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I really loved the dynamic between Cheng and Lu. My two favorite things about their relationship are their brotherly bond and how well they balance logic and emotion. Their brotherly love makes their relationship feel real and easy to care about. One scene that really stood out to me was when Cheng came back from the earthquake loop, punched Lu in the face, and then broke down crying. That moment completely sold their relationship for me because it showed how much Cheng was holding in and how deeply he cares.

The second thing I love about their dynamic is how Lu and Cheng represent two different sides of the story. Lu is the logical one during missions, especially in the earthquake warp and the first Qude Games warp. He thinks like an author, planning everything out and telling Cheng what needs to be done, even when it’s cruel or painful. Cheng, on the other hand, represents the character inside the story. He’s emotional, he questions the choices, and he’s the one who brings heart to the missions. Cheng cries, struggles, and reacts like a real person would, which makes the story hit harder emotionally.

I also really liked the overall theme of family in the story, especially how Cheng and Qian Jin are used to juxtapose each other. Both characters are driven by family, but they respond to that motivation in very different ways. Cheng’s love for others pushes him to protect, save, and emotionally connect, even when it hurts him. Qian Jin, on the other hand, lets his devotion to family justify manipulation and cruelty, showing a darker and more selfish form of love. This contrast helps highlight Cheng’s humanity and moral struggle, while also showing how love for family can either ground someone or completely corrupt them. It makes the story’s message about family feel more complex and realistic, rather than purely positive.

I also loved Tianchen’s character arc, especially how he despised his father at first but slowly fell under his influence. Tianchen starts off rejecting his dad and everything he stands for, yet over time he begins to mirror the same actions and mindset he once hated. This parallel makes his story tragic because it shows how hard it is to escape the cycle created by family, even when you are aware of it. It reinforces the theme that family can shape who you become in ways that are difficult to break away from, no matter how much you resist it.

One thing I didn’t like, though, was how the story handled the rule about not bringing people back to life. The show tells us clearly that people can’t be revived, but Xu’s living state is kept ambiguous for a long time just to add tension. Even though the story later gives more evidence that she is dead, it feels inconsistent because earlier we saw that Cheng’s actions can affect the present even if they haven’t “happened” yet. Before that warp, Xu would always be fine because Cheng had already changed the future before, so the rule felt bent when the story needed drama.