gf44

Thanks! That's true that she acts based on the ideas that she has of them, which, to be fair, most of us do in real life. But the difference here, I would argue, is that her 'ideas' of them are informed by a very real past life. In that life she witnessed and experienced the full brunt of XW revenge, violence and manipulation. She was party to, what she admits to, tempting a good and just man to serve her ends. Granted this last piece takes away a lot of his agency, and I think ZZ is smart enough to know what he was doing but chose his poison anyway.
XW is different. His and her choices led to her brutal ending. All of this is influencing how she responds to each of them. Just as she has changed, so have they in response to her and as a result of the choices everyone has made. Now, I'd say, the old truths about these two no longer hold true. It's anyone's game.

It would be great if they could show how the relationship develops as they both play the larger game.

It's interesting reading the comments and catching a glimpse of how others are viewing what's happening between JXN and XW. I find that the narrative has done a good job articulating both their perspectives (the acting has been great too!). The two of them are perfect examples of what happens when tenuous allies (through shared secrets and fear) reach a fork in the road. JXN was on board with XW partly because he terrifies her (memories of her last life): he is this looming character, whom the entire world, to date sees as unassuming, non partisan and devoted to the monarch. The town's most eligible bachelor, even! (I mean, hands-down for the pretty but the personality...) And partly, because he seems to be committed to safeguarding the Yan Family. Protecting them is her first priority so so far their goals are united, if the means are vastly different. However, her desire to protect ZZ is beyond his ken. I think, XW for all his cleverness doesn't quite grasp the extent of her loyalty to ZZ. And that's fair. He has no knowledge of her past life. He knows that she's barely met him once, and while she's not a fool -- in his eyes -- in ZZ's matter, XW very much considers her a fool. A typical girl of her age and time.

These two episodes show us that where ZZ is concerned they have competing agendas. While JXN is willing to protect him -- even at the risk of exposing XW's plan (which he didn't share with her, nor did he have to for reasons above) -- at the risk of her own life. While XW sees him as a pawn in his larger game of thrones and revenge. So, they are at an impasse.

I'd be willing to bet that the next several episodes are very much going to be about, XW terrifying JXN with his reach and power. She is his accomplice. Having benefited from the tiger hunting on her behalf, she will come to realise that while he let her tug on his whiskers there are very real boundaries and consequences to messing with his plans. I think, and I hope, that we'll also witness JXN's realisation that ZZ has been idealised in her eyes. He is righteous, establishment oriented, and remarkably unforgiving of mistakes. He said as much. JXN already feels encumbered by her memories of the past and is committed to penance but her penance takes the form of manipulation and violence against those who would wrong her/or those she considers hers. ZZ will find it difficult to condone it. Furthermore, she will always stand penitent before him. There is significant tilt in the power dynamic there and it's unlikely to change.

Interestingly, while there is a significant power differential between XW and JXN too, it feels less burdensome: because they don't pretend when they are with each other. They witness the other's anger, hate, pettiness, manipulations, and violence, humour and behavioural quirks without artifice. It's like being naked in front of the enemy and vice versa. They have shared more emotional intimacies and witnessed transgressive behaviours than lovers.

The drama has done well with JXN-XW's negotiations and cessation of hostilities so far. Let's see how they rebuild this bridge. It'll start with threats and then.....well, then there is a lot of room to manoeuvre.

Murderous! Literally the one word for me to describe these 2 eps and XW's emotions. Seething and murderous.

Excellent first 4 eps! Action packed. Dark and twisty characters! Complicated storyline. A suitably intense hero with insane amounts of swagger. And people with motives upon motives. There are no good men here, folks. At least not on the face of it. High production values, OST is banging, and the high octane thriller that I didn't know I was waiting for.

Lovely

She looks fabulous

Damn son

Whoah! Now that's a first ep.🔥 WZQ is such a solid actor in his age range. Great to see him do a more physical and gritty role. And it's my fave duo from Imperial Coroner. Excited about watching this!!

Yay!

The weird editing, cuts, or censorship whatever you want to choose. They shot the scenes and then chose to squander them.

It's a shame, since they screwed the script of MJTY and mishandled it towards the end. This script plus that direction, color palette and cinematography. What a treat.

I really wish the production quality was better. This drama deserved the My Journey to You or Fairy and Devil treatment with the complex storylines, acting etc. I don't know enough about how good the line delivery is but so far our mains are selling it well.
Xie Wei you are the devil and, possibly, a monster. But on 🔥. The pitch and register of the voice, the expressions, the posture all of it is terrific.
JXN is brilliant. Morally grey, in it for herself -- which for the time, I say more power to you; and both pragmatic and clever. I like, as someone said in the comments, she is willing to utilise whomever she needs to get what she needs. And quite up front about it. The lack of hypocrisy is delightful. I want to see her play a game of GO with XW.

Big steps forward in the mains' relationship. For two people who spend all their time talking with, at and around each other, they've said some meaningful things. The drunk sad scene was well done by both. Solid micro expressions, expressive eyes and intimacy, which comes from letting one's guard down. Stupid cutaways and editing choices aside, I felt that I got a closer look at two guarded people letting their barricades down. Nicely acted.

I doubt it. They've chosen to squander all that so leaked scenes it is...

Bwahahahah! I love the insanity of it all! It's terrible and brilliant at the same time. I foresee some major b***h slapping occurrence and baddies being ground into the dust, ignominiously. #rubshandsgleefully I cannot wait.

All the build-up and it went.....phffftt. Poor camera angles, and cutaways. Talk about wasting all the chemistry between the leads. I think we needed the Love is Sweet director for this. Yeah, as much as I enjoy bai lu and adaptations...this one will have to go on hold until it's all out.
I watched 2 eps in about 16mins, which says something about CP screentime and poorly executed narration.

ooh ouch! That new year scene was painful. Open mouth insert foot! I feel bad for ZSY but it's so human: verbal fumbles and then it's all awk AF. Say something without realising what it sounds like and then it's....well, it's the expression on her face.

Apart from a few moments of frustration with the pacing, I'm enjoying the way the drama is proceeding. The is to remember that this drama is 36eps long. Folks, we are only at 16. There is a lot of story to tell. I do like how true they are to the novel; and I admit that the interruptions in the leads's moments make me shake my fist at the screen but I know that their relationship will be stronger, and more even, ultimately the better for it. It's funny how this is a character exploration disguised as an idol drama. SY is guarded, taciturn, and not so much socially awkward, as he doesn't seem to feel that he needs to say things when to him their (potential) relationship is understood. ZSY is playing a part, or rather a version of her self that is flirtatious and committed to getting this man. Partly it has to do with her pride smarting, and partly it has to do with crushing the cheating exes. And the best way to do that is to have SY -- the heavyweight -- in her corner. I think part of her ambivalence about their intimacy comes from this place where she knows that she has an ulterior motive, and yet she finds him attractive too. So is she flirting with him under false pretences or are there feelings involved? At least that's how I read it.
The drama, admittedly, to my view has done a poor job of explaining her motivation. The novel lays is out explicitly. The scene with the cheating ex is devastating for her; especially when we learn that he pursued her single mindedly through college and that, for all intents and purposes, they were happy. He lied to her. Made her feel stupid. And in her weakest moment, cheated. It's the duplicity that hurt her the most; and which fuelling her revenge. ZSY discovers, and the ex also tells her, that the new girlfriend is loaded, socially connected and is YS' niece. Now we as viewers have stumbled across the fact that this latter relationship is untrue. But for ZSY she's like -- well, you steal my ex scumbag though he might be, I'll steal the single, handsome uncle and then you'll have to bow your head before me. It seems silly when laid out in black and white like this -- but it is hurt pride and hurt feelings that are propelling her actions. Except she likes SY more and more. And now, guilt rears its head that she approached him under false motives but real feelings -- hers and his -- are now involved.
The pacing of the drama, which could be better, is taking us through the first arc (the misunderstanding of facts), then the reveal before getting into -- will the Real ZSY Please Stand Up? LOL! Or at least that's how it pings in my brain. 36 eps...is a lot of drama to resolve.
I am questioning ZSY's wardrobe though. It's all so Chanel circa 1960 that I'm bewildered. And then of course there's the shirts and jackets that look like she isn't wearing any skirts under them, in professional settings, which just make me facepalm.🧐 YS wardrobe is also giving me a bit of whiplash. And finally, please tone down the filters Mango TV. Peeps could give Edward Cullen are run for his money. 🤣

Original voices for fl and ml. I remember reading that somewhere. Her voice tends to be on a lower register,