liddi

@SilverMoonTea Yes. The starry-eyed female lead drove me nuts, and exactly as you said, Mo Qingcheng was just too perfect that my eyes were in danger of rolling to the back of my head and getting stuck there. It was a real shame because the voice acting and singing premise was one that I was really interested in and would have really enjoyed. As it is, I can't comment more on the drama since I did not continue and only watched snippets here and there for when the OSTs are featured. You know, I was waiting for the episode where the historical scenes from 与君归 MV would finally air, so it was a massive disappointment when I was told by those who did finish the drama that those scenes never made it to the drama proper, and were only featured in the MV. Argh! It is interesting to note that TJC joined the LMLMV production very soon after filming LYF and he mentioned in an LMLMV interview that during the early part of filming, the director sought him out and asked why he gave off the impression of being in a very tragic love despite filming a sweet romance, and he explained to the interviewer that at the time, he was not yet able to move on from his previous role (Xiang Liu). However, at last he slowly adjusted himself and finally realised that when filming a sweet drama was like [surrounded by] pink bubbles every day.

Oh dear! I thought LMLMV would be the healing drama I needed after LYF S1 back in 2023 but who knew I could not survive past Ep1 even for TJC showcasing his brilliance in singing and voice acting on top of everything else! I fared much better with Go East, and of course Under the Skin S2 kept me drawn in these past few weeks. That being said, I love most of the OSTs for LMLMV, especially 萬骨催沙 Tens of thousands of Bones Shifting the Sand, the lyrics of which are so apt of Xiang Liu (which of course, does not help me to move on):

Please don't apologise. I never left to begin with! Thank you for being kind with my ramblings! In the novel, we know clearly that he gave one life to save her during the 37 years under the ocean. He used another of his lives to lure the Lovers bugs into himself and kill them. In the drama, his lives are represented by the number of heads in his true form. He gave one to save her during the 37 years. He then sacrificed two more when he killed the Lovers bugs. Hence, when he saved Jing from being eaten by sea beasts, the beast mocked that he was merely a filthy, crippled six-headed insignificant demon. And, during the final battle, there were only 6 heads left in his true form. Are you referring to the time at the gambling den when Xiao Yao recognised him even though he transformed into another face? He truly dyed his hair during the 400 years that he was Fangfeng Bei, because it was a habit from when he first took on that identity and he was afraid of making a mistake. However, after Fangfeng Bei died and he appeared at the gambling den, my guess is that it was probably a transformation since he had no more reason to try to be as exact as possible to how he appeared as Fangfeng Bei in the past. Remember how he transformed from his real, white-haired appearance into a veiled woman when he gave Wen Xiao Liu a ride on the boat back in S1? It was probably the same in this situation - a simple transformation with his own face when he dealt with Jing, then into various other faces when Xiao Yao stopped him before reverting back to his original face. And I will never not love his deadpan humour about his heads trying to eat one another LOL The title of the novel 长相思 literally means Everlasting Yearning. The author Tong Hua once said in her 2019 Sohu interview: The characters in this story have all experienced longing for someone they could not be with at certain stages in their lives - Tushan Jing, Xiang Liu, Xiao Yao, Xin Yue, A Nian have all experienced the bitterness of lovesickness, but in the end, the theme eternal yearning is addressed to the male protagonist Cang Xuan. -- Tong Hua, 2019 The three volumes have sub-titles: Vol 1 如初见 As When We First Met (associated with Cang Xuan) Vol 2 诉衷情 Love Confessed (associated with Jing) Vol 3 思无涯 Unending Yearning (associated with Xiang Liu) In the original 2013 publication, the cover of each volume had verses on the front and back as follows: Vol 1 如初见 As When We First Met (Lost You Forever) Front cover 生命是一场又一场的相遇和别离，是一次又一次的遺忘和开始。可总有些事，一旦发生 就留下印迹；总有个人，—旦来过， 就无法忘记。 Life is a series or encounters and partings; it is a series of forgetting and beginnings. However, there will always be some things which once happened, would leave behind a trace; there will always be someone, whom once encountered, can never be forgotten. Back cover 长相思，长相思。若问相思甚了期，除非相见时。长相思，长相思。欲把相思说似谁，浅情人不知。…… Everlasting yearning, everlasting yearning. If asked when the yearning will end, it will be until the time we meet. Everlasting yearning, everlasting yearning. Whom do you wish your yearning to be given to, The one whose love is weak will not know.... -- 晏几道 Yan Yi Dao, 《长相思·长相思》"Everlasting Longing" Vol 2 诉衷情 Love Confessed (Love You Forever) Front cover 相爱是两个人的天长地久，相思是一个人的地老天荒。 Loving each other means being everlasting and unchanging for two people. However, yearning is drawn out desolation for one person. Back cover 花似伊，柳似伊，花柳青春人别离，低头双泪垂。长江东，长江西，两岸鸳鸯两处飞，相逢知几时。…… The flowers resemble you, The willows resemble you, Parting when the flowers and willows are glorious in spring, Heads bowed while tears flowed. The east side of the Yangtze river, The west side on the Yangtze river, Mandarin ducks fly on both sides of the strait, When will we meet again.... -- 欧阳修 Ou Yang Xiu,《长相思·花似伊》"Everlasting Longing - The Flowers Resemble You" Vol 3 思无涯 Unending Yearning (Miss You Forever) Front cover 漫长的光阴里，你不会只走过一个人的生命，也不会只有一个人走过你的生命。缘来时，猝不及防；缘去时，无力阻止。唯一能做的就是，遇见时，紧握手中 珍惜；离别后，深藏心底 铭记。 Across this long stretch in time, you will not cross paths with just one person's life, nor will only one person cross paths with your life. When fate arrives, you are caught off guard; when fate departs, you are powerless to stop it. The only thing one can do is to hold on tightly and cherish it when you encounter it; and bury it deep inside the heart and enshrine it after you are parted. Back cover 一重山，两重山，山远天高烟水寒，相思枫叶丹。菊花开，菊花残，塞雁高飞人未还，一帘风月闲。 One mountain range, two mountain ranges, Faraway peaks against lofty skies and cold mists, Yearning like flaming maple leaves. Chrysanthemums bloom, Chrysanthemums wilt, The geese at the border have flown high but the person still has not returned, Only the wind and moon behind the curtain is carefree. -- 李煜 Li Yu, 《长相思·一重山》"Everlasting Longing, A Mountain Range" It is telling that the verses and volume title for Vol 3 Unending Yearning is consistent with Xiao Yao's yearning for Xiang Liu when she finally lost him for good, which she could only bury deep inside her heart. As a character, Xiang Liu has carved a indelible place in the heart of novel fans for almost 12 years, and remains there to this day. And now thanks to TJC, this character is brought to life, devastating a whole new wave of drama fans as well as breaking the hearts of original novel fans anew. There is no end to this vicious cycle.

@Chocolate Thank you very much for your kind words regarding my ramblings. If you had told me two years ago that one book, one drama would have had such a hold on my life for such a length of time, I would not have believed you. Yet here we are... Are you still stuck in Lost You Forever universe? Oh... @SilverMoonTea, Book 3 has Xiang Liu scenes that would make you fall deeper - the original scene of when Xiang Liu saw Xiao Yao at the old Lirong donkey meat seller's place after her true parentage was exposed, their time together after the second assassination attempt, their meeting after her learning the truth about the Lovers bug from the Shaman king in Bai Li, Xiang Liu after forcing her to give her blood at Gourd Lake after Feng Long's death, when he removed the Lovers bug once and for all, and the epilogue. Please listen to @Chocolate and read it! You won't regret it... I think...

I'm sorry that it was so verbose. The novel and drama occupied my life for the better part of 1.5 years and clearly has not let go yet even though I purposely stepped away in the past two months or so gah. I truly understand. The novel, and especially the epilogue devastated me the first time I read it, leaving me under such a cloud of sadness for a long time. And just when I thought I was finally over it, the drama happened, and TJC's impeccable performance brought Xiang Liu to life and shattered my heart anew. Even now, knowing the novel and drama so well, I still find myself tearing up every now and again with a particular scene or even just a phrase. I personally don't think so. The drama dilutes many YaoLiu scenes which explains this far better in the novel - but it was clear that even after that, Xiao Yao actively made overtures to Xiang Liu up to the gifting of the crystal globe, and he resolutely refused to respond to her each time, killing any hope of hers for a life with him. There are those with differing opinions, but for me, he always knew that one day, he would die along with his comrades - that was the best ending he had for himself as someone who carried the memories of all his comrades, alive and deceased in his heart, remembering each and everyone of them clearly. He himself said that it was better to die than to survive when the rest had died. From the very first, he was aware of her three unspoken wishes through her three have-nots: "I am merely an abandoned person, with no ability to protect myself, no one to rely on, no place to go." and once he fell in love with her, he was committed to changing her three have-nots to three haves. She once told him that if she could not find someone to be with her for life, even a short-term companionship was also acceptable. I believe that initially, he was open to a relationship with her in Qingshui Town when she was Wen Xiao Liu, even though he knew clearly that it would be a temporary one, and one day he would die before her. However, when she regained her identity as the eldest Haoling princess and granddaughter of the Xiyan king, he, like her, realised the impossibility of them being together. The moment Cang Xuan's identity was revealed, she realised that she was now caught in between their opposing stances. She would no longer help Xiang Liu kill Cang Xuan, but by the same token, she could not help Cang Xuan harm Xiang Liu either. She understood clearly Xiang Liu's unwavering loyalty to Hong Jiang and his comrades, but also Cang Xuan's stance against the enemy of Xiyan. Running away was her only recourse. If Cang Xuan had never shown up, I believe she would have remained in Qingshui Town and continued the relationship with Xiang Liu, no matter how short-lived it might have been. But because of Cang Xuan, that was no longer a viable option, and she knew that way before Xiang Liu realised her true identity. And yet, despite knowing the impossibility of the situation, the fact that she would later successfully plant the Lovers bug with Xiang Liu proved that she still could not control what was in her heart after all. Even her confessing that she was afraid to let him into her dreams because it was a fate more terrifying than death, was a tacit admission of her love, one she dared not allow herself to think of. What was even more telling was the timing in which she started making the crystal globe, which was after Cang Xuan ascended the throne. I believe that seeing him at last safe and secure on the throne, she felt that she could finally lay down her burden for him. He no longer needed her help - be it to protect him, or to win support for his cause. She began to allow her heart to consider what she truly wanted again, even though the situation remained impossible, both men still on diametrically opposing sides. We can see the overtures she kept making to Xiang Liu - the pointed questions she asked him at the gambling den and after leaving the old Lirong donkey meat seller's place. We see it in the crystal globe, with the mermaid seated in the seashell - his home - her hand outstretched to the merman, an appeal for him to take her away. That, more than anything else, tells me that she already knew he would never step into her world, and whatever life she might have with him, would only ever be short-lived, until such time when he died. Yet, she still sent the crystal globe, for once, summoning her courage to actively fight for a chance at a life she wanted with the man she loved, even if it meant being alone again at the end of it. Then came the seven days of waiting in vain outside Dragon Bone Prison in Haoling, aware that if Xiang Liu wanted to find her, he could easily do so here. In the drama, we see her waiting in red robes by the ocean for him - symbolically as his bride - and while he quietly responded in kind with his own red robes, he never once appeared to take her away. Despite the wedding announcement being made after the seven days, Xiao Yao must have continued to wait, but he still never responded. He could have come at any time during the two months leading up to the wedding, but he never once showed. Until the day of the wedding itself, when he gave his final answer to her appeal, and shut the doors irrevocably to any hope of them being together. And she might not have realised it at the time, but his very act of doing so also ensured that no man, no clan in the Great Wilderness would be willing to have her after this, unless it was a man who truly loved her, regardless. The last clue laid in the questions he asked her at Qingshui Town after taking her away from the wedding. Previously at the gambling den, when Fangfeng Bei asked her whom she loved, her answer was the person she wanted to spend her entire lifetime with. This would tie back to the 4th question he asked her in Qingshui Town which she refused to answer, indicating it was neither Ye Shi Qi nor Jing. The term 相伴一生 literally means "accompany for a lifetime". The keyword here is 一生 "a lifetime", or specifically her lifetime. The way I see it, his last question triggered her immensely because when she sent the crystal globe to him, accepting that he would still persist in his stance, she was resigned to the fact that if he agreed to take her hand, the life they shared would not last her lifetime. He had determined to fight, and she knew that one day he would die, and she would be alone once more. She was willing to settle for a companionship that was temporary, as long as he was willing to let her be a part of his life. As such, she refused to think of whom she wanted to spend the entirety of her own life with, because she wanted to spend her lifetime with him, but she knew it would never be possible. Xiang Liu himself understood too what her refusal to answer implied because it told him without question that the one she loved was Xiang Liu himself, hence his devastated look in the drama. Oh dear... I have rambled on again for which I apologise. He has not left yet in my case...

Actually, the reference to Chi Chen as 恶魔 in Lost You Forever does not literally mean he is of the demon tribe, but that he was an evil monster. In the prequel Once Promised, while never specifically stated, Chi Chen's origins was definitely not demon. There are theories that because he was the only one who could use the Pan Gu bow, he was actually a descendant of the Great Emperor Pan Gu who split the world in two and created the heavens and the earth. Unlike most other deities, he could harness all five elements, and because he lived for a long time in the wilderness, he could control all the animals, hence he was also referred to as King of Beasts. The Bai Li tribe which revered him as their god and protector, was at the outskirts of the Central Plains, but after the Flame Emperor of Shen Nong (Chenrong in the drama) took him in as his adoptive son, and his son treated Chi Chen like his own brother, Chi Chen swore loyalty to Shen Nong and through his leadership, commoners and those from the lowly class (Bai Li) rallied around him and served Shen Nong of the Central Plains because he represented their hope of making significant contributions, something that previously could not be achieved due to their lowly birth. Hence, Xiao Yao was a pure-blooded deity until Xiang Liu gave her his blood to save her. The lyrics of Chi Chen's love song to A Heng were directly from the novel. I truly loved Lost You Forever's version "Peach Blossom Blood" which was beautifully sung by TJC, and captured the passion of the lyrics, so reminiscent of Chi Chen and his bold, unabashedly passionate love for A Heng. There is a last verse in Once Promised, which in the drama Xiao Yao very astutely noted the absence of from what Xiang Liu sang to her. It would have been doubly poignant if he had sung that last verse, which pretty much reflects his fate as well as his love. 哦也罗依哟 请将我的眼剜去 让我血溅你衣 似枝头桃花 只要能令你眼中有我 哦也罗依哟 请将我的心挖去 让我血漫荒野 似山上桃花 只要能令你心中有我 兄弟们 我死后请将我埋在她的路旁 好让她无论去哪儿 都经过我的墓旁 O ye luo yi yo Please cut out my eyes So my blood splashes on your robes Like peach blossoms on the branches As long as I can exist in your eyes O ye luo yi yo Please take out my heart Let my blood spill in the wilderness Like peach blossoms on the mountains As long as I can exist in your heart My brothers When I die, please bury me by her roadside So that no matter where she goes She will pass by my grave Not quite. Chenrong Xinyue's family was related to but not direct descendants of the ruling royal family. The Seventh Flame Emperor's children - Yu Xiang (who ascended the throne) and Yun Sang (who married Cang Xuan's oldest uncle) all died without any children. However, indeed, Chenrong Yi and his children were the last remaining survivors of the Chenrong royal family. Chenrong Yi's father was Yan Zhuan - one of Chenrong's four great generals - who chose to kill himself and took Cang Xuan's father and the lives of armies of both sides with him, rather than surrender to Xiyan. So it was ironic that his son would choose to surrender instead of resist. However, Chenrong Yi (Little Yan Zhuan in the novel) used his position in Xiyan to better the lives of his fellow Chenrong citizens: The Shen Nong (Chenrong) resistance army continued to fight not because of revenge. It had to do with the love the men held for their homeland, a land that was conquered and lost, the honour they clung to as loyal subjects of the old kingdom, for which they continued to persevere for hundreds of years instead of embracing a more comfortable life as conquered citizens. Xiang Liu joined Hong Jiang after Chenrong had fallen, so he had no personal loyalty to the old kingdom. Nonetheless, his loyalty was to Hong Jiang and his comrades, and he took their cause as his own, for which he would give his all to help them, even if he himself personally knew it was a futile cause with death waiting at the end. Note how he had already prepared for their eventual death with his deal with Cang Xuan supposedly in exchange for saving Xiao Yao over 37 years - that was to designate a peak on Chenrong mountain where the ashes of all the resistance soldiers who died could be allowed to return to their homeland and buried. Not once did he asked anything for himself. Every deal he made, even with Jing, was for the benefit of his comrades. In many ways, the drama allows us greater insight into the POV of the Chenrong resistance army. However, it is a shame that the dialogue between Hong Jiang and Chenrong Yi was changed from the original script, which actually clarified better why Hong Jiang continued to fight, so that the Chenrong citizens who surrendered would be given preferential treatment by Xiyan, to ensure their continued loyalty: However, in my opinion, when Hong Jiang asked Xiang Liu if there was a purpose to their perseverance, I don't see it as him wavering on whether to surrender or not. Rather, he was comparing the Chenrong resistance army in Qingshui Town, the last bastion of defense in the Great Wilderness against Xiyan, with how the Haoling then-prince held off the great Chenrong army that besieged his city on his strength alone. If someone like him would actually surrender without a fight to Xiyan, Hong Jiang wondered if the Chenrong resistance army's persistence was meaningless to them. By the same token, I take Xiang Liu's response to him: "虽千万人，吾往矣 No matter how many stand in the way, we will forge ahead." as meaning that no matter how great the enemy before them, they will still persevere. He understood the hearts of his comrades, their perseverance despite the insurmountable odds against them, the long, lonely struggle of them and their many deceased comrades. To them, their perseverance was not meaningless. Agreed that the world would be at peace under Cang Xuan's rule. However, that peace was bought at the expense of another's sovereignty, the reason the resistance army continued to fight. History is always written from the standpoint of the victors. If you look at the history, the Great Wilderness once existed as three great kingdoms, and status quo was maintained especially during the reign of the Seventh Flame Emperor of Chenrong and the Yellow Emperor (Xiyan king). After the Seventh Flame Emperor died, peace was shattered with Xiyan starting its gradual conquest of the Central Plains because it coveted their fertile land, abundant resources and great population. It was Xiyan's initiation of war and subsequent killing of the Eighth Flame Emperor (whom Chi Chen regarded as his brother) that ignited full-scale war between Xiyan and Chenrong, with Chi Chen at the helm to reclaim back the lost lands and restore the Chenrong kingdom. Ultimately the Chenrong army was defeated and their kingdom conquered, and those who refused to surrender, made up the resistance army under Hong Jiang. Likewise, didn't Cang Xuan also start an expedition to conquer Haoling after he ascended the throne? The only reason that there was not more bloodshed was due to the wisdom and foresight of the Haoling king and Cang Xuan's conquest strategy - ensuring minimal bloodshed and damage to the people of Haoling, for whom he had personal love, having lived there among them for several hundred years.

In this universe, deities and demons have an extremely long lifespan, leading into thousands of years. The gestation period for deities is around 2 years. Development wise, it differs markedly from humans. Up to around 8 years or so, their development is similar to a human's. However, at the age of 70-80 years old, deity children still appeared to be the height of an 8-year-old human child, so there is a slow down in physical change in later years, which would account for why they do not appear to age much despite their great age. In terms of age, Xiang Liu is the oldest (he had already survived the death match arena, escaped to the North Pole for over 100 years, before returning and living as Fangfeng Bei for 400 years). As such, he would most likely be older than Jing by at least 300 years. In S1E26, Xiao Yao pointed out that Jing was older than her by over 100 years old. Note too that prior to being ambushed and imprisoned by his brother, Jing and his brother shared a good sibling relationship for over 400 years. Xiao Yao was born 6 months after Cang Xuan (though in reality, she was conceived far earlier than him but forcibly kept in the womb by her mother to mask her conception date). Youngest is Feng Long, who is roughly 180 years younger than Jing. By the end of the novel, Xiang Liu would have been over 900 years old, followed by Jing ~600 years old, Cang Xuan / Xiao Yao (~500 years old) etc. 15 years should not have been extremely long when measured against their lifespan - Xiao Yao lived adrift for 300 years after waiting for 70 years on Jade Mountain. Nonetheless, it was still a considerable amount of time that Jing demanded her not to open her heart to any other man (he initially wanted 20 years to sort out his marital entanglements). Similarly, the 37 years under the ocean would have been a long time for Cang Xuan to wait in hopes of her coming back, though Xiang Liu would have treasured every moment of those 37 years - memories that Xiao Yao also treasured and kept deep in her heart as described in the book. How far along are you in S2? Let me try to explain without spoiling the story for you. The Lovers bugs could only be planted in a couple who are wholeheartedly willing to accept it. Once planted, the lives of the couple are connected, and their hearts joined, and it could not be removed. They could feel each other's emotional and physical pain. If one was dying, the other one's stronger life force could extend that person's life through the sharing of their essential life blood. If the bugs retaliated because their hearts are no longer one, the couple would die. The only reason it could be moved from Cang Xuan to Xiang Liu was because it was not successfully planted in Cang Xuan since he did not willingly accept it. However, in the case of Xiang Liu, he was wholeheartedly willing for the bug to be planted in him, which means that the connection that he shares with Xiao Yao through the Lovers bug is a permanent one. The novel explains clearer what the requirements of planting the Lovers bugs are, and the repercussions. Through the Lovers bugs, both Xiang Liu and Xiao Yao could feel what the other person is experiencing. However, it is clear that in most instances, Xiao Yao could not feel what Xiang Liu is going through, but he was very much aware of hers. In their 120+ years sharing the Lovers bug, Xiang Liu was the only one who bore the suffering for both of them. She had always been shielded from his, while he had always experienced both her pain and his own in every situation - and this is very likely because he was vastly more powerful than her and could control the Lovers bugs so that she could not feel anything from him. The only time he allowed her to experience debilitating pain was during the time at Qingshui Town Contrast the time when she saw Jing at Cang Xuan's wedding, which was still bearable and she could still barely keep up appearances, to when he deliberately hurt her on the last day at Qingshui Town, my theory was that in that moment at Qingshui Town, for once, he allowed her to experience the full force of everything he felt; or he deliberately hurt her heart to such extent that the pain floored her. There are times described in the novel when she could sense his presence or his reactions, but such times when he let his guard down were far and few in between. Those times also give credence to the fact that in fact, she could feel what he was feeling too, but had been blocked from doing so by him through his superior powers.

3 years have passed and still no sign of S4 in sight. Fingers crossed it won't be too long a wait.

@Chocolate Oh no! The quandary of durian and tears over LYF! My recommendation would have been to pass your durian to me, so that you can wipe your tears! But I understand exactly where you are coming from, especially the last few chapters. I was already a tearful wreck just listening to the audiobook in certain scenes (made a spectacle of myself crying when Xiao Yao mistook Royal Consort Jing An for her mother - while driving up to my daughter's school no less! Thankfully I quickly dropped my daughter off and drove away before more people saw this crazy woman crying at the wheel!) YES! The travesty of all the cut scenes and rearranged, even reimagined ones! Aside from robbing us of the intimacy from the 37 years, we never got Zuo Er back - he was exactly what Xiang Liu should have been had fate been kinder, and through him, Xiao Yao (and by extension us) got to understand a little of how Xiang Liu feels, and even was compelled to admit (in front of Xiang Liu) that she missed him. The first assassination attempt, Xiao Yao being caught in the maelstrom under the ocean and everything that happened after that between them. The second assassination attempt when Zuo Er protected her while she defended them with her archery skills. Her learning the truth about the Lovers bugs, then the intimate moment, listening to the song of the merpeople with Xiang Liu after that. The tenderness at the old Lirong donkey meat seller's place and the forehead kiss, which was changed to just a snowflake on her forehead. Pleading Cang Xuan for Xiang Liu's life for the first and last time on her wedding day. Finding out about Xiang Liu's death after her wedding and departing for the ocean because it reminded her of Xiang Liu. Her laughing for the first time after Xiang Liu's death upon seeing the big-bellied laughing doll, and loving it so much - unlike the drama which had her happily, callously getting married after finding out about his death, and treating the big-bellied doll as just an additional wedding gift that had no significance, and departing for Qingshui Town. Exactly. It was a cop-out on the part of the drama, making Xin Yue the mastermind of Jing's assassination rather than Cang Xuan. It doesn't even make sense at all. Jing was lured to Qingshui Town because of Tian's illness. How could Xin Yue even ensure that Xiao Yao would definitely follow Jing to Qingshui Town, enabling Hou and Yi Ying to be able to kill her? There was absolutely no guarantee that she would go at all. It is just a ridiculous premise just to make Xin Yue the scapegoat. The plot makes so much more sense having Jing as the target of assassination all along, and having Cang Xuan masteminding it. And exactly as you said, this makes Xiao Yao's decision to disappear for good without letting Cang Xuan or anyone else know where she was headed, that much more understandable. In spite of everything, he was the Emperor of the Great Wilderness with almost the entire world belonging to him. The gift of the castle at Xuan Yuan city, and making her promise to wear the Ruomu flower forever, were underlying hints that he would not necessarily fully let her go. Hence the decision to leave without letting him know, and to disappear among the people forever. Unlike the drama, neither Xiao Yao nor Jing promised to send word once they had settled down, an indication that they intended to cut ties for good. In this respect, the drama makes it even more incongruous - since Xiao Yao promised to send different grains to her grandfather, and to keep in touch, how is it even possible that Cang Xuan and A Nian had no idea where they were, and were going around Qingshui Town in the end, trying in vain to find them? The drama is definitely well cast, and most of them nailed their performances. The script also gives us more of their individual point of views, which allows us to empathise, if not sympathise with them. There was a LYF symposium held on 8 Aug where Tong Hua covered a little about this, when she compares the novel which was mostly based on Xiao Yao's perspective, vs the drama, which is more of an omnipotent one: When I wrote the novel, it is based more on a single perspective. That is, 70-80% of the time, the story was revealed based on the female lead's POV. For other characters, I would think... that is I often say that we should consider 10 parts, but what is put on paper is only 3 parts. And perhaps due to limitations in expressing through our writing, we might possibly only be able to convey 1 part to the readers. [The story of] Lost You Forever is unfolded through the lens of the female lead. In the early days I was actually reluctant when I was given the task of doing the script, because in the past, many seniors have told me that after you write the script, it is very possible that you will lose a lot of the perceptions and emotions you had when you wrote the novel. They said that scripts and novels are two very different ways of writing. Nonetheless, due to a lot of unexpected occurrences, I had to personally do this. However, when I properly started writing the script, I was very grateful that I accepted this task because it gave me an opportunity to enter the universe of "Lost You Forever" once more. Also, since the creative process of scriptwriting is different, it requires more of an omnipotent perspective. You stand together with each character and experience [what they are going through], instead of the novel's perspective which leans more towards the female lead's. As such, when I was writing the script, I revealed the buried lines of the novel. So it is equivalent to I myself living in each character's worlds a second time round. Although it was very tough at the time since it was my first time writing a script, I could only explore as I proceeded. At the time I watched a lot of famous, drama classics to learn the creative process of our seniors. However, I personally feel that it was worth it. -- Tong Hua, Lost You Forever symposium 8 Aug 2024 I totally agree. Out of all the excuses, how is that even an option for Cang Xuan? What magic mushrooms did Grandpa ingest, to give him that ultimatum after he is king? What was he going to do if Cang Xuan chose Xiao Yao over the throne? Who was going to be the successor seeing Cang Xuan had no heir? Such a question should have been asked way in the beginning, before Grandpa chose to groom Cang Xuan for the throne. Yet another outlandish premise just to show that Cang Xuan supposedly loved Xiao Yao less because he chose the throne over her. We know why Cang Xuan walked the difficult path to the throne, because of his love for Xiao Yao, and his need to protect the only family he had left. Using this premise as an excuse belittled Cang Xuan - as a character, his love, and everything he did out of his love for her. I was reminded of two scenes - the first in Once Promised, LYF's prequel, just before A Heng brought Xiao Yao to Jade Mountain, while the other was during the time that rumours of Xiao Yao's true parentage were rife. I was tearing up just the other day when I listened to the latter scene on the audiobook, and it is a heartbreaking reminder how tragic a childhood Cang Xuan had, how quickly he had to grow up far too early, way before he should. I don't think Cang Xuan ever had the luxury of not trying to become emperor. The only way he knew to protect Xiao Yao was to claim the throne, because that was the only way to ensure the world was safe for her. His life had been under threat from childhood, and part of the reason he was sent ostentatiously as a hostage to Gao Xin/Hao Ling was his grandfather's way of protecting him from threats on his life - the other part of course was to train under the Gao Xin king. Would Xiao Yao had accepted him when they finally recognised each other? I think it was too late by then. She had already successfully planted the Lovers bug with Xiang Liu while Jing had already exacted the 15-year promise from her, so her heart was no longer just her own. Even if she was unattached, you make a good point about her inability to accept not being the only woman in Cang Xuan's life, which unfortunately was Cang Xuan's way of consolidating support and power with the least bloodshed. I think their best chance of being together was not being separated during their growing up years. If fate had not ripped them away from each other, I can see them being married to each other at the end of it. I think the drama painted him in a worse light compared to the novel, and failed to show his brilliance, compassion. Instead we get a perpetually lovelorn character. One of the parts I particularly dislike is how he dealt with Yi Ying after the affair was exposed. In the novel, he fought so hard to protect Yi Ying out of compassion and also for young Tian's sake. That reaffirmed who he was at the core, a man who was clearly not a fool, but willing to give those who harmed him a chance to change, to stop without making things worse for themselves. Unfortunately, the drama did him no favours in this part of the story, and all I saw was someone who manipulated Yi Ying into accepting the punishment in exchange for her son's well-being, who did not even make any attempt to dissuade her when she offered herself up as a sacrifice. Yes. It is also telling that before the 37 years, she and Fangfeng Bei would ride separate winged horses during their outings. After the 37 years, they very naturally rode on the same horse every time they were together. Out of her suitors, only Xiang Liu ensured that she was equipped to protect herself while the rest tried to protect her. He wanted her to grasp the life she wanted boldly without relying on anyone, and the bow recognition scene in the drama, which is vastly different from the novel - is one of the rare occasions where I feel the drama is better than the novel itself. What I really loved about that scene was what Xiang Liu said to her - the lesson he was subtly drumming in to her: XY: I need three drops of blood from you to help me make the bow recognise me as its master. May I? XL: Why would I help you for no reason at all? [Xiao Yao purses her lips in disappointment] XL (smiles): I taught you archery not for you to beg others. If you want something, you need to get it yourself. With these few words, he was reminding her that: She should never assume that help is around the corner as long as she asked (in other words, she had to be self-sufficient) He had empowered her so that she need no longer beg others or be at the mercy of anyone's whims She should be brave enough to reach out and claim what she wanted In doing so, he is ensuring that the day he is no longer in her life and unable to quietly protect her, she is strong enough to never have to rely on others, and could boldly claim the kind of life that she truly wants.

@Chocolate I really should rewatch S1 and S2 back to back to see if the pacing shift grates less! Koala's translation sometimes paraphrases or summarises certain scenes, but for the most part it is quite true to how the novel is written. She did an excellent job introducing the novel to those who do not read Chinese - it's a mammoth undertaking with 51 chapters + epilogue, and Tong Hua's chapters are notoriously long. The thing about Lost You Forever the novel though is that Tong Hua incorporate the "snake in the grass, lines on the dust" writing technique with buried clues to hidden lines. It is known that she would write 1 part and bury 9 parts in the fabric of the novel itself. The producer once stated in an interview when they adapted the drama, one of the greatest challenges was how to interpret and present the hidden 9 parts. The rest of the characters are quite an open book but I think you've probably noticed that the most inscrutable in the novel is Xiang Liu. We are actually a lot more privy to Xiang Liu's emotions and thoughts in the drama. Ahh, you are glad Cang Xuan wasn't the mastermind behind Jing's assassination attempt? I look forward to hearing how you feel about his character arc in the novel then! It's interesting that you find S2 to be natural and even better than S1. I read the entire S2 leaked script last year (and translated predominantly Xiang Liu-centric scenes on MDL here) so I had an idea what to expect and was dismayed over the changes ahead of time. What I listed here was not a comprehensive list of what I took issue with. So it was with great trepidation when I watched S2. For the most part, it was quite faithful to the leaked script, with minor changes here and there though it started diverging from the script by the end of Ep14 with her reunion with her mother at Bai Li, which never happened in the leaked script. I really hoped they would dare to let Cang Xuan go over to the dark side, but in the end it did not happen - perhaps due to censorship concerns. I am glad that Xiang Liu's role in ensuring Jing survived after falling into the ocean was retained, after it was totally negated in the leaked script. The whole point of the epilogue in the novel was to tie the three "have-nots" Wen Xiao Liu mentioned in the very beginning, to the three "haves" that Xiang Liu painstakingly prepared for her. So in that regard, the drama finally rectified the omission, which I am very grateful for. Yes, the tiny Mao Qiu is the smaller form of Xiang Liu's mount, the white condor which Wen Xiao Liu poisoned after it tried to eat the feifei. There are different translations of his name - 毛球 Mao Qiu (which literally translates to Furball), Furball or Chubby. He's the bird of all trades - mount, delivery service, drinking buddy and confidant. Love him! Cang Xuan is the 1st male lead in both the novel and the drama. The drama starts off with them as children, and Cang Xuan's mother committing suicide, which are actually events that are covered in Lost You Forever's prequel Once Promised. However, including this in the drama sets the stage for the introduction of the male and female leads, and reminds us why their bond was so strong, lasting over 300 years of separation up to their adulthood, and why Xiao Yao would support and protect him with every fibre of her being. The novel also caused confusion for some of its readers in its early days because they did not realise that Wen Xiao Liu was female, until her real identity was revealed about halfway through Vol 1, though there should have been clues from the way her singing managed to lure the feifei. Xiang Liu and Jing knew pretty much from the beginning that she was female. Only Cang Xuan needed prescription glasses - to be searching for her for so long, but not recognising her when she was right in front of him!

@abs-oluteM Thank you for creating the thread. Good to know that the storyline is not just all fluff - fingers crossed it keeps me invested! I won't classify LYF as xianxia - the backdrop of the Great Wilderness is far more realistic and relatable than the usual realms prevalent in xianxia stories. As for Cang Xuan, his arc is sad but the drama in itself whitewashed him and gave him a far more diluted arc compared to the novel, which actually did not sit well with those who love his character. Regardless, Zhang Wanyi nailed his portrayal, and both he and his younger counterpart made me ache so much for his character because I truly love the dynamics between him and Xiao Yao.

@Chocolate Congratulations on finishing the drama! I envy you for being able to marathon the entire drama in a short period of time. It has been a year-long wait for me, after watching S1 when it first aired Jul last year. Needless to say, I followed the live broadcast of S2 as well. I saw someone mention this on Weibo about the wait - "We waited a year to say farewell to an old friend" and that just had me tearing up, because for Xiang Liu fans, that's exactly what it is. Waiting an entire year to watch him die at the end. Knowing early on that he would die, having read the novel and seen BTSes and clips of the final battle, did not make it any easier and I was tearing up on a regular basis from Ep20 onwards. Have you read the novel? How do you find S1 as opposed to S2, or do you feel that the narrative and performances remain consistent across both seasons? Who did you root for to be with her in the end, if anyone at all? I personally felt that the pacing in S2 suffered, and I balked at many of the changes from the novel, but in the end, the cast's interpretation and performances saved what could have been very problematic scenes based on the leaked script. Fun fact: The scene where Xiang Liu sends Mao Qiu away was not in the original script, but added after Tan Jianci asked the producer and director what happened to Mao Qiu. And his studio self-produced a Mao Qiu extra video, which just had me bawling all over again: Am glad you're planning to check out Under the Skin! Can't wait to hear what you think of that drama too. @abs-oluteM Did you watch Zhang Wanyi in Lost You Forever? He delivered a truly stellar performance as Cang Xuan, capturing all the nuances of his love for Xiao Yao - the affection, the yearning, the ultimately uncontained love, and even the darker side of him, even if the drama dared not allow him to go past the point of no return, unlike the novel. I will give Are You The One a go, though I don't know how long it can retain my interest. Have you read the entire novel? I am going in blind, so I don't know what to expect. From initial news, I had hoped that Zhang Wanyi would play a dark role here, but seeing the comedic elements in the trailer, I am not as sure it will be the case. We'll see. The bonus footage of the LYF cast during their stint on H!6 last year, which was finally released last week - so good to see their antics again, and wish they could have been guests as an ensemble cast this year too.

Congratulations to Revenant for being nominated for Best Drama and Best Screenplay (Kim Eun Hee) in the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards! Am rooting for them to win! There is outcry that Kim Taeri was snubbed in the Best Actress category. I have not watched any of the dramas the other nominees are in, so I cannot comment, save to say that she gave a stellar, award-worthy performance here, and is well deserving of any accolades given.

At long last, this drama is finally available to international audiences on Netflix! While I don't believe it managed to upstage the original, it admirably held its own to the end, incorporating local elements that makes it relatable to its domestic audience. Seems like a rewatch is in order. Now to find the time...

Congratulations to Kim Tae Ri for winning Daesang at 2023 SBS Drama Awards for her role in Revenant! An accolade that is very well deserved! Winners Of The 2023 SBS Drama Awards TV/FILM Dec 30, 2023 by S. Nam SBS has celebrated the top dramas and actors of 2023! On December 29, the 2023 SBS Drama Awards took place to honor the network’s dramas from the past year. This year’s Daesang (Grand Prize) went to two winners—Lee Je Hoon for his performance in “Taxi Driver 2” and Kim Tae Ri for her performance in “Revenant.” Check out the full list of winners: Daesang (Grand Prize): Lee Je Hoon (“Taxi Driver 2”), Kim Tae Ri (“Revenant”) : cr. Soompi