GUARDIAN REWATCH - EPISODE 7

[bethctg]

Beginning of episode: We return to the alley where Shen Wei is about to be mugged.
Ending of episode: The "web novel killings" case has just been wrapped up, and Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are having a deep conversation in Shen Wei's office.

Important scenes/developments:

• We see Shen Wei's orb pendant for the first time!
  
• Zhao Yunlan "rescues" Shen Wei from the muggers.
  
• Zhao Yunlan visits Shen Wei's apartment for the first time, where Shen Wei (very sexily) tends to Zhao Yunlan's bruised arm.
  
• Zhao Yunlan asks Shen Wei to join the SID. Shen Wei declines.
  
• Zhao Yunlan accidentally reveals that he has been snooping in Shen Wei's apartment.
  
• We learn that both Lin Jing *and* Da Qing read web novels!
  
• While going over surveillance footage, Da Qing, Lin Jing, Chu Shuzhi, and Guo Changcheng are surprised to see Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei out together in the middle of the night. Zhao Yunlan gets all sheepish.
  
• Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan have a video conference (facilitated by an irritated Zhu Hong) to try to figure out what killed the mugger in the alley. Shen Wei knows a lot about bears! Other delightful flirting takes place, and Zhao Yunlan refers to Shen Wei as "a friend" when attempting to get him to stop being so cagey.
  
• Zhao Yunlan says that because he's met a number of the Dixing now, he "won't tar them all with the same brush".
  
• Do we get a glimpse of Ya Qing (in crow form) for the first time?
  
• Chu Shuzhi uses his strings to tangle with the youchu.
  
• Zhu Jiu learns that the SID has a dark energy shield, and reveals that he is after both the Longevity Dial and the Mountain River Awl.
  
• Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei have a heartwarming chat during which Shen Wei is moved by the fact that Zhao Yunlan has empathy for the plight of the Dixing people.

(Thoughts and pictures)

I've only seen the entire series once, so my thoughts will not be as nuanced as our other hosts. *g* Bear (ha! punny!) with me.

• I LOVE Shen Wei's "It is not something the likes of you may touch!" when the muggers try to grab the pendant. *rawwwwr!* If Zhao Yunlan hadn't shown up just then, he probably would have kicked their asses at this point. And the way that he stands so obediently against the wall (hands folded) while Zhao Yunlan is fighting for him... And! Zhao Yunlan calling him "the beauty in distress"!
  
  
  
  
• I also enjoyed the way that Shen Wei so carefully tucked his tie into his shirt before he began tending to Zhao Yunlan's wound. ♥
  
  
  
  
• Also enjoyable: the way Shen Wei offers to let Zhao Yunlan "interrogate" him while he works.
  
  
• Zhao Yunlan looks so let down after Shen Wei's INSTANT "No" upon being asked to join the SID. Awww...
  
  
• Lookit how flustered Shen Wei looks after being scolded for not inviting Zhao Yunlan over sooner!
  
  
  
  
• And for the love of god, LOOKIT how hot the OILING UP of Zhao Yunlan's FOREARM (I have such a thing for wrists and forearms) is!
  
  
  
  
• I swear I must have made the neighbors jump with the loud cackling I loosed at "I didn't expect you to have such skillful hands..." XD
  
  
  
  
• Just more rubbing...
  
  
  
  
• Shen Wei is breathing so heavily here, touching his chest (the pendant?) upon Zhao Yunlan's exit from the apartment:
  
  
  
  
• The muggers note Shen Wei's ("the four-eyed" dude) INCREDIBLY INTENSE stare! hahaaa... They had to somehow know they got off easy, not having to fight him.
  
  
  
• Another wonderful group scene with the SID... And poor Changcheng, getting scared witless by Lin Jing. XD
  
  
  
  
• I like the meta aspect of the web novel case. :)
  
  
• Da Qing's "You? And Shen Wei? At the dead of night? What kind of cat business were you two up to?" is very funny, as is Zhao Yunlan's claim that he was out buying food for Da Qing. ;p
  
  
• Okay, Zhu Hong's attitude at having to be the laptop handler in this scene is HILARIOUS. "The Ghost Terror told me to bring you this." So much eye-rolling!
  
  
• Zhao Yunlan... who WOULDN'T want to web cam with him? XD
  
  
  
  
• Zhao Yunlan DID notice how unfazed Shen Wei was during the mugging! (Said that he's seen him get mugged and not break a sweat.)
  
  
• Okay okay okay- Shen Wei is out of control with this "Regular citizens like me absolutely need people like you to protect us"! haaaa. And look at Da Qing and Changcheng peering into the camera and hoping they're included in "people like you"!! Zhu Hong is not amused, though.
  
  
  
  
• Shen Wei knows a lot about bears, apparently. XD (Zhu Hong is soooo bored.)
  
  
  
  
• "I can't force you to. But as a friend, can't you at least give me a hint?" HE CALLED HIM HIS FRIEND. (and look at Changcheng's face- hahahaa)
  
  
  
  
• "But when the safety of people around me is at stake, I certainly will not stand by and conceal information. You can count on me for that." That was very hot of Shen Wei.
  
  
• I love that Da Qing cat-napped throughout most of this, and that he just woke up and tossed them the answer.
  
  
• I cannot remember if we ever learn more about this instance when Shen Wei - as the Envoy - drove the youchu back to the "Forbidden Place"...
  
  
• "So what are the traits of a Dixing person?" Zhao Yunlan is really pushing for Shen Wei to be more open this episode.
  
  
• That line about not tarring all of the Dixing with the same brush was the start of Zhao Yunlan expressing how his views have changed.
  
  
• Zhao Yunlan is too much, draping himself onto that hospital bed like that...
  
  
  
  
• Jin Ling being a fanboy never gets old. And Zhao Yunlan sure seems to like teasing him about his bonus. :p
  
  
  
  
• CHANGCHENG'S SHRUBBERY "CAMOUFLAGE"!!!! XD
  
  
  
  
• I like Da Qing's ability to smell "human" on the drink can.
  
  
• This author's house is a book lover's DREAM. And the writing room?? aksdjlj!
  
  
• This man hides like *I* would hide: under a blanket, and badly.
  
  
• It is hilarious how the writer initially thinks they're there to get him to drop the next chapter faster! It's not just fic writers who get harassed.
  
  
• Zhao Yunlan's "lightbulb moment" when Changcheng muses about multiple personalities is interesting.
  
  
• This last scene is A LOT. I like the (somewhat clunky, but I don't care) line: "the two of us right now might be characters in someone's book", and the gentle smiles across Shen Wei's desk. *hearteyes* And the way Shen Wei almost tears up at Zhao Yunlan's expression of empathy for the Dixing!!
  
  
  
  
• Episode ends with Zhao Yunlan's "I keep feeling we're facing stormy weather", and some intense gazing.

(screencaps courtesy of kernezelda)

Discussion starters:

• What is your favorite thing about this episode?
  
  
• Where would you place this case on your list of favorites/least favorites? (I mainly enjoy it for the Lin Jing fanboy bits, but otherwise, it's not one of my faves.)
  
  
• How do you think Shen Wei felt about Zhao Yunlan's fighting for him?
  
  
• When Shen Wei is trying to make excuses for why he can't work with the SID, he begins to say "Moreover, now that I live across from you..." Was he about to say that they would get sick of each other if they were together so often? (HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE, SHEN WEI?)
  
  
• While Shen Wei is oiling up tending to Zhao Yunlan's arm, he talks about how you can learn a lot of things just by paying attention. What are some random things you think Shen Wei has learned by paying attention to Zhao Yunlan at the start of their relationship (this time around)?
  
  
• What do you think Zhao Yunlan's thoughts are in regard to Shen Wei's being so casual while being mugged?
  
  
• What's with the bears??
  
  
• What's with Zhao Yunlan draping himself all over everything?? (NOT THAT HE SHOULD STOP.)
  
  
• Was Zhao Yunlan possibly thinking about Shen Wei when he had his "lightbulb moment" about the author and multiple personality disorders?
  
  
• Discuss Shen Wei's utter joy at learning that Zhao Yunlan empathizes with the Dixing.
  
  
• I'm not entirely sure I know exactly what prompted Zhao Yunlan's "I keep feeling we're facing stormy weather", aside from *gestures broadly*. What do you think?
  
  
• What question(s) am I missing??? I have a tendency to shallow thinking, so go wild, if I'm missing something.
  
  

Let's talk about episode 7!
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

[autodach]

What is your favorite thing about this episode?

Hands down the mugging. Shen Wei playing the damsel in distress, but putting in minimal effort. Doesn’t even pretend to be scared.


When Shen Wei is trying to make excuses for why he can't work with the SID, he begins to say "Moreover, now that I live across from you..." Was he about to say that they would get sick of each other if they were together so often?

He says this shortly after “if you need information from me you can come to me anytime”. So I interpreted this as “we see each other all the time, so you can just ask, no need to recruit me officially”


What do you think Zhao Yunlan's thoughts are in regard to Shen Wei's being so casual while being mugged?

He’s already seen Shen Wei completely unfazed by SID interrogation. So it probably just reinforces that Shen Wei has nerves of steel and is highly suspicious XD


What's with the bears??

Bears are awesome

[bethctg]

You know what? I really love the mugging scene too. Definitely second favorite.

Yay, bears! XD