Fresh Morning in a Broken World

i love that they added a healthy dose of toxicity to this couple and i'm glad they're not trying to write it off as a one-ep thing. he's threatening her into accepting his help and leaning further into the things that make her wary of him, like pressing down on a bruise. even though he loves her, this two-faced kinda-sadist is who he is. plus the way he yu is playing this really is sort of giving yandere, which is PERFECT.

his snap back and forth from benign crown prince to menacing schemer is getting both sharper and cleaner through the eps, it's fun to see.

i'm about to say something SO crazy about a show like blossoms of power — this right here is good screenwriting. huayong backing her up and then pouting at her for bullying him, raining extra snow down on her and then tightening her cloak...

...it's good show-not-tell character screenwriting. he's manipulative and controlling and adoring all in one and all at once (which idol drama MLs typically don't get to be at the same time). and there's the added layer of what he's trying to communicate to xihe — he's not trying to appear harmless to her to assuage her concerns. instead, it's "don't run away because of how powerful i am. you won't be able to, and besides, look at what i can make happen for you!"

To everyone (including Shen Xi He) saying he's not a suitable match for Shen Xi He because

He's dying - She can marry again. She can do whatever she wants after my death. She can leave the palace and return to the North.

He's frail - I don't have other women vying for my attention. I don't have ambition and therefore no enemies.

Exhibit A

And Exhibit B

I won't hold back anymore.

Pastel Whispers - Line Holtegaard

Danish , b, 1980 -