[The confirmation that the ghost is indeed a ghost-- not quite literal but not strictly metaphor-- is nice as well. At least tells her that the issue was dealt with in an acceptable manner. Not that it would be something to concern her, but it does feel like something that should be more easily put to rest for everyone that had been involved.]
[Why she's being compared to a dead woman is beyond her. Can't Li Lianhua just consider her a unique problem of his? It's so confining, being framed in someone else's shadow simply because ...what? She make a joke about his friend's intentions? Tch.]
I do understand now. I thank you for the explanation.
No need because the altercation has passed? Or because the lunacy has?
[Most unfortunately, beyond her it will have to stay. The casual and even affectionate disrespect with which he treats Li Lianhua's ongoing contentions with the weird scholar next door is a strange fault line with the stonewrought sense of duty he's adopted for some of Li Lianhua's secrets. His house can stay his own, the aetiology of his illness can stay a mystery, and the name Li Xiangyi won't be so much as breathed to her, meaningless as it would be. But these are just some of the many narrow perils of diplomatic undertaking. He's already done an exceptional amount of work he's not well suited to. The idea that anyone will fall prey to an overzealous woman on his account again is as ludicrous as thinking he could hand dye the stripes off any tigers.]
Don't hold your breath for the latter, though I think this particular ghost at least has passed. But words don't work on lunacy. I nearly said as much the first time we talked.
Alas. So much for promising no ill intentions when I next pretend to flirt with you.
[Which she will. Understanding the nature of Li Lianhua's concerns doesn't mean she's interested in curbing her own. It just gives her an idea on how to mitigate any feathers that she ruffles, how to side-step disputes that she doesn't feel like having, and that's good enough for her.]
Is it endearing, to have someone be so protective of you?
[The less said, the better. Conversationally the equivalent of playing dead. Unfortunately, he understands why it's so amusing. Li Lianhua would be much better off if he just enjoyed the liberty being inflicted on Di Feisheng, like a sensible person.]
It's not just for my benefit. If he were right and not insane, who would you target first?
[Unfortunately, the playing dead does still make her smile. Such is life.]
If he were right about what? That I have some predatory interest in you? That I'm dangerous to you? This is a very silly hypothetical, and the idea of "targeting" anyone is beyond me.
But if I have to answer, then it would have to be him first, no? And if I did that, then I don't imagine you would like me very much, and my days would be very boring. So where would I even be?
See, it all falls apart the moment you take more than two seconds to think about. I'm a little insulted that I'm expected to be so devoid of reason.
The way conversations normally work, and not like an interrogation. You're familiar, I think. The other person's words are usually an important part of it.
I'm familiar, yes. I don't entirely mean to interrogate, but asking how to answer my question is hardly much of a conversation either. I gave you the answer that I had, which is to say that I didn't have one. I'm not in the habit of telling others how they should feel.
And it seems strange for you to want to hear what I think about two men who have known each other far longer than I've known them. Do you plan to grade me on my guesses? Measure how closely they hit their marks? I'll feel very silly if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to have any consideration for that.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-03-17 03:32 am (UTC)[Why she's being compared to a dead woman is beyond her. Can't Li Lianhua just consider her a unique problem of his? It's so confining, being framed in someone else's shadow simply because ...what? She make a joke about his friend's intentions? Tch.]
I do understand now. I thank you for the explanation.
No need because the altercation has passed? Or because the lunacy has?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-06 11:01 pm (UTC)Don't hold your breath for the latter, though I think this particular ghost at least has passed. But words don't work on lunacy. I nearly said as much the first time we talked.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-16 06:09 pm (UTC)[Which she will. Understanding the nature of Li Lianhua's concerns doesn't mean she's interested in curbing her own. It just gives her an idea on how to mitigate any feathers that she ruffles, how to side-step disputes that she doesn't feel like having, and that's good enough for her.]
Is it endearing, to have someone be so protective of you?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-19 06:32 pm (UTC)[The less said, the better. Conversationally the equivalent of playing dead. Unfortunately, he understands why it's so amusing. Li Lianhua would be much better off if he just enjoyed the liberty being inflicted on Di Feisheng, like a sensible person.]
It's not just for my benefit. If he were right and not insane, who would you target first?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-19 07:27 pm (UTC)If he were right about what? That I have some predatory interest in you? That I'm dangerous to you? This is a very silly hypothetical, and the idea of "targeting" anyone is beyond me.
But if I have to answer, then it would have to be him first, no? And if I did that, then I don't imagine you would like me very much, and my days would be very boring. So where would I even be?
See, it all falls apart the moment you take more than two seconds to think about. I'm a little insulted that I'm expected to be so devoid of reason.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-19 09:41 pm (UTC)I've already said you don't need to reassure me. Or are you trying to do the opposite with all these words? You understand my point, and agree.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-19 10:02 pm (UTC)I understand your point, though it didn't need to be made. My question was genuine. Do you enjoy his fussing over you?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-21 03:04 am (UTC)I don't know if you did understand, or you wouldn't call it that. Should I enjoy it?
no subject
Date: 2024-04-22 04:43 am (UTC)I can't tell you if you should enjoy it or not. That's up to you to determine.
no subject
Date: 2024-04-28 11:13 pm (UTC)Why? Have you finally run out of words?
no subject
Date: 2024-05-05 09:43 pm (UTC)I could wax poetic all day about the nature between the two of you, but why should I? I'd much rather have your words than mine on the matter.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-06 05:39 am (UTC)Congratulations, you've discovered one half of conversation.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-06 05:58 am (UTC)You're avoiding the question, though. Is it really so difficult to answer?
no subject
Date: 2024-05-13 10:57 pm (UTC)It's not a free show, get out of the drawer.]I'm not avoiding it, it's just too wrong to answer. And that's not how conversations work. Or wuxing, for that matter.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-13 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-05-14 10:49 pm (UTC)The way conversations normally work, and not like an interrogation. You're familiar, I think. The other person's words are usually an important part of it.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-14 11:25 pm (UTC)And it seems strange for you to want to hear what I think about two men who have known each other far longer than I've known them. Do you plan to grade me on my guesses? Measure how closely they hit their marks? I'll feel very silly if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to have any consideration for that.