Snapcracklepop

🤭😂😉🔥

I’d like to add that GJZ has deep empathy for YX. Like you mentioned “a mirror”, she saw herself in him (call it kindred spirits, birds of a feather, etc. in any case she deeply cared for him as a friend.) “Empathy is your pain in my heart.”
GJZ had seen so much pain from her own past, that she didn’t want to be the cause of pain to someone who cherished her friendship. (Her motto from ep 1: to focus on loving those who love her.) True and loyal friends don’t want to cause pain when you know exactly how that feels.
In ep. 16, CYY asks her “why did you help YX so much?” Her reply: “Because he took a risk to help me more than once. To me, he’s a true friend.”
(And then she nodded at his next question: “Just a friend?” Then there’s this beautiful moment in their growing feelings, as he probes her friendship with YX vs her romantic feelings with him. Squee! So Sorry I got sidetracked)
My point: GJZ is clear on her feelings for YX.

LOVE LOVE LOVE your analysis!

(This drama is all about the various forms of Love. Ep 1, GJZ’s first inner monologue: sets the tone for the show, how from that moment on she’s choosing the love that will cherish her.)

Nice explanation! 👍🏻

😂👏🏻 Taking notes. Hahah. Pull up those positive pants! 😉😆

Definitely sincere! He’s supposedly a cold person to everyone else, but her. I mean, look at his eyes when he gives her the whistle and stares at her at the end of episode 12!!!!! It’s like warm chocolate on a cold winter day. It’s melted chocolate on a hot day!!! His eyes are twinkling at her! Verses the scene in ep 6, slicing down those assassins. Pure cold blooded. No wonder GJZ was extremely frightened for her life when he was “interrogating” her. But even back then, his eyes softened towards her. Unless, he’s acting (of course he is, cuz we’re watching a drama!) but I definitely see the character being sincere to GJZ.
But people have their favorites, and it’s hard to see your favorite actor being second lead when you know he’s not getting the girl in the end. 🥴

As far as I got in the Novel, Gu Lan did not stay nice. She ended up becoming her cousin’s (Gu Lian) husband‘s concubine.
I don’t know if she ever got redemption like she has been in the drama. Maybe another novel reader could clarify. 🥴 But keep in mind, this drama is not the same as the novel. It’s becoming its own version.

Well, consider what she first said in episode 1, she was so hurt by her Dad and the stepmom, that no longer was she going to care about those who despise her. She was only going to focus on those who love her (and in turn reciprocate her love.) Her exact words were: “In that moment, I finally realized that anything we call love is really just luck. Between parents and children, between husbands and wives, men and women, it’s all the same. If it’s there, it’s there. If it isn’t, you can’t force it…I won’t expect anyone to love me anymore. I’ll only cherish the people who already love me.”
I feel her friendship with YX progressed because she saw herself in him. And the byproduct of him always being her hero (ok, for now let’s ignore the fact that he shot at her, whipped her, pointed his sword at her, etc. Someone else said he’s a manchild. lol) Regardless, Both were hurt by family, and had to be fearless in their own ways, but they were there for each other in their times of need. GJZ only viewed him as her friend and so she had platonic love for YX, while as YX started to think that she was his soulmate, his woman, his other half. This is a very immature man. Recall too: YX’s only other friend was the 10-year-old the crown prince! (Talk about two sheltered kids!) So he’s a very lonely manchild-soul. 😅 Nonetheless, GJZ cared/showed kindness for him since he was good to her (when he was in a good mood!), which validates her new-founded motto she made in ep 1.

I hope he has a good ending, and not heading down the evil path. 😳

No, she’s always viewed him as a friend. If anything maybe a kindred-spirit? She definitely cared for him but not as in the crazy, heart-throbbing way she has for her CYY. 😉 (In the novel, at first she did her utmost to avoid any interaction with him cuz she knew his reputation as being “crazy”. She was often annoyed and exasperated with him. lol.) Maybe the scenes with them & raising that cat together, or saving his life could imply some form of affection, but it wasn’t romanticized like her interactions with CYY. I mean the second lead really tried his utmost to be there for her. He “punished” her brother for her sake, he got that Dr to treat her Mom, so she has many reasons to be grateful to him, so maybe that’s why she had such a reaction? (I mean, I’d be super emotional if my best friend didn’t support my decisions and got mad at me.) Plus GJZ was already feeling guilty for not being able to tell YX her engagement news personally. So maybe that’s why she had such a strong reaction.

Completely agree with you. The progression of the relationship from strangers to friendship and finally romantic partners has been beautifully unraveled out. It’s a slow burn, and so satisfying.

I’m rewatching cuz I’m all caught up. I have a different opinion regarding when CYY actually fell in love. In ep 9, after CYY rescues GJZ for a third time, he’s drawing in his study and it’s at that moment, that’s when it hits him that he is truly in love with her. He may have been intrigued, interested, had attraction when he first met her, but I think it’s at that moment, when he’s had that epiphany moment,
since he’s unconsciously drawing a figure that looks like her, that’s when he realizes he’s feelings are more than just a crush, that he’s in love. So much that he wants to meet with her right away. To his poor guard’s chagrin! lol
Watching ep 11, it’s the next moment that he actually meets her since verifying his feelings, and the man is smooth! His eyes are noticeably softer tracking her reactions to him, and he subtly flirts with her about the gifts she gave him. And that’s the first time in the drama we hear heartbeats as background music. lol. Love it! 😍

🤭 ep 6, and ep 12?! 🔥 Omo 😂

IKR? Her eyes were twinkling like stars. Couldn’t tear her away, so much that she had to turn around as JY was PULLING her away. Hahah. So cute! There’s definitely deep attraction on both parts. That’s why in a later episode, he was so confident telling her that he knows she likes him when she hadn’t actually vocally said so.
Love a man who knows what he wants and fights for it!

For me: Those scenes captured the beauty of first meet=first crush/attraction. It was so heartfelt, yet subtly tender, that if you blink, you miss his expression & excitement.
Then again, I love how Ci Sha acts with his eyes, mouth and Adam’s Apple. Heh

My personal opinion: she caught his attention in the first episode. She swiped his lantern! Here, he’s an important official who’s feared by all sorts, and yet this lil fierce lady dared to provoke him. So she definitely caught his attention right off the bat. And she? Same episode…she was stopped in her tracks when he did his diva cat-walk and met her & her cousin. Maybe go back and rewatch each of the early episodes…they have so much attraction for each other, it makes me squee. Hahah. It’s with their eyes, hands, etc. And for her, she at first thought his nephew “saved her” so she poured all her heart into him, but in reality it was CYY. Once she found that out (when he saved her again, wearing that mask), her heart was moved even more. Just my thoughts…I hope this helps.

Really?! THAT long?! Omo. Is that historically correct? He’d go without seeing her for a year? Huh? She was fine staying that time away from him? My mind is blown.
And Thanks for answering so quickly! :)

Odd question but: Did the drama say how long our FL was living outside the palace?

Amen! (I see them oozing with chemistry too! hah)
Wish people would just enjoy the show. And if you don't like it, stop watching. :)

That was the most hilarious scene I came across so far. They must have had a blast behind the scene. I need to rewatch! hahaha

Right? It's about time! hah

EXACTLY!