Thank you for recommending in comments. I just finished it and really enjoyed it. š
You're welcome, and it's sooooo good, isn't it? I could NOT stop watching. Had to stay up late to finish my work as I spent so much time on Wang Ju An and Su Mo :)
I have a different opinion. I find that the ML character written very well. The ML personality isn't the domineering…
Yep. You can't judge anything on clips. Most of the time, they are taken out of context, or they cut off right at the exact moment when the circumstance in the clip is about to change, or when we learn there is a good reason for the person's behavior :)
I have a different opinion. I find that the ML character written very well. The ML personality isn't the domineering…
That's what I'm hoping for too. Reserving my judgement until then, as that should take us well into the drama's last third and, IMO, about time there is progress between the two.
And I don't mind the ML at all, other than his virgin-y behavior :) as I do think he's watching from the sidelines as someone up above said. Especially as it was never his place to jump in and save her. Not unless they have a strong personal relationship and, so far, at least, they don't..
My frustration is more with the FL and the writing, which seems to be stagnating. Fingers crossed though, it will get better, as I've thoroughly enjoyed it up until Eps 19 and 20. (And mid-way thru Ep 21 right now, and it's a little better).
Sorry for the rant coz I am just annoyed that this could have been easily a mature romance masterpiece I was craving…
Exactly. What's interesting to me too is I loved Zhu Zhu in Why Is He Still Single? (brilliant drama, and had hoped TEoM would have been similar) where she plays a mature single woman who isn't putting up with ANY of the ML's sh*t.
Would have loved it if she had either been the same in this, or at least become that way by now, instead of the insipid and softer than soft way she acts towards everything that happens to her.
And yes, the ML seems to have some serious issues with communication. It's always the same in so many Asian dramas/anime/donghua etc though, isn't it -- I mean, why allow a 1-minute conversation to fix a misunderstanding when you can have 6 months of stupidity instead. ROTFL
Sorry for the rant coz I am just annoyed that this could have been easily a mature romance masterpiece I was craving…
Yep. I kept expecting Miyu to grow exponentially but we're still seeing the doormat behavior and I'm now 20 episodes in. She's better, but still isn't particularly mature, IMO.
I started out loving this and, like you, am getting increasingly exasperated as each new episode drops and becomes draggier (Eps 19 and 20 in particular were dull), as the plot just keeps going round and round in circles, with not much new happening except Miyu getting castigated yet again by another a-hole.
Getting pretty tiresome, IMO. And yep, both the FL and ML are grown adults, he's obviously been in at least one serious relationship, and she was married for a decade, but we're still supposed to believe they are chaste virgins with no experience. Or at least that's the way they are both acting.
And no, the Chinese are no different to westerners when it comes to romance/sex between grown adults.
Will definitely finish it but, unless the writing digs itself out of the swamp it seems to have been sucked into, I think my score will drop quite drastically. Fingers crossed it will.
UPDATE: Eps 21 and 22 much better than eps 19 and 20, IMO.
The MDL rating is pathetically low, so you know this one is one of the best dramas of 2026 :)
And yes, it is.
A perfectly cast group of actors, superb performances from all of them, nicely directed in that Yang zeros in on unusual moments and things (although I expected it as he also directed Swords into Ploughshares and Three-Body), a beautifully written narrative that's quite surprising in places and obvious in others, but that even the obvious then seems unusual, the cinematography is gorgeous -- all sepia, haze and atmosphere -- and it has a unique plot and characters.
Not your typical Chinese romance drama at all, and that's a good thing. Easy 10/10 for me.
And no, it's not for everyone because, if you expect and like more of the same predictability (nothing wrong with that if that's your thing), which the majority of C-dramas are, this one isn't for you. Otherwise, I think you'll like it.
Interestingly, it's earning a 9.3 on WeTV, and an 8.6 on Viki, so their users are obviously not the usual MDL raters :) (It's really no wonder most people don't take MDL ratings seriously though, isn't it?)
I try my best to finish this but I canāt . even though I love the leads .
It's one of the worst C-dramas I've watched, and I've watched thousands.
The problem with it is there is very little plot, and the characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting. If it had been condensed into a 6-episode series, it might have been interesting, but 40 episodes of a plot stretched out so thin it's like gossamer is too dull to bear.
I dropped it at Episode 12. Life is too short and my brain hurt.
LOVED IT. It is a quirky, artsy, quasi-dark, and clever show that incorporates many versions and emotions about…
The problem with the ratings on MDL is a huge percentage of users are immature idol fans who want nothing more than a drama that fits the usual cookie cutter wuxia/romance/xianxia slop. And when it's something different or something that makes them uncomfortable or that they don't understand, it's "bad".
It's why it's always best to ignore MDL ratings - the highest rated dramas are often the usual over-produced, same plot different actors, idol-starring dullness, while the worst rated are often the actual gems.
Itās an East Asian thing, lol. They believe getting cold or wet internally interferes with health. I grew up…
Yep, I know. I lived in Asia for almost two decades. :) It's the same in certain places in Europe too. But, even if it did happen (it doesn't!), it doesn't happen within 10 minutes of getting wet :)
If you're not paying for a subscription, you will see ads. (Not sure if you are or not? :) Otherwise, no, you shouldn't be.
I've watched a fair few dramas on iQIYI with ads as they are the only C-drama site I won't pay for a subscription for (too expensive when half the dramas released on iQIYI in China are NOT released in the west, but instead are on their YouTube channel for an extra fee. Bite me).
Asian fans are scarier than being in the middle of an armed robbery
It's amazing to me that the CCP has put up with Chinese fans' crazy behavior as long as they have. They've destroyed so many actors' lives, yet the CCP (mostly) allows them to continue with their insane behavior.
And yep, you can't blame so many Chinese actors who have been married for years/sometimes decades, yet never release that information, as you can only imagine the lunacy of some of their so-called "fans" if they did.
I really donāt think she cares about the baby. Getting pregnant was just about stealing that jerky husband from…
Isn't it!!. And I recently recommended it to my 87-year-old parents. They watched all 7 seasons (80 episodes) in a week and a half :) My Dad rarely stays awake through even one episode of anything, and he watched all 80 episodes wide-eyed throughout. LOL
1 
I judge after the episode and not before.
And I don't mind the ML at all, other than his virgin-y behavior :) as I do think he's watching from the sidelines as someone up above said. Especially as it was never his place to jump in and save her. Not unless they have a strong personal relationship and, so far, at least, they don't..
My frustration is more with the FL and the writing, which seems to be stagnating. Fingers crossed though, it will get better, as I've thoroughly enjoyed it up until Eps 19 and 20. (And mid-way thru Ep 21 right now, and it's a little better).
Would have loved it if she had either been the same in this, or at least become that way by now, instead of the insipid and softer than soft way she acts towards everything that happens to her.
And yes, the ML seems to have some serious issues with communication. It's always the same in so many Asian dramas/anime/donghua etc though, isn't it -- I mean, why allow a 1-minute conversation to fix a misunderstanding when you can have 6 months of stupidity instead. ROTFL
I started out loving this and, like you, am getting increasingly exasperated as each new episode drops and becomes draggier (Eps 19 and 20 in particular were dull), as the plot just keeps going round and round in circles, with not much new happening except Miyu getting castigated yet again by another a-hole.
Getting pretty tiresome, IMO. And yep, both the FL and ML are grown adults, he's obviously been in at least one serious relationship, and she was married for a decade, but we're still supposed to believe they are chaste virgins with no experience. Or at least that's the way they are both acting.
And no, the Chinese are no different to westerners when it comes to romance/sex between grown adults.
Will definitely finish it but, unless the writing digs itself out of the swamp it seems to have been sucked into, I think my score will drop quite drastically. Fingers crossed it will.
UPDATE: Eps 21 and 22 much better than eps 19 and 20, IMO.
And yes, it is.
A perfectly cast group of actors, superb performances from all of them, nicely directed in that Yang zeros in on unusual moments and things (although I expected it as he also directed Swords into Ploughshares and Three-Body), a beautifully written narrative that's quite surprising in places and obvious in others, but that even the obvious then seems unusual, the cinematography is gorgeous -- all sepia, haze and atmosphere -- and it has a unique plot and characters.
Not your typical Chinese romance drama at all, and that's a good thing. Easy 10/10 for me.
And no, it's not for everyone because, if you expect and like more of the same predictability (nothing wrong with that if that's your thing), which the majority of C-dramas are, this one isn't for you. Otherwise, I think you'll like it.
Interestingly, it's earning a 9.3 on WeTV, and an 8.6 on Viki, so their users are obviously not the usual MDL raters :) (It's really no wonder most people don't take MDL ratings seriously though, isn't it?)
The problem with it is there is very little plot, and the characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting. If it had been condensed into a 6-episode series, it might have been interesting, but 40 episodes of a plot stretched out so thin it's like gossamer is too dull to bear.
I dropped it at Episode 12. Life is too short and my brain hurt.
I've watched thousands of C-dramas over the last 25-plus years, and I would easily place it in my Top 10.
It's why it's always best to ignore MDL ratings - the highest rated dramas are often the usual over-produced, same plot different actors, idol-starring dullness, while the worst rated are often the actual gems.
BTW, cool avatar. Love that donghua :)
I've watched a fair few dramas on iQIYI with ads as they are the only C-drama site I won't pay for a subscription for (too expensive when half the dramas released on iQIYI in China are NOT released in the west, but instead are on their YouTube channel for an extra fee. Bite me).
And yep, you can't blame so many Chinese actors who have been married for years/sometimes decades, yet never release that information, as you can only imagine the lunacy of some of their so-called "fans" if they did.