Daffodils

Your are entitled to your own viewing experience, but this drama moved us deeply (to most of us in the forum ) from ep 6 onwards. In the beginning there is a lot of political intrigues dialogues and they only have money for 12 eps so they have to rush it all. To watch this series you need to be patient but you are highly rewarded by the end. Well at least this is what I hope for you if you persevere.

I imagine this video has already been shared here. I have just discovered and I am blown away by the voice of Hao Yi Ran (YSL). He has to be a singer too, a lot of actors in China can also sing beautifully.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRcWv8PkqyQ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Thanks to you for your appreciation ❤️

I could not agree more!!!

This is a full on, intense romance with lovely kissing scenes!! Highly recommended!

For people in China to speak ill of actors in a new series take nothing. They used to insult ZheXu and Mi Jin from Kill to Love and we international followers of the series were in shocked because the comment we made when the first stills of the series were released is how handsome these two actors were. Now, of course they have built a fan based in China and that group find them ever so beautiful, which they are. Hopefully, the same will happen with Yun Qi who is very attractive. He is only 23 and is delivering such strong mature performance. Crossing fingers he will be notice in a positive way soon.

Episode 6 -I think @AlexCruzDeMalta in this forum has written beautifully about this episode, so I am just going to add how I want my journey watching this series to be: I am believing in the characters that I am seeing in my screen, how they present themselves, the thoughts that awake on me, the curiosity of all. With all my respect to those who has read the novel, let it rest, some of us prefer only the material that is given to us now. Every live series is a new understanding of the written material. Here Fan Xiao is more confused than deceptive, without denying all his manipulation, these acts are giving more information in all his inner turmoil than on his evilness. I really treasure how YSL is taking us through his journey of discovering trust beyond proof and vulnerability. The simplicity of what it make them happy, to call each other boyfriends, to walk hand in hand, to cook, to watch films together, to make love in every corner. Yes in the background FX surprises himself by sticking around and being touched by the sincere feelings YSL is bringing to this relationship. YSL who reassured FX telling him that for YSL, he has been always special and different... I am so looking forward to the next episodes.

Great and enlightening comment, thank you!!!

Macau fan meeting - or how Xujin create a better version of themselves every time.
The event in Macau was a happy event, they were happy, loving, flirting, performing at their best. For the lucky ones in the audience it must have been such a treat. I totally agree when fans write: Lagogos are not many but how they are lucky, how we are all lucky who follows and treasure these two actors. The tears of Jin Jin when he said that the only thing they wished in a past Lantern festival looking at the moon was that people came to know and like their work in the series. With his tearful voice he said they both felt they have managed that and were grateful to everybody. Then he turned towards Xu touched his clothes and Xu, who was crying his eyes, embraced him. I know they are good actors but I think their capacity of giving to the audience and each other is boundless. This cannot be fake.
The highlight of the night for me, who couldn't be there and rely on videos in RedNote (mainly) and X, was their representation of the carriage scene, when ZiAng took away ShuHe as prisoner. Doing it in a fan meeting and mixing fiction with reality was a plus for this scene. Xu, who treats Jin like a piece of porcelain when he touches him, had to tie the red ribbon on his eyes, Jin face so close to Xu body that seems like he is almost "kissing" him in some videos. So the mood was ready for the scene, the delivery was perfect.
The highlight for the fans in the audience probably was Xu carrying Jin like he was a piece of paper but it looks so romantic and Jin, in another moment, carrying Xu! Jin put him in the floor while holding his waist. Xu trying to check on his clothing to look "proper".
Clothing style - Xu was astonishing in a black ensemble, while Jin, looking beautiful as usual in a yellow jacket. This was a bit of a mystery. Fans believe is a representation of a scene in LalaLand (“A Lovely Night” dance). XuJin were watching this film in their night in their hotel where Xu was filming.
Questions by fans - these are quite restricted and sometime compromising but are good fun and create a nice flirting atmosphere between Xu and Jin. For instance, a fan asked Jin, if Xu leaving the TV on bothers Jin, and both just looked at each other and laughed. I think it is quite obvious that they have shared rooms many times. Another fan asked Xu if Jin could be her wife, and Xu responding quickly no, and suggesting that Jin is his "wife" that everybody knows that.
They both want to go to Rome together, that was nice as it was a Xu's dream that Jin has taken on.
An interesting one was to give a score (10 scale) to the other one's kissing technique. Jin without hesitation said that Xu is a 10, but Xu said Jin is a 9. I think we all agree here that Xu is the best kisser not just in this drama but in the whole China ent. His position is perfect, his delivery is perfect, the emotion that he carries from the scene always present in the kiss how he ends the kiss with soft parted lips. I could write a whole post just on this 😍 Anyway, so much information, so many videos. Some here
All started in Beijing airport with a super flirty CP
https://x.com/eatthendrink/status/1994300073438576778?s=20
Macau Images summary https://www.tiktok.com/@fogus_05/video/7578147942440127752?_r=1&_t=ZN-91oQte9WnbC
Beautiful criers https://x.com/wenhanuIt/status/1994712045284159716?s=20
Wedding drinks https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1994750674190635314?s=20
Carriage scene https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1994732054916018200?s=20
Their promise to Lagogos and to themselves https://x.com/meihanxues/status/1994709036298899463?s=20
Finally, this super meaningful video answering a question that in all fairness shouldn't be ask to a male pairing in China: Define your relationship. Their answers are always full of sentiment, Xu said Jin is a friend that I could open my heart to, Jin added: dearest friend/trusted friend Just Chinese speaker can understand the full meaning. Commonly, this phrase excludes romantic love. Only in literature is used to signify the start of a romantic spark akin to the phrase in English "dear to my heart". We can see in their eyes how much they love and value the other one. Having a treasure friend is a gift and they know it. It is also shows in answers to the fans question: when they say that their encounter was fate and that their best day of their lives is when they met each other. Are we not all grateful for this? yes we are 🙏❤️
https://x.com/earpluggg/status/1994794216044859518?s=20

It is still a 10 for me. Strong delivery by two very committed actors. Those sex scenes are not for the faint hearted. One of the aspect, I like the most is that YSL is a proud gay man that accept the limitations of belonging to a sexual minority. He knows is not an easy road and don't want to impose it into a confused FX. However, FX, despite of being a deceiver and a mess, is prepared to accept that reality on him, even accepting to be the receiver at sexual level. At this primary level, this two characters "get it" and get each other. This is not a soft BL were two straight guys "suddenly" fall in love. The message is clear, you want a man you are gay (or bi), let's not beat the bush. We need more BLs with a direct message. Well done.

XuJin QCity (Panda World) live - 🌈🌈🌈
As an editor of Gagaoola would say, this was the fruitiest event featuring XuJin 😂: the host was fruity, the games were fruity, the answers were fruity: so much fun and XuJin at their best. Nice addition to the fact that the shop and I think the live too) were in the gayest city of China: Chengdu.
The host publishing a lovely post about how good he felt among "peers", that he knew Jin from a while ago, that Jin has found in Xu a great partner to walk this path together, I am sure he referred to their career as actors (as the host is also in the acting profession) but that my mind read in all the possible LGBTQ+ scenarios🌈😂)
The host words: https://x.com/lianhualouve/status/1993672953331105919?s=20
XuJin revealing everything compromising about each other and having a scare and laugh at the same time, apart that if you see the whole live - I have watched most in RedNote- what was going on under the table was quite obvious. Some clips from X
https://x.com/soulpotaetoe/status/1993688223982248284?s=20
https://x.com/wenhanuIt/status/1993678803588251652?s=20
a couple here: https://x.com/JEONALTY/status/1993667319411954111?s=20
https://x.com/meihanxues/status/1993668293425762641?s=20
https://x.com/naayizhan/status/1993653328878903680?s=20

I think he had a strong sense of loyalty. He perceived that he was saved by the Shadow Guard. It takes nothing to gaslight a child. When he knew he was also lied to - his father was the Jibei emperor, his mother murderer by him and instead his father claiming him as a son, he trained him to become an assassin- he wanted to tell ShuHe. He went to see him with this intention, first he asked about the poem that his father wrote for his mother. the thought of his mother wasting his love on that terrible man, broke his heart, so when ShuHe told him he wanted him, ZiAng, to be his partner for 100 years, the emotion overwhelmed him, and when he finally came back to reality to tell him, the terrible news arrived. It was too late for his confession to be meaningful enough. Then it only becomes worse, personal revenge took precedent to ShuHe feelings and understanding. For me, this was worse than the lie itself.

XuJin - Armani Nanjing shop interruption
The event in Nanjing has to be cut short because they were complaints that there were too many people. It looks was a failing by the Armani shop not to predict that more people were going to turn to the shop to see XuJin. They were very happy, interacting with their fans and with themselves until they have to be "haull off" from the event. It was reported later they went to a hotel to continue meeting fans
Before everybody come with the theory this is homophobia, not it is not, it is Health & Safety. Imagine in China an event that goes out of control in a confined space! and fans in China are a bit extreme, we know this. Before that, they were in full XuJin swing:
https://x.com/xujin_haochi/status/1992561347419398247?s=20
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1992513262576095412?s=20
https://x.com/earpluggg/status/1992511007210754135?s=20
Re-location in a hotel:
https://x.com/earpluggg/status/1992830106885398785?s=20

Yesterday, 2nd live with Sanshi instead was lovely and the hosts were delighted with them. I think it is safer for them to stick to these ones. Just one clip, but they are lots in X some very coquettish as it happens with BL CP appearances
https://x.com/JEONALTY/status/1992217872211558555?s=20

BL CPs in China - Before quoting homophobia as the root cause of "misunderstandings" with BL CPs , I think we should remember that Chinese people have a laid back attitude toward homosexuality and in relation to a BL CP they are often referred by wider audiences as "straight boys, working as gay" - this phrase is now popular after Revenged Love actors scandals. I have been told this by Chinese friends living in China. In my personal opinion, we do not need to assume any member of the CP sexual identity or real relationship between the pair, because if there is a camera in front of them is always going to be fan service. Very simple.

Interesting perspective, but I thought it was distasteful

Xujin promoting the Macau fan meeting on 29 November. They are ever so cute here
https://x.com/anzupricot/status/1991726172393406494?s=20

There is also a 12 minutes video visiting the Panda shop. Full of sweet gestures.
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1991469102259699836?s=20

So far XuJin has only show success after sucess:
2 magazine photoshoots (newromantics and arena homme both with amazing photos)
4 brand deals - 2 products prom with Sanshi with 2 lives, C-Ka (with a live), Q City (Pandas) and FlowerLure (recently announced)
2 live events - Hangzhou Port even (past)t and to come Armani one day store manager
3 fan meetings: Chongqing (past). Macau (scheduled), and a third have been announced (date and location to be confirmed)

Knowing Xu and Jin more -From the beginning ZheXu revealed to be a Buddhist but it is not until Mi Jin's last solo event that fans got to know that Mi Jin belong to a Chinese Muslim ethnic group (Hui). He even volunteered his Muslim name (Musa). When ZheXu first revealed he was a Buddhist I found it interesting because religion is not a main part of Chinese people's life, and now we know for sure the reason why Jin does not eat pork. China is indeed a fascinating country.

As Yerisina said, from ep 1 to 4 there is a lot dialogue giving context to the political tension. I strongly suggest do not bother too much to process everything, you could always re-watch. Focus in the development of the lead couple relationship ShuHe and ZiAng, it is very sensual from the very first episode, let them take you into their journey. You will be highly rewarded.

XuJin - Pandas v blog - Well not really, they are sponsoring the Panda World centre
https://x.com/wizcrizzz/status/1991024638449819910?s=20

They have been such a successful CP because they have these lovely personalities. ZheXu and MiJin together are much more than the sum of their parts. I don't deny their individual qualities but they have managed to bring the best in the other one. It is a really successful partnership. So we have now 4 brands endorsements for them, another live coming soon with them. All good news.
The promotional video for SanShi is amazing - the live this month is with them again
https://x.com/Bluesky202017/status/1990974813268262915?s=20

All their next activities/sponsorship:
https://x.com/yaoi_mazter/status/1990958181955088462?s=20
Armani store managers
https://x.com/lianhualouve/status/1991169044775673889?s=20

Please do! You will be surprised and by episode 5 the sexual tension increase a lot too

There are beautiful kissing scenes. Very daring in episode 6. A lovely long one in episode 7. Episode 8 has three I think, but the last one in that ep very dramatic one. So all tones of kissing here. I think this BL has become quite talked about because of this

I am so glad you "got" ShuHe. You expressed it so well. he is such a beautiful character. Regarding ZiAng, he was not an assassin, they made him one. ZiAng was uprooted from his mum to the Duan family from the Duan Family to the elite assassin group. He did not know how to respond to situations except by the sword. He was wrong, but one thing was true to him, he love ShuHe with all his might. I like the phrase you use "their love was painful", yet, they continue choosing each other for all eternity.