Reading

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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Bonus Story: Pocket Dimension

Hi, and welcome to the last installment of the Guardian novel readalong!

Here is last week's post about the Shen San extra, and you can find all previous discussions in the schedule posts (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.

In this week's extra, Pocket Dimension: Zhao Yunlan shows Shen Wei how to send red envelopes from his new phone, and Shen Wei sends bonuses to the SID team until he runs out of money. Everyone wants to work for the SID under Kunlun-jun, so Shen Wei has devised personalised applications. Mysteriously, more than twice as many applications have been returned as were sent out. Zhu Hong's Fourth Uncle disappears while visiting the South Sea Water Tribe, and Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei go to investigate. They get caught in a vortex full of bubble AUs, each with a connection point to the real world. Zhao Yunlan escapes from eighty-one pocket dimensions and reunites with Shen Wei, who seems traumatised. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei take a seaside vacation. Shen Wei thinks swimming trunks are inelegant.

Excerpts:

( 1) Shen Wei is possibly even worse at managing money than Zhao Yunlan is )

( 2) Shen Wei gives away all his money as SID bonuses )

( 3) Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan become trapped in bubbles )

( 4) What are the bubbles? )

( 5) Zhao Yunlan enjoys some virtual reality alernate lives with his boo )

Questions:
Did you enjoy this extra? What's your favourite thing about it? Do you have questions about what's happened in the six years between the epilogue and now? On a scale of one to ten, how terrible is Zhao Yunlan's dad? When Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan portal to the South Sea, who does the portalling: Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan, or both separately? We know Fourth Uncle is still alive, but what happened to him? Do you think the question of the duplicate applications was satisfactorily answered? How do you feel about the bubble AUs?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the readalong!)

Finally, I just want to thank everyone who's been part of this readalong, either by hosting, commenting, or reading along! It's been such a pleasure sharing this with you all for the last nearly-ten months. And super special extra thanks to

trobadora for being an awesome co-mod! <3 <3 <3

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!event

Guardian Wishlist: 2025 rules and promo

A gifting fest for Guardian and related fandoms: guardian-wishlist.dreamwidth.org

The Guardian Wishlist rules and FAQ for 2025 are up on

guardian_wishlist! Please check them out and let us know if you have any questions.

Sign-ups open on 28 August!

And if you're willing to post a promo to Tumblr, Twitter, Discord, or elsewhere to spread the word, please check out this post for promo graphics and text. (We'd love it if you commented there to let us know which platform and/or drop us a link, but don't feel you have to.) Thanks!

(Much thanks to

teaotter for our lovely banner!)

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Poll: Light in Dixing, and face masks at the SID (drama)

Poll #33513 Light in Dixing

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 13

View Respondents

In episode 23, the Deacon says the guest room is dim because Dixing's limited light is being diverted to the palace. Possible implications:

View Answers

wealthy people can bribe the palace for more light
13 (100.0%)

there is a black market in photons
8 (61.5%)

the Dixing bar is well-lit because its patrons donate a portion of their light quota
4 (30.8%)

the bar is not actually well-lit -- it just looks that way for filming convenience
11 (84.6%)

the glowy lava on the volcano uses up some of the limited light resources
0 (0.0%)

you can create a blackout elsewhere by making an especially bright light in a windowless room
3 (23.1%)

the Deacon is bullshitting because he dislikes Zhao Yunlan
4 (30.8%)

other
0 (0.0%)

Where did Zhao Yunlan's stash of face masks, as discovered by xiao-Guo in episode 16, come from?

View Answers

Zhao Yunlan always had them; he just never uses them
3 (23.1%)

the SID team presented them as a pointed gift in episode 3, after Zhao Yunlan sneezed on everything; Zhao Yunlan shoved them in a desk drawer and forgot about them
10 (76.9%)

Shen Wei sent them as a gift in episode 3, accompanied by a note wherein he politely hoped Chief Zhao's health had improved; Zhao Yunlan put them in his lollipop drawer and grinned whenever he saw them
6 (46.2%)

they arrived anonymously in the mail (Shen Wei)
2 (15.4%)

Lin Jing explained disease transmission to Wang Zheng, and she added them to the regular stationery order
6 (46.2%)

other
0 (0.0%)

Entry tags:

canon: drama

Help for a fic: Jiajia's family name?

Is there canon or fanon about Jiajia's family name?

Many thanks for any assistance!

Entry tags:

My latest Guardian fanworks

2 Weilan fics, 1 Zhubai fic, 1 Zhubai drawing. :)

Let's Name Everything (507 words) by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian - priest
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan, Kunlun/Shen Wei (Guardian)
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, The Language of the Primordial Gods, Implied/Referenced Sex
Summary: It almost sounds like blasphemy; neither of them has ever had a problem with that.

Much Better Than Expected (150 words) by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018), 镇魂 | Guardian - priest
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Rain, Established Relationship, Drabble and a Half
Summary: Getting caught in the rainstorm was worth it.

A Quiet Celebration (333 words) by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF, Chinese Actor RPF
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Bai Yu/Zhu Yilong
Characters: Bai Yu (Actor), Zhu Yilong
Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff, Kissing, Established Relationship, Soft
Summary: "So you skipped the glamorous afterparty to make out in the kitchen and eat noodles with me."

Not a Goodbye by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF, Chinese Actor RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Bai Yu/Zhu Yilong
Characters: Bai Yu (Actor), Zhu Yilong
Additional Tags: Kissing, Fanart, Drawing
Series: Part 9 of Zhubai ~canon~ but with more kissing, Part 9 of Guardian Bingo 2025
Summary: This moment from the last day on set. :)

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Coming soon: Guardian Slo-Mo Rewatch

Zhao Yunlan sprawled on a couch, grinning at his phone. The background shows a purply sky with stars. Text reads "Slo-Mo Rewatch. Guardian - half an episode per week @ sid-guardian.dreamwidth.org."

Announcing the Guardian Slo-Mo Rewatch, coming to a

sid_guardian near you, starting 5 September. We'll be watching half an episode a week (about twenty minutes) so we can talk and squee about our beloved 镇魂 | Guardian drama.

For those who remember our last rewatch, this time we're aiming for a lighter touch. Posts will be on the minimalist side - a brief summary, one quote, one screencap, maybe one noteworthy detail and some discussion-starter questions.

We're looking forward to some fun discussions as we revisit Haixing, Dixing, and the SID.

Fans of the novel, the drama, or both are very welcome! You don't have to keep up with the rewatch – it's absolutely fine to dip in at any time. We want to hear what you think! Those of us who've just finished the Readalong or are otherwise familiar with the novel are likely to compare and contrast the two canons, but it's 100% okay to focus purely on the drama.

Please consider hosting a post or two, if you're willing and able to! Comment with a date from the schedule below! Posts should ideally be made sometime on the Friday or Saturday, in any time zone.

Schedule for round 1
Weekend of 5 September - episode 1 up to 22:28:
Weekend of 12 September - episode 1 from 22:28:
Weekend of 19 September - episode 2 up to 22:11:
Weekend of 26 September - episode 2 from 22:11:
Weekend of 3 October - episode 3 up to 23:25:
Weekend of 10 October - episode 3 from 23:25:
Weekend of 17 October - episode 4 up to 22:16:
Weekend of 24 October - episode 4 from 22.16:
Weekend of 31 October - episode 5 up to 23:04:
Weekend of 7 November - episode 5 from 23:04:

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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Bonus Stories: The Mountain Spirit

Welcome aboard for this week's extra in our Guardian readalong!

are last week's extras. You can find all previous discussions on the schedule posts (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.

Summary: Jianghu wanderer Shen San is injured while saving someone, falls down a cliff, and finds himself in the care of a beautiful ~~immortal~~ yao, who nurses him back to health. He soon finds himself entirely smitten. Returning as promised after taking care of unfinished business, he finds the cottage empty. Three years later, having made a home there, Shen San discovers his yao-xiong has been secretly around all this time. They settle into domesticity, disrupted only by a book of erotica and Shen San falling ill. Before Shen San dies, he promises to come back in his next life and find him again. Afterwards, the newly-named Shen Wei hunts down the original Soul-Guarding Order, which Shen San had given away, and unseals Daqing so Daqing can take care of Kunlun's reincarnations.

The corresponding part in the Chinese version/the fan translation is the "Shen San" extra.

Excerpts:
I could have quoted everything! But I managed to restrain myself. *g*

( 1) Shen San, jianghu wanderer )

( 2) Human, immortal, yao? )

( 3) Shen San has a revelation )

( 4) High literature )

( 5) A promise )

Questions:

What do you think about Shen San? How much is he like Kunlun, or like Zhao Yunlan? Do you think Shen San and his yao-xiong ever managed to make proper use of that book of erotica? *g* How do you feel about the tragedy of it all? Should Wei have resisted harder? Can you make sense of how the parts about the Soul-Guarding Order fit with everything else? Which parts of this extra have parallels in the drama?

(As usual, these are just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like!)

Our schedule - only one more extra to go! Sign up if you'd like to host it!

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!event

Guardian Wishlist 2025 coming soon!

Just a reminder that Guardian Wishlist 2025 is opening for business at

guardian_wishlist on 28 August!

This gifting fest runs along the lines of

fandomtrees and its ilk, but is specifically for Guardian (show, novel, and RPF) and related fandoms (main actors' other roles). It works like this:

People sign up with a wishlist of prompts and things they'd like to receive. Requests can include any media, including transformative works like fic, art, icons, vids, podfic, and also picspams and meta, translation advice, related music links, ~~lollipops, branches from a Divine Tree, wisps of Chaos, powerful ancient artefacts~~ anything.
Anyone can write, draw, record, or otherwise create gifts for any sign-up. Gifts can be posted directly in comments (which are screened until reveals) or to an AO3 collection. Gift posting continues right up until reveals. There are no minimums for gifts.

We'll be back closer to the date with updated rules and guidelines (all announcements and such are crossposted here on

sid_guardian), but here is this year's schedule again:

28 August: sign-ups open
5 September: first wishlists posted
15 September: sign-ups close
16 September: final wishlists posted
6 October (Reunion Festival): gifts revealed

And if you haven’t, come check out our participation poll in our initial announcement post!

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Poll: Drugs and lollipops (drama 'verse)

Poll #33486 Drugs and lollipops

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 16

View Respondents

Where does Wang Zheng get the drugs to sedate the others in the mountains?

View Answers

she bought them online before leaving Dragon City
7 (46.7%)

she raided Lin Jing's drug stash at the SID
3 (20.0%)

she raided Da Qing's drug stash at the SID
1 (6.7%)

she found them in Zhu Hong's luggage (along with the syringe of resurrection juice)
0 (0.0%)

she gathered local traditional herbs in the mountains
8 (53.3%)

she slipped out and procured them from a local healer in the village
4 (26.7%)

other
0 (0.0%)

Second best time Zhao Yunlan offers someone a lollipop (the first is YOHE!Shen Wei, obviously)

View Answers

Guo Changcheng upon his arrival at the SID (ep 1)
5 (38.5%)

Zheng Yi when she's in hospital (ep 12)
2 (15.4%)

Cong Bo upon his recruitment (ep 14)
3 (23.1%)

Ying Chun at their first meeting (ep 21)
3 (23.1%)

random lab tech at the Inspectorate (ep 30)
1 (7.7%)

Da Qing, when Zhao Yunlan goes to retrieve xiao-Guo and Shen Wei from Dixing (half-eaten lollipop) (ep 33)
4 (30.8%)

other
0 (0.0%)

When you read "SID", do you mentally hear it as

View Answers

sid
8 (50.0%)

S.I.D.
9 (56.2%)

Special Investigation Department
0 (0.0%)

other
0 (0.0%)

Entry tags:

Four recent fics (Guardian, various)

Three flashfics for

fan_flashworks, plus another instalment of my Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan post-canon 'verse.

Title: Behind another face (100 words) [General Audiences]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Relationships: Zhang Shi & Shen Xi, Shen Xi/Zhao Xinci
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Complicated Relationships, Sharing a Body, Secrets, Drabble, Face challenge
Summary:

Zhang Shi meets Shen Xi.

Title: Take back the world (1288 words) [Teen and Up]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Wang Yike/Zhang Ruonan
Additional Tags: Reference to canon rape, Aftermath of canon rape, Pre-Canon, Upsetting Dixing powers, Revenge challenge
Summary:

One day, everything falls apart.

Title: two are halves of one (851 words) [Teen and Up]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Episode Related, Episode 22 after the blindness arc, First Kiss (for one of them), Crowd challenge
Summary:

A deep twist of desire makes Zhao Yunlan laugh. "After this—” He circles his chopsticks over the meal and has to clear his throat to keep his voice light. “Shen Wei, I think you should give me a thorough health check.”

Title: life in the silver lining (2732 words) [Teen and Up]
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Complicated Relationships, The emotional implications of the existence of time travel, intimacy is hard, rated for themes
Series: Part 4 of Breakage and Repair 'verse (CSZ/SW/ZYL)
Summary:

“You’ve time-travelled before.” Shuzhi’s voice was low and raw. “What if the next time you go to Dixing, the Hallows open a portal to the past? Would you go and stop Ye Zun, and put everything back how it’s supposed to be?”

(Follows on from Raw Nerves, Old Scars.)

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My latest Guardian fanworks

2 drama Weilan fics, 1 novel drawing, 1 Zhubai drawing. :)

Sweet Surrender (1621 words) by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Lollipops, inappropriate use of a lollipop, Food Sex, food insertion, Object Insertion, Anal Play, Nipple Licking, a lot of licking in general, Established Relationship, The Author Regrets Nothing
Summary: Lollipop, inappropriate use of.

Poems on Your Skin (1940 words) by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Shen Wei (Guardian), Zhao Yunlan
Additional Tags: Ye Olde Haixing Era, Writing on Skin, Body Calligraphy, Dixing Culture & Customs (Guardian), First Kiss, First Time, Frottage, Coming In Pants, Porn with Feelings, Guardian Bingo
Series: Part 8 of Guardian Bingo 2025, Part 5 of All the different first times for YOHE Weilan
Summary: Zhao Yunlan helps Shen Wei with a ritual.

Fading by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian - priest
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Shen San/Shen Wei (Guardian)
Characters: Shen San (Guardian), Shen Wei (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Illness, Bedside Vigils, Fanart, Drawing
Summary: Wei watches Shen San sleep.

I [Heart] You by facethestrange
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF, Chinese Actor RPF
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Bai Yu/Zhu Yilong
Characters: Bai Yu (Actor), Zhu Yilong
Additional Tags: video call, Fluff, finger hearts, Guardian Bingo, Fanart, Drawing
Series: Part 7 of Guardian Bingo 2025
Summary: Daily video call.