GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 2

[china_shop]

Beginning of episode: Li Qian and Zhao Yunlan, leaning over the edge of the roof looking for Professor Shen
Ending of episode: The Envoy and Chu Shuzhi's first rendezvous in the park, then Lin Jing studying the Longevity Dial (which Zhao Yunlan comes in and casually activates), and Zhu Jiu playing ominous solo chess and talking about putting the next piece into play.

Warnings for suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, and actual suicide.

Important scenes/developments

• Shen Wei heals the gouges on his shoulder. (The first overt confirmation that he's Dixingren, I think?)
• First scene with Zhu Jiu.
• Li Qian contemplates suicide and is startled into falling off the parapet; Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei save her.
• The "are you married?" conversation in the hospital hallway.
• Shen Wei shows up at the hospital with food for Li Qian and tells Guo Changcheng to be gentle with Zhao Yunlan, because he's a young leader under a lot of stress.
• Zhu Hong identifies the Longevity Dial.
• A Dixingren attacks at the hospital, and Guo Changcheng valiantly but ineffectively throws himself on that grenade!
• Zhao Yunlan accuses Li Qian of murdering her grandmother. Li Qian doesn't deny it.
• The hospital attacker snatches Li Qian from the car, and the spirit of Li Qian's grandmother comes out of the Dial to save her.
• Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan talk under the tree at Li Yufen's funeral. *points to icon*
• Zhao Yunlan summons the Envoy to discuss the Dial.
• The Envoy and Chu Shuzhi meet to gossip conspire behind Zhao Yunlan's back.

( Oops, I didn't mean for this to get so long. )

Discussion starters

• What's your favourite moment/scene in this episode?
  
  For me, it's a toss-up between the hospital corridor conversation between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, with Zhao Yunlan being so very suspicious, and Guo Changcheng single-handedly trying to see off the hospital attacker.


• Do you think the show has 100% confirmed yet that Professor Shen is the Envoy? When did you work it out?


• When the Envoy appears in the SID, he fritzes the lights and computers, and they come back on as soon as he's left.
  
  
  illustrative screencaps

  
  
  
  When Zhao Yunlan and the Envoy come back into the main room of the SID, the lights and computers are still out. Everyone's sitting around in the dark. (I think Chu Shuzhi actually has his hand on his mouse.)
  
  
  It gets even darker when the portal opens, as if the portal itself absorbs light.
  
  
  Afterwards, the electricity comes back on.
  
  
  Similarly, the hospital attacker actively kills the engine, lights and other electrics of the car. Do you think this has anything to do with Shen Wei's avoiding using electronic technology?


• What do you think Shen Wei is thinking/feeling when he sees the scrape on Zhao Yunlan's arm? Visual aid:
  
  


• When Li Qian is unconscious in hospital, and Shen Wei says, "A life stolen is indeed hard to maintain." 偷来的名的确是难以长久的 what is he referring to/thinking of?


• Who would Zhao Yunlan have sent to guard Li Qian at the hospital if he didn't have Xiao Guo? Da Qing clearly can't be relied on to stay on task.


• In the flashback where Zhao Yunlan and Zhu Hong first talk to Li Qian about the Longevity Dial, Zhao Yunlan says, "But you have to know, some things are never meant to be yours. They're just being kept at your place temporarily." 但你得知道 有些东西它原本就不属于你 只是暂时放在你这保管而已. To me, this sounds overtly thematic, but I can't quite figure it out. Any thoughts?


• When the hospital attacker snatches Li Qian out of the car, Shen Wei tries the car door handle but finds himself trapped. But what would he have done if he had been able to get out? Would he have blown his cover to protect Li Qian and Zhao Yunlan?


• When the Envoy tells Zhao Yunlan that he's worried about a backlash for Li Qian, does he mean a political backlash, a metaphysical one, or more Dixingren coming after her? (Ohh, or could this maybe be foreshadowing for the Chancellor encouraging Li Qian out of the university?)


• If you've rewatched this episode just now, did you notice anything you never thought about before?


• What's your favourite fanfic or fanart relating to this episode?

Let's talk about episode 2!
Come and talk about this episode – anything from favourite scenes or lines of dialogue to notes/questions about continuity or translation, most gorgeous (or angsty) smile, or anything else that strikes your fancy! And share links to your own and/or others’ episode-related meta, picspams, and fanworks, new or old!