Best Choice Ever

Nosy mother, evolving daughter

Even though I didn’t like the story very much, and Yang zi has been choosing dramas that are more about family, relationships, and development of relationships with parents I thought her acting was some of the best she’s ever done . Xu Kai was playing in his role of executive which he’s done numerous times I didn’t think his role was stretched as much as Yang zi’s role. I think it was great acting with a so/so storyline special props to Nai nai who again was amazing in her role as support! I think her character really helped develop Huan Huans, and Yao’s character and their relationship. I also think that this show really demonstrated well how hard it is for a working family to be able to survive in the city like Shanghai with its rising costs. It also shows the dichotomy between the rich and middle class, which is so inherent in Shanghai. overall, I thought the main storyline was interesting and even the secondary romance was interesting to watch develop in its own set of circumstances, which were not the norm as well. I thought the way the Director handled this was really well done. Normally I skip over the secondary storyline as it’s usually just filler, but in this case, it was developed in a way where you really felt for the male secondary lead and his struggles his character was really well developed as well. You could see him growing from young graduate into a man.

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This is really more of a family drama with a side of romance

**This is just my opinion. I truly appreciate all of the hard work and dedication that went into the making of this drama. Thank you.**

I think that I read the summary for this drama wrong. I thought it was just telling me a bit about who the main characters were and what they were going to be dealing with. I assumed, wrongly, that the romantic relationships would be the primary focus. What it ended up being was a family drama with a side of romance and a heaping helping of hotel/work drama.

I have nothing against either work or family dramas. This drama though, put too much focus on Liu Wan Yu, Mai Cheng Huan's mother, her machinations, interference, greediness, emotional blackmail, etc. and their impact on her family. It just felt endless. I continued to watch it, hoping that eventually it would pay off but, spoiler... no such luck. It continues all the way through until the last 30 minutes or so. I have never wished for them to kill off a character so much. She drove me crazy. The work/hotel/life portion was just boring. Other than when they were setting something up for a future scene, it was tedious.

There was a bit of romance. I know that they wrote it in there because there ended up being two couples. Unfortunately, I didn't find it romantic at all. There were multiple confessions by more than one person and the only times there was any attempt to do something romantic was when she didn't want it. I still think that's very odd. I fast forwarded through some of the scenes towards the end so I might have missed something but it's doubtful. How can they not have gone on any romantic dates?

The actors were very good. My favorite part of the whole thing was Wu Yan Shu's performance as Yao Zhiming and Mai Cheng Huan's grandmother. She was an absolute delight! She brought out the best in her costars.

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When the Mother Becomes the Main Character

This drama focuses on the realistic and often uncomfortable aspects of family as people grow older and romance comes second. The leads is more the female lead and her mother. Female lead's mother's scenes were infuriating because of her constant “I am always right” mindset and her complete disregard for boundaries within her family. She also lacked awareness of social cues, frequently taking advantage of other people’s kindness and help. That said, she does have a redemption arc.

If you want to enjoy this show, I’d honestly recommend skipping most of the mother’s scenes, as they were very triggering. Seeing one outburst from her is enough to understand what kind of character she is, so you won’t be lost if you skip ahead. However, there were a few heart to heart conversations between her and the female lead that genuinely resonated with me. While the mother is difficult to watch, I do appreciate that the drama commits to portraying realistic family dynamics, especially the kind of emotional control and guilt that exist in many households. Because the story focused so heavily on the mother, I felt there weren’t enough scenes between the two leads, though that might just be me being greedy.

Yao Zhi Ming approaches Mai Cheng Huan because of her connection to someone, but his involvement is largely driven by his grandmother’s influence, as she takes a liking to Mai Cheng Huan’s sweet and caring nature. However, as he spends more time with her, especially while witnessing her complicated family situation, he’s forced to confront emotional conflicts that logic alone can’t resolve. Through these experiences, Yao Zhi Ming’s understanding of family and love begins to change. He learns that emotional connection requires presence, patience, and vulnerability, not just problem solving. Over time, he becomes more attentive and increasingly willing to prioritize emotional needs over practical outcomes.

Yang Zi did a fantastic job portraying Mai Cheng Huan. Her character development was strong, starting as someone who blindly followed her mother’s wishes and slowly growing into someone who could stand on her own. I especially loved the symbolism of her pulling off her necklace, which represented her decision to stop being emotionally trapped by her mother. She also lacked direction in her career at the beginning, but through various challenges, she eventually found her own path. What I appreciated most was that Mai Cheng Huan wasn’t the typical female lead waiting to be saved. Once she found her voice, she wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself, and she stayed consistent in that growth.

Xu Kai as Yao Zhi Ming also stood out. Since this drama aired close to As Beautiful As You and both roles were CEOs, he did an impressive job differentiating the two characters despite their surface level similarities. I loved how respectful Yao Zhi Ming was of Mai Cheng Huan’s boundaries and how he never overstepped, no matter the situation. He was protective without being overbearing, and he trusted her ability to handle things on her own. When he did step in, it was subtle and effective. While Yao Zhi Ming is someone who values control at first, he gradually learns that control isn’t everything. You also see him allowing Mai Cheng Huan to take the lead in their relationship. It gave very much career wife and house husband energy, which isn’t to say he didn’t have his own business to take care of. It just felt like he was genuinely content supporting her from the sidelines and watching her succeed.

The chemistry between the leads feels effortless. You really can’t skip their scenes because, as a viewer, you can clearly see their relationship evolve from a practical partnership to a genuine friendship and then into a quiet, mature romance. What makes their dynamic compelling is that it’s built on mutual respect and emotional safety. They learn how to rely on each other, challenge each other, and grow together without losing their individual identities. As individuals, both characters grow more confident and emotionally aware, and as a couple, they function as equals who support each other’s ambitions and emotional needs. That balance is what makes their relationship so satisfying and rewarding to watch.

This drama also stands out for its strong portrayal of communication between the leads. There are no unnecessary misunderstandings or drawn out conflicts caused by poor communication. Both characters are honest and open with each other, which is refreshing. Yao Zhi Ming also plays a key role in helping Mai Cheng Huan mend her relationship with her mother. In many ways, he becomes the glue holding the family together. He understands how to communicate with Mai Cheng Huan’s mother in a way that defuses tension, and that emotional intelligence makes a significant difference. I also find it hilarious how the family often sends Yao Zhi Ming to talk to the mother, since he’s the only one who can reason with her.

Overall, while the drama can be emotionally heavy and frustrating at times, especially when it comes to the mother, it succeeds in delivering a grounded and realistic story about family, growth, and love. It doesn’t rely on dramatic twists or exaggerated romance to move the story forward. Instead, it leans into emotional realism, showing how growth is often slow, uncomfortable, and imperfect. Despite triggering moments, it leaves a lasting impression precisely because it feels so close to real life.

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Annoying Supporting Characters

As much as I love the ML and FL, the mother of FL is the most annoying and irritating character.
It’s not about being poor and full of pride but she herself shows disrespect to her own family.
I have seen dramas that mothers can be annoying but this one is the worst!!!
I would skip parts of other shows to skip to the good part but this I skipped every time the mother is on scene.

XU KAI is really good!!!! Can’t wait for another show of him
YANG ZI is great!! They made so much excellent chemistry.

Again, this is a terrible plot for mothers that belong to “poor” or working class group belittle theirselves more for bad attitude.

Most mothers are protective- despite of being poor gives pride to the family. But from beginning to end, the FL mother is one reason not to watch the show.

If you want to enjoy the show- just skip the mother part. Plus the actor herself is not good either.

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GET TO KNOW YOUR MOTHER BETTER SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HER & ACCEPT HER UNCONDITIONALLY

At first, I thought that this drama would be like just focus on the love /cp love story, but it is mainly telling us in detail how a woman's life changing. From a girl - teenager - lady - wife - mother. Half of the total episode a telling a story Chenghuan striving for her career & personal development. The struggle to fulfill the norm's expectation to a woman. With lack of effective communication with her mother too.

But at the end, we know her mother's perspective. It hurts my heart so much as I view my situation with my own mother is similar to Chenghuan's. Our mother is not an angel, a superhero but we need them forever. Just like us, the children, makes a lot of mistakes. So, dear all daughters & sons, please understand your mother and love them unconditionally.

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UNRAVELING FAMILY TIES

Wow, this drama was quite the emotional rollercoaster! From the get-go, I found myself rooting for Mai Chenghuan—a hardworking and diligent woman who seems to always be caught in the web of other people's schemes and manipulations.

Her relationship with Xin Jialiang was so frustrating! Imagine dating someone for three years and not knowing he's the heir to a massive company, only for him to lie about it repeatedly. It’s hard to watch someone like Chenghuan, who gives so much of herself, constantly be let down by the people she loves. Jialiang's love for her is obvious, but his inability to stand up to his family and speak out for her was disappointing. And don’t get me started on his sister, Xin Jiali! The way she tried to sabotage their relationship just because Chenghuan didn’t meet their financial expectations was infuriating.

And then, there’s Yao Zhiming, her boss. From firing her unjustly to using her to his advantage, Zhiming is a complex character. At times, I couldn't tell if he genuinely cared for Chenghuan or was just manipulating her for his own gain. It’s exhausting to navigate his intentions. Still, I have to give him credit for his eventual growth. He goes from being this cold, calculating businessman to someone who genuinely starts to care for the people around him.

But let’s talk about Chenghuan’s family dynamics. Her mother, Liu Wanyu, was hands down one of the most frustrating characters! The constant pressure to marry into wealth, the way she bulldozes over Chenghuan’s desires, and her embarrassing behavior whenever she’s in fancy settings—it was almost unbearable. It’s like she couldn’t see how her actions were tearing Chenghuan apart. And where was Chenghuan's father, Mai Laitian, through all this? Just passively watching everything unfold, never stepping in to support his daughter or check his wife. It was beyond frustrating.

The tension reached its peak during that disastrous engagement banquet. Honestly, I was proud of Chenghuan for finally standing up to both Jialiang’s family and her own. It was a long time coming, and seeing her take control of her life felt empowering. The fact that she was tricked into an engagement she didn’t even know about was outrageous. I was livid alongside her! And Liu Wanyu threatening to disown her—what mother does that? It’s clear that Chenghuan’s breaking point had arrived, and I was so glad when she finally moved out.

Chenghuan’s professional life was just as messy. The constant scheming at Botticelli, the backstabbing from Wu You, and the setups by Zhiming were too much. But watching Chenghuan persist, despite everything, was inspiring. She’s got this quiet strength, even when everyone around her is trying to use her. I particularly loved how she handled Wu You’s framing, standing firm even when the odds were against her. Her eventual decision to leave Botticelli and work elsewhere, only for Zhiming to follow her and try to make amends, showed just how deeply he regretted his actions.

The drama didn’t shy away from the harsh realities of societal expectations either, especially with Chenghuan’s brother Chengzao. His struggles as a law graduate from a non-prestigious school and the way his family’s issues overshadowed his own dreams hit close to home. I admired his quiet resilience, even when he took up a food delivery job just to make ends meet. The love story between him and Mao Yongxin was subtle, but I appreciated how it slowly grew over time, despite the challenges they faced.

By the end of the drama, I felt like I’d been through the wringer. Chenghuan’s journey from a people-pleaser who constantly bent to the wills of others to a strong, independent woman was truly satisfying. And while Zhiming finally learned to treat people with respect, it took a lot of pain and heartache to get there. Their relationship was one that I grew to appreciate, especially since it didn’t feel rushed or forced—they both needed time to grow individually.

But Liu Wanyu… I never really warmed up to her, even with her illness arc. The way she wallowed in self-pity and tried to control everything until the end was just too much. It was frustrating to see her drag her sickness out as a plot device when, frankly, I was more interested in Chenghuan’s development and her work with Xing’anli.

In the end, this drama was a whirlwind of emotions. It dealt with class struggles, family obligations, love, and betrayal. While some characters tested my patience (I’m looking at you, Liu Wanyu), the heart of the story—Chenghuan’s resilience—made it all worth it. The soundtrack was fine, though nothing particularly memorable for me. Overall, the drama was a solid ride, full of twists and heartfelt moments, but also plenty of frustration with the meddling and manipulation that Chenghuan had to endure.

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Mother's character development focus, couldnt be anything else

I put this off way too long because of the reviews. Note, they didnt lie - that mom was overbearing, 'red eye', materialistic and couldn't seperate herself from her daughter's life. I know she must have meant well but there was no limit to her craziness.
You would think she was the main character of this drama. I caved in and watched it because I like Xu Kai and Yang Zi work. No doubt they had 'good' chemistry and I wish it was more and more focused on them.
I think the ending was a bit rushed. It just didnt give me that happy ending satisfaction and that is just my opinion.
I believe the drama was focus on the mom's character development and it took a while for her to even be a better person.

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A mother-daughter centered story first, romance is secondary.

This is very much a story exploring the relationship and role of a mother and her daughter, everything else (including romance) is just set dressing to elevate the central plot. If you're here just for the romance, this might not be for you. As for a drama about family, I would highly recommend it.

The main message being how motherhood can take over a woman's life, her goals, dreams, identity, routine are all sacrificed in the pursuit of the family's happiness. Instead, she pushes all those hopes and dreams onto her own daughter, to a suffocating degree. She's supposed to be annoying, stubborn, loud, clueless, authoritative and the actress and writers conveyed that almost too well. There's a chance people will drop this drama too early without getting to see the mother learn and change for the better.

The term "a mother knows best" is taken to its absolute extreme, where the mother wants to dictate and control her daughter's life, like a puppet with no free will. The final episodes were handled quite well; we get to see the mother's past, her hometown, past living conditions, and old dream. We finally get to understand why she's so obsessed with money, to the point of pushing her daughter to marry into a rich family, despite that same family looking down on them. Her mother never got to realise her dream before, because she was too poor to continue, even after getting an incredible opportunity handed to her. That why she pressures her daughter so to get rich quick, not knowing her daughter has her own life, aspirations and pride. After all the arguments, conflicts, miscommunications, secrets, heartbreak, we finally see the daughter tell her mom her wish. She wants to be independent, and she wants her mom to be independent too. Cast away the role and responsibilities of motherhood and just be yourself, a woman with a dream, living for yourself once more.

BUT of course even at the end, the mother still insists her daughter get married and have kids, continuing the cycle of self-sacrifice at the peak of her daughter's career... Oh well, that's just life, I guess...

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Good possibilities but ...

it all ended up being so disappointing with the mother being the central part of the show.

The two couples were great. I love the development of both relationships. Individual growth was also nice to see. Overall, I was hooked as long as I fast-forwarded the mom's parts and the spineless dad, I was fine.

The problem for me began when FL & ML got together and it wasn't her mom but now other family members came into the scene. Like what kind of toxicity are we justifying in the name of family? I know families like that exist but I can't...

I absolutely hated the narrative of family they were trying to push down our throats. I'm all for forgiving when there are disagreements but come on, some people are bad even if they're your family. Just trying to keep the peace because you share blood is toxic IMO. If I'm going to sacrifice about 37 hours of mine to your show, that's not the type of narrative I want to waste my time watching.

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Worth the watch!!

I actually completed a long time ago but its still a great watch! The story line is great, every character has something to say and the script writers did a great job, other than that the acting is fabulous both the leads did a great job in portraying their role, not only the leads but the parents, friend and sibling all did great. its a very realistic drama i would say and say's a lot about the Asian culture at first i didn't except anything i would say but by the last episode i was bawling my eyes out on how retainable the drama is! I would definitely watch it, i do think the overall rating didn't do justice on how good the drama actually is.

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