Congratulations our "Against the current" cast and crew! we already take over the Record-breaking of the 1st place the "Pursuit of Jade" in just 8 days of airing. The fastest drama of 2026 to get this highest scores (heat index). I believe the drama will continue setting a higher scores for the upcoming episodes. And now, the goal is to take over the Record-breaking of "Love Ambition" (2025) which had a heat index scores - 32,638. "Love Ambition" - 32,638 Against the Current - 31,513.... We only need 1,125 scores to break it. Yesterday - 897
Let's talk about some of the differences in #LanxiangRugu know as "Against the Current"
① Many conflicts in period dramas stem from the deliberate targeting by villains. The bad guys, driven by selfish motives, constantly target the protagonist, who overcomes obstacles and crises, the root of the crisis being someone's malice.
But this drama is different. Many of the crises are structural dilemmas where "when gods fight, ordinary people suffer." Court intrigue stirs up the winds of change, and powerful families rise and fall against their will. Even if the protagonist doesn't actively provoke anyone, they can still be swept into the vortex of the times.
The Shen family's downfall is a sacrifice to court politics, not the result of a single person's personal grudge. The same political storms, different choices by different families lead to drastically different outcomes.
The female lead, living in the Lin family mansion, doesn't face a single vicious opponent, but rather a complex web of interests within the household: the scheming of different branches, the infighting among servants, the power struggles of elders—all the turmoil originates from the workings of the environment itself.
② Furthermore, the female lead, Xu Lanxiang's abilities transcend the common tropes of domestic period dramas. Her intelligence and insight didn't come from highlighting the stupidity of others. Her competence was rooted in her upbringing. Born into a family of scholars, her parents provided her with a complete education, teaching her to read, manage a household, keep accounts, and understand human relationships. These skills, acquired in her youth, gradually came into play after she fell on hard times and became a maid.
This reminds me of the sentiments of many people online, who doubt themselves because of their lack of social skills and social maturity, feeling they are not smart enough. But reality is like this: one's perspective and ability to handle situations are inseparable from the nurturing environment of their upbringing. The maids who served the protagonist weren't inherently dull; they simply lacked such a learning environment. Xu Lanxiang, who always managed to find roundabout ways to save people, possessed quick wit—a result of her accumulated education, not innate talent. Her strength came from the accumulation of resources and experience, not from some kind of magic trick.
③ What moved me most was its restrained portrayal of women. I find some historical dramas with strong female leads utterly tiresome, piling up slogan-like lines and repeatedly proclaiming "women have it tough" and "women can achieve so much," blatantly instilling values through dialogue and using repeated positive and negative shots to forcefully impose moral principles. In contrast, in "Lanxiang Rugu," the female lead herself almost never utters such declarations.
Her strength lies entirely in her actions. She doesn't seek the limelight, dutifully performs her duties, quietly records the people and events around her, protects others, and maintains her own boundaries. Without any grand, impassioned monologues, she vividly portrays a woman's prudence, clarity, and bottom line. True character charm should be grounded in the plot, not preached through dialogue.
Of course, objectively speaking, the drama isn't entirely devoid of dialogue about the plight of women. Before the death of the eldest grandmother, Zhao Xingtang, there are indeed related reflections. However, this is handled very subtly; it's merely a heartfelt lament from a character facing dire straits, touched upon but not explicitly stated. There are no deliberately exaggerated shots, no repeated embellishments or elevations; the characters' innermost thoughts are born from their fates, not preachy pronouncements forced upon the audience by the screenwriter.
Rather than the thrill of a dramatic comeback, I prefer this narrative rooted in reality. It doesn't glorify the characters, nor does it oversimplify the conflicts; it allows us to see the struggles of ordinary people in this era, and also to see where a woman's strength comes from. This is the most precious aspect of "Lanxiang as Before." BY: Singapore Little Nib 🔏
"Lanxiang Rugu" know as Against the Current broke records on both TV and online platforms tonight! Tencent's popularity index exceeded 31,000, peaking at 31,156 🔥 CCTV-8's Huang Kuyun: Average episode rating of 1.298%, a new high! First episode rating of 1.4919%, a new high! Second episode rating of 1.0964%, a new high! 31 episodes left! The plot is getting more and more exciting, with hooks in every episode! Xu Lanxiang successfully escaped her status this weekend after accumulating enough points! Looking forward to more great achievements! 🔥
I haven't started watching this yet as I'm waiting until the romance will start. Does anyone know what episode…
I think in the halfway of the Episodes or in the ep 30+ because until preview ep 19 she's still a servant not a commoner. But I think that's the start of the Young master get crush on her when he secretly watching and glancing Lanxiang with her friends(servants)
3 
"Love Ambition" - 32,638
Against the Current - 31,513....
We only need 1,125 scores to break it.
Yesterday - 897
① Many conflicts in period dramas stem from the deliberate targeting by villains. The bad guys, driven by selfish motives, constantly target the protagonist, who overcomes obstacles and crises, the root of the crisis being someone's malice.
But this drama is different. Many of the crises are structural dilemmas where "when gods fight, ordinary people suffer." Court intrigue stirs up the winds of change, and powerful families rise and fall against their will. Even if the protagonist doesn't actively provoke anyone, they can still be swept into the vortex of the times.
The Shen family's downfall is a sacrifice to court politics, not the result of a single person's personal grudge. The same political storms, different choices by different families lead to drastically different outcomes.
The female lead, living in the Lin family mansion, doesn't face a single vicious opponent, but rather a complex web of interests within the household: the scheming of different branches, the infighting among servants, the power struggles of elders—all the turmoil originates from the workings of the environment itself.
② Furthermore, the female lead, Xu Lanxiang's abilities transcend the common tropes of domestic period dramas. Her intelligence and insight didn't come from highlighting the stupidity of others. Her competence was rooted in her upbringing. Born into a family of scholars, her parents provided her with a complete education, teaching her to read, manage a household, keep accounts, and understand human relationships. These skills, acquired in her youth, gradually came into play after she fell on hard times and became a maid.
This reminds me of the sentiments of many people online, who doubt themselves because of their lack of social skills and social maturity, feeling they are not smart enough. But reality is like this: one's perspective and ability to handle situations are inseparable from the nurturing environment of their upbringing. The maids who served the protagonist weren't inherently dull; they simply lacked such a learning environment. Xu Lanxiang, who always managed to find roundabout ways to save people, possessed quick wit—a result of her accumulated education, not innate talent. Her strength came from the accumulation of resources and experience, not from some kind of magic trick.
③ What moved me most was its restrained portrayal of women.
I find some historical dramas with strong female leads utterly tiresome, piling up slogan-like lines and repeatedly proclaiming "women have it tough" and "women can achieve so much," blatantly instilling values through dialogue and using repeated positive and negative shots to forcefully impose moral principles. In contrast, in "Lanxiang Rugu," the female lead herself almost never utters such declarations.
Her strength lies entirely in her actions. She doesn't seek the limelight, dutifully performs her duties, quietly records the people and events around her, protects others, and maintains her own boundaries. Without any grand, impassioned monologues, she vividly portrays a woman's prudence, clarity, and bottom line. True character charm should be grounded in the plot, not preached through dialogue.
Of course, objectively speaking, the drama isn't entirely devoid of dialogue about the plight of women. Before the death of the eldest grandmother, Zhao Xingtang, there are indeed related reflections. However, this is handled very subtly; it's merely a heartfelt lament from a character facing dire straits, touched upon but not explicitly stated. There are no deliberately exaggerated shots, no repeated embellishments or elevations; the characters' innermost thoughts are born from their fates, not preachy pronouncements forced upon the audience by the screenwriter.
Rather than the thrill of a dramatic comeback, I prefer this narrative rooted in reality. It doesn't glorify the characters, nor does it oversimplify the conflicts; it allows us to see the struggles of ordinary people in this era, and also to see where a woman's strength comes from. This is the most precious aspect of "Lanxiang as Before." BY: Singapore Little Nib 🔏
Tencent's popularity index exceeded 31,000, peaking at 31,156 🔥
CCTV-8's Huang Kuyun: Average episode rating of 1.298%, a new high! First episode rating of 1.4919%, a new high! Second episode rating of 1.0964%, a new high!
31 episodes left! The plot is getting more and more exciting, with hooks in every episode! Xu Lanxiang successfully escaped her status this weekend after accumulating enough points! Looking forward to more great achievements! 🔥
While Pursuit of Jade has a heat index - 31,248 therefore we only need
92 scores to take over the spot!🫰👏