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sid_guardian2026-04-27 12:13 am
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2026-04-27 12:13 am
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Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 14, part 2
Hi, welcome back to our Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch! Watch half an episode a week, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!
Here is the first half of episode 14. On to the second half!
Episode 14, from 21:05:
Summary: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan meet with Minister Gao, and a flashback reveals how Zhao Yunlan persuaded Shen Wei to join the SID (not without first putting his foot in it, that is). Minister Gao brings up Zhao Yunlan's father, and Zhao Yunlan reacts badly. Shen Wei steps in to redirect Minister Gao towards the actual topic of the meeting, which turns out to be Cong Bo. On their way out, Vice Minister Guo invites Zhao Yunlan for dinner, and Zhao Yunlan invites Shen Wei along. Cong Bo spies on the SID with bugs and drones. Chu Shuzhi trains Guo Changcheng. Vice Minister Guo has dinner with Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei and Xiao-Guo, and wants Xiao-Guo to leave the SID. Shen Wei drops his chopsticks, and they leave uncle and nephew to talk it out. Da Qing talks to alley kittens, asks about Kunlun and wonders why he can't speak cat. Chu Shuzhi accosts a spying Cong Bo. Zhao Yunlan takes Shen Wei to eat street food with the SID team and introduces him as their new consultant. Later, in the hallway between their flats, Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei to come to him if he's too excited to sleep. Cong Bo is spying again, recognises Shen Wei from the wedding, and decides to investigate.
Quote:
Zhao Yunlan: "Is he Dixingren?"
Minister Gao: "He's more terrifying than Dixingren! That Cong Bo is a professional professional paparazzo and online reporter."
Detail:
One of my favourite underrated little details in an episode that has so many fantastic moments:
When Zhao Yunlan introduces Shen Wei to the team, everyone claps - except Zhu Hong, Lin Jing and Chu Shuzhi. Chu Shuzhi even pointedly takes a drink from his bottle while everyone is clapping! Zhu Hong just looks put out. *g*
Questions:
What is your favourite part of this half-episode? Any favourite lines? How great is that little bit of flashback about Zhao Yunlan convincing Shen Wei to join the SID? (Do you have any thoughts on why this is only revealed now, rather than included in that scene?) Is Minister Gao right about Cong Bo being more dangerous than Dixingren? Does Cong Bo already know about Dixingren, or is there some other reason why he doesn't seem to react to seeing Dixing powers at all? Before this, did Shen Wei have any idea there was something wrong between Zhao Yunlan and his father? Why does Shen Wei drop his chopsticks at the restaurant? What's Shen Wei's opinion on the street food on offer at the SID? What do you think about the team's reaction to Shen Wei becoming their consultant? And finally, any thoughts about how any of this compares to the novel?
(These are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in!)
Here is our schedule for the current batch of episodes - please do sign up to host a post if you can!
no subject
- Omgggggggg. This is the first time I've noticed that (idek how, I've definitely paid close attention to this scene before xD) - Shen Wei's reaction after Zhao Yunlan says "you could promise me something" is a different clip in the flashback!! Or possibly the same one but shorter? Either way, Shen Wei doesn't swallow in this one! Which only confirms to me that it WAS meant to be as suggestive as it turned out. :D :D And now that we know what Zhao Yunlan actually said, the wink-wink cliffhanger is not needed anymore. xD
- Zhao Yunlan really went ahead and said to the minister that this is all because Professor Shen has a crush on him. xD
- Shen Wei's smile when Zhao Yunlan gets
unjustlypraised, hee! :D ♡♡♡- Zhao Yunlan clenching his hands at the mere mention of his father, owwwww. And Shen Wei is all 'you know what, fuck this, I'm changing the topic', with the most polite smile. *SOBS* ♡
- Lol, 'we're an item, you need to invite both of us'. :D :D
- The loud music - I've heard of people doing that to real-life scammers on the phone. xD
- Every time I see the Xiao Guo training scene, I think of
- The birthday decorations during the dinner are so funny, like they just had a birthday party for a toddler and didn't have time to take them down. :D I mean, who knows, maybe they did. :P
- Shen Wei is really not having it with menacing father figures today! And of course a polite smile again when he drops the chopsticks. :D
- The 'Guo Changcheng is suspiciously important' storyline from the novel! :D Which is kind of a red herring in the drama, lol, but still. :D
- I love how GCC's first instinct is to share food with people. :D It's really sweet in general, and it goes back to the Li Qian scene and his grandma.
- This seems to be the first ever mention of Kunlun outside of the actual YOHE flashback (I went through the subtitles to check). :D
- CSZ is late to dinner but DQ is not - I guess he turned into a cat to run faster. xD I also love that they have random-ass punishments for being late, and CSZ is just fine with that. :D :D
- Zhao Yunlan the honorary cat, sitting on the table right next to the food, MY BELOVED. :D ♡♡♡
- I am curious how Sang Zan's stomach likes street food. xD
- Zhu Hong's grudge against Shen Wei is a beautiful thing, and I love how this stands for the whole 'I brought him with me because we're married' scene in the novel. :D
- Turns out I have not yet any written smut about Shen Wei being too excited to sleep?? xD (I know, I'm shocked too! xD) But I have written a fully fade-to-black (barely T-rated) flirty banter ficlet: The Offer. :D
One of my all-time favorite gifsets and commentary btw. :D :D :D
I love this scene so muchhhhh, Zhao Yunlan all draped all over Shen Wei and leaning forward LIKE THAT, everything about this is perfect! :D ♡♡♡
"When Zhao Yunlan introduces Shen Wei to the team, everyone claps - except Zhu Hong, Lin Jing and Chu Shuzhi. Chu Shuzhi even pointedly takes a drink from his bottle while everyone is clapping! Zhu Hong just looks put out. *g*"
Oooh, I've never noticed Lin Jing! Probably because he's not judgy, he's just surprised and has a delayed reaction. xD
"What is your favourite part of this half-episode? Any favourite lines?"
Definitely Shen Wei being too excited to sleep, but the street food dinner is delightful too! :D
"How great is that little bit of flashback about Zhao Yunlan convincing Shen Wei to join the SID? (Do you have any thoughts on why this is only revealed now, rather than included in that scene?)"
I have extra appreciation for it now that I noticed that the reaction clip is different, hee, and I'm convinced they made it two scenes so that the original scene could end as suggestively as possible before they have to take it all back. :D
"Is Minister Gao right about Cong Bo being more dangerous than Dixingren?"
In the way that he could harm the SID and make everyone more vulnerable to Dixingren, I guess so. But I like how it's also a quip, Dixingren > papaprazzi. :D
"Does Cong Bo already know about Dixingren, or is there some other reason why he doesn't seem to react to seeing Dixing powers at all?"
I think he knows that special powers exist (he spies on people so much that he must have seen them many times by now), he just probably doesn't know where they come from.
"Before this, did Shen Wei have any idea there was something wrong between Zhao Yunlan and his father?"
I don't think he had any idea, no, but he caught on immediately! ♡
"Why does Shen Wei drop his chopsticks at the restaurant?"
Because Xiao Guo's uncle is being an asshole and needs to stop. I love that it worked. :D
"What's Shen Wei's opinion on the street food on offer at the SID?"
He will happily eat anything Zhao Yunlan offers, but it wouldn't be his first choice otherwise. xD Oh hey, I just realized that I probably got that answer from the novelverse noodles, though obviously Zhao Yunlan didn't make this. :D ("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.")
"What do you think about the team's reaction to Shen Wei becoming their consultant?"
Literally everyone is delightful, from the excited people to the grumpy judgy ones, hee, and btw I love how enthusiastic Sang Zan is - does he even know Professor Shen at all? :D (Like, the Envoy literally saved him, but he doesn't know that it's the same person.) It's adorable, and I think he's just excited about his job in general, just like Xiao Guo. :D
no subject
Shen Wei's reaction after Zhao Yunlan says "you could promise me something" is a different clip in the flashback!! Or possibly the same one but shorter?
!!!!! *rewatches*
It looks to me like it's just shorter, leaving out the swallowing! You're completely right, they did intentionally make it as suggestive as possible in the first instance. :D
Zhao Yunlan clenching his hands at the mere mention of his father, owwwww. And Shen Wei is all 'you know what, fuck this, I'm changing the topic', with the most polite smile. *SOBS* ♡
YES!!!!!!!!
The birthday decorations during the dinner are so funny, like they just had a birthday party for a toddler and didn't have time to take them down. :D I mean, who knows, maybe they did. :P
I assume the restaurant did have a birthday party there earlier in the day, yeah!
Shen Wei is really not having it with menacing father figures today! And of course a polite smile again when he drops the chopsticks. :D
:D :D :D
The 'Guo Changcheng is suspiciously important' storyline from the novel! :D Which is kind of a red herring in the drama, lol, but still. :D
Yes! And it still works so well in the drama, connecting with Zhang Shi's storyline, which connects with the Guardian Lantern ...
This seems to be the first ever mention of Kunlun outside of the actual YOHE flashback (I went through the subtitles to check). :D
Yeah, it's the first time his name is said in the present time! And all because Zheng Yi's hypnosis knocked a memory loose in Da Qing's head. :D
Zhu Hong's grudge against Shen Wei is a beautiful thing, and I love how this stands for the whole 'I brought him with me because we're married' scene in the novel. :D
Hee! Excellent point!
Oooh, I've never noticed Lin Jing! Probably because he's not judgy, he's just surprised and has a delayed reaction. xD
I think it's mainly because he has a skewer in each hand, so he can't, unlike the other two, who won't. *g*
Definitely Shen Wei being too excited to sleep, but the street food dinner is delightful too! :D
Hee! Seriously, SO much good stuff in this episode.
I have extra appreciation for it now that I noticed that the reaction clip is different, hee, and I'm convinced they made it two scenes so that the original scene could end as suggestively as possible before they have to take it all back. :D
Yeah, thank you so much for pointing that out! It's really striking, now that I've noticed. :D
I think he knows that special powers exist (he spies on people so much that he must have seen them many times by now), he just probably doesn't know where they come from.
Oh yeha, good point. He presumably doesn't know anything about Dixing, or about Yashou, or the Guardian Treaty and the history of it all. But I still find it weird that he doesn't consider superpowers big enough to be worth exposing, LOL.
Because Xiao Guo's uncle is being an asshole and needs to stop. I love that it worked. :D
Yes! I love it too. :D
He will happily eat anything Zhao Yunlan offers
I feel compelled to point out that Zhao Yunlan offers him a skewer and he doesn't take it, though. :p
I love how enthusiastic Sang Zan is - does he even know Professor Shen at all? :D
Oh, that's a very good question! I honestly have no idea, LOL.
no subject
not quite six billion yet but we can get there again* xD"It looks to me like it's just shorter, leaving out the swallowing! You're completely right, they did intentionally make it as suggestive as possible in the first instance. :D"
I totally just went out of my way to check this frame by frame, and the clip is not simply cut short, it is fully replaced. :D In the original, Shen Wei swallows about 35 frames in, and in the flashback this part is more than 40 frames long and yet he doesn't. :D And the original doesn't have the blink before he swallows either, only a different blink while he swallows. This is not 'we need to make this scene shorter', this is a whole-ass deliberate editing decision adfghfjdksljkjkl; :D :D
"I assume the restaurant did have a birthday party there earlier in the day, yeah!"
Ahh, for some reason I assumed that it's their home and not a restaurant - this makes so much more sense! :D
"Yeah, it's the first time his name is said in the present time! And all because Zheng Yi's hypnosis knocked a memory loose in Da Qing's head. :D"
Yesss, I always love how seamlessly they connect the drama-only storylines (Zheng Yi) with the novel ones (Da Qing's memory issues). :D
"I think it's mainly because he has a skewer in each hand, so he can't, unlike the other two, who won't. *g*"
*SNORT* This made me rewatch it again, I never noticed the two skewers!! :D It makes Lin Jing's confused expression so adorable because he's clearly not thinking about Shen Wei, he's thinking about the logistics of clapping. xD
"He presumably doesn't know anything about Dixing, or about Yashou, or the Guardian Treaty and the history of it all. But I still find it weird that he doesn't consider superpowers big enough to be worth exposing, LOL."
Lol damn, this IS super weird, now that you say it! Especially because he likely doesn't know where they come from - random people who just happen to have superpowers should be more newsworthy (especially to the audience of a paparazzi website) than political secrets, not less.
"I feel compelled to point out that Zhao Yunlan offers him a skewer and he doesn't take it, though. :p"
Omg awww, I can't believe I've never noticed his little head shake - thanks for pointing it out!! :D (I just assumed he wasn't eating because he's not even sure how to start, lol. But since he actually declined the offer, yeah, I guess this food is the equivalent of the more suspicious noodles that he refuses to eat. xD :D)
> > I love how enthusiastic Sang Zan is - does he even know Professor Shen at all? :D
"Oh, that's a very good question! I honestly have no idea, LOL."
Hee! My main assumption is that he's simply excited about the SID in general - this is good news so he's happy about it. But this makes me want a Shen Wei & Sang Zan bonding scene. :D
no subject
not quite six billion yet but we can get there again* xD:D :D :D
I totally just went out of my way to check this frame by frame, and the clip is not simply cut short, it is fully replaced. :D In the original, Shen Wei swallows about 35 frames in, and in the flashback this part is more than 40 frames long and yet he doesn't. :D And the original doesn't have the blink before he swallows either, only a different blink while he swallows. This is not 'we need to make this scene shorter', this is a whole-ass deliberate editing decision adfghfjdksljkjkl; :D :D
Wow, that is fascinating! Thank you for double-checking!
Ahh, for some reason I assumed that it's their home and not a restaurant - this makes so much more sense! :D
It's the Versailles!
It makes Lin Jing's confused expression so adorable because he's clearly not thinking about Shen Wei, he's thinking about the logistics of clapping. xD
Haha, right??? :D
random people who just happen to have superpowers should be more newsworthy (especially to the audience of a paparazzi website) than political secrets, not less
Seriously!!!!!
no subject
Thank you so much for bringing attention to this AND for checking! This is amazing!! :D :D :D
*SNORT* This made me rewatch it again, I never noticed the two skewers!! :D It makes Lin Jing's confused expression so adorable because he's clearly not thinking about Shen Wei, he's thinking about the logistics of clapping. xD
LOLOL! He's a genius at science; everything else...?
no subject
Though ZYL manages it with two loaded skewers, no problem. The power of love, hee!
no subject
no subject
Yeah, it totally reads like, "He's going to ask for a kiss. AHHHHHHH, he's going to ask for a KISS!!" in the first version. :D :D :D (No wonder Shen Wei is so prickly when he doesn't!!)
- Zhao Yunlan really went ahead and said to the minister that this is all because Professor Shen has a crush on him. xD
LOL! I love that the Minister called him glib. :D :D :D 1000% accurate, and nice for him to side with Shen Wei. :D :D :D
- Shen Wei's smile when Zhao Yunlan gets
unjustlypraised, hee! :D ♡♡♡LOL, yes. :D
- Zhao Yunlan clenching his hands at the mere mention of his father, owwwww. And Shen Wei is all 'you know what, fuck this, I'm changing the topic', with the most polite smile. *SOBS* ♡
It's so gooooood! :D :D :D
He's so adorable and doing SO WELL, even Chu-ge has to admit that, very reluctantly. xD
Hee! Yes! Still flailing wildly, but now he's also flailing EFFECTIVELY! Win! :D
- Shen Wei is really not having it with menacing father figures today! And of course a polite smile again when he drops the chopsticks. :D
Ha, yes! His social skills are so perfectly on point. Changcheng's uncle is getting inappropriately heated, and Shen Wei just gently brings his attention back to his surroundings, without any fuss...
- I love how GCC's first instinct is to share food with people. :D It's really sweet in general, and it goes back to the Li Qian scene and his grandma.
I think this is also just a normal way of expressing affection and gratitude and caring? Li Qian's granny put food in Li Qian's bowl, too (and it happens a lot in Kdramas). It's like "here's a token of my affection."
- This seems to be the first ever mention of Kunlun outside of the actual YOHE flashback (I went through the subtitles to check). :D
Yes! So interesting that Da Qing is asking random kittens and not, idk, anyone at the SID, or poking through the SID library...
I also love that they have random-ass punishments for being late, and CSZ is just fine with that. :D :D
Hee! They're all such gremlins. :D (Now I'm imagining Shen Wei being late for some excellent reason, and ZYL drinking the punishment beer on his behalf. <3)
- Zhao Yunlan the honorary cat, sitting on the table right next to the food, MY BELOVED. :D ♡♡♡
*HIGH FIVES YOU* I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AKFJ:LKDSFJS:LKDFJDS:LKFJSD:FLKAS:LDKSA:SDKL
- I am curious how Sang Zan's stomach likes street food. xD
Hee!
- Zhu Hong's grudge against Shen Wei is a beautiful thing, and I love how this stands for the whole 'I brought him with me because we're married' scene in the novel. :D
Yes, she can really see the writing on the wall, here. *pets her*
- Turns out I have not yet any written smut about Shen Wei being too excited to sleep?? xD (I know, I'm shocked too! xD) But I have written a fully fade-to-black (barely T-rated) flirty banter ficlet: The Offer. :D
Ahh, I love that ficlet! :D :D :D :D
One of my all-time favorite gifsets and commentary btw. :D :D :D
LOL! Though I think actually Shen Wei 100% gets the innuendo. It's not like ZYL is in the same ballpark as subtle. *g*
I love this scene so muchhhhh, Zhao Yunlan all draped all over Shen Wei and leaning forward LIKE THAT, everything about this is perfect! :D ♡♡♡
Yesssssssssssssss! a;lksdfja;skdlfja;skdlfja;sdklfjas;dflkad
Oooh, I've never noticed Lin Jing! Probably because he's not judgy, he's just surprised and has a delayed reaction. xD
Maybe he's worried he's going to be outranked as head scientist? ETA: Ignore this -- I hadn't check the scene or the other comments when I wrote it. Just random theorising. *g*
Definitely Shen Wei being too excited to sleep, but the street food dinner is delightful too! :D
:D :D :D
I think he knows that special powers exist (he spies on people so much that he must have seen them many times by now), he just probably doesn't know where they come from.
That makes sense. Though you'd think he'd have posted an exposé by now...
Literally everyone is delightful, from the excited people to the grumpy judgy ones, hee, and btw I love how enthusiastic Sang Zan is - does he even know Professor Shen at all? :D (Like, the Envoy literally saved him, but he doesn't know that it's the same person.) It's adorable, and I think he's just excited about his job in general, just like Xiao Guo. :D
Ha, true! I never thought of that -- probably the only thing he knows about Professor Shen is that he can't hold his alcohol. *g*
no subject
When Minister Gao asks how Zhao Yunlan talked him into joining the SID, I love the way Shen Wei lobs the question back at Zhao Yunlan.
And the flashback! The conversation went so well at first, with Shen Wei opening up a little, Zhao Yunlan apologising a litte - but the fake flirtation of asking for compensation is already making Shen Wei tense up even before Zhao Yunlan turns it into another "join the SID" - and that is definitely a step too far. This time, Zhao Yunlan actually puts his foot in it, and Shen Wei almost gets up, then actually shakes his hand off. I really, really like this bit, and the way it makes Zhao Yunlan actually make an effort to be serious and sincere, because Shen Wei needs to know he's taking this seriously!
Every time we're in Minister Gao's office I wonder about that portrait of Ma Gui, and who put it there. Was it Zhang Shi? How long has it been there? What's the official story that goes with it? I want to know!
Love the way Zhao Yunlan claps his hand on Shen Wei's shoulder when the Minister praises the self-criticism. *g*
It's really interesting to me that Zhao Yunlan doesn't even know his father and the Minister know each other, given that they were working together when Zhao Yunlan was a kid. Zhao Xinci really doesn't talk about work at home! *g*
And I adore the way Shen Wei intercedes when he notices how badly Zhao Yunlan is reacting, and how smoothly he redirects the Minister. (I remember back in the early days of the fandom, it was generally Zhao Yunlan who was seen as the smooth-talker, and Shen Wei was considered socially inept, but it's really not like that at all.)
Minister Gao is so interesting to me. We haven't seen his worst side yet, of course, but he's very happy to have Shen Wei on board, and he's seen him use his powers. He also genuinely means it when he says Cong Bo is worse than any Dixingren. (I really want to know what Shen Wei is thinking when he hears that, LOL!)
And of course we get a bit of foreshadowing here, with Minister Gao saying that if Cong Bo reveals the SID's secrets, there will definitely be social unrest.
I always wonder about the phone call Zhu Hong gets while Cong Bo is pretending to be a delivery guy. She addresses them formally and says she'll call back. What's that about?!
Love the way Zhao Yunlan just invites Shen Wei along when Vice Minister Guo invites him for dinner, and how quickly Shen Wei agrees!
I also notice every time that both with the invitation to Zhao Yunlan and later to Xiao-Guo, the conversation ends without anyone talking about when or where this dinner is supposed to take place. So weird!
Cong Bo, after seeing Chu Shuzhi destroy his drone, makes a note about secret abilities, but doesn't really seem to have a reaction to witnessing a Dixing power. Likewise at the end of the episode when he remembers Shen Wei using his powers at the wedding. Somehow he's looking for a big thing to expose, but that doesn't seem to qualify?!
When Shen Wei drops his chopsticks at the dinner, I think it's definitely strategic - disrupting Vice Minister Guo's rant - more than just a reaction to him calling Dixingren monsters. And it works!
In the car, Zhao Yunlan is worried about who sent Xiao-Guo to the SID, but doesn't want to talk about it right then. I wonder if he's already guessing it was his father (sort of)?
I love Xiao-Guo's impassioned speech about the SID, and the way his uncle concedes by clinking his wine glass against Xiao-Guo's. (Xiao-Guo had every reason to be indignant that his uncle tried to get him out of the SID without even asking him what he wanted! But at least he did listen eventually.)
Shen Wei is so uncomfortable at the SID streetfood dinner! Zhao Yunlan can't get him to eat a skewer either. *g* But I really love the clapping - how enthusiastic some of them are; the way Zhu Hong just won't, and Chu Shuzhi pointedly drinks beer instead of clapping, LOL.
"Honorary special consultant" implies Shen Wei isn't getting paid, I assume. Which - yeah, the BCE taking money from the Haixing government would be bad! But also, they don't know who he really is, so the Inspectorate is just just being stingy. :p
(Also, I can never unsee that LJ eats the same bite twice, LOL.)
In the scene in the corridor, Zhao Yunlan is really ramping up his teasing and flirting, but it's very performative - he still feels the need to hide genuine sentiment under a cover of blitheness. *pets him*
no subject
Ahh, you chose ZYL backtracking as your screencap. Perfect! :D
When Minister Gao asks how Zhao Yunlan talked him into joining the SID, I love the way Shen Wei lobs the question back at Zhao Yunlan.
Ha, yes! "You got me into this. You deal with it!" *g*
And the flashback! The conversation went so well at first, with Shen Wei opening up a little, Zhao Yunlan apologising a litte - but the fake flirtation of asking for compensation is already making Shen Wei tense up even before Zhao Yunlan turns it into another "join the SID"
I always think Shen Wei is expecting a proposal/relationship escalation...
and that is definitely a step too far. This time, Zhao Yunlan actually puts his foot in it, and Shen Wei almost gets up, then actually shakes his hand off. I really, really like this bit, and the way it makes Zhao Yunlan actually make an effort to be serious and sincere, because Shen Wei needs to know he's taking this seriously!
Yes, I love that ZYL is a bit out of his depth, but he course-corrects quickly. And Shen Wei isn't making it easy for him (partly out of pique and partly because he's dealing with too many feelings on his own part).
Every time we're in Minister Gao's office I wonder about that portrait of Ma Gui, and who put it there. Was it Zhang Shi? How long has it been there? What's the official story that goes with it? I want to know!
I wrote a fic about that, but I think you objected to it on principle. Just linking here for completeness. :-)
Love the way Zhao Yunlan claps his hand on Shen Wei's shoulder when the Minister praises the self-criticism. *g*
Yes, it's so good. He can't actually pass on the praise, but he really wants to.
It's really interesting to me that Zhao Yunlan doesn't even know his father and the Minister know each other, given that they were working together when Zhao Yunlan was a kid. Zhao Xinci really doesn't talk about work at home! *g*
I guess ZXC withdrew from the family when Zhang Shi arrived, and even if ZYL had heard him mention a Gao, it's not an uncommon name...
And I adore the way Shen Wei intercedes when he notices how badly Zhao Yunlan is reacting, and how smoothly he redirects the Minister. (I remember back in the early days of the fandom, it was generally Zhao Yunlan who was seen as the smooth-talker, and Shen Wei was considered socially inept, but it's really not like that at all.)
1000%! <3 <3 <3
Love the way Zhao Yunlan just invites Shen Wei along when Vice Minister Guo invites him for dinner, and how quickly Shen Wei agrees!
They're partners!! :D :D :D
I also notice every time that both with the invitation to Zhao Yunlan and later to Xiao-Guo, the conversation ends without anyone talking about when or where this dinner is supposed to take place. So weird!
I presume they follow the TV convention of following up with a text message with the details. ;-p
When Shen Wei drops his chopsticks at the dinner, I think it's definitely strategic - disrupting Vice Minister Guo's rant - more than just a reaction to him calling Dixingren monsters. And it works!
Yes, agreed. He's just reminding Guo Ying that they're in a social setting. It's great.
In the car, Zhao Yunlan is worried about who sent Xiao-Guo to the SID, but doesn't want to talk about it right then. I wonder if he's already guessing it was his father (sort of)?
Maybe partly that, and partly that there's no use speculating without more info?
I love Xiao-Guo's impassioned speech about the SID, and the way his uncle concedes by clinking his wine glass against Xiao-Guo's. (Xiao-Guo had every reason to be indignant that his uncle tried to get him out of the SID without even asking him what he wanted! But at least he did listen eventually.)
I feel like this is pretty culturally normal behaviour, though? Guo Ying feels completely responsible for his nephew, and was presumably Changcheng's "in" at the ministry -- and then, from his POV, it's all gone horribly wrong. Not just a low-status position instead of a desk job where he could work his way up, but actively dangerous. And also, he must be used to Changcheng protesting that he's fine, and not wanting to be a fuss, so there's no way to be sure he's not just going along with things rather than actively invested. At least, until Changcheng gives his, as you say, impassioned speech. <3
"Honorary special consultant" implies Shen Wei isn't getting paid, I assume.
VIKI has "Professor Shen Wei has officially joined our team to be our honored guest consultant." I don't think that's definitive. Does the Chinese imply he isn't getting paid?
Which - yeah, the BCE taking money from the Haixing government would be bad! But also, they don't know who he really is, so the Inspectorate is just just being stingy. :p
Honestly, I don't think it would occur to ZYL not to pay him?
In the scene in the corridor, Zhao Yunlan is really ramping up his teasing and flirting, but it's very performative - he still feels the need to hide genuine sentiment under a cover of blitheness. *pets him*
I know. I think it's really rubbing Shen Wei the wrong way. In some ways, the Cong Bo crisis at the start of the next episode is great for making ZYL taking things seriously, so they can get on the same page...
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Isn't it just? I love that moment so much! His FACE! :D
"You got me into this. You deal with it!" *g*
:D :D :D
I always think Shen Wei is expecting a proposal/relationship escalation...
I think so too! But Zhao Yunlan is still very fake-flirty about it, so I don't think he's sure if Zhao Yunlan is genuinely fully there yet, and even if he is, he wants more sincerity than this.
Yes, I love that ZYL is a bit out of his depth, but he course-corrects quickly. And Shen Wei isn't making it easy for him (partly out of pique and partly because he's dealing with too many feelings on his own part).
Yes, I love all about that! That he's not there yet, because we get to see that journey, and it's so much more satisfying when he IS there! And that Shen Wei doesn't make it easy, because it's not easy for Shen Wei either, much as he wouldn't trade it for anything. *g*
Yes, it's so good. He can't actually pass on the praise, but he really wants to.
Yes, exactly!
I guess ZXC withdrew from the family when Zhang Shi arrived, and even if ZYL had heard him mention a Gao, it's not an uncommon name...
Yeah, true on both counts!
They're partners!! :D :D :D
YES THEY ARE :D :D :D
He's just reminding Guo Ying that they're in a social setting. It's great.
Yes, that's a great way to put it! I love it so.
Maybe partly that, and partly that there's no use speculating without more info?
Yeah, that would make sense.
I feel like this is pretty culturally normal behaviour, though? Guo Ying feels completely responsible for his nephew, and was presumably Changcheng's "in" at the ministry -- and then, from his POV, it's all gone horribly wrong. Not just a low-status position instead of a desk job where he could work his way up, but actively dangerous. And also, he must be used to Changcheng protesting that he's fine, and not wanting to be a fuss, so there's no way to be sure he's not just going along with things rather than actively invested.
I don't think Minister Guo is doing anything wrong or culturally unusual, yeah - he's responsible for his nephew; he's trying to protect him. And that's a good point about Xiao-Guo saying he's fine and everything, even when that isn't true! But I do feel that Xiao-Guo's complaint about not being asked says something about what Xiao-Guo expects from his uncle - how his uncle usually handles things, and it's not like this. Of course the stakes are much higher! But still.
VIKI has "Professor Shen Wei has officially joined our team to be our honored guest consultant." I don't think that's definitive. Does the Chinese imply he isn't getting paid?
荣誉 means honorary, among other things, and honorary implies no payment. But I'm not sure about any implications in Chinese.
Honestly, I don't think it would occur to ZYL not to pay him?
LOL! Whereas I could easily see it going either way, with ZYL. Now that it's no longer about protecting probably-secretly-a-Dixingren Shen Wei, he might just see it as "regularising" their unofficial consultations and giving Shen Wei an excuse to hang out with them, for the sake of the Inspectorate.
I know. I think it's really rubbing Shen Wei the wrong way. In some ways, the Cong Bo crisis at the start of the next episode is great for making ZYL taking things seriously, so they can get on the same page...
Oh yes, that's a great point! It really helps that Zhao Yunlan takes that seriously and talks about it seriously. And then working together to get Cong Bo in line ... It's a really great way of getting them over that hurdle, now that you've mentioned it!
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Yes, Zhao Yunlan is still conflating work with personal, and Shen Wei just wants the genuinely personal side of things. And maybe Shen Wei feels a bit like Zhao Yunlan is holding his mistakes (re the mess at the wedding) over him?
I don't think Minister Guo is doing anything wrong or culturally unusual, yeah - he's responsible for his nephew; he's trying to protect him. And that's a good point about Xiao-Guo saying he's fine and everything, even when that isn't true! But I do feel that Xiao-Guo's complaint about not being asked says something about what Xiao-Guo expects from his uncle - how his uncle usually handles things, and it's not like this. Of course the stakes are much higher! But still.
See, that makes me wonder if that *asking* is part of what's changed about Xiao-Guo. If we go by the novel, at least, he was pretty passive and going wherever he was sent before. And also very dutiful in the drama. So I think Changcheng not just being willing to challenge his uncle about this, but even *wanting* to challenge his uncle, might be new? And therefore, not something Guo Ying would have factored in?
荣誉 means honorary, among other things, and honorary implies no payment. But I'm not sure about any implications in Chinese.
Thanks for checking that. <3
LOL! Whereas I could easily see it going either way, with ZYL. Now that it's no longer about protecting probably-secretly-a-Dixingren Shen Wei, he might just see it as "regularising" their unofficial consultations and giving Shen Wei an excuse to hang out with them, for the sake of the Inspectorate.
That's true. (But okay, I don't think it would occur to Wang Zheng not to pay him? *g*)
Oh yes, that's a great point! It really helps that Zhao Yunlan takes that seriously and talks about it seriously. And then working together to get Cong Bo in line ... It's a really great way of getting them over that hurdle, now that you've mentioned it!
:D :D :D
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Yeah, maybe that, too! It would make sense, under the circumstances.
See, that makes me wonder if that *asking* is part of what's changed about Xiao-Guo.
See, I don't think he'd expect his uncle to ask if there wasn't precedent. So I'd expect him to say something like, "I know you want what's best for me but actually I want to stay," not "why didn't you ask me?"
Totally agreed that challenging his uncle is new, and not something Guo Ying would have expected, though!
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I'm 1000% here for Shen Wei silently passing Minister Gao's question off to ZYL. It's deftly done, and SO DESERVED! *g*
I'm impressed that Minister Gao references his first meeting with Shen Wei without being indiscreet, aw. He's not bad at all of his job -- just terrible in a crisis.
I love everything about the flashback. This time, I'm particularly struck that even when ZYL is acting formal and serious, he still points right at Shen Wei, which is pretty rude. Hee! He just can't not be ZYL. :D
ZYL to Minister Gao, giving a total non-answer, "Maybe because I'm charming?" Which is exactly the same as Shen Wei's "I work out a lot." LOL! I love that Minister Gao accepts it and just calls ZYL glib (1000% accurate, and giving Shen Wei a chance to politely, silently agree :D :D).
Minister Gao assumes that ZXC and ZYL live together. Zhao Xinci really does not cross the work-personal life streams AT ALL! I wonder how much that's putting up a respectable front, and how much of that is for the sake of ZYL's career as well as his own...
I wonder if Shen Wei already knew about the Haixing hierarchy, before Minister Gao explained, incl. that consulting for the SID means potentially getting orders from the Xingdu Bureau...
Shen Wei is being so socially aware this half episode!! In Korean, you'd say he has lots of 눈치 -- he's skilled at reading the room. (That must stand him in such good stead at the university, too, navigating faculty politics. ;-p)
This might be the first time I've clocked that Minister Gao says Cong Bo is sending threatening emails to the Haixing Administration. It's actually to Minister Gao about him making nice with Li Guangbiao at the wedding, right? But ZYL doesn't ask to see the email or even question what it's about. Huh. I guess that's above his pay grade.
Minister Gao confidently claims Cong Bo isn't Dixingren. How does he know?? And of course he's only worried about
his reputationsocial unrest.Bai Suxia!! <3 I love her. She and Wang Xiangyang are so cute. *weeps*
Zhao Yunlan cheerfully assuming he can bring a plus one to dinner, and everyone cheerfully going along with it. <33333333333333 (I'd love to know how socially normal that is. With ZYL, you can never tell!)
Changcheng's skills have improved so much. I mean, he's still a gangly flailing colt-puppy, but he's got moves now! And I love their interactions, how CSZ is clinging to gruffness by his fingernails. ;-)
Dinner. I have some sympathy for Guo Ying. It must be a shock to discover that your clumsy goofy socially inept nephew who you thought had a safe desk job is out there working with mysterious field agents and facing down super-powered criminals! And Guo Ying must feel responsible not just for Changcheng directly, but to Guo Ying's own deceased sister, to protect Changcheng and make sure he has a successful future. *pets him* I love all of this.
Zhao Yunlan finds out that things might be afoot at Haixing Administration (or with his father).
And ahhhh, Changcheng is so spirited and eloquent in defence of his position. I think Guo Ying is really seeing a different side of his nephew, here. That must tip the balance, even though Guo Ying is still clearly troubled. I adore the conceding-by-clinking-glasses moment! asd;lkfjas;dlkfjas;lkfdjas;fkldjas;dfkjasfd And Changcheng relieved, brightening and being all solicitous and silently expressing his care and appreciation. <33333
Shen Wei asks Zhao Yunlan questions in the car, and Zhao Yunlan really doesn't want to talk about them, but he can't stonewall because he just spent a week being mad at Shen Wei for doing exactly that! So he defaults to "talk about it later" instead. *pets him*
The way Shen Wei smiles at ZYL saying he was too uncomfortable to eat -- I'm not sure what that's about? Is it feels about ZYL making sure to eat despite the awkward dinner? Or is it that SW sees through the excuse, realises that ZYL really just wants to have a meal with him? And then ZYL says it's a team dinner to "officially introduce" SW, and SW is all wide-eyed "We talked about this already!" but maybe sees that ZYL is lowkey teasing?
DQ schooling the kittens and investigating Kunlun, awww! He knows the name is important, and he has no idea why. *skritches* <333
I adore the team dinner, ahhhh! Fics: Shen Wei's pov of the dinner and what came after (3k, Teen); the first chapter of this Five times ZYL looked out for SW fic; Chu Shuzhi confronting Zhao Yunlan about the SID's new consultant (858 words, General Audiences).
Afterwards, in the hallway, the way Shen Wei asks, "What could I need?" Not playing along with the flirting, but not shying away from it either. He's not flustered. He's deliberately taking ZYL's words at face value, low-key challenging him -- and of course, ZYL pushes it because he's still obnoxiously high-spirited. *noogies him and hearts him forever*
Ughh, Cong Bo spying on people in private pushes all my protective-of-people's-secrecy buttons. The first time through, I was so worried his nosing around would lead to disaster for Shen Wei!! /o\
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I can't possibly choose! It's all fantastic -- all the Weilan stuff and their united face in front of Minister Gao, the CSZ & GCC scene with GCC skipping away puppyishly, the SID team gleefully getting back at whoever's trying to bug them, Guo Ying and Changcheng's relationship, Da Qing and the kittens, Chu Shuzhi roughing up Cong Bo just a tiiiiiiny bit (oh, no, I do not want to go to a slash place for them... and yet!), and the team dinner and fantastic flirty scene in the hallway afterwards. I love it ALL!!
How great is that little bit of flashback about Zhao Yunlan convincing Shen Wei to join the SID? (Do you have any thoughts on why this is only revealed now, rather than included in that scene?)
For the sake of suggestiveness. Like, I think that's actually it. :D
Is Minister Gao right about Cong Bo being more dangerous than Dixingren?
Maybe more politically dangerous than an individual Dixingren?
Does Cong Bo already know about Dixingren, or is there some other reason why he doesn't seem to react to seeing Dixing powers at all?
I have no idea.
Before this, did Shen Wei have any idea there was something wrong between Zhao Yunlan and his father?
No, I don't think so -- though he might have guessed the two weren't close?
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Haha, right? There's SO much good stuff.
Also, if you wanted to do Chu Shuzhi/Cong Bo, I'd totally read that. :D
For the sake of suggestiveness. Like, I think that's actually it. :D
Yeah, I think so too. It has to be. And it's so well done!
No, I don't think so -- though he might have guessed the two weren't close?
Yeah, I think he must have known that much ...
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LOL! I have never successfully paired Cong Bo with anyone (except unrequitedly with Zhu Hong), but Chu Shuzhi is my little black dress for the fandom, so who knows?? ;D
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*high fives* :D :D :D
I'm impressed that Minister Gao references his first meeting with Shen Wei without being indiscreet, aw. He's not bad at all of his job -- just terrible in a crisis.
Yeah, he really could be so much worse! And I like that; he's not a bad person or a complete incompetent, the way he fails them is very human.
This time, I'm particularly struck that even when ZYL is acting formal and serious, he still points right at Shen Wei, which is pretty rude. Hee! He just can't not be ZYL. :D
LOLOLOL, too true!
ZYL to Minister Gao, giving a total non-answer, "Maybe because I'm charming?" Which is exactly the same as Shen Wei's "I work out a lot." LOL!
Ahahaha, I love that comparison, thank you! That is brilliant. :D
I wonder if Shen Wei already knew about the Haixing hierarchy, before Minister Gao explained, incl. that consulting for the SID means potentially getting orders from the Xingdu Bureau...
I think he must know about the Xingdu Bureau? Another way this consultancy is potentially complicated for Shen Wei, which doesn't seem to register for Zhao Yunlan at all.
Shen Wei is being so socially aware this half episode!! In Korean, you'd say he has lots of 눈치 -- he's skilled at reading the room. (That must stand him in such good stead at the university, too, navigating faculty politics. ;-p)
Oh, it's very neat that Korean has a term for that! I wonder if Chinese does, too? But yeah, I really appreciate it for Shen Wei. :D
This might be the first time I've clocked that Minister Gao says Cong Bo is sending threatening emails to the Haixing Administration. It's actually to Minister Gao about him making nice with Li Guangbiao at the wedding, right?
Yeah, we have to assume it's about Li Guangbiao, going by Cong Bo's ideas at the wedding! Good point, I hadn't put that together previously, either ...
Minister Gao confidently claims Cong Bo isn't Dixingren. How does he know??
Oh huh, good question! He can't know. (Honestly, it would be hilarious if he were Dixingren, just one without a power, or with a useless one, so it never comes up. *g*)
I'd love to know how socially normal that is. With ZYL, you can never tell!
You and me both!!!!
I think Guo Ying is really seeing a different side of his nephew, here. That must tip the balance, even though Guo Ying is still clearly troubled. I adore the conceding-by-clinking-glasses moment!
Yes, 100% agreed on all of this!
Shen Wei asks Zhao Yunlan questions in the car, and Zhao Yunlan really doesn't want to talk about them, but he can't stonewall because he just spent a week being mad at Shen Wei for doing exactly that! So he defaults to "talk about it later" instead. *pets him*
Ahahaha, I love that description, so true! :D
Not playing along with the flirting, but not shying away from it either. He's not flustered. He's deliberately taking ZYL's words at face value, low-key challenging him -- and of course, ZYL pushes it because he's still obnoxiously high-spirited. *noogies him and hearts him forever*
I really love everything about how Shen Wei handles things here. ♥ ♥ ♥
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Yes, 100%.
Ahahaha, I love that comparison, thank you! That is brilliant. :D
They pick up habits from each other. :D :D :D
I think he must know about the Xingdu Bureau? Another way this consultancy is potentially complicated for Shen Wei, which doesn't seem to register for Zhao Yunlan at all.
He must know about the Xingdu Bureau, yes, but does he know that the SID is directly subordinate to it to the point where the Bureau conducts regular inspections?
Oh, it's very neat that Korean has a term for that! I wonder if Chinese does, too? But yeah, I really appreciate it for Shen Wei. :D
Maybe 观察力? I don't know if that's socially specific, vs regular perceptiveness, though.
> This might be the first time I've clocked that Minister Gao says Cong Bo is sending threatening emails to the Haixing Administration. It's actually to Minister Gao about him making nice with Li Guangbiao at the wedding, right?
Yeah, we have to assume it's about Li Guangbiao, going by Cong Bo's ideas at the wedding! Good point, I hadn't put that together previously, either ...
Minister Gao using the SID to protect his own reputation, hmm.
> Minister Gao confidently claims Cong Bo isn't Dixingren. How does he know??
Oh huh, good question! He can't know. (Honestly, it would be hilarious if he were Dixingren, just one without a power, or with a useless one, so it never comes up. *g*)
Hee, right?
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:D :D :D
He must know about the Xingdu Bureau, yes, but does he know that the SID is directly subordinate to it to the point where the Bureau conducts regular inspections?
Does it conduct regular inspections, though? Is there anything in the inspection episode that gives that impression? If so, I don't remember that. I thought it didn't usualyl, and this was unique to the situation where Zhao Xinci wanted to personally check things out after Shen Wei became their consultant.
Maybe 观察力? I don't know if that's socially specific, vs regular perceptiveness, though.
I think that's more regular perceptiveness - a wider term.
Minister Gao using the SID to protect his own reputation, hmm.
I don't think that counts as just Minister Gao's reputation, not when Cong Bo is investigating the SID and threatening to expose their secrets. (I don't think Minister Gao was lying about that, given that Cong Bo is very focused on spying on the SID!)
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When Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are in with the Regent, Da Qing comes in:
DQ: There was a call from the superior. There will be someone comes to have an emergency inspection later.
ZYL: Why so suddenly? Haixingjian came here last month, didn't it?
DQ: Not Haixingjian; it's Xingduju. But you don't need to worry, Director Zhao... that person, the director of Xingduju won't demean himself to come here in person.
I'd misremembered that it was the Xingdu Bureau the month before, but presumably it means Xingdu Bureau inspections aren't unheard of, if DQ thinks he knows how it will go?
I think that's more regular perceptiveness - a wider term.
*nodnod*
I don't think that counts as just Minister Gao's reputation, not when Cong Bo is investigating the SID and threatening to expose their secrets. (I don't think Minister Gao was lying about that, given that Cong Bo is very focused on spying on the SID!)
Not *just* Minister Gao's reputation, sure, but Minister Gao is being pretty squirrelly about the threat to himself.
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but presumably it means Xingdu Bureau inspections aren't unheard of, if DQ thinks he knows how it will go?
I thought Da Qing thinks he knows because he knows Zhao Xinci? It's his judgment of Zhao Xinci's personality that's relevant here, not the behaviour of Xingdu Bureau. (And since Zhao Xinci has only recently been promoted to head of Xingdu Bureau, any previous inspections, if they existed, would have been under the previous head and so irrelevant to Da Qing's s point.)
Honestly, I don't think this really says anything at all about whether there have been Xingdu Bureau inspections or not.
Not *just* Minister Gao's reputation, sure, but Minister Gao is being pretty squirrelly about the threat to himself.
Oh yeah, that's definitely true.