I don’t usually write reviews for dramas. I don’t often have much to say, anyway. I’m not writing a review this time because this blew me away or incensed me with its mediocrity. All things considered, this is a rather run of the mill drama. If not for its queer pulling power, I probably wouldn’t have given it the time of day. The story is fine. The acting is ok. The pacing lags in the middle. I stopped watching it for nearly 4 months.

You’d think I didn’t like it. You’d be neither right nor wrong, but I did like one aspect in particular: You Yi. At first glance, she’s a very typical Cdrama FL: She’s bright, cheerful, optimistic, and sweet. She came from humble beginnings but hasn’t let that get her down. She’s quick to trust and a little naive… or so she seems.

To say You Yi impressed me would be an understatement. I absolutely adore quietly strong female characters because they’re so often overlooked and neglected. You Yi is one such character. Her strength comes from her loyalty to her loved ones and her respect for herself. She refuses to be manipulated, used, or bullied and she does so without making a spectacle of herself (the Zhang Wan debacle notwithstanding) or having to adopt traditionally masculine characteristics to assert her dominance. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate FL’s with masculine energy. I’m queer, how can I not? But seeing women be strong and independent without having to compromise their femininity… something about that is just so empowering to me.

For that, I have to applaud this drama… AFTER I sue the production team bc wtf was that last episode??? How dare they do that to Yiwei?? And with no confirmation of a season two?????? Y’all sadists or sumn?