frankly

these stories aren't similar, but they do have strong male leads:
- A Familiar Stranger (costume/period drama, fast-paced, 8 ep only)
- The Long Ballad (costume/period drama)
- Love Between Fairy & Devil (fantasy/costume drama, female lead starts weak but becomes stronger)
- Scent of Time (costume/period drama, male lead is same as male lead in The Double - Wang Xing Yue, focuses more on the female lead)

@1Maverickk
I noted the timestamps of their interaction per episode cuz I just could not get enough of them. 🤭 Here's what I have (I also posted it here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/di-jia-qian-jin/127831-timestamps-of-xh-xff-in-each-episode-just-cuz?page=last#p3092463)

EP1: 15:00 XH's entrance (sorry had to add this 🫠)
EP2: 21:00 XH meets XFF; 50:25 XH interrogates XFF
EP4: 42:30 XFF retrieves pendant from XH
EP5: 23:00 (to the end) JL hairpin ceremony
EP8: 9:00 XH summons XFF after helping YSJ
EP9: 35:00 XH teaches XFF 🏹; 40:00 XFF wrist treatment
EP10: from beginning: XH/XFF eat breakfast; 48:30 XFF more wrist treatment
EP13: 15:00 XH/XFF after shooting 🏹 at SYR
EP14: 17:50 XH/XFF at 🎭; 38:40 XH punishes WJ for being cute (sorry had to add this 🙃)
EP15: 10:00 XFF sees XH at brothel
EP16: 6:30 Jealous XFF meets XH; 41:00 XFF/XH play 🎲
EP17: from beginning (beautiful ☔️ scene)
EP18: from beginning (beautiful 🛁🌹🗡️scene)
EP19: 8:00 XH/XFF exchange 🌺🌼; 21:50 XFF wants to be XH's ♟️ → drinks his 🍵; 40:00 XH gives XFF his undergarments
EP20: 6:00 XFF scared of 🐀; 22:30 XH bandaged by river; 48:00 XFF 🔪 magistrate Feng (loved all of their reactions as she did this 😅)
EP22: 10:21 XH leaves for Wei county
EP25: 2:50 XH wants XFF's attention
EP26: 40:30 XH gives XFF a whistle
EP30: 31:45 XH is disgusted by SYR's cloak
EP31: 23:00 XH angry at XFF after being saved by SYR; 30:45 XH/SYR 👁️ each other; 40:15 (to the end) XH/YSJ jealous as XFF performs with SYR → XH leaves
EP32: from beginning: XH tells XFF not to compromise herself for anyone; 10:00 XFF/SYR confront each other; 28:30 XH upset with XFF; 33:00 XH discuss his ♟️ w/ Emperor (had to add this 🤭)
EP33: 14:25 XH/SYR pass by in prison; 34:45 XH/SYR pick up XFF from prison
EP34: 14:00 XH intercepts XFF from YSJ's proposal; 32:00 (to the end) XFF at Consort Li's 🎂 banquet → XFF upset about Longwu talisman → XH/Emperor act out mini-play → XH/XFF kiss 🕯️)
EP35: 7:00 XH check's XFF's pulse
EP36: 20:00 XH tries to make XFF jealous;
EP37: 4:30 XH is confined; 46:15 XH wants to be XFF's ♟️
EP38: 18:00 XH/XFF have a ❤️2❤️ then hug
EP39: 39:00 XFF dismounts into XH's arms
EP40: from beginning: confrontation w/ SYR; 24:34 XFF wants to renovate XH's 🏠; 28:50 XH/XFF finally 💋💋💋; 40:33 to end: XFF thinks of XH → war → XH returns 🐎 in triumph while XFF waits

@dtt Yesss!! I loved their bromance! I loved how they acted out their own little play to convince people they were upset with each other! 😂 I’ve rewatched the drama a couple of times now… 😳🥰

I agree with you. Duke Su and the Emperor are such close friends, like brothers, that the Emperor would have known his plight and sent reinforcements in time. I also liked the ending as is, without the special episode. I wish Wen Ji and Lu Ji didn’t die, but I think they did that to show how devastating war can be and to show Duke Su’s determination to see A’Li again.

Fake eating or not, Zhou Ye always makes me want to eat when I watch her eat 😂😋! Especially when she eats baozi! How sad when one thinks the only way to be happy is to put down others…I feel sorry for you @QueenArya.

Yes, i thought it was heartbreaking when Lu Ji died…and then Wen Ji followed soon after…😭😭😭

I know, right?! 😂

i keep checking every day too!

https://novelhi.com/s/Rebirth-of-a-Star-General

I think in college he developed other games that she was aware of (that racing game in the beginning where she had a feeling it was ML’s game). Later, in another scene, when she’s trying to decide whether to join 9th division or not, she confides in her gaming buddies that it was the ML that got her interested in triple A games and hence started to do more research on it.

I can’t wait for the Legend of the Female General!

I understood it. His passion for developing a Chinese triple A game is was what attracted her to him. He suddenly changed, going against what she had understood him to be, so I understand why she would question if he’s still the same person she liked. I actually liked that she did this because it shows she’s just not into him for superficial reasons, like most romantic dramas do with FLs, or that she just supports him because they are together and she must agree with everything he does. I’m glad she has the mind to be able to ask for alone time, so she can calm down and understand her true feelings.

I need the Eng sub!! 😭

Yeah. I think expectations can affect how a person feels about a show and that’s normal. Similar to expectations for how a food you’ve never tried, should taste, and can therefore affect whether you like it or not. For me, I came into the drama with no expectations and ended up liking the exaggerated silliness of it (e.g., Qian Ling bringing a heavy pot to practice the lion dance…i think i was the only one rolling on the floor laughing 🤣while everyone else felt cringey 😅).

Forgot to add in the first episode FL knew off the bat that the racing game was ML’s creation because of the style and game play. So she has a sense of who he is as a passionate game developer and not just gamer.

FL made comments previously about not caring for ML’s looks and that she has always admired him for his ability and ambition to make Chinese AAA games. ML admires FL’s strong and brazen attitude and her gaming prowess. After he learns she is a creative and artistic game designer, that further increases his respect and admiration for her. They both share a love for the same interest, which in this drama, happens to be gaming. Also, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that they also are physically attracted to one another. 😜

I think the FL in the dream and reality are the same person. think many people are upset it is only a dream and is therefore meaningless, but I think her dream is her way of re-defining who she is in an alternate reality that allows her to. She would not get the opportunity to change who she is in real life, but in her dream, we see her regrets and how she would redeem herself if given another chance. The ML loves the FL in the real world because he realizes that she was originally a kind-hearted person, but jealously and obsession led her to make the wrong choices. He himself felt guilty for not stepping in to help her before it was too late and in the FL’s dream, she was looking to her parents to teach her what is wrong and what is right, which unfortunately they hadn’t.

I agree. I thought the ending was fitting, but thought it was still romantic in its own way… I enjoyed watching and rooting for her to grow and become stronger. In the end, facing reality on her own is still too much for her, but she learns from ZXW being by her side that she no longer needs to be alone for he is willing to accept her with all of her past faults.

Couldn't agree with you more. I also dropped it and have been avoiding dramas that stars the FL of this drama. This drama can never compare to TMOPB...it is not even in the same league. The only good thing I got from this drama was becoming aware of Luo Yun Xi (Night Diety).

I'm glad i stopped watching and started Love is Sweet. I would have kept going with Ashes of Love, just watching LY, however, I didn't like the way his story arc was trending. I empathized w/ him the most and then they made his character become more obsessed and evil... Unfortunately, I just couldn't take that.