This drama had a lot of potential, but the writing was shoddy, and the director also did a poor job of telling the story. There were holes in the storyline throughout, that left the viewers guessing and wondering what just happened and why! There was no obvious character development even with the main characters.

I started watching this because of the excitement from the (mostly) followers of both Xu Kai and Yang Mi. Xu Kai was good in his role as Yang Hua – and Yang Mi as Qin Shi was passable. I found him to be a little too passive and she was wooden and barely emotional until the very end when things fell apart.

I think the thing that saved this drama for me was the chemistry between the ML & FL. Despite their poorly written roles, their connection was believable, and they were sweet together, especially Yang Hua. (Those puppy dog eyes). Yang Mi was underwhelming – not believable as a kick-ass independent career woman. She could deliver some good punchlines, but ruined the image with the whiny, petulant kissing-up to her lady boss.

Let’s talk about the story arcs. SML (Tao Junhui) – I didn’t know whether to pity him or kick him to the curb. His character had potential to be a decent person but man! Weak and spineless! And his girlfriend was such a spoiled, bratty bitch! She certainly did not deserve the ending she got. The brother (Wenyu) and his wife (Meimei) – what a dysfunctional mess! We had to guess about their ‘growth’ and they too turned up with a happy ending. Yes, ML & FL got their happy ending too, but I don’t think enough time was given to that conclusion and it felt like we were cheated out of it in the last episode.

People who deserve special mention:
Baddies – Li Dai. I see quite a few viewers admired her. I did NOT. She was a vicious bitch. With ‘friends’ like those, you don’t need enemies. Her character could have been admirable. Instead (imo) she was petty, spiteful and mean. Tang Yihui (lady boss) – what a piece of work! And FL was like her lapdog - fawning and desperate for attention. It’s a pity she got away with so much manipulation. And just a mention – Yang Hua’s mom. If I had a parent like her, I would ask to be put up for adoption.
Goodies – Yang Hua’s best friend (Cai Liang) – misguided and shallow at times, but a true friend. There weren’t a lot of those in this series. Qin Shi’s older brother – I'd like a big brother like him. But the best character of all hands down was Yan Hua’s dad! Soft-spoken and long-suffering, but wise and loving of his family, especially his son. I loved his scenes the most (after our lead couple, of course).

I wanted to give this one a high rating and a good review, but after about episode 30, it was mostly downhill for me. I can’t even say it’s worth re-watching. After the long wait and anticipation, it disappoints – and that is solely the fault of the writer and the director.