Focus on blind!Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing at the hospital, ep 21

[china_shop]

Location: ep 21, 6:40 to 7:07 (here on Youtube)



Context: Shen Wei left Zhao Yunlan in Dr Cheng's care and went off to give a lecture. Zhao Yunlan is now in a waiting room, and Da Qing has arrived with snacks. Which he's eating, because cat.

Proving his detecting skills still work, Zhao Yunlan points an accusatory finger in the direction of the rustling and crunching. "Dead Cat, you are stealing my snacks again." 死猫 又偷吃我零食啊



Da Qing drops the wrappers on the coffee table and sits back with an air of offended dignity. "I am the esteemed Da Qing. Who says I am stealing? I am openly eating your snacks." 我堂堂大庆爷 这叫偷吃吗 这是明目张胆地吃

Zhao Yunlan makes a silent "Ohh" face.

Da Qing continues, "Then again, you are ill. You can't eat these anyway." 再说了 你都病了 这些东西你肯定吃不了



Zhao Yunlan sucks in a noisy breath and wags his finger, but he can't quite maintain the charade of seriousness. Half laughing, he says, "Makes sense!" 有道理啊



Da Qing grins because Zhao Yunlan is playing along with his game.



Zhao Yunlan strikes out with his feet, trying to kick Da Qing, and Da Qing shakes a packet of biscuits (cookies) at arm's length, trying to divert Zhao Yunlan's attack, like someone playing with a kitten.



Da Qing: Over here. 这这这 这儿 这儿

(Only a few screencaps, because caps really don't do this scene justice. Go watch!)

... and then Da Qing gets out the MP3 player and plays the SID's messages: Lin Jing wailing as if Zhao Yunlan has died, Changcheng telling a (quickly cut-off) joke, and Zhu Hong reading from The Ancient Mysteries. Interestingly, Da Qing has learned Shen Wei's other identity from Zhu Hong by now, but he doesn't mention it at all in this scene, even when the subject of the Envoy comes up.

What I love about this scene

I've watched this small moment dozens of times. I find it utterly adorable. I love Da Qing showing up with snacks for the invalid (and in his most respectable overalls) but treating Zhao Yunlan with all his usual casual disrespect. He doesn't pretend everything's normal -- he explicitly mentions Zhao Yunlan's illness -- but he exaggerates and misstates the effects of it, pointing out by his wrongness how trivial the disability is. (Of course Zhao Yunlan can still eat. He's not dead!) This is particularly effective since Da Qing's noisy rustling and crunching means Zhao Yunlan can hear exactly what's going on.

I love how comfortable they are together, how relaxed Zhao Yunlan is in Da Qing's presence and how much reliance and trust he has in him. (I love it for its own sake, and also as a pleasing contrast to the more adult, sizzlier connection Zhao Yunlan has with Shen Wei; they're such different relationship modes!)

And I love Da Qing playing a game by holding out the biscuit packet to try and deflect Zhao Yunlan's retaliation. So cute!

Both of them must be worried about the situation, under the surface, but here they find comfort in each other's company without talking about it. Comfort in teasing each other and laughing together. Whatever happens, they'll always have this.

Comments

[trepkos]

Da Qing has more than one set of overalls? I hadn't noticed! (I wish we'd seen him in his long hair and historical clothes more - am I alone in thinking he was hot?) Their relationship is so wonderful.

[china_shop]

I think he has some paler ones with tears in, as well. Possibly more than one pair. (See this screencap.) :-)

I wish we'd seen him in his long hair and historical clothes more - am I alone in thinking he was hot?

Hee! He's not my type, but I'm sure you're not alone!

Their relationship is so wonderful.

Yes! I love them so much! :-D

[trepkos]

Ah, yes - I'll look out for his overalls more next re-watch, and find out how many he actually has!

[plingo_kat]

(You're not alone in thinking he was hot in that getup!)

[trobadora]

This is such a lovely little scene! Da Qing munching on the snacks he brought, and claiming Zhao Yunlan can't eat them! Zhao Yunlan kicking with his socked feet! I love how playful and fond and normal this is, how Da Qing won't treat Zhao Yunlan any differently, how unworried he seems about the blindness. Which is exactly what Zhao Yunlan needs from him of course. :D

Zhao Yunlan strikes out with his feet, trying to kick Da Qing, and Da Qing shakes a packet of biscuits (cookies) at arm's length, trying to divert Zhao Yunlan's attack, like someone playing with a kitten.

OMG, you're right, that's exactly what it's like! :D

Interestingly, Da Qing has learned Shen Wei's other identity from Zhu Hong by now, but he doesn't mention it at all in this scene, even when the subject of the Envoy comes up.

Yes! Which is fascinating! I would love to know more about what's going on in Da Qing's head about that. (I always want to know more about everyone's reaction to the the Envoy reveal. *g*)

and in his most respectable overalls

He was already wearing those at the SID earlier, so he didn't put them on especially for meeting Zhao Yunlan at the hospital. But still!

Of course Zhao Yunlan can still eat. He's not dead!

I thought it was more of a "sick people/people in hospital aren't allowed to eat junk food" thing, but either way, Da Qing is exaggerating and making a joke of it - ZYL isn't that kind of sick, and he's not actually staying, so it doesn't apply to him.

a pleasing contrast to the more adult, sizzlier connection Zhao Yunlan has with Shen Wei; they're such different relationship modes

Right? They're such different bonds, and I love them both. :D

(I would love to see more of Da Qing worrying about Zhao Yunlan, but I feel sure that at least at this stage, he wouldn't let Zhao Yunlan see. Because that's not how the two of them work.)

[china_shop]

He was already wearing those at the SID earlier, so he didn't put them on especially for meeting Zhao Yunlan at the hospital.

Oh, good point! Dressed up for Reunion Festival, maybe?

I thought it was more of a "sick people/people in hospital aren't allowed to eat junk food" thing

Hm, maybe? But then, why bring them? They both acknowledge Da Qing brought them for Zhao Yunlan, right? (Or is that a translation thing?)

I would love to see more of Da Qing worrying about Zhao Yunlan, but I feel sure that at least at this stage, he wouldn't let Zhao Yunlan see.

I wonder how worried the two of them really are. Maybe it's like that bit in episode 4 where Zhao Yunlan says, "Damn Cat is not good at anything, but he's good at living. Otherwise, how could he have lived so long?" I think they both generally believe Zhao Yunlan will continue to blunder in and out of trouble, and things will work out in the end. (That appears to be Zhao Yunlan's reaction to time travelling 10k years, too. *g*) Plus, knowing the Envoy is on their side must be reassuring, and they have two of the Hallows, and strange things are afoot generally. Even if a solution to the problem hasn't presented itself yet, they're fairly sure one will (and why dwell on an unhappy outcome if it's not certain?).

(Counter-argument: Da Qing's expression earlier at the SID did seem a bit worried, so maybe he really is concerned and just hiding it.)

[plingo_kat]

Ah, I'd almost forgotten about this scene until I saw this post! It's such a great look into ZYL & DQ's relationship, how they're totally family/best friends.

Do we ever get a better glimpse of Da Qing's necklace? And also in the line of clothes, I admire his little overall chest pocket, very handy xD

[china_shop]

Yesssss! *smishes them forever*

Do we ever get a better glimpse of Da Qing's necklace?

I'm pretty sure it's his bells.

And oh, thank you for pointing out the chest pocket! I hadn't noticed that, and it's so him. :D :D :D

[plingo_kat]

I'm pretty sure it's his bells.
Oh yes, duh.

I pay close attention to pockets in clothing xD

[china_shop]

I pay close attention to pockets in clothing xD

This made me think about ZYL's jackets and jeans -- so many pockets, but I feel like he only uses his jeans pockets. Hooks his thumbs in the front, keeps his phone in there too? Or am I misremembering. Have you happened to notice?

[plingo_kat]

Hmm. I don't recall him ever using his jacket pockets for anything but his hands (during the mountain trip). He does keep his phone in his (front) jeans pocket, iirc.

[china_shop]

Is that the jacket he gives Shen Wei? Ohh, now I want him to have left, idk, a doodle or something revealing about his feels in the jacket pocket, and for Shen Wei to fiiiiind it... :-)

[plingo_kat]

Yeah, the black one. That would be so cute, if he left a reminder to buy SW a gift or something, and then when Shen Wei returned the jacket he wrote a little note back...!

[china_shop]

Eeeee, so cute! Maybe a list of brainstormed possible gift options, and Shen Wei puts a little tick next to the one he likes? (Does he ever actually give the jacket back? If not, he could always mysteriously put the note in Zhao Yunlan's jeans pocket... *g*)

[salamandras]

I love this scene! Da Qing is so adorable with his "Who says I am stealing? I am openly eating your snacks," and how he tries "to divert Zhao Yunlan's attack, like someone playing with a kitten" (it is!). I don't have anything to add, but I really enjoyed your write up.

[china_shop]

Yay, thanks so much for saying! *smishes them* :-D