WOH, Episode 9. Summary 5. After WKX leaves the room, ZZS looks at the bottle of wine and is undoubtedly wondering whether to accept WKX's offer. He doesn't want to admit that WKX expects more from him. However, he recognizes that he deserves something from life and after a while, he appears on the roof of the winery. Without saying a word, he sits down next to WKX and begins drinking the wine. Looking at the moon, he begins to realize that it was worth taking WKX's offer and enjoying the time spent together. When WKX asks ZZS if he wants to ask him why he's happy, ZZS simply replies that if he wants, WKX will tell him why he's happy, and if he doesn't want to say it, why should ZZS ask? Then he puts a finger to his lips and signals for WKX to be quiet and not say anything. He nods his head, signaling for WKX to focus on the moon. And the moon tonight is truly beautiful, allowing ZZS to relax. He doesn't want to think about WKX's intentions when he invited him to that meeting on the roof of the winery. ZZS certainly knew what the invitation meant, but he wasn't yet ready to acknowledge WKX as a soulmate. ZZS also didn't know that WKX was using this meeting to see how his plan was progressing. Suddenly, ZZS's attention is drawn to strange sounds coming from the street, as if a fight were taking place in a dark alleyway. ZZS glances behind him and doesn't notice the strange smile on WKX's face. Finally, he's so intrigued by the sound that he stands up and looks down. He notices some unexpected movement on the city streets and sees two men fighting in the street. He doesn't hesitate to comment that it's such a beautiful night, and these people have arranged their own fight to the death. ZZS is clearly disgusted by what he sees. He wanted to spend some quality time with WKX, and now their pleasant reunion has been interrupted by two men who, for some reason unknown to ZZS, have started a fight. Finally, ZZS decides this is a great way to spoil the mood. WKX declares that this isn't the only fight on the streets of Yueyang that night. When WKX graphically talks about Glazed Armor spreading throughout the city, ZZS begins to have a bad feeling. Finally, he directly asks WKX what he's trying to say. WKX replies that a good show can't be told; it has to be seen, and suggests that ZZS follow him. ZZS is becoming slightly terrified by WKX's behavior and words, but he knows that to discover what WKX is planning, he must follow him. Therefore, he jumps into the air and hovers over the city rooftops, following WKX's flight. ZZS's bad feeling persists. Eventually, they both end up in an abandoned yard where the bodies of two men lie on the ground. ZZS recognizes them as the men who fought in the street. ZZS looks around, and WKX laughs and comments on this in his own twisted way. ZZS ignores WKX and leans over one of the men. He recognizes him and, looking at the other man, realizes who he is. He's so focused on observing the area that he ignores WKX's mocking words. ZZS lifts the hand of one of the men and discovers he's holding a piece of Glazed Armor. He takes it and immediately knows it's the same piece as the one WKX had. Hearing WKX's laughter, he stands up and shows it to him. He asks if this piece isn't the one WKX stole, FBZ. He's surprised by WKX's arrogant response. Finally, ZZS realizes that this is connected to Glazed Armor and that the recent events in the city could be the reason for WKX's derisive behavior. ZZS feels cheated and betrayed, and what is worse, WKX used it to implement its own agenda.

WOH, Episode 9. Summary 4. ZZS explains to WKX that he outgrew his dreams to become a hero. He says this with a slight smile, as if he's already distanced himself from his former life and is looking at it from a distance. He states that he's now wandering the world and doesn't know how to answer WKX. He then decides to test WKX and asks him if he'd like to become a hero or a wanderer. WKX responds in his mysterious way again, saying that he wants to watch the show, not be a part of it. He then explains that if he were to become a wanderer, all he'd need is ZZS's presence. ZZS smiles at these words and briefly looks after the departing WKX, deciding that this is one of the few opportunities to get rid of him. WKX tries so hard to always be close to ZZS that he finds it tedious. Therefore, when WKX starts walking forward, ZZS goes in the opposite direction. But his joy is short-lived, as WKX realizes ZZS isn't there, and immediately calls after him, Ah Xu starts running toward him. He asks him why he's heading that way. Late at night, ZZS is sitting in his room, drinking tea. Even if he wanted to be alone for a moment and think freely, he can't, because WKX brazenly enters his room without knocking, carrying two bottles of wine. ZZS is used to the other man's brazenness and doesn't react to this behavior. When WKX says he bought him wine, ZZS claims he's done it again. When asked to share a glass of wine on the roof by moonlight, ZZS acts as if he needs to think about it. WKX isn't put off by ZZS's behavior, but says with a smile that the moon looks beautiful that night. ZZS must somehow understand this proposal. He might interpret this as a close friendship or a desire to become a soulmate (知己 - zhījǐ). This is the classic "friends over wine and moonlight" motif. Drinking wine under the moon symbolizes either a sincere, open conversation, a shared appreciation of the beauty of the world, or a strong male bond. WKX treats ZZS as a kindred spirit (知己), but this scene has a distinctly romantic connotation. Looking at WKX's behavior toward ZZS, we see that this is one of the first moments where it's clear that WKX wants something deeper than friendship. ZZS is tired, suffering from wounds and nails, but he doesn't refuse WKX. This shows that he is slowly falling under his charm and unable to refuse him. When WKX enters his room with wine and suggests going to the roof, ZZS is in a rather complicated emotional state. He is tired, knows that his body is weakened by the seven nails, and his senses are slowly starting to fail. He just wants to rest, but WKX won't let him rest. On the one hand, ZZS is irritated by WKX's insistence, but on the other, he can't refuse. This is one of the first moments where we see ZZS increasingly softening towards WKX. Although he outwardly maintains his distance and his typical "lazy, cynical" style, inside he feels... good. WKX brings joy, levity, and companionship to his gloomy, lonely life that ZZS hasn't had in a long time. The offer of drinking wine under the moon resonates with his poetic, melancholic nature. ZZS himself is an educated man who values ​​beauty and the moment. ZZS slowly begins to realize that WKX understands him on a level no one else has. This offer evokes in him a mixture of nostalgia, longing, and slight anxiety—because he knows his life is limited by time.

Translation by Chichilations !

- An interesting glimpse into Wen Kexing's POV some more than what we had in the main novel.

- A-Xiang :(

- The phrasing is so interesting:

Of all the living things he had seen in his life, Ah-Xu alone weighed heavily on the innermost part of his heart.

-Gagkjdk that ending paragraph:

“[...]he thought, As long as he’s willing to give me the tiniest bit of affection, from this point on, every day he lives, I will live with him. If he passes on, I will hold a bundle of dry grass, douse myself in kerosene, and burn up together with him, turning to ash, becoming one with the earth in the same spot. As long as you’re willing, as long as you want me… Can I make an extravagant request for a minute, to be with you until we grow the white hairs of age?

I sure as hell hope you will.

Also, “kerosene”?? 🤨That’s an...unexpected choice of word.

WOH, episode 9. Summary 3. Another part about ZZS. ZZS came to Yuefan Tower with WKX and, contrary to his previous thoughts, felt at ease. His negative emotions subsided, and when he noticed the Four Sages of Anji floating on the lake in a boat, he decided to share his knowledge of these people with WKX. He explained that they were masters of music and came from different backgrounds. He added that they became soulmates due to their shared interests. When he spoke about this, we saw a smile on his face. ZZS felt happy seeing other people's happiness and was able to revel in it. He calmly told WKX their stories and how they became soulmates. He also gave ZZS an example from literature, a figure from a legend, exemplifying the ideal of friendship. And WKX stated that finding such a soulmate wasn't easy. ZZS responded by saying that the world wasn't important, and what mattered was finding a soulmate. ZZS didn't expect the immense pleasure they would bring to WKX, who had long considered ZZS his soulmate. As they exchange glances, there's a tenderness and melancholy. ZZS muses to himself that if it weren't for the short time he has left, wouldn't it be wonderful to wander the Jianghu with his soulmate? As he says this, he glances at WKX, wondering if the other man would agree. ZZS dreams of spending the rest of his life like the four Sages of Anji. ZZS wonders why he's pessimistic, because living like this for two or three years is better than wasting the rest of his life. For the first time, ZZS begins to think of himself as a normal person, even for those two or three years. Now he doesn't wonder if he could hurt WIX if he agreed to become a soulmate instead of telling him the truth that he's dying. ZZS is selfish and greedy for a moment, but he can be forgiven for that. He's experienced too much bad in his life, and now he just wants to be happy for a while. A short while later, ZZS and WKX are walking through the city streets. ZZS talks about the Heroes' Conference and the fact that many people are coming to the city. WKX decides to test ZZS's knowledge of the various sects, and ZZS calmly answers these questions. He also adds something about each sect, allowing us to conclude that he has extensive knowledge of these sects. This is not surprising, since as commander Tian Chuang, he must have had such knowledge. WKX is surprised by ZZS's knowledge and asks how he knows so much about these sects. He then asks if ZZS can tell which sect WKX comes from. ZZS isn't quite sure what WKX is talking about, but WKX wants to see if ZZS still remembers anything from his younger days, when he trained at Siji Manor. ZZS doesn't realize this question is some kind of test WKX is putting him through. ZZS thinks for a moment and then seriously answers WKX, claiming that his fighting skills are complex and constantly changing. He adds that if his master doesn't know the skills of all the sects, then WKX must have had more than one master. Then, looking intently at WKX, who stands with a strange expression on his face, ZZS calls him WKX, Lao Wen tells him to stop making him guess. So if WKX wants to tell ZZS something, he should do it directly, not in riddles. This behavior irritates ZZS a bit, especially since WKX starts laughing. But after a moment, he explains what he thinks about the Heroes' Conference and who is a hero. ZZS, on the other hand, has his own opinion on what WKX was talking about. And when he asks how many true heroes there are in Jianghu, he utters significant words. ZZS says that only inexperienced people want to be heroes. And those with experience know that every letter of the word "hero" is written in blood. If not their own, then the blood of others. These words contain the life wisdom ZZS has acquired over the years. They show us that ZZS is tired of the life he has led for so many years. He did not want to be perceived through the prism of the word hero now, and that is why his statement carried a bitter message.

Translation by Chichilations !

This one is a direct follow-up to the last chapter and should have been a chapter of the novel in my opinion, rather than, well, an extra. Anyway, interesting things happened here 😏

- Zhou Zishu wakes up, passes out soon after, and half a month later he's already back to fighting Wen Kexing for fun this is so them I can't. Everyone on that mountain is so tired of their fights even Chengling isn't paying attention anymore.

“[...] the outcome was not yet determined, the top and the bottom not for certain, and both of them had fires in their hearts that could only be vented as they quibbled.”

😂 I’m crying I love them.

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021)

Word Count : 3315

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu 

Characters: Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu 

Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Episode: e17 (Word of Honor TV 2021), Character Study, Relationship Study, Drunk Wen Kexing, Angst 

Series: Part 4 of The world is not important, what is important is finding wenzhou

Summary:

“You know that I’m dying soon but you still brush me off with your fake actions.” He offers the now filled teacup, and Wen Kexing takes it without looking at it, all his attention focused on him. The intensity of the gaze is making him uneasy. “They’re not fake.” he mutters. “They’re real.” Something in the way he stares mournfully at him makes Zhou Zishu’s mind blank out for a heartbeat. It’s too much. Pulling at heartstrings he cannot afford to have plucked right now. It would have been easier if it had been pity, but it’s not.

A written version of the scene in episode 17 where Wen Kexing got drunk and emotional and asked A-Xu to please not die; meanwhile Zhou Zishu tries to not be too emotional about seeing him like this and sticks to his decision to not let Ye Baiyi cure him. Written from each of their POV in turn.

Note : This one is specifically written as a counterpart to “What lies unspoken”, my fic about the other time Wen Kexing gets drunk in episode 34.

WOH, episode 9. Summary 2. Part 2 about ZZS. After a meal and a conversation with WKX, ZZS prepares to go to bed. Before falling asleep, he washes his body and knows he must prepare for the toughest battle, the battle against his own body and pain. Perhaps ZZS wanted to think about something else, but as soon as he sits up in bed, the nails make themselves felt. But that's not all; his senses are going haywire, and ZZS looks surprised and disoriented. This is probably not how he imagined it. He knows the only solution is to seek treatment and alleviate the pain with internal meditation techniques. Soon, ZZS becomes convinced that there is something that can ease his pain. While in a trance, he hears a melody played on a flute. This melody had already helped him survive the night by the lake. ZZS now knows that it is WKX playing for him, and thanks to this, his pain is lighter. He is grateful to WKX for deciding to ease ZZS's suffering late that evening. Still, ZZS can't understand why WKX is behaving this way towards him. ZZS can now steady his breathing and engage in deep meditation. When ZZS whistles his eyes, he feels no pain and smiles gently. When the morning comes, ZZS is still sound asleep. He wants to regain his strength, but he doesn't expect that WKX, in a great mood, will burst into ZZS's room and encourage him to get out of bed. ZZS certainly hears WKX's request to get up, but he's had a rough night and wants to rest. He's not interested in going with WKX to Yuefan Tower. He probably doesn't realize it's noon, as WKX reminds him. ZZS decides to use a tactic like: pretend I'm sleeping soundly so WKX will back off. WKX is stubborn and pulls the covers off ZZS's body, which irritates ZZS. But when WKX starts tugging at his arm and urging him on, saying the tower has the best view of the city, ZZS refuses with his eyes closed, saying he's not going. And when WKX stubbornly insists, ZZS rejects his hand, telling him to leave. Perhaps ZZS is so tired of fighting the pain at night that now, when he has the opportunity and doesn't have to rush anywhere, he chooses a long sleep. That's why he considers WKX an intruder who prevents him from getting a proper rest. WKX is stubborn, so ZZS continues to tug at him, and with his eyes closed, he threatens WKX that if he keeps grumbling, he'll kill him. WKX is unfazed by ZZS's threats and tells him that the day can be spent sadly or joyfully. Finally, WKX pulls ZZS's arm to force him out of bed. An angry ZZS says he won't get down and turns his back on WKX. Finally, we see that ZZS allowed WKX to persuade him to leave the room and go to Yuefan Tower. ZZS simply gave up, as he no longer had the strength to fight WKX. Moreover, he was still tired after a night of struggling with pain. He knew that continuing to fight WKX would only exhaust him further, and besides, ZZS had nothing else to do, so he decided that such a walk could be a soothing therapy for him. Climbing to the tower's upper terrace was indeed relaxing for ZZS. Perhaps for the first time in a long time, ZZS felt alive, that there was something that brought him pleasure, even when he was in the company of someone as irritating as WKX. As he stood there, he spotted ZZS on a boat with four elderly people on the lake. ZZS easily recognized them and said aloud that they were the Four Sages of Anji. When WKX asked who they were, ZZS replied that they were a breath of fresh air in Jianghu. For perhaps the first time in a long time, ZZS decided to tell WKX about someone himself. I think he had great respect for these older people and perhaps admired them. Perhaps he also began to understand that there was some meaning to the Heroes' Conference. But now ZZS wanted to rest and gain some distance from what was happening around him.