Ho Yay / Word of Honor

"You are the only one I have, and I'm the only one you have."

Because of the censorship laws in China forbidding explicit display of homosexual relationships, the romance between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing had to be censored. This gave the showrunners the challenge to slip as many hints as possible through unvoiced lines and slight story changes to allow more physical touching.

The result was a success, as the relationship between Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing can't be mistaken for simply platonic or brotherly with or without focusing.

Warning: The following page contains spoilers.

Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing (Wenzhou)

The main couple of Word of Honor.

• The subtext is questioned to be even subtext, Wen Kexing is a very flirtatious man with Zhou Zishu only, hitting on him relentlessly for the first few episodes before Zhou Zishu starts to reciprocate some of that flirting.

• Faraway Wanderers, the ending song of the show is sang by the actors themselves, each part sang by the actor solely signifies their character's feelings, with Zhou Zishu singing about finding his Zhījǐ and Wen Kexing singing about the lament of finding Zhou Zishu too late. Then both sing in the chorus of facing hardships together.

• All of the deleted shots can be seen here, some cut out details can be seen here. Scenes with out of sync voicelines can be seen here.

• The word 知己 (Zhījǐ: to know oneself, often translated as soulmate) is used repeatedly, to the point that it's hard to brush it off as being platonic.

Tropes that apply to Wenzhou:

• Battle Couple: Zhou Zishu is the founder and ex-leader of Tian Chuang while Wen Kexing is the Ghost Valley Chief, both of them fight each other, together and for each other.
• Childhood Friend Romance: It is revealed that Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing met each other when they were kids, this was what prompted Wen Kexing to stalk Zhou Zishu in the first place.
• Eternal Love: By the end of the series, they become immortals who live together on the mountains.
• Fate Drives Us Together: Or so Wen Kexing would claim.
• Happily Married: By Episode 31, Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu are a married couple by ancient China standards.
• Held Gaze: One of the reasons Wenzhou can't be seen as just platonic is how much they stare at each other in adoration.
• Holding Hands: A lot of the hand holding had been censored, but there is a lot of them regardless, let it be comforting the other through their nightmare, or distress.
• Home Sweet Home: From Episode 24 to Episode 29, Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu live together in Four Seasons Manor with Chengling as their disciple.
• How Dare You Die on Me!: One of the primary conflicts that arises between the two is Zhou Zishu's ordeal of dying and accepting death, while Wen Kexing clashes with it.
• Loving Details: To be more specific, the term Zhījǐ. Both of Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu have a strong mutual understanding of each other, and many small details in the show prove this and how much they take attention to the others behaviour and comfort, as Zhījǐ is beyond the western definition of love or soulmates.
• No Loves Intersect: Surprisngly. In most Danmei Adaptions, they would either 1) Insert a female character or 2) Change a female character's role — to appear as a love interest for the purpose of passing pass censorship. In Word of Honor, there are are no female (or male) characters that can act as a love interest for Zhou Zishu or Wen Kexing.
• Official Couple: Even with no explicit kiss, it takes much more effort to deny that what Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing have is romantic.
• Official Couple Ordeal Syndrome: A little bit of angst goes a long way between those two, as seen with this page.
• Relationship-Salvaging Disaster: Happens not only once, but twice.
• Sickeningly Sweethearts: Somehow, two murderous men can be extremely sweet towards each other.
• Unholy Matrimony: Downplayed in the series, but they aren't exactly good people. That is their charm though.
• You Are Worth Hell: Both of them develop this sentient towards half of the series. The moment where this was established was when Zhou Zishu jumped after Wen Kexing in Episode 32 to die with him despite Zhou Zishu stating multiple times that he'll suffer for his actions in the afterlife.

Episode 1

• The last minutes of this episode introduces the characters to each other, one can see Wen Kexing eyeing Zhou Zishu intensively behind his fan, even before suspecting his identity.

Episode 2

• Wen Kexing starts following Zhou Zishu at this point after seeing him using a specific Four Seasons Manor move, when the old man refuses a ride to Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing happily offers one to him.

• After Wen Kexing engages with Zhou Zishu in a duel, he apologises while complimenting Zhou Zishu's skills by saying he has a footwork of "god-like elegance" and that he wanted to take a closer look.

• During the attack on Mirror Lake sect, Wen Kexing manages to cover Zhou Zishu's back (still following him), once again eyeing him with interest as he fans himself.

• One of the most iconic scenes in the series, Zhou Zishu was about to pass out from exhaustion, but upon feeling a hand behind his back, he immediately stood up while drawing his sword at the offender. He comes face to face with Wen Kexing holding his bendable sword, smiling as he says "Nice Sword".

• When Zhou Zishu gave out his name but slightly altered to conceal his identity (Zhou Xu), Wen Kexing went to talk on how the name fits the man, completely ignoring the fact that Chengling was mourning Uncle Li.

• When Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu start dueling again, Gu Xiang can be seen playing with the pancakes she's cooking, as that was an euphemism for two men flirting in Chinese culture.

Episode 3

• Wen Kexing pretends to stretch to get a touch of Zhou Zishu's face, both to confirm his suspensions that the face was a fake, but also to smelled his fingers after touching it, a scene kept from the novel.

• After confirming that Zhou Zishu has changed his appearance, Zhou Zishu questions him if the disguise is pretty, Wen Kexing gets in Zhou Zishu's personal space and states that it's perfect.

• The flirting of Wen Kexing goes on for a while, staring at him, praising the looks, moves and personality of Zhou Zishu.

• When Gu Xiang questions Wen Kexing on his interest in Zhou Zishu, he tells her the following:
  Wen Kexing: That person's voice sounds fabulous, and his appearance is comely. Especially those shoulder blades. They are one-of-a-kind.
  Gu Xiang: You made him sound like Apollo, he's just a man, isn't he?
  Wen Kexing: Of course. Do you think I don't know he is a man?

• Wen Kexing once again comments on Zhou Zishu's flexible sword.
  Wen Kexing: And that flexible sword of his...

• While Wen Kexing claims that fate will reunite them, he takes it up to himself to show conveniently wherever Zhou Zishu and Chengling happen to be or even pass by, acting surprised to see them. Wen Kexing goes as far as to reserve an entire inn, just so he can personally give his room for for this beautiful gallant man. Of course, Wen Kexing is highly displeased that Zhou Zishu kicks him out of the room and doesn't even invite him for a while inside.

• Wen Kexing tries to toast his cup to Zhou Zishu's but Zhou Zishu refuses. Persistent as ever, Wen Kexing locks his arm with Zhou Zishu's and clinks their cups together; this an action often reserved between a wedded couple in China.

• Wen Kexing asks Gu Xiang about the second cutest person in the world, she answers him that it's someone who treats her to dinner, he answers as well that is is a person whose cold on the outside, but soft on the inside. Gu Xiang then asks him whose the cutest person in the world, he answers while looking directly at Zhou Zishu with this:
  Wen Kexing: A person with a slim waist, long legs, who is tough on the surface but soft at heart.

• Starting at this point, Wen Kexing asks if he can call Zhou Zishu A-Xu, which is a nickname that close people would say. Despite being nowhere near close, Wen Kexing starts referring to Zhou Zishu primarily as A-Xu.

• The way Zhou Zishu takes the wine from Wen Kexing by gliding his hand over Wen Kexing is not very subtle.

Episode 4

• Greeting Zhou Zishu and Chengling outside the inn, Wen Kexing comments that relationships aren't measured by time because he and Zhou Zishu had "hit it off".

• As Zhou Zishu fought with the beggars, Wen Kexing stands by and makes multiple comments on Zhou Zishu:
  Wen Kexing: Ah Xu's waist skills have been trained since childhood, right?
  Wen Kexing when Zhou Zishu scolds him for not watching Chengling: You asked me to keep an eye on him. I'm watching him, although he is not as good-looking as you, he won't hurt my eyes.
  Wen Kexing when Zhou Zishu uses a towel to fight: Your soft sword is too soft.

• At the sight of Zhou Zishu getting injured, Wen Kexing's entire demeanour has changed entirely, going from passive to aggressive. After Wen Kexing saw that Zhou Zishu and Chengling ran away safely, his smile dropped and chokes one of the beggars in cold blood, he then kills the entire group.

• The stalking goes on, as Zhou Zishu and Chengling attempt to cook fish, Wen Kexing shows off his wealth on his private boat while eyeing Zhou Zishu from a distance, he invites him for the second time to his boat.

• Wen Kexing says to Zhou Zishu that while his martial arts are good, he is tone deaf, and he should teach him sometime. However, the line that the actor said was "Let me teach you how to blow this flute". The double meaning carries into Mandarin.

• From far away, Wen Kexing plays the flute exclusively to help Zhou Zishu and Chengling, even Gu Xiang comments on how much she acted all cute to gain that privilege.

• When Wen Kexing tells Gu Xiang that he simply likes Zhou Zishu and wants to make friends with him, she giggles, most likely at the term friends.

• In the morning, Wen Kexing invades Zhou Zishu's personal space and sits directly next to him, the moment he tries to reach out for Zhou Zishu's arm to feel his pulse, Zhou Zishu moves away.

• Seeing Chengling upset at being rejected by Zhou Zishu, Wen kexing attempts to comfort him and give him hope, claiming that tough women can't resist clingy men (A tactic that Wen Kexing follows thoroughly). Wen Kexing then realises how inappropriate that metaphor was for Chengling, and changes it to if there's a will, there's a way.

Episode 5

• Blood gets on Zhou Zishu's robes which disgusts him. Wen Kexing offers his help to clean it up and cuts his robe's sleeves where the blood was. Cutting one’s sleeve was a bold symbol of homosexuality in ancient China; basically Wen Kexing told Zhou Zishu that he is gay.

• While attempting to snap Wen Kexing out of his hallucination, Zhou Zishu calls him Lao Wen; this becomes the nickname for Wen Kexing by Zhou Zishu, complimenting A-Xu.

Episode 6

• Still in a Drunk Like A Dream Haze, Wen Kexing hugs Zhou Zishu from behind, in his supposed haze, he thinks he is hugging his mother and complimenting her shoulder blades. If one looks closely, Wen Kexing's lips say "Zishu" and not "Mom".

• Showing genuine worry, Wen Kexing insists on treating Zhou Zishu's wounds on his back, he makes a show of slowly peeling off the layers of Zhou Zishu's robes, revealing his bare shoulder. Wen Kexing then sucks the poison out of Zhou Zishu's injures and spits it out, finally getting a closer touch at the shoulder blades he had been admiring.

• Noticing the difference in skintone between the neck and the body after he treats Zhou Zishu's wounds, Wen Kexing straight up tries to strip Zhou Zishu of his robes.

• When Zhou Zishu attempts to leave Wen Kexing, he recites a verse that comes from a romantic poem, it all boils down to Wen Kexing saying a hidden version of "I would rather die than to live without you". More in depth explanation can be found here.

• When Zhou Zishu doesn't come out of the water after a while, Wen Kexing goes from amused to immediate worry, diving into the water to save a supposed drowning Zhou Zishu.

• As they dry their robes, Wen Kexing rests his face on his hand and shamelessly stares at Zhou Zishu's revealed face.
  • This moment gets more amusing considering the fact that in the novel, the first thing Wen Kexing said to Zhou Zishu when he saw his face was "Have... I ever mentioned that I actually like men?"

• Zhou Zishu questions why Wen Kexing killed the fake Hanged Ghost, as they might have extracted some answers out of him, Wen Kexing replies that he made a mistake because he was so worried about Zhou Zishu getting hurt.

• When Zhou Zishu threw the piece of the glazed armour at Wen Kexing, claiming that he has no use to it and that Wen Kexing may throw it if he doesn't want it either, Wen Kexing objects:
  Wen Kexing: This is the first gift from Ah Xu, I would never throw it away. I will get a string and hang it on my body, I will appreciate it every day.

• A scene shows Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu washing the rabbits they hunted together by the lake. The rabbits were another symbol of homosexuality in ancient China due to the rabbit deity (Tu'er Shen) who manages love and sex between homosexual people.

• A cute scene between the two occur, Wen Kexing splashes Zhou Zishu with water, prompting Zhou Zishu to call him childish. Not two seconds later, Zhou Zishu then splashes Wen Kexing with water and runs away, Wen Kexing then holds a handful of water and chases after him with both of them playful.

• Wen Kexing offers to pay Zhou Zishu a good price for the Drunk Like A Dream antidote, however, the unvoiced line was Wen Kexing saying that he'll pay Zhou Zishu with his body/devotion.

• Zhou Zishu interrogates about Wen Kexing's hallucination because he had called out Zhou Zishu's real name, the answer Wen Kexing gave him was a fake one; the unvoiced line was a more scandalous one, as Wen Kexing told him that the dream was him and his beloved making love on the bed and basking in the blessed aftermath.

Episode 7

• Witnessing Zhou Zishu kill the Scorpion member, Wen Kexing does not pass the opportunity to compliment his waist, flexibility and handsome face.

• Having enough of Wen Kexing's persistence, Zhou Zishu tells him that he'll leave so he doesn't ruin let this merciless killer ruin his view, Wen Kexing halts Zhou Zishu with his fan, and says that as long as he doesn't hide his handsome face, he won't ruin the view.

• Gu Xiang asks about Zhou Zishu whereabouts, after some teasing, Wen Kexing asks why, she responds by saying that when Zhou Zishu is around, Wen Kexing feels more human, this makes Wen Kexing's expression go sombre.

• When Gu Xiang clocks Zhou Zishu as the beggar from before, Wen Kexing tells her that her master's taste is "great", she then goes all touchy with Zhou Zishu's face, making Wen Kexing jealous and tap her arm. Wen Kexing questions protests on how Zhou Zishu attacks him when he touches him, but did not do anything when Gu Xiang touched him, Zhou Zishu answers that if he were a cute girl, he would let him.
  • The unvoiced line says "If you were a beauty like her".

Episode 8

• Not only is Cao Weining taking the attention of Gu Xiang, he is also praised highly by Zhou Zishu, even as far as for Zhou Zishu to say that they are fated, Wen Kexing is both displeased and jealous with the young man. He leans in and whispers for Gu Xiang to kick him out. Wen Kexing voices this jealousy out for Zhou Zishu, being upset that he warms up to the strange young man and not him.

• While planning on a way to save Chengling from the Window of Heaven ambush, Wen Kexing recites a Chinese proverb:
  Wen Kexing: A gentleman is willing to die for his Zhījǐ; so what if I risk this for you?

• Young Master of Window of Heaven, Han Ying, recognises Zhou Zishu's moves and stares at him, this doesn't go unnoticed by Wen Kexing and being upset at Han Ying staring at him. The jealousy still goes on as Wen Kexing offers to leave Han Ying and Zhou Zishu to themselves, seeing how loyal Han Ying was to his former master.

• As Zhou Zishu is talking about how he couldn't leave Chengling alone after seeing him in danger, Wen Kexing looks at him what can be only described as a look of adoration.

• Zhou Zishu gives a hint that he starts to warm up to Wen Kexing, telling him that he is a friend. Instead of being happy, Wen Kexing took it as an offence that Zhou Zishu sees him as only a friend.
  • Wen Kexing refers to Zhou Zishu directly as his Zhījǐ for the first time in this episode.

• In the morning, both of the pair go to the market place, Wen Kexing acts like a child and starts getting all sorts of colourful food on the road without paying, Zhou Zishu pays for everything, albeit with a grudge.

• When Zhou Zishu demands Wen Kexing to return his money, Wen Kexing threatens him that he'll listen to his command if he doesn't let him spend his money, Zhou Zishu responds by commanding him to stay away, of course, Wen Kexing does not do that.
  • The unvoiced lines were more explicit, with Wen Kexing saying he'll sell his body/devotion (again) to him, and Zhou Zishu replying that he'll sell Wen Kexing to a brothel.

• One of the small displays of Zhou Zishu warming up to Wen Kexing was him smiling at Wen Kexing dancing to the music in the performance party of the Western Regions.

Episode 9

• While their stay at the inn, Wen Kexing brings a lot of plates to Zhou Zishu's room, saying that all worldy matters can wait as long as you eat with the person you like, Zhou Zishu responds that he finally said something sensible.

• Wen Kexing still doesn't stop commenting on Zhou Zishu's handsome face and soft heart.

• They have a brief moment about leaving regrets and such, Zhou Zishu attempts to comfort Wen Kexing telling him to not have regrets, he puts his hand on his arm in comfort, only to slap after a few seconds.

• Wen Kexing practically barges into Zhou Zishu's room while still in his underrobes, he throws the blanket off Zhou Zishu and keeps trying to wake him up while touching him a lot. A Behind The Scenes video showed that Wen Kexing's hand staying on Zhou Zishu's waist for a good while.

• While they admire the Four Sages of Anji, the four of them are each other's Zhījǐ, two of them are a romantic couple who come from the same clan, they have a conversation about them, as the conversation goes, they keep getting closer and closer until they are standing side by side. Zhou Zishu says that the world is not important, but finding a Zhījǐ is, he then thinks on how it would be nice to find a Zhījǐ to roam the martial arts with, he looks at Wen kexing with that thought.

• The Four Sages of Anji serve as a direct parallel to Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu.

• Wen Kexing tells Zhou Zishu that as a wanderer "all I need is you."

• Wen Kexing enters Zhou Zishu's inn room unannounced again, this time he invites him on the roof to admire the room, stating how beautiful it is, then leaves to go up there first, Zhou Zishu shortly after follows him, they both sit under the moon and toast, with the way Wen Kexing is looking at Zhou Zishu, it's almost as if it's a date.

• Their date gets interrupted by multiple people fighting for the Glazed Armour, unaware that this piece is duplicated. When Zhou Zishu finds out about this, he calls Wen Kexing crazy and leaves, which makes his face drop at the comment. The way this scene is framed makes it seem like a breakup.

• Feeling guilty, Wen Kexing doesn't barge into Zhou Zishu's room, and attempts to make it up for him by bringing him food personally, when he finds out that Zhou Zishu has left the inn, and by extension him, he is offended.

Episode 10

• Zhou Zishu encounters a distraught and overwhelmed Wen Kexing, trying to dig a grave for the Four Sages of Anji with a broken sword. Zhou Zishu confronts Wen Kexing about their deaths, asking him if this is what he wanted to see, innocent people dying, Wen Kexing retorts this with asking Zhou Zishu if he dares to say that he has killed bad people only, knowing for a fact that Zhou Zishu has killed also innocent people.
  • Zhou Zishu does not respond, most likely because while he knows what Wen Kexing says is true, he does not want to respond back and burden him with the same regrets, so he simply leaves Wen Kexing to himself.

• At the same spot where he and Wen Kexing had the talk about the Four Sages of Anji, he stands now alone questioning whether if Wen Kexing was really his Zhījǐ.

• Wen Kexing copes with the breakup by going to a brothel and have women fawn over him, however, he shows complete disinterest in engaging sexually with them, his mind is still occupied with Zhou Zishu. On the other hand, Zhou Zishu copes with drinking himself into a stupor and laughing hysterically at the irony of the situation he got himself into.

• During the meeting of the top ten Ghosts, one may say that Wen Kexing was venting out his anger due to the hurt he feels from Zhou Zishu.

Episode 11

• During the rescue of Chengling, Zhou Zishu gets worn out and easily could be defeated, just in the nick of time, Wen Kexing comes in, naturally the second he saw Zhou Zishu injured, he dashed to him and flung the fan to cover for him, forgetting all about their parting and helping Zhou Zishu up, the following exchange happens:
  Zhou Zishu: No need to follow them, we have to get Cheng Ling out of here.
  Wen Kexing: No way, I will tear whoever hurts you into pieces!

• When cornered by the Drug Men, Wen Kexing teases Zhou Zishu that dying with him is a fine ending.

• The whole exchange between the three on the campfire can be seen as a child trying to resolve a fight between his parents, with Chengling trying to make up between them, repeating Wen Kexing words of Zhou Zishu being hard on the surface, but soft on the inside, and even says the quote "Tough women can't resist clingy men." Which gets Zhou Zishu immediately annoyed, but eventually relents.

• Wen Kexing tells Chengling on how he realised that Zhou Zishu was in disguise the first time he saw him due to his "exceptional" build.

Episode 12

• Zhou Zishu talks about how hard it is trust people blindly, especially for men at their ages, but Zhou Zishu decides to take the first step and to take a gamble that Wen Kexing is the person he knows.

• The sunbathing scene, Wen Kexing calls out for A-Xu three times, while Zhou Zishu calls out for Lao Wen also three times. Wen Kexing says that it feels good to be alive and to have someone to call for, Zhou Zishu agrees.

• Wen Kexing's jealousy spark up again when Cao Weining tries to sit at their table while offering help to Zhou Zishu, of course Zhou Zishu praises Cao Weining for his politeness and good intentions, Wen Kexing is visibly unhappy.

• At Cao Weining's persistence of helping Zhou Zishu, Zhou Zishu turns him down gently, saying that he prefers to live last of his years healthily while travelling around with his Zhījǐ, he looks at Wen Kexing while saying this.

Episode 13

• Cao Weining recites poetry to Gu Xiang, he tells her how lucky Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu to have met and became each other's Zhījǐ, yet Zhou Zishu's days are numbered so the day he passes away, Wen Kexing will be devastated. Gu Xiang still doesn't get it so Cao Weining likens it to a sword with its scabbard, if it loses its scabbard, then it loses its value, Gu Xiang after a bit gets it, and says that this metaphor is like Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu, and that they indeed look together. Gu Xiang also says that her master seems more lively with Zhou Zishu.
  • This conversation pre-censorship was more extended and most likely similar to the one in the novel that is more explicit about their relationship.

• When Ye Baiyi wants to forcefully see Zhou Zishu's injures, he starts tearing off his robes, Wen Kexing comes in and holds Zhou Zishu by his waist as he was spinning away from Ye Baiyi, both of them hold direct gaze. Then Wen Kexing holds out a protective arm over Zhou Zishu.

Episode 14

• Upon hearing the truth about Zhou Zishu's "Internal Injures" Wen Kexing begins looking very distressed. Then on seeing the nails, Wen Kexing is stunned into silence for a minute.

• When Ye Baiyi tells Wen Kexing that he has to kneel and yell that he is a blind idiot for three days in order to heal Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing doesn't hesitate and accepts it with a smile paying no mind to his dignity, going as far as to do it for three months. He even becomes nice to Ye Baiyi, resorting back to hostility when Zhou Zishu rejects his offer.

• Ye Baiyi makes a comment about Wen Kexing following Zhou Zishu and protecting him:
  Ye Baiyi: You brat, why do you keep following him? What's your relationship?

• The conversation that happens afterwards can be read as a very heartbreaking breakup. Wen Kexing through his pain tries to persuade Zhou Zishu into living while Zhou Zishu has already accepted his fate, Wen kexing then laments on how he is too late to do the things he wanted to do, that he is too late to save the person he wants to save. Zhou Zishu then scolds him for his grievance, and wishes they had never met if Wen Kexing wanted him to live against his will.
  • While in the show Wen Kexing's sentence gets interrupted, in the novel he says "Fortunately... I haven't fallen for you yet."

• Gu Xiang finds Wen Kexing in sorrow on the bridge while being drenched into the rain, he recites two poems, one wonders why despite meeting the one they love, they do not feel pleased, the second one he recites as he starts to cry, Wen Kexing recites a poem about a wife mourning her husband and smashes his flute, paralleling the Four Sages of Anji.

Episode 16

• Despite just saying that Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing will walk different paths, they reunite again to save Chengling, with Wen Kexing asking about Zhou Zishu's well-being.

Episode 17

• Zhou Zishu in his thoughts describes Wen Kexing as a wife who feels wronged, considering that Wen Kexing calls himself wife in the novel (And Zhou Zishu husband), it's not far away from the truth.

• Wen Kexing insists on giving Zhou Zishu a bowl of soup, even if the first two attempts failed.

• Wen Kexing in a state of drunkenness, stares at Zhou Zishu when he places his hand on his enough for Zhou Zishu to ask him what is he staring at, then he extends his hand towards his chest and asks if the nails hurt him.
  • The phrase that Wen Kexing uses has many meanings, including one that expresses the difficulty of seeing a loved one suffering.

• Wen Kexing is teary eyed through the conversation, pleading Zhou Zishu to look him in the eye and tell him that he won't die, admitting that he's scared while looking very distressed at Zhou Zishu lightly scoldfing him for his pity.

• Zhou Zishu voices his thoughts of Wen Kexing faking his actions, but when Wen Kexing earnestly tells him that they are real, Zhou Zishu looks shocked for a few seconds.

• Zhou Zishu tucks Wen Kexing in bed and talks to him while keeping his hands on the blanket, he says some considerably heavy words:
  Zhou Zishu: I bet that you'll open up to me one day. If I don't see my victory, even God can't bring me away.

Episode 18

• When the traps activate and enclose on them, Wen Kexing immediacy makes himself a human shield for both Chengling and Zhou Zishu.

• Wen Kexing states that if Zhou Zishu were to disappear, he'll find a place to isolate himself and never see anyone. At that comment, Chengling asks if he'll act like Yu Bo Ya, a musician who cut the strings of his instrument when his friend died, never playing music since. (This story is used as an example of an ideal friendship)

• After their fall from the bridge, Wen Kexing wakes up in Zhou Zishu's arms being cradled, he smiles the second his eyes focus onto Zhou Zishu's face.

• In a comedic scene, one of the Drug Men grasps Zhou Zishu's arm, in the dark, Zhou Zishu thinks it's Wen Kexing whose holding his arm, he asks while looking away, visibly embarrassed, if Wen Kexing is nervous, only to realise that the hand did not belong to Wen Kexing.

• In a situation where they may die, Zhou Zishu claims that his life is worthwhile with Wen Kexing as his friend, of course, Wen Kexing reciprocates that feeling.

• When Zhou Zishu hits Wen Kexing on the shoulder, Wen Kexing refers to Zhou Zishu as xiàng gong which means husband.

• At Wen Kexing suggesting that he takes the first leap, Zhou Zishu asks him on the chance if he falls to his death, and how he could be alive without him.

• Zhou Zishu's momentum in his jump stutters when one of the Drug Men grab him (Wen Kexing looks afraid that Zhou Zishu can't make the jump, but Zhou Zishu doesn't look worried the slightest, confident that Wen Kexing will not let him fall) Wen Kexing extends his hand and catches Zhou Zishu as he falls, they both roll down the cave and lay side by side after the near-death experience.
  • The imagery of Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing laying side by side and panting heavily while looking happy may look similar to something that definitely would have not have passed censorship.

• Zhou Zishu cuts off part of Wen Kexing's sleeve after it caught on fire (which echoes the scene in episode 5).

• Ye Baiyi finds both of them and not only likens them to Chengling's parents, he also says that they were too busy flirting with each to bother with finding their child, which wasn't too far from the case.

Episode 19

• As Uncle Long tells the story of the Zhen family and how they were exiled and hunted down because of human greed and prioritisation of honour rather than family, Zhou Zishu takes great attention to Wen Kexing's silent breaking state, connecting the strings and realising his identity.

Episode 20

• Finally realising that Wen Kexing is his long-lost junior, Zhou Zishu starts comforting him by touch, grasping his hand, hugging him and holding him close. The hug is very intimate as Wen Kexing cries into it.
  • A deleted scene shows that during the hug, Zhou Zishu presses their foreheads toegther, remembering almost two entire decades ago that this move comforted a young Wen Kexing by his mother, a video showing the full scene can be found here
  • This is further solidified more by the fact that Zhou Zishu's lips do not move when he says junior, and that if someone took the scene where Wen Kexing pushes him away frame by frame, it's visible that they were touching foreheads and not just hugging.

• Starting from this point, Zhou Zishu becomes very gentle and open with Wen Kexing, even when Wen Kexing is still in shock, he holds their hands together. Zhou Zishu conveniently raising his sleeve so their hands could be visible.

• Chengling holds both of their hands and drags them to the open landscape while asking where they will go next.

• Seeing Zhou Zishu shiver from the cold, Wen Kexing tells him that when everything is over, he'll find them a place that is warm and peaceful to live out their retirement together.

• As the flashback scene plays, the part where young Wen Kexing and his mother touch foreheads to comfort him can be seen. It shows then how they initially met, with Master Qin introudcing them to each other and showing that Wen Kexing's playdate with Zhou Zishu was one of the few happy memories in his life before everything went downhill.

• The flashback then shows that Wen Kexing was taken into the Four Seasons Manor in name, where he was supposed to grow up with Zhou Zishu as Junior and Senior. When Zhou Zishu calls him "junior" for the first time, Wen Kexing smiles widely.

• Even as Wen Kexing rejects the fact that he was Zhen Yan and therefore Zhou Zishu's junior, Zhou Zishu still hugs him and questions him, this time however, Wen Kexing reaches his limit and pushes Zhou Zishu away for good then runs away, seemingly overwhelmed by the revelation.

Episode 21

• Zhou Zishu stands up for Ye Baiyi when he insults Wen Kexing, and then tells Chengling to never bring up the matter to him, making sure that Wen Kexing doesn't have to go through anything that he doesn't want to go through.

• The scene where Wen Kexing asks about which wine to get has a much richer meaning considering the story behind zhú yè qīng and nǚ ér hóng, real Chinese wines. In short, zhú yè qīng symbolizes nutrition while nǚ ér hóng symbolizes marriage.

• The bedtime story Wen Kexing tells Chengling, accompanied with the flashbacks, is a metaphor for his own life. Further solidified by the fact that Wen Kexing looks at Zhou Zishu's room while saying that life is nothing but pursuing happiness.

Episode 22

• Gu Xiang prods Zhou Zishu about his illness because of how Wen Kexing reacted that day when he knew of it, commenting on how she had never seen him this sad before, and how Zhou Zishu better stay alive.

• When Wen Kexing starts to remember his past and break down because of it, Zhou Zishu holds his shoulders in an attempt to help him calm down which does not work.

• Wen Kexing then spits blood due to remembering too much, Zhou Zishu immediately holds his body and sits them both on the porch with Wen Kexing's head to his chest, Zhou Zishu then starts to wipe off the blood from his mouth very gently with his sleeve and keeps holding Wen Kexing close to to his chest as he passes out.
  • This scene gets more intimate with the fact that Zhou Zishu detests even the slightest drop of blood on his clothes.

• Zhou Zishu then tries to protect an unconscious Wen Kexing as much as possible, from telling Shen Shen to call him by his chosen name, to pushing him physically when Shen Shen wanted to wake him up by force to explain. Zhou Zishu is visibly angered by the entire ordeal and scolds Shen Shen for indirectly putting Wen Kexing through misery.

Episode 23

• As Zhou Zishu sits down beside an unconscious Wen Kexing alone, he holds his hand in a comforting manner.

• When Wen Kexing doesn't seem to understand Gu Xiang's feelings towards Caao Weining, she resorts to asking him if he will kill Zhou Zishu once he finds out about his true identity as Ghost Valley Chief and find another friend, this struck something in Wen Kexing as he tells her enough.

• Upon asking why Wen Kexing is in such a hurry to send away Gu Xiang, he tells Zhou Zishu that he already found someone who cares for him, so he's into matchmaking. Zhou Zishu then asks him to matchmake for him, both laughing at the statment because they were already matched together.

• Gu Xiang asks Zhou Zishu to control Wen Kexing, when he says he can't, she then says if he can't, then who can?

Episode 24

• Chengling tells Wen Kexing that he and his Master are in sync concerning their pasts, as Zhou Zishu had told Chengling not to ask Wen Kexing about his past, and now Wen Kexing told Chengling not to ask Zhou Zishu about his past as well. He inquires that if both of them are this tacit, why are they evasive.

• The entire setup of the room was like one of a family's, it did not help that both of Wen Kexing's and Zhou Zishu's mats were very close as if they were a married couple.

• Seeing that Zhou Zishu is having a nightmare while his hand twitch, Wen Kexing holds it in comfort, one may notice that this was the first gesture of love that wasn't violence from Wen Kexing.

• Zhou Zishu tells this to Wen Kexing:
  Zhou Zishu: Lao Wen, there's nothing between us that we can't discuss.

• Both of them have a very emotional conversation on Zhou Zishu's past while they are in their underrobes, with Zhou Zishu crying and Wen Kexing trying to comfort him by holding his hand. Even when it gets too much for Wen Kexing and he gets out, he still plays the flute to help Zhou Zishu's internal force go back to normal.

• One can notice that Zhou Zishu first instinct when waking up was to see where Wen Kexing is.

• Zhou Zishu hugs Wen Kexing when he sees that Wen Kexing had repaired the generation drawing of the Four Seaons Manor, Chengling joins in the hug and the shot pans out as they all look like a family together.

Episode 25

• Wen Kexing wonders about living together forever in the Four Seasons Manor, Zhou Zishu tells him why can't they? the expression that Zhou Zishu wears afterwards is quite amusing.

• As Zhou Zishu excitedly talks about living and staying in the Four Seasons Manor with Chengling, Wen Kexing looks at him with a warm smile.

• Wen Kexing teases Zhou Zishu that he's letting someone else teach his disicple, Zhou Zishu responds that Wen Kexing is not simply "someone else".

Episode 26

• Ye Baiyi's letter where he requests "dumplings with cabbage and pork stuffing" was actually a warning for his arrival, as he was setting out to fight Wen Kexing for being the Ghost Valley Chief, Throughout the episode, Wen Kexing does small preparation for his death, trying to teach Zhou Zishu and Chengling to cook and having one last nice talk with the two. Zhou Zishu sees through all of this yet does not push Wen Kexing to confess and only drops a hint by saying they have a fierce battle tomorrow.

Episode 27

• Before what Wen Kexing thinks is the battle of his death, he plays his flute one last time while remembering all the good times in the Four Seasons Manor with Zhou Zishu and Chengling.

• As Zhou Zishu had knew that Ye Baiyi is on his way to battle Wen Kexing, he goes to face him alone instead, despite having the disadvntage due to his nails and the fact that Ye Baiyi is much stronger than him, Zhou Zishu still tries to stop Ye Baiyi from entering the Four Seasons Manor and by extension, from reaching Wen Kexing.

• Both of Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu couldn not stand against Ye Baiyi, when Ye Baiyi was about to kill Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu puts his arm in front of Wen Kexing, and shouts at him that anyone is worthy of judging Wen Kexing except for Ye Baiyi.

• Zhou Zishu drops the bomb and tells Ye Baiyi if he will kill Wen Kexing, then he just needs to kill both of them, Wen Kexing is stunned by this and holds Zhou Zishu's arm tightly.
  • In a deleted cut, it shows that Zhou Zishu had leaned his head onto Wen Kexing's shoulder, and Wen Kexing smiles at Zhou Zishu willing to die with him.

• After their near-death experience, Zhou Zishu starts teasing Wen Kexing for his being so pathetic while holding his chin, then they both start smiling and laughing at each other in an endearing way.

• Wen Kexing stopped Zhou Zishu from entering where Wen Kexing was bathing not because he was naked, but because he found that some words are easier to say when he wasn't facing Zhou Zishu directly.

• Zhou Zishu teases while saying "my Chief Wen", while he throws the herbs at Wen Kexing, he smiles widely before resuming his task.

Episode 28

• The chicken scene while preparing for the Lunar New Year, it's framed like a wife scolding her husband for not working, which was the case with Wen Kexing with his hands on his hips and raising the knife on Zhou Zishu.

• When Chengling tears up happily at his found family, Wen Kexing chimes in that he as well, was experincing the best Luner New Year festival, he talks vaugely about his past while his expression softens as he looks at Zhou Zishu:
  Wen Kexing: In the end, I was still a lonely ghost without anyone who I can rely on, who I can drink with at night, and who can reassure me.
  • The unvoiced line says at the end "No one to grow old together with".

Episode 29

• Wen Kexing breaks down emotionally and tries to save an already dead Han Ying, the only thing to snap him out of this state was Zhou Zishu telling him that "I'm A-Xu".

• As Duan Pengju burns down the Four Seasons Manor and mocks Zhou Zishu, he recites Prince Jin's words that "If he loves his sword that much, break it. If he can't depart from his home, then ruin it."
  • A little closer look at those words, one may say that the word sword here was a coverup for the word lover, which would make sense considering that both of those things happen, the Four Seasons Manor is burnt, and Wen Kexing is broken.

• Once again, what breaks Wen Kexing out of his trance was Wu Xi mentioning the name Zhou Zishu.

Episode 30

• When Prince Jin says that he thought Zhou Zishu was his Zhījǐ, his face looks outraged at the statement, and he replies sharply that he is not worthy of being his Zhījǐ.

Episode 31

• The entire rescue process of Zhou Zishu, Wen Kexing summoning all of the Top Ten Ghosts and the 3000 Ghosts at his command to rescue him, not only that, but he kneels in front of Zhou Zishu in front of said Ghosts and acknowledges himself as the unworthy second disciple of the Four Seasons Manor and Zhou Zishu as his Lord.

• The horse ride scene has been mostly cut, but one can still see Zhou Zishu's body leaning heavily on Wen Kexing's during their ride.

• Wen Kexing's face when Zhou Zishu smiles at Jing Beiyuan is one of familiar jealousy.

• Wen Kexing questions why Zhou Zishu wasn't surprised when he saw him coming to his rescue, Zhou Zishu replies that he doesn't know when or how, but he knew that Wen Kexing will come to his rescue no matter what.

• If one takes a closer look at Wen Kexing's robes, they appear to be the same kind of pattern a groom would wear on his wedding day, when Wen Kexing asks to be left alone, Bi Xingming closes the door to give them their own privacy. In the room where Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishu are in as Wen Kexing brushes his hair, one can see the Lotus flower in the background, which is the flower for marriage as well, last but not least, Wen Kexing puts takes off his own hairpin and puts it in Zhou Zishu's hair, a gesture reserved between two married couple, Zhou Zishu looks in the mirror at it and smiles.
  • In Episode 1, When Qin Jiuxiao was sculpting a hairpin, Zhou Zishu instantly knew that it was for a girl he likes, meaning that Zhou Zishu is well aware of what Wen Kexing did.

Episode 32

• Jing Beiyuan says that Zhou Zishu had asked him in the past to get him a girl with a great figure and while he found a lot, he trails off with "but he...", with Cao Weining and Gu Xiang's knowing smiles and Zhou Zishu's awkward one, it's obvious that he meant to say "but he found someone now" referring to Wen Kexing.

• At the White Deer Cliff, when Wen Kexing is one against all of the Five Lakes Alliance, the Scorpions and Ye Baiyi, Zhou Zishu comes to the scene, when Wen Kexing tries to turn Zhou Zishu away, Zhou Zishu just smiles, glides down to him and gets very close to him while smiling, he tells him to "save it" before he turns to everyone standing against Wen Kexing, and draws his sword.
  • The unvoiced line was "You are my person/mine".

• Wen Kexing eventually loses and falls off a cliff, a common Wuxia trope, what is not a common Wuxia trope is that Zhou Zishu jumping straight after him to die with him, both smiling at each other in serenity, accepting death and endless torment in the afterlife with no hesitation as long as it's with Wen Kexing.
  • A deleted shot due to pacing shows Zhou Zishu smiling right before jumping.

• Upon hearing that Wen Kexing is truly dead and it was not a dream, Zhou Zishu face falters and gets distraught to the point where he coughs blood.

• Zhou Zishu stares at Wen Kexing's body with emotionless eyes, then when he's been found out by the Gentle Wind Sect, he remembers how people want Wen Kexing's body mutilated and paraded around, his face goes from grief to realization to anger, he decided to throw the fire into the warehouse and burn Wen Kexing's body, so his body would rest untouched.

• Zhou Zishu mourns on the cliff where Wen Kexing died while crying, remembering all the times from their meeting to the domesticity in the Four Seasons Manor, he says how he never understood Wen Kexing's anger, but now he does when he's put in that situation. Zhou Zishu decides then to pull out the nails in his body, both accelerating his death and restoring his martial arts in order to avenge Wen kexing.
  Zhou Zishu: The world is not important, but my soulmate is. Since my soulmate is gone, death is nothing to fear.

Episode 33

• When it appears that Wen Kexing has not died, Zhou Zishu's face flickers between surprise, relief and anger. However in the end, when Wen Kexing completes his plan and avenges his parents, the second he looks at Zhou Zishu, Zhou Zishu smiles back at him in happiness, happy for now.

• Zhou Zishu can't even look mad at Wen Kexing, looking less intimidating than when he was about to fight Zhao Jing.

• When Mo Huaiyang voiced his intentions to kill Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu unsurprisingly held his arm in front of Wen Kexing, saying that anyone who wishes to come at Wen Kexing must go through him first.

Episode 34

• As everyone talks about how Wen Kexing's plan worked, Zhou Zishu finally scolds Wen Kexing for not telling him, on how he had to see his soulmate die in front of his eyes, and not just killed by anyone, but killed by Chengling who they both consider as their kid, eventually he cheers up though.

• The scene that takes place in nighttime is both intimate and tragic, intimate with the way Zhou Zishu adjuts Wen Kexing's hair and Wen Kexing hugging him all the way, tragic with the way that Wen Kexing keeps talking about how he is glad to complete his revenge and that Zhou Zishu will be cured and won't have to die, unaware that Zhou Zishu is indeed going to die soon, Zhou Zishu's expressions do not help as he smiles bittersweetly at those words.

• Zhou Zishu puts Wen Kexing gently to sleep, but Wen Kexing holds his hand and asks him to come to the place where his parents died to bury them, Zhou Zishu promises him to escort him, the second Wen Kexing closes his eyes and sleeps, Zhou Zishu breaks and lets his tears fall, knowing that he won't be able to fulfil that promise.

• During Gu Xiang's wedding, Zhou Zishu wears Wen Kexing's hairpin, considering that Wen Kexing lived in the valley since he was nine, it's no doubt that everyone knows that this hairpin belongs to him, making Zhou Zishu look like as if he's announcing his marriage to everyone.

• Tragicomic Ghost comments on how urgent Wen Kexing is in preparing Gu Xiang's wedding, hinting that he has another wedding to attend to.
  • Chengling makes a similiar comment to Zhou Zishu, although this one is for sadder reasons.

• When Wen Kexing refuses to let the Gentle Wind Sword Sect in, Gu Xiang immediately goes to Zhou Zishu, fully aware that the only person who can convince her Master is Zhou Zishu, it indeed works.

Episode 35

• The scene with the Scorpion King is slightly altered due to the change in the story, but the line "You dare act against what's mine?" still manages its way in the show:
  Zhou Zishu: You can have the Glazed Armor, but that person is mine.

• Wen Kexing asks why Zhou Zishu here, Zhou Zishu replies that he's here to die with him, and that if the Scorpion King won't let them live, Zhou Zishu will drag him with them. The Scorpion king smiles at this, telling them that they both want to die together, what's that got to do with him?.

• The light scene still is in the show, with Wen Kexing reaching out his hand to Zhou Zishu with the light behind him, saying that he wishes to catch it, Zhou Zishu holds out his hand to his, not minding the blood, but it falls before he manages to catch it.
  • A deleted shot shows that Zhou Zishu indeed caught Wen Kexing's hand.

• When Wen Kexing's tear falls in his dream, Zhou Zishu caresses his face to wipe it, and lets his hand linger.

Episode 36

• Zhou Zishu refers to Chengling and Wen Kexing as his beloved family, Jing Beiyuan tells him that he knows this.

• Once inside the Armory, Wen Kexing doesn't waste time in scolding Zhou Zishu, asking him about the promise of living and dying together.

• Zhou Zishu notices that his hairpin is missing, upon realizing that the most precious thing in the martial world was given to him by Wen Kexing no less (and as a marriage gift) he smiles fondly. Zhou Zishu then asks Wen Kexing what would happen if he didn't wear the hairpin, Wen Kexing responds that if he were to die, he definitely have worn hairpin to die with it.

• Wen Kexing teases Zhou Zishu about not wanting to die anymore, but Zhou Zishu replies earnstly that this was his thought before he met Wen Kexing.

• Upon finding the Combined Six Cultivation Power, Wen Kexing asks if this is the way Zhou Zishu wants to live, the unvoiced lines are more romantic though, and they make Zhou Zishu's teasing reaction make more sense.
  Wen Kexing: If you and I leave this place alive, are you willing to feed on ice and snow with me, living endlessly?

• As the truth of how the Combined Six Cultivation Power process unfolds, Wen Kexing willingly becomes the furance for Zhou Zishu for an entire day, having his meredians broken due to the surge of qi, the flashbacks to their times together may be Wen kexing remembering them to lessen the pain.

• Both of their lips seemingly mouth 爱你 (Ài nǐ: Love You). Wen Kexing's lips clearly says it while Zhou Zishu's lips are more ambigous about it.

• Zhou Zishu wakes up to see a white haired passed out Wen Kexing, he tries to hold onto his falling hands desperately as he tears up at the sight, not knowing whether he will ever wake up again.

• The entire conversation with Adult Chengling is obviously out of sync, as the original lines say that both of who do the ritual must be of one heart, being each other's Zhījǐ in the same way (As in both romantic or platonic) so at the most dangerous point in the ritual, they can help each other survive and therefore achieve immortality, both sharing the same heartbeat, the disciple asks if they survived instead of asking whether they mastered it.
  • This is backed up by Ye Baiyi claiming that no one will die before him, and the fact that he questioned Wen Kexing if he's willing to die for Zhou Zishu to see if their feelings match so neither of them dies.

Episode 37

• The Epilogue backs up the above, both are living on the cold mountains for at least a decade, Wen Kexing appears well and alive with his hair white, Zhou Zishu is seen wearing Wen Kexing's hairpin. Both of them are wearing matching robes, with Wen Kexing wearing Zhou Zishu's colour, blue. Both of them smile at each other before they start to duel. The fight is a parallel to the same fight in Episode 6, but in the end, both of their hands collide as the light casts over them, giving them a happy ending.

• This ending gets a little less wholesome when it can be taken as a reference to the novel, where the "fighting for eternity" could be a parallel to the novel's extra where they fight to settle on the matter of who tops.

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Scorpion King and Zhao Jing (Zhaoxie)

• Some undertones of Zhao Jing's and Scorpion King's relationship is sort of unsettling. Even moreso when one of the unvoiced lines imply that they sleep in the same bed.
• In the series's final episodes, Socrpion King goes full on crazy. Turning Zhao Jing mute for life while his body is disabled while Scorpion King keeps him like this as if he was a doll.

Jing Beiyuan and Wu Xi (Xiyuan)

• In the prequel of Faraway Wanderers, Lord Seventh, the main couple of the novel were Jing Beiyuan and Wu Xi. Despite their small appearance in the show, the fact that Jing Beiyuan lives with Wu Xi far away in Nan Jiang gives enough subtext about their relationship.

• There is also the scene with Gu Xiang and Cao Weining, Wu Xi compares Gu Xiang to the girls of Nan Jiang who are infamous for stealing good men away from their families and homes, Jing Beiyuan confirms this while glancing at Wu Xi, Wu Xi in return smiles knowingly.

Ye Baiyi and Rong Changqing (Rongye)

• As confirmed by Ye Baiyi's actor, Ye Baiyi's feelings towards Rong Changqing were romantic, but it was not returned in the same way, he refers to Rong Chengqing's son, Rong Xuan, as their son. This also explains why Rong Chengqing did not survive the Combined Six Cultivation power transfer, because the process needs for both sides to love each other the same way and that was not the case.