Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 solarlunareclipse:

Tong Hua probably didn't intentionally leave this as an Easter Egg for English-speaking readers, but who cares, I'm all for being creative and making our own Easter Eggs! We can file this under the same category of Easter Eggs as XL's wish for XY to have peace and happiness without worries sort of sounding like the English "I love you" when spoken out loud.

"安乐无忧"
"ān lèwú yōu"

Ah, good to know I wasn't the only who noticed how similar they sound! When I first saw Tan Jianci say that to Yang Zi on the LYF Hello Saturday episode, I was so sure he had said "I love you," until I saw the translation say something completely different. Let me be delulu- I'm gonna believe that this was intentional haha

Trading Small for Big (用小换大)

Let’s explore the incident from Chapter 4 where Xiang Liu causes Wen Xiao Liu to fall out of a tree. After he incident, Xiao Liu comments that he "traded small for big." What exactly does he mean by this? First, let’s look at what led up to this encounter. A few months before, while Xiang Liu was healing from his injuries, Xiao Liu drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s face and recorded it in his gorilla beast mirror. This was an act of deliberate provocation, so Xiao Liu ran away to give Xiang Liu some time to cool off before having to face up to his crime. However, when Xiang Liu didn’t show up to enact his revenge, Xiao Liu began to miss him.

During days when there were no patients, Xiao Liu would cover his eyes with a lotus leaf and bask in the sun, likely daydreaming of Xiang Liu. At night, Xiao Liu would stay in his room and replay the scene in his mirror of Xiang Liu glaring at him. So when Mao Qiu showed up one night, Xiao Liu took the opportunity to tell Mao Qiu he wanted to see Xiang Liu to discuss something important. This important matter was releasing San Tian Er from the prostitute house for Chuan Zi’s marriage. However, Xiao Liu already knew Xiang Liu likely wasn't involved in obstructing Tian Er's freedom because that isn’t how Xiang Liu operates.

So why did Wen Xiao Liu want to meet Xiang Liu? Xiang Liu had months to cool off from the nine heads incident, so Xiao Liu probably wasn't too afraid that Xiang Liu had some indescribably horrible retaliation planned for him. Besides, we know from their last encounter that Xiao Liu wasn’t even scared of Xiang Liu because he knew that Xiang Liu wouldn’t do him any serious harm. Xiao Liu simply wanted to see Xiang Liu because he was lonely and missed him. Now, let’s examine the encounter.

He’s here!
[Notice Xiao Liu’s excitement. SHREEEEEIK! It’s One Direction/BTS/<insert latest boy band here>!!!!]

Xiao Liu raised his head and a white condor carrying Xiang Liu dove down from the center of the moon. White hair, white robe, flying down from the sky like falling snow, he softly landed beside Xiao Liu.
[*swoon*]

Xiao Liu said “Three choices. Whip me 40 times. Kick me off from here. Or listen to me say something important. Important!”
[Lol. Xiang Liu already whipped him 40 times and goes on to perform both the other two choices.]

Xiang Liu asked “Did you bathe?”
[Xiang Liu isn’t angry at all; he's flirting with Xiao Liu! After Xiao Liu played his prank, Xiang Liu told Xiao Liu he wanted to devour him. Xiao Liu then rubbed his dirty fingers all over Xiang Liu’s mouth and told him to go ahead if he didn’t mind Xiao Liu being so dirty. We later learn from Xuan's description how sensual sucking blood from the neck can be, so Xiang Liu asking, "Did you bathe?" is akin to asking, "Do you want to make out?"]

Xiao Liu was still cheeky “Bathed super clean, just waiting for my lord to arrive.”
["Sure! Let’s make out!" Xiao Liu is flirting right back. He knows that Xiang Liu has excellent eyesight and can see perfectly well whether his neck is clean. Xiang Liu's purpose in asking, "Did you bathe?" was to ask for permission to be intimate. Xiao Liu gives Xiang Liu his consent.]

Xiang Liu’s hand grabbed Xiao Liu’s shoulder and he lowered his head. Xiao Liu docilely tipped back his neck and when Xiang Liu’s sharp fang pierced his skin and started drinking his blood, Xiao Liu didn’t close his eyes and instead looked at the moon.
[Young love. *sigh*]

Xiang Liu wasn’t holding back and Xiao Liu gradually felt lightheaded. “Are you planning to suck me dry all at once? Even if you have nine heads, I didn’t hear that you had nine stomachs! Can’t you save some for next time?”
["You're getting a little too turned on. Let's stop before we do something we might regret."]

Xiang Liu’s lips were still on Xiao Liu’s neck and was right next to the artery that led straight to the heart “When do you think I should bite down right here? Tonight?”
["Why stop? You seem to be liking this. Want to go further?" This is how demons flirt—by threatening eminent death.]

Xiao Liu immediately countered “Not tonight since it’s too pretty out. Killing me is such a mood ruining thing to do, wait for the day when I really want to kill you.”
["I'm not ready to go further. Wait until I'm ready." Xiao Liu expertly diffuses the situation.]

“You don’t want to kill me?”
["Do you like me?"]

Xiao Liu smiled “No! You clearly know I don’t want to kill you, and I won’t kill you.”
["You clearly know that I like you."]

“I don’t know. All I know is that you ought to hate me.”
["I want to hear you tell me that you like me."]

“You don’t know and you dared to come see me while still nursing your injury? You really see me as a harmless bunny rabbit? Or are your nine brains fighting with each other and now you’re stupid because none of them work?”
["Your ego's big enough. You don't need me to stroke it."]

Xiang Liu leaned in to clearly continue his meal so Xiao Liu quickly added “Because I’m lonely!” Xiang Liu’s lips pressed against his neck and didn’t move.
[There! Xiao Liu finally reveals the real reason why he wanted to see Xiang Liu tonight. He’s lonely and misses Xiang Liu. Awww...]

“No matter if you believe me or not, but I really don’t hate you at all and don’t want to kill you. Because I’m very lonely. I developed a strange tic when I was hiding in the deep mountains and went many years without encountering another person. I caught a monkey and started talking to it all day long. The monkey tried to escape and when it couldn’t it actually hit its head against the cave wall and committed suicide. Later on, I encountered a snake that wanted to eat me and almost bit off my leg. But it could understand what I was saying and reacted to whatever I said. I knew it was dangerous but I couldn’t help myself and would constantly go prance around in front of it. It was so furious it almost went insane. Having it around, it wasn’t so lonely in the mountains anymore.” Xiao Liu laughed “After some time, he discovered I was super sneaky and wanted to leave but I wouldn’t let it and kept bothering it so it kept trying to kill me.”
[Xiao Liu tells Xiang Liu that he pranced around in front of the snake, deliberately and repeatedly provoking it to alleviate his loneliness. Ironically, this is exactly what Xiao Liu is doing with Xiang Liu at that very moment.]

Xiao Liu looked up at the moon and there was an indescribable sadness in his eyes “They say the Heavens favors the tribes of the Gods, but I think it favors the humans. They are just like the Gods in every way except their lives are so short in comparison. Look at the moon, it’s been there like that for the last thousand years. No matter how beautiful a sight one will still get tired of it.
[Xiao Liu likes snatching candy from babies and raining on parades.]

…

Xiang Liu was silent for a moment and his hand was massaging Xiao Liu’s neck “Am I the snake to help alleviate your loneliness?”
[Bingo! Xiang Liu hit the nail on the head. The irony of the Xiao Liu's story isn't lost on him.]

Xiao Liu smiled “Who knows? Perhaps I’m the snake who is amusing you.”
[Playing dumb and groveling is Xiao Liu's forte.]

Xiang Liu released him “The important thing!”

“Does the brothel on Dong Gui street belong to you guys?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Chuan Zi wants a prostitute from there.”

“You want to ask me to help you secure her freedom?”

“Does that brothel belong to you guys?”

“Name the prostitute.”
[This line was missing from Koala’s translation, but it’s present in the original Chinese text. It’s an important line because it reveals two things: (1) Xiang Liu isn’t the one obstructing Chuan Zi’s marriage, and (2) the brothel is owned by the Shen Nong Remnant Army, which is classified information that Xiao Liu shouldn’t be aware of.]

“I guess not. It doesn’t seem like the way you operate anyways.” Xiao Liu smiled and a light glinted in his eye “No need to help me, I’ll go ask another person for help.”
[Xiao Liu’s response gives the impression that he didn’t catch onto Xiang Liu revealing classified information. He also quickly deflects Xiang Liu’s attention by saying he doesn’t want Xiang Liu’s help, knowing that this will enrage Xiang Liu. It's worth noting that Xiao Liu acknowledges he already knew obstructing Chuan Zi’s marriage wasn’t Xiang Liu’s way of operating, indicating that his main motive for arranging the meeting was to enjoy some quality time with Xiang Liu.]

The white condor Furball flew back and was circling overhead. Xiang Liu lightly leaped up and landed on the condor’s back “This was your important business?”
[Uh oh, Xiang Liu is about to fly into a jealous rage—be careful what you wish for.]

“Er…..Chuan Zi’s marriage is important………..Ah——”
[Bold-faced lie! Something really important wouldn't be, "Er......important..."]

Xiao Liu’s branch suddenly snapped in half and he fell, slamming through various other branches and causing Xiao Liu to start spitting up blood. Wham, Xiao Liu finally landed on the ground as a swirl of dirt blew up around him.
[Xiang Liu enacts his revenge because (1) he's jealous, (2) he doesn't have time for Xiao Liu's BS, and (3) he might as well pay back Xiao Liu for the nine heads drawing. As for Xiao Liu, all I can say is, "Ouch…"]

Furball was so happy and circling low overhead to mock Xiao Liu. Xiang Liu stood on his back with a smile “You are the snake egg that anyone can eat.” Furball rose higher and Xiang Liu left.
[Xiang Liu nurses his pride by retorting, “You’re not that special.”]

Xiao Liu waited a few moments before slowly sitting up. His head was spinning and he couldn’t see straight and his legs hurt so much he couldn’t walk. The startled chipmunk peered out at him and Xiao Liu smiled “What’cha looking at? Looking at me being made a fool? I didn’t get to be a fool for nothing, I traded something small for something big, The next time I see that big demon he won’t be looking to wring my neck…..”
[Xiang Liu’s jealous rage caused him to overlook the fact that he revealed classified military information to Xiao Liu. Well played, Wen Xiao Liu, well played. However, this isn’t what Xiao Liu meant by “trading small for big.”]

…

[Xiao Liu asks Xuan for help and Xuan releases San Tian Er from the prostitute house.]

…

Shi Qi looked at the two people “Xuan, why?”

Xiao Liu answered “Last time I snuck into his place to eat chicken and he started being wary of me. He used Tian Er to find out who was behind me. If I asked Xiang Liu to help then that’ll create an even bigger problem down the road. Even though he doesn’t think I’m completely trustworthy, but time will show him that I really am not involved in anything. Let’s not catch a cold with them so head back.”
[This is what Xiao Liu meant by “trading small for big”: he took the hit of getting injured so Xiang Liu wouldn't get in trouble. It is also revealed here that Xiao Liu regards Xiang Liu as the person “who was behind me.” In other words, he trusts Xiang Liu and knows Xiang Liu would help him if asked. Otherwise, Xiao Liu would have said, “He used Tian Er to find out who was behind me. Ha! The joke's on him because I have no one to rely on!”]

@solarlunareclipse

I agree with your analysis, that's the vibe I get from it too. Very good explaination of what XY meant by trading small for big.

As a side note, notice how XY was missing XL despite having 17, the person she said she is willing to marry, by her side. 

 liddi:

Exactly. Can someone please tell her all the money she is losing out on because she hasn't churned out those stories - heck, even another epilogue would be great. Better still, give us that LYF prequel with Xiang Liu!

I don't know, liddi. It might be a case of be careful what you wish for. What if she put out another epilogue and it ruined everything 0_0? A part of me wondered if the reason she hadn't continued with this universe was because whatever she put out might undo her carefully constructed LY's romance in LYF. I have zero interest in reading about YaoJing's descendants. NO THANK YOU :-). If it doesn't have XL, then I'm not interested :-).

A prequel would work, but would the knowledge of TL's ultimate ending make it hard for his fans to read it? *sigh* such dilemma!

 liddi:

Wow. How long did you take to cover 200 pages! Would be interesting to see what was said back then - even those of us who are still here probably had different mindsets back then!

I haven't read through the entire 200 pages. I went in at page 150 and you guys were discussing the leak script and the displeasure was very apparent :-). That certainly hasn't changed. Overall, I think people's views stay fairly consistent - just a little tweak here and there in the details, but the overall thrust is pretty much the same.

 solarlunareclipse:

However, I think there is a possibility that he didn't wipe her memories of the healing. XL entered Yao Pond to save XY on Jade Mountain. The night before her Royal Mother succession ceremony, XY sat by the banks of Yao Pond, staring in a daze at the reflection of the moon in the water. Did she know that XL saved her in Yao Pond?

 solarlunareclipse:

That would explain why XY asked, "Did the Royal Mother save me?" when she woke up. This type of close-ended question makes it easier for someone to go along with the story without having to make up a complicated lie. If she didn't know how she was saved, I imagine a more open-ended question like, "Who saved me?" would have been more appropriate.

@solarlunareclipse @H19279

I have a different interpretation.

The text describes Xiao Yao the morning after Xiang Liu saved her in Jade Mountain:

小夭醒来时，看到窗外阳光明媚，桃花盛开。她不知道这是哪里，却肯定地知道，自己还活着。
小夭用手捂住了眼睛，早知连死都会这么艰难，当年无论如何，都不该把蛊种给相柳！
半晌后，小夭披衣坐起，扬声问道：“有人吗？这是哪里？”
绯红的花影中，一道白影飘忽而来，一瞬间，小夭几乎忘记了呼吸，待看到一双碧绿的眼眸，她缓缓吐出了一口气，问道：“烈阳，我怎么会在玉山？”
“你生病了，玱玹送你来请王母救治。”
玱玹说她生病了？那就是生病吧……小夭问：“玱玹呢？”
“走了。”
小夭放下心来，问道：“王母救了我？”
烈阳不说话，化作白色的琅鸟，飞出了庭院。
獙君走了进来，含笑道：“你的身体本就没有事，气息虽绝，心脉未断，王母看出你可以在水中换息，把你沉入瑶池中，借了你一些玉山灵气，你就醒来了。”
小夭苦笑，必死的毒药竟然毒不死她，她和相柳的这笔交易，让她都好像有了九条命。只是，这么活着，又有何意义？

When Xiao Yao woke up, she saw the sun shining brightly outside the window and the peach blossoms blooming. She did not know where this was, but she knew with certainty that she was still alive.

Xiao Yao covered her eyes with her hands. If she had known that even dying would be so difficult, back then she should never have planted the poisonous bug in Xiang Liu, no matter what!

After some time, Xiao Yao sat up, put on her robes and called out, "Is anyone there? Where is this place?"

From the shadows of the crimson flowers, a figure in white fleeted over. For a moment, Xiao Yao almost forgot to breathe until she saw a pair of emerald eyes. She slowly exhaled, then asked, "Lie Yang, why am I on Jade Mountain?"

"You were ill so Cang Xuan brought you here to ask the Royal Mother to save and treat you."

Cang Xuan said she was ill? Then she would  stick with the story... Xiao Yao asked, "Where is Cang Xuan?"

"He had left."

Xiao Yao was relieved and asked, "Royal Mother saved me?"

Lie Yang did not answer, but transformed into a white lang bird and flew out of the courtyard.

Sir Bi walked in and said with a smile, "There was nothing wrong with your body to begin with. Although you stopped breathing, your heart meridian remained intact. The Royal Mother saw that you could breathe underwater, so she sank you into Jade Lake and imbued you with some Jade Mountain spiritual energy, thus waking you up."

Xiao Yao smiled bitterly. The fatal poison could not kill her. The deal between her and Xiang Liu meant that it was as if she too had nine lives. Except, what was the point of living like this?

-- Vol 3 Ch16  (Chapter 49)

We know that the healing was the same as the 37 years under the ocean, which means the essential blood that entered her body had to have left her in burning agony before she awoken. 

We also know that after the Plum Forest assassination, her condition was far more dire compared to her suicide now, yet she remembered every detail of the 37 years under the ocean, when she showed no sign of remembering anything from the second healing and awakening.

It is already a known fact that Xiang Liu can erase Xiao Yao's memories. We do not know how far back he can do so, but certainly, memories from a night ago was not an issue for him.

So why did Xiang Liu leave her memories intact after the 37 years, but not the second time round?

Initially, Xiang Liu did not realise that she was aware of everything that went on during those 37 years. He was only clued in to the fact during their underwater excursion after Cang Xuan's wedding, when she immediately recognised the mating song of the merpeople, and later sensed her jumbled thoughts and quickening heartbeat as she wondered whether Xiang Liu viewed the white seashell where they spent 37 years sleeping together, as their love nest, similar to the merpeople (Vol 2 Ch9 / Chapter 26).

Nonetheless, this time, armed with this knowledge added to the fact that he absolutely did not want her to know he was involved in saving her, he would have made sure to erase the memories of his presence and how he healed her with his essential blood. Hence the sealing of her consciousness after the healing, which would have also included tampering with her memories.

As such:

Xiao Yao had no idea where she was when she woke up. She only knew she was alive, and immediately realised that she was kept alive due to the Lovers bug connection. Her immediate assumption was that Xiang Liu had saved her once more like he did those 37 years, until she realised that she had mistaken Lie Yang for Xiang Liu.

Once she saw Lie Yang, she then drew the conclusion that she was on Jade Mountain, and the only one able to save her here could only be the Royal Mother, hence her question to confirm "Royal Mother saved me?" which Lie Yang refused to answer. Note that she never knew that Xiang Liu used to visit Jade Mountain regularly at Hong Jiang's behest - that was something known only to the Royal Mother and Sir Bi - so that would preclude the possibility that Xiang Liu actually came and saved her on Jade Mountain. 

Sir Bi told Xiao Yao the truth about her condition after her suicide, only omitting the part about the blood spell covered seashell - there was no breath left, but her heart meridian remained intact, which kept her alive. This was in line with what Xiao Yao already knew, that Xiang Liu must have kept her alive even though she stopped breathing. However, it did not signify that Xiang Liu was the one who finally saved and woke her up. Coupled with the fact that everything and everyone pointed to the fact that she was saved on Jade Mountain. If so, she could only accept that it was the Royal Mother who saved her (and broke the lovers bug connection) after all.

Do note that despite my belief that Xiang Liu did erase Xiao Yao's memories, and she was genuinely not aware who really saved her that night, this does not negate anything that followed after about her wait, and whom she was waiting for. 

Holding her breath when she saw a figure in white approaching until she realised she was mistaken; looking into the distance while absently plucking the peach blossom petals as if impatiently waiting for someone to arrive; staring blankly at the reflection of the moon in Jade Lake the night before the Royal Mother succession ceremony - all these still point to Xiao Yao waiting for Xiang Liu, the same way she waited for him those 7 days by the sea so many years ago. She was hoping against hope that he would come even though they had parted on such harsh words the last time they met, and just like those 7 days, she waited and hoped in vain, and he never came. 

 liddi:

It is already a known fact that Xiang Liu can erase Xiao Yao's memories. We do not know how far back he can do so, but certainly, memories from a night ago was not an issue for him.

I don't know if XL used trick to erase her memory of their conversation about whom she was willing to marry and whom she wanted to spend life. However, in that even there were several factors that could make the person to forget or no memorize of what had happened.

1. XY drank a lot of very strong alchohol which just one sip could knock out a person. Thus she got a least half drunken

2. Xiang Liu had used witchcraft to try and see into Xiao Yao’s heart (his eye shone brighter, his voice got tender and tender). It is similar to hypnosis. Does his trick require XY to look at his eyes to make it work? In the drama, it depiched Ah Nian to look at his eyes when he induced the trick on her.

3.  Actually, it was not mentioned  in the text that she did not remember what had happened the night before. It just said she found last night was strange. 

And it is normal if someone could not remember clearly what happened when she/he was drunken, under witchcraft. And 

" Xiang Liu's palm was attached to Xiao Yao's forehead and whispered, "You will forget what happened just now, just sleep!"

might be just show his try to comfort her

Therefore, in my opinion, it was not high posibility that he erased her memory. During the 37 years, she did not know where she was taken to either (until her body was recovered to cetain extend)

And Sir Bi just speculated that he cast sleeping spell on XY hence she did not wake up by that time. That 5 minute was left blank by TH and it opens to various speculation, theory.

Last, we all agree that XY was impatiently, anxiously waiting for XL when she looked at the water of Jade Mountain and looked at the reflection of the moon in the water as similar to the last time she had been waiting for him for 7 days. However, the previous time she had a reason for the wait. She had sent him the ice crystal globe and the message. This time, she  had already cut off their relationship. What gave her hope that he would come ? Moreover, when XY figured out that XL erased the memory in her mirror, she thought that he destroyed all the memory at some point (that she did not know). And until chapter 34 (one year after the wedding robbery), that memory was still intact. She always kept the mirror in her bossom. How could she conclude that he did it if she was not aware there was moment he was around when she was unconcious. 

 H19279:

1. XY drank a lot of very strong alchohol which just one sip could knock out a person. Thus she got a least half drunken

And who could forget this iconic scene?

Xiao Yao suddenly bolted upright “We got married?”

Jing rubbed Xiao Yao’s forehead and pretended to be perplexed “I never heard that getting drunk led to memory loss.”

Xiao Yao stuttered “Last night…..last night I…..you……we…..”

Jing laughed “Last night you were passed out drunk so I let you sleep. Don’t worry, our days together are long and I’m not in a rush. What? Are you in a rush?”

-- Vol 3 Ch 18 (Chapter 51)

 H19279:

3.  Actually, it was not mentioned  in the text that she did not remember what had happened the night before. It just said she found last night was strange. 

Lol, I love a good conspiracy theory. You're technically right. The text didn't technically say she couldn't remember what happened. Maybe she thought about Xiang Liu asking her the four questions for a while and couldn't figure out what was strange about it. Lol.

Chinese: 小夭醒来时，头痛欲裂。她觉得昨夜的事有点古怪，但想了半晌，想不出所以然，便放弃了。

Koala: When Xiao Yao woke up, her head felt like splitting and she sensed something strange happened last night but no matter how much she tried to remember she couldn’t figure it out so she gave up.

More precise translation: When Xiao Yao woke up, she had a splitting headache. She felt that something was strange about last night's events, but after thinking for a while, she couldn't figure out why, so she gave up.

-- Vol 2 Ch 15 (Chapter 32)