#xiaoluo

Whether in the drama or in the donghua, there's never a moment where they sit down and confess their feelings like characters/love interests in most dramas/movies/shows/books. Sure, Qianluo has a few scenes where she's asking him questions about the future and VERY not subtly hinting at her feelings, but it's not out of character for her because Qianluo is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve--she has never felt the need to hide her feelings, nor has she ever learned how to do so.

Think about that for a second. She's the daughter of City Master Sikong Changfeng of Xueyue City, the number one city in the world. She grew up loved and free, doing whatever she liked because she could. But she isn't necessarily spoiled because of it--rather, this girl chooses her own adventures and chooses the people she cares about, and once she does, she holds onto them with a death grip (whether they're her friends, her dashixiong, her father, Xiao Se). Qianluo taking the initiative and being more upfront about her feelings is completely in-character for her.

Xiao Se, however, grew up as a prince who has had people scheming forever to his left and right. He was privileged, yes, but he also is more introspective, calculating, and careful with his true feelings, especially after his banishment and following years of isolation. He's never really clear about how he feels, hiding behind snark, sarcasm, and a condescending air all the time except for select moments he feels safe enough to drop his mask in front of his loved ones.

But all that cumulates to this strange relationship where these two completely opposing people come together, firstly because of intrigue and the way they seem to fit each other's jagged edges--Qianluo with her bright, vibrant personality who takes anything and everything as a challenge, and Xiao Se who has goals he has yet to achieve but very much needs help while absolutely refusing to ask for it--and then with the way they build up an understanding and friendship through their adventures in Xueyue City and out of it.

Their burgeoning feelings are always hinted at, but are never really subtle. As in, the writers for both the drama and donghua focus on little details in their interactions with the big scenes few and far between, but the details all pay off to show how the characters feel (this is the ultimate showing and not telling, and masterfully done between both mediums). The way Qianluo and Xiao Se feel about each other is never in question, whether it's annoyance or confusion when they first meet, banter/bickering/flirting during the Xueyue arc, friendship, or something more even without the audience explicitly being told what they're thinking.

The closest we get to a DTR are the scenes in both the drama and donghua where Qianluo asks Xiao Se to return to Xueyue with her after everything is over, but again, these are not moments where she confesses her feelings. They're blatantly obvious, and the way Xiao Se soften towards her and wants to give her an answer but knowing now is not the time to tell her what he wants to tell her is also obvious.

TBoY behind-the-scenes: Jin Wei witnessing a xiaoluo weapon exchange (while Lei Wujie takes a nap)

Here's the thing: I wasn't sure about Lin Boyang's casting just from the outlook of the character, and I honestly was afraid I wouldn't like her character in general, but like...drama Qianluo really grew on me. Lin Boyang did great showing Qianluo's youth and fearlessness, and she and Lei Wujie are the characters that make the innocent vibrancy of youth shine. IT WORKS. We get to see Qianluo grow as the drama progresses. We see how she starts making her own way in jianghu and how she builds her relationships with the people around her. We see her very shaonu crush on Xiao Se, and her character and protectiveness and pettiness (at times) make sense.

She's a great character and the chemistry between her and Li Hongyi's Xiao Se was so gradual and subtle it was done well BECAUSE it was slow and unrushed and unhurried. They both have their priorities, and they don't put those priorities to the side for their feelings.

Their dynamic is different from the donghua, where they're literally a bickering couple. Here, they are challenging each other; she's part of him breaking out of his mold of the jaded and exiled prince who doesn't care for politics or people (lbr he had no friends due to his isolation), and he's part of the reason Qianluo is learning to grow and shoulder her responsibilities and figuring out what she wants in her life. It's different, but both ways work for these characters.

"Xiao Se! You're lying to us, aren't you? You don't have a plan at all! You want to go stop them on your own so we can escape, don't you?! Xiao Se. You already left me behind once when you came to Tianqi. Are you going to abandon me again?" "Qianluo...I'm sorry."

Great Journey of Teenagers, season 4, episode 24

aka the episode that watered my plants, hydrated my skin, fed my cat, and finished all my projects MY SHIP IS CANON LOOK HOW IN LOVE THEY ARE

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also the elder refers to the person protecting him as "至親至愛之人" which means "the person closest to you" or "your most beloved" i am sobbing

side note: this phrase "zhi qin zhi ren" (至親之人) usually means immediate family, including your spouse /cough

and only your lover/spouse is called "zhi qin zhi ai zhi ren" (至親至愛之人) /cough cough

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also also the elder asks if Xiao Chuhe is willing to give up Tianzhan for love, but in Chinese, he says "兒女情長" (er nv qing chang), which is a DEFINITE phrase meaning romantic love.

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