Picspam: Chu Shuzhi &/ Zhao Yunlan (early drama episodes)

[china_shop]

Hi, my initial plan was to picspam Chu Shuzhi smiling at Zhao Yunlan. Of course, I took way too many screencaps, so please congratulate me on whittling them down and not including every single scene where the two of them appear together (just most of them). *g*

Naturally, I immediately extended my brief when I began scanning the episodes and saw this.


Episode 4, interview scene. Zhao Yunlan interrupts Chu Shuzhi's interviewing of Shen Wei with a casual hand on Chu Shuzhi's shoulder. At this point, I think the only other person who's touched Lao Chu is Guo Changcheng when he's freaking out. I doubt Zhao Yunlan makes a habit of it, either.

Shortly thereafter, on the SID mezzanine, Chu Shuzhi and Zhao Yunlan talk about the case. Chu Shuzhi has unilaterally sent his doll to tail Lin Yusen, and Zhao Yunlan sees Chu Shuzhi's ear twitching and catches on immediately.



There are mutual compliments:
ZYL: Not bad, Lao Chu. Sending a puppet to shadow him. You even picked up remote monitoring.
CSZ: Casting a long line to catch the big fish, you taught me that.

Again, outside my brief, but I do enjoy them working so well together at the end of episode 4, during fake Zhang Danni's poisonous-gas temper tantrum.





Not pictured: after Zhao Yunlan starts negotiations with fake Zhang Danni, he sends a sly, silent glance to Chu Shuzhi, signalling that Chu Shuzhi should pull Da Qing out of the danger zone. Chu Shuzhi immediately gets the message.

Episode 5 has this wonderful exchange outside the residence where Butler Wu works.







GCC: Chief Zhao, you're amazing. You can see her face from so far away?
ZYL: If you were the chief, you'd be able to see it, too
CSZ: This is the instinct of a beast.
ZYL: Lao Chu, you little... You've changed.
CSZ: *smirks*

I love that Chu Shuzhi has opened up and joined the team enough to tease Zhao Yunlan like this. It's so playful, especially in the middle of a case! And it feels like a real shift from the first couple of episodes, building on what's come before.

Honorary inclusion: at the start of episode 6, when they're interviewing Ji Xiaobai about his missing Weiwei, Zhao Yunlan stomps on Da Qing's foot for being tactless, and Chu Shuzhi looks away, presumably so he won't laugh.



Not pictured: in episode 5, in the mirror dimension, when Dixingren!Weiwei appears, Zhao Yunlan puts a restraining hand on Chu Shuzhi's shoulder.

Gratuitous cap just because Chu Shuzhi is pretty. This is from episode 7, when the rest of the team minus Zhao Yunlan are talking about web comics.



Still in episode 7, Zhao Yunlan and the team watch the CCTV footage of the mugging. When Zhao Yunlan gets flustered about being caught on tape with Shen Wei, Chu Shuzhi raises his eyebrows and gives a sceptical, "Ahh." Hee!





Episode 7, at the hospital. This one is a bit of a stretch because Chu Shuzhi is probably following Lin Jing's explanation rather than looking at Zhao Yunlan, but he is looking across rather than up, and it looks so speculative. If I were vidding... (Also, it made me wonder: what if the entire SID team (minus Da Qing) had crushes on Zhao Yunlan, each in their own way, before Shen Wei arrived on the scene. *g*)



Episode 7 at the web novelist Lai Su's place. I just thought these shots of them working together were pretty.





Not pictured because it happens too quickly: in ep 9, when they're outside the SID preparing to leave for their trip to the mountains, Zhao Yunlan tosses Chu Shuzhi some car keys with zero warning, and Chu Shuzhi catches them effortlessly and without fuss. *hearts*

When they stop to rest on their way to the Hanga caves, in ep 10, Zhao Yunlan and Chu Shuzhi's both sprawl on a big rock. (Chu Shuzhi often sits with his feet up at the SID, too. I wonder how differently he'd have sat if Shen Wei had been there openly as the Envoy earlier on; how much has he adopted the habits and postures of those around him *koff*ZhaoYunlan*koff*?)





Honorary inclusion: this is Chu Shuzhi grinning and giving Guo Changcheng a thumbs up for zapping Zhao Yunlan with his fear stick. LOL!



Finally, in the Hanga caves in ep 11, Chu Shuzhi smiles at Zhao Yunlan's having appointed Sang Zan as the SID's new librarian. Aww!



I'm stopping here, because over the few episodes after the Hanga arc, the dynamic changes; instead of Zhao Yunlan working with Chu Shuzhi and the others so much, the focus shifts heavily to the Envoy reveal (as is only right and proper!). We get Zhao Yunlan being "kidnapped" by Zhu Jiu and then, increasingly, partnering with Shen Wei. And whereas at the end of episode 5, Zhao Yunlan and Chu Shuzhi worked together to test Xiao Guo's tailing skills (and Zhao Yunlan says it's the seventh time he's failed, lol), from here on out, Chu Shuzhi's partnership with Guo Changcheng starts to solidify.

Comments

[china_shop]

And they're the only two Dixingren living legally in Haixing, that's also a huge point.

But Chu Shuzhi doesn't know that, right? I always thought Chu Shuzhi assumed the Envoy was based in Dixing, and that's why he needed a representative in Haixing. Zhao Yunlan definitely seems to have assumed that, going by his asking Da Qing, "Do you think it's possible that Hei Pao Shi is also staying here on the surface and is using a human face?"

[trobadora]

No, you're right, Chu Shuzhi doesn't know the Envoy has a secret identity and is actually living in Haixing, that part only works from Shen Wei's POV. But he does know that, unlike every other Dixingren, the Envoy can legally come and go in Haixing as he pleases. Enjoy the sunlight, and all that.

I agree that everyone thinks the Envoy is based in Dixing!

[china_shop]

But he does know that, unlike every other Dixingren, the Envoy can legally come and go in Haixing as he pleases. Enjoy the sunlight, and all that.

Huh, I wonder if he thinks the Envoy spends leisure time Upstairs. It seems incongruous to me, and like surely other people would notice?? But maybe to Chu Shuzhi (to whom the robes might not look quite so out of place) it would be less surprising... Or do you think Chu Shuzhi realises the Envoy must have a Haixing cover ID?

[trobadora]

I don't think he thinks the Envoy has leisure time. All duty, all the time. *g* And I'm pretty sure he hasn't the slightest idea a Haixing cover ID is even a possibility. But I do think standing in the sunlight (without being deported for it) is a meaningful thing for a Dixingren to be allowed to do, even if it's happening during work.

[china_shop]

I don't think he thinks the Envoy has leisure time. All duty, all the time. *g*

Ha, good point... and consequently, Chu Shuzhi probably doesn't allow himself leisure activities either, even if he's not working 24/7. He can justify keeping fit, but I expect not much else?

But I do think standing in the sunlight (without being deported for it) is a meaningful thing for a Dixingren to be allowed to do, even if it's happening during work.

*nodnod* That makes sense! :-)

[trobadora]

and consequently, Chu Shuzhi probably doesn't allow himself leisure activities either, even if he's not working 24/7

Yeah, that's how I see it too. He's following a standard Shen Wei didn't mean to set, but inadvertently has all the same.

[china_shop]

I guess Shen Wei doesn't have any prior experience as a civilian manager of devoted rescue-ees, and he probably reasonably expects the SID to take care of general HR functions... but still. Clarity would be helpful! /o\ ;-p

[satsuma]

Probably Chu Shuzhi would feel the need to justify his time in Haixing just bc of the circumstances of his employment (aka, he’s working off a prison sentence) even if he did think HPS takes time for himself

But yeah hopefully Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan have both at least mentioned him deserving time to himself at some point even if it will only marginally work

[china_shop]

Probably Chu Shuzhi would feel the need to justify his time in Haixing just bc of the circumstances of his employment (aka, he’s working off a prison sentence) even if he did think HPS takes time for himself

True. Otoh, the amount of loafing around the SID does should give him some licence...

But yeah hopefully Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan have both at least mentioned him deserving time to himself at some point even if it will only marginally work

Clearly ZYL needs to take CSZ out for a drink, post pre-canon case... *g*

[satsuma]

True. Otoh, the amount of loafing around the SID does should give him some licence...

Yeah hopefully he picks up on that and relaxes a bit, and not just assumes none of it applies to him bc he's dixingren / he's a convict / whatever

Clearly ZYL needs to take CSZ out for a drink, post pre-canon case... *g*

An excellent plan :D

[trobadora]

I think satsuma is right, I'm not sure if would make much of a difference if Shen Wei did clarify. IMO what actually makes a difference in the end is Chu Shuzhi getting comfortable at the SID, which doesn't happen until after the start of canon, when Zhao Yunlan's views start changing, the SID team grows closer, and Xiao-Guo draws him out of his shell.

[china_shop]

What if someone told him that learning about Haixing was part of his role, and he went and joined a bunch of hobby groups as a kind of badly-undercover recon thing, though. *g*

[trobadora]

I think he'd be different from how we know him at the start of canon, so it only works if it's canon divergence.

[china_shop]

I think it would depend whether he successfully managed to talk to anyone at any of the things, or just felt left out there, too (but learned some useful skills despite himself)... :-)

[satsuma]

Regardless of how much time Chu Shuzhi thinks HPS spends in Haixing, he’s still the only Dixingren Shuzhi can regularly talk to, which feels important to me (from his perspective) regardless of the other details. But yeah seconding the idea of standing openly under the sunlight as important to both of them also

[china_shop]

he’s still the only Dixingren Shuzhi can regularly talk to, which feels important to me (from his perspective) regardless of the other details.

Yes, that's a great point. (I was going to add "especially since the SID is so openly bigoted, earlier on," but actually it would be true regardless...)

[trobadora]

Yeah, you're right, that definitely matters to Chu Shuzhi! ♥