#love is sweet

[vamp1r3k1tty]

Can you do a Captain Hook romantic fic with some smut please 🙏🥺, with female reader

It starts off with the theme from “love ain’t it” and then it ends with the theme from “love is sweeter”

Thank you so much for the rec!!!

I’m a sucker for smut so ofc I can boo 😝

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Pairing: Hook x Fem!reader

Summary: In which the real daughter of Mother Gothel finally gets taught how to love

Warnings: smut, neglect, mommy issues, swearing

Authors note: I decided to make this a mother gothel’s daughter ff because with the theme “love ain’t it” I thought she could be the neglected daughter of Gothel (like Cassandra from Tangled the Series) in which her mother never cared for the way she did Rapunzel. Thus being taught her whole life that love isn’t the answer. Hope you enjoy!!

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𝒮𝒽ℴ𝓌 ℳℯ ℋℴ𝓌 𝒯ℴ ℒℴ𝓋ℯ

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Mother Gothel. You probably know her from the tale of how she kidnapped Princess Rapunzel, locked her in a tower and used her magic hair for her own gluttonous actions. Blah blah blah, whatever, but what you don’t know is that she had another daughter. A daughter of her very own blood. And that daughter is me.

When the truth came out about how my mother was a criminal that kidnapped the royal baby of corona and locked her away her whole life, only exploiting her for the magical healing powers that her hair graced her with, people were appalled to say the least. The royal family got their happy ending when they all reunited once again. Their long lost daughter finally returning home after 17 years was a story to be told for centuries to come. They got their happy ending and the whole of Corona rejoiced.

But what about me?

When’s my happy ending?

My mother lived a double life, living in the tower with the daughter she always wished she would’ve been graced with, returning to me in the ‘home’ we shared with only the intentions to turn me into a monster like herself. To continue her legacy.

Which seems to have worked. Since here I am, Merlin’s academy, stalking in the shadows just like my mother always taught me to do. She said I didn’t need friends, because they made me weak. But what stuck with me the most, was that she told me I didn’t need love. “Love ain’t it” she used to preach everyday. I suppose it always stuck with me because deep down I knew, she didn’t love me the way a mother should love her child. She didn’t love me the way I deserved to be loved.

But now I understand that I never truly deserved to be loved because the daughter of a monster like her never gets the happy ending she so desperately wants. Don’t get me wrong, I would never want that happy ending now. Love makes me sick, that’s for sure, and that may be the only thing my so called mother ever truly taught me right. Love does make you weak. And love most definitely ain’t it.

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Now when I told you I didn’t believe in love, I wasn’t lying, however that doesn’t mean I don’t like to get involved in other activities.

I quietly pull on my clothes and exit the dorm of the guy I’d just slept with. Only one round and he lasted two minutes. Two. Whole. Minutes. Then he proceeded to fall asleep with me laying beside him in shock. The second he nodded off and began snoring obnoxiously loud was the moment I knew I could make my escape.

I rolled my eyes and continued down the hall to the courtyard. It was currently around 1pm. My free period. And for some reason I decided to waste it on this good for nothing guy I don’t even know the name of.

I decided to walk around and people watch. I always found people fascinating, but I guess that was just because the only person I’ve ever known was my mother, and she’s dead and rotting. Maybe it was a good thing my mother never taught me how to love since that just made her death all the more easier. She ruined my life, kept me hidden in the dark, and after all her dirty deeds she’d commit, the karma that had been so rightfully coming her way hit her like a wrecking ball.

I clearly hadn’t hid myself well enough in the shadows as I was taught to since I bumped into someone, none other than the sea queen herself, Uliana, and her pathetic little posse. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Gothel.” She spat my name at me like it was worthless. Which I suppose it is.

The rest of her gang crowded around me and I could only roll my eyes at their attempts to intimidate me. “Uliana.” I retorted, half-assed. She cocked her head to the side and laughed, the rest of them joining in.

“Just came back from hooking up with one of your little boy toys, hm?”

“I did actually!” I replied with false enthusiasm. “But I guess you’ll never experience how good that actually feels.” I fake pout and her gaze hardened and the others let out wolf whistles and choruses of amusement.

“She got you there Uli!” Morgie, the weakest link of the group, chanted and laughed in her face, only fuelling her anger more.

“So, Princess.” None other than Hook himself began talking and strode over to me, arrogantly, then proceeded to get right up in my face til we were merely centimetres apart. “When you gonna come to my dorm next.” He plastered on a sickly sweet smirk and glided his ice-cold hook across my cheek. “I’d love to share this “experience” with you that you so gloat about.” He bit his lip and his eyes flickered down to my own, then back to my eyes again.

“Too bad you’ll never know.” I kissed my middle and ring fingers, then pressed them to his own lips as he raised his eyebrows at me, smirk never leaving his face. I walked backwards, making sure to hold eye contact with a smirk of my own until I finally swivel around and walk the way I came towards my alchemy class.

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Sat at the back of the classroom with no partner beside me, as per usual, I didn’t expect anybody to join me. Until the seat that had been empty for months was finally pulled out. I payed no mind to it, just assumed whoever it was had picked the wrong seat and would soon realise that they were about to perch next to a death wish itself.

However, they made no attempts to move, so I decided to lift my head from my arm and glance beside me. Though I did not expect for said person to already be staring at me with curiosity of her own.

“Maleficent? Are you even in this class?”

“No, but Hook has taken quite a liking to you, and I must say, you somewhat intrigue me too.” I sat there and looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, then she rolled her eyes and continued talking. “He wants you to meet him at the water fountain after school is over. I suggest you go.” She then said nothing else and proceeded to stare at me for the rest of the lesson.

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After that weird encounter with Maleficent, I went back to my dorm and doodled in my notebook.

Living in neglect, I used to always write poetry as an outlet, a way to express my emotions without actually expressing them. Then I became somewhat of an emotionless freak and now I just write about the ways I want to feel.

I’ve had writers block for a while now, but maybe now that I’m being exposed from my place in the shadows, I’ll have something to write about. Eventually. Considering I’m still sat with nothing to write about.

I thought about meeting Hook after school, I really did. But I thought back to what my mother said and all those thoughts dissipated as soon as I had even thought about them. It was around an hour or so after school had finished, and no sign of Hook, which furthermore led me to assume that he never actually wanted to see me in the first place and Uliana and her goons just wanted to provoke me more than they’d already tried to.

Suddenly banging sounded on my door, waking me from the haze I was in, I begrudgingly got up from the comfort of my bed and opened it.

“Hook?”

“Hiya Gothel.”

My eyes widened and shot down to my attire, for I was wearing none other than my low rise pyjama pants and my boob tube top. I internally winced, knowing I didn’t look my very best. I knew I’d hear an earful from him and his clique if he were to tell them about it.

His own eyes widened and looked me up and down, then proceeded to giggle at me. I only looked at him in confusion. Somehow, he seemed to take my silence as an invitation considering he barged into my room and plopped down on my bed. I rolled my eyes and closed my door, opened my mouth to speak, but was cut off. “Oooh what’s this.” He picked up my notebook and began looking through it.

“Not for your eyes!” I lunged forward and jerked it out of his hands before he could get a word in.

“Alright lassie, I didn’t see anything.” He giggled again. “Why, is it your secret diary?” He taunted. “Do you write about all your little love affairs in there?” At this point he was cackling, so I shoved the book in my drawer and cut him off.

“What are you doing here, Hook?”

“Well I did get Mali to tell you to meet me at the water fountain, but clearly you didn’t get my message.”

“Message received, James. I just didn’t reply.”

“Oooh we’re going by first names now are we Y/N?” I crossed my arms and deadpanned at him. “Okay okay! I just wanted to see you, but I guess I received your message too.” He stood up and walked towards the door.

“Wait!” My arm shot out and grasped his own, which seemed to have been the reaction he wanted because he turned to face me with a cheek eating grin.

“Yes, my dear Y/N?”

“What did you want to see me for?” He walked towards me, my hand still on his arm, and got right up in my face like earlier on today. He smiled at me, and for a moment I almost thought it was genuine. Almost. Then he trailed his hook across my face again.

“Why do you think, Princess?” He asked me, rhetorically, and I knew this answer. At this point the coldness of his hook was sending tingles down my spine, and our close proximity was enough to make my knees weak.

“I don’t know James. Why don’t you tell me.”

He smirked and leaned forward “How about I show you?” He entrapped my lips in a bittersweet kiss. It started off slow, until it was clear what both of our intentions were. The kiss progressed quickly, considering I was pressed up against my door, hand on my neck and hook down the waistline of my pants.

Our tongues were clashing and it was clear as day who had dominance over the situation. In all my hookups, I was always the one taking control. But with James it was different. And I loved it.

I let out a whimper and he tugged me up, so he was carrying me, back still pressed firmly against the door. I pulled away for air for not even a millisecond, and James had already latched his lips onto my neck, leaving love marks all over.

He trudged me over to my bed and settled me on my back, looming over me seductively. I pushed him away and tore off his shirt hungrily, revealing his perfectly sculpted body. I bit my lip and closed my eyes in desperation. When I reopened them, James was gazing at me in awe. He took his hand and rubbed my cheek.

It felt different from before. He was looking at me with a sense of security. I felt safe in his arms. He leaned back down and kissed me again, this time much gently. For a moment I succumbed to the warm fuzzy feeling I had bubbling in my chest, before I realised what was happening and flipped him over onto his back.

He seemed surprised I’d taken control and let me work my wonders on him, letting out whimpers of his own. I pulled away and smirked at him, in which he proceeded to stare up at me with those beautiful doe eyes of his. “What’s the matter Jamesy? Cat got your tongue?” I was now grinning as he shut his eyes tightly, pushing himself further into the bed.

To say I was turned on would be an understatement. In fact, I was indubitably stimulated in all the sweet spots in my body. I was legitimately turned on with the most arousal I had ever felt in my life.

I ran my fingers through his hair before latching onto his soft strands and pulling myself into a hungry make out session once again. This time, he pushed me away and ripped my own shirt off.

Considering I was in my boob top- more specifically my lounge attire- I had decided to not wear a bra, much to Hooks pleasure considering he flipped me onto my back again and eagerly devoured my breasts.

I couldn’t help the moan that had escaped my lips and he kissed me recurrently, fondling my tits in his coarse palms.

I was desperate.

I wanted him.

I needed him.

Thus I pushed him off me, to his dismay and he looked at me in confusion. He opened his mouth to speak until I shushed him and took my pants off.

I prompted him to do the same, trailing my fingers down his torso and over his clothed phallus. This seemed to get a good reaction out of him as he threw his head back and whimpered once more. Quickly, he took off his own pants and before he got the chance to reside above me once more, I had already sat on his lap so I was straddling him.

I decided to grind my hips against his own as his dick only doubled in size, poking my own clothed pussy through his boxers.

We stared at each other in stupefaction and desperation for a moment. His eyes were the most beautiful sight I had ever gazed upon. I could get lost in them for centuries.

“You’re so beautiful, James.” I said, earnestly.

He chuckled. “I should be saying that to you, my dear Y/N.”

We smiled at each other and I proceeded to run my fingers through his hair again.

Then his smile fell.

“You don’t have to do this if you want to Y/N.” I looked at him in confusion. “I’ve been teasing you about it and said I wanted a shag, but if you’re not actually up for it then we don’t have to do anything. I really respect you, Y/N.”

I could only gawk in astonishment. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

“It’s just that… none of the guys I’ve slept with have ever been so…” I trailed off, unable to find the right words.

“So… consensual?” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Yeah. But it’s fine!” I cut him off before he could say anything. “I do want to do this with you. I want to do everything with you.” We smiled at each other again. I leaned over to whisper in his ear. “Also, that was really sexy.” I giggled and kissed him again.

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I couldn’t tell you how long we had been in that same position, just making out, but eventually we had both fully stripped and he was looming over me.

A sweaty mess.

An insanely attractive, sweaty mess.

He was deep inside me, skin slapping skin and the only thing I could focus on was our chorus of moans. His chorus of moans. The way his eyes rolled back every time he pounded into me had me close to my climax.

If this man asked me to get on my hands and knees and beg for him, I literally would. No guilt in that at all.

I thrusted my hips up to meet his own, one of his hands rested on my tit, and the other wrapped so laboriously around my neck. I was so edged and I could say the exact same thing about him as he praised me with each stroke he hit.

“You feel so good Y/N oh my god” his grunts and moans felt like the biggest reward I could ever receive.

“I’m so close James.” I panted.

“Me too princess, me too.” The way he normally called me princess was all part of an act. Just an effort to taunt me. But the way he called me it right now had me under his spell.

As quick as those words left his mouth I had already come undone underneath him. I moaned his name so loud I was almost sure the whole of Corona could hear me, but this clearly untied the knot in his own stomach as he climaxed soon after me.

He stayed inside me for a few seconds to prolong our orgasms, still on top of me for a couple moments more, then pulled out and rolled beside me, tugging me onto his chest.

His hands stroked through my hair so precisely, each strand he touched managed to tickle my scalp and I found myself snuggling into his side.

He ogled down at me and I looked up at his gorgeous features. “What?”

“I’m just looking at your beautiful face, my dear Y/N. Am I not allowed to do that?” The way he looked at me gave me butterflies. His gaze made me feel like the only girl in the world. And if I was, I’d happily be his girl.

I let out a small chuckle before I realise what was happening. My eyes widened and I sat up quickly.

“What? What’s wrong?” He followed so that our eyes were level.

“No. No actually, you’re not allowed to do that.” I sprung on my bed and rushed to put my clothes on. “You should leave, Hook.”

“Wh- did I do something?” He mimicked my actions.

“You did more than just something.”

“I’m- I’m sorry Y/N. I really care about you, I don’t-”

“That’s the problem!” I snapped. “You shouldn’t care about me!” At this point, tears had welled up in my eyes and threatened to fall. But I wouldn’t allow them to. Not in front of him. I sighed and looked at them ground, my shoulders slumped and my arms fell by my side. “Nobody cares about me…”

“Is that what this is about? You’re insecure?” He asked sincerely.

“I’m more than just insecure Hook! I can’t do this cutesy-relationshipy stuff. I’ve never been loved. My mother always told me that love isn’t the answer. That’s how I’ve been brought up. I can’t show love because I don’t know how it feels…”

“Then let me show you.” He walked over to me, carefully as though to not trigger me again. To show me he truly cared. He latched his fingers under my chin and lifted my head to look at him.

Not his hook. His actual working hand.

That was my final straw as a tear managed to work its way out of my eye. “What?”

“Let me show you what it’s like to be loved. Let me love you, Y/N. I want to love you.”

He encapsulated me in a soft hug and I let myself melt in his touch. “I want to love you too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Please show me how to love.”

And with that, he kissed me again. The sweetest kiss I had ever received.

For once in my fucked up, isolating life, I truly felt loved.

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A/N: Hope this was okay! I feel like this was so long 😭😭 I was fr writing for ages. But what my lovelies want, my lovelies get 🤭😝

[dazzlingkai]

LOVE IS SWEET 半是蜜糖半是伤, — EP. 21 Getting caught by your friend that didn't know you were dating

[forevergif]

BAI LU & LUO YUNXI as JIANG JUN & YUAN SHUAI — LOVE IS SWEET (2020)

[maggiecheungs]

bai “surprise motherfucker” lu reuniting with luo :) yunxi

TILL THE END OF THE MOON (2023) // LOVE IS SWEET (2020)

[smittenskitten]

Let's get married. Ok.

[xiaolanhua]

Love is Sweet (2020) – Episode 11 Till The End of The Moon (2023) – Episode 18

[lyselkatzfandomluvs]

Lúo Yúnxi 羅雲熙

LYX Studio Wb update 2023.10.15

[hellofavillain]

Till The End of The Moon vs Love is Sweet

(Directors "forgetting" to tell them the scene is over)

[blackmoonlightexpress]

Follow Your Heart has just received its airing license, likely to air Mid May

Follow Your Heart received its airing license yesterday. It'll most likely air mid May on iQiyi, going head to head against Joy of Life 2 on Tencent.

Even though they have been stingy on promotional materials, here's a few reasons to be excited about the upcoming drama (beyond being a Luo Yunxi costume drama of course):

A Studio Known for Dark Horse

FYH is produced by the iQiyi studio behind Strange Tales Of Tang Dynasty (唐朝诡事录), New Life Begins (卿卿日常), and Mysterious Lotus Casebook (莲花楼). iQiyi dramas generally have better quality control when it comes to production quality, and this studio (奇光) in particular is known for producing a disproportionate share of dark horses.

Song Yi

It stars Song Yi as the female lead, who's been the low key female lead of 2 of iQiyi's top 5 dramas ever. She's seen as a really solid actress with a strong track record with viewers.

iQiyi's Favorite Genre, with a Twist

It's suppose to be a light romantic comedy with a sprinkle of crime investigation and court politics, a genre that has done well for iQiyi where they have a large built-in audience base.

But there's a twist to keep things fresh. The male lead suffers from face blindness whereas the female lead has a mysterious disease that changes her appearance, and only the male lead can recognize her. This premise is actually inspired by a Kdrama (from which they've obtained the rights to adapt)

Cameo Appearances

Because of this, you can expect cameo appearances from a large cast of actors (some will be playing different versions of the female lead), including TVB veteran Yuen King Dan, Wang Yifei (Siying), and Sandrine Pinna (Legend of the Demon Cat).

Love is Sweet Director

FYH also reunites Luo Yunxi with Love is Sweet director Yu Zhongzhong for the third time. He managed to make Love is Sweet, a pretty unremarkable screenplay, interesting to watch. And he's also good at pushing Luo Yunxi as an actor (he's the one who told him "you should go home if you cannot act" which haunted him ever since.)

Personally, I think it's better to keep expectations low. Follow Your Heart is not based on a novel or any proven IP, so no one knows how good the story will be. While it is an S class production, it doesn't have the same level of investment or anticipation as TTEOTM. Finally, Luo Yunxi plays a more grounded character, with plain costumes and hair tied up, which looks... different.

BUT I'm definitely looking forward to watching it and keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be good!

[deokmis]

Love is Sweet Ep.11

[wolha]

LOVE IS SWEET 半是蜜糖半是伤 (2020) dir. Yu Chung Chung, Wu Jian Xin

[lyxurious]

So you like Luo Yunxi: A drama recommendation list

So you watched "Till the End of the Moon", and all you got is heartbreak, brainworms, and a shiny new lowkey or highkey obsession with Luo Yunxi (perhaps other people from the amazing cast too, but we're focusing on him here)? You want to see more of him, but you don't know where to start? Fear not, for this list is here to hopefully help you out with that.

Here be some (non-spoilery, but might mention if it generally ends well or not) spark notes on all his past dramas with him in the first male lead role, that are currently available with English subs (+ 2 very important supporting roles + 1 bonus). In chronological order, from most to least recent!

Light Chaser Rescue

Type: Modern, rescue missions, human drama, romance

Episodes: 40

Available at: WeTv, YouTube, viki

What's the deal? Jaded and cynical lawyer meets cute and icy doctor lady who is not here for his bs, and discovers the joys of love and most importantly, volunteer rescue work.

On the one hand: Detailed and extremely realistic scenes of all sorts of natural disasters happening. The production team collaborated with a real life team where anyone can volunteer and get training as a rescuer. They built a wholeass glacier for the final episodes and you could never tell it's fake looking at it even on HD. The side characters are mostly likeable (which is something you can't say for every drama), although flawed and human. FL is a cool-headed independent grownup woman who bottles up her feelings like a fine vintage.

On the other: The pacing is rather choppy and makes it feel like they planned out the disaster scenes/rescue missions first and everything else was added later to link said missions together and give the characters stuff to do in between. Since this is a drama and they have a limited cast, the team's abilities are a bit exaggerated at times (they turn up for everything that happens anywhere, doctor FL is a swiss army knife of specialties). Ending feels a bit abrupt.

Watch it if: You enjoy seeing Luo Yunxi suffer physically, you like stories with ordinary people being heroes while also remaining very much ordinary people.

Lie to Love

Type: Modern, romance, office, suspense

Episodes: 32

Available at: WeTV, YouTube

What's the deal? Local woman is convinced her one night stand during a mountain hike killed her father, so she returns after 2 years to go undercover in male nerdy Paris Hilton protagonist's glitzy hotel business and cancel his entire existence. Spoiler alert (but not really because this is actually not even the first 6 eps): he is a good guy and didn't do it and they fall in love and together they set out to uncover the truth and take down his shady uncle.

On the one hand: Objectively speaking, the plot for this is on the better side for a drama of its type. It's got suspense, it's got plot twists, it's got fluff, it's got drama, it's got more communication between the main CP than one would expect on a regular day, misunderstandings don't last long, the nice side characters are likeable, and 2nd ML is doing an incredible job at being a 2-faced creep. LYX is serving many a great business wear look in the 2nd half especially.

On the other: The FL is Cheng Xiao. A severely miscast Cheng Xiao in a role that is core in the plot and on paper, challenging. For fans, winner winner chicken dinner. For the rest of us, it's up to each viewer to decide if overall as a drama, the points in the above section are strong enough to balance this casting out.

Watch it if: You have a thing for men in suits and glasses (that makes two of us), you prefer ignoring the FL in dramas so you can make elaborate headcanons shipping the ML with the psycho stalker 2nd ML or the goofy rockstar 3rd ML instead.

Broker

Type: Modern, office, medical research, suspense, romance

Episodes: 42

Available at: YouTube, viki

What's the deal? Spy is ordered to infiltrate a lab and lowkey honey trap his way into stealing female scientist's multi-million research, is uno reverse carded when she fixes his broken heart and trust in humanity.

On the one hand: The rare case where he is a morally grey character in a modern setting. The other rare case where he gets to do action sequences in a modern setting. There's a shower sex scene (sit down, implied and partially dressed of course, this is still a cdrama), and one where he gets whipped on a table. There is a very badass sidekick girl who is just as broken as him if not worse, and very shippable with the FL's perky and spoiled little sister.

On the other: The premise is cool but sadly, there's way more filler office drama (in the lab) and 2nd CP being a frustrating snoozefest than spy activities. It's a drama that was held up for a long while in censorship limbo, and a considerable chunk of the ML's backstory and scenes were left in the editing room, which unfortunately throws the show off balance by a lot.

Watch it if: You are a diehard Luo Yunxi, Victoria Song or Xu Kaicheng completionist (in which case you have permission to come cry on my shoulder), you find yourself trapped in a cave, the rescue team is 48 hours away, and the only thing in there with you is a device that has no other data on it but all 42 episodes of Broker.

Love is Sweet

Type: Modern, romance, office

Episodes: 36

Available at: iQiyi, YouTube, amazon prime

What's the deal? Local woman applies for a job in huge investment banking company where she runs into her childhood friend -slash- nemesis after 10 years, they both gradually discover time makes people grow and occasionally fall deeply, ridiculously in love.

On the one hand: Sugar and fun and shoujo manga tropes aplenty! God tier CP chemistry! Some of the most epic makeouts to ever slip under the nose of the review committees. Characters that have actual profound growth under the "every romcom ever" cheeky banter. 2nd ML also offers shirtlessness and angsty backstory if you cannot live without those. There's even an adorable and very plot-relevant corgi!

On the other: The tremendous main CP chemistry has made this drama the exception for many who otherwise avoid both modern dramas and romcoms, but if that doesn't carry the show for you, I'm afraid there's not much else to see here. The 2nd CP is fuel for the "2nd CPs are annoying and waste screentime" complaint fire. (although, protip: even on the first watch you can probably skip their scenes without missing anything of value). The tear allergy is a bit of a ridiculous premise, but it's a real thing (who knew!), and it's not addressed much after a point.

Watch it if: You need something sweet and cute to fill the gaping hole Till The End of the Moon left in your chest, you love the tsundere overbearing CEO archetype but you also prefer it when he is more than a dry irredeemable asshole, you love romcoms because you enjoy both the "will they won't they" and the cute "we're an item now" domesticity.

And The Winner is Love

Type: Costume, wuxia, romance

Episodes: 48

Available at: iQiyi, YouTube

What's the deal? Dashing, elegant, fan-wielding dreamboat young master falls in love with girlie burdened with the heavy responsibility of leading a sect with bad rep and protecting a very powerful and thus dangerous cultivation manual. Supposedly.

On the one hand: Luo Yunxi looks like this:

for the whole drama. Every novel writer who ever wrote about a flirty and sophisticated young master whose beauty made flowers bloom along his path and women as well as men fell in love with him at first sight and all that purple prose-y stuff, has actually written about Luo Yunxi as Shangguan Tou whether they were aware of it or not. He is The Archetype and his popularity among bilibili fmv editors is proof. There's some great wire work in the first half. The soundtrack is pretty solid.

On the other: If you're looking for plot, run away and don't look back. I've watched the whole thing and I could not tell you how the story goes. I went in with a "idc about plot, i just want to look at Luo Yunxi in costume for 40 hours" mentality and I still struggled, make of that what you will. Chen Yuqi is the FL, saddled with a poorly written role and a choice of VA who arguably wasn't the best fit for her or the role. Chemistry is passable depending on your standards, but for most of the 2nd half of the drama it takes a nosedive together with the plot. Luo Yunxi got injured while filming this so they had to cut action scenes by a lot, so in the last 3rd or so it's wuxia without the wuxia. It's the only recent case where he also had to be dubbed (covid didn't allow him to get in the studio and do it himself, as he usually does).

Watch it if: You are a yumejoshi and need material to self-insert into a costume drama FL's position, you are more determined to watch lyx look pretty in costume, all else be damned, than Samwise Gamgee was determined to make sure Frodo throws the One Ring in the flames of Mount Doom.

Princess Silver

Type: Costume, court drama, romance, some wuxia elements

Episodes: 58

Available at: YouTube, viki

What's the deal? Princess RongLe wakes up one day with amnesia (no, hear me out) to the news that she is to be sent to another kingdom and marry a prince she's never met for political alliance reasons (no, hear me out!). There, she is faced with unexpected revelations and finds herself looking for the truth while she gets embroiled with the aforementioned haughty prince, a shady general, and her (sometimes a bit too?) caring and overprotective brother.

On the one hand: (mild spoiler alert?) His character ends up stealing the show. FL can act and has good relationships with other female characters (arguably better than with any man in this, even in the chemistry department). Story and plot are quite decent. It's one of those rare cdramas that builds up as it goes instead of deflating in the last stretch.

On the other: LYX is 3rd ML in this, so if he's your main motivation to watch, be prepared for limited screentime, especially in the 2nd half of the drama (until the final 8-10 episodes where it's all about). If you're not into the FL with either 1st or 2nd ML, the first half can be a drag, like, personally I started appreciating this drama for real after episode 25-30.

Watch it if: You are patient, you like getting emotionally sucker-punched, you love a good, earthshaking final plot twist.

Ashes of Love

Type: Costume, xianxia

Episodes: 63 (or 60, depending on the version, content is the same either way though)

Available at: Netflix, YouTube, viki, WeTV, amazon prime

What's the deal? Bottom of the food chain grape fairy who was deprived of the ability to feel romantic love and her life was honestly better and carefree like that, trips and falls into a love triangle with overconfident golden boy Heavenly Prince Phoenix, and his older brother, abused wallflower Heavenly Prince Dragon. Things go very great and not complicated at all from there. :))

On the one hand: Xianxia 101, it hits all the items on the checklist. The lavish costumes, the sprawling sets and world building, the entanglement over multiple lives, mortal arc, immortal arc, demon realm arc. CG that still holds up well for the genre 5 years later. The epic and emotional OST (someone has yet to surpass Sa Ding Ding's 左手指月 for the title of "best cdrama ED song", i don't make the rules). Arguably, The most iconic 2nd ML in a cdrama, responsible for a significant chunk of its long-lasting chokehold on the audience. Even if you've never seen the drama, if you're in the asian media adjacent internet, you've most likely seen this:

On the other: Xianxia 101, a double-sided coin. All the clichés are here, and if you're not here for them you get aboard the struggle bus. The show's views on romantic feelings can be a bit, let's say, old fashioned, even for the genre's standards. If you're not into the main CP, you're in for an uphill battle of frustration. If you're Team Runyu prepare to hate almost everyone for there is no justice in this land. (In AoL one is either Team Runyu or Team Xu Feng, no middle ground, and if you're reading this, especially because you liked lyx as Tantai Jin, I don't see how you could end up Team Xu Feng, so I'm gonna run with this assumption). (in theory you can also be Team No One, but in practice if you're that, sitting through this entire drama must have been as fun as having a tooth pulled out with no anesthesia)

Watch it if: if you're any degree of a lyx fan, period. Runyu is a mandatory class.

Children's Hospital Pediatrician

Type: Modern, medical, romance

Episodes: 42

Available at: YouTube

What's the deal? Aspiring surgeon -slash- frustrating disaster girl makes a huge blunder on her first day of her hospital residency, and can only stay as a pediatrician. She hates it and makes her literal saint of a secret husband's life miserable. We watch as she gets to grow as a person to the detriment of everyone else's mental health. Secondary cast has subplots of various dating entanglements.

On the one hand: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, hmmm..... well... there's a scene where lyx takes off his shirt for a physical exam, if that's a bonus (ep40, 27:13-28:05, you're welcome)? Queen Zheng Li is in it? I am scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

On the other: It's way too long for absolutely no reason, the FL is the most frustrating and irrational baby I've ever seen (which is by no means a low bar), 90% of characters who are not the FL get their development butchered to make her look better, 2/3rds of the cast are incompetent at acting and the other 1/3rd is being wasted in this mess. I am trying to be as objective I can in these, but I've got nothing for this one.

Watch it if: You have chronically low blood pressure that no medication can fix, you have watched literally everything else on the list and having a manic episode where you will chew on the walls if you don't look at Luo Yunxi's face in something you have never seen before, you want to watch some other mid drama, so you want to watch something worse first in order to appreciate the other drama more.

Fox in the Screen

Type: Costume, xianxia

Episodes: 22

Available at: YouTube, viki, amazon prime (as The Screen Foxes)

What's the deal? Orphan girl wins by drunken mistake a magical screen that houses 3 fox demon guys, they help her with her screen shop and also with crossdressing to pass the exam for the position of palace screen painter. She earns a grumpy boyfriend with a tragic past in the meanwhile.

On the one hand: It's short and goes fast, and in all honesty, considering it was made on a budget of 3 paperclips and a piece of gum, the story is much more concise and watchable than I, at least, personally expected. You get to witness the caterpillar stage of lyx on this path to guzhuang drama godhood. If you're one for tragic love stories there is one hiding under the DIY production. White Fox and the prince are a solid ship.

On the other: It is very much made on the aforementioned budget of 3 paperclips and a piece of gum, and it very much shows. Everything is rough, the costumes, the makeup, the editing, the acting for the most part. Having even half an expectation is the wrong way to approach this drama.

Watch it if: you have the heart of a mother watching her kids at the school play and admiring what a great job they are doing or if you are like Marie Kondo and love mess in an affectionate way.

Bonus: PhantaCity

PhantaCity was a tv show back in 2018, whose concept was making short plays and having actors perform them live in a single, do or die take for a studio audience. Luo Yunxi and Wu Jinyan, both with a background in ballet, are paired up in a short musical, acting as the hands of a newly repaired clock. If you ever wanted to see him dance, sing and act all in one thing, don't sleep on this. It's short and beautiful, and the official upload embedded above is subbed in English!

[dazzlingkai]

LOVE IS SWEET 半是蜜糖半是伤 2020, dr. yu chung chung, wu jian xin

[gizkasparadise]

the way this show actually does work as a HEA reincarnation au :’D

[circumference-pie]

[bittergrace]

Happy Birthday Luo Yunxi!