A boy needs a sister.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Notable Actors/Actresses
Zhao Ying Bo: Hou Chi
Wu Qian Ying: Shi Xia
Dai Yun Fan: Shi Dong
Chinese Title
親愛的吾兄
The Demon Lord hears rumours of a girl (Shi Xia) who is unlucky enough to be Hou Chi’s meimei and is now punished. The Demon Lord thinks he’s responsible and so he, being the righteous guy that he is, decides to save her! So random! He could have escaped quietly (with Shi Xia wrapped in a bag slung over his shoulder), but no, this guy loudly declares that he’s here to save Shi Xia. A modest one. As the disciples surround him, the Demon Lord throws these colourful balls to the sky. Fireworks here. Fireworks there. Fireworks everywhere. The disciples (and shifu) have no counter attack except dodging behind their invincible sleeve. I mean it must be invincible, right? That’s the only thing they do – duck behind this large, inconvenient piece of cloth. Demon Lord wins. He sets down Shi Xia and they finally see each other.
Chinese Title
親愛的吾兄
Recap Grade: B
First Impression: 3.25/5
First Impression: 3.25/5
Jump to Review
[Ep2] Hou Chi learns that to be a brother, there is storytelling involved and so sleepyhead Shi Xia is dragged up from bed to listen to his story. All his stories end like this: He died! *Insert a dramatic echo to highlight his proud voice, haha. Then he makes delicious burnt cancerous food for her. And then he makes her a doll to haunt lull her to sleep. Ah, the dream brother.
This kiss, however, offended Hou Chi's fanboys. He's got quite the following consisting of Yi Yao Gua and Yi Yao Gua. He takes her to the fountain of truth and asks her if she’s homosexual. She’s not. The next question is if she loves/admires Hou Chi. She lies that she doesn't and is about to be electrocuted by the fountain of truth. But guess what god descends to save her. Yeah, that god.
Mini Recaps
[Cynopsis (Ep1-5)] Shi Xia is our modern FL who was looking for her missing brother and is somehow transported to a xianxia world. She meets Hou Chi, a god man of high cultivation, or a plain idiot, I’d say. He wants to cultivate to the next level and believes he needs a sister to tap into that potential. Thus, this is our plot. He wants a sister. I don't actually get the need for a sister, but whatever. She wants to go back home. They help each other.
[Ep1] How does Shi Xia land in the xianxia world? Take a wild guess. If you said she dropped in during Hou Chi's pool-time, bingo! Something magical and romantic always begins in Chinese water. The moment Hou Chi sees her, it's as if her plump cheeks are calling to him to poke it. He does and it's soft. He's reminded of the Demon Lord's word that a sister has one of the softest cheeks in the world. I think Hou Chi just confirmed it, lol.
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| The man from heavens delivering food from hell |
By the end of the episode, Hou Chi is in the mood to confess, “Can I be your –" He's cut off by Shi Xia who isn't ready for a love confession.
[Ep3] Shi Xia, you’re thinking too much. Hou Chi completes his sentence: “Can I be your gege (brother)?” Ha.
Shi Xia attends a xianxia school in a boy get up. No one can tell she's cross-dressing because she's protected by Hou Chi's powers. She wants to find the way to teleport back to her world but she ends up running into trouble at school. Hou Chi senses that Shi Xia is in danger and makes his godly descent to save her with an invisible cloth (I think that’s what that cape move is).
[Ep4] Shi Xia is in trouble again. Guess what. Pretty boy Hou Chi makes his godly descent again to save her. It's cheesy but I gotta admit, my heart flutters a little for these scenes. A big chunk of a credit goes to the OST. Hou Chi asks her why she was hugging a tree when she was scared. Shi Xia explains that trees are always rooted to the same spot. Trees never leave. This is why she finds them secure. Hou Chi promises her (as he piggybacks her) that he will protect her. He would never go back on his promises.
[Ep5] Hou Chi and Shi Xia make a contract. She will be his meimei (sister) and he will help her return to her modern world. Other than the typical no body contact rule that's always broken anyway, she has a condition that she won't call him gege. The reason: she already has a brother. Can’t two-time her brother. After signing the contract, he promises to always protect his meimei. Shi Xia almost swoons.
Shi Xia feels guilty when Hou Chi is treating her so kindly as his sister. When she leaves, he'd be lonely and so Shi Xia is determined to save his precious tree. If she can't accompany him, at least he'll have his Spirit Tree. This Spirit Tree grew up with Hou Chi and was his companion but as his powers grew stronger, the tree grew weaker until it stopped blooming.
[Ep6] An accidental kiss! Hou Chi thinks kissing is cotton candy because it fits the description: it's sweet and soft, and it melts in your mouth. LOL. After the kiss, Hou Chi even asks Shi Xia if she wants to eat some more cotton candy.
This kiss, however, offended Hou Chi's fanboys. He's got quite the following consisting of Yi Yao Gua and Yi Yao Gua. He takes her to the fountain of truth and asks her if she’s homosexual. She’s not. The next question is if she loves/admires Hou Chi. She lies that she doesn't and is about to be electrocuted by the fountain of truth. But guess what god descends to save her. Yeah, that god.
[Ep7] The kiss is exposed to Hou Chi’s shifu. Yi Yao Hua extracted the memories from Shi Xia when he asked her if she loved Hou Chi. This kiss scene was playing in her mind. When Hou Chi sees it, he has a small smile too. Shifu punishes them. But Hou Chi is like, I’m sorry for wanting to eat cotton candy. It’s so sweet, who wouldn’t yearn for it? Is it so wrong to relish the cotton candy? Hahaha. Shi Xia is kneeling with her chin tucked in begging him to stop talking. To make matters worse, her female identity is exposed. She’s dragged to be punished. For once, Hou Chi disobeys his shifu. Gallantly, he takes her hand and declares – wait for it – “She’s my meimei!
Very timely, the Spirit Tree sprouts. It’s reborn (even without roots). This is all to Shi Xia’s credit. Will it be enough to pardon her? No. They discover a portrait of the Demon Lord in her bag. The portrait is of her brother. Shi Xia claims she doesn’t know of any Demon Lord.
[Ep8] Hou Chi takes the punishment for Shi Xia, hoping she could be exempt. He believes her. He is also a man of his words. He promised to protect her and he will to the end. As he’s being whipped by his shifu, he’s clutching onto the snack that Shi Xia had given him. I like how silly it looks when he's hugging onto a bag of modern crunchy snack but yet he's very serious about the pain. This scene embodies the drama for me: there is sincerity within its silliness.
Shifu hates to be punishing his prized disciple but there’s a reason he’s this harsh. The Spirit Tree is actually Hou Chi’s Love Tree (the tree connected to his emotions). If the tree is barren, then his heart is barren. If it’s blooming – well, then. Shifu doesn’t want Hou Chi to be in love with demons.
Hou Chi is ordered to leave the mountains to attend the Immortal Master Conference. He’s separated from Shi Xia. At the very least, he gets the chance to bid farewell to her. She still won’t call him gege, but she will wait for his return.
In cowboy fashion, these two circle around each other. Shi Xia knows him and he knows her too. The Demon Lord is indeed her missing brother, Shi Dong.
[Ep9] Shi Dong disappeared a year ago at an amusement park near the Ferris wheel on Shi Xia’s birthday. I vaguely remember that Shi Xia also disappeared from an amusement park. I went back to check Ep1 and noticed the couples at the park are the supporting actors in this drama, they're not random NPCs. Currently, he is the Demon Lord. He has brought to his people bubble tea, a firework gun, a spacecraft, etc. His demonic powers are bringing futuristic goodness to this xianxia world. However, he's not the real Demon Lord. Shi Dong "borrowed" this identity (without permission). Shi Xia worries for him. What if the real Demon Lord comes back? Shi Dong is calm. He believes he has the main-character-halo. No matter what, he can’t die because he is the main character in this story. No buddy. Your sister is. You’re not dying because your sister needs your character xD.
Shi Dong wants to win the Immortal Master Conference because he is The Main Character, duh. Shi Xia joins the trip because Hou Chi will be there too. At the door to his room, Shi Dong nervously knocks. She’s holding the haunting doll – the loose string is still hanging from its mouth. What a lovely creepy doll. That black strand hanging from the mouth is the perfect touch. Shi Xia holds the doll’s hand and enters, but the room is empty. Where is Hou Chi?
[Ep10] Hou Chi skips the conference to look for his meimei. He flies onto a stage during a play because he remembers Shi Xia likes to watch these. Creating quite the spectacle, it attracts Shi Dong’s attention. Then the men fight and finally, Shi Xia appears. Her nightmare has come true. Her two “brothers” are fighting for her (meimei). Ha, this meimei plot. The real gege can’t say anything because Shi Xia won’t let Shi Dong expose their relationship. Shi Dong can only glare at Hou Chi taking his little sister.
With the money Hou Chi won from the play-fight, he buys Shi Xia a (proper) doll. He tells her quite openly that he skipped the conference to search for her. Perhaps influenced by his honesty, Shi Xia accidentally tells him she "missed" him. The word she used was 思念 (si nian). Hou Chi has never heard of that term. She explains the meaning: although separated, she will think of him; although times passes slowly, she will yearn to meet quicker.
Hou Chi: Meimei, I sinian you too. My Chinglish, ha. This guy is actually a quick learner.
This romantic moment is interrupted by food. Shi Xia gulps at all the food that’s mentioned outside their room. Checking her expression, Hou Chi swiftly kisses her! He wants cotton candy? He thought she wanted cotton candy because she looked hungry. Shocked, Shi Xia counters that she wants stinky tofu. Anything but cotton candy, lol.
When Hou Chi smells the stinky tofu, he reflexively covers his nose, “This thing with matchless stickiness must be poison!” Tsktsktsk, he doesn’t know the good stuff. Shi Dong feeds Shi Xia/the tofu. Reflexively (from jealousy this time), Hou Chi intercepts and bites down on this matchless stinky poisonous tofu ...
[Ep11] Hou Chi is huffing and puffing. This man hasn't eaten for 200 years and the first thing he ate was a spicy, stinky tofu. Oh dear brother, the shock to his godly intestines must be intense. xD.
There is a meimei pageant. Hou Chi is set up by Shi Dong to sit as a judge to help him (Shi Dong) select a meimei. Hou Chi is willing to help because he emphasizes with Shi Dong – how awful can it be to be separated from his meimei? Hou Chi would know. He can’t stand it for even half a day. Pft. Our Hou Chi has walked into Shi Dong’s scheme to make him look like a "player-brother". Shi Xia misunderstands that Hou Chi will accept any girl with round eyes and soft cheeks as a meimei. Shi Xia is raging with jealousy.
[Ep12] Shi Xia finds out Shi Dong played dirty to make her mad at Hou Chi. She threatens Shi Dong that she will expose to everyone that she is his real sister and that he is a fake Demon Lord. Qiu Li overhears everything. She’s devastated that Shi Dong has a real sister. She cries. And then she turns demonic with blue eyes. Qiu Li won’t let anyone steal her brother. She will get rid of Shi Xia. Are all these people only children? Do none of them have biological siblings?
Storytelling to Hou Chi is quite painful. Shi Xia is trying to say "Once upon a time there was a planet with a prince on it." She can barely finish this one sentence because he needs her to define at least three terms. Basically the story's message is that he is this prince who has yet to see the world. He only chose her as his meimei because he hasn't seen other girls. Shi Xia tells him he has more options.
Hou Chi: It can only be you.
The mood is right for cotton candy time! Nope. She avoids his kiss, but she comes back for a cute prop. She promises that she will properly send him to the Immortal Master Conference. When she leaves, Hou Chi’s heart is exploding. Why can’t his heart calm when he’s around her? Because she’s not your meimei!
Shi Dong knows that Qiu Li changed into her demonic form! I am surprised our supposed MC is actually smart. When he pats her head, the sweet Qiu Li is back. He predicts that Demonic Qiu Li is after Shi Xia and so without being asked, he lies to Qiu Li that he’s only approaching Shi Xia to defeat Hou Chi.
Shi Xia accidentally intakes stimulants. She’s red, and hot. She desperately tries to avoid Hou Chi but when a mouse appears, she jumps onto him. Our red and hot Shi Xia has her legs wrapped around Hou Chi’s waist and hands caressing his face. She’s overtaken by the stimulation and he’s overtaken by her.
Ou la la la ~
Big bro, Shi Dong is outside knocking ~
[Ep13] Shi Dong is inhibited from a supernatural barrier from entering the room but he breaks it despite knowing the consequences, which is to be expelled from the competition. Qiu Li's demonic aura overtakes her soul. She's furious because Shi Dong is betraying his promise of entering the competition for her. However, her wrath can't stop Shi Dong from saving his sister.
Shi Xia is actually okay. She was just drunk.
Hou Chi's shifu is here. They plan to finish off Shi Xia but Shi Dong protects her as the Demon Lord.
Hou Chi thinks Shi Xia has chosen the Demon Lord. He's heartbroken Shi Xia has chose a new gege.
Shi Dong has a heart attack (?) – it's some sort of attack. Qiu Li (demonic one) cultivates a blood pill to ease Shi Dong's pain. It takes a lot of her powers to create this pill that yields very little effect but even then, it's worth it. Qiu Li faints over. Bai Li is awake. I'm going to stick to Qiu Li = Demon and Bai Li = Angel. Shi Dong wakes up and pats Bai Li's head.
(Qiu Li is part of the demon clan. Her cousin almost killed her because her mother is a traitor.)
[Ep14] Qing Feng is at the conference too and she wants revenge on the Demon Lord. What will happen to our girls' friendship? Qing Feng will still cherish Lin Chi if the Demon Lord doesn't overstep his line.
Shi Xia meets with Hou Chi. He's kinda heartbroken (a feeling he hasn't learned about yet). Shi Xia tries to explain to him her relationship with the "Demon Lord." She kinda has to spell it out to him word by word.
Shi Xia: I am "Demon Lord's" sister, not his loverHou Chi: Which means you don't like him?Shi Xia: Of course! Who would like him?Hou Chi: So you don't recognize him as your brother. I can still be your brother? Nooo! xD That's not what she's saying! AH.
Shi Xia laughs and wishes him luck for the competition. They cutely prop. However, Shi Dong is kept hostage (a detached finger of his is proof). Shi Xia is threatened to lie to Hou Chi that she is a spy. And so Shi Xia lies. Woe is Hou Chi. He poofs a bottle of wine and chugs it. He's devastated. He's almost begging her that as long as she is still willing to be his meimei, he will continue to dote and protect her. Shi Xia will not. She also tells him: "Cotton candy can only be eaten with the one you love." *Thunder rumbles*
Hou Chi has one last question: Was there a day you sincerely treated me as a gege?Shi Xia holds back her tears: Never. This is true.
Is it bad that I'm laughing? They're very serious about this meimei and cotton candy thing, eh.
[Ep15] The kidnap was a hoax set up by Shi Xia's dear brother, Shi Dong. The purpose: to test who Shi Xia will choose. He better lie to her and hide that middle finger of his forever.
Hou Chi misses the competition because he has a hangover and no one can wake him up. He is eliminated. Shi Xia wants to fix everything and requests to see the Heavenly Judge. However, for nearly two thousand years, no one has seen the Heavenly Judge. Furthermore, to find this Judge, she'll have to walk through the Dark Forest. Anyone who enters this forest will have to sacrifice something valuable. The shifu strikes a deal with her. If she can win back the spot to compete, then her debt to his sect will be cleared.
[Ep16] Bi Hong accompanies Shi Xia through the Dark Forest. She learns how Bi Hong and Hou Chi became friends. Bi Hong is Shifu's son but because he has no powers his father never cared about him. It was Hou Chi who looked out for him.
After suffering a bit of hallucinations and delusions, Shi Xia and Bi Hong find the Judge. However, she (the Judge) permits the Demon Lord to enter the competition instead. Shi Xia finds that unfair. She was asking for Hou Chi and if the Judge is to permit one, why not the other as well. Then Shi Xia finds her vulnerability: she cannot leave this sacred place which is the reason why no one has seen her for nearly two thousand years. If the Judge wants Shi Xia to summon the Demon Lord then Shi Xia asks for Hou Chi's admittance to be approved. The Judge, who seems gentle, permits it. Shi Xia strikes while the iron is hot – she adds a wish for Bi Hong to participate as well. The Judge calls her naughty but approves Shi Xia's wishes. It seems everyone likes meimei in this world. Well except Shifu.
The Judge (whose name is Shi Ji – same Shi as Shi Xia and Shi Dong) has another motive. She wants to see the Demon Lord because she is looking for her 5th shixiong. He is the disciple who betrayed her clan when they were supposed to seal the demonic powers 2000 years ago. Her role was to guard the borders and she cannot leave until it is safely sealed. She believes he's hiding in the Demon clan.
[Ep17] Shifu discusses with another disciple that to eliminate Hou Chi's love roots, they should adjust their focus from Shi Xia to Hou Chi himself. And so Shifu feigns illness to make Hou Chi vow to forget his feelings for Shi Xia. Hou Chi reluctantly obeys.
Shi Xia finds Shi Dong's middle finger intact. He pretends to be surprised, Oh my, my finger grew so well! Not working. Poor Shi Xia can never go back to the way it was. When she meets Hou Chi on the street, he ignores her. Her heart is shattered, and now even the candy is tasteless. But wait, did she actually lose her sense of taste? Is this the valuable thing she lost in the Dark Forest? Meanwhile it seems Bi Hong is losing his sense of sight.
First test for the Immortal Master Conference: Look for an armour in the demon realm.
The test is ongoing. In the meantime, there are girls flooding into Hou Chi's room, wanting to be his meimei or female companion. Shi Xia is unfortunately assigned the room next to Hou Chi and she's forced to listen to all the girls flirting with him. Shi Xia's heart is breaking even more and she can't even have sweets as a substitute! That sucks!!
The next day, these girls are ambushed. Their spiritual root is robbed from their bodies.
Other info: Demon Lord's original name should be Qiu Ping. I just noticed there's a lot of names related to seasons. Shi "Xia" = Summer. Shi "Dong" = Winter. Qiu = Autumn.
[Ep18] Hou Chi and Shi Xia meet to terminate their gege-meimei relationship. However, it's a ploy by Demonic Qiu Li to trap Shi Xia and Hou Chi inside a painting (that belonged to Qiu Li's mother). Qiu Li also wants Hou Chi's Spirit Root for Shi Dong who doesn't have one. She's the one taking all the previous Spirit Roots.
Shi Dong cheers up Qiu Li and then she's back to Bai Li! Bai Li is also memory-less so she doesn't know anything that Qiu Li has done.
Hou Chi and Shi Xia are still stuck in the painting. Hou Chi's powers are diminishing in this dimension. It's raining and he can't protect her from rain... Shi Xia misunderstands that he's doing it on purpose especially when his body can naturally resist the weather. He tells her to come closer to him but she decides to run farther from him instead. The farther she is, the worse the weather becomes. The rain is now a thunderstorm. For safety, she hugs her trusty tree. In a thunderstorm?! Girl, how did you get your scholarships! Was she in Forestry or something like that? Hou Chi puts a palm to the tree. The weather is sunny again. When they hold hands, there's even a rainbow.
Hou Chi and Shi Xia realize neither of them wanted to terminate their relationship. Hou Chi hasn't been ignoring her. He was self reflecting: he thinks he's unworthy of being her gege because he kept putting her in danger. Nothing is more important than her, even the competition. Furthermore, he thought Shi Xia was mad at him. Now, Shi Xia is upset and cries. Who would have known this doofus not only isn't mad at her but is still so caring.
Hou Chi: Because you are my meimei. And only you can be my meimei.
Hou Chi proceeds with activating his powers to exit the painting. It may be dangerous. Shi Xia joins him – she places their palms together, activating their gege-meimei contract (the triangle-circle thing). She's putting her luck into his powers. Then Shi Xia tightly hugs him. Whether they can leave safely, their lives will be tied together from this point. However, only Shi Xia leaves. Hou Chi is stuck in the painting.
Currently, Shifu has the painting. He recognizes the lady in the picture. Hm. So how is he related to Qiu Li's mother? Qi Ling Ling attacks the painting, hoping to destroy it to kill Hou Chi but not over Shi Xia's dead body.
[Ep19] Shi Xia uses her bare hands to block Qi Ling Ling's sword. Her injured hand has the gege-meimei contract and it is in activating the contract's spiritual powers, Hou Chi safely exits the painting. I think that's what happened. Shi Xia faints over (temporarily) and Hou Chi is lectured by his Shifu again.
Bi Hong is blind ):
Qing Feng hates the Demon Lord because he stole her brother's Spirit Root and demons killed her entire family. She was about to kill Shi Dong after confirming he stole the Spirit Roots (he didn't) but Shi Xia blocks the attack. Qing Feng doesn't want to kill her and so her powers rebounded on herself. As a result, her Spirit Root is gravely injured. Shi Xia is safe.
Lin Kui (part of Shifu's Yuhua sect) is arrested by the Demon Sect. He is the one who uprooted the Spirit Roots. However, Shi Xia thinks everything is too convenient. Shouldn't they investigate more? Shifu is like No need. What the heck. So when it's your people, this matter can blow over easily, eh. However, Qing Feng takes matter into her own hands. She kills Lin Kui for his crimes. At his dying moment, he looks to Bai Li (good Qiu Li) with loving eyes. To die for the demon clan who he's indebted too, he's more than willing.
Shifu formalizes Hou Chi and Shi Xia's sibling relationship with Judge Lady as witness. Hou Chi is happy. This idiot. Shi Xia is upset. Shi Dong is happy too. Shi Dong's logic: he would rather have a brother than a brother-in-law. Like why Bro, do you not see how sad your sister is?
Yi Yao Gua helps Qing Feng treat her wound. *Heart thumping moment*. A new couple is born! Almost. As long as Yi Yao Gua doesn't think she's his meimei, I'm a happy gal.
[Ep20] No surprise, Hou Chi is very serious about being a real brother to Shi Xia, He even has a set of written proposals. Our grumpy Shi Xia takes revenge on "both' her brothers by feeding them spicy stinky tofu, so spicy it's perversity. Hou Chi eats it, of course, he'd do anything for his meimei. Shi Dong gulps. Shi Xia mutters under her breath that chigua (eating melons) has its price. Shi Dong has to obey her meimei, after all, how can he lose to Hou Chi? Shi Dong eats it and so does Shi Xia. Shi Dong finds it weird that Shi Xia can tolerate the spicy tofu. That's when the brothers realize Shi Xia lost her sense of taste.
Hou Chi takes Shi Xia by the lake. He has a present for her: it's the modern snack she gave him. If she can't taste, at least she can use it to relieve her stress (by crumbling it). Shi Xia smiles. She doesn't want to since he protected it's crunchiness so well. I love how there's romantic music when we're talking about this snack. Shi Xia asks him if he knows the difference between a meimei and a woman. No. Ugh. But before she can explain, Shifu interrupts. Shi Xia gets up to greet him but slips. Hou Chi catches her by the chin. His hands stay there as he pinches her soft cheeks.
It seems formalizing the sibling relationship isn't enough for Shifu to separate Hou Chi and Shi Xia and so he hooks up his son (Bi Hong) with Shi Xia. Our idiotic Hou Chi indirectly gives his blessings.
Hou Chi finally learns of the existence of "brother-in-law" (meifu). He's confused. Isn't a brother enough to protect a meimei? Why does a meimei need another man to protect her? I need a hammer. And I need Hou Chi's head.
[Ep21] Our team of four (Shi Xia, Shi Dong, Hou Chi and Bi Hong) search for the armour (I almost forgot about this competition). Essentially, on this quest, Shi Xia is surrounded by men who love her. Shi Dong smirks as he takes away his sister.
Hou Chi curiously asks Shi Dong for advice: Why is a meifu (brother-in-law) necessary? Shi Dong explains a brother and a sister are second to a man and a woman. A man can do all the things a brother can do for a sister, but a brother cannot do all the things a man can do for a woman. Hou Chi, ya get it? Nope. Rolling his eyes, Shi Dong gives an example: the meifu will always get first place in line for bubble tea. All the brothers, no matter who arrived first, will have to step aside. So Shi Xia is bubble tea now. Hou Chi gets it! He vows to himself that he has to keep his first place. As the suitors fight for Shi Xia, Shi Dong is enjoying his melons.
The quest turns into a wedding...??? Er Ha enlists Shi Xia and Hou Chi to be maid of honour and best man respectively for this random groom's wedding. Hou Chi disregards tradition and looks for Shi Xia among the veiled brides. He easily locates Shi Xia before the groom finds his bride. Then when the groom and bride are playing a game to kiss (with an apple in between), Hou Chi wants some cotton candy too. He bites into the apple, which really isn't necessary if he just wants a kiss, swings Shi Xia into his arms, and swoops in for the kiss, stealing the spotlight once again. Worst maid of honour and best man ever.
However, during the kiss, Hou Chi's heart starts hurting. Shi Xia, who doesn't know of his pain, runs away. He chases after her and then he hears the wedding vows. All of a sudden, he says "I do too". Shi Xia is very confused. What is going through this idiot's brain? He clarifies that he doesn't want to be her brother anymore. He wants to be her man, her number one. I guess I don't need a hammer anymore. And then he's got all the wedding presents ready and now he wants to "dongfang" with her. LOL. Dongfang is consummating their marriage and I bet he doesn't get that term either.
Bi Hong update: he's used/controlled by Qiu Li. She made him think he killed his shixiong when she did. She also gave him shixiong's pair of eyes, recovering his vision.
[Ep22] Dongfang is interrupted by Hou Chi's heart pain. Dongfang is also interrupted by a whole lot of stuff that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Essentially, Qiu Li poisoned Hou Chi so that whenever he feels love, his heart will be in excruciating pain. With Bi Hong's help, Qiu Li traps Hou Chi and Shi Xia in the same painting again. Qiu Li wants Hou Chi's Spirit Root. However, he'd rather die than give it to her. With the last of his energy, he will save Shi Xia from the painting. He sacrifices himself. Poof. He vanishes.
Bi Hong and Shi Dong are looking for the armour. There's a barrier preventing the men from retrieving the armour. But a certain painting can enter the barrier. Once the painting and the scroll collide, Qiu Li bounces out. Hou Chi appears again! He didn't vanish. I told you a lot of stuff doesn't make sense. Hou Chi asks Shi Xia what it means to be a "boyfriend" because that's what she said before he "vanished". It's someone who can have cotton candy with her anytime, anywhere. And it's cotton candy time! They're out of the painting and still kissing. The armour takes form and dons itself on Hou Chi with awful CGI. He is now the winner and therefore the Grandmaster. However, he's still got the love poison in him.
Shifu had suspected the mastermind behind Lin Kui was Qiu Li. Qiu Li admits it. Just as Shifu and Qiu Li are about to duel, the painting of the lady distracts him. He knows the lady as Ya'er.
[Ep23] Shi Xia feeds Hou Chi medication (because he's still poisoned). She asks if it's bitter. He just had cotton candy, so nope, lol. He wants to annul their triangle-circle contract but Shi Xia wants to keep it. She tells him he can love her like how a brother dotes on his sister. Hou Chi likes the sound of that.
The woman in the painting is Bi Hong's mother. Two hundred years ago Shifu was married to Ya'er. It was forbidden to marry demons and so they hid in the mountains, living peacefully. Little Bi Hong whined about going to the market and so Shifu took him while Ya'er stayed with their daughter. In his absence, the demon clan killed Ya'er and their daughter (Yu'er).
Qiu Li is Yu'er, Shifu's daughter and Bi Hong's sister. She holds a grudge on Shifu (Dad) for leaving her when they were in danger. Qiu Li attacks Shifu, Bi Hong takes the blow. Qiu Li faints over too (Qi Ling Ling takes her away). Shifu is disappointed in himself for not recognizing Qiu Li
Once Bai/Qiu Li awakens, she overhears Shi Dong wanting to go back home with Shi Xia (to stop her from dating Hou Chi?). Bai Li turns to Qiu Li again. She aims to kill Shi Xia but Shi Dong takes the blow. He collapses. Hou Chi arrives to prevent any more damage but then Shi Xia faints (when nothing hits her...).
[Ep24] Shi Xia wakes up and Shi Dong recovers. They also resolve a longtime misunderstanding. When she was 7yo, she thought he abandoned her at the Ferris wheel. If her brother left her, she would really be alone in the world because they are each other's only family. However, that wasn't the case. He saw loan sharks coming after him. He pushed her in the Ferris wheel to keep her safe.
Shi Dong takes Shi Xia to visit Bai/Qiu Li whose condition has deteriorated. She's constantly switching between her personalities. Then Bi Hong and Shifu secretly visit Qiu Li. Bi Hong convinces Shifu that it's better Qiu Li is imprisoned for her own sake but really Bi Hong just wants her locked up so that no one will know he killed shixiong. And why was I sad for this guy when he went blind?
Hou Chi wants to take his girlfriend, Shi Xia, back to Yuhua sect but Shi Dong makes it difficult. Hou Chi has to pass these tests. First, he has to gain Shi Parents' approval. Shi Dong cries and complains to his parents (tablets) that Shi Xia is not only in love but she's also in love with a two hundred year old grandpa, ha. Hou Chi says he's not that old around here and he looks younger than Shi Dong anyway. Back to the test. Hou Chi is to vow to the parents that he will lose his most valuable – *Insert wolf sound effects* – if he makes Shi Xia suffer. Hou Chi makes his vow and the consequence will be losing out on eating cotton candy, haha. Shi Dong is offended. Cotton candy? Is this dude serious? This dude is serious. Shi Dong makes him vow that he will lose his Grandmaster title instead. Hou Chi agrees but mutters under his breath that cotton candy is still more valuable.
Can Hou Chi take Shi Xia now? Nope, that was just the parents' test. Now comes Shi Dong's. Shi Xia has to agree to three conditions: 1) visit often, 2) support him always during an argument with Hou Chi, and 3) hit Hou Chi if he ever bullies her. Shi Xia grudgingly agrees to everything. Can Shi Xia leave with Hou Chi now? Nope, those were just the verbal agreements. There's a scroll with written agreements in tiny font that's the length of one arm span.
Then there is an unrelated hotpot battle where the two men can find rivalry in dipping a piece of meat in broth. Afterwards, a curious Shi Dong asks Hou Chi what cotton candy means to him. Hou Chi doesn't get Shi Xia's signals to not kiss her because he kisses her.
[Ep25] Shifu accepts Shi Xia as their Yuhua sect's disciple because she has proved her innocence with the demon clan.
Hou Chi demonstrates his makeup ability because y'know, nothing can stump this guy until he sees the finished product: Shi Xia looking like a clown. He uses his powers to whisk away the makeup. When Shi Xia checks in the mirror, she's disappointed that nothing has changed. Hou Chi, suddenly a romanticist, says she looks good regardless. Shi Xia is perplexed and stunned by his flirting skills. He thinks she's dissatisfied and so he gives her a bit of cotton candy (= kiss on the cheek). Shi Xia's cheeks turn rosy. A natural blush. The best kind. The disciples enter the room and Shi Xia asks Qing Feng for help with makeup. Yi Yao Gua notes that Shi Xia already has a nice blush on. He's curious which colour she used. Hou Chi answers for her with a kiss on the cheek, "This blush". LOL.
Not everything is lovely and rosy, though. Hou Chi is still poisoned. The more he loves, the more painful he will be. There is no cure except forfeiting his love for Shi Xia. Hou Chi refuses. His shifu whips him until Hou Chi will obey but Hou Chi is stubborn. He falls unconscious.
[Ep26] Bi Hong finds a flower scar on the back of Hou Chi's neck. It's the same as his (which means his father, shifu, took his Spirit Root and gave it to Hou Chi?). His conclusion: all the discrimination he suffered were because of Hou Chi. Wait wut. What about Shifu? With vengeance, he enters Hou Chi's room with a knife. He believes everything will be restored once he takes his Spirit Root back. However, he stops himself when Hou Chi dreams out loud, saying "Shi Xia". Bi Hong drops the knife but the hatred in his heart remains unchanged. Switching up his plan, he tells Shi Xia about Hou Chi’s poison and gives her the Forget-Love potion, telling her the only way to save Hou Chi is for him to forget her. Shi Xia understands and asks for one more day. Bi Hong’s plan: let Hou Chi take the Spirit Root to hell and he (Bi Hong) can stay to take care of Shi Xia in his place. Bi Hong, you rot in hell D:
With Hou Chi, Shi Xia goes through her checklist of things to do with her future boyfriend that she had written in her diary. She checks all of them until she arrives at the last point: for him to put a ring on her.
Qiu Li tries to escape Shi Dong's 'protection' by killing him. However, at the last minute, she frees him. She can't kill him. Slowly, it seems our Qiu Li is warming up to Shi Dong’s compassion.
Yi Yao Gua and Qing Feng are lovingly watching our main couple. He has a present for her too. It's a dress. Yi Yao Gua saw Qing Feng try on a dress and from that moment, this boy was officially in love with her. I forgot she's still a guy in everyone's eyes. On top of the dress, he also has ten rings for her. One ring per finger! LOL. Each ring is like one of his properties. As long as she is his woman, not only will she own all the rings but also all his properties. LOL What world are we in again?.
Shi Xia and Hou Chi are still on the boat. She says there's one more rite before they can be together forever: it's exchanging wines. They take their love shot and then he faints. She spiked his drink with the Forget-Love potion. When he's unconscious, Shi Xia packs her bags to leave. Bi Hong accompanies her. However, the rumours spread like this: Shi Xia betrayed Hou Chi and eloped with Bi Hong.
An update on Qiu Li: She pretends to be Bai Li and is looking for a chance to kill Shi Xia.
Shi Xia's elopement isn't very successful. She's caught by Yi Yao Gua and Qing Feng. At the end of the episode, she's also caught by Hou Chi who catches the plant (a special memory of the Spirit Tree for both of them)
[Ep28] Hou Chi has no memory of the plant. The potion worked. He has forgotten Shi Xia.
Shi Dong is disappointed to find out Hou Chi and Shi Xia broke up. He wasted all his energy writing those conditions! This real brother, lol. Shi Dong knows something is up but Shi Xia won’t tell him the truth.
But wait guys! Hou Chi never forgot Shi Xia. He stopped the potion from working when he realized his memories of Shi Xia were fading away. Bi Hong stopped him from chasing after Shi Xia, telling him that if Shi Xia continues to be an obstacle, Shifu will kill Shi Xia.
Shi Dong becomes our cupid!! Is he still Shi Dong? He sets a trap for Shi Xia to drop in a ditch in order for Hou Chi to save her. Shi Dong shouts an advice to Hou Chi from above: girls don't mean it when they say they want to break up. He even asks his "meifu" to forgive Shi Xia for any of her shortcomings. First of all, Shi Dong called Hou Chi his brother-in-law and secondly, Shi Dong is helping them stay together?! Who is this man that looks like Shi Dong?
Now that Hou Chi is down in the hole with Shi Xia, it's love time! No it's not. He's cold to her and adds that he'd save anyone, which means she ain't special. Shi Xia sulks in the corner.
Hou Chi keeps his love for Shi Xia a secret. He had wanted to give her his clothes to keep her warm in the ditch. However, he opts for keeping the ditch warm with his powers. After they're free from the ditch, Hou Chi is in a rush to leave and doesn't realize he dropped his Immortal Grandmaster seal. He's gotta leave quick because his Love Poison is acting up. Poor guy is suffering the pain all alone.
Shi Xia and Shi Dong pick up the seal which gives them seer abilities. They see that Hou Chi will be in trouble once he becomes the Immortal Garndmaster. They inform Shifu to protect Hou Chi. However, Shifu in turn accuses the siblings of killing Shixiong so that they don't interfere with Hou Chi's inauguration. Hou Chi is ordered to arrest the siblings and so Hou Chi stabs Shi Dong in the chest and pushes the siblings off the cave.
[Ep30] Bi Hong arrives at the scene just as Shi Xia has fallen off the cliff. In heartbreak mode, he confesses his crimes that he killed Shixiong. Shifu is reprimanded for concealment of the crime. Then Qiu Li makes another confession that they're a demon family. Eventually Qiu Li and Bi Hong escape together.
Hou Chi didn't kill the Shi siblings. He put a magic spell on Shi Xia's ring which will protect her and anyone and anything and it even protects the people around her (I think, lol, whatever). Only Yi Yao Gua and Qing Feng know that Hou Chi saved them. They keep it a secret as per Hou Chi's request.
At night, Hou Chi thinks of Shi Xia with the globe present. I just realized she made it so that it's always "summer" (Xia = summer). Meanwhile Shi Xia cries and drinks alone. She's disheartened that Hou Chi didn't believe her. She doesn't know Hou Chi is watching her right now. When she falls over drunk, he catches her and puts her to bed. She sobers up a bit and thinks she's dreaming of him. She feels his cheeks and is surprised they feel so real. Since it's a dream, she kisses him on the cheeks.
[Ep31] Shi Xia wants Dreamy Hou Chi to take her to the moon. He brings her to the highest mountain. Shi Xia finally falls asleep. Hou Chi is free to go but he kisses her forehead first. Shi Xia wakes up! She grabs him by the collar to properly kiss him but she didn't actually wake up.
Hou Chi staggeringly returns to his room. He's in pain from the wretched love poison. He can sense his time is ending. There's a reason he's hanging on until he's inaugurated as the Immortal Grandmaster. He wants to ask the Judge to send Shi Xia home. Although he can't give her a home, he will make sure to send her home.
The devil siblings (Bi Hong and Qiu Li) wallow in self pity for their pitiful lives. They turn their pity to hate (I mean, more hate) and team up to kill Hou Chi for the death of the Shi siblings.
Shi Dong discovers Hou Chi was the one who saved them via the ring. He tells Shi Xia and everyone starts running to save Hou Chi who's in the hands of the devil siblings. Bi Hong pierces the back of Hou Chi's neck to retrieve his Spirit Root. Without the root, Hou Chi's hair turns white.
[Ep32] Shi Xia begs Bi Hong to return the Spirit Root or else Hou Chi will die. Bi Hong cries, asking her if she ever thought of his feelings. The Spirit Root was originally his. Bi Hong won't return it. Meanwhile Qiu Li tells Shi Dong that she swallowed Bai Li whole. Next, she summons Qi Ling Ling to kill Hou Chi (and everyone). Shifu saves them. Qi Ling Ling loses her life in this anticlimactic death.
Until they can find him, every two hundred years, sect leaders will have to sacrifice themselves
Shifu explains to everyone that Hou Chi isn't human. He is born from the root of a tree (Hou Chi's favourite tree). Shifu created him as a sacrifice for Bi Hong who had the Spirit Root that the Heavenly Lady Judge would recognize to look like the runaway disciple. Two thousand years ago, five chosen disciples were supposed to seal a trial but one escaped resulting in episodic turmoils every two hundred years. The runaway disciple is supposed to be the real Demon Lord. Until he's found, every two hundred years, there will be a sacrifice. The Immortal Grandmaster is the sacrifice and Shifu knew.
Hou Chi learns the truth of his creation. He is born from an emotionless living matter. A tree, but y'know I think Shi Xia, our tree lover, will think otherwise. He also knows he's powerless to protect Shi Xia and decides to leave. He bids farewell to his Shifu and asks him to send Shi Xia home. Also, Hou Chi doesn't hate Shifu because he gave him life. Shifu counters that Shi Xia is the one who gave him life by giving him love.
Shi Xia stops Hou Chi from leaving.
Shi Xia: That man with the white hair, stop!Hou Chi keeps moving forward, ignoring her.Shi Xia tries again: That man who doesn't know how to cook or tell stories, or can only make ugly dolls, that idiot block/wood-head, stand right there! That idiot who clearly loves me but thinks I'm his sister, that silly woodhead. That person who protected me by drinking Forget Me Potion and suffered all the pain alone. That person who knows I can't leave him but is cruelly leaving me. That idiot. Stand right there! I think woodhead is fitting. He really is partly wood.Hou Chi in a quiet tone: But this woodhead can't do anything for you.Shi Xia runs to hug him: Then let me protect you. After all, I'm a university student, how can I not be able to protect a wood like you. She studies forestry conservation, right?
Shi Xia gets down on one knee to ask him to put on the ring for her. She's proposing to him! Aw. Hou Chi, while standing, slips the ring on her finger.
The one jealous fella in the crowd: Shi Dong.
[Ep33] The jealous fella (Shi Dong) proudly walks Shi Xia down the lane to her groom, Hou Chi. I can't believe they're immediately marrying. A Yuehua sect disciple is the officiant and reads:
"Do you Shi Xia, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband in health and in better health, in richness and in more richness and do you promise to not leave Hou Chi and simultaneously be filial to your brother? LOL.
Shi Dong had changed the vows. Hou Chi is already white-haired and powerless, Shi Dong can't let Shi Xia be in sickness and definitely not be in poverty either. Aw! The declaration continues for Hou Chi
"Do You Hou Chi, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife in white hair or black hair, powerful or powerless and still shamelessly latch onto my sister to serve her from this day forward and simultaneously be filial to your brother(-in-law)?" Haha. Gotta love these vows from Shi Dong and gotta love Shi Dong in these scenes. He's close to tears both hating and loving that he has to send her off (despite being such an awful brother most of the time).
Both Shi Xia and Hou Chi say their I-dos. It's time for the bouquet throw: Qing Feng catches it. Lastly, Hou Chi tells Shi Xia it's time for consummation. Omo, he knows what real consummation is. Surprised. They do it under a tree, I think. It's the same tree Hou Chi originated from. When Shi Xia woke up in the morning, the tree blossomed. Shi Xia plucks a petal. I thought we've established that trees have feelings and that has gotta hurt. It smells sweet and she takes a bite to confirm. She's tasting a petal???? It is sweet. Shi Xia's taste has returned! Not only that, Hou Chi's hair is black again! The miracle of sex??? His powers are restored too.
Hou Chi shows Shi Xia the new contract – husband and wife contract – on their palms. It looks like a heart. The triangle and circle design has upgraded and melded and turned into a heart....!
Bi Hong realizes he has lost Shi Xia's heart. Gaining the Spirit Root means nothing. Qiu Li thinks otherwise. She may not win Shi Dong's heart, but she also won't lose him. Bi Hong decides to help Qiu Li in hopes of healing her sister from hatred. Bi Hong wants to be a good brother.
Shifu is trying to be a good dad too. He reminds Qiu Li of the good times. He tells Bi Hong the sacrificial fate of being the Immortal Grandmaster. Bi Hong cries and realizes his father loved him but he will also accept the fate that was meant for him. He will become the Immortal Grandmaster and seal the tribulation.
[Ep34] Shifu and Bi Hong enter the tribulation together. Qiu Li believes her family is abandoning her again. The father and brother explain that the only thing they can do is use their lives to create a better world for her. Qiu Li steals the Jade Seal and imprisons them. She will capture other Spirit Roots to sacrifice in their stead. She will keep her brother and her father alive. They no longer can determine her life for her. The only thing she's missing is Shi Dong and her (twisted idea of) family is complete.
Shi Dong intends to venture alone to stop Qiu Li. For once, he's selfless. He doesn't want the newlyweds to know but Hou Chi finds out anyway and insists on going. Then Shi Xia finds out and she insists on going too. Qing Feng and Yi Yao Guao tag along.
Everyone is at the tribulation place. Shi Dong thinks he fooled Qiu Li to give him the Jade but it's a fake and the real one is still with her. The betrayal sends her off the edge and she crushes the Jade, the only "key" to overcome the tribulation. Now everyone will die together.
[Ep35] The Place is collapsing.
Innocent Bai Li temporarily returns when Shi Dong is kind to her. However, Shi Xia pops out of nowhere and asks her brother if he's okay. Shi Dong lets go of Bai Li's hand to hold onto Shi Xia's. And here we go again! Qiu Li is back for the nth time and will kill Shi Dong except Bai Li reappears and ultimately kills herself.
Hou Chi and Bi Hong hold down the Place from collapsing. Shifu sacrifices. Before he disintegrated into dust, he told them that they were both their sons. The boys (one lived neglected his entire life and the other lived as a sacrificial lamb) look touched. Bi Hong is almost dying as they manage to control the earthquake. Is the trial over? But the Jade is destroyed... Yes? No? How does the sacrifice work? Someone explain!! The Place lights up. The floor ascends. They arrive at a new outdoor venue with Shi Xia and Shi Dong. The Heavenly Lady Judge has disappeared and only her voice remains (i.e. she recorded an audio message) instructing them that Bi Hong needs to hurry and sacrifice already.
But Bi Hong dies before he properly sacrifices. The Spirit Root returns to Hou Chi's body. Ah great, Hou Chi has gotta finish the sacrifice. Bi Hong, man, Can't even do one thing right. Shi Dong stops Hou Chi but Shi Xia understands this is his life's mission. Hou Chi promises to send them to their real home and asks Shi Xia to promise to live well. She cries and nods. She holds his hand and walks the final steps with him.
Sacrifice complete. The world is safe.
Shi Xia wakes up in modern time. Shi Dong is back too but he doesn't have any memories. He also says he never disappeared. Is everything really a dream? Then she spots the globe present that she gave Hou Chi. Shi Xia runs off to the amusement park to find the puddle. She touches it, wondering if it'll take her back to the spiritual world. A man's face is reflected in the water. It's Hou Chi with an umbrella (a nod to the friendship token with Bi Hong?). He smiles down at her.
Find the ugly/cute doll in the picture!
The end.
[Special Ep] It seems Hou Chi has just arrived in the modern world. After Shi Xia and Hou Chi meet, she brings him back home. Hou Chi is confused why Shi Dong doesn't remember anything. Shi Xia introduces Hou Chi to Shi Dong, explaining they're married, it was sorta like a dream, and he's this all powerful guy. "I'm not totally not being scammed"
Shi Dong is sarcastic: Yeah, and I was the Demon Lord. You were.
Shi Xia begs Shi Dong to let Hou Chi stay for the night, promising that he'll be good. Then Hou Chi drops a beta version of Alexa, slices a talking stuffed animal and kills the TV too (is that Yang Yang with a beard on TV?).
Shi Dong interrogates Hou Chi police-style, "Why does my sister attract you? I'll make her change!" Pft. Shi Dong complains that she's got no body and her face is big like a pan. So she's a bowl.
Hou Chi: But I like her face - it's round and so pinchable.
Then Shi Dong tries to ditch Hou Chi in the streets but Shi Dong runs into loan sharks. It's (memory-less) Er Ha. Hou Chi, with a manly pink sweater (printed with an even manlier cartoon hunk in the centre), defeats the guys and protects Shi Dong. Finally, Shi Dong sees it advantageous to call him meifu (brother-in-law). Wimpy Er Ha is like I’m your meifu too!
The next morning, Shi Dong makes Hou Chi work to provide for meimei. But they're at an amusement park? Eating cotton candy. Hou Chi thinks cotton candy in his world tastes better ~ Shi Xia blushes.
Shi Xia takes Hou Chi to the Ferris Wheel and ditches Shi Dong. She shows Hou Chi the beautiful world at a new height. He compliments her that she's more beautiful.
The end end.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-8)] The cotton candy got me ~ (Ep6)
This one is a silly one. What I particularly like about this, though, is when a scene calls for sincerity, this drama will deliver. The illogical plot also makes sense to me in this illogical way that it's kinda really entertaining.
There should be enough fuel in the tank for 35 episodes of this silly, funny, cute romance. The story: a modern girl is transported to a xianxia world; her brother is the Demon Lord (a fake one); a high god loves her and thinks this is being brotherly but in actuality, he's seducing her with his innocence. We're going to be showered with "brotherly" fights for their sister's love. It's not at all incest-like. Our ML is just an idiot who only knows how to level up and has never heard of a thing called "sister" and definitely has never heard of "love".
The supporting cast and side-story are plentiful with foreseeable entertainment. The Demon Lord has a band of dimwits following him (Er Ha). Our godly ML has a diehard fanboy (Yi Yao Gua) and a brother-like friend (Bi Hong) who hopefully remains friendly. There's also a xianxia all male school that the FL attends for a short period of time wherein she meets another girl dressed as a boy (Qing Feng).
Music is pretty sweet. It enters right at the cheesy moments and actually turns the cheesiness into fun, fluttery romantic-ness. As for special effects, I love it the most in Ep8 with the introduction of the Demon Lord. It's like a mix of salsa/cowboy-inspired music.
Side note: The ML being called Hou Chi throws me off. I keep thinking of the FL in Ancient Love Poetry.
[Actors/Actresses]
[Behind the Scenes]
[Behind the Scenes]
[Ending] Happy.
For Ep35, Hou Chi is in the modern world, carrying an umbrella that's printed with an eerily familiar doll. For the Special Ep, Hou Chi is confirmed to have memories. I still don't have a clue at how and why he's here in the modern world but it's a happily ever after with Shi Dong forever being an obstacle to their relationship.
Other than the main leads, the rest of the characters have a pretty sloppy ending: 1) I think Qiu Li's motives make no sense and ultimately she died when Bai Li took over; 2) Why doesn't Shi Dong remember anything; 3) RIP Bi Hong; 4) Isn't the real bad guy the real Demon Lord? Why isn't he sacrificing? 5) In Ep1 when Shi Xia disappeared at the amusement park, all the side characters were there in the background, which means they're alive too?
[Review & Rating]
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