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sid_guardian2025-03-01 12:32 pm
facethestrange) wrote in sid_guardian2025-03-01 12:32 pm
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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 2, Chapters 3 & 4
Hi, and welcome to this week's installment of the Guardian novel readalong! ♡
Here are last week's chapters, and you can find all previous discussions on the schedule post (vol. 1 part 1, vol. 1 part 2, vol. 2), or via the !readalong tag.
This week's chapters:
- Chapter 3: Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng write a report about their hospital investigation. The concept of karmic lines and merit marks is explained. It turns out that Guo Changcheng can see merit marks, unlike most people, and he has unusually many merits himself. Drunk and heartbroken Zhao Yunlan stumbles into the office and throws up in the bathroom. The SID team supports him (some more than others), and Chu Shuzhi calls Shen Wei to pick Zhao Yunlan up. Shen Wei shows up immediately.
- Chapter 4: Zhao Yunlan is embarrassed and pretends to be asleep while Shen Wei takes care of him. Shen Wei steals a kiss and gets kissed back. Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei about the house he bought for both of them, and offers his heart the way he already did in the past. Shen Wei accepts, is overwhelmed with emotions and bites his own writst. They do 'literal sleeping together'. In the morning Zhao Yunlan makes some truly creatively flavored noodles, and gets called to go to the hospital - there are more victims.
The corresponding chapters in the Chinese version on JJWXC and the fan translation are 48, 49 and 50.
Excerpts:
1) Karmic lines and merit marks explained
His whiskers twitched disdainfully as he addressed Guo Changcheng. “The ‘karmic line’ has to do with karma, duh. Actions and consequences. Let’s say you’re walking down the street and a mugger jumps and kills you for no reason. You didn’t do anything to cause that to happen, so it’s an undeserved catastrophe. However, if you’re in a mugger’s way when he comes running out, and he stabs you because you were in his way, then you died as a result of being in his way. Now, that’s bad timing and inevitable fate, so even though it’s a reach, it can be considered a case of cause and effect. But the resulting karmic line would be so light that you could probably brush it off with your hand.”
The cat continued, “Now suppose a mugger came running down the street, recognized you as the guy his wife cheated on him with, and killed you in a rage. You wouldn’t be able to wipe away the karmic line that resulted, but it also wouldn’t be too dark. That indicates that there is a connection, but the consequence is disproportionate to the crime, so the cause and effect aren’t equal. But if a mugger comes running…”
Guo Changcheng, having now been offed by a mugger multiple times, couldn’t help asking, “And that mugger realizes I’m his greatest enemy, whom he’d been planning to kill, and he stabs me to death, the karmic line would be pretty deep, right?”
Daqing bobbed his head approvingly. “The boy can be taught.”
“Then…what’s a merit mark?” Guo Changcheng asked.
“People who’ve accrued merits or sins have a mark behind their ears,” Chu Shuzhi said. “For example, if someone secretly killed someone else, that act would leave a black mark behind their ear even if no one else ever found out and they never faced legal consequences. People used to talk about ‘damaging one’s merits,’ and that’s what they were referring to. Of course, a normal person with no cultivation won’t be able to see it.”
2) Chu Shuzhi calls Shen Wei
Speechless, Zhao Yunlan tried to grab his phone back, but Chu Shuzhi nimbly evaded him, addressing Guo Changcheng and Daqing. “Hurry and hold him down. Hold him down! Look how drunk he is.” He turned to Zhao Yunlan and said, “Listen to me. The way Shen-laoshi looks at you says it all. I don’t believe for a second that he doesn’t feel anything for you. He must just be deep in the closet. As your coworker, I’ll help you out this one time.”
Zhao Yunlan was being restrained by Guo Changcheng and Daqing, who only wanted more chaos in the world. The cat had gone so far as to sit on Zhao Yunlan’s stomach, nearly crushing the air out of him and making him keel over on the spot. “Please show some mercy!” Zhao Yunlan yelped. “I have enough trouble without your help!”
Shen Wei’s voice came from the phone. “What is it?”
Chu Shuzhi waggled his eyebrows at Zhao Yunlan. Shen Wei had picked up on the very first ring. That was a level of attentiveness one couldn’t even get from their own father. This was what Zhao Yunlan called heartbreak?
3) Shen Wei steals a kiss and gets kissed back
On the brink of losing his mind, Zhao Yunlan, through sheer force of will, managed to keep playing dead.
It was more than Shen Wei could possibly stand. Pressing his hands to the bed on either side of Zhao Yunlan, he let their lips brush together, soft as a dragonfly dipping its tail into the water. It lasted only a moment. His eyes were closed, as though he had taken immeasurable comfort from that most fleeting contact. His heart thundered inside his chest, offering the illusion of mortality. For just a second, Shen Wei almost felt human.
There in the dim light, he’d stolen a kiss from the love of his life. His heart soared with elation and sweetness. Even if he had died then and there, he wouldn’t have uttered a word of complaint.
Zhao Yunlan’s mind, however, was perfectly empty. Inside his heart, it felt as though a single strand of hair bore a weight of thousands of pounds. That strand had been stretched past endurance, and now it finally snapped without a sound.
Shen Wei had supposed that the tiniest of stolen kisses would go unnoticed, but before he could straighten back up, the apparent “corpse” on the bed animated, grabbing him with both arms.
Shocked and caught wholly off guard, Shen Wei was dragged down. Zhao Yunlan aggressively flipped them both over, pressing their bodies together.
The scent of alcohol still lingered on Zhao Yunlan’s breath, but his gaze was clear. Peering into Shen Wei’s eyes, he asked quietly, “My lord, what are you doing?”
Shen Wei’s mouth opened, but he was too panicked to speak.
Zhao Yunlan stared at him for a while, complex feelings passing through his eyes. Then he suddenly took hold of Shen Wei’s chin. “And here I always thought my lord was a gentleman. I never imagined you were the type to go around stealing kisses in the dead of night. Such an unprofessional kiss, at that.”
Shen Wei was at a loss for words. “I…”
Even when Zhao Yunlan’s kiss landed on his lips, Shen Wei was still stupefied. He was certain that he was having an absurd but beautiful dream. Helplessly, he reached out and hugged Zhao Yunlan close. The kiss was both exquisitely skilled and playful, threatening to effortlessly peel back Shen Wei’s defenses and leave him at Zhao Yunlan’s mercy.
Nose to nose, Zhao Yunlan said lightly, “Now that is what an expert kiss should be like.”
4) Zhao Yunlan bought a house for Shen Wei
He smoked the entire cigarette before speaking again. Voice low, he said, “I bought it before we went to the mountains. The SID office is going to be relocating, so I’ve been looking all over for a new place. I passed by this neighborhood and decided to check this one out, and it just felt…right, somehow. I got carried away and bought it, even though it wiped out my savings.
“Then I started thinking about how good the transportation options are in that area and how close it is to DCU. I thought, if you were willing to be with me, you wouldn’t need to drive to work anymore and you could sleep a little later in the mornings. I know it’s pretty big—definitely more than two people need, but that means you can have a large study…and I want to get a dog, one that’s not too bright. Once in a while we could stage a Great Battle of the Cat and Dog or something, like some special New Year’s entertainment…”
An uncontrollable tremor overtook Shen Wei’s hands. The file folder crinkled as he trembled.
“But then, surprise! Coming back from the great northwest, it turned out that you can just teleport from one side of the city to the other. Driving? Getting up early?” Zhao Yunlan chuckled. “Mm… But obviously none of that was the point. I was mostly out looking because we need a new office, not because of you. I just…thought about that stuff while I was at it.”
Shen Wei slowly met Zhao Yunlan’s gaze. It seemed much the same as always, but with the teasing stripped away, what remained was the gentleness Zhao Yunlan ordinarily kept deeply hidden. Catching just a glimpse of that rare sight was enough to compel one to drown in it.
5) Zhao Yunlan offers his heart, Shen Wei bites his own wrist
Zhao Yunlan massaged his temples lightly. In a barely audible voice, he said, “I have plenty of assets, but I doubt they’d appeal to you. All I really have to offer is my heart. But if you won’t accept it, then just forget about this.”
The words smashed into Shen Wei’s heart like a stone, unearthing an ancient memory of a voice right by his ear, speaking in the exact same offhand way. “I hold all the world’s famous mountains and rivers in my hand, but what of it? They’re nothing but a bunch of rocks and wild waters. Of all that I am, the only part worth anything may be my heart. If you want it, it’s yours.”
The man before him was the same as always, as if the past had come back to life.
Shen Wei abruptly wrapped his arms around Zhao Yunlan, holding on with what seemed like every ounce of his strength. He squeezed until the man’s bones cracked from the force as he buried his face against Zhao Yunlan’s neck. Then he leaned past Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder and bit into his own wrist, tearing into it so brutally that the bone was nearly exposed.
6) Zhao Yunlan's noodles!
The marvel in Zhao Yunlan’s hands held more wonders: five bowls of cup noodles in a neat row, all still steaming. The combined aroma verged on indescribable.
Shen Wei could only stare.
Zhao Yunlan boldly plopped himself onto his sofa. With the confidence of a leader addressing a country, he said, “From left to right, we have braised beef noodles made with water; aged, pickled cabbage noodles made with milk; mushroom and chicken noodles made in the microwave with some water and butter; seafood noodles—though I thought they were a little bland, so I added a spoonful of sweet bean sauce; and finally, bacon cream noodles made with hot coffee. That one should be quite good. Pick whichever one you’d like to have.”
A touch of embarrassment set in after he reached the end of the list. “Um… I don’t really know how to make anything else. But since you finally visited, I thought only two cup noodles wouldn’t be enough.”
So he’d made five. How…generous?
Shen Wei’s gaze swept across the five steaming cup noodles. He was at an utter loss as to how Zhao Yunlan hadn’t died of food poisoning yet.
But if it was something Zhao Yunlan had made, even if it were a bowl of rat poison, Shen Wei was still willing to eat it all without the tiniest change in expression—though he made sure to choose the most normal cup noodles offered. He also allowed himself a subtle comment. “Processed foods like these aren’t good for the body. You shouldn’t eat too much of them.”
Questions:
How do you like everyone's different ways of supporting Zhao Yunlan in his heartbreak? What do you think about Guo Changcheng's merits and view of his own life? And what are all your Weilan feelings? (Or some of them - all is a lot when it comes to these chapters!) And most importantly, would you eat Zhao Yunlan's noodles, and which flavor would be your favorite? :D
You can answer as many or as few questions as you like, or just comment without answering any of them at all! And if you see this post and you're not actually reading the novel: Hi there, I voraciously want to know what you think about any of this with limited context!
And here is the schedule, and that's where you can sign up to host a post! (This was my first time hosting and it's really fun, FWIW! :))
no subject
How do you like everyone's different ways of supporting Zhao Yunlan in his heartbreak?
I definitely appreciate Chu Shuzhi a lot here!
Some thoughts/reactions from me:
He'd gradually come to realize there wasn't much difference between humans and ghosts.
Awww, yay, Xiao-Guo!
"What is wrong with Zhao Yunlan? These days he's always either in a daze or letting himself think with the wrong head. Does he do a shred of actual work anymore? Has he still not trained the newcomer? Why doesn't this kid know anything?!"
Very good point, Daqing! I mean, seriously, ZYL didn't even delegate that to anyone else?
Love that Chu Shuzhi defends ZYL a bit, though,
And I really like that they actually finally explain some stuff to GCC there.
Guo Changcheng, having now been offed by a mugger multiple times
LOL! I really love priest's humour. And having a translation that properly gets it across! (What I wouldn't give for a TYK translation of this quality ...)
"Really? I have merits?" Guo Changcheng was boggled at Daqing's description. "I have a hard life? I don't, though! My life is pretty great. I'm just kind of useless, that's all."
Awwww!
"A bunch of assholes kept forcing drinks on me. What was I supposed to do?"
"Don't give me that shit," Chu Shuzhi said. "If you honestly didn't want to drink, who'd be able to force you?"
Hee! I really enjoy the dynamic between these two, and CSZ deciding he's had enough of ZYL's moping, and calling SW. And the way GCC and DQ hold ZYL down! :D
Chu Shuzhi waggled his eyebrows at Zhao Yunlan. Shen Wei had picked up on the very first ring. That was a level of attentiveness one couldn't even get from their own father. This was what Zhao Yunlan called heartbreak?
CSZ's perspective is a delight. :D
Chu Shuzhi hung up and struck a salacious pose, blowing a kiss at Zhao Yunlan. "He's at your beck and call. You've got this in the bag. Don't forget my matchmaker's feast."
LOVE IT. :D
And I love how exasperated SW is, and how ready to take care of ZYL (of course)!
In sharp contrast to the frigid smell that surrounded the Emissary, Shen Wei's scent was refreshing, like the lingering hint of soap on fresh laundry. Beneath the Emissary's black cloak, a symbol of terror for humans and ghosts alike, was someone pristine and gentle.
YESSSSSSSSSSSS
(The drama leaned into that so much more, but even novel!SW with his background is this underneath, no matter what he thinks of himself. ♥ ♥ ♥ )
People around Zhao Yunlan came and went. When he was single, he was happy to walk the blurry line between romance and friendship to preserve his confidence. He'd pursued Shen Wei the same way he'd pursued plenty of others, but somehow, ever since the hope of romance between them seemed to wither on the vine rather than blossoming, everyone else he met seemed dull and uninteresting.
Rightly so! I mean, who could measure up to Shen Wei?! *g*
And I love this little look int Zhao Yunlan's approach to romance in general.
Deep down, Zhao Yunlan had always yearned for a certain kind of life: a life two people shared companionably, where they could even enjoy silence together. Neither would find the other annoying or hound them or try to pick fights. They would make space for one another, but there would always be warmth between them. Like they had always lived together, existing in their own private world, needing nothing but each other.
This is the dream! I feel you, ZYL, I feel you so much.
I love how the drama played puzzle pieces with so many things from the novel, and how they combined this scene with SW taking ZYL home after the mugging, while the mugging aftermath in the drama got the oinment scene mixed in ... such fun, and really a masterclass in how to do adaptation just right. It's not about exactly copying anything, it's about getting the spirit of the thing in while adapting things to the new medium, and the more I'm reading the novel, the more impressed I am with the scriptwriters. (And I was already pretty impressed before!)
He was certain that he was having an absurd but beautiful dream. Helplessly, he reached out and hugged Zhao Yunlan close.
♥ ♥ ♥
Did you do something terrible to me once, or...are you afraid of falling into my trap?
Oh, OUCH!
Shen Wei had believed that Zhao Yunlan would never know he was the sole reason for Shen Wei's existence, or that he alone was why Shen Wei had made it this far.
See, and here's the bit I don't like about their novel dynamic. *sighs*
The very first time he'd laid eyes on Shen Wei, he'd known he liked him. He'd initially thought it was just because Shen Wei was so perfectly his type and had let himself gloss over how natural the instant familiarity between them felt.
Another bit that made it into the drama so well!
He squeezed until the man's bones cracked from the force
Okay, no! I had to look at the Chinese here, and, that's a mistranslation - he does NOT break his bones, OMG! He hugs him so tightly, his bones make a creaking (咯咯) sound.
The wrist-biting illustration is great!
A human life lasted only a few dozen years. It came and went like a shimmer of light on water. A single thought filled Shen Wei's mind: was he not worthy of even this tiny, fleeting fragment of time?
♥ ♥ ♥
Zhao Yunlan froze for a second, but Shen Wei smiled, sounding almost calm as he repeated, "I accept. In this lifetime, whether dead or alive, I won't let you go again. Even if one day you've had enough or tire of me, even if you want to leave me, I'll never let you go."
They are so NORMAL about each other, LOL! That would be terrible in any other context, but here, I love it.
What I don't love is the aftermath:
There was no room for relief; mostly he just felt exhausted.
Wasn't being in a relationship all about the give and take of flirtation? Romance? Flowers under the full moon? Why was it about blood when it came to him?
Because that just sounds dire and depressing. There should be some joy here!
(When it comes to wrist-biting, I prefer the TYK scene - of course, there its Wen Kexing biting Zhou Zishu's wrist, not his own, but also, it's such a lovely moment of intimacy and acceptance, and who they are - the way they're on the same wavelength.)
Shen Wei's eyes were still locked on him. "If you must die, it must be in my arms and by my hand."
Awww, and I'm back to "only these two!" ♥
AND THEN WE HAVE NOODLES. WITH AN ILLUSTRATION. ♥ ♥ ♥
He was at an utter loss as to how Zhao Yunlan hadn't died of food poisoning yet.
♥ ♥ ♥
Version comparison: I didn't find any huge differences this time, but there are several smaller bits. I'll just quote the ones that struck me:
When SW drags ZYL away from the SID after CSZ calls him, there's this bit in the fan translation:
And during the little look at ZYL's past relationships, there's this:
And this one, just before ZYL flips them over, is an iconic line; I can't believe it's not in the version the official translation worked with:
And a bit later, there's this bit, after ZYL asks about the reasons SW has been holding back:
no subject
Thank you so much for this -- and the excerpts!
Because that just sounds dire and depressing. There should be some joy here!
Yeah, but from his POV -- the first time they kissed, SW fled his own body and ended up in hospital. And this time SW has torn his own wrist open. I can imagine some exhaustion setting in, you know?
Zhao Yunlan's slightly intoxicated brain is incredibly awake, "Soul Slayer? So what if he's the Soul Slayer? If I like him then he's mine, to hell with everyone else!"
Oh wow! You're right, why would they cut that?
no subject
Yeah, I'm not really complaining about the characters - you're right, it does make sense under the circumstances. It's the writing choice I'm dissatisfied with.
no subject
Yesss. ♡♡♡ I also really love the additional layer of 'he literally actively fought to be this' that the novel has. (But as I said before, they're separate characters to me, I wouldn't want drama Shen Wei to have this background too.)
"Okay, no! I had to look at the Chinese here, and, that's a mistranslation - he does NOT break his bones, OMG! He hugs him so tightly, his bones make a creaking (咯咯) sound."
I never considered that he broke his bones because my own bones are loud af, so all I thought of was the sound of cracking your knuckles - it's not even a mistranslation, it's just the same word. :D
"The wrist-biting illustration is great!"
Oh, forgot to flail about this. xD YESSS IT IS. ♡♡♡
"(When it comes to wrist-biting, I prefer the TYK scene - of course, there its Wen Kexing biting Zhou Zishu's wrist, not his own, but also, it's such a lovely moment of intimacy and acceptance, and who they are - the way they're on the same wavelength.)"
I still don't know anything else about that scene, but I did accidentally find out like a week ago that it's someone else's wrist and I went nope, but also if it was Weilan I would 100% take that too, so I guess I don't much care whose wrist it is in the end. xD xD
"I'm sensing the peculiar vibe of a reverse couple. Our Chief is such a slut, could it be..."
Lol what, does he mean switching? :D
"At this age, Zhao Yunlan is smart enough and experienced enough to realise that when a man looks at someone he likes, and doesn't see tiny waist long legs big butt, but sees the desire for a peaceful home, that's definitely not lust."
AW?? ♡♡♡ (I also love that DQ knows what dirty pictures ZYL has as his desktop background. xD)
"Soul Slayer? So what if he's the Soul Slayer? If I like him then he's mine, to hell with everyone else!"
Omggggg, this IS iconic! And very (novel) Kunlun too. I have no idea why it would be removed??
"As for the second reason... isn't that bullshit? Humans die and become ghosts too, maybe someday I'll..."
I saw this in the summary of the fan translation, where I took the chapter numbers from, and thought 'oh, in the official version Shen Wei didn't get to freak out about ZYL talking about himself dying, for once", lol.
Thank you for always comparing the versions, there's so much good stuff there! ♡♡♡
no subject
Yeah, I really like that too!
but also if it was Weilan I would 100% take that too, so I guess I don't much care whose wrist it is in the end. xD xD
Hee! It really is another example of "only these two" - priest is really great at that kind of dynamic. (Makes me think I should check out more of her work at some point, but so far I haven't got there yet.)
Lol what, does he mean switching? :D
I figured it meant that by ZYL's usual patterns, ZYL would top, but it's looking like that's REALLY not going to be what happens between them. So, reversed?
Omggggg, this IS iconic! And very (novel) Kunlun too. I have no idea why it would be removed??
Yeah, it really surprised me, I don't get it at all.
'oh, in the official version Shen Wei didn't get to freak out about ZYL talking about himself dying, for once", lol.
OMG. Yeah. This, LOL. ♥
no subject
Ah, well, he's not wrong. xD I'm also generally amused by DQ knowing this much about ZYL's sex life, BWAH.