( @jiangyanli ) video/text ▶ 09/18

[soups]

❰ the post is text, but with a video attached. it's a very simple scene, only seven seconds long. it shows off a wide-eyed wood duck in water, which is par for the course. as the lens zooms out, however (though obviously achieved by someone stepping backwards a few paces), the duck appears to be floating in the left side of a sink, surrounding counter top's wood soaked and water consistently lapping over the edge as he shifts in the water.

then he lets out a very loud...sound, and after the camera rocks a bit, a finger comes out to point at him with a scold. ❱

A-Niu. ❰ he repeats the sound, demanding, and the finger repeats a firm point. ❱ Ah! ❰ a softer bleat, suddenly submissive at the stern tone of the filmer's voice, before dunking the top half of his body into the water and causing more water to cascade down and over the counter. from there, it loops the seconds over and over again, until stopped. ❱

he is very cute but very noisy : )

Comments

[soups]

❰ oof, a sore spot she didn't mean to prod at like that. ❱

it's alright. it's not as if it's a requirement. we didn't have any once wei wuxian entered our family.

animals also aren't for everyone, but i don't think there would be any harm in trying to befriend one.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

Like you've done with A-Niu?

[ Wen Ning has a hard enough time befriending people. He's not sure if befriending an animal would be easier or harder. ]

What made you choose A-Niu, out of all the other ducks?

[soups]

it wasn't so much that i picked him...more like he picked me.

there are a lot of various ducks around here, and i try to shoo most of them away before a-cheng gets too aggravated by how intrusive they are. niuniu just didn't ever scare properly. he flew into the house one day ! he's a very stubborn bird, but i think he means well.

but the opposite i think would also be possible. to pick an animal and care for it enough that it offers you the same.

I uploaded this icon just for this tag

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

Niuniu sounds a lot like your brother in that way.

[ !!! ]

I mean
Not that I'm saying Jiang-gongzi is stubborn or intrusive!

wen ning, defensive position

[soups]

❰ this quick denial causes yanli to laugh. if anyone were to ever seriously insult her brothers, she would be quick to confront and defend their honor. wen ning is such a harmless young man, and he's...well, not wrong. ❱

no, i think it's true. that they are very similar ! my brother is as stubborn as a duck, which is certainly information i didn't think i would learn here.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

Does Jiang-guniang have much experience with ducks? I've only ever been to Yunmeng once or twice before, and there was never enough time to pay attention to the local wildlife.

[soups]

there are many ducks that live in the lotus waters. some that look like they're painted and dyed like a-niu, but i haven't seen any that look exactly like he does.

i've never been so close to them in a friendly capacity before, though.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

I guess he really has chosen you to be his human friend. He must be something truly special.

Do you think he looks different because we are so far away from home? Different animals live in different places, don't they?

[soups]

i'm certain. everything looks so different here. even the trees in the forest aren't like what we have back home.

it's really odd to think things that are so different and new exist somewhere in the world, but this place has really opened my eyes.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

I know what you mean. I knew before that I hadn't traveled very much in my life. Qishan, Gusu, Yunmeng, Yiling, Lanling. They seemed far enough away from each other at the time... But now, this place feels like a whole different world.

[soups]

it's certainly an interesting place. i tell myself that when i think that it's lonely being here, so far-removed from where we've come from.

maybe it doesn't hurt to be taken somewhere else and far from all those things we had to be concerned with for a while.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

No, I don't think it hurts.

Sometimes I worry about what is happening without us. But... Almost all of the people I care about are here, and I wouldn't want them to be facing a place this dangerous without me. So for now, I think it's better that I'm here.

[soups]

it's hard to understand how any of this has happened and what is going on where we came from. i'm of the understanding we all have various memories of things...so how can it be that time keeps moving for one person if another person is gone? even if we remember they were there, though they do not?

and as long as my brothers are here, i prefer to be here as well. even if there is another me somewhere else, and another of them...the me that is here doesn't want to be away.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

You're right. All of us seem to remember different things. And, if I can be honest, the fact that certain people are here is just... impossible.

[ LIKE THE PERSON HE'S TALKING TO. ]

Sometimes, the impossible things seem like a gift. But why would they give us a gift and then torture us as well?

[soups]

it's true. so many things seem impossible as of late.

❰ she forgets herself before she sends the message, but has a sharp inhale of breath after. it takes her a moment, but she decides it's okay. a lot of fantastic things have happened during her time here, outside of regaining memories of her past. ❱

it doesn't make any sense to me that people in the world would intentionally cause harm and misery to others. especially when they also give blessings. i haven't befallen anything too detrimental here. but i know others have been hurt and it frustrates me.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

There are always people who will try to hurt others if it means gaining something they want.

[ Wen Ruohan, Jin Guangshan, Xue Yang... ]

I've managed to avoid most of the injury, myself, but it frustrates me too, that I can't protect everyone else.

[soups]

from what i know, wen-gongzi, you are an invaluable person in a-xian's life. i'm sure you have done your fair share of protecting.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ O-oh. Hm. That feels undeserved, coming from her. Does she even know the truth of how her husband died? ]

I've cause my share of harm, too. All I can do is try to make up for that.

[soups]

❰ she knows...as much as is possible for her to know. she isn't so ready to reveal the extent of her knowledge to anyone in order to know exactly the how and why of what transpired. ❱

it may be the case. but please don't be hard on yourself wen-gongzi.

i knew you as a kind disciple of your clan. i don't believe that nature has truly changed.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

[ Her words are kind, just like her reputation. But they ring hollow, when given context. ]

I know that kindness was not common among the Qishan Wen. I am sorry for any pain that my clan has caused you, Jiang-guniang.

[soups]

the wrong-doings of your clan are not the wrong-doings for you to bear. you have nothing to apologize for.

in fact, you were brave enough to go against your clan and assist both of my brothers in their times of need. for that, i will always be eternally grateful to you, wen-gongzi.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

I was only trying to repay the kindness that Wei-gongzi had shown me. He has saved my life so many times. I will never be able to make up for the hurt I've caused him because of that.

[soups]

i can't say i'm unhappy that you continue to repay it, if it means you stand next to my brother. but i also ask that you remember you have done so much. i'm sure he would also agree you've reached that measure and more.

[lookslikeacinnamonroll]

You're very kind, Jiang-guniang.
You always have been.
Wei-gongzi is lucky to have you by his side.