#shenxing

[redemption-revenge]

shenxing as love as healing, as love as a warm embrace, as love as a simple courtyard, someone to pick you up and carry you home, bandage your wounds, love as a dream where we are together. love as the flower, not the sword. love as peace and not war. love as safety and not danger.

[nutcasewithaknife]

The slow journey of ep 14 to 17, Shen Li and Xing Zhi going from blatant denial to not only acknowledging their love for each other, but also coming to understand why the other is trying so hard to ignore it in the first place. There's something so sweet and sad about how reaching this understanding about each other only seems to make them fall deeper in love.

[redemption-revenge]

(ep 20) the littlest cheerful and childish ancient god becoming the last one left alive, spending eternity maintaining a graveyard and worshipped by three realms... i am so glad that shen li can understand a bit of his grief. the way he keeps a space for himself in the graveyard, the way he is awaiting his own death! the way he knows that if he falls in love, her realm is doomed! bc he can no longer protect it! did he want to go see his fallen friends going through mortal trials? the way the whole world would be doomed, the stars would fall if he dies, and yet he would die for her. the way he turned around and said "i can't fall in love with you" so sadly, but he can't control it either. the way he says "come visit me when i die". the way he wants her to remember and grieve for him, to love him, because no one dares to love him truly. memory is not enough!!! he wants her presence!!!

[redemption-revenge]

(ep 26) "you've saved my life" bc he cannot live without her. "i'll always be by your side to protect you" even if the world unravels. the tears in his eyes as he holds her! the way he is going to protect her and take care of her, even if she doesn't know who he is! the way she threatens him even as she's almost dead! how small she is in his arms! and here we are back at the start - a god picking up a chicken and saving her life. and for the THIRD TIME he builds her a courtyard. a love story unmatched by any other

[redemption-revenge]

okay i am taking a deep breath. let's do this without crying. xing zhi is one of those characters that go right to the soul, and i don't know if i can express exactly how watching his arc made me feel. but he goes from a lonely quiet calm man all alone in every world, losing everything over and over, to a man who has a wife who he loves and who loves him in return, and a child on the way. and he is so happy. he is glowing. he has people, who will not leave him. he's not alone. they were so charming and lovely in the epilogue and it healed me

[redemption-revenge]

(ep 32) xing zhi is this appealing romantic lovely man who won't back down on openly loving shen li despite the whole world being against it -- and she won't even take responsibility for ruining his innocence. the gender role-reversal!!! he is debauched and ruined and society is outraged on his behalf!! shen li pay him back hahahahahaaha

[redemption-revenge]

(ep 20) xing zhi rebuilding his mortal courtyard in the heavenly realm, including his tree and his koi fish, only for his phoenix to come along and complete it... a little vision and reminder of their own soft solitary days far away from the world... xing zhi returning to his own mock wide-eyed expressions and fake manipulations... shen li commanding xing zhi to serve her and xing zhi stepping close with intentful playful eyes and asking "how do you want me to serve you?"...

[redemption-revenge]

xing zhi seeing shen li after spending 30 mortal years alone: hmmm.... i must stroke her hair... and carry her home... and hold her hand.... no reason tho i am just acting on a whim :)

shen li seeing xing yun after 1 month that felt like a few moments: XING YUN I WANT TO EAT YOUR FOOD, throws self into his arms