Platinum Fox

I have to disagree with you. Even if they make the choice to raise him, legally they have no right to him. He still has a grandfather, an aunt, and his biological father who can take care of him until he is of age. Doesn't matter that he has been with the Shen family for 12 years. Legally, biological family wins out over who actually raised him.

In reality what the Shen family and Fang Lei do to HC is deprive him of ever knowing his true identity and meeting his real mother's family. This was done purely to keep up the ideal, picturesque family that the Shen's desperately wanted to keep. By HC not being in the last episode, except in the photo album, it shows that XY and SHM did the right thing and allowed HC to discover who he really is. This is why I say that the "heart felt" confession of Fang Lei at the end was actually revenge for SHM not choosing to marry her and keeping the masquerade she had created. jmo

Uh, we have no indication that XY and SHM will raise him. Since he is not HM's biological son, neither one has legal claim to keep him. Biologically, HC has at least a grandfather, a father, and an aunt who can take care of him until he becomes of age and can make his own decisions. HC has met his aunt briefly in the school parking lot, but has not met his mother's other family. So when he is not present in the last episode, we know that XY and SHM did the right thing and allowed HC to be returned to his rightful family. It is the perfect resolution to the problem that was created by two sets of lies.

Yes, you and other viewers want that glossy, fake happy ending that comes at the end of the drama. In reality what the Shen family and Fang Lei did to Hao Chen was despicable. By saying that HC was HM's brother the family literally deprived HC of knowing his real mother's family and his real identity. They created a fake identity for HC to save their reputation. Fang Lei did it in hopes that having this connection to HM would give her better leverage in becoming his "trophy" wife, creating another false illusion.

The entire drama is a social commentary on people being their true selves. If XY and SHM keep him and claim him as their son, then they are continuing the lie and the fake family. It is better for SHC to return to his biological grandparents who can then find his biological father (if they so desire). SHC needs and has the right to be able to live as his true self as well, but he doesn't know what that is because he was deprived of it by the Shen's and Fang Lei's lies.

By the way any person who has just raised a child for thirteen years would say what SHM says. He is in shock and denial and the same with XY, but that doesn't mean they have a legal right to him.

Also, another paternity test can be ordered or even another copy of the paternity test can be sent as those records are kept forever.

The ending of this drama was perfect. The true family in this drama was the couple and the grandmother. Now, in the future when SHC becomes of age he could say that he wants XY and SHM to adopt him. They gladly would. Then he would become their real son in the right way.

As always thank you for the discussion.

Uh, we don't know that Hao Chen will be staying with them. He was absent from the last episode and nothing further was said about him, except that he was shown in the family album right before the picture of grandmother and the couple. The fact that he was not in last episode showed that XY and HM did the right thing and gave HC back to his real family. Will the kid have a hard time adjusting, of course. But I think just like with Mr. Huang's mother-in-law, Xu Yan will continue to support Hao Chen or whatever name his real family gives him.

Yes, the thought and care put in to each of the scenes in this drama are thought provoking. It's as if the writer is saying, "Stop, there is more to a drama than just the overall picture." Thank you so much for this analysis.

Totally understandable. There were about three episodes that I wanted to fast forward through as well, but I understand why they put the scenes in the drama, except for the drunk scene which they obviously had drunken sex and then felt guilty about it the next morning. It's not the end of the world if you don't finish it. It is quite a serious drama.

Find something that you will enjoy. Happy drama watching.

They keep the identity of the boy a secret because HM was 19 when he fathered a child. In the olden days parents would have been happy with this. But in modern times men are not allowed to marry until they turn 22. The child, born out of wedlock, would create trouble for the father and HM in the company. This is why the parents decide to claim HC as their son born abroad.

I will not comment any more until you have finished the drama as it will make sense in the end. Remember this drama juxtaposes what is real and what is fake. HM is suppose to have real family while she is faking her family.

Remember she was away when he was killed, and she has no clue as to who the minister of war is. He gets his just desserts in the end.

Sang Yan was my favorite part of the whole drama as well.

See for me her "confession" wasn't a guilt purge. It was revenge for not being able to make HM love her. Misery loves company. She hinted throughout the drama that she could take him away at any time as he was her nephew and related by blood. She says this Xu Yan when she goes to the school to pick him up. This caught my attention because if HM is the father, he would have more rights than her. jmo

Good to chat with you again.

Victor Ma stated in an interview that he felt he could not play a romantic Sang Yan. Notice we never meet WYF in Hidden Love we only hear about her.

I was going to add to my first post, but it won't let me see edit. Your comment on Fang Lei, she has no redemptive arc. She should have taken her secret about Hao Chen to her grave. However, had she done that, then Hao Ming, Hao Chen, and Xu Yan could not have lived a real life because as you said this drama is all about illusion and realism.

This is why I never write reviews as people like you say everything I would say and in a much better way. Love your review.

Actually, he is very needed. The whole drama juxtaposes what is real and what is fake. Lin Tao's relationship with the sister portrays the fake relationship as she doesn't love him. Her real love is Yu Yi Ming.

Doesn't matter who would be the better parent. The fact is Hao Chen is not biologically Hao Ming's son. Even though HM's parents and HM raised him, they have no claim to him unless the biological father and the mother's family give up claim to him. The chances of finding HC's biological father is pretty slim. But, since we met the father of the mother, it stands to reason that the mother's family took Hao Chen to live with them. Fang Lei could have taken the secret of Hao Chen's parentage to her grave, but she decided to tell? Why because he no longer served her purpose?

Now HM and XY seemed pretty happy at the end, so they must have worked out a deal with Fang Lei's family to be able to see Hao Chen, so he can remain in the family album. Remember that the picture was taken before they found out that he was not HM's son. Also, of course HM and XY can go on to have children of their own, but Hao Chen will always be their "first" child even though not by blood and is no longer with them on a daily basis. Thus he can remain in the family album.

The whole drama juxtaposes what is real with what is fake. In the beginning, it appears that Xu Yan is the only one faking her family, but in the end we find out that HM has a secret about his family as well. Both secrets end up causing trouble for both HM and XY. Once they are found out, each can start being their true selves with themselves, with each other, and with the people around them.

Yes, but even that has to be rectified. They can't just take someone else's child even though the family raised Hao Chen since he was a baby. They raised the child based on a lie. This is why Hao Chen is not in the last episode. When they look at the photo album in the end the last picture is of the couple and the grandmother. The real family and blank pages for their children in the future. This does not mean that Hao Chen can't come back and live with them if Hao Chen's father's family doesn't want him or the mother's family for that matter.

That was the whole point of episodes 1-15. Everything was fake even their relationship. Then after episode 15 when the fake becomes real everything is more natural. The camera work in this drama was just amazing as it expressed this really well. jmo

No she did not kill her sister, but I do wonder if it was a suicide made to look like an accident.

Exactly, this is the culture that has been established. So I have to ask if this is the norm, is it really bullying or just survival of the fittest? I had a hard time with this drama because I had the same reaction as you, where are the teachers and the parents? But realized they are just part of the problem and have spawned this culture of bullying. You should watch the movie Brave Citizen. It really helped me understand this drama.

Glad I could be a source of entertainment for you. Maybe what you find troubling about my responses is that they are not looking at this drama as a source of entertainment, but as social commentaries on Chinese life. That is a whole different perspective.