Meta: the bond between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan

[china_shop]

When I was making screencaps for my Zhao Xinci and Gao Jingfeng meta, it occurred to me that while Shen Wei is having tea with Zhao Xinci, Zhao Yunlan is lurking in the doorway watching, but Shen Wei seems wholly unaware of his presence -- and when he comes outside, he's surprised to find Zhao Yunlan waiting.

But there are other times when Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan seem to be able to sense each other, or they have an unexplained or semi-explained bond.

1. Episodes 1 & 2.
   
   
   
   Of course Shen Wei recognises Zhao Yunlan on campus when they first meet, but Zhao Yunlan seems to recognise Shen Wei on some level, too. In episode 1, he says, "Every time I see you, Professor Shen, I have this feeling like we have known each other from a long time ago." That could be a line in response to Shen Wei's strange intensity, of course, except that in episode 2, Zhao Yunlan muses to himself, "Shen Wei. Where have I seen you before?"


2. Episode 15.
   
   
   
   Shen Wei appears every time Zhao Yunlan activates the Hallows (and sometimes just before he does) to either save him, scold him, or both. Of course, this might be more a reaction to the Hallows than to Zhao Yunlan -- what do you think?


3. When Kong Jing kidnaps Zhao Yunlan, Zhao Yunlan seems to have some kind of dark-energy protection(?), which he identifies with Shen Wei.


4. I think Shen Wei, chained to the pillar, senses Zhao Yunlan sometimes? But I can't remember specifics; I might have made that up.


5. Episode 40.
   
   
   
   Shen Wei manages to send his pendant through the barrier between life and death to Zhao Yunlan, and of course, they find each other in the afterlife.


6. What else am I forgetting?

Do you think their bond is objectively real? I don't just mean emotionally -- I mean how much of this is Fate, how much is explained by the Dial Exchange or the Hallows, how much is it a soul bond? Has Shen Wei put a dark-energy tracker on Zhao Yunlan, to help keep him safe? Any thoughts? Any related fanworks?

(Note: episode numbers for the screencaps are in the alt text. :-)

Comments

[trobadora]

This is such a great idea for a post! Sorry it took me so long to come back to it. ♥

Zhao Yunlan seems to recognise Shen Wei on some level, too.

My theory (as you know) is that it's their knowing each other echoing forward in time thanks to the Hallows and the time loop, so Zhao Yunlan catches an echo of something that hasn't happened yet.

Shen Wei appears every time Zhao Yunlan activates the Hallows (and sometimes just before he does)

Yeah, I think this is more due to the Hallows than Zhao Yunlan – he picks up on when the Hallows respond to Zhao Yunlan. Another example is in episode 20, when Shen Wei is outside the Inspectorate and suddenly picks up on something, then quickly zooms away to come to Zhao Yunlan's rescue. The moment he suddenly notices seems to be when Zhao Yunlan uses the Sundial to defend himself against Ye Zun.

When Kong Jing kidnaps Zhao Yunlan, Zhao Yunlan seems to have some kind of dark-energy protection(?), which he identifies with Shen Wei.

I always assumed this had something to do with the energy exchange. If he got white energy from Zhao Yunlan, then it would make sense Zhao Yunlan got black energy from him.

I think Shen Wei, chained to the pillar, senses Zhao Yunlan sometimes?

Like autodach says above, when Zhao Yunlan is in Zhu Hong's dream and Shen Wei is in Dixing tied to the pillar, he suddenly reacts to Zhao Yunlan being in danger – he notices he's in trouble and that his body is unstable, and then shouts "where is he" (after which Ye Zun taunts him about it).

So there are three possibilities, I think; (1) he's been consistently aware of Zhao Yunlan on some level and that awareness has changed, or (2) Zhao Yunlan being in danger alerted him somehow and communicated some details about his condition, or (3) Shen Wei was actively seeking out Zhao Yunlan with one of his powers, and it just happened to be in this moment, which alerted him to his condition.

Shen Wei manages to send his pendant through the barrier between life and death to Zhao Yunlan, and of course, they find each other in the afterlife.

SO MUCH LOVE. :D :D :D

What else am I forgetting?

In episode 38, when Ye Zun has Shen Wei captive in the palace, he tells Shen Wei Zhao Yunlan is on the way to Dixing. (Unclear if he can sense that himself, or if he has other intel.) And then a bit later, Shen Wei whispers Zhao Yunlan's name while seemingly mentally absent – it looks to me like he's mentally searching for him, confirming what Ye Zun told him.

Do you think their bond is objectively real? I don't just mean emotionally -- I mean how much of this is Fate, how much is explained by the Dial Exchange or the Hallows, how much is it a soul bond?

I think the time-looped bond between the two of them, and their entangled energies from the exchange with the Sundial account for it all, but what it amounts to is something indistinguishable from a soul bond? Their emotional bond self-creates itself through the time loop and is complicated and heightened by that, and the energy exchange via the Sundial contributes creates an additional energy bond, and it leaves them so entangled with each other, they remain connected no matter what, dead or alive.

Has Shen Wei put a dark-energy tracker on Zhao Yunlan, to help keep him safe?

Possibly! Since, as you say, there are provably instances where Shen Wei isn’t aware of Zhao Yunlan’s presence, maybe it's a tracker he has to actively ping, not one that he's constantly aware of? So if he doesn't search for him, he won't notice.

[china_shop]

Hiiiii! I'm so sorry, I lost this comment in my endless sea of tabs. /o\

Glad you liked the post!

My theory (as you know) is that it's their knowing each other echoing forward in time thanks to the Hallows and the time loop, so Zhao Yunlan catches an echo of something that hasn't happened yet.

*nodnod* Though he has barely been exposed to the Hallows at that point, and hadn't at all when he first met Shen Wei, right? But maybe the Hallows are just that powerful. :-)

Another example is in episode 20, when Shen Wei is outside the Inspectorate and suddenly picks up on something, then quickly zooms away to come to Zhao Yunlan's rescue. The moment he suddenly notices seems to be when Zhao Yunlan uses the Sundial to defend himself against Ye Zun.

Oh, yes, excellent point! And agreed, that must have been him feeling the Dial activate.

I always assumed this had something to do with the energy exchange. If he got white energy from Zhao Yunlan, then it would make sense Zhao Yunlan got black energy from him.

I always assumed it was energy-exchange related, too. But if Zhao Yunlan received black energy, shouldn't he feel some discomfort at the "unnatural" mixing of energies, too? Or does it only cause Shen Wei discomfort because he's so aware of his own energy structure? Do Haixingren have energy structures -- they must do, if Zhao Yunlan's is corrupted, right?

I don't think that it necessarily follows from the exchange that Zhao Yunlan must have received dark energy, just because Shen Wei got light. The whole point of the exchange was to heal ZYL's corruption, so Shen Wei could have been exerting himself to extract that dark energy (and incidentally got some light energy along with the dark at the same time)? Idk. It's possible the thing with Kong Jing was unrelated -- some kind of protection power that Shen Wei put on Zhao Yunlan? (Sorry, I don't mean to be contrary! Just thinking it out.)

So there are three possibilities, I think; [...] (3) Shen Wei was actively seeking out Zhao Yunlan with one of his powers, and it just happened to be in this moment, which alerted him to his condition.

I'm most inclined towards that one, actually. (And wow, the idea that Shen Wei can sense Zhao Yunlan at such a distance (across dimensions?)!!) But yeah, all of those scenarios would work. :-)

In episode 38, when Ye Zun has Shen Wei captive in the palace, he tells Shen Wei Zhao Yunlan is on the way to Dixing. (Unclear if he can sense that himself, or if he has other intel.) And then a bit later, Shen Wei whispers Zhao Yunlan's name while seemingly mentally absent – it looks to me like he's mentally searching for him, confirming what Ye Zun told him.

Oh, yes, excellent point! Thanks for adding that! <3

but what it amounts to is something indistinguishable from a soul bond?

Oh, yes. I love that. This is what a soul bond is! <3 <3 <3 :D

[trobadora]

No worries! ♥

Though he has barely been exposed to the Hallows at that point, and hadn't at all when he first met Shen Wei, right? But maybe the Hallows are just that powerful. :-)

He hasn't in his timeline, but he has in the Hallows' timeline, and they do what they want. *g*

I always assumed it was energy-exchange related, too. But if Zhao Yunlan received black energy, shouldn't he feel some discomfort at the "unnatural" mixing of energies, too? Or does it only cause Shen Wei discomfort because he's so aware of his own energy structure? Do Haixingren have energy structures -- they must do, if Zhao Yunlan's is corrupted, right?

Since the black energy is rising up to protect him, I wonder if Shen Wei did something to mitigate its effect on Zhao Yunlan, so it'd get used up rather than mingling with his white energy.

(Yeah, I'm pretty sure they have analogous energy structures, which is also why the serum can activate white energy powers for them.)

I don't think that it necessarily follows from the exchange that Zhao Yunlan must have received dark energy, just because Shen Wei got light.

Yeah, no, it doesn't necessarily follow, it's just my headcanon for where the black energy in that Kong Jing scene came from. It could be some other protective measure! But then why doesn't that happen at other points? (Lateron, Shen Wei is weakened, but earlier in the drama? He worries a lot about Zhao Yunlan's safety ...)

I'm most inclined towards that one, actually. (And wow, the idea that Shen Wei can sense Zhao Yunlan at such a distance (across dimensions?)!!) But yeah, all of those scenarios would work. :-)

Yeah, it does make sense! And given that Chu Shuzhi can sense his puppet across the same distance (when he's in Haixing and Guo Changcheng with the puppet is in Dixing), that sensing ability may not even be that out there?

Oh, yes. I love that. This is what a soul bond is! <3 <3 <3 :D

♥ ♥ ♥ indeed! :D

[china_shop]

♥ ♥ ♥

He hasn't in his timeline, but he has in the Hallows' timeline, and they do what they want. *g*

LOL, they really do!

Since the black energy is rising up to protect him, I wonder if Shen Wei did something to mitigate its effect on Zhao Yunlan, so it'd get used up rather than mingling with his white energy.

I'm not sure he could? He's very powerful, but he himself says no one understands or can control the Hallows. Maybe he tries to do that after the fact, though, hm.

And given that Chu Shuzhi can sense his puppet across the same distance (when he's in Haixing and Guo Changcheng with the puppet is in Dixing), that sensing ability may not even be that out there?

Ooh, excellent point! Maybe it's like quantum entanglement or something.

[trobadora]

I'm not sure he could? He's very powerful, but he himself says no one understands or can control the Hallows. Maybe he tries to do that after the fact, though, hm.

Yeah, I didn't mean that he changed the Hallows' effect, but that he did something to the black energy left behind in Zhao Yunlan afterwards.

[china_shop]

*nodnod* That makes sense!