This show is a rather typical fall-into-novel drama where the FL ends up somehow in her own novel, in which she then goes on to disrupt the story and "steal" the ML away from the original FL in the novel. TLDR: what I appreciated most about this show was the lighthearted tone despite the heavy plot (at times - for a historical drama, the plot was relatively tame tbh, only gets intense at times) and it is absolutely HILARIOUS (moreso if you can understand Mandarin, there are a few good puns and expressions that get lost in translation) - I did not expect to laugh out loud this much when I first started this show. I also really liked how short this show is - nothing is too dragged out and everything progresses at a good pace. It's perfect for a cute rom-com and a good laugh or as a palette cleanser. I watched this after wallowing in post-drama depression following my watch of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy and The Story of Pearl Girl LOL and I might be slightly biased because I watched this purely for Ding Yuxi and Zhao Lusi, not for the plot or anything else, yet I ended up loving this show a lot more than I expected to. It made me laugh, cry, and scream at my screen. I honestly really recommend this drama if you're a fan of either (or better yet, both) of the main leads (DYX or ZLS) because they both killed their roles.

The main leads have good chemistry - not INSANE chemistry, and I don't personally think that this pairing is either of their most electric ones (for example, I personally think Ding Yuxi has the best chemistry with Esther Yu), but they do have really good chemistry and their relationship is very heartwarming and easy to follow and fall in love with. I really enjoyed watching all their interactions and I really adore their relationship and how it was developed. Watching them fall in love with each other was super satisfying and squeal-worthy and they're now one of my favourite drama couples - it's just so easy and so playful and so pure (yes, despite [SPOILER] the vaguely glossed over bed scene in ep21, their relationship still feels pure to me because of how tender their love is and how they show these sweet, innocent, butterfly-inducing moments). I LOVED watching her slowly thaw his heart and Ding Yuxi did great in mastering the duality of Han Shuo (ML) as a brutal and unforgiving warrior/prince and at the same time as a golden retriever boy gone for Qian Qian (FL), vying for her love and attention. In some way, he reminded me of his role in Moonlight when he [SPOILER] got jealous watching Qian Qian interact with the 2nd ML LOL. I also really liked watching Qian Qian slowly realise her feelings for Han Shuo, and what struck my heart the most was [SPOILER] when she decided to stay in this world and not return to the present because she loved him more than her original world - she wanted to stay for him. And in the same way, he [SPOILER] wanted her to go back to her own world when he realised in ep24 that he didn’t have long to live and didn’t wish to entrap her for his sake. (Yes, I cried when this happened.)

[SPOILER] I did however DESPISE the angst in ep18-20, I can on some level understand why she did what she did but it was just so cruel and stupid and I cried a lot and I really think it was angst for the sake of angst/to drive the novel's plot forward using the divide between the leads - there were BETTER ways to achieve what the FL was trying to do and I was so frustrated the entire time. And when the ML "got her back" I was just depressed and angry the entire time, especially [SPOILER] the attempted r*pe scene in which he tried to force himself on her (but stopped when he saw her tears). I know it's "in character" for him as the FL wrote his character to be ruthless and half-evil, but I think as the show progressed we saw that after he fell for Qian Qian he was no longer the cruel, ruthless man he used to be, and for me it felt like a very OOC moment for him. Though I can also understand that it could be interpreted that the intense heartbreak and betrayal he went through on her account could have forced him into this way of behaviour, and I did appreciate that he stopped at the sight of her terrified tears - DYX nailed the look of sudden shock, it felt as if he was operating on pure vengeance and anger and was suddenly jarred out of it at the sight of her crying because of his actions towards her. I also appreciated how the show captured moments of his "weakness" and his concern for her despite his anger and heartbreak - for example how worried he was after [SPOILER] he realised she hurt her hand while ironing his clothes. So in summary, yes I hated the angst, but I do appreciate that it was not dragged out further than it had to be and that she realised she did not have to push him away. It was tough pushing through these 3 episodes (maybe 4 if you count the first half of ep21) but it really did make the last few episodes sweeter and cemented their love to be stronger than ever - undeniable, for sure.

Overall, despite the angst from ep18-20, I think they have a great relationship that is fleshed out well and I respect the mutual love they share, against all odds. If you’re looking for pure fluff, ep16 is by far the fluffiest one - right after they both confirm their love for each other and are officially together (which is ironic considering they’re married the entire time LOL).

I also really like how clearly it was made that [SPOILER] the FL was not from the ML's world, and that she let him in entirely on this fact too. This is a first (from what I’ve seen at least) for these fall-into-novel or time-travel shows. I really liked that he was entirely aware of her being from another world and yet still choosing to stay for him - it made their relationship feel more authentic and genuine, giving it another layer of depth and sincerity that made me believe more firmly in their unwavering love. Another thing I really liked was that the FL didn’t lose her memories [SPOILER for Love Game in Eastern Fantasy] of the modern world like the FLs in other shows (cough, LGIEF...) and was constantly able to use her knowledge of the novel and its characters to her benefit. There are some minor plot holes here though, where the FL is unaware of something, which doesn’t make much sense because she literally created the world and the characters, though it could have been the show's attempt to push the idea that the characters are not 2D and flat and merely puppets in the novel world; they are instead, very real human beings with their own stories, backgrounds, families, and feelings. However, while I do acknowledge the attempt and the sentiment, I think it could’ve been made more explicit because it can come across as a plot hole where the FL doesn’t seem to be fully aware of the world and the characters SHE created.

I also found it quite refreshing how we were able to see the villain's villain arc, and watch the tragic transformation of her falling into the abyss of darkness and wrongdoing. I definitely was able to sympathise with her in the first half of the show, but after that I started to thoroughly despise her and her cruel actions, which was a job well done on the directors' (as well as the actress and the scriptwriters) part. I will say that I for one HATE love triangles, so I was pretty annoyed with the 2nd ML throughout the show, but he is a good person who I can say does love Qian Qian genuinely and always does whatever he is able to in order to help/save her - and she has been saved by him many times. However, on a personal level, I just was not able to like him because I really hate love triangles LOL.

As for the ending, I honestly loved it. [SPOILER] I really like that there was a proper reunion AND an explanation that reassures the viewers that yes, the ML is Han Shuo and the FL is (as we already know) Qian Qian, and they are truly able to be together happily in real life, and that everything they went through together was real. I know a lot of people think the whole "it was just a dream" ending was complete BS, and I can understand why, but to me even though it WAS a dream for both of them, they still have their memories of what they experienced together completely intact and remember how they felt for each other in the novel world. Even though they fell into the novel via the means of a dream, to me they are still the same people - Han Shuo is Actor Han, and Qian Qian is Xiao Qian. They are real, and they are finally together. That’s the best ending for me!

The music is rather forgettable and cannot be compared to the osts of other historical dramas with an excellent tracklist, but I do think it’s apt and manages to set the mood quite well. Nothing to loop or listen to outside of the show, but it wasn’t bad either.

Also - I LOVED the bromance between the ML and FL's servants LOL. And the scenes with the FL and the 3 storytellers with her using the fruits to represent her and her characters when seeking advice from them is just so creative and amusing and also makes complete sense in relation to her situation as a writer stuck in her own novel trying to push the plot forward, ensure her character continues living, as well as ensure the other characters' well-being.

Overall, I definitely recommend this show if you’re a fan of either of the leads, or if you like the plot of falling into novels and time-travelling etc (i.e if you enjoyed Love Game in Eastern Fantasy or Scarlet Heart like I did, you’ll enjoy this one too). It’s quite a refreshing watch and the leads are definitely worth watching for their chemistry and relationship progression. I really loved this drama and I would definitely rewatch this when I need a laugh - if not, just purely rewatching for the leads' relationship is enough for me too!

For a similar show, watch Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (Ding Yuxi as the ML too). I loved DYX in LGIEF (and Moonlight is worth a watch after watching LGIEF too, for him and Esther's first collaboration). As for Zhao Lusi, I loved her in Hidden Love, but if you’re looking for historical shows, she did amazing in The Story of Pearl Girl and Who Rules the World too - though I’d say most if not all of her shows are worth a watch (and the same goes for Ding Yuxi!).

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For Wattpad lovers looking for a cliche old-school type of entertainment

I'm gonna be honest, just like everyone else, I watched this purely for the pairing of Dylan and Bailu - which did not disappoint. The most poignant strength of this show was the chemistry between the leads, and even the 2nd and 3rd pairings too. This show had almost 0 plot, and whatever plot was going on with the work stuff was more boring than watching paint dry. There were definitely funny moments, and I quite enjoyed the interactions between the pairings. Some satisfying moments, but this really is just for Wattpad lovers. Most, if not all, of the moments in this show was super cliched and old-school and doesn't at all feel like it's a drama released in 2023. So if you're looking for a good plot, this show is not for you. If you're looking for anything new and refreshing, this show is not for you. If you're looking for a very respectable and clear display of "true love", this show is not for you.

But if you're looking for a good palette cleanser, a cute workplace romance, or simply just a chance to stare at Dylan and Bailu's insane face cards, this show is for you!!! Despite my objective rating, I honestly quite enjoyed watching this show. It was super brainless and nonsensical and so absurd that I'd burst into laughter out of disbelief, but it was still an enjoyable watch. I liked the chemistry between Dylan and Bailu, and one thing the show did RIGHT was the kiss scenes - I replayed them many times and had to hide my face behind my hands sometimes because damn both of them can KISS. Those were 100% done excellent, absolutely 0 fish kisses or one party not reciprocating. Some moments, though old-school and perhaps cringey to some, made me giggle and kick my feet in spite of the cliched-ness of it all - but I'm also someone who enjoys this as a guilty pleasure LOL. So if you're looking for good chemistry between the leads (and the side pairings too), this is for you.

In all honesty, I skipped all of the plot stuff on the ml's part (aka all his work meetings and discussions) because I did not gaf. This show has a LOT of pairings though - there’s a total of 5 including the leads. I really enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd pairings (aka Shi Yue and Yu You; Shan Shan and Guan Ji), and if I'm being honest I loved Shi Yue and Yu You's moments more than the main leads towards the end (from about ep28 onwards)... the tropes are kind of mildly toxic? Because (spoiler) Shi Yue is basically just borderline harassing Yu You in the beginning and the relationship progression is not well fleshed-out, he just went from rejecting her advances over and over again to being super concerned about her and suddenly liking her. So it doesn't make any sense, but I was willing to look over that because they're just so so cute together. I really loved them both together and I want to see them in another pairing together as main leads because the chemistry is there!! As for Shan Shan and Guan Ji, I thought their trope was quite refreshing with both of them being players, but I was not a big fan of the constant push-pull, it felt repetitive and boring, but I will admit that they were very cute once they got together (esp with how clingy they both became, it was such a 180 from their previous relationship and it was amusing and adorable). 4th and 5th pairings were barely given screen time but mentioned in passing, had a few cute scenes together though I don’t see what value they added to the show LOL, probably just to max out the number of CPs they could milk out of the show?

There’s not much to say about music and styling, they weren’t worth mentioning much but they weren’t terrible. Music was typical of a modern workplace romance drama but styling fell flat, the only thing carrying the visuals was Dylan and Bailu's lethal face cards. (And for personal preference... Dylan looks way better without the glasses he always wears in the show - but he's still fine no matter what HAHA) I REALLY loved Shi Yue's styling and makeup and hair - exceeded Bailu's styling by an insane amount. Also Dylan had like 3 outfits at most - always suits, though he absolutely rocks them so no complaints really, but personally I would’ve loved to see him in a casual at-home outfit (aside from the apron) more often, I think we only got to see that once or twice?

SPOILERS! The breakup was soooo dragged out that it got really infuriating, it lasted from ep27 to ep31 which was just so entirely unnecessary, the miscommunication trope never miscommunicated like THIS before and I was ready to tear my hair out and punch the screen. It could’ve (and SHOULD’VE) been solved in ep29, when she got drunk and he sent her home. Also fl pissed me off so bad when the entire thing was just HER FAULT and when shit hit the fan she just backed away like a coward and stopped trying to explain things to him and instead threw an entire pity party for herself, and the ml was just constantly having to be there for her when she got drunk, got sick etc. Even in ep31 when they got back together she barely apologised or explained enough for me - in that moment I truly felt that the ml was way too good for her. It's a good thing I don’t care that much about their relationship in detail and just watched without a deep connection to them to enjoy their interactions and cute moments, so it didn’t bother me as much since I didn’t care. But there’s definitely a lot wrong with this show in terms of cultivating a healthy relationship. I also feel like their relationship progressed really quickly and it felt unnatural? In some way? So definitely don’t watch this show too seriously, it's a great show for a cute brainless palette cleanser but it doesn’t in any way, even remotely, show what a healthy love should be - their love did NOT even come close to touching my heart, I didn’t feel like they were truly IN LOVE (because the progression wasn’t done well enough, I didn’t feel like they’d have good reasons to be this in love with each other). I won’t bring up other shows in this review, but there’s definitely other shows out there in which the relationship progression is done so well that you feel yourself falling in love with the ml as the fl and the fl as the ml, and thus their love makes sense to you. So if you’re looking for LOVE like in Disney films, this is not for you.

Overall, though my review was mostly negative, I did enjoy this watch, especially the second half of the show (probably ep20 onwards). I didn’t go into this show with many expectations at all because I’ve seen the bad reviews, but I WILL watch ANY show for Dylan (and Bailu is an incredible bonus). The acting wasn’t incredible at all but both Dylan and Bailu are excellent actors without a doubt - this show, however, is not their best work by far because the plot and characterisation didn’t give them much room to show off their abilities, only their face cards. Nonetheless, it’s a decent entertaining watch, and my personal rating of this would be 7/10. Rewatch factor is solely for moments when you’re craving a brainless Wattpad watch again, as I do sometimes LOL. I do hope they’ll be paired in another show together (historical!!!! xianxia!!!) because their chemistry felt like wasted potential in this plotless show... would LOVE to see them in a xianxia drama together because I personally believe that that’s their strength, they shine more in historical shows.

To fully appreciate Dylan's acting skills, watch Love Between Fairy and Devil - that’s his BEST work to date by far, with the styling and micro-expressions... he outdid himself and I am in LOVE. Will write a review on that show too, it’s my favourite and my #1 forever. For Bailu, do watch One and Only, and Till the End of the Moon.

All in all, worth the watch if you go into this with no proper expectations and just want to have a good time staring at the eye candy cast LOL. Bonus points for the 10/10 makeout scenes.

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