absurd

Chinese new year is on February the 1st this year. There are no Spring festival galas today

Yes, there is a big chunk of relationship development missing in the middle of the drama for basically everyone, that we'll just have to use our imagination for. And about that last show down, I totally agree with you, it looked like they took out all of their frustrations with each other in that fight. Maybe that was what they needed to finally become friends LOL

I agree, their friendship was a little underdeveloped and seemed more like rivalry. Especially in the beginning, where everyone constantly said "but aren't you friends?", and I kind of didn't really see how they could be. To me it was more, that they were friend-ly, but similar to how you can be friendly with your class mates, most of whom you will never see again after graduation. Lin Beihai (they guy who lost his leg and kind of disappeared after that) seemed to be more of a friend to Gu Yiye, but they didn't give him a lot of screen time.
With GL... have you finished the drama? I don't want to spoil. I think later on, when the whole JNZ situation has been resolved and as they got older, they became friends. But it seemed like it took a lot of time for that to happen. And they were still somewhat at each others throats by the end there

He won't get away from her! Lol

Them continuing with the drill because they wanted to see how it will pan out, I get, maybe. Maybe they should have made it a more controlled environment. The mess that it ended up being... whatever. The army in this drama is a mess. Maybe that's why CCTV ended up giving it away to another channel.

I'm just chalking it up to adrenalin. It's a very consistent two day adrenalin, but you know, artistic license LOL

What bugs me is why did they do it? For all that there are a lot of instances where they push GL forward and praise him, why not just write him as a person that everyone is talking about? It's like they wanted people to dislike Gao Liang. And in contrast, Gu Yiye is written very well actually. For all that I don't like his decision to sacrifice his life to take care of A Xiu, it's very much in character. He's consistent and his actions are always in line with any praise that he's given. For the life of me, I can't understand what they were trying to to with Gao Liang. His story is written as lead story, but his character is like an annoying SML, that everyone wants to just go away, please.

Well, they are now (as of ep 40). But yes, he did actually push it for like 10-12 years.

She just creeped me out with all that marriage talk. I mean, yes, he was leading her on for more than 10 years before finally proposing, but it just looked like after his trauma she went a little mentally unstable, the creepy bride.
I could not for the life of me take them seriously with that drill. Letting the exercise go on to see how it will pan out... ok. There was no real combat for years, they wanted to give them some harsh experiences. But it's like everyone in the blue team just forgot that they are fighting their brothers in arms and not an actual enemy. The kid jumping in the water and almost killing himself, because GL told him to protect the flag was probably at the top most ridiculous things in this drama, and it has GL as a lead. Don't soldiers get psych evaluation before joining the army? That jumping guy needs to go home and take his medicine, that is not a normal thing for the healthy person to do.
GL literally told his second in command, at one point, to go "solve the provisions problem", when he brought it up to him. Yeah, just go to the nearest supermarket dude, why are you bothering your commanding officer with this?

And the marriage obsession, lol. Don't get me wrong, GL dragging it out for more than 10 years is also something I can't really understand, but JNZ marriage craze was kinda creepy

The last episode was actually pretty good. They wrapped up well. Overall this was a lot less plot driven, than what I expected in the beginning. More of a character driven slice of life. For all the inconsistencies and, sometimes, ridiculousness, I will still give this drama an 8 because it made me very invested in it's characters, to the point where I cried for several episodes. It's not amazing, but there are a lot of good parts that make it worth watching.

It's all very confusing in the end there. GL's victory or a draw(?) seems like bs, but I think they made everything so messy on purpose, because they couldn't find a reasonable way for GL to win.
The one on one fight was also just... no words. I mean, GL was limping afterwards, while GYY was walking straight, but GL is the winner? How.

Gu Yiye's team is red though. So according to the observation they won then

They butchered everyone, imo. I liked JNZ and they turned her into this typical whiny FL, dreaming about marriage. GL was annoying, then actually started to grow on me, but this constant forced narrative that he's some kind of tactical genius just makes me angry and it's not actually supported by anything, but "bla bla bla, don't you see how great he is?". And then they do actually show GYY as a tactical genius, but make him loose over something dumb. Every. Damn. Time.

I would also like add that Niu Mancang is an ungrateful drama queen. No explanation, I just never liked him

I am disappointed. This drama really took a turn for the worse after about episode 30.
JNZ's obsession with marriage is creepy. The wedding dress in the hospital was beyond weird. Then, when she and GYY were discussing how to help GL and she said "we need to get married", I almost spit out my tea. Is it her solution to everything? The guy was dying, what was marriage going to solve? Make him feel guilty that he's making her an on paper widow? And then her going to the island... why? They were all acting like it's a real battle. It's an exercise! What was she bawling about? Why was she allowed to go to the island? Why did she even go? Kindergarten.
The whole military exercise was soooo melodramatic. People having breakdowns, crying, that guy jumping into the water and almost drowning. Why? Is he an idiot?
SJS trying to liberate red army soldiers is cheating, imo. Whatever they say, hostages or not hostages. They were getting reports about the situation! He was not a part of the exercise! He was an observer and had no right to involve himself.
And GL winning? I don't dislike GL or find him as annoying as I did at some point, but that was a load of BS. GYY destroyed all of their defenses seamlessly and suddenly could not land an attack on the island for several times? And then blue army almost won, because they... what exactly? Destroyed some kind of commanding post? And? Reds still had more soldiers and ammunition, the island was taken! If they wanted it to be a draw so badly, they should have made it more even from the start. But they always do it, they show GYY as a superior strategist and fighter... and then GL wins. Just call him Rambo and be done with it, why don't you.

And most of all... what is the actual culmination here? GL and JNZ getting married? I'm sorry did I miss the part where this is a romantic comedy? I guess we can call it a slice of life with the military as backdrop, but... idk, the plot direction after the time skip just makes no sense. It's just random events without any common storyline. It's like I'm watching a sitcom.

He's probably prepared everything for the wedding and waiting for her. At last that's the only thing that would make sense. It's still dumb, but... whatever

Ok. I am confused. Did I miss how much time has passed? Why Xiaofei is already 18?
Gao Liang's letter though... my guess is that it's a tasteless joke.

Ok. I call BS. The difference in numbers, is one thing. Small army can win against the bigger one with tactics. BUT THEY HAD NO AMMUNITION! How the f? This "Rambo" victory is a load of bs.

If they still can't pass censorship... I'm afraid the poor drama will be mutilated by the time the review board is through with them.