ramblingromantic

great show for fun vibes and light hearted plot

I want to say this is def a light and fun show. It is not to be compared to more cinematic /dramatic shows because I can say if we were to rate it off that logic it would fall a bit short. HOWEVER, this show was a flush as I loved everything from the music to the romance to the plot.

The drama, on a high level is relatively one dimensional. There are people in power that are helping the enemy kingdom for the usual reasons of money, power, and jealousy. However, with this more basic backdrop of espionage, the romance and silliness shines through. None of the “good” side characters has to tragically die or sacrifice for the betterment of the main leads.

Luo Ling Yu’s personality was great – she was sassy and determined. What might seem cunning and underhanded to someone on the outside is actually her acting out of loyalty to her parents *and* her sister but most importantly, she was also acting for herself. Lu Yun thinks less of her at first due to their poorly timed first interactions, but he is also similar to her in his own pursuit of the truth about his father. He seems aloof to others but it was a persona he crafted to better serve his goals. He is stellarly loyal to those he trusts and cares for. He wasn’t the cliche playboy, but he also wasn’t the cliche straight lace either so watching him fall in love with Luo Ling Yu for who she was fully was mighty fun to watch. Their romance just felt sooo seamless and natural. They bantered off each other fantastically from start to finish. I love that they were able to morph their banter from “rival” to “romantic”.

Luo Ling Yu’s attempts at catching Lu Yun were hilarious. I love that she came off a *tad* too eager but her logic was sound because Lu Yun really was paying more attention to her than any woman ever before – but only because he thought she was the enemy lol.

His exasperation with her antics was the perfect level. He was attracted to her physically and mentally, but refused to accept it by insisting she is tricking him. This makes their love much sweeter as he doesn’t actually hate her to begin with, but doesn’t know how to deal with these unprecedented feelings.

OF COURSE, as she accepts that he was stringing her along and trying to re-direct, he figures out he is in love with her. Tragically timed on his part but the plot made it work. How? By having him now have to equally chase after her. So now the power dynamic has flipped between them but because of their banter, it also works to equalize them. They both equally love each other even if her attempts were more for money at first.

I love that because of the pacing of the show, we get them being in love/romantic with each other for the last ≥ 20% of the show which is honestly generous. Most shows like to only give us the last 5% or give fake us out with a secondary break-up.

The last portion of the show is set up as a them vs the world rather than vs each other.

Side character wise, I love what they did with Chen Xiu and Prince Heng Yang. Chen Xiu likes Lu Yun because of his kindness during her childhood but also because of what he represented to her while she was stuck with her terrible parents. Seeing her grow into her own self and befriend Luo Ling Yu was great. Prince Heng Yang was also a great “second lead” 1. him and Lu Yun’s banter as friends was *fantastic* 2. because he truly cares for Luo Ling Yu but just not quiet the same as Lu Yun. He loves her because she is fierce but he put more meaning into some of her actions than their original intention while Lu Yun could see her fully. I’m so happy with how Prince Heng Yang bows out of trying to win her over and does not fall into the crazy jealous trope (probably bc Fan Qing Chen has enough crazy jealousy for 10 people). But not only do I like how he bows out, I also like how he engages with Lu Yun *afterwards*. He still sees him as a brother but he still teases him about stealing her away. I like it because I do think he loves/cares for her so I would hate for him to just suddenly not care about her. I think she plays this role of showing him what life could be when you let others in which he wasn’t a stone cold man either, but he was more solider/war oriented before her. That said, I like to imagine his love slowly morphing into a healthy friendship love and that he finds another woman to hold dear because he honestly was a hot guy personality wise.

Prince Chang Yi and Zhou Yang Ling’s side romance was cute. Pretty straightforward once the identities are revealed but I liked that it wasn’t superfluously complicated. The emperor when they asked for an annulled engement was hilarious. I actually liked the emperors’ normal-ness overall. Usually they are just horrible or stupid but he wasn’t lol.

I will share a few “nits” that I had with the show. 1. Fan Qing Chen is such a one dimensional creep. As a woman, I know these men exist but it would have been nice if they explored a bit more on why he was obsessed with her. Especially because we get that flash back at the end which had me like “wait a minute, he has a bit more of a reason than she’s pretty?” and I can’t help but wonder if there was other things she did for him in the past. 2. I could explain the “sudden” setting switch to war when the espionage was linked to a war solider and ambush but the snowy mountain felt realllly abrupt. They were in these dessert looking lands and then look snow. I know they did it for the drama of the avalanche but they could have switched it up with a sand storm or smth lol 3. Speaking of the snow, we have ALL this angst and stress over Lu Yun being hurt, only for us to time jump a month. I thought he was in coma or something but he’s just fine??? I mean could we have a least seen him wake up in her arms or in the bed then do the time jump? It was a weird choice.

Overall, this is a feel good romantic comedy and 100% delivers on that experience. I highly recommend it especially if you are getting a bit tired of the more “classic” historical dramas and death of the secondary leads.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- To what end are we expected to live for ourselves versus for others. What does “freedom” look like? Is it loyalty to family? Is it loyalty to society? Or loyalty to one’s own desires? Maybe a bit of all three?

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cliche “sunshine vs grump” but with enough plot creativity that it works.

Julia Xiang & Deng Wei did soooo phenomenally in their roles. Their chemistry was believable, their angst and love just the thing for the soul. Credit to the actors for delivering but also credit to the directors and the show for such a cute pairing. Su Yi Shui and Mu Qing Ge/Xue Ran Ran are just perfectly balanced in their personalities and qualities. It leans on the cliche “sunshine vs grump” but I think there’s enough creativity with other aspects that it works. Mu Qing Ge is seen as “frivolous” and “lazy”, but she’s good hearted. Su Yi Shui is “cold” but he was abused so it’s not surprising. It’s actually also really nice that he isn’t “cold” once Mu Qing Ge dies – he is just *indifferent* because of the Ice lotus, but is clearly soft for Xue Ran Ran basically instantly. Deng Wei truly makes an excellent Su Yi Shui. I was obsessed with the way he mastered being serious but clearly in love with all the micro-body language.

I also liked that there was Qiu Xi Er and the other two disciples. I think the friendship and loyalty and banter really played well. It added a “levity” to the show that really makes the show just so fun to watch.

Wei Jiu and Tu Jiu Yuan’s relationship was also super fun to watch. I LOVE when the *secondary* romances feel like they could be their own show. Not only that, but Wei Jiu’s character arc was as good as Su Yi Shui’s.

My three pretty minor complaints:
- Mu Ran Wu was pathetic truly – she hates her sister because her sister has everything but IDK if it’s because I’m the eldest child, I wanted to actually throw her bratty self off a cliff. Her actions do set most of the story in motion though.
- Su Yu was also pretty annoying and the only reason he’s less annoying than Mu Ran Wu is his final redemption. I wish he wasn’t a *sleazy* second love interest and really did have fully pure intentions, but I totally get the direction the show chose.
- It seems to be a truth universally acknowledge if the show starts with one main lead character having amnesia, the other will certainly also experience memory loss for at least an episode or three (especially if they are happily together but there are still 5+ episodes left in the show). I don’t hold this against them entirely, as it was well done enough, but I would have preferred if they skipped the amnesia part.

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A storytelling masterpiece about romantic and self love wrapped in a bow of excellent production

It’s been a few days since I finished the show and while I can’t remember every single detail, there are certain plot choices I want to highlight because of how good they were:

- **Flashback set up:** I normally don’t love jumping between timelines, but the way this show does it is phenomenal. It not only builds up their romance, but also helps unravel who they are as individuals and who they have grown into.
- Usually when we flashback, the actors are so obviously adults it’s disturbing but Bai Jing Ting & Zhang Ruo Nan have faces that really allowed them to seamlessly play high school and adult characters. So the casting for these two was 10/10.
- **The “set up” for assault:** I hate sad stories only because the real world is full of them. 1 in 4 women experience sexual assault including attempted sa. ~ 78% of rape cases involve someone the victim knows so to have this story really set the stage for this creepy uncle with concerning easy access to a young vulnerable girl was important to me in terms of properly representing that it’s not just strangers that hurt women.
- **When she talks to her past self (Ep. 29):** This scene almost broke me. It was such a great visual representation of healing and moving on from the scars that can haunt you.
- **Her mother’s apology (Ep. 30):** We can see that Yifan’s mom does not deserve her daughter, but Yifan for much of the show is still trying to meet her mom half way, so you aren’t really sure as a viewer how she will finally make peace with her mom. I love that she chose to let her mother completely go.
- **Secondary romance:** I usually enjoy the secondary couples in these romance shows, but Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An were such an excellent story. They felt like a different show (in a good way). Their plot didn’t overshadow Sang Yan & Wen Yi Fan but it also wasn’t so basic as to feel underwhelming/unneeded. It’s usually that the secondary couple(s) are “assigned” a basic trope and their story is squished in the few extra minutes the show has where its not a bad romance but there isn’t enough substance to really care or root for them. But I truly feel like we got to see Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An grow as individuals as well as a couple. I would LOVE a show that follows their kind of romance of oopies to old classmates to friends to lovers.

And OF COURSE the main romance. This is it’s own essay that it can’t be a bullet point. I have a lot I want to say about this relationship.

- It’s practically impossible for fated mates trope to be used for a contemporary romance, and yet, this show truly made me double think that. These two were truly made for each other and are fated.
- Sang Yan: He is stubborn, narcissistic, and brooding – but so very hot and perfect. Even with his “negative” traits at the forefront, we know his heart absolutely belongs to Wen Yi Fan. It real life, there is a bit of a creepy, stalker aspect to how in love he is with her even after she breaks his heart, but some how in this story it just works. Probably because Wen Yi Fan has been abandoned by her family and is alone in this world, but Sang Yan keeps his high school promise that she will never really be alone because she has him.
- Wen Yi Fan: She is traumatized and insists on running rather than facing trouble onwards BUT we can understand very well why. Her actual personality is witty and kind with a sprinkle of cutie-patootie. I love that she has always adored Sang Yan but that life and haters held her back from really indulging her feelings. Watching her grow into herself to gain confidence and defend herself was really beautiful. Seeing her find strength within herself but then learn how to depend on those that love her was the cherry on top.

All in all, this is not a light and fluffy romance, but it is a storytelling masterpiece with a happy ending.

### Original Thoughts & Ideas

- I wish parents had more counseling and guidance about how to really care for their child. Yifan was not wrong when she said the worst betrayal was not her aunt and uncle, but from her very own mother. This woman birthed and raised her for ~15 years, but just completely abandons her when hard times hit.
- Parents are not *owed* forgiveness when their actions play a direct role in your deepest hurts. While some children can make space to try and repair their relationship, sometimes the damage and hurt is too deep to ignore and that is okay.

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SQUEAL WORTHY DUO

OMG THIS COUPLE WAS GONNA BE THE DEATH OF ME. They were SO SQUEAL WORTHY. Once they become a couple they are such simps for each other I loved it bc I too am a simp for my husband.

The one *major* flaw of this show is the last episode. We have so much build up for this video game and then we just JUMP to them selling 10 million copies or smth but I feel like a successful release in the moment would have been better - just one episode dedicated to that vs a 5 min "epilogue" that rushed the secondary romance and just leaves you wanting.

Some people complain that the MML is a jerk to her at the start and only becomes decent when he realizes she's his crush. While there is no denying he was a jerk, I didn't view it as *malicious* more ignorant. It's def not something I would want to experience in real life from the guy I like, but I think for the plot and with the fact that he does have to put in the work to win her "back", it works.

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A Heroine's Journey (versus the generation before her with a whole lot of yearning from the ML)

WHAT A GOOD SHOW. ITS EXACTLY WHAT I’D BEEN CRAVING.

I just love a good costume or fantasy with mostly yearning and romance and love. This show had it! It’s not a 50/50 split, definitely more a “from the female leads pov” but I didn’t mind because Zhou Yi Ran did soooo good conveying his thoughts/emotions with just his face let alone his delivery of lines.

The good of this show:
- **The Plot:** it’s simple and relatively straightforward in a way some fantasies are not, but is a way that allowed the real messages of the show shine AND that allowed us to just enjoy Cai Zhao’s journey (and her romance with Mu Qing Yan)
- I love this more literally visual/breakdown of generational trauma in this show. You can clearly see how her aunt’s choices (and the choices of those around her) affected everyone and in turn colored how the kids grow up.
- **The Romance:** As I mentioned, we don’t get scenes with Mu Qing Yan much without Cai Zhao, but Zhou Yi Ran does such a good job that I don’t think we needed more than what we got. Mu Qing Yan clearly falls for Cai Zhao almost instantly, wanting to be around her as much as possible, being clearly upset when he learns she betrothed, following her on all her adventures for no other reason than to make sure she is safe.
- I adored their “break up scene” as much as anyone could adore it. Cai Zhao loves him, but he was being toxic, a bit too manipulative, selfish, and shortsighted. She saw that, she STILL loved him, BUT she told him, they were not going to work with that set up. Lo and behold, he stops trying to learn the Wu method, he stops being as aggressive as he was at the start, and he start letting her make her own choices properly – even when he really wanted to just throw her over his shoulder and hide them away somewhere safe.
- The Main Leads: I know I talk about them in the romance point, but their characters were great.
- Cai Zhao is a caring young woman determined to follow the path of justice like her beloved aunt. I loved how she kinda breezes by peoples negative opinions, but you can see how she has to struggle with prioritizing her own feelings vs her morals vs what the adults she admire tell her.
- Mu Qing Yan is an iconic male lead imo. Is he a little bit “toxic”? Sure, but not so much so that is unreasonable. To say his upbringing was traumatic is an understatement. The man could probably do with some therapy but his arc is clear – he was a young man on the road set for revenge and then death. But in meeting Cai Zhao, his softer side is slowly exposed and freed from the wall around his heart. He was totally smitten with her and I ate up every second of it.
- The secondary leads! I didn’t think I would like Qi Ling Bo or even her mom because they were definitely annoying at the start, but their growth and pain and struggles were legit and I loved them both by the end. The rest of the secondary leads were great too. I feel bad for my guy Song Yu Zhi, but hope he finds love with someone else. I also actually loved his dad LOL the way he was trying to get his son to woo Cai Zhao was highly entertaining and he spoke facts when he said that Cai Zhao likes how unrestrained Mu Qing Yan is with and around her which is why she isn’t into Song Yu Zhi.

So for the “flaws” of the show, I think some were less “serious” than others but:
- There are some “logistics” of the story that are conveniently skipped but threw me off. Like Cai Zhao’s sheath for her sword makes no sense. How does the sword come out of the sheath when the tip of the sword is way bigger than the base but the base of the sheath is small? And how did Mu Qing Yan get his sword when she hijacked his “execution”? Those were the more obvious ones, but there were other little things like that, that I wished they properly resolved even with a sentence or something. If it’s going to happen off screen it needs to be something you can obviously stitch together which wasn’t the case for those moments.
- The plot was solid, but I was kinda hoping for some kind of “wow” climax. I don’t think it was horrible, but heaven knows some shows overkill on red herrings and “plot twists” for shock value, but I could see Qi Yun Ke being the villain from a mile away and no one else would have made sense but still – would have been nice if they thought more on how to make the antagonist more dynamic and not the “leader of all the good sects” lol

That are my only two complains. Some people claim that the show is confusing, which considering my second complaint, I wholeheartedly disagreed. But then some people say there were too many characters introduced all at once. To which I say: I am not a native Chinese speaker so I am *used* to being confused by fantasy plots in the beginning...but this show is no more confusing than others similar to it. If anything it’s a pretty simple fantasy with just two sides: the demons vs the “amazing perfect six sect”. There's a range of characters, but you really don't need to "keep tabs" as the last names do most of the heavy lifting. After finishing it, anyone that I could not really "remember" well was not more important than if they were "good" or "bad" tbh LOL.

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Arranged Marriage x Enemies to Lovers

This show was a perfect portrayal of love, loss, forgiveness and mercy in a world full of too many people that look after their own interests instead of the masses.

Two solid secondary characters died and one truly BROKE my heart but at the end of the day, the main couple gets their happy ever after and in this universe the lands actually find peace which I wish we could have in reality lol.

Original Thoughts & Ideas
- Is it really possible to give love unconditionally and if it is, can doing so mend old wounds? How does one learn to trust again after so many betrayals? To what end is revenge justified? If my parent’s make a mistake, am I to be held accountable?
- One life *can* make a huge difference. Her cousin felt she plays no role in the larger scheme of things but her choices directly impacted the FML and the politics that unfolded. Had she not died and removed herself as leverage, the story would have had a very different ending. On the flip side, I wonder, if her husband had just chosen to stand for what’s right outside of just ensuring his wife’s safety, how differently could the plot played out?

(I already plan to re-watch soon and try writing a better review. )

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