[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] Never Gone: So You Are Still Here 原来你还在这里

[themarchioness]

@lynne22, here's what's going on with YH so far.  I've mentioned some of this stuff to you already, but now I'll go into more detail.  [Edit: I just finished my summary and it's so long I hope I don't end up boring you!]  I didn't want to give away too much before in case you still wanted to watch.  But now I know you just want to know what happens to YH.    Cut for spoilers. 

 

Spoiler

 

In the drama, SYJ and YH are the best of friends starting from high school (not college, like in the book).  We still get that scene at the karaoke bar though where YH confesses to ZZY and he basically reacts by running away.  As SJY tries to comfort her, YH says that it's not his fault he doesn't like her and that liking him is something she does willingly.

 

ZZY was supposed to study abroad but ends up attending the same university as SYJ.  When SYJ shows up for move-in day and is completely lost as to where to go, ZZY helps her find her dorm and tries to buy her treats and whatnot.  SYJ's roommates think she has an admirer but of course ZZY is hanging around her because of CZ (keeping tabs on her for his best friend).  Because SYJ and ZZY hang out regularly, it's not long before he's reunited with YH since she's also attending uni in Shanghai.

 

YH continues her one-sided crush on ZZY and always goes out of her way to do things for him.  For example, during the SARS outbreak, she brings a lot of medicine from her hospital and delivers two bundles to SYJ, asking her to pass one on to ZZY.  Later, there is a scene where SYJ happens upon ZZY's roommates throwing a lot of his stuff away because he won't do his part to keep the room clean so they're just dumping his stuff.  That's when SJY notices that they're also throwing away the plastic bag full of medicine that YH had previously given them; it's never even been opened.  If memory serves me correctly, YH was also present for that moment and she tried to shrug it off.  SYJ does confront ZZY about it later, but in typical ZZY fashion, he brushes it off -- although you can tell there's a part of him that still has the decency to feel a smidge guilty, at least.

 

During uni though, ZZY forms a crush on one of YH's classmates.  That ends up being another reason why he and YH end up spending a lot of time together -- because by inviting out YH, he could also get the classmate to tag along.  The classmate is obviously not interested in him though and when he learns about how she's dating a doctor at the hospital she and YH are training in, he gets rip roaring drunk.  YH of course ends up taking care of him and there's a moment where he's so completely drunk, he ends up kissing her.  Later, she has to call CZ (who is fortunately visiting Shanghai at the time) for help and he brings the both of them back to their apartment.  CZ invites YH to stay in his second bedroom since it's too late for her to go back to her school and she can barely understand him, let alone listen to him, as she's still in a daze over the kiss.  The next morning ZZY wakes up to find breakfast prepared.  He thinks CZ bought it for him and the latter is like, "As if."  Naturally YH bought it for ZZY before taking her leave that morning.  That's when CZ lays into ZZY, asking him what he did to YH the night before to have her in such a state.  ZZY can't remember, but the both of them suspect he must've done something (although ZZY's not really willing to admit it).

 

Much later, there's a scene where the four of them are out celebrating ZZY's birthday at a restaurant.  It's super awkward because this is at a time where SYJ doesn't really want to be in CZ's company either.  Haha.  Anyway, they go around the table presenting their birthday presents to ZZY.  YH gives him a scrapbook she put together for him filled with pictures from when they were in high school.  There's one page that has a picture of him and CZ from when they were playing soccer.  Apparently the boys have an ongoing  fight about who came out winning on one particular day and when CZ sees this picture, he recognizes it from that day.  It serves as his proof that he was the winner.  Upset by this, ZZY tears out the page and rips it in half . . . and that's when everyone realizes that on the back side of that page had been a picture of him and YH together.  Super awkward moment and ZZY hurriedly shoves the book and its box onto the seat next to him.  That's when he asks after YH's classmate whom he'd also invited.  When he learns she's not going to attend he gets rip roaring drunk.  CZ ends up having to drag him home before he pukes on everybody and everywhere (he does end up losing his stomach in the taxi though).  The girls end up having to settle the bill (CZ gave them money before he left) and that's when YH realizes ZZY left behind the photo album.  To be fair he was drunk and out of it, but on the other hand . . . yeah.  Anyway, the next day when ZZY is sober and he's talking with CZ, he realizes he left the photo album at the restaurant.  He tries to go back and find it, but of course he can't, and eventually someone from the restaurant tells him that the girls took it away with them when they left.  

 

For YH though, this serves as her breaking point where she tells SYJ that she's decided to try and date other people and move on from ZZY.  (We know she's not really going to be able to, but I like that she at least tried.  Which is different from the book.)  She goes out on a date with a guy she met through the hospital.  Unfortunately the date is at the same bar that ZZY happens to be hanging out at.  And not only that but he's also in a mood because he was feeling down and wanted his friends to come out and keep him company, but both CZ and YH turned him down, which only made him in feel worse.  When YH shows up with the other guy in tow, he mutters to himself that this is what she was busy with.  Still, he hides away in a corner and just watches them from afar.  It's not until the other guy accidentally spills his drink onto YH and is about to help her wipe it up - which would mean he'd be touching her lap area - that ZZY ends up swooping in to drag her away, all the while berating her for her date.  (I mean, really, how is she supposed to move on??)

 

Still later, there's a part of the story (added for the drama, not in the book) where SYJ visits her mother and Uncle Ding (the stepdad) for a vacation and her mother decides to set her up on a blind date with this boy from the neighborhood.  Everyone says he's nice, smart, and polite.  He also attends uni in Shanghai, so she thinks this is perfect for her daughter.  SYJ meets up with YH and tells her about this plan.  YH asks her if she's really going to go through with it, and SYJ decides she doesn't really have a choice since she doesn't want to disappoint her mother either.  As a result, YH calls CZ behind her back and he of course rushes down from Shanghai.  He sends YH to intercept the boy (JZ) just as he's leaving the house while he goes to the restaurant to wait for SYJ.  

 

When YH calls out to JZ, she pretends to be SYJ and tells him that she doesn't really want to go on the blind date as she already has a boyfriend.  JZ tells her that's a relief because he already has a girlfriend too and only agreed to the date for his parents' sake.  She sighs with relief and is ready to leave, when he asks her where she's going.  He points out he can't exactly go home as his parents will wonder why the blind date is over so quickly and invites her to take a walk with him, so she agrees.  The enjoy a pleasant afternoon walking around the village together and when they part, they say they should meet up another time.

 

Back in Shanghai, they actually do end up running into each other when JZ brings one of his students to her hospital for treatment.  (Turns out he's a school teacher.)  She confesses she was only pretending to be SYJ that one time and he responds that he figured it out from the get go, and explains that had she been SYJ, she could've told him what YH said to him outside his house at the restaurant.  He just went along with it as he figured they had their reasons.  It's clear that JZ is interested in YH.  He invites her to come tour his school as she'd expressed interest in knowing what a high school in Shanghai was like and says he'll wait for her that evening after she gets off work.  YH ends up visiting him that evening but as they're walking around athletic fields, JZ notices a soccer ball that's been kicked and currently heading in YH's direction.  He steps in front of her and takes the blow instead.  The soccer coach runs over to apologize and that's when YH learns that ZZY has gotten a job (all of them have internships for their senior year of uni) as a soccer coach.  The men size each other up, not having yet met, although JZ had heard that their school had a new soccer coach.  They end up back at the hospital to get JZ's injuries fixed and when YH offers to help JZ back to school, ZZY steps in to say there's no need since he's going back there as well.  

 

From that moment on, ZZY takes JZ under his wing as his new friend and JZ starts to hang out with the foursome.  It's clear to everyone that JZ is interested in YH and I find it comical how supportive SYJ and CZ are of this pairing.  But honestly, it makes sense!  He's the sweetest guy and unlike ZZY he's actually mature and responsible.  But, i suppose the heart wants what the heart wants.  JZ knows that YH is also interested in ZZY and it's both adorable and sad how he tries to be like ZZY, as a result.  For example, he starts exercising and learning how to play soccer, figuring that YH likes the "athletic types."  But when they're in a group, YH has only eyes for ZZY, and on the rare occasion that it's just JZ and YH  together by themselves (because ZZY has bailed on them) she just sits there wondering why ZZY bailed on them and worrying over whether something must've happened to him.

 

This brings the story to where I'm presently at.  JZ has invited YH out to dinner.  Both of them read a text that ZZY has sent to the group.  It's inviting everyone to dinner as he has something very important to share with them.  He doesn't say anything else so they're both wondering about what's going on.  (We (the viewers) already know from CZ though that it's the dinner where ZZY intends on telling everyone that he's married.)  YH finally puts down her phone and asks JZ what it was that he wanted to say to her.  He coughs discreetly and the waiter walks over to put on music he's specifically prepared.  It's the wedding march.  He then starts to confess his feelings and ask her officially to be her girlfriend, but she cuts him off and runs away.  Poooooor JZ.  Meanwhile the waiter walks over and just says, "See?  I told you not to play that music.  What girl wouldn't be scared away by that song?"  (I admit, I laughed.)

 

It's finally the dinner.  ZZY is drinking heavily and CZ can barely stand it (he's pretty upset on YH's behalf, as is SYJ since CZ already prepared her in advance).  He tells ZZY that maybe he should just save his news for another day then.  But ZZY insists on going through with it.  He finally gathers himself enough to stand and pull out a jewelry box.  He addresses YH and tells her how he's grateful for everything she's done for him over the years and how he probably wouldn't have been able to graduate from uni without her.  He says a lot more nice things to her and her face is just beaming.  It really does sound  like he's confessing to her, and in front of all their friends, so how could she look but delighted?  He then hands her the box and says it's a necklace that he worked really hard to purchase for her.  She accepts it gratefully and happily.  And then that's when he drops his bomb.  He's married.  Only CZ and SYJ are not surprised.  After a pause YH stands up to say that this is a happy thing they should drink to, and then takes a drink.  She also returns the necklace saying that it's too much.  She keeps toasting ZZY and finally CZ can't take it anymore and drags ZZY out of the restaurant.  Back in the private dining room, YH reaches for another drink.  ZJ (who's sitting next to her) reaches over to stop her at the same time that SJY runs over from the opposite side of the table to also try and stop YH from drinking any more.

 

Outside the restaurant CZ confronts ZZY and asks him how he could really think this was the best way to handle the matter of YH.  ZZY just splutters.  It's not his fault that YH likes him and that he doesn't like her back.  I think CZ does understand that.  What disgusts CZ (and all of us) is how despite not returning YH's feelings, he doesn't draw a clear line, knowing how she feels about him.  This is what CZ points out when ZZY tries to throw MX in his face.  (By this point of the story, MX has just returned to Shanghai and we're seeing her for the first time since she left to study abroad after high school.  In fact, she's the 6th person at their dinner that night.)  CZ tells ZZY that knows MX has always been in love with him, but he's never encouraged her and has never let her do anything for him.  Really, this is the problem with the whole YH-ZZY story line.

 

Poor YH.  My heart really broke for her after that dinner.  To hear that speech . . . and then . . . it was awful.

 

I also feel bad for JZ because he is just the sweetest thing.  

 

Coming up (because I've been a bad girl and peeked ahead a little): JZ will try to ask out YH again in light of the fact that ZZY is now married, but YH will tell him that she's planning on studying abroad.  ZZY will then get into a car accident and she'll rush to his bedside to nurse him back to health -- just like in the book.  Although, from the little bit I saw, he didn't look as injured as he was in the book, so we'll have to see how that goes.

 

I don't know for how long JZ will stay in the picture.  As I mentioned previously the drama opens with the present, which is intercut with scenes from high school, before setting into the uni years.  The story then makes its way back to the present from uni.  During the present, MX is getting married and has invited everyone to attend.  When SYJ and YH meet up to discuss whether they'll attend, because they know that if they do, SYJ runs the risk of running into CZ, SYJ also points out that YH will likely run into ZZY.  And then she does run into ZZY at the wedding (although CZ doesn't attend), and it's kind of awkward.  JZ isn't anywhere to be seen.  But we don't see much of the present due to all the high school flashbacks, so we'll see what happens.

 

 

[themarchioness]

2 hours ago, angelangie said:

i like the guy but im hesitate to start this due to the story lines :x

 

What are you hesitating over? Maybe (?) I can offer some reassurance.  (Or confirmation... )

[Lynne]

@themarchioness  awww.. Yu Hua's situation is so heartbreaking............. 

[themarchioness]

48 minutes ago, lynne22 said:

@themarchioness  awww.. Yu Hua's situation is so heartbreaking............. 

 

Sigh.  Turns out I should've waited to watch one more episode before posting last night. 

 

Spoiler

 

The next episode picked up with CZ's confrontation of ZZY outside the restaurant.  After CZ argued that his situation with MX wasn't the same because he never gave her hope, always drew a very clear line, and never let her do anything for him, ZZY countered with the argument that that was CZ's style of handling things.  Which wasn't necessarily better than his.  He pointed out that he treated YH like a friend, and was her friend, but CZ couldn't even be friends with MX.  (Honestly, I kind of get what he's saying there, but I'd also observe that I think that has more to do with the other party than anything else.  MX was and is super annoying in her pursuit of CZ.  YH, on the other hand, is the silent observer type, always self-sacrificing.  It's a lot easier to keep someone like YH around than it is MX.  Just saying!)  

 

Finally CZ asks ZZY why he married his current wife.  [Side explanation: After SYJ started accepting CZ, he suggested that they go on a weekend trip with YH, ZZY, and JZ.  They end up in this remote hotel place and as they're sitting outside eating lunch, they notice the staff around them decorating the patio.  They ask what's going on and one of the staff members explains that they're preparing for a wedding the next day.  The groom is from a poor family, but the bride insisted on marrying him in his hometown, hence the wedding in this remote place.  Everyone, especially ZZY, thinks this is really sweet and romantic.  The next day ZZY is out for a walk when he witnesses the bride being slapped around.  It turns out it's her father who has come to put a stop to this wedding . He tells the bride the groom won't come as he's already had a talk with him.  The bride doesn't want to believe him and reveals that she's already pregnant.  This enrages the father even more but just as he would do more physical harm, ZZY steps in.  It turns out he recognizes the dad as a business associate's of his father.  So he feigns innocence, like he just happened to walk by, and says, "Hello."  The dad ends up walking away in a huff and the bride remains seated - we never do see her face.  Later, once they're back from their trip, ZZY disappears for a few days and returns married.  Additional side note: This weekend getaway trip is where the OTP agree officially to be together.]  

 

ZZY answers CZ that with his wife, he feels like a hero.  She needed someone to protect her and her unborn baby, and he could fill that role.  CZ points out that he could fill that role with YH as well, but ZZY just sighs.  He tells CZ he's going for a walk and leaves the restaurant.  As CZ returns inside, he sees JZ and SYJ still trying to get YH to stop drinking.  (MX has left already by this point.)  YH is unstoppable and says that she wants to drink more and celebrate more, since ZZY's marriage is a happy thing.  She suggests they go out for karaoke and pulls out her phone to call him.  After she listens for a second, she yells out, "Accident!" and goes running out of the room with everyone following her from behind.

 

They end up at the hospital where ZZY has been taken to.  He undergoes surgery and when it's finally done, the doctor tells them that he'll be okay and recover well.  But YH asks him if ZZY will ever be able to play soccer again and the doctor grimly replies that only time will tell.  She starts to worry over ZZY's future as SYJ reminds her that she's a doctor so she should know how doctors always handle these types of prognosis talks.  She reassures YH that things will likely turn out well for ZZY and that the doctor is just preparing them for the worst.  YH sends her and CZ home as she settles in for her one woman vigil.

 

The next morning ZZY finally wakes up and is freaked to find he can't move his legs.  He figures out pretty quickly what this likely means.  He asks where everyone else is,  and CZ specifically.  YH tells him she sent them all home the night before.  He starts to apologize for the evening before and she cuts him off quickly, and tells him she'll accept the necklace.  He smiles with relief and tells her to fetch the necklace from his bag of things.  Then he has her turn around so he can put the necklace on her.  He tells her it looks good.  He's so happy.  YH can barely hold on to herself.  She tells him she's going to do something and runs out of the room where she immediately collapses in tears against the door to his hospital room.  Talk about heartbreaking!

 

Later when SYJ and CZ come to check in on him, she notices the necklace that YH is wearing.  She seeks YH out for a heart-to-heart talk.  When she asks about the necklace, YH says she knows.  She explains she ended up accepting it because she knows this is ZZY's way of trying to make things up to her and it makes things easier for him if she accepts it -- once again, she's so in love with him she wants to do everything to lighten his load.  Oh, YH.  She tells SYJ that she knows he's married now and needs to move on.  She reassures SYJ that she's not going to try to break up his marriage and SYJ tells her of course she knows YH never would.  But she's worried for YH.  YH's problem is that she just can't help herself.  I swear, this love of hers . . . it is the most destructive thing ever.  I've had my own share of one-sided crushes, but she takes it to a new level.  

 

This drama is really into one-sided crushes . . . YH to ZZY.  MX to CZ.  And that other classmate of theirs who was in love with and still is in love with MX.  (He's back in the present picture having run into MX while visiting ZZY in the hospital.)  

 

 

[themarchioness]

1 hour ago, angelangie said:

 

er i dunno maybe i'm jealous?

 

Jealous of all that painful love?  Haha.

 

As a separate note, I have to admit that the clingy nature of the male lead is actually something I find painful to watch.  I didn't like it much when reading the book and seeing it brought to life doesn't make it any better.  I'm kind of like SYJ.  Practical and no-nonsense.  But unlike her who puts up with, I don't know if I could.  I mean, when he's not being clingy, he's great.  But when he's being clingy . . . I really have no patience for that! 

 

BUT.  Having said that, there was one moment in the drama (not in the book) that I really appreciated.  CZ helps to bring SYJ's mom and stepdad to Shanghai for medical check-ups.  The day before that he takes them all around the city and shows them a good time.  It's a really thoughtful gesture on the whole and when SYJ and CZ take them to the bus depot to send them back home, her mom pulls her aside.  She says to SYJ that CZ is a little on the childish and immature side, but she can also tell he really cares for her.   She tells SYJ that there's no such thing in this world as a perfect man and that it's more important how the other person feels about her.  She knows CZ will always be good to SYJ, so she approves of him and their relationship.

 

Hearing SYJ's mom's words really helped me reconcile my feelings toward this male lead.  Part of me had been reading the book and watching the drama with the thought, "How is this clingy behavior attractive in a male lead?!"  We always want our male lead to be perfect.  But mom's words reminded me that this is reality.  (Okay, drama reality, but you get my point.)  So he's childish and immature.  So long as he otherwise gets his work done and loves SYJ with all his heart, isn't that what matters? 

[themarchioness]

14 hours ago, angelangie said:

maybe i will sit thru the first 2 episode and see what i thought of it before i decided....lols too many dramas all of the sudden but too little times....besides my poor internet connection....

 

As a head's up, I found the first episode kind of confusing -- at least when it came to the present/current part of the story.  The second episode may have been confusing for the same reason, but I don't really remember that as well as I do the first.  The thing is, the story just kind of dives right into the middle of things.  You don't really know who people are but you know who the leads are and you get the sense there's something going on, which is why they're no longer together and hesitating over the possibility of crossing paths again.  As the drama continues on though, and the story unfolds and you become familiar with the characters, it all makes sense. 

 

What isn't confusing from the get-go is the story as told through flashbacks, of their high school years.  Honestly, these were IMO the best parts of the first couple of episodes (and probably still my favorite parts).  The younger actors did such a great job with their roles and I was sorry to see them go when they transitioned to their adult selves.

 

Anyway, I just wanted to mention that since you spoke about giving the drama a 2-episode chance.  I wanted to warn that it may take at least an episode or two beyond that to really decide because I think the drama is worth it . . . but of course, only if it's your thing.  Sometimes we can sit through any number of episodes of a drama and it's still not going to be our thing, and that's okay too.    

[skibbies]

I'm only on ep 22 but I like Cheng Zheng is clingy, it's part of his character, it make sense because she was very timid and didn't speak up about her feelings much, and he could never quite tell if she actually liked him. I actually wished they didn't tone down his immaturity. The story is about both of them having to grow and learn and struggle to make things work after all.

 

Spoiler

They changed the SARS outbreak to flu outbreak because they shifted the timeline few years later? I think it was so they could insert their product replacement which needed smartphones? lol. Anyways, that made it bit less dire, it seems. and she didn't feel like the world abandoned her but oh well.

 

Idk what's up with Shen Ju An's change? Why did the drama make it so they dated for two years (that we just skipped as well)? Zhang Yue was very clearly the chaser too (it's never clear in the book tbf), and under other circumstances I'd be fine with it, but it just make Shen Ju An more..."I didn't do anything wrong, I just couldn't resist the temptation". Bluhhhh.

 

More importantly they moved the borrowing money thing. In the book, CZ and SYJ was a couple, and she just couldn't ask him because she'll feel inadequate and unequal. So she asked everyone else, including her ex. which made CZ's anger much more justifiable. I guess in drama, it could be peg down to possessiveness and immaturity, but then why change earlier scenes that showed that. orz.

 

I miss the few things she says when she rejects Cheng Zheng too. (about him being fine, there's nothing wrong with him. she just doesn't like him. also the bit about cinderella. the class difference is real and hard to overcome) They lay things out really clearly, and it's nice she could say so (and big part of why I like her tbh). I guess they might be saving it for break up scene? idk.

I like the added Yu Hua scenes though, she's fantastic. I love Zhou Zi Yi too. It was easier to like Su Yun Ji in the book because you get her thoughts and it's from her pov. I'm struggling a little for the drama. I like her when it's not OTP related. I like young!SYJ though, but it might be because I like Li Lan Di.

[themarchioness]

51 minutes ago, skibbies said:

I'm only on ep 22 but I like Cheng Zheng is clingy, it's part of his character, it make sense because she was very timid and didn't speak up about her feelings much, and he could never quite tell if she actually liked him. I actually wished they didn't tone down his immaturity. The story is about both of them having to grow and learn and struggle to make things work after all.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

They changed the SARS outbreak to flu outbreak because they shifted the timeline few years later? I think it was so they could insert their product replacement which needed smartphones? lol. Anyways, that made it bit less dire, it seems. and she didn't feel like the world abandoned her but oh well.

 

Idk what's up with Shen Ju An's change? Why did the drama make it so they dated for two years (that we just skipped as well)? Zhang Yue was very clearly the chaser too (it's never clear in the book tbf), and under other circumstances I'd be fine with it, but it just make Shen Ju An more..."I didn't do anything wrong, I just couldn't resist the temptation". Bluhhhh.

 

More importantly they moved the borrowing money thing. In the book, CZ and SYJ was a couple, and she just couldn't ask him because she'll feel inadequate and unequal. So she asked everyone else, including her ex. which made CZ's anger much more justifiable. I guess in drama, it could be peg down to possessiveness and immaturity, but then why change earlier scenes that showed that. orz.

 

I miss the few things she says when she rejects Cheng Zheng too. (about him being fine, there's nothing wrong with him. she just doesn't like him. also the bit about cinderella. the class difference is real and hard to overcome) They lay things out really clearly, and it's nice she could say so (and big part of why I like her tbh). I guess they might be saving it for break up scene? idk.

I like the added Yu Hua scenes though, she's fantastic. I love Zhou Zi Yi too. It was easier to like Su Yun Ji in the book because you get her thoughts and it's from her pov. I'm struggling a little for the drama. I like her when it's not OTP related. I like young!SYJ though, but it might be because I like Li Lan Di.

 

 

I agree that CZ's clingy and immature behavior is part of his character.  And I certainly did not mean to suggest that the drama (or book) should've changed that about him, and don't think I did in my above post.  Rather, I was simply stating that - for me - that is a really unattractive character in a person.  And in that regard, that sometimes makes it hard for me to watch.  

 

[Example: If my guy kept calling me during an important work function, wanting to know where I was or my ETA just because we'd had a previously agreed to date, and I'd already told him plans had to change because of work . . . trust me, I'd be doing more than hanging up the phone on him.] 

 

But I  also agree that much of their problem was SYJ's timidness and unwillingness (perhaps even inability) to share how she really felt about CZ while CZ needed affirmation that she did, in fact, love him and care about him.  I don't think though that it was necessarily because of her that he was clingy.  I think that was part of his personality/nature to begin with, and her actions just brought it out in him.  After all, he's pretty much universally described as "immature" by his family and they've known him since before SYJ! 

 

There are, of course, more mature, productive ways for SYJ and CZ to handle the problem that they had.  For example, sitting down and having a proper conversation about why he needed to know how she felt, and why it was so hard for her to express her feelings.  But SYJ and CZ are basically kids when they meet and they're still young for much of their time together, so I'm not suggesting that they're wrong in the way they behave or interact, or anything like that.  It just simply is.  This is their story and, as you noted, this story is about watching them grow both as individuals and in their relationship, and that's the charm of the drama.

 

I also liked how they've fleshed out the side characters, particularly YH.  Although I could've dealt with less SJA in uni (i thought the book was much more efficient with his and SYJ's dating history ) and every time I see him on the screen now, I just wait for the other shoe to drop.  I also agree that the book did a better job of voicing SYJ's thoughts/concerns and that her hesitation over a relationship with CZ is not always as easily understood in the drama.

 

ETA: It's nice to see someone else who's watching chiming in on this thread!    

[themarchioness]

@lynne22!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm still 6 episodes from the end, but with the last two episodes posted today, I could not resist checking in to see how things ended.  (I know, I know... ) 

 

But I'm so glad I did, because!

 

Spoiler

 

• It looks like the drama handles the OTP's break up swiftly and efficiently.  They break up at the end/beginning of episodes 34/35.  I then fast forwarded a bit, but it looks like there's some narrative from SYJ to see how time passes in the meantime, and then they're in present day and crossing paths by the end of episode 35.  I've been so scared for this part of the story so this gives me hope that my heart can take this after all, haha.
• SYJ does not get together with her manager at workplace, like she does in the book.  (Thank goodness.  I wasn't really a fan of that part of the book.)  Actually, the first episode opened with that scene where the manager's wife confronts her at a bar.  But unlike in the book where she accepts it and then admits later to her coworker that she's had a relationship with the manager, in the drama, she denies to the wife that she ever did anything with the manager.  She also kept her distance from him when he picked her up the next morning to drive her to work.  So, I've had hope ever since then that the drama would go in a different direction, I just wasn't sure if the end of the drama would do something different once we were back in the present.  They didn't.  It's clear the manager is interested in her, but she's only got eyes for one person. 
• Also different from the book, SYJ doesn't get pregnant/have an ectopic pregnancy and her mother doesn't die (at least I saw her in episode 35 when scrolling around).
• Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, for you, since I know this is what you're really interested (and why I saved it for last ), in the final ~5 minutes or so, YH and ZZY become their own OTP!!!!  Yay.  Happy for her.  And just so we don't feel too bad for JZ, the drama ends with all main characters and their friends at a party, and a girl walks up to him, suggesting that someone new is interested in him so hopefully he won't be too sad about losing YH.  I don't think he will be though.  He's always known how much YH loves ZZY.  He's a really good guy though, so he deserves happiness as well, even if he was just made up for the drama.   

 

 

Now I feel energized to watch the remaining 6 episodes!  Heeeee!

 

 

[Lynne]

@themarchioness Thank youuuu.....

 YH deserve her happiness.... I hope the drama will end well for her.... ZZY needs to treat her right this time around..... 

 

About CZ and SYJ

Spoiler

In the book, the reason why she had an affair with her manager was because she doesn't just loose CZ.. she also loose her child.  I think thats what finally drove her through despair.... So by erasing the pregnancy plot, the affair should not happen. I mean.. CZ and SYJ already have enough pain to share to us viewers... so I'm glad they cut this.... LoL...

 

These two needs to communicate better.. but I get it that its hard... both of their personality makes it difficult for them to talk....its a journey for both of them to finally come together.. 

 

 

@angelangie  tbh I'm not watching this drama either.. but themarchiones got me curious about Yu Hua, the female lead's best friend... she had a sad ending in the book..... Hopefully she'll be happy in the drama.. 

 

[skibbies]

 

On 12/4/2018 at 7:15 AM, themarchioness said:

I agree that CZ's clingy and immature behavior is part of his character.  And I certainly did not mean to suggest that the drama (or book) should've changed that about him, and don't think I did in my above post.  Rather, I was simply stating that - for me - that is a really unattractive character in a person.  And in that regard, that sometimes makes it hard for me to watch.  

Oh yeah that's totally fair. I think I like the trait largely because Cheng Zheng is close to a perfect male lead, and the reason I liked the book was that his flaw was very apparent and serious enough to break relationships.

 

I'm watching this hilariously slowly. Finding the office plot uninteresting oops. But it's nice there's finally fluff! I love Zhang Yue but I don't want to ever want to see Shen Ju An again, such a dilemma.

 

About the book.

Spoiler

The affair plot didn't bother me too much because it was sort of glided over, and fitting with "realistic" tone it was going for. That said, there's actually two version of the book. One was published in 2007, and the one posted online on jjwxc originally, one was edited and had 2/5? additional content. In the newer version, the manager was finalising a divorce and was interested in SYJ, she was debating on accepting him but never did, then got splashed with water at the bar. The pregnancy plot was there regardless, because...I guess they needed a reason for her to avoid talking to him?

 

The wedding at the beginning of the drama was from the newer version of the book, as were some stuff during their high school days (e.g. CZ meeting SYJ's dad, giving her bread rather rudely) It can be very overly melodramatic, like CZ showed up at the wedding with a pregnant "girlfriend"??? why was that a thing????? (it was CZ being petty and misleading her and hoping to make her jealous but narrative wise, that was bit much) Aside from high school, most of the added details were after the break up/trying to get back together.

 

....actually the original book was super dramatic at times too, it threw in hints for Lu lu, who was a minor character, being abused and she has her own richard simmons up tragic extra chapter. That stumped me a lot.

 

Oh yeah, if you like the child actors or just like the highschool bits because it's super cute, I think they have a mini series under 少年番外.

[themarchioness]

4 hours ago, skibbies said:

Finding the office plot uninteresting oops. But it's nice there's finally fluff! I love Zhang Yue but I don't want to ever want to see Shen Ju An again, such a dilemma

 

The office/work-related stuff is pretty snoozy.  As for SJA, every time he appears on screen I feel like I'm holding my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop, and with every episode I just know I'm inching closer to that moment.  I know everything will be cleaned up eventually, but still. 

 

RE: Book/Drama

 

Spoiler

I dealt with the affair plot in the book.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.  I got where she was coming from and even in the version that I read, though he might have been married, it was made clear he was estranged from his wife, and that this was a relationship borne out of need rather than love.  (Although he was clearly into her more than she was to him.)  Having said that, even with all that, I don't know.  It just felt off to me.  Like something was jarring about it. 

 

I can't really put into words what was so jarring to me about it in the book -- as, to be honest, because I read it while I was already watching this drama, those shared experiences colored the other.  But I can explain why I would have found it jarring had they included the affair plot in the drama -- SYJ, as portrayed in the drama, is very pure and righteous.  You can tell how much it matters to her that she never receives more than what is rightly hers, and with that sense of fairness and justice, it would have been so out of character for her to have an affair with her manager.  That's why I was really hoping the drama wouldn't go there, and thank goodness it didn't.

 

I would also think the same is true of SJY's character in the book.  I mean my recollection of her is that it was, but yet I also know she did have the affair!  I think the difference between the two is maybe not SYJ's character, but her situation (and thus needs).  In the drama, SYJ and CZ argue and she leaves, but she's not completely beaten down.  In the book, they argue and she leaves, but then she has the whole lost pregnancy and feeling suicidal thing on top.  As I said at the outset, the affair was was based on SYJ and the manager needing something from the other.  There was no such need in the drama because of the different slant it took.

 

I was not aware that there were two versions of the book.  I just read whatever version was translated by the bloggers over at Fanatical.  I guess that was the original version?  That version was pretty skimpy on the high school years.

 

In the drama, it looks like they went with the version where the manager is finalizing a divorce, and asks her out in a very roundabout/vague way, while she turns him down in an equally polite and roundabout way (at least, that's what the manager tells CZ when the latter point blank asks the former if there's any competition from that quarter) -- this is from a scene from the last two episodes so I haven't actually gotten there. I just watched that one scene when peeking ahead.  The pregnancy bit is, as noted, omitted.

 

CZ doesn't show up to the wedding at all in the drama, but SYJ will run into him while she's visiting YH at the hospital and he's also at the hospital with the pregnant chick.  (Looks like he's just helping her out and I think it's the girl who was into him while he was in uni?)  SYJ will misunderstand (by making assumptions) and go home (to her mother) to mope but then it'll be cleared up when she finds information online, or something like that.  Again, these are all from the final two episodes so I'm not there yet.

 

As for the Lu Lu stuff in the book that you mentioned, it turns out the author wrote separate stories for Lu Lu, ZZY, and SJA.  We got the hints in "You Are Still Here" that Lu Lu did not have things as good as her bubbly personality suggested, but you would hope that her life would experience a turnaround if she got her own story.  But nope.  From the description shared over Fanatical, it's horrible and terribly tragic.  Even if it was translated, I don't think I'd read it! 

 

 

 

ETA: I forgot to add that I had heard about special spin-off, or whatever they're calling it, with the young actors.  What little I have been able to find about it suggests that they just cut out all the high school flashback parts and put them together.  Not sure though. 

[themarchioness]

@lynne22 I know I already spoiled the end (for myself as well), but I thought you'd still enjoy knowing how YH arrives at the end of her story.

 

Spoiler

 

After ZZY breaks his leg, he has to stay in the hospital.  I can't remember if I mentioned previously but he lies to his wife that he's on a business trip and doesn't tell her about his injury.  He explains he doesn't want to worry his new wife, particularly since she's pregnant.  *rolls eyes*  Such consideration.  As in the book, YH takes over the care of ZZY.  But what I like in the drama over the book is that she doesn't pass over her studies in Dublin in order to do so nor does she have to travel to him, since they're all in Shanghai already.

 

Anyway, on one particular day when YH comes to visit him, she gives him sass or something or other.  This surprises ZZY who comments with some surprise that, for once, she's not just going along with whatever he's saying.  He says he likes it as it now feels like she's a real friend.  Before I knew how the drama would end, I hoped that maybe this would be the start of him having changed feelings towards her.  But the drama knows how to toys with my emotions because in the next second, YH gets a phone call from JZ who invites her out to lunch.  When ZZY asks her what the call is about, she won't tell him the name of the other person but just says that someone wants to treat her to lunch.  ZZY thinks this is great and encourages her to go. 

 

The next day she stops by the hospital dressed up more than she normally is, which catches ZZY's eye.  It's because of her lunch date.  She figured she ought to dress up for it.  She also finally confesses that the other person is JZ.  This makes ZZY smile as he knows his friend likes YH a lot.  In fact, he'd encouraged JZ to pursue YH.  (So did CZ and SYJ, for that matter.)   He happily sends her off and then calls her back, noticing that she's wearing the necklace he gave her.  He doesn't think it's a good idea for her to wear on a date with another guy, but she says she'll handle it.

 

At the lunch JZ works up the courage to tell YH that he really, really likes her.  She answers that she guessed that was the purpose of his invitation.  It's not the answer JZ wanted, but it's not exactly a surprise either.  He asked her then why she still came.  After a pause, YH shares that she remembers when she confessed to ZZY after their high school graduation.  She explains that sometimes it's necessary for the other person to admit their feelings.  JZ agrees and reassures that it's not his intention to give her any pressure by confessing to her.  That's when she tells him that she's planning on studying abroad in Dublin.  You can tell JZ is crushed but because he's a standup guy, he tries not to let it show and instead says that he supports her.  He also adds that he'll wait for her.  Which is incredibly sad because the look on YH's face is basically, "Yeah... I don't think any amount of time is going to matter."  *sobs*  I'd probably have felt sadder if I didn't already know how things would turn out. 

 

Finally, ZZY is being discharged from the hospital.  To celebrate, CZ invites everyone (including JZ) over to his place for a dinner.  It's also New Year's Eve so everyone is in good spirits as they count down to the new year.  As they watch fireworks, YH suddenly announces that she has something to say.  CZ asks SYJ in a whisper whether YH is going to announce that she and JZ are dating, but SYJ shakes her head.  She already knows what YH is going to say. 

 

YH announces that she's going to study in Dublin.  This news stuns ZZY who asks in shock why she's going to Germany.  (Dublin and Germany kinda sound similar in Chinese.)  CZ corrects him that it's Dublin, in a "Stop being such an idiot tone," lol.  ZZY's like, "Fine, Dublin, whatever, why??"  He splutters that this is all very sudden news.  Which is rich coming from the person who went away one weekend and got married without telling anyone.  He then asks when she's leaving and it turns out it's a lot sooner than anyone expected (like within the next week, or something like that, I can't remember exactly) and that makes ZZY really freak out.  Seriously, his reaction is not one we would expect from someone who's supposedly indifferent to YH and, above all, married to someone else!  At a certain point, she just finally looks at him and opens her arms. wide.  He rushes in for a hug.  But standing behind them is JZ and he looks crushed, so after YH hugs ZZY, she gives a hug too.  And JZ just breaks down.  Tears and all.  By now I also know he's not going to get the girl in the end so my heart really is breaking for this sweet and earnest, geeky guy.

 

Both YH and ZZY spend the night at CZ's apartment.  As they turn in for the night, CZ comments to ZZY that he and his wife sure are a weird couple.  I mean, he's just been discharged but instead of running home to her, he's there with CZ.  ZZY admits that his wife doesn't care much for him.  CZ makes some digs at him about YH, commenting on his reaction to her news and stuff.  But ZZY scoffs them aside unwilling to admit that her leaving bothers in or that he cares for her more than he likes to say.  He instead points to JZ and how cried buckets of tears to suggest that he should be with YH instead.  I swear, ZZY, you and your stubbornness!  When he and YH are finally together, he's going to have to make it up to her big time! 

 

 

[skibbies]

19 hours ago, themarchioness said:

 

The office/work-related stuff is pretty snoozy.  As for SJA, every time he appears on screen I feel like I'm holding my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop, and with every episode I just know I'm inching closer to that moment.  I know everything will be cleaned up eventually, but still. 

 

RE: Book/Drama

 

  Hide contents

I dealt with the affair plot in the book.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either.  I got where she was coming from and even in the version that I read, though he might have been married, it was made clear he was estranged from his wife, and that this was a relationship borne out of need rather than love.  (Although he was clearly into her more than she was to him.)  Having said that, even with all that, I don't know.  It just felt off to me.  Like something was jarring about it. 

 

I can't really put into words what was so jarring to me about it in the book -- as, to be honest, because I read it while I was already watching this drama, those shared experiences colored the other.  But I can explain why I would have found it jarring had they included the affair plot in the drama -- SYJ, as portrayed in the drama, is very pure and righteous.  You can tell how much it matters to her that she never receives more than what is rightly hers, and with that sense of fairness and justice, it would have been so out of character for her to have an affair with her manager.  That's why I was really hoping the drama wouldn't go there, and thank goodness it didn't.

 

I would also think the same is true of SJY's character in the book.  I mean my recollection of her is that it was, but yet I also know she did have the affair!  I think the difference between the two is maybe not SYJ's character, but her situation (and thus needs).  In the drama, SYJ and CZ argue and she leaves, but she's not completely beaten down.  In the book, they argue and she leaves, but then she has the whole lost pregnancy and feeling suicidal thing on top.  As I said at the outset, the affair was was based on SYJ and the manager needing something from the other.  There was no such need in the drama because of the different slant it took.

 

I was not aware that there were two versions of the book.  I just read whatever version was translated by the bloggers over at Fanatical.  I guess that was the original version?  That version was pretty skimpy on the high school years.

 

In the drama, it looks like they went with the version where the manager is finalizing a divorce, and asks her out in a very roundabout/vague way, while she turns him down in an equally polite and roundabout way (at least, that's what the manager tells CZ when the latter point blank asks the former if there's any competition from that quarter) -- this is from a scene from the last two episodes so I haven't actually gotten there. I just watched that one scene when peeking ahead.  The pregnancy bit is, as noted, omitted.

 

CZ doesn't show up to the wedding at all in the drama, but SYJ will run into him while she's visiting YH at the hospital and he's also at the hospital with the pregnant chick.  (Looks like he's just helping her out and I think it's the girl who was into him while he was in uni?)  SYJ will misunderstand (by making assumptions) and go home (to her mother) to mope but then it'll be cleared up when she finds information online, or something like that.  Again, these are all from the final two episodes so I'm not there yet.

 

As for the Lu Lu stuff in the book that you mentioned, it turns out the author wrote separate stories for Lu Lu, ZZY, and SJA.  We got the hints in "You Are Still Here" that Lu Lu did not have things as good as her bubbly personality suggested, but you would hope that her life would experience a turnaround if she got her own story.  But nope.  From the description shared over Fanatical, it's horrible and terribly tragic.  Even if it was translated, I don't think I'd read it! 

 

 

 

ETA: I forgot to add that I had heard about special spin-off, or whatever they're calling it, with the young actors.  What little I have been able to find about it suggests that they just cut out all the high school flashback parts and put them together.  Not sure though. 

I just don't like SJA in the drama, which is a shame since I liked him in the book. RIP.

 

Spoiler

The author sometimes write rather jarring bits to get her point across, especially in her earlier books. I think this was her first novel. It's much more apparent in So Young/ 致我们终将逝去的青春 that she wrote just after this one. I  think SYJ could have gone with the affair plot even without the pregnancy plot though, feeling like she has nothing else to repay her manager + feeling awful enough would make sense for a rebound? The drama and book SYJ seem slightly different to me, though most of the elements are present. it's just what's emphasised more. In the book, her pride and immense low self esteem and she was very practical to the point of being cruel to herself is emphasised. The affair plot isn't essential of course and it could have gone either way, and I do prefer it to not be a thing, just for a better audience experience

 

Lu Lu have an extra chapter for her that's part of this book, I just don't really get why she had to drop painful backstory of a side character at like second last chapter, nonetheless. She likes slipping main characters of one story into another to make her world more real and it's pretty fun, but Lu Lu was just unnecessary. SJA and ZY are supporting characters that have bit more scenes in another book. ZZY and Chen Jie Jie are supporting characters of yet another book, where CJJ's kid was adopted by the female lead in that book because she was in love with the kid's father, and lot of pain and suffering happens. Both have dramas coming out. ZZY have appears the most in her books I think?

 

The Spin-off have additional scenes they cut from the drama too, I believe.

[Lynne]

@themarchioness sorry, it took me awhile to replied back... I must have skip the notice 

awww Poor JZ... please tell me he’ll meet someone new too! 

And how exactly did ZZY finally admits that he likes Yu hua? I swear this guy is still making me confused! I think its a challenge for him to be so contradictive. 

[themarchioness]

15 hours ago, lynne22 said:

@themarchioness sorry, it took me awhile to replied back... I must have skip the notice 

awww Poor JZ... please tell me he’ll meet someone new too!

 

No worries @lynne22 !  The final scene of the drama is a party at the bar SJA now owns.  It's there that CZ announces to all their friends that SJA and his cousin are back together and that ZZY and YH are also together.  ZZY returns the favor by sharing that CZ and SYJ have finally found their way back to each other.  As everyone breaks into song and dance, the camera pans around, and we see JZ talking with a few other people.  Then a woman walks up to him (we only ever see her backside), the other people leave, and it's just him and her.  From that scene I think we are supposed to assume that he ultimately ends up with this new person. 

 

15 hours ago, lynne22 said:

And how exactly did ZZY finally admits that he likes Yu hua? I swear this guy is still making me confused! I think its a challenge for him to be so contradictive. 

 

This is probably more detail than you wanted, but you know I can't seem to help myself.  And I think context is important. 

 

Spoiler

 

As I've mentioned previously, the drama starts out in the present.  For the first three episodes, in between flashbacks, we learn about what's going on in their lives presently.  The "present day" scenes mostly resolve around the fact that SYJ learns CZ is back in Shanghai (when he sends her a gift (of a shirt)) to her workplace, and the fact that two of their high school classmates are getting married (the one that always had a crush on CZ to her deskmate who always had a crush on her).  This is relevant for the fact that SYJ recognizes that if she attends the wedding there will be a real possibility she'll bump into CZ.  She considers not going, but is sort of guilted into attending by the bride.  That's when she calls MYH to go shopping -- MYH sees through the request immediately.  SYJ doesn't want to just look nice for the wedding, she wants to look nice for a certain person she may see there.  SYJ returns that there's a good chance MYH will also see ZZY there, since it's said that he helped the bride and groom get together, and MYH just answers, "What of it?"  She treats it like it's no big deal, but when actually bumps into him at the wedding later, one can tell.  It's not "no big deal." 

 

At the wedding, MYH is walking around when she turns and her eyes meet those of ZZY's.  He excuses himself from the people he was talking with and greets her by commenting that it's been a long time.  He compliments her outfit and says she's changed a lot.  And I think he says something like if he'd met her again sooner maybe he would've fallen in love with her.  (He's basically being himself, very ZZY.)  It's awkward between the two of them, and so he excuses himself to make a call. It's to CZ, and when he doesn't answer the call, ZZY makes a comment out loud that lets MYH know who he's trying to contact.  She asks if he's not attending, and ZZY answers he's not sure.  (CZ's initial response to the invite was that he did not want to attend, but we then learn that he ultimately decided to attend but got into a car accident en route, and so he and SYJ missed their chance for a reunion at the wedding.) 

 

Because the story goes in and out of flashbacks before settling into their uni years in the middle of episode 4, that's pretty much all the interaction MYH and ZZY have in the "present" at the beginning of the drama.

 

Towards the end of the drama, SYJ and CZ have their argument (I've been meaning to write a separate post about that, and how much I enjoyed the way they portrayed their conflict in the drama).  SYJ leaves the apartment and goes to the office where she intends to spend the night.  Her supervisor sees her and books her a room at the hotel.  Meanwhile ZZY is yelling at CZ for fighting with SYJ like that and worries about where she could've gone.  They figure she could only go to her workplace and so they head out, ostensibly to bring her back home at least.  Only when they drive up to her office building, they see SYJ getting into her boss's car.  CZ clenches his jaw and tells ZZY to drive off.  (What he misses is the fact that SYJ had declined a ride from his boss, opting to take a taxi.  But when she got outside and finally hailed down a taxi, some woman rushed over and pushed her aside, saying it was an emergency.  SYJ fell to the ground and, in doing so, dropped the potted plant CZ had given her all the way back in uni.  She was crying over this when the boss walked out, saw her, and made the decision himself to drive her to the hotel.  He put the broken potted plant in the back of his car, but before they drove off, she asked where her plant was, and so he fetched it for her and she cradled it in her arms as he finally drove away.  *tears*)

 

At some point soon after that horrible night, CZ leaves the country and disappears with only a note to his parents.  And then in a phone call from SYJ to MYH (who's now studying abroad) we learn that SYJ finally graduated from uni and is now working full-time at her company, but nothing (she reassures MYH) is going on between her and the boss.  A few months later ZZY calls CZ and tells him that his father has advance staged cancer (which he'd kept from his son) and so things aren't good.  CZ rushes home to be by his friend's side.  While in Shanghai, he visits his former workplace who, now that he has returned, pays him the money he was owed plus a bonus.  CZ uses that money to buy a pair of rings that he and SYJ had previously picked out, but which she wouldn't let him buy until he could buy it with his own money that he had earned.  As he exits the jewelry shop, he reminisces about the last time they were there.  In the distance you see that SYJ is also passing by in a taxi cab and thinking about him.

 

After that, there's a time jump (they don't specify) how long.  We see CZ with a pregnant woman; it's his classmate from uni.  Through conversation we now know that we are back in the present - sometime after the wedding (because, when he runs into SJA, he tells him that he and SYJ could've run into each other at the wedding except he got into a car accident).  This starts about the middle of episode 35; the second to last ep.  From there to the end of 36 (the last ep), the story mostly focuses on how SYJ and CZ get back together.

 

As part of his efforts to win SYJ back, CZ (through the help of her boss) sets up this big event at a coffee shop where he basically tells her that he's sorry for their past, misses her, and would like to win her back.  He gives her the ring he'd bought all those years ago and tells her to think about it.  He also adds that if she decides to accept him, she should bring the ring to ZZY's building unveiling.  (CZ and ZZY (who is now running his dad's company after his passing) have built a building.  They're both very proud of it, as CZ designed it and ZZY feels like he's accomplishing something his father would have wanted, and so ZZY had told CZ previously that on the day of the building's unveiling he intended to invite all of their high school classmates and warned that would include SYJ.) 

 

On the day of the building's unveiling, SYJ and MYH arrive at some park/open grassy space by taxi.  They don't know where they are but only know that this is the address they were given.  They walk along the sidewalk and when they finally see the building, SYJ recognizes it from the drawings CZ had gifted her back in uni.  (It was a design he had submitted as part of a competition back then, and was particularly meaningful for the two of them.)  As CZ and SYJ have their moment (because of course she brought the ring with her and of course she allowed him to put it on her), MYH and ZZY walked away to the side. 

 

(Rewatching this scene now so I can provide you with exact detail -- because as you can tell, this is the only defining moment we will get for MYH and ZZY!  )

 

MYH walks slightly ahead of ZZY and looks ahead while he looks at her.  She turns back to look at CZ/SYJ and so too does ZZY.  She comments that it really wasn't easy for them, but after all their twists and turns, if two people are fated together, she supposes that in the end they will still end up together.  She turns back around and looks ahead.  ZZY's still looking at CZ/SYJ behind them when he agrees.  Then he turns and says, while looking at her, "People who are fated can't run away."  His words hit a mark in her and she doesn't known where to look, kind of starts to look down, and just starts to smile next to her while still looking at her.  Then he nods his chin in the direction of the building and tells her to look at it.  He tells her that it's the work of his and CZ's blood and sweat, and says that if his father were still around, he believed that he (his father) would be really happy.  At his comment, MYH just stares at him (while it's his turn to look straight ahead) and then says, "ZZY, I don't think I quite recognize you."  He looks at her, steps a little closer, and says, "Then let us start over by getting to know each other again."  No answer, but she keeps looking at him, and then the scene cuts away to show them walking back to join SYJ and CZ where they start to walk together.  First CZ puts his arms around SYJ, then ZZY puts his one arm around CZ and his other arm around MYH, and so they walk as a foursome towards the building.  Scene ends and then we're to the rooftop party end scene that I mentioned above.

 

 

 

Also, for anyone who's been wanting to watch this drama but needed English subs, someone posted on MDL that there is one site that has subs.  You can head to MDL for that info or feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

[Lynne]

@themarchioness  ahhh thankyouuu....

Your description does sounds like a perfect ending for SYJ- CZ , YH-ZZY....... and JZ...

One last question.. If I'm reading this correctly, CZ didn't have a new GF while separated with SYJ right?

The scene where she cried while holding the plant is sad   

[themarchioness]

11 hours ago, lynne22 said:

One last question.. If I'm reading this correctly, CZ didn't have a new GF while separated with SYJ right?

The scene where she cried while holding the plant is sad   

 

Nope.  (Specific details under the cut.)

 

Spoiler

 

When the drama returns to the present in the last two episodes, the first scene we see is CZ helping a pregnant chick walk.  They spy a bar/cafe nearby and he suggests they take a break there.  After he helps her sit down, he goes to the bar/counter to order two juices for themselves.  The person behind the bar/counter turns around and CZ is surprised to find it's SJA, just as SJA is surprised to find CZ in his place.  We learn through their conversations (both then and later) that after his divorce from the cousin, he took some time and then eventually opened this place with investment help from his former father-in-law.  That this is exactly the type of place his cousin always wanted to open, and that it is clearly named with his cousin in mind, does not escape CZ's notice.  SJA shares that by day the business is not bad (it's like a coffee shop vibe during the day), but at night business is really hopping (because it's a bar -- this is why I struggle to know whether I should call it a bar, coffee shop, or what!  ).  He's also developed an app on the side and he tells CZ that SYJ is a regular follower of it.  When CZ asks if they've been in touch this entire time, he says no, but he knows she logs in daily because recognizes her log in information.  SJA also asks CZ about the young woman who's with him, and he explains she's in Shanghai by herself so he's just helping her out as they were friends in uni.

 

After that initial run in between CZ and SJA, we see SYJ having lunch with MYH at the hospital.  They talk about how they're both single and MYH comments that SYJ's mother called her recently to enlist her help in finding a partner for SYJ.  It's clear the reason why SYJ hasn't been able to move on and find someone else, but there's an acknowledgment that time has passed and they're not getting any younger.  At the same time this is going on, we see CZ at the hospital with his pregnant uni friend.  They're trying to find the department they need to go to and CZ suggests they take the elevator to go to some other floor.  Meanwhile, SYJ and MYH finish their lunch and the latter offers to escort SYJ to the lobby.  They exit her office and are standing at the elevator when the doors open and inside are CZ and the pregnant uni friend discussing how his suggestion had been wrong and so they were right back to where they started.  

 

SYJ and CZ's eyes meet.  She takes in the pregnant woman next to him.  He offers no suggestion/explanation.  After exchanging greetings he asks MYH where the department they're looking for is located, and MYH redirects him.  After they leave, SYJ and MYH exchange looks and a few words.  MYH reminds her that a lot of time has passed, and SYJ just says it's fine.  She pretends to be okay, brushes off MYH's suggestion that they take the rest of the day off to be together, and leaves.  But in the parking garage, her rattled state is evident when we watch her drive in the wrong direction of a one-way ramp.

 

After that, she goes home to her mother to seek comfort.  At first she doesn't want to admit to her mother why she's there but later admits she saw CZ with a pregnant woman.  Her mother reminds her that a lot of time has passed and maybe it's time to move on.  

 

While that's going on CZ returns to SJA's place and says he wants his help in putting up a story on his app.  He explains how he ran into SYJ at the hospital and admits to purposefully not doing anything to clear up what he knew would be a misunderstanding.  Part of it was the shock of running into her there, but he also admits that he was curious as to what her reaction would be.  But now CZ wants to make things clear (and has his pregnant friend's permission to share her story in order to do so) and comments that he never imagined there would be a day when he would seek SJA's assistance.

 

So, that night, when SYJ's at her mother's house and after she finds the architectural drawing that CZ had given her years ago and cleaned it from its layers of thick dust, she climbs into bed and pulls up SJA's app.  She sees a picture of the pregnant woman and a bunch of narrative under it.  She calls MYH who's at the hospital (of course).  When MYH answers the phone SYJ asks her if the picture she sent doesn't look like the woman that was with CZ that day.  MYH comments that SYJ must be feeling relieved now.

 

And that is pretty much the purpose of having that pregnant uni friend in CZ's life.   

 

As for the plant scene, it really was sad.  When they show SYJ in the present, in her office, she has lots of potted plants around her and I always wondered if any of those were from that initial plant.  Because even though the pot broke, she could re-pot it!  (If the roots weren't damaged, at least.)  

 

That reminds me though that when CZ did his little event for her at the end.  He apologized for his immaturity and wrong doings in the past, but he also said she wasn't without fault and described her as stubborn and being unable to act all cutesy.  Which is true, but nonetheless made me laugh.  But because it's true, it helped me to see why it was so hard for CZ to understand/know back then just how deeply she did feel about him as well.  Imagine the difference it would've made had he known about her reaction to the plant... 

 

I'm going to have to write another post about their ultimate conflict that led to the break-up.  But now while I'm at work... I should go back to working.  )

 

 

[themarchioness]

On 12/13/2018 at 8:19 PM, angelangie said:

hehehe which episode is all this gif in i dunno but i just thought u guys might like some of the cheesy scenes im seeing from the gif  i put it spoiler for now  

 

 

Haha, aww... @angelangie those are cute gifs!  Answer:

 

Spoiler

 

I'm not sure about the one with them both holding plants.  But the top one is from a scene where they're walking on the campus of JZ and ZZY's school. JZ runs over thinking it's two students making out and then everyone has an awkward moment.  LOL.  I think after that is when the threesome go out for coffee and CZ encourages JZ to go after MYH. 

 

The next three are from soon after CZ and SYJ agree to date.  He walks her back to her dorm one night and he's trying to get his first kiss.  He almost succeeds until others walk past.  SYJ scurries away in embarrassment and CZ is left with a bag of frustration; haha.

 

If memory serves me correctly, the one where he's in bed and kisses her hand is from the morning after they both went to bed feeling hurt by each other.  SYJ helped her ex with a project (because he told her it was for his current company, a.k.a. CZ's family company ) but it turned out to be for his own endeavors.  He found out after his cousin called him out in the middle of the night.  Both of them wonder if SYJ knew the truth, and CZ goes home to find out.  But he doesn't really know what to believe and SYJ is hurt that he would think her capable of betraying him like that.  They go to bed unhappy with each other.  The next morning, she goes to call him out for breakfast, and he tells her that he's thought things through and realizes she had to have been innocent. 

 

As for the one where they're making kissy faces each other, I remember the scene but not the moment.  They didn't have a lot of cute moments together like that (SYJ really wasn't the cutesy type) but when they did, they were suuuuper cute.   

 

 

[themarchioness]

I've been wanting to write about the reason for CZ and SYJ's break-up in the drama ever since I finished watching it, but hadn't found the time to do so until now.  As I've mentioned in some of my prior posts, I really liked the conflict in this drama.  (Probably more so than the reason for their break-up in the book.)  But before I get into the specifics, let me back up first and say this.  All the while watching, I was very curious as to what would break them up, because the reason for their break-up in the book was already incorporated into their uni years in the drama, and was never an issue for the OTP.

 

Spoiler

 

Basically, when SYJ's mom got sick in the drama, she was still technically* with SJA and CZ was in a continual pursuit.  It made sense then that she would look to SJA and not CZ for the money, as they weren't together, and CZ had no reason to be offended (like he was in the book) that she didn't seek him out when they didn't have that kind of a relationship.  For those reasons, even though SYJ also learned then that her stepfather was working for CZ's family's company, she didn't have to deal with the same type of pride and embarrassment issues in the drama that she did in the book. 

 

     * I say "technically" because during this time, SJA had gone to work for CZ's cousin as part of his senior year internship program and was starting to pull away from SYJ.  In fact, it was because of his strong sense of guilt (knowing that he was going to be breaking things off with her at some point) that he ended up going to the cousin and asking for a loan to give to SYJ.  Of course, since the cousin was interested in SJA, she agreed.

 

When the OTP finally crossed horns a second time, I wondered if that was going to be the reason for their break up, and I was going to be disappointed if it was.  I mentioned this moment already in the post directly above.  Once SYJ is in her senior year internship program, she works for another company that does similar work to SJA's company.  In fact, they cross paths for the first time in a long while when the two companies bid against each other for a project.  After their lives are once again intersected in this way, SJA reaches out to her randomly one day and asks for her help on a time sensitive project.  He promises her that even though it's for his company, it will not conflict with hers and explains the only reason he's reaching out is because he needs people he can trust to get the job done since it needs to be completed quickly.  SYJ agrees to help because she only recently discovered that he helped pay for her mother's surgical fees (and even though he was totally being sketchy with how he used that information, SYJ feels indebted to him). 

 

To SYJ's credit she is incredibly above board when she goes home that night and tells CZ that she's helping SJA with a project.  CZ isn't happy to hear it and wonders if SYJ has been in contact with her ex all this time, but she promises this was a random phone call.  He ends up relenting when SYJ explains that she wants to return this favor and then have nothing to do with him anymore.  Plus, he figures it is a project for his family's company, so even though her working on this project means that she has no time for him for that entire weekend, he deals.  But he still goes to his cousin's house that night and reams out SJA for burdening SYJ like that. 

 

Finally, SYJ finishes the project.  She and CZ go out on a cute date.  Several days later, they have their friends over for a party, and MYH and ZZY spend the night.  That same night the cousin learns from her father that SJA, who's now her husband, has been working on his own project behind their backs.  The father comments that SYJ who was his ex, and is now CZ's girlfriend, also worked on the project and finds it "interesting."  He then leaves the matter to his daughter to figure out, including how she wants to handle it.  She calls CZ and shares the information with him.  Of course he's pissed at SJA; he's never liked or trusted the guy, but he's also upset to think that SYJ helped in this matter.  His cousin asks him to calm down and not act rashly, but he runs home and calls SYJ out.  He confronts her with the information and, of course, she denies any knowledge -- because she didn't know.  He doesn't know what to think and SYJ is in disbelief that he could think of her this way.  They both go to bed unhappy with the other.

 

Meanwhile, the cousin returns to her own home and confronts SJA with the evidence which he cannot and does not try to deny.  When asked about SYJ, he tells his wife that she was never part of the deception.  He explained that "given her personality" there was no way she would've helped him if she'd known the truth, so he lied to her.  That right there is the reason why I was going to be super upset if CZ and SYJ broke up over this matter.  As someone who'd known SYJ since high school and proclaimed to have been in love with her all this time, if he couldn't figure that out about her (and SJA could), I was going to be reaaaaaaally disappointed in him.  Fortunately, after CZ had the night to calm down and think rationally, he came to the same conclusion and apologized the next morning.

 

So, what then, was the reason for their break-up? 

 

Well, it's interesting.  I can pinpoint the moment when it happened, but I don't think that moment was necessarily the reason for their break-up.  Rather, I think it was something that was brewing for a long time that then finally bubbled over when things collided in a perfect storm.  And that's kind of why I loved this conflict so much -- because it was very organic (versus dramatic for the sake of creating drama) and realistic.

 

As I intimated in some of my earlier posts, while CZ and SYJ worked as a couple, they were also very different people.  To put it plainly, they had different "love languages."  CZ was very expressive with his love.  He liked telling her how he felt and doing things for her (such as going out of his way to give her ride to/from work).  There's also no question that he prioritized her over everything else in his life.  I don't want to say that SYJ didn't prioritize CZ; rather, she was just more realistic in her approach.  Sometimes even though you love someone, you have to put other things first, and when you do, that doesn't mean you love the person any less.  It's just all very situational.  SYJ understood that, but CZ didn't quite have the maturity to get that. 

 

Their conflict basically started when SYJ was tasked to head a project.  (This was, for frame of reference, shortly after the SJA Incident mentioned above.)  As head, you can imagine how immersed she was in her work.  She especially wanted to do a good job because of the SJA incident and, in fact, was at the time thinking about leaving the company so she saw this as her way of repaying the company before departing.  If it was up to CZ she'd have just quit right then and there.  He never did like how hard she worked (and we won't even talk about how in one conversation he suggested that she just become a housewife after they married, because if we do, then this post really will never end).  But he dealt with it and SYJ still tried to make time for him as well.  On one particular day, she agreed to go out on a date with him after work, but when the appointed hour came, her boss told her that the external person they were working with on this project wanted to have a meeting.  Left with no choice, she called CZ to delay their date.  He adjusted and said he'd pick her up at the coffee shop after, and SYJ said okay.  On the way to the coffee shop, he started experiencing severe abdominal pain and had to go to the hospital where an acute hernia was diagnosed and he was ushered into surgery.  CZ being the lovesick fool that he was wanted to delay the operation so he could pick up SYJ, but the doctor told him to stop being an idiot -- the longer they waited, the more complicated the surgery would become.  Unfortunately, SYJ had her phone on silent during the meeting so even though MYH kept calling her, she didn't find out about it until CZ was out of the surgery.  To say that he was disappointed to wake up and find her not there would be an understatement.  It didn't help either that when SYJ finally arrived, she brought her boss with her.  (He gave her a ride after they exited the coffee shop and SYJ saw that she had about a million missed messages on her phone.)  The boss was just so condescending; he irritated even me.  He described CZ's surgery as a minor matter and told him that he was lucky to have so many friends around him because when he went through the same thing before, he was on a business trip and so had no one around him.  Anyway, those two things had CZ not happy.  And then, even though SYJ stayed behind to keep him company throughout his recuperation, it was clear that she was also half-distracted with her work.  Because of the project, the company would send people over from time to time as well, and that further irritated CZ.  I felt bad for SYJ.  I know how difficult achieving work-life balance is, and CZ was not helping.  I know he had his needs, but I also thought he could have been a little bit more understanding.

 

Anyway, by the time CZ was discharged from the hospital, they were already on shaky grounds.  On the day of his follow-up appointment, SYJ had an important meeting she could not miss so she arranged for his cousin to take him.  When she told CZ that morning that she'd have dinner waiting for him when he got home, he told her not to worry about him as he'd have dinner with his cousin.  That's why later that evening, when SYJ was about to get off work and was told the external person they'd been working with wanted to take the entire time out to dinner to celebrate the completion of their project, she agreed.  Meanwhile, CZ picked SYJ's favorite restaurant for dinner and then rushed his cousin through the meal because he'd also ordered SYJ's favorite dish as a carry out and wanted to take it home to her.  But when he arrived home, he found the apartment dark.  Worse, when he got to the door, he realized his keys were inside.  He called SYJ's cell phone and her boss answered.  The boss told CZ that SYJ was in the bathroom because she'd had to much to drink.  He reassured CZ though that another female colleague was taking care of her.  CZ was, as you can imagine, pissed.  The boss just brushed CZ aside though and promised he'd send SYJ home soon, but when she returned from the bathroom, he set her on the couch and let her sleep while tucking her phone into her bag.  CZ continued to wait outside his apartment.  By the time SYJ finally arrived home, still tipsy, he was in full rage mode.

 

This is, ultimately, what they fought about. 

 

We could say that the boss was at fault.  Certainly, he was an agent, and his actions did not help the OTP.  But I think even without the boss, they still would have eventually reached this point of conflict.  Maybe it would've been someone else or something else that got them there, or maybe they would've gotten there without any outside help.  But definitely, they would've gotten there one way or another.  Because as I said at the outset, they have two very different styles of "love language." 

 

As SYJ observed to her best friend after the break-up, sometimes CZ's love for her was too all-consuming.  CZ, for his own part, complained to ZZY that he didn't want someone who'd just cook his meals and do his laundry.  He wanted someone who loved him, and would say so. 

 

In their fight with each other, CZ had actually asked SYJ if she loved him, and SJY was shocked that he could even ask such a question.  That's why she answered instead that she was leaving the next steps up to him, and CZ then responded that they should break up.

 

Of course SYJ loved CZ.  It just wasn't in her nature to be overt in her display about it.  CZ, for his own part, needed the reassurance of actually hearing/seeing it (versus just knowing it).  As much as I sided with SYJ in this argument (mostly because I'm more similar to her so I understand her better), I did feel for CZ as I understood where he was coming from.  This is why, for the longest time, I would think to myself that they just needed to sit down and have a proper conversation about their relationship.  But then, all this happened instead.

 

I'd like to think that in the years they were apart, they learned from their past mistakes.  Certainly, they would've learned to cherish each other.  The fact that neither of them were able to move on is a testament to their love for the other and hopefully that means that on this second go around of theirs, SYJ will be more aware of and responsive to CZ's needs.  As for CZ, during his proposal event, he apologized for his past mistakes but also observed that SYJ wasn't without her faults either -- she was stubborn, headstrong, and didn't know how to be cutesy.  His acknowledgment of those facts gives me hope that he has finally matured and grown enough to know and understand that just because SYJ doesn't express her love in the same way as him, it does not mean she loves him less.

 

 

Honestly, I think a lot of what the OTP went through is what a lot of real-life couples have to go through to build a lasting relationship.  It's about learning who the other person; adjusting habits, styles, and expectations;  having understanding for one another; and working with each other.  This is why I really respect the conflict in this drama, and found it so entertaining to watch. 

 

Overall, between the book and the drama, I'd have to say I preferred the drama.  There were a few things I liked better in the book, but in general, I found the drama more realistic.   It gets a thumbs up recommendation from me.