Yuan Shan Jian was never a real option, as 👏🏼he👏🏼 shouldn't've👏🏼been👏🏼. He never understood the FL, not once, not really. All of his responses to her hid any emotional depth behind sarcasm and barbed remarks. Like, that works for a while as an enemies-to-lovers setup, but not long term. You can't build a relationship on sarcasm. When someone needs comfort, pointed digs don't suffice. He's a selfish jerk, with zero emotional sensitivity, and I'm so, so, so glad that she never sees him as a genuine suitor.
Yuan Shan Jian was never a real option, as 👏🏼he👏🏼 shouldn't've👏🏼been👏🏼. He never understood the FL, not once, not really. All of his responses to her hid any emotional depth behind sarcasm and barbed remarks. Like, that works for a while as an enemies-to-lovers setup, but not long term. You can't build a relationship on sarcasm. When someone needs comfort, pointed digs don't suffice. He's a selfish jerk, with zero emotional sensitivity, and I'm so, so, so glad that she never sees him as a genuine suitor.
Decent show what can I say... Could've been better. There was not much to the story but they dragged it a lot…
Hard agree. End of ep 13 to end of ep 14 was a TRAIN WRECK, and the daughter was nothing more than a blatant plot device, like...reveal and then kill her off inside of one episode?! It doesn't get more "we're scraping the bottom of the idea barrel" than that. [insert eye roll]
This drama keeps moving, in the sense that it didn't feel super draggy at any point. HOWEVER, I do have rants,…
There is a theme in this drama of faults forgiven too quickly. People (main protagonist crew, at least) rarely have to take full responsibility for their mistakes. The FL younger brother lost his father's token (jail-worthy, apparently) and got a 30-second scolding before the FL went and risked her life and freedom to fix his mistake. The boy needed actual consequences.
Next, Zhong Xingzhou was a sucky friend. Like, I do understand the reasoning behind his actions (vaguely), but at the same time, he manipulated most of the contract marriage against the consent of anyone involved, potentially ruined the FL life, and he got away with forgiveness after a single punch and a brief scolding. The man didn't even TRY to come up with an alternate solution. I would have made him take far more responsibility for his machinations. He does pay the debt eventually, but not until the finale.
Biggest peeve: A commenter below said that the ML expressed his emotions pretty clearly and it was the FL who was wishy-washy. Um...no? The man was hot and cold con-stant-ly. His anger issues would keep a therapist busy for years. The FL kept overhearing him at the WORST moments (as any dramatic protagonist does), and while she admittedly should have asked more questions instead of jumping to conclusions, she did overhear some really terrible things. And she forgave him wa-a-a-ay too quickly. Like, if I'd overheard my husband planning to sell me for 3 dollars? I'd have destroyed everything he owned before leaving him that night. For a start. They both were immature & slightly toxic, but the ML was in nooooo way better about communicating his feelings clearly than the FL. THAT BEING SAID, there are some incredibly sweet moments. They just need about 5 years' maturity and couples counseling first. 😂🫣
Finally, the FL is immature and pouty at points, but lordy does she also get the short end of the stick, simply for being female. The amount of times I wanted to shake the men (and some enabling women) for blatant persecution and women-shaming...yeesh. I would have slapped soooooo many more people. Maybe burned down a few houses. Thrown a few cups of water in faces. Stabbed a couple of witches. All considered, the FL was quite gracious in comparison to how I would've responded. 🙃
This drama keeps moving, in the sense that it didn't feel super draggy at any point. HOWEVER, I do have rants, spoiler-y ones coming below. First rant: I feel sorry for the pottery, as it takes the worst abuse when people are trying to express anger/angst/determination/other strong emotion. So many broken cups and bowls...
Watched till ep 33 and I can't help but dislike the FL at this point, I'm getting kinda irked by her actions.…
You're not wrong. But also, the ML kept pushing the FL to tell him everything and depend on him, when...he was keeping her in the dark about some VERY SIGNIFICANT THINGS. Did he compromise? Yes. Did he pressure her to give things that he wasn't willing to give? Also yes. Both leads had growing to do, and I love both their individual and team development by the end.
Ruined. This drama has *ruined* me for all others, at least until my obsession has abated a bit. Seriously, I end up liking most of the characters by the end, which is rarely the case for C-dramas and I. The characters, their growth, the twists, the slow burn romance, it all just...[screeches in unbearable adoration].
Next, Zhong Xingzhou was a sucky friend. Like, I do understand the reasoning behind his actions (vaguely), but at the same time, he manipulated most of the contract marriage against the consent of anyone involved, potentially ruined the FL life, and he got away with forgiveness after a single punch and a brief scolding. The man didn't even TRY to come up with an alternate solution. I would have made him take far more responsibility for his machinations. He does pay the debt eventually, but not until the finale.
Biggest peeve: A commenter below said that the ML expressed his emotions pretty clearly and it was the FL who was wishy-washy. Um...no? The man was hot and cold con-stant-ly. His anger issues would keep a therapist busy for years. The FL kept overhearing him at the WORST moments (as any dramatic protagonist does), and while she admittedly should have asked more questions instead of jumping to conclusions, she did overhear some really terrible things. And she forgave him wa-a-a-ay too quickly. Like, if I'd overheard my husband planning to sell me for 3 dollars? I'd have destroyed everything he owned before leaving him that night. For a start. They both were immature & slightly toxic, but the ML was in nooooo way better about communicating his feelings clearly than the FL. THAT BEING SAID, there are some incredibly sweet moments. They just need about 5 years' maturity and couples counseling first. 😂🫣
Finally, the FL is immature and pouty at points, but lordy does she also get the short end of the stick, simply for being female. The amount of times I wanted to shake the men (and some enabling women) for blatant persecution and women-shaming...yeesh. I would have slapped soooooo many more people. Maybe burned down a few houses. Thrown a few cups of water in faces. Stabbed a couple of witches. All considered, the FL was quite gracious in comparison to how I would've responded. 🙃