sid_guardian | Focus on: Chu Shuzhi uses the Longevity Dial to save Guo Changcheng, episode 33

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Focus on: Chu Shuzhi uses the Longevity Dial to save Guo Changcheng, episode 33

Location of the scene: from 35:14 to 36:24 and from 39:11 to 40:41

Previously Changcheng got seriously injured in Dixing. He was unconscious when Zhao Yunlan brought him back to Haixing.

When this scene starts Chu Shuzhi is the lab looking at Changcheng lying on the table.

He’s worried and anxious, and he’s probably feeling guilty. And he remembers the talk he had with Da Qing earlier.

Da Qing: Chief Zhao said when Xiao Guo was attacked by Ye Zun the envoy woke just in time. He used the last of his strength to protect Xiao Guo. But Xiao Guo is badly injured.

Chu Shuzhi: I must save him if there’s ghost of a chance.

Da Qing: You can look after him in the lab. But on no account touch the Hallows.

That scene always makes me smile a little. Because, did Da Qing really think that was going to stop Chu Shuzhi from using the Hallows to help Changcheng? 😊

Chu Shuzhi takes the Longevity Dial and looks at Changcheng on the table, the look of determination on his face.

Here we have a break and a short scene with Lin Jing.

When we’re back in the lab we see Chu Shuzhi taking Changcheng’s hand and joining their hands together while holding the Longevity Dial between them. It looks almost exactly as what Shen Wei and Zhan Yunlan did when Shen Wei healed Zhao Yunlan’s eyes.

The Longevity Dial starts glowing.

Chu Shuzhi starts trembling, clearly in pain, but he endures it, until Changcheng starts breathing deeply and Chu Shuzhi drops heavily on the stool by the table. He looks intently at Changcheng, still anxious. But then he smiles, as he sees signs of improvement. And oh, that moment when Chu Shuzhi gently adjusts Changcheng’s sweater to cover him properly and then moves Changcheng’s hands so they are joined on his stomach. I love it. And the way his hands tighten on Changcheng’s hands for a few seconds. And as Changcheng’s breath evens out, Chu Shuzhi smiles again with relief.

I really love this scene with all this angst and guilt and desperation to save your loved one. And of course the delicious trope of “I have to save him no matter what, even at the cost of my own life or health”.

A few questions:

1. Do you think Guo Changcheng would get better without Chu Shuzhi using the Dial? Or are we supposed to think that he was too badly injured to heal without it?

2. Why Da Qing had that “don’t touch the Hallows” talk with Chu Shuzhi? Was it his idea? Did someone else (Shen Wei or Zhao Yunlan) told him to do it?

3. We’re supposed to think that it worked the same way as when Shen Wei used the Longevity Dial to heal Zhao Yunlan’s eyes, right? We saw the consequences for Shen Wei. We never saw if it had any negative consequences for Chu Shuzhi. What do you think the consequences were, if there were any? Did Chu Shuzhi know they could be negative consequences? Did he thought about using the Hallows to help Guo Changcheng because he saw that it worked previously for Zhao Yunlan?

I have a rec for a wonderful fic that shows what eventual consequences of Chu Shuzhi using the Hallows could be:

To Awake as Living Flame by Dorinda

So come and share your thoughts. :) Links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old, are very much appreciated. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about this scene.

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Ahhhh, this is such a great choice of scene, and a truly lovely post! <3 <3 <3

1. Do you think Guo Changcheng would get better without Chu Shuzhi using the Dial? Or are we supposed to think that he was too badly injured to heal without it?

My inclination is to think he was close to death and wouldn't have recovered without intervention. Otoh, Chu Shuzhi is worked up and very worried, so it's possible he's overreacting. But I like it better if this is the only way Changcheng can be saved.

2. Why Da Qing had that “don’t touch the Hallows” talk with Chu Shuzhi? Was it his idea? Did someone else (Shen Wei or Zhao Yunlan) told him to do it?

I don't know if Da Qing is passing along a message from Zhao Yunlan or giving it himself, but it would make sense for Da Qing to say that given what he's seen the Hallows do to Zhao Yunlan. The SID and Dragon City really can't afford to be without lao-Chu right now!

Of course, Da Qing must have known he was planting the idea in lao-Chu's mind, too. And maybe the fact that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are elsewhere relaxing in the sun means they know lao-Chu will take care of Changcheng, regardless of the cost? Surely otherwise Zhao Yunlan or Da Qing would have set someone to keep watch over him? (Zhu Hong? Or Da Qing himself?)

Maybe the fact the Envoy used his last reserves of strength to save Guo Changcheng in Dixing feels like permission for lao-Chu to do the same here... I mean, if the Envoy exhausted himself saving Guo Changcheng, then it proves that Changcheng is worthy including to the Envoy himself! Doesn't that make lao-Chu obliged to keep him alive whatever it takes so that the Envoy's sacrifice wasn't in vain? (Which, if that was the case, it would only reinforce lao-Chu's natural inclination to give his all, of course.)

3. We’re supposed to think that it worked the same way as when Shen Wei used the Longevity Dial to heal Zhao Yunlan’s eyes, right?

I think so. The effect of the Dial seems to really take him off-guard. I guess Shen Wei hid the cost of his and Zhao Yunlan's exchange so well, the rest of the SID probably didn't realise it at all. But regardless of the cost, lao-Chu clearly has no regrets.

Other things I love that this scene:

1. How lao-Chu is so intense but so gentle, especially the way he whispers Changcheng's name at the beginning! He's just been through so much with the dreams, maybe feels like he just lost his brother again. He can't lose Changcheng too! *pets him* You chose wonderful screencaps to illustrate that.

2. Once lao-Chu has taken the Sundial out of its case, he looks across at Changcheng like he's hesitating. I wonder if he's worried what the Dial might do to Changcheng, and also aware that of course Changcheng can't consent to the energy exchange. It's a big decision to make on his behalf! If Changcheng were conscious, he might have refused on the grounds that it was too risky for Chu-ge to go through with it, and lao-Chu must know that. <3 <3 <3

3. The whole scene, but especially start of the second part, with Chu Shuzhi bringing the Dial over to Changcheng, makes me think of Li Qian saying in episode 2, "When someone you hold most important is dying in front of you, what's the strongest thought in your mind?" and Shen Wei answering, "I'm willing to exchange my life for his." <3 <3 <3

And agreed, that fic by Dorinda is really wonderful! :-)

My inclination is to think he was close to death and wouldn't have recovered without intervention.

Yes, I always thought so, too.

And maybe the fact that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are elsewhere relaxing in the sun means they know lao-Chu will take care of Changcheng, regardless of the cost? Surely otherwise Zhao Yunlan or Da Qing would have set someone to keep watch over him? (Zhu Hong? Or Da Qing himself?)

Maybe the fact the Envoy used his last reserves of strength to save Guo Changcheng in Dixing feels like permission for lao-Chu to do the same here... I mean, if the Envoy exhausted himself saving Guo Changcheng, then it proves that Changcheng is worthy including to the Envoy himself! Doesn't that make lao-Chu obliged to keep him alive whatever it takes so that the Envoy's sacrifice wasn't in vain? (Which, if that was the case, it would only reinforce lao-Chu's natural inclination to give his all, of course.)

I really love everything you said here. I never thought about it like that, but I love the idea that Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan knew or suspected that Chu Shuzhi would do everything he could to save Guo Changcheng (including using the Hallows) and they were both fine with that happening. And Chu Shuzhi feeling like he has the Envoy’s permission to do everything in his power to save Xiao Guo – this is such a great thought, too.

I really wish we got some follow-up to that scene in the drama. I get why there wasn’t more about it (they are two secondary characters and there are only 7 episodes left in the drama), but still I wish we saw something more about it.

My inclination is to think he was close to death and wouldn't have recovered without intervention.

Yes, I always thought so, too.

I re-thought this a bit after I logged off last night, and again this morning in light of

trobadora's comment below. Post log-off last night I was thinking that if GCC was in critical condition, why weren't people reacting to that more (eg, compared to the scene where Lin Jing leaves the SID)? And shouldn't they have contacted his uncle and aunt? And the fact that it happened in Dixing could potentially cause an international incident, or at least rain down even more problems on the SID, maybe? Just, generally, you'd think people would be more worried.

So my current feeling is that GCC is in a coma. They can't wake him, but he's stable, and everyone thinks he'll eventually wake up on his own (otherwise, surely they'd take him to a hospital?!). People being unconscious in the SID is not that uncommon, after all! Da Qing is grave and says GCC's "seriously hurt", but "serious but stable coma" fits with that, I think? Including Da Qing saying, "Don't touch the Hallows", because he thinks it's not necessary, so CSZ won't be tempted; it's just a reminder? But then either CSZ can't wait or he thinks GCC is worse off than Da Qing said.

Also, Da Qing says the Envoy used up his last reserves of power saving Changcheng, and maybe CSZ thinks that he can step in and save GCC so the Envoy won't have to exert himself further to do it? Because in CSZ's eyes, it's his job to keep GCC safe, and no one else's. So in some ways, he's protecting both of them by acting now.

I really wish we got some follow-up to that scene in the drama. I get why there wasn’t more about it (they are two secondary characters and there are only 7 episodes left in the drama), but still I wish we saw something more about it.

Me too! Especially since it comes after Zhu Hong's dream sequence where CSZ's doll comes out to protect GCC. I want to know if this created a different kind of protection for the two of them. But this is why we have fic... :-)

Post log-off last night I was thinking that if GCC was in critical condition, why weren't people reacting to that more (eg, compared to the scene where Lin Jing leaves the SID)? And shouldn't they have contacted his uncle and aunt? And the fact that it happened in Dixing could potentially cause an international incident, or at least rain down even more problems on the SID, maybe? Just, generally, you'd think people would be more worried.

Totally agreed on this!

DQ may have assumed Lao-Chu had the Hallows on his mind already, and warned him because of that? (I certainly assumed it!)

Or maybe not. If CSZ knew how much the Envoy disapproved of ZYL touching the Hallows, he might feel that they're out of bounds to himself, too, and not considered them as an option until Da Qing raises the subject?

Maybe the fact the Envoy used his last reserves of strength to save Guo Changcheng in Dixing feels like permission for lao-Chu to do the same here... I mean, if the Envoy exhausted himself saving Guo Changcheng, then it proves that Changcheng is worthy including to the Envoy himself! Doesn't that make lao-Chu obliged to keep him alive whatever it takes so that the Envoy's sacrifice wasn't in vain?

My own take on the overall situation is a bit different (see below), but I love this bit in particular! That's all definitely true IMO regardless of how you interpret anything else. :D

♥

Yeah, I've come around to something closer to your take. I want there to be actual danger so that CSZ doing it isn't completely idiotic and risky (to both of them, given the unpredictability of the Hallows), but he's definitely driven by emotion more than logic here, and a sense of risk -- of "he's not waking him! why won't he wake up?!?" and the desperation that comes with it -- seems like enough for CSZ to take this step, especially after the dreams, and especially with the Envoy has his role model. ;-)

♥ ♥ ♥

Lao-Chu has been emotionally out of sorts since he had to leave Xiao-Guo behind in Dixing in the first place, and he's not going to regain his balance until Xiao-Guo recovers. So I think it entirely fits that his reaction here is driven mostly by emotion. And as you say, the Envoy did it first. :)

Doesn't that make lao-Chu obliged to keep him alive whatever it takes so that the Envoy's sacrifice wasn't in vain? (Which, if that was the case, it would only reinforce lao-Chu's natural inclination to give his all, of course.)

Oh I love this! Yes, given how Chu Shuzhi is about the Envoy, I think the fact that Shen Wei drained his own failing power to keep Guo Changcheng alive would have a lot of emotional effects on him. Pile on some extra guilt, for one thing. :D But also, as you say, it would be a heroic self-sacrifice by his personal role model, which Chu Shuzhi will gladly emulate.

How lao-Chu is so intense but so gentle, especially the way he whispers Changcheng's name at the beginning!

Sigh! Just quoting this to bask in it. ♥____♥

If Changcheng were conscious, he might have refused on the grounds that it was too risky for Chu-ge to go through with it

I hadn't thought about this--yes, totally! Sniff. Of course he would, because they would each sacrifice themselves to save the other one. ;_____;

"When someone you hold most important is dying in front of you, what's the strongest thought in your mind?" and Shen Wei answering, "I'm willing to exchange my life for his." <3 <3 <3

MORE BASKING. ♥ x infinity :D

Yes, given how Chu Shuzhi is about the Envoy, I think the fact that Shen Wei drained his own failing power to keep Guo Changcheng alive would have a lot of emotional effects on him. Pile on some extra guilt, for one thing. :D

Ha, yes! (Presumably from Shen Wei's pov, he was busy trying to goad Ye Zun into eating him, so exhausting himself didn't actually undermine his greater plan to save the world, but still costly when he doesn't know what might happen next!)

If Changcheng were conscious, he might have refused on the grounds that it was too risky for Chu-ge to go through with it

I hadn't thought about this--yes, totally! Sniff. Of course he would, because they would each sacrifice themselves to save the other one. ;_____;

Ooh, this could make for a rather lovely angsty AU, if one could find a way to get them talking on the spirit plane or in a dream or something. Because of course CSZ would do it anyway, and then fear that GCC would reject him for it afterwards. :D

♥ ♥ ♥

Yay for a Chuguo scene! They deserve all the happiness in the world. :D

My favorite part of this scene is later when lao Chu finally reveals his past with xiao Guo and invites him to determine if that or the cannibal story are true. Them joking and laughing about it gets to me every time.

1. Do you think Guo Changcheng would get better without Chu Shuzhi using the Dial? Or are we supposed to think that he was too badly injured to heal without it?

I lean slightly more towards xiao Guo being able to recover on his own. When Zhao Yunlan went blind, he interacted with Ye Zun's powers AND the Hallows. Plus the show seems to frame his blindness and fainting spells to the Hallows' dark energy causing irreversible damage to him. And while Ye Zun has become more powerful by this point in the story, his dark energy seems to be like other Dixingren's, which don't cause irreversible damage like the Hallows' energy can.

However, I do empathize with lao Chu. Regardless of whether xiao Guo can recover with or without the Dial, lao Chu was too shaken by reliving his memories of Nianzhi to risk losing another loved one.

2. Why Da Qing had that “don’t touch the Hallows” talk with Chu Shuzhi? Was it his idea? Did someone else (Shen Wei or Zhao Yunlan) told him to do it?

It could have been a blanket policy that applied to everyone, especially since the Hallows are negatively affecting Zhao Yunlan. He probably remembers Li Qian and how the Dial caused the mess of her and her grandmother's case. Also, I'm sure he senses something is off about Shen Wei's powers and strength, even if neither he nor Zhao Yunlan told them about the consequences of their specific energy exchange.

This may be a headcanon of mine, but I wonder if the Hallows call out to certain people subconsciously. Some may "hear" the call to use the Hallows and follow through with it despite being extremely disciplined in resisting life's other temptations. If there is any water in this idea, Da Qing may be saying "if the Hallows tempt you to use them, ignore them". (Didn't do much good because either lao Chu "heard" the call and succumbed or Da Qing planting the idea in his head sealed the deal.)

3. What do you think the consequences were, if there were any?

It's hard for me to say. The show presents three pairs that use the Dial and the results were a bit inconclusive. Li Qian used it to bring her grandma back to life, resulting in her grandma's health deteriorating to into semi-vegetation (possibly because her body never truly recovered from what led to her death). Shen Wei wanted to heal Zhao Yunlan's eyes, leading to both of their bodies carrying energy incompatible with their biology. We never get to see what the long-term consequences are if they let things be because Shen Wei is purposefully converting himself into a bomb. It seems lao Chu and xiao Guo are perfectly fine, even a year later, but who knows about the long-long term results.

If anything this gives me more questions than answers. Could Shen Wei and Zaho Yunlan be like lao Chu and xiao Guo had the former decided not to turn himself into a bomb? Could lao Chu's dark energy save xiao Guo in a time of crisis, like what happened to Zhao Yunlan in episode 25? Were Li Qian and her grandma doomed because the Dial poured life into a body that was at the end of its life? Could energy exchanges with the Dial work best (with the fewest issues) between just Haixingren, just yashou, or just Dixingren? Could the energy exchange somehow change the properties of light and dark energies enough that a body with both won't necessarily die?

(Not even the novel is helpful here, because the Dial changes the users' life expectancies so they are fated to die together. And we only see Li Qian use it, and the results were disastrous.)

Also, thanks for the fic rec! I'll definitely check it out to see that writer's interpretation of the Hallows.

This may be a headcanon of mine, but I wonder if the Hallows call out to certain people subconsciously. Some may "hear" the call to use the Hallows and follow through with it despite being extremely disciplined in resisting life's other temptations. If there is any water in this idea, Da Qing may be saying "if the Hallows tempt you to use them, ignore them".

I like this headcanon, and it's generally how I think about them too. So I really like that summary of Da Qing's warning! I mean of course it won't work, but he had to try.

Poor Da Qing. No one seems to want to take the cat seriously. But all's forgiven with enough fish snacks. XD

(Though if the Hallows are just that absurdly powerful - they can manipulate time and space afterall - there really was nothing anyone could do. o_o )

Not even the novel is helpful here, because the Dial changes the users' life expectancies so they are fated to die together. And we only see Li Qian use it, and the results were disastrous.

Oh, that's interesting! I didn't know that.

We never find out in the show what the effects of the exchange were on Li Qian, but she said she felt she'd "paid dearly" for the exchange. Maybe it dulled or lessened her life force, or maybe she was just referring to the burden of having to look after her sick grandmother...

I may have oversimplified the novel's Dial powers, so take my word with a grain of salt. Both the novel and the drama talk about the fear of letting go and the consequences of "binding" two souls with the Dial, so sometimes I blur the two canons when interpreting anything in Guardian (all out of love).

Maybe it dulled or lessened her life force, or maybe she was just referring to the burden of having to look after her sick grandmother...

I view both things you said are true for Li Qian. They can very much happen simultaneously, especially since the drama does not show anything that happens in the far, far future. Fortunately, she is still a young woman, and I believe she still gets to live a great eventful life despite maybe losing a decade or two. Wish there was a fanfic about this topic...

This may be a headcanon of mine, but I wonder if the Hallows call out to certain people subconsciously. Some may "hear" the call to use the Hallows and follow through with it despite being extremely disciplined in resisting life's other temptations.

My headcanon is similar. I like thinking that the Hallows call out to certain people sometimes. I even like to think that they do it on purpose, as much as you can say that the magical instruments can do something on purpose. :) I love to see that headcaon in fanfic, too.

Yes! It also doesn't help that the Hallows seem to be sentient. (Didn't Lin Jing speculate about that at one point?) They always show up at a time when they can tip the scales in a huge way for reasons that could be borderline cosmic horror. ._.

This is a great scene, and a great write-up!

Do you think Guo Changcheng would get better without Chu Shuzhi using the Dial? Or are we supposed to think that he was too badly injured to heal without it?

I always assumed he would probably have been fine, because otherwise ZYL and SW just dumping him at the SID makes no sense to me. ZYL says "let Xiao-Guo have a good rest", which doesn't sound that serious to me. So my reading is that it wasn't so serious, which is also why Lao-Chu didn't suffer any more serious backlash, even though this - like the SW/ZYL exchange - is also a black energy/white energy connection.

I'm not sure about the timeline of when this happens exactly. The scene between Lao-Chu and DQ is already a flashback, and DQ refers to what ZYL have explained about SW saving Xiao-Guo - but there's no space in the continuity for that explanation by ZYL until after the bench scene. So this healing must be happening some time later. Some time passing between the return from Dixing and the healing also makes it seem to me like Xiao-Guo is in a coma but not actually in immediate danger.

2. Why Da Qing had that “don’t touch the Hallows” talk with Chu Shuzhi? Was it his idea? Did someone else (Shen Wei or Zhao Yunlan) told him to do it?

Lao-Chu was ready to storm into the lab, talking about ahving to save Xiao-Guo - I think DQ drew his conclusions from that and warned him away from the Hallows because it looked like he was going to go straight for them. And I don't think DQ is particularly thrilled about ZYL's habit of touching them either. I think it was entirely his own idea. (But he definitely seriously underestimated how motivated Lao-Chu was!)

We never saw if it had any negative consequences for Chu Shuzhi. What do you think the consequences were, if there were any?

I don't think there were any - if there had been we would have noticed over the next several episodes. Which is another reason why I think Xiao-Guo wasn't that badly hurt.

Did Chu Shuzhi know they could be negative consequences? Did he thought about using the Hallows to help Guo Changcheng because he saw that it worked previously for Zhao Yunlan?

I think Lao-Chu had no idea about the consequences, and thought it had worked without problems for Zhao Yunlan. Which means it makes 100% sense for him to reach for that method too, and he got seriously lucky that there weren't any serious issues for him.

I always assumed he would probably have been fine, because otherwise ZYL and SW just dumping him at the SID makes no sense to me.

They're preoccupied? ;-) Seriously, though, I think he must be stable for them to just leave him there, but that isn't necessarily the same as going-to-be-fine-without-intervention, is it? It might be "we're in no fit state to do anything about him; look after him till Shen Wei gets his strength back"? (And in that case, CSZ taking on the task of healing him also saves Shen Wei from further exertion when he's already weakened.)

Good point about the timeline. Maybe ZYL calls DQ to check in once he and Shen Wei get home? Or DQ called to ask what happened?

Yeah, he has to be at least stable. Doesn't mean he will be a-ok in a day, but they're not expecting anything bad to happen while ZYL takes SW home (with a detour to a bank), and they don't say anything about it when they drop him off. It's literally just "take him to the lab, let him rest", and if he were in any serious danger I'm sure they'd at least mention it to the others at that point.

Yeah, one of them calling the other makes sense to me. Maybe after they took Xiao-Guo to the lab and checked him out as much as they could, Da Qing called ZYL with a, "WTF, why is Xiao-Guo not waking up, what's wrong with him? and also what the hell happened in Dixing?????" *g*

*nods agreement*

(Detour to a bank?)

BENCH.

Ugh. I know English, I swear!

Ah. Yes. (I was wondering if I'd missed some recent meta about Shen Wei having lots of cash in his wallet or something. *g*)

I always assumed he would probably have been fine, because otherwise ZYL and SW just dumping him at the SID makes no sense to me. ZYL says "let Xiao-Guo have a good rest", which doesn't sound that serious to me.

You know what, you're right. While re-watching this scene I always get so caught up in Chu Shuzhi's worry and desperation (my shipper's heart just really likes angst, ok? :)) that I pay more attention to Da Qing's "badly injured" words than the other signs indicating that Guo Changcheng would probably be fine. :)

I think the angst is totally justified, though! I really don't think he'd be fine without the Dial intervention.

I mean, the idea of a coma is still a big deal, or some similar situation where his condition is presently stabilized (not actively dying) but severe. I think Shen Wei's last-ditch efforts have brought Guo Changcheng back from the actual brink of death, but I still do think the Dial healing is important to his ability to recover, not just some kind of overreaction.

I don't actually think they'd prioritize taking him to the regular hospital, if only because of the specific nature of the damage: direct dark energy attack (followed by a dark-energy partial healing). The people who know the most about that all work for SID. Contrasted, for instance, with Chu Shuzhi taking the severely-injured Yehuo to Dragon City Hospital, because Yehuo was injured in an explosion, a standard non-dark-energy way to get hurt.

(I also think, speaking Doylistically in terms of the writing, one can't expect medical fidelity from the decisions the characters in the show make, not just because of the 'dark energy' handwaving, but also because of the enormous amount of concussions and traumatic brain injury some of them would have from all the TV-style 'knocked out by being hit on the neck/base of the skull'. :D )

But in any case, the Dial itself seems to think (or sense, or behave as if) healing is needed, and it certainly takes something from Chu Shuzhi and causes effort and pain when it does its energy-sharing. It's certainly doing something, and not something easy! So I see it as something important and even crucial, a high-stakes gamble at a high-stakes moment.

(Also something angsty. :D )

I don't actually think they'd prioritize taking him to the regular hospital, if only because of the specific nature of the damage: direct dark energy attack (followed by a dark-energy partial healing). The people who know the most about that all work for SID. Contrasted, for instance, with Chu Shuzhi taking the severely-injured Yehuo to Dragon City Hospital, because Yehuo was injured in an explosion, a standard non-dark-energy way to get hurt.

Re: hospitals - at first I thought: but Shen Wei took Zhao Yunlan to see Dr Cheng, when Zhao Yunlan lost his sight. And that was because of dark energy. So why not do the same for Xiao Guo? But maybe they learned then then that a regular hospital is no good for dark energy attack, so they decided to not do it this time. :)

I also think, speaking Doylistically in terms of the writing, one can't expect medical fidelity from the decisions the characters in the show make, not just because of the 'dark energy' handwaving, but also because of the enormous amount of concussions and traumatic brain injury some of them would have from all the TV-style 'knocked out by being hit on the neck/base of the skull'. :D

Heh, yes, absolutely. :D

Yay! I love this scene! I'm glad you chose it. Angst, guilt, self-sacrifice to save a loved one, potentially-unwise/dangerous decisions, I enjoy all of that A LOT. :D

I like thinking about how the Tools, especially the Dial, don't activate all the time. They can be unpredictable; sometimes a touch and an intention seems to activate them, but other times it seems like they call to people and otherwise have their own plans about things. So the fact that the Dial cooperated with Chu Shuzhi in healing Guo Changcheng is interesting to think about. Does it react to intensity of feeling? Or more specifically, the self-sacrificial desire? Is it more likely to want to help Changcheng because of his purity of heart? Lucky for Chu Shuzhi, the Dial didn't hesitate despite his own checkered past; maybe it sees what Changcheng sees in him, that he's a good person (or, maybe it doesn't care about that).

That scene always makes me smile a little.

Me too! Like anyone telling Chu Shuzhi "Don't make a hasty decision based on your powerful emotions" will EVER succeed. :D

Speaking of powerful emotions: I think this event could potentially be a step in helping Chu Shuzhi start processing Nianzhi's loss (I don't think he was able to process it at all during his prison time, given how raw and vulnerable and unhinged he still is about it). As we saw in one of his dreams-within-a-dream, he desperately wanted to be someone who saved Nianzhi somehow by suffering for him. Which of course was not how it happened. But here, though it seemed at first like he had just caused a repeat of the same disaster from his youth, this time he did have a chance to offer up his suffering (and possibly even his life) for his loved one, and he actually got Changcheng back.

I don't think Guo Changcheng necessarily could only have healed with the help of the Dial, but I do think he's pretty badly off--I think without Shen Wei's last-ditch assistance he surely would have died, and my guess is that he won't just get better all on his own (even after the Dial healing, he spends some unspecified amount of time still recovering, and Zhu Hong is surprised to see him up and around so soon when he returns). The lab table setup apparently has some medical/life-support functions, which I think would be one reason Zhao Yunlan wouldn't take him to the hospital instead--when the damage was caused by a powerful dark energy attack, their lab might be better able to support Changcheng than a standard hospital.

I think Chu Shuzhi certainly knew there might be terrible consequences, because even if he doesn't know the full story of the effects of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan sharing energy, he would know about Li Qian and her grandmother. Of course, I don't think he'd give that any thought (see above re: unwise/dangerous decisions). If it even crossed his mind, it seems safe to say that his concern would only be for any negative effects on Changcheng, not on himself--and he might easily dismiss that by thinking, well, Li Qian is a human, maybe that's why it had such a troubling aftermath.

Regarding possible effects on either or both of them, I like to mull it over! (And thank you so much for recommending my story ♥) Because there are some really wild variables involved with Changcheng--he gets injected with the serum and undergoes mutation, for one thing, which could totally have unknown effects on whatever the Dial did or is doing inside him. (Does the serum and the mutation process involve any dark energy?) Plus, there's what Zhang Shi implies and Ye Zun directly states: "His spiritual energy is pure and bright. It can withstand dark energy without erosion. Rather, they're perfectly compatible."

So, that seems to say he wouldn't run the same contamination/toxicity risks that Zhao Yunlan did. Would it be true in reverse, that since Changcheng's energy is "perfectly compatible" with dark energy, that Chu Shuzhi sharing with him wouldn't contaminate Chu Shuzhi the way Shen Wei was contaminated? Chu Shuzhi did suffer pain, and collapse, but we don't see any of the strange energy problem that Shen Wei experienced right after. That's part of why I thought it might be fun to posit that this Dial healing did something new, created a new kind of link with its own issues.

The lab table setup apparently has some medical/life-support functions, which I think would be one reason Zhao Yunlan wouldn't take him to the hospital instead--when the damage was caused by a powerful dark energy attack, their lab might be better able to support Changcheng than a standard hospital.

Oh, that's an excellent point! (It's really not a great time for Lin Jing not to be there, is it?)

So the fact that the Dial cooperated with Chu Shuzhi in healing Guo Changcheng is interesting to think about. Does it react to intensity of feeling? Or more specifically, the self-sacrificial desire?

Yeah, it doesn't always react immediately, either. When Lin Jing was testing it early on, only ZYL could get it to light up, and when GCC tried to save Wu Tian'en in ep 5, it's dormant until ZYL takes it off him, and even then ZYL has to yell at it. Idk. Maybe it's become more responsive over time...?

Like anyone telling Chu Shuzhi "Don't make a hasty decision based on your powerful emotions" will EVER succeed. :D

Hee!

But here, though it seemed at first like he had just caused a repeat of the same disaster from his youth, this time he did have a chance to offer up his suffering (and possibly even his life) for his loved one, and he actually got Changcheng back.

That's a really lovely way of putting that! <3 <3 <3

Edited (back, breakfasted, less logistically focused and marginally more coherent :-)) 2021-06-26 23:18 (UTC)

Oooh, yes, that's a great point about the Dial activating! Whatever it's responding to, it's so fascinating that it actually works here. I can never decide what I think about the underlying principles either.

And I love your entire comment about Lao-Chu's frame of mind - it all rings very true to me.

I think this event could potentially be a step in helping Chu Shuzhi start processing Nianzhi's loss (I don't think he was able to process it at all during his prison time, given how raw and vulnerable and unhinged he still is about it). As we saw in one of his dreams-within-a-dream, he desperately wanted to be someone who saved Nianzhi somehow by suffering for him. Which of course was not how it happened. But here, though it seemed at first like he had just caused a repeat of the same disaster from his youth, this time he did have a chance to offer up his suffering (and possibly even his life) for his loved one, and he actually got Changcheng back.

Wow, yes to all of this!

I love the idea that the Dial reacts differently depending the situation. It can do the same thing, but its effects on the people involved could be different based on their energies, their mindsets, their emotional connections, etc.

Speaking of powerful emotions: I think this event could potentially be a step in helping Chu Shuzhi start processing Nianzhi's loss (I don't think he was able to process it at all during his prison time, given how raw and vulnerable and unhinged he still is about it). As we saw in one of his dreams-within-a-dream, he desperately wanted to be someone who saved Nianzhi somehow by suffering for him. Which of course was not how it happened. But here, though it seemed at first like he had just caused a repeat of the same disaster from his youth, this time he did have a chance to offer up his suffering (and possibly even his life) for his loved one, and he actually got Changcheng back.

Ohh, I never thought about it like that. Well said and I agree 100%.

I don't have enough brain to comment properly right now but this is such a great scene and a great post, thank you for putting it up. Lovely description/analysis.
I love how tactile this scene is (and kind of wonder how the show got it past the censors!), with so much touching between the two of them, which also seems like a natural development of their relationship so far--Changcheng holding on to Chu Shuzhi's coat when he's scared of something, huddling for warmth in the cold room etc. And I love how, when Changcheng kind of wakes up, he's muzzy and out of it but still obviously comfortable with having Chu Shuzhi there and close, much calmer, for once, than Chu Shuzhi himself who is kind of losing it.
Out-of-left-field theory: maybe if you've already resolved your major emotional concerns (in this case, for Chu Shuzhi, coming to terms with losing his brother and gaining Changcheng), the Hallows aren't harmful for you?

I love how tactile this scene is (and kind of wonder how the show got it past the censors!), with so much touching between the two of them, which also seems like a natural development of their relationship so far

I love it, too - the way Chu Shuzhi strokes Changcheng's neck caressingly twice, so worried at first, and then later with that relieved smile. It makes my shipper's heart very happy. :)

Out-of-left-field theory: maybe if you've already resolved your major emotional concerns (in this case, for Chu Shuzhi, coming to terms with losing his brother and gaining Changcheng), the Hallows aren't harmful for you?

Ha, that's an interesting theory. And it actually agrees with my headcanon that the Hallows are somehow receptive to some people and their feelings and emotions. :)

Out-of-left-field theory: maybe if you've already resolved your major emotional concerns (in this case, for Chu Shuzhi, coming to terms with losing his brother and gaining Changcheng), the Hallows aren't harmful for you?

Hee! (Okay, now I want a situation where Zhao Xinci has to use them! *g*)

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Focus on: Chu Shuzhi uses the Longevity Dial to save Guo Changcheng, episode 33

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