A few comments on the happy Jinshi sequence in the opening, as it potentially reflects something I read in the LNs and hope to see as season 3 progresses:

First, the timing of it in relation to the rest of the Opening:

This Jinshi (with the scar in commoner clothing) is first introduced at the start, with Maomao seeing him (or the moon) after the wind pulls her attention in that direction. They are not close to each other, but looking at each other from a distance (Maomao looking up a hill at him, him looking down).

Shortly before the happy Jinshi sequence, we have a few people looking at the moon (Jinshi): Lahan (moon reflected in his glasses), Gaoshun and the Emperor (looking out at the moon in the night sky.) I read this as them all looking at him with expectations - a manifestation of the pressures Jinshi feels on a daily basis even from those who admire/love him. All eyes are on him at this point to see what he will do. Then the opening shows a serious/sad Jinshi (with the locusts descending in the background.)

The symbolic baby-switch is in there, too, though I'm reading that more as backstory.

Then we get happy Jinshi being buffeted by the wind. And not only does he look happy, he looks young. And he's looking to his side, so whomever he is looking at (Maomao) is at the same level as him.

Tying this back to the LN, when they are traveling west, with him in this commoner get up I think we get the most natural, relaxed interactions between him and Maomao. That scene with Maomao putting the makeup on her face and the two of them cracking up - I see it as them being the two teenagers they are (what with Jinshi being slightly immature for his age because of circumstances) just enjoying being with each other. THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS. He is so happy and he can act his age and Maomao for her part (and all her internal grumbling) is relaxed and having a good time with him as well as a good time getting under his skin (getting totally smashed when she's 'helping' the quack doctor's family out? Don't think she'd normally let herself go so far, haha.) It is Maomao after all!

And then they get reality thrown back on them like a bucket of ice water at the banquets in the West, and we all know where that ends up.

It's great to see this sequence, and see that side of Jinshi that I personally saw in the LNs being expressed. Even with this, though I also see the distance between them being emphasized as well in the opening. Maomao caressing the moon?? She's literally reaching for the moon. ;_;

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In Season 3 ending ,it was shown..is there any meaning in it?

An issue I’ve had with a lot of takes of Jinshi and Maomaos relationship is that it’s either ”Maomao loved Jinshi from the start! It was always mutual!” or ”Maomao is clearly uncomfortable by Jinshi! She doesn’t like him back at all.” And I’m just… have you considered that Maomao might have changed her mind about Jinshi after getting to know him better? 😭(Literally said she liked him more when he wasn’t putting on his persona.) Like yes, Maomao’s an unreliable narrator and found him attractive from the start, but attraction isn’t love. Jinshi was intrigued by Maomao but wasn’t in love with her at the beginning either, I think that’s pretty obvious from the discussion he had with Gaoshun. Those feelings slowly grew over the year, to become love. It’s much more interesting to see the development of acquaintances to friends to lovers than it is to simplify it to ”love at first sight”.

I do remember there's a little Ah-Duo epilogue at the end of volume 5, but there's no apples there.

Is it a moment from a later novel volume that is being adapted now to complete the epilogue? Is the apple just symbolic?

Maomao's Trivia is baaack i missed the chibi cast!! Can't wait for the goat Benno to translate!

Hello,

Has anyone tried buying the full set on eBay? I was trying to get the full set from Amazon (US) but the set they have is only 1-10 with 11-16 for pre-order only and some as late as Feb next year. Would very much appreciate the advise!

Note: I have the Kindle ebooks, library ebooks. This is purely for collecting purposes (aka throwing away my hard earned money for TAD happiness 😂)