Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao’s Story and Romance

 Kokuto:

LOL!  What the ... I am speechless.

Before I had this image of XL reading bodice rippers trying to figure out the Love Thang.  Now, I've got the image of him listening intently to Fabio.  So, so, so very wrong.  lol

I can see this being the subject of Xiang Liu's Little Theater in season 2.

Not to mention the same bodice rippers most likely had Fabio on the cover too to serve as examples. So either way, it would be an audio and visual fest from the Love Guru himself.

Xiang Liu's Little Theatre in S2? Now this I gotta see!

I introduced "After Dark" to my girl, telling her this was the Caucasian answer to her favourite nine-headed demon, and she could not even last 2 mins. Oh dear. All that age-old wisdom lost on young ears.

 solarlunareclipse:

I think green might also be associated with Xiang Liu, but I'm not sure of this. Trees and forest might also be associated with Xiang Liu because his military camp is in the forest.

Actually, it wasn't an evergreen forest but an osmanthus forest. Osmanthus is intrinsically tied to Jing, and the place where the gathering took place was at Osmanthus Court. However, certainly, the moon is often referenced during her times with Xiang Liu, and of course, 柳 willow is his name.

The skies were clear with few clouds, the moon bright and the stars dim. Within the osmanthus forest, the flowers were lush and its fragrance permeated everywhere. In the moonlight amidst the fragrant flowers, Xiao Yao sang and danced, her body as pliant as the willow, her eyes like spring water. The moon lingered as she sang, the shadows scattering with her dance. The last verse was a sigh about staying together forever, never to part. As she sang, her voice was like gossamer floating in the air, repeating the sigh thrice through her song, emotional and lingering in the bones.

-- Vol 2 Ch3  (Chapter 20)

 nathsketch:

Okayyy so plor20 wanted some bookmarks and I'm making them for her hehehehe

Also some snowflakes for no reason. I love snowflakes. Anyway, if anyone else wants bookmarks, drop me a message. I have two other designs. I'll post them tomorrow :P

P.S.: Yes,  HeadInTheClouds, finally your bae Bei (๑乛◡乛๑).

That looks awesome!

I feel like the aesthetic is giving "King Xiang Liu of Arendelle"! ^^

Image Source

 nathsketch:

Okayyy so plor20 wanted some bookmarks and I'm making them for her hehehehe

Also some snowflakes for no reason. I love snowflakes. Anyway, if anyone else wants bookmarks, drop me a message. I have two other designs. I'll post them tomorrow :P

P.S.: Yes,  HeadInTheClouds, finally your bae Bei (๑乛◡乛๑).

Face pressed against my computer screen.

SO PRETTY!

 HeadInTheClouds:

Now where is my bae, Bei? I've been waiting and waiting for him :-)

You've been waiting for 37 years >:)

 nathsketch:

Also some snowflakes for no reason. I love snowflakes. Anyway, if anyone else wants bookmarks, drop me a message. I have two other designs. I'll post them tomorrow :P

So lovely! Looking forward to seeing the other two designs. Is the incorrigible playboy of Xuan Yuan city featured in one of them? Either way, can't wait!

@kokuto

"If it was just about getting A Nian's help, then why would he admit he wanted to kill her beloved CX?" 

To gain her trust, maybe, since A Nian knew XL tried to kill CX before. I mean denying this fact would have made him look even more suspicious,IMO. What other reason do you believe he had?  If what you are saying is that beside getting A Nian to help him, he was also truthful, than I am not disagreeing. 

"Okay, so you are saying that XL is lying to A Nian, and that he really intended to kill XY from the start" 

No, I am not saying that. To clarify, I don't believe  XL went to look for  XY with the intention of killing her, I believe that at that point he was open and willing to hear an explaination from her, the turning point for him was her refusal to air kiss him underwater. As I said before, I believe he misinterpreted her reaction as a confirmation of his doubts.  So when they were back on the surface I believe he was prepared to either kill her, either kill the bugs, but he had a change of heart because he realised XY was telling him the truth. 

"Much like the question of XL's lethal intention in this chapter, I find this contradictory and confusing."

Than I guess it's up to you to find a better explaination for this part " Xiang Liu’s sharp finger retracted in that moment and Xiao Yao never knew how close she was to death.", beause that's the best I could do, honestly. 

There's plenty of ways he could have learned more about the Lovers Bugs.  

Yes, but that doesn't prove he learned more about the bugs down the road, he could have done his homework from the get go. The drama clearly showed he was interested in how to have them removed from the start. Either way, I believe that he was determined to find a way sooner or later. I definetely believe he accepted the bug with the intention and confidence that he will be able to come up with a solution eventually. 

 blabla100:

If what you are saying is that beside getting A Nian to help him, he was also truthful, than I am not disagreeing.

Yes.  I said that what he told A Nian was the truth, i.e. that he would not kill XY.

 blabla100:

I believe that at that point he was open and willing to hear an explaination from her, the turning point for him was her refusal to air kiss him underwater. As I said before, I believe he misinterpreted her reaction as a confirmation of his doubts. So when they were back on the surface I believe he was prepared to either kill her, either kill the bugs, but he had a change of heart because he realised XY was telling him the truth.

That makes no sense.  If he was willing to hear an explanation UNTIL he she refused the air kiss, then decided to kill her, why didn't he just kill her then?  All he had to do was let her drown.  Instead, he kept her alive, by bringing her to the surface, just so he could listen to her explanation.  And there is zero mention of the Lovers Bugs, much less his intent to kill them.

 blabla100:

"Much like the question of XL's lethal intention in this chapter, I find this contradictory and confusing."

Than I guess it's up to you to find a better explaination for this part " Xiang Liu’s sharp finger retracted in that moment and Xiao Yao never knew how close she was to death.", beause that's the best I could do, honestly.

My better explanation is right there.  As I've said repeatedly, that whole chapter is confusing about XL's intentions and feelings and actions -- because, IMO, XL is confused.  For every statement about him killing XY, there's statements saying he has no intention to kill her.

It sounds like you are trying to connect his alleged intention to kill XY to him always knowing how to kill the Lovers Bug.  But if that's the case, then why didn't he do it then?  She was his enemy's family, and according to you, he intended to kill her, and he didn't accept the Bug for love, and she told him he wasn't suitable as a life partner (which you also agree with) -- and she was now a powerful princess with powerful relatives to protect her.  This was a perfect time to rid himself of this connection.  From the drama, we know that he actually wanted to take back his heart, and not be connected to XY.

 blabla100:

Yes, but that doesn't prove he learned more about the bugs down the road, he could have done his homework from the get go. The drama clearly showed he was interested in how to have them removed from the start. Either way, I believe that he was determined to find a way sooner or later. I definetely believe he accepted the bug with the intention and confidence that he will be able to come up with a solution eventually.

You didn't ask for proof, you asked how do I think he COULD have found out.  While there is actually proof in the novel and drama that he did NOT know all about the Lovers Bugs from the get go.

Of course XL was interested in learning as much as possible about the Lovers Bugs before hand, unlike XY, because he's a strategist.  And remember, he was trying to find out if the Lovers Bug could be removed because THAT is the first thing that XY asked him about.  She wanted to remove the Lovers Bug from CX.