sofia-jones

[sofia-jones]

Scumplane rant

I feel like one of the reasons Scumplane is so interesting to me is because Shen Jiu values his pride and dignity highly as it’s something he has had to fight against all odds to obtain. He would rather die than beg for mercy, rather be slandered as a pervert than admit he craves comfort. Meanwhile Shang Qinghua has never been able to afford dignity. As shameful as he may feel, he is fully willing to wear a leash around his neck and bark like a dog if it means his continued survival .

They are two ends of the extreme and I’d love them to reach a middle ground where Shen Jiu learns to ask for help and Shang Qinghua learns to value himself.

They could fix each other trust

Also because Shang Qinghua knows Shen Jiu better than anyone so Shen Jiu can’t push him away with his icey facade or go down the whole “he’d hate me if he knew” rabbit hole because Shang Qinghua already knows his deepest secrets and he loves him anyway.

And because I think they would both be low key terrified of each other at first. Shen Jiu because he thinks Shang Qinghua is playing up his patheticness as a disguise and that he’s hiding something huge from the sect (which he is). Shang Qinghua because he knows out of all the peak lords Shen Jiu is the most likely to figure out he’s a spy and slit his throat while he’s not paying attention.

Alright I’m done now, thanks for coming to my TedTalk

[sofia-jones]

Since my brain has been full of SVSSS brainrot lately:

I want a fic where the transmigration mostly fails and Shen Jiu wakes up from his qi deviation as User002 with the goddamn System treating him like he is Shen Yuan. Trashy yellow book what??? No, he doesn't need stats on his fellow peak lords, if he is supposed to follow a plot then he wants to see the script! You wretched floating rectangle, how is he supposed to play along if he doesn't know the source material?!

The stress of having what feels like a very pushy curse or an insanely weird demon inflicted upon him makes him deviate from some minor plot points and he gets punished for being OOC a couple of times until the System takes pity on him and directs him to Airplane bro, with the very clear suggestion that if he can't remember the early arcs of the story - System understands, User! It's very long after all. UwU - he should go and discuss it with the author.

He basically kicks down Shang Qinghua's door in desperation for some clarity and maybe an explanation, right now before he works himself into a stress-induced qi deviation, Shang-shidi. Shang hamster looks at his miserable scum villain, takes a deep breath, brings out all of Shen Qingqiu's favorite snacks that nobody should know about, makes a pot of calming tea and tells him everything.

Shang Qinghua expects Shen Qingqiu to be angry, to rip into him for writing him into this wretched life. And Shen Jiu is angry, but not at Qinghua. His anxious, mousy little shidi who lives his entire life under the looming threat of a horrible, seemingly unchangeable future doesn't look like a god. Shang Qinghua, who does his best to run his peak well and look out for his disciples despite his admittance that in the story the original Qinghua did a shoddy job - he doesn't look like someone who would have put pen to paper and written a tragedy if he knew it would become someone's reality.

And how could Shen Jiu, who has seen people sell their bodies and their very dignity for a cup of stale water, judge someone for writing a very bad yellow book so he can eat? Please. Peak Lord Shen might have developed a very discerning taste in literature over the years, but you can't fill your stomach with artistic integrity, Shang-shidi. Shen Jiu understands.

So they sit and for that first evening, Shen Qingqiu listens to all the differences creeping into the story, Shang Qinghua's retelling of the drafts he abandoned due to peer pressure, the long rambling tangents of the research he's done, even if they never made it into the story. Qinghua is so caught up in having someone to talk to that he doesn't realize that Shen Qingqiu put everything that happened to Qi-ge together, somewhere between the musings about how a sword inspired by kintsugi would be so cool looking, shame that nobody ever sees the thing, and the griping about how much one of his patrons complained about Yue Qingyuan dying without ever drawing his sword.

Later, when the snacks are gone and the tea is replaced with something stronger, he tells Shen Qingqiu about the stories he really wanted to write. About how he shamefully sneaked his dream man into PIDW, just so he could have some small part to himself, and oh, Shen Qingqiu will have to remind him about demon courting practices when they are both sober again, because it sounds like that Mobei prince is down bad for him.

He leaves that night with a newfound determination. Shang Qinghua might be resigned to the whims of his System and the shackles of the Plot, but Shen Jiu didn't burn the Qiu manor down and break his chains to give up so easily. This is his world, his sect, his Qi-ge on the line, and he would sooner wrest control from the System and become custodian of the world himself than let something take away and ruin what is his. He is the strategist of Cang Qiong Sect, there is no situation he can't think a way out of and he has had enough of tragedies.

Before any of that, however, he needs to go and have a good yell at his Qi-ge, smack his stupid face and then curl up in his arms for a good night's sleep. It's long overdue.

[sofia-jones]

I just REALIZED SOMETHING and it's making me smile?

You know that trope of "well shit, I've been reborn, but like? I need to make a living (so I can survive). So I deeply apologize Actual Authors, it's time to plagiarize the shit out of some stuff!"

In SVSSS? (Or other Xanxia novels of your choosing) Demons?? Would LOVE the absolute SHIT out of some good ol fashioned Klingon and/or Mandalorian Poetry.

Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm wrong.

Violence? Honor? Proving yourself worthy, even as you admire the raw strength of the subject of the poem? Go ahead! Compare that sunset to the fine edge of a blade! That great beauty to the thrill of battle! Tell me! Would she fell a thousand souls? Would your love bring EMPIRES TO ASH AT YOUR FEET?! Crown him in glory! Speak of the STARS you would seize for this child!

The "Translations From Far Away Lands" would be THE hottest book. Hands down.

You'd have to be ILLITERATE not to own it. Some sort of unromatic, uncultured, back water SWINE. What self respecting demon CAN'T quote a few pages? Doesn't have at LEAST one favorite phrase? Do you even HAVE a heart that beats?!

Imagine the Chaos.

You get reborn. Not far from the Divide between worlds. Well shit... that's not ideal. But hey, you can't still turn this around! It's not like your years of Nerd Contemplations are for nothing! Much like a certain Cucumber, you ALSO sorta had a low-key plan. Never thought you'd USE it... but like? Guess life decided to have a laugh. Jokes on you, I GUESS.

You have a system. It's not a railroad-y Plot Supervisor System. It's a Spin-Off/Prequel/Regressor Story System. Yeah, their depart has a LOT of overlap. Things can change super fast, one way or another. You gotta adapt. Spin the New Plot in whatever way makes for the best Story.

Obviously? You don't trust it. This seems surprisingly chill. (Oh, it is, my beautiful lil butterfly. For YOU. Everyone else is gonna be in Hell. Please continue to cause problems! Thank you for all your hard work~☆) But, you guess you'll go with it? (Oh please do~☆)

First problem? You need to eat. Everything sucks and all these fuckers are bastards. Social safety nets? Whoms't?? Forget cultivation, first you need to Not Starve. Thank god for basic education. It really DOES open a lot of doors. You can crunch numbers, write notes, sit at a desk for people. It pays.

And? You notice? All these "I'm DEFINITELY a human. Don't ask questions you can't afford and won't survive" Distinguished Quests? Complain about insipid Human Culture and Poetry.

Huh.

You take a look.

......not gonna lie. It's? Pretty basic. Milk toast. "Your lips are like flowers" and "you are a butterfly" Sort of thing. Where is the imagery? The romance? The ANGUISH or PASSION? The humble, lasting adoration? For fucks sake. At least compare me to something that doesn't suggest my weakness and an obsession with youth alone!

So you brush off your nerd cred. Turn towards you System. Hey. You got ANYTHING in your Market... Right? (Yeeeeees? Why?) *purchases both Klingon and Mandalorian Poetry Classics, Volume 1* (OH~?) Because GUESS WHO CAN READ THESE? And, more importantly, TRANSLATE these.

Do you take credit? No. It feels wrong. But will you sell your TRANSLATIONS? Oh absolutely. Gimme my money. You'll absolutely credit the real authors, but a b*tch gotta live, damn it. And rice does not buy itself.

It? Goes? Gang busters.

Talk of the town. It's horrible! Violent! A perversion of literature! Say the humans. No one should EVER buy it! Or READ it! (So obviously everyone does.) The Demons? Have found THE single book from humans they can all agree they, bare minimum, at least kinda like. The majority LOVE it.

A certain Heavenly Demon LOVES it. It is, no joke, the move emotionally evocative poetry he's ever read. Granted, he's more of a smut guy. But STILL! Those other books? Are for fun. THIS? Is for EMOTION. For ROMANCE.

Sects try to ban it. Nobles try to ban it. Predictably, that only makes the problem worse.

You get your fuckin rice. A better winter jacket. Can finally quit your shit job. Take for a... slightly suspect (who's blood is this?) (Don't ask questions you don't actually want the answers too~ ^-^) Cultivation guide.

Send Volume 2 out for print.

The fall out is unhinged.

People think you're a Demon. Some demons want in their court. Others want to marry you. Still others want you dead. The humans? Oh how DARE the demons suggest they have a culture of their own! That they may be more then just animals, to be blamed for all wickedness, and slaughtered in mass. Demons? Capable of EMOTION? Kill it! Kill it before it gives people IDEAS!!!

You just wanted to eat, man. Publish more, out of spite.

Just? A one person LIBRARY of pop culture. A repository of nerdom. And all the stories that come with it. Wandering around, dropping Cultural bombs on the unsuspecting Martial World. Not confronting. Not arguing. Just... *slides a book across the table. Waits* Knowing that natual human curiosity will do the rest.

That the younger generations WILL read what they are specifically told not too. Because it's not like there's and dangerous techniques in there! It's just "degenerate". And? Much like the scare mongering around weed?

Once you find out that it's NOT going to instantly kill you, as warned? That's "not THAT bad"? Or at worst "meh", in your personal opinion? Well... what ELSE are they wrong about?

You can't hide forever~

All while the System is quietly cackling. Leading its lil Butterfly on a merry little wing flapping adventure. Fucking with the timeline, so the Regressors (orders finally came down from on high! This is a Regressor Story! But.... not for you!) get to have a HELL of a time, trying to manage "the timeline" they once knew. Makes for an interesting Plot, you know!

(200B points! If you include that poem about rumor mongering being a blade in the back!)

*various Cultivators take highly pointed psychic damage*

(Nyehehehehe~ >:3c )

[sofia-jones]

oops! they got a little too silly!

🌸carrd | ko-fi🌸

[sofia-jones]

Shen Qingqiu on a mission with his disciples when they run into someone so Rude it makes SQQ flashback to his forum posting days.

SQQ: Babies, cover your ears Shizun is going to be mean.

Disciples: *pretend to cover their ears*

SQQ: *snaps fan shut* You listen here you festering cesspool-

[sofia-jones]

My favorite “only survived the plot because no one could replace their administrative skills” characters

[sofia-jones]

spoilers

I keep imagining that eventually after they're reunited, Maomao will tell Jinshi what she went through and I keep imagining this exchange:

Maomao: And then a lot of snakes and insects came out of the box Jinshi: D: Maomao: And some of them were venomous - Jinshi: D8 Maomao: Don't worry. I stabbed them with my hairpins and then roasted them over a torch. They were delicious Jinshi: THAT WORRIES ME MORE!!

[sofia-jones]

[sofia-jones]

Just got into the apothecary diaries (finished watching it in like 2 days lol) and I have to say I am surprised that apparently there’s some discourse about the nature of JinMao’s relationship?

Like… both of them are obviously on the ace spectrum. Because Jinshi is so down bad people seem to forget that he’s very much on there too. It’s not just that he takes medicine to “suppress his manhood.” He is surrounded by the most gorgeous women who are constantly throwing themselves at him or are just generally being as sexy as possible because it’s literally their job, and the man has no reaction. The only reason he’s so affected when Maomao dresses up is because he’s not used to seeing her like that, if he’d met her when she was all dolled up he probably wouldn’t have batted an eye.

Furthermore, what he wants from Maomao doesn’t seem to me to be inherently sexual, he just oozes sex appeal like a slug does mucus and that colors all his actions to everyone else, including Maomao. He uses this strategically and does it on purpose sometimes but he isn’t totally aware of it when he isn’t purposefully trying, hence the honey scene (this is my interpretation). What he wants from Maomao is emotional connection that goes both ways. He gave her the hairpin so that he could be the one to let her go home and expected nothing in return, it was never a proposition. He was jealous that she went to another man for the same thing and didn’t seem to think it was sexual until Maomao herself insinuated that it was, which shocked him greatly. This scene is so hilarious that it’s easy to miss that subtext, but his jealousy was always over perceived emotional connection and reliance on another man and he actually calmed down once he understood that the whole affair was transactional and Maomao didn’t give any sexual favors herself. When he meets with the guy again later he gets mad when he says that Maomao let her guard down around him (which she didn’t). Jinshi may be a bit touchy but that’s part of his personality and likely a manifestation of his desire for emotional connection more than physical intimacy.

Anyway my point is that JinMao is a great ship between two demisexual/acespec individuals and I am totally here for it! Maomao may say that she left love behind in the womb but I don’t think that means she’s aromantic, just that her childhood trauma has made her severely emotionally closed off and her journey includes healing and learning to love again.

[sofia-jones]

#one will stab you in the front the other will smile at you and only stab you when you turn around (tags via @king-cinamon)

Shen twins au where the transmigration goes badly and instead of inhabiting Shen Qingqiu's body, Shen Yuan ends up in an identical body instead, and Shen Jiu just decides they're twins now - no discussion necessary.

They both have a system (SY is tasked with saving SJ, & SJ is tasked with character development, or something like that).

They both decide to troll the peaks by seeing how long it takes for anyone to notice there are two of them. Eventually it's found out and they further mess with everyone by claiming it's literally always been this way. (When asked, Yue Qingyuan confirms this with a straight face and then goes to the peak to get the true story.)

But, now that everyone knows they are twins, people begin to notice the differences and decide they like Shen Yuan better. He's so nice and Shen Jiu is such an asshole.

Except, someone makes the mistake of insulting Shen Jiu to Shen Yuan's face - and SY, born a hater died a hater, instantly unleashes the most caustic pissy vitriol, naming every character flaw and buried skeleton in their closet, and just absolutely destroys their reputation and self esteem in a rant that leaves everyone's ears ringing.

And people decide maybe they like Shen Jiu a little better. At least with him you know what you're getting. He might be an asshole but he's a straight forward asshole. Shen Yuan might be nice, but he's gathering your dark secrets and judging your character behind that sweet smile.

[sofia-jones]

I do think the fandom has the unfortunate habit of babifying Shang Qinghua, due to both shipping and crocodile tears. I personally like the fact he’s a stone cold shark.

This guy set up an event so deadly it killed a significant number of teenagers— some from his own peak that he trained personally— without any visible trace of remorse. SQQ spent years wallowing in the guilt of throwing his little sheep into the abyss, which he knew he would survive. Meanwhile SQH did that and an unknown amount of other shit without batting an eyelid. That man would sell you out for pocket change.

No wonder Mobei Jun thinks he’s hot. Murdering someone in cold blood must be the demonic equivalent of a sexy hair flip.

[sofia-jones]

NOT A MASOCHIST MY ASS !!!!!

[sofia-jones]

i love when he says this

lying through his fucking teeth

[sofia-jones]

How to show emotions

Part VI

How to show insecurity

not holding/breaking eye contact

fidgeting

crossing their arms

trying to cover up their body

making themself seem smaller

playing with their hands

hiding their hands in their pockets

holding their head down

blushing

clearing their throat

biting their nails

biting their lips

nervous laughter

stuttering

How to show being offended

stiffening up

hard line around the lips

frozen stare

narrowing of the eyes

turning their head to the side

quickening heartbeat

turning red

making themself bigger, ready to fight

How to show compassion

gentle and soft smile

relaxed facial features

softening of their eyes

openly showing how they feel

leaning towards the other one

nodding along, not directly interjecting, but encouraging

deep breaths inbetween

gentle touches to comfort

How to show being pleased

big smile/grinning

laying head slightly to the side

moving one shoulder up

pursing their lips while smiling

very open body language

leaning back

Part I + Part II + Part III + Part IV + Part V

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

[sofia-jones]

Analyzing the "frog" scene without shipping goggles on:

What went wrong there was a rare misunderstanding and desyncronization between Jinshi and Maomao.

Maomao saw and understood the danger of knowing Jinshi's secret and gave him an out to not tell her. They've actually done this a few times where he's willing to tell her something, let her be in the know and for some reason she doesn't feel comfortable/that it would be appropriate for her to outright refuse, so she gives him an out.

Maomao was basing her "it's a frog!" deflection off of their established dynamic. They have an understanding based on having done this song and dance before that when she gives an excuse Jinshi backs off.

But Maomao underestimated the situation.

She was acting like this was salt in alcohol and a guy she never met who'd died, or the fine details or final outcome of the case she provides evidence/support/clarity to in another concubine's palace or a nobleman's house or any detail of prior "cases" they'd worked on together.

Each time in the past Jinshi was merely puzzled at her curiosity fizzling out when she'd been so dogged in finding out the truth, but let her drop the thread at the finishline so she can maintain plausible deniability and stay out of things. He only cared about her knowing insofar as he personally wouldn't be able to just not find out.

This time though, it's personal.

More than being personal though, Jinshi desperately WANTS Maomao to know. Before the hunt he speaks with Gaoshun about it, wakes up in the night and ends up curled on the floor, shaking, thinking of how unbearable this secret is and how much he wants Maomao in particular to know.

Jinshi is VERY alone and has VERY few people to support him and he trusts Maomao enough he wants to bring her fully in to help him, but he's also struggling hard with how and when to tell her.

He thinks for a moment that the uncomfortable accidental groping has been a slight bit of good fortune by bringing it to the forefront and given proof and pushed past the most awkward admission: "actually, I DO have an intact dick". He's literally in the middle of the next part of the conversation he's been working up to when Maomao stops him with that ridiculous frog excuse.

For the first time he pushes it. Like, really keeps trying to tell her instead of letting her walk away from the conversation. But Maomao doubles down and pushes him back in return and insults him by calling his dick tiny and slimy and gross - and Jinshi might not be super fond of the fact his looks are one of his greatest assets, but hes PROUD of himself.

He's also very much a man, very much has to hide that all the time, and just when he's trying to be open with someone he trusts, he's getting shut down.

Maomao is NOT LISTENING TO HIM. She was making a joke just when he was most desperate for truth and honesty.

He gave using words and insisting and all the tricks he's learned to deal with Maomao more respectfully with since they met, but that fails and he still wants so, SO badly to tell her that he then moves to non-verbal ways of communicating.

And Jinshi has been drowning in the intrigues of the harem - has been mostly isolated in a place where proof of being a man is a dick and having sex with women.

What, with that understanding and in an upset mindset, is the most expedient way to unambiguously telegraph "I'm a man, not a eunuch" in that scenario?

Exactly what he did, shove her down, lift her leg up and put them in a blatantly sexual position with himself firmly in the dominant male role.

He got pushed too far, just as Maomao thinks to herself.

This moment comes with the context that he's recently had to pretend to be a heavenly woman, has been pretending to be a eunich for years in the harem, has been covering his face and playing a different role of Kohen, and has the persona of whoever he was claiming to be at the ceremony Maomao saved him from being crushed at - AND he's just nearly been assassinated.

Jinshi was at his limit and Maomao failed to see that.

I don't think he meant any kind of assault with it - though if he'd done this with anyone but Maomao they would have taken it that way I'm sure - and once they were in the position things got a bit heated, but I'm fairly certain Jinshi's main motive in this:

Was only to make Maomao stop talking and listen and demonstrate in the most unambiguous way he knew how "I'm a fully functional man". Eunuchs don't do this to women. Men do.

Maomao wonders if she should kick him, yeah, but there isn't any urgency or fear there. She's thinking along the lines of "oh shit", but not in fear, in a kind of regret because she failed to realize how unsteady Jinshi was and is realizing just how far she pushed him.

I'm pretty sure she got it too. That she understood not just that he's a man, but that Jinshi's intent was to say with actions what she was refusing to let him tell her with words. I think the wondering if she should kick him was wondering if that would break the ice and get them back to a conversational place or if that would anger and upset him further, not her fearing for herself. We see her fearing for herself a few times in the series and Maomao wasn't scared of Jinshi here or what he would do and she isn't scared of him after.

Mostly she's just dumbfounded and shocked in the moment.

In-context I think this is actually far tamer than it appears.

It's just a bit of frustrated nonverbal communication between two people FAR too immersed in a highly sexualized world, and one that actually works. Maomao denies it after and stubbornly thinks of frogs, but the message is received.

The almost-kiss is the part I think is the actual dubious bit.

That was Jinshi getting carried away and a bit heated and going too far. That was the real moment Maomao kinda flinched - she closes her lips as he gets near enough it might happen and her hand grips the stone like she's thinking of doing something at that point. She doesn't push him away or fight him (and she most interestingly never gets angry at the shove, leg lift or the almost-kiss - only for her original objection of him giving her info she doesn't feel comfortable with yet), but she definitely wasn't welcoming that kiss either. From the hand motion I think she would have shoved him if he'd done more than the chaste kiss it seemed like he was going in for.

And that was clearly going to be chaste. Jinshi also closes his lips just before he was going to kiss her, so I think he intended to keep it brief and the motive for it was more of an on the fly decision to try to get through to her that he liked her with a kiss since they were already in that intimate, revealing position - striking while the iron was hot.

The dog interrupts before we get to see how that would have played out - and Maomao is understandably relieved to be out of it without having to have her relationship with Jinshi fundamentally changed the way a kiss or conversation would have forced it to be.

But if it had happened I think the most plausible reaction would be her just staying still for a brief kiss, then asking him what he thinks he's doing when he pulls back and then them actually talking. Maomao could have shoved him off, but I don't think she would have - at that point she knew Jinshi was not in a joking around slapstick mood to be teased, so she would have taken him seriously.

[sofia-jones]

There is a reason why Maomao wears different clothes than the rest of the inner palace.

Part of it is a main character thing. But Maomao's clothes reflect her status and situation.

She doesn't wear the orange uniform the servant girls wear, because she is not a general servant of the inner palace. Remember, she did wear that uniform in the first episode. However, once she started serving Lady Gyokuyo, she changed into that familiar green and pink outfit.

Maomao does not wear the same uniform as Lady Gyokuyo's Ladies-in-Waiting because Maomao is not a lady-in-waiting. Those girls are literally Ladies. They are noble woman serving Lady Gyokuyo, and their fancy clothing reflects their status.

Its confusing because we as viewers see them acting as servants; cleaning, dressing Gyokuyo, taking care of the little princess, ect. But traditionally, Ladies-in-Waiting are actual nobles, usually younger daughters or from lesser houses, serving higher nobles or royalty. Queens would pick women from allied houses to be their Ladies-in-Waiting, and it would he an honor to be picked. It's why in the second episode of Season 2, it was a big deal that the other concubines had a bunch of Ladies-in-Waiting. It's a matter of status, having tons of noblewoman in your service. They are also paid quite a bit and given gifts for their service. Which was also a thing in that episode, with the caravan.

So Maomao isn't actually one of Gyokuyo's Ladies. She isn't noble. So she doesn't wear the same clothes as the other ladies. She only does it on rare occasions like the Winter Garden Party to blend in. In that case, her normal clothes would reflect badly on Gyokuyo.

It might be a coincidence, since Maomao has worn the same thing the whole series, but her skirt is the same color as the other skirts worn by Gyokuyo's Ladies. That dark magenta is definitely Gyokuyo's color, and likely let's other people identify her as being in Gyokuyo's service. Remember that angry lady in Lihua's service? And the nervous maid that delivered that letter to her? That maid wore a very similar outfit to Maomao's, only in blue and dark blue/indigo. The same simple tunic and skirt, in Lihua's colors. That woman was like Maomao, a servant of a concubine, but not a lady or general servant to the inner palace.

So yeah, Maomao's outfit is not only main character vibes. And we should all acknowledge Apothecary Diaries amazing worldbuilding and details.

[sofia-jones]

This is the way you’re supposed to do pranks!