I do not dislike Shisui, love her. But people, especially anime onlys, who have carved out a lot of unnecessary fuss out of their friendship, I wonder how would they react to MaoMao's later interactions with Lishu, that balcony scene Or that injury scene with Chue (if anime ever gets to that point). Or even her reaction to Yao's poisoning in front of Shrine Maiden (they were not even friends at that point)...
Last couple of interactions have been used to downgrade Jinshi's relationship with her (lol, y'all ain't ready for LN5 scene and onwards). For me though, MaoMao mirrored a very human reaction to Shisui's act. Mao² realised Shisui is walking essentially to her death, one of her closest people. Mao² who slapped across a lady's face for endangering a consort's life in a time when she had little to no regard for these high-status people, how did you expect her to react when she realised a friend of her is walking towards her end? This is where Loumen's upbringing makes a difference. Despite everything, and repressed emotions, Mao² is kind-hearted especially towards human suffering. And does whatever she can according to her station. She let her much hated father have a chance with his dying love. She saved Jinshi without even knowing it was him. Now Shisui is a close person walking towards her demise, she would have reacted more or less in the same way had it been Xiaolan. The way Mao² reacts to Jinshi's scars, and keeps on admonishing him from time to time, is another reflection of her with her close people. Yet people are hell-bent on making Shisui something she is not— a competition to Jinshi. She never was.
I do not care because I have read till LN-14, a lot has gone down since this arc, something lot serious and mind-altering for both of them.
However, I find it amusing when people say Jinshi and MaoMao did not have chemistry like Shisui and Mao² in last few episodes. Yeah, no shit Sherlock, it is because it is the END of a precious relationship while more serious phase of MaoMao and Jinshi's kind of BEGINS at this stage. How could the intensity of what has ended be compared to what has begun? Tho honestly I was more sad about the fact that Mao² never wanted this, and genuinely wanted her relationship with Shisui and Xiaolan to remain as it is.
Lol, what you think would be the situation, if it is Jinshi seperating from MaoMao. It will be at least 10 times worse, in terms of intensity and dramatics. The intense turning point for MaoMao and Chue in Bandits arc makes Shisui and MaoMao exchange look like a milder version. The point is how else would you expect a separation look like if not all sentimental and intense compared to two people who have just realised their relationship has entered into a new phase. In other words, no way were Shisui and Jinshi interacting with MaoMao in same capacity or at same level. It is after this arc actually that Mao² view of Jinshi goes a fundamental transformation. So, how are these two relationships comparable?
Please develop a reading comprehension, it was either no Jinshi or just Jinshi in the novels.... Don't turn something as incredibly sentimental as a loss of friend into an unnecessary ‘jumping the gun’ competition...
