Italophilia

A clue

We get an inkling that they had feelings for each other even as far back as high school, but neither wanted to confess first. It's a difficult situation. Things drastically change between friends when there's a love confession and it's one-sided. And even when there's mutual feelings, you start asking:Should I preserve the friendship and not act on these feelings, or do I take the leap and potentially have the relationship progress to the next level (an even closer relationship)?There's no easy answer, and both of them keep avoiding addressing the elephant in the room.

Wow, their game of deadly chess kept me on pins and needles

That last scene was a little too much angst. Jwasang Seok Ji-sung is a heartless power-hungry official who would sacrifice his own son just so he would not be implicated by his past schemes. It was hard to watch.

So many political intrigues

Poison. It's always poison. I guess it was harder to track in those days, so it was more widely used esp. since it didn't leave tell-tale signed like blood. But an autopsy would reveal certain signs if the one performing it has a discerning eye.

Delulu much

Wow, I'm noticing an underlying theme here. If the object of your affection doesn't love you back, just create an alternative reality that fits your delusions. Both Liu Cheng Feng and Gu Wan Niang are doing exactly when faced with the truth.

More political scheming

And I trusted Minister Gu, the scheming b*st*rd. Besides General Pei and his son, maybe there really isn't anyone to trust. And why would the court trust an enemy giving "proof" against General Cui, who has served the Empire faithfully for decades!?! It just doesn't make sense. The court is so easily manipulated with this puppet of an emperor and the ministers with their own evil agenda.

My heart hurts

So much carnage from people's greed and vying for power. Li Ni just wanted a quiet life with his friends and here he finds himself in the middle of their deaths. I don't think he can recover from this.

1000 cranes

He did it! I can't even imagine the situation Ji Han finds himself in. It was a stupid dare gone bad, and he's suffering on his own. I don't think he feels for CEO Yoon the way she feels for him. What a mix up! A comedy of errors.

Jealousy

Jealousy, thy name is Gu Xun. He has so much competition, so I bet he has so much regret turning her down to begin with. And she is amazingly good at what she does, plus she's pretty, so of course she attracts men to her side.

A chessboard, indeed

We still have the madman, Liu ChengFeng, lose in the wild and now scheming princes in the palace. And all this, when they have barely gotten out of the last encounter with the traitor Sun Jing. No wonder Li Ni just wants to guard the border.

Finally, they cleared their misunderstandings

It's been so painful to see them dance around each other, knowing they had a huge misunderstanding. I hope they can move towards each other now.

So painful to watch

I was so sad for her family and for Lin Xi. Of course she wouldn't have been able to concentrate and take the tests once she knew of her Dad's condition. It was poor timing but it really set her back. And just when she and Ji Jun Xing were getting closer too...

The last scene on the mountain was the best

There will always be misunderstandings between parents and children. And there are sometimes extreme reactions from either group. I'm glad her classmates found her in time and that her mother finally heard her.

Such a treat to see them working together

As much as it was fun to see them best each other, it's actually better to see them work together. I like seeing the ML in this type of role when he can be cheeky but also serious, with action scenes and romantic ones (similar to his Arsenal Military Academy role).

Why did he say that?

In the end, Song Lin Xue was being mean about what she said about Lin Xi. Instead of correcting her, Ji Jun Xing said all those mean things. Ugh! What was that all about?! Sarcasm?

Dynamics have already changed

While she was trying to get to know him as a friend, he had already started falling for her without knowing exactly how it happened. This is such a feel-good story and I'm enjoying it.