I knew a lot of people shipped the Xiao Yao with Xiang Liu, but he wasn't for me. XL was too mean to XY. He didn't appreciate her. Didn't treat her well. I liked Jing the best, and I thought that he was the best suited for her. And till the very end I still think that this is the case. In those circumstances, in that time, he was the best choice for Xiao Yao. However, this does not lessen my heartbreak for XL. To be honest, for most of the novel, I still clung to Jing as my favourite ML. There was one time when he had thoroughly disappointing me (when he fell for someone's scheme and got his evil fiance pregnant), however, it was proven that he stayed true to XY and didn't actually betray her. BUT towards the end of the novel is where I really noticed XL's love and devotion. His love is the type that does not act for the sake of recieving anything in return. In fact, he goes through extra lengths to ensure that XY and other people don't realise that he did anything. He did not do it for the recognition. He simply did it because he loves her and wants her to live, and live happily at that. The epilogue gutted me. The MC and ML got their HE, but I was not happy. XL was selfless in his actions towards XY, however, he chose to remain true to his promise and fight with the rebel army to the very end, despite the hopelessness of the situation. If he had given that up, I believe he would have been able to be with XY. But he couldn't. But that didn't mean that he didn't love and help XY. There was one line that really killed me in the epilogue. When they first met, XY said that she didn't know how to protect herself, didn't have anyone to depend on, and didn't have anywhere to go. And XL thinks to himself:

After several decades of archery, you have the ability to protect yourself; in a desperate situation you no longer need to use your body to shield the person you want to protect. An adoring lover, you already have a person to depend on, you no longer need to be by yourself. The sky and ocean are so large, you have a place to stay and will no longer be chased by people with no place to stay.

Xiao Yao, from today on, I can no longer protect you. You have to take care of yourself well, I wish you an eternity of peace and happiness!

And the killer is that, ultimately, he made all these things possible for her. He personally taught her archery to protect herself, even if he disguised his motives to her. He saved Jing by sending out mer-people to look and rescue him from certain death. He is the reason XY and Jing can reunite to love happily ever after. He have XY his blood so she feels as comfortable in the ocean as she does on land, opening up a world of opportunities for her. He did all this, and it kills me inside that he didn't get his happily ever after. Someone in the comments on Sushengbar said that this really spoiled her worldview, because the belief is that if there are soulmates, then the two will naturally find each other and be together. However, this novel did not do that. When Jing (fake) died, I thought to myself, I will be satisfied if the ending of this novel was similar to the ending of Hamlet: wherein everyone of importance dies. And after real ending, I think I still would have preferred everyone to die, because the character who never made his feelings known, but acted his love out in secret, died, while everyone else still is alive. And that just hurts because he deserved such a better ending. I wasn't a fan of XL in the beginning. To harsh and bullies XY like she's a servant. However, by the time the novel ended, I really wish he was the one she choose to give her heart to. But it could never be. And now I'm depressed.

Zhuan Xu

When I first started reading about him, my initial impression was that he was like wind. A gentle breeze for Xiao Yao to comfort her, yet a wind that can bite and tear across skin that protects his greater ambition. And at some point, that breeze sharpens to a knife towards Xiao Yao in a place where she's left no ends. To the world he was ruthless, but only with Xiao Yao could he calm into his true self. His ambition for the throne was greater than XY, so it was never meant to be between them. Zhuan Xu having an unrequited love is probably the best case scenario in a case where limited paths were walkable.

Zhuan Xu met all sorts of men but he had never met a man who was willing to give everything up for a woman.

I think this line explains enough as to why Zhuan Xu would never be the one for Xiao Yao. I feel and sympathize for his love, but some actions, although forgiven, cannot be forgotten.

Jing

He's the calm and sweet ML that you may find in a fluffy romance novel. Devoted to Xiao Yao and loves her without abandon. If we're speaking solely for what XY wants in a partner, it would without a question be Jing. Their relationship isn't full of sparks or fire, but warmth, safety, and reliance. He ends up being the one Xiao Yao chooses in the end. I will say one thing though, I think what they have between them is love, but I don't think Jing is Xiao Yao's true love. To tell you the truth, I think Jing, Zhuan Xu, and Xiang Liu all knew who was the most well "matched" to Xiao Yao. Even Xiao Yao subconsciously knew it, but it's been tamped to the point of exhaustion and death.

Xiao Yao forgot about Jing Ye and asked "Jing, do you really see me as important as your life?"

Jing said "No, I see you as more important than my life. Xiao Yao, you resented me for saying I wasn't good enough for you yet I refused to let go. Actually, I know that you can go on just fine without me. I know that Fang Feng Bei is more suitable for you. But I can't let you go, as long as I am alive then I can't! I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Xiao Yao clamped her hands over his mouth "You idiot! All I want is someone who would hold me tightly and never abandon me no matter what!" Xiao Yao's forehead was pressed against Jing's forehead "You can't let me go, I really like that!"

Xiao Yao seeks devotion and Jing is devoted to her, so undoubtedly was he the safest man to love for her. He's willing to abandon everything to be with her, whereas she fears all will abandon her. Not to mention ZX has the throne in his heart and XL has filiality towards his adoptive father and the rebel army, which I'll get into next.

Xiang Liu

Xiang Liu... I don't think I'm the only one with such intensely mixed feelings of him. By far the most compelling, mysterious, and depth-reaching character in the novel. The special thing about him is that he stays true to his values no matter what ending he spelled out for himself. Every character in the novel from beginning to end, including the MC herself, has faltered in their vision and pondered over regrets. His devotion to his adoptive father and intense silent love towards Xiao Yao makes him unforgettable.

Throughout the novel, even at XY and XL's first meeting, the world tells them that by blood they are enemies. A perfect parallel to XY's parents Ah Heng and Qi Yo. XY and XL are too rational that they, for the majority of the novel, maintain an ambiguous relationship that's electrifying yet hopeless. I respect Xiao Yao for trying to open her heart, take the first step, and give a chance to XL but Xiang Liu had chosen the Shen Nong resistance army. XL was distancing himself because he knew, regardless of how fiery their chemistry is or the brief bouts of happiness between them, that there was no way to have both Xiao Yao and his devotion to General Gong Gong exist on the same plane.

The beginning of the third volume is really when we see the love between the two. The end of the second volume marked FFB's "death" and XL cementing the walls he's put up. Yet in the third volume, although these walls become impenetrable and soon to be forgotten by the world, feelings are fueled to the breaking point. In the third volume, XL is occasionally mentioned in XY's mental monologue without prompt. He's like a fleeting memory throughout the entire volume and she's quite often reminded of him. Always remembered and never forgotten, both lost, loved, and missed forever.

Xiang Liu loves Xiao Yao, there is no question there. You may disagree with me when I say Xiao Yao loves Xiang Liu, but I really do think he is the one for her. Just the wrong time, wrong place, and the world working against them. My thoughts will always be that Xiao Yao initially fell in love with Fang Feng Bei's kindness and similarities to her. FFB didn't have any worldly desires and simply wanted to live life in its freest, just like Xiao Yao. In the end, FFB is XL and XL is FFB. I don't think Xiang Liu was faking the sincerity of FFB's character towards XY. It's just that... everything points to FFB being Xiao Yao's true love. Regardless, I understand why Jing is the ML in the end, it's just too tragic for Xiang Liu. He loved Xiao Yao so silently and protected her so immensely, all the actions he's done behind the scenes to lead her to happiness simply outshined any other ML for me.

Clearly I've written way more for Xiang Liu than the other two so I might as well lock down and just... show you what I mean. Other reviews have already mentioned Jiang Liu's actions towards XY (no amount of words can convey how forlorn I feel about the XL and XY's clam shell and the meaning behind it, especially with how the second time it's used, it's the final time they'll meet and all of XL's connections to her are washed away), so these will just be snippets that stuck with me while reading.

____________

The Grand Emperor said "Xiao Yao, I don't restrict your freedom but as your father I beg of you do not have any relationship with him. He's — exactly on the opposite side of Zhuan Xu and your blood line has already made the choice for you." The Grand Emperor had already seen one tragedy before, he didn't want to see the same tragedy with Xiao Yao.

____________

Xiang Liu was taken aback and said nothing. Xiao Yao pointed to the horizon "What's over there?"

"Endless ocean."

"No land?"

"Scattered islands."

"What kind of islands?"

"Some islands have not even a blade of grass, others as beautiful as a dreamscape."

Xiao Yao sighed "I really want to go see."

Xiang Liu remained silent and then whistled once before Furball arrived. He vaulted on its back and Xiao Yao had no choice but to stand up and climb on. As they got close to Zhi Yi, Xiang Liu switched to his winged horse.

As they reached Little Zhu Rong's residence...

It may have flown under the radar, but Xiang Liu's flight to Little Zhu Rhong's residence was a refusal to see the islands with Xiao Yao. Honestly I'm not sure why this particular scene stayed with me. Maybe it's because later in the story, Xiang Liu gives Xiao Yao a map of the ocean and tells her if she is unwelcome on land, she is always welcomed to the sea. This scene is just a subtle way of Xiang Liu saying that no, I cannot take you to see these islands, but perhaps you will be able to see them in your future happiness.

____________

Fang Feng Bei stared at Xiao Yao and under the dim light of the gambling hall his sliver of a smile felt cold.

Xiao Yao added "Even if the bug is removed, I'll still be good for my promise."

Xiang Liu coolly said "Fine, wait until I have time."

Another scene that may fly under the radar. The kind mask of promises that can't be kept with FFB immediately dissolves into XL snapping back to reality as Xiang Liu, rational to a fault.

____________

"He used to be a subordinate of Qi Yo and one of the survivors in the final battle in Yi Province. Carrying all the memories of those who perished, it's easier just to have died." Xiang Liu smiled "Actually, to a General, the best ending is to die on the battlefield."

____________

This particular Ice Essence that Xiao Yao found happened to have an injured ice worm demon crawl inside so after countless thousands of years underneath Snow Mountain, it had become a piece of extremely rare poisonous ice. It appeared like a beautiful piece of icy jade but actually exuded a poisonous aura that could pierce straight to the heart.

I always feel that last line wasn't only to describe the Ice Essence XY used in her carving to Xiang Liu.

____________

Xiang Liu stared at the ice crystal scene for a long long time.

Slowly he reached out a finger and pressed it on the ice crystal so it looked like he was taking the mermaid's outstretched hand.

At at glance it appeared that they were holding hands but in truth the ice crystal separated them. They were from two completely different worlds, they could never truly be together.

____________

Xiang Liu suddenly asked "Do you want to marry Feng Long?"

Xiao Yao's expression changed, she appeared to try and snap herself alert. Xiang Liu's eyes were piercing bright and his voice tender and soft as he asked "Do you want to marry Ye Shi Qi?"

Xiao Yao murmured "I do."

Another question was right at the tip of Xiang Liu's lips but he was actually torn until a moment later he asked "Who do you most want to spend your entire life with?"

Xiao Yao opened her mouth to answer but her expression showed her internal struggle as her mind refused to let her say what her heart felt.

After multiple struggles she became more and more pained and her body began to shake as she clutched her head "Hurt... hurt..." Xiang Liu had used his power to try and see into Xiao Yao's heart but Xiao Yao's mind was too strong willed. If she encountered something that even she refused to think about, then she would unexpectedly oppose answering it and the headache was the result of her refusal to answer the question.

I think this was one of the most pivotal events in their relationship. Asking if she wanted to marry Jing is a leading question. The person she wants to be with the most is buried in her heart because she knows that the world and fate will be against her. It would be a repeat of the past, perhaps a relationship of burning passion but an incinerated end. And here I think XL knows too and that's why he begins to distance from her, because he knows that a part of her heart is him.

____________

Xiao Yao couldn't help but admit that Hou was a very attractive man. He was handsome, strong, hardworking, interesting, serious when working but carefree when playing. His carefree was different than Fang Feng Bei's similar attitude. Fang Feng Bei really didn't care about anything so he wanted nothing. Hou's passion was because he wanted to dominate it all. His daring was not the same fearless as Fang Feng Bei who really wasn't afraid of anything.

____________

With just one vault she could jump into the ocean and swim happily. But Xiao Yao refused, she tightly clenched her fist and warred with herself.

____________

Left Ear's impassive face flashed across a pout but he said "I understand." Xiao Yao didn't know why she would suddenly thought of Xiang Liu pouting, which made her want to laugh and want to comfort him...

____________

Xiao Yao was starting to see things and before her flashed Xiang Liu and she murmured "One day you will become very smart and powerful, and won't need me anymore. I'm just upset that your transformation won't have my involvement, which is why I'm going to teach you as much as I can now."

Left Ear was indeed truly intuitive and asked "I will become like Xiang Liu?"

Xiao Yao drowsily said "I hope it's more like Bei... but it's all the same! No matter what you become, I will accompany you to walk the entire path..."

Xiao Yao passed out and Left Ear kept going until stopping right before dawn. He saw Xiao Yao's face turn red hot and called "Xiao Yao... Xiao Yao..."

Maybe I'm too deep in my delusions of how much Xiang Liu is held in her heart. But if she sees him before near death, even voicing her subconscious thoughts of XL, that must mean something..?

____________

After Xiao Yao tired from walking, she sat underneath a tree to relax in the shade and also teach Left Ear to read and write. He easily memorized a character but had trouble understanding meaning in phrases. Like, he couldn't understand what it meant to be "angry but unable to express." He thought "angry then kill", leaving Xiao Yao explaining until her throat was parched. She thought about General Gong Gong having a headache dealing with Xiang Liu like this and felt it so funny.

____________

If she wished Feng Long luck, then where was she putting Xiang Liu? Xiao Yao grew silent and then shook her head "This is your men stuff and doesn't involve me. I can't stop you so I won't say anything about it."

...

Tomorrow Feng Long would depart with a great army and Xiao Yao kept reminding herself over and over again — It had nothing to do with her! But why did it still hurt so much!

____________

Sir Bi stared at Xiang Liu and looked truly conflicted, like he was looking at Xiang Liu but seeing another great man from long ago "It's not that you're not good... it's just that... for Xiao Yao..." Sir Bi sighed loudly "Even if Tu Shan Jing is dead, I'm still relieved that the guy Xiao Yao picked was him."

Xiang Liu smiled and appeared not to take offense to what Sir Bi said and asked "I have one favor to ask of you."

Qi Yo and Xiang Liu... the parallels between the two are uncanny yet so tragic.

____________

This time, everything having to do with him was well and truly erased, no sign left whatsoever. Just like the most beautiful of snow, after it falls it melts once the sun rises, vanishing without a trace.

Xiang Liu looked over at Xiao Yao one last time before flying East towards the rising sun.

As the light rose over the horizon, he left like the wind with his white robe billowing, as magical as an otherworldly being. Sir Bi wanted to tell him farewell, but such a simple parting phrase felt as heavy as the weight of a mountain and he couldn't bring himself to say it. This parting, it was likely going to be blood spilled, bones, buried, ashes scattered, a parting without a gathering to come.

After a moment, Sir Bi suddenly remembered a very ancient ballad, and he glanced at Xiao Yao in the raft before looking up at Xiang Liu with tears in his eyes.

Sir Bi started to sing in the most melodic sorrowful voice.

Oh hey oh hey

Please cut my eyes out

So my blood splashes on your robe

Like the blossoms of peaches

Just so I am in your eyes

Oh hey oh hey

Please take my heart out

So my blood spills on the plains

Like the peach blossom on the mountains

Just so I am in your heart

..................................

No matter if it's his eyes or heart being spilled, Xiang Liu will never let Xiao Yao know how much he loves her. I find the song to be so contradictory yet complimentary to the actions XL has made over the years for XY. Xiang Liu truly is a character to sympathize and feel for. Fated to fall in love, destined to never be together.

____________

After over tens years of teaching you archery, you now have the ability to take care of yourself. You don't need to use your own body to protect someone you treasure when danger is around. The right man for you, you now have someone to rely on, you don't have to be all alone anymore with solitude as your companion. The sky is vast and oceans deep, you now have a place to go and don't need to be chased by people and be without a place to call home.

Xiang Liu thought to himself: Xiao Yao, from now on I can no longer stand watch to protect over you, you have to take good care of yourself, wishing you a lifetime of worry free happiness.

they wished Xiang Liu

1. There’s a small mythical beast that can be lured out by a young woman singing bc it’ll want to offer comfort. It’s basically an emotional support animal, but magically healing. She protects it from a huge beast of prey. The beast turns out to be XiangLiu’s pet, & when he captures her & she asks him to at least let the tiny beast go, he has his pet tear the poor thing apart. ಥ_ಥ

2. Her impression of him is that he’s terrifying & he has the merciless eyes of someone who’s killed countless people.

3. Then he tells her the only way she can live is if she’s of use to him. & when she takes too long to decide he has her whipped??? (/ꐦ°᷄д°᷅) /

Zhuan Xu went as far as trying to kill Jing because he can't bear to marry Xiao Yao off. While Xiang Liu, this precious boy, concealed everything he did for Xiao Yao. The epilogue is an exclusive chapter dedicated to this boy cause he really deserves it. Let me list this boy's good deeds to Xiao Yao

1. • He's willing to get the Lover's Bug planted inside him while he knew really well what it means

1. • He taught archery to Xiao Yao so she can defend herself

1. • He spent 37 years nursing Xiao Yao back to life

1. • He saved Xiao Yao's life again when she tried to kill herself

1. • Remember when he asked for as many blood as Xiao Yao can give then gave the compressed blood to a merman? Alright, now try remember who saved Jing? Merman! He collected her blood, making her severed the ties between them, just to save her man! Oh my god

1. • And even before his last moment he still used a big sum of his power to make a wedding gift for Xiao Yao but won't let anyone know

Can you see that? This boy's love is so selfless! He knew really well that they will never be able to be together thus he only loved her silently. If only he wasn't Gong Gong's adopted son, he would be the best male lead out of the three.

Yi yang tried mu*dering big bro but both ML A and FL are putting on a benevolent act when the truth comes out? Like wtf?

Xiao Yao - I really liked her and admired how she can give so much love and care to other ppl. Whenever others hurt her she could just turn the other cheek and forgive them. She had a great inner strength and knew what's actually important in life and didn't care abt the little things.

I'm surprised there wasn't another female character who could become her true friend and I really wish I could've been her friend.

Xiang Liu - I really disliked him at the beginning. Ever since he met her, he's been physically hurting her, threatening her, drinking her blood and almost killed her dozens of times. Even the trouble she got into with Xuan, was because she wanted to help him, even tho by that time he's just been using her for free labour, abusing her, lying to her ahh using her to get to others. It's beyond me why she would want to help him even more. After that, he saved her, but let me remind you she was only in trouble because of him. Meanwhile, she's healed him before, saving his life when he had life threatening injuries, no strings attached.

By the end of the book, he made it up to her and I do feel sorry for him, but since he hadn't appeared much and wasn't very nice with Xiao Yao (especially in the beginning), I didn't get that attached to him.

Truthfully, I agree with XY, what was the point of him dying? Since they knew they couldn't win anyway, I still don't agree with this pointless fight. He had a real chance with XY, so I'm disappointed with his choice and don't understand him. I know - he did it for his fallen charades - it's still pointless.

I gotta say an episode that really marked me was when they go to watch s*ave fights to the death and I quote: The two s*aves would fight until one died and there were people cheering all around them at the fight whereas neither Xiao Yao nor Fang Feng Bei seemed affected. Man, I get they went through a lot, but to think they would come to not only watch on coldly, but even bet on people's LIVES like that... that's a bit much. A least Xiao Yao struck me as a very compassionate character (she forgave ppl I wouldn't have ben able to), so how can she be this heartless in this regard?

Jing/Qi Shi - he was the one I loved from the beginning. I came to hate him and cried because of him at one point, but later he won me back!

Jing is the only one she can be willful with. With Zhuang Xu, she's being very understanding and doesn't want to ask anything of him that would inconvenience him. While with Xiang Lu, she thinks the only way for him too do sth for her is through a deal (which was real at the beginning).

Jing is the only one that didn't use her.

What the name Tu Shan Jing represented, Zhuan Xu was fully aware of that. It wasn't just wealth that rivaled a kingdom, it was also power that could influence the world. Zhuan Xu met all sorts of men but he had never met a man who was willing to give everything up for a woman.

The only problem is that he was too kind...

I was really disappointed with him after that pregnancy fake news. And I knew it was fake. Because, isn't he kind? He can't hurt his grandmother, can't hurt Hou, can't hurt Yi Yang. In the end the one that has to suffer is still MC. It wasn't his fault that he slept or didn't with YY, but it was his fault for postponing making a decision. If you keep hesitating, then someone else will do the decision for you and if you don't do anything doesn't mean and other won't either. If no improvements are made when you do nothing, do you think when something bad does happen there's still sth you can do? What if his grandma lived forever and never agreed with their marriage, would he had made XY wait her whole life? That's why it's better to settle such matters as soon as possible. But later I understood that his actual fault was trusting ppl too much. He actually didn't expect this of YY or his grandma - which is why he fell into their scheme.

Their ending... sigh. Yes, they're gonna live the simple life they always wanted. But they just gave up all their happy places where they spent their childhoods and most of their lives with, all the people they knew and shared happy and sad memories with... and just chose to live in seclusion and hiding their faces (which XY we know hated doing)... It definitely doesn't look like a happy ending for me. And I personally think they should've and could've stayed. I think nothing else bad could've happened (fingers crossed lol - but now seriously, they got rid of all obstacles; even if some others pop up, it's not like nothing bad will happen when they roam the world or settle wherever they end up wanting to).

I hope we get another sequel and find out more of how everyone ended up. Atm, I'm not happy with any of their endings.

Zhuan Xu - At the beginning I didn't feel much for him and always found his and XY's interractions very awkward. Like they were very close, but idk maybe because I didn't see the beginning of their relationship, their love for each other just seemed out of the blue and unwarranted for me. I don't know if it would've helped to read the first book. Atm, since I know and read the ending, I'm not interesting in reading the 1st book.

But after he acquired the throne and kept being torn and pining after XY, I couldn't help but start to cheer for him. It helped the fact that he was her most precious person.

That being said, I was actually surprised that he was willing to live on when he thought she was dead?!?!!

Xiao Yao was going to die with Zhuan Xu when she thought their grandfather would kill him. But when she dies back then Jing was the only one who couldn't live without her. Why? ZX said she was the only one he had left, his only precious one. Was it because he wanted to fulfill the goes his parents and aunt left him, to become emperor, even if XY died? Even if he didn't realise at that point that he loved her romantically, did he think he could live on without her?

Before she found out abt his betrayal, she found out abt his feelings. At that point, I was surprised she didn't accept him, since she always did anything he needed in the past. She still loved him more than Jing, but maybe because such a kind soul as Jing "died" and she decided to marry him even after his death - maybe she decided to be with no one else after his death? Anyway, we discovered then that she had absolutely no romantic feeling for ZX, which makes me wonder what would've happened if he actaully tried to get her first - would she have been able to fall in love with him?

Sigh... both Xiao Yao and Jing were betrayed by their most beloved brothers. I was a bit angry with him, but was still hoping XY could forgive ZX since he loves her and regretted it. Idk, was I only able to forgive him so easily because I knew Jing would survive?

Every character came up with different reasons, mostly that ZX couldn't give XY to Jing because he didn't think Jing was good enough. But I think he could give her to Feng Long because he knew FL wouldn't love her, and most importantly she didn't love FL.

I find the saddest point in the ending is that these 2 lost each other. Since Jing lived on, I really wish XY could've at least stayed close to ZX, even if they didn't become as close as before. But rather than death, this was the cruelest punishment she could've given him : (. Now ZX is completely alone, he sacrificed the only thing he loved and has gained all the things that don't make him happy.

I really wish Xiao Yao could split herself in 3 equal parts for each of the male leads?.

Ah Nian - tbh, I never liked her and didn't understand how Xiao Yao came to love her with no reason whatsoever like that?!?! Even she came to defend Ah Nian whenever she did something wrong. And everyone is just cleaning her mess and protecting her. Umm, no, you should teach her she did sth wrong. She's not endearing at all, she's just selfish and unreasonable. Like how she was when she first met Xiao Liu and she bullied her friend (the old soldier). She came to like Xiao Yao as well, but only later when Xiao Yao already treated her very well. Overall, it was Xiao Yao that cared and did more for her.

It also looked to me like their father did more for this self absorbed brat, which I found unfair. You've spoiled her till she became useless, it's time to stop now.

Xing Yue - another selfish character. I hope she matured a bit after her brother gave his life for her. She might've had a hard life, but she also never didn't anything for everyone else, but even hurt ppl who never wronged her, like MC.

I really liked her at first. But I thought she liked ZX, who knew she onlye ever thought about herself. She didn't help Zhang Xu when he needed her, but only wanted to marry him after he already became emperor. She didn't deserve to become empress. Xiao Yao suffered way more than her, but still sacrificed herself time and time again for her loved ones. Xing Yue just wants the fruits without any effort.

The more I think about it, the more I am disappointed with the ending and the character Jing, the man who Xiao Yao ends up with. He is the least interesting character, underserving of Xiao Yao's love or maybe they deserve each other as she rationally settles down for the safe, boring, second choice. Many readers find him pitiful and kind, the right choice for XY who only wants a stable, peaceful and eternal relationship, but his "santity" makes him a completely passive character, a pushover, trampled on by anyone without him reacting.

His brother physically tortures him for years and leaves him half-dead on a random street to be mocked and humiliated as a common, dirty homeless. You would think a normal person would reciprocate such horrible acts or at least try to punish somehow the culprit. Instead, kind Jing doesn't want to get revenge because he still loves his brother, despite it all. Are you for real? Let's say that we can accept that he forgives the brother, even if that brother never apologizes or shows any remorse but, still, after Jing recuperates his health, he treats the brother as usual, as nothing has happened, without a hint of hostility or alertness against him. Again, are you for real?

He is unable to break up the engagement with his fiancée, who clearly doesn't love him and just wants the position as wife of a powerful clan, because he is a doormat and it will break his grandma's heart. So, he asks Xiao Yao to wait for him for dozens of years. He can't stand up for himself, always finding excuses saying that he's trying but he can't go against his family.

At one point in the novel, XY says something along the lines that she chooses Jing because he is the only one who would be always by her side and has chosen her as his top priority but I don't agree. Just read these examples I wrote where Jing in theory has chosen XY as his top priority but in reality he can't live up to his promises because he is "too kind to act" against the problematic people in his life, at best XY comes second, after his family. He is like a cute, little puppy who always circles around Xiao Yao's feet waiting to be caressed and loved but he hides in a corner when a conflict arises because he doesn't have the guts to deal with it. His happy ending with XY is completely built on Xiang Liu's shoulders who saves his life, who doesn't confess his feelings for XY and always pushes XY towards Jing, otherwise XY would never settle down for Jing.

my favorite is xiangliu, although he appears cold but he was the one who loves her unconditionally, sacrifices so much for her (and so are the other male leads), and led her to happiness because he can't give her happiness. She can't protect herself so he taught her archery, he saved her lover, and he did so many things for her. I can't help but cry, they CLICK but the world, fate and destiny are against them.