Like a soda that loses its fizz too soon
To be honest, I went in with expectations set at bare minimum. I could already see the formula: classic tropes, a typical conflict, and a good deal of excitement. Nothing wrong with that, really.I was also surprised to find it runs for two hours, which made me think there might be something more. But there wasn’t.
The runtime felt underutilized. Despite the conflict, it came off hollow and flat. The leads and cast delivered good performances, and the storyline was cute. Beyond that, it’s a romcom flick that’s easy to forget.
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OK enough if you’re in a drama slump and would want to get by with something easy
This is not the worst youth drama series, but it’s also not the best. Personally, it’s something you randomly grab off the shelf when you’re starving, so anything that would fill the stomach would be alright as long as you get by.The tone and style were definitely aimed at being lighthearted, romantic comedy (although it attempts to go slightly beyond that in the end), however, I still find some of the conflicts silly and absurd. I wish the writer attempted to write more realistic conflicts that would actually happen in school as young adults, not something obviously and directly plagiarized from someone’s daydream.
I also found myself clenching my fists a few times because of how utterly cringey some scenes can be, but I couldn’t help but keep watching until the end because the leads are adorable and their chemistry is there.
And I think that’s the strongest point of the show. They make it seem like they’re really in love, especially Tian Hong Jie as Zhang Ruo Xi. With a few improvements here and there, I’m hoping he could land on a huge project to show more of what he can offer. And oh, Chen Kang, too!
There are loose ends and rushed and cramped narratives, but the most disappointing of all is how the second ML’s story concluded. He deserved a better ending, even if it means not pairing him up with another secondary character.
Technically wise, there are also numerous hiccups that I’ve observed, so to enjoy the drama, it’s best to turn off your brain and just let the youthful romcom take the lead.
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Ridiculous, silly, and an utterly enjoyable watch!
I started the series without looking up anything about it – I just know it’s a Ding Yuxi romcom with Zhao Lusi as the FL, so I was sold immediately.Watching the first few episodes made me feel like the entire thing (plot, story, characters) is an irony of some sort. Like it was poking fun at something, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it is exactly.
So, I went back to MDL to check and was able to confirm that the series is actually a satire, and there is a whole interview detailing what the message it is trying to convey.
Now, I just know that it intends to, or in some way, critic the current state of dramas, but I haven’t been able to check the interview as I want to interpret the series based on my impressions. Partly, I was also trying to avoid spoilers but mainly, I just wanted to enjoy the series as is. And boy, I did have fun!
As a satire, it implies that there are subtexts that needs to be understood, and points that need to be seen. However, I didn’t want to tiptoe around those to avoid affecting my experience.
And so, I didn’t take the series seriously, but in a good way. Since I kind of know the intention of the series, I was able to suspend disbelief and let the story flow on its own. I had fun and a good laugh in every episode, and the series did not fail to send out butterflies to my stomach.
What I adore is how neatly the story concluded, which is ironically, something that a lot of dramas fail to do.
Regardless of how one process the drama though, it would fare well both ways. If one will view this as a commentary, then it is pretty well done as it literally pokes fun at the ironies and every trope there is in a drama.
If one chooses this as something to pass time, it is still a good choice, as it gives a good level of entertainment and a good dose of romance. Most importantly, it has a highly satisfying ending!
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Promising plot with unique storyline and horrible writing. An OK rom-com, thanks to Wang Hedi
The series nudged on the topic of social roles in ancient and imperial China, with high focus on the oppression and discrimination against women: this is my first time learning about the burial rites in ancient China where (childless) concubines and palace maids were buried alive with the deceased emperor. Aside from Wang Hedi, the unexplored and rarely told story about this funeral custom made me pick up the drama despite the mixed reviews it garnered.The storyline also explored themes of death, revenge, and domestic abuse, although the narrative did not heavily focus on those.
Comedic bits were inserted in between scenes, which actually worked, and they were neither awkward nor forced. The comedy made the overall tone lighter and digress from the heavier and darker aspect of these subjects.
The first episodes were slower in setting the pace, but this improved in the succeeding episodes. However, a struggle in consistency is notable as the story progresses.
What initially gripped me made me want to skip a few minutes of some episodes because it fails to anchor on the message and theme of the story.
The story lacked depth and the usual revenge and star-crossed lovers tropes did not even allow me to develop a deep emotional investment for the leads and other characters.
It is important to note that a number of scenes, especially the steamy ones, were omitted due to censorships, but upon checking, the said deleted scenes do not hold much significance to the development of the story, unless (steamy) kissing scenes are a prerequisite to your good romance.
For the romance aspect, Wang Hedi delivered. He makes a successful tsundere who’s down bad for the female lead.
This is my second Wang Hedi drama coming from Love Between Fairy and Devil (LBFD) and based from the two series of Wang Hedi I’ve watched so far, I can see that he has the ability to build chemistry with his co-lead. Yes, his handsome face is enough to give you butterflies in the stomach, but he also makes use of facial expressions in conveying emotions that are very effective.
In contrast, I feel Chen Yuqi (as Bu Yinlou) fell short in acting. She was average in some scenes, but overall, I cannot identify the emotions she wanted to convey—by making her eyes appear larger and doing these rapid eye movements, what does she want me to feel exactly? Grief? Joy? Or is there an incoming gag that I need to anticipate so I could break into laughter?
Bu Yinlou is actually a rare female character type who’s clumsy and funny but has a thinking head on her shoulder. Often times, Bu Yinlou is independent and does not need saving when stuck in a dire situation. It's a shame this character was not portrayed better, effectively, and consistently.
The secondary characters have their own story, too, but the narrative did not dwell on these and clearly, the focus of the story was to resolve the conflicts of the main characters.
From a technical standpoint, the writing is definitely askew and the inconsistency is jarring. The plot holes (life of concubines in the inner court, Deer's Reed Residence tunnel, to name a few), though, would not require much effort to ignore.
Wang Hedi’s fight scenes have good choreography and again, to underline his acting skills, he was able to depict the strength and tenacity of his character during these scenes. Some scenes had stunts which were unnecessary (I remember Wang Hedi was just trying to climb into the bed, but he had to flip awkwardly in the air like an acrobat just to do that).
It’s a shame for a drama with unexplored topics like ancient burial customs to make a sharp turn downwards due to horrible writing, but for those looking for an instant fluff, especially Wang Hedi fans who want to admire his good acting (and face), this could pass as an enjoyable watch.
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Even Ding Yuxi’s school of acting couldn’t save this…
I have absolutely no problems with overly used tropes:1. FL
- has an emotional intelligence of a five-year-old
- terrible in academics
- amiable among her peers
2. ML
- smart without even trying
- school’s sporty heartthrob
- eccentric
- huge tsundere
- most importantly, someone who is head-over heels for FL
3. Misunderstanding on top of other misunderstandings due to lack of or terrible communication
4. Love square
After all, these are effective formulas for a successful romcom.
However, the execution is so terrible.
In fact, there are subplots (FL is pretty insecure about herself; SFL and ML have family issues) which they could’ve played with—they can probably be used these as a device for character development or even as an accurate portrayal of what people their age go through.
It’s just such a shame that these were not properly utilized nor explored and were left to disperse in a corner (though I doubt they could execute these properly). I’m just not aware if these are things that will be resolved in the end, but I’m afraid I could no longer wait for it as I’ve really run out of patience with this one…
I have a huge admiration for Ding Yuxi; it was actually because of him that I picked this up. And it breaks my heart to be dropping this as this is ½ of his youth dramas.
I would love to see him in school uniform doing romcom, but unfortunately, my love for him (plus plenty of fast-forwarding scenes) alone couldn’t make this work.
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The plot is good. Writing is decent. I find the pacing a bit slow, with zero build-up. I can foresee the story dragging, offering no grip to keep me going.
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A scenic slice-of-life that slowly loses its soul
What I Liked- This was my first Liu Yi Fei drama, so I had no prior performances to compare it to, but I really liked her portrayal of Xu Hong Dou. The nuances she brought to the character, even in the way she spoke, felt incredibly fitting and natural.
- Similarly, I appreciated Li Xian’s interpretation of his role. I don’t have much to reference since the only other drama I’ve seen him in was Go Go Squid! (2019), which I unfortunately dropped. Still, it’s clear he’s a good actor.
- The early episodes captured slowness, stillness, and simplicity beautifully. There were moments when the scenery took center stage—no background music, just the sound of wind rustling through leaves or birds chirping. It grounded the viewer in the moment.
- Emotional scenes weren’t overacted. Instead, they were quiet and restrained, letting raw, adult emotions speak for themselves, often paired with a well-chosen OST.
- The story began with the female lead navigating burnout and grief, but it didn’t stop there. It gave emotional depth to the supporting characters and villagers too. You don’t just root for the leads, you end up caring about the entire community.
- The romance was paced well and felt realistic. Both leads acted their age, transitioning from acquaintances to friends to romantic partners in a way that made sense. I also appreciated how healthy their relationship was. They didn’t hold each other back and respected each other’s priorities.
What I Didn’t Like
- The slow pacing worked—at first. It’s a slice-of-life drama, so that’s expected. But as the series went on, it felt like the writers got complacent. The slowness became a crutch, and the story started to feel aimless. Side plots lacked weight, and character development—especially for the leads—stalled, which was disappointing given the show’s premise.
- The storytelling began to feel a bit too on-the-nose. Characters often sounded preachy, delivering monologues about life and its meaning in moments where natural dialogue would’ve been more effective. It felt like the show was forcing moral lessons onto the audience, rather than letting the characters learn and grow into them.
- The drama also leaned heavily into tourism promotion—clearly aiming to showcase Yunnan, which, to be fair, it did beautifully. The villagers’ stories, especially around improving the local economy to keep the younger generation from leaving, were compelling. But I wish it hadn’t been packaged so overtly as a tourism campaign. The story was already strong on its own.
- After the leads got together, the narrative lost momentum. With no further character development, it felt like the show had nothing left to say, which was frustrating, considering how promising it started.
Honestly, this could’ve been a tight 30-episode series. Instead, it dragged. The emotional weight and quiet power of the early episodes slowly faded, until I eventually couldn’t bring myself to finish it.
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