Focus on: Shen Wei drinking for Zhao Yunlan in the Hanga Arc, episode 11

[china_shop]

Episode 11, 15:56 to 17:33 (here on Youtube)

I've included roughly a bajillion screencaps. :-D (The full-sized versions are in this googledocs folder.)

Lead-in

Shen Wei’s drinking scene takes place at the end of the Hanga arc. Directly before it, Zhao Yunlan arrives back from the mountains to find Zhu Hong asleep at the table. He wakes her with some difficulty and asks after the others. She says they’re in their rooms, sleeping off Wang Zheng’s drug. Zhao Yunlan asks about Shen Wei specifically, and Zhu Hong gets a strange expression and echoes, “Shen Wei?” as if still half-hypnotised. Then she jumps to her feet, looking alarmed. “Shen Wei!”

Zhao Yunlan feels her forehead for a fever and asks if she’s okay. Just then Shen Wei appears on the landing upstairs and welcomes Zhao Yunlan back. Shen Wei is wearing Zhao Yunlan’s jacket and being very innocent. Zhao Yunlan looks suspiciously from Zhu Hong to Shen Wei (what’s going on? what did he do to her?), but then returns Shen Wei’s sweet pleased-to-see-him smile.

So: there are still reasons to be wary of Shen Wei. Strange things keep happening in his vicinity, potentially affecting Zhao Yunlan’s people. Can they really all be coincidence? But they’re all safe for now.

The show’s mischievous/comedic music starts up.

The scene itself

It’s a simple scene. It’s night in the mountain village, and everyone is sitting around outdoor tables, drinking. Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are at one table with Lang-ge and the head of the village; the rest of the SID (minus Wang Zheng and Sang Zan) and Shen Wei’s students, Jiajia and xiao-Quan, are at the other table.



Round 1: Lang-ge and the village head are being good hosts. They cheerfully fill Zhao Yunlan’s bowl and encourage him to drink up.

Zhao Yunlan sighs and rubs his tummy lightly, obviously not feeling his best, but he drinks and laughs with his hosts as expected.







Shen Wei says he’ll drink water instead of wine, and their hosts accept this.







Shen Wei notes Zhao Yunlan's discomfort.

Round 2: Lang-ge compliments Zhao Yunlan on his drinking, refills his bowl and toasts him. Zhao Yunlan visibly steels himself and then gulps it down.





Shen Wei sips his water and resolutely doesn’t intervene, but I think this is when he starts planning to.







Round 3: Zhao Yunlan hides a grimace (and is clearly already feeling unwell) while Lang-ge obliviously refills his bowl. Lang-ge makes another, much less elaborate toast, and Zhao Yunlan agrees, but Shen Wei can’t take it anymore.









Shen Wei grabs Zhao Yunlan’s bowl out of his hand and stands up to make a toast: “Brother Lang and Village Head, thank you for taking care of us these past days. A toast to you from me and my students.”



Aside: Unverified, but I found a few websites (like this one) that say toasting or clinking glasses with water is considered bad luck. If that’s the case, by making the toast Shen Wei is giving himself an excuse to steal Zhao Yunlan’s bowl, since his own cup only contains water. Maybe stealing Zhao Yunlan’s cup seems eccentric but sort of logical?

Zhao Yunlan watches Shen Wei make the toast, then tries to intervene before he drinks, standing up and trying to grab the bowl back. “Since when did you start to drink--”





He’s too late: Shen Wei is already swallowing down the entire bowlful. (It’s very pretty to watch.)





Zhao Yunlan watches in bemused alarm, then laughs to cover. Their hosts drink too.

Shen Wei sits down again, adjusts his glasses, smiles, and then collapses unconscious onto his folded arm. (At which point the light-humour music stops, replaced with crickets or frogs.)





His hosts ask if he’s okay. Zhao Yunlan says, “Yeah, he’s fine. He can't drink. I’ll take him back to his room.” As he’s saying this, he puts his hand on Shen Wei’s arm, askdfaklsjdhfkldsjfa!





Zhu Hong turns around and peers at them suspiciously as Zhao Yunlan peels Shen Wei off the table. The plucked (heart)strings of emotional self-reflection start to play, leading into the next scene.

Thoughts

Although the scene is played for laughs, I think it (and the one that follows, where Zhao Yunlan puts Shen Wei to bed with an IV and gazes at him, then sniffs the jacket and laughs incredulously) is the culmination of a mini-character-arc that’s about more than just the Envoy identity reveal. It’s about Zhao Yunlan having inadvertently exposed his soft underbelly to Shen Wei and feeling incredibly vulnerable. Shen Wei has seen through his lies (the failed book con), seen his physical weakness (the gastritis), and seen his lack of maturity and self-care (the apartment). Zhao Yunlan, who for various reasons still doesn’t entirely trust Shen Wei, has no way of knowing yet if Shen Wei will use those weaknesses against him. Shen Wei already tried to sideline him with the warning about not leaving the city, the morning after the gastritis -- and that’s not on!

In fact, I feel like that warning kicks off a kind of power struggle from Zhao Yunlan’s side about who is protecting whom. Like, Shen Wei basically says, “I’m going to this place, but you shouldn’t even leave the city.” So Zhao Yunlan airily rejects Shen Wei’s advice, then gets Lin Jing to fix Shen Wei’s broken down car (helping by proxy), insists on joining forces on the way to the mountain, gives Shen Wei his coat to guard against the cold, and tells Zhu Hong to detain him so he can’t go wandering off into danger. Even using Shen Wei as a travel pillow is arguably a way of keeping tabs on him, so Zhao Yunlan will be there if they run into trouble.

Meanwhile Shen Wei is letting all this slip by him without reacting much. Protesting lightly but accepting the gestures -- without, of course, bending even an inch to the underlying “I want to protect you” message. If he pushed back too directly, it would raise questions about his identity -- why doesn’t this seemingly ordinary professor need protecting? So he can’t discourage Zhao Yunlan’s efforts. (Plus he doesn't really want to.)

And then this scene. Zhao Yunlan is caught in a trap of social convention -- drinking with your host is how you maintain good relations and be a good guest -- and he’s clearly already suffering for it. It’s a combination of all his weaknesses: the lying (this time about his enthusiasm for drinking), the physical ailment, and the lack of self-care. Shen Wei sees that, and at first he doesn’t intervene. This is Zhao Yunlan’s business, after all. But by the third round, Shen Wei can’t stand it anymore.

He doesn’t reproach Zhao Yunlan for not taking better care of himself or embarrass him by mentioning his stomach condition, and he doesn’t undo any of the relationship-building work Zhao Yunlan has done. Instead, Shen Wei uses the custom of offering toasts to appropriate Zhao Yunlan’s bowl and drink it himself. This protects Zhao Yunlan twice: 1) it saves him from that particular drink, and 2) Shen Wei must know he’ll immediately fall unconscious, giving Zhao Yunlan an excuse to leave the table.

I have so many feelings about this gesture! It’s incredibly eloquent and meaningful in a multitude of ways; for example, it:

1. demonstrates attentiveness and caring without criticising Zhao Yunlan or taking a scolding adult position
2. proves that Shen Wei won’t use Zhao Yunlan’s vulnerabilities against him
3. Shen Wei is low-key taking a bullet for Zhao Yunlan (which is basically their love language, I think?)
4. without breaking Shen Wei’s cover (until you factor in the jacket).
5. It’s a display of Shen Wei’s own weakness wrt alcohol
6. and it leaves Shen Wei vulnerable, ergo, it’s also a show of trust / “I know you’ll take care of me.”

It’s a very deliberate way of protecting Zhao Yunlan and letting Zhao Yunlan take care of him, levelling the playing field between them... at least until Zhao Yunlan discovers how completely uneven their situations are.

It also gives us some classic Shen Wei expressions, from concerned to sweetly sozzled.

Anyway, until now, Shen Wei has done Zhao Yunlan many kindnesses -- he’s claimed friendship and laughed with him, helped him with cases when he had no obligation to, rescued him from the gutter and made him breakfast-- He’s probably done more for Zhao Yunlan than anyone but Da Qing. But I think it’s this selfless, thoughtful, slightly dorkily enacted move that tips Zhao Yunlan into deciding he can trust Shen Wei (and in my preferred reading of the next scene, into admitting to himself that he’s in love).

Questions

Do you think Zhao Yunlan being relatively young for a leadership role feeds in to his determination to keep up with the drinking? Or is it just who he is, good at the social side of things and networking while neglecting his own well-being?

What do you think happens between this scene and the next? Do Jiajia and xiao-Quan make a fuss about their professor falling unconscious, or are they too busy partying? Do any of the SID offer to help carry Shen Wei, and if so, does Zhao Yunlan take them up on it or does he carry him himself? By piggyback? Does he send xiao-Guo for the IV?

Other than that, I don’t have any questions beyond: How do you feel about this scene? Does it make you as squishy inside as it does me? Look at their faaaaaces!! :D :D :D

Fanworks

Please link any fanworks related to this scene or to Shen Wei’s alcohol intolerance generally! :D

Comments

[grayswandir]

This is a short comment just to say:

1) I love this scene.
2) I love everything about your analysis of this scene.
3) This bit made me laugh out loud, even though it's 3:00 am and my roommates are asleep:

Shen Wei is low-key taking a bullet for Zhao Yunlan (which is basically their love language, I think?)

It so is. XD

[china_shop]

This scene deserves all the love! :D

3) This bit made me laugh out loud, even though it's 3:00 am and my roommates are asleep:

Hee! *wins*

It so is. XD

:D :D :D

[maggie33]

I love this scene, and this is a great analysis. And there are never too many screencaps. :)

Instead, Shen Wei uses the custom of offering toasts to appropriate Zhao Yunlan’s bowl and drink it himself. This protects Zhao Yunlan twice: 1) it saves him from that particular drink, and 2) Shen Wei must know he’ll immediately fall unconscious, giving Zhao Yunlan an excuse to leave the table.

Ohhh, I never thought about the 2nd point being the reason, too. But now yes, I can see it and I agree.

And my favorite drunk Shen Wei fic is this one:

Put Him In The Longboat 'Til He's Sober by galaxysoup

[china_shop]

It's such a great scene! :D :D :D

\o/

And ooooooh, thank you for the link! That was hilarious and adorable!!

[trobadora]

Oh! That fic is great; thank you for reccing it! :D

[shadaras]

Shen Wei is low-key taking a bullet for Zhao Yunlan (which is basically their love language, I think?)

Oh, definitely their love language. :D Even though seeing each other do it stresses them out because it activates their own protective instincts!

Do you think Zhao Yunlan being relatively young for a leadership role feeds in to his determination to keep up with the drinking? Or is it just who he is, good at the social side of things and networking while neglecting his own well-being?

This is one of those times where the influence of having read the novel first really shows up and makes it harder for me to engage on a drama-only level! (Because this is one of the arcs where there's some very distinct changes while also having enough overlap that the two versions can overlap...)

In the novel's equivalent of this scene, there's more emphasis on the social-networking side of things, so my instinctive answer is that even in the drama ZYL understands social graces and the important of networking and is more than happy to mildly inconvenience himself/give himself more stomach pains to keep those social bonds going.

But now that you're mentioning it, yeah, I do think that ZYL wanting to prove himself at some level feeds into it. It might be why he cares about the social niceties in general, it might be about the drinking itself, but especially in the context you're putting this in (of ZYL trying to position himself so that he can take care of SW and that he doesn't need protection), I think that drinking could also be taken as a signifier of adulthood/independence.

I also think that this scene is kind of indicative, more generally, of ZYL's stubborn unwillingness to stop doing something (that is useful for him but also somewhat harmful to him) once he's started. He just doesn't like to give up/admit he should stop! (I'm especially thinking, here, of his continued use of the Hallows...)

[trobadora]

I do think that ZYL wanting to prove himself at some level feeds into it. It might be why he cares about the social niceties in general, it might be about the drinking itself, but especially in the context you're putting this in (of ZYL trying to position himself so that he can take care of SW and that he doesn't need protection), I think that drinking could also be taken as a signifier of adulthood/independence.

Ooh, yes, all of this! ♥

(And totally agreed on Zhao Yunlan's stubborn insistence on continuing with self-destructive things!)

[china_shop]

Even though seeing each other do it stresses them out because it activates their own protective instincts!
Ha, yes! Rather a fraught love language, then, but they can't help themselves. :-D

In the novel's equivalent of this scene, there's more emphasis on the social-networking side of things, so my instinctive answer is that even in the drama ZYL understands social graces and the important of networking and is more than happy to mildly inconvenience himself/give himself more stomach pains to keep those social bonds going.
*nodnodnod* Yes, I think that's very true in the drama, too (and interesting that it's in the novel -- thanks!). It comes through time and again, his facility with politicking and managing relationships. How he recruits Cong Bo, and manages Minister Gao, for example. I guess I was just wondering whether being older and therefore due more automatic respect would give him more options about which social graces he employed at different times. But the willingness to inconvenience self is definitely a thing.

but especially in the context you're putting this in (of ZYL trying to position himself so that he can take care of SW and that he doesn't need protection), I think that drinking could also be taken as a signifier of adulthood/independence.
Ot1h, yes, that! Otoh, it's kind of ironic, given that the drinking is threatening to mess him up again. ;-p

I also think that this scene is kind of indicative, more generally, of ZYL's stubborn unwillingness to stop doing something (that is useful for him but also somewhat harmful to him) once he's started.
Ha, yes! (This makes me wonder how many times he's come off his motorbike. /o\) (Also, how Da Qing must have reached a kind of event horizon of exasperation with it all and decided to just roll with it and pick up the pieces when necessary.) (Also also, how ZYL shares this trait with his father, which is how Zhao Xinci so quickly reconciled himself to having Zhang Shi on board.)

<3 <3 <3

[trobadora]

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are at one table with Lang-ge and the head of the village; the rest of the SID (minus Wang Zheng and Sang Zan) and Shen Wei's students, Jiajia and xiao-Quan, are at the other table.

I didn't consciously remember this hierarchical distribution, but of course it makes sense.

Shen Wei sips his water and resolutely doesn't intervene, but I think this is when he starts planning to.

He's definitely planning something! Maybe at this point it's just "if he doesn't stop, I need to interfere", but he's paying very close attention to Zhao Yunlan. (No surprise there.)

Unverified, but I found a few websites (like this one) that say toasting or clinking glasses with water is considered bad luck.

Oh, interesting! Though I have to say I never actually questioned Shen Wei snatching Zhao Yunlan's bowl for the toast - it made intuitive sense to me! Which now makes me wonder about the unconscious drinking culture assumptions behind that ... I don't think toasting with water would be considered unlucky here so much as just ... not done? You grab some alcohol for toasting, even if you only take a sip yourself. Not that I have vast experience with toasts, so that may be a very very limited local custom, or it may be very common, and I couldn't tell the difference. *g*

I love how Shen Wei ends up not with his face on the table, but conveniently cushioned by his forearm. It only makes sense, since he must have known he'd pass out. :D

the culmination of a mini-character-arc that's about more than just the Envoy identity reveal

You lay that all out so well - yes, it all comes together beautifully into a coherent arc!

He doesn't reproach Zhao Yunlan for not taking better care of himself or embarrass him by mentioning his stomach condition, and he doesn't undo any of the relationship-building work Zhao Yunlan has done. Instead, Shen Wei uses the custom of offering toasts to appropriate Zhao Yunlan's bowl and drink it himself. This protects Zhao Yunlan twice: 1) it saves him from that particular drink, and 2) Shen Wei must know he'll immediately fall unconscious, giving Zhao Yunlan an excuse to leave the table.

YES to all this! :D

I remember back in 2018 or so (relatively early after I'd watched the drama, anyway), I read a post which sort of scolded Shen Wei for a poorly planned intervention - taking Zhao Yunlan's drink on impulse without considering that he'd pass out right after. And I don't know if that's a thing that perhaps applies in the novel, but it certainly doesn't here - I can't see it that way at all. He clearly knows what he's doing! He's thinking about it in advance, not just reacting emotionally! Giving Zhao Yunlan an excuse to leave is crucial, so passing out is part of the plan! (Oh, Shen Wei, self-sacrificial plans all the way down. *g*)

(Apologies for indignant exclamation marks three years after the fact, LOL.)

It's a very deliberate way of protecting Zhao Yunlan and letting Zhao Yunlan take care of him, levelling the playing field between them...

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! That's why it's so great! ♥

He's probably done more for Zhao Yunlan than anyone but Da Qing. But I think it's this selfless, thoughtful, slightly dorkily enacted move that tips Zhao Yunlan into deciding he can trust Shen Wei (and in my preferred reading of the next scene, into admitting to himself that he's in love).

I love that interpretation! I totally agree that, while the Envoy reveal sort of overshadows it, it's this self-sacrificial play that has a huge part in convincing Zhao Yunlan he can trust Shen Wei.

Do you think Zhao Yunlan being relatively young for a leadership role feeds in to his determination to keep up with the drinking? Or is it just who he is, good at the social side of things and networking while neglecting his own well-being?

I'm not sure his age has much to do with it, so much as his personal issues - his pride and his need to prove himself competent and his Zhao Xinci issues. He mellows a lot over the next year or so (the space until the end of the drama), but it's not about growing older; it's about being in a situation, with people (with Shen Wei), who allow him to feel more secure in himself and have less need to maintain a front out of sheer self-defence ...

Do Jiajia and xiao-Quan make a fuss about their professor falling unconscious, or are they too busy partying?

I can't imagine them just ignoring it while Zhao Yunlan lugs an unconscious Shen Wei back inside! Maybe it's Jiajia who goes for the IV? And not that it matters, but it occurs to me that this incident is not likely to make the students think well of the company Shen Wei is keeping. *g*

Also, if it's Zhao Yunlan carrying Shen Wei, it has to be piggyback; no way could he manage any other way. (Now, Shen Wei totally could pull off a princess carry ... In fact, I feel deprived that we never got to see that. :p)

[china_shop]

He's definitely planning something! Maybe at this point it's just "if he doesn't stop, I need to interfere", but he's paying very close attention to Zhao Yunlan. (No surprise there.)

I think he must have a moment, at some point before he drinks, of considering the consequences and whether there's any external dangers to factor in, etc. Doing his contingency planning. :-) You know?

Not that I have vast experience with toasts, so that may be a very very limited local custom, or it may be very common, and I couldn't tell the difference. *g*

When I googled, it seemed to be bad luck in a number of European countries and US Air Force protocol, but I don't know if that was just google not giving me more Asia-specific results. (I don't know that anyone here in NZ would care particularly.)

I remember back in 2018 or so (relatively early after I'd watched the drama, anyway), I read a post which sort of scolded Shen Wei for a poorly planned intervention - taking Zhao Yunlan's drink on impulse without considering that he'd pass out right after.

I remember that, too, so maybe 2019? I think it was part of why I chose this scene -- so I could write apologia! ;-p

(Apologies for indignant exclamation marks three years after the fact, LOL.)

*hearts*

He mellows a lot over the next year or so (the space until the end of the drama), but it's not about growing older; it's about being in a situation, with people (with Shen Wei), who allow him to feel more secure in himself and have less need to maintain a front out of sheer self-defence ...

That's very true. I wonder how he'd behave if he went back to the mountains post-canon. Would he still be inclined to keep up with the drinking? Or would he have a few and then gracefully switch to water? Idk.

And not that it matters, but it occurs to me that this incident is not likely to make the students think well of the company Shen Wei is keeping. *g*

Haha, that's hardly fair, though. Zhao Yunlan did try to stop him!

Piggyback is a romantic Kdrama trope, so I like to think of it being like that. :-)

[trobadora]

When I googled, it seemed to be bad luck in a number of European countries and US Air Force protocol, but I don't know if that was just google not giving me more Asia-specific results. (I don't know that anyone here in NZ would care particularly.)

I just googled in German and found contradictory info, so at least it doesn't seem to be considered unlucky across the board. (I did know the one where if you don't look each other in the eye while clinking glasses, you'll have bad sex for seven years! I love superstitions, LOL.)

I remember that, too, so maybe 2019? I think it was part of why I chose this scene -- so I could write apologia! ;-p

Hee! *high fives*

That's very true. I wonder how he'd behave if he went back to the mountains post-canon. Would he still be inclined to keep up with the drinking? Or would he have a few and then gracefully switch to water? Idk.

That's a good question! I do think he'd feel less obliged to keep up, yeah. (And also this time he'd know Shen Wei would interfere if it went too far, which he'd definitely want to avoid. *g*)

Piggyback is a romantic Kdrama trope, so I like to think of it being like that. :-)

It's a cdrama trope too, but I'm not sure if it's strictly a romantic one there ...

[china_shop]

(And also this time he'd know Shen Wei would interfere if it went too far, which he'd definitely want to avoid. *g*)

Or maybe Shen Wei wouldn't? Because a more experienced Zhao Yunlan should be able to manage these situations for himself and not carelessly wander into the same trap twice. Or maybe Shen Wei would interfere in a less kid-gloves kind of way... Idk, I feel like it would depend on why Zhao Yunlan was doing it and how much he should have foreseen the situation?

[trobadora]

I mean, yeah, it would depend, but either way ZYL would be aware of the possibility, and that wasn't (couldn't have been) on his radar at all the first time.

[china_shop]

*nodnodnod*

[trepkos]

Definitely squishy! Thank you for pointing out all these things - I guess we see things without really SEEING them until they are set out like this.

[china_shop]

Yay squishy! And yeah, I think on one level the show wants us to take the scene at face value. Glad you enjoyed the post! :-)

[elenothar]

It also gives us some classic Shen Wei expressions, from concerned to sweetly sozzled.

Very true and very important. Also, I just said 'sweetly sozzled' out loud several times and amused myself XD

I don't have much to add on a meta level, since you already laid it all out so beautifully (I definitely thought Shen Wei's actions were very premeditated here, including giving Zhao Yunlan an excuse to escape the table, but I hadn't quite thought to how vulnerable Shen Wei makes himself here - it's still potentially hostile territory (though I'm sure he doesn't think anything particularly dangerous is still around, or he wouldn't have drunk) and he 100% trusts that Zhao Yunlan will take care of anything that could come up and take care of his students).

I can't imagine Jiajia not at least jumping up and offering to help, though she would probably back off if Zhao Yunlan says he has everything under control and is carrying Shen Wei without looking likely to drop him. Actually, in general I wonder if the two students ever really talk with Shen Wei about this trip after (did they even get any research done?), or if they just file it away under 'that really weird two-day trip with Professor Shen which may or may not have involved ghosts and monsters and ended with him drunk'.

[china_shop]

Also, I just said 'sweetly sozzled' out loud several times and amused myself XD

Hee! <3

and he 100% trusts that Zhao Yunlan will take care of anything that could come up and take care of his students).

*nodnod* Plus Chu Shuzhi is there to protect them, too.

I can't imagine Jiajia not at least jumping up and offering to help, though she would probably back off if Zhao Yunlan says he has everything under control and is carrying Shen Wei without looking likely to drop him.

Ooh, yes, that sounds right to me. She's protective of him but polite. :-)

or if they just file it away under 'that really weird two-day trip with Professor Shen which may or may not have involved ghosts and monsters and ended with him drunk'.

Hee! I can't imagine the rumours. (Plus did Wang Zheng drug the students as well as the SID? Because if so, I feel like the university should hear about that!)

[ishipallthings]

I'm very late to this, hope you don't mind :D

I loved your thoughts on what the gesture means (I didn't think of it as a two-way show of trust but that makes a lot of sense given that Shen Wei knows he won't react well to the alcohol but drinks it anyway - he knows Zhao Yunlan will be there to take care of him, only he forgot about the blood on the jacket that gives him away later...)

One of my favorite things about this scene is the little look Shen Wei gives Zhao Yunlan when he sees that ZYL is uncomfortable but decides to go ahead and drink, and also Zhao Yunlan is already up out of his chair when Shen Wei is reaching for the drink. For me, it shows that how much they're aware of the other person and it gives me feels :)

(Though I do wonder how Zhao Yunlan knows Shen Wei doesn't drink, maybe I'm forgetting something from an earlier episode?)

As for what happens between this scene and the next, I'm firmly in Zhao Yunlan piggy-back carries Shen Wei to bed on his own :D Damnit, now I kind of want to write that :P

Thanks for the awesome meta!

[china_shop]

Not at all! There's no expiry date -- jump on into any of the discussions whenever suits you. <3

One of my favorite things about this scene is the little look Shen Wei gives Zhao Yunlan when he sees that ZYL is uncomfortable but decides to go ahead and drink, and also Zhao Yunlan is already up out of his chair when Shen Wei is reaching for the drink. For me, it shows that how much they're aware of the other person and it gives me feels :)

Yes, that's such a good point. They're so attentive to each other and caring, despite all Zhao Yunlan's (justified!) suspicions. *smoooshes them*

(Though I do wonder how Zhao Yunlan knows Shen Wei doesn't drink, maybe I'm forgetting something from an earlier episode?)

I think it must have come up when Shen Wei decided to opt for water, just before this scene began, but it might also have been mentioned off-screen when they were toasting their trip the night before and they didn't have alcohol, so they had to toast with water.

I'm firmly in Zhao Yunlan piggy-back carries Shen Wei to bed on his own :D Damnit, now I kind of want to write that :P

\o/ \o/ \o/!! :D

[china_shop]

Some excellent Tumblr meta about this scene (via ishipallthings).

(Though I take issue with characterising Shen Wei as a bad liar, because I reckon his tissue-thin excuses are deliberate.)