Symbolika1:
Single Persona with Varied Facets:
YSQ and Tushan Jing can be seen as different facets of the same person rather than distinct personas. People often exhibit different aspects of their personalities in different contexts or with different individuals.
Yes, everyone may have various different characteristics. An introvert person still can be excelent saleman. Mrs A could tell everything, talk a lot with her closed friends but be quiet to her colleagues. Jing and YSQ are different facets of one person. I didn't say they are 2 distinct personas. However, the way he exhibited himself in front of XY and in front of other people (such as Jing Ye, Feng Long, Cang Xuan etc) are different. Therefore, WXL's perception, imagination of Jing who was 2nd Qingqui master, a great businessman is different from WXL's perception of YSQ who was weak, recued by her, who listened and obeyed her without any questions (except the case he disappeared when he saw Ah Nian). And the doll replicated the overall Jing, with all of his characteristics while the real sitting Jing showed more and gave more impression of YSQ side in WXL's eyes. And the text in chapter 8 "If Xiao Liu didn’t just see it with his own eyes, he would think that fake Jing was real and the sitting real Jing was fake." reflected WXY's thought, perception. I quoted here just example of chapter 8. There are many more examples that show the difference in XY's impression of YSQ and Jing (e.g., chapter 16, chapter 38). The text in orange is reflecting typical Jing's thought and expression to everyone. Red text shows the difference in XY's perception of Jing and YSQ: in her mind YSQ was timid, showed stupid looking; and Jing in her mind should be shrewd businessman, good at conversation etc (which was showed more visibly by the doll)
Shi Qi didn’t feel at ease “This world boils down to gain at the end, which is really just a business transaction. Even if it’s the Yellow Emperor or the Grand Emperor, I can make a deal with them.”
.....
Xiao Liu giggled “They say Tu Shan Jing is a shrewd businessman and great at conversation. I didn’t believe it since you’re always so stupid looking around me and rarely talking. Today I finally believe it.”
Shi Qi laughed lightly and his laughter was just like his personality – gentle, peaceful, pure.
Finally, what WXL agreed on the promise in the dragon Bone is Jing had to return her YSQ in 15 years. She chose YSQ to accompany her. In many cases, she told him that if he had trouble to be Jing, he could return to her as YSQ (Chapter 4, chapter 14). Althought YSQ and Jing were one person, one persona (unlike Xiang Liu and Fang Feng Bei were 2 personas), XY had clear distinction in her mind about these 2 sides of Jing. Typical example is when Xiang Liu asked her if she wanted to marry Jing, she got trouble to answer but she replied easily to be willing to marry YSQ.