Ep 3, Shen Wei introduces Zhao Yunlan to Teacher Zhang

[china_shop]

I'm just doing a tiny scene fragment today. This follows on from the cake-stealing scene where Zhao Yunlan implicitly accuses Shen Wei of obfuscating about how well he knows Engineering 4, by holding up the cake card, and pre-empts Shen Wei's defence by calling it a coincidence, in an edged voice.

Episode 3, 9:28 - 9:49, Viki subs

Teacher Zhang knocks on Shen Wei's open office door and comes in.

( The rest of the scene. )

Thoughts about this moment

• Zhang Ruonan feeling comfortable barging into Shen Wei's office says a lot about their working relationship, I think. ♥


• I love how Shen Wei jumps to his feet to stop her leaving and seems so eager to introduce them. There's no embarrassment about Zhao Yunlan's disreputable clothes, just care not to discomfit Zhang Ruonan or make her feel unwelcome, and pleasure at introducing Zhao Yunlan, who Shen Wei really likes despite the sneezing on the fish tank, cake-stealing, and accusations trifecta.


• When Shen Wei hesitates, what is he thinking? Part of it must be the impossibility of encapsulating all that Zhao Yunlan is to him in a single polite introduction. And then, the fact that the SID is a covert organisation -- not only does Zhao Yunlan operate in secret, but it does Professor Shen no good to be seen associating with the SID chief. And when it comes to an alternative framing of their relationship, is it too soon to claim friendship? Too presumptuous? Especially given Chief Zhao has just been obliquely interrogating him.


• When Zhao Yunlan hesitates, it seems more of a tease. He too knows he can't tell the truth for fear of damaging Shen Wei's reputation and drawing attention to the SID, but I think he's drawing it out a little, too. And the way he says "good friend" feels like more of a cover than a sincere claim. (It also feels a little suggestive to me. Is he claiming dibs? *g*)


• Shen Wei must be having so many mixed feelings about this claim of "friendship"! It's like a parody of Kunlun, exactly what he wants on the face of it, but terribly undercut by the lack of sincerity and how little they really know each other. And yet, the fact that Zhao Yunlan went there rather than coming up with another (more plausible, given their extremely different appearances?) explanation suggests that Zhao Yunlan might be thinking along those lines?


• Compare this scene with the moment in episode 9 (10:37), during the car breakdown, when Shen Wei easily and without hesitation introduces Zhao Yunlan to Jiajia: He is Chief Zhao, my friend. 给你介绍一下 这是赵处长 是我一朋友 -- adskjfasdlfkjhad!


• Guo Changcheng is polite furniture. *pets him*

What headcanons or theories do you have about this moment? Thoughts, reactions, squee, fanwork recs all welcome!

Round-up: rec lists and picspams and Guardian Bingo!

[mumblemumble]

I've been working on porting over some of my Guardian-related Twitter ~content to Dreamwidth, for obvious reasons. It's a lot of fiddly work, but I like having these things over here. Feels a bit safer.

Here's what I've managed to replicate so far:

Two rec lists
» Guardian fanworks (assembled for Guardian Rec Bingo on Twitter)
» Blindness arc (assembled for a Guardian Bingo square)

Two picspams
» Zhu Yilong & Bai Yu & Vibes (artfully juxtaposed/shippy pictures of the actors)
» Bai Yu & Noods (artfully juxtaposed pictures of the actor and deliciousness)

Guardian Bingo 2022
» All my fills! (13 fanworks of various kinds)