TinyMoose

Yeah, after going back and rewatching the earlier eps, it is so clear NOW that the 'side couple' is so important as an example with many little parallels to the 'main couple' navigating the beginnings of a relationship. The writing was so good there, but I really appreciate it more on rewatch.

I'd sooooo watch these two characters/actors in a spin off maybe covering Yuhe and her falling in love! lol

Yeah.... I feel like this series is too short so we get less detail. My feeling is that Le just never thought much about it maybe? He clearly really liked Wenwen (who he thought was a girl) and there was definitely feelings popping up for Amber (who is a guy). So Le may just never contemplated this too much? I legit assumed Le to be bisexual at first (or maybe he is gay but never realized since his first love was unknown to him, a guy). Maybe he was just waiting for Wenwen the one person he had always liked who coincidentally was a 'girl'. This also may be why he seems hesitant/confused/unsure of his own orientation, especially when he finds out Wenwen/Amber looked like a girl but was really a guy. Honestly, I just thought Le was bisexual....but one with little experience ;) I do get, despite his confusion, that he does love Amber.....he just is a goof ball and doesn't know how to go about 'wooing' or interacting with the one he loves. Like with that whole almost-kiss he pulled away from. I really just think Le was nervous/shy (probably from inexperience).....and he is a goof ball. It was just unfortunate since Amber comes with a lot of insecurities that Le sadly may not understand completely. And you are so right, I feel, about Le's "what am I doing!" reaction! My partner is a little goofy and clue-less and not romantic either, so I guess I can understand that personality type in Le. But just because he is that way, doesn't mean that Le won't love deeply and try his best to make his partner happy.

Yeah.... it is a lot. Not sure how this will play out. I am hoping that the mom talk will be super short (and not a big deal) considering how you stated earlier how it really will be a non-issue with her. Then rest of ep is just our boys ;)

I actually am thinking it might be an indirect good thing. Because now Amber realizes that it wasn't Le outright rejecting him because he didn't like him..... that it may be due to perceived family pressure. Which is giving me the vibes of that story way back in episode 1/2/3 about the 'fairy couple'......which I feel a full circle loop coming back around!

The first half of episode 11 was so adorable....and loved the fun camera tricks they pulled. Then I got smacked in the gut about midway and what a 180! This series just loves to hurt me! Can't wait for episode 12! I honestly feel like they could use 10 more episodes.....so it will be interesting to see how the last ep goes! *fingers crossed*

I feel your pain on this trope; but it is a valid one for a lot of families. Even hetero couples who just DON'T WANT KIDS get a lot of shit/guilt for not 'keeping the family line going' or giving their parents biological grandkids. It can be so cringe, I know. I think it is just a theme that will always be around in one form or another.

I think that people often come into a series with preconceived assumptions about it, so.....especially when a series isn't finished yet.....they rate it ahead of time before giving it time to let the story evolve. Especially when it ends up being a story that is so different from what was originally expected. I just hope that people come back after watching the whole thing (once it is completed in future) and adjust the rating accordingly.

Love your thoughts! Also, your concept of introspection and loneliness so so good! Didn't occur to me, but on 'reflection' is fits so well. So many meanings in these visuals. LOVE IT.

It's not a big deal. Not everyone knows this about Mandarin. Languages are cool and translation is HARD :P

Thanks!

Also, as long as the translation of 'bride" is really gender specific (and not similar to 'partner' or 'spouse' which is non-gender specific). I am amusing myself since fate/heavens/whatever has the joke on her since Ah Le probably won't be interested in a 'bride'. ;)

And weirdly enough, Yuhe was the one that pointed out the problem right before she rudely dropped Amber's secret into Ah Le's lap.

She had asked Ah Le what he thought of her. He had replied 'good friends' ('best friends when she pressed him). And then she asked Ah Le what he thought of Amber, and Ah Le replied in the same manner of good friends. This implies he thinks of them both the same; just friends. But then when she asked Ah Le how would he feel if Wenwen came back, and Ah Le's reaction is significantly different: He was showing more interest/emotion which implies that he cares about Wenwen much more than 'just friends' which is on a higher level than of what he thinks of Yuhe and Amber. And this is why I am worried that there will be this struggle for Ah Le when he interacts with Amber.

I really hope we will be able to get translations of the wishes each of the 3 kids made. Wanna know all of them!

This is exactly what is worrying me. I was hoping Ah Le would realize his feeling for Amber and confess first BEFORE ever finding out that Amber was Wenwen. That way Amber really understood that Ah Le saw him as Amber and loves who he is in the present. But Yuhe had to go and ruin that, albeit what seemed like good intentions in her mind. But DAMN. Amber just needed some time.....just a little.......not like it was gonna take years. Geeeeeeez.

That was because people were trying to guess before the actual reveal in ep 9.

It is definitely BL with this mystery of how this person is related to another person in the past. Of course, as the eps are airing, everyone was speculating on what that mystery is....and it seemed like transgender male was slowly getting to be the consensus (if you watch it, I think you will understand why this was so), but then they surprised us with intersex, which is rare to see in these kinds of stories, and like @AthenaTheStorierX has stated, they have been very respectful and sensitive so far, so we are all hoping for a good ending over the next few episodes. It has some of your standard tropes you see/expect in BLs, but it goes beyond that into more interesting territory....and as each new ep comes out, I am more and more in awe with just how GOOD this is. It is a sweet series, so expect a slower slice-of-life vibe with some fun cinematography here and there. Also the music is fantastic!

Note on cinematography in this series: You notice how a lot of shots are done through a mirror? I noticed it a lot more on my re-watch of all the episodes. It got me to speculating on the reason they did this and the meaning. A 'mirror image' is the concept of opposites where one object resembles another.....just in reverse. And at that simplistic level, it kind of is a 'reflection' of Amber with his present and past: opposites or duality maybe? That these two persons in time are really the same person, like how the reflection of yourself in a mirror is really you, just opposite. Any deep thinkers have any thoughts regarding this or the mirrors/cinematography?

Yeah. I think they allude to some issues/topics, but due to the sweetness of the show, I don't think they will go into details. It is really just important (at this stage) they are bring awareness to the masses :)

Having just watched ep 9; then rewatching whole series: Is it just me.....or does Yuhe's older brother possibly know intuitively about Amber/Wenwen? It is bugging me so much; in many scenes, it is like he KNOWS. He even pulls his sister Yuhe back multiple times from following the boys..... Or maybe I am reading too much into things at this late hour.....

I am hoping for that happy ending: LOTS OF LOVE. Amber so deserves it.