Focus on: Professor Ouyang attempts to recruit Shen Wei (episode 1)

[trobadora]

Location of scene: episode 1, 5:04 - 6:59

Context

This is at the very start of the show, before we know anything about anyone: there's the opening narration ("Haixing ... an ancient planet ...") explaining the set-up; then there's Shen Wei holding a lecture ("Investigating Species Variation from a Genetic Standpoint"), and then comes this scene, with Professor Shen, Professor Ouyang and Li Qian after the lecture:



After that, we're introduced to Guo Changcheng and Zhao Yunlan and the SID, but this comes first.

( the scene )

( some random things )

Questions

• Does anyone remember watching this scene for the first time? I'm so curious about what people thought about Shen Wei, based on this. *g*


• Given that Professors Ouyang and Zhou are working together at the lab, why is it Ouyang and not Shen Wei's teacher himself who's trying to recruit him here? (Besides introducing a villain for later in the show, that is.)


• What "first-hand information" is Ouyang referring to that he has access to, that he knows Shen Wei has access to, and that would have given both of them the knowledge of what's really up with Shen Wei's supposedly-theoretical mutations?
  
  The Viki subs translate this not as "first-hand information" but as "top secret information," but the phrase in question is 接触第一手资料, literally access to first-hand information. And even if we go with the "top secret" interpretation, that clarifies nothing. Indeed, it only throws up further questions regarding why a professor of bioengineering with no government affiliation should have, and be known to have, such access!


• Also, at this point, do they both know they're talking about Dixingren (and Yashou), or does Ouyang at this point only know that people with mutant powers exist? I always thought that in this conversation they both know they're talking about Dixingren-related research, but now I'm not so sure.


• Building on this - do you think it's possible the existence of people with mutant powers, or even the existence of Yashou and Dixingren, is more widely known in scientific circles? Professor Ouyang doesn't mention it until Li Qian has left, and even with Shen Wei the way he talks suggests this is generally not spoken of, but is it spoken about behind closed doors? To what extent is that possible without leaking and eventually blowing up in public?


• More generally, who knows what, in Haixing, outside the Ministry? Clearly the university's chancellor has no idea, and it's not meant to be common knowledge - but at the same time, there are people like Tan Xiao and Cheng Xinyan who are close with Dixingren (Zheng Yi and Zu Ma respectively) and know they're unusual, and we don't get many people being genuinely shocked.


• Is Shen Wei's minimal reaction to Professor Ouyang's research group due to his well-practiced "ordinary professor" mask, or is it because he already knew there were people working on related research, even if he wasn't aware of this particular project?


• What do you think Professor Zhou means when he says no one knows what Shen Wei is thinking?


• Professor Ouyang seems to shrug off Shen Wei's refusal very quickly. Is that him saving face, or was he just not very invested in recruiting Shen Wei? Was it mostly mostly Professor Zhou behind this recruitment attempt? (After all, much later at the ministry lab we'll hear Professor Zhou bring up Shen Wei at every turn, wishing he were there with them. *g*)
  
  Or was Professor Ouyang not planning to recruit him at first? Was he just checking him out based on Professor Zhou talking about him a lot? Was he genuinely about to leave and then changed his mind?


• What is Shen Wei thinking at the end as he watches Professor Ouyang's car drive away? Is he worried? Does he sound out Professor Zhou when he goes out drinking with him a few episodes later? Why doesn't he investigate in more depth, since the serum the lab develops is clearly a surprise to him?
  
  (I would love to read the AU where Shen Wei finds out about the lab and what it's up to much earlier ... I have no idea what domino effect could result from there, but it would be very cool to find out!)

So, come and talk to me about this scene! Or share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, if you have them - I couldn't think of any that directly referenced this scene, but there must be some. ♥