#i remember way too much from that qi episode
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emotinalsupportturtle Ā· 3 months ago
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Immediately recognized fly agaric and psilocybin because i watched that episode of QI. (Thanks to Mr Tennantā€™s curiously extensive knowledge of magic mushrooms)
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athousandbyeol Ā· 4 months ago
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happiness and acceptance, old grief, fear, vulnerability and the need to belong; episode 7 recap
oh, wow. this episode is so bittersweet. it's so beautiful and pretty and kind and gentle, but so realistic and painful and jarring and quiet.
i think by far, this is one of my favourite episodes. it's such a surprise to meā€”i think we're finally seeing and hearing and experiencing jiang tian's inner voice for the first timeā€”upfront. it's no longer hiding away with the shadow under his feet. it's evident. but still so very shy and afraid. but it's there. and it's waiting for the right time to come out.
i have to say, this episode makes me realise that trauma runs deep and long and everlasting. i don't think it could ever go away. and I see that in jiang tian. i see how that trauma has shaped him to be who he isā€”so closed-off and fragile and fearfulā€”but still so gentle and loving and appreciative and attentive.
there's something in the way benjamin is as an actorā€”i can't compliment him enough. it's difficult to pull off these intricate yet believable facial expressions without being cringey or over-the-top. but he did everything with poise and grace and so much attention to detail that I'm just in utter shock and awe.
happiness and acceptance
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something about this sequence... i can't really put my thoughts into words. but the way jiang tian's face morphs from happiness to awe to acceptance? probably, a thought crosses his mind; I'm happy now. finally, I'm happy with someone who makes me the happiest.
the smile he wears when he's looking at sheng wang is of gratitude. and relief. and it's so bittersweet to me how it took him 16/17 years to finally have a morsel of this happiness. he truly deserves this and more :(
old grief
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honestly... would anyone ever believe that these pictures come after those stills mentioned before? i wouldn't. because how on earth did the sparkle in jiang tian's eyes disappearā€”and how did the old gloom of grief suddenly became too blinding? (benjamin tsang, THE actor you are.)
there's so much grief and unwanted old memories and the bitterness of remembering those recollections that were very haunting and hollowing and suffocating.
i can't even imagine the pain jiang tian went through as a childā€”to witness the infidelity of his fatherā€”to see his mother breaking her bones and wearing fake smiles just to make ends meetā€”to find refuge in a stray cat because finally, someone could understand him. could understand the loneliness. could feel the sadness coursing in his bloodstream. could feel everything he was feeling. and it's so heartbreaking.
fear
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jiang tian's fear is so quiet. it's so distant. it's so elusive. but it's there. and it's growing. it has never stopped growing. even though jiang tian tried to push it away, it would still crawl back to him, like a second skin.
and it's daunting how there's a new fear unlocked in him; losing sheng wang. losing the shine. losing the happiness. losing the tranquillity sheng wang brings upon him. losing his lightā€”his sun.
i think jiang tian was so scared of qi jiahao or di zhaitao hurting sheng wang again. because he didn't want sheng wang to experience that againā€”to fight aloneā€”to be afraid alone.
but once jiang tian found sheng wang, the fear subsided. it's a relief. and it's the usual anger. but not the destructive kind. this time, it means i care. it means i'm so worried. it means don't ever do that again. it means don't ever leave me.
vulnerability
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it's so mental to me how this episode finally brings forward jiang tian's feeling to the spotlight. we could see him slowly becoming more open, especially with sheng wang.
it hurts me so much when jiang tian could only look at sheng wang tying the bracelet around his wrist. he didn't say anything. he was just looking. because jiang tian didn't know what to say. he didn't know if words could ever describe how much this moment meant to himā€”how sheng wang meant to him.
so he could only watch. he has always been watching sheng wang from a distance. but this time, he could watch sheng wang from a distance close enough to be assured that sheng wang won't stray too far from his orbit. sheng wang would be thereā€”here. and jiang tian would finally meet him halfway.
"suddenly i feel that you're about my age."
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sheng wang was coming for my life when he said this. it felt like a sucker punch straight in the face. Lord.
it's so heartbreaking because i do understand the meaning behind sheng wang's comment. i guess, even to sheng wang, jiang tian felt like someone olderā€”a brother, a father, a friend, a protector, a saviour.
it feels nice to hear sheng wang saying this to jiang tian. it's assuring too. somehow, it's a reminder to jiang tian that he's still young. he doesn't have to grow up before the right age. he doesn't have to be an adult between them. he doesn't have to carry the burden alone. jiang tian doesn't have to do all these alone. he has sheng wang now. they can be kids or grown-ups or whateverā€”together.
(my heart was twisting and turning in my chest when I watched this... and I ended up crying...)
a sense of belonging
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these stills are enough to explain the depth of their budding relationship. the reliance. the trust. the love. so much love and respect and desire and need and greed to be each other's protectors.
sheng wang just said everything i hoped he said at one point in this story. and I'm so glad that his words were so true and honest and beautiful.
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"for everything you did to me, i'll do the same for you. I'll be here, with and for you."
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i adore how both of them are brave to take the next step together. and I like how sheng wang was the one suggesting this move-in. i think it's so important for his character because he has always been beating around the bushā€”he has always made jiang tian guess what he wanted. but this moment right here, he was being straightforward and resolute and firm.
move in with me. it'll be only us there. it'll be our own little world. it can be your world. and your world is my world.
and the way jiang tian was looking at sheng wang with so much hope and relief and happiness and gratitude............ i'm bawling :(((
final thoughts
i absolutely adore this episode because i feel like it's a reset for the second half of the series. it feels more intimate, in a sense that we're finally getting into jiang tian's backstory (that will definitely kill me in future episodes) and the beautiful transformation of their love story. it's so bittersweet and I can't help but sympathise with jiang tian and sheng wang.
i'm certain the next episodes won't be rainbows and sunshine, but it also won't be only rain clouds and thunderstorms. I'm just so, so glad that episode seven, the second portion of the drama, started off with something very vulnerable but honest and relatable. it reminds me of how we witnessed sheng wang's backstory in the first episode and the first chunk of the series.
i'm most definitely anticipating tomorrow's episode. i hope it won't make cry the way it did in this one.
(also, shout out to my best boy gao tianyang! don't worry, love. li jia will definitely fall for you <3)
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jestiamy Ā· 8 months ago
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LMK mandarin dub (and how characters address eachother) ; an old and. mostly unfinished project I was working on a bit ago. only got mk & mei, alongside past swk & macaque
mk (qi xiaotian) calls mei (long xiaojiao) her full name, and she does the same inversely. I did not find any notable exceptions, but to be honest I did not look very hard. if anyone is interested in seeing how they call eachother in specific episodes or whatever ; send me an ask and I'm open to looking. but I don't feel like combing every single episode to try and find them aimlessly.
my full notes on past macaque (liu'er mihou) and monkey king (sun wukong) via the flashbacks in the season four special. notably, I've yet to go through the flashback in season four episode two yet. I can only talk about part one of the special.
peach tree segment :
- Sun Wukong greats Liu'er Mihou (swk and lmh will be used as shortenings henceforth.) with his full name. followed quickly by Xiongdi/兄弟. literally composed of the characters for Elder Brother and Younger Brother - used as 'bro,' sort of. it's a way men call close friends/comrades. notably doesn't denote that one or the other is older or younger.*
* age and respect is like. a really big deal in chinese culture. really really big. I'm assuming everyone in the brotherhood refers to eachother as XiongDi to denote that they see themselves as on equal standing. though don't quote me (I'm not an expert; I did most of this post in. january. and stuff like this can get confusing when it comes to immortals)
- lmh greets swk as 'Hou Wang Bixia'/ēŒ“ēŽ‹é™›äø‹ - [pronoun] majesty, the monkey king. the pronoun in question is between his majesty, your majesty, my majesty. pretty sure this is translated as 'my king' in the english dub, so I'm leaning towards my majesty. the way swk reacts ('come on, don't be like that! eat some fruit, enjoy the sunshine!') as well as how he delivers it can make it very safe to assume this is not a sincere term of address on lmh's half.
mountain segment :
-lmh greets swk as xiongdi. when swk replies, swk calls lmh his full name.
-when lmh rants at swk for his inability to consider others, he calls him Sun Dasheng/å­«å¤§č– - great sage sun. intended to highlight his arrogance within context. also, with consideration, I personally believe to put an emotional distance. (pretty sure he says 'great sage wukong' sarcastically within the dub, or something of the ilk, which is rather close to it's like. tonal goal. though it is missing the fact lmh calls swk by his last name, a rare occurance in mandarin. from observation I think it's usually only to show. really high respect? don't quote me though.) it's a variant shortening of his full title, Qitian Dasheng (great sage equal to heaven.)
* notably, lmh does not call swk a demon/variant of demon at any point, which is contrary to the english dub. shortly before calling swk sun dasheng, he says exactly - "ä½ å·²ē»ē€äŗ†é­”" ; which can be translated as 'you are possessed,' but I'd say it's closer to other translations like you're obsessed/you're obsessive.
I'm, ironically, struggling to find the mandarin dub of season four (I remember having literally the exact opposite problem around this time last year but you know. life goes that way sometimes.) when I do find it, though, I'll be quick to note it down ; though I don't think they directly address eachother in that. so.
mostly this was a pet project for. me. I realized it was actually really hard to find people who noted this stuff down and I was like. hey you know what. why not. though due to extenuating circumstances I ended up too busy to finish it ; I still thought what I already had was pretty interesting. though I don't really go into as much detail as I could have, as I was assuming I'd be noting a lot more character dynamics in this post than I did
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thegreymoon Ā· 11 months ago
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The Story of Minglan
I probably won't be able to pull off a whole episode tonight but I. Must. Know šŸ˜­šŸ˜­
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The way she keeps begging her worthless father for even a crumb of acknowledgement that he had any feelings whatsoever for her poor mother, smh.
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Oh, fuck you.
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All he ever thinks of is his dick and his pride. I don't think he has ever truly loved anyone except for himself.
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Oh, baby šŸ˜¢
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Why are you even still expecting anything from his worthless, selfish ass?
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YES. SEE HIM FOR WHAT HE IS.
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He deserves neither your love nor respect. Please stop crying because of him!
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Ugh, this evildoer.
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Don't worry, I have no doubt you'll eventually get yours too! šŸ˜”
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Who?
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What are the names of those two princes again? Yan and Yong?
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I am suuuuuuper confused.
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Are Consort Yong and Duchess Ying the same person?
(Also, finally! These Yan and Yong people appear! I have been trying so hard to remember these names because this drama keeps hinting they will be important.)
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No, not the same, because Consort Yong is a princess, not a duchess, smh. Then what are they both wearing pink for? A little consideration for us face-blind people would have been nice!
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So.... let me see if I've got this straight.
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The Princes Yong and Yan are the current Emperor's brothers?
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Oh, wait, I just realized that this toxic gossip is Yanran's shitty younger sister!
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I didn't recognise her in fine clothes, lol.
What the hell is her problem? She's still mad about being beaten at a game of polo?
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Jesus Christ. Now she has the attention of these witches on her.
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This is all Qi Heng's shitty doing. I hate him more than I can express šŸ¤¬šŸ¤¬
And it's not just Minglan, these Imperial fuckers can ruin her entire family too!
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LOL, who's the little whore?
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Is there a single woman in this drama who doesn't have a problem with mistresses, concubines, serving maids and prostitutes? šŸ˜…
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NOOOOOO, DON'T GO MEET WITH HIM!! šŸ˜­
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AND THIS CREEPY WITCH SAW!! šŸ˜­šŸ˜­
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STUPID. STUPID. STUPID.
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Minglan, where did you lose your brain??
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WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT YOUR MISERABLE BODY
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YOUR EVIL MOTHER BEAT A WOMAN TO DEATH BECAUSE OF YOU. FUCK YOU AND FUCK HER AND FUCK YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE
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There is no chance this will not pulverize both her reputation and that of her entire house.
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First of all, the Emperor would never offend his parents by granting this marriage and second, the scandal of it will do soooooo much damage to her and her family. Just imagine how pissed off his parents will be, in addition to every other snooty noble who is very much going to take her trying to marry above her means as a personal insult. Sheng Hong has neither the power nor the mental capacity to deal with the fallout of that.
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LMAO, where did his stupid ass come from? šŸ¤£šŸ¤£
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He's like a jack-in-the-box, always popping up, it seems.
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LOL, bribe him with the cake to keep him quiet šŸ¤£šŸ¤£
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Yes! Finally, somebody is speaking some common sense!
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All her stupid maids to is enable her because they think it's sooooo romantic šŸ™„šŸ™„
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Yes, baby! Here for you and your petty goals! šŸ¤—
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Oh, nooooooo šŸ˜¬šŸ˜¬
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Of course Buwei gets blamed. Of course!
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canary3d-obsessed Ā· 2 years ago
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Restless Rewatch: The Untamed, Episode 35 part two
(Masterpost) (Pinboard) (whole thing on AO3)Ā 
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Warning! Spoilers for All 50 Episodes!
Perfect Date, Continued
Lan Wangji begins his day pondering an ancient philosophical question: If your crush happens to sleep over on your first date, whether in your bed or just crashing on the couch, and he doesnā€™t leave in the morning, are you still on your first date? Or is it your second date? He would ask Lan Xichen but the one time he asked Lan XichenĀ ā€œis there a Lan rule book for dating,ā€ Lan Xichen saidĀ ā€œthere are no set rules in this worldā€ and wandered off to go fuck his exā€™s ex.Ā 
Either way, Lan Wangji is pretty sure itā€™s important to show an in interest in your dateā€™s hobbies. Wei Wuxianā€™s favorite hobby is desecrating burial places, so Lan Wangji takes him back to the Nie tomb to see what sort of fun they can have there.Ā 
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This time their stroll through the woods isnā€™t spoiled by any irritating dogs or nephews.Ā 
Dig
When they arrive, they find Nie Huaisang directing a team of dudes to close up the wall where they previously rescued Jin Ling.Ā 
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Itā€™s good that these guys arenā€™t using any mortar, since Lan Wangji wants to fuck up this wall with his sword.Ā 
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He strikes the wall and it collapses towards him, not away, because heā€™s been watching Three-Body and has decided physics isnā€™t real.Ā 
(More after the cut!)
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Inside the wall are these three objects, put there by a props crew that has decided anatomy isnā€™t real. Nie Huaisang isnā€™t too happy about the digging, and Wei Wuxian puts an arm around him in a friendly manner to console him.Ā Ā 
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Lan Wangji notices this and immediately summons Wei Wuxian to his side, handing him Bichen and telling him to dig, in a totally hot unnecessary display of possessive dominance.Ā 
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Velociraptor mode unlocked
Wei Wuxianā€™s not complaining, mind you.Ā Ā 
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Wise Production Decisions
While Wei Wuxian examines these ostensibly human skeletons to determine how their bones are able to stay assembled without any connective tissue, letā€™s take a moment to contemplate one of the major changes between Mo Dao Zu Shi, the book, and Chen Qing Ling, the show.Ā 
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In the novel, donghua, and manga, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian road-trip together not in pursuit of a sword spirit, but to collect chunks of Nie Mingjueā€™s dismembered corpse. Eventually itā€™s all put together again for the big showdown in the temple.Ā 
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I read an interview a while back--sorry, canā€™t source it at the moment--where the producer of CQL said that the reason for the change wasnā€™t because of censorship or the difficulty of painting swirly stuff to hide NMJā€™s junk, it was because they tried various ways to do the body-part thing andĀ ā€œwe couldnā€™t find a way to make it beautiful.ā€ Considering these skeletons, and the demon hand from episode one, and the animatronic dog, letā€™s all thank our lucky stars that the Department of Questionable Practical Effects was not tasked with creating a walking-dead Nie Mingjue.Ā 
Sabermetrics
Having sufficiently fondled the skeletons, Wei Wuxian wants to move on to fondling the Nie sabers, and so he asks Nie Huaisang to let them open all the sarcophagi. Nie Huaisang wants to say no, but Lan Wangji, who is in charge of this date, bows at him until he has to say yes.Ā 
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Lan Wangjiā€™s status and reputation are so strong that Nie Huaisang canā€™t make a saving throw against this request, even though heā€™s a clan leader and Lan Wangji isnā€™t.
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This is why itā€™s extra-romantic that Lan Wangji later risks his reputation in front of everybody for Wei Wuxianā€™s sake.Ā 
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After opening all of the coffins up they determine that there is one saber missing. Gosh, which saber might that be? It doesnā€™t come to Nie Huaisang or Wei Wuxianā€™s mind, butĀ Lan Wangji intonesĀ ā€œBaxia,ā€ and Wei Wuxian helpfully reminds us that Baxia was Nie Mingjueā€™s sword.Ā Ā 
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Lan Wangji might not be a people person, but he remembers every sword heā€™s ever met, much in the way I imagine Wang Yibo remembers every dog heā€™s ever met.
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Qi Deviation
Nie Huaisang tells them about Nie Mingjueā€™s literally explosive qi deviation, in which he bled from his face and from several squibs stuck to his chest, followed by more exploding squibs that just produced smoke without any extra bleeding.Ā Ā 
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To explain a bit, in the most lay of laypersonā€™s terms, your qi is the energy in your body, which circulates through your meridians and, through cultivation and/or traditional medicine practices, can be directed and improved. Qi that is out of balance is bad, and can cause illness and squib explosions.
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Or possibly heā€™s just gassy
As Nie Huaisang tells it, this just up and happened, but he actually knows why and how it happened, and who did it.
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Second Date
After that cheery little outing, Lan Wangji figures that by now theyā€™re definitely on their second date, so he takes Wei Wuxian into town for dinner.
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As they enter downtown Qinghe, Wei Wuxian briefly touches his arm, causing Lan Wangji to immediately clock that heā€™s hiding an injury/curse.Ā Ā 
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So busted.Ā 
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Wei Wuxian attempts to distract Lan WangjiĀ  from his questions by making provocative curse-measuring gestures, and then offering to strip so Lan Wangji can check him it out.Ā 
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This is where Wei Wuxian discovers that he canā€™t beat Lan Wangji at gay chicken any more.Ā 
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Next, Wei Wuxian does this adorable walking-backwards thing, which is impractical but lets him look at Lan Wangji while heā€™s talking. He is just as smitten as Lan Wangji is, although heā€™s clearly got no idea what to do about it.Ā 
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They talk over some of the details of their detective work, and then Wei Wuxian tries, once again, to get Lan Wangji to tell him how he recognized him. Once again, heā€™s unsuccessful, as Lan Wangji tells him itā€™sĀ ā€œgetting lateā€ and heads to an inn, despite the clear daylight all over the place.
Memory Care
Heā€™s chosen a place for dinner that they went to together, way back when they were young, because heā€™s heard that going to familiar places is is a good way to help your loved one who is struggling with memory impairment.Ā 
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They ignore their food in favor of pounding liquor (WWX) and tea (LWJ), while theyĀ openly eavesdrop on the conversation at the next table.Ā 
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The conversation at the next table is all about the exact thing that happened the last time they were at this inn, which leads to Lan Wangji filling Wei Wuxian in on the (apparent) fates of Xue Yang, Song Lan, and Xiao Xingchen.Ā 
By the time he remembers that trauma-dumping is best saved for a third or fourth date, heā€™s already telling Wei Wuxian about how the last survivor of the Chang Clan was found dead of lingchi, and that the cuts were made by Xiao Xingchenā€™s sword.
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Realizing heā€™s made a tactical error in eviscerating Wei Wuxianā€™s happy memory of his sect uncle, Lan Wangji has to find a way to rescue this date from the cliff itā€™s heading over kind of like the cliff Wei Wuxian previously headed over. So he grabs Wei Wuxianā€™s drink and knocks it back all in one go.Ā 
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This delights Wei Wuxian, so the evening is back on track.Ā 
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sketching-shark Ā· 2 years ago
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Not gonna lie, as much as I like that Monkie Kid deviates from JTTW to kinda be its own thing... I was kinda disappointed with who they picked as his sworn brothers, Macaque included. I do love the call backs to some villains in the original but I was hoping for his sworn brothers to be the same as JTTW or at least much closer to them (that and I've become a fan of the idea of the Macaque king not being Six Ears, or being more of a Queen than a King, during the hiatus). I'm still happy to see more of what Macaque and Wukong's relationship and hope we get more explanation as to what happened. As you said, we have yet to get Wukong's side of things and I want that CONTEXT so bad. (I am unsure if mind control had anything to do with it because of the Amnesia episode. I could be remembering wrong but he seemed like he was legit friends with Tang Sanzang and Zhu Bajie right?)
You've also mentioned before how it's very much becoming a "Wukong is a horrible person and everything is his fault" theme which, while he's not perfect, I'm really not a fan either. We need his side or all of this is just one sided bullshit. It's getting old, honestly.
I still love Qi Xiaotian, so I'm gonna watch to see how he grows. But damn. Give Wukong some joy and let him keep it, jeez.
Monkie Kid spoilers below:
aawergaerdsf YEAH @ladyzerodark every day I long for a JTTW retelling that uses the potential of the Monkey King's sworn brothers from the og classic like there is so little information about them outside of the Demon Bull King that the book is basically handing creators free ocs. As it is I've seen people go back and forth about whether the Macaque Demon King was a lady or not, but from what I understand even that might depend on regional differences in understandings of who that yaoguai was. Even the different translations of the Anthony C. Yu version present them in different ways, which needless to say makes thing even more confusing if you're trying to establish a baseline of what the sworn brothers were like. But besides that I think it would be cool to see SWK have some genuine monkey friends in the Macaque Demon King and Snub-nosed Monkey King who were actually his friends in Wu Cheng'en's work instead of his evil twin who hates his guts getting shoved into that role (X_X).
But yeah there's still a lot of unanswered questions about went down from the Monkey King's perspective buuuuut personally I still feel like this presentation of Sun Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque being the closest of friends is giving me whiplash given that Macaque despised Sun Wukong so much that he repeatedly thrashed Qi Xiaotian for Crime of Associated With Monkey King all while Sun Wukong has given basically no sign of caring about the shadow simian like at all in any of the previous episodes. Besides the general trash-talk and contempt, Macaque, now revealed as a member of Sun Wukong's best friends forever club, literally blew up in front of him and SWK's only response was "you did good, bud" to the guy who did the exploding. But then again I guess that is fitting for the ongoing theme of "Sun Wukong is a genuinely terrible person who's hated by everyone who's known his for an extended period of time & for good reasons" so par for the course at this point. I'm probably being too mean in regards to a cartoon monkey, and hey maybe later things will genuinely re-contextualize things, but honestly I am kind of worried that Monkie Kid has now characterized Sun Wukong as so careless, so destructive, so stupid, and so routinely incompetent with catastrophic results that nothing in his backstory, not even the headband torture times, will serve as an explanation for why he acts the way he does. So maybe things will change with added context, but at the moment what's to say about lego Sun Wukong except
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skellebonez Ā· 3 years ago
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Happy Birthday Winter!
Hey @winterpower98 it's your birthday! I really hope you enjoy this, I know I had a ton of fun writing it for you! Actor AU is one of my favorite AUs you've made and coming back to play around with it again was a blast and a half!
Painter MK cackled, taking the brushes filled with bright pink paint into his fists.
ā€œYes, yes!ā€ He exclaimed, brushing them against his cheeks and bringing another to run up the center of his face. ā€œThe art is-OW! OW, THE ART IS IN MY EYE!ā€
ā€œCut!ā€ The director yelled, bringing the entire film production to a halt in an instant. ā€œXiaotian, what happened?ā€
The young actor dropped the paintbrushes into the hands of a stage worker to rushed over to help him, one hand covering his right eye as he tried to keep himself from laughing. ā€œI think some of it splashed when I waved the brush at my face. I guess the art really IS-ā€
ā€œDonā€™t say it,ā€ Heshang said from the other side of the set, doing his best not to join his co-star in laughter.
ā€œ-seeping into my pores!ā€
The entire cast and crew groaned as Xiaotian cackled again, with a few added ows, before another stage hand came by with a bottle of water.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œUhā€¦ā€ Xiaojiao pulled, attempting to pull the prop sword from above her head out of the wall only to be met withā€¦ a lot more resistance than should probably be there. ā€œUHā€¦? Itā€™s stuck?ā€
She stood, attempting to pull it out normally only to be met with just as much resistance.
ā€œItā€™s stuck!ā€ She laughed, out, bracing a foot on the wall with no change.
ā€œLet me try,ā€ General Ironclad, or rather Red in the costume of General Ironclad for the episode, offered, attempting to do the same with the exact same result as his co-star. ā€œWhat did you use to hold this in place? Cement!?ā€
ā€œIt should have only been stuck in with force!ā€ A stage hand yelled as Xiaotian and Heshang joined in, both failing to pull the sword out from the false wall and Heshang nearly toppling over backwards with his additional costume pieces.
ā€œWhoever stuck that in there needs to be moved to making sure the safety equipment stays connected!ā€ Xiaotian offered, watching as even more people tried to remove the sword. ā€œThat is not coming out.ā€
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
Heshang held Mo in his arms, waltzing around the set as he waited for places to be called for with the shockingly content feline in his arms.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œYou are selling beautiful vegetables today?ā€ Pigsy said, leaning over the the display to give an awkward smile to the disguised Spider Queen.
Tang looked over the produce from where he knelt, looking back up at his companion with a concerned and confused look. ā€œAre youā€¦ a-are-PFT-FUCK.ā€
Everyone on set burst into laughter as Tang did, both of his fellow actors holding back from laughing themselves.
ā€œWhy is it this line!?ā€ Tang yelled in frustration as he continued laughing. ā€œItā€™s not a hard line! I wrote this line! Why do I keep laughing at the last word!?ā€
ā€œMaybe if Ganglie wasnā€™t making goo-goo eyes at me youā€™d keep straight face,ā€ Zhi-Zhu Jing managed to get out through her laughter.
ā€œThatā€™d be the only thing straight about me.ā€
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
Dicky Cheung, or the actual Sun Wukong disguised as a human actor in full costume of himself, took a running leap and jumped onto the counter of Pigsyā€™s noodles, sliding to a perfect stop with a wink toward the camera.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œMK, thereā€™s something I wanted to tell youā€¦ā€ Mei said, looking at MK with sparkles in her eyes before snickering. ā€œStop looking at me like that, itā€™s hard enough to keep a straight face during this scene!ā€
ā€œSorry!ā€ Xiaotian yelled to the camera. ā€œI canā€™t help it! How are Jin and Yin this wrong about these two in the show?ā€
ā€œHimbos!ā€ was the shouted answer from Tang at the other end of the set.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œOne of the rare talents that no one knew the great Sun Wukong possessedā€¦ā€ Xiaojiao said ominously, camera panning over to Mr. Cheung in full costume. ā€œSurprisingly good peach juggling!ā€
ā€œGotta keep myself occupied somehow!ā€ The actor laughed out, catching two peaches in either hand while the last one was caught perfectly in his mouth to the applause of everyone watching.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œThanks for the Key los-AH!ā€
Red flung his arms wildly, key flying into the air as Tie Shan rushed forward and caught him just before he face planted into the ground.
ā€œMine!ā€ Mr. Cheung yelled as he caught the key mid air and rushed through the frame.
ā€œYOUā€™RE NOT EVEN IN THIS EPISODE!ā€
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œThank youā€¦ for giving me all o-ooh, whoa!ā€ Lui Er Mihou, or unbeknownst to nearly all Six-Eared Macaque in disguise much the same way as Sun Wukong was, yelped as the cable that was supposed to gently raise him and make him look like he was floating yoinked him as good 4 feet off the ground way too fast. ā€œThatā€™s too much power!ā€
ā€œSORRY!ā€ The line operator shouted, fiddling with the controls. ā€œSomeone loaded the weight setting for Xiaotian into your line instead of yours.ā€
ā€œI already feel bad enough treating him like garbage and beating him up in this role, this is just rubbing salt in the wound,ā€ Liu Er muttered, leaning back and swinging limply much to the amusement of everyone who couldnā€™t hear him before raising his voice. ā€œWhen will my beloved friend Sun Wukong come to rescue me?ā€
ā€œSPEAK MY NAME AND I SHALL APPEAR!ā€
Liu Er yelped in surprise as Mr. Cheung rushed in and grabbed him from beneath to hold him bridal style with a shit eating grin. He couldn't help the flush on his cheeks in response.
ā€œHOW DO YOU KEEP SHOWING UP IN SHOTS WHEN YOU ARENā€™T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE YET!?ā€ The director yelled with more than a little amusement in his voice despite the disruption.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œYou!ā€ DBK said, rounding on Red Son. ā€œYou have brought me nothing but failure! Time and time again! I keep telling you Iā€¦ shit, I canā€™t remember the next line when you look that sad, I am so sorry.ā€
ā€œNothing but disappointment?ā€ Red offered helpfully, immediately breaking out of his downcast somber gaze to the floor with a wide smile.
ā€œIt is scary how fast you get in and out of character sometimes, kid,ā€ Niu Mowang laughed out, clearly resisting the urge to ruffle the younger actorā€™s hair lest he ruin the styling job that took far too long every time they got dressed.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
The White Bone Spirit stood at the entrance to the Silken Web Cave, looking at the camera before far too much time passed from when she was supposed to say he line. She moon walked backwards out of the frame without changing her expression one bit as the other actors devolved into cackles.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œThe Year of the Spider starts tonight!ā€ Spider Queen proclaimed from her high vantage point before she muttered something under her breathe, narrowing her gaze and then looking off to the side. ā€œOr next year ā€˜cause I donā€™t remember my line.ā€
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
Huntsman slowly lowered into frame, upside down and gripping the rigging holding him up like Spiderman.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
ā€œOh yeah?ā€ Sun Wukong said, appearing in frame as he walked down the wall MK was embedded in. He grabbed his staff, yanking it out of the wall and jumped down and smacked the wall with it.
ā€¦ only for it to go through the wall once again and crack it. Or, rather, the false wall that was on a tilted angle to make it look like he was talking down it, rather than a heavily slanted floor.
ā€œIā€™m sorry!ā€ Mr. Cheung yelled, looking at the damage he caused. ā€œI must have hit at weak spot!ā€
He hoped no one noticed that when MK offered to get the prop staff for this shot and put it into the wallā€¦ he grabbed the real one by accident.
~3ā€¦2ā€¦1~
Nui Mowang held the little bird that was Wukongā€™s transformation stand in for one of the final scenes, gently petting the little head with a big goofy smile on his face.
~END~
The entire cast sat around on various travel tables right outside the small Lunar New Year Festival set they had set up, various extras that had answered the open invitation for the shoot going about and getting the free food that was available at the functional stalls provided by the catering they had hired.
It was an odd sight to see Red Son and Spider Queen and Sun Wukong and everyone else sitting around together, but Liu Er Mihou being there outside of his Macaque costume broke the illusion a little bit.
It was the final day of shooting for the season 2 opening special to Monkie Kid, Revenge of the Spider Queen, and everyone was there. Even people who didnā€™t have to come in wanted to give a temporary farewell to Tie Shan, Nui Mowang, and Red before season 2 proper began shooting. There was still a chance they could bebcalled in for bit roles, the scripts werenā€™t entirely finished yet, but as far as anyone knew the Demon Bull Family wasnā€™t going to be returning properly any time soon.
Maybe in season 3, Tang had teased, holding the begun scripts for that in his little tablet away from prying eyes. And they were always welcome to help out in bit roles, background characters or voice over or to use their other talents to work other jobs that were needed around the set.
But even before then it would be a while.
And so thatā€™s how Red found himself sandwiched between Long Xiaojiao and Qi Xiaotian, with the newly added member of their quartet in her full White Bone Spirit costume hanging over his shoulder to watch the compilation that Xiaojiao had expertly edited on her phone for them all.
ā€œThe director gave me permission to use whatever I wanted and I though thatā€¦ maybe we could all have it for ourselves,ā€ Xiaojiao offered, pulling up the wireless transfer option on her phone. ā€œTo watch when we miss each other being on set together. I know weā€™re going to probably be back together with Red Son eventually! Butā€¦ā€
ā€œIā€™ll miss shooting with you too,ā€ Red said smiling softly as he pulled out his own phone to accept the file. ā€œHopefully Mr. Tang isnā€™t just teasing us about season 3.ā€
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mortal-sarah Ā· 4 years ago
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Hello I would like to take just a minute of your time to talk about this scene:
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The scene in which we meet Nie Mingjue in the unclean realm and the first thing he does is glare at his little brother instead of welcoming him home with happiness and love. Now Iā€™m a huge Nie bros stan and while I donā€™t think every moment between the two of them is always rainbows and sunshine I do believe that they are very close and loving siblings who care a lot about each other.
So why the anger/disappointment from Nie Mingjue towards Huaisang?
At first glance it appears to be because Nie Huaisang intends to ask his brother about the Wen indoctrination but when faced with him is too much of a coward to get the words out. Thus Mingjue seems annoyed and mad that his little brother is such a coward. Some people would use this as an example of Nie Mingjue being ab*sive and mean to his little brother (which eww what is wrong with you? did you even watch Fatal Journey??) because I guess they want to act like Nie Mingjue is mean and awful and qi deviating for the whole show which is not the case? But I digress.Ā 
But if we take a big step back we actually find the answer to why Mingjue reacts this way to his brothers arrival back home.
Remember two episodes before this when Nie Huaisang meets up with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji at the start of their little quest in the marketplace? One of the first things Wei Wuxian says to him isĀ ā€œDidnā€™t you tell clan leader Nie youā€™d return to Qinghe once the lecture was over?ā€ to which Huaisang respondsĀ ā€œWei Wuxian you are the same.Ā Shouldn't you have returned to Lotus Pier with your clan leader Jiang?ā€ and then they do their cute little pointing thing.
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So lets take in this information for a second. Huaisang told Mingjue he would return to Qinghe after the Gusu lecture. But if heā€™s here with Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji then he definitely did not do that. Iā€™d put money on him sneaking away from the other Nie disciples/his attendants that accompanied him to Gusu in order to go to the market and buy some pretty stuff. His surprise at seeing Lan Wangji and the fact that he only realizes Wei Wuxian is there after hearing him laugh means that he wasnā€™t seeking them out, but happened to stumble upon them. My guess is that Huaisang ditched his entourage to go amuse himself in the market for a little bit. He probably planned to wait around until they caught up to him and then head back to the unclean realm after being a little shit and giving them a nice scare. But then he runs into his friends and decides to go off with them, presumably without telling literally anyone.
Now if theres one thing we know about Nie Huaisang itā€™s that he has low cultivation skills and heā€™s bad with a saber. Now imagine youā€™re Nie Mingjue and your little brother, who you have been watching over and protecting since you both were children, who has about zero cultivation/self-defense skills, who promised you heā€™d be right home after his lectures are done...doesnā€™t do that. Instead the disciples you sent with him come back without him and are like uh yeah he kinda ran off and we lost him...Mingjue probably fucking lost it. He was probably so mad and worried. They are on the verge of a huge war and Huaisang decides to fuck off to god knows where, doing god knows what, with god knows who. For all Mingjue knows he could be in serious danger.Ā Then just to add salt to the wound Huaisang writes to Meng Yao instead of Mingjue and is basically likeĀ ā€œA-yao come pick me up pls.ā€ And when he finally returns to the unclean realm he's perfectly fine and already being his needy little self again.
Take all of that and I think we have a pretty solid answer for why Mingjue gives his brother that look.
(Other people probably noticed this way before me but I wanted to put it out there because it took me a while to figure it out and also Huaisang canonically being a little shit is always great so someone had to make a post about it)
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lillotte17 Ā· 4 years ago
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Blossoms on a Bough
Fix-it/filler for the end of episode 36!!!
~
The first thing Wen Kexing notices, once his mind has floated up towards any sense of consciousness, is a bright cool light shining on his face. His brows twitch downwards in irritation, the intensity of it stinging his eyes even while they are still closed. His body feels like lead, and his thoughts are thick and muddy. He just wants to ignore the light and drift back off to sleep.
Wherever he is, he seems to have landed on something relatively soft and warm. It is surprising, since his general ideas about the netherworld involve darkness and cold, but he is certainly not going to complain. Perhaps, given the long list of his transgressions, his soul flew right past the Yellow River and dropped straight into hell, and now he is being fried in a pot just like that chicken that had chased Chengling around the Four Seasons Manor. The thought makes him want to laugh, but there is an odd tightness in his chest, so the best he can manage is an incredibly weak cough.
A faint rustling of cloth sounds by his ear as whatever he is reclining on shifts slightly. There is a vague sense of presence nearby, but he cannot tell more than that. Almost against his will, he cracks his eyes open to see who might be trapped in the stew pot with him, but there is only a dark looming blur surrounded by pale watery light. It makes him think of Zhou Zishu; his face bathed in sunshine, in moonshine, in starlight. He always seemed to glow with something intangible and dream-like. And Wen Kexing -helpless little month- could do nothing else but follow after it.
ā€œAh Xu,ā€ he exhales in the barest of whispers.
A scent lingers in the air around him, crisp and lightly musky. It reminds him of burying his fingers in long dark tresses. Of the tenderness and care taken combing the tangles out of them afterwards. Of sliding his own hair pin into the carefully twisted knot at the crown of Zhou Zishuā€™s head. He should have brought him a different one to replace it, he thinks blearily. The key was most likely lost or broken in all of that snow, and now he will have nothing to remember him by.
This place is strange, wherever it is. Soothing and disorientating all at once. Is it some sort of hallucination? Did his soul get lost somewhere between life and death? Is he a true ghost now, doomed to wander the world in hopeless despair, witnessing joys he can no longer take part in? Thoughts spin around in his head in a billion tiny fragments. He cannot quite seem to catch hold of any of them, or arrange them in a pattern that makes sense.
ā€œAm I dead?ā€ he wonders aloud, his voice thin and raspy, not expecting an answer.
ā€œYou fucking better not be,ā€ a cross reply rumbles out from somewhere above him.
Wen Kexing blinks. The sun still burns his eyes, but after a few moments of intense squinting, the dark blur leaning over him reconfigures itself into a familiar and beloved face. Zhou Zishu, leaning back against a dusty wall with Wen Kexing pulled more than half way into his lap.
ā€œWhatā€¦happened?ā€ Wen Kexing wonders, head positively spinning in bafflement. Now that he is waking up a bit more, he is becoming more aware of his bodyā€™s aches and pains. It feels like a horse kicked him in the chest and then he fell into a river and drowned. Even wincing hurts.
ā€œSomething went wrong with the ritual,ā€ Zishu tells him. His voice is raw and his eyes are bloodshot. He looks as haggard as Wen Kexing feels. ā€œYou collapsed. Your heart meridians were severely damaged, and your hair turned white. You must have used too much of your internal force. It has been more than three days since you lost consciousness andā€¦I thoughtā€¦ā€
His voice splinters and he trails off, looking away from him for a moment.
ā€œButā€¦it worked?ā€ Wen Kexing presses, trying to feebly grip at Zhou Zishuā€™s sleeve, ā€œYou can hear me talking again now, so that means that it worked, right? The rest is fine, so long as it saved you.ā€
ā€œIā€™m here, arenā€™t I?ā€ Zhou Zishu answers, the first traces of a smile pulling at his lips.
ā€œYes. You are here.ā€ Wen Kexing echoes, as though he still cannot quite believe it, ā€œAndā€¦I am here, too.ā€
ā€œYou are.ā€ Zishu confirms, his arms tightening around him, carefully tugging him up until he is all but leaning into his chest. ā€œIt was a near thing, though. My medical knowledge is limited, and even with the Yin Yang book, I was not certain that I could heal you.ā€
ā€œRong Xuanā€™s wife allegedly used the teachings in the book to heal his heart meridians and other serious injuries when he was near death several times over,ā€ Wen Kexing hums thoughtfully, casually tilting his head against Zishuā€™s shoulder, ā€œBut she was an experienced physician. You have had no training, and yet you saved me on the first try. You must possess some kind of natural affinity for it. Ah Xu, you have so many talents, I am having a hard time keeping track of them all.ā€
ā€œIt had nothing to do with affinity,ā€ Zhou Zishu huffs, sounding exasperated and perhaps even the tiniest bit embarrassed, ā€œIt was pure dumb luck.ā€
ā€œEh?ā€
ā€œThe Four Seasons Sect has a special technique that cripples someoneā€™s heart meridians,ā€ he explains somberly, a humorless smirk on his face, ā€œI used it against Prince Jin to keep him alive, but bedridden. My master taught it to me, and as far as I know, I am the only one left alive who knows how to perform it.ā€
ā€œThat is very interesting, Ah Xu, but I am not certain I understand what it has to do with dumb luck,ā€ Wen Kexing says smilingly.
ā€œMy masterā€¦he also told me how to counter the technique, so that the personā€™s heart meridians could be healed again and their qi could flow properly,ā€ Zhou Zishu continues, turning his head slightly to directly meet Wen Kexingā€™s gaze. ā€œI did not have much hope when I opened the Yin Yang book. You were slipping away, and there was no time for in-depth research. Butā€¦when I found the section detailing how someone with damaged meridians might be cured, it was obvious thatā€¦the techniques I learned from my master were based on this knowledge.ā€
ā€œSoā€¦that meansā€¦my parentsā€¦?ā€ Wen Kexing looks a bit lost at the revelation.
Zhou Zishu nods.
ā€œIt is likely that Lady Yue Fengā€™Er and your parents shared this precious knowledge with their friends, and possibly even helped my master develop this skill. I was only able to save you because of this.ā€
Wen Kexing furrows is brows, his thoughts whirling and his emotions complex. He seemingly stares at the dark blue of Zhou Zishuā€™s lapels for what feels like ages, looking but not seeing, pensive and moody. Finally, he lets out a very tired-sounding sigh.
ā€œAnd I only managed to save you because that dumb bastard Rong Xuan stole the manual for the Six Cultivation Techniques,ā€ he says, sounding bitter, ā€œBut maybe no one would have needed all this saving in the first place if that old monster had never let his idiot disciple leave the mountain to begin with.ā€
Zhou Zishu frowns down at him.
ā€œI know, I know,ā€ he mumbles, a bit sulky, ā€œThe past is past. Zhao Jing was punished and the rest are dead. There is no point stewing on it now. I have justā€¦been angry about it for so long, sometimes I forget that I donā€™t have to be anymore. Be patient with me, Ah Xu.ā€
ā€œHm?ā€ Zishu blinks, as though suddenly coming back to himself. ā€œOh, it wasnā€™t about that.ā€
ā€œThen what?ā€
ā€œI was just thinking thatā€¦it really could not have been anyone else,ā€ Zhou Zishu tells him slowly, intensity burning in his dark eyes. ā€œI said it was only dumb luck, because I never believed in destiny all that much before. If you want to achieve something in this world, you have to be willing to create it for yourself. Butā€¦for things to end up this wayā€¦ It had to be you, and it had to be me, didnā€™t it?ā€
Wen Kexing bursts out laughing, utterly delighted.
ā€œI always knew you had a soft heart beneath that tough exterior,ā€ he grins, slightly breathless, with an almost pleasant ache in his ribs, ā€œBut Ah Xu, I never imagined that you were secretly a romantic.ā€
ā€œShut up,ā€ Zishu grunts, pinching his arm until he yelps, ā€œWho is romantic?ā€
ā€œAi, there is no need to be shy about it now, is there?ā€ Wen Kexing says pleadingly, giggling to himself all the while, ā€œThere is no one here except us.ā€
ā€œThatā€™s right,ā€ Zhou Zishu agrees blithely, a truly terrifying expression stealing across his face, ā€œThere is no one on this entire mountain except for you and me.ā€
ā€œAh Xu, donā€™t do anything rash,ā€ Wen Kexing cajoles with a hint of genuine nervousness, ā€œI only teased you a little bit, and I am still in such a delicate state of health. If you throw me out in the snow and beat me, I really wonā€™t be-ā€
Zhou Zishu kisses him then, and whatever he wonā€™t be promptly flies out of his head like a startled flock of birds.
The kiss is softer than he would have guessed, if he had gotten a moment to anticipate it. Clumsy, but tender. Hasty, but sincere. The mouth pressed so suddenly against his own trembles just slightly right before it pulls away. A thousand years too soon.
It is nowhere near the first time they have kissed each other, but Wen Kexing is almost always the instigator. It suits his own preferences to take the lead in most physical forms of intimacy anyway, so he would never complain about it. However, it does make the times Zhou Zishu reaches for him first feel moreā€¦something. Something that makes his heart full, and his eyes itch.
It makes him feel as though he is not only being accepted by this man, but chosen by him, too. As his partner. As his equal. As his friend. Lovers and soulmates and all the rest.
Wen Kexing is not certain that anyone else has ever chosen him before.
Not when there were other, better, options on hand, at any rate.
He swallows thickly, gazing up at Zhou Zishu with wide, startled eyes. Little flecks of cold mountain sunlight catch in the dark sweep of the other manā€™s hair almost like snowflakes. His grin is wide and fierce. Buoyant and hopeful in a way he has never been in all the time they have known each other. He looks impossibly beautiful, and horribly pleased with himself for managing to derail Wen Kexingā€™s usual babbling. There might be the slightest touch of pink to his ears, though.
ā€œAh Xu,ā€ Wen Kexing chokes out.
I love you.
But the words get stuck in his throat.
ā€œWhat?ā€ Zishu laughs, ā€œDo you ever get tired of calling me?ā€
ā€œNo.ā€ Wen Kexing offers him a weak smile in return, shifting out of his hold a little so they can sit facing one another.
Zhou Zishu heaves an exasperated sigh, but his eyes remain bright, his expression one of incalculable fondness.
ā€œIs that all you were saying during the ritual?ā€ he wonders, half joking, ā€œYou just sat there calling my name?ā€
ā€œHuh?ā€
ā€œYou said earlier that you had tried speaking to me, but my hearing had gone,ā€ Zhou Zishu reminds him, ā€œWhat did you say?ā€
ā€œOh, yes, it was mostly just your name over and over,ā€ Wen Kexing nods, ā€œPlus a few embarrassing personal anecdotes I felt like sharing. Once I knew you had no way to stop me, I really couldnā€™t help myself.ā€
ā€œLao Wen.ā€
ā€œYes, Ah Xu?ā€
ā€œAfter all we have been through together, what could you possibly still have to tell me that you think I would be unwilling to hear?ā€
Wen Kexing makes a face, caught outright.
ā€œItā€¦is not so much a matter of thinking you would not hear me out,ā€ he admits carefully, ā€œIt is more that there are just things that are difficult to say to someone. The more important they are to you, the harder it gets, so between you and meā€¦ But when a man feels his end has come, all sorts of things seem to tumble out unwillingly.ā€
Zhou Zishu looks positively stricken.
ā€œYou could tell that the cultivation technique was backfiring?ā€ he hisses out, gasping Wen Kexing by the shoulders, ā€œAnd you still kept going?ā€
ā€œWhat else could I do?ā€ Wen Kexing asks helplessly, ā€œIf I had stopped wouldnā€™t we both die? Would it be better if I had starved to death with your corpse in my arms? Besides, that old monster promised me that this technique could save you, so no matter what the cost was going to be, of course I-ā€
ā€œSo, you knew there would be a cost already?ā€ Zhou Zishu cuts him off, expression like a brewing storm cloud, ā€œYou knew this was likely going to injure you, and you did not even think to warn me first? We could have prepared beforehand! You could have looked through the Yin Yang book and point out things that I could use to help you in an emergency! Dammit, Lao Wen, I thought you were supposed to be smarter than this!ā€
ā€œWas there really time for things like that?ā€ Wen Kexing argues back, ā€œYour senses were already dying out one by one, if we did not try the technique as soon as possible, you might not have been able to complete it! If I told you how risky it is, would you agree to it? Would you still let me try to save you?ā€
ā€œI deserve the right to make that choice!ā€ Zhou Zishu shouts hoarsely.
ā€œYou do!ā€ Wen Kexing agrees just as hotly, ā€œBut I owe it to Chengling to save his family. And I owe it to our master to save his teachings. And I owe it to you most of all. I ruined your chance at happiness. To rebuild the Four Seasons with Chengling and the other new disciples. You threw it all away to try and avenge meā€¦ The number of people in this world who have been good to me are few enough to count on one hand. I would do anything for them, and you most of all. How could I live without repaying this debt?ā€
ā€œAnd what if I hadnā€™t been able to save you?!ā€ Zhou Zishu demands thunderously.
ā€œI didnā€™t expect you to save me!ā€
For a few moments, the words seem to echo of the cold walls of the armory, bouncing back at them over and over. The silence that follows after them is deafening. Zishuā€™s eyes are red, and his hands are trembling on Wen Kexingā€™s biceps, but he looks as though he is about to breathe fire.
ā€œGood,ā€ he says finally, his voice low and deadly, ā€œVery good. You feel like you owe me so much, but all you want to do is torture me.ā€
ā€œWhat?ā€ Wen Kexing baulks, ā€œNo! Ah Xu, thatā€™s not what I-ā€
But before he can finish the thought Zhou Zishu has already pulled him into a bone-crushing embrace, his breathing erratic, and his face buried in the side of his neck. Wen Kexing makes a pained grunt, his ribs still tender from previous injury. It only makes Zishuā€™s grip on him tighten, however, holding onto him with a furious desperation.
ā€œIn such a short stretch of time, I have had to see you dead or dying before my eyes over and over again,ā€ he mumbles thickly into the silk of Wen Kexingā€™s robes, ā€œYou spent all this time chasing me down, pestering me to let you stay by my side, begging me not to die, and telling me to find things to feel hopeful about. But now it seems as though you are set on leaving me behind.ā€
ā€œI never wanted to leave you,ā€ Wen Kexing protests, but his voice seems to have lost all of its strength, ā€œI just wanted to keep you safe. Even if I died, and you had to be sad for a while, you have so much left to live for, and I wanted you to have it. I just wanted you to beā€¦happy.ā€
ā€œBastard,ā€ Zhou Zishu laughs wetly, ā€œWen Kexing, you really areā€¦the absolute worst sort of person.ā€
Wen Kexing sags in his embrace, his heart plummeting down into the pit of his stomach. His head droops, white hair falling across his eyes. Utterly defeated.
ā€œI know.ā€
Zhou Zishu finally pulls back from him. There are obvious tear tracks down his cheeks, but he still looks fierce, regardless. He takes Wen Kexing roughly by the chin, forcing him to meet his eyes.
ā€œYou are alsoā€¦my happiness.ā€
Wen Kexing gapes at him, for once in his life completely at a loss for words. Seeing an opening, Zhou Zishu takes the opportunity to kiss him again. Harsher this time. Brief and chaste and biting. It does not seem to help the other manā€™s sense of bafflement in the slightest. Indeed, Lao Wen looks as though his soul might have just flown straight out of his body.
Zishu smiles at him again, but there is still something sharp and wounded at its edges.
ā€œEternity would be an empty place without you,ā€ he says quietly, ā€œHow could you leave me to bear it alone?ā€
ā€œIā€¦Iā€™mā€¦sorry,ā€ Wen Kexing sputters, as though he does not know what else to say. He finally reaches back for Zhou Zishu, cautiously taking hold of his wrists. The ache in his chest seems to have spread outward, and he is shaking so badly that he fears he might not be able to sit up straight much longer. ā€œIā€™m sorry. I just did notā€¦ I did not know how else to save you.ā€
ā€œMn,ā€ Zhou Zishu nods in understanding, ā€œI suppose I can forgive you for it this time, although some part of me still would like nothing so much as to throw you outside and beat some sense into that thick skull of yours.ā€
ā€œI will accept any punishment you want to give me,ā€ Wen Kexing tells him earnestly.
ā€œAlright,ā€ Zhou Zishu grins, ā€œThen pay me back with your whole life. Stay alive, and stay with me. Always.ā€
Wen Kexing blinks in surprise, but the next moment he is laughing. Dizzy with relief and unexpected joy. Marveling at the gifts that fate has blessed him with after so many years of hatred and heartache.
ā€œI can do that.ā€
~
When Zhou Zishu wakes up later that night Wen Kexing is sitting at the opposite end of their makeshift bed in nothing but his under robe. His back is facing him, and he takes a moment to stare at the snowy cascade of his hair. The living proof of what Lao Wen would sacrifice for him. It looks beautiful on him, as everything else seems to, but Zishu thinks he prefers the rich dark brown that he was born with. This new color comes with a twinge of guilt.
Not that he would ever say so.
ā€œLao Wen,ā€ he calls softly, ā€œWhat are you doing?ā€
Wen Kexingā€™s shoulders stiffen in surprise.
ā€œDonā€™t come over,ā€ he replies, ā€œIā€™m not finished yet.ā€
ā€œAi,ā€ Zishu grins, scooting close enough to lightly tug at a few strands of that bone white hair, ā€œBut that just makes me want to come over even more.ā€
ā€œI have a knife,ā€ Lao Wen says coolly, ā€œI will use it if I have to.ā€
ā€œYou left our bed in the middle of the night to play with a knife?ā€ Zishu laughs, not intimidated in the least. ā€œWhy?ā€
ā€œIf you stop pestering me for a few minutes maybe youā€™ll find out,ā€ Wen Kexing snaps. Zhou Zishu is not fooled, though. He had caught the sharp inhale of breath when he had said the words ā€˜our bedā€™, and he is all but certain that Lao Wenā€™s threats are empty.
ā€œBut youā€™ll catch cold,ā€ he coaxes, slipping his arms about his waist and pressing a kiss into his shoulder. He obligingly resists the urge to peek at whatever secret Wen Kexing is fiddling with, though. The other man sighs, but does nothing to discourage him, as expected.
ā€œThe next time you accuse me of being insufferable, I want you to remember this conversation,ā€ Wen Kexing says wryly.
ā€œIt must be your bad influence,ā€ Zhou Zishu chuckles.
Wen Kexing hums noncommittally, going back to whatever he had been working on before. Zhou Zishu sits patiently behind him, leaning into the warm curve of his back, listening to the steady beating of his heart and the faint scraping sound of a blade chipping away at something. The proximity is comfortable, and the quiet almost meditative, and before long Zishu is already half way back to being asleep.
ā€œAlright,ā€ Lao Wen says finally, carefully pulling himself free of Zhou Zishuā€™s arms and turning to face him, ā€œYou can look now.ā€
Zishu has to shake himself a little to wake up again, but once he does, he finds that Lao Wen is holding out what appears to be an oddly shaped icicle.
ā€œā€¦What is it?ā€ he asks after a few moments of trying to puzzle it out for himself.
Wen Kexing frowns.
ā€œItā€™s a hair pin,ā€ he tells him, as though it should be obvious.
ā€œAh.ā€
ā€œWhat do you mean, saying ā€˜ahā€™ with such a doubting face?ā€ Wen Kexing huffs in annoyance, ā€œOf course it is a hair pin, what else would it be? You lost the one I gave you before, so now I have to give you a new one to replace it.ā€
ā€œI lost the one you gave me before?ā€ Zhou Zishu laughs.
ā€œThatā€™s right,ā€ Wen Kexing nods seriously, ā€œBut I promise not to be mad about it.ā€
ā€œPhilanthropist Wen is too kind.ā€
ā€œItā€™s true,ā€ Lao Wen sighs dramatically, ā€œPeople are always taking advantage of my generous nature.ā€
He firmly places the hair pin in Zhou Zishuā€™s hands. Upon closer inspection, it looks to be roughly shaped like a tree branch. There are two lumpy circles that might be meant to be flowers attempting to bloom from it. The finished product is crude, but the ice is clear and crystalline. Pretty, even despite the skill level of the craftsman.
ā€œIt is meant to be plum blossoms,ā€ Wen Kexing admits somewhat sheepishly, ā€œOne bloom for each of us. There was meant to be a bud for Chengling, too, but I accidentally broke it off. Hopefully, that is not an inauspicious sign for him.ā€
ā€œI see,ā€ Zhou Zishu says, because he does see, and just like the morning he had woken up to find the Four Seasons Manor cleaned and Wen Kexing diligently repairing his masterā€™s old painting, he feels very much like he wants nothing more than to pull the other man into his arms again.
ā€œAh Xu, will you accept it?ā€ Wen Kexing asks, slightly trepidatious at his lack of reaction.
ā€œOf course,ā€ Zishu smiles easily, ā€œBut itā€™s made of ice, after all. If I wear it, it will likely melt or break in a day or so.ā€
ā€œIf it breaks, I will just make you a new one,ā€ Wen Kexing says, his eyes soft. He plucks the hair pin from Zhou Zishuā€™s fingers, reaching up and carefully sliding it into the loose knot at the base of his ponytail. ā€œI can make you a new one every day, if I have to. With any luck, they will eventually look less ugly.ā€
He takes Zhou Zishuā€™s hands in his own.
ā€œThere are still things I am not good at saying,ā€ he tells him, ā€œThings that I want to share with you. Things that you deserve to hear. Right now, my skills are not enough, but just like with the hair pin, if I keep working at it every day, eventually I can give you something worth having.ā€
Zhou Zishu tugs him down into his embrace. He thinks about kissing him. About pushing him down and pulling his robe open and showing him, again, how very much he is wanted. But Lao Wen is still recovering from injuries, and it would be a shame to snap his new hair pin tussling around in the sheets. So, he makes do with holding him close, for now. Tangling his fingers in hair the color of starlight.
ā€œSay them, or donā€™t say them,ā€ he says quietly against the shell of Wen Kexingā€™s ear, ā€œWhatever they are, they have no bearing on your worth to me.ā€
ā€œDoesnā€™t that seem like my current value is lower than mud?ā€ Wen Kexing laughs nervously.
ā€œIt means you are treasured,ā€ Zishu corrects him firmly, ā€œThere is no price that I would sell you for.ā€
ā€œI suppose that means I can stop living in fear that you would truly try and sell me to a brothel.ā€
ā€œYou really are a brat.ā€
ā€œAh Xu?ā€
ā€œHm?ā€
ā€œI love you.ā€
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chalkrevelations Ā· 3 years ago
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SO. Word of Honor, Episode 10, and everyone is deep in their feelings ā€¦ well, their feeling, which is misery.
First, due diligence, and I really mean it on this one: SPOILERS not just for this ep but for the entire show. Out of the car, for now, and come back later, if you want to watch the whole thing unspoiled.Ā­Ā­
Well, itā€™s the breakup episode, yā€™all. Everyone is wallowing in misery, and Our Couple is taking that out on themselves and in some cases (:cough:WKX:cough) Ā­on everybody around them. We open on sad-sack Wen Kexing digging sadly in the dirt with a sword, the bodies of the Four Sages of Anji laid out beside him as he gives a RIP speech about how you have to be careful when making friends, because theyā€™ll turn out to be bad news, which is clearly yet another warning about himself, because I donā€™t think anyone in the mob who killed these aging hippies in the last ep was a friend (although I suppose it could be argued that WKX is talking about their friendship with Gao Chong getting them killed) and anyway, you have to understand that WKX is a demon under the skin, not even really human, you guys, and heā€™s only ever going to disappoint everyone. Has he not made this clear by now? His sword breaks at this point, which probably ought to tell him heā€™s not going to be able to bury any of this mess. Then Zhou Zishu shows up and is understandably unhappy at the way his decision last ep to walk out on faith for this guy has gone completely pear-shaped, and he asks some rather pointed questions about whether four dead Sages of Anji is what WKX wanted and if heā€™s happy now ā€“ questions that sound, my dude, a little confrontational. I mean, I think youā€™re entitled, given the situation, but Iā€™m just sayinā€™. WKX flings off ZZSā€™s hand and wants to know if ā€œLeader Zhouā€ has only ever killed bad people, which is a hit that lands, and it hurts, just like it was supposed to, and this is definitely one of those nightmare scenarios where everyone just keeps digging themselves deeper. ZZS is all, FINE THEN, and leaves. Again. Because WKX is apparently a demon in human form whoā€™s only ever going to disappoint everyone. Including his zhiji. I love you with all of my heart, ZZS, but a little bit, you come off like you only showed up to twist the knife, my man. Anyway, ZZS stomps off to go mope at Yuefan Tower, the scene of his bad decision to trust this guy BEFORE finding out he sets up revenge murders for fun. Weā€™re treated to a flashback sequence of some of ZZSā€™s Tian Chuang state-sanctioned violence, including a pile of bodies in a burned-out house with a little girl who reaches out to him and calls him ā€œshushuā€ (which I think is a reference to something that actually happens in Qi Ye); killing that official dude and making Jingā€™an drink poison, from Ep 1; inserting the Seven Nails into Bi Changfeng - a whole bunch of bad shit that WKX has dug back up way more successfully with a few words than that grave he was trying to dig with his broken sword. ZZS sighs mournfully and unfairly beautifully (your FACE, my dude) over the fact that he thought he found his soulmate, but he was apparently WRONG, and meanwhile, we see Han Ying lurking worriedly and devotedly in the background.
Then, both of these morose motherfuckers proceed to drink themselves (even more) stupid over each other, WKX in a brothel and ZZS moping by himself downstairs at the (No Longer) Getting Lucky Inn, leaving poor Han Ying and A-Xiang to eventually deal with them. ZZS is literally falling over as he calls for more wine ā€“ you are a sloppy drunk, laopo, although I have to admit, youā€™ve worked your way through a lot of bottles, so I suppose itā€™s understandable ā€“ and WKX proceeds to drink his four ... five? ... four, I think, girls under the table and clearly has no intention of sleeping with them, because it might interfere with his waxing drunkenly and mournfully about finding a thing you thought youā€™d lost forever but not being able to keep it at the price of giving up your big revenge murder plan youā€™ve been working out since you were 8 years old. (Also because heā€™s gay af. Iā€™m just sayinā€™.)
So, yeah, Han Ying and A-Xiang eventually have to deal with these two, and for my money, the single most important scene of the ep - thematically, at least - is the one we get between A-Xiang and WKX, where a couple of big things are going on. One of the themes I see again, running through this ep, is the separation between the human world and the world of ā€œghosts,ā€ and how that line is policed, and how Wen Kexing tries to maintain it as a bright line, in order to maintain his own distance from Zhou Zishu and the world. Now that things have gone so spectacularly wrong with ZZS, heā€™s going to dig in on the ā€œghostā€ side of that line for all heā€™s worth ā€“ much harder than he was digging that grave for the Four Sages of Anji, given he breaks the sword and gives up halfway through on that one, but this one heā€™s determined to get all the way to the bedrock on. So yes, in this scene we get the theme made explicit again, of human-ghost separation - which will echo and rebound throughout the rest of the show, until we see its awful, gory truth made manifest when it turns out WKX is horrifically correct and A-Xiang is NOT, in fact, going to be allowed by ā€œhumankindā€ to leave Ghost Valley and walk up to the human world with her lover, while meanwhile, if WKX is going to get out of the valley, heā€™s not staying in the mortal world but is going to end up on the icy remote mountaintop. BUT ALSO, this may be the first time we really see the show put A-Xiang forward as a proxy for Wen Kexing. This is going to be an increasingly weighted Thing as we go on, of course, but what I didnā€™t remember on my first watch-through - even after I realized what they were doing with the A-Xiang/Cao Weining and Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu parallels further down the road ā€“ is that, in this first time we really see it, itā€™s not even about their respective love interests, itā€™s about their respective relationships with Chengling. I mean, clearly, clearly, when WKX is being a drunk asshole to A-Xiang about how sheā€™s been too long in her human skin (and huh, interesting that, when we also have instances where fake skin disguises are literal), and DONā€™T EVER FORGET WHO YOU ARE, HEARTLESS AMETHYST FIEND GHOST VALLEY MASTER HEARTLESS AMETHYST FIEND, and who among them would ever pity you me you, heā€™s really talking about his recent breakup with ZZS, in which he got called a crazed psychopath just for setting up a few amusing revenge murders. But hereā€™s the thing ā€“ what triggers the diatribe is A-Xiang saying she feels sorry for Chengling trapped in Yueyang Sect, in the course of nattering on about whatā€™s up with Chengling, and what she and Chengling have been doing together, and how much Chengling misses WKX. Which is, A-Xiang tells WKX, a lot. After which WKX puffs himself up and proceeds to be a drunk asshole to her, because of course, heā€™s not worthy of having anyone care about him, they might think heā€™s human, or something, and then heā€™s only going to get hurt again when they find out heā€™s NOT. So, all that happens. We also find out in this conversation that Changing Ghost was responsible for the pile of heads; that A-Xiang was at the Funeral/Wedding Game and saw Deng Kuan become the last survivor and get set free in much better condition than he later showed up at Yueyang Sect, so what the hellā€™s happened to him in between; and that A-Xiang definitely thinks her Murder Dad master is crazy but isnā€™t afraid that heā€™ll end up killing her someday. I mean, letā€™s be clear, I donā€™t think sheā€™s absolutely positive that he wonā€™t go crazy and kill her ā€“ sheā€™s just not afraid of it. Zhou Ye is fantastic here, because she has A-Xiang give WKX this gorgeous little smile thatā€™s so simple yet just so filled with love and trust and faith and everything that must have kept his heart alive all those years, the one that she probably gave him even after he burned her mouth on congee that was too hot, and I end up clutching my chest because I think sheā€™s killed me. And then in a horrible twist on whatā€™s eventually coming down the pike, she tells him that sheā€™d follow him even if heā€™s crazy, and that if he killed her, sheā€™d even follow him in death, and GOD. MY HEART. Because weā€™re going to see that in fact, heā€™s going to almost follow her into death, and then heā€™s going to dream of her leaving him instead of actually staying with him after death, and the only thing keeping me together at this point is the idea that Nianā€™xiang will actually be A-Xiang reincarnated so that she can be with WKX and the rest of her family again.
Anyway, all of this is apparently a dress rehearsal for WKX, because he then gets himself dolled up in some luscious green robes and proceeds to go to Tragicomic Ghostā€™s mansion in order to terrorize the troops and spread the misery. He requests a report from all of his top ten nine eight devils; credits them with three Funeral Games (I guess we donā€™t get to see the other two), annihilating Danyang Sect, destroying Mirror Lake Sect, killing Mount Tai Sectā€™s leader (Ao Laizi), and leaving a pile of heads for Yueyang Sect to find. Heā€™s doing his best Lunatic Wen bit, but come on, my friend, do they really deserve credit for ALL of that? Do they really? It sounds like you have your suspicions, as well, because you want to know who was responsible for the Mirror Lake massacre. Everyone looks around, pointedly not meeting his eyes, so, hmm, it must have been Long-Tongued Ghost, right? Right? (Who we last saw getting killed and getting his (Danyang) Glazed Armor took by Wen Kexing while pretending to be Hanged Ghost.) Changing Ghost, whoā€™s supposedly Long-Tongued Ghostā€™s superior and whoā€™s smart enough to sense the wind shifting, even if heā€™s not sure in which direction, hastily says that LTGhost doesnā€™t listen to him anymore. (Yeah, because heā€™s dead.) At this point, White Grim Reaper is dumb enough to draw attention to himself, and WKX chokes him out just ā€˜cause. ā€˜Cause heā€™s Lunatic Wen, and fuck you, thatā€™s why. Both Tragicomic Ghost and Beauty Ghost look more Completely Done With This Bullshit than scared ā€“ in contrast to the men, who are shitting their pants - which is an early indication that their relationships with WKX are different than his relationships with the male Devils. WKX also makes some pointed comment about how oh dear, heā€™s killed someone, and they were already low on manpower, but as a chief of GHOSTS, thatā€™s all he has to work with, isnā€™t that RIGHT, Changing Ghost ā€“ which sounds on the surface kind of like policing that line between ghosts and humans, but really seems more like he has his suspicions about exactly who Changing Ghost is actually working with, because while he may not be as smart as A-Xu, heā€™s not DUMB. Now, letā€™s all come up with a plan to fuck over the Five Lakes Alliance during the Heroā€™s Conference. Aaaaand ā€¦ end scene (and ep).
Meanwhile, Han Ying is dealing with his poor, drunk dumbass charge, and we see ZZS wake up in some richly appointed rooms, in some strange bed, and heā€™s clearly thinking ā€œOh snap. What I do last night?ā€ Also, feeling the hangover. Once he manages to get his boots on, he notices a shrine, complete with candles, and just about this point, Han Ying busts in like heā€™s WKX or something (although to be fair, it is his bedroom), and wants to know exactly wtf is wrong with ZZS, getting blackout drunk with his actual face hanging out like he doesnā€™t care who recognizes him? (I just have to take a moment here, and point out that ZZS, who went all in, in the last ep, and who will continue to be the more open one as this relationship goes on, is being berated here for not wearing a mask, for showing his real self, while the issue for both A-Xiang and WKX is going to continue to be keeping on a protective mask/skin, even though WKX accuses A-Xiang himself in this very ep of thinking the mask is real and not just a cover for her true face. Anyway.) Oh, and also, My Lord, how is your injury? DO YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TENDERLY CARE FOR YOU? I like this scene, because Han Yingā€™s actually kind of angry at ZZS, and a little bit, he shows it, and we get to see that heā€™s not spineless, even in the (blindingly beautiful) face of ZZS, heā€™s just devoted. And if that means keeping this dumbass safe from himself, well, Han Ying will try to do that, too, even if itā€™s enough to drive him to find religion, as we also find out in this scene, explaining the shrine. I suppose he needs all the help he can get. Anyway, ZZS tells him that heā€™s too mean to die just yet, although he doesnā€™t expect any blessings on his path, and Han Ying responds ā€“ and I think this is important, given ZZSā€™s decision last ep to spend the rest of his life living instead of dying ā€“ that ā€œany day we live is a day gained.ā€ (HAN YING. MY BELOVED.) ZZS pulls some Glazed Armor out of his robes to give to Han Ying, and they both realize that it looks exactly like two pieces Han Ying already has his hands on, gdi WKX. At this point, ZZS reiterates that he just wants Han Ying to lay low and stay safe, Han Ying reiterates his undying devotion, and ZZS has clearly had it with these kids and their starry-eyed devotion. He tries telling Han Yng again to just live a good life - as if Han Ying is at all wired that way ā€“ before making some dramatic pronouncement about expecting to have to deal with whatā€™s coming to him in hell and sweeping out the door in the last we see of him this ep.
Letā€™s see, other things that happened:
Gao Chong, Zhao Jing and Shen Shen confer over their complete loss of face in the run-up to the Heroā€™s Conference; Shen Shen gets very offended and denies killing Ao Laizi, which is the rumor going around town; Gao Chong says the Ghost Valley isnā€™t responsible for Ao Laiziā€™s death (which they are) or for spreading the rhyme about the Glazed Armor (which they are); Zhao Jing says Five Lakes Alliance canā€™t get a reputation for forcing other sects to do things (when he can manipulate them into doing what he wants), and Shen Shen wants to know WHY THE HELL NOT (oh, Shen Shen) when the jianghu has always been, and I QUOTE, ā€œa place where the strong pery on the weak,ā€ so again, I have to kind of side with WKX on this one about the hive of scum and villainy. Or I would if you guys seemed capable of actually accomplishing anything.
Elsewhere in Yueyang Sect, itā€™s been Bullying Hour again for Chengling, and A-Xiang is furious when she finds out, threatening to break the legs of whoeverā€™s responsible for smacking him around (she really is like the most delightful Chengxian love-child, I have to say). She also has some Wolong Nuts ā€“ crispy and delicious! ā€“ for him. Gao Xiaolian shows up with some treats, but Chengling doesnā€™t want her food, and also he doesnā€™t want to marry her, because he doesnā€™t want to be Gao Chongā€™s puppet, which is kind of new, because he said a couple of eps ago at the Five Lakes monument that he would abide by Gao Chongā€™s decisions. I guess now that heā€™s found out from A-Xiang that their Murder Dads are still around, he thinks thereā€™s still a chance to run away with them. Gao Xiolian runs away, crying. Harsh, Chengling, but it does give him the chance to complain to A-Xiang that heā€™s effectively under house arrest, WHERE ARE OUR MURDER DADS TO SAVE ME?
Last but not least, thereā€™s this incredible scene with Yu Loser Qiufeng, leader of Mount Hua Sect, in which one of the Mount Hua Virgins (tm WKX) comes complaining that everyone is looking down on them. Yu Qiufeng tells him that the entire jianghu is falling apart and to suck it up, and then another Virgin (tm WKX) shows up to say that some people from Mount Tai Sect are here to talk about Dead Ao Laizi, because the Five Lakes Alliance killed him omg. Yu Quifengā€™s response is literally ā€œTell them Iā€™m not here,ā€ and when the disciple wants to know how he can possibly say that, Qiufengā€™s response is literally ā€œSay I went out. Say Iā€™m sick. Say Iā€™m dead.ā€ (OMG, Zongzhu canā€™t see you right now, heā€™s dead!)
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running-in-the-dark Ā· 3 years ago
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I'm feeling very emotional right now, and it's made me think about the only constant interest I've had since I was a teenager: comedy.
I go through different interests very very quickly, they change all the time, and it makes me sad sometimes because I can never really get into anything when it stops being interesting after a month or two. But I've been thinking a lot today and I realised that I've been into comedy pretty much since I was allowed to decide what I wanted to watch on TV (so, since I was about 13/14).
At that time I watched a lot of German comedy shows because that's what was available. A lot of it was very funny to me at the time but I probably wouldn't like it now. I also downloaded episodes of The Daily Show as often as I could (which wasn't a lot because we had terrible internet - it was worth it though, even if it took literal days to download one episode). Later there were things like The IT Crowd (though it wasn't as funny in German).
Then, when I was 19 (in 2011), I moved. That was a really, really dark time in my life. But I finally had faster internet! So I made a Tumblr account, and saw so much Doctor Who content on my dash that I had to start watching it. I loved it, and got obsessed with David Tennant. While looking for interviews with him on YouTube, I found a clip of him on a panel show, either Never Mind the Buzzcocks or QI. It looked fun so I found the full episode and watched it.
Then I watched as many episodes of QI as I could find at the time, and all the Simon Amstell episodes of Never Mind the Buzzcocks. I liked a lot of the panellists so I started watching other shows that they were in. There were lots of crushes on comedians (Alan Davies, Simon Amstell, Jon Richardson and David Mitchell are the big ones I can remember from that time). I watched a lot of (mostly British) comedy for years.
Eventually life got in the way and my mental health declined (again), and it was too much effort to find new episodes and shows to watch, so I basically stopped for about 4 years, I think. I watched some comedy specials on Netflix during that time (mostly just Hannah Gadsby and John Mulaney again and again to be honest) but nothing else.
Then I saw a random Reddit comment on a thread about a completely different topic earlier this year - someone had shared the potato throwing task from Taskmaster. I watched it and immediately it all just... came back. I knew all those people, and I loved so many of them! I missed all of this a lot. And I'm glad I came back to it.
It sounds like a clichƩ but I really wasn't doing well in 2011/12 - I don't know what might have happened but I do know I was in a very bad place, and closer to, uh, not being around anymore than ever before. I just. I really love comedy and it means a lot to me.
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skullsandwineglasses Ā· 4 years ago
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The Legends (2019) Full Review
My review of the first 30 episodes of the drama can be found here.Ā 
This is more of a rant than a review. The drama should have wrapped up at episode 35. I was able to tolerate it up to episode 42 when the wedding was, but by episode 48 itā€™s a total mess.Ā 
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If only this scene was as epic as the picture makes it look. But alas, this was just a dream sequence, and by this point in the finale, I was already bored and scrolling through instagram on my phone. If only they really did have a love-hate relationship. But this is an angst-free drama.Ā 
Inconsistent character arcs
The FL and ML have become incredibly weak, both in terms of abilities and personality. The changes just donā€™t make sense for their characters.Ā 
Zhao yao is no longer the badass she once was, and Iā€™m actually fine with that. Moving away from her demoness persona is part of her growth. BUT, she no longer has a goal in the drama (except when she finds out that Mo Qing has an inner demon. Then, her goal becomes finding a way to expel the demon). But in the last quarter of the drama, she doesnā€™t really do anything of importance. She lost her sword, but she doesnā€™t actively go and find it. Instead, Mo Qing and Jiang Wu are the ones who took initiative to hunt it down for her. And when Lin Zi Yu got away with it, she doesnā€™t bother thinking about finding her sword again?? I mean girl, you lost your sword. Your only weapon. Why is that not at the top of your list of priorities? Is this the same FL who had risked it all for the Wan Jun sword?Ā 
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(I miss the demoness)
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Her tolerance level for things that annoy her is just so out of character. Zhao yao used to be someone who always fought back against anything she didnā€™t like. But when it comes to Jiang Wu, she seems to have unlimited tolerance for him. Yes, he saved her, but owing him does not mean letting him be a menace. Like when Jiang Wu sucked the life energy out of Ah Dai. All she did was try to restrain Mo Qing from attacking Jiang Wu, but she didnā€™t spring forward to prevent Jiang Wu from killing Ah Dai. I mean, the cause of Mo Qingā€™s rage was Ah Dai dying. Shouldnā€™t you go address the root of the problem? Instead, she just sits and stares and lets Jiang Wu kill Ah Dai instead of doing something. And then thereā€™s the scene in the library when sheā€™s asleep, but Mo Qing is wrestling with his inner demon, and then the Wan Jun sword kills the 2 guards on duty. She just sleeps through the entire thing. Wasnā€™t she once the most feared conqueror/demoness? Isnā€™t she a warrior? How can your senses not be alert when thereā€™s so much ruckus around you? Someone on MDL said that she became a glorified baby sitter for the ML, and while I donā€™t agree that itā€™s as extreme as that, I can see their point. All that Zhao yao does after the wedding is try to reign in Mo Qing to prevent him from going into full-on demon mode. She holds him back, tries to calm him and soothe him, rinse and repeat.
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Speaking of Mo Qing, his current personality is just rage and jealousy. At first, it was kinda endearing seeing him jealous, but soon his entire arc was just about him being consumed by jealousy. The writers try to justify it by saying that heā€™s always had low self-esteem and been unconfident about himself because of his upbringing, and the growing demon energy inside him is exacerbating these thoughts, making him more unlike himself, but youā€™re telling me that everything that he and Zhao yao had gone through together was all for naught? This would have made sense 5 years ago, but weā€™ve seen that he has greatly matured since becoming sect leader. During the earlier episodes, he was able to see right through Zhao yaoā€™s mask. He teased her, flirted with her, scolded her, and basically proved heā€™s her equal in every way, and he did it all with easy confidence. And now suddenly, all of that growth reverses, and heā€™s insecure and sensitive again. This character progression just doesnā€™t make sense in the context of everything thatā€™s happened. I would have loved to have seen more of the introverted and unconfident Mo Qing at the beginning of the drama. But instead, we only got a handful of scenes before that part of his character arc was cut short and we skip ahead 5 years later and then another 5 years later to when heā€™s the sect leader. There was honestly no purpose for Mo Qingā€™s suffering. He just suffered for the sake of suffering. In other xianxia dramas, characters suffered for a purpose. It was a price they had to pay in order to protect someone they love. But this suffering is just pointless. It does nothing for this character arc. And they kept replaying the same montage of him sleeping on the dragon. As if itā€™s not already clear from the last 20 episodes that heā€™s being haunted by his fatherā€™s demon.Ā 
Villains and supporting characters
I didnā€™t really care for the villains? Luo Mingxuan is still alive, but doesnā€™t do anything until the last 5 episodes. I eyeroll whenever Lin Zi Yu is onscreen. Jiang Wu is the only one whoā€™s interesting and he serves as comedic relief.Ā Ā 
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And then there are all the unnecessary deaths. Itā€™s like theyā€™re killing off all the good characters one by one. What was the point of killing off the doctor? He was the only character who could scold both Zhao yao and Mo Qing. The drama felt so empty without him.Ā 
But on a good note, I really liked most of the supporting characters, from Zhiyan to Shi Qi to Ah Rong to Gu Hanguang. They were also the most consistent characters in the drama.Ā 
On a bad note, the drama spent tooĀ much time on the backstories of supporting characters. I did not care to watch Suruo mourn Luo Mingxuan and remembering how they fell in love, and this happens for pretty much all the couples in the drama. Itā€™s because Zhao yao and Mo Qing have a very simple romantic arc thatā€™s resolved very early on, so the writers had to throw in fillers to drag out the drama. And the consequence is that our leads end up getting not enough screen time.Ā 
The final 2 episodes
Oh boy. The last 2 episodes were a hot mess. In the final battle, everyone kept attacking and stabbing Luo Mingxuan, but he just wonā€™t die?? Heā€™s like Wolverine. He just comes back stronger. It just kept dragging on and on, and I completely lost interest. And I felt bad for Xu Kai. He was standing on the sidelines for most of the battle, just watching and shooting worried faces at Zhao yao. I hate to say he was useless, but it just felt like the writers did him dirty. Even Jiany Wu, who had already died by that point, was given a brief re-appearance. While Mo Qing, the ML, was forced to sit out on the action.Ā 
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Iā€™m also so over the will-he-wonā€™t-he be evil plot. I keep saying this but Iā€™ll say it again. It. Just. Keeps. Dragging. Iā€™ve watching longer dramas, but this one felt to go on forever. We get it. Youā€™re being tortured by your inner demon, but love will conquer all.Ā 
The editing is also weird? Some of the scenes arenā€™t in chronological order, and thereā€™s no separation between dream sequences and reality. I also never liked the preview at the beginning of each episode. I also hate how they cut some crucial scenes from the TV version thatā€™s on youtube, forcing me to hop onto doboku, which buffers.Ā 
Honestly, the last episode felt like a hallucinated dream sequence. In one scene, theyā€™re all sitting around the table saying that the need to seal the Wan Jun sword before Mo Qing gets out of the control, and then it suddenly cuts to black with a title card that says 5 years later (donā€™t get me started on how often they overuse the ā€œ5 years laterā€ plot device. Why is it always exactly 5 years?) We then see that Zhiyan is now the sect leader, and weā€™re told that Mo Qing has sealed himself away, and Zhao yao has been waiting for him to return. We donā€™t see them say goodbye to Mo Qing before he seals himself away. No scene showing a handover to Zhiyan. Weā€™re just forced to go with it and imagine these scenes ourselves.Ā 
Zhao yao, with a new hairstyle and new clothes to signify the time skip, watches Zhi yan and the sect from the distance. She then goes to visit other people, like Sima Rong and Liu Cangling. Liu Cangling and Zhiyan are the only couple who were able to move on from each other, and honestly, good for them. We then see Zhao yao sitting in the cave, pouring wine onto the cave floor, and then it cuts to black again and a sword flies through the air and wedges itself on the bedrock and we hear Mo Qing say Zhao yaoā€™s name in a voiceover. And then it cuts to a scene where theyā€™re both in the cave wearing their clothes from 5 years and Zhao yao has her old hairstyle. You assume this is a flashback to when they sealed the sword. And then we see Mo Qing in another realm where he lowers the sword in to the water, presumably sealing it. And then it cuts to both of them on the street buying food, wearing their old clothes and hairstyles.Ā 
Does this mean he got out of the seal? When in the timeline is this street scene? How did he get out of the seal? Did he just walk out? Was Zhao yao there waiting for him, or did he go and find her? Itā€™s typical for there to be a long period of uncertain separation in xianxia and wuxia dramas, and these dramas usually end either ambiguously where you donā€™t know if the couple will reunite, or they end with an emotional reunion, like in Ashes of Love, Eternal Love, Love and Destiny, and Love and Redemption, and famously in Return of the Condor Heroes. But what in the world was this ending?? The hell happened? That was so anticlimactic. If the scene on the street really was theirĀ ā€œreunionā€ after he got out of the seal, does that mean Zhao yao changed her hair back to 5 years ago? Why is the costuming so confusing then?
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And the last scene where they have the same actors play their kids? Um, no. Thatā€™s just plain weird. You built up the chemistry between the 2 actors, and then in the end you make them play siblings and re-enact the scene of when their parents met? For what? To make the audience reminisce about the budding romance between the leads at the beginning so that things come full circle? But, these characters are siblings?? Youā€™re trying to make us emotional over a scene of two siblings pretending to be lovers?
There was just no point in doing that. It doesnā€™t tell us anything about the charactersā€™ married life now. I donā€™t care about their kids. I care about the characters and what theyā€™re doing now. What a strange and uncomfortable way to end the drama. Not satisfying at all.Ā 
It would have been better if they had left it ambiguous. The amount of times that Zhao yao came back from the dead showed that they can defy the impossible, so even if it was an ambiguous ending, youā€™d still be able to believe that theyā€™ll be together again. But this mess just ruined the chemistry. Ugh. I reallyĀ miss the first half of the drama.Ā 
Overall Impression
Iā€™m mad about how chaotic the last few episodes were. While the beginning of the drama wasnā€™t without its flaws either, it was still very promising and intriguing. The beginning of the drama felt like they knew where they were going with the story, even if you didnā€™t completely like the direction that it went. So yes, I echo the other critiques saying that this drama had a strong beginning and a weak end.Ā 
When I got to episode 35, I thought, how bad can this get? When I got to episode 42, I was still holding out hope that maybe other people were just harsh and maybe Iā€™ll actually enjoy it. But no, the final 10 episodes are really as bad as everyone says it is.Ā 
The romance, which was the only reason I stuck to the drama, also felt a little underdeveloped. I wish we got to see more scenes of them pre-episode 30.They were so cute then. Everything post-episode 30 was just them being constantly worried about each other.Ā 
At least there was no angst. And the comedy was great. So thereā€™s that.Ā 
I give this drama a 7/10 for the characters and the premise. The plot is not worth watching due to terrible editing, pacing, and consistency, but itā€™s also a drama that wonā€™t take you long to watch since you could skip most of it anyway and just go to the scenes with the leads. Itā€™s my first drama watching Bai Lu and Xu Kai, but Iā€™m def now interested in more of their work, like Arsenal Military Academy.Ā 
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orsuliya Ā· 4 years ago
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Do you think Awu fell in love with XQ a little too easily? In my opinion she was definitely intrigued by him even before he told her the truth about their marriage.
Oooh, was she ever intrigued! Even before the marriage! I just went back to episode 2 and the way she keeps peeking over Zitanā€™s shoulder after the assassins are dead or gone? She was definitely checking her mysterious saviour out. And in episode 3, for all that she canā€™t see very well from the distance, heā€™s still hitting her military kink. What? She totally does have one! Itā€™s not all empty talk for Wanruā€™s benefit.
As weā€™ve established together with @madeleineengland, all those Wangs are blessed with flawless taste (Awu has it, Daddy Wang has it, the Empress Dowager has it and so does Turnip Wang, what with him falling for Miā€™er and Gu Caiwei). Okay, getting my mind out of the gutter now.
Iā€™d not say she fell for him too easily. I am saying that she made a conscious decision to let herself fall for him and that was that. Xiao Qi never stood a chance before her charms, but she could have easily held out for much longer. Itā€™s only that she actively chose not to.
First she lets Zitan go (by getting drunk with Yuxiu) and then takes a step back, not yet completely sure of her decision. Then she asks for Xiao Qi to stay and actively seeks comfort from him after being told the truth; and why shouldnā€™t she, itā€™s her due as his wife - thatā€™s the second stage, acceptance. The final decision she makes at the festival, when she asks him to dance. Itā€™s basically a marriage ritual; she chooses to be married to him willingly and on her own terms.
Letā€™s be realistic here for a moment; what are her other options? She can hold out for longer, play up her hurt pride some more, but what for? Not like she can realistically annul the marriage. Even if he was a total disappointment, sheā€™d have been forced to try to reach an acceptable agreement, whatever it might be. But she hit the lottery and sheā€™s astute enough to know that.
Sheā€™s attracted to this man, she already knows heā€™ll defer to her judgement in household matters (the maids) and he didnā€™t hesitate to risk his life to save hers (twice or thrice in a span of an hour). Heā€™s also completely open to her teasing and able to take responsibility for his mistakes. Also, heā€™s leaving the choice as to the future of their relationship to her; heā€™s already revealed his cards. Itā€™s a total package!
And remember, itā€™s a not a strictly monogamistic society. Even Awu, who never had half-siblings to worry about, knows that well enough (Turnip has concubines and itā€™s no secret). If she lets things drag out, she might wake up with a concubine or five in her husbandā€™s bed. Not a pressing concern, but still, a concern, since she immediately removes the too ambitious maids from the household.
Yes, Awu made a concious decision to let herself fall. And isnā€™t she lucky that the man she got (thank you, Daddy Wang!) turned catching her into an artform?
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thegreymoon Ā· 4 years ago
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Word of Honor
The tragedy of Wen Kexing is that he was meant to be a healer. He was born into it, he has the inclination and talent for it, and yet the violent circumstances of his life turned him into the most unhinged, terrifying killer of his era.Ā 
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This clicked for me relatively recently but I havenā€™t been able to stop thinking about it ever since šŸ˜¶
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Aww, no, itā€™s starting.šŸ˜¢
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The manor is under attack and of course Han Ying was Prince Jinā€™s trap for Zhou Zishu šŸ™
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God, this man is beautiful šŸ˜­
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And there goes their peace and quiet šŸ™
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Gu Xiang is right, as always. It was too good last.Ā 
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NOOOOO, THEY BURNED THE FOUR SEASONS MANOR šŸ˜­šŸ˜­
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Shit just keeps going from bad to worse šŸ˜…šŸ˜…
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I keep procrastinating on this episode because Iā€™m afraid to keep watching!Ā 
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Totally should have seen this coming šŸ˜«šŸ˜«
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She is an absolute Queen and I stan!!Ā 
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So, this is who Wen Kexing gets his character from!! šŸ”„šŸ”„ I love her so much!! Also, I want to know how this evildoer slithered his way out of this. She should have used a more permanent poison. Smdh.Ā 
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Who are these elves again?
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I mean, I know that one of them is that doctor Ye Baiyi was trying to find to cure A-Xu, but how do they fit into everything else? Iā€™m pretty sure it was explained somehow somewhere but it just went over my head.Ā 
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Prince Qi?? So, related to Prince Jin?
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O, rly? šŸ§šŸ§
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The more you know!!
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Oh, baby šŸ˜¢
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Okay, so what happened to that other girl that used to work for him? The tomboy one?
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I remember when the two guys he had at the beginning died but I donā€™t remember where we lost her? Beauty Ghost seems to have taken her place at his side and I would have definitely remembered her death, so I guess I just.. missed it along the way? šŸ¤”
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ā€œListen, I have to kill you because you are my enemy, but because I love you, I will kill myself immediately afterwards so that we can go to the netherworld together and be together in the next life.ā€
I mean... Not sure whether I should laugh or cry here šŸ˜‚šŸ˜­
Anyway, I bet when WKX told you he would murder you if you hurt her, you did not think he absolutely meant it literally, did you Cao-gege šŸ˜…šŸ˜… If you do kill her, then killing yourself is the only way you will get a swift and easy death, Iā€™m afraid!
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Oh, thank goodness, the kittens made up! I mean, I obviously know he was never going to kill her, but Iā€™m happy to see they arenā€™t dragging this out forever.Ā 
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The way crazy looks so good on him šŸ”„šŸ”„
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Ah, here comes the villain monologue.
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Aww, no, they made him change back into his old black clothes šŸ˜¢
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Sweetheart, he was so happy in his bright robes and pastel colours šŸ’”
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Okay, so I tend not to break canon ships nor would I ever want Wenzhou broken, but my mind is all the way in the gutter, pls donā€™t judge šŸ”„šŸ”„
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They are pushing each and every single button of mine in ways Wenzhou is not, so while I am all here my happy canon ship, please give me ALL the dark, twisted fanfics for these two šŸ¤¤šŸ¤¤
I bet Zhou Zishu suffers beautifully šŸ˜‹
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I know I say this all the time, but I can never say it enough; god, heā€™s beautiful šŸ˜­šŸ˜­
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Amazing šŸ˜‹
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The amount of absolutely delicious non-con/dub-con these two have the potential to spawn is just incredible šŸ”„šŸ”„
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I remember seeing gifs of this scene and thinking, ā€œWell, that looks like a bit of an overreaction!ā€
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But no, LMAO, they are not overreacting at all šŸ˜…
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Anyway, waiting to see what his end game here is. He could have killed the Prince any which way he wanted and yet we had this entire extended scene and Prince Jin is still not dead.Ā 
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Oh, thank goodness they are actually roasting an animal here!
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For a moment there, I thought they would for sure be roasting a person šŸ˜…
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He looks so betrayed!
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Mte, baby, he dares to strike you but Iā€™m pretty sure I remember him approving of all this!Ā 
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OMG, please turn against him already šŸ˜«šŸ˜«
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There are only six episodes left until the end, it is time!!
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Yes, Queen! Remind him who heā€™s messing with!! šŸ”„šŸ”„
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I stan the women on this show so damn hard!!Ā 
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ARE YOU KIDDING ME šŸ¤¬šŸ¤¬
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Gu Xiang, please kill him!
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Absolutely gorgeous torture porn!! šŸ”„ Suffering looks so good on him!!
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Also, heā€™s such a cold bitch, I love him so much and canā€™t get enough! šŸ˜† Itā€™s incredible how well-matched he is with Wen kexing, how similar they are in some ways and polar opposite in others! Wen Kexing is so hot-headed and impulsive and his plans really arenā€™t particularly well-thought-through, but Zhou Zishu is so calm and thorough, and heā€™s always playing chess while everyone else around him is playing checkers šŸ‘ŒšŸ‘Œ
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tomorrowsdrama Ā· 4 years ago
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Iā€™ve been watching Tribes and Empires to get my Zhou Yi Wei fix whenever I run out of episodes of Rebel Princess and itā€™s official.Ā  Iā€™m just a big olā€™ Zhou Yi Wei fangirl now.Ā  Heā€™s sex on legs in this drama too!Ā  But whereas Xiao Qi is calm, collected, and poised, Shuofeng He Ye, the character ZYW plays in Tribes and Empires, is hot-headed, angry, and wild.Ā  The drama itself is good on its own but OMG whenever ZYW shows up on screen, whew, I swear, the cavewoman instincts in me come out.
Itā€™s funny because I remember seeing a trailer for Tribes and Empires last year or so before I even knew who ZYW was and I thought, hm, none of the main trio really do it for me.Ā  What a difference a year and actually watching ZYW act makes!
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just look at him!
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This is Jin Zhu Hai.Ā  Sheā€™s just met He Ye after he saved her from a sandstorm and girlfriend wastes no time declaring her intentions to make He Ye hers.Ā  i canā€™t say I blame her.
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This is Jin Zhu Haiā€™s father, trying to reason with his young and clearly infatuated daughter.
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said every crazy secondary love interest ever (I donā€™t think Jin Zhu Hai will be a crazy secondary girl though)
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Her poor father
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She spots him in a slave market and tells her pa to buy him for her.Ā  I swear, sheā€™s got one of the best dads Iā€™ve seen in a period drama.Ā  But of course, heā€™s not for sale.Ā  So she then attempts to steal him and is easily caught.Ā  When her dad finally tells her enough is enough and to let it go, she takes things from 0 to 100 real fast...
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...by going balls to the wall and threatening to cut her own throat if her dad wonā€™t buy He Ye for her.Ā  She literally was ready to risk it all for him.Ā  Girl, I get it, heā€™s hot, but you literally just met him and very briefly at that.Ā  I think heā€™s spoken maybe one sentence to you.Ā  And of course, her dad has to give in and pretty much uses up his life savings to buy He Ye.Ā  Pa, you really shouldnā€™t be letting your young hormonal daughter make these decisions.Ā  Like talk about making bad life choice-
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Hm, okay so maybe sheā€™s wise beyond her years and knows what sheā€™s doing.
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Yes, she is definitely a woman of her word.
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I canā€™t believe the censors allowed this to air.Ā  Someone at the censorā€™s office must have been a big ZYW fan to let this pass.Ā  And then right after this scene, I kid you not, iit cuts to a shot of waves crashing on the beach ahahaha.
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And then I turned into a pile of goo as I watched him take her on a horse ride along the beach, nuzzle along the nape of her neck with his nose, and then make out with her.Ā  I literally had both my hands on my face and was squealing as I watched this scene because ZYW is just so flipping sexy!Ā  Ugh, and the way he gives her bedroom eyes with that intense gaze of his.Ā  Okay, Jin Zhu Hai!Ā  You clearly knew what you were doing!Ā  She literally was like, I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it, and she deserves serious props for that.
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You mean having a banging hot husband who takes you on horse rides along the beach for some sexy make outs?Ā  Yeah, I wouldnā€™t want that kind of life to change either.Ā  But as any drama viewer knows already, the moment a character says something like that, you know life is going to get real ugly real fast.
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starberry-cupcake Ā· 4 years ago
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The Chinapuri finale and its montage aka censorship who?
I decided to do all of this in one post and read more, so that the 95% of my followers who are uninterested on this particular drama/source material can easily skip it. Here are 7 relationships showcased in the montage ranked and 2 bonus (a family relationship and an extra).Ā 
Note: Iā€™ll speak about the relationships as they were portrayed, whichever the form of relationship chosen to display in this version. Also, Iā€™m glad that everyone was aged up in this version, kinda wild but very much appreciated that some of these actors are my age or somewhere around there lolĀ 
#7 Lu Xia (Echizen Ryoma) andĀ Qi Ying (Ryuuzaki Sakuno)Ā 
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This drama was a bit more romantically-inclined in terms of these two than the anime/manga was, but some of that may be also influenced by them giving their version of Sakuno more room (which yay!) and having them be older.Ā 
For this to stand alone as a drama, it was a needed step, I believe. I found Lu Xia to be more vulnerable than Ryoma, he doesnā€™t feel quite as ~cool~ and it doesnā€™t take away from the character that he has moments showing internal struggle (in tennis as well as at home). These two were sweet and adorable, which gave the drama probably more of an expected appeal for a wider audience, to make it stand on its own as a drama and not only an anime adaptation.Ā 
#6Ā Yan ZhiMing (Inui Sadaharu) & Liu Lian (Yanagi Renji)Ā 
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Kinda mad they didnā€™t do this for Fuji (Zhuo Zhi) and Saeki (Zuo Xiaohu) but they did good with these two. I didnā€™t know at first why they started to build up their relationship so early, but it ended up being a good emotional plot point during their match, which is, as we all know, a determining factor in Seigakuā€™s (Yu Qing) win against Rikkai (Hai Guang).Ā 
I donā€™t remember being as invested in their match in the anime as I was here, maybe I was just too focused on the Fuji match at that time, but what they did to build that game as a decisive point in the season finale was so well developed, I was impressed.Ā 
#5Ā He XingLong (Kawamura Takeshi) &Ā Ya JiuXin (Akutsu Jin)Ā 
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This is a relationship that can get complicated and even problematic if handled incorrectly. Akutsuā€™s journey through the anime is pretty long and takes a while for him to be on a healthier place, but the added element of aging the characters could have gone really wrong here if they had done him exactly as in the anime or manga.Ā I think they did pretty well with the time they were given, showing his turmoil and learning curve.Ā 
XingLong was allowed to have a more in-depth journey being older and about to graduate, it made more sense for him here to think about his career at this stage and added the gravity of this being THE moment to decide whether to keep pursuing the sport or take over his dadā€™s restaurant (they even adapted the type of food they cook to match the cultural impact of the family-owned business, which was great).Ā 
I think the two complemented each other really well and worked interestingly together, in a way I didnā€™t think the drama was gonna give them time to do, so Iā€™m really pleased.Ā 
#4 Qiao Chen (Momoshiro Takeshi) & Zhang BaiYang (Kaidoh Kaoru)Ā 
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My younger self is thriving with this one being included tbh. These two were so much fun in the anime, two rivals and opposites that represented the future of the team upon their elders leaving.Ā 
I was surprised to see them so focused here, because itā€™s not a relationship most adaptations put emphasis on (their loss), but it paid off immensely by the time their game against Bunta and Jackal (Jin WenTai &Ā Ke Jie) came around.Ā 
Kaidoh is a tough one to adapt most times, and they did him so well in this one, I think this is my favorite live action Kaidoh in any adaptation, and Iā€™ve watched a whole bunch of tenimyu in my day. They really captured the ambiguity of his character, how he balances a tough exterior with a sensitive core. Qiao Chen maintained his feelings forĀ Xu Xingzi (Tachibana Ann) but that didnā€™t stop them from showing these two every time they could.Ā 
#3 Mu Siyang (Tezuka Kunimitsu) & Ji Jingwu (Atobe Keigo)Ā 
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Oh, these two. Hyotei (Xing Yao) wasnā€™t featured as much as one would probably expect (Iā€™m a Fudomine fan and with Yu Feng I got more than I even was expecting, but I admit Hyotei is a riot and I always live my best life when they show up). Still, they did the Tezuka/Atobe match justice and then some.Ā 
Mu Siyang was incredibly compelling as Tezuka, and had a vulnerability to him that made me worry for his health more than I probably did for his anime counterpart. Maybe also the fact that he was older than his anime version yet looked younger than him made it sink more that his injury was something to worry about. I wish we had time to include anime!Tezukaā€™s issues with yips with Siyang, because I know the drama would have pulled it off, but that was further down the line in the story. Maybe for a season 2.Ā 
Anyway, the Atobe/Tezuka game is one of the best games in tenipuri history and the drama knew it. The game felt like it earned its gravity with the development of both Siyangā€™s injury and Ji Jingwuā€™s determination to play against him. Then they sprinkled the camp on top, as the anime does, with Ji Jingwu paying for his every expense and calling him to get updates, which is 100% canon compliant imo.Ā 
I feel like Ji Jingwu didnā€™t have enough room to be as much of Atobe as he could be, but then again, thatā€™s not easy for anyone to pull off. Not even Kato Kazuki can do Junichi Suwabe as well as Junichi Suwabe.Ā Ā 
#2Ā Bai ShiYan (Yukimura Seiichi) & Tian ZiLong (Sanada Genichirou)Ā 
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So, itā€™s tough to feel for Rikkai (Hai Guang) at this point of the story. You learn about Yukimuraā€™s health and itā€™s difficult, but you just met them and the first impressions havenā€™t been great.Ā 
However, the relationship between Sanada and Yukimura has always been something pivotal for the way the team is constructed (they were named that way for a reason, two parts of a same hero and all that) and they sustain the team in a way other teams donā€™t have to. They are the mom and dad of the team, the coaches, the leaders and the pillars. They have a balance of severity and permissiveness, of strictness and instinct. They are like a couple who has been married for 25 years.Ā 
How on Earth, I asked myself, will they achieve that with censorship on the way? I donā€™t know, but they did it, the mad bastards.Ā 
It really does come through 100% the importance of their relationship and the way in which the captainā€™s health affects the team and, more than anything, their vice captain. It reaches a crescendo during the final match, before ShiYanā€™s operation, and they manage to pull it off with the time they have.Ā 
Also, their scenes are like shot for a contemporary romance drama and I appreciate that vibe.Ā 
#1 Tang JiaLe (Kikumaru Eiji) & Chi DaYong (Oishi Shuichiro)Ā 
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Oh boy. Look. I still own Golden Pair merchandise from my Days, ok? These two hold a special place in my heart. I saw actors who portrayed them grow up, succeed and pass away, sadly. I still sing Depend On Me sometimes. There is a cheerful vibe with these two, a sense of overcoming obstacles and finding balance, I donā€™t know. Fuji is my favorite character but these two are special in their way.Ā 
This freakinā€™ drama just went full on Golden Pair. The level of content was off the charts. The moment they came on the screen, the second they talked about their doubles, it was already setting the tone of how deep their relationship was going to go. I am a bit amazed that they avoided to get closed down for this ngl. And I appreciate the risk because it paid off.
They have a body language communication that is captured in every shot. Even when theyā€™re not the focus of the scene, theyā€™re close, touching or holding each other, arms around each other, hands on each otherā€™s shoulders, grabbing each otherā€™s clothes. When they fight, that language changes drastically, and the distance they take feels intense and cold. You go through it with them and the team shows it as well. Thereā€™s an entire episode I had screencaps of and never posted when the team falls apart because they do.Ā 
My favorite part, though, ironically, isnā€™t what they did with them together but what they did with them apart. They took time to develop them as individual characters with their own issues, their fears, their worries and weaknesses. They were allowed to be flawed and wrong and have to mend their ways.Ā 
What really got me and impacted me deeply was the fact that they chose DaYong to talk about mental health. They gave room to speaking about the physical implications of anxiety disorders and about how self esteem issues can give more magnitude to ongoing issues with your mental health. Again, the age of the characters being changed helped add a depth to some issues that get developed with more intensity in a drama of this kind, and the way in which it takes TIME to get resolved, it isnā€™t a one episode thing, itā€™s an underlying issue that spans the season...*chefā€™s kiss*Ā 
Even though thereā€™s a specific tenimyu incarnation of these two that I hold dear and will always remember fondly, I think thatĀ Xu Ke andĀ Zhu ZhiLing are the most successful and best portrayed live action Golden Pair Iā€™ve ever seen.Ā 
Bonus that was in the montage but itā€™s specifically about a family relationship: The Zhuo Bros
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I have said Fuji has always been my favorite and his relationship with Yuta as an older brother (albeit heā€™s not the eldest sibling like me) is one I always felt close to.Ā 
In the anime, the two have a rocky relationship that gets developed throughout, but the drama is very good at establishing not onlyĀ Zhuo Yuā€™s (Fuji Yuta) self esteem issues, the subsequent use of thatĀ Guan Yue (Mizuki Hajime) does and Zhuo Zhiā€™s (Fuji Syusuke) attempts to breach the gap between the siblings, they also use it to develop Zhuo Zhiā€™s character and his reticence to show weakness.Ā 
Itā€™s tough to get Fuji towards a place of vulnerability without breaking character, but they used family and the care he provides to his brother as a point to further his story, and I appreciate that a lot. They managed to build Zhuo Zhi up with this sibling bond as one of his core elements, and that gave a lot of dimension to his games and his character.Ā 
Bonus that wasnā€™t in the montage but Iā€™m including in some capacity: Mu Siyang (Tezuka Kunimitsu) & Zhuo Zhi (Fuji Syusuke)Ā 
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I thought these two deserved a place in the list, even if they werenā€™t grouped much in the montage, because the drama did make them share moments together that I feel gave more depth to their characters.Ā 
There was a very interesting moment in which they showed Mu Siyang and Zhuo Zhi establishing their differences when approaching tennis, and how serious Mu Siyang is about taking the team to victory. I think that strengthened the character as a captain to me, in a way that shows it rather than tells it, and allowed for his guidance to still be present when he wasnā€™t physically there. His determination ultimately influenced Zhuo Zhi to take things more seriously, and that was a pretty interesting development to see.Ā 
All in all, I should, at some point, go and do a serious review for MyDramaList but I wanted to leave in my blog how much I appreciated this adaptation. I wasnā€™t expecting much and I was delivered everything.
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