Thank you! Again, what personally bothers me the most is the full moon that YaoJing got, till yesterday I thought the full moon is something that only YaoLiu got to experience. I try to draw a line between XY's feelings before and after chapter 32, because I believe it's only after that XY developed deeper feelings for jing, but a full moon? I don't know how to feel about that.blabla100:
You're welcome! My perspective is that we can't know with certainty whether her story is true given her tendency to lie all the time. That said, I agree that if her story is true, then it's disappointing that YaoJing got a full moon.
What I do agree with you is that a round moon does not necessarily mean a true full moon.liddi:
We have common ground! I'll stop there as well.
If we use the strict definition of "full moon", then we can only be certain of a full moon when the words "满月" (mǎn yuè) are used, since "满" (mǎn) means full. The word "圆“ (yuán) means round, so "圆月" (yuán yuè) means the moon appears round, but does not necessarily confirm a true full moon.solarlunareclipse:
There was one more reference to full moon that I missed because I searched for "满月", but didn't search for "月满". It was when Xiao Yao reminisced on why Jing chose the day of the full moon to get married. I added this reference to the original post.
I searched the text for "圆月" and "月圆" to see how likely they are to refer to a true full moon. It turns out that references to "月圆" almost certainly refer to a true full moon. References to "圆月" most likely, but not certainly, refer to a true full moon. I found one exception where "圆月" could not refer to a true full moon. This was the night Jing and Xiao Yao spent together on a boat after Xiao Yao refused to air kiss Xiang Liu and met Jing at Dragon Bone Prison. The following describes Jing’s thoughts:
海风轻轻吹动，海潮轻轻摇动着船，他望着天上的圆月，只想就这么过一夜。
The sea breeze gently blew, the tide softly rocked the boat, and he gazed at the round moon in the sky, wishing to spend the night like this.
— Vol 1 Ch 14
We know this cannot be a true full moon night because Xiao Yao spent the night of the true full moon (满月) swimming to see Jing at Dragon Bone Prison after refusing to air kiss Xiang Liu.
However, we all agree that the wedding day was not on a full-moon day. The debate is the moment when XY heard XL's death. The chronicle of XY's journey from her woke up until marriage (based on the book) implies that the wedding day was 28th day of lunar month. After that Sir Bi and Lie Yang stayed a few day then they left. The same day XY heard XL's death. If it was a full-moon day (meaning 15th day of the month), it means Sir Bi and Lie Yang stayed there more than 2 weeks which is way longer than a few days. And if it was 2 weeks, it was hardly to think that there was no comsumation between them during that time. TH was quite mean to Jing (e.g., incapable, waiting 42 year for marrige but no wedding night)H19279:
100% agree that the YaoJing wedding day was not a full moon day.
I also agree with you that the day XY heard of XL's death was most likely not a full moon day because it was unlikely that Sir Bi and Lie Yang stayed more than 2 weeks (which is stretching the description in the text of a few days).
> "TH was quite mean to Jing (e.g., incapable, waiting 42 year for marrige but no wedding night)"
Haha, TH was super mean to Jing even on their wedding day with Cang Xuan and A Nian's "blessings" mentioning "hearts as one" and "white hair."
CX’s blessing: "夫妻结同心，恩爱到白头。"
Literal translation: "Husband and wife unite with hearts as one, affectionately love each other until hair is white."
AN’s blessing: "祝姐姐和姐夫永结同心，白头偕老！"
Literal translation: "Wishing older sister and brother-in-law eternally unite with hearts as one, growing old together until hair is white."
I'm all for the fox roasting though.
CX’s blessing: "夫妻结同心，恩爱到白头。"
Literal translation: "Husband and wife unite with hearts as one, affectionately love each other until hair is white."
AN’s blessing: "祝姐姐和姐夫永结同心，白头偕老！"
Literal translation: "Wishing older sister and brother-in-law eternally unite with hearts as one, growing old together until hair is white."
This kind of wishes is also commonly used in my native country. Literally same meaning. The white hair implies until very old age. sometimes we use the idiom "until hair is white and teeth are wobbled" meaning til the end of the life.
In modern time, many young men/women get gray hair at young age due to genetic issue. Thus it's quite funny to use that phrase for them in the wedding.
If XY had got marriage to XL, CX and Ah Niam probably would have used another idiom for their blessing
This kind of wishes is also commonly used in my native country. Literally same meaning. The white hair implies until very old age. sometimes we use the idiom "until hair is white and teeth are wobbled" meaning til the end of the life.
In modern time, many young men/women get gray hair at young age due to genetic issue. Thus it's quite funny to use that phrase for them in the wedding.
If XY had got marriage to XL, CX and Ah Niam probably would have used another idiom for their blessing
Wow, I didn't know that it is common for young people to prematurely get gray hair these days. That's sort of sad. But agree that it would be funny to use "白头" (white hair/old age) in a blessing for a couple who already has gray hair.
Agree that both "白头" (white hair/old age) and "同心" (hearts as one) are common to use in wedding blessing. That said, there are plenty of common of wedding blessings that don't use these terms. For example:
- 百年好合 (Bǎi nián hǎo hé) - Wishing you a harmonious union for a hundred years.
- 恩恩爱爱 (ēn ēn ài ài) - May you love each other deeply and affectionately.
- 天作之合 (Tiān zuò zhī hé) - A match made in heaven.
- 幸福美满 (Xìngfú měimǎn) - Wishing you a happy and blissful marriage.
- 早生贵子 (Zǎo shēng guì zǐ) - May you have children soon and they be of noble character.
- 金玉良缘 (Jīn yù liáng yuán) - Wishing you a marriage as precious as gold and jade.
- 平平安安 (Píng píng ān ān) - May you have peace and security in your marriage.
- 美满家庭 (Měimǎn jiātíng) - Wishing you a happy and perfect family life.
So I don't believe it was a coincidence that Tong Hua chose these words for YaoJing's wedding blessings. Rather, I believe Tong Hua is deliberately using "Spring and Autumn Brushwork" to poke fun at this union and to subtly hint that in her heart, Xiao Yao wishes she were marrying Xiang Liu.
Lol, well any Bollywood adaptation would need to have some big song and dance numbers and some logic-defying scenes of some kind or another. That's a given, even for films that are more on the serious side. ^^AH :
That's true. It's not Bollywood unless there is at least one sing-and-dance routine.
Condensing the novel into a movie (even a 3.5 hour one) would necessarily require massive changes to the story anyway. Like cutting out the TSJ loveline entirely. If this theoretical adaptation still insisted on keeping XL's death despite the changes, then they should give the YaoLiu fans a boon.
Yes! I'm all for cutting out Jing. Woohoo! :-)
I'll take that boon. They could go full-on death and have XY self-immolate like in Padmaavat. Although, that's definitely not what XL would have wanted for her.
Hmmm. I think it would definitely need to happen after XY had confirmed that FFB was XL, so the lines would be blurred. At that point it's partly a question of what colour his hair would be, and also partly a question of whether his "armour" would be on or not. If they spent a night together, I feel like that would be the version of XL with his armour off.
Writing XL without his "amour" is tricky since we rarely experience him without it in the novel. We know that he is capable of being sweet, thoughtful and tender as he showed many of these as FFB. However, in the early days of FFB, he still had that playboy veneer on and his behaviour had that playboy gloss to them. His FFB became more XL-like as the story progressed.
Calling back to all the times that XY wished that XL would be FFB (and stay with her in her world) forever, I think even if his hair was white for the scene there would be a case to say that he would need to be at least partly FFB for such a scene.
FFB and XL are one and the same, it's just a matter of how much playboy or military advisor veneer he's putting on. It has always been XL that she loves - she fell in love with XL even before she met his FFB persona. I think once she reconciled the two identities, it was XL that she was interacting with in her mind - just one without his Military Advisor identity front and centre.
Talking about this just makes me sad :-(
How are you going with your Healer/LYF mash-up?
FFB and XL are one and the same, it's just a matter of how much playboy or military advisor veneer he's putting on. It has always been XL that she loves - she fell in love with XL even before she met his FFB persona. I think once she reconciled the two identities, it was XL that she was interacting with in her mind - just one without his Military Advisor identity front and centre.HeadInTheClouds:
Talking about this just makes me sad :-(
That is true.
Last night, when she realised he was Xiang Liu, she felt no surprise at all. It was as if that was how it was meant to be, and the heavy burden in one corner of her heart was lifted, but weighed down at the same time in another part of her.
-- Vol 1 Ch17
It is telling that once she realised they were one and the same, she felt acceptance and relief, a heavy burden in one corner of her heart was lifted. Why? Because she now knew that Xiang Liu can be tender and warm, carefree and spontaneous, that he was so similar to her after all, in the things they loved, in the things that gave them joy as they spent time together. She has seen a side of the man she loved that reaffirms why they are soulmates. But this realisation also brings a different burden, because knowing this, understanding that this is who Xiang Liu is sans his armour, this is the kind of life he should have led, it pains her even more that such a life is fleeting to him, and he would leave it and her all behind one day for his comrades and their cause.
Revisiting the scene where he seeks refuge in her chambers, it is interesting that for someone who drew the line so clearly with Xiang Liu during their last encounter and was afraid to let him into her dreams, the moment she realised Fangfeng Bei was Xiang Liu, she instinctively laid down next to him, allowing him to feed, and sleep with him, similar to her time as Wen Xiao Liu. Only in the light of day, when she organised her thoughts, did her scruples come into play again, and she did not know how to face him, knowing now that they were one and the same.
The song she sang, the crystal ball she sent, so similar to the pursue of the merpeople.
Oh that's an interesting thought! There are definitely parallels.
The mating song sung by the merpeople is melodic and beautiful.
The song sung by XY to lure out the Fei Fei (which XL heard the first time he met her) was melodic and beautiful.
XL and XY share the experience of hearing the merpeople's beautiful mating song on three occassions: in chapter 22, chapter 26, and chapter 37.
When wooing a mermaid, a merman carries a large clam shell with a large pearl inside it. A bigger clam shell is more difficult to catch and demonstrates greater strength. If they become a couple, the clam shell becomes the couple's home and they embrace in it and raise their children in it.
XL's clam shell was enormous and XY was placed inside of it like a precious pearl for 37 years, and for 37 years XL and XY slept side by side in the clam shell and embraced in the clam shell. XY wondered if XL thought of the clam shell as his home.
With enormous effort and precious items, XY created a stunningly beautiful ice crystal ball and, within it, made a version of XL's giant clam shell and placed a figure of a mermaid (representing herself) on it - with the mermaid's hand stretching out to the figure of a merman (representing XL). She sent the ice crystal ball to XL and paid extra to get it to him as fast as possible.
-----
Chapter 2:
Xiao Liu wanted to catch a [Fei Fei] - a small animal resembling a civet cat. It had a long white tail and could take away a person’s sorrow. It was popular with the nobles and could be sold for a pretty penny. It didn’t have any attack power, but it was very, very clever. It was easy to frighten and quick to run away. So it was very hard to catch. But Xiao Liu had a way of dealing with it. [Fei Fei]s loved listening to a young woman sing. A [Fei Fei] would be attracted to the young woman’s sorrowful song and its body would inch closer to help the girl forget her sorrows. Xiao Liu found a suitable spot to set the trap.
He jumped into the water to wash off the poop first, then crawled on a rock and sat down. The rock was warmed by the sun and Xiao Liu sat there fixing his hair and singing. The song was carried by the wind. Xiao Liu sang a song about missing someone forever and never being able to forget.
Xiao Liu’s voice was melodic and the song was sorrowful. So the [Fei Fei] was lured out. Initially it was scared, so it hid in the dark. When it sensed no danger, it could not overcome its natural instinct to help people forget sorrow, so it stepped out and started chirping.
...
The [Fei Fei]’s claws dug into Xiao Liu and it tried to make its body as tiny as possible. Xiao Liu held it with one arm and the other tossed out some powder. His eyes held the eyes of the condor and he said in a very sincere and non-threatening way, “Master Condor is handsome and powerful. Your wing power is impressive. One look and it's clear you are a king among condors: the ruler of the skies. I am very impressed, but I’m sorry that I can’t let you eat this [Fei Fei] today.”
The condor wanted to destroy this bastard before him but it felt dizzy all of a sudden like that one time it stole wine, but he didn’t steal any wine today… After teetering left and right, the condor collapsed.
Xiao Liu was about to escape when a voice came from above. “Furball, I told you many times: people are devious. You’ll remember it after this, won’t you?”
-----
Chapter 22:
Not sure how much time passed but one day when the warmth was entering her body, Xiao Yao suddenly felt a sensation, she felt someone was embracing her.
It was strange, she couldn’t hear or see, and couldn’t even feel her own body, but perhaps because of the voodoo bug within and their two hearts were as one, she could vaguely sense his movements.
He seemed to be tenderly caressing her cheek, and then he fell asleep and didn’t move beside her. Xiao Yao was sleepy and fell asleep too.
When Xiao Yao woke up, Xiang Liu was no longer there.
Xiao Yao didn’t know how long she waited, perhaps just a few hours, but when she felt Xiang Liu again it was like he was coming home. He first touched her forehead and greeted her, and then later he laid down next to her.
He fell asleep again so Xiao Yao fell asleep again.
Because of Xiang Liu’s daily coming and going, Xiao Yao no longer felt frightened. Because it was no longer unending forever, she could sense time passing through him and could feel the changes.
Every twenty or thirty days Xiang Liu would heal her. When he was healing her, they ought to be very intimate because Xiao Yao could feel he was tightly embracing her. She could feel him from top to bottom. But during normal days Xiang Liu wouldn’t hold her, at most he could caress her forehead and cheeks.
More time passed and Xiao Yao guessed it was many years because Xiang Liu healed her so many times she lost count.
Gradually Xiao Yao felt more and more alert. When Xiang Liu was embracing her, she could feel his body heat, and could also clearly feel what the warmth was that was flowing into her body. It was Xiang Liu’s blood, and it was different than normal blood. It was scalding hot, and every drop felt like a little flame. Xiao Yao guessed it was Xiang Liu’s essential soul blood.
Xiang Liu fed her his essential soul blood, but because he was poisonous all over, even his blood was poisonous, so he needed to suck the poison out of Xiao Yao afterwards.
Xiao Yao had heard of a voodoo spell where a person could use their life in exchange for another. If Xiang Liu used his life to save hers, she hoped that he really had nine-lives because then if he gave her one it wouldn’t be too detrimental for him.
One day Xiao Yao suddenly heard a noise. It was a dull soft thud. She anxiously wanted to confirm she could hear now but Xiang Liu was such a silent person that for the entire night he made no noise.
Xiao Yao was so furious she couldn’t even sleep, hollering inside but it was no use. The person next to her lay there quietly without even the sound of breathing.
In the morning he left and there was the sound of the dull soft thud as if something was closing slowly. Xiao Yao felt that she would really hear now, but also wondering if she was so desperate she imagined it.
...
The monthly healing day arrived again.
Xiang Liu saved Xiao Yao by feeding her his essential soul blood and then used his powers to push life through all her vital organs. Then he bit down on Xiao Yao’s neck and sucked the poison out from his own blood that was now in her body.
When the healing was done, Xiang Liu didn’t immediately put Xiao Yao down and instead continued to cuddle her in his arms.
...
Who knows how many more years passed and Xiao Yao gradually felt her own legs. She tried to wiggle her toes and it wasn’t clear if it moved. She couldn’t ask Xiang Liu to check for her. But regardless of whether it moved or not, she felt that her body was close to awakening.
One day Xiang Liu came back but instead of his usual touching her forehead and cheeks, he instead quietly stared at her. Xiao Yao couldn’t figure out what he was thinking, but she knew he was deciding something.
Xiang Liu picked up Xiao Yao. “Tonight is a full moon. I’ll take you out to play!”
Xiao Yao was confused, wasn’t full moon a night for healing?”
Xiang Liu took her all over to stroll around, sometimes leisurely swimming in the ocean, other times heading up to the surface to rise and fall with the waves.
Tonight was different than usual in that he talked a lot. Every time they got to a place he would start talking.
“Here is a seaweed the size of your pallet in Qing Shui Town. If you like it, in the future you can use it to make a pallet.”
“A monster fish, and his fish inside is even better than the fish amethyst you wear. But from now on you won’t need this stuff anymore.”
A strange sound reached them from within the water. It wasn’t the sound of musical instruments or the sound of people singing. But it was even more alluring than musical instruments, and even more pure and soulful than people singing. It was so beautiful as to defy description. It was the most beautiful sound Xiao Yao had ever heard in her life.
Xiang Liu said, “It’s mating season for the merpeople. This is the sound of their mating song and is purportedly the most beautiful sound in the world. The humans and the gods cannot ever hear it. Perhaps after you awaken you will be able to hear it.”
Xiang Liu took Xiao Yao out for a long time and they didn’t return until late into the night.
“Xiao Yao, do you remember Tu Shan Jing? Wen Xiao Liu’s Ye Shi Qi? Since you’ve been sleeping, he’s also been unconscious. His life has been maintained by spiritual medicines until now but it’s almost at the limit. He’s at the brink of death.”
Jing, Jing……Xiao Yao didn’t feel sad when she died, life has its beginning so it must have an end. It didn’t start happy and need not end sad. But right now she was very sad, she didn’t want Jing to die.
Xiao Yao tried to move.
Xiang Liu asked, “If he died, would you be really sad and hate me to the core?”
Xiao Yao answered in her heart: I don’t want Jing to die, but I also won’t hate you.
Xiang Liu said, “Tonight I’m waking you up.”
...
Oh! She really could move!
“Xiang Liu!” Xiao Yao sat up but then her head bumped into something hard and she saw stars.
No one answered her and she saw a sliver of sunlight trickling in from outside. Xiao Yao felt that she was inside some sort of shell and she used her hands to feel the surface above her head and her sides. The sides slowly opened like flower petals until instantly Xiao Yao was bathed in sunlight.
Only someone trapped by darkness before would understand that sunlight was the world’s most ordinary yet precious treasure! The sunlight stung her eyes but she was reluctant to close her eyes. She faced the sunlight and slowly stood up and let out a happy holler.
After she calmed down, Xiao Yao noticed that she was wearing a loose fitting white robe and was standing on a large open clam shell. She was surrounded by endless ocean and the waves crested against the clam shell and sprayed up white foam.
All these years, Xiang Liu placed her in the middle of a clam shell to sleep in the ocean. Xiao Yao couldn’t contain her smile, didn’t that make her like a pearl hidden inside a clam shell?
Xiao Yao put her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Xiang Liu! Xiang Liu! Where are you? I’m awake!”
-----
Chapter 26:
Xiao Yao suddenly stopped and strained to listen as a melodic singing drifted to her, so beautiful even her soul was quaking, it was a sound not to be heard in the world above. But Xiao Yao remembered that she heard it before.
Xiang Liu said, “That’s….”
“The mating song of the merpeople.”
“How do you know?” Xiang Liu stared at Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao acted nonchalantly with a smile. “I guessed it. Legend says the merpeople have incredibly melodic voices so from who else in the deep ocean but the merpeople to sing like that?” Xiang Liu didn’t want her to know the things he did with her when she was unconscious, and she didn’t want him to know that she already knew. Their embraces and companionship, just let it be buried deep in the dark ocean depths!
Xiang Liu said, “The merpeople’s song is very beautiful but it’s also a weapon. Rumor has it that Gao Xing’s Prince Yen Long heard the sound of the merpeople and devised a kill attack from it.”
Xiao Yao, “Can we go sneak a peek at them?”
Xiang Liu had a look of discomfort for the first time ever.
Xiao Yao pleaded, “I’ve never seen a merperson, and if I miss this chance, who knows when I’ll get another chance?”
Xiang Liu reached out his hand. “They are very alert things, I need to mask your presence.”
Xiao Yao took his hand and slowly swam behind him.
Xiao Yao saw them.
The merpeople had the body of a person and the tail of a fish. The mermaid had thick lustrous hair like seaweed, brilliant gem-like eyes, snow white skin, beautiful and exotic; the merman was comparatively ugly but strongly built with thick chest muscles and arms, very powerful. He was raising a giant clam shell above him while chasing the mermaid and singing his song. The mermaid ran from him but sang back, fast and swift she darted so the merman couldn’t touch her.
In the pursuit, the mermaid appeared to be moved and slowed down. The merman opened his giant clam shell and inside was a purple pearl the size of a fist glowing brightly.
The mermaid smiled and swam into the clam shell and picked up the pearl and happily sang to it. She appeared to have accepted the merman and was praising him.
The merman also swam into the clam shell and embraced the mermaid before enthusiastically kissing her. Their tails intertwined and were rhythmically thumping.
Xiang Liu tried to pull Xiao Yao away but she wouldn’t leave, “What are they doing?”
Xiang Liu didn’t answer her and Xiao Yao thought about it before suddenly realizing – they were mating! She swiftly turned around.
The two merpeople in the clam shell sensed movement and both exposed their sharp teeth and looked over angrily. Xiang Liu grabbed Xiao Yao and swam for it.
When it was certain the merpeople weren't going to catch up, Xiao Yao incredulously asked, “Are you afraid of them?”
“I’m not afraid of them, but for them to notice we were peeping at them…..that’s not something to be proud of!”
Xiao Yao’s face was beet red. “How was I to know they would be so direct?”
“In this world, other than the gods and the humans, all other living beings are direct in mating. From the percentages, direct is the natural way and the unnatural way is you guys. So you have no right to be upset at them.”
Xiao Yao immediately surrendered. “Yes, yes, I’m in the wrong.”
Xiang Liu stifled a smile.
Xiao Yao curiously asked, “Why did the merman carry a giant clam shell?”
“The clam shell is their home, and the larger the clam shell the harder to catch, so the mermen display their strength in wooing the mermaids to mate by displaying their catch. They mate in the clam shell and bear their offspring there. The pearl inside is actually the innards of the clam shell demons, and will become the food fed to the baby merchildren.”
Xiao Yao remembered when she was asleep for thirty-seven years, it was inside a giant clam shell. She didn’t pay attention after she woke up but she remembered it was all white, and there seemed to be wave pattern ridges along the edges. She didn’t remember how big it was though. Xiao Yao wanted to ask Xiang Liu but was too embarrassed to bring it up. She now regretted not carefully observing the clam shell she slept in for thirty-seven years to see what it looked like.
Xiang Liu noticed Xiao Yao was saying nothing but her face was gradually turning red again. He coughed lightly. “I know you’re pretty shameless and thick skinned, who knew you’d be wrangled to behave by a pair of merpeople.”
Xiao Yao glanced at Xiang Liu and it was the rare instance when she didn’t have a quip back.
The two of them aimlessly ambled in the ocean until Xiao Yao got tired and laid down in the water and couldn’t move anymore.
Xiang Liu asked her, “Tired?”
Xiao Yao was tired and sleepy and murmured, “I’m just going to close my eyes for a second.” And she promptly fell asleep. With the water as her cushion, it was soft but continuously moving so her sleep was being jostled.
A pure white enormous clam shell floated over to them and slowly opened when it arrived next to them. Xiang Liu picked up Xiao Yao in his arms and gingerly placed her inside the clam shell. He didn’t sleep and instead leaned against the clam shell and stared at the glittering starfish in the distance.
Xiao Yao hadn’t slept through the night for the past year and would even wake up two or three times a night. Sometimes she needed sleeping pills on particularly bad nights to even fall asleep.
This sleep was deep and restful and she didn’t even have a single dream. When she was about to wake up, she finally had a dream and it was one where she was picking stars in the ocean. The ocean stars were growing like mushrooms in the mountains and she plucked one after another and it was in all sorts of colors. She ate one and discovered it was sweet. Xiao Yao laughed happily as she picked more and she actually laughed out loud and woke herself up with her laugh. She realized it was a dream but kept her eyes closed to remain happily ensconced in the happy dream.
Xiao Yao opened her eyes and saw Xiang Liu leaning against the clam shell next to her, one leg straight and the other curved with his arm resting on it as he lowered his head to stare at her, a smile curving on his lips. Xiao Yao smiled and stretched and sweetly said, “I had a happy dream.”
Xiang Liu answered, “I know.”
Xiao Yao suddenly realized they were in a clam shell and wanted to immediately check it out but was afraid her intentions would be too obvious so forced herself to be patient. She continued laying for a bit before slowly getting up and acting all nonchalant as she looked around. It was the same clam shell, all white in color with wave ripple ridges. It was beautiful.
The clam shell was enormous and even with the two of them inside it wasn’t a tight squeeze at all. She slept here for thirty seven years with Xiang Liu. Would that be equivalent of sleeping in the same bed and sharing the same pillow? Those two merpeople saw the clam shell as their home. How did Xiang Liu view this clam shell?
Xiao Yao suddenly felt all sorts of thoughts and feelings rush up and her face burned as her heart sped up.
Xiao Yao chastised herself and tried desperately to control her feelings and reactions, but she couldn’t control her heartbeat. Just like that, Xiang Liu sensed it and looked over at her. Xiao Yao quickly said, “I’m hungry! So hungry I’m all nerves!”
Xiao Yao’s face was so red it was like a burning sunset and she forced her eyes wide open to stare at Xiang Liu. His heartbeat quickened a few times and Xiao Yao sensed it. But then it was gone just like that and she wondered if it was her mistaken sensation.
Xiang Liu casually said, “Let’s go!”
Xiang Liu led the way as they swam up to the surface. Xiao Yao turned to look back and saw the clam shell slowly closing like a flower.
-----
Chapter 31:
After Zhuan Xu assumed the throne, Xiao Yao used her position for the first time in her life to have precious treasures from around the vast wilderness collected and brought to her.
From the Northeast tops of the Snow Mountain, she collected a piece of Snow Mountain Ice Essence. It grew on the tops of the Snow Mountain and itself was not poisonous. But if something poisonous went inside when it was forming, then it would soak up the poison and after tens of thousands of years it would become one of the most poisonous things in the world. This particular Ice Essence that Xiao Yao found happened to have an injured ice worm demon crawl inside so after countless thousands of years underneath Snow Mountain, it had become a piece of extremely rare poisonous ice. It appeared like a beautiful piece of icy jade but actually exuded a poisonous aura that could pierce straight to the heart.
Xiao Yao used all her effort to carve this piece of poisonous Ice Essence into the shape of a sea clam shell. she carved two sides of an exquisite white clam shell with wave ripples along the edges. When it was opened it resembled a blooming flower.
Xiao Yao then used all sorts of exotic herbs and poisons to create two merpeople. She put the mermaid on the clam shell and she put the merman in the corner away from the clam shell. Xiao Yao also made red coral and colorful little fish.
After it was all completed, Xiao Yao brought out the ice crystals collected from the North Pole and had a specialist split it open and hollow it out. She put the red coral in first and secured it on the bottom. Then she mixed up a batch of poisons with Jade Mountain bone essence to create a blue liquid suspension that she filled the ice crystal ball with so it appeared like blue water. She then put the clam shell with the mermaid and the merman carefully inside the poisonous liquid and surrounded it with the colorful fish. She then closed up the ice crystal ball and used her spiritual power to temporarily seal it.
...
When Xian came to see Xiao Yao, she thought Xian would look down on her for asking such a powerful goddess to do such a little favor. But when Xian saw Xiao Yao’s creation she exclaimed, “It’s so beautiful! You must have spent a lot of time?”
Xiao Yao nodded.
...
The clear exquisite ice crystal, inside was the deep blue sea, and in the water was colorful little fishes swimming and beautiful red coral. There was an all-white giant clam shell like a blooming flower and inside a beautiful mermaid sat on the clam shell. Her hair flowed like seaweed and her beautiful tail was half on the clam shell and half in the water. She had one hand on her heart and the other hand reached out towards the distance like she wanted to grab onto something or like she was calling someone to her. In the direction where her hand stretched there was a merman floating in the water. He appeared close to the clam shell but he was coldly staring outside the ice crystal ball so that it felt like he was actually in another world and not in the world of the peaceful isolated ocean with the mermaid.
The underwater world inside the ice crystal was so beautiful that it appeared like a blue-colored dream.
...
The Yellow Emperor saw what Xiao Yao had made and he was so taken aback. He walked into the hut and carefully examined it for a long time. He said nothing other than to sigh, “Only you will waste such precious things.”
Xiao Yao stared at the ice crystal ball and said, “This is the last time.”
Xiao Yao wrapped the ice crystal ball in a demon bear pelt and sent it along with a letter inside a jade container. She went to the Tu Shan clan messenger shop and paid five times more than usual to deliver it as soon as possible to Qing Shui Town.
Inside the jade container was a letter with only one short message:
“In two months I am getting married. This is the last poison I will make for you. Please accept with a smile.”
...
He stood by the edge of the river and stared out at the water and misty air and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
After a long time he looked down and opened his hand and in his palm was an ice crystal ball.
Misty raindrops fell on his palm and created an icy mist around the ice crystal ball. It made the blue water inside even more vibrant like the ocean under a full moon.
The blue ocean depths, the isolated peacefulness, the mermaid sitting on her beautiful clam shell home reaching out her hand to beckon, to plead, to summon. But the merman just coldly looked out at the world outside the ice crystal ball.
Xiang Liu stared at the ice crystal scene for a long, long time.
Slowly he reached out a finger and pressed it on the ice crystal so it looked like he was taking the mermaid’s outstretched hand.
At a glance, it appeared that they were holding hands but in truth the ice crystal separated them. They were from two completely different worlds, they could never truly be together.
-----
Chapter 37:
That night the waves rocked the ship and Xiao Yao couldn’t sleep. She climbed off her pallet and draped a robe over herself and walked out on the deck.
A slight ocean breeze, a bright round moon hanging in the sky reflecting the glittering light on the waves. It was beautifully silent.
Under this big ocean she laid inside a giant white clam shell for thirty-seven years. No one knew how Xiang Liu managed to save her life, or that her body had changed. Every time Zhuan Xu would ask, she would claim to have slept the entire time and remembered nothing. But in her heart everything was crystal clear to her. His blood flowed inside her body. Even now her body clamored for the ocean. In the past she loved water but that feeling was nothing like what she felt now. Back then the ocean was the ocean and she was herself. Now she was a daughter of the sea, she could swim with the fishes and listen to the merpeople’s song. She could dive into the deepest part of the ocean like a demon fish and could swim faster than a dolphin.
With just one vault she could jump into the ocean and swim happily. But Xiao Yao refused, she tightly clenched her fist and warred with herself.
The merpeople’s song reached her from the depths of the ocean and Xiao Yao’s heart lurched and she ran to the ship’s bow to stare out into the distance. Under the silver moonlight a white-haired, white-robed man was walking on the waves towards her.
He said nothing and Xiao Yao didn’t speak either. The two of them, one on the ship and the other on the water, listened together to the song of the merpeople. The song spread out on the water’s surface, melodic and pure, touching deep into the soul like a passionate entreaty in darkness, like a longing sigh that shatters the heart, it made the soul rise and fall with the song.
When the song ended Xiao Yao softly said, “So beautiful!”
Xiang Liu softly concurred, “Yes.”
The merpeople’s song was in a pitch that very few people on earth could hear, so in that split second Xiao Yao felt that her heart was intimately close to Xiang Liu and there was nothing she couldn’t share with him. She said, “My father is Qi Yo.”
-----
XL's Epilogue:
After Xiang Liu carefully and precisely finished carving the doll, he intently inspected it and was pleased. He turned the doll head down on his knee and opened the bottom to take out a crystal ball.
A clear crystal ball wrapped around an ocean tableau inside. The glittering waves had colorful fishes swimming, red coral, and a large white clam shell open like a resplendent flower. A beautiful mermaid rested sideways on the clam shell, her hair flowing like seaweed and her entrancing fish tail resting half against the white surface and half in the water. A man stood next to her, holding the mermaid’s extended hand and smiling as he gazed down at the mermaid. In the corner of the tableau a merman floated in the ocean, he appeared close to the clam shell but his distant pose made him seem like he was actually in another world and not in the same calm and serene ocean.
Xiang Liu stared at the crystal ball for some time longer before his fingernail extended into a sharp knife and he swiftly inscribed two lines of words on the ball in very small letters. Just then the moon shone through the trees and landed on the crystal ball and the two lines of words next to the merman were legible: The ability to take care of yourself, someone to rely on, a place to go – wishing you a lifetime of worry free happiness!
1 day ago
AH :
I’m picturing an epic Bollywood film that focuses almost entirely on WXL/XY’s relationship with XL vs FFB, with the fight between the Shengnong remnant army and Xuan Yuan playing out in the background. It would have the epic scale and historical visuals (and 3.5 hour runtime) of Jodhaa Akbar and some of the dual identity love triangle elements from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (including a song that features both XL and FFB). It should not have an Agneepath ending, but if it did it would be required to also have an O Saiyyan scene.
I have no idea what songs and films you are referring to, but I am familiar with Bollywood extravaganzas.
Jodhaa Akbar is a historical bollywood film that is very loosely based on (more like "inspired by") historical events and figures from the 1500s, including the main characters (a Muslim Emperor / conqueror and a Hindu princess). The ML fights multiple large-scale battles, there are war camps, and there are multiple palaces.
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is a modern day SRK bollywood film where a plain man has feelings for his wife (who was betrothed to him by her father before he died), but she doesn't have feelings for him. So he creates a different persona for himself with different hair, different clothes, and a different personality, and goes and spends quality time with her as her dance partner in dance lessons. The film includes a song that features both versions of the ML when he goes for a day trip with the FL as the fun version of himself, and she remains unaware that he is the same person as her plain husband.
Agneepath has a tragic ending. The ML hides his feelings for the FL for a long time, when he finally proposes to the FL, she is ecstatic and the O Saiyyan scene happens. But then the FL dies on her wedding day, the ML gets revenge, and then he dies too in the arms of his mother and sister.
But even if I weren't, I would definitely support the inclusion of an O Saiyyan scene. As it is, it can only be another AU tale...
Glad you're on board. ^^
That's the kind of AU I can't write, so a film adaptation would be extra welcome.
windiaaa041293:
@liddi
Have you ever read a fanfic that tells how XL and XY spent the 2nd night when XL hid in Xy's room? The blank space deliberately left by Tonghua, I have read one of them, and of course it is not out of the original work.someone even said "is your name tonghua? if not I say from now on it's you"LOL,The article also created a Yaoliu fanfic about Xiaoyao returning to Qingshui City to find Xiang Liu after 37 years under the sea.
No I haven't. That unaccounted for gap in time (after lunch of the first day, to dusk of the following day) certainly leaves a lot to the imagination. However, we do know that he was still healing when Cang Xuan returned, so I would imagine he was pretty much immobile during that period of time. The real question is, what was Xiao Yao doing during that unaccounted for period?
The fanfic was that good? Can you please send me the link?
Jodhaa Akbar is a historical bollywood film that is very loosely based on (more like "inspired by") historical events and figures from the 1500s
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is a modern day SRK bollywood film where a plain man has feelings for his wife (who was betrothed to him by her father before he died), but she doesn't have feelings for him
Thank you for the explanations and the link!
Agneepath
Argh. No, we don't want that ending. What we already have as canon is bad enough.
You know, with all the artistic license taken with adaptations, often changed beyond recognition, perhaps we will strike gold and get one with this AU too. Scarlet Heart has seen 2 drama adaptations (with a third on the way) and a movie, and apart from the 2011 drama, there are significant changes in the other two. Will we ever see another adaptation of LYF with an AU premise? Would we want to see one that strays even further from the novel?
I'll take that boon.
Yay, another one on board!
They could go full-on death and have XY self-immolate like in Padmaavat. Although, that's definitely not what XL would have wanted for her.
I haven't seen that one, but I've heard it's sort of the opposite of Jodhaa Akbar? Instead of a Muslim Emperor who is respectful of a Hindu princess' wishes and boundaries, it features a tyrannical Muslim King who invades a kingdom to try to forefully steal a Hindu Queen from a Hindu King?
AH :
Hmmm. I think it would definitely need to happen after XY had confirmed that FFB was XL, so the lines would be blurred. At that point it's partly a question of what colour his hair would be, and also partly a question of whether his "armour" would be on or not. If they spent a night together, I feel like that would be the version of XL with his armour off.
Writing XL without his "amour" is tricky since we rarely experience him without it in the novel. We know that he is capable of being sweet, thoughtful and tender as he showed many of these as FFB. However, in the early days of FFB, he still had that playboy veneer on and his behaviour had that playboy gloss to them. His FFB became more XL-like as the story progressed.
My impression was that his "armour" is off in almost every scene where he is FFB. One obvious exception being chapter 23, when he puts it back on momentarily when he intentionally scares XY into TSJ's arms.
-----
Chapter 18:
Xiao Yao thought back and realized that Fang Feng Bei appeared different than Xiang Liu only on the surface, but the way he didn’t give a damn about anything and didn’t want for anything was the same attitude. The only difference was Xiang Liu appeared to be him when wearing battle armor and heading to war on the battlefield, while Fang Feng Bei was him who shed the armor and was enjoying exploring the world.
-----
Chapter 23:
Xiao Yao walked and talked. “I was thinking that when you escaped the slave death match arena, wouldn’t it have been great if I was the one who saved you? If that was the case, then I would let you only be Fang Feng Bei! I really hate that I wasn’t born a few hundred years earlier. I would definitely find you in the slave death match arena…….”
Bei stopped and stared at Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao turned and stared at him, their eyes meeting in the darkness, wanting to say more but not.
Bei reached out his hand as if to caress Xiao Yao’s cheek but the moment he touched her, he jerked his hand back. He glanced behind Xiao Yao and then smirked. “Based on you right now wanting to save me? Are you worthy?”
Xiao Yao tried to explain, “I’m not saying General Gong Gong isn’t a good guy, I just think, I just feel…..”
“Be quiet!” In that instant Bei appeared to don a full armor, wrapping himself tightly in a deadly aura.
Xiao Yao stared warily at Xiang Liu and then slowly backed up.
She backed into a familiar embrace. “Jing?”
“Yes.” Jing held Xiao Yao and stared at Bei, his eyes full of warning.
Bei’s dangerous aura vanished and he laughed. “I heard you wanted to break the engagement. You just became clan leader, do you think my sister isn’t good enough for you now?”
AH :
Calling back to all the times that XY wished that XL would be FFB (and stay with her in her world) forever, I think even if his hair was white for the scene there would be a case to say that he would need to be at least partly FFB for such a scene.
FFB and XL are one and the same, it's just a matter of how much playboy or military advisor veneer he's putting on. It has always been XL that she loves - she fell in love with XL even before she met his FFB persona. I think once she reconciled the two identities, it was XL that she was interacting with in her mind - just one without his Military Advisor identity front and centre.
I can't really tell if our views are different or the same here.
IMO, when it comes to "FFB and XL are one and the same" ... they are and they aren't. And I don't think either version is characterized by a veneer... it's more like each is a different side of himself that he leans into. But both are genuine versions of himself. Not a fake or surface-level act. Tong Hua seemed pretty clear about that.
I do think FFB is XL "without his military advisor identity front and centre" and that XY viewed him that way (for the most part) after XL confirmed that he was FFB.
I also think that FFB's warmth, his ability to seem ordinary (and to make XY feel ordinary), and his focus on pursuing happiness and pleasure in the moment differentiate him from XY's coldness, his etheralness and identity as a commander of an army that is at war with XY's family, and his commitment to his (painful) long-term plans.
And when XY wishes that XL could just be FFB forever, I think she's wishing that he could be the version of himself that was warm, able to pass for ordinary, and willing + able to spend so much time with her doing ordinary things like practicing archery, going out for meals, gambling and exploring. Perhaps the person he was for over 100 years before he joined the Shengong remnant army. Instead of the etheral, remote, and cold version of himself that was a soldier committed to a war against her grandfather and CX.
-----
Chapter 19:
Every few days she would go find Fang Feng Bei to practice archery and afterwards head to the city of Zhi Yi and Zhe Province to play. Fang Feng Bei lived up to his reputation as a consummate ne’er-do-well playboy for the last four hundred years, he knew Zhi Yi and Zhe Province like the back of his hand. Whatever nook and cranny had something fun, he could find it, whatever was tasty, he would find it. The two of them were each other’s companion as they enjoyed life’s endless pleasures.
Zhi Yi and Zhe Province were equally as far from Five Gods Mountain and from Xuan Yuan Mountain, so whether it was the Grand Emperor of the Yellow Emperor, it was far enough to make their influence seem tenuous. Those who had seen Xiao Yao’s true face were very few so once she put on the attire of the Middle Plains and lightened her complexion a little and used concealer to cover her peach blossom birthmark, she became an ordinary girl who was quite pretty enough.
When she was with Fang Feng Bei, Xiao Yao often forgot her identity and she would feel like she was still Wen Xiao Liu except wearing girl clothes.
Xiao Yao knew Fang Feng Bei was Xiang Liu, but because this wasn’t the battlefield and he wasn’t being a cold and ruthless battle god, it was like he took off his armor and resumed living the ordinary life as well. He was a spare son who didn’t have any ambition or influence, she was an ordinary goddess girl with very low power. No one ever paid them any attention.
...
Xiao Yao gradually understood what Xiang Liu meant – he wasn’t pretending to be Fang Feng Bei. He was just being himself. To him, Fang Feng Bei was like having a job that gave him a lot of freedom and he didn’t need to work everyday. When he did work for the Fang Feng family, they would give him money. If he didn’t have enough money, he would work side jobs. As for what being Xiang Liu meant to him, Xiao Yao didn’t know and didn’t dare ask.
...
Fang Feng Bei walked behind her and held her hand and gently guided it and Xiao Yao was able to pull back the string.
Xiao Yao released the arrow and it hit the dummy right in the center of the chest.
Xiao Yao happily said, “This bow is it!”
...
Bei released Xiao Yao’s hand and smiled very warmly. Xiao Yao knew what he was thinking because four years ago she had the same misconception - that Bei was teaching her archery as a method to pick girls up.
...
The sales clerk of course didn’t know Jing and Yi Yang’s identity but he still handed the package to Jing for him to pay. Yi Yang glanced at the weapons and suggested, “Jing, please pay for the bow and arrow for my second brother!”
That suggestion made Xiao Yao completely uncomfortable and Xiao Yao didn’t know why but in that moment any man could pay for that bow and arrow for her except for Jing!
Xiao Yao took the bow and arrow from the sales clerk and put it in Bei’s hands and said with a smiling pout to Bei, “If Master Jing were to pay for it, then wouldn’t it become a gift from Master Jing to me?”
Bei stared at Xiao Yao and his gaze was icy cold.
Xiao Yao bit her lip and lowered her head, Xiang Liu was not just any man. She just made a huge, huge mistake!
Bei’s gaze was still icy cold but he smiled and took out money and turned to Yi Yang and Jing, “I’ll accept the thought but this bow and arrow is my present to Xiao Yao so I can’t let you guys pay for it.”
Yi Yang smiled and apologized to Xiao Yao “I’m sorry, I was too inconsiderate.”
Bei said to Jing and Yi Yang “You two enjoy shopping, we have to leave now.”
Xiao Yao followed behind Bei and quickly left the store.
Bei tossed the bow and arrow at Xiao Yao and coldly said, “Pay me back for it.”
Xiao Yao took out money and gave him the exact amount he paid for it.
There were two beggars on the side of the street and Bei took Xiao Yao’s money and put it in front of them. Both beggars eyes opened wide to see so much money before them.
Bei smiled “For you both” before turning and striding off.
Xiao Yao stared at the two beggars who were weeping tears of joy and hugging each other, and she completely understood what Xiang Liu meant by doing that.
...
Xiao Yao asked, “Can you continue teaching me archery now?” What she really meant to ask was – are you not angry at me anymore?
Bei finished his wine. “I need to leave for a bit, wait for me to come back.”
Xiao Yao figured he was going back to Qing Shui town. Even if there was no active warfare, he was still the General of the Sheng Nong resistance army and there was much he had to do.
Xiao Yao couldn’t help it and sighed loudly and murmured, “If only you could forever be Fang Feng Bei, that would be so great.”
-----
Chapter 23:
Xiao Yao walked and talked. “I was thinking that when you escaped the slave death match arena, wouldn’t it have been great if I was the one who saved you? If that was the case, then I would let you only be Fang Feng Bei! I really hate that I wasn’t born a few hundred years earlier. I would definitely find you in the slave death match arena…….”
...
“Be quiet!” In that instant Bei appeared to don a full armor, wrapping himself tightly in a deadly aura.
Xiao Yao stared warily at Xiang Liu and then slowly backed up.
She backed into a familiar embrace. “Jing?”
“Yes.” Jing held Xiao Yao and stared at Bei, his eyes full of warning.
Bei’s dangerous aura vanished and he laughed. “I heard you wanted to break the engagement. You just became clan leader, do you think my sister isn’t good enough for you now?”
-----
Chapter 25:
Fang Feng Bei was riding a winged horse through the crowds, his expression gentle with a smile on his lips, just like any regular son of a rich family.
Xiao Yao was rooted in place and watched him come closer to her through the dense thrum of bustling ordinary life. Even knowing it was hopeless, she still fervently wished that this ordinary world could keep him in it.
-----
Chapter 27:
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……
Xiao Yao startled awake from her dream and felt coldness next to her. She touched her face and discovered that she was drenched in tears.
-----
Chapter 32:
Xiao Yao walked outside and saw Xiang Liu standing in the courtyard.
His hair was back to being all white and fell behind him like a waterfall. The tree behind him had red leaves and the brightness contrasted so that he looked even more ethereal like untouched snow.
Xiao Yao sensed something but had to confirm it. “Where is Fang Feng Bei?”
Xiang Liu coolly replied, “He’s dead.”
Xiao Yao stared at Xiang Liu and her eyes were blinded in pain by his whiteness like a cloud and like the snow. Tears came to her eyes, Fang Feng Bei took her away and now Fang Feng Bei was dead and would never appear again. From now on, it was only Xiang Liu. That irresponsible man who did whatever he wanted, taught her archery, took her through the world seeking the simplest of pleasures… that man was now dead.
He once said that she and he were just temporary companions in this unpredictable life seeking happiness. He never lied to her!
Xiang Liu quietly stared at Xiao Yao, his face was like a ten thousand year old snow mountain, cold and inscrutable.
Xiao Yao abruptly turned around and grabbed a pail of water from the well and splashed the cold water on her face. When she lifted her head her face was all wet. she didn’t know if her tears came down and mixed with the water or was forced back and never fell.
-----
Chapter 35:
She stared at Xiang Liu and the man before her was that dissolute wastrel, but the moment she was about to become torn again, a strand of white hair fell that reminded her exactly who he was. Xiao Yao softly stroked his hair and said, “This place is not safe to stay. Pay your respects and hurry off!”
-----
Chapter 43:
“What about the man who was with you before? You called him Bei.” Left Ear saw Bei many times in the slave death match arena, but he was always wearing a dog face mask so Left Ear didn’t know what Bei looked like.
Xiao Yao looked at Xiang Liu just as he glanced at her and the two’s eyes met. Xiao Yao immediately looked away and said to Left Ear, “He died.”
Left Ear’s normally dispassionate eyes turned sad. In his heart, Bei wasn’t just someone who experienced the same fate as him, he was also Left Ear’s teacher that guided him to be reborn. Many times when Left Ear collapsed from a severe injury, feeling like not a shred of hope was left, he would see Bei silently sitting in the audience staring at him. He never said anything, but Bei’s presence was enough to convey warmth and hope to Left Ear. It gave him strength to stand back up one more time. Left Ear’s gratitude to Xiao Yao wasn’t just because she hugged him and gave him a sack of money, it was also because of Xiao Yao and Bei’s relationship. Because Xiao Yao accepted his own species, because she was friends with his own species.
Left Ear asked, “Do you miss him?”
Xiao Yao sighed and didn’t answer.
Left Ear was persistent and stared at Xiao Yao to ask again, “He’s not here anymore. Do you miss him?”
Xiao Yao cried out, “Yes!”
Left Ear smiled. “That will make him very happy.”
Xiao Yao stared at Xiang Liu as she said to Left Ear, “You’re not him. How do you know whether he cares that someone misses him? He totally wouldn’t care.”
Left Ear’s expression was dead serious, and he normally spoke so little and cared not to explain anything, but now he was very agitated and said, “I know! We slaves are never scared of death! We’re not scared of anything, other than being scared of the dark! If I died and someone missed me.” Left Ear used his fist to hit his chest. “Then it wouldn’t be dark here, it would be very bright and very happy!”
...
Left Ear’s eyes lit up and he happily said, “I will! I will be your bodyguard!”
Xiao Yao said, “Then it’s set. In the future you will protect me and I will ensure you have food to eat and clothes to wear, and I’ll find you a wife.”
Left Ear’s pale face blushed slowly so he focused on steering the ship and avoided looking at Xiao Yao and Xiang Liu.
Xiao Yao smiled and looked at Left Ear, feeling this hard to grasp feeling inside. Many years ago, was Xiang Liu just like this? Appearing dangerous and deadly, but actually simple and straightforward. If she could have met Xiang Liu back then, could he have found the woman he loved? Would he take her to buy perfumes at the flower demon shops? Go eat at hard to find restaurants in little alleys… Xiao Yao glanced at Xiang Liu but he was standing with his profile to her, looking at the ocean with a small warm smile on his lips. Because of the angle, his smile made his face no longer cold, but instead splashed with a sliver of warmth.
Xiao Yao stared for a while before looking away so that she could sort out all the jumbled feelings in her heart. She went inside the cabin to check on Miao Pu, feeding her another pill and some water before heading outside.
-----
Chapter 46
Zhuan Xu sighed. “No matter my admiration for Xiang Liu, we stand on opposite sides so I hope you don’t have any further ties with him.”
Xiao Yao said, “Don’t worry, I know!” It was because it was so clear since the very beginning, that’s why Xiang Liu kept reminding her, and she kept reminding herself, that she and Xiang Liu could never be friends.
Talking about this just makes me sad :-(
Oh?
How are you going with your Healer/LYF mash-up?
Oh dear, if I've given the impression that there is a draft in the works, that was not intentional. I haven't been writing anything for that. It's just a fun concept that I enjoyed thinking about. I haven't been thought about it in a while, but I won't be surprised if it comes back to haunt me again at some point. Maybe someday it will haunt me enough that I actually do write something, but the chances are pretty miniscule.
Thank you for the explanations and the link!
You're welcome!
Argh. No, we don't want that ending. What we already have as canon is bad enough.
Agreed.
Will we ever see another adaptation of LYF with an AU premise? Would we want to see one that strays even further from the novel?
That second question is key. I can't help but think "be careful what you wish for."
An AU adaptation has the potential to be amazing... or terrible.
The beauty of fic writing is that you get to make the story something that feels closer to "amazing" according to your own standards. When a film or TV adaptation is in some else's hands... suddenly the odds of being satisfied don't look as promising.
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