Hello everyone. I have just finished Link Click, and whilst it is fresh in my mind I'm going to be going over my thoughts/take on Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi, the two main characters from Link Click.

I want to preface this by saying yes, I will be interpreting them in a queer manner. It is simply how I view their dynamic. Although I do ship them, shipping terminology will not be included in this analysis. I am simply going to dissect the queercoding.

I watched the English dub. This will not be accurate to the original Chinese translation.

   !!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!!

  We start off the donghua with our two protagonists, Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi. It's immediately made known that they have a close relationship, for they are able to engage in playful banter and teasing without genuinely getting on each other's nerves. This continues into their jobs, in which Xiaoshi playfully makes jokes and Guang deflects them, sometimes giggling if you pay attention. This sets up a unique dynamic; A playful, silly person, mixing with a serious, no-nonsense type of guy. It makes for a unique dynamic because Guang takes Xiaoshi's nonsense, and is even able laugh about it sometimes. This can be taken as a friendly dynamic, or as a queer dynamic. 

  In episode 4 of Link Click, we learn something about Xiaoshi. His parents had gone missing, (we later learn they had been missing for some time,) and it had hurt him deeply as a child. We learn that episode that his parents are likely dead from an earthquake that had happened. This sets us up for the hard hitter of the episode and the next episodes to follow. Xiaoshi accepts a mission to deliver three messages to three different people in the past for a client. So, he dives into the past, trusting Guang as his guide. 

  We are told that there are certain nodes in the past that cannot be changed. Events that changed the future so intensely, that if moved around, would rip apart space and time. We are led to believe at first that one of the nodes are losing a game of basketball, but we are quickly mistaken and told that it doesn't matter by Guang. So, Xiaoshi wins the game for the client. 

Continuing forwards, Xiaoshi delivers the messages as asked, and then sits down for dinner with the client's mom (note that Xiaoshi is controlling the client from the past. He is currently the son of the mother.) They get into an argument, and Xiaoshi delivers the final and third message to the client's mother. Guang says Xiaoshi can get out now, however, Xiaoshi decides to stick around and eat.

The client's mother prepares noodles for Xiaoshi, even though he had eaten a lot, and is told that he has to eat them, because it is his father's birthday, May 12th, 2008. This sends Xiaoshi into a panic, because that is the date of the earthquake. This causes him to realize something; It didn't matter what he did, because all three recipients of the client's messages will die.

Guang tries to keep Xiaoshi calm as he freaks out and tries to warn people, but of course, Xiaoshi doesn't listen.

It eventually solves itself and Xiaoshi goes back to the client's home in the past, defeated.

He has one last request; he wants to see if there's a way to save his mom.

Here comes in my analysis; Guang says he has an idea. This tells me that he absolutely doesn't want to hurt Xiaoshi's feelings by saying "no." You can make the argument that Guang said that so Xiaoshi didn't go crazy and try to save her anyway, but understand that Xiaoshi is smart even though he's impulsive and would've left the photo and be heartbroken.

Skipping unnecessary scenes, the earthquake happens, and despite Xiaoshi following Guang's commands on how to save the client's mother, she gets caught in the rubble, right on top of Xiaoshi. 

And you know what Guang says?

"You can always leave if it's too much."

This tells me Guang understands Xiaoshi's pain of losing his parents, and wants to make sure he's sane whilst he's basically re-experiencing trauma, even if it's not his own. He listens to Xiaoshi wail and beg the client's mother to not die, and once Xiaoshi leaves, Guang makes an attempt at comforting Xiaoshi, and is met with a fist to his face.

Guang takes being punched lightly, and instead holds Xiaoshi's shoulders and lets him cry. It says a lot about how Guang, instead of being mad about being hit, understands his friend's pain and is still kind and reassuring to him. 

The next day, Xiaoshi doesn't talk to Guang, and Guang asks Qiao Ling, their land lady and employer, if Xiaoshi and himself can take a break. Xiaoshi never asked for one, but Guang went ahead and asked for a break anyway, knowing that something that traumatic wouldn't be good for his best friend. He knows Xiaoshi better than any other.

Later, Qiao Ling brings up bubble tea to Xiaoshi and they both talk, and he eventually thanks Qiao Ling for the bubble tea. It is then revealed that she didn't buy it; Guang did. He knew it would make Xiaoshi forgive him just a little, and he wanted that more than anything.

Now, this is going to be a big blank space, because I am tired and I want to get into the final episode quickly. I will come back to this area to add more episodes.

So, we're at our final episode, where the main conflict has ended, and we learn something; Xiaoshi was meant to die. It was revealed that all events in season 2 happened twice; In one reality, Xiaoshi was meant to die.

But he didn't.

Why?

Because Lu Guang went against his own rules, and went back in time ton rewrite a future where Xiaoshi survives. That is revealed to us with a powerful line; "Even if I know death is an unchangeable point, I still wanna use that last chance to return to the beginning and save you."

Why would Guang do this if he drilled it so hard into Xiaoshi and his own head that it was impossible to erase a death once it happens? Because, he Loved Xiaoshi. Be it platonically or romantically, however you see them, but Guang Loves Xiaoshi, without a doubt. He went against everything he's ever known just to save Cheng Xiaoshi, his friend from his teenage years, his co-worker, his roommate, his everything. Cheng Xiaoshi means everything to Lu Guang.

I rest my case.

Fun facts

- I was informed by my friend Via that the creator of Link Click wrote the name in Chinese as Shiguang, which is a mixture of Xiaoshi and Guang's name.

- In the manhwa, Xiaoshi mentioned craving beef dumplings, in which Guang immediately began cooking for him.

- In the chibi series, it was revealed that Xiaoshi is active on social media, and has many alternative accounts. He made fangirl accounts for Lu Guang, saying things like "Guang Guang is mine! Look at me, Guang Guang!" Along with spamming drooling emojis.

- In a chibi QnA, Xiaoshi made fun of Guang by saying that his ass is big. I believe that is an insult in Chinese, but it's funny in English.

- Xiaoshi's official flower is the common daisy. Guang's are forget-me-nots and sea lavender.

- Xiaoshi's animal motif is a dog, and Guang's is a cat. 

- Xiaoshi is shown to be a cat person, or rather, an animal Lover.

- Guang claims to not like sweet foods, but is shown eating/drinking sweet things on occasion.

- Guang has a strict diet, but usually eats noodles with Xiaoshi.

- Xiaoshi used to not like milk, but now enjoys it thoroughly and likes milk tea especially.

- Xiaoshi and Guang met through a basketball game.

- Xiaoshi and Guang are roommates.

- Xiaoshi, in an extra, took photos of Guang, because he wanted Guang to model for him.

- Guang likes taking photos of animals.

- Xiaoshi is shown to be a good actor, singer, dancer, and entertainer. It's possible he used to do theatre.

- Qiao Ling has said that she sees Xiaoshi as a younger brother, despite Xiaoshi being the oldest.

- Xiaoshi is expressive, dramatic, and impulsive. He paces around and moves constantly when anxious.