[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] The Evolution of Our Love 爱情进化论

[cheekychipmunk_stv]

I just realised why I couldn't buy the romantic relationship between RuoMan & Ding Yuan - they have zero chemistry. No passionate kisses.Ding Yuan dont ooze the playboy, sexy n passionate like the 2nd lead character in TW version. Ariel & the 2nd lead in TW version literally steam and burn the screen with their combustible chemistry. Goodness they were on fire and at each other each time they are near each other.

[creidesca]

@Kim YunmiI have time off tomorrow, so I'll go back over the 1st 13 episodes to find that particular scene.

 

Pleasantly surprised to see actor HK Chan Wing Chun's cameo appearance (just last month read an article on him getting married for the 2nd time at the age of 62--his first wife passed away after a stroke in 2010).

 

Spoiler

so far no time jump yet in ep 32--33.

 

[Cat-O-Cat Kun]

So the wedding dress scene i spoke about earlier is spoiler from one of the OST.

 

Episodes have become quite spicy now. Episode   34-35 youtube previews are

 

enough to make you happy to see relaxed Lu Fei enjoying time with a little cute girl and

 

Heartache at the same time watching Ai Ruoman.  Ruoman and Yuyang both have strong personalities and key relationship flaws so it easily visible that there will be a fallout. Sooner or Later.

 

Has Ruoman already slept with Yuyang? From everything we have seen she clearly is a newcomer in romance category. She looked quite desperate with An Zhuo but did she took relationship to next level with Yuyang?  That after rain time spend at her home and she was in her night wear at his home drying hair. like had taken bath just few minutes ago.

 

 

[dramaninja]

Yeah things hit the fan the last 2 episodes today.

[Kim Yunmi]

6 hours ago, litopanda said:

 

I don't think the writer knows how to write female characters, all of them seem like the extreme of cliche character type...

Does anyone know if Bao Qing is a male or female name? I'm not as familiar with Chinese names to divine it yet (especially with so many dialects and differences). That's the name of the writer. I find often male writers tend to boil female characters wrongly like this cross culturally. This doesn't mean, though that female writers can't write females well or male writers can't write females well, but the first is more like internalization or extreme introvertedness and the second is usually after lots of hard work overcoming stereotypes, etc. (with the exception of Winnie as a director...)

I agree, too, on Nick. I kinda liked the fact he was gay in the original--it gave You Qing and the men more depth and a way to contrast with Ding. It also broke some of the Mary Sue effect as well.

Original was written by a female writer who went on to write My Dear Boy which had similar themes. (With Ruby Lin).

[yitiantulong]

Hahaah CheekyChipmunk on Ding Yuyuan and Ruoman having no chemistry... it's true, for all that he has great pick-up lines and is cool/savvy/confident plus genuinely seems to want to make him and Ruoman work (I'm impressed by how he dealt with his ex calling him in the middle of the night when Ruoman is around), I don't feel the attraction much between them. (Although Catocat I do think Ruoman has slept over at Yuyuan's  several times.)

 

Over40Ahjumma, actually on breaking the 4th wall I think there's a degree of meta-laughing going on in this show.  E.g., in the flashback when Ruoman and Lufei are watching that angsty movie where the main lead refuses to admit he loves the female lead for the entire movie, Ruoman ends the scene by saying something like "What? Watching them NOT get together although they love each other for the ENTIRE movie?! A waste of my time!"  A pretty funny self-critique at all the drawn-out, artificial angst in dramas and in this one in particular ;)))

 

But yeah moments like that, along with the great acting and some good writing are why I'm still excited and enjoying this and watching in spite of the generally horrible characterization of the women in this.

 

And yes!

Spoiler

In the trailer for 35, Ruoman finally gets a taste of her own medicine watching Fei lu carry the 2nd female lead's little girl and tuck her into the car!

 

I'm genuinely torn about whether Lufei should go with the 2nd female lead. In real life I have NO doubts that that's what he should do- he's such a sweet fellow, he talks about needing security due to his early abusive upbringing and he loves cooking... she is a successful, well-adjusted, warm, thoughtful, MATURE (I was blown away at how she tried to get him to stay and not go to HK but was still super supportive even though she said she didn't like the decision) restaurateur with a cute-as-hell kid.  There isn't even a "but" in this!  No sane person would make any other choice!

 

However, since this is dramaland, what I as a viewer wants is some sort of affirmation that all the 35 episodes of nearly-romance and love Lufei and Ruoman shared and I sat through (although twisted by their problematic personalities) will come to fruition in some sort of dramatic, cathartic ending!

 

(Although I dislike it that their parents will have "gotten their way".... they have been so unreasonable they don't deserve that!)

[rainmaker5]

Well I am glad someone finally told Ai Ruoman about Lu Fei's feelings for her.  Then in the next instant she goes and emphatically declares her love for DY...Im like, umm okay.  See what I mean?  Emotional confusion this one.  

 

Im still hoping for that curveball that Lu Fei and He Xin will be together.  They both deserve each other!  

 

ONLY if Ai Rouman fights for Lu Fei when she realizes she loves him, gets out of her comfort zone, do small things for him, maybe encourage his relationship with He Xin, then maybe I will root for her.  I want to see her fight for her right to be with Lu Fei....we all know he would go to her in heartbeat but I want her yo actually EARN that right.  I think only then will I be satisfied.

[litopanda]

1 hour ago, rainmaker5 said:

ONLY if Ai Rouman fights for Lu Fei when she realizes she loves him, gets out of her comfort zone, do small things for him, maybe encourage his relationship with He Xin, then maybe I will root for her.  I want to see her fight for her right to be with Lu Fei....we all know he would go to her in heartbeat but I want her yo actually EARN that right.  I think only then will I be satisfied.

 

@rainmaker5

That's what I felt all this time, even with the original. Hopefully in this one, they actually show or Ai Rouman actually make an effort to fight for Lu Fei. As of right now, whether it's You Qing in the original or Ai Rouman here, I feel like they haven't done enough to deserve to stand next to Lu Fei's side yet. And when/if Lu Fei just come right back....it makes me so frustrated...even if they end up together. 

 

3 hours ago, yitiantulong said:

Over40Ahjumma, actually on breaking the 4th wall I think there's a degree of meta-laughing going on in this show.  E.g., in the flashback when Ruoman and Lufei are watching that angsty movie where the main lead refuses to admit he loves the female lead for the entire movie, Ruoman ends the scene by saying something like "What? Watching them NOT get together although they love each other for the ENTIRE movie?! A waste of my time!"  A pretty funny self-critique at all the drawn-out, artificial angst in dramas and in this one in particular ;)))

 

But yeah moments like that, along with the great acting and some good writing are why I'm still excited and enjoying this and watching in spite of the generally horrible characterization of the women in this.

 

@yitiantulong

I love moments like those too. It's the right way of breaking that 4th wall. They always say the person involves can never see their own problems while an outsider can see it clearly. But when an "outsider" fail to realize that the problem he is seeing is also his own...that's another level lol. In episode 33, on the car drive and after the flashback Ai Rouman also said with this new perspective that she learn, she now see something that she fail to understand in the past. 

 

16 hours ago, 40somethingahjumma said:

I also think that the satirical aspects of this show are taken up a notch or two especially with the over-represented caricatures that masquerade as the older generation. I don't mind the slice of life approach... because it demonstrates the somewhat jarring disconnect between the humdrum routine and the romantic idealism that is being gently mocked all throughout. The show seems to be setting up egregious pragmatism in marriage verses marrying for love  as opposing categories and sledgehammering us with the tensions.

 

@40somethingahjumma 

I completely agree with you. One of the thing I like about this drama even over the original is the "humor" in this drama at times. Some of the dialogues are pretty witty and poke fun at issues we have in society today. 

 

The core of story itself is a slice of life drama, it's a drama that is meant to be "slow" instead of one tension or another like most melo or romance. Even though there are conflicts in the drama but the approach to the drama is not about who is "right" or who is "wrong" but about how each of the character, especially the main lead react to it with their own perspective. in a slice of life drama, like reality, no one is absolutely in the right or in the wrong. There is no "villian" in these type of drama because they are all their own hero and own villian. There is no one they have to "defeat" other than themselves...like when Lu Fei finally comes to term with his love for Rouman and his fear of happiness and when Rouman finally understand her own heart and realize what she wanted, will they truly have a happy ending. This part is also where the writer utterly fail. Beside the two main leads, every supporting characters in this version are one dimensional because they seem like they are just written to purely support the main lead and their story in one way or another but other than that...they don't have their own existence in this world. In the original, all the characters even supporting ones have a life of their own outside of the main story and it's very satisfying to watch them complete their own mini story as well. For instance that one friend/couple (I forgot their names) in Singapore when Da Ren was there.  

 

@Kim Yunmi

I'm confused at the writer's name too, Bao seem more like a male name but Qing seem like a name females would have...unless it have different tone. So I don't even know lol. Whether they are female or male, they definitely cannot write characters well especially women.

 

[40somethingahjumma]

@yitiantulong  @cheekychipmunk_stv

 

I don't feel that it's really a case of DYY and RM not having chemistry than there's something off about his acting. The vibe he gives off is all over the place. Maybe he's a better actor than I've been led to believe and that the unevenness in his performance is supposed to be what it is.   The irony is that he was fine when he was falling for RM but now that they're actually dating... I dunno... he seems a bit bland. Of course I think there's something dodgy about him anyway (maybe he enjoys the thrill of the chase more than maintaining a woman) although I was wishing that he wouldn't go the way of his Taiwanese counterpart. I'd rather she broke up with him because they're not compatible or that she's waking up to reality of losing herself in the relationship rather than the fact that he has a roving eye.

 

____________________

 

Although I really like LF a lot more than I like MM, It seems to me as if they both have serious issues which explains why the time is not yet right for them. Like a lot of incredibly self-confident people she can be egotistical to the point of exhaustion. Her fantasy grand romance and her fixation with its fulfilment is quite an accurate reflection of her general state of mind. DYY is the personification of that fantasy. The high school high achiever crush. He is essentially her holy grail of romantic achievement in that she's more in love with the idea of grabbing him than of who he is. 

I don't think MM really knows what she wants or what a lifelong love-based relationship looks like despite the fact that her parents have a workable marriage. It's true that in the large majority of cases people don't really know what they want in a relationship of this kind. Even when they think they do, the reality doesn't quite match their expectations.

 

Sure LF is a saint to put up with her up to this point... but that has its own brand of dysfunction. He gives in over and over again to the point that her own self-awareness is crippled; he let's himself be used as a kind of de facto boyfriend without any of the benefits and she takes him for granted as a sounding board and a shoulder to cry on when things so south. He's been too good to her that she can't see how incredibly special he is to put up with her as much as he has. He's become a crutch and that's how she sees him, more or less. Of course I'm hoping that now that she's in this relationship with DYY, that she will be mugged by reality sooner rather than later.

 

The problem is that LF really likes MM. No matter how much we'd like him to move on, he's unlikely to in the short-term at the very least. The alternative is good... great as a matter of fact but if he doesn't have eyes for her... so to talk about who is deserving of what is moot. 

 

I'm glad that he's put some distance between himself and MM. For his own mental health if nothing else. Of course there is no such thing as a perfect relationship but showing respect for the other party would be a good start.

[40somethingahjumma]

Episode 34 Preview (with English translation)

Spoiler

 

 

Why do I feel like crying?

Because boyfriends are always very busy

It's definitely not because there's no Lu Fei at the moment

 

Master Yao made a red macaron cake which is very famous in Hong Kong Island. Also previously he was unwilling to accept any kind of interview much less personally instruct someone else to make a cake.

If I can leave a little something behind in my advance years, then I should leave a little.

Thank you Master. Carry on with your work.

Alright. Have a look around.

Fine. Thank you.

 

Manager Ai

Manager Ai, we can't take the stairs together

Don't laugh. This time it's more serious than the last.

 

Mum, I really like [the] Elsa [doll] that Dentist Uncle gave me.

Did you thank Dentist Uncle?

Thank you Dentist Uncle.

No manners! You should say Uncle Lu Fei.

No problems. Call me Dentist Uncle.

Mum, I want a group photo with Elsa. I want to put on her dress. I also want an ice block

 

You want to accompany on my night run like this (in this condition)?

Big Brother! I just removed the plaster (band aid) a second ago. Don't give me too much pressure.

Oh right, my dad and mum will be here in a few days, be ready for it.

You're giving me no small amount of pressure as well.

What? Scared?

Not a chance. I welcome the oldies to come anytime. I can get through any tests.

I really like this self-confidence of yours

Slowly...

 

 

 

Episode 35 Preview (with English translation)

Spoiler

 

Why aren't you all talking?

Mum (whisper)

At this table you're the only one who is familiar with everyone, if you don't speak what are we supposed to say?

Excuse me... I've only just realised that what makes Xiao Ai so interesting is apparently hereditary

 

This is my girlfriend, Manny.

Hello

Hello

Our Manager Ding has changed girlfriends again

Are you kidding? This is my true love, alright?

Come, come, come. Let's toast.

Congratulations Manager Ding on finding true love.

Go over with me to greet the boss?

Excuse us.

 

Next, let's sing the birthday song

No, no! There's still another good friend

Another? Aren't all your little companions here already?

Duo Duo! Happy Birthday!

Dentist Uncle

Are you happy?

Happy!

 

Slowly.

So he didn't come back because of me.

 

 

[Cat-O-Cat Kun]

Just watch episode 32-33. almost cried and nose tap started to run.

 

@40somethingahjumma @yitiantulong i asked that question because no where its shown Ai Ruoman had any romantic relationships with anyone. But her most monologues are about love and strategies of love games. She was so desperate for physical intimacy with An Zhuo and as guys put hell lot of value in with whom-girl-slept-with, I thought writer would make some comment on it the way he/she has done so far.

 

I do like Chinese dramas dialogues. Some might find those quotes and dialogues too preachy to digest but they surely bring various ideological perspectives into the picture, enough for us audience to ponder over.

 

I liked the quirky and sarcastic jibes writer took on various social conventions and stereotypes. Writer is literally Mr. Obvious too. What we the audience know, how we audience feel is provided word-to-word.

The way Lu Fei spoke truth about Ruoman's nature and personality is the type of thing audience like and writer has surely is playing push and pull games with audience.

Writing is pretty inconsistent and lacks good amount of logic but i think writer was able to keep the audience engaged to a level. It not easy to face all annoying characters and all these frustrating situations.

 

He Xin is best for Lu Fei but heart doesn't measure things like that so even if Heart chooses Ai Ruoman, it isn't a bad decision at all. Ruoman isn't half bad.

 

As for Ding Yuyuan - Ai Ruoman - They both are quite similar in some ways. Yyuyang still acts like the 1st party in the relationship. breakup or divorce is imminent for them unless both mend their actions. I believe their relationship can work if they are ready to improve themselves for each other and for their love. Their identity will directly compete with their attraction  for each other.  Another issue is both having similar relationship problems. objectively they are compatible with each other but do they really compliment each other is the big question here. Can they really support and improve each other? We have big questions here.

 

As i said earlier Lu fei spoiled Ruoman more than her father. Ruoman became too dependent on Lu Fei. Its only Lu Fei who could take on Ruoman. No other Human has the capability to deal with personality of Ruoman.

 

I agree that Yuyang brings hard truth infront to make Ruoman realise her some of her faults.

 

But Lu Fei has criticised Ruoman before and the cajoled her.

 

@rainmaker5 Idealistic love talking about giving and thinking about returns or fruit of your efforts but in reality this whole world is made of give and take. Everything has a price, I agree with you that Ruoman needs to put efforts to get back Lu Fei. But, at the same time one part of heart says - its not an competition, there is no need to measure the efforts put by people, there is no dealing taking place here.  I am quite uncertain about this specific feeling. Lu Fei loves her and that gives her right to fight. Doing little things here and there looks like another strategy of love games.

 

A direct I LOVE YOU is enough and a resolve to solve all the present problems and possible future problems with the one you love.

Those efforts are to dramatic which most romantic dramas like to pull but i don't think they have much importance here in this situTION.

 

[creidesca]

@catocat are you forgetting Manman had an ex-boyfriend (the 1 who keeps flaunting his ring whenever she shows up at the flagship store)? I believe Lu Fei made it known he didn't like the guy and Mamman eventually broke up with him. This was the guy who gave her a bouquet of flowers which she gave to Lu Fei in a flashback scene.

 

aha!

Spoiler

Manman was excited to find out LuFei was back due to He Xin's daughter playing around w/ his phone, inadvertently responding to her text w/ his location.

 

[yitiantulong]

Just watched 34 and 35 and they're good actually.

 

@40somethingahjumma I was just going to say that the actor for DYY looks great and was super suave at the start but his attempts to be "more of an a$$ hole" (which is what the script is essentially calling for him to do in 34 and 35) are showing his gaps in acting. He's trying too hard, and it comes across as weirdly choppy and over-reacting.   Frowning and whining does not a believable b---rd make, and is weirdly out of synch with his prior savvy.  What we need is someone who is so confident he doesn't even realize what he's saying is terrible.

 

What is AMAZING is the trailer for Ep 36

Spoiler

When Lufei and Ruoman meeting again in the hospital, the moment when they see each other, and they just wordlessly run into each other's arms??? OMG.... Ruoyun ROCKS as an actor. He looked so, so grateful and so, so happy to have Ruoman back, you could just feel the love and reliance and relief and pain all in that hug. He trembled with relief on Ruoman and Ruoman, thank goodness, does the right thing and keeps muttering reassurances and confidence and exuding care and for once doesn't even talk about herself....

 

It's all these moments when Ruoyun acts out LF's defenseless, open-hearted self vs. his repressed, correct self that the character (and actor!) shine!

 

The lack of self in her embrace, and the utter vulnerability in his... I was really touched!

 

Amen... FINALLY a properly romantic scene in this drama!

 

I just want Manman to shut up and listen.

 

Listen to Lufei, listen to DYY, listen to her friend, listen to HERSELF!

 

I listened to the lyrics of the music for the first time in Ep 35 when Manman sits on her own after realizing that Lufei didn't come back to see her, and the music is perfect for Manman:

"Lies to myself I tell all the time

Afterall no one can expose me but myself

And I can always find somewhere to hide [from the truth]

...

So many excuses to be made

So many make-believes to uphold"

 

But of course, the next moment after her disappointment she turns around and agrees to move in with DYY! Urrrrgggg! RM!  What will it take for you to drop the story you tell yourself about your perfect life with DYY?

 

She tells her parents about DYY "I love him without doubt. We're a stable pair. Our parents approve of us.  Our friends envy us. We're perfect. Meant to be!" in a terribly transparent move to convince herself of how happy she is. Plus yesterday as she drives, she vehemently denies to herself that she's upset and on the verge of tears because she misses LF.

 

(Sorry Catocat and others, I don't think it's a spoiler to say that although LF and HX get some lovely scenes and her daughter is unbelievably cute, and LF thinks "this must be the sort of domestic arrangement that makes men want to fight for their family", still the plot doesn't allow LF to be anything but totally in love with RM.)

 

We all tell stories about ourselves and that's how people can survive terrible things, I don't know to explain Ruoman's stubbornness but there's actually a layer of reality in that. I identify with having told yourself one truth for so long it's unthinkable to believe different, or this "other truth" is so dissociated with your self-identity that you need to change entirely how you see yourself to accept it.  And that's hard.

 

[dramaninja]

Whew love the comments here you are all amazing!

[Cat-O-Cat Kun]

@creidesca ohh yeah. I missed that dude. Still it feels like Ruoman read too many Dating Books. Useless short term couple relationship with no consequences for anyone.

 

@yitiantulong Ruoman is her own enemy. What exactly she wants? I just saw 36-37 previews on  Youtube. As expected Crucial Hug scene is from hospital. People are asking for efforts from Ruoman but its clear their won't be much of anything.

 

I am just feeling bad for He Xin and Cute little daughter.

 

There needs to be a Serious direct Confession + discussion + sort out problems + resolve between Lu Fei and Ruoman. Yet we have not seen even 15% of character growth of Ruoman.

 

Everyone hates the - Ding Yuyang aka boyfriend is cheating on me. Accept the heroine, hero.

Here I  want humbled Ruoman than hot air arrogant ruoman.

 

In the hearts of Audience He Xin is the real Heroine.

 

Just watched SMG interview video - Lu Fei's mom is TROUBLE.

[Eduardo SomeraJacinto Tabrilla]

Ding Yuyang cheating  on her ?

 

I want to see He Xin  n  Lufei be together at the end. 

 

 Ruoman doesnt deserve be with Lufei

 

Ding Yuyang is jealous person n very control freak. he seems like he has trust issue 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dramaninja]

I like the reverse is  happening now she is waiting on him and look at his window waiting for him to come on

Spoiler

That had to be painful thinking he was here for you but seeing him with He Xin and her daughter looking like a family.

 

 

[40somethingahjumma]

I thought Episodes 34 and 35 were excellent especially in terms of how the relationship choices are finally playing out logically. (It confirms everything I thought and said just yesterday) I don't think the show really needs to make DYY a philanderer at all because even though he and MM have similar personality traits there are a heap of unspoken expectations between them that will potentially divide them. What I don't particularly like about DYY as a boyfriend aside from the fact that he's rather rigid, is that he assumes he knows what she wants. Gifts are meaningless, no matter how expensive, when there's no thought behind them. What I do like about him though is that there's a layer of rather brutal honesty that comes from being a high achiever. I also think that his honesty is making MM realise that a lot of her so-called independence is really a lot of hot air. That actually reflects my own personal experience... not the dominating boyfriend part... but the "wow... I didn't realise that there's a part of me that likes and wants to be looked after."

 

I don't dislike MM as much as I sound like I do.  There's a lot to like. But I'm waiting for that prima donna part of her to be humbled. She's not a terrible human being but in a real enough way she's been a victim of her own success and of being greatly loved... not just by LF but by her mum and dad. It's a fascinating phenomenon that has been sociologically analyzed and written up... kids that grow up in well-adjusted homes becoming depressed in their adult years because the world of their adulthood is far removed from the loving, sheltered one that they've grown up in. There's an element of that in MM especially in the dating department... although there's no denying that she's made good choices financially and professionally.

 

I still don't think the DYY actor is experienced enough to be playing that role with nuance but at least from the writing, I can see what they're going for. He's fine as the eager doting boyfriend because I suspect that's closer to what he's like in real life. 

 

If people want to see how accomplished an actor ZRY is, you might want to take a look at Dr Qin Medical Examiner Series 1. Great police procedural. Visually it isn't for the faint-hearted but his character there is 180 degrees from LF. He plays prickly arrogance so well there. 

 

It's clear to my mind that despite the numerous times MM and LF say that they are each other's best friends that really... he has always been a kind of unofficial boyfriend to her. He did such a good job in supporting her and sheltering her that she never noticed what was always under her nose. On top of that she was wearing her fantasy grand romance blinkers the whole time. Now that her fantasy is being stripped bare bit by bit she's gradually realising his actual importance in the ebb and flow of her life. I imagine like many people she thinks that dating, finding love and marriage is some kind of achievement... like their careers but really, it's about building lifelong relationships. It sounds like an obvious sort of thing to be saying but when you think about what is said by various characters in this drama... it's not really a bridge too far.

 

I know that LF is still pining for MM but I like seeing him having his "own" life, separate from MM,  spending time with someone who genuinely respects him, and appreciates him as a man. On paper she would be a great catch. He Xin is an independent, high achieving businesswoman... and she's had to take care of things herself being a single mother. I find her groundedness and authenticity very appealing. At least she doesn't act life and love is one big drama although I'm sure she hasn't had it easy. It's fascinating to me that we have all these women who can see how amazing LF is... except the two women closest to him... his mother and MM.

 

 

[Eduardo SomeraJacinto Tabrilla]

 

 

People really are. The ones that are not available are the best.
The things that should have been at your disposal are not taken care of. Look at the other.
Now it is better. Know the difference. I want it but it is gone

 

 

 

[yitiantulong]

Hahaha... @40somethingahjumma Dr. Qin is one of two reasons I was really looking forward to this show. ZRY is an extraordinary actor in spite of his age and he totally floored me with how cool he was in Dr. Qin! (The other is Tianai's Princess GoGo where she carried the entire show on her expressive shoulders in spite of some really wooden co-stars).

 

I came into this expecting great acting and haven't been disappointed, and overall this is still something I like watching. Just the loud, repetitive, bat-sh-t crazy female characters (one could say they're true-to-real-life.  Over-reacting people exist... we just don't want to see them taking up so much screen space) including a Ruoman that (as many, many have commented) is more flawed than the original character (who was truly strong and not as self-centered- she used her strength to stand up for weaker people.)

 

@dramaninja  I was glad to see Ruoman have some reaction at last to LF's 'departure'- she ran to see him and then stayed out all night after it looked like LF was having a lovely romantic/family life without her.

 

But I do like the voice-overs and (in some select ways) how insightful Manman and LF are on life, relationships, parents, themselves. Yes, the writers are transparently talking through them (hahah.. we even get air text quotes in key scenes which is pretty heavy-handed!), but at least what the writers have to say made me think.

 

Oh yes, and I do think that although Manman made LF feel very safe and happy for many years, there's an element of abuse in how she treated him too.  Sure it's partly how nearly desperately he relies on Manman (he takes Manman shouting at him very seriously- I mean his mom shouts at him worse all the time but he's grown immune to it, and with Manman he starts to shake and just about has a nervous breakdown because she tells him that he's not that important to her.) But Manman really, really should know better than do that to him given his childhood traumas.

 

ANd yes, I think we all love Manman at least a little to complain about her!   Why would we spend time talking about a character we really do despise? (I don't give 2 cents for Qingqing, nor LF's mom and fast-forwarded through most of their crazy stuff)