Saw some comments here say it had a bad ending, but I really have to disagree! The plot was actually very well-written. Just because you liked the beginning more than the end doesn't mean it had a bad ending, right?
In fact, a lot of people loved the latter part. It is just a matter of different audiences.
Having different tastes in the same drama, in my opinion is even better.
I accidentally stayed up late while watching it yesterday, and I have panda eyes at work today.
As an old lady, I rarely follow dramas like this. But after watching it, I said that a well-made drama series with actors who work hard is hard not to be popular.
I can't help but admire Zhao Lusi's precise portrayal of the heroine Xu Yan's tenacity and vulnerability, vividly displaying the character's growth process and complex emotions. She successfully broke away from my previous impression of her as a sweet girl and portrayed Xu Yan's growth process vividly, whether it was crying or emotional scenes, it was very contagious.
The male lead William Chan's temperament and acting skills perfectly created the image of a gentle and domineering president. He portrayed Shen Haoming's dark, shrewd and complex inner emotions very well, especially when he performed a hint of sincerity in the character's false calculations, which shows the multi-faceted nature of this character.
In addition, the performances of supporting roles such as Wen Zhengrong are also very good, which adds a lot of color to the series.
Regarding Congenital Heart Disease, I think the drama script added that so that parents will have reason why they don't want Xu Yan as a burden for financially struggling family.
In the novel, parents don't want Xu Yan because of one child policy of that era. But that policy can't be mentioned or filmed now to get drama distribution license from Chinese government.
I devoured the first eight episodes in one sitting. It was completely to my liking. It's a rare show with a compelling narrative, starting with a bang.
The first 6 episodes, without any drag, pull the audience right into "Xu Yan's battle." We're treated to Zhao Lusi's portrayal of Xu Yan, a woman trying to rise from the bottom of society and escape the pain of her family. She navigates the treacherous workplace and the struggles of love, refusing to lose herself in her own desires, refusing to be sentimental, and facing her desires with a clear "want" written all over her face as she pursues her life's purpose.
The high-energy scenes of Xu Yan tearing apart her competitors in episodes 7 and 8 are incredibly satisfying, stress-relieving, and truly captivating. They're another highlight of the series, highlighting Xu Yan's ruthless character.
Love's Ambition narrative rhythm, its immersive narrative style that keeps the audience on edge, represents the innovation and breakthrough that Chinese dramas so desperately need. Xu Yan has finally broken free from the stereotypical heroine. Imperfect but perceptive, she maintains a strong and courageous demeanor, personally embracing the game and orchestrating its strategies.
Of course, Xu Yan's ruthlessness isn't aimless; it's the inevitable result of the intertwined narratives laid out in the first six episodes.
Xu Yan dares to look directly into her heart, her undisguised desires written across her face. She exists to defy the traditional Chinese drama stereotype of women being "subtle and tolerant." She eschews the clichés of the self-admiring "sacrifice for love."
Instead, she possesses a clear sense of purpose and a knack for leveraging resources. By observing the conflicts within the wealthy women's circle through ball-picking, and by helping Mr. Qu connect with resources, she transforms "favors" into tangible leverage.
The freshness of this characterization lies in her unwavering resilience and adaptability.
Of course, Xu Yan's attraction stems from her charm, not just her ruthlessness, but also her underlying kindness amidst the jungle of lies. She changed her surname to "Xu," taking her grandmother's as her sole support, unwilling to let her participate in her "scam," forcing her to regretfully miss her wedding. Seeing her grandmother's self-deprecating self-deprecation, Xu Yan rarely reveals her inner emotions, tears welling up in guilt. Meanwhile, Shen Haoming, attentive to her and considering her career, arranged a surprise for her. The deep affection she expresses towards her lover and the emotional struggles she endures are vividly portrayed in scenes where she smiles and cries.
In these episodes, Love's Ambition not only allows us to witness Xu Yan's ruthlessness and determination, but also, through the director's masterful camerawork, embodies her inner struggles in light and shadow. When she discusses her grandmother, the camera illuminates the sincerity in her eyes. The interplay of reality and illusion precisely depicts her oscillation between the facade of "Xu Yan" and the true nature of "Qiao Yan." Furthermore, clever transitions and clips of flowing sleeves suggest that her composure stems from foresight and hard work.
The greatest success of Love's Ambition lies in its portrayal of an imperfect heroine. Xu Yan is resourceful and capable of lying, but every decision she makes is driven by her instinct for survival and her desire for dignity. In a market where a sense of life is a rarity, this ruthless character, who doesn't mince words or hide her true intentions, is undoubtedly a powerful force in the industry. After all, women who dare to admit their desires and take control of their lives should be so dazzling.
guys i got confused in ep 2, help. in ep 1, the family aready meet and they seems to already live in tgt. then,…
After FL and ML kiss scene on their living room , it is Xu Yan thinking back to how they first met and how she tried to hold on to ML no matter how many his mother opposed.
excuse me, but what exactly should I sympathize with her about?I suppose she earned enough to not suffer and leave…
Money shouldn't be a factor to decide on for giving sympathy.
Middle- and Upper-class people have the right to express their pain and feeling. Requiring people to be miserable and meet expectations in order to be sympathized is quite inhumane.
The halt of ‘Be Myself’ could be due to countless production reasons—scheduling conflicts, editing changes, or even regulatory adjustments. Mango TV hasn’t confirmed any controversy, so assuming it’s about ‘marketing’ or Zhao Lusi’s behavior is pure conjecture. Many variety shows face unexpected pauses; jumping to negative conclusions unfairly targets her.
Zhao Lusi openly discussed her health battles to destigmatize mental health—a brave move in an industry that often silences such struggles. The show’s premise was literally about healing; sharing her journey was the point. Mocking her for being vulnerable while praising others who do the same is hypocritical.
She never claimed to be bedridden; she shared her progress. Should she have stayed home forever to ‘prove’ she was sick? Her return to work (charity included) shows resilience, not deceit.
Should only poor people be allowed to talk about mental health? Zhao Lusi used her platform to spotlight rural issues AND personal battles. The real issue is critics expecting celebrities to be either martyrs or villains—no in-between.
At the end of the day, the villagers benefited; that’s what matters.
They keep sending each other letters consistently
They mentioned 10/12 on posted
What happened?
The plot was actually very well-written. Just because you liked the beginning more than the end doesn't mean it had a bad ending, right?
In fact, a lot of people loved the latter part. It is just a matter of different audiences.
Having different tastes in the same drama, in my opinion is even better.
As an old lady, I rarely follow dramas like this. But after watching it, I said that a well-made drama series with actors who work hard is hard not to be popular.
I can't help but admire Zhao Lusi's precise portrayal of the heroine Xu Yan's tenacity and vulnerability, vividly displaying the character's growth process and complex emotions. She successfully broke away from my previous impression of her as a sweet girl and portrayed Xu Yan's growth process vividly, whether it was crying or emotional scenes, it was very contagious.
The male lead William Chan's temperament and acting skills perfectly created the image of a gentle and domineering president. He portrayed Shen Haoming's dark, shrewd and complex inner emotions very well, especially when he performed a hint of sincerity in the character's false calculations, which shows the multi-faceted nature of this character.
In addition, the performances of supporting roles such as Wen Zhengrong are also very good, which adds a lot of color to the series.
In the novel, parents don't want Xu Yan because of one child policy of that era.
But that policy can't be mentioned or filmed now to get drama distribution license from Chinese government.
These kind of imperfect heroine tends to be attractive for me though. 😂
The first 6 episodes, without any drag, pull the audience right into "Xu Yan's battle." We're treated to Zhao Lusi's portrayal of Xu Yan, a woman trying to rise from the bottom of society and escape the pain of her family. She navigates the treacherous workplace and the struggles of love, refusing to lose herself in her own desires, refusing to be sentimental, and facing her desires with a clear "want" written all over her face as she pursues her life's purpose.
The high-energy scenes of Xu Yan tearing apart her competitors in episodes 7 and 8 are incredibly satisfying, stress-relieving, and truly captivating. They're another highlight of the series, highlighting Xu Yan's ruthless character.
Love's Ambition narrative rhythm, its immersive narrative style that keeps the audience on edge, represents the innovation and breakthrough that Chinese dramas so desperately need. Xu Yan has finally broken free from the stereotypical heroine. Imperfect but perceptive, she maintains a strong and courageous demeanor, personally embracing the game and orchestrating its strategies.
Of course, Xu Yan's ruthlessness isn't aimless; it's the inevitable result of the intertwined narratives laid out in the first six episodes.
Xu Yan dares to look directly into her heart, her undisguised desires written across her face. She exists to defy the traditional Chinese drama stereotype of women being "subtle and tolerant." She eschews the clichés of the self-admiring "sacrifice for love."
Instead, she possesses a clear sense of purpose and a knack for leveraging resources. By observing the conflicts within the wealthy women's circle through ball-picking, and by helping Mr. Qu connect with resources, she transforms "favors" into tangible leverage.
The freshness of this characterization lies in her unwavering resilience and adaptability.
Of course, Xu Yan's attraction stems from her charm, not just her ruthlessness, but also her underlying kindness amidst the jungle of lies. She changed her surname to "Xu," taking her grandmother's as her sole support, unwilling to let her participate in her "scam," forcing her to regretfully miss her wedding. Seeing her grandmother's self-deprecating self-deprecation, Xu Yan rarely reveals her inner emotions, tears welling up in guilt. Meanwhile, Shen Haoming, attentive to her and considering her career, arranged a surprise for her. The deep affection she expresses towards her lover and the emotional struggles she endures are vividly portrayed in scenes where she smiles and cries.
In these episodes, Love's Ambition not only allows us to witness Xu Yan's ruthlessness and determination, but also, through the director's masterful camerawork, embodies her inner struggles in light and shadow. When she discusses her grandmother, the camera illuminates the sincerity in her eyes. The interplay of reality and illusion precisely depicts her oscillation between the facade of "Xu Yan" and the true nature of "Qiao Yan." Furthermore, clever transitions and clips of flowing sleeves suggest that her composure stems from foresight and hard work.
The greatest success of Love's Ambition lies in its portrayal of an imperfect heroine. Xu Yan is resourceful and capable of lying, but every decision she makes is driven by her instinct for survival and her desire for dignity. In a market where a sense of life is a rarity, this ruthless character, who doesn't mince words or hide her true intentions, is undoubtedly a powerful force in the industry. After all, women who dare to admit their desires and take control of their lives should be so dazzling.
Fanclub said she also reimbursed all fan supports cost there. So they have communicated for sure.
Maybe fake melon ?
If she no longer act, why she still sending food trunk.
Middle- and Upper-class people have the right to express their pain and feeling.
Requiring people to be miserable and meet expectations in order to be sympathized is quite inhumane.
Zhao Lusi openly discussed her health battles to destigmatize mental health—a brave move in an industry that often silences such struggles. The show’s premise was literally about healing; sharing her journey was the point. Mocking her for being vulnerable while praising others who do the same is hypocritical.
She never claimed to be bedridden; she shared her progress. Should she have stayed home forever to ‘prove’ she was sick? Her return to work (charity included) shows resilience, not deceit.
Should only poor people be allowed to talk about mental health? Zhao Lusi used her platform to spotlight rural issues AND personal battles. The real issue is critics expecting celebrities to be either martyrs or villains—no in-between.
At the end of the day, the villagers benefited; that’s what matters.