please come tl;dr at me about Shen Wei

[extrapenguin]

I need to figure out stuff about Ye Zun, and [spoilers], but also stuff about Shen Wei! Since having other people say things about the thing is in general a productive way for me to acquire thoughts, I now invite your opinions on Shen Wei and secrecy. He's trying to tell Zhao Yunlan the absolute minimum to protect him and also the timeline, yes, but in a divergent scenario where he was unavoidably associated with Zhao Yunlan, how much would he tell? What do you think is the core of the (over)protectiveness and secrecy? What is the root of his nondisclosure?

Comments

[020104isme]

What do you think is the core of the (over)protectiveness and secrecy? What is the root of his nondisclosure?

A differing point of view is that the root of his nondisclosure is fear. Fear that saying too much - or at the wrong time - will somehow result in action(s) that will take the person he most desires to protect away from him. He walks a tightrope as a result where he wants to say more but won't.

[extrapenguin]

Hm, interesting! Though in this scenario, the one he loves is bound to him and they both know it and have no problem with it, so little to no risk of chasing Yunlan off.

[naye]

This is pretty much exactly where I land too - I was going to write a similar comment when I saw this had already been presented!

If Yunlan is already tied to him there's still the risk that Shen Wei disclosing something will spur Zhao Yunlan to take an action that directly or indirectly shifts the timeline or causes Zhao Yunlan harm? (Look, Shen Wei is very good at worrying and Zhao Yunlan is very good at getting himself into trouble.)

[020104isme]

Shen Wei could get awards for his worrying.

It doesn't help that Zhao Yunlan is so adept at trouble finding.

[extrapenguin]

This is early episodes yet - a bit after the Butler Wu case - so Shen Wei doesn't yet know quite how good Zhao Yunlan is at getting himself into trouble. Zhao Yunlan is also very good at cuddling, which Shen Wei appreciates and is conflicted by. Should he not tell anything and leave when he's too tired to Envoy it up, or should he confess everything and cuddle in those arms when he's had no choice but to morph back into Professor Shen?! (I have figured out the reveal. It will hopefully be endearing.)