I love how it's a sweepingly epic situation, spanning thousands of years, and then there's the data cable simile

It's great! Really shows Zhao Yunlan is both an ancient being and a modern person.

her snakiness made me wonder if that's why Fu You is a Snake Yashou.

Oh 100%. I'm certain Fu You is the drama's version of Nüwa.

I presume the little green leaf sprouts were the inspiration for the Yashou sacred wood in the drama

Well, I wouldn't want to spoil anything by confirming or denying ;)

Oh, this is all it took to clue you in?

Hehe, better late than never!

I thought novel!Shen Wei was better at technology.

Phones are Shen Wei's mortal enemy. He increasingly loses his patience with them XD

Is the emotional trauma yet to be revealed in ep 19, or did I miss what he's referring to?

I think he's referring to something we haven't learned yet.

And I hate that he completely overlooks the importance of friend-and-family support;

Yes, this! Having your parents on your side would go a really long way! It's so frustrating, this circular reasoning of "I won't support you because you don't have support".

This sounds more like ZYL feels obligated to the relationship than that he actually wants it.

I interpreted this more along the lines of "I want to make him happy" and "I'm committed to the relationship".