One of my favorite series. Realistic leads with realistic differences but a wonderfully happy ending. Loved the dialogue, the acting, the chemistry, the pacing... even the sad parts made me happy because it wasn't trying to say anyone was perfect. Both sides matured - her expectations, his openness. I can't wait to rewatch this already!
Nevertheless, not addressing the issues with him, not giving him a chance to explain, not letting him know where…
Yup. For me, I thought ep 36 was *finally* the conversation they needed to have. She isn't wrong - she wants to be a partner, not a pawn - but she needed to articulate that to him. Which is a sign (at last!) of a healthy relationship.
Nevertheless, not addressing the issues with him, not giving him a chance to explain, not letting him know where…
Agree, it's not the adult way to handle issues in your relationship. JX definitely needed to grow up emotionally, and learn that love isn't just the romantic piece, but the commitment piece as well.
I actually don't think of it as running away... not totally. In Germany, she takes classes and has the conversation with Professor Meng about finally understanding the bigger need: how the business and industry pace of development means that the specific merger of Hanhai and Xing Chen makes sense. She's only a little bit younger than Han Ting, but she's far more naive. He's been raised since youth to think like a businessman, and she's been raised to be a normal girl. At 28 years old, I wouldn't have the sense to understand the business rationale behind some of these big decisions.
And in her relationship with Han Ting, he's always been the teacher. Imagine you were learning something, and your own teacher-lover-friend suddenly did something that seemed like a betrayal of everything you cared about, without once mentioning his intentions along the way. I, too, would start to question who the real HT was, and if I really knew him. Yes, she threw a tantrum and didn't have the maturity to talk it over with him afterward - that is indeed very juvenile. But the Germany time I see as her way of saying, "No more blindly following a teacher. I want to learn myself."
And, like many people said, she needed that time away to grow up mentally and understand what business, love, and both together are like. I bet she could not have been as good a business leader later in HanXing without that time away to reflect and learn on her own.
Whole scene with consort Yue was amazing not only because it was supper satisfying and savage, but also because…
OMG, yes - I totally became a fan of Consort Yue. I thought she was a scheming person before and potentially rivals to the Empress, who seems too sweet for her own good, but the way she laid the smackdown on everyone was AMAZING and I want to be her when I grow up. :)
So far, I appreciate that the 2FL isn't being portrayed as rude or nasty (or a bitch, lol). She's just suffered…
Totally agree. Kudos to the scriptwriter - there were a lot of easy choices the writer could have made (a silly misunderstanding, scheming second leads, etc.) but instead it's been very realistic and believable. All the characters are trying to make reasonable and human choices. (At least in relationships - in personality / temper, that LJM sometimes makes me want to hit him for his childish rudeness, :))
And in her relationship with Han Ting, he's always been the teacher. Imagine you were learning something, and your own teacher-lover-friend suddenly did something that seemed like a betrayal of everything you cared about, without once mentioning his intentions along the way. I, too, would start to question who the real HT was, and if I really knew him. Yes, she threw a tantrum and didn't have the maturity to talk it over with him afterward - that is indeed very juvenile. But the Germany time I see as her way of saying, "No more blindly following a teacher. I want to learn myself."
And, like many people said, she needed that time away to grow up mentally and understand what business, love, and both together are like. I bet she could not have been as good a business leader later in HanXing without that time away to reflect and learn on her own.