That gives Shen Yuan pause. "How does one do handstands while writing lines?" he asks, mystified but also not sure he actually wants to know. Do they hold the brush between their toes...?
His calligraphy is Shen Qingqiu's: Shen Yuan had perfectly legible handcrafting in his first life, but he never studied it as an artform. But the original goods did calligraphy like he painted: elegant and with precision, if a little coldly. He nods in response to Lan Xichen's question without looking up from his task.
"'The heir, the spare,' and then me," he confirms with a wry little smile.
"I'm not sure, really," he admits. "Perhaps by standing on one arm and writing with the other...?"
So his immediate family was prominent enough to have concerns with regards for inheritance, and yet he bore no resemblance to any of the immediate family of the Wen Sect.
Interesting.
"I hope that isn't all your parents thought of you...?"
"Mm, terrifying. I'll certainly do all I can to stay on his good side."
As he finishes one line and starts the next, Shen Yuan shakes his head, saying, "No, they were very loving. To the point of over-indulgence, really." He snickers quietly. "I've learned to hide it to some extent, but I'm afraid deep down I'm still a rather lazy, unmotivated person. 'There's nothing wrong with finishing in the top ten as long as the contest had more than ten people in it,' that used to be my motto."
"Finishing at all can be an accomplishment," he says, the soft scrape of the ink stick on the stone punctuating he statement. "The feats we must first and foremost compare to are our own."
Shen Yuan hums in quiet agreement. He's certainly never been one to put himself first or make a scene (his activity levels on certain literature forums notwithstanding).
"For my part I've always been happy to live simply and quietly," he says in a soft voice. "It's the rest of the world that has other ideas."
He gives a small nod of agreement as he drags the brush across the surface of the paper in a graceful sweep, followed by some much shorter and choppier motions.
"The world so often does. Many decide for the futures of others what they would not necessarily choose for themselves."
His gaze turns inward as he works, the motions almost automatic at this point.
"I imagine the world would be a very different place if such things were not foisted upon us."
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 12:04 am (UTC)"Just be wary about breaking rules around my Uncle. He has incorporated handstands into the process."
He settles himself at a nearby table, unfurling another roll of paper so that he could paint while Shen Yuan wrote.
"You mentioned before you're the youngest of three brothers...?"
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 12:55 am (UTC)His calligraphy is Shen Qingqiu's: Shen Yuan had perfectly legible handcrafting in his first life, but he never studied it as an artform. But the original goods did calligraphy like he painted: elegant and with precision, if a little coldly. He nods in response to Lan Xichen's question without looking up from his task.
"'The heir, the spare,' and then me," he confirms with a wry little smile.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 01:35 am (UTC)So his immediate family was prominent enough to have concerns with regards for inheritance, and yet he bore no resemblance to any of the immediate family of the Wen Sect.
Interesting.
"I hope that isn't all your parents thought of you...?"
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 04:00 am (UTC)As he finishes one line and starts the next, Shen Yuan shakes his head, saying, "No, they were very loving. To the point of over-indulgence, really." He snickers quietly. "I've learned to hide it to some extent, but I'm afraid deep down I'm still a rather lazy, unmotivated person. 'There's nothing wrong with finishing in the top ten as long as the contest had more than ten people in it,' that used to be my motto."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 04:28 am (UTC)Easy enough for someone like Lan Xichen to say.
"There is no shame in not being competitive."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 04:54 am (UTC)"For my part I've always been happy to live simply and quietly," he says in a soft voice. "It's the rest of the world that has other ideas."
no subject
Date: 2022-10-25 05:03 am (UTC)"The world so often does. Many decide for the futures of others what they would not necessarily choose for themselves."
His gaze turns inward as he works, the motions almost automatic at this point.
"I imagine the world would be a very different place if such things were not foisted upon us."