Actually sobbing over SQH’s Big Brain thinking to (try to) write in a language that ancient Chinese fictional characters will have no possible chance of understanding
re: golden core reveal - wasn't JC actively attacking LWJ and (bleeding and semi-unconscious) WWX when WN arrived? I get that this fight was a misunderstanding and an overreaction from everyone involved, and JC didn't really want to kill or injure anyone, but if WN only arrived at the scene when he heard the sounds of fighting, I can totally see why he was so mad at JC lol, it probably looked like he was trying to kill WWX for some reason
Jiang Cheng follows Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji into the temple and starts accusing them of fooling around, which I’d totally forgotten is actually the part that really upsets Wei Wuxian. And then he attacks first!
Wei Wuxian saw the change in Lan Wangji’s expression and thought that Jiang Cheng’s words had stung him. He was so angry that his entire body shook. He didn’t even dare imagine what Lan Wangji thought of being insulted like that. His fury blazed brighter, blood rushed to his head, and he flung out a talisman.
The talisman was fast and merciless. It struck Jiang Cheng on his right shoulder and exploded with a thunderous bang, causing him to stagger. He hadn’t expected Wei Wuxian to strike so suddenly, and his own spiritual powers had yet to fully recover. As a result, the blast caught him head-on and his shoulder began to bleed.
Disbelief flashed across his face, and Zidian shot from his finger, sizzling and flashing haphazardly as it lashed out (249, 7S trans.).
So then a fight breaks out between the three of them, Wei Wuxian’s like wait this is terrible and nearly passes out. When that happens–
Jiang Cheng’s expression changed too. He retracted his whip, then blinked, looking alert (249, 7S trans.).
this is in fact… not what happens (go away donghua). he pulls himself together and fights for Jin Ling’s position and like… continues with his life.
it’s almost as if Wei Wuxian’s assessments of people’s characters are not always (or perhaps even often) entirely correct!!!!
I’m also just so struck this time about how the evasiveness is all on the part of Wei Wuxian, and is explicitly about no longer having the resilience to face the trauma of the core transfer and its repercussions. you might say he’s…… unable to face himself……..
finally:
WEI WUXIAN PLEASE JUST PAY A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION AND NOTICE WHO HE LEFT OFF THAT LIST
i’ve really never thought about it, but you are so so right. fic is so fixated on jiang cheng being mean to wei wuxian, with good and obvious reason, but wei wuxian is really quite unkind to him in the second life as well? he truly refuses to actually listen to what he’s saying at almost any point, and as you point out, his fundamental perspective on who jiang cheng is and what he’s capable of is not kind! this is not to say i don’t think he loves jiang cheng, but especially by the time you get to the temple confrontation, there is a fundamental dismissiveness and lack of willingness to hear or see him that is self-protective, but also shades into meanness for sure
Don’t worry I don’t mind! I like interacting on here even if I’m mostly a coward and keep to the tags lol
I also think he loves Jiang Cheng, he’s just, as you say, very dismissive of what he has to say /and/ of his capabilities, almost comically so. It’s wanting to coddle him to the point of forgetting that Jiang Cheng is a full person, who has wishes beyond ‘need to be a good sect heir’, who cares about Wei Wuxian beyond his usefulness. Which granted neither Jiang Cheng nor his parents did a good job conveying to Wei Wuxian lol. But it’s the lack of any real interiority given to Jiang Cheng (beyond his role as cultivator) to justify such an immense act of love that’s just…. fun to me, it’s so cruel, not necessarily even of Wei Wuxian, just their situation in general. I hope Jiang Cheng never hears him say any of this cause I bet he’d never stop crying again ever in his life, I know I wouldn’t. Fun! They’re a mess I’m so fond of them!