I'm gleaning a lot of information from this one; looks like Mo Guan Shan's either changed jobs or acquired a second one since the Christmas update (bro looked like a bus boy taking out the garbage in chapter 224). I'd put my money on He Tian having a hand in this hook up (it wouldn't be the first time he's recommended him for something with good pay, and it seems like a job Mo would enjoy).
I'm wondering if this takes place before or after the Christmas proposal, though, since He Tian's hair looks so different, but that could be either a stylistic change or HT just dressing up for a nice dinner. Either way, I'm not seeing any rings, but maybe they don't always wear it? Or it could be under their clothes? (It would make sense for Mo not to wear it on the job, but would HT ever go without it?)
Something to consider is that we know HT was away for a while before the Christmas events, and perhaps him being away was what soured the relationship pre-proposal. 🤔 But then if this took place before that, why would Mo not continue with this job? (So it makes more sense that this took place after Christmas, but they just aren't wearing the rings.)
It's fun to see the consistency of both character's habits here; He Tian blowing smoke in Mo's face yet again (as he did in chapter 224; so rude), and also being quickly swayed the moment Mo offers him a gift. The value doesn't even matter; we know He Tian's love language is gift giving among others, and he softened right up with this chapter. XD
Mo also has the same ride, but a different helmet this time around. Doesn't seem like the type of person who has much, but also is really into the things he's into, so. It's not a stretch to say he has multiple helmets or replaced one with the other.
My first post on the subject describes Mo Guan Shan's interest and desire to play music, specifically the guitar. What I was really getting at here is the symbolism behind it; the guitar as a representation of his interest and desire in He Tian.
Chapter 226: Mo's longing here runs parallel to his longing to He Tian; someone who he sees as unattainable as the guitar, and so he dismisses him as an impossibility.
But He Tian doesn't see it that way. He goes and buys Mo a custom guitar after hearing Mo admit that he couldn't afford it on his own; couldn't move forward in that regards. In a similar vein, doesn't He Tian also make himself available to Mo despite Mo seeing their relationship as an impossibility?
Chapter 346: Even after receiving the gift, Mo hesitates to accept it, claiming that He Tian doesn't understand him. In a way, this proves to be true to some degree (see below), but He Tian also pushes for Mo to change; to move forward from such a bleak mindset. Although they don't understand each other quite yet, He Tian says they'll have the opportunity to get to know each other better later on.
Chapters 363-364: There's a parallel here, in the way Mo turns his head away at the sight of He Tian (just like he turned away from the guitar by the window in chapter 226). He Tians asks him if it isn't about money, which is kinda insensitive af, but also, looking at their previous conversation in chapter 299 (see part 1), Mo had stated then that joining music club (aka. pursuing his interest) would be a waste of time and money.
With guitar/music being representative of He Tian, am I reaching in thinking that Mo sees pursuing a relationship with He Tian as something that would go nowhere at this point? Mo admits to his shortcomings and sense of inferiority in this chapter (how ill-suited he thinks he is to be with He Tian), not that He Tian would let him use it as a reason to leave him.
Mo tells him, "You don't understand," which echoes his inner turmoil in chapter 346 and the theme of the two of them not understanding each other continues.
Chapter 397: He Tian previously told Mo, "If you don't even have the courage to change, then you don't deserve to dream." We've fast-forward a bit here, but after Mo's initial confrontation with She Li, we see that after Mo accepted He Tian (accepting his "dream"), he's been making that effort to change.
He put more effort into his studies with He Tian's help (his support) and it paid off in improved grades, but I picked this scene to highlight because this is the moment where his courage is made manifest.
The teacher who previously scolded He Tian pretty much disparaged Mo by highlighting his insecurities (of being unworthy of He Tian), and yet instead of continuing to turn away, to run away from He Tian, Mo decides to move forward towards change. He aims to become someone who could proudly stand next to He Tian; to pursue his dream.
(I got a little sidetracked from the guitar metaphor this was supposed to be, but hopefully y'all get where I'm coming from.)
As a returnee to the comic & fandom, and already late into the chapters, I'm aware that someone else has likely posted similar content on the internet. If so, feel free link me as you like, but I'll be putting down my own observations and two cents here, thanks.
Good grief, where do I start with this? Maybe their longing gazes, how Mo is looking at He Tian as the latter is staring down at his lips? (And even in the subsequent panels, note how He Tian keeps returning his gaze to Mo's mouth.)
Judging by the position of their hands, it looks like He Tian is the one who initiates the contact, but I could be wrong. Either way, it's clear that Mo's nervous (he's been sweating non-stop, and his free hand's shaking), but even his nervousness and uncertainty doesn't stop him from closing the distance. He Tian's gaze has shifted from his mouth to his eyes (much more intimate and intense), and Mo ends up losing his nerves and aborting the mouth-to-mouth kiss.
Mo chooses to close his eyes to escape (the pressure, the intensity, the intimacy), but from his furrowed brow, even this isn't easy. He Tian, on the other hand, closes the distance with his embrace, accepting whatever modicum of affection Mo's willing to give him. He's following Mo's lead. Mo's pace.
Mo quickly breaks away in the panel following the kiss; the way he pulls back and keeps an arm between them shows a desire for distance; he's embarrassed and trying to change the subject (good grief, can you get more tsundere than "my mom prolly doesn't hate you" --he can't even bring himself to express his own feelings towards He Tian directly; has to bring his mom in the conversation, pfft.)
He Tian, on the other hand, won't be so easily distracted or dissuaded. He's got his arms around Mo and won't let him pull back too much; his eyes have returned to Mo's mouth, even as he prompts him to continue. (He's trying to get Mo to confess, aha.)
Even in this next panel, as Mo turns aside, He Tian is maintaining contact with him, only letting go when Mo presents him with the piercing kit, but the kit itself isn't important; his eyes remain on Mo's face, he's seeing everything Mo isn't saying.
The detail of the piercing kit, I like, because Mo's piercings symbolize ownership. Mo isn't a pet or a dog, but he's been compared one several times (both by She Li and He Tian). She Li and He Tian have both used Mo's piercings as a mark of ownership (She Li having pierced Mo's ear, and He Tian buying him earrings). Unlike with She Li, Mo is willing to accept He Tian.
Though He Tian was being possessive af in chapters 282-284 when the backstory about the piercings was revealed, Mo was the one who decided that he wanted to wear the earrings that He Tian gave him.
In chapters 372-373, Mo even took it a step further and requested a new piercing from He Tian, but after the initial shocked reaction, He Tian beckons him over and says this:
Mo's confessing to him. Not directly, and not with straightforward words, 'cause let's face it, that brand of vulnerability doesn't come easy to Mo. He's nervous, and stuttering, and avoiding eye contact, but He Tian's not about to let it go. Mo needs to look, to actually see and understand for himself how He Tian feels as well.
The way He Tian puts himself under Mo is pretty interesting (reminds me of when he did this in chapter 296, when he declared in front of Mo's underlings that He Tian would be his lackey). Is it a way to reassure Mo while simultaneously soothing his ego? Or is it a way for He Tian to communicate that the ball's in Mo's court; that he's the one who'll set the pacing in their relationship?
He' Tian's pretty clever, using just the right words to reassure Mo. He's turning Mo's gaze to him, and while Mo is looking at his face here, He Tian is instead looking right at his lips, communicating exactly what he wants. He's stroking Mo's bottom lip with his thumb, while slowly closing the distance Mo previously created.
That look in Mo's eyes, it's a reflection of mutual desire, and maybe it's because Mo can see it now, that what He Tian wants is what they both want, that Mo tells him when prompted (with a gesture, rather than words). Even now, he's looking carefully at He Tian for his reaction, not because he thinks the latter will reject him, but because he wants to make sure he sees it clearly.
As for He Tian, he's the one who's slowly been closing the gap all this time (their faces getting closer and closer), but Mo's the one who has the final say. He Tian complies to his unspoken wish.
It's the perfect kiss.
Credits: comic by Old Xian 。translations by alexc1ting 。
