Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 windiaaa041293:

The text in the leaked Episode 19 script says  XL bitten by a bug. and only XL was bitten by the bug.
xy wasn't bitten, and in this episode the bug didn't bite XL, but instead shone a light on XL and xy's chest.
So it's not due to being bitten by a bug (in my opinion). And it has nothing to do with reactions involving jing

Unfortunately, I can't find the leaked script you shared in the Tong Hua super topic on Weibo. This is what I managed to translate based on the OCR text. 

S1Ep19 - Xiang Liu suppresses lovers bug

On the shore by the ocean, Tushan Jing carried Xiao Yao and left, limping as he did so.
Xiao Yao's words reverberated in Xiang Liu's mind.

XY (VO): However, I am still afraid that if I was not careful, you might enter my dreams. You... are definitely not suitable to enter a girl's dreams. That is possibly far more terrifying than death indeed.

Xiang Liu's eyes were sorrowful, and he smiled self-deprecatingly. A glow that appeared over his heart (the poisonous bug) was struggling, floating, trying to retaliate. Xiang Liu ruthlessly pressed his hand on his heart, suppressing it forcibly with his spiritual power. With the spillover of spiritual power, snowflakes danced around him.

LRM (VO): The love poisonous bug demands not only your life but your heart. You have nine lives, but only one heart!  Even if it was forcibly planted, it will lead to endless troubles. Not only are the hearts unable to be connected and share the same fates/lives, but the poisonous bugs may retaliate and harm their lives.

Despite suffering from heart-wrenching pain, he continued to smile. With Xiang Liu's spiritual power suppressing it, the glow (poisonous bug) was gradually brought under control.
After one last look at Tushan Jing and Xiao Yao, Xiang Liu turned, hand over his heart, and staggered in the midst of falling snowflakes towards the depth of the ocean. Against the vast ocean under the blue sky, the figure in white gradually disappeared into the distance in the snow.

The Lirong old man said that if the bug was forcibly planted, it would lead to endless troubles. However, the bug was very easily transferred to him, and the walnut disappeared immediately after that, which signified that it was successfully planted. In addition, before he destroyed the bugs, Xiang Liu also confirmed that the bugs were successfully planted, which means what the Lirong old man said was not applicable to them. What then does it imply?

The script states that the bug tried to retaliate against Xiang Liu, yet we see that Xiao Yao was unharmed and unaffected. Does it then indicate that the retaliation only happens to the person is heartbroken, and not the one causing the heartbreak? And only the person who is heartbroken will be at risk of losing his life, while the other would certainly survive? If this really were the case, why would Xiang Liu bother to go to all that trouble to kill the bugs in the end, since Xiao Yao would not be at risk? 

Or is it trying to indicate that when one party is heartbroken, the bugs will try to retaliate on both parties. However, Xiao Yao remained unaffected because Xiang Liu used his spiritual power to suppress the bugs and keep it under control, hence she is safe from retaliation. If that were the case, it then means their hearts and lives are still joined, which would explain why he went to such lengths to destroy the bugs before he died. 

What is the basis of the bugs' retaliation? Is it the betrayal of a lover, having fallen out of love or fallen in love with someone else? Or is it the heartbreak experienced due to betrayal (real or perceived), or rejection, even though the love between them never changed? I am of the opinion that both situations hold true. An unfaithful lover, and a lover who is heartbroken will suffer its retaliation.

What is the situation in this case? Was it because she rejected him and had chosen to stop loving him? Or was it because he was heartbroken by her rejection, even though her love for him remained, except she would not admit it?

If it was the former, she should have suffered the retaliation first, since her heart had changed. Yet she remained unaffected, even managing to swim the whole night to shore with no risk to her life. If it was the latter, it means that the bugs retaliated because he was devastated to see them together, not because her heart towards him had changed. This theory appear to be supported by later details in the script where their hearts glowed in unison with their heartbeats, first in S1Ep32 when he held her hand before her consciousness was merged back into her body; and later in S2, after he asked her the 4th question. In other words, the bugs continued to exist within them in harmony with each other, despite the initial attempt to retaliate.

Apologies in advance in case I am slow to respond after my ramblings - real life is calling with a vengeance now.

 Kokuto:

Wow.  Granddaddy Emperor has totally lost it.  Gone from weaving an empire to weaving a basket.

Was there a basket weaving scene in the "leaked" script?

Wow are we going to have a basket weaving class here too?

Lol, LYF has really taken us round the world huh?

 MayaDavid:

Part of the reason for this is, according to my interpretation, XY always considered XL to be unattainable and someone from somewhere else who is briefly visiting the mortal realm.

 MayaDavid:

So, my take is that XY was never in a position to be jealous of XL. To me, it felt like she was perpetually yearning for something she could not have, not just because of her family ties, but also because of the indifference she thought XL had.

I do agree with these. Xiang Liu is someone that Xiao Yao yearns for, but feels like she can never have. Xiang Liu is that Bright White Moonlight - forever elusive and out of reach. She's always unsure about his feelings for her and her position/importance in his life. These things would have triggered her insecurity and fear of abandonment. I think this may be why she doesn't want to get rid of the Lovers Bugs since they provided a tangible link to Xiang Liu when his presence in her life was often elusive. There was a scene at Cang Xuan first wedding when Xiao Yao came across as downright happy to think that if her heart hurt, Xiang Liu's heart would hurt as well. I think this is a bit of that possessiveness and selfishness that you mentioned. 

 MayaDavid:

Even though XY could not be jealous, I think that her disregard for XL’s life during her suicide attempt and seagull assassination attempt reflects her selfishness and possessiveness when it comes to XL.

I think we discussed her suicide attempt on this thread although I don't quite remember it or what the general consensus was. The poison attempt with Cang Xuan, I don't think she thought about Xinag Liu at all. By that point, she had severed their ties and gave up whatever hope she might have had left towards him. Do you feel like she was happy that he was going to die with her? I just thought that she was so far gone that she didn't even think of it, but considering that she still remembered to make plans for Left-Ear's future and we know that she sees Left-Ear as what Xiang Liu could have been then it seemed that he did cross her mind. 

The other possibility was that perhaps a part of her was thinking that Xiang Liu would come and save her again. When she woke up on Jade Mountain, she mistook Lie Yang for Xiang Liu and was disappointed when she realized he wasn't. She gave herself a strong enough dosage to kill herself and she did stop breathing, I always thought that she managed to sustain her heartbeat because Xiang Liu was using the Lovers Bugs to maintain her life. By this point, she knows about the Lovers Bugs so would know that this was one of their benefits. So is it possible that she didn't really mean to die after all? But at the same time, when she woke up, she lamented that if she knew that it was this hard to die she wouldn't have planted the bugs with Xiang Liu years ago. Or maybe there's a part of her that wants to punish him for what happened during their last meeting! I don't know what to think anymore.

 liddi:

What is the basis of the bugs' retaliation? Is it the betrayal of a lover, having fallen out of love or fallen in love with someone else?

Actually, in the conversation with LROM, he even didn't mention when the bug turned into broken bug. I pasted the transcript that you translated a long time ago. The only one time he mentioned the bug retaliated is when there is no love between the couple but the planting was still forcibly done (planting was possible because the bug was misterious, unpredictable)

[Recently I met a poison bug. It's very strange. It can make the receiver suffer the same pain as the one who places it. Conversely, if the receiver is injured, it has no effect on the one who places it. But the one who places it can neither control the bug at will. nor recall it. Is the one who places the bug is a girl?

Why are you asking this?

If it is really a girl. It's likely a pair of couple poison bugs planted for her lover.

Couple poison bugs?]

离戎老伯：传说中有一种极其难养的雌雄蛊。一雌一雄，力量相当。施蛊者便无法控制蛊虫。这种情况大都是女子养来种给情郎的，求的是一心一意，永不相负。一旦种上，便同命连心，生死相随，所以又叫做情蛊。
相柳：如果彼此无情，能种蛊吗。
离戎老伯：哎呦，不行不行不行。不过蛊术之道神秘莫测，也许能种吧。但即便勉强种下也是后患无穷，不但不能同命连心，还可能被蛊虫反噬，危及性命啊。
相柳：怎么解蛊
离戎老伯：种蛊要靠情意，解蛊也要靠情意。如果种蛊时间不长，趁其根基未稳，也可能将蛊移到另一个人身上。但另一个人必须心中有情才行。情蛊这东西啊，不但要命还要心。你命是有九条，但心只有一颗。一旦给了出去，可就再也收不回来了。

LROM: Legend has it there are male-female poisonous bugs which are very difficult to cultivate. One is male, the other is female, with equal power. The one who raises them cannot control the poisonous bug. Mostly women raise it for their lovers, hoping for a love that is devoted (one heart, one mind), never betraying each other. Once it is planted, the couple's hearts and fates/lives are joined, living and dying together. As such, it is also called love poisonous bug.
XL: If there is no love between the couple, would it be possible to plant the bug?
LROM: No, no, no. However, the art of poisonous bugs is mysterious and unpredictable. Perhaps it is possible. Even so, forcibly planting it will lead to endless troubles. Not only are they unable to join their hearts together and share the same fates/lives, but the poisonous bugs may retaliate against them and harm their lives.
XL: How can they be removed?
LROM: The planting of the bug relies on love, as does its removal. If it has not been planted for long, it is possible to transfer it to another person while its foundation has not yet stabilised. However, the other person must have love in his heart. The love poisonous bug demands not only your life but your heart. You have nine lives, but only one heart. Once your heart is given, you can never take it back.

种蛊要靠情意，解蛊也要靠情意。如果种蛊时间不长，趁其根基未稳，也可能将蛊移到另一个人身上。但另一个人必须心中有情才行。情蛊这东西啊，不但要命还要心。你命是有九条，但心只有一颗。一旦给了出去，可就再也收不回来了。

The planting of the bug relies on love, as does its removal. If it has not been planted for long, it is possible to transfer it to another person while its foundation has not yet stabilised. However, the other person must have love in his heart. The love poisonous bug demands not only your life but your heart. You have nine lives, but only one heart. Once your heart is given, you can never take it back.

Therefore the way the drama tried to drive is showing the posibility that the the planting on XL was succesful but it might still fall in the case of "no love" from XY, the bug was successfully moved to him because he had love for her 

 liddi:

Does it then indicate that the retaliation only happens to the person is heartbroken, and not the one causing the heartbreak? And only the person who is heartbroken will be at risk of losing his life, while the other would certainly survive? If this really were the case, why would Xiang Liu bother to go to all that trouble to kill the bugs in the end, since Xiao Yao would not be at risk? 

I understood the retaliation happened because seeing Jing and XY's intimacy, he was heartbroken and he wanted to quit (take his heart back) but the bug did not allow it. 

 liddi:

LRM (VO): The love poisonous bug demands not only your life but your heart. You have nine lives, but only one heart!  Even if it was forcibly planted, it will lead to endless troubles. Not only are the hearts unable to be connected and share the same fates/lives, but the poisonous bugs may retaliate and harm their lives.

Thus, that the reason why he recalled the following content from LRM (VO), emphasizing on the fact that the bug demanded heart and he could not take it back. once his heart was given. 

In the best scenerio that there was love between them, and the retaliated when its requirement was not fulfilled or when the bugs felt unhappy with one of the host. However, then the retaliation should impact both people since their live and death were intertwined. The retaliation happened only on XL seems to be not plausible. Then again back to the previous option. - one side love. 

In the episode about 4th question, his heart and XY's heart was blowing in unison. And then XL went out to meet Jing? What does it exactly means? The blowing is a kind of reaction from the bug (let's say less severe than retaliation like in eps 19). Is that happy or angry reaction? 

So if they keep this blowing scene then the reaction of the bug in that eps and eps 19 seems to be contradicting each other. 

EDIT: Just found and re-read @Liddi's post about the 4th question scene in the drama. @Liddi thought that " the lovers bug in their hearts glowed in unison with their heartbeats, proof that their hearts remained as one, despite everything that had taken place ". So the glowing bug is illustration of their hearbeat, showing that they still had the same beating frequency? However, why did the bug glow? what triggered it? 

 HeadInTheClouds:

There was a scene at Cang Xuan first wedding when Xiao Yao came across as downright happy to think that if her heart hurt, Xiang Liu's heart would hurt as well. I think this is a bit of that possessiveness and selfishness that you mentioned. 

@MayaDavid

That was the impression from the drama. The way Yang Zi potrayed XY in that converation with XL was oposite what she felt in the book. In the book, XY actually felt uncomfortable with the fact that XL could feel her heart pain as if it is naked in front of him. 

“The pain in my heart, do you feel it?” Xiao Yao’s face turned red, not clear if it was over embarrassment or frustration. The reason the heart was tucked deep inside the body was so that people’s feelings, whether it was happiness or sorrow, would remain concealed. But right now her heart felt like it was stark naked before Xiang Liu, like she was stripped naked before him to observe. (Chapter 26)

 windiaaa041293:

I want to reread scene 4 of the question, can anyone help? Thanks..
it seems the description of the glowing bug is different.

https://mydramalist.com/discussions/lost-you-forever/110123-xl-and-xy-story-and-romance-warning-spoilers?pid=2890529&page=397#p2890529

 HeadInTheClouds:

But it's the part later when she asked if she hurts 10 emotionally, that is also how much he would hurt as well that I felt like she was happy to have him share that pain with her. Much like how she liked and felt comforted to have his heart accompany her in her heartache.

I don't think she felt happy about that he shared the same intensity of pain in the heart with her. 

She always felt underdog in front of him, especially with regard to bug reaction. He could make her feel whenever he wanted but she hardly could control the bug

Xiao Yao walked along the wall with her head lowered as she passed the other guest tables.

The sound of loud cheers reached her and Xiao Yao glanced over and her eyelid jumped and she stopped her footsteps. She stared at a table with a bowl in the middle and lots of young men were drinking and making merry. Fang Feng Bei, wearing a white embroidered robe, was standing there with a lazy smile.

Xiao Yao felt the voodoo bug in her body but got no response. Xiao Yao gave up, was she the one who raised the bug or was it Xiang Liu? Xiang Liu could control her but she couldn’t control Xiang Liu at all! Could it be that even voodoo bugs know how to fear the strong and sneer at the weak?

Fang Feng Bei glanced over at Xiao Yao and she wanted to leave but stood there and didn’t move for the longest time.

Fang Feng Bei finally picked up a jug of wine and walked over to Xiao Yao.

In general XY or WXL in the past tried to have equal with XL, always try to "revenge" in consersation with him. Both of them didn't want to be loser in "their battle". So knowing XL having the same pain intensity in the heart made she feel less underdog. 

Of course she also enjoyed this kind of connection. Except the heart pain in QS Town, she never suffered any pain from him. she didn't urge to remove it because she wanted to keep that, the only connection that she still had from him after they splitted. 

 HeadInTheClouds:

And if she was all that concerned about the harm that would come to him because of this, you would have thought that she would have tried harder to have the Bugs removed, but she never did.

If nothing had happened, she would have kept the connection as long as possible (I think). Actually she did care that his life span is limiting factor for her too (he died with Shang nong army  --> she would die to). Jing "died", The final war broke out but she did not tell CX the fact that her life and XL's life connected. She was willing to die with him. Besides, no-one could give her solution to remove the bug in her body (Witch king, XY were the expert in poison bugs and both had no solution, XL said he could not). So, it could be regarded as selfish, pocessive but maybe it was just out of ability. 

it is worth to address that the emotion between 1st and 2nd suicide were very different. The first one was very stupid decision, instant thought. She just didn't want to fight for her life. But then she did changed her mind althought the reason is Miao Pu's safety. 

The 2nd suicide, she was in desparate situation, super devastrated and seemed to be completely hopeless. And you know she is a kind of mental patient already. Selecting the suicide moment of fullmoon might be her best effort in that case.