I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
Mok, a veterinarian arrives to a hotel for vacation. At the hotel's bar at night he gets too drunk making a ruckus. The super sweet bartender Bay, escorts Mok back to his room where in drunken state Tok begs Bay to stay back for the night with him. It turns out that Mok has just had. Breakup with his girlfriend, who for whatever reason is in the same hotel with a new guy. Bay makes a deal that he will make Tok smile at least 10 times. He takes him to his favorite night spot and become friends. Meanwhile, feeling refreshed from Bay's kindness and love, he clears up things with his ex, but that leads to a misunderstanding with Bay who thins that Tok is back with his girlfriend. To make matters worse, the hotels owner Boston reminds Bay that guests will come and go, so he needs to tae care. Anyway Bay and Tok become very close , even romantically but its time soon for Tok to leave promising Bay and telling him that he needs him. The ending is a bit ambiguous though.
The series doesn't focus on the love story or anything but relies more on the seat moments between our two leads. The focus is on the characters and how they are portraying what they are feeling in certain moments. Even though the characters and their action do feel a bit amateurish at many places, the actor splaying them do share a very good chemistry and save the series. We are never clearly told if Tok is straight or gay, is h using Bay's niceness for his own good or maybe he started to feel for him? The ending makes me think he has, but its never evident. But to be fair, the two guys have only known each other for two or three days. So simply staying in touch is all that we can really expect as they hardly know each other. Making them a couple just after this short meeting would be too unrealistic. The budding romance between them is ok, but overall the mini series is too short to invest into any character or feel for them. It is simply a feel good kind of viewing which can be good, when watching a heavy long series gets too much and you need a break. Strictly ok. (5/10)
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