Bea 🥝🏹🍡

She/her. Chronically ill/disabled. Probably lost in a good C-Drama 🥝⚖️🍬💛🧥 Plant mom, STAY & squirrel enthusiast. Oh look, squirrel! 🐿️

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “Can you tell us more about the first scene of beating the war drums?”

#HouMingaho: “I will add on to what she said, for the hug after beating the drums. Actually, we spent quite a bit of time on set discussing that hug. The director was worried because, at that point in the story, Jiayu hadn’t fallen in love with Xiao Wuyi yet. He was concerned that the audience might interpret the hug as meaning she’d already developed romantic feelings for him.

Because her feelings for A’Mao hadn’t completely ended yet, we wondered if the hug might send the wrong message. But after talking it through, we came to the conclusion that, in that moment, the two of them had just won a major battle. A big, wholehearted hug actually makes the audience relate to the characters more. It wasn’t about romance at all. It was simply the pure exhilaration of victory, a young man and a young woman celebrating a hard-fought battle together, cheering in triumph.

If they hadn’t hugged, and instead acted cautiously around each other, the encounter would have become unnecessarily complicated which doesn’t suit their state of mind. Rather, it would shift to questions being raised on whether he likes her or she likes him. In reality, using a simple gesture to celebrate the occasion makes both characters feel more innocent and pure.

In the end, we didn’t change it. The hug was already in the original script. We remained firm in the decision that there had to be a hug in this scene, a very simple, passionate embrace.”

#XiaoWuyi #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[H97 @brightho97]

He is just naturally cute 😄
The contrast between his off screen and on screen persona is adorable lol

#HouMinghao #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “Later on, Jiayu even shoots Xiao Wuyi with a crossbow. Could you tell us more about that scene?”

🐟: “That scene was just heartbreak and hopelessness, I feel. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, I was forced into it. And at the time, I didn’t know it was all part of an act. From that point on, things between Jiayu and Xiao Wuyi became a little heartbreaking.

I kept thinking, How could you do this? You had all these plans, but you never told me. You could’ve at least let me know beforehand so I could be prepared or something. You’re always like this, you carry everything on your own and keep throwing yourself into danger. At the time, I was just devastated. I felt powerless. Later on, I went to find him. I went straight to the battlefield to look for him.”

🐈‍⬛: “Actually, it’s because I lied to her. The whole thing with her shooting that arrow had already been planned between Li Mao and me. So when she fired it, it wasn’t going to cause Xiao Wuyi any real harm. Physically, the damage was basically zero.

So on the surface, it looks like she’s the one hurting me. But in reality, Li Mao and I were the ones who hurt her. The two of us, childhood friends, set up a scheme and tricked her. So when she came looking for me afterward, it was probably more like, ‘Why don’t you two just be together? You two keep teaming up to fool me!’

Q: “From Jiayu’s perspective, did it really feel that way?”

🐟: “After I found out the truth, I just kept thinking, well, you lied to me. You put yourself in so much danger. It was practically the same as marching off to your death. He had wounds and his physical condition was not very okay. But even so, I still felt like I have to go find you, I have to be by your side.”

#HouMinghao #XiaoWuyi
#AiMi #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “On the surface, Xiao Wuyi seems quite calculating and manipulative, but deep down, he’s someone who cares deeply about the people he loves. How do you see him?”

#HouMinghao: “Actually, I think Jiayu just made a really good point. He is the kind of person who’s incredibly stubborn and never likes taking credit for the good things he does. Xiao Wuyi is someone who possesses an incredible strong sense of purpose, goal-orientation, and ambition regarding whatever he sets out to accomplish. Because of that, he simply doesn’t care if people misunderstand him or question him along the way. He is willing to give his all in the pursuit of his dreams and career, and is able to shut out all external factors.

Among all the characters I’ve ever encountered, he has the strongest inner core. He’s the kind of person who would rather be seen as the villain, who would rather have the whole world hate him, as long as he knows he’s doing what needs to be done.

But what makes him so fortunate is that Jiayu understands him. That’s the moment when Xiao Wuyi finally feels like he has someone he can lean on. It’s a point that really strikes a chord, also what I think is a brilliant touch in the script. When he realizes that someone is willing to stand beside him, accompany him, and face the outside world with him, that’s the moment he begins to want to live. He starts thinking, ‘Could I postpone my death by another three months? Or maybe another three years? Or another five? What about another ten?’

He starts hoping for more from this world, including a stronger wish to accompany the person beside him. That was an incredibly moving moment.”

#XiaoWuyi #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “You and Xiao Hou have a genuine ge-mei (older brother–younger sister) dynamic. Was there ever a moment that made you think that he really is worthy of being called gege?”

#AiMi: “Honestly, every time he’d come up with something on set that no one else had thought of, I’d find myself thinking, ‘No wonder he’s gege.’

I feel like he doesn’t just make Xiao Wuyi a more vivid, lifelike character, he also helps bring out little gestures in Jiayu that are unique to someone her age. He’s never only thinking about making his own character shine; he also thinks about how he can help the other actors and their characters. That’s why I always end up thinking, ‘No wonder he’s gege.’ He’s very comprehensive in the way he approaches things and is considerate.

For example, after the two characters confirmed their relationship, there was a scene where Jiayu feeds him medicine while he’s kind of pretending to be sick. And so that little comforting gesture I did was also something he suggested.”

#HouMinghao #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

dream 🤞🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

“With #KeytothePhoenixHeart, the first few episodes had me so excited that I was hunting down every spoiler and plot detail I could find. As I kept watching, things settled down a bit. Then, before I knew it, I was completely won over.

The whole experience felt like tucking your thermal leggings into your socks on a freezing winter day, that perfect, snug sense of comfort and satisfaction. Even after finishing it, I kept thinking about it for a long time, and now I’m already planning to watch it again.

I honestly don’t even know what else to say. I’ve never followed a drama with this kind of wholehearted excitement and satisfaction before. Everyone ended up where they were meant to be. Everything felt exactly as it should. There was no character derailment. No one stole the spotlight. There wasn’t that frustrating, bottled-up feeling so many dramas leave you with. Even when the writer kept messing with me, I was enjoying every second of it.

Damn it. This is the kind of drama I’ve wanted as a viewer all along. Give me three dramas like this every year and I’d be completely content. But sadly, a masterpiece like this really does feel like a sword forged over ten years…Who knows how long it’ll be before I come across another drama like this? 🥲”

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Live a long, happy life, Wuyi 🤧🙏🏻

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

“xiao wuyi, I miss you”
“I promised you three lifetimes”
“if you can hear, turn into the wind, turn into the rain, and come find me in my dreams”

[Bea 🥝🏹🍡 @crystalmoonbea]

Slowly making us remember him and his most heartbreaking characters through all weathers: first rain, now wind.. at this rate I'm going to get trauma every time I look out the window 😭😭 ☔💨
#HouMinghao #KeytothePhoenixHeart #XiaoWuyi #FangsofFortune #ZhaoYuanzhou

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

"if zhao yuanzhou is the rain, then the breeze I'm feeling right now is xiao wuyi"

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

"if zhao yuanzhou is the rain, then the breeze I'm feeling right now is xiao wuyi"

[DFJULES @dfjules13]

I need a dark hmh character, now. #HouMinghao #keytothephoenixheart #xiaowuyi

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

I thought Tian Yao’s wedding vows couldn’t be topped. Who would’ve thought Xiao Wuyi’s farewell letter would break me down completely… With the nation’s fate on his shoulders, he had no choice but to part with his beloved wife. He can only hope she lives a good life without him in the future he’s trading his life to build.

Zhao Yuanzhou and Xiao Wuyi both have a great love for the land and its people, taking it upon themselves to protect it with their entirety. But no matter how cold or ruthless they may seem, deep down, they still have colors of youth and long for warmth. When they finally learn how to love a person and discover what it’s like to be loved back, it’s as though they’ve never wanted to live more.

Perhaps that’s what makes their stories so heartbreaking. They never allow themselves to hesitate or look back, fearing that even a moment’s hesitation would cost them the resolve to keep walking their chosen path. They have never put themselves first.

But I will always put them first ❤️
#HouMinghao #ZhaoYuanzhou #XiaoWuyi

[SilverFoxspirit 💚 HomeMeansHere 💚 @BlueRedFeathers]

#KeytothePhoenixHeart is one of those dramas which proves that all you need is a dollar and a dream. It delivered everything a viewer could ask for, and left us wanting for more. Love, loyalty, friendship, faith, growth. I truly understand why #HouMinghao loves #XiaoWuyi so much

[H97 @brightho97]

Hou Minghao’s acting! 😳
The bloodshot teary eyes, the bulging veins in his neck, the trembling..he perfectly captured the helplessness of not being able to save a loved one. Such good acting, Hou Minghao! #HouMinghao #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Now I read this again…❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

#keytothephoenixheart ep28

I JUST FINISHED
A MASTERPIECE

"rest assured, it's not a dream"
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “Everyone says you came up with a lot of on-the-spot ideas for Xiao Wuyi.”

#HouMinghao: “I wouldn’t really call them on-the-spot ideas. I’d say they’re more like a second layer of creation for the character. Those kinds of choices are hard to capture in a script.

Take the first episode, for example. I wanted Xiao Wuyi to die kneeling in front of the city gate instead of simply being killed by the enemy and collapsing onto the ground. Details like that are difficult to write into a script. When you’re actually on set and see the environment, inspiration just comes naturally. At that moment, I felt that even if he had to die, he should die on his knees. First, because he would have no regrets toward his own conscience. Second, because it reflected his unwavering faith in protecting that city until the very end.
-
I remember seeing a clip the other day, the scene where I was eating a piece of hawthorn cake. In the script, it only said that I had a small taste. Then I started thinking, how should I portray this?

At that point, Xiao Wuyi already had some faint feelings for her. Deep down, he was beginning to like her, but he hadn’t realized it himself. He didn’t even know he’d fallen for Xie Jiayu. So how do you show that? So perhaps the hawthorn cake was sweet, and I was eating it. Then she suddenly woke up, and I immediately swallowed the whole bite in one gulp.”

Q: “You came up with that too?”

Hmh: “Yeah, that was my idea. I felt it really matched where he was emotionally at that moment, like there was already a sweetness growing in this relationship. But the instant she woke up, his first instinct was to avoid revealing anything. And second, even if he had to swallow it, he wasn’t willing to share it with anyone else. To me, that felt very youthful, or it captured the awkwardness and innocence of love. I think it was very true to how Xiao Wuyi felt toward her at that stage.”

#XiaoWuyi #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “Ai Mi, don’t you think Hou Minghao has the potential to be a director?”
🐟: “Definitely!”

Q: “Did you know he wanted to become a director originally?”
🐟: “I know.”
🐈‍⬛: “I’ve told her countless times. I said, that when I become a director one day, I’ll invite her to play my female lead.”

Q: “What kind of script would you give her? What kind of character?”
🐈‍⬛: “Whatever role you want, I’ll write it.”
🐟: “I want to play a character who has a growth arc.”
🐈‍⬛: “Deal. In the beginning, you’ll be an ‘evil girl’ (恶女/e nv). By the end, you’ll be a ‘hungry girl’ (饿女/e nv).” (it’s a pun)

#HouMinghao #KeytothePhoenixHeart

[ncy ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ @ncybear]

Q: “Doesn’t his character get jealous very easily and is very mean to others? Are there any very gentle moments that were memorable?”

🐟: “It was when we were filming the funeral hall scene. I had to eat those wild vegetable pancakes but when they were first brought out, they were pretty hard to swallow. Then, Xiao Wuyi laoshi felt the pancake, (because I was the one who had to eat it), and asked the props team to replace it. They brought out a fresh, hot one instead. He was incredibly thoughtful and showed his care through his actions.”

🐈‍⬛: “I remember that pancake was rock hard. It was so hard you could’ve hit someone with it and left a bruise. Since she had to act like it was delicious, I felt it was asking a bit too much of her. It was really hard to chew.”

#HouMinghao #AiMi #KeytothePhoenixHeart