Mizuhira-san

Hi~ Thank you for your kind words and warm praises. ^^

Onto the topic, I wouldn't exactly say her screentime was inadequate, but I'm certain her character wasn't utilised as well as it could've been. In my humble opinion, I would've liked her to gain her own independence without always being stuck with the male lead most of the time, cuz that dims her to just a love interest or whatever she was supposed to be. It seemed like her character didn't have much freedom as "only A-Shui". For example, instead of just telling the audience that she's Fang Zhou's sister out of the blue, they could've hinted at it through minor actions or objects that would jog her memory step by step. That way, we can relate more to her internal conflicts when she finally learns about her identity and Tang Li Ci's past, which is connected to her older brother Fang Zhou. To be blunt, there was no character depth to her shown in the series. For example, instead of showing up in dangerous places alone to save Tang Li Ci, they could've made her the supporting force helping the team from behind the scenes, and during those times, her identity could be 'peeled down' slowly. Gui Mu Dan, the hidden villain, made a huge impact, though he had less screentime than A-Shui or Zhong Chun Ji.

I have zero knowledge of the source material, so I won't say anything about that.. X') But yes, her sudden disappearance didn't sit well.. She appears here and there, but then "poof", gone with the wind~ (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

Zhong Chun Ji's the same; could've been more helpful if they'd shown us what made her fall for Tang Li Ci, but I would like it if they emphasised the pain she's been going through and how she overcomes that. To me, her "love" seemed more like an SOS. Well, in those times, there were no concepts of PTSD or any extra care for mental health issues..., so it can't be helped sadly...

For further details, it would help if you refer to the explanations Azure and Xiang made about the loopholes and how it could've been made better. They've also given a lot of insight not only into the characters but also the world-building of [Whispers of Fate]. ^^

https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24399916

https://kisskh.at/755725-shui-long-yin#comment-24394712

https://kisskh.at/discussions/755725-shui-long-yin/146760-whispers-of-fate-worldview-timelines-and-other-details

Yes! That loophole!! I've always thought something's off about that. If I were Tang Li Ci, I would feel and act the same way as he did, cuz she's a total stranger to him, and that stranger is saying she's willing to give up her life for this man. I'd be like, "Please sis, just don't, cuz you're even more suspicious that way.. (ᵕ•_•)" I mean, they just met! I can understand if they already knew each other for several years, such as Chi Yun, Fang Zhou or Liu Yan (i.e. disregarding LY's villainy here). And the fact that she's always tagging along, especially to dangerous places, doesn't help with her characterisation (I'm sure you know which scenes I'm referring to). About her blood, I don't remember in detail, but I only recollect her slitting her wrist without any explanation of her action before feeding him her blood while he's weak. "How does she know??" ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?

"The screenplay appears to be trying too hard to include A-Shui as a relevant character, instead of the other way around." >> Agreed. If they wanted to make her an appropriate character, they could've emphasised her uniqueness and importance, ALSO to the other characters, not just to Tang Li Ci alone. Her mysteriousness was what made A-Shui intriguing, but she's just popping up here and there without any clear reason. She went to search for Tang Li Ci ALONE in that HUGE forest, WITHOUT taking anyone along with her, found him and CARRIED him ALL THE WAY back to the Central Plains Sword Association! I'm now certain Iron Man and Supergirl are her descendants. (ᵕ • ᴗ •) Whoops! My dissatisfaction is showing... Well, they ruined a character just like that, so...

As for Zhong Chun Ji, they made her become the lovelorn character out of nowhere... sigh... 🫠 Yes, I can relate to her matter in that sense. Not even the strongest man can always tackle PTSD and other mental health issues right away. It's a slow and steady process. Sometimes, they carry it all their lives... However, mixing that with her "unrequited love" angle wasn't one of my favourites. In my humble opinion, I think she is mistaken about the feeling of gratitude for romantic love. I may be wrong tho.. (Wait.. I think I've mentioned this above.. 🤔? Haiyaa.. my memory.. I need to ask for some cans of spinach from Popeye...(ᵕ—ᴗ—) ) As you mentioned, many details have been left out, and jamming them all into just 40 episodes wasn't enough for a thorough explanation.

Oh, thanks a lot. I'll take a look at them~ Y'all share excellent insights about this. ✨

You're most welcome! Agreed with what you say. If we're unfamiliar with the core context, it's quite hard to grasp the reasons behind the characters', especially Tang Li Ci's, actions. We could say that this drama is something similar to sharing knowledge while enveloping these contexts with enchanting music and its artistical storytelling ― at least it felt that way to me. ^^

"The Minimalist Calm"
Simplicity that feels steady, like a still pond reflecting the sky
https://kisskh.at/games/p0BmS0/p/15468?r=1997695071364845568

I guess so~ X3 Love this quiz!

Choi Gyeong Gu: Irashaimase! (x5) 🤣🤣🤣

Choi Gyeong Gu: Irashaimase! (x5) 🤣🤣🤣

After TEN years, and finally~ or so I thought... ₍՞◌′-‵◌₎❤️‍🩹

Truly appreciate your warm praises, Megumi! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ I also learned more than what I already know while writing this~ The drama truly left a great impression on me.

Thanks for your kind remarks, Xiang! 💖🥰 The drama was undoubtedly a wonderful ride despite the heartbreaks we suffered.. ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀)

True!✨

He still hasn't learned his lesson.🤣🤣🤣

I agree with your views, especially on the two female characters, A-Shui and Zhong Chun Ji, and yes, this drama needed more than just 40 episodes to cover all relevant information to make sense. If they wanted to focus more screentime on A-Shui, it would've been better if they'd shown us how she discovered who she is (with more depth/meaning) and how she overcomes the pain, before finally accepting the present and leaving, instead of letting her disappear suddenly by leaving just one letter. They didn't give the audience much time to connect with her grievances. She was initially one of the most mysterious characters that could've added more tension and 'colour' to Tang Li Ci's growth (at least for me). For Zhong Chun Ji, I think she is mistaking her emotions for love. There are times when someone is rescued, they would "fall for" their saviours, and during those times, mental health conditions were not taken into account; Chun Ji's 'illness' worsened. That was when Liu Yan slowly planted seeds of doubt and hatred to manipulate her. What she did was indeed wrong, but I can't entirely blame her; any more than Tang Li Ci and Master Shao did. X3

Oh I see~

[Ep 16] - dividing groups scene starting at 37-39 minutes in
Fu Sheng: "Don't even think about it. Stay away from her (i.e. Tuo Ba Duan)."
Gu Tian: "What? Do you like her? ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)"
Wen Jue: (¬`‸´¬)!
Fu Sheng: "If you piss her off, she'll stab you. And I'll have to stitch you up. Don't look for trouble.. (·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ ) "
Gu Tian: (¬_¬")💢
Wen Jue: (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵) *pfft*

The trio's so fun! XD
And our poor Gu Tian got stuck with the stone-faced Tuo Ba Duan. ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)

Oh, LOTTL already finished airing all episodes? I'll have to catch up soon on that one.
You're welcome~ ^^

Awwn~ The pleasure is all mine~🥰 Sending you positive energy and good health vibes!
(Sorry for the late reply since I only see this now~ X'3 ) I also just finished my review. Finally! X'D

A detailed analysis! It's a shame the first review was accidentally deleted🥺, but this new review with a Buddhist context is also an interesting read, which is full of knowledge and meaning. Shui Long Yin is one complicated story, and it didn't help that the first timeline, which you've also mentioned, wasn't shown to us in the drama... X'3

Thank you, Pytheos! The same for me, too~ (ㅅ´ ˘ `)
Ahaha~ Parts focusing on our Mr. Sunshine, I suppose? XD

Yep him~ ^^

Awesome~ ^^