Let’s talk about… the drama that shan’t be named

Let’s set aside the real life drama so I can spazz for a moment, because despite all, I had always loved this story and the drama is miraculously everything I wanted from an adaptation. I was starting to wonder if Gu Man is the only writer who gets faithful adaptations before this one came along. They kept most of the source material (for whatever that’s worth) and added even more goodies that I’m left flailing every time.

13 episodes in and I finally get my OTP fix~~

The drama is told chronologically so we’re now at the mortal portion told in YH’s bonus story. And it’s even cuter than in the book. This is where BQ (as SS) saves the dwarf dragon form of YH and sleeps with it at night to keep it warm. And YH hilariously loves it despite his fussy protests.

The drama script also adds this part, and I love all the extra dialogues because they’re pretty funny.

So of course the dragon flies back to Heaven and seeks dating advice from his third uncle.

And he shows up at her house all bloodied up so that she would feel sorry for him. But upon seeing how much she is crying over his injuries, he heals himself and proceeds to put on the greatest act of all time.

OTP gazes you guys. Kill me now.

And then he writes his name on her hand so she would know how the characters are written. I just about die from all the dripping honey in this episode.

And can we talk about how insanely adorable FJ is? Who can say no to this face? Well, DH for now. But he’ll grovel soon muahahaha.

Her bff SM is LOVE too! I’m a little sad that he seems close to Dijun but Liansong so far isn’t?

I surprisingly even like LJ. Zhang Binbin makes him way more sympathetic than I would’ve thought of him in the book.

And his sister Princess Yanzhi who was just a super minor character mentioned a few times got to be so bad ass in the drama. Yay for bad ass women. But she has the saddest eyes and I have a bad feeling she won’t get a happy ending (trailer, I hope you’re misleading).

I think by this time every one who’s who has made their appearances (except for the little dough who isn’t born yet). They morphed Zhihe and YH’s distant cousin Zhiyue into one character. She’s exactly the spoiled brat I imagined her to be. Poor FJ will have a lot to put up with.

As far as performances, I adore this entire cast. Yang Mi does well when she’s mischievous and innocent/daft, less so in emotional scenes if I want to be picky. I’ve heard complaints that she isn’t “ethereal” enough to be a goddess. I dunno, but I never read BQ to be ethereal and unworldly. She’s beautiful, but she is the type to humble brag, judge other people, and hang onto revenge. Not repulsively so, but enough so. Yang Mi’s casting as BQ is more suitable IMO than Liu Yifei. Her drama-other-half Mark Chao is basically my hero, even with the Snape cape. He’s restrained and subtle, and my kind of handsome 😀 The two have great chemistry that makes me look forward to more.

Dilraba is zomg the cutest thing in all the lands. She gets a pass to everything as far as I’m concerned. Vengo is already displaying 变态 biantai tendency which is exactly what you want from the old emperor. These two also have good chemistry. Can’t wait for the lofty emperor to fall for a baby fox.

The only weak links in the cast are BQ’s 4th ge and the 2nd Heavenly Prince. Alan’s just not at the same caliber as the rest. He feels like a young and awkward child amongst adults. As for the 2nd prince, he may be the handsomer but the 3rd prince LS is by far the better actor. Which is just as well, since banishment to the North Sea is tantamount to shortened screen time in a character’s fate anyhow.

Will continue to watch with caution (because the drama gods are capricious) but so far so good.