Similarities and Dissimilarities with novel

The drama tried its best to follow the novel closely, but being a drama, it has to be dramatized so they added a lot of scenes which were not in the original novel. They added a lot of scenes which ultimately makes the drama engaging. (WARNING:It might contain spoiler)

Similarities:

1.The slowburn is same as depicted in novel. Infact, novel was slower than drama. 

2. FL did a good job at portraying a person who is emotionally distant. Nothing is wrong with her acting in initial episodes. That is how WYF is. She is emotionally unavailable and try to avoid conflicts as much as possible. She hates attachments, so she tries her best to be soft yet have a cold attitude towards everyone.

3.The storyline closely follows novel, except for the HK arc, second leads and grandparents arc.

Dissimilarities:

1.SY in the novel is far more colder than the SY in drama. It is because the novel is in the POV of WYF who thinks he is cold, especially in the initial 30 chapters because he keeps giving excuses for whatever he does for her, never accepting it while in the drama, we have SY's POVs, his reactions while clearly states he might be colder to everyone else, but in front of WYF, he has the softest heart. 

2.WYF in the drama goes through more SA than in novel. My opinion is that director wanted to let us know how tough the world really is towards you when it knows that no one is coming to save you. 

3.They had added  a lot of high school scenes. In the novel, due to rumors and scolding, SY and WYF stopped talking and when WYF shifted to Beiyu, SY used to visit her once in a while but they didn't used to talk much. They will just take a walk, eat noodles and he used to leave.

4.SY in drama is far more aware about WYF in high school than he was in the source. He was aware about how she is treated by her aunt, her father's death. In fact, if I am not wrong, he was not even aware about her father's death and why she left dancing. In drama, he accompanied her inside the hospital, used to visit her father's grave too.

5.SY's feelings towards WYF in high school is depicted better in drama. They seem like best friends who are in love and just waiting for their college so that they could start dating. SY in drama used to travel every weekend to WYF, study, laugh, watch movies and they made many memories. The depth of their relationship in high school is better in drama than novel.

6. In novel, WYF was never injured. She lied to everyone because her mother was not willing to pay for her dance classes. In drama, WYF gets injured so she can never fully go back to dancing. There was no such arc of SY searching a place for her to dance. It was an added scene and it was beautiful.

7.When Che Xingde came to her room at night, WYF protested a lot but due to his strength, at one point she gave up. It was only when she saw the time in clock that she screamed and her uncle saved her. In drama, WYF literally jumps down from the second floor to save her dignity and in this process, she is left injured. 

8.We had so many scenes from SY's POV. In the novel, I really wanted to see his POV. While reading the initial chapters, you will keep wondering why SY even love WYF. He rarely had much POVs throughout the novel except for a bonus chapter and few short insights. They incorporated the bonus chapter POV of SY's into life. They added SY's POV on their relationship in high school which I only saw through WYF's eyes in the novel.

9..SY was never a man who spoke a lot of cringe words but in the last few episodes, he had realized that WYF needs words of assurance so they added few of his POVs as dialogues. I personally loved it.

10.WYF's drama version is far more complex than novel version but still in ep 8, she was the first one to take initiative towards Zhong Siqiao, even when she was no where at fault. At the same time, they had deepened the relationship of ZSQ and WYF. ZSQ is aware about a lot of things and WYF do started sharing more with her.

7.SY in the drama seems so much softer and calmer than the novel one. Maybe I couldn't visualize it in the novel, but SY having tears in his eyes realizing how deep WYF's trauma runs while seeing her sleepwalk was heart wrenching. The way SY handled the food inspection, so calmly, it was another insight how SY really is. Not everyone can be that calm, especially when you know you are in the right.

8. Her mother in the drama is far more hateful. In novel, she abandoned WYF on phone. In drama, she abandoned WYF personally, even when her daughter was injured. It just makes her even more hateful.

9.They gave CXD power. They made him far more dangerous. You can actually see he is a psychopath and creepy.

10. WYF's issues and seeking medical help included. It was not handled that well. WYF used to sleepwalk even after their marriage.

11.The proposal was so much better in drama. Like it was amazing and so realistic.

12.From the very first episode, director tried to depict that WYF has problems. In the novel, only by the end that we get to know her past.

There are things I didn't personally like including DJX coming to their home, HK arc, MCY arc, but that doesn't take away the charm WYF has. This drama is going to my all time favorite list for sure. Overall, the novel and the drama, both are so dear to me. It just gives you hope that after all the dark days, you will surely see sunrise. You just have to be patient.

If you want to add some more things, you can. I can't remember more. I may add in the future.

Want to add some more details on what the drama added to the proposal scene, so that we can appreciate how the drama gave us a truly phenomenal proposal scene.

In the novel,

• Sang Yan and Wen Yifan entered the classroom
• Gave her flower
• Sang Yan initiated the proposal by the promise dialogue
• Gave her the ring
• Yifan recalled how she met Sang Yan in the past while reading the “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit" book

That's it. None of the fluff, hug, and heartfelt exchanges we saw in the drama. After seeing the drama version, the novel's proposal scene felt a bit dry in comparison in my opinion. You can check the excerpt from the novel below if interested.

In the drama, we got all of the above plus

• Their best friends joining in on the act and supporting the proposal
• Messages and blessings from the family, friends, and acquaintances
• A very nervous Sang Yan
• Heartfelt exchange with happy tears between Sang Yan and Yifan

============================

Wen Yifan walked in and sat in the position where they had been desk mates, front and back. Sang Yan also sat behind her. For a moment, it was as if time had returned to that summer eleven years ago.

As soon as she sat down, Wen Yifan noticed something in her peripheral vision, and her eyes immediately lowered.

She saw that the entire drawer was filled with roses.

Her gaze froze.

A guess gradually formed in her mind.

Wen Yifan held her breath and reached in to pull out a rose.

At this moment, Wen Yifan felt Sang Yan’s leg move forward, hooking under her chair, giving it a light bump. The gesture was mischievous and bold, just like any time in the past.

She turned her head.

She saw Sang Yan leaning back in his chair, his expression spirited, just like years ago. He tilted his chin up slightly, the corner of his mouth pulling into a smile, revealing the shallow dimple on his right cheek, and suddenly said: “Wen Shuangjing, I’ll give you a promise.”

Wen Yifan stammered: “Huh?”

“After being with me,” Sang Yan’s eyes were dark, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, “all your wishes will come true.”

“…”

Wen Yifan’s gaze dropped, only now noticing the ring box on the desk. She stared blankly at the silver ring inside, feeling that although this was something they had mentioned before when it happened, it still felt surprising.

She held a rose in one hand, raising the other as if wanting to touch the ring.

In the next moment, Sang Yan grabbed her hand, holding it steady.

“Wen Shuangjing, will you marry me?”

Wen Yifan met his gaze, her eyes inexplicably starting to sting. She stared at his rare nervous expression, gradually overlapping with the young man from the past, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Yes, I only want to marry you.”

Sang Yan smiled along with her, slowly sliding the ring onto her ring finger, and pushing it up.

As if to tie her entire life to him from this moment on.

— “After being with me, all your wishes will come true.”

Yes.

You’ve fulfilled another one of my wishes.

Outside, the sunlight was dazzling, pouring in generously. The classroom was quiet and empty, cicadas calling loudly, bringing a thick summer atmosphere tinged with the flavor of youth.

The man before her seemed unchanged from beginning to end.

Wen Yifan inexplicably recalled a scene from long ago.

She couldn’t remember which afternoon it was.

That day was also clear and bright like today, the air sultry and long. Wen Yifan sat in her seat, flipping through Jeanette Winterson’s “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,” when a sentence moved her heart.

She felt that she also hoped to meet such a person.

Wen Yifan took out her notebook from the drawer, opened the pen cap, and carefully wrote: “I long for someone to love me fiercely till death, understanding that love is as strong as death–“

Before she could finish writing, Wen Yifan’s body was suddenly bumped from the side. Caught off guard, the pen tip dragged heavily across the notebook, then pulled back, smudging onto the arm of the person beside her.

The apology hadn’t left Wen Yifan’s lips before she instinctively looked up.

At that moment.

She met Sang Yan’s gaze.