#must watch cdrama

[filthy-mudeoki]

A perfect present

A missing moment from the two year time leap before the beach proposal

Sang Yan’s bar is already quite busy when Jiaxu arrives. But it doesn’t take him long to find his friend in their designated booth. There’s food already on the table and he’s grateful because he’s had no time to eat all day. (He’s carefully avoided having to tell Sang Zhi this knowing it would only cause her to worry more.)

“You know once she moves back here you can’t keep this up. She’ll kill you if she finds out you’ve been skipping meals again,” Sang Yan warns him.

Jiaxu smiles. “Is that why you’re feeding me, darling brother?”

Sang Yan scoffs as he always does when Jiaxu teases him like that.

“Jiaxu,” his friend sighs and Jiaxu can hear the worry in his voice.

He places his chopsticks down. “It’s okay. I just worked a little extra now so I’ll have more time available later.”

Sang Yan nods, immediately understanding. “So have you decided what you’re going to get the little demon for her graduation?”

Jiaxu smiles and it does not go unnoticed by Sang Yan.

“Well?” His friend asks impatiently and Jiaxu only smiles a little more.

“I have an idea.” Jiaxu knows he’s probably got a bit of a dopey look on his face but he doesn’t care. These days he thinks he’s always got a dopey look on his face when he thinks about his girlfriend.

As he expects Sang Yan rolls his eyes; more in habit than annoyance. Secretly, Sang Yan has been Jiaxu and Sang Zhi’s biggest fan but he wouldn’t dare let them know that. He enjoys giving them a hard time too much for that. But he also knows that he’s never seen two people more in love and no two people who are so perfect for each other. He has always wanted the best for his sister and thought his best friend deserved true happiness. He just never thought they’d find it with each other.

“Fine. Don’t tell me,” Sang Yan whines and Jiaxu laughs.

“Why don’t you wait until graduation weekend?”

Sang Yan doesn’t answer him as some of their friends come to join them.

It’s not an unwelcome interruption. Jiaxu hasn’t seen his friends in a while and he’s happy to indulge them now with jokes and stories. He’s mindful of them too and notices that even Sang Yan has pulled back on the drinks tonight. At the end of the night he calls them a taxi and they rowdily get in waving their goodbyes. The bar’s quieter now, just a handful of workers, Sang Yan and himself.

His friend has been calling out instructions to his employees before joining Jiaxu at their table again.

“Sang Yan,” he says and there’s something in his tone that has his friend sitting up right almost immediately. “Are your parents free this weekend? There is something I’d like to talk to them about.”

Sang Yan raises a brow. “What is it?”

“Zhizhi’s graduation present.”

Sang Yan sits back, eyeing his friend closely. “Duan Jiaxu, what are you planning? You’re not moving back to Yihe are you?”

Jiaxu laughs. “No! Of course not. Nanwu is where we both want to be.”

“So?” And there’s a playful smirk that Sang Yan’s got that tells Jiaxu his friend might already guess at his plans.

Nevertheless he puts his hand into his pocket and pulls out the thing that has been weighing heavy in his coat all night. He places the soft grey box on the table and leans back to gauge his friends reaction.

Sang Yan looks from him to the box and back to him again. “Are you sure?”

Jiaxu doesn’t answer, merely tipping his head to the side a little. Of course they both know he’s sure but as a big brother, Sang Yan has to ask.

Eventually Sang Yan picks up the box, opening it to carefully examine the ring inside. He whistles as he brings it closer for inspection.

“I’ve always told her I’m going to be good to her and love her for the rest of my life. I’ve worked hard to settle everything here and make sure she’s going to live well when she comes back home. Everything I’ve done has been for her and ... darling brother,” he teases and Sang Yan scoffs, “I would like your blessing to continue loving her not just as my girlfriend but as my wife.”

Despite it all, Sang Yan is speechless for a moment. “You’re ... asking for my blessing too?”

Jiaxu sighs. “I told you before, I didn’t handle it properly when we first started dating. I don’t want this to be like that. I want to do this right.”

Snag Yan looks back at the ring. “I never thought anyone would ever be good enough for Sang Zhi. But I was wrong ... and I’m glad it’s you... so yes.”

Jiaxu looks momentarily surprised and Sang Yan huffs. “Ya! Did you really think I’d say no?”

Jiaxu does his best not to grin too wide. “I just didn’t think you’d agree so quickly.”

“It’s for Zhizhi and I’m not going to stop her from being happy like she deserves.” He leans forward and says his final piece. “Besides, I know your character Duan Jiaxu. I trust you with her.” He looks over at his friend who is grinning like a fool and it’s almost entirely too much bromance for him to handle.

Sang Yan hands him the box back, ring carefully tucked inside.

Jiaxu smiles as he looks down at it and Sang Yan knows these two are going to be unbearably sappy come post-engagement.

“You’ll be there when I ask her.”

Sang Yan pauses. “You want me there?”

“Hhm, and your parents.”

“Are you sure?” And because he can’t help but tease his friend he adds, “It’ll be so embarrassing for you if she says no and we’re all there to see it.”

Jiaxu laughs. “You think she’ll say no?”

“You think she’ll say yes?”

“Of course she will.”

Sang Yan laughs. “I hope your proposal is as great as your confidence.” An idea comes to mind and he leans forward, mockingly fearful as he says, “I hope you don’t plan to have us dress up in weird costumes or whatever.”

Jiaxu rubs at his jaw thoughtfully. “Actually I had a whole song and dance in mind for you.”

Sang Yan scowls and waves his friend off.

Jiaxu shakes his head. “Relax, darling brother. All you have to do is be there. I thing Zhizhi would love that the most.”

Sang Yan nods his head but can’t bring himself to say that he wholly agrees because once again, Jiaxu has proven just how well he knows his sister.

“So what do you have in mind?”

“Snag Zhi likes the beach and I -“ he’s cut off by his cellphone ringing. He glanced down and immediately grins. He can practically feel Sang Yan’s eye roll as he tells him to answer it.

“Wei.”

“Wei Jiaxu,” comes her soft reply and as it always does, it fills his heart with warmth.

“Did you eat?” She asks and Sang Yan gives him a knowingly look but doesn’t say anything. He sighs, and leaves the table as Jiaxu and Sang Zhi talk.

Sang Yan is back as the bar, checking with his employees when he glances over at his friend. His best friend who is sitting with the happiest look on his face as he talks quietly into his phone. He knows then that no matter what they’ll always be happy. They’ve already proved that things like age and time and distance are no problems for their love. He catches Jiaxu playing with the ring box as he talks to Sang Zhi, that smile on his face that is reserved strictly for Jiaxu’s Zhizhi.

He returns to the table when he sees that Jiaxu is die with his phone call.

“Did the little demon give you a hard time?”

Jiaxu laughs and says no. Sang Yan knows it’s the truth - at least in Jiaxu’s eyes. Because nothing is too much or hard or impossible for Jiaxu when it comes to Sang Zhi.

“Do you think she’ll like the present?” Jiaxu asks him.

For a moment Sang Yan is surprised. Mostly because Jiaxu never doubts himself when it comes to dotting on Sang Zhi. He does it so instinctively that there is never any room for complaint or doubt. But he understands that maybe this is a little different.

“Yes. I think she’s gonna love it. It’s a perfect present for the little demon,” he tells his friend.

Jiaxu visibly relaxes at that as he looks back down at the ring box. He sees the excitement in Jiaxu’s eyes and Sang Yan finds he shares some of that as he imagines what his sister’s reaction will be.

He knows what Sang Zhi’s answer will be. Despite what he told Jiaxu earlier, he has no doubt that Sang Zhi will say yes because he is quite certain he doesn’t know any two people more perfect for each other.

[svengooliecat]

Just finished Mysterious Lotus Casebook and I totally get why it was one of the best costume cdramas of 2023. The fight scenes were fun, the bad guys each took their major character flaw/pet peeve/obsession and made it their whole personality and reason for being, the trio of main characters were delightful (I'm kind of in love with all 3 of them for all different reasons), and they ran around jianghu solving crimes. It was a murder cozy! Li Lianhua is an unholy combo of Columbo, Jessica Fletcher, Poirot, and the con artist from White Collar.

It was funny, it was heartbreaking, it gave me brainrot. The costumes were gorgeous and the hair flipping was so perfect I defy you to find a teenage girl who could do it better than Fang Duobing.

It was Word of Honor but emotionally ouchier in the best way. Must watch again. Excellent. 11/10.

[astarlightmonbebe]

the dynamics and characters in fangs of fortune are already serving so hard only two episodes in. the allure to zhu yan and also the distrust we as the audience feel along with wen xiao and yichen - you want to believe him, but on the basis of his being a demon and the conception that comes with you always feel like there's a catch. is he lying? is he telling the truth? is he twisting the truth? there's obviously an ulterior motive hidden behind his words, and yet he knows exactly what to say to trap both of them in promises that they will surely regret.

yichen being forced to work with the demon he believes, knows, killed his family. the way he struggles to uphold his family name, fighting to succeed a legacy passed onto him incomplete with his father's untimely passing. giving up his home because it lost all its meaning to him. the curse being seen as a blessing, either way an inevitability. he will kill zhu yan.

wen xiao's hidden pain. her trying to do good, but also so clear headed underneath, wise beyond her ears. the way her flirtatious nature can ovetake her, but she never lets anyone get the best of her otherwise. her testing of zhu yan is relentless; she's the vulnerable one, but she refuses to let it show.

the way they're going to build a family with a demon, a girl who has stepped away from everything she once believed, a miracle doctor who's really just a teenager. how this will teach them humanity and loss and everything will not be what it seems. how the tension is cut so easily, so naturally, then builds back up with climbing orchestral music. everything is beautiful and deep and so multi layered and i am so sat for this show.

[silviakundera]

Haha I also used the dickless bore. I thought that only the two main characters came back didn't know he did as well. I still don't buy him ever being into her but that's just me I do wonder if he's going to try and kill her again. I do think Li Rong is treating him too well for my liking she should at least treat hit similarly or worse than she treated ML I want to see wet paper towel non stop suffer.

on one hand, imo a SRQ who is heartless doesn't work for the story the writer is trying to share with us. On the other hand, it's totally ok to decide to be a full-time hater towards a minor character, just because it's fun. I support haters! 🎉 \o/ 🎉

One thing that I think is relevant when comparing LR's reactions: if PWX had killed her, the motive would have been as part of his mission to have his childhood love Qin Zhenzhen's son become the next emperor. (Remember, he came over to threaten her life over that right before she died and called his ex Zhenzhen lmao) THE AUDACITY. In contrast, LR is viewing her murder at SRQ's hands as part of the revenge plan for the Su family's execution.

Some passages of Li Rong's POV:

After a few moments, she whispered: “Where did the scent on you come from?”

“If I say it, you might be upset.” Pei Wenxuan’s eyes had a hint of gloating at others’ pain.

Li Rong thought for a while and frowned, “Su Rongqing?”

“Yes.”

...Li Rong said nothing. She blankly stared into the fire.

Pei Wenxuan turned the fish over and looked at her with a smile, seemingly quite happy. Li Rong found that he had a fearless, unabashed look of enjoying a good play and couldn’t help but be a little fazed.

She believed everything Pei Wenxuan said.

---

Su Rongqing was someone that she saved with her own hands.

That year, Prince Su rebelled, and Su Rongqing’s elder brother spoke up for Prince Su. Later on, he was falsely accused of colluding with Prince Su, implicating the Su clan with treason.

At that time, Li Chuan was so furious that he fainted. He put the entire Su clan in prison without going through the Joint Trial of Three Divisions first and put the men to death and the women into exile. She disagreed with this decision and rushed to beg Li Chuan before the Su clan received their sentence. After being subjected to ten planks, with Pei Wenxuan’s intervention, she was finally able to ask for amnesty for the Su clan.

Even if the death sentences can be forgone, it was impossible to escape punishment while still alive. Even though the men of the Su clan could live, they would be subjected to castration. The others couldn’t bear the humiliation, so they all committed suicide in prison. When she arrived, there was only one man “desperate for life and afraid of death” left among the men of the Su clan, Su Rongqing.

At that time, she had told Su Rongqing that she saved him without the intention of asking him to repay her. She could give him silver and a position, so that he could continue to live a good life in the future.

Back then, she didn’t have any special feelings towards Su Rongqing. It was just that he had saved her before, so after he took care of her, bit by bit, she felt grateful, and…vague sentiments towards him.

For the most part, she sought to save the Su clan for Li Chuan and her own conscience. The Su clan was a prominent, noble family. It was difficult for her to sit back and watch if they died in such an ambiguous manner.

At that time, Su Rongqing refused to go.

...It wasn’t that she had never thought that Su Rongqing would not take revenge on her. After all, it was Li Chuan who ordered all the men of the Su clan to be beheaded and exiled all the female family members. It was impossible for anyone to forget this blood feud, let alone the formerly first and most outstanding gongzi of that year?

For so many years, she had never dared to give him real authority, observing him and guarding against him while still trying to help him live a better life. She couldn’t actually kill him because of her own conscience, but she couldn’t actually trust him and give him power.

In the end, he still decided to act. He killed her first, then successfully took her authority in the name of eliminating Pei Wenxuan. If she guessed correctly, he would not leave with the advisors. Instead, he would borrow the excuse of taking revenge for her and enforcing the will of the people to join forces with the Empress, assist Li Xin in ascension, and fight to the death against the remnants of Pei Wenxuan’s faction.

...

She had anticipated this possibility from the moment she took Su Rongqing in, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit regretful when it actually happened.

[movielosophy]

A League of Nobleman | duet

[accio-victuuri]

ji xiangkong ( gank your heart ) x fang tianze ( superstar academy ) FMV / source

new roommates who are actually friends in an online game with their characters lwj and wwx! 👾

[hyog-blog]

Sword Snow Stride

Zhang Rouyun is definitely getting on my top Chinese drama actors list. After Joy of Life, I'm exploring his other dramas - and oh boy, they do deliver! SSS has the same scriptwriter and a few familiar faces from JOL, so I felt this show was going to be good, and I was totally right. First and foremost, this drama has outstanding visuals that give a heavy oldies wuxia vibe (especially with subdued colours). I didn't think I would love the green tint at first, but it gives a more natural look (along with the costumes, fights, and sceneries). This is definitely not a flashy cgi-packed idol-drama, at least, not in the visual and style department.

I love how the fights are choreographed and shot, there's something very intense and crisp about the way they're filmed. Being a wuxia fan, I just naturally paid attention to this part of the show, it was a pure delight, I also adore all the flying/twirling - it just looks badass, and in SSS it was depicted in a cool and elegant way - no silliness, not too much crazy CGI, only for the bigger fights which demand more grandeur.

The plot is extremely well-written, all the characters are well developed and the pace is slow enough to enjoy how each of them unravels. Zhang Ruoyun does a stellar job depicting Xu Feng Nian. XFN is not really a chess piece from the very beginning, but we see him grow and break free from his father's way of dealing with things. His values are different, but he is still his father's son when it comes to acting quick and making hard decisions (and he's ruthless enough to make his enemies wary). He starts off as a cunning smartass prince of the Xu clan ruling over Beiliang, who doesn't want to have anything to do with sects and actual fighting, but a certain event in his life makes him pick up a sword and follow in his mother's steps, as well as go on an adventure to find who killed her.

All the powerplay and scheming are smartly written and there wasn't a boring moment in the show. It does take quite a few episodes to get into what's going on because at first, we see the ML acting a bit, slowly showing his true face. His romance with Jiang Ni is very sweet and pure. He does have a harem of pretty ladies, but it was clearly stated in the show he only keeps them around and doesn't so much as even touch any of them. It was just to make everyone believe he's a careless playboy, when, in fact, he has always cared about Jiang Ni only. Romance is like 0,5% of the plot, but it's very engaging and classy in the way these two are portrayed (they bicker in a very endearing way but only give each other 'the look' and nothing more). It's not easy to create a believable romance story without actual dialogue to support it, but from their actions, glances, and the way they treat each other we get the full idea of what's going on.

The story starts off giving a vibe of palace/political drama but then does a 180 turn into a proper wuxia with fighting, grandmasters, martial arts schools, unusual creatures, and whatnot. I'm not even going into secondary characters right now - but everyone was beyond believable and interesting to watch.

I really recommend this drama - even without the season 2 it gives you some closure, and the show is too good and entertaining to miss it.

[tytangfei]

I cant believe that 6 episodes in and im already emotionally invested in these two. Their acting, their backstory, the mutual pining but can't come back due to whatever baggage they have currently, the yearning!!!!

[bisexualbaker]

Me, reading this post: Ah yes, on his knees begging, no doubt.

Me, a split-second later, remembering exactly which website I'm on: No, wait!

Nie Huaisang: Listen to me. If you give Lan Wangji some space, he'll see how much he enjoys your normal behavior. If you treat him with respect and polite distance for one day, he'll be on his knees by dinner.

Wei Wuxian: But I don't want Lan Zhan to fall!!!

Nie Huaisang: *takes the deepest, most meditative breaths Cloud Reccesses have ever seen* boi

[dadvil]

I’ve reached the point of drama watching where everything is either about to air or is currently airing which means I have nothing to watch.

[filthy-mudeoki]

Together

It’s their first weekend in their home as a married couple and Sang Zhi could not have asked for a more perfect start to the day. 

Tagging: @kairadiamond She comes up with the ideas. I just write them! Thank you for sharing and trusting me with your ideas!🤍

Sooo it's a lil steamy ...

She feels the weight of something across her and she knows it’s not the blanket. It’s Jiaxu’s arm and she feels it even more when he tugs her closer. Instinctively, Sang Zhi snuggles closer. It’s a cold Saturday morning and she is going to take full advantage of the warmth her husband is giving her. 

That makes her smile, even in her sleep. 

Husband. 

He’s been that for nearly two whole weeks now and she can barely stop herself from grinning like a loon every time she hears it. It’s the first weekend back since their honeymoon, and she wants nothing to interrupt the solitude that has been just the two of them for the last couple of weeks. Of course, Jiaxu had tried to convince her to extend their stay, but she has her work and he has his, awaiting them. His company has become very successful over the years. Her job, much like the one she first has as an intern was going very well and while she might be sad that their honeymoon is over, she’s not to upset about going back to work either. 

“I like it when you smile like that,” she hears him mumble into her hair. 

She blushes because his voice is deep and riddled with sleep and it still does things to her. So, she hides her face into the crook of his neck, hitching her cold feet up onto his thigh. He hisses in surprise and she giggles. 

“What should we do today?” she asks. 

“Hhm, we could stay here …” he teases. 

She pulls back slightly and chuckles when she sees the flirty little smile on his lips. “Tempting, but it’s our first weekend.” 

He frowns. “It’s not.” 

He’s right of course. Their home is one that they’ve taken care to getting ready over the course of many months. Jiaxu for the most part has been staying in it. It was only recently that Sang Zhi moved most of her things into the empty drawers and filled her portion of their home. But over the course of those months, she’s stayed over of course. Not as often as either (or propriety) would have liked. 

“It is. Now that we’re married. This is the first weekend we’re here, together and married,” she tells him. 

“You’re right,” he agrees and Sang Zhi almost believes that he’s forgotten that fact if not for the way he’s struggling to hold back his smile. “We should find some way to celebrate that, don’t you think?” 

Before she can say otherwise, Jiaxu shifts her so she’s beneath him and he’s kissing the space beneath her ear and all the way down her neck. She sighs contently and moves, melting into him effortlessly. Her hands reach up to anchor him to her and it falls down his back and she grazes the edge of his boxers. 

For a moment she’s brought back to the first time she saw them. In his cupboard when she had to pick up clothes for him because he was sick in hospital. It’s an absurd random thought and it makes her laugh. 

Surprised, he looks at her with a raised brow. 

“Why are you laughing?” he asks in disbelief. 

She wonders if her face is pink because of her stray thoughts or his attention. She thinks it might be the latter but she’s going to tease him over the former. 

“Just thinking about the first time I saw these,” she says as her fingers dance over the edge of his boxers. 

He raises a brow, a smirk already playing on his lips. “I believe that was in our first home together.” She shakes her head and he tips his to the side in thought. “It wasn’t?” 

“No. Don’t you remember? When you got sick and I brought clothes for you to the hospital.” 

Jiaxu visibly blushes which is all always a welcome sight to her. “I guess you’ve always liked them off me.” 

She guffaws and smacks his arm. Jiaxu is quick to grab her fingers with one hand. He leans in a little more, the strain from holding him above her taking some effort now. Jiaxu intertwines their fingers before turning her hand over and placing a kiss over the wedding band that now joins her engagement ring. She’s still smiling when he takes their joined hands, placing it slightly higher up on their bed before kissing her. His other hand is pulling up the shirt (his shirt) that she is wearing and she’s helping him. 

He swallows a throaty moan of hers and she knows they’llprobably make good on his idea of staying exactly where they are all day. 

Only, a beat later, just as Jiaxu is tugging the shirt up a little more, a phone rings and they both freeze. She looks at him with wide eyes and he’s already shaking his head, leaning in to kiss her again. 

“Ignore it,” he mumbles against her lips.

She chuckles. “I shouldn’t. It could be important.” 

“It’s not,” he says and he’s almost got the shirt off when the call ends unanswered. “See? Not important.” 

Sang Zhi is about to concede to that when it starts ringing again. She knows it’s better to answer it and deal with whatever interruption it is so she can go back to enjoying her time with her husband. He’s not seeing her logic though. 

She tries to reach for the phone, even as he kisses her along her neck, making her heart jump a little. She’s barely got her fingers on the edges of the ringing phone when it’s pushed from her reach. His obvious height playing to his advantage here. 

“Jiaxu! Don’t be naughty!” she playfully scolds. 

He huffs. “How can it still be naughty? We’re married, Sang Zhi!” 

She laughs, and pushes against him. He relents and she manages to grab her phone. Holding it up, to show him the caller ID. 

Māmā. 

He nods without complaint and flops back onto the bed. 

“Wéi, māmā,” Sang Zhi answers. She still sounds a little breathless and hopes her mother of all people doesn’t notice.  

They can both hear her mother’s enthusiastic response on the other end of the line. To be fair, she has not heard from her parents in a few days. She knows they are doing their best to respect the change that comes with her being married now. 

Jiaxu places a kiss to her forehead and leaves her to catch up with her mother. Phone still to her ear, Sang Zhi watches as he pulls on a sweater and pants. He throws her another smile before leaving the room. 

Sang Zhi finally joins into the conversation with nearly one hundred focus and manages to fill her mother in on everything she can. 

“Why don’t you and Jiaxu join us for dinner tonight?” Her mother asks and Sang Zhi pauses long enough that her mother picks up on her hesitation. “Zhizhi?” 

“Ah… māmā, well I think we wanted to stay in tonight,” She starts explaining. “It’s our first weekend at home.” 

Her mother’s little laugh reassures her almost instantly. “I understand. It’s … important to celebrate all the little moments. But still you bàba and I haven’t seen you in a while.” 

She knows her mother is right. They haven’t seen each other in a while. At least not since before they left for their honeymoon. She’s not sure what to say to appease her mother without feeling worse herself. 

“Why don’t we have brunch, tomorrow?” her mother kindly offers. “You and Duan Jiaxu should join us for brunch tomorrow. Your brother will be here too. It will nice to have the whole family together.” 

Sang Zhi beams at that. And not just because her mother understands her so well but because the idea of them all having a meal together like a family fills her heart with warmth. Its everything she wants Jiaxu to have. 

“Zhizhi?” 

“Hmm māmā,” Sang Zhi finally responds. “That sounds perfect!” 

“Alright, see you two tomorrow!” 

They bid each other goodbye and suddenly Sang Zhi is eager to re-join her husband; wherever he may be in their home. 

She finds him in the kitchen, armed with an apron and spatula in hand. Not wanting to disturb him, she leans against the door frame, watching as he goes to work making what she believes is pancakes. It’s a treat for sure. 

Jiaxu is the stronger cook between them but she has been working on her culinary skills. She likes cooking for him and spoiling him just as much as he does for her. She’s gotten better at it too. But if this is the sight she’s going to be treated to, she’s going to let him take the reins a lot more. 

He’s flipping a pancake over when he catches sight of her and immediately holds out his hand for her to take. She goes all too easily. Closer up, she can smell the coffee waiting for her and sees the small stack of pancakes he’s already made. Without a word, he hands her a mug and she sips it contently. 

“Zhizhi, I was thinking, maybe we should go see your parents today,” he says slowly. 

Sang Zhi hides her smile behind her mug. Of course, he would have thought of that too. Sometimes his thoughtfulness leaves her completely astounded. 

“Hmm, māmā had the same idea,” she tells him. Jiaxu only smiles but she knows he’ a little disappointed their day together is cut short. She doesn’t blame him. They’ve grown exceptionally - unapologetically greedy for each other.  

“Oh?” 

“Hmm she wanted to have dinner with us tonight, but I said no.” 

He turns to her sharply. “Sang Zhi, you should go see your parents. I know you miss them as much as they miss you.” 

She has to reach up a little to grasp his cheek in her hand. She likes the way he automatically leans into her touch. 

“I know. And that’s why I told her we’d join them tomorrow. For brunch, with Sang Yan too.” She’s pleased to see Jiaxu smile a little more at that. “I thought we should spend our first weekend at home. Just the two of us.” 

“I like the way you think,” he teases, leaning in to kiss her. 

They can’t forget about the pancakes on the stove so eventually she lets him move away. He expertly flips it once more. 

“Where are you going?” Jiaxu asks and she pauses in the middle of their kitchen. 

“To help you,” she answers gesturing towards the fridge. 

Jiaxu playfully pouts and shakes his head. Laughing she mocks his action but before she can have more fun with it, he grabs her around the waist, all but twirling her around. 

“You better not turn it off this time. I’m starving,” she jokes. 

He laughs, grasping her face in his hands. She can smell the sugar and sees the flour on his fingers. Jiaxu slowly walks her backwards without saying anything. She wants to ask what exactly his plan is but before she can, he hoists her up and places her on the empty countertop. Sang Zhi gives a small shriek of delight before she’s settled on the countertop. He takes advantage of her added height now and steps between her legs. They’re at the same eye level and she likes it nearly as much as when he leans down to her. 

“Jiaxu,” she warns, quickly glancing to the stove. 

“Let it burn,” he whispers. She opens her mouth to object but he doesn’t allow it, kissing her. 

Let it burn, she thinks as he cages her in on the countertop. She loops her arms around his shoulders as her legs twist around his waist, dragging him closer. She matches his fervour easily and for a moment it’s so easy to forget the rest of the world exists. 

He pulls away slowly at first, then leans back in to press another kiss to her lips. Sang Zhi takes a moment before she opens her eyes again, meeting his gaze head on. 

He reached up to caress her cheek before he reluctantly steps away. They both turn their attention to the now very burnt pancake. Jiaxu laughs as he scrapes it off into the trash. They have plenty more perfectly good ones to eat. 

For a moment it’s just them, in perfect harmony in their kitchen. Jiaxu hands her a bowl of strawberries and she nibbles on them from her perch on the counter. 

“Your brother called while you were on the phone with your mother,” Jiaxu tells her as he finishes up the pancakes batter.

“I think he’s missing you,” Sang Zhi says. 

“He’ll get sick of me soon enough, again.” Jiaxu waves her off. “Besides its not me he’s looking forward to seeing.” 

“Well maybe we should think about making Sunday an official family brunch day?” Sang Zhi offers. 

There is something about the way that Jiaxu smiles when she says that which makes her heart soar. Because while her family had accepted Jiaxu as part of their family long before their actual wedding, there is something so decidedly official about it now. He turns down the stove and goes back to Sang Zhi. “I think that sounds like a really good idea.” Sang Zhi beams at this. Unexpectedly, Jiaxu goes a little serious, “Wǒ ài nǐ, Zhizhi.”

There is nothing more left to say so she tells him the only thing that matters. “Wǒ ài nǐ, Jiaxu.” 

Wéi – hi

Māmā – mum

Bàba – dad 

Wǒ ài nǐ – I love you 

[thedramadojo]

Looking for your what to watch next? Dive into these historical and costume C-dramas of 2024 that are sure to captivate you.

🌟Which of these dramas have you watched? What drama would you like to add to the list? 🌟

[kittychicha]

What were the cdramas you binged? >.<

i just finished love of replica today! i watched the leads before in mysterious love and they are fireee together but i will be honest if you like coherent plots these two shows are not it 😂😂 if you like insane plot with hot people then yes.

and right before that i saw why women love which i liked a lot i thought it was a very light romcom and i loved the leads there too they felt super natural and playful in their interactions 🥰

[huney-blood]

I 1000 million percent agree. i honestly went into the first season thinking "oh this will be a funny, silly, sweet show"but i was BROKEN in some moments. With just a few little words I was bawling my eyes out.

Can I be your mayfly?

no ma'am. How dare you break my heart?

Anyways, not to spoil anything, everyone should definitely watch this!!!

Hey listen,

My Girlfriend is an Alien is highly underrated imo. I don't see enough people talk about (I know it's not new or exciting exactly but still)

It's so sweet and silly and just when you're not expecting it you're suddenly crying on the bathroom floor with your phone bc how TF were you supposed to be emotionally prepared for our sweet Xiao Qi to cry over loving Fang Leng.

I know it's very silly and not always well written and it comes across as such a goofy little Cdrama, but it's worth a lot more than you see at first glance. I'll never emotionally recover from this series.

[dangermousie]

Middle (sort of) of 2024 list - cdrama edition.

Yeah I realize it's neither the end of the year, nor half a year, but what's the point of being predictable? It's also gonna make my end of year post easier. This is only going to cover cdramas that aired in 2024; if I watched it but it was made in a different year, it’s not on the list.

DRAMAS WATCHED

(In order of liking from least to most as opposed to pure quality; I am including if I’ve seen enough to make up my mind; yes I realize that’s inaccurate, but that’s my list)

42 My Divine Emissary - it's actually a pretty good drama year when the worst cdrama I've checked out this year is merely utterly shrill and brain dead but not horrifyingly offensive to good taste.

41 Fight for Love - they had wonderful actors and a great premise and utterly wasted it. There might someday be a good drama about a female general torn between a royal and an enemy general but this ain't it.

40 Peacock in Wonderland - I am a few decades too old for this brain dead fest but I am glad Zhou Jun Wei is not canceled at least.

39 Her Fantastic Adventures - honestly, this, MDE and Revenger are all the same type of subgenre - they aren't offensive they are just as empty as air. This also suffers from casting an utter dud as ML and a charisma boat as SML. Why?

38 Lady Revenger Returns from the Fire - the main thing I remember from this is that Miles Wei must have stolen the wig maker's parking spot. That wig is the one that should have gone into the fire.

37 Your Trap/Imprisoned Love - the plot of this mini made no sense but the softcore vibes of sanitized 1990s cinemax were on point!

36 Fox Matchmaker: The Red Moon Pact - it's so pretty, so full of gorgeous costumes and actors and I enjoyed the first few eps, but ultimately it was like watching colorful paint dry. It was so dull, I couldn't even hate watch it, and that is more damning than anything.

35 The Unexpected Marriage - cutesy dumb period romcom. Could be worse, not that this is much of a praise.

34 Love’s Rebellion - so twee, so precious, so full of cutesy awful CGI and actors who aren't bothering. I am not sure why Zhang Linghe and Jing Tian are in this mess that looks like rainbow vomited on a xianxia set.

33 My Wife's Double Life - her life may be double but her brain is only half.

32 Jade's Fateful Love - I lost some braincells trying this one, but (a) it's gorgeous and (b) no transmigration say you? Multiple transmigration in first ep alone! Good for you, makers!

31 Follow My Heart - how do you have Luo Yunxi, Song Yi and Cheng Lei and waste them so utterly? First few eps were nice and then it's like exercise in how much you can tolerate before you call it quits.

30 Sword and Fairy 4 - it's kinda a mess but I loved the actors and some of the plots and you can do worse.

29 Blossoms in Adversity - dumb as a set of particularly dumb bricks and ML I don't think could act if his life depended on it, but it was strangely addictive and I watched it often before better dramas. It's just a genuinely good time somehow!

28 Judge Dee - it's not you it's me in action. It's smart and gorgeous and well acted, I just don't do procedurals.

27 The Substitute Princess’ Love - it's like some of those trashy web novels I enjoy. It was clearly cut, its budget was equivalent to loose change found in the pockets of makes of Fox Spirit Matchmaker, but it was a surprisingly fun watch, though I enjoyed the first half better than the second. Also as a drama old, it was a fun blast from the past seeing Dylan Kuo (if you have never watched the old twdrama The Outsiders, what are you even doing with your life?)

26 Rise from the Ashes - a wacky as hell mini where reborn FL wreaks revenge with help of her fake uncle as they carry on as some sort of Borgia/Phillip II of Spain fame hybrid. If you don't need to use your brain, you could have a worse time.

25 The Legend of Heroes - it suffered from me seeing other versions of this tale before that I liked more and not loving how dark looking it is but that cast is A+ and Wang Hongyi was a revelation as Yang Kang.

24 Beauty Strategy - a mini of what a few years ago would have been a proper angsty drama of palace scheming enemies while lovers, powerless emperor etc etc. Honestly, I loved it.

23 Lovesickness - this year's gender-reversed Ancient Love Song, not as artistic or good but still a good time about a woman traveling back in time and falling for a powerful but doomed duke.

22 Fragments of Kylin - demon slayer falls for a demon; this one came out of nowhere and didn't have much of a budget but is surprisingly lovely.

21 Enslaved by Love - the only reason it's not the most fucked up drama on this list is because Shadow Sect, Palace Shadows and Burning Flames exist. The ML is toxic enough to be banned by the Geneva convention but FL does get some of her own back and also if you ever wanted to see blindness curing sex, boy do I have a drama for you!

20 Secrets of the Shadow Sect - head of sect lady and her very very subby bodyguard. What's not to love?

19 Palace Shadows: Between Two Princes - ML pretends to be his own twin, bdsm and sluttiness ensues. I cannot even explain how wild this drama is but the acting is on point and way way fun!

18 Dashing Youth - I had no expectations of this drama (either indifferent to or dislike everyone in the cast, wuxia and wuxia-adjacent is rarely my genre, the number of characters is huge) but I loved how under its bright colors, it eventually gets very dark (it's quite old school that way) and somehow I am invested in everyone in the huge cast. This being a prequel to The Blood of Youth makes us know the fates of many of the characters and this adds the air of tragic inevitability to it all.)

17 The Last Immortal - a surprisingly sweet and touching xianxia that works largely because Zhao Lusi and Wang Anyu are so so so so solid separately and together.

16 Burning Flames - the most gonzo drama on this list. I love it for committing to insanity as it should (if you pick insane source material, commit.) Humans taking on the worst Gods since Olympus, fur and chains, sentient crystal FL, ML who goes from Crown Prince to mine slave to rebel leader, bare chests and fur, demon elves, a villain that leaches color from the world - this drama has everything and I loved its unhinged glory.

15 Lost You Forever 2 - it would have been higher except it fell apart in the last third so badly I am still wondering how the makers could misunderstand their own characters and their own narratives so badly. The first season was a masterpiece. This is a hot mess.

14 The Princess Royal/The Grand Princess - I am in the minority of finding this drama very mid. The acting was fine (except for former eunuch dude), the writing was fine, but I never really got invested alas. I don't even know why. I think it's just not my type of narrative; there was no intensity.

13 Different Princess - a ridiculous amount of fun and ship about an author falling through to her own novel and falling for the villain.

12 Sword and Fairy 6 - I love this tale; the young OTP (a whale weapon and a clone of her trigger? More wholesome than you think) who are so ride or die for each other, the other amazing characters (sect leader who has to live as a man and her "twin" who is an ancient trapped spirit, a wolf demon, etc...) It's just genuinely good and proof that targeted to younger audience doesn't have to be bad.

11 In Blossom - sure, we all know JJY can't act, but the narrative was so fun and the visuals were so gorgeous and Liu Xueyi so gorgeous and magnetic in his first proper Male Lead role, it was all worth it. I liked the first half when they were still cautious of each other more than the second but this is just a good time!

10 Hard to Find - my second favorite mini on the list, this is an aesthetic feast. The doomed couple from enemy kingdoms, the vengeance, the twists - if ever a mini deserved to be a proper drama, this would be it. But alas, if it was they'd probably not let it.

9 The Double - unhinged web novel vibe done so perfectly in the inimitable Yu Zheng style. The leads were so good even the amazing villains didn't truly steal the show. Like with a lot of cdramas, it lost a lot of steam in second half for me, but still a great watch.

8 Fortune Writer - the best mini this year and better than most "proper" cdramas (Douban raters agree), this tale of villains in love fighting the narrative has a lot to say about writing cliches and writing conventions. I love how clever it is and how it actually made me care for the characters.

7 Tender Light - except for that ending, this was in the running for my favorite 2024 cdrama. The writers' lack of ability to commit and carry through pushed it lower but otherwise it's a genuine masterpiece. The acting, the chemistry, the looping narrative, what it has to say about abuse and complicity of society and blazing your own moral path is something else.

6 Derailment - who knew a little quasi scifi modern would be this high but this one is amazing. If you watch one modern this year, make it this one. Our FL is a rich girl a little in the future who somehow wakes up in a different timeline a few years back in the body of that universe's version of her (who is poor and has been missing) and her one connection is a young man who was in love with that universe's version of her. I don't want to say more so as not to spoil because the twists are twisty but this is EVERYTHING and also addresses transmigration, what it means to love, what is ethical etc etc. And that OTP!

5 Snowfall - a fever dream of a vampire narrative set in an alternate universe of the Republican era, it's gorgeous, passionate, hella queer and just like watching the most amazing fanfic come to life.

4 Heroes - a complete masterpiece about three men about to be on the scrapheap of history in the Qing Dynasty about to fall (a constable devoted to obsolete norms, who spent his whole life studying for the imperial exam which got canceled, the world's best swordsman in the era of guns, and a former imperial guard who emerges from prison into a different world) whose stories intersect as they search for treasure and the women and other people in their lives. This is smart, impeccably acted, filmed in a stunning way, bleak and funny at once and - I don't use the term masterpiece often but I will use it here.

3 The Legend of Shen Li - I am often indifferent to xianxia that suffers from too much CGI, hella immaturity and not enough stakes. Shen Li is everything. It's gorgeously filmed, it's adult, it gives the story time to breathe and centers it on characters and relationships. And the OTP is everything you can ever dream of - it reunites Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin, totally healing those Princess Agents wounds - their chemistry is still utter fire but the narrative supports them every step of the way.

2 Eternal Brotherhood - if JoL2 did not come out this year, this would be my favorite cdrama of the year. It's clearly a passion project with a small budget but this complex and grim tale of three rather different sworn brothers in a world at war is gorgeous, smart, well acted, dark and inspiring at once. There are shots that take my breath away, the love stories are amazing, the pace is perfect, and ohhh our complex mainsssssss.

1 Joy of Life 2 - nothing can beat this masterpiece. The first season was perfect and somehow the second is even more perfect. It's smart, it's funny, it's heartbreaking, the cast is still impeccable and Zhang Ruoyun still gives a completely jawdropping performance as the focus of all the madness Fan Xian. If you watch only one cdrama this year, make it this one.

FAVORITE DRAMA

Joy of Life 2 - there is not one second I forwarded, not one unnecessary scene, not one weak link character. It's a smart, fierce masterpiece.

Eternal Brotherhood is a runner up - it came out of nowhere and owned my whole heart. It's the sole other cdrama this year where I did not ff a second.

WORST DRAMA

My Divine Emissary - honestly, this is a decent year because even this drama was just "forget it" not burning hate.

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER

Fan Xian (Zhang Ruoyun), Joy of Life 2 - how could it ever be anyone but smart, irreverent, fierce, broken, idealistic, funny Fan Xian. The man who fights against the horrors of the universe, who remains human while being so larger than life. This character is everything.

Runner up: Zhou Luo (Zhang Xincheng), Tender Light - idealistic loner who refuses to compromise his principles even as it would be easier to, even as it destroys his life, ZXC has always been a solid actor but here he is beyond.

Alternatively, Zichuan Xiu (Yang Xuwen), Eternal Brotherhood - only way to describe Xiu is "trauma sunshine." He's funny, he's irrevocably fucked up, he is magnetic and intense and he fights for his hopeless ideals and he breaks and he keeps going.

or Xing Zhi (Lin Gengxin), the lonely ancient god discovering the pleasure of life for the first time in aeons.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER

Shen Li (Zhao Liying), The Legend of Shen Li - so fierce, so certain, so alive. She is a goddess but ZLY made her feel so real.

Runner up: Nan Ya (Tong Yao), Tender Light - an abuse victim who keeps trying to find a way out, she's strong and damaged and complex and honestly, one of the best performances this year.

Alternatively, Jiang Xiao Yuan (Liu Haocun), Derailment - she makes a character that in other hands would be boring or trite, someone I want to reach through to the screen and protect and love.

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

99% of the denizens of the town in Tender Light - selfish every day denizens monstrous because of their very everydayness - they watch abuse and choose to blame the victim and gossip and enjoy the view. I hated them all.

FAVORITE SHIP

Shen Li x Xing Zhi, The Legend of Shen Li - the chemistry, the yearning, the slow inevitable collapse into admittance, the way he protects the world and she protects him, the way they dance around each other, her being the aggressor, his surrender to forbidden emotion, their utter mutual belief in each other's competence. They are everything to me.

Runner up: the OTP in Derailment. Those two went through some mind and soul breaking stuff and made it out.

FAVORITE SECONDARY OTP

Amusingly enough, Fu Xin Bo is the male actor in both - the crossdressing sect leader x wolf demon OTP in Sword and Fairy 6, and First Prince x Eldest Princess in Joy of Life 2. What can I say, man knows how to pick them. Those OTPs are both utterly adorable!

If we are talking about an OTP where it's not that it's not the main but it's not a ship-centric drama so they don't get much time, then we have either Fan Xian x Lin Wan'er from Joy of Life 2 - she is his peace and sanity

and Si Yilin x Ka Dan, Eternal Brotherhood - they are both such desperately good people in a mad world, tender with each other despite surrounding cruelty.

NOTP

The couple in Fox Spirit Matchmaker - such pretty people, and so bland and boring and pointless together. It was kinda amazing.

FAVORITE SCENE

God, so many good scenes this year so far - Fan Xian watching the death of the old censor and the aftermath, in JoL2; his confrontation with Wan'er after she finds out about the truth behind her brother's death, the scene where he poisons Second Prince, his scene with the registrar. Xiu giving up his future to protect the surrendered soldiers only to come back and find Di Lin executed them all in EB, the scene in Ning's bedroom when he tells her how he really feels because she can't hear, the very end of that season and Di Lin striding into the light, Ka Dan and SYL's night. The last scene of LYN and his girl in Heroes, the way Heroes always intercuts the golden past of the guard and princess and the dreary present (especially when we see her bicycle spin out of control back when and her husband lose it in the present and this time there is nobody to catch her), the big reveal in Derailment and the hairwashing scene, Mi Lan touching Vamp Daddy's face as their thing in Snowfall, and the cage stuff etc etc.

BIGGEST CRUSH

Shen Zhiheng (Gao Weiguang), Snowfall - Vamp Daddy made me hormonal in a way I haven't felt for a cdrama lead since the heady days of Darren Wang in The Wolf. Those outfits, that hair, that height, that restraint, that lack of restraint. THE CHAINS

BEST SCENE STEALER CHARACTER

Liu Duan Duan as Second Prince in Joy of Life 2 - what a performance! Unhinged, magnetic, pitiable, terrifying and always mesmerizing. The Second Prince is Fan Xian's foil and a worthy one. LDD is always a great actor, and with a role that actually gives him something to sink his teeth into - wow!

MVP OF THE YEAR

Liu Yuning (Heroes, Eternal Brotherhood) - there is only one actor who somehow managed to be a main character in two of my five top 2024 dramas. His ruthless, driven Di Lin in EB, who knows he's doomed as the ruler's executioner but has no other way forward, and the man out of time (best swordsman in a gun era) in Heroes are both unforgettable characters in amazing dramas.

ACTING SURPRISE

Ouyang Nana - Li Muge performs miracles. He made Yang Chaoye be good in Heroes (2022) and now Nana, who was always as wooden as a post, is a revelation as blind abused girl who becomes a vampire in Snowfall.

NEEDS A SEQUEL

Joy of Life 2 of course - I need to see the looming confrontation between Fan Xian and the emperor, though not sure how that will pass censorship.

NEEDS SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

FF button has cured me of finding contenders for this category, but perhaps cutting out a lot of terrible acting and lack of stage presence of "not yet a eunuch" dude in The Princess Royal, would have improved it.

TOO MANY SCISSORS TAKEN TO IT

Lost You Forever 2 - there were other issues with it, but all the cuts couldn't have helped with coherency.

TROPE THAT NEEDS TO DIE

Same as last year - the emperor cannot be irredeemable. WTF, China, you are a communist country! Though they are nibbling at the edges this year.

FAVORITE TROPE WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF

Men (and women) knowingly fighting for a doomed cause because otherwise they'd cease to be who they are.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Lost Your Forever 2 - the first season was my favorite drama of 2023 but LYF2 just fell apart so so so badly, it was almost fascinating. It totally eviscerated the characters and the meanings of the story.

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

Three out of the top 5 dramas on my list are not dramas that were on my radar at all before airing - Heroes, Eternal Brotherhood and Snowfall were not anything I anticipated, let alone I realized how much I'd love them. Same for Derailment and Tender Light. This has been a year of surprises.

2024 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

I have honestly watched almost everything I wanted. Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2 will be the one I will list since I still need to finish s1.

BEST NON-2024 DRAMA I’VE WATCHED IN 2024

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty - I, a procedural and mystery hater (especially when there is close to no romance) somehow fell like a ton of bricks for this gorgeous, smart, impeccably acted show.

MOST ANTICIPATED

This is always a bad idea and kinda a curse but I really really want The Story of Pearl Girl, with Zhao Lusi and Liu Yuning because I love them separately and together and the thought of them reuniting is a dream come true. Also Eternal Brotherhood 2 (it's filmed but they can't air it until a year from EB1), Love of Nirvana with Ren Jialun and Li Landi, and Snowy Night: Timeless Love with Li Qin and Zheng Shunxi.

[verysium]

『02』 原神: genshin impact recs

魈: xiao

preta by @itoshisoup

"People think that ghosts are born exclusively of resentment, but they can also be born of love. Between those driven by resentment and those driven by love, which do you think cling most strongly to their suffering?" Xiao replies without pause, his gaze unfocused yet fixed upon something you cannot see. "Love." After a yaksha saves your life on the Plains of Guili, you insist on joining him in his war against the evils of Liyue. As the two of you encounter hungry ghosts and resentful spirits, you learn about the ones haunting him. notes: incomplete but intricately woven together; heavy emphasis on chinese culture, wuxia/xianxia genres; if you have watched any historical cdrama, you will like this fic; xingqiu and chongyun are wrapped up into the dynamic; xiao wishes to protect you for centuries; him and his paradoxes; not being strong enough to be considered invincible but still strong enough to try

公子: childe

thin ice by @falconcoast

childe is that senior frat boy on teyvat university’s campus. the one who majors in economics because he’s on scholarship to play sports. the one who is way too loud and you can hear him all the way across campus. the one who’s daddy’s money rich because he’s already sponsored, even while just in the ncaa. the one who manages to get everyone to swoon over him.  oh, right. and your favorite title for him: the one hockey captain who hogs all of your free time to skate after lessons because he always steals it.  all you want to do is do your job and teach skating lessons to the kids to keep your mind off the year-old mess with your figure skating, maybe even get an hour of skating in afterwards as a reward. that is, until the hockey coach sits you down and tells you that surprise! you’re the new team manager for liyue’s hockey team! ...it can’t be that hard to manage twenty or so boys and their captain, childe, right? spoilers: it absolutely is.  notes: wonderfully curated modern skating/hockey AU; childe is so american white boy in this; teucer being adorable; diluc and kaeya sibling dynamic is well-established; university and post-grad plans; figuring out your life and then working other people into it

国崩: scaramouche

tea screen by @after-witch

The trembling voice of the tea apprentice carries through the room, and though you can’t see him, you imagine he must be shaking. Who wouldn’t be, tasked with gaining the approval from the Sixth of the Eleven Fatui Harbringers?  notes: forced marriage and abuse; tea ceremony; sort of reminds me of the edo period; examination of womanhood within a patriarchal society; sexy, sad, and scary all at once; i pity the reader at the end; cycle of love and violence

a simple cup of tea by @after-witch

You have to be prepared and poised and perfect. But it’s hard to be all those things, even with the looming threat of your husband sitting next to you, when you’ve got a secret hidden underneath your clothes... notes: reader grapples with lust and objectification; unhealthy dynamic but portrayed realistically in an almost historical setting; reader is unable to separate her identity as wife apart from her husband; women being defined in the context of men; could be a social satire on traditional gender roles if you squint

love is a dog from hell by @itoshisoup

"A will is something you don't have. That's why you'll follow mine." notes: this fic is the reason why i do not think the concept of ownership in love would translate well into real life because it would be so self-destructive; reader struggles with aftermath of abuse and mistakes possession for protection; realistic depiction of unhealthy relationships; the fatui is exactly the dark criminal organization it is supposed to be; human trafficking and child sexual abuse; scaramouche is so goddamn funny i can't

钟离: zhongli

spoil of war by @bye-bye-sunbird

In the dead of night, you hear the sea calling your name. Sometimes the sound is as soft as a love song, gracing your skin in a gentle breeze that lures you to the seashore where the waves can finally lay claim on you. Other times, the sea strikes the land in a deafening, challenging roar. "Really now... How long do you think those mountains of his will stand in my way?" notes: accurate depiction of characters because archon war morax was genuinely terrifying; zhongli trying to deny his obsessive tendencies; rivalry with osial; reader is essentially sanctified as a symbol of innocent purity; imagine having two spiritual gods pine after you while you are helplessly stuck in the middle of their tug-of-war and simultaneously trying to mourn; that is basically the entire premise of this fic

迪卢克: diluc ragnvindr

the parent trap by @falconcoast

twelve years ago, you got married to a man who had swept you off your feet in a little under two years. diluc was like a prince out a of storybook; effortlessly charming, strikingly handsome, and a kind man. you were supposed to live happily ever after at that winery, running a wedding planning empire, having a family, and growing old together.  until it all goes off script with a divorce. flash forward, and the only remnant of diluc that is with you is your daughter, dawn. the only piece of you that remains with diluc is your other daughter and dawn’s twin sister, phoenix.  it isn’t until both of your children get you and your ex-husband in a bit of mess that you realize that maybe, just maybe, you still harbor feelings for diluc.  or maybe it’s the wine talking. notes: one of my favorite comfort fics; i am a sucker for second-chance romance; diluc and reader now older but still being the same bumbling idiots they were when young; at this point the children have more situational awareness than them; based on the original movie; treat yourself to a cup of tea and a friday night with this work and trust me life will be good

博士: il dottore

deus in absentia by @bound-in-parchment

The first time was a coincidence. The second time was a fluke. But the third time? You were starting to think it was fate. Or, more likely, a calculated trap. notes: at this point we can just scrap whatever mihoyo puts out and use this work as canon instead; the world building is so originally creative; this author must possess such a giant sexy brain; reader is basically adopted by dottore and forced to be his apprentice/assistant; idea of losing yourself to your own ambitions; slow-burn to the max; reader is oblivious to full extent of feelings until it is too late; tragic to the point i need a time machine to resurrect them

dream a little of me by @bound-in-parchment

Celestia had a cruel sense of humor. He knew this, even before his days as a student. But to be given a soulmate? Now, when he openly blasphemed against the cursed island in the sky? He would outlive you and the dreadful fated bond that haunted your shared dreams. There was little point in this. He could at least put a Vision to good use. People were nothing but disappointments. He had no use for you. Until you pulled the bow across your instrument and awoke a part of him long buried by self-hatred and arrogance. notes: soulmate trope but with the two most aromantic fools to ever exist; zandik drowns himself in the river of denial; comic dynamic between segments; music and failed dreams; reader actually has a backstory dark enough to match dottore's character; does not shy away from the uncomfortable and gritty aspects of trauma, abuse, and literal mental insanity

chemistry / magnum opus by @jessamine-rose

In the realm of science, love and insanity are closely intertwined mysteries. Disillusioned with the world, you had long forgotten its beauty until the wise doctor gives you a change of perspective. notes: by far the most accurate characterization of akademiya zandik; he hates you then hates himself then hates the world for allowing your paths to cross; treats you as an objective experiment but then wonders why he's suddenly humanizing you; slow-burn; zandik is selfish and machiavellian and somehow you fit into that equation

the only hope i had was the freedom of death by your hands that held me together by @tiens-letters

It was a burden. The weight of the power you hold in all the land. Any human who has enough ambition would dare to covet it and any god even given divine powers would lust after it. You were powerful, able to end civilizations and make a new world altogether. Many would think that you are a sovereign being but you too are limited to mortality than what most would believe. You were human with a blessing of a god and you felt cursed and dirty. notes: honestly the ending made me so mad but take it as a good sign; basically entails the circumstances that would drive dottore to become somewhat capable of love; what is done cannot be undone; zandik finally meeting someone who is wiser and more depressed than him; deluding himself into thinking he could ever be domestically normal; somewhat idolizes/idealizes reader; themes of betrayal and misunderstanding

富者: pantalone

house cat / alea iacta est by @jessamine-rose

Your entire life has been a gilded cage. The gods refuse to grant your greatest wish, and so you have resigned yourself to the will of destiny. But what happens when the red string of fate is severed and replaced with the silver chains of the Regrator? notes: liyue nobility; dishonest business and financial deals; reader is a cat hybrid but i didn't notice until part two because the plot was so good; pantalone is the mastermind behind all his interactions with reader; heavy manipulation and orchestrations; wolf in sheep's clothing; alternate ending found here

隊長: il capitano

herbarium / fairytale / forget-me-not / astilbe by @jessamine-rose

You had long given up on wishes and happy endings. After what you believed to be the end of your tragic story, you resigned yourself to a shadow of a life with only your books and flowers to keep you company…until the vestiges of Windblume brought forth a mysterious stranger and a new ending for your dark fairytale. notes: capitano being the strong stoic protector of a delicately fragile reader; manipulation is so subtle and that is what makes it alarming; somewhat stirred my daddy issues because he is so parental; reader struggles between accepting his love versus hating him for taking away her personal agency; flower motifs