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pastelcheckereddreams · 2 years

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I stopped mid-drawing because I saw this screenshot and cannot get Wen Zhuliu out of my head.

Why does he notice something suspicious about the liquor and look towards the bodies of Madam Yu and Jiang Fengmian? Why does he drink it even though he suspects it’s drugged?

I’m having so many thoughts.

Although he doesn’t say much, it’s clear that he prioritises duty over anything else. We can presume from his actions that his main objective is to safeguard Wen Chao at all times. So on that surface assumption alone, he isn’t drinking during the Wen’s celebrations because he must keep a clear head. But then Wen Chao, the son of his (unhinged) employer who has charged him with Wen Chao’s safety, challenges him to drink.

(Sudden parallel! Wen Chao 🤝 Jin Zixun, forcing people to drink as a power play.)

So the glance towards Madam Yu (and I will go out on a limb and say he’s looking towards Madam Yu specifically) makes sense, because she (moreso than JFM, sorry JFM stans) is the last known threat he can think of. His eyes dart around slightly before he does - confirming he sees no one suspicious in the shadows. He’s simply confirming “the dead woman’s not still a threat...right?” before he acquiesces to the boss’s son’s weak flex to save everyone face.

(There’s a slight nod to superstition there, and a belief in the supernatural, that I’ll return to in a moment.)

But first let me point out the deeper context, seen in that first screenshot - he knows there’s something sus about the drink. And he drinks anyway.

That’s a big gamble. Let me explain why -

This is perhaps the more heart-wrenching scenario: Wen Zhuliu could not see an active threat in those split seconds he scanned the gathered Wen troops upon smelling the unidentified drug in the alcohol. He was perhaps looking for an unfamiliar face, disguised in Wen red, or a flash of bloodied purple in the shadows - Jiang Cheng, despite his presumed incapacitation, or another Jiang clan member.

Because Wen Zhuliu knows that it wasn’t just the Jiang Sect’s heir that escaped the massacre, but the Jiang head disciple as well. It was Madam Yu’s last (rare, poignant) selfless act to save them both.

And he looks to Madam Yu’s corpse.

Perhaps, in that moment, he weighs the probability of the Jiang poisoning their own liquor supply in preparation for a lost battle (unlikely - they surprised the Jiang) or the Jiang heir has done so under their very noses sometime in his later capture.

Perhaps he reasons, with Zidian-quick logic, that both scenarios are unlikely, and so he drinks anyway.

Or perhaps he looks towards the corpses of Jiang Wangyin’s parents, so disrespectfully displayed after such a heroic last stand, knowing the boy has also just had his core ripped from him at his own hands, and thinks - so be it.

(Do you think Wen Zhuliu spoke to Jiang Cheng before he took his core? Do you think Jiang Cheng looked at him with the same fire in his eyes as his parents?)

In his quiet, duty-bound way, Wen Zhuliu comes across as a man who respects those who have earned it. And Madam Yu surely did in her last stand. So did, perhaps, Jiang Cheng.

So he drains his cup.

(I don’t think he did this in some sort of salute to her, though, despite the formidable opponent she made. His eyes don’t linger on her, instead his gaze is down in an internal calculation.)

A few seconds later, Wen Chao is appeased but Wen Zhuliu’s suspicions are confirmed as he feels the drug take effect:

He closes his eyes and settles back, presumably now knowing the drug to be a simple sedative and - deeming it to be harmless, as he doesn’t stop Wen Chao as he urges Jiaojiao to drink more - focuses on his internal force to dampen its effects.

But there’s this lingering shot, as he does, on the blood still dripping from Madam Yu’s fresh corpse as dancers celebrate the Wen’s victory:

It feels ominous, which circles me back to the superstitious undertones of the moment - emphasised mostly by the soundtrack. The ominous music rises towards a crescendo just as the scene above cuts to Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng - alive, (mostly) whole, being rescued. The Jiang clan live on, despite the Wen’s best efforts at subordinating them; despite the two Sect leaders hanging lifeless from the rafters.

But I can’t help but circle back further - back further than the moment Wen Zhuliu first glanced towards Madam Yu’s corpse, or the moment the drugged liquor was first served. The moment this scene begins, we hear the flute music associated with Chengqing.*

*Will edit later with the track name and possibly more meta.

So I wonder if this scene, this moment, is actually subtly foreshadowing Wen Zhuliu - and Wen Chao’s - end. And that focus on Madam Yu? My own headcanons about a history between the two aside, that shot has a sense of lingering, of unfinished business.

The scene abruptly cuts to Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian - the two people that will bring about Wen Zhuliu’s death, that were saved by Madam Yu, that were harmed directly by Wen Zhuliu, and who will consequently finish the fight Madam Yu started.

They are both her legacy, and this is the moment death marks Wen Zhuliu. Everything after he takes that drink is inevitable, because he chooses social protocol/servitude to the Wen over self-preservation.

Perhaps, just maybe, there’s even a Wei Wuxian parallel there - food for thought. Their outfits certainly match.

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devoted-peanut · 2 years

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I was grinning the second this text showed up.

She than called me and yelled about JFM and YZY dying for a good while

#other updates include #she is a little more fond of jzx #because he does get better #she no longer hates WQ #because she is not evil #and she ships chengqing #shes only on episode 15 or 16 #she hasnt even gotten to the comb scene #cql live blogging #the untamed #cql #cql spoilers #the untamed spoilers

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queseraphita · 10 months

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Now that i got a c drama watch buddy, I'm gonna make her finish word of honor with me so we can both suffer

#we got like 16 episodes of love between fairy and devil #i was like half way through woh but it was a bad time for me so I'm gonna rewatch it with her #and now understand why everyone starts screaming and crying when they see red and green colors #c dramas have all the tropes my sister and i love in shows and stories so its like oh we are in it #mikh talks #i would rewatch cql with her but i need to like mentally prepare myself bc now that I've read the book and some of the audio drama #I'm like hmmmm i love the set design and production and actors just the overall of what it is #i do not like some of the story decisions #like if it wasnt apart of this adaptation i would be wholeheartedly in it #i still am just different

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ann-mauriii · 1 year

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"我在", an experimental comic I did on my break. A scene based on Mo Dao Zu Shi audio drama season 2 episode 16. My fav wangxian moment so far (but they didn't featured it on cql). Poor wei wuxian got resurrected just to be framed all over again.

Dialogues are from the audio drama, translated by Suibian subs

#my art #cql #mo dao zu shi #mdzs fanart #wei wuxian #lan wangji

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wangxianficfinder · 6 months

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Fic Finder

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1. Looking for a smut fic I remember reading. WWX was testing an invisibility talisman and ended up in the jingshi in time to watch LWJ masturbating, and rode him after he fell asleep. LWJ woke up and made WWX get rid of the invisibility after a bit. I think it was a roleplay between the two but I'm not fully sure

FOUND! Clinomania by malkinmalkout (E, 6k, wangxian, Voyeurism, Masturbation, Somnophilia, misuse of talismans, PWP, Riding, Oral Sex, binding, Happy Ending, canon typical non-con)

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2. Hi! So I'm looking for this one fic, I remember that it was set in post-canon & Wangxian go to help this village, I remember that the Juniors (all four) followed them without their knowledge & the village had a barrier preventing people from leaving, the village had a curse where they got to see their close-ones negative memories, the juniors learnt of what actually happened to WWX & the villain turns out to be a "god" like on Dafan, it had 4 chapter (I think) & was finished. @i-like-snakes-and-spiders

FOUND? Down comes the night by danegen (E, 67k, wangxian, Alternate Universe, Canon Era, inspired by From, Horror, Sharing a Room, POV LWJ, no jiangs, a whole village of OCs, tiny mention of past wwx/omc, Happy Ending)

FOUND? unhappy stories with happy endings by Last_for_Hell (M, 30k, WangXian, Memories, Memory Fic, Kinda, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, sexual content maybe, References to Torture, PTSD, Characters Watching Their Series, kinda, but not entirely, very light consensual non-consent)

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3. good day! 😊 I read this fic before and I know that I've bookmarked it but I can't find it in the list. So the story is after wwx fell, baoshan sanren and lan yi rescued him, nursed him back to health, and waited for him to wake up. I remember that when he woke up, they also taught him cultivation (he got a new sword). He also hid his face (i think he also wore a different name and different voice(?)). There's a yi city scene where xxc asked them who they were because he cant see, then bssr is also with them at that time. thank yoooooou! 💓💓💓

FOUND! Until The End by abCEE (M, 365k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, war changes people, resulting to OOC, no pinning, Established Relationship, Mpreg, Good Uncle LQR, a little grey LWJ, a bit of JC bashing from LWJ, BAMF JYL, 16 years of yearning, mainly CQL verse but has scenes from the novel as well, LSZ is WangXian's Child, WWX Has a New Golden Core, Canon Rewrite, Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts)

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4. hi, I hope you can help me find this fic I've been looking for, I'm sorry I don't really remember much, just that WWX can cook non-spicy food but he does it on purpose, it might have been because of his time in the streets? or because someone would take his food? (maybe JC???)

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5. I cannot for the life of me remember anything else about the fic but I think it was cql based with lwj as chief cultivator? wwx returned to cloud recesses and the first thing he did was beat someone up for saying horrible things about lwj. I can't remember if it was multichapter or not so it might have been in the middle of a longfic?

FOUND? 🔒make this chaos count by devotedbones (E, 15k, WangXian, Post-Canon, CQL Compliant, canon compliant until the very last scene of episode 50, Getting Together, First Time, First Kiss, Hand Jobs, Chief Cultivator LWJ, a flute used as a melee weapon, Fist Fights, Gossip, Self-Worth Issues, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Mentions of Canonical Abuse, Minor Misunderstandings, [podfic] make this chaos count, by devotedbones by inkpens)

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6. this may as well be an itmf for its general nature, but it's actually a ficfinder! except. i only remember a single detail LMAO, and it's that wwx and lwj consider all four juniors to be their children, blood relation be damned. I'm so sorry i have literally nothing else to go on 😅 i think there's a similar theme in 'tragedy is not the end' specifically with zizhen, but not the exact detail im looking for... thank you for the help!

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7. Hi, first of all I want to thank y'all for the hard work, and I wanted to know if a fic has been deleted or if anyone has it, I don't remember the name but it was a time travel fic where Qishan Wen win the sunshot campaign and asked for war prizes (?) Zewu-Jun goes instead of his brother, Yanli is alive, they all have them captive, Meng Yao betrayed them and ultimately sided with the Wen's who were winning the war, and I think no one remembers Wei Wuxian, something like that, it would be great if someone could help! Thanks so much 🩷🩷

FOUND? The Way It Wasn’t by KouriArashi (T, 72k, WangXian, XiYao, Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It, (eventually haha), Slow Build, Family Feels, Moral Ambiguity, Eventual Happy Ending)

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8. Hi!!! Its me again!! Thanknyiu so much again!!! This time im looking for a time travel fic with lan qiren as the timentraveller. Pretty sure him and wen ruohan travelled together and MAYBE involved with each other??? Im not so sure but i do know that lan qiren time travelled. Sorry its not much thats all i remember hehe @sirius-bus1ness

might be one of Nirejseki's works. They wrote several on that subject (including in a big anthology work, so finding it might take some time)

FOUND? Cursed Couple by shorimochi (M, 121k, LQR/WRH, CSSR/WCZ, Time Travel, Canon Divergence, Out of Character)

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9. Hello, I am looking for a fic but I only remember a scene from it

It was a fic wwhere wwx died and there was a scene where a-yuan was crying while laying above wwx's grave in the burial mounds. Thank you!

FOUND? To Offer a Heart by WhiteCrane (M, 111k, wangxian, major character death, Sad WWX, Hurt WWX, YLLZ WWX, soft wangxian, Cinnamon Roll WN, WWX Whump, WQ is a good sister, WN is a good brother, everybody loves wwx, yunmeng siblings, Triggers, Suicidal Thoughts, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst with a Happy Ending, Taking care of WWX, Give WWX a break, Canon Divergence, Disturbing Themes, Changing Perspectives, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Grief/Mourning, Temporary Character Death, Getting Together, Redemption, Sibling Bonding, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brother-Sister Relationships, Parent-Child Relationship, Sad and Sweet, Tragedy, BAMF WWX, BAMF JC, BAMF JYL, BAMF WQ, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Everyone Needs A Hug, WIP)

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10. Hi Mods (＾◡＾) I really hope that you can help me find some fics I've been looking for! (＾◡＾) if you can't that's ok, if you can then many thanks in advance! y'all are awesome!

A) this one is set during CR studies, and wangxian go on a date? in Caiyi and I think WWX gets emotional about something they are talking about? and I know they hug, and WWX don't want to let go.

B) this one wangxian gets married, WWX marries into the Lan, and there are a lot of rules specifically for married people/how to be in a relationship, I'm pretty sure that is a very big part of the story

10A)

FOUND! 🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 712k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement) The scene described sounds like something that happens pretty early on

10B)

NOT FOUND! Into the Oubliette by Ruixx (M, 124k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, graphic depictions of violence, underage, Growing Up, Fix-It of Sorts, Arranged Marriage, Time Travel, Sibling Bonding, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Canon Divergence, Light BDSM, Breathplay, WWX protection squad, Sunshot Campaign, War, Politics, Hostage JYL, Visions, LXC Redemption, general LWJ, Internal Sect Politics, Good Uncle LQR, Lan OCs, No Golden Core Transfer, Empire Building, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence)

NOT FOUND! seldom all they seem by Fahye (E, 25k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, or rather Arranged Betrothal, followed by Weapons-Grade Thirst)

FOUND? Wouldn't fall for someone I thought couldn't misbehave by failedcharismacheck (M, 15k, WIP, WangXian, Marriage Proposal, Fluff, Protective LWJ, Domestic Fluff, Kissing, POV LWJ, Hair Brushing, Implied Sexual Content, soft horny)

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11. Noncon tw. Looking for a fic where when the wens burn lotus pier, they threaten to rape yanli but Wei Wuxian offers himself instead. So the wen soldiers rape Wei Wuxian in front of the Jiang sect,l. Yanli cries

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12. Looking for a specific fix where Wei Ying is dead and the sects come together to watch through his memories and end up finding out for selfless he was. @aviidaviibiitchboii

FOUND! Misunderstood by Silver_Flame_2724 (M, 250k, WIP, WangXian, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Heavy Angst, Suicidal Thoughts, Canon-Typical Violence, Self-Worth Issues)

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13. Hi, I'm looking for a modern au where Wei Ying is a grad student in an orchestra and A-yuan is dropped off at his door by his cousin Mo Xuanyu. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan get together while caring for A-yuan and end up getting married. A-yuan has a fear of airports in this fic because of his abandonment issues. This was on AO3 but I can't seem to find it. @amindonbreak

FOUND! The Simplest Way Forward by harriet_vane (E, 70k, WangXian, Modern AU, Accidental baby acquisition, Kid fic, Green card marriage (but not really), Slow Burn, Endless Pining, Happy ending, [Podfic of] The Simplest Way Forward by knight_tracer, Translation into Русский: Самый Простой Путь Вперёд (The Simplest Way Forward) by grand_R, Spanish Translation, Turkish translation )

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14. hello! im looking for specific fic, where after burial mounds wwx thinks he's dead. instead of joining sunshot campain he storms nightless city and kills all cultivators without anyone knowing it was him (exept meng yao who survived but is wounded)

he then "haunts" yumeng for a while until he runs into wen quing and takes wens to burrial mounds

eventually ppl find out and together with meng yao they outsmart jgs to pardon all wens @chellsky

I can't find 14, but I do remember reading it; they ended up pretending Wen Qing was the one controling the dead and killing the Wen, and they faked her death

FOUND! can't find a way home by KouriArashi (M, 109k, WangXian, XiYao, XuanLi, ChengQing, Canon Divergence, Angst, Family, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Politics, Family Feels, Post-Sunshot Campaign, Developing Relationship, Canon-Typical Violence, canon-typical political bullshit, Mental Health Issues, Eventual Happy Ending, Descriptions of suicide, (caused by dark magic))

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15. Hello! I'm looking for a fic where Sizhui's bio parents are alive and come to Cloud Recesses looking for him (post-canon, iirc)

Hello! I'm #15 from the latest fic finder. I'm quite sure that the fic was on ao3. It may have been inspired from the angstymdzsthoughts posts but it was a proper fic posted on ao3

NOT FOUND! This Post by angstymdzsthoughts Mad idea, could 15 be from angstymdzsthoughts?

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16. Hi! I was reading a really interesting story about LWJ being cursed and WWX helping him and I lost it! Arg, now I'm so curious to know how it ends, I hope you can help me!

The story is about LWJ being cursed with a change in his private body parts. (The curse changes his p to a v). Then WWX notices this and decide to help LWJ and the way to revert the curse is that LWJ has to have an org@sm.

Can you help me? I'm dying to know how to continues!! 🤗🤗 @wangxiansgirl

FOUND! Coming Back to Yourself by acernor (E, 21k, wangxian, Vaginal Fingering, Cunnilingus, Oral Sex, Pining, Gender or Sex Swap, Vaginal Sex)

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17. Hi! Looking for a fic wherein wangxian married and suddenly Mo Xuanyu woke up again in his body, he fell in love with Lan Wangji but Lan Wangji just ignore or formal with him. Mo Xuanyu heartbroken tried to bring back Wei Wuxian Soul on his body

I feel like this might be in the angstymdzs collection, since I think it's was inspired by one of those asks?

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18. Kind of random, but I’m trying to find a fic I read awhile ago that featured hagfish? My memory of it is kind of vague, it was a college au and wwx was some sort of biology major i think and there were hagfish. Compelled to read it again because of hagfish reasons.

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19. Hello! I'm looking for a specific fic which I've seen in a few people's bookmarks but for some reason neglected to even mark for later. It's a modern AU where LWJ is looking for a pet sitter for his bunnies and is recommended WWX's pet sitting/walking venture (no dogs allowed ofc). Can you help? 🐇 @linderel

FOUND! A Single Note by airinshaw (E, 19k, WangXian, Modern AU, Getting Together, Mutual Pining, Kissing, Anal Sex, Fluff and Smut, Light Dom/sub)

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20. I search a fic where Jiang Cheng tries to ask Lan Xichen to marry him and Lan Xichen is super offended by it. Nie Huaisang may have done something to make JC fail even more in his proposal.

FOUND? To Take A Wife- Or Perhaps A Husband by Admiranda (T, 2k, one-sided LXC/JC, one-sided NHS/JC, JC's canonical homophobia, JC's canonical inability to get married, Decides to solve his problems with spite, not JC friendly, We all love NHS in this household, JC's canonical blind spots, Post-Canon, JC's canonical classism)

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#wangxian #mdzs #wangxian fic finder #wangxian fic search #the untamed #wangxianficfinder #long post

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youhideastar · 17 days

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WujiWatch: CQL Rewatch Episode 16

It’s been a while! I decided to watch a few episodes of Story of Yanxi Palace between rewatch episodes, just for a little variety, then ended up mainlining all 70 episodes like my life depended on it. 😂 ANYWAY.

I want to talk about the main event of this episode: Jiang Cheng’s sacrifice. Which is a funny thing about this episode: the main event of the episode is something you don’t know is happening the first time you watch it. Wild.

I know I already wrote a whole previous post in this series about the parallels and differences between Jiang Cheng’s sacrifice and Lan Xichen’s unsuccessful attempt to sacrifice himself for Lan Qiren, but here’s another important difference: Lan Xichen has someone to tell him that his priority should be the survival of the sect, and thus his own survival. Lan Qiren sees the writing on the wall and tells Lan Xichen very bluntly what’s up. Jiang Cheng doesn’t have that.

The person who could and should do that for him, Jiang Fengmian, does the Jiang Fengmian-est thing in his last interaction with Jiang Cheng: he fucking pretends everything’s gonna be fine. He tells Jiang Cheng, in a very obvious lie, that he might come back! Don’t cry, silly!

He does it, by the way, with the best intentions in the world, and it’s actually a very tender moment. I’m not out here to condemn a parent for trying to be kind to their kid in a moment of terrible, terrible trauma.

But I’m also not a feudal lord of a hereditary martial arts sect! And Jiang Fengmian is. Meaning that last moment with Jiang Cheng was his opportunity to inform his successor of his new responsibilities as sect leader, to emphasize that Jiang Cheng can only preserve the sect by preserving himself—and he blows it. In fact, very specifically, he blows it by choosing to act as Jiang Cheng’s father, rather than as his sect leader. That’s the behavior he models.

In the defining moment of Jiang Cheng’s life, then—when he chooses to act as Wei Wuxian’s brother, rather than as his sect leader—he is truly, truly his father’s son.

#the untamed #wujiwatch #meta #cql meta #cql

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poorlittleyaoyao · 18 days

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I'm now at the portion of CQL that overlaps with the volumes of the novel that I read last summer, and for all the nonsense brought by the combination of CQL's adaptation changes + reluctance to fully commit to them, I really and truly do prefer these iterations of the characters, especially WWX. I just watched the episode where JC catches him in Qinghe, and it had me chewing on the walls! The show's chronological storytelling let us see their relationship's intensity and tragic deterioration, and it delivers on making this confrontation EXTREMELY FRAUGHT for both of them. JC unleashes 16 years of unprocessed grief and anger as WWX tries his damnedest to avoid it, and the shadow of JYL's death looms over both of them. Even though the dialogue in the novel is nearly identical, the mutual urgency isn't there; JYL is never mentioned (beyond JC reminding WWX that he is the reason JL's parents are dead), and WWX himself has no emotional response whatsoever to any of it, save for an offhand mention that he was nostalgic for the Lotus Pier of his childhood. JC might as well be having an argument with an imaginary WWX in the shower. There's zero tension there. Information has to be revealed and withheld differently with the non-chronological story structure, of course, but there are ways to hint at a character being impacted by and reacting to past experiences without saying outright what those experiences are, and that is simply Not Happening sufficiently for me with anything involving WWX's platonic and familial relationships in the novel. And if you wanted more on the relationships between characters who aren't WWX? lol good luck!

#in fairness the novel DOES talk about JYL in that same chapter after WWX and JL part ways #but it's purely in the context of exposition--JYL was WWX's source of info for how he came to Lotus Pier #there's no consideration of JYL as a person (or even just of what she meant to the two brothers) at all #and then in the first two volumes GENERALLY there's no concern in WWX's inner monologue about anything else #not about WQ or the Wen remnants or how their deaths were accelerated by his accidental murder of JZX #the show drops the ball on that too but at least in the second episode WWX thinks about WQ and the Dafan Wen (before even seeing WN!)#and that's why I couldn't with the novel: either the narrative isn't as interested in the ramifications of all that as I am #or WWX himself doesn't give a shit #and neither bodes well for me having a good time!#masala necromancy wizard hour

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fierrochase-falafel · 7 months

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MDZS, CQL and the passage of time

MDZS novel and CQL spoilers ahead!

There's this thing where despite The Untamed / CQL having Wei Wuxian be dead for 16 years instead of 13, everything is meant to feel so much rawer and closer in time than the novel I feel. For a start, naturally having 30 episodes straight of flashback sequencing before depicting an immediate reconcilation between Wangxian really imprints those flashbacks much closer in your mind than Wei Wuxian's actual ressurrection, which happened in episode 1.

Furthermore, there are also these other flashbacks when Wei Wuxian sees something reminiscent of his past, different instrumentals played initially in the flashbacks coming back again to remind you of the themes those instrumentals represent. One of the most distinct examples I remember is in episode 2, when CQL Wei Wuxian sees a vision of Wen Qing introducing Dafan Mountain as the place where her branch of the Wen clan lives in CQL and then remembers the dancing fairy statue. This never happened in the novel- partially because, in CQL, Wei Wuxian was introduced to characters and locations / concepts WAY before he found out about them in the novel (eg.- YiCheng characters, Meng Yao, Dafan Mountain, demonic cultivation in the form of the Yin Iron). By entrenching these places and characters so far back into Wei Wuxian's past- all the way back to his Gusu days, in fact- they feel much more central in the overall plot and connected to the modern storylines involving rediscovering them. Wei Wuxian isn't being thrown into a new world at all, it's the same world with all the loose ends to be tied up. This does force him to remember the past more to deal with the present, and also links the show together in a way that would engage people who have come to watch a put-together story (this sort of strong cohesion I think is less required in novels than in a series because of the way the story needs to flow from 1 episode to the next to be coherent). In the novel, Wei Wuxian's own past storyline has a much slimmer connection to the current events- the obvious kicker being Jin Guangyao in CQL was the main reason Wei Wuxian was villainised and it all comes together in the end, but novel Jin Guangyao just accelerated the process of Wei Wuxian becoming the scapegoat and made this very clear. He didn't know Wei Wuxian would kill Jin Zixuan, he said; even though Jin Guangyao's not the most trustworthy character, how on earth could he have predicted that Wei Wuxian would lose control if he wasn't there to influence him like in CQL?

However, there are even more flashback scenes like the one in episode 35, where Wei Wuxian flashes back to Nie Huiasang being excited about fans and then compliments modern-day Nie Huiasang's fan. Scenes like these cannot be explained by the changed plot because Nie Huiasang and Wei Wuxian being friends at 15 in the Cloud Recesses is canon in all versions of MDZS. Personally, seeing this scene, the strongest effect I can garner from it is nostalgia for simpler times, for people he used to be close with. Memories are flooding CQL Wei Wuxian the minute he's alive again. Contrast this exact scene with MDZS, where Wei Wuxian zones out for a good while after Nie Huiasang leaves- no words of companionship or nostalgia or anything.

Novel Wei Wuxian rarely remembers any of his past life in detail unless he fully means to, actively giving himself reminiscing time, or in a life-or-death situation. The 3 flashback sequences in the novel begin:

when Wei Wuxian decides very specifically to muse over his past with Lan Wangji,

when Wei Wuxian gets stabbed and has to be taken away from Golden Carp Tower,

when everyone turns on him in the Burial Mounds with the same words and having the same intent they did at Nightless City (to harm him, to besiege him).

I think novel Wei Wuxian has spent 13 years in the afterlife getting used to wallowing over his memories, and then consequently repressing and ignoring memories from his past life because they were all associated with pain and bitterness and so much guilt (traumatic, even, but I can't say much from a perspective of trauma because I neither have trauma nor am qualified to know enough about it). Nobody cared for him anymore in his eyes, and he DID lose control, fully feeling himself lose control and accidentally cause the deaths of people he genuinely cared about. The worst-case scenario that he had to contend with actually happening and being, to some degree, his fault. With 13 years to exist as a ghost, I think he had so much time in which he would've had to contend with his choices and death that he fully removed himself from his old life as much as possible, leading to his modern-day gap in memories. You feel the effect of his years dealing with his emotions about this whole mess.

In contrast, CQL Wei Wuxian feels like he is experiencing everything raw when he comes back into the world, like he hasn't been practicing repression to the point of memory loss. Maybe he wasn't conscious during his years as dead? He's introduced with Mo Xuanyu calling to him in his brain during the sacrificial ritual, I think, and is getting told he IS Mo Xuanyu and he is...a tad confused. And then disappointed, but I mean given what Yiling Laozu Wei Wuxian had come to expect after the fiascos that ended his life, he probably wouldn't be too surprised or confused anyways. My theory is that CQL Wei Wuxian likely was unconscious when he was dead whereas MDZS Wei Wuxian was not.

This doesn't seem...important. However it does change who Wei Wuxian is and why he does the things that he does upon reincarnation. Novel Wei Wuxian taking every opportunity to drape himself over Lan Wangji with the purpose of pushing him away makes a lot of sense for a guy who's convinced the worst thing he could do to someone is get too close to/with them; he goes ahead with making a ruckus and trying to make Lan Wangji uncomfortable- without shame (because that's gotta erode away after being dead and reviled for 13 years) and without considering the possibility that Lan Wangji might want to help. Why would he consider that? He doesn't see himself worthy of help or believe anyone would help him, and he's internalised that for years on years.

CQL Wei Wuxian though, he faints on Dafan Mountain due to the weight of his memories- he's confronted with so much of the past so fast and his response is to faint. Barely any ruckus at all. When Lan Wangji finds out who he is, they have a calm conversation about it, where novel Wei Wuxian is like "oh frick he called me Wei Ying" and pretends nothing happened. CQL Wei Wuxian is a lot more open, and I think part of that is because he woke up from his death and was given the support he needed in his previous life within a couple of days. He didn't feel the years go by, have to deal with the consequences of the things he did alone (and in CQL 60% of them weren't even his own actions), so he didn't build himself the same kind of emotional fortress novel Wei Wuxian did.

CQL Wei Wuxian is jaded, true, but not the kind of jaded that comes with floating around in the afterlife for over a decade. It's easier for him to get back into this world and solve a little murder mystery together with Lan Wangji- they fall into step with each other perfectly- while novel Wei Wuxian is still getting his footing. Thus, CQL Wangxian's relationship doesn't evolve the way book Wangxian's do in Wei Wuxian's new life, and Wei Wuxian's reason to be back in this new life is far more about getting back that which he lost (Lan Wangji, a claim to justice) as opposed to gaining something else, something new and all the more important for it (a newfound relationship with Lan Wangji). Novel Wei Wuxian being so out of sync with the new world around him, in both memories and relationships, means that he has so much more room to grow in his present life as he can stop being haunted by the past. I'm not saying this is better than CQL, that's really up to what you like in your media, but this puts Wei Wuxian in a very different position in MDZS than in CQL, and also fundamentally changes their purposes and outlook on their new lives. Whether the focus of his character development takes place in the past or in the present. Whether it's about tying up the loose ends of the past, or chucking out the tapestry of the past to weave a new future.

#mdzs meta #mdzs #wei wuxian #cql meta #cql #the untamed #lan wangji #wangxian #nie huiasang #jin guangyao #analysis time by me so I can track them in my tags #time #mdzs headcanon #posts originating from my brain

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qinghe-s · 2 years

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THIRTY DAYS OF HANGUANG-JUNE | 16/30 (last year’s post by @lanyuan)

[id: two gifs from episode thirteen of cql/ the untamed. the first shows the tulu xuanwu, under attack by wei wuxian and lan wangji. wei wuxian is wreathed in black smoke as he hangs from a sword he has pierced the xuanwu’s chin with. the tulu xuanwu’s mouth is open, tongue wagging, and it seems to be trying to focus its eyes on wei wuxian. lan wangji stands on its back, pulling a rope he has wrapped around its long throat. the second gif shows a closeup of lan wangji, rope wrapped around his fist. there’s a little bit of blood on his hand and his expression is tense with exertion, jaw visibly clenched. end id]

#lan wangji #wei wuxian #the untamed #cql #hanguang-june #terrible cgi xuanwu my beloved <3 #i mean it could be worse. as we know #lwj #wwx #mycql #cqlgif #cql: all #gif

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cqlfeels · 2 years

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CQL only question. Why does LQR often acts like a sect leader during the flashback episodes? The most prominent example is probably ep. 24 (?) when he gives his nephews assignments. In LWJ’s case it’s a form of punishment. He also gets his request about visiting the forbidden section declined. LXC seemingly feels bad for his brother yet he doesn’t object despite being the actual sect leader whose job is giving assignments in the first place. Other examples are less prominent but it’s still there. LXC thinks his uncle was too strict in punishing WX’s drunken shenanigans but doesn’t object. When LWJ lets WWX and the Wens escape, it’s LQR that scolds him. It’s again LQR that punishes LWJ for meeting WWX in Yiling and later for going against his own clan (UNCLE got mad, UNCLE took LWJ home, UNCLE punished him). I wonder what LXC thought about it. What was his role as the sect leader? If he supported his brother, then why did he allow any of that? If he didn’t, why wasn’t he the one to do the scolding/punishment? P.S. Interestingly, this dynamic seems to change in the present timeline. I wonder what could happen during those 16 long years

You’re right, this is totally confusing! Disclaimer that sect politics aren’t something I’m known to know a lot about, so maybe I’m overlooking something!

I know you’ve asked about CQL, but let me take a brief book detour. In the book, LXC’s father is still alive up until the burning of Cloud Recesses. That means LXC isn’t Sect Leader yet. Because he’s young and LQR is both a respected teacher and has been the de facto leader since LXC was a baby, it seems that they’re keeping that going for a while longer. Then Cloud Recesses burns, LXC flees, and when he comes back his father is dead and he becomes the official sect leader, probably taking over most of if not all the responsibilities of that.

CQL, for reasons I have never understood, decided to start the show with LXC’s father already dead, which means he’s already sect leader. Functionally, it seems that LQR still is working as a regent or something of that sort because LXC is too young (?) but it’s unclear exactly what the power dynamic is. We can headcanon about it but I’m pretty sure they just... didn’t give it a lot of thought. In general, CQL portrays the Lan as much more... unrealistic, than the book does, so I think it’s entirely possible they didn’t really think of the politics of it all or even of LXC’s character arc.

#i have headcanons about this #but the canon answer is basically this

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eleanorfenyx · 1 year

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For the ask game:

What is the perfect environment for you to write in?

Do you prefer to write AUs, canon divergence, or canon-compliant fic?

Is there a trope you haven’t written yet but really want to?

What is your most underrated fic?

What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene.

What’s your favorite minor character you’ve written?

♥ Thank you for sending something back! Also in order of asking (and with the numbers of the asks fixed as promised lol):

(here's the link to the askgame for anyone curious)

5: Perfect environment to write in? - I wish I could say it's something nice and healthy-sounding like at my desk with a cup of hot chocolate yada yada yada but it is, unfortunately, in the dark in the middle of the night writing furiously on my phone to get my insomnia to be quiet and let me sleep. There's just something about that perfect storm of circumstances that leads me to bang out thousands of words at a time, thumbs flying, even if I'm super stuck every time I open my laptop when I could get so much more done so much faster if my brain would cooperate. So weird!

9: AU's vs. canon divergence vs. canon-compliant? - I've written all three and I really love them all in different ways at different times, but I think my favorite right now is AU's. I've been doing ones inspired by other media as well as just straight AU's (i.e. my Pacific Rim 3zun-centric AU vs. my ensemble/multiship 90's Strip Mall AU) and they're both super fun. I really really love getting to the point where I feel like I know characters well enough that I feel like I can pluck them up out of their source material and redesign their world to something new. Plus I get a really big kick out of people commenting that my characterization still feels realistic to them even when the circumstances are so different from canon.

12: A trope I haven't written but want to? - I think I'd really like to do something with identity porn/mistaken identity/shenanigans. I'm a big fan of miscommunication (done well, not just to draw things out unnecessarily [I have noped out of so many dramas for committing this crime against my sensibilities]) and I think that identity shenanigans can play into that really well. I read a lot of them and I think they're really fun, so I think I'd enjoy doing that sometime. Either that or mind-reading stuff like Cherry Magic AU's and the like, that also seems like such a good time.

16: My most underrated fic? - Hmm it's a bit of a tough choice. I think right now I feel like my ongoing 3zun-centric Pacific Rim AU 'Soldier, Poet, King' isn't getting nearly as much attention as I'd thought it might when I first started writing it. Pacific Rim AU's used to be everywhere back in the day and people ate that shit up like it was candy, and I suppose I'd expected that same excitement to still be around because why wouldn't people be excited about giant love-powered robots fighting aliens? I also started writing it while there was still a lot of really active buzz about Xiran Jay Zhao's fantastic 'Iron Widow', so the timing felt right and I'm really proud of what I've done for it so far, but alack alas it (feels like it) is going largely ignored. (Even accounting for the fact that 3zun is a much less popular ship than Wangxian, it still feels weirdly quiet)

18: A line/scene that I'm proud of and some commentary for it? - Two years ago almost to the day, I wrote/posted some of my first fic for CQL. It's a relatively short re-imagining of the Jingshi scene in episode 43, when Wei Wuxian is realizing that if he has no one else he still has Lan Wangji, and he comes in out of the cold to sit with his zhiji. They have a brief conversation about the time Lan Wangji spent waiting for Wei Wuxian and mourning him, and have this brief exchange:

“What if I had never come back?” [Wei Ying] whispers and the quiet heartbreak that shatters through Lan Zhan’s stoic facade steals his breath straight out of his lungs.

“I would have hoped for another lifetime together to be kinder to us.”

I'm still really proud of this even though it's so simple and I've written just shy of 800k other words, according to my AO3 stats. I think it really sums up Lan Wangji and his love for Wei Wuxian. If given no other choice but to wait then that's what he'll do, and he would have done it hoping that he and Wei Wuxian would be given another chance one day, because one lifetime just was not going to be enough. Like it would have hurt and he would have been in mourning until the moment of their unknown second chance arrived - and probably after too - but he would have seen no choice but to wait and hope. I feel like I hit the core of Lan Wangji's characterization (in the ways I want to write him, anyway) so it still colors everything I do with him in it.

20: Favorite minor character I've written? - MO. XUANYU. But particularly my Mo Xuanyu from my time-travel fix-it universe that was begun in my first ever longfic and has now spiralled outward into a much bigger universe than I'd originally thought it would. So basically Mo Xuanyu in this universe had the chance to grow up in Koi Tower from a young age, but a Koi Tower in which Jin Zixuan is the Sect Leader and Jin Guangshan is already dead. So he gets a very large, loving family who supports him and loves him for his oddities and his gender fuckery - that is 100% my self-projection - based solely on the fact that he was known in canon for wearing makeup. Like I took that and RAN with it, and now in my universe he's essentially a full-time feminine cross-dresser, though he identifies as both masculine and feminine and isn't too fussed about picking one or the other. He's everything I wish my gender fuckery could be, and I love him and want all good things for him, so I'm very attached to him. The very close runner up is my Lan Jingyi, both in that universe and in a more canon-compliant setting, so I feel like it's no wonder I got it in my head that they should be together in my fix-it universe lol.

#the untamed fanfic #ask game #scarlet-gryphon #I feel so weird talking about Soldier Poet King as underrated because it feels like I'm whining #but it's so weird to me that almost 70k words in it has less than 3k hits #like even if it wasn't my story I'd find that super weird in a fandom this big #especially considering my other 3zun longfics are my 2nd and 4th most popular fics by hitcount

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rainbowsky · 1 year

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Hi RBS! Not sure if someone asked this before but what are your favorite dramas featuring GG and DD aside from CQL? Have a lovely day ✨

Hi Anon!

Thanks so much, I hope you have a lovely day too! 💖

I could have sworn I've answered this question in the past, but I can't seem to find that post so maybe I'm imagining things.

I am usually pretty slow when it comes to watching dramas. I haven't watched as many of their dramas as I have their variety shows, but I've enjoyed what I have seen.

My reviews linked in the title where available.

The Wolf - I loved this drama despite is fairly serious flaws, and I'm tragically in love with Ji Chong.

Oath of Love - I have a review on this one in the works. I think every fan should watch it, but I have issues...

Oh! My Emperor! - LOL. This is a weird one but I couldn't help but enjoy watching GG, and the gauzy clothing and bathing scenes were hard to complain about. I'm not sure if I ever did finish it, though. I should take another look and write a review.

Ace Troops - I've only seen episode 1 so far, but I absolutely loved it and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of it when I have time.

Luoyang - I loved this one despite some issues.

Being a Hero - Loving this one, currently on episode 12.

Legend of Fei - Enjoying this one a lot. Currently on episode 16.

Love Actually - This drama has so many flaws, but I immensely enjoyed DD in it and found it very watchable. Need to write a review one day...

Like I said, it can take me ages to get through a series. Just for an example, I'm getting through BAH and LOF at the rate of about half an episode a week right now. 😅

Sometimes I'll binge-watch, but lately I haven't had much time to do that. A lot depends on my mood as well. Sometimes I can't watch TV and most of the time I focus on reading.

Anyone who wants to check out some of their work can find a list of notable projects and viewing options here.

#personal #ask

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yibocheeks · 1 year

Text

I posted 499 times in 2022

105 posts created (21%)

394 posts reblogged (79%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@zhansww

@jingyismom

@gege

@accio-victuuri

@yibocheeks

I tagged 458 of my posts in 2022

Only 8% of my posts had no tags

#wang yibo - 171 posts

#xiao zhan - 137 posts

#my edits - 83 posts

#sdc5 - 42 posts

#cql - 36 posts

#street dance of china - 34 posts

#wangxian - 23 posts

#yeekies - 22 posts

#oath of love - 17 posts

#yizhan - 16 posts

My Top Posts in 2022:

无名 feat. Tony Leung and Wang Yibo

289 notes - Posted September 4, 2022

See the full post

323 notes - Posted March 28, 2022

Xiao Zhan for Ralph Lauren ①

325 notes - Posted June 5, 2022

Happy 25th Birthday, Wang Yibo!

To celebrate Yibo’s special day, I’ve subbed the 180805 TTXS episode, an episode that was dedicated to Yibo and showcased his many talents as a dancer, motorcyclist, and singer. This is a full episode of celebrating how wonderful Yibo is. 💚

Guests include Zhou Yixuan, Li Wenhan, Cheng Xiao, Yin Zheng, Hu Xia, Ai Lun, and Wesley Wong.

Download the episode HERE. Password is Yibo’s favourite condiment, followed by an exclamation mark, all lowercase (_ _ _ _ _ _ _!). Note that the audio may not work if you're streaming, but it should work when you download it.

342 notes - Posted August 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

See the full post

358 notes - Posted January 26, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#I'm not so active on tumblr #it's nice to see yibo and xz take top 2 together #zenith xz is a lot to handle #and even princess jianguo made the list 💖#year in review

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ackerslut · 1 year

Text

I posted 2,581 times in 2022

That's 942 more posts than 2021!

261 posts created (10%)

2,320 posts reblogged (90%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@aziraphalesbookkeeper

@lastoneout

@littlemisslol-fic

@thefoghaslifted

@jtownraindancer

I tagged 1,034 of my posts in 2022

#varigo - 88 posts

#dc - 87 posts

#jason todd - 49 posts

#fanart - 44 posts

#cql - 30 posts

#vat7k - 22 posts

#httyd - 18 posts

#mdzs - 18 posts

#hugo vat7k - 17 posts

#anyway - 16 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#like we know that it wasn't sasha but she literally jumps straight over the 'we are thinking of two different people' to 'gaslight ive been

My Top Posts in 2022:

like you know how varian is the way he is because daddy issues + adhd. argument for hugo being the way he is because mommy issues + ocd therefore creating the most powerfully fucked up trauma couple

99 notes - Posted August 16, 2022

being a varigo shipper to non-indoctrinated mutuals is so funny. like yes, remember that hit disney movie tangled? yeah well they made a TV show outta that and the entire fandom decided to fixate on a character who has a main role in like eleven out of seventy episodes and was publicly hated by the creator of said show and to make things even worse two storyboard artists took their dnd OC and started shipping him with this character and now everyone fights over who bottoms

127 notes - Posted January 11, 2022

See the full post

197 notes - Posted August 29, 2022

its a love story its a corruption arc its a friendship in reverse its a buddy cop film its a tragedy its a horror story its a romance its a comedy its a murder mystery its a ghost story its a trust fall its learning to love the monster its a redemption arc its the stupidest goddamn thing i've ever heard its the tenderest story of two beings pulled into each others inevitable gravity itsaRTHuR I sWEar tO gOD

199 notes - Posted October 27, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

we really took avengers (2012) for granted. thor had plastic armor. stony and clintasha were national icons. loki was full on in his tswift reputation era and it was so real of him. bruce was an absolute treasure and the only acceptable canon appearance of him in the entire mcu's run. tony built a tower for his friends and they never talked about it again

483 notes - Posted October 28, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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llycaons · 6 months

Text

ep47 (2/2): god damn, but jgy's really creepy

very silly looking moment I shan't lie

it's times like these that I feel so torn about having read the book. in this scene in mdzs, wwx covers lwj's ears to protect him from the terrible noises. I guess they couldn't do that in the show. I'm glad I know about how the scene originally went because it was a cute moment for the couple newly together, but in comparison it leaves the drama feeling flat and the characters feeling distant from each other. the crazy insane amounts of fanfic I've read in the past few years that only accentuates the differences. but ah, there can exist a version in my head that takes the best of each version. I do prefer the cql version for so many reasons including the underlying premise of the romance, but it's during little moments like this that I'd like to sprinkle in book stuff. censorship is a bitch

...though, on second thought, it would be a bit odd to do something like that before they actually get together, isn't it. they've been intimate and flirty, but very restrained with touches. we can only imagine how this changes post-ep50

jgy (master manipulator), spotting jc (uniquely vulnerable to manipulation and personal attack): 🤑

lxc going NOOOOO CLAN LEADER JIANG YOU'RE A PRIME TARGET

:( poor lxc. man

THERE HE GOES. and actually for once it wasn't a tantrum so much as a desperate panic-fueled mania. he has a history of tantrums and WAS throwing a one immediately before wen ning jumped in but freaking out about the gc thing is in fact completely understandable behavior even for an adult. like, that thing is INSIDE him and this new info recontextualizes so much and he's feeling angry, and guilty, and guilty about being angry, and angry about being guilty, and still trying not to miss or care about wwx in any way because even tho he clearly does still care, what a betrayal that would be! but now, maybe not? yeah I lied when I said he should have died he is a number one character

oh and wwx panics! because he never wanted jc to know! even if it meant being hated and rejected and abandoned, even if it meant having all his mistakes thrown in his face. he still never wanted to hurt jc like that. and something about...maintaining his integrity and carrying out the repayment of his debt cleanly and with no mistakes or loose ends. and probably because it's painful for him to think about, too. oh they have so many issues they need to work through both separately and together. wwx has lwj and wen ning to talk to, and all jc has is a 16 year old boy. maybe his disciples if they like him

damn, jgy is smart as fuck. he's close

AND HERE'S JC SAVING LWJ FROM GETTING STABBED!!!!! I love this scene. it really points to character growth on jc's part and an honest, selfless effort to spare wwx pain. he really does improve impressively post-reveal

BABY 🥺 oh he's having the WORST week that's his doggie he got got when he had no friends!!!

jesus christ dude can you not be so fucking creepy all over the place

personal highlights: ngl this one is a bit slim

wwx was so handsome in this one 🥰

learning the meaning of 'little ancestor' made me laugh out loud

wwx ear moles!

jgy was so fucking ominous and creepy in this one. a real triumph of writing and acting

wwx so close to crying when lwj wouldn't leave and reassuring him he never blamed him🥺

jl and wwx's bickering. A+ family dynamic

JC'S DRAMATIC ENTRANCE WHOOO. all rain scenes in this show are great but that one just has a little extra pizzaz

jc saving lwj!!!! I'm so glad they put that in there. or included it. I don't remember

THREE EPISODES LEFT

#cql re-rewatch

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