January 2, 2024

Special Lady | Open Thread + Reviews

Special Lady
A pretend fiancé falls in love with his spoiled intended, who really hates him. 
Notable Actors/Actresses
Zhai Zi Lu: Xiao Yu
Xiao Yan: Song Zhu
Director
Chinese Title
陌上人如玉
Stranger as Jade
NetworkiQIYI
Year2023
Episodes: 36

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Recommendations
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Cast

Zhai Zi Lu: Xiao Yu
Xiao Yan: Song Zhu
 
Sheng Ying Hao: Zhou Ji
Zhong Li Li: Yan Qin Ruo
Qin Xiao Xian: Crown Prince
Hu Ming: Hu San Shu



Romcom/Romance Checklist

[In Progress]

How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0.25 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
The ML
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General 
The FL
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot 
Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love (F/M) Rival+++Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Friends to Lovers / Harem / Hidden Identity / School to Adulthood / Love Triangle Rectangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / Star-Crossed Lovers 
Relationship Progress (officially togetherfirst (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32* / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36
# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++

Screencaps


[Ep1]
Quit moving.
[Ep2]
[Ep3]
[Ep4]
So fun to dislike Li Wen Shu.
Zhou Ji is the most boring crush.
He catches her.
[Ep5]
[Ep6]
Both of Li Wen Shu's hands are stuck in vases. xD
[Ep7]
Meet Ya Ya, the goose...with a red cape.
[Ep8]
[Ep9]
Oops.
Too late with those lips...
She slapped him!
Sparks are flying. No, not those. The fireworks.
[Ep10]
[Ep11]
"Sleepwalking" twins.
Smile at the vision-impaired.
[Ep12]
Steal her heart pastry!
[Ep13]
Three's a crowd.
Don't get too close...
[Ep14]
With his righthand man, Hu San Shu. 
Do you see a ghost?
Found her!
Nose bandage.
[Ep15]
[Ep16]
Where is she?
Here's the dummy.
Crown Prince Ken.

His face. xD!
[Ep17]
[Ep18]
Unmasked.
[Ep19]
Sly.
[Ep20]
[Ep21]
Xiao Yu's adorable painting of her.
Zhou Ji's painting.
[Ep22]
[Ep23]
[Ep24]
Some disguise...
[Ep25]
[Ep26]
Busted.
[Ep27]
[Ep28]
More noble hair!
[Ep29]
Her admission gives him a smile.
[Ep30]
😍
🥰
[Ep31]
Sweet.
Awkward. xD!
:) :) :)
[Ep32]
:( :( :(
And more :(.
[Ep33]
[Ep34]
[Ep35]

[Ep36]
Classic fist bump.




Remarks



by FanFanX

[First Impression (Eps1-8)] I dislike FL, but hope she gets better.

[Cast/CrewZhai Zi Lu is pretty entertaining with the physical comedy here. It's interesting that Qin Xiao Xian has a supporting role in this. 

Sheng Ying Hao as 2ML is dull but with a constant look of constipation. (He was 2ML in The Romance of Tiger and Rose and I don't remember him.)

Zhi Lei, the same director of Rebirth for You

[Behind the Scenes

BTS from 2021

[OST] Full OST. I love the opening and closing songs.

Flowers Bloom in Streets 陌上花开 | Zhong Xia 仲夏 [Opening Theme]


[Ending] Finally together and happy. 


Reviews



Five (5/5)


Four (4/5)


Three (3/5)


Two (2/5)


Reviewer: FanFanX
Date: February 2024
I started this because of Zhao Zi Lu. The series is front-loaded with some very funny and silly situations. But once you’re hooked, they give you whiplash with Song Zhu (FL) and Zhou Ji’s altered attitudes. Plus the series is overtaken by Xiao Yu's (ML) secret investigations. 

For someone who is working at the school, Xiao Yu is in and out of the school way too often. He definitely falls for her first, while she is very annoyed with his presence. I really do not like Song Zhu as she likes to blame everyone, especially Xiao Yu for everything that goes wrong. Zhou Ji is a poorly written character (an opportunist disguised as a green flag) who is portrayed by a terrible actor, Shen Ying Hao, who has two modes - mannequin, or constipated. Once again, Liu Run Nan does a bang-up job of being a bad guy/idiot. 

Main leads get together near the end, kiss and breakup – all within three eps. 36 eps was way too long for a period romcom. This should've been capped off at 20-22 eps. The best part of this series: Xiao Yu and his righthand man, Hu San Shu. I could’ve used a lot more scenes of these two. Let Hu San Shu eat in peace!



One (1/5)


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