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satanandsoul · 1 year

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I wanted an astrology chart reading for jisoo solo. thank you so much

Hey there! Thank you for your reply. And sorry for the late reply. 🙇🏻‍♀️

♈︎ Blackpink Jisoo Solo Debut Event Chart Analysis ♈︎

Disclaimer: All these are for entertainment purposes only. DO take my words with a grain of salt.

From my online research, I learnt that Jisoo's solo will be released at 12am EST. So I did the conversation and found that it will be 1pm in Korean time.

Jisoo's solo debut event chart has its Cancer Ascendant at 29 degree. Judging from the Cancer Ascendant, Jisoo's solo song will be highly emotive. I will not be surprised if her song will be a love song. Or it can be a ballad. There is no way that Jisoo's solo song will be anything like Lisa's solo song in which she basically talks about how great it is to be her. In addition, the 29 degree is the degree of fame. That means that Jisoo's solo has a great chance of being a success. Leo Moon in the 1st house conjuncts Cancer Ascendant: A double confirmation that this song will be highly emotive. Leo Moon can be quite dramatic. So you can expect this song to be a melodramatic love song. Cancer Ascendant opposite Aquarius Pluto in the 7th house: This debut will attract a lot of attention from freedom-loving people (not just freedom-loving but obsessed with freedom).

Aries Sun conjuncts Aries Chiron in the 9th house: Honestly, this song will be about a wound that others have inflicted onto the protagonist of this song. Coupled with the fact that this can be a love song. It most likely will be about wounds that lover inflicts on us. These wounds can be caused by irresponsibility, carelessness, or impulsivity. If Jisoo continues to be a solo artist in the future, Sun in 9th house actually says she will have a lot of opportunities to travel overseas. Sun trines Moon: This will be an easy flow of the emotions. If Jisoo continues to be a solo artist, I can see that her songs will be reflective of her inner experience. Sun squares Cancer Mars in 12th house: Sun square Mars always points to hot-headedness. If Jisoo continues to be a solo artist, she may make some impulsive decision regarding her solo career. She may do it subconsciously though, as Mars falls into the 12th house. She can also make decisions that are mostly based on feelings rather than logics.

I will skip over Moon square Mercury as the orb is too large, 9 degrees. I will also skip over Moon trine Neptune as the orb is also too large, 7 degrees. Leo Moon in 1st house opposite Aquarius Pluto in 7th house: The emotional need to make oneself seen is in direct conflict with the obsession on collectivity. If Jisoo continues to be a solo artist, I can see her address the issues of fame. The theme of wanting to be seen on one hand and wanting to be a commoner on the other hand will continue to run through her work.

Aries Mercury conjuncts Aries Jupiter in 10th house: If this is the birth chart of a person and he or she has this aspect, I will say he or she definitely likes preaching lol.🤣🤣🤣 Jisoo may have a lot of lofty ideas that she wants to convey through her music. Jisoo may also want to use her profession as a channel to teach others about things she is passionate about. I will skip over Mercury square Pluto as the orb is too wide, 7 degrees.

Taurus Venus conjuncts Taurus Uranus in 10th house: Excellent position to show off Jisoo's otherworldly beauty. No matter what the concept of her projects will be, beauty will be a main theme. And this type of beauty is shocking in a captivating manner. In fact, showing off Jisoo's beauty can help her solo career.

Mars trines Pisces Saturn in 8th house: Saturn in 8th house can denote losses. Jisoo's boss may be restrictive in investing in Jisoo's solo career. The trine aspect here can mean that her boss is supportive of her actions, but at the same time is not really to invest too much money into her projects.

Aries Midheaven conjuncts Sun, Chiron, Jupiter, Mercury: Generally a great aspect. It shows that Jisoo is determined to make this solo project work. However, I am a little bit concerned about the Chiron conjunct Midheaven. A weakness of Jisoo will be displayed very publicly. When this conjunction takes place in Aries, I would say this weakness is related to temper, immaturity, impulsivity etc. Hopefully, I am wrong, because I honestly don't see Jisoo as an hot-tempered person.😳

I hope anon you are happy with my analysis. ☺️ And have a good day!!

#kpop astrology #blackpink astrology #blackpink #blackpink jisoo #blackpink jisoo astrology

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yokefellows · 4 months

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God Is Still Seated On His Throne

Today's Saying

Many times in life, we find ourselves living on stale bread when what we really need is a fresh view… a revival view… of God.

Today's Scripture

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Isaiah 6:1

Today's Sermonette

I know how it goes. So many times in life, we find ourselves living on stale bread when what we really need is a fresh view… a revival view… of God.

We see evidence of this kind of revival in the life of the Old Testament prophet named Isaiah. Here’s what Isaiah 6:1 says,

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

Now, you have to understand that King Uzziah’s death caused great despair among the people of Israel. You see, he was the king who had brought them a long way… and the nation had made some great progress under his leadership.

So when he died, so, too, did the dreams of his people. Hopes were dashed, security was shaken, and stability was eroded because of his death. In other words, it was a bad year!

And maybe today, as we ease into a New Year, you’d have to admit that it’s been a bad year for you. Perhaps some of your dreams have died. Maybe some of your desires have been put on hold. And today, you’d just have to say, “It’s not been a good year!”

But here’s the good news that Isaiah learned in the midst of a very bad year:

Even when things aren’t working out on earth, heaven is still in charge. Even when the king has died, God is still seated on His throne.

One of the preeminent doctrines that you and I can never lose sight of if we want to understand and experience God anew is His sovereignty.

The sovereignty of God means that nothing gets to you before it comes through His fingers first. God is in charge.

The sovereignty of God means that He is ultimately calling the shots.

That’s why the stuff on earth can never be allowed to have the last word in your situation.

No matter how bleak things may look… how bad things may look… or how dead things may look… they can never have the last word. Why? Because while a king may die, the King is fine!

Today's Supplication

Father, thanks for Your sovereignty, my God, meaning that nothing gets to me without it coming through Your fingers first - You are in charge and ultimately calling the shots. This gives me hope for tomorrow. Amen!

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thedepthsiskindtome · 6 months

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Goebbels!Izuku Au

(pls bear with me)

In almost every story of LoV!Izuku ever, Izuku is either a) Strategist/Quirk Analyst, b)Leader, or C)The lynchpin that keeps this dysfunctional group of murder mc'killers together.

And while I love them, it also gets kinda boring after a while.

So, I present to you….

Propagandist!Izuku

The Goebbels to Tomura's Third Reich.

While he is STILL QUIRKLESS, having the power to make people explode is not required to control the narrative.

Lurking in-between falsehoods, twisted truths and borrowed voices. Izuku is the head of the propaganda department, the sly whisper in the breeze that get echoed by an army, given enough time.

He tried to protest, slowly at first, under the pseudonym of Mikumo Akatani or GreenBean02. But after The Incident™, it left him bitter, spitfire burning up a beacon. piercing the sky and letting it bleed.

Eventually, All For One noticed.

Vastly Change Canon. -USJ will be scrapped, cause it does not need to be here.

It starts simple. A lazy sidekick here, a slightly too trigger happy hero there, letting that distrust simmer. A snowball thrown.

And then, it starts getting traction.

A Top 100 Ranker being convicted of embezzlement, a quirkist politician(aren't they all?), a hospital denying treatment to a poor, young, sweet, innocent mutant. A drunk hero off duty beating up a starving child caught shoplifting a can of soup. The same hero using his position to molest an intern, leading to her stepping in front of a train, delaying it by half an hour for cleanup.

People are beginning to notice, slowly at first. Murmurs and whispers on unmoderated forums, on the beat up alleyways that always seem to smell of mold and old vomit and cigarettes soot and dog piss, forgotten corners where vagrants sleep atop old cardboard boxes.

They will not stand for this injustice, aren't they supposed to be our saviors? The shining,star spangled idols of the current and future generation, faces plastered on cereal boxes and women's underwear and plushies made in a sweatshop by underpaid laborers.

And then, like a spark that caught a trail of gasoline, it exploded, burning away the rotten, waterlogged floorboard to reveal the graveyard underneath.

Endeavor's little eugenics experiment, Hawks and all the commissions literal child soldiers.

All Might being but a fragile mortal, a neighborhood jog away from death's awaiting door.

Is this your heroes? Your lustrous, virtuous paragons?(not so mighty now, eh all might?) See how they are hollow and bare. They cannot protect you. They cannot save you, for they themselves are in need of saving. They are rusted and decrepit and no longer worthy of our trust.

The aftershock is felt. Every other mouth speaks, whether it be frustrated disagreement, teeth gnashing and chipped, how dare they criticize our gods!, Or quiet agreement, a glint of hope that, finally, Finally I'm not the only one who sees this anymore.

The insanity self-propagates, the so called Hero Public Safety Commission censoring the disloyal, further providing fuel to add to the pyre. Heroes caught in different factions. Panic and hysteria seeps in the populace.

The rate of deaths during protests increased by 43% this year, steadily rising.

Then, at the (too)perfect timing, a modern messiah appeared, Tomura Shiragaki.

He who promised that he had heard your pleas and woes, that in the world he is planning to create, there would not be a hero or villain needed to exist. That people will no longer be judged by the color of their skin or the scaled on their back, but by the weight of their character.

He who promised that everyone, no matter their place, will be guaranteed shelter and food to eat, the funds of the populace no longer being diverted to whenever a squabble between comic book characters inevitably destroy public infrastructure. How no one will no longer be judged on what mystical lottery prize they receive from the winnowed hands of fate.

How he will make Japan great again.

Such lofty promises sooth the hearts of men, if only for a while, and meanwhile the one closest to a god laughs, for those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it.

#bnha au #Please do not destroy me #bnha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #midoriya izuku

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garyh2628 · 1 year

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Building a Resilient Human Person Ecosystem

MY MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF MODERN SELFCARE HEALTHY STRUCTURAL SUCCESS IS A NEW GLOBAL HEALTH AND TRIUMPHANT LIVING AS ASSETS FRONTIER

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Partners in HEALTHY, Investing in PEOPLE - https://theglobalstructurenetwork.com/licensing-opportunities-1

When we began in 2020 in the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, we set out to change the current reactive models in order to meet Consumers' social and economic development goals. We knew that in order to make households knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity and Efficacy credible, we had to align activities with goals, and this would call for Structural reforms and, in some cases, the creation of new Structures. This was our initial focus and is still our focus because of the important role Consumers play in the global economy.

Though we are endowed with remarkable Modern Selfcare Qualities that confer great advantages upon us, we decided to pursue a long-term agenda that will continually and forever centre you, the Human Person and your Health and Triumphant Living as Assets goals. Making you formidable for your Human Development pursuit.

First, we understood that we had to pursue an institutional strategy in order to precipitate a sharper focus on Health and Triumphant Living as ASSETS risk prevention: shifting the culture from a reactive approach to getting ahead of the curve by addressing the root causes or root drivers of Households social and economic vulnerabilities, avoiding and minimising Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity, and Efficacy risks.

These lofty goals of ours called for legislative and structural wins and adaptation that mattered most to the advancement of the Human Person and their social and economic development. First, we had to convince the world that a transition to a Modern Selfcare economy that is "People First, Human Centred, Human Powered, and People Focus" will bring economic benefit both to the economy and, most importantly, to Consumers. Our more than 20 years of Healthy Structural SUCCESS, and our Modern Selfcare Agenda caught the attention of Corporations, Stakeholders, and Policymakers. That resulted in the largest ever Institutional Investment to address the root drivers that will enable a Modern Selfcare economy – where Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity, and Efficacy will be the root driver, shattering the previous assumptions that these types of ambitions are limited to small-scale initiatives.

In order to capture the remaining value from a transition to a Modern Selfcare economy, we knew we needed structural wins from connected Institutions and Stakeholders. Those Structural wins and implementation came through via alignment, setting us in the best stead to deliver for the Human Person dynamism. Today, those alignments speak to the seriousness of our Modern Selfcare Agenda and focus. Getting those alignments was critical because it would prevent and degrade the coercive and malign activities of those that are against Households/Consumers achieving absolute ownership. The capacity, capability, credibility, and know-how to be in control of their destinies. We know that dependencies and a reactive model exacerbate the impact of Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity, and Efficacy vulnerabilities.

We are your Modern Selfcare Root of Trust, your credible Modern Selfcare vulnerability deterrent, and agile in the face of disruption. We are now moving to the other aspect of our Agenda. We are focused on Investment, on Implementation, On Delivery and our role as the extension of Households, our CEOs, and Stakeholders, coordinating and collaborating to rapidly advance the development understanding of Modern Selfcare. We are also working on delivering our Products, Services, and Capital activity centres which includes your global Modern Selfcare Marketplace, Your Modern Selfcare Institution, and your Modern Selfcare Media/Publishing.

We believe, like our CEOs, that Households are in a golden moment with the Global Structure Network Group. Thank you to our CEOs, Corporations, and Stakeholders who are breaking down their silos and stepping outside their comfort zones to unlock our Modern Selfcare Value and Potential. Our Investment thesis is available for discussion with our Investors, CEOs and Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity and Efficacy stakeholders.

We are focused on forming partnerships with high-potential companies whose Products and Services align with our strategic priorities to propel our global Premiumisation Agenda forward. We are a Global For-Profit business with invaluable positive social impact. https://theglobalstructurenetwork.com/licensing-opportunities-1

The resources and ambitions are there for more formidable Modern Selfcare efforts and collaborations. We see opportunities everywhere, around every corner, and together we will use them to propel our "People First, Human Centred, Human Powered, and People Focus" Agenda forward and further. Modern Selfcare Products, Services and Capital the world can believe in. Let's go!

Your Dignity, Value, and the Full Worth of the Human Person Root of Trust,

Gary

The Founder’s Gallery – Disease Prevention, Health Promotion, Cultural Transformation, and Quality Enhancement - (Global Freedom and Personal Health and Wellbeing Prosperity Policy Chair)

Unrivalled Selfcare - Products, Services and Capital

The People, Organizations' and Brands we partner with will be visible on our sites under Impact Partners.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-global-structure-network/

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selenafreshfriendkidoaf · 1 year

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Reversed Queen of Cups tarot card meaning : Love and Relationships

Sovereign of Cups tarot card depiction The Sovereign of Cups is a staggering, intelligent sovereign who involves a lofty position by the water's edge. She is grasping a brilliant cup with heavenly messenger handle embellishments. This cup is shut, as opposed to the majority of the cups in the Suit of Cups cards, showing that the Sovereign's thoughts and sentiments begin from the profundities of her spirit.

Sovereign of Cups She is situated on a stone lofty position enhanced with pictures of fish, scallop shells, and ocean fairies. The internal identity is addressed by the ocean and fish and by water, which additionally represents energy, enthusiasm, and mindfulness. Around her, an unmistakable, splendid blue sky and quiet ocean should be visible. Her feet lay on splendid rocks on the shore; they are not in the water. She appears to be mindful of her sentiments, represented by the water however not overwhelmed by them.

Upstanding Sovereign of Cups tarot card meaning Sovereign of Cups The Sovereign of Cups is thoughtful, delicate, adoring, and kind. You are expecting to be her "supporting mother" energy when you see her in a Tarot perusing. By offering them your full consideration, showing them sympathy, and showing them the amount you give it a second thought, you might help other people. You are natural and can check out your intuition to recognize the necessities of others. You likewise hold the space for individuals to communicate their feelings and be their most real selves.

Love and Relationship (Upstanding) In the event that you are in an organization, the Sovereign of Cups in an adoration Tarot perusing can recommend a time of supporting, satisfaction, and profound security in the association. Nonetheless, the ideal end for your relationship may likewise rely on how transparent you are with yourself about your sentiments. Assuming you are single, the Sovereign of Cups proposes you get out and meet a few new individuals promptly since you could before long track down adoration! She means a female or ladylike individual who will be cordial, cherishing, mindful, and loving in the event that she is an individual. This individual has a great deal of sympathy and is a fantastic audience.

Finance (Upstanding) The present moment, you may be offering monetary help for other people. The sovereign of cups might recommend that you are moved to help a companion, relative, or cause out of luck. The sovereign much of the time shows here a delicate update that abundance isn't all that matters. You shouldn't offer everything of your consideration to the detriment of different elements in your day to day existence. The Sovereign of Cups is a positive sign for your monetary circumstance in a financial perusing. She alerts you to be cautious with your spending and moderating for the long run.

Profession (Upstanding) The Sovereign of Cups can propose that you assess whether your ongoing work fulfills your material and profound requests in a lifelong climate. This card might demonstrate that you would do well in a lifelong in the aiding business, like nursing, directing, recuperating, or human expression or style. It might likewise imply that a genuinely steady lady will give you the help and profession counsel you require. She can act as a delicate wake up call to focus on your and your collaborators' personal wellbeing and expert turn of events.

Wellbeing (Upstanding) The Sovereign of Cups can address somebody showing you give it a second thought or backing for your wellbeing. This can show that you'll require help dealing with your wounds or sickness in certain circumstances. Nonetheless, it can likewise connote that you should be kinder to your body and yourself. In the event that you are managing a disorder or injury, make an effort not to be too severe with yourself; all things considered, endeavor to take great consideration of yourself and give yourself the time you expect to recuperate.

Turned around Sovereign of Cups tarot card meaning Sovereign of Cups The Sovereign of Cups switched Tarot card commonly means profound youthfulness in a more extensive setting. She may likewise indicate that you're acting sullen, miserable, or unnecessarily touchy. On the off chance that things don't turn out well for you, this Minor Arcana card inverts alerts you against getting angry or noxious. You ought to constantly endeavor to conquer your deterrents and oppose succumbing to hatred or envy. Switched Sovereign of Cups could connote a feeble, careless, or shallow female or ladylike individual all in all.

It's conceivable that you offer a lot of yourself while getting little as a trade off. Or then again you could accidentally urge reliance to cause you to feel needed. Take a gander at your associations and figure out where you can foster a solid distance. Switched, the Sovereign of Cups signifies a lady or female mature individual who may be excessively touchy, poor, or tenacious. She might be deficient in compassion since she is so distracted with herself.

Reversed Queen of Cups tarot card meaning : Love and Relationships The Sovereign of Cups switched in an adoration Tarot deck could act as an advance notice in the event that you are seeing someone to let your feelings of trepidation or absence of trust ruin your association. Before you drive your darling endlessly, you want to recover close to home control assuming that you have been poor or sticking. Then again, in the event that you've been hurrying around attempting to make your relationship work, you really want to contemplate putting your necessities first or you'll wear out. Give your all to keep up with your close to home equilibrium and oppose other people who attempt to receive the rewards of your benevolence.

Finance (Switched) The switched Sovereign of Vups can be a card that urges you to consider your own profound wellbeing and how it connects with your feeling of monetary steadiness with regards to your monetary condition. However long you are likewise managing the basic explanation of your bitterness, taking part in over the top shopping or a little retail treatment might be valuable in the short run. Turn away overstretching yourself also; your sympathy and love for others might simplify it for you to really focus on them in any event, when you miss the mark on means to do as such. On the off chance that the switched sovereign of cups happens according to your vocation, you may be having a few profound issues at work.

Vocation (Switched) With regards to your calling, the Sovereign of Cups switched can be an indication that you may be very delicate or profound, which could be worrying you working. It might likewise be an indication that you are giving a lot of yourself to your work, getting complicated, or neglecting to successfully deal with your time, which leaves you feeling drained or depleted. Attempt to adjust your own and proficient lives. It could likewise address an absence of concentration or bearing that is making you fretful.

Wellbeing (Turned around) The Sovereign of Cups switched in a wellbeing setting can recommend that you may be driving yourself excessively far and imperiling your wellbeing. Attempt to find the concordance you want by setting aside some margin for yourself. It might likewise be an indication that you are excessively delicate to noxious or brutal people, environmental elements, or conditions, which could appear as actual side effects. focus on dealing with yourself first.

Switched Sovereign of Cups demonstrates that you are not really focusing on your actual requirements. To keep up with your wellbeing, make a stride back and make a superior propensity. You can believe that you are too occupied to even consider worrying about your wellbeing, yet this will at last damage you. Before focusing on others, deal with yourself. This card may likewise recommend that for your actual wellbeing to improve, you want to address your close to home prosperity. So to work well and care for others pondering your own prosperity first is significant.

Sovereign of Cups: One Card Pull Whenever you really want compact, to-the-point arrangements, just a single card is pulled. It is utilized for circumstances where you want positive, Yes-or-No answers. Consequently, getting a one-card pull is normally useful in the event that you are going through a troublesome situation or are caught having a tough time. After the card has been rearranged, you can pick one from the deck. You will get the proper reaction to your question. The results of one sovereign of cups card pull are as per the following:

Upstanding Position: The Sovereign of Cups addresses compassion, fondness, and thought for others. It is a by and large inspiring card that addresses dedication and backing. Your yes or no inquiry has a yes reaction due to the previously mentioned factors. For questions including connections, this is particularly evident.

Switched Position: As was recently said, on the off chance that the Sovereign of Cups shows up in switch in a Yes-or-No tarot perusing, it turns into a No card. This alteration possibly produces results assuming the tarot peruser themselves understands inversions.

Sovereign of Cups Card for Timing The Sovereign of Cups shows that anything you need or miracle about will grow progressively assuming your inquiry concerns the planning of an occasion. In any case, the flood will increment since the Water component signifies a streaming activity that is consistent yet solid. Remembering that all that you are requesting is coming, slowly creating over the long haul, and turning into a predictable progression of advantages is the way you need to grasp this. The best procedure for deciding the time with the Cups suit is to continuously think somewhere around one later.

At the point when instinct and sentiments are set in motion, the Sovereign of Cups predicts a critical event. This occasion could occur in 1-3 days. Monitoring the card's number will simplify it to appreciate the time. Through tarot card perusing or some other kind of profound perusing, it tends to be trying to make long haul forecasts in light of the fact that our future is continually likely to change contingent upon the choices and activities we do in the present.

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anthonybronaugh · 2 years

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Top Inspirational Quotes

According to Anthony Bronaugh, there is no one way to succeed, and no single inspirational saying will be effective for everyone. People that are successful have encountered obstacles and failed on several occasions. It is crucial to understand that you will have setbacks and that you will need to learn how to deal with them. This is why the following quotations are used frequently by prominent people:

Oprah Winfrey provides some inspiring quotations if you're looking for inspiration. Numerous people have found success in a number of industries thanks to her advise on anything from leadership and love to life and success. Read through these wise words from the Queen of Soul when you have some free time. They'll inspire you to pursue your goals and fully live your life. They can also serve as a roadmap for your own personal success.

Media tycoon, talk show host, philanthropist, and publisher Oprah Winfrey. Her brilliant career has spanned all media platforms, and the story of her personal life is motivating. She was raised in a low-income family in a rural area of Mississippi and has disproven many skeptics. Oprah makes it clear in her comments that pursuing your dreams is attainable, despite how difficult they may first appear.

Some of the best ZIG ZIGLAR motivating quotes may help anyone, whether they are a student, a company owner, or a new mother. Millions of people have been motivated to achieve their objectives by the renowned businessman and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar. Read these inspirational quotations to shift your perspective and attitude if you've been feeling bad about your life.

Zig, a motivational speaker, reminds us that everything has a purpose, no matter how little or lofty the undertaking. We go closer to our goals when we concentrate on our daily goals and picture our final destination before we set out on the path to attain them. Although we are endowed with skill from birth, without a goal, we are merely dreamers. Successful individuals help others develop these skills when they see them in them. They understand that God made them specifically for a purpose.

Anthony Bronaugh believes that, "Everything is possible" is one of the most encouraging motivational sayings. No matter what your circumstances, as long as you believe in yourself, you can do anything. One of those role models is Helen Keller. Despite being blind and deaf, she led a meaningful life and eventually graduated with a BA. She emphasized that we should not let our impairments cause us to become used to our daily routines. She believed that every man had the potential to do great things and was an idealist.

In reality, she shared her experiences with others, living up to her reputation as a lecturer and author. She also became one of the first deaf-blind persons to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree and became a vocal advocate for disabled people. The motivational sayings of Helen Keller are evidence of the strength of will. She struggled to communicate with people because of her impairment, but she was determined not to let her restrictions stop her. She serves as an inspiration for individuals with disabilities all around the world because of her upbeat attitude and unwavering determination.

You need go no farther than Phil Knight for motivational sayings to increase your own drive. Phil Knight started off in poverty despite being a millionaire now. Despite this, he never stops motivating millions of people with his inspirational remarks. These quotations are taken from his book Shoe Dog, which describes the entrepreneur's biography and how he succeeded by developing the well-known Nike shoes.

Phil Knight had little money and no direction when he was a young man, yet he nevertheless managed to create a firm that is now worth over $100 billion. Knight explains how Nike came to be and the difficulties he encountered in the process in his biography, "Shoe Dog." The biography, which is an interesting read, comes to a close in 1980, the year Nike went public. Any leader will find inspiration in its abundance of inspirational sayings on faith and passion.

Read some of Anthony Robbins' inspiring quotations to get your day off to a good start. Prince Diana and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev were two of the international leaders whom self-help author Tony Robbins has mentored. The best resources for personal growth may be found in his lectures, audiotapes, and publications. His inspirational sayings offer sound guidance on the subject as well as justifications for change.

Read some of Tony Robbins' statements about transformation if you want to change the world. These sayings are straightforward but incredibly motivating. They demonstrate how to alter your perspective, get beyond challenges, and achieve your goals. Although life is a roller coaster, you must not allow it stop you from making changes. There are tons of useful tips in these inspirational quotations that may be used in daily life. They provide a novel outlook on life.

Warren Buffett, one of the most well-known and powerful business figures, has a large collection of motivational sayings. His guidance for young people strives to enable them to make sensible decisions, enabling them to live their ambitions. The millionaire is well known for his outlook that success cannot be attained overnight. It is a procedure instead. You must take action every day if you want to succeed. Some of his inspirational sayings to support your success are included below.

Anthony Bronaugh pointed out that, one of Warren Buffett's most influential remarks about motivation is about stock investing. Although a lot of individuals believe they can invest and start making money right away, this is a fiction. Warren Buffett loves to keep stocks for a long period and considers each company's fundamentals. This comprises the business's capacity to innovate, forge a competitive edge, and increase profitability. Although Warren Buffett's advice may seem a little too obvious, it can help people get over their fear of public speaking and help them make the right investments.

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ticklishraspberries · 2 years

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Happy Thoughts (Ginny/Luna)

Summary: Ginny is overthinking. Luna helps her get rid of the Nargles. (First day of my Femslash February fics! This ship is one of my all time favorites. I hope you enjoy.)

Ginny and Luna were studying by the lake. Well, Ginny was re-reading the same paragraph of her textbook for the tenth time, while Luna was sitting by the edge of the lake, talking to the giant squid. Ginny could faintly hear her apologizing to the squid for how the other students teased him, and it made a fond smile curl on her face.

“I thought you had a Potions essay to do,” she called.

Luna turned around, her hair rippling over her shoulders like the waves of the lake, and she smiled sheepishly. “I wrote about a page of it, but I got distracted.”

Ginny gave a fond chuckle. “I’m not having much luck either. My mind is in a hundred other places.”

Luna looked back to the lake, offering a lofty wave towards it (presumably for the squid), then rose to her feet and plopped down beside Ginny once again. “What kind of places?”

“Quidditch, our OWLs, you know,” she replied. There was one thing she didn’t mention, though: Her crush on her best friend, a certain blonde Ravenclaw who befriended giant squids. It was a double-edged sword, studying with Luna, because while it was a great excuse to spend time together, Ginny never seemed to get any work done, because she was busy stealing glances.

Luna nodded sagely. “Nargles can also contribute to that, you know,” she said.

Ginny smiled fondly. “Can they? Well, I must have a pretty bad case then. Is there a cure?”

“Thinking happy thoughts,” Luna replied.

Most people took what Luna said with a grain of salt, but not Ginny. Even if she didn’t believe in all those funny creatures she described, she wasn’t going to discredit the concept either. Besides, could it hurt to think of some happy things now and then? She allowed her mind to wander. She thought about how Gryffindor won their last Quidditch match, and the Outstanding mark she received on her last Charms essay. She thought about the treacle tart she’d eaten last night and the smell of Luna’s hair. She thought about leaning in and kissing Luna’s lips right then and there, without an ounce of fear or worry.

“Are they starting to clear up?” Luna asked, pulling Ginny out of her daydream.

Ginny smiled. “I think so. Thanks, Luna.”

A rare, mischievous smile curled on the Ravenclaw’s face, and that look alone was enough to give Ginny goosebumps.

“Are you sure you’re happy enough? I don’t know if the Nargles believe you…” Luna said, scooting closer.

Giggles of anticipation were already threatening to spill from Ginny’s lips, but she made no effort to run away. It was something that she and Luna did often, this sort of dance where Ginny pretended she hadn’t been practically begging for it, and Luna obliges her silent demands without pointing out how much Ginny wanted it.

Fingers made contact with Ginny’s sides and wiggled furiously, causing the ginger girl to collapse in a fit of laughter. Luna followed her in earnest, giggling along.

The two rolled around in the grass for a moment, grappling for the upper hand, but Ginny didn’t put up much of a fight, allowing Luna to launch a very effective attack on her stomach, and the Ravenclaw only stopped when her friend’s laughter grew slightly breathless. Then again, Ginny hasn’t asked her to stop.

Ginny was sprawled on the grass, cheeks flushed and hair a mess, and her chest heaved as she caught her breath. “Think the Nargles are gone now?” she asked, grinning.

Luna nodded. “I think so. Your laugh probably scared them away.” Although it sounded like a teasing statement, her tone was matter of fact, and her expression seemed deadly serious.

With a fond shake of her head, Ginny sat back up, pushing her hair out of her face.

“If they come back, I’d be happy to tickle you again,” Luna said.

Ginny’s blush deepened, gaze fixed on her own knees. “Thanks.”

Luna leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Ginny’s red cheek. “Anytime.”

#linny #luna x ginny #ginny x luna #hp fic #hpfemslashnet #hpfemslash #hp femslash #linny fic #hp tickle fic #hp ticklefic #tickle fic #ticklefic #raspberry writes #femslash february #wlw

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astrojoy · 3 years

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🎈Random Jupiter Observations 🎈

DISCLAIMER

● Please remember that everything matters. Thus, planets aspecting definetly play a role on how certain things may play out in life

● Debilitation upon planets happens! (Definitely know this upon personal experience and my mothers chart)

Thank you, now enjoy you beautiful strangers ❤

🌹 Jupiter in the 5th house of the Navamsa/D9 chart - Guarenteed marriage, son, or many children/since jupiter expands this area 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in the 9th house gives a very philisophical nature or tendencies. Could possibly gain higher education such as college 🌹

🌹 Jupiter/Venus aspects can give a very charismatic person, joyful or optimistic about things. They can come off as overly attractive depending on its house placement 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in the 8th house may transform or change a lot? Like through sex they may open up more 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in 12th can give someone a philosophy oriented mind. Might travel abroad or deal with other countries in some way. This can also indicate where they may learn many things like from dealing with foreign affairs. (Also extra! Just a guess on this part but I think for some people it may even hide jupiter-like qualities?? Definetly depends though 🤔) also since jupiter can represent older brother, it could mean for a select few that ones older brother left early or completely abandoned the family or something 🌹

🌹 Jupiter trine Chiron can give the ability to overcome "weaknesses" and turn it into something beneficial (ex - Chiron in 3rd) Someone can turn their way of communicating into a totally awkward (in a cute way) or lofty feel. Someone might even embrace their weakness and learn to work with it! 🥺 🌹

🌹 Jupiter/Mars aspect can give an abundance of energy, sex drive or aggressiveness 🌹

🌹 Jupiter/Saturn aspects might want to work in a way that's useful rather than vise versa (ex - working for a cause or just informing or teaching) 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in Virgo can create a person who's very particular about ehat they choose for certain things (ex - Jupiter in virgo 11th might be picky about who to trust or become friends with. Or they may need to be a lot like you) Jupiter tends to be debilitated in Virgo, this is because Jupiter wants to expand wherever it's placed in the chart, however Virgo wants to stiffle this and be analytical or calculative about stuff 🌹

🌹 Ive noticed Jupiter in Leo's tend to shine a bit more or be extroverted?? However they can be so so generous about things! Forgot about that homework for chemistry? No problem! Ask your Jupiter in Leo friend for help ! ! 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in 1st house can make someone honest, however sometimes blunt 😃 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in ascendant - Why are yall so attractive!? This can give such a stunning appearance from what I've seen. It can give an overall attractive body or just great health in general. (ALSO - because I wanted a celebrity example after writing this I looked up people whoever had this placement and did you know V from BTS has this? Also Harry Styles? Explains so much 😭 🌹

🌹 Again, Jupiter in ascendant can make someone seem very cheerful and full of life, however they may deal with things such as gluttony or the total oppisite, extremely active (1st/mars) 🌹

🌹 Jupiter/Pluto aspects can transoform someone a ton of times throughout life where these planets are in the natal chart 🌹

🌹 Jupiter in Cancer people are so comfortable to be with, they give off such nurturing or motherly vibes 😩 🌹

🌹 Jupiter transiting the 4th house can give a new car or bring new ideas when you're by yourself or with family. Check whatevers aspecting especially for this of course! 😄 🌹

Have an amazing day ! ❤

Now 😡

Or I will take away your birthchart 😃

#astrology #astrology observations #jupiter #zodiac #jupiter aspects

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dailyadventureprompts · 3 years

Photo

Wilderness: Roads of the Coldhearted

Your party presses through the veil of sleet, and every step you take feels like a struggle. You are fighting the very wind itself, and the frost covered bones and crumbling ruins you’ve passed serve to remind you that standing still in such weather is a death sentance. How did you get here? What need could be so great as to climb these perilous peeks? The hole in your memory shocks you enough that you nearly lose your friends around a bend in the path. Catching up to them, you see it, battlements only visable against the rock and the migrane colored sky by their sheer scale. A castle, and perhaps a chance to get out of the cold you’ve been trapped in for so long.

Setup: There are many dread domains, each one a nightmare prison built to contain a great evil. This one is a labyrinthian tangle of pathways through a jagged mountainside, reflecting the final hours of a bloodthirsty margrave who spent hours fighting though a winter storm to return home, only to discover that all his cruelty had been in vain.

Sorrow, war, and misfortune are the ruling elements here, along with the horror of exposure and a chilling wind that hunts the party with it’s own malicious will.

Challenges & Complications:

Wretched beasts ride the skies of this domain, striking without warning or circling like stormbitten buzzards. The remnants of soldiers mummified by the cold shamble their way through patrols or wait in ambush, and always return to their station after some time after their clashes with the party. Those that wear tattered officer’s uniform even manage to remember previous encounters, and will plan their defenses accordingly.

Leaving the domain will require the party to trace a shifting maze of claustrophobic caverns, icy canyons, crumbling bridges and narrow switchbacks that what. as the “roads” of this domain. They possess their own sinister intelligence, seeming to know the exact right time to close or fail and drop the party into a new form of peril. Scaps of maps may be found hidden along the road like treasure, but these too are full of misdirections, showing no true path and seemingly only able to agree that the mountains they depict are called “The Sorrows”.

The castle in the heart of the ragged web of pathways is no shelter from the blizzard, as the cold winds pour from its open windows and echo through it’s echoing halls. This fortress is home to many terrible beasts, none more so than a screaming windstorm known as the Resounding Agony, which prowls the domain the way a shark might a reef. While not exactly intelligent, it will harry interlopers by alerting their pursuers, causing avalanches, and causing maddening fatigue.

Sorrowsworn and other shadowfell beats are drawn to the Roads of the coldhearted en-masse, and can frequently be seen clashing with the soldiers. This is quite unusual for a dread domain, but whatever unseen architect is at work here seems to allow it.

Background: Nothing mattered to Margrave Orlan Esterna more than legacy. He was a proud patriot who’s family had defended the borders of the empire for generations, and he was bred, raised, and trained for the singular purpose of holding that border against those he thought to be little better than beasts. Savage cruelty was what was expected of lords like Orlan, and he differed from his predecessors only in that he did not confine that cruelty to wartime. The Margrave was of the opinion that the continued existence of his ancestral enemy was provocation enough to ride out into the lowlands to burn villages and poison wells, or to put his own peasants to death for too closely resembling those peoples he hated. Thus did the margrave Esterna carve a moat of death and terror around his lands, ruling it from the lofty heights of his ancestral keep.

Orlan’s one joy in life was his extended family, a panoply of siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins that shared in his storied legacy, and lived dotted out through neighboring lands. Favorite among these favorites were a pair of nieces, who Orlan and his wife raised as daughters and heirs, as they could not have children of their own.

The Margrave’s bloodlust came back to haunt him one day as news reached him of an incoming raiding force, led by the sister of a commander he had captured ( and gorily tortured) in the last border skirmish. Riding out with his men, Orlan realized too late that the “raiding party” was merely a faint, and that the avenging sister’s true intent had actually been a direct strike at his home, perfectly timed with a winter storm to delay his soldier’s march back to the keep. Caring nothing for his own troops, Orlan marched them anyway, and lost most to a day and a night of freezing wind and snow-slicked paths that were never meant for so many travelers. Even with his haste, the Margrave was too late. His household had been slaughtered, and the cruelties he had inflicted upon that foreign commander had been returned to him threefold. Discovering his wife and nieces in that state broke him, and in that moment he and his keep were taken by the mists, as the dark powers caught scent of his suffering.

Further Adventures:

Margrave Orlan remains frozen in the moment of his greif, petrifed into an ever-screaming statue fromwhich the howling storm emerges. The Innermost chamber of his keep has become a frigid gallery of his own mistakes, in which the gory cruelties of his life play out in the flickering ice-sheets, though whether they are visions sent to torment him or his own memories, none can say. This gallery is haunted by a shadowy reflection of the avenging sister, who rules over the castle and its denizens as if it were her own.

Scenes of Orlan’s wanton violence are echoed throughout his domain, from the poisoned wells, to the destroyed villages, to grim chambers of torture slick with half frozen blood. As with many men addicted to violence, Orlan was also a consummate duelist, and his victims wait in dramatic locations waiting for their chance at a rematch.

The only way to calm the storm and temporarily escape the dread-lord’s attention is to bait the Resounding Agony into pursuit across the mountains and draw it into the statue chamber in which Orlan sits. The scream meeting its origin will create a feedback loop and shatter the vision-displaying ice, calming the howling statue for a short time along with the tempest outside. At this point the Margrave’s statue will begin to weep (the dread domains are not subtle), and the puddles that result will collect and form new vision ice in time.

Rewards:

Perhaps the only reason to willingly travel the Roads of the Coldhearted is to reclaim the Margrave’s famed weapon: Forebearance. created by a heroic ancestor who earned the family their noble investature for services granted to a sainted king. The weapon itself is rumored to have possessed great power, as some might call it a vestige of divergence

Dormant:

The weapon is a paired set, a +1 silvered longspear ( 1d8, 1d10 versatile), and a +1 shield that share an attunement slot. Both are intricately filigreed, and can act as any kind of spellcasting focus.

These items also possess the “trick” quality, allowing the bearer to combine (or revert) them as a bonus action to transform them into an oversized battleax. In this form the weapon is still silvered, but has the heavy property, a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls, and has a damage die of 2d8. The unwieldy nature of this weapon in this form causes it to get stuck into a nearby surface on a roll of natural 1, requiring it to be pulled free in place of an attack.

Awakened:

The weapon gains a pool of “zeal” points equal to the wielder’s proficiency bonus. When wielding the spear, they may spend one point to cast wrathful smite. While wielding the shield, they may spend a point as a reaction to reroll a failed save, taking the second roll even if it is lower. If wielding the Battleax, they may cast dispel magic as part of an attack roll, using the attack roll in place of the spellcasting ability check. These zeal points refresh on a long rest.

Exalted:

Familiarity with Forbearance allows the user to swap between forms on their turn, including in between attacks or as part of a reaction. The longspear’s bonus becomes +2, the shield grants +1 to saving throws, and the battleax’s bonus improves to +3. The zeal points now refresh on a short rest.

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azaisya · 3 years

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late submission for qijiu week day 2 (curses/blessings)! have roughly 3k of lighthearted fic feat. outsider pov and getting together. rating: t

When Qi Qingqi returned from a mission with Yue Qingyuan’s unconscious body slung over one shoulder, the entirety of Cang Qiong Mountain imploded. Disciples ran everywhere like chickens with their heads cut off, and half of the Peak Lords followed suit.

Mu Qingfang didn’t know—or care—about any of that. He was the one that Qi Qingqi dumped Yue Qingyuan’s unconscious body on, and so it was up to him to try to find a cure.

For a sleeping curse, of all the absurd things.

The demon had supposedly been putting entire villages to sleep so she could feast on their dreams. The stories had been alarming enough to warrant sending two Peak Lords to deal with the problem, but everybody had agreed it was probably overkill.

Well. Apparently not.

At least Qi Qingqi had managed to behead the thing after it’d cursed Yue Qingyuan.

Demons rarely used sleeping curses. It was an impractically complicated method to get something that could be achieved with simple knockout powder or any blunt object.

Unlike knockout powder or a blunt object, Mu Qingfang didn’t have the cure sitting readily on his shelf.

He was just starting to sift through what he did have when the distant crash of his door slamming open interrupted his concentration. He grimaced. One of these days, Shang Qinghua was finally going to snap and go after Liu Qingge for destroying so many doors.

“Where is he?” a voice demanded, as low and snarling and dangerous as any demon.

Mu Qingfang hastily put down his things and made for the entrance room as the danger level ratcheted up from Liu Qingge to Shen Qingqiu.

Sure enough, Shen Qingqiu was standing in the doorway, glaring one of Mu Qingfang’s disciples into a nervous wreck. “Tell me where he is, you sniveling brat.”

The poor boy looked like he was about to faint. Mu Qingfang came into the room and smiled pleasantly. “I would appreciate it if you could refrain from insulting my disciples, Shen-shixiong.”

Shen Qingqiu whirled on him, and the little disciple let out a squeak and ran for it. Mu Qingfang would have to scold him later, but he wouldn’t be too stern. All his disciples were terrified of Shen Qingqiu, and for good reason. The man looked absolutely livid, his usual affected loftiness abandoned for a raw fury that even Liu Qingge couldn’t draw from him. At his hip, Xiu Ya rattled in its sheath. “Do not make me repeat myself.”

Mu Qingfang’s smile didn’t slip. “Zhangmen-shixiong is currently resting in a private room.”

“Resting,” Shen Qingqiu repeated, the word dripping with derision. He opened his fan with a sharp snap of his wrist, and his dark eyes glinted over its edge. “Let me see him.”

“Ah.” Introducing an element as volatile as Shen Qingqiu to a sick room was invariably a terrible idea. Explicitly telling him so was an even worse one. “Shen-shixiong, I’m afraid that Zhangmeng-shixiong’s state is currently very delicate. It would be best if he didn’t receive visitors right now.”

If looks could kill, Mu Qingfang would be a smear on the floor right now. “Was I asking?”

As mildly as ever, Mu Qingfang said, “I wasn’t aware that Shen-shixiong and Zhangmen-shixiong were close? If Shen-shixiong is truly so worried, then I suppose a brief visit would not be remiss.”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes widened over his fan. “I’m not worried,” he snapped, “I am merely doing my duty, as the lord of Cang Qiong Mountain’s second peak.”

Got him. Mu Qingfang smiled, not at all smugly because he still had common sense and Shen Qingqiu still had Xiu Ya. “Shen-shixiong is truly admirable. Zhangmen-shixiong is still sleeping, and this one was just about to create a cure.”

Shen Qingqiu floundered as gracefully and loftily as he did anything else. After a beat, he closed his fan with a snap and whirled around. “Fine. Do it quickly.”

“Of course.”

Shen Qingqiu drew Xiu Ya in a dramatic sweep and leapt into the air. Mu Qingfang squinted after him. He was heading in the direction of Xian Shu Peak, which was not where he should be going if he was truly “doing his duty as the lord of Cang Qiong Mountain’s second peak.”

Which— interesting. Mu Qingfang hadn’t been aware that Yue Qingyuan’s frankly painfully obvious affections were returned with anything other than reluctant tolerance.

He could think of no other reason for Shen Qingqiu to go haring off to Xian Shu Peak if it wasn’t to harass Qi Qingqi for more information about the demon that had cursed Yue Qingyuan.

Well. At least that was a better use for his energy than pestering healers who had work to do.

Mu Qingfang gave it an hour before either Shen Qingqiu or Qi Qingqi got fed up enough with each other to draw a blade, which should give him at least an hour and a half before anybody came running to him for emergency healing.

With a sigh, he got to work.

---

It took them forty minutes. Mu Qingfang barely resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose as a hysterical Xian Shu disciple babbled about how Shen Qingqiu had attacked Qi Qingqi—

“Like a beast! For no reason at all!” the girl cried, “He’s going to kill her!”

Mu Qingfang considered his options. He didn’t like Shen Qingqiu, but he would never deny the man the respect he deserved. He was acerbic and impossible to work with, but he would never just attack Qi Qingqi for no reason. It was far more likely that she’d snapped at him and he—in his state of heightened stress—had overreacted and then she had overreacted too.

Mu Qingfang smiled his most dangerous smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you properly. Would shizhi mind repeating herself?”

The girl made a vague choking sound and hastily dropped into a bow. “This humble disciple apologizes for her disrespect! She—humbly—requests that Mu-shishu sends medical aid to Xian Shu Peak!”

Mu Qingfang kept smiling, because otherwise he was going to make a very unattractive expression. “What exactly did Shen-shixiong and Qi-shijie get themselves into?”

The girl wavered, still refusing to meet his gaze. “This disciple is unsure. Guo-shijie sent this one here as a— as a precautionary measure before anything terrible happened.”

Mu Qingfang did not have time for this. He sent her away along with a handful of his best disciples to assuage her wide-eyed look of terror and irritably returned to his work. If Shen Qingqiu or Qi Qingqi got themselves hurt badly enough to need his help, then they’d need to wait their turn.

---

Thirty minutes later, there was another knock on his door. With a heavy sigh, Mu Qingfang gathered himself and went to open it. To his surprise, Shen Qingqiu was standing outside. He had his fan raised to cover the lower half of his face, and his hair and robes were only mildly ruffled by his flight here and whatever brawl he’d gotten into with Qi Qingqi.

Mu Qingfang just smiled and waited. It would do Shen Qingqiu some good to have to actually ask for what he wanted.

Those dark eyes narrowed over his fan. “Have you made any progress in your research?”

Mu Qingfang kept smiling, because otherwise he’d probably bang his head into the door. Did Shen Qingqiu think that constant interruptions were the ideal environment for productive work? Is that what was happening here?

It didn’t seem like he really wanted an answer, because Shen Qingqiu continued, “Qi-shimei shared the details of the incident with me. I would like to inspect our Zhangmen-shixiong’s condition myself.” He lowered his fan to reveal a smile that suggested it wasn’t a question.

Mu Qingfang did sigh this time, because apparently Shen Qingqiu cared about Yue Qingyuan! Who knew! Definitely not somebody who’d been forced to sit through their sniping at meetings, that was for sure. “Shen-shixiong may come in,” he allowed, “so long as he maintains the peace of the chambers.”

There was no point keeping him out, after all. He was practically vibrating with stress as it was, and there was no way he wouldn’t cause some other disaster if Mu Qingfang turned him away now.

“Of course.” Shen Qingqiu closed his fan with a snap. “No need for Mu-shidi to chaperone. I’m sure he has much to do.” Without waiting for a response, he strode past Mu Qingfang and through the door to Yue Qingyuan’s sick room.

Which. Great. Excellent.

Mu Qingfang spent exactly three seconds valiantly staring at his work before giving up and following after Shen Qingqiu, fully prepared to do some kind of damage control. To his surprise, the other man was standing motionless in Yue Qingyuan’s doorway, toes barely over the threshold. The hand holding his fan was white with tension.

Cautiously, Mu Qingfang said, “Shen-shixiong is free to enter.”

Shen Qingqiu’s shoulders tensed. He turned, unfolding his fan with a smooth, languid motion and bringing it up to cover the lower half of his face as he peered at Mu Qingfang. “Mu-shidi should get back to work. Cang Qiong Mountain needs our sect leader, after all.”

Mu Qingfang stared at him. Shen Qingqiu’s eyes were the color of lakewater at its murkiest. They were a deep grey-green, and they were filled with something terrible and unreadable, something that was somehow even more frightening than his usual hissing, spitting fury.

Ah, he thought, suddenly.

“I’ll find a cure,” he promised.

Shen Qingqiu’s fingers tightened around his fan. His eyes narrowed, as if he were about to scoff, but in the end he just looked back through the door at Yue Qingyuan’s unconscious form, arms tucked neatly at his sides and blanket drawn up to his chest. Without another word, he turned and stalked out.

---

Mu Qingfang read many, many scrolls. He looked through all his notes, attempted all his usual solutions, but the demon’s sleeping curse was tenacious. It clung stubbornly to Yue Qingyuan, locking him in dreams no matter what Mu Qingfang tried.

In the end, there was only one solution left.

. . . Shen Qingqiu was going to eviscerate him.

---

“Are you telling me,” Shen Qingqiu hissed, all but vibrating with poorly-disguised fury, “that the only solution is to sleep with him?!”

“Dual cultivation with a suitably powerful partner, yes,” Mu Qingfang replied evenly, smiling as if he wasn’t sweating bullets. The other Peak Lords, summoned for an update on their sect leaders’ condition and now attempting to melt into their chairs to avoid Shen Qingqiu’s rapidly building wrath, happily avoided eye contact. Liu Qingge had probably zoned out two sentences into the meeting.

Shen Qingqiu tilted his chin up, both dismissive and derisive all at once. “You have access to resources of the most powerful sect in the cultivation world, and the best you can give me is dual cultivation.”

Mu Qingfang did not flinch. It would’ve been a near miss, but Shen Qingqiu’s now obvious affection and concern for Yue Qingyuan had diminished his wrath to the hissing of an overprotective kitten and also Mu Qingfang was probably running on a few too many days without sleep. So he said, “Unfortunately, yes, that is accurate.”

Shen Qingqiu’s eyes locked onto him. Several tense moments passed. Shang Qinghua, several chairs away and not at all involved in the action, was nearly purple with stress. Finally, Shen Qingqiu stepped back, drawing his anger into some secret part of himself until nothing was left but a cold, cruel elegance. “Well! How far the majesty of Cang Qiong Mountain has fallen.” His lip curled into a sardonic sneer. “If I am ever cursed and the only solution is to sleep with my unconscious corpse, then just slit my throat and put us all out of our mistry.”

Somewhere in the back of the room, somebody mumbled, “Please.”

Shen Qinggqiu’s teeth clicked together. “Mu-shidi,” he said, in the same voice that made Mu Qingfang’s disciples piss themselves, “Surely there are some books on my Qing Jing Peak that you haven’t yet looked over. How can you make a diagnosis when you haven't done all the research yet?”

Mu Qingfang considered slamming his head onto the table. Unfortunately, he doubted that Shen Qingqiu’s mood was permissive enough to allow such dramatics.

. . . it was never permissive enough to allow such dramatics.

With the pleasant smile of a man who had definitely already read every single relevant book on Cang Qiong Mountain, he said, “I suppose I may have been remiss in my responsibilities. Zhangmen-shixiong’s condition is in no danger of worsening, and so there is no harm in further examining what information we have.”

Shen Qingqiu’s smile might as well have been fanged. “Good. I will drop them off as soon as possible.” With one last glare at the rest of the Peak Lords, he turned sharply on his heel and strode from the room in a flurry of green silks and danger.

Shang Qinghua sagged into the table. Qi Qingqi snorted and patted Mu Qingfang on the shoulder. “Good luck with that one, Mu-shidi.”

Mu Qingfang carefully did not stop smiling.

---

He waited until he was safely alone in his workshop before slamming his head on the table. It didn’t solve anything, but it did technically give him several seconds of shut-eye and that was better than nothing.

He was interrupted—once again—by the sound of his door violently slamming open.

“Shen-shixiong,” he said, peeling his face off his desk.

“Mu-shidi.” Shen Qingqiu sat down next to him and folded his hands neatly in his lap, deceptively demure. “Is dual cultivation really the only way to cure Zhangmen-shixiong of his curse?”

Mu Qingfang peered at Shen Qingqiu’s sleeves. They didn’t look very full, but there was no telling how many books the man had shoved into them. “There may perhaps—” Theoretically, possibly, somewhere. “—be other alternatives.”

Shen Qingqiu tilted his head down in acknowledgement, but his eyes never left Mu Qingfang’s. “But this is the best solution.” He didn’t wait for a response before adding, words crisp and only mildly colored by the revulsion he’d displayed in the meeting room earlier, “Dual cultivation with a suitably powerful partner is the best solution.”

“Yes,” Mu Qingfang said, not even bothering to summon his usual smile. It was what he’d already said in the meeting, after all, and Shen Qingqiu wasn’t looking for his smile anyways.

Shen Qingqiu’s lips turned white as he pressed them together. He didn’t speak, but the glint in his eyes made it clear that he was waiting for something.

Mu Qingfang had absolutely no idea what. If anything, all he’d learned from this entire affair—beyond the surprising effectiveness of sleeping curses—was that he could not read Shen Qingqiu whatsoever. Here he was, pale and tense and snappish for a man that the whole sect was convinced that he hated.

“Would—” Shen Qingqiu began, before stopping and scowling at the wall. “Would. My cultivation level. Work.”

“Oh.” Mu Qingfang wondered if he should even bother being surprised anymore. At least this was one thing he’d already known about his Shen-shixiong: he was an absolutely abysmal communicator. “Um.”

Shen Qingqiu’s cheeks colored, and he quickly said, “Not that I want to do this. But Zhangmen-shixiong deserves better than some brute like Liu Qingge, and there’s hardly a wealth of cultivators powerful enough to match him. So excuse this lowly one for his flawed foundation, but—”

Ah, what?! Mu Qingfang had not asked for any of this??? Hastily, before Shen Qingqiu could ramble himself into changing his mind, Mu Qingfang said, “Shen-shixiong, you are one of the most powerful cultivators in the world.” There was a reason that he’d been able to last as long as he had in duels with Liu Qingge in their youths. “You would absolutely, ah, work.”

Shen Qingqiu’s fan opened with a snap. It did little to hide the redness of his face. “Ah. Well. Good.”

“Right,” Mu Qingfang said.

They stared at each other.

Shen Qingqiu bristled, shoulders tilting upwards again, and Mu Qingfang realized abruptly that he was about to get eviscerated if he didn’t leave very, very soon. Quickly, Mu Qingfang exclaimed, “Well! Good. I’ll take my leave first, to allow you and Zhangmen-shixiong your privacy. You know how this works?”

“Of course I know how this works!” Shen Qingqiu yelped, too indignant to maintain an even tone.

Mu Qingfang smiled. It was perhaps his first genuine smile since Qi Qingqi had absconded after dumping Yue Qingyuan’s body in his arms. “Good. I’ll leave Shen-shixiong to it, then.”

Before Shen Qingqiu could figure out how to stop spluttering, Mu Qingfang gathered his things and quickly vacated the premises.

---

Well. He supposed that was one way to do things.

---

Yue Qingyuan was up and about by the next day. Any assumptions Mu Qingfang had had about Shen Qingqiu wanting to be private about his affairs were quickly dashed. Yue Qingyuan walked into the next Peak Lord meeting with, ah, marks visible high enough on his neck that his collar couldn’t cover them, and he seemed utterly incapable of keeping his eyes off of Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Qingqiu ignored him as usual, but Mu Qingfang was sitting close enough to see that they were holding hands under the table.

Which. Great. Excellent. Exactly what Mu Qingfang wanted to see at every sect meeting for the rest of his life.

“It’s all your fault, you know,” Liu Qingge said.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Mu Qingfang protested.

“No, it absolutely is,” Qi Qingqi said glumly, “I can’t believe we have to watch Zhangmen-shixiong making bedroom eyes at Shen Qingqiu every single month.”

Mu Qingfang put his head on the table. Maybe if he just ignored everything, it would all go away.

“Did you see them yesterday?” Qi Qingqi continued, “They were wearing matching outfits.”

Shang Qinghua, inexplicably, shot Mu Qingfang a strange gesture with both thumbs sticking up. “Nice.”

“No,” Liu Qingge said.

“Absolutely not,” Qi Qingqi agreed.

[ao3 link]

#qijiuweek2021 #shen jiu #mu qingfang #yue qingyuan #qijiu #svsss #svsss fanfiction #candleswriting #scumbagged villains #i will post this to ao3/twitter um. eventually. maybe over the weekend #also! humor is not normally my forte but this was a lot of fun. hope you guys like it!

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simplepotatofarmer · 3 years

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Question, how do you motivate yourself and keep yourself motivated for writing long word count fics? I'm planning my own fic out myself and it's so daunting and lowkey terrifying sksksk though you can ignore this if you wanna! I hope youre having a great day <3

okay! i actually do have what you can loosely describe as a system for keeping myself going and i think it's pretty effective! like this isn't a brag at all, but so far i've written three long fics (40k, 88k, 60k) and one original novel so it certainly works for me.

1.) get used to not deleting anything. i mean it. for me, nothing slows me down more and kills momentum when i struggle with getting a part right. like, don't go back and rework the same paragraph over and over. what you want to do is get the whole story down, from start to finish. you can fix mistakes later. that's easy! it's not so easy to regain momentum or confidence in what you're writing, you know? if you really can't figure out a good way to continue or if you know something will need to be fixed:

2.) take notes! i have a physical notebook that i use. you could also use a discord channel. i even make annotations in my word doc while i'm writing. say, for example, if i have a scene where i need to move from one topic to another and i'm struggling with getting to that other topic i'll go [transition from this conversation to topic xyz]. i'll also make a note of what page this issue occurred on. if you have a moment where you realize that you want to do something but it causes a continuity error, note the page and write down any ideas you have for fixing it. then keep going!

3.) set a daily goal. it doesn't have to be an overall word count. if you're not doing something like nano, there's no reason to have an overall word count. but it does help to have a daily goal. it can literally be anything. write for 30 minutes or an hour. write three pages. write five hundred or a thousand words. it doesn't have to be a lofty goal. it just has to be manageable and it should definitely be something that you can make a calendar or chart that you can color in or put a sticker on or even use emojis to keep track. positive reinforcement!

that's honestly my advice for getting it done! you just need to like. make sure that you tell your story! a finished story/project is so much easier to go back and fix. it doesn't matter if it might seem kinda bad at first.

don't view it as something you need to have perfect.

view it as what it is: you have a story you want to tell. the important part is to tell that story. you'll have time to retell it later.

i do have tips for editing etc. but this will at least get you a full story!

#loyal answers things #not about the pig and co.#long post #writing advice

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normal-horoscopes · 3 years

Text

A NEW SOUL JOINS

WELCOME @shrimptoast2000

WHEEL OF SOUL - unconscious desire, emotion, morality, love, relationships. The past that informs the them now. Hub is emotional core of subjects aspiration WHEEL OF BODY - material world and place in it. challenges and the tools to solve them. driving force of their life hub. WHEEL OF MIND - conscious desires and aspirations. what working towards and how they plan to get there. direction the subjects life is tended towards hub.

WHEEL OF THE SOUL - The Fourth of Autumn, The Waxing Crescent, The Lantern and the Well, The Book of Secrets, The Third of Spring, the Spring Queen. Hub: The New Moon

Is it difficult, to go blindly on, groping through the dark? Good. It should be. Feel the cruelty's shape beneath the skin of your fingers, its weight and heft. Recognize it and move forward. Autumn has always been a time for closure. The lights are off, and all of us are seeking each other, like worms crawling through the mud. Strive for what lay above the surface of your owl skin, little one. Even if you fail, you will still learn.

WHEEL OF THE BODY - The New Moon, The Lantern and The Well, The Fifth of Autumn, The Observatory, The Second of Summer, the Third of Spring.

Now this, dear reader, is interesting. See how many potent cards collect themselves around this wheel. See the opportunities, tools, and skills are at hand. The cruel brutality of a felling ax meets the sweet kindness of strangers being treated kindly and treating kindly in return. Though no doubt you feel lost--not that it can be blamed, when pulled in so many directions at once--it is the clever student that does not just find the solution to the question, but understands why the question was asked at all. Many choices, all of them right, and all of them wrong. Choose wisely or don't, but choose nonetheless.

WHEEL OF THE MIND - The Book of Secrets, The Fifth of Autumn, The Betrayed King, The Autumn Equinox, The Spring Knight II, The Second of Summer, The Observatory

And this, truly, is the fascinating turn. At the heart of all matters, you understand just how small the great role you play is. All the world is a stage, and none of us are the main character--how wise to be conscious of it. How intuitive to understand the hidden turnings of the world. Out of curiosity, I pulled three more cards, simply to see what the root might have been if you were not as aware of it as you are already.

The Sinner. The Summer Knight II. The Summer Knight I.

A sense of retribution, of unjust deeds come calling to make amends, perhaps, for your worse choices. A fortunate bit of luck at the start of the journey upon which all else relies. Or a valkyrie, riding to battle for those beyond her own desires.

It is interesting, to me, how each of these cards feels less like a separate self and more merely faceets of a singular situation in its different outcomes. See how the Observatory allows us to witness such things from its lofty heights.

They underestimated you, didn't they? You are not a foolish martyr who would die for their cause. What good does that do? No, you understood the mechanisms, the things behind the curtain. Perhaps it was the kindness you offered, the guileless smile that they thought could not bare teeth. Perhaps it was the quiet mien that thought the throat could not rage a battle cry. In either way, good things come to those who wait--and those who take their time, which is not the same. The time is now, dear reader. Strike swiftly and strike well, and do not linger overlong along the edge of the blade. There will come a time, eventually, where you too might wish the mercy of a cleaner end than this.

Want a reading? Join my Patreon tier and get one free! All tiers get access to our Book Club Discord, My Research Notes, and early drafts of my Occult Book Reviews!

Reading done courtesy of @esotericecology

Want the deck? Get it here.

#A NEW SOUL JOINS

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cheri-translates · 3 years

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[CN] Shaw’s Creative Date

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 创意之约, which has not been released in EN! 🍒

This date features S2 Shaw, but contains no spoilers for S2!

[ This date was released on 13 May 2021 ]

Removing the VR headset, I rub my slightly sore eyes. Seeing the familiar modern furniture leaves me in a momentary trance.

MC: I finally cleared it - this game about the ancient times is pretty immersive.

Aside from completing missions, the game also has a rich plot written in a classical literary style. As a “workshop apprentice”, I successfully created a string of wood carved persimmons.

Rotating my aching wrists, it’s as though the sensation of carving products is still lingering on my hands.

MC: It’s a shame that I could only do that in the game...

Just when I’m about to continue grumbling, my phone suddenly rings.

Tapping the answer button, a familiar voice drifts lazily to my ear.

Shaw: Not a sound from you even during the weekend. What are you up to?

MC: I just played an immersive game, and it’s pretty fun.

At the other end of the line, Shaw makes an “oh” sound, then continues asking.

Shaw: Are you planning to stay at home today?

MC: Mm. I finally finished a big program, so I’m pretty comfortable playing games at home.

Hearing my response, Shaw’s tone lifts slightly at the end.

Shaw: It’s just a game. You can play it anytime, can’t you? The weather outside is great. Staying at home is such a waste. Why not take a stroll outside?

My gaze sweeps over the VR headset. While I’m hesitating whether or not to agree, a thought suddenly flashes across my mind, and I have an idea.

MC: Shaw, why don't you accompany me somewhere?

Shaw pauses for a moment, his subtle breathing drifting over the phone along with the electric currents.

Shaw: Where do you want to go?

MC: I’ll keep it a secret first. You’ll know when you get there. It’s definitely a place you wouldn’t expect.

Shaw chuckles softly, and he seems to stretch.

Shaw: All right. Since you invited me with such magnificent hospitality, I’ll reluctantly keep you company.

Soon after, the both of us stand at the entrance of a wood carving studio. Shaw tilts his head, looking me up and down.

Shaw: You sure we’re not at the wrong place?

I nod my head.

MC: How is it? I already said you definitely wouldn’t expect it.

Shaw arches his brows, a somewhat surprised expression in his eyes.

Shaw: When did you get a new hobby?

Not giving Shaw a direct response, I lift my hand, raising my phone to his face. The picture on the screen features the string of wood carved persimmons I made in the game.

MC: Look at this string of persimmons. I carved it bit by bit in the game. Looks good, doesn’t it? I plan to carve a replica based on this later.

Shaw leans closer to give it a sweeping glance, his expression a little subtle.

Shaw: ...the object in the picture isn’t too bad. But do you like it that much that you must carve a string of persimmons?

MC: Don’t underestimate this small string of persimmons. Slow work yields fine products. The smaller something is, the more patience and carving skills are tested. Also, this is the first wood carving I made in the game. Furthermore, “everything will go according to one’s wishes” is a wonderful message and well-wish. Making it myself will feel very meaningful.

[Note] For the translation of “everything will go according to one’s wishes”, What MC says is “柿柿如意”, which is a pun based on the popular well-wish “事事如意” (“everything will go according to one’s wishes”)

“Persimmon” is 柿 (“shi”). “Everything” is 事事 (“shi shi”)

Shaw: But based on the level of complexity, you can’t make it without having a foundation in carving.

Predicting that Shaw would say this, I make a fist, lifting my head up confidently.

MC: Don’t underestimate me. I think I’m naturally talented in handwork. If I can make it in the game, I might be able to in reality.

Hearing my “lofty aspirations”, the corners of Shaw’s lips hook upwards, and he elongates the tail of his sentence coolly.

Shaw: Fine, I’ll wait and see.

Probably because it’s the lunch break, only the boss is in the shop.

After telling the boss my purpose in coming, he very quickly prepares the wooden block and burin, then comprehensively explains some matters I should take note of.

[Trivia] A burin (刻刀 - “ke dao”) is a handheld steel tool used for carving metal or wood

MC: Draw a design first, then trace a copy onto the wooden block, then...

Hearing me mumble to myself, Shaw can’t help but arch his brows.

Shaw: It’s no use simply memorising the steps. You’ve got to get started to get the feel of it.

...that make sense.

Very soon, I successfully draw a design based on the picture. However, I keep sensing that something’s missing when I look at the picture of the string of persimmons in my hand.

Darting a glance at Shaw, who occasionally looks at the drawing paper in my hand, I turn my body to the side, displaying the drawing paper in front of him.

MC: Shaw, didn’t you brag about being the “best in hand-drawn sketches” in your department? Want to take a look and make adjustments for me?

[Note] For those who are unaware, Shaw is the only graduate student in the archaeological department of Loveland University, so... of course he’s the best in everything LOL

Shaw’s brows arch slightly. Grabbing a pen on the table casually, he starts making amendments quickly.

Shaw: Done.

Unexpectedly, with just a few strokes, the fullness and lushness of the persimmons are outlined, and the entire picture instantly becomes much more vibrant.

Once all the preparatory work is done, the next step is to saw the sides of the wood carving. Placing the wooden block on the machine, I test out suitable positions.

All of a sudden, Shaw presses on my hand.

Shaw: Didn’t the boss mention that it’d be safer to place it a little beyond the peripheral line?

While saying this, he pulls on my wrist, causing the wooden block to shift to the side slightly. After verifying that it’s in the right place, he releases my hand.

Wood carving in real life is much more difficult than I imagined. The more I tell myself to be calm, the more my hands refuse to obey.

I take a deep breath -

Shaw: Tch, aren’t you going a little too fast?

Right after he finishes speaking, my hand suddenly trembles, and I saw a small hole into the wooden block.

Shaw pauses for a few seconds, then bursts into laughter mercilessly.

He leans over, pointing at the small hole, his eyes gloating over my misfortune.

Shaw: Heh. Did someone take a bite out of the persimmon? It’s actually pretty creative.

Faced with Shaw’s mockery, I pout without saying anything. Then, I mimic his usual tone and glare at him.

MC: Why are you laughing so loudly? My hearing is good, okay.

Shaw casually props himself on the table with his elbows. He turns his head to the side and watches me, eyes filled with interest and a smile.

Perhaps because we’re too close in proximity, I seem to feel his warmth encasing my surroundings.

Smelling the scent of peppermint at the tip of my nose, I subconsciously turn away, muttering softly.

MC: Stop crowding over here... it’s a little warm.

The corners of Shaw’s eyes lift upwards slightly, and he sweeps a gaze over my face. He chuckles, sitting down on the chair behind in a wilful manner.

Not long after, I painstakingly saw the overall outer shape of the wooden block. After that, I start using a chisel to carefully craft the outline and thickness.

Probably because I’m unfamiliar with the techniques, the thickness of both sides of the wood carving are very different despite me putting in a lot of effort into correcting it.

I steal a glance at Shaw who is behind. After some hesitation, I clear my throat.

MC: Erm, could you help me with a little something?

Shaw loosens his shoulders.

Shaw: You want my help?

MC: Since you look like you don't have much to do, why not adjust the thickness of the outline with me?

Shaw doesn’t respond immediately. He folds his arms and leans against the wall, both legs placed casually.

Beneath the sunlight of the scorching afternoon sun, the corners of his lips tilt upwards, revealing a mischievous smile.

Shaw: Someone made a solemn vow earlier that she could do it by herself. So, in order for you to experience this fully, I refuse.

I don’t even spare Shaw half a glance after this, heart sinking as I lower my head in silence, focusing on the wood carving alone.

Perhaps grasping some tricks, my actions are gradually much more proficient than before, despite slow improvement.

The doors to the shop are suddenly pushed open. A parent walks in with a little boy.

The boss greets the new customers. Shaw suddenly lifts his arm and waves, walking over to the boss.

Shaw: Boss, give me a burin too.

Thinking that Shaw was suddenly “pricked by his conscience” and is planning to help, I lift my head to look at him in anticipation.

Unexpectedly, after getting the burin, Shaw picks up the leftover linden wood that I had sawed off earlier.

He stands near the window, lifting his hand leisurely. Against the light, that head of bluish purple hair is even more eye-catching.

Shaw: It’s boring to wait. I’ll try it with you, and give you some competitive motivation.

He reveals a confident smile, his tone not at all humble.

Shaw: I’ll also show you what it means to be “naturally talented”.

Shaw deliberately sits down at a table that’s further away from me.

Seeing that my gaze continues to linger on him, Shaw lifts his eyes, asking teasingly.

Shaw: Why are you staring at me?

MC: ...you already know the answer. Also, you’re pretending to be mysterious. What exactly do you plan to carve?

Shaw: You want to know? All the more reason not to tell you.

With this, he lowers his head, the tip of the pen making rustling sounds. He’s likely drawing a design on the rough paper.

Pursing my lips with a “hmph”, I decide to throw myself into crafting the wood carving.

Just as I strive to painstakingly carve the appearance of the wood carving, the little boy who accompanied his parent here seems to be restless.

He runs around the shop, and finally scuttles to Shaw’s side.

Little Boy: Big Bro, your hair’s really cool!

Shaw releases a “hmph”, paying no attention to the boy. But the little boy is fearless, and continues curiously.

Little Boy: Big Bro, what are you carving?

Unintentionally hearing this, I hurriedly perk up my ears, turning my body towards Shaw secretly.

Shaw glances at the boy from the side, placing the prototype wood carving on the table and leaning it from side to side.

Shaw: Make a guess.

The boy stares at it for a while, then exclaims excitedly.

Little Boy: I see it now - it’s a fish! Big Bro, did I guess correctly?

Shaw doesn’t deny it, revealing an expression which says “you’re pretty knowledgeable”.

Shaw: [aww he sounds so affectionate] Little Imp, your eyesight isn’t bad.

Little Boy: But why do you want to carve a fish?

The boy doesn’t seem to understand, and is also slightly disdainful.

Little Boy: Fishes are so unimpressive. If it were me, I’d carve a big tiger. It’s the king of all creatures, and it’s so impressive!

While the boy speaks, he chuckles in satisfaction.

Shaw laughs, then purses his lips.

Shaw: A wooden carved fish is much more interesting than your big tiger.

The boy has an expression on his face which reads “nonsense”. Shaw casts a sidelong glance at him, scoffing softly.

Shaw: Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I told you.

Little Boy: Who says I wouldn’t understand? I’ve already learnt many things!

The boy grumbles in dissatisfaction, his arms akimbo, pestering Shaw unflinchingly.

I try my best to control the smile at the corners of my lips, and suddenly have an idea. Clearing my throat, I pretend to be a bystander, inserting myself into the conversation.

MC: What this little boy said is correct. Young man, you can’t look down on others just because you’re older by a few years.

Little Boy: Hmph! That’s right!

My “encouragement” enables the boy to be even less willing to back down, and he purses his small mouth.

Shaw: Oh?

Hearing my response, Shaw lifts his eyes, a mischievous smile curling the corners of his lips upwards.

Shaw: What is it? You also want to know?

MC: Since you started it, it’s only right for you to talk about it more.

Shaw: Since the both of you are pretty eager to learn, I’ll broaden your knowledge.

Next to the window, the rays of light are bright. Shaw arches his brows wilfully.

Shaw: To put it simply, this is related to the history of “fish culture”. Since ancient times, fish have represented auspicious signs and well-wishes.

Little Boy: I know about this! Is this how people wish each other “may you have abundance year after year”? I heard my teacher mentioning it before. It’s because “鱼” and “余” are homophonic!

[Note] The well-wish the boy is referring to is “年年有鱼”, which is a pun based on the proper saying “年年有余”

“Fish” is 鱼 (“yu”), while 余 (also “yu”) means abundance

Shaw: In that case, your teacher only told you half of it.

Shaw fiddles with the burin in his hand, spinning it casually.

Shaw: Fishes are an embodiment of luck. Patterns of fish can often be seen on antiques.

MC: What’s the origin of wooden carved fishes then?

Shaw pauses for a second before responding.

Shaw: Over seven thousand years ago, the most ancient wooden carved fishes were in the Hemudu culture. Based on conjectures, they were likely used for praying and well-wishes.

[Trivia] The Hemudu culture was a Neolithic culture spanning from 5500 BC to 3300 BC, located south of the Hangzhou Bay in Jiangnan in Zhejiang, China

Shaw speaks indifferently, but the boy listens at the side, his eyes wide.

Little Boy: Big Bro, you really know a lot! You’re even more incredible than my teacher!

The corners of Shaw’s lips hook upwards with pride.

Shaw: I guess so. Little Imp, remember to read more books and learn properly.

The boy runs away contentedly. My gaze lands on the wooden carving in Shaw’s hand that I can’t see quite clearly yet.

I didn’t expect the wooden carved fish to have the same symbolism as the string of persimmons. I tilt my head, feeling slightly emotional.

Time flows by as the seconds and minutes pass. Before realising it, the sky dims, and the studio lights are bright.

Swinging my hands which have almost lost all physical strength, I release a long sigh.

At the other side of the table, Shaw lifts his chin towards me.

Shaw: Progress isn’t going smoothly?

Looking at the half-finished product with uneven contours next to my hand, I shake my head a little despondently.

MC: Looks like I won’t be able to finish it today, and would have to come back next time. Also, the actual wood carving is light-years away from what I expected...

Hearing my soft grumbling at the end, Shaw arches his brows.

Shaw: Just by looking at it, the string of persimmons isn’t easy to make. But you dug this pit yourself, so I’ll wait and watch you fill it up.

Ignoring the teasing tone in his voice, I purse my lips.

MC: I definitely won’t give up. What about you? Are you done with the carving?

Shaw has an expression which reads “of course”, and he nods unhesitatingly.

Shaw: It was done a long time ago.

I’m stunned for a moment, both surprised and curious.

One hand supports Shaw’s cheek lightly. With a stretch of his long arm, the wooden carved fish is brought before my eyes.

This is a bright coloured wood carving of a fish. It has a roundish head and a chubby belly, and looks extremely adorable.

I lift up the wooden fish sculpture with both hands, as though instantly struck by its adorable shape.

Shaw: Excellent workmanship with profound symbolism. Your goal has been overtaken by me.

Behind the table, Shaw arches his brows in satisfaction, casually twisting the burin, his pose utterly flamboyant.

Even though his carving is indeed not bad, the moment I lift my eyes and see Shaw’s insuppressible pride, I can’t help but remain silent.

With the sudden impulse to sing a different tune, I deliberately purse my lips, speaking calmly.

MC: It’s just like this I guess. In terms of exquisiteness, I’d give a passing mark at most.

The smile on Shaw’s lips retracts slightly. While looking at me from the side, he releases a “hmph” from his nose.

Shaw: You have the nerve to criticise me? Why don’t you look at your own standard. Also, this is my exclusive design. It’s much more creative than you making a duplicate from the game.

Hearing the unwillingness to back down hidden in his tone, I can’t help but smile secretly.

Shaw glances at me indifferently. He seems to catch the secret smile on my lips, and an indiscernible light flashes across his eyes.

Shaw: Hey, shouldn’t you return it to me after touching it for half a day? You don’t like it anyway.

MC: Who says-

Almost making a slip of the tongue, I hurriedly change my words.

MC: Actually, on closer inspection, it seems that your carving is pretty okay.

Shaw: Just “okay”?

MC: ...I’ll add one mark for its symbolism and origin then.

Pleased with this, Shaw rolls his shoulders, chuckling softly.

Shaw: You still have some taste.

He crosses his leg over the other, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing. He seems to blurt out what’s in his mind.

Shaw: But the head of this fish seems a little too round... Hm, it’s a little irksome. Looks like I need to make some corrections.

MC: No it isn’t? It looks just right like this!

Afraid that Shaw would snatch it back, I hurriedly fold my hands over the wooden carving, and notice a hint of slyness in his eyes.

He leans closer abruptly, instantly closing the distance between us.

Shaw: Looking at your posture... What is it? Can’t bear to return it?

Specks of bright light reminiscent of daytime dance on Shaw’s bluish purple hair, outlining his expression and making it look even more triumphant.

I blink my eyes.

MC: Since you’re already done, I think I should observe it for a while longer, and have some “luck” rubbed off on me. I might even be able to quickly and successfully finish my wood carving too.

Shaw turns his head, the corners of his lips turning upwards relaxedly. A pondering smile surfaces in his bright eyes.

Shaw: You’ve got taste. If you really like it, it’s not that I can’t give it to you.

My heart stirs, eyes widening as I look at him. But I have the feeling that there should be a second half to his sentence.

Shaw leans back relaxedly, stretching casually.

Shaw: But I need to make up for the costs.

...just as I guessed.

Cradling the wooden carving in my hand, I lift my chin towards Shaw.

MC: Go on, what’s the “fee”?

Shaw lowers his head, pretending to deliberate for a few seconds. Then, he lifts his eyes, meeting mine.

Shaw: When you’re done with your wooden carving...

Shaw: It belongs to me.

[Note] There are actually two ways one can interpret this line because it’s kept purposefully vague. It’s simply “归我”, which means “belong to me”. This means we can’t be sure if he’s asking for the wooden carving or MC herself :>

Shaw: How is it? Isn’t it very fair?

Light falls on the tips of Shaw’s hair, reflecting a bright and sly smile in his eyes.

Before I can react, he has already stood up.

Shaw: All right, that’s how it’d be.

🐟 Phone call: here

🐟 Support the cafe by dropping by the tip jar!

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc shaw

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