Seriously, it’s 100% fanfic come to life. There is no heterosexual explanation for pretty much anything to do with Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlun. The glances! The taking care of each other! The half-hidden smiles! Mild spoilers for ep 8 below…
Like, in episode 8 alone, Zhao tried to woo Shen Wei with books (which he pretended to have inherited, but had in fact bought especially – they turned out to have originally been Shen’s), followed by Shen Wei taking care of him after he got drunk (including letting him rest his head on his shoulder, tucking him into bed and then watching over him all night despite being mad at him for investigating him).
And Sister Hong (who unfortunately seems to have developed a stupid crush on Zhao literally said that his efforts to get into Shen’s good books was different from his attempts at relationship with girls.
Most of all, though, there’s that look in Zhao’s eyes, and the small smile on Shen’s lips, both only ever caused by the other.
And there’s even a secondary ship: Little Guo and Brother Chu, who are opposites in every way, yet badass magician Chu can’t help but soften when he’s around the naive and good-hearted Guo.
Oh, and in case you downloaded the eps but didn’t manage to get the subtitles, too, I zipped them all up here.