The involved steps to make latex balloons - a simple tool to express love

This episode starts out with the bf interested in purchasing balloons from a street vendor. The narrator continues into a detailed explanation on the involved process of making balloons. Plot wise, we see a turning point for our fl she she gets sick and cannot attend an important meeting at work. The true colors and aspirations of her boss is revealed. Her bar friends express their love for her by coming over and “taking” care of her. It’s pretty humorous. There are some heartfelt moments between her and the ml as he cares for her. When she returns to work, she is told that she will need to meet with the chairman and answer his questions from the meeting while she was sick. While researching the answers, she finds a better idea than her original and want to update her plan. Her boss says no because she she’s fearful it wouldn’t be received well. She not interested in success of the project, only approval from the chairman. At the meeting, the fl must decide. Episode ends with her having dinner with her bar friends at her place. Her BF, who thinks she might me still interested in him, comes over with the balloons we see at the beginning. As he tries to reach her by phone, he sees the ML and mistook him to be her new bf. He decides to release the balloons and leave. She comes to the window to see what the ML is looking at, he points to the balloons - ‘a guy released it’, a ‘a confession of love’. Everyone looks at the balloons as it floats away… I feel like I need to rewatch this ep to understand better the message behind these balloons. May have missed a lot with the translation. However, it’s still another very well done episode. Here’s to hoping her future will be looking up like the rising balloons.

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Emotion packed

Ep 33 I would summarize this episode’s theme as how dark can man’s heart turn in his quest to obtain his obsession.I also want to comment and marvel at the camera work and use of music/ sounds so effectively. This is one packed episode highlighting so many emotions.@ around 24 min - such a moody, kinda melancholy sense of the conversation between official Liu and his fellow conspirator while fishing.First fishing - an activity that allows you to sit and contemplate.2nd - the rain drops pitter platter onto the pond and the angels of camerawork.We can see that although Liu should be celebrating in his victory, he is not because of his daughter.@ around 28 - we see and feel the complete opposite scenery with Liu Wan and H MZ at the harbor.The sky is clear - not sunny but clearing. There’s water again but the surface is not broken and we see a beautiful reflection of the couple facing each other.We hear tha slow paced music one instrument introduced at a time like the start of spring as plants start to emerge and grow - like the seed of love taking root and growing. Hmz’s expression towards LW has changed and a little smile slowly appears.Then further along we have a very disturbing scene with sounds that will only haunt and leave us in horror.And finally, towards the end where we are brought back to Focus and fear for our main couple.I jus love the details and care the team puts into this drama.

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30-31 oh - QIn Li’s plotting and scheming

30-31 oh - QIn Li’s plotting and schemingQin Yi is scheming and plotting to take advantage of the grain shortage to force LS to him. HMZ (magistrate) travels to Taiyuan in an effort to obtain relief aid for Linfen. We also see WH’s fantastic portrayal of a magistrate at the end of his wits. QM’s eldest bro dies (qL’s doing) and QML struggles to get his fathers approval of LS but he stands up for his 2nd brother.We see Edward Zhang’s fantastic portrayal of a truly evil, sly, cunning, obsessed man (QinLi) and LS, HMZ’s love for the ppl of Linfen. Ep ends with 2nd Qi brother going out to do something daring and dangerous but it sees he does truly love his younger brother QMI.

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30-31 oh - QIn Li’s plotting and scheming

30-31 oh - QIn Li’s plotting and schemingQin Yi is scheming and plotting to take advantage of the grain shortage to force LS to him. HMZ (magistrate) travels to Taiyuan in an effort to obtain relief aid for Linfen. We also see WH’s fantastic portrayal of a magistrate at the end of his wits. QM’s eldest bro dies (qL’s doing) and QML struggles to get his fathers approval of LS but he stands up for his 2nd brother.We see Edward Zhang’s fantastic portrayal of a truly evil, sly, cunning, obsessed man (QinLi) and LS, HMZ’s love for the ppl of Linfen. Ep ends with 2nd Qi brother going out to do something daring and dangerous but it sees he does truly love his younger brother QMI.

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27-29 - more tragedies and a revelation

27-29 - more tragedies and a revelationBestie was murdered. The mingle madam reveals the truth that the culprit is Qin Yi. He and Mr li are the powers behind mingle. He’s the one who does not allow her to be redeemed and wanted her there to tame her spirit. Locusts attack and ppl are short on grain. QML offers military grain to encourage ppl to work together to eliminate the locusts. LS sees QML’s devotion and chilverous spirit and agrees to marry him. Overjoyed, they decided to return to Taiyuan.Qin Li decides to buy out all the granaries and is expecting them to return.Qin Li also reveals to LS his side of his involvement with her parents death trying to antagonize the Qi family (and hopefully break her trust in QML). He is very sly and cunning and dangerous.

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A dead end, hope dashed, and new villains ….

Ep 26 - is so packed and ends with more mysteries….We have the festive lantern festival displaying all the beautiful crafts - candy making, noodle pulling, cakes, puppetry, dragons, drums, lanterns. What a beautiful vibrant scenery with the hope of love in the air.Also, the music and sound e effects are so perfectly timed. At 35 min, moment she mentioned how fleeting the beauty and splendor of the world fades, the fireworks in the sky dies down.That chess match gives us a hint of powerful figures possibly involved in her parents murder. Every word they say and the moves of their chess pieces have meaning behind them. They both took part in the confession of Xu Biao. These two are scary.Then we have the mystery at the end - how can someone who loves 💰so much turn her down? Definitely, someone very powerful in the shadows….

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Ep 21-22 the case involving the cousin, concubine, and scholar

The case involving the cousin, concubine, and scholar. Brings back villains from the temple case at the beginning. The drama does a splendid job slowly revealing each character’s true self and motivations. The truth is never black and white.Bittersweet separation between Fl and SML. He gives up is relationship with her so that she can gain her freedom. Very heartbreaking. SML (He Cheng) is an excellent actor. Great conversations on roles of females, wishes, and dreams.Excellent acting and storytelling. Bittersweet ending to a short lived romance. He peng is an anmazing actor. All the emotions he expresses so well drawing out our sympathy and empathy.

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21-22 The case involving the cousin, concubine, and scholar

The case involving the cousin, concubine, and scholar. Brings back villains from the temple case at the beginning. The drama does a splendid job slowly revealing each character’s true self and motivations. The truth is never black and white.Bittersweet separation between Fl and SML. He gives up is relationship with her so that she can gain her freedom. Very heartbreaking. SML (He Cheng) is an excellent actor. Great conversations on roles of females, wishes, and dreams.Excellent acting and storytelling. Bittersweet ending to a short lived romance. He peng is an anmazing actor. All the emotions he expresses so well drawing out our sympathy and empathy.

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plagiarism

Ep 10 - plagiarism From the end of ep 9, there is an awkwardness because our FL is just not ready to start a new relationship. The ML helps her out by brushing aside so she is relieved to continue bing friends with him. The rest of the ep focuses on her work being plagiarized by the customer who was at the bar from ep 9. With the help of the team an mainly the ML, she exonerates herself. We see her recognizing ML’s fondness of her as well.Everything flows so well and feels very natural, even the awkwardness, reservations, uncertainty of her feelings towards the ML. Yet at the same time, it was interesting and not always predictable how the story unfolds.

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backstory for ML (Shi Ye)

Ep 9 - backstory for ML (Shi Ye)Wonderful pacing and storytelling. Just when we are wondering about that the ML’s past, this episode focuses on Shi Ye. We learn how he was inspired by the FL and that middle school incident which led him to pursuing comedy. We also learn that he has no experience confessing to a girl. Always a cool cucumber except when trying to confess to a girl his feelings! The two of them spending a night at the bar during a rainstorm reveals their interest in each other. This relationship will most likely take a while to develop imo. She is still learning how to assert herself and just broke up with her bf. Until she’s more confident being her true self, I cannot see this relationship blossoming well.We also see some changes in Fl’s life, both in career and comedy, and higher ups are taking notice of her talent and work ethics.

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