I was not planning on trying this drama even though I am a fan of Wu Lei because I usually don't watch romance dramas with older girl-younger guy storylines. However, I eventually still gave it a try and the first episode already grabbed my attention. After that, every episode seemed to fly by since the storyline felt pretty fast-paced and ended before I knew it. It did feel a bit slow sometimes but it picked up again soon. It wasn't a rom-com as I thought- but instead, a serious drama about sports with a touch of romance and comedic relief when needed. After watching more than half of the drama, I really felt what others were saying- that the drama felt a bit long towards the end; specifically the last 8 episodes. The drama could have totally done fine and even better with only 32 or even 30 episodes total. The arcs in the last couple of episodes felt very stretched out and unnecessary- like it was there just to increase the episode count. I didn't feel the need to skip during the earlier episodes but I kept skipping near the end because the scenes were boring especially when it wasn't about San Chuan or You An.

The thing I found the most enjoyable was how the characters were written. The characters are quite lovable, specifically Song San Chuan. I really admire his persistence and determination in training and practicing for whatever the sport is- badminton or tennis. I wish I could be as hardworking as him. Wu Lei did an amazing job in bringing San Chuan to life, particularly making the sports scenes look very realistic as well as his physical body fitness aspect. I also found Liang You An quite interesting and I could understand her struggles and mindset as an older woman with a younger love interest. I eventually grew to like their cute scenes together, although some felt a bit cringe but sweet too. There were way more cute scenes than cringe ones though :)) I couldn't help grinning like a fool in so many of them. I thought San Chuan was really natural at pursuing Liang You An and I wish there was a San Chuan in real life because that would be great even if he was 10 years younger. If Liang You An wasn't played by Zhou Yu Tong, I would have had a harder time getting into their CP. Wu Lei was good at bringing the youthfulness of San Chuan because he is actually the character's age in real life. I hope he can play more youthful characters like this because it really matches him and he excels in it too. I also loved the chemistry between San Chuan and the other 3 tennis team members- it made me feel warm just watching that friendship. However, I did feel that the friendship wasn't built as thoroughly and it felt a bit boring sometimes. My favorite would have to be San Chun's relationship with An Cong is very cute and funny too- just the right amount of comedy relief. A better touch would have been to show more of Luo Nian and the coach's love line because they had good chemistry and it was a shame they didn't show more of them.

Also, as someone who doesn't enjoy watching any sports or playing any sports in real life, the tennis and badminton scenes were actually fun to watch and quite thrilling. I even got to learn more about what tennis and badminton are like, which was nice. It also helped that the director filmed the tennis and badminton sequences from very cool angles so it felt very entertaining to watch those scenes. I also thought that the different struggles shown in the drama did a great job of demonstrating the mindset and setbacks that athletes go through in real life- though I am not one myself. It made me in awe of athletes and the effort they put into training. Despite the seriousness of the athlete's life, the drama balances it out well with the other supporting characters and comedic relief. Trying this drama really got me to drop my bias toward these sports dramas because it was more fun than I thought. I might be going back to look for other sports dramas like this. A plus is the OST was nice too. My Favorite is Rainie Yang's one because the lyrics are perfect for the drama <3

Another great aspect the drama included was the older women's struggle in society as they work in their careers. I feel like Zhou Yu Tong did great at showing what kind of bias society has towards older women and there were great moments where the drama actually called out certain societal beliefs. Dramas that touch on these topics feel especially more relatable as a woman myself who faces those issues in real life. I also found that Liang You An's working scenes felt real and not like just a plot device to pass some time- those scenes actually felt like her actual work as an executive assistant. I especially felt that this drama did great at showing the mindset of an older woman who is being pursued by a younger guy. They showed a realistic thought process of a woman considering a younger partner. I can't imagine a different actress playing You An.

However, I feel like this drama would have been just as fun without the romance aspect. It could have just been focused on San Chuan's athletic journey and growth and been just as good as a drama. However, I didn't find the romance too bothersome since it did not take up much screen time. Overall, this drama is a great mix of romance and sport with a great touch on the realistic struggles of modern-day women and athletes. I am really glad I put away my bias toward this type of drama and gave it a try in the end because it was a fun ride during those 38 episodes!