This review may contain spoilers
A storytelling masterpiece about romantic and self love wrapped in a bow of excellent production
It’s been a few days since I finished the show and while I can’t remember every single detail, there are certain plot choices I want to highlight because of how good they were:
- **Flashback set up:** I normally don’t love jumping between timelines, but the way this show does it is phenomenal. It not only builds up their romance, but also helps unravel who they are as individuals and who they have grown into.
- Usually when we flashback, the actors are so obviously adults it’s disturbing but Bai Jing Ting & Zhang Ruo Nan have faces that really allowed them to seamlessly play high school and adult characters. So the casting for these two was 10/10.
- **The “set up” for assault:** I hate sad stories only because the real world is full of them. 1 in 4 women experience sexual assault including attempted sa. ~ 78% of rape cases involve someone the victim knows so to have this story really set the stage for this creepy uncle with concerning easy access to a young vulnerable girl was important to me in terms of properly representing that it’s not just strangers that hurt women.
- **When she talks to her past self (Ep. 29):** This scene almost broke me. It was such a great visual representation of healing and moving on from the scars that can haunt you.
- **Her mother’s apology (Ep. 30):** We can see that Yifan’s mom does not deserve her daughter, but Yifan for much of the show is still trying to meet her mom half way, so you aren’t really sure as a viewer how she will finally make peace with her mom. I love that she chose to let her mother completely go.
- **Secondary romance:** I usually enjoy the secondary couples in these romance shows, but Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An were such an excellent story. They felt like a different show (in a good way). Their plot didn’t overshadow Sang Yan & Wen Yi Fan but it also wasn’t so basic as to feel underwhelming/unneeded. It’s usually that the secondary couple(s) are “assigned” a basic trope and their story is squished in the few extra minutes the show has where its not a bad romance but there isn’t enough substance to really care or root for them. But I truly feel like we got to see Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An grow as individuals as well as a couple. I would LOVE a show that follows their kind of romance of oopies to old classmates to friends to lovers.
And OF COURSE the main romance. This is it’s own essay that it can’t be a bullet point. I have a lot I want to say about this relationship.
- It’s practically impossible for fated mates trope to be used for a contemporary romance, and yet, this show truly made me double think that. These two were truly made for each other and are fated.
- Sang Yan: He is stubborn, narcissistic, and brooding – but so very hot and perfect. Even with his “negative” traits at the forefront, we know his heart absolutely belongs to Wen Yi Fan. It real life, there is a bit of a creepy, stalker aspect to how in love he is with her even after she breaks his heart, but some how in this story it just works. Probably because Wen Yi Fan has been abandoned by her family and is alone in this world, but Sang Yan keeps his high school promise that she will never really be alone because she has him.
- Wen Yi Fan: She is traumatized and insists on running rather than facing trouble onwards BUT we can understand very well why. Her actual personality is witty and kind with a sprinkle of cutie-patootie. I love that she has always adored Sang Yan but that life and haters held her back from really indulging her feelings. Watching her grow into herself to gain confidence and defend herself was really beautiful. Seeing her find strength within herself but then learn how to depend on those that love her was the cherry on top.
All in all, this is not a light and fluffy romance, but it is a storytelling masterpiece with a happy ending.
### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- I wish parents had more counseling and guidance about how to really care for their child. Yifan was not wrong when she said the worst betrayal was not her aunt and uncle, but from her very own mother. This woman birthed and raised her for ~15 years, but just completely abandons her when hard times hit.
- Parents are not *owed* forgiveness when their actions play a direct role in your deepest hurts. While some children can make space to try and repair their relationship, sometimes the damage and hurt is too deep to ignore and that is okay.
- **Flashback set up:** I normally don’t love jumping between timelines, but the way this show does it is phenomenal. It not only builds up their romance, but also helps unravel who they are as individuals and who they have grown into.
- Usually when we flashback, the actors are so obviously adults it’s disturbing but Bai Jing Ting & Zhang Ruo Nan have faces that really allowed them to seamlessly play high school and adult characters. So the casting for these two was 10/10.
- **The “set up” for assault:** I hate sad stories only because the real world is full of them. 1 in 4 women experience sexual assault including attempted sa. ~ 78% of rape cases involve someone the victim knows so to have this story really set the stage for this creepy uncle with concerning easy access to a young vulnerable girl was important to me in terms of properly representing that it’s not just strangers that hurt women.
- **When she talks to her past self (Ep. 29):** This scene almost broke me. It was such a great visual representation of healing and moving on from the scars that can haunt you.
- **Her mother’s apology (Ep. 30):** We can see that Yifan’s mom does not deserve her daughter, but Yifan for much of the show is still trying to meet her mom half way, so you aren’t really sure as a viewer how she will finally make peace with her mom. I love that she chose to let her mother completely go.
- **Secondary romance:** I usually enjoy the secondary couples in these romance shows, but Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An were such an excellent story. They felt like a different show (in a good way). Their plot didn’t overshadow Sang Yan & Wen Yi Fan but it also wasn’t so basic as to feel underwhelming/unneeded. It’s usually that the secondary couple(s) are “assigned” a basic trope and their story is squished in the few extra minutes the show has where its not a bad romance but there isn’t enough substance to really care or root for them. But I truly feel like we got to see Zhong Si Qiao and Su Hao An grow as individuals as well as a couple. I would LOVE a show that follows their kind of romance of oopies to old classmates to friends to lovers.
And OF COURSE the main romance. This is it’s own essay that it can’t be a bullet point. I have a lot I want to say about this relationship.
- It’s practically impossible for fated mates trope to be used for a contemporary romance, and yet, this show truly made me double think that. These two were truly made for each other and are fated.
- Sang Yan: He is stubborn, narcissistic, and brooding – but so very hot and perfect. Even with his “negative” traits at the forefront, we know his heart absolutely belongs to Wen Yi Fan. It real life, there is a bit of a creepy, stalker aspect to how in love he is with her even after she breaks his heart, but some how in this story it just works. Probably because Wen Yi Fan has been abandoned by her family and is alone in this world, but Sang Yan keeps his high school promise that she will never really be alone because she has him.
- Wen Yi Fan: She is traumatized and insists on running rather than facing trouble onwards BUT we can understand very well why. Her actual personality is witty and kind with a sprinkle of cutie-patootie. I love that she has always adored Sang Yan but that life and haters held her back from really indulging her feelings. Watching her grow into herself to gain confidence and defend herself was really beautiful. Seeing her find strength within herself but then learn how to depend on those that love her was the cherry on top.
All in all, this is not a light and fluffy romance, but it is a storytelling masterpiece with a happy ending.
### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- I wish parents had more counseling and guidance about how to really care for their child. Yifan was not wrong when she said the worst betrayal was not her aunt and uncle, but from her very own mother. This woman birthed and raised her for ~15 years, but just completely abandons her when hard times hit.
- Parents are not *owed* forgiveness when their actions play a direct role in your deepest hurts. While some children can make space to try and repair their relationship, sometimes the damage and hurt is too deep to ignore and that is okay.
Was this review helpful to you?
