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sid_guardian2024-11-23 09:43 am
cathyw) wrote in sid_guardian2024-11-23 09:43 am
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Guardian readalong: chapters 5 and 6
Hello! Welcome back (or just welcome!) to our readalong of Guardian! Whatever translation you're reading, whatever language you're reading it in, please join in our discussion!
Our story so far:
Prologue, chapters 1 and 2
Chapters 3 and 4
... and today we're on to chapters 5 and 6 in the official English translation, or chapters 10-11 in the current JJWXC Chinese text or the most widely-distributed English fan translation.
Chapter 5: Shen Wei has a parting exchange with Zhao Yunlan; Zhao Yunlan sends Guo Changcheng on a mission.
Chapter 6: Guo Changcheng, Da Qing, and Shen Wei visit Li Qian in the student clinic.
Some excerpts:
1) Shen Wei has Zhao Yunlan's number
... Shen Wei couldn't help looking back, even though the person he wanted to see had already disappeared from view. When he looked through his phone's contacts, he found a flirtatious "a-Lan" innocently displayed on the screen. As he silently drank in those two syllables, he felt as though a knife were slipping cleanly through his heart, turning the softest part to a bloody pulp. Finally, his narrow lips locked the words away where no one could hear them.
Shen Wei lifted his fingers and caught the faint scent of Zhao Yunlan's cologne. Closing his eyes, he took a slow, deep breath. He didn't know what cologne it might be, but from the very first whiff, it was as if the scent had been haunting his dreams for years on end.
2) Zhao Yunlan gives a motivational speech
Director Zhao had never had to deal with such a weirdo. There was no way out of this excruciating situation but to push through, no matter how much internal damage he had to suffer in silence. He forced himself into an enigmatic, leaderly stance and said "You did great. That was very detailed. You have potential."
Guo Changcheng's head snapped up. The man before him was gazing down with a pleasant, kind smile wreathing his face. His eyes and brows were more beautiful than Guo Changcheng could express. Those few words flooded him with warmth and strength, and his face went red. His boss was way too good to him - so good that Guo Changcheng suddenly understood the ancient saying, "A man is willing to die for the one who truly understands him." If Director Zhao cherished and valued him like that, even his life wouldn't be too great a sacrifice.
And so, Guo Changcheng voluntarily took on a task even more difficult for him than dying: calling and interacting with strangers.
3) Guo Changcheng is not the best bereavement counselor
Guo Changcheng tugged foolishly at his hair. He'd been able to say so much for once out of sympathy. He was on the verge of admiring himself. "Come on, don't cry. When my grandma first passed away, I thought my world was collapsing too. I remember thinking, now I'll never get the chance to be a filial grandson again, so what's the point of studying and working hard? Back then I would even have traded my life for hers, but..." He sighed. "Anyway, I'm not good with words. I just mean don't be sad. Our relatives who have passed away are still watching over us."
It would have been better if he'd stopped talking while he was ahead. At his last sentences, Li Qian began to shake and sob loudly. It was quickly clear that she was unable to stop, so badly out of it that her hands and feet were twitching unconsciously. Shen Wei hurried to get the doctor. Guo Changcheng, who had never seen someone so utterly devastated, could only stand aside helplessly.
Questions:
Is Zhao Yunlan a good boss? (a good cop? a good Guardian?) Do you find him likeable so far? How about Changcheng? As always, share your favorite bits, comparisons with the drama, comparisons between editions, or whatever other thoughts, feelings, or wordless squeeing you feel moved to.
Schedule and hosting signup.
Our story so far:
Prologue, chapters 1 and 2
Chapters 3 and 4
... and today we're on to chapters 5 and 6 in the official English translation, or chapters 10-11 in the current JJWXC Chinese text or the most widely-distributed English fan translation.
Chapter 5: Shen Wei has a parting exchange with Zhao Yunlan; Zhao Yunlan sends Guo Changcheng on a mission.
Chapter 6: Guo Changcheng, Da Qing, and Shen Wei visit Li Qian in the student clinic.
Some excerpts:
1) Shen Wei has Zhao Yunlan's number
... Shen Wei couldn't help looking back, even though the person he wanted to see had already disappeared from view. When he looked through his phone's contacts, he found a flirtatious "a-Lan" innocently displayed on the screen. As he silently drank in those two syllables, he felt as though a knife were slipping cleanly through his heart, turning the softest part to a bloody pulp. Finally, his narrow lips locked the words away where no one could hear them.
Shen Wei lifted his fingers and caught the faint scent of Zhao Yunlan's cologne. Closing his eyes, he took a slow, deep breath. He didn't know what cologne it might be, but from the very first whiff, it was as if the scent had been haunting his dreams for years on end.
2) Zhao Yunlan gives a motivational speech
Director Zhao had never had to deal with such a weirdo. There was no way out of this excruciating situation but to push through, no matter how much internal damage he had to suffer in silence. He forced himself into an enigmatic, leaderly stance and said "You did great. That was very detailed. You have potential."
Guo Changcheng's head snapped up. The man before him was gazing down with a pleasant, kind smile wreathing his face. His eyes and brows were more beautiful than Guo Changcheng could express. Those few words flooded him with warmth and strength, and his face went red. His boss was way too good to him - so good that Guo Changcheng suddenly understood the ancient saying, "A man is willing to die for the one who truly understands him." If Director Zhao cherished and valued him like that, even his life wouldn't be too great a sacrifice.
And so, Guo Changcheng voluntarily took on a task even more difficult for him than dying: calling and interacting with strangers.
3) Guo Changcheng is not the best bereavement counselor
Guo Changcheng tugged foolishly at his hair. He'd been able to say so much for once out of sympathy. He was on the verge of admiring himself. "Come on, don't cry. When my grandma first passed away, I thought my world was collapsing too. I remember thinking, now I'll never get the chance to be a filial grandson again, so what's the point of studying and working hard? Back then I would even have traded my life for hers, but..." He sighed. "Anyway, I'm not good with words. I just mean don't be sad. Our relatives who have passed away are still watching over us."
It would have been better if he'd stopped talking while he was ahead. At his last sentences, Li Qian began to shake and sob loudly. It was quickly clear that she was unable to stop, so badly out of it that her hands and feet were twitching unconsciously. Shen Wei hurried to get the doctor. Guo Changcheng, who had never seen someone so utterly devastated, could only stand aside helplessly.
Questions:
Is Zhao Yunlan a good boss? (a good cop? a good Guardian?) Do you find him likeable so far? How about Changcheng? As always, share your favorite bits, comparisons with the drama, comparisons between editions, or whatever other thoughts, feelings, or wordless squeeing you feel moved to.
Schedule and hosting signup.
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There was an invasive edge to how he was looking at Shen Wei. It somehow made Shen Wei feel that there was no right answer to the question."
Zhao Yunlan will always be Zhao Yunlan, and aim right at the questions Shen Wei absolutely does not want to answer, while being shameless about it too. Reading this, it made me laugh, because it's so easy to picture Shen Wei freezing and blinking and struggling to decide how to answer haha
Also the description of Zhao Yunlan walking away, "like a peacock with its tail spread," is just. So very Zhao Yunlan, and Shen Wei is feeling very normal about everything. He's totally in control. Totally not feeling all his walls splintering and caving in as he sees "a-Lan" in his phone or smells Zhao Yunlan's cologne. He's very much not thinking about it. Not at all.
Guo Changcheng continues to be incredibly relatable this chapter. Left alone and genuinely has no idea what his job is supposed to be, so he just starts awkwardly talking to people. I have been there before. Me too, xiao Guo, me too. (Even the bit about calling strangers, I relate to that a little too much)
Me 🤝 Xiao Guo
Debilitating anxiety
Priest continues to be incredibly funny: Unable to decide, he looked down and searched for a clue in Da Qing's expression. Da Qing, however, was a long-haired cat with a face of glossy black fur. There were no answers to be found there.
(And Da Qing continues to be the true embodiment of a cat haha)
When Guo Changcheng talks about his grandma, and how he dreamed of her up until the day he got his university acceptance letter, and then how she said she could leave now that he was grown up — I think she really did do that. It makes sense in the context of the novel
and it makes for a solid parallel between him and Li Qian, both being watched over by their grandmothers' ghostsAnd, since xiao Guo's third eye wasn't open yet at that point, dreams was probably the only way she could communicate with him, if she really did stay around.But also, given the situation, definitely would have been better if he hadn't shared that fun fact just then oops
I had forgotten how awful Li Qian's family is and how they just don't care about her at all. It makes her actions a lot more sympathetic but also makes me want to fight someone for her. Also the way the chapter ends, that sentence about how there's no one left to care about her or watch over anymore, no one left to encourage her to grow while also being sad to her become more independent... ouch. It's such a priest-way of putting things, and now I'm the one who's heart is a mess. *pats novel Li Qian's head like a cat because I'm worse at comforting people than xiao Guo*
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A lot of us seem to, hee!
I love how funny priest's writing is. Great comedic talent. :D
When Guo Changcheng talks about his grandma, and how he dreamed of her up until the day he got his university acceptance letter, and then how she said she could leave now that he was grown up — I think she really did do that.
Yes, absolutely, that's how I took it too. Xiao-Guo has no clue now, of course, but now I wonder if there's a point later when he figures it out ...
And I really like what priest does with the parallels between him and Li Qian, yeah!
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And I love that the drama did so much with all the various character parallels too, it's so satisfying. :D
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Haha. I feel like novel!ZYL has more swagger than drama!ZYL, though both are super shameless of course. :D
I'm really enjoying priest's humour, too. So many great similes and witticisms -- and they serve the story really well.
Add me to the people who think Guo Changcheng's grandmother did watch over him (awww). :D
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(And damn, now I want to rewatch the drama. I need more hours in my days!!!!)
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Same same!
While I haven't read the second and third volumes yet, I do recall from our last drama rewatch that GCC shows a strong sympathetic connection with the dead fairly early on. It looks like we're seeing something like that here as well, and I am here for it, no matter how differently it plays out!!!
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