#Xu Fu Count

[hasxufudoneanythingwronginactive]

Day 714, Day 9 of Servant Summer Camp:

We can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing Xu Fu is still gay.

[znzn06]

lately max bond club kids! thank you mahoyo collab

[my1styearofgirl-blogging]

Fast fashion is un-feminist and hurts women

word count:927

When one thinks of fast fashion they think about places like Primark and Shein, which predominantly cater to women so you might be thinking hey that's totally feminist they are targeting women! but no that's not a good thing one could even say that makes it worse as the men who are in charge of these big brands are profiting off of mainly women exp the president of Shein is a man, Chris Xu, and the president of Primark is paul marchent.

About Chris Xu and his fast fashion empire-

Chris Xu the founder and CEO of Shein, one of the biggest fast fashion retailers in the world is described as a mysterious billionaire. Xu has a net worth of about $10.5b*

Xu makes most if not all of his money from his fast fashion giant known as SHIEN. Shein is known for having affordable clothing and lacklustre quality. shien like many clothing companies outsources its labour to places like India and Bangladesh they also produce in China. their reason? Lax labour laws allow them to not only pay unlivable wages but have awful working conditions many an article have complained about the child labour that occurs in these factories children under most laws cannot work until teenage hood and then they don’t get paid the same as adults in their same field one could argue that this is an issue in of itself, but imagine you're a child working in a 3rd world country and you're below teenagehood so you not only get paid less than teens you also get paid less than adults in your same field furthermore many clothing factories have machinery that can injure small children using them. but who else works in these sweatshops, women! Women for generations have been making clothing for their families and these factories are an extension of these patriarchal standards. As I previously stated these factories are usually situated in 3rd-word countries or LICs**where patriarchal standards are way more enforced than they are here in the West meaning while here we have equal pay(in theory) in these LICs their women won't be getting equal pay so big brands sourcing there labour from these countries is not only for the general lower pay standards but also the low pay of the women.

In these countries, the majority of the people the brands hire are women because they are able to pay them less for more work.

Labor conditions of the fast fashion giants-

You might think the general mistreatment of women and children is bad but the fact is that not only is the pay bad but the general working conditions are atrocious! factories are known to have bad hygiene and are not up to building standards making them likely to collapse as we saw in the Rana Plaza collapse which was caused by mismanagement and insufficient renovations the collapse caused 1,134 deaths. Breaks are often not mandatory and days off are few and far between meaning that some only get a few days off a year. Recently some tiktok influencers were taken on a PR trip to a ‘Shein factory’ this was later proved to be a false factory put up in order to make them seem like a good company that does violate multiple human rights a day, the influencers went through the ‘factory’ filming what is now a very infamous tiktok where one stated that the workers were ”shocked that people thought they were treated badly” the influencer also showed the viewers the factory and it was pristine with the most recent technology and clean environment the influencer showed the machines not producing any clothing later this was used as proof of the factory being a sham as it would mean that they would be losing money, why would they be losing money? Because if all of Sheinds factories were like this one which shien has said they are that would mean they would all have these state-of-the-art machines which in turn would cost them millions to not only buy but power meaning that for their machines to be financially viable They would have to be constantly producing to create a profit, this further proves that this influencer trip was a purely a sham.

Why is buying from shien and other fast fashion brands so un-feminist and bad for your wallet?

One reason it's unfeminist is that it perpetuates patriarchal standards I've already stated that the women in these factories get hired more which is a good thing but they also get paid less. because capitalism

Why is it bad for your wallet? Because the quality is awful in order to keep costs down not only do they not pay their workers living wages but they also skimp on things like fabric quality they're also hardly ever made well because if a child is making your clothes you cant expect them to be good, but here's the thing it's been reported that if a worker messes up I piece of clothing they have their pay restricted!

A little feminist add on- I believe that if as a culture we decided it was father nature instead of mother nature we wouldn't be treating our planet so badly

In conclusion, shopping fast fashion is contributing to the financial abuse of women and children in LICs

*source Forbes

**LIC= low-income country

All my love please follow and reblog if you agree, feel free to add more points to your reblog, asks are open I would love some more mutuals with the same viewpoints

<3

[dhappyorangec]

Zheng YeCheng's studio Weibo posted: https://youtu.be/2ZaidaVL3dM

Happy 520, (sounds like wo-ai-ni, an I-love-you holiday), Zheng YeCheng! We sincerely hope for your good health and wisdom, and we believe that with your dedication and perseverance, you will encounter wonderful opportunities. Our love for you is a unique blend of admiration and unwavering support! We will always be here, standing by your side, cheering you on. No matter the choices you make, we will wholeheartedly support you, for you have undoubtedly proven your worth! ♥️🍊🍃♥️ @D郑业成C @郑业成工作室

Some of my favorite Lao Tzu quotes:

"Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

Knowing others is intelligence;

knowing yourself is true wisdom.

Mastering others is strength;

mastering yourself is true power.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

You got our love, hoping we can give you strength more than stress, and hoping your love and passion for acting gives you courage to break out of your comfort zone to be a better you! To a better us each new day. Fighting！

-----

520快乐，郑业成！我们真诚地希望你身体健康、智慧充沛，相信你的努力和毅力将会遇到美好的机遇。我们对你的爱是钦佩和坚定支持的独特融合！无论何时何地，我们都会在这里，站在你身旁，为你加油打气。无论你做出什么选择，我们将全心全意支持你，因为你无疑证明了自己的价值！♥️🍊🍃♥️ @D郑业成C @郑业成工作室

以下是我最喜欢的老子引用：

"生活是一连串自然而然的变化。不要抵抗它们，那只会带来悲伤。让现实成为现实，让事物自然地向前流动。

了解他人是智慧；

了解自己是真正的智慧。

征服他人是力量；

征服自己是真正的力量。

千里之行始于足下。

深爱某人使你强大，而深爱某人则使你勇敢。"

你拥有我们的爱，希望我们能给你的是力量而非压力，希望你对表演的热爱和激情能给你勇气突破舒适区，成为一个更好的自己！祝我们每一天都能变得更好。加油！！！

==========

Currently airing 04/23/23:

Watch Desire Catcher as Lu FengPing: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBNHceQmsdFTxFYovDeI0_yEDi34nPAWg (watch on Mango TV app or website to help count towards ranking)

1. Watch MULTI SUB Zheng YeCheng Happy Orange's contents: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7-z8Evh-e2eP34fHyM16HO6

2. Watch Fan Made Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH78gCeEWne7MzTwJM7xwkztA

3. Archeology, for fans who wants to know more about Zheng YeCheng and his past thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH79t7qGXhmCJYRcNRkSs3MIp

4. Happy Orange complete uploads: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH79TRIiHdNByBhoTyxkbnJFZ

5. ENGLISH SUB contents (via Google Translate by non-native me): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7_g1FQItQMRHZ5M37XkVf1z

(in the process of updating good interviews with better translations)

6: Check playlists for other contents...I have been busy translating, have not had a chance to organize the playlists. :)

Zheng YeCheng Drama Recommendation + links: https://youtu.be/NKHGVsGF3S4

1. "Guardians of Night” as Ye Yan: https://youtu.be/TdzWK0cinuk

2. "Let's Shake It 1 & 2" as Tang QingFeng, & Yi: 

season 1: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATwx1z00Hse85EcPPZctiuUAKRoc_fBF

season 2: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ07CRH59YM0pFcLxymY7M58RxvIa60O_

3. Drama "Royal Nirvana 1 & 2" as Gu FengEn

season 1: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZZZLpfFwcBpeLmHHd7dJKyfXp7uEN7gO

season 2: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRBClVey5Bqz2Hssx-g8xErbuJZKTWN5m

4. “Love of Thousand Years” as Fu JiuYun: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZZZLpfFwcBor1PhyYjjeJKLB3t-U63TY

5. “The Sleepless Princess” as Xue Yao: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7_WnoWRawft4zaAUsQnHFCo

6. “Stealth Walker” as Zhang XianHe: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPiKkS-FpK8m454BDOd1CIkepawrn0JZ

7. "Love Under the Full Moon” as Xu XiaoDong: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlCrV9TCfzMa7EGQT5s48cHDuU8tsGE8-

8. “Crossroad Bistro” as Zhao HeNan (the best man to marry): https://www.iq.com/album/crossroad-bistro-2021-1kcxzxhnm3h?lang=en_us

9.  'Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities' as Zhen Lan, Lang Xuan, The Prey: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOa-OrneXm2yBlLKNWL9qLCDfLxuSWal

10. “My Sassy Princess” as Shen Yan: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsUZkNuEg38Rjz8_dGSLKvZCNDvGrvFOX

11. “Enlighten Your Life” as Lin Qi: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkvG4EWPDB0m29Kf6R47HUp7jgnXmt0b5

others:

12. An Oriental Odyssey as MuLe: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOW9dYWFXJ7HV2nES5yf29CBUH0VrCUrp

13. Love O2O as Hao Mei: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLihMeK5_5GQj1bKjpJIm5rgTfllbOWlh

14. Desire Catcher as Lu FengPing: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBNHceQmsdFTxFYovDeI0_yEDi34nPAWg

[cyborg-squid]

I kinda get what people are saying with FGO NPC Hell, especially when it comes to Gudaguda, but with the release of both Nobukatsu, Xu Fu, and Yamanami, you gotta A) wait a couple years and B) be interesting enough for there actually to be a reason to bring you back.

Shibata and Mitsuhide aren’t bad, I like their designs, but they’re not the most interesting and hardly feel popular enough to justify implementation.

I’d say Maxwell’s Demon has a pretty good chance of getting in at some point, given that he’s one of the main Redline classes, as well as just being a super cool concept of ‘what if a thought experiment could be a Servant’, it’s genuinely really cool to see.

I reckon Kamo also has a chance, maybe, he’s got some appeal among Shinsengumi fans (aka me), but it also feels like his relevance is ‘one and done’ in the Yamatai-Koku event.

Gudaguda 6 came out swinging with the NPCs and caused quite an uproar because of it, Takasugi definitely seems like the biggest contender to come out of that group, given his popularity and the fact that Takolegs, his illustrator, has had their other past NPC (Xu Fu) successfully implemented. But I wouldn’t count Shinbei out just yet, he has a rockin’ design, has pretty good Servant qualifications by being one of the 4 Hitokiri of the Bakumatsu (alongside Izou) and the one with the highest killcount. Takechi doesn’t have a bad look, is kinda the guy who ran the Hitokiri, and has the Shinsengumi as his historical opponents (I think), but I dunno, I feel like his combat capabilities are more limited and his political views more... dicey, with the whole ‘revere the emperor, expel the barbarians’ bit.

[bookofjin]

Biography of Liu Yifu (WS097)

So-called Emperor of Song

His son Yifu was usurpingly installed. Taizong, since his decorum and respect was insufficient, dispatched the Duke of Shanyang, Xi Jin, and others to lead 20 000 infantry and cavalry to Huatai, and cross the He for a southern chastisement. Yifu's Inspector of Si province, Mao Dezu dispatched Marshal Zhai Guang to lead 3 000 infantry and cavalry to come and resist him. Minister of Works Xi Jin used more than 1 000 cavalry to patrol Chenliu. The Grand Warden, Yan Leng, led the multitudes to surrender. He carried on to attack Huatai. Its commandery Grand Warden, Wang Jingdu, ran and fled, beheaded his Marshal, Yang Zan. Dezu also dispatched his general Dou Yingming to attack the wagon train at Shiji [the “Stone Crossing”]. Xi Jin at Tuluo greatly routed Guang and others, and exploited victory to straight-away arrive at Hulao. Yifu dispatched his general Du Yuan and others, together with the Inspector of Xu province, Wang Zhongde, to stay at Hulu. Taizong decreed the Duke of Anping, Shusun Jian and others with the army at Sidukou. Yifu's Inspector of Yan province, Xu Yan, handed over Yinmao City to run and retreat, and so in Taishan and other commanderies they fully abandoned their defence posts and fled. Taizong decreed the Count of Wuzi, Gongsun Biao, and others, to then to attack Hulao. Yifu dispatched general Tan Daoji to lead the legions to hurry in aid.

8th Year [423 AD], Yifu changed the year to be Jingping [“Shining Peace”]. Xi Jin advanced to attack Jinyong. Yifu's Grand Warden of Henan, Wang Juanzhi, set out and ran. Taizong went on a southern tour, arriving at Ye. Xi Jin turned back from Jinyong to besiege Hulao. Taizong again decreed the Duke of Anping, Shusun Jian, and others to go east and strike Qing province. Its Inspector, Zhu Kui, defended Dongyang City. The Grand Warden of Jinan, Yuan Mao, ran to Kui from Liangzou. Xi Jin divided off an army to attack Yingchuan. The Grand Warden, Li Yuande, and others, ran back to Xiangcheng Jin again dispatched cavalry to rout five counties governed by Gaoping commandery, and carried off the residents, more than 2 000 families. Shusun, since it was the hot season, turned around the legions. Tan Daoki and Wang Zhongde turned toward Qing province, and thereupon did not dare advance. Taizong arrived at Hulao, and following that, favoured Luoyang. Then he went north across the He. Jin overcame Hulao. He apprehended Dezu and his Grand Warden of Xingyang, Zhai Guang, General who Broadens the Martial, Dou Ba, and others. Yifu's Inspector of Yu province, Liu Cui, guarded Xiangcheng, and did not dare to advance. Jin dispatched infantry and cavalry reaching Xuchang. The Grand Warden of Yingchuan, Suo Yuande, ran to Xiangcheng. Thereupon he besieged Ruyang, the Grand Warden, Wang Gongdu, burst through the siege and set out. He continued with routing Shaoling carried off more than ten thousand mouths, and then turned back.

Beginning of Shiguang [424 AD], Yifu's Minister of Works, Xu Xianzhi, Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Fu Liang, Army Leader Xie Hui, and others assembled at his government court, arrested his King of Luling, Yizhen, moved him to Xin'an commandery, and killed him. Yifu was dim-witted, brutal, and neglected morality. Xianzhi and others directed troops to enter the hall. At the time Yifu was on a boat in Hualin [Park]. The soldiers competed to advance and killed his attendants, went along with Yifu to set out from the eastern doors, and deposed him to be King of King of Yingyang. Thereupon they moved him to Wu commandery, and at Jinchang Precinct they killed him.

[fourseasonsfigs]

Xiaohui Lang

His Excellency Duke Su Xu Jin is here in all his red wedding splendor!

This fig is based off of Zhang Zhehan's character Xu Jin from The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion:

The actual moment this fig captures is Duke Su lifting the red wedding veil from Fu Rong.

The screen grab is a bit blurry, because it's from Fu Rong's perspective as the veil lifts away from her face.

Beautiful, isn't he?

This fig arrived with it's box in great shape, but the factory sealed shipping bag he was in inside the box had compacted all around him. This is totally normal, since the shipping bag is meant to protect the fig when traveling. However, in this case, the bag has squeezed his veil-lifting wand backwards. It arrived at this extremely jaunty and canonically incorrect angle:

I tried bending it gently backwards - it's pretty flexible, but it would go right back into the incorrect position. I ended up running some hot water and warming up the wand a bit to hopefully get it a bit more permanently straighter.

It's better! I am very cautious and (try to) baby my figs, so I figured I'd just do a little at a time to get it straighter.

Looks a bit better from this side view. We also get a beautiful angle on the decoration on his shoulder and upper sleeve.

He's a very elegant figure in his beautiful red robes and golden guan.

A little better view from the top so you can see the detailing on the guan. The wand looks pretty good from this angle! A couple more runs under the hot water should get it nice and straight.

Some robe detailing and his shoes/pants. This fig stands up beautifully on its own, due to the nice wide base on the robes.

Here's an extreme closeup so you can see all the lovely detailing on his robes.

You got a preview of the box card earlier, but here's the bigger version of it. The writing at the bottom has the fig's name, 宵晖郎, Xiāo Huī Láng.

The text on the right is 宵晖耀启明,夜半唤郎君, which MTL results in: Xiao Hui Yao Qiming, Midnight Calling Your Excellency

I feel like if I had seen The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion I'd have a lot more background on any of this, but I'm still working my way through Legend of Yunxi. The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion is definitely next on the list though, because I must watch a show where Zhehan is so cute that his character has been nicknamed Niuniu for "cute little girl".

Material: PVC

Fig Count: 154

Diorama Count: 9

Snowglobe: 1

Rating: You know what? So good I'm throwing over Yunxi and moving straight to Ruyi 😍

[link back to Master Fig Index for more posts]

[mingi-bubu]

26. “I’m doing it, shut up.”

idiots to lovers, modern day au, wu baiqi x fu xuan, canonically disabled characters, no relation to the original canon modern day spin-off series, ~2.1k, read here on ao3

Fu Rong watches with disbelief as her sister once again misinterprets Wu Baiqi’s words and turns his invitation of a date for two that night into an invitation for their friend group to go out that night to the movies.  Granted, “Would you like to go to the movies tonight?” is pretty ambiguous on its own.  Still, she shares a look with her boyfriend Xu Jin, both of them exasperated over the other two’s antics.

Fu Rong had to hand it to Wu Baiqi, though.  He took the idea with grace and pivoted well mid-conversation.  Fu Xuan and Wu Baiqi walked back to the small group and Fu Xuan broke the news, addressing them all.  “So, movies tonight?  Maybe that horror film Wen Ping has been talking about?”

“It’s either that or watch that animated thing for kids that Rong-Rong seems to be interested in,” Wen Ping teases as Wu Baiqi sits next to him, setting his cane between his leg and the arm of the bench.

“Wen Ping!”  Fu Rong scolds.  “All I said was that from a design standpoint, the animation style—”

“—style was completely different from anything mainstream today,” Gu Yuan finishes her friend’s sentence.  “Wen Ping is right, though,” she goes on to say, agreeing with her boyfriend.  “The only people who are interested in that movie are you and your younger brother.”

Fu Rong turns to her other friend, Lan Xiang, for support, but Lan Xiang just gives her an apologetic smile.

“Horror film it is,” Xu Jia says, ending the conversation.  Fu Rong and Guo Rui share a commiserating look, the only two of the group to dislike horror movies.

--

“Finally, it took you guys forever to get here,” Gu Yuan jokes as the Fu sisters walk into the lobby of the theater.  Wu Baiqi rolls in behind them, his expression pinched despite him trying to mask it.  At the sight of that look, she loses her joviality.  “Is everything okay?”

“It’s alright,” he reassures her, “the night ended up colder than I was expecting, and my old injury decided it was better for me to roll than walk.  I took my pain medication before we left, though, so it should be kicking in soon.”

Gu Yuan nods, and sets her hand on his shoulder gently.  Both she and Wu Baiqi hated the seasonal cold because of how it always seemed to make their old injuries ache more than ever.

Xu Jin and Xu Jia walk in shortly after and apologize for being late.  “The traffic was worse than normal at this time,” Xu Jia says to the group, accepting the hug in greeting from Lan Xiang.

“Is everyone here now?”  Wen Ping asks, pulling the small stack of tickets from his jacket.  He stands up and starts taking a head count, an excited smile appearing when the count revealed the entire group was there.  “Awesome!  We can grab our seats now.”  He turns to the left and headed for the very end of the hall towards the room where the movie was showing.

Guo Rui and Fu Rong end up at the end of the line, and he bumps her arm with his softly.  “Lucky number thirteen, I guess.”  He pursed his lips until they formed a straight line, his voice sour.

“Xu Jin and Wen Ping owe us so hard,” Fu Rong says, agreeing.

They both let out a sigh and pick up their pace a bit to catch up with the others.

--

“That movie was so good,” Wen Ping cries, throwing one of his hands in the air.

Gu Yuan giggled at her boyfriend’s antics.  “I agree.  The dialogue was masterfully written.”

“The practical effects were nice,” Guo Rui offered, looking slightly green.  “Very, uhm, believable.”

“You say that as if you weren’t hiding behind Rong’er the entire time,” Fu Xuan teases, walking next to Wu Baiqi.  He looked at her as if she hung the stars.

“I thought the costumes were good,” Fu Rong says, her tone more defensive than necessary.  She was still tense throughout her entire body from the film.  “The score definitely was perfect for how eerie the film was."

She stumbles slightly as Xu Jin came up and hugged her from behind, but regained her balance quickly.  It always amazed people who didn’t know them just how soft and sweet of a boyfriend that Xu Jin is.  “What I thought was most interesting about the film was how it all depended on choice.  Everything that happened in the film could have been avoided if the main guy told his wife-to-be the truth.  Even his death at the end was a choice that the wife didn’t need to make.  I mean, she did,” the group nods emphatically, “but it was all her husband’s lack of saying anything that led to his demise.”

Lan Xiang agreed, finishing off the last of her soda.  “I thought the older brother didn’t deserve to die; especially not at the hands of that horrible woman he had married.  He was the only one to tell the girl the truth, even if it was too late.”   She opens her mouth like she wanted to say more, but closed it and shook her head.

“Xiang-Xiang,” Fu Rong says, seeing her friend’s hesitance, “what else did you want to say?”

“I just, oh this is so embarrassing,” Lan Xiang says, pulling on Xu Jia’s arm so that it hid her face.  “I just thought that it was romantic the way that he said she didn’t deserve to die because she was Good, and then he ended up dying for her!”

To her surprise, Gu Yuan agrees instantly.  “He definitely would not have even talked to her if they had met before she and his brother did.  He seems like someone who would see her as too good for himself and use his family history and insecurities as a blanket for that.  He would push her away without finding out if she would love him the way he probably deserved to be.”

The entire group goes silent, no one missing the double meaning to her words.  It was no secret that Wu Baiqi’s relationship with his family was not the greatest, and nobody knew better than the Xus and Fu Rong just how much he saw Fu Xuan as better than him, as someone who deserves better than someone like him.

Despite everyone trying not to look at Fu Xuan and Wu Baiqi, they still found their eyes drawn to the two before flicking away quickly.  The silence carried, filling the space between everyone.

Guo Rui was the first to break it, feeling sorry for his cousin for being put on the spot in such a way.  “I, uh, I don’t know about the rest of you guys,” he starts awkwardly, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, “but I think I could go for some ice cream now?”  Due to his nerves, his statement ended up much more like a question.

Everyone else took pity on Guo Rui and agreed, the previous awkward moments forgotten by everyone but him and his cousin.  After the group decided on an ice cream parlor, Fu Rong pulled her sister into conversation about what she would do if she was in that situation.  Luckily enough, the ice cream parlor was within the mall complex, so it would only take a few minutes to get there.  Guo Rui made eye contact with Wu Baiqi, a silent request for him to hold back behind the group.  He agrees.

“So,” Wu Baiqi starts, pulling up next to Guo Rui and pushing off, following the group.  “What’s up?”

Guo Rui almost laughed at his cousin’s false casualness.  “You heard what Gu Yuan said.  Are you going to do anything about it?”

“I am doing it, shut up.”  The older of the two flushed a light pink and refused to look at Guo Rui.

“Right,” he agrees, tone full of disbelief.  “I can totally tell by how you,” he pretends to look at his hand as if there were notes written on it, “don’t do anything about your crush on Xuan-jie.”

“If I were a worse person, I would run over your foot,” Wu Baiqi says, a quick move of his wrist swings him closer to Guo Rui.

His cousin laughs, knowing even if Wu Baiqi were a worse person, if Wu Baiqi was anything like his father, he still wouldn’t.  He cares too much and too greatly to ever do that.  “I’m sure you would.  Are you ever going to say something to her?”

“I, uh,” Wu Baiqi says, looking behind Guo Rui with panic painted all over his expression, “I don’t think I have to.  You did for me.”

Guo Rui winces and turns around to see the Fu sisters standing behind him.  “When, when did you two get here?  I could’ve sworn you were ahead of us…”  He trails off at the mischievous look in Fu Rong’s eyes.

She grabs his arm and gently pushes her sister forward before pulling him away.  She calls out to her sister and his cousin a “Have fun, kids!” and then Guo Rui finds himself whisked back to the group.  Fu Rong drags him into the conversation, and he complies, but his curiosity still prickles in the back of his mind.

Eventually, the group decides to not wait around on the last two members and walk into the ice cream parlor, splitting into two groups.  Xu Jin, Wen Ping, and Gu Yuan go up to order the ice cream, the three of them being able to hold nine orders altogether.  The others—Fu Rong, Lan Xiang, Xu Jia, and Guo Rui—get busy pushing two tables together so that everyone could eat together.  Settling down at the tables, Guo Rui looks across at Fu Rong, now able to act on his curiosity.

“You could have told me that that’s what you were going to do, you know.”

“But I know you,” she counters, “and you would’ve wimped out on me.”

Guo Rui protests, but Fu Rong cuts him off.  “You care about your cousin’s happiness a lot, and it’s something everyone here respects, but you also keep his secrets well.  You would’ve talked about something else, knowing I would appear with my sister.”

He looks next to him to Xu Jia for help, expecting the elder to back him up, but to his dismay, Xu Jia says, “I have known you for some time now, and Rong’er is right.  You would one-hundred percent fail to follow through on the plan.”

Lan Xiang looks at Fu Rong with something akin to wonder in her eyes.  “You terrify me, Nongnong.”  Fu Rong smiles, taking the compliment that it was.

The bells jingle behind him and Xu Jia, but they don’t bother looking up.  Guo Rui was sulking and Xu Jia was attempting to, in his slightly awkward way, comfort him.  Lan Xiang watched Xu Jin, Wen Ping, and Gu Yuan as the workers gave them the orders.  She was ready to jump in if they needed help, but it appeared they had it all, no pun intended, in hand.

“And anyway,” Fu Rong says, her voice smug, “my plan worked out.”  She looked like the cat who got the cream as her boyfriend, Gu Yuan, and Wen Ping set down the nine orders.  Everyone looked to the doors where Fu Xuan and Wu Baiqi were.

“Well, they clearly worked out their issues,” Wen Ping comments dryly, watching the two lovebirds try to not look like they were head-over-heels.

Well, at least Fu Xuan was.  Her smile kept breaking through her calm façade, though, betraying her.

Wu Baiqi always looked at her like she was the only woman in the world that mattered to him.

The two of them reached the tables and took the remaining two spots.  Wu Baiqi took Fu Xuan’s hand, holding it gently in his, and set their hands on the table between them.  “Okay, alright, get it over with already.”  He sighs, preparing for the onslaught of teasing that was sure to come.

“We’re really happy for you,” Fu Rong says, her voice a special kind of soft that she normally only uses with her sister and Xu Jin.

The rest of the table agrees fervently before Gu Yuan pipes up, “God, it took you long enough, though.  Literally, it’s been 84 years.”  And like magic, the floodgates opened up as ice cream was passed around.

The nine of them enjoyed the rest of their night like that, laughter and chatter surrounding them.

Wu Baiqi turns to his cousin and says only loud enough that Guo Rui could hear, “I’m finally happy.  Really, truly happy.”

Guo Rui claps his cousin on the shoulder and chokes up a bit.  “You deserve it.”

Little did they know that on Wu Baiqi’s other side, Fu Xuan was saying the same thing to her younger sister.

[haslanlingdoneanythingwrong]

Day 68

I would like to state, for the record, that Lanling is the sweetest man alive, and if anything bad happened to him, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.

... and I might have smacked Xu Fu with my buffed-to-hell-and-back Summer Yu. Was it in retaliation for trying to turn Lanling evil? Maybe. Was it satisfying? Yes.

He’s still done nothing wrong! Unless you count complementing Yu as doing something wrong. :)

[offaeandcreation]

Sleep-Deprived College Student Becomes World's Strongest Cultivator By Bullshit Means

Chapter 6 + 7 + 8: The Father Trap Pt 3 + Pt 4 + Pt 5

Summary: There was still one person Ani hasn't comforted yet. Except, Wen Xu is missing.

Chapter 4+5: (Prev)

Chapter 9: (Next)

Content Warning: Emotional outburst, Mild Homophobia

It is truth universally acknowledged that an Ani, in possession of a terrible night’s sleep, is in want of an alarm clock. The darkness outside was no help in determining anything other than the fact that she shouldn’t be awake now. Ani flopped back into bed, staring up at the ceiling. No matter how much she tossed and turned, or how long she tried to meditate in the garden, or how many goldfish she counted in her head, her mind wouldn’t let her rest. 

What am I anxious about? 

Wen Xia is staying. Anyone in her family, especially A-Li, knew that if you cry enough in front of Ani, any semblance of a spine dissipates into the void. How else would Ani allow Wen Ruohan’s twin sister, who’s known him since childhood, to stick around? 

Ani face-palmed herself. 

Why am I LIKE this? 

She was temperamental too. Throwing a fight in front of the children. Wen Chao cried and Wen Xu–

Ani shot up.  

Dammit! I should have checked on him. At least to see if he was okay. 

Ani got to her feet and struggled to open the drawers to get a robe. Like a Tin-man in dire need of oiling, her arms jerked across the folded fabric.

What the hell?  

The robe refused to budge. She pulled harder. With a crack, she pulled out the entire drawer, the wood clanking onto the ground and silk robes scattered like snow. 

Fu- No this is fine. Just...gonna pick one up. The servants can clean it later.

With jagged movements, she pulled out a simple robe from the floor and tried to tie the knot she had seen the servants do. Her fingers refused to cooperate and she yanked at it until she got her finger stuck in a loop. 

Stupid fingers. Stupid long nails! 

 Ani bit her lip not to scream. She tasted iron. Her fingers dug into the fabric, long sharp nail catching on individual threads of expensive silk. Fire and thunder burned in her throat. Heat throbbed in her temples. 

Obeyme. Obeyme. Howdareyoudefyme-

The threads exploded in her hands: the silk robe in tatters on the floor. 

Ani blinked. 

What just happened? 

She merely tore a hole and–

All the drawers had shot out, spraying the entire room in clothing. She wheezed, curling up into a ball. Tears blurred her vision.

I need to get a hold of myself.

Ani wiped her tears with the helm of her sleeve. She picked up a dark brown silk robe and pants that got caught on a pillar. 

I’m just going to check on Wen Xu, before I forget. Then I need to figure out what caused this outburst. 

She groped the dark walls to climb to her feet. The cold lacquer tantalized her fingers until Ani stuck her face into it. The fire beneath her skin cooled. She sighed in relief.

 Ani grabbed one of the lanterns hanging by her door – a sphere of red rice paper covered in golden sun motifs protecting a flame –  and wandered into the hall. She must have miscalculated her movements; she stepped too close to the edge of the doorway and her elbow knocked a nearby vase. Ani froze as the ceramic spun on its wooden table, only stabilizing as the rim peered over the edge. She released a breath, pulling the vase back into its proper place.

Wow, my coordination is off today.

 She turned to walk out before promptly crashing into the wooden pillar. A sharp sting zapped up her nose; it’s a miracle it didn’t bleed. 

I’m walking around like a drunkard. 

Clearly needing it, Ani kept a hand on the wall to maintain balance as she trudged back to Wen Xu’s hall. The lanterns of similar ostentatious quality were still lit, illuminating red paint, and dark wood in a sheen of amber. There was little need for her own personal lantern. But who knows, maybe it will be useful later.

 Her hand brushed against paper, rice paper scrolls that lined the walls. Ani paused, using her lantern to illuminate the page.

Oh, I missed this. 

It was a man sitting on a porch, surrounded by Chrysanthemums, reading a scroll. His figure took center place of the entire piece. The attire, flames embellishing his collar and the headpiece on his head, was the same that Ani wore that day. Wen Ruohan. Ani scanned the calligraphy. Wen Xu signed it. 

He made a portrait of his father? And hung it? 

Ani filed that note for later. It is possible that his work would come up at some point and ‘forgetting’ that he was skilled in art would end in her being outed as an imposter. Or at least being sus. 

More rice scrolls lined the walls. Some of mountainous landscapes, and some portraits of unfamiliar faces. 

All of them undeniably skilled and beautiful.

The hallway turned until finally the door came into view. As Ani approached the door, a scuffle disturbed the silence followed by rapid footsteps and a creak. Ani’s ears twitched. 

Huh? 

Ani considered knocking to ask if Wen Xu was injured...

He’s a teenager, idiot. 

The tips of her ears burned as she rubbed her face.

Right, he probably is fooling around in there. I should leave him be-

A loud thud caught off that thought like a butcher’s knife. 

That doesn’t sound like fooling around. 

Ani’s heart hammered in her chest, thundering in her ears. Her free hand fell to the wooden door handle It creaked under the force of her grip.  

Is Wen Xu hurt? Did someone attack him? 

Ani kicked open the door. 

If it is just something kinky, I’m going to regret this. 

The room was empty, being nothing more than a private sitting room and library. The severe lack of any light sources painted the room in a deep blue hue. 

“Wen Xu?” Ani called out, her voice bouncing off the walls like it would in a cave. She used her lantern to illuminate the dark room. 

No answer. 

Nothing.

What the hell was that noise?  

Footsteps. Like a child running. Above her.

Ani rushed to the nearest window, one hidden behind drawn curtains, and pulled it open. A figure jumped from the roof, landing on the opposite one. They were small, old enough to be an adolescent, but were not fully grown. Ani frowned, narrowing her eyes. 

She pushed open the door to the bedroom. Empty. The bed untouched. Drawers thrown open. Fabric and clothes littered the ground. 

Her lungs were too small. Everything around her spun into dizzying colors.

I shouldn’t have left him alone. 

The walls of the room warped and shrank, as if to crush her. 

I should have insisted on checking on him. 

 The lantern in her hand fell to the floor with a thud. The light within flickered out. 

And now he ran away. 

_____________________

I saw him. It can’t be too late. I have to find him, convince him to come back–

Ani searched the dirt streets for Wen Xu, between plain robes and unfamiliar faces. 

Hanging red lanterns lit the plentiful crowds of Qishan, turning night to day. Restaurants with colorful flowing banners served customers, employees dressed in grey and blue advertising at their entrances.

“Will Young Master try Qishan’s best tea!” A server jumped in Ani’s path, shoving a cup of tea below her nose. Hot leaf juice so potent she could taste it in the back of her throat. 

“No thanks,” Ani backed away, looking over his head for Wen Xu’s bobbing, ribboned bun. 

Wait. Bun. 

Ani paused, scanning the crowd one more time. The youngsters playing with toys a few paces away had their buns in red ribbons. And the passersby eyeing Ani with a range of horrified stares had their hair pulled up by bronze and wooden pins. The old man in the middle of the street singing at the top of his lungs had his hair up. 

Ani had her hair down.

I’M A BARBARIAN! 

“Would you prefer noodles instead, Young Master?” The waiter said, unaware of Ani’s inner cyclone of doom. 

“Not unless I can use them to tie my hair.” 

“Young Master?” 

I said that out loud, didn’t I? 

God, why didn’t I think this throughhhhh. 

“Would you perhaps like some more rice wine instead? We have the best in the city!” The smiling waiter pulled out a brown jar of wine, literally from nowhere. 

“I haven’t had any-” Ani stopped, glancing at her sorry excuse for ‌clothing.

I look like a drunk. 

Dust and mud-caked the front of her robes, but the silk still shimmered under the lanterns.  

A filthy rich drunk. 

“Young Master?” 

I can’t pop in looking for Wen Xu like an undignified drunkard. That’ll surely embarrass him.  

“Mind I ask where you got your clothes? I need the outfit,” She glanced at the simple light grey hemp robes of the waiter. 

The waiter blinked. He bit his lip and shuffled back a step, “why does Young Master want my robe?” 

Over his shoulder, Wen Xu exited a noodle restaurant several blocks down. His clothing a mute black robe with a sash, but no knapsack or even his sword.

Wen Xu!

The memory of the mess in his room, clothing thrown all over the floor resurfaced.

He was just trying to find that outfit for his outing? To blend in– 

Wen Xu wove through the crowd, drifting farther and farther away.

Shit!

“Well,‌” Ani gestured to herself, tapping her foot with impatience, “I’m a researcher and journalist on the…” she gestured at the waiter’s shop, “the treatment of waiters in restaurants and pubs, such as your own. Do you feel underrepresented in your place of work? Does your employer provide dental?” 

The waiter’s brows furrowed, “Dental? I haven’t heard of this.” 

He thinks I’m spouting drunk nonsense. 

Ani clicked her tongue, “Not even dental, would you look at that. How unfair. Healthy teeth are important, you know!”  

The waiter blinked, but at least he stopped leaning away from her, “I don’t understand why dental is important.” 

Fuck, can we do this faster?

“Your teeth will rot and fall out. And then you get cavities in your brain and die. Not really pleasant.” Ani burst out. 

The waiter paled considerably, clutching his mouth, “My aunt had bad teeth and died! They wouldn’t even provide tanghulu for her offerings. She adored tanghulu!”

Ani nodded, “Exactly! Bad teeth kill people!” 

“But what does young master’s research have to do with my clothing?” The waiter asked, scratching his chin. 

Please. I beg you. PLEASE. 

“If you give me an extra set of robes,” Ani gave him her best customer service smile, “I’ll make certain your workplace will provide dental first. Now go! Hurry! And don’t forget a bun ribbon!”

He ran into the restaurant, seconds later bringing out a spare robe and pants. Ani thanked him and threw it over her silk robes, tying her hair up with a ribbon mid-run. 

Wen Xu. Wen Xu. Wen Xu. Where were you last-? 

Ani tripped over a child carrying sweet rice cakes. The cake fell onto the dirt ground, trampled underfoot. The child stared at the ground with wide, watery eyes before bursting into tears. 

“SORRY!” Ani cried out, before knocking into a couple, “I’m so fucking sorry!”

How many people am I going to piss off before I find–

Wen Xu’s bun bobbled into a nearby restaurant. 

THERE. 

She ran inside the building, stepping from the rock pathway to the wooden boards. Just as the tables filled with people came into view, another waiter stepped in front of her. The thick waft of alcohol tsunamied her senses.

“Would Young Master like to try Qishan’s best rice wine?” He gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

Wasn’t the last guy’s wine the best in Qishan? 

“I’m actually looking for-” Ani squinted. The room was enough to hold at least fifty people. Customers sat on simple yellow mats around dark worn tables covered in rice wine and snacks. The waiters balanced ceramic cups and bottles that clinked as they shimmied between each other, careful not to trip over the hemp mats. They would pause over a table, offering more to those who seemed to have already had plenty.  No Wen Xu bun in sight. 

I saw him enter. He has to be here.  

“Sect Leader Wen completely lost his mind,” someone slurred. 

Ani tensed, her fingers twitching.

Shit! did I cause something- 

“What do you mean, Liu Shen?” one of the people in the crowd shouted at the speaker. “Isn’t that common knowledge?”

Oh, wait, no, he was nuts before. 

Ani exhaled, wiping her brow. 

Haven’t fucked up yet. 

“Sect Leader Wen requested directions to his very own library! Can you believe such nonsense? Isn’t he hailed as one of the top cultivators and minds in Qishan? And he doesn’t know where the library is?”

Fuck! FUCK! FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK! 

She did that! To herself. If Ani wasn’t in public, she would slam her face into the nearest pillar. 

“Uh, Young Master? Are you well?” The waiter looked worried. 

Sweat dripped by Ani’s temple, “Mm, fine. Fine. I’m just… looking for someone, bye!” Ani pushed past the waiter into the restaurant. 

Her eyes wandered from face to face, looking for familiar features. Most were young men, sitting in groups of three and four, faces barely lined with baby fat.  Her eyes landed on what looked like a couple in the room’s corner: one had their hair in a bun gazing into the eyes of the other who wore blue robes. It was hard to make out his features, but the dark eyes and carefully braided brown hair did not belong to Wen Xu. He opened his mouth, accepting a peanut from his companion in familiar black robes. 

Very adorable.

 Ani shook her head, tearing away to leave the lovebirds in their secluded spot. 

I need to just find Wen Xu and leave before I’m recognized. 

“There is more!” The speaker continued, facing away from Ani, “Sect Leader doesn’t require servants to walk on their knees now! And he hasn’t once shown his face to the public for over a fortnight!” 

Ani stumbled, catching onto the wall, her hand flying to her head. Her vision swam like someone spilled ink all over her face. 

How the fuck does he know that?! 

 Collective gasps from the crowd. Several patrons spoke at once: 

“Has something softened Sect Leader Wen’s heart?” 

“Has his cultivation been crippled?” 

“May it be that the tree will fall soon?”

Ani leaned onto the nearby wall, hand clasping onto the rickety table beside her. The rough wooden splinters dug into her fingers.

May it be that the tree will fall soon? Or may I die soon because I’m an incompetent fool? If my position is questioned, the Wen sect will fall. Wen Xu and Wen Chao will be killed. 

“The Sect Leader has been ill. Perhaps his cultivation was never as high as they said. Useless like the rest of the Sect when the common folk ask for help!” With side bangs flying as he swung his head with emphasis, the speaker basked in the attention like an arrogant movie star. Patrons roared, several comments flew at him at once. Some agreeing, others not. He stood above them, holding a drink in hand, smirking as the patrons begged for more information. He looked about the crowd with his nose in the air.

His face came into view. Ani nearly choked on her own breath. 

My servant! 

“Funny you say that, considering you work directly for Sect Leader Wen.” A familiar, youthful voice interrupted the rally. Heads turned, and the same peanut-chomping lovebirds from before walked from their corner, holding hands. 

“Xiao Dan! Hong Cheng!” A waiter stepped in front of her, shouting, “I missed you two!”

The unfamiliar boy waved with a shy smile. The other held his back with far more strength: he gave a nod towards the waiter with a full-blown out grin. Ani’s breath caught in her throat. It was Wen Xu! 

“It would be a shame if he found out what you spouted drunkenly to a crowd.” Wen Xu cocked his head to the side, giving a little half-smile, “You’re drunk, servant. Go home and then he may just not find out.” 

Ani watched the crowds: all of them familiar with Wen Xu.  

They don’t know his real name?! Nani!   

One of the patrons stood up from his seat, gesturing to Wen Xu, “Xiao Dan is right! You’ll be tossed into the Fire Palace.” 

The crowd murmured in agreement. 

The servant, who Ani placed as the one who dressed her, laughed. Rice wine spilled from his cup, splashing his hand in clear alcohol. 

“And what about you,Young Master Wen?” 

Voices murmured among the patrons. Sweat prickled at the back of Ani’s neck, her fingers digging into the scratched wood. The hemp outfit was suddenly far too thin to keep the chills at bay. 

Wen Xu’s expression darkened. His fists clenched by his side. The boy beside him frowned, saying; “Are you so drunk as to confuse Xiao Dan with the Young Master Wen?”

“How else would he know my employer? They even share the same looks. And you fools fell for a child’s lies?”

Several patrons spoke at once. One of them shouted: 

“You mean this is Sect Leader Wen’s son?”

He revealed him!

She snatched the table up. A low growl escaped her throat.

I have to do something. 

The servant grinned at Wen Xu a mile wide, rivaling Ursula as she rose from the sea and towered over the couple on their tiny rickety boat, “What are you doing holding hands with another boy? Did you cut your sleeves? It would be a shame if Sect Leader Wen found out.” 

 “You’re fired,” Ani snarled, before slamming the servant with a wooden table. He crashed into the adjacent wall. 

Silence. Ani glared at the crowd, holding the wooden table up like a super-sized anime sword, “Anyone else have a problem?”

The entire restaurant dropped in a low, panicked bow.

“Good.” 

She tossed away the table, approaching the couple. As she walked over, he clasped his hands and straightened his back like he swallowed a sharpened rod.

“Fuqin.” Wen Xu stood up in front of her, blocking the other boy from sight, ”please don’t hurt Cheng Hong!” 

Ani met his pleading eyes. 

Why is he panicking–

He thinks I’d hurt—

Wen Ruohan I WILL stuff a PINECONE up where the sun don’t shine, you absolute BASTARD. 

“We’ll discuss this elsewhere.” Ani said, gesturing out of the restaurant, “but first, go tell your boyfriend you’ll see him later. I’ll wait.” 

Ani snickered into her sleeve as Wen Xu saluted. As he turned to address his boyfriend, Ani noticed that every single patron still held their noses to the floor. 

“Uh, you can get up now.” 

Everyone jumped up, the older patrons flinching and clasping their backs.

Whoops. 

A server helped the servant out of the hole in the wall, blood leaking down from his head.

The ghost sensation of wood tingled her fingers. She clenched them until the knuckles of her hands turned white. 

I did that. 

_______________________________

In silence, they walked together out of Qishan, heading towards the Nightless City. Crickets chirped around them, alerted by the lantern Wen Xu carried. Every crunch underfoot emphasized the heavyweight between them, heavier than an elephant. 

“I hope that the reason you are losing sleep isn’t because you’ve been out partying.” Ani teased.

Wen Xu ducked his head, “Rarely, Fuqin.” 

Okay… so he’s responding. That’s good. 

“What was the occasion then?” 

Wen Xu muttered something under his breath, but the words didn’t make much sense. Stilted. He clasped his hands, rubbing them together. 

His reaction from before pleading with me to spare Cheng Hong.  

“I want to be clear, you are welcome to pursue whomever you wish: man, woman, nonbinary, as long as they treat you well. You don’t need to see anyone in secret from me.”

Silence. 

“Respond to how you wish, regardless of the content. You have my permission.” Ani quickly added. 

“What’s nonbinary?” Wen Xu asked. 

Ani choked, “um, a discussion for later. Anything else?” 

Wen Xu’s brows pinched together, his lips quirked to a frown, “I have a duty to the Sect and Clan, how can I continue the family line as a cut-sleeve?” 

“Cut-sleeve refers to preferring the company of the same gender if I recall correctly?” 

Wen Xu stuttered mid-step, staring at Ani, “that’s com-” He stopped himself, mouth forming a thin line, “yes.” 

Ani balled her fists, “That servant outed you. In front of strangers.” 

Wen Xu paused, footsteps coming to an abrupt stop.  His expression dark, scowl emphasized by the lowlights. He didn’t look like a boy at that moment, even the softness around his jaw disappearing. A man fighting a war within himself, or perhaps with her. 

He bowed, head so low Ani feared he would try to kowtow. 

“I was a fool, Fuqin. I should have silenced him another way. Instead, I ignited rumors. I ruined our reputation.”

Oh right, rumors.

As Ani grasped onto Wen Ruohan’s reputation for safety, of course, Wen Xu must do the same. Still, no son of hers should have to beg to exist.

Wen Xu’s shoulders sank, “I broke it off with Cheng Hong. I didn’t want to involve him in my mistakes.” 

Ani’s heart clenched in her chest. Wen Xu’s identity had been exposed right by his partner. It would be a danger to continue the relationship – they would paint Cheng Hong as a gold digger at best. 

“Reputations are stupid.” Ani grumbled, “do people have nothing better to do than gossip?” 

Dark red eyes met her own, his mouth slightly agape. A silent ‘what the fuck?’  

“Nearly dying has a tendency to change opinions,” Ani prayed he’d accept the excuse.

That comment earned her a well-deserved frown. 

Ani sighed. Wen Xu stood there, coiled up in more knots than a cat tangled in a spring. 

“If there’s a solution, I’ll find it, even if it means ‌heads will roll.,” Ani said, pausing before adding; “Especially if it includes heads rolling.”

 Wen Xu snorted. His shoulders slumped, the rigidity in them dissipating. 

___________________________

Sunlight leaked from between the curtains. Ani glared at it from beneath her blanket of hair and covers. Her mind buzzed all night, as if high on acid. One moment the words that damn servant spoke screamed in her mind, next she was thinking about how cats were the villains in Jaws. How in the world she jumped there, she had no idea, she just knew that cat’s don’t go sticking their tails out like sharks when hunting, right? It would be stupid to do so. Granted, her knowledge about cats, unlike potatoes, was near nonexistent. If she were god, she would make sure cats didn’t stick their tails up to hunt––there she went again! 

First tearing up robes, hitting a servant with a table, and now ranting about cats in my head. What the fuck is wrong with me? 

Frantic knocking disturbed her very much terrible worst morning ever. 

“What!” Ani croaked. 

The door slid open. Wen Zhuliu walked in, giving a salute, “my apologies for disturbing you so early.”

“Lucky for you, I wasn’t getting much rest anyway,” she grumbled. Especially since cat-sharks ran around in her head. Like legit, where did that thought come from–

Wen Zhuliu held out a scroll. An unfamiliar insignia of a beast pasted on its front. Ani took it, peeling the seal away with her fingernails.

At least they have some use.

“A messenger arrived a quarter of a sichen ago with a scroll from Sect Leader Nie.”

Wasn’t there a conflict between Wen Ruohan and Sect Leader Nie that led to this? Placing Ani’s very soul in this body? 

“He wasn’t permitted to enter due to what occurred last time,” Wen Zhuliu continued, “but I believed you would want to receive it immediately.” 

Wait, back up. What happened last time!?

“Is the messenger-”

“He is from the Nie-Sect. I didn’t think it was wise for him to take you by surprise.” 

What the fuck HAPPENED last time?! 

The rice paper crinkled as she unrolled it. Calligraphers would grumble in jealousy if they saw this handwriting. She scanned the letter once. Her death grip tore the paper.

Sect Leader Nie requested a meeting. 

[msclaritea]

"Ip Man 3," one of the most popular recent Kung Fu movies in China, dominated the film market on its opening weekend, grossing 470 million yuan (US$72.7 million). But things went downhill when movie fans and industry insiders began noticing that online ticketing services showed that unusually large numbers of "Ip Man 3" screenings were sold out and that ticket prices had gone as high as US$31.

Beijing Max Screen, the film's distributor, later admitted to buying 56 million yuan's worth of the tickets itself and fabricating more than 7,600 screenings of the film according to the film bureau under the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television.

The bureau said it had ordered Max Screen to suspend distribution for a month while it "rectifies all malpractices" and that it had given serious warnings to three electronic ticket-selling groups involved in the fraud. Seventy-three cinemas were also given serious warnings. The fake box office figures will not count towards the film’s gross earnings.

Shanghai Kuailu Investment Group, run by business tycoon Shi Jianxiang, is the controlling shareholder of Hong Kong-listed Shifang Holding Ltd. Shifang owns the rights to box office earnings from "Ip Man 3." Shi stepped down from his position as CEO and chairman of the company on April 1, citing “health issues.”

But the scandal has effects beyond just the movie industry. Kuailu is a large private enterprise that was formed out of four old state-run enterprises in the 1990s. Shi, 52, who ranks No. 746 on the Hurun Report's 2015 China Rich List, with an estimated fortune of US$780 million, has expanded the company’s business into "innovative" film financing and distribution in recent years.

Shi had invested in a series of peer-to-peer lenders, and Kuailu's innovative approach to "Ip Man 3" was to make financial products in order to securitize its box office assets and raise funds from its peer-to-peer and crowdfunding platforms, based on box office expectations.

To make a greater financial gain from the movie, industry-watchers say the backers of "Ip Man 3" may have sought to inflate box office results to boost their companies' stock price. As the "ghost screening" box office scandal broke out, Shifang Holding Ltd's stock price dropped by more than 50 percent. Shenkai and other companies and platforms involved also suffered significant losses.

Hundreds of investors gathered at Jinlu Financial Advisors' headquarters on March 30 to ask about delayed payments. Jinlu said they would suspend payments on some wealth management products jointly created with its partner Kuailu because of a 300 million yuan (US$46.41 million) cash shortage.

To resolve the issue, Kuailu said on April 6 at a press conference in Shanghai that it will merge and refinance Jinlu and Dangtian Wealth, another related wealth management company, and offer a payment plan to investors soon. Kuailu has committed 5 billion yuan in assets as collateral for the delayed payment. Xu Qi, the new chairman and CEO of Kuailu, said they would fully resolve the payment problem of wealth management products before March 31, 2018, the National Business Daily reported.

So, box office numbers CAN be inflated.

[hasxufudoneanythingwronginactive]

Day 707, Day 2 of Servant Summer Camp:

No children were harmed in the making of this campgrounds massacre.

[movielosophy]

Hikaru no Go | It’s our secret

[dhappyorangec]

FMV drama recommendation: "One suspenseful moment, pure love takes the stage." Zheng Yecheng's movie and TV recommendations |||悬溺一响，纯爱登场。

郑业成影视推荐。#郑业成[话题]# @郑业成

#一千零一叶[话题]# #DLuckyC[话题]#

24 水晶心🍊发布了一篇小红书笔记，快来看吧！ 😆 p8ZrKN10XWeILrY 😆 http://xhslink.com/8xabQv，复制本条信息，打开【小红书】App查看精彩内容！

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1. My Sassy Princess as Shen Yan

2. Love of Thousand Years as Fu JiuYun

3. Stealth Walker as Zhang XianHe

4. The Sleepless Princess as Xue Yao

5. Love 020 as Hao Mei

6. An Oriental Odyssey as MuLe/Prince Aying

7. Let's Shake It 1 & 2 as Tang QingFeng

8. Love Under the Full Moon as Xu XiaoDong

9. Enlighten Your Life as Lin Qi

10. Desire Catcher as Lu FengPing

=============

Zheng YeCheng Drama Recommendation + links: https://youtu.be/NKHGVsGF3S4

1. "Guardians of Night” as Ye Yan: https://youtu.be/TdzWK0cinuk

2. "Let's Shake It 1 & 2" as Tang QingFeng, & Yi:

season 1: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLATwx1z00Hse85EcPPZctiuUAKRoc_fBF

season 2: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ07CRH59YM0pFcLxymY7M58RxvIa60O_

3. Drama "Royal Nirvana 1 & 2" as Gu FengEn

season 1: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZZZLpfFwcBpeLmHHd7dJKyfXp7uEN7gO

season 2: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRBClVey5Bqz2Hssx-g8xErbuJZKTWN5m

4. “Love of Thousand Years” as Fu JiuYun: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZZZLpfFwcBor1PhyYjjeJKLB3t-U63TY

5. “The Sleepless Princess” as Xue Yao: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7_WnoWRawft4zaAUsQnHFCo

6. “Stealth Walker” as Zhang XianHe: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPiKkS-FpK8m454BDOd1CIkepawrn0JZ

7. "Love Under the Full Moon” as Xu XiaoDong: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlCrV9TCfzMa7EGQT5s48cHDuU8tsGE8-

8. “Crossroad Bistro” as Zhao HeNan (the best man to marry): https://www.iq.com/album/crossroad-bistro-2021-1kcxzxhnm3h?lang=en_us

9. 'Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities' as Zhen Lan, Lang Xuan, The Prey: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpOa-OrneXm2yBlLKNWL9qLCDfLxuSWal

10. “My Sassy Princess” as Shen Yan: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsUZkNuEg38Rjz8_dGSLKvZCNDvGrvFOX

11. “Enlighten Your Life” as Lin Qi: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkvG4EWPDB0m29Kf6R47HUp7jgnXmt0b5

others:

12. An Oriental Odyssey as MuLe: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOW9dYWFXJ7HV2nES5yf29CBUH0VrCUrp

13. Love O2O as Hao Mei: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLihMeK5_5GQj1bKjpJIm5rgTfllbOWlh

14. Desire Catcher as Lu FengPing: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBNHceQmsdFTxFYovDeI0_yEDi34nPAWg

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Recently aired 04/23/23:

Watch Desire Catcher as Lu FengPing: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBNHceQmsdFTxFYovDeI0_yEDi34nPAWg (watch on Mango TV app or website to help count towards ranking)

1. Watch MULTI-SUB Zheng YeCheng Happy Orange's contents: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7-z8Evh-e2eP34fHyM16HO6

2. Watch Fan Made Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH78gCeEWne7MzTwJM7xwkztA

3. Archeology, for fans who wants to know more about Zheng YeCheng and his past thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH79t7qGXhmCJYRcNRkSs3MIp

4. Happy Orange complete uploads: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH79TRIiHdNByBhoTyxkbnJFZ

5. ENGLISH SUB contents (via Google Translate by non-native me): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLykbRqPIkH7_g1FQItQMRHZ5M37XkVf1z

(in the process of updating good interviews with better translations)

6: Check playlists for other contents...I have been busy translating, have not had a chance to organize the playlists. :)

Attributing all credits to original source. :)

#郑业成 #정업성 #เจิ้งเย่เฉิง #ジェンイェチョン #鄭業成 #TrinhNghiepThanh #zhengyecheng

FB/Twitter/IG/TikTok/Pinterest/Tumblr/Weibo/Youtube: https://bit.ly/m/HappyOrange

#enlightenyourlife #DaCheng #cdrama #chinesedrama #chineseseries #chineseactor #HuaLongDistrictOne #DesireCatcher #AnEternalThought #TheAssassin #ZhuQingHao #LoveUnderTheFullmoon #StealthWalker #TheSleeplessPrincess #LoveOfThousandYears #RoyalNirvana #AnOrientalOdyssey #LetsShakeIt #LoveO2O #zhengyecheng_happyorange

[drwcn]

《Without Envy》- concubine/sleeper agent!wwx & prince!lwj

[story board 1]  [story board 2]  [story board 3]  [story board 4]  [story board 5]  [story board 6]  snippets (non-chrono): [1] [2] [3]

story board #7 → 

When asked, Wei Wuxian will tell you that what he’s feeling towards Lan Wangji is blood thirst, but when asked, Xue Yang will say that at a certain point, it’s just thirst. WWX: 😑 I am not attracted to Lan Wangji.  XY: 🤔 Like... a starving man isn’t attracted to grilled chicken? 

Growing up in Nevernight as Wen Ruohan’s favourite ward, Wei Wuxian was used to witnessing luxury, especially luxuries of a prince, but Lan Wangji - for all that Hanguang-fu was grand, spacious and tastefully decorated - lived practically like a monk. 

Fact #1: Lan Wangji did not indulge in food or drink. 

“Dianxia, if I may be so bold to ask, why is your meals so simple?” 

“It’s not simple. It is average. Farmers and tradesfolk would praise the gods if they could have what I have every day.”

“But you are a prince of Gusu, possibly even the crown prince -” 

“Huangxiong has not formally titled me, you must not -” 

“- discuss matter of successions; it is not my place. But dianxia -” 

“I am a prince. Some may say the country is at my feet to serve me, but I do not see it so. I am responsible for the nation, and am its servant. It does not make sense for the servant to live in luxury while the people he serves go without.” 

Fact #2: Lan Wangji did not indulge pleasures of a carnal nature.

含光王薄情 - Hanguang-wang was lacking in sentiment. That was Wei Wuxian’s first impression of the man. If he had his way, Wei Wuxian would not have wanted Jiang Yanli to marry him. His zhangjie was the best and gentlest of ladies. For her to spent her endless tolerance and love on an ice block of a man who already had four concubines, in Wei Wuxian’s opinion, was a goddamn waste.

But slowly, he began to realize that while Lan Wangji was taciturn and private, he was not unkind. It fooled exactly no one that he did not love any of his concubines, but no matter how busy he became with matters of court, he nevertheless took time to visit with them - even if it was just to share a meal or drink it or sit and listen as they spoke about their children - and look after their living.

In the early morning, before Lan Wangji set off for court assembly, he would send word to one of his spouses that he would be joining them for lunch, or if he was held up by work, dinner. The next day, he would do the same for another spouse. The day after that, another. Sun or rain, winter or summer, this never changed...which was more than anyone could say for other wealthy and noble gentlemen whose visits to their concubines dwindled once the newness passed and the initial excitement lost its flavour. For example, due to his unfair treatment of his wife over his concubine Wang Lingjiao, Wen Chao had been reprimanded by Wen Ruohan on multiple occasions, but that didn’t make the second prince of Qishan a better husband.

When Jiang Yanli married in, it was rumoured that Mo Xuanyu was Lan Wangji’s favourite, because he alone saw most of the prince’s night time activities. It was well known that Lan Wangji preferred men, but even compared to Jin Ziyan, who was objectively handsome and unquestionably desirable, Mo Xuanyu was more frequently called upon by Lan Wangji. An older servant of the household said that before Luo-furen and Qin-furen had da-gongzi and er-gongzi, sometimes wangye would stay the night at one of theirs, but since the boys were born, he stopped.

Wei Wuxian had initially thought Lan Wangji the same as other men, casting aside those he’d used and conquered, but  over time he realized the rumours were well...inaccurate. While yes, Lan Wangji had stopped visiting Luo Qingyang and Qin Su at night, he hardly indulged himself in Mo Xuanyu’s company. In fact, the number of times in a month he’d allow any kind of... “conjugal” contact could be counted on one hand.

Wei Wuxian found that very odd for a young man in his twenties with plenty of beauties at his disposal. Wen Chao certainly went whoring and raking across Qishan without any regard for decorum; Wen Xu was a little more private with his business, but Wei Wuxian had seen ladies and maids coming and going from his quarters.

All the wasteful and lavish behaviours Wei Wuxian associated with royalty and nobility did not seem to apply to Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji was just... different...

...special. 

“Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian shook himself free from his thoughts, the sudden jerk of his shoulders rattling the fine china of the cup of tea he held on a tray. He did not realize his mind had wondered off with its fancies as he observed Lan Wangji in his study. Candlelight burned low within the lampshade, casting his shadow long and wane across the back wall. The man had been working the night away, his attention undividedly focused on the scrolls and missive piled on his bureau.  

But now, those eyes - dark and bright and only had interest for duty and country - were on him. Wei Wuxian ducked his head at once, though it was not entirely an active of subservience. He just...didn’t like the way Lan Wangji looked at him, like he saw him, like he knew him. 

“Do not stand at the doorway. You’ll catch a chill,” said the prince. 

Wei Wuxian made his way quickly into the study and placed the cup of tea down by his elbow. “Wangye, it’s very late. You ought to rest. I’ve prepared a bath and arranged the bed.”  

Lan Wangji looked as though he wanted to protest, but a yawn overtook him unexpectedly before he could. “Perhaps you’re right,” said he after the yawn passed. 

Wei Wuxian reached out to help the other man stand, thinking that his legs must be pins and needles after sitting in one attitude for so long. His hands cradled Lan Wangi’s right elbow and wrist as they both rose to their feet, but when he tried to draw back, a warm hand laid itself on top of his own. 

“It’s late, Wei Ying. You should rest up as well.” He heard a quiet, gentle voice say. 

Wei Wuxian swallowed down a gasp of surprise for the bold contact, but this minor surprise was entirely insignificant to what he saw when he looked up.

 Lan Wangji was smiling.

Fact #3: Lan Wangji was a diligent prince, and a careful politician.  His many late nights and skipped meals can attest to that. 

Fact #4: Wei Wuxian was starting to warm up to him. Horrifying.   

WWX: I’m worried about dianxia; he’s working too hard. I think he’s grown thinner in the last month ╯︿╰ XY: * looks into the camera like he’s on The Office * 

[300iqprower]

Your Top 20 or 30 favorite Servants?

I dont know if you mean favorite as in my pick for the "best" or as in pure preference so I did both because I have issues. Best is a metric of general writing quality, character concept, and impact; things like voice acting and design will have very little influence. Favorite is as simple as pure preference and emotional impact. Neither will be judged based on gameplay for obvious reasons. This will not be restricted to playable FGO characters, but keep in mind I am not familiar enough with Requiem, Extra and CCC, Strange Fake, or Redline to properly take any of those into account. Non-servant characters will not be counted unless they are playable or boss fights in FGO.

Top 20 Best Servants:

Moriarty

Jason

Osakabehime

Nobunaga

Shakespeare

Jalter

Asterios

Salieri

Ivan

Karl der Große

Columbus

Shibata Katsuie

Avicebron

Astolfo

EnKingu

Solomon

Mandricardo

Orion

Spartacus

Napoleon

Top 30 Favorite Servants:

Asterios

Jason

Osakabehime

Jalter

Moriarty

Shakespeare

Nobunaga

Antonio Salieri

Mozart

Asvathamann

Mandricardo

Karl der Große

Avicebron

Quetzalcoatl

Sakaki Kojiro

Shibata Katsuie

Doppelgänger (Yan Qing)

Suzuka Gozen

Vlad III

Orion

Ivan

Ibaraki-Douji

Gao Changgong

Napoleon

Columbus

Edmond Dantes

Valkyrie

Mephistopheles

Leonidas

Spartacus/Solomon

Honorable Mentions (no particular order):

Qin Shi Huang

Sei

Gorgon

Benkei

Assassin Ushi

Ruler Martha

Ryoma/Oryou

Sanzang

Asclepius

Abs Hassan of the Hundred Personas

Caeneus

Jing Ke

Ashtart

Jinako

Bazzett*

Angra

Hokusai

Oberon*

Hessian Lobo

Robin

Xu Fu*

Chadbeard (Summer-3-Only Blackbeard)