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The final scene shows Chu Yue meeting a child named Ning Shi San she asks him if his mother's last name is Ren. The boy tells her his little sister Ren Lu is doted on by their father. Chu Yue, realising who his parents are, asks to meet them. Implying that Ruyi and NYZ survived and escaped.

She imagines the delegation riding alongside them - always with them in spirit.

So it leans towards an ambiguous bittersweet ending. Either it is all part of an illusion where she meets and has a conversation with an imagined child of Ruyi and NYZ, or they faked their deaths.

As the drama literally started with Ruyi and NYZ having faked their deaths, it's actually quite fitting for the drama to end with them doing the same thing. Only this time they are together and at peace.

both interpretations are valid, I'd say.

Where does the illusion start and stop then? She holds the boy in her arms, and imagines them all riding horseback over his shoulder. When they vanish, she follows the boy to meet his parents. So.... if Ning Shi San is also an illusion, does she know it? She clearly knows the delegation on horseback is just part of her imagination. So....?

Also why is she having such a detailed and specific illusion about Ruyi and NYZ's hypothetical children after 10 years? Would it not make more sense for her to imagine Yu Shisan? It would make more sense for YY to have such an illusion I would think.

The reason why they had it be Chu Yue was for her to see Yu Shisan in this child - this child who is named after him. For her to put two and two together about who his parents are. I don't see why she would imagine it. As I said, if she was going to imagine anything, it would be Yu Shisan himself.

I'm not ruling out the illusion idea. it's a valid interpretation. But I don't think it's a fact.

That's fair enough. The show starts off with them both having faked their deaths. So it's kind of fitting to me that the show ends with them doing the same. It all circles back to where it starts. Only this time they're both at peace together - with the delegation always riding with them in spirit.

It's also a show where they fly, magically heal each other and can use human face masks to transform into other people. So I try to not to put real-world limitations on what they can and can't survive.

However, if one does take it as illusion (still would be a weirdly specific illusion for Chu Yue to be having after 10+ years imo. ) The idea that they all died, while sad...is okay with me too? It's like, well, at least they're all together haha.

So I'm mostly satisfied. A lot more satisfied than I thought I would be. I get that it won't be for everyone.

I think because she was imagining the delegation and Ruyi and NZY riding together on horseback. So there is a question in some people's minds about whether Ning Shi san was also in her imagination. But then where does the illusion stop. She was holding this child while imagining seeing something over his shoulder. Once they vanish, she follows the child. So... if Ning Shi San was also an illusion does she know he's not real, like she knew the delegation on horseback weren't real?

Why imagine him in the first place? Why imagine Ruyi and NZY's having this hypothetical child 10+ years later when she could have imagined Yu Shisan standing in front of her? lol

If it makes you feel better. While very sad, it's not a completely bleak ending. The ending does imply the leads have both survived, faked their deaths, escaped and had two children. We don't see them but we are told by one of their children. It's a little ambiguous, so it is argued by some that this might be illusion. But it's there, for you to decide.

Depends on what you classify as sad. Also depends on how you view the final scene lol. I'd say a touch ambiguous. Bittersweet.

Yeah that's what I thought. I'd think she'd dream Yu Shisan, not Ruyi and NYZ's hypothetical son (and daughter lol) . Though her joy came from the fact that they lived (of course lol) but also from the fact that they named their son after the man she loved. He lives on, like the rest of the delegation, in the children and in Ruyi and NYZ. The fact that little boy was dressed in white and rode in like Shi San really validates that sentiment to me.

Of course, it's ambiguous enough that the other argument is valid too.

Weirdly specific thing for her to be imagining 10+ years later...

The child's name was Ning Shi San. Which would imply Ning Yuan Zhou was supposed to be the father.

She doesn't know his name because she's never met him before. Him calling her Aunt was not him calling her HIS Aunt. Calling people older than you Aunt/Auntie and Uncle is common and a sign of respect in China. Especially from children. You don't have to know them and it's not about familial bonds.

As I said, I saw Chu Yue imagining them riding together as a way of symbolically showing that the delegation rides alongside them, they are always together, even in spirit. Yu Shisan, (and the delegation) lives on in Ning Shi San, and in Ruyi and NYZ.

We never saw Ruyi's body, it is also possible that she faked her death once again. Like she did in the beginning. This way she and NZY could escape and live in peace. Why would Chu Yue be imagining a full on conversation in which Ruyi and NYZ escaped and had two children? It just seemed a very detailed and specific illusion to be having 10+ years later.

I was satisfied with the ending. Whether you take it as them escaping or if you take it as everyone dying and it all being part of her illusion. I don't see them all dying as being a "bad" ending. A sad ending, sure. But not one that ruins the entire drama. They're all still together that way. So however you want to see it, it was a much better ending than I was expecting.

Fair enough if it wasn't for you.

I'd say the ending is bittersweet. final scene shows the leads escaped, survived and had two children. (however, it could be argued this is an illusion. So that's up for interpretation.) So if you can deal with that question mark. It's safe to finish. (Though prepare yourself for the delegation. that's sad)

To be fair this is a drama where people can fly and magically heal each other. and wear other peoples faces and magically transform into them. So putting realistic real-world limitations on what people can and can't survive is pointless.

You say there would be no meaning to her going on a suicide mission but it is also possible she planned to fake her death again, like she did in the beginning of the drama, so that she and NZY could escape and live the way they wanted - in peace.

but even if you don't see it like that and take it as a full tragic ending. A tragic ending doesn't make the drama bad. It doesn't ruin the entire drama. In a way, it would be mean they were all together.

Some people are just unhappy with how it ended. So now, to them, the entire drama is ruined. I would watch and make your own mind up about that.

They never showed their dead bodies. This was clearly intentional so that the ending could happen in the way it does. It is intentionally ambiguous about what happened So you get the "Surprise they're alive" moment. For those that want the happy ending where they lived and escaped - they get it. But for those that think it is all an illusion, they get that.

It's left to the audience to decide I guess.

That being said, not sure why Chu Yue would be imagining Ruyi and NZY surviving and have two children. It's a very specific...

I initially saw the delegation riding alongside Ruyi and NZY as symbolic of them always being with them in spirit. That they'd carry them with them.

But I guess it's an ambiguous ending - left to the audience to decide. Those that want to believe they survived and escaped, get the happy ending (or bittersweet ending, as the rest of the delegation still died) Those that don't will see it as part of Chu Yue's imagination.

It is a bittersweet ending. We are led to believe everyone has died (including Ruyi and NZY) until the last scene where Chu Yue meets the child, Ning Shi San. He says he has a younger sister (Ren Lu, who is doted on by their father) and Chu Yu, relieved, understanding what it means, asks to meet his parents.

So I guess Ruyi and Ning Yuan Zhou survived and escaped. (The rest of the delegation definitely died...so it's definitely still sad) Chu Yu then imagines the rest of the delegation riding alongside Ruyi and NYZ. I guess symbolic of the fact they'll always be together in some way.

I've seen some argue that this could also be a dream or in Chu Yue's imagination. Which is also possible. That will be up to the individual to decide.

Because they didn't. They let us know, and Chu Yue, that they both survived and escaped.

Yep. big time. lol 🤭

Is it comfort? 😅 In the novel he enjoys the beatings because he gets off on it. It's a sexual BDSM thing. Or maybe I'm misremembering that haha. Did they change that for the radio version? Maybe it's both. 🤭 comfort and relief/thrill etc.

Depends on what you classify as romance. Do they have interactions, and is there tension at times - yes. But it's not strongly romance focused imo. It's feels more political. He develops feelings and it's not really reciprocated in the same way for a lot of it. She has feelings for someone else. The romance between the leads doesn't really happen until after episode 30. So it just depends on what you're looking for.

If you're enjoying it so far, I'd say keep watching and then decide for yourself.