This review may contain spoilers
this couple shares the same core values—such as contribution, commitment to justice, faithfulness
"I love that this couple shares the same core values—such as fair resource distribution, equality before the law, commitment to justice, faithfulness in love, virtue, and their care and kindness toward friends, and family. This is truly one of my favorite dramas.Not to mention how perfectly their characters complement each other. Huge credit goes to the male lead for his love and respect, and for accepting her capabilities—even when she outshines or defeats him as her role demands.
Ji Bozai, the male lead, is someone starved of affection. It’s obvious he has never experienced love before, so he gives it his all while being utterly terrified of it. Once that trust is broken, he is deeply hurt and constantly doubts love, making him the most pitiful character. On the other hand, the female lead seems less starved of love, perhaps because she was too focused on survival at the time. In reality, she loves him deeply too. There are scenes where they beautifully share their love, sacrifices, and mutual pain with one another."
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This drama is highly focused on romance. For their relationship to successfully move forward, Ji Bozai deserves high praise. Notice that even after being betrayed, he still tries to find answers and is always ready to trust. There are scenes where he asks multiple times (3 to 4 times) if she is sincere, if she can be trusted, and if she will deceive him again. This is typical behavior of someone who is already deeply in love and trying to make excuses for the other person; naturally, the deceiver would say they aren't lying, but he just wants to hear that reassurance. As for Ming Yi, sometimes she doesn't even get a chance to answer before being cut off. The only time she does answer, it leaves room for doubt: "Right now, I am sincere." Although Ji Bozai seems aloof, distrustful, and acts like a villain, he actually helps everyone wholeheartedly. He sacrificed his life to save the Six Realms from the Heaven-Swallowing Formation, cared for the female immortal Ruo Shui, protected the people in the Slave Realm and the Abyss, and saved others from the demonic beast army. He possesses the true quality of a ruler—sacrifice. He is a very kind-hearted person who forgives everyone easily without complexity, including his lover, his master, and his mother.
As for Ming Yi, she truly deserves to be loved completely. The moment the male lead finds out she is Ming Xian and has been poisoned, he realizes that she has used her dwindling life force to save him multiple times, which is the deepest expression of love. The scene where he puts his neck against the sword and calls her a liar proves he knows she would never hurt him and is always ready to help. Even when he makes her believe he has destroyed the medicine, she bears no resentment or anger toward him.
How could they not love each other deeply? It is absolutely impossible, given how incredibly good they are to one another.
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This review may contain spoilers
This show is a quirky kind of fun; it feels like a parody that cleverly subverts gender roles.
If you were to swap the genders and the setting, it would be similar to the "obsessive CEO and his secretary" trope. But with the roles reversed, it’s hilarious. The female lead is actively pursuing the male lead, determined to have him as her husband even without an official status. Meanwhile, the male lead—despite his memory loss—retains his inherent pride and skills. He feels that being a "secret husband" is beneath him; a man of his caliber deserves much more.I love the male lead because he’s so cheeky and adorable. Even the female lead praises him for being "cunningly cute." The beauty of this story is that they share the same ideals: she wants him to be a virtuous official who helps the people, while he wants to teach her how to manage her siblings and handle corrupt officials.
The drama is relatively middle to hard at the end but easy to watch at the beginning, though the massive cast can be a bit overwhelming—it’s like they brought in an entire army of actors. The charm of the show lies in the male lead’s sharp tongue and provocative nature. The female lead actually enjoys this side of him but often has to restrain him, saying, "Don't overdo it; others don't love you the way I do." She is ruthless and sharp-witted, not even fully trusting the male lead.
Having followed Hou Minghao through many of his dramas, I’ve noticed a massive leap in his facial expressions and eye acting in this series. Usually, our Xiao Hou isn’t the best at comedy; his attempts at deadpan often came across as just stiff or blank, likely because he was overthinking it.
But in this show, he’s genuinely funny because he’s mastered those cheeky, mischievous looks. Whether it’s playing innocent, teasing others, or pulling the 'Oh, really?' face (while clearly pretending not to know), he does it all so well. His provocative, teasing expressions are spot on and really fun to watch.
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I love the scene where Rong Shanbao changes her testimony.
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This review may contain spoilers
Recommended for those looking for something easy-watching, heartwarming, and features a child.
I was particularly interested in the episodes featuring Youyou, the lead couple's son. I think he is so smart and really ties the story together, making it much more enjoyable. It honestly feels like without him, the plot wouldn't have progressed at all because of how the male and female leads suddenly stopped communicating. It’s quite baffling because they used to talk and express themselves so much before. But once they had a child—a situation where things should be clear—they became hesitant and kept holding back. It’s almost funny.Looking at it from the male lead's perspective, it feels like he is hated for no good reason. I don't understand why there is so much resentment to the point of keeping his own child from knowing he is the father. It’s just too cruel. If I were him, I would feel deeply hurt and resentful. But he doesn't hold a grudge at all; he is just heartbroken about being abandoned, yet he forgives her easily because he admits himself that he can never be firm or strict with her.
Nevertheless, we can still feel and see that both of them genuinely care for one another and aren't being selfish—that’s the charming part. Another great thing about this show is the complete absence of any violence in words, thoughts, or actions. It is truly heartwarming.
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I am deeply fascinated and inspired by the Chinese people.
It comes as no surprise how China, in less than a single generation, managed to transform itself from poverty into such a massive global economy. Of course, not everything is picture-perfect, but the people always are. Both male leads in this series are so outstanding that it is impossible to take your eyes off them. I also find the current rating a bit underrated, so I am giving it a full 10/10 across the board to make up for it.I especially love the scene where Pei Qinghua cries in the taxi. This man is strong, hardworking, disciplined, and never gives up. He has dedicated himself completely, yet had to stumble and struggle so much. When he finally made it through, he was just incredibly overjoyed. At first, he cried only a little, but then it was as if he couldn't stop and ended up crying heavily, with his senior trying to comfort him in a funny way. The reason I love this scene is that I am a fan of Xiao Hou. I adore him so much in this role where he was made to look unhandsome, scruffy, and unfashionable, yet he remains highly eye-catching anyway. This way, people will finally see his talent shine ahead of his looks.
As for Wu Lei, he blends seamlessly and becomes one with his character. I find him perfectly sly and rebellious, doing everything with a strategic plan yet guided by his heart. Xiao Chuang changes Pei Qinghua's rigid decision-making, but that doesn't mean Pei Qinghua works any less hard; he is still as diligent as ever in checking his work. If a woman were to choose a partner, she would probably choose Pei Qinghua. However, in terms of catching one's eye, Xiao Chuang appears more captivating at first sight based on personality. In reality, Xiao Chuang is also a devoted lover, it is just that I prefer someone straightforward and comfortable to be with. Sorry, Xiao Chuang, you are just not my type.
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