One thing I *really* noticed this time through the episode was the number of parallels & contrasts.
Like, we begin with Zhao Yunlan threatening to fire Chu Shuzhi, and not that long afterward he's defending Chu Shuzhi's employment to the Minister.
During that conversation, Zhao Yunlan also tells the Minister (fiercely!) that he has no right to judge. A little later in Dixing, Chu Shuzhi tells the Regent (fiercely!) that he has no right to judge.
And then there are Guo Changcheng's sneakers.
We first see them in close-up when he's dreaming that Chu Shuzhi is holding him up in the air by his throat.
We get a very similar close-up view in Dixing when Chu Shuzhi really is holding him up in the air by his throat.
Finally, we get another close-up on the sneakers when Xiao Guo and Lao Chu are walking side-by-side along the river/canal, in Chu Shuzhi's dream.
It made me think of that TNG episode where you see three Datas and one of them says, "Only one of us is in the correct time continuum!" Similarly, only one of those shots of GCC's close-up sneakers happens within the reality of the series! The other two each occur in a different person's dream.
Re: Links to episode 32 fanworks and meta go here!
Like, we begin with Zhao Yunlan threatening to fire Chu Shuzhi, and not that long afterward he's defending Chu Shuzhi's employment to the Minister.
During that conversation, Zhao Yunlan also tells the Minister (fiercely!) that he has no right to judge. A little later in Dixing, Chu Shuzhi tells the Regent (fiercely!) that he has no right to judge.
And then there are Guo Changcheng's sneakers.
It made me think of that TNG episode where you see three Datas and one of them says, "Only one of us is in the correct time continuum!" Similarly, only one of those shots of GCC's close-up sneakers happens within the reality of the series! The other two each occur in a different person's dream.