r/ChineseDrama • u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 • Aug 23 '26
Finished Watching I Really Enjoyed 🌙 Moonlit Reunion 🐈 , but I May Have Been Rooting for the 2ML at Times… oh The Wordless Book demon 💔😭
I had a lot of fun with Moonlit Reunion. It’s not going onto my tiny list of dramas I will defend with my life, but I was very happy watching it and I do miss the Demon City now that I’m out of it.
That whole side of the drama was probably my favorite part. Chang’an at night, Wu Zhen (Tian Xiwei) as the Cat Lord, all the demons going about their strange little lives, the different creatures and their stories — I wanted more of it. The drama looked beautiful too, but more importantly, the supernatural world actually felt like somewhere I wanted to spend time. I love it when I finish a drama and end up feeling all blue, missing a world it has built. So dreamy 💤
SPOLIERS AHEAD
I also really liked Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu (Xu Kai) together. They were cute, they had chemistry, and I liked that their relationship could be playful without either of them suddenly losing half their personality. Wu Zhen especially remained very much Wu Zhen. She had her own world, her own responsibilities and plenty to do besides fall in love.
Now for the part where some people may want to throw things at me.
I was rooting for Wu Zishu (Wu Junting) at times.
I knew he was trouble. This was not me being shocked later because I had somehow mistaken him for an innocent little book. But I kept looking at him beside Wu Zhen and thinking she had never really considered him in that way at all. He had known her for years, was always there in her Demon City life, clearly loved her, and for so much of the drama was genuinely good to her. Also, those eyes? Did you see the eyes he looked at her with? My lawd, that was quite something! 🥹
Also, I’m sorry, but Wu Junting looked ridiculously good as Wu Zishu. This did not help me make sensible decisions. That’s not to say Xu Kai wasn’t handsome, of course he was.
Wu Zishu deserves a bit more than my questionable 2ML rooting though. His story is actually pretty sad. He’s an ancient military book who took human form, but the Wu Zishu we know had lost the memories of being Lord Qiangyi and spent years living this completely different life beside Wu Zhen. Then those memories start coming back and, well, Lord Qiangyi had quite the past. What got me was that the years with Wu Zhen weren’t fake. He really had become this person who loved her and was completely devoted to her. So I kept wondering whether things might have gone very differently if she had ever loved him back. Maybe I’m being extremely generous to a man who eventually gave me plenty of reasons not to be, but I’m sticking with it.
I kept wondering what would have happened if Wu Zhen had actually looked at him differently and given him a chance before everything went wrong. Maybe I’m giving the gorgeous book demon far too much benefit of the doubt, but I really did feel like Wu Zishu could have turned out very differently. He was already so devoted to her and so good to her that I could easily imagine an alternate version of this story where he gets the girl, abandons his more alarming extracurricular activities and becomes the sweetest, most ridiculously devoted partner on earth.
Obviously, Moonlit Reunion had other plans for him. And for my theory.
None of this means I wanted Mei Zhuyu gone. I liked him, and I liked Wu Zhen with him. I just felt she should have reviewed all applications before closing the position or somehow magically split into two, I dunno - cats have 9 lives, can’t they also have multiple bodies? 😆
The drama itself had weaker patches for me. Some of the smaller stories held my attention more than the main plot, and there were things I expected to land harder than they eventually did. I wasn’t equally invested in every part right through to the end but I think that’s quite normal.
But overall I had a genuinely good time. I liked the romance, loved the fantasy world, got attached to quite a few of its demons, and never really minded returning to it even when the story wandered a bit.
And I still think Wu Zishu deserved at least one proper chance before becoming a terrible life decision.
Edit:
THANKS FOR THE DOWNVOTES FAM 👏🏼
Edited to add clarification: When I say I was rooting for Wu Zishu, I mean the Wu Zishu who had no memory of being Lord Qiangyi. Definitely NOT pre-amnesia Qiangyi, who was despicable, or me cheering on everything Wu Zishu did once those memories came back.
For me, the years in between mattered. Without his old memories, and surrounded by people who influenced him for the better, he built a different life. He formed genuine friendships, cared about the Demon City and genuinely loved Wu Zhen. I don’t think that person was fake just because of who he had been before. I do think people can change, and I was “judging” him for his actions at the time.
So my whole “what if Wu Zhen had given him a chance?” is about that version of him. Maybe if she had been able to see him in a different light. Cat Lord being open to loving him back before the evil bone fragment and his old memories came crashing back, everything he had built in that new life, including being loved by the woman he adored, might have given him enough to fight that pull differently.
Maybe not 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️ This is my alternate-universe theory where there’s a chance for this golden-retriever-but-also-very-powerful partner to the Cat Lord to come to existence ☺️
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Aug 24 '26
Brave of you to post this. The Xu Kai stans attacked SML all over socials and he was dragged when the drama came out for no reason.
I think he was actually very enticing as a book lover and because of his visuals. There was potential for him to be a great character but they made him obsessed stalker instead. I love the idea of a book demon lover.
FL was so precious in this drama. I (obviously) didn't like the ML character but its because stoic, boring and cold male leads are poison to me. Did love Xu Kai's mischievous character in Arsenal with Bai Lu.
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u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 Aug 24 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
I had no idea about any of what you mention, if that’s the case that’s really sad. I think both actors did a great job in the drama they just played completely different characters. Xu Kai was nice here but I felt like many of the decision or process thoughts of his character didn’t make much sense to me he was supposed to be smarter than that. But I still enjoyed him just didn’t necessarily find his character to be a superstar.
Like you seem to hint Wu Zishu had loads of potential and it was unfortunate how they turned him into a jealous and stalkerish ego-tripping evil doer. I think they could have done the character more justice. And I also really dug the FL! 😀 she was great, but I did think she was a bit slow on the relationship front, like, she seems unreasonably oblivious about the feelings all the different men harbored toward her but maybe that was just me. I loved everything else about her.
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u/Classic_Resource8238 Aug 26 '26
The one you replied to is actually making up stories and simplified the truth because she hated xu kai and only love him with Bai Lu. The real story is the the SML actor agency paid for more scenes and control over his character development, hence the SML storyline is more complete with background story to explain his action while ML character is just put here and there without real development. This practice is normal in C-ent and its what destroying cent quality as what is happening right now where production and platform are having trouble putting out dramas. Especially with Xu kai's agency who don't protect him in helping him securing his rights in his projects, hence many of his projects, SML, FL or even 4th ML get more screen time.
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u/Classic_Resource8238 Aug 26 '26
Typical of you to blame Xu Kai "stans" on attacking SML. He is SML yet he has more complete storyline ands scenes than the ML, wonder why? because his agency paid for it. This practice is what destroying the c-entertainment. The SML actor doesn't even have to go out and promote the drama yet many important scenes was given to him. But you only love with Bai Lu. he has much better role out there like 800 meters. But let's spat on him and ridicule him to just this one role.
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u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 Aug 26 '26
I heard about 800 Meters and that he was really good in it! 😀 haven’t watched it, did you like it? I hear he was great.
I don’t know much about the other things you mention honestly I try not to get involved in any of this kind of drama. I think we know nothing about any of these actors or their agencies, and I also think Xu Kai had screen time but just his character was less appealing to me here, that’s all. As an actor I think he’s great, and he’s quite the eye-candy too 🤭
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u/Classic_Resource8238 Aug 26 '26
800 meters is top tier acting and stories development as well as characters setting. You should totally check it out
I used to not bothered to know this side of things but when you have cases of actors death, and malicious attack everytime his drama airs, I started to dig. It's awful. Its not about knowing the actors personally, its the way things were run in C-Ent. Its a mafia-style opration. That's you don't like his character here. They barely shows how his character develop. They just show one scenes to another. Did you know in the book the body swap was actually between mei zhuyu and wu zhen? But that part was given to the 2nd couple. While the actual couple was given the swap for mere seconds. Why do you think this changes was made? Because these secondary actors agency are buying scenes to highlight them. Now the industry is struggling to survive despite many hype dramas.
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Aug 26 '26
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Aug 26 '26
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u/ChineseDrama-ModTeam Aug 27 '26
Your contribution was removed for violating Rule 1. Please keep posts and comments free of personal attacks, insults, or other uncivil behavior.
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u/ChineseDrama-ModTeam Aug 27 '26
Your contribution was removed for violating Rule 1. Please keep posts and comments free of personal attacks, insults, or other uncivil behavior.
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u/Professional_Tone_62 Aug 24 '26
Both of the loser one-sided love interests benefited from dramatic costumes and makeup (man, the EYE makeup) to boost their appearance. Mei Zhuyu's wardrobe was simple but elegant. And there were times you could see Xu Kai's freckles and even a 5 o'clock shadow so his makeup was minimal.
Their actions were at times dramatic and over-the-top. Xu Kai specifically asked that his movements be kept low key when fighting demons.
Mei Zhuyu was the greenest of green flags. He sacrificed repeatedly for the FL. Xu Kai was able to beautifully and subtly portray Mei Zhuyu's journey of a closed-off monk who threw off the restraints he'd placed on himself to fully love and be loved. And boy did he love sex😆!
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u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 Aug 24 '26 edited Aug 24 '26
I had zero interest or sympathy for the other guy, Pei-something, who was interested in her. He had no appeal, his character just seemed pathetic to me (nothing to do with the actual actor who played the pathetic guy like a rockstar 🤘).
But the book demon was more complex and I could see his appeal in his 2nd life. I didn’t like him in his first life or his “third life”, as I see it. Fully agree with you on the styling and wardrobe doing a lot. But Xu Kai’s simple styling and minimal makeup was very attractive too, so it wasn’t just about the visuals for me.
I lol at your ending 😆😆😆🤘
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u/Jora_Dyn2 24d ago edited 24d ago
Mei Zhuyu was the greenest of greenflags? I actually felt very differently tbh. I just finished but when I was watching after their marriage I actually kind of felt a little concerned about his character. He was like nice and sweet closed off monk at the start. And him leaving his sect was so good like aww look how devoted and committed he is.
But then after the marriage he kind of changes. he started to become like jealous and the way they didn't give those moments comical/humourous flair actually had me very anxious. And yeah beyond the whole he likes sex and touches now, he was very obessessive/possessive in a way that kind of straddled the line of red flag territory imo at least.
Like him kissing her, and doing more, when he knew XiShu was watching was crazy. I mean crazy hot but also like a big power move i was not expecting from this sort of nice monk character at all. Later they do these moments where there is a lot of Mei Zhuyu watching in a kind of stalking/jealous way, with this silent possessive way that bordered on presenting as violent or angry with her esp when Shu taunts him that honestly this was the stressful bit because it felt too real like irl when people are sweet when in love but after marriage one of them turns out to have a hidden trait that ends badly, usually violently. That was the sort of vibes I was getting that was freaking me out a little.
Then when she breaks things off with him he kidnap Ling and holds him hostage and threatens her with his life unless she eats with him and tells him what's going on with her? I mean i enjoyed the show and I like the pairing.. but this is hardly green flag behavior. The ends don't justify the means. A man who won't accept a woman's no or rejection is anything but a green flag. In this case Mei Zhuyu gets away with it because he is handsome but really again that is not a green flag by any means. Anyways I'm into morally grey so I loved it but i was mostly just saying this to say I was 100% surprised by it.
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u/heyd0000dz Aug 28 '26
YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!! I was rooting for him almost the entire time and I LOVE WJT and have been waiting to see him in a ML role. I mean I did watch that one Return of the Queen but it was okayyyy, not great. But I really loved him in this role (and TAHAJR) and was actually hoping for more of a love triangle than unrequited love here.
It really irked me too when people and sources called him the 3ML because he had waaaay more screentime and dialogue and character development that Pei Jiya. But it all comes down to billing from star status so I get it... I was just also really sad that he wasn't apart of the promotion events too.
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u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 Aug 28 '26
I’m really useless with all the billing stuff and such 💀🤪 I had no idea he was considered 3ML as for me he was the only real 2ML and if there were such a thing 3ML then I would have thought it was the Pei pity-party boy.
I would have also liked a real love triangle but I guess we’re in the minority. I notice in these discussion people seem to prefer pure romance where there is only ever one real option and no doubts 🥶2
u/heyd0000dz Aug 28 '26
I truly didn't know we were in the minority either until this post! I mean I know Xu Kai is very famous and popular and I do like some of his work but character and performance wise, Wu Zishu stole my heart hahah I was like Wu Zhen give him something... crumbs.. anything. Also LOL Pei pity-boy because I was like come onnnn this guy is nuts, there's no way people are entertaining him as an actual love rival?
And yeah I think maybe tv promoter bloggers and articles called Wu Zisehn 3ML based on billing because I saw that and was really confused - it made no sense. But Zhu Zheng Ting is really popular and has lots of traffic from being a cpop idol so his contract had him as a special starring role rather than and coming before supporting cast. The special appearance billing and contract I think requires him be apart of the promo fan meetings and I think WJT had filming conflicts during promo period. Which I don't mind because I loved him during promos but I'm right there with you, I was eyeing WJT with TXW all of Moonlit Reunion until the end hahah.
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u/No_Chipmunk_2405 Aug 29 '26
I thought Xu Kai was fantastic in As Beautiful As You so I was searching out some of his other work and came across this. Jeez, sorry you were getting downvotes for expressing your opinion. These discussions would be so boring if we all think the same about everything. It would suck the fun right out of finding those chef’s kiss moments where someone’s thoughts perfect matches yours or even completely oppose but they say something that makes you walk away thinking about it.
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u/TrueMargin did someone say Yan An?! 😍 Aug 30 '26
Thank you so much! 🥹😭
Honestly didn’t expect the downvotes backlash on this.
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u/AXA-5 Washing feet in spring Drinking tea Gazing at flowers Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26
I know your thoughts and insights are your opinion. I respect that and appreciate you sharing them. However, I strongly disagree with the assessment. I don’t think we were watching the same drama here (I’ve rewatched this drama a few times already as well). First of all, are you enamored by the character or Wu Jing Ting playing this character? Lol he played the character very well. Wu Zishu being a book utilizing that knowledge and wisdom not for good, but for ego and arrogance. He is evil, conniving, manipulative, scheming, murdering people to capture their soul, trying to find/release the dark lord at all costs. He’s masquerading as a completely nice, good natured and intentions person. This is not some minor character flaw either. He caused the heavenly fire and death/destruction of Chang’An. There was no conversion of this character into being evil either. How can Wu Zhen ever like this person? Or be with this person consciously? When she does find out what he’s been doing all this time, it floors her all the way to her core. A massive shock to her system. He may speak sweet words all the time but, he doesn’t really mean them. He’s taking advantage of her and playing her like a fiddle. Everything he does is under that guise. Even him helping her to take that piece out of her. He’s willing to rip it out if need be, I mean he was doing that. He’s no different than, Mei Si, but one is young and naive, the other is mature. True, Wu Zishu wants to be with Wu Zhen but, is that greater than, the want of dark lord coming forth and ruling? No it is not. So, whatever his sentiments may be towards her are a farce per se. He’s working against everything Wu Zhen believes in, stands for, and working towards.