GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 26

[china_shop]

Beginning of episode: Shen Wei's flat has been torched.
Ending of episode: Da Qing regains his memories, and Lao Li kneels in apology.

Important scenes/developments:

• Shen Wei's flat is arsonated, so he and Zhao Yunlan retreat across the hall...
• ...where they work on the couch together (domestic! adorable!); Shen Wei cuts up oranges and watches Zhao Yunlan sleep. ♥ ♥ ♥
• Wang Xiangyang has found another recruit.
• Lin Jing and Sha Ya have a morning date, and Lin Jing overhears Da Ji's husband plotting to kill Da Ji.
• Da Ji's husband stages a romantic anniversary dinner during which he poisons Da Ji.
• Sha Ya's gig; Lin Jing has brought Zhu Hong for moral support.
• Da Ji's husband (and his girlfriend?) are arrested for fraud.
• Lin Jing puts on a slide show about Da Ji, and no one pays attention.
• Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng investigate Bai Suxia's accident.
• Lin Jing and Cong Bo research Da Ji, and Da Qing vaguely recognises her.
• Da Qing wears a terrible suit and goes undercover as Da Ji's blind date.
• The cats go for a walk and argue, and Da Ji starts choking Da Qing; Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei show up to watch.
• Zhao Yunlan intervenes in the choking, Da Ji attacks him instead, and Shen Wei accidentally kills her.
• Zhao Yunlan presents the evidence linking the Merit Brush cases to Bai Suxia and Wang Xiangyang.
• Da Qing absolves Shen Wei of Da Ji's death and quotes the Envoy from 10k years ago.
• Da Ji wakes up, knocks Da Qing out and escapes.
• Da Qing asks Dr Cheng for more memory treatment, but it doesn't work.
• Da Ji finds Da Qing and takes him for a tour of Memory Lane, which triggers some old memories incl. that she died saving his life.
• Everyone at the SID teases Da Qing about his "girlfriend".
• Da Ji attacks Lao Li, then knocks Da Qing out and kidnaps him.
• Da Ji tells Da Qing about his past with Lao Li.
• The rest of the SID search for Da Qing.
• Da Ji and Da Qing argue, but Lao Li intervenes and comes clean to Da Qing.
• Da Qing blocks Da Ji's attack of Lao Li and gets the rest of his memories back.
• Lao Li kneels in apology.

Thoughts



Theme: destruction/loss of past
The episode starts with Shen Wei's Haixing life in literal ashes, and his easy retreat to Zhao Yunlan's home. Da Ji's marriage and home life are also destroyed when her husband kills her (twice!), and she avenges herself, then tries to turn to Da Qing for love. We see in CCTV footage Wang Xiangyang's loss of his family, and learn how that has driven him to terrible lengths for revenge. But the episode ends, as it started, on a hopeful note: Da Qing remembers his past, including Lao Li's betrayal, which could easily have led to the loss of that relationship, but he still decides to stay at the SID and live an interesting life doing good. (Also, when Ya Qing sadly remembers Dong Nan, she isn't vengeful at all.)

Theme: one-sided dating
There are three couples on dates:

1. Lin Jing and Sha Ya's daytime date, followed by her gig.
2. Da Ji's romantic anniversary dinner, which ends with her husband murdering her twice.
3. Da Ji and Da Qing's date, where Da Qing is super uncomfortable and only there to investigate Da Ji.

We don't really know yet what's going on with Sha Ya, but the juxtaposition of her and Lin Jing's date with the other two doesn't exactly spell Happy Ever After.

Mini-arc: Da Qing & Shen Wei
There's also the start of a lovely mini-arc about Da Qing and Shen Wei: first, Shen Wei is the one to stand up to Da Ji when she's choking Da Qing, and Zhao Yunlan won't intervene; then, when Shen Wei accidentally kills her, Da Qing absolves him, understanding that he was only trying to protect Zhao Yunlan; next Da Qing quotes the young Envoy from 10k years ago, giving Shen Wei a hit in the feels. IIRC, this mini-arc continues into next episode.

More notes and observations:

• Shen Wei hardly reacts to the apartment fire, but oh man, all his things! Are his clothes burned up? Did he have books and other treasures there? (The remains of the Dijun's Register?) D: D: D: How dare!?! And what about his office at the university -- did Team Merit Brush torch that, too? (Zhao Yunlan says it's the same as what happened to the DoS lab, so presumably it was Sha Ya flinging electricity around.) Shen Wei theorises the arsonist was looking for Professor Zhou's research. Zhao Yunlan (who can hardly keep his eyes open) wants details of the research, but the lab outranks the SID. (Is this what plants the idea in Shen Wei's head to meet with Zhao Xinci and enquire? Or does that not happen until Da Qing smells dark energy in the lab experiment in a later ep?) Anyway, Zhao Yunlan links it to Team Merit Brush, and Shen Wei agrees, and this is all so quiet and serious and domestic. a;sdlkfa;sdlkfjas;ldfkjas;dlfkjasd;flkajd;flkdsj
  
  (Shen Wei sits upright on the couch, which doesn't look super comfortable, but I think that's just his way.)


• Ya Qing is sad about Dong Nan and actually confides in Wang Xiangyang. Meanwhile, he says he's found another candidate who shares his goal, but he's still observing. (I think he means Da Ji? More about that further down.)


• Shen Wei cuts up oranges!! Shen Wei covers Zhao Yunlan with his suit jacket and watches him sleep!! This scene is so lovely and indulgent that I have like three icons of it!!
  
  
  
  laireshi did a fabulous scene discussion post about it, too.


• SID the next morning: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan arrive together, of course, because they're officially shacked up now. Zhao Yunlan asks where Lin Jing is (already suspecting him?). Zhu Hong says, "He said if you asked, he was representing the SID in a Spiritual Civilization communication meeting." Heh.


• Lin Jing and Sha Ya date. Lin Jing bores her with geology, then overhears(?) a conspiracy to murder while Sha Ya's gone to the toilet (possibly not a ruse, unlike every other instance of bathroom breaks on TV). By the time she comes back, Lin Jing has to get to work, but they swap phone numbers and she invites Lin Jing to her gig that evening. Lin Jing thinks he's charmed her, not realising she's using him.


• Da Ji's husband, Zheng Daqian, stages a romantic dinner, which seems pretty mean but I guess is part of his alibi. When Da Ji arrives home, she's pleased rather than suspicious, so either he's acting IC or she's overly trusting. They drink, and I wish he'd mixed up the glasses. Zheng Daqian makes a toast: "Thank you for leaving me early and giving me freedom." Asshole.


• Lin Jing brought Zhu Hong to Sha Ya's gig and is watching Sha Ya with a sappy expression. Zhu Hong: "What are you thinking, bringing a girl to listen to your love singing? Dimwit." He claims he's trying to play it cool, but he has zero chill.


• Da Ji's house: Zheng Daqian is angry at the bank -- I'm not sure what's going on, but please let Da Ji have cleaned out the accounts! Zheng Daqian assures his gf that Da Ji is dead. Vice Minister Guo shows up to arrest them. (I'm not sure why Team Merit Brush needed Da Ji for this? Couldn't they have tipped off the DoS anonymously?)


• At the SID, Lin Jing is putting on a Da Ji show using an old-fashioned projector. "This Zheng Daqian keeps insisting that he killed his wife." (Who uses murder as a defence? I don't think he's smart enough for a life of crime.) Da Ji has been in Dragon City for ten years, under various names. No one is listening to Lin Jing, lol. He gets no respect. Except Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are watching from the mezzanine, hee. Shen Wei connects the case to the Merit Brush, and Zhao Yunlan actually compliments Lin Jing on his work. (No bonus, though.)


• Chu Shuzhi and Changcheng are investigating, trying to identify the Master of the Merit Brush. I think they're outside Da Ji's place? I love the streetcart lady who talks to them -- she's so ordinary and nice.


• Cong Bo's place. He says, "I feel like I'll soon get incorporated into your SID. I am a great whistleblower, and you're just asking me to search this gossip?" Lin Jing talks him into it, while Da Qing reads a newspaper on the couch, hee! (Has Zhao Yunlan told DQ to keep an eye on Lin Jing, I wonder? And why is Lin Jing the one pushing this case? No one else seems to care much.) Cong Bo finds more old photos of Da Ji. She hasn't aged. Da Qing wanders over to look, and finds her familiar. His eye twitches. <3 Da Ji's on a marriage-seeking site, and Lin Jing says Da Qing is exactly her type and will have to go undercover. Da Qing looks troubled.


• Two cats date. The sign says, "[Dragon City Blind Date; Early Spring]" 龙城相亲 初春 and I'm confused all over again about seasons. Didn't we just have the mid-Autumn festival? Da Qing (in a suit that rivals Shen Wei's terrible checked one) is on a date with Da Ji. Soft jazz music plays (lol, jazz cats). The restaurant is empty; maybe Da Ji booked it out with her newfound wealth? Anyway, he's super awkward and evasive; she is brimming over with happiness (and seems to only be drinking water, presumably because of the earlier poisoning *pets her*). He politely turns away to drink. She says it feels like they've known each other a long time, and he says, "Yes!" then immediately takes it back. Hee! He's so terrible at undercover.
  
  They go for a walk, with her gripping him by the wrist. This is painfully one-sided. Da Qing is drawn to her as a person, but not the way she wants.
  
  DQ: Why are you looking so happy?
  DJ: I'm tired of pretending to be a mature woman. Smile when happy, cry when sad. That's what we cats are really like.
  DQ: (excited) You like cats? So do I.
  
  
  
  DJ: *hugs him* Are you coming to catch me? Come on! If you don't come catch me, I'll come catch you.
  DQ: *pushing her away* Don't come closer.
  
  She calls him dageda and says, "Don't you remember me?" and Da Qing hyperventilates as his memory refuses to cooperate. He pretends, but she sees through him and gets upset and violent. When his phone rings and he answers, she knocks it out of his hand and starts choking him. Just a teeny bit volatile. /o\ Also, Dragon City phones are not robust.


• Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei show up somehow. Zhao Yunlan thinks it's hilarious and won't intervene because Da Ji is a girl. "Humans are not your friends. I am!" Da Ji tells Da Qing while violently choking him. Shen Wei says in Envoy tone, "Cats are rare among the Yashou tribes. This nonsense demeans you. Come back with us." (I do love how protective of Da Qing he's being. And how he immediately recognises Da Ji as a cat (right?).) She keeps choking. "Stop it," says Shen Wei. "I don't want to hurt you." Zhao Yunlan takes his cue and goes over to break up the fight... whereupon Da Ji attacks him instead, scolding him for interfering. She's very choke-y. She raises her Yashou energy claw to hurt him, and Shen Wei grabs her with dark energy and flings her away. She hits her head on the curb and dies.
  
  
  
  Da Qing is upset and cradles the body. Zhao Yunlan runs over to check on her too. His chest is really red from the choking! He says stop shaking her, she's dead. Shen Wei has emotions and looks down at his hand like it's a weapon he didn't mean to draw. (I wonder what the politics of a Dixingren killing a Yashou are, and if it's different if it's the Envoy. Also, it's interesting that Shen Wei's go-to move is always pure dark energy, rather than, say, the ice he used in ep 1, or Chu Shuzhi's strings, which he can presumably do. I guess pure energy is faster.)
  
  I really love how no one really holds a grudge about Da Ji's violence. She's just a very fighty cat who's been through some hard times.


• SID main room. Lin Jing wants to check Da Ji over, but Zhao Yunlan says seriously that it's none of his business. Zhao Yunlan presents an array of video and file evidence linking all the Merit Brush cases. Changcheng gets increasingly distressed as he recognises Bai Suxia and eventually Wang Xiangyang.
  
  
  
  Pushing Chu Shuzhi slightly aside with a very subtle (and cute) little nudge of his fingers (aww!), he says he's seen the Merit Brush before. Zhao Yunlan isn't surprised; he got Bai Suxia's file from Dr Cheng. It's kind of hilarious that Zhao Yunlan has single-handedly amassed all this evidence without involving his team of... investigators.
  
  Cases and grudges: Zheng Daqian and his girlfriend stole Bai Suxia's taxi and have been arrested for financial fraud (but not murder? I guess that's hard to make stick without a body); Zhu Hao, the taxi driver who nearly knocked her over, was infected with personality switch energy and then crow darted; Dr Jin and Nurse Wei Lan, who didn't treat Bai Suxia at the hospital, were game victims; Wang Qun, a courier who delivered to Guangming Rd that night and was involved in the fruitstand bust-up, was the first aging victim (fatal); Kong Jing, who started the fight at the fruitstand, was the personality switch victim, later crow darted.
  
  Zhao Yunlan says, "He uses the murder cases as cover for slyly punishing his own enemies. Selling fruit was such a waste of his talents." Which seems a bit snide given they've just seen his wife die on video, but okay, the revenge corpses are piling up.


• SID lab. Shen Wei and Da Qing look at dead!Da Ji on the experimentation bed. (Is this SOP for dealing with corpses? Is this where they put Ding Dun before the Envoy took him away, too? It's a good thing Lin Jing isn't squeamish about having dead bodies in his workspace.) Da Qing has changed into his most falling-apart overalls, heh. Shen Wei says, regretfully, "I broke my own rule." Da Qing absolves him and quotes him from ten thousand years ago. (Oh! Does that mean they spoke back then? Or Da Qing overheard him speak?)
  
  
  
  Shen Wei's faaaaaaaace! "You remember?" It means so much to him to be remembered!! ♥ ♥ ♥ And Da Qing looks so emotional and proud quoting Shen Wei. a;sdlkfja;sdlkfjas;dlfkjas;dlfkajsdf


• Shen Wei leaves. Da Qing opts to stay with Da Ji's body. He tells her, "How come you just died like this after calling me Dageda? Stupid cat." He sits with his back to her, mourning, and I feel like his Da Ji feelings are much less ambivalent now she's dead. She wakes up, knocks him out, creepily caresses his face. (I guess at least she isn't cat-smooching him?) And she leaves.


• Hospital. Da Qing (still in his scruffy overalls) consults Dr Cheng, who advises him to take it slow and let his memories return naturally. He says he can't wait and, "I let a bad guy escape from my hands yesterday." Is that Da Ji? Is she a criminal now? (Is he counting her assaults on him and Zhao Yunlan?)
  
  Cut to Da Qing and Dr Cheng on the street. The treatment didn't work, but Da Qing thanks her anyway. Da Ji comes and calls Dr Cheng a stinky human (so rude, lol). Da Qing encourages Dr Cheng to leave for her own safety, and backhugs Da Ji to stop her pursuing. The backhug means a lot more to her than to him! She takes him to a bridge overpass where he remembers her saving him from a car accident. It resulted in her death, and there's some great cat nuzzling of the corpse. /o\ We see her wake up alone in the dark after Da Qing left. That's when she started searching for true love. Da Ji's romantic history:
  1. She and her first husband died in a gas leak; she revived.
  2. Second husband kicked her out when she came back to life after being killed by a falling flower pot. (Because her life is a cartoooon.) She didn't know she'd died.
  3. Zheng Daqian was husband #3, who poisoned her, then when she woke up again, violently suffocated her, yikes!
  So that's at least six lives, including the car accident and the Shen Wei/curb incident. Does she still have two to spare, or did she lose those along the way, too? Da Qing: "I think that with your bad luck in love, it's no use even if you have so many lives." Da Ji: "But I met you again, so my luck has changed."


• Outside the SID. Everyone teases Da Qing about his girlfriend. He's really not into it (or her). He asks Da Ji about the Master of the Merit Brush; she knows him but has no new info. Lao Li comes out, and Da Ji attacks him. When Da Qing intervenes, she transfers her attack to Da Qing and knocks him out. Zhao Yunlan has a very hard time taking her seriously, but he tries to calm her. No luck. She kidnaps Da Qing.


• A Dragon City alley. Da Qing comes to (was he dead or just unconscious?) and scolds Da Ji. Flashback to her watching Zheng Daqian taken away ("Why is it so hard to find true love?" me: Because you can't tell when people aren't into you.). Wang Xiangyang and Ya Qing approach her: "Nice to see you again." (Again?) Wang Xiangyang gives Da Ji info about Lao Li assaulting Da Qing, and Da Qing working at the SID. From this and the alley, Da Qing gets his Lao Li memories back.
  
  Da Ji is a separatist and wants Da Qing to stay by her side. He wants to stay at the SID.


• Abandoned building. (Scene of Shen Xi's death? If so, Zhao Yunlan doesn't react.) The SID are searching for Da Qing. ZYL is genuinely worried by now. Lin Jing calls to say he's found them -- but wait, he doesn't mean the cats! He's located the Master of the Merit Brush.


• Back in the street with the cats. They stop near the SID to argue. Da Ji goes to slap Da Qing, but Lao Li catches her hand. He comes clean to Da Qing and apologises. Da Ji attacks with a wooden pole, but Da Qing jumps in to take the hit and falls semi-unconscious again.
  
  
  
  He's going to need to see Dr Cheng for other neurological problems at this rate! BUT he remembers Kunlun, awww! And Da Ji actually looks remorseful this time. Da Qing cheers her up. He has his memories back! He wants to stay at the SID: "I want to make this clear. Lao Zhao, Lao Shen, Lao Chu and the others, and this old man [Lao Li]—they're foolish and lazy, but they laugh when they're in love, cry when they're in pain, and would die for their loved ones. They're a really interesting bunch."
  
  Lao Li kneels to Da Qing and apologises.

Discussion starters:

• What's your favourite scene in this episode? Your favourite line?


• How does Da Qing feel about Da Ji? What do you think of her? How about Sha Ya and Lin Jing?


• Dr Cheng says to Da Qing, "I am quite curious. At your young age, how come you have so many memories so deeply buried? You come across like an experienced old man." It doesn't sound to me like she'd connecting this to Zu Ma's condition -- why not?


• What did Team Merit Brush need Da Ji for? Does the Merit Brush, under Wang Xiangyang's control, feed on revenge energy? Or is using other people's revenge part of Wang Xiangyang's covering his tracks? Or something else?


• What Da Qing says the people at the SID "laugh when they're in love, cry when they're in pain," it echoes Da Ji's, "Smile when happy, cry when sad. That's what we cats are really like." Do you think Da Qing is saying the SID are like cats? Or that everyone's just people?


• Do you think Shen Wei is worried about what else Da Qing might have remembered and what he might say to Zhao Yunlan?


• How much do you think Shen Wei lost in the fire? Most importantly, when they arrive at the SID the next morning, is he wearing Zhao Yunlan's underwear?

Let’s talk about episode 26!
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 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[china_shop]

Please reply to this comment with links to:

• any other episode reactions or related meta
• fanworks, picspams, squee, etc, relating to episode 26 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 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[china_shop]

Guardian Episode by Episode: 26 by extrapenguin
Shen Wei covering Zhao Yunlan in his jacket in episode 26 by laireshi
Da Ji embarrassing Da Qing in front of the SID by china_shop

Fanworks by me:

A handful of icons (oranges; Shen Wei & pendant)
Because it's you -- Dr Cheng/Da Ji get-together, 3600 words, G-rated (because Da Ji, and because it briefly references their meeting in the alley from this episode).

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[eirenical]

OH! I actually have one, if you don't mind a self-rec...

The Inherent Intimacy of Walking Barefoot Around Someone Else's Home by eirenical

Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply, Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan, Established Relationship, Relationship Negotiation, Sharing a Room, the domesticity of it all, Foot Fetish, but not really, zhao yunlan just thinks so for a hot minute, he's a bit confused but he's got the spirit ;D, Fade to Black, Shen Wei's Bare Feet, Inspired by a picture, Really Z1L was that photoshoot REALLY NECESSARY?? OTZ, Episode Related, but goodness help me if i can remember which one..., (ETA: it was this episode! XD Episode 26!), Canon Compliant, Forehead Touching, Kissing, Tenderness, Awkward Conversations, Weilan Week (Guardian), Weilan Week 2020 (Guardian)

Snippet Summary:

"Zhao Yunlan? Are you alright?"

Sharp. Blunt. Shen Wei was worried, now. Zhao Yunlan really should say something. If only he could look away from where his eyes had locked up, oh-so-inconveniently shutting down the rest of his brain along with them.

Shen Wei had changed clothing while he was in the bathroom. His bedroom had been mostly untouched, but his clothes had reeked of smoke. There would be no wearing them until they'd been cleaned. So, Zhao Yunlan had lent Shen Wei a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved tee-shirt.

He'd lent him socks, too, hadn't he?

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[trobadora]

Thank you for linking, this is so lovely! Awww, these two, and alos you're so right about that photoshoot. :D

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[china_shop]

Awwwwww, that's so adorable!! Poor hapless Zhao Yunlan, flailing at the thought of an actual relationship. Hee! *noogies him delightedly* <333

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[eirenical]

Also one of my all time favorite photosets by fan-man-huaisang is from this episode.

Summer Harvest

The coloring is stunning and you can just FEEL the tenderness rolling off the page. It never fails to make me 🥺🥺🥺.

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[trobadora]

This one isn't visible without an account - is there maybe a public reblog?

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[satsuma]

Over in the discord rewatch I linked two different DCID posts while we were speculating on the origins of Da Qing's profoundly terrible interview suit:
Look, Da Qing obviously knows how to wear a suit when he needs to. So why does he look like such a damn disaster on his Big Cat Date?
the question remains: Where did he get the suit? He’s with Lin Jing and Cong Bo when they find Da Ji’s dating profile, and in Cong Bo’s apartment, no less, so … maybe it comes from their resident paparazzo’s closet?
I think the consensus was in favor of the Cong Bo idea being more plausible of the two (and also fairly entertaining)

And, since I'm sharing DCID posts I'll throw in their speculation about whether human shaped Da Qing should actually sometimes be interpreted as kitty shaped, which uses some of the interactions between Da Ji and Da Qing as evidence

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[china_shop]

Hee! Thanks so much for those links.

I think the consensus was in favor of the Cong Bo idea being more plausible of the two (and also fairly entertaining)

Ha, that makes so much sense! :D

Re: Links to episode 26 fanworks and meta go here!

[trobadora]

Thank you so much for adding these links! I agree that it makes a lot more sense if it's Cong Bo's suit, LOL.

And I was just boggling over the "car accident, then carries off the body to dump somewhere" bit myself! Yeah, if they were kitties in that scene, it wouldn't be weird at all. Going to adopt that as my headcanon, definitely!

[velithya]

....I think he thought about wearing Zhao Yunlan's underwear but couldn't quite bring himself to do it, so he washed his own underwear in the sink/shower and is wearing them again.

:D :D :D

[china_shop]

Hee! Because Zhao Yunlan's underwear isn't his style, or some other reason? *hearts* :D

[autodach]

Shen Wei cuts up oranges and watches Zhao Yunlan sleep. ♥ ♥ ♥

Hrrgh it’s so good ♥
No glasses ♥
The jacket ♥
He fondles his Wrapper Orb ♥


Da Ji's husband (and his girlfriend?) are arrested for fraud.

This confused me. The police that show up are only talking to him, but then the girlfriend goes with them, too. Is she arrested as well? Is she allowed to come along?


"This Zheng Daqian keeps insisting that he killed his wife." (Who uses murder as a defence? I don't think he's smart enough for a life of crime.)

Yeah, “I didn’t commit financial fraud, I committed murder!” is not the impenetrable defense he apparently thinks it is XD


Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei show up somehow. Zhao Yunlan thinks it's hilarious and won't intervene because Da Ji is a girl.

I have a suspicion that this scene was composed backwards(nothing wrong with that in general): They knew what the end result would need to be (Da Ji dead at Shen Wei’s hands), and constructed the events to force that – but it ended up inorganic and awkward. Why are Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan suddenly there? Why does Zhao Yunlan act like this? Anyone who knows Zhu Hong would know better than to believe women categorically harmless.
I like Shen Wei in this scene, though: He takes things more seriously and escalates from verbal warning to physical intervention - makes sense. He uses more force than needed in defense of Zhao Yunlan - understandable.


"Humans are not your friends. I am!" Da Ji tells Da Qing while violently choking him.

First you think Lin Jing is the worst date, then Da Ji goes for the prize! Da Qing dodged a bullet by not being interested.


What's your favourite scene in this episode?

Da Qing and Shen Wei and memories ♥


What Da Qing says the people at the SID "laugh when they're in love, cry when they're in pain," it echoes Da Ji's, "Smile when happy, cry when sad. That's what we cats are really like." Do you think Da Qing is saying the SID are like cats? Or that everyone's just people?

I think it’s the latter.
More specifically, I think he’s saying “They are my people”. Da Ji believes only cats are honest/true to themselves ("Smile when happy, cry when sad”) and can qualify as friends or partners (“Humans are not your friends”), but Da Qing disagrees: The SID are indeed his friends, and they are good, honest people.


Most importantly, when they arrive at the SID the next morning, is he wearing Zhao Yunlan's underwear?

I certainly like to think so! Unfortunately, he might have a cleaning power that makes this unnecessary. Or ye olde handwashing skills.

[china_shop]

No glasses ♥
The jacket ♥
He fondles his Wrapper Orb ♥

YESSS! Such a wonderfully indulgent moment, too! Zero plot relevance -- just them. a;ldksjfas;dlkfjasd;lfk

The police that show up are only talking to him, but then the girlfriend goes with them, too. Is she arrested as well? Is she allowed to come along?

I know! It's confusing. Maybe the Merit Brush has mind-controlled some subset of the people involved to get revenge on both of them? I still can't make sense of it, though.

Yeah, “I didn’t commit financial fraud, I committed murder!” is not the impenetrable defense he apparently thinks it is XD

LOL!! Perhaps he's so shocked that she wouldn't stay dead that his brain has seized up...

I have a suspicion that this scene was composed backwards

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And agreed about Shen Wei -- he's wonderful here.

Anyone who knows Zhu Hong would know better than to believe women categorically harmless.

Right? Plus Ya Qing killed two people last episode, and even if Zhao Yunlan doesn't know Da Ji is Yashou, Dr Cheng was coopted by the video game -- a similar thing could be happening here.

First you think Lin Jing is the worst date, then Da Ji goes for the prize!

LOL! (I think Zheng Daqian wins, though. *hates him*) I assume Da Ji isn't actually trying to seriously hurt Da Qing? She's just traumatised and playing rough, right? (Not that this excuses her -- cool motive, still assault.)

Da Qing and Shen Wei and memories ♥

Ooh, yes! So many feels! <3 <3 <3

More specifically, I think he’s saying “They are my people”. Da Ji believes only cats are honest/true to themselves ("Smile when happy, cry when sad”) and can qualify as friends or partners (“Humans are not your friends”), but Da Qing disagrees: The SID are indeed his friends, and they are good, honest people.

Ah, yes, thank you! That's a great summation and rings very true. (And also, awwwwww! <3 <3 <3)

Unfortunately, he might have a cleaning power that makes this unnecessary. Or ye olde handwashing skills.

Ha! He could privately decline to use either of those skills because he needs to, you know, conserve energy? ;-) I'm sure Zhao Yunlan wouldn't mind -- he might even insist! *g*

[trobadora]

Why are Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan suddenly there?

That part makes sense to me - Da Qing is undercover; them keeping an eye on things is only reasonable.

I like Shen Wei in this scene, though: He takes things more seriously and escalates from verbal warning to physical intervention - makes sense. He uses more force than needed in defense of Zhao Yunlan - understandable.

Yeah, I like it all too! ♥

More specifically, I think he’s saying “They are my people”. Da Ji believes only cats are honest/true to themselves ("Smile when happy, cry when sad”) and can qualify as friends or partners (“Humans are not your friends”), but Da Qing disagrees: The SID are indeed his friends, and they are good, honest people.

This puts it perfectly!!!!!! I love this so much.

[satsuma]

The oranges scene is so soft <3 <3 <3 absolutely devastating

Da Ji's house: Zheng Daqian is angry at the bank -- I'm not sure what's going on, but please let Da Ji have cleaned out the accounts!

Don't remember the exact phrasing but there's a line where he's like "my wife withdrew???" so yeah I think Da Ji did clean him out (or clean herself out, possibly)

At the SID, Lin Jing is putting on a Da Ji show using an old-fashioned projector. "This Zheng Daqian keeps insisting that he killed his wife." (Who uses murder as a defence? I don't think he's smart enough for a life of crime.)

Not sure it's a defense so much as him being super freaked. Which is you know, probably how most people would respond to watching someone resurrect themselves twice

...and why is Lin Jing the one pushing this case? No one else seems to care much.)

Well, we know from the webnovelist arc that Lin Jing reads horror webnovels and can get quite fannish about them. A ~mysterious woman~ who can't die and doesn't age might be right up his alley

Zhao Yunlan says, "He uses the murder cases as cover for slyly punishing his own enemies. Selling fruit was such a waste of his talents." Which seems a bit snide given they've just seen his wife die on video, but okay, the revenge corpses are piling up.

I think it offends ZYL's sense of justice, plus he's frustrated at how long its taking the SID to shut him down. But yeah not his finest moment for sure

How does Da Qing feel about Da Ji? What do you think of her?

I think Da Qing really wants to hang out with other cat Yashou but doesn't have any interest in her specifically. And also doesn't want to hang out with other cats enough to be willing to put up with her poor behavior (even in the flashback to her death, he seems notably uninterested imo, so its not just a lack of memories thing) As for me, she's definitely not my favorite side character! We don't get enough pleasant interactions between her and well, anyone, for me to really see her as anything more interesting than Da Qing's stalker tbh

[china_shop]

Don't remember the exact phrasing but there's a line where he's like "my wife withdrew???" so yeah I think Da Ji did clean him out (or clean herself out, possibly)

Excellent! :D

Not sure it's a defense so much as him being super freaked. Which is you know, probably how most people would respond to watching someone resurrect themselves twice

Ha, true. (I still think it's not a smart thing to say to the authorities. *g* But yeah, understandable. I just have a grudge.)

Well, we know from the webnovelist arc that Lin Jing reads horror webnovels and can get quite fannish about them. A ~mysterious woman~ who can't die and doesn't age might be right up his alley

Hee! Excellent point! Maybe he should start a Creepy Dragon City True Crime podcast? Except that's probably prohibited by his employment contract with the SID...

I think Da Qing really wants to hang out with other cat Yashou but doesn't have any interest in her specifically.

He does spend a lot of time talking to the alley kittens, doesn't he? So yeah, agreed, he's hungry for feline company, but she's really not his type (if he has a type). (Now I want some other, better behaved, cats to show up and divide his loyalties. ;-)

Da Ji's behaviour is really bad. You're right, even in the flashbacks she's clingy and not willing to take no for an answer. I wonder whether, if she were just a shade less volatile, hanging around with the SID would help her chill and learn better social skills.

(I guess I'm in the "the Cat Tribe is rare; I want to rehabilitate them where possible" camp; I wrote my way into liking her. But I totally understand why generic-and-specific-you might not! :-)

[trobadora]

Not sure it's a defense so much as him being super freaked. Which is you know, probably how most people would respond to watching someone resurrect themselves twice

Yeah, agreed. He's already completely frazzled before he gets arrested!

I think Da Qing really wants to hang out with other cat Yashou but doesn't have any interest in her specifically.

I think he'd like her as an occasionally hanging-out buddy or little sister, but he has zero romantic interest in her.

[trobadora]

The episode starts with Shen Wei's Haixing life in literal ashes

Well, symbolically. *g*

That's a great point about the parallel between Da Ji's loss of family and Wang Xiangyang's, and Ya Qing losing Dong Nan, and Da Qing as a counterexample of reaffirming ties. I think Shen Wei counts as a counterexample too - the attack only leads him to spend more time with Zhao Yunlan. ♥

We don't really know yet what's going on with Sha Ya, but the juxtaposition of her and Lin Jing's date with the other two doesn't exactly spell Happy Ever After.

I hadn't thought of it that way, but that makes sense!

first, Shen Wei is the one to stand up to Da Ji when she's choking Da Qing, and Zhao Yunlan won't intervene; then, when Shen Wei accidentally kills her, Da Qing absolves him, understanding that he was only trying to protect Zhao Yunlan; next Da Qing quotes the young Envoy from 10k years ago, giving Shen Wei a hit in the feels. IIRC, this mini-arc continues into next episode.

Yes, it's so lovely! ♥

Shen Wei hardly reacts to the apartment fire, but oh man, all his things! Are his clothes burned up?

His wardrobe must have survived, since the next day (or at least when we see them next) Shen Wei is wearing different clothes, ones he's worn before (episodes 2, 6, 21, 22, 23 - many thanks to sakana17's Guardian clothes visual reference!), and will wear another outfit later this episode that he's also worn before. (And will wear more previously-worn outfits in future episodes!)

(Btw, let me just use this occasion to say that I love that continuity - it makes it feel like a real person's wardrobe.)

Alternatively, if his wardrobe was damaged, he seems to have a clothing repair power - consider his claw wounds from the encounter with the Shadow Man - the scene in episode 2 where he heals them shows an intact shirt.

And what about his office at the university -- did Team Merit Brush torch that, too?

Oof. That would probably cause him more trouble at the university, too. But I think his office is probably too publicly accessible; no one would expect anyone to keep confidential material there.

It's really cool, btw - Zhao Yunlan is clearly wondering why Ye Zun's people would have risked encountering the Envoy, and what they could possibly have wanted from his flat. But it has nothing to do with him being the Envoy, and everything to do with his Haixing research connections. Another instance of the lines between his roles blurring, and I love that - even if it leads to him being attacked for different reasons than usual. *g*

Is this what plants the idea in Shen Wei's head to meet with Zhao Xinci and enquire? Or does that not happen until Da Qing smells dark energy in the lab experiment in a later ep?

I'm not sure, but I'm going to keep an eye out for any hints now!

Shen Wei sits upright on the couch, which doesn't look super comfortable, but I think that's just his way.

Yeah, looks to me like he just sits the way he always sits. He's wearing no glasses, no jacket, and has his sleeves rolled up; he's clearly made himself at home. ♥

Ya Qing is sad about Dong Nan and actually confides in Wang Xiangyang.

The whole loss theme, yeah. I really like that Ya Qing is shown to be seriously affected by Dong Nan's death.

he says he's found another candidate who shares his goal, but he's still observing. (I think he means Da Ji? More about that further down.)

Yeah, he's clearly talking about Da Ji. (Ya Qing reiterates the thing about them having the same goal later.)

Incidentally, according to this it's Wang Xiangyang who's finding new candidates for them - I wonder how he does it. Maybe the Merit Brush helps with that? Can it lead him to people who share his goals?

Shen Wei cuts up oranges!! Shen Wei covers Zhao Yunlan with his suit jacket and watches him sleep!! This scene is so lovely and indulgent that I have like three icons of it!!

So much love for this! I adore this whole scene so much, starting with the orange. I love how this connects with the orange rinds on the kitchen counter back when he first saw Zhao Yunlan's disaster apartment. ♥ Then Shen Wei's fond huff and smile when he sees Zhao Yunlan has fallen asleep on the sofa! Covering him with his jacket, almost sitting down next to him, and then sitting on the table instead, the better to watch Zhao Yunlan! The contemplative pendant-touching! THE SMILE AT THE END. AWWWW.

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan arrive together, of course, because they're officially shacked up now.

Hee! :D

(I love Xiao-Guo contemplating Ya Qing's token during this scene, btw.)

The whole Lin Jing/Sha Ya date is so incredibly awkward. And she has ulterior motives, but she does invite him to her performance, and asks to exchange phone numbers, so he can't be blamed for thinking she's into him and just also very awkward. *g* (I do think she likes him, honestly.)

I'd totally forgotten Lin Jing actually overhears Zheng Daqian and his girlfriend starting to plot murder!

Da Ji's husband, Zheng Daqian, stages a romantic dinner, which seems pretty mean but I guess is part of his alibi

Always LOL over "Daqian", which means "big money". :D

And I really wonder how that whole plot works. What was the plan? Did he intend to officially have her declared dead, and think no one would find out she was poisoned? And what happens when he ends up suffocating her after she wakes up from the poisoning? Presumably that would be too suspicious. So does he just stash the body somewhere, and then she gets up and walks away?

Also, regarding Da Ji, she says later she's tired of acting like a mature woman, and Zheng Daqian thanks her for running the household and managing their finances, so she does seem to have acted more mature in that identity. I wonder how much her post-murder behaviour, including towards Da Qing, is due to the trauma making her regress.

Lin Jing brought Zhu Hong to Sha Ya's gig and is watching Sha Ya with a sappy expression.

I really love their friendship, and her teasing him! Also, Zhu Hong looks excellent in that red leather jacked.

And Sha Ya and Lin Jing smiling at each other across the club is actually really cute. (He's so bashful! Aw!)

Zheng Daqian is angry at the bank -- I'm not sure what's going on, but please let Da Ji have cleaned out the accounts!

Yes, that's what the bank guy says in the flashback later - Zheng Daqian wanted to transfer money, but it's not possible because Da Ji just withdrew all the funds.

Vice Minister Guo shows up to arrest them.

His ID says Ministry of Supervision. Yet another term! *g*

I'm not sure why Team Merit Brush needed Da Ji for this? Couldn't they have tipped off the DoS anonymously?

Wang Xiangyang doesn't just want people to get arrested for their unrelated misdeeds; he specifically wants to torment them for their part in what happened to Bai Suxia. I think from Wang Xiangyang's point of view, the woman Zheng Daqian thought he killed repeatedly appearing again (being seen by the girlfriend, and withdrawing the funds, at least) is meant as a stand-in for the dead Bai Suxia appearing to him, just like Wang Xiangyang at the hospital claimed to be Bai Suxia.

"This Zheng Daqian keeps insisting that he killed his wife." (Who uses murder as a defence? I don't think he's smart enough for a life of crime.)

LOL! Zheng Daqian is clearly really out of sorts over the woman he knows he killed turning up again. But yeah, not the smartest, definitely!

He says when they ("we") investigated the wife, they discovered all her IDs were fake. But no one listens, and Zhao Yunlan doesn't seem to think there's a case either until Shen Wei brings up a potential connection to the Merit Brush. So who is "we"? Did Lin Jing investigate with Cong Bo? But that doesn't fit with the later scene when Lin Jing makes Cong Bo check the photos of Zheng Daqian's wife and the women from the articles about the disappeared bodies, and he discovers they're all the same person.

(Love that Cong Bo has a mundane explanation for the lack of ageing: plastic surgery! *g*)

According to the subtitles:
LJ: Thinking it over... it might be a trick.
SW: I worry what tricks the Master of the Merit Brush plans to play this time.

This isn't quite right, I think? I have no idea how to properly translate the original, or 乌龙 as a term in this context (it colloquially means something like own goal, apparently), but I think maybe what Lin Jing is saying is "On second thought, I think maybe it's just a mistake", i.e. he's mistaken about it being any kind of SID-worthy case. And Shen Wei responds that he's worried the Master of the Merit Brush may have had his hand in this particular "mistake" (though why he thinks so, is unclear to me).

Chu Shuzhi and Changcheng are investigating, trying to identify the Master of the Merit Brush. I think they're outside Da Ji's place? I love the streetcart lady who talks to them -- she's so ordinary and nice.

I like her too! Even if she has the most convenient selfie ever with Bai Suxia's accident caught in the background. *g* She did helped Bai Suxia to the hospital!

Oh, and her cart has the Wall's logo.

The sign says, "[Dragon City Blind Date; Early Spring]" 龙城相亲 初春 and I'm confused all over again about seasons. Didn't we just have the mid-Autumn festival?

Yeah, very weird!

Also, according to Cong Bo she's using the name Da Ji with the dating agency, which is also the name she used with Zheng Daqian (according to the flashback with the phone call to the banker). But I guess if he didn't report her death and she's not officially dead, she didn't have to officially give up that identity.

(She can't have used the same name in all her previous identities, or Lin Jing would have remarked on it. I wonder if the reason she used her real name with Zheng Daqian is because his name matches hers, just like Da Qing's does ...)

Da Qing (in a suit that rivals Shen Wei's terrible checked one) is on a date with Da Ji.

It's the worst suit! It doesn't even fit him, unlike the suit he wears to impersonate a Xingdu Bureau agent! And he's so awkward at the date and clearly wants to be anywhere but there, and she's so amused by it.

I wonder if the suit is deliberately bad because he doesn't want to be dating, even fake-dating?

She says it feels like they've known each other a long time, and he says, "Yes!" then immediately takes it back. Hee!

Her saying they've just met, but it feels like they've known each other for a long time, echoes what Zhao Yunlan says to Shen Wei in episode 2, in sentiment if not in exact wording. Very cool parallel there, with two people who know each other, but one of them doesn't remember ... for different reasons, obviously, but still a parallel!

She calls him dageda

Just wanted to link to this comment thread about "dageda", because I just looked it up again. *g* Fun stuff!

Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei show up somehow

I think they're keeping an eye on the date, since this is a SID case being investigated, after all, and they're suspecting a connection with the Merit Brush. And a team member going off with a person under investigation isn't something they'd want to let happen without someone keeping an eye on things, so of course they'd follow when Da Qing and Da Ji go for a walk.

"Humans are not your friends. I am!" Da Ji tells Da Qing while violently choking him.

LOL!

I find it really annoying that Zhao Yunlan is so amused by Da Qing being attacked, and doesn't take it seriously at all. Shen Wei tries to shame her (invokes the dignity of the cat tribe), then warns her; at least he's being properly protective! And yeah, he seems to recognise Da Ji as a cat. I still wonder how that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't.

Meanwhile, it looks to me like Zhao Yunlan steps in only so Shen Wei won't have to - and then of course Da Ji attacks him and is about to use her claws, so Shen Wei has to step in after all.

Zhao Yunlan presents an array of video and file evidence linking all the Merit Brush cases.

Yeah, I love how he pulls together all the bits and pieces!

Which seems a bit snide given they've just seen his wife die on video, but okay, the revenge corpses are piling up.

I think the snideness is pretty justified, given all the things Wang Xiangyang has done in "revenge"!

Oh! Does that mean they spoke back then? Or Da Qing overheard him speak?

I always thought this particular line was something Da Qing overheard him say, but I absolutely love the idea of them speaking back then. Any YOHE interaction between them is a delight! Surely there was some, at least???

Shen Wei's faaaaaaaace! "You remember?" It means so much to him to be remembered!! ♥ ♥ ♥ And Da Qing looks so emotional and proud quoting Shen Wei. a;sdlkfja;sdlkfjas;dlfkjas;dlfkajsdf

RIGHT?????? I love it so much. ♥ ♥ ♥

and I feel like his Da Ji feelings are much less ambivalent now she's dead

Haha, yeah, and it's the same in the flashback when she's hit by that car!

Also, that shot of him sitting there with watery eyes while she rises in the blurry background is super creepy.

"I let a bad guy escape from my hands yesterday." Is that Da Ji? Is she a criminal now?

At this point I guess he thinks of her as a villain working with the Master of the Merit Brush,

Cut to Da Qing and Dr Cheng on the street.

I love that we get to see her in civvies! :D

She seems surprised he has so many memories at his age, buried so deeply. Even though he'd already told her he's not as young as he looks! But she apparently didn't put it together with Zu Ma's case or what she mentioned to Zhao Yunlan about having encountered similar cases?!

She takes him to a bridge overpass where he remembers her saving him from a car accident. It resulted in her death

I have so many questions about this. There's a car accident ... and then Da Qing just walks off with the corpse, carries her to the river (or wherever that is) and leaves her there?! What?!

Also, Da Ji wakes up and realises she must have nine lives as a cat, so this is her first death (that she's aware of).

She and her first husband died in a gas leak; she revived.
Second husband kicked her out when she came back to life after being killed by a falling flower pot.

These two deaths involve her waking up in the hospital from being dead, and then she walks away - presumably these are the two missing body cases Lin Jing mentions earlier.

Also, she says the second guy kicks her out because he can't accept a monster. /o\

Zheng Daqian in the murder flashback also says he can't bear any more how strange she is. And there's a line when he suffocates her that isn't translated in solo's subs or the original ones: 再和你继续下去我的心脏会受不了的，知道吗？The Viki subs have this as: "My heart won't be able to take it if we continue like this. Got it?" (I think the last bit would be rendered better as "You understand?")

(Second comment to follow!)

[trobadora]

Zhao Yunlan has a very hard time taking her seriously, but he tries to calm her. No luck. She kidnaps Da Qing.

He seems very amused by her earlier, but I actually do think he's taking her seriously after she attacks Lao-Li. He maybe doesn't think she's that much of a threat to Da Qing in particular (which, given their interaction earlier in this scene, I guess I can understand), but the threat to Lao-Li was real, and he seems to know it. And he lets her take Da Qing away while he presumably helps Lao-Li, who's collapsed, but then they all go searching for him, and they do seem serious about that.

Wang Xiangyang and Ya Qing approach her: "Nice to see you again." (Again?)

They recruited her for their revenge on Zheng Daqian; that's finished now, as he's been arrested, and they're talking to her again because they have more for her to do (not that they tell her that). Wang Xiangyang thanks her for helping him avenge his wife, but she says it was for herself. He presents the info about Da Qing to her as a gesture of gratitude, but of course what he's actually after is her wreaking havoc on the SID.

(Do you think he used the Merit Brush on her? Does it work on Yashou?)

Abandoned building. (Scene of Shen Xi's death? If so, Zhao Yunlan doesn't react.)

It definitely looks like it! (Presumably they tracked DQ's phone there?)

BUT he remembers Kunlun, awww!

Yes! I love that!

And Da Ji actually looks remorseful this time.

Yeah, and there's a bit where she says "我不是故意的 " (I didn't mean to), which is untranslated in the subs.

More tomorrow; I need to go to bed. *g*

[china_shop]

Well, symbolically. *g*

Symbolic life, literal ashes. *g*

I think Shen Wei counts as a counterexample too - the attack only leads him to spend more time with Zhao Yunlan. ♥

Yes, agreed. They also work as a counterpoint to all the insincere dates. ♥

His wardrobe must have survived, since the next day (or at least when we see them next) Shen Wei is wearing different clothes, ones he's worn before

I thought he might have left those at Zhao Yunlan's place at some point, but good point about all his other outfits. Phew!

But I think his office is probably too publicly accessible; no one would expect anyone to keep confidential material there.

Idk, he must keep student-related confidential info there, don't you think? And if they're looking for science, that's probably where most of his science stuff is, too.

Zhao Yunlan is clearly wondering why Ye Zun's people would have risked encountering the Envoy, and what they could possibly have wanted from his flat. But it has nothing to do with him being the Envoy, and everything to do with his Haixing research connections. Another instance of the lines between his roles blurring

Ha, yes! A pleasing twist on the usual approach.

Incidentally, according to this it's Wang Xiangyang who's finding new candidates for them - I wonder how he does it. Maybe the Merit Brush helps with that? Can it lead him to people who share his goals?

Or maybe they take turns? It was Ya Qing who recruited Zu Ma -- though I suppose WXY could have found him first. I got the impression Ya Qing was running point on Sha Ya, which ditto.

I adore this whole scene so much, starting with the orange.

Yesss! *rewatchs just for the hell of it*

Always LOL over "Daqian", which means "big money". :D

Hee!

Also, regarding Da Ji, she says later she's tired of acting like a mature woman, and Zheng Daqian thanks her for running the household and managing their finances, so she does seem to have acted more mature in that identity. I wonder how much her post-murder behaviour, including towards Da Qing, is due to the trauma making her regress.

That's an excellent point! In the flashback to when she knew Da Qing in the past, she's clingy but not violent like that, and she has had time to grow as a person since then. (I wonder how old she is. Presumably not 10k years like Da Qing!)

Zheng Daqian wanted to transfer money, but it's not possible because Da Ji just withdrew all the funds.

Excellent! ;-p

I think from Wang Xiangyang's point of view, the woman Zheng Daqian thought he killed repeatedly appearing again (being seen by the girlfriend, and withdrawing the funds, at least) is meant as a stand-in for the dead Bai Suxia appearing to him, just like Wang Xiangyang at the hospital claimed to be Bai Suxia.

That's an awesome way of looking at it! Headcanon adopted! :D

He says when they ("we") investigated the wife

Good question. I have no ideas for that.

Also, according to Cong Bo she's using the name Da Ji with the dating agency, which is also the name she used with Zheng Daqian (according to the flashback with the phone call to the banker). But I guess if he didn't report her death and she's not officially dead, she didn't have to officially give up that identity.

Ha, true. I'm glad that asshole didn't make it so she had to give up her name.

I wonder if the suit is deliberately bad because he doesn't want to be dating, even fake-dating?

I like the DCIM theory that satsuma linked above that Da Qing borrowed it from Cong Bo. (Probably Da Qing wanted to go in his overalls, and Lin Jing and Cong Bo insisted he had to dress up, lol.)

Her saying they've just met, but it feels like they've known each other for a long time, echoes what Zhao Yunlan says to Shen Wei in episode 2, in sentiment if not in exact wording. Very cool parallel there, with two people who know each other, but one of them doesn't remember ... for different reasons, obviously, but still a parallel!

Oh, that is very cool. It's a shame these two aren't mutually destined, in that case!

Just wanted to link to this comment thread about "dageda", because I just looked it up again.

LOL, that's a great thread. Thanks for linking! <3

And a team member going off with a person under investigation isn't something they'd want to let happen without someone keeping an eye on things, so of course they'd follow when Da Qing and Da Ji go for a walk.

True, though, you know, she's mostly the victim up to this point. Reporting his financial crimes isn't exactly a Team Merit Brush-worthy punishment, imo.

I find it really annoying that Zhao Yunlan is so amused by Da Qing being attacked, and doesn't take it seriously at all.

I think he thinks Da Qing can hold his own against another cat. He's really not taking into account Da Ji's unhingedness. /o\

And yeah, he seems to recognise Da Ji as a cat. I still wonder how that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn't.

Hm, now you say that, are there any points where he meets a Yashou in human form and doesn't recognise them as Yashou? I can't think of any. Maybe it's more obvious than Dixingren?

Meanwhile, it looks to me like Zhao Yunlan steps in only so Shen Wei won't have to

That's how I read it, too. He doesn't want the Envoy to have to intervene -- that would be escalation.

Haha, yeah, and it's the same in the flashback when she's hit by that car!

He's super attached so long as he doesn't have to, like, interact with her. *g*

There's a car accident ... and then Da Qing just walks off with the corpse, carries her to the river (or wherever that is) and leaves her there?! What?!

Ha! I didn't even think of that. Maybe (as per one of the linked DCIM posts above) they were both really in cat form at the time but that doesn't show up in their memories?

The Viki subs have this as: "My heart won't be able to take it if we continue like this. Got it?"

Man, this is why there's such a thing as divorce! ;-p (Otoh, maybe he's floated the idea of divorce before and she didn't react well? That's not impossible...)

[trobadora]

What's your favourite scene in this episode? Your favourite line?

Favourite scene: ORANGES AND JACKETS AND PENDANTS, OH MY!

Favourite line: Da Qing quoting YOHE!Shen Wei. ♥ ♥ ♥

How does Da Qing feel about Da Ji? What do you think of her? How about Sha Ya and Lin Jing?

Da Qing and Da Ji: I think he sees her mostly as an annoying younger sister, and would like her well enough if she were willing to accept that role. But he has zero romantic interest in her, and he would really like people not to act like she's his girlfriend!

Sha Ya and Lin Jing: Lin Jing is totally, totally smitten, and she thinks he's cute. She doesn't really want to like him, but she does.

It doesn't sound to me like she'd connecting this to Zu Ma's condition -- why not?

Yeah, I don't understand it either.

What did Team Merit Brush need Da Ji for? Does the Merit Brush, under Wang Xiangyang's control, feed on revenge energy? Or is using other people's revenge part of Wang Xiangyang's covering his tracks? Or something else?

I think he wants revenge on particular people, and sees everyone who also wants revenge on them as his natural allies. They want the same thing! (I think he's clinging to that shared hatred, to justify his own deeds, and also so he doesn't feel so alone.)

Do you think Da Qing is saying the SID are like cats? Or that everyone's just people?

autodach above describes it perfectly. So much love!

Do you think Shen Wei is worried about what else Da Qing might have remembered and what he might say to Zhao Yunlan?

Oh, very good question! I don't think that occurs to him in the moment; he's too happy Da Qing is remembering him - but afterwards, it has do be on his mind, doesn't it?

How much do you think Shen Wei lost in the fire? Most importantly, when they arrive at the SID the next morning, is he wearing Zhao Yunlan's underwear?

I think the flat and its wiring are very damaged and will need to be thoroughly renovated; many of his possessions are probably fine, or will be after being aired out. (It doesn't look to me like things actually burned out, "just" electrocuted and thrown around. I guess it depends on whether Sha Ya engaged in some additional vandalism while she was at it, and she doesn't seem like the type who'd go to the trouble to specifically ruin his clothes, for example.)

And given his clothes seem to be fine (the change of clothes he wears the next day), I assume his underwear is also fine. But I now feel like they should at some point end up accidentally swap underwear when getting dressed in a hurry, and then both end up having lots of feelings about it. :D

[china_shop]

Favourite scene: ORANGES AND JACKETS AND PENDANTS, OH MY!

Favourite line: Da Qing quoting YOHE!Shen Wei. ♥ ♥ ♥

HEE! And yes, both excellent excellent choices! \o/

Agreed on your analysis of Da Ji/Da Qing and Sha Ya/Lin Jing! (I really don't know why I can't warm to Sha Ya. I don't know if it's because of the con or because she's not a cat person. ;-p)

I think he wants revenge on particular people, and sees everyone who also wants revenge on them as his natural allies. They want the same thing! (I think he's clinging to that shared hatred, to justify his own deeds, and also so he doesn't feel so alone.)

That makes so much sense!

Oh, very good question! I don't think that occurs to him in the moment; he's too happy Da Qing is remembering him - but afterwards, it has do be on his mind, doesn't it?

Maybe he decides it's out of his hands at that point? After all, he can't control everything.

But I now feel like they should at some point end up accidentally swap underwear when getting dressed in a hurry, and then both end up having lots of feelings about it. :D

Hee! Yes, please! :D (I've written Shen Wei borrowing Zhao Yunlan's underwear, but not an accidental swap.)

[trobadora]

One more thing from discord: oracularmayhem asked a very good question - why does Da Qing in the flashback sequence not seem to know cats have more than one life? Has Da Qing never died before? Why does he seem to think Da Ji is actually dead for good?

(I assume the answer is probably "Hallows-related memory issues", but ...)

And on a totally different note, I also forgot to mention that Da Qing towards the end of this episode calls Shen Wei "Lao-Shen". ♥ ♥ ♥

[china_shop]

I guess is Da Qing has never died before so there's no reason for him to know? He's been on his own since the start, hasn't he? (Plus, yes, Hallows-related memory issues for good measure.)

I also forgot to mention that Da Qing towards the end of this episode calls Shen Wei "Lao-Shen". ♥ ♥ ♥

Yes, I really really love that!! *smishes them*