#lin-yang pair

[badgerhuan]

TAIWAN WON BADMINTON MEN'S DOUBLES GOLD AGAINST CHINA LET'S GOOOOO

CONGRATS LEE YANG AND WANG CHI-LIN WHAT A MATCH 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[orion4ever]

Hello! Can I request some headcanons for Qiu, Tamarack and Cove with overall Rebelious and mean MC who has a soft spot for them, but tries really hard to hide their feelings?

Author’s Note: I hope you enjoy this! Also sorry if this isn’t great , I am not good at writing about meaner characters.

Pairing(s): Cove Holden x Reader , Qiu Lin x Reader and Tamarack Baumann x MC

🗒️🐚🍂

COVE HOLDEN🐚

In the beginning, he’d be a bit intimidated by your attitude.

He might’ve avoided you when he first arrived in Sunset Bird , already making the judgment that you wouldn’t be that pleasant to be around.

That's until he meets you!

Cove noticed that you were much more softer and nicer with him than most people.

You wouldn’t be mean to him like you were with people who you weren’t as close with

And you would avoid rebelling or breaking rules when he was around to make sure he didn’t get in trouble for it.

Of course, you were still you. But with Cove around you were mellow.

Your moms notice how quickly your demeanor changes when he is in the general area.

One minute you could be telling somebody off and then the next you would be hugging Cove and asking him how his day was and if he wanted to get a snack later.

Cove would worry that you might get into serious trouble one day, which you reassured that you wouldn’t.

Depending on what comfort level Cove is: Cold, Medium, or Warm; this might just work for the two of you.

Cold Cove wouldn’t mind as much since he isn’t that social and rather be in your company anyway. Not that he is condoning it.

Medium Cove is a bit more awkward and less defined, he doesn’t want people to be put off and avoid you.

Warm Cove is probably the most understanding, he understands that's just how you are. If you didn’t like being nice to strangers then so be it, if you didn’t want to follow some rule then that's ok. Warm Cove would encourage you to be more social though, he wants you to have friends.

Cove appreciates that you are softer to him though, I don’t think he could handle you being genuinely mean to him.

You and Cove have fun though, It's a interesting contrast to see the two of you together.

Like a yin and yang.

QIU LIN🗒️

Their reaction depends on what stage of their life they are in.

Step 1 Qiu might be the TINEST bit nervous, also worried that you might get into trouble or get on somebodies bad side with your behavior

Qiu, of course, is very welcoming and polite still. You may be mean to everybody else but you aren’t to them.

They get a little smug about how you are softer and seem to favor them more than most people.

Like Of course you like their company, Everyone does!

Qiu tries and get other people to see your softer side but you don’t put down your walls for them.

Qiu during Step 2, is a completely different story though.

They just go “same💀”

You two probably skip school all the time and it starts to get concerning and your parents start enforcing it more.

You two get into a bit of trouble…(mostly loitering, you two aren’t getting into anything serious lmao)

Qiu understands your attitude more the older they get. Sometimes some people don’t deserve your time and sometimes some people deserve your kindness

It's a self-preservation, At least that's how the two of you understand it.

While everybody else worries, you and Qiu are just chilling.

They like having someone around who can match their energy.

TAMARACK BAUMANN🍂

Step 1 Tamarack wouldn’t like you at first, Or at the very least be indifferent.

She would want you to be nice to everyone, not just her.

She does brag a bit that you are only softer towards her.

She also has a rebellious side as well, you two get into lots of shenanigans together and cause lots of mischief all the time.

Your mom and her grandparents def put leashes on you two.

It's always kiddy fun.

Once again, Step 2 is another story.

Based on her interaction with Qiu, If you were similar to being mean to others and causing trouble then she would be disappointed

But she’s less awkward around you and tries to encourage you to be more nice or at least a bit more sociable.

Tamarack knows that you can be one of the most softest and kindest people she knows, you’ve watched her back and been there when it got tough

And she wants people to see that rare side of you, but she understands that you are just not interested or in the mood to be nice or to follow rules.

Depending on how rebellious you are, even her grandparents may be wary. It was okay when you were kids but your old enough to get yourself and Tamarack into serious trouble.

On a more positive note, Tamarack still enjoys your company. Sure you aren’t that social but you would never say half the stuff you say to strangers to her.

You and Tamarack go out at night and clean graffiti and collect trash as a ‘reverse vandalism’ and you insult people who litter etc.

Tamarack one day does want to see a positive change in you , but for now it’s just the two of you.

[chiqelatasblog]

-> Chapter One is here.

-> Ao3 link is here.

Pairing : Sub-Zero | Bi-Han x Reader

Tropes : arranged marriage, slowish slow burn, enemies to lovers, angst, hurt/comfort, protective!bi-han

Summary : It was inevitable that this moment would come. Ever since your brother took over as the head of the Tengu, he had been waiting for the opportunity to eliminate the Lin Kuei.

And now, that opportunity had finally presented itself, with you as the key to making it happen.

.

.

.

P R O L O G U E : Shadows of Yin

You had always known that this day would come.

The long-standing feud between the Tengu Clan and the Lin Kuei Clan has reached a critical point, and as a member of the Tengu, you find yourself at the center of this conflict. Your brother, -the head of the clan-, had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to eliminate the rival clan, and that moment had finally arrived.

The Lin Kuei has long been considered the most deadly and powerful clan in the Arctika region, if not the world. Their training from a young age and their sheer numbers made them a force to be reckoned with. You have grown up understanding the threat that the Lin Kuei poses. The ongoing conflict between the two clans had resulted in numerous failed assassination attempts on the Lin Kuei, fueling your brother's determination to put an end to the threat once and for all.

And now, you are the most important part of his strategy.

As the only warrior woman in the Tengu, you possess a unique power - umbrakinesis, the ability to control and manipulate shadows. While the other warriors are trained to take lives without hesitation, you have always struggled with the idea of killing. Your aversion to violence has made you an outcast within your own clan. The memories of your father's attempt to end your life at a very young age still haunts you at night. And serves as a burning reminder of the rejection and shame you have endured within your own family.

Despite the challenges and prejudices you face, you have dedicated yourself to honing your skills in stealth and agility, becoming a formidable warrior in your own right. You have pushed yourself to the limits, training tirelessly to overcome the physical differences between you and the other warriors. Your determination and resilience have earned you calloused hands and scars, a stark contrast to the expectations of a noble woman in your clan.

Now, as you find yourself married to the leader of the Lin Kuei, you are presented with a mission that will test your loyalty to your clan and your own moral beliefs. Your brother sees this marriage as an opportunity to infiltrate and dismantle the Lin Kuei, and he expects you to play a crucial role in this dangerous game of deception and betrayal. This marriage was your ticket to infiltrating the Lin Kuei Clan and gaining their trust, all in the name of bringing vital information back to your brother. It was a dangerous and high-stakes mission, but you were determined to do it.

The promise of acceptance and recognition within your clan hangs in the balance, but at what cost?

Will you be able to navigate the treacherous path ahead without sacrificing your own honor, values and principles?

Can you betray the trust of the Lin Kuei, the very people you have been taught to see as enemies, in order to fulfill your brother's ambitions?

You had never failed a mission before, and you were not about to start now. This was your chance to finally earn the respect and recognition that had eluded you for so long. With a steely resolve, you swore an oath to see the mission through to the end. You would not be deterred by the challenges that lay ahead.

You were a warrior, and you were ready to prove yourself in the most crucial mission of your life.

[sifu-kisu]

THE WEAPON OF THE DEITY THAT GOES INTO HISTORY * - "THE WHEEL OF FIRE AND WIND"

When it comes to the weapons "Wheel of Fire and Wind" or the fenghuo moon ( ору), people immediately remember the deity of Nechi, who possesses immense abilities.

The hometown of Nezha - Tangu, Tianjin, Dagucou, where in modern history war ships of allies of Britain and France were shot down. Now Tianjin Xingan is one of the five largest ports in China. It is said that Nache was only seven or eight years old when he worshiped the holy Tao deity Tai Yi as his teacher. He learned from him the wonderful science of magic in the use of natural elements as well as ways of owning different weapons. He is also called the Octopus Nechja. It is believed that you cannot leave your hands empty, so Master Daos Tai Yi gave him eight types of weapons: one hand holds the Qiangkun Tuan weapon ( ль), or the "trigram ring of Qian and Kun", the other hand holds the Huntian Lin ( тому) or the "Matter Mixing the Sky", another hand holds a bar of gold jing zhouan ( ),), and with two hands holds a weapon of Huotsian ( )) or "spear with a fiery blade". And three free hands perform such functions: one hand held a blanket of sacred fire of shenhuo zhao ( жа), and the other two held the yingjian ( д) or the Ying and Yang Sword.

Many of his weapons spread around the world: the most popular of them are the Huociang ( из) or the "spear with a Flaming Blade" and the Ying Jian ( ём) or "Ying and Yang Sword". It is believed that a piece of silk fabric of the mixed sky is owned by the martial arts demon Su Huazza ( е), but the cost of golden brick bars is too high to be used in the world. Working with a shenhuo zhou ( ш) blanket is quite difficult and lost. But here's an object-weapon called fenghuo moon ( 火) or "wheel of wind and fire" found a use in the bagua style, which will be discussed later.

Along with the bagua zhang weapons, bagua fenghuo lun ( 子) or "the wheel of eight trigrams of wind and fire", it contains many pairs of unique and secret weapons, such as: ziu yuanyang yue ( )) or the "tangerine duck axes of Tzu and Wu characters", bagua ziu jijua yiang zhui ( н) or “chicken claws of eight triggram characters Tzu and Wu Yin and Yang", bagua golen jian ( голя) "sick knife eight trigrams" and other pair, small and secret weapons. All of these species are quite ancient, and many of them have been summarized, processed, and complemented by the creator of Baguazhang Dun Haichuan ( Все). The Baguachian weapon "Wheel of Fire and Wind" or fenghuo moon ( О) is a ring with a diameter of about 30 cm. Three quarters of the rings have blades inside and out, and one quarter has a hand-grip handle. There are special tips on each end of the handle. n. "snake spear" with blades on both sides, with sharp ends, they are about 70 cm long, 3 to 4 cm wide and about 1 - 2 kg weight.

There are many types of these weapons (see. Click here: @TAG). There are options when there is a "half-moon"-shaped blade inside the ring, there are options when there are many "teenage blades" and many other options at the edges of the ring. Often these different variations were used in different Dao chiao sects, from here the appearance of these species can be traced in Baguachiang, so it is likely that Dong Haichuan has already used much of what was known. However, in a variant typical of Baguachians, there are these snake-shaped blades going in different directions from the circle itself.

The fenghuo lun technique ( нь) is extremely dangerous and difficult (out of an unusual form) for the performer itself and is not usually learned by all in Baguachiang, but only by those who have attained high mastery of gunfu and ude ("fighting virtue") and are mastered after the basic material of the system has been passed.

They can be used to perform technical actions such as: qi ( про) "stab like a stud", tza ( () "punch", tiao ( е) "lift", chuan ( ствия) "walk through", gou ( их) "hook", hua ( () "cut-scratch", with the wheel or disk itself, lun ( 钩) can mo ( тере) "scrub or cut", la ( пере) "tighten", hua ( пом) "cut", kan ( зу) "chop", pai ( е) "hit", tao ( кан) "throw" or "roll-put on", ge ( за) "mow-cut", suo ( ") "lock", na ( пай) "grab-hold", dai ( () ""belt-grab", then ( )) "support from below", is ( вать) "cut" and others. The technique of using the "Wheel of Fire and Wind" is also unique because its unusual shape can catch what is called out of the blue (chuci bui / 胜不 ).) and cannot be safe and defended (fanbu shenfang / за不 出).

The practical use of the fenghuo moon ( со) is based on the harmonized work of the feet (t. e. movement technique), whole body work (shenfa / ке) and directly the bagua palm technique (t. e. basic work in the making of 8 palms). In order to use this type of weapon, you need to have a strong and refined back, strong hands and precise eyes, and use it carefully, so it requires serious practice. Each hand holds a circle, it flies up and down, turns and spins, moves wavy and folds unexpectedly, twists and drills, constantly strikes vertical and horizontal blows. The "Wheel of Wind and Fire" is constantly moving together and in harmony with the movement of the whole body, which changes with the disks. The shape is like a colorful phoenix, it is elegant and beautiful, and in its diversity, it is like a dragon!

Today, the weapon "Wheel of Fire and Wind" or fenghuo moon ( .) is so-called, on the brink of extinction. Rarely you see him in action. And those who practice with him today are mostly followers (chuanzhen / ним人) of the Tai Yi Men sect ( эн) or "Lord Tai Yi Gate". Therefore, I hope our modest labor will not let it disappear completely and it will reborn like a Phoenix (fenghuan / ф) and dance like a Dragon (moon / /).

P.S.:

Article "CHINESE DEITIES: NEZHA / Я /": https://www.facebook.com/groups/baguamen/permalink/3828269237195459/

[punishing-eden]

Some friendly notes about CN names...

Tags: Long read

In the light of Wuthering waves, I want to make a few notes in regards to CN name pronunciation, because I have seen many people struggle with it, and the English voice over servely butchered it so bad.

So let's get into it.

First and for most, when it comes to Chinese, throw the English vowel phonetics out of the window.

Especially with names, we don't read them according to the romanization of the name, but rather the characters itself.

Jiyan, Ling Yang, Zhezhi, Yangyang. Etc

忌淡，凌陽，折枝，秧秧

I mean, obviously, lol. But, the reason I say this, is because I have seen quite a number of people make mistakes in pronuncing CN characters by using the romanji as a template to pronounce another word based on the similar spelling. While, the CN characters itself, has a different way of pronunciation.

[Note: CN names in Romanji don't mean anything to us, until we read the CN characters. Most of the time, we can make an educated guess on what the name is, given if the name is generic or easy i.e. Ga-ming, Zhongli, Hutao. In this context, Wuwa's names are a more unique, and harder to guess with just the Romanji.]

A great example of this is, Jiyan and Yangyang.

People always pronunce Jiyan's name incorrectly.

You might think I am being a little picky with this, because I am; for a good reason.

Most of the time, the "Yan" is pronunced incorrectly, and it's completely a far off pronunciation.

Ji (忌) Yan (淡)

Same goes for Yangyang.

Yang (秧) Yang (秧)

The "Yan" in Jiyan's name is the same character as the "Yan" in Genshin's character, Xinyan.

So the way Jiyan's "Yan" is pronunce is:

Y - ANN (as in the English name Ann-a without the 'a' at the end.)

For Yangyang, it's the "a" sound that people get wrong the most.

The "a" has like an "u" sound, like in the word, up. So pair it with "y", it almost makes a "ja" sound in German.

So essentially:

JA - NG JA - NG

Same goes for the "Yang" in Ling Yang's name, but do note that the "Yang"'s are not the same character, Yangyang (秧秧) & Ling Yang (凌陽).

So, if you want to get even more specific with the tones, then noted that Yangyang, and Ling Yang is pronunced in a different tone.

[Note: In Chinese there are a lot of instances where the CN character is different but the pronunciation is the same, or similar with tonal differences.]

Next, are the CN pinyin phonetic tips.

These aren't 100% fool prove, but, as mentioned before, one can't really know what CN characters is used until we see the actual character being use to then pronunce it correctly.

A good example is, Jinhsi.

Idk what and why the devs went with this Romanji, but I didn't really know how to pronunce it nor guess the word until I saw the CN character for it.

"Hsi" is (汐), which the pinyin/Romanji is "Xi"

Same with Baizhu from Genshin. Normally, the "Zhu" is pronunced as JU ( as in the English name, Ju-illie), but the character is actually pronunced as "Shou" (Sh-oo).

Anyway here are the tips:

"Zh" vs "J":

Zh- is pronunced with a "j" sound. Often times it's has an elongated sound. Ie. Zhong, Zhou, Zhi. Etc.

J- is also pronunced with a "j" sound, but the sound is often short. Ie. Jin, Jian, Jiang,

The "Q"

Q- is pronunced with a short "ch" sound.

The "e" and the "u"

I think the "e" and "u" sounds are the hardest for non CN speakers. Words like, Yu, yue, jue ke. Etc, are difficult because those type of sounds are not in the English language.

"u" is pronunced as "ü".

So, Qu (曲) is CH-Ü. Ganyu (甘雨) is G-uan Y-ü.

-ue, is a little tricky, it's pronounce as Ü-EH. "eh" as the anime expression of "Ehhh!". It would feel like a lip twister at the beginning but once you get the hang of it, you can put the sounds together.

Liyue is Li - yü-eh.

"e" is a little harder. The "e" by itself, without the "u", is prounced as "ugh" lmao. It's a short sound.

So, Keqing (刻晴) is K-ugh - ch-ing, Geshu Lin (歌舒 臨) is G-ugh - shü - Li-in.

There are probably loads more, but I am just going to do the ones where I see most in games like Genshin and Wuwa.

To top this all off, some (useless) CN name facts:

I don't really think spacing is a big deal in names. Sometimes it does help differentiate the surname and given name. But irl, when it comes to Romanji, the spacing and spelling is usually determined by the spelling on your birth certificate... So, if the nurse spelt your romanji name wrong... 😅😅😅

Sibling nameings are usually done in groups of brothers and sisters. So, let's take Artium Wing (lol) for example. His CN name is 左然 (Zuo Ran). So, if he has a younger brother, the parents would either keep the 左(Zuo), or the 然(Ran) for the next same sex sibling. So, Aritum (左然), and his younger brother, Alex (左右).

It is rare to have a compound surname in Han surnames. This includes, Ouyang (歐陽), Situ/Szeto (司徒), and of course Geshu (歌舒) (Geshu is a super rare name, and apparently the name is dead).

There are no standardised names in Chinese, like Joe, Sarah, Judy, Barbara, Matthew. Etc. There are similar names, and they might look the same when reading the Romanji, bit mostly are not the same.

That's it! I hope this helps, or at least explains a few things about CN names.

[waheelawhisperer]

Ch'en Arknights, and Weiss RWBY? (Disregarding any V9 influence.) Also, I know you've said you aren't up to date on or remember Bonkle lore, but just as a general question, any thoughts on the "love isn't canon" shenanigans there?

Ch'en Arknights

NOTP: Ch'en x Talulah. I don't much care for incest, a sentiment a number of Arknights fanartists do not seem to share.

BROTP: Ch'en x Bagpipe. This one's kinda canon since they were really close friends during their academy days and I really like the idea of sweet, happy Bagpipe winning a surly and driven Ch'en over.

OTP: Ch'en x Hoshiguma. The classic. Love this one so much.

Second choice pairing: Ch'en x Bagpipe, Ch'en x Swire. Both of these are really good in different ways. Swire and Ch'en bickering is hilarious.

Fluffy pairing: Ch'en x Bagpipe. Piper's one of the nicest, friendliest operators in Rhodes Island. Ch'en can't do fluffy to save her life, but Bagpipe is there to handle it for both of them.

Angsty pairing: Ch'en x Hoshiguma. Chapter 7. Just... Chapter fucking 7.

Favorite poly ship: Ch'en x Hoshiguma x Swire (x Lin Yuhsia). Let the LGBT Guard Department have 3 girlfriends each. They deserve it.

Weirdest pairing: I don't have a super weird Ch'en pairing but in a non-romantic sense watching her deal with Candela Sanchez during Dossoles Holiday was amusing. Candela's such an Awful Fucking Dog.

Weiss RWBY

NOTP: Ironweiss (Ironwood x Weiss). Please.

BROTP: Freezerburn (Yang x Weiss), White Rose (Weiss x Ruby), Monochrome (Weiss x Blake). See the Yang post for my thoughts on Freezerburn.

OTP: It was White Rose until Volume 9 made me significantly less high on Bumbleby (Blake x Yang), but now it's Freezerburn.

Second choice pairing: Freezerburn pre-Volume 9, White Rose post-Volume 9. Monochrome and North Pole/Schneekos (Pyrrha x Weiss) after that.

Fluffy pairing: White Rose, Freezerburn. The sisters are very sweet and would absolutely adore Weiss and shower her with love.

Angsty pairing: Monochrome. There is so much potential for angst and conflict with Weiss's status as the heiress to the largest company on Remnant, known for abusing Faunus labor, and Blake's status as a prominent Faunus rights activist who has outright attacked Weiss's family's company before.

Favorite poly ship: Sigh... Bee's Schnees, I guess? See the Yang post.

Weirdest pairing: I don't really ship Weiss with anyone other than her teammates and Pyrrha, but whatever the hell Weiss x Marrow is called sounds incredibly funny. It has a similar foundation to Monochrome, Weiss, at least, seems to like Marrow, and there's a lot that can be done with their fight in Volume 7.

As for the Bionicle lore... I admittedly don't know the context there, but from what I remember of reading the various Bionicle books, love was very much present in that universe in some sense, and I'm not very fond of any kind of setting where love simply doesn't exist. I feel like I am missing a ton of information that would inform my opinion on this specific question, though.

[the-marron]

Historical Guardian Fic Recs

This list is shorter than I thought it would be, that’s why it mixes Guardian and Weilan derivs.

Guardian AUs:

wait for it, wait  by sarahyyy

Angst, unspecified period. A tragic romance between a courtier and a general.

The Crimson Lotus  by bonibaru

Longfic, inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, with espionage, double identities, etc. One of fandom classics.

Luolin (Luo Fei/Lin Nansheng Detective L x The Rebel crossover)

We Both Know How This Ends  by  MoDaoZuHolyShit

China in 1950s, the fallout after the Rebel canon featuring an old love and the grey reality of the beginning era. Angst, Politics, amazing writing  

Kiss Away Your Tears by xiermifen

Long fic, which takes a few liberties with Detective L and the Rebel canon but delivers some of my favourite Luolin scenes to date and introduced me to the ship in the first place 🥺.

Warning for Chen Moqun/Lin Nansheng at the beginning.

No shame in having loved by ForErusSake                

Follows the story of the Rebel, with added Luo Fei into the mix, observing LNS through a series of meetings. Atmospheric, sad, but with an optimistic ending.

Warning for CMQ/LNS      

Weilan derivatives:

An official’s position is one of an emaciated steed: On a high stage, where icy tears are difficult to shed | 一任宫长骁瘦 台高冰泪难流   by  MoDaoZuHolyShit, Qi Heng/Bo Li, Ancient China   

A short story about two childhood sweethearts meeting on two opposite sides of the war.            

Bai Qi's gamble by  mici_micelle, Ying Ji/Bai Qi, unspecified               

It’s not very specific in terms of when exactly it takes place, but the fic makes a nice use of Bai Qi being an actual general during Ying Ji’s rule, and the idea behind the fic is great. Angst, politics

the pair of lovebirds that Loneliness painted by djjdkim.  Feng Yong/Chi Rui, WWII

Arranged marriage, jealousy and the war in the background: I enjoy this story a lot (though it’s not entirely accurate, being on the more optimistic side.)

Clockworks and Cold Steel  by  MoDaoZuHolyShit, Lin Nansheng/Yang Xiuxian,  Shanghai 1930s and onwards, WIP

Following the canon of the Rebel, adding YXX for more intrigue, mystery and romance - it’s amazing, even though still in progress. Includes art and it so well-written ❤

[bamioayam]

spirits of the ding

A pair of sketches I really do hope I can start on and finish because these two take up 90% of my braincells...

The gist of it is-- the two are two aspects of the function of the ding 鼎 (tripod cauldron): 1) ritual use, where sacrifices are made to appeal to the gods, and 2) to inform the commonfolk of dangerous creatures that might pose mortal danger to them, as laid out in the myth of Yu the Great’s Nine Cauldrons.

For those who have read any of the Questions on the Self stories, you may know them as taotie-ge and Xu Lin respectively.

Taotie-ge, I’m debating, might yet a yellowish tint to the light to reference the Yellow Springs. He’s going to have some blood to reference a quote below, as well as a pure black background. Xu Lin, I’m probably going to stick a couple more animals on the background, probably some more dangerous creatures or predators, set against a white background. The staff I’m giving him is just an allusion to how patriarchs (in short, leaders of clans aka community) would have a staff to project power (there’s an interesting paper that suggests that Kuafu of the Kuafu Chases the Sun myth, with his wooden staff, might have been a patriarch taking his clansmen west to escape pursuit). Both of them have snakes because uh back then, control over snakes are imagery associated with shamanistic, mystical powers, be it as a priest (eg wu-shamans) or a god. GRANTED, this is mostly something I read from Songs of Chu/Chuci and NOT from Shang dynasty religion, but literally, who’s gonna argue with me about this?? I don’t think the Shang dynasty scholars are on Tumblr.

When at the time of Lord Yu sacrifices were offered, offerings whose qi could be used were valued most. There were sacrifices of blood, of raw flesh, and of sodden flesh– all these were used because of their qi. The people of Yin thought sound to be most important. Before any scent or flavor was produced, they would spread around clear musical sounds. Only after there had been three performances of it did they go out to welcome the victim. The noise of the music was a means whereby they summoned all between heaven and earth. The people of Zhou valued pungent odor. In libations they used the scent of millet-spirits in which fragrant herbs had been mixed. This fragrance, allying itself with yin forces, penetrated to the deep springs below. Libations were poured from cups with handles of jade as if to employ also the qi of jade. As soon as libations were poured, they welcomed in the victim, having made arrive the yin ethers. Then artemisia was mixed with millet and grain. Its scent, allying with the yang forces, would penetrate through the entire building. And thus, once the sacrificial cup had been put down, they burnt the fat and suet of the victim together with the southernwood and mixture of grain.

In addition, taotie-ge’s piece has an oracle bone on it because oracle bones are divinations made to determine what sacrifices would be appropriate to be made to whom and where, among others.

I’m not sure what medium I’ll use in the end, but I’m thinking about using gouache. I want a truly matte, grounded look to it, possibly with strong shadows. What I’m worried about is palette, because the skintone will make or break it-- I’ll probably hunt down some references for that first.

[orion4ever]

heya!! would you be willing to do tamarack and/or qiu headcannons for an mc who's super polite and mature like baxter half of the time and completely feral the other half? have a wonderful day!!

Author’s note: Hey! Thank you for the request! I will be writing for step 1 Qiu and Tamarack! I hope I made them accurate!

Pairing: Qiu and MC & Tamarack and MC

🗒️🍂

Qiu Lin 🗒️

He would think you were cool!

Based on how he sees Baxter as this cool older kid, I would assume he would appreciate someone with some maturity.

He might think you are even COOLER than Baxter because you're his age.

He likes that you are polite as well.

You two, over time gain the reputation of being a polite duo!

His parents are glad that he’s friends with you, They believe you are a good influence.

Qiu might joke around with you about you potentially “being an adult trapped in a kid’s body”

Overall, He likes your polite nature and asks you for advice.

Now , its time for your feral side 👹

He’s pleasantly, surprised.

He suspected that there had to be another side of you that he wasn’t seeing

Yin and Yang, a balance etc.

Qiu likes the energy you bring

It's like having scary dog privileges/j

He might dote and worry a little about you

If you're like reckless feral and not just silly feral

Like running across streets (there are no cars but he’s still worried)

Or like having to be held back/hj

He likes joking that you might need to be put on a child leash!

One time, he entered your house’s kitchen; looking for you.

You were on top of the fridge.

You got too silly.

Tamarack Bauman🍂

At first, Tamarack would be the slightest amount dismissive.

But then she would warm up quickly and you two will be fast friends.

She may have thought you were older than her until you confirmed you are the same age.

Her grandmother would like your polite and mature nature.

Takes notice of how careful you are, how you eat, and how you talk.

Tamarack’s grandmother probably has Tamarack hang out with you a lot since you a good influence.

Tamarack, like Qiu. Also asks for advice constantly.

While hyper, she does like some guidance or support.

Time to go feral 👹

“You two might burn the place down.”

Chaos meets chaos

You guys get into so much trouble.

People shiver in fear when you two enter any establishment.

It is a nice change of pace though! Sometimes, you don’t wanna be the voice of reason.

She is also a little reckless so you both scare Qiu a lot.

You both jump at people from bushes.

[thinkingfandoms]

INTO1 & LGBTQ+

I never believed that out of 90 contestants no one was from the community, so I got carried away and now I have headcanons of all the INTO1 members. Leave now or stay silent forever if you don't like it.

Liu Yu - ally

I have a feeling that he grew up in a traditionalist family, but as he grew his views broadened

he 100% supports every member of the group

still inexperienced on the subject, but tries his best

probably genderfluid or non-binary, just doesn't know it yet

Santa - bicurious

started to be confused when he first fell in love with Riki (and they even got together)

he prefers girls but the mere existence of Riki and Yu Yang confuse him

constant bi panic during Chuang 2021

Rikimaru - gay

too good and gay for this world

shy and head-in-the-clouds gay

is really, REALLY popular

totally in love with Santa

Mika - bisexual

he's from Hawaii, so you can't tell me he's never hit on a guy

totally in love with Kazuma

I don't know whether his short hair or long hair were more bi

Nine - bisexual

my bi king

totally open about his sexuality

the first to come out to the members (while talking about Joong)

judgmental bi

Lin Mo - bisexual & genderfluid

he and Nine are the screw-up bisexual pair

constant bi panic

has had a bad time because of his sexuality, but never shows it

he sucks at his own love affairs but is a genius at others’

Bo Yuan - aroace

he said he has been single for more than 8 years, and I refuse to believe that it isn’t voluntary

he apologized to his parents for not "being able to get married and have children"

"a single mom who works two jobs"

I’m asexual myself so I can say that he’s asexual

Zhang Jiayuan - pansexual

doesn't look like it but he's totally chill about it

no one knows he is engaged

he judges 24/h others’ relationships

Patrick - gay

gen z and German... gay

came out to his parents when he was 14 and their reply was "We knew"

had a crush on Zhou Keyu during Radio's performance; got together toward the end of Chuang 2021

had only one ex, who is his current best friend

Zhou Keyu - gay & asexual

love at first sight with Patrick

the first person he came out to was his brother Leo

soft, chill and shy gay

doesn't like physical touch (except Patrick’s)

AK - ally

this man studies in NY, obv he’s an ally

even though he grew up in a closed-minded family he was too smart to discriminate

he puts up with everyone's shenanigans without judging

laugh in your face after you come out, saying "Yeah, yeah, like I didn't already know"

[ear-worthy]

iHeart Podcasts That Are Ear Worthy: Historical Records & Radio Ambulante

I'm a big fan of Questlove, and an enthusiastic supporter of podcasts that focus on diverse communities that define and enrich the U.S. That being said, iHeart should be proud of these two podcasts. ************************************************** Historical Records podcast spotlights under-celebrated historical heroes

Historical Records is a new podcast that blends hip-hop and history, debuted its trailer on September 19 and launched officially on September 27. The project, conceived by Story Pirates’ Benjamin Salka and Lee Overtree; co-executive produced by Story Pirates Studios, Questlove’s Two One Five Entertainment, and Johnathan Glickman, CEO of Miramax; and co-produced and distributed by iHeartPodcasts. "We are excited to announce 'Historical Records,' a project born from the collaboration between Story Pirates Studios, Questlove, Jonathan Glickman, and iHeart," said Benjamin Salka, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Story Pirates, and Co-Executive Producer of Historical Records. "This new podcast series melds history with hip-hop, energizing each narrative with our collective creativity and insight. The vision and guidance from Miramax’s Jonathan Glickman, coupled with the creative and musical contributions from Questlove's Two One Five, have been crucial in making history resonate with today's audience through the power of music and storytelling."

Hosted by Story Pirates alumni and Broadway actress Nimene Wureh (“Our Town,” Fall 2024), Historical Records will feature the trailblazing stories of under-celebrated historical heroes from the past in fields such as social change, science, sports, and the arts, reimagined into original hip-hop tracks. Each episode pairs these unique songs with distinct historical narratives. Following each song, an insightful discussion will take place between a curious kid (ages 8-14) interested in the topic and a modern-day notable figure in that field, intertwining musicality with history in a way that’s educational, entertaining, and engaging for kids and grownups alike.

"Integrating historical storytelling with the universal language of music opens up a dynamic way to empower young people," said Lee Overtree, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Story Pirates, and Co-Executive Producer of Historical Records. “By focusing on under-celebrated heroes such as Ida Tarbell, Josh Gibson, Keith Haring, and Bill Russell, we aim to cultivate a deep sense of possibility, inspiring listeners to think big and to blaze bold new paths, just like the changemakers before them.”

Special guests for the podcast include modern-day notable figures such as Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; Jalen Rose, a former professional basketball player and Co-Founder of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Detroit, Michigan; Roxane Gay, author of the New York Times bestseller "Bad Feminist"; Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and Emmy Award-winning journalist for CNN; Shepard Fairey, a contemporary artist and Founder of OBEY, among many others. These guests will help bring the stories of these under-celebrated historical heroes to life, connecting the past with the present. New episodes will be released every Friday.

Story Pirates is an award-winning company best known for the Story Pirates Podcast, which has over 90 million downloads globally, highlighting its mission to elevate the ideas, interests, and perspectives of kids. The popular Story Pirates Podcast takes stories submitted by kids and turns them into sketch comedy and songs with help from celebrity guests like Kristen Bell, John Oliver, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sara Bareilles, Seth Meyers, Bowen Yang, and others.

*****************************************************

 Radio Ambulante comes to My Cultura podcast network

iHeartMedia and Radio Ambulante Studios (RAS), a pioneering Spanish-language podcast production company that tells the stories of Latin America and Latino communities around the world, have announced a deal that will bring Radio Ambulante and its full slate of shows to iHeart’s My Cultura Podcast Network. As part of the deal, Radio Ambulante Studios’ flagship, award-winning podcast Radio Ambulante along with its groundbreaking weekly news show El Hilo and its anthology docuseries Central will now be distributed by iHeartPodcasts as part of My Cultura, iHeartMedia’s podcast network dedicated to elevating Latinx voices and stories. Under the new partnership, the two companies will also develop and co-produce a minimum of two new shows over the next two years.

Celebrating the launch of its 14th season in late September, Radio Ambulante has covered stories of love and migration, of youth and politics, of the environment and families in extraordinary circumstances across Latin America, sharing with listeners more than 260 episodes produced in more than 20 countries. It is heralded as the most ambitious narrative-journalistic podcast in Latin America, offering a sound portrait of the continent and anywhere Spanish is spoken. For the past eight years Radio Ambulante, the studio’s flagship podcast, was distributed by NPR.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this new stage in the development of Radio Ambulante Studios,” said RAS Executive Producer and host, Daniel Alarcón. “iHeart and My Cultura will put our three podcasts in front of potentially enormous audiences and allow our journalism to have an even greater impact for Latino and Spanish-speaking audiences everywhere.”

Radio Ambulante Studios is a pioneering Spanish-language podcast production company that tells the stories of Latin America and Latino communities around the world. Founded in 2011, its mission is to achieve a greater understanding of these communities through well-told, rigorously reported, and expertly produced audio journalism, offering the audience a nuanced portrait of a complex and vital region.

“We are so honored to embark on this new journey with Radio Ambulante Studios,” said Gisselle Bances, Head of My Cultura for iHeartMedia. “They have created remarkable, top-quality Spanish content that time-and-time again delivers such remarkable stories, allowing our community to learn more about Latin America. We are excited to join forces and help expand the reach of these stores, and others, through the My Cultura Podcast Network.”

iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Podcast Network was announced in May 2021. The network is home to hit podcasts including Connections with Eva Longoria; Princess of South Beach starring Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) and Sheryl Rubio (Casa de las Flores); Wrestling with Freddie with Freddie Prinze, Jr. and many more.

The Radio Ambulante slate and all shows on The My Cultura Podcast Network are distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

[sa7abnews]

No ‘solid’ way to distinguish a man from a woman – IOC chief

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/16/no-solid-way-to-distinguish-a-man-from-a-woman-ioc-chief/

No ‘solid’ way to distinguish a man from a woman – IOC chief

Thomas Bach has stood by his committee’s decision to clear for competition two boxers at the center of a gender eligibility controversy

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Friday he is not aware of a ‘scientifically solid’ way to distinguish a man from a woman, defending the body’s decision to allow two boxers whose gender eligibility has been disputed to take part in the women’s boxing championship. Bach’s words came in response to a question about whether the IOC would consider reviewing its gender identification guidelines in light of the controversy surrounding a pair of boxers, Algerian Imane Khelif and Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting, being allowed to take part in the Games as women despite previous allegations that they are actually biologically male. According to Bach, while the IOC “would be more than pleased to look into” the situation, it does not have a way to probe the gender claims of either athlete at this time. “We have said from the very beginning, if somebody is presenting us with a scientifically solid system how to identify men and women, we are the first ones to do it. We do not like this uncertainty,” Bach stated, adding that chromosome testing is not enough to scientifically distinguish between men and women “anymore.” He noted also that “it is not possible” for the IOC to make its decisions based on “someone saying this is not a woman just by looking” or “by falling prey to a defamation campaign by a not credible organization with highly political interest.” The latter comment appears to be a jab aimed at the International Boxing Association (IBA), which disqualified both Khelif and Yu-ting from the World Championships last year after they “failed to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition.” The two bodies have been at odds in recent years.

Read more

Boxer at center of gender controversy wins Olympic gold

In a statement released at the end of July, the IBA reiterated that “the athletes… were subject to a separate and recognized test [which] indicated that both… were found to have competitive advantages over other female competitors.” The gender controversy at the Paris Olympics sparked heated debates globally after Khelif beat Italy’s Angela Carini in the preliminary rounds at the Olympics in a bout that lasted a mere 45 seconds. The incident raised questions as to the fairness of allowing biological males to compete with females. Last week, IOC spokesman Mark Adams claimed that all competitors approved for the Games “comply with the eligibility rules,” and cast doubts on the IBA tests. The IOC previously explained that Khelif and Lin Tu-ting had been cleared for the Games due to being “women according to their passports.”

READ MORE: Olympic boxing controversy: Gender-bending is the new doping

Several hours after Bach’s press briefing, Khelif won Olympic gold after defeating China’s Yang Liu in the welterweight final in Paris. The outcome sparked a new wave of heated debate online, with some social media users expressing support for Khelif, while others lambasted the IOC and called on it to strip the athlete of the award. Many also ridiculed Bach for his recent remarks, noting that there are a variety of genetic tests and accusing him of “gaslighting the world.”

[movielosophy]

The Oath of Love ~ Don’t let him see you like this.

[pose4photoml]

Boop boop! Some BL questions cause i'm curious hehe

~ which series would say is severely underrated and would deserve a rerelease with proper promo?

~ if you had to pick only BLs from one country, which one would it be? (of course this country would produce as many shows as you would want to watch)

~ which settings would you want to see more of?

~ what's your favorite among the shows airing at the moment?

~ if you could cast some mainstream actors to play in a BL, who would you pick? what would be the story?

Hi Anon ~ Thank you for the ask!

Question - which series would say is severely underrated and would deserve a rerelease with proper promo?

Answer – Not Me --- they didn’t promote this series well enough to their audiences. I liked that the show was about activism and justice in our society and maybe because it showcased protesting and people fighting for equal rights, that this might be the reason why it wasn’t promoted like other BL series.  I also really liked the Yok x Dan story line - If you have never seen it, check it out.

Question - If you had to pick only BLs from one country, which one would it be? (of course this country would produce as many shows as you would want to watch)

Answer: Thailand - as there are a variety of Thai BL for every type: and a lot of the shows I have enjoyed watching so far are Thai BL.’s!!

Question - which settings would you want to see more of?

Answer – I’d like to see more work settings. (Experiences after college) more of the day-to-day life of adults.  **And if I could add - I would like to see less rich guy and poor guy pairing. Why not have a show where neither of them are the boss and they both are from the same /similar background both in education and money.

Question - what's your favorite among the shows airing at the moment?

Answer – IF you have seen my page you know this answer …but I will write it here for those who haven’t…Love In The Air… - This is one show that I actually like both couples, and I have lost count how many times I have rewatched certain parts of any episode of any show (except Bad Buddy) while the show was still airing, Yes I like this show that much. Side note -- I need a bestie like Sky in my life!!

Question - if you could cast some mainstream actors to play in a BL, who would you pick? what would be the story?

Answer – I would love to see anyone one of these three - Kang Tae-oh, Yang Yang and or Lai Kuan-lin (I love these three and while I am not sure if any of them have been in a BL before I don’t recall seeing them in any of the BL shows I have  seen so far)  As to the story --??? Not sure on this one BUT if it could be something like I describe above…where none of them are the boss and they are from the same /similar background both in education and money.

Thanks again for the ask and I hope you have a great week!

[savethelastdan]

"You've got me off track, got me thinking abstract/baby, look at what you've done, soon you've got me wantin' somebody or body contact/I love it, but I hate that." from Daphne Blue by TBC for ship of your choice

i literally wrote this back in 2020 for Fangfang/Lin Yiyang but it fits so here you go

-

“If you let me leave a mark,” Yi Yang says, thumb smoothing down the column of her neck where his kisses have painted the skin, “then people would know you’re mine.” 

Fangfang wants to laugh at that. She doesn’t, because he might think she’s laughing at him, and he’s sensitive to things like that. But it’s just so ridiculous. 

Because he’s already given her his jacket, when she ran from the dorm to make a test but forgot her raincoat and it was pouring by the end of the day. His coat’s warm and baggy and she likes to pull it over her shoulders like armor. 

Because when they go to study together in the library, he makes sure that the seats by the windows are free because they’re her favorite. Sometimes he even already has all the necessary books and snacks piled in the middle of the table, as if by magic. 

Because Dalei and Yebai poke their heads into her classroom during break and ask her how she’s doing or if she needs anything, and she knows it’s because he asked them to. They wink and smile at her and call her “Little Boss”, even though it makes her classmates talk. 

A mark wouldn’t make any difference, she wants to say. Because how could they not already know? 

“It’s different,” he mumbles, when she points out to him the many ways he’s already staked his claim. Her look demands he explain how, but Yi Yang never does. He distracts her instead, tapping the book in front of them or moving to kiss her mouth. When she feels the ghost of his teeth against her neck, it sends her into shivers. 

He would never bite down without her saying so. But she won’t let him until she understands why he would want to. 

Then she’s wearing the laces from his old training gloves looped around her wrist, only smiling a little bit when Qingqing notices and screeches loud enough to alert the entire classroom. Several of his jackets end up in her closet, making black and gray slashes through the sea of soft pinks and blues. 

And yet his fingers always linger on the column of her throat, as he sighs.

“Then people would know you’re mine.” 

He’s walking her to class the day that the thought hits her, sparking down her spine with an electric consternation. Fangfang stops short in the hall, and it’s only due to his quick pull at her wrist that she avoids causing a collision with her classmates. 

“Be more careful,” he grunts, thumb stroking the joint of her wrist twice before letting go. But Fangfang’s not thinking of anything else in the world, least of all being careful; her eyes search across his face in wonder. 

You’re all over me, she wants to say, but there’s nothing of me on you. 

You want everyone to know I’m yours, because I’ve done nothing to say you’re mine. 

“What the hell?” Situ Feng says bluntly, comic book falling from his hand. Beside him, Qingqing’s eyes bug out so far they might fall into the cup of yogurt she’s won from her boyfriend’s lunch after a truly vicious duel in the middle of the quad. 

  Yi Yang shrugs, sliding into the seat in front of the pair and crossing his arms over the back of the chair. Fangfang waves from the door where she’s helping the teacher repack a box of workbooks. 

Qingqing reaches up to pat Feng’s cheek, eyes still affixed on Yi Yang. “Do you see this, Situ Feng?”

He shoves her hand away, muttering, “Duh, I’m not blind. Yi Yang, what are you doing?”

The other boy cocks an eyebrow, not moving. “I’m waiting for Fangfang.” 

Qingqing and Situ Feng exchange looks of annoyance at his feigned innocence before leaning closer to his face. Slamming one hand on her desk to indicate she means business, Qingqing crows, “Yi Yang, you better explain! What are you trying to do to Fangfang?” 

“Seriously,” Situ Feng says in a much quieter tone, pulling his girlfriend back by the hood of her sweatshirt. “She’s not like Qingqing, she’s a really sweet girl. You shouldn’t do anything to upset her.” 

Yi Yang’s eyes narrow, wishing that his perceived aggression had the same effect on his friends as it appears to have on the rest of the student body. Even now, the student whose seat he has taken hovers a short distance away rather than asking him directly to get up. “Who’s upset? She hasn’t said anything.” 

Qingqing throws herself forward to grab the collar of his shirt, jerking him to one side with surprising strength. “How can she not be upset? Just because Fangfang has too much of a kind heart to say anything about it, how dare you run around with another girl!” Her other hand slaps at Situ Feng’s face again. “The evidence is all over your body! You can see it, can’t you, Situ Feng?”

“I already told you I could, stupid, stop hitting me---” 

“Walking around with love bites on your neck from a mistress, how could you be so shameless?!” 

“Qingqing!” Fangfang hurries over, pulling her friend back into the chair with both hands in a much-practiced motion. “Leave him be, he’s innocent.” 

Yi Yang readjusts the collar of his shirt, smiling towards Fangfang in a way that makes her blush. Qingqing snarls. 

“You don’t have to defend him, Fangfang!” Would kicking him out the third floor window be too soft of a response to such a dramatic betrayal? 

“How could he be innocent,” Situ Feng muses, shaking his head, “when his neck looks like that.” 

Fangfang’s hands grip Qingqing’s shoulders tightly. “Because,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper, “I did it to him.” 

“Eh?” Situ Feng and Qingqing’s heads snap back to stare at her, creating an audible crack in the room. Fangfang’s face is the color of strawberry cream, and she hurriedly drops her gaze to the floor. Yi Yang leans back in the chair with a purposeful nonchalance; Fangfang is sure he’s worn just a T shirt today for this reason, instead of the jacket that curves higher up on his collarbone. 

Unless that is one of the jackets in her closet, and she just overestimates him. 

Her eyes meet Yi Yang’s, relieved at the adoration she finds there. The reverence that he always seems to carry for her feels like slipping into a warm bath at the end of a long hard day; his smile is so soft, even with the purple bruises blossoming on the right side of his throat. 

She’d discovered it was really more of the suction that created the mark, and not the violence of teeth meeting skin. Her first few tries had barely affected his visage. Yi Yang had chuckled upon noticing her disappointment and reminded her that she could practice all she wanted until she was pleased. 

“Why--who--” Qingqing’s head whips back and forth dramatically between her best friend and her best friend’s boyfriend. “Fangfang!” 

Situ Feng leans over and stage whispers. “You know what they say. Even a kitten becomes a tigress when provoked…”

“Who says that?! What provocation?!” Qingqing stands, almost knocking Situ Feng out of his chair. She grasps Fangfang’s hands tight and pulls them to her chest. “Fangfang, what could have made you so bold?” 

Her smile is bright, boldened by the laces peeking out of her sleeve and the sight of her boyfriend’s thumb tracing the mark on his own skin. 

“Because,” she says simply, “then people know he’s mine.”

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 43

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 43

When he reached a fork in the road, the white figure turned around. The familiar profile and the slightly frowning expression made Lin Yan almost shiver all over.

"Xiao Yu!" He called out uncontrollably.

The white figure paused for a moment like he wanted to turn his head, but he controlled himself and took a step forward again.

"Don't go. I'm begging you, don't go. . ." Lin Yan shouted at the shadow in desperation.

Xiao Yu slowly turned around. His face was extraordinarily pale, like a water spirit on a rainy night. His black hair was wet against his cheeks, and water was dripping down from the ends of his hair and clothes. The hem of his garment was soaked in the mud, gaunt and wretched. With his head bowed, he raised his eyes to look at Lin Yan, his figure like fluttering white silk in the wind.

A man and a ghost confronted each other in a dark alley.

"Come home. I've been looking for you every day." His voice was hoarse for a moment. Lin Yan put Xiao Yu's hand on his chest and covered it with his own. "It's cold outside."

Xiao Yu's eyes were hollow and sad. He quietly raised his eyes and Lin Yan suddenly trembled. He felt that Xiao Yu was not looking at him. His unfocused gaze went straight through his body, as if he was a translucent shadow. Lin Yan looked back. There was only a small patch of light at the end of the alley in the distance behind him, like a window, with cars coming and going.

"Xiao Yu?" He hesitated and tried. "I'm sorry for what happened at the hospital. I should never have suspected it was you. Weiwei woke up. She said that she saw Immortal Gu that day, and she didn't know why the little pendant was on her. We were too careless, but why won't you say anything?"

"We can find a way to deal with the yang and yin. Even if A-Yan can't figure it out, there are always experts. Let's go to Mount Lao and the southern border." Lin Yan took a breath and said sullenly, "Come back with me. I miss you."

Xiao Yu shook his head slowly but still didn't speak. Lin Yan felt his face getting hot, so he lowered his head and didn't dare to look at him. He took out the jade pendant from his pocket and wanted to tie it around Xiao Yu. The familiar chill was reassuring, but the ghost took a step back as if he were agitated. The silk sash wasn't properly tightened, and the weight pulled it to the ground with a clatter. It rolled around a few times in the sewage then stopped moving. Xiao Yu sighed. He picked up the jade pendant and put it in Lin Yan's hands. There was a shallow crack on the jade, an extraordinarily eye-catching slight flaw in the white background.

"Don't look for me." The ghost finally spoke, and a cold hand stroked Lin Yan's face, "People and ghosts have different paths."

Lin Yan stared at him stubbornly: "Tell me the truth. You haven't left at all these past few days, have you? You watched me search for you in the streets and alleys. I was going crazy trying to find you. If it weren't for the movie theatre incident today, were you never going to show up?"

Xiao Yu didn't deny it. After a moment of silence, he turned around and walked towards the dark depths of the alley. The cold rain hit his shoulders, and his tall upright figure looked desolate and lonely. Lin Yan stared at his figure. His lips trembled like wax, and he was speechless. He knew this ghost's temper too well. This was his last chance. How could he keep him? How could he convince a proud ghost?

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Yan rushed several steps forward to keep up with Xiao Yu and hugged his waist fiercely from behind.

Xiao Yu trembled slightly, standing still. Lin Yan heard him sigh faintly, and after a long stalemate, a pair of icy hands clasped the back of his hands. They stroked along his knuckles before finally grabbing his wrists and struggling hard. Lin Yan stubbornly refused to let go. A sudden fire surged in him. He held him tighter, the emotions that had been building up for many days were uncontrollable, and even his voice was filled with sobs.

"You bastard, you fucking bastard. You forced me to do this. You scared me so much. You have to acknowledge me. I would cut out my heart for you. I have to say this. I, a big old gentleman, can only think of a man every single day. I can't stay away from him. I miss him every day I don't see him. I can't even without getting fucked by him for one day.”

"What else do you want me to admit? I give up, I'm shameless! I'll say it all!"

"Come back with me." Lin Yan's face rested on Xiao Yu's back. He didn't know that his eyes had turned red. He whispered in the man's ear, "You don't know how I've been living these past few days. I miss you so much. . ."

Xiao Yu turned around abruptly and stared straight at Lin Yan, as if he was holding back and suppressing something. Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Yan wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed Xiao Yu heavily on the lips, actively and passionately sticking his tongue into his mouth and exploring it. Xiao Yu took a step back. Lin Yan took the opportunity to push against him harder. He pressed him against the wall of the alley, biting a small piece of skin on the side of his neck and sucking it repeatedly, licking it like a cat before finally prying his teeth away. The rainy night was cold, and Xiao Yu's body was also freezing. The two of them were completely soaked, rubbing against the mud on each of the moss-covered walls, kissing like there was no tomorrow.

After the kiss ended, Lin Yan touched his lips and stared at Xiao Yu indignantly: "Do you know what I want to do now?"

"I want to fucking hold you here and beat the shit out of you, and then fuck you!"

"You're not doing too bad so far." Xiao Yu puffed out a laugh.

After being separated for more than half a month, the empty passenger seat finally had its owner back. The two kissed and embraced in the car, eager to swallow each other whole. Lin Yan's hazy vision swept across the car window. Facing them were two pairs of eyes in the green tree line. One pair was old and cloudy, the other pair had a cold smile, staying low in the dense undergrowth and watching them silently.

Things were far from over.

In the quiet hallway of a quiet home, Lin Yan and Xiao Yu walked out of the elevator. When he opened the door, the little yellow cat that he had adopted suddenly came out from behind the door, rubbing against Lin Yan's shoes with its furry head and acting like a spoiled child. Then he noticed the anomaly and let out a mournful cat cry, arching his back in a defensive posture, a cold light in his eyes, staring warily behind Lin Yan.

"Introductions, this is Xiao Yu." Lin Yan smiled and held the little yellow cat in front of Xiao Yu. I met an old man in the hospital during the time you were gone, and he left his cat unattended, so I brought it back."

"I saw." Xiao Yu's eyes were a little strange as if he was deliberately avoiding the little yellow cat.

"Are you afraid of cats?"

"Cats ward off evil spirits."

Lin Yan awkwardly put the cat back on the ground. The little guy immediately took a stance toward Xiao Yu, the hair on his body stood on end, and a warning growl sounded from his throat.

"Then you go in first. I'll send it to Yin Zhou to foster for a few days." Lin Yan took out the car keys in his pant pocket, but Xiao Yu held his hand: "It's okay, keep it if you like."

Lin Yan cocked his head and looked at Xiao Yu, speaking softly, "Carry me in. From now on, this will really be our home." Xiao Yu didn't say a word. One hand held Lin Yan's knee, the other held his shoulders to carry him through the door and carefully place him on the sofa. After that, he stood alone in front of the window. The living room was dark and dreary, neither bothering to turn on the lights. Lin Yan lit a cigarette and stared at Xiao Yu's back in a daze. Sparks were flying, his eyes filled with thoughts.

The small red light on his phone indicated that there was a missed call. A-Yan had called. He hadn't heard from the little Daoist since they split ways at the hospital, but Yin Zhou met him a few times at school, saying that he was looking for the missing temple master in addition to his part-time job. Lin Yan called back and A-Yan was hesitant for a few moments before he finally revealed that he had received a message from the temple master.

Lin Yan's nerves suddenly tensed up.

"I-I thought about it, but I think I should tell you. M-Master said today that he was going to Shanxi to do something important. He told me to go to my classes and not contact him. I remember you said that the tomb is also there. I wonder if it's related. . ."

His body felt slightly numb. Lin Yan glanced at Xiao Yu, secretly thinking that since his first trick hadn't worked, he must have another one up his sleeve. The little Daoist heard his silence and he hesitatingly said: "Lin Yan, I know this request is a bit much, if. . . if this really has something to do with my master, can you show mercy?"

"Master is the only family I have left." A-Yan pleaded.

Lin Yan was silent for a moment, then said something to put him at ease.

"If he's willing to let us go, we won't make things difficult for him." He heard the little Daoist sigh in relief, and then ask back: "W-We? He's back?"

Lin Yan didn't deny it. The little Daoist priest's voice sank. After briefly hesitating, he asked him, "What are you going to do? It'll kill you to stay mixed up with him."

Lin Yan felt a chill in his heart.

The little Daoist priest continued: "It's b-better if he leaves. It'll be better for you both. Now that he's back, e-even if he likes you, he's become this thing. Do you still expect to live with him for the rest of your life?"

"It's never too late to make things right. Ghosts are like cats and wolves. They're carnivores. If you keep them by your side, maybe one day they will gnaw you to the bone." A-Yan said, "I-I'm doing it for your own good. If he dares try and hurt you, even if I have to fight for my life, I have to. . .”

Lin Yan gently hung up the phone.

He didn't know when he had picked up the habit of not turning on the lights. Xiao Yu didn't like the light. The two had been living a particularly efficient life when they were idle at home. The lights of the residential building across the street provided a ray of light to the house. The ghost was sitting on a piano bench by the window, broad-shouldered, with a straight back and a jade-like face reflecting the deep blue of the night. The cat was cowering in a corner peering at him nervously, its almond-shaped green ghost eyes looking bright like two light bulbs at a certain angle.

The Tongzi wood guqin that he and Xiao Yu ordered in Shenjiayuan had been delivered. It was placed in front of the window together with the violin stand and wooden chair. Ancient colours mixed with ancient scents. The damp night wind blew the curtain like a sail. Xiao Yu's fingers hooked the strings of the guqin. A long vibrating string sound echoed through time and space, empty and quiet. The man lifted his sleeves, sat beside the piano and thought silently. With his fingertips, "A Solitary Orchid" was like the singing of birds in an empty mountain. His undried white clothes stuck to his body, revealing a nice profile of his back. Lin Yan snuffed out the cigarette in his hand and walked up to hug him from behind: "Be good, come take a shower and change your clothes first."

When he lowered his head on Xiao Yu's wet long hair, the instrument's sound stopped, broken off on a high note that had been partially stroked, a story with no context. Xiao Yu turned around and kissed Lin Yan, lingering for a long time before letting him go. He placed his blue and white hands on the surface of the guqin and he whispered, "Are you afraid of me?"

"You heard everything?"

Xiao Yu didn't deny it. Lin Yan sighed. He touched the ghost's leg, silently asking him to lean back to make room. Lin Yan sat on Xiao Yu's lap and put his arms around his neck. He said wearily, "I'm afraid you don't want me."

Xiao Yu wrapped one hand around his waist and plucked the strings of the guqin with the other. He didn't know what tune it was, only that, in the silent night, it felt extraordinarily sad. He didn't know when the rain stopped. A bright moon moved out from behind the dark clouds. The moon from five hundred years ago, slowly being revealed like a teardrop on rice paper.

Lin Yan stared blankly at Xiao Yu. In the night, his face is like a sculpture of jade, cold and hard. No matter how gentle he was, it was still a plastic porcelain body, a deep chill in his heart. He was not an ordinary soul. He was a ghost that demanded a life. The first time he returned to the world of the living, he was full of anger, and he needed to see blood on his hands to calm his old grievances slightly. There was a soft cat meowing from the corner. Xiao Yu's fingertips trembled. Lin Yan looked up at him, he suddenly realized that Xiao Yu was actually terrifying. He was like a cat, agile, cold, untameable, hiding in the shadows, spying on his prey. Cats are never willing to lie in the arms of people because they're submissive. Who knows if they are thinking that when you die I can eat your corpse one bite at a time?

He wasn't capable of taming a ghost. People are always weak in the face of darkness, but he did not listen to advice and took the wrong step.

Lin Yan tentatively asked him, "Xiao Yu. . . how did you die?"

The ghost's eyes were filled with strange resentment for a moment. He frowned, his fingers trembling slightly. He let out a breath after a while, shook his head and said, "Slayn with a gun, killed with a knife, hung with a rope, there's always some way to die. I don't remember very clearly. It seems that I have only woken up recently, and I have been walking in a drowsy state before that. The events of my life have passed too long ago."

A ghost who has been dead for a hundred years, returning to the world for the first time, in a daze, following instinct the whole time, not knowing where he came from, not knowing where to go, carrying the unwillingness and sadness of the previous life, carrying the burden of fleeing the world, meeting a person out of thin air, transferring his love and hate from his previous life to him - who knows what relationship he had with this person in his previous life? Even if there was a relationship, after the reincarnation into this world, was the person still the same person?

Meng Po's bowl of soup* is the gods' most sincere sympathy for the weak world. A knock on the wooden bowl will save you from loneliness in the next life, maybe like Xiao Yu?

*(T/N: Meng Po (孟婆) is the goddess of forgetfulness in Chinese mythology, who serves Meng Po Soup on the Bridge of Forgetfulness or Naihe Bridge. This soup wipes the memory of the person so they can reincarnate into the next life without the burdens of the previous life.)

Lin Yan curled up in Xiao Yu's arms. He narrowed his eyes and nestled under his neck. He said softly, "There's a Japanese monster called the Ameonna*, who stands alone in the rain. When a man smiles at her, signalling to share an umbrella, she'll follow him. From then on, the man will live in constant rain and will die soon after."

*(T/N: Ameonna (雨女, "rain woman") is a Japanese yōkai thought to call forth rain)

"It's a very lonely demon." Lin Yan sighed.

"Japanese slaves*." Xiao Yu was not interested and hummed from his nose.

*(T/N: So the term 倭奴 was a derogatory way of referring to the Japanese people in the country of Wakoku (which is what they called Japan) by the ancient Chinese. The first character means 'dwarf' and the second means 'slave')

Lin Yan kissed Xiao Yu's face and suddenly got serious: "If we stay like this, how long do I have?"

Xiao Yu stopped talking. Lin Yan was startled and guessed, "One year?"

"Half a year?"

There was only a racing heartbeat in the darkness. Lin Yan grabbed Xiao Yu's hand, squeezing tighter and tighter. The ghost hugged him, rubbing his cold fingers across his neck. He shook his head and said, "Lin Yan, I shouldn't have come back with you. You still have a family."

Lin Yan dazedly said that he wanted to take a shower. He slipped off Xiao Yu's lap, staggering to the bathroom, and twisted the shower valve without even taking off his clothes. The water was freezing, dripping down his cold body. A curtain of water fell in front of his eyes. What he wanted to see and what he didn't want to see became blurred. Lin Yan sat on the ground leaning against the wall, cold water pouring down his head. He began to laugh bitterly to himself. He laughed and laughed before he covered his face and cried.

The bathroom door opened. Xiao Yu turned off the shower and pulled the wet Lin Yan up from the ground. The two embraced each other. Lin Yan buried his face in Xiao Yu's shoulder. He partially raised his head and said hoarsely: "Are you fucking kidding me. . ."

"When I wanted nothing to do with you, all you did was pester me. Now I like you, and you don't want me anymore. . . Why do you have the final say, who are you?"

People have their obsessions, and ghosts have their own obsessions. Who is more determined than who? Lin Yan quickly calmed down. He touched the water on his face and said solemnly: "Forget it. I admit it. I can't let you go either way. There's a beginning and an end. I'll help you fulfill your wish in life, to be a good ghost with no ties, jump off the sunny cliff to return and have a good life so you don't float anymore for decades and centuries. It's too cruel."

"Let's go back to Shanxi and go to the tomb. There's no answer in the book. There may be clues in the tomb." Lin Yan bit his lip. "The old man in the temple has passed, I'm afraid he'll try to exorcise you again."

Xiao Yu shook his head and said, "Stay here with me."

Lin Yan smiled miserably: "I know. You said at the beginning that on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. We have until the Mid-Autumn Festival. There have to be clues. Whether you want to kill, repay a debt or marry a wife, it's up to you, I don't care. If you can't find it, we'll just part ways and pretend we never knew each other, okay?"

Warm steam was billowing from the bathroom. The two seemed to be very close, but they were too far away to touch each other. They didn't even dare to look at each other. They washed their clothes clean of mud. The human being is a human being, and the ghost is a ghost. Lin Yan carefully removed Xiao Yu's soaked clothes, only to feel heartbroken. The self-respecting son of a nobleman can't even avoid a city rainstorm. He didn't care about him. He'll drift on day after day, becoming a lonely soul wandering downstairs, looking at the lights upstairs every day, anxiously waiting for the person who will open the door.

Lin Yan buried his face in Xiao Yu's chest, his fingers tracing circles on his cold skin: "Xiao Yu, if things work out, will you remember me in your next life when you are a human being?"

"I'll definitely come back."

Lin Yan smiled and put his arms around his neck: "That's going to be almost twenty years. As long as you don't mind me being old by then, I'll follow you."

Sometimes we open our eyes wide and think we see the world clearly, but in reality, we don't. The world is divided into black and white. No matter how hard we try, there will always be half hidden in the darkness.

Some truths can only be seen in death.

Before going to bed, Lin Yan changed the flight time on the Internet. After that, he called his parents. He only said that he was going to travel after the exam. He was used to living alone. His parents didn't ask much. They gave him a few instructions and hung up the phone. Lin Yan was sitting beside the bed in a daze when a cat meow suddenly came from behind him, pampered. His fluffy body rubbed against his back. The little yellow cat occupied the other half of the double bed, vigilantly staring at Xiao Yu. The ghost's eyes were gloomy, one large and one small glaring at each other.

Lin Yan puffed out a laugh. He took the kitten off of the blanket and put it into the cat bed: "Good boy. You can only sleep here from now on."

Xiao Yu unceremoniously lay down in the vacant position. Lin Yan came over to pester him, his face pressed against Xiao Yu's back, murmuring, "You're finally back."

"Turn around, I'll hug you to sleep." Xiao Yu pried open Lin Yan's hands. Lin Yan shook his head, hugging his waist tightly, and said softly: "I'm afraid that once I fall asleep, you'll sneak away again."

The night was like a gentle blanket wrapping around the two of them. Outside the window, the burning moon after the rain was eerily bright. The two people in the room embraced and slept, not knowing that they were stepping into a premeditated trap. The person who was planting the net was hundreds of kilometers away, nervously arranging something under the same moonlight.