September 20, 2020

Oh! My Sweet Liar! | Recap and Review

Oh! My Sweet Liar!
A painter pretends to be pregnant for her livelihood.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Xi ZiXiong Xi Ruo
Xia Ning Jun: Li Hong Bin
Director
Scriptwriter
Liu Meng Jiao, Huang Yuan, Luo Ji
Chinese Title
偷心畫師
A Heart Stealing Painter
NetworkYouku
Year2020
Episodes: 29
Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 3.6/5

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Mini Recaps


[Ep1] Li Hong Bin is given an audacious task from his father: catch the painter tarnishing their family’s reputation. This artist is a regular girl, Xiong Xi Ruo, who’s a genius at drawing and can memorize everything in an instant. Very regular. Li Hong Bin hosts an event to lure out the painter. A ton of fake ones show up. That’s when a battle erupts and the people pretending to be her all commit suicide. Xiong Xi Ruo misunderstands that Li Hong Bin is someone cold blooded for having killed everyone. She pretends to die among the chaos but someone steps on her hand. She does her best keeping her screams silent and pretending to die. It’s futile though. Li Hong Bin knows. He suspects her (who has a moustache on as a disguise) to be the artist. She manages to run away before he can confirm. She runs right into this lady who gives her a task: to draw a precious item. The money-loving Xiong Xi Ruo eagerly accepts the task. Before she knows it, she’s smuggled into Li's manor to be Li Hong Bin's personal servant. Her first task is to help him shower.
[Ep2] Before Li Hong Bin completely recognizes Xiong Xi Ruo, she makes him faint over. In his hazy consciousness, he sees her (who's pretending to be a boy) in his bed. A month later, she’s on the verge of death again. To save herself, she takes off her hat to let her long straight hair flow down. Her hair blows in the wind. His eyes are mesmerized by her. 

Xiong Xi Ruo: I’m pregnant with your child!

She lies that she’s absolutely enamoured with him. Ha. Luckily the physician is her childhood friend who manages to (barely) help her lie that she indeed is pregnant. 

[Ep3] Xiong Xi Ruo is desperate to leave his manor now that her life is in one piece. However, when she does leave, the lady who assigned her the task to draw the item threatens her to finish her assignment otherwise her family will die at her hands. Without a choice, Xiong Xi Ruo returns. 

Xiong Xi Ruo accidentally spills tea all over Li Hong Bin's map. Xiong Xi Ruo is able to redraw the exact same thing. Li Hong Bin is impressed. 

Xiong Xi Ruo finds her idol. It's actually Li Hong Yu (who's also an amazing painter). He accepts her as his disciple.

[Ep4] Li Hong Bin engages in a battle. A flying pot is about to hit three women (Song Qin, Dai Ru Er, and Xiong Xi Ruo). Li Hong Bin is only interested in saving Xiong Xi Ruo. It's totally not because she might be pregnant with his child. The other two girl are his future wives. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is starting to find out she misunderstood Li Hong Bin. She had thought he was torturing women in his room because of these feminine screaming she heard the other night. It was actually his pet parrot. The pet parrot starts insulting her and so they fight. Li Hong Bin catches her in a mess and his room a mess. He laughs when she's not looking. He punishes her but Xiong Xi Ruo hugs his legs begging him to forgive her. She whimpers about their child. Pft. Li Hong Bin won't forgive her until she finds his pet parrot again. Thus, she spends an entire night trying to catch his pet. 

Li Hong Bin distrusts Xiong Xi Ruo because he thinks she's a spy here to kill him. He doesn't know yet that she's the painter. He tests her if she can fight and almost knocks her off the roof. Seeing her fall, he flies to save her. He reminds her she's pregnant, what is she going to do if he's not around? For a second, Xiong Xi Rui was swooning at his manliness. But she fell because of him...? 

[Ep5] Li Hong Bin investigates into Xiong Xi Ruo's background. He's happy to find out she's not related to the assassins at all. When the servant asks him if they should look into her more. He flatly refuses. He wants to trust her.

Li Hong Bin is angry at Xiong Xi Ruo for having interactions with Li Hong Yu. She falls to his legs again and starts wailing. The more he talks to her, the louder she wails haha until he's forced to forgive her. She finally stops wailing and gets up from the floor. Li Hong Yu pats her shoulder to comfort her from crying. Xiong Xi Ruo is surprised he's capable of being caring. She turns her head to look at him and he meets her eye. Shy, they both turn away at the same time. 

Assassins arrive at night and attack Li Hong Bin. He’s injured and a nervously courageous Xiong Xi Ruo blindly protects him. Literally blindly, lol. They manage to fend off the assassins and she piggybacks him to safety with all her strength. He's in love. 

Li Hong Bin prepares a healthy soup for Xiong Xi Ruo. She thought it was poison and begs him for the cure. This girl is funny. He laughs and says there's no poison. She eyes him and slowly starts savouring the soup. He also gives her an auspicious red pouch (for keeping her pregnancy stable). He apologizes for his previous attitude. 
 
[Ep6] When Xiong Xi Ruo touches Li Hong Yu's makeup set and that makes him lose his temper. The makeup belongs to the late Dai Ke Er (same actress as Dai Ru Er becuase they're sisters). It's the woman he loved but she loved Li Hong Bin. 

To avoid a marriage with Dai Ru Er and Song Qin, Li Hong Bin claims that he loves Xiong Xi Ruo. Mom was totally against it but after hearing Xiong Xi Ruo is pregnant, mom is accepting. However, Song Zhi still wants to marry him. Li Hong Bin declares that he will only marry his one true love and no one else. That person is Xiong Xi Ruo. To her ears, although she’s certain he’s lying, it was truly charismatic of him.

Xiong Xi Ruo and Li Hong Bin sit down to discuss how they're going to lie about their love story. She doesn't like the idea of her falling in love with him at first sight. Thus, she turns him into a pervert in her version of the story. Li Hong Bin’s wrath starts simmering but it’s immediately quenched when Xiong Xi Ruo starts whimpering about their child. Lol. After they nail down their story, the next task is to turn her into a noble lady presentable for Li Family. Li Hong Bin personally teaches her everything. 

[Ep7] Li Hong Bin gets a nosebleed when he realizes Xiong Xi Ruo is in the sauna beside his. Li Hong Yu teases him that he loves her. 

Xiong Xi Ruo returns the gold bangle his mother gave her to Li Hong Bin. Xiong Xi Ruo doesn't think she deserves to own it since their relationship is fake anyways. Li Hong Bin is disappointed.

Li Hong Bin is proud of Xiong Xi Ruo for owning his family (and his uncle Li Jing You) at mahjong and impressing his family with her painting. Mom and Dad truly accept her now. An upset and jealous Song Qin throws a fit. She pours hot water at Xiong Xi Ruo but Li Hong Bin quickly uses his body to block it. 

Xiong Xi Ruo personally tends to the burn on his back. She pulls down his shirt to apply the ointment. He's shy though. She asks him why he protected her. At first he said it's for their child but later tells her that even if there's no child, he wouldn't let anyone harm her. 

The family absolutely adores Xiong Xi Ruo as their wedding approaches. The more they love her, the more guilty she feels.  

[Ep8] The wedding is imminent. Li Hong Bin prepares a feast for Xiong Xi Ruo. Immediately, she starts crying. She thinks there's poison. He's upset he thinks that lowly of him and starts eating it by himself. She still thinks there's poison until he stuffs food in her mouth. He tells her that if he was truly planning to poison her, whether or not she eats it she'll still have to die so why not eat it. She approves of that rational and inhales the food. Lol. He lies that it was his mother who told him to bring her food. However, he exposes himself when he blurts out that the fish head soup is her favourite. His mother doesn't know she loves fish head soup. Only Li Hong Bin knows. She's even sadder. She asks him what if she's not his child's mother. He tells her to stop spewing nonsense. He quietly mutters that even if she's not pregnant with his child, he might still marry her. From his sleeves, he gives her a gold bangle. She asks him why he's returning it. Upon closer examination, the gold bangle is different this time. He made her a new one that's even prettier. She confirms if he's really giving it to her because she won't return it. He confirms it's for his wife. 

The next morning Xiong Xi Ruo runs away. She left behind the gold bangle and a letter for Li Hong Bin detailing her pregnancy was all a lie. This separation makes their heart grow fonder for each other. There's not a moment he's not thinking of her. He finally decides to find her but she's not home. Her home is in a brothel because an auntie had found her when she was abandoned. This auntie is now her mother. Li Hong Bin enters Xiong Xi Ruo's room to wait for her. He sits down on her bed and finds the red pouch he gave her. While he's waiting in her room, Xiong Xi Ruo is abducted by the lady who hired her to paint. 

[Ep9] Fortunately, Li Hong Bin finds Xiong Xi Ruo before she's injured. When they're safe, he sincerely asks her to marry him. She touches his forehead to check if he's sick. He's love sick. She doesn't believe he could ever be sincere. Thus he makes up a random excuse that he doesn't want to marry the other two women hence he's marrying her. Xiong Xi Ruo believes in this excuse a hundred percent. She doesn't want to be used by him like that. He replies, "I want you to take responsibility of your (pregnant) lie forever." So her punishment is for her to actually be pregnant (:. She tells him she rather die than marry him. But she really doesn't want to die. Li Hong Bin won't kill her either. He does, however, threaten to expose her identity as the painter, Huan Xi Xian. On the count of three, if she doesn't marry him, he'll report her. By 'three' she gives him a back hug

Xiong Xi Ruo: Lord, let's get married. 

Li Hong Bin smirks. He fishes for the gold bangle in his clothes. He tells her to put it on herself and she immediately slips it on. She’s his again. 

Li Hong Bin takes Xiong Xi Ruo on his horse back to Li manor. They still have an issue on hand. She's still supposedly pregnant to others. Xiong Xi Ruo suggests to adopt a son. Li Hong Bin is angered. Why would they have to adopt when they can have one for real? Xiong Xi Ruo bewilderingly answers that she can't. They're only husband and wife by name.

The wedding takes place. Li Hong Bin is happy with his wife. However, Xiong Xi Ruo is way too drunk for their wedding night. She also drunk kisses Li Hong Bin. When she wakes up the morning, she has zero recollection of the night before. She doesn't know if they've done the deed. Although they're arguing, they both smile when neither are looking. They both like being married. However, it still bothers Xiong Xi Ruo that he took advantage of her last night. But in reality he didn't do anything to her. She should have been asking what she did to him. She had puked all over him. 

Second Couple: Li Jing You and Song Qin

[Ep10] Someone is fabricating artwork under Xiong Xi Ruo's name (as Huan Xi Xian). Li Hong Bin thinks it is Xiong Xi Ruo who's drawing those pictures tarnishing his family name. She takes out her own portrait of him to prove that she didn't draw the fake artwork. Li Hong Bin is more than satisfied with her explanation especially when he saw her hidden portrait of him. However, Xiong Xi Ruo is still unhappy someone is ruining her Huan Xi Xian name. 
To cheer her up, Li Hong Bin takes her out on a date. From the way I see it, it's more like a torture. He takes her horseback riding, it' so fast she's frightened. He takes her on a raft but she's the one paddling. However, there are sweet moments. He comforts her that no matter how awful the day is, the sun will always rise the next day. Xiong Xi Ruo rests on his shoulders. She's comforted. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is at her limit pretending to be graceful. She's having high tea with other noble ladies but her legs go numb from kneeling too long. She tries to stand and ends up falling into Li Hong Bin's arms. It's embarrassing, so embarrassing that she might as well pretend to faint. Li Hong Bin knows she's faking it so he carries her out in his arms. Mom gets the physician (Ye Zhi Han) to treat her. Ye Zhi Han knows Xiong Xi Ruo is faking it too but no matter how he tortures her, she doesn't wake up. Under Mom's urges, Ye Zhi Han is desperate too and uses the largest needle he has. Li Hong Bin's eye sockets almost pop out. He stops Ye Zhe Han in time and comforts Mom that Xiong Xi Ruo just needs a bit of rest. When Mom is gone, Li Hong Bin kicks the bed to wake her. Ye Zhi Han is the one who's more surprised. He doesn't know that Li Hong Bin knows everything. 

[Ep11] Xiong Xi Ruo finds out the who's faking her Huan Xi Xian's name. It's Song Qin. The girls argue and Xiong Xi Ruo accidentally falls into the water. When help wasn't coming fast enough, Song Qin jumps into the water to save her. Li Hong Bin also jumps in to save Xiong Xi Ruo. Then Li Jing You jumps in to save Song Qin. When they're all out of the water, only Xiong Xi Ruo is unconscious. Li Hong Bin performs chest compression and thankfully she's awake. The only person who's disappointed Xiong Xi Ruo is alive is Dai Ru Er. 

For the whole night, Li Hong Bin takes care of Xiong Xi Ruo. In her sleep, she hugs onto Li Hong Bin's legs. She dreamed of him as her mother. Morning comes and she once again thinks he took advantage of her. It's not until he feeds her medicine (and something sweet) and prepares a warm towel for her does she realize he took care of her the entire night. He then softly touches her hair. She reminds him their marriage is fake. He threatens her that if she messes up like this again (injures herself), he'll turn their fake marriage real. Just what is fake about this marriage?

Xiong Xi Ruo publishes a new book as Huan Xi Xian to overturn the fake ones. Li Hong Bin doesn't like her drawing other men. Xiong Xi Ruo starts ranting if she can only draw him then. Li Hong Bin grabs her in for a kiss. She closes her eyes to accept the kiss. He too closes his. After the kiss, he begrudginly dares her to draw this kiss. He walks off. She murmurs that he's sneakily taking advantage of her. He walks right back to her. Nope, he clarifies, he's righteously taking action as her lawful husband. 

[Ep12] Xiong Xi Ruo is helping Ye Zhi Han with his romance (Ning Xin) while neglecting Li Hong Bin. Li Hong Bin is jealous. Xiong Xi Ruo thinks he's giving her a hard time because he likes bullying her. He sulks and asks her if she really thinks he's being mean to her. She starts blurting out that it can't be because he likes her. He does, he really does. The truth soon dons on Xiong Xi Ruo. 

[Ep13] Xiong Xi Ruo teases Li Hong Bin for liking her. Li Hong Bin has suddenly rendered to a sulking boy but he's happy she knows his feelings now. But does she really know...

Dai Ru Er has drugged Xiong Xi Ruo's food. She wants her to have a miscarriage. However, the medication makes Xiong Xi Ruo have a very painful period instead. 

[Ep14] Xiong Xi Ruo misunderstands Li Hong Bin is interested in Ning Xin and that he had captured her to be his lover. Xiong Xi Ruo agrees to be obedient if he releases Ning Xin. But what does being obedient mean? Li Hong Bin tells her it means exactly what it means. Thus for the entire day she's serving him like he's her master. He's loving it. 

Xiong Xi Ruo's stomach is seriously hurting but no one believes her because she had lied too much before. Eventually, Li Hong Bin realizes something is off. He also traces down the culprit to Dai Ru Er.

[Ep15] Xiong Xi Ruo drugs Li Hong Bin‘s drink so he can tell her Ning Xin’s whereabouts. Instead he confesses how much he loves her. She thinks he’s lying. Okaaaaaay girl. Just what will it take for her to believe him? 

Xiong Xi Ruo finally knows Ning Xin is okay. She confronts Li Hong Bin. But he confronts her too for intoxicating his tea. When he learns he confessed more of his love to her when he was drugged, he asks her to be like other married couples. A real couple. She doesn’t understand why. He mutters that he likes her. She doesn’t hear it properly and so he repeats it loud and clear. He grabs her in for a kiss. 

Dai Ru Er is a pest. She invites Xiong Xi Ruo’s mother to Li Manor all to make it difficult for Xiong Xi Ruo. They barely pass through that obstacle. Mom stays the night so Xiong Xi Ruo is forced to sleep with Li Hong Bin. He asks Xiong Xi Ruo for her answer to his confession. He asks her what can he do to make her believe he loves her. That’s what I’m asking! Xiong Xi Ruo replies, “It doesn’t matter what I think, I’m already here with you.” Li Hong Bin grabs her back in his embrace, “What you think matters to me.” He sleeps while hugging her. Xiong Xi Ruo stays in his embrace as she stares adoringly at him. 

[Ep16]  Li Hong Bin is determined to make Xiong Xi Ruo like him. She’s shy and asks why must she like him back. He takes her hand and tells her that her pulse has already betrayed her. He’s confident she’ll like him

At night, mom drugs Xiong Xi Ruo’s food making her attack Li Hong Bin seductively. The whole night she hugs him tightly to sleep. She wakes up and demands what he did to her. He counters her that it was her who attacked him. Then he pulls her in for a kiss. He continues to ask her what it’ll take to make her believe him. Is he not explaining it clear enough or is she dumb. It’s neither. She’s not dumb, she’s the universe’s black hole. Logic doesn’t work on her

Li Hong Bing’s parents discover that Xiong Xi Rong’s mother owns a brothel. The lie is out. Li Hong Bin suddenly turns harsh on Mom and is determined to flank her to death. 

[Ep17] Li Hong Bin knows his parents are softie. They wouldn’t let him flank someone to death. Now that he’s got his parents to calm down, he explains he knew everything all along. The parents are willing to let this pass if Xiong Xi Ruo will disown her mother. But Xiong Xi Rong will never do that. The parents punish her to kneel for three days without food or water. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is mad at Li Hong Bin for not allowing her to send her mother off. She doesn’t know that’s the best he could do for them. Then again, she wouldn’t have to suffer this if he didn’t force her to marry him in the first place. Xiong Xi Ruo begs him that if he loves her then let her go. Her mother doesn’t deserve this treatment when she raised her with so much love. Li Hong Bin begs her to stay with him. He promises that he will fix this. Xiong Xi Ruo cries in his embrace. She’s willing to trust him. 

The parents find out that Xiong Xi Ruo’s mother is altruistic. She not only adopted Xiong Xi Ruo, she adopted many other orphans. The parents decide to give her an honourable mention to motivate others to be like her. 

Li Hong Yu comforts Xiong Xi Ruo who is still upset about her mother. After his talk with her, he criticizes Li Hong Bin that he was only concerned of forcing her to be with him, he never thought of how to let her love him. Li Hong Bin can't utter a reply. Li Hong Yu continues, “Treat her well, she already cannot leave you.” 

Pesky Dai Ru Er drives a wedge between Li Hong Bin and Xiong Xi Ruo. She manipulates the truth to make it seem like Li Hong Bin was determined to kill her mother. Xiong Xi Ruo believes her. 

[Ep18] Xiong Xi Ruo is mad at Li Hong Bin but begrudgingly helps him when he needs it. She’s still determined to leave him though. However, when she sees a servant trying to kill her father-in-law, she takes the sword for him. Luckily, the sword only injures her hand. However, she uses this chance to say she has a miscarriage. That way, her parent-in-laws will let her go. However, father-in-law has long approved of her mother and he truly adores Xiong Xi Ruo. Touched, she tells father-in-law that her baby is still there. HUH. How are the months going to add up? 

Second Couple: Song Qin wants to marry Li Hong Yu to Li Jing You’s dismay. 

[Ep19] Xiong Xi Ruo lies about her pregnancy because of her father-in-law’s health. It has nothing to do with Li Hong Bin. Absolutely nothing. 

Xiong Xi Ruo finds a pouch her mother left her. Inside there’s a letter detailing how amazing Li Hong Bin is. Mom has never met a man better than him. His love for her is like no other. Xiong Xi Ruo FINALLY realizes Li Hong Bin loves her and never hurt her family. 

Xiong Xi Ruo apologizes to Li Hong Bin. She walks around him wondering what made her mother think he’s exceptional. Just how much money did he bribe her mother. He asks her back how much he needs to give her to think he’s a good catch. She starts counting and realizes he’s teasing her. He tells her that once his father is better, he’ll let her leave. She’s happy to hear that but he tells her he’ll just follow her wherever she goes. He grabs her in for a hug knowing she’s finally forgiving him. Xiong Xi Ruo hugs him back. 

Xiong Xi Ruo admits to Li Hong Yu she likes Li Hong Bin.

Second Couple: Song Qin is upset Li Hong Yu is rejecting her. Li Jing You offers to marry her. 

[Ep20] Li Hong Bin is relentless with his pursuit of Xiong Xi Ruo. He doesn’t know she likes him back. He suggests once more they make her pregnancy a reality. She’s flustered. He then gives her a forehead kiss. She’s even more flustered. 

Xiong Xi Ruo puts on makeup to see Li Hong Bin but she falls asleep. Li Hong Bin carries her back to bed. He stares at his beautiful wife and plants a kiss to her forehead. He sleeps next to her but a fire consumes Li manor. Li Hong Bin carries Xiong Xi Ruo out. She’s touched. She holds onto his face to check if he's okay. Their servants know to retreat to give this couple some alone time.

Dai Ru Er was about to expose the fake pregnancy but Li Hong Bin finds evidence that it was her who set fire to Li Manor. Therefore, everything else she says must be false. However, it wasn’t her who started the fire. 

[Ep21] Xiong Xi Ruo lost a bet and now she has to go on a date with Song Zhi. Li Hong Bin punished her for making the bet in the first place. She apologizes but she couldn’t stand Song Zhi bullying Li family. She gives Li Hong Bin a kiss on the cheek. He’s mad but he still likes the kiss.

Li Hong Bin was following Xiong Xi Ruo on her date but he lost them. Song Zhi kidnapped her. She escapes by using her fist of poison. She’s stranded in this wood,  lost, cold, and scared. Fortunately, Li Hong Bin finds her. She hugs onto him tightly, “I don’t want to be separated from you ever again.” Li Hong Bin smiles widely in her tight embrace. 

Li Hong Bin takes Xiong Xi Ruo back on the boat. She gives him a doll she bought from the market. She liked it because the doll looked like him. She gives him another hug. 

Xiong Xi Ruo quietly says: I think I like you a bit.
Li Hong Bin: Just a bit?
Xiong Xi Ruo: A bit more than a bit.
Li Hong Bin stares at her
Xiong Xi Ruo: Okay fine. I really like you a lot. 

He kisses her. And they do the deed. On the boat. Is there a real pregnancy this time? 

The female killer is back to menacingly remind Xiong Xi Ruo of her mission. Xiong Xi Ruo had completed it. She drew a naked picture of Li Hong Bin thinking the female assassin wanted a naked man’s portrait. It turns out Xiong Xi Ruo misunderstood what this Luo Han Tu is. “Luo Han” sounds likes naked man. Their whole conversation was hilarious because of the female assassin’s heavy dialect. 

[Ep22] To complete the mission from the female assassin, Xiong Xi Ruo must find a way to sneak into Li family’s locked chamber. Li Hong Bin thinks she’s avoiding him and wonders if he did anything wrong. Her attitude doesn’t make sense to Li Hong Bin especially after the sweet night they spent together. 

Xiong Xi Ruo hangs out with Li Hong Yu to find the key she needs to enter Li family’s secret chamber. She also helps him overcome his heartbreak for Song Qin. But it’s not working very well. He’s still so in love with her. Unknowingly, she helps him in a very different way. She successfully made Song Qin jealous. 

Li Hong Bin repairs Xiong Xi Ruo’s hair pin. He wants her to wear it to see him tonight. He organized an event for her but he doesn’t show up because he’s summoned by his father to apologize to Song family for disrespecting them. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is at the meeting place. Instead of Li Hong Bin, it’s the female assassin who shows up. She brings Xiong Xi Ruo’s mother’s hairpin to threaten her to complete her mission once more.

[Ep23] Li Hong Bin is locked in his room until he writes a letter of apology to Song Zhi. He was adamant on not apologizing but when Xiong Xi Ruo is missing, he forgoes his pride and writes the letter. Li Hong Yu stops him. He has a plan to make Song Zhi take back his request for an apology. By the way, Song Zhi and the female assassin are on the same team.

Xiong Xi Ruo is locked in Li family’s chamber. There’s a ton of gold there but she can’t find Luo Han Tu. Three days later, Li Hong Bin finally finds Xiong Xi Ruo in the gold chamber. She thought he was another one of her dreams so she tells him to leave. She finally realizes he’s the real deal but she can’t get up to leave with him. She hasn’t eaten for days, her legs are weak. Li Hong Bin carries her but she runs back to the chest of gold. Li Hong Bin isn’t too pleased. However, Xiong Xi Ruo is digging through all the heavy duty gold to look for her gold bangle. She tells him this gold bangle is precious to her because it’s his first present to her. Li Hong Bin smiles. 

The next night, Li Hong Bin organizes another date night for her. There’s fireworks decorating the sky all for Xiong Xi Ruo. He asks her why she was in their secret chamber. She can't tell him. Li Hong Bin is being absolutely understanding and doesn't force her. He also knows there’s no way she appeared in his manor for no reason. Xiong Xi Ruo is touched by his unending trust of her. Later that night, she had contemplated on telling him but she’s once again threatened by the female assassin with her mother’s life. 

Li Hong Bin is summoned by his father. He’s punished this time for entering the gold chamber. Li Hong Bin doesn’t tell his father about Xiong Xi Ruo’s involvement. He’s flogged. He also doesn’t tell Xiong Xi Ruo about taking this blame for her. 

[Ep24] Song Qin says she has a disease. She has love sickness. She tells Li Hong Yu to cure her but he thinks she’s messing with him. 

Song Zhi forcefully makes Song Qin leave Li manor but he’s stopped by Xiong Xi Ruo. Song Zhi pushes her. She’s about to fall off the stairs if it hadn’t been for Li Hong Bin catching her in his arms. Song Qin arrives on the scene and says she doesn’t want to leave. She wants to marry Li Jing You. She won’t marry anyone but him. This girl went from loving Li Hong Bin to Li Hong Yu to Li Jing You... Li Jing You also finds it hard to believe she truly loves him after loving the other two Li brothers. 

Li Hong Bin and Xiong Xi Ruo are amused at the turn of events. He forgets he’s still in pain from the floggings. Xiong Xi Ruo tries to make him porridge. She almost bombs the kitchen. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is forced by Song Qin to be her Cupid. She confronts Li Jing You. She reads his mind: “You’re happy and you're scared. She’s right in front of you but you’re afraid she’ll disappear.” Li Jing You is still wavering though.
[Ep25] Xiong Xi Ruo figures out what Luo Han Tu is. It’s these weird monk statues with weird poses scattered throughout Li Manor. She draws out all the poses and is ready to give this to the female assassin. She apologizes to the doll (a Li Hong Bin substitute). That’s when Li Hong Bin enters the room. Xiong Xi Ruo hesitates on telling him the truth. He tells her he’ll have to resort on his “beauty man plan”. Beauty girl plan (straight Chinese translation) refers to using beauty to get what one wants

The next day Xiong Xi Ruo gives the painting as promised but the female assassin brings her to their lair to kill her. So stupid, I’d kill her on the spot if I were the assassin. Xiong Xi Ruo knows too much to be kept alive. Li Jing Rui (oldest uncle) makes his appearance. He’s the one who wants Luo Han Tu to prove that he’s the rightful heir to Li family. Li Hong Bin is hovering in a hidden corner and learns all this too. He protects Xiong Xi Ruo. When the female assassin shoots a blade at Li Hong Bin, Xi Ruo takes it for him. Li Hong Bin’s men arrive to battle it out with Li Jing Rui. Meanwhile, Li Hong Bin takes Xiong Xi Ruo in his arms to safety. 

Xiong Xi Ruo wakes up. Li Hong Bin is sleeping at her bedside. She stares at him lovingly and sleeps on his hand. Li Hong Bin wakes up and quickly calls for a physician. Xiong Xi Ruo stops him. She doesn’t need a physician. She just needs him. We get a flashback to the night before. His beauty man plan was himself. It works on her. Heh. She tells him everything. He then assures her that Mom is okay. He knew something was off so he made sure her family was okay. Back to the present, Xiong Xi Ruo apologizes to him for not telling him sooner. He lovingly punishes her by making her stay with him forever. As his wife, Xiong Xi Ruo gladly accepts her punishment. 
Li Hong Bin is busy the next few days to look for a missing Li Jing Rui. Xiong Xi Ruo visits but instead of showing herself, she gives him a puppet show with his doll and a portrait of herself to him. He calls it’s ugly. That makes her stand up and reveal herself to him. That’s his chance to kiss her. 

Li Jing You accepts Song Qin as his fiancé now. Dad (Li Jing You’s brother) isn’t too happy because Song family is such a handful. But Xiong Xi Ruo puts in some good words for this couple. Li Hong Bin follows suit. He’s so in love, he’ll follow anything Xiong Xi Ruo says. 

Mom questions Xiong Xi Ruo about her baby. Mom wants to touch her tummy because it’s not showing at all. Xiong Xi Ruo quickly averts mom by claiming her fetus is kicking her. Li Hong Bin takes the hint and runs away from mom. Mom hollers at them to run slower and so our couple escape in slower steps.

Li Hong Bin wants to tell the truth to his parents but he’s called to duty to find Li Jing Rui. He has to leave the next day. Xiong Xi Ruo prepared clothes for him. She tells him to try it on to see if she needs to make any adjustment. There’s no need to because there’s no time for adjustments. A sad Xiong Xi Ruo hugs him. She recounts her first impression of him. She tells him if she knew this cold blooded demon head (her nickname for him) was this handsome then she’s willing to let him scare her a thousand times and more. Li Hong Bin kisses her. She wants him to rest up for his important day tomorrow. He counters that nothing’s more important than her. He pushes her down onto the bed to enjoy one more night with her before he leaves. 
The next day, Li Hong Bin gives Xiong Xi Ruo a kiss to the forehead. Him leaving looked pretty cool. This whole farewell scene was filmed beautifully. In the days they’re separated, neither can sleep well. While Xiong Xi Ruo stares and hugs at her doll of him, Li Hong Bin is staring up at the night sky thinking of her.

[Ep26] Song Zhi and Dai Ru Er are sleeping together. He gets a letter to confirm his suspicions of Xiong Xi Ruo’s identity after he picked up her jade. She’s a princess of some sort. Song Zhi smiles as he tells Dai Ru Er it’s time to take their revenge. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is experiencing nausea and vomiting. She’s then summoned by father-in-law and mother-in-law. From Dai Ru Er, they learn that Xiong Xi Ruo lied to them all along. Xiong Xi Ruo can’t deny any of Dai Ru Er’s testimony. Dai Ru Er wanted a severe punishment of Xiong Xi Ruo but dad doesn’t have the heart to. Thus, he banishes her from Li Manor instead. Her maid (Ding Xiang) stays loyal and wants to leave with Xiong Xi Ruo but she’s forced to stay in the manor. Ah Bu (Li Hong Bin’s loyal butler) quickly sneaks out. To notify Li Hong Bin?

Li Hong Bin captures Li Jing Rui. However, he had a nightmare about Xiong Xi Ruo so he returns earlier on his own. He discovers his parents banished her. He asks to be banished too because he shares half the responsibility. His parents lock him up instead. That whole night he hallucinates her and cries because he misses her. Ding Xiang helps him out. As he escapes Li Manor, Li Hong Yu helps him too. I like the brothers looking cool together in this scene as they leave to find Xiong Xi Ruo. The parents hear news of Li Hong Bin escaping. Dad comforts Mom and convinces her to let their son find his love. 

Li Hong Yu takes Li Hong Bin to find Xiong Xi Ruo. He warns Li Hong Bin to prepare for Xiong Xi Ruo’s wrath. She might not want him anymore. Li Hong Bin isn’t afraid. He just wants to see her. When he does, he’s turns grumpy in an instant, lol. Xiong Xi Ruo is happily playing mahjong with her mother and her sisters. Li Jing You is and Ah Bu are there too. 

We get a flashback of the night Xiong Xi Ruo was expelled from the manor. She was ambushed by four bandits. Ah Bu had found Li Hong Yu for help. But it’s Ah Bu who singlehandedly battles the four bandits. Lol, was not expecting that from Ah Bu. And that’s how she’s safely here playing mahjong. She prepares a whole table of food for Li Hong Bin who is visibly upset. He cried so much for her to learn that she was having fun all along. Plus she’s got all these men around her (Li Hong Yu, Li Jing Rui, and Ah Bu). Of course, Li Hong Bin is jealous. 

[Ep27] Li Hong Bin takes out his jealously on Ah Bu. Poor guy did nothing wrong. His anger soon poofs away as he learns he’s going to be a dad soon. Xiong Xi Ruo is pregnant. 

Xiong Xi Ruo and Li Hong Bin find the will of his grandfather. Li Jing Rui has Li Dad as hostage because he’s at his wit ends and wants his “rightful” inheritance. Li Hong Bin reads out the will. The father only wanted harmony between the brothers. If he ever wanted the position, the will gives him power to do so. Li Jing Rui realizes it was Song Zhi who drove a wedge between them. Song Zhi and Dai Ru Er flee. The father and Li Jing Rui make up. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is finally home with Mom and Dad’s approval. Li Hong Bin welcomes her home with a sweet kiss.

[Ep28] Dai Ru Er disguises as a maid to sneak into Li manor. She's here to steal the map to Li family's treasure. She's soon captured by Li Hong Bin but she doesn't fear Li family at all because she's Song family's daughter-in-law. However, once she returns, reality hits her. Song Zhi never intended to marry her especially now that he's done using her. He ditches her on the street.

Xiong Xi Ruo is kidnapped by the female assassin under the orders of Song Zhi. He tells her she's the Princess, the Emperor's lost daughter. He's using her as wager for Li Hong Bin to bring the treasure map but Song Zhi has no intentions to let either of them live once Li Hong Bin enters his lair. 

[Ep29] Li Hong Bin will risk anything to save Xiong Xi Ruo. Xiong Xi Ruo cannot be more in love with him. Fortunately, Ah Bu shows up to save the day. He has the chance to kill the female assassin but he spares her. Song Zhi doesn't know about this and thinks his men are still in control. He's back to demand Li Hong Bin why the map he gave him burned into flames. That's when Li Hong Bin's men surround Song Zhi. He's still proud of his Song surname and dares Li Hong Bin that he can't do anything against him. Li Hong Bin punches him in the eye. Song Zhi is punished by Li family. 

Xiong Xi Ruo is disappointed Li Hong Bin actually burned the real map to Li family's treasure. But she's the princess, she's got tons of money. Not. Xiong Xi Ruo is not the princess. The real owner of the jade is Ning Xin. When she was young, Ning Xin claimed the jade belonged to Xiong Xi Ruo so their mother wouldn't sell Xiong Xi Ruo to the temple. Therefore the Princess is actually Ning Xin. Ye Zhi Han faints. His expression when he learned his bossy wife is going to be a bossier Princess was priceless

Xiong Xi Ruo hasn't given up on Li family's treasure though. She has the ability to remember anything with just one look. She redraws the map. After giving it to her parent-in-laws, they're reminded of Huan Xi Xian, the notorious painter. Xiong Xi Ruo is down on her knees as she reveals there's one more lie she hasn't confessed of. The parents hug each other fearing it's her pregnancy again. When they learn the truth, they're relieved. Any lie is better than her not being pregnant. 

Five years later, Li family's butler receives a letter from Li Grandfather. It's not addressed to Li Dad or Li Jing Rui. It's addressed to the butler. The butler is actually the second Li son. Looool. The butler puffs his chest as he claims his rightful position. 

Others: Song Qin and Li Jing You have been married for two years and she's still as infatuated with him as ever but he's not allowed to stare at other girls even if the girl is a toddler. Ning Xin and Ye Zhi Han have had twins two times in a row. She's now on her third pregnancy. Ye Zhi Han begs Ning Xin to not have another set of twins. She shrugs, the doctor is him, not her. The female assassin returns Ah Bu his sword that he injured her with. She thanks him for not killing her that day. The kid who returned the sword asks for a reward. Ah Bu gives him a pint but the boy said the female assassin promised him Ah Bu would give him 100 coins. Li Hong Yu meets a new girl. 
There's a little girl who's sweet with her words. Without any money, she's able to make the lady give her a bun for free. This little girl is the daughter of Xiong Xi Ruo. Li Hong Bin blames Xiong Xi Ruo for negatively influencing their daughter. Xiong Xi Ruo and her daughter both work their charms on Li Hong Bin and he's smiling again. Life is normal for them. Li Hong Bin is heading Li family and Xiong Xi Ruo is still working with her pen name Huan Xi Xian. 

Happily ever after.
The end.


Remarks



[First Impression (Ep1-8)] Among all the new romcom premises, I was going to drop this one. I had watched Ep1 on three separate occasions until I finally pulled through the third time and I'm so glad I did. By Ep2, this is surprisingly fun, cute, and sweet. I wasn't expecting it at all. Xi Zi (Xiong Xi Ruo) is funny. Her innate reactions to Xin Ning Jun (Li Hong Bin) are unpredictable. She always uses her fake baby to get her way, it's hilarious. No one appeared good looking in Ep1 but by Ep2, the ML's visuals grew on me, and the FL started looking cuter. I'm loving the chemistry between the leads. It feels natural and effortless. Li Hong Bin gradually falls in love with her and his actions make her swoon at times. The story is engaging; there's assassins after him but it's not explicit why they're after him. This drama has successfully created leads I love and a story I buy. Plus it's funny. I think this will be a good one right to the end. Crosses finger

P.S. The opening song. What is that?

[Episode 17 Update] Frustratingly dumb FL who believes everyone else but the the ML. He keeps telling her he loves her but she won’t believe it no matter what he does. The second female lead who obviously hates her tells her the ML tried to kill her mother and she believes it immediately. Wut.

[Episode 21 Update] This gets much better. FL is no longer an idiot. 

[Actors/Actresses

[Behind the Scenes

[Ending] Happy. 

Final Review


[Review] Flawed but its cuteness, comedy and creativity make up for it. I’ll never understand why Xiong Xi Ruo lost her brain for at least a third of the drama (Ep9-20), I was exasperated at her idiocy. I lost all hope in her. Among the dramas I’ve completed, she takes the trophy for being the dumbest of them all. I could have dropped it but I didn’t. I stuck through because I loved the humorous beginning; I loved Li Hong Bin’s unwavering love for her despite knowing how suspicious she is. Aaaand despite how much Xiong Xi Ruo angered me, I still loved her when she was smart and cute at the end. I must be the idiot. 

Among this saturated genre, Oh! My Sweet Liar! has unique and creative scenes. The beginning was hilarious with the fake pregnancy antics. I enjoyed the search for Luo Han Tu (from naked men to monks). I loved that last twist with the birth origin. It ties in all the characters so wonderfully. Even the butler gets a memorable moment. A lot of the casts are lovable. The evil ones were decently fun to watch because, you know, they never get to succeed and it’s rewarding watching them get their retribution for even having an inkling of evil thoughts on our leads. 

Initially, Xia Ning Jun (Li Hong Bin) was not a looker for me but he grew on me. He made me believe he really loved Xiong Xi Ruo. It was his love for her that made me plow through the parts I didn’t like to get to the cute and sweet. 

Rating3/5 

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