Bubble friend!

[clevermanka]

Guardian/adjacent:
Please, baby, I'm begging you, let yourself get some body fat back.
More id-igniting suck/swallow action. Jaw flex. Lips.
Weilan/derivative AU visuals.
When Bai Yu is your boyfriend.
Fanart: Young Shen Wei.

Untamed/adjacent:
Comparisons of Jiang Cheng on the cliff.

I wrote naye a fic for her birthday and after reading it she told me to share it with the world, so here it is! Note the tags, please (BDSM, Riding Crops, Bondage, No Sex).

My friend from China came over last night. I didn't even realize she was still here until last week! Last time we saw each other was in May. The poor thing has been stuck here since December. A three-week research trip (she works for an international university in Beijing) has turned into an eight-month ordeal where she can't afford to go home even if she could/can get a ticket. She has a possible departure date of November. Her mom is here with her so at least she's not completely alone. They're pretty isolated, though. I'm her only friend here since she tore through her MA and PhD programs and didn't develop friendships with the other English grad students. She only goes out for groceries and a daily walk around the park near her apartment. So I asked her to be my first bubble buddy and she agreed! We got to hug each other! She entered my house! We talked for nearly three hours! Without masks! While drinking hot water together! It was wonderful.

She really wants me to move to Beijing with her, I think. This is the second time she's brought it up! She says she could absolutely find me a job at her university despite my complete lack of Chinese language skills. I told her I honestly didn't know how I'd fare living in China for an extended period of time since I was pretty certain I'd slip up at some point and say something about Hong Kong. She kinda wince-laughed and said "hmmm, okay maybe not, then" but hey it's always an option, right?

At one point I jokingly referred to my boyfriend, Zhu Yilong, and she asked if I knew anything about his scandal. I thought about it a minute and then was like oh I think you mean this guy from a different show. I don't know for sure how to pronounce his name (bc I don't obsessively listen to stuff about him) but I think it's... and I did my best idea of how I thought Xiao Zhan is pronounced. Her eyes lit up and she said "Yes, that's him! Your accent is really good!" so we tried another few words (including Zhen Hun 😆) and she was consistently impressed with how I picked up the tones. So now I'm half-tempted to try learning some rudimentary Chinese? Too bad I didn't get this inclination when she was still here for her degree program...

But anyway. I'm going over to her apartment next Thursday and am finally getting that cooking lesson from her mother! I had no idea of what to ask we make, so if anyone has ideas, I (and her mother, probably) would appreciate it. Her mom doesn't speak English, so this is going to be delightful. I can't wait! I'm gonna see if she'd like to make our hang-outs a weekly thing. 🤞

I hung out with some friends on their back patio earlier this week and it was lovely, but having someone in my house, pouring them a drink, sitting on the couch... it was so different and so... I can't even describe it. It was like a blessing. This morning I got an email from her saying she was so inspired by our visit she finished a paper when she got home and submitted it to a journal. I have three more months with her here. I hope we can make the best of them.

Comments

[nnozomi]

So so glad you had such a good day! You must be a blessing for her as well. It sounds lovely. Hugs and talking and promised cooking lessons! (Maybe you can also gradually convince her to become as obsessed with ZYL as the rest of us?)
And wow, a Chinese language partner at your fingertips if you decide to learn some. Lucky~ ♡

[clevermanka]

LOL I adore her but she is, alas, incredibly career-oriented and doesn't have the fangirl gene. Otherwise I absolutely would try!

And yeah, it seems stupid not to take advantage of this opportunity. I can always put Spanish on the back burner (again), right? I am worried about having anyone to practice with, though. I'm confident of my Spanish pronunciation, but I doubt I'd be able to reproduce yesterday's tones right now tbh.

[khellekson]

Bai Yu can totally be my boyfriend. Ahem!

[clevermanka]

[goss]

Awesome about meeting up with your friend again! Also, yay upcoming cooking lesson! \o/


Please, baby, I'm begging you, let yourself get some body fat back.

(I know I'm one to talk /o\, but) He is getting so skinny. D: D: D:


Comparisons of Jiang Cheng on the cliff

Wow, that is neat. I never noticed it was actually two completely different takes, with two completely different expressions on JC.

[clevermanka]

She's really special to me. ❤

I'd never noticed it, either, and I'm glad someone pointed it out. What a good actor!

[yantantether]

This was so lovely to read! The first time I met up with my bubble family after not seeing anyone in yonks it meant so much to me.

Do you like dumplings? Cos if so you could ask to learn to make those, maybe either jiaozi or (fittingly fannish!!) soup dumplings - xiaolongbao?

[wrote_and_writ]

I second the dumplings, especially if she can teach you how to make the wrapper dough. I haven’t managed that myself yet.

[clevermanka]

Dumplings are my favorite thing (I mentioned recently to McK how much I miss them in fact) but alas I haven't tried reintroducing wheat and I'm n-e-r-v-o-u-s.

[wrote_and_writ]

Oooh, yeah. That could be a problem.

[wrote_and_writ]

Oh, there are rice paper wrappers for like spring rolls. Maybe there’s a type you can make? I like to make those in the summer. We usually make them with shrimp and various veggies, but I bet there are a lot of options.

[clevermanka]

Rice flour doesn't really cohere enough to survive a lot of cooking, though (no gluten), so I dunno how well that would work. It occurs to me, though, I could absolutely make my own spring rolls sometime. Thank you!

[naye]

Just popping in to say yes to your own spring rolls! It's surprisingly easy. We have a very Swedish recipe for them that includes mixing peanut butter and sweet chili sauce for dipping which is terribly inauthentic but also delicious! (You heat it a bit so the peanut butter gets melty.)

[clevermanka]

Mmmmmmm okay I'm definitely ordering ingredients for those next time McK goes on a grocery run.

[clevermanka]

Do you know if there are non-wheat versions of the wrappers? Alas, wheat's the one thing I haven't tried to reintroduce yet and I'd rather not try that in someone else's house, with someone else's cooking 😂

[yantantether]

I've just googled it and it looks like you can use rice flour to make them? But I don't think that's the regular way, so maybe something else would be best.

[trobadora]

Please, baby, I'm begging you, let yourself get some body fat back.

Seriously! I worry for him sometimes.

And that sounds like you had an excellent time with your friend!

and she was consistently impressed with how I picked up the tones. So now I'm half-tempted to try learning some rudimentary Chinese?

Oooh, maybe you should! And yay for the tones. They are SO HARD if you're bad at them (like me).

[clevermanka]

In the cold light of day I admit I'm wondering if she was just trying to make me feel good but I'm going to keep telling myself I have a good ear. 😁

[seascribble]

A friend! I am glad for you both.

[clevermanka]

[feroxargentea]

Aw, congratulations on your hug buddy!

[clevermanka]

Me, yesterday:

[feroxargentea]

Aww :) Sounds like it's mutual, though!

[naye]

Your fic is SO GOOD HELP.

And oh, it's wonderful to hear about you getting to spend time with a friend! What a gift. ♥

This is the second time she's brought it up! She says she could absolutely find me a job at her university despite my complete lack of Chinese language skills.
Do it!!

I told her I honestly didn't know how I'd fare living in China for an extended period of time since I was pretty certain I'd slip up at some point and say something about Hong Kong. She kinda wince-laughed and said "hmmm, okay maybe not, then" but hey it's always an option, right?
It is! And I think...Well. The CCP will probably know what your opinions are but unless you are actively spreading them (or are in any way related to people who are actively spreading them) they most likely won't care. I'm not in any way making light of how awful the CCP is. But on a personal level living in China and getting to know Chinese people would be awesome, as long as international relationships don't deteriorate to an intolerable degree, and I think it would be fascinating (in a troubling way possibly) to learn what you can and can't say in which circumstances.

I also know your circumstances are very different and the countries are very different but I never regretted going to Japan, or returning there after my breakup. It's...good. Living somewhere else for a while. (Sorry I can absolutely stop full on enabling you but I got such a happy memory rush at reliving my own international migration that I am very eager for you to experience something similar!)

[clevermanka]

I'm so happy you like the fic! \o/

NGL, the idea of living abroad for even a year is pretty darn tempting. Maybe if I ever/eventually get my fatigue levels under reliable control...

[moodsong]

Considering it as a thought experiment at least might be good for your mental and emotional health.

[clevermanka]

Good mental motivation for trying my boundaries a little more often, too. Smaller steps at more regular intervals sorta thing.

[umadoshi]

Please, baby, I'm begging you, let yourself get some body fat back.

*whimpers in agreement*

BUBBLE FRIEND!!! That's so exciting and just...good. Everything about that sounds wonderful. Hugs! Cooking lessons!!!

[clevermanka]

And I started the Chinese program on Duolingo today! eeeeeek!

Maybe someday I'll learn how tell Zhu Yilong to please not try to be so thin.

[brandywine28]

Congrats on your first bubble buddy!

[clevermanka]

She's so secluded and careful I know I can trust her (and her mom). I just adore her...

[jo_lasalle]

Congratulations on having a bubble friend!! I'm so happy for you you've got an additional person who sounds very responsible and safe in your bubble and that the first date went so well! YAY HUGS!

[clevermanka]

the first date went so well!
I told her I felt like I was asking her to go steady!

[tinny]

omg that friend sounds amazing! And what a strange situation for her to be in, I'm glad you found each other again!

For *easy* Chinese cooking, I suggest eggs-and-tomato. It's basically scrambled eggs with tomato pieces in it. :D It's a very popular and authentic dish, even if it doesn't sound very exotic. :)

Of course, Spring rolls are really cool too, and I wish you luck with them!

And yay for learning Chinese! It is a fun language - so very different from anything European/American, and interesting for that reason alone.

[clevermanka]

She really is amazing. She's so special to me. Alas, the bubble relationship was short-lived since it was making her mom really anxious. 😫

Dunno whether I'm going to keep up the Chinese or go back to just Spanish, tbh. If I don't have someone to practice with...

[tinny]

Oh noes! It sounded like such a great thing!

I'm sorry it didn't work out. <3<3<3<3

[clevermanka]

I'm just... so incredibly sad right now. Ugh.

[tinny]

<3<3

(her mother might change her mind. you are *by far* the best isolated person i know.)

[glymr]

That sounds so amazing! I feel so bad for her, trapped here, how awful. I'm glad that you could make her life a little less lonely, and she could do the same for you!

For cooking, how about congee? Then you can say you made congee like Shen Wei! XD

[clevermanka]

Alas, things have already (typically) failed to work out and we won't be seeing each other anymore bc her mom wasn't comfortable with the arrangement. It's understandable but I have a MASSIVE sad, now.

[the_lucky_nun]

I can't even explain how black-market this visit sounds, and how I'm savoring every detail. The things we take for granted...

[clevermanka]

LOL *sob* too true!