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This drama is, quite simply, a rare gem.
Starting a drama review is always a challenge, and this one is no exception. It is a production that, despite not having reached a wide audience, leaves a deep impression on everyone who has watched it.
Reading through fellow reviewers’ impressions, I felt much of what I wanted to express had already been voiced. Still, this drama touched me in such a personal way that I must share at least a glimpse of how profoundly it resonated with me.
At its core, this is a drama of mystery and suspense, fractured blood ties, found families, and an unforgettable story of love, sacrifice, and resilience.
The narrative unfolds across four distinct timelines, cleverly interwoven:
Timeline 1 (Mailbox No. 1): Though never shown directly, it represents the permanent home of two enigmatic figures—a scrap collector and a yellow cat. The latter becomes a whimsical yet pivotal messenger, carrying letters across timelines through different mailboxes. (A quirky detail: the director revealed that six different cats were used for this role—seamlessly so, I never noticed the switch.)
Timeline 2 (Mailbox No. 2): Set in 1991, where we meet our young protagonists.
Timeline 3 (Mailbox No. 3): Set in 2026, where the next generation seeks to alter the fate of the past.
Timeline 4 (Mailbox No. 4): Revealed only at the end—a twist best left for viewers to discover.
In 1991, Ye Hai Tang (played by the versatile Wang Yinglu) lives under the shadow of relentless abuse by her father, Yi Yibo. Her home is broken, her father mentally unstable and consumed by gambling, stripping her of dignity and survival alike. The scenes of physical and emotional torment are painfully raw, often demanding a pause just to breathe. Her only solace lies in her passion for learning and her dream of university, a way out of her suffocating existence in Meiwan.
It is at school that she encounters Tang Yi Xun, an unlikely savior. A troubled orphan raised in an institution, Yi Xun has carved a harsh life alongside two friends, Li Cha Dong and Zhang Hao (“Rat”), surviving through illegal debt collection. Violence, betrayal, and despair haunt him, yet with the support of a caring teacher, he longs to return to his studies. When fate brings him to Hai Tang through one of her father’s debts, an improbable yet tender connection begins to grow.
Their bond is one of the most beautiful aspects of the drama: two broken souls finding comfort in one another, becoming each other’s chosen family. Yet fate proves merciless, and their fragile happiness is constantly tested.
Fast forward to 2026, and Hai Tang has mysteriously disappeared. Her son, Shen Cheng ( Ren You Lun ), returns from England in a desperate search for her. Along the way, he meets Yu Nian ( Zheng He Hui Zi ), who is also searching for her missing father, Yu Zhi Hong—a man in his fifties with Alzheimer’s. Yu Zhi Hong’s vanishing seems intertwined with Hai Tang’s, and in his final days he was seen lingering near a mailbox in a shipyard, waiting to send a letter under the quiet watch of a sympathetic security guard.
What unfolds is a puzzle that viewers themselves must piece together, as the timelines converge and unravel with both suspense and poignancy. To say more would diminish the impact; the surprises, mysteries, and emotional weight deserve to be experienced firsthand.
This drama is, quite simply, a rare gem: intense, immersive, and meticulous in every detail. The direction is masterful, the performances nuanced and compelling, the writing sharp and layered, and the cinematography stunningly evocative.
It is a story that lingers long after the final scene. For those willing to immerse themselves in its intricacies, it is absolutely worth the journey.
Rating: 10/10.
P.S: To better understand the division of the four timelines, I am following the perfect reasoning of one of my fellow reviewers on kisskh. I won’t mention their name out of respect for their review, but I am truly grateful for their explanation. It helped me a lot in understanding the whole plot. Thank you!
Reading through fellow reviewers’ impressions, I felt much of what I wanted to express had already been voiced. Still, this drama touched me in such a personal way that I must share at least a glimpse of how profoundly it resonated with me.
At its core, this is a drama of mystery and suspense, fractured blood ties, found families, and an unforgettable story of love, sacrifice, and resilience.
The narrative unfolds across four distinct timelines, cleverly interwoven:
Timeline 1 (Mailbox No. 1): Though never shown directly, it represents the permanent home of two enigmatic figures—a scrap collector and a yellow cat. The latter becomes a whimsical yet pivotal messenger, carrying letters across timelines through different mailboxes. (A quirky detail: the director revealed that six different cats were used for this role—seamlessly so, I never noticed the switch.)
Timeline 2 (Mailbox No. 2): Set in 1991, where we meet our young protagonists.
Timeline 3 (Mailbox No. 3): Set in 2026, where the next generation seeks to alter the fate of the past.
Timeline 4 (Mailbox No. 4): Revealed only at the end—a twist best left for viewers to discover.
In 1991, Ye Hai Tang (played by the versatile Wang Yinglu) lives under the shadow of relentless abuse by her father, Yi Yibo. Her home is broken, her father mentally unstable and consumed by gambling, stripping her of dignity and survival alike. The scenes of physical and emotional torment are painfully raw, often demanding a pause just to breathe. Her only solace lies in her passion for learning and her dream of university, a way out of her suffocating existence in Meiwan.
It is at school that she encounters Tang Yi Xun, an unlikely savior. A troubled orphan raised in an institution, Yi Xun has carved a harsh life alongside two friends, Li Cha Dong and Zhang Hao (“Rat”), surviving through illegal debt collection. Violence, betrayal, and despair haunt him, yet with the support of a caring teacher, he longs to return to his studies. When fate brings him to Hai Tang through one of her father’s debts, an improbable yet tender connection begins to grow.
Their bond is one of the most beautiful aspects of the drama: two broken souls finding comfort in one another, becoming each other’s chosen family. Yet fate proves merciless, and their fragile happiness is constantly tested.
Fast forward to 2026, and Hai Tang has mysteriously disappeared. Her son, Shen Cheng ( Ren You Lun ), returns from England in a desperate search for her. Along the way, he meets Yu Nian ( Zheng He Hui Zi ), who is also searching for her missing father, Yu Zhi Hong—a man in his fifties with Alzheimer’s. Yu Zhi Hong’s vanishing seems intertwined with Hai Tang’s, and in his final days he was seen lingering near a mailbox in a shipyard, waiting to send a letter under the quiet watch of a sympathetic security guard.
What unfolds is a puzzle that viewers themselves must piece together, as the timelines converge and unravel with both suspense and poignancy. To say more would diminish the impact; the surprises, mysteries, and emotional weight deserve to be experienced firsthand.
This drama is, quite simply, a rare gem: intense, immersive, and meticulous in every detail. The direction is masterful, the performances nuanced and compelling, the writing sharp and layered, and the cinematography stunningly evocative.
It is a story that lingers long after the final scene. For those willing to immerse themselves in its intricacies, it is absolutely worth the journey.
Rating: 10/10.
P.S: To better understand the division of the four timelines, I am following the perfect reasoning of one of my fellow reviewers on kisskh. I won’t mention their name out of respect for their review, but I am truly grateful for their explanation. It helped me a lot in understanding the whole plot. Thank you!
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