Focus on: Zhao Yunlan consults Shen Wei about the Zhou Weiwei case (episode 6)

[imashoe]

Location of scene: episode 6, 9:27-9:50, 10:58-12:15, 14:02-14:21, a flashback at 16:15-17:07 (some in voice-over). As you can see, it's intercut with bits from other scenes, so here is a video of just this scene (270 MB, hardcoded English subs).


The Scene Proper; Or, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan Make Heart Eyes at Each Other

Shen Wei is outside talking with a Flower Yashou woman when he sees Zhao Yunlan. The scene cuts to Shen Wei's office door, where Zhao Yunlan is looking tired and disappointed that Shen Wei's not in. (It seems a bit late in the evening for office hours, though, doesn't it?) However—presumably after a hasty teleportation back to the office—Shen Wei catches him just as he's leaving. Zhao Yunlan is here to talk about the SID's latest case, Zhou Weiwei's strange disappearance.


Inside the office, Shen Wei is arranging some photos of Zhou Weiwei and her fiancé on his desk while Zhao Yunlan is unwrapping a lollipop that will get a lot of use throughout the scene.


Shen Wei says this is the first time Zhao Yunlan consulted him on a case without suspecting him of anything. Zhao Yunlan asks if that's a complaint, and shows his contrition by making heart eyes at him. They make heart eyes at each other over the subject of the many times Shen Wei has been a suspect in other cases, and then continue flirting their conversation by talking about the case.


Shen Wei makes several astute observations, and Zhao Yunlan is mesmerized. And impressed. And interrupted by a phone call telling him Zhou Weiwei returned home.


After the phone call, they continue speculating and reach the same conclusion. "The mirror," they say, at the same time, while looking into each other's eyes. It's delightful, and judging by their expressions, they think so too.


The scene concludes with their smiles, but we get another small bit in a later flashback, where Shen Wei offers a very scientific explanation of how mirrors can contain alternate dimensions. He doesn't say anything about floating gourds, but his explanation helps Zhao Yunlan enter the mirror dimension nonetheless.



Additional thoughts

• They're so in sync! They like each other so much!
  


• This post was very difficult to write because I kept getting distracted by their delight in each other's company. They look absolutely besotted and it's just the sixth episode.
  


• They only address each other as "Professor Shen" and "Chief Zhao". They do use the informal "you", but Zhao Yunlan, with his "Hei Lao-ge", might actually be more informal with the Black-Cloaked Envoy at this point.
  


• Shen Wei looks really relaxed during their conversation, and it's especially apparent contrasted with earlier in the evening when he was talking with the Yashou woman.
  


• Zhao Yunlan, meanwhile, looks like asking for Shen Wei's input is the best decision he ever made. That said, this is the episode where he and Da Qing break into Shen Wei's apartment. Shen Wei might be cute, but he's still suspicious. This is also the episode where Zhao Yunlan sends a message to Dixing to get information about Shen Wei and where he sends Chu Shuzhi to give him the banner with the hidden camera, both actions in response to finding out that Shen Wei is investigating them in turn. So it's not all love-struck glances and lollipops.
  


• They have a similar conversation in the next episode, only this time after the conclusion of a case. That scene was discussed bysakana17 in Focus on: Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei in Shen Wei's office from episode 7.
  


• I feel like there should be a lot of art of this scene, but I only found this cute drawing by hansoeii (link goes to tumblr). Please share if you know of any others.
  

Questions

1. Like Shen Wei says, this time Zhao Yunlan asked his thoughts on the case unprompted and without suspecting him of any involvement. How do you think Shen Wei feels about Zhao Yunlan coming to him like this?
   


2. While reviewing the case Shen Wei says, "This information you gave me is not complete." (11:39)
   
   In response to which Zhao Yunlan's face does this:
   
   
   Shen Wei continues, "But, interestingly, you've already told me your suspicions." (11:43, dialogue from the Viki subs, slightly edited)
   
   What do you make of this exchange? Do you think Zhao Yunlan deliberately gave Shen Wei incomplete information? If so, why? And if not, what is Shen Wei referring to?
   


3. What is Zhao Yunlan motivation here? Why consult that gorgeous and shifty Professor Shen Wei on this?
   


4. How close was Zhao Yunlan to reaching a conclusion in the case before coming to see Shen Wei?
   


5. I don't know of any fic specifically related to this scene, but their dynamic here is common in a lot of casefic. Please share any casefic you've written, or recommend some of your favourite casefic.
   

So, come and have your say! Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs are wholeheartedly encouraged. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about this scene.

Comments

[china_shop]

Awww, this is an adorable scene, and such a great post! THEIR FAAACES! And thanks so much for cutting the scene together into a single video -- that's super helpful!

The Scene Proper; Or, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan Make Heart Eyes at Each Other

Hee! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

They look absolutely besotted and it's just the sixth episode.

Yesssss! *melts in delight*

1. Like Shen Wei says, this time Zhao Yunlan asked his thoughts on the case unprompted and without suspecting him of any involvement. How do you think Shen Wei feels about Zhao Yunlan coming to him like this?

Simultaneously very happy and aware of the responsibility the gesture implies and the trust Zhao Yunlan is showing. Shen Wei takes the case very seriously. And he can't help poking Zhao Yunlan about the number of times he's suspected him, and now here he is asking for help? :-)

2. What do you make of this exchange? Do you think Zhao Yunlan deliberately gave Shen Wei incomplete information? If so, why? And if not, what is Shen Wei referring to?

I think it's that Zhao Yunlan has a hunch/theory about the mirrors, and he didn't tell it to Shen Wei when he described the case because he wants to find out what conclusion Shen Wei will draw on his own. Shen Wei sees through that, and says, "I think you've discovered it as well. Whether in the bathroom or the changing room, they all have an essential decoration."

It might also be that Zhao Yunlan has noticed Zhou Weiwei's lack of shadow in the photos and already suspects she's Dixingren? Idk.

3. What is Zhao Yunlan motivation here? Why consult that gorgeous and shifty Professor Shen Wei on this?

I think he had a hunch, and he wanted to a) confirm whether it was possible, and b) test Shen Wei's reaction to it. Plus c) hang out with him and flirt, of course. ♥

4. How close was Zhao Yunlan to reaching a conclusion in the case before coming to see Shen Wei?

I think he had theories but nothing solid, and he couldn't proceed until someone confirmed his theory was even possible and told him how to access the mirror dimension.

Zhao Yunlan, meanwhile, looks like asking for Shen Wei's input is the best decision he ever made. That said, this is the episode where he and Da Qing break into Shen Wei's apartment.

Yeah, I think one of his take-aways from the case, and from seeing Ji Xiaobai and Zhou Weiwei implode, is that secrets can destroy a relationship, and it's better to know everything up front. If Shen Wei won't tell him, he'll just have to poke around and find out for himself before they get any closer...

[imashoe]

I'm glad you like it! And that the video was useful.

THEIR FAAACES!

Truly the essence of the scene.

Shen Wei takes the case very seriously. And he can't help poking Zhao Yunlan about the number of times he's suspected him, and now here he is asking for help? :-)

Thank you for pointing this out. Yes, Shen Wei is thoughtfully and earnestly talking about the case, and doing his deadpan flirting/trolling (to borrow marycrawford's excellent phrase) at the same time. It's great.

I think it's that Zhao Yunlan has a hunch/theory about the mirrors, and he didn't tell it to Shen Wei when he described the case because he wants to find out what conclusion Shen Wei will draw on his own.

Ah, yes, a testing of Zhao Yunlan's own theory.

It might also be that Zhao Yunlan has noticed Zhou Weiwei's lack of shadow in the photos and already suspects she's Dixingren? Idk.

I think this might play a part as well. They're still circling around the subject of Dixingren a bit, so Shen Wei points out—obliquely—that Zhao Yunlan didn't say anything about it even though it's obvious that the case is related to Dixing powers.

If Shen Wei won't tell him, he'll just have to poke around and find out for himself before they get any closer...

Hee. I like this interpretation. His breaking into Shen Wei's apartment is certainly an expedient, if, um, unconventional method of dealing with secrets in a relationship. Shen Wei loves it, though, and that's what's important.

[marycrawford]

DARLINGS. They are just so in tune and flirty and sweet here, siiigh. I have no idea what Shen Wei's line about incomplete information means, and no intelligent things to say except Great Post!

Oh, and there's one stealth bit of flirting/trolling by Shen Wei that passes by so quickly and yet I love it:

Shen Wei: "This is the first time."

Zhao Yunlan: "What first time?"

Shen Wei: "The first time you don't think I am linked to a case and simply come to consult me."

Something about that statement reads to me like Shen Wei's implying another kind of first time. We don't really see Zhao Yunlan's reaction to that!

[imashoe]

They really are wonderful here, aren't they? I'm glad you liked the post!

And thank you for bringing that part up. I love it, too. That's Shen Wei's opening gambit, and it sets the tone for the rest of the conversation. It's magnificent.

[sakana17]

This is a great summary of one of my favorite scenes! <3

I get distracted by the way they look at each other and don't have anything deep to say... But for (3), to me it's always appeared like Zhao Yunlan noticed something in the photos and suspected the missing Zhou Weiwei of being Dixingren. I've never figured out what Shen Wei meant about the information not being complete, though. He seems to have most of the details of the case when he talks about mirrors and reflections.

[imashoe]

It's one of my favourites, too! I'm glad you enjoyed the recap!

I know what you mean about getting distracted; it's a scene that can very easily lead to distraction, hee.

But for (3), to me it's always appeared like Zhao Yunlan noticed something in the photos and suspected the missing Zhou Weiwei of being Dixingren.

This is a good point. Perhaps Shen Wei meant that Zhao Yunlan didn't explicitly bring up Dixingren when offering information about the case.