The second time Xiao Yao opened the window for Xiang Liu was right after she said her vows to the moon and received a message with Jing’s voice telling her to immediately go to the East Sea without telling anyone. Xiao Yao knew this was an obvious trap, but she also knew that the East Sea was like Xiang Liu’s home. Xiao Yao rushed to the East Sea in her wedding dress because she was desperate to see Xiang Liu, knowing he would come to save her if she was in danger.solarlunareclipse:
She knew that the East Sea was like XL's home, so her primary purpose in going there was to see Xiang Liu because she desperately missed him.
This isn't to say that XY doesn't miss Jing and grieve for him, but her reason for going to the East Sea and knowingly walking into an obvious trap was to see Xiang Liu.
She knew that XL would save her if her life were in danger because their lives were linked.
I don't think XY knew that XL would save her no matter what. I think she wanted to test whether he would or not.
I personally don't see enough compelling evidence to convince me that XY was thinking of XL in these scenes. However, if I were to assume, for the sake of discussion, that she was thinking of XL in these scenes, then that last idea (that XY wanting to test whether XL would save her or not was part of her thought process) makes more sense to me (because, IMO, it fits better with all of the other details in chapter 43) than the idea that she went to the East Sea primarily because she missed XL and wanted to put herself in a life-endangering situation where she knew he would save her so that she could see him.
While I personally don't believe that this is what was happening in chapter 43, I could see XY going to the East Sea primarily because she couldn't ignore a chance, however small, of seeing TSJ alive, despite knowing that there was a significant chance that the message was actually a trap and being willing to risk it because she hoped that, if it was a trap that put her life in danger, then XL would save her from that danger. If it turned out to be a trap (and therefore the message wasn't from TSJ, dashing almost her very last bit of hope of him being alive) and XL didn't save her from life-threatening danger, then she wouldn't care if she ended up getting killed because those two painful blows together, on top of everything else she had experienced up to that point, would be too much for her to face.
Even if she missed XL or wanted to test him, there was a reason for her to be cautious about putting herself in a situation that even he would not have been able to save her from.
Add to that the fact the PLB works in mysterious ways. XL found her on the boat after she saw the voodoo king. I'm guessing he wasn't stalking her so either she signaled to him to come or he sensed her nearby and came. It's reasonable to assume that whatever happened to get him to come last time could happen again.
My impression was that XL was always able to use the bug connection to know where XY was at any given time / at any distance.
But if XY put herself in an unknown kind of danger in one location and she didn't know where XL was, there would be a real chance that he might be so far away that the time between him sensing the danger to her and the time that he got close enough to her to do something about it would be such a long period of time that it would simply be impossible for him to save her. And, as you suggested, there would be some kinds of danger that XL wouldn't have been able to save her from even if he was relativley close by. If the seagull demon had cut XY's head off, I imagine even the bug connection wouldn't have bought XY any time. She and XL both would have died.
I did a search for the word "发呆" (daze). The first time it appears is after XL told WXL to work for him if he wanted to live. I think all the other instances of when XY is in a daze can be attributed to her thinking about XL. I'll publish the full findings later in a separate post, but I don't think this instance is an exception to the rule, especially since XY is in the sea.
If I remember correctly, the lily frond scene was another instance where WXL was in a daze and you interpreted that moment as being one where WXL was thinking of XL, and I did not?
That said, XY thinking of XL in this moment doesn't necessarily mean her purpose in coming to the East Sea was to test XL by putting her life in danger. Even if her sole purpose in coming to the East Sea was to save Jing, we could still interpret her thinking of XL to be a contributing factor (in addition to saving Miao Pu) in getting her to decide to take action to get herself out of that situation alive.
It seems more logical to me that XY would just have the one thought of Miao Pu that changed her mind in that moment, rather than multiple thoughts simultaneously where only one of the thoughts is shown to the reader. Especially when XY was still under the influence of the wine and not able to think clearly. But I acknowledge that there is nothing in the text that irrefutably demonstrates that XY definitely did not have such other thoughts.
Agree that it doesn't serve as evidence of her intent in going to the East Sea. It could just apply to her being upset that XL suggested breaking their PLB connection, which she didn't want at this point.
I didn't get the impression that XY was upset when XL suggested breaking the bug connection.
Near the end of the chapter, XL pretended that he only cared about XY accepting being in danger without fighting back because their lives were connected, and he told her to find a way to break the bug connection first before dying in a stupid way. His way of trying to get her to fight for herself without revealing his feelings.
Eventually XY responds that she didn't have a way to break the connection yet, but he should worry about himself (as his position also puts him in danger so it's not clear who, between the two of them, will end up dragging down the other) and he should drink her blood to heal himself while he can so he won't drag her down. Similar to XL's words, this seems to at least partly be XY's way of hiding her true reasons for offering her blood to XL so he can heal himself fully.
But earlier in the chapter (long before XL told her to find a way to break the bug connection), she recalled that their lives were connected (after XL reminded her, twice) and thought to herself that she did need to find a way to break the bug connection between them before putting her life at risk again. Otherwise she'd be putting XL's life at risk too. Basically, she thinks about breaking the connection before XL suggests it. Although I got the sense that this thought of hers was half-hearted. Like when a person mentally reminds themself that they really should get around to handling a task that's been on their to-do list forever... because it's not a task that they are not particularly motivated to complete.
Google | Koala |
| After drinking the seafood soup, Xiao Yao said, "Thank you!" Xiang Liu said coldly, "No need! This is my reward for your blood!" Xiao Yao muttered dissatisfiedly, "Am I so cheap?" "What do you want?" Xiao Yao said, "I said thank you, thank you for saving me! You haven't forgotten why you were injured, have you?" Xiang Liu frowned and said, "It's not that I want to save you, I just don't have any interest in taking my own life to verify the words of the Witch King." Oh, yes! The lover's Gu does not live alone. If she died, Xiang Liu would most likely die as well. Xiao Yao smiled bitterly, "Anyway, you always saved me." | After finishing the soup Xiao Yao said, “Thank you!” Xiang Liu coldly replied, “No need! This is the payment for your blood.” Xiao Yao pouted. “Am I worth so little?” “What do you want then?” Xiao Yao said, “My thank you was for saving me! You haven’t forgotten why you were injured in the first place, right?” Xiang Liu furrowed his brows. “It’s not that I wanted to save you, I simply have no interest to use my own life to confirm the words of the Voodoo King.” Oh! Right, the Lover’s Bug! The Lover’s Bug does not live alone, if she died then likely Xiang Liu would die. Xiao Yao smiled sadly. “No matter what, thank you for saving me.” |
| Xiao Yao stared at Xiang Liu blankly for a moment, then looked past him and looked at the night at the end of the sea. A long life, endless longing... How does it feel to live without giving up? Probably like a dark night that will never have sunrise. Xiao Yao didn't understand why Xiang Liu cared about her life or death? Xiang Liu said coldly, "I'm just not interested in dying with you! If you want to give up, you must first think of a way to get rid of the poison." That's right! Her life is connected with Xiang Liu, so she really had to find a way to get rid of the poison first. Xiao Yao said, "I agree to your conditions, take me to find the albatross!" | Xiao Yao stared dumbstruck at Xiang Liu before her eyes went beyond him to stare at the limitless ocean horizon. A life that was long, a longing that had no end in sight……if she didn’t give up and stayed alive, what would that feel like? Probably like a dark night with no sunrise. Xiao Yao didn’t understand why Xiang Liu cared about her life or death. Xiang Liu coldly said, “I just don’t have any interest in dying with you. If you want to give up, then first find the way to break the voodoo bug link.” Right! Her life was connected to Xiang Liu. She really did need to find the solution to break the spell. Xiao Yao said, “I accept your price, so take me to find the seagull demon!” |
| Xiang Liu looked at her with contempt and said sarcastically, "Am I wrong? You are not in the mountains and jungles, you are in Shennong Mountain, which is more dangerous than the mountains and jungles. In the mountains and jungles, no matter how dangerous the beast is, it can only eat you, but in Shennong Mountain, it is not just your business. If you die this time, how many people will die because of you? Chishui Feng Long has broken the balance of the four families for tens of thousands of years. Now the patriarch of Tushan clan suddenly passed away, and the only heir is still young. Have you ever thought that if you die, Tushan clan may be divided up by Chishui Feng Long and other clans? In the face of the temptation of power and interests, some people are willing to take risks to kill the king. What's killing you? I really regret now that my life is connected with you, a stupid and weak woman! I beg you, before you die stupidly, find a way to remove our poison!" Xiao Yao walked to the side of the boat and looked at the end of the sea and sky. The sea breeze whistled past, and the blood-red wedding dress fluttered. The afterglow of the setting sun outlined her figure in rich colors, and her wedding dress was so red that it seemed to drip blood. The sun gradually set, and the moon rose from the sea. It was not long after the full moon day, and if you didn't look carefully, the moon was still round. Xiao Yao pointed at the moon and said to Xiang Liu: "Look!" Xiang Liu looked at her coldly, without moving, but Left Ear turned and looked at the moon, and said dryly: "It's a very round moon!" Xiao Yao burst into laughter, stared at the moon, and said: "Jing chose the full moon day to get married. I wanted to ask him why, but I was a little embarrassed. Thinking that there would be plenty of time after the marriage, I didn't ask. The last time we met was thirty-two days ago, on the full moon day of the first month of summer. He came to Xiaoyueding to say goodbye to me in the afternoon, saying that he would leave before dinner, but he still didn't leave after dinner. Until the moon climbed to the top of the mountain, we still Old times, we used to walk in the moonlight in the mountain stream. The moon was beautiful that night, and I pulled him to sing under the moon, but he couldn't do it, so I laughed at his clumsiness while singing. Later, before he rode away on his white crane, he pointed at the moon and said to me, 'After the next full moon, no matter the moon waxes or wanes, or the people in the world reunite or part, you and I will stay together forever.' Xiao Yao suddenly sang a song to the vast sea: You are like the wind on the water, and I am like the lotus in the wind. When we meet, we miss each other. When we meet, we miss each other. If you are a cloud in the sky, I am like the moon in the clouds. We are in love with each other, we are in love with each other, and we cherish each other. If you are a tree in the mountains, I am like the vine on the tree. We accompany each other, we depend on each other, we accompany each other, we depend on each other. Why is there joy and sorrow in the world, and why is there separation and reunion in life? I only wish to stay with you forever, and not separate. The silver moonlight scattered sadly, and the sparkling sea rose and fell gently. Xiao Yao stretched out her hand to the moon and said with a smile: "I haven't seen his body. In my memory, he will always be leaning on the white crane and looking at me with a smile, pointing at the moon and saying to me, 'After the next full moon, no matter the moon waxes and wanes, or the world's joys and sorrows, you and I will stay together forever.' I must be really stupid and weak. I can't believe that he is dead. I always feel that maybe he will come back next full moon." Xiao Yao turned around and looked at Xiang Liu, her eyes clear and cold: "Xiang Liu, I have no way to get rid of our poison now. Shennong Mountain is full of crises, and Qingshui Town is not a peaceful place. It's still uncertain who will drag whom down. Instead of worrying about me dragging you down, you might as well worry more about yourself!" Xiao Yao walked in front of Xiang Liu, rolled up her sleeves, and stretched out her arm, "While I can still let you suck blood, heal your wounds quickly and don't drag me down!" Xiang Liu was not polite either. He held Xiao Yao's wrist and bit it. | Xiang Liu sneered right back and said in a sarcastic way, “Did I say anything wrong? You may not be in the wilderness or the mountains but you’re in a place even more dangerous: Sheng Nong Mountain. The most dangerous beast at most eats you. But in Sheng Nong Mountain, your death affects so much more. Do you know how many people will die if you die? Chi Sui Feng Long smashed the tradition of the Four Great Clans and now with the Tu Shan clan leader suddenly killed and leaving behind a child successor, if you died then the Tu Shan Clan may be picked apart and taken over by the three other clans. In the face of power and wealth, people are even brave enough to try and kill an Emperor, what’s stopping them from trying to kill you? I really regret getting my life connected with as stupid a woman as you! I beg of you, before you die from idiocy, can you find a way to break our bug link first?” Xiao Yao walked to the edge of the ship and looked out at the wide expanse of the ocean, the wind whipping her red wedding dress around her like a dance, and the red sunset behind her illuminated her vivid color so much that the red dress looked like blood was dripping from it. The sun gradually set and the moon rose from the ocean surface. Xiao Yao pointed and said to Xiang Liu, “Look!” Xiang Liu stared coldly at her and didn’t move but Left Ear turned to look at the moon and said, “Very round moon!” Xiao Yao burst out laughing while staring at the moon. “Jing picked the full moon night to get married. I wanted to ask him why but was too embarrassed to, and figured I could ask him after the wedding since we had plenty of time. The last time I saw him was 32 days ago, he came to Xiao Yue Peak to see me and was supposed to leave before dinner but stayed until long after dinner, until the moon rose high over the mountain. We walked in the moonlight along the mountain paths. The moon was very beautiful that night. I pulled him to dance as I sang but he didn’t know how so I laughed at him for being so silly. Later he left on his winged ride and pointed to the moon and said, “At the next full moon, no matter if the moon is bright or dark, if people gather or part, I will be with you forever, never apart.” Xiao Yao suddenly started singing towards the ocean. If beloved is wind above the water The silver moonlight lent an air of desolation around as the waves crested glittering in soft folds. Xiao Yao pointed at the moon with a smile “If I don’t see his body then in my memory he will always be on the back of his crane smiling at me while pointing to the moon to say, “At the next full moon, no matter if the moon is bright or dark, if people gather or part, I will be with you forever, never apart.” I likely am very stupid and very weak. I can’t believe that he’s dead and feel that he may come back at the next full moon.” Xiao Yao whirled around and stared with bright eyes at Xiang Liu and said in a strong voice, “Xiang Liu, I don’t have a way to break our bug link right now. Sheng Nong Mountain is rife with danger but Qing Shui Town isn’t any better. It’s unclear who will drag the other down. Rather than worry that I’ll be a hassle to you, why don’t you worry about yourself first!” Xiao Yao walked up to Xiang Liu and lifted up her arm from under her sleeve. “While I’m still here to give you blood, hurry up and get better so you don’t burden me!” Xiang Liu didn’t even act polite and took her arm to bite down and suck. |
However, if XY didn't want to face a long life of pain anymore, was wiling to die / be with TSJ in death in the sea, and and had no fear of death, then it seems to me that she couldn't simultanseously want XL to save her from death, even if she would have liked to see him. If he did save her this time, she would be right back in the position she was in before the coffin sank: facing a long life of pain alone and abandoned once again. As XY thinks later in the chapter (after XL saves her), facing a long life without giving up seemed, to her, like facing a neverending night with no sunrise.AH :
I don't believe she was suicidal going into this situation. Not wanting to face a long life of pain was a decision she made in a moment of overbearing despair over having her hope for Jing being alive dashed. In this moment, she felt too despondent to follow through with her original plans, but she still could have gone into the situation with the following objectives:
- Hoping against hope that TSJ is actually alive, and that this isn't an trap like it obviously appears to be.
- Using this as an opportunity to see XL and ask if he has any information on TSJ since Jing probably ended up in the East Sea, which is like XL's home. Also, XL might have been able to give her information about Hou's activities in QST.
- Wanting to get the answer to: "If I die, can you live?" (a.k.a. "Do you love me?")
- Yearning for XL, and hoping he will agree to take her away from the situation this time.
I do think her saddness and pain (and the endless longing she mentions) was about way more than just TSJ though. TSJ's disappearance / death was just the straw that broke the camel's back.
Agree 100%.
While I personally don't believe that this is what was happening in chapter 43, I could see XY going to the East Sea primarily because she couldn't ignore a chance, however small, of seeing TSJ alive, despite knowing that there was a significant chance that the message was actually a trap and being willing to risk it because she hoped that, if it was a trap that put her life in danger, then XL would save her from that danger. If it turned out to be a trap (and therefore the message wasn't from TSJ, dashing almost her very last bit of hope of him being alive) and XL didn't save her from life-threatening danger, then she wouldn't care if she ended up getting killed because those two painful blows together, on top of everything else she had experienced up to that point, would be too much for her to face.
I agree that XY's recklessness can only mean that she was willing to risk getting killed if XL didn't end up saving her. Your interpretation of her line of thinking makes sense to me, even if you personally don't subscribe to it :).
If I remember correctly, the lily frond scene was another instance where WXL was in a daze and you interpreted that moment as being one where WXL was thinking of XL, and I did not?
That was not an instance of when WXL was in a daze. She was thinking of XL because the lotus symbolizes XL. Here's my interpretation of that scene:
After Wen Xiao Liu draws nine eyes on Xiang Liu and records it in his gorilla beast mirror, he basks in the sun with a lotus leaf covering his eyes.
没有病人的时候，小六喜欢拿一片荷叶遮住眼睛，仰面躺在晒草药的草席上，双臂贴着耳朵往上伸展，双脚自然合并，脚尖往下。整个身体笔直得像一条线，想象中好似身体可以无限延展，那种筋骨撑拉的感觉，配上温暖的太阳、荷叶的清香，简直就像骨头饮了酒，小醉微醺的美妙。
When there were no patients, Xiao Liu liked to cover his eyes with a lotus leaf, lie on a straw mat used for drying herbs, face up, with his arms stretched upward, touching his ears, and his feet naturally together, toes pointing downward. His whole body was straight like a line and he imagined he could infinitely extend his body. The feeling of stretching his muscles and bones, accompanied by the warm sun and the fragrance of lotus leaves, was like the bones drinking wine, a delightful light intoxication.
— Vol 1 Ch 4 (Chapter 4)
It could be one of the first signs that Wen Xiao Liu is starting to be lovesick for Xiang Liu. The description "like the bones drinking wine, a delightful light intoxication" at the end of this passage is similar to with an excerpt about lovesickness from the introduction to the first volume of the book.
相思是一杯有毒的美酒，入喉甘美，销魂蚀骨，直到入心入肺，便再也无药可解...
Lovesickness is a cup of poisonous fine wine; it is sweet as it enters the throat, melting the soul and eroding the bones, until it enters the heart and lungs, after which there is no longer a cure for it.
— Introduction to Vol 1 (link to full translation by liddi)
But earlier in the chapter (long before XL told her to find a way to break the bug connection), she recalled that their lives were connected (after XL reminded her, twice) and thought to herself that she did need to find a way to break the bug connection between them before putting her life at risk again. Otherwise she'd be putting XL's life at risk too. Basically, she thinks about breaking the connection before XL suggests it. Although I got the sense that this thought of hers was half-hearted. Like when a person mentally reminds themself that they really should get around to handling a task that's been on their to-do list forever... because it's not a task that they are not particularly motivated to complete.
Xiang Liu frowned and said, "It's not that I want to save you, I just don't have any interest in taking my own life to verify the words of the Witch King."
Oh, yes! The lover's Gu does not live alone. If she died, Xiang Liu would most likely die as well. Xiao Yao smiled bitterly, "Anyway, you always saved me."
Xiang Liu said coldly, "I'm just not interested in dying with you! If you want to give up, you must first think of a way to get rid of the poison."
That's right! Her life is connected with Xiang Liu, so she really had to find a way to get rid of the poison first. Xiao Yao said, "I agree to your conditions, take me to find the albatross!"
I agree that she's not particularly motivated to get rid of the Lovers Gu here.
Last time, XY asked XL, "If I die, can you live?" because the implication was that if he couldn't live, then he really did love her. Here, XL responds that he doesn't know if he will die or not, but he doesn't want to take that chance, which is his excuse for saving her. XY is excited at first because him saving her means there is a chance that he does really love her. Then she smiled bitterly because XL is also saying he's not sure if he loves her or not. Moreover, even if he does love her, he still isn't willing to admit it.
Earlier today, I posted a long analysis about Xiao Yao's frame of mind leading up to the creation of the crystal globe here.liddi:
Thanks liddi. It's a very thorough and thoughtful analysis. Some of the things that came into my mind while reading your analysis are:
1) XY is doubtful about XL's feelings for her. She's hopeful that he also loves her, but instead of asking him outright or confessing first, she was "fishing" and "beating around the bush" wanting confirmation from him. This is of course, consistent with her character set-up.
2) eventually, she stopped "fishing" 'cause she'd run out of time and gathered all of her courage and expressed her feelings for him with the crystal ball. This crystal ball also doubles up as a bid/invitation to him. Then she waited for his response.
3) what XY wanted the most was for her and XL to run off together. To be free and away from all the conflicts and responsibilities that prevented them from being together. But she knew that XL would never leave the resistance army - not only wouldn't he defect, but he was determined to fight and die to the end with them.
4)so when she sent out the crystal ball, she was willing to accept the temporary relationship that he could offer her.
I think your analysis is logical.
What I always have a problem with was that she didn't end her engagement to Feng Long before sending out that crystal ball. Does it make sense for her character? Yes. But it also suggests to me that she is still playing it safe - leaving a net for her to fall back on. Perhaps. she thinks that if XL doesn't accept her confession then she might as well marry FL since there aren't any other options out there, but it doesn't fill one with confidence about her own confidence in her decision to send that crystal ball.
The next thing is her reaction/attitude when he comes to stop the wedding. She wants him to come right? Just because he didn't do it the way that she wanted she automatically jumped to the worst conclusion. If he didn't use the promise to force her to leave, she was just going to go through her marriage to FL? Her reaction to his killing off FFB and the whole month in QS town. It seems to me that she lost her courage and reverted back to her passive state. Because she was never confident about his feelings for her, everything he does is a confirmation that he doesn't love her. She also tends to view things negatively and assumes the worst in people's intentions. As often with these two, there are no clear communication just a whole lot of fishing and assumption from one and the other keeping deflecting and letting the other person go on with their wrong assumptions.
I should open a service teaching people how to communicate in Da Huang. I'll be raking in the bucks and maybe preventing some tragic romances a long the way. Oh and maybe offer therapy sessions as well. These people obviously in desperate need of it :-).
It is a possibility. However, I think ultimately, it is because he knew that he could not accompany her for her lifetime, and he did not want her to have to be alone once more.
The reason why I tend to err on the other possibility is that XL works hard to help her to be strong and to fight for what she wants. He wants her to be able to make her decision and pursue the life that she wants; so if she was firm in her conviction of choosing him; ready and able to deal with the outcome, then I think he would have given in eventually. I think he fears that she wouldn't be able to deal with his death and he certainly doesn't want her to die along with him. And perhaps, once he's gone she would have been left with no-one as she would have effectively turned her back on her family if they had been together.
What we can both agree on is that they loved each other very much. And that TH is the problem :-).
I recently talked to an acquaintaince who is huge fan of TH about Memories Scattered Across the Galaxy. And we both thought that it was Lost You Forever, the sci-fi edition. With some changes and expansion.
Svetlanchik89:
I can't remember what those flowers on his clothes mean, I've seen it somewhere, but I've already forgotten. Where he's in red, there are flowers on his clothes
Are you talking about this?
Or this one? Which I thought was the same, but now I see is actually different. Though it looks like the same sort of flower.
plor20:3) what XY wanted the most was for her and XL to run off together. To be free and away from all the conflicts and responsibilities that prevented them from being together. But she knew that XL would never leave the resistance army - not only wouldn't he defect, but he was determined to fight and die to the end with them.HeadInTheClouds:
I don't know about the dying, but yes, I agree, that XY wanted that. But so did XL. He said as much, when FFB asked her to leave everything and roam the world with him. But they both knew THEIR, not just XL's, responsibilities prevented it.
What I always have a problem with was that she didn't end her engagement to Feng Long before sending out that crystal ball. Does it make sense for her character? Yes.
YES. It also shows how she keeps treating XL as second or third rate. It isn't till she can't have Jing, and she turns to Feng Long ... and then she turns to XL.
The next thing is her reaction/attitude when he comes to stop the wedding. She wants him to come right? Just because he didn't do it the way that she wanted she automatically jumped to the worst conclusion.
YES, YES, YES! People keep saying that XL didn't respond to her crystal ball message, but he most certainly did. It just wasn't in the way she expected. If she really wanted a relationship with XL, she should have flown off that platform and tackled him in a bear hug and kissed him all over. Instead she acted like he just stabbed her.
Because she was never confident about his feelings for her, everything he does is a confirmation that he doesn't love her. She also tends to view things negatively and assumes the worst in people's intentions. As often with these two, there are no clear communication just a whole lot of fishing and assumption from one and the other keeping deflecting and letting the other person go on with their wrong assumptions.
I agree that there's a woeful lack of communication between them. But if XY is not confident about XL's feelings for her, it is her own damn fault. She's the one who rejected him in plain language, the one time she did communicate with him. If she wants a relationship with him, it's up to her to speak as clearly as she did with her rejection of him.
The reason why I tend to err on the other possibility is that XL works hard to help her to be strong and to fight for what she wants. He wants her to be able to make her decision and pursue the life that she wants; so if she was firm in her conviction of choosing him; ready and able to deal with the outcome, then I think he would have given in eventually. I think he fears that she wouldn't be able to deal with his death and he certainly doesn't want her to die along with him. And perhaps, once he's gone she would have been left with no-one as she would have effectively turned her back on her family if they had been together.
I agree.
Yes, They are the same.
And yes, I mean these flowers
I think it depends on whether they are supposed to be daisies or chrysanthemums -- though they are probably related plants. I tend to think they are chrysanthemums, as it's more popular and meaningful in Asia.
Mums are one of the Four Noble Plants of Chinese Culture.
"Chrysanthemum is a symbol of longevity and wealth, and a wish for a peaceful retirement. This is not only because chrysanthemum (菊, Jú) sounds similar to both the word 居 Jū, meaning ‘to reside’ and久 Jiǔ, meaning ‘long enduring’, but also because it has health-giving properties. "
They also represent "a tranquil mind of indifference to fame and fortune, which reflects the pursuit of classical Chinese gentlemen."
Interestingly, mums are are associated with the Double Nine Festival, the 9th day of 9th month ... so clearly it has connection to Xiang Liu Nine Lives.
Here's an article about it's meaning.
She has the habit of forgeting about the bugs quite often, because she, unlike XL, never cared much about the possibility of her dying once XL diesblabla100:
Or maybe she forgets about the bugs because they have no impact on her and her daily life. Unlike XL, who gets to feel whatever pain she encounters, from a hang nail to being betrayed by Jing, yet again.
unlike him, who has no problem giving up on his and putting hers on risk on the battlefield
XL never did this, and I can't imagine XY ever thought this. Again, of all the characters in the book, XL is the least likely to die anywhere, even on the battlefield, since he has nine lives, not to mention is the biggest bad a$$ in the story. The fact that he kept the bug as long as he did, should also tell you that he didn't plan on dying all that time. As soon as he saw that was the fate for the army and decided to share it, he removed the bugs.
telling her that he regrets having connected his life with hers back then is what triggered her.
Well, that was pretty painful, so I wouldn't be surprised if she was triggered.
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