I just love this drama. It’s one of my all time favorites. I rewatched it soon after I finished all 40 episodes, fast forwarding through some of the secondary leads’ lives. The cast did a great job especially the 3 young kids in ep 1&2. I was hooked from the get go. I love Seven Tan. She is so cute and funny and plays a character with a bigger than life personality. She is beautiful as the grown up LJJ. Her acting is spot on. Song Wei Long is so good looking and his acting is good and credible as LX. I read that netizens criticized him but in my opinion, it’s unwarranted. He was only 20 years old when this drama was produced. Stephen Zhang is endearing as HZQ and completes the trio parented by 2 men, Li Pa and Ling Pa. Hats off to Tu Song Yan who’s portrayal of Li Pa, a loving, wise and kind father was very touching and with LJJ’s take charge personality, just what 2 traumatized young boys needed. Li Pa’s thoughtful handing of his daughter was funny and wonderful to watch. Yang Tong Shu also did a great job as LX’s mother. We hate her so much and it’s also due to her good acting skills.

I laughed so much and cried at the many tender and poignant moments and binge watched till late at night because I was obsessed with the story and the main characters. The story touches on family and parenting issues, childhood tragedy and abandonment, continuing trauma and mental health ( though not in depth), school, career challenges and love life. The story focuses on the children when LJJ was 6 and the boys were 8, then at 16 and 18 and again at 25 and 27. I also love the romance between LJJ and XL. Though some people expressed discomfort about their romance because they’re ‘siblings’, they are not related but have known each other since childhood. It’s similar to great childhood friends becoming romantically involved years later when they grow up. LJJ and XL always had a special relationship. It was LJJ who used to chase after this ‘big brother’ who lived upstairs. She misses him tremendously when he’s gone for a few days. In LX’s mind, he always had the notion of marrying her as they accidentally performed the ancient rite of engagement (LOL) when he rescued her from kidnappers when they were young kids. It should also come as no surprise to viewers that they got together as the opening and ending video clips showed them kissing.

I usually fast forward through the video clips during the beginning and ending credits but for this drama, I watched them all for every episode. They were so compelling. The characters look so happy in some and it’s a pleasure to watch them grow up through the clips. The music is poignant and moving if you read the lyrics. Definitely a drama that must be watched with English subtitles if your Mandarin, like mine, is not so good.

Best of all, this drama has a happy ending. I can’t bear to feel sad after investing hours of watching a drama and I especially wanted good endings for these characters. I wanted to be entertained and I was.