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I honestly prefer that scenario that it's all just an intentional way to create suspense, or even a marketing strategy to hype up season 2😋
I'm fine with that, I can sacrifice my nerves for the greater good (i.e. release of the second season).

Hmm... to me, as completely enchanted Jiang Tian is by Sheng Wang, I actually have always seen their dynamic as a really equal one (which is what I love about their relationship, I'm always way more into romance that actually has two people having each other's back, lifting each other up etc. instead of just one side taking and taking and taking 😋 but I digress).

One thing was already mentioned in here by others, how it's Sheng Wang who initially pushes more to become friendlier with Jiang Tian. There's also the whole "let's live together" thing, when Sheng Wang understands Jiang Tian's need to have a place he could consider his home and decides to create such a space for him. And that's huuuge. So I never was actually thinking that it's Sheng Wang always being protected by Jiang Tian. And as you said so, yourself in the other comment "he is the one who saves Jiang Tian".

But with all the getting sick, getting drunk, falling etc. I guess I get why it might look like that for some people 😉

Where did you find the those parts of his live, if you don't mind me asking? Do you have a link? I did see LDQ respond to a question about if he'd like to switch parts with Benjamin and play Jiang Tian, but tbh the translation was not the best...
I'm curious what he was saying when it comes to his craft, so I'm interested in his input abt playing Sheng Wang (there was also this part that I think he said he'd like to work with Christopher Nolan and that also peaked my interest bcs I happen to be somewhat of a fan 😊).

I respect your right to dislike the direction or narration of this show, but I have to disagree with you on some points. It didn't just take Sheng Wang 12 episodes to figure out he likes Jiang Tian... They were gradually becoming closer from a starting point where both of them had their own abandonment issues. So this entire "wasted" time was dedicated to show their journey of two lonely, to some extent traumatised individuals allowing themselves to open up and get closer to the other person.

Yes! I agree whole-heartedly (and I used to mention it here on MDL as well)! I know people don't mean anything bad, but it slightly bugs me when I see them talk about Dong Qin's Sheng Wang only in terms of him being a "cute baby" etc.

Of course, don't get me wrong, being a grown man (with a pretty strong build as well, it's not like he looks tiny or sth) and making the audience think of him as "baby girl Wang", "cute baby" etc. is an achievement on its own 😛

But he brings so much more into his character! I've been re-watching the drama and some scenes are still fresh in my mind, so let's just take the moment when he notices Tian's unpacked suitcase, or the moment in ep 11 when Tian is looking for his ticket holder and originally rejects Wang's help with "why should I tell you" remark. The look on Sheng Wang's face when he responds "I thought we were friends" and the mixture of surprise and confusion, to hurt or even slight fear... And don't even get me started on pretty much the entirety of episode 12. He nails every emotion, including really nuances ones, not just a puppy-like pout...

Praises for Benjamin are all very well-deserved and he is fantastic as Jiang Tian, but LDQ as SW is so much more than some people give him credit for.

I join the two other people in convincing you to watch more 😊
Episode 11 is pretty much safe (maybe minus Tian's Very Moment at the end, so I guess u could skip that) and it has a fair amount of really sweet moments.

The first 15-20 minutes of episode 12 are really, really fun. As CallOutMyName mentioned we get to witness his self-discovery and you *don't* wanna mis it!

Hmm... it seems that books.com.tw doesn't have preorder option?
The price alone looks soo much better... but I'm not sure abt additional costs, like shipping costs, VAT tax etc.

I guess YesAsia is more convenient, since they ship worldwide all the time. Unless somebody lives in Taiwan ofc.

It's not about changing classes per se. It's about Sheng Wang distancing himself, choosing to lie etc.

In his little brain (bless his heart) Sheng Wang probably thought that his plan to mess up the test was perfect, as it would let him put some physical distance between Jiang Tian and himself to cool off and "correct" his feelings, without alerting Jiang Tian that he's even doing anything (make it look natural, like an exam failure). He didn't predict, however, that Jiang Tian would not buy the whole "I messed up on the exam" thing. Jiang Tian was aware of Sheng Wang sabotaging his results and - more importantly - that he was lying to him (something which was a *big* deal for Jiang Tian, after what they went through in episode 6).

The entire drama portrayed their journey of getting closer, starting to trust each other, breaking down each other's walls, opening up, becoming each other's comfort and home (esp. for JT). Sheng Wang choice of dealing with his feelings (which he thinks are unrequited) meant that he is lying to Jiang Tian and intentionally creating distance between them.

It's even more heart-breaking because Jiang Tian tries to confront Sheng Wang and asks him about the truth at Grandpa Ding's place, but Sheng Wang is still choosing to lie to Jiang Tian's face. It makes it impossible for Jiang Tian to reach him emotionally. The walls are back.

Yeah, I remember you chose to be optimistic from one of our earlier exchanges...
Me - on the contrary - I always fall back to my "comfort zone" of doubting everything and assuming the bad outcome 😜

Wait up... no, no, there's a misunderstanding 😉 We don't mean he owns the company - it's just "his" company as in he has a contract with them/they're his agency (obviously, I don't know the details of nature of their professional relationship, but it's probably sth like that) 😜

I think what adds credibility to this whole thing is that - if I'm not mistaken, but I've seen it mentioned before a couple of times - Dong Qin's company owns the copyrights to the entire novel and they're the ones who funded the 1st season... So if he's the one saying sth like "see you in season 2", chances are he knows sth, or ate least might be more up to date than other members of the cast.

On the other hand, I will feel completely reassured probably only once they start filming. However, him mentioning season 2, earlier Patrick talking abt season 2 so often, recent announcement of the fan meet - it all shows sth *is* happening. It's obviously better than if we had crickets.

Having said so, I remember Stay with Me was supposed to get a second season, too. I didn't follow the news closely because I wasn't that invested in the drama (I enjoyed it, but not to such an extent of it being my favourite etc.), but I think I did read there was an official confirmation. And then the rights were sold, and it was cancelled. Now we have news abt second season being filmed after all, but with some changes to the cast...

Another case of audience's expectations being shuttered is History 2: Crossing the Line. This show was really successful back when it aired. I remember talks abt second season, then about a movie... Till this day none of those things happened, the cast moved on to other projects, the hype died out...

So I am always very cautious. But I will shut up now, cause I don't wanna rain on everybody else's parade anymore 😜

Thank you once again. Everything is crystal clear now! :)

But now I feel sh*tty to celebrate when the guy is literally talking abt having to quit his other drama due to health issues... Good to know he's better now, though.

Aaaah, I see. Thank you, thank you!

Maybe I could allow myself to get a bit happy about what he said then ;)

I don't really know any of that, I don't have access to such data 😜 But I'm sure that the company had to do some prior research and chose the location that was deemed potentially "profitable".

I do know, however, that at least on IMDB, most people who rated the drama are from Vietnam, so fairly close-by (if you look just at the distance alone between Hanoi and Macau, the flight would probably take less than an hour or so; ofc assuming there are direct flights, I dont really know if there are).

MiHile, can you speak Mandarin? If so, could you provide a wider context? I am forever a sceptic 😜 I don't wanna celebrate prematurely and then end up feeling disappointed twice as much as I'd have been originally...

I tried to listen to the video arnd that time stamp, but isn't he saying sth "ru guo" sth sth earlier, arnd minute 58? Isn't then the whole "see you guys in season 2" in the wider context of "if"? I don't really understand much of what he's saying and the bits I do understand only leave me more confused 😜

Yeah, I saw that... but I'm forever sceptical. I'm probably the most pessimistic person in here 😜

If that was the case, I'd gladly accept it as a belated Christmas gift 😁

Yeah, I'm leaning more towards believing this scenario, as well. Hope the news would be a confirmation then.

Ah, I see. People of my region seem not to share my taste then ;)

Oh, I know abt Douban rating. I don't really care, because I have no hope for it going up anytime soon or at all 😜
I was more thinking of international streaming platforms, because these will be taken into consideration when judging the investor's interest to produce season 2, I would imagine. So, not just rating, but also how many people watched it, how popular it is etc. was what I was wondering abt.