# A Thoughtful Defense: Understanding Controversy and Excellence
Every hit drama inevitably attracts its share of critics and detractors—many of whom either haven't actually watched it or are simply determined to dislike it regardless of its merits. However, with an MDL rating of 9.0/10 and an IMDb score of 8.6/10, it's clear that the vast majority of viewers embraced this story. Beyond its commercial success, it stands as one of the most beloved dramas in recent memory.
This particular drama faces an additional hurdle that makes prejudice easier to develop, and I genuinely understand why. The portrayal of younger Sangzhi creates an immediate barrier for some viewers. While their earlier meetings were crucial to the narrative structure, I completely understand the discomfort. For those who find this aspect troubling, I'd suggest simply avoiding the drama—it's perfectly valid if it's not your cup of tea. However, I hope viewers won't form harsh judgments or join hate campaigns without understanding the full context.
## The Root of the Controversy
The main issue stems from viewers' reaction to younger Sangzhi's appearance, which made many people uncomfortable. Her petite stature created widespread misconceptions about the entire storyline. However, this was simply a realistic portrayal of adolescent development—Sangzhi was a late bloomer. People can transform dramatically within just 2-3 years during puberty. Anyone who has observed students in the same classroom, particularly in Asian countries, knows that some experience rapid growth spurts while others remain shorter for extended periods. Sangzhi's transformation was completely natural—definitely not common, but entirely believable. Despite her petite stature, she was mentally mature for her age.
Many viewers wished the story had begun when she was 17, but here's the crucial detail—**it actually did**. The drama explicitly states multiple times that Sangzhi developed romantic feelings for Jiaxu when she was 17. Before that point, it was mere admiration, nothing more. Their earlier encounters were essential to the narrative structure, providing vital context for the hesitation, struggles, and internal conflicts that defined their relationship.
## Understanding the Real Conflict
Just like many viewers, the characters in the drama itself struggled with this issue. The problem was never truly about their age gap, but rather the fact that he had known her since she was 14. Although they only encountered each other twice during that period and then reconnected after a 3-year gap with absolutely nothing romantic occurring between them, this history became the foundation of the entire drama's emotional tension. It created Jiaxu's profound internal turmoil—from his friends' disbelief and criticism to Sang Yan's physical retaliation, and most importantly, his own conflicted feelings about the situation.
**They didn't begin dating until she was 19.** Their age gap fell within a completely normal range—relationships with partners 0-5 years older are incredibly common throughout Asia. In fact, in many Asian cultures, women prefer partners who are a few years their senior rather than the same age.
When they started dating the drama handled this beautifully by treating them simply as two young people in love, rather than emphasizing an "age-gap relationship." While there were occasional lighthearted jokes about him being older, it was never portrayed as a genuine obstacle to their happiness.
##Character Dynamics: A Relationship of Equals( In the Drama but not in the novel)
Drama:
When their romantic relationship began, Sangzhi was portrayed as mature and self-assured. Although it took time initially for them to adjust—understandably, since this was both of their first relationship and they were inexperienced—they quickly found their rhythm. From that point forward, the couple appeared as complete equals with no power imbalance and no noticeable age difference in their day-to-day interactions. Their communication and body language were perfectly synchronized, creating a believable partnership.Sangzhi was active while Jiaxu remained gentle yet playfully flirtatious throughout their relationship. From initiating kisses to pursuing intimacy, most romantic advances came from her, making their dynamic feel refreshingly mutual and healthy.
They displayed far more confidence than their novel counterparts. Not only did they share kisses openly in front of her brother , but they were even caught by her mother while kissing and showed no embarrassment about public displays of affection. This boldness was especially evident in the final scene where they're in her room at her parents' house—when they started kissing, the door was wide open (again, she initiated it). While my first thought was, "Girl, have some privacy! Close the door! I know you two are engaged, but have some modesty," this choice actually delivered a powerful symbolic message. Since their relationship had been built on hidden feelings and secrecy, by keeping the door wide open, they conveyed that there were no more secrets—everything was now open, honest, and passionate.
Novel:
In contrast, the novel's Sangzhi felt uncomfortable merely holding Jiaxu's hand in her brother's presence and remained much more reserved about PDA, always being extra cautious about public intimacy. In the novel, when it came to romance, Jiaxu was always the initiator, and after a bit of hesitation, she would play along.
Their age difference was even greater in the novel compared to the drama.The novel's Jiaxu exhibited controlling, less caring, and less understanding behavior with slightly aggressive tendencies (not abusive, but notably more dominant), often leaving Sangzhi feeling overwhelmed. She frequently voiced complaints about his behavior. The novel's Sangzhi was also less affectionate, less understanding, and somewhat more arrogant as well. While their drama versions seemed to have fallen head over heels for each other, their novel counterparts weren't nearly as lovey-dovey or passionate.The larger age difference in the novel created genuine social barriers—Sangzhi struggled to connect with Jiaxu's friend group and often felt the generational gap acutely, finding little common ground with his social circle. She often thought that this seven-year gap between them felt like something she could never quite bridge.
## How the Drama Elevated the Source Material
While the fundamental story remained similar, the characters underwent significant development across all roles—from Sangzhi and Jiaxu to Sangyan and even Sangzhi's friend circle. The drama version of Sang Yan was almost a completely different character from the original, being far more understanding and supportive.The drama's supporting characters were considerably more nuanced and endearing than their novel versions.
Most crucially, many of the romantic moments and iconic scenes from the drama were completely original and not canon to the source material. Even when their conversations were similar, the setting, emotional delivery, body language, and intimacy were completely different. The novel rarely delivered those heart-fluttering scenes that made the drama so emotionally compelling and memorable.
It's worth noting a fact that in both the drama and novel, despite Duan Jiaxu being older, his voice and physical appearance remained remarkably youthful(similar to teenager) and charismatic. He was often described as possessing god-tier handsomeness with such a youthful look that when he visited Sangzhi's university and interacted with her classmates, none of her friends could tell he was significantly older than them.
## Final Verdict
**Drama version: A devoted young couple in perfect harmony**
**Novel version: A more conventional age-gap relationship with inherent social challenges**
I couldn't connect with the novel because everything that captivated me about the drama was absent in the original material. What makes it even more problematic is that in the novel, Sangzhi falls for Jiaxu at 13 and appeared very small and childlike. In the drama, what happened at 17 occurred at 13-15 in the novel, meaning Jiaxu's memories were primarily of that young, petite Sangzhi—essentially watching her grow up from childhood. Even with young Sangzhi, they took a graduation photo together, which later became an uncomfortable reminder when they started dating, creating awkward situations for both of them.In contrast, the drama featured a physically mature 17-year-old Sangzhi. Rather than being a source of discomfort, their photo became a treasured keepsake—something precious they could proudly show others without any awkwardness or shame.This fundamental change demonstrates why I have such appreciation for the creative team. Special recognition goes to the scriptwriter, director, and entire cast who elevated this story into something truly extraordinary and successful. Their thoughtful adaptations and original contributions transformed a decent novel into an exceptional drama that resonates with audiences worldwide.
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