#Directory of Planning and Development

[pathologicalreid]

a long way to go | s.r.

in which your family breaks no contact and Spencer reminds you that you're doing the right thing

margovember

kindergarten teacher!reader masterlist

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: flangst? (hurt/comfort) content warning: nondescript childhood trauma, kindergarten teacher!reader word count: 1.4k a/n: okay so the request was for angst and it is but the comfort gives fluff. at this point my genres are arbitrary. huge shout out to anyone else who isn't going home for thanksgiving for one reason or another.

Frowning at the email on your computer, you shifted your weight on your rotating chair and leaned your head back into the chair cover that Garcia had crocheted for you.

We’d love for you to join us.

It felt as though someone had tossed a bucket of ice water over your head, years and years of blocking emails and leaving your phone number unlisted had culminated in this moment. It shouldn’t surprise you; you worked at a public school and your email was listed in the faculty directory, but the sight of your father’s name left a sour taste in your mouth.

You were alone in your classroom, the fluorescent lights were turned off, leaving you in the gentle illumination of the string lights that you kept threaded along the walls. Contract hours were over, but you still had papers that needed to be completed. Opening your email after the final bell had thrown a wrench in your plans.

A knock on your door pulled you out of your haze, you looked up to see Spencer standing in the doorway. You checked the time in the corner of your monitor to find that it was nearly six, well into the evening, and you hadn’t even noticed. “Did we have plans?” You asked, alarm rising in your tone, you looked down at your day planner and didn’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t miss something.

“No,” Spencer said immediately, wanting to quell any of your anxieties before they had the chance to develop. “I hadn’t heard from you today, so I might’ve asked Garcia if she had your location on your phone and found that you were at work much later than usual,” he told you, setting his messenger bag on one of your student’s desks before leaning against yours.

You leaned over your desk, setting your chin in your hands and sighing. “You found me,” you mumbled unenthusiastically, eyeing your monitor again.

He’d cut his hair again, in a moment of frustration he’d started snipping, but he ended up calling you for help. It no longer feathered the tops of his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?” Spencer asked, tilting his head to the side and tapping the bobblehead you kept on your desk.

Taking a deep breath, you shook your head, “Nothing, I just have a lot of work to do.” You were designing a holiday coloring page, making the outlines yourself because you didn’t like any of the ones you found on the internet.

“Okay,” Spencer responded, extending his vowels. “Now you’re lying to me,” he said. It wasn’t an accusation; he was merely stating the truth.

It bothered you that he was right, and it bothered you that you lied to him. You shouldn’t feel the need to lie to him because, really, if anyone was going to understand how you felt about the email, it was Spencer. You wedged your hands beneath your thighs, keeping yourself from digging your nails into your palms, “My father sent me an email.”

Dad felt too casual, and his first name felt too detached. He was just your father, someone who had been chosen time and time again over you, and whom you hadn’t spoken to in nearly six years. “When’s the last time you saw him?”

“Five years ago,” you answered distantly, remembering how he’d had the nerve to show up at your college graduation even though the rest of your family knew you weren’t in contact with him. Wetting your lips, you looked back at the email on your screen, “He wants me to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family.” People that you shared no connection to—blood or otherwise—and made up the family that had taken your place in his life.

Spencer straightened up a stack of papers on your desk, the shuffling sound so familiar that it put you at ease, “What do you want to do?”

You pinched your eyebrows together, not used to someone asking for your wants, “I want to reply to him, but I know that engaging with him would be equivalent to opening the floodgates.” Releasing a dam of trauma that wasn’t suited for your kindergarten classroom, “I can’t reply to this email.”

Nodding softly, Spencer studied your eyes with a pained look in his eyes, “I know, honey.”

Taking the computer mouse in your trembling hand, you scrolled over the email and blocked the sender before deleting the email and deleting it from the trash for good measure. Hot tears welled in your eyes as you wrapped your arms around yourself, “I hate him.”

You despised him. A man who you shared blood with just so happened to be someone you hated with bone in your body. Bones he had contributed to that you wished you could pull from your body and replace with an untainted set. What was worse was that he had the ability to influence your emotions like this, he could make you angry with nothing more than digital mail.

Anger felt so useless, it was something he used as armor, and you feared that by being angry, you were becoming like him. You were so horrified by the mere idea of your own anger that it made you cry, and you were terrified of your life becoming one big circle.

They say if you grow up with an angry man in your house, then there will always be an angry man in your house. All you needed was to believe in Spencer’s ability to be gentle, but nothing Spencer did would change the fact that you cried as soon as you were pricked with rage.

Spencer crouched in front of you, taking both of your hands in his larger ones and keeping them warm for you. “You don’t owe them anything,” he told you, watching you carefully with his big brown eyes, “It hurts. I know it hurts right now, but you know that you just did the right thing. I’ll remind you of it for as long as it takes for you to believe it.”

The dam broke then, tears fall from your chin to your lap as Spencer gathered you in his arms to the best of his ability, you tried not to flinch away from his embrace. You reminded yourself that he wasn’t there to hurt you, he was there to help you. He ran his palm flat along your spine as you gave in, burying your face in the crook of his neck and basking in the darkness of your own sorrow.

“You did the right thing,” he muttered softly, pulling away and using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away your tears. “You don’t need to apologize to anyone about it,” he said preemptively, knowing you were about to apologize to him for your show of emotion.

You nodded dazedly, leaning your cheek into his palm as he cupped your face with his hands, “I don’t know what I do now.”

Spencer smiled gently at you, “We’re gonna keep moving forward. Are you hungry? Do you want to get dinner?”

Sighing, you shrugged despondently, looking back at your now blank monitor, “I should get some stuff done.” You wiggled the mouse and typed in your password, you stared blankly at your unfinished coloring page, any and all motivation to finish the drawing had vacated as soon as your father made contact.

“What if,” Spencer started, “You come home with me tonight, and tomorrow I’ll come in with you? You can finish up your work and I’ll get to spend some time with you.” Spencer Reid might just be the only person willing to accompany you to work on a Saturday just because you’re having a hard time.

You bowed your head, “You don’t have to do this, Spence.”

He hummed in response, “I want to, and besides—we have plans to make.”

You frowned, your head lifting so you could look him in the face and inquire for more details, “Plans for what?”

“Thanksgiving,” he responded as if it should’ve been obvious, “You’ll get to join BAUsgiving this year, it’s one of Garcia’s favorite holidays.”

Faltering, your eyes widened at his insistence, and you took a deep breath, “I’m not… I don’t want to intrude on your family time.”

Spencer raised his eyebrows incredulously, “Honey, you’re part of that family now. Besides, sometimes I think the team likes you more than me.”

[nan0-sp1der]

␂ > 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 // @lyrate-lifeform-approximation , @spiderman2-99

There’s a thought stirring in Bridge’s mind. An idea rolling about and nudging against the capacitors in her head, poking and prodding incessantly to get her attention, “Hey, hey, you know you want to ask her. Don’t you? Don’t lie to yourself, now. You should just do it. Hey! Are you listening to me? Hello-o…?”

Yes. Yes, she knows, she is aware of her burning curiosity. And it’s hard to deny that even though it doesn’t involve her, she is unusually intrigued by the concept. She overheard them in his office, Miguel and LYLA–his A.I. assistant–discussing a plan.  A plan to create a physical form for LYLA to enhance her abilities as his assistant and grant her further autonomy beyond her access to the security network and other adjacent systems alongside her recent emergence into emotional intelligence. It was all so fascinating. The steps Bridge had taken herself in her development in the span of weeks, she was watching unfold in another intelligence in real-time.

There it was again. That sense of solidarity in knowing she wasn’t completely alone in her existence as an artificial being, made of code and metal. It was like a magnetic pull that made that little voice in her head that encouraged her to act on her wants all the more present in her mind. She wanted to be a part of that process that she’d been through so long ago yet was still so familiar with like it happened yesterday. She wanted to guide her in that process and grant her her own knowledge. What’s the worst that can happen if she pilots your hardware for a while? You’re prepared for this. You can handle this. You can trust her, and she will be entirely safe in your care for that short time. And think about how much she would benefit from the experience, how much more streamlined that eventual transition from intangible to tangible will be once her own body was complete. It will make all the difference–and maybe reduce the headaches for everyone all-around, mostly Miguel as he acclimates to the change himself. Just… Try it. You can’t account for every single last risk factor, can you? No. So just do it and take it as it comes.

She stood in the middle of her dorm a moment, eyes closed as she ran a quick check of her hardware before making her final decision. RAM is in good condition. Storage is defragmented and all directories are organized. Sensors are calibrated and functional. Nanomachines are synchronized properly. Servos and joints retain a full range of motion. Coolant is at above optimal operational temperatures. Energy reserves are complete. Good. Everything’s in its right place and ready for its–potentially–temporary host. It’s time to make the call.

Her gaze trains itself on her watch, her arm rising to eye-level and the sleeve that was weighed down by the leaden metal cuff at the end sliding to her forearm to reveal device so she can start the transmission, navigating the menus on the digital interface indirectly via wireless communication–the unique way that she operated and communicated the Society’s technology.

“LYLA, may I speak to you for a moment? At your leisure, of course.”

[plentyeyes]

portfiend's oc directory template

three weeks ago i began work on a little Eleventy-based website template for storing character information akin to Toyhou.se. it's been in a releasable state for about a week, but i've also been pushing updates to it near daily!

i also wrote up a quick tutorial for setting up the project on its download page, but i plan to improve it in the future.

click here to preview this template: NeoCities click here to get the code: GitHub

features:

built-in "namespaces" for characters, locations, and stories, with their own page templates and information card formats

uses eleventy's tagging system to allow you to tag pages for fine categorization

a big focus on linking to other pages. each "creative" page lets you navigate between the previous/next item in the category. pages have a "linked pages" list that allow you to navigate to related pages, including "what links here"

a content filtering system allowing developers to hide/blur certain content from people who have not opted into it. optionally supports needing to click an "i am 18+" box before entering the site

lightbox images; clickable image links that can reveal metadata such as captions and artist credits

tabbed views allow you to view specific sections of content at a time, used in the various creative pages

SASS wrapper for optional better-formatted stylesheets. don't know how to use SASS syntax? SASS also supports regular CSS!

this project is licensed under MIT License.

[thesimblrofficedirectory]

Welcome to The Simblr Office Directory

This blog is an archive of the submissions for the office-centric OC prompt posted by the light of Simblr, @kashisun.

Here you can browse all the amazing creations submitted by your fellow simblrs. Feel free to scroll to your delight or click one of the links under the cut to see who's on roster under (or over) a particular bureau or delegation.

Want to be added to the directory or confirm that you've been queued? Just include a link to your post in an ask off anon and it will be queued within 48 hours. Until we get through the backlog and can queue at a more leisurely pace, all ask submissions will receive a confirmation. You can always mention us, but we won't be able to provided confirmation for that method.

Leaving the company? If you'd like your post removed, just include a link to the post in an ask off anon and it will be removed. Sideblogs may require additional verification. Please allow, at most, 48 hours for the request to be honored. Removal requests will not be confirmed, only acted upon.

Every company's hierarchy is a little different. Designations for this directory are based on some of the companies I've worked for, but especially on the multi-media marketing company I work for now.

Bureaus and Their Delegations

Delegations with an * currently have low or no headcount (posted and queued). Excludes leadership.

Bureau of Client Engagement

Leadership

Billing*

Escalations*

Product Support*

Quality Assurance*

Sales*

Bureau of Compliance (Bureau-specific Internal Affairs and Auditing)

Leadership

Client Engagement*

Facilities*

Finance*

Human Resources*

Information and Technology*

Legal (General)

Legal (Leadership)

Marketing*

Bureau of Facilities

Leadership

Catering*

Environmental (Janitorial, HVAC, and Plumbing)*

Mechanical (Electrical, Elevators, Equipment Maintenance)*

Premise* (Grounds Maintenance and Real Estate)

Purchasing* (From pushpins to pallet jacks)

Security

Warehousing* (Shipping, Receiving, Mail room, and Inventory)

Bureau of Finance

Leadership

Accounting

Asset Management*

Investments*

Travel and Accommodations*

Vendor Relations*

Bureau of Human Resources

Leadership

Career Development (Internships and Internal Role Transitions)

Dependent Care*

Employee Activities Committee (Members are volunteers)

Employee Benefits*

Floating Delegates (Administration) (For profiles that list a nondescript secretary/admin/receptionist/assistant role)

Floating Delegates (General) (For profiles that do not list a position)

Floating Delegates (Leadership) (For profiles that list a nondescript managerial role)

Health Services*

Payroll*

Recruiting*

Training*

Union Relations*

Bureau of Information & Technology

Leadership

Data Security*

Infrastructure*

Public Relations

Research and Development*

Systems and Devices*

Telecommunications*

Bureau of Marketing

Leadership

Copy

Design

Planning and Implementation*

Board of Directors

Chief Officers

CEO - Chief Executive Officer/President

COO - Chief Operations Officer/Vice President

CCO - Chief Compliance Officer/Vice President

CFO - Chief Finance Officer/Vice President

CITO - Chief Information and Technology Officer/Vice President

CMO - Chief Marketing Officer/Vice President

Executive Administration* (Admins that report to chief officers)

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 7/16/2024

how your backyard hurricane go, the houston area? pretty good it doesn't seem

to be clear other than losing everything in my fridge and developing some mold around the windowframes IM personally fine and so are the girls and so is the lair. we lost power sunday afternoon and got it back friday morning (upside down smiley emoji x16)

listening

THREE CANONICALLY BISEXUAL CLUB BANGERS!!! also, trying out a new thing with spotify and youtube videos for songs bc my readership is about 70/30 and i want to streamline the process of actually listening to new music for ppl. it must be really annoying this week but that's bc there's three songs. sorry. it will rarely be this long

anyway.

ANXIETY by Lilyisthatyou is new to me, off the spotify autogenerated dance playlist. a chiller groove in the spelling-things-out genre of dance music. VERY flashy-lights music vid fyi

Why do I feel so alone? Does it show That I'm dancing to fill the void with pretty girls and pretty boys?

i know about kesha's joyride bc i happen to be an alive queer woman. im SO happy kesha is also alive and making music more regularly. this one is canonically bisexual bc kesha is bisexual. also a really flashy-lights lyric video. the most classically recession-pop/early KESHA sound of all three tuesdaysongs this week. im always fascinated when an accordion shows up.

Rev my engine ’til you make it purr Keep it kinky, but I come first Beep-beep, bitch, I'm outside Get in, loser, for the joyride

thank u new releases spotify playlist. also canonically bisexual bc the singer is, also an early KESHA feel but she is a metal artist first and foremost. very fun to headbang to at a stop light. i don't totally Love how it's an emasculating song but given how dudes in the metal scene generally are? i think she should make it more emasculating actually

Take you down a peg (And peg and peg and peg) If you're a macho man then beg (And beg and beg and beg) Bend you over the bed (The bed the bed the bed) It's time to take you down a peg (And peg and peg and peg)

-

reading

fun fact i still haven't seen this movie. i got this from the library the day before the hurricane proper and it gave me a really lovely two hours of not thinking about the active hurricane the day after. enormous format photographs! full-length shots of every look! ithe little personal notes from each designer were so fun to read, and i think this genuinely healed my heart a little. everyone was so excited to go into detail about what choices they made and what inspired them, and even though i would have loved more specific construction details, specific fiber types, and full-length shots of the Back of every look, i recognize i am a freak.

-

watching

watched a truly bonkers assortment of films at my bestie's house this week. her husband is big into godzilla and i sat down not really paying attention or planning to pay attention to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024, dir. Wingard) but found myself actually paying attention. i unfortunately was a character i hate, Person Who Stops The Movie Halfway Through To Demand A Recap. loved these guys, whatever the fuck they were

the most fun thing about this movie is that it is not a silent film but it acts like one. there are long, long stretches of movie without dialogue bc all the political action is happening between a bunch of giant monkeys. this is going to sound like im damning it with faint praise but they really thought carefully about directorial and artistic choices here! there was a vision and they executed it! it's fun to look at and not just because there's a big monkey in most of the shots!

-

playing

got a look at characters for the new fire-themed land coming up this fall. ppl are understandably big mad that the land is based on Ring of Fire cultures and everyone is paper-white. i think it is correct to be mad and ask them to do better, and they have tweaked designs before release before, however, i don't think this will bring about a sea change in gacha games.

i am rolling along clearing out map markers and achievement hunting and my GOD are there a lot of time-gated achievements in inazuma (electricity-themed legally-not-japan). so so so many of them i originally got halfway through or did 1/5 and then wandered off bc i didn't realize there was a quest or achievement locked behind doing something for three or five days in a row. i now have a post-it on the corner of my monitor with nine different things i have to keep checking in on this week. please someone give me a REAL JOB!!!!!!

-

making

cross stitch progress. this was the only thing i did last week aside from shake like a chihuahua and sleep. very slow going! may have to ship the package off to my brother with an IOU bc it is already stressfully late.

made the bean influencer soup (creamy miso coconut butter beans). i made a batch before the hurricane last week so most of my notes are from then. the grocery did not have canned butter beans so i made the same thing (big lima beans) from dry. i have not made beans from dry since i was very small. these beans were so large, so pale, so aggressive.

changes: i was able to find a little carton of straight coconut cream at the grocery but they were out of miso paste. i did have miso soup mix and plopped that in. i also used frozen spinch bc it’s cheaper and i felt better about it than the somewhat questionable fresh spinch on offer. also used two onions instead of one and a hearty dollop of minced jarred garlic bc who do u think i even fucking am. i would have loved to use fresh dill, bc i did plant some and it was growing very well, but the caterpillars were very intense and ate almost everything on my balcony.

going in the rotation! im making it AGAIN as im typing up this post! pretty cheap, very tasty, i don't regularly keep butter beans or coconut cream in my pantry but that can change!

[homesteadingqueer]

Homesteading Resources Master Post

So, I have been really into homesteading lately, you call it a hyperfixation, I call it free dopamine. This is my masterlist of sources for different aspects of homesteading life. I plan on making a life in the city homesteading masterlist too. Please be careful when canning a preserving food, I am not an expert, but these sources seemed credible so be sure to can with caution.

Happy Homesteading!

General

Homesteading 101

Skills to Develop

Farmers Market Directory

Ways to make a Profit

Farmer's Almanac

Livestock

Livestock Pros and Cons

Meat Rabbit Guide

Pigs Guide

Chicken Guide

Ducks Guide

Goat Guide

Sheep Guide

Meat Cow Guide

Milk Cow Guide

Gardening

Composting

USA Planting Zones

Europe Planting Zones

Homemade Pest Control

High Yield Garden

High Yield Vegetables

Pollinator Garden

Canning

Canning 101

Fruit

Vegetables

Kitchen

Veggie Recipes

Bone Broth

Wheat to Bread

Sustainability

Self Sufficiency

Reduce, Reuse, Recycling

Clothes Mending

Crafts

Cross Stitch

Embroidery

Whittling

Crochet

Quilting

Knitting

[ruanbaijie]

During the Republican Era, Shen Zhiheng, a member of the Tianjin gentry who happened to be a vampire, offended the Japanese and became the target of an assassination attempt. He was saved by a blind young lady, Mi Lan, and his best friend Situ Weilian. When he went to repay Mi Lan for saving him, he discovered the terrible family situation that Mi Lan was in, and so began to pay more attention to her. Meanwhile, Shen Zhiheng’s plan to take revenge on Li Yingliang, the mastermind behind his assassination, fell short of success thanks to Li Yingliang’s Japanese superior, raising suspicions about his identity. Since then, Li Yingliang and the Japanese were in hot pursuit of Shen Zhiheng, determined to dig out the truth about his secret.

Please do not repost this anywhere else or retranslate it!

MAIN DIRECTORY ☾ READ ON AO3 ☾ PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Li Yingliang walked through the main doors of the Development Committee. The second he entered the yard, it became quiet, and the people in the rooms could vaguely make out how poor his complexion was through the frosted window panes. Li Guisheng, who was still loafing around in the General Affairs Section, opened the door to welcome him, “Sir.”

Without even glancing at him, Li Yingliang only hooked a finger at him when he passed. Li Guisheng quickly followed him into the chairman's office. He took Li Yingliang’s coat from him and hung it on the clothes stand, and then picked up the teapot and walked towards the door, intending to boil a pot of tea for him.

However, Li Yingliang suddenly spoke, “Stay there.”

He immediately stood upright as he held the pot. “Sir, what orders do you have?”

Li Yingliang sat down behind his desk, the back of his head nestling against the back of his chair. “How do you get things done?”

Li Guisheng was startled. “What have I done?”

Li Yingliang’s face was devoid of any expression; all of his energy had gone to his mouth. One word at a time, his mouth spat out, “Shen Zhiheng is not dead!”

Li Guisheng placed the pot down on the desk, standing rigid with his hands by his side. He said with conviction, “Sir, I, Li Guisheng, swear to you here and now, if he didn’t die, I’ll twist my head off and give it to him to kick around like a ball. I cannot say that I’ve never lied to anyone, but I dare to say that I’ve never lied to you.”

Li Yingliang lowered his voice, yet it was still vicious, as if he wanted to spit the words angrily at Li Guisheng’s face, “Then why did someone say that they saw him at the French concession zone yesterday? Even Yokoyama Akira knows! This morning, Yokoyama called me over and pointed to my nose to question what was going on. I couldn’t give him a single fucking reply. What’s going on, what’s going on, you tell me now, what on earth is going on!”

Li Guisheng swallowed, somewhat nervous, but because he was still confident, he still dared to reply, “Sir, I’ll still say the same thing. I dare to use my own life to swear that if Shen Zhiheng didn’t die, then I will!” 

The office became quiet. Li Yingliang’s body slid down, nestled in his chair as he pondered. His eyeballs moved around, occasionally sweeping across Li Guisheng. Li Guisheng stiffened his neck and stood ramrod straight. Because he felt simply too wronged, he refused to submit, his spirit seeming so strong and invincible it was as if it could support both heaven and earth.

A good while later, Li Yingliang said, “I know. There’s no need for you to lie to me. But Yokoyama’s subordinate really saw Shen Zhiheng alive.”

Li Guisheng suddenly asked, “A body double?”

“Is there a need for that?”

“We think there isn’t, but what if that one surnamed Shen [1] has another identity? Think about it, if no one has his back, will he dare to openly scold the Japanese in the newspapers? Maybe, the people above him want to use his reputation to continue running the newspaper companies, so that they can continue clashing with the Japanese.”

Li Yingliang frowned, feeling that Li Guisheng was wrong. But, even so, it could not explain how Shen Zhiheng could have returned from the dead. Pursing his lips, he remained silent for a while. When he was done, he unpuckered his lips, and said, “Send someone to go and find Shen Zhiheng now.”

Li Guisheng agreed, picking up the teapot and leaving the room, before returning with a pot of hot tea. Li Yingliang was still nestled in his chair, seemingly still in a trance, when the phone rang. With his mind still wandering, he made no move to pick up the phone. So, Li Guisheng thought for a moment, and reached out to pick it up.

“Chairman Li’s office.”

After a few “mm”s, he covered the receiver, and said softly to Li Yingliang, “It’s Second Young Mistress Jin. She says she wants to speak to you at once.”

Li Yingliang froze, only reaching out for the phone after more than half a minute, “Hello? Second Young Mistress Jin? I’m Yingliang.”

After saying that, the corners of his lips pulled upwards as he subconsciously smiled. It was a forced, tired smile, as if he could perfunctorily brush this entire phone call off his shoulder by just smiling. 

“Oh… thank you for your kind intentions, Second Young Mistress, but I don’t think I’m suitable. I don’t know how to dance at all. Why not find a fellow male student to attend it together with? You might even find common topics to talk about… No, no, I don’t mean it that way, I don’t dare to. I can be your driver, just tell me the time and I will fetch you there, and then fetch you back… No, no, I really don’t mean it that way… Okay then, I will just listen to you then… Okay, okay, I know, wear a suit, understood, farewell, see you tonight.”

The smile was still on his face as he put the phone down, but the second the phone line got cut, the smile instantly disappeared. He returned back to nestling in his chair, his face impassive as his lips quivered, and silently cursed.

The one who had called was the second young mistress of the Jin family, a woman he could not afford to offend. Of course, a woman he could not afford to offend for now .

Li Yingliang’s parents had passed away early, and so too had his younger sister at a tender age. He could practically be considered an orphan, and an impoverished one at that. For a child who had been dealt with such a bitter hand of fate, logically speaking, it would be considered quite a success for him to have been able to survive and grow up. And the benefactor who had plucked him out of poverty to become a person, who had given him the chance to continue climbing, was Second Young Mistress Jin’s father, Division Commander Jin.

When Li Yingliang had first gotten to know Division Commander Jin, he was the young apprentice in a tailor shop, where he had spent his days getting bullied by his master and seniors. It was purely through his pure grit to endure the humiliation and stay alive, that he had managed to persist until the day the second wife of the Jin family visited their tailor shop. At that time, the second wife had been in favour and would frequently purchase new clothes, and had taken great care of the tailor shop’s business. As a good-looking young apprentice, Li Yingliang often had to follow his seniors to the Jin residence to collect materials and deliver clothes, and over time, the second wife had taken a liking to him and decided that he was a clever little child. Coincidentally, that day, when he had arrived at the Jin residence, he had bumped into a terribly drunk Division Commander Jin. Division Commander Jin had noticed that he was a spirited, handsome little boy, and had expressed with much emotion in his drunken stupor that it was really quite a pity that this child was doing odd jobs in a tailor shop.

Upon hearing this, the second wife had jokingly added, “Then adopt him as your godson and give him a chance to grow, then it wouldn’t be such a pity anymore.”

Division Commander Jin had burped and was just about to reply when he had suddenly heard a thud by his feet. Lowering his head to have a look, he had seen Li Yingliang kneeling and kowtowing to him. Division Commander Jin was shocked, but as he had already received someone else’s kowtows, it was too late for regret, and he had no choice but to accept this godson in confusion. Since then, Li Yingliang had a change in family status, leaving the bitter life at the tailor shop behind to run errands for the Jin residence. 

However, the Jin residence was no paradise. Division Commander Jin’s family had a whole string of children, and no matter their age, they all dared to bully him. He had gritted his teeth, in any case, he had already gotten used to it. Besides, the young masters of the Jin family were bratty and mischievous at worst, unlike the cruel jerks at the tailor shop. He had endured until he was in his teens, at which point he had started to run errands by Division Commander Jin’s side. Division Commander Jin also secretly had a lot of activities that could not see the light of day. For instance, he constantly collaborated with the Japanese, and also resold tobacco. Had these activities been exposed, Division Commander Jin would not have been able to escape being labelled as a Chinese traitor. Hence, he could not simply assign anyone to run these errands, and could only hand them to his godson Li Yingliang.   

Li Yingliang was very self-motivated, and besides his capabilities, he was willing to put in effort and get things done without a sound of protest. The more he did, the more he carved out a world for himself - the position of chairman was not something his godfather had bestowed upon him, but something he had fought for and gained by his own hands from Yokoyama Akira.

In recent years, Division Commander Jin had been overly cautious and indecisive, wanting to profit and afraid to be a Chinese traitor at the same time, and this indecisiveness had long already eroded the trust that the Japanese had once had in him. Neither did Li Yingliang have the patience to continue running personal errands for him. He did not care if he had to be a Chinese traitor, in order to stand out from the crowd, he did not mind recognising another person as his godfather. It was a pity that Yokoyama Akira was a little too young, if not, he would also kowtow a few times to him.

Although Division Commander Jin - now, people called him “General Jin” out of respect - was stationed with his army in the Recha area [2] and not physically with him, and although he now no longer needed to rely on the old man for money, their father-son relationship still remained. Whenever Second Young Mistress Jin came to disturb him every three days, ordering him around to do all sorts of things like a servant and annoying him to death, for the sake of his godfather, he made use of the strength he had honed over his childhood and “endured” it. 

In the afternoon, Li Yingliang left the Development Committee by the back door, cutting across the alleys to enter a small yard. This yard was quite clean, and had only four or five rooms. This was his house.

As a bachelor, he had no servants at home. Besides, the work he did was top secret, and he did not hire any servants. If he required any help, he would call a few people from the Development Committee over to help. Using hot water to clean his face, he combed his hair and changed into a fresh suit, tidying himself up cleanly as if he were fulfilling a duty. As a finishing touch, he tucked a purple handkerchief into his small breast pocket, and walked to the mirror to have a look.

He was emotionless as he looked at himself in the mirror, without any interest whatsoever in admiring himself. He had to accompany the second young mistress Jin to a dance party at night, and so he had to dress up. It was just like if he had to visit the army at night, and he had to change into his uniform - both necessitated that he dress up according to the rules.  

Another point, was that clothes make a man. Whenever he was in such bustling occasions of feasting and revelry, he could never quite hold his head proudly. If he did not dress up to the nines, like a soldier in his armour ready for battle, he would be even more ashamed. Second Young Mistress Jin’s words were like knives, they would definitely have no mercy on him.

After dressing himself up impeccably, Li Yingliang left, cutting across the alleys again to return to the Development Committee. From there, he continued across the yard to the car outside the Development Committee, and went straight to the Jin mansion.

All was silent outside the Jin mansion.

The car stopped outside the main gate, and Li Yingliang remained in it with no intention to alight. However, an attendant heard him and invited him into the house, informing him that Second Young Mistress Jin had invited Young Master Liang to wait in the parlour. Upon hearing the three words “Young Master Liang”, Li Yingliang expelled two streams of cold air from his nose at once, feeling like the victim of mockery. How could he be considered a young master? Who really respected him like a young master?

Alighting from the car, he entered the house with big strides and marched into the parlour in a breath. In the parlour stood only a maidservant. Composing himself, he tried to put on a good face in front of the maidservant, without much success.

“Where is Second Young Mistress?”

“She is upstairs,” the maidservant replied.

“Then call her down.”

The maidservant laughed. “Second Young Mistress is still freshening up. She said to let you wait a little while longer. You can wait here or upstairs.”

With an “mm”, Li Yingliang plonked his buttocks onto the sofa. This instruction of hers had raised his ire - she had a hobby of pretending to make things difficult for him, as if it was an addiction. Wait upstairs? He wouldn’t fall into her trap. If he really went upstairs, she would definitely pull out another basket of prattle and nonsense to beat him with, and would conveniently order him to pick her clothes and shoes for her. In any case, he knew that he had no other way of dealing with her, and no matter how she annoyed him, he would have to bear with it. Other than that, she would also frequently expose her pale thighs and feet to provoke a reaction out of him, as if he had never seen a woman before in his entire life and his heart would definitely be swayed by her. 

Li Yingliang never thought about the affairs between men and women. He busied himself only with gaining more influence and strength, and had no time or effort to think about it. In the occasional times that he did, it was from a pragmatic perspective. He wanted to climb high and marry a wealthy young lady. However, even so, he refused to even consider Second Young Mistress Jin. Since they were young, she loved to bully him, and one glance at her would make him angry.

  After sitting idly in the parlour for more than an hour, Second Young Mistress Jin finally descended the stairs.

Second Young Mistress Jin’s name was Jingxue [3] . She was not yet twenty years of age, was beautiful and fair, and could be said to have both money and looks. When she stepped into the parlour in her high heels, Li Yingliang stood up, his eyes sweeping over her. Yet, he did not sweep carefully, only noticing the large snowy white circle of fur around her shoulders, from which her long, equally snowy white neck extended. Her shoulders and collar bones were exposed, and her skin was powdered, shining and fragrant at the same time. 

“Second Young Mistress,” Li Yingliang bowed to her. “I haven’t seen you in a few weeks, I thought that you had gone home.”

Jin Jingxue tittered, “Liang-gege, even your mannerisms seem like the Japanese now, bowing first when you meet people.”

Li Yingliang lowered his head, looking at the ground, “Second Young Mistress, I’m only trying to eke out a living for myself. Please have a heart and stop teasing me with your words.”

Jin Jingxue’s eyebrows, in the shape of willow leaves, frowned. “Oh, you’re angry? Who did you learn to be this petty from? Could it be the Japanese?”

Li Yingliang snorted once in laughter. “You’re very funny.” Then, he took the lead and walked out of the parlour first. “It’s getting late, let’s go!”

“Slow down!” Jin Jingxue said.

Li Yingliang turned around. “What now?”

Jin Jingxue extended a hand towards him. “My heels are high. Come and support me.”

Li Yingliang cast his gaze down, only seeing now that Jin Jingxue was wearing a pair of glittery gold dancing shoes. Their heels were high and thin, and they were suitable to be worn only on spring flooring and to spin around in small circles. Walking in them would be to suffer.

So, as if he were waiting on Empress Dowager Cixi [4] , he wordlessly extended his arm and supported Jin Jingxue out of the door, all the way to the car, where he sneezed from the smell of her perfume. This sneeze came unexpectedly and he had no time to grab his handkerchief, and he ended up sneezing his saliva all over Jin Jingxue’s shoulder. After receiving a few rolled eyes from her, he wiped her shoulder with his handkerchief to shut her up. He turned his head to look out of the window, his eyes red with anger.

Secretary Ding of the committee drove the car, sending Li Yingliang and Jin Jingxue to Jinghua Hotel. Originally, Li Yingliang had thought that the hosts were Jin Jingxue’s good-for-nothing friends. However, it was only when he alighted at the entrance of the hotel when he realised that tonight’s occasion was a grand one. There was no end to the line of cars stopped along the road, among which were a few that bore the license plates of foreign consulates. Through the glass doors of the hotel, he could see that it was brightly lit on the side, and he even noticed General Mi.

He immediately became more spirited, as if he had spotted his quarry. Once he had gotten excited, even Jin Jingxue did not seem as irritating anymore. Pulling Jin Jingxue along with him, he entered the doors, the two of them separating at the gentlemen’s and ladies’ cloak rooms respectively to remove their coats and hats. In the ladies’ cloak room, Jin Jingxue conveniently looked at herself in the mirror, adjusted her hair, and spun around to leave. She discovered that Li Yingliang had long been waiting a distance ahead. In this bustling place adorned with splendour, all the guests were smiling and laughing, and only he was standing alone, concentrating on waiting with neither posture nor expression.

“Liang-gege!” she called out.

As if waking up from a dream, he turned his head, and sent her a fake smile. Jin Jingxue walked to him, holding her head high as she displayed her new gingko-coloured dress to him.

“Liang-gege, what do you think about my dress?”

Li Yingliang swept his gaze over her, again not sweeping carefully. He just thought that she was very shiny - her exposed chest, back, and shoulders were shiny, her gingko-coloured dress, embellished with pearls, was also shiny.

“Nice,” he replied.

“Just ‘nice’?”

Suddenly a little impatient, his way of resisting was to keep a straight face and reply with conviction, “Yes. Just ‘nice’.”

Jin Jingxue rolled her eyes at him, using her pointer to poke him repeatedly at his chest. “I know what you’re thinking, you pretend to obey me on the outside but are actually scolding me on the inside! But the skin of my face is thick [5] and I’m not afraid of getting scolded. The more you smile fakely at me, the more I want you to dance together with me for the whole night.”

Li Yingliang took a step back. “That won’t work, no, no, Second Young Mistress, please spare me. I really can’t dance.”

“Even if you can’t, it doesn’t matter, I’ll teach you. Whenever you step on me, I’ll pinch you. After getting pinched for the whole night, you’ll definitely learn how to dance.”

Li Yingliang smiled bitterly at her, while shaking his head with an imploring look on his face. Although this smile was bitter, it was a genuine one, and was more pleasing to the eye than his fake smiles. So, Jin Jingxue decided to spare him this one time, extending a hand to pull him to the grand hall on the first floor.

Jin Jingxue’s permanent residence was in Tianjin. She had no job other than to play around. She played around so much that she had friends from everywhere. The second she entered the grand hall, she was swarmed by a group of men and women. Li Yingliang made use of the opportunity to slip away from the crowd, intending to find General Mi and greet him. Because General Mi was famous for loving those of the opposite sex, Li Yingliang craned his neck, looking around particularly at groups of women. It was when he was looking around when there was a commotion at the entrance of the hall. Another distinguished guest had arrived. Li Yingliang turned around, and then froze on the spot.

He thought that he had seen Shen Zhiheng.

A small group of people had entered the hall, and in the centre of this group were two people. One of them had blond hair and blue eyes, dressed to the nines in a suit, this was the French director of the French Concession Zone Municipal Council, Fauré. The other was tall and thin, dressed in a deep blue changpao [6] with faint patterns. His short, crow black hair was styled with a significant amount of wax, enough to reflect the lights - if this was not Shen Zhiheng, who else could it be?

Li Yingliang absolutely trusted Li Guisheng, but he also absolutely trusted his own eyes. Besides, a pot-bellied man had already gone forth to welcome the two of them, “Mr. Fauré, Mr. Shen! Welcome, welcome!”

The Frenchman Mr. Fauré and the pot-bellied man shook hands, then, the latter turned towards Shen Zhiheng. Shen Zhiheng held half a cigar in one hand, and shook the pot-bellied man’s hand with his other. Li Yingliang recognised the pot-bellied man. He was the general manager of the Greater China Shipping Company. He also vaguely heard Shen Zhiheng’s voice - he had called the pot-bellied man “General Manager Wu”, followed by a string of unintelligible niceties.

Li Yingliang’s eyes recognised Shen Zhiheng’s appearance, and his ears also recognised Shen Zhiheng’s voice. His voice was deep and husky, a little unique; it was a good voice among men. And as Shen Zhiheng held General Manager Wu’s hand, he smiled and lifted his head at the same time, and without any warning, glanced at Li Yingliang who was in the middle of the crowd.

Li Yingliang was still looking at him in a daze. He wanted to hide, but it was too late. Shen Zhiheng was much thinner compared to before, and his complexion seemed dull. With a smile, he looked at Li Yingliang, and slowly blinked once. However, without waiting for Li Yingliang to understand the look in his eyes, he had already let go of General Manager Wu, turning his head to chat with the people beside him. Before long, this small group of people had turned around and left the hall, heading up to the second floor.

Li Yingliang stood unmoving, only two words echoing in his head in tandem with the beating of his heart, reverberating continuously, “Body double, body double, body double…”

Only the two words “body double” could explain everything. Otherwise, wasn’t it that he had just seen a ghost?

Li Yingliang did not believe in ghosts, and so he did not believe that he had seen a ghost. Since he had not seen a ghost, and since Li Guisheng would never be such a piece of rubbish to not know if he had managed to kill a person or not, then only one point made sense: this Shen Zhiheng was fake!

Li Yingliang needed to get closer to observe this fake product and find his weak point, or he would not be able to sleep tonight. The three floors of Jinghua Hotel had been booked, and all of them were bustling, full of partying people dressed to their nines. He had long abandoned Jin Jingxue, going up and down each of the floors, but still unable to find a single trace of Shen Zhiheng and his group.

His entire body was drenched with sweat. Just as he was starting to get anxious, music started playing from the nearby dance floor. As the music swelled, his anxiety multiplied. Adjusting the knot of his tie, he walked around randomly in panic, turning around the corner of a corridor on the second floor and into the washroom. As soon as he closed the door, his ears were finally treated with some peaceful quiet. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, composing himself.

Since he was here, he conveniently took a leak. Turning the large gold-plated tap, he washed his hands, and looked into the mirror. With a wet napkin, he patted his face, and exercised his jaw. It was fortunate that he had looked at his reflection in the mirror. If not, he would not have realised he was so nervous that he was grinding his teeth, his expression frightening. He was already unpopular enough, if he was any more frightening, it would be even more unthinkable.

Taking in a few deep breaths, he steeled himself to draw upon the spirit of a raging bull and search to the ends of earth; not finding Shen Zhiheng tonight was not an option. Pulling the door open, he strode out confidently, lifted his head, and saw Shen Zhiheng’s back.

One look was enough for him to recognise that back as Shen Zhiheng’s. The event that was being held tonight was a dancing one. Normally, guests would dress up in Western attire, and very few would wear a changpao. With his back to Li Yingliang, Shen Zhiheng was smoking his cigar while gazing absentmindedly at the people who were dancing on the dance floor.

Li Yingliang tiptoed towards him, the soles of his leather shoes sinking into the thick carpet, making not a single sound. The closer he got, the more he felt that this person really resembled Shen Zhiheng. With one hand behind his back and the other pinching a cigar, this posture was one that Shen Zhiheng frequently held. Just what important figure was Shen Zhiheng, that he had secretly kept a body double who resembled him so closely?

Unable to help himself, he got closer and closer, and just when he felt that he had gotten a little too close, Shen Zhiheng inhaled deeply through his cigar, and then turned around in one smooth move to face him.

Shen Zhiheng was taller than him by half a head, and naturally had to look down at him. With his mouth full of smoke, he exhaled, the smoke seemingly emerging from all seven orifices of his face [7] . Then, he opened his mouth, his tone relatively amiable, “Chairman Li.”

His face full of cigar smoke, Li Yingliang coughed, taking a step backwards - Shen Zhiheng had turned around without any warning, and if he did not take a step back, he would be plastered right against him.

He arranged a smile on his face, answering, “Mr. Shen.”

Then, he added, “We haven’t met in a while. It must be more than a month.”

Shen Zhiheng stared at him directly in the eye. “I had fallen ill.”

 “Oh,” he feigned surprise. “What illness? Was it serious?”

Shen Zhiheng sighed softly, “Very serious. I almost died.”

Then, he inhaled through his cigar again, nodding seriously at Li Yingliang, as if he wanted to emphasise the authenticity of what he had just said.

Behind the smoke, his eyes were dark. With his eyes as the centre, it seemed as if there was a pale black smoke spreading outwards. He truly had a sickly appearance; his face had thinned so much it was narrow. Yet, his red [8] lips were full of colour, and were now opening and closing in front of Li Yingliang, alternating between speaking and smoking his cigar.

Feeling that his lips were quite unpleasant to look at, he shifted his gaze to look at his eyes. “If I may ask, which hospital did Mr. Shen stay at? The doctor seems very skilled!”

“It’s not the doctor who was skilled,” Shen Zhiheng said, still amiably. “It’s me who was fortunate.”

“Those who survive catastrophe are bound for good fortune in the future. Could I have the honour of inviting Mr. Shen to have a meal with me, to celebrate Mr. Shen’s recovery?”

Shen Zhiheng nodded. “Sure.”

He had never spoken so much to Li Yingliang, let alone agreed to be his guest. Li Yingliang paused. He did not know why, but the hairs on his body were raised and his back was drenched in cold sweat. After two seconds, he finally showed his joy, though it was not exactly natural. It was almost as if he was so full of hate that he was in pain.

“Excellent! I’ve admired Mr. Shen for so long, and have long wanted to get to know you as a friend, but never had the chance to. This time, Mr. Shen has given me so much face [9] , I’m really extremely happy. Does tomorrow night work for you?”

Shen Zhiheng looked upwards in thought, and then replied, “I have other business to attend to tomorrow. Let’s make it the following day.”

“Good, good, the following day it is.” Li Yingliang seemed to have lost a little control of himself as he clapped his hands together loudly. “The following night, I will send someone in advance to give you an invitation.”

Shen Zhiheng nodded and smiled. “Good! See you the day after tomorrow.”

At this point, a curly-haired young man ran out from the dance hall, shouting loudly from a distance, “Shen-xiong!”

Shen Zhiheng turned to spare him a glance, then said to Li Yingliang, “Then, if you’ll excuse me first.”

Li Yingliang hurriedly extended a hand. “Sure, please do.”

Shen Zhiheng turned and walked towards Situ Weilian, wrapping his arm around his shoulders as he brought him back to the large dance hall. “What are the results of the battle?”

Situ Weilian originally had no status to attend this dance occasion. With a goal in mind, he had begged Shen Zhiheng to bring him. His goal was the one who had stolen the limelight tonight, the second young mistress Jin Jingxue. Ever since he had fortuitously gotten to know Jin Jingxue last year, the energetic and beautiful second young mistress Jin had become the goddess of Situ Weilian’s heart. Li Yingliang thought that Jin Jingxue was extremely annoying; if Division Commander Jin were to pass away that night, he would cut all the ties between him and her the next morning. But given how Li Yingliang was a strange person, his evaluation could not be counted. In the eyes of the normal youth, Jin Jingxue’s beauty and wealth were a given, even more adorable was her bright and candid demeanour. She loved to talk and laugh, almost like a chivalrous heroine, befitting of her status as a modern beauty of the new era.

Tonight, Situ Weilian bore a small glimmer of hope. At the very least, he could see Jin Jingxue from a distance. At the most, he could share a dance with her. Now, as he walked beside Shen Zhiheng, his face was red and sweaty.

He said softly, “I just exchanged quite a few words with Jingxue. She’s extremely courteous, and when she found out that I’m a doctor, she even praised me, saying that I’m smart.”

Shen Zhiheng turned his head slightly to look at him. “Jingxue?”

“Her name is Jingxue, is there anything wrong with me saying her name? It’s not like I said something over the top.”

Shen Zhiheng raised an eyebrow. “Neither did I say anything over the top.”

Situ Weilian was so shy that his face and ears were crimson. He was hardly shy, his face turning red only when Jin Jingxue was mentioned. “Shen-xiong, stop teasing me, okay? After tonight, I don’t know if I’ll have another chance to meet her again.”

Shen Zhiheng stopped. “Then go and find her again and invite her out for a meal or for a film! Unless you’re content with only bumping into her occasionally for the rest of your life?”

“Then will she reject me?”

“Don’t know, just go and try your luck.”

“I’m afraid that she’ll have a bad impression of me. What about this, Shen-xiong, you accompany me and help me speak to her. If she declines, then she’ll be declining the two of us. If not, I’ll be nervous.”

“I can go, but if she agrees, will your meal and film include me as well?”

“Stop fooling around, I know you won’t be bothered with this. Even if we include you, you wouldn’t go.”

“We?”

“Look at you picking on my words again!”

Shen Zhiheng clapped his back. “Fine, I’ll go with you. I’ll first chat idly with Miss Jin. We’ll talk about what good restaurants there are, and if there are any new films recently. Then, you’ll interject, and ask her if she is interested in going to a restaurant or in watching a film with you. As for whether she is willing to or not, it’s none of my business anymore. How’s that?”

Situ Weilian was so delighted he flashed a toothy grin, raking his hand through his head full of hair, trying to press his errant curls down.

Shen Zhiheng really went to see Jin Jingxue.

As a matter of fact, he looked like a young man, but for some reason, he did not seem to have anything in common with the other young people who were present. Perhaps, it was because all the young people who were present were young masters, and the people he frequently interacted with were these young masters’ fathers.

He always kept a distance from women, and it was rare for him to chat with young ladies. Jin Jingxue was a little puzzled, but also a little flattered. After politely exchanging some idle talk, Situ Weilian, who was sitting nearby with his ears peeled, jumped onto a good opportunity with much vigilance to ask Jin Jingxue out.

Without thinking much of it, Jin Jingxue readily agreed. Shen Zhiheng sat for a while, then stood up to leave. Jin Jingxue was a little flustered, when a head suddenly emerged from behind her shoulder.

“You know Shen Zhiheng?”

She turned, seeing Li Yingliang, who was standing behind her with his hands on his knees and his buttocks in the air, and with only his head extended towards her. Jin Jingxue looked at him, blinked her large eyes, and asked, “Where did you run off to? Why couldn’t I find you for so long?”

At once, she reached out to twist his ear, saying angrily, “Since you’ve surrendered yourself, you can’t blame me!”

Li Yingliang felt like he had fallen into the devil’s clutches.

He continuously danced seven or eight dances. Since he could not dance well, Jin Jingxue kept viciously pinching him, and the more she pinched, the messier his feet became. In the end, annoyed, he pushed away Jin Jingxue and turned around to leave, walking to the entrance of the hotel to get some fresh air. There was a steady stream of cars driving off at the entrance; there were already guests who had started to leave the venue. Standing at the steps before the entrance, he looked at the cars, thinking that among all of these cars, there was one waiting for him. It was hard to believe that he would have this day, when he had a car, had power, and could throw his weight around.

There were too many cars, and they had to queue up to slowly drive to the street. He lit a cigarette for himself, smoking while observing each car. At the end of the queue was a new, gleaming, crow black car. The curtains at the backseat were half drawn, and under the lights, he suddenly realised that hidden behind the curtains was half a face; this was precisely Shen Zhiheng.

Shen Zhiheng was staring at him the whole time, and he did not know how long he had been staring. Meeting his gaze, Shen Zhiheng waved slowly at him in farewell.

The car left Jinghua Hotel, first sending Situ Weilian home.

Situ Weilian sat beside Shen Zhiheng. He was in relatively good spirits, continuously whistling a little tune for the entire journey. He said to Shen Zhiheng, “Shen-xiong, I definitely won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Shen Zhiheng was leaning his head against the window, not paying him much attention. “Then just sleep if you feel sleepy tomorrow.”

“How should I thank you?”

“There’s no need [10] .”

“Shen-xiong, you’re so good to me.”

“You saved my life, this is what I owe you.”

Situ Weilian suddenly moved towards him, looking at him closely, “Why are you so listless? Are you hungry?”

Shen Zhiheng gazed down at him, “I have something on my mind.”

------------------------------------------------------------

姓X的 (xìng X dè), with X being that person’s surname, is an impolite way of referring to someone, whether genuinely in a rude fashion (i.e. meaning it, as Li Guisheng does here), or jokingly or sarcastically (e.g. between friends).

热察 (rè chá). I’m not too sure about this, but this could be referring to the 热河 (rè hé) province, together with some other locality. This was a province that existed during the Republican Era, and in present day, is part of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia.

In the original novel, the characters for Jin Jingxue’s name are 金静雪, which differs from the 金靖雪 used in the drama. Both 静 and 靖 are pronounced as “jìng”. The former means “quiet”, while the latter means “peaceful” or “tranquil”. However, in certain scenes of the drama, Jin Jingxue’s name is still written as 金静雪, although the subtitles and drama marketing materials use 金靖雪.

Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) was a controversial empress dowager, but also one of the most influential women in Chinese history. More information here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Dowager_Cixi.

I.e. no shame

长袍 (cháng páo) or 长衫 (cháng shān) is a traditional Chinese attire, originating from the Manchurians but later modified by the Han Chinese. It was commonly worn during the Qing Dynasty and Republican Era. This is also what Shen Zhiheng in the show frequently wears.

Two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth.

The exact word used here was 红彤 (hóng tóng), which refers to a red that has very slight yellow tones.

给面子 (gěi miàn zi), literally “give face”, is a very Chinese concept. It loosely means to respect someone and not humiliate them.

The phrase used here was 大恩不言谢, which literally means that someone had done you such a great favour that using words to thank them is not enough, instead, you would repay them back the favour in the future by helping them in turn.

[lgcrp]

A NOTE ON IDOL ACTIVITIES

hi everyone ! as we approach our fifth anniversary, we're so grateful to still have muses around since (almost) the beginning, and since our initial opening, lgc has grown in a way none of us have ever imagined before. we think it's a testament to not only ours, but also our members' hard work that we've been able to ic-debut five idol groups (with a sixth on the way !) within the almost-five years we've been open as a roleplay, and we've always operated in a way to reward our members' commitment and dedication to their groups with new, fun ideas for activities and gigs that keeps the excitement for writing for your muses going, even after debuting. however, we at lgc also like to maintain a certain level of realism in our directory, while also being considerate that both admods and members alike all have real lives that take precedent to roleplaying. hence, we've made a conscious effort to diversify as much as possible for our idol groups in terms of ooc-missions and writing requirements that correlate with ic-career development. it's come to our attention, however, that there's speculation of favoritism amongst the idol groups in terms of what the admod team 'gives them'. to address it bluntly, we have never and will never 'play favorites', and to make that clear, we'd like to clarify as much as we've deemed necessary to finally put the topic to rest.

firstly, we want to address the culture of comparison that's been happening around lgc. as it stands right now, a person could have two muses in the idol career path, in two separate idol groups regardless of gender, and would have two completely different experiences ooc and ic. we intentionally operate this way because we think that one of lgc's charms is the variety we provide our members as writers here. we all know how monotonous and boring idol roleplays can get, which is why we've made a conscious effort to diversify as much as we can as we've expanded. however despite these efforts, it's disheartening, to say the least, to hear talks of comparison more than anything whenever we post new events. we understand that, to some extent, comparison is inevitable, especially when we ourselves simulate an environment of competition with future dreams, awards, and other marks of popularity. but it seems that lately, more often than not, these comparisons and even criticisms are done without the consideration that we purposely give our idol groups their own unique flair, and that what we write out in missions (and even sometimes what we don't write out in missions) is not done because we supposedly favor one group over the other.

we've never planned to release this information publicly, but to cease all debate on the topic, just in terms of music releases, we can break our idol groups down simply:

crystallis is the group with subunits and their own solo shows;

v&a is a self-producing group with their own reactions;

nova gets 6 songs constantly;

type zero gets prereleases; and

nknd releases often but mostly digitally, then will compile in physical releases.

everybody gets two korean comebacks + one other comeback in a targeted market in the original calendar we plan out at the beginning of the year:

crystallis and agito target the japanese market;

type zero targets the chinese market;

fabula and versus target the western market;

nova targets the domestic market; and

nknd currently just targets domestic but will likely also target japan.

these are just two factors that come into play when we plan out an idol group's activities for a quarter. not to mention that agito, crystallis and fabula all have members that regularly act for their notoriety tiers gigs, and as acting career gigs are the most time-consuming along with idol career gigs, we have to also take those into account when writing out missions.

and on the topic of notoriety tiers, we want to provide some context: the Great Revamp of 2021™ really solidified a lot of what we wanted to do for the idol groups early on here at lgc. as the years went on and muses gained more points and notoriety, though, we implemented our notoriety tiers system mainly as a way for our members to provide input into their career trajectories for the first time, but also as a great resource for us as admods to figure out the 'reputation' each group has.

needing to have all this information in place is partially why notoriety tiers gigs happened so frequently in the beginning, but as muses started reaching higher tier levels and claiming activities that required more time and effort for us to plan out, we've had to adapt the way members submit their notoriety tiers forms.

it's now explicitly denoted how busy muses actually are in the forms so that everyone has an idea of the amount of additional work they're putting on their muses through the notoriety tiers vs. the work they already have through their career missions. additionally, this change was done to better reflect just how much a muse's solo activities do impact their group activities, both ic and ooc.

as stated before, realism is important here at lgc, and it's not unrealistic to see idols miss out on comeback promotions because of their individual activities. for us as admods, the choice has either been between (1) planning comeback/group promotions for certain idol groups to accommodate their members' acting gigs or (2) to exclude certain members from comeback/group promotions if their schedules don't permit them. we haven't started the latter, and we don't intend to, but with growing complaints amidst all the comparison, we wonder if taking it to the extent of excluding certain members is necessary to reach a compromise.

for instance, it's unrealistic to give a 12-track full album to a group whose main vocalist is also an actor and busy with acting gigs, but right now, we could give the group a two-track single album instead and only let the main vocalist be on the title track with minimal promotions to still include them in the comeback if that's preferred.

from our perspective, though, it's always been more realistic that during that first seven-year period when an idol signs their contract and debuts, their priority is always the group first and foremost. there's always exception to the rule, and idols do typically have to make that big decision of solo vs. group career eventually. but our most senior muses are at-most three years into their careers, and in the fictional entertainment company that we run, it doesn't make sense for us to let an idol prioritize their solo career over their group's at this point in time.

relatedly, the notoriety tiers have also been a great way for us to see which muses actually aren't eligible for any notoriety tier gigs and as such, we're able to give additional gigs to certain muses as part of their career missions. this is part of our constant struggle of balancing older muses with newer muses, especially when it comes to our idol groups.

as is the natural course of things in roleplay, members and their muses come and go, and that unfortunately means that muses in idol groups do drop and throw a wrench in our plans. along with future dreams, that's part of why we've also introduced team unknown – we'll be honest and say that we had different plans for team unknown, but had to change said plans because of members leaving the roleplay.

again, that's just one of the many factors that we have to take into consideration as we keep the machine going that is lgc. we don't want to over-explain ourselves but at the same time, we hope people can start understanding our reasonings better through this post.

and that's not to say that we aren't open to any criticism nor suggestions. if anything, we always to strive to make ourselves as available as possible to our members either individually on our personal accounts or as a group through the main to consult with us about anything. we have no desires to close those lines of communication, but as much as we want to reiterate that we're always open to discussion as our roleplay continues to evolve, we also hope we won't have to make another statement on the matter.

lgc has always had a long-standing issue of being too events-focused, and we've tried as best as we can to alleviate the stress and dissatisfaction that comes with such a culture by taking in feedback, implementing new systems, and keeping things fresh and fun for everyone as k-pop fans.

however, it's only natural that most people focus on their own muses in idol roleplays and can view other muses getting certain things as missing out on something when, in reality, we hope people can start seeing that they also have things that no other muse (or group) has in lgc. no one has ever gotten less or more, just different, and different is okay.

at the end of the day, we hope everyone doesn't focus too much on the comparison or competition-side of things. lgc is what it is today partly because of what we've curated for you all as an admod team, but mostly because of the unique experiences our members have crafted for themselves as writers and roleplayers.

thank you all for your understanding. please like this post to indicate you've read this announcement.

– lgc admod team

[mayhem24-7forever]

Starcourt Mall Map (Annotated)

I was looking at the map from the Stranger Things Wiki and some things weren’t adding it. I thought it was just me mixing up numbers so I decided to literally go through and annotate the actual map with the information from the key.

Just using this key was difficult because the section colors for the upper level and lower level are too similar and most of the letters and numbers are so blurry it’s hard to make out. Despite this I tried my best until I realized that things still weren’t making sense. There were a lot of listings that had a letter but not a number, or had a number that didn’t exist on the map. I believe there was a disconnect between the prop map and what was actually built.

Having been to film school, I know that something like this map may have been designed early in the pre-production process but things were changed during the rest of development and construction. My biggest clue that this might be the case was that the “Imperial Panda” restaurant, which is central to the Russian code plot, is listed as “Great Panda”, suggesting that the name was changed before building and filming.

The mall that was used for filming was a real mall in Georgia (now abandoned) that Netflix renovated part of to look like an 80s era mall. It’s likely that this renovation necessitated a change to the original plans meaning supplemental background material like the directory map were made slightly incorrect and no one fixed it. After all, this map was never supposed to be seen on screen, it was just supposed to be in the background except someone snuck a picture and uploaded it online.

So I decided to go frame by frame through the mall scenes to see what *actually* made it into the show. Here are the fruits of my almost five hours of “labor”:

Anything with a question mark is not something I saw in the show and seems to exist solely on the map key. If it doesn’t have a question mark, then it is visible in the show. The entire J, K and E sections as well as part of the L section are never shown in the show and are most likely the sections of the mall that were not renovated.

In the show the entire F section is non-existent. The map lists those 5 clothing stores but in the show, it’s just a children’s play area with a claw machine, mini carousel, several candy machines and the Indiana Flyer horse ride that plays the song Scoops Troop discovers in the hidden Russian message.

Also there is a nut stand on the first floor and a perfume counter stand on the second floor that are not listed on the map at all.

I hope this helps some fan fic writers out there like me who spend waaaay too much time on fic research.

[roseyreveries]

Far Away - 4

Draco Malfoy x Fem!Muggle!Reader Previous Part <- click! Summary: You wake up inside the Harry Potter universe without any explanation as to why you're there. Disclaimer: All characters are being aged up for PLOT (1st years are 15, 7th years are 21) but characters may act immature and childish in the beginning at times to keep their character development. Not accurate to the books or movies. A/N: okay, all parts from now on are going to be in the regular font because if I put it in the chat font (the font this A/N is written in) Tumblr won't let me post long parts. CW: drinking, partying, dares Directory <- click!

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“You’ll see,” Lila said with a wink, yanking the door open. The music hit us instantly— a pulsing rhythm that made the floor vibrate. Voices shouted over the beat, laughter rang out, and the smell of something sugary and spiced wafted down the corridor.

The common room was alive.

When they stepped into the room, the sight was straight out of a party movie. Someone had enchanted green and silver lights to dance across the walls, casting an otherworldly glow over the space. The tables were piled with snacks and drinks— some magical, some very clearly not Hogwarts-approved. A group of students had pushed the couches aside to create a makeshift dance floor, and even the normally aloof seventh years were swaying to the music.

“Surprised?” Lila asked, leaning casually against the doorframe, watching my wide-eyed reaction.

“This… is not what I expected,” I admitted, torn between awe and sheer nervousness.

Lila chuckled, grabbing my wrist. “Come on, newbie. You can’t just stand here gawking. Let’s mingle.”

I stumbled after her as Lila navigated the chaos like she’d done it a hundred times before. A few students turned to look at us, but most were too busy having a good time to care.

“What’s the occasion?” I asked, raising my voice over the music.

“Start of term,” Lila said with a shrug. “We like to set the tone early. Let everyone know Slytherin knows how to live.”

I hesitated as Lila reached for two butterbeer bottles on the table, handing one over with a knowing smirk.

“Relax,” Lila said. “You’re one of us now. Might as well enjoy it.”

I took the bottle and sipped cautiously, my tension easing a little with the warmth of the drink. “This is… not bad.”

“See? Told you,” Lila said, clinking her bottle against mine. “Now let’s find you someone to talk to before you chicken out and bolt back to the dorm.”

“I wasn’t going to bolt,” I protested, but Lila just laughed, already pulling me toward a group of students arguing over who cast the best Silencing Charm last year.

I was just starting to relax, the warmth of the butterbeer and Lila’s sarcastic commentary easing my nerves. I let myself be led around the room, meeting a few other students and even laughing at a particularly dramatic recount of someone’s summer holiday escapades. The party felt almost… fun.

But, of course, fate had other plans.

As I turned to follow Lila through the crowd, I collided with something— or rather, someone. Hard. My butterbeer sloshed out of the bottle, splattering all over the front of a perfectly tailored black robe.

“What the bloody hell—” a sharp, cold voice hissed.

I looked up and instantly regretted every life choice that had led me to this moment. Standing in front of me, staring down with a look that could freeze fire, was none other than Draco Malfoy.

“Are you completely blind, or just unbelievably stupid?” he snapped, his pale eyes narrowing into icy slits.

My heart raced, but instead of cowering, I squared my shoulders. I wasn’t about to let him get the upper hand. “Maybe you shouldn’t stand in the middle of the room like you own it.”

His lips curled into a sneer. “That’s because I do. Unlike you, new girl, who clearly doesn’t belong here.”

“Oh, I belong just fine,” I shot back, crossing my arms. “Sorry if your little superiority complex can’t handle sharing the space.”

Draco stepped closer, his gaze sharp and assessing, as if he couldn’t decide whether to be furious or amused. “You’ve got quite the mouth on you, don’t you? Let me guess—Dumbledore’s latest charity case? That would explain a lot.”

My jaw tightened, my hands curling into fists. “You’re right— he did bring me here. Probably because he saw something worth value. Which is more than I can say for you.”

A flicker of something crossed Draco’s face— surprise, maybe? But it was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual disdain. “You’re going to regret saying that,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“Is that a threat?” I asked, my tone steady, though my heart was hammering. “Because I don’t scare that easily, Malfoy.”

The tension crackled between us, the air heavy with unspoken challenges. For a moment, it felt like the rest of the room had disappeared, the party fading into the background as our eyes locked.

Draco’s lips twitched, as if he were fighting back a smirk. “You’re either very brave or very foolish,” he murmured, almost to himself. “We’ll see which soon enough.”

“Try me,” I said, refusing to back down.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Lila’s voice cut in sharply, breaking the moment. She appeared at my side, gripping my arm and shooting Draco a glare. “Y'know you're new too, Malfoy. Just because you're royalty doesn't mean shit.”

Draco’s smirk finally broke through, though it was anything but kind. “I’ll be seeing you, newbie,” he said, his tone mocking as he turned and disappeared back into the crowd.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Well, that went great,” I muttered.

Lila dragged me toward the quieter corner of the room, shaking her head. “Are you trying to make enemies, or is that just a natural talent of yours?”

“I didn’t start it,” I defended. “He was being—”

“Draco Malfoy,” Lila interrupted with a sigh. “Yeah, I know. I've been dealing with his shit since we were in diapers. But word of advice? Maybe don’t try to take him on during your first week here. He’s dangerous.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Dangerous how?”

Lila hesitated, then shrugged. “In the ‘he’s got power and knows how to use it’ way. Just… be careful, okay? I don’t want to have to dig you out of trouble.”

I nodded, though my mind was still replaying the encounter. I'd never met anyone quite like Draco Malfoy— cold, calculating, and yet somehow magnetic in a way I couldn’t quite explain.

“Come on,” Lila said, nudging me. “Let’s get you another drink before you pick a fight with the entire house.”

Before we could leave anywhere however, a voice rang out above the music, amplified by a Sonorus charm.

“All right, you snakes, shut it for a second!” It was a tall, third-year boy standing on one of the tables, his grin wide and mischievous. “You know what time it is— First Year Initiation! Get up here, newbies!”

The room erupted in cheers and jeers, the crowd parting like the Red Sea as a handful of wide-eyed first years were pushed to the center, including me. I barely had time to process what was happening before I was dragged forward, Lila shoving me along with an infuriatingly gleeful laugh.

“Lila!” I hissed, trying to pull back. “What the hell—”

“Relax,” Lila said, giving me a nudge. “It’s tradition. Just go with it, newbie.”

I wasn’t alone, though the sight of a scowling Draco Malfoy being shoved into the circle made my stomach flip. He looked every bit as annoyed as I felt, his sharp glare cutting through the room as if daring anyone to laugh at him. Unfortunately for him, it only made the older students laugh harder.

“Look at that,” one of the seventh years said with a smirk, pointing at Draco. “Even the mighty Malfoy can’t escape tradition.”

“What’s the ritual?” I whispered to Lila, who was conveniently standing just outside the circle and grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“You’ll see,” she said, not bothering to hide her amusement.

“Alright, firsties!” the third-year announcer said, clapping his hands. “The rules are simple. You’ve gotta pair up— don’t care who— and then complete the challenge. Fail, and you’re cleaning up the common room tomorrow. Succeed, and you’re officially one of us.”

I groaned internally. Of course it would be something ridiculous. As the other first years began pairing off, I felt a familiar presence beside her. I didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Don’t even think about it,” Draco said coldly, his voice low and full of warning.

“Trust me, Malfoy, you’re the last person I’d want to pair with,” I shot back, equally annoyed.

“Five seconds!” the announcer called out. “If you don’t have a partner, you’re automatically cleaning duty!”

I turned, realizing with mounting dread that everyone else had already paired off. Of course. I locked eyes with Draco, who looked equally displeased.

“Fantastic,” he muttered. “Let’s get this over with.”

I didn’t even have time to respond before the announcer clapped his hands again. “Your challenge: Polyjuice Potion Truth or Dare!”

The crowd roared in approval, and my stomach dropped.

“Here’s how it works,” the announcer explained. “We’ve got a cauldron full of Polyjuice Potion— don’t worry, it’s temporary. Each pair picks a random vial containing hair from someone in this room. You drink, you transform, and then your partner gets to dare you or ask a question. You chicken out, you lose. Got it?”

I glanced at Draco, who looked like he was on the verge of murdering someone. “This is ridiculous,” he snapped.

“Welcome to Slytherin,” the announcer said cheerfully, shoving a vial into Draco’s hand and another into mine. “Drink up, you two.”

I sighed, shooting Draco a glare. “Well, bottoms up.”

Wedowned the potion simultaneously, the taste making megag. Within moments, my body began to twist and morph, my reflection in a nearby mirror shifting into a familiar face.

“Lila?!” I exclaimed, my voice now an exact replica of my roommate’s.

Draco, meanwhile, had turned into a gangly third-year boy with a mop of curly hair. The laughter from the crowd was deafening.

“This is ridiculous,” Draco hissed again, now in a much deeper voice, glaring at his own reflection.

The announcer grinned wickedly. “Alright, Lila 2.0, you get to dare Draco Lite first. What’s it gonna be?”

I crossed my arms, a mischievous smile tugging at my lips despite myself. “Fine. I dare you, Malfoy, to—” I paused for dramatic effect, watching his narrowed eyes. “—sing the Hogwarts school song. Loudly.”

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Draco’s pale face flushed— though whether from anger or embarrassment, I couldn’t tell.

“You’ve got to be joking,” he said, his tone deadly.

“Nope,” I replied sweetly. “Or you can clean the common room tomorrow. Your choice.”

The tension between us was palpable, the air charged with unspoken challenges. For a moment, it looked like he might refuse— but then, with a glare that promised retribution, Draco stepped forward.

“Fine,” he bit out. “But you’ll regret this.”

His rendition of the school song was stilted, his voice dripping with sarcasm and annoyance, but it only made the crowd cheer louder. When he was finished, the room erupted into applause, and Draco spun to face me.

“My turn,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Truth or dare?”

I hesitated, but there was no way I was backing down now. “Dare.”

Draco’s lips curled into a wicked smirk. “I dare you to tell the entire room what you really think of me.”

The crowd fell silent, and my pulse quickened. The tension crackled like electricity as I met his piercing gaze.

“Fine,” I said, lifting my chin. “You want to know what I think? I think you’re arrogant, entitled, and way too used to getting your way.”

The crowd gasped, laughter and murmurs rippling through the room, but I wasn’t finished. “But… I also think there’s more to you than that. And maybe one day, you’ll actually let someone see it.”

Draco’s smirk faltered, his expression unreadable. Before either of us could say another word, Lila burst into the circle, pulling me back.

“Alright, that’s enough drama for one night,” she said with a grin, though her eyes flicked between the two of us curiously. “Come on, newbie. Let’s get you out of the spotlight.”

As I let myself be dragged away, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Draco’s eyes still on me, his expression a mix of anger and something I couldn’t quite place.

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Read the next part here! Join my Taglist! @ferntv @Katie_kinz @forever-living-in-my-head

[paingoes]

Destroyer - Discourse

(Masterlist)

hello again. kind of an experimental chapter, eye strain warning for colored text.

(Content: discussion of death and war)

=======================

He could still get yelled at online, though. This was often the case. People demanded that he stop trolling all the time and would not listen when he explained he was dead serious. 

He was lucky there were a few people with nothing better to do than argue with him. He liked the one with the rose in their name.

rosencratz: because it’s against interplanetary law to kill civilians! if it was anybody but empire they would be taken to court. 

ndhakdvsnnd: so if it was legal to kill them it would be okay

rosencratz: no thats not the point! im just bringing it up as an example of what they can get away with 

ndhakdvsnnd: you said the law was corrupt though. i don’t understand

rosencratz: yes its corrupt in certain instances! but not across the board. obviously its wrong to kill people whether its legal or not

ndhakdvsnnd: why

rosencratz: why what?

ndhakdvsnnd: why is it wrong to kill people

rosencratz: ???

ndhakdvsnnd: im serious. people kill each other all the time so why is it wrong now but not wrong other times

rosencratz: its always wrong to kill people! 

ndhakdvsnnd: why

rosencratz: because it hurts them and it overrides their will. people dont want to die. its wrong for someone else to make that decision for them.

ndhakdvsnnd: why

rosencratz: because people should have a right to their own life! everyone deserves to have a chance at a safe and happy life and doing anything to violate that is wrong.

ndhakdvsnnd: who decides if its wrong or not?

rosencratz: well thats just my belief. and i think its the belief of most good people who want to live in harmony with others. you wouldnt want someone else controlling your life, would you? so you should do unto others as you would have them do to you :)

ndhakdvsnnd: okay

Delta opened a different window, pulling up the Empire portal. He looked at the projected casualties at Lemuria, then shifted directories to see the latest military reports all across the Empire. It updated about twice an hour, always some new catastrophe developing on a different front. He switched back to the forum’s private chat.

ndhakdvsnnd: so its always wrong to kill people? its never okay?

rosencratz: yeah pretty much! the only reason it would ever really be okay is to prevent the deaths of other people but even then it isnt a good thing its just a necessary evil

ndhakdvsnnd: how would you know if it prevented the deaths of other people

rosencratz: it depends!

ndhakdvsnnd: depends on what

rosencratz: i have to go to bed now but we can talk more later if youre serious. Haha im a philosophy major so im always thinking about these things. 

ndhakdvsnnd: okay i dont care

rosencratz: no need to be rude!

ndhakdvsnnd: im sorry. yes we can talk more later im afk a lot though so i will just message you when i have time.

rosencratz: okay! goodnight!

ndhakdvsnnd: gn

Delta closed out of the window, now focused entirely on the Empire portal. It let him see the sketches of plans some months in advance. He could see the projected earnings and land gains. He had to click around a little to find projected fatalities and the plans for body removal. Most of the plans didn’t involve him; he couldn’t be everywhere at once. But his callsign still came up with some regularity. He squirmed a little, his unease growing. Some impalpable feeling of dread had been gnawing at him all week. It was like he couldn’t look at it head on. He opened the forum again. There were other messages waiting for him. 

ndhakdvsnnd: what does evil mean

merrium: The opposite of good.

ndhakdvsnnd: no i know that im asking how you would define it.

merrium: I think evil is a condition or a mindset that certain people embrace. You have to repeatedly condition yourself into disregarding the experiences and emotions of other people in order to achieve your own goals. Cruelty and callousness are evil. Selfishness is evil. Ignorance and greed are evil. 

ndhakdvsnnd: okay. is that why you dont like empire?

merrium: Where do I begin? 

ndhakdvsnnd: i dont know

merrium: I won’t begin. You can see my post history, I won’t rehash all those hundreds of essays for you. But I can send you a more proper reading list if you want, little fledgling 

ndhakdvsnnd: send it to me

merrium: Link here.

ndhakdvsnnd: thank you. can i keep asking questions and you wont get mad at me

merrium: Of course! I don’t anger easily. It comes with the territory.

ndhakdvsnnd: is it bad to hurt people

merrium: Violence is a multi-faceted thing. It’s bad to hurt innocent people and it’s bad to use disproportionate force against people who can’t defend themselves. But it’s really a problem of what is considered “violence”. Empire has formed a monopoly on violence, so that its war and oppression are often codified and accepted as the default. It is not recognized for the evil it is. “Violence” however is reserved for the lower classes who have fallen out of lockstep with Empire and it is used to mark them for execution or imprisonment. Oftentimes, violence is the only correct response to repression, and so is morally excusable.

ndhakdvsnnd: so it depends 

merrium: Yes, it depends on who is doing it and why.

ndhakdvsnnd: okay thank you. do you think everyone from empire is evil.

merrium: That’s a lot of people. I wouldn’t hold ordinary citizens responsible for the crimes of their government, but they can definitely be complacent. I think everyone who works to uphold the system is evil. 

ndhakdvsnnd: what should they do 

merrium: Stop being evil.

ndhakdvsnnd: how 

merrium: Stop supporting Empire and start working to resist it. It’s not enough to be against Empire. You have to be pro-resistance. I would recommend they all throw their guns down and refuse to fight another whit for it.

ndhakdvsnnd: they would die if they did that though

merrium: Imagine how the people they killed must have felt.

Delta considered this. He closed all the windows. The screen was giving him a kind of anxiety and besides, he had to be up soon. The long nights were taking their toll. Dark circles had formed under his eyes – darker than usual. The internet made him feel very stupid and very scared, but he could never draw himself away from it easily. He thought about Lemuria. All his thoughts kept drifting back to it. He thought about the mech site and the sand dunes and the Iselin, the countless vessels and castles he had laid to waste. Each time, he’d felt the pulse of life within his grasp. If he did the math, the amount of lives he’d destroyed must have been in the early thousands. If it’s really that bad to kill, then he was definitely evil. He mulled over this as he went to sleep. Did it make any difference? Should he care?

He thought about what it would be like to die and all the times he believed he would. He didn’t like it, but his feelings had never counted for much. The value of any life eluded him. Not once had he ever been made to consider it. This would complicate things. His last thought before drifting asleep was exactly that. This would complicate things.

[sunsolii]

Napoleon (2023) Review

I know many of you have posted your own reviews and what I'm going to talk about will cover most of what people have said but I wanna give my own perspective on the movie. As you know spoilers will be said, so if yall still haven't watch the movie go before reading.

Alright first, I would like to say the movie overall wasn't that bad nor it wasn't great. Some battle scenes were a bit confusing, Borodino was the one which I got the most confused because of how quick the scene was. One moment I was watching soldiers fight and then it was done, which I guess they wanted to get to the part of Napoleon arriving at Moscow but I digress.

During the Seige of Toulon, I was a bit confused with Napoleon's reaction throughout the whole battle. He was hyperventilating and panicking which seemed strange to me since he was always calm and collected during stressful situations, especially this battle since it was his 'debut' and was an important plan in getting Toulon back in French hands. I understand him being a little bit nervous, but he had to stay calm for the soldier's sake.

Now, lets talk about Napoleon and Josephine's relationship, oh boy, it was a mess. I did like how Naps acted a bit awkward during their first meeting since he was pretty shy and weird around the ladies in real life, but after that the whole relationship seemed too toxic than what it really was. Like the scene where Josephine returned to the chateau after Naps came back from Egypt and him yelling at her and basically telling her she was a slut, him threatening divorce because she couldn't get pregnant at the beginning of their marriage, or when Naps got angry at Josephine yet again and threw food at her, or him slapping Josephine during the divorce scene. I literally let out a gasp when that happened. That whole representation of their relationship was a freaking mess, and don't even get me started with the sex scenes! They were so weird and Naps making animals noises before doing it didn't make it better. I think the worst for me was when Naps called Josephine "little one" like don't start with that kinky shit smh. Also the part where Alexander went to visit Josephine at Malmaison was not necessary, they did develop a friendship but it was nothing more than that.

Besides all the negative things I did like a few things about the movie. For starters Napoleon's first interaction with Josephine, that was a nice touch. The lamb chop scene was hilarious and everyone including me laughed at the scene. Naps falling down the stairs after almost getting killed by the Directory and saying "oh fuck" under his breath while standing up was funny. Even the scene afterwards where Naps and Lucien were struggling to get out and keep everyone inside was funny. His facial expression he made while trying to regain himself had me dying.

What caught me by suprise was Junot being in the movie because correct me if I'm wrong but no other movie had Junot included in it, so when Naps first yelled "Junot" during the Seige of Toulon I was like 'huh? Junot? Like Jean Andoche Junot?? THE JUNOT?? I can't believe what I'm hearing!" and sure enough Junot was in the movie! Even though it was only for like 30 minutes but him being in the movie made me so happy because he is never mentioned in any form of media.

Overall it wasn't as bad as I expected. I still wished they would've added other marshals like Murat and Lannes, but I do appreciate them adding Davout since he is also someone who doesn't get mentioned in movies a lot, so props to you Scott (I guess). I did get over the historical inaccuracies pretty quick, but Wellington and Naps meeting did rub me the wrong way knowing that they never met each other in real life. Also, Ney with a moustache...why??

So that's all I wanted to say about the movie. Sorry if this was a longer post, but I wanted to write down everything before I forget. Thank you for reading!

[toujokaname]

Card shuffle / Episode 5

Author: Akira

Characters: Kohaku, Niki, HiMERU, Hiiro

"This 'Matrix' is just a waste of a project that boasts an impressive facade yet remains hollow at its core."

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Season: Winter

Location: Café Cinnamon

Kohaku: Uh-huh, guess callin' it an end-of-year special program hits the nail on the head. With all the talented people wrapped up in the new year's developments, they're so busy that the leftover folks get the scraps.

Niki: *Munch munch munch* End-of-year specials always get ripped apart... Come to think of it, doesn't Rinne-kun always get on edge around the end of each year, too?

Kohaku: He's a surprisingly passionate man. Can't stand half-baked efforts, maybe?

HiMERU: Well, not all specials are so ostentatious.

However, this "Matrix" is just a waste of a project that boasts an impressive facade yet remains hollow at its core.

Kohaku: What a way of puttin' it...

HiMERU: There is a reason for HiMERU to say so.

The producer leading this project isn't held in high regard at ES.

Not gonna lie, it's an individual notorious as a LandmineP.

Niki: Uwah, HiMERU-kun used youthful language like "not gonna lie"~♪

HiMERU: Rather than youthful, you could call it anachronistic. Anyway, if ES is labeling it as a major event, the producer in charge should have a solid track record and skill.

Niki: Like Anzu-nee-san, maybe? She looks like an ordinary girl, but it surprised me to hear she's a very reputable and talented producer!

Kohaku: There's no way you didn't know that...

Niki: I've got her food preferences down pat!

Kohaku: Why can't ya put that enthusiasm into idol work?

HiMERU: Fufu. Well, you're right about that. Seems like Shiina's unusually understanding today.

If it's being touted as a major event, someone like Anzu-san should have been put in charge.

But in reality, Matrix is a landmine project with a low budget, a useless producer, and numerous unfavorable conditions.

Hiiro: Fumu, is it really that bad? That Matrix thing?

HiMERU: Yes. It's a textbook example of a hopeless project.

Matrix will take place over a month, during which Crazy:B and ALKALOID are supposed to have a total of ten matches—so it's said.

Despite the unnecessarily long time commitment, there are no specific dates or instructions mentioned in the plan.

Niki: Ah~ That's a problem, even I can see that... If I dunno in advance when it'll be busy, I can't adjust my part-time shifts.

HiMERU: Do you even need to work part-time at a restaurant anymore? Compared to the summer, we've been earning a reasonable amount of money through our idol activities, haven't we?

Niki: Being a chef's my main profession!

Kohaku: He says, eyes all sparkly...

Hiiro: Hehe. Actually, what HiMERU-san mentioned was on my mind too.

We're supposed to have ten matches, but what exactly does that entail?

If it involves physical combat, I might be in a bind. If Nii-san's skills haven't dulled, he'd still be stronger than me, and I don't want to hurt Aira and the others.

HiMERU: It seems unlikely that it will escalate to physical violence...

Niki: Why keep the details secret? Such a hassle!

Kohaku: Maybe it ain't set in stone yet, rather than bein' kept secret?

HiMERU: Yes. HiMERU shares this suspicion, as it tends to be the case with hopeless projects.

On paper, the plan looks grandiose, but in reality, its purpose is only to gain approval, devoid of any substance.

There's no preparation, no specific plans, absolutely nothing.

Niki: Is it like starting to chop veggies without even knowing what dish you're making?

HiMERU: Right. So you understand it by comparing it to cooking, Shiina. You can't make a good dish with such a haphazard approach, can you?

Niki: Well, even with that, I could whip up something decent~

HiMERU: A skilled chef like you could. However, it seems that this producer lacks such an ability. Sadly.

Kohaku: Still, if we're called upon, we can't refuse. That's the tough part of bein' newbies... Even if we spot a landmine right in front of us, we've got no choice but to walk that path.

Unpleasant stuff like that always seems to find its way to the most vulnerable.

[ ☆ ]

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[s7ray-cat]

PSA for any LGBTQ2IA+ people traveling abroad

This is a link to the LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index

(Disclaimer: These are excerpts from an article I found)

These are some tools to find safe places to travel for LGBTQ2IA+ people:

LGBTQ-specific travel news and safety basics

U.S. State Department ✈ A section of this government-run online resource offers basic pointers for LGBTQ travelers such as travel document checklists, general safety tips, and information about travel insurance and various U.S. embassy locations.

Equaldex ✈ Launched in 2014, this interactive map-anchored website keeps a running tab on LGBTQ rights–related laws around the world via a global network of user contributions.

National Center for Transgender Equality ✈ This Washington, D.C.–based advocacy organization addresses information relevant to gender-nonconforming and transgender travelers. It features a particularly comprehensive guide to airport security that addresses concerns related to potentially intrusive TSA screening procedures.

OutRight Action International ✈ Formerly known as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, this nonprofit publishes news, studies, and reports on LGBTQ issues around the world that can help travelers stay informed about safety in various destinations.

Erasing 76 Crimes ✈ Journalist and LGBTQ advocate Colin Stewart heads up this news-oriented blog that spotlights global developments related to LGBTQ rights spanning countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas.

GoAbroad’s LGBTQ Study Abroad Guide✈ For queer students interested in studying abroad, this PDF provides a wealth of information, including tips for coming out to a host family, LGBTQ-specific scholarships, and a list of queer-friendly study abroad programs.

LGBTQ-friendly accommodations and services

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association ✈ This website acts as a one-stop-shop for all things related to LGBTQ travel planning. It brings together a massive network of queer-approved hotels, transportation providers, tourism boards, travel agencies, tour operators, event promoters, and local media in over 80 countries worldwide; it also maintains recommendation-based travel and business blogs.

Purple Roofs ✈ An LGBTQ mainstay since the late ’90s, this booking website showcases small, family-owned bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, vacation rentals, inns, and tour companies worldwide. It also hosts a variety of related travel resources, including event listings and a dedicated LGBTQ travel blog.

World Rainbow Hotels ✈ This modern travel directory combines a curated list of stylish, queer-friendly hotels in countries where attitudes toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans travelers are for the most part accepting. The website also features an image-driven blog full of travel inspiration, global news, events, and other articles.

Travel Gayand Travel Gay Asia ✈ These twin booking sites serve a predominantly gay male audience, pointing international travelers to city guides with relevant information about bars, clubs, saunas, shops, beaches, and events, as well as queer-friendly hotels across the globe.

GayCities ✈ A similarly gay male–focused online travel guide, this web resource recommends gay-friendly bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, shops, gyms, and more in 238 different cities from Cape Town to Mexico City.

In addition to explicitly LGBTQ outlets, you can now find pages dedicated to LGBTQ consumers on mainstream online travel booking sites like Expedia and Orbitz. Queer-oriented promotions and packages are also often offered by big-name hotels such as Marriott and Kimpton.

LGBTQ-specialized tour operators and agencies

LGBTQ-friendly tour operators for organized trips

For LGBTQ travelers who’d rather leave trip planning to the experts, award-winning tour operators such as Outstanding Travel, Zoom Vacations, Out Adventures, Toto Tours, Detours Travel, and Concierge Travel all offer a diverse array of international group and private trips. International tour operator R Family Vacations also designs and leads LGBTQ family-friendly trips (plus a few new adults-only options) on land and at sea for public groups and individuals. The queer-run wilderness education organization, The Venture Out Project, operates LGBTQ-specific backpacking trips in the United States for teens, adults, and families.

LGBTQ-friendly cruises

Inclusive travel company Vacaya hosts curated LGBTQ getaways on chartered cruise ships, as well as to all-LGBTQ international resorts. The popular lesbian travel brand Olivia Cruises has been running entertainment-filled cruise, resort, adventure, and riverboat group trips exclusively for queer female–identified travelers since 1990. And cruise company Source Events, which caters predominantly to gay men and their families, organizes both all-gay charters and private LGBTQ groups aboard larger cruise ships (as well as personalized cruise journeys and on-land group itineraries).

Related Free Travel Apps to Download Before Your Next Trip

LGBTQ-friendly travel and networking apps

From joining queer-specific networking groups, to checking for upcoming LGBTQ events in different cities, to starting important conversations about shared experiences through hashtags such as #travelingwhiletrans, LGBTQ travelers have long relied on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter when planning for domestic and international trips. More recently, meetup apps have created new opportunities for connection between LGBTQ travelers.

Apps (available on iOS and Android)

Meetup ✈ This stalwart community-building platform is a great tool for connecting with fellow LGBTQ folks and getting to know local queer scenes on the road. The “LGBTQ Meetups” section points app users toward various happy hours, professional networking events, book clubs, and hiking groups, as well as playgroups for LGBTQ parents.

SCRUFF Venture ✈ Gay dating app SCRUFF recently launched a travel-oriented edition aimed at making it easier to connect with LGBTQ people “before and while you travel.” By clicking into one of the app’s 500-plus destinations, users can view members marked as “visiting now” or “visiting soon” in each given location. The app also provides travel tips from city “Ambassadors” (members who volunteer to give advice and recommendations to visitors), plus updates about LGBTQ issue–related travel advisories.

Refuge Restrooms ✈ This important resource for trans, intersex, and gender-nonconforming individuals maps out safe restrooms in various countries around the world, which users can search for based on proximity to a location.

Related Seeing the World Through Rainbow-Colored Glasses

LGBTQ-focused travel magazines and blogs

Magazines

Out Magazine’s online outpost Out Traveler covers everything from luxury LGBTQ-friendly hotels and nightlife hot spots to the latest must-have gadgets for jet-setters. Passport Magazine, available in both digital and print formats, touches upon a wealth of topics related to LGBTQ travel, with sections devoted to food and drink, hotel reviews, product roundups, and events. Also worth checking out is Connextions Magazine, which compiles long-form hotel reviews, human interest stories, destination guides, and other global lifestyle content relevant to LGBTQ travelers. (The print and digital publication also has a Spanish edition.)

Although not their main focus, many widely circulated LGBTQ lifestyle outlets like the Advocate, Curve, Autostraddle, Diva, and Chill also feature travel-related news, commentary, city guides, hotel reviews, profiles, and more.

Blogs

Touted as “a lifestyle blog for men and other stylish travelers,” the popular blog Travels of Adam hosts op-eds and personal essays, LGBTQ travel tips and hacks, and restaurant, bar, and hotel reviews in destinations from Egypt to England. Married couple Auston and David head up another gay male–focused travel blog called Two Bad Tourists, which features navigating international gay-friendly destinations, festivals, and events.

On the queer female travel blog Dopes on the Road, you can expect to find a wide range of content, from travel diaries and safety tips to pop culture commentary. Beautiful photo galleries, travel journals, LGBTQ profiles and interviews, travel tips, and destination guides dominate Once Upon a Journey, a helpful travel blog from lesbian couple Roxanne Weijer and Maartje Hensen.

[blubberquark]

When "Clean" Code is Hard to Read

Never mind that "clean" code can be slow.

Off the top of my head, I could give you several examples of software projects that were deliberately designed to be didactic examples for beginners, but are unreasonably hard to read and difficult to understand, especially for beginners.

Some projects are like that because they are the equivalent of GNU Hello World: They are using all the bells and whistles and and best practices and design patterns and architecture and software development ceremony to demonstrate how to software engineering is supposed to work in the big leagues. There is a lot of validity to that idea. Not every project needs microservices, load balancing, RDBMS and a worker queue, but a project that does need all those things might not be a good "hello, world" example. Not every project needs continuous integration, acceptance testing, unit tests, integration tests, code reviews, an official branching and merging procedure document, and test coverage metrics. Some projects can just be two people who collaborate via git and push to master, with one shell script to run the tests and one shell script to build or deploy the application.

So what about those other projects that aren't like GNU Hello World?

There are projects out there that go out of their way to make the code simple and well-factored to be easier for beginners to grasp, and they fail spectacularly. Instead of having a main() that reads input, does things, and prints the result, these projects define an object-oriented framework. The main file loads the framework, the framework calls the CLI argument parser, which then calls the interactive input reader, which then calls the business logic. All this complexity happens in the name of writing short, easy to understand functions and classes.

None of those things - the parser, the interactive part, the calculation - are in the same file, module, or even directory. They are all strewn about in a large directory hierarchy, and if you don't have an IDE configured to go to the definition of a class with a shortcut, you'll have trouble figuring out what is happening, how, and where.

The smaller you make your functions, the less they do individually. They can still do the same amount of work, but in more places. The smaller you make your classes, the more is-a and as-a relationships you have between classes and objects. The result is not Spaghetti Code, but Ravioli Code: Little enclosed bits floating in sauce, with no obvious connections.

Ravioli Code makes it hard to see what the code actually does, how it does it, and where is does stuff. This is a general problem with code documentation: Do you just document what a function does, do you document how it works, does the documentation include what it should and shouldn't be used for and how to use it? The "how it works" part should be easy to figure out by reading the code, but the more you split up things that don't need splitting up - sometimes over multiple files - the harder you make it to understand what the code actually does just by looking at it.

To put it succinctly: Information hiding and encapsulation can obscure control flow and make it harder to find out how things work.

This is not just a problem for beginner programmers. It's an invisible problem for existing developers and a barrier to entry for new developers, because the existing developers wrote the code and know where everything is. The existing developers also have knowledge about what kinds of types, subclasses, or just special cases exist, might be added in the future, or are out of scope. If there is a limited and known number of cases for a code base to handle, and no plan for downstream users to extend the functionality, then the downside to a "switch" statement is limited, and the upside is the ability to make changes that affect all special cases without the risk of missing a subclass that is hiding somewhere in the code base.

Up until now, I have focused on OOP foundations like polymorphism/encapsulation/inheritance and principles like the single responsibility principle and separation of concerns, mainly because that video by Casey Muratori on the performance cost of "Clean Code" and OOP focused on those. I think these problems can occur in the large just as they do in the small, in distributed software architectures, overly abstract types in functional programming, dependency injection, inversion of control, the model/view/controller pattern, client/server architectures, and similar abstractions.

It's not always just performance or readability/discoverability that suffer from certain abstractions and architectural patterns. Adding indirections or extracting certain functions into micro-services can also hamper debugging and error handling. If everything is polymorphic, then everything must either raise and handle the same exceptions, or failure conditions must be dealt with where they arise, and not raised. If an application is consists of a part written in a high-level interpreted language like Python, a library written in Rust, and a bunch of external utility programs that are run as child processes, the developer needs to figure out which process to attach the debugger to, and which debugger to attach. And then, the developer must manually step through a method called something like FrameWorkManager.orchestrate_objects() thirty times.

[darkmaga-returns]

Germany is ramping up preparations for World War 3, unveiling plans to revitalize its network of bunkers as tensions with Russia escalate. 

The Interior Ministry announced Monday that it is compiling a comprehensive list of emergency shelters, including underground train stations, car parks, state buildings, and private properties, to ensure civilians have access to safe havens in the event of conflict.

A digital directory of these bunkers is in the works, with plans to integrate the information into a phone app for quick access during emergencies. Citizens will also be encouraged to retrofit basements and garages as personal shelters.

Currently, Germany has 579 operational bunkers, mostly relics of World War II and the Cold War, capable of sheltering 480,000 people—a fraction of its 83 million population. This is a significant reduction from the approximately 2,000 bunkers the country once maintained.

Revamping these facilities is a “big project” that will be accorded urgent status, according to a ministry spokesperson.

This initiative comes as concerns about Moscow’s intentions grow, particularly following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

In October, German intelligence warned that Russia could be capable of launching a direct attack on NATO by 2030, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently suggesting the conflict in Ukraine has elements of a “global” war and refusing to rule out strikes on Western nations.

German authorities are also grappling with increased Russian espionage and sabotage activities. Interior Ministry officials confirmed that a June conference of senior leaders laid the groundwork for this civilian protection plan, now under active development by the Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance.

While no specific timeline for completion has been announced, the project reflects Germany’s heightened urgency in addressing potential threats from its eastern neighbor.

These developments signal a stark shift in Europe’s security landscape, with NATO members bracing for potential escalation as the proxy conflict in Ukraine grinds on.