liddi:

Wishing Tan Jianci a very blessed 36th birthday!

Thanks to his unforgettable performance and love for Xiang Liu, he won over and continues to win over a new wave of fans for one of the most iconic characters even written. And it is very much to his credit that in celebration of his birthday this year, rua娃吧 is launching a new Lost You Forever collab MJD adjustable figurine of Xiang Liu, as well as doing a limited-time return of the 20cm Xiang Liu doll in white (with hair impossible to manage). Come to think of it, I don't recall whether the red-robed Xiang Liu was ever available for purchase...

cr. rua娃吧 official Weibo

OMG 😱 😳!!!!! These are all official? I saw the Xiang Liu doll in the red outfit, but thought it was fake. And no, there was never an official red robed XL. I looked to buy a few more XL outfits, but they were all fanmade with rather questionable quality. These figurines look less cartoony then the previous 2 released - although I loved the two previous two. Hmm! Maybe, spending extra money on the new ones are justifiable 😂. I haven't seen the little doll with the red eyes or the large one either. Couldn't they also give us a FFB doll or figurines???

My wallet is not going to thank you, lifdi 😄.

liddi:

Yes! They are releasing a whole new collection of 10cm dolls (including red robed Xiang Liu and the smallest single-piece one, as well as Shen Yi and Tang Qi) for a limited time starting 10:05AM today until 5 Nov. The 40cm doll is available as a lucky draw for purchase of RMB45 per draw. Oh, and you get a birthday hat for every 10cm doll set.

Where do we need to buy from to enter the draw for the 40 cm doll? A giant XL for cuddling purposes is needed 😁

liddi:

My wallet isn't very happy with me either. Still thinking hard whether we really need to add a red-robed Xiang Liu to the collection...

What kind of question is that??? Of course you do. 😆

liddi:

I wish they would re-release Mao Qiu plush. And I guess there's no hope for a crystal globe replica...

Did you get another Mao Qiu plush? I don't think they'll release another MQ. XL was the clear favourite; I don't think they've released any other characters for the corresponding actors' birthdays. Or maybe they just like TJC. The crystal globe probably requires too much extra production, and the price may be too high, making it an economically unsound decision. Perhaps we can wish for a special release for a 5-year anniversary.

A few more incoming thoughts about the moon. This may be galactic. :-)

It seems we may have another lunar eclipse and full moon in LYF. That is, in addition to the lunar eclipse on the eve of the final battle featured in the drama. This second lunar eclipse, added to the other found near the end of the story, would make a pair, similar to the many parallels found in LYF. Occurring much earlier in the story, this one is hiding in plain sight (mostly) and requires combining elements from the novel and drama to see it. Even better, it may help seal the deal on the full moon during the lovers bug event.

In chapter 7 of the novel, Xiao Liu (Xiao Yao) went for a walk by the river after dinner. She takes a seat on a stone, picks a flower, and tosses the petals in the water. Suddenly, Xiang Liu and his white condor swoop down from the sky and snatch her away, flying high and heading over the gourd-shaped lake. Already afraid she’ll be thrown off, Xiao Liu is shocked when Xiang Liu grabs her and jumps off, plummeting down to the lake below.

When they hit the water, Xiao Liu loses her fastened grip on Xiang Liu. In the deep depths of the water, she can’t move and struggles to reach him while Xiang Liu unmoved watches her sinking. Darkness starts to envelop her, when she feels Xiang Liu pulling her close, pressing cold lips to hers, and passing air to her. Holding her, he quickly shoots up like an arrow to the surface and the night air. Xiao Liu slowly recovers laying over Xiang Liu’s shoulder, gasping for air and coughing up water. Then Xiang Liu falls back, lying flat on the water, and Xiao Liu, still unable to move, could only lie on top to stay afloat. They share a heart-to-heart talk under the moonlight and stay out until nearly dawn. Here’s the part that describes the moon that night.

Chapter 7
"Do you have a conscience?"

"I still have some respect for Shen Nong."

"Ridiculous!"

"It's so ridiculous that I feel pathetic. If I didn't have this bit of conscience, I might really go talk to the Xuan Yuan king and help him destroy Gao Xin."

Xiao Liu was silent, looking at the moon above his head, which looked like a pancake with a bite taken out of it. After a long while, he asked, "What kind of person is General Gong Gong? How could he make a demon like you grow a conscience?"

"He is a fool!" Xiang Liu was silent for a moment, then said, "He is a pathetic fool, leading a group of fools and doing pathetic things."

Xiao Liu said, "In fact, you are the most pathetic one! They are willing to do it, and they don't think they are fools. They just think that what they did can be reported to their ancestors and their descendants, and they will die with great enthusiasm and passion! But you are disdainful, but you still do it."

"Who made me have nine heads? It's always more contradictory and complicated." ---

Koala: Xiao Liu was silent and looked up at the crescent moon like a biscuit with a bite taken out of it.

Original text: 小六沉默了，看着头顶的月亮，像是被咬了一口的饼子

With the novel’s moon description in mind, it's a good time to revisit Season 1 episode 11. After Xiao Liu gets carried off by Xiang Liu, the following scene has them high in the clouds flying toward the gourd-shaped lake. If you miss the first moon, a second fleeting moon appears later when a bird drops a message to Xiang Liu’s raised hand. It’s notable that these moons are somewhat obscured and easy to miss.

The lunar eclipse for this night can be found by integrating the moon description in the novel with the full moon shown in the drama – combining the two moons together would indicate a lunar eclipse occurred. Since a lunar eclipse always comes with a full moon moment, it also validates a true full moon happened on this night when Xiang Liu saved Xiao Liu in the lake. The timing of the novel’s moon like “a pancake with a bite taken out” may suggest the full moon moment had already passed by that point and happened earlier, possibly before Xiang Liu and Xiao Liu rose to the lake surface.

SnowcupArc:

Chapter 7
Xiao Liu became excited, "You said you have a nine-headed body. Even if I'm in pain, it's nothing to you. Can you help me put the Gu on you?"

Xiang Liu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the moon, silent. After a while, he said, "I can help you to attract the Gu to me, but you have to promise to do something for me in the future. As long as I ask, you must do it."

 Xiao Liu thought about it for a while and said, "Except for taking Xuan's life."

Koala: Xiang Liu stood there with his hands behind his back, staring at the moon, saying nothing.

Original: 相柳负手而立，眺望着月亮，沉默不语,

At the lake, Xiao Liu silently looked up at the moon, and a month later, Xiang Liu would silently gaze at the moon by the river. This full circle moment seems destined for another full moon.

 A few clarifications regarding Xiang Liu’s “gazing at the moon” (眺望着月亮) in chapter 7: 望月 (wàng yuè) is a classical literary term that also means “gazing at the moon” with connotations of longing and reunion. AND 望月 is an astronomical term for a true full moon since 望 (wàng) is the astronomical instant when the moon is fully illuminated and the sun, earth and moon are in alignment. As the term is both classical/literary and technical, it may be considered more formal, with 满月 (mǎn yuè) as the more casual, less exacting term. All that said, it seems possible that Xiang Liu’s “gazing at the moon” points to both a true full moon (望月) and an exact full moon moment (望) at that time. This 望月 would also apply to the prior month’s full moon with the lunar eclipse (月食) at the lake as well as the full moon before the final battle.

A quick calculation comes in handy for this full moon. A moon cycle runs ~29.5 days, which is roughly a month. After Xiao Liu arrives home at dawn, she saves an injured Cang Xuan a second time, and he leaves Qingshui immediately that day. According to the novel, Xiang Liu finds Xiao Liu by the river a month later (another moon cycle), where they discuss the details of transferring the Gu. To be more exacting, the drama’s daytime setting for the agreement by the river may arguably be better-timed than in the novel, since the lunar eclipse at the lake occurred in the evening. But in either event, the 29.5 days does make it more likely that the full moon moment (望) would happen sooner than later that day. Afterwards, a long journey by air and sea awaits them before their arrival to the waters by Gao Xin. (A caveat, moon phase lengths can fluctuate due to other factors but no need to overcomplicate it here.)

In the novel, “Xiang Liu stood with his arms behind his back, gazing at the moon in silence” for a while before responding. Assuming the full moon, the timing and “gazing at the moon” wordplay in the text seem to suggest a possible 望 at that time. As a side note, we also know that despite appearances, Xiang Liu was already well-informed about the lovers bugs and was “wholeheartedly willing to accept” the transfer.

Taken together, it seems likely the lunar eclipses and obscured full moons are strongly correlated to Xiang Liu. From the novel, we know that his powers increase during the full moon and that Xiang Liu often used those powers to save Xiao Yao on a full moon throughout the story. However, it’s noteworthy that these two lunar eclipses and three full moons happen when Xiang Liu’s emotions are likely the focal point, such that the 望 is needed to play a part.

Kokuto:

In Qingshui, I don't think XL ever felt he had something to be jealous of. Afterwards ... there was at least one time where he was NOT happy,

antiherodiaries:

As for the part where XY chose Jing instead of FFB, I’ve never thought of that scene as jealousy. I saw it as much more nuanced, particularly with XY walking back on her promise, which I think is probably the real source of XL’s scorn.

For some reason, this reminds me of what Left Ear tells Xiao Yao about male beasts (alluding to Cang Xuan and Jing). I think it applies to Xiang Liu. But XL doesn’t have the typical baggage that usually comes with jealousy like envy, intolerance or possessiveness.

Chapter 47
"I understand! It's about competing for better caves, larger territories, and more prey."

 "Well, it's similar to disputes with wild beasts. Tell me, how could His Majesty fight with Jing for these?"

 "Every spring, there is another kind of fight, not just for caves, territories, or prey. As long as the males set their sights on the same female, they will fight. The stronger the male, the more intense the fight."

 Xiao Yao took a moment to react before she understood Zuo'er's words and flew into a rage, "You you..."

 Zuo Er said, "His Majesty and Jing both like you. If neither of them gives up, they can only fight." ---

ATC episode 41 recap:

🧮🦋🤵‍♂️👰‍♀️👰🏻‍♀️🤵🏻‍♂️🕊️👫☀️🪺💆🏻‍♀️🐥🧩🌤️

ATC episode 42 recap:

🧔🏼‍♂️🏞️🤝🌥️🥀🌧️👤👯‍♀️👥💁🏻‍♀️♟️🐾🐩🐈

@SnowcupArc

I personally don’t believe XL was ever jealous of Jing. I think he was mostly frustrated with how indecisive and weak Jing could be when it came to actually taking action and proving himself worthy of Xiao Yao.

Regarding this particular scene, from what I recall, Bei is actually the one who invites Jing to stay while XY is asleep, so I don’t see anything that points to him being jealous before the moment XY changes her mind.

The way I see it, XY had made a decision for herself. She was going to leave Jing waiting, just as he had left her waiting for so long and Bei was laughing along with her. But then she suddenly remembers that CX asked her to do something and she changes her plans.

To me, what irritates Bei isn’t necessarily that she’s going back because of Jing, but that she’s giving up her own decision because CXn asked something of her. She was acting on her own wishes, but the moment CX calls on her, she puts those wishes aside. She’s basically turning herself into the role of a pawn in CX plans.

Thinking about ît, I believe Bei would have reacted the same way even if it had been Fenglong waiting for her instead of Jing.

It's the timing of his reaction and XY’s choice of words. I don’t think Bei would have reacted the same way if she had told him from the beginning that they would have to postpone their plans because she had something to discuss with Jing. But that’s not what she says. She explains that she suddenly remembered something CX had asked her to do, and that she has to go back because of it. That distinction matters to me, so I personally can’t read his reaction as jealousy over Jing, but rather as frustration at seeing XY abandon a decision she had made for herself because CX called on her.

Xie Zhao was worth the wait.

ATC episode 46
Xie Zhao: “I sincerely want to marry you.”
“Enjoying something alone isn’t as good as sharing it with someone.”
“Traveling the world alone isn’t as good as traveling together.”

Lin Xiu Wan: “Now that you know who I am, how can you still dare to come here and propose?

XZ: “Back then, I was young and had no mind of my own. I let my parents’ obsession with family status lead me into a marriage with the Zhao family. Now I understand what I want and what I seek. I won’t make the same mistake again and let family status hold me back from missing a true match.”

LXW: “Back then wasn’t entirely your fault. I was at fault too. I fell for a man of poor character and nearly ran away with him without a matchmaker.”

XZ: “Back then, I wasn’t worthy of you yet. That’s why Heaven made each of us take a longer road and become better people before we truly met. Now, I’m truly worthy of you, too.”
“Would you be willing to join me in traveling far and wide and seeing all the wonders of the land?”

After reading your posts I have decided to give against the current a go too. I have only watched two episodes so far, but it's off to a really good start. I just hope it doesnt go downhill as it progresses.

And that scene with the fake painting hiding the original underneath is so Tong Hua, lol.