sid_guardian | Focus on: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan mutual apology scene (Episode 15)

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Focus on: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan mutual apology scene (Episode 15)

Location of scene: Episode 15, 6:00-7:08

Context: Cong Bo has hacked into the SID and found the video feed from the secret camera (hidden in the banner Zhao Yunlan had Chu Shuzhi deliver to Shen Wei in episode 6) in Shen Wei's office at Dragon City University. Cong Bo witnesses Shen Wei using his powers and takes the evidence to Zhao Yunlan to demand transparency from the SID or he'll expose the truth to the public.

Scene description:

The scene opens with a close-up shot of Shen Wei's hands on his knees. His fingers move a little. He is sitting on Zhao Yunlan's sofa.

Screencap close-up of Shen Wei's hands from episode 15 of Guardian

When we see his face, he's looking down, tense. He takes a breath.

Screencap of Shen Wei from episode 15 of Guardian

Zhao Yunlan is sitting across the room, leaning on the table separating the kitchen from the living area, facing him. He looks up, looks down, awkward.

Screencap of Zhao Yunlan looking at Shen Wei from episode 15 of Guardian

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan say, "I'm sorry," simultaneously.

Zhao Yunlan seems surprised that Shen Wei apologized.

Screencap of Zhao Yunlan from episode 15 of Guardian

Shen Wei says that he doesn't understand electronic devices (我对电子机械实在太不敏感了) and if he hadn't been negligent, Cong Bo couldn't have taken advantage and recorded him.

Screencap of Shen Wei sitting in Zhao Yunlan's apartment from episode 15 of Guardian

Screencap of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan in Zhao Yunlan's apartment from episode 15 of Guardian

Zhao Yunlan winces and throws his head back. He tells Shen Wei, "That's not your fault. When all is said and done, it's my fault." (哎哟, 这些锅不用你背. 归根结底还是怨我, 要不是我给你办公室装一个摄像头, 丛波这小子怎么可能乘虚而入啊.)

Shen Wei looks at him.

Screencap of Shen Wei looking at Zhao Yunlan from episode 15 of Guardian

Zhao Yunlan says if he hadn't installed the camera in Shen Wei's office, Cong Bo couldn't have taken advantage of it.

Shen Wei says the matter has to be resolved as soon as possible. When Zhu Jiu recovers (from being shot by Zhao Yunlan in episode 13), he could reappear at any time. Shen Wei doesn't want another enemy at his back.

Zhao Yunlan agrees, and his manner changes a bit, more confident.

He stands up and walks over to the sofa. He says he asked Lin Jing to check some things out because he had a flash of inspiration.

He sits beside Shen Wei on the sofa, drawing his legs up with his feet on the seat.

He says he may have found a way. If things go well, they won't just avoid an attack on two fronts but kill two birds with one stone. (如果事情顺利的话, 我们非但不会腹背受敌, 反而会一举两得.)

Shen Wei shifts on the sofa to look at him. He doesn't seem entirely convinced by Zhao Yunlan's confidence.

Why I love this scene:

I love the substance of the scene. The mutual apology always gets to me. It is sincere on both sides, and I love that Zhao Yunlan rightly takes responsibility. His reaction to Shen Wei taking the blame shows Zhao Yunlan knows he's in the wrong, and he's unhappy that Shen Wei is blaming himself. Then, apologies over, they move on to practicalities. Shen Wei doesn't want to be surrounded by enemies, and Zhao Yunlan had already thought of a way to take care of Cong Bo (if his plan works).

I love the body language in the scene. This is the first time we see Shen Wei without glasses in Zhao Yunlan's apartment. That was startling to me the first time. I think it says a lot about how far their relationship has come that Shen Wei no longer wears glasses when he's alone with Zhao Yunlan.

The way Shen Wei sits conveys how he feels responsible for what happened. Zhao Yunlan is about as openly sprawled as anyone can be while sitting on a stool, and his feet are bare, but he's not exactly relaxed. Once they're past the apologies, he makes the move by getting up and going to sit on the sofa, physically sending the message: I'm beside you in this. We'll solve this together.

There is so much intimacy in their body language in this scene.

I love how the scene looks. Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan look beautiful in it. The close-up on Shen Wei's hands is such an excellent opening shot, immediately setting the mood (along with the background music). I am weak for when Zhao Yunlan stands up and we get the nice distance view of his long, skinny body when he walks to the sofa. (Also, shout-out to the underlighting in the coffee table that lights his face here.) We get some great views of Zhao Yunlan's endlessly fascinating apartment. And there's Shen Wei in the dark blue shirt without glasses... siiiiiigh So much for the eyes to feast upon.

Questions:
How did Shen Wei find out about being filmed? If Zhao Yunlan told him, how do you imagine that conversation happened to lead up to this scene?

Why was the camera still in Shen Wei's office after Zhao Yunlan discovered Shen Wei's identity? Do you think he forgot about it?

When you first saw this scene, were you surprised when Zhao Yunlan took responsibility for the problem? Why or why not?

What's your favorite detail about Zhao Yunlan's apartment?

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> What's your favorite detail about Zhao Yunlan's apartment?

It's not in your pics, but for me it's the hourglass we see at the beginning of the kitchen scene. It's so poignant and so ominous. Their time is running out.

I'm also puzzled by the weird exercise machine next to the entry. What the heck is that metal thing under the coat rack?

it's the hourglass we see at the beginning of the kitchen scene

Oh, I love the hourglass! Yes, the symbolism of it... ;__;

What the heck is that metal thing under the coat rack?

I'm not an exercise machine expert, and I thought it was a rowing machine but now I'm looking at rowing machines and they don't look like that. Now I want to know what it is! :D

china_shop has a great fic that deals with finding out about the camera, and also this scene and the aftermath.

I think it says a lot about how far their relationship has come that Shen Wei no longer wears glasses when he's alone with Zhao Yunlan.

I'll come back later with proper thougths, but seriously, this is my favourite thing. It's such a small detail, and I love it so much!

(Your screencaps are excellent, as usual! ♥)

(Thanks for linking to my fic! ♥ I poured all my feelings about this scene into it.)

They are SO BEAUTIFUL HERE I can't! And your screencaps are so gorgeous. SIGH. Shen Wei without glasses means a lot, I agree - I think it really speaks to their intimacy. Shen Wei takes off his mask voluntarily for no one but Zhao Yunlan.

I love ZYL's body language shifts here, and the barefoot approach, and the way he stretches out those longgggg legs and then folds them up cozily to sit by Shen Wei's side. BOYS.

physically sending the message: I'm beside you in this. We'll solve this together

Yes, I love that so much! It's very ZYL to be demonstrative in a blatant yet subtle way...

What's your favorite detail about Zhao Yunlan's apartment?
I adore ZYL's apartment, full of weird random objects and booze cabinets as it is - the lighting makes it look warm and welcoming, and the clutter makes it feel lived-in. I think my favorite detail on view here is a very mundane one - it's the lamp shining down on the big leather couch from the right. Every time I see it I go "there's my lamp!" because it's this Ikea lamp and I have it by the couch too. :D

Also: what the heck, I never noticed before, but does ZYL have a goldfish bowl without a goldfish in it? Or is that vague blue shape a fish? I can't imagine that a fish can live long in an apartment with Da Qing in it...

Maybe it’s Da Qing’s snack bowl? 😆

HEE. I love that idea (it keeps getting refilled, and the fish store salespeople just sigh when they see ZYL coming...)

It looks like a Siamese fighting fish to me.

Ooh, interesting! Maybe DQ likes his snacks to be able to fight back?

Yes, it's a fish! In the scene, you can see it swimming. I've thought about going through all the apartment scenes and making note of when we see the fish, because I feel there are scenes where we see the bowl but not the fish. However, for some reason (~~beautiful men~~) I always get distracted...

Haha, yes, seriously, same here. The fish bowl is front and center in that one shot, but my eye just gliiides over it to focus on the beautiful men on display.

Shen Wei takes off his mask voluntarily for no one but Zhao Yunlan.

♥____♥

That is so cool that you have the same lamp!! I think the only object I have in common with Zhao Yunlan is post-it notes. XD

Lovely post, lovely screencaps! I love it for all the same reasons you do. The body language in this scene says so much. Looking at your pictures, I was thinking about how tense Shen Wei's back is (in the photo just above "Zhao Yunlan winces and...") and how Zhao Yunlan forcibly defuses this, as it were, by sitting right next to him in the most relaxed way imaginable, jeez, Zhao Yunlan, you have no modesty ;) .

And that they both take responsibility. It feels like both of them kind of casting off another layer of their outward personas--Zhao Yunlan serious and responsible instead of the careless insouciant outer image, Shen Wei saying it's his fault instead of Hei Pao Shi's aloof high expectations. I'm not wording this very well but you know what I mean.

I never thought about why the camera was still there, but I expect it was a combination of forgot about it/didn't get around to retrieving it in the press of other events, plus maybe, initially, a little bit of "well, if I'm not doing it to spy on him, it's okay if I just look at his pretty face every now and then, isn't it...".

Speaking of which, I looked back at my notes from the first time I watched this episode, which say "Shen Wei really should not be able to pack that much of a punch just by appearing with his glasses off. Truly inspired use of Zhu Yilong’s good looks in character design" and I stand by my point ;)

"Shen Wei really should not be able to pack that much of a punch just by appearing with his glasses off. Truly inspired use of Zhu Yilong’s good looks in character design"

I love that note and I want to co-sign it. I admit, the first time I saw Z1L with his glasses off, for the purpose of healing a wound and making it look ridiculously hot, I wasn't even aware it was the same guy. Hair down + no glasses = recognition fail. But yes, he really managed to work that look in this scene. Also love what you said about both of them shedding a layer of their personas!

"Shen Wei really should not be able to pack that much of a punch just by appearing with his glasses off. Truly inspired use of Zhu Yilong’s good looks in character design"

Perfect note XD

how tense Shen Wei's back is

Yes! I was struck by how his tension is apparent in his posture as well as his expressions.

how Zhao Yunlan forcibly defuses this, as it were, by sitting right next to him in the most relaxed way imaginable, jeez, Zhao Yunlan, you have no modesty

:D It's so lovely how Zhao Yunlan uses his body language to ease the tension. (Or, if nothing else, it might distract Shen Wei...)

It feels like both of them kind of casting off another layer of their outward personas

This adds so much to the intimacy of the scene.

"well, if I'm not doing it to spy on him, it's okay if I just look at his pretty face every now and then, isn't it..."

:D Awwww, I love this idea. Oh, Zhao Yunlan <3

Shen Wei really should not be able to pack that much of a punch just by appearing with his glasses off

Yes!! It's just startling, somehow, even though we've already seen him without his glasses. But here, it's different.

This is the first time we see Shen Wei without glasses in Zhao Yunlan's apartment. That was startling to me the first time. I think it says a lot about how far their relationship has come that Shen Wei no longer wears glasses when he's alone with Zhao Yunlan.

I love what they do with Shen Wei's glasses throughout the series, both in terms of character tics (including Shen Wei's vs Ye Zun's when he was impersonating him) and signalling intimacy and a lowering of shields (well, or impending torture and death, but we're not thinking about that). Every time there's a scene in Zhao Yunlan's apartment and Shen Wei is bare-faced my heart grows three sizes.

I love what they do with Shen Wei's glasses throughout the series

They used them to such good effect and really layer his characterization, and it's such a small, sort of subtle thing. But it makes an impact. I love it.

Every time there's a scene in Zhao Yunlan's apartment and Shen Wei is bare-faced my heart grows three sizes.

Yes, *sigh - same! <3

Rolling in late to the party, but just the fact that Zhao Yunlan is barefoot kills me in this. I know it's his own apartment, but sitting on the sofa *like that* is just so intimate. Moreso, in my opinion, than anything else we've seen between them.

Yesssssss, I love that! *hearts him so much*

The mutual apology always gets to me. It is sincere on both sides, and I love that Zhao Yunlan rightly takes responsibility. His reaction to Shen Wei taking the blame shows Zhao Yunlan knows he's in the wrong, and he's unhappy that Shen Wei is blaming himself.

SO MUCH YES to all of this! <3 <3 <3

My reading of Shen Wei's side of the apology is very tied to the idea of self-criticisms. Shen Wei isn't to blame for this situation, but he still reaches for some way to take his share of responsibility because it's expected, and because meeting ZYL halfway is the strongest way forward.

When Zhao Yunlan explains why it's his fault, he seems annoyed/reproachful enough at himself that I think it's easy for Shen Wei to let it go? And Shen Wei doesn't say "It's not your fault." He lets Zhao Yunlan's apology stand and shifts the conversation from blame to "we need a solution."

Also, Zhao Yunlan is being so genuine. Despite his position, sprawled out on a bar stool as if it's a lounger, there's none of his usual performance or bluster, none of the IN YOUR FACE of the previous episode. He's giving Shen Wei plenty of space to have all the emotion/anger he wants. He doesn't move closer until Shen Wei implies the apologies are over. And even when he starts talking about the solution, he's not being arch and clever-clever. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

He sits beside Shen Wei on the sofa, drawing his legs up with his feet on the seat.

aksdjfhalskdjfhaskldjfhaskldjfhaskldfjhasdklfjahsdlkfjhsdfla

I am weak for when Zhao Yunlan stands up and we get the nice distance view of his long, skinny body when he walks to the sofa.

*makes helpless inarticulate noises and swoons*

What's your favorite detail about Zhao Yunlan's apartment?

Not a favourite, exactly, but I really want to know more about the file cards pinned to the wall. :-)

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Focus on: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan mutual apology scene (Episode 15)

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