Cheng Xiaoshi Analysis reposts

(Note - I wrote this around two years ago. Found a document full of link click writing that I had reposted onto tumblr, and since my tumblr got deleted... might as well use this?)

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Okay so the moment where Cheng Xiaoshi decides not to dive into the past because Lu Guang would’ve disapproved of it. Amazing moment. Also would not have happened if Cheng Xiaoshi didn’t witness Emma getting strangled in episode 9.

Why? Because Cheng Xiaoshi lost some faith in his ability to fix the past and Lu Guang during the earthquake arc.

This led him to try to do something on his own for Emma, hence he dived on his own, hence he witnessed her getting strangled, and realized that his every action, his every intention to fix the past (as a way to vicariously fix his own pain regarding the past.)

but in this moment, he realizes he can’t fix the past, shouldn’t have dived on his own, and he asks Lu Guang to tell him what he should do, how to make things end well, because he was never able to.

And this is when he accepts the whole ‘fool, don’t change the past, because of us, the future will surely change’, because it’s what Lu Guang would’ve said to make everything to end okay.

Cheng Xiaoshi applies his strategic abilities to change the future instead in episode 10 and 11, which works out well…

… annndd hence why Cheng Xiaoshi believed in Lu Guang to the point where he wouldn’t dive back in time to save him.

WHich is driving me insanneeeeee THE WRITING IN THIS SHOOOOWWWW

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So Cheng Xiaoshi had two of the ‘sees memories in physical space’ moments, in the beginning of episode six season one where he remembers the aftermath of episode five and how the started the client business, along with that scene in season two episode one where cheng xiaoshi remembers all the mundane moments with Lu Guang. (still in tatters over that scene by the way.)

Overall I just think it’s interesting that CXS, for all of his ‘devil-may-care’ attitude and silly demeanor, is a very reminiscent person. I headcannon that he goes through his memories a lot, especially when he’s upset. And if you pair that with a headcannon that CXS’s parents were photographers, that the shop was a photography shop…(there are canvases in the front windows.)

… then you get the idea of cheng xiaoshi valuing memories since he was little, perhaps hsi parents valued that too and tied that into taking photos? Perhaps they took all the photos with them? (Since CXS doesn’t remember what his parents look like.) Photos become his way of holding onto those memories… his powers are a testament to that. And he clings to these memories so much that he wishes to fix the pains of the past through his powers…. which doesn’t work. sobs sobs

Then you get the headcannon where Lu Guang - all future focused and practical - holding on to the past for one person and one person only - Cheng XIaoshi.

And the fact that Cheng Xiaoshi, over the course of season one, looks to those who ‘shine light’ into his life instead of the past, holding onto them in the present instead… well it’s wonderful storytelling and I’m going to be an emotional wreck after season three if my ‘CXS permanent death is what the narrative is going for’ theory is right.

Also also:

CXS going to package photos when a situation (Doudou’s father pleading with the trio to find his son) upsets him in his withdrawn state…. alsooo headcannoning that photos calm him down.

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Can. we. just. talk. about. how. QIao. LIng. and. Cheng. Xiaoshi. protect. each. other. sksksksksiafjasdklfj. the most siblings ever.

So Qiao LIng worried for her entire childhood that Cheng Xiaoshi would never be able to make freinds. The first thing she did when meeting Lu Guang was ask why he liked Cheng Xiaoshi. She let Cheng Xiaoshi believe that his parents were coming back, slapped lawyer dude in the face (I forgettt hisss nameee QJ are the initals???) for him, and comforted him when he freaked out over the earthquake. (the backstory scene where she makes him drink milk gives me lifee she cares about him so much)

Cheng Xiaoshi taking the blame for stabbing Lu Guang, saying that Qiao Ling was innocent, that one chibi short where he noticed that Qiao Ling was upset and ordered all her favorite foods alskdfdkalsdjf, trusting her when she tells him to dive into the photo to save Lu Guang, both Lu Guang and Qiao Ling being the ones that ‘shine light onto [CXS’s] life’.

(Also the first time QIao Ling mentioned being CXS’s landlady he got excited, and when he proposed the business idea to Lu Guang he was excited to ‘pay off all the debt’. Like IDK I don’t think there’s actually a debt here. It’s just something there to support CXS and aldfkjasdkflj.

you could even see QIao LIng taking the second bowl of noodles as helping CXS. She’s the biggest shiguang shipper of us all.)

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Cheng Xiaoshi sees his memories as ‘ghosts’ in his physical space in season one. And he sees them as old film in season two. This might be stylistic choice or just a little different between seasons, but perhaps this signifies a shift away from Cheng Xiaoshi’s longing for the past. In season one CHeng XIaoshi believes he can fix the past and vicariously regain the happiness he lost when his parents left. If he can use photographs to fix the mistakes, then perhaps he can prove to himself that his past won’t be broken forever and his parents will return, so his memories live around him, with him, as something he can go back to, fix, change. He’s hopeful about that. In season two his memories are just film, unattainable. He’s lost hope and belief that he can go back to change the past because of what happened in season one with Emma. His parents are gone, Emma is dead, those who are left are Lu Guang and QIao Ling. And CXS puts more faith into the ‘don’t try to change the past, because of us the future will surely change’ mentality. However, this does mean leaving the past in pictures. Hence film.

…. wait a minute. Okay so acutalllyy. Cheng Xiaoshi doesn’t see his memories as film until after he thinks Lu Guang is dead and choses not to go back into the past to fix it. In this scene he experiences all the little moments with Lu Guang around him, in his physical space, it’s so tangible that it makes the loss even more painful. Proceeds to hear the little song they play during this scene and sobs

But after this, after the choice he makes where he decides that he cannot go back to the past to fix it, because Lu Guang told him time and time again that changing the past is a bad idea, and now CXS has to live with Emma’s death, Cheng Xiaoshi’s memories stay in photographs, because even with his power and after everything he does, there is nothing he can do to change the past