#beyondborders

WangxianFicRecs - Rewind 2025

More Follower Recs for our 2025 Rewind! Remember, our inbox remains open for your recommendations~

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Hello! This is such an amazing world building story of LWJ learning to live with his grief after the siege. - Anon

Beyond Borders

by WordsofRaven

E, 151k, Wangxian

Part of the MDZS Big Bang 2025

Summary: For Lan Wangji, the twenty years since Nightless city have been a slow, relentless descent into a particular kind of hell that only those who lost everything and survived could truly understand. Pushed to the brink of sanity and grief, Lan Wangji leaves everything behind hoping for nothing except perhaps one day finding a fragile inner peace. Settling in a valley beautiful beyond words after long years of wandering, things take a strange turn when he discovers an ancient fox shrine. When a barely alive body finds its way in his home, Lan Wangji's heart beats again. This a story of healing and friendship, of finding family and a home, of finding peace and undying love. This story is illustrated by @0l1v13rrr in chapter 18. This story is also betaed by Heiyu Thank you again to the both of you for your patience because I was so, so late!!! 💖💖💖.

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The story of Lan Qiren adopting a cat and his nephews’ responses to said adoption is the pinnacle of hilarity. The cat turns out to be Wei Wuxian and the story segues into the fast burn relationship between him and Lan Wangji as Lan Wangji learns about magic in the modern world. The story is sweet, humorous, and incredibly well-written! @doctorbunsenhoneydew

On Little Cat Feet

by deliciousblizzardshark (@deliciousblizzardshark)

M, 28k, Wangxian

Summary: “I just spoke to Uncle,” Brother said. “He has adopted a cat.” Lan Wangji wasn’t sure what to say. “Uncle?” he repeated, finally. “Yes,” Brother agreed. “Uncle does not allow pets,” Lan Wangji said. “Yes.” “Cats shed fur. They are dirty and have parasites. They bring in dead mice. They have litter boxes which must be emptied,” Lan Wangji recited from memory. Brother had often tried to persuade Uncle they should keep pets. “He adopted a cat,” Brother said again. “Perhaps he has a brain tumor.” or Wei Wuxian accidentally turns into a cat. Lan Qiren unknowingly adopts him.

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Wei Ying begins a new job with Cloud Recesses Publishing house, and the story follows his journey to becoming more confident in his work while he quietly falls in love with his boss, Lan Zhan. Wei Ying inadvertently uncovers the office lunch thief, which leads to some very unexpected consequences for all involved. The story is very soft and sweet, and is beautifully written! @doctorbunsenhoneydew

The Bento Box Bandit, or: A Disaster Bi's Guide to Office Romance

by Greywake (@greywake)

T, 6k, Wangxian | Kay's Rec

Summary: Someone at Wei Ying's new job is the kind of asshole who steals other people's lunch. Oh, and his new boss is the hottest man on earth... Oh, and his new boss is the hottest man on earth...

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For the Rewind 2025: because it is pure joy, and hilarious, and kind. And also has Lan Zhan as a stripper with very high platform heels and the smut is scorching. 34k of modern wangxian AU perfection! @intoxicatingimmediacy

private room

by ScarlettStorm (@scarlettohairdye)

E, 34k, Wangxian

Summary: “What exactly did you want my feedback on?” Lan Zhan asks, bending one knee to cock a hip and putting an arch in his back. He laces his voice with just a hint of innuendo. Cobalt is never too excited about anything, so it wouldn’t do to seem too eager or too horny. Gorgeous Newbie inhales, squaring his shoulders, and blurts, “Would you watch my stand-up routine and tell me if it needs anything?” Lan Zhan blinks. The music is loud in here, like it is everywhere in the club. Surely he misheard. “What?” “I have a stand-up routine,” Gorgeous Newbie repeats, more confidently this time. “I would really appreciate it if you could watch it and give me feedback.” Or: What happens in the private room, stays in the private room... Until it doesn't.

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I just HAVE to recommend this one, it's SO GOOD. It's a must read, especially if you like angst. The whole story is incredibly well written. It definitely deserves more attention than it got so far. I'm so glad I found it. @reluctantways

Before Our Point of No Return

by FinallyGotTheInvitation

E, 104k, Wangxian

Part of the MDZS Big Bang 2025

Summary: What if Lan Wangji heard about the Siege of the Burial Mounds before Wei Wuxian died? A canon divergence where Lan Wangji manages to save Wei Wuxian and a-Yuan, bringing them back home. However, he has to keep them and himself alive against injuries, illness, hunger - and his own family's wrath. Can the three of them shape a safe future together?

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2003 | Angelina Jolie interviewed by Barbara Walters for 20/20

I don’t want to say that Beyond Borders has an unworkable premise but I have no idea how you would make it successful - and I've seen the movie.

When Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) witnesses Dr. Nick Callahan (Clive Owen) burst into a prim and proper socialite party to beg for humanitarian funding, she's moved to act. Although naïve and way out of her league, she leaves her job and sheltered life to join his cause. Amid the crisis, a romance between them blossoms.

I get it. This movie wants to be like Titanic in the sense that it wants to lure people in with the romance and once they’re firmly invested, get them with the real-life drama. Big mistake. What we have in the end is essentially a movie where two lovers are separated and doomed to never truly be together because of those pesky Ethiopians, Cambodians, and Chechnyans. If only they didn’t need humanitarian relief Sarah and Nick could just live together and be happy! You never get to know the people in need. You only get to know the mighty whiteys who come in and do their best to save the day. I approve of the intentions but that's not enough to make a good movie.

What Beyond Borders needed was to stick to a single location instead of bouncing all over the world. When we meet Nick, he's working in Africa. Things are tough there, but they somehow make it work. They leave and we assume someone managed to build homes, find food, that the mission was a “success”. Essentially, it becomes an infomercial you see on TV. You feel bad for sitting on your couch while other people are struggling… but it doesn’t paint the people who are starving as people. They’re props; wide-eyed, big-bellied skinny little children used to further a cause. It's emotional to see, but only because it would be impossible not to be heartbroken. You resent the picture for its use of cheap tactics and then it moves on to another similar scenario.

This is the definition of a soap opera drama. Though light as air, the romance hogs all of the screentime while bigger things happen in the background. Even if Sarah wasn’t married with children, you still wouldn’t want her and Nick to get together because you've seen it so many times. Mixing scenes of passionate romance with human rights violations and famine doesn’t exactly put you in the mood.

Everyone involved in the project had their hearts in the right place. It somewhat successfully makes you feel the horrors that humanitarians in the field of duty face. It also trivializes this suffering by never making the starving, oppressed, or brutalized people actual people. They’re just window dressing for a strained romance. This is the kind of melodrama that people will say is a great movie because it's "important" but it isn’t. Beyond Borders bullies you by throwing all of this guilt your way until you surrender and proclaim it to be a moving 5-star film, or take a stand and say "ENOUGH!". This is junk and at over 2 hours, way too long. (On DVD, August 17, 2015)

This damn stamp is still causing trouble for me beyond borders. First Kyoto, and now at home. 🤣😝