dreams in ink and vellum

The internet corner of a restless fandom dabbler. Fandoms: Mysterious Lotus Casebook, Dragon Age: the Veilguard, Nirvana in Fire, Shadowhunters (SH sideblog @poemsfromthealley), Baldur's Gate (3), Bioware, C-dramas and assorted nerdery. Art and photography, poetry, world cultures and history, astronomy, etc. 90% queued. Follow and unfollow at will. ao3: paperiuni . bluesky: junemermaid.bsky.social

[junemermaid]

okay will zhan zhao adventures finally deliver to me a new c-drama threesome to obsess about

as of episode 12, odds are good

(and yes, I adore the rest of the show, huo linglong my beloved in particular, but the trio dynamic is top tier and oh how I've longed for a new one, as much as I love difanghua)

[politijohn]

Source

Happy Pride Month!

[reasonsforhope]

Holy shit!!!!!!! HUNGARY DID IT!!!!

-via the Los Angeles Blade, June 1, 2026

[lonelylonelyghost]

The Case of Too Many Blossoms

for @raspberet. it's all your fault ❤️

The spring and its allergies are in full bloom, so it's the perfect time to reminisce about the time of long-long ago (2024-2025 AD), when literally every other cdrama title was translated into English with some variation of "blossom".

According to word on the streets, there are many who are still confused and enraged, so I'm here to quell your wrath and offer some clarity on who is who and what is what, and help you decide if those dramas sound interesting enough to check out. You're welcome.

P.S. I'm gonna talk about the mix of cdramas that are relatively popular and also the ones I felt like talking about. I'm not including the dramas that came out before that time, and neither those 2-minute vertical minis because I don't wanna and because this list would be literally endless

P.P.S. Those that I've watched I marked with ✔️ so proceed henceforth knowing that it's my personal opinion

PSPSPSPS. The order of the dramas is random

****

1. BLOSSOM (2024, 34 ep., full-length) ✔️

a bunch of my posts

A noblewoman Dou Zhao dies, betrayed by everyone close to her, but not before a chance encounter with Song Mo - a general accused of treason. When she wakes up in her own body a decade before, she is resolute to not repeat the same mistakes again.

The classic "rebirth" story from the director of recently explosive "Pursuit of Jade", so you know it looks and feels incredible. The past life flashback takes up mere 20 minutes of screentime, but leaves such an impression on you, that you carry it throughout the whole drama

It stars Meng Ziyi, Li Yunrui, Xia Zhiguang, Kong Xueer and many others.

the characters are all great, the story is gripping (if only a bit convoluted by the end), and our battle couple is tender, smart, competent and ride-or-die for each other

but I wouldn't be me if I ever shut up about the (explicitly canonical btw!) platonic soulmates that are Dou Zhao and Ji Yong!!!

****

2. THE BLOSSOMING LOVE (2025, 40 ep., full-length)

A fantasy story about a (Heavenly?) Emperor who sacrificed himself in order to create a reincarnation cycle. Later he himself gets reincarnated to a sect who likes to wear white, while his beloved goes to the ✨dark side✨. Stuff begin to happen. Enemies to lovers to enemies to ???, magic fights and multiple lifetimes.

Starring Zhang Binbin, Sun Zhenni, Wang Duo(!!!), etc

As you can probably guess, I haven't watched it yet, but I heard great things, so it's still in my bookmarks, waiting for its time to shine.

Some bits I gathered from the grapevine are:

Fighting divinity itself? Someone becomes a stone at one point. Disassociation king Wang Duo. Triad feels. Very cool and kinda existential? Wang Duo tortured and covered in blood.

If you're up for it, then 🫴

****

3. IN BLOSSOM (2024, 32 ep., full-length) ✔️

Yang Caiwei, a local coroner despised for her background and a face disfigurement, meets the dashing gentleman Pan Yue, but gets murdered on her wedding day. However the story isn't over yet, because she soon wakes up in a body of a local crazy rich lady Shangguan Zhi who is famously obsessed with Pan Yue. So now she has to figure out what to do with her current identity, how to prove that behind all this plot was Pan Yue, and also the local mafia starts acting weird...

Starring Ju Jingyi, Liu Xueyi, Wu Jiayi, Li Geyang, etc.

I've heard not very good things about it before ultimately deciding to watch it, but personally I ended up enjoying it quite a bit!

Ju Jingyi was pretty good in this role, and Liu Xueyi is - well, it's Liu Xueyi, he always delivers. The romance was cute, but I enjoyed whole "trying-to-kill-each-other-enemies to unwilling coworkers to real crime-solving team"- part of their relationship the most. The murder cases were interesting, the cinematography was great, and for those hesitant I present to you two things - gruesome murders and grieving and deadly Liu Xueyi with white streaks in his hair

and also I'm pretty sure it was this gorgeous fmv by @hlcyxnfilms that sold me on this drama in the beginning:

****

4. MEET YOU AT THE BLOSSOM (2024, 12 ep., full-length)

And we have our first proper BL after many years of total black-out!🥳 Well, things are a bit more complicated than that, because this show was produced and released in Thailand, while featuring mostly Chinese actors. It's probably even more complicated, but whatever - it's here, it's openly queer and we're blessed for this

Basically, there's this carefree and rich guy Jin Xiaobao, who instantly falls in love with a mysterious beautiful woman Huai En, who he soon discovers is indeed stunning, but also not really a woman and also very much crazy.

Very romantic, very toxic and possessive and unhealthy - which is 👍👍👍 in my books. Aphrodisiacs, murders and secret identities. Also there's also a prince who's obsessed with his own cousin?

I haven't watched it yet, and yes, I'm ashamed, but it's downloaded on my laptop and just waits for the right moment. Honestly if you want to know more, I suggest just going through @guzhufuren tags, because I was there for their descent into madness, and it was glorious!

****

5. BLADES AMID BLOSSOMS (2025, 24 ep., mini) ✔️

another bunch of posts

"I've been looking for you for three years. I never thought you'd be hiding here." "Looking? You've been hunting me for three years."

I mean, this mini TECHNICALLY is not BL, but if you think Yan Shiyi and Han Dao are anything else other than eachothersexuals, then I have terrible news for you

The plot - after some sort of tragic incident, former shixiong and shidi meet again as a suspect and investigator respectively in a Manor of a freshly deseased Imperial Concubine. It's basically a locked-room murder mystery, featuring murders (obviously), exes who are very much NOT over each other, scheming lesbians, forbidden experiments and one of the most fucked up family dynamics I've seen in a while

When I got the idea to make this post, I remembered that this mini has been in my bookmarks for ages, and I was like, hey, the name fits, why don't I just watch it quickly and even if it's a nothingburger, at least it's short. I can write a couple of words about it and there will be one less thing in my infinite to-watch list. But oh boy, was I wrong in my assessment!

The mystery is messy and complicated, and every time you think you finally figured it out, the drama cackles maniacally and hits you with yet another boulder over the head. Plot twists after plot twists indeed!

But the two main characters is what drove me absolutely INSANE. From the first scene of them together there's history, there's crazy concoction of resentment and love and pain and devotion!

"bromance" my ass

"I have countless reasons to kill you, but I won't wrong you."

"My life has always belonged to you. Why don't you use this sword to cut out my heart and see for yourself whether it's real or fake?"

uhuh. sure.

Like, come on.

COME ON.

(and I'm still not over the "It's not like you haven't seen it before" scene BY THE WAY)

****

6. IN THE NAME OF BLOSSOM/ FLOURISHED PEONY (2025, 56 ep., full-length)

This one is slightly weird, because it's one drama divided into 2 parts with different names, but still I decided to include it here

Anyways, it's a story of a merchant's daughter He Weifang, who escapes her not-so-good marriage, and with the help of the Chang'an official Jiang Changyang establishes a flower selling business. Also according to the drama description there's also some sort of rebellion? I guess what is a historical cdrama without at least a couple of those lol

Starring Yang Zi, Li Xian, Zhang Yaqin, Wei Zheming, etc.

I haven't watched this drama (it's not the genre I'm overly interested in), but I heard that the consumes are beautiful, and the story is occasionally frustrating but engaging and realistic. So, I guess if you like the art of peony cultivating and the intricacies of being a businesswoman in Tang dynasty China - here's the drama for you!

****

7. BLOSSOMS IN ADVERSITY (2024, 40 ep, full-length) ✔️

Hua Zhi's dream was to travel and be free, but after her grandfather offended the Emperor and all the men in her family were sent to exile, she was forced to take care of the rest of her truly enormous family (I relate as the oldest child in a sorta similar situation, except I'm more selfish and managed to get away lol). Along the way to survive and restore her family honor she meets Gu Yanxi - a mysterious Commander of the Security Bureau. Dowry wine, conspiracy plots and wonders of accounting - the whole nine yards.

I've already written in details about all the things I liked about this drama, but in short - the smart characters that you actually believe are smart, the frankly awesome fight scenes, the way the show handled an autistic character with such respect, the numerous and barely disguised lesbians, the list goes on. But the main appeal for me was the romance part.

Which is huuuuuge if you know me - the ardent hater of 98% romance in any media.

And the reason for my adoration for their love is how it comes from the genuine respect they have for each other as individuals first and foremost. They start off as friends, and their friendship doesn't fade into the background once they start developing romantic feelings. You can see and feel it clearly how they like spending time together, how they feel safe around one another, how they're ready to do anything to protect each other

It feels like a love story between two asexual people, and I'm so happy about it, you've got no idea

And at the same time they don't feel mushy and overly sweet. They have their priorities in order, they both are wickedly smart, practical and ruthless when the circumstances call for it. Both their hands are drenched in blood, and I think that's hot

And also spoilers I guess, but I LOVED how at the end Hua Zhi didn't forget her initial dream (when I know sooo many dramas that make their FLs settle with marriage and kids despite their aspirations to escape at the beginning), and once the crisis was averted and her family was stable, she was like "So, from now on you'll have to learn to deal with your shit yourself, because after saving y'all plus the whole Empire half a dozen times I'm like reeeally overdue for some peace and quiet and also several years of travel around the world together with my awesome husband! So long, suckers!🖕"

****

8. BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI (2023-2024, 30 ep, full-length)

This is Hu Ge, so you KNOW it's a prestige drama.

The story is happening in 1990s Shanghai, where a guy named A Bao meets four women on his way from rags to riches.

It's directed by THEEEE Wong Kar Wai and it's starring, obviously, Hu Ge, Ma Yili, Tang Yan, Xing Zhilei, and others.

I haven't watched it (yet), and have heard some polarizing things about the story and the characters, but everybody agrees that it looks stunning, and that it's very different from the majority of cdramas nowadays in almost every aspect.

So, if you're feeling up to some unique viewing experience, then here's something to consider

****

****

****

And that's it for now!

If something caught your eyes, then I wish you a great watch, meanwhile I'm off doing some forbidden magic or something, haven't decided yet

(ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ

[peckaghost]

It was gonna be some sort of Kim char study but it turned into whatever this is, I’ve to admit that pink suits him

[fallen-goldfishcracker]

Wyll Ravengard as Text Posts

Part 2/?

[sentienttoast]

I think about Matti every day

[loucifersbitch]

everyone needs to get weirder, yes, but also get kinder. get more supportive. get more loving. be good to your fellow fans, especially the creatives who give you art and gifs and fics and fancams and and and. treat each other well because on tunglr dot hell, we are all neighbors. and neighbors look out for each other

[parakeet]

just saw a 'comments' tab on someones blog you know where the following and likes tabs would be if enabled and it was just showing all the replies theyve made on peoples posts. this is fascinating when did this feature come out

[parakeet]

EMERGENCY - ITS AUTO ENABLED!

if you've made replies on posts there is now a tab on your blog showing every post youve replied to and your reply.

if this is not what you want, either go to your blog and click comments and disable it from there or just go to your individual blogs setting pages. just change it from blue to grey if you dont want everyone to see your replies AND the post you're replying to

PLEASE BE ADVISED that it is set to disabled for blogs that have not made any replies but it will turn ON if you reply with that blog in the future.! i just tested it with my main, which was greyed out but it turned on the moment i left a test reply

figured i'd get the word out bc i have not seen a single mention of this and i'm sure there are plenty of people who maybe comment on things they don't want on display for everyone to see on their blog lol. you can still look at your replies with it toggled off just no one else can, like locking the following and likes list

[parakeet]

so for some reason this feature was actually announced on the tumblr engineering blog. interesting choice not to reblog it to the staff or tumblr blog, esp considering they asked for user input on how to implement it, but i suppose considering the response to the last update maybe the replies would be too overwhelming...

so couple of clarifications. comments are disabled as default for primary blogs that have their likes disabled. they are seemingly enabled for all other blogs that have replied to posts

posts you comment on may show on your followers 'for you' page if you leave your replies publically available. they may, in the future, show in on your followers dashboard if your follower goes to their dash settings and enables this. apparently, if your likes are enabled, your followers can already see those on the dash if they've gone into preferences and selected to do so, which I was unaware of, and that seems to be disabled at default, but it's possible i disabled it previously and forgot about it ig

[boarred]

Happy pridemonth

[welcometothejianghu]

Small Fandom Summer 2026!

For the fourth year in a row now, it's time for Small Fandom Summer! Join me for Small Fandom Summer! It's real easy to play:

Make a fanwork for something that has fewer than 1000 English-language works on AO3

Post it to AO3

And then you've done it! You've made a thing and you've diversified the fandom ecosystem! You're basically a hero.

Q: The fandom I want to create for has more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but the specific pairing I want to write for has fewer than that. Does that count? A: Yes! Q: What if it has more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but, like, just barely? A: Okay! Q: What if it actually has a lot more than 1000 English-language works on AO3, but it still feels small? A: Sure! Q: What if I don't want to post it to AO3? What if I don't even have an AO3 account? Can I post it somewhere else? A: Wherever! Q: What if-- A: Just do a thing, friend. Make a thing. Share the thing. This is not meant to be restrictive; this is meant to be inspirational. Create the fanworks you want to see in the world. Make a stranger happy by appealing to their niche interests. Bring joy.

And if you want to give yourself some silly little Steam-like achievement badges to commemorate your accomplishments, well, you're in luck! I've made a bunch of them right here! You can grab the ones that apply to your work and paste them wherever you like and feel good about what you've done. Here's a few of my favorites:

So you see? This is meant to be silly and fun.

There's nowhere to sign up. There's nothing to commit to. There's zero pressure. You just do it if you do it, and don't if you don't. But if you do want to play (yay!), tag your stuff with #small fandom summer so we can all swoop in and appreciate everyone else's efforts.

Here's to creativity!

[welcometothejianghu]

Since some people have asked: There's now a Small Fandom Summer 2026 AO3 Collection! You can post your stuff right here! It's completely open and unmoderated, so if you think something goes there, well, go on and add it! Hopefully by the end of the summer, we'll have a nice little collection of stuff there.

And since some other people have asked: There's no start date for this, nor is this an end date. "Summer" in this context is an extremely arbitrary unit of measurement. I'm starting now because my personal summer runs from about mid-May to mid-August. Yours may vary.

I'm thrilled so many people have seemed excited about this! I hope it inspires the creation of a whole bunch of good stuff!

[veridium]

If you’re reading this: this is your sign that your WIP is worth writing, is worth the effort, and that you are doing great. Keep going, take breaks, reflect. But do not lose sight of how far you’ve come on this project! You can do it!

[pinkinink]

You sleep, I watch

[djarinmuse]

I literally love all of you, but as a Tumblr veteran, Tumblr's main feature is the reblog feature. It is the beating heart of the dashboard and the foundation for a chronological timeline. The For You page here should not be your default setting.

You guys have got to start reblogging stuff you enjoy, especially, specifically gifs and fan art but also fics and fan theories or even hot takes if you're not afraid of a lil discourse. I'm tired of being the first or third reblog for a person's post and then seeing my blog's followers do nothing but hit like, while blogs sit there with no new posts in months or years!

Reblog more stuff please. Thank you, have a good day.

You're not even going to reblog this post are you 🫩

[triassictriserratops]

fandom dies in the likes. You HAVE to reblog.

[yan-may-fire]

“diligent boys keep their hands to themselves“

[ororium-z]

Happy Pride!

[rootbeergoddess]

Every pride, you must reblog this. No exceptions

[thesaltofcarthage]

I love that four different people on my feed scheduled this joyous person to reblog by 8am on June 1. I look forward to seeing this a dozen more times today.

[postcardsfromheapside]

[thunderstruck9]

Criss Canning (Australian, 1947), Gum Blossom, 1995. Oil on canvas, 76.5 x 71 cm.