vlees

I feel like with ZGD things could work out if they would invested some efforts. But that would require some compromises.
There at least was love included and mutual attraction. I also think that after coming back from France he changed a little bit and realized his mistake (but it was too late). I wasn't really a fan of his but I think people can change (unless they're psychos, just like FXW).

Relationship with FXW felt artificial and fabricated by him from the very beginning. She was in a very vulnerable state and he used it.

I believe it's not going to work for them anymore as they're an example of right person, wrong time.

I have a feeling he's going to end up with the coworker who was into him back then and now will work with him on the new project. She wasn't that independent as Rose, she probably will do everything to follow him, not caring about her own career that much (it was shown during the meeting scene, she's not really that ambitious).

Disclaimer: I believe there can be more than one "right person" in our lives. He was a right person but it doesn't mean Rose lost some kind of love of her life.

If feel like the final conclusion of her story will be about the self love and acceptance, not depending on other people (especially man).

No, you’re definitely not the only one who thinks that!

That’s also my guess!

He's been toxic from the beginning, it's just getting more obvious after he tied her up with marriage and kid.

I agree with you about her first love relationship. They were just not mature enough and didn't really have time to work things out together. Their relationship ended before it could mature and be tested.

Back then, Rose had a stable self esteem, knew how to set boundaries. She would finally make her stand and he would also grew with her.

Additionally, I have a feeling that it's possible he would make a different decision and wouldn't be that stubborn regarding his work if not the meeting with his parents. Unfortunately, his mother made him think that his father is a failure because of his status.

When he comes back to China and visits his father I feel he's finally grown to understand his mistake and that's why he's trying to pursue Rose again. I also think he noticed something's off with her during that dinner and that's why he had a courage to follow her before her wedding.

I would strongly consider leaving this man as soon as I would find out he payed the full price for the apartment. He never cared about her opinion and respected her at all. I am literally allergic to people who are trying to control me, even "for my own good". That's a form of abuse in disguise.

That's a very good analysis, thank you for sharing! From my point of view, all of FXW's issues come from his extremely low self-esteem. I even suspect him of being covert narcissist.

When you look back, he had the toxic tendencies and started acting suspicious from the very beginning. Their meetings and encounters were all planned by him. He lied "for her good". Didn't think about asking about her opinions.

Meeting ZGD was just a final push for him going all about control. He stopped masking that much as he did before.
Then they got married, she got pregnant - now he can stop pretending at all. He's got her. Let's bring the additional control forces and 100% supporter - his mother. Let's isolate her even more - make her leave her job and make her stay with the kid as long as possible. Of course, everything is "for her own good and happiness".

Woah, I didn't even noticed that. This man is a full evil mastermind.

I can't believe I am saying this but I kinda miss the first boyfriend. This one is way worse and dangerous. First one was just egocentric and emotionally dumb. Husband is calculative and cunning.

He's been slowly isolating her for a while now. I found it weird she doesn't really have any new friends in Shanghai.

He was cooking for her so I suppose she had to come home every day to not make him sad. She also had no time because she was helping him with his company, but he's been avoiding letting her getting friendly with his coworkers.

It's all a tactic.

Oh yes, that's what I immediately noticed, too. His mother is extremely toxic and gives him additional support for his toxic mindset.

I think that husband has some characteristics of a covert narcissist.

It's deeply rooted in low self-esteem. He was using his charm to make everyone sure that he's a kind and humble man with poor background (nobody asked, tbh, he just wanted Rose's mother to pity and like him - classic manipulation).

At the beginning he was interested in her because of an upgrade she was adding to his image as this beautiful, talented girl. After meeting her ex, his self-esteem went even lower than before, so now he needs to make her feeling bad about herself to make him feeling better.

Let's go through some classic tactics of a covert narcissist:

1. Love bombing
How he gave her "a princess treatment" from the very beginning is a classic example of love bombing. Manipulation was subtle, but we as an audience know how he staged every situation in their relationship to be perfect.

2. Devaluation
I thought I'm gonna loose it when he implicated that her work gives insignificant income and in the end of the day is not that important. Wow, man. Wow.
"You're overreacting because of hormones" - you have no idea how enraged I was when he said that to her.

3. Gaslighting & control
No comments needed, I think. At this point, he's mastering this method.

4. Financial abuse
He's doing everything to make her fully dependent on him financially. He even said he will buy her shares soon. I doubt she's ever gonna see those money with her eyes. So she will have nothing, except the money he would give her.

6. Lies
His lies are never ending. I was done in the moment he said her boss was happy he resigned on her behalf. You son of a b*tch.

7. Stonewalling
He's dismissing and minimizing her concerns. Refusing to respond to questions. When the topic is getting very uncomfortable for him, his method is to either literally drop the phone, devaluation or change of the topic. Eventually, going for the classic victim method. Conflicts are never really resolved, just dismissed, he just continues to move her boundaries even further.

8. Isolation
Dropping work on her behalf. Insisting on her staying at home. The comment during the video call with her parents, that she shouldn't talk to them right now as she's pregnant and tired. Like, wtf?! Let's add his mother as a 24/7 bodyguard and voila.

I'm so sad for Rose. She became his target the moment he noticed her at uni. Narcissist tend to choose for their victims people who are lonely and depressed.

I suspect that divorce will be messy af and will leave her with even more mental scars. Luckily, her parents, brother and Su Su are wise enough to notice something's not right and will probably help her in an upcoming episodes.

I knew it from the beginning that he’s not a good husband material but oh lord it escalated quickly. As soon as she got pregnant his mask of perfect husband was gone. Let’s add his mother living with them and supporting his toxic behaviors and this is how the end’s beginning looks like. This man has a serious control issues, treats Rose like a thing not a person. He’s so cunning with closing her in this golden cage, just step by step moving the boundaries and being more and more aggressively manipulative. I got an ick the moment he showed up on this drama but now every time he speaks I have an instant trigger reaction.

There is a special place in hell for people who are this kind of manipulative. Making themselves looking so perfect and nice but being all disgusting and rotten inside.

That’s a good news! Let’s see when it’s going to air

Thanks, I was looking for this!

I agree, Scent of Time is very good and underrated in my opinion.

Tomorrow and on Wednesday...

I feel like everybody is so excited that they just forget to tag it

Fingers crossed!