#and is biding his time until lx gives him to okay to reunite w xf 🥲🥲 idk why vein would be taking orders from lx but

[veifei]

notes on veifei and reciprocation of the gaze

(or, rethinking the PVS as taking place After yingdu, and thinking about vein and xf looking at each other, basically. is this even anything)

- xia fei's PV — in a post Yingdu context we see 'influencer' xf, the news report at YE6 refers to him as such, prior to that he's just a part time model:

- liu xiao's appearance in XF PV is transactional; conversely vein's appearance doesn't have that implication — its one sided; vein gazes upon XF with a smirk/smile, a look of (personal) interest

- what's the point of showing this scene?

- POST yingdu context/interpretation — vein is overseeing/watching over (an unaware) XF? Amusement? (endearment?) (veifei stonks are UP because xf would have to have really captured vein's attention for him to still be looking at him 'beyond the grave'/from the shadows)

- other instances of the (un)reciprocated gaze? the ED; vein looking towards the light, XF looking out towards the rain; the first meeting in which there is a reciprocal gaze (tho really the focus/framing is on vein looking down at XF); XF 'looking up to vein' in the metaphorical sense (what he says to shiguang in bahati), gazing up at the clocktower (which vein is atop of in the OP)

- XF is Unaware of vein's gaze, but looks at him/up to him regardless; vein is Aware of XF's gaze, and does seem to gaze back (reciprocation of the gaze)

- the role of surveillance -- suggesting control/dominance (vein's PV, and his appearance in XF's) - but we see XF's 'self surveillance' in his PV too - submission/acceptance/...reciprocation? A 'please watch me' - XF is looking For vein/looking AT vein -> what he does ("i got nothing left to lose / all i do is pursue") is for vein's return(ed gaze)