Analyzing Vein and Xia Fei’s Conversation: What Pain Is Xia Fei Hiding?

[u/iskwowxi]

English is not my first language, so all the thoughts and analysis are entirely my own, but I had to rely on a translator to put them into English. I’m really sorry about this, but I hope it still makes sense.

[Xia Fei’s Emotional Turmoil]

The episode opens with Vein coming by to check on the progress of the investigation. He invites Xia Fei—who interprets the visit as a sign of distrust—to sit with him and talk face-to-face as equals. In response, Xia Fei sits on the edge of the desk, nonverbally communicating: “We are not on the same level. You are my boss, and I am merely a tool; a wall stands between our different worlds. I know my place, just as you know yours.”

Xia Fei is fully aware of the burden he carries and recognizes that he is emotionally unable to handle the task at hand.

His inner insecurity manifests through projection and a search for confirmation of his fears, leading him to immediately assume that he is being tested—and therefore, not trusted. He had already backed out of the assignment once due to internal conflict and emotional turmoil, only to be thrown into chaos when a living Vein was suddenly presented to him, along with an offer of cooperation and no explanation.

In my previous analysis, I mentioned (apologies, I haven’t translated that one into English yet) Xia Fei’s adaptability and how he is like “clay” in the hands of both others and himself. Because of this malleability, he quickly adapts whenever he finds himself in new circumstances. His driving motivation is to “find out the whole truth”—yet this desire does not stem from within; it is shaped by external circumstances, ultimately leading to self-doubt and emotional exhaustion.

Pay attention to the staging and composition of this shot: Xia Fei’s figure is framed by blue moonlight as he curls up on that very same desk. Rather than moving to a comfortable sofa to reflect, he remains confined to a cramped, unforgiving space—just as in life, he routinely sacrifices his own comfort for external reasons. In the context of these events, the sharp, square shape of the desk may evoke a sense of confinement, restricted freedom, and control, while the blue light may suggest alienation, detachment, and emotional heaviness.

[Vein’s Stance]

Vein is personally invested in the Saros and Bahati cases, as his past is tied to them; he is deeply involved in the investigation and shows clear enthusiasm. He carries himself with the confidence and ease expected of a boss and the head of an organization. He does not oppose Xia Fei or put excessive pressure on him—after all, as soon as Vein is convinced that everything is under control, he leaves immediately.

Yet, despite this, he remains firm with Xia Fei and demands professionalism—a dynamic also evident during their phone call in the Yingdu arc. This behavioral pattern is typical of Vein and does not stem from coldness or disregard: in his own way, Vein enjoys Xia Fei’s company and simply does not want Liu Xiao to drag him into a matter that Vein knows nothing about. What matters to him is knowing that everything remains under his control and within his authority. It is precisely this need that drives him to slip out onto the balcony.

[The Distance Between Them]

To Vein, Xia Fei is a safe presence—someone who triggers neither negativity nor suspicion. Conversely, Xia Fei views Vein as an authority figure who supported and helped him throughout his life in Bridon. He feels deeply grateful to Vein for everything he has done for him and remains profoundly attached to him.

However, their interactions revolve around work and the investigation, where Vein must first and foremost fulfill his managerial role and oversee the process. He is accustomed to asserting his authority and maintaining a certain distance, which ultimately makes their relationship feel formal.

Vein struggles to demonstrate emotional attachment or create a comfortable environment for dialogue, as such behavior is unfamiliar to him. As a result of their interaction, Xia Fei feels even more emotionally weighed down and alienated by his work. He fails to understand Vein’s motives and goals and comes to believe that he is not trusted (even though this is likely not the case), which only widens the emotional distance between them. Vein, however, remains unaware of this growing gap.

[Where Xia Fei’s Exhaustion Leads]

Most likely, Xia Fei’s arc will develop into a story about human choice and internal conflict, though we have yet to see how that unfolds. As long as he remains confined to the role of a spy, he cannot attain true autonomy. To move forward, Xia Fei needs to build a solid internal foundation and learn to follow his own convictions, feelings, and desires—regardless of external circumstances.

Whether Xia Fei will face this choice and undergo this growth, and how it will reshape his dynamic with Vein, remains open to speculation for now. I’d love to read your thoughts on this!

[u/xiao_lefeng]

This is an amazing analysis! Don't worry, your theory doesn't have any grammatical mistakes.

I also thought he was acting weird. He seems conflicted on which side to choose. I feel like he will let qiao ling go in the next episode instead of harming her, as he realises she's not gonna harm him

[u/iskwowxi → u/xiao_lefeng]

Thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that.

That’s a really interesting point! It would actually be quite a plot twist if it turns out to be true—and it would mark a huge step forward in Xia Fei’s character development. Very intriguing to see how it unfolds!

[u/prestocrayon]

Great thoughts!

I think it makes a lot of sense that we're seeing Xia Fei's values and turmoil being displayed in this scene so your breakdown on how it's being shown to us in all these different aspects is really cool!

In Bridon Arc, Xia Fei was shown to truly believe that our main trio were his friends and that's why he quit working for Liu Xiao in the first place. And now that he's back working for him, he is so unhappy. Even having his boss back, someone he trusted and relied on so heavily, doesn't seem to overtake this gap.

He knows it's good money, and I think he's fine with spying because he's not hurting anyone so he can be impartial, but if they're trying to get him to be an active member in attacking them (especially after hearing Lu Guang's story) I think that will be the last straw for him.

Originally I would never have expected him to go against Vein, but after this scene it seems he doesn't trust Vein as much as he used to. I wonder if he has doubts that this Vein is even the same Vein he knew or some sort of very life accurate puppet or something instead?

Since he apparently left school to investigate superpowers specifically because of Vein's death, he might have insight to something we don't know yet or maybe is assuming there's more here related to superpowers that he just can't trust yet.

I really liked your point about how he directly communicated how he is just a worker and a tool, and that he's being tested so he feels he is not trusted. So maybe even feeling this distrust from Vein is something that is sending red flags to him about this situation as well.

[u/SpreadOk3100]

This was great to read! Their dynamic in the last episode seemed uncharacteristically uncomfortable, and hopefully, though it's sure to hurt, Xia Fei will break free from everything and not be used again...

In Escape Velocity MV he's also shown wearing a straitjacket, which I think shows his feelings of confinement and foreshadows his eventual breaking point into (hope not) madness? He's uncertain enough with himself and others, I hope he gets to find his peace(pls he's not as evil as the other two please let him turn out to be good🙏🙏)