Welcome to the Open Thread, everyone! I feel like this picture – and the message behind it – is going to be pretty key to our story going forward, which is why this shot is headlining our post today. 😊

SOME IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS, before we begin:

ZERO SPOILER POLICY

1. We will be adopting a ZERO SPOILER POLICY for this Open Thread, except for events that have happened in the show, up to this point.

The spoiler tags don’t work in email notifications, therefore, please take note that WE WILL NOT BE USING SPOILER TAGS FOR THIS OPEN THREAD. 

ANY AND ALL SPOILERS WILL BE REDACTED to protect first-time viewers in our midst (although, I’d appreciate it if you would save me the trouble of having to redact spoilers, heh 😅).

This includes, but is not limited to, how characters &/or relationships develop, later in the show.

We need to protect the innocent! 😉

SPOILER ZONE

2. HOWEVER!! If you’d like to discuss spoilers from a rewatcher’s point of view, I’ve created a SPOILER ZONE for you, where you can discuss all the spoilers you’d like, without the need for spoiler warnings. You can find it here!

Without further ado, here are my reactions to this set of episodes; have fun in the Open Thread, everyone! ❤️

My thoughts

Episode 10

I’d kind of expected that this would a rollercoaster of emotions, given what we already knew last episode.

But, Show’s really bringin’ it, and our OTP goes through so much this episode, that I wonder how they’re going to manage to keep their hearts (and bodies!) intact, through to the finale. 😅

That final date that Guang Xi and Mu Cheng go on, before his operation, is so full of finality and poignance.

First, there’s the possibility that he might not survive, since, even with a 30% success rate with the proton therapy, there’s still a 70% chance that he wouldn’t make it.

Second, Mu Cheng’s made that promise to President Mom, that the moment Guang Xi enters the operation theater, she’ll leave him.

Guh. That’s just too much, altogether, so this date feels like a final farewell, even as I watch the two of them share some sweet and happy moments.

I will say, though, that that kiss at the swing, is heart-wobbly, swoony stuff. Spazz. 🫠

The stop at the photo studio is a nice idea, and I get that this is to capture the moment for Guang Xi and Mu Cheng, while providing a reason for Guang Xi to have a lucky bracelet – which has a memory chip inside (which I’m sure is going to be important to our story, later on).

However, I have to admit that I found the execution a bit stilted and stagey, with the photographer waxing philosophical about the magic of photography and how it can capture the moment so that you can keep it forever.

It.. kinda felt like he was giving an impromptu TED talk, from where I was sitting. Sorry. 😝

Likewise, the scene at the church felt quite stagey and stilted too, but I appreciate the sentiment, that Guang Xi’s ready and willing to give Mu Cheng his “I do,” even though he doesn’t know how his future will unfold, or if he will have a future at all.

I feel bad for him, that Mu Cheng balks at his “I do,” because this was meant to be a romantic, meaningful moment, and instead, Mu Cheng’s running away, likely out of guilt, because she knows that she’s about to abandon Guang Xi, as per President Mom’s orders.

It’s like Show knows that it’s a hard time for us viewers, coz it serves up a good dose of shirtless Guang Xi, almost like to make up for the angst it’s putting us through.

And y’know what, I’m not about to complain about Show trying to make up for the angst, because, as we’ve seen, Vanness Wu is pretty fit and fab, underneath his shirt. 😁

I do feel terrible for Guang Xi, though, because he’s telling Mu Cheng that she’s the first person he wants to see after he wakes up from the operation, and.. we all know that she’s not going to be there.

Also, if Guang Xi only knew what President Mom’s doing without his consent – switching his doctors and his treatment AND getting rid of Mu Cheng – I’m pretty darn sure he wouldn’t be earnestly telling her that he will do his best to learn how to be a good son.

But, I get that Mom sincerely believes that she’s doing the best possible thing to maximize Guang Xi’s chances of survival, so I do cut her a bit of slack.

It’s still cruel of Mom to tell Mu Cheng to leave, the moment Guang Xi’s wheeled into the operating theater. I mean, couldn’t she give Mu Cheng some time? Let Mu Cheng at least have the assurance that Guang Xi survives this thing?

But I suppose President Mom wasn’t prepared to take the chance that Mu Cheng would change her mind and refuse to leave, which I suppose was always a possibility in her mind.

I still think that Director He’s characterization leans almost cartoony, in the way he’s so determinedly underhanded and manipulative around Guang Xi and the potential of Guang Xi dating Yi Qian.

However, I do think that that’s just part of the melo territory, and I shouldn’t be surprise if Director He gives us more of the same, even after this surgery is over.

OH. MY. GOSH. It’s so dramatic, that Guang Xi wakes up from the anesthesia, figures out that it’s all a scam by his mom, and runnnns over to Mu Cheng’s house, to look for her.

It’s all very melodramatic, the way Mu Cheng forcefully lies to Guang Xi, that he can’t give her the sense of security that she seeks, and that’s why she’s leaving him for Tuo Ye.

Man. You really really need your heightened melo lens for this, otherwise you’d be in danger of tearing your hair out. 😝

I hate that Mu Cheng lies to him and then leaves him.

I was so worried that Guang Xi would literally collapse and die, from running after Tuo Ye’s truck.

I mean, he’s got a brain tumor, AND he’s running barefoot in traffic, while still groggy from the anesthesia. A lot of stuff could have happened to him, right? 🫣

And then, we get that heartfelt, selfless, loving letter that Guang Xi had sent to Mu Cheng, where he tells her how he’d like her to not cry for him, and to live a happy life, if he doesn’t make it. Egaad.

Talk about rubbing salt into a wound, Show. Do you have to hurt Guang Xi like this?? 😭

Episode 11

Ha. Just when I think I’ve got Show’s number, and can guess what it’ll get up to next, it ups and surprises me by going where and when I don’t expect it to go. I rather like that, actually.

What I’m referring to, of course, is the time skip – but first, let’s talk about what happens before that time skip happens.

Dang, that Mu Cheng is actually moved by Guang Xi’s letter, and asks Tuo Ye to stop the van – but decides to leave again, when she sees that Guang Xi’s no longer running after them.

Duh, of COURSE he’s not running after the van anymore, because, 1, he’s still groggy from the anesthesia, and 2, he’s just been stabbed by Uncle Cai, which, EGAD.

Poor Guang Xi. Talk about kicking a guy when he’s down.

I’m glad that Uncle Cai doesn’t get away with it, and I’m also relieved that President Mom and Lawyer Lin arrive in time, to get Guang Xi the help that he needs.

On that note, I do find it a stretch that the doctors would deal with Guang Xi’s stab wound AND his proton therapy, in one fell swoop.

I’m no doctor, but based on what I’ve seen in shows like Dr. Romantic, it seems to me that the more realistic way of approaching this, would be to split up the surgeries, so as not to stress Guang Xi’s vitals too much.

But, since realism is really not one of Show’s priorities, I’m adjusting my lens, and just rolling right along.

AND THEN WE TIME SKIP.

Gosh, this did feel like quite the surprise to me, because I’d expected us to continue our story, from when Guang Xi first wakes up, post-surgery.

Instead, Show fast forwards us to 6 years later, when Guang Xi’s pretty much all recovered, and is a successful lawyer, even, and Mu Cheng’s living with their son, Xiao Le, in Hua Tien Village, which is Tuo Ye’s hometown.

Aside from feeling quite surprised by Show’s choice, I’m actually quite happy to have been able to skip past what must have been a difficult recovery for Guang Xi, and a challenging pregnancy for Mu Cheng, being a single mum.

Sure, the new 6-year-later present has a try-hard cutesy-happy vibe about it, but y’know, if I think about this as what I get in exchange for skipping out on what must have been a really angsty stretch in our characters’ lives, it doesn’t feel like such a bad deal after all? 😅

I find it really weird that Xiao Le addresses Mu Cheng by name instead of as “mom” or “mama,” because that’s just not A Thing, in Chinese culture.

But, I’m assuming that there is some kind of narrative purpose for it – like Xiao Le inadvertently spilling the beans about Mu Cheng’s identity, because he refers to her by name – so I’m just rolling with it for now.

Although circumstances have changed, it feels like Mu Cheng’s essentially the same, in that she’s still an earnest pure-hearted person, working hard for the sake of her family, while getting misunderstood by others, and being hit on by oily older men.

Okayyy. I can understand that Mu Cheng would have poured all of her time, effort and resources into Xiao Le’s health, while not caring about herself or anything else, since it looks like Xiao Le suffers from diabetes, poor kid.

Meanwhile, Guang Xi’s had a haircut!! Ahahaha!!

I know it’s a minor plot point, but since so many of us didn’t love the initial ‘do that Show gave him at the beginning of our story, I thought it was worth a mention, and a celebratory whoop? 😁

Not only does Guang Xi have a snazzy new haircut, he looks healthy and successful, and that’s all good stuff, yes?

On the not-so-upside of things, it looks like he’s lost his memories, which explains why he hasn’t tried to look for Mu Cheng, and also, why he seems so unperturbed by everything that’s happened in the past. He can’t remember any of it, that’s why.

More disturbingly, it seems like Guang Xi’s embraced President Mom’s way of thinking about things – he’ll take on any case and win it, as long as he gets paid well for it.

Eep. That’s not the Guang Xi we know, at all.

Not only that, Guang Xi’s all lovey-dovey with Yi Qian, and he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Interestingly, though, Yi Qian seems hesitant, when he brings it up.

Is it because she feels some kind of guilt about not telling him about his past?

Or because she feels intimidated by the idea that he’ll regain his memories one day, and change his mind about their relationship?

It’s a tough one, because I’m sure Yi Qian’s done a lot to help Guang Xi through what must have been a really difficult period in his life.

And yet, I’m rooting for him to regain his memories, and find the love of his life, whom he’s lost – and the son he doesn’t yet know that he has.

Episode 12

I find it so bizarre and quirky of Mu Cheng, to have told Xiao Le that his father is an alien. An alien!

Of all the cover stories she could have come up with, this one seems to have the least longevity? Because as Xiao Le gets older, one of the things that he’ll surely learn, is that aliens roaming Earth and falling in love with humans and having little alien-human babies, is not quite A Thing?

As it is, even now, when he’s just a little kidlet, his friends are already telling him that it can’t be true that his father’s an alien.

But ok, I rationalize that perhaps Mu Cheng thinks of Guang Xi as belonging to a different world, and the closest thing she could come up with, is that he’s an alien..?

I really give props to Tuo Ye for having faithfully stayed by Mu Cheng’s side all this time, watching over her and helping her with Xiao Le, even though he probably knows that Mu Cheng won’t ever like him back.

And also, even though his mother is nagging at him and pressuring him to get married to someone else.

That is such a classic long-suffering second lead thing to do, honestly. I hope Show gives Tuo Ye a happy ending somehow, even though I know Mu Cheng will never love him – other than as a friend.

As Show ramps up the runway for Guang Xi and Mu Cheng to cross paths again, it seems like Show can’t resist complicating things as much as possible first.

Because, Guang Xi actually proposes to Yi Qian now, and she accepts – all with the glowing approval of both Director Dad and President Mom, who think that this is the most beautiful thing ever, even though Lawyer Lin has his reservations.

In the long pause before Yi Qian accepts, however, we do get some flashbacks to when she had helped Guang Xi with his recovery and physiotherapy, and – dang – that whole shoelace tying thing, with the rabbit rhyme, is the cringiest thing. 😝

This makes me very grateful that I’m only seeing this in flashback, and not having to watch this in real time, where it would likely have been repeated ad nauseam. 😅

It’s only after this, of course, that Guang Xi starts getting those flashes of memory, triggered by the similarities that his case bears, to Mu Cheng’s case from 6 years ago.

Ahh. I knew there had to be a reason that this current case also features a sleazy older guy taking advantage of a young girl, who’s now being accused of seducing him.

Guang Xi doesn’t manage to connect the dots, but viscerally, it seems to trigger something in him, since he ends up punching his client – and having to do community service, as penance.

Which, of course, is what will cause him to cross paths with Mu Cheng again.

Y’know, in some ways, this show reminds me of my second ever kdrama, 2004’s Save Your Last Dance For Me, where Ji Sung forgets the love of his life, but ends up falling for her all over again, when their paths cross, later on.

I loved that idea, that he would inevitably fall for her all over again, despite losing his memories of her, which just confirms their love from the first go-around. Like, even with a blank slate, I would choose you all over again – swoon.

And, I get the feeling that we’re going to explore that same idea here, with Guang Xi heading right into Mu Cheng’s path, with no memory of her.

I’m ready to lap this up, y’all. Bring it on, Show!