Ahjummai

I'm eating up their chemistry and this fake marriage era. I will definitely rewatch the last few episodes over and over until they release Part 2.

I know she only got her karma, but as a woman, I can't wish that kind of damage on any woman (esp during that period where continuing the family line was considered very important). I pity her for the specific injury, but I do not pity her misfortune.

JCY definitely has fallen in love and knows how he feels but he's not willing to totally act on it. He still has reservations. It seems there's still some back story aside from his mother's failed marriage that's holding him back.
Mudan accepts JCY as a confidante and someone she's totally at ease with. But still not willing to consider romance at this point.
JCY being both patient and also waiting to get some confirmation of affection from Mudan.
Part 1 ends with the main couple in mutual understanding but can be coupley even among friends and outside.
Can't wait for Part 2 to get more of this fake-but-real couple. I'm greedy after getting a taste of this sweetness. Also... the clip I saw where Mudan gave JCY a peck on the cheek won't happen until Part 2

I love scene where DaFu and XiaoChun interrogated the couple on how they are suddenly getting married out of the blue. HWFand JCY started with lies to half-truths to indirectly confessing their feelings.

The subs may be bad, but I'm still squealing at every interaction of our CP. HWF and JCY are too cute.

We'll have to rewatch it when better subs are out hahaha not that I'm complaining. I'm ready to re-binge this

i don't work for free

The clips for Hello Saturday are so cute. It'll a a good farewell to Part 1 when it comes out.

Let's also commend the writer for creating this character and fleshing her out allowing Shao Yun to shine.

Her words when she talked about how she hated herself and for being a woman had a tinge of suicidal thoughts. I had hoped I was overthinking it, but she felt trapped with no other escape but death.

I praise the writer for adding Shengyi's story as social commentary on the plight of women that exists up to this day and age. It was done so well that it became a huge discussion point not only here in mdl. While there were still a few who could not empathize, it's nice to know that many were able to and gave a voice for those forgotten and shamed women.
Let's focus on that silver lining. The fight for society to not produce Shengyis anymore is long and far from over, but it's not a lost cause. To know that there are people who can empathize and be vocal about it is a good sign.

mdl is so weird that even if the last episode shows at night, it removes ongoing on the midnight of that date hahahaha they need to hire programmers to improve this site on this and more importantly the rating system

spend time with her plus "reward" her. so that she wouldn't feel indebted to him but feel like she earned them herself. owing someone a favor back then was a big deal. she might be conflicted over her feelings if it's reciprocating love or payment of a debt of gratitude.

based on some spoiler clips, they'll start to open up soon. maybe after liu chang and pricess marries so that fangfang will no longer be a huge threat to the bratty princess.
also, their status as noble and slave wouldn't be proper to make her the principal wife. they'll have to go over that hurdle before the marriage happens. i think his highness mr. third would come into the picture for this. i have some idea how the writer might would play it out but i'll keep it to myself.

they have so much time in their hands hahaha a celebrity i like once said "if you don't like watermelons, you don't go to the grocery and exclaim at the watermelon that you don't like it" but when it comes to dramas/movies/books/celebrities people go out of their way to do so.

It's because both are telling each other that they are not thinking of marriage. So they use business as their language of affection. You'll have to read between the lines and watch their expressions. That's why everyone around them looks at them knowingly. They don't behave like business partners at all.

other dramas can claim viewership especially the lead cast fandoms, but flourished peony not only shows viewership but high douban ranking, character trend ranking, advertising sales ranking, app ranking, influencing tourism and peony sales, getting recos from news including state-owned media. the popularity of flourished peony goes beyond yangzi and li xian fandoms.

they are like the county princess being envious and doing all sorts of things to pull mudan down. petty petty people.

Mudan be like "what is this? when did i start living in a sitcom?"

It's a bit similar to the novel where novel-Mudan did like novel-JCY, but couldn't allow herself to jump head on with her feelings since in the novel so many things have happened to her and gotten her in many bad situation because of people not wanting their sons to marry her (a divorcee and rumored to be infertile). She only finally gave in once JCY made efforts to show her how he felt and made actions to ask for her hand in marriage with her family.

I think they kept the idea of that but here, Mudan can't allow herself to consider JCY as a romantic partner just yet. But from the way she looks at him, knows him, understands him, cares about him... the feelings are there but she just don't want to acknowledge it. It will be like a dam bursting once she admits it to herself.

In the novel, Fang Garden is Mudan's own garden which she bought with her dowry after divorce.
In the drama, Fang Garden is her mother's which she inherited but when she came to Chang'an, she found out it already had a different owner. The Liu's had sold off some of her dowry properties without her knowledge. With He Wei Fang being (fake) dead and she didn't bring the deed for the property (maybe she doesn't have it since it was sold), she cannot push to claim ownership.

So novel readers cannot answer your question. We can all just wait how things will unfold later on.