their romance slowly gets build throughout the novel. one thing for sure is that HY always admire and look up…
post marriage life: they have a daughter together...fast forward, the daughter is 3-4 years old when they brought her back to the city where they played a married couple on a mission. FL named their daughter yao and paired with the last name is Xiao Yao (same sounding as carefree).
ML is more of the role of the mom as a parent. He takes initiative in raising their daughter (like feeding, bathing and putting her to bed, make arrangements of what she needs). FL is sort of a clueless mother because she doesn't have an example of a mother/daughter relationship with her mom (in her past and current lives) and she was raised as a boy instead of a girl. so FL sometimes rough play w/ the daughter and ML will come in and give FL a look. the description is pretty funny/cute at the same time.
Due to FL's upbringing of never experiencing a normal girl's childhood, ML make a lot of effort to make sure and insure that FL is not left out. So whatever ML buys (like candies, toys etc) for XY, he make sure to always buy 2 of the same thing...one for daughter and one for wife. This is his way of making up FL's lost childhood experience.
The 2nd ML Chu Zhao is in love with the FL, so there was some jealousy scenes from the ML. One of my fav scene…
3. out in the open after their engagement was granted by the king, FL returned home and continued to collect evidence and investigate her past life's murder. ML beat her to it and obtained an eye witness (the concubine's milk maid) and from her, he was able to connect the present HY to the past HY/Fei Hung General, his classmate and Xu JiHeng (HY's past life's husband)' wife. ML tested FL out and draw her to use the swordsmanship out (which ML taught her when they were in school). after confirming FL was the HY he knew back then, he finally able to put all his questions aside. He had doubts that FL was using him and hiding secrets up to that point. FL on the other hand thought ML would hate her for her lies and threw out the whole, it's ok if you don't want to marry you...i will request for the king to disolved our marriage so you could marry the woman you love...we could go back to being comrades. ...all this time FL was explaining herself and mumbling on about everything. ML for some reason thought FL do not want to be with him and ask her straight out if she like him for real or was using him to accomplish her revenge. Once FL say that's not it and told him this:
I loved you in my past life and i love you even more in this life... at that point, ML embraced her and apologize to FL b/c he missed out on her twice and this will never happen again. 1st time as classmate HY 2nd time as blind Mrs. Xu
even so, FL is not confident and keep bringing up I lied to you twice...the past life and also this life i was married before i...
FL do not have the confidence that anyone could love her due to her past life of what she experienced slim to non family ties, love, care and true hearts.
ML assured FL that it doesn't matter, in his eyes, she is just a lady (little girl/chinese saying of a young miss)...and so what about Fei Hung General, i am here for He Yan.
It depends on how you look at it, because Haejoon loves her like a sister and to be part of the family or to be…
think of the 3 having a very close childhood bond together in a convenient household 2 male adults trying to make it work to make sure the kids could grow up healthy. i'm sure in all cultures, you refer to your elders in a respectful way by addressing them like older brother or older ________, it doesn't mean the exact relationship that is throwing other viewers off.
It depends on how you look at it, because Haejoon loves her like a sister and to be part of the family or to be…
SML's feeling for FL and her dad are gratitude and love. They grew up with a sibling bond but no legal or blood ties or status. SML knows it's impossible/no legal holding to be adopted into the family...so the only options that went off in his head is marrying FL. He is also confident that he will provide FL the very best and take care of 'their' father together. He is also not too keen on a stranger taking the role of a son in law (what if he's a bastard? what if he mistreats FL? what if he doesn't want to live w/ father? what if they move far away?) He worries about all of that for this family. His thinking is simple but never thorough. So his actions are more like a way to repay the family out of gratitude.
I really hope it doesn’t turn into a love triangle. Not every step/adopted/foster sibling or friend relationships…
FYI step siblings are if the parents are married to each other with kids from another marriage. this is not the dynamic in this drama or the Go Ahead version. They are just kids that grew up with a tight bond and makeshift connection they see as 'family'.
The FL and her dad live downstairs in an apartment with the SML who was taken in as a part of their family as…
As children FL adores/admires ML like a crush. FL is annoyed and bothered by SML as a brother figure or someone that may take away his father's attention away. FL acts and bickers like siblings throughout their childhood. FL is against the father for remarrying for fear that they will take her father's love/attention away from her. For the longest time, FL gave SML a hard time as children with that thought in her head.
FL and ML are 'god siblings'. in Go Ahead, ML saved FL from being kidnapped. FL's dad was so grateful for ML that he suggested for the two to become god siblings so that FL will have someone to care and look after her and for FL to repay ML back being a sister figure (respect, love and care) to ML. ML's dad also like the idea and was like 'I could be your godfather!'. This is why FL addresses ML' as Ling Ba (Father Ling) and not Uncle (which is the correct term to address their non relationship) and ML addresses FL's dad as Li Ba. ZiQiu also follows suit b/c he sees himself as part of the Li family and address Ling Ba the same term. But for ML, he never calls him big brother. He sees ML as competition for the Li's family adoration/love.
in the china version. the second brother was never officially adopted into the family. he is considered a foster…
from the beginning to the last chapter of the drama, ZiQiu was raised by jian jian's father and grew up under his care.
he is a foster child. if it's a legal adoption, he would be under the family registry which he is not. he can't be adopted b/c the mom and dad left, not because they sign off on adoption papers or left him at an orphanage. the mom, for obvious reason left and not heard of. the dad remarried and only came back when he needed an heir to his name later on. Jian jian's father could not bear to leave him with his mother's side of the family bc he will grow up with limited means (farming, no school, field work). he can't bear to see this child grow up like that and took him in on his own accord. the father unconditionally raise him. the father has a very good heart.
ZiQiu call him 'ba' under the impression that his mom will marry jian jian's father. when he called out ba, it struck a chord w/ JJ's father at the time. JJ's father is the first father figure ZiQui was introduced to since his biological father left him when he was a baby and he was raised by a single mother.
because of that, his goal when he grows up is to give everything he has back to this family that loved and gave him a home. this is also the reason why he has a strong desire to date/marry jian jian so he could have a legal tie to the family.
in the end, they are legally register as a family when ZiQiu's mom married Jianjian's dad, officially making them a family by law/marriage on the last chapter of the drama.
I’m loving the sibling/bestie vibes, sucks that it’ll turn romantic…
in the china version. the second brother was never officially adopted into the family. he is considered a foster child. since he was never adopted legally into the family, he wanted to belong and be part of this family that loves him unconditionally. he just thinks that marrying the FL will be the easier legal route into being a part of the family. he is confident he will take good care of FL and father better than a stranger. he did it in that pretense thinking, not because he loves her romantically. he makes a big effort to always be included in everything the oldest boy and the FL do. he do not want to be excluded, abandoned, left behind...these are his 'demons' psychological conflicts growing up. 2nd brother's story arc is never about romance, rather, more about belonging and yearning of a real legal family status.
China's Go Ahead is one of my favorite drama about family, romance and coming of age drama. I am not a big of the FL in China's version but still enjoyed watching the drama and all the characters' storylines.
The title "Go Ahead" doesn't make sense for the drama storyline/plot though. Even so, for folks who watch the Korean version for the first time, please watch the the OG series. It's very well made and some of the scenes made me super teary.
Does anyone else notice that in this version, as opposed to the C-Drama original, that the two boys have a closer…
FL is the boy's common factor...their personalities are opposite which is why they can't stand each other.
c drama version: the boys were not close b/c there's a competition among them...actually more of the second brother's need to be needed and value by the sister and her dad. the older brother is more of the sane mature mind and always think about the whole picture. the second brother is more of an hot head/on the whim/enabler and usually let the sister do what she wants. the boys are more like bickering brothers in terms of closeness b/c they are always at odds at everything. however, they are family and they care for each other like blood family.
FL calls the shots when it comes to the 2nd brother but listens when it comes to the 1st brother.
as for love, the 1st brother always like the FL. 2nd brother only wanted to belong/to be part of their real family (in c drama, blood/marriage family is registered under one household registry legally) so naturally he wants to be with the FL thinking it's romance. their desires are different.
The 2nd ML Chu Zhao is in love with the FL, so there was some jealousy scenes from the ML. One of my fav scene…
HY made XJ a fragrant satchel for some kind of holiday celebration. The satchel is a double face/2 layer satchel with embroidery on the outside and inside. XJ's sister in law made the outer layer and gave it to HY to hand over to XJ when HY sees him. Before delivering the satchel, HY flip it inside out and sew a moon (a very ugly moon/handcraft skills according to XJ when he first saw it). It's her secret confession and a way to convey her feelings for him (like he will carry this satchel/thought with him always).
XJ uses the satchel to hold emergency medicines and always carry it with him for that reason. He accidentally use the medicine and discovered the 2 layer satchel. He can't for the life of him figured out what the sewing was. He knew it was HY's work b/c no one at his manor would ever sew something so poor. His secret spy/guard's son was the one that pointed out it's a beautiful moon and that whoever made this satchel is an excellent seamstress (LOL). He then realized what HY told him (one of 5 confessions/secrets when they were on a mission as a married couple) and he's her moon.
XJ's confession to the world (actually, at the celebration dinner at court) XJ came in at a pivotal moment in court (when HY's identity as faux Mulan came to light) and told everyone that the king knows of HY's identity as a girl this whole time. XJ confessed and told everyone: (HY is) the scenery I see (or scenery in my eye), what my heart wants, the one i love. The king seeing that XJ's confession for HY decided to bestow marriage upon the 2. At the time, HY thought XJ did this to save her life, not for love.
After the dinner is over and they left the court, riding in the carriage: XJ gave HY his jade (one of 2 jades, a family heirloom. His jade is black. His older brother's jade is white. The double jades were gifts from the queen . The older brother gave his white jade to his wife as a love token). HY was confused at first but thought XJ did that to make their union more believable. XJ then asked HY, "Do you like the moon? HY replied, "Yes..." XH then said, "...then the moon now belongs to you."
Can someone please give me some good spoilers on FL/ML's fluttery moments in the novel? I can't find the time…
their romance slowly gets build throughout the novel. one thing for sure is that HY always admire and look up to XJ.
plot breakdown....
He Yan as the first life in the novel: They are about the same age in her first life. XJ secretly did a lot of things to help HY in school. They were classmates and then became friends. Their circle consist of: XJ, Lin Xuang He (which will not be included in the drama version), Yin He, and another guy (can't remember the name b/c he had a falling out w/ the group after the school years). They bonded during that time and shared mini adventures together before HY run off and enlist in the army to make a name for herself (granted the title Fei Hung General when she returned victoriously). He Yan achieved all this at the age of 16. XJ also have his own story arc. His dad/also a general died/lost in battle but he was framed and betrayed. His mother is related to the queen (cousin or something) and killed herself after she learned of the death. B/c of the queen's good words and relations to the Xiao family, the king didn't punish the family too harshly, but they lost the rights to the army force. XJ took over his father's mantle and request for the king to grant him a chance to make amends and restore the family's honor. He fought a name for himself and also able to quell an invasion. His achievements won him the title Fung Yun General, granted by the king. He uses his new title/status to secretly investigate his father's death and the demise of the army for that battle. These two basically stand side by side and gain recognition at the same time.
XJ met HY again when she swap her identity back as the daughter of the He Family after she came back from the army with achievements and titles. At that time, she's married and got poisoned/lost her sight (by her brother and husband). XJ came across a very hopeless blind HY who wanted to kill herself by hanging on the tree. XJ basically give her words of encouragement and to live her life as the best blind person no matter the circumstance...which she did.
HY was killed by the cooperation of her older brother, the fake Fei Hung General and her husband (Xie) and the husband's mistress He (different last name) WanYu to forever hide the fact that the siblings switch places and He Ru Fei is not the real general.
He Yan as the second life in the novel. HY woke up in the body of He Yan (same name as hers) after she was killed. She took over the body of He Yan...who is 15 years old at the time. This is fast forward a year later. Due to an incident, she ran off to enlist the army and decided to slowly work from scratch to get back what she had in the previous life.
Base on the description so far, this drama seems to follow closely to the novel's storyline! The novel storyline is very good as well...I hope they stay faithful to the novel's major plots and climax. The casting is awesome and I could see the actors/actresses playing the parts well.
they have a daughter together...fast forward, the daughter is 3-4 years old when they brought her back to the city where they played a married couple on a mission. FL named their daughter yao and paired with the last name is Xiao Yao (same sounding as carefree).
ML is more of the role of the mom as a parent. He takes initiative in raising their daughter (like feeding, bathing and putting her to bed, make arrangements of what she needs). FL is sort of a clueless mother because she doesn't have an example of a mother/daughter relationship with her mom (in her past and current lives) and she was raised as a boy instead of a girl. so FL sometimes rough play w/ the daughter and ML will come in and give FL a look. the description is pretty funny/cute at the same time.
Due to FL's upbringing of never experiencing a normal girl's childhood, ML make a lot of effort to make sure and insure that FL is not left out. So whatever ML buys (like candies, toys etc) for XY, he make sure to always buy 2 of the same thing...one for daughter and one for wife. This is his way of making up FL's lost childhood experience.
after their engagement was granted by the king, FL returned home and continued to collect evidence and investigate her past life's murder.
ML beat her to it and obtained an eye witness (the concubine's milk maid) and from her, he was able to connect the present HY to the past HY/Fei Hung General, his classmate and Xu JiHeng (HY's past life's husband)' wife.
ML tested FL out and draw her to use the swordsmanship out (which ML taught her when they were in school). after confirming FL was the HY he knew back then, he finally able to put all his questions aside. He had doubts that FL was using him and hiding secrets up to that point. FL on the other hand thought ML would hate her for her lies and threw out the whole, it's ok if you don't want to marry you...i will request for the king to disolved our marriage so you could marry the woman you love...we could go back to being comrades. ...all this time FL was explaining herself and mumbling on about everything. ML for some reason thought FL do not want to be with him and ask her straight out if she like him for real or was using him to accomplish her revenge. Once FL say that's not it and told him this:
I loved you in my past life and i love you even more in this life...
at that point, ML embraced her and apologize to FL b/c he missed out on her twice and this will never happen again.
1st time as classmate HY
2nd time as blind Mrs. Xu
even so, FL is not confident and keep bringing up
I lied to you twice...the past life and also this life
i was married before
i...
FL do not have the confidence that anyone could love her due to her past life of what she experienced slim to non family ties, love, care and true hearts.
ML assured FL that it doesn't matter, in his eyes, she is just a lady (little girl/chinese saying of a young miss)...and so what about Fei Hung General, i am here for He Yan.
FL and ML are 'god siblings'. in Go Ahead, ML saved FL from being kidnapped. FL's dad was so grateful for ML that he suggested for the two to become god siblings so that FL will have someone to care and look after her and for FL to repay ML back being a sister figure (respect, love and care) to ML. ML's dad also like the idea and was like 'I could be your godfather!'. This is why FL addresses ML' as Ling Ba (Father Ling) and not Uncle (which is the correct term to address their non relationship) and ML addresses FL's dad as Li Ba.
ZiQiu also follows suit b/c he sees himself as part of the Li family and address Ling Ba the same term. But for ML, he never calls him big brother. He sees ML as competition for the Li's family adoration/love.
he is a foster child. if it's a legal adoption, he would be under the family registry which he is not. he can't be adopted b/c the mom and dad left, not because they sign off on adoption papers or left him at an orphanage. the mom, for obvious reason left and not heard of. the dad remarried and only came back when he needed an heir to his name later on.
Jian jian's father could not bear to leave him with his mother's side of the family bc he will grow up with limited means (farming, no school, field work). he can't bear to see this child grow up like that and took him in on his own accord. the father unconditionally raise him. the father has a very good heart.
ZiQiu call him 'ba' under the impression that his mom will marry jian jian's father. when he called out ba, it struck a chord w/ JJ's father at the time. JJ's father is the first father figure ZiQui was introduced to since his biological father left him when he was a baby and he was raised by a single mother.
because of that, his goal when he grows up is to give everything he has back to this family that loved and gave him a home.
this is also the reason why he has a strong desire to date/marry jian jian so he could have a legal tie to the family.
in the end, they are legally register as a family when ZiQiu's mom married Jianjian's dad, officially making them a family by law/marriage on the last chapter of the drama.
The title "Go Ahead" doesn't make sense for the drama storyline/plot though. Even so, for folks who watch the Korean version for the first time, please watch the the OG series. It's very well made and some of the scenes made me super teary.
c drama version: the boys were not close b/c there's a competition among them...actually more of the second brother's need to be needed and value by the sister and her dad. the older brother is more of the sane mature mind and always think about the whole picture. the second brother is more of an hot head/on the whim/enabler and usually let the sister do what she wants. the boys are more like bickering brothers in terms of closeness b/c they are always at odds at everything. however, they are family and they care for each other like blood family.
FL calls the shots when it comes to the 2nd brother but listens when it comes to the 1st brother.
as for love, the 1st brother always like the FL. 2nd brother only wanted to belong/to be part of their real family (in c drama, blood/marriage family is registered under one household registry legally) so naturally he wants to be with the FL thinking it's romance. their desires are different.
XJ uses the satchel to hold emergency medicines and always carry it with him for that reason. He accidentally use the medicine and discovered the 2 layer satchel. He can't for the life of him figured out what the sewing was. He knew it was HY's work b/c no one at his manor would ever sew something so poor. His secret spy/guard's son was the one that pointed out it's a beautiful moon and that whoever made this satchel is an excellent seamstress (LOL). He then realized what HY told him (one of 5 confessions/secrets when they were on a mission as a married couple) and he's her moon.
XJ's confession to the world (actually, at the celebration dinner at court)
XJ came in at a pivotal moment in court (when HY's identity as faux Mulan came to light) and told everyone that the king knows of HY's identity as a girl this whole time.
XJ confessed and told everyone: (HY is) the scenery I see (or scenery in my eye), what my heart wants, the one i love.
The king seeing that XJ's confession for HY decided to bestow marriage upon the 2. At the time, HY thought XJ did this to save her life, not for love.
After the dinner is over and they left the court, riding in the carriage:
XJ gave HY his jade (one of 2 jades, a family heirloom. His jade is black. His older brother's jade is white. The double jades were gifts from the queen . The older brother gave his white jade to his wife as a love token). HY was confused at first but thought XJ did that to make their union more believable.
XJ then asked HY, "Do you like the moon?
HY replied, "Yes..."
XH then said, "...then the moon now belongs to you."
<3
plot breakdown....
He Yan as the first life in the novel:
They are about the same age in her first life.
XJ secretly did a lot of things to help HY in school. They were classmates and then became friends. Their circle consist of: XJ, Lin Xuang He (which will not be included in the drama version), Yin He, and another guy (can't remember the name b/c he had a falling out w/ the group after the school years). They bonded during that time and shared mini adventures together before HY run off and enlist in the army to make a name for herself (granted the title Fei Hung General when she returned victoriously). He Yan achieved all this at the age of 16.
XJ also have his own story arc. His dad/also a general died/lost in battle but he was framed and betrayed. His mother is related to the queen (cousin or something) and killed herself after she learned of the death. B/c of the queen's good words and relations to the Xiao family, the king didn't punish the family too harshly, but they lost the rights to the army force. XJ took over his father's mantle and request for the king to grant him a chance to make amends and restore the family's honor. He fought a name for himself and also able to quell an invasion. His achievements won him the title Fung Yun General, granted by the king. He uses his new title/status to secretly investigate his father's death and the demise of the army for that battle.
These two basically stand side by side and gain recognition at the same time.
XJ met HY again when she swap her identity back as the daughter of the He Family after she came back from the army with achievements and titles. At that time, she's married and got poisoned/lost her sight (by her brother and husband). XJ came across a very hopeless blind HY who wanted to kill herself by hanging on the tree. XJ basically give her words of encouragement and to live her life as the best blind person no matter the circumstance...which she did.
HY was killed by the cooperation of her older brother, the fake Fei Hung General and her husband (Xie) and the husband's mistress He (different last name) WanYu to forever hide the fact that the siblings switch places and He Ru Fei is not the real general.
He Yan as the second life in the novel.
HY woke up in the body of He Yan (same name as hers) after she was killed. She took over the body of He Yan...who is 15 years old at the time. This is fast forward a year later.
Due to an incident, she ran off to enlist the army and decided to slowly work from scratch to get back what she had in the previous life.