Beautiful photo by @thecrazyreader
Hey fairies!
Welcome back to day 4 of our readalong of Shanghai Immortal! Let’s get comfy and get reading!
Today we’re reading from Chapter 20 to the end of Chapter 25.
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao, from chapters 20 to 25. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
When they meet Brother Zhu at the Paramount, I think Tony is actually a little jealous? Jealousy is definitely confirmed when he snaps at Brother Zhu to let go of Jing.
Brother Zhu really needs to work on his timing, he comes over to ask Jing to dance right when Tony was trying to work up the courage to do the very same. Jing agrees but only because Brother Zhu says if she does, she can ask him anything she likes. Poor Tony is fuming! How is Jing not picking up on it?!
She questions him about the dragon pearl, but it quickly turns to Brother Zhu asking her what the deal is between her and Tony. She brushes it off and before they know it, the dance is over. She asks Tony to dance with her and after a bit of grumbling, they dance.
Alone in the rickshaw, Tony finally stops sulking when Jing uses that courtly piss-fart to thank him for taking care of her. After a bit of prodding he realises Jing actually doesn’t care for Brother Zhu after all.
UGH. This slow burn, it’s KILLING me! JUST as it seems they’re about to kiss, thunder strikes and rain pours from the sky. The feel of the water hitting her gives Jing flashbacks. Once she hears Tony’s voice it seems to pull her out of it and she begs him not to let go.
No, I’m about to cry. Tony and Gigi help her warm up back in the room and when Gigi realises the rain upsets Jing because of what happened to her, she says she never realised the reason it didn’t rain in yin Shanghai is because of her. Before Jing’s arrival, it DID rain, but it seems once Big Wang learned of the impact rain had on her, he ceased the rain.
While I do think Gigi’s tip for warming Jing up is legitimate, I don’t doubt that she also saw this as an opportunity to bring Jing and Tony closer together, literally and figuratively! I’m not complaining, anything that might push these two into realising they’re made for each other is good with me!
Jing makes the mistake when she wakes of taking a stroll through Shanghai and quickly notices there are three celestial men following her. She makes it back safely, but that’s still worrying… Who is after her? And Why?
After Jing winds up Tony that they slept together, and then gets seriously annoyed when he seems upset at the thought, Tony assures her he wants to kiss her, he just doesn’t want to anger Big Wang and offers her the opportunity for her first kiss. She takes it, but he tells her first kisses shouldn’t be in beds, they should be in comfortable chairs. He’s so honourable I can’t cope!
At first, it’s only a peck, but they both quickly become enamoured and immersed in the moment and it’s only Gigi and Ah Lang at the door that can pull them apart.
It comes out that the only reason Jing wants to know about the talisman is to pin it on the hulijing, Tony’s hurt. Just when they were getting somewhere he finds out Jing’s been lying again.
They argue and when Jing starts to cry, Tony apologises. He’s just as bad though. Jing realises after all of this, he’s still scared of her, even though she’s protected him, saved him on multiple occasions and never once hurt him.
I can’t help but think the hurtful words he’s spouting now are more to shield himself from getting close to Jing. Still though, I’m hurting for her. Everything he’s saying reinforces all of the nasty things she’s been told throughout her life. She believes it all. She takes off running, leaving everything behind so she can watch one last sunset on her own. When she returns, Tony apologises and says he only said it all because of how Ah Lang and Gigi suffer when they’re apart. He opens the door thinking Gi is behind it, but instead it’s four celestial men…
It all ends with Tony being stabbed in the back, she breaks the jade in an attempt to help him but she’s taken away before knowing if it saved him.
She’s in the Hulijing Court. Oh dear. Niang Niang wishes to interrogate her. Is this about the dragon pearl? Do they think Jing has it?
No wonder she hates Soo, she deserves it after she was one of the handmaids who used to try to drown Jing.
Ok, this is interesting. Jing has definitely repressed some of her memories but they’re coming back to her? She can BREATHE underwater… or just hold her breath? Her mum told her to keep it a secret, and she kept it so secret even she didn’t know.
With the support of all her memories from Horsey and Bullhead’s lessons of encouragement, she finds the strength she needs to escape her prison and greet her grandmother.
Do you think Tony is ok?
What do you think her grandmother wants from Jing?
Do you think Jing will manage to escape?
This section really took a turn that I didn’t see coming! I’m loving it though!
See you tomorrow for our final section!
Love,
Shannon
This section was so unexpectedly heartbreaking :'((
Do you think Tony is ok? Honestly no, I don’t think he’ll survive but I’m hoping for a miracle because I could not handling him dying.
What do you think her grandmother wants from Jing? Nooo idea this part was a total surprise, I never expected her grandmother to get her kidnapped and hurt Tony.
Do you think Jing will manage to escape? I’m hoping so, maybe more of her memories about her being able to breathe underwater/fear of water come back and she can use that knowledge to escape? Fingers crossed for Jing!
This section has probably been my favourite part of the book (so far) I’m desperate to see how it ends!
1. Do you think Tony is ok?
Yes, I believe he is ok!
2. What do you think her grandmother wants from Jing?
I actually thought her grandmother would be kind to her, so I didn’t expect it to take this turn and want something from her, maybe the pearl?
3. Do you think Jing will manage to escape?
Yes, she will
1. Do you think Tony is ok?
She left the jade with him, didn’t she? Hopefully he can be saved, however, if he does he gets to hell aaaand has to manage the bank and 150 years of duty sooo he’ll be right there with her … But I’d prefer the first option- but if he does the jade would be a pointless object, a lose end in the story- I’d be quite disappointed if something like this happened
2. What do you think her grandmother wants from Jing?
The Dragon pearl, obviously, but I suspect that “the pearl” might not be a literal pearl but something more humanoid, if you know what I mean ;-). And I still think it’s kind of weird that they tried to kill Jing when she was a child… it could be that her grandmother didn’t want to lose her position (Jing s being a golden fox and therefore more powerful than her) or to get back the mighty Dragon pearl (Jing s being a human manifestation of the pearl).
Do you think Jing will manage to escape?
She’ll either escape or get the new head of the hulijing. She’ll maybe find her fox form and her missing memories might be the key to find what she was lacking before <3 spread your wings (or tails) and take what's rightfully yours!!
Nevertheless, that kiss!!! Was cheering when he (finally) kissed her properly! And I also think that he tried to protect her by hurting her feelings so she could live without missing him and be miserable… as in "even though I'll miss her, she can move on and find someone else she can be happy with". But I do hate him for using all her weak points – and yes I also see his hurt feelings But to be fair … she never said that she wanted to find the cause of the fake talisman because of him, did she? Anyway, this chapter broke my heart … again.
However, I like how the novel redempt Jing's mother, because I highly doubt that she "sold" her daughter, she probably gave her to big Wang so he could protect her <3
Btw, does anyone know, whether there will be a second part of the novel?
Answering your question, yes! The author has it marketed as a trilogy on her IG page. Book 2 is coming in June 2024.
When you say second part of the novel, do you mean sequel? On Goodreads it seems to indicate this is the first in the series.
I’m glad these two finally kissed. Man. I was going to get annoyed if the whole “I’m just a mortal you can’t like me” thing lasted any longer! Gosh these kids.
I was hoping Jing would have some kind of secret power! I like that it was kind of repressed with the memory of when Soo attempted to drown her.
TONY BETTER BE OKAY.
I’m interested to know how everything is going to come together!
What a rollercoaster worth of chapters! I am dying to pick this back up and finish.
I need Tony to be okay, maybe the jade will not only save him but make him immortal or something like it?? The talisman is meant for celestials right who knows what it will do to a mortal.
I think Niang Niang believes Jing knows where the pearl is. Could the location be locked away in her memories which is why Big Wang didnt want her looking for it. Or maybe its somehow in her possession already! I am starting to think that Jing’s mother knew whatever Niang Niang wanted the pearl for and worked out a deal with Big Wang to keep it and Jing safe. She had to have known that Jing was in danger at the Hulijing Court. I’m super touched though by Bing Wang’s protectiveness over Jing!
I am ready to see Jing stand up to her Grandmother and her awful gaggle of handmaidens. I need her to walk out of here on her own! Kick all of their butts and be leaving when Tony and crew come to get her! Cause Tony, Gigi and Lang have to be alright!
Do you think Tony is ok?
Tony has the plot armor- I mean jade so I think he will live. If not he will probably wind up in Hell to head the Bank project or something like that. We haven’t seen the end of him.
What do you think her grandmother wants from Jing?
My guess is Niang Niang wants Jing to reveal the location of the pearl which I am guessing is either Jing herself, or something she carries with her. Or maybe there isn’t one at all and it’s entirely made up ? Either way, grandma is going to try her best to get rid of Jing and keep her place in the court
Do you think Jing will manage to escape?
Jing will definitely escape. She is going to throw hands (or chains?) with the Hand-maids and maybe get some revenge on Lady Soo and Niang Niang for the brutal “punishment” she received as a child. Either way I want her to kick some butt, the Hulijing court have been nothing but trouble lately.
Gigi may also come save the day, if she can find out where Jing is, kind of hoping to see Gigi beat some baddies.
Honestly, this section made me both tear up and ready to throw some hands. From last section’s snippets, it’d been clear Soo had tried to drown Jing, but this? I’m fuming! ?
1) He better be, he’s my fave! I do think there’ll be consequences, since this man was stabbed in the back, but the talisman has to work somehow. But excuse me, that kiss? Finally! And so tender too. My heart. And afterwards he just hit all her sore spots because he didn’t want to hurt her later. Painful, but understandable, though of course Jing believed all of it, given her past. I’m fine, this is fine.
2) I’m guessing it’s tied to the pearl, but not just that. It’s got to do with Jing specifically. Big Wang said something a while back about keeping a treasure for Jing’s mum (or something along those lines) and I don’t think he meant the pearl. Or the pearl could be inside Jing. So many possibilities. I want to read on!
3) I think that there’s a dragon in the lake, possibly Lord Black. He might be restricted to the water, though. I don’t know, but I have a feeling it’s tied to how Jing first escaped. Or maybe she did unlock her strength when she was little and needs to remember how. But can we talk about how she created a weapon from her former prison and trauma source? Legend.
Also, Big Wang for dad of the year? He *stopped the rain* because he saw what it did to his little girl. Ugh, I can’t. Also, mum was clearly trying to protect Jing too, darn it. I’m feeling all the feels. This book is destroying me.
Ahh I can’t answer any of these questions! I couldn’t stop after the end of this section an finished the book.
The reason for her fear of water was really bleak! I think he’ll be ok and that she’ll break out.
1) I think he is, and that the jade being used on him will have some unintended side effect.
2) The pearl, of course. It WAS stolen from her, right?
3) Possibly. I imagine it’ll involve her facing her repressed memories, especially those surrounding her phobia of the water. Not sure if she’ll escape or just begin to overcome that fear, but fingers crossed for both!
I really liked the pacing of this section! Everything really ramped up, Lady Jing and Tony Lee kissed (YAY!), they fight a little and make up, and Lady Jing gets kidnapped. I’m sure that Tony Lee survived the stabbing, but I wonder how Bing Wang is going to react when he learns about them kissing or Lady Jing being kidnapped.
I think Lady Jing’s grandmother thinks she can get the dragon pearl by having Jing, but I wonder if Lady Jing is the dragon pearl or carries it with her always. And I also think she wants Jing dead, so win win for her I guess if she gets her way.
While I do think that Lady Jing will get away, I wonder what the next book is going to be about because I saw that there was a sequel for this book. I just can’t wait to finish it and see what may be hinted at for the next book!
I have no doubt that Tony is just fine. It was quick thinking to use the jade to protect him, and I’m certain that it worked. It’s only a matter of time until he comes rushing to Jing’s side to apologize and confess his love.
I think Niang Niang believes Jing has something to do with the dragon pearl, and maybe she’s right. It does seem odd that it was involved in the deal that ended in her becoming a ward, especially now that we have seen such endearing memories of Jing and her mother. Her mother wouldn’t have sold her so flippantly. There is something deeper there and I am better Jing has some connection to that pearl.
Jing will definitely escape! I’m looking forward to seeing her square up to her grandmother and pull her down a few pegs. I’m really hoping we’ll see some magical hulijing transformations, the kind that were alluded to in the first section of the readalong. I’ve been suspecting all along that Jing will be the kind of fox spirit that outranks even her grandmother.
Woah the story is getting so GOOD! I absolutely loved this section. Blew right through it wow.
Yes, I do think Tony is ok. The jade helped and I hope Gigi and Lang were also able to help and get reinforcements.
The Grandmother wants the pearl from Jing. I wonder if the grandmother knows about Jing’s powers? It’s obvious that Jing is special and I wonder if the people that know have been protecting her all this time. She has repressed memories, and could it be that she has some inaccurate ones? Some misunderstandings? What if her mother wasn’t all that bad after all?
Jing will definitely escape. I believe in our girl!! Sooo excited for the last section!
I do think Mr Lee is ok, the jade Jing used should have help him. I think Jing grandmother wants the pearl and maybe she thinks that Jing has it or that she can use her against Big Wang. I’m pretty sure Jing will be available to escape and I’m looking forward to see how she will do it.
I really really hope Tony is okay.
Their moments together were so sweet (even if I can’t shake the feeling of insta-love) and I definitely root for them!