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The veiled threat involving her family. The setup against the third-class maids that ended up getting Ji'er beaten and sent away—a scheme orchestrated by the wife herself, who enjoys torturing others and flaunting her power; it had nothing to do with the Lin family, who actually protect the maids. (Did you not follow the story?)
P.S.: No, it’s not the same thing at all, because he is the protagonist. And we know a storyline of mutual aid is going to unfold. It’s written between the lines, in the subtitles—it’s everywhere.

He doesn't act the same way. He didn't kill anyone, nor did he torture any innocent people like his wife (for whom you have sympathy) did. His mother stepped in to stop the wife from continuing her cruel acts. She was going to leave the female lead out in the freezing cold even longer, but she stopped out of fear of crossing the Lin family (which shows that the Lin family is the side of the story that possesses some humanity), whereas her own family's side is truly cruel—and she emulates them. He needs the maid's (the female lead's) help to solve a problem. That doesn't mean they won't need each other as the story unfolds; they will help one another (both will have to save each other). That is exactly what the preview for the next episode reveals right off the bat: him getting her out of a jam. And you might say *he* was the one who put her there in the first place, but the fact is, she is his wife's maid and obeys her orders above all else.💠💠💠💠💠💠💠💠

Yes, Liu Xue Yi's character has all that appeal, that complexity, and room to evolve within the plot, revealing various layers. (Yes, his interaction with his mother is very sweet, and we’ll certainly see that with his four sisters as well.)

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There is an ambiguity in every character and in life itself. All the characters struggle to survive and are bound by obligations to higher authorities—powerful families capable of harming them if they fail to act shrewdly and at the right moment. Looming over them all is the king, ever-suspicious of treason. Everyone holds some power, yet only to a certain extent. In the world of that era, everyone belonged to a specific caste—a reality the drama clearly portrays; they live in the village, yet it does not belong to them, but rather to the local lord. Thus, everyone is confined by a reality that imprisons them (up to a point). We sympathize with them as they fight for survival, and we perceive a gentleness beneath even the coldest exteriors; we feel a genuine connection to these characters. As for the cruel—those who thrive on cruelty in this fictional tale designed for entertainment—they will meet their just deserts, while those who still possess humanity will see it emerge as the story unfolds.
Is slaughtering people like animals the reaction we desire? Is this the kind of story we came to watch? No; had I wanted that sort of story, I would not be here.

In "In Blossom," Liu Xue Yi's character also stayed out in the snow for a full day and survived.

The screenwriter needs to maintain the protagonist's aloof exterior, as he must undergo a gradual transformation. That way, even if a viewer doesn't warm to him in the early episodes, they might come to empathize with him as the series progresses. The male lead won't be sweet at the start—he wasn't written that way. That indifference is essential to his character.

The author doesn't sit on the fence. The male protagonist comes across even worse in the book (according to readers who wondered, "Am I supposed to root for this 'hero'?"). Yet in the drama, we see a man who is cold and calculating, but... there is still a certain sensitivity in him—something that cannot be hidden. We see it in his interactions with his mother, his father, his subordinates, and even in the chance he gave his unfaithful wife. He isn't unfeeling. I don't know where you saw "despicable" behavior in the drama. He is guarded, resolute, cold, and curt in his dealings with others, but a sensitive side is still perceptible. In a recent interview, actor Liu Xue Yi highlighted this character transformation, showing how he opens up to the world and to genuine relationships through the female lead. And considering she was the wife he had originally hoped for—he was visibly upset in his youth when it seemed he wouldn't marry her—this meeting of souls involves a double wound that needs healing. As for the female lead, despite her natural sweetness, she too harbors a certain coldness toward the world due to her past experiences. Yet, her late mother's plea—"live"—keeps her hopeful and fighting on.

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This drama is interesting to me because the male lead is in it.

Episode 8: I will never forget what happened here.
Hidden in the shadows, they didn't know they were rats ready to be caught in the web set for them. That decision Lin Jin Qi made in the previous episode, so emphatically told to his grandfather, about something that would be resolved without delay, came to pass. That man dressed as a woman, however strange the figure, could perhaps be a frustrated love waiting for its chance to happen. But the ending of this episode was more than pathetic for this clandestine couple. Choice: A useless death without the right to be buried in the family mausoleum, or a separation with the chance for another story to be built. "Lin Jin Qi, I will never forget what happened here." This tall man, with an elegant and calm profile, simply smiled calmly... like his tranquil, slow steps, like calculated beats in the library hunting his prey, but without running, without sweating, because as the clock ticked, everything would be resolved. As for our female lead, was that a look of compassion directed at her executioner-mistress? (Will Xiaotang give her maids a chance to escape? That look seemed to convey an apology before she entered the library. But perhaps it wasn't that; maybe it was a premonition.) And how will the girls get out of this predicament? We’ll find out in the next episode. Though, for those who saw the previews, the answer has already been revealed...

Episode 8 (My mini-recap):⬇️

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Oh, what a wonderful interpretation. Thank you for sharing your perspective and cultural knowledge. Very enlightening.

We don't know.

Episode 7: We finally meet (but don't know each other yet)
A young woman punished in the freezing cold and frost. Her friends' care brings her comfort and warmth. Her reunion with her mother is sweet and heartwarming. The head of the household (Lin Jin Qi) makes her an offer she cannot refuse, given the fear of what might happen to her at the hands of the mistress. A couple living in the shadows, hiding behind the covers—yet this time, it seems Lin Jin Qi sees what is happening. He appears from behind the trees with a keen gaze, watching the strangely disguised figure climb the stairs. Our main couple doesn't truly know each other yet. In this episode, they become accomplices in an investigation. (Where will this lead in the story?) I’m looking forward to the next episode, which I’m about to watch now.
P.S.: And what about those red flowers on the tree? Why did Lin Jin Qi give some of the branches to the grandfather? And why did Xianlan stretch up, reaching out to touch a high branch? She also noticed that some branches had been cut recently. (Did she realize it was Lin Jin Qi?) Is Lin Jin Qi’s hidden sensitivity revealed in those small branches?

Episode 7 (My mini-recap):⬇️

Interview (Liu Xue Yi ) Against the current (Star recomendation) (September 12 - 2026) Eng Sub cc
https://youtu.be/v3_k-_4xCDo?si=a2s8CTCumNVTDxGQ
PS:
He offers great insights here.🥰😶‍🌫️💞✨🤔

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Interview (Liu Xue Yi ) Against the current (Star recomendation) (September 12 - 2026) Eng Sub cc
https://youtu.be/v3_k-_4xCDo?si=a2s8CTCumNVTDxGQ
PS:
He offers great insights here.🥰😶‍🌫️💞✨🤔