Dr. Cutie | Recap and Review

A cold and heartless general meets a cowardly, money-loving female doctor disguised as a male. 
Notable Actors/Actresses:
Sun Qian:Tian Qi / Shen Zhao Er
Huang Jun Jie: Ji Heng

Chinese Title

萌醫甜妻
Adorable Doctor, Sweet Bride

Genres: Period, Romcom, Period Romcom

Network: Youku

Year: 2020
Episodes: 28

First Impression: 2.5/5

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Mini Recaps

Ep4: The start of their love story: the ripping of her belt. LOL. 

Actually it starts from Tian Qi fanning him to sleep. He's got a severe case of insomnia.

Ji Heng uses all means to hire her to fan him to sleep (there's actually a little misunderstanding)

Ep5: She's a total suck up to Ji Heng. That above is her being shy at Ji Heng's naked bod.

This scene gets misunderstood by his servants as something indecent. Severely misunderstood.

Ep6: The plant has her very last flower bud. If all the flowers drop before she finds the culprit her life will be at the hands of Ji Heng who’s absolutely amused watching her suffer.
Ep7: Tian Qi finds the holy turtle (who's ugly and ferocious per TQ's words) that saved her from drowning the other night. It was actually J Heng who saved her and he's not one bit pleased to be called ugly. However, when the other maidens make fun of her tiny, tiny, holy turtle, JH's got her back.

Ep8: She helps him relax his furrowed eyebrows. Except she forgot she's a male and guys don't do that to each other. Males also don't say "I want to be Jie Shuai's medicine. I'll make sure you'll never have nightmares again." The next morning Ji Heng finds her dozed off next to him again but this time he lets her dream her sweet dream (of JH kissing her) until she sleep talks "Jie Shuai, you can't come close, it's not right." And that did it. He kicks her, sending her rolling across the room.

Ep9: Ji Heng has fun teasing her. He tells  her she must not lose a single flower on her head or else. She's also getting a lot better at sucking up to him. But its true that her admiration for him has grown. 

He orders her to change him (why must men be like this?) but he suddenly feels awkward when she becomes all timid from removing his pants

Aw, his turn to fan her (after she took that arrow for him; he thought she risked her life to save him when she actually tripped) 

Ep10: She upgraded from dozing off at the side of his bed to a personalized small bed in his room.
Cute how she asks him for a medallion to free her from death (y'know whenever JH gets angry and puts her life on the line). He's not exactly pleased she has such a negative impression of him. He refuses to grant her the medallion but promises as long as she's his (men) he won't let her die.

JH: Listen. I will not give you that medallion because you, your life belongs to me. If I don't let you die then I will never let you die in front of me. Remember that. 

She gifts him an armor and he loves it

These two start bickering a ton. She's no longer afraid to annoy him. She's also the only one who amuses him so much.
Ep11: They go on a(n unofficial) date. She takes him to a brothel and he hates it. The date doesn't go that smoothly but he still enjoys himself with her. He rewards her a medallion: one that allows her to freely enter and exit his manor. He uses a special type of material to make the medallion so if she decides to sell it (cause it is gold) he'll know. Ha.
Ep13: She infects herself with chicken pox to avoid being separated with Ji Heng. JH learns of this but he can't visit her or else it would make his mother more determined to separate the two. Look at him, he can’t bear to be separated with her now.

Ep14: Her strong desire to continue to serve Ji Heng (even though he almost killed her) is overheard by him.
Ep16: For the first time she disappoints him. He punishes her to kneel but guess who's the most concerned? Ji Heng. She's also disappointed in him because he's succumbing to greed and wealth. She doesn't know its all in his plan. TQ doesn't want to be angry but she's disheartened JH isn't who she thought she admired. Perplexed JH doesn't know how to apologize to Tian Qi for punishing her when he did nothing wrong. So he uses money as conciliation. Ha.

 

Ep17: She realizes she likes him. She doesn't accept the money because he denies that he regrets punishing her. The money loving TQ doesn't want money, she wants his sincerity. And that's what he gives her. He apologizes with countless, and I mean countless kites all with the word "悔" (regret) written on them; she responds with writing "悦" (pleased).

She accidentally confesses to him and instantly regrets. Ha. He soooooo wants to be happy but he’s resisting it. Thus begins the arc of denying his feelings for TQ as he realizes he cares about her

He gifts her a golden lotus leaf rice wraps, whatever those are called in English...

JH punishes TQ to dress up as a female. His nephew sees her silhouette and vows to marry her but JH says she'll be too old. TQ corrects him, "Shouldn't it be because I am a male?" That mustache is supposed to make her less feminine. 
Ep 18: He sends her away. Why? I don't quite understand. Anyways he's the one who has to suffer the loneliness. His insomnia is even worse. Meanwhile TQ adapts very well in the country side (but still worried about him).

Ep19: TQ is kidnapped and at death's door. Her last thoughts are all about JH as she cluthes onto her golden lotus. JH has never been this enraged and the kidnapper has to suffer all his wrath. He should have carried her out of the dungeon instead of staying to punish the guy. That whole night she calls out "Jie Shuai" in her sleep. JH doesn't want her to know she was with her last night. Why? Still in denial?
Ep20: He arranges a marriage for TQ with another maiden. Oh dear. Heartbroken TQ asks him what she did wrong for him to push her away. Clenching his fist, he lies that he doesn't need her anymore. And then the heartbroken JH cries, staring at the fan and remembering their every moment. So he can't accept that he's gay, supposedly gay? 
Ep21: After the drunk incident last night, JH suspects TQ is a girl. Immediately he calls off the marriage. JH is determined to confirm her sex whether its touching her breast or watching her shower. I don't know how I feel about this.................................. She's thwarted all his attempts but he still figures it out (no he did not see her naked or touch her breasts).

My poor eyes. (JH is trying to reason out his feelings for TQ)
Ep22: Ji Heng confesses. Wow. I don't know this JH anymore. Who is this man?

He comes twirling down from the sky that's raining petals. This is a dream, right?

JH: I'm not done talking - he grabs her into his arm - You can't go anywhere.

He reveals her secret and asks her why she's afraid of letting him know.
TQ: I'm afraid that I won't be able to stay by your side. This isn't a dream?

He prepares clothing for her. She's shy. He slyly asks: "Do you need help?"

She thinks he's punishing her (recall the last time she "cosplayed"). Listen to me rolling my eyes.

He gave a day off for the entire manor for them to date.

 They're prancing and frolicking

And posing.
And kissing. Shit. This is real

 Head-servant Sheng walks in on them HAHAHA

But Ji Shuai will not let go (of the male TQ) and tightens his grip even more.

Lovey-dovey again. This time they're caught by mom. I love Sheng's reaction.
This episode shocks me to the bone. 

Ep23: This episode I feel bad for poor little brother Ji Zheng.

After its made public that Tian Qi and Ji Heng are an item, these two discuss how many inappropriate things Tian Qi has done for them and they shiver in fear if Ji Heng learns any of this. For example TQ helped put ointment on his shifu's naked butt, gave Viargra-like med to the head attendant (Sheng grandpa). JH snickers at everything except at one incident: shifu reveals that he tried to take off TQ's clothes to apply medicine for her.

How many dramas must I watch where the male lead's family is (seemingly) responsible for killing the female lead's family?
Ep24: The inevitable truth is learnt.

Ep25: She actually stabs him. All the characterization went to garbage eh.

Ep26: I always liked Ji Zheng but when he lies about being ht boy in her memory... ugh. Girl just prances over to give him a hug immediately. Really, show? Meanwhile Ji Heng is sick at home from his knife wound.

Despite still being injured he seeks out Tian Qi/Zhao Er but is coldly rejected even if she learns that he's the boy from her memories. I'm so sorry but him holding his injury is os fake, yikes. However, after she learns how serious his injuries are, she immediately leaves only to be stopped by Ji Zheng. But Ji Zheng has to let her go, otherwise she'll just starve herself to death. Aw Ji Zheng.

Ep27: She feeds him medicine. Not only is he suffering from his wound but also poison. Mom recognizes Tian Qi truly cares for Ji Heng so she allows her to continue to care for him (privately). Cousin, however, recognizes that TQ won't stay for long and warns TQ to leave before JH wakes up because that would only hurt him more when TQ rejects him again.

Kidnapped again. I hope Ji Zheng is actually good.
Ep28: If I screenshot myself for the beginning 10 minutes of this drama, I actually have my eyebrows arched the entire time. She gets angry at him for not telling her their plans.

And then the drama suddenly takes a lighter mood and Ji Heng is relentlessly pursuing her at the brothel. The almighty Ji Heng is hired by TQ's auntie to work at the brothel (as a house cleaner and server) & he's so polite too.

Okay show, so she's worried about the blisters on his hands but what about that knife wound she plunged through his body? The last straw is when TQ sees JH swarmed by brothel girls. She takes his hand and they commence on frolicking in the markets. At night they finally see their comets. She makes a wish but he doesn't. His already came true. Off topic, so apparently the fact that she lied about her sex to become an imperial doctor is okay now? It’s cute when they're in bed and don't know what to do and then he brings out an ancient porn book (I think she's the one who gave it to him in the first place).

The last tidbit: he's going to be a dad

Remarks

Characterization: Or the lack of it. My gosh, this drama butchered Ji Heng to me in less than five minutes. In Episode 22&23, I was really excited for the whole I’m-not-a-boy misunderstanding revelation but...I wasn't expecting him to twirl his way into a confession like that... He actually twirled. With pink petals. The heartless war-godly human twirled. How on earth did this scene even get approved? How do you butcher a character in one episode like that? Thankfully, it becomes ridiculously hilarious because of Sheng. Breathe. Lets just believe JH is so relieved to be openly in love with TQ. Episode 25&26 are the episodes where Tian Qi and Ji Zheng's characterization also went bonkers. This drama just fell apart starting from Episode 22 because of characterization. I think it's cause the drama realized, oh shoot, I only have 6 more episodes to cover the actual story and the leads still have not dated yet.

Overall: Drama ended a bit on a disappointing note with how the story was told not how the story ended. It was a perfect ending, everyone forgave everyone, happily every after. I didn't go in with high expectations, so I wasn't let down tremendously. Parts of it were belittling my intelligence but most of it was light and even hilarious. I would say my like for it is greater than my dislike for the hiccup near the end. 

Rating: 3/5 ♥