sid_guardian | Guardian Readalong: Chapters 17 and 18

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Guardian Readalong: Chapters 17 and 18

Welcome to this week’s installment of the Guardian novel readalong!

(If you’re just joining us or need to catch up, here are last week’s chapters and you can find all previous chapter discussions on the schedule post or via the !readalong tag.)

This week we’re looking at:

Chapter 17: Wang Zheng asks for leave. The SID and Professor Shen's students plan separate field trips.
Chapter 18: The separate field trips turn out to be the same field trip. What a coincidence! They join together and start their trip into the cold, snowy mountains.

These events correspond with Chapters 26-28 of the Chinese version on JJWXC and the fan translation.

Excerpts:

1) Wang Zheng has a request

"Director Zhao, I want to ask for some time off," she continued, in her unique, wispy voice. "I want to be laid to rest."

Zhen Yunlan's brow creased. He took out a cigarette. "You--"

Wang Zheng leaned back. Flatly, she said, "Keep your second-hand smoke away from me."

"You're a ghost. What does it matter to you?"

"Ghosts can still smell cigarette smoke. At this rate, sooner or later you'll become a human mosquito coil."
Zhao Yunlan stuffed his lighter back into his pocket unhappily. "Your name is already in the Soul-Guarding Order. You're never going to pass on (note: the Chinese/fan translation has 'You won't be able to reincarnate' here). Even if you're lad to rest, you won't be at peace, so what's the point? And your people don't even do in-ground burials, do they?"

Wang Zheng didn't answer. She just kept her had down and eventually repeated, "I want to go home."

2) Shen Wei is in deep.

Sunlight came in, momentarily blinding him. Shen Wei's hands stilled. Looking down, he saw a golden thread of light hooking in from somewhere outside, wrapping itself around his pendant. He reached to block it, but his fingers passed right through. He couldn't help gripping the radiant little sphere, his heart a tangled mess.

The whole day, it had been as if the sight of Zhao Yunlan leaning against his headboard, eyes closed, had been seared into his retinas. Any time he shut his own eyes, the image floated to the forefront of his mind. It haunted him.

It was as if, after freezing and starving for thousands of years, he had suddenly fallen into an untouchable, tender haven - a haven where everything around him heald deathly temptation and swallowed his reason, no matter how he struggled against it. Every time the words "Zhao Yunlan" drifted into his ear, he sank an inch deeper into the bottomless quagmire. He was already in past his neck. Soon, he would drown...

3) Zhao Yunlan uses his powers for... good?

Zhao Yunlan gauged that they were adequately frightened. "See, it really is fate that we bumped into each other. You should come with us. I have some friends out there, so I'll ask them to have a few cars ready. Since we're all going to the same place, we might as well travel together. That way we can take care of each other. What do you guys think?"

The class leader hesitated. "That... Isn't that too much trouble for you?"

Zhao Yunlan waved dismissively. He slung an arm around Shen Wei's shoulder and winked at her. "Not at all! Do you know what kind of relationship we have?"

"Don't mess--" Shen Wei began.

"Neighbors!" Zhao Yunlan smirked, not letting him go. "Remember this, students. In the future, when you go out into the world, you can't count on distant relatives the way you can count on close neighbors. If you get along, neighbors can be closer than family. Right, Shen-laoshi?"

Shen Wei had nothing to say in response.

4) This was not on the itinerary

The windows had fogged up in the cold. Only the windshield was clear enough to easily see what was approaching: someone carrying a lantern, leading a large group toward the stopped cars. There were men and women among them, but they were outnumbered by children and the elderly. The people's clothing seemed to be in rags, as if they were fleeing a great famine.

How was it possible that so many people were walking along a mountain road intended for cars?

"Who are those people?" the class leader asked. Her trembling voice was very small."

"Those aren't people," Zhao Yunlan murmered. "It's a ghost army passing through."

The girl clapped a hand over her mouth.

(I did not include the big reveal of Wang Zheng's temporary body because it was just too long...)

Questions:
- Is everyone on the Guardian Order cut off from reincarnation/a peaceful afterlife?
- What factors were at play in Shen Wei's reluctance to go ahead with the trip, and his eventual decision to do it?
- Zhao Yunlan's flirtation in the airport: good? bad? ugly?
- Is Zhao Yunlan's non-accidental brother acquisition just a result of his charisma, or is he manipulative about it?
- As careful as he usually is about rationalizing the supernatural for people, why might Yunlan have been so upfront about the lantern-carrier and the people with him being ghosts?

...and of course, share your thoughts and feelings on any part of the reading.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

there were a lot of differences between the official and fan translation in these chapters. I'm going to post in more depth later, but the one question in my mind now is: the fan translation consistently describes Lin Jing as a fake monk. The official translation seems to present him as more of a terrible monk. Those are very different things, even if neither is especially positive! Is there any indication of which is more correct?

How interesting! Maybe he got shuffled into a monk-dom by his family, and didn't really want to be one? But my book - which looks official - calls him a fake monk ...

I looked at the Chinese version I have, and it just calls him 酒肉和尚, which I gather is a fixed expression. Not sure if it necessarily implies he is actually a (real-but-terrible) monk ...

I'm searching with the help of machine translation, but it looks like it at least at its base does refer to a real monk - it's about hypocrisy/not following Buddhist precepts, not about lying.

Hrm.

Yeah, that's how I understood it too. We'll have to keep an eye on Lin Jing! *g*

I would have thought if he were a fake monk, he wouldn't be very effective. You know? So I've been reading it as him being a real but the-opposite-of-devout monk -- one who can effectively chant scripture and do various spiritual things, but who eats meat, drinks alcohol, and is generally lacking morals and diligence. Something like that?

I guess that depends on whether, worldbuilding-wise, being a monk actually matters for what he can or can't do. But yeah, I did read him as actually being a monk.

Another question - are all the employees of SID in the Guardian Order?

Lin Jing is also described as a "sad excuse for a monk"!

Maybe Shen Wei thought the field trip would give him some time away from Zhao Yunlan, to regroup. But I think his students really would have been in trouble if they had gone ahead on their own. Yunlan seems pushy, but if Shen had really minded, he could have easily cut him off.
I think Yunlan's acquisition of a "brother" is the natural result of his position, in a hierarchical society: he's bound to attract people wanting to curry favour, and claim they are good friends with him - especially officials stuck in little provincial towns, who might think he can put in a good word for them.

Yunlan seems pushy, but if Shen had really minded, he could have easily cut him off.

Ye-es, though he is constrained by etiquette and not-making-a-fuss. Zhao Yunlan is such a bulldozer! :-)

I think Yunlan's acquisition of a "brother" is the natural result of his position, in a hierarchical society: he's bound to attract people wanting to curry favour, and claim they are good friends with him - especially officials stuck in little provincial towns, who might think he can put in a good word for them.

Yes, agreed. He and Lang-ge are clearly both playing the same game. :D

Great choice of excerpts! :)

Is everyone on the Guardian Order cut off from reincarnation/a peaceful afterlife?

Oh, good question! It sure sounds that way, doesn't it? But maybe it only applies to those who are already dead. (ZYL does reincarnate, at least, but heÄs presumably a special case ...)

What factors were at play in Shen Wei's reluctance to go ahead with the trip, and his eventual decision to do it?

I think his reluctance is mainly in dragging the students into this.

Zhao Yunlan's flirtation in the airport: good? bad? ugly?

Not as bad as some! *g*

Is Zhao Yunlan's non-accidental brother acquisition just a result of his charisma, or is he manipulative about it?

Both, I'd say. It's a part of his skillset that's probably pretty important for his job.

As careful as he usually is about rationalizing the supernatural for people, why might Yunlan have been so upfront about the lantern-carrier and the people with him being ghosts?

I wonder if he's decided they're going to see stuff during this trip anyway, so he doesn't need to bother with rationalisations, since he'll have to wipe their memories at the end anyway?

Some more notes from me:

Daqing’s filling-stealing manoeuvre! Perfect. And Zhu Hong is right, Zhao Yunlan did deserve that.

(I'm not sure what he’s trying to say about Xiao-Guo being afraid of humans. He's clearly more afraid of ghosts, or was at the hospital. Is ZYL just being a jerk to Zhu Hong for no reason?)

And ooh, very cool about the earthquake that was too far away to be felt, yet clearly was in ZYL's vicinity. Not just subjectively for him and SW, but knocking something off a shelf, too.

Also, it being an "ancient customs field research trip" with a specific aim of interviewing the people who live there makes a lot of sense! The drama really had trouble coming up with a reason for the trip since Shen Wei is in bioengineering there, and ended up just leaving it vague.

Daqing lay sound asleep behind a computer’s cooling vents. Chu Shuzhi, expression stiff as a coffin, was playing Minesweeper and ignoring everything else.

Hee! :D

Guo Changcheng made an affirmative sound and was about to click Buy when his eyes fell on the shop name. It was a sex toy store.
The pure little nerd turned crimson, stammering into the phone. “D-Director Zhao… This… This is a little…”

And then ZYL just hangs up on him. YYYYeah, so this is on ZYL, then. Listen to people! And for sure don't shout at them after you didn't listen!

Zhu Hong turned to Guo Changcheng. “Congratulations! You’ve infuriated the public nuisance so badly that he’s lost the power of speech.”
Lin Jing patted him on the shoulder. “Xiao-Guo, I’ve just noticed what a warrior you are!”

LOLOLOL!

And poor Wang Zheng, seriously.

Daqing, who turned into a finger-sized kitty phone charm and hung obediently on Zhu Hong’s phone

That is so cool!

Zhao Yunlan’s expression had been as dark as the bottom of a pot. Right before everyone’s eyes, it cleared up in an instant. His icy gaze thawed, and the black aura that had been swirling around him moments before vanished as if it had never existed.

Aw! I do think the mood switch is genuine and performative/manipulative at the same time? Which seems to encompass a lot of ZYL's behaviour around SW, LOL. He's definitely actively manipulating the students, though, with no real mitigating factors – he's making them tools in his pursuit of Shen Wei.

His fingers curled tightly against his knees.

That immediately evoked visuals from the drama! Great stuff.

Lin Jing chanted a ritual apology to a piece of fried chicken. “Amitabha, apologies for my transgression.” Formalities observed, this sad excuse for a monk—a man who both drank alcohol and ate meat—eagerly stuffed the chicken leg into his mouth and reached for a bottle of Coke.

I love him, LOL.

I don't like the way Zhao Yunlan bulldozers Shen Wei and his students into coming along and accepting everything he pushes on them – looks to me like he's learned nothing from the book con and is still on that same strategy. /o\

Shen Wei focused his attention out the window. He seemed embarrassed, but what Zhao Yunlan didn’t see, with Shen Wei’s back to him, was how his blush faded and he turned pale. His brows seemed constantly furrowed, as if the deep crease between them might become permanent. An indescribably cold harshness marred that gentle, scholarly face and gave him a lonely, distant air.

Oh, Shen Wei. He's trying so hard, and Zhao Yunlan really isn’t making it easy for him. *g*

Zhao Yunlan grabbed his hand and was shocked by how cold it was. That one touch gave him the feeling that Shen Wei was desperately drinking in his body heat. His heart ached faintly in response.

Oh, ouch! Foreshadowing!

(And speaking of, is anyone else feeling ZYL is being insufficiently suspicious about Shen Wei? I mean, maybe he's just hiding it well, but he does give me the impression that he's thinking so thoroughly with his dick, he's ignoring things he really shouldn't. But then I really like the suspicion and tension between them in the drama. *g*)

But maybe it only applies to those who are already dead.

I wonder if it's a way of stopping them from reincarnating so they can work at the office. Like, if that's the sole purpose of adding dead people to the Guardian Order. Whereas ZYL, Lin Jing, etc, being mortal, don't need that kind of tether?

> Zhao Yunlan's flirtation in the airport: good? bad? ugly?
> > Not as bad as some! *g*

Hee!

I wonder if he's decided they're going to see stuff during this trip anyway, so he doesn't need to bother with rationalisations, since he'll have to wipe their memories at the end anyway?

Ooh, that's an interesting theory. I hadn't thought of that. I was wondering if he was trying to scare them into following his instructions (like "stay in the car")...

Daqing’s filling-stealing manoeuvre! Perfect. And Zhu Hong is right, Zhao Yunlan did deserve that.

Ha, yes, 100% agreed. (Did ZYL witness GCC being scared of the ghosts at the SID? I thought that when both of them were in the office, GCC's nerves about ZYL had overshadowed his fear of the ghosts, but I might be misremembering. Oh, wait, Wang Zheng told ZYL over the phone that GCC had passed out from terror because of Lao Wang, so I guess he knew...)

Also, it being an "ancient customs field research trip" with a specific aim of interviewing the people who live there makes a lot of sense!

Yes, agreed! Much better rationalisation for the trip in the novel.

And then ZYL just hangs up on him. YYYYeah, so this is on ZYL, then. Listen to people! And for sure don't shout at them after you didn't listen!

Idk, Xiao Guo could have checked with CSZ -- he was right there. I think he and ZYL can share the blame pretty equally. (So amused to know this part of the drama came straight from the novel, lol.)

He's definitely actively manipulating the students, though, with no real mitigating factors – he's making them tools in his pursuit of Shen Wei.

Also true in the drama with Jiajia.

And speaking of, is anyone else feeling ZYL is being insufficiently suspicious about Shen Wei? I mean, maybe he's just hiding it well, but he does give me the impression that he's thinking so thoroughly with his dick, he's ignoring things he really shouldn't.

What things exactly? (Genuine question! I've kind of lost track of everything over the last couple of weeks. Does he have a specific reason to be suspicious at this stage, other than Shen Wei being surprisingly strong and having cold hands?)

I wonder if it's a way of stopping them from reincarnating so they can work at the office. Like, if that's the sole purpose of adding dead people to the Guardian Order. Whereas ZYL, Lin Jing, etc, being mortal, don't need that kind of tether?

That makes sense to me, yeah!

Also true in the drama with Jiajia.

Yeah, I'm not fond of it there either, but he still has better justification in the drama.

What things exactly? (Genuine question! I've kind of lost track of everything over the last couple of weeks. Does he have a specific reason to be suspicious at this stage, other than Shen Wei being surprisingly strong and having cold hands?)

His original suspicions, which revolved around Shen Wei being weird around him and strangely unfazed by the supernatnural, were allayed by Shen Wei's explanation about having seen him before - but then he (thought he) wiped Shen Wei's memories of both events, and Shen Wei is still being VERY weird about Zhao Yunlan. In fact, since then Zhao Yunlan has found out Shen Wei has been stalking him, and now that he's been the only other person present during the earthquake incident - an earthquake that in Dragon City was apparently only felt by the two of them. Not sure I remember everything, but I think that's enough grounds for suspecting there's something going on.

*nodnod* Good point. Maybe all his suspicions are just lurking around unspoken by now...

I wasn’t paying a super lot of attention to this, but I feel like the version of the book I have doesn’t have most those reasons to be suspicious. So maybe when SW’s sus behavior was added, the author didn’t bother to restructure Zhao Yunlan’s reactions as well.

Oh interesting! Maybe that's it. (It's so strange having the different versions be so different.)

Yeah, the published version seems to have added a lot.

That's a VERY excellent point, even with seeing all the differences mentioned in the discussions here I hadn't put things together that way! Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me. Thank you! ♥

I've been lurking here so hard because I honestly have like 3 emotions per second 24/7 about this fandom right now, and apparently that means that I'm not going to verbalize them in some semblance of order, I'm going to either yeet them at some unsuspecting fic writers in their comments, or I'm going to draw lots and lots of fanart and throw that at unsuspecting people. xD

Like, I actively tried to comment with something specific on this post because this part has some of my favorite scenes ~~okay, well, which part DOESN'T have some of my favorite scenes, that is the question~~, but nope, not happening?? Must re-read random paragraphs 17 times and run the feelings through my brain 117 times, tho. *does the same gesture as my icon*

This comment has no meaning and I could as well just not post it, lmao, but I want to thank y'all for running this event, so here it is anyway!

♡♡♡

Pleased to have you along for the ride!

Thank you! :D *tries to do words on the next post*

Hi there! :)

I'm definitely glad you posted this comment because it's always great to know people are reading. Feel free to yeet your thoughts at us any time if you feel like it!

Hi there, one of the unsuspecting people I yeeted my art at. :D :D :D

(I had to wait for days until the reveals to be able to say that, lmao.)

Also your icon = ♡!! I can never get enough of the table sitting. :D

♥ ♥ ♥ Thank you so much again, it was gorgeous!

And I love that scene a lot, yeah. :D

♡♡♡!

I cherish every instance of Zhao Yunlan sitting on the table. :D Especially when Da Qing is not sitting on the table because it makes it even funnier, but also when they're both being cats because it's adorable af. :D

Like, I gratuitously kept taking screenshots of that scene while I was watching it for the first time because what the hellllll /affectionate :D ♡

I love Zhao Yunlan sitting and lying on everything given half a chance, it's such a fantastic bit of characterisation through physicality. ♥ ♥ ♥

YESSSSS. ♡♡♡ Randomly lounging in the Dixing palace was another one of those moments when I was like WTFFF ILY. :D

Aww, welcome from me, too!

Must re-read random paragraphs 17 times and run the feelings through my brain 117 times, tho. *does the same gesture as my icon*

Hee! Which paragraphs? *makes grabbyhands*

<3 <3 <3

Hiiiii, another one of the unsuspecting people I threw my art at. :D :D :D (The willpower I had to have for dayssss to not comment before the reveals, lmfao. :D)

As for the actual question, I mostly kept being boomeranged back to this: "They happened to be at a red light, so Zhao Yunlan braked and turned to beam at him, dimples out in full force. Color suffused Shen Wei’s face." IDEK, it's so lowkey, but still one of my favorite scenes, like, he's not doing anything, he's just literally smiling and existing, that's enough reason to blush. :D :D Or it might be my fav because this comes soon after and I have a thing for earlobes. /TMI?? :D ~~What is even TMI after drawing you a naked Zhao Yunlan, lmao.~~ "When his curled finger grazed the tender skin just below Shen Wei’s earlobe, it could have been unintentional."

Lemme try to do words on the next post. :D :D

I'm so impressed by your willpower AND by your wonderful art. I just went and gazed at it some more. :D

And ahhhhh, what a great couple of lines to be mesmerised by! <3 <3 <3

like, he's not doing anything, he's just literally smiling and existing, that's enough reason to blush. :D :D

Ha, it's true! (Ohhh, your lollipop icon!!!)

♡♡♡!

This icon is currently my default on every fannish online profile I have/can think of, hahah. :D (And omg, I saw your thumb-biting icon somewhere a few weeks back and I was so mesmerized that I had to save it. :D Not to use, just to stare at. ~~My Guardian folder may contain 588 files like that, not counting any intentionally collected screencaps.~~)

It is an extreeeemely good icon!! <3 <3 <3

I'm going to either yeet them at some unsuspecting fic writers in their comments, or I'm going to draw lots and lots of fanart and throw that at unsuspecting people. xD

You say that like it's a bad thing!!! Delighted to have you here AND on AO3!!!

Awww, thank you so much!! :D ♡♡♡ *goes feral about a fandom* *is suddenly everywhere* xD Last time I did that was two decades ago (no, really - when s2 of Lost was airing), and I'm having a fantastic time, and I'm so grateful for the welcome! :D

Thanks for such a great post!! Sorry to arrive so late. I've finally caught up, and have a few thoughts.

- What factors were at play in Shen Wei's reluctance to go ahead with the trip, and his eventual decision to do it?

I think a combination of the earthquake, like he said, and him feeling off his game and being reluctant to leave the city right now. He knows he shouldn't get close to ZYL, but he's also reluctant to go too far from him.

- Zhao Yunlan's flirtation in the airport: good? bad? ugly?

I think the field trip's travel plans were genuinely dangerously inadequate, so the save is entirely justified. As for this move: Zhao Yunlan’s phone rang again, as if it were a hotline. Holding his drink in one hand and his phone in the other, he leaned down at lightning speed and stole a fry right out of Shen Wei’s hand with his mouth. He ate it in two bites and licked his lips, eyes locked on Shen Wei, whose fingers made a hasty retreat. -- LOL, that was such a Daqing move, I can't even. It was just like Daqing stealing the bun-filling earlier. :D :D :D

- Is Zhao Yunlan's non-accidental brother acquisition just a result of his charisma, or is he manipulative about it?

Like I said elsewhere, I think they're both playing the same guanxi game (ZYL is clearly a grand master), and they both seem perfectly happy with the outcome.

Other notes:

Just to be absolutely sure she understood, Zhao Yunlan kindly added, “He’s not afraid of you because he doesn’t see you as human.”

This is such a dick move, especially to someone he knows likes him. Wow. /o\ He's lucky Daqing was the one to retaliate, and not Zhu Hong herself. ;-p

So, it's only been two days since Shen Wei ~~scraped ZYL off the streets~~ took ZYL home and cooked him breakfast. Interesting that the earthquake back then was so localised -- I guess it was Shen Wei's reaction to being in ZYL's apartment, then?

Curious, Chu Shuzhi asked, “Director Zhao, you’re usually lazy enough to grow sprouts, always sending other people on work trips. What’s making you go yourself this time?”

ZYL is such a weird mix of competent, decisive, arrogant, dismissive of his team, and incredibly lazy and disaffected himself. Huh.

So interesting that in the novel they go to the mountains by plane. It gives the world a bigger scope, I think, but otoh, I really love the road trip in the drama, with the breakdown scene, and then ZYL napping on Shen Wei's shoulder.

I love that Zhu Hong calls ZYL "the public nuisance". LOL!

After bidding Lang-ge a reluctant farewell, Zhao Yunlan quietly spoke to Shen Wei. “Driving on winding mountain roads is tricky. Why don’t you all come along with us? Lin Jing, Zhu Hong, and I will handle the driving. We can divide the students between us and regroup at Qingxi Village. What do you say?”

I think there are genuine safety issues here, as well as a shameless romantic play. And I get the impression that Shen Wei's reluctance is more about not wanting to be indebted and less about stringently wanting to avoid ZYL at this point? Idk. (At least if Shen Wei is there, he can protect him?)

The wind was enough to cut through even an extra-thick down coat and chill you to the core, never mind the fitted jacket Zhao Yunlan was wearing only because it flattered him.

LOL. Such a dork.

LOL, that was such a Daqing move, I can't even. It was just like Daqing stealing the bun-filling earlier. :D :D :D

OMG, you're so right! RAISED BY A CAT, OMG. :D

I think they're both playing the same guanxi game (ZYL is clearly a grand master), and they both seem perfectly happy with the outcome.

Yeah, agreed on that.

Interesting that the earthquake back then was so localised -- I guess it was Shen Wei's reaction to being in ZYL's apartment, then?

That's not how I took it - I thought there's a reason the earthquake was felt specifically around ZYL (and maybe also, relatedly or unrelatedly, around SW). It'll be interesting to see if this gets explicitly answered at some point!

So interesting that in the novel they go to the mountains by plane. It gives the world a bigger scope, I think, but otoh, I really love the road trip in the drama, with the breakdown scene, and then ZYL napping on Shen Wei's shoulder.

Yeah, agreed. And either way they still end up in cars; the drama just skips the airport/plane part, which I don't feel was any loss.

And I get the impression that Shen Wei's reluctance is more about not wanting to be indebted and less about stringently wanting to avoid ZYL at this point? Idk. (At least if Shen Wei is there, he can protect him?)

I think it's also because the SID's presence means he can't use his powers to protect his students. A little bit of everything? Lots of reasons! *g*

OMG, you're so right! RAISED BY A CAT, OMG. :D

Even when his parents are still alive *and* he's on speaking terms with them!

I thought there's a reason the earthquake was felt specifically around ZYL (and maybe also, relatedly or unrelatedly, around SW).

Ohh, so part of the underworld waking Kunlun, then?

the drama just skips the airport/plane part, which I don't feel was any loss.

Except for making it feel like everywhere in Haixing is conveniently within easy driving distance...

I think it's also because the SID's presence means he can't use his powers to protect his students. A little bit of everything? Lots of reasons! *g*

I guess so. I guess if you have superpowers, it's hard not to rely on them. I feel like some of these students should have thought ahead, though!

Ohh, so part of the underworld waking Kunlun, then?

I thought it had to do with he Mountain-River Awl, but it might be both. Really hoping we'll get an answer for that later in the novel!

Except for making it feel like everywhere in Haixing is conveniently within easy driving distance...

Eh, I don't think so, just because this location isn't too far away? And since Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing found Wang Zheng in those mountains, they've been there before, so it not being tthat far from their home base works for me.

Maybe those two things are connected? I can't remember.

Yeah, I suppose the Hallows wouldn't have scattered toooo far from the ~~hellmouth~~ energy seal. :-)

Question: did the translation have Zhao Yunlan acquiring “brothers”? The version I have has him acquiring “jiefu”s, or elder-sister husbands! Leading to a funny line of Zhu Hong’s, bewilderedly: “But he doesn’t even have a sister!”

Anyway, I also thought it was kinda cool that there was an airport scene, and my favorite line in this part was from it:

赵云澜发现沈巍正似笑非笑地看着他，顿时有种刻意讨好被人看出来尴尬感……

Zhao Yunlan realized Shen Wei was watching him with a barely-there smile, and he suddenly felt awkward, like he’d been caught deliberately currying favor…

…while he’s outrageously charming the students. (Which he IS. Deliberately currying favor.)

But I love Shen Wei’s soft fondness for ZYL, even at ZYL’s most outrageous; he can’t even stop himself from showing even as ZYL is wildly manipulating their joint situation to his advantage. I imagine a certain knowing wryness to his smile.

Oh, edited to add: Zhao Yunlan seems exceedingly irresponsible in leading them all through an avalanche zone with no more warning or explanation of risk than “don’t make loud noises,” and he SHOULD be waiting till night when it’s colder and the snow is more stable. Eek. Avalanches are no joke. :(

Edited 2025-02-03 06:04 (UTC)

Yeah, the translation just says "sworn brothers" -- which is such a shame, because that response of Zhu Hong's is hilarious. :D

Zhao Yunlan realized Shen Wei was watching him with a barely-there smile, and he suddenly felt awkward, like he’d been caught deliberately currying favor…

Ha, nice! So he has some face to lose. *g*

Great point about the avalanche safety, too.

Question: did the translation have Zhao Yunlan acquiring “brothers”? The version I have has him acquiring “jiefu”s, or elder-sister husbands! Leading to a funny line of Zhu Hong’s, bewilderedly: “But he doesn’t even have a sister!”

Love it! :D

The entire jiefu section is missing in the official translation; there's no phone call with Minister Song or anything. Alas! It's delightful.

Zhao Yunlan realized Shen Wei was watching him with a barely-there smile, and he suddenly felt awkward, like he’d been caught deliberately currying favor…
…while he’s outrageously charming the students. (Which he IS. Deliberately currying favor.)

Hee! Another bit that's not in the version the official translation is based on, apparently. These chapters are so different, OMG. Shen Wei's smile is lovely, I really enjoy the fondness, too. ♥

And that's a great point about the avalanche risk! Oops ...

Another bit that's not in the version the official translation is based on, apparently.

Oh NOO. Well, I shall keep reading about this parallel universe I guess 😆

I had no idea there were so many differences! It's been fascinating discovering them all. So I'm glad you're joining us from the parallel universe! *g*

(But thankfully not ALL the chapters are this different!)

It’s definitely been fun and slightly baffling trying to reconstruct what’s happening in the other version based on y’all’s comments. Apparently the earthquake happened on-screen? (There was a blink-and-you-miss-it reference in mine to SW and ZYL being in the same room when it happened.) There’ve been insights into ZYL’s life philosophies? Y’all have already gotten an explanation of Netherworld bureaucracy? And lots of others 😆

Yes to all of that, LOL! So much!

(FWIW, if you ever feel like it, I think the official translation is definitely worth a read.)

Shen Wei's smile is lovely, I really enjoy the fondness, too. ♥

Aww, that made me think of this, from the car breakdown scene in ep 9:

But (in contrast to the novel) this is when Shen Wei is introducing Zhao Yunlan as his friend. By the time ZYL turns to currying favour with the students, Shen Wei is doing his very best not to facepalm at Jiajia's over-sharing, lol. :D

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Guardian Readalong: Chapters 17 and 18

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