Really? Would you trust someone who took advantage of you when you were paralyzed and made fun of and mocked your despised appearance with drawings on your face? I don't think this was a trust building scene. XY says in the beginning of that scene that she already knew that XL wasn't going to harm her.Kokuto:
The moment he decided to rest there, he fully trusted WXL. He knew that he could not move during the recovery time and she could kill him if she wanted. Their conversation in the next meeting showed that.
Keep in mind that, XL most of the time stayed alert and it was not easy to get his trust. Since the first time they encountered in the forest, it took 1 year for him to visit WXL where she tried to poison him but failed. After that, he often passed by Huichun Clinic, having drink and snack with WXL. The food and drink was prepared by WXL only. It was much more than 6 month since her first joke about his heads until he decided to came to her room to drink blood after serious injury and decided recover there. and from that point until their next meeting was many months. It was WXL who missed and looked for XL. She requested to meet him.
Indeed WXL was afraid of XL's punishment (chapter 3, when she returned home and saw a figure in her room, it did show she was afraid that he revenged on her) but she also trusted him that he would not kill her because of her joke. Was XL angry because of her joke? Yes but her cheerful face and words also implied she regarded him as friend, not oppressive demon. Talking about his true appearance is taboo topic thus, he punished WXL by sucking a lot of blood in the next meeting. However, did he sound angry or bitter? No. they continued their flirting style conversation, he asked her if she bathed since last time she mention if he did not mind dirtiness. Did he really care for she was dirty or clean? No. The last 2 times he didn't care. Asking about bathing was just their flirting, ambiguous speaking to each other.
He’s here!
Xiao Liu raised his head and a white condor carrying Xiang Liu dove down from the center of the moon. White hair, white robe, flying down from the sky like falling snow, he softly landed beside Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu said “Three choices. Whip me 40 times. Kick me off from here. Or listen to me say something important. Important!”
Xiang Liu asked “Did you bathe?”
Xiao Liu was still cheeky “Bathed super clean, just waiting for my lord to visit [临幸 ]*.”
Xiang Liu’s hand grabbed Xiao Liu’s shoulder and he lowered his head. Xiao Liu docilely tipped back his neck and when Xiang Liu’s sharp fang pierced his skin and started drinking his blood, Xiao Liu didn’t close his eyes and instead looked at the moon.
Xiang Liu wasn’t holding back and Xiao Liu gradually felt lightheaded. “Are you planning to suck me dry all at once? Even if you have nine heads, I didn’t hear that you had nine stomachs! Can’t you save some for next time?”
Xiang Liu’s lips were still on Xiao Liu’s neck and was right next to the artery that led straight to the heart “When do you think I should bite down right here? Tonight?”
Xiao Liu hurriedly came up with a plan, "Tonight is not good. On this beautiful day, it is so graceful to talk to the moon. It is better to wait until I really want to kill you than to kill me, which is a disgrace to the scenery."
“You don’t want to kill me?”
Xiao Liu smiled “No! You clearly know I don’t want to kill you, and I won’t kill you.”
“I don’t know. All I know is that you ought to hate me.”
“You don’t know and you dared to come see me while still nursing your injury? You really see me as a harmless bunny rabbit? Or are your nine brains fighting with each other and now you’re stupid because none of them work?”
Xiang Liu bit him and planned to continue eating. (相柳咬他，打算继续进食.)
Xiao Liu quickly said: “Because I’m lonely!” Xiang Liu’s lips pressed against his neck without moving.
“No matter if you believe me or not, but I really don’t hate you at all and don’t want to kill you. Because I’m very lonely...."
Note: (*) in the original text WXL used the word "临幸" which normally used for a king to visit his concubine for "happy time" - to itimate.
And later after WXL didn't need his help for Tian Er. he was angry and broke the tree branch. It was because XL felt that WXL trolled him and regarded him as the snake in her story. The meeting after face drawing was in winter time and in the next spring, XL took WXL to watch the moon.
P/S: Again here you can find that Tong Hua use the word "eating". In chapter 3, when WXL drew charcoal on XL's face, she sat on his body. It was much more itimate than how it happened in the drama.
blabla100:
@kokuto
I really disagree with your interpretation, that scene to me looks very different than you make it look. It was a funny scene, that's all, I honestly don't see XL as feeling humiliated by it.
XL coming to see her that night while being hurt was a test that did lead to a trust building scene between them. Everyone în Xuan Yuan was looking for him, a big $ reward was offered in exchange for him, playing a prank to him as a payback for the 40 lashes he gave her while making sure no one bothers his healing process is something that bond them even more.
“You don’t want to kill me?”
Xiao Liu smiled “No! You clearly know I don’t want to kill you, and I won’t kill you.”
“I don’t know. All I know is that you ought to hate me.”
“You don’t know and you dared to come see me while still nursing your injury? You really see me as a harmless bunny rabbit?
This isn't from that scene. It's from their next meeting, when she's trying to appease him -- because he's still not happy with her, and she wants something from him. And he clearly doesn't trust her, in this dialog. He says, he doesn't know. Though this scene is about them attempting to settle their accounts in a less ... lethal fashioin.
It was a funny scene, even when it was happening. But it was humor based on the humiliation of an arrogant powerful figure, by a less powerful character, getting revenge. At a basic level, it's us laughing at seeing people fall, without considering if someone got hurt when they fell down the steps. It's the cruel humor of making fun of people who look different ... like short jokes or fat jokes or ugly jokes.
Again, there were no positive reactions or feelings right after that event. If it improved their trust, then why did XY run away and hide for a few days? Why did XL sit fuming staring at his defaced features and promising to settle accounts slowly?
From Chapter 4, a few months after XY drew all over XL's face.
Inside his room, Xiao Liu laid on his pallet with his legs up looking at
his precious little mirror and giggling. The image inside the mirror was
all his glorious handiwork that night. He drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s
face and his icy eyes were glaring at him like daggers.
Xiao Liu stared at the mirror and flicked Xiang Liu’s head “Go ahead and
rage! Go ahead and rage!”
After that night, many months had passed and Xiang Liu never showed up again.
So many people were looking to take him down so it’s normal for him not
to appear. If he did appear Xiao Liu would feel like his life had
reached the end. So Xiao Liu prayed every day for more people to be
looking to take him down. Make his life so busy that he completely
forgot about Qing Shui Town and one Wen Xiao Liu.
I mean, does that sound like trust was built between them or that XL was laughing and happy about what she did? XY recognizes XL was mad as hell. And then she recognizes that XL might want her dead because of what she did, and wishes him dead! I don't see trust building there.
It wasn't until time had passed and their relationship had progressed and trut had been built, that he could look back on that event and laugh at and appreciate XY's actions and humor.
After that night, many months had passed and Xiang Liu never showed up again.
So many people were looking to take him down so it’s normal for him not
to appear. If he did appear Xiao Liu would feel like his life had
reached the end. So Xiao Liu prayed every day for more people to be
looking to take him down. Make his life so busy that he completely
forgot about Qing Shui Town and one Wen Xiao Liu.
Yes she thought so but she was super happy watching him on the mirror. It implied that she missed him. And she took the excuse of solving Tian Er to make appointment with him. Keep in mind that WXL had cursed XL just before seeing him in her room. And that event she did not harm or wanted to kill him at all. Their relationship dynamic was always as such. No-one wanted to lose, teasing each other but also understood each other. WXL even call him "mean".
He drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s
face and his icy eyes were glaring at him like daggers.
Xiao Liu stared at the mirror and flicked Xiang Liu’s head “Go ahead and
rage! Go ahead and rage!”
I think Yang Zi performed well in the drawing scene and it matched well with what was describled in the novel except their position (WXL should sat on XL who was laying on bed)
In the middle of the night, Xiao Liu groped his way onto the couch and sat on Xiang Liu. Xiang Liu slowly opened his eyes.
Xiaoliu pinched his neck and laughed ferociously, "Are you doing exercises to heal your injuries? Don't be distracted. At the least, the injury will be added to the injury, and at the worst, the whole body's spiritual power will be destroyed and the mind will be confused."
Xiang Liu closed his eyes.
Xiao Liu patted his left cheek, "How about I give you forty lashes?"
Xiao Liu patted his right cheek and said, "You stinking monster is not afraid of pain. I'm just afraid of cutting off your left arm. You can roast your left arm with your right arm and eat it."
"Hehe..." Xiao Liu got off the bed, ran to the kitchen, picked up a few pieces of blackened charcoal from the stove, ran back to the house, jumped on the couch, and said sadly: "You You have today too, kid! Don’t be angry, concentrate on healing, and don’t let me disturb you!”
Xiao Liu took the black charcoal and started to apply makeup on Xiang Liu carefully. Naturally, the eyebrows needed to be thicker, and here...well...there...and also...on the forehead...
Is the charcoal too thick and not smooth enough? Don't be afraid, just pick up Xiang Liu's snow-white clothes and rub them until they are suitable for use!
After Xiaoliu finished the painting, he looked at it with satisfaction, took out his precious mirror, poked Xiang Liu's cheek, "Take a look, but don't be angry, it's not good if you lose your temper."
Xiang Liu opened his eyes, his eyes sharper than the edge of a knife. Xiao Liu pouted at him, holding the mirror, "Look!"
In the mirror, there are three eyes under Xiang Liu's left eye, three eyes under his right eye, and one eye on his forehead. Xiao Liu counted them one by one, "One, two, three... nine in total."
Xiao Liu continued to draw with his black fingers, and drew the head. The nine eyes turned into nine heads. Each one stared at him coldly. Xiao Liu frowned, "I still can't imagine how nine heads should grow. What are you talking about?" Let me see your true form now!"
Xiang Liu moved his lips and said silently: "I want to eat you."
Xiao Liu wiped it on his lips with dirty fingers, wiping it again and again, "You can eat if you don't mind it being dirty!"
Xiang Liu's lips can already move, and his hands should be able to move soon. His healing is almost over.
Xiao Liu got off the bed and tilted his head to look at Xiang Liu, "I'm leaving. You don't have to look for me. I'm going to disappear for a few days. I'll come back when your anger subsides and you remember my kindness."
The red text highlighted that WXL still wanted XL to concentrate on his healing, he would do no harm to XL's life or safety. Her action, words and emotion just showed she wanted a kind of "revenge" on his bully on her before (the orange text). It was fun. XL's reaction is the green text. That was not super extreme, it was not the first time he said he wanted to eat her, either. I see they were teasing each other but no humiliation from WXL (Yang Zi's face was funny).
P/S: I don't understand the intention of adding XL's scene by the river in the drama, looking at his refection on the water. He already saw it on her mirror.
I agree with your take on XL's motivation in accepting the Lovers Bugs. I'm just going to use your following comments to share some of my thoughts, it's not meant to imply that you were saying any of these things :-).
And I think by the end, righteousness is more important for him than love.H19279:
Personally, I don't see it as righteousness so much as another relationship/love. He spent 400 years with these people. His relationship with Gong Gong may have started as a desire to repay a debt, but it developed into a father/son relationship. His relationship with his comrades may have started as a responsibility that he took on to repay Gong Gong, but with time it too had changed - there is compassion and empathy and care.
The proverb "blood is thicker than water" is often used to mean familial bonds are more important than other relationships. However, there is another way to interpret this saying as "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb". i.e. those who have shed blood together in battles were stronger than ties formed by water in the womb. If you talk to people in the military or other high-risk jobs (such as firefighting) where you depend on your fellow soldiers to have your back, they would tell you of the very strong and special bond that developed.
I don't agree with the idea that romantic love is the superior love and has to be placed as the first choice. I don't agree that just because XL didn't pursue a relationship with XY, it means he loves her less than his adopted father or comrades. In Vietnamese we have that saying that goes, "The back of your hand and the palm of your hand are both your hand" and that's what I see here. How can he choose between them? Both things are important to him and he did his best to ensure that the people and things that he loves and cares for get as good an outcome as he could provide for them. He knew that XY was scared of being abandoned and lonely and he knew that his commitment to his other "love" would result in her being abandoned and lonely. So instead of making promises and condemning her to "a fate worse than death" he chose not to pursue their relationship. All 9 of his lives were used to care for and protect his loved ones. What more are people expecting from this poor dude?
A humourous way to look at XL's dilemma is with that age-old hypothetical question that some people love to ask "If XY and Gong Gong/the Shen Nong Army fell into the river, who would XL save first". The answer is that he saved XY and died with Gong Gong/the Shen Nong Army. If you put it that way, does that highlight how ridiculous this whole thing is (and how ridiculous in general XY's demand to be always first is?)
"Like, what person, much less XL wants to be a second choice?"
That's the thing, wasn't XY XL's second choice as well?
First, my opinion on the notion that not pursuing their relationship and dying with the Shen Nong Army means Xiao Yao is Xiang Liu's second choice was discussed in my post above. Here's the link https://mydramalist.com/discussions/lost-you-forever/110123-xl-and-xy-story-and-romance-warning-spoilers?pid=2933301&page=451#p2933301
I'll add a bit more to this. Romantic relationship is one of many relationships and responsibilities that make up the total of a person's life. Healthy, reasonable people understand and accept that sometimes, their partner will need to prioritize other things and they'll need to take a backseat. And vice versa. Anyone who doesn't understand this and demands to always be first would make a poor partner.
Second, I think what Kokuto meant in that sentence is the second choice in being a romantic partner. Throughout LYF, Xiang Liu did not have any other romantic relationship besides Xiao Yao. He wasn't debating choosing between Xiao Yao or Ms. Y. She was his one and only. The same can not be said for Xiao Yao who first contemplated Jing, then Feng Long, all while "loving" Xiang Liu. There's nothing wrong with that, but as I keep on saying, it's the way that she conducted herself that I have an issue with.
HeadInTheClouds:
Do you have a translation for these?
Picture 1
Director Wang is a
Master of erotic photography
have you found
In Director Wang’s works
many emotions
It’s all something you can’t ask for
Because in fact, asking for something but not getting it is the most worrying thing that makes people unable to let go. But often emotions are due to restraint because they can’t get it.
That is, he will be sentimental and sentimental
Let people think about it from left to right.
Picture 2
We all think that Xiang Liu’s ending is actually the most satisfactory one and is consistent with his character. The fact that everyone can’t reconcile it means that everyone may have really taken the bait.
Picture 3
What ending does he have for this character?
I can't see the future
You can imagine it yourself openly
time
Not necessarily like
As shown in movies and TV series
Anyway, thank you all for liking it.
Because in fact, asking for something but not getting it is the most worrying thing that makes people unable to let go. But often emotions are due to restraint because they can’t get it.windiaaa041293:
This is YaoLiu. Specifically, Xiao Yao emotions towards Xiang Liu at the end of the novel.
We all think that Xiang Liu’s ending is actually the most satisfactory one and is consistent with his character. The fact that everyone can’t reconcile it means that everyone may have really taken the bait.
I get this and even agree somewhat, but still can't help but wish that he could live and find someone who loves and protects him the way that he does for everyone else in his life :-(.
Thank you for the posts and translation windiaaa
你知道小天现在想亲你
都是出于怜惜
她觉得你怎么这么自卑
她在鼓励你的这种感情You know Xiaotian wants to kiss you now
It's all out of pity
Why does she think you are so inferior?
She's encouraging your feelingsCnetz comment: I don’t know what else the official supporting party can refute when they see the behind-the-scenes footage of the director telling the story.
@HeadInTheCloulds and @Blabla100
This rehearsal involved to the missed kiss scene on the beach
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