DarkJester

<3
I appreciate what this drama did so much. I feel like they tried their best to keep the relationship without getting the series canceled due to censorship. They don't change their relationship status to "just bros" just to pass censorship either :)
Even though it is different from the novel, they kept the importance of their relationship and fully developed it. There wasn't any forced romantic moments or skinship to make up for the lack of relationship development because it's not necessary. The relationship felt very natural, but I also think that has to do a lot with the actors as well. We got so lucky that they cast Xiao Zhan & Wang Yibo for WWX & LWJ

It seems like most of the 1 stars are just anti fans. Ratings with no comment or with a comment bashing the series rather than actually critiquing it.
A good example of it happening in the US is before "Black Panther" came out, a group of (probably racists) spammed Rotten Tomato and IMDb with 1 star ratings. Same thing happened with "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens"

I noticed all of that, too. It was pretty hilarious to me, but I don't blame them. Production teams have to work around a budget, and work around their priorities. I don't actually know their budget, but since the cast are almost all relatively newcomers, I'm assuming they didn't spend much on casting either.

They skirted very closely around the censorship laws, and even though they couldn't be explicit about their relationship, it was heavily implied. I love how they never used the term "Xiōngdì" (brotherhood) since BL drama adaptions tend to use that. Instead, they use the term Zhījǐ (知己). It's hard to translate that phrase into English because there's no word in English that it can be directly translated to, but it's definitely more than just "friends"
Episode 25: "我毕生知己" (My lifelong confidant/intimate person/companion/soulmate etc...)
Episode 43 "人生得一知己，足矣" (To have my most intimate companion/soulmate in this lifetime, it's enough)

If you notice in episode 13 when WWX asked if LWJ liked MianMian twice, if you read WWX's lips, he actually said, "你喜歡我"(you like me) the first time, but they voiced it over with MianMian instead of me(wǒ), that's why WWX said. "You like MianMian?" twice.
So that scene should've been:
WWX: Unless... you like me
LWJ: *looks at WWX with a profound look*
WWX: Ah! You like MianMian?
LWJ: *heavy blink wtf*
I'm guessing that got cut for being too obvious.

Also, the morning after LWJ got drunk, WWX said, "You said you really like...... rabbits!"
LWJ panicked after WWX said, "You said you really like..." and was a bit relieved after he said rabbits. What could he possibly have said he liked that would make him panic? ????

Aside from their chemistry and the way they look at each other, I think that they made it pretty clear that LWJ likes WWX, and from the way WWX so blatantly flirts with LWJ makes it obvious that he's into LWJ.
WangXian has a combination of love at first, sharing the same views/like-mindedness, and falling more in love with each other. They both loath to part from one another, and it's so heartbreaking whenever they're apart.

Oh, I also forgot to add, Wang Yibo and Xiao Zhan's chemistry is off the charts!!!

I came into CQL with no expectations because I love the novel to death, but I came out very pleased. They never used the term "bromance" or "Xiongdi" with each other to cover up their relationship. Instead, they used a term Zhījǐ (知己). There's no word in English that term can be directly translated into, but it's more than "bromance" for sure. Some fans like to translate it as "soulmate".
Overall, the characters and plot do deviate from the novel, but they definitely keep the WangXian aspect of it, and that's one of the reasons why most fans are very pleased with it. Even people who have never read the novel really love the relationship between the two leads.