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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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no subject
I find Clarity the watch baffling. What exactly is it? What can it do? How? Where did it come from? Are we just supposed to accept it and its powers? Is it a trope thing? Meanwhile, I love the worldbuilding around the ash falling on someone's shadow, and how that was shown/explained -- and also the smooth way Zhao Yunlan dragged Shen Wei away from the grasping shadow hand without making it obvious.
All the background about the SID is great, especially the rule of presumption of innocence -- that's a big contrast with the drama.
“I hate circular halls like these,” Zhao Yunlan said softly. “I hate everything that circles around and around—life and death, again and again, unending.” -- This seems unusually forthcoming of him? And also very foreshadowy.
"What is shame? Can you eat it? Does it taste good? -- LOL, oh Zhao Yunlan.
I wonder how the Soul-Guarding Order acts as a medium between yin and yang ... or is "yin and yang" just a metaphor for "the living and the dead"?
“What happened in the hall just now?” Daqing, unable to bite the hand that fed him, could only cough dryly and change the topic. “Why did your Clarity watch sound the alarm like that?” -- is Daqing talking about the gunshot sound or something else?
Zhao Yunlan is so cold and harsh when interviewing Li Qian. I guess he has to force people into opening up about their traumatic experiences, rather than repressing them -- especially since he's a cold-hearted beast that they feel nervous around...
Hiking his pants up, he squatted down and took a little bottle from his pocket. After pouring its contents in a circle around Guo Changcheng, he bit his own middle finger and smeared a drop of blood between Guo Changcheng’s brows. The moment the blood touched Guo Changcheng’s skin, it was completely absorbed. -- I wonder if anyone can do rituals like this, or if it's a special power. Does Zhao Yunlan officially have special powers at this point?
But resentment is caused by incomplete souls. Like will consume like -- Ohhh, and Li Qian is incomplete because of the Dial! That's why she got dragged along by the suicide girl who was "a manifestation of resentment from the shards of countless suffering, devoured souls." That makes sense!
Zhao Yunlan hesitated.
The black cat sighed. “When you should have some shame, it’s like an alien concept for you; when you should be flexible, you’re stubborn.
Hee! I love this! Poor, long-suffering Daqing (who is completely wrong in this instance)! <333
There was weird laughter by Zhao Yunlan’s ear, like the roof was mobbed with people—spectators indifferent to his plight. They cackled, enjoying the show. -- When he's interviewing Li Qian later, he says that there were people laughing at her, but this seems like they're laughing at him... huh. (Everyone telling half-truths and hiding secrets makes it much harder to parse what's going on.)
Awww, Zhao Yunlan placing his "insignificant little life" into Shen Wei's hands. And then abruptly regretting it, lol.
A strange feeling stirred in Zhao Yunlan when he glanced at his wrist and saw the bruises from Shen Wei’s hold on it. -- I remember years ago getting the impression that the novel was rather kinky, and this felt like foreshadowing for that even if it didn't really come to much. (But what is Zhao Yunlan's feeling here? Is it arousal?)
The burgeoning desire Zhao Yunlan had been feeling turned into a lit firecracker. It exploded spectacularly, leaving behind a sea of red paper that spelled out “love affair.” Every nerve in his body was alight. -- LOL, I looove this, and also the way he immediately covers it up.
Is Guo Changcheng's face covered in blood from Daqing's attack (lol) or something else?
I really like Shen Wei's "these are the only acceptable reasons to give your life" speech. *hearts him* Poor Li Qian.
“Why are you like a girl?” Zhao Yunlan smiled nonchalantly, but he switched gears before Shen Wei could catch his breath. “Shen-laoshi, have you ever seen me before today?” -- weaponised flirting, just like in the show! Everything performative and calculated (but with secret genuine feeling at the same time).
I wonder if Shen Wei's description of the long-ago case is like a metaphor for their origin story... I'm too hazy on the actual sequence of historical events to be sure.
Li Qian's report is false, isn't it? That's why Shen Wei talks to her about the two kinds of lies? She can't admit that the shadow was following her, not Lu Ruomei.
In the novel, the Emissary is so terrifying that they don't even call his name. And he's the one who makes the first move, rather than Zhao Yunlan summoning him. But [redacts more thoughts about this until we get to those chapters].
In the blink of an eye, Zhao Yunlan banished the irritation from his face as he turned, an old pervert magically transforming into a young bohemian. -- Such a performer!
A few other little details that reminded me of the drama:
Shen Wei immediately stopped. “Officer Zhao, do you have a cold?”
Love that they incorporated the sneezing and fussiness in episode 3.
Cf the cake-stealing scene in episode 3.
Love that the drama kept this, even if they postponed the handsy first aid till later on.
♥ ♥ ♥
Overall, I'm just kind of waiting for them to get to know each other better... :-)
no subject
I didn't catch that when I read! Thanks for highlighting! Definitely very foreshadowy.
no subject
LOL! Sometimes it just goes that way. *hugs*
I find Clarity the watch baffling.
I can't say that I undesrtand how it works or what its limits are or anything, but I just took the ghost-detecting watch in stride - it didn't seem like a particularly out-there concept, so I'm happy to roll with it. But I was thinking about the watch Lin Jing makes for Zhao Yunlan in the drama, and the way he doesn't get to explain it properly, and I was wondering if that was supposed to be a gesture towards this.
I love the worldbuilding around the ash falling on someone's shadow, and how that was shown/explained
Yeah, I really liked that too!
All the background about the SID is great, especially the rule of presumption of innocence -- that's a big contrast with the drama.
Now that I think of it, yeah, the SID starts out with the opposite assumption, that Dixingren are by default guilty. Fascinating!
I wonder how the Soul-Guarding Order acts as a medium between yin and yang ... or is "yin and yang" just a metaphor for "the living and the dead"?
Yeah, that's how I took it, at least.
I guess he has to force people into opening up about their traumatic experiences, rather than repressing them -- especially since he's a cold-hearted beast that they feel nervous around...
I felt he was needlessly cruel right from the start. Definitely more cold-hearted than drama!ZYL!
There was weird laughter by Zhao Yunlan’s ear, like the roof was mobbed with people—spectators indifferent to his plight. They cackled, enjoying the show. -- When he's interviewing Li Qian later, he says that there were people laughing at her, but this seems like they're laughing at him... huh.
Yeah, that's a fascinating shift! Is he just fishing, or has he put something together here?
A strange feeling stirred in Zhao Yunlan when he glanced at his wrist and saw the bruises from Shen Wei’s hold on it. -- I remember years ago getting the impression that the novel was rather kinky, and this felt like foreshadowing for that even if it didn't really come to much. (But what is Zhao Yunlan's feeling here? Is it arousal?)
I did take it that way!
Is Guo Changcheng's face covered in blood from Daqing's attack (lol) or something else?
I missed that! Yeah, I guess it must be. Shame on you, Daqing!
weaponised flirting, just like in the show! Everything performative and calculated (but with secret genuine feeling at the same time).
Yes! Though I'm not a fan of the "like a girl" thing, overall I liked this a lot.
Li Qian's report is false, isn't it? That's why Shen Wei talks to her about the two kinds of lies? She can't admit that the shadow was following her, not Lu Ruomei.
That's how I understood it, anyway!
Love that they incorporated the sneezing and fussiness in episode 3.
Yes! Excellent!
Shen Wei mentions ghosts ("isn't it an absurd waste of time to wonder whether ghosts and gods exist?") and Zhao Yunlan smiles and moves on. Because of course everyone's heard of ghosts. Cf the drama, when he says, "You've even heard of Dixingren?" and gets more suspicious.
Ooh, yes, great point about the contrast!
Ohhh, the clock tower is at the university? I wonder if that's the case in the drama, too...
It doesn't look like it to me - surely we'd see it at some point when they're on campus if it were?
And Zhao Yunlan objecting to gauze is funny when he spends half of episode 2 with his arm bandaged, in the drama.
Right? LOL! But of course the drama needs a visual signifier for the injury, and a bandage is easier than a fake scrape.
Interesting that novel!Shen Wei offers to leave.
Yeah, I think a big part of the difference is that novel!Li Qian isn't novel!Shen Wei's student, that changes things so much! (Really an excellent choice for the drama!)
Overall, I'm just kind of waiting for them to get to know each other better... :-)
I'm a bit worried about the parts where I bounced off last time, so I hope they go past quickly! *g*
no subject
I'm just not really clear what it does. Sometimes it shows faces, sometimes the dial goes blood-red, sometimes it gives a loud warning... And because Zhao Yunlan is completely used to it, we don't get any real introduction to it or discussion, like we do with the Hallows. *shrugs*
But I was thinking about the watch Lin Jing makes for Zhao Yunlan in the drama, and the way he doesn't get to explain it properly, and I was wondering if that was supposed to be a gesture towards this.
Yes! I like to think so. The adaptation is so thoughtful like that.
Definitely more cold-hearted than drama!ZYL!
Oh, absolutely! But in novel!ZYL's defense, Daqing has just told him that "Anyone who can be misled or even hurt by resentment is often guilty of something to begin with," and the Li Qian gets pulled into the resentful spirit's suicide cycle. Plus ZYL is investigating a murder (and also, just nearly fell off a building so is probably a bit adrenaline-y). And Li Qian is compulsively evasive/suspicious. Idk. I prefer the drama version -- novel!ZYL has no warmth at all. But I think there's some justification for his approach.
It doesn't look like it to me - surely we'd see it at some point when they're on campus if it were?
Well, we only ever see one or two of the university buildings in the drama. Anyway, I'm glad they kept the clock tower.
Yeah, I think a big part of the difference is that novel!Li Qian isn't novel!Shen Wei's student, that changes things so much!
He still goes to pretty impressive lengths to take care of her in the novel (mostly talking about the next chapters here, though).
no subject
I don't remember much of that, so I'm looking forward to it!