“How can I bear to see the lone phoenix roosting in the mirror?” comes from “Partridge Sky: Waking to the Sound of Morning Bells,” by Zhao Changqing of the Song dynasty.
BE + stand-in romance (strictly speaking, everyone except Shen Cai is a supporting character)
The moment the door of the Hall of Diligent Governance burst open, he took my hand and drove the dagger into his own chest. Leaning close to my ear, he whispered his final words: “I’m sorry. I have to go ahead of you.” His breathing grew weaker and weaker until his arms slowly fell to his sides. His head, no longer supported, rested against my shoulder. That was the last embrace he ever gave me.
