Xia Chu, my mom wants to see our photo. *proceeds to took photo* [….] Look, this photo is so ugly. [….] We are so far apart. We don’t look like a couple who are crazily in love. If you send that to your mom, she won’t believe in us [that we are in a “relationship”].
This is the most Wenzhou text post I have seen on this site. Heck, Zhou Zishu even goes so far to disguise himself as a dirty homeless man so people will leave him be but Wen Kexing STILL takes one (ONE) look at him before going “eeeeeeeyy cutie you’re mine now ”
I have GOT to finish watching this show. I dropped it because I heard there was sadness at the end. But…they are just SO pretty and I do love this dynamic. I need to finish the story…
Yunlan takes a wager that he can pass off a shy and unassuming Shen Wei as a confident and worldly Lord. What happens when in the process, he starts to fall for his quiet charms and sweet smiles?
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Shen Wei is only half listening to their guide on the campus tour. He’s already decided that he’s going to Oxford on a full scholarship, so this is merely caving into the whims of his uncle to visit his alma mater before he made his official selection. At least it’s a nice day out, he thinks, turning to look over the Quad. And that’s when he sees him; divinely bewitching, leaning against the railing, face tilted to the sky.
“Who is that?” He asks out loud.
“Oh, him?” Their guide follows his line of sight, shaking his head. “That’s Professor Zhao. He teaches Chinese Mythology. You don’t want him. He’s a bit of a hard-ass.” He grins, picking up his tour spiel where he left off.
Shen Wei looks back over to him, even as the rest of the group moves to follow their guide with the cat bells. Maybe he could do his Undergraduate here…
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“Who are you?” Yunlan asks. The apparition startles, looking up.
“You… Can see me?” He says slowly. He moves, the flow of his robes floating as he takes a soundless step to him. A part of Yunlan’s chest hurt at the sight of him. The bright gleam in his eyes that solidifies with each second that passes between them. “I thought the heirs of Zhao have lost the ability to do that.”
“Heirs?” Yunlan frowns. “My friend, you speak so strangely.” He stays where he is, swallowing back a thought when the apparition comes close enough that he almost imagines the smell of plum blossoms and tea permeate the air. “Who are you?” He asks again.
A sad smile graces his lips, eyes turning sad. “Someone who has lived many lifetimes to see your face.” He lifts his hand. The moment hangs in stasis. Yunlan licks his lips in anticipation of a touch that, when it comes, brings the world alive.
He holds his breath. He reaches up to touch the hand on his skin. Gasping in wonderment as the tears fill his eyes.
“Shen Wei?”
A soft laugh. “Hello, my love.”
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Yunlan is unrepentant. Chin jutted out, lips pursed, eyes defiant. Shen Wei dabs on his knuckles with Dettol. “You shouldn’t have done that.” He says softly, looking down, “You could be in a lot of trouble.”
“Talk shit, get hit.” Yunlan hisses over the sting of the medication. “He had it coming.”
The corner of Shen Wei’s lips twitch. As if unable to decide whether to smile or frown. He’s already half-expecting the Dean to call them both in, but he cannot deny the satisfaction of seeing Yunlan punch that motor mouth who’d been spreading the rumours that they were both seeing each other romantically.
Nor can he deny the warm curl of pleasure at the way Yunlan had held his hand after, and pulled him from the gathering crowd.
“I’m not some damsel in need of rescue.” He says after a lull while he bandages Yunlan’s hand.
“You’re not.” Yunlan tilts his head, “But I’ll still be there anyways.”
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“Good morning, My Lord.” Yunlan bows, holding out his hand for Shen Wei to take. “Shall I prepare your feeding, or would you like to read the dossier on what has happened in the last 20 years?”
“Feed.” Shen Wei says croakily. Yunlan bows again, moving to go, only to be held fast by his arm. He looks to his Master, curious. “You’ve grown, my darling.” Shen Wei smiles, dark eyes glinting happily.
“It has been 20 years.” Yunlan replies softly. Leaning in, he kisses the corner of dry lips, tasting dust and death. “And I’m a werewolf after all.”
Shen Wei tilts his face, tongue peeking out out, seeking, licking into Yunlan once he has been granted permission in the shape of lips parting. Their ardour deepens in fervour until the tip of Shen Wei’s canines cut the inside of Yunlan’s bottom lip. Drawing blood.
He pulls away, taking in the sight of ruby red rimming dark pupils. Smiling, he climbs onto Shen Wei’s lap. “Feed.” He murmurs, licking back into danger.
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(HYPER-)INVISIBILITY : The Asian Non-Model for Affection
I’m always confused when I watch Asian music videos - by which I mean K-pop and J-pop, primarily… and the degree to which the videos feel so sexualized. As someone who grew up watching old Asian (Chinese) dramas like 還珠格格(which recently had its remake), it’s strange to know that some of the new Korean dramas are… well, R-rated. While I think most of us (though that’s probably not as true as I believe) struggle or feel loathe to envision others in the throes of passion, the depiction is fairly common in America cinema, something that has made me uncomfortable because it is so absent in Chinese cinema. For example, in 上错花轿嫁对郎*, a show that came out in 2001 and is focused around the idea of marriage, I don’t remember any scenes that show kissing, period. There are probably a few, but not many in a 20 1-hour episode show. Rather, intimacy and affection is shown in long embraces. “Intimate” scenes feature the couple lying down on a bed together, fully clothed.
What’s more remarkable is that this is a step forward even for the culture. Of my parents’ generation, nobody holds hands in public. No one leans into each other or sits touching each other. Even of the couples I know in America, there is a distinct lack of public affection between Asian couples and American couples. Of my peers, if they display a lot of physical intimacy, often it is coupled with an open embrace of another culture - in short, it is not classically considered a part of the culture we “grew up in” which is usually our parents’ culture. Parents who are more traditional, especially the Chinese parents I know, don’t have a sex talk, generally don’t approve of dating in high school, but might be confused why you’re not in a committed relationship by the time you enter grad school.
Contemporary culture of Korean and Japanese dramas are dramatically different. And I’m not quite sure why. It is possible that the government is trying to control the population of China by not encouraging more romantic media to be created. The general disparity between the classes may also because of the distinction between Asian cultures and their portrayal of love and romance on the big screen (particularly given the middle-class nature of such entertainment). But even so relative to American movies, the classic tropes are very different. American women are often either bold/brash and then “subdued” or humanized by love (see “The Proposal”, “Groundhog Day”, “Juno”, etc.) or sensitive/caring ones who win over the “playboy”/“bad boy" (see "A Walk to Remember”, “Beastly”/“Beauty & the Beast”). In Chinese drama, which, of the ones I’ve watched, are often historical, there is the “cultured, demure, perfect girl” who earns love through her faithfulness, and the “uncultured, ‘masculine’, poor girl” who is softened by love. The class element is often a part of the character trope and also often plays a part in the male characterization as well.
All this to say, the normalized presentation of love is pretty… chaste? Traditional? At least by American standards. But it goes beyond couples. Growing up, families didn’t hug (unless it was after crying) or kiss or even say “I love you.” Parents don’t ask about your day, they ask about your homework, about your success. But that is “love” is caring about how successful you are, which I thought was the strangest thing, and didn’t really consider love at all. There was a shift when I finally told my parents “I love you” - and I often still do it in English because it feels weird to do it in Chinese. It just feels… awkward and embarrassing. My younger sister and I are super affectionate, but we do it in English as well. It’s just really weird, because it seems illogical.
I’m also listening to “I Knew I Loved You (Before I Met You)” right now and I would say that I don’t think the disparity exists as much in terms of love songs… but I’m not sure if that’s just because I haven’t listened to as many Chinese love songs, or if it’s because it’s not as prevalent in the media.
*for those of you who are curious what a more “traditional” Chinese drama looks like, you can actual watch some English subtitled videos like the ones above. (it starts with episode 6, unfortunately, but it gives you a sense of what a lot of the ones I’ve watched are like)
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