#i think it's classique

[laddersmp3]

some baby sillies....

[gaylittlerichie]

Decided i need a pet sematary tattoo so incredibly bad. To go with my blown out sun destroyed neibolt house tattoo

[rosenbraut]

Classique Collector's Edition Christmas 2024

[sysig]

Oh he is So baby (Patreon)

[gummirock]

i do not see kim and jean ever liking each other on a genuine level I don’t think but in my mind I do kind of like kimjean as long as it’s like the same dynamic of when I was working construction and this dude I lowkey hated and thought was annoying as fuck kept letting his shirt ride up and I had to act like I didn’t find his copious amounts of body hair and muscles incredibly attractive

[my-thoughts-and-junk]

anyway back to thinking about fionna and cake for the night because simon compels me

[thedevilsrain]

tumblrs stupid search function doesnt work but there was this psot a while back listing some good creepypastas... anyway. anybody have any recommendations for me kfhgjfk

[tigergendermoved2tigergender]

They changed the minecraft bats..... hmm

[anaalnathrakhs]

Re: your tags on that post about ADHD: if it helps, this is like, my exact experience and I got diagnosed with ADHD recently. The "sat in front of an assignment I am capable of producing Something for but not doing it for hours, even though there is external pressure on me" happened to me, repeatedly, and in my last year of highschool it even had me crying on an almost weekly basis. That's what got me to fail the last semester of my licence last year, also. If it's bothering you and you're in a position to, I'd recommend getting an appointment with a specialist to check & so they can help (and if you have options, not an older guy, they're the most likely to tell you that if you weren't a hyperactive boy well you must be fine, which. Okay. Well I'm not.) I had to wait maybe like six months for an appointment at a public hospital, mais hey grâce à la sécu c'était gratuit and the lady was very helpful. In any case, I'm shaking your hand metaphorically. Me too 😔

yeah i might do that at some point but i've had pretty bad experiences with mental health care in general and specifically the people i mentioned possibly having adhd to. like. I tried four times i think? to four different professions, two of them i was seeing for entirely something else and two specifically because i suspected adhd, et je me suis fait expédier hyper vite donc au final je sais pas si je me suis fait skip par des docteurs qui avaient la flemme, ou si c'est obvious que j'ai pas de TDAH (aussi vu que aucun psy avant ni depuis n'a mentionné ça à part apparemment mon pédiatre quand j'avais 3 ans ?)

bref je suis juste tellement pas préparé.e à ramener et défendre mon dossier et tout, parce que de toute façon l'anxiété-dépression c'est avéré, historique de phobie scolaire c'est avéré, y'a peut-être potentiellement un autisme qui se balade aussi, donc ce serait pas un diag plié en voyant s'il y a symptôme ou pas quoi. Après je me doute bien que c'est une situation plutôt commune pcq ça va main dans la main les comorbidités, mais qmême.

désolé.e je vais ramble mais j'ai une immense hantise de me rattacher à l'idée d'avoir un TDAH juste parce que c'est un truc pour lequel il y a des médicaments. Parce que j'ai envie de find the vitamin et de trouver LE truc qui va régler tous mes défauts et toutes mes mauvaises habitudes, toute ma mauvaise hygiène de travail. J'ai trop peur de mal interpréter les symptômes du TDAH, j'ai trop peur de dramatiser ce que je vis, j'ai trop peur de mal comprendre et identifier mes problèmes, j'ai trop peur d'essayer de rejeter la faute sur un problème neurologique alors que c'est un truc sur lequel j'aurais pu bosser moi-même quoi.

Du coup le tag why i could have adhd le but c'est un peu de regrouper des indications queeeeee.... voilà quoi. Mais ouais. Je saurais pas défendre ça devant un.e pro. Et surtout bah, autant l'autisme y'a déjà une pro qui l'a suggéré (justement une dame qui m'a expédié.e comme un chien de son cabinet quand j'étais venu.e dire que je pensais que j'avais un TDAH, elle m'a dit d'aller voir du côté du centre régional de l'autisme ou jsp quoi si elle y était, plus ou moins), autant le TDAH non. Mais en même temps, si ce que je vis est un TDAH, primo on connaît les stats de diag des petites filles, et deuzio 80% de ma famille agit comme ça. DONC JSP. bref.

très peur de me faire reject comme un chien encore et de me demander si le doc est un gros con qui n'a rien examiné, ou si le doc a été méchant mais a correctement examiné et dédui mon cas. trop peur aussi de me faire diag et de devoir entamer un suivi et tout dans mes circonstances actuelles. et trop peur de me faire diag et d'avoir des médicaments qui ne marchent pas et de me rendre compte qu'en fait c'était même pas ça le problème. bref les classiques.

[emwritesfootball]

Formalwear | Kylian Mbappé

hey em! hope you’re well 💕could you pls write sth with my baby mbappe 😍 his gf runs her own enterprise and everyday she’s dressed formally and it turns him on so much. one day she shows up to his house in the middle of the night wearing a trench coat and nothing underneath 😈 and she’s really assertive and dominates him in bed for the night and he loves it. can you make it super duper smutty if poss 🥺

Warnings: a lil femdom, nipple play, cunnilingus, blowjob, light mention of edging

- - -

You walked out of the bedroom ready for the day, tilting your head to one side to put in your earrings. Kylian was already at the table eating breakfast, his eyes lighting up when he saw you. 

“Good morning,” he said, giving you a quick kiss. “Busy day?”

“Yeah. Got an earlier-than-usual meeting followed by a presentation and then a very important meeting with a potential investor.” You were almost breathless recounting your upcoming day, excited for the challenges ahead.

“You’re going to look very sexy during that presentation. I wish I could be there.”

You shot him a grin, rolling your eyes as you poured yourself a cup of coffee to go. “Don’t worry - I'll give you the play-by-play later, as long as you return the favour.”

“Are you coming back here tonight?” Kylian asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“I wish,” you sighed, shaking your head. “I’ve gotta head home and make sure spiders haven’t completely overrun the place. You leave tomorrow for an away match anyway, right?”

“Oui, Le Classique against Marseille. I should be back by Sunday.”

You gave him one last kiss that held promise of things to come later. “I’ll see you then. Au revoir, Kyky.”

***

You watched Le Classique from your house, cheering on Kylian every time he got close to scoring a goal until he finally did. An idea sparked as you thought of ways to congratulate him when he got home.

Sunday evening, you stood in front of your wardrobe, surveying your options. Kylian was infatuated with all of your formalwear - pencil skirts, blouses, and of course, the lingerie you wore underneath them. 

You took your time getting ready, showering before assembling your clothing and putting it on. Each piece was meticulously selected along with your perfume and jewelry. You slid on your favourite pair of heels and slipped your trench coat on for the finishing touch before walking out the door.

Kylian was about to go to bed when he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door, his smile growing wide as he saw you on the other side. “I thought you couldn’t stop by tonight?” He said, leaning in for a kiss that you didn’t grant him.

“Thought better of it,” you replied, stepping inside and reaching for the buttons on your trench coat. “And after the way you played, I figured you deserved a little treat.”

Kylian’s eyes lit up. “What kind of treat, chérie?”

“Sit down and I’ll show you.”

Kylian did as you said, spreading his legs so you could see the growing bulge in his sweats. “Don’t,” you ordered when he reached for his cock, smirking when he immediately pulled away. “Good boy.”

Kylian’s eyes were locked on yours as you sauntered over to him, undoing one button at a time on the trench coat. His tongue poked out to wet his lips as you bared your cleavage. “Nothing on underneath?” He asked in French, switching to his native language.

“Nothing,” you confirmed, getting to the last button and shimmying the trench coat off your shoulders and let it fall to the floor. You let Kylian drink you in, knowing how good you looked naked in just heels and thigh-highs. 

Kylian swallowed hard. “I’ve been fantasizing about this.”

“I know.”

“Can I touch you?” He looked up at you, waiting for confirmation. When you gave it, Kylian reached for your breasts, running his thumbs over the hard peaks of your nipples.

“I think that’s enough,” you said, right as Kylian was about to put his mouth on your nipples. “Get on your knees.”

Kylian dropped to his knees, moaning as he did so. You propped one leg on the sofa so that your pussy was open to him. Taking his chin in your hand, you led him between your legs until his mouth latched onto your clit. You let out a moan as he licked and sucked at your dripping cunt, his fingers dipping into your hips for leverage. 

“Don’t stop, Kylian!” You whimpered, gripping the back of his head to hold him in place while you rode his face as you came. The orgasm rocked you and you were grateful you had him to hold onto as you composed yourself. Kylian looked up at you and you leaned down to give him a kiss, tasting yourself on his lips.

You walked toward the bedroom, Kylian at your heels. He laid down on the bed and you took pleasure in getting to undress him, freeing his cock and taking his length in your mouth until he was a whimpering mess, begging to cum, but you didn’t let him. 

“Patience, Kyky,” you chided, mounting him so you could ride him. “You’ll get to cum when I say so.”

You let Kylian give you two more orgasms before you let him cum, Kylian babbling his thanks as he came inside you.

“You’re going to spend the night, yes?” He asked, cuddling into you.

“You’ve still got my suit hanging in your closet, right?”

“Of course.”

You fell asleep in his arms, both of you wishing you didn’t have to get up for work in the morning.

[butchregina]

Think fast!

Two reasons or more of why Cadina is amazing

what! oh fuck um

i am a toxic yuri enjoyer. i feel like when people think Regina and Toxic Yuri, their mind typically points to rejanis. and while i am a classique rejanis connoisseur, the toxicity in cadina is way more mutual, and thus sillier and more fun to me.

you cannot convince me that world burn isnt the ultimate "lesbian break up with a bitch you never even dated" song. ESPECIALLY the 2024 version.

they grow from each other... they have insane mutual understanding of each other ... there is not a single point in either movie where they dont want each other on some level .

...

........

hot yaoi base

[aberdeen-projet]

ENVIE D'EN SAVOIR PLUS SUR LE THEME ? C'EST ICI QUE ÇA SE PASSE !

« Does such a thing as the fatal flaw, that showy dark crack running down the middle of a life, exist outside literature? I used to think it didn’t. Now I think it does. And I think that mine is this: a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs » Donna Tartt, The Secret History.

QU’EST-CE QUE « DARK ACADEMIA » ? D’OÙ ÇA VIENT ?

Le genre dark academia est plutôt un esthétisme ayant émergé sur Tumblr vers 2015, créé par certains jeunes cherchant à reproduire un univers sombre bien présent dans certains ouvrages de la littérature classique, souvent anglaise (The Secret History, Donna Tart). Il ne s’agit pas d’un genre à proprement parler, mais d’un mouvement regroupant plusieurs caractéristiques visant à mettre en avant la culture intellectuelle, le prestige et l'élitisme, ainsi que la beauté mélancolique.

L’ambiance visuelle a été façonnée par le cinéma, qui accentue le prestige et le caractère sombre des personnages à travers des lieux toujours plus incroyables, souvent de style gothique, notamment en Angleterre. La plupart du temps, Oxford est la star de cet univers, comme on peut le voir dans le film The Riot Club de Lone Scherfig.

Les personnages de cet univers ne croient pas en la rédemption, mais plutôt au pouvoir par la connaissance et l’excellence. Cette obsession, souvent transmise de génération en génération ou développée pour s’émanciper d’une vie misérable, les pousse à voir le savoir comme un pouvoir auquel ils s’accrochent. Ils visent toujours la première place sous les projecteurs. Ce sont des êtres rongés par la solitude, aux esprits tourmentés par de nombreux combats intérieurs et des dilemmes immoraux.

Les protagonistes vivent dans la noirceur, souvent marqués par leur vulnérabilité et l’instabilité de leur caractère. Ils se noient la plupart du temps dans leur soif d’ambition, de folie et de mort. Ils incarnent l’archétype du personnage perdu dans ses propres limbes, avec une obsession morbide pour le culte du savoir et de la vérité, qui tend à devenir presque religieux.

La plupart des personnages sont passionnés par les arts classiques tels que la musique, la poésie, le théâtre et la peinture. Ils participent également à des clubs plus exclusifs, parfois sportifs, comme l’escrime, le club d’échecs, ou des cercles typiquement masculins ou féminins, où se mêlent soirées trop alcoolisées et comportements souvent à la limite du tolérable.

[meirimerens]

so we all agree Khan went away to study at university after The Events- any thoughts on what he studied? (:

MANY THOUGHTS and many thoughts that hinge on the fact that i don't know how [school] made its curricula... i know for a fact he studied greek & latin (what we call in my country Lettres Classiques), as well as philosophy, but i don't know in which wider context. i think he's really interested in Mathematics & political sciences alike... so in my mind he's Lettres Classiques + Philosophy For Sure and then. who knows. i think regardless of if he has classes for [x] subject he does very much also read & learn in his own time.

[balletomaneblog]

The Top Ten Female Vaganova Graduates of the Past Ten Years: Then and Now (Part II)

2020 - Anastasia Smirnova (First Soloist at Stanislavksy):

Another total no-brainer, she was the clear star of her graduating year, even though there were so many other strong graduates that year and there was no graduation performance due to COVID. At only fourteen she won the Diana Vishneva Prize at the Vaganova Prix and danced several roles with Mikhailovsky while still a student. After graduating, she joined the Mikhailovksy as a soloist, left to dance in the corps de ballet for six months at the Mariinsky, before returning and shortly afterwards was promoted to First Soloist. At the start of this season she left the Mikhailovsky again to join the Stanislavsky as a First Soloist. She also won 2nd prize at IBC Moscow in 2022.

Role I'd love to see her début: Esmeralda

Special Mentions: Lizi Avzanishvili, Valeria Bespalova, Anastasia Plotnikova

2020 (Masha Variation):

2023 (Grand Pas Classique Adagio):

2021 - Maria Chernyvskaya (Mariinsky Coryphée):

The 2021 graduating class was a more low-key class than in the preceding few years, but it still had quite a few strong graduates. Chernyvskaya finished at the top of her class and performed the lead role of Swanhilda in Act 3 of Coppélia at her graduation. She was promoted to coryphée after only a year and a half as the Mariinsky. Her biggest roles at the Mariinsky currently include Carmen, Rubies Soloist, Etruscans in Spartacus, and Queen of the Snowflakes. Chernyvskaya possesses sharp and fiery qualities that are rarer in the Mariinsky ranks, similar to dancers like Bulanova and Tkachenko.

Role I'd love to see her début: Myrtha

Special Mentions: Viktoria Mokrousova, Elena Lyskova

2019 (Napoli Pas de Six at 2019 graduation)

2023 (Guadalquivir in La Fille du Pharaon):

2022 - Maria Shevela (Mariinsky Corps de Ballet):

The 2022 class was largely overshadowed by the 2023 class in their graduation performances and Shevela was one of the few students of her class to be given a soloist role, where she performed Part 3 of Classical Symphony. She also danced numerous solo roles in smaller concerts and joined the Mariinsky after her graduation. She predominantly dances in the corps de ballet, but she also often performs in coryphée and smaller soloist roles. I personally really have a soft spot for Shevela, I think she's a lovely dancer and shows great technical ability. I particularly enjoy when she dances in trios with Ustyuzhanina and Lyskova as seen in the clip below.

Role I'd love to see her début: 11th Waltz in Chopiniana

Special Mentions: Anastasia Zinchenko

2021 (Variation in Spring Concert during 7th year):

2023 (Shyrin's Friends début in Legend of Love with Lyskova and Ustyuzhanina):

2023 - Maria Koshkareva (Bolshoi Soloist):

The 2023 graduating class reminded me a lot of the 2018 and 2015 graduating classes, with so much talent that many dancers who would have been clear stars of their class in other years were one of many in 2023. Koshkareva's had the most hype even among such a strong class since her performance in Conservatory in the 2021 graduation, and afterwards performed leading roles in the Nutcracker, Gioconda, Classical Symphony, and The Garden Scene of Le Corsaire during her last two years at Vaganova. She also won first prize in the junior category of IBC Moscow and was, along with Kuprina and Zinchenko, given a trainee position at the Mariinsky during her final year of schooling. After graduation, she joined the Bolshoi directly as a soloist. In my opinion, she had a slightly rocky first season due to how much was piled on her straight away by management, but now has really gained her footing with strong Kitri and Angela débuts this season. She also has greatly improved her Gamzatti and had a beautiful Masha debut last year. In all, I wouldn't be surprised if she received a promotion to First Soloist soon.

Role I'd love to see her début: Aurora

Special Mentions: Yaroslavna Kuprina, Sofia Valiullina, Daria Kulikova, Angelina Karamysheva

2023 (Medora variation at graduation):

2024 (Variation from Markitenka):

2024 - Alisa Barinova (Mariinsky Corps de Ballet):

Alisa Barinova performed as a beautiful Gulnare in Vaganova's 2023 graduation where she was one of the few younger dancers who was featured alongside such a dominant graduating class. She then had a strong final year at Vaganova, which she ended by performing as Aurora in Act 3 of the Sleeping Beauty in the 2024 show. I found that she showed great technical strength in a very challenging role. She has only been at the Mariinsky for a few months ago but she has already debuted several important soloist roles there, such as Prince's Friends in Swan Lake and Flower-sellers in Don Quixote.

Role I'd love to see her début: Almehs in La Fille du Pharaon

Special Mentions: Elisabetta Nalin

2024 (Aurora in Sleeping Beauty Act 3 during graduation):

[nutty1005]

Cover Story: Be True · Be You

Original Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/owy5OKSTQ0GjUAMzBBbpcw Original Author: 嘉人 Marie Claire Translator’s note: The article will be published in the 307th Issue of Marie Clare for January 2024’s start of the year issue.

When I pronounce the word Future, the first syllable already belongs to the past. When I pronounce the word Silence, I destroy it. When I pronounce the word Nothing, I make something no non-being can hold. -- “The Three Oddest Words” by Wisława Szymborska

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Xiao Zhan held up a handheld fan to dry the slightly seeping sweat because of the filming. When the photographer signaled the start, he stepped forward, stepped back, walked forward again, and continued to retreat. The props on his back were like airplanes, his eyes were constantly searching for the camera, like a mischievous child exploring an unknown world. Every cycle back and forth, he was thinking about the more refined possibilities between advancement and retreat.

It’s hard not to notice Xiao Zhan’s sense of propriety. When being interviewed, he had a catchphrase: “Can I say this?” Or, as if to confirm himself, “I can say it like this, right?” He also reflects on himself constantly. For example, he would repeatedly remind himself not to let his performance become habitual. Once he would get used to it, it will develop into terrible inertia. For example, he would often emphasize that he did not like to be mysterious for the sake of it, he might not understand many truths, but he would share only his sincere daily feelings. Another example, when he heard a crew member commenting that he was always “striving for excellence”, he responded that he had not yet reached “excellence” and only wanted to “strive”.

Xiao Zhan spoke slowly and eloquently, he did not have a thunderous and fiery personality. He chatted calmly and had the demeanor of a benevolent gentleman. He was not tense at all as well. He chatted about varied topics and when he got to the point where he was enjoying himself, he naturally leaned back on the chair and gently held his right leg with both hands. The content of the chat ranged from the unchanging emotions contained in the classic songs of the times to artificial intelligence (AI), his views on human beings, as well as his own performances and life experiences.

In 2023, 3 television dramas starring Xiao Zhan broadcasted one after another. He played the colorful and vivid forefather, the lonely and cold crown prince, and the newcomer who struggled in the workplace. Every time he entered a drama group, he would dream, about real scenes and real pressure related to filming. After the dream was over, he would immerse himself into the heart of the character and perform it, leaving vivid memories and feelings.

There is a ruler in the heart and a measurement outside his body. Appropriateness is Xiao Zhan’s internal perspective, an accurate view towards work, life and he himself. Outside of the measurements is Xiao Zhan’s external perspective, the perceptive understanding of the past, time and space, and the world. Within the length of measurements, the heaven and earth appear naturally.

Within the Appropriateness: A truly lovable character will always have imperfections

3 television dramas have been aired and new dramas are being filmed. For actor Xiao Zhan, 2023 is a fruitful year.

Occasionally, when he looked back on his career as an actor, Xiao Zhan would be in a daze for a moment. In the blink of an eye, it seemed like he had been there for a long time. Almost every time when he filmed a drama, he always had a routine: dreaming. He dreamed about memorizing lines, dreamed about going through the scenes with the director, he would even dream about taking a math test, but could not solve any of the questions on the paper, then waking up with a start.

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Xiao Zhan felt that this was caused by pressure, and he accepted it calmly. Perhaps there was another reason, deep down in his heart, he did not regard himself as an experienced actor, but always placed himself in the position of a newcomer, with an attitude of learning and exploration. Therefore, every time he would go to a drama group, he always had the experience of starting all over again.

Xiao Zhan was very wary of becoming habitual. Sometimes he would also advise himself not to give himself so much pressure, not to overthink, and to try to be more relaxed. But once he realized that he had started to rely on performance models, experiences and habits, he would again remind himself that taking things for granted would be dangerous. After a long period of habits, inertia would occur, and inertia would lead to “taking things for granted”. Therefore, every time he would interpret a role, he would always have to gain some freshness.

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Xiao Chunsheng in “Where Dreams Begin / The Youth Memories” was a character full of freshness. Because, there were extremely obvious differences between him and Xiao Zhan himself. Xiao Chunsheng was a youth in Beijing in the 1970s, which was completely different from era and environment in which Xiao Zhan grew up.

Military coats, 28″ wheels bicycles, the ice surface of Shichahai, and the transformation from a youth to a middle-aged entrepreneur, all of these were not familiar to Xiao Zhan. To this day, there were still “traces” of Xiao Chunsheng in Xiao Zhan: when it came to the character Chen Hongjun in the play, he would always say “Hong Jun’er”. Those Beijing accents, the “er” epenthesis, the “aiyoeh” and “whoa” exclamations that he practiced when filming started were all words on Xiao Zhan’s lips.

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The language, objects and period were still alright, but for Xiao Zhan, the biggest difference from Xiao Chunsheng was his personality. He is an introvert who enjoys being alone, while Xiao Chunsheng was the complete opposite, he would make many friends and overly loved to socialize. Based on today’s standards, this extreme enthusiasm often meant a lack of a sense of boundaries. “The times are developing faster and faster. Today’s youths are living a fast-paced life and will not easily cross the boundaries of getting along.” Xiao Zhan commented, “But Xiao Chunsheng is an extremely meddlesome person, so it is easy to offend others.” When he read the script, he was quite intimidated by this role and felt that it would be difficult to act him as a likeable person. But after hesitating for a long time, a thought suddenly caught his attention: perhaps, the qualities we were hesitant about today contained exactly what we need.

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Fresh and vivid, this was Xiao Zhan’s summary of Xiao Chunsheng and his contemporaries. “Hate is hate. Like is like. Don’t you think each of their colors are particularly fresh and vivid?” he asked. Even now, when thinking back to some scenes in “Where Dreams Begin / The Youth Memories”, he still felt that the characters were shining brightly, they were vivid and brilliant.

After playing Xiao Chunsheng, a person who was far away from current values, Xiao Zhan also gained something in terms of mentality: do not be afraid of making mistakes. He said: “A truly lovable character will always have imperfections.” During the filming, he once asked the director if it was particularly annoying for Xiao Chunsheng to worry so much about others. The director told him that it was precisely because of this “annoyance” that he was Xiao Chunsheng, and “annoyance” was his charm.

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The director’s words suddenly enlightened Xiao Zhan, sometimes he would fall into a strange loop, hoping to avoid and correct the imperfections of the character. “When you change it like this, the character himself loses his charm.” Xiao Zhan said, “So I think I should not be afraid when doing homework for the character, if he is enthusiastic then he should be enthusiastic, if he crosses the boundary then he should. If I always have to consider the character’s shortcomings, thinking about what will happen if the audience scolds me, then it will be difficult to act.” Because, actors play characters, not personalities.

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Not being afraid of flaws, to some extent, also meant the courage and ability to seek truth. “Sunshine By My Side” was Xiao Zhan’s first appearance in an urban workplace drama. His reason for taking on this drama was simple: modern dramas are too close to reality and everyone is living it, therefore it is difficult to perform it such that everyone believes it. Because he was not sure and confident, he firmly believed that he would learn something after “gnawing” it down. Thus, the character Sheng Yang came into being.

“Sunshine By My Side” made Xiao Zhan realize that urban dramas relied heavily on the cooperation between actors. Because it was more life-like, every detail would not be set in stone, and the lines and performances would be slightly adjusted. “We are all living people, we do not exist to maintain a persona. What everyone does, says and expresses, the emotions are all natural, reasonable, and flowing. If you change, my performance will also change accordingly.” Xiao Zhan said, this kind of creative coupling eliminates the possibility of actors being rigid and mechanical, hence it is a fresh and fun experience.

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Sheng Yang was a designer, which happened to be the job that Xiao Zhan had done before. With personal experience, flexibility during performance could be guaranteed. “When Sheng Yang wanted to draw the design sketches, I would really draw them there. Sometimes I would tell them, art director, your layers seem to be locked and I can’t move them.” Xiao Zhan recalled, “Because it was my own life, so I was more skilled at it. Can I say that? Alright.” He never forgot his sense of appropriateness even when it came to his true feelings.

Xiao Zhan was no stranger to fantasy themed dramas. “The Longest Promise” was the most recent example. For him, acting in a drama with such an imaginary background requires a process of nothing to fruition. Facing a green screen, if he had to imagine extreme weather or breathtaking scenery, he needed to create it himself. As for whether his condition was realistic and whether the emotion was subtle enough, more often than not, he had to trust the evaluation made by the director behind the monitor.

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Whether it is a ancient costume drama or a contemporary drama, Xiao Zhan always had a clear understanding when facing the script and characters. “At any one time, there are only a few good things, which is why people always say that they could only be discovered and not sought.” He recalled his observations over the years, “Some scripts may be considered good by the industry, but the market feedback may not be so good. What is everyone’s definition of good? Is it good sales or good word-of-mouth? It’s hard to judge.” Therefore, what he could do now is to return to his own understanding and feelings and choose what he thought would be the best roles. As for what role he wanted to play the most, Xiao Zhan said: “I have been mentioning it for many years, an adorable and charming villain, if I get the chance.”

Outside of the Appropriateness: The emotions between people have never changed

When reading the script of “Where Dreams Begin / The Youth Memories”, Xiao Zhan’s mind would be filled with photos of his parents when they were young.

Dad was riding a bicycle and mom was sitting in the back seat, wearing a red skirt and a white shirt. When passing a big rock, my father took a photo of my mother as a souvenir. She smiled brilliantly at the camera, looking like a bright girl. When it was his turn to play the role of his parents in their youth, he tried his best to restore the freshness and even rashness of youth, he did not want to deliberately portray the story in a rigid and stern direction just because it was a story about his parents’ generation.

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Regarding time, Xiao Zhan seemed to have a special sense and understanding. He was sentimental and nostalgic. No matter whether he would be singing in variety shows or event, or listening to them in private, he always had a preference for old songs. They were memorable, rich in meaning, and gave him space to think.

When he was a child, he did not have much pocket money, so Xiao Zhan would either go to the video store to rent CDs, or exchange CDs and tapes with his classmates. He could still remember the prices clearly even now. To this day, he still had the CD player and Walkman he used back then in his home. Sometimes, he would return to wired headphones because they are convenient and easy to find. In the dead of night, he would occasionally think of the things that were gradually fading in the torrent of time. He was alone, with his heart flowing, this was his comfortable state.

Xiao Zhan said that he was a very homely person and when he had spare time at home, he would just work out or watch movies. He never regarded watching movies as a task, any genre, he would watch them all, regardless whether they were popular commercial movies or niche art films. Recently, he watched “Anatomy of a Fall”, which was the best film at the 2023 Cannes International Film Festival.

Around New Year, he would often revisit “Love Actually” and watch it again every two or three years. The reason was also very straightforward, the family, love, and friendship in the movie all conveyed truth, goodness and beauty, which warmed people’s hearts when watching them.

“Don’t you think that the emotions between people have never changed? Old movies will always be unearthed and watched, and old songs will always be repeatedly heard, because the emotions sung by truly classic works remain unchanged throughout the ages. Only sincerity can move people.” Xiao Zhan seemed to have a sudden inspiration and compared it with AI, “I think AI cannot replace humans. Maybe its technology can one day surpass the limits of humans, but that kind of complex emotions, humans far surpass computers. It can be said that humans are the most accurate, mysterious, and complex supercomputers.”

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Xiao Zhan would pay attention to AI, just like how he would pay attention to all new things in the world that are deeply related to people. He watched the news and read things written by AI, the depth of thought and logic of thinking made him feel incredible. Perhaps, in some job competitions, the threat of AI to human beings would already be close at hand, but he still firmly believed that AI could not replace face-to-face communication between people, whether it is immediacy or complexity.

When these distant concerns about new things were temporarily put aside, Xiao Zhan also had his own expectations for the world.

When filming “Ace Troops” a few years ago, in order to portray the image of a soldier who was concerned with the nation, Xiao Zhan observed and trained in the army for more than a week. He got up at five or six in the morning every day and ate and lived with the soldiers. After performing this drama, he felt deeply about the cruelty of war and understood the hard-won peace. “I cherish my current life more, this is the truth.” Xiao Zhan said. Therefore, the current vision for world peace, might also be related to countless people in infinite distances away.

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Regarding his own expectations, Xiao Zhan outlined it more simply: “I have done very well in 2023, I hope I can maintain it.” After thinking for a while, he added: “In 2024, I hope to love myself more, care more about my own feelings and thoughts. This sentence is not only for myself, but also for everyone.”

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In Xiao Zhan’s heart, his person on screen is different from his person in real life. In private, he will not polish himself too much, nor will he dress too glamorously, he just wants to be natural and true to himself.

“Just like the current chat, similar to this comfortable state, just keep to it. I won’t change my face and portray another person.” Xiao Zhan said, “It’s too tiring. Too tiring.” He repeated twice.

A poet wrote, “My heart is slightly larger than the entire universe.” Outside Xiao Zhan’s appropriateness, there is the restraint of “simplicity” and the vastness of “universe”.