Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

Xiaoyao gets upset knowing that he is Tushan Jing(for the first time). Xiaoyao give a sad reaction, when she finds that FFYY is Jing fiance. Xiaoyao feeling insecure about her true appearance after seeing FFYY appearance.After finding out that FFYY is pregnant, Xiaoyao gets heartbreak even she feels devastated. If Xiaoyao doesn't love Jing, why is she gets so hurt?

 liddi:

Excellent observation. I would argue that A Heng falls under that same category as Jin Xuan as well, at least based on what little I know of her without having properly read Once Promised.

A Heng is leaps and bounds ahead of her daughter, Xiao Yao when it comes to grit, courage and dignity. To be fair to Xiao Yao, A Heng grew up well-loved and cared for by her parents and siblings - she had a secure base which is crucial for development (this is the biggest difference between them). The result is someone who is confident and secure in herself and her ability. A Heng knows who she is and what is important to her, and she is confident in her ability to face the consequences of her choices, good or bad. 

Now, contrast that to Xiao Yao. If you recall, as a child Xiao Yao was also confident and stubborn. Her trauma "warped" her development and the result is what we got. The stubbornness is still there as we see in WYL, but the fear and insecurity drive her decisions. If anything her stubbornness now keeps her stuck, because she refuses to consider other possibilities.

 liddi:

You are right that A Nian could choose to be willful, but opted to settle for some measure of companionship with Cang Xuan. The one good thing that did come out of it was that she was strategically positioned to play that crucial role in saving Xiao Yao after her suicide attempt. And I would like to think that Cang Xuan had more affection for her compared to all his other wives.

I think it's interesting that Tong Hua chose to give A Nian this particular ending when we know she could have chosen another one for this character. I think the other theme in LYF, besides it being a novel about people dealing with their trauma is that most people end up compromising and settling for less than what they would like to have. 

A Nian settled for companionship with Cang Xuan and having more of his affection than the other women in his harem when what she wanted was his love (and being his only love). Xing Xue settled for the power and security that she yearned for but lost the love that she also wanted from Cang Xuan. Xiao Yao settled for companionship with Jing, when (perhaps) what she yearned for was true love with Xiang Liu. Everyone in the novel is a Tan Er, betting and hoping that by settling they will hopefully have a "good enough life".

I actually think that out of the 4 main characters, Xiang Liu was the only one who didn't compromise. There will be posters here who disagreed with me since he died and couldn't be with Xiao Yao, but I would argue that being with Xiao Yao isn't the thing that is most important to Xiang Liu. What he wants is to make sure that the person that he loves gets the things that she wishes for. He didn't compromise his loyalty and honour, and he didn't compromise on how he loves. 

 liddi:

Tong Hua is never particularly kind to her female protagonists. Who am I kidding? She is fair in doling out agony to both her male and female characters. But in the case of Xiao Yao, as Tong Hua said in her post back in 2013, the conclusion of the novel is not the end of the character's life story. Seeing how it ended, with her finally breaking free to claim the life she wanted at a place she could call home, perhaps that is when she reclaims her dignity at last.

I think the most frustrating thing about LYF is dealing with a lead who didn't achieve any breakthroughs until the end of the story. Tong Hua's other female protagonists take decisive actions, for better or worse. Whereas Xiao Yao just "dithered". Lol. I have to remind myself that she has trauma, but lord, does she drive me nuts. It doesn't help that I love the character of Xiang Liu  :-)

Given the recent discussion on Jing being manipulative and the whole non-consummation thing, I'm more convinced than ever that Tong Hua deliberately left an out for Xiao Yao. That would go with my analysis as well.

 luv2bafangurl:

I think you misunderstood me a bit ;). I meant a discussion with /YaoJings about TSJ or XL seems (sadly) a bit pointless to me as both parties already so fixed in our bias and from what I see in the main thread the discussion more often slides into name calling and insults that make everyone unhappy/angry. I by no means want to criticize you for bringing up Jing’s related topic in this thread. I’m also curious to what other ladies have to say on this more sinister TSJ‘s character interpretation. It‘s actually amazing that this long after the drama over already that this thread is still this lively with new pov/discovery/interpretation etc.

Oh goodness! My apology luv2bafangurl. I wasn't upset with you or anything - or think that you were trying to tell me what to discuss, I was trying to explain my reason for discussing Jing. I can be very direct in my communication. In the real world, it gets tempered by my tone of voice and facial expressions, which are completely missing here, of course. I already had to apologise to Tapsia earier today, and now I need to apologise to you too. I obviously need to work on my tone when writing these posts. :-). It doesn't help that the emojis are not working - I rely on them to convey tone. I swear I'm a very reasonable and level-headed person despite how I must come across here. Well, most of the time I'm reasonable and level-headed ;-) 

And yes, the quality of the discussion on this thread is amazing.

 Taspia:

Xiaoyao gets upset knowing that he is Tushan Jing(for the first time). Xiaoyao give a sad reaction, when she finds that FFYY is Jing fiance. Xiaoyao feeling insecure about her true appearance after seeing FFYY appearance.After finding out that FFYY is pregnant, Xiaoyao gets heartbreak even she feels devastated. If Xiaoyao doesn't love Jing, why is she gets so hurt?

I don't think anyone here is saying she doesn't have affection for Jing but that her affection for XL is next level. If it's same level or next level, that debatable but she does have affection for both.

I believe the reason why she comparing herself to FFYY is more to do with her insecurities and this is towards those around her, not specific to Jing. If I remember correctly wasn't she worried about how CX would find her too? I really need to do this on a computer so I can properly quote!

With regards to the pregnancy thing. I think it goes beyond simply if she does or doesn't likes/love him. I think it's more driven by the fact that she had put hope on him. For someone like her to actually trust and hope and have that shattered and be betrayed. I think that what tips the balance and makes it so much more painful for her.

To XY the love/like factor is less important in her mind than her beliefs. 

In my mind, XY has very strong will and mind and that's where Jing lives. So her disappointment in him is reason based. She has a soft heart and can't control it and that's where XL lives. So she tries hard to deny and suppress it.

 HeadInTheClouds:

Given the recent discussion on Jing being manipulative and the whole non-consummation thing, I'm more convinced than ever that Tong Hua deliberately left an out for Xiao Yao. That would go with my analysis as well.

I think this point may be TH's intention. The person who married to XY was YSQ. Jing had 7 tail lost, in coma for 7 years. (7 x 7 = 49)

In Chinese "seven" is  七. It also means "a Chinese custom to hold a memorial service on every 7th day following a person's death until the 49th day".

Jing in principle "died". He lost significant amount of spiritual power, and he shaked off his duty for TS Clan. The person who could accompany XY was YSQ. That was also XY's initial intention, a companion partner. 

I just want someone to keep me company. Not someone I want to marry – I want someone I can live with, share happiness and sorrow with, fight and make up, I just don’t want to talk to myself anymore. But I’m scared because think about it, my own grandfather, mom, dad, they all abandoned me before. How can I trust someone won’t abandon me. I took in lonely elders and orphans because I know they need me so they won’t abandon me.” 

Xiao Yao chuckled “People think I am kind but really I’m just weak. When I’m with those who are weaker than me, I feel like I am in control and am needed so I won’t be abandoned. That is when I feel safe.”

However, did XY ever love YSQ? How was YSQ regarded in her eyes?

In LYF, XY said she was afraid of letting XL into her dream. The one who she dreamed of was that she consider to love. She only dreamed of 3 people: Jing, FFB and XL. 

FFB and XL in her mind is one person. Thus, FFB sat on the white shell but he gradually changed into XL.

She dreamed of Jing twice: one time he kissed her, sweet in her dream but bitter left over taste when she woke up. And the other time, she saw him with his son and she turned around, run as fast as she could. 

"One time she dreamed about Jing kissing her and it was as sweet as dew in her dream, but when she woke it was only bitterness in her mouth, even drinking honey water it turned bitter".(Chapter 26)

"In her dream, she saw Jing with his son, but she couldn’t see his son’s face, only that he curled in his dad’s arms and called him sweetly “Daddy” while Jing smiled back.

Xiao Yao ran away as fast as she could and in a second she ran from Qing Qiu to Qing Shui Town. Xiao Yao jumped in the river and swam towards the vast blue ocean. She could see endless horizons and the joy of swimming freely, but she was so so tired! Where could she go in this entire world? Fang Feng Bei appeared on the surface and he sat on an all white clam shell smiling at her with his black hair flying in the breeze. Xiao Yao swam towards him but in a second his hair turned all white and he became Xiang Liu coldly staring at her. White clam shell, all white Xiang Liu, it was like an ice mountain floating on the ocean surface.

The black hair him, the white hair him, closer and further away……Xiao Yao suddenly turned and swam towards land, as she swam her tears tumbled down like rain……"

YSQ in her memories always tied with living scene in QS Town. He was just like Lao Mu, Mazi or Chuan zi who were helped/rescued by WXL, weaker than her thus they would attach to her and would not abandon her. He might be at higher position than others in the clinic because of his personal care to WXL and high class deity which allowed him to live longer (same class of deity as WXL). Did XY ever have any romantic feeling to YSQ? No! However, she was willing to marry to YSQ because YSQ met her requirement. 

Xiao Yao leaned against the railing and looked up at the sky. She suddenly remembered her life in Qing Shui Town, the countless muggy Summer nights when they sat outside on the straw pallet, with Lao Mu, Ma Zi, Chuan Zi all jostling with each other, and Shi Qi sitting quietly next to her as she gnawed on a duck neck and drank her plum wine and happily thought about nothing.

Back then, the only tough thing in her life was Xiang Liu. (haha, XL stood out in that vivid memory of life in QS town)

Qing Shiu Town days seemed so long ago and so far beyond her reach, yet remaining vividly in her memories, leaving Xiao Yao’s eyes wet with tears. (Chapter 28)

Therefore, in the future life in the ocean area, I don't know if XY would develop further romantic feeling with YSQ, especially when she went to XL's home, the ocean with a lot memories about her with XL

 Taspia:

Xiaoyao gets upset knowing that he is Tushan Jing(for the first time). Xiaoyao give a sad reaction, when she finds that FFYY is Jing fiance. Xiaoyao feeling insecure about her true appearance after seeing FFYY appearance.After finding out that FFYY is pregnant, Xiaoyao gets heartbreak even she feels devastated. If Xiaoyao doesn't love Jing, why is she gets so hurt?

I think her fear of abandonment also plays a big part in her relationship with him. I dare say it's the biggest factor in this pairing. She sees him as someone who will never abandon her. So when those things happened, she felt betrayed. One more person leaving her alone. That's her biggest fear. Just like that scene with the empty chair. The focus is on him not being there and her reaction to it.

 MengXiang:

I don't think anyone here is saying she doesn't have affection for Jing

Yes of course we cannot deny that.

 HeadInTheClouds:

Hah! 

Given what we just read, I don't think they have even glanced at the novel. Or maybe, they're not interested in facts!!

LOL me catching up on the posts here:

I love me some shade!

 nathsketch:

LMAO Cang Xuan is so cute and chill. 

The other one is just...please sir stop. Look at the tiny, almost invisible little smile. Goddamn it. STOP IT.

You like his smile, huh? ;)

Have some more smirking & smiling Xiang Liu. I haven't posted these yet on my Tumblr. Gifs for everyone! <3

lol he's trying to heal Xiao Yao