Yeah, I'm really curious whether it was a bad reaction to the ending that made them cut it, or they just thought it was too risky because of the explicit reincarnation, or what (it sounds like most of the bad reaction to the ending happened after the cut scene was leaked as opposed to test audiences before the show aired, but I'm not clear about that? Anyway it amuses me that as much as many of us want fix-its for the ending...we don't want them like this!)

The English translations for the novel haven't gotten to the end yet, but yeah, I'm pretty sure Xiao Guo is the wick there (but it's not fatal for him, possibly because he is so pure?)

I doubt s2 of Guardian will happen, but I'd still love to see Zhu Yilong and Bai Yu onscreen together (which might not ever happen again...) (Though as far as "more het" goes, given that Zhu Yilong's next major role is Tomb Restart and the major relationships there are a trio of him and two other dudes...I'm not sure he got that memo?!)