It just explains a lot! (why was Zhao Yunlan getting flowers, otherwise? And yeah, Zhao Sr. is better too...and maybe Zhang Shi sacrificed himself to save Zhao Yunlan's life, and that's why he's not in ZXC anymore?)
And YES Dixing and Haixing still together! (why did the gates all close up anyway?? Couldn't the Hallows reopen them? Argh why?!)
...also I think I've decided that in this alternate-ending-that-never-happened, Zhao Yunlan steps down from his principal position, goes on sabbatical and spends the next fifteen years hiking Dixing's backcountry, helping open up recently lit realms. Then he comes back to help found Dixing's first graduate school (staffed by Haixingren mostly) and then eventually hires one of their first PhD earners to be their biochemistry professor. And once Shen Wei's on the staff, then Zhao Yunlan finally gets around to asking him out...(he was gonna wait until Shen Wei got tenure, but in the end couldn't quite make it that far :P)
no subject
And YES Dixing and Haixing still together! (why did the gates all close up anyway?? Couldn't the Hallows reopen them? Argh why?!)
...also I think I've decided that in this alternate-ending-that-never-happened, Zhao Yunlan steps down from his principal position, goes on sabbatical and spends the next fifteen years hiking Dixing's backcountry, helping open up recently lit realms. Then he comes back to help found Dixing's first graduate school (staffed by Haixingren mostly) and then eventually hires one of their first PhD earners to be their biochemistry professor. And once Shen Wei's on the staff, then Zhao Yunlan finally gets around to asking him out...(he was gonna wait until Shen Wei got tenure, but in the end couldn't quite make it that far :P)