Raisins

FL's dad would've been better as Qiao leader because it's like pulling teeth helping them. FL is trying to so hard to strengthen the alliance and save her clan and they're always second guessing her. At least they made the right decision this time.

They also keep giving that peacock screentime. I don't know why but I find it amusing 😄 Maybe a Chekhovs bird. 🦚

I liked the way they handled the drugging issue. It showed how the ML is surrounded by short sighted fools and how they don't care about him at all. These tropes rarely consider the emotional aftermath of the drugged victim and like FL said, if he had either slept with the cousin or forced himself on FL, he would feel terrible and shameful but the mom didn't care about his autonomy or dignity at all when she plotted this for her son. So glad that this was the line where FL openly scolded the MIL on behalf of her husband because he needs someone like that.

Yes! I thought it was very much a show don't tell moment. You can tell he was like wow and then the mixed feeling afterwards because she's the enemy so he has to harden his heart. In a peaceful world he totally would have wooed her. I wonder if he was so much more cruel to her in the beginning because he did subconsciously like her at first sight.

I like the small details the director added. When her tear fell on him I initially thought it was that he was surprised she was genuinely sad but it's the theme of her being water, slowly softening him up from that point. Also the lynx scene was funny because the other guy sent a low effort weasel but it was also that he actually proposed to her with a betrothal animal, just as she said to her maid that she'll only marry him when he also wants the marriage with her.

What a complex relationship. He's been raised like a weapon to avenge his family and hate the Qiao but no one except Grandma Xu cared about his own trauma and happiness. Her side, her Grandpa told her that the existence of the entire clan rests on her shoulder so she should do whatever it takes, like she's a piece on a Go board. I hope these two will break out from paying the price for the older generation and find happiness. But knowing this actor, I am also fully ready for a bittersweet ending because you can't fool me this many times!

I also want to add that I bought the express package because I want them to make more shows like this! ( And also because I'm impatient heh)

There is so much hinging on her, surprised she's not having a mental breakdown. She had to willingly walk into the snake pit of Wei household and survive while also figuring out a way to keep her Qiao clan from being annihilated because if Wei invades Yanzhou they will probably kill everyone so she is stalling for time to strengthen Yanzhou. Even worse the Qiao clan seems pretty incompetent. She also needs to do this without alerting her husband too. That's...a lot for one person.

Thank you! It sounds like the novel Qiao may not have been very honorable in the first place. I was curious because FL was adamant that Qiao has always protected their people but what Grandpa Qiao did was pretty dishonorable so I wondered if he was between a rock and a hard place kind of situation. Seems like a lot of people are just gray and morally ambiguous.

This has a very good start but I'm trying to understand the political decisions from 14 years ago that led to this current conflict.

So Qiao and Wei, they are Yanzhou (North) and Wei (South) and were best friends. The "spine" of the map, Bianzhou attacked a Wei city Xindu and killed all of the Grandpa Wei, ML's dad, ML's bro and sacked it. Qiao from the North did not send any reinforcements although this would betray their friendship.
Soo...did Grandpa Qiao betray his friend because one city wasn't worth plunging Yanzhou to a major war with Bianzhou? Or did Bianzhou have some leverage with Liangya (the Weasel heir place) so they feared that Liangya will swoop in and conquer the weakened Yanzhou if they sent troops south? I don't really know why Grandpa Qiao made this choice because he really seemed regretful and heartbroken. The Weasel-heir was a semi-hostage for Yanzhou for five years so did Liangya say if Qiao doesn't help with Xindu, they'll leave a hostage with them as a good will? Just wondering if I missed something.

I think it's harder for shows with few episodes because even 1 or 2 so-so episodes out 12 can make a big impact overall. I generally enjoyed this but I wasn't too thrilled with the handwaving forgiveness of the grandmother. She was so vile and seriously destroyed his childhood and damaged his sense of self for decades and then she got loved so easily by because she apologized. I actually kind of hoped that they would both go out of the country and leave that hag behind.

In doing research into this IP, I ended up binge watching every single episode of the donghua which is absolute Fire 🔥! Expectations must be really high for this so I hope they can deliver!

Yes I agree, also agree it's pretty neat that he seems to have dual goals for every action. Going to Danzhou to find evidence and get background info regarding his possible future wife and also investigate the missing funds. Bring her to the torture hall to feed her because she's been starved for days but also arm twist her into helping him on the investigation. Very calculating so I think FL will have trouble trusting but then again, she might also be a bird of the same feather anyway.

This is great insight! I think you are onto something. He acts weak but I don't think he is and he may be the master schemer.

Yes! Episode 6 and I still have so many questions and yet I can't stop watching and glued to every scene. The domestic power struggle here is just as riveting as a palace intrigue and it's coming to light that everything may be tied to something that happened in the past. And this is one of the weirdest courtship? Let me burn down my house and show you where I work, and also have dinner with your favorite food in the torture hall. This ML is....something.

This is giving me "unhinged couple taking on the world" vibe and now I may have to resub to WeTV..again.

EP1 - Is everyone just crazy in this show?
I like the FL so far. Also that they showed glimpses of how she is actually cooold as ice and can't be easily hurt like when she had to pretend yelp during flogging (showed a slight delay and mom noticed it too). Definitely an intriguing start!

Wow that grandmother is a piece of work. He can't even keep a picture of his parents around? And then she calls him weak? Who is the weak one blaming a CHILD for the accident. I think it is a mistake for him to keep appeasing her. She is so beyond evil.

Something that further highlights the grandmother's cruelty is during the conversation where she says her son would have been the perfect heir and that he is irreplaceable. But from the brief flashback, her son never struck me as someone as cruel as her, seemed like a loving father who was taking time to take his son to a cartoon convention. I think she doesn't actually believe what she said it but is using guilt to mold the ML to be like HER instead of being like his father. Constantly destroying self-esteem and using guilt on a child to manipulate is what abusers do and I am curious whether this show will give her a redemption arc because she is just so so awful. I hope she doesn't and dies alone.

Yes I think it's going to be another heartbreak for him. He really has nothing for himself other than that room. She'll probably burn it or destroy his stuff again. That woman is so evil.

That rabbit pirate stuffy is so cute, like this show. I feel like the ML is carrying this drama moreso than the FL but it could be the script since she plays the more serious, reserved role versus the ML's goofiness. Overall this is funny and enjoyable.