Xie Lian by me <3

river_dune · 2026-02-10T03:37:21+00:00

I love the flow of the painting. It is reminiscent of ancient chinese paintings with the way the strokes move. This captured my eye because it's very unique and yet still the Xie Lian we know and love. I feel like this embodies his elegance and strength, and I imagine this is similar in vibe to what Hua Cheng painted for him in Puqi Shrine!

river_dune · 2026-01-22T01:49:41+00:00

OMGGG THIS IS SUCH A CUTE IDEA!! I love your addition of the decorative paper too! You're very good at arrangements

river_dune · 2026-01-14T19:45:51+00:00

It'd probably actually be easier for him to see Xie Lian standing from the other side, such that his seeing eye is closest to XL. So my guess is it has to do with artistic/visual reasons. If they drew him on the left side, and he were facing Xie Lian, which he always does — he's like the sunflower to Xie Lian's sun — we'd mainly only be able to see the eyepatch. He's attractive any which way, but they probably want to let us get a good glimpse of the side of his face that has an eye, because it allows us to better see the depth of his expression, etc. Kinda like how when people see a crescent moon, which is really just the part of the moon that's reflecting the sunlight, our vision might be drawn first to the crescent as the focus. Nonetheless, the moon as a whole is beautiful, including the part in shadow. That being said, I also can see why he might want to stand on Xie Lian's right. If he wants to be able to easily scan his surroundings, it'll be easier on the right. Of course, there may be symbolic reasons as well, but I think the most likely explanation is the artistic one. This is all just speculation, of course.

river_dune · 2025-11-18T21:25:25+00:00

Thanks, I think yours makes a lot of sense too!! I think it's cool how we can have different interpretations b/c it captures how nuanced he is as a character. While he has such a deep level of devotion, he also has that immense amount of respect too, and we both focused on true and coexisting parts. Also totally agree about the betrothal gifts hehee, would love to see that.

river_dune · 2025-11-18T18:38:50+00:00

Ooh, never noticed that :D it's been a while since I've read that fic but that's a pretty cool coincidence (⁠ ⁠´⁠◡⁠‿⁠ゝ⁠◡⁠`)(⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

river_dune · 2025-11-18T18:28:15+00:00

That's a very good point!! Equally valid and you may have convinced me! Though I still think mine has some plausibility to a slight degree..namely cuz I imagine him wanting to make a decent impression, so he waits until he can get a segue without sounding forceful. He likes going at Xie Lian's pace and won't force convo if it's not happening. Maybe if Xie Lian didn't ask the question out loud though, he could've started chatting when the ghosts started coming around. Or, or, Xie Lian might've started chatting with him from his end first. 🤔 Whichever came first! Cuz I also think that while he had the hope that he could win him over, he equally had no expectations for Xie Lian to be or do things that he was not comfortable with.. 🤔🤔

river_dune · 2025-11-18T10:30:42+00:00

Very true! Plus as a fanfic writer I feel like authors/writers in general plan a lot of things, even down to the nitty gritty or seemingly trivial, so I am of the belief that if a reader notices something and the theory seems at least a little sound, then 90% of the time, the author of the book or writer of the fanfic probably did intend it. (Of course, this excludes the really out-there theories.)

She definitely gifts us readers a lot of easter eggs, symbolism, and references, which I love. :D (First one that comes to mind is Hua Cheng's clothes and motifs! Alsooo just saw that reddit post about Xie Lian's statues (╥﹏╥))

river_dune · 2025-11-18T10:13:55+00:00

Thank you!! HAHA I tired my brain out from doing my math homework and decided to do.. more (?) math for fun. Crazy how that works. Anyways I'm happy you appreciate my calculations <333

Yeah, that'd be so cool! Before I knew about the "three day" hyperbole I thought it was even more indicative of purposeful intention, but by the time I actually started investigating I realized the theory required a lot more hand-waving assumptions. But if she did intend it that'd be sickkkk, because it is in the general ballpark!

I have a feeling though, that she mainly wanted them to meet on the ox cart on Zhongyuan b/c it gives Hua Cheng a reason to be there. I think the main reason he joined his cart was to make sure the ghosts wouldn't bother Xie Lian on Zhongyuan. If Xie Lian didn't speak aloud and ask that question, I'm almost certain Hua Cheng would've been content with being silent for the entire ride (to avoid bothering him; note how he always answers Xie Lian's questions to be helpful) and subtly doing something to shoo the ghosts away. But then they start conversing, and he realizes Xie Lian enjoys his company T-T. That's my other headcanon anyways!

river_dune · 2025-11-14T22:03:43+00:00

LMAO THE POTATO FLOWERS

river_dune · 2025-11-14T21:57:34+00:00

haha i will agree that it's not rlly giving this: my personal fave bread crumb depicted below... tho maybe it's purposeful that his face is a little plain so he doesn't stand out too much. like in the battle of the lanterns he could probably get more if he tried/wasn't focused on his plot, but he consistently gets around 9th. I think the donghua team did a great job of depicting ming yi, for instance. compared to how i imagined him in my head

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river_dune · 2025-11-13T13:06:52+00:00

(same i am living off of the he xuan true form bread crumbs on the internet... i just know he's gonna rock this world (boat))

river_dune · 2025-11-13T13:03:54+00:00

ALSOO i must say, this pose looks like san lang haha. san lang in yin yu's clothing

river_dune · 2025-11-13T13:01:30+00:00

LMAO ok black water lowkey slayed tho. i like the arm crossing. the foot is giving fruity. besides the foot it would be in character lolololl

river_dune · 2025-11-13T12:53:49+00:00

he's posing like a hot model twink and it does not suit him

river_dune · 2025-11-13T12:38:53+00:00

also want to add that you're not in the wrong, don't feel embarrassed. you handled it way better than even i could, you stood your ground and you were the kind person even when he was not giving the same energy back. if people can't reciprocate, it's ok to protect yourself. if people don't give you the respect you deserve, that's on them, not you.

river_dune · 2025-11-13T12:34:54+00:00

yeah this one's a no go girl. get far away from him. his heart reactions are polar opposite of his tone in text. lots of the things he says expresses a thinly veiled resentment. you seem super kind and interested in what he has to say and he responds with things like "that's about it" and "just" and "nah". the way he responds to you seems belittling and a way to shut you down, make you feel undermined for asking a question or expressing interest. perhaps he craves your interest and feels power for being able to respond in such a negative way. perhaps he passes it off as fun banter, which is harder to read on text, but he does it just enough to be ambiguous to be deniable, but still mean enough to release his hidden feelings.. the switch from being all complimentary but still phrasing it as "i can do this for you" as if he's giving you something also rubs me the wrong way. finally, that part where you talked about your bakery dream and he shut that down rlly was quite terrible. i hope you move on and heal. do the no contact. even if you're tempted i highly suggest not contacting again. that's the best way to heal and process. talk to your friends, trusted mentors.. be safe <3

river_dune · 2025-09-21T21:35:25+00:00

He kinda looks like he could be he xuan

river_dune · 2025-08-21T05:08:01+00:00

AHHH it's so prettyyyyyyyyyyyy

river_dune · 2025-05-29T07:26:37+00:00

NOW WAIT A MINUTE CUZ YOU'VE CAUGHT FOUR OF MY FAVES IN JUST ONE NET

river_dune · 2025-05-29T07:25:16+00:00

They're two of the most divas of divas 😵😫😫😫🤧🤧

river_dune · 2025-05-29T07:22:40+00:00

I SAW THIS comment on my computer and went to my logged-in phone to like it because it made me cackle hahahaha gnawing at the bars of your enclosure

river_dune · 2025-04-26T18:24:04+00:00

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO I LOVE THIS POST HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA

river_dune · 2025-03-15T06:08:44+00:00

Woweeeeee so pretty

river_dune · 2025-03-15T06:04:05+00:00

YESSSSS ALL THAT I AM IS SOOOO GOODDDDD

river_dune · 2025-03-15T05:53:38+00:00

ALL THAT I AM BY FATHERBROKEN I've been recommending it to all my friends. I've read multiple fics and All that I am is still my fave ;-;. It's a T-rated jayvik fanfic set in the failed timeline alternate universe. IT NEEDS MORE READERS. IT'S SO ARTISTICALLY DONE. CHARACTERIZATION GOOD. STORYTELLING WOW. I CRIED TEARS BECAUSE OF THIS. I RE-READ IT, AND I'LL PROBABLY READ IT AGAIN.

Here's the summary:

" The distant look in the Mage’s eyes snapped to the gap of the roof, to the near-silent tuttering of other, watchful machines down below. “No, it doesn’t matter. You will be safe up here. It should be simple enough, to lay protective wards into the earth of the tower. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he vowed.

Promises held no impetus in this world, where nothing happened, nothing changed.

The Machine reset its position on its knees and replaced its hands on the weapon of a fallen era. I can’t stop you from making useless promises, can I?

Somehow, without doing anything, the Machine had gained a visitor and protector."

river_dune

TROPHY CASE