** Spoilers Ahead
Is it a cliffhanger or not? A happy ending or a bad one? VIP subscribers were able to watch the final episode of the Xiao Zhan and Ren Min helmed The Longest Promise a bit earlier than the rest. And thus far, the reaction has been mixed. But if there’s one thing folks agree about is that changing the original ending from the novel was completely unnecessary. Why mess with a good thing right? Given that this is the live action format, perhaps writers were going for the added drama which we all know cdramas want to do. But wow sometimes seeing the extra suffering the main characters have to go through is frustrating.
In the novel, author Cang Yue gave Zhu Yan and Shi Ying a happy ending. Ren Min, the actress who plays Zhu Yan, even hinted that the conclusion to the story is “full of joy” (欢天喜地). But is it really?
The Finale
As you know, Shi Ying and Zhu Yan have both sworn to protect Kong Sang and keep it safe. In the finale, they face off against the ultimate villain of all, the god of destruction who wants to use the power of the rings to destroy Kong Sang. Zhi Yuan played by Alen Fang Yilun is unfortunately possessed by the god who uses him to force Zhu Yan to marry him as a “replacement” Yao Yi. Well, Zhu Yan manages to trick him away from the god rings and also to tell her how to use it. So now that Shi Ying and Zhu Yan have their hands on them, they manage to vanquish Zhi Yuan. But now that he doesn’t have a physical body, guess who he used as host … Shi Ying.
Essentially, the only way to get rid of the god was to seal him in Shi Ying’s own body. So in the end, Shi Ying chose to sacrifice himself and begged Zhu Yan to stab her beloved with the jade sword to keep Kong Sang safe. Before he died however, Shi Ying made a promise that whenever the xue han wei (雪寒薇花) flowers bloom, that’s him coming back to see her. As peace returned and other supporting characters get fulfilling endings, Zhu Yan continues to wait for Shi Ying’s promised return. Three years later, the lovers are reunited in the place where they first met when Xiao Zhan reappears for one final scene just before it cuts to the ending credits. It he back for good or is it just her imagination?
Observant viewers have pointed out that Shi Ying and Zhu Yan’s fate echoes that of Su Mo and Bai Ying’s in another Cang Yue drama adaptation Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities. Like Shi Ying, the sea king sacrificed himself to protect Bai Ying. And even their reunion and how the drama cuts off was also reminiscent of Su Mo and Bai Ying’s in Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities.
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