I felt like I was a bit hard on these two chapters, so I just read them through again... and naturally had more thoughts. :-)
I like that when Changcheng gets lost at the hospital, he immediately figures out where to go, instead of wandering around like a lost duckling. Initiative! *pets him approvingly*
Priest is so good at horror! The description of the ghost (in your first excerpt) is really gross. *covers eyes*
Zhao Yunlan’s brow creased as he studied his underling. Nothing of what he knew about Guo Changcheng suggested that the little dumbass had the intellect and balls to successfully lie to his boss’s face, so he probably wasn’t bullshitting.
On reflection, I think this is just ZYL's snarky way of explaining his astute character assessment that Changcheng can be trusted. He refuses to compliment him, even in his thoughts, so he has to explain it as a negative, you know?
Shen Wei listened, then thought for a moment before answering seriously. “His third eye hasn’t been opened, but there’s something quite unusual about him. I feel as though he’s able to see echoes of the past through reflective surfaces.”
Coming back to your second excerpt again, it's interesting that Shen Wei chose not to relay this until now. I guess as Professor Shen, he couldn't without revealing his own identity, but still, he could have informed ZYL as the Emissary. Isn't it info the SID chief should have about his staff member?
To be precise, he’d been unaware because the shit-stirring Chaos King of the Gui had purposefully interfered with his ability to sense Zhao Yunlan’s location.
I'm unclear whether this is an authorial interjection or if Shen Wei knows (or, more likely, figured out?) that this is what happened. It hasn't come up before, right? Presumably the Yunlan-dar is fixed now, anyway.
Director Zhao’s eyes went a step further and conveyed pure lechery. Shen Wei, unable to endure that gaze languidly caressing him from head to toe, turned and escaped to the patients’ room.
Hm, maybe it's that the higher the (personal) stakes are, the worse he acts?
After showing each other their IDs, the officer who had introduced himself as xiao-Li grabbed hold of Zhao Yunlan’s arm and his expression turned bitter. “It’s a relief you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
Ouch. This made me go why didn't they intervene in the torment sooner?! But then later ZYL gets Zhu Hong to request authorisation to work the case, so maybe that's why they're being so casual about it at this stage? Idk. It's still pretty unpleasant, imo.
Unbelievably, this unpredictable boss was settling in to deliver a leisurely lecture while the victim cried out like a pig at slaughter. Guo Changcheng lacked the mental strength for it.
I wonder if ZYL is deliberately testing GCC here, to see if he'll object?
Also, does having his third eye open make GCC notice anything different about Shen Wei? I'm guessing not, because otherwise ZYL would have seen it sooner, right?
The part with the ghost energy coming out of the victim is so cinematic. Awesome!
Meanwhile, the stricken woman finally managed to do more than gawk at them. Moving with great difficulty, she knelt on the bed and bowed to Guo Changcheng. “Thank you, Immortal. Thank you, young Immortal!”
LOLOL! (So does that mean that when she starts her diatribe "Let me tell you, O Great Immortal..." she's still speaking to GCC? Because he's an even worse audience for her hate than ZYL is!
(I actually like that priest not only uses "being awful about people with disabilities" as a signifier of terribleness, but then tops it off with killing some guy's dog, just to be absolutely 1000% clear that ableism is The Worst. I don't know what attitudes to disabilities are like in China, generally, but I like the novel taking a stand regardless.)
Presumably she wasn’t poisoned by the dog she offed.
LOL! I love that that's something that has to be considered. :D :D :D
I do love ZYL slowing his speech so GCC can keep up with his note-taking, and the moment with GCC patting his baton in his jacket, and ZYL being amused by that. They're working well together, aww. <3
ZYL not wanting to leave Shen Wei an escape route does feel like a continuation of their lack of boundaries...
When Zhu Hong refers to a "joint operation", I'm not clear who the other party is. Is it the SID and the District Bureau (who don't do anything)? ;-p
“You’re not going anywhere,” Zhao Yunlan cut off both his words and his retreat. “I’m not about to let you have second thoughts and disappear.”
The fact that he says that in front of Zhu Hong -- she definitely understands what he means. And then Shen Wei says it's not appropriate for him to be there while they work. It's no wonder she challenges the situation later!
Dumbfounded, Zhu Hong turned away and looked blankly out the window. She had the feeling that she’d just seen the lord of incompetence claim his throne.
Maybe this is also about ZYL calling Shen Wei his wife (in the original Chinese)? Is that any way for ZYL to endear himself to his new bf??
I love the plan to capture the resentful spirit, everyone having a role to play. It's very satisfying and competence-porn-y.
And lol, poor Shen Wei now knowing how to react to teasing. *hearts*
“Then how can I help?” Shen Wei asked.
Zhao Yunlan replied, “I know a restaurant a bit south of here that’s pretty good. Come eat with me.”
Hahaha, he's SO SHAMELESS!
Chu Shuzhi looked him up and down. “Shen-laoshi knows all of this even though you’re just a university professor?”
“I’ve picked up a few things.” Shen Wei nodded politely at everyone, then addressed Zhao Yunlan. “I’ll be going, then. You be careful.”
This is awesome! The calm poise and polite disregard for their suspicion. (This feels very drama-y.) *hearts*
And I didn't quote this before because others already had, but I love this very much:
“To be honest, yes, there’s a story behind it all.” Zhao Yunlan chose his words carefully. “But I don’t think he’d want anyone else to know, so I’m afraid I can’t say more than that right now.”
It might be my fav part of the whole two chapters -- along with Shen Wei telling ZYL off for bullying GCC. :D :D :D
no subject
I like that when Changcheng gets lost at the hospital, he immediately figures out where to go, instead of wandering around like a lost duckling. Initiative! *pets him approvingly*
Priest is so good at horror! The description of the ghost (in your first excerpt) is really gross. *covers eyes*
Zhao Yunlan’s brow creased as he studied his underling. Nothing of what he knew about Guo Changcheng suggested that the little dumbass had the intellect and balls to successfully lie to his boss’s face, so he probably wasn’t bullshitting.
On reflection, I think this is just ZYL's snarky way of explaining his astute character assessment that Changcheng can be trusted. He refuses to compliment him, even in his thoughts, so he has to explain it as a negative, you know?
Shen Wei listened, then thought for a moment before answering seriously. “His third eye hasn’t been opened, but there’s something quite unusual about him. I feel as though he’s able to see echoes of the past through reflective surfaces.”
Coming back to your second excerpt again, it's interesting that Shen Wei chose not to relay this until now. I guess as Professor Shen, he couldn't without revealing his own identity, but still, he could have informed ZYL as the Emissary. Isn't it info the SID chief should have about his staff member?
To be precise, he’d been unaware because the shit-stirring Chaos King of the Gui had purposefully interfered with his ability to sense Zhao Yunlan’s location.
I'm unclear whether this is an authorial interjection or if Shen Wei knows (or, more likely, figured out?) that this is what happened. It hasn't come up before, right? Presumably the Yunlan-dar is fixed now, anyway.
Director Zhao’s eyes went a step further and conveyed pure lechery. Shen Wei, unable to endure that gaze languidly caressing him from head to toe, turned and escaped to the patients’ room.
Hm, maybe it's that the higher the (personal) stakes are, the worse he acts?
After showing each other their IDs, the officer who had introduced himself as xiao-Li grabbed hold of Zhao Yunlan’s arm and his expression turned bitter. “It’s a relief you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you all morning.”
Ouch. This made me go why didn't they intervene in the torment sooner?! But then later ZYL gets Zhu Hong to request authorisation to work the case, so maybe that's why they're being so casual about it at this stage? Idk. It's still pretty unpleasant, imo.
Unbelievably, this unpredictable boss was settling in to deliver a leisurely lecture while the victim cried out like a pig at slaughter. Guo Changcheng lacked the mental strength for it.
I wonder if ZYL is deliberately testing GCC here, to see if he'll object?
Also, does having his third eye open make GCC notice anything different about Shen Wei? I'm guessing not, because otherwise ZYL would have seen it sooner, right?
The part with the ghost energy coming out of the victim is so cinematic. Awesome!
Meanwhile, the stricken woman finally managed to do more than gawk at them. Moving with great difficulty, she knelt on the bed and bowed to Guo Changcheng. “Thank you, Immortal. Thank you, young Immortal!”
LOLOL! (So does that mean that when she starts her diatribe "Let me tell you, O Great Immortal..." she's still speaking to GCC? Because he's an even worse audience for her hate than ZYL is!
(I actually like that priest not only uses "being awful about people with disabilities" as a signifier of terribleness, but then tops it off with killing some guy's dog, just to be absolutely 1000% clear that ableism is The Worst. I don't know what attitudes to disabilities are like in China, generally, but I like the novel taking a stand regardless.)
Presumably she wasn’t poisoned by the dog she offed.
LOL! I love that that's something that has to be considered. :D :D :D
I do love ZYL slowing his speech so GCC can keep up with his note-taking, and the moment with GCC patting his baton in his jacket, and ZYL being amused by that. They're working well together, aww. <3
ZYL not wanting to leave Shen Wei an escape route does feel like a continuation of their lack of boundaries...
When Zhu Hong refers to a "joint operation", I'm not clear who the other party is. Is it the SID and the District Bureau (who don't do anything)? ;-p
“You’re not going anywhere,” Zhao Yunlan cut off both his words and his retreat. “I’m not about to let you have second thoughts and disappear.”
The fact that he says that in front of Zhu Hong -- she definitely understands what he means. And then Shen Wei says it's not appropriate for him to be there while they work. It's no wonder she challenges the situation later!
Dumbfounded, Zhu Hong turned away and looked blankly out the window. She had the feeling that she’d just seen the lord of incompetence claim his throne.
Maybe this is also about ZYL calling Shen Wei his wife (in the original Chinese)? Is that any way for ZYL to endear himself to his new bf??
I love the plan to capture the resentful spirit, everyone having a role to play. It's very satisfying and competence-porn-y.
And lol, poor Shen Wei now knowing how to react to teasing. *hearts*
“Then how can I help?” Shen Wei asked.
Zhao Yunlan replied, “I know a restaurant a bit south of here that’s pretty good. Come eat with me.”
Hahaha, he's SO SHAMELESS!
Chu Shuzhi looked him up and down. “Shen-laoshi knows all of this even though you’re just a university professor?”
“I’ve picked up a few things.” Shen Wei nodded politely at everyone, then addressed Zhao Yunlan. “I’ll be going, then. You be careful.”
This is awesome! The calm poise and polite disregard for their suspicion. (This feels very drama-y.) *hearts*
And I didn't quote this before because others already had, but I love this very much:
“To be honest, yes, there’s a story behind it all.” Zhao Yunlan chose his words carefully. “But I don’t think he’d want anyone else to know, so I’m afraid I can’t say more than that right now.”
It might be my fav part of the whole two chapters -- along with Shen Wei telling ZYL off for bullying GCC. :D :D :D