So indeed this Mary Sue is a rebel one — but not in a good way. Shameless might be the right word.
The ML's gaze alone could carry a drama — tender, composed, completely smitten from the moment he sees her, while still giving her space and respect. Xiao Qi is genuinely one of the best written MLs in C-drama — not cold, not irritable, not the typical idol type. Just a man who isn't afraid to love.
But that gaze is also about all the romance has. It moves fast, stays shallow, and never quite feels real — no real depth added, no evolution across 68 episodes. It's not a slow burn. It's just... stagnant.
And then there's the FL. She's capable, beautiful, beloved by literally every man around her — her childhood sweetheart, the crown prince, the villain, even Xiao Qi's most loyal general. The Mary Sue type rarely bothers me if the character earns it — but here she peaks around the halfway point and then slowly becomes exactly what the drama claims she isn't: aloof, self-righteous, and oddly warm to everyone except the man who deserves it most.
The production is stunning — costumes, cinematography, battle scenes. Just a shame it's wrapped around a story that kept frustrating me.
But that gaze is also about all the romance has. It moves fast, stays shallow, and never quite feels real — no real depth added, no evolution across 68 episodes. It's not a slow burn. It's just... stagnant.
And then there's the FL. She's capable, beautiful, beloved by literally every man around her — her childhood sweetheart, the crown prince, the villain, even Xiao Qi's most loyal general. The Mary Sue type rarely bothers me if the character earns it — but here she peaks around the halfway point and then slowly becomes exactly what the drama claims she isn't: aloof, self-righteous, and oddly warm to everyone except the man who deserves it most.
The production is stunning — costumes, cinematography, battle scenes. Just a shame it's wrapped around a story that kept frustrating me.
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