#that bingqiu has some sort of safeword/sign system

[mxtxfanatic]

The random questions extra is such a treasure-trove of information on Bingqiu’s dynamic and inner thoughts put into definitive language. Take for example this moment:

“What sort of agreements do you have about [beep—] ing?”

“If it hurts, he has to tell me,” said Luo Binghe. “He absolutely has to!”

“No crying allowed!” said Shen Qingqiu.

—official translation

A lot of the svsss fandom seems to be under the misconception that bingqiu sex is unenjoyable, that Luo Binghe has to be coddled through it while crying and/or that Shen Qingqiu gets no real joy or physical pleasure from the act. Even Shang Qinghua expresses this doubt by immediately following up by asking if they’ve just “misunderstood the implications behind the word ‘agreement’” (lol), but if you actually look at their sexual history up until that extra—which is the second to last one—then… they’re right. The last time Luo Binghe cries genuine tears and Shen Qingqiu experiences genuine un-sexy pain was during their very first time (not Maigu Ridge) in the Bing-mei vs. Bing-ge extra. Shen Qingqiu feels pain in a way that makes him attempt to dissociate rather than being honest and risking ending the moment, lying about how it feels “for Binghe’s sake,” and Luo Binghe, very reasonably, gets upset at this and cries. The only reason why they don’t stop is because Shen Qingqiu changes positions and ends up incidentally allowing the scale to tip more onto the side of pleasure, which Luo Binghe picks up on and replicates with extreme precision.

But when you look at the other explicit sex scenes in the extras, none follow that same formula: Luo Binghe’s tears are now him acting “cute” towards his partner, not crying, and the pain Shen Qingqiu feels in these moments serve to heighten his pleasure rather than diminish it (hence my distinction of un-sexy pain, above), as evidenced by him continuing to egg Luo Binghe on in each scene. On the surface, nothing has really changed from their first time, but when you pay attention to their behaviors and actions, then you see the truth that, actually, everything has changed. They’re more able to differentiate each other’s feelings in the midst of sex. They’re able to enjoy themselves all the way through. Hell, Shen Qingqiu even becomes the initiator at times! They have obviously come a long way in their communicative abilities since the start of their relationship, and I love the ways in which the story addresses this by telling and showing!