This review may contain spoilers
Hoping in vain that this rare gem doesn’t end in “happy ever after”
This show has one of the best mc’s in my opinion
The story is really dark, but the only saving grace is the fact that the mc:
• Doesn’t gaslight himself
• Doesn’t romanticize abuse
• Doesn’t “heal him with love”
I genuinely cannot stand this ML(he’s the true definition of a villain in “love” he’s so shameless他简直事不要脸的) , and no amount of tragic background or “but he loves him” rhetoric will convince me otherwise. He is a calculated people user who treats human beings like disposable emotional experiments. He’s one piece of s**
He’s irredeemable
He will do absolutely anything short of physically killing the mc to be with the mc. I’ve lost count of the number of atrocities he’s committed.
SPOILERS !!!!! Just ep 1-5
Let’s start with the Lu Zhen, the mc’s bf .
Fan Xiao, the ML knowingly led him on lavishing him with gifts, compliments, emotional intimacy, and exclusive attention. He literally told him that he falls in love with whatever he paints. What part of that is not intentional romantic signaling? Then, when Lu Zhen who was already feeling emotionally neglected responds to that attention and ultimately ends his relationship with the MC for very real, very human reasons, the ML discards him like trash. Not only that, he gaslights him by saying he “misinterpreted everything,” calls him worthless, and claims he never meant to be with him in the first place. That is emotional cruelty, full stop.
Now the MC.
The ML has been clingy, invasive, and touchy despite being told off repeatedly. He knew exactly how vulnerable the MC was, and instead of respecting boundaries, he pushed them. And to make things worse : the MC was drugged and sent unconscious to the ML. Even if the ML didn’t “go all the way,” kissing him and leaving hickeys while he was completely unconscious is still a sexual violation. Softening that doesn’t make it less disgusting. (Love that the story does actually acknowledge that, and the mc didn’t go easy on the person he believed saed him, just wish he knew it’s that mf of the ml that did it, can’t wait for when he finds out 😈)
What enrages me most is the audacity of the ML using “我爱你” (I love you) to convince the mc to be with him, as if love can coexist with manipulation, coercion, and betrayal. No. If you loved him, why betray him? Why have him drugged and delivered to your bed? Mr, You weren’t in love, you were playing.
And the bf wasn’t a bad person . He was honest about his pain. He was lonely because the MC was emotionally closed off, yes—but that doesn’t justify being used as a pawn in someone else’s ego game. The ML hurt both of them and then walked away acting morally superior.
The only reason this drama is still watchable is the MC. He is not weak, not naïve, and not blindly forgiving. He calls out nonsense, resists manipulation, and takes time to trust and that restraint is the most realistic reaction in this entire mess. Kudos to the actor, because without him, this story would be unbearable.
My verdict for now bc still on going, I’ve only watched 5 ep so far.
The ML does not deserve love. He deserves consequences. He treats affection as a tool, people as interchangeable, and responsibility as optional. Don’t tell me to sympathize with him. I won’t.
And I don’t care what anyone says about Lu Zhen, I still like him.
As for Ml can’t wait for his karma 😈
One more thing that really bothered me:
That so-called dirty talk didn’t work on me at all. The ml telling the mc “You deserve to be under a man ” and “I’ve not met anyone sluttier than you ” didn’t sound sexy, sounded like the ML finally getting what he wanted(finally got the mc where he wanted him, under him). Especially when you remember he’s said homophobic things like (gay person is dirty, he called the mc dirty when someone asked him who he was looking for) and before and acted visibly uncomfortable seeing the MC kiss his boyfriend. With that context, those words don’t feel playful or intimate, they feel degrading. It came off less like love and more like a straight guy “trying something” and enjoying the power of it. Sorry, I just don’t buy that as romance.
Side note:
This is my personal opinion
Take it with a grain of salt
It’s okay if you feel differently about the show.
The story is really dark, but the only saving grace is the fact that the mc:
• Doesn’t gaslight himself
• Doesn’t romanticize abuse
• Doesn’t “heal him with love”
I genuinely cannot stand this ML(he’s the true definition of a villain in “love” he’s so shameless他简直事不要脸的) , and no amount of tragic background or “but he loves him” rhetoric will convince me otherwise. He is a calculated people user who treats human beings like disposable emotional experiments. He’s one piece of s**
He’s irredeemable
He will do absolutely anything short of physically killing the mc to be with the mc. I’ve lost count of the number of atrocities he’s committed.
SPOILERS !!!!! Just ep 1-5
Let’s start with the Lu Zhen, the mc’s bf .
Fan Xiao, the ML knowingly led him on lavishing him with gifts, compliments, emotional intimacy, and exclusive attention. He literally told him that he falls in love with whatever he paints. What part of that is not intentional romantic signaling? Then, when Lu Zhen who was already feeling emotionally neglected responds to that attention and ultimately ends his relationship with the MC for very real, very human reasons, the ML discards him like trash. Not only that, he gaslights him by saying he “misinterpreted everything,” calls him worthless, and claims he never meant to be with him in the first place. That is emotional cruelty, full stop.
Now the MC.
The ML has been clingy, invasive, and touchy despite being told off repeatedly. He knew exactly how vulnerable the MC was, and instead of respecting boundaries, he pushed them. And to make things worse : the MC was drugged and sent unconscious to the ML. Even if the ML didn’t “go all the way,” kissing him and leaving hickeys while he was completely unconscious is still a sexual violation. Softening that doesn’t make it less disgusting. (Love that the story does actually acknowledge that, and the mc didn’t go easy on the person he believed saed him, just wish he knew it’s that mf of the ml that did it, can’t wait for when he finds out 😈)
What enrages me most is the audacity of the ML using “我爱你” (I love you) to convince the mc to be with him, as if love can coexist with manipulation, coercion, and betrayal. No. If you loved him, why betray him? Why have him drugged and delivered to your bed? Mr, You weren’t in love, you were playing.
And the bf wasn’t a bad person . He was honest about his pain. He was lonely because the MC was emotionally closed off, yes—but that doesn’t justify being used as a pawn in someone else’s ego game. The ML hurt both of them and then walked away acting morally superior.
The only reason this drama is still watchable is the MC. He is not weak, not naïve, and not blindly forgiving. He calls out nonsense, resists manipulation, and takes time to trust and that restraint is the most realistic reaction in this entire mess. Kudos to the actor, because without him, this story would be unbearable.
My verdict for now bc still on going, I’ve only watched 5 ep so far.
The ML does not deserve love. He deserves consequences. He treats affection as a tool, people as interchangeable, and responsibility as optional. Don’t tell me to sympathize with him. I won’t.
And I don’t care what anyone says about Lu Zhen, I still like him.
As for Ml can’t wait for his karma 😈
One more thing that really bothered me:
That so-called dirty talk didn’t work on me at all. The ml telling the mc “You deserve to be under a man ” and “I’ve not met anyone sluttier than you ” didn’t sound sexy, sounded like the ML finally getting what he wanted(finally got the mc where he wanted him, under him). Especially when you remember he’s said homophobic things like (gay person is dirty, he called the mc dirty when someone asked him who he was looking for) and before and acted visibly uncomfortable seeing the MC kiss his boyfriend. With that context, those words don’t feel playful or intimate, they feel degrading. It came off less like love and more like a straight guy “trying something” and enjoying the power of it. Sorry, I just don’t buy that as romance.
Side note:
This is my personal opinion
Take it with a grain of salt
It’s okay if you feel differently about the show.
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