Ziqi going from telling Miaomiao in a previous episode to not pack so much stuff because it is better to have as little weight as possible to carry on the long journey they are on to packing up the things that Miaomiao used in the inn to take on their adventure so she is as comfortable as possible makes me love him more and more. He is grumpy, is an awkward bean, can be quite rude and is bad with words but is also so affectionate.
I’ve realised that no matter how many times and no matter in what form the world gives me the “grumpy and sad meow meow character learns to trust and love people” trope, I WILL eat it up every damn time
One thing I enjoy about him is how legitimately socially awkward he is. He carries himself when they're in public with a slight confusion and discomfort at all times, only completely relaxed when they're not totally surrounded by other people.
Like the show doesn't just tell us that he lacks social skills, or have him occasionally say rude things to show us that. It's something we see all the time! He's clearly just not quite at ease at so, so many points. It's in his carriage, his gestures, the way he fidgets and stands stiffly, and that he'll just kind of dart his eyes around, not even out of suspicion, but because he doesn't know what else to do.
They'll be walking around or in a restaurant and the way that DYX is acting shows that he is feeling a bit fish out of water, a little on edge. It's really, really good!
And then we get his reaction to being chosen as the crescent's master, and it really drives this home. This boy doesn't want or need attention from anyone but those he cares about. He doesn't have a desire to be a hero known to the world because who would want to be noticed that much? Him putting the sword back in the stone and leaving, then turning invisible the rest of the day? Iconic and relatable. He just wants to protect his sister and LMM. And all of this makes sense, when you consider how all his life he's been trying to hide his identity from everyone around him.
At the same time, he is trying. He pays attention.
When Yao tells him he has to cheer Miao Miao up, he makes the little bamboo helicopter. He buys the trinket she likes. When Miao Miao says that flowers are needed and romantic, he uses it for his confession. He also takes some of his social cues from Miao Miao.
He's always going to be socially awkward, but he's getting better and that's through Miao Maio and even Cui Cui.
