Watched 11 to 14 today. Was so good. I have to say that the dialogue is very well written and quite humorous at…
One small quibble. The subtitles are perhaps imperfect. Such as the Xiao guy telling FWZ he can't drink tea because he has "neurasthenia" (wtf!) Ep.12 Anyway, that's what C-drama audiences have to put up with : guessing what was really said, if they can't switch off subtitles and understand the original. (There are worse translations in other dramas, and other platforms such as Mango TV, btw:, some that are even hair raising off. Here, it is "mostly acceptable".)
something is really off; How did we go to 8.5 or 8.6 a couple of hours ago to suddenly 8.0?
Those who drop a 1 before the show is over and with only bile and spite to explain it since they obviously did not watch it ought to be banned from MDL. It is possible to signal the obnoxious behavior to the platform.
+1 -- but as things proceed by episode 13, I am happy to be on board and will likely give it a very good rating here. BUT I never add ratings before I watched the WHOLE show.... So whatever ratings are here as of now hold scant validity for me.
The chef's son, w/e his name is, is such a daddy's boy. I didn't like how he didn't even know what he did was…
You are too judgmental. Old Liu and everyone approved of Li Juan's choice to wed a soldier, he even gave her a wedding gift before the match was sealed.
This canteen is basically a disguise for the old Liu to find a wife for his son. Sick
Bah no. Old Liu was in that business for the money first. He only hoped the still unmarried son would at last find someone to his liking among his "hardworking employees" who anyway needed to be approved by his bosses first. He did not force any of the girls, provided a relatively safe housing for them, and scolded his son who did a wrong move once. I have misgivings about young Liu's eventual choice since he first declared he was NOT interested in other girls than FWZ. But because like attracts like, the match was understandable since both the son and his eventual bride were money driven and wanted a kid, although I don't think the girl will stay stuck in the village forever...
At this point , Seven is traffic actor level on MDL even though she is not a traffic actor because the way that…
Happy for her! Always supporting Tan Songyun since she caught my attention in Go Ahead! She has done good work in so many dramas, including underrated Brocade Odyssey where she acted with Zheng Yecheng! She also sings sweetly, has her own albums. I like that she manages to protect her privacy, btw.
I agree....the father isn't even forcing her to work for him or anything controlling. Just finish your degree…
Perhaps this was sweat shops, but as Wanzhi pointed out, she earned three times or more than what she would have earned outside the SEZ. She was educated enough to know how to defend her rights, and she knew that even if jobs were not what she had envisioned as a university undergraduate, she could still find relatively well paid one. She absolutely refused to be a financial burden to her foster dad.
Contrary to what you stated, education and a degree are even more important today than they were in the 1980s-2000s in China. Getting an online degree is still a thing to land some jobs!
Even becoming an artist requires diplomas, or at least have undergone "training" such as in the Kpop "factories", like the members of EXO, with no good health safeguards, as Huang Zitao experienced before he broke contract and founded his own agency with backing from his billionaire dad (Tao had wanted independence, but realized that his dad meant well in fishing him out when he got injured, and that he would be more useful as an artist CEO himself than just as a dancer-singer: now Z.Tao manages others' careers together with own and several other ventures that feed many employees.). Or musicians need to have gone through "survival shows" where any talent is accepted as competitor - but many still hold diplomas (like Mao Buyi who was trained as a medical nurse).
The only avenue to circumvent diplomas in the 2000s (the period at hand, when the girls seek to make it, is in the second half of the 1990s, marked by HK return to China in1997 ep.17, and later) was for those girls with a pretty face and sweet voice to go online and sell stuff or sing or act as "influencer". Although that was often a short time career. Everyone can't be like Li Ziqi or HITA, the famous Baidu singer of gufeng (who does not seem to claim a diploma, although the songs she sang or covered show enough culture that she has been long recognized as “Ancient Style Imperial Sister” by Tencent Music). Other online influencers all hold some kind of diploma. Liu Yuning had one as a cook before he built his famous career, and Dianxi Xiaoge who specializes in online Yunnan recipes holds a a diploma from Sichuan Police College! Xiuxiuman, not very famous internationally despite her beautiful covers of songs with an ethereal voice, was educated as a music teacher. Feng Timo graduated from Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus and began her career as a college teacher at a Chongqing Vocational School, before becoming a singer and anchor online.... In October 2025, regulations have been made more strict and media platforms have to verify that influencers hold professional credentials before commenting on sensitive topics such as finance, medicine, law, or education. Check here : https://greekreporter.com/2025/10/28/china-influencers-diplomas/
Of course, Fang Wanzhi could just have .... "married into a wealthier family," to have an easier life (if she could handle family diplomacy) as is also shown in the drama, but she had her pride and wanted independence.
Your opinion is very common and similar to many. This is what some have explained why she couldn't call her adopted…
Li Juan and Qianqian had already discussed it with Wanzhi in episode 6 (timestamp 17:18...) after Mr Meng's first visit: she said Mr Meng was not her dad, not her godfather, but her foster dad. Since he had been so reluctant to come out with the truth and hand over her foster mom's letter, and next had not been clear about why he was so opposed to Han Bin, and let her in a pinch like he did in the university canteen "serious incident", she just felt she could not trust him as a dad any longer, but still defended him hesitantly as her "father" when her co workers thought he had come to harass her (earlier in ep.6).
We TV (but final episodes 22-26 on express plan: they will soon be on regular VIP subscription for those who can't or do not want to splurge. I made an exceptional effort to support the drama and Liu Yuning 😊. Also modifying the review above to point out to the indeed beautiful cinematography, and lilili's post in Discussions. ♥️💛💛♥️)
Finished this convoluted drama, that will not appeal to everyone because of its themes and unusual format. It is not the usual romance to binge, and fast forwarding will lose the audience, who tread the tight rope line along Bei, Gong and Xiaoxi, where other characters weigh in to trip others up and drag them down into (senti)mental abysses. I am putting more in a review., but would like to point to the music.
The OST has nice songs and was compiled on YouTube. I have added in the Descriptions section the links and some lyrics to the songs, together with who are the singers and lyricist, composers of those songs. Among the singers, a Sichuan Tibet autonomous Aba-Qiang prefecture born singer called Mamcù, lends her voice to the theme song, sung in English : The Secret of Love (not to be confused with the Circles of Life from the Disney animation, lol!!) Discover more about and listen to the OST through visiting the Discussions section above, or clicking on the direct link : https://kisskh.at/discussions/754333-chan-nv/148568-about-love-2026-complete-ost-music
No, it’s the money his sister gave her for him and she’s managing the money for him.
I am not sure there was accountancy there. Anyway, once FN and FMy got living together, money was shared and he helped her prepare for traveling once she was announced to be chosen to go study at university :)
No, it’s the money his sister gave her for him and she’s managing the money for him.
She did spend a good part of her savings, because she wanted to leave his sister's money to him once he recovered from the initial accident.When he did, she could "charge him" for stuff,
That's mean... Arthur was quite fat , even frankly obese, in adolescence, okay, that's maybe not so well-known.…
Chen Kaige and Chen Hong did not encourage their sons to enter c-ent but neither were they opposed to CFY's choice. It was ok to have him as child actor for a small part in one of his dad's movies : "Sacrifice", released in 2010. (He was 10 years old then)
But they were worried that he would meet trouble, be branded as benefiting from nepotism because of them, get in trouble for his dual citizenship although it had been ok for him to be enrolled at the Beijing Film Academy as international student in 2019. ( In July 2021 under pressure from C-ent audience social media who brought to attention that he must choose or be denied Chinese citizenship since the RPC does not accept officially dual citizenship,Arthur eventually renounced his US citizenship , obtained because he was born on April 9, 2000 in the USA). Arthur's parents were happy that their elder son, Chen Yuang, chose to study something else and enter another profession in business away from the c-ent celeb pitfalls.
After his drastic diet to lose over 30 kg (he admitted he had weighed 135kg and said he had slimmed down through jogging and fasting) , CFY already had started acting around 2016 in the movie "Secret Fruit" released in July 2017. Chen Kaige was ambivalent but still thought it would be helpful for Arthur to work as assistant director under him for "The Legend of the Demon Cat" (filmed in July 2016 and released in December 2017) : he was assigned to be primarily responsible for the daily care of the black cat, Luna, who played a key role in the film. (lol)
Once CFY was sure of his choice, his parents of course were supportive of his choices. They helped him deal with the unpleasantness caused by the paparazzo,.
Both dad, son and mom came together for some projects t together : Chen Kaige’s Volunteers trilogy, where Chen Feiyu stars as Sun Xing, a front-line soldier embodying resilience and determination. The films (under the title "The Great War" 1,2 -and yet to be recorded 3 on MDL ) premiered in Beijing on September 30, 2023, September 30, 2024 and September 27, 2025, Chen Hong, who has been a producer on many of Chen Kaige’s films, served as a producer on this project, continuing her long-standing collaboration with her husband and son.
They also came together on the movie "Flowers From The Ashes " set in the 1960s, which seems still to be awaiting release, according to MDL although other info mention it was scheduled to be released in August 2023.
2 
4 
1 
I have misgivings about young Liu's eventual choice since he first declared he was NOT interested in other girls than FWZ. But because like attracts like, the match was understandable since both the son and his eventual bride were money driven and wanted a kid, although I don't think the girl will stay stuck in the village forever...
I like that she manages to protect her privacy, btw.
Contrary to what you stated, education and a degree are even more important today than they were in the 1980s-2000s in China. Getting an online degree is still a thing to land some jobs!
Even becoming an artist requires diplomas, or at least have undergone "training" such as in the Kpop "factories", like the members of EXO, with no good health safeguards, as Huang Zitao experienced before he broke contract and founded his own agency with backing from his billionaire dad (Tao had wanted independence, but realized that his dad meant well in fishing him out when he got injured, and that he would be more useful as an artist CEO himself than just as a dancer-singer: now Z.Tao manages others' careers together with own and several other ventures that feed many employees.). Or musicians need to have gone through "survival shows" where any talent is accepted as competitor - but many still hold diplomas (like Mao Buyi who was trained as a medical nurse).
The only avenue to circumvent diplomas in the 2000s (the period at hand, when the girls seek to make it, is in the second half of the 1990s, marked by HK return to China in1997 ep.17, and later) was for those girls with a pretty face and sweet voice to go online and sell stuff or sing or act as "influencer". Although that was often a short time career.
Everyone can't be like Li Ziqi or HITA, the famous Baidu singer of gufeng (who does not seem to claim a diploma, although the songs she sang or covered show enough culture that she has been long recognized as “Ancient Style Imperial Sister” by Tencent Music).
Other online influencers all hold some kind of diploma. Liu Yuning had one as a cook before he built his famous career, and Dianxi Xiaoge who specializes in online Yunnan recipes holds a a diploma from Sichuan Police College! Xiuxiuman, not very famous internationally despite her beautiful covers of songs with an ethereal voice, was educated as a music teacher. Feng Timo graduated from Beijing Normal University Zhuhai Campus and began her career as a college teacher at a Chongqing Vocational School, before becoming a singer and anchor online....
In October 2025, regulations have been made more strict and media platforms have to verify that influencers hold professional credentials before commenting on sensitive topics such as finance, medicine, law, or education. Check here : https://greekreporter.com/2025/10/28/china-influencers-diplomas/
Of course, Fang Wanzhi could just have .... "married into a wealthier family," to have an easier life (if she could handle family diplomacy) as is also shown in the drama, but she had her pride and wanted independence.
Since he had been so reluctant to come out with the truth and hand over her foster mom's letter, and next had not been clear about why he was so opposed to Han Bin, and let her in a pinch like he did in the university canteen "serious incident", she just felt she could not trust him as a dad any longer, but still defended him hesitantly as her "father" when her co workers thought he had come to harass her (earlier in ep.6).
The OST has nice songs and was compiled on YouTube. I have added in the Descriptions section the links and some lyrics to the songs, together with who are the singers and lyricist, composers of those songs. Among the singers, a Sichuan Tibet autonomous Aba-Qiang prefecture born singer called Mamcù, lends her voice to the theme song, sung in English : The Secret of Love (not to be confused with the Circles of Life from the Disney animation, lol!!)
Discover more about and listen to the OST through visiting the Discussions section above, or clicking on the direct link : https://kisskh.at/discussions/754333-chan-nv/148568-about-love-2026-complete-ost-music
But Fei Ni and FMY still were attached to that room which housed his first "landscape" .
But they were worried that he would meet trouble, be branded as benefiting from nepotism because of them, get in trouble for his dual citizenship although it had been ok for him to be enrolled at the Beijing Film Academy as international student in 2019. ( In July 2021 under pressure from C-ent audience social media who brought to attention that he must choose or be denied Chinese citizenship since the RPC does not accept officially dual citizenship,Arthur eventually renounced his US citizenship , obtained because he was born on April 9, 2000 in the USA). Arthur's parents were happy that their elder son, Chen Yuang, chose to study something else and enter another profession in business away from the c-ent celeb pitfalls.
After his drastic diet to lose over 30 kg (he admitted he had weighed 135kg and said he had slimmed down through jogging and fasting) , CFY already had started acting around 2016 in the movie "Secret Fruit" released in July 2017. Chen Kaige was ambivalent but still thought it would be helpful for Arthur to work as assistant director under him for "The Legend of the Demon Cat" (filmed in July 2016 and released in December 2017) : he was assigned to be primarily responsible for the daily care of the black cat, Luna, who played a key role in the film. (lol)
Once CFY was sure of his choice, his parents of course were supportive of his choices. They helped him deal with the unpleasantness caused by the paparazzo,.
Both dad, son and mom came together for some projects t together : Chen Kaige’s Volunteers trilogy, where Chen Feiyu stars as Sun Xing, a front-line soldier embodying resilience and determination. The films (under the title "The Great War" 1,2 -and yet to be recorded 3 on MDL ) premiered in Beijing on September 30, 2023, September 30, 2024 and September 27, 2025, Chen Hong, who has been a producer on many of Chen Kaige’s films, served as a producer on this project, continuing her long-standing collaboration with her husband and son.
They also came together on the movie "Flowers From The Ashes " set in the 1960s, which seems still to be awaiting release, according to MDL although other info mention it was scheduled to be released in August 2023.