#Chinese herbal soups

[formeryelpers]

Chong Yuen Fong, 7 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

As you’d suspect from the name, CYF is very Chinese. The co-founder is from Guangzhou/Hong Kong and he founded Coconut Jelly King (which is in the same strip mall and has multiple locations). I’m a fan of Coconut Jelly King…Chong Yuen Fong, not so much. The offerings are very limited and include two rice dishes and Chinese (Cantonese) wellness/herbal soups (3 different soups per day). They also have freshly baked egg tarts and cheese tarts.

Portuguese egg tart ($1.38): It was nice – a delicate, flaky shell (not as thick as other places) but thin with a creamy, eggy filling. The egg flavor was pretty mild. It was on the sweeter side.

Cheese lava tarts ($2.48): The crust was like a crispy, delicate shortbread cookie and the filling was very soft and tasted like cream cheese/cheesecake. It was richer/heavier than the egg tart.

The tarts definitely tasted fresh. They weren’t the best that I’ve had but they were made with skill. Unfortunately, there isn’t much else there that one can purchase. As I was waiting for my turn to order, the woman in front of me wanted to order some soup. They only had one kind of soup that day. She asked about something else on the menu and they didn’t have that either.

Parking was easy to find (shared strip mall parking lot). The décor was interesting, reminiscent of old China in the 1930’s?

3.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[sikfankitchen]

Cantonese soup called 排骨莲藕汤 “Pork, Lotus Root & Peanut Soup”. It’s easy to make and has many health benefits such as boosting immunity, digestion and blood circulation. All you need to do is simmer pork bones (blanched with ginger beforehand to remove impurities), lotus root, raw peanuts (soaked for 3 hours or boiled for 30mins beforehand to soften), 1 dried octopus, 3 dried figs, 2 ginger slices and water (enough to cover the ingredients) for 2 hours.

[gutenachtwort]

Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup Looking for an authentic and flavorful soup recipe? Try our mouthwatering Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup, made with a blend of traditional herbs for a comforting and nutritious meal.

[fxigr]

Ingredients for Chinese Apple Herbal Soup

[bespoke-england]

Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup

[allsadnshit]

Do you have any tips or any meals for dealing with PMS? I know everyone is different but curious what you do.

The tough thing about PMS and also why I think it's so hard to get real help is cause your reproductive organs really really conduct a lot of the movement for your body and health so because it's all connected, you have to address it is a whole body issue from what I've experienced - which tends to be overwhelming if you don't have any experience with holistic medicine or traditional Chinese medicine perspectives in healing

For me, I've been taking an herbal tincture specifically for my endo and issues from Elix, they are a wild crafted herb modern Chinese medicine approach to traditional practices which is a little more accessible than trying to find an herbalist locally and it's helped a lot. They also are good about giving a LOT of information about how it works and understanding what to expect from the process since it's very very at its core different from western pharmaceuticals and the side effects and timeline you'd expect

The other thing that I need to work on myself but so believe makes a serious difference is eating and sleeping. Eating a nourishing breakfast like soup or congee is reaaaally important in the connection to your menstrual cycle symptoms and it's not about doing it only on your cycle but like all the time is what actually gives the pay off when pms actually rolls around! And sleeping a full night is not a replaceable thing in your health either - and for many years I never slept more than 6 hours because I had such an early shift and so much anxiety around it.

Lastly I'd say getting a proper natural dry brush for your body and like checking out some YouTube videos on how to brush for your lymphatic drainage and circulation along with regular ginger tea can do so much for your whole system and also genuinely relieves pain in a really helpful way for my pms even if it's not a cure all!

When it comes to pms I think the most important thing to do is to make those little lifestyles adjustments like making sure you work out and sleep and eat BEFORE you try more extreme routes cause there really is something to it!!!!!

[lady0ctavia]

What They're Like When Their S/O is Sick (Allies)

Headcanons for how the Hetalia men would act when their S/O is sick.

America: As far as Alfred F. Jones is concerned, food and entertainment is the best medicine! He'll bring you all your favorite snacks and set up some of your favorite movies. You'll have to be the one to remind him that, while snacks and movies are nice and all, what you really need is medicine. Real medicine. He'll comply and get you what you need, but he'd also insist on cuddling with you the rest of the day while the two of you eat and watch a movie. He doesn't care if he gets sick or not. He just wants to find a way to add some joy to a miserable time.

England: Arthur is similar to Ludwig in that he's an expert caregiver while keeping his distance. He'll get you whatever medicines you need and keep an eye on your temperature. He'll make you hot soup and herbal tea but will make it a point to keep enough distance between you two to keep from getting sick. Arthur is the kind of person who seldom ever gets sick, but when he does, it's pretty bad.

France: Francis is... Kind of a mixed bag, really. While he absolutely wants to help you get better, he's also a bit queasy at the sight of mucus and the sound of vomiting. He'll absolutely be getting you the medicine you need and will stick around to keep you company. But if crap starts shooting out of your face, don't expect him to stay in the room.

Russia: Okay, Ivan essentially acts like a doting mom when you're sick. At first, he'll do the whole 'placing the back of his hand on your forehead to make sure you're actually sick' thing. Once he realizes you're sick, he'll make it his responsibility to get you well again. Making you hot cider, tea, or soup, bringing you multiple brands of different medicines, checking your temperature, setting up a humidifier, the whole nine yards. While he won't cuddle you during this time (which absolutely kills him), he will sit by your side and rub his hand up and down your back.

China: While Ivan acts like a doting mom, Yao acts more like a strict parent. At first, he won't take your illness very seriously. Not because he doesn't care, but because he's someone who, even when sick, will still get up and work hard every day. He only stays in bed if he physically cannot move. So if you can still physically move, you're up and working. But if not, he's gonna insist you stay in bed as he tries to treat you using traditional Chinese medicine.

Canada: Okay, but honestly? The exact same as Ivan. Read the one for Ivan/Russia, and there you go. That's Matthieu. (I swear this isn't me trying to be lazy, this is just the reality. I see their caregiving styles as the exact same).

[mooredanxieties]

Chinese Herbal Silkie Chicken Soup

A popular immune-boosting elixir

Most often, a main ingredient of this soup is the Chinese Yam, a recommendation substitute for potatoes (a Nightshade vegetable) for those with autoimmune disorders because of its anti-inflammatory properties

Hannibal notably left out this ingredient in the soup he gave Will.

Treatments for Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis:

Immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive therapies

Anti-seizure medication

Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP): a diet tailored to reduce inflammation, pain, and other symptoms caused by autoimmune diseases

Of the 5 ingredients Hannibal listed, 4 of them are potentially harmful for those with autoimmune disorders:

Wolf berries ("Goji Berries") - A 'Nightshade Vegetable', recommended to avoid if you have an autoimmune disorder

Red Dates ("Chinese Dates" or "Jujube") - The extract has been found to interact with some seizure medications

Ginseng ("Ginseng Root") - Studies have shown it can boost the immune system and exacerbate autoimmune diseases at the same time

Star Anise - Recommended against, according to the official AIP diet for people with autoimmune conditions

Hannibal enjoys creating situations where Will feels compelled to seek comfort (whether physical or emotional) from him, because he enjoys when Will needs him. He enjoys providing Will comfort, and he feels no guilt causing Will to need that comfort.

His actions are always multifaceted.

Giving Will a comfort food that often holds friendly/familial/romantic connotations and ALSO causes Will to be more dependent on him is a 'killing two birds with one stone' plan.

Sweet and cruel in equal measure

[b4ts1e]

▀▄▀▄▀▄Sick Days▄▀▄▀▄▀(𝚐𝚗!𝙼𝙲)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍:

𝚀𝚒𝚞/𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚗 𝙻𝚒𝚗

𝚃𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙱𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗

𝙼𝙲 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 (𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙾𝙻:𝙽&𝙵)

𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚝:

𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎: 𝙽𝚘𝚠 & 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚆𝚎𝚎𝚔 2024

𝙳𝚊𝚢 2 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚝: 𝚂𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜

𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚙

𝚀𝚒𝚞/𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚗 𝙻𝚒𝚗

STEP 1

<> Since Qiu is a popular kid, it's likely that once they hear that you're sick from either your mom or from Mrs.Murray that they'd ask the class to make get well soon cards or maybe to just sign off on one he drew up during lecture. Maybe get the boy's squad into it as well.

<> Because he can't be there to take care of you himself, he'd definitely make it a daily habit, while your unwell, to come and check in after school/dance. Maybe he'd make a cup telephone if you're that sick.

<> I can totally see him asking his parents to help him make something healthy but delicous for you to eat to help get better. Maybe a traditional Chinese congee recipe or an herbal soup.

<> Once you get back to school he most definitely prioritizes spending time with you for the first day of your return, even if he's being asked by others to hang out. ESPECIALLY if this is a common occurance because of your health issues.

STEP 2

<> From what the public demo shows of step two, Autumn would willingly skip school to take care of you- especially if your mom can't be at home with you. Would most likely sneak in through your window, using the trees outside to get access to the roof (and to hide from any adults who'd stop them). Even if you tell them to go to school and to not worry about you- they'd stay anyways. Much like a cat honestly. "Who made you the boss?" type energy.

<> If it's one of those sicknesses where hot and cold flashes are a promenint symptom, they'd be so quick to hand over their jacket to you for while your sick. They'd expect it back once you're better, wash it first of course, but since they can't be with you the entire time you're sick (to avoid being caught) it's a nice sense of comfort. It'd be really comfortable too, especially if they were wearing it right before handing it over- all snug and warm.

<> The first day you're back in action, they'd go to school with you without much of a fight. They probably got in trouble for missing school by their parents, but they really don't care in that moment- they were taking care of you just like they had always done. In their own, closed off, way.

STEP 3

<> Having grown up and matured, I feel like step three Autumn is like a healthy blend of both his ten year old and their fourteen year old self. Being eighteen now and permitted to cook on his own- they'd most definitely make you your favorite sick foods, be it the Chinese style foods he's introduced you too or something from your own heritage. They'd happily make it for you while you were cozied up in bed or on the couch with his jacket or a sweater of theirs.

<> Qiu seems like the type who'd, if you asked, would wash your hair for you while sick or just in general. Being sick makes moving around harder, especially if you're the type to get extremely weak when ill- so he'd willingly do the simple tasks that people usually do in their everyday lives for you, at the drop of a hat.

<> We aren't sure if they're graduated or if he's in their last year of school in step three, so depending on which it is decideds on if they'd take notes on all of the subjects you share for you and retreive your missing work from your classes, or just be at your side unless something comes up and he had to leave your side for a bit. (They would definitely make sure that you wouldn't be left alone, calling Tamarack over for you.) Doting mother bird energy.

𝚃𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝙱𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗

STEP 1

<> Tama would definitely be the type to show up, nearly get sick due to proximity, then get scolded by her Omi and Opa to let you get better with the help of your mom. They'd most likely have to explain that her getting sick could affect them more harshly since they're older for her to actually listen.

<> Since she can't visit, she'd make a collection of forest trinkets to give you once you get better. Sometimes she'd hand over certain things to Qiu to have him give them to you- be it something from the forest that she feels needs to get to you asap, or if it's something she and her grandparents made together for you.

<> Would drop by before school or on the weekend to drop off a thermos of freshly brewed and steepened herbal tea, maybe a few handmade and specially cut sandwichs for you. She's definitely the type to peel off her crusts, so she would make sure Omi (the one who helped make this care package) did the same for you. After all- you both are the same with age, why would you like crusts when she didn't?

STEP 2

<> She may not take notes during class for herself, but if you did- she'd do it for you while you were gone. Collecting your work and Qiu's (despite not being friends, she'd do this for you- not them) so that neither of you fall too far behind.

<> She knows that Autumn is visiting you, she sees them waiting in the trees by your window for your mom to leave. She won't say anything, but should she have something for you and can't get it to you herself- she'd attempt to work with Qiu to get whatever it is too you. I won't lie- she'd probably feel really bad for not being able to visit as often as they do, but she can't just skip school or afternoon activities like Autumn does.

<> Never the less, she does her very best to visit when she can- would come over when she's free during the weekend with tea and biscuits for you both to share. If you're well enough to take notice of her insecurities about not being able to do much more than what she has already, she'd likely tell you about them without much proding- but will try to play it off as if it isn't a big deal. (Please give her a bear hug when you're better, she need it.)

STEP 3

<> Remember how I said Qiu would be like a mother bird in this step? Yeah. Tamarack is the same way, it's literally in her character bio for this step. "Rather than the 'mom-friend', Tamarack is semi-jokingly the 'grandma-friend' of her circle." You cannot tell me she wouldn't knit you a sweater or scarf whenever you're resting and/or don't need anything in the moment.

<> She and Autumn definitely take turns taking care of you if they're not outright working together to do so, they know your eighteen now and can take care of yourself, but they want to show you they genuinely care. AND Tamarack wants to make up for her lack of time with being able to do this as a teen and/or kid for you.

<> In the habit of making you tea, she'd definitely still do so even after eight years- unless you genuinely dislike tea...she'll find something to make you that'll help you get better quicker, she promises.

<> Definitely the type to hum 'A Spoonful of Sugar' while knitting or preparing something for you to eat and/or drink. She also believes it works too, because it does, whenever you have to take medicine she'll bring a spoon of honey (clover honey most likely, dunno why but it fits her) for you to have afterwards.

I won't even lie- reading this back I can see a heavy resemblence between the trio of MC, Autumn, and Tamarack to the High Score Trio from The Promised Neverland (Norman, Ray, and Emma). It wasn't intentional I swear. ^^;

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 1,337

[buffetlicious]

The lazy Susan was quickly filled with dishes as we continued with our reunion dinner. The Prawn Paste Chicken (虾酱鸡) featured plump and juicy mid-wings coated in a batter of fermented shrimp paste. Also known as Har Cheong Gai, it is crispy with an umami aftertaste and a hit with young and old.

The stir-fried French Bean with Dried Shrimp (虾米四季豆) might look deceptively plain but plain and simple it is not! The string beans or green beans is flash-fried with minced hae bee (dried shrimps) to absorb the wok hei (wok thermal radiation or breath of the wok) yet maintained the crunchy texture and aroma of the sea (dried shrimp). This dish was one of the highlights of the dinner.

My nephew asked for this Fried Rice with Chicken (鸡丁炒饭) as he preferred it over the steamed white rice the rest of us are having. The Yam Ring (佛钵飘香) featured a ring of deep-fried mashed yam (taro) and filled with sautéed seafood such as prawn, squid and also various vegetables. Normally one would also find cashew nuts in it, but I didn’t notice any this time. Plating is done haphazardly as the chef just poured everything into the yam ring. If I will to do it, I would place the vegetables at the bottom and present the seafood on top with a sprinkle of crunchy cashew nuts over it. Anyway, dish is passable but not fantastic in taste and an “F” for presentation.

Popeye’s power booster canned vegetable is reimagined into Spinach with Trio Eggs (三皇苋菜). To enhance the power, three kinds of egg are used – normal chicken egg, preserved century egg and salted duck egg. Finally, the eyes is also protected with goji berry or wolfberry added into the thick soup. With all the above ingredients used, how can a vegetable soup like this not be good for you?

Fish Maw & Crab Meat Soup (蟹肉鱼鳔羮) is the most expensive dish of the night at S$45 (large portion) due to the two premium ingredients. The thickened soup is chocked with the spongy fish maw, succulent crab meat and I also detected mushrooms in there. Before eating, drizzle a few drops of the black vinegar and add a dash of white pepper.

The Emperor Chicken (皇帝鸡) is also known as herbal chicken. In the olden days, the emperor’s diet was strictly prescribed and monitored by physicians, because it was important for the emperor to be in excellent health in order to focus on governing the Kingdom. This was one of the healthy dishes the emperor ate! The chicken is wrapped in the waxed paper and aluminum foil then steamed for a few hours until the meat is tender and the flavours of the herbs is infused into the chicken.

The last dish to be served is the Poached Prawns (白灼���). If the ingredients are fresh, you just need minimum condiments and simple cooking style to bring out the best in taste. So here the prawns are boiled in basically water, ginger and scallion for a couple of minutes at most. Chinese cooking wine is then drizzled into the broth to enhance the overall flavours.

For this reunion meal, we spent S$331.76 for the dishes, steamed rice and drinks including 10% service charge. I can foresee the next year we will be back here for our dinner again. After all the food is good and the place is nearby our houses.

[florsial]

Chinese Regulus who love language is food!! Adds a unique twist to common European dishes!! Fruit bowls as an apology!! Who personally designs traditional Chinese clothes for his kid(s)!! Who owns his own set of traditional clothing!! WeChat but literally never uses it!! All important details yes but the FOOD!!

He makes bian rou (Fujianese wonton soup) for James when he's sick and a bunch of other remedies in the form of soup! (James is too scared to admit to him that the black chicken herbal soup isn't all that good) (I agree I dread having to drink that sometimes). He used to send Sirius fried taro cakes in case Hogwarts didn't have any. When he and James are too tired to cook anything he whips up peanut butter noodles and calls it a day. Sirius puts all the yams in his rice congee into Regulus' bowl during breakfast!! Makes batches of mantou from scratch when he's stressed while the Pantheon is snagging the steamed buns every so often, he sends the remaining off to the Marauders, mostly just Sirius and James. WILL FIGHT SIRIUS TOOTH AND NAIL FOR THE LAST BBQ PORK BUN!!! He also makes sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and has to charm them so Barty doesn't steal them before he steams them!! In fact! Regulus eats his zongzi plain with a shit ton of sugar while Sirius prefers them to be more savory and filled with mushrooms and chicken!!

[formeryelpers]

Nature Pagoda, 312 W Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91778

Nature Pagoda looks non-descript but it cooks with some unusual ingredients. It’s a Cantonese restaurant with healing, good-for-you dishes, including appetizers, soups (labeled soups for health on the menu – these are made with Chinese medicinal herbs), porridge/congee, veggies, claypot rice, and desserts. Some of the dishes are made with bird’s nest, ox pizzle, hog’s stomach, hog’s tail, frog, and turtle. 

They’re known for claypot rice. The claypot rice takes time so call ahead or be ready to wait at least 20 minutes. They have 21 kinds of claypot rice, from plain ($7.99) to frog, ribs, chicken, curry beef, fish, etc.

Pumpkin with preserved meat ($15.50): One pot can serve two people who aren’t that hungry or are also ordering other dishes. The sauce was served on the side. The sauce has soy sauce and seasonings. It’s pretty simple but fantastic when added to the claypot rice. The rice is infused with the flavors of the preserved meat. The cubes of pumpkin added sweetness and creaminess. They were generous with the meat (mostly thinly sliced Chinese sausage). The Chinese sausage is savory and sweet. There was a proper golden, crunchy rice crust. Two minor disappointments: first, they used regular broccoli vs. Chinese broccoli or bok choy, second, the preserved meat was 95% Chinese sausage, it would have been nice to have a wider variety of preserved meat. But, it was super delicious and flavorful with lots of different textures. Best claypot rice I’ve had in the area.

Nature Pagoda is on a busy street. It’s off by itself and has its own parking lot. The building looks older. The interior was clean and pleasant but no frills. Condiments are kept at each table. It might be cash only but I’m not sure (there weren’t any signs saying cash only or credit cards accepted).

4.5 out of 5 stars

By Lolia S.

[momoxxxrinn]

Op straw hats crew what do they do if you ask them to buy you or do they have pads/ tampons while you're on your period having cramps dying on your bed cause you can't move due to pain.

Warning: none just fluff, enjoy (⁠｡⁠•̀⁠ᴗ⁠-⁠)⁠✧ no spoilers.

Editor's note: I wrote this in middle of night sorry if there's typo and English isn't my first language. I use shortcut words.

Feature: Luffy,Sanji,Zoro,Usopp, Nami,Robin,Franky,Brook,Jinbe, Chopper

Nami & Robin

Nami & Robin : realistically they both always have pad or tampon nearby. Will let you have as many as you need according to your flow. Because they don't need to go out to buy for you they stay behind feeding you food.

Robin would feed you more like Chinese herbal medicinal soup to relieve pain. Made you bone broth with angelica sinensis or more common ginseng help with bloating, helps with blood circulation flow preventing cramps and digestion. She used to read and learn along her journey before joining the straw hats. She has been all by herself until now so she definitely would love to help you. Saying ton of benefits and most ingredients in a common household kitchen but she uses scientific names.

Nami definitely feeds you chocolate, mikan juice or pasta anything high in iron and magnesium. Cause losing blood might lead you to feel headache or worse pass out and pasta, mikan juice replenishes iron in your body. Nami doesn't want you to pass out from anemia. Chocolate gives magnesium which helps your mood better and gives you energy, chocolate is delicious in general. Either let Sanji cook your favourite food or make food that easy to digest herself. probably cost you big money.

Both of them literally have big sister energy you never had. Would bring you entertainment together like sharing their favourite books or gossip or fashion magazine. Try to let you rest as much as possible. Help you with different hacks like warm water bottle trick if they don't have pad warmer available. If you like to be alone they would sure you got your rest, not letting Luffy or anyone bother you I repeat, especially Luffy. Spoil you with anything you want.

Vinsmoke Sanji

Sanji: would do anything for you, honestly probably know a few famous pads tampons brands but not sure which one you use so he got all the one that would seem to helping bringing more comfort. Would be really proud and waiting your praise. He knows it's probably uncomfortable for you so he bought some painkillers.

On the way back to sunny, saw bunch of good ingredients for you, easy to digest, nutritional and probably bought too much cause he want to give you a super comfort 3 course meal. Definitely don't forget ice-cream cause ice cream make everything better. Bought you a bouquet of lavender for relaxation. He's a romantis

Honestly, he won't let anyone know what he's doing cause he doesn't want you to get uncomfortable with others with your period if you're more personal type of person and don't necessarily need to announce your time of month. Respect you and woman in general cause it's painful, and how strong woman are. Do his research to develop new recipes to relief cramps.

Would giving you facial treatment for your period acne. Do skincare together to keep you company. Actually really enjoyed it.

Roronoa Zoro

Zoro: understandable, totally know that biologically woman body are different than man. The impact of Kuina feeling of the hardships of woman in society in term of swordsmanship is deeper than he realized. Of course his respect towards woman is grew more once you educate him.

Totally get lost every second so you don't expect much from him but surprisingly he did return safely with an actual thing you requested. Probably ended up finding one piece along the way.

Struggling to choose type you use, asking stranger to help him and low-key everyone in the store recommended him different brands products so he ended up buying all. Would be type of guy thinking what size is your vagina. Yes, he knows the biological sciences different woman body with man but that doesn't mean he know everything about woman organs. This man simply an idiot so cut him some slack.

He knows Nami Robin dealing with cramps time to time. Would actually help them when usually he don't, cause he's aware Nami Robin independent and won't need help unless they ask but he love doing small things that make your day a bit better, won't ask for praise or acknowledgement. Woman around him shape the way he is honestly, if you educate him he probably listen but tend to got it wrong sometimes. Again he is muscle head, you gotta go slowly. Once he got it through his skull, he would force you to rest.

Actually asked Sanji to cook you easy digest food, Zoro would bring to you himself. Then asking Sanji to teach him how to cook that recipe. Totally shocked some other crew too lol. Don't really need to do it often cause there's the "love cook". Bring you soft blanket or even use his shoulder as you pillow if needed, those thick yummy muscle. Once he understands more, he encouraged you to exercise or stretch to a point you can handle. His excuse is to best way to relief cramps. This training muscle maniac.

God Usopp

Usopp: have no problems. Honestly probably the most normal among other crew. To him it just like another errands. Understand how period, uterus work and don't mind helping others if needed. Ngl Nami probably had sent him to buy her pad or tampon before, so boi got experience and from experience, food make anyone happy and in this situation it make you happy but gotta watch out from glutinous monkey food stealer Luffy.

Ask and you shall receive. If you ask for anything he would drop what he's doing just to make your day better especially dealing with something you can't helped.

Definitely keep a box or two of pads tampons you Nami Robin use. Would make you lay down and gently massage your lower abdomen to help relax your muscles. Genuinely really good at massaging. I mean look at those biceps muscles. He would be one of the guy who keeps heat pad with him, carrying inside his bag

Jinbe

Jinbe: Imagined a single father with teenage daughter, flustered because his lack of knowledge. Would ask Nami Robin more about woman body. Even though he is older gentleman and sometimes around woman his knowledge is have limits. Know what is period or cramps is, it just he never experienced someone asking his help on this situation and feeling need to do his best is adorable.

Would read intensely the description on the pads tampons brand and selection and decently did a good job. Realized people around him keep starring and not wanting any attention he grab the most comfortable and long lasting pads he saw. If you used tampons, too bad he still struggling to understand how it works that's. Accidentally gives you life time supplies lol.

Keep asking you if he did was acceptable and reassuring him he did a good job. Later learn he could help more than that. Would be happy you ask for his help. I low-key want to hug him and relive my pain. I need a squish mellow out of this guy.

Tony Tony Chopper

Chopper: yes he's definitely is a child in my opinion but regardless he's the doctor. And naturally he learn from Dr Kureha about sex education and woman body too. Tbh Dr Kureha already passed far from her menopause tho. So chopper is not innocent but he still pure tho, definitely don't really understand about lust or that desire of human but it is what it is.

Would believe this task is his time to finally show his usefulness. This is his first big boi errand. He does understand is really matter and important. Of course it's important but not to some extreme intense level. He's cute when he's trying his best. Please give him cotton candy and lots praise the moment he return.

Definitely know what he supposed to do and probably overwhelmed which to choose and ended up buying little bit of everything. Thin, ultra smooth, scented, unscented, wings, non wings, night time, longer version etc. There's probably an older woman helping him after seeing his struggling. Have very wholesome moment with new humans, very kind to him which suprise him. Please create new happy memories for him with human.

Definitely thought buying ice-cream for both of you to share but realized ice-cream may not be the best desserts so he chose something soft, fluffy, sweet marshmallows for you. Ngl he keep staring at your snacks so you feed him. Too adorable. See he put so much effort for you. Better appreciate this child. Since he's the doctor he give you painkillers and herbal remedies to relieve your symptoms.

Monkey D. Luffy

Luffy: what can I say about this man. He's aware of world situation, different between woman body than his and pretty much normal information of a person his age. He's not idiot just umm.. stupid on not this topic, I guess?? Even with his awareness, he don't know cramps exist and once he learn that he's reaction is the most hilarious ever. Super shocked how bad the pain is for you.

Therefore after a few minutes learning new information off he goes buy the necessity you needed. Bought the first thing he saw and call it a day of success. Later learn he bought the wrong stuff, there's difference between a pad and a baby diaper or panty liner. Need Robin to help him out while teaching him new stuff but definitely didn't throughly understand it but somehow got it.

Was excited to bring you food but miraculously it arrived half eaten. Yes magic. Would stretching and making funny faces to crack you up, got drag away by Nami cause you need rest.

Franky

Franky: he's second oldest person in the strawhat and obviously he's an adult and even he got 2 younger sister he adopted. Older brother you can always rely on. Would buy you brand his sister use cause he didn't remember to ask you what brand you use. He's use to taking care of his sister so it's a habit going straight to the store and getting what you need and realised a few minutes later but he's too far to go back.

A type of person would gift you candy but made out of cola, like gummy cola, chewing cola flavour candy etc. Asked if you need massage cause low-key his new invention is a portable massage machine. If you let him use you as his guinea pig first user, he be extremely grateful. Your comments and review is matter. Give you a heating pad that immediately heat up in a second you need and there's temperature changes according to your liking for your lower abdomen. His invention is useful for daily use not just robot nerd.

Brook

Brook: if there's a song to make people sleepy there's a chance of song to relief pain exist or at least distracting you from your pain. Not sure if period products know 50 plus years ago available so got you covered by literally buy like 10 bag full of goodies.

Besides his playful and kinda unique personality, he is the oldest crew members and there's time he can be mature, mostly not but that's his coping mechanism. Love setting up warm bath, sprinkle with few drops of any essential oils you love or he just put lavender oil for relaxing your mind and body. A few oil of rosemary and sage would help better. This man loves bath and the most bizarre thing he did was filled the bathtub with milk, hoping your skin soaked up with all the benefits. 100% asking what colour panties you wearing. If he ask big mom definitely would ask yours. What a way to icebreaking.

Hope y'all enjoy it and thank you for reading this goddamn long writing. ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ 💕

[mylifeisinanotherreality]

oc-tober (shifting edition) day 9!

writing prompt – talking about my favourite "things"

i think i've already talked about my favourite things in my room for day 3, so i'll just take the opportunity to gush about my pets.

i have a dog, and 4 cats in my dr! i have a room dedicated to them with a door linked to my bedroom so they can sleep wherever they like. (i love them so much)

Rocco is a Doberman, and he's very friendly. He barks quite a lot, though he stops when i hold him, but continues after i let him go. He loves people, and loves to bother the cats – he wants them to play with him, but half the time the cats just side-eye him and leaves him alone. He's very protective too, and he tries to make sure everyone is safe (though i trip over him like most of the time – spider senses don't work on him)

Damian is a Bombay cat, and he has the typical gold/ copper eyes of one. He is probably the most grumpy cat out of all of them, but i love him anyways. One thing he loves to eat is chicken, so if i ever buy that home, he'd jump onto the table and stare at me till i feed him (which also means i have to feed everyone else). He lets me pet him though, and if you pet him for long enough, he drifts off to sleep.

Ebony is also a Bombay cat, and from the same litter as Damian. When I saw them, they were the only two left and i couldn't bear to separate them, so i adopted them both! She has green eyes, and is a lot nicer than her brother. She likes to keep to herself, though sometimes she'd just come over and demand pets and i can never say no to her.

Charlie is a Snow Bengal – he was originally bought by his previous owner who lived in the same apartment building but she ditched him in the lobby because the responsibility was too much. The options were to either put him down or send him to a shelter, but when my father told me about it (he owns the building), i offered to take him in. He was so skinny and peed everywhere at first, but eventually, he got used to it and i love him to bits. He's honestly really sweet, and loves food (he'd eat anything you give him), and it makes me so mad that he got ditched after the previous owner bought him just because he was "rare".

Maddie is probably the only cat that i've bought and she's a Ragdoll cat! My parents' friend's daughter was a breeder and since i was forced along to interact, i ended up just playing with the cats. Maddie's a sweetheart, she loves pets and food and is really friendly and relaxed. Apparently, there were a lot of people who wanted to come over to visit Maddie and see if they wanted to buy her, but i took the opportunity then and there to just bring her home with me <3

being a billionaire in my dr is extremely useful when it comes to taking care of all my pets. can you tell i love them? i love them.

normal prompt – answering basic q&a questions

"what are your hobbies?" – i love reading, writing, listening to music, watching movies, playing games and acting! it's pretty basic, i know, but it brings me joy.

"what are some of your favourite games?" – i like horror games, like the backrooms, poppy playtime, fnaf, etc., though i always end up flinching at jumpscares; interactive fiction and visual novels! also otome games, though they aren't my absolute favourites.

"do you have any siblings?" – i'm the youngest of five children so, yes. honestly, i respect my mother for popping out so many children 💀

"what's your favourite food?" – well, it's either herbal soup with rice (all the different chinese soups), or like, chicken chop with mushroom sauce. i like a lot of food, but i also dislike a lot of food.

"what's your dream job?" – well, obviously, i'd love to be an actress and i'm grateful that i have had the opportunities to act in some films, and have my own fashion magazine.

"are you a morning person or night owl?" – night owl, definitely. having to wake up early usually results in me being grumpy up until i shower/ eat breakfast. i also have more energy at night, being able to accomplish more things then.

wow this was a long post.

[thatonebirdwrites]

Soft asks: 4,11,15,28. ♡ Also, I know you answered 21 in the notes. So if it's okay to ask do you have any tea recommendations? and how do you prefer your tea?

4. Whats your favorite feeling?

A favorite? I'm not sure if I've ever really thought about it that way.

I'd say introspective. Not the introspective where I hyper-analyze everything I do, but the introspective where I let myself ponder the fact that I exist at the same time as all of you. That we are on this Earth together, and we are chatting in this manner, sharing thoughts and dreams and creativity. Where despite all the evils of the world and the horrors, we still find ways to show love to others, to show we care. That even in times of disaster, people are more likely to go out and help one another survive.

And I think of how, despite the horrors we face, many of us persevere, we fight the good fight, and isn't that lovely?

Isn't that the ingredients for hope? Where we plant that hope, tend to it together, and build it up? That even when we fuck up, we can hold one another accountable and do better? Isn't that growth marvelous to experience?

To exist in a time with you, the asker, and be able to hold this conversation is an incredible honor.

I don't know what to call that feeling, but I tear up when I think about it.

Maybe awe of the world and our existence?

11. Do you have a comfort item? Tell us about it!

Dog. I wrote about him here. I'm actually scared of large dogs, but I've had this husky plushie since I was three years old. He always sits by my pillow, regardless of where I am, and always will. The link is to a nonfiction tale detailing his life story.

My other comfort item is books. There's a few that I have read over and over: Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic series, Diane Duane's Young Wizards series, Nancy Garden's Annie on my Mind, J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Ryko Aoki's Light from Uncommon Stars, Nnedi Okorafor's Binti trilogy, Madeline L'Engle's A Ring of Endless Light, N.K. Jemisen The City We Became....

I can't choose between these books, hence why it's a list...

15. Comfort food?

Pho or Miso Soup. Seriously, these are the best ever.

Miso is one that is easy to learn how to make, but I have no idea how to make Pho, so I have to go to a local Pho place for it. (We have a large community of Vietnamese and Thai people in my city, so there's a lot of good Pho here.)

21. Infodump on tea for this question! I hope I don't scare you off with this, but I just LOVE talking about teas!!!

For tea recommendations, it depends on what flavor profile the person seeks. I'll cover tea from the typical tea plant, then dive into some of the herbal teas that come from different plants. This will be a massive infodump, so settle in I guess? lol

First we have the tea categories: Pu'er, Black, Oolong, Green, Yellow, and White.

Pu'er

Pu'er is from Yunnan, China, and often called the Emperor's Tea. The tea leaves are parched and then fermented, and thus have a fairly strong taste. It's also expensive. (Seriously, one rolled up ball of this cost 40 dollars, and that is just one teapot!)

If one can score good quality Pu'er, then be sure to have a glass pot, as many styles of it come as a ball that unfurls as it steeps. It's neat.

Black

Black tea is a more oxidized version of tea leaves than oolong, green, yellow, and white. The type of Black tea is named after the region from which its grown and produced.

There's the Chinese Black Teas:

Fuijan (has a bit of honey after taste and a favorite of mine)

Lapsang souchou (strong smoky flavor),

Keenum (has hints of fruity, flowery, or pine-y flavors and one of my favorites)

Yunnan (dark malty flavors),

Yingdehong (has an almost cocao-like aroma and sweet taste),

Red Plum (long, smooth after taste).

Taiwanese Black Teas:

Taicha No. 12 (starts bitter then smooths out to an almost sweet taste)

Taicha No. 18 (hint of cinnamon and mint, not as bitter as 12)

Sun Moon Lake (honey-like tones that's almost minty at times, one of my favorites).

India

Assam (full-bodied and very strong malty tones, and one of the more common teas. When people think of Black tea, it's often Assam they're thinking of.)

Darjeeling (thin-bodied and more floral/fruity tones than Assam. Tho these days it's processed with Black, green, and oolong tea leaves, so finding a pure Black Darjeeling is hard).

Kangra (kind of similar to some of the Taiwanese teas but with more vegetal aromas)

Munnar (brisk and fruity)

Nilgiri (intensely fragrant and one of my favorites)

Nepali Black tea is from Nepal and tastes a bit similar to Darjeeling, but with a stronger finish I think. Another one of my favorites.

Sri Lanka produces the Ceylon tea, which is another very common Black tea. A lot of the cheaper Black teas in stores will be a mixture of Ceylon and Assam. Now the flavor of Ceylon depends on the altitude in which its grown. High altitude as a lighter flavor than low altitude, which is a stronger flavor. Mid altitude is between the two in taste.

Kenya produces a Black Tea with a rich and aromatic profile, and is a favorite of mine.

Korea, Turkey, and Iran also produce Black teas, but I have yet to try them, so I'm not sure of their flavors.

I know everyone has heard of the Earl Grey, Lady Grey, British or Irish Breakfast teas -- but those are actually blends of several different Black teas with specific oils. I still love all of them though.

Oolong

I love me a good oolong tea. It's a semi-oxidized tea.

For Oolong, it's classified more on how it's grown rather than just the region that produces it. So for example, the Fuijain Oolong teas actually have a variety of Oolongs depending on if its grown the Wuyi Mountains or Anxi County, China.

Wuyi Mountains makes the most expensive of all the Oolongs, and are often called Si Da Ming Cong teas, where they are variations of lighter colorations and smooth flavor tone. The two that aren't a Si Da Ming Cong tea is the Rougui and Shui Xian, both of which are very dark teas with rich overtones. I wish they weren't so expensive as I want to try them all! But alas, I am too poor for these teas.

Anxi Oolongs have milky tones, such as the Iron Goddess (a favorite of mine) and Huangjin Gui, which is more fragrant than Iron Goddess. I honestly love all of Anxi's teas.

Phoenix Mountain Teas rarely are seen outside China, but they tend to have flavor profiles that imitate other flowers and fruits. They are so expensive that I've only done a taste test at my local tea shop as I could never afford them. They are also seasonal.

The vast majority of Oolong teas are Taiwanese teas. These are more affordable for one thing, which is likely why people may think of Taiwanese Oolongs when the term is mentioned.

Dong Ding "Frozen Summit" is one of my FAVORITES. Has a light but distinct fragrance and a smooth finish. I just adore this tea.

Dongfang meiren "Oriental Beauty" is another favorite, and it has potent aromatics. It's typically a seasonal tea.

Alishan is seasonal and I've yet to taste it. It's also harder to find as it's only grown at very specific intervals of the year.

Lishan is like Alishan in how its grown, and I'm told Lishan tastes as sweet in tones. I've only ever had a taste test since it's hard to get this one.

Baozhong is the least oxidized Oolong, so it's lighter in tone than most oolongs and have almost a floral aftertaste. It's a favorite of mine too!

Ruan zhi is a lighter oolong that tastes a bit like an orchid tea. I never know what to think of it.

Jin Xuan is often nicknamed the "Milk Oolong" because it tastes so smooth and creamy! I honestly love it.

Black Oolong is a bit of a funny name considering it's not a Black tea since it's produced like an oolong, but it has a strong bite like a Black that some compare to coffee almost. I don't like it.

High Mountain is a family of Oolongs actually (Alishan is part of that family). They all have similar flavor profiles, which is why they are often grouped together I think. The oolongs that are not seasonal, like Alishan, are fairly expensive. From the taste tests I've done, they have a sweeter tone. I really enjoyed them, but sadly, can't afford most of them.

Taiwanese Tieguanyin is a variation of the one from Anxi, China. It's flavor profile differs in that they are less milky but still have smooth finishes. I think their aromatic profile is stronger too.

Four Seasons Oolong is the most well known of the Taiwanese teas as it is cultivated all year long. This is the one that people think of the most when Oolong is mentioned, and the one most likely to be in stores. It's okay. Still flavorful with a smooth finish, but it lacks the sweet profiles of the other teas.

Darjeeling Oolong and Assam Oolongs are made by oxidizing the Darjeeling and/or Assam teas in the same methods of Chinese Oolongs. Darjeeling Oolongs tend toward a more floral finish I think, while Assam Oolongs tend toward a more smokey finish.

A few other countries produce Oolongs as well, such as Vietnam, which has a full-bodied taste with a milky finish.

Oolong teas are also a bit harder to find. But I HIGHLY recommend them. I think they have the most rich flavors of all the teas.

Green

I admit, I am not well-versed in Green Teas, mostly because they tend to be very acidic if oversteeped and lack the smooth finish I love about Oolongs.

The Chinese Green teas range from a more grassy finish to a plum-like flavor to a flavor punch (like the Gunpowder Green tea). I'll drink them if I have no other choice, but I'm not much of a fan. Chinese greens also tend to either be pan-fried or sun-dried, which is what gives them their distinct flavors.

Japanese Green Teas are my favorite Green tea. They are steamed dry. I know these ones the best.

Sencha is has a bit of a grassy finish I think, but it's also the most well known of Japanese green teas.

Genmaicha is my FAVORITE green tea. It's green tea with toasted rice, and has a rich and aromatic flavor.

Bancha is picked after Sencha, and has a very bold, intense flavor. It's considered a "lower grade" tea.

Gyokuro is grown under shade at first, and this gives it a sweeter taste than most of the Japanese Greens. It's one of my favorites!

Hōjicha is a roasted Japanese tea, generally roasted with Kukicha twigs.

Kabusecha is shaded for only half the time of Gyokuro, so I think it tastes like a mix of Gyokuro and Sencha. So if Gyokuro is too strong, then this is a good alternative.

Kukicha is a blend of Sencha and twigs. I don't like it as much.

Matcha is probably the most well known. It's shaded at first like Gyokuro, but during its processing it's ground into a fine powder. It's this powder that gets marketed as the green tea. It's often used for Tea Ceremonies actually, as there is a specific way to steep and pour the tea. I really love matcha tea, but it's hard to find authentic matcha. I'm not sure how to describe the taste though. It's a unique bite to it but a tasty one.

Sincha is often called a 'first plucked' tea due to when it's plucked in the season. It's very expensive, very hard to source outside of Japan, and because of this, I've sadly never been able to try it.

Korean Green Teas are also very popular, but I know very little about them. They are categories as to when they are plucked and how they are prepared. I'm not sure if I've ever tried them to be honest. I tend so much toward Japanese Greens that I have sadly neglected Korean Green.

Vietnamese Green teas are the Green tea you are most likely to encounter in a lot of Asian restaurants. (Well, at least where I live there's a lot of Vietnamese and Thai restaurants, and many of them tend toward either a Japanese Green or a Vietnamese Green.) Vietnamese Greens also include scented Green teas, as in the tea is scented with a flower such as Lotus, Jasmine, or Chrysanthemum.

I admit I absolutely adore Jasmine tea. It's one I often have on stock, and fairly cheap to buy.

Yellow

Sometimes included with Green teas due to the light oxidation, but the difference is they are often "encased" as in sweltered to give the leaves a more yellow tone. China and Korea are the main producers of Yellow, but I've never had a chance to try it mostly due to how difficult it is to find an authentic yellow tea.

White

There isn't an international definition for this. Usually it refers to tea that has little to no processing (as in isn't oxidized hardly at all). it has the lightest flavors of all the tea types, and I cannot stand them. I feel like I'm just drinking faintly scented water. No thank you. Won't even discuss the types because I am so not a fan.

Rooibos

This is a herbal tea grown predominantly in Central and Southern Africa, so as for the taste profile, it depends on which country of origin. The plant is quite different from a typical tea plant, in that it is a bit more reed-like. It's often an earthy taste, but depending on origin can sometimes have a honey-like aftertaste.

I really love it because it pairs well with other flavors such as vanilla, raspberry, etc.

Herbal mixes

There's a lot of flowers and fruits that taste great when brewed! Some of my favorites tend to have mint leaves in the blend OR ginger.

Yaupon

This is a caffeinated plant unique to South-western United States. It has earthy tones and a smooth finish. I absolutely love it, and prefer to buy it directly from the Indigenous people who grow it.

Anyway, now that I infodumped on teas, I will share how I make them.

Black teas: I boil the water at around 200 Degrees Fahrenheit and brew for three to five minutes. I will sometimes add a teaspoon of sugar.

Oolong teas: I heat the water to 190 Degrees Fahrenheit and brew from 1 to five minutes (usually three, but some teas require only a minute of brewing while others can be up to five). I rarely add a sweetner, but if I do, it's a few drops of honey.

Green Teas: this depends on the type of Green. Matcha is a powder so its swirled into the water. Genimatcha is only brewed for 30 seconds to a minute at most. Other greens are brewed from 1 to 3 minutes. I heat the water to 175 Degrees Fahrenheit, though for Genimatcha it's okay to heat up to 190. Honey is the sweetener of choice, but I only do that for the grassier teas. I don't use any sweetener for matcha teas.

Yellow and White teas: I'm not entirely sure the heating temperature or how long to brew them. I do know that for White teas in particular it doesn't seem to matter how long I brew them, the flavor is just lacking and it makes me sad.

Yaupon: I heat water to 190 or 200 degrees Fahrenheit and brew it between 3 to 5 minutes, depending on if I want a stronger or lighter taste that day. I either use sugar or honey as a sweetener.

Herbal Teas: I heat water to 200 or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Then brew the tea for about five minutes. I add a dollop of honey.

The only time I do NOT brew a herbal tea for five minutes is when there is hibiscus in it. Then it gets brewed one minute at best. In fact, I suggest avoiding hibiscus. That flower takes over the taste profile; it is like drinking a punch to your mouth. Why people keep adding it to herbal blends is beyond me.

Anyway, due to the nuances of how the temperature of the water can affect steeping and taste, I find it crucial to either have a tea-momenter (get it? tea thermometer?) or an electric kettle with multiple options.

The electric kettle I use has a setting for each of the main types of teas. That way I have ultimate control of the brewing method to get the best batch of tea.

Final thoughts on teas:

To be honest, I think this is why some people think they don't like tea. They often have it oversteeped at the wrong temperature which can ruin the drink. (Do Not Trust Starbucks and Cafes that Leave The Tea Bag In. That oversteeps it and ruins the flavor. If they actually knew what they were doing, they'd time that shit and take the tea bag out to avoid oversteeping.)

I try to buy from the source when possible. Otherwise, I try to go local, as in buy from a locally owned tea shop. One of my favorite tea shops to order from is Gong-fu.

28. What are you proudest of?

I want to say my stories, but I also struggle with self-worth and doubt a lot. But if you do like my writing, check out my AO3.

It's art that I find myself proudest of, simply because I'm working in a medium that requires steady hands, and yet I have a hand tremor, so it feels like I conquered a mountain with each piece done. I rarely keep anything I make. I like to give the art to people I care about to bring them a smile, and to remind them that they aren't alone. That someone does care, even if it's little ole me and Quark.

Here are a few of the pieces I've done. One for each category.

For a friend who really liked eagles. (This is only 2.5 inches tall by the way.)

For my Legendfire chosen family, they each got a copy of this:

For a friend who ran a Legend of Zelda campaign:

I think most people here have seen the fanart I've done. I recently posted a piece with Lena and Kara, and if you go to my Tumblr blog, I have one of Korra and Asami. :)

Thanks for asking! And I hope I didn't scare you off with my tea infodump!

[snorlaxlovesme]

what is your favorite line/section of your sick CXS fic? It is so good and I love when authors can share some of their thoughts!

i feel so spoiled with these messages from you, thank you for being so kind my godd

(aforementioned sickfic)

it's hard to choose favorite lines bc genuinely i do love the whole fic so much. a lot of the time i'm writing off the cuff and it just flows out of me in one or two sittings (it's why i'm a one-shot writer) but this was a story that took me months to complete because of all the planning involved (and absolutely fruitless research into Chinese herbal soups, since literally NONE of that research made it into the fic lmao) and so the whole thing feels really special and different from my other stories just because of how much thought was put into it.

it took a long time, but i adored writing the second half, getting to write the same day over again and try to make it identical while FEELING totally different. having Lu Guang totally in pieces over every little change he accidentally makes to the timeline was mwaa *chef's kiss*

i think my favorite line was what i eventually pulling from to make the summary on AO3

"Lu Guang is so tired. He wishes he could freeze this conversation, this whole day, and go nap for a thousand hours. The stress of it all is sucking the marrow from his bones. He wishes he could do today over again. He doesn’t know if he’d have the strength to do today over again."

idk i just feel like it really encapsulates the struggle Lu Guang goes through in this fic and might literally go through on a day to day basis trying to re-live the timeline. like i'm sure every misstep feeling like something Lu Guang would want to do over, but how many times can he handle that, emotionally? like this day mentally broke him and it's literally the most nothing day. Lu Guang forgot to make one phone call and almost suffered cardiac arrest because of it.

plus its very sweet that Cheng Xiaoshi, sick as a dog and feeling down on himself for being left alone all day, comforts Lu Guang after this moment because he can see Lu Guang is going through like a panic-induced existential crisis and mistakes it for Lu Guang ALSO feeling ill, sweet boy ♥

i also really liked the simplicity of these lines (it includes spoilers so look away if you wanna read the fic first. )

But Lu Guang thinks of the tear-streaked smile after Cheng Xiaoshi took that first bite. Spending every waking moment agonizing over his next step won’t get him anywhere. Instead, Lu Guang folds up that smile and tucks it into a corner of his mind for safekeeping. Cheng Xiaoshi thanked him for today. Maybe that is enough.

that part wasn't in the original draft. these lines are in response to CXS thanking Lu Guang for caring for him and i think i had a bit of prose where LG internally laments that he spent half the day ignoring CXS and only took care of him when it was clear Qiao Ling wasn't going to be able to, so the thanks wasn't really deserved. or something self deprecating like that

i had sent my "final draft" to a friend after revising some bits in the flashback and said "i wanna post it but i feel like i need to mess with the ending still. it feels off" my friend insisted what i had was great but i didn't know if the last line of the fic ("Timeline be damned") felt earned. Lu Guang had been a slave to the timeline for the entirety of the story, allowing him to kind of/sort of say "fuck you" to the timeline for a brief moment felt like it was going against everything i had just established, of how IMPORTANT keeping to the timeline was to Lu Guang for the sake of being able to save Cheng Xiaoshi in the future.

it was my friend that gave me the idea to write a simple thesis line that shows what Lu Guang has learned from this. that disaster is definitely a potential outcome in Lu Guang's crazy plan, but seeing Cheng Xiaoshi at peace is enough to make him want to try. like you said in your comment on the fic, if you went back in time, you'd want to be kinder. those lines are Lu Guang reminding himself that seeing CXS at peace has an emotional effect on Lu Guang as well.

ALSO idk the "fold up his smile and tucks it in his mind" bit is cute okay? it's a very cute sentence and i'm proud i wrote it lol

this is very long so i'm gonna stop rambling but again THANK YOU so much for asking me this and for all your sweet messages. i truly can't get over how wonderful it's been talking about this story with you, it's only made me love it more and i already thought it was my magnum opus lmao