Question about a line from ep 28

[china_shop]

During Wang Xiangyang's treasure hunt in ep 28 (39:05), Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are walking down a street looking for the phone box when...





... seemingly out of nowhere, Zhao Yunlan laughs and says, "Hei lao-ge, you won't blame me, right?"





Shen Wei stares at him for a moment, then walks off, leaving Zhao Yunlan looking rueful before he follows.

Anyone have a theory what that's about? Is it a belated "You're not mad at me for touching the Hallows, right?" or something else?

Comments

[cyberbrain]

Is it a belated "You're not mad at me for touching the Hallows, right?" or something else?
Could be! That's one of the ways I'm reading that scene.

Earlier in the episode (around minute 27), when he's given the news about his father, Zhao Yunlan recalls the vision about him and shortly after (31:41) tries to use the sundial again. He gets knocked out and Shen Wei has to take care of him at home. Zhao Yunlan might be thinking that they're late because of him?

I also see it as Zhao Yunlan thinking that Wang Xiangyang blames him for his wife's death, so perhaps Shen Wei might blame Zhao Yunlan for this case. So he could be checking for that?

[china_shop]

Zhao Yunlan might be thinking that they're late because of him?

Or that Shen Wei is tense because ZYL touched the Hallows AGAIN, and ZYL wants to defuse that tension, perhaps? It just seems sudden and out of the blue.

Theoretically, the being late should be more of a concern to ZYL than to Shen Wei, given it's ZYL's father who's at stake. Idk.

I also see it as Zhao Yunlan thinking that Wang Xiangyang blames him for his wife's death, so perhaps Shen Wei might blame Zhao Yunlan for this case. So he could be checking for that?

Ooh, yes, maybe. Though I'm not sure he'd laugh about that...?

[cyberbrain]

Or that Shen Wei is tense because ZYL touched the Hallows AGAIN, and ZYL wants to defuse that tension, perhaps?
That works too. But, as you said, it seems out of the blue. Wouldn't a better time to voice that thought have been after Zhao Yunlan woke up and they were still at home?

given it's ZYL's father who's at stake.
You're right about that. However, Zhao Xinci isn't the only one at stake. They need to get the merit brush, so they need to catch Wang Xiangyang and to do that they need to complete this puzzle. They don't know what the brush is being used for and they don't have a lot of time. That's probably extremely concerning to both of them.

Though I'm not sure he'd laugh about that...?
I think the laugh is to diffuse tension or to hide his own anxiety right then.

[china_shop]

Wouldn't a better time to voice that thought have been after Zhao Yunlan woke up and they were still at home?

Maybe he was waiting for Shen Wei to say something -- or to get over it? Idk.

However, Zhao Xinci isn't the only one at stake. They need to get the merit brush

That's an excellent point. Thanks! (I keep stumbling across scenes/sequences in isolation and forgetting parts of their wider context. *inserts usual refrain about needing to rewatch*)

[trobadora]

I just rewatched this (and a little more for context), and yeah, I'm honestly baffled too. Touching the Hallows is the only explanation I can come up with, but it's not really coming together for me ...

I hope someone will have an idea that makes it click!

[china_shop]

It's the best I've got for now, too. Maybe Shen Wei is emanating tense disapproval vibes, and ZYL is trying to defuse him with a cute non-apology?

[teaotter]

I *think* that Shen Wei hasn't actually said anything to Zhao Yunlan (while he's awake) about him touching the Hallows, and Zhao Yunlan was expecting some kind of lecture or something.

I think he finds Shen Wei's silence on the subject to be worrying, so he's trying to test the waters a bit. And defuse it by being too cute to stay angry at.

[china_shop]

Yes! ZYL is making his "too cute to stay angry at" face! (And going by the first screencap, it's a completely calculated move, too. Heh.) But it doesn't work. Shen Wei doesn't give an inch!

This works really well for me as an explanation. Thanks! <3

(I think I was thrown off by the tense making it sound like it was a future thing, not a past thing.)

[trobadora]

But it doesn't work. Shen Wei doesn't give an inch!

Exactly! So the next question is ... what is going on in Shen Wei's head?

[china_shop]

I suspect it's something along the lines of "If I give him any leeway at all, he'll just do it [touch the Hallows] again next time it seems like a good idea. Doesn't he understand a) how precious his life is, and b) what's at stake?!!"

(Hi, very belated reply, sorry!)

[trobadora]

Yeah, that makes sense! Also, "He's already gone blind once, why was that STILL not enough to get him to stop!!!!" *g*

(Hi! :D)

[china_shop]

Plus maybe some "that is not Zhao Yunlan's sincere smile"?

[trobadora]

Oh! Yes, that's got to be part of it.

[trobadora]

Oh! Yes, that makes a lot of sense to me.