A Fresh Concept, Good Story, and Acting, but Missing That Extra Spark
This is a good drama with a solidly written story, but for me, it is missing the spark and pace required to make it a great drama.
The Story
Hu Xiu (Lu Yu Xiao) is working a job that is far from ideal while trying to achieve her dream of becoming an architect. To make matters worse, she’s right on the verge of getting married when her fiancé suddenly dumps her through a voice message. To cheer her up, her best friend, Zhao Xiao Rou, drags her to a murder mystery game club. That's where she runs into Xiao Zhi Yu (Chen Xing Xu), who causes her to lose the game.
Determined to win next time, Hu Xiu repeatedly returns to the club. Eventually, she runs into Xiao Zhi Yu in real life. Xiao Zhi Yu works hard to keep his private life private and tries his best not to get entangled with Hu Xiu. However, events keep throwing them together, and they grow closer—especially after he starts renting her attic.
As things progress, you find out about Xiao Zhi Yu's past and why he keeps everyone at arm's length, even though he can't help being drawn to her. His past, a third party who starts showing interest in Hu Xiu, and Xiao Zhi Yu's own family all complicate their connection.
What I Liked
- The Concept: The way the story bounces between real life and the murder mystery games feels super fresh and different.
- The Character Growth: In the second half of the show, you finally get to see a really sweet connection between them. The actor actually gets to smile more as his character starts opening up to her.
- The Performances: The acting is pretty good, and both leads follow their character outlines well. (I haven't read the web novel Ga Xi by Zu Le, so I can't say how faithful it is to the source material).
- The Visuals: The cinematography is lovely, especially the visuals within the murder mystery game.
- The Soundtrack: The music complements the drama well.
- The Friendships: I really enjoyed the relationship between Hu Xiu and her best friend, Zhao Xiao Rou.
- The Supporting Cast: Dai Xu, the actor playing Pei Zhen, does a fantastic job. He plays the role well and brings a lively energy to the screen. I would love to see him in other dramas.
- The Ending: I actually liked that the ending wasn't a standard wedding or engagement ring scene, because those can become repetitive and boring since so many shows do them. I really liked that the writers added the kitten as their family of three instead.
What I Didn't Like
- The Chemistry: I missed the spark that would have made the connection between Xiao Zhi Yu and Hu Xiu truly great. They have a sweet chemistry, but that intense, "hormones out of control" attraction you expect when someone is deeply in love just isn't felt here.
- The Romance: I know Chinese dramas are usually conservative and light on intimate scenes, but this one left me wanting more.
- The Pace: The show drags a bit and moves too slowly.
- The Hook: It took me a handful of episodes to actually get into it, which is unusual for me because I normally get sucked into a drama right from episode one.
- Rewatch Value: There’s zero rewatch value for me here, which is usually the ultimate test of whether I truly loved a drama.
The Verdict
Who should watch it: People who love unique game concepts, heavy family mystery subplots, and realistic, career-focused endings.
Who shouldn't watch it: Viewers looking for intense romantic chemistry, fast pacing, or high rewatch value.
The Story
Hu Xiu (Lu Yu Xiao) is working a job that is far from ideal while trying to achieve her dream of becoming an architect. To make matters worse, she’s right on the verge of getting married when her fiancé suddenly dumps her through a voice message. To cheer her up, her best friend, Zhao Xiao Rou, drags her to a murder mystery game club. That's where she runs into Xiao Zhi Yu (Chen Xing Xu), who causes her to lose the game.
Determined to win next time, Hu Xiu repeatedly returns to the club. Eventually, she runs into Xiao Zhi Yu in real life. Xiao Zhi Yu works hard to keep his private life private and tries his best not to get entangled with Hu Xiu. However, events keep throwing them together, and they grow closer—especially after he starts renting her attic.
As things progress, you find out about Xiao Zhi Yu's past and why he keeps everyone at arm's length, even though he can't help being drawn to her. His past, a third party who starts showing interest in Hu Xiu, and Xiao Zhi Yu's own family all complicate their connection.
What I Liked
- The Concept: The way the story bounces between real life and the murder mystery games feels super fresh and different.
- The Character Growth: In the second half of the show, you finally get to see a really sweet connection between them. The actor actually gets to smile more as his character starts opening up to her.
- The Performances: The acting is pretty good, and both leads follow their character outlines well. (I haven't read the web novel Ga Xi by Zu Le, so I can't say how faithful it is to the source material).
- The Visuals: The cinematography is lovely, especially the visuals within the murder mystery game.
- The Soundtrack: The music complements the drama well.
- The Friendships: I really enjoyed the relationship between Hu Xiu and her best friend, Zhao Xiao Rou.
- The Supporting Cast: Dai Xu, the actor playing Pei Zhen, does a fantastic job. He plays the role well and brings a lively energy to the screen. I would love to see him in other dramas.
- The Ending: I actually liked that the ending wasn't a standard wedding or engagement ring scene, because those can become repetitive and boring since so many shows do them. I really liked that the writers added the kitten as their family of three instead.
What I Didn't Like
- The Chemistry: I missed the spark that would have made the connection between Xiao Zhi Yu and Hu Xiu truly great. They have a sweet chemistry, but that intense, "hormones out of control" attraction you expect when someone is deeply in love just isn't felt here.
- The Romance: I know Chinese dramas are usually conservative and light on intimate scenes, but this one left me wanting more.
- The Pace: The show drags a bit and moves too slowly.
- The Hook: It took me a handful of episodes to actually get into it, which is unusual for me because I normally get sucked into a drama right from episode one.
- Rewatch Value: There’s zero rewatch value for me here, which is usually the ultimate test of whether I truly loved a drama.
The Verdict
Who should watch it: People who love unique game concepts, heavy family mystery subplots, and realistic, career-focused endings.
Who shouldn't watch it: Viewers looking for intense romantic chemistry, fast pacing, or high rewatch value.
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