The film lacks non-cisnormative gender identities or same-sex intimacy. Romantic arcs follow heteronormative structures typical of the period, offering no subversion of traditional courtship.

Women are central to the plot's social complications, yet they often operate within patriarchal constraints. While they show agency in navigating social mishaps, the film does not dismantle traditional hierarchies.

The cast is ethnically homogeneous, reflecting the historical reality of early 20th-century Shanghai. It avoids whitewashing by focusing on the internal stratification of the Chinese middle and upper classes.

The story critiques the performance of wealth and social climbing within Shanghai's localized mores. It focuses on social reputation rather than a radical deconstruction of family or community institutions.

There is no significant presence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities. The narrative focuses strictly on the socioeconomic maneuvering of the primary cast.