RisaBliss

Omg sorry if I have spoiled anything from the novel accidentally in that case. Definitely don't read the thread, some novel spoilers are present.
No worries, I'll just ask it here. I was wondering whether you got the vibe that Liu Yi liked Qinglong or if it was one-sided on Qinglong's part in the drama.

It's actually interesting just how many changes the drama made in comparison to the novel and yet I feel the spirit remainds the same. This is the first time I actually feel like the drama adaptation does justice to the BL novel. I don't know if you've watched Word of Honor, but the scriptwriter changed so much from the book that even one of the main leads (Zhou Zishu) have completely different personalities in the drama and the book (the scriptwriter received so much hate for it from the Chinese netizens). Not to mention they changed so much of the plot that you could really feel the drama fall apart towards the final few episodes. Had they stuck to the book, the drama could have been more cohesive.

But coming to this drama, though they have omitted and compressed so much stuff to fit in the 9 eps, I feel like the pacing is still relatively smooth (except for the last ep, which felt a lil' rushed. I really wanted to see a longer and intense scene of Chu San saving himself before Liu Yi appearing to rescue him instead of that being the post credits scene. That's the first time we see Chu San being a mastermind outside of romance.)

I saw in a different thread that you mentioned the second CP being a little disconnected from the main plot in the drama, and I agree. It was a little confusing trying to figure out what was going on, though they did make it clear at the very end of the season.

They can change Qin Hao's appearance like you said since he is important.

'I think we need to keep our distance' is def ooc for book Chu San. Book Chu San is shameless beyond compare. But I kinda liked that Chu San was so flustered. Also, that scene where LiuYi grips Chu San's chin and you can see Chu San panicking had me fangirling because of how cute it was. LiuYi just gliding through the blanket to reach Chu San was such a cool shot.

Ahh, thanks for bringing up Chai Jidan, you've unlocked a core memory. I've read Advance Bravely by Chai Jidan and that made me blush so hard cuz of the descriptive smut lol

Silent Reading has been on my dusty TBR for a while, I guess this is my sign to start it

Unrelated, but I need your thoughts on the Qinglong and Liuyi discussion happening in my thread above! I like how you analyze things, so super curious to know what you think as well

You have brought up one of my favorite confrontations between the couple in the novel. I love that scene because of how raw and romantic it is. The tables have turned and Liuyi is desperate to keep Chusan with him and he is practically begging for Chusan to be his. It is so heartwrenching (and so satisfying because we have seen all the shit that Chusan has gone through for Liuyi by then that we just want Chusan to get some kind of confirmation from Liuyi that he loves Chusan just as much as the latter).

However, I wouldn't mind the scriptwriters changing this part in chapters 73 + 74 in the drama. As much as I love this scene in the novel, I would prefer if Qinglong's feelings toward Liuyi remained unrequited. I like the idea of Liuyi being clueless of Qinglong's feelings while innocently wanting his beloved brother and his beautiful sister being a couple and all three of them can be one big happy family. Like a big oblivious stray dog who just wants his pack to stay together after he has found a safe space in them after all the horrendous abuse he has endured. Additionally, him not reciprocating Qinglong's feelings would make Chusan Liuyi's first true love, which is so cute to me.

Some other changes from the novel I noticed; Liu Yi is a lot more oblivious and innocent in general in the drama. In the novel, he was smart on the uptake about He Chu San's feelings for him, like he clocked that immediately and wanted to quash it. In the drama, he finds out through that kiss in the car He Chu San gives him while he thinks he is asleep. And then even after that, he is quick to believe the explanation that He Chu San gives him about the 'cognitive disorder' and genuinely thinks the dude is kissing him up because his testosterone levels are all fucked lmao. Tbh, deep down I do think he thinks it is bullshit, but he is too caught up panicking inwardly and being like 'i dont want to unpack this' and latches onto something convenient to keep things between them like they were.

Honestly I loved it because now He Chu San can do some really gay stuff (pinning him to the table and staring into his eyes, eating meatballs off of Xia Liu Yi's stick, pin him against the wall for a few minutes) and completely blame it on his 'cognitive disorder' and now Xia Liu Yi can use that as an excuse to bask under all the gay attention and not so subtly check out He Chu San as well. Like, He Chu San is aware Xia Liu Yi is skittish and he has to give him some explanation to hold on to while Xia Liu Yi comes to terms with his attraction to He Chu San as well. He Chu San is actually such a mastermind.

I feel like I love the way both the drama and the novel has gone about it. But I ultimately prefer how the drama is handling things, even if I do think the novel went about some moments better.

Speaking of dogs and animal analogies, I was wondering about another thing. In the novel, the cat motif comes up for Liuyi multiple times. Like there are whole extra chapters where he is dreaming that he is a Pallas cat. Then there's the temporary tabby cat tattoo He Chu San made him get on his back 'accidentally'. Also He Chu San's constant comparisons of Liu Yi and a wild cat; of taming the ferocious wild cat he found in an alley and making him his.

But in the drama, there isn't any cat motif for Liu Yi. They changed it to a dog instead. From the dog barking sounds in the background whenever Liu Yi glares at him in the beginning episodes to He Chu San calling him a stray dog/little black dog multiple times ('a little black dog bit me'), to He Chu San drawing a dog with sunglasses and a smirk on the calendar (can we talk about how adorable that cartoonish dog was tho? It's like He Chu San drew the dog version of ep 4 Liu Yi when he returns to Liu Yi's home in the sunglasses).

Like, it's one of those changes where I am wondering, why would they change something as innocuous as portraying Liu Yi as a cat in the novel to a dog in the drama?

As for what they will do with 73 + 74...if they do go along the Qinglong's feelings unreciprocated route, I do hope they replace it with something similar but angsty. Like I wanna see Liu Yi desperate/downbad for Chu San again to the point of tears (because ep 9 has me convinced there is nothing hotter than an anguished expression on Liu Yi's face as he is searching for Chu San). Give me all the fights and the feels and the raw declarations that hurt meeeee.

I blame To My Shore for fucking up my brain chemistry lmao. Like I do want a good hurting before the making up.

Can someone help me out, I am confused about one thing. I know Qinglong and Liuyi had feelings for each other in the novel. But in the drama, is it one-sided on Qinglong's part or does Liuyi also have feelings for him? I got the vibe that Liuyi only liked him platonically in the drama. What do you think?

Sure!

It was pretty active while the drama was airing, but it is quiet now

Have you found any platforms where there's live discourse/discussion regarding this show? Really wanna find other fans who are talking

omg i forgot, that would be perfectt

Added to my list! Thankyou

Omg thankyou for your recommendations. Just watched Your Name Engraved Herein and now my eyes are all swollen and red (10/10 would recommend the experience) and my nose is blocked (thankyou for the pain!)

It's almost Friday and once again, having terrible withdrawal symptoms bc of this drama 😭
I need recommendations for other dramas with good romance like this one! I don't care if it's gay or straight, I need something Chinese/Hong Kong injected in my veins stat! Preferably reminiscent of SCD dynamic and with no toxicity or red flags.
Help me out w your favorites y'all

I agree. I love this language, first time hearing it. It sounded very melodic and pleasant

Thanku

What would their names be in Cantonese?

*passes inhaler*
I'll be over here re-reading the novel for the nth time like you to survive till it's out 🤣 (if it will be out)

Thankyou for ur service! When did this stream happen? That's like a step away from confirmation, so what one of the commentors below said about s2 filming starting in Aug this year could be true after all?! Brb need to find my inhaler cuz wowww do i need a min to process

Yess, the kissing scenes felt lacklustre. Was more natural in the series. Also like you said, the makeup/styling was diff. Zhen Zhen looked diff too! He is such a cutie, i could never hate on him tbh even when ppl disliked him. Like, his only crime was being naive and helpless in the face of Fan Xiao being confusingly arousing. Tbh I would too, so justice for Zhen Zhen! I even felt a lil bad for him this special ep lelelel

Yes, I've watched it. I liked it, but it was too fluffy for me. The acting and the chemistry made up for it. It's just that after that rollercoaster leading up to the admittedly abrupt making up and getting together in the finale, I wanted more emotional rawness and cathartic healing. Though I understand that's something they can't delivery in a special episode alone. It's supposed to be special and not angsty haha. But the tone definitely felt kinda off compared to the rest of the series tbh.

I did like how Fan Xiao gets spoiled and coaxed by YSL, like FX is my toxic bae and though he (through his own actions) landed himself in hot water, I was still rooting for him to win YSL back and get loved by him. So the special ep does give us that in some way.

Also Zhen Zhen seeing FX and YSL making it, lolll. His top is getting topped by another top.

Unrelated side note, maybe it's cuz the Sammy's Children's Day novel spoiled me with the switching and I loved it, I kinda headcanon FX and YSL switching it up too at some point (ever since that episode where YSL was going to town on FX's chest, I have been headcannoning it). Like, I want FX to feel the loooove balls deep atleast once ya know? 🤣🤭