A story of Strength and Courage: Embracing Struggles and Moving Forward
Li Zan was a man with a kind heart—full of love, warmth, and determination. Watching his journey from that to battling his inner demons was absolutely heartbreaking. He couldn't change what happened to him in the Eastern country, but when he returned home, he made the choice to be happy. That takes immense strength. Chen Zheyuan was phenomenal as Li Zan—this is, without a doubt, his best role yet. Seeing his growth from Duan Jiaxu to Lin Shobai to now Li Zan, it’s clear how much he has evolved as an actor.
Song Ran started off as a weaker character, but she grew as the show progressed. Her love for Li Zan is selfless and beautiful—she would do anything to stay by his side.
The show also boasts stunning cinematography and a beautiful OST! Scenes like the moonlight dance, their heartfelt conversation outside the restaurant, the bromance between the male leads, and the deep brotherhood between Sa Xin and Benjamin were some of the highlights. The way war impacted different people was portrayed so well—Sia finding comfort in her pet Zan after losing Zoro, the orphanage kids finding joy despite their circumstances, and even a soldier getting married against the ruins of a war-torn city. It all goes to show that no matter how much life takes away, it always finds a way to move forward.
That said, the show wasn’t perfect. The excessive slow-motion scenes and the dragged-out dating phase felt out of place given the overall theme. They could have trimmed down several episodes to keep the pacing tighter.
But ultimately, all the characters got the endings they deserved—Sa Xin at university changed his name to Ben as a tribute to his brother Benjamin, Jiang Lu topping his exams, Lou reading the book, Shen Bei volunteering with kids, Dr. Pei living the way Ben wanted her to, and finally, the leads—who got married and built their own little world of happiness. I don’t understand why some consider this a sad ending. To me, it’s perfect. Some scars never fade, and Li Zan’s was one of them. But instead of giving up, he embraced his reality and chose to live with it. That kind of acceptance takes courage.
This isn’t a sad story; it’s an inspiring one. It teaches us to embrace our struggles—like PTSD—and find a way to live beyond them. The show beautifully depicts the lasting effects of war on everyone it touches. I’d recommend it to anyone—there’s so much strength, love, and hope to take away from it.
Song Ran started off as a weaker character, but she grew as the show progressed. Her love for Li Zan is selfless and beautiful—she would do anything to stay by his side.
The show also boasts stunning cinematography and a beautiful OST! Scenes like the moonlight dance, their heartfelt conversation outside the restaurant, the bromance between the male leads, and the deep brotherhood between Sa Xin and Benjamin were some of the highlights. The way war impacted different people was portrayed so well—Sia finding comfort in her pet Zan after losing Zoro, the orphanage kids finding joy despite their circumstances, and even a soldier getting married against the ruins of a war-torn city. It all goes to show that no matter how much life takes away, it always finds a way to move forward.
That said, the show wasn’t perfect. The excessive slow-motion scenes and the dragged-out dating phase felt out of place given the overall theme. They could have trimmed down several episodes to keep the pacing tighter.
But ultimately, all the characters got the endings they deserved—Sa Xin at university changed his name to Ben as a tribute to his brother Benjamin, Jiang Lu topping his exams, Lou reading the book, Shen Bei volunteering with kids, Dr. Pei living the way Ben wanted her to, and finally, the leads—who got married and built their own little world of happiness. I don’t understand why some consider this a sad ending. To me, it’s perfect. Some scars never fade, and Li Zan’s was one of them. But instead of giving up, he embraced his reality and chose to live with it. That kind of acceptance takes courage.
This isn’t a sad story; it’s an inspiring one. It teaches us to embrace our struggles—like PTSD—and find a way to live beyond them. The show beautifully depicts the lasting effects of war on everyone it touches. I’d recommend it to anyone—there’s so much strength, love, and hope to take away from it.
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