flowermoon9

There have to be flashbacks because we also didn't get to see what happened to the cop and his fiancée. That was actually the first thing on my mind when I started watching today's episode. I was preparing myself for something ominous with the way the episode began - the rain, the thunderstorm, and her eye twitching - but everything ended in the blink of an eye before I could even process the separation or the emotional weight of the scene.

That night holds more than what we've been shown, and I think they're going to reveal it only in fragmented pieces through the leads' individual POVs rather than showing us one complete, objective flashback from a third-person perspective.

Thanks for such a thoughtful comment. It really shows how cordial this MDL thread gets whenever a viewer tries to share a dissenting opinion and another kind soul jumps in to police which viewpoints are permitted.

Two people recognize Chen Yi's true nature, but they choose to use it in completely different ways. Zhou Kang An saw his potential to become a competent cop, and the moment fate robbed Chen Yi of that chance, he made sure the young man didn't drift further down the wrong path because of his unfortunate circumstances. ZKA became the guardian Chen Yi never had as a child. He does his best to be there for him and guide him whenever he needs it.

On the other hand, Zhang Bin is like a parasite in Chen Yi's life. The moment Chen Yi saved his life, Zhang Bin probably saw his compassion as something he could exploit. He found the perfect opportunity to pull Chen Yi into his criminal world by saving his life in return. To give Miao Jing a brighter life, Chen Yi slowly descended into darkness.
That's why I don't think the watch is just a random gift. The moment Chen Yi accepts it, he's marked as Zhang Bin's trusted man. It becomes both a reward and a leash. Zhang Bin turns him into the perfect scapegoat by showing him more favor than the rest of his underlings before eventually pushing him to take the fall for his crimes.

I really can't stand him and his entire gang, and I want Chen Yi to leave them asap. But I guess that won't happen until something terrible happens, and the cop and his fiancée become the catalyst for him. All the foreshadowing seems to be hinting at a tragic end for the cop's fiancée. I really hope I'm wrong and that no harm comes to either of them, but they're just too kind and pure for a story this tragic...

The ML's father brought the FL and her mother into his home when she was a child to "complete their family" after his wife died. They were in a relationship and were apparently even married in the novel, but the drama left that part out. Their relationship was never legalized in the drama.

The leads share a sibling-like bond, and the ML acts as the FL's guardian and parental figure during her high school years after her mother abandoned her parental responsibilities and left her all alone. Their relationship initially forms out of shared trauma before gradually shifting from a sibling-like bond to a romantic one after the FL comes of age.

Ikr! I wish, I really wish, the drama wasn't built around this pseudo-sibling dynamic! I've caught up with all the episodes, and this has to be SWL and ZJY's best work yet. Everything is done so well. I have no complaints about this drama except for that pseudo-sibling trope! Why did the writers have to introduce them this way? 😭

It just doesn't sit right with me because the ML did act as her guardian/parental figure during her school days because of her trash mother. I've been looking forward to this drama, and I love the lead actors' work. I couldn't resist checking out the episodes given how much I was anticipating it, and it's been so good so far. I'm loving it minus the parts where it was so apparent that they shared a familial bond before it turned romantic. 🥲🫠

It's a shame because the actors taking on these projects are all fantastic. A good enemies-to-lovers or forbidden romance doesn't necessarily need this pseudo-sibling trope to make it tantalizing. It could be anything—from falling for someone whose family is a sworn enemy to one of the main leads having gravely wronged the other in the past.

You know, like what Thai, Turkish, or older Korean dramas used to do. Those all fell under the forbidden romance trope, yet none of them needed the pseudo-sibling angle to hook the audience. Of course, some of those series had their own downsides too. Some could come across as a bit too toxic, but I guess that's the trade-off sometimes, and part of what comes with the dark/forbidden romance plotline.

Couldn't agree more! I was really looking forward to this drama, and I was going through the comments here to gauge what kind of relationship the main leads have, given the recent surge of C-dramas relying heavily on this pseudo-sibling trope. Then I saw a comment where someone mentioned that the parents of the main leads actually get married in the novel, and that immediately gave me the ick.

Maybe the drama won't follow the novel to a T and will tone down that plotline, but the fact that almost every recent modern C-drama uses some variation of the pseudo-sibling trope as a baseline is baffling to me. It's almost as if the entire story would fall apart without it. This wasn't the case until a couple of years ago. Smh.

I also agree that Dazzling was an exception because the mothers of the main leads shared a sisterly friendship, and the leads themselves were complete strangers. Still, I thought it was unnecessary for the FL to call the ML her "cousin" because they weren't actually related. The writers could have easily introduced them as family friends instead, but why would they, when the pseudo-sibling trope is the trend now, right?

A proper enemies-to-lovers story doesn't need a pseudo-sibling subplot to feel fresh. A good enemies-to-lovers romance can stand on its own without relying on that dynamic.

Different dramas do have different flavors, and the writers seem to have become overly fond of this trope, which is why we've been seeing similar plotlines repeatedly, with more on the way.

It's also obvious that we have different views on moral boundaries. As I mentioned earlier, the fact that the leads aren't legally related or weren't raised together doesn't make the situation any less uncomfortable for me when their parents are romantically involved. This trope clearly has its fanbase, and I'm certainly not part of it.

Best trope for writing a forbidden relationship? Perhaps.
Without being morally wrong? Certainly not.

The parents' involvement already creates a family-adjacent dynamic. That makes the romance between the leads feel inappropriate, regardless of whether they're legally related. It blurs family boundaries in a way that I find uncomfortable.

If that's what makes it a tantalizing forbidden-romance trope for its fans, so be it. But it's not my cup of tea.

I'm tired of seeing the same pseudo-sibling trope used repeatedly. Not being adopted or blood-related doesn't automatically make the relationship any less weird when the parents of the main leads here are romantically involved. If the parents are dating, that effectively puts the leads in a potential step-sibling position. Having romantic feelings for each other while their parents are involved is weird and, frankly, borderline repulsive. It doesn't matter whether the parents eventually get married or not. There were a thousand other tropes the writers could have chosen, yet they went with the pseudo-sibling trope once again.

Me neither. I'm tired of seeing the same trope used repeatedly. Not being adopted or blood-related doesn't automatically make the relationship any less weird when the parents of the main leads are romantically involved. If the parents are dating, that effectively puts the leads in a potential step-sibling position. Having romantic feelings for each other while their parents are involved is weird and, frankly, borderline repulsive. It doesn't matter whether the parents eventually get married or not. There were a thousand other tropes the writers could have chosen, yet they went with the pseudo-sibling trope once again.

Ah, I see. Shu Wenbo can be a bit dense most of the time when it comes to romance. But I found that cute somehow here, haha. Not that I usually like that trait in characters. 🤭

Oh, I like You Are My Hero! Are you enjoying it so far?

Have you tried Forever Love (2020)? It's an older drama, but it's more lighthearted than this one. I loved the main leads' relationship and still rewatch it a couple of times a year.

Even though I watch dramas to escape the grim realities of life, the struggles and hardships of Wu and his family—and the way they keep figuring life out after every setback and slowly rebuilding from scratch—are really growing on me.

I usually prefer not to watch stories that deal with real-life predicaments because they tend to make my heart heavier instead of offering comfort. But somehow, this story has been warming my heart even while making me cry.

I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again: I wish this drama had 60 episodes. If we can happily spend 25 episodes watching their teenage years, then we could just as happily spend 25 more following them through college and their working lives. And then maybe end the story with marriage and a family of their own.

I want more of WuYe. What do you mean there are only five episodes left?! 😭

https://glb.m.mgtv.com/b/873797/24420027.html

I guess this has become one of the writers' recurring themes: forgive the wrongdoers and give them second chances regardless of whether they've actually earned them. WuYe did it with the Cao siblings, and now Ye's father is doing the same with the people who left her stranded when she needed them most. At this point, we've just got to get used to it.

"In one's life, there will always be someone who will encourage and support you when you need it. Her/His presence alone shines brighter than the light of others. Please write an essay on the topic of Dazzling".

Saw this translation on twitter.

Agree! The innocence and sweetness of their teenage era are very precious to me. As much as I want to see them flourish in adulthood, I'm enjoying every minute of their teenage days. The drama is so calm and relaxing overall that even if it's slow-paced, I don't mind it. I can keep watching without getting bored. This has never happened before, haha.

Their Zhazhating days look so precious, I feel their adult era is going to be even sweeter!! Our WuYe is sooo adorable, I just can't!! What am I going to do after this ends?! This drama has been such a source of comfort these days 🥹