If @agdr03 was here, I would have asked to give us a list of kisses in this cdrama. That’s her forte. But she’s attending to family matters, so I’ll content myself with a list of gifts Yan Chi has given Shen Wan. I like to keep track of things like this.

From Episode 3.

1. The “Hanyue”

I don’t know when exactly YC handed it to SW. (Did I miss it or was the scene not shown at all? I just saw SW handing it over to YC after she performed the surgery on his grandmother.

He told her to keep it, saying, “In my hands, Hanyue is nothing more than a weapon for self-defense. But in yours, it can be used to heal and save lives. Giving it to you is truly allowing it to fulfil its greatest purpose.”

She accepted it, saying, “Hanyue is crafted from pure jade. Since Your Highness has so generously bestowed it upon me, I will be sure to live up to its name.”

On the surface, gift-giving is an ordinary trope in a cdrama. But this stands out for me because from the start, he catered to her passion and was focused on her interest. If I see another gift of hairpin, comb or bracelet in a cdrama, I’ll scream.

2. The gloves and acupuncture needle set

Later, he presented her with a pair of gloves and the needle set. He tried to downplay his gifts first, by calling them a “small token,” then, by apologizing for wrongly suspecting her of treating his grandmother for personal gain and glory. I think he was just looking for an excuse to give her a present.

Shen Wan was surprised to see the embroidered gloves made from deerskin. It meant that he remembered what she said about waterproof gloves protecting her hands during autopsies. Previously, she had only a flimsy pair of gloves.

Moreover, he gave her a Nine Needles acupuncture set. Her eyes grew wide in amazement when she saw the kit because even the illustrious Medicine King had only a set of seven needles.
While her maid was pleased that YC had put in a lot of thought into his gifts, SW worried that he was going through great lengths to recruit her as military physician for his army.

Her cluelessness made me smile.

Meanwhile, YC was impatient to know her reaction to his gifts. He asked her how she liked them. And without coyness, she enthused that they were exactly what she’d been longing for but couldn’t obtain. “I really can’t bear to return it, so I can only humbly accept it. Thank you for your generous gift, Your Highness.”

Her answer delighted him, but he again downplayed his feelings, saying, “As long as you find it useful, that’s all that matters. Miss Qin, please examine it carefully later.”

This scene tells me that he finds pleasure in giving her gifts; he likes to make her happy with gifts. Gift-giving is his love language.

From Episode 4.

3. A forensic tool kit and table laden with the drugs she needed for the autopsy

He said that he kept one in storage as backup. He sounded proud of himself when he produced it, saying, “I prepared this ahead of time. It’s appropriate as a gift for a girl, so I kept it at the morgue, just in case you need it.”

Lol. He surely knew the way to a girl’s heart…at least, this particular girl’s heart.

From Episode 12.

The sleeve arrow.

This wasn’t YC’s gift, but Princess Yongning’s when SW became a member of the Yue family. I just include this on the list so I’ll remember.

When you think about it though, the adoption itself was YC’s gift to SW because he was the one who suggested it to his relatives. Of course, he had another ulterior motive: he was blocking his cousin’s offer of marriage to SW.

4. The token of Prince Rui’s Mansion

He polished the token  a few days before her departure to the capital (at least four days before?), but he only gave it to her on the night of her formal adoption into the Yue family. It’s as if he was reserving it till the last moment because he wanted to make sure that it was going to be the LAST gift she would receive. It was more impactful that way.

source: sandranolie’s tumblr

Of course, she didn’t understand the importance.

YC: This is the token of the Prince Rui’s Mansion.

I don’t know if it’s a faulty translation, but it sounded as if it’s just a generic token: “Prince Rui’s Mansion.”

Only later on, do we learn that it was actually the token of the Heir of Prince Rui, meaning YC himself. It was  a more personal token that he let on. It’s as if he was declaring Shen Wan, the bearer of his token was “his” person or his most-favored representative, and should be accorded all courtesy and privilege due a Prince.

But he downplayed the significance of the token. All he said was to treat it like a talisman.

YC: Keep it for protection.
SW: I can’t accept such a valuable token. Qin Yan has personal guards, and Her Ladyship is returning to the capital with me. So nothing bad will happen.
YC: If you encounter common bandits, they can still handle it. But if you meet corrupt officials, this token will be more effective than anything they have. In winter, there are many refugees in the north, and there’s no shortage of corrupt officials who aid the wicked. Just keep this token as your…talisman.

He was able to show the power of this “talisman” when he made the government officials bow down for SW after flashing the token before them.

From Episode 17.

5. The flare and whistle

YC: This is the same Red Flare that YingQi used before. If I’m not around when you run into danger, you can point it toward the sky and pull the trigger. I’ll come as quickly as I can. This is an eagle whistle made for the Shuoxi Army’s scouts. Blow it, and it’ll make a sound like a gyrfalcon. I can hear it within two li. Got it?
SW: I got it. If you’re far from me, use the Red Flare. If you’re close, use the eagle whistle.

Hmmm…I find noteworthy that Princess YongNing gifted her with a weapon (i.e., the sleeve arrow) but YC’s gifts – not counting the HanYue blade which she uses for surgery – were tools for her protection. It’s as if he didn’t expect her to defend herself because he was her bodyguard. Or perhaps it’s because he didn’t want to “soil” her hands with the ugly business of killing or injuring someone as she was a doctor/medical fairy.

From Episode 18.

6. Her father’s notebook

SW: Where did you get it?
YC: I heard Lord Shen served as an official in Yuzhou for three years, so I thought there might be some of his handwritten notes among the case files. Sure enough, the clerk found this notebook in the archive.
SW: (seeing the red annotations) These are all written by my father himself, full of his case-solving insights. (tearing up)
YC: (touching her shoulder then her cheek)
SW: Thank you.

That was a very thoughtful gift. He went above and beyond the call of duty here. He knew that she was missing her parents, especially her father’s guidance when she worked on the case.

From Episode 20.

7. The sprig of white flower

source: sandranolie’s tumblr

It was such a random gift but I thought it was the sweetest gift so far…and fitting for the occasion, too.

They were waiting in front of the gates of the capital. Shen Wan looked anxious because she knew that there was no turning back for her and her maid after this moment. Then, Yan Chi came galloping beside her carriage and handed her the sprig of flower. He said he picked up somewhere on a hill.

To me, this would serve as a memento of their simpler, and more innocent days before they entered the capital and became embroiled in royal politics.

Did I miss anything? Am looking forward to more gifts from Yan Chi to Shen Wan.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

As for Shen Wan, she gave him a hand warmer. Lol. She’s a female tsundere.

source: movielosophy’s tumblr