hollicx

After the 1st episode... I just want her to be with ZiQiu :( Why do I always root for the 2nd lead even when they're still little kids? That's why I hate love triangles :( I heard so many good things about this drama but I'm not sure if I'm ready for another disappointment and heartbreak

No, no mention of the book and I also haven't read it (not a scifi fan). The plushie wasn't described as a fox, only "ugly doll". In general, there wasn't any symbolism in the book. He still worked with game development as a programmer. If SZ was 17 and their age difference was indeed 5 years then it'd be easier for me to accept. But she's 13-15, actually when he asks her if he's handsome and says that she blushes seeing him... she's barely turned 13 and that's when she gets her period for the first time. He is about to turn 20 years old (6 years and 11 months difference). You might be right that they changed the story so substantially but if that's the case... I don't know, since that's not the original story I feel that change wasn't needed. As I said, I like the idea of the story being deeper than it seems on the surface... and SZ being 17 makes it acceptable to me if nothing actually happened between them. But if they indeed made DJX fall for SZ when she's so young I'd have to ponder their intentions because it is a modern story after all. One thing that really seems to point to your theory is that note that DJX wrote for SZ about how he's happy to see her again.

I'm back after reading the novel and I can confirm that there's no deeper meaning to the drama, DJX indeed didn't know about SZ's crush. It's exactly as the drama showed but the novel explained it a bit better. All the events that took place when SZ was 17yo in the drama happened when she was 13-15yo in the novel. She went to Yi He as a 16yo and then lost contact with DJX for 3 years. There was a 7 year age difference between them, not 5 like in the drama.

Finally, to explain why DJX acted this way towards SZ when she was young:
1. He is just a good person
2. Her parents helped him financially when his mum got sick and he felt indepted to them
3. He yearned for family. He met SZ after his mum died and his father was in a coma. He really just wanted to have a family and saw her as his little sister... that's why he was so upset that she stopped talking to him and deserted him, he was extremely lonely when he moved to Yi He.
4. It's more clear from the novel that DJX has little self-awareness when it comes to his flirtatious behaviour. When SZ was drunk she said the man she likes is a seductive man... Qian Fei immediately said it sounds like DJX but DJX didn't see it himself. To him it was just jokes that he said indiscriminately to SZ as well as to his male roommates and even a dog.
4.1. In fact, I think him constantly saying that he's handsome was a result of his inferiority complex... like he was trying to make up with it for his family situation. Even though he'd say he's handsome, I felt it was a bit self-deprecating.

Also, it's important to mention that the gifts he gave her in the novel weren't all expensive... and when they started getting expensive, it was when his situation got better. So it never came across as him eating instant noodles while buying her luxury gifts like in the drama.

Of course an argument can be made that drama is different than the novel but to me it's clear that they tried really hard to stay faithful to the source material. There are some differences in the 2nd half of the drama, but all their interactions when SZ is a minor are identical to how they are described in the novel. But SZ is 13-15yo. The only differences are - no science centre "date" and drawing book in the novel. Also, no letter from DXJ saying that he's happy to see SZ again because in the novel they've been seeing each other every couple of months in the span of those 3 years when she was a middle school student.

I still recommend reading the novel because DJX is a lot more flirty in it (when SZ is an adult) and it's wonderful :D I think they couldn't show it in a drama because of censorship. The novel also doesn't have many details of DJX work life etc, it focuses just on their relationship and it's perfect. I think the drama could lose a few episodes if they stick more to the source material and it'd be even better.

Is it about the fox toy? I'm not sure what technique you're talking about as I don't know much about movie making but as I said, to me it'd be unrealistic if he didn't like her back then. But since that was the first time they saw each other after 3 years would that mean he had feelings for her when she was 14? Now it's getting a little creepy xd

So... are you saying that while on the surface this drama is about Sang Zhi's hidden love, in reality it is actually about JiaXu's? If so, then wow... that's crazy. It would explain why he seemed so naive about his treatment of her and I prefer this as it'd mean the drama had a lot more depth... adding complexity to JiaXu's character without making him less kind/considerate of Sang Zhi's age. Have you read the web novel? Does it explain it better? I'm very intrigued now, I might read it because I'd like to give it some time before I rewatch the drama (it's so long!).

He acted very surprised when she told him he's the guy from Yihe she was crushing on as a teenager. To me it was quite obvious he didn't know and I don't see why he'd act like he didn't at that point. Personally I'd prefer if he did know because I feel anyone with half a brain would and it'd be more realistic.

I personally don't know any brothers who act this way towards their real sisters but I know that JiaXu is unrealistically kind. Still, I just don't really see that a guy would act this way to a girl who is not his sister without romantic feelings and the drama makes it very clear he didn't have any at that time. What do you mean about our perception being manipulated?

I loved it from start to finish :D The perfect love story... though the first episodes weren't very realistic. Not only JiaXu's attitude towards Sang Zhi but also the fact he never realised she had a crush on him until she told him. I still really liked it though :D

Wow... you guys are so fragile if you can't tolerate a different opinion without accusing people of conspiracy XD I'm just an introvert so I get overwhelmed when so many people respond to my comment on a drama that I'm waay over at this point :D I'm glad you think the actor is good looking, I just don't and that's that. Good day to you!! :)

I loved the drama at first but I couldn't stand the ML actor so I gave up on it at ep 14. I had no problem with the FL, pacing, developing romance etc

But this guy.

Ok, I'm new to Chinese dramas so it was my first time seeing this actor. At first I was happy because that they picked an actor that's not conventionally attractive... lol jokes on me because we were reminded in every episode just how handsome he supposedly is. Strangers would literary point at him to admire his looks. But that's not a big issue for me, as I said I was pleased with him not being that attractive (to me).

What I could not stand was the complete lack of chemistry... at first I thought it was just the character he was portraying. I hoped it'd get better once the couple gets together, but nooo... just those blank stares. I'm glad it worked on some (most?) of you girls but it was 0% effective on me. And I could tell he is a decent actor from his interactions with other characters but romance? NOPE. Despite his obsessive behaviour towards the FL I just didn't see that much feelings/attraction from him. And as I only watch romance dramas, I now avoid like a plague anything that has him as a ML because his acting ruined this drama for me which really is a shame because I binged the first few episodes.

Does anyone agree with me? Anyone at all?