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sid_guardian2021-07-17 10:14 pm
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2021-07-17 10:14 pm
Entry tags:
Focus on: the morning after Shen Wei picks Zhao Yunlan up on the kerb, episode 8
Location of scene: episode 8, 34:43 - 38:11
To recap:
Last we saw Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, in the scenemarycrawford wrote up last week, Shen Wei had just seen and changed the Regent's answer to Zhao Yunlan's query, and was looking thoughtfully at a sleeping Zhao Yunlan.
After two other scenes - Zhu Jiu meeting Sang Zan in his pillar; Wang Zheng having flashbacks and fainting - it's now morning in Zhao Yunlan's flat.
There is a steaming bowl of congee on the nightstand, and Shen Wei is sitting by Zhao Yunlan's bedside reading a book. Zhao Yunlan is sleeping on his side, turned away from Shen Wei.He rolls onto his back in his sleep and sighs as he starts waking up. Shen Wei looks up and puts the book away. (Also of note: whether out of curiosity for the kind of book Zhao Yunlan might own, or just to pass the time - Shen Wei didn't just sit and watch Zhao Yunlan after he finished tidying up.)
Once Zhao Yunlan actually wakes, he sits up pretty pretty quickly and energetically! Looks like he's feeling much better, despite the fact that he never did take his meds the night before. At any rate, he turns to sit on the edge of the bed, head bent down, and rubs at his face - then finally fully opens his eyes, and startles so badly at seeing Shen Wei right in front of him that he makes a loud sound and jumps back on the bed in an absolutely delightful flail that unfortunately proved impossible to capture in a screencap. *g*
In front of the bed, Shen Wei has put Zhao Yunlan's slippers, neatly aligned; in the background, there it is: Zhao Yunlan's flat, looking suspiciously tidy. :D
(As Zhao Yunlan will find out in a moment, while we weren't looking Shen Wei has tidied up Zhao Yunlan's flat - and given the way we saw him lovingly fold Zhao Yunlan's clothes and brush his hand over them as he set them down, I think it's highly unlikely he did it with a sweep of black energy. He did all this by hand, old wine bottles and dirty dishes and all, and then he cooked breakfast, and Zhao Yunlan managed to sleep through it all. Perhaps Shen Wei employed some sound-dampening power?)
Shen Wei's been sitting there cool as a cucumber, legs crossed, while Zhao Yunlan sat up and then flailed. As Zhao Yunlan slumps on the mattress and lets out a groan, propping himself up on an elbow, Shen Wei uncrosses his legs. Zhao Yunlan's mouth works for a moment as he processes the situation; then he points an accusing finger at Shen Wei.
ZYL: You stayed here to watch me all night?
Shen Wei, sitting there calmly with his hands on his knees, only looks at him. A bit of troll!Shen Wei is in evidence here, methinks. :D
Then Zhao Yunlan registers the state of his flat and points around, being all "WTF", thrown off balance for the second time already. He can't even get out a full sentence, just a stammered "This ..."
Shen Wei doesn't miss a beat, tells him it's just returning the favour after Zhao Yunlan saved him from the muggers in the alley last episode. To be fair, he's had all night to think about what to say, how to deal with this disaster version of Kunlun, and how much to push. Clearly he's decided he's going to plant himself firmly inside Zhao Yunlan's space and play it from there.
The whole "I'm just paying you back" argument doesn't work much better on Zhao Yunlan here than it will in the future in a much more fraught scene, even though this time the event in question has already happened to Zhao Yunlan: Zhao Yunlan takes a moment to absorb this, but changes gears very quickly: he tsks, looks away, then sits up and leans forward into Shen Wei's space, looking pretty damn irritated. He's off balance, no doubt feels exposed and vulnerable, and generally at a disadvantage. But he wouldn't be Zhao Yunlan if he didn't know how to push through something like that.
ZYL: If you really want to repay the favour, you might as well join the SID.
Of course, Shen Wei has already firmly turned him down once, after the previously-mentioned mugging attempt - this is very much continuing that conversation, and putting Zhao Yunlan on firmer ground again, familiar territory. And Shen Wei needs even less time this time round to turn Zhao Yunlan down politely but firmly; Zhao Yunlan hasn't even fully closed his mouth yet when Shen Wei is already speaking.
SW: I'm sorry, I must refuse.
(请容我拒绝 - literally, "please allow me to refuse")
Zhao Yunlan bows his head, looks down in exasperation and stays that way for a moment. He probably needs a moment to collect himself. *g* (And to work out what he thinks about this invasion, and what Shen Wei means by it. I do think that while he's still suspicious and of course still investigating, and can't fully rationally justify his feelings, at this point he's basically sure that Shen Wei means well towards him.)
Shen Wei reaches for the congee, cups his hand around it to check its temperature. (It's been about one minute since we saw it steaming, so I have no doubt it's still warm enough, but if it hadn't been, Shen Wei would likely have surreptitiously heated it up. *g*) Shen Wei holds the bowl out to Zhao Yunlan.
SW: The congee is still warm. Eat the congee first, then take your medicine.
The medicine and a glass of water are right there on the nightstand, btw. Zhao Yunlan looks up at Shen Wei, takes the bowl and stirs it with the spoon - and goes on counterattack, into full flirtation mode.
ZYL: Ah, Shen Wei, Shen Wei ... if you're so good, how could I be willing to let you go?
Shen Wei lets out a little huff/snort, and Zhao Yunlan returns the same to him and smiles. They're very much in synch here, a moment of mutual understanding. ♥
Zhao Yunlan then starts eating, and Shen Wei can't resist scolding him a bit, getting quite stern at the end - but Zhao Yunlan fires back right away with recruitment attempt #3.
SW: Zhao Yunlan, if you want to eat congee, come find me across the hall any time. I advise you to eat your meals on time. I don't want to pick you up on the street once again.
ZYL: If you want to know whether I eat my meals on time every day, why don't you just join the SID, and you'll know.
SW: So your SID doesn't need a consultant, but a nanny?
Neither of them misses a beat in this banter! But Shen Wei clearly comes out on top with this line, especially since the suggestion he needs a nanny must be at least a bit embarrassing even to someone as thick-faced as Zhao Yunlan. He cares about what Shen Wei thinks about him, after all - he doesn't want to be seen as totally hopeless.
Of course, Zhao Yunlan being Zhao Yunlan, he then promptly decides to turn to pouting, turning the "needs a nanny" thing in a different direction. *g* He clacks the bowl onto the nightstand, grabs his pillows and moves them to the other side of the bed, slammning them down.
ZYL: If you keep on rejecting me like this, it'll really be my life's greatest failure.
The tone of his voice! Aww. ♥ He flops down on the bed, sprawled out, eyes closed. And Shen Wei doesn't reiterate his refusal again. Instead:
SW: I am going out of town to lead the students of the retired Teacher Zhang on a research trip. Let's wait until after I return to discuss this again.
ZYL: *nods* Okay.
Even though he's already firmly said no twice before, Shen Wei totally ends up giving Zhao Yunlan an opening here to bring the subject up again later! So I guess Zhao Yunlan wins this round. *g* (Which also gives Zhao Yunlan reason to think Shen Wei might not be as completely opposed as he might otherwise have seemed ...)
"Teacher Zhang" is presumably Zhang Ruonan from the Wang Yike case. And the trip to the mountains, of course, is the one that will lead both of them to the Mountain-River Awl. Shen Wei tries to warn Zhao Yunlan to stay away:
SW: But during my absence, no matter what information you receive, do not leave Dragon City.
ZYL: That, I can't promise you. It would depend on what kind of information we receive.
SW: I knew there was no point in saying it; you won't listen to me anyway.
Shen Wei smiles wryly, moves his hands from his knees as he sits slightly back. He sounds and looks very fond when he speaks! And I like that about them - that even though they're both protective, neither of them would dream of actually trying to hold the other back. They can't stop each other from heading into danger, and Shen Wei here expresses clearly that he's fully aware of that and accepts it.
Of course he's right that there was no point in saying it, and he knew that, but he said it anyway - why? Zhao Yunlan is wondering about that too:
ZYL: You're hinting at something. Almost as if you knew what's going to happen.
SW: I often have this mysterious sixth sense.
Compare Shen Wei's smile here to the genuine one from above when he says he knew Zhao Yunlan wouldn't listen to him!
Zhao Yunlan makes an "Oh" face of fake surprise, and Shen Wei adds, with a headshake, that he hopes he'll be wrong this time. Zhao Yunlan nods earnestly.
They both clearly know he's talking nonsense - I doubt Shen Wei expects Zhao Yunlan to believe him here any more than he'll later expect Zhao Yunlan to believe he "just works out a lot" and similar deflections. But Zhao Yunlan doesn't call Shen Wei on it here.
What is Shen Wei trying to accomplish? Is it just that he has to take the minuscule chance, even if he doesn't think Zhao Yunlan will really stay in Dragon City if there's any reason to leave? Or is it that regardless of what Zhao Yunlan will do, he's trying to get a warning across?
On the third hand, Shen Wei has never been shy about hinting at knowing things, right from the start, and it's always served to hook Zhao Yunlan and reel him in. After all, Shen Wei being as suspicious as he is from a SID perspective, him mysteriously knowing more than an ordinary professor should isn't likely to actually get Zhao Yunlan to want to poke at those things less. *g* And he's hinting again here, as Zhao Yunlan himself says ...
Then Shen Wei decides it's time to wrap things up, but not without one more reminder to Zhao Yunlan:
SW: Okay, you've finished your congee. Remember to take your medicine. I have to go to class now.
ZYL: Okay.
Zhao Yunlan remains sprawled on the bed as Shen Wei stands up and takes the congee bowl from the nightstand. He seems to be ogling Shen Wei's backside! Then Da Qing bursts in.
DQ: Lao-Zhao! Professor Shen?! What are you doing here at the break of dawn?
And this is really fascinating: Zhao Yunlan turns his head away from Da Qing before Da Qing even registers Shen Wei is there, then doesn't look at him (or anyone) at all until the very end of the scene. He seemed to be on reasonably solid ground in his back-and-forth with Shen Wei, but having Da Qing suddenly appear and discover even part of what happened is apparently more than he wants to face right now.
At any rate, Da Qing stares at Shen Wei for a long moment before he speaks, very surprised. And Shen Wei looks briefly at Zhao Yunlan before he focuses entirely on Da Qing with his answer.
SW: Last night, your Chief Zhao's stomach ailment flared up. You should all take better care of him.
Shen Wei, without hesitation, lets Da Qing know he's not just there early, but in fact stayed the night. And this apparently makes sense of the entire scenario to Da Qing; he sits down on the bed next to Zhao Yunlan's head. (Zhao Yunlan's eyes are closed!)
DQ: Lao-Zhao, your stomach ailment flared up? I was wondering why you weren't answering your phone.
(Did he turn off his phone? Did the battery run out? I think either of those is a likelier scenario than the alternative, which would be the phone ringing in the morning while Zhao Yunlan slept through it and Shen Wei just sat there ignoring a potential emergency call.)
Shen Wei then carries the congee bowl towards the kitchen while Zhao Yunlan tells DQ to stop talking nonsense and tell him what's going on. Da Qing tells him Wang Zheng fainted. and the scene ends with Zhao Yunlan turning to finally look at Da Qing.
(The scene then cuts to Da Qing and Zhao Yunlan walking to Zhao Yunlan's car and driving away.)
Why I love this scene
OMG, I love it SO MUCH. The back-and-forth/push-and-pull between them and how much they're both clearly enjoying it; how calm Shen Wei is about having pushed himself into Zhao Yunlan's private space, and how well Zhao Yunlan rolls with it; both of them trying to protect each other (Zhao Yunlan wanting to bring Shen Wei into the SID is partly this, I think; likewise of course Shen Wei warning Zhao Yunlan about leaving Dragon City); Shen Wei determined to take care of Zhao Yunlan even if it means cleaning his disaster of a flat and cooking him breakfast; the layers of truth and façade.
(This post is already ridiculously long and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of all the layers!)
Shen Wei's exasperated anger from the night before at Zhao Yunlan's unwillingness to take care of himself has settled down, and likewise Zhao Yunlan seems to get over his embarrassment (at least until Da Qing appears), and they're both coming to know each other better. (Zhao Yunlan is a disaster in some ways; Shen Wei is a caretaker at heart.) Shen Wei is learning to see Zhao Yunlan as he is now, not just the Kunlun he will be; Zhao Yunlan is learning that in his own way, Shen Wei is just as willing to push against other people's boundaries as he is. And so on. ♥
And I don't want to go into detail here - I signed up for it next round - but I'd also like to bring up a scene in episode 28 (about 30 minutes in) where we once again have Shen Wei tucking Zhao Yunlan into bed, and a smoke messenger, and Zhao Yunlan waking up. Except this time, Shen Wei sits not beside the bed but on it, and Zhao Yunlan doesn't startle to find him there. Parallels and contrasts! ♥
Some Fanworks relating to this scene
This is just what I was randomly able to find; I'm sure there's more that I missed. Especiually fanart - there's got to be some out there!
Hitting Home by![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
china_shop
Post-shower Zhao Yunlan.
memory bysynonemous
There is something both new and familiar in watching Zhao Yunlan sleep.
Principles of Disaster Management bychina_shop
Zhao Yunlan dealing with the concept of fresh vegetables; Da Qing dealing with Zhao Yunlan. Set during episode 9, before the trip to the mountains.
Still Waters Run Deep byBlandings13
In Episode 8, after Shen Wei finds Zhao Yunlan sick on the street, he takes him home to take care of him. This is what would have happened if Da Qing did not interrupt, and if Shen Wei did not have lessons. At this point in the series, Zhao Yunlan is unaware of Shen Wei's real identity.
To wake by your side. byAldyce
"In that moment he realises he likes having Shen Wei in his space, likes letting someone take care of him. He doesn't want Shen Wei to leave."
Or, Zhao Yunlan wakes up to Shen Wei sitting by his side for the first time and realises he wouldn't mind doing so for the rest of his life.
A Watchful Eye bychina_shop
Shen Wei didn't mean to stay all night.
Questions:
So, let's talk about this scene! I really want to hear what everyone else thinks. And if you have links to other fanworks, please share! ♥
To recap:
- Zhao Yunlan attempted to con Shen Wei with old books and got caught out; Shen Wei walked away from him. Next they meet, Shen Wei finds Zhao Yunlan by the side of the road with a bad bout of gastritis, picks him up and brings him home - and as if that wasn't embarrassing enough, then gets to see Zhao Yunlan's disaster of an apartment. Zhao Yunlan curls up in pain and falls asleep (possibly in self-defence).
- From Shen Wei's side, he's had to suffer through Zhao Yunlan trying to con him with a fake-heartfelt speech about his grandfather's books (actually Shen Wei's own), then found Zhao Yunlan by the side of the road and took him home to discover his disaster of a flat and his horrible eating habits, had Zhao Yunlan pass out on him without even taking his meds, and on top of it all found out that the Regent was about to give away his secret identity to Zhao Yunlan.
Last we saw Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, in the scene
marycrawford wrote up last week, Shen Wei had just seen and changed the Regent's answer to Zhao Yunlan's query, and was looking thoughtfully at a sleeping Zhao Yunlan.After two other scenes - Zhu Jiu meeting Sang Zan in his pillar; Wang Zheng having flashbacks and fainting - it's now morning in Zhao Yunlan's flat.
There is a steaming bowl of congee on the nightstand, and Shen Wei is sitting by Zhao Yunlan's bedside reading a book. Zhao Yunlan is sleeping on his side, turned away from Shen Wei.He rolls onto his back in his sleep and sighs as he starts waking up. Shen Wei looks up and puts the book away. (Also of note: whether out of curiosity for the kind of book Zhao Yunlan might own, or just to pass the time - Shen Wei didn't just sit and watch Zhao Yunlan after he finished tidying up.)
Once Zhao Yunlan actually wakes, he sits up pretty pretty quickly and energetically! Looks like he's feeling much better, despite the fact that he never did take his meds the night before. At any rate, he turns to sit on the edge of the bed, head bent down, and rubs at his face - then finally fully opens his eyes, and startles so badly at seeing Shen Wei right in front of him that he makes a loud sound and jumps back on the bed in an absolutely delightful flail that unfortunately proved impossible to capture in a screencap. *g*
In front of the bed, Shen Wei has put Zhao Yunlan's slippers, neatly aligned; in the background, there it is: Zhao Yunlan's flat, looking suspiciously tidy. :D
(As Zhao Yunlan will find out in a moment, while we weren't looking Shen Wei has tidied up Zhao Yunlan's flat - and given the way we saw him lovingly fold Zhao Yunlan's clothes and brush his hand over them as he set them down, I think it's highly unlikely he did it with a sweep of black energy. He did all this by hand, old wine bottles and dirty dishes and all, and then he cooked breakfast, and Zhao Yunlan managed to sleep through it all. Perhaps Shen Wei employed some sound-dampening power?)
Shen Wei's been sitting there cool as a cucumber, legs crossed, while Zhao Yunlan sat up and then flailed. As Zhao Yunlan slumps on the mattress and lets out a groan, propping himself up on an elbow, Shen Wei uncrosses his legs. Zhao Yunlan's mouth works for a moment as he processes the situation; then he points an accusing finger at Shen Wei.
ZYL: You stayed here to watch me all night?
Shen Wei, sitting there calmly with his hands on his knees, only looks at him. A bit of troll!Shen Wei is in evidence here, methinks. :D
Then Zhao Yunlan registers the state of his flat and points around, being all "WTF", thrown off balance for the second time already. He can't even get out a full sentence, just a stammered "This ..."
Shen Wei doesn't miss a beat, tells him it's just returning the favour after Zhao Yunlan saved him from the muggers in the alley last episode. To be fair, he's had all night to think about what to say, how to deal with this disaster version of Kunlun, and how much to push. Clearly he's decided he's going to plant himself firmly inside Zhao Yunlan's space and play it from there.
The whole "I'm just paying you back" argument doesn't work much better on Zhao Yunlan here than it will in the future in a much more fraught scene, even though this time the event in question has already happened to Zhao Yunlan: Zhao Yunlan takes a moment to absorb this, but changes gears very quickly: he tsks, looks away, then sits up and leans forward into Shen Wei's space, looking pretty damn irritated. He's off balance, no doubt feels exposed and vulnerable, and generally at a disadvantage. But he wouldn't be Zhao Yunlan if he didn't know how to push through something like that.
ZYL: If you really want to repay the favour, you might as well join the SID.
Of course, Shen Wei has already firmly turned him down once, after the previously-mentioned mugging attempt - this is very much continuing that conversation, and putting Zhao Yunlan on firmer ground again, familiar territory. And Shen Wei needs even less time this time round to turn Zhao Yunlan down politely but firmly; Zhao Yunlan hasn't even fully closed his mouth yet when Shen Wei is already speaking.
SW: I'm sorry, I must refuse.
(请容我拒绝 - literally, "please allow me to refuse")
Zhao Yunlan bows his head, looks down in exasperation and stays that way for a moment. He probably needs a moment to collect himself. *g* (And to work out what he thinks about this invasion, and what Shen Wei means by it. I do think that while he's still suspicious and of course still investigating, and can't fully rationally justify his feelings, at this point he's basically sure that Shen Wei means well towards him.)
Shen Wei reaches for the congee, cups his hand around it to check its temperature. (It's been about one minute since we saw it steaming, so I have no doubt it's still warm enough, but if it hadn't been, Shen Wei would likely have surreptitiously heated it up. *g*) Shen Wei holds the bowl out to Zhao Yunlan.
SW: The congee is still warm. Eat the congee first, then take your medicine.
The medicine and a glass of water are right there on the nightstand, btw. Zhao Yunlan looks up at Shen Wei, takes the bowl and stirs it with the spoon - and goes on counterattack, into full flirtation mode.
ZYL: Ah, Shen Wei, Shen Wei ... if you're so good, how could I be willing to let you go?
Shen Wei lets out a little huff/snort, and Zhao Yunlan returns the same to him and smiles. They're very much in synch here, a moment of mutual understanding. ♥
Zhao Yunlan then starts eating, and Shen Wei can't resist scolding him a bit, getting quite stern at the end - but Zhao Yunlan fires back right away with recruitment attempt #3.
SW: Zhao Yunlan, if you want to eat congee, come find me across the hall any time. I advise you to eat your meals on time. I don't want to pick you up on the street once again.
ZYL: If you want to know whether I eat my meals on time every day, why don't you just join the SID, and you'll know.
SW: So your SID doesn't need a consultant, but a nanny?
Neither of them misses a beat in this banter! But Shen Wei clearly comes out on top with this line, especially since the suggestion he needs a nanny must be at least a bit embarrassing even to someone as thick-faced as Zhao Yunlan. He cares about what Shen Wei thinks about him, after all - he doesn't want to be seen as totally hopeless.
Of course, Zhao Yunlan being Zhao Yunlan, he then promptly decides to turn to pouting, turning the "needs a nanny" thing in a different direction. *g* He clacks the bowl onto the nightstand, grabs his pillows and moves them to the other side of the bed, slammning them down.
ZYL: If you keep on rejecting me like this, it'll really be my life's greatest failure.
The tone of his voice! Aww. ♥ He flops down on the bed, sprawled out, eyes closed. And Shen Wei doesn't reiterate his refusal again. Instead:
SW: I am going out of town to lead the students of the retired Teacher Zhang on a research trip. Let's wait until after I return to discuss this again.
ZYL: *nods* Okay.
Even though he's already firmly said no twice before, Shen Wei totally ends up giving Zhao Yunlan an opening here to bring the subject up again later! So I guess Zhao Yunlan wins this round. *g* (Which also gives Zhao Yunlan reason to think Shen Wei might not be as completely opposed as he might otherwise have seemed ...)
"Teacher Zhang" is presumably Zhang Ruonan from the Wang Yike case. And the trip to the mountains, of course, is the one that will lead both of them to the Mountain-River Awl. Shen Wei tries to warn Zhao Yunlan to stay away:
SW: But during my absence, no matter what information you receive, do not leave Dragon City.
ZYL: That, I can't promise you. It would depend on what kind of information we receive.
SW: I knew there was no point in saying it; you won't listen to me anyway.
Shen Wei smiles wryly, moves his hands from his knees as he sits slightly back. He sounds and looks very fond when he speaks! And I like that about them - that even though they're both protective, neither of them would dream of actually trying to hold the other back. They can't stop each other from heading into danger, and Shen Wei here expresses clearly that he's fully aware of that and accepts it.
Of course he's right that there was no point in saying it, and he knew that, but he said it anyway - why? Zhao Yunlan is wondering about that too:
ZYL: You're hinting at something. Almost as if you knew what's going to happen.
SW: I often have this mysterious sixth sense.
Compare Shen Wei's smile here to the genuine one from above when he says he knew Zhao Yunlan wouldn't listen to him!
Zhao Yunlan makes an "Oh" face of fake surprise, and Shen Wei adds, with a headshake, that he hopes he'll be wrong this time. Zhao Yunlan nods earnestly.
They both clearly know he's talking nonsense - I doubt Shen Wei expects Zhao Yunlan to believe him here any more than he'll later expect Zhao Yunlan to believe he "just works out a lot" and similar deflections. But Zhao Yunlan doesn't call Shen Wei on it here.
What is Shen Wei trying to accomplish? Is it just that he has to take the minuscule chance, even if he doesn't think Zhao Yunlan will really stay in Dragon City if there's any reason to leave? Or is it that regardless of what Zhao Yunlan will do, he's trying to get a warning across?
On the third hand, Shen Wei has never been shy about hinting at knowing things, right from the start, and it's always served to hook Zhao Yunlan and reel him in. After all, Shen Wei being as suspicious as he is from a SID perspective, him mysteriously knowing more than an ordinary professor should isn't likely to actually get Zhao Yunlan to want to poke at those things less. *g* And he's hinting again here, as Zhao Yunlan himself says ...
Then Shen Wei decides it's time to wrap things up, but not without one more reminder to Zhao Yunlan:
SW: Okay, you've finished your congee. Remember to take your medicine. I have to go to class now.
ZYL: Okay.
Zhao Yunlan remains sprawled on the bed as Shen Wei stands up and takes the congee bowl from the nightstand. He seems to be ogling Shen Wei's backside! Then Da Qing bursts in.
DQ: Lao-Zhao! Professor Shen?! What are you doing here at the break of dawn?
And this is really fascinating: Zhao Yunlan turns his head away from Da Qing before Da Qing even registers Shen Wei is there, then doesn't look at him (or anyone) at all until the very end of the scene. He seemed to be on reasonably solid ground in his back-and-forth with Shen Wei, but having Da Qing suddenly appear and discover even part of what happened is apparently more than he wants to face right now.
At any rate, Da Qing stares at Shen Wei for a long moment before he speaks, very surprised. And Shen Wei looks briefly at Zhao Yunlan before he focuses entirely on Da Qing with his answer.
SW: Last night, your Chief Zhao's stomach ailment flared up. You should all take better care of him.
Shen Wei, without hesitation, lets Da Qing know he's not just there early, but in fact stayed the night. And this apparently makes sense of the entire scenario to Da Qing; he sits down on the bed next to Zhao Yunlan's head. (Zhao Yunlan's eyes are closed!)
DQ: Lao-Zhao, your stomach ailment flared up? I was wondering why you weren't answering your phone.
(Did he turn off his phone? Did the battery run out? I think either of those is a likelier scenario than the alternative, which would be the phone ringing in the morning while Zhao Yunlan slept through it and Shen Wei just sat there ignoring a potential emergency call.)
Shen Wei then carries the congee bowl towards the kitchen while Zhao Yunlan tells DQ to stop talking nonsense and tell him what's going on. Da Qing tells him Wang Zheng fainted. and the scene ends with Zhao Yunlan turning to finally look at Da Qing.
(The scene then cuts to Da Qing and Zhao Yunlan walking to Zhao Yunlan's car and driving away.)
Why I love this scene
OMG, I love it SO MUCH. The back-and-forth/push-and-pull between them and how much they're both clearly enjoying it; how calm Shen Wei is about having pushed himself into Zhao Yunlan's private space, and how well Zhao Yunlan rolls with it; both of them trying to protect each other (Zhao Yunlan wanting to bring Shen Wei into the SID is partly this, I think; likewise of course Shen Wei warning Zhao Yunlan about leaving Dragon City); Shen Wei determined to take care of Zhao Yunlan even if it means cleaning his disaster of a flat and cooking him breakfast; the layers of truth and façade.
(This post is already ridiculously long and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of all the layers!)
Shen Wei's exasperated anger from the night before at Zhao Yunlan's unwillingness to take care of himself has settled down, and likewise Zhao Yunlan seems to get over his embarrassment (at least until Da Qing appears), and they're both coming to know each other better. (Zhao Yunlan is a disaster in some ways; Shen Wei is a caretaker at heart.) Shen Wei is learning to see Zhao Yunlan as he is now, not just the Kunlun he will be; Zhao Yunlan is learning that in his own way, Shen Wei is just as willing to push against other people's boundaries as he is. And so on. ♥
And I don't want to go into detail here - I signed up for it next round - but I'd also like to bring up a scene in episode 28 (about 30 minutes in) where we once again have Shen Wei tucking Zhao Yunlan into bed, and a smoke messenger, and Zhao Yunlan waking up. Except this time, Shen Wei sits not beside the bed but on it, and Zhao Yunlan doesn't startle to find him there. Parallels and contrasts! ♥
Some Fanworks relating to this scene
This is just what I was randomly able to find; I'm sure there's more that I missed. Especiually fanart - there's got to be some out there!
Hitting Home by
Post-shower Zhao Yunlan.
memory by
There is something both new and familiar in watching Zhao Yunlan sleep.
Principles of Disaster Management by
Zhao Yunlan dealing with the concept of fresh vegetables; Da Qing dealing with Zhao Yunlan. Set during episode 9, before the trip to the mountains.
Still Waters Run Deep by
In Episode 8, after Shen Wei finds Zhao Yunlan sick on the street, he takes him home to take care of him. This is what would have happened if Da Qing did not interrupt, and if Shen Wei did not have lessons. At this point in the series, Zhao Yunlan is unaware of Shen Wei's real identity.
To wake by your side. by
"In that moment he realises he likes having Shen Wei in his space, likes letting someone take care of him. He doesn't want Shen Wei to leave."
Or, Zhao Yunlan wakes up to Shen Wei sitting by his side for the first time and realises he wouldn't mind doing so for the rest of his life.
A Watchful Eye by
Shen Wei didn't mean to stay all night.
Questions:
- Since Zhao Yunlan seems to feel a lot better this morning even without taking his meds, do you think Shen Wei decided to sneak in a little surreptitious Dixing healing?
- Given everything Zhao Yunlan must have slept through this night, do you think he generally sleeps this deeply, or was that just because he was ill? (If he generally sleeps deeply, that would perhaps explain why Shen Wei later feels safe to cut his wrist and bleed energy right there in Zhao Yunlan's kitchen!)
- Just how much did Shen Wei enjoy getting his hands all over Zhao Yunlan's stuff and poking into all the corners in the name of "cleaning"? :D
- Shen Wei could have left after tidying up. Why do you think he didn't? Just to feed him breakfast? Or to see his reaction? to establish himself more firmly inside Zhao Yunlan's personal space? (And what does Zhao Yunlan think why he stayed?)
- Why do you think Shen Wei gives Zhao Yunlan an opening to discuss the join-the-SID question again?
- What do you think Shen Wei was hoping to accomplish with his warning to Zhao Yunlan to not leave Dragon City?
- In the following scene. Zhao Yunlan tells Da Qing he rushed them out of their flat because he didn't want Shen Wei to see the message from the Regent - he says he saw it when he woke up, and put it in his pocket when he left. I didn't spot any obvious place for this realisation; did you?
So, let's talk about this scene! I really want to hear what everyone else thinks. And if you have links to other fanworks, please share! ♥
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What do you think Shen Wei was hoping to accomplish with his warning to Zhao Yunlan to not leave Dragon City?
I think Shen Wei does genuinely want to warn ZYL away from the mountains, not entice him into them, even though he knows and acknowledges that it's useless. Which feels very sweet and domestic, much like the congee, really. He knows ZYL won't listen to him, but he has to say it anyway. Just like he's told ZYL to take his medicine, what, three times now? And yet.
(I don't think Shen Wei did any surreptitious healing, though I'm sure he would if he thought ZYL really needed it. But making him congee to settle his stomach would satisfy the same urge, only he can do it in the open.)
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He knows ZYL won't listen to him, but he has to say it anyway.
Haha, yeah, that really has to be it, ultimately. He just can't not. ♥
(I didn't think he'd done any healing until I noticed just how energetic ZYL is when he wakes up, and I wondered. But yeah, making congee is something SW can do openly, and of course he prefers that!)
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then finally fully opens his eyes, and startles so badly at seeing Shen Wei right in front of him that he makes a loud sound and jumps back on the bed in an absolutely delightful flail that unfortunately proved impossible to capture in a screencap. *g*
Hee! It is a FANTASTIC flail! He's such a dork.
Shen Wei doesn't miss a beat, tells him it's just returning the favour after Zhao Yunlan saved him from the muggers in the alley last episode. To be fair, he's had all night to think about what to say, how to deal with this disaster version of Kunlun, and how much to push.
I think this is my favourite thing about this scene (other than ALL OF IT, EVERY BIT). Shen Wei saying the cleaning is in return for the mugging rescue is a masterstroke:
Of course, Zhao Yunlan doesn't take that hint. He immediately reaches for some other way to get what he wants -- wheedling, flirting, flattering, stretching out in front of Shen Wei like a buffet. Though not all of that is about recruitment...
I do think that while he's still suspicious and of course still investigating, and can't fully rationally justify his feelings, at this point he's basically sure that Shen Wei means well towards him.
*nodnod* 100% agreed. I feel like the flat-cleaning tips Shen Wei's hand wrt how invested he is. If he didn't care or was in any way put off by Zhao Yunlan's disasteriness, he wouldn't have done it, and he certainly wouldn't have stayed all night (having made breakfast, reading a book, clearly waiting!) to talk to him when he woke. This is Shen Wei signalling hard that Zhao Yunlan is important to him, their relationship is important to him, and he wants it to continue despite everything that happened the day before.
And I think Zhao Yunlan gets that but is utterly confused about what Shen Wei wants. What could he want, especially now he's seen what a mess Zhao Yunlan is? So Zhao Yunlan throws a battery of tests at Shen Wei to try to get a reaction. Do you want to impress me? Do you want to look after me? Are you fishing for another recruitment offer? Do you want to fuck me? I think he just can't grasp that someone might care about him like this -- especially not someone as together-seeming (and suspicious) as Shen Wei.
SW: But during my absence, no matter what information you receive, do not leave Dragon City.
I wonder if Shen Wei is testing there, too -- to see whether his cleaning efforts have changed how Zhao Yunlan will react to him, how seriously he'll take him? And to see whether Zhao Yunlan will just sit back in the face of potential danger? How far is this utter disaster of a man from becoming Kunlun, who unhesitatingly volunteered to fight at his side?
And I like that about them - that even though they're both protective, neither of them would dream of actually trying to hold the other back. They can't stop each other from heading into danger, and Shen Wei here expresses clearly that he's fully aware of that and accepts it.
Yesssss! I love that about them SO MUCH!!
SW: I often have this mysterious sixth sense.
I mean, I know there's no good answer here, and this is a million times better than saying he has inside info, but it's such a non-answer, I always wonder what he was thinking. ;-p
And this is really fascinating: Zhao Yunlan turns his head away from Da Qing before Da Qing even registers Shen Wei is there, then doesn't look at him (or anyone) at all until the very end of the scene.
Ooh, that is fascinating! I'd never noticed that before. I guess, I mean last time he saw Da Qing was at the failed book con, too. And Da Qing listened to him rhapsodising about Shen Wei before that. Maybe he's embarrassed, or he just doesn't want Da Qing to ask any revealing questions about what went on overnight?!
Shen Wei is learning to see Zhao Yunlan as he is now, not just the Kunlun he will be; Zhao Yunlan is learning that in his own way, Shen Wei is just as willing to push against other people's boundaries as he is.
Oh, yes! That's beautifully put! Both of those things! *flails*
Since Zhao Yunlan seems to feel a lot better this morning even without taking his meds, do you think Shen Wei decided to sneak in a little surreptitious Dixing healing?
I don't know if he needed to. Given Zhao Yunlan's and Da Qing's attitudes, I feel like maybe the medicine just manages the symptoms, and it's the kind of illness you can sleep off. Some stomach stuff is like that.
Just how much did Shen Wei enjoy getting his hands all over Zhao Yunlan's stuff and poking into all the corners in the name of "cleaning"? :D
Ha, such a mix of SO MUCH and appalled and exasperated and grossed out. *g*
In the following scene. Zhao Yunlan tells Da Qing he rushed them out of their flat because he didn't want Shen Wei to see the message from the Regent - he says he saw it when he woke up, and put it in his pocket when he left. I didn't spot any obvious place for this realisation; did you?
No, I'm guessing it happened as soon as he stood up.
Other thought: I really wish I believed that Zhao Yunlan had somehow magically fit in a shower and a change of clothes before he left the house... I mean, normally I wouldn't care, but he was so sick he was curled up in the gutter the night before... /o\
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Shen Wei saying the cleaning is in return for the mugging rescue is a masterstroke
YES OMG, your whole list is amazing, thank you for laying it all out like this!
(So he should stop asking Shen Wei to join the SID, when Shen Wei has already refused.)
I'm not 100% sure about this one, since Shen Wei in this scene practically gives Zhao Yunlan permission to bring it up again. (What do you think about that? It hadn't really registered for me before, but on this rewatch I was very !!! about it.)
This is Shen Wei signalling hard that Zhao Yunlan is important to him, their relationship is important to him, and he wants it to continue despite everything that happened the day before.
Yes! And Zhao Yunlan is so confused by it! He thinks seeing the reality behind the performance should put Shen Wei off, when it's that reality that Shen Wei actually wants, LOL.
So Zhao Yunlan throws a battery of tests at Shen Wei to try to get a reaction. Do you want to impress me? Do you want to look after me? Are you fishing for another recruitment offer? Do you want to fuck me? I think he just can't grasp that someone might care about him like this -- especially not someone as together-seeming (and suspicious) as Shen Wei.
RIGHT???? *pets him*
I wonder if Shen Wei is testing there, too -- to see whether his cleaning efforts have changed how Zhao Yunlan will react to him, how seriously he'll take him? And to see whether Zhao Yunlan will just sit back in the face of potential danger?
Though that would mean Shen Wei actually wanted Zhao Yunlan to leave rather than stay. I kept sort of circling that question myself, but ultimately I think it's exactly what it says on the tin - he wants Zhao Yunlan to be safe, so he can't not warn him away, but he also already knows it won't work, and he accepts that. ♥
Maybe he's embarrassed, or he just doesn't want Da Qing to ask any revealing questions about what went on overnight?!
I definitely assumed he was embarrassed! And didn't want Da Qing to make fun of him in front of Shen Wei, LOL.
No, I'm guessing it happened as soon as he stood up.
Yeah, that probably makes the most sense.
I really wish I believed that Zhao Yunlan had somehow magically fit in a shower and a change of clothes before he left the house... I mean, normally I wouldn't care, but he was so sick he was curled up in the gutter the night before... /o\
Oh god, I didn't think about that, but you're so right ...
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I just went for a bike ride and thought about this. I think what's happening is Zhao Yunlan is being bratty by not taking Shen Wei's refusals with good grace. He's going, "This is my life's greatest failure!" and making a big deal out of it. Which puts Shen Wei, who is trying to smooth over things and re-establish their relationship on a better footing, in a tough spot. Shen Wei has already refused outright, twice, and deflected once. He doesn't want to have to be even more firm, right now. He doesn't want to hurt Zhao Yunlan's feelings, or fight about it and drive a wedge between them. And I think he visibly reacts to the "my life's greatest failure" line. So I think by saying, "I'm going out of town; let's talk about it when I get back," he's really going, "If you won't accept a refusal, at least agree to a deferral." A kind of graceful sidestep and hoping (in vain) that Zhao Yunlan will get the damn message. Does that work with your reading?
Yes! And Zhao Yunlan is so confused by it! He thinks seeing the reality behind the performance should put Shen Wei off, when it's that reality that Shen Wei actually wants, LOL.
Except Shen Wei would prefer the reality wasn't such a fixer-upper -- hee!
I wonder if Zhao Yunlan half-expects Shen Wei to use Zhao Yunlan's vulnerability against him, and part of the testing is trying to figure out if he will, and if so, how.
Also re: ZYL's battery of tests, I love how Shen Wei doesn't really give himself away here. He's wryly amused, he verbally parries, but he doesn't really answer any of Zhao Yunlan's underlying questions. Which leaves Zhao Yunlan in a permanent state of ????? about the whole thing. *g* (I wonder how much that's a mirror of how evasive Kunlun was and wasn't with the young Envoy...)
Though that would mean Shen Wei actually wanted Zhao Yunlan to leave rather than stay. I kept sort of circling that question myself, but ultimately I think it's exactly what it says on the tin - he wants Zhao Yunlan to be safe, so he can't not warn him away, but he also already knows it won't work, and he accepts that. ♥
I thought maybe it was both? Ot1h, 100% agreed that he wants to keep Zhao Yunlan safe, but otoh, he also wants Zhao Yunlan to be Kunlun, and Kunlun would have unquestionably rushed in where angels fear to tread so... I think that's why he takes Zhao Yunlan's airy refusal with such good grace. (And now I'm trying to remember whether Shen Wei's seen Zhao Yunlan rush into the line of fire at this stage. There's the scene in ep 4 where Shen Wei gets trapped with a dark-energy boot-clamp while Zhao Yunlan chases the face stealer... maybe other moments, too.)
And didn't want Da Qing to make fun of him in front of Shen Wei, LOL.
Aha, yes! Perfect!
(I can't believe I don't have an icon of this scene!)
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Oh, that's a good point! Zhao Yunlan is really just refusing to let it go, and Shen Wei doesn't want to shut him down too hard in a way that might put Zhao Yunlan off, so he does the next best thing that will make Zhao Yunlan let it go at least for now. That makes a lot of sense to me, yeah.
Except Shen Wei would prefer the reality wasn't such a fixer-upper -- hee!
Yeah, but what Zhao Yunlan really doesn't get is that Shen Wei will take the real Zhao Yunlan over a fake front any day, even if the real Zhao Yunlan is a mess. He doesn't get that Shen Wei can be annoyed and angry and "OMG how can you be like this!!!" while still preferring it over the alternative.
I wonder if Zhao Yunlan half-expects Shen Wei to use Zhao Yunlan's vulnerability against him, and part of the testing is trying to figure out if he will, and if so, how.
Oh, yeah, he probably does half expect that ...
Shen Wei doesn't really give himself away here. He's wryly amused, he verbally parries, but he doesn't really answer any of Zhao Yunlan's underlying questions. Which leaves Zhao Yunlan in a permanent state of ????? about the whole thing.
Yes! I love it so much! And you're totally right that it again parallels how KUnlun must have felt towards young!Shen Wei. Time loop! ♥
I thought maybe it was both? Ot1h, 100% agreed that he wants to keep Zhao Yunlan safe, but otoh, he also wants Zhao Yunlan to be Kunlun, and Kunlun would have unquestionably rushed in where angels fear to tread so...
Yeah, agreed, it's two contradictory feelings ...
And now I'm trying to remember whether Shen Wei's seen Zhao Yunlan rush into the line of fire at this stage. There's the scene in ep 4 where Shen Wei gets trapped with a dark-energy boot-clamp while Zhao Yunlan chases the face stealer... maybe other moments, too.
Storming the mirror dimension in episode 6? SW even directly facilitates that.
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Idk if I think he's worried about putting Zhao Yunlan off anymore. I wonder if the book con (such an extravagant gift, almost desperate) tipped Zhao Yunlan's hand in much the same way the cleaning tipped Shen Wei's, and Shen Wei is sure now that Zhao Yunlan cares, even if Zhao Yunlan can't express it well. I feel like that might be part of what gives Shen Wei permission to intrude with the cleaning as much as he does?
He doesn't get that Shen Wei can be annoyed and angry and "OMG how can you be like this!!!" while still preferring it over the alternative.
Oh, yes. Good point! Zhao Yunlan has zero experience of that. He's put all this effort into his front and made it so shiny -- why wouldn't anyone prefer it?! *pets him*
Storming the mirror dimension in episode 6? SW even directly facilitates that.
Maybe? That's more investigation energy than recklessly-hurling-himself-into-danger energy to me. They don't really have reason to think the mirror dimension would be super dangerous, and he has lao-Chu with him if it is. I was thinking more spontaneous "take me instead" situations like the video game. There's the mugging, I suppose, and Zhao Yunlan does get hurt there.
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There's the mugging, I suppose, and Zhao Yunlan does get hurt there.
Yeah, but that's not so much knowingly heading into danger as underestimating the danger ... There's nothing as blatant as the video game this early.
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A dream come true :P Shen Wei's need to know everything about Zhao Yunlan is only eclipsed by Zhao Yunlan's need to know everything about Shen Wei. Besides, Shen Wei is well aware that Zhao Yunlan already poked around in his flat.
Why do you think Shen Wei gives Zhao Yunlan an opening to discuss the join-the-SID question again?
I always wondered if this is a bit of... Shen Wei hedging his bets. He wants there to be as many hooks that tie Zhao Yunlan to him as possible, just in case other reasons to interact disappear/fall by the wayside. Shen Wei is, I think, quite used to being in disaster management mode - think of the worst case scenario (i.e. I haven't seen Zhao Yunlan in a while and have no excuse to seek him out) and prepare as many contingencies as possible. (This, of course, applies more to how he feels about Zhao Yunlan and Dixing than to preserving his own well-being.)
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Yes! I love this phase in their relationship where they're both investigating and poking and discovering each other. :D
And oh, that's an interesting thought about Shen Wei hedging his bets. I had never thought of it that way, but it would make sense that he might not want to shut Zhao Yunlan down too hard and instead leave a door open ... and you're definitely right about his thinking in general with the worst case scenarios and contingency strategies. ♥
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Oh, that's an excellent point! Hmm... *ponders*
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The flirtatious conversation (with its more serious undertones) is so great. They've just jumped up a level of intimacy with the events of the previous night, and they're kind of feeling out the new region of their relationship (technically not new to Shen Wei, I guess, but in this context), seeing what they can push and where to pull back, and just loving it even though they both have a million things on their mind.
Also, I would give a lot for a deleted scene in which Da Qing complains to Lin Jing about walking into his own apartment and finding Lao Zhao and the professor practically in bed together, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FISH.
(Zhao Yunlan is a disaster in some ways; Shen Wei is a caretaker at heart.)
;( Oh dear, this phrase is making me sad for Shen Wei, who has to go to such lengths in his life to get to be allowed to take care of people, and often doesn't always get to see his care bear fruit (Zhao Yunlan in a sense, Li Qian, his brother...).
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For, um, reasons, I enlarged the shot of his hands holding the bowl, and noticed that his watch says it's 8:00! Nice work prop people getting a decent morning time.
This is a very important contribution! :D
(And since it can't have been that late when Shen Wei picked Zhao Yunlan up, he's had a pretty decent night's sleep!)
They've just jumped up a level of intimacy with the events of the previous night, and they're kind of feeling out the new region of their relationship (technically not new to Shen Wei, I guess, but in this context), seeing what they can push and where to pull back, and just loving it even though they both have a million things on their mind.
YESSSSSSSSSS I love it all so much. :D You're totally right, it's definitely another level of intimacy, and just at a time when Zhao Yunlan thought he blew it and put Shen Wei off ... so delightful. ♥
Also, I would give a lot for a deleted scene in which Da Qing complains to Lin Jing about walking into his own apartment and finding Lao Zhao and the professor practically in bed together, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FISH.
YES PLEASE. Someone needs to write that!
Shen Wei, who has to go to such lengths in his life to get to be allowed to take care of people, and often doesn't always get to see his care bear fruit
Damn, now I feel sad too. It's so true. Let Shen Wei take care of people!
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Ahahaha, YES PLEASE!
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And tbh, the state of the apartment was actually better than what the novel describes, in my opinion.
And despite occasions of 'mistrust' between them, Zhao Yunlan let Shen Wei take him home, inside his place, sleep while the other man's around, and feed him food.
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I'm curious, what does the novel say? I only read it once, since it wasn't quite my thing, and I don't remember.
Also, yes, if Zhao Yunlan genuinely distrusted Shen Wei (which he had plenty of reason to!) that would have been a totally different vibe! Instead, Zhao Yunlan just rolls with the invasion of his space, and has zero hesitation at accepting food from him.
>.> again pls delete the anon comment...i keep forgetting to log in for some reason
"Zhao Yunlan's room is remarkably chaotic, worse than the messiest dog kennel.
His clothes are scattered everywhere, all over the bed and on the floor—it’s anyone’s guess whether they're clean or supposed to go in the wash. The large twin bed is also covered with an array of other items: the laptop with a single sock dangling from a corner, sunglasses, and umbrella are a little unusual, but much more baffling are the origami top hat and a whole can of cinnabar powder. And in the midst of the knick-knacks on the bed, a sliver of space barely large enough for one person to lie down has been dug out."
A literal translation of the first sentence would be: "Even dogs would protest if you called it a doghouse.”
And then later, when Shen Wei goes to Zhao Yunlan's apartment for the first time:
"It's his first time in Zhao Yunlan's apartment. The lights are off, and he trips over an open umbrella. Winter in Dragon City isn't particularly rainy; the last time it rained was over a month ago. Only someone as lazy as a dog would leave the umbrella on the floor for that long.
On the shoe cabinet is a bag of clothes from the dry cleaner; it was delivered two days ago.
Shen Wei looks around the room and sees a bunch of clothes scattered on the couch, and heaps of books and a laptop computer occupying the bed; there's not even space to sit, let alone lie down."
Re: >.> again pls delete the anon comment...i keep forgetting to log in for some reason
OMG, Zhao Yunlan, WTF!!!!!!!! :D
Thank you so much for sharing, that is hilarious.
(Btw, I forgot to say, I deleted the anon comment. No problem!)
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Re: >.> again pls delete the anon comment...i keep forgetting to log in for some reason