Sunbath12

In the novel, FFYY does end up killing Hou with a bow and arrow. I won't spoil too much unless you want to know.

Ep 7 is the beginning of the clearing of the air so to speak. 6-9 are some of my favorites so far.

Hmm...I'll check back with you after the end of the drama. ;)

She and Ru Shuo have great chemistry on screen lol

Dude has been asking for it for a long time lol

You are right about express for ep 10. I'd say ep 9 pretty much concludes that arc, so don't have to wait for 10.

I think Jing said it best somewhere in the novel, I can't remember exactly when. He tells FFYY that she didn't do anything wrong in falling for Hou, but she did sin greatly in killing Hou's wife. I think that conversation sums up a lot regarding her character. She is pitiable in the sense of a woman suffering more for her wrong deeds versus a man committing similar crimes, but I agree, she did bad and should answer for her deeds, which she more than does in my opinion. Hou, on the other hand...utter trash. Dude is seriously messed up in his head. He's so busy planning mind games with himself because he cannot break out of his childhood trauma inflicted by his so-called mother. But that's another conversation. In today's terms, he really needed therapy early and often my goodness.

I don't have sympathy for FFYY because sympathy would imply I've had a similar experience, which I don't. I can't really say I have empathy for her either because I agree with you in the sense that she committed great evil in attempting to and being complicit to murders. I'd like to think that I wouldn't let some guy lead me to live a life of crime. But what I do feel is tremendous pathos for her especially in that scene when she is by herself in the dark with her thoughts before Jing comes in the room. Somehow, in the novel, that really didn't come through for me, but through the actress' performance, I feel much more sadness in seeing all these Qingqiu scenes brought to life.

Ep 9-10, that whole arc is resolved by then!

Yes, it's alluded to in S1 that Jing was much more lively back in the day before Hou's torture of him.

You're right, the game with Jing/Grandpa/XY is probably better as a parallel with the scene in S1 as far as playing Go. I guess it's more of the whole sequence of the 3 of them (Jing, XY and CX) together that reminds me of them together in Qingshui.

I can't bring myself to watch anything else LOL. I'm just rewatching the episodes like an obsessed idiot.

Yeah, the only other time I remember that song playing (but with I think different lyrics?) was when YSQ was introduced in S1.

Even Jing chuckled after he said that. I love Lirong Chang in this, the actor really has great comedic timing - I don't remember Jing's friend in the novel being this funny, if at all.

There have been some great visual parallels between S2 and S1. Some have already noted the scene between FFB and XY on the bridge with the lanterns and the boats going by underneath (compared to the scene in S1 when XL and WXL are in the boat looking up at the bridge). Another is when XY and TSJ are looking at each other and time seems to stop for them, but everyone else is bustling about (also seen in S1 at CX's first wedding). Another one, more subtle, is the chess game with CX, WXL and YSQ in S1 vs the 3 of them eating grilled meat at the restaurant in S2. This last one is interesting, showing how so much as changed since those days at Qingshui Town.

Here's a teaser, or more like an early look at the drama, probably won't be out until next year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTOHi5YI94Q

They both bring a little bit of lightness and comedy that is needed to somewhat balance out all the pain, suffering and spitting blood going on lol

Tushan Jing's friendship with Lirong Chang is the unexpected delight I didn't knew I needed from S2.

Had to work yesterday so will be catching up today. But I was just considering that in this story we have a 4 very different sibling pairs:

1. XY and CX of course: this is ultimately their story. I like how ep 1 of this season like the first begins with them. Two devoted to each other, sworn to look out for each other forever, but already something is different (in CX), things are brewing underneath that placid demeanor that CX tries hard to keep.

2. XY and A'Nian: recently rewatched S1 and revisited them completely at odds in the beginning. I love how their relationship grows and develops - can't wait to see more this season (I hope those moments from the novel are in here)

3. TSH and TSJ: in childhood, they were great together, but thanks to a terrible mother and grandmother, their fraught relationship is going to boil over this season into what I hope is a faithful retelling of what was so well told in the novel. Hou in trying to take everything he thinks Jing has or wants from him actually speaks volumes of his intense inferiority complex and hurt inflicted by his "mother"

4. Xinyue and FL: After watching S1 again, all those happy moments dancing under the stars makes me hurt for them (sort of - while I can empathize with what Xinyue goes through and fears since her childhood days, her actions in this season make me no fan of hers). Poor Fenglong.

There's a day delay, so I think we'll get 3 episodes tomorrow.

LOL