The Transformation | Before & After
The Transformation: Before & After
Enter Zhu Yan from *The Longest Promise*. On paper, she’s a free-spirited, powerful, and passionate princess. She’s meant to be the vibrant, chaotic force that shakes up the life of her cool-as-a-cucumber master, Shi Ying. She’s introduced as determined and defiant, a character you think you can root for.
And then she speaks. The transformation isn't a plot point; it's a permanent state of being. The intended "before" of a strong-willed princess is instantly annihilated by the "after": a character whose primary mode of communication is a breathy, high-pitched whine. Every line is delivered with the vocal inflection of a toddler demanding candy, immediately undermining any power or agency the script attempts to give her.