Originally Posted by
Ian Liew
Same with Lu Xiaofeng. Part of the reason why I find it difficult to read beyond the Duel is because of his girlfriends. He starts off flirting in Golden Roc Kingdom with Shangguan Danfeng, who is actually Shangguan Feiyan, and if anyone she probably would have ended up with Hua Manliu, if she didn't die. Next came Xue Bing in Embroidery Bandit, but sadly she does not survive (although we only have Jin Jiuling's word for it, it's pretty much assumed that he told the truth and she was dead). Along the way he flirted with a few of the Red Shoe Organisation ladies, and one of them, Ouyang Qing, then follows him into the Duel.He's pretty much only got the one interest, although he doesn't quite show as much concern for her as he did Xue Bing. Nevertheless, you get the feel that she's his girlfriend now, and she doesn't die at the end of the Duel.
Then comes Silver Hook Casino, and it's mentioned in passing that Ouyang Qing is recovering from her injuries sustained in the Duel, and he goes about flirting with Fang Yuxiang, Ding Xiangyi, Chu Chu and although sadly (yes, sadly, I liked all three of them - Gu Long characterised them quite nicely and they all had some real charm and were good foils for Lu Xiaofeng) none of them survive the story, he doesn't go back to Ouyang Qing anymore at the end. Or even in the next story, when he's caught in bed with Sun Xiuqing and ends up being chased all the way to the Phantom Mansion by Ximen Chuixue, developing relationships with Ye Ling, Ye Xue and Flower Widow along the way. I didn't read the last two novels at all, but I don't think he gets back with Ouyang Qing at all, she just disappears. Same with Flower Widow and Ye Xue, both of whom survive the novel, I think, unlike in the serial.
At the end of Phoenix Dancing in the Nine Heavens he's with Sha Man, and I wouldn't be surprised that neither Ouyang Qing, Ye Xue, Flower Widow or Sha Man make it into the last novel.