"Someone! Please help!"
"Fire! Fire!"
"Call the firemen!"
"Aahhh!"
Fire.
Everywhere.
Screams and shrieks could be heard from miles away. They tried to extinguish the fire but there was no avail. In a few hours, everything gradually quiet down.
Not because they were saved but because they died.
Not even a single soul breathed after.
Left the world with unfinished business.
*
"Johnny!", Mark yelled from the opposite end of the hallway and ran towards his friend.
"Why didn't you wait for me?", he frowned.
Johnny gave him an annoyed look,
"I didn't wait for you? Man! I waited for you for freaking 30 minutes!", Johnny yelled. "And Rose even passed by. She offered to walk with me to the bus stop but I declined because I want to wait for you!"
"Oh... Sorry", Mark clasped his hands together while grinning.
"Erghh! I should have followed Rose!", Johnny exclaimed as he walked out of the door.
*
"Hey... Why haven't we reach the bus stop yet?", Mark asked Johnny. He shrugged.
"It's like we are walking in circles", Johnny replied with a frown.
"It's foggy too but it feels hot. Don't you think, Johnny?", Mark gave Johnny a worried look.
"And I should have followed Rose", Johnny glared at Mark and walked faster.
"Hey! Wait up!", Mark chased after Johnny.
*
"It's so hot.. I'm burning right now", Mark complained as he wiped his sweat. "Look my hair is ruined", he whined, pointing his wet hair to Johnny.
"Huh? You think I'm not hot? I waited for you for 30 minutes. Freaking half an hour! And here I am hearing you complaining about your damn hair!", Johnny yelled at Mark's face.
He was about to continue when Mark cut him off.
"I should have followed Rose", he said mockingly. "Go on! Leave me alone!", Mark yelled, turning to the opposite direction. "I'll find my way to that damn bus stop alone."
*
"How could he say that to me. I stayed up late last night to prepare his birthday card", Mark mumbled to himself.
"And why am I walking in circles? The fog is getting thicker it's getting hotter and I can't see a damn thing!", Mark stomped his feet and throw his bag to the ground. He sat down but immediately got up because the ground was hot.
"What the hell?!", he yelled.
Suddenly he heard distinct yelling.
"Help!"
"Help!""Fire!""Somebody help!"
Mark was horrified.
"What? Where's the fire?", he looked around.
Then, he saw a glint of light.
Suddenly, fire came towards him.
Mark ran as fast as he could but he realized that the fire had surrounded him. He coughed as he had swallowed so much smoke.
"If there's fire. Where's Johnny? Where's my other friends? Where's my family?",
Out of nowhere, Johnny came out of the blazing fire, unharmed.
"Jo-Johnny? How come you're fine? There's fire. You came out of the fire", Mark pointed at Johnny, confused. He looked around and rubbed his eyes.
There's still fire. He even pinched himself.
"This is not a dream. How come you're fine?", Mark frowned. Soot covered his face and he coughed.
"I'm not fine, Mark", Johnny said sadly. Suddenly, he melted.
His clothes burned. His eyes flowed out of its socket. He turned into a skeleton.
"I'm dead, Mark. So are you", the skeleton said and melted.
"What?! No...no...no.. This is not happening. I can't be dead!", Marked screamed, holding his head. He crouched down. It's hot but he didn't care. Then, he remembered.
*
"Huh? It's 2 in the morning already?", Mark said as he glanced at his watch. "Hmmm... never mind. I'm done with Johnny's birthday card. I hope he likes it", he smiled to himself.
"Hey... Why do I smell smoke?", he sniffed around. To his horrors, he saw a wood caught on fire fell down from above.
"Fi... Fire!", he screamed and ran outside his room.
"Mom! Dad! You there?!", he screamed for his parents but there was no response. He panicked and ran outside. Luckily, the front door of his house hasn't caught fire yet. He ran to the corridor and saw a swaying Johnny.
"Johnny! Johnny!", Mark ran to him and held him by the shoulder. "We're going to be fine", Mark assured Johnny although the both of them were already coughing badly.
"Mark, we're going to die", Johnny said weakly.
"No! We're going to survive!", Mark pulled Johnny up on his feet.
However, fate was cruel. A big ply of wood fell on top of them. The wood was to heavy on their weak bodies, they couldn't move. Johnny had embraced his sad fate but Mark kept chanting that they will survive.
"We'll survive. I'm sure the firemen will be here soon. They'll save us", Mark said.
"Just accept it, Mark", Johnny replied weakly.
"No, we're still young! We can't die! Don't worry, after this ends. You'll court Rose and I'll help Ten to get Lisa. We just need to wait for them to save us", ย he convinced Johnny.
But Johnny just sighed and closed his eyes.
"Hey, Johnny! Wake up! Wake up!", Mark slapped his friend so he could stay conscious but there was no avail, Johnny was dead.
As for Mark, he struggled to stay awake and kept on chanting he'll survive until his last breath.
*
"Oh my God! I'm dead", Mark whispered to himself and looked blankly at his surrounding. Fire.
Just fire.
*
"Sh**! The car broke down!", Doyoung exclaimed.
"I think we should go out and find some help", Jaehyun suggested.
"But this is no where!", Doyoung protested.
"It's worth a try", Jaehyun smiled.
Doyoung sighed but followed him anyway. After a few minutes of walking, they saw an old building. Before the both of them could say anything, someone greeted them.
"Hey, need some help?"
They turned around.
"I'm Mark", the guy introduced himself.
"And this is Johnny", he pointed at the tall guy beside him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi again! *waves hand*
I posted again today... but this time itโs a horror oneshot. How is it? I hope you will like it! And I edited the picture on top too, I hope itโs okay hehehe... bye๐
ไฝ ย ni โ you
ๅฅฝ hao โ fine, good, well
ๆ wo โ I; me
ๆฏ shi โ to be
ไธ bu โ not; no
ไน ye โ also; too
ไบบren โ person; people
ๅข ne โ [question particle]
ๅ ma โ [question particle]
่ฏท qing โ please (polite form of request); to treat/invite someone
ๅซ jiao โ to be called
้ฎ wen โ to ask (a question)
่ดต gui โ honorable; expensive
ๅง xing โ surname
ๅฐๅง xiao jie โ miss; young lady
ไปไน shen me โ what
ๅๅญ ming zi โ name
ๅ ็ xian sheng โ mister, husband
ๅญฆ็ xue sheng โ student
่ๅธ lao shi - teacher
GOD I hate Shen Yurong. I mean the actor is doing incredibly - this is a really fucking hard role to play. But WANNING. Li Meng is killing this.
I honestly don't even think the show needed to show us her history in the flashbacks. The actress is already doing such a good job acting her history. And I'm dreading what's coming to her because she can't see it coming since she's so blinded by her desperation for Shen Yurong. And I think she'll die at that man's hands, which just feels tragic given what she's been through.
And although Shen Yurong is a monster of her own making, and while he is a victim and she is perpetuating the cycle of abuse, the fact of what he did to Xue Fangfei and what he is clearly getting ready to do to Wanning makes me believe he was always a hypocrite.
As a person, Wanning may have pushed him, but he did not have far to fall. What she did do, unfortunately, is teach him how to be conniving and get what he wants.
Shen Yurong was pressured into a difficult choice by Wanning, but he chose to be cowardly. Now he has the upper hand, and if he was only fighting for his freedom, I could root for him. But instead, he's fighting to climb higher and take back Xue Fangfei.
Wanning does deserve what's coming to her. She did abuse him and do countless terrible things.
Yet I pity her because of how well her actress is playing her โย someone driven to the edge of madness, who has lost all perspective and sense of morality, who is grasping at the last thing that can make her feel human - love.
And Shen Yurong, I despise, because of how his actor is playing him - someone who never took responsibility, nor felt true guilt, for his own actions because he always felt he was wronged by fate and the world.
my original posts: writing prompts/tips โ artists (not on tumblr) my reblogs: artists on tumblr โ writers on tumblr โ photographers on tumblr my main/writing blog: literaryvein (likes and follows from this account)
Compilations: Plot โ Character โ Worldbuilding โ For Poets โ Tips & Advice
(yes, this blog is an avalanche, so follow these instead if you want a more...calm posting schedule):
literaryvein-words - Word Lists
literaryvein-prompts - Writing Prompts
literaryvein-references - Writing Notes & References
literaryvein-templates - Writing Worksheets & Templates
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everything will still be posted on this blog first, then queued in the above sideblogs.
Writing Prompts: General Prompts โ Image Prompts โ Quote Prompts Writing Refresher: Basics. Grammar. And everything in between. Writing Resources: Word Lists โ Writing Notes โ Terminology โ Advice Writing Tips: Character Development โ World-building โ Dialogue โ Plot Recurring Themes: Greek Mythology โ Psychology โ Food Words: Commonly Confused & Other Words to Use โ "Beautiful" Words
My Photo: Artwork by Grace Cossington Smith My Header: From Persepolis (2007)
Writing Resources PDFs
Tom actually laughs, โYou didnโt like the singing butterflies?โ
Harry snorts, and smiles fondly at Tom. โI loved the singing butterflies.โ
- Full Circle (Ch. 9) by @tetsurashianโ
I had a lot of fun drawing this adorable scene. I highly recommend this fic if you need some lighthearted and funny Tomarry!
An imagine when Taeyong dared Doyoung to approach a girl and give her some free fast pass and food vouchers from the theme park but the someone came and Doyoung thought he was her boyfriend and got heartbroken.
*
"Go on, Dodo. You can do it", Taeyong whispered from behind him.
"Taeyong, I swear to God, I'll kill next time you force me to do something like this", he warned.
"Well, I'm not the one who lose the bet", Taeyong smirked. "Meet you at your home. Bye", he said as his friend got off from his car and walked towards the girl.
*
"Hey, guys-", her mouth hung widely as she looked at the vacant space infront of her.
"Yah... Did they really leave me? I just went to park the car for awhile", she said referring to her friends.
Scratching her head she dialed her friend's number but nobody out of her 5 friends answered.
"Aish! Jjinja?!"
"Where are they?!"
She yelled in frustration at the empty car park.
"Need some help?", a husky voice asked her.
She faced the owner of the voice.
A guy.
A tall, young and rugged man. His shirt hung from his broad shoulders perfectly. A warm smile plastered on his face.
"Urm..."
"I think you do. Come let me show you around."
He gestured her to follow him.
*
He showed her around the theme park but she didn't go on the rides. She wanted to look for her friends. Everywhere they went, she kept an eye for any of her friends.
She frowned all the way of the tour.
'Where are they?'
'What will they think if they see me with this stranger?'
It's not that she's not grateful, she was indeed very grateful of this miracle. It's not everyday someone will lend you a helping hand. Moreover, a stranger.
But she's afraid of what her friends would think. No, more like she didn't want to get teased.
"I haven't introduce myself. I'm Doyoung. And you?", his question brought her back to reality.
"Huh?"
"Your name?", he asked again.
"Oh... I'm Jina", she answered.
Then, her eyes caught a glipse of her friend. Minji.
"Well, you look distracted. Are you okay?", his eyebrows formed a concerned frown.
"Actually, I'm looking for my friends. It's not like I'm not grateful for your help but I need to go", she said and quickly ran to Minji.
"Thank you!", she managed to shout as she ran while waving her hand.
*
"Hey, I think we left someone behind", Hayeon said.
"Right...", Chaemi nodded.
"Wait. Where's Jina?", Sori asked.
"Right... We left Jina at the car park", Aeri said.
"Hey, guys. I got a missed call from Jina", Minji said.
"Ppali, guys. Look out for Jina while we walk around", Hayeon said.
*
"Guys, isn't that Jina?", Sori pointed at the merry-go-round.
"Yes. It's her", Aeri said.
"Who's that next to her?", Chaemi asked, pointing to Doyoung.
*
"There you are", Jina said as she catched her breathe.
"I've been searching everywhere for you guys", she panted.
"Searching for us or going on a blind date?", Hayeon teased.
"Eh? No!!! Aish! You guys left me and accused me going on a date?! Ai! You are so mean!", she yelled.
"I'm just kidding, Jina-ya", Hayeon grinned, patting Jina's shoulder.
Jina pouted.
"Come on. Have you guys go on the rides? Cause I haven't", Jina linked her hands with Hayeon and walked towards the rides.
The others followed suit, grinning as they did. Feeling grateful because they had found their dear friend.
*
"That ride was NASTY!", Chaemi yelled the last word, referring to the rollercoster.
"I want to puke already", Aeri put a hand across her mouth.
"You weak ass bitches, look at me. Strong and steady", Sori smirked.
"Wait till we get to the haunted house", Hayeon deadpanned.
Sori rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue at Hayeon.
"I'm not scared."
Then, they heard someone coughed from behind them.
They turned around and saw Doyoung.
"Hi", he waved.
"I'm Doyoung", he introduced himself.
"Ohh~ You're that guy with Jina,right?", Chaemi asked.
"Yeah... She looks like she was lost so I showed her around", he explained. "No harm intended", he raised his both of his hands in a surrender motion.
"Thank you for taking care of our friend", Hayeon thanked him. Her eyes scanned him from top to toe.
She was wary of this stranger. Her instinct told her not to trust him.
As for Doyoung, he had been searching high and low for Jina since the latter left him a few hours ago. He still hadn't settle the bet - but actually it was more than that.
That Jina girl, caught his attention.
Although her indifference towards him, kind off irked him but he knew, she's just worried about being alone in a foreign place.
The way her eyes wandered around the compound made him wondered what she was searching for. Her small frown looked disturbing but cute at the same time.
God, Taeyong must say that he's crazy if he told him that but imagining if he could wipe away the frown and replace it with a smile made his heart skipped a beat.
What does that girl had that made him so crazy right now? He didn't believe in love at first sight but that Jina girl changed it all.
Suddenly, someone greeted them.
"Jina. Is that you?"
"Oh... Hi, girls", the same person said again.
"Jae... Jaehyun. Hi", Jina awkwardly waved at him.
"Didn't saw this coming. I must be lucky to bump into you today", he said with a grin.
"Don't be silly", Jina replied. Her face was red as a tomato and her eyes wandered everywhere except Jaehyun's face.
"Ai~ Did you plan this or something. I smell something fishy here", Minji teased them.
"Eh? Jina didn't tell you guys? We're going on a date. Sorry, I'm late, Ji", he winked at her.
She looked else where, her face turned redder. Her friends laughed at her and continued to tease them.
Doyoung's expression turned gloomy.
'So she already have a boyfriend.'
"Erm... actually, I just want to give you guys this", he handed Hayeon some tickets.
Hayeon cautiously took them.
"Goodbye", he said and walked away.
Everyone didn't notice Doyoung left except for Hayeon. They seemed to be absorbed in teasing Jina and Jaehyun. Jina's face was as red as a beetroot while Jaehyun grinned like a mad man.
"So why are you actually here, Jung Jaehyun?", Aeri asked. "Waiting for your girlfriend?"
"Yeah. I came here a bit earlier than her. Last time I made a big mistake of arriving late", he answered.
"What if she saw you flirting with Jina?", Sori asked.
Jaehyun chuckled.
"She knows about us."
"Come on, Jina is fine with it, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks for giving me fake hope", Jina made a face.
"Jina, don't be salty. Aren't you happy seeing me again?", he teased her.
"No but I think you'll be happy seeing her", she pointed at his girlfriend.
"Oppa!", Jaehyun's girlfriend ran to him, giving him a big hug.
"Jinri", he hugged her back.
"Eww... cringe", Hayeon faked a gag.
The couple laughed.
"Annyeonghaseyo, eonnie", Jinri greeted the girls.
They waved at her.
"Now, shoo. We single girls want our bonding time together. Couples are not allowed", Minji said, gesturing the couple away in a playful manner.
Again, they laughed.
"Have a good day", Jinri wished them as Jaehyun lead her away. The older girls nodded and waved them goodbye.
"Now... Lets eat", Chaemi said. Marching to the nearest restaurant.
"But first, where's Doyoung?", Jina asked.
"Aww... Already missing you prince charming?", Sori asked.
Jina rolled her eyes. "He was here a second ago", she said, ignoring Sori's tease.
"He left already but he gave us this", Hayeon showed them the tickets.
"Wah! Free fast pass and food vouchers!", Aeri grabbed the tickets.
"What a day! Lets enjoy!", Chaemi pumped her fist to the air.
"Why do I have you as friends?", Minji massaged her temple, distancing herself from her two child-like friends.
"Stop acting weird guys. Lets go", Jina said.
A part of her still worried about Doyoung but then he's just a Good Samaritan so she shrugged off the thought and enjoyed the day with her friends.
*
"How's today?", Taeyong asked him as he entered his room.
"The cute girl already have a boyfriend", Doyoung sighed.
"The girl I dared you to approach?", Taeyong asked.
Doyoung nodded.
"It's a shame. She's cute", Taeyong said. "She might make a good girlfriend."
Doyoung shooked his head and grabbed a console.
"Lets play some games, Taeyong", Doyoung said, switching on the TV.
"Whatever make my friend happy at this moment", Taeyong said, jumping off his bed and sat next to Doyoung on the couch.
*
Hi there!
This is my first time posting on tumblr. Actually, I posted this oneshot on nct amino and wattpad. I hope you like it! โค๐
qjj volume 4 cover reveal โก
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐๐ฅ (2024)
Because why not. These are ordered in terms of being my favorite as opposed to pure quality - if I was trying to be objective, it would probably be rearranged, but I like being petty and subjective.
You will notice that literally every drama on this list is a period drama. Much as I adore period cdramas, contemporary ones rarely work for me.ย ย
20. Princess Agents (tie)
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll6x8zf2CnQ
Our heroine is a slave in a brutal society who becomes a feared general, fighting for freedom and love of a Yan prince. But her heart might actually lie with a seemingly cold adversary who is madly in love with her (I shipped them so hard!) I was one of five people who loved the infamous cliffhanger ending because it made a brutal kind of sense (You can read the novel if you want a different resolution.)
20. Tribes and Empires (tie)
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyRsPAGUz-Q
This one has a hell of an open ending, but itโs so gorgeous and epic, I donโt even care. Set in a fantasy empire, it follows three men - a half-human prince, a cursed son of a general, and an orphaned leader of a barbarian tribe. A feast for the eyes.
19. Ice Fantasy
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C05lhfrWgQg
A visually stunning high fantasy with elves, quests, a shockingly wonderful hero, brotherly love, toughest lady general ever as OTP and basically everything I like.
18. The General and I
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XDR17kwXYM
The lengthy OTP separation brings its place in this list down, but otherwise a gorgeous romance between two enemies - a general and a female strategist, is a total swoon and so intense.ย
17. Three Kingdoms 2010
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3RVpdYDpYA
This one is a magnum opus of 100 episodes, with a tour de force performance by Chen Jian Bin as Cao Cao. Battles, politics, and even though itโs very secondary, one of my favorite love stories in cdramas. This one is if you want to use your brain as well as your heart.
16. Colourful Boneย
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4O5yb3VBh4
It probably doesnโt deserve to be this high on the list but it hits all my narrative and shippy kinks with a common-sense heroine taking in an abused and mistreated death machine and teaching him to be human. Mmmm.
15. Young Warriorsย
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BO83qvKaoSM
What do you get when you have seven awesome heroic brothers, a star-studded cast, tragic stories about heroism and love and just amazingness? You get this drama.ย
14. Strange Hero Yi Zi Mei
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFVDAuFOyWE
Band of misfits fight corruption and uncover mysteries. This one is the most underrated drama on my list. Also, Wallace Huo has never been hotter in his life and that is saying something.
13. The Battle of Changshaย
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbgFMaUfpnE
By the same people who wrote Minglan, this follows a family in 1930s China and is a quiet, devastating masterpiece.
12. Prince of Lan Ling
MV (warning - spoilery):ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jUVGP0HETo
Heโs the consummate battle god. She is a mystical shaman. He is fated to be with someone else per prophecy but he doesnโt care and chooses her. True love, politics, battles, jealousy, amazingness, tragedy. I love them so.ย
11. Gong/Jade Palace Lock Heart
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVFPVkHaweo
This is Boys over Flowers goes Qing (where Domyojiโs behavior finally makes sense since heโs a literal prince and Rui likes to kill people.) This is such a amazing good fun, about a modern woman time traveling to the time of the fight for the throne between Kangxiโs sons. She thinks she likes the seemingly gentle Four but ends up with hot-blooded, awesome Eight. She herself is tough as all get out and this is pure deliciousness from beginning to end. Yang Mi and Feng Shao Feng had such amazing chemistry, people RPShipped them for years.ย
10. Return of the Condor Heroes 2006
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXsBqVYp0I
My first cdrama ever, and what a gorgeous one it was. Thatโs what got me into cdramas. The childhood eps are pretty awful but after that, itโs pure shippy perfection with an incredible OTP. If you want to be in a constant romantic swoon, in that story of female master and her male disciple and their forbidden love, this one is for you.
9. Eternal Love/Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9-ry-W4Crg
Fated immortal lovers, reincarnations, the whole enchilada. Yang Mi and Mark Chao have insane chemistry that burns up the screen. The first few eps are slow, but it makes up for it afterwards.
8. Legend of Fuyao
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkMX1d0v7t0
A twisty epic romance with a super-powered heroine who is plain awesome and may destroy the world, and a smart, ruthless prince whoโs only soft for her. I love it so much!
7. Legend of Condor Heroes 2008
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2fea109_qM
Plot twists, good guy hero with a mega smart OTP, tragic anti-hero who becomes a villain for a while with an amazing OTP, bromance, fights, everything. I just adore this one.ย
6. Bu Bu Jing Xin/Startling By Each Step
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9B3Rddrqt0
The one that started the time-travel craze (well, that and Gong), about a modern woman who time travels to the time of Emperor Kangxiโs sonsโ fight for the throne, this is a gorgeously filmed tragic love story, with one of the most perfectly brutal endings out there. I adore it.
5. Nirvana in Fire
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4wps7SK9xo
This is a smart story about politics and revenge, where a survivor of a wrongly destroyed family comes to get justice. Seemingly laid back until it explodes. Not much romance but it doesnโt even need it.ย
4. Rise of the Phoenixesย
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BUvMKSj4E
Like the dramas to destroy you? Come right in. A story about a disfavored prince and a lost daughter of a previous dynasty, this is smart, gorgeous, and is going to wreck you.
3. Ever Night (s1)
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x99seU5qJuc
I have talked enough about it recently so I wonโt say much more, but if you want epic, movie-like quality, characters you will love, amazing battles and cinematography, complicated world-building and an OTP to die for, come right in.
2. The Mythย
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rfyfKM_Ww0
For the longest time, this was my favorite cdrama, to be replaced only by Minglan. It starts out funny and ends up tearing out your heart. This is the only time in my drama watching experience I cried so hard I threw up. The story is about two accidental time-travelers - a photographer and a cook - who end up in Qin Dynasty China. And from then on itโs about how that cruel, horrifying world takes two perfectly normal men and by wracking their very souls turns one into a hero and the other into a monster. To me, this is Hu Geโs best performance and as you see his protagonist desperately try to hold on to his humanity and his love in a world that is doing its best to destroy it, I dare you not to cry like a baby. His character is my ultimate cdrama crush.ย ย
1. The Story of Minglan
MV:ย https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA7m2QktiUk
Aaaaaand, my n1. cdrama is the amazing, too short at 73 eps, The Story of Minglan. It is very hard to describe the plot of this - a sort of Elizabeth Gaskell meets period China. It follows three interconnected upper-class families, but more specifically, it is about Shen Minglan, a concubine-born daughter of a minister and Gu Tingye, the oldest, legitimate, and hated by his family son of a Marquess. Their narratives run largely parallel for the first half of the story and such is the genius of this drama that I, the ultimate romance junkie, did not mind that. Minglan is a rarity in dramaworld - she is fiercely smart, very collected and emotionally detached. Life in the troubled Shen household taught her to survive and to hide her feelings and talents. Tingye is a big cdrama love. Abused and reviled by his household where he can do no right (the Marquess hated having to marry his merchant mother for money and has displaced that hate on her son), Tingye manages to keep his warm heart but acquires the ability to go his own way. Both of the protagonists are wonderful and smart and magnetic and rootable for separately, but when they get together, the sparks go off the charts and they become my n1 cdrama OTP of all time. A lot of the story is about family battles, womenโs world dilemmas and relationship (of all sorts) interactions. There is also politics and battles, but the true charm of this drama are the mundane details of the world and the fully-fleshed out people who inhabit it. If you watch only one cdrama in your life, make it this one.ย ย ย
today weโve lost a woman, an icon, ive looked up to for years
i sincerely hope she finds peace in her next life