GUARDIAN REWATCH - Episode 3

[trobadora]

Beginning of episode: At the university, Zhang Ruonan comes to Shen Wei's office.
Ending of episode: Shen Wei is caught at a crime scene in the alleys of Dragon City.

Content warning: featuring one rape victim, three rapists, and one avenging girlfriend who ends up harming the woman she meant to protect.



Important scenes/developments:

• Lin Jing investigates the Longevity Dial (so far it only responds to Zhao Yunlan)
• Zhao Yunlan visits Shen Wei, sneezes all over his office and eats his cake
• Zhao Yunlan introduces himself to Zhang Ruonan as "Professor Shen's ... good friend", significant pause included
• Shen Wei secretly saves Zhang Ruonan's life
• first instance of the Black-Cloaked Envoy letting a Dixingren go free
• Zhu Jiu realises Shen Wei isn't what he seems
• Shen Wei and Zhu Jiu are both looking for the Hallows
• Zhao Yunlan finds Shen Wei at the next crime scene in an alley

Visit count: Zhao Yunlan visits Shen Wei's office no less than three times!

Thoughts:

• Meaningfully, the episode focused on a pair of lesbians opens with a rather sapphic statue!
  
  
  
  (And it's not explicit that Zhang Ruonan and Wang Yike are lovers, of course, but it's about as much text, and as obvious, as the relationship between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. Who would say to a platonic friend, "I can finally let you touch my face without fear"?)


• I can't quite make out the file Shen Wei is contemplating at the start very clearly, but it doesn't look like Zhao Yunlan's - it looks like a woman's picture to me. He immediately hides it once he notices someone approaching. Anyone have any idea? (It could be Zhu Hong's? He's investigating the SID after all.)


• Zhang Ruonan is so traumatised, it's hard to watch. And Shen Wei knows something's wrong and tries to get her to tell him, but she doesn't. (Echoes of Li Qian.)


• Zhao Yunlan is at maximum obnoxious in this episode. He questions Shen Wei while sneezing all over his office and eating his cake, being as deliberately provocative as possible, watching Shen Wei's reactions like a hawk.
  
  


• Quote of the week: "In this world, there are three things that can't be trusted. One, the bellyband on a bestseller. Two, texts about winning a lottery. Three, coincidences in a case. I think that all coincidences are man-made."
  
  Zhao Yunlan is so suspicious of the coincidence that the victim was Shen Wei's student again, but for all his excellent intuition, it really is a coincidence. Neither the death of Lu Ruomei nor the attacks on Li Qian had anything to do with Shen Wei, and this episode's killings are unrelated to him in either of his identities as well.


• Regarding the sneezing: it's not just provocation aimed at Shen Wei; he does it all over the place. At the SID, at the university, at the hospital. His full-body sneezes are very expressive, but he doesn't even bother turning away from people, much less sneezing into his hand or arm. Ugh, Zhao Yunlan, NO.
  
  (I would like to believe that, at least as far as Shen Wei's office is concerned, Shen Wei uses black energy to sanitise the room afterwards ...)


• At the SID, Lin Jing is wearing a mask; in Professor Shen's office, Xiao-Guo is wearing a mask (put pulls it down at some point, bizarrely). I remember back when I was watching this the first time, I was wishing we could get away with wearing masks here when people had colds, but it would have been so unusual as to come across as incredibly pointed and rude. Look what a few years and a pandemic can change.


• One of the most iconic scenes of the episode: Zhang Ruonan getting introduced to Zhao Yunlan.
  
  
  
  Shen Wei: "This is ..." (I'm never sure whether he breaks off because he doesn't quite know what to say, or because he's letting Zhao Yunlan decide how he wants to be introduced. Probably both!)
  Zhao Yunlan: "Zhao Yunlan. I'm Professor Shen's ... good friend." (He speaks up very quickly, presumably due to not wanting to be introduced as Chief Zhao of the SID. But that pause before "good friend" is definitely him not quite knowing what to say instead. *g*)


• Of course, Zhao Yunlan immediately uses the opportunity to question Zhang Ruonan about the dead Zhang Hao. She reacts strongly to hearing about his death and rushes out - thereby guaranteeing she's on Zhao Yunlan's radar in connection with this case. And he immediately remarks she's either got low self-respect or she's been traumatised. Shen Wei speaks up to defend Zhang Ruonan. And he's wrong that she's got nothing to do with the case, but during this rewatch, I ended up wondering if Shen Wei's strong reaction is due to how the last case ended, with Zhao Yunlan accusing Li Qian of murder - wrongly, as it turned out.


• Also, regarding Shen Wei defending Zhang Ruonan and (later) Líu Yadong: he may be wrong, but his instincts are protective, and he's assuming the best of people. Which I think is a good approach for a dread figure of judgment with vast powers to destroy other people's lives - which may be why he cultivated it. (Not that it doesn't come naturally, too. But Shen Wei is too self-aware to not know what he's doing.)


• Something I didn't remember/realise before: Zhang Ruonan being a teaching assistant, so presumably a grad student or postdoc. And Shen Wei is clearly supervising her. Thanks to elenothar, who looked up the term used in Chinese, 助教 zhùjiào, to confirm it! And to shadaras, who pointed out her being a grad student would make more sense for her thinking it normal to be invited to a birthday party by a student.


• Zhao Yunlan sends Chu Shuzhi to question Wang Ziqiang - we don't see who he's talking to on the phone, but that's who appears in the next scene. So "win people over with kindness" was directed at him, LOL!


• Zhao Yunlan's excellent instincts/detective skills are really on display here. He picks up on who's involved in this case very quickly. Zhang Ruonan, Wang Ziqiang, Wang Yike, Liu Yadong. He even anticipates Wang Yike's phone call towards the end and has Lin Jing ready to trace it.


• When Zhao Yunlan visits Shen Wei again, Shen Wei tells him he's disrupting his work, and for the first time doesn't give him his focus - instead, he keeps writing while Zhao Yunlan talks. He seems annoyed with the investigation. (Still with Zhao Yunlan suspecting Zhang Ruonan's involvement?)
  
  Shen Wei also says he knows nothing about Wang Ziqiang and Wang Yike, but gives a character reference for Liu Yadong. (Ouch). At this point, Zhao Yunlan must have figured out Liu Yadong's involvement, because Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei he may be an expert in biology but clearly hasn't studied people. Shen Wei is being very intense when he asks in return whether if seeing through people would make things less painful and disappointing.
  
  


• Da Qing is supposed to shadow Wang Ziqiang at night. He just wants to eat some fish first, and then falls asleep instead. Wang Ziqiang promptly gets killed. On the one hand, he's such a cat! It makes sense! On the other, this is terrible, and the episode doesn't take it seriously enough. (Not that it makes light of it, but there's also no weight put on it either, much less any acknowledgment of guilt. And that's not due to lack of sympathy with a rapist; they don't know what the three students have done yet.)


• It takes so little to make Zhang Ruonan tell the story of what happened - all Zhao Yunlan does is ask. But she still doesn't mention the one surviving rapist, who's standing right beside her being smarmy all over her.
  
  Worst part of this: Liu Yadong doesn't seem to be worried at all about being exposed for what they did, either. He's only afraid of being killed. That does not say good things about Haixing's society, and so perhaps it's no wonder Zhang Ruonan didn't tell anyone other than Wang Yike.


• Regarding the flashback: at first it looks like they just stood her up, humiliating her by making her wait for a party that didn't exist. And perhaps that's how it started out, but they don't leave it at that. And we don't see what actually happened, just a masked man snatching her; the rest is all in her traumatised reaction to them afterwards, which makes it all abundantly clear. I feel like in a Western show, more would have been depicted, and it wouldn't have been good.


• What really struck me this time: Da Qing isn't the only one on this case who doesn't seem to take things very seriously. What is Zhao Yunlan thinking? Consider: he knows from the Roman numerals that there's a third rapist/potential murder victim, and he clearly already suspects Liu Yadong (as he later says when he finds evidence via his third visit to Shen Wei's office: "as expected") - but he still sends Zhang Ruonan off with Liu Yadong. I assume it's meant to be a trap, but if so it's a very poorly enacted one, since it seems to depend on Zhao Yunlan arriving back in time, and even then he can't actually stop Wang Yike. Even if Zhang Ruonan hadn't tackled him and physically prevented him from chasing her, he had no way to protect himself from her powers.
  
  Also, Liu Yadong is dead by that point - not that Zhao Yunlan seems to care; he doesn't even check if he's really dead. And the dead body just lies there in the background for several more scenes. Just like Zhao Yunlan didn't seem to care about Wang Ziqiang's death, even though Da Qing could have prevented it. Honestly, this is all rather frustrating to me, not because the rapists deserve any sympathy but because it results in Zhao Yunlan looking rather careless and sloppy with his job, despite all his cleverness in figuring things out.


• Zhao Yunlan apparently tells Zhang Ruonan's whole story to Shen Wei before getting the evidence he needs from him. Privacy, what is that?
  
  


• Zhao Yunlan asks Zhang Ruonan what relationship she has with Wang Yike, the same question Zhu Jiu will ask later about Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. :D


• In a flashback, Zhang Ruonan tells Wang Yike to stop killing, and says she'll surrender and confess in her place. Wang Yike naturally refuses. Sacrifice theme! Mutual protectiveness! ♥
  
  In the present, Zhao Yunlan says Wang Yike has been around for "so long" and never hurt anyone; she must be doing it only for Zhang Ruonan - but now if Zhang Ruonan takes the blame for her, what's the point of what Wang Yike did for her? (The point is that it's mutual, of course.)


• Very cool: Wang Yike with her hand on Shen Wei's neck while he looks at her entirely unaffected. He just stands there letting her power not work on him, similar to what he did with the hospital attacker. And then that threatening step forward again!


• Wang Yike: "Someone like you will never understand what she means to me! So long as I can protect her, my life has worth."
  
  


• Zhao Yunlan and Lao-Chu arrive to "save" Shen Wei, a puppet string pulling Wang Yike's hand away from him. Zhao Yunlan asks Shen Wei if he's okay; Zhang Ruonan rushes in and asks Wang Yike if she's okay. (Parallels!)
  
  


• Zhao Yunlan is strongly affected - unlike everything else, this gets under his skin: Wang Yike inadvertently harming the woman she'd meant to protect.


• More of what Zhang Ruonan and Wang Yike mean to each other: Zhang Ruonan says without Wang Yike, she wouldn't have been able to survive that day. Wang Yike says only Zhang Ruonan never treated her like a monster. (The bit about only Zhang Ruonan treating her like a person mirrors the young Envoy with Kunlun ... no wonder Shen Wei sympathises!)


• Shen Wei's sneaky little look before interfering and saving Zhang Ruonan! (And here he needs to touch; this is more complex than throwing up a shield, apparently!)
  
  


• Zhu Jiu (dramatically playing with his xiangqi pieces) has noticed what no one else present did - Shen Wei neutralising Wang Yike's power. (At the SID, Da Qing speculates she survived because she's been close to Wang Yike for a long time; Zhu Hong says it's not as if someone could have saved her right under their eyes.) Does he have Wang Yike bugged? (More likely: Ya Qing was watching from the window.)


• The last time we see Zhang Ruonan, she's in a wheelchair, and leaving university. The scene makes it look as if she'll remain alone; then we switch to the SID, then to Shen Wei in his office, and only then do we get a flashback of what happened next, namely Wang Yike appearing, not gone and in Dixing after all. One of the drama's main motifs, things not being as they seem! And for the first time, we discover the Black-Cloaked Envoy sometimes lets Dixingren go - and she did use her power to kill, so it's not even a case of "she didn't do anything".


• Also, Shen Wei is already planning to move closer to Zhao Yunlan! (Though we don't find out about where he's moving yet.) And as he looks at the thank you photo he got from Wang Yike and Zhang Ruonan, he touches his pendant through his clothes. This is the first time we see that gesture from him - but the viewer is primed to notice anyway because we've already had Li Qian and her emotionally significant pendant. *g*


• Lost in thought, Shen Wei murmurs, "It turns out I'm not the only one who can't understand people." I was never sure what that was about. Of course it didn't help that the original subs confusingly had this as just, "I'm not the only one who can't figure it out", but even though with better subs or the Chinese original it's perfectly clear this is a callback to his earlier conversation with Zhao Yunlan (Zhao Yunlan telling him he hasn't studied people; Shen Wei asking if seeing through people really would make things better) I'm still not sure. Is it about no one guessing he let Wang Yike go?


• We see Xiao-Guo writing in his diary for the first time (unless I'm forgetting something?), and it's an excellent device for making some parallels explicit. He points out Li Qian and her grandma, and Zhang Ruonan and Wang Yike, re: using their lives to protect their loved ones, a major theme of the drama. And voices his desire to to stay at the SID and become someone who can guard everyone. ♥
  
  


• Next case: Lao-Chu and Zhu Hong are out in the alleys. Zhu Hong is complaining: "I'm a secretary, not a field agent!" and: "When have you seen a snake who likes to walk?" LOL!


• Shen Wei (without his glasses) is searching with black energy, and Zhu Jiu taunts him, laughing. Since Zhu Jiu seems to be responding to Shen Wei's thoughts there, I wonder if Shen Wei was "talking" to himself through black energy. (Is that a thing? I'm saying it's a thing now. *g*) And Zhu Jiu is clearly in the process of figuring out who Shen Wei is.


• From the screams to Zhu Hong yawning, making it look for a fraction of a second like she's the one screaming. Great transition! She catches someone sneaking around, and attacks him with her powers. (First instance of that! She doesn't use them often.)


• And one of my favourite moments: Zhao Yunlan confronting someone at a crime scene, and Shen Wei first puts his glasses on before he turns around and reveals himself! :D
  
  
  
  (This also shows that the glasses are part of a disguise the same way his mask is; when Shen Wei is just being himself on his own, he's wearing Haixing clothes but no glasses.)

Discussion starters:

• What's your favourite moment in this episode?


• Anything you didn't remember or noticed for the first time during this rewatch? I had totally forgotten that Zhang Ruonan is a teaching assistant, for example!


• When Zhang Ruonan comes to Shen Wei's office at the start, do you think she was considering talking to him? (Instead, she brings up Li Qian, making for a lovely bit of continuity. ♥) She does approach him multiple times in this episode, and she always has other reasons, but I wonder how close she was to telling him what happened ...


• About Zhao Yunlan's cold: I always thought it was at least partially due to the Sundial's effects on him. (He's holding it multiple times this episode, and Lin Jing points out that it only responded to him. The second time we see in the Hanga arc, he's also carrying the Sundial around on his body. And Li Qian is coughing in one of her flashbacks (episode 1, 29:47, don't ask how long I just spent tracking that down ...). What do you think?
  
  


• When Zhao Yunlan aims all his provocative sneezing and cake-eating at Shen Wei, what reaction is he looking for? What do you think he gets out of Shen Wei's (non-)reaction?
  
  And what do you think he thinks about Shen Wei refusing to give him full attention in the next office scene?


• Two questions about medicine:
  
  Wang Yike gets meds for congenital anaemia, but has never had a physical exam. I keep wondering how that works - who prescribed it for her?
  
  And Zhu Hong brings Zhao Yunlan medicine - is that Snake Tribe medicine? (Lin Jing makes a face when Zhao Yunlan drinks it.


• Regarding Da Qing falling asleep on duty: does Zhao Yunlan putting him on this job mean he doesn't usually fail, or simply that the stakes have never before been high enough for it to matter?


• Shen Wei asks him if seeing through people would make things less painful and disappointing, and tells him that "Many tragedies were destined from the beginning." I'm never sure what exactly is on his mind here, but this time round, it struck me that Zhang Ruonan had said earlier (with regard to Professor Shen having his students' best interest at heart), "good intentions may not always be rewarded", and these statements feel related to me ...
  
  What do you think he's thinking of when he talks about tragedies?


• Zhang Ruonan says she knows Wang Yike is from Dixing, and has a special power. She doesn't seem surprised by either, even in her flashbacks, so she must have known before meeting Wang Yike. Any thoughts about how?
  
  (I do find it kind of conspicuous how many people in Shen Wei's or an adjacent field know something: Professor Ouyang is working on that very topic at the lab; Professor Zhou is working with him; Professor Shen himself knows - and in Professor Ouyang's eyes that isn't a sign of him not being Haixingren -, and now Zhang Ruonan ...)


• Why do you think Wang Yike goes after Shen Wei? She calls him a hypocrite, and says he was so close to Zhang Ruonan, he must be planning something. Is she just jealous?


• When Zhang Ruonan's life is drained, Zhao Yunlan tells Xiao-Guo to call Wang Zheng; he says there's information at the department. Xiao-Guo says he's seen it; he'll find it. And he starts leafing through his notebook. What the hell are they talking about?! (I didn't remember this at all!)


• Regarding the alleys at the end of the episode: why is everyone here? The SID seems to have some sort of lead on the face stealer case - and a correct one, since Zhang Danni is also there, but why is Shen Wei looking for the Hallows in this place? And why is Zhu Jiu there to find him?


• What do you think about how this episode treats the lesbian couple, overall? I know opinions vary, but personally I always thought the episode was 100% on their side, and the tragedy doesn't take away from that - romantic tragedy is perhaps the quintessential cdrama trope, after all. And the het couples get no better fate. At least Wang Yike and Zhang Ruonan get to stay together.


• And since the plot of the week is rather heavy, let's end with something more light-hearted:
  
  
  Poll #28354

  Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 13

  
  

  View Respondents

  
  

  What's your favourite comedy moment in this episode?

  View Answers
  

  Lin Jing mockingly imitating Zhao Yunlan's grandiose statement about being extra-special
  4 (30.8%)

  Xiao-Guo jumping into Lao-Chu's arms
  5 (38.5%)

  Xiao-Guo telling Zhao Yunlan that "we do all the work, you just give orders"
  3 (23.1%)

  something else (see comments)!
  1 (7.7%)

Let's talk about episode 3!
Come and talk about this episode - anything from favourite scenes or lines of dialogue to notes/questions about continuity or translation, most gorgeous (or angsty) smile, or anything else that strikes your fancy! And share links to your own and/or others' episode-related meta, picspams, and fanworks, new or old!

Comments

Links to episode 3 fanworks and meta go here!

[trobadora]

Please reply to this comment with links to:

• any other episode reactions or related meta
• fanworks, picspams, squee, etc, relating to episode 3 generally or to specific scenes, characters, or events in this episode

Link to your own works and/or others'. Help us build as comprehensive a collection of links as possible!

Re: Links to episode 3 fanworks and meta go here!

[china_shop]

My episode 3 fanworks
A few icons of Wang Yike by me
Transformative Work -- after the Wang Yike case, Lin Jing sets out to squash rumours at the university
Answer to a Dream -- Shen Wei masturbating while thinking about Zhao Yunlan stealing his cake (angst!)

One by someone else
Episode 3: Operation Campus Cat, A Covert Investigation By Chief Infiltrator Da Qing by missingnowrites for the The Marvelous (Mis)adventures of Da Qing King of Cats festival.

People's episode reactions and meta
sakana17's episode notes/summary
shadaras's episode notes
extrapenguin's Episode by Episode: 03
I did a scene discussion about Shen Wei introducing Zhao Yunlan to Teacher Zhang
Discussion of ZYL's sneezing and cake-stealing

Re: Links to episode 3 fanworks and meta go here!

[trobadora]

sakana17 transcribed what's on the blackboard at 27:46 in this episode:

https://guardian-learning.dreamwidth.org/125864.html?thread=1046952#cmt1046952

Re: Links to episode 3 fanworks and meta go here!

[miss_ingno]

Shen Wei, Accidental Lesbian Whisperer Chapter 2 "Zhang Ruonan" by me, content warning for what happens in canon + rape aftermath & sexism in academia

and my set of notes!

[satsuma]

(It could be Zhu Hong's? He's investigating the SID after all.)

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be hers, yeah -- the red dress seems like her style and the hair is vaguely the right length

Regarding the sneezing: it's not just provocation aimed at Shen Wei; he does it all over the place. At the SID, at the university, at the hospital. His full-body sneezes are very expressive, but he doesn't even bother turning away from people, much less sneezing into his hand or arm. Ugh, Zhao Yunlan, NO.

Even before the pandemic I hated this bit tbh. And I think China is one of the countries that got hit badly by SARS, so I imagine the post-COVID reactions we're having were...semi intentional? Maybe not quite so dramatic but like, broadly speaking they were already culturally part way there? Besides the sneezing I do like the cake scene. It's a v interesting dynamic

Honestly, this is all rather frustrating to me, not because the rapists deserve any sympathy but because it results in Zhao Yunlan looking rather careless and sloppy with his job, despite all his cleverness in figuring things out.

Yeah the show does kind of signal that you don't need to feel too sympathetic towards the boys with its complete lack of any kind of sympathy even before the reveal, which makes this a bit less obvious? But it does look a bit odd that the characters who have 0 of that info aren't nearly as concerned as they should be (or usually are!)

[trobadora]

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be hers, yeah -- the red dress seems like her style and the hair is vaguely the right length

Oh, good! So glad you're seeing it too, I wasn't sure because the picture isn't very clean but I couldn't think of anyone else who'd fit that look.

And I think China is one of the countries that got hit badly by SARS, so I imagine the post-COVID reactions we're having were...semi intentional? Maybe not quite so dramatic but like, broadly speaking they were already culturally part way there?

Oh hell, yeah, that's an excellent point! That would have read much more appalling to a Chinese audience than it did to a Western one, even if covid obviously added to that ...

But it does look a bit odd that the characters who have 0 of that info aren't nearly as concerned as they should be (or usually are!)

Yes, this! It feels a bit like they've read the script and know they don't need to care. *g*

[miss_ingno]

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be hers, yeah -- the red dress seems like her style and the hair is vaguely the right length

Agreed! I think it's a face shot of her in the red dress from episode 4, actually, it's blurry enough to hide the choker she's wearing but the straps/cut of the dress, make-up and hairstyle fit.

[china_shop]

My notes/things I noticed this time round:

• I'd totally forgotten the opening conversation between Shen Wei and Zhang Ruonan! In which a) we learn the department is talking about Li Qian and feels it's a shame what happened to her, and b) Zhang Ruonan talks about herself but Shen Wei takes it as being about him. (Kind of tragic how the women in Shen Wei's life are falling apart, one after another. /o\)
• Re the Sundial testing, does being Lord of the Guardians literally give Zhao Yunlan special powers? Is there a seal or something (like the red seal that lets people through the security barrier)? Or is Zhao Yunlan just bragging based on braggadocio? (Lin Jing seems to think so!)
• Zhu Hong expresses attraction through nagging, and Da Qing totally notices.
• When Zhang Ruonan sees Shen Wei holding the cake, there's the spooky musical cue that I associate with mischievous Dixing activity. This has to be a misdirect, I think? But it's pretty subtle and, in retrospect, kind of gross.
• Guo Changcheng's reaction to Zhao Yunlan sneezing in Shen Wei's office is amazing: he's torn between covering his own face, trying to help Zhao Yunlan stay on his feet, and silently apologising to Shen Wei -- and doesn't manage any of those things! It's a wonderful bit of background characterisation. (10:44)
• Shen Wei seems far more concerned about Zhang Ruonan than the dead student.
• It bothers me that the Class Rep guy says of the dead guy, "Even though I've quarrelled with him before..." and Zhao Yunlan doesn't ask what they argued about. That seems like bad interviewing. But! Then Guo Changcheng asks a good question, and Zhao Yunlan notices. ♥
• Lol, Zhao Yunlan spends all his time sleeping on the couch, then gets offended when Guo Changcheng notices. "I'm already sick -- don't make me skin you alive!" Hee!
• Is the pic in Changcheng's notebook supposed to be cat!Da Qing?
• At the hospital, Zhao Yunlan says after the encounter with Wang Yike, "Why didn't she dupe you? You're easy to bluff." 她怎么没讹你啊 你多好忽悠啊 What? I don't know what he means by that.
• Shen Wei: Chief Zhao, I have a duty to offer up clues. But you coming to disturb me at work repeatedly is making things difficult for me." 赵处长 我有提供线索的义务可你三番五次地来打扰我工作你这让我很为难 (16:49) -- does Shen Wei mean politically, or emotionally, or is it that he wants to be out there looking for the killer himself? And then Zhao Yunlan comes back with, "Aren't we also afraid of another student getting killed?" which YES! And Shen Wei gives an unsolicited character reference, and ZYL says Shen Wei doesn't understand people.
  SW: Will seeing through people really lessen the hurt and disappointment? Many tragedies were destined from the beginning. 把人通通都看透了就能减轻痛苦和失望吗很多悲剧 从开头就已经注定了 (Subtext: I was always going to meet you like this, because time loop, and it was always going to suck. Ow!)
• Stakeout!Da Qing is so much like his cat!self! Hee!
• The by-play with the letter opener (where Zhao Yunlan waves it in Shen Wei's face, and Shen Wei gives it a look so Zhao Yunlan puts it away) is such a great metaphor/demonstration of Zhao Yunlan's suspicious attacks and interrogations, and his signalling he's sheathing his metaphorical weapon. ♥! Also, I love Shen Wei's tiny huff when he puts it away.
• How did the class rep fail the class?? Shouldn't he have lost his class rep status at that point??
• Victim #3 is just lying there, and no one cares at all.
• Flashback: Zhang Ruonan already knows about Dixing, and Wang Yike is tragic and gorgeous. *pets her*
• Zhu Hong's eyerolling at having to play big sis. Ha! (By episode 8, she consciously chooses to do it with Wang Zheng, after the sex doll teasing, aww.)
• ZYL: She must've done all of this for you. But now, you are trying to take the blame for her. Then, what's the point of her doing all this?" 所以说她做的这一切都是为了你 而你现在要替她来顶罪 那她做的这一切还有什么意义啊 -- Zhao Yunlan can't seriously mean Zhang Ruonan shouldn't try to protect Wang Yike in return, can he? That seems so weird for him (and wildly hypocritical).
• Ooh, Shen Wei's reaction to Zhao Yunlan's fierce, "If you can absorb it, you can return it." (Seriously, no one cared AT ALL about Mr Class Rep. The contrast is really stark.) Is Shen Wei moved by Zhao Yunlan's concern, protective of Wang Yike, or figuring out on-the-fly <em>how</em> to return it/save Zhang Ruonan?
• Who was Guo Changcheng supposed to be calling? Zhao Yunlan snaps at him, but I lost track.
• How important is it, thematically, that the hidden monsters in this episode are humans?
• Shen Wei: "I'm not the only one who can't figure it out." ?? (Also, so Shen Wei did take that pic after all, right? Despite his camera protestations?)
• Guo Changcheng starts a new diary. (But when did Shen Wei say that? Also, how did the Envoy take Wang Yike away?) Guo Changcheng, my heart! ♥!
• New case, Lin Jing is dreaming. Hilarious that Zhao Yunlan asks, "Which girl were you dreaming of, Wang Zheng or Zhu Hong?")
• Kind of love that Zhu Hong is very shouty and complainy, and Chu Shuzhi is completely unperturbed by this. Also, the blast of red snake energy!!
• Zhao Yunlan: This should have nothing to do with you. (40:32) Ahh, I love that he's talking to Shen Wei in his head!!

I'll be back with a post reaction soon. :-)

[trobadora]

Great points all! Looking forward to more. :D

Re the Sundial testing, does being Lord of the Guardians literally give Zhao Yunlan special powers? Is there a seal or something (like the red seal that lets people through the security barrier)? Or is Zhao Yunlan just bragging based on braggadocio? (Lin Jing seems to think so!)

I think he's just bragging, and the actual reaction comes from the time loop - the Hallows already know him from back in the day.

Zhu Hong expresses attraction through nagging, and Da Qing totally notices.

Haha, yes!

When Zhang Ruonan sees Shen Wei holding the cake, there's the spooky musical cue that I associate with mischievous Dixing activity. This has to be a misdirect, I think? But it's pretty subtle and, in retrospect, kind of gross.

Huh. I never notice the music unless it's particularly obtrusive, and I didn't pick up on anything in that scene. It would be interesting to hear about this from other people with an affinity for music!

Is the pic in Changcheng's notebook supposed to be cat!Da Qing?

Damn, I meant to mention that in my post and forgot! I have no idea; I can't recognise what it's supposed to be. *g*

At the hospital, Zhao Yunlan says after the encounter with Wang Yike, "Why didn't she dupe you? You're easy to bluff." 她怎么没讹你啊 你多好忽悠啊 What? I don't know what he means by that.

I thought he meant she should have blamed him for running into her and extorted some kind of apology or something, even though she was totally the one who ran into him. No idea if that's right!

Shen Wei: Chief Zhao, I have a duty to offer up clues. But you coming to disturb me at work repeatedly is making things difficult for me." 赵处长 我有提供线索的义务可你三番五次地来打扰我工作你这让我很为难 (16:49) -- does Shen Wei mean politically, or emotionally, or is it that he wants to be out there looking for the killer himself?

I thought he was just still annoyed and therefore not being cooperative; I didn't think he actually meant it about making things difficult for him ...

(Subtext: I was always going to meet you like this, because time loop, and it was always going to suck. Ow!)

Isn't "tragedy" a bit of a strong word for that? I suppose that's why I never could quite work out what he meant by it.

The by-play with the letter opener (where Zhao Yunlan waves it in Shen Wei's face, and Shen Wei gives it a look so Zhao Yunlan puts it away) is such a great metaphor/demonstration of Zhao Yunlan's suspicious attacks and interrogations, and his signalling he's sheathing his metaphorical weapon. ♥! Also, I love Shen Wei's tiny huff when he puts it away.

Ha, yes! Excellent observation! And Shen Wei's reaction shows how unbothered he is by Zhao Yunlan's suspicion, so long as it's directed at him and not at, say, Zhang Ruonan or Li Qian.

How did the class rep fail the class?? Shouldn't he have lost his class rep status at that point??

I have zero idea how that works in China! But yeah, sounds strange.

Victim #3 is just lying there, and no one cares at all.

RIGHT???? I noticed that too, WTF.

ZYL: She must've done all of this for you. But now, you are trying to take the blame for her. Then, what's the point of her doing all this?" 所以说她做的这一切都是为了你 而你现在要替她来顶罪 那她做的这一切还有什么意义啊 -- Zhao Yunlan can't seriously mean Zhang Ruonan shouldn't try to protect Wang Yike in return, can he? That seems so weird for him (and wildly hypocritical).

IMO what he's saying is, "Wang Yike is trying to protect you; if you take the blame now, she's done all of this for nothing." But of course that's how mutual protectiveness works, and so isn't going to sway Zhang Ruonan. I don't think it's hypocritical yet, though, because he hasn't had that kind of relationship with anyone and so he doesn't quite get it yet.

Is Shen Wei moved by Zhao Yunlan's concern, protective of Wang Yike, or figuring out on-the-fly how to return it/save Zhang Ruonan?

I think he's moved by Zhao Yunlan's concern, and also moved by Zhao Yunlan thinking a Dixing power can be something other than destructive ...

How important is it, thematically, that the hidden monsters in this episode are humans?

Oh, great point! Very important, IMO - here and in the other cases where it happens. For an agency that mainly deals with DIxingren criminals, the SID runs into a lot of bad Haixingren as well, and I think that's great.

(Also, so Shen Wei did take that pic after all, right? Despite his camera protestations?)

Since it seems to be a thank you card, maybe someone else took it for Zhang Ruonan and Wang Yike? Idk.

(But when did Shen Wei say that? Also, how did the Envoy take Wang Yike away?)

Offscreen, clearly. Presumably before everyone left Shen Wei's office? And Wang Yike must have been arrested for murder and handed over to the Envoy, even though no one seemed to care about the murder victims at all.

Zhao Yunlan: This should have nothing to do with you. (40:32) Ahh, I love that he's talking to Shen Wei in his head!!

Oh! Yes! Another thing I meant to mention in my post, and then didn't. (It was already too long!) But I love the way it cuts directly from ZYL saying it should have nothing to do with SW, to SW being in the same area, LOL.

[china_shop]

Zhao Yunlan is at maximum obnoxious in this episode.

Not just with Shen Wei, either! His management style is full of exasperation and threats. I wonder if the rash of murders is getting to him/pushing his buttons. Something bigger is going on beyond what he's seeing, and despite his apparent lackadaisical manner, he's under a lot of pressure to figure out it (and it seems to all tie back to Shen Wei).

Zhao Yunlan is so suspicious of the coincidence that the victim was Shen Wei's student again, but for all his excellent intuition, it really is a coincidence.

Right? I mean, it's good to be suspicious, given his job, but coincidences happen all the time.

(I would like to believe that, at least as far as Shen Wei's office is concerned, Shen Wei uses black energy to sanitise the room afterwards ...)

Hee! <3

Shen Wei: "This is ..." (I'm never sure whether he breaks off because he doesn't quite know what to say, or because he's letting Zhao Yunlan decide how he wants to be introduced. Probably both!)

Yeah, I think both. Plus, obviously mentioning the SID is a sensitive subject both for Shen Wei's career and Zhao Yunlan's operating covertly. (And it sounds like the university wanted the murders covered up as much as possible, too.)

But that pause before "good friend" is definitely him not quite knowing what to say instead. *g*

And maybe testing Shen Wei's reaction? There's definitely a lot of weaponised flirting in this episode.

but during this rewatch, I ended up wondering if Shen Wei's strong reaction is due to how the last case ended, with Zhao Yunlan accusing Li Qian of murder

Ahhh, that's such a great point! Yes, Shen Wei is finding himself in the unpleasant position of having to defend people from the suspicious, determined investigations of the one-day-will-be love of his life. No wonder he's cranky. (Plus Zhao Yunlan is being really rude and being careless of his own health. /o\)

he may be wrong, but his instincts are protective, and he's assuming the best of people. Which I think is a good approach for a dread figure of judgment with vast powers to destroy other people's lives - which may be why he cultivated it.

Yes! (We talked about that before here, FWIW.)

Zhang Ruonan being a teaching assistant, so presumably a grad student or postdoc. And Shen Wei is clearly supervising her.

Ohhh, that's awesome! Thanks for that. (And poor Shen Wei! Two of his mentees in a row!!) That also explains better why Wang Yike might consider Shen Wei responsible for what happened.

Da Qing is supposed to shadow Wang Ziqiang at night. He just wants to eat some fish first, and then falls asleep instead. Wang Ziqiang promptly gets killed. On the one hand, he's such a cat! It makes sense! On the other, this is terrible, and the episode doesn't take it seriously enough.

/o\ /o\ /o\ You'd think the DoS would have something to say about that, too!

Zhao Yunlan asks Zhang Ruonan what relationship she has with Wang Yike, the same question Zhu Jiu will ask later about Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. :D

Fwiw, I think that's a more common (and probably less rude) question in some Asian cultures? It definitely comes up in Kdramas from time to time, in a "just to clarify" kind of way.

Wang Yike: "Someone like you will never understand what she means to me! So long as I can protect her, my life has worth."

*hugs Wang Yike so much*

Shen Wei's sneaky little look before interfering and saving Zhang Ruonan!

Yes, and there are other SID members standing right there, but he doesn't check any of them -- only Zhao Yunlan. *g*

but even though with better subs or the Chinese original it's perfectly clear this is a callback to his earlier conversation with Zhao Yunlan (Zhao Yunlan telling him he hasn't studied people; Shen Wei asking if seeing through people really would make things better) I'm still not sure. Is it about no one guessing he let Wang Yike go?

Perhaps that Zhao Yunlan doesn't understand Shen Wei? He's doing all this poking and needling, but he still doesn't know who Professor Shen is, can't read him, and he thinks the Envoy is formidable and harsh, without mercy.

And voices his desire to to stay at the SID and become someone who can guard everyone. ♥

♥ ♥ ♥

What's your favourite moment in this episode?

Very tough choice, but probably the cake stealing/eating scene. asfldkadfa

When Zhang Ruonan comes to Shen Wei's office at the start, do you think she was considering talking to him?

I hadn't considered that. Maybe! (It would have been such a different episode if she had, too. What would Shen Wei have done? I'd love to read that AU.)

About Zhao Yunlan's cold: I always thought it was at least partially due to the Sundial's effects on him.

It does seem strangely random otherwise. Maybe it's foreshadowing the dark energy corruption? (Maybe it has immunosuppressing powers.)

When Zhao Yunlan aims all his provocative sneezing and cake-eating at Shen Wei, what reaction is he looking for? What do you think he gets out of Shen Wei's (non-)reaction? And what do you think he thinks about Shen Wei refusing to give him full attention in the next office scene?

I think it confirms that Shen Wei is hiding something, and piques Zhao Yunlan's interest even further.

And Zhu Hong brings Zhao Yunlan medicine - is that Snake Tribe medicine? (Lin Jing makes a face when Zhao Yunlan drinks it.

I suspect it's just the regular traditional Chinese medicine they got from the hospital. Afaik, that's usually mixed with water. Lin Jing's face will be because medicine is usually really bitter (that's how you know it's good for you!). The fact that Zhao Yunlan can gulp it down like that kind of parallels with his drinking in the Hanga arc, I think.

When Zhang Ruonan's life is drained, Zhao Yunlan tells Xiao-Guo to call Wang Zheng; he says there's information at the department. Xiao-Guo says he's seen it; he'll find it. And he starts leafing through his notebook. What the hell are they talking about?! (I didn't remember this at all!)

Maybe something to do with the Dial and life force permutation? Except Lin Jing is right there, so that doesn't work. I'm not sure about this either.

but why is Shen Wei looking for the Hallows in this place?

Ohh, it's the Hallows! I thought he was looking for the serial killer. If it's the Hallows, I mean, he's not far off the Merit Brush and the Guardian Lantern. Maybe they're starting to resonate (in an unhelpfully vague way), now that the Dial has activated a few times?

Favourite comedy moment: Guo Changcheng in the background while Zhao Yunlan is sneezing all over Shen Wei's office.

And I forgot to say above, it's interesting that Guo Changcheng is shadowing Zhao Yunlan this episode, rather than Chu Shuzhi. Are they rounding out his skillset, or did Chu Shuzhi insist on a reprieve? *g*

Great post! I love the observations and points you raised, and the screencaps are beautiful. <3

[elenothar]

Shen Wei: Chief Zhao, I have a duty to offer up clues. But you coming to disturb me at work repeatedly is making things difficult for me." 赵处长 我有提供线索的义务可你三番五次地来打扰我工作你这让我很为难 (16:49) -- does Shen Wei mean politically, or emotionally, or is it that he wants to be out there looking for the killer himself?

I always thought this was a mix between an early foreshadowing to the Dean later telling Shen Wei he needs to choose between his university job and his SID consulting (I know he's not officially consulting here yet, but Zhao Yunlan is taking up his working time with it already...) and just the social/reputational hit from being constantly "questioned" by law enforcement. Other people wouldn't know, after all, that the Chief of the SID also has interpersonal motivations with these visits

[kate]

I had watched 3/4 of the ep, then read this comment, and went back to watch it again!!!

When Zhang Ruonan sees Shen Wei holding the cake, there's the spooky musical cue that I associate with mischievous Dixing activity. This has to be a misdirect, I think?

I think that motif is basically "hey, there's something to notice here!" It may be used for Dixingren shenanigans too, but in this case, I think it was letting us know to look for clues about the cake. Completely unnecessary given the editing and Zhang Ruonan's reaction to it, but. The music is definitely not subtle. The most interesting thing to me is how French it is. It sounds so much like Debussy.

I went back and watched the first two episodes to see if I could find it again – I noticed the music when I'd heard it previously, because of how it sounded so very French – and it is there in the second episode when Chu Shuzhi is berating Lin Jing, Zhu Hong, and Wang Zheng about filming the Black Cloak envoy. But it doesn't play until he asks about xiao Guo. So that supports my theory that it's supposed to signify something going on that isn't being explicitly stated. (I don't think it's a big mystery as to why Guo Changcheng is at SID but it is still a mystery at this point, I think?)

[facethestrange]

"Guo Changcheng's reaction to Zhao Yunlan sneezing in Shen Wei's office is amazing: he's torn between covering his own face, trying to help Zhao Yunlan stay on his feet, and silently apologising to Shen Wei -- and doesn't manage any of those things! It's a wonderful bit of background characterisation. (10:44)"

Thank you for pointing it out so that I could re-watch it 3 times. xD I ADORE HIM, he's so 100% dorky even when he doesn't have a speaking role. :D

[elenothar]

Also, regarding Shen Wei defending Zhang Ruonan and (later) Líu Yadong: he may be wrong, but his instincts are protective, and he's assuming the best of people. Which I think is a good approach for a dread figure of judgment with vast powers to destroy other people's lives - which may be why he cultivated it. (Not that it doesn't come naturally, too. But Shen Wei is too self-aware to not know what he's doing.)

This, yes. I was wondering about this myself and I think conscious choice on Shen Wei's part really is the only thing that explains it.

I always thought that Zhao Yunlan's colds were Hallows-related, yeah. They're always after he's been handling them, and make a nice bit of gentle foreshadowing re: the more deleterious effects of their use Shen Wei/HPS keeps warning about

Wang Yike gets meds for congenital anaemia, but has never had a physical exam. I keep wondering how that works - who prescribed it for her?

Given the number of Dixingren who seem to be in Haixing, I feel like there must be some doctor in the know who'll do under the table prescriptions etc, unless they just literally never get medicine and Wang Yike debunks that option. In general, there needs to be more set up than we see - Dixingren also clearly have IDs and such, since they can hold down normal jobs and go to university etc.

And Zhu Hong brings Zhao Yunlan medicine - is that Snake Tribe medicine? (Lin Jing makes a face when Zhao Yunlan drinks it.

Oh, I thought that was just the medicine they brought back from the hospital and she's the one who put it in a bowl because Zhao Yunlan apparently can't be bothered...

Zhang Ruonan says she knows Wang Yike is from Dixing, and has a special power. She doesn't seem surprised by either, even in her flashbacks, so she must have known before meeting Wang Yike. Any thoughts about how?

(I do find it kind of conspicuous how many people in Shen Wei's or an adjacent field know something: Professor Ouyang is working on that very topic at the lab; Professor Zhou is working with him; Professor Shen himself knows - and in Professor Ouyang's eyes that isn't a sign of him not being Haixingren -, and now Zhang Ruonan ...)

It's a good question... I can see a few options; maybe academics in general are more well-informed about Dixing than is explicitly stated (there must be some traces, after all, given the history and how many Dixingren seem to have fled top-side), or maybe that particular department knows a little more because both Professor Zhou and Professor Ouyang, who are the two senior people we see, seem to be involved in research regarding them, or maybe Shen Wei is dropping hints to people he thinks are trustworthy (I don't find that one very likely, tbh)

[trobadora]

This, yes. I was wondering about this myself and I think conscious choice on Shen Wei's part really is the only thing that explains it.

♥ ♥ ♥ So glad this makes sense to you too!

I always thought that Zhao Yunlan's colds were Hallows-related, yeah. They're always after he's been handling them, and make a nice bit of gentle foreshadowing re: the more deleterious effects of their use Shen Wei/HPS keeps warning about

Right? I love this kind of subtle foreshadowing, and another bit of tangible evidence for the Hallows' negative effects in addition to the nosebleed and the passing out.

Given the number of Dixingren who seem to be in Haixing, I feel like there must be some doctor in the know who'll do under the table prescriptions etc, unless they just literally never get medicine and Wang Yike debunks that option. In general, there needs to be more set up than we see - Dixingren also clearly have IDs and such, since they can hold down normal jobs and go to university etc.

Yeah, there has to be a lot going on behind the scenes, forged IDs and everything. I wish we knew more about that, and in general the lives of Dixingren in Haixing ...

Oh, I thought that was just the medicine they brought back from the hospital and she's the one who put it in a bowl because Zhao Yunlan apparently can't be bothered...

I guess my thoughts went to Snake Tribe medicine because if Zhao Yunlan was willing to actually go out of his way to go to the hospital for meds, you'd think he'd also take them himself without needing anyone to nudge him into it. But possibly Zhu Hong just ripped them out of his hands and set herself about doing ~something for him. *g*

Zhang Ruonan says she knows Wang Yike is from Dixing, and has a special power. She doesn't seem surprised by either, even in her flashbacks, so she must have known before meeting Wang Yike. Any thoughts about how?

I can see a few options; maybe academics in general are more well-informed about Dixing than is explicitly stated (there must be some traces, after all, given the history and how many Dixingren seem to have fled top-side), or maybe that particular department knows a little more because both Professor Zhou and Professor Ouyang, who are the two senior people we see, seem to be involved in research regarding them, or maybe Shen Wei is dropping hints to people he thinks are trustworthy (I don't find that one very likely, tbh)

Yeah, agreed about the unlikeliness of that last. The easiest explanation is probably that it's due to the department - that Professor Ouyang and Professor Zhou, when they were still at the university and not at the Ministry lab, were researching in that direction, got government funding and info (including about the existence of Dixing), and brought in some of their students. With Zhang Ruonan's the last generation to get pulled in, perhaps, before they left to work more directly for the government? Since Li Qian, who's a bit younger, doesn't seem to have known anything ... Even if they told the studints nothing classified, there would still be a chance for them to overhear things, and draw their own conclusions.

[china_shop]

or maybe that particular department knows a little more because both Professor Zhou and Professor Ouyang, who are the two senior people we see, seem to be involved in research regarding them

Oh, yes. Good point. I vote for that explanation. That might even be how Shen Wei ended up in that department? :-)

[china_shop]

Shen Wei speaks up to defend Zhang Ruonan. And he's wrong that she's got nothing to do with the case, but during this rewatch, I ended up wondering if Shen Wei's strong reaction is due to how the last case ended, with Zhao Yunlan accusing Li Qian of murder - wrongly, as it turned out.

Thinking about this more, I think you've hit the nail on the head here. I think Shen Wei is -- consciously or reflexively or both -- modelling "innocent until proven guilty" in the face of Zhao Yunlan's "everyone's a suspect/person of interest." Because Zhao Yunlan hasn't yet learned to temper solving a crime, ot1h, with compassion otoh, and both are important.

[trobadora]

modelling "innocent until proven guilty" in the face of Zhao Yunlan's "everyone's a suspect/person of interest."

Oooh, that's an excellent way to put it! And yeah, that's exactly it, isn't it? Zhao Yunlan isn't without compassion - we see that at the end, when he reacts so strongly - but he really needs to learn to employ it while investigating rather than being maximum suspicious in everyone's face.

[autodach]

Anything you didn't remember or noticed for the first time during this rewatch? I had totally forgotten that Zhang Ruonan is a teaching assistant, for example!

I did not catch on to that before the rewatch at all.
Possibly because of the way she is dressed, no grad student would look like that where I live XD


What's your favourite moment in this episode?

When Wang Yike tries to kill Shen Wei. I'm a sucker for Shen Wei being effortlessly threatening ❤️

[china_shop]

When Wang Yike tries to kill Shen Wei. I'm a sucker for Shen Wei being effortlessly threatening ❤️

So good!!! :D

[trobadora]

Yeah, she doesn't have the look, does she? I totally missed it too, or forgot, I can't tell.

I'm a sucker for Shen Wei being effortlessly threatening ❤️

Haha, you and me both! It's so great. I love that moment, and other moments like it, to pieces. :D

[kate]

So interestingly, I think I am interpreting something very differently than... well, everyone here, anyway. I haven't been in the broader fandom so I don't know if there's some meta I missed or something. To me, it seems as if the boys just played a prank on Zhang Ruonan. They set her up to meet them and then stood her up. Then she got raped by some rando on the way home. I didn't get the impression that the boys raped her, just that they lead to the circumstance that provided the opportunity for rape. I mean, it doesn't help things at all - it makes it even worse on all sides - like, killing the boys because of a prank (and, as pointed out above, no one at all giving a shit about them) and absolutely no attention paid to the rapist, even after finding out about it?

But it would explain why Liu Yadong asks for mercy, though - and perhaps he deserves it. It would also explain why the boys seem to have very little shame interacting with her. I can't imagine they'd be so bold as to actually see her if they'd done something so terrible as group rape her.

I took a look at the clothes the boys were wearing when they gave her the cake (an off-white sweater and a jean jacket, and some third guy in a color-blocked shirt who doesn't appear later - guessing it's supposed to be Liu Yadong? It looks like it could be him but we don't see his face) and they are wearing the same thing when they're in the background laughing at her and then leaving. The attacker was in a totally different outfit. I really think they are only responsible for causing the situation which allowed her to get raped, not for the rape itself. I think, also, the way Yike phrases her accusation against them - they caused her to lose her purity. Not they took it, they simply caused it to be lost.

[trobadora]

Oooh, this is fascinating, thank you for bringing it up! I think you're the first person to mention it, and now I want to know what everyone else thinks ...

I had thought about it before, because in the scene in question it does look like they just stood her up and laughed at her from around the corner - and then (after a small timeskip) someone snatches her, who could be one of them or could be someone entirely different. So it's very ambiguous. Here's what my thinking has been for why I've been taking the three students for the rapists anyway:

1. Zhang Ruonan's reaction to them is so immediate and traumatised! And IRL that could absolutely be because they're associated so strongly with that evening, and not because they had anything to do with her actual rape, but in a TV show, I'm reading it differently. I feel like on TV, correlation is very often used as a visual shortcut for causation, and her reaction points to them as the culprits. (As you say, if not, all the blame gets heaped on them anyway, and no mention is ever made of any other culprit, not by anyone ...)
   
   (ETA: More contextual clues - if they'd done nothing worse than stand her up, why would Wang Ziqiang immediately jump to the conclusion that the murder of Zhang Hao was because of that? That seems to point to a larger guilt, IMO.)


2. And things not being as they seem, and people being unexpectedly innocent of what they're accused of, is a theme and a recurring motif in Guardian, but this doesn't occur here at all - it's not mentioned even as a possibility. And I feel like it should have, if the viewer was to think that was the case.

So that's where I've been.

But I hadn't looked at the clothes very closely, and you made me go down a rabbit hole about the attacker 's outfit! It's all on screen so briefly. He's wearing a cap and a jacket and a mask that anyone could have put on, but also trainers with distinctive green shoelaces. I've been going through the episode, but haven't been able to find those anywhere else either. So your point stands.

I think, also, the way Yike phrases her accusation against them - they caused her to lose her purity

I think this is more ambiguous in the Chinese? As far as I can tell, 害 only ascribes responsibility to them, but that could be directly or indirectly ...

I mean, it doesn't help things at all - it makes it even worse on all sides - like, killing the boys because of a prank (and, as pointed out above, no one at all giving a shit about them) and absolutely no attention paid to the rapist, even after finding out about it?

100% agreed with this! /o\

[facethestrange]

I had zero time to write anything about this episode any earlier, but this doesn't reflect my enjoyment of this show which is still immense. :D (On the scale from adorable and silly to dark, this escalated quickly though!)

My number one fav is still Xiao-Guo and his purest soul and his diary scene! ♡♡♡ And from the post I'm assuming that the diary is going to be an ongoing thing? I am so excited for this, it was the cutest and softest, and I'm looking forward to it so much! :D

"Zhao Yunlan visits Shen Wei, sneezes all over his office and eats his cake"
LMAO, this is just a factual description and all but this sentence made me laugh. :D

"Regarding the flashback: at first it looks like they just stood her up, humiliating her by making her wait for a party that didn't exist."
I thought that was all they did, and then when the attack happened I thought it was unrelated and a coincidence? But that wouldn't make sense with what happens later, everything seems to be making it clear that they were just straight-up evil.

And I hope Da Qing doesn't feel bad at all for falling asleep because I'm double biased - Da Qing is my fav, and who cares if a rapist got murdered. (He didn't know it at that point, but hey, all's well that ends well.)

Also I was relating this episode to jacquelee as I watched it, and how Zhang Ruonan didn't end up dying after all but she's really old so she'll probably die soon anyway, and she said "maybe they'll find someone who has a power that can reverse it before she dies", and I know it's probably not going to happen but here I am clinging to that. xD

[trobadora]

I had zero time to write anything about this episode any earlier, but this doesn't reflect my enjoyment of this show which is still immense. :D (On the scale from adorable and silly to dark, this escalated quickly though!)

♥ ♥ ♥

Yeah, it does have darkness and angst as well as silliness and fun shenanigans! So glad you're still enjoying it. :D

And from the post I'm assuming that the diary is going to be an ongoing thing? I am so excited for this, it was the cutest and softest, and I'm looking forward to it so much! :D

Yep, this is not a one-off! It's great, his thoughts are delightful.

I thought that was all they did, and then when the attack happened I thought it was unrelated and a coincidence? But that wouldn't make sense with what happens later, everything seems to be making it clear that they were just straight-up evil.

You're not the only one! kate just brought it up above, and I wrote a bit about my thinking (ETA: link), but it's definitely fair to think they didn't rape her, even if that makes it weird that it never gets brought up. And misdirected vengeance is such a thing otherwise, which makes it all the more bizarre. Either way, the more I think about it the less things add up here.

and she said "maybe they'll find someone who has a power that can reverse it before she dies", and I know it's probably not going to happen but here I am clinging to that. xD

Just because it doesn't happen on screen doesn't mean it doesn't happen! *g*