen-shu for mahjong if I recall correctly. As for speaking to the manager, I’ll do you one better. I’m the owner of Qing Ling Tian. Is there something I can help you with?”

At this, both Chen Xue and Lu Yao stare at him, eyes wide and mouths open.

“You’re… you’re…” Chen Xue swallows, and finally putting the wine glass down. “You’re Qiao… Chusheng? Bai-shushu’s…”

“Indeed,” Chusheng nods. “If there’s nothing else, Chen-xiaojie, I’d like to have a nice dinner with my fiancé. Let me have Ah Dou escort you out. Ah Dou!”

“Chusheng-ge,” another man comes over from where he was standing at the entrance of the room.

“Escort Chen-xiaojie out and get Xiao Yun to send her home,” Chusheng orders.

So stunned at the turn of events and what he’s just found out, that Lu Yao doesn’t even move or blink after Chen Xue is forcibly guided out of the room for a good few moments.

It’s only when he hears a breathy chuckle close to his ear that Lu Yao realizes where his fingers are, still pinching Chusheng’s jacket sleeve. As if burnt, Lu Yao steps away, absolutely mortified. Chusheng, Qiao Chusheng, just saw him make an absolute fool of himself.

“I- I…”

“Sit down before you keel over,” Chusheng says, guiding him back into his seat and then to the waiter standing near them, “Da Ding, clear this table and have a fresh course brought up. The Fo Tiao Qiang soup that Lu-xiansheng likes to eat as well, and some of Man-jie’s best dumplings.”

Lu Yao looks up in surprise. He’s speechless still, until Chusheng pushes a glass of warm water over to him.

“Thank you, for helping me out earlier,” he mumbles, embarrassed. “I… I must have caused a scene.”

“No worries,” Chusheng smiles, and damn if Lu Yao’s heart doesn’t skip a beat at that. “Glad that I could help. Lu Yao, is that correct?”

“Mnn,” Lu Yao nods, taking a sip of the water nervously.

“Will you consider going out with me?” Chusheng asks sudddenly.

Lu Yao chokes on his water.

It’s Chusheng who pats him on the back, who presses a napkin to his mouth and looks at him a little fondly while he’s having a coughing fit. When Lu Yao surfaces again, he croaks, “What?”

“I won’t make you go to the Marriage Registration Office with me immediately of course,” Chusheng continues as if this conversation is normal. “We should probably date first, and then if we still like each other after a few, we could set up a meeting between our families and see how it goes. I’m certain your sister would like to take a look at me first, and the same goes for my sister. She’d like to meet you first after.”

“Wait, wait,” Lu Yao tries to breathe. “Hold on a second. You’re saying, like date me?”

“Mnn. Do you think I jest? I’m all for showing my sincerity,” Chusheng smirks almost. “I have a few cars and properties, and I can put your name on any of the ones you like next time, so you don’t have to buy your own. I earn enough, so you can happily pursue your doctorate if that’s what you want. If you don’t, there are a number of open finance-related positions in my company for you to do what you do best.”

“How did you know I have a finance degree?!”

Chusheng raises an eyebrow pointedly and goes, “Blind Date Number Three asked you what your hobbies were and you said ‘making money’ because ‘that’s what I got my degree for’.”

Lu Yao flushes red immediately.

“If you’re marrying me,” Chusheng continues, “Of course the Bai family will give you a dowry and an allowance, just take any of my cards, that should be enough.”

“Who said… who said I was marrying you?!” Lu Yao splutters. “And you’ve been listening in on my dates!”

“It’s a little hard not to listen in when you’re going on so righteously about how you want someone to give you all their assets and pamper you to death,” Chusheng rolls his eyes a little.

“And that night, it was you?”

“Which night?” he teases, and then taking pity on a Lu Yao whose face is entirely red now, he nods, “You were very drunk that night and thought that you called for a ride. You showed your Didi Chuxing app to me yourself with your address on it, I didn’t steal information from you.”

Finally, finally, after so many blind dates, Lu Yao is quiet.

Wondering if he’s scared Lu Yao off for real, Chusheng opens his mouth, ready to try a softer approach and apologize when Lu Yao asks, “… so if I really want a baguette in the middle of the night you’ll get it for me?”

“… I hope we’ll already have a baguette in the house for you seeing how much you like them,” Chusheng answers carefully, “But yes.”

“And if I want dumplings in the morning for breakfast?”

“I’ll call Ah Dou and have it brought in from the restaurant.”

“I don’t like Armani suits, but if I wanted something expensive…”

Chusheng takes out his wallet, and slides three credit cards over the table.

With wide eyes, Lu Yao asks again, “And if I asked you to give me your wallet-“

The wallet lands on the table in between them.

“As for the last one,” Chusheng smiles and leans forward, “I think I demonstrated earlier that I’m more than capable of protecting you whenever you’re scared. Don’t you think? So do I pass?”

The food comes then, interrupting their conversation. Chusheng doesn’t press either, instead scooping out a bowl of soup for Lu Yao and insisting that he eats, knowing that he couldn’t stomach any of his meal earlier with Chen Xue.

At the end of the meal, Lu Yao finally says, “… I want to go to the movies next week.”

“Mnn,” Chusuheng makes a noise of assent. “I’ll buy you dinner before that.”

“I’ll buy the movie tickets and popcorn,” Lu Yao adds, almost a little shyly.

When they leave the restaurant later, Chusheng is holding onto Lu Yao’s hand as he leads him out.

The warmth he feels from that touch alone makes everything right suddenly, and not even his phone continually vibrating in his pocket from his sister’s calls can dampen his mood.

===

*Qing Ling Tian 青玲天 - I guess it's a way for Chusheng to pay homage to the Green Dragon gang 青龙帮 not that he's in a gang right now (he's totally a legitimate businessman)

*Shanghai's cuisine is called Shanghai Cai (shanghai dishes literally), but also can be called Hu Cai (hu cuisine)

*Didi Chuxing - This is China's version of Uber/Lyft/Grab

*hukou ben - In brief, all Chinese citizens need to belong to a family register and have a 'hukou', it's almost like a proof of citizenship I think. Anyway, you need these 'hukou' booklets (like a birth cert) to get married, you bring the booklets down to the office, and take a photo against a red wall, and they print the photos and paste them in the booklets.

*-jie/-shushu/-gege/-bo - older sister/uncle/older brother/uncle

*baobei - darling or baby