Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

@kokuto

"Xiao Yao's rejection on the beach.  He's not Jing, who refuses to leave when she tells to go."

This explaination doesn't  work for me, because I interpret "not suitable for a girl to start dreaming about you" as being directly related to XL's intention of fighting with his soldiers till his last breath. It makes no sense to me for XL to give up living and pursuing a future with XY just because she misunderstood him. 

 blabla100:

@kokuto

"Xiao Yao's rejection on the beach.  He's not Jing, who refuses to leave when she tells to go."

This explaination doesn't  work for me, because I interpret "not suitable for a girl to start dreaming about you" as being directly related to XL's intention of fighting with his soldiers till his last breath. It makes no sense to me for XL to give up living and pursuing a future with XY just because she misunderstood him. 

How is rejecting him a misunderstanding?

And he didn't just give up and plan on dying and at that moment.  Again, he's not Jing.  Even Hong Jiang and the Resistance Army didn't have that plan at that particular moment.   As @plor20 pointed out, there were several moments when XL and XY could have made a future for themselves, but she couldn't overcome her issues.

As for your intrepretation about "not suitable for a girl" and believing he planned on dying with his men .... I don't agree, for reasons we've discussed already.  Everyone in this world understood the mortality of warriors, and yet they were revered and were plenty of people's ideal dream, including XY's parents.  I mean, why isn't she telling A Nian that CX isn't the type of guy for a girl's dreams, cause he could be assassinated at any moment? 

In fact, she also talks about XL not being suitable for even A Nian, and it has nothing to do with his alleged deathwish.

Xiao Yao felt the mood between them was no longer as intense and dangerous as before so carefully asked “How did you get mixed up with Ah Nian?”

“Can’t I?”

Xiao Yao grabbed his sleeve and sternly said “No! You can’t go mess with her again. She’s been so well protected by my dad, she is unable to stand the teasing from kind of person like you (禁不住你这种人的撩拨)”

Xiang Liu leaned forward and laughed “A person like me? What kind of person am I?”

Xiao Yao rolled her eyes at him “You totally know.” (Chapter 13)

Reading it again, makes me wonder about XY's motives here.

@kokuto

"How is rejecting him a misunderstanding?"

 That boils down to what one belives he got rejected for. IMO XY 's reason for "rejecting" him was because she believed he was not someone who' s  there to stay in the long run. She emphasized this again when she heard about his death, something along the lines of knowing since day 1 that this day  will come. I mean, why do you believe XY found him not suitable for a girl - any girl, to start dreaming of?  What can XY find worse than death if not falling for someone who's bond to abandon her? Going with this theory, I can't visualised him being rejected by XY because she thought he's determined to fight along his soldiers to death, all while XL was approaching her with the intention of having a future togheter and yet deciding to give her up and eventually giving up on his life because she misunderstood his plans. I don't know how much sense I make, I am not too good at explaining, but I hope you get the idea. 

"In fact, she also talks about XL not being suitable for even A Nian, and it has nothing to do with his alleged deathwish."

Again, why are you so sure it has nothing to do with him fighting a war who's impossible to win and who will eventually lead to his demise? IMO this is a fact that's been established since the beginning,  the Sheng Nong soldiers were destined to be obliterated sooner or later and TH really emphasized on this aspect since the first chapters. 

"Xiang Liu leaned forward and laughed “A person like me? What kind of person am I?”

Xiao Yao rolled her eyes at him “You totally know.” (Chapter 13)"

I believe we all here know what kind of person XL was, lol.  Someone who one can't help but falling în love with.

 Kokuto:

 blabla100:
Appearing to her as FFB: I've interpreted XL appearing to XY as FFB as a way not only for him to teach her archery, but also to prove to her that he is indeed worthy of any girl's dreams.

FFB was a womanizer, so I really doubt he approached her with the intention to prove to her that he's worthy of any girl's dreams, especially when he knew what XY was looking for in a man.
But he wasn't a womanizer around her.  Unlike Jing, he didn't have another woman he was committed to, or on the side.

The very first time XY sees FFB, he is leaving a dance hall with a dancer. The heavy implication is that he left with the dancer to spend the night with / sleep with her. 

My interpretation was that XL did this on purpose, to show XY that FFB was not a husband candidate and that she could receive his attention and flirting without worrying about taking it seriously and having to draw boundaries / be on guard against him. 

And I think he also did it to ensure that he wasn't creating expectations in the short term that would later be disappointed in the long term (e.g., the way WXL was seriously disappointed by YSQ in QS town after his behaviour created an expectation in her that she could rely on him, and then he let her down by disappearing when she faced off with CX). XY was well aware that her relationship with FFB could end at any time, and that's how XL wanted it. He wanted her to be emotionally prepared, to the extent she could be, not caught off guard (feeling like he pulled the rug out from under her) whenever the time did come for their relationship to end. 

FFB

FFB's male companion

The pretty dancer that FFB left with

-----

Chapter 15:

Xiao Yao said to Zhuan Xu, “Gege, I’ll go out to look around.”

Zhuan Xu nodded and Xiao Yao headed out where she saw a dancer performing in the center of the great hall. Xiao Yao stood at the railing and looked down with a smile. The Xuan Yuan dance halls had male and female guests, though still mostly men, but some women wearing men’s attire. Xiao Yao was dressed like a girl and wearing a veiled hat so garnered a lot of attention. She didn’t care, they could look at her while she looked at the beauties.

The dancer was performing and her undulations make her tiny waist oh so touchable and many men tried to reach but were not able to. Two men walked in through a curtained doorway and one man grabbed the dancer and felt up her waist before tossing her into the arms of the other man. “Let this little waist spend the night with you.”

The dancers at the dance halls were performers and not prostitutes so the dancer was pissed, but the second she saw the man’s face her face turned red and she docilely followed the man upstairs. The man laughed and put his arms around her to lead her up the stairs and Xiao Yao felt the man looked familiar. Due to the angle and the curtains, she didn’t get a good look at his face until he was on the second floor and Xiao Yao saw his face fully. Her heart thundered and her mouth gaped open – he looked just like Xiang Liu! But he was wearing fine clothes and his hair was pitch black, and there was mirth in his eyes that was nothing like the normally icy cold Xiang Liu.

Xiao Yao stared at him while he swept a glance over her and didn’t even pause. 

Source

The other man smiled at her and asked, “Little lady, you look nice. Spend tonight with me?”

Another girl grabbed him and coyly said, “This lady is a customer. Young master please don’t put us in a bind.”

The man left with the pretty girl while Jin Xuan opened the door and told Xiao Yao to come in.

Zhuan Xu and Xiao Yao left the dance hall the back way and wandered around the city a bit, having dinner at a famous restaurant before getting on the cloud carriage back to Xuan Yuan Mountain.

On Cao Yun Peak, Xiao Yao sat on the swing while Zhuan Xu leaned against a tree. She kept wondering, was that Xiang Liu or not Xiang Liu?

“Gege, have you ever seen Xiang Liu’s real face?”

“No, every time I’ve seen him, he’s wearing a mask.”

Xiao Yao was curious. “Xuan Yuan has him on the most wanted list for hundreds of years but there isn’t a portrait to go along with it. All these years and no one has seen what he really looks like?”

“People have seen it, but Xiang Liu is a Nine-headed demon, and rumor has it that he has nine real faces and also eighty-one different forms. All the people who have seen him have contradictory statements, one time someone described him to look exactly like sixth uncle.”

Was the Xiang Liu she saw just one of his faces? Xiao Yao was curious, but also disappointed.

Zhuan Xu stared at her. “But it is weird! His transformation ability is one where even a magical object can’t detect it, why does he need to wear a mask? He can just change his face!”

Xiao Yao said, “Maybe he’s like me, he wants to have a true self and is uninterested in magical transformations.”

Zhuan Xu asked, “Why suddenly asking about Xiang Liu?”

“I….I just thought of him.”

Xiao Yao didn’t want to lie to Zhuan Xu so told him half the truth, and the despondent tone in her voice made Zhuan Xu’s heart hurt a little. He softly said, “You are no longer Qing Shui Town’s Wen Xiao Liu.”

Xiao Yao smiled. “I know.”

Zhuan Xu changed the subject. “The guy who wanted to pick you up at the dance hall is your younger cousin Shi Ju, the only son of uncle Cang Lin.”

“The person next to him?”

“Don’t know him but he’s not using transformation or a masking spell. Though after what you and Jing did last time, I’m no longer absolutely certain about piercing through transformations.”

...

When Xiao Yao arrived, she asked Ciu Liang not to reveal her identity so she could play without reservation. She didn’t want to meet Yu Jiang so went to the gardens for a stroll. She saw the man from the dance hall who looked a lot like Xiang Liu, he was casually sitting on the pallet with his back to the pole, surrounded by flowers and hidden in the shadows, almost impossible to notice him.

Xiao Yao softly walked over and stood behind him. She coolly squatted down and suddenly said, “Xiang Liu, what are you doing here?”

The man barely lifted his head. “You quietly walked behind me and I was wondering what you wanted to do. Clearly I thought wrong since you are mistaken.”

Xiao Yao looked into his eyes and the man laughed. “Now I really want to be the person you mistook for me.”

The bug in Xiao Yao’s body had no reaction so she got confused. “You’re really not him?”

“If you drink with me, I can be him for you.”

Xiao Yao sweetly smiled. “Sure!”

The man poured her wine and she gulped it down before pouring him a cup and he gulped it down. A second later, his hand dropped and he wanly smiled. “You poisoned me.”

Xiao Yao picked up his hand and touched his fingertips which were red because he was poisoned.

The man sighed. “If you didn’t poison me, here I was thinking I was about to get lucky.”

Xiao Yao tossed his hand away and poured him another cup. “This is the antidote.”

The man wearily moved his hand indicating he couldn’t reach for it so Xiao Yao fed it to him.

Xiao Yao said, “Apologies, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Every time you mistake someone you poison them? That’s a bad habit.”

Xiao Yao said, “I’m sorry,” before turning to leave but the man grabbed her wrist. “Leaving with one sorry?”

“What do you want then?”

“I am Fang Feng Bei.” The man wrote the characters of his name on Xiao Yao’s palm. “Remember and don’t mistake me again.”

“You are Fang Feng Yi Yang’s…..”

“Second older brother. You know my little sister?”

Xiao Yao smiled wanly. “This vast wilderness sure is small!”

Xiao Yao left and this time Fang Feng Bei didn’t stop her.

-----

Chapter 16:

Xiao Yao walked out and saw Fang Feng Bei. She couldn’t resist and used her bug to sense him but still got no response.

Fang Feng Bei smiled as he walked over. “Delivering something?”

Xiao Yao smiled at him and he asked, “You still remember me, yes?”

Xiao Yao walked off. “You should stay away from me, when I see you I want to poison you.”

Fang Feng Bei followed her. “You find that friend of yours that distasteful?

She found Xiang Liu distasteful? Of course not. Likely he’s the one who found her distasteful.

Xiao Yao asked, “Why are you following me?” That meeting in the garden, he likely didn’t know who she was, but now he had to know.

“I’m bored. I can see you’re bored. Two people bored together is better than one.”

That night, the spectre of death radiating from the tip of his arrow, Xiao Yao still remembered it vividly. She sneered, “What are you doing here in Xuan Yuan Castle? Not here to be bored?”

Fang Feng Bei chuckled. “All the things I came to do in Xuan Yuan Castle can’t see the light of day and have to wait until night. I really am supremely bored during the day.”

Xiao Yao was speechless – this guy’s personality was diametrically opposite to his little sister, he was so blatant it was refreshing.

...

Fang Feng Bei wasn’t free every day and usually came by every 5-6 days for Xiao Yao to hang out with him. It so happened to give Xiao Yao enough time to practice her archery from what he taught her in their last meeting. Though one time he disappeared for three months before suddenly showing up. Xiao Yao didn’t ask where he went and he didn’t offer an explanation. Xiao Yao knew their relationship where he taught her archery was just temporary and could end with any little mishap.

 AH :

My interpretation was that XL did this on purpose, to show XY that FFB was not a husband candidate and that she could receive his attention and flirting without worrying about taking it seriously and having to draw boundaries / be on guard against him. 

@Blabla100

I have different opinion. XL said later that he was always himself. He just showed  another side of him that he could be warm, nice to other (especially to woman). The dancer was not a prostitute but she followed him just because of him or his attractiveness. 

He asked XY a few times (3 times?) who did she want him to be in 2 years. Again, in my opinion, if XL just only wanted to teach XY archery, why did he try or give her hint who was he? He wanted her to have a correct/complete perception/regard of him - as Xiang Liu (not FFB). 

 AH :

Xiao Yao knew their relationship where he taught her archery was just temporary and could end with any little mishap.

According to google translation of this sentence, it is : " Xiaoyao and he both knew that their teaching and learning relationship was only a short-lived relationship that could end at any time due to an accident. " 

The temporary characteristic here only related to the archery teaching and learning. 

Later when FFB "died", XY recalled that FFB once told her that "He once said that he and her were just together for a short time in an unpredictable life, looking for fun. He didn't lie to her! ". However, FFB only told this in chapter 29 after XY had engaged with FL

 blabla100:

A declaration that he kept for himself, because he knew that XY doesn't know much about the bugs, she found out their meaning much later. 

 blabla100:

FFB was a womanizer, so I really doubt he approached her with the intention to prove to her that he's worthy of any girl's dreams, especially when he knew what XY was looking for in a man. 

 blabla100:

That's beyond the point. FFB persona was a free spirit, who loved and enjoyed life in all its aspects. Not really husband material, so I don't see how FFB could fit XY's "dream" type. 

 H19279:

I have different opinion. XL said later that he was always himself. He just showed  another side of him that he could be warm, nice to other (especially to woman). The dancer was not a prostitute but she followed him just because of him or his attractiveness. 

 Kokuto:

But he wasn't a womanizer around her.  Unlike Jing, he didn't have another woman he was committed to, or on the side.

I think Kokuto ,  H19279  and I are some of the very few XL stans who believed he wasn't on a martyr mission (correct me if I am wrong)  and that he approached and cared for XY on the small chance that he will be able to share a life with her, even if it was a short one among an ongoing war.  Even if XL is fighting a losing war, he lives his life a "quarter mile at a time," meaning if he wins to live another day, he will live it up. If he is to die, he will die fighting on the battlefield. He was just hoping that the time in between those two events, he would be able share it with XY.

I also stand by my statement that FFB is in fact worthy of any girls dreams despite his reputation, because XY was not particular bothered by FFB reputation.  In the end, FFB permeated her dreams and she longed for him like no other.

The only reason FFB got the reputation was because he was the second son of a concubine, so even if he didn't want to be a playboy, he wasn't deemed worthy or important enough to handle family matters, so what else could he do? Like he said, he has been no one else but himself for the past 400 years, even parading as as FFB.  Plus, if he had married XY, he would literally bring his whole family into power, so the FF family would have no reason to object.

 H19279:

I have different opinion. XL said later that he was always himself. He just showed  another side of him that he could be warm, nice to other (especially to woman). The dancer was not a prostitute but she followed him just because of him or his attractiveness. 

Yes, XL said that he was always himself and wasn't pretending to be FFB. However, I don't take that to mean that XL/FFB leaving the dance hall with the pretty dancer in front of XY couldn't have been something that XL did intentionally to lead XY to have certain expectations about him. 

Surely XL was able to sense through the bug connection that XY was in that dance hall. In full view + earshot of XY, his companion pushes the dancer into his arms and tells him to let the dancer spend the night with him. XL then walks with the dancer directly to where XY is in the dance hall (on the second floor) so she can see his face and then see him leave with the dancer. This all seems very intentional.

I take XL's words in chapter 18 to mean that the way XL was when he was FFB (and particularly the way XL was when he was with XY as FFB) was not an act that he put on to convince people that he was really FFB. As XY observed, his behaviour as FFB showed a side of XL that could come out temporarily on the occasions when he was able to take off his armour and shed the burdens of the Shengnong remnant army for a while.

-----

Chapter 18:

Xiao Yao asked, “You’ve fulfilled your promise so why continue to be Fang Feng Bei?”

Fang Feng Bei smiled coldly with scorn, “To fulfill my promise I put on a show for four years. But in the four hundred years since, I’ve just been myself. Which one of your eyes saw me continuing to pretend to be Fang Feng Bei? Regardless of whether it’s Fang Feng Bei, or Xiang Liu, or Nine-lives, it’s just a name.”

He’s right! The adolescent Fang Feng Bei was vastly different than the adult Fang Feng Bei, but with so long passed everyone had long forgotten what Fang Feng Bei used to be like. 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.

Fang Feng Bei mocked her, “You’ve changed identities way more than me. Are all of them play-acting for you?”

Xiao Yao shook her head. “No matter how I change, I am still me. Except I’m not as able to let things go like you are, and some things still matter to me.”

 H19279:

According to google translation of this sentence, it is : " Xiaoyao and he both knew that their teaching and learning relationship was only a short-lived relationship that could end at any time due to an accident. "

Thank you for sharing this alternate translation. 

 H19279:

According to google translation of this sentence, it is : " Xiaoyao and he both knew that their teaching and learning relationship was only a short-lived relationship that could end at any time due to an accident. "

The temporary characteristic here only related to the archery teaching and learning.

Later when FFB "died", XY recalled that FFB once told her that "He once said that he and her were just together for a short time in an unpredictable life, looking for fun. He didn't lie to her! ". However, FFB only told this in chapter 29 after XY had engaged with FL

It's possible that that particular line may be referring specifically to their relationship as archery teacher and student, separate from their relationship as fun-seeking companions, but that interpretation seems less logical to me than an interpretation where that line was referring to the entire relationship between XY and FFB, at that point in the story, for a few reasons. Even more so with the translation you shared compared to Koala's translation. 

First - The lines that immediately proceed that line refer to XL/FFB's availability to hang out with XY and XL/FFB suddenly disappearing for three months and then reappearing without an explanation, which seems to effect the entirety of their relationship - not just their relationship as archery teacher and student.  

Second - FFB originally framed his offer to teach XY archery as a transaction: if she helped him while away the time, he would teach her archery. So the time they spend "whiling away the time" together is an essential part of their relationship as teacher and student. This is stated both in chapter 16 and chapter 25. 

Third - The four paragraphs that immediately proceed the paragraph with that line describe how FFB and XY "while away the time" together. That description notes that FFB was like an expert who knew things no one else knew, and XY learned and discovered new things with him. There is an aspect of teaching and learning in that part of their relationship that isn't about XY learning archery. 

Fourth - In the more direct translation you shared, unlike Koala's translation, there is no specific reference to archery in that line. There is only a reference to their teaching and learning relationship, whatever that may encompass. 

So it seems odd to me to conclude that we should read that particular line and think that they both felt that, at that point in the story, their archery relationship was one where any minor accident might end it, but the rest of their relationship wasn't temporary and definitely would last. 

-----

Chapter 16 (before XY became engaged to FL in chapter 28, and before XY's assassination in Chapter 21 and healing in Chapter 22):

Fang Feng Bei appeared not to notice that what he said had an impact on Xiao Yao and he asked with a smile. “Want to learn archery from me?”

“Yes.”

Fang Feng Bei said, “If you help me while the time away, then I’ll teach you.”

Xiao Yao responded, “Sure.”

...

Xiao Yao’s life suddenly became extraordinarily busy. She had to make poisons, she had to practice archery, and when Fang Feng Bei had time, she had to learn from him and go along with him to find entertainment.

After Xiao Yao hung out with Fang Feng Bei was when she truly learned what it meant to eat, drink, and be merry. She discovered Xuan Yuan Castle anew, so many places hidden in the small alleys that even her cousins didn’t know, Fang Feng Bei knew. He was like an expert taking Xiao Yao along to eat, drink, and be merry.

The jewelry shops run by the dwarves with their little hands and exquisite craftsmanship was delightful. They turned a red ruby into a rose, carving a pair of lovers into a dew drop pendant. Xiao Yao was so enchanted she picked a few accessories for Ah Nian and Consort Jing An.

The giants with their huge bowls that was like a bucket for Xiao Yao to eat out of, initially she didn’t think she would finish it but after one bite she kept on eating until she scarfed it all down. Afterwards she moaned that she was going to burst but had no regrets if she died this way.

The cosmetics store owned by the flower demons which initially didn’t interest Xiao Yao. Their flower cream would leave a scent on for a month, all the various floral scented perfumes and the unique ways of mixing scents to create new scents that even Xiao Yao who was used to living as a man couldn’t help but be enticed and she ended up buying tens of different scents.

Fang Feng Bei wasn’t free every day and usually came by every 5-6 days for Xiao Yao to hang out with him. It so happened to give Xiao Yao enough time to practice her archery from what he taught her in their last meeting. Though one time he disappeared for three months before suddenly showing up. Xiao Yao didn’t ask where he went and he didn’t offer an explanation. [Koala: Xiao Yao knew their relationship where he taught her archery was just temporary and could end with any little mishap.] [OR] [Google: Xiao Yao and he both knew that their teaching and learning relationship was only a short-lived relationship that could end at any time due to an accident.]

But in the eyes of outsiders, Xiao Yao was getting very close to Fang Feng Bei. Because he was teaching her archery, there was an indelible closeness between him and Xiao Yao.

Fang Feng Bei was very casual so when he came looking for Xiao Yao, if she was up in Cao Yun Peak then he would go up Xuan Yuan Mountain and ask a guard to summon her. Xiao Yao felt no need to conceal anything so their coming and going together was soon spread all over Xuan Yuan Castle that the Gao Xing Eldest Princess and the Fang Feng family’s second son was very close.

Even Zhuan Xu teased her. “I just got you back and want you around a few more years. Don’t get lured off by that Fang Feng family playboy.”

Xiao Yao stuck her tongue out at him. “As long as he can shoot you with an arrow, I’ll never run away with him.”

Without her realizing it, a year had passed.

Xiao Yao was confused and didn’t know what Fang Feng Bei was thinking. She thought he taught her archery as an excuse to get close to her. She thought him taking her out to play was a technique to get into a woman’s heart. But he was very serious when he taught her and every time Xiao Yao was learning archery she really respected him as her teacher.

------

In addition to the reference to their relationship being temporary in chapter 16, you also noted the reference to their relationship being temporary that was made in chapter 29 and recalled in chapter 32, and you noted that that reference occurred after XY agreed to marry Feng Long in chapter 28. I assume you noted that to suggest that perhaps XL's attitude changed after XY's engagement.   

However, in addition to everything in chapter 16 (including the explicit reference to their relationship being temporary) and the explicit reference in chapter 29, there are also other less explicit indicators that hint at or emphasize the same idea (that their relationship was temporary, XL intentionally avoided creating the expectation that it might not be temporary, and XY knew and lamented the fact that it was temporary) prior to XY agreeing to marry Feng Long in chapter 28.

In chapter 18, XL/FFB performs magic on XY's dress at Feng Long and Xing Yue's birthday party. Everyone was amused by the tricks, but the scene ends with an emphasis on the fact that the magic is only temporary. 

In chapter 19, XY knows that FFB is about to return to QS town to be XL for a while, and laments: if only he could forever be FFB. 

In chapter 25, XY wishes that the ordinary world could keep FFB in it, even though she knows its hopeless. Later in the chapter, XL tells XY that she no longer needs him to teach her archery, and re-emphasizes the fact that the archery lessons were part of a transaction where he agreed to teach her archery if she agreed to help him while away the time in return. 

In chapter 26, XY wishes that, if it were possible, she'd like to spend the rest of her life like the day and night that she spent with XL/FFB.  A day that felt like they stole it. XY sighs and tells XL that she wants to go explore the islands, but XL says nothing and leaves XY no choice but to head back to land. Once there, XY asks XL/FFB if he'll be in Zhi Yi in the coming days so they can make plans. XL/FFB gives a noncommittal answer and XY sighs. 

------

Chapter 18:

Fang Feng Bei smiled, picked up the wine and downed it, then lazily bowed to everyone. “I’ll do some magic!”

Fang Feng Bei pointed to Xiao Yao, “Go stand over there.”

With everyone’s eyes on her, Xiao Yao stiffly walked over.

Fang Feng Bei picked a white flower and waved the flower dew on Xiao Yao who made an annoyed face at him and whispered, “If you dare toy with me, I’ll get you back for this!”

The moment she said that, the white flower dew spread like a dye on her robe and turned it from a yellow robe into a white one.

A girl laughed. “Another color?”

Fang Feng Bei asked, “What color?”

The girl picked a purple flower and sent it to Fang Feng Bei who ripped the petals and tossed the dew on Xiao Yao’s robe. The purple flower dew turned into a dye and gradually spread over the robe, turning it into a purple color.

Everyone was amused, especially the girls who loved to be pretty, so by now Xing Yue, Zhuan Xu, Feng Long, Jing, Hou, and Yi Yang were all standing by the river and clapping along.

Fang Feng Bei used a green flower to transform Xiao Yao’s robe into a green one. He could see Xiao Yao’s hand was clenched into a fist with her impatience so he turned to the audience with a smile. “That’s it for today.”

Feng Long tossed a red flower over to Bei. “Make one more, a red one!” All the outfits were beautiful on Xiao Yao but perhaps his first time seeing her was so impactful as she wore the red ceremonial dress but she didn’t seem to like red and never wore that color again after the ceremony.

Fang Feng Bei smiled. “The birthday boy’s request” and made one more outfit as he splashed the red flower dew on Xiao Yao and her robe gradually changed into red.

Xiao Yao’s patience was at its end and she didn’t have any hint of a smile but forced herself to take a bow so she opened her arms and twirled once in a circle before curtsying to Feng Long, indicating the game was ended. She turned to leave.

...

Xing Yue and Yi Yang sidled up to Fang Feng Bei wheedled, “Dear second brother, teach us your trick!”

Fang Feng Bei laughed and pointed to Xiao Yao. “It’s temporary so of no use to learn.”

Xiao Yao’s red robe was gradually fading in color to reveal the original yellow robe. Xing Yue and Yi Yang sighed, it really was useless to learn this trick.

-----

Chapter 19 (before XY became engaged to FL in chapter 28, and before XY's assassination in Chapter 21 and healing in Chapter 22):

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 can forever be Fang Feng Bei, that would be so great.”

------

After XL/FFB returns to QS town in chapter 19, she doesn't see him again for the rest of the chapter.

In chapter 20, XY moves into Little Zhu Rhong's residence and doesn't see XL/FFB for the entirety of that chapter. 

She also doesn't "see" XL in chapter 21 or chapter 22, although she does spend 37 years being healed by him in his clam shell after her assassination. 

In chapter 22 and chapter 23, XL/FBB pushes XY away from himself and towards TSJ. 

In chapter 24, XY didn't see XL except in her mirror, and she received the bow that he commissioned for her, without realizing that he was the one who commissioned it. 

-----

Chapter 25 (before XY became engaged to FL in chapter 28):

As she looked around, she saw a familiar figure.

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.

Fang Feng Bei stopped before her and asked with a smile, “You’re back?”

Xiao Yao smiled back. “I’m back.”

The two of them, one asked and the other answered, as if they really were next door neighbors or close friends, but Xiao Yao distinctly remembered their last parting in front of the gambling den. He was filled with angry intensity while she bolted like a frightened rabbit.

...

Fang Feng Bei handed the bow back with a smile. “Congratulations, you’ve graduated.”

The bow vanished in a silver light and disappeared into Xiao Yao’s arm. “I graduated?”

“Your power is low but for your archery to get to this level it’s already the top. You’ve mastered everything I can teach you. From now on, you don’t need to learn archery from me anymore.”

Xiao Yao’s heart shook and suddenly she felt so adrift and lost. It was a joking offer between them tens of years ago, but as time passed in a blink, they were standing here now and so much had happened.

Fang Feng Bei laughed. “What? You’re going to miss me being your Master?”

Xiao Yao glared. “I was thinking that since I graduated, shouldn’t you get me a graduation present?”

Fang Feng Bei furrowed his brows and sighed and said with sadness “A long time ago I wanted to give you a bow when you mastered archery. But now you have a great bow already, so I won’t need to give it to you.”

Xiao Yao snarked. “I highly doubt you would be willing to spend money to buy me a good bow.”

Fang Feng Bei stared at the silver crescent moon mark on Xiao Yao’s arm and smiled but said nothing.

Xiao Yao solemnly bowed. “Thank you for teaching me archery.”

Fang Feng Bei lazily laughed. “This archery technique is a Fang Feng family secret, giving it to you, I don’t feel bad at all. Years ago I said I would teach you archery if you played with me. The only thing I spent was my time, and the only payment you gave was your time. This was a very fair transaction.”

“Each transaction is so clear for you, clearly you never get taken advantage of!”

Fang Feng Bei smiled and stared. “Do you want to take advantage of me?”

Xiao Yao mocked herself, “I can’t outwit all nine of your heads. I’m happy to have an even deal between us.”

Fang Feng Bei stared a the clouds in the distance for a few moments before speaking, “Today I didn’t teach you archery but since we’re out already, spend the rest of the day with me as a thank you for your master.”

Xiao Yao said, “Sure!”

_________________________

Xiao Yao and Fang Feng Bei came back in the late afternoon together.

Miao Pu and Shan Hu saw her and relaxed. Xiao Yao leaped off the winged horse and waved goodbye to Fang Feng Bei and entered the Little Zhu Rong residence.

-----

Chapter 26 (before XY became engaged to FL in chapter 28):

[Note: Tong Hua and XY use "Xiang Liu" to refer to XL/FFB throughout this scene, but his hair is black and he's still wearing FFB's clothes. So the line between XL and FFB has gotten rather blurry.]

Xiao Yao sat on Furball and stared at Xiang Liu, feeling like it was another lifetime ago. She asked, “Aren’t you going to transform your hair color back?”

Xiang Liu said, “This is dyed and not transformation.”

...

Xiao Yao drank her soup and felt full and warm as her clothes were dry by now. She was very relaxed and comfortable and sprinkled poison in the soup and it mixed with the seafood to make an even more tasty flavor.

Xiang Liu wasn’t afraid of the heat and picked up the conch shell and drank the soup directly as he ate the fish.

Xiao Yao wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at the stars in the sky and listened to the waves crashing on the rocks.

After Xiang Liu was done eating he said, “Let’s go back.”

Xiao Yao didn’t move and continued to stare at the ocean. If it was possible, she really wanted to live like this for the rest of her life.

“Xiao Yao?” Xiang Liu stood before Xiao Yao. She raised her head to stare at him and smiled. “Don’t you feel like today was a day we stole to spend together? That there is only now and no tomorrow!”

Xiang Liu was taken aback and said nothing. Xiao Yao pointed to the horizon, “What’s over there?”

“Endless ocean.”

“No land?”

“Scattered islands.”

“What kind of islands?”

“Some islands have not even a blade of grass, others as beautiful as a dreamscape.”

Xiao Yao sighed, “I really want to go see.”

Xiang Liu remained silent and then whistled once before Furball arrived. He vaulted on its back and Xiao Yao had no choice but to stand up and climb on.

...

Xiao Yao ignored Jing and jumped off the winged ride and said to Xiang Liu, “Will you be in Zhi Yi in the coming days?”

“Maybe, or maybe not.”

Xiao Yao smiled and sighed. “I’m off.”

------

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.

 H19279:

He asked XY a few times (3 times?) who did she want him to be in 2 years. Again, in my opinion, if XL just only wanted to teach XY archery, why did he try or give her hint who was he? He wanted her to have a correct/complete perception/regard of him - as Xiang Liu (not FFB).

He didn't just want to teach XY archery. He wanted to teach XY archery AND he wanted to temporarily alleviate her loneliness, just as he did in QS town. Temporarily alleviating XY's loneliness might have had the added benefit of temporarily alleviating his own loneliness. 

I don't read the three instances that XL/FFB asks XY who she wants him to be as hints that he's dropping as part of a broad effort to get XY to see him (both his XL side and his FFB side) as someone who could be suitable to enter the dreams of a girl like XY. In all three instances where XL/FBB asks XY that question, the question itself does not cause XY to wonder whether FFB is XL. The second time XL asks the question in chapter 16, it's almost an afterthought that XY doesn't acknowledge. By that point in the conversation, FFB no longer looks like XL to her and she goes back to shooting. The third time XL asks the question, he's in her bed injured and as soon as she says he can be whoever he pleases he goes in for a bite to suck her blood. IMO, it just doesn't function the way you're suggesting it functions. 

-----

Chapter 15:

She saw the man from the dance hall who looked a lot like Xiang Liu, he was casually sitting on the pallet with his back to the pole, surrounded by flowers and hidden in the shadows, almost impossible to notice him.

Xiao Yao softly walked over and stood behind him. She coolly squatted down and suddenly said, “Xiang Liu, what are you doing here?”

The man barely lifted his head. “You quietly walked behind me and I was wondering what you wanted to do. Clearly I thought wrong since you are mistaken.”

Xiao Yao looked into his eyes and the man laughed. “Now I really want to be the person you mistook for me.”

The bug in Xiao Yao’s body had no reaction so she got confused. “You’re really not him?”

“If you drink with me, I can be him for you.”

Xiao Yao sweetly smiled. “Sure!”

The man poured her wine and she gulped it down before pouring him a cup and he gulped it down. A second later, his hand dropped and he wanly smiled. “You poisoned me.”

Xiao Yao picked up his hand and touched his fingertips which were red because he was poisoned.

The man sighed. “If you didn’t poison me, here I was thinking I was about to get lucky.”

Xiao Yao tossed his hand away and poured him another cup. “This is the antidote.”

The man wearily moved his hand indicating he couldn’t reach for it so Xiao Yao fed it to him.

Xiao Yao said, “Apologies, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Every time you mistake someone you poison them? That’s a bad habit.”

Xiao Yao said, “I’m sorry,” before turning to leave but the man grabbed her wrist. “Leaving with one sorry?”

“What do you want then?”

“I am Fang Feng Bei.” The man wrote the characters of his name on Xiao Yao’s palm. “Remember and don’t mistake me again.”

-----

Chapter 16:

Fang Feng Bei smiled. “Maybe I really was once a slave in the death match battles.”

Xiao Yao stared at him for some time and murmured, “Who are you?”

“Who do you want me to be?”

Xiao Yao put one hand on her heart and slowly extended the other hand and placed it on Fang Feng Bei’s heart. His heart was beating at the exact same rhythm as her heart.

Xiao Yao was confused. She once thought he was Xiang Liu, who had nine-heads and eighty-one forms. So perhaps one of his forms was Fang Feng Bei. But Fang Feng Bei was so different from Xiang Liu.

He took her to buy makeup and skin creams, laying lazily on the pallet watching her try things on and make her picks. Once a woman got into it, the time would fly and Xiao Yao forgot how long she stayed in that store trying on the various scents. She smelled so much for so long her nose wasn’t even working by the end, and when she couldn’t decide, she would ask him to sniff and give her an opinion. He patiently sniffed each one and provided his opinion.

When they ate together, Xiao Yao loved eating the filling of a crispy biscuit and he would always peel off the outside of his and put the filling on her plate. When they were eating barbecue, her favorite was the neck area where there was a piece that was juicy with thin skin and he would always grill that piece until it was nicely crisped before handing it to her.

When they walked along a narrow mountain path, he would always have her walk ahead of him because when the person in front passed tree branches or bushes the person in back would often be hit by the swinging branches.

How could Xiang Liu tenderly talk with her, carefully take care of her, patiently spend time with her? Only Fang Feng Bei that playboy would know a woman’s heart so well.

But as time went on, even if she still had that niggling feeling, she had accepted Fang Feng Bei was just Fang Feng Bei. But right now….she felt again that he was Xiang Liu. No reason, impossible to explain, but she just felt that he was.

She said, “Our hearts are beating as one.” She raised her head to look at Fang Feng Bei and waited for him to give her an explanation.

Fang Feng Bei’s hand closed around her hand and he smiled. “Yes, it sure seems like it’s really beating together.”

This bastard! Xiao Yao was exasperated but could do nothing to him. She could only grit her teeth and stare at him as he smiled and stared back at her.

....

Xiao Yao grabbed his hand. “Gege, don’t feel bad. This isn’t a big deal. I’ll go see Jing and it’s not hard and I’m not doing it for you. I actually….I actually have been mad at him.”

Zhuan Xu kept his head lowered and said in mockery. “I sure am a good older brother. You can’t even be mad when you want to be, and I need you to quickly go and lower your head to a man.” He released the reins. “Go!” before striding back into court.

Xiao Yao rode the winged horse down the mountain and saw Fang Feng Bei waiting for her. She waved her hand and he kicked his horse and caught up to her, the two of them riding in unison towards Dun Wu Mountain.

When they arrived, Xiao Yao grabbed the bow and pulled an arrow and let one rip hard as the arrow embedded into the big tree.

Fang Feng Bei laughed. “You’re pissed today!”

Xiao Yao said nothing and grabbed another arrow and slowly turned around and pointed it at Fang Feng Bei’s chest. “Who are you?”

Fang Feng Bei said, “I live in the home of my future brother-in-law, I see my sister every day. Who do you think I can be other than Fang Feng Bei?”

Seeing him now, he didn’t look like Xiang Liu again so Xiao Yao glared. “If later on I find out you lied to me, I’ll shoot this arrow right into your heart.”

Fang Feng Bei laughed. “Who do you really want me to be? The friend you want to poison to death?”

Xiao Yao released her arrow and it whizzed past Fang Feng Bei and landed in the tree behind him. He clapped. “I’m a great teacher!”

Xiao Yao smiled.

Fang Feng Bei said, “I can tell you’re in a bad mood today. Let’s stop for now.”

-----

Chapter 17:

A person suddenly vaulted into her room from the window and then immediately closed it.

...

Xiao Yao counted to ten but the man arrived at her pallet by the count of ten and still hadn’t collapsed from her poison.

Xiao Yao knew this person must have strong powers if her poison was unable to fell him.

The man lifted up the curtains around her pallet and sat down on it. Xiao Yao said “You may have strong powers but you’re injured. I suggest again you not mess with me.”

The man was wearing a mask and silently staring at Xiao Yao,

Her body tensed and her instinct told her this man was someone she knew well. She reached out, and the man didn’t stop her, and she slowly took off his mask. It was Fang Feng Bei.

...

Fang Feng Bei said nothing and Xiao Yao felt he was very strange tonight. 

...

Fang Feng Bei continued to ignore her.

Xiao Yao sighed. “Too bad you’re not a real useless playboy.”

The maid came to knock and Xiao Yao let her knock a few times before answering in a drowsy voice “What is it? What is going on outside?”

“The Prince is leading soldiers doing a search for someone.”

“Cui Liang?” Xiao Yao got up and put a robe around her. 

...

Xiao Yao extinguished the flame and sat on the pallet and released the curtains. She pulled down the blanket and revealed Fang Feng Bei’s head. “Didn’t suffocate to death?”

Fang Feng Bei had his eyes closed and ignored her and she didn’t light another lamp and instead reached under the covers to touch his hand. She felt his pulse to understand his injuries and realized the pills she gave him earlier had no effect.

Xiao Yao released his hand and laid down beside him, staring at the ceiling.

“Who are you?”

“Who do you want me to be?” Fang Feng Bei coldly answered.

Xiao Yao said nothing and after a long time she spit out, “You can be whoever you damn well please!”

Fang Feng Bei half rose up and his head slowly descended, but as his lips were about to touch Xiao Yao’s neck her hand came up. “Stop!” and his lips kissed her palm.

Fang Feng Bei immediately laid down, but Xiao Yao turned herself to the side and handed him her wrist. “Bite here.”

“Why not there?” Fang Feng Bei’s expression was tense.

Xiao Yao started to really miss the easy going, whatever goes, totally game Fang Feng Bei. “Why do you think? Fang Feng Bei!”

Fang Feng Bei was quiet for a moment and then reached for Xiao Yao’s hand and two sharp teeth appeared and pierced through her wrist. 

....

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.