themarchioness

Well we can disagree on that one. As far as I can recall it’s told in the same order in the book so it’s not a production problem but a deliberate choice in the storytelling. I think it adds impact - we fully appreciate SY’s sacrifice in holding back as he does. As for her, my heart aches because of how she’s feeling and because we know she doesn’t know the full story. And we can also then anticipate how she’ll feel once she does learn the truth - she will feel wrecked and guilty for what she said. There are so many emotions, I find it beautiful! But I like angst - when it is done well. ;-)

That’s the whole point though. You think she’s overly dramatic because you know his side of the story. As you noted — she doesn’t. So from her perspective she feels she has been trying to find a way for them to be together while he has not. Given that she doesn’t know what he did or what he’s been through that makes her “complaint” valid.

The cousin would’ve revealed the truth but Song Yan stops her. In choosing not to expose what her family has done, I think it’s also a form of protection towards her.

He is in love with her so not only is he protective but defensive against the person he knows is competition. That he is giving off those vibes means the actor is doing his job well! :-)

I'm assuming it's actually a moment of great meaning and honor for them, but for those of us who are unfamiliar with the process it just felt like they were taking everything away from him. But maybe that's how it is in China, that you have to take off all the medals and decorations before moving on versus getting to take them with you. I don't know. For his sake, I'm really hoping it was a meaningful thing to be shared with his colleagues -- even though his departure/retirement resulted from circumstances not of his choosing, it was from a good deed.

Right? I felt the same. It was like do you need to strip him before you send him on his way? But then they gave him a sash. Kinda felt like a consolation prize. ;-P

Hard to say because the drama is already expanding on his character from the book, so I don't know how his character will be incorporated ultimately into the drama.

If the drama were to go strictly by the book, however, he doesn't have an appreciable presence there. Basically, the FL goes out with her mom one day and in the end, her mom takes her to a cafe to meet Jiang Yu. And then it's explained in a brief paragraph that they chatted, texted a few times after, and then naturally things kind of died off. FL then runs into him again at Xiao Yi Xiao's bar and learns that Jiang Yu is friends with XYX and her brother. Because of that their paths cross on a handful of more occasions.

On one of those occasions, he expresses a willingness to marry her even though he's not necessarily in love with her because he needs to get married and she tells him she can't do that because she has to be in love with the person she marries and admits she does have someone she already loves.

In terms of his relationship with the ML, towards the end of the book, ML goes to a different police department to meet with an official there - I'm sure there's a proper name for that office/department, just as there's a proper title for the person he met (I just can't remember them). The gist of that meeting though is that the ML wants to transition up his career ladder as a firefighter and they make plans (for 2-3 years from now). As he leaves that building, he and Jiang Yu walk past each other as Jiang Yu is going into the building.

Later, the FL's brother is preparing to leave the country and so the FL is called to XYX's bar for the gathering. She feels she ought to go to say good-bye to her brother, but is also willing to not attend if the ML doesn't want them to go, but he asks why they wouldn't go and so they do. It's not until that meeting that the ML and Jiang Yu are introduced to each other. Jiang Yu mentions having seen ML at that police building before and ML explains why he'd been there, and Jiang Yu holds out his hand for a handshake saying that in a few years they may be working together and so ML takes his hand.

And then that's pretty much it for Jiang Yu in the book -- as you can see, not a lot of scenes, never a threat to the main couple, and way less interactions with the ML compared to the FL. But again, who knows what changes the drama will make -- we will all find out together! :)

Episode 9 - what the FL says to the female burn victim: that she doesn't have to accept what happened to her or even smile over it, but she can still continue moving forward and one day she'll realize that even those past experiences still remain in a corner [of her memory] they're no longer important because she's already started a new life.

That could also be said of herself and ML. It's like foreshadowing and advice to herself all rolled in one because the experiences that the FL and ML have gone through together and separately, those aren't things either of them will be able to forget (and maybe not even forgive). But they will be able to move past it to be happy together and that's what most important. <3

You are allowed to state the obvious and express your reactions - I acknowledged that. Just as I acknowledged (and agreed) that for where we are in the drama, you made valid observations and have valid reactions to those observations. I was actually trying to give credit to you my reply - because you're absolutely correct, she is depressed and weak at the moment. My point was more that novel readers are not reacting strongly in reply to your types of observations/comments because you seem to recognize this is only the FL's starting point. There is a whole story to unfold (almost 30 more episodes, to be exact).

What novel readers are reacting to are those who are only expressing hatred and disgust towards the FL without recognizing (as they should be from the drama already) that there is more to the story, and/or without giving her the chance to grow and develop.

I have read the book, just going to state that upfront, and certainly those of us who have read the book have a deeper understanding of the FL's character. However, I would also say that even for those who haven't read the book, from what we've seen so far in the drama, it should be clear that - yes, the FL is depressed; yes, she lacks a spine when it comes to her family/mom; and yes, she is oppressed. But it should also be clear (even from without reading the book) that there are reasons for that. The only difference novel readers have compared to people who are only watching the drama is that we already know the reasons for why she is the way she is - and that's because we've read to the end of the book. BUT, as we were reading the book, we also had to wait for information to be shared and it's no different from those who are only watching the drama -- you have to keep watching to see the story unfold.

You seem to recognize that. As you note, you're excited for the FL's character development and that's exactly how it should be, and I think you've picked up on the crucial details already - such as noting how she crunches her fingers as a symptomatic sign. These are all hints that there is more to the FL's story and we should wait patiently for that story to be told to us. Already the drama has shown us how she entered her adoptive family -- with the mom throwing away her stuffed animal just because she found it 'dirty' without any thought or consideration that it might be this little girl's lone source of familiarity and comfort in a time of chaos. And again, that clues viewers in to the fact that she may be entering a family of means, but not necessarily one of love and understanding. It doesn't take reading the novel to see that. We just have to watch the drama! :-)

In any event, I'm just pointing out that I think when novel readers are responding to drama-only watchers, it's in response to those who are writing off the FL as callous, depressed, spineless, etc., without really giving her a proper chance. But in the ordinary course of business, I think your interpretation is exactly what the drama production was expecting and hoping for and I'm glad you are enjoying your experience so far!

How many eps each day depends on the individual day - sometimes there will be 2, sometimes 1. Best to reference the airing calendar to follow: https://kisskh.at/photos/d0O5Ng_3

To add to your point, it's also only the beginning. Character development and growth are what add to the interest of their story - otherwise would what we watch for 40 episodes? ;-)

In order for the adoptive family to provide the FL with counseling, they would have to first recognize that she has a problem. The adoptive father is very warm and kind towards her, but mostly absent due to work and therefore not around to influence things at home. The brother cares for her but is oppressed himself. It's the adoptive mom... as you saw from when they picked her up as a child, this is the same woman who knows the FL has just suffered a huge trauma and lost both her parents, and the first thing she does is throw away her stuffed animal because it's "dirty." Do you think someone like that will recognize the need for counseling?

Imagine growing up in a family where sure, you're given all the material goods and the best education money can afford. You also know these people took you in even though they didn't have to; after all, they're not family. They're just your father's friends. So you know you should be grateful. But they squash your life out of you. That's kind of where the FL is at this point. We should give her time to grow and find herself again with the help of the ML.

Yes, exactly this! People are definitely being harsh on her and also not giving her the space for her character to develop -- which is often the point of any story/drama? Why watch something if everyone starts out perfect? That'd be boring. But the whole point of this story is learning how the leads got to be where they are currently at in their relationship, and how they move forward from here. A huge part of that is unraveling their baggage of the past so that they can build a stronger foundation in the present for their relationship.

Another thing I hope people will remember when they consider the FL, her past, and the choices she made then: she was young, still a dependent, and that affected how she saw the future then and ultimately her decisions. Things are different now. She's an adult. She can stand on her two feet. She still has the baggage of feeling like she ought to be grateful for everything her adoptive family has given her (which despite the oppressive mom is a lot). But the whole beauty of the story is how it's only with the ML that she has ever been able to free and to be herself, and that is why ultimately she will choose him.

It will be different this time. Remember the last time she was still dependent on her parents. Now she’s an adult, can fend for herself. There’s baggage - her adoptive family has given her a lot despite the suppressive adoptive mom - but again, allow the FL’s story to develop and we will see how this time she chooses the ML over her family.

People should be given a chance! They may not start out standing up for themselves but that doesn’t mean that will stay the same throughout the story — there’s a lot of back story to the FL and why it’s hard for her to stand up to her family. Already you’ve seen she was adopted — she owes a lot to them given how her parents died. But imagine knowing you should be grateful, but having a controlling adoptive mom like the one she has, and never really getting to be yourself either. She’s emotionally closed off except for when she’s with the ML. Her time to stand will come, but we have to let the story unfold for us to get there and it’s just the beginning! :-)

Do you know they were removed? With so many episodes still to go, I assumed they were weaving in the high school years/back story slowly as the drama goes. The book does the same.

Sorry, I meant to say the FL’s brother goes abroad!!! I’ll edit my post - thanks. It’s a very happy ending for the main couple.

In the book she was at the police station with the cousin and after much pressure the cousin admits Ye Zi is her supplier. But then she makes a call and then the captain of the police station comes over and says it’s all a misunderstanding and lets them go. Song Yan still makes her sister pay a penalty though. Meanwhile Xu Qin guesses who Ye Zi called and when they leave the station she recognizes the license plate of the car that picks Ye Zi up from the police station. (Her brother sent the car.)

Later in the book, towards the end, Xu Qin’s brother is accused of sexual assault and the woman involved is Ye Zi. She posts about it online and all sorts of information goes flying as you can imagine. In the end, it’s the ML’s cousin who saves the day. Di Miao knows Ye Zi is lying and took pictures to prove it. Originally she didn’t want to say anything because she’s upset at how the Meng family treated her brother way back when (and it was legit terrible) but Song Yan convinces her he’s okay and she should do the right thing. So she does share the evidence - after making Meng Mommy grovel - and Ye Zi is arrested for slandering and framing.

(It goes without saying the cousin never tried to set the ML up on any dates, including with Ye Zi, in the book!)

They changed it in the drama where we see in a flashback how the FL gifts him a lighter with her face on it. She tells him it’s so he’ll remember she doesn’t like him smoking and he agrees to give it up. In the book, she actually started smoking because of him and both continued to smoke in the present. (Just one of the reasons her family disliked him and cemented their feeling that he was from the wrong side of the tracks and leading her astray.)

Yes, that’s exactly right. She was brought into their home as a child after her parents died, but it wasn’t until they were teenagers that her adoptive mom decided to formalize the adoption - and it was to prevent anything from happening between her son and the FL.