scarfie

The novel has a love story but also business ... I would say 60-40 ... I don't particular like how the drama shows the business side of it ... it makes it look like a cartoon - contrived - so that's probably why you think it's not realistic. It's a little choppy the way he talks business to her too ... The HT in the novel is much older and more serious.
He bought her business partially because he likes her personality but it's also a realistic situation where he wants to get the technology from her company ... it is essential to complete his company's competitive edge.
The drama is not meeting my expectation of the novel in some ways ... Once they change the personality of the characters, then it feels a little contrived.

They are are the same. You are watching a novice techie person who was given money to run the business ... Her technology knowledge is good but her business management is not. And this is whole premise of the story: their mentor-mentee relationship
It's a little fake but that's how most romantic stories are.
She didn't even specify how the options are given. That's why she will have issues later on.

She will grow into a more mature business woman. But eventually, ht assigns another person to run the business when it is absorbed into his company. She will be doing the CTO job instead of CEO job.

What you will get from the novel is why HT likes her ... this is different from the drama. He noticed her goodness and honesty from the beginning when his car hits the bicycle. He likes her for the way she deals people - honest, ethical, etc ... different from ZD who has no ethics.

I don't think the script is dumbing her down. She is portrayed as a technical woman - smart and capable to be trained.

You can watch the preview I added in my review... she will probably end up with Zhizhou

After one-night stand :
https://x.com/search?q=%23AsBeautifulAsYou%20&src=typed_query

Looks like they are going to Germany in ep20-21 preview
https://x.com/TinMulyati1/status/1811427951583576161/video/1
https://x.com/TinMulyati1/status/1811424786549227931/video/1

They became lovers the first time they met ... they just agree to be bf/gf ... on 19

Her current bf has issues that we still don't know until later on. As I said, you can look the preview that I post inside my review to see the story unfolding...

In the book, there was. And lots of it :-). I just hope that the drama doesn't change too much because the 2nd part of the book is when they develop their feelings, breakup, then the 3rd part reunited ... 4th part is when they have kids.
So overall, the novel was very good. I just hope that the drama script is not messing up the story because ultimately, the reason I watch this drama is not because of the actors. It's because of the story.

Hopefully, they will give him a better role as I think in other shows, he is a main lead, although the evil version.

After 20 I think there will be a new direction.... It's just how the novel written. I skipped the first part of the novel too ... But I think you will like after 20 if the direction is the same the novel.

I agree ... but to hire more well-known actors/actresses, they always push to the max. I am guessing that the turning point will be at ep 20... I hope my prediction is true.

Because he remains in her life throughout the book. If you look at 18-19 preview, he's back again in work life.

LLinja wasn't a main character in the novel so I am guessing that his role was expanded during the script for comic relief :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f15Mfr0QNZY
Trailers for 18-19

Unfortunately, for people who like to see the main leads together more, it hasn't been happening enough during the past 17 episodes (I think that could have contributed to the lower rating ... some are dropping the drama due to this). To have a bigger high quality cast, the script has been developing minor characters.

Hopefully, the romance will heat up soon ... looks like they are changing the novel again during 18-9.
But keep in mind, C drama is not like K drama. It's 40 episodes, not 16. And the cast is bigger. To keep them around, they need to be in the drama even though they weren't in the novel.

If you just want to see only the main leads all the time ... this drama is not it SO FAR. As I said, I skipped a lot during the first part of the novel which deals a lot with her business and old life.
But I am hoping that the direction will change soon ... 20 is when probably, you will see some hope of them being together more.

I understand your issue ... really this script tries to include too many couples. And the leads are not having enough time. But they are trying to make 40 eps instead of 16.

Actually, the novel was not like this ... she's going to regret the personal connection later on.

I understand your issue ... Just wait a little bit until 21 ... I think sometimes the script is a little scattered trying to cover too much and not enough of the main leads together. But ep 14 was the turning point.

So funny ... I just saw Lovely Runner Kdrama ... Wow so many people were disappointed if she's not his first and only love, even if they never met in that life.

YEP ! So you can tell that most people watching these dramas are females.... and notice that they also changed the story so that he knows and loves her since college. K drama always have this theme too...

Just found a trailer that has some hints on the romantic relationships ... I just added the link in my review, which is a collection of my thoughts for the drama as I watch ... don't click if you don't want to know who ends up with whom ... I think there are lots of spoilers!

ZD was his convenient relationship even though the drama chose not show it because they changed the story.