I was taking screenshots for a friend (for 'reasons') and now I am like...damn...
Their first on-screen time together in episode 19
And then when Yuanqing arrives at the manor in episode 20! Like look at this!
Yuanqing breaks into a run right as he goes "big brother!"
Qi Min hugs him back!
They do their elbow/arm hold thing and THEN:
This whole...trailing your fingers up someone's arms thing
And down while still talking to them
Here he finally notices Shisan (?) and Changning and gives an order for them to be taken away (with a completely normal tone of voice by the way, which is a rarity especially at this point in the story) and then:
Takes Yuanqing by the arm again to lead him in
and then continues manipulating :D
here's a moment where you can see the mask off hehe
but when he has Yuanqing listening to him then he's perfectly businesslike, first the cute welcome and all and then to business...
They're honestly fantastic when on screen together, this whole relationship...
Their dynamic is sooo interesting to me. Cuz by no means were either of them good people. But when they were together, you could tell that Sui Yuanqing truly admired and cared for Qi Min, his Da Ge. And even if on Qi Min's side his affection was an act, I refuse to believe that there wasn't at least a small part of him that cared for Yuanqing too. Just look at the way he's crying too while he's plunging in the knife!! He's trying to battle away his emotions and convince himself that this is for his revenge. But that mask of composure has long since cracked.
(Plus they definitely had some emotional pseudo-incest going on cuz of the way Qi Min was manipulating Yuanqing.)
Their story is a tragedy. It could've ended differently. (It was always going to end like this.)
sui yuanqing thinks he’s a lil jealous of qi min (he doesn’t have a woman and kid of his own yet) but actually he’s soooo jealous of qianqian (his brother can’t get him pregnant)