"Even when its partner dies, the wolf is the sole animal that does not look for a new partner, instead living out the rest of its life in solitude" Chat is Xin gonna die? My heart can't take this kind of foreshadowing this better not be real.
Xin I can't keep defending you like this anymore man
Xin was pretty creepy as a child haha. Some of it rubbed off on him in the present.
WHYYYY IS IT NOT COMING BACK UNTIL AUGUST GAHHHHH. Anyways major spoilers for the raws ahead:
The way the author hinted towards everything with Lian and the puzzle was insane not gonna lie (referring chapter where she was asking for a puzzle that was hard enough where you can't see the big picture until all of the pieces together). Basically in the last chapter of the raws, she puts together a puzzle made of entirely white pieces, but then pours ink on it to make the form of the tattoo on Xin's body. She's insane but I like that about her (≧∀≦)
The completed tattoo is basically the dragon with 3 heads surrounded by the 5 emblems of the collateral lines, except one of them is on fire, which is likely the 2nd collateral line which got extinguished centuries ago. It looks like the fire is also burning the dragon in the tattoo, and also part of the head family (which is symbolized with the oleander symbol in the middle of the tattoo). I guess that means that whoever wants the tattoo to be done thinks that the extinguishing of the 2nd collateral line centuries ago is what is causing the failure of the head family in the present.
I really don't know how Lau is going to handle all of this because he looks like he got his soul ripped out of him. He looks like he aged 30 years, Xin abandoning him must've done a number on him. August better come fast, I can't wait.
I can’t do this anymore it’s been 12 days without sangyang. What will I do without my life, my love, my sole reason for sustenance? Literally shaking rn. I might go blow up a
good thing u won't have to blow up anything anymore lmao
Geez that worked? Maybe I should give out bomb threats more often
Ok now theory time based off of ch 61:
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I think the reason xin cut off ties with lau in ch 61 is because he's trying to save lau from whatever ritual the head family is planning. idk his whole attitude so far has seemed very self-sacrificial to me, from him not caring about the tattoo possibly killing him to staying in the annex for 5 years for a "personal" reason probably related to the head family to also smiling through everything even if he's literally dying from the tattoo. i think he knows that if he keeps lau with him, lau will end up being hurt or killed like how both of their siblings were.
this isn't the only reason imo ofc, i do think xin does feel a bit resentful of how lau is always trying to get away from him even if he does care for him. i think that he also feels tired of being cast aside by lau, similar to how lau feels xin is casting him aside.
a scene that stands out to me that foreshadowed that was in ch 24. the scene where lau goes outside to smoke on the patio and xin is inside and tries to raise a toast to him. lau then blows smoke in his face basically shutting him down in his classic lau way lmao. xin then leans against the glass door almost like he's trying to be close to lau despite the barrier between them. then in the next scene lau complains xin kicked him out for seemingly no reason after that.
i think that there was a reason, that being xin was feeling a little resentful or melancholy about there always being a barrier between him and lau. whether that barrier is one created by the difference in their own attitudes towards each other or the barrier cast between them by their positions, i have no idea. imo its a bit of both.
i think this scene is supposed to signify a pattern in their relationship, where xin tries to support lau (even if its in a weird way), lau doesn't like it and lashes out, and xin tries to break off their bond.
not to mention, prior to ch 60 the last time xin and lau met in the timeline was in the s1 finale when lau freaked out because of his past trauma about possibly hurting xin, xin was very vulnerable and then begged him to stay, to which lau responded by running off in tears.
xin probbably feels even more resentful about that, but i think he realizes that its not really lau's fault. i think this because in the final panel of s1, we see xin standing at the top of the staircase with the painting of the first heir and guardian casting a shadow over him. i think xin realizes in this moment that the reason why the relationship between him and lau is strained is because of their relationship as heir and guardian. and that as long as that bond is tying them together, lau will always try to run away from him. which is why the next time we see xin, he breaks off the bond with lau by burning their contract. (i think that even if lau at that point hadn't realized who was tattooing xin, he would've tried to break off their bond regardless).
anyways thats the end of my rambling session ╮(￣▽￣)╭
The author did not have to go as hard as they did on those candle panels
Anyone else notice the drawer Xin keeps the storybook in is the same one where he keeps all of his relics of him and Lau in the present? (≧∀≦) Xin's finally found more things to be precious to him which warms my heart (but also makes me sad because of what his current situation is like).