THE SHORT VERDICT:

Despite relatively low buzz going in, Show hooked me early and kept me engaged with its strong emotional throughline and characters that felt easy to invest in. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

That said, I did feel that Show falls just short of its full potential in the final stretch, via a narrative decision that I felt limited the emotional depth that it could have achieved.

Even so, there’s enough warmth and heart here, that I came away feeling satisfied overall.

Not perfect, but a solidly good watch that I would still recommend.

THE LONG VERDICT:

You could say that this was pretty close to the drama equivalent of “love at first sight” for me, my friends.

I’d dipped my toes into this show without particularly high expectations (because it was pretty low buzz), and lo and behold, this show grabbed me within 15 minutes, no exaggeration. 😁

I did feel that Show missed a pretty crucial opportunity in its final stretch (which I’ll talk more about later), but by and large, I was extremely happy with what it served up.

Not bad for a snap drama decision, eh? 😉

OST ALBUM: FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE

Here’s the OST album, in case you’d like to read it while reading the review.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the music in this show. I felt that the songs were meaningful on top of  being melodious, and effectively deepened my immersion in the story.

My favorite is Track 1, Some Kind of Possibility, because I found the lyrics, centered around the possibility within impossibility, extremely poignant. 🥲

Here it is on its own as well, in case you’d prefer to listen to it on repeat. Just right-click on the video and select “loop.”

HOW I’M APPROACHING THIS REVIEW

First I’ll talk about how to manage your expectations going into this one, and what viewing lens would be most helpful.

After that, I talk about stuff I liked or didn’t like, on a more macro level, before I give the spotlight to selected characters and relationships, in a separate section. Finally, I spend some time talking about my thoughts on the penultimate and finale episodes.

If you’re interested in my blow-by-blow reactions, &/or all the various Patreon members’ comments during the course of our watch, you might like to check out my episode notes on Patreon here.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS / THE VIEWING LENS

Here are a few things that I think might be useful to keep in mind, if you want to maximize your chances of enjoying your watch:

1. Show handles the age gap well

If you’re put off by the age gap between our characters, I’d say, give Show a chance to prove itself, because I personally feel that it handles the delicate issue of the age gap very tactfully and responsibly.

2. Our story spans 3 timelines

I’d been a little confused when I started the show, so I thought it would be helpful to state upfront that there are 3 distinct timelines in our story, and our story regularly toggles between the timelines.

Show is helpful in terms of indicating which timeline we’re in, so that’s helpful.

3. Think slow burn

This is definitely a more slow burn sort of romance, and I personally think that in this case, the slow burn is very necessary.

This actually allows the sensitive handling of the age gap between our OTP, so embracing it is definitely the way to go, I think.

STUFF I LIKED

Our premise

Like I said earlier, this show just grabbed me right away, and here’s what I mean.

I’ve had a big soft spot for Daniel Zhou, ever since I first saw him in Always Home (review here!), where his quiet, steadfast crush on the female lead stole a little bit of my heart (and some of your hearts too) 🥲 – and so, I was already stoked, at a fundamental level, that this time, his character is our romantic male lead.

[EARLY FOUNDATIONAL SPOILERS]

Where we start our story, his character, Li Wu, already has a history with Michelle Chen’s character, Cen Jin, and they run into each other when their paths cross due to work. And immediately, we get bits of flashbacks, indicating memories of much cozier, happier times.

And just 15 minutes into episode 1, we get to see Li Wu’s true emotion, as he leaks tears, while Cen Jin walks away from him even as he tries to get her to talk about their situation.

I literally paused the episode right there, and went, “Ohhh poor babyyyyy..” – and decided, “I’m in.” 🥹

I felt instantly invested in his heartbreak, and very much drawn to his wistful yearning angst, and also, very interested to root for him, to win Cen Jin’s heart, all over again. 🥲

[END SPOILERS]

The way Show handles the slow-burn OTP connection

I appreciate that Show doesn’t rush things, particularly emotional things.

This allows the burgeoning connection between our age-gap leads to land organically and with believability, such that when things eventually turn romantic between them (key word being eventually 😉), it all feels more natural and inevitable than staged or forced.

Here’s a quick early sampling, to show you what I mean.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E5-8. At this early stage of our story, Cen Jin still needs time to get over her broken marriage (and I’m glad she has such supportive parents to help her through it), and Li Wu also needs time to truly come into his own, when interacting with Cen Jin.

I like that we get to see little steps in the right direction, like when Li Wu starts to proactively text Cen Jin about it being the weekend – before pausing, a little stricken with a sudden surge of uncertainty.

And there’s also that beat, where Cen Jin keeps asking Li Wu to eat more, so that he’ll put on some weight, and he sideways hints that she doesn’t eat much either – which gets Cen Jin to quickly start shoveling mouthfuls of food down, heh.

This kind of thing makes him easing into a more confident sort of space feel organic and believable, and I like that very well. 🥰

[END SPOILER]

The effect of the dual timelines

I honestly find it quite thrilling that Show serves up two different types of romances in one story — both centered on the same couple.

[BROAD FOUNDATIONAL SPOILERS]

In the 2016 timeline, we’ve got the straight-up noona romance, with Show exploring the slow inching together of Cen Jin and Li Wu, with their older sister-younger brother dynamic in mind, and that in itself is very appealing to me, because I really like how Show is dismantling the barriers to romance, one little thing at a time.

And then in the 2024 timeline, we’ve got a second-chance romance brewing.

Yes, it’s still technically a noona romance, but in this timeline, Li Wu’s all grown up, and in his late 20s, and so the age differential is not as big of a factor in this timeline.

Rather, this is about working through the hurts, miscommunication, and emotional baggage that pushed them apart in the first place — so the focus is very different.

In this timeline, we’re focusing more on teasing out what that emotional baggage is, while in a context where the power imbalance has more or less evened out (yes it’s still complicated, but at least in this timeline Li Wu’s not financially beholden to Cen Jin).

[END SPOILER]

I love that we get a bit of an omnibus effect with Show teasing out the emotional throughlines in two types of romances with a single OTP.

It’s honestly a testament to the confidence in the writing, that Show is able to deftly nudge our would-be OTP relationship forward in both timelines, in ways that feel organic and believable, despite the very different states of their relationship in each timeline.

The way Show handles angst

Roundabout the halfway point in our story, we start to inch deeper into angstier territory in both timelines, and I have to say, I’m pretty impressed with Show’s general handling of it all.

When things come to a slow but sure emotional boil in both timelines, the resulting angst hurts so good because it feels organic and inevitable, thanks to Show’s patient teasing out of all the emotional threads leading up to this point.

When Show is angsty, it hurts so good, and then, when payoff comes, it feels so earned and so satisfying.

Just, really well done. 🤩

STUFF THAT WAS OK

The inclusion of Dr. Lu as a character

I didn’t love the inclusion of Dr. Lu (Li Dong Heng) as a contender for Cen Jin’s affections in the present timeline, but I understood that he fulfills a functional role as a catalyst for our OTP.

So.. this wasn’t my favorite thing, but it made a positive impact on our burgeoning OTP relationship – which is why it’s here in the neutral zone.

Let me elaborate a little.

[SPOILER ALERT]

On the downside, I didn’t care for the various times we see Dr. Lu and Li Wu jostling for Cen Jin’s attention.

This kind of petty oneupmanship is just not something that I enjoy in my dramas, as a general rule.

On the upside, I recognize that Dr. Lu’s presence works to galvanize both Li Wu and Cen Jin into action.

With the threat of possibly losing Cen Jin to Dr. Lu, Li Wu’s actions towards Cen Jin become a lot bolder and decisive.

And faced with Dr. Lu’s proposal to take their relationship into a formally romantic space, Cen Jin is forced to a point of reckoning which she would likely avoid otherwise.

Both very useful things, in smoothing the way to OTP happiness.

[END SPOILER]

The way Show handles the secondary loveline

From fairly early in our story, Show teases a potential secondary loveline between Cen Jin’s bestie, Chun Chang (Chen Xiao Yun), and Li Wu’s business associate, Shen Yi Yang (Liu Rui Lin).

I have to admit that I’m currently quite neutral about this loveline, mainly because the writing around this loveline, particularly the early stages of attraction, feels forced and unnatural.

[SPOILER ALERT]

First, there’s the dramatic way Yi Yang first encounters Chun Chang – while she’s using two blind dates against each other, so that she can get rid of both.

The way Chun Chang just kind of.. gloms onto Yi Yang also feels unnatural and rushed, like the only reason she likes him, is because he’s handsome.

All the subsequent beats of them interacting with each other felt weirdly unnatural, to my eyes.

[END SPOILER]

With everything else in this show landing as organic and natural, the treatment of this loveline in its early stages felt particularly jarring.

As a silver lining, I did eventually come around to the charm of this OTP, later in their loveline – which is why this relationship sits in my neutral zone.

STUFF I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH

The way Show handles one specific thing

Without spoiling anything, let me just say that in the penultimate stretch, there’s a specific scene involving our OTP that I felt was mishandled.

I’ll discuss this in detail in the section where I talk about the penultimate episodes, but for now, know that this misstep definitely bumped down my final grading of this show.

SPOTLIGHT ON CHARACTERS / RELATIONSHIPS

Daniel Zhou as Li Wu

Daniel Zhou and his delivery of Li Wu’s angst was the whole reason I got sucked into this show, and I have to say, he does really well all the way through. 🥲

I’ll talk more about Li Wu in the section where I dive into the OTP relationship, but for now, I wanted to say that one of my favorite things about Daniel Zhou’s delivery is how he makes Li Wu’s shy awkwardness pop, and come across as very believable and real.

From his micro-expressions to the minor nervous ticks in his body language, it all comes together to feel like a living, breathing person who just happens to be really shy.

The thing that I’m extra impressed by, is how Daniel Zhou manages to deliver a more businesslike self-assurance in the present timeline, aligned with Li Wu’s career success, without losing the core reticence and shades of awkwardness that had defined the younger him.

REALLY well done, I say. 🤩

Michelle Chen as Cen Jin

The thing that I appreciate about Cen Jin as a character, is that she’s not perfect, but Show effectively demonstrates to us that she is a genuinely good person, who’s helpful, principled, and kind.

Because of that, I found myself liking Cen Jin as a character – which is important, because if I don’t find her likable, there’s almost zero chance that I’d be able to buy that our male lead likes her. 😅

I will talk more about Cen Jin when I discuss the OTP relationship, but for now, here’s a sampling of Cen Jin highlights, to show you what I mean.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-4. First, there’s the way that she goes out there to the mountain village to provide aid to Li Wu, because it’s a work that her father had started.

And then, there’s the way that she goes back there again, some years later, when Li Wu contacts her out of the blue, saying that he’d been forced to drop out to go to work, and that he’d like to go back to school.

I can’t help but recognize that she has no obligation to help him, but she makes the trip out there, and then gets so invested in protecting him from his money-minded uncle, that she takes him in herself, and pays Uncle a sum of money out of her own pocket, to get the right to take Li Wu out of the village and to the city, so that he can go to school.

That’s way more than the average person would do for an almost-stranger, and Cen Jin does it like her core sense of righteousness leads the way, and her brain only truly catches up, later.

[END SPOILER]

Li Wu and Cen Jin

I just love the detailed, careful manner in which this OTP connection is written.

Where this OTP’s connection starts, Cen Jin functions more like Li Wu’s guardian, and by the end, they are deeply in love.

That shift is really difficult to pull off, and Show does it very believably, and in a way that feels careful, sensitive and responsible, ie, Cen Jin isn’t shown to act in ways that feel inappropriate.

It’s true that I felt that Show’s mishandling of The Thing (which I’ll talk about later) affected how satisfying this loveline ended up being, but everything that comes before is so excellently done, and I want to give credit where it’s due.

So in this rather monstrous spoiler section, I dive into the intricacies of this burgeoning OTP connection in both timelines.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E1-4. The thing that strikes me at the first meeting between Li Wu and Cen Jin, is the way Show frames his gaze, as he sees her for the first time.

He literally looks gobsmacked, like he’s just seen an angel. I do believe that for Li Wu, he was entranced by Cen Jin at first sight.

Show doesn’t actually articulate it, but it’s clear to see, from his initial gaze, and his subsequent body language, which, to my eyes, reads as hyper-aware, through his shy awkwardness.

E1-4. I feel that the scene where Li Wu silently opts to stand watch outside Cen Jin’s makeshift room all night, because there’s no latch on her door, really defines him as a character, in my eyes.

Not only is he good at heart, there’s also the layer still at play, where he’s still quite affected by Cen Jin. 🥲

So yes, Show does start teasing Li Wu’s feelings for Cen Jin pretty early, and I do appreciate that Show highlights that he’s already legally an adult by this point in our story, since he’d missed the gaokao, and is a year late in wanting to retake the year – which makes him 19 years old.

Through the entire stretch when Cen Jin’s taking him in and getting things ready so that he can go to school in Yi City, it is true that she is positioning herself as a guardian.

However, I do think that Show manages to achieve a nice balance here, with Cen Jin still maintaining her guardian role, while softening towards Li Wu, and becoming more like an older sister to him – thus her encouraging him to address her as Jiejie (姐姐).

Importantly, I think that this kind of works as a bit of a bridge to nudge our mental framework towards potential romance.

In Korean dramas, this would be the equivalent of her telling him to address her as “Noona.” And we all have seen how this has the effect of closing social distance – especially in the context of noona romances, yes?

To be clear, I don’t believe that it crosses Cen Jin’s mind at all, that things with Li Wu might ever turn romantic, and this is largely because she’s actually married and on the verge of divorce, in this second timeline.

That, and the fact that Cen Jin is 11 years older than Li Wu, and thus far, she only seems to see him as a little brother.

However, it’s clear that this is not entirely how Li Wu sees her.

I really like the way he’s written to be considerate and protective of her, from this early point in our story, because it builds a persuasive case, that he likes her and wants to take care of her, even when he doesn’t really have the social means to do so.

During her first visit to the village, we see this in the way he brings her candles and then quietly guards her door.

In the second timeline, we see this in the way he positions himself outside the car while she sleeps inside, and then later, in the city, instinctively stands nearer to her to shield her, when he perceives that she doesn’t wish to be seen by the patient in the emergency gynecology consultation room.

His desire to not be indebted to her as her charge, is also clear, from the way he refuses to accept the allowance money she sends to his WeChat, and tells her that if he needs money, he’ll borrow it from her in the future.

All of this reads to me, as his way of bridging the distance between himself and Cen Jin. Not that he has any kind of plan, but I feel that he likely just likes the comfort of feeling closer to her.

E1-4. In the present timeline, it’s true that Li Wu keeps acting in a passive-aggressive manner towards Cen Jin, but as we see, it all comes from that place of yearning angst.

And Show makes sure to give us (and Cen Jin!) a glimpse at his true heart, by making him tipsy – because I can believe that without that liquid courage in the equation, Li Wu would stay true to his reticent personality, and not make any more moves, after Cen Jin basically ignored his efforts to talk things through.

Augh. The way he looks so intently at her, when he says that every time, she’d been the one to decide whether to stay of leave, you can see the hurt still simmering in his eyes.

I’m not usually one for drunken kisses, but in this case, I can rationalize this as Show’s way of demonstrating just how much Li Wu misses Cen Jin, and also, it helps to balance out the beat, when we see that in the end, it’s Li Wu who’s more hurt, by the thought that their time together in the past had meant nothing at all, to her.

E5-8. There are two key reasons I think the drunken kiss works for me, while so many other drunken kisses don’t.

The first one, which was more obvious to me, is that Cen Jin doesn’t resist the kiss for long. After a long moment, we can see her melt into the kiss, and it’s clear that she misses him just as much as he misses her, and that definitely helps the kiss to land.

The other thing that I think is really doing a lot of work here, is what I’d like to call the posture of Li Wu’s heart.

Even though he does technically force himself on Cen Jin, his entire demeanor leaks yearning, wistfulness and tenderness.

Importantly, I fancy that even though his bodily posture is dominating her, emotionally, he’s the one submitting to her – which is why the kiss ends on that plaintive, defeated note, where he drunkenly mutters that he hates her.

Additionally, in this moment, he addresses her as 姐姐 (jiějie, meaning older sister); that term of address alone, communicates that, as far as he’s concerned, she’s in a position of authority relative to him.

Put together, this is the key that makes this kiss work for me; I feel that through it all, he’s not just yielding to his feelings for her – he’s also yielding in posture relative to her, if that makes sense.

And, also very key, is the fact that Cen Jin soon loses herself and surrenders to the emotion of the kiss. It’s only when she hears Li Wu’s muttered “I hate you, 姐姐,” that she seems to snap back to reality.

It’s true that after this, Cen Jin is careful to put distance between herself and Li Wu, but the most important work here is done – we’ve gotten to see that she is also very much not over him, either.

For me, this effectively evens out the playing field, and I feel like I can properly and enthusiastically root for this couple to work through all the things that had driven them apart in the past, and find lasting happiness together, in the present.

Back in our 2016 timeline, I continue to be completely charmed by Li Wu, who’s so earnest and tamped-down, in expressing the joy that Cen Jin brings into his life.

You can tell that he’s extremely self-conscious and tentative, most likely because he feels like he doesn’t truly belong here in Yi City, and doesn’t want to impose on Cen Jin.

That’s why he doesn’t proactively reach out to tell her things or ask for things, but the moment he receives a text message or phone call from her, you can see his entire face light up.

It’s extremely endearing, and totally creates an underdog sort of flavor to him that makes me want to root for him, to feel more certain about his place in the world – and in Cen Jin’s life. 🥲

On Cen Jin’s side of things, I appreciate how she comes across as a genuinely concerned and well-meaning adult, ie, I can’t fault her for leading Li Wu on, or giving him the wrong idea.

All the things that she does, big and small, to encourage him and help him feel at ease, land as really kind, to my eyes, and I find myself liking her a lot – which means that I completely understand why Li Wu might develop bigger and deeper feelings for her, as he spends time with her.

Like I’ve alluded to previously, I find it very endearing, the way Li Wu does everything in his power to protect Cen Jin, even though he’s younger and his means are limited.

In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that his limited means makes all of his protective actions towards Cen Jin seem extra special and extra thoughtful, to my eyes. 🥲

The way he covers her eyes so that she won’t have to look at Wu Fu (Li Tai) and his new girlfriend acting all cozy in the restaurant; the way he cooks porridge for her breakfast so that she can get over her hangover; it all comes across as him doing his stoic, silent protector thing.

I appreciate that beyond getting to see this protective instinct at work, we also get to witness Cen Jin and Li Wu getting to know each other better, through more open and meaningful conversations beyond the everyday.

Like when he talks about how, if you don’t fight back when someone attacks you, it’s not just your body that ends up hurting, but your heart as well; advice that Cen Jin seems to chew on seriously and take to heart.

I like moments like this, where we get to see Li Wu show that he’s more mature than his years, and has the ability to offer wisdom to Cen Jin.

This really helps to build a foundation between them that feels balanced and strong, that makes me feel like I could root for this relationship to turn romantic, when the time comes.

In fact, I now realize, upon revisiting these episodes for these notes, that it’s likely Li Wu’s words about fighting back, that help to galvanize Cen Jin into taking action against Wu Fu, for betraying her.

When I first watched these episodes, I was rather in awe of Cen Jin for being able to hold herself steady enough to take Wu Fu to task properly, and wrap up the divorce so decisively and neatly, while ensuring that Wu Fu doesn’t end up profiting from their marriage.

Now, on hindsight, I’m still impressed with Cen Jin – but I am also keenly aware, that Li Wu’s influence is also at play.

E5-8. Li Wu’s hyper-awareness of Cen Jin continues to bring the tingles, like the way he’s visibly affected when he accidentally touches her hand, while taking that fruit fork from her.

His growing feelings for Cen Jin and his baby steps towards confidence collide nicely in moments like when he gets that message alert “informing” him that it’s Cen Jin’s birthday, and he goes out of his way to get her a cake, and then looks shyly pleased to be able to give it to her.

And how about that detail, that he’d remembered that mango was one of her favorite flavors – because of the list she’d once given him?

Awww. He’s so sweetly, earnestly thoughtful. 🥹

That visual of them happily eating cake together, is so precious; I love it. 🥰

At the same time, I really appreciate the way Li Wu makes a stand for Cen Jin, when the opportunity presents itself, when Wu Fu shows up at the apartment with a box of Cen Jin’s things.

The way he speaks to Wu Fu, saying that he knows what Wu Fu’s done to bully Cen Jin, is determined and steadfast, but you can also see that there’s an almost imperceptible undercurrent of nervous fear at play.

And how touching is it, that when Wu Fu asks if Li Wu isn’t scared that he’ll tell Cen Jin about how Li Wu feels, Li Wu answers without hesitation, that he is scared – but his desire to let Wu Fu know, is greater than his fear.

Sweet, brave puppyyy. 🥲

I also think it takes some courage for him to say, when Cen Jin asks him to tell her when there’s something on his mind, that he’d like for her to not treat him like a child – because he’s already of age, ie, an adult.

Cen Jin doesn’t read too much into it, but it’s clear that this is Li Wu’s way of closing the gap between himself and Cen Jin.

And, I do believe that will act as the starting point, from which Cen Jin’s perception of Li Wu will evolve into something different.

As for other baby steps, I love that little detail, that when Cen Jin gets a new job, Li Wu is among the handful of people whom she texts, to share the news.

When something happens in your life, and your first instinct is to tell a certain someone – that’s a sure sign that that certain someone has become very special to you.

That’s exactly what we get to see happening for Cen Jin, with Li Wu, and this moment feels earned, unforced and real. 🥰

Which is why, when Cen Jin volunteers to go back to the mountain village with Li Wu, when he needs to help his aunt harvest the tea leaves, it feels like a natural deepening of their bond.

The more comfortable tone of their text messages; the shared inside jokes about him copying her; the way he rereads the messages and smiles to himself in bed; it really draws me into their growing bond – and his burgeoning feelings for her.

Because, don’t we all know what it’s like to reread text messages from a crush, and squee from the thrill of that felt connection? 🥰

In the present, post-drunken kiss, I can understand why Li Wu and Cen Jin, both vividly remembering the drunken kiss, seem uncertain of what to do.

We see that Li Wu’s first instinct is to grab onto the opportunity to reach out to Cen Jin, using her ID as a pretext, but the wait is long and seems futile, with no response from Cen Jin, and it’s clear that he doesn’t quite know what to do in the face of the silence, which is why he switches his phone to silent before he goes to bed, to get some peace of mind.

We also see that Cen Jin’s natural reaction is to keep as much distance between Li Wu and herself as possible, with her first drafted text to him being about him sending the ID over via courier.

Yet, despite her reaching to draw a clear boundary between them, it’s clear to see, from the way she muses over that box of Li Wu’s belongings, with that teary-eyed, wistful smile, that she misses him too. 🥹

The fact that Cen Jin does go to Li Wu’s office to pick up her ID from him, despite her initial inclination to keep him at a distance, is, I think, the first meaningful signal, that she’s lowering her guard around him, a little.

And then, the decisive push comes, when she learns that Li Wu’s been suffering from insomnia and migraines for years.

That’s when her protective instinct kicks in, and galvanizes her into seeking out Li Wu at his hotel.

To be clear, this is not a proper reconciliation, because, from the way Cen Jin quickly moves to gloss over Li Wu’s drunken visit to her apartment, it’s clear that she’s still avoiding the issue – and it’s clear, from the red tinge in Li Wu’s eyes, that he’s disappointed by this.

When she asks him not to take the incident to heart and he agrees, I do think that there’s a mix of emotions at play for him.

On one level, I think that Li Wu’s disappointed and disenchanted by Cen Jin backing away from the core of the emotional truth between them.

On another level, I believe that Li Wu’s a gentleman who doesn’t want to force his way into Cen Jin’s orbit if she doesn’t want it.

Which is why, when she apologizes for how she’d handled things between them in the past, the one question that he asks her – his gaze steady and penetrating – is whether she’s ever regretted it.

He disengages swiftly when she explains that he’d needed to leave back then, but I can’t help clocking that her gaze is tentative – almost plaintive – as she says this, leading me to conclude that, beneath the conviction of her words, she does actually regret it.

Honestly, with the way Li Wu’s so intent on disengaging himself from Cen Jin, I would believe that under normal circumstances, this would have been enough to keep Cen Jin at a safe distance.

The fact that she presses in, despite his distant manner, and the fact that she not only agrees to add him on WeChat, but reminds him to approve her friend request, says a lot about how much she cares about him. 🥲

And the way that Li Wu literally can’t stop himself from accepting that friend request – even though he does make an initial decision to let it wait – absolutely reinforces what we already know; that he misses her deeply, and is longing to connect with her.

It’s so dorky and adorable, the way he literally drives to her apartment, and then just sleeps in the car, with her home in view. That’s how hungry he is, to feel close to her.

And then, when she calls the next morning and asks if he’s free to go with her to see the doctor, it’s so cute, the way he’s  so adorably thrilled when he realizes that she’s offering to go with him, and then the way he rushes home to get showered for their “date.” 😁

I do think that the realization that Dr. Lu has a personal connection with Cen Jin, is a catalyst, nudging Li Wu to do something, sooner than later, to narrow the gap between Cen Jin and himself.

..Which is why he makes sure to visit her parents on the same day she says she’ll visit – so that he can engineer her company for a bit of apartment shopping.

I snerked a bit for sure, when I realized that Li Wu’s gone to so much trouble, in order to be Cen Jin’s neighbor 🤭, and then I snerked some more, when I realized that he isn’t done, and even gets Cen Jin to go shopping with him for furniture.

Importantly, we get that scene where he tells Cen Jin that she’s always been the most important person to him, and that he hadn’t meant it, when he’d said that he hated her; that he now finally understands that she’d sent him away, in order to let him see a bigger world.

I’m not entirely convinced by the part where he says that he realizes that he needs to let things go, because he can’t hold onto the past forever, and should now focus on living his life well.

I really wonder how much he means it, when he says that he should move on, but it certainly gives Cen Jin pause for thought, and she certainly looks more than a little conflicted at the thought of Li Wu actually leaving the past behind.

As we close out episode 8, and see both Li Wu and Cen Jin watching Roman Holiday separately, in their rooms, it strikes me that they are kind of on the same page – but not quite.

Because, yes, they’re both soaking in the thoughts and memories triggered by Roman Holiday, but where we end the episode, Cen Jin’s switched off the movie and gone to bed, while Li Wu continues to sit up, contemplating.

To me, this reads as them being aligned in terms of emotions, but perhaps not aligned, in terms of timing.

E9-12. In the 2016 timeline, we get our first significant point of friction between Li Wu and Cen Jin, when Li Wu decides to cover for Cheng Rui when Cheng Rui isn’t present for the surprise dorm check.

This feels like an important milestone for Li Wu, because this is the first time he’s felt connected enough to his friends at school, to actually want to take steps to protect a friend, even if it means breaking the rules.

Which means that this is also the first time that Li Wu’s been anything other than a model student, and gives Cen Jin something to worry about, as his official guardian – leading to the first real instance of conflict between them.

From Li Wu’s point of view, he was only doing what he had to do, in order to be a loyal friend, and his expectation, is that Cen Jin would understand this, and back him up in his lie, based on the loyalty between the two of them.

But from Cen Jin’s point of view, Li Wu’s strayed significantly from the model behavior that she’d been used to seeing from him, and her conclusion, is that he’s been led astray by his friends – which is why she not only doesn’t back him up, but even requests that he be allowed to switch dorms.

..Which gets Cheng Rui into trouble, which then leads to everyone misunderstanding Li Wu and getting upset with him – which then leads to him getting not only ostracized at school, but even bullied. Yikes.

It’s little wonder that Li Wu gets upset with Cen Jin and starts acting out, in his own way – by rejecting food, and holing himself up in his room.

Their terse exchange of words might not seem like much to the average family, but for Cen Jin and Li Wu, this is their first major disagreement, and it’s extremely destabilizing.

That’s why Cen Jin leaves the house, to get some space – but that in turn destabilizes Li Wu even further, because he can’t help worrying about her, after she leaves the house in a huff. (Thank goodness for Chun Chang, who messages him to assure him that Cen Jin’s safe.)

To my eyes, it looks like Li Wu’s extremely discouraged by the negative effects of his presence in her life, and that’s why he leaves her that note the next morning, saying that he’ll study hard and not worry her – along with his phone.

It definitely reads like him doing his utmost to not burden Cen Jin with his presence, and I’d even go so far as to say that Li Wu’s likely preparing himself for the possibility that Cen Jin might not welcome him back to her home any longer.

My heart really went out to Li Wu during this time, because even as he’s doing his best to unmoor himself from Cen Jin, in order to not be a burden to her, he’s getting targeted and bullied in school, because everyone thinks that he’d betrayed Cheng Rui.

I’m so glad for Wan Wen, who not only looks out for Li Wu when he’s getting attacked by those bullies, but also makes sure that Cheng Rui understands the truth about Li Wu, while insisting that he apologize to Li Wu.

The stretch leading up to the eventual reconciliation between Cen Jin and Li Wu feels quite excruciating, and I felt extra bad for Li Wu in that scene where he goes outside to wait for Cen Jin to pick him up because it’s Friday night and that’s their usual routine – and she doesn’t show up.

It’s true that Cen Jin can’t make it because of work – but Li Wu doesn’t know that, and to him, this must read like Cen Jin’s still angry with him and wanting to be as far away from him as possible. Aw. Puppyyy. 💔

Show isn’t super specific about it, but I do think that Li Wu likely gets sick with a fever, due to the stress of it all.

I felt bad for Li Wu getting sick, but honestly, this acts as a timely catalyst for his reconciliation with Cen Jin, because it’s during this time that they both demonstrate that they still care about each other – even when they’re still officially estranged.

On Cen Jin’s side, she rushes down to school to take Li Wu to the hospital, and on Li Wu’s side, he gets worried when it looks like that big dude might threaten Cen Jin, and is quick to stand protectively in front of Cen Jin, to stare the man down.

And then, when Cen Jin asks him what he’s doing, isn’t it so adorably awkward, the way Li Wu mutters sheepishly that he was afraid that the man would bully her? 😁

I also love the gruff, surreptitious way that Cen Jin makes that peace offering, by putting Li Wu’s phone in the pocket of the sweater that she hands him, which in turn enables the apology that Li Wu sends to her, via text.

The way they both perk up visibly, from this conciliatory exchange, is very cute, and more importantly, it really demonstrates how affected they both are, by this bond that’s grown between them. 🥲

Afterwards, I felt very gratified on Li Wu’s behalf, when Cen Jin sees his wounds and gets super protective of him, when the bullying comes to light, and everyone involved is called to the teachers’ office.

The way Cen Jin loses her cool, and even marches into Li Wu’s classroom to issue a stern warning to all his classmates, says a lot about how much she cares about him.

After the recent misunderstanding where Li Wu had very likely felt like Cen Jin was abandoning him, this must feel extra assuring. 🥲

And even though I knew it was coming, it was also nice to see Li Wu receive an apology from Cheng Rui and his other dorm mates, thus signaling a close to this season of misunderstanding.

In the scenes that follow, I can’t help but notice that Li Wu’s a little more forthcoming and proactive compared to before.

The way he texts Cen Jin to let her know that he’s home, and to ask if she’s working overtime; the way he tidies up the house, cuts up fruit and leaves his result slip on the counter for her, because he knows that it will make her happy.

To my eyes, these actions speak of a greater sense of assuredness, like he’s more confident now, that he belongs in Cen Jin’s life. 🥲

Through this period, we also see Li Wu’s hyper-awareness growing.

We can literally see him react to every little thing that Cen Jin says or does.

Like the way he freezes for a microsecond, when she casually says, “You’re a man too – what do you think?”, and the way he immediately deflates when he’s unable to provide any input because he’s never driven a car before, and then the way he looks so pleased when she ruffles his hair as a parting shot before heading off to bed.

I feel like I’m witnessing a mini emotional rollercoaster on Li Wu’s face in the space of a few short seconds and it’s extremely endearing. I feel like reaching into my screen and ruffling his hair too. 😁

And then, at the Lifestyle Expo, we get a key defining moment, when Li Wu, getting all hyper-aware at the small moments of hyper-proximity with Cen Jin, suddenly gains clarity into the fact that he is attracted to Cen Jin in a romantic sense.

In this moment, you can literally see Li Wu getting stunned a little breathless, and I feel like his quick little smile tells us that he is surprised – but pleasantly so.

I find it really quite endearing.

Afterwards, I really like the fact that it’s Li Wu’s enthusiastic realization about how AI can positively impact people’s lives, that triggers Cen Jin’s inspiration for her pitch to Bei Ao Motors.

Again, any time that we get evidence that Li Wu’s adding value to Cen Jin’s life, particularly in the way of guiding her thinking, just by being himself, makes me happy, and I feel it nudges the romantic playing field to become a little more even, between our would-be OTP.

I love that once the pitch is done, Cen Jin’s first order of business, is to spend time with Li Wu, to make up for all the time that she’d missed spending with him because she’d been working overtime.

Awww. The way Li Wu perks right up to see her at home, and the way he quickly texts Cheng Rui to say that he won’t be going back to the dorm that night after all, is very endearing.

And then I’m really happy that Li Wu’s right there to witness Cen Jin’s exhilaration at winning the pitch with Bei Ao Motors, though I’m pretty sure that he’s even happier, that Cen Jin grabs his hand in excitement.

It’s just.. very heartwarming to see that he belongs right there in her close orbit, so that he’s in a position to witness the important moments in her life like this. 🥰

After this, I again found it very gratifying to see Li Wu provide Cen Jin with ideas and insight about Yunfeng Village, because now he’s not just influencing the pitch, he’s helping to shape the actual ad design.

It’s so great to see him in his element, speaking so easily and fluently about his home village, while Cen Jin pays close attention. 🥲

In this moment, it feels like the power dynamic has shifted, because in this case, it’s Li Wu who’s imparting knowledge to Cen Jin, and not the other way around.

I’m sure that this is part of the reason he looks so happy – although, he’s also definitely shyly savoring the various moments of accidental skinship, like when her arm rests next to his hand.

And then, at the end of episode 11, I do think that we get a moment of deepening realization for Li Wu, as the finished Bei Ao Motors ad, featuring Yunfeng Village, triggers a flood of memories of Cen Jin.

As tears sheen in his eyes at the memories, I do think that we’re witnessing the moment when he realizes that he’s not just attracted to her, but is actually in love with her – and I really appreciate that Show frames his feelings for her as something that’s meaningful and grounded in shared history.

Very swiftly, Show next gives us that scene, where Li Wu dreams of Cen Jin in a.. sexual awakening sort of way, and I think that this is the final piece to click in place, in terms of Li Wu’s feelings for Cen Jin.

I personally found the dream sequence rather awkward to watch, but I appreciate that Show takes the trouble to make sure that this is part of the messaging, because now, going forward, we are very clear on exactly how Li Wu feels about Cen Jin.

E9-12. These episodes, we learn that Li Wu’s predisposed to migraines – and they had likely been triggered by a stressful event in his life.

Putting this together with the fact that we know that he’d only started having these symptoms after he’d left China to study abroad, and it’s not hard to deduce that it had been the forced separation from Cen Jin, that had brought about these symptoms, which he’s been suffering since.

Aw. Poor Li Wu. That’s just how hard he’d been hit, by what I’m deducing to be the break-up with Cen Jin, where she’d likely broken up with him, in order to push him towards accepting the opportunity to study abroad.

Notably, Li Wu is evasive when Dr. Lu asks about when he’d suffered his first migraine attack, and it’s not hard to conclude that he’s trying to protect Cen Jin from realizing that she’d had anything to do with his condition.

He’s just so considerate and thoughtful, isn’t he? 🥲

I do feel gratified on his behalf, when Cen Jin diligently takes notes while Dr. Lu talks about the lifestyle changes he recommends, because she wants to help Li Wu get better.

Importantly, though, we see that Cen Jin’s being careful to keep things platonic, not just with Dr. Lu, but with Li Wu as well.

Even when Cen Jin finds herself between Dr. Lu and Li Wu at the archery club, she’s matter-of-fact and neutral with both of them, and doesn’t appear to favor one over the other.

Again, I didn’t much care for the petty rivalry between Dr. Lu and Li Wu, and I especially wanted their dinner to hurry up and be over, though I take the point that they’re each feeling threatened by the other and trying to stake a claim in Cen Jin’s life.

In particular, I felt that stab of disappointment with Li Wu, when Dr. Lu mentions that Cen Jin loves that eggplant dish (when she’d used to dislike eggplant), and that people’s preferences tend to change over time.

The idea that perhaps Cen Jin is a different person now, and therefore, he doesn’t know her as well as he thinks, must feel something like a punch to the gut for Li Wu.

BUT THEN. In the end, it’s Li Wu who shows up for Cen Jin, after she gets stranded without her shoe, after wrapping up the post-shoot work for her colleagues, and I couldn’t help but feel a stab of satisfaction at this proof, that Li Wu does still instinctively know her, after all.

The moment that stands out to me in this scene, is when Li Wu sits down to wait with Cen Jin, and prompts her to put her bare foot on his shoe. She hesitates, but he simply nudges, “Hurry up,” and she complies.

This is a great moment that demonstrates how the power dynamics have evolved between them, and I couldn’t help but do a bit of a silent cheer, on Li Wu’s behalf. 😁

I also love that this turns into a bonding moment between them, as Li Wu introduces her to a game on her mobile phone, which they end up playing together.

And how great is it, that as Li Wu helps her put on the shoe that he’s retrieved for her, we get to see Cen Jin experiencing a startled moment of hyper-awareness.

After having seen Li Wu feel all of the nervous feels, this feels like a rebalancing moment to my eyes. 😁

Later, when Li Wu experiences problems with his digital lock, I’d like to think of it as a serendipitous happening, rather than something that Li Wu had engineered. Mostly, it seems to me that he looks genuinely confused about the malfunction.

Either way, props to Li Wu for taking the opportunity to ask if Cen Jin can put him up for the night – which affords us some time for them to interact, not just in a home setting, but in the very same space where they’d used to live together.

Altogether, I feel like this works out to be a pretty reassuring sort of experience, for Li Wu.

Because, despite Cen Jin’s protests, and her emphatic explanation that she’s moved on and just hadn’t felt the need to erase anything – the fact remains, that she’s kept intact various things – like the passcode to her apartment, and the puzzle structure that she’d given Li Wu – which all point to traces of their time together.

Plus, we do get that shot of Cen Jin trying to decide on the most suitable pillow for Li Wu, to help with his migraines, and then panicking, because she realizes that the box of mementos are out in full view in Li Wu’s old room, where he’ll be sleeping for the night.

This does seem to tell a different story than the one she tells Li Wu (that she’s already moved on), yes?

I like that, as Li Wu goes through the memento box, we get to relive some of the memories with him – because hyper-aware, shy Li Wu is just really endearing.

I felt so stressed on his behalf, at the memory of the stolen passport photograph; it really felt like Cen Jin was on the cusp of finding the photo that he’d squirreled away in his pencil case. 😅

And then it was endearing to see him watch her so tentatively while she slept, feeling too uncertain and nervous about waking her to do the New Year countdown together.

I’m glad that Cen Jin did wake up to celebrate the new year with him, and I’m extra pleased, that she suggests that they take a photo together, to have a “proper” one instead of the one where she’d cropped Wu Fu out of the picture.

This feels like such a gift for Li Wu, who’d been so jumpy and nervous about hiding a stolen passport photograph of Cen Jin – here, he’s getting something even better: a photo with Cen Jin, just the two of them, ringing in the new year together. 🥲

And then, we get to see Cen Jin take Li Wu to that stand-up comedy act to celebrate his birthday, and he’s so adorably pleased and shy about her touching his arm when she laughs – but also, isn’t that a big sign, that she feels close to him? 🥹

It’s just like Li Wu, to use his birthday wish to wish for good things for Cen Jin – and then it’s just like Cen Jin, to refuse to let him do that, and insist that he make a new wish, for himself, even as she gives him that structural puzzle that we’d seen, in the 2024 timeline.

I love that as they enjoy the cake together, they both look so happy and carefree, in each other’s company – and I can’t help hoping that we’ll get to see them reach this level of comfort with each other soon, in our 2024 timeline. 🥲

E13-16. Much like Dr. Lu is threatened by Li Wu’s presence in Cen Jin’s life, the exact same is true for Li Wu, who’s definitely being more bold and proactive about trying to re-establish a close relationship with Cen Jin, than I’m sure he would be, in the absence of a perceived love rival.

I mean, look at the way he takes the opportunity to tell Cen Jin that he hasn’t had dinner and could he maybe have noodles at her home?

I’m almost certain that Li Wu wouldn’t be so unabashed, if he weren’t stressed about the idea of Dr. Lu succeeding at winning Cen Jin’s heart.

E13-16. There are several occasions these episodes, where we see Cen Jin’s true heart lies with Li Wu.

In that scene where he falls asleep in her living room while looking over her slides, the way she looks at him is so gentle, tender and wistful, and very key, is the fact that she can’t seem to stop herself from lingering over him in this manner. 🥲

Additionally, she’s clearly rather discombobulated by the way he reaches out and holds onto her hand, as if recognizing her instinctively – and she can’t help but leak a little smile, even as she caresses the hand which he’d just held, as brief as it was. 🥲

And how about that scene in a later episode, where she gets all flustered from being greeted at the door by a shirtless, glistening wet Li Wu, who’s clearly just gotten out of the shower.

The fact that she literally fans her face, as she scuttles back into her own apartment (which, cute! 😁), says a lot about the effect that Li Wu has on her, whether she admits it or not.

A key thing that happens in this timeline, is that Li Wu stops taking his medication, when he realizes from listening to Dr. Lu, that Cen Jin is mainly interested in getting him well again.

The reason this hits him extra hard, is not just the fact that Cen Jin’s concern is mainly for his health (because this is something that he’d known from the start, when she’d added him on WeChat purely to get him to see a doctor), but more than that, it’s the idea that Cen Jin has apparently been talking about him to Dr. Lu, and in the context of them each going back to their proper places.

This understandably makes him feel insecure, and I can understand why Li Wu would reflexively put aside his meds.

If his condition is the key thing that’s allowing him to stay near Cen Jin’s side, then he’s absolutely not going to risk losing that license, by actually getting better. 🥲

And y’know, as much as I don’t think that Li Wu should play around with his health, he’s not wrong about Cen Jin’s concern for his health.

Also, can I just say, that in that scene where Cen Jin comes across him struggling to punch his passcode into his door keypad correctly, and she asks him what his passcode is, the way he growl-whispers, “It’s the same as yours,” is (accidentally) really sexy in a primal sort of way. 🔥

In fact, his voice in this entire scene is all in that same lower, huskier register, and that makes everything he says sound 10x sexier, not gonna lie. 😅

His instinct, that Cen Jin would care for him more when he’s sick, is spot on, in this case, since she goes into his apartment with him and even massages his neck, in hopes that it will help to relieve the pain.

Later, when he realizes that she’s fallen asleep while waiting for him to fall asleep, the way he walks over to her, and then gently kisses her on the forehead, speaks volumes about how deeply he misses her.

And yes, it is true that he’s kissing her without permission again, but again, it’s the posture of his heart that saves it, for me.

He clearly is approaching tentatively, and the way he kisses her on her forehead, says so much about how precious she is, to him, and then the way he hesitantly backs away and looks at her with that deep, sad yearning in his eyes, tells me that he knows that he’s overstepping, but just.. wants to feel a little closer to her.

..Which is very likely why he shows up at her door a few nights later, with his pillow, asking if it would be ok for him to sleep over.

Again, this is very bold of Li Wu, and rather out of character, but it makes a lot of sense, in the context of him feeling the need to do something, or risk losing Cen Jin to Dr. Lu.

Given Cen Jin’s deep concern for Li Wu’s health, it’s not surprising that she would relent and agree, even though she’s clearly a little hesitant to be allowing yet another situation where she and Li Wu will be alone together.

Honestly, it feels like Cen Jin and Li Wu would have continued to dance around each other indefinitely, borrowing legitimacy from their brother-sister label, and Li Wu’s health issues – but things do come to a head, when that glass container breaks, and Li Wu instinctively sweeps Cen Jin off her feet into a princess-carry, and takes over the clean-up.

In one fell swoop, the brother-sister dynamic gives way to the man-woman dynamic that they’ve been circling awkwardly, and while Li Wu seems rather relieved, Cen Jin definitely appears uncomfortable.

Specifically, I think that Cen Jin’s uncomfortable at having to confront this, rather than actually being uncomfortable around Li Wu.

And I think that that’s why she tells Li Wu that they should keep some distance from each other, particularly since they’ve agreed to move on.

..To which Li Wu finally starts to express his heart: that he’s never been able to understand why they’d had to split up in the first place.

Cen Jin quickly retreats in an effort to cope, and while this is disappointing, it makes sense that she would try to avoid this conversation, since this is likely a truth that she’s trying to hide from as well.

In fact, the next morning, Cen Jin’s gut reaction to have Li Wu hide in the study when Mom drops by unexpectedly, says a lot, I feel.

To my eyes, this indicates that Cen Jin does see Li Wu in a romantic light, because if she truly only saw him as a younger brother, why would she feel the need to hide him, right?

It’s Li Wu who has more of his wits about him, and the way he casually exits the room holding a power strip, saying that he’s there to borrow it from Cen Jin.

It’s a small beat, but this does subtly position Li Wu as being a person who can be more grounded than Cen Jin – and therefore stands on sufficient ground to be considered as a romantic partner.

In terms of Li Wu volunteering to help Mom cook for Dr. Lu’s visit, I don’t think he actually has a plan, when he volunteers; I think it’s more like he can’t stand the thought of Dr. Lu spending time with Cen Jin, particularly in this situation where Mom’s considering him a potential son-in-law, and the only thing he can think of, is that he should at least be there – because knowing is less excruciating than wondering.

At the dinner itself, Li Wu definitely shows up in an “established domestic partner” sort of space.

He knows his way around the house, and he has what feels like an accepted place in the kitchen, not only helping to prepare the meal, but pulling out the jam from the fridge and remarking that Cen Jin doesn’t like sweet things.

Plus, there’s the way Cen Jin cautions him about being allergic to shrimp, and the way he then dips the peeled shrimp in sauce and puts it in her bowl; this feels very couple-coded, as is the way Li Wu reacts instantly, when  Cen Jin accidentally burns her hand.

E13-16. We get an actual lay-it-all-on-the-table kind of confrontation between Cen Jin and Li Wu, the moment Mom and Dr. Lu have made their respective exits.

It’s honestly perfect, because Li Wu’s health is the one area where Cen Jin feels comfortable to speak honestly about her concern for him, and this is also the crux of why Li Wu has been skipping his medication.

So when Cen Jin asks him, point-blank, why he’s not taking his medication, it gives Li Wu the chance to get right to the heart of the matter, as he asks her, with hurt, reproach, and even a touch of defiance in his eyes, if she would continue to care about him, if his head didn’t hurt anymore.

Boom. This unlocks all the thoughts and feelings that Li Wu’s been holding in all this time, and I can’t help but clock that beat, where Li Wu says, “Cen Jin, I’m not a child anymore.”

He’s not addressing her as 姐姐 (Jiějie), but by name; ie, he’s shifting gears and positioning himself as her equal, and this realization does give me a thrill, no lie.

And my goodness, Li Wu’s heartfelt words are so hard-hitting.

“During the half-year after we separated, every night, when I closed my eyes, I dreamt of you. I was scared to dream of you, but also wanted to dream of you. Later, I stayed up whole nights. I even went to see the school psychologist.

He told me that time would solve everything. Time could fade everything. But why does time not work on me?

So when I realized letting go of you was futile, I tried my hardest. What I wanted was simply the qualification to stand in front of you.”

Augh. That is so vivid, so deeply earnest, and so very affecting. He’s truly been so devoted, all this time. 🥹

And then, as he states, with determination and clarity, that he knows what he’s doing – but does she? Does she really only think of him as a little brother? – I can’t help but commend his courage, because in this moment, he is taking a very real risk.

It’s entirely possible, given Cen Jin’s tendency to cope via avoidance, that she might cut him out of her life, but he’s speaking plainly anyway. 🥲

Afterwards, it does feel like a very heartachey thing, that as they sit in their respective bedrooms, mulling over what has just transpired, they are so near, yet so far – because there is a wall that separates them, both literally and metaphorically. ❤️‍🩹

E13-16. In our 2017 timeline, it’s Li Wu who’s struck with the angst of becoming so hyper-aware of Cen Jin, that he can barely keep himself from jumping out of his own skin. 😅

To be fair, Cen Jin does also appear to pause at some of these moments, but where Cen Jin seems much more able to shake it off and move on, poor Li Wu’s literally tormented by his growing attraction to Cen Jin.

In terms of breaking down that torment, I do think that part of it is that Li Wu doesn’t actually see how these feelings could actually come to fruition, ie, he knows that a romantic relationship between him and Cen Jin is pretty much out of the question.

Another part of the torment, very much threaded through this first factor, is, I think, that Li Wu’s attraction to Cen Jin is growing so strong, that he feels physically unable to function; kinda like he’s going to explode, if I read him right.

And yet, he feels helpless to do anything about his feelings, whether it’s to act on them – or put them away.

That’s why he decides to spend as much time in school as possible, even though he misses Cen Jin greatly while he’s away from her. 🥲

This truly is a case of absence making the heart grow fonder, as we see Li Wu and Cen Jin both take their own private moments to acknowledge that they miss the other person, though I still see Cen Jin as very much staying in her older sister sort of role, ie, she’s not actively entertaining romantic thoughts about Li Wu.

It’s more like she’d gotten so used to having him in her orbit, that she feels his absence keenly, when he’s not there.

I do think it says a lot, that Cen Jin would actually ask to take leave from work, even though she hasn’t fully completed her big project, and even though her boss says that this project will win her more awards and accolades, once the ad campaign is launched.

Unlike her usual responsible self, she hands over the finishing up to her boss – so that she can spend time focusing on Li Wu, because his gaokao is around the corner.

That definitely speaks volumes in terms of how important Li Wu is, to her.

And even though he’s not coming home, and she therefore can’t see him, she goes out of her way to buy him that gift of a fountain pen, and sends it to him along with an encouraging note.

These little exchanges feel extra precious, because they are currently separated, and it kinda-sorta vibes a bit like a long-distance relationship, to my eyes.

After the exams are finally over, the way they light up at spotting each other across that sea of people, feels very special; I imagine that this is perhaps a metaphor for how they will find each other, despite the sea of problems that they face?

The way that Li Wu smiles when he meets Cen Jin face to face, feels like he’s basking – even blossoming, somewhat – in her presence, and it’s very sweet.

And, he does look quietly pleased when Cen Jin praises him for being her 100-point good little brother, and links arms with him, as they head home.

The way Li Wu drinks in his familiar surroundings with such appreciation, really shows me that he hadn’t really wanted to spend so much time away at school, and he’s instinctively relaxing into the place where he’d wanted to be, all along. 🥲

It’s very gratifying to see Li Wu do so well, that he and Cen Jin receive multiple calls from various top-tier universities interested in having him enroll with them.

Li Wu’s shy pleasure, at giving Cen Jin a reason to be proud, is very endearing.

But it’s not long before it starts to sink in, that if he were to enroll in one of the top schools, he would be very far away from Cen Jin, and you can see the hesitation, uncertainty and sadness start to seep into his gaze.

And what a punch to the gut it must be, for him, to hear Cen Jin blithely talk about him moving far away as a matter of course; that it’s all part of growing up, and separation from her would be a matter of inevitability. 💔

Poor Li Wu; I can sense just how stuck he feels.

He has no real way of changing this path that they’re on, but continues to grasp onto the moments of happiness as they come – like when he sees his results and immediately texts Cen Jin, and then is taken aback in wonderment, when she rushes into his room and grabs him in a congratulatory hug. 🥲

On top of the impending separation that Li Wu clearly dreads, there’s also the fact that he hears Mom nagging at Cen Jin to get her own matters in order, ie, find a husband and settle down.

That’s a lot weighing on his mind, I’m sure.

E17-20. This is when we start to see Li Wu start to assert his independence, and this absolutely translates into friction between him and Cen Jin.

At first, it’s in a smaller thing, like Li Wu going to Yan City with Cheng Rui without first discussing it with Cen Jin.

We can see that the moment she gets to talk to him over the phone, she’s asserting authority in his life, and demanding to know where he is, what he’s doing and when he’s coming home.

This whole thing blows over without too much issue, but this gives us a good clue as to how she instinctively positions herself in relation to Li Wu.

She’s still very much in the guardian-who-knows-better space here, whereas Li Wu is cognizant of the fact that he’s now 21 years old; fully an adult who has the right to decide on the direction of his life.

And then, once Li Wu returns home and tells Cen Jin that he’s agreed to a full scholarship at Yijiang University, that’s when the true rupture happens.

Cen Jin is completely blindsided by the fact that Li Wu’s making this decision on his own, not only without discussing it with her, but without taking her enthusiastically given advice into account.

The friction between them is pretty painful to watch, not because it’s not well done, but because it’s so well done.

We already know that Li Wu’s not the confrontational type, and that he wants nothing more than to make Cen Jin happy, so clearly, it hurts him too, to see that he’s upset her.

However, he’s very clear on what he wants to do and why, and that’s why he is firm in standing his ground, even though you can see that he hates that Cen Jin is angry with him.

I really appreciate that Li Wu, for all of his general reticence, is able to articulate so clearly, that it’s his priority to gain independence as quickly as possible, and repay Cen Jin and her parents all the money they’ve spent on supporting him thus far.

Cen Jin’s livid about this, because from her point of view, he’s rejecting the familial love and connection that they’ve given him, and is being calculative about money.

However, from Li Wu’s point of view, this is the only way for him to stand before Cen Jin with a clean slate; independent and not in her debt – and that’s the only clean frame within which he’d feel like he has the right to court her, even if the chances of him winning her heart are low.

The way he’s standing his ground despite her anger and the uncertainty of what this means for their relationship, says a lot about how important this is to him.

He’s kinda-sorta like a puppy determined to fight for his right to lay on the rug that had been made off limits to him in the past, isn’t he? 🥲

I thought it was really heartbreaking that Li Wu really packs his bags to leave, in response to Cen Jin telling him to get out, and honestly, I’m of the opinion that Cen Jin probably hadn’t really expected him to leave, but is too proud to back down.

In the moment, it’s almost like an emotional game of “Chicken,” y’know?

As much as I feel for Li Wu in this scene, I feel for Cen Jin too; she’s poured so much of herself into being Li Wu’s guardian, that it must feel like a rejection, now that she thinks that he doesn’t need her anymore.

It really feels like a cutting of their relationship, with Li Wu moving out, and Cen Jin returning his exam slips to him in the form of her journal.

It’s no wonder Li Wu can’t help but break down in tears, poor baby. 😭

You can tell that he doesn’t think that he has the right to be in her life anymore, and that scene of him sneaking into the apartment to leave her the birthday present that he’s gotten for her, and then ducking out of sight because he feels that he can’t afford to be seen by her, is so poignant.

At the same time, we see that Cen Jin does miss him, even though she’s keeping her angry facade. It’s so telling that when she’s drunk, she calls out to him like it’s the most natural thing in the world. She might have said harsh words to cut him off, but he’s still there, in her heart. 🥲

I’m glad that they arrive at a bit of truce, when Li Wu texts to wish her happy birthday, and apologizes – to which she responds by thanking him for the gift.

And then, when he goes to see her at the office, I’m glad that he’s able to tell her that he’s able to make his own decisions responsibly – and that he’s never treated her as an outsider.

The fact that Cen Jin relents and says that it’s fine as long as he doesn’t regret it later, feels like a pretty big concession on her part, and then I couldn’t help smiling, when she tells him that he can come home, and he offers to drive, coz he’s gotten his license.

I love that they’re able to joke a bit now, like when she teases him about being able to take care of everything now, and he says that he can’t take care of everything – like her anger. Seeing them each smile to themselves in this moment, feels so good, after all the angst that they’ve been through up to this point. 🥰

Honestly, that little stretch of time, as Li Wu gets settled into school, and he and Cen Jin are texting each other constantly, always happily exchanging little remarks and updates, feels so happy and uplifting, that I didn’t want it to end.

But of course, that had to end, in order for them to properly deal with the big secret that Li Wu’s been carrying with him all this time; that he’s deeply in love with her.

I was both ready and rueful, when Cen Jin stumbles on Li Wu’s scribblings of her name, along with the passport photo of her that he’s been keeping in his pencil case.

On the one hand, this felt like another setback in terms of the harmony between them, and they’d mended their rift only so recently.

And yet, on the other hand, I’ve been waiting for them to get to this point, because without them going through this confrontation, they’d never be able to work their way through it, y’know?

I’m glad that when Cen Jin confronts him about what she’s found, he gathers his courage and tells her that he likes her.

Independently of what Cen Jin thinks or says in response, I’m just proud of Li Wu for speaking his truth. 🥲

Of course, Cen Jin shuts him down immediately; she’s been functioning in the guardian space for so long, that her instinct is to find all the reasons why Li Wu doesn’t know what he’s saying, and why his feelings are temporary and will change with time.

Honestly, I find Li Wu very persuasive in this scene, with the way he tells Cen Jin that he will like her and only her – and for a lifetime; and that if she rejects him, he won’t date or marry anyone else, and will just like her – from a distance.

I mean, isn’t that very swoony? 🫠 I mean, I’m feeling swayed on Cen Jin’s behalf.

The thing that I find most swoony about this, is the fact that Li Wu isn’t actually expecting any kind of answer from Cen Jin; all he wants to do, is like her. 🥲

Importantly, even though Cen Jin says a lot of things, she does not once say that she doesn’t like him. I think that this is very telling, that subconsciously, Cen Jin does know that she has feelings for Li Wu too (which, perhaps is also why she’s rejecting him so vehemently? Because she feels subconsciously guilty for having these feelings?).

And, after this, Show does make sure that Cen Jin is reminded that Li Wu is not a child anymore.

First, there’s the way Chun Chang reminds Cen Jin, in her matter-of-fact, cheeky way, that Li Wu is very much an adult, and is, in fact, only a year away from being of legal marriageable age. That’s a wake-up call on its own.

But then, there’s also the way all the girls at the office start drooling over Li Wu and how handsome he is. That definitely works as a big re-calibration moment for Cen Jin, because here are multiple other women confirming that Li Wu is not only not a child, but is very handsome and desirable, from a female perspective.

To be honest, the way Cen Jin tells Li Wu to quit his job at the cafe, I get the sense that this is not just about her feeling uncomfortable around him after his confession, it’s also because she doesn’t want him to be a place where all these other women are drooling over him and making advances towards him.

My gut says that there’s definitely jealousy in the mix. 😁

To Li Wu, though, this feels like Cen Jin’s pushing him away and not allowing him to be near her, even if he’s just working at the cafe one day a week, and it also feels like she’s rejecting his efforts to stand on equal ground with her, when she says that she’ll transfer the 100,000 yuan back to him.

Ooh. This hits him where it hurts the most, and you can see the sting in his eyes, as he tells her that it won’t be so easy for her to summon him, going forward.

This is the first time that Li Wu’s proactively going away from Cen Jin and putting distance between them, instead of as a response to a request or instruction from her, and this feels very significant.

Poor Li Wu though; I could feel through my screen that his heart was ready to burst from the anguish of it all. The fact that he actually cries, when Cheng Rui asks him what’s wrong, really makes my heart go out to him.

Li Wu’s usually so reserved and so used to keeping his feelings hidden, that it feels like a really big deal, that he’s shedding actual tears. 😭

..So thank goodness for Cen Jin’s foot fracture, because it would take something like that, to jolt and reset everything.

The moment Li Wu hears that Cen Jin’s injured, he literally drops everything and rushes home to check on her, never mind that they’re officially still not reconciled, after the big falling out.

I mean, nothing like a bit of physical injury, to reset the context, amiright? 😁

The way he whooshes into the apartment like he’s been running the entire 20km from school, says everything about how important Cen Jin is to him.

Honestly, I love how his concern for her overrides everything – including her instruction to Chun Chang, to tell him to go back to school because she wants to take a nap.

He just goes right in there, so that he can see for himself, and make sure that she’s ok, and that ardent concern for her is so melty to my eyes. 🥹

I truly love how focused he is, on taking care of her, and it’s so good for their relationship, really, to have the caregiver role be reversed, so that now Li Wu gets a chance to take care of Cen Jin instead.

And he’s just so attentive, like she really is the only thing in the entire world that actually matters to him right now. It feels like he’s even afraid to walk away, just in case she needs him.

It’s little wonder that Cen Jin can’t help but leak a little amused smile, because who wouldn’t smile to be on the receiving end of such undivided, caring attention, yes?

The way Li Wu keeps picking her up in a princess carry does become a bit of a running gag, and I do believe that he’s actually glad to have a reason to carry her like this.

What’s more telling, though, is the fact that Cen Jin gets all self-conscious about it, to the point where she tries to swat him away when he picks her up to carry her to the living room, while her dad’s around.

Similarly, it’s very telling when Li Wu comes to the bathroom to help her after she’s fallen down, and when Dad comes back to the apartment unexpectedly, she insists that Li Wu hide out of sight, so that Dad doesn’t know that he’s in the bathroom with her.

I mean. If she really doesn’t see Li Wu in a romantic sort of light, then why would there be a reason to feel self-conscious, right? Like, what is there to hide – unless you’re actually feeling a certain way about him, yes? 😁

PLUS. Importantly, we do see Cen Jin regularly flashing an expression that I can only describe as exasperated but very pleased basking.

And, how about that moment when she quietly crumples into a silent squee under her blankets, after all the attention that she’s received from Li Wu? She is definitely not immune to Li Wu’s charms and affections – and I love that we get to witness it. 🤭

I also appreciate that we get that scene where Cen Jin tries to unpack her feelings with Chun Chang, where she expresses that she doesn’t want to become strangers with Li Wu – and Chun Chang re-plants the idea that she can just date Li Wu, then.

I really like that Show takes care to give us all these little indications that Cen Jin’s becoming more aware of her feelings for Li Wu, because then, when she reaches out to him to have that conversation where she unpacks the various challenges that they’d have to face, if they were to really enter into a romantic relationship, it feels like a natural progression of her thoughts and feelings, rather than a sudden change.

Honestly, the way Li Wu listens to her, you can tell that he’s guessing that she’s going to tell him to give up on her, and that’s why he can’t keep the tears from welling up in his eyes.

BUT THEN. Instead, she ends the conversation by leaving the door open – that if he still feels the same way in a year, and if she doesn’t fancy someone else, then they can talk about this again.

No wonder Li Wu perks right up – she’s not saying, “yes,” but this is the first time she’s saying, “maybe” – and that is a Big Deal indeed. 🥲

I honestly love this stage in their relationship where they aren’t dating, but the romantic feelings are open acknowledged between them – to my eyes, this is really wholesome. 🥰

And I find it really cute that when Li Wu requests that Cen Jin stop treating him like a little brother, and instead see him as a man (男人 nán rén), she then addresses him as 男人 from time to time, like “Man” is his nickname now. 😁

I am quite tickled by this little in-joke between them.

And I love that we get to see Li Wu’s “boyfriend instinct” come to the fore, with him preparing packed lunches for Cen Jin and even asking her out on a date. Our boy (ahem, I mean 男人) is so proactive! 😁

I have to confess that when Li Wu reacts with such strong jealousy at seeing Cen Jin be chummy with her boss, I found it rather jarring, since it is quite abrupt and rude.

But, I totally buy his emotion here; he’s deeply in love with Cen Jin, and now just starting to make some tentative progress with her, although it’s true that it’s all future-oriented, with no promises made.

He’s uncertain of his position in her life, and of course he would feel threatened to see her behave in a familiar and almost cozy manner with another man, particularly another man who has all the social trappings that he himself lacks, when it comes to being a suitable partner for Cen Jin.

I have to admit I frowned a little to see that Li Wu pulls Cen Jin in for a kiss without her permission, but at the same time, I have to concede that he’s clearly handling her with gentleness, even though it’s technically a forced kiss.

Importantly, as Li Wu stands there and his pent-up angst comes tumbling out in jagged, heartfelt confessions of love, Cen Jin leans in and grabs him right back, for another kiss.

And then, she stops to ask if he’s ready to continue this relationship with her, and that if he’s not, they can stop at any time – which is when he leans in and kisses her all over again; this time much less tentative, and full of hunger and surrender, as he sinks into the kiss. Flail. 🫠

Afterwards, I really like how Show handles the actual minting of the relationship.

Clearly, Cen Jin’s feeling awkward, and that’s why, when she says to Li Wu, “Let’s date,” she reaches for the lame reason that they’ve already kissed and all.

I’m glad that Li Wu is actually disappointed by that, and asks if that’s the only reason.

And I’m even more glad, that Cen Jin then expresses her heart properly to Li Wu, and assures him that she’s not being impulsive in her feelings for him; that even though she’d thought she’d never believe in love again, that he’s lit up her life, and she hasn’t been this happy in a long time.

I love that, even though Li Wu’s made his feelings for her abundantly clear, Cen Jin still asks him if he’d be willing to give this relationship a try – as girlfriend and boyfriend.

Awwww. I love that. I love that she properly lays out her feelings for Li Wu; our 男人 needs all the affirmation and encouragement, after being the one to confess his feelings and defend their potential relationship, all this time. 🥲

Have I mentioned that I love this? 🥹

Afterwards, I love all the cute little lovey-dovey moments that we get to witness between our newly minted OTP.

The way Li Wu can’t sleep and asks Cen Jin to come outside, just so that he can hug her again is very cute.

And then, the way he keeps wanting to kiss her – and the way the kiss just naturally starts to escalate – feels very organic and real, because that’s how real couples are in real life; they start to drown in the skinship a little bit, because of all of the pent-up feelings and the sudden permission they have, to actually be in contact with each other.

I am very pleased that Show allows us to see this aspect of the relationship too, because this makes it all feel that much more real.

I find it utterly endearing, how Li Wu treats Cen Jin so preciously at the campsite, even carrying her across the stream so that she won’t get her feet wet, and I just love that he doesn’t even try to deny it, when Cheng Rui guesses correctly, that he’s dating Cen Jin now.

The lack of effort to try to hide it feels so refreshing to me, seriously. 🤩

I just feel all warm, cozy and content to watch them enjoy their new couple life, as they adjust to their new relationship, and I especially love the fact that Li Wu’s showing more boldness in their relationship, like in the way he leans in to kiss her, and in the way he takes her out to dinner and then, when she asks him why he likes her, he just affirms that his girlfriend is very pretty.

It’s sweet, and a little spicy, while being really wholesome, and I love it. ❤️

Of course, I know that this cozy lovey-dovey togetherness is temporary and there is clearly rupture to come, but that is something that we can think about later.

For now, I’m just basking in the earned sweetness of it all. 🥰

[END SPOILER]

Chun Chang and Yi Yang

Like I mentioned earlier, I found the writing around this loveline extremely uneven, particularly around the push-pull courtship stage – but found some relatively more enjoyable bits a little later.

Here’s a good example of what I mean.

[SPOILER ALERT]

E13-16. While I still found the set-up of this romance quite perfunctory and weird, I appreciated that Show gives us a new development, where Yi Yang is much more interested in Chun Chang than he’s been letting on.

I do feel like Show is quite ambiguous about how this all starts, ie, has he liked Chun Chang all along and was just acting tough, or has he started growing feelings recently, from spending time with her – and also, secretly watching her live broadcasts.

It’s also unclear why Chun Chang’s suddenly cooled in her efforts to flirt with Yi Yang, and the only reason I can think of, is that Show is gunning for a turning of the tables between them, while trying to maintain a push-pull dynamic, in order to keep viewer interest in this loveline.

I’m mostly indifferent towards this loveline but I am glad that we’re moving into a phase of their relationship that feels more genuine, with Yi Yang noticing that Chun Chang’s low in spirits, and then whipping out that portable star projector, to allow her to stargaze like she wants.

And, when Chun Chang puts her head on his shoulder and pronounces that he’ll be the one to gaze at the stars with her, he simply agrees.

Even though I still think that Show doesn’t do a great job of teasing out their relationship, particularly in terms of charting the evolution of their connection, there’s still some silver lining to be had with moments like this, where we get more quiet, vulnerable interactions.

[END SPOILER]

Special shout-out:

Yang Kun and Shi Jing Ming as Cen Jin’s parents

I just wanted to acknowledge Show for giving Cen Jin loving parents, because, as we know, there are quite a few terrible parents out there, in Dramaland.

In particular, I love the way Dad talks with Cen Jin whenever she’s feeling down. He never puts pressure on her, and only expresses his unconditional support. It’s lovely. 🥹

Cao Xi Wen as Shen Yun

I also wanted to give a quick shout-out to Cao Xi Wen as Shen Yun (Consort Yue from LLTG!! 🤩).

It was great to see her show up here as Cen Jin’s very supportive boss.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENULTIMATE EPISODES [SPOILERS]

E21-24. Well. This was quite the set of episodes, you guys. It was a lot, emotionally speaking, and I mean that in more ways than one. 😅

Let me break that down.

Backing up to the top of episode 21, we’re still with our newly minted OTP, and getting to witness their happy early couple days.

The thing that gets me the most, is how Li Wu looks so happy all the time, now that he and Cen Jin are dating.

His cheekiness around her – like the way he pulls her in for a kiss in the dressing room, when he’s there to help with that last-minute modeling assignment – is refreshing purely because of how hesitant and restrained he’s been around her, in the past.

On a side note, I have to appreciate how Li Wu always kisses Cen Jin like he means it; there’s no doubt in my mind, that he is very ardent in his feelings towards her, and for someone who’s as reticent and reserved as Li Wu, this feels like an extra special deal.

Plus, that beat, when he’s supposed to portray the look of love to the camera, and he just can’t help but melt into that cozy smile because Cen Jin’s directly in his line of sight, is just precious, because this is such a new look on him. I love that he’s so happy. 🥰

I also like that when Cen Jin’s had a frustrating day at work, she leans into Li Wu and gains comfort in his presence.

Although I do still detect some uncertainty in Li Wu when Cen Jin teases him about not being of legal age to marry, I appreciate that Cen Jin assures him that she’s not someone who’s so fickle.

It’s also sweet, the way Li Wu princess-carries her to the sofa and tells her to rest for a bit, while he makes her something to eat.

I basically like any indication that Li Wu’s taking care of Cen Jin, even though he’s the younger one in the relationship.

And I love-love-love how consistent Li Wu is, at being matter-of-fact and upfront about his relationship with Cen Jin.

The way he doesn’t even blink, when he tells that female coursemate of his, that he’s on a video call with his girlfriend, is very melty to me. 🥰

Also very melty to me, is the way Li Wu refuses to entertain his dorm mates, when they ask him to spill the tea on what it’s like to date an older woman.

Aw! Look at how he’s protecting Cen Jin’s privacy and dignity with such quiet, stoic determination. 🥲

At the same time, like I mentioned last week, there’s a growing underlying layer of dread for me even as I watch all these sweet goings-on, because even as this new happiness plays out on my screen, I can’t help but remember that heartbreak is coming – and soon.

And the minute Li Wu’s offered that scholarship for the two-year exchange to the US, I knew that this was the beginning of the end of our happy interlude.

I’d expected him to take the news home and discuss it with Cen Jin, but I do think that the past incident with his choice of universities acts as a precedent, not just for Li Wu, but for Cen Jin as well.

He knows, from that incident, that if he brings up this new opportunity, she’s going to push him to accept, even if it means being apart from her for two years.

This is why he turns it down without first discussing it with her.

This is also the same reason Cen Jin doesn’t discuss it with Li Wu when she finds out about the opportunity through his lecturer. Instead, she jumps straight to deception – in order to get him to go.

But the thing is, it’s well within Li Wu’s rights to make this decision for himself, since he’s an adult. He should be able to choose what he wants for himself.

However, it’s not within Cen Jin’s rights to do this; she has no decision-making rights in Li Wu’s life, and honestly, the more I understood what she was doing, the more horrified I felt.

The way Show goes about it, it’s a very slow, gradual, increasingly painful reveal, where all the things that Cen Jin says and does, slowly leaks the truth, that she’s not being truthful with Li Wu.

I slowly began to realize that everything she was doing, smacked of “goodbye” – like the way she surprises him on campus and then spends a day just following him about his day, and even the way she allows the consummation of their relationship.

It all points to the fact that she’s keenly aware that her time with Li Wu is running out.

What a terrible thing to do, to lie to Li Wu, that she’ll be right there in the US with him, and that they’d be able to visit each other regularly because she’d only be two hours away.

This means that while she has zero intention of going, she’s allowing Li Wu to imagine a shared future with her, that includes details like buying a secondhand car, so that he’d be able to drive to New York to see her on weekends.

I can understand that from Cen Jin’s point of view, she doesn’t want to be the person holding him back from a bright future, and so, to her mind, the key thing is to get him to take up the exchange program, no matter what.

This is awful enough on its own, because poor Li Wu is just devastated when he realizes that she’d created this elaborate lie, just to get him to go on exchange – when he’d already turned it down. She was literally the only reason he pursued it a second time, only to learn that she’d been lying all along.

Oooof. Talk about a betrayal of trust.

And then, when he puts his foot down and refuses to go – saying, specifically, that he is old enough to know what he’s doing, and that he’s choosing to stay because this is the choice that makes him happy, she forces his hand, by breaking up with him.

This is the exact same “I know better” guardian energy that we’d seen from earlier when she’d tried to force his choice when it came to his university applications – just a hundred times worse. 😭

It’s true that the breakup clearly hurts her too, but that doesn’t excuse the pain that she’s inflicted on Li Wu, in the name of doing what’s best for him.

And y’know, somehow, my heart hurts for Li Wu even more, because Show doesn’t allow us to stay with him in the midst of his emotional turmoil; it simply removes him from the scene, and I think that because of this, I feel his loneliness and isolation even more keenly; it hits me like a ton of bricks. 💔😭

Back in our 2024 timeline, I really had to re-orientate myself a little bit, because we’d spent so many episodes in the 2018 timeline.

But, I did jog my memory sufficiently, and recalled that Cen Jin had been at a crossroads, where we’d last left her, in 2024.

Dr. Lu had shot his shot, and laid his cards on the table, asking what she thought of him as a potential life partner – in the hopes that they would then formally start to date.

I do think that this is a big catalyst as to why Cen Jin’s suddenly reconsidering her stance towards Li Wu.

As in, she’s demonstrated that she’s most comfortable living day to day while avoiding the big uncomfortable decision for “just one more day,” so much so that I’m sure that without Dr. Lu politely creating a moment of reckoning, she would’ve just stayed on that course indefinitely.

Additionally, I do think that Dr. Lu functions as a point of contrast, which helps Cen Jin see more clearly, how she feels about Li Wu.

And so, with this as context, it makes sense that as she continues to think about Li Wu’s words and actions in the recent past, where he’s showed her so much care, while making clear that he still has feelings for her, that she might finally come to terms with the fact that she does want to be with him again.

I appreciate that once she becomes certain of her stance, she doesn’t waste any time in reaching out to Li Wu.

And then, when the line cuts off, I appreciate that Li Wu instinctively understands that something’s up, and tracks her down – which is perfect, because she really is in need of help, with her car stalled in the midst of a big storm.

The way he shows up for her, right on cue, and the way she just runnnns into his arms, is perfect as well.

In this raw moment of need, I completely buy that action comes first, and talking is not needed; their inner feelings basically say everything there is to say – at least in this moment.

However, it’s afterwards, where I have an issue with the way Show handles itself.

It makes sense that with the physical contact re-established, that Li Wu and Cen Jin would just fall back into old, familiar cozy ways, with him offering to dry her hair and all.

What I really appreciate, is the way Li Wu doesn’t assume this to signify that everything’s fine between them now.

Even though it’s clearly not easy for him, he apologizes for overstepping his boundaries, and for weaponizing his health in order to get close to her. And he tells her that she has the right to like someone else, and even starts to promise that he won’t do it again in the future.

This is when Cen Jin says, “Let’s be together again,” which is when we get Li Wu’s most honest, raw reaction.

I credit him, so much, for having the maturity to be able to say that he’s really happy, but at the same time, really distressed – because now, to him, it seems like he has no bottom line / boundary, when it comes to Cen Jin.

When she beckons, he comes – no matter what.

At this point, he’s all choked up and leaking tears, and my heart is just aching so greatly for him, and I’m expecting Cen Jin to address his pain, and we’ve just come fresh off the flashback showing us exactly how deeply she’d hurt him, to boot.

Right now, in this moment, when Li Wu is laying bare his wounds – wounds that exist because of Cen Jin – this is the perfect moment for her to apologize, or at least acknowledge that she had hurt him, BUT SHE DOES NOT.

Instead, she cups his face in her hands, and says that then it’s her fault, for not beckoning sooner. And then, after a little bit more emotional honesty from Li Wu (but not Cen Jin) essentially, this conversation gets wrapped up with kisses and hugs, and I’m over here going, “Excuuuuse me???”

There are two things here that really disappoint me.

1, We’ve only spent 23 whole episodes circling the pain and wounds that Cen Jin has inflicted on Li Wu, and we’ve seen Li Wu pay the emotional and even physical price for it.

Additionally, we’ve just seen that pain inflicted in all of its painful detail, in our previous episode.

After all that Li Wu’s suffered because of Cen Jin, it is only right that Show addresses that, with Cen Jin acknowledging her wrongs and the pain she’s caused Li Wu.

The fact that we gloss over this with kisses and hugs is not ok.

2, One of the biggest issues here, is the power imbalance between them, and Li Wu names it, when he expresses that he’s tormented by the fact that he doesn’t seem to have any bottom line when it comes to her.

By joking – even tenderly – that she should have beckoned earlier, Cen Jin is reinforcing that power imbalance, and that is also not ok.

I get that Cen Jin is an avoidant type of personality, and I can buy the idea that she’s so overwhelmed with guilt for what she’d done to Li Wu, that she can’t muster up the courage to face it – and that’s why she glosses over it.

I can also buy the idea that Li Wu understands this about her, and that’s why he doesn’t press her to say something.

HOWEVER. Show does not indicate that this is the case, and therefore, the avoidance followed by the time skip to where we see that everything’s fine and they’re basking in happy domesticity, feels like Show’s endorsement of Cen Jin’s avoidance.

By not giving us anything else to go by, Show is essentially saying that it’s fine for Cen Jin to gloss over the pain that she’s caused Li Wu, and it’s fine for Li Wu’s wounds to not be dignified with an apology or acknowledgment – and that is Not Ok.

And, this missing piece is structural to our narrative; it’s the entire foundation stone on which we’ve been building our story, careful emotional beat by careful emotional beat.

Therefore, after this, every nice thing that Cen Jin does for Li Wu, like ordering all his favorite dishes at that restaurant, feels hollow to me, and I’m genuinely upset about this. 😑

Also, given that we’ve already had a one-month time skip, it feels like the window in which Show could have dealt with this, has closed.

Granted, we still have 6 episodes left, and it’s quite possible that as Cen Jin works to get her parents’ approval of their relationship, she might defend him to them, and in so doing, also talk about how she’d hurt him, and how she now wants to make it up to him.

Failing a proper conversation between Cen Jin and Li Wu, this is the consolation prize that I’m willing to accept – so here’s hoping that Show does decide to go there, at the very least.

Because if it doesn’t, I will be very, very disappointed indeed. 😔

THOUGHTS ON THE ENDING [SPOILERS]

E25-30. Well. It seems that I didn’t exactly get the consolation prize that I’d hoped for, my friends, but in the end, I’d say Show still worked out to be reasonably satisfying, at least from where I’m sitting.

Like I said in my notes on the penultimate episodes, I felt that after we’d spent so much of our story circling around the pain that Cen Jin had inflicted on Li Wu by breaking up with him in order to force him to go on that student exchange program, it was only right that she acknowledge that pain.

However, much like my drama gut had guessed by the end of episode 24, Show doesn’t revisit Li Wu’s wounds, and our OTP moves into a new chapter as a couple.

Despite this, which left a shadow of a niggling sense of incompleteness on my watch, I did feel like Show offered up several things that did help to “make things right,” in a manner of speaking.

One of the biggest things that helped me settle back into this story, despite that lingering sense of incompleteness, is how consistently Show allows Li Wu to remain… Li Wu.

Even as the narrative moves forward without that explicit reckoning that I’d hoped for, Show never asks him to shrink, or to pretend that the past didn’t matter.

If anything, I feel like we see the imprint of that past most clearly in the way he carries himself now. There’s a steadiness to him in these episodes, that feels quietly hard-won.

Like the way he throws himself into the crisis at Tongchen — the betrayal, the funding falling through, the sheer weight of responsibility — and yet, never once does he lash out at Cen Jin, or lean on her in a way that feels entitled.

Instead, he keeps choosing her, in this very grounded, steady, matter-of-fact way, even when everything else in his life is uncertain.

And I have to say, that really moved me. 🥲

Even though Show doesn’t give us that verbal acknowledgment of past hurt, it does show us, very clearly, that Li Wu’s love is no longer powerless. It’s now fully chosen, no longer constrained by circumstance.

At the same time, I do think that a large part of why this later stretch works as well as it does, is because Show shifts its focus from repairing the past, to proving the present.

Basically, instead of having Cen Jin explicitly address what she did, Show puts her in situations where she makes the choice to stand by Li Wu, again and again.

The moment that stands out most to me, is when he’s drunk and she brings him into his apartment to take care of him, despite her mother being right there, clearly disapproving.

She doesn’t hesitate or calculate. The only thing that drives her actions is the fact that he needs her. That definitely went a long way in mollifying my disgruntled, wistful heart. 

And later, when she goes public with their relationship — without blocking her parents, and without softening the blow — that also feels significant.

After spending so much of our story avoiding discomfort and low-key hiding the special bond between her and Li Wu, Cen Jin choosing to step directly into this public acknowledgment says a lot about her decision to own her choice to be with him, never mind what anyone else might think.

That said… I do still feel like there’s a difference between demonstrating commitment and taking responsibility. And for me, that gap never fully closes.

Because while Cen Jin shows up for Li Wu in the present, and does so with increasing openness and conviction, she never quite turns around to face what she did to him in the past.

It’s like the story draws a line at that point, and decides, “We’re moving forward from here.”

And I can accept that, to a degree — but I don’t think I can fully let it go.

Which is why, even in all the sweetness that follows — the domestic scenes, the quiet nights working side by side, the way she orders all his favorite dishes, the way they just exist together in this easy, lived-in rhythm — there’s still that small part of me that keeps thinking:

This would have felt so much fuller, if we’d just had that one conversation. 🥲

Having said that, I do think Show earns quite a bit of goodwill through how it handles the external conflicts in these final episodes.

The business arc, in particular, gives Li Wu a very tangible space to grow into himself.

Watching him navigate betrayal, make difficult calls, swallow his pride when necessary, and still hold on to his principles… there’s something very satisfying about that progression.

Especially because it ties back to something he says earlier, about wanting to become someone who “deserves” to stand beside Cen Jin.

By the end, it no longer feels like he’s chasing that worth, and I appreciated that Show lets that shift happen without making a big show of it. 🥲

I also found myself surprisingly invested in how the parental conflict played out.

While I’m generally not the biggest fan of public-facing validation as a substitute for private emotional resolution, I do think Show uses it here in a way that feels… complementary, rather than compensatory.

Li Wu’s conversation with Cen Jin’s mother, for example, works not because it resolves everything neatly, but because it reflects who he is — earnest, grounded, and very clear about his intentions.

And the fact that it’s his sincerity, expressed through that letter, that eventually softens her stance, feels consistent with the story that Show has been telling about him all along.

He doesn’t win people over through grand gestures. He does it by being quietly, unwaveringly himself. 🥲

By the time we get to the ending stretch — the village, the reading academy, the ring — I do feel like Show leans fully into its idea of love as something that grows, rather than something that is neatly resolved.

I actually liked that the ring isn’t framed as a proposal, but as something more fluid; something that can mean what they decide it means, at this point in their lives.

Because in a way, that does feel true to where they are. They’re not a couple that has everything figured out; they’re a couple that has chosen to keep going, together.

So where does that leave me, at the end of it all?

I think, for me, this is a story that comes very, very close to something truly great… but pulls back just a little, right at the point where it needed to be the most emotionally brave.

And yet, because of how much heart there is in these characters, particularly in Li Wu, but also increasingly in Cen Jin, I still found myself feeling warm towards them, and invested in their future — even if part of me is still quietly wishing that they’d had that one, difficult, necessary conversation.

Because honestly? They deserved it. 🥲

THE FINAL VERDICT:

Works out to be solidly good — though it just falls short of being great.

FINAL GRADE: B+

TRAILER:

MV:

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