American Perspectives: Reclaiming the 2nd Piece of What's Rightfully Her's Pt. 2 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 12)

 

 

"Love and Redemption" can be viewed on Viki or Youtube.  Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com." "Love and Redemption," is based on the novel "Liu Li Mei Ren Sha," by Shi Si Lang.  The writings presented here are based on observations from the television series.

 

"Go ahead and kill me then," says Little Six.  "I'd tell the same thing to anyone.  There's nothing between me and Xuanji."

"You..." says Linglong.

"I only have you in my heart," says Little Six.

"You shut up.  You..." says Linglong.

"Linglong!" Xuanji stands up.  "Sixth Senior is telling the truth!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" asks Linglong.  "I promised Mother that I'd protect you."  She looks at Little Six. "No one can bully you."

"No one is bullying me," Xuanji insists.  "I made a mistake.  I thought I liked Sixth Senior.  Actually, it's all a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" asks Linglong.

Xuanji holds her hands.  "You told me that one feels like seeing the person she likes everyday.  When I was locked inside the Mingxia Cave, I just uncovered my sense of taste, and Sixth Senior sent me good foods everyday.  That's why I felt like seeing him all the time."

Brother Liu looks over at Sifeng and smiles.

"I thought I liked him.  But I found out that I was just craving foods.  I then thought about it.  Sixth Senior didn't make those foods.  They were prepared by the cook in our sect.  Does that mean I like the cook?"

"Xuanji, is this the reason why you..." says Linglong.

Xuanji nods enthusiastically.  "Yes!  I found out yesterday that the like between you and Sixth Senior is a unique one that can't be shared.  I'm different.  There are many people whom I like.  Thus, Linglong, I'm returning this dagger to its owner."  She puts Little Six's dagger in Linglong's hand.  "Don't ever fight again, okay?"  She pushes them both down into their seats.  "Here, sit down and eat your food."

Xuanji rushes back to her seat, and Sifeng smiles.  Brother Liu gives her the thumbs up.  Sifeng puts a piece of chicken in Xuanji's bowl.  She smiles at him.

Linglong isn't 100% convinced.  "No.  If you don't like each other, why did you hug each other on that day?"

The table goes silent.

"Zhong Minyan, you still wanted to take advantage of my sister!"

"I..." says Little Six.

"Linglong," says Xuanji.  "That's not what happened."  She sits down between them.  "Do you still remember the incident where Gudiao was killed at Mount Lutai?  Actually, I killed it."

"Xuanji," Little Six warns.

"Sixth Senior, you need not keep this secret of mine anymore," says Xuanji.  "I killed Aoyin at Mount Haiwan with the blue light, which isn't the Young Jue skill.  It's a kind of strange power that I know nothing about.  It made me lose consciousness.  I don't remember what happened afterward.  Sixth Senior saw it.  He was afraid I'd be seen as a freak.  That's why he kept this secret.  We were wondering if it had anything to do with the Mirror Of Origin.  We thought of destroying that mirror so that these weird things wouldn't happen again.  On that day, we tried to destroy the mirror at the Inn.  But that spell bounced back.  We hugged because of the spell."

Sifeng gives Little Silver Flower the death stare.  She avoids eye contact.

"Why was it so strange?" asks Xuanji.  "It's..."

Brother Liu claps.  "The misunderstanding has been resolved!  It's a good thing."

"But, Xuanji, do you have any symptoms?  Are you not feeling well?"

"No," Xuanji insists.  "I'm fine without that blue light.  I didn't want to make you worried.  That's why I kept it from you all.  But, now," she holds Linglong's hand, "I was left with no choice."

"Do you believe me now?" asks Little Six.

"You tried to show off, even though you were not skilled," says Linglong.  "Also, why did you hide it from me?  Did you think I'd hurt Xuanji or spread a rumor?"

"I was wrong, my dear," Little Six admits.  "I regret making such a grave mistake.  Forgive me, and I'll do anything for you."  He picks up the dagger from the table.  "And, I'd like to gift this dagger to you.  Look.  Your name is actually engraved on it."  He hands the dagger to Linglong, and she sees her name engraved underneath the handle.  "It's all a misunderstanding," Little Six continues.  "I've always wanted to marry a lady.  She is..."

"Shut up!" says Linglong.  "I'm not accepting it.  I haven't forgiven you for causing such a big misunderstanding."  Completely understandable, as the incident did leave her in profound turmoil for at least three days.  She leaves the table.

"Linglong!" Little Six follows after her.  

"Isn't the misunderstanding resolved?" asks Xuanji.

"You fool!"  Brother Liu laughs and points at Sifeng.

Before Xuanji can chase after Little Six and Linglong, Brother Liu gets up to stop her.  "They're not fighting," he explains.  "That's called flirting.  I'm jealous.  Although you usually seem confused, you act decisively at crucial moments.  Not bad.  Thus, I think that impulsive warrior isn't suitable for you.  But it's okay.  We have another model.  You're suitable for a man who's gentle, determined, polite, charismatic, and ambitious."

Sifeng looks down.

"Eldest Brother Liu, what are you talking about?" Xuanji asks obliviously.

"There are plenty of fish in the sea," says Brother Liu, realizing this is going to be harder than he thought.  "The best fish has always been with you.  Turn around, and you can see that he's always protected you!"  They turn around, but Sifeng isn't there.  Instead, it's Ruo Yu.

"Why has everyone left?" asks Ruo Yu.  "Some dishes aren't served yet."

"Ruo Yu," says Xuanji.

Brother Liu face palms.  It's like herding cats.  "Forget about what I just said." He walks away, embarassed and frustrated.

Ruo Yu hands Xuanji some food.

 

Sifeng takes Little Silver Flower back to his room.  "Why did the spell bounce back?" he asks sternly.  "It was all your doing, wasn't it?"

"Master, I thought Chu Xuanji liked Zhong Minyan, and I was worried about your mask.  I just wanted you to leave her soonest.  That's why...That's why I..."

"It took you a lot of effort to transform into a human.  You don't focus on cultivating yourself and you can't stop scheming.  It seems that you want to turn back into a snake forever."

Little Silver Flower shakes her head rapidly.  "No.  I admit it's my fault."

"Do you?" asks Sifeng.  "Remember, if you ever do such a thing again, I'll teach you a good lesson."

Before Little Silver Flower can say anything more, he walks away.

Master, I'm okay if she can break your Lover's Curse, Little Silver Flower thinks.  If she can't, I won't let her go.

Sifeng walks out onto the porch for a breath of fresh air and a moment of clarity, as all the drama has put him into profound turmoil for the past three days, as well.  Brother Liu joins him.

Brother Liu sighs.  "I was trying to matchmake for you.  Why did you run away?"  He tries to make eye contact.  "Were you shy?"  He grabs Sifeng's arm.  "Let's go!  I'll matchmake for you again."

"Eldest Brother Liu, surely Xuanji feels troubled about what just happened.  Let's not make her feel more upset," says Sifeng.

Brother Liu rolls his eyes.  "Little Phoenix, you remain a gentleman at this critical moment.  Xuanji is like a blank paper.  You'll draw whatever you want.  Think about it.  Her Sixth Senior sent her a meal, and she thought she liked him.  You have many chances to make her surrender herself to you.  It depends on whether you will seize the opportunity.  I'm anxious about seeing you this way.  You and Xuanji are just two stiffs.  If it keeps going this way, you'll remain two stiffs after a hundred years." Brother Liu is trying not to laugh.  "Let's do it this way.  You will walk to her and be a fortune teller.  'Miss, according to your Five Elements, you're in need of a man.  What do you think about me?'"

Sifeng gives him side eye, then rolls his eyes.  "This trick is not good enough."

"Eh?" says Brother Liu.  "Fine.  Let's have a more straight forward one.  You'll choose a moonless and windy night."  He slaps Sifeng on the shoulder, and turns to face him.  He brings Sifeng to him, like he's going to embrace.

Sifeng pushes him away.  "Eldest Brother Liu, just keep these tricks for yourself."

Brother Liu waves his finger at him.  "Oh..." he can't think of anything more.  "Fine."  He pulls a grey pouch out of his Hanfu.  "Little Phoenix, take it."  He throws it to Sifeng.

Sifeng catches it.

"Don't say I didn't help you," says Brother Liu.

"Thank you Sifeng for the long walk," says Xuanji as they get back to the Inn late at night.  "Back when I was in Shaoyang, I was really silly.  The seniors and juniors always bullied me.  But whenever I was upset, only Linglong and Sixth Senior would cheer me up.  They've been fighting these past two days.  I'm actually worried about it.  I was truly silly back then.  I always imposed my feelings upon others."

"Now that you understand it," says Sifeng, "that means you're not ridiculously silly."

Xuanji starts to sniffle.

"Xuanji, what's wrong?" asks Sifeng.  "Xuanji, don't cry."  He wipes her tears from her face.

Xuanji looks at him and smiles.  "Got you! Did you forget that I can't cry?  It's the Merman's tear.  Why were you panicking?"

"I see," Sifeng is trying not to smile.  "You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"It's because when Second Senior was rejected by Junior Duan Min, he cried so hard.  His nose ran, and his tears kept falling.  That's why I think this is why I should cry.  But I can't do it."

Sifeng smiles.

"That's why I pretended to cry."  Xuanji smiles and sticks out her tongue.

"I think your Second Senior made that up to save face," says Sifeng.  "Tears are a precious thing.  Even if you pretend to cry, you can't simply let your tears flow.  Got it?"

"I find that embarassing, too," says Xuanji.  "I really want to be like everyone else.  That's why I made such a joke."  She sits down on the step.  "I need to stop being confused."

Sifeng sits down beside her.

"When I was young, my mother taught me to write the names of important people in a notebook."  She pulls it out of her hanfu, and starts flipping through the pages.  She hands the open notebook to him.  "Look."

He looks through the pages at the names she has written down.  He finds his name next to Hao Chen's.  His heart flutters, and he smiles.  "You wrote my name, too."

"Of course I did, Sifeng.  You're very important.  But Eldest Brother Liu said that it's unique to like someone and it can't be shared.  But I find all these people important, and I like them all.  Can't I?"

She sees no difference between kinship, friendship, and a relationship, Sifeng thinks.  She really knows nothing about them.   He turns to her.  "Actually, there's no need to distinguish them from each other.  They're all feelings that come from one's heart.  You'll figure it out eventually."

Xuanji sighs.  "But I don't think I will.  You do know that I lack the six senses.  My heart can't feel them.  That's too bad.  I envy those who know what they're thinking.  They know what they want.  And there's me who's always confused.  Sifeng, that fragment of the Mirror of Origin, do you still keep it?"

"Yes, I do.  Do you want to keep looking for your six senses?"

"I...I do.  I want to find out my thoughts, but I'm scared.  I don't wish to misunderstand others, but I promised Senior Hao Chen  that I'd stop looking for the Six Senses.  Also, what if everyone gets hurt by my strange memory and power?  Sifeng, what should I do?"

"If you don't know your heart, you can't feel for others.  You won't know how to protect them, and you won't know how not to hurt them, right?"

Xuanji nods.

"Your Senior wants you to do good and fight evil, but it's not easy to tell good from evil.  If you're confused, you can't tell good from evil.  You said you're scared of that strange power.  But it's when we're in danger that the power is unleashed.  I guess it's not some demon trick.  It's your secret weapon.  Some proper guidance will even turn it into your booster.  Besides, I'm with you.  No matter what happens, I'll protect you."

Xuanji looks up at him and smiles.  "Sifeng, are you staying?  You're not training separately again, are you?"

"Didn't you make me eat the Truth Pill?" asks Sifeng.

Xuanji giggles.

"I've confided myself to you," Sifeng adds.  

"I knew you wouldn't leave us."

"Xuanji, are you ready?"

Xuanji nods.

He carefully pulls the mirror shard out of his hanfu, and hands it to her.  She carefully grabs it.  She nervously looks into the broken piece.  She closes her eyes, and she's transported back to a war.  The powerful woman is striking people down with her sword.  Her sword flashes blue, her white cape flying behind her.  Blood splatters on her face.  Xuanji begins to breathe heavily.

"Xuanji!  Xuanji!" says Sifeng.

She opens her eyes.  "Sifeng.  I...I saw that general killing people again.  And this time, it's more lifelike.  But...who is she?  Why is she always on my mind?"

"Don't worry.  A fragment can't prove anything.  When all the fragments are found, we'll know the truth."

Xuanji smells something.  She quickly stands up.  "There's a demonic aura."

"Why can't I feel it?" asks Sifeng.

Xuanji puts the flower in her hand up to her nose.  "Sifeng, is this the smell of flowers?"

"Xuanji."

She smells the flower again and smiles.

"You've recovered your sense of smell."

"This smells so nice." Xuanji smiles.

"There are many smells in this world.  Everything has its smell, and there are many interesting ones.  Come with me."  He grabs her hand, and they run beyond the Inn's courtyard.  They fly into the air, and descend into a grove of peach trees.

"Wow!" says Xuanji.

"This is a peach blossom forest," says Sifeng.

"It's so beautiful!" says Xuanji.  "Peach blossoms smell so nice!  No wonder...no wonder Linglong's room is always full of flowers."  She smells the blossoms.  "Sifeng, does each flower have its own smell?"

"Each of them smells different.  Sometimes its smell is more memorable than its appearance.  You can't distinguish their colors for now.  But you can differentiate them based on their smells."

Xuanji turns around and smells Sifeng.  He backs away uncomfortably.  "Sifeng, what do you smell like?"

"I smell like nothing," Sifeng says awkwardly.

"No, you smell good," says Xuanji.  "But it doesn't smell like a flower or food.  But..." She smells him again, and he remains self conscious.  "It's a familiar smell."  She keeps smelling him, which makes him increasingly uncomfortable.

He puts his hands on her shoulders.  "Xuanji, I...would like you to know that I...I..."

Xuanji sneezes.  "Sifeng, there are too many flowers here.  My nose has gotten uncomfortable from all of these smells."  She sneezes again.  "It's very uncomfortable."

"It's okay," Sifeng smiles.  "We have plenty of time.  There will be chances to experience it.  Let's go there."

"Sure," says Xuanji.

 

Sifeng is in the kitchen, ready to learn how to cook. 

Xuanji is in her open doorway, writing a pesky letter to Hao Chen.  "Senior Hao Chen, it's been awhile since I last wrote my thoughts because many things have happened lately.  But I've figured out several things.  I think Sifeng's right, one should know what's he's thinking, and not be confused."  Xuanji sighs and erases the letter.  "No way. If I write that, Senior Hao Chen will know that I'm looking for the mirror.  I'd better not tell him.  Forget about it.  Anyway, it's no big deal."

 

The next morning, a big table full of food is waiting to be eaten. Xuanji hovers over it, taking in all the scents.  "Are they edible?"

"What a sumptuous feast," says Little Six, Linglong standing beside him.  "We can't afford it."

"What's that good smell?" Brother Liu comes walking in.  "Wow!" Brother Liu immediately takes a seat.  "There are so many nice dishes here."  He looks up at everyone.  "Why don't you dig in?"

"We..." Linglong says awkwardly.

Brother Liu takes a bite of some meat.  

Linglong gasps.

Brother Liu nods at Xuanji.  She takes a bite.  "It's delicious!" Xuanji exclaims.  She motions everyone to join.

"Eldest Brother Liu will buy us this meal," says Little Six.

"Minyan!" exclaims Ruo Yu.

"He'll pay for it.  I want to eat it, too," says Linglong.

"Ruo Yu, join us," says Xuanji.

"You..." says Ruo Yu.  "Aish..." he walks away.

"Does it taste delicious?" Sifeng enters the dining room with an additional plate.  "Why don't you say something? Does it taste good?"

Xuanji smiles.