Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 AH :

Noush I haven't forgotten about this but my responses keep getting way too long. I need to figure out how to shorten it. Sorry for the delay ^^

I really love your info, especially on the Chinese epics basis. You just simplify them right. I'm very interested and familiar with many of the legends around the world and find them a bit different from Chinese' (for example the majestic Dragon as the highest one . Not the same with many other cultures). Don't worry about the length, I will enjoy reading your notes. Thank you a million my dear!

 Kokuto:

Speaking of songs ... I didn't realize the Fei Fei song was written by Tong Hua and was actually in the novel?  Is that true?

I always think of that as an XY / XL song. So, with the XL song lyrics she wrote for the show, that makes two songs for XL.

Is it for him? I remember that not too long ago there was a war erupting about songs and to whom they were supposed to be for. Hope it's for him, he deserves 50 songs or more, if I'm being honest

 liddi:

The song Xiao Liu sang to lure Fei Fei out (which she later sang for Jing and he responded) is directly from the novel so I would consider this as their song, even though Xiang Liu was the first to hear it.

Agreed. She sings it for TSJ more than once later on. 

@Navi2124

Warning: A Rant

While rewatching Love Between Fairy & Devil (to get over LYF), I realized how many more “WOW” scenes LBFD has compared to LYF. Scenes like when DFQC rescues XLH during the Fairy Graduation; when they switch bodies before RH can kill DFQC who is trapped in XLH’s body; or the ending, when DFQC suddenly appears, kisses XLH, and then vanishes with his trademark fiery black wings. 

I feel that although LYF has a more complex story, the drama’s script, direction, cinematography, and editing do not do justice to the amazing moments in the novel.  By tamping down the intimacy, moments like when XL bites XY, when they escape underwater, when FFB goes to XY to heal, or when XY spends 37 years in the shell lose their impact and import. What potentially could have been a ”WOW” scene is reduced to a mediocre “MEH” scene. I feel like this approach gives the whole series a more subdued feeling versus letting it “POP”.

I also want to add that LYF‘s director uses shots that are really similar, almost copying  LBDF.  One example is the air kiss scene between XL and WXL. This scene drive me bonkers because I don’t understand why XL waits so long before diving down to give XY an air kiss. In the novel, XY notes how she hits the water, is overwhelmed with the impact, comes close to blacking out, and then feels two cold lips press against hers. To me, there doesn’t seem to be a huge time gap. Also I can’t figure out the director’s reason for XL’s hovering: Does he wait because he initially wants her to drown? Does he wait so as to ensure that ZX is incapacitated? Does he wait because he is trying to figure out how he feels before he kisses her? Or maybe it’s just because the director is  wanted it to look like LBFD.  Shrug.

The water air kiss seems to be a C-Drama trope, so I don't think it has any connection to LBFD.  And yes.  My understanding from the drama is that XL is using the Poison Love Bug connection to incapacitate CX so his "sister" FFYY can assassinate him, so the worse off XY is the better. 

I don't think LBF&D and LYF are the same type of shows, so I'm fine with it not being as flashy.  LYF is a more 'realistic' show.  I haven't read the novel, but most of those scenes you mentioned work very well for me.  Apparently, the curing FFB scene has a different vibe / context in the novel.  But not being aware of that, I found that scene heartbreaking for XL.  It's one of my favorites.

I admit, I was a bit underwhelmed by the 37 year sea shell scene.  In part, because of spoilers, I had bigger expectations.  But in part, because I do think it was not as well done or clear what was going in, and there was a lack of their long time intimacy.   I mean, XL basically for 37 years became the man who walked in XY's dreams, but that wasn't all that clear.  That said, the scene where XL 'sees' XY's spirit was amazing.

I'm actually surprised we got as many neck biting scenes as we did and they were mostly stirring, with the help of the soundtrack.  I do think some of that was censored, which I'm not surprised, given how censored the actual kisses are in C-Dramas.  That said, we at least got acknowledgement that it feels good, despite some of Yang Zi's acting / the direction.

But again, my reaction to the show is from someone who hasn't read the novel.  Generally speaking, I find reading the book ahead of time, often leads to disappointment with movies / shows.  Books just do things so much better.

 blabla100:

What do you make of the FFB curing scene? It is heartbreaking, but I think people see that scene diferently. When I saw the scene with them in bed and FFB slowly taking distance, my impression was that he knew that he broke the barrier to her dreams while living as FFB and I don't really think he wanted for that to happen (well în a way he does, in a way he doesn't, because he îs aware that there is no future for them, he knows he îs going to end up dead in battle sooner or later), so imo that îs why he pushed himself forward away from her. Maybe some people see that scene as a measure he took because he felt rejected, but I didn't feel it that way.

Btw, I can't recall or I haven't paid attention, but through out the drama do they show her having flashbacks regarding Jing? 

I don't really remember.  But it's a bit different, in that she can visit Jing, when they are courting.  And when they aren't, she doesn't want to remember Jing, because that's just a painful dream turned to ashes.  But XL / FFB have gone out their way to do as she asked, and not presented himself as a man of her dreams.  Their encounters are sympathetic / empathetic or fun or warm ... or exciting or enraging.  That's why she has those images in her mirror and looks at them.

My take, is I think a barrier was broken in that FFB healing scene, but I think it was the reveal that he was XL.  He couldn't hide behind FFB anymore and have that same easy relationship with her.  Plus, it forced him to choose his mission for the rebel army over his plans for XY, something he knows intellectually, but still doesn't want to happen.  Sadly, this particular mission ends up forcing him to give up more of his relationship with XY, as we see when is forced to make a deal with TSJ to get the provisions out of town.

But yes, I did see it as XY rejecting him again, like on the beach. And to me, he took that in part as a rejection of him being a demon. The fact that he took too much blood, seem to prove her right in his eyes, which is why he moved as far away from her as he could, IMO.  But that's his self-esteem issues.  You can tell she cares for him,  when she watches him sleep in the morning, and is smiling, she's clearly remembering drawing faces on an immobilized XL.

@blabla100

I understand what you are saying, but it doesn't make sense to me for him to move away from her because he felt rejected, because if that îs the case, than I would also have to accept that he did want to have a go with her, but then I would see no point în him trying to hide all the good stuff he îs doing for her backstage. I honestly think he approchead XY with his FFB persoana în order to teach her a skill so she can protect herself when he's not going to be around anymore and also for them to live life a little, and not because he hoped for her to fall for him and having a future togheter,  because he îs well aware that he has no future whatsoever, so why make her fall for you în the first place. I honestly don't think XL îs that selfish, on the contrary. Obviously he had it all planned way before FFM came into picture, the bow he made for her was în the making before that, so again, I don't think the reason why he moved away from her în the curing scene was because he was dissapointent, but rather he tried to distance himself from getting into her dreams, probably because he knew he already got too close (hence that scene he had with Jing, the deal they made, I think Jing also knew) . More over, I also belive he îs also trying to make her relationship with Jing possible, I don't think he îs jealous on Jing, well he îs în a way, but I also think he îs trying to  make Jing jealous în order for him to man up and start doing something. When Jing became the leader of his clan, it was FFB who în a way encouraged XY not to lose hope, if that slave waited and didn't lose hope for 40 years than you can do it too. I don't think he îs doing all these things for her because he belives Jing îs her true love, but because his purpose from the beggining was (well not from the beggining, but from the moment he fell în love with her) was to leave her with the 3 things she told him she needs, a place to stay, a way to protect herself and someone who won't abandon her. IMO that îs his purpose. 

I'm sorry, I wasn't explaining clearly.  When I say rejecting him, as a demon, I didn't mean that wholly romantically.  Remember how XY was mad at FFB when he held her underwater and she learned she could breathe?  FFB thought she was mad because he 'made her into a monster like him' when he saved her life in by giving her his blood for 37 years -- and that made him angry.  I felt that's similar to how FFB / XL felt in that bedroom scene.  I mean, drinking her blood is a demon thing to do, but drinking from her neck, is more intimate and human, than drinking from her wrist.  And XL has issues about being a demon  when most people have contempt for demons.  I don't think FFB came there thinking he was going to get lucky.

I see what you are saying, and that's definitely a possibility.  In both cases, he felt he couldn't be close to her, for a variety of reasons, even though all he really wanted to do was hold her close as they slept.

Ah, Jing.  That's another bucket of complicated and conflicted feelings for XL, I think.  Yes, of course, he's trying to help her and Jing ... sort of ... but I don't think he personally cares for TSJ, especially given how much pain he's caused XY.  And XL isn't above being petty.  But again, he listens to what XY says, and she said she wanted Jing.

I know what you are saying regarding the flashbacks and you do make a good point (altough în the novel I belive she does think of Jing more often, regardless of their breakups)  but in dramaland rising music and flashbacks... We all know what they mean. 

Yes, we know how the soundtrack pulls at heart string.  LOL!  Well, one way of looking at her flashbacks with XL, is that it's a safe way to counter loneliness, as long as she doesn't admit that XL is more than a friend.

 blabla100:

In a way is funny how can more people watch something but seeing it differenly. For me the "who do you want to marry / who do you most want to spend your entire life with" sealed it, and not because there is a scene like this în the novel, but because that îs the vibe I got from watching the drama as well, way before finding out a scene like this exist în the first place.

I don't dislike Jing, I actually like him and I am sure XY loves him too, but IMO not as deep as she loves XL. XL îs the one that XY can't help but love. 

Yes, this! At first I didn’t know about this “who do you want to marry / who do you most want to spend your entire life with” part, but once I did, it  all became so clear.