Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 plor20:

Jing is a 0 for me, a plot device with extreme flaws that neither enrich nor moves the story.

Ooh! is this a case of he's so insignificant that you couldn't even be bothered? 

Alright! plor20 for President of the Club! :-)

 HeadInTheClouds:

feel like I'm back to 3 months ago. So many comments when I got up :-). I can't keep track of the conversation and the points that each person is "arguing"

It's been hopping today. :)

 HeadInTheClouds:

Alright, on a scale of 1 to 10 - where 1 is "not at all" and 10 is "with the fire of a thousand burning suns", how much do you guys dislike Jing?

I need to know so when it's time to vote for president, secretary and treasury for the I Hate this Rat (aka Jing) Club, I can cast my vote accordingly :-)

LOL!  I think we know who the two contenders for Prez are going to be.  

side eyes nathsketch and then side eyes HeadInTheClouds.

For me, it depends.  Most the time, I just tend to ignore Jing, so he's like a 3.  But then people start talking about Jing, or worse, glorifying Jing, or exponentially worse, tearing XL down to make Jing look good, and I'm reminded how much I dislike Jing, and he becomes a galaxy of burning suns that gives me a super painful sunburn, i.e. at least 100.

 HeadInTheClouds:

Ooh! is this a case of he's so insignificant that you couldn't even be bothered? 

Alright! plor20 for President of the Club! :-)

LOL. The blog post you shared with me had some really good points. Jing really does not affect the story. XY is destined to cross paths with CX and XL, no matter what. Imagine if XY never saved Jing and just let him crawl to his death... XY would still meet XL while trying to find herbs to get money for Chuanzi's wedding. She would still have conflicts with CX and Ahnian due to her bullying Chuanzi and Lao Mu. XL would still capture XY, make her promise to be his man, and send her back to the clinic. He would still seek XY's help to save his men from dying of illness. He and CX would still fight, and eventually, XY would have to return to being a princess. All the actions and conflicts happen because of XY, CX, and XL. Jing just stood around moping, stalking, spitting up blood, making promises, and spitting up blood.

CX would still rival for the throne. He and FL would still become buddies. They would still need to get the families to back them up. This time it would be harder because the Hou and Fang Feng families are backing the uncles. But this would make XL a larger player for power. This time CX would ask XY to get the Feng Fang family to stop backing his uncles, which means she would have to approach Fang Feng Bei.

So you see, the story will continue to move without Jing. He is insignificant!

 plor20:

In this part of the novel, XY, lying beside him, demonstrates her trust in him and desire to be close. Despite denying him her neck for healing, she turns toward him and offers her wrist, echoing XY's dream statement—a blend of confession and rejection. These passages encompass all of XY’s mixed emotions towards XL (FFB). Towards FFB, she missed him; towards XL, she is one part fearful, one part obedient, one part excited. In both cases, she felt worried and wanted to protect.

Obviously, I need to watch this scene again, and read the chapter.  I think she comes off a little bossy here too, though nothing like her sharpness in the drama.  I didn't get the idea that she missed FFB in the drama, though I did feel that she reserved warm feelings for XL.

 plor20:

While successfully portraying XL's emotional turmoil, the drama's depiction of this scene altered XY’s perspective and diluted her emotions towards XL

I did get the feeling that the drama was giving us XL's POV and emotions more in this scene, which may be why XY seemed so abrupt and harsher.  I remember this scene just making me cry for FFB / XL.

 plor20:

If anything, the scene creates the impression that XY rejected XL out of disinterest, and her willingness to offer her blood seemed more out of pity than care. In conclusion, as powerful as this scene was, it somehow failed to fully capture XY's claustrophobic worries and her strong desire to protect him.

I didn't get the feeling that XY was disinterested in the drama, though, like I said before I do think XY's concern wasn't portrayed as well in the drama.  I guess I am going to have to watch this again.

@HeadInTheClouds

I have been thinking that this is one of a few instances where Jing allowed the people around him - friends and servants - to make a case for him; to potentially express what he is feeling and thinking. He didn't want to be the one to say it out loud because the response might not be positive and he would have exposed his less than "gentlemanly" side - he got to keep his Qing Qiu Young Master image intact.

My thoughts exactly. Orchestrating ways to exploit his lackeys to play the pity card for him and advance his agenda is at least more proactive than napping for 37 years. I'll give him that.

 blabla100:

The way I personally interpret chapter 13 and her so called rejection / confession îs like this

XL went to see her, he tried to air kiss her as he did before but she refused.

I feel like it's important to note that the way XL drowned XY and tried to force her to kiss him for air in chapter 13 was different from what he had done with WXL before. 

In chapter 7, XL stunned WXL (so that FFYY could assassinate CX), let WXL sink to the bottom of the lake, and let WXL drown, but did not indicate that WXL should kiss him to get air. He waited until WXL was falling unconscious due to lack of oxygen and then went in and passed air to WXL. WXL wasn't offered a choice, so there was nothing to refuse. 

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Chapter 7:

With a giant plop, the two of them entered the water and a giant wave rose up. Even though Xiang Liu absorbed the brunt of the impact, Xiao Liu was still rocked by the waves and his head was spinning and his entire body ached. Because his limbs were in such pain, he couldn’t grab onto Xiang Liu and his body sank into the depths.

Xiang Liu floated in the water staring as Xiao Liu sank towards the bottom of the lake. Xiao Liu tried to reach out but could grab nothing and his eyes were gradually seeing black. Just as he was about to take his last breath, he felt Xiang Liu embrace him and a pair of cold lips pressed to his and passed air to him.

Xiang Liu held him and they rocketed towards the surface like an arrow. Sprawled on Xiang Liu's shoulder, Xiao Liu coughed violently, gasping for air, his nose and eyes filled with water.

After some time, Xiao Liu panted out in a hoarse voice, "If you want to kill me, just do it quickly."

"You only have one head. You can only die once. Dying just once is too easy for you."

Xiang Liu fell backwards and laid on the surface of the water. Xiao Liu's whole body was still aching so he couldn’t move and could only lie on top of Xiang Liu.

-----

Later in that chapter, after the bug was transferred from CX to XL, the two of them ran away from the guards of Five Gods Mountain and spent a lot of time under the ocean. Each time WXL ran out of oxygen, XL passed oxygen to WXL. It was consensual, there was no fuss, and WXL was happy. 

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Chapter 7:

Xiao Liu’s expression grew dark and he said to Xiang Liu, “I have a bad feeling about this. This bug is sooooo strange. It’s not as simple as I thought it was.”

But then Xiao Liu didn’t feel anything weird in his body so asked Xiang Liu, “How do you feel?”

Xiang Liu was very calm and looked upward. “I feel like we need to run away now.” The bug summoning could not be done under concealment so it had alerted the guards in Five Gods Mountain. Xiang Liu grabbed Xiao Liu and sank into the ocean and started swimming away from Five Gods Mountain.

All the fish in the ocean came to help and created a maze to block and distract the Gao Xing soldiers and lead them astray. Xiang Liu held Xiao Liu’s hand and swam in the silent eerie bottom of the ocean. Every time Xiao Liu ran out of oxygen, Xiang Liu would pass a breath of air to him.

The bottom of the ocean was more colorful than on land, with fish of any shape and color and lots of strange creatures. Xiao Liu stared at everything with wonder and Xiang Liu did not rush him along. The Gods loved to use pearls and jellyfish to make lamps so Xiao Liu saw many of those in the palace but it was the first time she saw a living jellyfish. Its body was clear and it was fluid, like a natural lantern. It would be an insult to it not to make it into a lamp.

A huge sea conch with a brilliant hued shell, Xiao Liu tapped it wondering what its meat tasted like and Xiang Liu said, “It’s not tasty.”

There was actually grass growing in the ocean, tall and so green it looked black, billowing in the waves without end. Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu walking through the ocean grass plains and he saw a pair of seahorses laying on the plains.

There were all sorts of flowers growing in the ocean as well and it was like a rainbow so bright. He tried to touch one only to have it spring teeth and try to bite back. So the flowers were predators, too, and Xiao Liu glared at Xiang Liu for not warning him. Xiang Liu smirked and then picked up Xiao Liu’s hand and then held it to touch the “flowers” again. This time the flowers were shivering with fear and Xiao Liu laughed before kicking those “flowers” a few times for good measure.

Xiao Liu knew they were being chased by Gao Xing soldiers but never felt in danger. Because Xiang Liu was so calm that it didn’t feel like they were on the run, it felt rather like Xiang Liu was taking him on a stroll through the ocean. They swam for so long underwater but Xiao Liu was really happy and the time didn’t feel long. It wasn’t until they were completely free of the chasing Gao Xing soldiers that Xiang Liu took Xiao Liu up to the surface.

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In chapter 13, WXL pulled XY down into the depths of the ocean, prevented her from going to the surface, and indicated that if XY wanted air she should "kiss" him for it. Presented with a choice ("kiss" XL for air or drown), XY chose to drown. 

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Chapter 13:

Xiao Yao wanted to escape but she was in the middle of falling and her only way was down. She could only watch as she got closer and closer to him, closer and closer, until she thought she would fall right on top of Xiang Liu. At that moment he sank into the ocean and she entered the water. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down with him.

He held her under water but Xiao Yao knew he wouldn’t kill her but only wanted to torment her so she endured it.

When the final breath was almost gone, Xiao Yao grabbed his hands and pleaded with him but he ignored her and kept swimming underwater. Xiao Yao felt her entire chest was about to explode and her hands no longer had any strength. She let go and Xiang Liu grabbed her around the waist with a smile and pointed to his lips indicating that if she wanted fresh air, she was going to have to get it herself.

Xiao Yao shook her head. In the past, she was Wen Xiao Liu, she never saw herself as a woman. But now, no matter what happened, she couldn’t do it.

Xiang Liu’s smile disappeared and he embraced Xiao Yao and continued to sink deeper.

He stared at Xiao Yao, and Xiao Yao stared at him.

Xiang Liu was descending faster and Xiao Yao realized that faced with a Nine-headed demon who didn’t give a shit about anything, her identity as the Gao Xing Princess couldn’t protect her.

Xiang Liu was sinking even faster and the soft water was filled with such pressure it made Xiao Yao feel like it would rip her to pieces. Her chest was about to explode and her entire body hurt.

Life and death – it was one simple choice.

Their faces were so close, so close their noses were almost touching. All Xiao Yao needed to do was move forward an inch and she would be pressing to his lips.

But…she couldn’t!

Xiao Yao felt all the water rushing into her head. His lips were so close, so close…..and then Xiao Yao lost consciousness and fainted.

Xiang Liu jerked her head forward to his lips and then rocketed to the surface with her.

The two of them broke the surface.

Xiang Liu sat crossed legged on the surface and pulled up the unconscious Xiao Yao and placed her on his leg. He summoned power to his palms and patted her a few times on the back. Xiao Yao coughed and spit out mouthfuls of water. She was gradually regaining consciousness though her entire body was weak and sore and her head was heavy. She couldn’t move, so closed her eyes and rested wearily on Xiang Liu’s lap.

 blabla100:

XL went to see her, he tried to air kiss her as he did before but she refused. Giving that, he thought WXL took him for a fool and everything was all lies and basically a charade from her part.

I felt like XL was already angry with XY for concealing her true identity and lying to him before her refusal to "kiss" him. IMO, that influenced the arrangement he made with Ah Nian (getting her to push XY off a cliff into the ocean - sort of necessary to get XY away from the shore of Five Gods Mountain and into the ocean, but not a particularly nice way to make it happen) and his decision to immediately drown her. XY seemed to sense his mood too and thought he was taking his displeasure out on her by tormenting her, and later (on the surface) says that she thought he wouldn't forgive her easily for lying.  

Then, on top of his anger about her lies,  XY (now in her true, female form) refuses to "kiss" him for air. In some ways, it was similar to WXL stopping XL from going further in the healing pool in chapter 6, which also frustrated XL. So XY's choice in chapter 13 wasn't completely inconsistent with WXL's behaviour. But in other ways the refusal in chapter 13 was worse, from XL's perspective, than what she did in chapter 6, particularly because, in this case, XY was willing to risk dying rather than "kiss" him. And then, when he asks later (after she placates him on the surface), her explanation for her choice boils down to the idea that "kissing" him, and risking letting him into her dreams, is scary. Even scarier than death. Even if he already knew (as I believe he did) that if they started a romantic relationship it would be doomed in the long term, hearing her give that explanation must have hurt. 

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Chapter 6:

Xiang Liu coldly laughed. “Kill you? That would be too easy on you!” He lowered his head and bit down hard on Xiao Liu’s neck and drank his blood as if to release his rage. Xiao Liu leaned his neck back and rested on the side of the pool. Thank god he was of some use to Xiang Liu. Since Xiang Liu was a nine-headed demon with a very strange form, it was near impossible for him to find medicine to heal his injuries. Which is why the equally strange form Xiao Liu was his best medicine.

Xuan was laying on the pallet and suddenly bolted upright and touched his neck. Xiao Liu was still alive!

In the beginning there was a sharp pain like teeth biting through the flesh. But gradually, the pain transformed into something odd. In the pain there was a sensation of numbness, a shivering feeling of bliss, as if someone was sucking, and licking, and lightly kissing.

Xuan felt his mouth turn dry and was suddenly very angry. With such severe injuries, was that guy crazy or what the heck was he doing?

Xiang Liu raised his head and stared at Xiao Liu, blood staining his lips, his eyes darkened, his breath slightly labored. Xiao Liu was initially sitting sprawled like a man but suddenly he slid down and unconsciously wanted to cover his chest, but he immediately stopped himself and continued to sit sprawled open.

Xiang Liu’s hand moved down from his neck, tracing his jawline, down his clavicle. Xiao Liu grabbed his hand and smiled. “I’m a man. Even if you like men, you should find someone better looking.”

“You’re a man?” Xiang Liu’s slightly blood stained lips curved upward. “If you’re a man, how did you lure the Jiu Jiu out?”

Xiao Liu blinked quizzically, “I don’t believe you can’t change your shape as well as your voice.”

“I trust a beast’s natural instinct.”

“If a beast’s natural instinct was so accurate, your Furball wouldn’t have been poisoned by me. There would be no such thing as traps, and hunters wouldn’t need to hunt.”

“What kind of transformation spell are you using? You have very weak powers but it’s completely seamless just like it’s your true form.”

Xiao Liu angrily said, “This is my true form!”

Xiang Liu stared at him, his eyes as dark as ink, and Xiao Liu’s heart started racing. He violently shook off Xiang Liu’s hand and then spread himself open like a dead pig headed to boiling water. “Touch me then, touch me. After you’re done then stop accusing me of being a woman!”

Xiang Liu glared at him. “I’m not interested in your false form.” He released Xiao Liu, turned and walked out of the pool to go lay on the pallet and continued healing himself.

Xiao Liu’s wildly nervous heart finally relaxed. He was already severely injured, plus Xiang Liu drank his blood, so his head was woozy and he laid down in the pool to also start healing himself.

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Chapter 13:

Xiang Liu laughed. “This is your problem to figure out. If a prolonged period of time passes and I don’t see a new batch of poisons, I’ll go looking for your sister.”

Xiao Yao pouted. “I knew you wouldn’t forgive me for lying this easily.”

Xiang Liu said, “I’ve already forgiven you.”

Xiao Yao continued pouting and Xiang Liu coldly humphed, and then he suddenly asked, “Why?”

Xiao Yao knew exactly what he was asking – why did she refuse to kiss him and would rather die. She pretended to be clueless. “Why what?”

Xiang Liu grabbed her arm and they started sinking so Xiao Yao yelped, “Oh, I remember, I remember!”

Xiang Liu stared at her and Xiao Yao said, “Because I’m scared.”

“It’s scarier than death?”

Xiao Liu thought about it and finally put it into words. “My Gege, that is Zhuan Xu, he said one night when we were talking that I was still a girl who dreams. So….so….I’m scared that if I’m not careful, you’ll walk into my dreams. And you…..” Xiao Yao shook her head “You’re someone who is never ever suitable to show up in a young girl’s dreams. That might actually be scarier than death.”

Xiang Liu started chuckling, and it grew louder and louder until he was laughing. He released Xiao Yao and his body drifted away.

Xiao Yao yelled, “Hey…hey….don’t leave me here. If you leave me here, what’ll I do?”

Xiang Liu laughed “Swim back!”

Xiao Yao was in disbelief. “You want me to swim back from here? This is the deep ocean and sea monsters are around. I’ve got very weak powers, any random sea monster can eat me!”

Xiang Liu smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “I’m doing this for your own good. If I’m too tender and considerate with you, I might accidentally enter your dreams and leave you wishing for death. That would be a crime on my part.”

Xiang Liu finished talking and sank into the ocean and disappeared.

And unlike the popular opinion, I personally belive that at the end of chapter 32 it was XY who finally gave up on XL, not the other way around. I firmly believe that whatever plan XL had for the two of them în the beginning, if any,  chapter 13 put an end to it. 

The theory that XL kept trying to pursue her over and over again after he got to know her fear of being abandoned doesn't sit well with me for different reasons and I honestly believe that people are just trying to fill the gaps by overcomplicating things just so it can fit the narrative, but the way I see it, things aren't that complicated.

For exemple,  FFB being a playboy doesn't count, because he wasn't a playboy during the day, when it was her turn to spend time with him. The way I see it, it does count, because his womanizer persona defeats the purpose. 

FFB allowing her to aknowledge his intention of  poiting an arrow at CX on their first meeting doesn't count, because XY sensed him, she didn't actually saw him, so it surely wasn't intentional, even though we're talking about XL, someone smart enough and powerful enough to control both of their bugs, alter his body in order to get poisoned and living for hundred of years as FFB without anyone suspecting him.

FFB asking her if she's willing to give up on everything and run away with him, everyone îs talking about how XY didn't take him seriously, but turns a blind eye at his reaction when she agreed to it. He obviously backed off and  that question was just a moment of weakness from his part, so wasn't XY right? 

37 years underwater, he wasn't there when she woke up AND had furball sent her back to her old life AND made a deal with CX în exchange, people read that as giving her a choice, but to me it's quite the opposite. The drama even had that song played, with how she wants to spend the rest of her life with him WHILE crying on the bed  în contrast to how happy she was when she woke up, before furball telling her that XL wants her sent away. If that's not obvious enough, than I don't know what obvious means. Moreover, the novel portrayed her lack of desire of getting off the furball to the life in front of her even better. 

When FFB tried to expose Hou's and FFYY's affair to her, again, to some people it's easier to read that as giving her a choice, instead of the most obvious reason, which is trying to smooth the path for her to Jing faster. 

Same goes for taking her to the slave arena, after Jing became clan leader. They previously had that discussion about  her losing hope because of that, but to fill the gaps it's easier to take things out of context and believe that FFB's intention wasn't to restore her hope and will power to fight for what she bet on.  If I am not mistaken, according to the leaked script, the drama will even play this scene in depiction of XL giving her the right man from the epilogue. 

The wedding robbery, it makes no sense to me to believe that FFB didn't come during her 7 days and instead chose to act the way he acted în front of everyone AND put an end to FFB afterwards just because he wanted to see her fully commit to him? Or what was the exact purpose again? To me it's obvious that he acted harsh în order for her to finally lose whatever hope she might still had for him. 

I am sure we all have a different take on these scenes, but I'm sticking to my story. . Also, let's keep în mind that XY truly started to have things work out for her and Jing only AFTER chapter 32 and that's also quite an important fact.