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clem

@clementessa.bsky.social

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Nov 8

a love we can't forget is ✨COMPLETE✨

thank you to all who have supported this fic--it means the world to me

to give back to this incredible #clerith community, i asked my dear friend @mintpaper.bsky.social for an illustration and she gifted me this moment in ch 6

it's phenomenal ❤️😭

the illustrated title card to a love we can't forget, a clerith fic on ao3

and cloud and aerith are SMOOCHING

fic written by clementessa
illustration by papermint

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Reposted by clem

Thor Benson @thorbenson.bsky.social · 13d

I give Wikipedia money because I value it and to spite the tech bros

Molly White @molly.wiki · 13d

Someone should probably inform the White House's "AI & Crypto Czar" that no one is forcing AI companies to train their models on Wikipedia

Tweet by David Sacks: "Wikipedia is hopelessly biased. An army of left-wing activists maintain the bios and fight reasonable corrections. Magnifying the problem, Wikipedia often appears first in Google search results, and now it’s a trusted source for AI model training. This is a huge problem."

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · 23d

the tension is palpable, the acting incredible, the directing tight, the costumes lush, the sets immaculate

this is Cinema™

bluff thoroughly called, cheng ao and zeng dalun leave the dinner grimly

meanwhile, i'm sitting on my couch losing my goddamn MIND

clem @clementessa.bsky.social · 23d

adopted bro is unhinged, goading his political rival into killing him

the politician, usually grinning, simpering, and bribing his way to victory, is uncharacteristically grim and more than happy to oblige him

meanwhile, cheng ao is cool as a cucumber, calling his bluff to protect his lil bro

zhen dalun played by zhou chengao is the normally grinning troublemaker. here, he's goading his political rival, and apologizes to him by stabbing a chopstick into his hand

stone cold

shen yiqun played by Zheng Zhong Yu is the normally sweet-talking, simpering politician who rightfully tries to put dalun in his place

cheng ao calmly placing one of the guns to his head like a BAMF

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · 23d

ok so i'm watching #footprintsofchange solely for #chenglei but damn is this republican #cdrama genuinely gripping

this scene with CL's char cheng ao, his adopted bro, and his politician bff in particular is a fucking stand out, acted beautifully + anchored by complex dynamics b/w all of em

cheng ao (played to silky smooth perfection by cheng lei) sitting at a dinner with his adopted bro (who has two guns pointed at his head) courtesy of his political rival and cheng ao's politician bff

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Reposted by clem

Carrie @onekdramamomma.bsky.social · 28d

It's really fun watching how #ChengLei acting changes depending on which character he is embodying. Prince Annan has a whole different aura. #ShadowLove #cdrama

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 13

YESSSSSSSSS this is the moment i knew this was going to be a hilariously campy ride 😂

clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 12

~dark romance~ baby girl

#cdrama #chenglei #shadowlove

cheng lei as duan ao deng from #shadowlove in a luscious dark embroidered robes and looking perhaps as fine as he's ever been

clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 12

baby girl

#cdrama #chenglei #shadowlove

cheng lei as jin'an in #shadowlove lounging casually in blue robes in a carriage looking cute and sassy

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

I see cheng lei, I click

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

two beautiful character arcs entwining as star-crossed lovers

and in the end, they choose to shed their identities as general li and prince annan, respectively, and live a simple life on their own terms

together ❤️

romance-writing at it's finest... just don't think abt the plot too hard 😆

DAD backs li shuang into the corner

the BEST era, DAD arc still has me in a chokehold

jin'an and li shuang walk off hand in hand

clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

so it feels earned that after being so physically tough for her whole life, we see that it's when she's heartbroken, beaten down, and the softest/girliest we've ever seen her, that she's also the toughest and more mentally resilient she's ever been, running circles around DAD

li shuang looked poised and regal AF as she barters with DAD for rations for her fellow imprisoned soldiers

she was runnign circles around him ISTG

li shuang is as overtly womanly as we've seen her, but the softness that she repressed at the beginning of the show is now her strength

the love she shared with jin'an overcomes DAD's amnesia
her cleverness keeps her alive during her interactions witht he empress dowager
her delicate frame withstands incredible torture

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

similarly, li shuang's arc of being the historical version of the perfect strong career woman, and then gradually letting herself be flawed (esp with her lil bro), and a little girly feels relatable

seeing her finally be selfish and accept that her dad's love was without strings was incredible

li shuang says "give us the best rooms" AKA learned from jin'an that it's ok to treat yo self

li shuang letting loose after the drinking competition, being pulled to dance by the villagers

li shuang's papa encourages her to follow her heart and go after jin'an

(HER PAPA WAS THE BEST I CRIED)

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

so it's fitting that once all of his jin'an memories return, DAD chooses to shed all of his royal, violent trappings and follow his heart

li shuang asks if DAD would like to stay with his brother. he replies "have you forgotten? I'm jin'an."

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

we see it also in DAD's undying love and loyalty for his older brother, the emperor.

DAD's diva antics were also foreshadowed with jin'an's high food and clothing standards and the fact that DAD invaded lucheng bc he was impressed by those yummy grapes 😂

DAD looking emotional AF as he realizes his brother is still alive!!!

even from ep 1, the writers made it clear that DAD, ruthless as he is, is loyal and protective to a fault.

the emperor, getting jade linglong'd, exclaims to his consort that "aodeng will never let you go" for hurting him

duan aodeng: "Lucheng grows such fine fruit. Then I'll have to cross the valley and take Lucheng" *throws the grape across the room like a DIVA*

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

meanwhile, jin'an is DAD's soft center, his true self beneath that protective exterior. we see it in the way he sneaks honey into li shuang's medicine and makes sure she eats, in the way he plays the qin and sneaks her candy and falls through the roof for her (LMAO)

li shuang tastes the medicine and realizes it's sweet. DAD put in honey, just like jin'an did

DAD with a very jin'an smile

cheng lei just killing it out here

jin'an feeding li shuang medicine and putting in honey

CRYING i miss this era

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

this show's strength is in the character arcs and relationships

i love what they did with jin'an/duan aodeng. in hindsight, jin'an and the man in black are just different sides of duan aodeng. man in black is the protective, ruthless, hyperviolent shell that DAD developed from growing up as a royal

duan aodeng in his badass armor and diva mask, wielding his giant fucking sword into battle

duan aodeng smothered in layers of robes, and slutty leather gloves. he's practically drowning in it--anything and everything to keep his inner puppy dog under wraps

oh i could talk about the costumign for DAYS

the man in black facing an army. the parallels in costuming to DAD (mask, head to toe in armor, leather gloves) are intentional

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

and one last excellent kiss for good measure. god, fanservice is so good when I'M the one being personally serviced 😂

jin'an and li shuang smooching, having thoroughly earned their happy ending

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 11

spoilers for the ending of #shadowlove #cdrama
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best HEA EVER

a satisfying end for all characters and our main leads' sweet and easy chemistry is BACK and on full display

i swear this scene is an ad lib, it's so funny and natural

jin'an sits next to li shuang like the puppy he is, begging for a kiss

li shuang refuses his request for a kiss, citing the children playing nearby but jin'an crowds her, insisting, "they can't see us."

jin'an even tries to sneak a kiss which li shuang blocks deftly with her fan, hiding a grin

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 9

Omg It's been such a delight to watch and track their microexpressions and see the waves of emotions the characters are experiencing. It's so real!!

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

ooo what do you think abt when fate brings the demon?

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

yesssss it's fanservice at it's finest!!

honestly, ffwd or even jump ahead to eps 25-26 or something!! that's when the show really takes off, imo. i mean, you do get the most of it when you watch it as a whole, but i also feel like this arc would be worth watching even standalone

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

oh, no worries, you don't sound crass at all! just wondering what you meant by your comment is all 😊

i think the show works best with binging bc you don't think abt all the plot holes and lack of logic and instead enjoy the romance or cheng lei shirtless 😂

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

YESSSSSSSSSSSS there's camp and ridiculous shenanigans and also DRAMATIC ANGST and it's sooooo delicious

def not without flaws tho (notoriously slow middle), but it's all in the name of build up that does pay off

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

will do!! ❤️ honestly i recommend it if you don't mind OTT, soapy shows that don't take itself too seriously

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clem @clementessa.bsky.social · Sep 8

haha this show is so unserious and soapy, the range is crazy but it's so up my alley, it's made for me 😂

are you having trouble getting through it?

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