#click on zhen for the about

[deers-tears]

ZHEN🌌: twenty-one. she/her. dilf lover. connoisseur of strange men. doomed by the narrative. ♡

NAVIGATION🏔️:

☁️: M.LIST • BYF • PLYLST

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[ghostofthepresent]

Why I think Shiguang can be canonically read as romantic

(I will only be using the donghua for reference, so no Studio Lan retweeting those fanarts (lmao) nor those especially gay manhwa panels (lmao x2) nor even the songs ("chase you to the end of the world, just to say your name once more" my beloved).

It's important to start off by saying that I'm aware Director Li said they ended up not making Lu Guang a girl because they didn't want romance to be seen as a must in Shiguang's relationship by the audience (and because he feels that "bros can have a good heart-to-heart connection with each other"). In my opinion that was a great move since it allows more freedom with how they write them than they'd have otherwise. I also think viewing Shiguang as queerplatonic is a great read too and it doesn't diminish their love for each other nor the importance of their relationship at all.

With that said, despite Director Li's words, there's been things that had me going 🤨 as someone who likes to adhere to canon relationships and read into the writer's intentions, so I wanted to share why I personally see them as romantic.

EPISODE 2

We've all seen this coming, right? Most obvious parallel ever, and in the second episode no less. We all know the similarities between both relationships, so I will just touch on those I consider the most important ones.

Lin Zhen and Yu Xia have gone to college together, and since then decided to start a business of their own - named after a mix of their names. They've been shown as being really close and having no romantic relationships. Lin Zhen also says that Yu Xia's happiness is her own, and then it's shown to us that she's gone through years of unhappiness just for Yu Xia. I believe you can replace their names with Lu Guang's and Cheng Xiaoshi's in your head without me writing all this again. And I'm not even going to get into the most obvious parallels like the special noodle recipe for each pair.

I think it's safe to say that Lin Zhen and Yu Xia are implied to be romantic. From that "one noodle" scene, to the close shot of Lin Zhen grabbing her hand, etc.

Now, I want to get into a writer's point of view and pose two questions:

1. What's the purpose of this episode, when even those which seem episodic connect to the overarching plot of season 1 (even the missing kid's case, as it leads to the involvement with the police)?

2. If we answer the previous question with the conclusion that it's meant to show us the nature/development of Cheng Xiaoshi's and Lu Guang's relationship, what does that say about it?

"Partner" in Link Click

Continuing with episode 2, what really got me thinking about the romantic intentions in their writing was the constant mention of marriage and anything in relation to it.

(may I remind everyone that the driver's comment was said when Cheng Xiaoshi was complaining about Lu Guang lmao)

They're telling us through "show don't tell" (for example, when Lin Zhen kept on eating the noodle despite knowing they'd kiss) and, also, connotations. They are presented to us as business partners, but then the entire episode goes on to tell us that there's more to them by tying their relationship to things percived as romantic. So what they want to really tell us is that beyond simple business partners, they're life-long partners.

And then, after establishing this kind of connotation to the word partner, Cheng Xiaoshi says this to Lu Guang in the next episode:

This doesn't stop at them. While it's the most obvious example, I think partnership in Link Click is intended to be seen as romantic, or at the very least dancing somewhere close to it. Let's go even further and take a look at our fully canon, heterosexual relationships and see briefly how their story is written:

1. Dong Yi and Xu Shanshan: both of them chose the comfort of each other's presence over moving on with their respective futures. Dong Yi had so much faith in their relationship and their love that he couldn't choose a life/future that didn't have Xu Shanshan - choosing to not go back to his family home nor go to that interview, and instead waiting for Xu Shanshan to define their relationship.

2. Liu Siwen and Ouyang: Siwen spent his entire life training with the purpose of getting his father-in-law's respect and marry Ouyang, going every year over and over to fight him. His perseverance and his undying love for her allowed Siwen to do the (seemingly) impossible.

3. Chen Bin and his wife: they're a tragedy. His wife understood Chen Bin the best, enduring feeling lonely because she loved him and wanted a future with him. But their relationship was cut short, so they promised each other to be together in a future life to make up for the time they wouldn't be in this one.

With this + the pictures I attached, it seems like Link Click has set this theme of "love is a life with you" for its romantic relationships, a partner that will fight to stay because they can't see a future that doesn't have their beloved. Going back to episode two, this applies even to the noodle ladies. When Yu Xia remembered what actually matters to her, she went back home - to the start, to her hometown. And, most importantly, to Lin Zhen.

So why is Shiguang romantic? Why aren't they queerplatonic, or just best friends, or bros or whatever else? Because besides what I said at the start of the previous paragraph, Shiguang's relationship mirrors a lot of the romantic ones. Each story and author writes romance and other kinds of relationships differently, portraying them in the way they perceive "this is what this kind of love is like". And beyond life-long partners, I think that the key elements of romantic relationships in Link Click are the ones I highlighted in bold above in the 3 canon relationships part - which Shiguang shares, too.

(I didn't mention this before with the het couples, but I find it a little amusing that season 2 happened because a man wanted to go to the past and get his wife back (still fuck you Qian Jin) and then we find out Lu Guang did go back to the past and got his boyfriend partner back lmao).

"Friend" vs "Partner"

So where is the boundary between platonic and romantic? What marks the difference between a (best) friend and a partner?

There is, for example, Liu Xiao and Li Tianchen's relationship. They aren't shown to have any kind of romantic undertones and there's even the very real possibility of manipulation on Liu Xiao's side. They're also never labeled as nor call each other partners, but instead Li Tianchen says he "met a new friend" and Liu Xiao says he's "going to meet an old friend" years later. So we could say for now that they have a somewhat close relationship (we see Li Tianchen go against Qian Jin to give the phone to Liu Xiao), but never cross that "friend" label.

We can even bring Qiao Ling and the boys' relationship. She's never labeled as a partner despite taking part in the side job and, more importantly, being super close to both of them. She is very important and a cherished friend to Shiguang, so why not call her partner too? I think it's intentional. Since she's been given a familial role already (calling Cheng Xiaoshi her brother when talking to Li Tianxi), she can't fill a partner role. I wonder why? because it's supposed to be a synonym for a romantic relationship. who said that.

So even best friends (Qiao Ling, arguably what Liu Xiao is to Li Tianchen) don't enter this close space that is being a partner. It's different, it's beyond platonic. Or at least that's what they've been showing us for the past two seasons.

I could go soo much more into this honestly, because I do think the little hints thrown here (the music videos) and there (tiny seemingly inconsequential details) are worth to be looked at too, but I wanted to get into the core reason that makes me go "woah so they're In Love fr". I hope I expressed myself well ^^

tldr; the series shows us a divide between having a (best) friend and a partner, giving "partners" romantic connotations.

[lxvsiick]

THE STARS ARE ALL ASLEEP | HAN TAESAN X READER

PAIRING: idol! han taesan x non!idol! fem! reader

SUMMARY: The loss and regret Taesan feels, trying to hold on to the memories of Y/n despite the pain

GENRE: angst, breakup, taesan is kinda an ass, imagine, short story

WORDCOUNT: 5.9k

A/N: ngl, did i procrastinate during my lecture to write this? yes . . . i wrote this after listening to 星星都睡了 by PPlin x Zhen Li -- I'm basically giving you guys song reccs to listen to -- the song is really good!... enjoy the story!

★🎸🎧⋆｡ °⋆

I can take care of myself, you don’t need to keep worrying about me.

I don’t smile anymore.

The clock on the wall ticked away the late hours of the evening as Y/n sat curled up on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, staring blankly at the TV. She wasn’t really watching, her mind too preoccupied with the events of the day. Work had been a disaster. Her boss had been harsher than usual, throwing out unreasonable demands and critiques that left her feeling drained and upset.

She sighed, glancing at her phone. No messages from Taesan. It wasn’t unusual—he was busy, always on the go with rehearsals, interviews, and performances. Being a famous idol meant long hours and even longer nights. Still, they shared this apartment, and she always tried to stay awake to talk to him when he came home.

Her heart lifted slightly when she heard the soft jingle of keys at the door. The lock clicked, and Taesan stepped inside, his hood pulled low over his face, slumping with exhaustion as he kicked off his shoes. He barely glanced in her direction as he made his way into the living room.

She straightened up on the couch, hoping for just a moment of his attention. “Hey, you’re home,” she greeted softly, forcing a small smile. “How was your day?”

“Long,” he muttered, not meeting her eyes as he walked past, heading straight for the kitchen to grab a drink. His tone was flat, his movements sluggish.

Y/n watched him, her heart sinking. “I had the worst day today,” she said, trying again to start a conversation. “My boss was being such a—”

“Not now,” he interrupted, his voice edged with weariness as he leaned against the counter, rubbing his temples. “I’m tired. I don’t want to talk.”

She froze, the words hanging in the air between them, heavier than she expected. She had been waiting all day to tell him about what happened, hoping he would listen, hoping she could find some comfort in his presence. But his dismissal felt like a slap to the face.

Her throat tightened as she swallowed her emotions. “Oh,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Okay.”

The silence stretched out uncomfortably as Taesan took a sip of his drink, still not looking at her. She tried to keep her disappointment from showing, but it was too late. The lump in her throat made it hard to speak, and the weight of the day, combined with his coldness, felt suffocating.

She stood up quietly, wrapping her arms around herself as if to shield against the sudden chill between them. “I’ll... leave you alone, then,” she murmured, backing away toward the bedroom. She didn’t wait for his response. He didn’t offer one.

As she turned, her steps slow and deliberate, her heart ached. This wasn’t how she imagined the night going. She had wanted to vent, to share her frustrations with the one person who mattered most to her. But now, she felt more alone than she had all day.

When she closed the bedroom door behind her, the click sounded louder than usual in the quiet apartment. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands, wondering if he even noticed how much she needed him right now.

Back in the living room, Taesan let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes as the weight of the day pressed down on him. He hadn’t meant to be so cold, but he was just too tired. Too tired to think, to listen, to be anything but worn out.

But in the silence that followed, something gnawed at him—a faint sense of guilt that he couldn’t quite shake, knowing she had wanted to talk, knowing she had needed him.

And he hadn’t been there.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

I don’t want to think about you all the time.

We tried our hardest to hurt everything between us, and now it’s impossible to repair.

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, orange glow over the city streets. Y/n sat on the bench at the bus stop, nervously checking her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. Her heart was filled with a mixture of excitement and impatience—today was supposed to be special. Their anniversary.

Taesan had promised to take her on a date after his interview, a rare moment in their hectic lives where they could celebrate together. She’d dressed up, her heart racing with anticipation, hoping for some time alone with him. But now, as the minutes dragged on, she couldn’t help but feel the growing sense of unease.

She scrolled through her phone again, the unanswered messages staring back at her: "Hey, interview over yet?" "Are you still coming?" "Let me know if you're running late."

No response. No calls. Nothing.

She sighed, biting her lip and glancing down the empty street. The buses came and went, passengers getting on and off, but there was still no sign of him. Her excitement slowly deflated into something more like dread.

A cold breeze picked up, and she pulled her jacket tighter around her. She couldn’t shake the feeling of being stood up, but that couldn’t be true, right? He wouldn’t just forget their anniversary. He wouldn’t break his promise to her.

In an attempt to distract herself, she opened her social media, scrolling absentmindedly through the feed. That’s when she saw it—a post from a fan page featuring Taesan and his group at some event. There he was, smiling and laughing with his bandmates, dressed in an outfit far too formal for just an interview.

Her heart sank. The caption beneath the photo read, "Surprise appearance at the event! BOYNEXTDOOR looking dashing as always."

She stared at the screen, the image of him so happy, so carefree. She felt a knot twist in her chest, anger and sadness mixing together. He wasn’t just late—he had gone somewhere else entirely, without even telling her. He had time for an event but not for their anniversary.

Her fingers hovered over the phone, wanting to call him again, but she knew it wouldn’t change anything. He wasn’t coming.

With a heavy sigh, she stood up, her heart feeling heavier than her feet as she trudged back toward their apartment. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it, knowing it wasn’t from him.

The walk back felt longer than usual, her mind replaying the excitement she’d felt that morning—how she’d looked forward to tonight, how she’d thought this anniversary would be a rare moment where they could be like any other couple. But instead, she was left alone, walking home in the dim light, her hands stuffed in her pockets to keep warm.

Finally, she reached the front door of their apartment building. Pausing for a moment, she glanced back at the empty street, a small part of her still hoping to see him running toward her, apologizing for being late. But the street remained empty, quiet, just like the unanswered messages on her phone.

With a deep breath, she entered the building and climbed the stairs to their apartment. As she unlocked the door and stepped inside, the stillness of the apartment felt colder than the air outside. No flowers, no candles, no sign that today was any different from any other day.

She sank onto the couch, staring blankly at the wall, the weight of disappointment settling in her chest like a stone. All she wanted was to be with him, to feel like she mattered, like they mattered. But tonight, she felt more alone than ever.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

You never cared about trying to get my forgiveness.

Don’t let us be covered in scars.

The apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the city outside. Y/n sat on the couch, her knees pulled to her chest, hugging a small black cat stuffed animal that Taesan had won for her on one of their early dates. Her eyes were red-rimmed, tears brimming but not falling. She stared blankly at her phone, an article open on the screen, the words blurring in front of her.

The jingle of keys at the door signaled his arrival. The door creaked open, and Taesan stepped in, exhaustion heavy in his posture. He looked worn from the day, his hair disheveled, still in his stage clothes. He let out a deep sigh as he kicked off his shoes, glancing toward her, not immediately noticing the tension in the air.

"Hey," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I'm home."

Y/n didn’t respond, her gaze locked on him, her lips pressed into a thin line as she clutched the stuffed animal tighter. Her chest ached with the weight of everything unsaid.

He finally noticed her silence, his eyes narrowing in concern. "What’s wrong?" he asked, his voice more annoyed than gentle. He was too tired for this—whatever this was.

She didn’t speak at first, just held out her phone toward him, the screen illuminating her tear-filled eyes. He frowned, walking over to take it from her hand. When he looked at the screen, his expression immediately shifted.

It was a news article—another baseless rumor. His name splashed across the headline alongside another female idol, the two of them speculated to be in a relationship. There were photos from a backstage event, carefully cropped and captioned to imply intimacy where none existed.

He groaned, already dreading the conversation. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath, tossing the phone onto the coffee table.

"Is this why you’re never around anymore?" Y/n finally spoke, her voice small but laced with hurt. Her eyes, shining with unshed tears, held a mixture of frustration, sadness, and fear. "Because of her?"

His jaw clenched, frustration quickly overtaking his fatigue. "What? No. It’s just a rumor," he snapped, throwing his hands up. "You really believe that crap? I told you not to pay attention to those things."

"But you’re never here anymore!" Her voice cracked as she stood up, still hugging the stuffed cat to her chest. "You’re always too busy, too tired, or too... distant. And then I see this and—" She broke off, shaking her head, tears spilling over now. "How am I supposed to feel? Am I supposed to just ignore it when you’re gone all the time?"

"I’m working!" he fired back, the anger rising in his chest. "I’m busting my ass for this career, for us—but you’re here, worried about some stupid tabloid story? Where’s the trust?"

"Trust?" she repeated, incredulous. "How can I trust you when you don’t even talk to me anymore? When you don’t make time for me at all? Do you even care about this relationship?"

Her words cut deep, but his frustration was too overwhelming to process the hurt beneath them. "Of course I care! But you’re suffocating me with all these doubts. Every time I come home, it’s something like this. You worry too much."

"I worry because I care!" Her voice broke, raw with emotion. "Because I love you, and I feel like I’m losing you—like you’re slipping away and I can’t do anything about it."

The silence that followed was deafening. They stood there, staring at each other, both breathing heavily from the intensity of the argument.

Taesan rubbed his temples, his voice lowering but still tense. "This is ridiculous. It’s just a rumor. I’m tired, and I don’t want to do this right now."

"You never want to do this," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her chest heaving as she tried to control the sobs threatening to spill over. "Fine."

With a quiet, bitter laugh, she turned and walked toward their bedroom. "I’m done with this conversation. Go sleep at your dorm or wherever it is you’d rather be."

His eyes followed her as she disappeared down the hallway, her door closing softly behind her, though the emotional slam still reverberated through him.

He stood there for a long moment, his anger simmering down into guilt, exhaustion pulling at him from all sides. He didn’t want to fight, but it always seemed to end up this way. They always ended up like this—torn apart by his career, by misunderstandings, by everything he didn’t have time to fix.

With a heavy sigh, Taesan grabbed his jacket and keys, heading back toward the door. The silence of the apartment felt unbearable now.

As he stepped out into the cold night air, he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward his group’s dorm, his mind filled with everything left unsaid, wondering how they had come to this.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

When the stars in the sky all sleep, I feel so dark, my body feels inexplicably cold

The night air was heavy, thick with a silence that seemed to press down on everything. The small park near their apartment was a place once filled with memories—their late-night walks, quiet conversations, stolen moments—but now it felt distant, like something from another lifetime.

Taesan stood at the edge of the path, hands shoved deep into his pockets, his breath visible in the cool air. He hadn’t been back here in weeks, not since he’d started staying at his group’s dorm. It felt strange now, almost foreign.

His eyes shifted as he saw Y/n approaching slowly from the other side of the park. His heart clenched at the sight of her, though he couldn’t quite place why. She looked…different. Her face was pale, her eyes hollow, the dark bags beneath them evident even in the dim light. The spark, the warmth he always loved in her eyes, was gone. She looked like someone who had been carrying the weight of the world for too long.

She stopped a few steps away from him, the space between them feeling like a chasm.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked, his voice quiet but carrying an edge of tension. He already had a sinking feeling in his chest, but he wasn’t ready to confront it.

Y/n looked at him for a long moment, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came out at first. She shifted her weight, wrapping her arms around herself like she was trying to hold herself together.

"I’m tired," she finally said, her voice flat, void of emotion. "I’m tired of waiting for you. Of waiting for us to feel like it used to." Her eyes met his, and the emptiness in them hit him like a punch to the gut. "I can’t keep doing this."

His heart stuttered in his chest, but he didn’t say anything. He just stared at her, trying to process her words, hoping this wasn’t what he thought it was.

“I’m done,” she continued, her voice firmer this time, as if she had rehearsed these words over and over in her head before finally saying them. “I don’t want to have to keep waiting on you, waiting for something to change. I feel like I’m always waiting.”

The silence between them was unbearable now, but he couldn’t find the right words to say. His throat felt tight, like any response he tried to form would only come out broken.

She wasn’t crying—there were no tears. She wasn’t angry. Just…done. It made it worse somehow. He would’ve preferred her to scream at him, to be angry, to throw something, but this quiet resignation was shattering him in a way he hadn’t expected.

“You’re not the same,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but sharp enough to cut through the air between them. "I don’t recognize you anymore. And I know you’re tired too. Tired of me, of this... You don’t need to say it. I can see it every time you walk out the door and don’t come back until late or not at all."

He wanted to protest, to tell her she was wrong, that things could be different, but the words wouldn’t come. Maybe because a part of him knew she was right. He hadn’t been present—not really. His career had consumed him, and in the process, he had let her slip away. He let them slip away.

She let out a shaky breath, her eyes momentarily glancing down at the ground before meeting his gaze again. "I loved you," she said softly. "I still do, but I can’t keep holding onto something that’s already gone."

His chest tightened painfully, and he took a small step forward, as if to reach for her, but stopped himself. He didn’t know how to fix this. He didn’t even know if he could.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, though it was unclear if she was apologizing to him or to herself.

And then, she turned around, her figure illuminated only by the faint glow of the park’s streetlights. She didn’t run. She didn’t storm off. She just walked away, her back to him, her shoulders slightly hunched as if the weight of everything was too much to bear.

He stood there, frozen in place, his heart breaking with every step she took. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He could only watch as she walked further and further away, her silhouette fading into the distance until she was nothing more than a distant memory in the night.

The cold settled into his bones, but he didn’t move. He couldn’t. He felt numb, like everything inside him had shattered and there was nothing left but the aching emptiness where she used to be. The night stretched on, and the only sound that filled the silence was the faint rustling of leaves in the wind, as the world around him continued on, unaware that his had just fallen apart.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

I don’t need the hottest and best car.

I don’t need to be the best pop star.

I want to express myself, but I messed up.

What’s there to lose! My heart’s already half empty.

The studio’s lights were harsh, reflecting off the mirrors that lined the walls. The steady beat of the music thumped through the room, filling the space with energy, but Taesan’s movements felt sluggish, disconnected from the rhythm. He was usually so precise, so in sync with the choreography, but today he couldn’t seem to get it right.

"Again," the instructor called out, clapping their hands sharply, frustration seeping into their voice. "You’re off, Taesan. Focus."

He nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow, though it felt like the sweat wasn’t the problem—it was the weight pressing on his chest. They started the routine again, but halfway through, his steps faltered. His foot missed the mark, his body off-beat. He felt his group members glance at him in concern, but he kept his head down, trying to push through.

"Stop!" the instructor barked, cutting the music abruptly. "Take five. Taesan, get it together."

He didn’t respond, just stood there, panting, his hands on his knees. The others slowly moved to the sides of the room to grab water or stretch. Taesan didn’t move. His mind was spinning, but not about the dance. His thoughts kept drifting to her—Y/n. The look on her face when she walked away, the sound of her voice when she said she was done, the quiet resignation in her eyes. It haunted him.

It was all he could think about.

He pressed his palms against his eyes, trying to clear his head, but it was no use. The more he tried to shake it off, the more the memories flooded back. The last argument, the tension that had been building for months, how he had shrugged her off when she needed him most.

“Hey, man. You good?” Jaehyun asked, cautiously approaching him with a bottle of water in hand.

Taesan shook his head slightly, forcing a deep breath. “I’m fine,” he muttered, though the tightness in his voice said otherwise.

“You’re not,” Leehan said bluntly, walking over with the rest of the group. "You’ve been off all day. What’s going on?"

He opened his mouth to respond with something dismissive, something to brush them off like he always did when things got too personal, but this time, he couldn’t. His chest ached too much. The guilt, the regret—it was all bubbling up inside him, and he couldn’t keep it down any longer.

“I—” His voice cracked, and he quickly looked away, swallowing hard. He hated this. Hated feeling this vulnerable, especially in front of them.

His group members exchanged glances, clearly worried.

“I miss her,” he finally whispered, barely audible.

“What?” Riwoo leaned in closer, frowning.

“I miss her,” he repeated, louder this time, though his voice wavered. “I miss Y/n… so much.”

The room fell into a heavy silence, the usual energy drained as his words settled in.

“I screwed up,” he said, his hands trembling slightly as he raked them through his hair. “I didn’t realize what I had until she was gone. And now—” He paused, his throat tightening, the memories of their breakup flashing in his mind. “Now it’s too late. I hurt her, I wasn’t there when she needed me, and she left. I don’t blame her.”

His eyes burned, but he refused to let the tears fall. Not here. Not in front of them.

“I regret everything,” he admitted, his voice strained, raw. “Everything that led to us falling apart. I pushed her away, I was so wrapped up in my own life that I didn’t see how much I was losing her.” His hand clenched into a fist. "I thought I could balance everything, but… I couldn’t. I failed her.”

His group members stood in stunned silence. Taesan was always the one who kept things together, the one who didn’t let his emotions get the better of him. Seeing him like this, so vulnerable, so broken, was a shock.

“I don’t know how to fix it,” he continued, his voice barely above a whisper now. “I don’t think I can. She’s done with me, and I can’t blame her. I’ve been a terrible boyfriend… and a terrible person.”

Sungho stepped closer, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, man, don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth,” he said bitterly, looking down at the floor. “I still love her. I never stopped. But she’s gone, and it’s all my fault.”

“You’re human, Taesan hyung,” Woonhak said, his tone gentle. “People make mistakes.”

“Not like this,” Taesan muttered, shaking his head. “She waited for me. She was patient, and I took her for granted. I should’ve been there for her.”

His group members shared worried glances, unsure of what to say. They had never seen him like this—so lost, so regretful.

“It’s not too late,” Jaehyun offered hesitantly. “You can still reach out to her, talk to her—”

“She’s done with me,” Taesan interrupted, his voice flat. “She said she’s tired of waiting, and I can’t blame her. I would’ve left me too.”

He slumped down onto the floor, leaning against the mirrored wall, his head in his hands. The silence stretched on for what felt like forever, the only sound being the faint hum of the air conditioning in the studio.

His group members sat down around him, unsure of how to help, but unwilling to leave him alone. They could see how much pain he was in, and it hurt to see their usually composed, confident friend in pieces like this.

“I’m sorry,” Taesan whispered again, more to himself than anyone else. "I’m so sorry, Y/n."

And for the first time in a long time, he let the tears fall.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

Through the whole night, you’re no longer in my sight.

Maybe everyone feels the same, but time goes by too fast.

The air backstage was charged with excitement, a low hum of activity as the staff rushed around making final preparations. Taesan sat quietly in a corner, his hands resting on his lap, staring at the floor as the muffled cheers of the crowd reached his ears. The energy of the arena was palpable, but inside, he felt a familiar weight pressing down on his chest.

It had been a few months since the breakup. Since the day she’d said she was done. He hadn’t realized how hard it would hit him—how much he’d miss her. Even now, the thought of her still tugged at his heart, the hurt still raw even though time had passed.

"Taesan, you good?" Sungho asked, breaking through his thoughts as they finished a huddle nearby.

He glanced up, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, I’m fine."

They’d asked him that a lot lately, and every time he said the same thing. He had to be fine. He had no other choice. Being an idol meant putting on a perfect face, no matter what was going on behind the scenes. It was all part of the job, and he owed it to his fans to give them everything he had. But the truth was, no matter how much time passed, she never really left his mind.

A staff member approached, headset in place, clipboard in hand. "Five minutes until showtime."

His group gave a collective nod, standing up to stretch and prepare. Taesan rose to his feet, brushing off his outfit, and took a deep breath. He could feel the adrenaline starting to build, the anticipation of the stage waiting for him. This was his world now—his stage, his music, his fans. He had to focus on that.

But as his mind drifted back to her—her smile, the sound of her laugh, the way she used to wait up for him—his chest tightened again. The ache that hadn’t fully healed throbbed beneath the surface, a constant reminder of what he’d lost.

"Focus," he whispered to himself, closing his eyes for a moment. He couldn’t let this affect him now. Not here. Not when the world was watching.

The fans were already screaming, chanting their names, and he knew the second he stepped onto that stage, he had to be the idol they all adored—the one who smiled for them, who gave them his all, no matter what was happening in his personal life.

A deep breath. He opened his eyes as the staff gave the signal.

“It’s time,” one of his group members said, nudging him gently. "Let’s go."

He nodded, shaking off the last traces of his wandering thoughts. Putting on his best smile—the smile that had charmed millions—he stepped in line with his group as they prepared to walk onto the stage.

The music swelled through the speakers, and the moment the curtains parted, a wave of sound crashed over them. The roar of the crowd, the flashing lights, the sea of fans waving lightsticks—it was everything he’d worked for, everything he loved.

He couldn’t let them down.

As they walked out, the fans’ cheers grew louder, the energy electric. He felt it surge through him, pushing the heaviness of his emotions to the back of his mind. The stage was where he belonged, and for now, that had to be enough.

But even as he smiled, danced, and sang, giving his all to the performance, a part of him still carried her with him—her memory, her absence. He knew he had to move on, but it wasn’t that simple. She had been a part of him for so long, and the love he had for her didn’t just disappear. He was still learning how to live with that ache.

As the music thumped in his ears and the fans sang along to every word, he forced himself to be present, to let the performance carry him. But every now and then, between the beats, he could feel her shadow lingering in the back of his mind.

And when the concert was over, and the adrenaline faded, he knew she’d be there waiting in the back of his mind—just as she always had been.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

Finally, the wounds have scabbed over, but am I still thinking about it?

The room was dimly lit by the slivers of moonlight that slipped through the half-drawn blinds. The quiet hum of the air conditioner was the only sound breaking the silence of the night. Taesan lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling with a contemplative expression. The shadows cast by the moonlight danced across the walls, but his focus remained on the blank expanse above him.

He was in his shared dorm room with Woonhak, who was already fast asleep, snoring softly. Taesan had been lying awake for hours, his mind racing through thoughts he couldn’t seem to quiet.

It had been five months since the breakup. He had made significant progress—he wasn’t as heartbroken as he once was, and his days were filled with the busyness of his idol life. But despite all that, thoughts of Y/n still occupied a corner of his mind.

He wondered about her often. What was she doing now? Was she happier without him? Was she moving on with her life, creating new memories, and finding joy in things that didn’t include him? The questions lingered, and even though he tried to push them away, they always seemed to return.

He remembered their last conversation, the look in her eyes when she had ended things. It wasn’t anger or resentment but a calm, resolute sadness. He had always wished he could go back and fix things, do better, be the person she deserved.

Turning his head slightly, he glanced over at the small bedside clock—it was well past midnight. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he shifted uncomfortably. The ache of missing her wasn’t as sharp as it once was, but it was still there, a gentle, persistent throb that reminded him of the love they had shared.

He recalled the little moments they had—walking in the park, sharing secrets, the way she used to laugh at his jokes, the sparkle in her eyes when she listened to his songs. Those memories were bittersweet now, tinged with the sadness of knowing that those times were in the past.

He wondered if she ever thought about him. Did she ever look back and remember the good times? Did she ever miss him, even just a little? The curiosity gnawed at him, but he didn’t have any answers. He had made the decision to give her space, to let her heal and move on, but it didn’t make the longing any easier.

He closed his eyes, imagining what it would be like to see her again, to talk to her, to hear her voice. He hoped that wherever she was, she was happy. He hoped she had found the peace and joy that they both deserved.

As he lay there, the weight of his thoughts became a little heavier. He had learned to live with the separation, to accept it as part of his journey, but that didn’t mean it was easy. The nights like these were the hardest—when the world was quiet, and the only thing he had was the memory of what once was.

Eventually, he forced himself to turn away from the ceiling, pulling the covers closer as he tried to settle into a more comfortable position. It was a futile attempt to silence his racing mind, but he knew that some things would take time to fully resolve.

For now, he would focus on his work, on the present, and try to hold onto the hope that things would get better. And maybe, just maybe, someday he would get the closure he needed. Until then, he would carry on, living his life while cherishing the memories of what they once had.

He finally drifted off to sleep, the thoughts of her slowly fading into the background, though never completely out of reach.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

I realize I can live without you, but I once decided to grow old with you.

How much loneliness and struggle remain pierced in my heart.

The crisp autumn air was cool against his skin as Taesan and his group members strolled down the street. Their faces were concealed behind masks and sunglasses, a necessary precaution to avoid being recognized. Despite their disguises, the atmosphere was relaxed, and they enjoyed the rare chance to go out incognito.

They chatted casually, their conversation punctuated by laughter as they approached a quaint café they had heard good things about. The cozy little place had a warm glow that contrasted with the chilly evening air.

As they reached the entrance, Taesan was the last to go inside. Just as he was about to cross the threshold, the door swung open and someone bumped into him.

Startled, he looked down, his heart skipping a beat when he saw who it was.

It was her. Y/n.

She looked different—brighter, happier. Her hair was shorter, framing her face in a way that seemed to enhance her natural beauty. And her eyes—those eyes that used to be so full of sadness—were now sparkling with a joy he hadn’t seen in a long time.

They locked eyes for a split second, and he felt a pang of something he couldn’t quite place—hope, regret, longing. He stood frozen, caught between the urge to speak and the overwhelming surge of emotions.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed, her voice warm and apologetic as she quickly stepped back. She didn’t seem to recognize him, her focus more on the minor collision than on the person she bumped into.

“No problem,” he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper.

She flashed him a quick, polite smile before turning and walking away, her figure gradually diminishing as she moved down the street.

Taesan stood there, watching her retreat, his heart pounding. The moment felt surreal—seeing her like this, so changed, so content. It was as if the universe had given him one more chance to make things right, and he wasn’t sure if he should let it slip away.

“Hey, what’s taking you so long?” Riwoo called out from inside the café. “Let’s go!”

Still reeling from the encounter, Taesan snapped back to reality. He turned towards the café, where his friends waited, but something inside him urged him to follow her—to find out if this new version of her was truly as happy as she seemed.

Without a word, he pulled his mask and glasses off and turned on his heel, rushing out of the café. His group members called after him, confusion evident in their voices, but he ignored them, his focus entirely on the woman who had just walked away.

He sprinted down the street, glancing around, his heart racing as he searched for any sign of her. The sight of her figure, walking away with a spring in her step, seemed to guide him forward, pushing him to bridge the gap that had grown between them.

Every step felt heavy with anticipation, each breath a mix of excitement and anxiety. He didn’t know what he’d say or what he hoped to find, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a chance he couldn’t let slip by.

Finally, he spotted her again, standing on the corner, waiting for a bus. With a deep breath, he approached, trying to steady his racing heart.

“Y/n!” he called out, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.

She turned, a look of surprise crossing her face as she recognized the urgency in his voice. Her eyes widened as they met his, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Everything around them seemed to disappear and it was only them there. Y/n’s look of surprise turns into a smile, her sparkling eyes meeting him.

“Hi.”

★🎸🎧⋆｡ °⋆

PART TWO VER.1 -- VER.2 | MASTERLIST

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, lxvsiick, 2024

[junipernight]

I redesigned Yangchen's outfit!

... I actually designed a lot of outfits for her, because I am Extremely Normal about these books, and also I like costume design and learning about historical clothing.

Short disclaimer: These fantasy clothes aren't culturally or historically accurate, just historically and culturally influenced. I don't have any expertise in East or Central Asian culture or clothing, I've just been clicking around on the internet a lot the last two weeks learning things because that's my idea of fun lol. If you wanted to talk to people who actually know things you should check out @atlaculture or like @ziseviolet, both of whom's blogs I referenced while drawing.

I only designed two alternates for the outer robes. The first is based loosely off the robes Buddhist monks wear (loosely, because drawing draped fabric is hard ^^') especially the Tibetan zhen robe. This garment is just a long wide rectangle of cloth which can be draped across the body in lots of ways (versatility ftw!).

The other garment I drew is a Chuba, a traditional garment from Tibet and the Himalayas. It's a robe, but it highkey reminds me of kilts and hoodies, in that it a) can be worn over one or both shoulders or just as a skirt and b) it makes a giant pocket over the stomach. The long sleeves can be folded up or tied back btw.

I spent the most time on the middle layer, because I was thinking it has to be something she could comfortably fight in while also being suitable for diplomatic meetings, meditating, espionage, and possibly sleeping.

And like. You can fight and hike and whatnot in loose skirts, but it's annoying how twisted up they can get while sleeping. ALSO, YC does a lot of flying and leaping, so my girl needs pants. My faves are definitely the Xiaolin monk pants and the yellow wrap pants Aang wears. I tried dhoti (Indian wrap pants) because that kind of looks like what the giant statue of Yangchen meditating might be wearing, but I think it looks odd paired with a highwaisted shirt instead of a long tunic. Maybe I'll do some more drawings with her in a tunic and dhoti or a monk's dhonka and shemdap later, idk.

As any good historical fashion nerd knows, foundational garments are everything (◡‿◡✿).

But also, there's a scene where Yangchen and Kavik pretend to be lovers, and are "discovered" by a maid sleeping in the same room, with Yangchen in a state of partial undress (gasp!)

I am living for this fake drama; I need to know how scandalized the maid was lmao.

When the maid walks in, Yangchen immediately wraps herself in a bedsheet before ushering the maid back out the door. Maybe all she did was take off her outer robe... but why would she need to wrap herself in a sheet if she was wearing a long-sleeved high-necked gown? I got the sense from both the book and cursory research about buddhist monks that walking around without your outer robes was socially acceptable, at least in casual settings. I think it more likely she was in her underclothes, which historically (in the west anyway) would also double as sleeping clothes.

"The Aang" is censored because this is Tumblr-dot-com. Its mostly a joke, but also, I know other countries are less uptight about bººbies, so like, maybe it's a valid option ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The ~Water Tribe~ look is based off Sokka's swimwear and not Katara's, mostly because chest binding seems antithetical to airbending.

All the other undergarment designs are based on hanfu neiyi, because that's what I could find reference photos and romanized names for.

I'm tired of typing now. Lemme know if you have questions about something, or want me to post a larger version of a specific outfit. I am open to feedback and tentatively open to requests.

[kurigohan0909]

Rewatching Link Click: Easter eggs in your noodle soup?

So I've just finished watching both seasons of Link Click/Shíguāng Dàilǐ-rén, which means that obviously I'm watching it all over again. What did you expect me to do, sit around waiting for Bridon arc while the Bilibili official account taunts us with replays??

Besides, Link Click is one of those dishes that is best served twice. The early episodes are packed with hints and foreshadowing that only become clear once you've gotten up to date, so I've made it my mission to catch 'em all.

You don't say.

It's well known that certain early mini-arcs (for instance Chen Xiao's basketball match, and Doudou's kidnapping) have implications for the larger plotline or at least contain important exposition/character insights that the story would not feel complete without. There are also several that get written off as filler, or are generally considered to not have any purpose beyond familiarising the audience with the characters and setup, and lulling you into a false sense of comfort before everything goes to shit. Episode 2: Secret Recipe, AKA the Noodle Lesbians episode, beloved as it is, tends to fall into the second category.

Or does it?

On a rewatch, I still don't think it does anything to advance the main plot. We don't even really know where it fits into the timeline, because we're never told what day it is and Lu Guang's watch is never shown on screen (I'll get around to a longer analysis of this another day). However, I'm instead inclined to believe that it's one of the most important episodes in the show - if not THE most important - because it's essentially an allegory for the story of Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, and gives you a bird's eye view of how the relationship between them is going to develop - which, as you know, is what the show is all about. And the fact that it's not situated in a specific time, in a show that cares heavily about timeline construction, makes it better.

The episode starts with this quote from German photographer August Sander, who believed that, through photography, he could reveal the characteristic traits of people. "The portrait is your mirror. It's you." It's pretty explicit, when you think about it. This episode is a mirror of the entire series, specifically of its protagonists.

Moving on. The episode's storyline is quite simple: two college "roommates" start a noodle shop together, and as time passes, they drift apart and eventually fall out as their priorities change. Yu Xia, the business-oriented one between them, wants to get hold of the secret ingredient used by Lin Zhen, to whose cooking the shop attributes its success. Does Yu Xia really want to steal the secret recipe? Or is it just one of the many things that the quieter Lin Zhen keeps hidden from her that she desperately wants to know, along with everything that went wrong between them? Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, there are lots of indirect parallels between Xialin of the noodle shop and Shiguang of the photo studio, even if for now they're very distinct individuals with their own personalities and struggles. It does, however, give some indication of what's to come.

This question isn't purely rhetorical, as we find out in the very next arc, where Cheng Xiaoshi has a fight with Lu Guang over letting his client's loved ones perish in the Wenchuan earthquake. Even if they eventually come to a consensus, they have fundamentally different life philosophies and approach their missions in very different ways. Cheng Xiaoshi is a hyperempathetic idealist who keeps trying to use his forays back into the past to fix his clients' personal problems, while Lu Guang remains utterly indifferent and staunchly against interfering, even in life-or-death situations. Which turns out to be a facade, because we later learn that he's just as much of a meddler as Cheng Xiaoshi - except he's focused on a singular, selfish goal, which is to keep Cheng Xiaoshi alive at any cost.

Let's go back to the noodle shop. After ten years of running the business together, it becomes clear that the ladies' aspirations are no longer compatible. Yu Xia has big plans for the shop. She wants to broaden their customer base - for profit, of course, but also so that more people can be made happy by the chance to taste their noodles. Lin Zhen's dreams, however, are on a smaller scale - perhaps only on a personal scale. Throughout the episode, it seems that she only really cares about making noodles for one person.

Sound familiar?

At the risk of digressing, it needs to be said that Yu Xia and Lin Zhen are absolutely very much a WLW couple. This isn't bait, it's elegant and really quite unsubtle queercoding that says 'to hell with censorship' loud and clear. Honeymoon jokes, the taxi driver assuming Lin Zhen had fought with her husband, and Lin Zhen's very bold attempts at flirting... we see you.

More to the point of this post, I think it's important to point out that Lin Zhen does not actually care for too many people other than Yu Xia. She's all worn out from making noodles for customers, but she forgets all about that when it's time to make a bowl for Yu Xia. She also keeps her special ingredient - which is one of the secrets she shares with Yu Xia, as we find out - highly guarded. She's never going to let these pesky reporters in on something so intimate.

Why is this important? Because, as it turns out, the episode's storyline - and Lin Zhen's motives - are all about saving Yu Xia.

We learn that the secret ingredient is a local specialty from Yu Xia's hometown. Lin Zhen has been using it for years, keeping the taste of home alive while Yu Xia's drifted further and further from home to the point where she can no longer remember where the ingredient came from. At the end of it all, when Yu Xia returns home, she finds Lin Zhen there waiting for her. Lin Zhen, mind you, does not hail from the same town. The girls met in college. It's home to her simply because it's Yu Xia's home.

This comes directly after a pilot episode that establishes the contrast between urban isolation and rural/familial warmth, through Emma's eyes, and in a show that continually reinforces the concept of longing for home and loved ones. By forcing Yu Xia to reevaluate her priorities, Lin Zhen manages to bring her back home - which is a place that includes herself.

Perhaps it's too early to say. But to me, it's a pretty neat thematic parallel of Lu Guang's solo quest to save Cheng Xiaoshi from death; which is intertwined with a greater goal of giving Cheng Xiaoshi a home, one that is safe and secure and surrounds him with those that love him and are there to stay.

But in the process of achieving this, one of his biggest obstacles is Cheng Xiaoshi himself - his insistence on interfering with the timeline so that Lu Guang can't predict events with certainty, his objections to the way Lu Guang does things, and the definite resistance Lu Guang will come up against if Cheng Xiaoshi learns about his plan. Pretty much every minor mission they undertake is a rehash of the same argument; Cheng Xiaoshi wants to use their combined powers to make a difference to other people's lives, and Lu Guang just has one goal in mind which means that he's going to ignore absolutely everyone else.

Notice how Yu Xia's looking to the future, while Lin Zhen's dream is to go back to a point in the past? Neat.

And when they finally part ways because it's clear Yu Xia is not going to support Lin Zhen's goal? Yu Xia asks her where she's going to go after they part ways, and Lin Zhen says:

I wonder where we've heard that before.

And if you need any more proof that this episode is in fact intended to be a mirror, do consider:

Their seating positions are mirrored too. Yeeeeaaaaaahhhh.

In conclusion: if this allegory is to be believed, then trust that Lu Guang will eventually succeed in his mission and Cheng Xiaoshi will find his way home to him. It'll happen, guys. In the meantime, at least our beloved noodle ladies will be living a peaceful life out in the countryside.

Since I don't know how to shut up and this website seems to be giving me infinite space to yap, let me include some more details about this episode that I found cool. There are so many.

Lin Zhen and Lu Guang are both shown while this line is being said. What with all that the fragrant flowers represent, it makes you think about what these characters' best memories might be and how much they treasure them.

This is such a tiny detail that you'd almost definitely miss it on the first watch, and it seems insignificant - until it isn't. When Cheng Xiaoshi hops into the girls' picture taken during their college days, he screws up and suggests they'd be better off dabbling in tech stuff like apps or intelligent management than running a noodle shop. Lu Guang makes him quickly eat his words, but they seem to have still struck a chord with Yu Xia - because later we see that she works over years to integrate an intelligent supply chain management system into their business. In fact, one of the reasons for Lin Zhen to alienate herself from the business is because she feels like it's gotten too techy and lost its human touch. Not really fair considering it was her own idea, is it?

I mean. This is probably a stretch. Digitization is pretty inevitable for big businesses nowadays, so Yu Xia, being as enterprising as she is, might have gone for it whether Lin Zhen suggested it or not. But it's interesting to think that it might be Cheng Xiaoshi's tiny alteration of the past that unfurled outwards like a hurricane from the beating of a butterfly's wing and catalysed their falling out. Especially because these kinds of bootstrap phenomena very much occur in later episodes and are a core feature of Link Click's time travel model.

Some suspicious behaviour on Lu Guang's part. He's quite certain there are no useful clues in the last picture Yu Xia and Lin Zhen took in front of their shop, despite it being the only one taken by Lin Zhen (seriously! you could go to her house, look through her phone, the possibilities are endless!) and the fact that this is the photo Cheng Xiaoshi did end up solving the mystery in, thanks to the ticket stubs he found in her purse (see?) Secondly, they outright miss a picture in the envelope - the most important picture of all which would have given them the answer right away, since this was when the fragrant flowers were first used. Not your best work, Lu Guang.

...or is it? Lu Guang is pretty meticulous, and it's unlike him to slip up in such obvious ways. He's also skilled at slipping things back into envelopes when he doesn't want them to be seen, as we know. Could it be that he didn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to solve the mystery? But why? Maybe it's metaphorical, like so much else of this episode: he doesn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to uncover his true intentions. The fact that all this is ultimately for his sake.

Interestingly, Lu Guang was very dejected at the idea of them seemingly being out of luck - they'd tried so many times and failed to fulfill the mission. Was he, perhaps, thinking about another mission he'd hate to fail? Anyway, it falls to Cheng Xiaoshi to cheer him up and give him hope for another try, which he accepts, with a small but genuine smile. My heart.

If you've scrolled this far, I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings! I must say I don't know much about how Tumblr works so apologies if I mess up on formatting or tags, but I'll probably get the hang of it soon enough. I'll also probably end up enjoying Tumblr more than Twitter since it allows me unfettered yap space and won't feed my writing to the machine (yet). It's late and I should probably stop stop thinking bout it around now... but look forward to more random ramblings and thank you for reading!

[anulithots]

Attempting to analyze Cheng Xiaoshi’s arc over the course of season one. 

(I watched too much arcane analysis, which tends to combine plot and character analysis - I tend to focus on underlying character essence - and here I attempt to use a similar thinking in relation to Link Click season one. THIS IS NOT FINISHED but I won't be on tumblr after today. Once I finish, I'll post it here). 

We’ll continue slightly out of order. Writers craft their stories in iterations and long nights, so I’d assume direct arcs string themselves in differing episodes and aren’t the most linear process in existence. It’s a mess. I know. Hopefully, I can consolidate it all at the end! 

(I’m writing this in a fancy font on google docs first and now this sounds like an academic paper. … I’m sorry.) 

The noodle ladies - 

Wu Xia and Lin Zhen act as direct parallels to Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi. One might think Lin Zhen - with her quiet, mellow nature and her upkeep of the shop itself - represents Lu Guang. Wu Xia - louder, impulsive, and stubborn - parallels Cheng Xiaoshi. The show itself supports this. Cheng Xiaoshi acts as Wu Xia and Lin Zhen poses as this mysterious secret-keeper. 

Until the last dive. 

Cheng Xiaoshi - idealistic, sentimental, moral, if not ethical, to a fault - possesses Lin Zhen. 

Wu Xia - carried into the depths of her obsession with their dream - represents Lu Guang with this viewpoint. 

Now, the ‘second half’ of this episode (most episodes of season one have this sort of structure… we’ll get to that later), might lie in the Bridon/Yingdu arc, which reframes this episode as a call-back, a thematic flashback, if you will. However, if the ‘second half’ appears in a later season, then it’ll act as foreshadowing. I’m leaning towards the second option simply because of the weight that implication has - we’re getting to that, I promise - but it could be a call-back; it could lie partially in both the future and the past; this is Link Click! They surprise us. 

I say all this to convey that hindsight will let me write a more thorough answer, but for now, we have this:

With Lin Zhen representing Lu Guang, we as the viewers receive some indications of Lu Guang’s inner workings… which we get so few of. I’d like Lu Guang’s backstory now please.

Lu Guang, both in the future and in the past, gets carried away with the obsession of keeping Cheng Xiaoshi alive, eventually driving both Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang apart. 

They’ll get back together and get married though. (Please director Li, I beg you.) 

The Earthquake Arc - 

This arc explores Cheng Xiaoshi’s trust. His trust towards Lu Guang, towards his parents, and to himself. 

With Lu Guang, the trust cemented in episode two - where the Wu Xia and Lin Zhen recovering their relationship paralleled how Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi could also recover their relationship, should anything happen to it - showcases itself further. Cheng Xiaoshi trusts Lu Guang with this dive, even though something seems off about changing the past. Throughout this arc he asks Lu Guang specifics about the mission and if it’s really okay to change the past. Lu Guang gives vague answers. Cheng Xiaoshi trusts him. ‘You’re always right.’ 

Moving on to episode four, the focus of ‘trust’ shifts to Cheng Xiaoshi’s trust towards his parents - previously established in episode one. He trusts his parents to return, to alleviate him of his pain and because of this, he won’t accept their possible death. 

After Cheng Xiaoshi realizes the truth, the incoming earthquake, he loses trust in Lu Guang, and his ‘trust’ in his parents to return fluctuates. In episode five, the theme shifts to Cheng Xiaoshi’s trust in himself. As he says to Emma on the bridge, Cheng Xiaoshi wishes to give others a perfect past. He has power. He has the ability to help others. He feels so much, so easily, for the plight of others, and this belief that he can help them and give them the past he couldn’t have, this allows him to hope for his own life, to live vicariously through others and avoid  descending into apathetic depression (See post episode five. *pain intensifies*). 

It all relies on his trust in his own abilities - to notice issues and other’s feelings, to change the past or alleviate it as soon as possible, so he doesn’t have to feel their pain. 

After the earthquake, he loses trust in his parents to return. (notice how he doesn’t ask about them afterwards, focusing only on others and their relations… especially with their parents)

And he loses trust in himself, his ability to counteract the pains of time. Lu Guang lies. His parents died. He can’t change the past. 

Doudou - 

After Cheng Xiaoshi returns from the earthquake dive, Lu Guang comforts him - in his typical Lu Guang way, wisdom, wow /aff - with the phrase, ‘fool, you can’t change the past. Because of us, the future will surely change.’ (Going off of memory, so my apologies for any inaccuracies.) 

Cheng Xiaoshi only listens to ‘you can’t change the past.’ 

Cheng Xiaoshi brings this belief with him and drowns in his pessimistic misery. He doesn’t talk to Lu Guang (the autism). He discourages Doudou’s dad from finding his son. He refuses to accept the mission, even though he still cares and looks up information about Doudou. He doesn’t think anything good will come of it though. 

When Qiao Ling tells him the story of her regret and her escapism (her character is a whole playground to analyze as well…), Cheng Xiaoshi agrees… since Qiao Ling is asking, since this whole trio deals with regret in their own way, since Lu Guang got him boba tea (Possibly other reasons as well). 

Cheng Xiaoshi reunites Doudou with his father, which rekindles some trust Cheng Xiaoshi had in his abilities, allows him to listen to the ‘because of us, the future will surely change’ portion of Lu Guang’s words. 

(Until he misconstrues it in episode nine… but we’re not there yet.)

Yes, Cheng Xiaoshi cannot change the past, but he can use the past to change the future. That’s where his abilities lie. It’s a new sort of hope. 

(I am now starting to realize just how hyperfixated I am on this show) 

Xu Shanshan - 

This will be brief. Promise. 

Here this mission showcases how much Cheng Xiaoshi hopes in his abilities, while also not fully regaining trust in Lu Guang. Lu Guang will not take Emma’s case, and Lu Guang led him astray in the earthquake arc, so Cheng Xiaoshi can take his words with a grain of salt. 

Emma - 

Here we go. 

Emma represents both Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang. Cheng Xiaoshi more obviously -  she misses her parents; time breaks her bonds; she misses her past, and in the ninth and eleventh episodes, she also desires to change the past. She also encapsulates Lu Guang with the idea of ambition and obsession driving her and her parents/loved ones apart. (This might not show itself as obviously until later seasons). 

Another quick thing to mention - these episodes with Xu Shanshan and Emma show how Lu Guagn always protects Cheng Xiaoshi from the consequences of his actions. Many people on tumblr - very wondrous people  - mention how this can stem from past timelines, how, in previous timelines, Cheng Xiaoshi could’ve cost his own doom. This is tragic. I’m including it in my fanfiction. 

(This is where I'm at as of now). Thanks for reading!

[starrywangxian]

link click ost - where does it play?

i'm a little diseased so i went through the whole of link click season 1 so that i could make a list of where each song on the ost plays. i thought i'd share it in case anyone else is curious too~!

some things to note first:

be aware of spoilers!!

if you'd prefer to listen to it in a playlist, here's a spotify version :)

here's a youtube version too :) - be aware that the songs won't repeat so they'll only be in order of the first time they're played bc youtube won't let me add the same song more than once :(

if you notice any mistakes or errors then please let me know!

feel free to add things in the reblogs/comments/tags <3

i'll be using the chinese versions of the songs!

i'm working on doing season 2, episode 5.5, the extras and daily life in lightime but i did this to procastinate studying for my exams so i'll do those soon? (i recently finished season 2 so i need to emotionally recover before i rewatch it again bc damn it did a number on me)

episode 1: EMMA

countdown by yuma yamaguchi - the opening where cxs goes into a picture

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - the opening ofc

tense by yuma yamaguchi - qiao ling explaining the first mission

arabesque by av4ln & yuma yamaguchi - cxs as emma talking to mr. zhu

pray by 天門 - cxs as emma talking to her parents on the phone

overcome by 天門 - cxs as emma thinking of her parents cooking spring rolls

sign by yuma yamaguchi - cxs as emma in the meeting

dear candy by the cheers cheers - emma riding on her bike home thinking of her parents, reading the message that cxs sent to her parents, on the phone to her parents

overthink by 饭卡 - the ending ofc

episode 2: 秘方 (secret recipe)

tense by yuma yamaguchi - qiao ling explaining the second mission

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - the opening

relaxation by 天門 - cxs and lg looking at the photos on their sofa

hazy by av4ln - cxs as yu xia and talking with lin zhen

memories by 天門 - cxs as yu xia as she eats noodles with lin zhen

invigorate by 天門 - cxs as yu xia trying to get lin zhen to tell her the secret ingredient

pray by 天門- cxs as lin zhen taking the picture with yu xia

overcome by 天門 - cxs as lin zhen in the taxi looking through her bag

与你有关 by 泠鸢yousa - the noodle lesbians <3 "林贞" "欢迎回来" T^T

overthink by 饭卡 - the closing theme

episode 3: 只许输，不准赢 (to lose, not to win)

news by 天門 - ql listening to the radio on her run as a man watches and follows her

calm by 天門 - chen xiao calling ql an old witch!

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - dancey dance time

countdown by yuma yamaguchi - lg and cxs talking about the photo and chen xiao explaining his case, cxs going into the photo!

turbulence by av4ln - boooo the other basketball team are bullies, cxs in the basketball court and complaining about his glasses, the boys are basketballing and getting their asses handed to them, lg dusting the bookshelves like an unbothered king, cxs as chen xiao taking a photo with flash and the big bad bully basketball player injuring lu hongbin (the captain)

silence by 天門 - lu hongbin has to sit out and cxs subs in for him

power by 天門 - cxs as chen xiao subs in an kicks their asses! yeahhh go sports! (i really love how this part is animated, it looks so good and flows so well) also cxs thinks about his and lg's "first meeting" confirming that sports are gay.

alright by av4ln - cxs as chen xiao is playing "bad" basketball bc lg said he can't win :(

decision by 天門 - the chemistry teacher (mr. ma?) explains to cxs as chen xiao that the school will get rid of the basketball court so this will be the basketball team's last game :( "what exactly does basketball mean to you?" again cxs is thinking about his "first meeting" with lg over a basketball game.

hero by 天門 - lu hongbin hurts his bad knee and cxs as chen xiao subs in again and slays the court! big baddy basketball bully number 2 slaps chen xiao and big baddy basketball bully number 1 steps on his glasses :( (again i know nothing about basketball and have no interest in it but this part slaps, the music paired with the fluid animation is so good)

power by 天門 - cxs as chen xiao says 谢谢 to the big baddy basketball bully who stepped on his glasses and gets a three-pointer so now the basketball teams are tied. lg tells cxs to leave the score at that but cxs as chen xiao passes the ball and... scores!

overthink by 饭卡 - intense basketball cliffhanger outro

episode 4: 告白 (confess)

sprint by 天門 - intense basketball recap from last episode, as lg explains that you can't change key moments in the past (everyone point and cry at the hypocrit)

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - dancey dance break from the intense basketball gaming

irritation by 天門 - cxs having a breakdown bc he changed the past by winning the game :( lg's face is blurred during the flashback of his and cxs's "first meeting"??? double meaning??? lg is not there thinking that this basketball game meant that lg doesn't exist or that cxs and lg don't meet hmmm

silence by 天門 - the chemistry teacher explains that the basketball court will still be torn down despite them winning :(

memories by 天門 - cxs as chen xiao giving lu hongbin a ride home on his bike as he delivers the message :)

wind by 天門 - chen xiao's first love and lu hongbin's half-sister liu meng :) cxs as chen xiao takes pictures of the siblings <3 then lu hongbin takes a picture of the love birds <3

peaceful by 天門 - liu meng walking home cxs as chen xiao, cxs delivers chen xiao's message to liu meng <3

pray by 天門 - cxs as chen xiao eating food with his mum :) but lg says that they still have to argue :( so cxs delivers the message to chen xiao's mum <3

sign by yuma yamaguchi - cxs realises that it's 12th may 2008... :(

overthink by 饭卡 - intense and sad outro :( what will cxs do?

episode 5: 告别 (farewell)

decision by 天門 - again lg is telling cxs not to change key moments in the past huh sure hope that doesn't bite him in the ass in the future, cxs thinking about the villagers and the earthquake/landslides :(

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - dance break as if your heart isn't about to be ripped from your chest

silence by 天門 - mumma cheng singing to her son cxs :(

sign by yuma yamaguchi - cxs as chen xiao trying to warn lu hongbin and liu meng about the earthquake but the family are all arguing :(

turbulence by av4ln - lg guiding cxs, liu meng and lu hongbin talking, mumma chen packing things and then hiding under the table

beginning by 天門 - mumma chen talking to chen xiao then singing the same song that mumma cheng sang to cxs to her son chen xiao as cxs as chen xiao cries :( xcs experiencing chen xiao's memories of chen xiao's mum and his own mum :(

silence by 天門 - mumma chen saying goodbye to her son and husband :(

时光教会我的 by 邹俊健 - chen xiao and his dad at his mum's grave :( hearing chen xiao's messages :( flashbacks of chen xiao taking pictures of his mum :(

pray by 天門 - adult chen xiao singing the same song that his mum sang to him (and cxs's mum sang to cxs) to his child as he thinks of his mum :(

overthink by 饭卡 - policeman jumpscare and cliffhanger ;0

episode 6: 寻子 (search of the child)

news by 天門 - dou dou asking his mum to play with him

irritation by 天門 - dou dou's mum noticing that he's gone :(

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - sad and intense dancey dance :(

decision by 天門 - flashback of lg comforting cxs about chen xiao's case, "don't ask questions as the past will always change because of us" :(

turbulence by av4ln - policeman jumpscare take 2, ql shooing xiao li (the policeman) away (as she should), dou dou's dad asking for help

silence by 天門 - cxs giving harsh advice to dou dou's dad :(

dear candy by the cheers cheers - ql explaining how she saw dou dou being taken away :( scenes of dou dou's parents and flashbacks of dou dou and his family :( dou dou's dad putting up missing posters of dou dou :(

news by 天門 - xiao li looking through files and noticing that page seven isn't there hmmm

countdown by yuma yamaguchi - lg looking at the surveillance footage as dou dou's dad recounts what happened that day

chase by 天門 - cxs chasing dou dou and the kidnapper as lg guides him

overthink by 饭卡 - oops cxs bumps into people who recognise him ;0 cliffhanger once again >:(

episode 7: 梅姨 (aunt may)

sprint by 天門 - "you must keep a low profile as if you were never there" whoops, cxs sprints away from his problems, mission failed, we'll get 'em next time

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - recover for a minute with some dancey dances

(idk but it's when ql breaks the news to dou dou's dad that they couldn't find anything and confesses that she saw dou dou being taken away)

mission by 天門 - cxs finding a picture taken by dou dou the day he went missing! lg taking a look at the picture

turbulence by av4ln - cxs as dou dou picking up the marble, looking at the trafficker's face, xcs sniffing the ball and getting drugged then taken away, walking past ql and xu shanshan

(i'm not sure but it plays when we see dou dou's memories of his dad giving him the triple star warrior toys)

ominous by 天門 - cxs as dou dou looking around the hotel room, looking through the trafficker's bag

power by 天門 - cxs as dou dou beats the shit out of the trafficker (mei piyan) both physically and emotionally using the move master siwen taught him

hope by 天門 - dou dou reunites with his family :) dou dou's dad was finding the triple star warriors :') mei piyan is caught yippee >:)

overthink by 饭卡 - run the cases by lu guang first so that cxs won't see the photo of emma :')

episode 8: 错失的讯号 (lost signal)

turbulence by av4ln - lg looking at the photos

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - anywayyyy let's not think about the implications

wind by 天門 - "xu shanshan" arguing with cxs, ql talking about their college days and explaining xu shanshan's case

memories by 天門 - flashback of ql and xu shanshan talking about dong yi, flashbacks of what happened that night

(idk but it's when cxs as xu shanshan picks her nose to reject that one guy, ouch)

(idk but it's when xu shanshan and dong yi take the picture together)

入海 by 毛不易 - the song that xu shanshan sings in karaoke!

ominous by 天門 - cxs as xu shanshan recognises the serial killer from the photos and follows him

peaceful by 天門 - what dong yi said to xu shanshan :)

overthink by 饭卡 - that's not xu shanshan...

episode 9: 善意的恶果 (consequence of goodwill)

turbulence by av4ln - phone call with mystery man

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - dancey dance

ominous by 天門 - ql taking cxs's phone away and lg explaining the situation to xiao li, lg looking at the surveillance footage of the serial killer and telling the police his liscense number then seeing cxs in the footage

mission by 天門 - cxs going into the footage on his own without lg ;0

(idk but it's when the police go to liu min's house)

(idk but it's when emma is telling her plans with her parents to liu min in the car)

(idk but it's when emma is struggling in the car with liu min and cxs is in the boot)

sign by yuma yamaguchi - emma's mum ringing her but she can't answer... :( emma thinking of her parents, cxs thinking about what he's done and screaming in the boot of the car

decision by 天門 - cxs revealing that he knows what he's done :( and telling ql that he can enter photos

overthink by 饭卡 - cliffhanger ;0

episode 10: 圈套 (trap)

ominous by 天門 - recap of last episode: the police telling lg that liu min wasn't the killer and that emma was walking alone

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - distract you with dancey dance

silence by 天門 - cxs remembering what happened to emma in the photo

strain by 天門 - lg checking the selfie of xu shanshan and seeing xu shanshan in her apartment getting attacked

pray by 天門 - cxs deciding if he's going to go into the photo, cxs putting photos in the red room, the police in a meeting, chen bin telling lg that he hasn't found xu shanshan in her apartment, cxs entering the photo

(idk but it's when cxs as xu shanshan yells at himself)

news by 天門 - liu min is his house drinking and reading the news/checking social media

overcome by 天門 - ql telling cxs as xu shanshan about cxs, cxs thinking about his childhood with ql (they're so sibling-coded :') <3)

peaceful by 天門 - flashbacks to lg helping ql and cxs paint the shop :')

turbulence by av4ln - cxs asking to take the lead (let him cook!), the killer outside the shop, cxs as xu shanshan confronting the killer

power by 天門 - lg slaying!!! running to trap the killer in the red room, cxs as xu shanshan slaying the killer!! (i really love this part okay)

overthink by 饭卡 - "now then, this game... is over!" AND THE CROWD GOES WILD

episode 11: 帶着光的人 (pinnacle of light)

countdown by yuma yamaguchi - cxs starts the process that prevails in season 2 where they will explain things after you've already seen them happen so he's explaining his plan to capture the killer with a recap of what happened last episode

dive back in time by 白鲨JAWS - last dancey dance :(

power by 天門 - the slay confrontation from last episode but now with the added context of cxs's slay plan (this part is really cool too)

sign by yuma yamaguchi - the confrontation, cxs going into the photos of the victims as we see their memories and their deaths :(

ominous by 天門 - "liu min" being arrested, chen bin saying that lg is mature for his age hmmm

turbulence by av4ln - "liu min" explaining what happened with emma

clouded by cled - flashbacks of emma's life: with her parents, at her job, her parents texting her as she stands on the bridge

keep in mind by 白鲨JAWS - cxs talking to emma on the bridge as we see flashbacks of emma and flashbacks of cxs going through the photos, xu shanshan seeing dong yi :') "eventually, we will meet people who will shine their light on us" :')

(idk i was too busy crying but it's the part where lg says "death is a major node that cannot be changed" and ql cuts an apple...)

overthink by 饭卡 - "now the game has been reset" WORST CLIFFHANGGER OF ALL TIME, WHEN I GET YOU DIRECTOR LI WHEN I GET YOU!!!

songs that are in the album ost but that i couldn't place:

(maybe they were unused or were used in other stuff that wasn't the main donghua like pvs or smth)

joke by 天門

ordinary by yuma yamaguchi

afternoon by 天門

luminous by av4ln, yuma yamaguchi

struggle by 天門

nostalgic by 天門

[mykingdomforapen]

spinning silk | writer's commentary

Hello! It has been a long journey but my Link Click fic, spinning silk, has come to a finish. It has been a joy to write and to share with you, and I really hope that you enjoyed the journey. I am so excited for you to read it now in its completion!

I thought it would be fun/interesting to include a writer's commentary about the story, as I've included elements that I'm excited about and would love to talk about the thoughts behind them, the history, foreshadowing, et cetera.

I will try to shy away from explaining too much in case we wanna preserve some level of the Author is Dead skskks . Happy to answer questions on a separate post or DMs though if there is interest! If you are interested in this commentary, please join me! If not, no worries and merrily we roll along.

Spoilers ahead!

The Epigraph

It's easy to miss the epigraph in this story, which is at the beginning of chapter 1 and is very brief. I don't know if anyone here is Chinese-literate, or if you popped it into a Translation app. If you have, you would have realised that the epigraph actually spoils the ending of the story!

A reminder of the epigraph:

君埋泉下泥销骨 我寄人间雪满头。 -Bai Juyi For his friend, Yuan Zhen

Bai Juyi and Yuan Zhen were famous Chinese poets from the Tang Dynasty, and good friends. Bai Juyi would have written this after Yuan Zhen died. The poem's translation is thus:

Your bones are buried under the spring mud; I remain in the mortal world with my hair white as snow.

In the context of this poem, white as snow can indicate someone growing old as they sit at the grave of their friend, therefore their hair turning all white. It can, depending on the translation, indicate someone who sat through the winter until snow layered upon their head , by the time spring comes. Or, in the context of Link Click, Lu Guang's white white hair. Which interpretation should it be? 🙂

Also fun fact I accidentally miscredited the poem for the longest time to Li Bai, another famous Tang Dynasty poet. Oops!

Silk

Ah, this story is built on silk. I think it is fairly famous, the 'red thread of fate' from East Asian/Chinese culture, the concept that you are somehow tied to your soulmate by a long, connecting red thread. I wanted to use the concept of thread as fate, but expand it beyond just about soulmates and relationships. That was the motivation behind depending on silk imagery for Liu Xiao's plan, to play on a well-established concept in Chinese mythology and add my own twist to it. Especially since Liu Xiao was the one in S2 to make the comparison, of people having a thousand parallel fates/threads.

As I was musing on an idea for this fic, that was when I happened to visit an exhibit that included the life cycle of a silk worm. My mother then told me how when she was little, she used to raise silk worms as pets. That got me to muse on the process of making silk--how you have to boil the cocoon and then unravel it slowly until it is a single, long thread. You have to be so careful with it because if it breaks it's kind of pointless, and how magnificent it is that such a cocoon could be so uninterrupted, singular, continuous.

Which brings me to the climax with Lu Guang, when he is trapped in a literal and figurative cocoon of silk. So as Liu Xiao had said (or at least, I think he said it...I forget lol)--when you make silk by boiling the cocoons, you kill the silkworm inside. Silkworms leave the cocoons by chewing a hole through it, which essentially renders the silk unusable because it's all chewed and broken, but now the silkworm is a moth and flies free. The thread of silk, the cocoon, must be ripped and ruined, only then can a silkworm emerge with wings, transformed. Only then can it live.

(Fun fact: one of the first things I knew I wanted from this story was the scene of Cheng Xiaoshi using his threads of fate to sew up all the ripped seams of time. That was, in many ways, the impetus of this story's idea--the image of him so selflessly giving up his own future and life to the act of something as gentle as mending)

Wen Xi

I loved writing chapter 2, honestly. Not only because I get to write about a dive, which is the charm and heart of Link Click, and not only because I get to write about my culture and province (Cantonese represent!) but also because in my eyes, the Wen Xi dive functions similarly to how I interpret the earthquake arc functions for canon.

There was a moment where I almost had a scene where CXS actually interacted with Wen Xi in person. He would have run into her at one point, and of course he can't act like he knows her because she doesn't realize he was the one who did the job for him, but he would have had a moment with her. She was sitting on the curb, struggling with some of the mangosteens she bought. He remembers how she doesn't like getting her hands sticky and wet and how Song Liming used to open them for her when they were kids, so he would have asked her if she needed help and gave her that little bit of kindness. This was ultimately scarpered so that he and Qiao Ling could have that more plot-driven moment of worrying over Lu Guang.

Other Deleted Scenes/changed scenes

Not so much a scene as it is a theme that I wish I could have expounded on more but ultimately couldn't figure it out. Which is to say, I wish I could have played around with Liu Xiao more. Liu Xiao, Lu Guang, and Li Tianchen are the trio who are manipulating fate and the future. They are also three characters who are, in their own way and for their own reasons, trying to use the control of time to answer for a painful trauma that they cannot bear to face full-on. For Liu Xiao, that flashback scene of Liu Min would have played a bigger role in the story. I wish I could have completed this, but at the same time, in my head in order for him to confront it is to own up to it, and find healing from it. He did not want to do that in the playground of my imagination. So I left him be.

Actually, Liu Xiao was supposed to be a little more villainous in this story! He would have been a bit more purposeful about Cheng Xiaoshi, knowing that CXS' abilities are causing the 'knot' in the silk and then intending for CXS to die alone/far from Lu Guang so that Lu Guang would not repeat the cycle. Ultimately I preferred Liu Xiao to be a bit more morally gray. He struck me as someone who didn't have a personal grudge against CXS at the end of the day. All he wants is his own peace of mind.

There was also going to be a moment, although I ended up scrapping it early on, where the photograph of Cheng Xiaoshi and his mother would have played a bit more of a role in the story. There would have been a moment where, upon discovering what Lu Guang was doing with the silks and realizing how much damage it was causing not only to him but to the world, Cheng Xiaoshi would have felt like he was the cause of all of Lu Guang's misery and now also the misery of the concept of time and space, since Lu Guang was essentially destroying the world because of him. In a moment of being in a pretty terrible head space, Cheng Xiaoshi would have half considered diving back into that photo as his mom and straight up Terminator his childhood self to save everyone the trouble. Qiao Ling would have strongly talked him out of it. Ultimately I felt that was, well, a bit dark, and not really fitting to the rest of the story.

Speaking of the photograph's purpose, the opening scene used to be a wee bit different, where Cheng Xiaoshi would actually give Qiao Ling the photo of his mother and ask her to hide it from him. He would never explain why, but Qiao Ling would have a guess as to what the reason was. I changed it because I wanted the story to have a bookend. It begins with Qiao Ling holding Cheng Xiaoshi as he slept to keep him warm. As does it ends.

Culture(???)

I'll be honest, I'm borne of expats, so I'm not the one to break down the traditions and culture of the characters. At the same time, I definitely was raised in Chinese culture and spent formative periods of my life in China, so there are a lot of things I take for granted and not think to explain when in fact it is not actually a universal experience.

But anyway! This is a section to explain my caveat. I am Cantonese. Link Click very likely takes place in a northern city. China's food culture is EXTREMELY diverse, so the food that I have eaten in China, because I spend all my time in a specific province, is probably food that Cheng Xiaoshi, Lu Guang, and Qiao Ling seldomly eat! But I couldn't help myself, so I wrote about my favorite foods. Because I write fic for ME.

That also goes for the daily living aspect as well. For all I know, Cantonese doctor visits, city walking, food delivery, groceries, etc. are the same as Northerners. For all I know, it could be wildly different! I have no idea. I do reckon though that our trio live in a quieter, smaller city than what I'm used to. I mean, look at their neighborhood.

Not regarding shanghuo, though. Shanghuo is everywhere in China.

Anyway, a quick rundown of things:

black sesame porridge: A very Cantonese sweet porridge. Technically considered dessert, but also lauded to be full of nutrition. Technically considered 'soup' but I write fic for me.

Also, black sesame soymilk. Soymilk is great.

Sun Wukong- LG compares himself, or wished to compare himself, to Sun Wukong escorting Tang Sanzang to the west. This is in reference to our beloved Monkey King in The Journey to the West! He is an iconic literary figure dating back to idk I think the 1400s or something and his story is quite long and mythical but long story short his mission was to escort a monk westward, towards South Asia, to collect some important scripts. He had to protect Tan Sanzang from all sorts of demons and devils along the way.

Pixiu- Lu Guang makes a passing comment in his point of view about putting a Pixiu at his doorstep and hoping it pays off Cheng Xiaoshi's debt. Pixiu is a little guy (arguably dragon, probably not) that likes to gobble up gold. If you put a little Pixiu statue in your area, the idea is that he will bring wealth to you. He's got a whole story about him where he ate up all the gold of the heavenly palace and the Jade Empress was so mad she sewed up his butthole so he would have eternal constipation, or something like that. Don't correct me if that's wrong because that's how the story was told to me and I delight in it LOL. I love him. He's my favorite idiot.

Clay pot rice -Also a very Cantonese dish. Frankly, the rest of China is missing out if it is only contained in the Canton province. Rice that is cooked with meats in a clay pot which makes the rice v ery aromatic and deliciously crispy around the sides. Qiao Ling was NOT going to take that out for takeout, that girl was 100% just gonna treat herself in a restaurant and CXS was gonna have to deal with scraps and leftovers.

Zhinü- I'm realizing that Lu Guang makes a lot of references in his internal monologue LOL. This is in reference to the Weaver Girl and Cowherd folktale, one of China's Four Great Folktales (which include Lady Meng Jiang, Legend of White Snake which is my personal favorite, and the Butterfly Lovers). It's a very classic Chinese story about a celestial weaver girl, Zhinü, who is the daughter of I think the Jade Emperor who is like the heavenly king of gods, and her lover the mortal cowherd. Long story short, her father was unhappy that she fell in love with a mortal and so separated her from her husband and children with the Milky Way. One day a year, the birds take pity on the lovers and form a bridge across the galaxy so that they can reunite. Between her and Lu Guang's weaving--or rather, spinning silk--I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a reference.

yangmei wine - Liu Xiao is drinking some Yangmei wine. Yangmei is a type of fruit in China and I am pretty sure I actually made him drink a different wine than what I'm imagining. What I intended for him to drink is a wine that is made of a particular fruit that isn't strictly speaking edible, or at least not eaten for enjoyment. It's usually always only used for making wine, and you let the little plums (so t ospeak) soak in the alcohol until it is a bright red. Very sweet. Very strong.

Sanmao- At one point Lu Guang compares Cheng Xiaoshi to Sanmao because Cheng Xiaoshi had a small sliver of hope for his parents snatched right from underneath his nose. Sanmao is an iconic Chinese character from a long-running comic that began in the 1930s. He is a poor orphan boy during the era before and during WWII, who is just trying to survive extreme poverty. He is often mistreated by passerbys and is very lonely, often looking longingly at other kids who have food to eat and have parents. Every time someone treats him with kindness and he has just a little bit of hope that he can have a family or some good fortune, some awful circumstance happens, usually tied to tense socioeconomic injustice or war.

One of the less traumatic panels of the comic lol:

Jiuzhaigou- Cheng Xiaoshi mentions wishing that he could go there one day, and then at the end Qiao Ling and Lu Guang say that they will go together. Jiuzhaigou is in the Sichuan province, it is a nature realm that is very beautiful. There are natural deposits that make the lakes ultramarine blue and crystal clear. It's so beautiful! A photographer's dream.

Tangyuan- sweet and sticky rice dumplings that can be filled with sweet filling such as peanuts, black sesame paste, sweet egg, or more! They are often eaten during holidays, both during Winter Solstice and the 15th day after Lunar New Year. Indeed they are symbolizing family togetherness, although less because of stickiness and more because of a pun in their name. But maybe stickiness has something to do with it? Winter Solstice foods in different regions of China are also somewhat sticky, even if they don't typically eat tangyuan. I just know what I'm told lol.

Doraemon-A popular Japanese manga/anime from the 50s or 60s that is immensely beloved by the Chinese to this day. He is a robotic cat from the future with a fourth dimensional pocket full of futuristic gadgets that he uses to help Nobita, a fourth grader in the 50s, with his every day problems. He's wonderful. Also, he has a time machine which is tucked in Nobita's homework desk. Fitting....

Yixiu- Another popular Japanese anime, I believe from the 80s, that was also quite popular in China. It's about Ikkyu-san, a little monk/prince whose profound wisdom solved all sorts of grown-up's shenanigans.

Jiejie- A reader had asked the significance of Cheng Xiaoshi calling Qiao Ling this in the penultimate so I figured I'd bring it up here as well. 'Jie' is an indicator of older sister, or a bit of a respectful but also affectionate term for a young woman. Just like how Lu Guang calls Qiao Ling 'Qiao Ling jie' in the show. When he does it, it's friendly but also not actually meaning that he sees her as a sister sister because it's attached to her whole name. Cheng Xiaoshi in this story, not necessarily canon, refers to her as Ling jie every now and then. To me, this is him hearkening to childhood terms, as that is what his parents would refer to her as when he was growing up.

Take this with a grain of salt because I am a diaspora and not originally from the culture. Qiao Ling referring to Cheng Xiaoshi as 'didi' (little brother) in the show, and in the end Cheng Xiaoshi calling Qiao Ling 'jiejie' (big sister) in this fic are not rare, so to speak, or inappropriate, but you don't typically refer to someone who isn't related to you as your 'didi' or 'jiejie' unless they are blood related to you. You can call your sibling this, or your cousins this, but uuuuusually not someone who is like a sibling to you--singularly, yes, like Ling jie, but not typically Jiejie. Them calling each other this means that they truly see each other as their sibling. Also, those terms are a little bit childlike, so to speak. There are more 'grown-up' ways to refer to your little brother or big sister. In Cheng Xiaoshi's case, someone his age will probably refer to a sister as 'a jie' or 'jia jie'--at least, in Cantonese this is the case. 'Jiejie' is a little kid's way of calling their sibling. Like, up until I was about 7 years old I would have referred to my sister this way. To call someone 'jiejie' now, particularly to their face, I feel is a very vulnerable address. It's like if you as an adult who usually calls their mother 'Mom', in a time of deep distress or sadness and in need of comfort, revert to calling her 'mama' or 'mommy'. Like, you're both probably in tears to get to this point. At least, that is my experience with addresses, and therefore Cheng Xiaoshi's lol. Any fellow sinos out there can correct me but that was my intention for that part of the story. Cheng Xiaoshi is vulnerable, and he is seeking comfort from his big sister.

Mama's nursery rhyme- The story of the little rabbits and their Mama Rabbit is a very well known children's story in China. The story wasrecounted as close to memory as I can, so the only other thing I can say about it is that this is how the song goes.

Well, that's all I can think of right now! If there are any questions or you're curious about something, feel free to send me a message! Otherwise, I hope I didn't resuscitate the author too much.

[sweepingboy]

The gods don't need sleep, but Mu Qing feels like he's going to go insane if he doesn't lie down for a couple hours. It's been a very fucking long day, from the former Heavenly Emperor's mental games, during which he was reminded of all his sins, to Hua Cheng's death. His body, all burned and cut, aching, the wounds reluctantly healing.

Mu Qing wants to sleep and he's going to lie down and whoever wakes him up from his well deserved dream has only himself to blame, thinks he drifting away.

A rustle brings him back to consciousness. Mu Qing opens his eyes and realizes that someone is holding an object near his face. He abruptly grabs the intruder's hand and glares. The person - Feng Xin - is clearly discouraged, eyes wide in shock.

"What the hell are you doing" Mu Qing hisses.

"I-" the god is panicking, his face getting redder with every passing second. General Xuan Zhen narrows his eyes and his gase travels down the other god's arm; in his hand there is a misty mirror.

"Were you checking my breath?"

Feng Xin surrenders "You looked awful" he snaps "had to make sure you're still alive"

Mu Qing feels the corners of his mouth twitching slightly "Were you worried about me, general?"

Feng Xin clicks his tongue and shakes the man's grip off his arm "That's what f-f-friends tend to do, yes, fuck you" he huffs.

"Well, I'm not planning to die any soon, you're not getting rid of me that easily."

Feng Xin rolls his eyes." Good" he says and exits the room leaving Mu Qing with something warm in his chest. He shakes his head and lies back down on the bed. He should get some sleep after all - he's already going crazy.

[mothgodofchaos]

Twins

Ever decide to play god and accidentally make yourself two sons? Then immediately go “I’m a father! I must share this with my partner!” No? Maybe Henrik is just built different then.

Mad Scientist!Henrik x GN!Reader, TW: neck injury (Anti’s throat slit) Words: 1080

Henrik had promised to show you something he had been working on today, and you decided to bring along a cake and champagne to celebrate. You know that he’s been working really hard, but it does concern you how on your calls recently, he’s seemed a little more, sporadic. But there isn’t really a nice gentle way to go “hey, I think you might need to touch some grass, your evil cackle lasted a whole ninety seconds”. The other thing that’s been killing you is that he has absolutely refused to tell or show you what he’s been working on. Something about “ruining the surprise” when waiting the majority of a year for this hasn’t been making you go crazy over it.

“Are you going to tell me what it is yet, Henrik?”

“Not yet, meine Leibe. Although I zhink you vearing blue is very fitting.”

“What does the blue have to do with anything?”

“You’ll see~!”

He’s driving you out to somewhere, the cake in your lap and the champagne between your feet. Large fields stretch out on either side of the long country road, grain moving like waves in the wind. Off in the distance, you spot what looks like a warehouse on a hill.

“Is that where we’re going?”

“Yes. Can’t be doing vhat I’ve been doing near zhe city.”

More concern. But the suspense of finding out takes your attention again. When you pull up, he insists you leave the food in the car. He pulls out his key ring from his belt, scanning a card and opening the knob with a click.

Walking in, it’s dark with a few glowing fluids in test tubes offering their soft luminescence to fight away the blackness. He flips on a few lights, and in front of you a mad scientist’s laboratory comes into view. Jars of weird specimens sit on shelves that don’t sit quite right. Lab coats with questionable stains hang on hooks on the wall. And most importantly, a giant steel vault door stands on the opposite side of the room.

“Henrik… what’s behind that door…”

“Your surprise! You vill love it.”

Somehow, you doubt that. Henrik takes your hand, eagerly pulling you over to the door and punching in the code, briefly letting go to turn the large wheel lock. The door hisses as the pressure releases, a cold mist pooling around your feet. Once it’s cleared, you see two large test tubes, with two beings floating in them.

“Surprise! Ve’re parents!!”

“WHAT-“

Henrik practically skips over to the large vats, oxygen masks covering their mouths as they float motionless in the liquid. One is significantly taller than the other, stitches covering his body. The shorter one seems, not quite human, yet is about human sized. Something about him seems a little too sharp, and bandages cover his neck.

“What- what on Earth did you do!?”

“Well, I vanted to make just one son. But zhen two sprung up from my experiments. So, tvins!”

“Be grateful I love you because otherwise I would call the cops…”

“I have no doubts!”

Henrik kisses your cheek as he walks past you, reaching for a valve on the wall. He turns it, and the liquid starts draining from the tubes. All you can do is watch as they slump on the floors of their confinements, starting to blink awake as Henrik presses another button.

“Let’s hope zhey’ll be on zheir best behavior.”

The shorter one is the first one to take off his mask, teleporting out of the tube and stumbling into a table as he tries to stabilize himself.

“Anzhony, I haven’t dried you off yet. Get back in and you’ll be less vet.”

“Shit… right…”

He stumbles back in, using the door this time as Henrik presses another button, a high speed fan blow drying your two “sons”. The taller one takes off his mask, punching the door and shattering it before stepping out.

“Now zhat vas unnecessary…”

“Sorry…”

Anthony stumbles out again, scratching at the bandages on his neck as he nearly collides with his brother.

“Anzhony, vatch your step. You nearly ran into Robbie.”

“He’ll be fine, he’s like a fuckin’ brick wall.”

Robbie grunts in agreement, setting a hand on Anthony’s shoulder to stabilize him.

“T’anks…”

“So how does one “accidentally” create two sons…?”

“Oh! I vas trying to build Robbie over zhere, but zhe spirits from zhe bodies I was using weren’t happy. So zhey kind of, combined togezher and possessed one I had not dissected yet. Poor Irish lad zhat got his throat slit.”

“That explains the accent. But he isn’t trying to kill you, despite the spirits being angry?”

“He tried once, before his system settled.”

“That’s less comforting than I think you realize.”

Henrik only laughs as you process this. Anthony rubs his temples, still a little woozy from just waking up. Robbie, the giant that he is, just seems to tower over you, observing. The three of you are escorted back out into the main lab by Henrik, and his comment from the car finally clicks.

“You were making a gender reveal party joke.”

“Oh good, I vas zhinking of the right zhing.”

That gets a laugh out of Robbie, who rummages through a locker for something. He passes Anthony a hoodie and ripped jeans, putting on a striped shirt and sweatpants himself. If you didn’t know better, you’d say they look just like teen boys, spare the extra features.

“Huh, I really am a parent now. Well, does anyone want cake?”

“OH FUCK YEAH!”

That’s the most energetic you’ve seen Anthony this far, even surprising his brother with how fast of a turn around he managed.

“Easy, don’t need you hyped up on sugar, Ants.”

“Big ol’ zombie afraid of a demon lad?”

“I could throw you out that window right now.”

“Boys.”

The three of you turn to see Henrik sipping out of a coffee mug, somehow already looking like a tired father.”

“Sorry…”

“Zhat’s better. Let’s go get cake.”

You all sit in the back of Henrik’s truck, laughing as you catch up the boys on what life out in the outside world is like, popping the champagne and drinking out of beakers Henrik managed to scrounge out of storage. It’s a weird family to get used to, but you have zero qualms with it.

[silviakundera]

In the novel does she feel the same as him? So is she not as happy about the confessing in the novel being she isn't sure he's being real?

bestie, I am dealing with MTL after chapter 115 so I'll be real with you, the 2nd half of the novel is.... a bit vague for me. The first half is super entertaining! If I could read the raws I'd probably love the rest. Instead, like with I Am This Type of Woman, I just powered thru to find out how the story ends. 🙈 You need to talk to a fluent reader to get the details.

The only book by this author that's 100% English translated is the OTT web novel classic 🔪 🔪 The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage 🔪 🔪

(thunder crashes) (lightning strikes)

(somewhere.... a wind machine clicks on)

Her daughter met with a violent death and her son the Crown Prince was deposed. Her Shen family who sacrificed themselves for the country and the Emperor, not a single one of them were lucky enough to escape. With the change of one dynasty, everything was overturned. Her clan perished and she had to mourn for her children. Shen Miao never thought that being a married couple who have gone through trials and tribulations and mutually assisted each other was just a stage joke to him! He said, “Seeing that you have followed Zhen for twenty years, Zhen will grant you an intact corpse. You should thank this kindness.” Under the three Chi of white silk, Shen Miao made a malicious vow: In the time to come, she will take part in each and everyone’s end! Upon rebirth, she returned to the time when she was fourteen, when the tragedy had yet to occur...

dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[habizuh-studios]

Don't forget to do your daily clicks to help citizens from Palestine. --- Hello!! I write, draw, and ramble. PLEASE send me asks, comments, concerns, or anything under the sun (rules and such are under the cut). I like to think I have pretty thick skin, and I LOVE it when people interact with my blog, so please don't be shy!! I am a minor, though, so take that as you will.

My (art) requests are open at the moment! Not for long though...

AO3 LINK Main Fandoms: -> Danmei (TGCF, DVAWTK, SVSSS, ZHEN HUN, QQ, MDZS) -> Alien Stage (ALNST) -> Studio Investigrave Games -> Link Click (Shiguang Dailiren) -> Mouthwashing -> Love Bullet!

MasterPosts & More are under the cut...

Writing: -> TGCF Fic Masterlist -> The Outsiders Fic Masterlist -> Genshin Impact Fic Masterlist

Misc: -> Check out my tag #habizart to see some art I make >:) -> #habizanswers are my ask answered tag! -> #my rambles are great i swear is my rambling/txt post tag!!

Other Fandoms: -> Omori -> Manga/Anime -> The Outsiders (By S.E Hinton) -> Genshin Impact (specifically Kaveh) -> STH (specifically the Unbreakable Bond/Tails & Sonic) Rules: -> Interact with this blog kindly, please. Just don't be a bad person. -> I won't draw sex and stuff like that, but that's pretty much it. -> With writing, you may be able to go a little further- I can hint at it, but nothing explicit. -> I won't draw/write OC x Canon or minor x adult. Stuff About Me: -> My birthday is on August 26th! -> Pronouns? guess (any/all) -> I am a black belt in Taekwondo :O -> working on opening commissions. please i need Thanks for reading!!!

[to-fanartists-with-love]

Below are the main tags by medium and under the link to the tags, all the fandoms I've posted about in alphabetic order. The fandom and the characters that appear are tagged too but you're gonna have to look into my blog search function. You can also search the tags by canon art, gif, collage or doujinshi (for fancomics).

anime (aka. all animation bc I'm too lazy to modify the tag with the proper name)

alien stage, arcane, blue eyed samurai, code geass, castlevania, link click, mawaru penguindrum, mononoke, puella magi madoka magica, shojo kakumei utena, trigun stampede, yuuri on ice

book

all for the game, all of us villains, a song of ice and fire, bartimaeus trilogy, captive prince, dark rise trilogy, edas, greenwing and dart, harry potter heptalogy, kane chronicles, kingkiller chronicle, kusuriya no hitorigoto, kyou kara maou, les miserables, long live evil, nine worlds, omniscient reader's viewpoint, percy jackson universe, silmarillion, the scholomance, the folk of the air, the locked tomb, the raven cycle, the vampire chronicles, villains series, wheel of time

comic

dc universe

danmei and other not-chinese bl books

bing an ben, erha he ta de bai mao shizun, golden terrace, liu yao: the revitalization of fuyao sect, modao zushi, mo du, mozun ye xiang zhidao, tian guan ci fu, tian ya ke, turning by kuye, qiang jin jiu, qian qiu, scum villain self saving system, yuwu, zhen hun

film

dune 2021, star wars, the handmaiden

manga

akatsuki no yona, banana fish, berserk, bleach, blue lock, blue period, boku no chikyuu wo mamotte, boku no hero academia, bungou stray dogs, cardcaptor sakura, dandadan, death note, detective conan, d.gray man, dungeon meshi, eroica yori ai wo komete, fullmetal alchemist, hetalia, hi izuru tokoro tenshi, hikaru ga shinda natsu, hikaru no go, hunter x hunter, jibaku shonen hanako-kun, jujutsu kaisen, kaze to ki no uta, kuroshitsuji, magic kaito, naruto, natsume yuujinchou, one piece, pandora hearts, poe no ichizoku, ranma 1/2, rg veda, shaman king, showa genroku rakugo shinjuu, spy x family, soul eater, tsubasa reservoir chronicle, uruwashi no yoi no tsuki, vampire knight, vanitas no shuki, witch hat atelier, xxxholic, x/1999, yugioh, yu yu hakusho

original art

tv show

dark 2017, dead boy detectives, house of the dragon, interview with a vampire, nirvana in fire, the untamed, wheel of time, word of honor

video game

genshin impact, persona 5

webcomic

girl genius, homestuck, tower of god

Enjoy! And remember it's always nice to like, reblog or comment if you loved the art!

[aishangotome]

Main Story Chapter 16-11: Before the Storm (暴雨來臨前) | Light  and Night 光與夜之戀

Chapter 16-09

♡———♡

It was another hot and long summer.

I walked into Wan Zhen and happened to run into the administrative woman explaining the precautions to a group of new interns. She introduced me to them as the person in charge of Pristine.

"Hello, senior!" I don't know who in the crowd took the lead and shouted, and the rest of the people followed suit, unable to hide the longing and shyness on their faces.

I smiled and nodded at them. "Senior", this feeling is really wonderful. it should have been a year ago that I stepped into Wan Zhen like them, uneasy and full of longing for the future.

Time passed so quickly, the girl who first arrived and was a little reckless and curious about everything became a lot more relaxed and comfortable.

The people around me stop and go, come and go, some will never see each other again - the constant is always change. I don't know where I will be in the future?

I turned around and walked towards the office.

-

Pristine's production has come to an end and has entered the new stage.

Just after its launch, the main model was sold out of stock. Not only did it have a high degree of discussion on various platforms, but its first-day sales even directly rushed to the first place in the fast-selling category.

The company held a grand celebration banquet for our project team, and the atmosphere of joy filled the A group office every day.

However, the success of this season means that the pressure of the next season will be greater. After a short break, all of us put our energy into the design of the next season's new products.

Everything was progressing smoothly, and in a blink of an eye it was time for the weekly regular report.

Because the design center is now directly under Evan, I have to have a weekly meeting with him.

I clicked on the work software, and I was about to confirm the time of the regular meeting when I suddenly saw Evan's message.

Evan's Message: I have something to do today and I won't come to the company, so the regular meeting will be postponed.

His words, concise and to the point businesslike. I froze for a moment before I hurriedly replied "Okay."

Since I rejected Evan's offer to take me home last time, I have been trying to stick to the plan of not having any unnecessary contact with him outside of work.

And Evan, as if he had a good understanding of me, did not ask a word more than work, and became polite and unfamiliar. Later, he became busier and busier, and he basically didn't even show up for regular meetings.

It seems that we have really become the most ordinary of employees.

At the same time as I breathed a sigh of relief, my heart seemed to be empty.

Did he understand my thoughts and cooperate with me? Or did he also feel that getting along with me would bring him extra trouble, so he went with the flow and avoided it?

I don't know the answer, I only know that because of the sudden distance between us, the speculation about our relationship on the company forum gradually disappeared.

I see him less and less in the company, and the news about him comes from hearsay. I heard that he won a new cooperation project, heard that he was absent from work these days because of illness, heard...

Pristine's results are bright, Lu Ting has not taken any action recently, and under several factors, Evan's support rate in the company has climbed steadily.

This seems to be the best situation. As long as we continue to maintain the status quo, the election will most likely be successful.

But why don't I seem to be happy? Instead, I was occupied by a sourness. Isn't this the result I want to see?

My thoughts were stuck, and I couldn't draw the feeling I wanted. I put down my pen, and my thoughts gradually drifted away.

Mao Ge: Why are you so distracted?

Returning to the present, Mao Ge was looking at me worriedly.

Mao Ge: Have you had too much pressure recently?

You: Maybe.

Mao Ge: I've been drawing from last week until now, and my brain will explode if it keeps running for so long.

Mao Ge: It's better to change your mindset and find some physical work to do.

It's true. Even if I continued to think about it, I won't be able to keep focusing on drawing. Instead, my mood will just become more irritable. It would be best to find something else to do to get away from this stubbornness.

Just in time for this season, several sample clothes have arrived, and there will be a meeting with the marketing department in the afternoon to discuss the marketing direction, so let's send them over first.

-

Physical labor is best for stress-relieving, so I ran back and forth a few times and helped with transferring the items. Although I was not tired, I did sweat a little.

Mao Ge: Why don't I get the biggest one? Although it's not too heavy, the shelf may be too tall for you.

I picked up the box and tried it, and the highest point was just below the line of sight. I made an OK mouth shape to Mao Ge and walked towards the elevator.

-

Ding—the door opened.

When I saw who was standing inside, my feet froze, and I suddenly felt like I was being played by God. The person I thought I wouldn't see just appeared before my eyes.

You: .. Mr. Lu?

The man glanced at me, not surprised, and just stepped back to make room.

Evan: What floor are you going to?

He asked politely, his expression indifferent.

You: 12th floor, thank you.

I hesitated for a moment, but still walked in.

Didn't you say you weren't coming to the office? How could I run into him…. Did he lie to me?

My chest felt like it was blocked by something.

Don't think too much, maybe he just finished his work quickly and came back. Don't ask unnecessary questions, I told myself.

The elevator doors slowly closed in front of us.

I've never felt time move so slowly.

From the 36th floor to the 12th floor, it should only take a few seconds. But at this moment, two people, a small space, time seemed to suddenly freeze.

I tried to think about the unfinished design draft from earlier to get through this long silence.

However, God seemed to think that teasing me once wasn't enough, the elevator car suddenly shook and stopped, and the two numbers "20" on the display kept flashing.

You: ....!

The all-too-familiar scene made my body react before my brain could catch up. When I came to my senses, my hand was tightly gripping Evan's sleeve, and the suitcase had long since fallen to the ground.

I looked up in a panic, wanting to ask him if he was experiencing the same thing as a year ago. I remembered him telling me later that the elevator had been deliberately sabotaged.

However, I was met with a smile that was both unfamiliar and distant.

Evan glanced at the sleeve I was clutching, seeming to hesitate, but in the end, he didn't say anything. He simply used his other hand to press the call button on the wall.

With a buzz, the light on the intercom turned on.

Intercom: Sorry for the inconvenience, the elevator just experienced a brief interruption and is now back to normal.

The numbers on the display resumed scrolling, and the elevator smoothly descends.

Evan: The elevator is fine now, so you can let go now, right?

Though a smile remained on their face, their voice was flat and emotionless. That complete indifference made my heart sink.

I moved my lips, taking a while to find my voice.

You: "Um, sorry."

He shook his head without speaking, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the distance. Clearly, he didn't care about what just happened.

-

Finally, the elevator stopped. The doors had only opened halfway when I couldn't wait to get out. I can't explain why, but I felt extremely embarrassed.

However, maybe because I was rushing, I slipped as soon as I stepped out of the elevator.

You: Ah!

Luckily, the box cushioned my fall. In the split second before I fell, I braced myself with my hands and managed to keep my balance. But even though I didn't fall, my knee still hit the ground.

Thud! Even through the fabric, it still hurt. I endured the pain for a while, trying to figure out how to get up, when I suddenly felt someone watching me from the corner of my eye.

I turned my head. The elevator doors hadn't closed yet. Evan was standing to the side, his eyes fixed on me.

☼ Light: Ask for help

☾ Night: Don't ask for help

☼ [Light: Ask for help]

I don't know if I had a look of asking for help, I guess I must have.

But all around was silence. There were no footsteps, no sighs, no voices, none of the sounds I expected. He remained standing there, his expression unchanged.

Evan: Can you stand up?

I was stunned for a moment, then realized he was talking to me. Of course, there was no one else here. But a dull ache suddenly rose in my chest, as if I had finally received the delayed pain signal from my knee.

You: Yes.

Kneeling for too long had made my legs numb, but nothing made me feel as bad as this sentence. I gritted my teeth, braced myself with my hands, rolled over, and slowly stood up.

Evan: Good.

Evan nodded and pressed the elevator button.

Evan: I have something to do, I'll go first.

I didn't even see his face, only his back disappearing behind the elevator doors.

☼

☾ [Night: Don't ask for help]

I opened my mouth, but quickly turned my head away.

Forget it, it's not a big deal. I've persisted for so long before, there's no need to look for him for this trivial matter now.

However, even though I thought so, there was a hint of anticipation in my heart that I couldn't ignore.

At this moment, the sound of cloth rubbing sounded in the silent corridor. I was stunned for a moment and turned my head to find that Evan had put the clothes that fell out back into the box.

Evan: If there's nothing else, I'll go first.

The elevator door closed slowly, I looked at the clothes in the box, lowered my head, the boredom and sadness in my heart almost overwhelmed the pain from my knees.

Finally, I supported the ground with my hands and stood up little by little.

☾

-

Back in the office, I sat down and found that my knee was scraped. I pressed on the bone and it didn't hurt, so it shouldn't be anything serious.

But the dull ache in my heart wouldn't go away.

I couldn't tell when it started, but the "distancing" act between Evan and me had unknowingly become real.

He didn't actually care about distancing himself from me.

I shook my head with a bitter smile and limped slowly to get some medicine.

-

Bad luck never comes alone. The place where the first aid kit was usually kept was crammed with junk. I couldn't find it after searching everywhere.

I leaned on the cabinet, lost in thought for a while. When I snapped out of it, I didn't know what I was thinking about, maybe nothing at all.

I opened the food delivery app, about to place an order, when Mao Ge suddenly walked in, holding the missing first aid kit.

You: You took the first aid kit?!

Mao Ge: Yeah, admin told us to restock some medicines. And Jiang Lai got a cold recently, right? What's wrong?

You: I fell down.

Mao Ge: Don't move, don't move. Let me help you to your seat.

Mao Ge: I told you I'd carry the box, but you insisted. Do you need to go to the hospital?

You: It's not a big deal, just need some medicine.

After helping me to my chair, Mao Ge suddenly remembered something.

Mao Ge: Should I say you're unlucky or lucky?

Mao Ge: The medicine admin restock happens to be iodine, gauze, and bruise spray.

Mao Ge: It's like they knew you fell.

I opened the first aid kit, but Evan's indifferent face uncontrollably appeared before my eyes.

You: I guess I'm just... unlucky.

-

The noon bell tolled over the city.

Lu Ting sat in the car heading towards Wan Zhen, his face livid as he stared at the astronomical figure on the fabric purchase contract in his hand.

He had assumed that Evan, for the sake of the brand's reputation and support rate, would definitely be willing to swallow the cost of that batch of fabric, so he planned to make him bleed.

And indeed, he did so, relentlessly raising the price against him in the auction.

But unexpectedly, at the last moment, after he had raised the price tenfold, Evan gave up and somehow managed to get ready-made fabric from somewhere else.

He actually spent a fortune on a pile of scrap metal!

Recently, there was also a company of unknown origin acquiring Wan Zhen's shares. Everything was going wrong, and Lu Ting angrily kicked the back of the front seat.

The driver slammed on the brakes, fearfully lowering his head, waiting for Lu Ting's instructions.

In the deathly silence, a monotonous sound came from overhead. Lu Ting rolled down the window and listened to the last two tolls, like a countdown to a death knell, gradually calming him down.

So what if he won this round? Evan didn't know yet that he had already suggested to the head of the family to use Y/N's body as the new vessel.

He guessed that the head of the family had already had this idea, and all he did was add fuel to the fire.

Lu Ting: Return to the Lu family castle.

Let's start with what he cares about most now. After so many years, he seems to have forgotten the taste of loss.

-

When Evan arrived at the Lu family castle's basement, it was already past one o'clock. He remembered the last time he was here was years ago, when the head of the family changed bodies.

The stairs extended downwards, seemingly endless. Step by step, he moved away from the world of light.

The inability to walk was a sign that the vessel was collapsing. It seemed the head of the family had a new plan. This time, he was called here, probably for this matter... Suddenly, Evan stopped in his tracks.

A strong sense of foreboding made him immediately look up. The entrance closed shut at that moment, with a loud bang.

There was no turning back.

Statues lined both sides of the path, their eyes open, glaring angrily. The blue light shone down on them, as if they were about to come alive at any moment.

The thicker the fog, the stronger the smell of blood.

Evan saw the old man sitting in the leather chair ahead. He respectfully lowered his head.

???: You're getting later and later.

Evan: I had some personal matters to attend to, which caused a delay.

???: You should always remember your duty.

???: You've done well from childhood to adulthood. What's the reason for your recent repeated mistakes?

Evan: It won't happen again.

Evan's expression remained indifferent.

???: I called you here today because I have a task for you.

???: I've found a suitable vessel. All you need to do is bring her here.

Evan: It sounds like I know this new vessel.

???: Y/N. Of course you know her.

Evan was taken aback, a clear hesitation on his face. The old man recalled what Lu Ting had told him earlier, the rumors about Evan and Y/N having a close relationship at the company. This displeased him greatly.

???: Or, can't you do it?

Evan: No, as long as you need her, I will definitely bring her to you.

Evan: But... Uncle must have found many suitable vessels for the head of the family. Why are you particularly interested in her?

???: You've spent too much energy on the company. It's time to learn about the blood clan's past.

???: Do you remember how the blood clan left the seabed?

Evan: You said that most of the gods suppressed under the sea left by voluntarily accepting divine punishment.

Evan: They are the ancestors of the blood clan.

Evan: And those gods who refused to accept divine punishment are still imprisoned there.

???: But there's one more thing I didn't tell you.

???: The power of the seabed barrier is weakening. A tsunami twenty-three years ago further loosened the barrier.

???: At that time, some gods escaped to the human world.

???: And Y/N, she possesses the power to destroy the blood clan's self-healing ability. This is the power of the gods.

Evan: Are you saying she's a god? But from my interactions with her, I don't think she knows about this.

???: It is indeed strange. Gods don't lose their memories when they come to the human world.

???: And from the looks of it, it seems like she only recently acquired that power and doesn't know how to control it.

Evan: Do you need to arrange for someone to investigate?

???: No need. Whether it's the spirit clan or the blood clan, there are very few left who know about these things.

The old man let out a long sigh.

???: No matter what secrets she has, as long as she possesses the power of the gods, she will be a perfect vessel for the blood clan.

Evan finally seemed to understand and nodded.

Evan: I understand.

Evan: However, you may need to give me some time.

Evan: Before bringing her here, I will first extract her soul while she is unguarded, so as not to damage the vessel and affect your subsequent use.

The old man was extremely satisfied with Evan's obedience and humility.

???: I'll give you two weeks. Don't disappoint me.

Outside the door, Lu Ting heard everything. He turned and left thoughtfully. By the time Evan came out, there was no one in sight.

-

The car drove along Huinan Road towards the suburbs. As the traffic light changed, Zhou Yan stepped on the brakes.

He glanced at the rearview mirror. Evan's brow had been furrowed since they left the castle. He figured the old head of the family had given his young master a task that was both impossible to refuse and extremely cruel.

Zhou Yan had seen this expression many times. In fact, this expression had been on the young master's face since he was very young, and there was even a time when he lost all other expressions.

But as he grew older, such occurrences became less frequent, and in recent years, they had almost disappeared.

Besides, having followed the young master all these years and seen him do all sorts of cruel things, what else could make him like this?

Zhou Yan couldn't find the answer, and he didn't know how to ask. Suddenly, he saw Evan in the mirror smile slightly.

That smile instantly transported him back many, many years ago, to the time when the young master first volunteered for the trial.

When he arrived, corpses were scattered everywhere.

The sun was about to set, losing its daytime ferocity. The blood-red light made it look particularly gentle. The young master stood before the setting sun, staring at his palm, lost in thought.

He cried out in fear, and the young master turned around. A smile slowly spread across his clean face. He didn't understand, but a smile meant happiness, so he smiled along with him.

In Zhou Yan's memory, the young master was happy that night.

But was he really happy? He suddenly felt that his memories had deceived him, and the words he wanted to ask became awkward. Zhou Yan tried many times, but in the end, he changed the subject.

Zhou Yan: Boss, the fabric incident this time dealt a heavy blow to Lu Ting.

Zhou Yan: Currently, the total share acquisition is 9.65%, 0.95% higher than Lu Ting's.

Zhou Yan: Your reputation and support rate in the company have also surpassed his.

But he soon realized that Evan was just staring absentmindedly out the window. He didn't care about these things.

Zhou Yan: By the way, the iodine and other things you asked me to prepare earlier have been delivered to the administration department.

Zhou Yan: The design center has also been notified to pick them up.

Evan: Hmm.

A very soft reply, but Zhou Yan knew that Evan was listening to him attentively.

Zhou Yan: The stock price rose by 3.98% in a single day. I think Pristine played a big role in that.

Zhou Yan: Miss Y/N contributed greatly to this season's success. You always have the best eye for people.

Zhou Yan: Sometimes, looking at Miss Y/N, I even feel like I'm seeing the young master from the past.

Evan, who was flipping through financial reports, looked at Zhou Yan in surprise. Zhou Yan immediately realized that he had almost lost his composure.

Zhou Yan: I apologize, I shouldn't have said that.

Evan: Why?

However, Evan didn't ignore it as he usually did. Instead, he asked him very seriously, even a bit confused, why.

Evan: Why do you think she's like me?

Zhou Yan: You once said that she was being followed at the café in the beginning, similar to what happened to you back then.

Evan: So that's it.

Evan chuckled, but Zhou Yan inexplicably felt that he was actually sad.

Zhou Yan: Miss Y/N is very insightful. She seems gentle and soft, but she's actually very determined.

Zhou Yan recalled his few interactions with Y/N, carefully counting them. He didn't notice that Evan's hand, which was turning pages behind him, had stopped.

Zhou Yan: She has a clear goal, and once she sets her mind on a path, she'll follow it through. There's nothing that can sway her.

Zhou Yan: If there's anything else--

The light turned green, and the car could have easily made it through the intersection, but Zhou Yan stopped for no apparent reason. He looked troubled, as if something was on his mind but he couldn't quite articulate it.

Zhou Yan: Y/N, she...

The sentence trailed off, and Zhou Yan eventually shook his head, unable to find the right words.

Zhou Yan: Sorry, Boss, I can't quite explain it. I just feel like there's more to it.

Evan: It's okay.

The green light saved Zhou Yan from further explanation. He breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the rearview mirror again, only to see Evan engrossed in some documents, as if nothing had happened.

-

The car pulled over at the alleyway of Huinan Road. Zhou Yan hurriedly got out, only to find that the familiar shop was gone.

Zhou Yan: Young Master, Zhou Weicheng is missing.

Evan: Have you been in contact since your last meeting?

Zhou Yan: No. He was sent away by my grandfather when he was very young, and we don't have a close relationship.

Zhou Yan: We only met again when he became that person's assistant.

Zhou Yan: Maybe my father knows his whereabouts.

Evan: Be sure to find him.

Evan: He should be able to tell me about the "God."

Zhou Yan: Yes. Shall we return to Wan Zhen now?

Evan nodded, but as he opened the car door, he suddenly realized he had overlooked something. There had always been a man with a blurred face standing between him and Zhou Weicheng.

Even though they weren't close.

He didn't deliberately try to forget, he genuinely couldn't remember.

Evan: Let's not go to Wan Zhen yet. Head back to the Lu family castle.

A sudden, inexplicable anticipation rose within Evan. He thought, perhaps that person could give him an answer that satisfies both sides.

.

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.

.

.

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Chapter 16-13

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

[uncannychange]

Accidental Trophy Wife by RandomCaps

"Ok, genie, I wish… I didn't have to go to school anymore!"

After a puff of smoke, the genie nodded and said, "Done; you now have your college degree."

"Awesome!" Jacob said. "Ok…. for my next wish…" Jacob had been feeling a bit lonely as of late, which gave him an idea. "Yeah, alright… Ms. Genie, I wish for a girlfriend that-"

The genie dropped her brow and gave him an angry look. "Nope. That is not going to happen. I don't make sex slaves for men. If you wanted a woman so obedient, why don't you become one?" The genie said with fire in her voice as clouds of smoke began to envelop Jacob.

The width of his body shrank down, becoming much leaner. His legs grew and became longer and lost all their hair, as did his arms. His chest churned and rumbled until some of the previously mysteriously disappeared fat reappeared as two of Cupid's kettledrums.

Jacob, by this time, was panting, overwhelmed by the transformation, but did manage to speak to the genie. "I…. was…… going… to ask…. for someone….. Ahhhh…….." He was interrupted by his member being removed and replaced with a far more sensual feminine slit. The genie said, "No amount of pleading can change this; all my transformation magic is permanent with a capital P."

Jacob, now that his body, save for his currently feminizing face, was female and the transformation had calmed down, managed to say, "But I just wanted a girlfriend who would go on cute dates with me, and then I was going to use my last wish to free you from the lamp…" The genie immediately recognized her mistake, but it was too late.

By this time, Jacob had already become Mei Zhen, a beautiful Chinese woman currently married to a tech mogul as his trophy wife. As the teleportation magic began to envelop Mei Zhen, the genie could only shout, "Quick, what's your last wish??" And Mei Zhen could keep her word and wish the genie free…

When Mei Zhen regained awareness of her whereabouts, she was in a gorgeous California mansion. She looked out the window to see rolling hills and closer to home, a large pool with a courtyard, many expensive cars, and even people's yard keeping. She looked around the house and also found countless rooms. Some lounged, some for eating and drinking until she found an exceptionally femininely decorated room. She felt drawn to the room and inspected it. She found ornately crafted furniture, a vanity filled with makeup, and a closet.

When she opened the door to the walk-in closet, she was met with a wave of pink magic that seemed to start to rewrite her brain. Looking at the bras and panties, she recalled being a little girl who moved to America with her mom and bought her first training bras. Looking at her skirts, she remembered the similar clothes she wore at all her ballet recitals. As she spied richly made dresses, she began to recall every beauty competition she had ever won, which was many. And as she spied her purses, she remembered the ridiculously expensive one her husband had bought her on their first anniversary. It was expensive, but that's what she loved about Charles; he could always afford to lavish her with anything her heart desired.

Mei Zhen had complete control. She recalled the night she went all the way with him, too, as a thank-you for all the gifts he had bought her, and with that, every semblance of Jacob was fully repressed in Mei Zhen's mind. Just then, she heard the door open, and Charles called out for her. "Coming, dear!" Mei Zhen said, her new heels clicking on the floor as she rushed to greet her beloved husband.

…. 2 years later.

Mei Zhen was dressed casually today; she had some shopping to do but didn't feel like going over the top today. That's when time seemed to stop around her, and some lady looking straight out of Aladdin appeared in front of her. "Oh Jacob, thank God I found you; I found a way to reverse the magic. All you have to do is say you want me to."

Mei Zhen looked at the strangely dressed lady in confusion. "Um… I'm sorry, miss, but I don't know anybody named Jacob; you must have the wrong person." The genie tried pleading, "No, no, you're Jacob, remember? I assumed the worst and accidentally turned you into a Chinese bombshell?"

Mei Zhen again looked at her with even more confusion. "Um, ma'am… Jacob's a man's name. Do I look like I could have ever been a man?" Mei Zhen said, gesturing towards her breasts."

The genie immediately recognized she was too late; Jacob, if he was in there, was either suppressed or fully merged with Mei Zhen. He was gone. "Oh, you're right… I-I must have the wrong person miss. I'm sorry." The genie said as she unfroze time and went away to think. She still felt guilty for doing this to an innocent person who had freed her, but she didn't know how to help Jacob. If she couldn't free him, she was at a loss. Until she had a new idea and immediately poorer back to Mei Zhen's house in a new form, unlike her old one.

Now, the genie dressed like a modern woman, with crops and jeans, but levitated to show her magic powers. She appeared to Mei Zhen and said, "Hi there, miss; the council of genies has selected you to have your very own personal, lifelong genie that you can use for any little wish whenever you feel the need!"

Mei Zhen was ecstatic at the news and began wishing for new things to make herself more beautiful and enjoy her new life as a trophy wife a little bit more. The genie thought, "Well if I can't help Jacob, I can at least help Mei Zhen."

[threelivesthreeworlds]

@smileymimiwhat asked : Guys I saw a post about a upcoming drama called Three Lives Three Worlds White Twilight Tears.The synopsis says:The death of Bai Zhen shocks the world. After taking revenge, Zhe Yan discovers something suspicious about the situation. At this time, a youth named Ge Yun enters his life. The love and hatred between Ge Yun, Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen unravel a series of mysterious cases.Omg what is this about?? From what I known Zhe Yan doesn’t have his own novel. Any thoughts?

Honestly, I have no idea who came up with White Twilight Tears nor if it will ever be filmed but in all likelihood it’s just a rumor/fanfic. The only official 3l3w novels that have been published right now in Tang Qi’s universe are Peach Blossoms, Pillow Book and Lotus Step. Therefore it makes sense that if Tang Qi was to sell copyrights for the dramatization of the series it would only be these three. Bodhi Fate is on its way, and as far as we know there are two more books that have been planned coming after that, starring Xiao Yan x Xie Hua Lou and Xie Guzhou x Demon Princess Xiang Yun.  So, the only way that White Twilight Tears could be filmed is if Tang Qi sold the rights to create stories with the characters in the universe.

3l3w is a very profitable series, and c-ent is a community that gets money from clicks. You see 3l3w has a rumor for a upcoming drama - you click it whether or not it’s true and boom - they get their money. Similar tactics are used in posts that, say, rumor the Lotus Step drama casting decisions (which are...so far in to the future, in all likelihood, that you could disregard them right now). It’s all basically gossip that you should take with a grain of salt. As the Chinese forums say - take everything with a grain of salt until it’s been announced by an official source. Furthermore, historically there have already been times when drama productions have used its label - L.ove a.nd D.estiny, for example - despite not being directly related to the series / it not being clear whether or not they have obtained permission from Tang Qi to work in the universe. 

As it stands, Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen are unlikely to get a book of their own any time soon, which is sad, but I enjoy the tidbits of them in the books of the series regardless.