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sid_guardian2024-11-16 09:43 pm
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2024-11-16 09:43 pm
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Guardian readalong: chapters 3 & 4
Hi, everyone, whether you were already here last week or are just joining us now! Last week's discussion post for the prologue and chapters 1 and 2 will remain open, of course, so feel free to comment there at any time. :)
Today we're on to chapters 3 and 4.
- Chapter 3: Shen Wei takes Zhao Yunlan, Daqing and Guo Changcheng to the admin building, where they encounter much creepiness and ghostly happenings.
- Chapter 4: Shen Wei saves Zhao Yunlan from falling off the roof, and Zhao Yunlan questions Li Qian.
Excerpts
1) Guo Changcheng's impression of Shen Wei
For some reason, after a few steps, Guo Changcheng looked back.
Shen Wei had yet to take even a single step from the spot. He'd removed his glasses and was absentmindedly wiping them with the corner of his shirt. In the dim hallway, his shadow stretched out, long against the floor, looking lonely and dejected. The eyes that had so determinedly avoided Zhao Yunlan were now fixed on his back.
There was a dark distance in that intense gaze. His expression held both a sort of restrained yearning and an affection that was almost palpable...but at the same time, there was deep, crushing pain.
Out of nowhere, Guo Changcheng got the feeling that the man had been standing there for thousands and thousands of years.
2) The SID's history
The Soul-Guarding Order had existed since ancient times. It served to conduct Netherworld business in the mortal world, act as a medium between yin and yang, and coordinate the Three Realms. Historically, it had fallen under the Imperial History Bureau. After the People's Republic of China was founded, the Soul-Guarding Order came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security. That was when the Special Investigations Department had been established.
The current director of the Special Investigations Department, Zhao Yunlan, was also the Guardian. This Guardian was equally comfortable in the Netherworld or in banquet halls. He was talented and smooth, able to hold his alcohol and exchange cups with anyone in the Three Realms. Eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, or putting on a show-he was an expert at it all.
3) Shen Wei rescues Zhao Yunlan
Zhao Yunlan hesitated, but then, despite the fierce wind atop the tall building, he met Shen Wei's eyes and saw himself in their depths-himself and, somehow, the night sky, impossibly intermingled. For some reason, looking up into those eyes, Zhao Yunlan instinctively let go and placed everything, including his insignificant little life, in Shen Wei's hands.
He regretted it the moment he let go. Is lust rotting my brain?
In the next second, Shen Wei hauled him up by sheer force. His unimposing, scholarly appearance belied an unusually powerful grip-Zhao Yunlan's wrist was rapidly going numb, his fingers purpling. The friction pushed his sleeve up to the elbow, scraping a layer of skin from his forearm.
Then he was being held tightly in Shen Wei's arms as they both collapsed on the roof-tightly enough that his bones creaked in protest, as though Shen Wei were hugging something he'd lost long ago. A strange feeling stirred in Zhao Yunlan when he glanced at his wrist and saw the bruises from Shen Wei's hold on it.
4) Have you seen me before?
"Shen-laoshi, have you ever seen me before today?"
Surprised, Shen Wei met his gaze, mind going blank. For two full seconds, he could only stare at Zhao Yunlan, unable to look away. Finally, his throat a little dry, he said, "I... Yes. I saw you before."
Zhao Yunlan raised an eyebrow and waited for him to finish.
"I..." A conflicted expression flitted across Shen Wei's face. Just as Zhao Yunlan thought he was about to tell a fantastic story of how incredibly their lives were entangled, Shen Wei's tone lightened. "Actually, I saw your team working on a case."
Zhao Yunlan felt a sudden pang of disappointment, as though his hopes had been lifted just to be let down gently.
Questions
How are you enjoying things so far? What's your favourite line or moment in these chapters? Any particular bits that drew your attention? Any favourite worldbuilding elements or character details? Parallels or contrasts with the drama? What do you make of the hints and foreshadowing we're given? What's your impression of Li Qian? If you're reading a different translation or a Chinese edition, how do the excerpts above compare? Any other thoughts? (Note: these are just conversation starters. Feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like!)
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I like the description of the Longcheng University campus. It’s spooky.
The elevator scare and fakeout 🤣🤣🤣 (but is it a fakeout…)
This book has…an odd way of describing things that makes the rhythm hard to follow for me. First of all, it’s heavy on the four-character idioms and I keep having to look them up. But more importantly, the descriptions are…very long-winded and the metaphors are a bit over-extended? E. g. 以至于体型也越来越走向国际化的大庆, which translated preserving sentence structure as much as possible is: “…and as for the ‘body-shape that is even more and more going toward globalization’ Da Qing…” All this to say Da Qing is very fat.
Zhao Yunlan hooked by Shen Wei’s pretty eyes! “An inky sweep” etc etc etc. (I remember there was a pretty good translation of this bit that either foxghost or dtriad on Tumblr had done. I’ll try to dig it up.) I wonder if Kunlun was similarly mesmerized by the Ghost Slayer’s eyes.
“不咸不淡地道了别” — this is my favorite description now!A somewhat literal translation is, “He said goodbye neither saltily nor blandly,” LOL. (This is when ZYL is saying bye to Shen Wei in the “mathematics” building.)
ZYL saying Da Qing was “just like a brainless dog” lmao what an insult.
“你靠近游魂的时候也很舒服，尤其爱往藏尸的阴穴里埋小鱼干。” Da Qing liking to bury his dried fish in graves…we’re getting excellent Da Qing lore so early in the game.
Whole atmosphere is very creepy!
ZYL’s whole speech about not being able to ear moral integrity is such a character moment. Very pragmatic and somewhat cynical man.
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The elevator scare and fakeout 🤣🤣🤣 (but is it a fakeout…)
Yeah, very good question! It definitely sounded like more.
First of all, it’s heavy on the four-character idioms and I keep having to look them up. But more importantly, the descriptions are…very long-winded and the metaphors are a bit over-extended?
Yeah, I've heard priest's style is generally considered to be a bit difficult and full of chengyu and such! Totally admiring you for being able to read it at all. And that's fascinating about the extended metaphors, a very distinctive part of the quippy narrative voice. I find that quite charming!
I remember there was a pretty good translation of this bit that either foxghost or dtriad on Tumblr had done. I’ll try to dig it up.
Oooh, that would be awesome! I remember both of them did some very intriguing Guardian translation meta back then, but the only one I know I still have a link for is
we’re getting excellent Da Qing lore so early in the game.
Seriously! I love those details.
ZYL’s whole speech about not being able to ear moral integrity is such a character moment. Very pragmatic and somewhat cynical man.
Yes, agreed! He's such a character.
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Most of the post is a good read regarding how hard the text is to translate. The passage I was talking about comes near the end.
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ZYL’s whole speech about not being able to ear moral integrity is such a character moment. Very pragmatic and somewhat cynical man.
Where's that, sorry? I did a text search but couldn't find it...
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“失节是小，饿死是大。”赵云澜把烟屁股掐了，在猫咪脑门上轻轻拍了一巴掌，“也请你们这些整天没事假清高的同志们都好好摸摸自己的良心，你们的那编制，每月按时打在卡里的工资奖金，逢年过节发的大小福利，以及办事的时候不受任何其他部门阻挠捣乱的权利，都他妈是大风刮来的？节操是个什么玩意，能吃吗？好吃吗？”
Google Translate does a fair job of it (slightly edited):
"Losing one's integrity is a small matter, starving to death is a big matter." Zhao Yunlan put out his cigarette butt and slapped the cat on the forehead. "I also ask all of you who have nothing to do all day to pretend to be noble to examine your conscience. Your positions, the salaries and bonuses that are deposited into your cards on time every month, the benefits you receive during festivals and holidays, and the right to do things without being obstructed or disrupted by any other department, where did all that come from? What the hell is integrity? Can you eat it? Does it taste good?"
I think I saw you paste the last part of the quote in below, but with "shame" instead of "integrity."
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I love this quote.
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Yeah, the official translation says:
So I think the "shame" there is largely in answer to Daqing's accusation. :-)
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赵云澜面无表情地问：“那傻逼不知道特殊调查处不归公安部调动？还是他想给自己的外甥弄个‘因公殉职’？”
大庆喵了一嗓子：“有本事你别冲我来，当面把调令往人脸上摔，背后叫人傻逼，当面一口一个领导，叫得比干爹还亲，老猫我也活了几千岁了，就没见过你这么没节操的‘令主’。”
(edited GTranslate) There wasn't an expression on Zhao Yunlan's face as he asked, "Doesn't that idiot know that the Special Investigations Division is no longer under the Ministry of Public Security? Or does he want to acquire a 'died in the line of duty' honor for his nephew?"
Daqing meowed, "If you have the guts, don't come at me, chuck the transfer order at his face in person. You call him an idiot behind his back, but to his face you say 'leader,' your tone as if he were closer to you than an adoptive father. This old cat has lived for thousands of years, and I've never seen a 'Mandate Holder' with as little integrity as you."
I think "shameless" does feel a little more appropriate here.
AND YEAH! That line about "Don't I have to go make those connections" doesn't show up in my copy! Maybe they just wanted to make that implication more explicit.
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Yeah, extrapolate out from "Where did all that come from?" I approve of that choice (it reminds me of drama!ZYL going drinking with Minister Song after the failed book scam, and having to drink with the village chief in the Hanga arc -- the price of leadership! :-)
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Hee! :D