Scrolling thru hbo this holiday season brought my attention to Scent of Time, a Chinese historical drama. I was completely invested from the first minute. And yes, I fully recommend this one.
Especially because the main girlie is a villain named Qian (ʘᴗʘ✿)
It's a drama about a lady who gained a chance to change the course of past events which got her entire family killed. In her final moments, she wishes for another start and that's how it all begins again.
I was thrilled the whole time throughout the series, I enjoyed the FL's character greatly, including her entire look. She is absolutely stunning in every single episode.
As Qian relives moments of her life, she leaves behind her selfishness, conceit, greediness, and chooses a path of virtue. No longer blinded by infatuation for her (now) husband, she's ready to set the record straight once and for all. Her family is alive and well again, everything's just as it was before they were accused of the great fraud. Her bestie's dad is also alive and well, although he's about to live a couple of years in exile.
I enjoyed the show way more than I thought I would. Hua Rongzhou contributed to that a lot, as well as Qian's aversion to practically all men in her life, all but Rongzhou. She treats him like a baby brother. And pinches and bites his cutsie cheeks.
I'm actually happy with how they wrote these two. And how in the end (major spoiler alert!) she ends up in some random village, rebuilding her life, living peacefully and well protected by sweet Rongzhou, reading her books and resting on the rocking bench. The villagers like her, she makes friends, washes her laundry in a stream, Rongzhou is always there to help, the lantern festival is near and all is absolutely fine as she's writing down her wish and letting it float down the river...
Now, I don't know who thought hiding the truth of Qian's state would be smart. Telling us the real situation at the beginning would make the series even more enjoyable, at least for me. Learning that it isn't a magic show, and literally at the last minute, turned out to be the biggest disappointment because it made the wrap up seem sloppy and rushed, as if their budget was suddenly cut off and they had to finish right there in that moment.
I wouldn't mind the ending so much had they executed it more skillfully, because the whole idea is actually quite nice.