MadelineMaureen

In the novel did she really die and come back to life? I have to ask because with the newer censorship laws a lot of the died and turn back time stories are altered slightly for a drama release.

I really liked the scene in episode 9 when she's fighting Ding Yi and is her true general/warrior self and then switches to the "innocent" version of herself when Xiao Jue walks up after overhearing half of the things she was saying to Ding Yi. It showed me that some of the childishness is in fact an act...at least some of the time.
I'm really looking forward to them no longer having any secrets between them so she can be her most authentic self around him. In the flashbacks of them at school I'm pretty sure they are really young and it's before a lot of her military training from her master and his father. I don't recall anyone saying any of the characters ages yet, but I could be wrong.

know that Xiao Jue finds out He Yan is a woman in episode 4...but for the life of me I can't remember the scene SHE finds out that HE knows she's a woman. What episode does she know that he knows the first time?

Can someone help me with a timeline question real quick? Question in spoiler tag below.

Commander ❎
Uncle ❎
Father ✅

Different, but vibe/chemistry-wise it's similar level. The genre isn't really the same, but I think the attention to romantic tension is done well in this one even though it's not the main focus. This one's stunts are really amazing and a bit more fantastical than Blossom. Even though technically speaking Blossom was the fantasy. They aren't so much focusing on the the family/court drama in Legend of the Female General.

Vague possible spoilers below...

Similarity wise: Strong/wise FL that is "killed" by the actions of a family member.

Differences: There is no time slip in this one. She is presumed dead, and takes on a new identity to find the truth/redeem ML's father.

Similarity: ML is seeking the truth about the death of a family member, while someone secretly plots to sabotage him.

Differences: ML in Legend had a very strong relationship with his father, but was slightly alienated from his mother and brother.

I think if you liked Blossom and The Double you will like this one. Even if you just like stunt/fight scenes this is one people will like/enjoy. I don't think this director has an as in your face style as the director from The Double(mister wind is what i call him) & he doesn't have the attention to lighting that Blossom's director has, but cinematography-wise, I'm just as impressed with this compositions. There is humor more in line with The Double's sub plots.

okay fam, how are yall liking the first few epiosdes? worth the wait?

Really enjoyed the lighting and cinematography choices in this one.

Link is broken

I remember the video being at night time. But it was a long time ago so I might just be remembering incorrectly which show/actors it was.

I could have sworn I saw a bts video(pap not official) of them kissing/hugging on the steps in HK at night. Maybe I confused it with the first kiss/confession. but I could have sworn he wasn't wearing a hat & she was on her tippy toes.
I dont think I would have confused his other project 'Chasing Jade's bts videos for this one as that one is a period drama. it was filmed right after this one if I remember correctly & lots of videos were circulating from both productions.

ep 24

Also as a reminder...2000s were the height of emo era antics. So if you think about it in that context his silent pining for Ying Tao makes so much more sense.

Also, I love that although she had impulsive tendances she was also a planner. She WORKED so hard for every goal. And once she found what she wanted to do she sticks to it. She doesn't fold and lose focus on her own future just because the person she loves isn't around. She uses it as fuel...as the finish line that she is racing toward. She also is willing to go to war for any of her friends at anytime...much respect. She's the one leading the charge when they think Du Sheng is in danger. Ready and willing to bust a door down.

It's left ambiguously open. He doesn't dismiss her indirect confession. It was more for her to put it out there and finally move on and let the chips fall where they may.

I rewatch on netflix and journal it in. Cause even though Netflix translations can be lacking. episode 21-23 were ROUGH for me the first time because the translations were bad bad...like auto generated subs bad.

(So some of my explanation is going to be things you obviously know, but I've added it for context on my thoughts and why I feel like he's loved her since they were 9.)

He was in love with her since episode 1. From the moment she gives his name meaning there is a shift in how he orbits her. Because that's what she is for him...gravity. She is like the sun, and he is like a planet in the suns orbit. Constantly seeking it's warmth and light. Only feeling grounded when in her orbit.

He has a quiet love for her because of his upbringing. He hides his love for her, because every time he shows his OWN interest in anything it is destroyed by his mother who never properly grieved the loss of her first child. The other students narc on him to his mother so he pulls an Elsa around strangers. Conceal don't feel, don't let them know...type shit. He's learned to hide himself.

Every time he ignores Ying Tao and their friends it's because his mother threatened her parents/Ying Tao. The mother is in a higher position in the company they all work for and could transfer them at any time. It's not until he's older that he threatens to report her to authorities for abuse of power that he is able to break free from her. But that freedom brings him back to the goals he had before ever meeting Ying Tao. He wants to be a whole person before being the support he knows Ying Tao deserves. So he goes off to HK to be with his cousin for school related goals. This doesn't go as planned.

Episode 21 will show even more of his decisions from his POV. He feels like damaged goods. He doesn't feel worthy of the love that Ying Tao has for him because he feels like his life is a burden, and that he will tant her. He's constantly drowning and refuses to pull her under with him even though she willingly extends her hand to him. Though he misses the warmth of the sun, he purposely hides in darkness to not dim her shine. But he doesn't realize that she shines brightest with his presence in her life.
He wants to be stable enough to keep himself afloat and not constantly using her as a life raft.
I put way too many metaphors in this comment...I apologize.

I answered short on the first line and then added spoiler filled context. So if you don't want to be overly spoiled just read the first sentence after the numbers.

1) Sort of, but not really.
The leads only have romantic feelings for each other, but there are others who like them. One is supportive(the one who likes Ying Tao), while the one who likes Jiang Qiao Xi is a snitch and a blockade for the pair.

2) They aren't together romantically until episode 21. They don't break-up after officially getting together.
But is it is extremely clear by episode 9 that they are "it" for each other. (Honestly I think it was pretty clear in episode 1 that he was head over heels after she gave his name meaning) They have a bit of an ambiguous relationship from 9-14. Obvious that they like each other but still in high school and unwilling to make his mother's and others' assumptions about them correct.

3) No "official" break ups but many separations for long periods. 7years, months and the final separation lasts 2 years.
His mother separates them for about 7 years. Ying Tao(FL) ends up in the same high school as Jiang Qiao Xi(ML) and there other friends. There is a reconciliation in ep 6, but by the end of the episode his mother once again works to separate them from each other. But they are able to secretly stay in contact.
Ep 9-12 they get to be around each other before his mother AGAIN pulls him away.
In episode 15(after graduating high school) they confess to each other but he lies to her and ghosts for 2 years(This is explained in episode 21). She finds him at the end of ep 19 and wants answers and to make sure he's okay. As an aside, HER parents love him and have always treated him like their own son. And are extremely supportive of not only there relationship when they are older, but they support their friendship throughout the whole show.

4) Yes, happy ending.
They are happily together working in the their own fields(including the extended friend group all doing well in their careers). It ends with their marriage.
Best part...he is extremely low contact with his parents. She talks to his father more that he does. And although there is some contact with the mother its limited to phone calls that barely last more than a minute.

We got a bed scene before we got a reunion kiss...that was a...choice (editors/director looking directly at you) I feel like I remember a few more kisses in the bts videos that were leaked. I guess they either got cut for time or censorship reasons. I should have realized when the 'G' rating popped up on Netflix that a lot would have been left out.

(My brain went fully tangent rant. I apologize. read this like you are listening to someone with adhd explain the hyper fixation hole they fell into late at night.)
I started skipping once they killed the dog. I was like. SA trauma...okay knew that going in...I can work with that. But the damn DOG...I beg your finest pardon?....nope...NO...not today Satan. ✌🏻😙💨

Then they were like, lets sprinkle in some MORE SA just incase you missed us alluding to her past SA from high school, want to make sure it's extra fresh. Oh, lets add in an orphaned sad little rich boy, who just got dumped by his girlfriend, with a dementia grandpa who has a misunderstanding with his wife(grand ma) of multiple decades and they aren't speaking...oh and for the cherry on top, lets kill the dog off just for shits and giggles. 😒

Also, absolute BS that THIS little shit was the one to actually find her in HK after she ghosted and then ran from the high school friend when he saw her by chance. Because of said dementia grandpa's connection to the university she was attending.

They took a story about hope and growing from past trauma into just a sad fest of weird jokes. HE(director/writers' version of Sang Yan) INVITED ANOTHER MAN INTO THEIR APARTMENT KNOWING SHE HAS TRAUMA AND LET HIM BE NAKED IN HER PERSONAL SPACE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE...Sang Yan would NEVER. Sang Yan was the one to make the no one but the two of us allowed in the apartment without express permission from the other first. He made all those rules to make her feel safe and the broke ever single one. Sir....no.