Grand Unified Theories of Shen Xi

[extrapenguin]

I have sent out inquiries about house showings! Only two places at first, but: progress.

To tide me over the anxious wait, I invite you to tell me your grand unified theories* of Shen Xi, Zhao Yunlan's mother, based on the few scenes of drama evidence we get of her! She wants her husband to pay more attention to her son, but how much arguing with one's husband over one's son is considered normative in the modern age? I, personally, find her strong-willed, but do you think she'd be strong-willed about things other than the proper treatment of her son? Do you think she shares her husband's prejudice against Dixingians? Did she know about Zhang Shi? /has perhaps unwisely chosen to tackle something related to her in fic

* Small sub-theories also welcome.

Comments

[extrapenguin]

he had grown a lot more distant and erratic "lately," for whatever values of lately she had in mind.
Ooh, thank you! Also for the piece of timeline, though if you're referring to the remark I think you are, it's that the SID has existed for 20+ years/has an age measured in the decades. In ep 21, Zhao Yunlan mentions that something's more than dad has said to him in 15 years, so I assume Shen Xi has bee dead for about 15 years. (That'd make Zhao Yunlan 13, if he's 28 in the present.)

I actually hypothesize that ZXC may have distanced himself from his family deliberately, in order to cut down on their exposure to his Dixingren "parasite."
This is ... terrifyingly plausible. Oh dear. Yes, I can see an okayish dad distancing himself from his family and resenting his "parasite" (and all dixingians) for the fact. Does he blame Zhang Shi for Yunlan turning out like that, I wonder?

I would say Zhao Yunlan likely does take after her, in ways that a person like ZXC might find inconveniently attractive in a partner (probably less so when she became his wife), but would find intolerable in offspring.
Nodnod. This does make a lot of sense.

I think I sort of want to give her a career in the sciences and a large appreciation for Zhao Xinci's methodical approach to stuff. I agree that Zhao Xinci isn't exceptionally brilliant, unlike his son, and that his successes come from sheer perseverence and methodical approach, which a scientist might find appealing. Given my personal rage buttons and DNWs, I won't be making her a housewife. (Just for the humor potential, I want to make her an astrophysicist, because "dark energy" would mean something completely different to her, but I haven't actually thought about it.)