Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 plor20:

As Wen Xiao Liu, you see and understand her flaws, and you keep watching, hoping for her to overcome them, but in the end, you find yourself quite dissatisfied because everything about her flaws is amplified as a princess, with no real growth.

I understand your frustration with XY. When I initially finished the book, I was also aghast at her callousness, stupidity, and lack of concern for XL's well-being. I found it extremely difficult to sympathize with her. But after analyzing the novel in more detail, I've come to see that there is more to XY and her feelings for XL than meets the eye. Some of her seemingly callous remarks often have a deeper hidden meaning. I'm slowly working my way through the past posts in this forum and just came across H19279's post on what Xiao Yao meant when she thought, "Back then, the only tough thing in her life was Xiang Liu." The post helped me see XY's seemingly clueless thought in a new light.

I initially found myself disgusted at XY when she said this to XL:

Xiao Yao continued to natter “You’re a Nine-headed demon, you have nine-lives and you spent one on saving me. I can swim in the ocean freely like you now. If I die again and you give another of your lives to save me, will I become even more like you…….”

Xiang Liu stared at Xiao Yao and his face was as placid as the water.

Xiao Yao’s voice got smaller and smaller “Become, become…..I mean…..” She suddenly started to chuckle like a fool “I, forget I said anything!”

— Vol 2 Ch 9 (Chapter 26)

But I came to realize that her purpose in saying this was not because she didn't value his life and wanted him to sacrifice another one; it was to reassure him that she appreciated his sacrifice and was thankful for her newfound abilities. I think the reason she started giggling like a schoolgirl is because she imagined becoming more like a nine-headed demon, which she thinks is the type that Xiang Liu would be attracted to. In the drama, WXL said this while injured and in the pool with XL:

"可惜我现在没法给你变出一个九头母妖来迎合相柳大人的兴趣。"
"Too bad I don't have a way right now to change into a nine-headed female demon to cater to Lord Xiang Liu's interest."

— Season 1, Episode 10

 liddi:

I am in the technical field as well

Nice, what area of the field? I do software development for an e-commerce company.

Let me add my 2cents to the crystal ball discussion from days ago. 

For the merfolk, the male will search for the biggest/best clamp shell to present to the female as a way to show his strength and ability. It will be their home, their nest. They'll do a little mating chase and sing to each other; if the female accepts they will join together in the clamp shell. 

In the crystal ball, the mermaid is already sitting in the clamp shell. She'd already accepted - no chasing or singing required - and all she was waiting for was the merman to come and join her. The tableau in the crystal ball could be a 3 for the price of one communication piece:

1) A confession of her feelings - I want to be the mermaid in your clamp shell, will you come and join me?

2) An expression of how she perceived their relationship. She's willing and waiting for his response

3) A plead, a request, an appeal for him to give her an answer. 

10 points to XY for her ability to convey so much with one object :-). As they say; a picture paints a thousand words.

 HeadInTheClouds:

I'm confused! How is he cheating her with the Lovers Bugs? How is it a manipulation device? This is the first time I've seen these arguments. I know that they do their best to minimise/dismiss the Lovers Bugs - for obvious reasons - but these are new.

As opposed to cheating XY with his wife and kid.  Or stalking XY with his 9 tailed fox tracking abilities -- or his water scrying.

I've seen this nonsense before, but typically for Jingers, it doesn't make any sense.

 blabla100:

Yes, but answering is not the same as accepting it. XY made the crystal ball 4 years prior, so she was aware of her feelings way before sending it, but the fact that she also had it sent raised an invitation too. XL wasn't there when she woke up after their 37 years, XY went forward with the crystal ball.

About the jingers nonsense, LOL. I guess they believe XL was trying to control XY through the bugs or something? It's nonsense, as you said. 

Let's remember WHO rejected the clamshell love "confession" first, in black and white words.  XY was the first one who SAID, "I don't want a man like you."  Waiting until the oh so 'suitable' Jing failed her utterly, made it clear XL wasn't her first choice, and then hedging her bets with the Dear John letter certainly would make any man have doubts about whatever she was trying to say with the crystal ball, much less a proud man like XL.  He was a demon, not a doormat.

If XY was sincere she needed to say it openly, just like she said her rejection.

 solarlunareclipse:

but I wouldn't be able to say with confidence that XL would have preferred XY to be more open. On the contrary, I think he probably appreciated that she put it all out there for him and let him choose.

All means everything.  She clearly didn't put everything out there at any time, even when she saddled him with the lifetime commitment of the Lovers Bug, except when she plainly rejected him.  XL already chose when he took the Lovers Bug.  It's XY who is dithering around, trying to keep her three men on a string until one panned out.

The dude ran up to Haolin with his hair on fire to get a direct answer from XY when she tried to ghost him and weasel out their deal with her identity change to Princess of Haolin.

He also clearly wanted a direct answer after he got the crystal ball and Dear John letter, when he point blank asked her "Who did you want to spend your life with?"

From the very beginning, when he questioned WXL's identity, XL wanted a clear answer from XY and the only time he got one was when she rejected him.

 solarlunareclipse:

Some think that XY should have been more direct in her confession and plea. But the way I see it, XY is doing exactly what XL did for her. XL never openly confessed, nor did he try to force XY into anything; he subtly hinted at his intentions and allowed XY to choose for herself.

Arguably, XL thought accepting the Lovers Bug was his confession.  It certainly was validation for his, for their feelings.  The problem was he knew WXL was lying about what she knew about the Lovers Bugs, and he assumed she knew more than she did about it, including what the name of the Bug was.

 blabla100:

@kokuto

I already knew your take on these events are very different than the way I see them, but I am trying to see them from your pov too and honestly if that's what TH had in mind, than that makes XL even more pathetic than jing. Would he be that pathetic though? I don't think so, honestly.

How does that make XL pathetic at all, much less worse than Jing?  He knows they love each other, but he isn't going to force or manipulate her to do what he wants, like Jing.  Likewise, he isn't going be a doormat and toss his life and his beliefs to the wind, hoping she'll look at him with favor, like Jing.  She plainly said she didn't want him.  If she's allegedly changed her mind, why wouldn't he look for the same clarity from her?  If they chose to actually spend their lives together, he, and they, need a clear commitment and willingness to do what it takes on both sides to make it work.

 Kokuto:

The dude ran up to Haolin with his hair on fire to get a direct answer from XY when she tried to ghost him and weasel out their deal with her identity change to Princess of Haolin.

He also clearly wanted a direct answer after he got the crystal ball and Dear John letter, when he point blank asked her "Who did you want to spend your life with?"

From the very beginning, when he questioned WXL's identity, XL wanted a clear answer from XY and the only time he got one was when she rejected him.

 blabla100:

I personally don't even believe XL ever tried to pursue XY, as FFB told her once, she shouldn't care what's deep in his heart, because they are just temporarily companions, seeking a bit of happiness togheter. I don't understand what makes you believe that he wanted more out of their relationship. Do you see him pursuing XY and make her give up everything, just so he can spend a few days each month with her?

My sentiments lie with Kokuto, in that XL definitely tried to pursue XY. If he didn't, he wouldn't have the need to:

1. Take on the Lover's Bugs.
2. Head to Haoling, not once but twice, to see her.
3. Save her life at all.

I have always believed XL wanted, even if for a short time, some kind of relationship. When XY was WXL, XL had more time and would have been able to woo her. As XY, XL wooed her for a short time as FFB, knowing that they couldn't be together, and that temporarily accompanying each other was fulfilling for him. Knowing that his time is limited, teaching her archery and using the excuse of playing together as payment are not technically separate from his desire to romance her.

I have always argued that all XL ever wanted from XY was her honesty. And since she failed time after time to be truthful with him, XL had no reason to push their relationship further. Like XY, who compromised her desires for her fears, XL compromised his desires for his loyalty. He took to heart two things XY said to him and acted upon it:

1. Temporary companionship is okay and worthwhile.
2. He wasn't suited for her dreams.

Being temporary companions also didn't mean that it lacked romance and the desire to be with each other, nor did a lack of sexual intimacy mean that their relationship was not romantic. What need is there for YaoLiu if XL had no desire to be with XY?

XL's reason for not coming to her during those seven days coincides with CX ascending the throne, hindering their time together and accelerating the end of their companionship. I interpreted this scene within the context of the political environment rather than solely focusing on the assumption that he didn't desire to be with her.

For me, during this time, XY really missed her chance. It reached a point where it wasn't XL who had to give up everything to be with her; it was her who had to give up everything to be with him, and she couldn't. She had almost 100 years to have a relationship with him, and she threw it away the moment she told him he wasn't suited for her dreams.

As with any character-driven story, since XY was unable to make a decision to be with XL, we will never know what XL would have done. Would he have fought harder to stay alive? Would he have thought of a way for them to be together? The demon has nine heads, as conflicted as he is, I'm sure if TH had wanted to write it this way, there would have been a way to write it without compromising XL's integrity.

Aheng said to XY that Chiyou was so arrogant and he never rode into battle thinking he would die. And I honestly believe this is true of XL to some extent, and even XY believed this too. It wasn't until he saved XY the second time that you truly saw his imminent demise.

Regardless of how the story is written, it was always going to be a tragedy.

Maybe I misused that pursue word. What I am trying to say is not that XL didn't want a relationship with XY, but that he already got the relationship he planned with her. I do not believe he wanted or tried to get more out of it, not after she told him that she's afraid to fantasize about him and definetely not after her assassination. I am still more inclined to believe that his laugher after she told him that she's afraid of him walking into her dreams was not because he got offended and took her reply as a rejection (can that even be considered a rejection?), but because he knew that that's already too late, because he had already fallen into her dreams. XY didn't know what bugs the lovers bugs are, but XL knew. I mean he did told her once that when he took the bug in he knew she is useless and can't protect herself, but he didn't know that she's that useless that she can't even protect her own heart.