Sssnoopyyy

What a ride! It was refreshing to see Tian Xi Wei take on a role that is different from her character in Pursuit of Jade — and playing two distinct characters at that!

Highlights:
- Tian Xi Wei's performance. Her portrayal of the characters, particularly Wei Rao, and the journey her character went through kept me thoroughly engaged.
- A different kind of female lead. It's refreshing to see a female lead who doesn't fit the usual mould. I enjoyed watching Wei Rao's journey — quite literally, a story of someone who started from the bottom and, through a perilous journey, clawed her way to the top using her intellect and wit. She was an anti-heroine, shaped by the circumstances and tragedies life threw at her. While many of her actions stemmed from self-preservation, it was admirable to see that she never completely lost her capacity for love and compassion. Despite everything she had endured, these qualities remained at the core of who she was — and, in many ways, became the very things that helped her along the way.
- A forest-green-flag ML. Lu Zhuo, played by Yan An, was such a breath of fresh air. It was sometimes heartbreaking to watch his dynamic with someone as emotionally avoidant as Wei Rao, given everything she had been through. But there was something so touching about how he was the one person who could see past her icy exterior and understand her at her core. He never tried to force his way through her walls; instead, he remained steadfastly by her side with unwavering patience and devotion. Just when you think writers can't possibly create a healthier, more secure ML, they give you Lu Zhuo. Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo's relationship was undoubtedly one of the biggest reasons I stayed invested in this drama.
- Liu Yu Ning's OST, of course. No further explanation needed. His OSTs always know how to elevate a scene and tug at your heartstrings.
- Supporting character shoutouts. A special mention to Bitao and Liu Shuo, whose deaths were just so tragic and unfair. Both loved Wei Rao so deeply, and it was heartbreaking to see the people who cared for her so much meet such unfortunate ends. Wei Rao really cannot catch a break. Also, a shoutout to Wei Rao's maternal grandmother, who was such a lovely presence. As for Qi Zhong Kai, while I cannot say I approve of his decision to compromise bro code (LOL), I have to admit that I found him rather endearing at times. And finally, Han Liao — I cannot help but hate this man, but I have to give credit where it's due: the character is pretty entertaining, and the actor has the charisma to make even his most despicable moments watchable.

Lows:
- The choppy editing. My biggest complaint is the editing, which unfortunately did the drama a huge disservice. You can tell that quite a number of scenes were cut, many of which would likely have provided much-needed context and connective tissue to the story. The drama could have benefited immensely from more time dedicated to plot and character development. Some events felt like they happened out of nowhere, with little room for the audience to fully process how or why things unfolded. While I could still follow the overall storyline, the disjointed pacing took away from the emotional impact of several key moments.
- Exaggerated acting at times. The acting could be a little over-the-top in certain scenes. Even TXW's portrayal of the two characters occasionally felt exaggerated, which sometimes took me out of the moment.
- The ending. Oh, the ending. It felt incredibly rushed and, frankly, rather random. They could have easily wrapped things up with the sword dance between the main couple, which would have been a beautiful and meaningful way to end their story. But instead, they decided to throw in Liu Shuo's death, which felt so abrupt and unnecessary — almost as though they needed one last tragic event for the sake of having a dramatic ending and to elevate WR's character to a higher status.
My first reaction was to feel for Wei Rao. This girl genuinely cannot catch a break. How much more does she have to endure before she's finally allowed to live in peace? I acknowledge that the drama had foreshadowed that she was destined for greater things, but you can't help feeling a sense of injustice for her character after everything she's been through.
I don't mind a sad or open ending, provided it fits the overall tone of the series and is executed well. But in this case, the execution just wasn't there. It felt like the drama was reaching for an emotional punch without giving the audience enough time or development to truly feel its weight.