The why of murder always fascinates me so much more than the how- Ann Rule

Season Two of this hugely popular bromance seemed to be quite dissociated from the prequel. When the show’s promotions were on, they often mentioned Jin Shi Jia as the special lead; which made me wonder about the technicalities of his role. Whilst his scenes aren’t shortened, the sequel focuses more on Shen Yi’s caricature, as such the significance of the other characters seem to dim. While Forensic Art is still the focal point of most investigations, this time we dig deeper into Shen Yi’s psyche as he empathizes or tries to better understand the psychology of the criminals/suspects. The darker tones coupled with Shen Yi’s possible descend into criminology sparks a kind of intrigue and excitement that is unheard- of. Tan Jian Ci effortlessly slips into his character role as he emotes through his canvasses trying to portray the vivid emotions of the varied suspects- some human, other’s entirely devious. The season was as empathetic as the prequel preying on intense feelings, betrayals and deceptions. If you want to compare both seasons, it would be a difficult to do so; because the storytelling is entirely different. We can talk more about that as we dissect the finer nuances of the characters and analyse their chemistry!

Synopsis-

The second season will continue the core of the story of the first season of “Painting Color and Seeing People’s Hearts”, and understand the complexity of human nature through the outline of the portrait. The Beijiang squad, composed of simulation portraitist Shen Yi, criminal police captain Du Cheng and others, will continue to solve the human puzzle in the second season and chase the real culprit of the case.

(Source: Chinese = Weibo, Baidu || Translation = MyDramaList)

Shen Yi Questions His Beliefs

“I don’t want to draw just their faces and personalities, I want to draw their hearts”

The sequel was majorly poised on Shen Yi questioning his own ways, redefining his beliefs or his very foundation. As the Beijiang squad encounter more complicated cases, Shen Yi delves deeper into the psyche of the suspects. The contrast is depicted by the colors in his portraits as against the black & white drawings he did in Season One. He not only questions the suspect/criminal’s mentality but also tries to express their emotions via his vivid landscape. The only problem being that at times, the colors intersect and Shen Yi gets so deeply involved that it becomes disturbing. The initial episodes gleam upon an incident where a young girl was killed because Shen Yi didn’t act on his instincts. The guilt is immense and to overcome his slight misdemeanour, Shen Yi starts working on the Human Nature Atlas. Easy said, then done. He is a genius, he sees things differently from the police squad but that puts him at a disadvantage; as he repeatedly gets entangled in dangerous situations. Tan Jian Ci has perfected the act of “Shen Yi”. I’m saying so, because his intense playoff with the serial killer who has been on the hunt after his beloved’s untimely death was jarring and devastating. I was left speechless by his bold rendition, Tan Jian Ci has really come a long way indeed!

Du Cheng’s Calm Attitude

“The law will make him pay the price”

This season we get to see a laid back and calm Du Cheng, as against his bashful attitude in Season One. He is no longer antagonizing Shen Yi, in unlike Season One. His composed approach comes as a surprise, the only glitch being that he is forever at odds with Shen Yi’s advanced techniques. Instead of working together, they spend a lot of time working individually. Surprisingly, they tend to discover the same leads, but only their directions are different. While he does repeatedly question Shen Yi’s risky attitude, he also gives him the space to make amends. He is careful in his deliberation and also worried about Shen Yi’s safety. He doesn’t stop him but does try to alert him in advance. His playfulness still remains the same as does his rapport with the Beijiang squad. I guess Jin Shi Jia was marked as special lead, because the sequel tends to focus more on Shen Yi finding his way through the upheaval in his mind.

Meant To Be With Each Other

Shen Yi to Du Cheng- What made me fly wasn’t my talent, but the demon that had been hidden in my heart for a long time. Without you, I might have been crushed to bits.

Both of us are like a compass. I can draw the bigger circle, because you are the center point. Wherever you are, the circle follows!

The bromance is alive, breathing and sumptuous. Shen Yi & Du Cheng have settled into a more domestic routine this season, as their relationship matures and deepens. Shen Yi still has insomnia, but the only space he can sleep peacefully is where Du Cheng exists. It could be Du Cheng’s car or his office. The scriptwriters got a kick out of enlivening their relationship within the limits of censorship; as you might have noticed with Shen Yi’s specific alarm tone (Yes, it is a voice record of Du Cheng screaming along asking for Shen Yi). Even though, Du Cheng has sobered up this season, the only thing that causes him to panic is Shen Yi being in danger. From kissing rubber dolls, to catching lighters in the air; Du Cheng does everything that Shen Yi asks for. He even tries his best to keep his temper under control whenever Shen Yi puts himself in dangerous situations. He remembers Shen Yi’s birthday and specifically gifts him. They bicker endlessly, argue, have disagreements and yet they somehow reconcile. This season, we have not one but two potential love rivals vying for Shen Yi’s attention. Captain Lu Hai Zhou (Zhang Tao) returns to take over a joint investigation. As always, he tries his best to sway Shen Yo but fails miserably. Our main antagonist Fang Kai Yi (Zheng Yun Long) turns out to the bane of Du Cheng’s existence. He is suave, manipulative and devastatingly intelligent. They are involved in an indiscernible love triangle with Kai Yi trying to win over Shen Yi. Shen Yi does seem to have a change of heart, but we all know he can never give up on Du Cheng or his morals.

Final Impressions

The show does not give up focusing on empathetic stories, the ones that will make you cry and feel aggrieved!

Human nature is deceptive, you never know who is lying and for what. But most criminals aren’t born so, some were forced. You will feel delighted when little Xiaopeng (who was abused by his father) reunites with his saviour, Yun Lei. Or celebrate watching Ao Li reconcile with her best friend, Jingjing as they both escape from the clutches of a womanizer. The sapphic tones are more pronounced as the show doesn’t shy away from depicting all kinds of human relationships. The focus remains on Shen Yi’s mental struggles and his disagreements with Du Cheng, but they stem past those issues to emerge stronger and closer. Despite their arguments, Shen Yi & Du Cheng remain together, their relationship grows, and they are inseparable. As Du Cheng comes to terms with his over restrictive nature, Shen Yi mellows down subjectively. The show ends on a massive cliffhanger, with the promise that the cast will return for Season Three in 2026!

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- IQIYI