I remember you used to say that if her love for XL unchanged then it still fulfilled the requirement of the bug. However, you believe it's still possible to love other one.H19279:
Yes, I believe it is possible for XY to have romantic love for XL in her heart and for that love to remain in her heart, as required by the bug, while also having romantic love for another person (TSJ) in her heart at the same time.
Earlier in this thread, I think we once touched on the question of what constitutes romantic love. How is it different from platonic love? Where is the dividing line? How is it different from lesser forms of romantic affection (e.g., "liking" that does not rise to the level of "loving")? Sometimes the difference is very unclear.
I think some of us believed something similar, the only difference that whole heart is devoted for that one love. And action generated from rational mind may not trigger the back-fire of the bug.
Action generated from rational mind? As in, your interpretation is that one cannot have romantic love for more than one person, and XY's feelings for TSJ are something less than romantic love, so when XY kisses TSJ or wants to marry him, those are things she does with a "rational mind" that would not be viewed as threatening the romantic love she exclusively felt for XL?
Actually the more I read, the more I found the feeling XY for Jing was not love from heart.
While I view her feelings for XL and her feelings for TSJ as quite different, I still view both of them as constituting romantic love to varying degrees at different points in the story.
I know that's not a very common interpretation in the fandom. ^^"
The sorrow and depression that she suffered from chapter 25 till chapter 31 was from whom?
XL helped XY alleviate the pain she felt because of TSJ in chapter 25 and chapter 26.
In chapter 27, XY had a nightmare that ended with her waking up in tears. It began with TSJ holding his baby, and ended with approachable FFB turning into unapproachable XL.
When XY spoke to Feng Long about their engagement in chapter 28, she told him that she wanted a home and only he was willing to give one to her. The one with the feelings had no ability (TSJ), and the one with the ability had (in her view) no feelings (XL).
In chapter 29, when the Yellow Emperor tells XY to be more impetuous and to do what she wants, she tells him that she doesn't dare do so because of him and CX. Her bloodline ties her down. She asks him: if she told him that she was going to find XL to play with him, would he agree? And the Yellow Emperor tells her that he would not agree. Later, she meets TSJ in the street on a bad day and runs away fighting back tears, telling herself that losing a man wasn't anything. She could still live well. Then she meets FFB in the gambling den, and he takes her out to dinner. When they part at the end of the night... it feels like a shift. XY had been seeing less and less of him, and this parting felt very intense.
I recall pointing out a long, long time ago in this thread that XY's deep depression really began after she parted with XL.
windiaaa041293:
Wasn't the Voodoo king's explanation very clear.
You claim that you gave your heart to Jing, but you planted lover Gu with someone else. Then why are you still alive?
Look how panicked the Voodoo king is.without any additions from the drama series, I think the scene with the voodo king is very clear.
The Voodoo King was initially shocked and later perplexed. It didn't seem like he was ever panicked.
XY doesn't claim that she gave her heart to TSJ in front of the Voodoo King. Koala's translation specifies that "it was clear that the young man sitting beside Xiao Yao was clearly her beloved". Unless that translation is very off, it was simply apparent to the Voodoo King that TSJ was XY's beloved.
So the Voodoo King was shocked that the man in whom XY had planted the Lovers' Bug was not the man beside her (TSJ), who was clearly her beloved.
Not Lovers produce the Heartbreak Bug, and the recipient must willingly accept the bug. If the other man was not XY's lover, how did she successfully plant the bug in him in the first place? And how did their bugs not turn into Heartbreak Bugs?
The Voodoo King might have asked XY about her feelings for this other man, if TSJ hadn't been beside her. Even if he could have asked, he likely wouldn't have gotten the real answer.
If he could have sat XL down and somehow compelled him to tell the truth, then perhaps he could've gotten the real explanation. Although XY and XL were not lovers in the sense that they were not in a relationship and had not even openly declared their feelings for each other, they were still two people who had love in their hearts for each other. And in that sense XL was XY's lover, which is why he willingly accepted the bug and why their bugs did not turn into Heartbreak Bugs.
-----
Chapter 37:
The Voodoo King continued, “Se Mai Er mentioned that you wanted to know how to break the Lover’s Bug voodoo spell?”
Xiao Yao quickly glanced at Jing and acted nonchalant. “When I placed the voodoo bug I didn’t know it had such a weird name.”
Jing smiled. “It’s just a name, why are you in a rush to explain?”
Xiao Yao quickly said, “Yes, yes! It’s just a name.”
The Voodoo King coughed once and solemnly explained, “Lover’s Bug, like its name indicates, is a pair of male-female voodoo bugs. The couple who has the bug successfully planted will have their life and emotions connected. If one hurts then the other will hurt. If one is injured then the other will also be injured.”
Xiao Yao said, “This I know already. What else?”
“To outsiders voodoo is considered mysterious and bad, but really it's a craft and magic that the Jiu Li tribe has passed down through generations to protect and heal us. Jiu Li has lots of deadly insects, deadly plants, deadly gasses, to live here our ancestors had to learn to understand it and control it. Voodoo is seen as a harmful power but we actually mostly use it here to save lives. The Lover’s Bug keeps two people’s lives connected, which means when one is injured as long as the other is healthy then the injured person will survive. This is a very good thing. Even if the Lover’s Bug is notoriously hard to grow, it ought to still be relatively prevalent since many people will try to grow it. So why it is so rare to see?”
Xiao Yao asked, “Why?”
“All living things that have a benefit must also carry a harm. The greater the benefit then the greater the potential for harm. The Lover’s Bug is exactly that. It can lead two people to be connected in life and emotions but it is just like a pair of lovers in love with each other. It is tempermental and hard to control. If the Lover’s Bug turns on each other then both people will die. Which is why the Lover’s Bug also has another name, the Heartbreak Bug.”
Jing stared in dismay at Xiao Yao who quickly said, “It can’t be as scary as he makes it out to be. It’s been over seventy years and I’m still just fine.”
The Voodoo King’s expression changed as he stared at Jing, “You’re not the man the other bug is planted in?”
“No.”
The Voodoo King stared in shock at Xiao Yao. “Can I feel the bug in you?”
Xiao Yao nodded.
The Voodoo King didn’t move so he was likely using a bug inside of himself to sense. He furrowed his brows and murmured, “It really is a Lover’s Bug! But how is this possible? ‘Lovers who raise the bug produce the Lover’s Bug, Not Lovers who raise the bug produce the Heartbreak Bug.’ The Lover’s Bug is different then other voodoo bugs and absolutely requires the couple to willingly accept the bug for it to be successfully planted. If the man you successfully planted the other bug in is not your lover, then how did you plant it in him?”
Xiao Yao said “You might not know as much as your ancestors, the bug could be more multi-facted and evolving in ways beyond your understanding.”
The Voodoo King was still perplexed. But it was clear that the young man sitting beside Xiao Yao was clearly her beloved so the rest of what he wanted to say wasn’t suitable for discussing at this time. He smoothed things over. “Miss you are likely right, the bug inside of you is different than other bugs. Likely Miss and the other man have very unique bodily compositions.”
Xiao Yao inwardly sighed in relief “He is very unique!” Since the bug was planted, only Xiang Liu could sense her but she could never sense him.
Jing anxiously asked, “How to break the spell?”
The Voodoo King’s face scrunched up. “The Lover’s Bug – either live in love or die in heartbreak. Once the Lover’s Bug has been planted there is no way to break the spell. It is impossible. This is what I was trying to say earlier for why so few people raise it despite the great benefit. Only very determined girls would raise the bug but even if they successfully raise it, it’s near impossible to find a man willing to accept the other bug to be planted in him.”
Jing was stunned and after a moment of silence he slowly asked “What happens if one person who has the Lover’s Bug dies? What happens to the other person?”
The Voodoo King sighed “Our Jiu Li folk ballad sings ‘The twisted roots of the parasol tree entwine on land, the doves do not fly alone in the sky, the pair of mandarin ducks in the water always die together.'”
Jing stared at Xiao Yao and tightly grabbed her hand.
Xiao Yao smiled at him and made a joke face. “Don’t worry! We don’t need to believe everything the Voodoo King says. Don’t forget, he said that only in a pair of lovers in love could the bug be successfully planted. I don’t have any relationship with Xiang Liu, but we still successfully planted the bug. The Voodoo King also said the spell couldn’t be broken once the bug was planted but don’t forget that I planted the bug first in Zhuan Xu before Xiang Liu helped me break the spell and move the bug to himself.”
blabla100:
@H19279
"I remember you used to say that if her love for XL unchanged then it still fulfilled the requirement of the bug. However, you believe it's still possible to love other one."
With or without bugs, IMO it is impossible to love 2 people at the same time, there is no way. You can be torn between 2 people or 2 choices for different reasons, but no one loves 2 people at once, this thing doesn't exist, it is impossible. You can like 2 people, get attached to, even getting some butterflies în your stomach, but love is much more than that.
Yes, of course it exists. Just as in LYF's society, many cultures throughout history and even now, practice polygamy. Granted, marriage doesn't require love, either in single or multiple spouses.
While I view her feelings for XL and her feelings for TSJ as quite different, I still view both of them as constituting romantic love to varying degrees at different points in the story.AH :
I know that's not a very common interpretation in the fandom. ^^"
yes, everyone has different difinition of love. In this novel the bug has it own difinition. The fact that the bugs found their nest in lovers' heart, the fact that both of them was ok for over 100 years implied that despite his pushing away, she still love him wholeheartedly and despite her itimate actions with Jing, the bug did not regard it as betrayal since it did come from her heart.
I recall pointing out a long, long time ago in this thread that XY's deep depression really began after she parted with XL
and if you recall her emotion dialogue with CX about her mood and behavior condition in chapter 29, all and all she just mentioned Jing there.
As someone written, XL was her poison and Jing was the antidote; XL caused her pain, she would come to Jing since he was the pain-relieave. Desire, emotion that XL brought to her but she could not do anything, she applied it on Jing. Most of her emotional line, acitivities with Jing was followed by an event with XL.
In the novel, there are million hint and hidden gems scattered everywhere. What we read, what we see sometimes just an illusion. For example in the very private meeting with Jing at night in Xuan Yuan, her room had nothing suitable for his hobby (only poinson),the talked about their relationship, she tried to help him with his issue of spy; she gave him 4 hankerchieves to paints. She wanted him to paint lotus and butterfly which are all related to XL, other two, she didn't care. Then he drew the beach of dragon bone prison and peach blossom refecting the promise and herself (2 most important for him). She plays with his hair, talking about using hibiscus leaves to clean his hair. Again this one connected to FFB. XY is similar to CX, kept her real love deep inside her heart secretly. When she had to vent the sorrow out during talk with someone else, she took the name Jing to cover her serect lover. XY had mouthful of lies as XL said.
Moreover, Kaola translation sometimes ignored some lines and missed the hints because sometimes those words or line are very out of sync. For example the song that she sang after coma for 10 days due to injury by XL. Kaola didn't translate and include it. Reading full poems, you will see that she missed her lover and chose Jing to relieave her sorrow, her pain due to longing her man (Chapter 6). She might start loving XL in the event of observing the full moon on the sea. With YSQ she kept kind of elvaluating, testing if he was committed. And her feeling for him started from the stance between patient and savior. She felt responsible for him, could not get rid of him because she had saved him. And blush on the face when seeing his naked body is quite normal for girls. Thus I don't regard her feeling for YSQ as romantic feeling or like or love. YSQ met her requirement for accompany and she took it into account.
So odd. These parts here:
Zhuan Xu listened and then said, “You’re not sick, you just loved him for real.”
“But you didn’t love him then. I’m the one who not only gave him the chance, I even created opportunities for him so that he could get closer to you step by step.”
The Voodoo King was still perplexed. But it was clear that the young man sitting beside Xiao Yao was clearly her beloved
Is it always like this in the novel? Third parties referring to it as love, except for Xiao Yao?
Because...
“What happened between Jing and I, you merely created the opportunity, but I don’t regret liking him
“Every night I thought about the fault and knew that I was wrong. My own pessimistic personality and attitude, my own distrust of others, it caused me to lose the man I like.
Like and love are vastly different things. We have already discussed this here when we were talking about 爱 e 喜欢. Interesting choice of words for her to be using.
Does she ever say "the man I love" or something? I used to believe that she loves them both, but the more I read this thread... The girl seems to be in so much denial.
Xiao Yao smiled at him and made a joke face. “Don’t worry! We don’t need to believe everything the Voodoo King says. Don’t forget, he said that only in a pair of lovers in love could the bug be successfully planted. I don’t have any relationship with Xiang Liu, but we still successfully planted the bug.
And yet it was successfully planted as she said herself. But sure Xiao Yao, keep lying to yourself and to others, girl. Also, does she think Jing is that stupid? Is he? Rhetorical question :)
We finally reach the death scene, which incorporates his internal monologue from the epilogue, with minor changes to make up for the chart of the ocean not being adapted in the drama.liddi:
I have read the narration of this scene in the novel countless times in the past, but revisiting it after the leaked scenes of the Shen Nong army brings fresh tears to my eyes. What the leaked script did well was to give a voice to Hong Jiang and the previously faceless Shen Nong soldiers, providing glimpses into their lives, leading up to the last day, so much so that now their deaths hurt that much more.
And Xiang Liu's death will never not hurt.
Waaaaaugh!
So odd. These parts here:nathsketch:
AH :
Zhuan Xu listened and then said, “You’re not sick, you just loved him for real.”
AH :
“But you didn’t love him then. I’m the one who not only gave him the chance, I even created opportunities for him so that he could get closer to you step by step.”
this is what we just mentioned above, her depression started from XL and XY used Jing as excuse when talking with CX.
In chapter 29, when the Yellow Emperor tells XY to be more impetuous and to do what she wants, she tells him that she doesn't dare do so because of him and CX. Her bloodline ties her down. She asks him: if she told him that she was going to find XL to play with him, would he agree? And the Yellow Emperor tells her that he would not agree. Later, she meets TSJ in the street on a bad day and runs away fighting back tears, telling herself that losing a man wasn't anything. She could still live well. Then she meets FFB in the gambling den, and he takes her out to dinner. When they part at the end of the night... it feels like a shift. XY had been seeing less and less of him, and this parting felt very intense.
I recall pointing out a long, long time ago in this thread that XY's deep depression really began after she parted with XL.
Actually this paint was deepened again in chapter 31 when her grandfather asked her about FFB, she depression got to the next level (even stop making poison, do nothing) after recovery in Gaoxin for 13 month. She mentioned this pained again in chapter 41 when talking with other doctors how study medicine helped her through the deep depression (again Kaola did not include it)
Xiang Liu's face was peaceful, his eyes downcast with lips curved in a faint smile, gazing at something between his fingers. A spotless, crystal-clear pearl was held between his fingers, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Although I like this scene - he cherished the pearl made from her tear, I dislike the next scene the pearl converted to string of tear drop on his face. It is like he collected her tear (in other event) to cry for his death
Xiang Liu's body slowly collapsed, and the pearl between his fingers transformed into a string of tears, falling down drop by drop on Xiang Liu's face.
My heart stil aches whenever I read this part
That VO is a killer. I am glad they did the flash back to when they originally met.
Is XY reaction to his death just waking up to a nightmare? How underwhelming. No chucking fit or mirror or internal monologue of how little she means to him? They are really afraid of her looking like she has deep attachment to him.
@liddi thanks for translating. I like the death scene. I think it's done well.
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