wife_material: (072)
wife_material ([personal profile] wife_material) wrote2023-11-04 05:07 pm

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doctor_uhh: (002)

[personal profile] doctor_uhh 2024-09-03 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Delicate and restrained as that swipe is, a lack of retaliation would have tripped him up more. But of course Di Feisheng doesn't miss a step in this dance even in this shape, and with every move Li Lianhua gets to learn a little more of it. Miss Iris remains ignorant of how lucky she was. A private smirk crosses his lips at the thought, or possibly just at Di Feisheng and his surprising (delightful) tolerance of being pet in general, even while his eyes are locked on the prize.

And what a prize it is. He carefully examines the size and texture of the bones, taking note of the different knife marks and the tools used for drilling the holes and putting everything together. "Animal bones," he finally decides. In case anyone was curious. "Likely not her own kills, a butcher took these apart." So it's not the materials that matter to her, but the final product. "Expert work on the cleaning and bleaching, that would have taken a lot of effort... Only, I don't recall anyone in town offering that service." So her own work, and not the first time she's done it. Is that why she was so protective of it?

But there's obviously more to the damn thing, he heard that himself. He turns to pace a few steps away from the panther, lost in thought. She clearly didn't hide a little ghost in the pipes, so it must be something about the placement of the holes creating the words. But words are too numerous and complex to be made by singular holes... unless he rubs his lil fingies together it's made to speak a very different tongue. Of course a series of whistles and notes could carry meaning. And once there's meaning, whatever assures all the people here understand one another would do the rest.

It still takes great skill and precision to carve those holes and place the thing perfectly into the wind to assure those notes would be played more or less in the right order. Not unexpected of that woman, but certainly interesting. Should that be her own tongue, then? Or one of many she knows?

Why, still, put so much effort into making this? Just to see others react to it, maybe. To learn more about how languages work in this realm. Sentiment, if it is indeed her mother tongue? More sentiment, if she knows one person capable of understanding it without help.

Li Lianhua's expression sharpens into an unkind smile down at the instrument in his hands. "She's not done with you until she gets this back, you know." As if the attempted murder over a toy hadn't given that away already.

Oh well. With a shrug, he tosses the mess carelessly over his shoulder, high into the air and barely in the panther's general direction.
doctor_uhh: (103)

[personal profile] doctor_uhh 2024-10-26 10:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Once more the panther does not disappoint, deadly reflexes primed to grab his stupid prize out of the air before it can even hit the ground. Li Lianhua might be missing the visual performance, being turned the other way, but it's enough to more sense than hear the near silent leaping behind him, and the soft clatter as the panther lands with the bones under his paws. Idly he wonders what else he could make Di Feisheng catch like this, just to keep him sharp and all. As naturally ridiculously well suited as he is to this shape, skills don't just come from nothing, after all. That's his secret, he's always paying attention to Di Feisheng.

A dreamy smile is already on his face as Li Lianhua is in danger of getting lost in the deeply amusing fantasy of that panther pouncing after some roast chicken on a fishing line being whipped through the air. Thankfully, Di Feisheng's rather woebegone slinking over to the window captures his notice again. What, is the truth such a burden to carry that he can't even pick up the damned windchime, now? The very funny reluctance in the panther's bearing is obviously owing just as much to the troublesome woman next door as it is to realizing his rash actions are going to have further consequences. That would be impossible to resist poking at even if the sight of the panther gazing out the window like a lovesick maiden wasn't so... inviting.

Li Lianhua saunters over to the panther's side, hands folded politely behind his back once more, to lean down to his line of sight and join him in Looking Outside. This time, he seems to be perfectly oblivious to those fangs so close to his face and neck.

"Eh, Di-mengzhu. What's the matter? Are you thinking you... bit off more than you can chew?"
doctor_uhh: (058)

[personal profile] doctor_uhh 2024-12-02 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
That grimace is indeed pretty impressive, or at least it probably is, out of the corner of a sideways glance, since Li Lianhua is about as committed to Looking Outside now as the panther is. Anyway that was a very clever pun and cats are just so hard to please. If he wanted simple compensation he should have dropped it off at a pawn shop; what he gets at Li Lianhua's house is exactly what he deserves. Like a headrub.

Speaking of things that are deserved, he probably shouldn't complain too much about that sudden comeuppance for his earlier thwapping, almost a little too precise to be coincidence. So he'll only jump a little, throwing a brief glance over his shoulder at the offending appendage erratically dancing like a long furry spring coiled with all of Di Feisheng's considerable restraint. Terrible to give that man so much reach. He's got to be having at least a little fun with it, though, right? Li Lianhua is sure of it.

"Hey, don't take it out on me," he complains anyway, moue of reproach belied by the glint of deep amusement and something else in his eyes. "Blaming the messenger is not a good habit. Let me tell you, Di-mengzhu's lack of foresight isn't my fault. You know she didn't even recognize you until you came back here, right?" Unimaginably amateurish behavior. From both of them, actually. The laughter in his voice gives way to a sigh of pity. "Aiya... I was really expecting better tactics from you. I mean, you could have gotten away with your theft if only you'd... covered your tracks." Alright, a bit of a reach, but still worth it. He helpfully gestures at the panther's massive paws on the windowsill, just to make sure, though.