Phroggies

In my desperation, I'm going back and watching the first episodes, and oh, my goodness! Looking at that opening scene given what we know now is so moving--his tenderness and even happiness (despite her state) make it so clear how he's changed. And their interactions from the very beginning are so charged (the look of concern on his face when he first rescues her is obvious even with the mask, for instance). I think people often use the word chemistry to mean the characters have a convincing physical attraction, but this really goes beyond that. Even in their first encounter the ways in which they will both come to help each other are spelled out in miniature. I'm not a rewatching type but I'm finding this surprisingly rewarding.

Am I the only one still clinging to the AR + QF = HTX theory? I really think there's a lot of evidence for it. I think AR is a kind of protective personality that HTX developed in response to various forms of trauma and is his main way of interacting with the world, while QF is a more hidden self who has ceded a lot of control to AR. The scene in which QF tells AR that he likes XE seems really poignant to me, almost as if he is asking AR for permission actually to want someone of his own (also, the Hallucination-ish theme plays then! That seems huge!). XE choosing AR seems as if she's choosing the most superficial aspects of HTX, who might want to be loved for non-CEO related qualities.

Do you need it to be a website, or is an app okay? I watch this one (raw) on the Vidol app, and it has a bunch of other T-dramas as well.

Republican Era aesthetic is the best aesthetic …So, so stylish!

Just wanted to say that while I’m not 100% in agreement with your take, I really appreciat its thoughtfulness. It’s really helping me understand why I’ve fallen so hard for this pair—-the contrasts between them are a crucial part of both their love and their troubles. One senses that if they could just get on the same page they’d be unstoppable, which is why the scene at the beginning is so vital—even in the darkest moments we still believe that they will find their way back to each other. (Who’s crying? I’m not crying :) ).

Wow, so Episode 31 was every bit as painful as I had feared…

I know! And she’s so happy when she sees it’s him and then he just AARGH!

There’s such a thin line between “happy escape bubble “ and obsession, isn’t there? Normally I’m kind of smug about my sanity vis-a-vis everyone around me who is so depressed by current events, but then I realize I’ve spent the last two weeks mentally smacking a fictional character upside the head :).

I never thought “got me emo” would describe me, but that’s just the perfect phrase :).

Mostly the first …honestly, I haven’t summoned the courage to watch 27 and 28 yet because I need to see a tiny bit more light at the end of the tunnel, but these previews aren’t it :(.

Sob! The previews for 29 and 30 are on the Mango app. This show is killing me. How did I ever get so invested in these guys? I don’t know how much more I can watch.

Yes! I keep hoping the writers are doing this on purpose and that the end game is going to be more complex and nuanced. If this is the relationship we’ve been waiting for all this time, I’m going to be pretty disappointed. Totally agree that I would like to have seen more falling in love!

This was very much my reaction.

Oh, noooooo. No, I’m not seeing that message yet, but it’s probably just a matter of time. I feel conflicted …I really don’t mind paying, but would the money be going to the right people? Asking because I honestly have no idea.

I *think* you have to buy access to that tier of episodes and I’m not sure you can do that outside of China (but I’d love to be corrected if I’m wrong). I’ve been watching on duboku but I’d rather use the Mango app.

Yes! Those are my favorites. I keep hoping these guys will figure out how to do it because they have so much potential both in their mutual affection and in their common sense in other matters. I really hope the ending will spend some serious time showing them doing this and not be angst right up to the last five minutes. Because I’m having a really hard time watching it right now…

So despite Episode 12 being so…um, action packed, I’m feeling somewhat meh about the recent direction things are taking. I still don’t get what XE sees in AR beyond the surface, and I can’t accept that AR is doing this to QF (though I’m still seeing lots of evidence for the AR + QF = HTX theory, and that would excuse it a bit). I’m kind of hoping the writers are going to show us that once XE attains her fantasies she’ll realize that there’s something deeper out there. Because I’m not feeling much romance (physical chemistry, sure, but not much else). Anyone having a different reaction that might get me more on board with recent developments?

Oh, my fickle heart. All it takes is a few minutes of Marcus acting with slightly more gravitas than a petulant 14 year old, and I’m like “Qing Feng who?”…

Mass produced characters! Yes, very well put. I really don’t mind tropes but I do want to believe that the characters see something meaningful in each other and there has to be some complexity for that. I love how the contrast between XiaoEn and ChuChu highlights that—they’re both good people but the former is so much more and we’re starting to see how the latter can’t function outside her narrowly defined role.

Thanks! I mean, I do think part of growing up is accepting that one is not a main character:) but of course no one wants to be trapped in a meaningless role XiaoEn seems to be.