Reviews

Wild, Addictive, and Surprisingly Emotional

Sci Fi, Passion, and an Unexpectedly Deep Love

Affinity belongs to that rare, chaotic, wildly creative corner of C drama romance that people jokingly call the “crazy but addictive” genre, and honestly, it sits right at the top of it. It is bold, emotional, visually stylish, and completely unafraid to abandon realism in favor of imagination. From the very first episodes, the drama announces that logic is not its priority. Feeling, atmosphere, tension, romance, and surprise are. And somehow, instead of falling apart, everything comes together in a way that keeps pulling you deeper.

What surprised me most is how complex the story actually becomes. On the surface, Affinity looks like pure madness with sci fi elements, action, romance, and twists thrown together. But as it unfolds, the world building starts to make sense emotionally. It is set on an alien, Earth like planet, and because of that, the drama fully embraces creative freedom. The writers do not limit themselves, and instead build a strange but fascinating universe where danger, desire, power, and love constantly collide. The plot keeps surprising you, sometimes in ridiculous ways, sometimes in emotional ones, but it never feels boring.

The production is stylish and immersive. The OST and background music elevate every scene, the visuals are attractive, and the action sequences are well placed so that every episode feels dynamic. There is always something happening. Whether it is fighting, escaping, emotional confrontation, or quiet tension between the leads, Affinity keeps momentum. Even the special effects, while not perfect, work well enough to sell the atmosphere of this strange world.

What truly carries the drama, though, is the relationship between the leads. Despite what some people might expect, their romance is not built purely on physical attraction. It grows slowly and deliberately into something romantic, emotional, and deeply meaningful. The confession scene is one of the strongest moments in the drama. When the female lead finally realizes that the male lead truly loves her, it hits hard and feels earned.

The male lead starts off as cold, brutal, emotionally closed off, and almost frightening. He is the type of character who believes feelings are weaknesses. Through the female lead, he learns what emotions are, what love costs, and what it means to care about something more than power or survival. His growth is one of the most satisfying parts of the drama. By the end, he is no longer just protecting her. He respects her, supports her goals, and stands beside her as a partner, exactly what she said she wanted earlier in the story.

The breakup arc in the middle is another highlight. Technically there is a separation, but it never feels cheap or pointless. It is forced by circumstances, not by lost feelings. Their conflict evolves naturally from anger, to resentment, to painful acceptance. Their last night together is heartbreaking, intimate, and unforgettable. It is one of those scenes that stays with you because it feels emotionally honest instead of melodramatic.

The reunion years later is just as powerful. The actors portray longing, guilt, regret, and enduring love beautifully. You can feel how much time and pain sits between them. The way she lets him back in feels natural, not rushed. There is no instant forgiveness, only quiet understanding and emotional truth. It makes their happy ending feel deserved instead of forced.

I also wish Affinity had been a full length drama. The chemistry between the leads is magnetic, sweet, and intense, and I would have loved even more time with their relationship, growth, and life together. Their love story feels big enough to deserve more space.

Something people do not talk about enough is the second lead couple and the female lead’s brother. His character is morally grey, complicated, and surprisingly touching. His relationship with the second female lead is layered and emotional, and even his death is not brushed aside. The drama allows the weight of it to exist, which makes the story feel richer and more mature. The supporting characters are not just decorations. They add emotional depth and parallel struggles that make the main story stronger.

Affinity is not a drama you watch for realism. It is a drama you watch for creativity, emotion, atmosphere, romance, and bold storytelling. It is strange, messy, intense, sexy, painful, and beautiful all at once. It takes risks, and most of them pay off.

I started this drama because of the hype and curiosity, and I did not expect to fall so hard for it. By the end, Affinity stayed with me emotionally. It stands out in a way most dramas do not. It is chaotic, imaginative, heartfelt, and unforgettable. If you go in with an open mind, it becomes a surprisingly rewarding ride.

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Lazy ending

This is usually my favorite kind of plot: a female lead transported into a novel or the past, so I was genuinely excited, especially since the male lead is quite talented. Unfortunately, while the story had potential, it was painfully slow. I kept watching, hoping it would pick up, but it never did. Nothing about the drama felt exciting, which is disappointing because this type of plot has huge potential to be genuinely funny...and it wasn’t.

The ending didn’t help either. I could predict it from miles away, since this isn’t the first Chinese drama to use the “writing the story” loophole to get around the transmigration ban ( wink a dream within a dream which did this way better ). The conclusion felt extremely lazy : “how he comes into her world is a story for another time” just sounds like the writers didn’t know how to end their own script.

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How Zhao Zhendong not laugh while saying those cheesy pick up line?

I watched this last year, and it still best Ximen Lichen story despite how cheesy ML seduce FL. Both actors brought their characters to life; Han Jiahui and Zhao Zhendong are simply a match made in heaven for Jiang Wanzhi and Ximen Lichen.

The plot is about ML and FL had a secret relationship for three months before FL was forced to break up with the ML by ML family. Three years later, they meet again, and FL has become the fiancée of the ML's nephew. FL and the ML's nephew are in a marriage of convenience, and the male lead's nephew is having an affair with another woman.

If you're watching this as a sweet romance drama, the dialogue is a bit cheesy. Zhao Zhendong's lines is make me giddy (in good and bad way). I quite like Han Jiahui acting since few version of Jiang Wanzhi seems to meek and always seeking for help.

Personally not a fans of this adaptation but for the best adaptation, this one seems superior.

Recommended to watched

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Make it Omegaverse but more awkward

I genuinely had to stop using my brain and watch it like it was a comedy drama. I started watching it 3 times and stop before deciding to continue and finish the series after watching TikTok of the hot scenes. They do kiss, quite nicely and almost entire series like if the episode is 18 minutes and it takes almost 10 minutes of kissing. I don't really complain cause ML has this seductive looking eyes and he knows how to use them. I liked FL after their 2 year apart. She had more character i believe. I cracked the second i saw the dragon and the octopus. Never in my 24 years old life i would have imagine omegaverse type of shit happening in this type of sci-fi scenario. The ending was all of the place as well, but hey if they are happy so we are.

I can't forget the octopus scenes, whoever thought about it in the first place is a genius.

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Calculated

The story was ok, but it was pretty predictable. I saw revieuws saying sinister, but i think those people don't know what sinister means. The actions in this drama were calculated, by both mains.
The visuals were very good, the music was ok, but anoying at some moments.

The acting was not bad, but it was very emotionless most of the times and there was hardly any chemistry. And it's so dissapointing when there is a one sided kiss...one person puts in all the effort and the other just holds his lips together and doesn't move his mouth.

No a very bad drama, but if you don't watch it, you won't miss a lot.

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He Learned to Hide His Crazy

THE UNHINGED LIVE-WATCH NOTES 📝
Let me take you on the journey that was watching this absolute fever dream:
The premise hits: Reborn revenge where the twist is HE’S the one who remembers being a psychopath and has to actively suppress his “chain women to furniture” instincts as a ROMANCE STRATEGY. Incredible. Revolutionary. This man’s entire character arc is “learn to hide the crazy long enough to get the girl.” I’m OBSESSED.
The face situation: That smirk. THAT SMIRK. Liang Si Wei looked at the camera like he knows what he’s doing to us and he’s enjoying it. Sir, this is WEAPONIZED attractiveness. This should be illegal. I need a minute. Several minutes. I need to lie down……
Unexpected production value: The MUSIC? It’s actually good? It’s HOPPIN? In a vertical drama? Someone spent budget on the soundtrack instead of just looping the same piano track for 90 minutes? I’m SHOOK.
The coconut incident: THIS MAN JUST CASUALLY USED A DIAMOND RING THE SIZE OF MY ENTIRE MORTGAGE PAYMENT TO CRACK OPEN A COCONUT. A COCONUT. TROPICAL FRUIT. He looked at this massive rock and thought “you know what this is good for? COCONUT BREAKING.” The disrespect to both coconuts and capitalism. The AUDACITY. I’m screaming. This is the most expensive fruit-opening in television history and I CANNOT.
The internal conflict: Listen, I know this is problematic. I KNOW. But when Liang Si Wei is on screen looking like THAT with THOSE ABS and THAT FACE, I found myself thinking “you know what, piano chains don’t sound SO bad.” I’m aware I need therapy. I’m AWARE. But also he can kidnap me anytime. I’m a mess. We’re all a mess. This man is dangerous and I’m volunteering as tribute.
THE BODYGUARD REVOLUTION: HOLD. THE. PHONE. This man hired a LADY BODYGUARD to PROTECT the FL? A professional! Security! Person! To keep her SAFE! Not “I’ll be jealous and possessive and that counts as protection”—actual HIRED SECURITY with TRAINING and WEAPONS! In VERTICAL DRAMA LAND where FLs get kidnapped every 14 minutes with ZERO professional security measures! This is the most thoughtful thing I’ve ever seen a vertical drama ML do! Someone get this man a trophy for “Most Likely to Understand That Professional Security Is Better Than Toxic Jealousy”! UNPRECEDENTED!
The ex-fiancé’s brain cell count: This DUMBASS had an affair with fake sister—HER FAKE SISTER—and is out here confused why she won’t return his calls. Sir. SIR. You cheated. WITH HER FAKE FAMILY MEMBER. And you’re standing there with your one shared brain cell wondering why she blocked you? The cognitive dissonance is breathtaking. The audacity is STUNNING. I want to study him in a lab.
Character development (or lack thereof): She’s a painter! How do we know? Because she painted ONE (1) painting. In ONE (1) scene. Character ESTABLISHED! Career CONFIRMED! Never mind that actual painters paint multiple things, this is vertical drama land where one prop = entire personality. She could’ve been holding a stethoscope for all the character depth it provided.
Second ML’s mobility crisis: The Second ML is supposed to be injured and on crutches. SUPPOSED to be. This man is fighting those crutches like they personally insulted his family. He can’t OPERATE them. It’s like watching someone lose a fight with inanimate objects. He’s a GOOBER. Casting said “can you use crutches?” and he said “how hard could it be?” VERY HARD, apparently. Physical comedy was not intentional but DELIVERED.

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From the very beginning, Unveil Jadewind pulls you in with its strong atmosphere and confident storytelling. The plot feels layered and well-paced, gradually opening up without feeling rushed, which makes it easy to stay invested.
The biggest highlight is the acting. Bai Lu delivers a powerful and controlled performance—calm on the surface, yet intense underneath. Her action scenes are sharp, detailed, and incredibly satisfying to watch, showing both strength and precision. The supporting cast complements her well, adding weight to every scene.
Visually, the drama is stunning. The cinematography, costumes, and overall tone create a solid immersive experience, while the music enhances the tension and emotional beats without overpowering the scenes.
Overall, this drama feels polished and promising. It’s still early, but the quality so far makes it absolutely worth watching, and I’m excited to see how the story continues to unfold.

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Polished, Pleasant… and a Little Too Careful

I understand why Love Between Lines drew attention. It’s visually clean, consistent in tone, and has an interesting dual-world premise: the blurred lines between a murder-mystery roleplay and real-life interactions give it a clever hook. Some of the quieter, character-driven moments are working well, and the drama feels safe and approachable. The atmosphere is soft and inviting, and it’s easy to settle into.

Where it falters is emotional weight. The romance is gentle and agreeable, but rarely compelling. Emotional beats are suggested rather than explored, and conflicts resolve before they can truly settle in. At times, uneven pacing and editing smooth over moments that might have benefited from lingering a little longer. For a story centered on intimacy and connection, the chemistry remains curiously restrained: I understood why the leads were drawn to each other, but I rarely felt it.

The writing hints at deeper themes, vulnerability, self-protection, the divide between persona and reality, but tends to play it safe. It prefers comfort over tension, smoothness over friction. As a result, the experience stays pleasant, but light. Nothing is particularly wrong, yet little truly lingers once it’s over.

This is why the high rating feels slightly inflated. The drama is polished, coherent, and easy to finish, but for viewers used to plays where performances and storytelling generate real emotional pull, this may feel too careful for its own good. I spent much of the drama waiting for the emotional hook to arrive, and it never did. For me, in generous terms, it settles at 7/10 — pleasant and occasionally charming, but emotionally lighter than the praise suggests.

If you’re looking for something calm, cozy, and aesthetically pleasing, Love Between Lines does its job. Just don’t go in expecting sparks to fly, or emotions to hit hard; this one prefers to stay safely between the lines.

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My new favorite. 12 out of 10.

Things I adored

1 The ML. I feel like his role was written for him. I can't imagine anyone else play that complex character with so much charm and talent. First time I anticipated an episode just to watch the ML. Don't get wrong there are some actors I truly love but here the ML is so fun, so charming, so playful that there's no comparison. It's like he enjoys every scene and he manages to never overdo it. I want to hug him, slap him some sense, but mostly he makes me laugh and swoon and that's what I'm looking for when I spend my time watching a drama.

2 The premise. I'm an author so anything that ahs to do with books is my absolute favorite, and here they delivered. Do I agree that an editor can make or break a book? Not really, unless the author has no idea where he's going and gives carte blanche to an editor. I hope no author does that. But do I agree that you have to find the right editor for you? Absolutely. That's when magic happens and it worked here.

3 The 2 ML. What a wonderful character. I adored everything about it and while at fist I thought I wouldn't like the actor, I fell in love with him after a few smiles and some actions that showed how good a friend, a partner and an author is.

4 The friendship between he two male leads. It's rare to see an actor play so well with another male actor, but here they did a fabulous job. What a treat. I dare say I adore more their friendship than heir love relationships. The writer did a wonderful job, so much so that I anticipated any scene between them. The humor shined, the camaraderie felt real, the whole relationship felt genuine, moving and again it was so funny. I doubt I'll find another drama with such a relationship.

5 The FL. I know she ahs her detractors and I couldn't watch her in the drivel Speed and Love, but she was great in Moonlight. I want her to succeed so much form the very first moment. She plays the genuine, smart, kindhearted girl who chases after her dream to perfection. Her best role amongst those of her dramas I've seen.

6 The chemistry between the leads. They are so fun and fit together. I admit, i find the FL has chemistry with lots of her partners but here particularly I felt like it was the best.

7 Mr. Xia. What a wonderful, adorable character. I loved every scene he appeared. I loved his character more than anything else in this series and the actor did a phenomenal job.

8 I loved A Xiang. A great friend and a remarkable character. I wish they had developed more her character.

9 The humor. I don't find often C or K dramas that make me laugh. I laugh easily but usually there are only a few scenes even in comedy that make me laugh. Here I laughed the most I've ever laughed watching a series. It was the ML and his great acting. Whether it was with the 2ML or the FL or any other character he interacted he always delivered humor wise.

10 The writing. Did it have some weak plots? Yes, absolutely. But at the end of the day, the exchanges were witty, deep, real and made me wanting more. I love the screenwriters and it's a pity they don't have many other dramas to watch.

Things I loved

1 The relationship between the ML and his father. It made me anticipated what would happen and it didn't disappoint. You could feel the love between them despite the problems. The actor who played the father did a great job.

2 The ML mother. She doesn't have a big role, but I loved her character.

3 The ML father. He wasn't without his flaws but the actor did a great job to convey the feelings of a father and a fellow author and I loved every minute of him acting.

4 The kisses. When they kissed it was great. The problem is that there weren't enough kisses.

Things I liked

1 The 2FL. A beautiful actress I was expecting to love more, but for some reason she never crossed from "liked" to "loved". I'm not sure of it was her character or the acting, but she rubbed me the wrong way quite a few times, although I wanted her to be happy. I didn't dislike her and I loved her even in some instances. I just didn't click with her as much as with the other characters.

2 The Chief Editor. I think she was great at her work, but I did feel something was missing regarding her performance as a mom. I'm on no way with her husband and I do feel she did well to keep her job, but I found her performance weak when she was with her child. She didn't make me feel anything. I also didn't like her interactions with the female author. Again her acting seemed a bit stiff compared to when she interacted with other people at her job.

3 Gu Yun Fei. I liked him enough, but never really cared what happened to him. He just was there to create conflict between the second couple.

Things I disliked

1 Suo Heng. The actress didn't appeal to me at all. Her character was okay, but the actress didn't deliver all the feelings I was expecting. Also, to some extent, her character also was disappointing. She didn't stand up for herself and I hate that. No matter who the other person is, if you feel mistreated you should speak up. She was an author, it's her job to speak with her words. I did wish for her to succeed though, so not a total disliking.

2 The other young editor. She redeemed herself, but I never warmed to her. She sided with evil and I can't forget that. She wasn't a mean and evil character per se but she wasn't a compelling character either.

3 The living together and be in love for so much time and still behaving, especially the FL, as if they were 15. I know that it's common in Cdramas, but here with such a plot it wasn't believable. it's a pity because this could be for me the most perfect rom-com. I loved that the other couple had a more mature and believable love life.

Things I hated

1 The editor Miao. What an idiotic and evil character. How on earth he ended up at this position is my question. I was happy he lost everything, and I was mad he still hadn't learned his lesson until the very end. I admit, it was entertaining to wait for his demise, but other than that, he was worse than evil, he was stupid.

2 The president Young. He appeared few times but enough to say I hate the actor and the character.

3 The relationship between the chief editor and Suo Heng. Something was amiss in this relationship. Not many things made sense. Are we supposed to believe they had feelings for each other? It felt like the writers didn't know what direction to go.

4 The main villain in my book, circulation director Liang. I hated him more and more with every episode. Much more than the editor Miao. He was a real villain and what infuriates me most is that he never paid any price. Why the hell? Condescending, rotten to the core and a puppet master. Every time he appeared I cringed and wanted him to burn in hell.

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This is great artwork.

It changed me, impacted me so much. There will never be another show as good and powerful as this one. The actors and actresses had strenth of character. They had to not care about ego public scritiny to be willing to play these roles because they were not "pretty" roles. They remind us what is going on innthe world and that the world needs kindness. It shows us the bonds of human love thru Ben, SaXin, Dr Pei,Jiang Li, and Shen Bai...Oh! how she changed...what do we value in this world and sometimes doing the right thing matters most, even if you are the only one doing it. It asks so many questions, like when does our duty to care like keeping others from hurting themselves outweigh self-determination and the human right to DIGNITY? I dont think the writers were going for that, but good art can bring up questions. When he finally stands in front of the circle of wooden plaques with dirt, where he planted olive seeds (i think thats what he did), he finally had his resolve, that silent moment of awarenes. On his right is that pile of dirt and the stone ..like an ancient Chinese grave to bury his past..? and from that point on we are just helpless to do anything and the final song plays, the words hits us so hard ??... maybe the writers, directors, storytellers want us to feel that helplessness and the moral injury...maybe that is what SongRan felt for so long. That conflict we feel, the story wants us to feel a little unsettled and moral injury. It asks that we resolve it for ourselves, come to terms with certain things. There are ethical delimnas. It shows how society misjudges and stigmatizes mental illness and how systems fails not only the one diagnosed, but also how the wife, girlfriend or maybe the one parent has to support that person alone. They are just as effected and isolated. But remember, there are also glimmers of hope when he did get better by his own version of "exposure therapy" when he was determined to heal, but no one supported that. He was silent. We want him to tell someone, we want him to let someone in. It also shows how peers, people that also suffer and recover can help other sufferers..he says "I am like you" when the guy had a melt down holding Dr Pei hostage. A person can only get the help if they want to get better and if there is are good systems and supports are available. The White Olive Tree is a mirage and our hope for justice in the world, is it realistic or a mirage? But the hope we do have is in ourselves through compassion, kindness, support and love..... I work with veteran soldiers with PTSD. Every once in a while, I believe God gives me a shot in the arm, a reminder, something that reignites passion , that heals me from burnout in my work. This time, it was the gift of this story.

I did want to address some criticisms I read related to language and accents. I believe the production staff wanted a more realistic environment. Us Americans can feel central to many things sometimes : ) We want top notch English speakers, but this was a Chineses drama so the cast really needed to be fluent in Chinese. Then they cast people to represent an area of the world that was not America, so they are going to have accents. In real war-torn zones, relief workers and refugees , soldiers, survivors are going to be multinational. At the start, they kept asking "what nationality are you," in English to show this norm in communication.....They will speak a core language, which happens to be English. It will most likely be their second, third, fourth language. They did not cast or write in a single American character. The show's cast members were all multilingual, but needed to be fluent in Chinese most importantly, not English..lol....

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Could have been great if it had know when to stop

This drama started with strong pacing. The early episodes were engaging, supported by excellent chemistry between the leads, and the cast performed very well. I enjoyed it enough to genuinely feel excited while watching.

Unfortunately, the series was dragged out for too long, and watching eventually started to feel forced rather than enjoyable. What makes this disappointing is that the drama already had all the right elements — strong chemistry, capable actors, and an interesting premise — but the storytelling became repetitive and exhausting.

This drama may still work for viewers who enjoy long emotional arcs and don’t mind repeated conflicts. However, for those who value tight pacing and consistent progression, the second half may be frustrating.

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No high expectations~ Simply watch & enjoy.

Yes, it may seem bad at first, but it really isn’t. This is a short vertical series for a reason—it’s meant to be mediocre, hilarious, and not taken too seriously. The storyline follows the usual formula of 2-minute Chinese shorts, but it’s surprisingly cute. The leads have great chemistry, and the side characters are genuinely funny too.

What I appreciated most is that it actually shows character growth—not just for the two leads, but also for the father and the rest of the cast. Overall, it’s an easy, fun watch that doesn’t make you overthink or second-guess anything.

Just one thing though, I do feel like Donut's voice when acting is somewhat loud. But that's about it.

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Just some opinions and rants =)

I actually gave this a 8/10, but for my review im giving a lower from overall average.
8/10 was how much i was into the show, and 7.5 well includes music rewatch value and other stuff.
Thought I leave a positive review since i saw alot of negative ones XD im a softie. (sometimes)

The moment i started this show: reminds me of kinnporche. Its the Bodyguard & Employer troupe.
i'll be honest and say it out, I started this for the eyecandies. the main couple was so cute at other series so I tried the series out. BEWARE: contains toxic family, family violence/ abuse, drug abuse.
Before watching, I skimmed thru some reviews about it and was prepared to dropped it. haha
glad i didn't it's actually quite a not-bad watch.

I was getting bored of some drama i was starting (watched 1 ep and skip/pause to resume later) and decided to give this a go..
the plot was good enough to kept me going watching it all in one sitting. (normally i start i finish it all in one sitting unless i was distracted or was not my MOOD OF GENRE at the time of the watch XD)

REVIEW: I can't say the action is perfect, but is sufficient enough and good enough compare to WAY MANY moreee other thai dramas that makes me cringe, sometimes I rather they just take the position shot or headshots, but this was WAY OKAY compare to some. So I don't really know why i read a few complains here and there.
Like, one of the weird action scene i could think of right now is revamp the undead. I'll just forward them LOL. but im not an expert so yeah can't judge. I like how the plot goes the way i mostly predicted as well such as miss heir will defi double cross others just like your typical antagonist who likes to use people to rid of others then come back to bite their butts.

I also like how their lovestory progress as well, like example after getting lied to and shot, he left him, pheem also tried to get his forgiveness, but when failed he gave him space. & they protect each other even when they were angry at each other. Until when pheem decides to leave to protect than, than then decides he rather forgive him then lose him. i feel like the story give the correct level of flow so it kept me watching.
Not too slow, not too fast plot ongoing, love problems, and what they introduce they solved, no unanswered questions.
EXCEPT: when they watching TV of the ML's family death: my thoughts were ML+GUYS watching the tv... everyone died, except someone's HUSBAND who literally had the rights to everything that family had right? O_O hahaha so what do u mean the heritance ended there XD

ENDING: I actually really thought they would left it at a open-end for the protagonists, lost body and all, all the antagonist died... and i was actually quite okay with it. (I prefer happy ending tho) but for this show i felt like it was right amount of tragic, not too much... but he was bought back alive, cliche.... LOL but oh well the awkward comeback alive but I don't tell my husband troupe =3= a little dumb. BUT BUT since their cute flirt in the end got me with cuteness. i'll accept that ending haha
"Ex died with inheritance" "that ex ur new husband" -flirt was satisfying (im easy like that)

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