Focus On: Taxi Scene, Episode 8

[melinoel616]

Location: Episode 8, 22:44 - 25:36
(Note 1: Youtube, Viki, and fan subs share the same time codes as of this post.)
(Note 2: All pictures should be visible now!)

Context:

Before the taxi scene properly starts, we see Shen Wei helping Professor Zhou hail a ride home after having dinner together.



Professor Zhou, having consumed a wee too much alcohol, channels his inner parent and chides his spiritually adopted son star pupil for not engaging in social drinking "even after all these years". As the Viki subs translate his inebriated argument, "Drinking is a refined habit of civilized people. You don't aim to get drunk, just to have some fun." While being the designated Responsible Adult™, Shen Wei reminds the closest person to a father figure his mentor with a smile that he and alcohol don't get along.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlan is suffering abdominal pain intense enough to stop walking and sit on a curb in the middle of a busy night. (Maybe it was a fashion god's divine punishment for the denim-on-denim?) Shen Wei doesn't notice this until Professor Zhou's cab has left. Once he does, we can see his face morph from surprise to confusion before settling on proactive worry.



At time code 23:39, when we -- through Shen Wei's eyes -- see a pained Zhao Yunlan curling in on himself, the OST track "Shen Wei" begins to play. 


 
Responsible Adult™ Shen Wei approaches Denim Disaster™ Zhao Yunlan to save the day, although he still addresses him as "Chief Zhao". Hopefully he can drop the formalities sooner rather than later, because this just hurts to watch.



Despite trying to dismiss the professor's concerns and offer to take him to the hospital, Zhao Yunlan asks Shen Wei to take him home. He just needs rest and medicine that he already has, he says. Relenting, Shen Wei helps Zhao Yunlan stand back up, supports him, and hails another taxi. He does this because... his home is across the hall anyway. he hopelessly loves this disgrace of a human being. socialist brotherhood. it's the right thing to do.

 The Scene

Now for the taxi ride.

They enter the vehicle and don't even bother with seatbelts. Given one of them is ill, neither man feels compelled to have a conversation. Shen Wei sits and looks out the window like a good passenger. Then at some point in the ride, Zhao Yunlan doses off and rests his head on Shen Wei's shoulder. Cue the almighty, intimidating, powerful Black Cloak Envoy internally screaming, "OH CRAP!".


^_^

Almost as if he's allergic to being loved in return (or thinks this was a cosmic prank), he props Zhao Yunlan back upright in his seat. Then he goes back to sitting as if physical contact never happened in the first place. Just... why, Xiao Wei. WHY.


:D


TT^TT


(┛✧Д✧))┛彡┻━┻

Alas, Zhao Yunlan's head returns to where it wants to be. And, like magnets or moths to flame, Shen Wei scoots closer to Zhao Yunlan so he doesn't have neck pain along with his stomach. He adjusts his head to better stay in its new home for the rest of the ride. There's a tender moment where Shen Wei looks upon the sleepy face of his disaster husband Zhao Yunlan and indulges in the quiet company.


:O

All of this is sweet, but that's not the best part. There is no dialogue here; just pure body language singing in tandem with the haunting, melancholic piano piece, “Shen Wei”.

That song was born for this scene. It embodies the tragedy of Shen Wei’s life - full of heartbreak, loneliness, - across an ocean of millennia that seems to engulf eternity. Everything that needs to be conveyed about Shen Wei as a character and his feelings in that moment is done with no dialogue.


>:D

Some shows and films rely too much on dialogue to carry a story rather than relying on the strengths of the music, the cinematography, and the actors. Storytellers harp on “Show, don’t tell” all the time, and Guardian lives by it several times throughout the production, especially right here. This scene feels like it belongs in an independent film, appealing to artsy or cerebral audiences who feel the creators trust them to understand what is happening without being talked down to.

I chose to focus on the taxi scene because it made me fall in love with Guardian. The first time I saw Zhao Yunlan lean against Shen Wei in his sleep, I cried. When Shen Wei caves and lets Zhao Yunlan past another layer of barriers, I cried. Watching the powerful, long-living Heipaoshi give in a little bit rather than repress and/or fight against his longing for Zhao Yunlan made me cry. Every time I rewatched this scene for this post, I cried.


＼（♥ o ♥）／

That may not be the most logically sound reason to pick a scene, but it means enough for me to gush about Weilan in one of their most adorable and tender moments.


Other Observations

Firstly, I'd be a terrible fan if I didn't mention that this is one of a handful of confirmed improved moments in the show. Supposedly Zhu Yilong did not know Bai Yu deliberately intended to have the head-on-shoulder bit until he did it the second time. Kudos to BY for the idea and for Z1L rolling with it. This was one of the most memorable moments in the entire drama, and I'm grateful this made the final cut.



Secondly, while the show mostly left the details to be implied, the novel did not hold back on explaining that Zhao Yunlan has had many gastritis episodes due to his "incredible" lifestyle choices. He had schmoozed (aka tricked) his way into treating Shen Wei to dinner despite being poorly dressed (he had no socks!). Sadly there is no taxi scene in the book, but novel Shen Wei was freaking out internally just as much as his drama counterpart when dealing with a touchy Zhao Yunlan.

Thirdly, as for body language, note how Shen Wei handles Professor Zhou and Zhao Yunlan:



Despite him keeping some amount of physical and/or emotional distance from Zhao Yunlan in the taxi, he cannot help but be a dedicated protector. Anyone on the receiving end of Shen Wei's compassion are the luckiest people in the universe.

And lastly, Shen Wei's suit + ass chain ensemble is *chef's kiss*. 


Fanfics, meta, et al.

Eirenical has a lovely meta on Tumblr regarding Shen Wei and Professor Zhou's relationship as well as brief commentary on Shen Wei's attire in this scene. (I didn't delve too much into this, just to stay on topic.)

Like the rest of Guardian's OST, you can listen to “Shen Wei” on Spotify and Amazon Music.

Music is subjective, but there are a few wonderful meta posts on "Shen Wei", like highpriestessofjogan's.

Questions to Consider: 

1. Why do you think Shen Wei pushed Zhao Yunlan away the first time in the taxi? Why do you think he relented and let Zhao Yunlan lean on him the second time? (Besides the irl fun fact reason; that’s cheating. :P)
2. Related to Question #1, what do you think what was going on in Shen Wei's head (and/or heart) while in the taxi?
3. How do you feel about the use of “Shen Wei” from the OST in this scene? Did it affect you in any way?

The adventures of Zhao Yunlan’s Trash Stomach™ and Shen Wei’s Responsible Adulting™ will continue in a few weeks! Until then, please share your thoughts or highlight anything you noticed about this scene! :D

Comments

[elenothar]

First up, thanks for the lovely write-up, which made me laugh several times (especially your inspired use of strike-throughs ;)

I have far too many thoughts and feelings about the soundtrack of this show, none of them coherent in the least. I adore it, both on its own and for what it does for the story - half the time I get really emotional about these characters is when the music is doing its thing. In the case of the 'Shen Wei' theme, its sadness already hurts my heart every time it comes on and in this specific case that's absolutely magnified by the acting happening at the same time. I think you're correct that it's a great choice not to have dialogue in this scene because between the body language, the expression on Shen Wei's face and the music everything is communicated perfectly. Some meta somewhere described Shen Wei's theme as 'questioning, waiting for an answer' and I like to think that this scene is the first step in hearing Zhao Yunlan's answer for Shen Wei. But also just... mournful strings. I'm a sucker for mournful strings.

[melinoel616]

Thank you! Since this scene has a few sad details, I wanted to add some humor. (Hopefully I didn't overdo it!)

I have far too many thoughts and feelings about the soundtrack of this show, none of them coherent in the least. I adore it, both on its own and for what it does for the story - half the time I get really emotional about these characters is when the music is doing its thing.

I completely agree and am stuck in a similar boat! There's a quote that says talking about music is like dancing about architecture. Some things are just difficult if not impossible to communicate in a different medium without losing a lot in translation. In those cases we just find the best words (or movement) we can use to make the point known. While I lack training in music theory, I really wanted to bring up a scene from the show where the music is as important as the acting and script. The taxi was just perfect for that.

The soundtrack really elevates the drama in ways more critically acclaimed shows and films have sometimes failed. Most of Guardian's music is very poignant and memorable, with unique moods and instrumentation so there are distinct themes, like "Shen Wei" and "Kunlun". I lack the vocabulary to dive into what works mechanically, but this OST is one of my favorites for a drama because it stirred me so much emotionally.

Some meta somewhere described Shen Wei's theme as 'questioning, waiting for an answer' and I like to think that this scene is the first step in hearing Zhao Yunlan's answer for Shen Wei.

I think I remember seeing a meta about that or something similar to it, but I couldn't find it in time for the post. If I find it out there (along with fics), I'll add a link. :)

[china_shop]

Ah, what a great post! Yay! :-)

Why do you think Shen Wei pushed Zhao Yunlan away the first time in the taxi? Why do you think he relented and let Zhao Yunlan lean on him the second time? (Besides the irl fun fact reason; that’s cheating. :P)

I think he initially pushed him away because they don't (yet) have the kind of relationship where one can lean casually on the other, and he didn't want to presume or take advantage of an ill/unconscious Zhao Yunlan. It was a "we have boundaries/I need to maintain my boundaries" gesture. But then his need to ensure Zhao Yunlan's comfort overrode that consideration.

(I think it contrasts pleasingly with the bit in the next episode, on the way to the mountains, where Zhao Yunlan grabs a cushion and cheerfully uses Shen Wei as furniture, and Shen Wei is briefly taken aback and then just rolls with it. :-)

Related to Question #1, what do you think what was going on in Shen Wei's head (and/or heart) while in the taxi?

So many things! I think he's inundated with memories and yearning to be closer, determined to care for and protect him. But also, I mean, the last time he saw Zhao Yunlan was the failed book con, where Zhao Yunlan was trying to scam him into being indebted, so there's that distance, too. That awareness that Zhao Yunlan is not yet Kunlun (and is a long way off from being him). And of course, worry about his health.

I don't really have feelings about the music (I quite often get to the end of movies and ask my partner, "How was the soundtrack?" because it doesn't really register with me), but two other things that affected my reaction to this scene were a) I was spoiled for it, because gifs and vids, and I might have felt it even more deeply if I hadn't known it was coming, and b) the head on shoulder is an extremely common Kdrama trope (often on a bus), so for me, in a meta sense, this was partly "Ahhhhhhhhhh, they're giving Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan classic romance tropes, that's incredibly slashy, I LOVE THIS SHOW!" (even though I don't know if it's a cliché in Cdramas).

Also, haha, I like the denim. But then, I like pretty much anything Zhao Yunlan chooses to wear (and I never claimed to know anything about fashion). ;-)

[melinoel616]

Thank you! I struggled a bit with formatting, but I learned a few things to make future posts much easier.

Great observations about Shen Wei still feeling very uneasy and not wanting to take advantage. I didn't consider the latter point until you brought it up, probably because my mind was more honed in on Shen Wei's stubborn repression crusade in resisting the temptation to just relax around Zhao Yunlan. Him being even more wary is understandable after the book incident earlier that day (also like you observed).

Asking about Shen Wei's conflicted emotions scene may have been an easy question to pose, but the sheer number of storms brewing inside him in that taxi is more than enough to write multiple essays. So I thank you for your observations!

I don't really have feelings about the music [...]

That's fine! Thankfully there is more to a show than just music, haha!

I'm almost always listening to music despite having no academic knowledge or training so I try to always aware of it. Few of the "Focus on" posts talk about the OST, so I wanted to give it a shot. (It helps that the taxi scene itself lacks dialogue, thus different elements had to be highlighted.)

[...] two other things that affected my reaction to this scene were a) I was spoiled for it, because gifs and vids, and I might have felt it even more deeply if I hadn't known it was coming, and b) the head on shoulder is an extremely common Kdrama trope [...]

Interesting. I have minimal experience watching K-dramas so I didn't know how used that trope is.

That said, yeah, gifs and clips could easily spoil a scene enough that it doesn't land as hard as it could have had someone gone in blind. I actually got spoiled on a scene from episode 38, which kinda ruined it, but thankfully that did not happen here. Even then, I found this scene to be so well directed and executed that even if it's a cliche, it did exactly what it needed to do (ala "not all tropes are bad").

Also, haha, I like the denim. But then, I like pretty much anything Zhao Yunlan chooses to wear (and I never claimed to know anything about fashion). ;-)

LOL, well I admit I can't be too harsh about fashion. It's not my cup of tea, but some people can definitely pull off denim-on-denim. Though since I enjoy affectionately ribbing fictional characters (and IRL friends) for their choices, teasing a sick Zhao Yunlan for his fashion was a low hanging fruit. XD

[china_shop]

Great observations about Shen Wei still feeling very uneasy and not wanting to take advantage. I didn't consider the latter point until you brought it up, probably because my mind was more honed in on Shen Wei's stubborn repression crusade in resisting the temptation to just relax around Zhao Yunlan. Him being even more wary is understandable after the book incident earlier that day (also like you observed).

Plus, you know, he's still lying to Zhao Yunlan about who he is, so even ZYL's gesture of trust in letting Shen Wei take him home (which you mentioned below) is won under false pretences. I think he's very aware of that, given ZYL's complicated feelings about Dixingren generally and the Envoy in particular.

I'm almost always listening to music despite having no academic knowledge or training so I try to always aware of it. Few of the "Focus on" posts talk about the OST, so I wanted to give it a shot. (It helps that the taxi scene itself lacks dialogue, thus different elements had to be highlighted.)

Yes, absolutely! It's wonderful. I'm reading and learning. :-)

Even then, I found this scene to be so well directed and executed that even if it's a cliche, it did exactly what it needed to do (ala "not all tropes are bad").

Oh, yes, absolutely. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. In some ways, the tropiness of it made it more special, I think, because it really emphasised the romantic nature of it (awww!). And as you say, the whole thing is beautifully nuanced and meaningful. *pets Shen Wei some more*

[melinoel616]

I think he's very aware of that, given ZYL's complicated feelings about Dixingren generally and the Envoy in particular.

Oh no, now I'm remembering episode 4's "Heipaoshi enforces laws impartially. I spoke out of line." That's another heartbreaking moment. Geez, the first quarter of the show is so such sadder on rewatches when SW and ZYL are distant and their relationship is rocky! ;-; Good thing the taxi scene is a big turning point for the better (though I'll save that point for the posts following up on this scene)!

Oh, yes, absolutely. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. In some ways, the tropiness of it made it more special [...]

No harm, no foul! Observing a reoccurring trope is quite different from calling it any iteration of "not good". I mentioned "not all tropes are bad" to point out how the taxi scene, as you mentioned, shines as a brilliant example of what the trope is supposed to do when all the stars align. (Sorry if my comment came across in a different way!)

[china_shop]

(Sorry if my comment came across in a different way!)

Not at all. <3

[trobadora]

Great point about the other sleeping-on-his-shoulder scene! :D

Regarding the head-on-shoulder trope, I'm not sure how common it is in cmedia, but I've seen it in at least one other cdrama, so I'm pretty sure it is a trope there too.

[china_shop]

but I've seen it in at least one other cdrama, so I'm pretty sure it is a trope there too.

Oh, cool! Good to know. (Was it a contemporary setting drama or historical? /curious)

[trobadora]

Set in the 30s - it was Detective L.

[dorinda]

Such a great post, for such a lovely scene! The visual aids are very expressive, and I don't just mean the screencaps. ＼（♥ o ♥）／

I had two different reactions to Shen Wei initially moving Zhao Yunlan back upright. My first viewing, I was all "aww" and "why you gotta be so reserved bb" and "poor Batman, working hard to keep up his secret identity" and whatnot. My second viewing, knowing about Shen Wei's previous/future experiences, I exploded into tiny fragments.

I agree with china_shop on the idea that Shen Wei first doesn't want to presume on the inadvertent movements of an ill/sleeping Zhao Yunlan. But when Zhao Yunlan returns, I think along with Shen Wei trying to keep him comfortable, there's also a tiny bit of taking (wistful, pining) comfort for himself...maybe it's ok for this one moment to let Zhao Yunlan get so close, precisely because Zhao Yunlan doesn't know about it. Also perhaps Shen Wei is relenting that same tiny bit before the enormous gravity that has drawn and continues to draw them (back) together. And if Shen Wei is going to allow closeness, this would be the kind he could most easily allow at first, I think: something that lets him still be protective and watchful, the silent sentinel (as we will shortly see in the episode, and discuss here in July!).

I love the wordlessness of it, I loooove the nuances of all the things going on with Shen Wei. The many microexpressions! I love the use of that piece of music. The "Shen Wei" track is so beautiful and melancholy...elenothar's quote of the description of that theme as "questioning, waiting for an answer" feels perfect, so Shen Wei, and so well suited to using my heart as a trampoline.

[china_shop]

But when Zhao Yunlan returns, I think along with Shen Wei trying to keep him comfortable, there's also a tiny bit of taking (wistful, pining) comfort for himself...maybe it's ok for this one moment to let Zhao Yunlan get so close, precisely because Zhao Yunlan doesn't know about it.

Oh, yes, that's an excellent point. He does silently revel in that 'stolen' physical contact once he allows it, doesn't he? And perhaps this moment and these feelings make him even more completely unprepared for what's about to follow (the disaster flat!). *pets him*

[melinoel616]

Ah yes, the disaster flat, where we witness the epic showdown of ZYL's fridge VS Shen Wei. Poor Xiao Wei has no idea! XD

[melinoel616]

Thank you! When words fail, emoticons shine. XD

My second viewing, knowing about Shen Wei's previous/future experiences, I exploded into tiny fragments.

Oh no, repeat viewings hurt so much because then you get to see bb!Shen Wei peak through the masks every now and then. It especially hurts when we got to see how emotionally raw and expressive he was in the past, only to see him bottle it all up for the sake of the timeline and Kunlun's promise. That might be why this scene still makes me cry. ;_;

Also perhaps Shen Wei is relenting that same tiny bit before the enormous gravity that has drawn and continues to draw them (back) together. And if Shen Wei is going to allow closeness, this would be the kind he could most easily allow at first, I think [...]

I agree. Of all the scenarios where he could give in, Shen Wei can sleep well that night without regretting this little indulgence. (Zhao Yunlan may be ill, but the fact he let Shen Wei take him home shows that he does trust him enough to keep him safe.)

On a slightly different note, personal experience has taught me to not keep things bottled for too long, lest the inevitable explosion devastates yourself and everyone around you. One thing I love about Shen Wei's character -- drama and novel incarnations -- is that he never reaches that irreversibly destructive end; he lets himself slip every now and then to keep his turbulent feelings (in the drama) and/or innate impulses (in the book) in check. Thankfully enough works out for him in the end that he balances his duty and his love for Zhao Yunlan better than most people.

[...] something that lets him still be protective and watchful, the silent sentinel (as we will shortly see in the episode, and discuss here in July!).

I'm excited for the follow-up focus on scene posts! It's great this portion of episode 8 gets love within the same time window! ＼（^_^）／

[trobadora]

Totally agreed about Shen Wei letting himself take this moment!

And if Shen Wei is going to allow closeness, this would be the kind he could most easily allow at first, I think: something that lets him still be protective and watchful, the silent sentinel

I love the way you put this. :D

[thevetia]

I don't have much to add except yes, the music is inspired and deeply moving for this scene and helps establish the melancholy that I feel when I watch it.

Shen Wei's expression at first seems to me to be: "God give me strength, not this temptation. I want so much, but he doesn't know me, and I will not take advantage." And then I agree, he decides to take that little comfort for himself, all unknown to Zhao Yunlan, and therefore safe.

[melinoel616]

"God give me strength, not this temptation. I want so much, but he doesn't know me, and I will not take advantage."

That's one of the best and most beautiful summation of Shen Wei's pain I've read for this scene. Thank you so much for sharing this!

Oh, there are not enough warm blankets and cuddles in the world for Xiao Wei. TT_TT

[sakana17]

I can't add anything intelligent to this wonderful post! I love everything about this scene.

Some shows and films rely too much on dialogue to carry a story rather than relying on the strengths of the music, the cinematography, and the actors. Storytellers harp on “Show, don’t tell” all the time, and Guardian lives by it several times throughout the production, especially right here.

But THIS observation: YES YES YES! This is perfectly expressed. <3 <3

[melinoel616]

It's perfectly okay! Thank you for the comment and for gushing over this scene! Also, your icon is perfectly on point! :D

But THIS observation: YES YES YES! This is perfectly expressed. <3 <3

＼（*^.^*）／

[trobadora]

Hee! This is a great post. :D

we can see his face morph from surprise to confusion before settling on proactive worry.

Ooh, I love how you showed that progression!

And thank you for talking about the music. I'm the least musical person on the planet; I basically never notice music unless it's got lyrics or is very obtrusive. So it's interesting to read about from other people's POV!

Some shows and films rely too much on dialogue to carry a story rather than relying on the strengths of the music, the cinematography, and the actors. Storytellers harp on “Show, don’t tell” all the time, and Guardian lives by it several times throughout the production, especially right here.

Yes! It's so good; it shows so much entirely without words. I love it.

Thirdly, as for body language, note how Shen Wei handles Professor Zhou and Zhao Yunlan:

I assume there's an image there, but it's not displaying for me - not sure if that's on my end or yours.

Why do you think Shen Wei pushed Zhao Yunlan away the first time in the taxi? Why do you think he relented and let Zhao Yunlan lean on him the second time?

I agree with china_shop and dorinda - at first he doesn't want to take advantage of Zhao Yunlan's inadvertent movement. They're not actually that close yet, and he's very aware of that. But the second time, it's partly that Zhao Yunlan's slumped position really will be more comfortable with the support of Shen Wei's shoulder, and partly that Shen Wei lets himself take that fact as an excuse to indulge and enjoy Zhao Yunlan's closeness for a moment.

[melinoel616]

Thank you! Glad my first post turned out okay! :D

Ooh, I love how you showed that progression!

I'm glad putting those screenshots together to create one singular image paid off! It saved me some file space on my account while showing exactly what I'm describing. (I'm also weak for SW's/Z1L's beautifully expressive eyes, but I digress.)

And thank you for talking about the music. I'm the least musical person on the planet; I basically never notice music unless it's got lyrics or is very obtrusive. So it's interesting to read about from other people's POV!

You're very welcome! As I said when replying to elenothar I'm not gifted with reading or playing music (let alone anything music theory), but I love it enough to always pay attention to how it sounds, how it's used, and how I or others may respond to it. Bless Guardian for gift-wrapping and surprising me with the taxi scene. I did not expect this show to give me a scene like it at all, and it delivered it so incredibly that it (and episode 8 as a whole) made me a dedicated fan of Guardian.

I assume there's an image there, but it's not displaying for me - not sure if that's on my end or yours.

I think I fixed the photos! They might have only been visible to me for some reason...

Though this post is primarily about the taxi scene, I wanted to mention Professor Zhou to compare and contrast Shen Wei's body language with him vs Zhao Yunlan. He's far more comfortable and less tense with his mentor than with ZYL, which shows how different the two relationships are despite being helpful and protective of both men when they are incapacitated. Just some extra context.

[marycrawford]

The adventures of Zhao Yunlan’s Trash Stomach™ and Shen Wei’s Responsible Adulting™

Hee, perfect!

I absolutely love the way you wrote up the song used in this scene, and how important it is to carrying not just the mood, but the story and characterization. I 100% agree that this is a 'show, don't tell' moment - it gives the characters room, it lets them breathe, and that feels so important and so rare.