lulupony

No, it was meant as a joke. I highly doubt the possibility of a season 2 given the popularity of the young cast currently.

Hahaha. I'd say the show show was amazing 70% of the time, very good 25% of the time, and not great 5% of the time.

Still too much of this show that I love dearly.

Yea, the premise of the ending was fine, just the execution was off. None of those scenes was actually shown, so as the audience, I feel emotionally unresolved.

Some comments suggested that it may have been pressures from the financial backers of this show to increase the storyline of some supporting casts. Also, Chinese censorship ban certain types of scenes from being broadcasted, such as suicide, hence why there is no direct shots of suicides in this show. Those may all have been reasons why the main storyline feels rushed. =/

I wouldn't call it a terrible ending, just the treatment of which was very rushed. The skeleton is there, but it just feels like there is no meat on it for the storyline of the ML and FL. I felt like they needed at least 1 more, if not 2 episodes for the ending.

Not sure if it has to do with the financial backings behind this show, since scriptwriters in China don't have as powerful of a voice in the final product. For example, they often have to face pressures from investors and restrictions from the governing agency. The ending make sense, but at least for me, not emotionally satisfying.

Yea...It's weird. Every other storyline feels very complete and satisfactorily resolved, except for the ML and FL. LX and LJJ felt more like the supporting cast in the final episodes.

The full episodes are always released at 10:00 PM Beijing time on its official platform, MangoTV. Youtube is usually 1-day delayed with subbed versions, and I'm not sure about other platforms.

Yup. I livestream when it's broadcasted, but the full episodes should be released now on MangoTV. Not sure about other platforms.

The ending made sense, but it feels way too rushed....A bit disappointed. I also didn't really like how they dealt with the core of LX's trauma.

Overall, an amazing drama for 95% of the time.

That'd be great =D

I haven't watched AvenueX's videos, but those themes are the most prevalent criticisms against the show in China, so I'm not surprised. I do find that I frequently disagree with AvenueX in the few videos I've watched of her, so no surprise there. haha.

They've coined a term in China called piecemeal drama-watching (片段式追剧) since highlight clips of this show trends everyday on Weibo. Thus, a lot of people buy into the trending commentaries, which were largely negative for awhile, without actually watching the entire show themselves, only the clips. It's a bit sad really, because this show has so much to offer.

I know right! I love the scenes between JJ and XCZ, and MY with her family today.

Maybe the absence of support older male characters is a metaphor for all the absentee fathers. lol.

Thank you for such deep conversations as well, and I hope we can continue them =)

I think you'll enjoy today's episodes (43) when the subs come out. There was a really powerful scene with MY speaking to her parents about their family issues.

To add more on the brilliant writing on this show, one can also trace characteristics of the main parents back to the grandparents' generation in this show.

1. CT's mom is show as manipulative (using XCZ to get LX back), always critical, materialistic, and selfish (take cabbages leaves off before weighing in the scene at the market)
2. HM's mom is uneducated and succumbing to the harsh realities of rural living, which can instigate a backlash for independence and becoming more cultured for HM
3. JJ's maternal grandmother was shown as a gentle and understanding soul who supported her daughter's decision to marry Li Ba because he was a kind-hearted man. Hence, JJ was blessed to have generations of good parenting that fostered such pureness and kindness in her heart.

Exactly. One of my favorite aspects on the writing of this show is how all of young characters have some characteristics reminiscent of their parents, both negative and positive.

For example, ZQ is deeply caring and loyal, but also frustratingly stubborn and self-reliant like his mom . LX is very sensitive and perceptive but he can also be verbally manipulative in moments of intense emotions like CT. You also see these trends in TC, MY, XCZ, and even JJ.

What I love about this show is that the writers don't normalize this behavior but explicitly bring it to light and address it in a sensitive manner. For example, JJ called out LX's words during their fight as a sign that he has mental illness. JJ and LX were both criticizing ZQ for taking everything on his own shoulders. JJ calling out TC on her superficiality in not trying out for smaller roles. And there are many more examples in this show.

We're often the way we are because of our parents and upbringing, but we're also empowered to identify them and address them with the support of friends and family who care for us. Ultimately, this drama was written with the intention to "heal" its viewers from each of our own traumas and scars, in all shapes and sizes.

I wasn't going to follow-up on this conversation originally, but after reading some of your additional comments, it's becoming apparent that some of LX's actions may be personally triggering for you. If that is the case, then just drop the show and focus on something that can bring you joy and peace. There are many well-rated creative works that I avoid because I know they can be personally triggering for me, but I respect their creative value and what they may mean for other people.

Take care of yourself first and watch what makes you happy and brings you comfort. Peace~~ =)

I don't think the show portrays only mothers in a negative light, but actually only represent all types of parents/families and their effects on children in a dramatic fashion. The only true "bad" or toxic parent in this show is CT, and that's because she's never been a parent to her children. The show made this clear too in LX and ZQ's lines from yesterday.

Because this is TV, the portrayal of parents are centralized around points of conflict, so of course we relate the most to the negative aspects of their parenting. The controlling mother and absentee father is such a common theme in society, and I'm glad that show explored this in a thoughtful and sensitive manner, especially through Mingyue's family.

I feel like the most powerful and well-written aspect of this show is exactly its portrayal of various types of family and parent-child dynamics, with Li Ba and LJJ acting as a sense of utopia and contrast for others. But even Li Ba's parenting style is not perfect, and this was communicated in Li Ba's introspective speech during one of the breakfast conversations. At the end of the day, no one (and no character) is perfect, and I love how this show explores the navigation of these human flaws through family dynamics.

Thank you for your kind comment. =)
My personal hope is that many viewers will find LX's story healing and give them strength to face the challenges of life. It's heartbreaking to see comments that express equal sense of being judged and criticized when they see criticisms of LX as a character.

I don't want to start a debate, but to address your point.
1. He did not ask for her permission, but he stopped himself before kissing her lips. Then he apologized for his actions immediately the second day. --> The context for his actions is that he barely escaped from the blackhole, exhausted, and finally finding a glimpse of light and rest seeing JJ, and he kissed her on a moment of impulse. However, he clearly respected her as he stopped himself before kissing her on the lips.

2. There is a term in Chinese 青梅竹马 that actually more appropriately describes LX and JJ's relationship as boy/girl who grew up together. (Similar relationships found in Reply 1997 and 1988 if you're into K-dramas). The terms "gege" and "meimei" for brother and sister are used interchangeably to describe non-sibling relationships between an older boy and younger girl, and there is no expectation that they are actually siblings. It's more of an expression for how close they are. You can tell this from the neighbors' attitude when they grew up, when they suggested to Li Ba that they should pick one of the brothers to be his son-in-law.

3. While she refrained from his physical touches when they first came back, it was not a rejection of him as a person, but rather from still being upset that they left for so many years. This is evident from how she's always hanging on to him and even jumping on him, which is absent from her behavior with ZQ. She also grabbed his hands readily when she was scared he was return to Singapore. An interview with the actress explained that while her brain didn't catch on in time, her body and emotions were already reacting in a way indicative of her attraction to LX.