霜降❄️

One thing I really love is that none of the characters are dumb. They didn't make one character intentionally stupid just to make the others or the main leads stand out. Everyone is scheming. Everyone is calculating. I especially love those moments when one side thinks they already have the upper hand, only to find out that their opponent already knew about their plans all along. It becomes a battle of wits just as much as a battle of strength.

I also appreciate that they actually show the fighting scenes instead of cutting them short. The CGI during some battle scenes wasn't perfect, but honestly, I didn't mind. I watched another popular C-drama recently where they would spend so much time building up the tension, making you expect an epic fight... then suddenly cut to aftermath of the battle, and everyone's just talking again. Maybe it's just because I really enjoy action scenes, especially in wuxia dramas.

This drama really didn't disappoint, and I'm so glad I decided to watch it. My only complaint is that it only has 28 episodes. I found out it was originally supposed to have 35, but it was reduced to 28. That's probably why the story feels so fast-paced. Still, I have to give credit to the director because the editing was done so well. The scenes they chose to keep were all straight to the point. Whenever an explanation was needed, they would reveal it later through flashbacks or continuation scenes instead of dragging everything out.

I've seen other dramas that got cut down, and sometimes you're left wondering, "Wait... what happened? Why is this character suddenly here? How did they know that?" Then you find out later that the answers were in the deleted scenes. 😭 With Key to the Phoenix Heart, though, everything was pieced together so smoothly that I rarely felt confused. I really applaud the director for that.

Another thing I loved is how many emotions this drama made me feel. It's not just full of romance and funny moments. There were scenes that genuinely shocked me, made me emotional, frustrated me, and even got me teary-eyed. I honestly thought that around Episode 20, things would start slowing down... but nope. The drama just kept throwing unexpected twists every few episodes. I literally found myself saying, "What the heck??" more than once. 😂

The characters also left a strong impression on me. Every single one of them had their own personality and didn't feel generic at all. From the main leads to the supporting cast,even the villains...everyone was smart, capable, and memorable. I was honestly so satisfied with this drama.

I also heard that the director hinted on social media about a possible Season 2. Hopefully it's true! And hopefully we'll finally get a proper kissing scene since the female lead will already be an adult by then.

This is my second drama starring Hou Ming Hao, and I can confidently say I'm developing a huge crush on this man. I couldn't get enough of him in Love in the Clouds, so I was really happy to see him as the male lead here.

As for Ai Mi... she's sooo pretty. This is my first drama where she's the female lead. I first saw her in Who Rules the World, and even back then, I thought she was gorgeous and a really good actress. She definitely didn't disappoint in Key to the Phoenix Heart, and I think this role suited her so well.

So yeah, that's it! I really enjoyed this drama, and I hope I can find another one with the same caliber. It doesn't even have to be wuxia, I just want something equally well-written and exciting.

I also love strong female leads. They don't have to be amazing at martial arts. As long as they're intelligent, wise, and can hold their own, that's already a huge plus for me. (Of course, it still depends on the overall story. 😂) I watched another drama before with a smart female lead, but I just couldn't bring myself to continue it. Even though both leads were attractive, something about the execution felt distracting. I also wasn't a fan of those long dramatic close-ups where they try too hard to make the characters look cool. 😭

Me: "Ok."

I got my phone and opened the app. I saw a 1.3kg Pedigree worth P135.00 I think so I decided to make it two. I also included some other items. The total was around P600+.

Me: "Wala ka ba gustong bilhin? Ipi-place order ko na 'to."

Her: "Bili ka chicken or something meat."

Me: "Wala sila chicken."

Her: "Ano meron?"

Me: "Frozen foods lang."

Her: "Like?"

Me: "Chorizo."

Her: "Ngek! May hotdog pa tayo. Akin na nga yan."

Kinuha niya ang phone ko nag browse. Ako naman ay nag focus na sa laptop and nag work.

Minutes later.

Her: "P4,985 lahat." - with big smile yan.

Muntik na ako mahulog sa upuan.

Me: "Seryoso?!"

Her: "Considered as gorcery namana yan. Okay lang yan." Nakangiti pa rin yan sabay abot sakin ng phone ko.

Paano naman yun naging grocery eh food lang ng aso ang dapat namin bilhin.

At yun na nga, pag-oorganize na naman ng mga bilihin namin ang poproblemahin ko. Ang dami niyang biniling fruits and vegies pero maliit lang fridge namin.

I feel so happy because I just finised what I was working on with my client's website. Not that I totally finished them all but I felt so happy I get to customized his website. I don't know if he's okay with it though, but I hope he won't mind, hehe. There's still a lot of things I want to do with his website as well as hi social media accounts - soo many that I can't keep up with all of those. I hope I can able to express my creativity and my strategy works so it can help with the website's visibility and hopefully, my client will have his first earnings. Malayo pa, pero alam kong makakarating din kami doon.

In the morning, since my mind is not working and I'm not in the mood to work, I used my time to play MOBA. I slowly like playing Honor of Kings these days. And I'm so happy I got the new hero Garuda after playing a few matches and bought a few of boxes for the rewards. I also enjoyed playing Spriteling (?) and got my kitty from rank Gold to Platinum. Idk if I need the skin though but since many are into it, I hope I can able to get it too before the event ends. After that, I swithced to playing ML because I remember my Vexana still has her limited skin that will expire in 3 days - and today is the last day. I also want to rank up from Grandmaster to Epic but unfortunately, I was not lucky with the remaining matches. I felt frustrated though - and super mad. Funny how I didn't felt that when playing HOK.

I got to enjoy good foods today - all were takeout - lol! Goodbye moneyy but I'm satisfied and I'm full so it doesn't matter.

IJust got so stress with our husky puppy. He's becoming a dinosaur already!

What elese? Well, it's alerady 6:56AM now. I think I need to get some sleep.

That product, Mr. Muscle Mold and Mildew, is so effective and easy to use. But it hurts my eyes and nose as it has a strong smell even if I had my mask on. The result was so amazing. I was impressed! Took me quite a while to continue cleaning the bathroom. I'm kind of concerned because my puppy might also hurt his nose. I opened the windows and turned on the fan for ventilation. But I feel like the smell stuck on me. So I took a bath at around 8 PM, cooked my dinner, fed the puppy, washed the dishes and watched Sanggre. I didn't start my work until 1:30 AM or 3 AM? Hehe! Dumb scrolling on my socials is my greatest challenge.

Also, I discovered an app today. It's called Locket. It's a widget. You can invite your friends here and share your photos with them. Yeah, it's like social media but only your friends can see. It's like an online photo gallery. I used it on my three phones so I can share whatever photos I have on whatever phone I used be it my foods, coffees, milktea, etc., and I can see it on my other phone. No need to use WhatsApp for sharing my photos, lol. But I'm not sure about the photo quality though. Either way, I'm liking this app/widget.

Fast forward to today: an earthquake struck where I live. It was so strong since I’m on the 21st floor. The building shook heavily and I almost got dizzy. It was my first time experiencing an earthquake like that. I posted about it on my FB story to share what I went through and to let people know I was safe. That story got views, but not a single reaction. Not even a “worried” react. No one messaged me or asked if I was okay — not even family, lol.

When we evacuated to the ground floor, I saw so many people on their phones, video calling or chatting with their loved ones. Meanwhile, I was just there scrolling my feed, getting updates about the situation. A little later, my aunt on my mother’s side messaged me and told me to stay safe. Then a college classmate also reached out, and we had a short conversation about it. That made me happy. Funny how the ones I rarely talk to are the ones who showed care, while those I’m close with didn’t bother at all.

I checked my story again and saw many familiar names — people who used to always react with hearts — but this time, nothing. No hug react, no message, as if they didn’t care. As of now, only those two people checked on me. Am I sad? Not exactly… more like disappointed. That feeling of “no one gives a damn about you” — I guess I’ve gotten used to it. And it just made my heart a little colder.

There are times when circumstances make them emotional, but they never let pride get in the way. If one gets angry, the other humbles themselves. No pointless miscommunication or dragging misunderstandings between them. And if there is one, it doesn’t last long because they talk it out right away. They think ahead, not just for themselves but also for everyone’s welfare. The people’s well-being is their main priority, but at the same time, they always have each other’s backs.

From enemies to lovers. From seeing each other as threats to becoming each other’s greatest confidant. They understand each other deeply. They don’t listen to rumors; instead, they trust each other completely. It may be too good to be true in real life, but it’s very satisfying to watch. Truly, they are a power couple.

I also like how thoughtful Manman is. Even knowing how scary Wei Shao can be, she still serves him, cooks for him, and takes care of him, not just him, but his entire family: his mother, grandmother, and the whole Wei household, even though most of them despised her at first. She became his greatest support -- emotionally, mentally, and physically. She’s always there for him and is also the best strategist.

Wei Shao, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, is actually a kind man seeking revenge for the deaths of his grandfather, father, and brother. His bloodlust in war is intense, especially against those who betrayed his clan 14 years ago. He’s built tough, struggles to express emotions, especially toward Manman, but that’s what makes her patience and understanding so admirable. Even when he says hurtful things, she doesn’t take them to heart. She simply understands him. She’s the perfect wife: submissive yet intelligent. While she’s smart, she still respects and follows her husband, even if sometimes it’s against her will.

Wei Shao, on the other hand, is the perfect protector-husband type. He provides her comfort, ensures her safety, and has that strong leader aura. Though he’s clueless about romance and sweet words, it’s understandable and fits his character.

I also enjoyed the supporting characters, especially the four generals, the wise and demure Lady Xu, and the character growth of Qiao Ci and Mother Wei. Sadly, a lot happened during the last battle. Unexpected but necessary. Still, all’s well that ends well.

One thing I didn’t like was the abrupt transition: the war scene ended with their victory, then suddenly it’s months or even a year later. I wanted to know what happened to Yunzhou, whether Qiao Ci became governor, what happened to Lady Ding, and how everyone reacted to Fanfan’s fate. Honestly, I never liked Fanfan’s character much. She seemed to drag everyone she loved down.

I was happy to see Mr. Wei’s character development and the new set of leaders forming alliances. They ended in peace and harmony. The antagonists got what they deserved, though I wish they had shown more about Mr. Zhang (Qiao’s adviser). Lady Yuolo (?) was so infuriating but the actress did so well! I loved her as Yanli, so demure and kind, but here she nailed her villain role. I also kind of envy her character. Three men loved her deeply and wholeheartedly, but her greed ruined everything.

Mr. Wei was confusing at first. I couldn’t tell if he was ally or foe. The way he looked at Manman or spoke with Wei Shao felt suspicious, and true enough, his hidden motive was revealed later. Honestly, I thought the ending would be a war between Wei and Bianzhou, so that plot twist was unexpected! The early disregarded villain becoming the final big bad was effective. He’s psycho but convincing.

After the war, I really wished they showed the kids of Manman and Fanfan together. I like to think Bhi Zhi still governs Boya and visits Kangjun. I would have loved to see the Qiao family caring for little Li.

And oh, Wei Lieyang! 😭 I was hoping for a happy ending with Xiaotao, but it is what it is. He was such a cutie! The general who lost his hand… I feel like that part wasn’t necessary. He will be dealing with so many enemies, bakit kailangan pa niyang pasanin si Lieyang sa likod niya? Tsk tsk! But anyway, they all achieved peace after the war, and I just hope that all of them will find peace and love moving forward.

Search ko na lang laters mga names nila. Basta yun na yun. Overall, I really like this drama. Different atake nila sa LOFG pero I love both.

Ps. Yung actress na gumanap na Man Man, may mga anggulo na kamukha niya si Han Soo Hee hehe.