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miixz · 10 months

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Okay this will be rambly as it's been too long since I've tried to put my thoughts in a coherent meta sort of thing, but I've come to the conclusion I might like how the whipping is treated in erha.

(for anyone following the official english release, beware of spoilers ahead)

It was something that threw me off at first and made me doubt I'd ever really like Chu Wanning, I even compared him to Shen Jiu around that time, but looking back at it having read erha in its entirety I can look at it with a different perspective.

While I do like how having Chu Wanning whip Mo Ran so early on helps present him as the terrible teacher of Mo Ran's altered memories and deceive the reader, I think it's also an interesting side of him as a character that he did that in the first place. To me, it seems that Chu Wanning is one of the people who have bought into the myth of physical punishment which seems to exist in his society. It's not a belief shared by everyone, Mo Ran certainly doesn't buy into it, but it isn't a belief Chu Wanning seems to have taken from within himself or even one that he fully agrees with.

There are rules on Sisheng Peak which include whipping as a punishment, we see this as the system Chu Wanning uses as a guideline to base his decisions on, not only for Mo Ran but himself as well. His punishments aren't chosen entirely on a whim.

Chu Wanning looked up to shoot him a glare. The Jielü Elder shut up. “In accordance with the rules, the punishment for this transgression is two hundred strikes, three days of protracted kneeling in Yanluo Hall, and three months of confinement,” Chu Wanning stated. “I do not dispute the transgression, and I am prepared to receive the punishment.” Dumbfounded, the Jielü Elder glanced left and right, then curled his finger. The doors to the Discipline Court closed with a thud, leaving only the two of them standing face-to-face in the silence. “What is the meaning of this?” said Chu Wanning. “How do I say this… Yuheng Elder, it’s not like you don’t know—the rules may be rules, but they don’t really apply to you. The doors are closed; this stays between you and I. What say we just let it slide? If I actually strike you and the sect leader finds out, he’ll have my old hide.” Chu Wanning didn’t feel like wasting his breath, so he simply said, “I hold others to the rules, and I will hold myself to the same.”

Now, that doesn't excuse him, I wouldn't say that's what the story is trying to say and I'm not either. It's more that to me that's part of what makes it forgivable when to other characters it isn't.

There are characters like Madam Yu from MDZS who are clearly using that punishment excessively and unnecessarily, out of cruelty, which I can't forgive. Chu Wanning, however, I'd say is more misguided, which earns him a different approach.

Although he doesn't look remorseful when we first see him whip Mo Ran, we learn later that he was and tried to make up for it in his own awkward way. One of Chu Wanning's most defining traits is his immaturity (in my interpretation anyhow), he is a man that was raised not to be his own person and hasn't been living with others for all that long and it shows.

Huaizui seems to only have taught Chu Wanning shallowly, to the point of lying about the state of the world outside, because he was never meant to be his own person who has complex relationships with others. It makes sense though, why would he do that when Chu Wanning was only a vessel for someone else's soul?

So when it comes to making those difficult decisions, like how to discipline his disciples, he is sometimes lacking and refers to the guidelines that he has. With whipping being an acceptable punishment in his sect and his own issues with anger, I see how he arrived at that punishment at times.

It's an awful thing to do, but I like how it's a mistake that humanizes him and explores his upbringing and the places where he falls short.

And Chu Wanning himself knows, on some level, that this is the wrong way to go. That's why he feels guilty and makes Mo Ran wontons to apologize, but he lacks the ability to choose another course of action, most likely because he's never been taught how.

(And this is something that he does improve on somewhat throughout the book, especially in regards to how he treats Mo Ran, who challenges him to think about these difficult questions and to work on his emotions the most.)

In the end, I think Chu Wanning is someone who truly wants to be a good teacher and a good person that help others, which he does often achieve, but sometimes he is held back from that by his own shortcomings which themselves are connected with the ways in which he's been failed by others (especially those who were meant to care for him).

#erha #erha meta #erha spoilers #chu wanning

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translations-by-aiimee · 2 years

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The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - Chapter 50

Original Title: 二哈和他的白猫师尊

Genres: Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Xianxia, Yaoi

This translation is the product of my limited knowledge of Chinese characters as I attempt to learn the language. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 50 - This Venerable One Likes You

As a person who cherishes weapons, such a situation left Chu Wanning absolutely speechless.

He was afraid he had seen a fool.

Under the blossoming tree not far away, he saw that Mo Ran had summoned Jiangui. The divine weapon could expand, contract and control its size, but most people were generally willing to make their weapons bigger and more powerful, and they'll keep their normal appearance like Chu Wanning. But Mo Ran had made Jiangui very small, about the length and thickness of a string to tie one's hair. Its broken leaves were exquisite, the divine weapon looking like a poor little child.

Everyone's spiritual power is different. After Chu Wanning's Tianwen was infused with spiritual power, it was golden, but Jiangui was red.

So leaving the willow leaves aside, Jiangui looked like the red line of the ancient moon. . .

"Shi Mei, take this. I want to know if Jiangui is the same as Tianwen and also has the ability to coax people to tell the truth."

"Uh. . . you want me to try?"

Mo Ran laughed: "Yes, because I'm the best with you, and I believe that you will never lie to me."

Shi Mei was still hesitant: "That's true, but. . ."

"Ah, I'll never ask tricky things. Do you believe me? Let's pinky swear on it."

Saying that, he stretched out his pinky finger.

Shi Mei didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "How old are you yet you're still so childish."

"Whether eight or eighteen, anyone can pinky swear. Even if it's an eighty-eight-year-old, they can still pinky swear. What's so childish about it." Mo Ran said. He smiled as he held Shi Mei's hand, extending his pinky finger. Shi Mei was amused by his antics, but there was no way out of it, so he had to go along.

Unexpectedly, when Mo Ran held Shi Mei's pinky finger, instead of pinky swearing with him, he squinted his eyes and smiled: "Jiangui, get to work."

Jiangui swished a couple times and swiftly wrapped around Shi Mei's pinky finger, Mo Ran still holding it up.

The handsome young man smiled like a sly fox who had ascended to heaven. With deep dimples, he said joyfully: "Congratulations, you've been fooled."

Shi Mei couldn't stop laughing: "You!. . . Let me go now."

"There's no rush." Mo Ran smiled. "I'll let go after asking a few questions."

In fact, ever since Jincheng Lake and the golden brocade box and how Shi Mei had failed to open the box, Mo Ran had felt a little uneasy.

Although Shi Mei was wearing gloves at the time and couldn't directly touch the box, Mo Ran still couldn't completely let it go. Not to mention the fact that the box was actually opened by Chu Wanning in the end.

Chu Wanning. . . how was it possible. . .

So Mo Ran felt that the brocade box must be broken.

But in order to prove it, he thought it would be best to double-check it with Jiangui.

He didn't doubt his sincerity towards Shi Mei, but he was worried that in Shi Mei's heart, he was actually not important at all. As for Jincheng Lake's comments about liking, it was more than likely his own delusion.

He feels that Shi Mei had a gentle temperament, usually quite good to everyone. Unlike Chu Wanning, who had a face that looked much older than his age with an expression like he was owed mountains of gold and silver, which was especially disgusting.

Don't look at Ta Xianjun as a gentle person. When he thought about his sweetheart, this guy was entangled with death.

"First of all." Although Mo Ran was secretly anxious, he was still smiling, pretending to be relaxed and casual. He decided to deliberately throw a few innocuous questions to start things off.

"What do you think of Xue Meng?"

With a pain in his finger, Shi Mei couldn't help but be honest: "The young master is very good, but his speech is too straightforward and sometimes difficult to tolerate."

Mo Ran stroked his palm and laughed: "Huh? There's also times when you can't stand him? Hahaha, it's no wonder. After all, he is so annoying."

Shi Mei blushed: ". . . Keep your voice down. Don't let the young master hear you."

"It's fine." Mo Ran smiled. "But I'm especially happy when you say bad things about him."

Shi Mei: ". . ."

Mo Ran asked again: "Then what do you think of Shizun?"

"Shizun is very good, but he has a little temper. . ." It seemed that Shi Mei didn't want to comment on Chu Wanning, but he was helplessly tied by Jiangui. After biting his lips for a while, he still said aggressively, "He's a little irritable."

"Haha, what do you mean by a little? He's clearly very irritable. He gets angry every now and then and refuses to admit it when he is angry. I think the imperial concubine has it better off than him."

Chu Wanning standing in the corner: ". . ."

Mo Ran was suddenly a little curious and asked: "Then why do you still worship under his tutelage if you know that your master has a bad temper?"

Shi Mei said: "Shizun is cold but kind. I'm not as gifted as others, but he never thought I was stupid. He said that there's no difference in teaching. Since I'm not good at attacking, he teaches me the art of healing and recovery. He-- He treats me very well."

Mo Ran was originally happy, and when he heard this, he suddenly restrained his smile and gradually became silent.

After a while, Mo Ran said: "Where does he treat you well? It's not just to teach you some spells, and occasionally take care of you. Any shizun would do the same."

"That's not the same—"

Mo Ran was suddenly unhappy. He puffed out his cheeks: "He doesn't treat you well anyway! I can do everything that he does with you!"

Shi Mei stopped talking.

In this embarrassing silence, Mo Ran gradually calmed down the cluster of evil fire in his heart. When he saw Shi Mei lower his eyes and stay silent, he suddenly felt guilty and whispered: "Sorry."

"It's okay." Shi Mei said. But after a while, Shi Mei said somewhat abruptly: "In the early years, before you arrived at Life-Death Peak, there was a time when I was walking on the road and suddenly there was a rainstorm."

"I was not yet under Shizun's tutelage at that time, and when I was running inside the rain, I met him. He was holding a red oil-paper umbrella. Seeing me in a mess, he asked me to hide under his umbrella. I had heard of his cold reputation for a long time, and I was so apprehensive when I walked beside him."

"And then?"

Shi Mei looked gentle and said: "Then? Then we didn't speak the whole way."

Mo Ran nodded in agreement: "He's so boring. There's really nothing to say to him either."

"Yeah." Shi Mei smiled. "Shizun said very little. However, when he dropped me off in front of my house, I thanked him. Suddenly, I saw that his right shoulder was all wet while I stood all the way on his left side, not getting wet at all."

Mo Ran: ". . ."

"The oil-paper umbrella was very small, and it was only big enough for one person. He blocked most of it to me, and I watched him walk away in the rain. After returning to the house, I wrote a post on discipleship, begging him to take me under his discipline."

"Stop it." Mo Ran suddenly said, "You're too kind. If say anymore, I'll feel sorry for you."

Shi Mei said warmly: "A-Ran, shouldn't you feel sorry for Shizun? He only has such a small umbrella because he has always walked alone, and no one wants to accompany him. So sometimes when Shizun is a little harsher with me or reprimanded me more, I don't care. Because I remember his soaked shoulders."

Mo Ran didn't say anything, but the tip of his nose was slightly red, and there was a trace of sourness in his heart.

The sour feeling was a little vague. Suddenly he didn't know who this feeling was for.

"A-Ran, let me ask you a question."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Do you really hate Shizun?"

Mo Ran froze: "I. . ."

"Or rather, you don't like him, right?"

When Shi Mei asked this sentence, his calm and soft eyes seemed a little sharp for some reason. Mo Ran had been unprepared, and under such a sharp gaze, he was suddenly speechless.

Mo Ran stiffened. He neither nodded nor shook his head. After a long time, he forced a smile and said: "Ah, wasn't it me who asked you the question? I'm surprised you got me sidetracked. How could this happen?"

Seeing him avoid talking about it, Shi Mei was composed and didn't force it. He just smiled: "I'm just asking casually. You don't have to take it to heart."

"Mmm." Mo Ran softened the mood, and then raised his gaze, looking at Shi Mei's beautiful moon face through a thick curtain of eyelashes.

Originally, his third question was to ask Shi Mei whether he liked him or not. But after this conversation, the mood suddenly became too heavy. He pursed his lips and was silent for a while. Mo Ran suddenly exclaimed: "He's my shizun, and only my shizun. I can't talk about whether I like him or not."

Hearing his words, standing in the dark, Chu Wanning's eyelashes moved slightly, like the rustling wings of a butterfly when it was injured.

Although some things are clear in his heart, when he truly thinks about them, he still feels like a drifter and his heart sinks into the sea. Perhaps the autumn air had arrived a little early. Chu Wanning suddenly felt a chill.

In the distance, Mo Ran and Shi Mei were talking. He closed his eyes, and the slight nausea that appeared recently came to his head.

He suddenly felt exhausted and turned around to leave.

However, after walking a few steps, Mo Ran's voice was carried again by the autumn wind and passed by his ears. It made him stop involuntarily.

Mo Ran was asking Shi Mei a third question: "Alright, you've talked about Xue Meng and you've talked about Shizun, so let's talk about me."

He minimized the care and effort in his voice, and asked cautiously, even a little humbly:

"Shi Mei, what do you think of me?"

Shi Mei, however, suddenly stopped talking.

Like Tianwen, Jiangui obviously had the ability to force the truth. Shi Mei resisted answering and Jiangui became more red because of this, tightly locked around Shi Mei's fingertip.

Shi Mei frowned and said: "It hurts. . ."

"I only ask you to say one thing." Mo Ran couldn't bear it, but this question was buried deep in his heart. His past and present lives had almost become his inner demons, so he still insisted on asking, "What do you think of me?"

Shi Mei shook his head and closed his eyes. It seemed to be painful, his long and slender eyelashes couldn't stop trembling, and his forehead was gradually seeping fine sweat.

". . ." When Mo Ran saw him like this, he was still soft-hearted, and sighed, "That's all. . ."

He was about to withdraw Jiangui, but Shi Mei endured it to the extreme. His face was as white as gold paper, and he said hoarsely: "I think you are very good."

Mo Ran's eyes suddenly widened.

After Shi Mei said this, his originally pale face quickly turned red, and seemed to be embarrassed. He dropped his eyes and didn't dare look at the other.

Jiangui turned into a little red light, like the petals of a residual flower, and retreated into Mo Ran's palm. Mo Ran didn't press him. He lowered his head then let out a soft laugh, raising his gaze to look at Shi Mei. His expression was the epitome of the arrival of spring flowers.

There was a lazy smile in his voice, but his eyes were a little wet, and he said, "Okay, thank you. I also think you're very good. Even though you've been told all over again in Jincheng Lake, you don't remember any of it. So I want to say it again, you're really. . . likable."

Although he didn't elaborate on what kind of like he meant, Shi Mei's neck was a deep red and he couldn't say a word.

Mo Ran's deep, dark, lacquer-like eyes stared at him. The luster in his eyes was so clear, as if the stars were immersed in the sea, and the fine waves surged toward the Milky Way.

"I want to treat you well and make you happy."

Shi Mei wasn't stupid. Looking at his expression, he was well aware of his intentions, and he can't help but bow his head.

Mo Ran looked moved. He couldn't help but want to raise his hand and touch Shi Mei's hair. However, before he could get close, suddenly a golden light flashed by, and a vine whip solidly struck Mo Ran's face with a "snap."

"Ah!" Mo Ran held in the pain and looked back in shock.

He saw Chu Wanning's snow-white clothes, standing with his hands behind his back. He was standing beside the green eaves and white walls, looking down at them coldly. Tianwen was like a spirit snake hissing and spitting, coiled on the ground. The willow leaves are trembling, and from time to time a cluster of sparks and rays of golden light burst out.

Shi Mei was shocked: "Shizun. . ."

Mo Ran held his face and said: "Shizun."

So what if he's hated, so what if he's not liked?

Others might have cried out in pain, but when it was Chu Wanning. . . cry? Ridiculous. Of course, he beat the blind man.

Chu Wanning looked very cold. He walked modestly and said coldly: "What are you chatting about here if you're not cultivating properly? Mo Weiyu, you think you're amazing for getting the last divine weapon? So you're a sure winner and no one can beat you? You're very laid back."

"Shizun, I just wanted to. . ."

Chu Wanning's eyes were fierce, and Mo Ran shut up.

"Shi Mingjing will fight with me, Mo Weiyu." He paused and said with disgust, "Go practice. If you can't perform more than ten moves against me when I come to spar with you, go back and punish yourself by copying the Clear Heart Technique three hundred times. Get lost."

Ten moves?

Mo Ran felt like it'd be better to go straight to copying the Clear Heart Technique.

#the husky and his white cat shizun #the husky and his white cat shizun translation #bl novel #chinese novel #english translation #chinese bl #danmei #danmei novel #2ha #2ha novel #yaoi novel #yaoi #mo ran #mo weiyu #mo ran x chu wanning #chu wanning #ranwan

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beltransadie · 1 year

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I finished another animatic! This is the third one I've finished properly and I spent a good amount of time finishing it compared to the previous two. At this point, I just consider animatic making as a way for me to get out of my comfort zone while doing something I actually enjoy.

Here's some art from it:

Some concept paintings I did on a tablet while bored:

(If you can't tell, I really love the first frame xD)

I talk more about 2ha book 2 and the animatic-making process below (because making a thorough essay gushing about it in my cousin's dms isn't enough)

Spoilers for 2ha below.

Why the song?

This one is based off of a random thought where I went "Oh this song fits Chu Wanning pretty well, especially in book 2" and after a good bit of listening to the lyrics, I found that the first verse reflected Mo Ran's inner turmoil too. And I thought why not both? and it just unfolded there.

The first thing I thought of ended up being the sequence where Mo Ran and Chu Wanning are both walking together at the same time at the third verse. And it leands to both of them not wanting to admit but they're okay with that and they'll stay by each other's side even if they don't tell each other the truth.

Doing this sequence was hard and annoying because I had to animate Wanning and Mo Ran individually and time both at different times to the same song. This was also where I realized that Mo Ran has a calm outward demeanor contrary to my initial impression of him.

Mo Ran and Past Life Relationship Trauma

If you look at the very rough storyboard above, I had Mo Ran run towards the screen in panic on his side (left). But that's not how it turned out in the end. Mo Ran is more calm about it compared to Wanning who, inwardly, is panicking throughout most of book 2.

He realized he's in love but is hesitant to actually pursue it because his last relationship with Wanning in his past life doesn't really consider Wanning's say in it. Not to mention it turned out really really well last time huh...

And you say "oh but Mo Ran did confess" and he did, after he was sure that Wanning held feelings for him after he saw that he kept the brocade bag with their hair. And even then, this trauma from his past still manifested with how he approached their relationship.

There's this small passage in where Wanning describes it:

And this conflict is explored more with Mo Ran's section. The animatic actually starts with Mo Ran realizing that he loves Wanning, but instead of being panic-y about it he accepts it and relishes in it and his reaction overall is calmer. He kinda confesses to him in a vague way then.

And I kind of want to go a bit into the part where he looks at Chu Wanning drumming and his face transitions to a memory of him in Mo Ran's past life's memories before Mo Ran rips it apart and throws it to the side coz that one originally was an iffy frame I didn't like.

And by didn't like, I mean it was really sus and it made the animatic unwatchable for me so I had to change it to that. And it turned out for the better coz symbolism! It's him not really liking how that relationship went.

Chu Wanning and Running Away From What's In Front of You

So, contrary to how Mo Ran's section went, I found making Wanning's section more fun because I love drawing him having a tsundere expression, I live for Tsundere Wanning. Like, I know it's super OOC because the way he acts is that there's this really small ripple of emotion that appears on the corner of his eyes and ears, basically he's also pretty good at acting aloof.

How do I start with his sequence... Well, it transitions from Mo Ran helping Shi Mei carry some boxes to Wanning's POV (which I'm very proud of btw). This is kind of why I also found Mo Ran's sequence hard to do because how I built the animatic was:

"Got, got, got it bad" > dual sequence > Wanning's sequence > Mo Ran's sequence.

(Ugh, small mention of how annoying I found the Mo Ran seeing Shi Mei sequence to do because I had to keep in mind the character positions.)

Anyways, while Mo Ran's sequence was pretty much (not-exactly-running-away per se but) him walking through reminiscing memories of his past with Wanning, Wanning's sequence was pretty much him running away from the kinda-obvious signs that Mo Ran likes him.

Because, as far as Wanning knows, Mo Ran likes Shi Mei and he also has to keep in mind his position and image. Now, add to that the weird dreams from Chu-fei's soul fragments which lead up to Book 2 being the blueball fest that it is, his sequence ends up being very chaotic.

We see him running all over the place: exit to the right, enter left to then exit to the bottom of the screen, left then turn around, bottom to up, then backing away from a kneeling Mo Ran (which I totally mean to reference the umbrella scene where Mo Ran practically kneels before him saying he wants to hold the umbrella for him), only to lead from him falling and being caught by Mo Ran.

The catching scene, by the way, was annoying to do because it's the same thing but in four different perspectives.

And it's like... the first thing I did too. (I just redrew the characters at the final pass).

But yeah, Wanning runs away from what's in front of him because he's so insecure with himself and it only took Mo Ran cornering him in a situation he can't run away from before confessing and it's glorious.

Wanning, honey, you got to love yourself more.

Still, can't I just talk about how much I love the frames where he's like somewhat honest with his expressions.

Like I live for that smile.

Oh! Speaking of, that frame appears at a sequence I added after noticing the detail in my reread (like proper reread coz I'm rereading 2HA but physical edition).

Ranwan Forehead Poke

Did you know that there are a total of 7 forehead pokes that happened between Ranwan throughout the whole book?

(At least the ones I managed to search by searching the word "forehead")

Aside from the obvious ones like with Wanning's first death and he used the forehead poke to transfer part of his soul to Mo Ran and Wanning poking Mo Ran's forehead to put a protection charm on him, there are some minor gestures of this scattered all throughout the book.

Most of them are in book 1 and 2, but there's one in book 3 between Taxian-jun and Chu-Fei and (not even a ranwan one but I want to mention) one between Taxian-jun and a very drunk MengMeng-er.

So, anyways, ever since I noticed that small gesture, I ended up adding it at the final sequence of the animatic. Originally, I planned it to be Wanning showing an embarrassed face at Mo Ran and turning away. (The walking away sequence was as originally planned though.) In the final product, it plays out like: Wanning seeing Mo Ran glum, with something in his mind, smiling and poking his forehead as a gesture saying don't worry, and Mo Ran being like blushing and following him as they leave off screen.

Anyways, I live for Ranwan forehead poke.

Bonus forehead poke at previous life ranwan in one of the frames at Mo Ran's sequence.

This one's the forehead poke in book 3 I was talking about.

Post-Processing Moment

I think that's most of what I wanted to talk about in this animatic-making adventure.

Just some random moments that happened while I was polishing this.

So I fucking saved over the file that had Mo Ran's section. I was trying to make a credits sequence and ended up auto-piloting saving over it so no more that. At least there's still the frames and the rough sketch but yeah.

I also found that I can't stop getting the urge to color some of the frames and I think that's a good sign. Like, the amount of colored frames there isn't as much as what As The World Caves In had (glorious final sequence btw, I love rewatching that section) but I wanted to color more even when I think it's already done.

Like, I wanted to color the forehead poke section and the figments of the past in Mo Ran's section, and even the introduction section, oh and add tsundere Wanning to it too. I'll do it someday. More ranwan wallpapers for me :D

Oh I kinda realized by then too that my coloring style has become pretty streamlined.

#2ha #ranwan #erha #animatic #art

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milkmynk · 3 years

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2Ha’s Confession Scene

Translation for a friend, spoilers under the cut.

>>> SPOILERS

(Shizun has a fear of heights, but he requested Mo Ran to teach him how to fly on a sword.)

Chu Wan Ning, seeing that he hadn't made a sound for some time, turned his head and prompted, "What's wrong?"

Mo Ran didn't reply, his head was spinning. He longed to possess him, to hold him, to kiss him.

Involuntarily, he moved closer.

And then, suddenly, he realized that after putting up the barrier [to help Shizun feel more secure], even though Chu Wan Ning had relaxed slightly, his lips were white and compressed into a tight line, and he looked very pale. His arms were folded against himself, his slender fingers unconsciously clutching his forearms, twisted in the cold fabric.

Even when he was afraid, Chu Wan Ning didn't grab onto someone else, only himself.

Mo Ran was stunned for a moment.

Then, the aggressive light in his eyes faded, shattering into a million twinkling fragments.

Extremely gentle.

Those lips that were about to rashly kiss him, slightly upturned, becoming a soft and wry smile.

Those arms that were about to abruptly embrace him, stopped, and after a moment, touched his chilled hand.

"You......" Chu Wan Ning was startled, a flush flooding into his pale face, but warned him in a low voice, "What are you doing."

He wanted to withdraw his hand, but Mo Ran was gripping it, and refused to let go. Chu Wan Ning felt like his frozen fingers had fallen into a large, extremely warm hand, tightly enclosing his palm all the way to his fingertips.

"Stop relying only on yourself," Mo Ran chided, "I'm here, you can rely on me."

If Chu Wan Ning had still been able to be calm before this, after hearing that, no matter how dense he was, how hesitant, he could not fail to detect the affection in it.

What's more, those jet-black eyes were watching him, gravely and seriously, gently and tenderly. In an instant, Chu Wan Ning's heartbeat became as agitated as a torrential storm, pattering against his soul.

He dared not to look at Mo Ran's eyes, and turned his face away violently, lowering his gaze.

Too hot.

Why was the air a hundred feet above ground, so hot.

He had always been haughty and composed, but at this moment it was as though he had suddenly stepped into a completely unfamiliar territory, his entire body stripped of all armor, his sharp claws blunted. In front of Mo Ran's sudden frankness, Chu Wan Ning's usual tactics seemed to become useless.

The man pried open his oyster shell heatedly, and with his straightforward gaze, looked upon the trembling flesh within. No matter whether it was the luminescent pearl, or that sweet flesh, were completely bared to his gaze.

This haughty and composed person, having lost his defenses, suddenly felt flustered and at a loss.

What should he do...

What should he say?

What...

He realized that his hand was still held within Mo Ran's, closely twined.

He didn't know what he should do, and was both agitated and nervous, his eyes had even turned slightly red, subconsciously he tried again to withdraw his fingers.

But he had only moved a little, when Mo Ran tightly held onto him.

The man's palm had a sheen of sweat, and was slightly damp.

"Don't pull away."

"......"

He was strong, both stubborn and insistent. He didn't know why, but Chu Wan Ning suddenly felt like in his words, there seemed to be some sorrow.

Mo Ran's gaze was heavy and fiery, after staring at him for some time, he said in a low, hoarse voice, "Chu Wan Ning......"

"...... What did you call me?"

"...... My mistake."

Chu Wan Ning's entire body was even more tense than before, his heart racing even more than when he was practicing his sword-riding. He was not used to this, completely not used to this.

He strove to regain his composure, struggling one final time before falling into this chasm.

He lowered his eyelids and said, "Mmm, if you know you made a mistake in your words, then you're not completely hope......"

Mo Ran's heart was very hot, and finally without thinking about it, it slipped from him. "Wan Ning."

... -less.

Chu Wan Ning hadn't managed to say that last syllable.

When he heard that gentle, husky voice carrying a hint of a sigh, his mind was filled with buzzing, and blanked out for a moment.

That last word, could no longer be said.

Hopeless.

Hopeless--

They had floundered at the edge of the swamp of desire for so long, and finally couldn't resist stepping a foot in, sinking into it, henceforth being ensnared in it, seeping into their bones.

Mo Ran's voice was deep and hoarse, he watched him intently. "Wan Ning, actually, these few days I had something, I always wanted to ask you."

"......"

His heart burning madly, Mo Ran tightly gripped Chu Wan Ning's hand, his fingers trembling, "No, I won't ask you anymore."

Chu Wan Ning had just breathed a sigh of relief, when Mo Ran continued.

"I won't ask anymore, I only want to tell you."

Mo Ran went straight to the point, never turning back.

In a single breath, he used the entirety of his courage.

"I love you."

His heart shook wildly.

"I love you, not that of a disciple's for his master, it's... I'm too audacious, I..... I love you."

Chu Wan Ning closed his eyes, his fingertips enclosed in that person's boiling, damp heat, from trembling, they slowly, slowly stilled.

How could it be.

How could it be......

He definitely heard it wrong, he was so ugly, so fierce, so bad at talking, so uninteresting, he was a pathetic idiot with not a single good point to him. Who would love him?

"I love you."

Chu Wan Ning was dazed for very, very long, he really didn't know what he should say, his heart was in turmoil and completely at a loss. He even felt bitterness, he even felt fear, his mind was practically a blank. He wanted to, as usual, draw his sleeves and scold, "nonsense", "idiocy", he thought of many things, but they all got stuck in his throat.

After freezing for a long time, Chu Wan Ning finally, hoarsely, nonsensically, said, "...... I have a horrible temper."

"You're very good to me."

"I, I'm old."

"You look younger than me."

Chu Wan Ning was nearly agitated, at a loss and helpless. "I'm so ugly......"

It was Mo Ran's turn to be stunned, his eyes went wide as he stared at this extremely handsome man before him. He could not understand why someone as good-looking as him, would think so poorly of himself?

Chu Wan Ning, seeing that he didn't make a sound, became even more flustered internally. He lowered his head, "I'm not good-looking."

"......"

"Not as good-looking as you."

As he quietly murmured, suddenly a warm hand cupped his cheek. He heard Mo Ran sigh, even gentler than tonight's moon. "Are you willing to look into my eyes for a while?"

Chu Wan Ning said, "Your eyes......?"

Mo Ran's gaze was warm and tender, reflecting a white-clad man, and he said, "Do you see it? That is the best-looking man in the world."

Chu Wan Ning stared at him, even though his heart was like a violent storm, his cold face still did not show much emotion.

Mo Ran held his hand, it was sweaty.

Again, he said quietly, "I love you."

Chu Wan Ning felt like he was pricked, his fingers trembled, after a moment, he lowered his head. "I love you" was like a sharp knife, stabbing into his heart and making his blood race hotly, there was no going back. Chu Wan Ning's eyes were red, perhaps he had really waited too long, he had no idea that he would have this kind of reaction from hearing these words. He was very agitated, almost to the point of crying, as he said, "I'm no good. I... I've never been liked by anyone before."

I've never been liked by anyone before.

There was never anyone who, because they have me, would feel happy, feel proud, feel blessed.

It had been thirty-two years.

Never been liked by anyone before.

When Mo Ran heard this, when he looked at this man who didn't even want to lift his head, he suddenly ached and ached. He ached till his heart felt like it was splitting apart, like his bones were crumbling to dust.

This was his precious treasure, yet it had been buried in dust for half a lifetime.

He ached till he didn't know what to say.

In the end, all he could do was stupidly grip Chu Wan Ning's hand tightly, and repeat endlessly, "There is someone. There is someone."

Someone loves you. I love you.

Someone wants you, someone wants you, so don't look down on yourself anymore, don't be so silly, making such a wonderful you sound like you're worthless. Stupid.

Stupid Chu Wan Ning.

I love you.

After very long, Mo Ran asked, “And what about you?”

“...... What?”

Mo Ran lowered his eyelids, his lashes shivering, “I�� I’m so stupid, so inconsiderate, so unreliable, I… I even did many unforgivable things.”

He paused for a moment, then continued in a small voice, “Will you like me?”

Chu Wan Ning had originally already lifted his face, but when he heard him say that, when he met those gentle black eyes, incredibly, he became flustered again. With a strength he didn’t know he had, he jerked his hand out of Mo Ran’s, and turned his face away.

He did not nod his head, nor did he shake it.

He did not confirm it, nor did he deny it.

But Mo Ran clearly saw Chu Wan Ning’s ears turn red, the flush spreading to his graceful neck.

“That pouch……”

[Some context here, Mo Ran found a pouch CWN carried on his person, that contained the locks of hair both of them had cut off during the ghost marriage god incident, that was a symbol of their “marriage”]

“Don’t say it.” Chu Wan Ning suddenly said dully, his entire face now fully red, “You’re not allowed to say it.”

Mo Ran gazed at Chu Wan Ning’s expression of unwillingness and embarrassment, of anger and disconcertment, light and shadow flowing in his eyes, entwined with moonlight.

He inched closer, reached out his hand again, and captured Chu Wan Ning’s fingertips.

Chu Wan Ning was quivering, Mo Ran’s fingers were also lightly trembling, he covered Chu Wan Ning’s slender fingers, and then-- One by one, overlapped them with his own, and in a fashion never before--

Their fingers entwined, one palm against the other.

Chu Wan Ning’s entire face was flushed, and he turned his face away even more.

But, this time, he did not pull himself free.

Hence, Mo Ran held Chu Wan Ning’s hand, and at last, finally, he understood, confirmed it nervously.

Chu Wan Ning...... also liked him.

He finally, found out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Chu Wan Ning, this was his first time entwining his fingers with Mo Ran’s, their palms overlapping.

He felt that it was enough, it was too much, thank goodness Mo Ran didn’t do anything more, or he probably would really leap down from a hundred feet in the air, and flee.

It was really fortunate.

But to Mo Ran, this was his god-knows what time he entwined his fingers with Chu Wan Ning’s, their palms overlapping.

He felt that it wasn’t enough, it was too little, but thank goodness he didn’t do anything more, otherwise after holding hands he would want to kiss him, and then demand even more, to thoroughly taste him.

It was really unfortunate.

But even so, Mo Ran could still detect that Chu Wan Ning seemed to be running away.

That day when they descended from the sword, Chu Wan Ning didn’t say a word, and turned to run. He ran for a couple of steps, felt like he was too hurried, and immediately slowed back down.

After he slowed down for a couple of steps, he heard Mo Ran following himself behind him, and spurred by his embarrassment and agitation, he began to run again.

“……”

Mo Ran watched him striding quickly, his heart tender and ticklish, hot and soft.

When he saw that Chu Wan Ning was striding, head down, straight towards a large tree, Mo Ran immediately warned, “Watch out---!”

“Bam!”

But he still hit the tree straight on.

He hurried over and asked, “Does it hurt? Let me see.”

Chu Wan Ning pressed his forehead wordlessly, and after a while, continued walking.

Mo Ran wanted to follow him, but heard him say, “Don’t follow me.”

“I… also need to go back and rest, right.”

“Stand there and let the wind blow at you for a while, come back after you’ve cooled down.”

Cool down?

Mo Ran smiled, how am I supposed to cool down?

After holding your hand, this night, my heart will always be hot.

But he still obediently stopped following. He stood under that cold moonlight, watched Chu Wan Ning walk away, and watched him until he disappeared behind the wall. Only then did he walk to that tree Chu Wan Ning had carelessly walked into. After being silent for a while, he pressed his forehead against the tree bark.

The bark was rough, he closed his eyes.

Chu Wan Ning……

Likes him.

Dancing flowers flowing like water, the lonely island seems like spring.

The brilliant moon glowing in the sky, the serene clouds shading the sun.

The tide surging wordlessly, the water and the sky of a colour.

No matter how wonderful the mortal world was, nothing could compare to those words, Chu Wan Ning likes him.

Even though his vocabulary was so poor, his talent so dim, at this moment his heart still swelled, poetry welling like a spring. Love could turn a simple, straightforward idiot like Mo Wei Yu into a poet, Chu Wan Ning likes him, Chu Wan Ning…… Chu Wan Ning likes him!

He ground his forehead against the tree bark, he wanted to calm down, wanted to restrain himself, wanted to “cool down”, wanted to……

It’s no use, he couldn’t do it.

He could no longer calm down, he couldn’t restrain himself, he couldn’t cool down, his closed eyes were trembling, his lashes drenched in gentleness and crazed joy. The corners of his mouth curled upwards, the dimples in his cheeks growing deeper and deeper, the sweetness in them overflowing.

Chu Wan Ning likes him.

Likes him.

It’s… It’s that person he was heads over heels in love with, it’s that most wonderful person in the world, it’s that person he wanted to hold in his embrace for the rest of his life, it’s Chu Wan Ning…… It’s Chu Wan Ning……

Unbelievably, the great ex-Taxian-jun, current Mo-zongshi, on this deserted, pristine beach, leaned against a large tree and with his eyes closed and head lowered, he laughed, his shoulders shaking.

Because Chu Wan Ning liked him, the wind he smelled was sweet, the sound of the waves in his ears was sweet.

Chu Wan Ning, likes him.

He laughed with his eyes closed, but as he laughed, suddenly, he began to cry.

Like a madman, his lips were stretched in a smile, but tears flowed from his eyes. It was so sweet, and yet his heart hurt so much.

Chu Wan Ning……

Likes him.

Ever since the Butterfly Town incident, he had secretly kept the pouch holding their twined locks of hair.

Likes him……

He suddenly wanted to know, when was it that Chu Wan Ning started standing behind himself, staying by him silently, waiting for him silently, waiting for him to turn his head, waiting for him to stretch out his hand, waiting for him to turn towards him.

How long had Chu Wan Ning waited?

This lifetime, the lifetime before.

All together, twenty years?

Even longer than twenty years.

He, Mo Wei Yu, had seen through the dust of the mortal world, and knew that the world’s most precious thing, was time.

With power and influence, you could be all-powerful, every kind of treasure or honeyed words would come to you without ceasing. But only time, once lost, could not be regained.

If a person was willing to redeem you with ten thousand taels, that was lust.

If a person was willing to redeem you with their beautiful future, that was love.

And if a person was willing to use twenty years, their best years, to redeem you, to wait for you.

Without a word, without asking for repayment, without asking for a result.

That was foolishness.

Really, really, it was too foolish.

Mo Ran’s throat was tight and sour, the bitterness climbing up his tongue, surging like the tide, and he thought---

Chu Wan Ning, you’re really…… too foolish.

Why? How?

What good deeds or attributes have I, Mo Wei Yu… That I could let you be like this to me.

You are the world’s best person, but me?

My hands are filled with blood, I’m better off dead, I’m reviled by thousands, I’m unworthy of reincarnation.

I bullied you, hated you, failed you, I killed you.

You don’t even know what I’ve done……

You don’t even know!!

Mo Ran hugged that tree, his sobs falling into the whistling ocean breeze. What has he done……

With Chu Wan Ning’s gaze on him, he chased another person’s back.

With Chu Wan Ning’s gaze on him, he stupidly waited for another to look at him.

In the Jincheng illusion, with his own mouth, he told Chu Wan Ning, Shimei, I like you.

He sliced Chu Wan Ning’s heart with a knife!

But, Chu Wan Ning?

He was as steadfast as a rock, an unmoving rock in the river current, even with his heart stabbed through, as though he were untouched, he continued taking care of him, tolerating him, accompanying him.

Until death.

…… Until death.

He laughed out loud, he wept, in the moonlight there was only himself, nobody could see him turn crazier and crazier.

Chu Wan Ning, in two lifetimes, in two lifetimes even until death, he didn’t let Mo Ran know of his feelings. The most humble thing this proud man had done in his entire life, was to fall for someone.

For that person, he did everything he could, but in that long wait, he clearly understood that that person’s eyes would never hold himself. Under the clear understanding that that person would never love him, he chose not to bother, he chose not to alarm that person, he chose not to give even a single bit of trouble to others.

He chose, to keep the last of his dignity.

In their past lifetime, till death, he only ever said a single sentence, it was I who treated you unjustly, I do not grudge you whether I live or die.

This lifetime, he confessed his love for him, yet such a wonderful person, such a proud person like Chu Wan Ning, said, “I’m no good. I’ve never been liked by anyone before.”

Taxian-jun…… Mo Wei Yu…… What…… have you been doing……

What have you been doing!!!

Was he blind, or stupid?

How could he be so blind, how could he fail him so.

#2ha #husky and his white cat shizun #spoilers #i love this confession so so so much

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spockandawe · 3 years

Text

Oh no, I was going back through my old discord logs looking for something specific, and erha came in out of nowhere and punched me right in the stomach. I need to reread this soon, I really do, but it also has to be on a day where I am free to lay face-down on the floor and interact with zero humans

I forgot how painfully aware chu wanning is that mo ran is in love with shi mei

And it Hurts Me

Even as early as when chu wanning got clawed up by the ghost lady, and shi mei's face got hurt. So mo ran cooks shi mei's favorite, FAVORITE dish.... and it's so spicy that chu wanning Cannot

And THEN, during the meal, mo ran is giving shi mei his beef, and shi mei is giving mo ran his pea shoots

And chu wanning gives shi mei his beef and mo ran his pea shoots, gamely tries one bite of cabbage, and has to peace out

At a point where he's BARELY recovered and hasnt eaten for like a whole day

And later on, he sees mo ran messing around with shi mei and his new whip, and being like soooooooo what so youuuuuu think of xue meng? what do you think of shizun? and CLEARLY gearing up to asking about himself

And FIRST, shi mei puts chu wanning through the mortifying ordeal of being seen, with like 'he got half-soaked so that none of the rain would get on me' and 'shizun only carries a small umbrella because he never has anyone beside him', and THAT'S bad enough

But then he asks mo ran about shizun

And mo ran has been like LMAOOO YOU THINK WELL OF SHIZUN? which also isn't helping

But like, poor fucking shizun

I'm forgetting if it's that time or with xia sini that mo ran is like 'he keeps getting hurt because of me and i dont like it...... BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO OWE HIM, UGGHHH'

and it is in front of xia sini where he starts listing off the ways other disciples make fun of chu wanning

Which, fuck, man

Because i feel like even though mo ran has extra power to hurt him compared to like, anyone

He's kind of braced for it

And also feels like he deserves it

Over and over, he feels awful for the ways he's let down mo ran, whether or not that's even fair

His DYING REGRET is not apologizing to mo ran over that initial punishment

But he's also horribly insecure, and he's also shy as hell when it comes to anything personal

And ALSO

mo ran tells xue meng that nobody lets him overhear this stuff because they know he respects shizun

Which means

Mo Ran, who has overheard it all, must think................

BUT THEN

before he even has a moment to recover, mo ran is listing off nickname after nickname after NICKNAME

and he hasn't even gotten into any other territory than chu wanning's fashion sense

chu wanning already knew that if smiling, laughing disciples happened to see him, the smiles would fall off their faces

He already knows that nobody is interested in taking meals with him

He already knows he's not liked

And now he knows he's extensively mocked

Which is so extra tragic, because we know that he's so skilled that all the sects of the higher cultivation realm would LOVE to have him

And he chose shisheng peak

Because he thought that here, he would be able to do the most good

He doesn't seem to regret his decision at all, and has no desire to leave his chosen home

But he also already conceptualized his home as a place where '3-4 people out of hundreds maybe kinda sorta like me', and knows that the rest are afraid of him

But then finds out that they also mock him extensively, to his favorite disciple's face... Which amuses his favorite disciple so much that he passes it along to other people as well

#june 2020.....#it's been too long #2ha #chu wanning #mo ran #i'm Fragile i don't know if i'm ready to read something i know will fuck me up #the kind of word dumps you can expect if you're unfortunate enough to socialize with me :')#long post/

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chaos-of-the-abyss · 3 years

Text

anonymous: Am I the only one who really doesn’t like that Meatbun chose to make a member of a brutalized race the villain? I feel like it feeds into that message of revolutionaries who want justice being doomed to be corrupted by the power getting to their heads and turn into evil tyrants.

This is an interesting question anon! Thank you for this ask.

First of all, I understand completely where you’re coming from. I’m always iffy when a main antagonist is a member of a brutalized, discriminated race whose ultimate goal is to get his/her people to safety. I don’t, as a general rule, sit very comfortably with the antagonist being someone who wants to end discrimination based on race against his/her people, or any people. Like, nope. I’m also extremely leery of that message of “revolutionaries who want social justice go bad”, and my wariness toward seeing a main antagonist with the motivation of ending some kind of oppression is an extension of that. 2ha, to a certain degree, does press those buttons, because just the fact of a member of an oppressed people being in an antagonistic position is... meh. I wish we’d at least seen the perspective of a non-villainous Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast. (Of course, this is just personal taste - others might not feel the same way.)

However! There’s a reason why that doesn’t turn me off from the story. I would really dislike it if Meatbun made out Shi Mei’s desire to save his people as a bad thing, or if she had that desire gradually be warped into something less sympathetic - say, an appetite for destruction and vengeance. But she didn’t do either of those things, not at all. Although she rightfully condemns the damage he did to innocent people because of that desire, the desire itself is painted in a very sympathetic light. I would go as far as to say that the fact that Hua Binan’s resolve to end the oppression of his people was truly a good thing is why Meatbun gives him such a peaceful send-off despite the many terrible things he’s done. I mean, it’s not peaceful in-universe, since he’s literally squashed, but it’s a dignified death. He’s not crying, or screaming, or having a Villainous Breakdown over the fact that he has to die. Instead he’s... unhesitant in literally defying cosmic laws so that his people can get to safety, and the text is comparing his actions to that of his mother, who sacrificed her life to give him time to escape. (Off on a tangent, but I cannot help but laugh disbelievingly every time I reread Hua Binan’s death. Like, this man said, “Hey guys, I’m going to fight the demon guardian upholding a law of the universe, hold on a minute.” No consideration, no weighing of options, no nothing. Just “That’s what I’m gonna do then!” I mentioned in another post that despite his villainy I cannot help but respect the sheer audacity that Shi Mei has, and... yeah, I’m going to have to admit that the actions Hua Binan took leading up to his death display that same audacity.)

If I was choosing something to contrast the narrative tone of Hua Binan’s death with, I’d bring up Yagami Light, from Death Note. (I’m sticking to manga canon here, not anime.) He’s absolutely losing his composure, unable to face the fact that he’s been defeated and he has to die, and is crawling all over the ground desperately for a way to save himself. He then proceeds to start begging Ryuk to help him, and goes completely ballistic when Ryuk instead writes his name in his Death Note.

Hua Binan goes in almost the exact opposite fashion; he is not losing his composure, he’s unflinching at the knowledge that these actions mean his own death, and he’s not trying to save himself - he’s giving his life to save the other Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts. I mean, he literally keeps holding on despite being in enormous pain to make sure everyone gets through! At no point during his death does the text say or imply that he regrets sacrificing himself for the other Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts. I also really like how there is no thought in his mind as he’s being crushed that isn’t related to his people - most notably there’s nothing about Chu Wanning, whom he is supposedly in love with. I think it’s driving in that Hua Binan’s ultimate priority, despite what kind of feelings he might have towards anyone else, has always been his people. Nothing else will ever matter to him as much as his goal to get the Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feasts to safety. (Although, mind you, that’s not necessarily a good thing - just look at all the devastation and death he caused in pursuit of that goal.) And like I said, I think that by giving him a heroic death, Meatbun was respecting that, if nothing else, his determination to stop the suffering of his brutalized people was truly genuine, and truly commendable.

That’s what sets this apart, for me, from the message, “Revolutionaries who want to overturn deep-rooted social injustices will go bad because they are corrupted by the power they have.” Hua Binan is not corrupted by power! His desire to save his people never changes, it’s never gradually distorted into something megalomaniacal the way that “cautionary tales” warn us will happen to revolutionaries. It is not the warping of his goal to end an injustice that makes him a villain - because that remains pure and unchanging, from start to finish. Rather, it’s the amount of innocent people he hurt and killed to achieve that goal. The fact that he perpetuates a cycle of abuse - dehumanization and brutalization is what he and his people suffer, and he responds in kind, by creating and executing a master plan hinged on dehumanizing and brutalizing others. That’s what Meatbun is condemning him for, and that’s why he’s the villain. And I really appreciate that she, in my opinion, makes it very clear that his goal itself was and remains a good thing. As mentioned above, the way I see it, the relative dignity of Hua Binan’s death was an acknowledgement the fact that there was nothing inherently wrong with his desire to save his people, that it was in fact a heroic desire. Because of that nuance, I’m not as put off as I usually am at the idea of the main villain being the member of an oppressed race, and I think Meatbun avoided the “cautionary tale” trope of having a revolutionary seeking justice becoming warped with power.

#2ha #2ha meta #2ha spoilers #shi mei #hua binan #asks

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manggaetteokkie · 4 years

Text

Why 2HA adaptation might not be as bad as we think...

Okay so BL novel “The Husky and His White Cat Shizun” (chinese title: “二哈和他的白猫师尊”) aka 2HA is getting a live adaption which will be called “Immortality” (“皓衣行”). I know that usually, fans of original works are less than excited about this kinds of news and with good reasons. The issue is that those who buy the IP rights to a novel simply see its popularity and think that they can profit off of it without actually trying to understand the reason behind its popularity. Too often, BL fans see themselves forced to endure any of the following: 1) sex change of one of the male leads, 2) creation of a random female love interest, 3) turning a happy end into a bad end, 4) adding a bunch of scenes unrelated to our main pair that ends up dragging the series, 5) turning romance into brotherly affection... the list goes on and on. Sometimes, companies think that as long as they film any two guys together and sell a bit of physical touching here and there, fans will jump on it like rabid dogs which... is kinda stupid because, y’know, we have eyes (and standards) too.

So obviously, with the unprecedented popularity that came with the release of The Untamed, even more producers are starting to see the potential of danmei (BL) novels and with it came an onslaught of IP rights being bought and adapted. The list is pretty extensive, with some big names that I’m sure anyone who’s even slightly in the Chinese BL novel community has heard of before. Of course, included in that list, with the casting for the leads done and filming underway, is 2HA.

Quick overview of the story for those of you that don’t know: the story is set in the POV of the “gong” (top), a character named Mo Ran (also known as Mo Weiyu) who is the disciple of Chu Wanning, the “shou” (bottom) of our story. In his original life, Mo Ran had become the Emperor of the cultivation world through slaughter and tyranny, with the only one ever coming close to stopping him being his shizun, Chu Wanning, who eventually lost his life trying to stop him. After achieving the top by committing pretty much all crimes and sins known to men, weary and tired, Mo Ran decides to take his own life and ends it all. Unexpectedly, instead of dying and going to Hell, he transmigrated to the first year he became a disciple. As a thirty-something man in the body of a teen, he decides to do things right this time around and save the one he couldn’t save the first time around. As he goes through life a second time, truth after truths reveal themselves, with the biggest surprise being that the Shizun he hated so much in his previous life, and who Mo Ran thought hated/scorned him, actually turned out to be protecting him the entire time.

Mo Ran, in his past life, was powerful, cruel, merciless and arrogant. There was nothing he could not obtain and he knew it. He was cynical, had a very jaded view of the world and was kind of unstable (lots of mood swings and temper tantrums). After his rebirth, he still maintained some of the arrogance and cynicism, but is more mischievous, confident and cheeky. He is very much like a husky, looks kind of scary and big, but can be extremely loyal to the ones he recognizes and can be a bit dumb sometimes. Chu Wanning on the other hand, is an unflappable person with a frost-like exterior, but a heart of gold. Basically, he cares a lot but it’s easier for him to look like he doesn’t than to voice his feelings. He gets embarrassed easily and covers his embarrassment using anger. He is extremely strong, likes peace and quiet, and always abides by the rules.

Their relationship is kind of complicated. Initially, Mo Ran was in love with a fellow disciple called Shi Mei (despite the word meaning junior female disciple in Chinese, it’s actually the name of a male character). In the original timeline, Shi Mei died and that was the start of Mo Ran’s decline. After his rebirth, Mo Ran decides that he will do everything in his power to prevent Shi Mei from dying again. Don’t be mistaken though, Shi Mei is NOT the male lead. You’ll see as you read more that despite being in love with Shi Mei, Mo Ran is pretty obsessed with Chu Wanning because their relationship was kind of... complicated in the original timeline.

This is pretty much the premise for the story, but do be warned that it goes much deeper and darker than what you might expect (it’s rated R-18 for a reason). So why exactly am I writing all of this? To put it simply, I just kind of want to hype up the series and its adaptation a little, or at least, pique enough interest to give the live action adaptation a chance. Not gonna lie, when I heard 2HA was getting adapted, I was pretty skeptical because how. Mo Ran and Chu Wanning had a pretty physical relationship in the pre-rebirth timeline and that’s partially where the obsession that Mo Ran feels towards Chu Wanning stems from. There’s just basically a lot of unresolved sexual tension between them throughout the novel that I simply couldn’t see getting adapted. However, after thinking about it and reevaluating things from a low-expectations-standpoint, I think it might actually be possible to film something close enough to the original work. Here are some of the factors that influenced my opinion:

First, the series is set to air for 50 episodes (just like The Untamed). Why is the number of episodes important? Because it will determine how closely the adaptation will follow the original story and how much random stuff they can fit into it. Let’s take a step back and evaluate: 2HA’s novel has 311 chapters + extras while MDZS has 113 + extras. Obviously, people might have an issue with the number of episodes (”How are you going to air the same amount of episodes for a series that’s thrice as long??”) but I think it’s a good amount. Why? Because it pretty much guarantees a solid pacing that’ll keep the story moving forward without stagnating. I don’t think there is too much to worry in terms of too much source material being cut because quite a few chapters are R-18/romantic lining scenes that would not have gotten adapted anyways. Once those get deleted, I think 50 episodes is an acceptable amount.

Second, the entire production seems to be solid. The rights were actually bought by Tencent who, if you forgot, was also responsible for The Untamed. With prior success, I believe that they now have a pretty solid idea of how things should be run. Also, the CGI and world-design team is the same one as for Ashes of Love, which has me pretty stoked because while CG in chinese dramas has always been a hit or miss, Ashes of Love is definitely amongst some of the best I’ve seen (see below for examples). (P.S. there are also rumours that Lin Hai, the one responsible for The Untamed’s OST, might be working on 2HA but this is mere speculation at this point.) Overall, 2HA is looking to be like the most high-profile and expensive BL adaption yet.

Third and finally, the casting.

Holy.

Okay.

This is what has me the most hyped.

Let’s start with Shi Mei, who will be portrayed by actress Chen Yao (or Sebrina Chen).

I know I’ve said that despite the name, Shi Mei is a male. As it turns out, likely for censorship reasons, “Immortality” could not escape from the clutches of the dreaded sex change so they went ahead and turned him into a girl. While not ideal, in my opinion, it actually works out pretty nicely here. In this case, it means that Mo Ran is in love with a female character which would further draw censorship’s attention away from the fact that Mo Ran really has a thing for his beautiful shizun. While it would have been perfect if everything could go according to source material, the fact that it’s Shi Mei that went through a sex change actually works pretty favourably in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention the actress set to play Shi Mei has some good experience acting similar roles so overall, I say that I trust her.

Next, we have Chu Wanning who will be played by Luo Yunxi (or Leo Luo).

For this character, I have no worries whatsoever. If you’re unfamiliar with this actor, I highly recommend you give Ashes of Love a try. He played the 2nd lead and ugh. He’s so good at playing beautiful and elegant characters that are forced to undergo a ton of suffering and pain. Luo Yunxi used to be a professional ballet dancer so he moves with grace and his fight scenes are amazing to watch. Also, he has great control over his facial expressions. He’s able to act out characters that suffer a lot without making them seem weak or powerless. Even the way he cries can be considered both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Finally, we have Mo Ran who will be portrayed by Chen Feiyu (or Arthur Chen).

Mo Ran is an extremely complex character. From pre-rebirth’s insanity and arrogance, to post-rebirth’s hope and reservation, to post-revelation’s love and devotion, the actor’s going to have a lot on his plate. Originally, when I first googled him, I thought that while he’d manage to pull off post-rebirth teen!Mo Ran fairly well given how clean and refreshing his face looks, he’d have a harder time pulling off pre-rebirth’s arrogance, craziness and general “hardness”. However, after seeing some costume designs and makeup edits, I think that the boy might just pull it off. Also, while the actor is nowhere near as solid as Luo Yunxi is, it seems that he’s willing to put in extra time and effort (as seen by his Weibo post about how he’d been studying the source material) to make up for it. I think that with enough dedication, he might just be able to pull it off.

(Psssst! By the way, keeping this strictly between you and me, another reason why I’m such a fan of this pair is because of the height difference. I mean just look at this?? Their height difference is pretty much bang on with the novel height difference after Mo Ran grew past Chu Wanning’s height. Not to mention, don’t tell me you see this and don’t automatically picture a the big dorky puppy following his reserved and cool master around?)

So yeah, all of this just to say that it might be okay to kind of have some expectations for 2HA. I really want to keep my own expectations down as low as possible given the amount of times we’ve been burned but I want to remain hopeful that, with the success of The Untamed, it can pave the way for better and more faithful danmei adaptations, with 2HA being one of them.

#the husky and his white cat shizun #二哈和他的白猫师尊 #2ha #immortality #皓衣行 #haoyixing #luo yunxi #chen feiyu #chen yao #leo luo #arthur chen #sebrina chen #chu wanning #mo ran #mo weiyu #long post #talking with zb

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fixielixie · 3 years

Note

♡+RanWan

Who is the most affectionate?

MO RAN!!! like easily this goes to mo ran. he wants to be holding, smooching, loving, cuddling, squeezing chu wanning 25/8. (and chu wanning might not be openly shameless with his affections but you know if mo ran isnt in his business and giving him his 25 daily morning kisses hes gonna be Angry and Upset)

Who initiates the handholding?

this one would be easy for me to say mo ran. but i love to think of chu wanning being to one to shyly look for mo rans hand, just to feel him there. bonus point if he does it on a taxi-jun day and txj is like 😳👀😥🥴

Who worries more for the other?

chu wanning. it just makes sense, he spent so much of his life secretly looking out for mo ran, trying everything he could to make sure he was happy and looked after, it would be hard to just overcome it. i feel like if mo ran is even the littlest bit upset or hurt chu wanning is immediately at 100. very much fretting and "are you sure youre okay, you better no be lying."

Who is more likely to ask for help?

mo ran. especially mo ran 2.0, who has known chu wanning as being someone whos willing to do so much for him. he knows he can depend on cwn for anything and that he would never leave him or abandon him. i think cwn would be too ashamed to ask for help or reach out.

Who is the one always losing the keys?

mo ran. and chu wanning already knows where they are before mo ran can even think to ask. he'll be looking for something, turn to ask cwn where it is and he'll be like "you left it beside the bed last night while you were taking off your robes".

Who leaves little love notes for the other?

again, i love the concept of cwn not being able to say certain things to mo rans face, so he'll leave these passionate letters behind when hes left the house for like two hours. there're so long that mo ran has to keep a separate binder for them all, and cwn refuses to acknowledge that he does it.

Who can’t sleep unless the other is there?

neither of them can sleep. extra bonus points tho if txj finds it he hardest to sleep without cwn because it reminds him of his past life.

Who is more likely to propose to the other?

txj. he claims he shouldnt have to bc he and cwn are already married but he also creates the most elaborate proposal. mo ran feels outshone by his own self.

Who introduced the other to their family first?

😐 next question. (mo ran)

Who is more likely to play with the other’s hair?

mo ran is obsessed with cwns hair. how soft and shiny it is. he tries to braid it but because the strands are so silky and smooth they just slip straight out. (cwn uses the excuse of mo ran not being able to look after his hair properly so he cleans it and brushes it for him but its really just an excuse to play with it)

Who makes sure the other has meals/stays hydrated?

chu wanning thinks thats his job but actually mo ran sneaks snacks that he knows cwn likes into his robes and hides them everywhere in a effort to make cwn eat more.

Who is more likely to stand up to anyone for the other?

they would both commit violent homicide for each other (and have done!)

Who is the most likely to prepare a surprise for the other?

[thinks about extra where mo ran literally creates a pocket dimension for chu wanning] yeah...

Who makes the other pinky promise not to do certain things?

mo ran. and its law. unbreakable.

Who puts a blanket over the other when they fall asleep on the couch?

chu wanning, but then he worms his way under too and snuggles in.

#2ha spoilers #ask #I LOVE RANWAN SO MUCH THANK U FOR ASKING FOR THEM

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prfctparis · 3 years

Text

Red Jell-O and A Trip to the Healers

AO3 Link

summary: in which mace windu spends part of night with two of the most stubborn kids in the jedi order. if he had any hair, they might make him go gray within the hour.

a/n: ok so basically, lately my mind has been super duper focused on my star wars au (which exists solely in my head right now) where anakin doesn’t turn to the dark side mostly bc he has a little sister (aka my oc zariza) and other factors, and instead of rambling about that for paragraphs on end i’ll just say: this is a drabble/one shot thing that takes place in that au, but years before the clone wars begins. if you’re curious, and if i did my math right, anakin is 14 here and zariza is 10. but yeah, hope u enjoy reading this!

Master Jedi Mace Windu stares at the young girl with a carefully blank expression. The youngling – an initiate, no older than ten, if he remembers correctly – stares back, almost as if she is daring him to say something, which… Doesn’t surprise him. Not in the slightest. This is Skywalker Number Two, after all, and even though she is much quieter than her older brother, she no doubt causes as much mayhem as he does.

He just wants a snack. He ran out of them in his own quarters. Looking at the young girl, something tells him he won’t be getting the snack.

Mace refrains from sighing.

This is not how he thought his night was going to go.

“Initiate Skywalker,” he begins, hoping it comes off as a greeting than a silent reprimand. “What a coincidence it is seeing you here.”

Her dark eyes narrow the slightest bit. The expression simultaneously looks like Anakin yet nothing like him at all.

Honestly, though he is loath to admit it, sometimes he forgets the two are brother and sister. After all, they hardly look anything alike – different fathers, he remembers Master Healer Che explain to him and the Council members when they were wondering if they were actually related. Anakin has blond hair that is bleached light from his years on Tatooine yet now is slowly darkening with age, and bright blue eyes and tanned, fair skin, whereas his sister has wild and wavy dark brown hair that almost looks black with eyes to match, and light brown skin. She also has abnormally sharp canines for a human – no doubt a hint at whatever type of alien race that is in her blood; they have yet been able to figure it out.

They both do that damn stubborn chin tilt thing, though.

It can be…aggravating, to say the least, when someone is trying to get them to do something and they don’t want to.

Mace gives into sighing when she doesn’t budge. “Zariza,” he tries again, “what are you doing? It is midnight.”

The stubborn chin tilt stays. Kriff. “I could ask you the same thing,” she says.

“You should be sleeping.”

“…So should you.”

“Skywalker.”

“Window.”

Mace’s brow twitches. Okay. Okay, he can deal with a ten year old. He successfully taught Depa, didn’t he?

(Then again, Depa hadn’t been a child who was hell bent on infuriating him on purpose; she had also been thirteen, and the only chaos she brought and still brings are the occasional pranks on him and the jokes about his bald head; luckily the padawan drama ended with the beginning of her Knighthood.)

If only Master Rheba Toome was available – or Kenobi. They both have somehow managed to become the designated Skywalker Wranglers, as Master Koon had once said after an incident when a slightly murderous droid with a flesh eating plant attached to it got loose in the Temple last year.

An idea comes to him suddenly. “You tell me why you are in the Temple’s kitchens so late, and I will say nothing to your crèche master. I might even let you leave with what you came for–,” he doesn’t miss the subtle yet sudden jolt of suspicious relief, “–but if you don’t, I will take you out of here myself and speak to Crèche Master Aryn the moment we get back to your clan.”

There’s a long, tense silence where Zariza debates with herself in her head. So long that Mace wonders if he will have to repeat himself. Then, “Ani’s sick.”

That…is not what Mace had been expecting. He raises a brow. “He is?”

She nods, and points to the fridge a few feet away. “And he likes the red jell-o.”

“Is he in the Halls?” Mace asks, growing slightly concerned because Obi-Wan got sent out to a solo mission just the day before and Padawan Skywalker hadn’t been allowed to go. He didn’t put up much of a fight, which shocked yet pleased everyone. Now, he knows possibly why he didn’t, and that makes the situation slightly worrying.

Zariza opens her mouth, pauses, closes it with pursed lips, and shakes her head no.

“And why isn’t he?”

She shrugs, a bit defensively. “I dunno. Probably thinks he’s fine. He went to his lessons all day – Aayla tried talking him into going to Healer Bant but it didn’t work.”

Mace frowns with furrowed brows, but quickly smooths his expression when gets a sense of guilt and shame and a vague impression of an apology, though he doesn’t know what for. He kneels down without a second thought, and hates (that’s not the Jedi way–) how her chin is tilted down, eyes casted to the side, as if expecting some harsh punishment for…what? Caring for her brother? Telling Mace that he’s sick? If he was any less of a Jedi, the ones who enslaved the Skywalkers would be six feet under.

He makes sure to release the anger into the Force before speaking again; he will need to meditate later. “I am not upset with you, little one. Not anymore, at least. I’m simply concerned about your brother’s health right now,” he assures her.

Zariza huffs, still looking away, but she’s no longer tucking her chin into her chest. “So am I,” she mumbles petulantly. “S’why I want the red jell-o. He likes it.”

“So you have said. Can you tell me how he was feeling last time you saw him? Or in your Force bond, right now?”

“Uh… Sick.” A beat; Mace refrains from spouting a heavily sarcastic remark to a ten year old. “Um. He threw up once he got back to his and Obi-Wan’s rooms. Said something ‘bout being really, really tired earlier. He’s sleeping now.”

Mace hums, and stands up. “All right. Well then, let’s go. I want to check on him, and if needed I will be taking him to the Halls of Healing.”

Zariza frowns as she finally looks at him, but then her eyes travel to the fridge. There’s a silent question there. She goes to ask it but stops herself, and nods. “Okay,” she says instead, almost a mumble, and turns to leave.

He watches her for a second, glances at the fridge that holds the red jell-o, and then moves to walk beside her. “If I was sure it would not upset his stomach, I would let you take some jell-o to him now. But… Maybe tomorrow, if he is feeling better, you can.”

As she tilts her head to look up at Mace in surprise, he makes sure to stare straight ahead. “…Really?”

Mace nods. Then, looks down at her and gives her the barest of smiles. “Really.”

Zariza’s eyes narrow once again. “You promise?”

“I promise– but only if he feels better,” he emphasizes when she starts to grin. “No other time than that.”

“What if he asks for some and he doesn’t feel better?”

Patience, he reminds himself as they walk through the sun halls of the Temple. “Then ask Master Healer Che, or one of the other Healers.”

He gets silence as a response and he glances down to make sure she hasn’t suddenly run off. It’s happened before with her crèche master and Master Rheba Toome and Knight Kenobi – one could say she has a knack for simply sneaking off at the most random times – and he would very much dislike if she snuck away from him in the dark hallways. But, she’s still at his side, clearly thinking about something. Hopefully about what Mace just said and not about putting another flesh eating plant on a half working droid of Anakin’s.

“…What if there aren’t any Healers around?”

“There will be.”

“But what if there aren’t?” she presses.

Mace sighs quietly, hopefully enough to where Zariza doesn’t notice. “Then wait for one.”

More silence. Another glance. She’s still there.

“…I guess I can do that,” she says.

That is, well, kind of concerning. But better than the girl outright disagreeing with him, that’s for sure.

The rest of the walk to Knight Kenobi’s and Padawan Skywalker’s room is done in silence. Mace acknowledges the nocturnal Jedi with a nod, and Zariza shyly waves at the ones who notice her. When they get there Zariza let’s herself in, unlocking the quarters with zero problem, and hurries inside. Mace follows at more relaxed pace. He notices as she takes one look at the living area’s couch, frowns, and makes her way to the little hallway. Mace looks as well, and notices the padawan’s abandoned holopads for a few of his lessons, as well as just a general mess of the area that one would expect from a 14 year old when left alone.

Zariza speaking tears Mace’s attention away from the mess.

“Why the kark are you lying on the bathroom floor? ”

“E chu ta, Zari! None of your business.”

Ah. Huttese cuss words. Nothing unusual, but still.

“Watch your language, young ones,” Mace reprimands lightly, and makes his way to the bathroom where Anakin, indeed, lying on the bathroom floor.

Anakin groans. “Ah, chuba, why’d you bring him?” He sounds pitiful, so much so that it comes out as a whine more than anything. He’s sweating, too, and sickly pale, with visible bags under his eyes from where Mace and Zariza stand at the bathroom entrance. By the smell, Mace and tell that he’s thrown up again. None of is visible, so he’s sincerely hoping Anakin made it to the toilet in time and flushed.

“Because you’re a sick koochoo,” Zariza says.

“Language,” Mace says almost absentmindedly.

She huffs and crosses her arms. “I only called him an idiot.”

“I’m not sick,” the teen denies. It’s a weak argument. Mace can only raise an eyebrow. “And I’m not an idiot, either!” Raising his voice defensively sends Anakin into a coughing fit that ends rather quickly. He groans and curls into a ball, all the while keeping his face on the tile flooring.

Zariza rolls her eyes. “And I’m Jabba.”

Mace sighs and enters the bathroom. He crouches down to Anakin, and places the back of his hand on the boy’s forehead. He jerks away just as quickly, though that doesn’t keep Anakin from making a pitiful sound at the loss of contact. Mace’s lips form a thin line. “I think it’s best if I take you to the Healers, Padawan Skywalker,” he says.

“Nooo, I’m not sick!”

Mace shakes his head. “You are – you have a fever, Skywalker, and it’s best we take you to the Halls of Healing since Knight Kenobi is off planet.”

He mumbles and groans something indiscernible.

Zariza walks over and nudges Anakin’s side with her foot. “Do you want some red jell-o?”

“Kriff no.”

Mace almost tells them to watch their language again, but decides that is a fight he will have with them another day. Preferably during daylight hours and not at midnight when they were all supposed to be healthy and sleeping. Preferably, it won’t be him having such conversations with them.

(Truthfully, he loves the children in the Order, the Skywalker siblings included – but right now in his exhausted, slightly hangry state, he can only spend so much time with them.)

She hums. “What about tomorrow?”

Anakin stills. “…Maybe.”

The initiate grins and looks at Mace, clearly pleased with the answer.

He nods and gives her a smile of acknowledgment, then refocuses on the task at hand. “Can you get up and walk? Or will I be carrying you?”

Anakin gives another response that might as well be in another language, and Mace closes his eyes as he pinches the bridge of his nose. He breathes in slowly a few times, centers himself, and opens his eyes again a few moments later.

“Okay. Carrying, it is.”

Anakin hardly protests – well, he tries, at least, but it can hardly be counted as anything – and Mace picks up him with not too much difficulty; one arm around the boy’s shoulders, the other under his knees. As Mace leaves the rooms, Zariza follows and turns off the lights along the way, and even locks the door once they are out into the hallway.

And then she starts talking. Continuously.

It’s a vast difference from earlier, and it catches Mace by surprise. Quickly, though, it dawns on him that she’s talking for her brother’s benefit. From droids to podraces to Master Yoda’s swamp stew to the names of new plants she has learned about, and so and so forth. Something about the rambling must help, because Anakin relaxes more as the walk to the Halls of Healing goes by. So much so that he gives up on holding his head up and rests it on Mace’s shoulder, almost passing out completely by the time they make it to the Halls, Zariza tapering off about a holoshow she heard one of the older initiates talk about the other day.

“Master Windu,” one of the Master Healers, a nocturnal species, greets with a bow. Dark, large eyes focus on the brother and sister once they stand straight. “Ah, and the Skywalkers,” they say, playfully flicking their tail in Zariza’s direction to get a giggle out of her.

“Hullo,” she says, smiling up at the Healer.

“Healer Rou,” Mace returns the greeting. “I’m afraid we have a sick padawan on our hands.”

“Hm, yes I see,” Healer Rou says, and moves closer to rest a hand on Anakin’s forehead just like Mace had done before. They remove it quickly, though not as fast Mace did. “He definitely has a fever. How long has he been feeling badly?”

The question is aimed to Mace, but he looks down at Zariza for the answer.

Her eyebrows raise at the realization. “What? Oh, uh… Last night, maybe?” She shrugs, shuffling awkwardly. “I dunno, really, I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, little one,” Healer Rou assures her. They pat her head with a kind smile. “It is okay if you don’t know.”

Zariza nods, relaxing a little. “He, uh, he’s puked a couple of times.”

Healer Rou hums, and motions for them to follow them. They do. “It is most likely a stomach virus of sorts, nothing too serious and nothing we can’t handle. It has been going around this month, I’m afraid. Padawan Skywalker will be the fifth one to have gotten it. I am assuming the plan is to have him spend the time here while he gets better? Until Knight Kenobi returns, that is.”

Mace nods while they enter a medical room, and carefully sets Anakin on the bed after Zariza dashes forward to pull the covers back. “Yes, it is. And Initiate Skywalker wants to give him his favorite red jell-o tomorrow if able.”

Healer Rou smiles, amused. “Of course. Come by at lunch and if he can stomach it, whoever’s rotation it is should allow it. Now; I have got everything under control from here, Master Windu – I will be sure to keep you updated, and will send a message out to Knight Kenobi letting him now as well.”

“Thank you, Healer Rou,” Mace tells them.

“Yeah, thanks Healer Rou!” Zariza exclaims, and rushes to hug the Jedi.

Healer Rou chuckles, hugging the young girl back. “Of course. Head on off to bed, now; we don’t need two sick Skywalkers,” they tease.

“Fine, I guess,” she sighs, far too dramatically for a ten year old that has both adults stifling their laughs.

But unfortunately, it actually takes ten more minutes to leave. Master Vokara Che appears, and speaks to Mace about how long Anakin might have to stay while Healer Rou pulls up Anakin’s medical file. Mace signs what he needs to, double checks with Vokara Che and Rou what he knows about any medicinal allergies he might have, and then leaves. Zariza sticks like glue to him the entire time.

Two steps out of the Halls of Healing, Mace stops in his tracks and picks her up after she yawns three times in less than two minutes.

“Th’nks fo’ helpin’, Window,” she mumbles into his shoulder with muffled, half asleep words.

Mace sighs, but smiles despite himself. He gently pats her back. “Of course, Zariza. Let’s get you back to your clan, hm?”

The answering soft snore he gets in return has him chuckling.

He hadn’t planned on his night to go this way, but he would be lying if he said he regrets it.

#star wars oc #mace windu #anakin skywalker #oc: zariza #take the fear that i don’t need #my writing #star wars #star wars fanfiction

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translations-by-aiimee · 2 years

Text

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - Chapter 36

Original Title: 二哈和他的白猫师尊

Genres: Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Xianxia, Yaoi

This translation is the product of my limited knowledge of Chinese characters as I attempt to learn the language. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 36 - This Venerable One is About to Go Crazy

(T/N: Just a fun thing I saw, I put a few things through translators to help me figure out some words and one translator called Chu Wanning "the night of Chu Chu" and I thought that was adorable)

Chu Wanning, without thinking, reached out to hold him. In the warm spring water, with the two peoples' skin pressed up against each other, Mo Ran felt a jolt run down his spine, goosebumps covering his body.

Even though he also held the almost naked Chu Wanning in Red Lotus Pavillion, that time the situation was critical. He didn't have any time to think it over, so it didn't really leave a lasting impression.

However, now, he had one hand on Chu Wanning's chest, and the other was subconsciously supporting his shizun's waist. Their legs rubbed together underwater, the other's skin seeming more smooth and warm in the spring. Mo Ran snapped out of his trance.

He was on top of Chu Wanning.

They were just touching each other's waists. He didn't do anything, and yet. . .

His reaction was violent, the water surging around them.

"S-Shizun, I--"

He struggled to stand up straight, but his increasingly hot lower body hit the other in his hasty struggle.

Chu Waning's eyes immediately widened. Shock flashed across his handsome face. He haphazardly stepped back. At the same time, the water droplets hanging above his eyelashes dripped into his eyes. That stimulated Chu Wanning to quickly close his eyes. He wanted to rub it off, but he hadn't brought a dry towel.

Mo Ran was absolutely mortified. His face and ears were flushed red but he still tried to pretend like nothing was wrong, holding out his own towel to wipe the droplets off of Chu Wanning's face.

"Shizun, u-use mine."

When Chu Wanning opened his phoenix eyes, his eyes were puzzled and dismayed, and there was a vague hint of panic. But of that was fleeting, and he quickly tried to calm himself down, pretending like he didn't feel anything. He hoarsely said: "Pass me some incense."

"Oh. . . oh okay."

Mo Ran walked across the pool like a cooked crab and picked up the incense container resting on the bank.

"Shizun, what scent do you want?"

"Whatever."

Mo Ran's head spun. He looked at the box blankly for a long time, and turned his head sincerely: "There is no random scent."

Chu Wanning: ". . ."

After a pause, he sighed: "Plum blossom and begonia."

"Okay."

Dizzy and lightheaded, an scatterbrained Mo Ran took out two incense tablets and handed them to Chu Wanning.

When their fingertips touched, there was another flurry of embarrassment.

Even if he wanted to, he still couldn't shake off those memories of the past.

If this had happened before, he would have been passionately entangled with him in the pool. He even had a vision of Chu Wanning kneeling in front of him, lying on the ground, bearing his own hot, fierce lustful love and desire. Shizun's starry eyes were half-closed and he couldn't help but tremble, being fucked to the edge of orgasm. . .

Mo Ran couldn't stand it any longer. That carnal male desire made his eyes glow red. He didn't dare look at Chu Wanning again. He felt that it would be safer to look at Shi Mei rather than look at Chu Wanning.

How. . . could this happen?

How could this be?

After quickly washing, while the other three were still soaking, Mo Ran casually said he was sleepy and he left first.

He went back to the room and locked the door behind him.

Mo Ran couldn't bear it any longer and relieved his desires. He didn't want to imagine Chu Wanning right now. He would rather fantasize about Shi Mei's beauty. This would make his troubled heart feel better.

But he had no control over his body nor his thoughts. All that flashed in front of his eyes was the intimacy between him and Chu Wanning. As if the floodgates had broken open tonight, those bone-chilling passions rushed back into his mind in a frenzy, accompanied by a shuddering feeling of overwhelming destruction.

He treated himself roughly, like he were tangled up with that man. When he was on the verge of collapse, he raised his head, gasping faintly and unwillingly.

A name subconsciously rolls off his tongue.

"Wanning. . ."

Saying that name, he stifled a grunt. He trembled slightly, and released it without reservation, his palm growing wet. . .

After releasing, Mo Ran rested his forehead against the cold wall. Confused in his eyes.

Shame, guilt, disgust, irritation.

He never expected that after he was reborn, he would have such a strong reaction to Chu Wanning.

He was disgusted with himself.

Although, in his previous life, he never got Shi Mei, and he took out his vigorous energy through hundreds of flowers. But that seemingly amorous promiscuity actually meant nothing to him.

When all was said and done, he was just a replacement, the same as everyone else.

Even Rong Jiu, and the slight feelings he brought, held some resemblance to Shi Mei with the shape of his eyebrows.

But his feelings for Chu Wanning were a completely different story. He can clearly realize that this was all in his head, not at all real. He was just able to feel that intense pleasure that he couldn't find in those lowly servants. It was purely physical, and. . .

He didn't want to think about it anymore.

He loved Shi Mei. That's how it was, that's how it will be and it will never change.

After repeating this to himself several times, Mo Ran slowly calmed down. He frowned and closed his eyes.

He felt anxious, annoyed, and, more than anything else, wronged.

He didn't want this.

When lust overcame him, he couldn't help but think about Chu Wanning. When he calmed down, he no longer wanted to think about anything related to Chu Wanning, not even a strand of hair or a single look.

He was almost paranoid about what he likes, what he deeply loves.

It was Shi Mei. . .

But, also in this confusion, was Master Chu.

After all, he intuitively and deeply felt Mo Ran's desire. The boy's body had developed very well, and he was shocked. When he was excited, it was hot and hard, like iron waiting to be fired.

Despite Chu Wanning's face quickly regaining composure, and how he never brought it up afterwards, the feeling made his skin feel numb and he couldn't believe it.

What made it even more difficult for him to speak was that he actually had a reaction this time.

Fortunately, he had delicate skin, and, even when he was in a hot spring, he was used to wearing a bathrobe. His whole body was well covered so that no one could see him, otherwise his pride may have never recovered.

But why exactly was Mo Ran. . .

At night, he was lying in bed, thinking silently, and he didn't dare to imagine - maybe Mo Ran also likes him.

The thought was just too crazy and too shameful.

He just casually thought, "Maybe Mo Ran also likes--"

The word "me" didn't have time to appear in his mind. Chu Wanning viciously cut that thought off. His phoenix eyes were bright and clear, but they also flickered and concealed.

He didn't even dare finish that sentence.

After all, he was harsh and loved to beat people, his words werepoisonous and his temper was terrible. He does not look like Shi Mei, who looks stunning, and he isn't that young. Even if Mo Ran liked men, he's not blind enough to realise he could like someone like himself.

He was just too proud.

But in his heart, because of the endless neglect and fear towards him, walking along such a barren and lonely path, he had become inferior to even a speck of dust.

Waking up the next day.

Mo Ran and Chu Wanning met in the inn's hallway. Both had thoughts flying through their heads and they glanced at each other, neither speaking first.

In the end, it was Mo Ran who spoke first. He pretended nothing was wrong and smiled at Chu Wanning: "Shizun."

Chu Wanning breathed a sigh of relief. He had been at a loss as to how he should respond. Seeing that Mo Ran chose to keep silent about what happened yesterday, he was more than happy to comply. He nodded his head lightly as usual.

"Since you're up, go get Shi Mei up too, and we'll get ready to go to Dawning Peak."

The top of Dawning Peak was covered with snow all year round. It was so cold that even the strongest cultivator could barely withstand it. Chu Wanning went to a tailor to buy cloaks and gloves for his disciples for them to wear once the cold set in.

The boss lady, who was smoking a hookah, grinned from ear to ear with her bright red lips, and solicited to Mo Ran: "This cultivator looks heroic and valiant. Look at this piece with the golden dragon and the black backdrop. The embroidery is the best. The eyes of the dragon alone took me more than three months to finish."

Mo Ran smiled sarcastically: "Sister's words are so sweet, but unfortunately I'm going up the mountain to ask for a sword, so I don't need something that serious."

The proprietress saw that this tactic didn't work and she shifted to Shi Mei: "Oh, this cultivator looks so beautiful. You look even more beautiful than the prettiest girl in Daicheng. Sir, if I may say so, this butterfly and peony red cloak suits you best. Would you like to try it?"

Shi Mei forced a smile: "Ma'am, that's what a daughter would wear, isn't it?"

Xue Meng didn't like going clothes shopping so he refused to come over, instead just standing in the same spot and waiting. Chu Wanning chose a black cloak with a purple trim for him, the wide sleeves surrounded by a trim of white rabbit fur around the edges.

The proprietress said: "Sir, this garment is a little small for you to wear. It would only fit a teenager."

Chu Wanning said casually: "I'm buying it for my disciple."

"Oh, oh oh." The proprietress realized. She immediately smiled, "What a good master."

That might have been the first time in his life he was called a "good master". Chu Wanning tensed up. While his face remained straight, his movements were stiff as he walked away.

In the end, Mo Ran picked a blue-gray cloak. Shi Mei's was moon white. Chu Wanning grabbed a plain white one with a black base and a purple trim. He checked out and went to meet with Xue Meng.

When Xue Meng saw his cloak, his eyes widened.

Chu Wanning didn't know why: "What's wrong?"

"I-It's nothing."

However, when Chu Wanning turned his head and walked away and Xue Meng thought he couldn't hear him, he looked at the trim of the cloak with disgust and whispered: "Purple? I don't like purple."

Unexpectedly, Chu Wanning's voice rang out coldly: "So talkative. If you don't wear it, you're going up naked."

Xue Meng: ". . ."

Taking their time walking the rest of the way, the four of them finally arrived at the foot of Dawning Peak before the sky grew dark.

Dawning Peak was full of spiritual energy. There were many spiritual beasts and exotic birds. Even a Daoist priest, no matter how strong, wouldn't dare go up the mountain rashly.

However, there was no need to worry with Chu Wanning. Chu Wanning summoned three begonia flowers out of the evening air which were able to exorcise spirits and demonic energy. They are worn between the waist seals of the three disciples and said: "Let's go."

Mo Ran looked up at the majestic peaks hidden in the night sky. The lofty peaks that lay dead silent like ancient giants held thousands of emotions that immediately rushed through his heart.

That year, on Dawning Peak, he told the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the demons, ghosts and gods, that he, Mo Ran, was no longer satisfied with the current Ta Xianjun of the cultivation world, and he wanted to claim the title of emperor of the cultivation world for himself.

Also that year, on Dawning Peak, he took both a wife and a concubine.

He still remembered the face of that wife, Song Qiutong, a peerless beauty in the cultivation world. From a certain angle, her facial features look like Shi Mei's.

He was not a person who cared about etiquette and integrity so he didn't bother with the proper wedding traditions. At that time, he held Song Qiutong's delicate hand, her face covered with a red veil, and walked up the thousands of steps. They walked for over an hour.

Later, Song Qiutong had pain in her legs and feet and couldn't walk anymore.

Mo Ran has a bad temper and he lifted her veil to berate her.

But under the hazy moonlight, Song Qiutong's delicate eyes filled with grievance and patience looked like the dead man who had been reduced to bones in the underworld.

Loathsome words curdled on the edge of his mouth. He trembling a little and what finally spilled out was:

"Shi Mei, let me carry you."

Song Qiutong based this on seniority. If she and he were from the same sect, she would indeed be his junior sister, so she was only slightly taken aback by this title. Mo Ran also annihilated Rufeng Sect, so naturally what was left of Rufeng Sect would be absorbed into Life-Death Peak. It wasn't impossible for him to call her junior sister, so she smiled and said, "Okay."

In the last few thousand steps, Ta Xianjun, the lord of the cultivation realm and the ruler of darkness, just like that, step by step, steadily carried the beautiful bride in the red dress to the top of the mountain.

He lowered his head and looked at the mottled figures on the ground, oddly positioned and overlapping.

He smiled, his voice muted: "Shi Mei, From now on I am the ruler of the cultivation world. From now on, no one can hurt you again."

The woman behind him didn't know what to say. She hesitated and let out a soft "mmm".

Her voice was very soft. Perhaps, because it was so soft, it wasn't obvious the voice was coming from a woman and instead sounded somewhat indistinct.

Mo Ran's eyes reddened when no one could see. He said in a low voice: "I'm sorry, I've kept you waiting too long for this day."

Song Qiutong also thought Mo Ran liked for a long time, so she tenderly said: "Husband. . ."

This woman's voice was clear and crisp, like a drop of dew rolling down the petal of a delicate orchid. It was very pleasant to hear.

But Mo Ran jerked to a halt.

"What's wrong?"

". . . Nothing."

They continued walking forward but Mo Ran's voice was no longer hoarse and the faint tremors in it had also vanished.

After a pause, he said, "Just call me A-Ran from now on."

Song Qiutong was quite surprised. She also wouldn't dare address Ta Xianjun like that and she hesitated: "Husband, I'm afraid. . . this. . ."

Mo Ran spoke suddenly and viciously: "If you don't listen, I'll throw you off the top of the mountain!"

"A-A Ran!" Song Qiutong quickly changed her words. "A-Ran, I was wrong."

Mo Ran stopped speaking.

He kept his head down, silent, and continued on his way.

Shadows on the ground are still shadows.

When you look at it later, you will find that it really is just a shadow.

An illusion; It's all fake.

What he has, in the end, is only an illusion.

It is ultimately all fake.

"Shi Mei."

"Mmm?" The person walking beside Mo Ran turned his head. A deep feeling stirred. The plants rustled, and the moonlight illuminated his stunning face: "A-Ran, what's wrong?"

"Are you. . . tired of walking?" Mo Ran glanced at Chu Wanning and Xue Meng who were walking in front and whispered, "If you're tired, I'll carry you."

Before Shi Mei responded, Chu Wanning turned back.

He glanced at Mo Ran coldly: "Is Shi Mingjing's leg broken? Do you need you to show off?"

Shi Mei hurriedly said: "Shizun, A-Ran was just joking. Don't be angry."

Chu Wanning furrowed his eyebrows. His eyebrows were sharp, and fire was faintly flowing in his gaze: "Ridiculous, what do I have to be angry about."

After he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and walked away.

Mo Ran: ". . ."

Shi Mei: ". . ."

"Master isn't happy. . ."

"It's not like you don't know the guy." Mo Ran whispered in Shi Mei's ear. "His heart is smaller than the tip of the needle and he is cold-blooded and ruthless, and he doesn't allow others to be friendly and brotherly."

After wrinkling his nose, he lowered his voice and concluded: "It's very annoying."

In front of them, Chu Wanning suddenly sternly said: "Mo Weiyu, if you say one more word, believe it or not, I'll throw you off the mountain!"

Mo Ran appeared to have the sense to shut up, but he secretly glanced Shi Mei with smiling eyes, silently mouthing out:

You see, I'm right, aren't I?

#the husky and his white cat shizun translation #the husky and his white cat shizun #erha #chinese bl #chinese novel #bl novel #danmei novel #danmei #chu wanning #mo ran #ranwan #english translation #2ha novel #2ha translation #2ha

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dangermousie · 3 years

Text

I love this so much! His ability to feel gratitude and appreciate concern someone expresses about him and the need to return it makes him very different from someone like Shimei, who took people who treated him nicely and salted the earth with their blood, pretty much.

This is just funny and sweet, but I also like that Moran has zero ego learning from a kid. Awww.

In other news, this time reading about Chu Xun’s core removal made me think how both CWN and Moran get this happen to them in this story (CWN in the past time line and Moran in this one) and the thing that strikes me is that in all three instances, the horribleness of so-called “average person” is highlighted. in the Lin’an City arc, Chu Xun literally lost his child to protect the awful people who killed him to curry favor with the Ghost King and still gave up his core to protect the few who felt bad. CWN had his core taken out by TXJ as he fought to protect that world and still remember the prologue - the so-called noble cultivators did not want to rush up the mountain and their excuse for that cowardice was “well, Moran was CWN’s disciple so it’s all CWN’s fault Moran turned out that way” and then of course in that whole horrifying sequence near the end, Moran has his core dug out in public even though he did everything possible and impossible to save that world and all the common people enjoy watching it because it makes them feel superior.

Side note - the core removal ceremony is a horrific escalation of Shimei/Hua Binan’s plan to get Moran’s core. Their lovely other attempts failed so let’s go for broke. I do love that on reread it’s clear that the spellcaster who trapped them in the Lin’an City “illusion” in order to kill Moran and get at his core, is Shimei. And not Hua Binan Shimei but the present Shimei. The spellcaster is described as young and delicate and under the hood even though CWN cannot see him much, he thinks he looks familiar. UGH. I do feel such joy at the frustration Shimei must feel at Moran escaping over and over. Before I was “Chu Wanning is a psycho magnet for every psycho in 100mi radius” and that’s true but Moran is the target of serial killer fixation that transcends universes and I honestly don’t know what’s worse. I do find it such a good narrative choice that in this timeline, except for dying once, CWN gets off pretty easy (and only in a Meatbun novel can you say that) and the bulk of the knives get directed at Moran; which is only fair since CWN suffered more than enough in past life and the knives in the present timeline are part of Moran’s redemption arc.

Ok, other things about the Lin’an City arc - I noticed how Moran freaks when for a brief moment he think CWN is a reincarnation of Chu Xun and one of the reasons is because Chu Xun was married and had a son. Oh, Moran.

I also love that this is the first time present timeline Moran is confronted with the horrors of war and suffering and starts making parallels between this and his behavior in the past timeline. It’s so gentle and gradual luring in - since suffering here was not caused by him nor done to his loved ones - it’s like a little first step on a path strewn with knives but it looks relatively harmless, a small nudge to make him think, without showing how much it’s going to torment him later on.

Oh, and since the traitor is the person who eventually becomes Chu Wanning’s father figure, and they rescue him and prevent him from being killed by zombies, one wonders if there is a predestination paradox since if they never time traveled (or did they?), he’d have died and never made CWN and so they’d have never time-traveled. This makes my head hurt.

I love this bit - they are stuck in jail but are pretty content and Moran teaching Xia Sini how to play. I love it so much how somehow even that place is warm and fun somehow. And CWN feeling he’s somehow stealing warmth from a child called Xia Sini - he is so unused to happiness and care, and so somehow thinks he shouldn’t have any. I mean, prior to Lin’an City arc, he and Moran would walk in the rain and Moran would carry umbrella over both of them and this is the first time anyone has ever carried an umbrella for him which is heartbreaking. I do think this arc is good for both of them- like when Moran is able to comprehend Xia Sini grumping at him doesn’t mean bad stuff but his helping him just with a grumpy manner because that’s how he is (which is the case when CWN looks like CWN too!)

And the two of them trying to protect each other! Like even in this mess, CWN tries to shield Moran even tho he’s a tiny 6 year old and even being confronted by his worst nightmare (I think the memory he can’t bear to think of is when he was accused of the rape and murder of that girl when he was 14 and nobody would believe him), Moran still tries to shield Xia Sini.

God, I love Xue Meng! And I love that Moran is slowly beginning to appreciate his peacock of a cousin. He really will treat someone well if they treat him well.

Also, this gives me so much joy!

Yes, be freeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Shimei trying to get his attention by pretending to be hungry so Moran would take him to eat instead of picking up Xia Sini (I can’t remember any more if by then Shimei figured out Xia Sini = CWN) and Moran being nice but in a hurry and Shimei hating it is DELICIOUS. I mean, Shimei finds Moran about as attractive as I would a rat, but needs him for his plan and there is the ego that is getting bruised and I love it - his panic and anger, even if hidden. Heeeee. In your face! (His pretending to be sick and pretending to “unconsciously” ask Moran to stay so he’d not go find Xia Sini piss me the hell off tho. UGH.)

#cnovel #2ha

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serpentinerose · 4 years

Text

I’ve now published 300k words in the 2Ha Ao3 tag! Thanks to my friend on twt for this prompt to push me over the 300k threshold.

Prompt: Mo Ran and Xue Meng bonding in the 5 years Chu Wanning was in seclusion.

No spoilers beyond the current tl. Rated G. You can check out the rest of my fics on Ao3 @ serpentinerose.

Xue Meng thought he could spend the rest of his life without ever hearing the name “Butterfly Town” ever again.

It was almost funny, Mo Ran would say, that this insignificant town a mere half day away from the foot of Sisheng Peak would ever become something of significance to them. A town known for nothing but the captivating fragrance that snaked between the broken slats on windows forever shuttered, for the reddish earth that never produced anything of substance, soaked through with far too much blood for a town of that size. A town of ghosts and promises buried in coffins that shook under the weight of their own grief. Xue Meng would have never stepped foot there a second time, were it not for the fact that Butterfly Town refused to lift its shadowy wings from the course of his life.

Mo Ran would have said all that, Xue Meng thought, but not Mo-zongshi.

Not this tall, broad man in white who stood before him today.

They scrubbed the blood out from under their fingernails, washed the gore from their swords in the stream, and stared into water so deep that neither of them could see what had sunken into that great river. Butterfly Town laid quiet behind them; the disciples of Sisheng Peak had busied themselves with the task of carrying away the wounded and burying the dead. The mangled pieces of demon flesh littering the expanse of the earth behind them were quickly spirited away, sent into flames so high that those red tongues dared to reach toward the sky with its own stripes of red, dispersed among the clouds.

Xue Meng’s fire core had made quick work of that mess. The resultant acrid smoke irritated his nose; he sniffed, stomach clenching at the nauseating smell of roasted meat, sweet and succulent and altogether wrong.

“Hungry already?” His cousin’s voice held little trace of its former ever-present mocking tone, but there was a little humor in it all the same. Mo Ran’s white robes were splattered around the hem with various shades of brown, and Xue Meng wrinkled his nose, wiping away the mess that the yao corpses had made on the shining metal of his armor.

“Your defense needs work.”

“Your attack needs more work,” Mo Ran shot back, but there was no heat in it. “Anyway, what does it matter? You were supposed to be guarding my back.”

“I was guarding your back,” Xue Meng argued. “It’s not my fault you couldn’t manage to keep in formation. Did anyone ask you to jump ahead? Did you want to show off to the pretty ghost lady?”

Mo Ran barked out a laugh. “I’m surprised you could tell it was a ghost lady at all.”

“It wore a bracelet.” Xue Meng scrubbed his hands together under the water. Red swirls spread on the surface; the dying sun, too, cast its own redness over the glittering water, swallowing away the evidence of their work. “Anyway, it’s too late to head back to Sisheng Peak tonight. We’ll make camp here. The inn seems to be in good shape. They might still have some food and wine to offer us.”

“So you are hungry,” Mo Ran pointed out. “Fine, Young Master. Let’s go get something in that stomach of yours.”

The inn was spared, but barely just. The entire second floor was uninhabitable, but the eatery still held its scattering of mismatched, coarsely carved tables and chairs. It would have to be rebuilt, Xue Meng thought. But not by them.

They had already done enough for this town.

Whatever had remained of the food supply had disappeared far too quickly into their cavernous stomachs. Some of the other disciples had decided to wash off the filth of the day more fully in that dark river, and some had even found the ingenuity to catch a great bounty of silvery fish along the way. It turned out that three arrows and a cloak strung together with spiritual energy were quite enough to form a kind of net. The smell of roasted fish finally cleared that stench of yao corpses from the air. They had eaten quietly, and then, one by one, the disciples trickled out to the tents they had put up along the main street of town, now cleared of all debris.

Butterfly Town had never looked cleaner, Xue Meng thought.

It was just him and Mo Ran left in the inn. The innkeeper had generously offered them a bundle of blanket and a corner of the main eatery hall. Under normal circumstances, Xue Meng would have turned up his nose at the meager accommodation, but not tonight.

After all, Xue Meng doubted if they would get any rest at all this night.

Their dusty table was littered with the clumsy wooden pieces of what would somehow become a Holy Night Guardian. Xue Meng never had any affinity with the process of creation; the constant rumor mills of Sisheng Peak, powered by both its disciples and Elders alike, liked to insist that upon Xue Meng’s first meeting with his shizun at the age of five, he had destroyed an entire room’s worth of inventions with only a file in his hands.

Chu Wanning had looked inordinately pleased, as much as that was possible for his shizun. Or so Xue Meng was told.

Mo Ran’s skills also lay elsewhere, but there was no other choice. Their shizun still remained in seclusion at the Red Lotus Pavilion, shuttered behind barriers too advanced for either of them to broach, and the contingent of Sisheng Peak disciples who had survived this last battle had never trained under the Yuheng Elder.

It was up to them now. Carrying on their shizun’s legacy until he returned.

Sometimes, Xue Meng wondered whether Mo Ran’s shoulders broadened under that strain merely by adaptation.

They worked in silence; the candlelight flickered between them, casting large shadows that loomed over them, although the shadows seemed more contemplative and watchful rather than ominous even as this broken down inn bowed under the storm swirling overhead. The water dripped at regular intervals from the misshapen slats, scorched in some places and warped in others, and Xue Meng cast a clumsy barrier over their table. Mo Ran’s eyes flickered strangely as that shining blue sphere descended around them.

“What?” Xue Meng demanded.

A ghostly smile curved playfully at Mo Ran’s lips. “Shizun would have scolded you for this barrier.”

“You think you can do better?”

“Yeah, probably,” Mo Ran snorted. “But I’m not going to show off. This is passable enough, I guess, if you were a novice under Elder Xuanji.”

Xue Meng threw a wooden stick at Mo Ran’s head, who ducked it all too nimbly. The relief that flooded him at that moment was unreasonable. Xue Meng kicked himself, but his mouth quirked upward all the same. “Oh, fuck off.”

Mo Ran laughed once, and the shadows seemed to have shifted. The candlelight grew just a touch brighter. Xue Meng fixed his eyes on the notches he had made on that stick of wood; Longcheng was a proud, fearsome sword, more suited to the destruction on the battlefield than the delicate work of carving eyes and a nose into this wooden frame. It was a little ridiculous, Xue Meng thought, that wood could walk and move and protect. A mere instrument in their hands, imbued with their spiritual power, compelled to perform duties it had never asked for, and yet could never refuse.

He wondered if wood could feel. If wood understood what pain was when it was struck. The steel of sword and the steel of lightning. If, when the wood splintered under forces greater than it could withstand, it would also feel the cut deep within whatever sliver of soul had managed to form within its rings.

All wood had once been trees. Living things.

But that was impossible, Xue Meng scolded himself. Strange musings brought on by this strange town.

After all, wood was just wood.

“I’m leaving tomorrow,” Mo Ran said. Xue Meng swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed without his knowing. The distance between them, a mere table apart, had seemed as insurmountable as that between Sisheng Peak and wherever it was that Mo Ran found fit to stay for longer than a fortnight or two.

The twisted pieces of wood, discarded from the remnants of their failed Holy Night Guardian, lay on the table between them, next to a jar of wine that the innkeeper managed to scrounge up from the kitchen. They eventually did succeed in making a passable rendition of their shizun’s invention, and that wooden puppet had started its first patrol of the outer perimeter of the village.

It had a crooked little face with a crooked little nose, with arms slightly uneven and a body halfway between ugly and pathetic. Mo Ran had shrugged helplessly when Xue Meng pointed at the way the little wooden puppet stood tilted to the side. Nonetheless, it worked.

It walked.

It would fight, given time and opportunity.

“Oh.”

“There’s much to do in the world still.” It was as if Mo Ran wanted to argue the point for himself. He twisted the empty porcelain cup in his fingers, stroking at the hairline fracture that had formed on the surface of that fine bone after too many years of use, no matter how careful the washing had been.

It was simply the way of the world, Xue Meng knew. And in this lower cultivation world, the reality of their lives was filled with far more decay and broken things than what lay just beyond the border into the upper cultivation realm.

“Where are you going?” Xue Meng only said. The wine had not yet gone to his head, although he knew it would, eventually. “Where haven’t you gone yet?’

“Jianghu is vast,” Mo Ran replied smilingly. Xue Meng truly looked at his cousin this time; Mo Ran had changed in recent years, not the least in the expanding span of his shoulders or the widening of his back. Or the ridiculous lengthening of his legs. It wasn’t the simple outfits of white that marked Mo-zongshi out in a crowd, and neither was it that gentle smile that Xue Meng never remembered from his rash cousin’s younger years.

Whatever it was that had changed, Xue Meng could not put it into words. But he could feel it in the way Mo Ran looked at him, the drag of time that had etched itself in that faraway gaze, as if Mo Ran had lived at least two lifetimes and carried the weight of them on those shoulders.

“Shizun would return soon,” Xue Meng noted, taking a sip of his wine. By etiquette, he should have turned away, hid his face behind his sleeve, but there had never been any ceremony between the two of them.

Their backs pressed against one another, dampened with blood and sweats. Their faces splattered with the gore of their targets’ guts, the stench of fresh blood clinging onto their skin for days, for weeks.

If shizun could have seen them then...

Mo Ran’s dark gaze shuttered, and for a quick moment, Xue Meng could swear that those eyes flashed a deep purple color. His cousin’s lips pressed into a thin line so uncharacteristic on that face; and yet, so many things that Xue Meng had never associated with his cousin had begun to be inextricable from that figure.

Mo-zongshi, Xue Meng had heard. Sometimes, when he looked at his cousin’s figure from far away, those white robes picking up the slight breeze of late summer, Xue Meng could almost swear that it was their shizun’s image on that dusty road.

It was only the smile on Mo-zongshi’s face that had distinguished them.

Mo Ran was not smiling now. “I’ll come back before he awakens.”

“How can you know for sure?” Xue Meng demanded. “Have you been counting the days?”

With a jolt, Xue Meng realized that he had not. Four years ago, Xue Meng would have sworn up and down that his life would halt until shizun returned to them.

Each day that passed without his shizun’s commanding presence would have been too unbearable.

And yet, he bore them all. Days turned into weeks turned into months, and soon enough, four years had already passed. Life seemed to move on even when he least wanted it to, and Xue Meng thought he could reach out for the stream of time, wade his fingers through the soft water, and come up with the grains of sand that he had been searching for, undisturbed beneath that torrent. It was only time itself that had revealed to him exactly how foolish he was being.

The sand stayed. The water didn’t, and Xue Meng was carried along with the current.

Mo Ran said nothing, but there was a strange, enigmatic smile on his face. “I’ll be back in time, don’t you worry. You think I’ll let you take all the credit with shizun without me there?”

Xue Meng punched his cousin’s shoulder, thankful that they had taken their armor off for the night. Clad only in their inner sleeping robes, Xue Meng could almost believe they were back in that inn of long ago, refreshed from the hotspring, with shizun just a step behind them as they bickered their way back to their upstairs rooms.

It had been a long time since that inn.

“You know there’s a place for you at Sisheng Peak,” Xue Meng found himself saying without knowing why. The lump in his throat had grown in size; he downed the rest of the wine and filled their cups to the brim again. This time, his words came out slurred. “It’s still your home.”

Mo Ran’s face stiffened, and there was a shadow in that gaze that seemed to hint at things only spoken aloud between the last breath of the night and the first blush of dawn, shrouded in the mist that seemed to descend upon the earth for that particular instant before the sunlight cleared it all away. Xue Meng would have asked his stupid cousin what it was he still thought could be hidden between them, but Mo Ran already shook his head and smiled. “I know. It is my home. It’s simply not time yet.”

“You’re just hiding,” Xue Meng accused. He wanted to say more. Horrifyingly, there was a tight pressure building up just behind his nose, spilling forth as warm wetness that slid down his face and stained the cracks between the dirty wooden table. “You…”

He wanted to say more, but the words would not come out between the sobs that shook his entire body.

Shizun was already gone, Xue Meng wanted to say. And you would rob me of yet another.

How selfish of you.

How very like you.

Even the words spoken in anger, at their very worst, when the vitriol was too much to bear, still bore some remnant of truth.

Slowly, cautiously, Mo Ran reached out a hand for his shoulder. “There, there.”

“S-stupid Mo Weiyu,” Xue Meng managed, swallowing air between the syllables. “You are so stupid.”

“Yeah,” Mo Ran sighed, shifting closer. The hand on his shoulder seemed to emanate warmth far beyond that of an ordinary person; through that thin layer of fabric, Xue Meng felt a rush of something almost like spiritual energy from his cousin’s fingers, knowing that it was all too absurd to feel such a sensation when no such transfer took place. Mo Ran seemed to have that effect on people, much to Xue Meng’s chagrin. “I’m stupid. Xue Meng, come here.”

“No,” Xue Meng hiccupped, hugging the wine gourd to his chest.

“I’m coming over then,” Mo Ran warned. “Don’t hit me.”

“I’m not.” A pause. A sob. “Not promising anything.”

Mo Ran’s shoulder was solid, broader than his own. Xue Meng buried his face into it, letting his tears stain the white of Mo Ran’s robes. His cousin sighed, patted his back awkwardly, and must have looked upward at the ceiling. The slight jostle to his frame suggested as such. “I know you miss him.”

“Who doesn’t miss him?” Xue Meng snarled, but the heat was gone. The words were curtained in tears, shrouded in grief, and every syllable struggled against the jerks of his throat. “You stupid dog.”

“You haven’t called me that in a long time,” Mo Ran commented.

“I haven’t seen you in a l-long time,” Xue Meng stubbornly replied. Mo Ran fingers pried away the wine cup from his hand, set it down on the table, and resumed that stuttered task of patting his back. “Stop touching me.”

“Are you going to stop crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

Mo Ran pushed him away. “You’re not a child anymore, Mengmeng. Don’t lie like that anymore.”

Xue Meng’s lips trembled; he willed them to stop, but his body had never liked to listen to his mind too much. “I…”

“It’s okay,” Mo Ran said. His eyes stretched into long, thin lines, softened by an emotion that Xue Meng could not identify. The corners of Mo Ran’s mouth turned upward even as his brows were weighed down by something heavier than grief. “I miss him too.”

It was the first time he had ever heard his cousin admit that.

Throughout all this time. Throughout all the times they had fallen asleep curled up in a dirty tent in a battlefield, washing up in whatever water they could find, scrubbing the blood from underneath their nails, Xue Meng had never once heard Mo Ran mentioned shizun.

Until now.

“Ge,” Xue Meng tried. “When will he be back?”

“Three hundred and ninety one days,” Mo Ran murmured.

That choking sound came from him. Xue Meng realized belatedly that it had started out as mocking laughter, turned too quickly into something unnameable. It was something he had realized for a long time, Xue Meng thought, the way words sometimes would not suffice, and yet there was nothing to do but cling clumsily to whatever sentiment could be expressed through that inadequacy.

I miss him, Xue Meng wanted to say. You miss him, too.

The words had been spoken, and yet, they might as well have been weightless for how little they truly meant. Platitude. Useless sentiment that talked of everything and conveyed nothing.

Sometimes, the words that mattered the most were the ones least expected.

Three hundred and ninety one days.

“Ge.”

“Go to sleep, Xue Meng,” Mo Ran said. “We still have to teach the village how to use the Holy Night Guardian tomorrow.”

“It’s cold,” Xue Meng whined, and his cousin sighed. The warmth left; Xue Meng shivered relentlessly in his thin robes, and then, from behind, a warm cover had replaced the warmth of Mo Ran’s hand.

His cousin had taken the pile of blanket on the floor and wrapped it around him. “Don’t be a brat. You’ve withstood worse.”

But I don’t want to, Xue Meng thought helplessly, peering up under lashes ladened with tears.

Mo Ran regarded him for a moment, sighed, and ruffled his hair. “Go to sleep.”

“Don’t go,” Xue Meng found himself asking. “Ge. Don’t leave.”

A deep sigh. The candlelight was close to extinguished; the wax pooled on that wooden table, the wick almost completely submerged in the melted wax. The shadows on the wall seemed lighter; when there was no light in the world, the shadows, too, melted away.

“I’ll be back,” Mo Ran said, and Xue Meng’s eyes slipped shut.

Mo Ran would be back. Xue Meng knew this to be true. And yet, time ticked away without regard for man’s wishes, and the sand of today will simply remain under that current until one day, a pair of eyes will open in that Red Lotus Pavilion, and this time, the stream would push along whatever rested on that riverbed, sand and silt and stones smoothed by the ever flowing current.

Three hundred and ninety one days.

Xue Meng had been waiting for a long time already.

#2ha #2hanet #2ha fanfic #xue meng #mo ran #my stuff

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huacheng-zhu · 4 years

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RULES: TAG PEOPLE YOU WANNA GET TO KNOW BETTER

I was tagged by @bilboo! Thank you, this one looks really nice!

your name and then what you would have named yourself: my name’s Bee and it is also the name I would’ve named myself because I....named myself.

astrological sign (sun/moon/rising if you know them): scorpio/cancer. I don’t care much about these things but it’s always fun to look it up. I relate to very few scorpio-related things. cancer things, however....

when did you join tumblr and why?: I joined in 2012 and I genuinely don’t remember why. I wasn’t getting involved though, I was just reblogging Doctor Who posts. I only got involved in internet-fandom stuff in 2014 for HTTYD2

top 5 fandoms: Critical Role, danmei, Tolkien, Overwatch, and gonna put MXTX novels as a branch fandom of the danmei fandom

top 5 favorite films: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Coco, How To Train Your Dragon 2, Dracula Untold, Frozen 2

go to song when you wanna Feel something: Uranus by Sleeping At Last. or many of his other songs, tbh, like Seven, Pluto, Saturn, Uneven Odds, Mars, etc etc.

what’s your religion or faith if you have one?: agnostic

a song that makes you feel seen: that one’s hard....given how many times I listened to them, I’d go with either Iridescent by Linkin Park or Show Yourself from Frozen 2

if you could have any career: full-time fanfiction writer :’)

do you have a type?: I can count my recent crushes over, let’s say, the past six years, even very brief, on the fingers of one hand and their only shared trait is having common interests, sooo I really don’t know. I don’t feel like I do.

what does your heart/soul yearn for: peace, acceptance and understanding

if you had to describe yourself in 5 words to someone who doesn’t know you: lions, baking, insecurities, stargazing, cats

favorite subjects in school: english, that’s it that’s literally the only class I was interested in

where does your soul feel most at home: lying in the grass, gazing up at the stars

top 5 fictional characters: Wei Wuxian, Xie Lian, Chu Wanning, Vax’ildan, Jesse McCree (adding Bard the Bowman just for old times’ sake) (also top 5 is definitely not enough I need a top 10....let me add Hua Cheng, Gu Yun, Mo Ran, Caduceus Clay, Yin Yu, Essek Thelyss, Ye Wangxi, Shaun Gilmore, Shi Qingxuan, Yasha Nydoorin, and and and....what do you mean that’s more than 10)

top 3 moments in a show that made you ugly cry: wow, in a show? even if I counted movies that was actually a while back already. but it’d be Vax’ildan’s farewell scene in the first campaign of Critical Role. bawled my eyes out. also cried over Scanlan’s gift at the end of Vex’ahlia’s wedding. since then, the last time I ugly cried over something fictional was when reading 2ha.

the earth, the sun, the moon or the stars: the stars

favorite kind of weather: sunny, not too hot, with a warm but gentle wind.

top 3 characters you kin with: there are actually. so few. I’ve rarely if ever related with characters on a personal level. so when I found one I just went :o the lucky (ha) one is Chu Wanning. there’s also Xie Lian and Yin Yu to some extent.

favorite medium of art: animation?

introvert/extrovert/ambivert: introvert

a favorite literary quote: istg I always forget all my favourite quotes when asked. gonna be super basic and say, “The one standing in infinite glory is you; the one fallen from grace is also you. What matters is ‘you’ and not the state of you.” but it’s not really my favourite. I’m just too lazy to go look for more

some of your favorite books: Tian Guan Ci Fu, The Song of Achilles, 2ha, The Alienist, The Picture of Dorian Gray

if you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?: ignoring, you know, the climate crisis, anywhere near the sea, where the water’s clear and quiet. or anywhere where there’s a clear water river/lake in which I can swim. preferably not that far off from a somewhat big city, if that’s even possible, because I actually love the city and need an easy access to it.

if you could live in any time in history when would it be?: late 1800′s, just for the clothes.

if you could play any instrument masterfully it would be: probably the ocarina. for some reason I’ve always liked it

if you have one, what mythological god or goddess do you feel a connection to: none because I know very little about mythology.

and lastly, favorite recent selfie in your camera roll: don’t have one on my chromebook, but you can always check my ‘my face’ tag I guess haha

I tag, if you like obv: @ecthelions, @intellectualpencil, @inessencedevided, @forgotten-envies, @curiosity-killed, @agu5td, @kuku-is-tired, @misnomera (but really don’t feel pressured to do this it’s....long)

#tag game

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manggaetteokkie · 4 years

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Luo Yunxi as Chu Wanning: the Perfect Casting

(are you guys ready for this post because I am not)

Okay, you guys might be thinking, “Woah, ‘perfect’ is a pretty strong word, are you sure?” to which my only reply is “Damn right I am”.

So I’ve mentioned in my previous post how I am absolutely notworried about how Luo Yunxi was casted for Chu Wanning in the upcoming 2HA live action adaptation, but after going back and rereading that part, I thought that what I wrote wasn’t really enough to drive my point across so that’s where this post comes in.

Beware: this is just going to be a massive word barf praising Luo Yunxi so yeah. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

As we all know (or maybe not, if you’ve never heard of the novel “The Husky and His White Cat Shizun” aka 2HA before), Chu Wanning’s entire aura screams untouchable, otherworldly and transcendent beauty. Basically, someone who embodies the word elegance, with a touch of haughtiness from an outsider’s perspective. He is aloof, enjoys peace and quiet, and is extremely strict. He has zero tolerance for rule breakers and will apply the same standards he holds others to onto himself. He also prefers to keep things to himself. Whether it be injuries or his own feelings, it’s easier for him to deal with them on his own than reach out to others because he considers that losing face. With all of this in mind, I’m sure you’ve all got an idea formed in your head as to what kind of character he is.

To be frank, this kind of role is hard to do, and most importantly, to do well. First, the actor must be poised at all times and display a certain level of elegance in his movements. It is so, so, so easy for the actor to try too hard or be slightly too aware of his movements, which in turn makes them robotic. In other cases, they manage to pull it off when the camera is on them but as soon as they are no longer the focus, they slack off and it’s like a splash of cold water to the viewers. The best case is when the actor is so seamless that you don’t even realize what they are doing, because you’re just enjoying the whole thing so much.

In this case, Luo Yunxi has the advantage from his experience as a professional ballet dancer. Years of dancing has allowed him to have great posture and if you’ve ever seen Ashes of Love, you’d know that he moves with a certain level of elegance that becomes blatant when you put him side by side with Deng Lun (not trying to put anyone down by the way, Deng Lun’s character is the fiery Phoenix who is righteous and direct, the God of Fire and War, so his movements fit perfectly given his character. Meanwhile, Luo Yunxi’s character is the Night God, who, comparatively, has a much calmer and more uptight disposition).

His fight scenes are also *chef’s kiss*. Again, his experience as a dancer really shines through:

That fancy fan trick he did? Absolutely blew my mind how effortless he made it look. He’s really one of the few actors that I actually pay attention to the fight scenes for because he doesn’t just charge and hack at stuff, he somehow turns it into an art form and I’m always curious to see what move he’ll pull next. This makes me excited to see what he’ll do in Immortality because Chu Wanning mainly either wields a whip or conjures barriers, meaning it’s mostly going to be CG. That also means that his hand signs and body movements are going to have to be solid, at the risk of looking awkward otherwise.

For this next part, I’m going to have to make a confession. I actually love watching scenes in which Luo Yunxi’s characters are in a lot of pain, emotional or physical. I wholly admit it, it sounds really sadistic, but understand that I don’t say this easily for anybody. When I say Luo Yunxi nails crying scenes or scenes in which he is in pain...

...I mean he absolutely nails them.

Man... seeing this gif just makes me want to give him the biggest hug and tell him that everything will be alright. Unknowingly, while watching, my own face twisted into a frown.

One of Luo Yunxi’s greatest strengths is his ability to micromanage his expressions. It would be so easy for a newbie actor to appear frozen while watching their costar act; however, just with the smallest furrowing of his brows, Luo Yunxi is able to convey all of his emotional turmoil.

Of course, we can’t have Chu Wanning be crying all the time, but the previous examples were perfect to show how Luo Yunxi can nail those small tells when it comes to Chu Wanning’s character. As mentioned before, our perfect shizun isn’t the type to broadcast his feelings screaming on rooftops, so we can only rely on small twitches of discomfort or slight frowns of pain. Given what we’ve seen from Luo Yunxi, I’m not worried about him being able to properly convey those tricky emotions.

Of course, how can you talk about Chu Wanning without talking about his many fits of anger. Do you perhaps worry that he seems too sad, too soft to properly portray the other aspects of our quick-to-whip shizun? Worry not, and simply feast your eyes upon the following:

I really love these stills, from the tousled hair to the glare that could send whoever he looks at 6ft under... I highly doubt he’ll have a hard time conveying Chu Wanning’s righteous fury given his previous performances.

Also, if you’ve seen him near the end of Ashes of Love, he had to act as a person impersonating him. It was a more comical and lighthearted break in what was quite a heavy scene, and he managed to pull it off amazingly well which really shows his range as an actor.

Anyways, this essay has been going long enough so it’s about time to conclude. Basically, I’m ready to watch this entire live adaptation from start to end just for Luo Yunxi because I trust him as an actor, and I feel like he’s given us more than enough proof to show that he can pull off the Chu Wanning character. Speaking of which, I’m actually lowkey salty because he was the actor I had in mind for Xie Lian as well, but it’s unlikely that he’ll take that role since he’s already been casted by the 2HA team. I’m not lying when I say that after Ashes of Love aired, a lot of fans suddenly had a face to go along with their favourite novel characters.

Bonus!

There was no purpose to these except to show how he looks beautiful regardless of how “unkept” he’s supposed to be. Even if his character is supposed to be at their very lowest point, he still manages to maintain that elegant beauty.

#二哈和他的白猫师尊 #the husky and his white cat shizun #2ha #皓衣行 #immortality #haoyixing #chu wanning #luo yunxi #leo luo #ashes of love #and the winner is love #my post #my stuff #talking with zb

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