DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILER.
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I think many people mistaken this drama's ending is an Open Ending when it is not AT ALL. Open Ending would be like in The Bad Kids where at the end of the drama, we can make conclusion on our own whether everyone lives happily ever after exactly like the drama portrayed OR everyone die except Chao Yang -- both are true and make sense at the same time. Open ending as well is like Till the End of the Moon where they didnt show Tantai Jin reunited with Li Susu and their daughter so viewers can make conclusion whether he really died OR he will return back due to Heart Scale at the end. Open ending as well is like The Starry Love where they didnt show the couples reunited at the end so viewers can make conclusion whether the twins really died OR they have become plants and after cultivation, they will be reunited with their husbands again. And that is what we called Open Ending -- where we can make conclusion on our own and both are correct and make sense at the same time.
But for Burning Flames, it is a clear cut
'HAPPY ENDING'
Except, it wasn't in our face kind of thing. There is so much hints in the script to say that Bai Cai will appear again:
1. Bai Cai conversation with Wu Geng before she disappear. Bai Cai told Wu Geng that ''Life is long, and perhaps they will meet again.'' Then, Wu Geng promised to wait for her. This drama has a lot of foreshadowing and this is also part of the foreshadowing to tell the audiences that Bai Cai after all, will come back.
2. All conversations that Wu Geng had with everyone at Bai City, Shenyin Village & King City. Everyone and Wu Geng seemed to convince that he will meet her again. Wu Xia, the girl from the Shenyin clan also passed a message to Bai Cai through Wu Geng to say that she knew it wasnt Bai Cai who attacked the village last time and Wu Geng promised to deliver the message to her.
3. Wu Geng never tries to find his mother or father since he knew that they are really gone but with Bai Cai, he is adamant he will find her again -- that she is waiting for him somewhere. I guess since her origin is the crystal, it served as a clue on why she is different. Remember how Shi Xing is being resurrected even when he is just a normal immortal? With Bai Cai's identity as Ancient Divine Spirit, she is definitely more special than Shi Xing.
4. The most obvious one is the way the story progressed after that. It shows the passing of times; Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter before Wu Geng arrived at their house at human world again. They wont show this passing of times if they just want to make he is just meeting someone random / no one. This narrative served as a purpose to show us that his journey has ended when he met Bai Cai again.
5. The Snowman is biggest clue to us that it is Bai Cai since it is exactly the same Snowman that she once did at the mine. Now I understand why the Snowman scene is important since its actually served as a clue for the ending.
6. Then, the one that sealed the deal for me is Wu Geng's expression upon seeing the person who open the door -- its a relief expression, then he smile with tears in his eyes. If it wasn't Bai Cai, his expression wont be that way.
Hope this post will make it clear to everyone that this drama did have a clear cut HAPPY ENDING its just that, it is brief. But the good thing about the ending is that I love how the writer actually spent time on it -- it wasn't rushed but just flow naturally. We see how Wu Geng and the gang defeated Hei Long, the aftermath of it, the Wedding, Wu Geng met everyone and see how their lives moved on, the passing of time and last, the ending where he reunited Bai Cai again. :D
