eliteles1

I think both of them are perfect for their roles. If they were played by actors who looked like teenagers, I wouldn't like it. That’s something that already annoys me every day. And you’re exaggerating: Liu Xue Yi is a young actor in his mid-thirties with a distinctive look. Yet you treat him as if he were some decrepit old man with his teeth falling out. Please...
PS: And I’m on the side of the actress who plays Xiao Tang; on the TV show where she appeared alongside the lead couple, she said: "Liu Xue Yi, you are amazing." (I agree with that opinion.)

I see him as being around 28 or 30. He still fits the part well at that age. And for this period of the story, he definitely has the right profile.

No, because you don't think that way: This drama is more realistic, and back then people of a certain age didn't look so young. Maybe that's why they married almost in childhood (to still look young). And he doesn't look 40, he looks his age (36). And he's handsome, and young, but not a teenager. (He has the beauty of a perfect profile, almost sculpted, very perfect for portraying that era.)

Datawin Film Observation
1 hour ago from Weibo web version
The ancient social family drama #兰香如故#, starring #刘学义#,

is currently airing simultaneously on CCTV-8 and Tencent Video. According to Datawin data, the popularity index broke through 2 on the second day after the series aired; within just 3 hours of airing, #林锦岐# Tencent Video character popularity surpassed 50 million; So far, Tencent Video's in-site popularity has surpassed 28,500, and the market feedback has been impressive just three days since its premiere.
In the drama, Lin Jinqi is a complex male character full of inner contradictions. Born into a family of civil officials, he threw himself into the battlefield, and, beneath the sharpness of a military general, is swept up in the shackles of his family, leaving him powerless. Externally, he acted decisively, bearing the heavy pressures brought by his family, subordinates, and court struggles alone; Though inwardly he is not good at showing his emotions, facing multiple dilemmas in family and marriage, he tends to hide his pain inwardly and rarely has outbursts of intense emotion. Liu Xueyi's inherent classical charm perfectly matches this highly grounded ancient general persona. Breaking away from the usual floating male lead trope, he avoids dramatic shouting to create conflict, instead relying more on micro-expressions and pauses in expressions to convey the character's lonely undertone of endurance and burden, portraying a sense of tearing apart from the character's calm and self-controlled appearance but deep wounds within.
In the first week, facing marital upheaval, Lin Jinqi resolved the conflict with dignity, avoiding clichéd narratives of melodramatic rage, making her character a highly recognizable memorable point. Liu Xueyi uses restrained handling to portray the character's deep fatigue and melancholy, allowing the audience to understand the real-world trade-offs behind the character's choices. Related scenes continuously raise discussions about the character, confirming the audience's direct recognition of the actor's fit with the role.
From an industry perspective, the costume drama sector increasingly desires male actors who can take on heavy narratives and adapt to major real-life dramas. Liu Xueyi delicately dissected the complex grayscale characters, breaking free from instrumental settings and proving his talent for taking on major costume dramas. The series is still in its early stages, and we look forward to Liu Xueyi continuing to uncover more aspects of Lin Jinqi, bringing viewers richer performances.
https://weibo.com/1104220301/Ri3TMi8lu

Oh, no!!!

Yes, a shortsighted view. And I’m not going to waste my time on him anymore. (He’ll watch his drama.)

That’s true. And it’s the kind of character portrayed by an actor who is perfect for the role—one who manages to draw us into the plot. (Fortunately, most people are able to recognize and appreciate) the actor's captivating performance and presence.

P.S.: I do wish he would star in a *xianxia* again, though.🤩 (He wants to play a terrible villain, but I want him to be a hero again). He was perfect as Yuan Zhong—another complex character, but in a *xianxia*—in *A Moment But Forever*.

Weibo Post
Xuemian Envelope
3 minutes ago

#LanxiangRuguCCTVDramaFanClub# The TV series "Lanxiang Rugu" will hold a CCTV fan event in Beijing on September 15 at 1:00 PM. Six lead actors, including Tan Songyun and Liu Xueyi, will be in attendance. This marks the first official in-person gathering since the series' premiere.

I. Event Overview
Date and Venue: September 15 (Monday), 1:00 PM, at the Wanda Central Business District in Beijing—just four days after the premiere.

Broadcast Platform: The entire event will be livestreamed simultaneously on CCTV Drama and the CCTV Video digital media platform.

Livestream Reservation: Online reservations are now open. Viewers can reserve their spots in advance via the Weibo link.

II. Participants
Lead Actors: Tan Songyun (as Xu Lanxiang/Shen Jialan) and Liu Xueyi (as Lin Jinqi) will attend. This is their first joint appearance since the series' premiere.

Special Guests: Li Meng (as Zhao Xingtang), Ye Qing (as Yu Chan), Liu Meihan (as Lü Jier), and Wu Tiantian (as Lin Xiuwan) will also participate in the event.
https://weibo.com/7814240314/Ri3YqrFzG

I think it's more about the ability to be cold and spy.

👏👏👏

Testing her intelligence and her ability to live among the wolves.

We are watching two different stories. (Keep watching your story). And I’ll keep watching mine. Bye.

The veiled threat involving her family. The setup against the third-class maids that ended up getting Ji'er beaten and sent away—a scheme orchestrated by the wife herself, who enjoys torturing others and flaunting her power; it had nothing to do with the Lin family, who actually protect the maids. (Did you not follow the story?)
P.S.: No, it’s not the same thing at all, because he is the protagonist. And we know a storyline of mutual aid is going to unfold. It’s written between the lines, in the subtitles—it’s everywhere.

He doesn't act the same way. He didn't kill anyone, nor did he torture any innocent people like his wife (for whom you have sympathy) did. His mother stepped in to stop the wife from continuing her cruel acts. She was going to leave the female lead out in the freezing cold even longer, but she stopped out of fear of crossing the Lin family (which shows that the Lin family is the side of the story that possesses some humanity), whereas her own family's side is truly cruel—and she emulates them. He needs the maid's (the female lead's) help to solve a problem. That doesn't mean they won't need each other as the story unfolds; they will help one another (both will have to save each other). That is exactly what the preview for the next episode reveals right off the bat: him getting her out of a jam. And you might say *he* was the one who put her there in the first place, but the fact is, she is his wife's maid and obeys her orders above all else.💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

Yes, Liu Xue Yi's character has all that appeal, that complexity, and room to evolve within the plot, revealing various layers. (Yes, his interaction with his mother is very sweet, and we’ll certainly see that with his four sisters as well.)

👏👏👏👏

There is an ambiguity in every character and in life itself. All the characters struggle to survive and are bound by obligations to higher authorities—powerful families capable of harming them if they fail to act shrewdly and at the right moment. Looming over them all is the king, ever-suspicious of treason. Everyone holds some power, yet only to a certain extent. In the world of that era, everyone belonged to a specific caste—a reality the drama clearly portrays; they live in the village, yet it does not belong to them, but rather to the local lord. Thus, everyone is confined by a reality that imprisons them (up to a point). We sympathize with them as they fight for survival, and we perceive a gentleness beneath even the coldest exteriors; we feel a genuine connection to these characters. As for the cruel—those who thrive on cruelty in this fictional tale designed for entertainment—they will meet their just deserts, while those who still possess humanity will see it emerge as the story unfolds.
Is slaughtering people like animals the reaction we desire? Is this the kind of story we came to watch? No; had I wanted that sort of story, I would not be here.

In "In Blossom," Liu Xue Yi's character also stayed out in the snow for a full day and survived.

The screenwriter needs to maintain the protagonist's aloof exterior, as he must undergo a gradual transformation. That way, even if a viewer doesn't warm to him in the early episodes, they might come to empathize with him as the series progresses. The male lead won't be sweet at the start—he wasn't written that way. That indifference is essential to his character.

The author doesn't sit on the fence. The male protagonist comes across even worse in the book (according to readers who wondered, "Am I supposed to root for this 'hero'?"). Yet in the drama, we see a man who is cold and calculating, but... there is still a certain sensitivity in him—something that cannot be hidden. We see it in his interactions with his mother, his father, his subordinates, and even in the chance he gave his unfaithful wife. He isn't unfeeling. I don't know where you saw "despicable" behavior in the drama. He is guarded, resolute, cold, and curt in his dealings with others, but a sensitive side is still perceptible. In a recent interview, actor Liu Xue Yi highlighted this character transformation, showing how he opens up to the world and to genuine relationships through the female lead. And considering she was the wife he had originally hoped for—he was visibly upset in his youth when it seemed he wouldn't marry her—this meeting of souls involves a double wound that needs healing. As for the female lead, despite her natural sweetness, she too harbors a certain coldness toward the world due to her past experiences. Yet, her late mother's plea—"live"—keeps her hopeful and fighting on.