#chongqing noodles

[omnivorescookbook]

Chongqing Noodles (重庆小面) Chongqing noodles is a celebration of spices, using chili oil, numbing Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic and a mixture of sauces to create a bold flavor.

Recipe: https://omnivorescookbook.com/chongqing-noodles/

[missguomeiyun]

dinner @ CQ Noodle & Bubble

CQ Noodle & Bubble (where CQ is short for "Chong Qing") - a Chinese noodle place on 104th Street. I had thought it took the location of another noodle place but no, I was wrong. The one I was thinking of still exists haha

Clara & I came here for our Christmas dinner last month. We came on a Tues late afternoon around 4:30. Once you open the door & walk in, you'll breath in a mix of Sichuan spice & sweet bubble(/bubbletea powder?) aroma. It's quite the mix of fragrances!

So the reason why we came was bcos. .. I suggested it. TBH, I'm not big on the whole Sichuan spice/mala flavour. I wanted to come & try the cocunut mango slush. I can't remember where/how I discovered that this place has this item. .. but it's not a common item on menus here. I don't think the English name gives an accurate description of this drink but tranditionally, this dessert-drink contains mango, pomelo (some places replace it with grapefruit), sago (the small white kind; NOT the large black sago pearls in bbt), coconut milk & milk/cream.

Their main menu (photo I took in-store).

I say the main menu bcos this was the double-sided laminated sheet (with the drinks) but they also this page-protector bundle(?) that had other menu items as well. I didn't take pictures of that unfortunately. But it had basically colour-photocopied pages of some appitizers, like marinated cucumbers, braised egg, wings, along with some seasonal items, I would say. Clara has been here before & she said she did not see this 'other' menu last time she came.

Interior. I didn't get a full-view shot bcos there were other customers during our time there. My attention was drawn to the chopstick holder & the fact that each table has a bottle of vinegar! In case you're wondering what's so special about the chopstick holder. .. they actually used a Knorr chicken essence powder container lol Google that if you don't know what that is!

My sad drink. . . . . .

It came & I as like . .. is this the right one??? It is so pale in colour & there's no sago pieces; no visible mango. .. I guess they did say slush so maybe it's all like blended??? But that name, then, would be completely not applicable.

I don't usually inquire about items at a restaurant after it arrives art the table but I ended up asking about it. I was like where is the grapefruit/pomelo topping??? The staff said they ran out & asked if I wanted other toppings as well, in which I refused. I left the drink untouched/unpoked on the side as Clara & I waited for our mains. When the staff came by to bring our food, she offered to have the drink be taken off the bill if I didn't like it. & I said, it's okay (bcos. .. I'm just not that kind of person). -.-"

BUT I must say, it turned out to be "useful" bcos. ..

Our noodles were large-portioned & NUMBLING-LY SPICY!

Clara's intestine (mild spicy) noodles & my braised beef (medium spicy) noodles.

One sniff & your sinus will be cleared lol

I'm quite good at spicy foods but this was just . .. kinda painful. I'm not good with Sichuan spice but thought mild might be too mild so I went for the safe "medium" but then . .. few bites in, I was regretting it a little xD therefore, it was actually a good thing I kept the slush bcos I needed it! I honestly couldn't tell if it was actually watered down or if it was quite sweet bcos truthfully speaking, my mouth was all numb & tingly. Anything cold just felt cold, you know, & offered temporary relief.

That being said, noodles were great. Beef was great! Their meat had a nice balance of lean & fatty parts. & for these reasons, I finished it despite being uncomfortable lol

We also got a side of chicken & mushroom wontons in soup to share. It's not really a side but a main menu item but when it's shared by 2, it's a good portion as a side. I didn't like this very much. I have high standards for wontons bcos our homemade ones are really good (store bought wrapper with my mom's filling). I think I just grew up eating my mom's so anything diff, even if it's the same ingredients, it's just not the same. I found the filling quite stiff & there wasn't much mushrooms in it (ie: felt like a ball of dry meat). OR maybe northern Chinese wontons are like this! I'm not sure! The broth was also not flavourful; just very strong in sesame oil. Sesame oil doesn't have much of a savoury flvaour, it's a condiment, really. So the soup was quite bland =(

Would I come again?... I don't know.

I'm usually quite decisive but the reason I don't know is bcos I have other menu items that I'm intersted in but I really didn't enjoy this meal as a whole. So a visit #2 is =/ would it also be disappointing? Or would it blow my mind?? I wanna try the hot pot beef noodles & the Yunnan coffee bcos. .. it's coffee! Like is the bean from Yunnan? Is it powdered instant coffee that's labeled "Yunnan coffee"? lol they don't have a particular brewing method so. .. I am interested in what kind of Yunnan coffee they serve.

What do you think? Revisit? or no?

I mean, it's probably worth another try & if it's disappointing again, I'll stop lol

[paulpingminho]

[databeers-mlg]

Recipe by wEnDaLicious

[theramenrater]

time for ya

[foodffs]

Chongqing Noodles (重庆小面) Chongqing noodles is a celebration of spices, using chili oil, numbing Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, garlic and a mixture of sauces to create a bold flavor.

Recipe: https://omnivorescookbook.com/chongqing-noodles/

[guzhufuren]

Some questions answered during Li Le's weibo live stream (not all questions are included, some long answers are summarized):

note: "Wang laoshi" is an affectionate nickname for Wang Yunkai

1. How do you feel during your first livestream?

Lele: A bit nervous but also a little excited.

2. How tall are you?

Lele: I'm 185 cm.

3. What was your first impression of Kaikai?

Lele: I saw Wang laoshi's description. My first reaction was that he described me as if I took the lead female role in a drama, with the way he described my face and me dragging two large suitcases upstairs, almost unable to move. Later, I thought it was indeed like that. He seemed like a very, very warm person.

4. What is your MBTI?

Lele: I am an introvert, an ISFJ, a little nurse. Wang laoshi is a protagonist (ENFJ).

5. Will there be autographed photos?

Lele: There will be opportunities for autographed photos in the future.

6. Can you speak Russian/Thai?

Lele: I can't speak Russian or Thai.

7. Have you read the original work?

Lele: I have read the original work. After reading it, I was somewhat hesitant to take on the role. However, after playing Huaien, I learned a lot from him.

8. Do you eat snail noodles?

Lele: I love eating snail noodles; I'm a big foodie.

9. How has your mindset changed before and after filming?

Lele: I used to be quite indifferent about relationships, believing that being together or not is a matter of fate. However, after playing Huaien, I realized a valuable trait in him—his view of love is very pure and he believes that if you like someone, you should give your all to pursue and fight for it. This moved me deeply.

10. What type of role would you like to experience next?

Lele: I used to want to play roles that are similar to my own personality, more lively characters. After playing Huaien, I now want to try roles that are quite different from myself so that I can learn new things.

11. What do you like to eat?

Lele: I love many foods, whether they're from Wuhan, Xi'an, as long as it's delicious.

12. Are there any kissing scenes in the drama?

Lele: I can't spoil it, but everyone can look forward to it.

13. Where do you most recommend traveling to?

Lele: Every place is different, whether domestic or overseas. Cities in China like Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Chongqing each have their unique charm.

14. How does it feel to shoot a kissing scene?

Lele: It feels just like how it would feel when you kiss someone.

15. What food do you recommend in Shanghai?

Lele: Shanghai's pan-fried buns are delicious.

16. Will you collaborate with Kaikai again?

Lele: I certainly hope so, if there's an opportunity.

17. What is your zodiac sign?

Lele: I am a Scorpio.

18. Can you recommend a song?

Lele: Of course, "A Passionate Dream" sung by Wang laoshi and me. Besides that, have you heard of the song "Young And Beautiful"? I really like that one.

19. Do you have any interesting experiences from filming "Blossom"?

Lele: There are quite a few memorable scenes. The most unforgettable for me is the one by the river because it was very special.

20. What did you think of your voice actor?

Lele: I think the voice actor added a lot of value to my performance.

21. Will there be offline events?

Lele: Offline meetings and concerts will depend on future arrangements.

22. Will you change your hair color?

Lele: I want to be a bit spontaneous and dye my hair blonde.

23. Do you usually work out?

Lele: I do work out, but I can be a bit lazy and need someone to keep an eye on me.

24. What type of music do you like?

Lele: Recently, I've been listening a lot to "A Passionate Dream" and "Under the Moonlight," our theme song and ending song sung by Wang laoshi and I, as well as "Endless Calamity" by Li Junliang laoshi. In general, I enjoy listening to songs by Zhou Shen and Faye Wong.

25. Will there be a duo livestream?

Lele: A duo live stream depends on future arrangements. It should happen; I'll consult with our boss.

26. Are you of mixed heritage?

Lele: Yes, I am of mixed heritage, though it's quite distant. My grandfather's previous generation was Russian.

27. Why do you eat a lot but not gain weight?

Lele: Actually, I gain weight easily, and I love eating. I used to be very overweight, weighing up to 110kg in middle school. I later lost weight, going down to around 75kg. My slimmest was during the filming of "Blossom."

28. Can you post a nine-pic grid?

Lele: Sure, I can post a nine-pic grid. I'll leave that to my publicity team.

29. Have you seen the complete version of the drama?

Lele: Yes, I've seen the complete version. It was very embarrassing, especially the first two episodes where I had to dress as a woman for the first time.

30. What hobbies do you have?

Lele: Traveling. Previously, Wang laoshi and I planned trips to Chengdu and Yanji. In Shanghai, I might play tennis, go shopping, or watch good movies.

31. What is your contact name for Wang laoshi?

Lele: His contact name is Kaikai.

32. Which outfit in the drama is your favorite?

Lele: Because most of my outfits are white, my favorite is actually the black one. It appears rarely, but I saw it in the trailer and really liked it.

33. Do you call each other by name in private?

Lele: In private, I just call him Kaikai.

34. What do you recommend playing at Disneyland?

Lele: I highly recommend "Soaring Over the Horizon". It's very fun.

35. Can you swim?

Lele: Yes, I can swim.

36. Do you have any vlogs?

Lele: Vlogs are being arranged and currently being filmed. They include work and daily life ones, and there are also vlogs from shooting before.

37. Where will your next trip be?

Lele: If there's time, Wang laoshi and I might go to Chengdu or Yanji. I also really want to visit Xinjiang or Changsha, Shandong is an option too, as it has great food.

38. What kind of milk tea do you like?

Lele: My top favorite is Cha Yan Yue Se. Second, I think Heytea is quite good. Third, I like Thai milk tea. I also love drinking from Mixue.

39. Did you take anything from the drama as a keepsake?

Lele: Yes, I took Huaien's hairband, but I didn't bring it out; it's at home.

40. Can you drink douzhi (fermented mung bean milk/soup)?

Lele: I don't like it.

41. Do you have any pets?

Lele: Yes, I have a dog, a small poodle. It's a kind fleece poodle, not a wicked one.

42. What's your dog's name?

Lele: My kind fleece poodle is named Xiao Yueyue (the fleece part is hard to translate but it's funny because by "fleece" he's referring to the poodle's fur, so he's speaking of him as a piece of fabric basically)

translated by @ xiaoqiaoo_ on twitter

[699charcoalp]

All alone with you

Fanwork about Lincoln and my MC Remus. A lot of grammar problems(because English is not my first language) and ooc, my fault.

Title source: All Alone With You by Egoist.

"Lincoln." someone said in the room. "I am here," Lincoln asked, "Want something?" "Nothing," Lincoln's beloved said, "I just want to know you are still with me." "Alright." And then, Lincoln saw his singer smile and wave at him. Good, again, that smile. Lincoln walks to him and sits down. If someone had acted like that before today, Lincoln might have felt a little bit strange but……the people who did this act were Lincoln's singer, star, and boyfriend. So Lincoln thought everything about the man in front of him seemed…… normal and cute. Immediately after leaving the hospital, Remus checked into Lincoln's house, where he refused all contact with anyone connected to his past (except Lincoln) and just stayed in his room all day. Other than the above, everything is normal. Remus lived in Lincoln's house like a cheerful ghost, he'd scorch the pots when he was cooking, and he'd beg Lincoln to buy a game because it was on sale on his steam wishlist (even though Remus had the money to buy it). It's just that he doesn't make any music anymore, and it's like the days of being the lead singer of a band never happened. A lot of people will say "That is abnormal", but Lincoln is not. For Lincoln, that's just one …… piece in the person of Remus, as a seeing every turn of a kaleidoscope, which is endearing no matter what it looks like. Remus laughs very violently but rarely smiles now. Contrary to when he used to be in the band, Remus used to smile a lot at that time because it was unobtrusive. Remus dreaded every stare. In one of the few interviews he was in the band, he once said: “It's a good thing I'm nearsighted, otherwise I can't have any way of fooling myself that ‘nobody's looking at me’". Lincoln replays this interview again and again and then feels proud because Remus is not afraid of him. Even at that time the members of the band, including Remus himself, knew that Lincoln was Remus's fan (of the intimidating variety). "Did you ever think of calling the police when I used to see you every time? " When the first day of Remus moved into Lincoln's house, Lincoln joked. Remus turns around and looks at him like he heard some unbelievable thing. "No, never, "Remus told him, "Why do I have to? I mean……I know you put a huge attention on me but……" Remus throws the thing that he holding away. His hands gestured idly in the air, trying to find the exact answer in these mysterious gestures, but he finally gave up. "I don't know," Remus spoke frustrated, "Even though from the first time I met you the people around me have said that you are a bit strange ……I still feel you will never hurt me." "You trust me?" "I just believe my heart." Remus shrugged, “Even though a lot of the time it shouts so loud inside me because it's triggering some switch that shouldn't be triggered, it's fine to listen and see what it has to say once in a while, at least I can feel safe. ” When Remus finished, he and Lincoln stared at each other silently for a moment. "Any question?" After this moment, Remus tilted his head slightly to the left. "No." Lincoln laughed and helped Remus put his baggage.

Lincoln's thoughts returned to this room in the present. He changed the subject as if nothing had happened, "So what are we eating tonight?" "Sichuan fish soup with pickled mustard greens, Dandan noodles, and Chili oil wontons." Remus began to say the food's name without hesitation. "Can we just eat hotpot?" “No way.” Remus vetoed, “Hot pot and this type of dish are both from Sichuan or Chongqing but they are not essentially the same thing, and I have to correct you on this erroneous idea that ‘all spicy Chinese food is related to hot pot’.” “All right.”Lincoln stood up, "Want some drink?" "Jasmine milk tea 80% sweet no ice large and without boba." There were no pauses, and someone used his lung capacity well. "Maybe someday you'll try some new flavors of milk tea?" "Yeah, maybe when this world is destroyed." Remus roll his eyes. "Wanna come with me?" Lincoln pretended to extend the invitation as if nothing had happened. "No. I don't want to." Remus' handsome face scrunched up so fast. Remus has never been out of the house since moving into the Lincoln home, except to see the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist claims it's a "pathological isolation" and reminds Lincoln that he must help Remus out of this "rut," but Lincoln thinks it's okay that Remus doesn't want to leave the house. At least he'll never leave me, Lincoln thought, and I don't think Remus doesn't realize he's self-isolating himself. The man who can write lyrics that can make people crazy emotion can't be so stupid that he doesn't realize what he's doing; he just needs time, even if the length of that time is a lifetime. Lincoln stands up and leaves the room, Remus silently follows Lincoln out of the room before taking up position by the door to the room, he leans his full weight against the door frame and watches with his arms crossed over his chest as Lincoln begins to put on his shoes after picking up his car keys. "Miss me?" "No, my dear fan," Remus lied without changing his face, "I just wanna turn the drawing room's light off." Lincoln shrugged, he knew what Remus looked like when he tried to lie, but he was happy to pretend he was being lied to. He walks to the door, but Remus doesn't move. Until Lincoln opens the door and wants to close it, through the crack in the door, Lincoln sees Remus quietly walk toward the switch to turn the light off, and immediately afterward he hears Remus say aloud, "Take care on the road. " The door closed.

@pressplay-if I was going to post it anonymously but couldn't find it …… Anyway! (leaving Tumblr nervously, leaving my laptop nervously, leaving this internet nervously)

[mayday396]

One thing it hit me when I was scrolling through Harry Potter stuff and I was like, "Oh lord....how did they survive 7 years in Hogwarts" and it was "HOW THE FUCK did the Patil Twins and Cho Chang like not freak out at the fact that Hogwart's Food had no Rice or Noodles"

Like Hogwarts is British, the amount of Rice they are going to get would be from Welsh Rice Puddings, Irish Dunmurry Rice and low chance of Cornish Game Hens with Wild Rice Stuffing, but OH HELL NAW there are no Noodles.

Cho Chang and the Patil Twins must be screaming internally being like,

"Where the Fuck is my Briyani?"

"Where is my Mala Xiang guo when I NEED IT?"

"What do you mean there isn't Chongqing Mian?"

"They don't even have Tikka Masala? WTF?"

And so in Every Fibre of my being, my headcanon is that the Patil Twins and Cho Chang hang out at each other's Houses so they can finally get their Asian Food.

They also make Electricity or Steaming spells to run a Rice Cooker or just Steam a bowl of Rice they got from a bag of Rice and packets of Noodles they brought from home.

Imagine waking up in the Middle of the Night and it's just Cho Chang studying near the Fireplace while having a whole set of Guò Qiáo Mǐxiàn, like she got a platter of Quail Eggs, Ham Slices, Chicken Slices, Vegetables, Rice Vermicelli and a pot of Hot Boiling Soup from her Cauldron Levitating over the fire in the fireplace and just looks at you and be like, "Sup"

[circus-sonata]

by Ian Teh Chongqing, China Workers in a small privately owned noodle making factory along the Yangtze River. There are often complaints of state compensation not reaching displaced inhabitants due to local corruption by local authorities. via

[fallowhearth]

Is food posting a thing again? Anyway, I ate these Chongqing noodles the other day and it was so fucking good I keep thinking about it. This restaurant was a random one in a huge shopping centre but came recommended by my brother's disability care worker (who is Chinese). Actually incredible food. And probably the first time in years I've actually gone out to eat with my family so that was unexpectedly nice. My brother even liked the food (non-spicy version lol).

[accio-victuuri]

clowning: xzs xi’an food vlog edition 🌶️

you all know the drill. for cpn-loving turtles only. don’t take it too seriously.

i honestly didn’t expect another food vlog from xz. his past adlad cities had them but it slipped my mind that he did go to a xi’an this time and spent quite a bit of time there — so we’re due another episode. i’m really thankful to xz and his team for the effort they put to share with us!

a few clowning points here ⤵️⤵️⤵️

The first one is how XZ can’t seem to handle spice well anymore, like a chongqing native should. Then you have WYB whose tolerance for spicy food increased. It could be that XZ has been living in BJ for so long that his taste has changed or maybe, he is thinking of the other person in his home who does not like spicy food. This is a long running cpn in cpf circles, that their preferences changed after spending time together. You can interpret this as a sign of a romantic relationship or not — but they definitely spent a lot of time together for their tastes to change and then be the same. except for garlic cause xz can’t really deal with that lol.

case in point, both wearing clothes that are for sun protection ( bobo’s is an ad, but he wears one in his personal time too ) and eating cold skinned noodles ( liangpi ). lol. i swear they have the same aesthetic sometimes.

we always joke that xz is the art student and wyb is the sport student — but they actually have a lot of things in common if you observe them more. Another one ZZ enjoyed was a meat bun (Roujiamo) which is a popular street food, but the cpn here is back in 2021 valentines day day they ( allegedly ) spent time together in Henan. Someone even saw Lele buying a lot of the same food and people were clowning that it’s for the two to eat as well. let me live in the fantasy that when they are together, they do this food tasting thing minus the camera recording.

and what is that? some people are pointing it out but i’m pretty sure it’s not a necklace. so funny how we panic when we see some vague clue of a personal necklace with XZ. but this is NOT it. Tho i’m still curious…. what could it be? 👀 popular guess is the string of an amulet. we know how superstitious he is so it could be.

My favorite would have to be the meme/emoticon they used, because it reminded me of what CPFs usually post. I am not sure how popular this is, and i’m positive it’s not exclusive to bxgs, but thinking about xz or his team going to CPF part of the internet and becoming fond of this meme/ emoticon makes me happy. ☺️

and well, same energy as this “incident”:

The loudest CPN being talked about tho is ZZ’s wechat video account that just opened. It’s under his studio and was opened 5/17, the day their certification was completed. What a nice coincidence that this day in the lunar calendar is 3/28. ZHAN AI BO. Also 5/17 is the international day against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia ( remember ZZ shared the song somewhere over the rainbow back in 2016. and it’s one of those 🌈 clues that cpfs

with all of ZZ’s “superstitions”, I feel like the day to open this new account was chosen. and it’s under his company Beijing Bamboo News Culture Media.

So if they already got certified that day, why wait for 5/18 to post. 18= Yibo. Not only that, on Wechat Video they posted at 20:05 which is 8:05. It’s not like weibo where the time stamp stays, users say it’s like IG that says “13 minutes ago..” but does not retain the specific time. So the screenshot below is the time was 20:10 and then XZS caption for the actual post was made 5 minutes ago, the time it was posted. 20:05. I’m not a wild kadian believer but this speaks to me. 😌😌😌

I’m excited for the next couple of days, cause hopefully we will get WDB 5/21. Which is still a rumor and who knows — will be a surprise drop. WYB allegedly going to an awards show 5/23 Huabiao Awards. Please make it happen. I’m looking forward to Movie Actor Yibo attending these kinds of awards show! 5/27 Chunzhen fanmeet with WYB @ Qingdao!!!! It’s been a while since he did something live! So this is a treat. && it’s the same month GG did his Molsion live/fan-meet too.

but wait wasn’t there rumors that xz will go to qingdao on the 27th too for condor heroes prep/training. lol. nothing is confirmed of course but it will be fun is they can be in the same city again for one day and not just in beijing.

-END.

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #8: It Doesn't Count

Words: ca. 2,300 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: none

They’re out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant with Kristoff and Hans for their annual day-after-Friendsgiving tradition, when Anna turns to Elsa and says, “Okay, Elsa, kiss me.”

“Um, what?”

“My lips are all numb from the Sichuan pepper! So it doesn’t count.”

Elsa quickly glances across the table; the boys are bickering romantically and therefore not paying attention. “You’re right, that doesn’t count,” she says, and then leans in to sneak a kiss on Anna’s waiting lips. Her lips are wonderfully soft and especially warm; Elsa lingers briefly, but quickly catches herself. Or so she thinks.

“They’re doing it again,” Hans observes, wiping his face with a napkin after having cleared his plate. Kristoff just grunts in reply, still busy scarfing down his noodles.

Elsa blushes and stammers but Anna simply says, “It doesn’t count. My lips were numb.”

Kristoff rolls his eyes. “I’m not sure that’s how it works.” He turns and elbows Hans lightly in the ribs. “And you. I saw how you were looking at them. Those eyes are supposed to be for me.”

“I’m allowed to look!” Hans retorts. “If two hot girls are kissing you’re telling me I can’t look?”

“Not when one of them is your ex-girlfriend and the other is her sister!” Kristoff replies grumpily.

“Oh, relax, Kristoff,” Anna chides, pointing her chopsticks at him. “You were the one who stole him from me, as I remember it. Besides, I’m in a girls phase now so your love is safe for the time being.”

“We can see that!”

“Shut up, Hans,” Anna says, before diving in to her food once again.

After a little while it seems that the topic of conversation has moved on from the kiss and Elsa breathes a small sigh of relief. “I don’t know how you guys can eat so much right now, I’m still stuffed from yesterday’s turkey.”

“I always have room for Chongqing hot chicken!” Anna proves her point by deftly popping another morsel of fried meat into her mouth with her chopsticks.

It’s at this point that Elsa feels her lips start to tingle slightly, and she touches her fingers to them to verify what she already suspects. “Oh, I really don’t like Sichuan pepper.” It takes her a moment before she realizes that the others have gone quiet and are just looking at her. “What?”

=//=

Elsa has just set the oven to bake a batch of cinnamon rolls when Anna gets back to the apartment, earlier than expected. She wipes her hands with a kitchen towel and rounds the corner to find Anna struggling to get her winter boots off, scattering wet snow around the entryway in the process.

“Here, let me help you. Aren’t you supposed to be at work right now?”

Still struggling, Anna mumbles something in reply that Elsa doesn’t catch, and then huffs in defeat and sticks out her legs. Elsa kneels on the floor, flecks of snow soaking into her jeans as she wrestles the boots off of her sister’s feet.

“Thanks,” Anna says. “I had a dentist appointment earlier so they let me off work early.”

“Oh right, the cavity you got because of your incorrigible sweet tooth. And here I am making cinnamon rolls for you anyway.” Elsa stops and squints when she sees the look in Anna’s eyes, realization striking her. “Oh no, I know what you’re thinking.”

“My face is so numb right now,” Anna says with a wide and slightly awkward grin.

“Anna.” Elsa tries to give her sister a reproachful glare but it proves ineffective.

“I’m not going to get feeling back in my lips for at least an hour.” Anna takes her boots from Elsa and sets them on the drying mat. “Come on, let’s go to the couch.”

Elsa lets herself be led by the hand into the living room. “You want me to kiss you for a whole hour?”

“At least!” Anna plops backward onto the couch and pats the adjacent cushion.

Sighing, Elsa acquiesces and sits down next to her sister. “Anna, what are we doing?”

“What we’re doing doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t count. Right?”

“It doesn’t count,” Elsa repeats.

“Exactly, that’s the rule. Besides, it can be an early Christmas present for you.”

“For me?!”

“You’re the one who will get to feel something!” Anna laughs. “I’m just going to be trying not to drool out of the side of my mouth. Actually, can you get me some water?”

Grateful for a moment to wrestle with her thoughts, Elsa pops over to the kitchen and fills two glasses of water, though as she’s leaving she feels like she’s forgetting something. Back on the couch, Anna manages to drink about half of her glass without making too much of a mess of herself. Still, there’s a smattering of water on Anna’s cheek when she sets her glass down; Elsa reaches up and wipes it away with her fingers in her customary sisterly manner, and then on impulse she darts in and quickly kisses Anna in a rather un-sisterly manner.

“You really couldn’t feel that?”

“Uh-uh,” Anna shakes her head. “I mean I could feel a bit of pressure, vaguely, but other than that, nothing.”

“That really shouldn’t count, then,” Elsa says, decisively.

“That’s what I’m say—”

Elsa smothers the rest of Anna’s words with her lips, and keeps them there for several seconds.

“That was nice—” Anna tries again, only to be cut off once more when Elsa abruptly maneuvers herself to straddle Anna’s lap and resumes the one-sided kiss.

In her mind, Elsa is using the mantra of it doesn’t count like a hammer to squash all the uncomfortable feelings brewing inside her that threaten to ruin the moment. She’s having fun. It doesn’t count. She amuses herself by giving Anna’s lip a soft bite, and when that doesn’t get even the slightest reaction Elsa bites just a little harder, which does.

“Did you… did you just bite me?” Anna eyes her suspiciously.

“Twice, actually,” Elsa says, and plants a kiss on Anna’s lip where she did it. “You didn’t even notice the first time.”

“That’s cruel. You’re being mean to me.”

“I am not! It was only a light nibble, it wouldn’t have hurt even if you could feel it.” Another kiss. “Or, is that the problem? Because you want to feel it?”

“Yes. That.”

“I’m not going to bite harder, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Anna still seems a bit miffed, but doesn’t saying anything, and Elsa takes that as her cue to continue. She’s a little overeager when she presses forward this time, and the momentum presses Anna against the back of the couch. This puts her slightly below Elsa, and as the kissing continues Anna slides down lower and lower, until she says wait, hold on and together they reorient until Anna is lying on her back and Elsa is propped up over her on her knees and elbow. Elsa gazes down at her sister, at how fucking pretty she is, basking in how much she’s enjoying having this semblance of power over her. With her one free hand she caresses Anna’s face, high on her cheek.

“Can you feel that?”

Anna nods, and then she pulls Elsa’s face close with both hands and kisses her clumsily.

After a few moments, Elsa pulls away and chuckles. “You’re really bad at that right now, you know.”

“Don’t care,” Anna replies, and pulls her down again.

Elsa doesn’t need her mantra anymore, she’s just lost in Anna.

They don’t end up kissing for the whole hour—Elsa remembers the cinnamon buns a little too late, but they only get a little bit burnt.

=//=

It takes some creative bookkeeping, but Hans and Kristoff manage to invite both Elsa and Anna to their company New Year’s Eve party as plus-ones, even though they’re dating each other. Hans assures them it will be an opulent affair, so the girls dress accordingly. Elsa wears an elegant blue gown together with an elaborate French braid that Anna says makes her look like royalty. Anna, perhaps somewhat predictably, wears something sultrier: a little black off the shoulder dress that puts her gorgeous freckles on full display. Elsa thinks she looks stunning.

The venue is indeed luxurious; the company has booked the entire top floor of one of the tallest buildings in the city, along with the rooftop garden and the accompanying bar and lounge. They meet Hans and Kristoff at the entrance to the building and ride the express elevator together all the way up to the top. Hans lavishes both girls with compliments; Anna returns the favor with admiration for the boys’ matching tuxedos, though Elsa can tell that Kristoff is far from comfortable in his. She suspects that, once the two of them have made enough money working for this tech company, he’s going to drag Hans out to the countryside somewhere and take up farming.

The party is in full swing once they make it through the security area. Every single person is dressed to the nines, a veritable sea of rich and/or attractive people in every direction, flooding the air with conversation and laughter. Elsa is pretty sure most of them are terrible people in one way or another, but she still puts on her best smile as Hans introduces them to one co-worker or socialite after the next, all of whose names she instantly forgets. The food, at least, is a saving grace: Elsa endeavors to quash her bubbling anxiety with a plateful of truly incredible sushi and a healthy dose of wasabi, to surprising success. Still, it’s a literal breath of fresh air when Anna steals her away from the boys and leads her out onto the rooftop area. There are fewer partygoers out here, most of whom are congregated over by the bar where the patio heaters are warding off the brisk December evening. Thankfully, Anna had been smart enough to stop by the coat check on their way out, so it’s not unbearably cold as Elsa walks with her through the garden, which is blessedly free of other people. The trellises along the paths have been decorated with various evergreen fronds and wreaths, and a few banners proclaiming the coming new year.

“You looked like you were going to die in there,” Anna remarks, after they find a bench to sit down on.

“I was doing okay,” Elsa replies meekly.

“You were literally eating your feelings, I could tell.”

“Okay, you’re right, I was dying. You know how I get around that many people.”

“I do,” Anna says, with a smile that radiates love.

Anna extends her arms and Elsa leans into her embrace, allows herself to be comforted. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Shush.” Anna kisses the top of Elsa’s head. “That’s never going to happen.”

Elsa thinks there a number of ways that could happen, but she doesn’t mention them. She gets precious few quiet moments like this with Anna, who is so often bursting with unfathomable chaotic energy, and she wants to savor it. So she does; she closes her eyes and lets her heart float up into the clouds.

She has little sense of how much time has passed when Anna finally breaks the silence. “Elsa, you’re not going to believe this but, um, look up? On the trellis-thing.”

Elsa looks up. “Is that—”

“Mistletoe? Yep.”

“You’re right, I don’t believe it.”

“It’s right there! You know what we have to do. It’s a rule, and I didn’t even make it up.”

Elsa sits up straight and looks at Anna. “Sisters are exempt from that rule.”

“Usually, yes,” Anna concedes. “But… it doesn’t count if we have no choice. So the exemption doesn’t apply to us.”

“You just made that up.”

“I did.”

Elsa glances at Anna’s lips, thinking fondly of that one afternoon the previous week. “It’s going to be different if both of us can feel it, you know.”

“I know,” Anna replies, and her eyes are bright with anticipation. “But it doesn’t count, so it’s okay.”

“Well, if it doesn’t count then I guess I have to agree.” Elsa glances around the garden, just to see if anyone is looking, but no one is. “Okay, you can kiss me.”

Somehow, despite all of this deliberation and everything that has happened between them before this, Elsa still isn’t prepared for when Anna kisses her. Even with all of her disclaimers about how the kiss doesn’t count, there’s no ambiguity about the way Anna presses her lips to Elsa’s: sweetly, passionately, and above all, romantically. It’s a confession in disguise; it’s a kiss that says, I’m in love with you.

When it’s over, Elsa needs a few moments to collect herself. It was one thing to have suspicions about what was going on between them, but another thing entirely to know so clearly how Anna felt about her. When she manages to meet Anna’s eyes again, she expects to find a look of mildly smug satisfaction, but is surprised to find her on the edge of tears. She always thinks of courage as something that comes easily for her sister, but maybe this time it didn’t.

“Elsa? Please say something.”

“I love you, too,” Elsa quickly assures her, as if the words could convey the depth of that emotion. But they can’t, and so she needs to do more. She takes Anna’s hand and says, “Hey, can we get up for a sec?”

“Um, sure?”

Elsa guides her over to the other side of the path and positions Anna’s back against one of the trellis posts there. She briefly looks up for confirmation, then tells Anna, “There’s no mistletoe here, so none of the rules apply this time.”

Anna nods in understanding. “That means it counts.”

“Yeah.” Then Elsa pushes Anna up against the trellis post with the full weight of her body and kisses her like her life depends on it.

[sa-heelies]

28 & 29 for the ask game <3

hiii ^_^

28: last meal on earth?

this is SO HARD but i think maybe litti choka actually. i love drunken noodles and i love ramen and i love chongqing noodles but i am also a jharkhandi and some litti with mustard oil and baingan choka is sounding reallll good right now.

29: preferred pasta noodle?

campanelle <3 but i also like spaghetti and farfalle!

(ask me questions!)

[city-calling]

🍲 Minced pork, chickpeas and pickled vegetable noodles with spicy broth from 📍 Hao Noodle and Tea on Avenue of the Americas. At first glance, it may seem like an odd combination of noodle toppings, but it's a delicious Chongqing classic!

💸It's pricier than what I usually go for at $14, but the establishment itself is quite fancy and would be a good place to invite guests visiting the city looking for Chinese food in Greenwich Village.

📷 Follow me on instagram!

[mademoiselle-red]

Getting to Know You

Thank you @phantomato for the tag!

Fave color: It changes. At the moment it’s probably green.

Song stuck in my head: none at the moment

Last song listened to: the lakes (Taylor Swift)

Three favorite foods: rice noodles (soup base may vary), chongqing style hot pot, mapo tofu

Last thing googled: why does my fire alarm battery die so quickly

Dream trip: @ralphlanyon was telling me about the Long Bar that Laurie mentions in the wedding chapter

“By the greatest good luck we happened to run into each other at Dunkirk” (he made it sound rather cosmopolitan, like Shepheard’s or the Long Bar at Shanghai)

They rebuilt the place in its original location on the Bund, and it’s still open, so right now I just want to chill out in Shanghai for a bit, check out that bar, go shopping, get my hair done, binge on food, see a play or musical, visit some museums, browse some second hand bookstores…

Tagging all my mutuals, I’d love to read your answers ❤️