Xiang Liu and You (Yes, You)

 MayaDavid:

I am still debating whether Jing truly lacked the means to solve his family situation or if he refrained from decisive action due to his dynamic with XY. I am strongly inclined to believe the latter.

You brought up some good points to support your hypothesis. I definitely think that it has merit and would really like to explore it further. Unfortunately, as I don't remember the novel and its scenes in detail I can't really comment or add anything else to take this further. I'm trying to think of any other examples that would point to deliberate helplessness on Jing's part. I do think that for someone who is touted as so competent, it was odd that Jing couldn't solve his family issue. Would it be OK if I posed this question on the other thread?

Please don't take this to mean that you can't continue to post as you like on either thread. You are very welcome to continue to post here. It's just that I know the ladies that populate the other thread doesn't tend to visit this one, and they are the one who is in a better position to add to this conversation. Some cross-posting might be the most effective :-)

 MayaDavid:

I agree with this. I agree he is physically weak and also unable to live without XY. In fact I think it is this same reason why he puts up an act in front of XY even when he might have the capability to solve his own problems. I think he is so broken inside to the point that XY is the sole reason for his existence. This is a big, alarming flag, but tbh, I sympathize with all the characters in the novel and don’t feel comfortable in using the word sinister for Jing. I think he is a very broken person. His relationship with XY is an extremely unhealthy one that is debilitating not just for XY but for himself as well.

I just posted something on the other thread about this very thing. You might want to check it out. 

I want to say that a person can be unwell/broken and also engage in manipulative/harmful behaviour. The two are not mutually exclusive. There are people like this in the real world, and their brokenness should not be used as an excuse. We should acknowledge their pain and show empathy, but we also need to be aware of their manipulations and protect ourselves accordingly.

@MayaDavid

You brought up a really interesting pov on Jing supposed weakness. For me TSJ only saving grace is his touted kindness where he doesn‘t want to go against his family and hurt them. But this kind of insidious manipulative character trait, where he actually could but knowingly prolonging his engagement to keep his weak image who needs XY and inflicting XY so much pain as the side piece at the same time is just ? and not something a  genuine kind people would have or do I believe. I hope TH didn‘t go there . It‘s going to make vanilla TSJ more interesting as a character obviously but then XY supposedly not HE with TSJ is now even more dark than I thought. Imagine spending your long life with someone who manipulate you insidiously compared to someone who as broken as you are so his brand of devotion is kind like off but nothing sinister. Well if we want to compare with the story of fox demon who tortured XY before, he also used tricks to lure XY to think he is a safe friend. The ladies on the academic thread will have a party dissecting this.

 MayaDavid:

I am still debating whether Jing truly lacked the means to solve his family situation or if he refrained from decisive action due to his dynamic with XY. I am strongly inclined to believe the latter.

Very thought provoking!

 MayaDavid:

I think he is a very broken person. His relationship with XY is an extremely unhealthy one that is debilitating not just for XY but for himself as well.

If your analysis is true, then he is indeed more broken and much more disturbing of a character than I thought. Whether its due to the torture by Hou (he had a privileged and seemingly good upbringing so cant see where else the  brokenness could have come from, externally) or if he was somehow born as such... oh gosh he gives me the creeps. Definitely need to revisit this again. 

I am not sure if TH intended for all these debates to happen, but if she did, she is truly a genius. 

 Kokuto:

If you have a Weibo account here's detailed instructions on how to vote for Tan Jian Ci,  the various Weibo Awards he's up for.  Apparently, you can vote 5? times per day.  Plus there's a way to get more votes.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/807434947498079/permalink/857302642511309/

Yes I’m voting as if my life depended on it haha

 nathsketch:

So either he is pathetic just as we've been all assuming from the beginning, or it's all just a sinister manipulation as  luv2bafangurl said, and none of those options are actually the best ingredient for a happy ending.

Yeah! Except that I'll put forth Jing is still pathetic + weak + a manipulator if the latter is true. Less weak sure, as he's pretending, but he still cannot protect himself. I am quite sure he didn't plan to die in Hou's attack on purpose and needing XL to save him.

 nathsketch:

It's such a sick parallel, to have her end with the same kind of creature that tortured and depowered her for years while she was a child.

So so true. And now this parallel is even more accentuated by this new theory. So unfortunate and cruel for XY :(

 nathsketch:

So I'm inclined to think that, just as with everything else that TH put in her novel, what we see is not really the truth. Including the ending. Maybe the one who really found some sort of peace after all was Xiang Liu. Imagine ending up with Jing. That's the true tragedy.

Right?!! I hope XL went in peace knowing he did all he could for XY, and went on to something better. Its a shame that such a pure hearted, powerful, handsome (ok there I go ahead) being had to leave the world but maybe there's something better ahead for him? WXL was great and all but XY and the dude she kept clinging onto for emotional support weren't. On to something better, dear XL!!

 pomelotree:

Gulpz. Sorry, I cannot help it.

Golly...

I can't see the photos on my computer but I opened it on the iPad and jaysus

WET™

 HeadInTheClouds:

Also nathsketch, are you still monitoring the Weibo poll thing? I saw that besides the actor poll, they also have one for characters. Xiang Liu is number 5 at the moment. Jing is right behind him.

Yes I am :(

Xiang Liu was in third place, now he's fourth :/

Xiao Zhan's characters are dominating everything, ugh.

Guys, I have a question. Obviously you don't need to answer if you're not comfortable with it, it's just me being curious.

But are all of you of Asian descent? Or some sort of Asian background?

Because apart from Ericka and Niki, I think I'm the only fish out of water here and on the other threads as well :O