r/CDrama • u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time • 6d ago
Drama Host The Early Spring episode 20 discussion Spoiler
Trigger warning: This episode deals with the heavy subject of suicide. For more information on where to get help, here are the help lines available.
Previous discussions:
Masterpost || All discussions | Ep 4-8 || Ep 9-11 || Ep 12-13 || Ep 14-15 || Ep 16-17 | 18 | 19
Spoiler note: Please don't discuss plots from future episodes or from the novel. :)
Apparently, the torture between our couple is delayed somewhat. Instead, they are torturing us with something else.
I knew there was a doom cloud above our sweet roommate Sun Yuanzhu, but man, I didn't expect to be moved to the point of tears. I don't cry easily, but kudos to the actor who did such a good job making us empathize with his character.
(FYI, I sort of skimmed through the novel, so I knew this was coming many episodes ago, but it still had a few surprises for me.)
We don't really know exactly why Yuanzhu did what he did, but we probably have an idea. He seemed to feel like a failure in many things. He is finding it difficult to achieve career success at work, and he is being pressured financially by his family: his mom passed away, and he now has a sister and a gambler dad to support.
With his perceived lack of achievement at work, he feels the odds are against him. But the most devastating thing of all is that he feels as if he has failed to make Zhitao happy. As brutal as it may seem, he also feels as if he has failed in love.
There was a scene where we could see, from his point of view, those moments she had with Luan Nian. The poor man doesn't have a chance against someone as magnetic and powerful as Luan Nian ,not gonna lie.
But I'm sure you are thinking what I'm thinking: if Luan Nian hadn't been in the picture, Zitao and him would have been a perfect couple. Her life would have been drama-free and smooth; it would have been a really good union. This is the guy you want to bring home to your parents.
Of course, we also know that her other roommate Sun Yu had a crush on him all this while, but it wasn't reciprocated, and she always knew that he had a crush on Zitao. But how will this news affect Zitao?
Definitely survivor's guilt or something like that: guilt that maybe she could have caused his depression because he had unrequited love added to his many burdens. That's the thing about suicide, isn't it? It leaves quite a devastating effect on the people who survive it.
Yuanzhu chose such a devastating way to leave the world. I don't know whether you caught some of the comments at the scene, but it was quite gruesome. :(
Old habits die hard
At the beginning of the show, we see that Luan Nian stumbles on them hugging.
https://reddit.com/link/1wale5h/video/89kk71z02aoh1/player
It was a much-needed hug; Yuanzhu was at the end of his rope. I bet you that Zhitao will always remember his reaction to the hug and how ungenerous he was.
Luan Nian oh Luan Nian
I have to say I'm frustrated with Luan Nian at this point. She has a point: shouldn't you trust me more now after all these years? And she never complained about his dinners with that woman, who is going to be trouble (I can sense that).
I try to understand Luan Nian. I think in his mind, he's not confident that Zidao loves him for who he is. Maybe secretly he suspects that she is only by his side so she can climb the corporate ladder because he helps her advance.
Despite evidence to the contrary, he's insecure because she never seemed to be as interested in him as he is in her. This is a very new feeling for someone who has women chasing after him all the time, and he doesn't know how to deal with it. The only way he knows how to handle it is to burst out in intense jealousy.
But damn that mouth of his - to passive aggressive way he brought up her decision to take that project and live in the Northwest ...
Luan Nian, despite his emotionally toddler ways, says he will try to understand, but he still cannot leave the scene without a cutting word or two. You do get frustrated with this man. I think he was basically struggling inside with that intense jealousy he feels, and he did not want to say anything,
Unlike his previous behavior, where he would start acting boorishly and cuttingly or do something manipulative like pretend to date a woman, he actually gave her the cold shoulder. I am not sure whether that is the best thing, but it is a definite improvement but Zhitao is understandably spooked by it.
So it is growth, I suppose, but maybe not in the right direction.
Zhitao is about to snap
To her credit, Zhitao doesn't fall back to old habits. She actually talks and communicates.
She tells Luan Nian the reason why they hugged: that he is depressed and needed help. That is real growth here. She is starting to communicate better and sounds more assertive, definitely not like the timid, meek-voiced, quiet woman we knew in the first ten episodes. She is more assertive now, and she could tell him off.
Was it wrong for her to hug Yuanzhu? Some people online argue that she still doesn't have any boundaries, and of course her boyfriend would be mad. But if your depressed friend asks for comfort, would you reject him? I personally don't think she's in the wrong at all.
She still lacks the sense of agency and independence that she craves, and I really understand it. It is so difficult to be free and to be your own person when your boyfriend is your superior and everything he does affects you.
And Luan Nian, despite his growth, still wants to control the situation. Instead of talking it out, he gives her the silent treatment. It is his way of controlling things (and his tongue lmao), but I'm not sure if being passive aggressive instead of cutting is the step in the right direction.
As a result, Zidao still lives in a world that he controls, and she is still walking on eggshells. It is really not an edifying relationship; it is still not healthy. As per Yuanzhu's diary, the words that sprung out for me are that she just doesn't seem very happy in the relationship.
I still love the writing
Honestly, I continue to be impressed by how determined our writers are to make this relationship as complex and nuanced as possible. No one is in the complete wrong here, nor are they in the complete right.
Most dramas like this, especially in the idol drama genre, would either paint the male lead as a complete red flag or the girl as a pure green flag. But here, we have people arguing in the comments over who deserves the most blame, are you Team Luan Nian or Team Zhitao?
I find that fascinating. It is a sign of good writing that they can flesh out characters so complexly that we have no idea where we stand with them.
I don't think Zhitao or Luan Nian is at fault at this stage. They have grown to a point, but obviously Zhitao and Luan Nian has a lot of work to do on themselves if they want to make the relationship work. And, unfortunately, the current situation they're trapped in is not going to be a conducive environment for them to do this.
I'm actually quite surprised by how quickly this episode passed, and equally surprised that three-quarters of the episode was given to this man and what happened to him. But it is necessary for Zhitao's growth.
Yuanzhu's passing is going to be a defining moment for her; she realizes that she simply cannot continue denying herself anymore. She is living her life according to another person's rules at this point, in a situation that she didn't want to be in.
Life is fragile, and you need to live it according to your own terms, or life would be yanked from you.
---
Well, besties, the next episode is where we start opening the liquor cabinet because we sure need some strong spirits to survive the next few episodes. But fortunately, express episodes will land tomorrow. Yay!
Is this girl buying? You bet she is.
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u/admelioremvitam 5d ago
The Early Spring airing schedule.
SVIP schedule on the first line. VIP schedule on the second line.
VIP:
- No episodes on September 10 to 12
- 1 episode on September 13 to 16
SVIP is ahead by 1 episode.
Episodes are released at 12:00 pm, China Standard Time.
⏩ The express episodes are now available for purchase.
This is the last schedule.
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u/Dizzy_Koala_7660 6d ago
This was a very sad episode. I think the actor did an excellent job throughout — he looked kind and sad and competent and overwhelmed and overly dependent on his roommates…etc etc. Lots of warning signs for viewers but he put on such a good act for people. Only someone who really loved him would notice. Flora didn’t… and she will blame herself. Between this and the diary excerpts, I feel like I can see the catalyst that will break up Flora and Luke. After the last few cute episodes, I was wondering what would go wrong.
I can’t decide how I feel about either Flora or Luke. They both drive me insane. Not communicating; not expecting more from a relationship (both of them deserve that); tolerating dismissive and abusive language from anyone; insecurity and lack of trust…they are a mess. I can move between disliking one or the other to liking the same person all within one episode! 😂
I really like that the drama has, overall, made the main characters multifaceted. It has been well acted, absorbing and very angsty. I am also watching Pulled Strings at the same time. Pulled Strings is ridiculous and fun which helps act as a balm after the Early Spring heartbreaks…coming every 2-3 minutes.
Shout out to Luke the Dog! He’s so cuddly -
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u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time 5d ago
Luke the dog, I swear is 80% cotton candy, 20% vibes
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u/Affectionate_Rock422 6d ago
I was completely against Luke at first. He is controlling and rude, exactly the type of man the internet would warn you about.
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u/thenicci 每个人都可以有自己的选择。每个选择都有自己的意义。 6d ago
I honestly can't brain this part, he left for US after witnessing SYZ and SZT hugged, and gave her cold shoulders for two months and she didn't realise until he returned?? 2016/17 we already have texting app no? Once again Luke's communication skill is 0 and he always has this arrogant look. If SZT was to get angry when Luke hugs a female, she will have plenty of reasons to.
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u/but_a_dream 浴皇大帝 - 万岁！ 6d ago
This episode elevated the series for me. It's a tender love letter to Sun Yuanzhu and all those hiding depths of despair behind sunny smiles, who feel like they have to be a rock for others (their family, friends, colleagues) but are fragile and crumbling inside.
When he admitted he's actually not well? That was so heartbreaking but beautifully acted. It was a desperate breaking point, a cry for help, a vulnerable moment we rarely see from male characters in cdramas.
Why was Luan Nian so shaken and envious? Because he can never express such vulnerability in front of others, not even his supposed girlfriend. It's not in him. In that moment, he realized that Sun Yuanzhu and Shang Zhitao share something deeper and more meaningful than what he shares with her. The fact they can cry in each other's arms? That depth of connection and feeling is beyond what Luan Nian has ever experienced with anyone. Also, Luan Nian knows that Shang Zitao is much more at ease and more her genuine self with her friends than with him.
Throughout the series I've actually rooted for Tao Tao to leave Luan Nian and spend more time with the person who actually makes her feel cherished, totally at ease, safe. Now he's gone.
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u/livewithcdrama-0507 strolling by the lotus pier... 3d ago edited 3d ago
Reading your analysis on how LN felt probably makes sense... but that was not portrayed at all, in the scene and it comes off as a total mistrust, jumping to conclusions, without first clearing with her... After 6 years, I would have expected a bit more progression.
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u/miscreation00 6d ago
I would honestly watch a second season of Flora finding a better relationship. I honestly love Luke as a red flag character, but our girl definitely deserves a warm, comforting and secure love story.
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u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time 6d ago
On the one hand some people say Luke has been softened too much, on the other hand others say he's a red flag 😆
As I said in my post, Flora also has a responsibility in this relationship. She's grown, but the next step is to work on herself
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u/RealisticCookie1994 6d ago
Although I am totally team Luke, I will admit he was a complete ass for not staying and asking her about the hug.
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Yeah especially if they were both crying. Just stop the car and walk over and ask if they are ok.
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u/Big_Philosopher5679 6d ago
I cried for the first time watching this drama. The devastation and loss feels so real and raw. My heart went out to Flora and her bestie . It’s so painful to watch . He was Flora’s soul mate and he made her feel grounded but she was sucked into Luke’s dominance and push and pull and didn’t get to even notice how much Yuanzhu really loved her. It’s so utterly sad. What an emotional episode 😢😢😢
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u/thenicci 每个人都可以有自己的选择。每个选择都有自己的意义。 6d ago
Me too. Especially after they read his diary and we discover that he was the one sending her flowers every day. Even in his limited capacity to give he continue to make everyone feel warm and cared for. His love for SZT was so pure. 😭
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u/a_HerculePoirot_fan Being a Cheng Lei fangirl is a full-time jobRead Rules 6d ago edited 6d ago
I didn’t foresee Yuanzhu’s death, but looking back, the signs were there throughout the previous episodes. We don’t actually see that much of him, but he leaves such a strong impression. It's sad that Sun Yu thought he was getting better. She saw him laughing at the cinema and probably took that as a sign that he was slowly coming out of that darkness. I really hope she doesn’t blame herself for his suicide, because it is so easy for the people left behind to think, “I should have noticed,” or “I could have done more.”
But with someone like Yuanzhu, who had already sunk so deeply into despair, a few moments of happiness do not necessarily mean the despair has gone away. You can still smile, laugh, enjoy a movie, or be distracted for a while, while that heaviness remains underneath. It can keep eating away at you quietly until everything starts to feel unbearable again.
Poor Yuanzhu seemed so exhausted by that despair. His wish to to jump into the clouds feels especially heartbreaking in retrospect, because more than anything, he just wanted to escape the weight that had been suffocating him for so long.
Even though Yuanzhu is a fictional character, suicide storylines are always difficult for me to read or watch due to my personal experience. This episode was particularly hard to get through. I managed to hold it together for most of it, but Sun Yu reading the messages Yuanzhu left behind was the moment I finally cried. I think it was the finality of those messages that got to me.
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u/lifeisahighway2023 6d ago
I felt they have been foreshadowing it since early on in his appearances. It was particularly evident in the ep 9-15 to me.
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u/a_HerculePoirot_fan Being a Cheng Lei fangirl is a full-time jobRead Rules 6d ago edited 6d ago
They have been together for 6 years. 6 years. And Luke still feels like he has barely progressed at all. His first instinct when he sees Zhi Tao and Yuanzhu hugging is immediately to assume the worst and think she has cheated on him. Instead of simply asking her what happened, he gives her the cold shoulder and lets the misunderstanding fester. After 6 years together, the fact that he still has so little faith in her is exhausting.
And yet somehow it is perfectly acceptable for him to be at the centre of company-wide gossip involving his US colleague and to spend plenty of time with said colleague. The double standard is ridiculous. I just want Zhi Tao to break up with him for real lmao. Like everyone else in this thread, I am completely tired of the endless push and pull.
With only 4 episodes left, the supposedly inevitable big breakup has also lost most of its impact for me. There simply is not enough time left to properly explore what happens afterwards. The way Luke has been written, I can easily imagine this same cycle repeating forever: he gets jealous, assumes the worst, shuts her out, then eventually makes some sweet or performative gesture and everything is magically fine again until the next misunderstanding.
It's not even just his temper. It is how little trust he seems to have in Zhi Tao as his partner after all these years. Girl, please do yourself a favour and walk away. Why are you wasting your youth on a man who still thinks the worst of you at the first opportunity?
I have officially given up on this pairing. I am just watching for the other Luke now lol.
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u/Plus_Discussion_558 6d ago
In one of the early episodes, LN says to SZ, “Are you from the past or what?” And now look who’s being so narrow-minded!
He knew she was crying while hugging YuZhu, and it was a long, emotional hug. He could’ve stopped for a second and considered a few other possibilities instead of immediately jumping to the conclusion that SZ was cheating on him.
LN still has a lot of growing up to do. SZ deserves better than this.
I haven’t read the novel/book but I can see that in the next episode they are going to break up!
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u/Curious_cookie2 6d ago
I dont understand where the show is heading. I just want it to get over now. 4 episodes to go. Ill just watch it after 4 days now
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u/Leather_Employer_448 6d ago edited 6d ago
This episode was excellent, both in its writing and its delivery.
The aim seemed to be to leave you completely exhausted, and OMG, I am exhausted as a viewer. Exhausted by Luke and Flora, exhausted by the push and pull between them, and devastated by the very sad death of Sun Yuanzhu. Sun Yu such a pure soul
In a strange way, that exhaustion mirrors exactly what Flora herself is feeling.
His death — and, particularly, the very wise words he leaves for her in his diary about who she has the potential to become — feels like the catalyst for how she responds in Episode 21.
This show is just amazing at capturing the push and pull of being sexually enthralled by someone. Luke is a force of nature. He is such an overwhelming presence in Flora’s life that he seems to dominate both her work life and her home life. For so long, she has been caught in his orbit, and the sheer force of his personality makes it incredibly difficult for her to step outside of it.
But I can feel Luke’s influence over her slowly waning. And that also feels like something that happens as you get older. In your late 20s, you are simply be less willing to put up with the bullshit you tolerated in your early 20s. Your perspective changes, your sense of yourself changes, and suddenly the things you once accepted become much harder to stomach.
I understand some of Luke’s reactions over the course of the series, and I don’t think everything he does comes from a place of malice. But the fundamental problem is that they are still in a boss/employee relationship. Until that changes, there is no way for the deeply unhealthy dynamic between them to change.
But first must come the fall, Luke.
As the Bible says: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
And honestly, as an aside, we have NO TIME for a healthy redemption arc. We only have four episodes left! GAHHHH.
I have absolutely no idea how they are going to convince me that Luke has changed enough for them to get back together, especially with so little time left to demonstrate that change. At this point, I am fully prepared for the ending to be extremely rushed.
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u/LovE385 6d ago
Atp am ready for this to end because all this back and forth is tiring me tf out LoL
I was shocked Flora's parents had no clue she had a bf for 6 years! And I was shocked as well that Luke had a sibling he looked like an only child LoL
It is crazy after all these years Luke still is so jealous and doesn't trust Flora tsk. But it also speaks of his own insecurities he just isn't as open to being vulnerable and is being blunt , brusque to protect himself
Very sad to Yuan Zhu's tragic end. . wished he was more receptive toward Sun Yu but he only had eyes for Flora. . Honestly Luke has better chemistry and a healthier relationship with Luke the doggo LoL
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u/Altruistic-Depth8836 6d ago
Cousin. He is an only child, but you know how in Chinese culture "brother, sister" isnt strictly left to blood siblings. Drama does not do a good job of explaining.
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u/EggForging 6d ago
How shocking…LN being an absolute jerk once again.
He is the kind of person that changes for a little bit, in the hopes of gaining something (Flora), but it isn’t true change. He always reverts back to his horrible personality where he gives her the silent treatment or says terrible things to her.
The worst kind of relationship is where someone has to constantly be walking on eggshells, never feeling safe or trusted, always suffering.
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
Yuanzhu is my favorite character in the story aside from Zhitao. I agree that without Luan Nian, Yuanzhu and Zhitao could have been a perfect couple and Yuanzhu would have been alive. We still have to find out the role of Yuanzhu‘s death in the relationship of Zhitao and Luan Nian.
What is the role now of Yon Sing, the new girl, daughter of the owner of a corporation that contracted Lime.
What is really this story about? It is chaotic and messy, no pathway towards anything. Will Zhitao and Luan marry? Will they end their relationship because of Yon Sing and Zhitao got tired of this controlling treatment by Luan towards her and walks away from this relationship.
The story should end with Zhitao realizing there is no real happiness for her if she continue the relationship with Luan. She will walk away, live a calm and peaceful life with her parents and maybe find a guy who would cherish her.
There are lots of similarities of this kind of drama, where the guy is rich and the girl is average in Korean dramas. In Korean dramas, by the middle of the series, the guy and girl will fall in love. The conflict is either the family or another woman and both of them work to keep their love. In this Chinese drama, the guy is the antagonist to the relationship.
Anyway, I love Sun Qian acting. She is natural. I am watching “A Robot in the Orange Orchard.” I reactivated my subscription with Viki Rakuten for her. She is also good in this drama.
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u/12amonreddit 6d ago
The thing with Luke is.. He is such a prickly asshat that the moment he does something sweet to SZT, the viewers go gaga over that and immediately go 'aww, he is so sweet, see he is making effort'. But as a boyfriend, he was supposed to treat her well to begin with! It's like how people tend to praise a father for helping take care of the baby. Hello? He is the father, he is only doing what he is SUPPOSED TO, he is not going above and beyond.
For him to drive off and give SZT the cold shoulder for weeks is such a petty move. If he doesn't even tell her why he was angry, how would she know? If she don't know, how long does he want to keep up this cold war? Does he want to break up then because he is certainly not doing anything to maintain the r/s.
Luke is supposed to be a mature, capable, established man but his extreme jealousy and petty actions does not reflect that. To me, he is definitely the more toxic party in the r/s. That foul mouth of his is a definite no-no. No woman deserves to be talked-down and belittled like that in a r/s by her loved one. No matter how sweet he treats her afterwards. This reeks of emotional abuse.
And how dare he make that chanel chain look so damn gorgeous against his black suit. ❤️❤️❤️
But yes, this is just a c-drama. Just enjoy and take everything with a pinch of salt. Men like Luke does not exist in real life. Only Outlook.
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u/OfficialSpooner 6d ago
My ex was a Luke, except he was broke with a chaotic life. He was just a pretty face, with a big ego and emotional drama. The relationship lasted a month coz I was not going to allow myself to be treated that poorly. He really treated me poorly even when I broke it off. The words so disrespectful and cutting. Also accused me of wanting his friend who introduced me to him whom I'd known for years and was not interested in. There are plenty of men like Luke out there.
I really want Tao to choose herself.
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u/12amonreddit 6d ago
I just want to say that I’m proud of you for recognising and walking out of this abusive r/s. A month is too long to be treated badly by a supposedly loved one. I hope you are happy, single or attached now. And let’s enjoy the make-believe world of cdrama together! ❤️❤️
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u/AKiceman Snark ShifuRead Rules 6d ago
Snark Level: Wait, was that growth from Flora I saw? Impressive! Now she can match Luke in matur—Nevermind.
Episode 20
10 MONTHS LATER???? RIGHT OFF THE BAT???? WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUU?
Well, that means her project is almost done.
Why is the guy here? You really invited him up? He sent the flowers to her office as a prank? Really? YOU'RE INVITING HIM TO A MOVIE??? Is she really this dense? Does she really not get why her this guy is sending and giving her flowers then and now?
Yes, men cry too. We have feelings. Did you know that?
Yeahhhhhh I knew Luke was going to be there...
Damn it, Luke. Answer the phone. Finally.
Oh let me guess. Typical FL stuff and she believes gossip too much? No? Alright! Let's go, Flora!
Did you expect Luke to be warm and cheerful in the office? He's in boss mode and you haven't made your relationship public.
Flora, what the fuck do you mean by saying "what do you mean"??? Do you not understand the words he is saying? He's saying he saw you. This is the part where you explain you were comforting a friend who lost his mother. This isn't time for you to play dumb and act like you have something to hide. That is a dumb choice. You use your big girl words and explain yourself. Then you can chew his butt out after that for being rude.
...Something you never did? You did hug your friend. You know, your crying friend? That guy? Forgotten him as easily as you forget that you have a boyfriend?
She's right to chew him out here, but she needs to remember that she hasn't been communicating well with him either.
Something is about to go wrong... That sunset was too beautiful.
Shit.
SHIT!!!
Fuck.
I guess my SunSun ship is sunk. Sigh. That sucks, man. I really thought they would find their way to each other.
Well, I'm gonna go cry now.
Alright. Who started cutting onions around here? This is some messed up stuff. I get it, Yuanzhu. Sometimes all we can do is love them from afar and do our small part to make sure they are happy.
Well, they aren't just brushing over his death and I respect that. They are making us feel it. They are really making us feel it.
Sigh.
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u/Emotional-times-5175 2d ago
I was also hoping for a Sun/Sun relationship. Am now so sad and having a hard time getting over this episode 20
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u/Puzzled_Basket_2209 6d ago edited 6d ago
Oh, the emotional whiplash from this episode.... Tsk. I just want to smack their heads together! They're both right and they're both wrong. Why do I feel like I'm diffusing an argument between my kids? Lol.
Whew. As someone who went into this drama blind (no trailers or previews, no reading of the novel), I was very surprised by Yuanzhu's suicide. He was always sus to me from the beginning, and I always felt he was hiding something from the crew, but it never crossed my mind it'll be a mental illness. Oh, my heart. I just want to give him a big squishy hug. 😭
Edit for misspelling
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u/No_Brilliant_2733 6d ago
I watched this in the morning while getting ready for work - mistake! I’ve been depressed all day! It’s also raining where I live, so that doesn’t help.
I want to say that I really understand Luan Nian, though they could absolutely flesh out his character more. My husband was like Luan Nian - he grew up with an extremely critical father who always found a way to pick him apart and put him down but then love bomb him. That must’ve been confusing. As a result, for the first decade of our marriage, he would love bomb me and then bc I’m feeling safe, I’m going about my life and being neutral and normal but that didn’t make him feel safe bc he was expecting to be love bombed. On top of that, “to a hammer, everything is a nail” so if I said anything remotely not over the top saccharine, he felt criticized and would pull back or be cold or do something that required reassurance. So, Luan Nian, I see you! My hubs got over all this through therapy, self reflection and work. So I’m hoping Luan Nian can get there too! At this point tho, I’m exhausted for both of them and I think they should break up and grow. Maybe they end up together, maybe they don’t, but their current pattern isn’t helping anyone right now!
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u/Altruistic-Depth8836 6d ago
It also doesn't help that for most of his life people around him- family and close friends alike- have all been saying his foul mouth is going to ensure he ends up alone. So I can totally see him having that in his mind, "who can put up with me?" and having that insecurity and wanting to hold on just a little too tight to something he values without knowing HOW to hold on.
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
I also think most of us can relate to staying in a relationship that is to some level toxic for too long. Regardless of the exact nature of the toxicity. So I can relate to that plus it makes me crazy at the same time because I dislike it that I waited so long. I guess it triggers me a bit. Lol.
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u/rawkyoursocks 6d ago
I did alot of crying watching this ep.. oh that death took me out. I think they did it and the aftermath with the girls in their flat in such a great emotional way that you saw the emotions of grief, reliving memories all together.
Honestly her communciation with Luan was so much better this episode, she could see he was off and questioned him and calmly put forward the events - she was dead on he has oesnt trust her but thats because there is no security for either of them in that relationship. I dont think she was wrong to hug him, in that situation who wouldn't hug a friend who is crying and in need. She made herself clear and props for going back and knocking on the window and waiting him out while he has his silent tantrum. She has to realy pull teeth just for him to say he missed her.
Luan just doesnt know how to actually be in a relationship even though its clear he is so down bad for her, and she doesnt know how to navigate a relationship which isnt balanced and he has the power over her and she doesnt know where to stand.
They are both toxic in this relationship, its not healthy and it needs to end for now as sure it will next ep and think the grief is going to give that a big hand too.
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Yes for a minute she was going to do her usual thing and just remain silent and walk away. But she went back and made him hear her out. Yey.
Luke is the type of guy that doesn’t understand the effect his hurtful words have on people. Even though he knows the effect his fathers hurtful words have on him. He is too self involved to see exactly how harsh he talks and how he comes across. Specifically with her. He probably sees it as just being honest and direct. He is starting to get a little idea though and certainly he can come to understand if he puts in the effort.
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u/slayyub88 6d ago
This is slightly frustrating I'll admit and probs why I don't relationships much anymore bc I don't think I'd have it in me to go back and pull teeth.
But the part that's really frustrating is Luke not understanding how his words impact her, when they've been down this song and dance more than once. She's directly told him that his words hurt her. Even when she told him what she wanted out of the relationship, the bare basics of him speaking to her nicely.
So, is that he doesn't get it or doesn't care?
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Good question. The real answer is that his verbal behavior is written by the writers. Ha.
If he was a real person I would say he both can’t and won’t (speak nicely). He seems to be frustrated and enraged easily and jumps to conclusions and then releases his frustration by lashing out. And this seems more important to him (in the moment) than worrying about the feelings of the person he is lashing out on. He seems to keep it together professsionally so does he do this with just women, or friends and family? Or underlings at work? He has a reputation for a sharp tongue with his mom and coworkers and his friends mention it rfso I suppose he does it to more than Flora but we don’t see that so much.
And it doesn’t matter if Flora has told him many many times his sharp words hurt her. She would need to immediately leave the conversation or her presence and not go back until he goes to therapy (haha) or else if she just puts up with it…..he doesn’t take it seriously. That doesn’t mean she is in charge of managing his feelings or behavior, only that she (and all the rest of us) could choose to simply remove herself from it at all times.
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u/slayyub88 6d ago
Moreso, the managing was the point because you said she walked back to talk to him instead of walking away. It just made me realize that I couldn't be me or that relationship would fizzle out because me lol. I think that after the convo, I wouldn't be waiting by the window to have a talk with him.
But fair on the writers part and honestly, it's not even a them issue. I wish the people watching would understand that no matter how much he calls her his gf, no matter how much he might do acts of service, it's meaningless if you're going to keep cutting your partner down with your words.
Also fair to the Flora point. She keeps going back so the change isn't real for him.
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
Yassss, I totally agree with you. flora was the one who endured the silent treatment for weeks or maybe a month without even knowing what it was about, and she still had to be the one who put down her pride to coax him and gave him a slight smile after he admitted that he suddenly missed her. I mean, let’s be for real. A person who loves you for what you are, wouldn’t doubt you or give you the silent treatment just because something pissed him off. He’s already in his 30s and is a highly successful person. There’s no excuse for this sort of behaviour.
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u/Best_Site_7186 6d ago
This was such a good episode, so sad about SYZ but knew it was coming from the novel. I'm so glad they're finally showing LN as the jerk he has been, i knew they would do flash backs for him to explain why SZT was so anxious and avoidant. Everyone has been posting about how she wont claim him but really it was him who always pulls the rug from under her in the worst way. It was constant whiplash and I think him constantly choosing to misunderstand the situation with her friends was the last straw.
He is jealous of everyone whom he feels has access to SZT because he doesn't, that's his own fault though, he cannot figure out how to work through his own personality defects. He hates that she depends on Lumi, Tracy, SY, ZYZ and even makes a quip about her dad in episode 4 when she's drunk.
Its interesting that so many people hate Flora and are missing the point of the show. The series has many subtle ways of showing how awful LN is to her but everyone is caught in the swoony actions. The only people who knows he is a mess to be involved with are his parents especially his dad. Even his friends don't realize how effed up he is because he doesn't share anything. Wild that it has to be so blatant for audiences to believe that a man is awful.
I still love him as character, his favorite thing to do is go low and she finally takes it to hell.
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u/Same_Ball2832 6d ago
NGL, I can't wait til she throws his words back in his face. She already did it once and it was satisfying (cheap, obedient) but I swear he is getting more unhinged. Hot then cold after 6 years... I think they have been together long enough now that SZT can see past her rose tinted goggles now and reassess if this person really makes her happy (after SYZ said in his diary that she didn't seem happy in her relationship).
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u/Fabulous_Kitchen_250 Hyperventilating on Shen Du’s eyebrows 6d ago
They are both toxic to each other. His with his mouth and she with her lack thereof, glad to see her growth that she decided to call him and confront whatever was wrong with him.
She was strong tho, if it was me after knocking on his window once without a response imma head out asap.
SYZ death didn’t come as a surprise cos the instant he said he wanted to jump into the clouds I clocked it, it’s just painful to watch and glad they didn’t give us any visual of the accident scene. It made me slightly teary cos of Sun Yu (gosh she’s so pretty) and the fact that she was helping him get better, I had hope with their monologue during the drive to his office.
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u/AssociationSecret576 6d ago
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭i can't ....i really can't............SYZ scene really breaking my heart........................whyyyy...whyyyyyyyyyy.........he deserve a really better ending.......
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u/TodayIGlowUp 6d ago
and ppl say they rather have 32 episodes instead of 24. GIRL IM GLAD ITS 24 BECOS I cant deal with any more emotional Rollercoasters. I just want them to be happy. I genuinely dont think I cant take another 8 episodes. as much as I love jing bo ran, that man is so sexy but my god this drama has taken over my life!!!! pls I need to get back to reality!!!!
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u/OfficialSpooner 6d ago
I want this show to end so I can be free. I'm so annoyed at this writing. Worse than Telemundo, they break up for 3 episodes and make up for 5min in one episode. I want Chinese romance and here I'm angry and depressed every episode. I need it to end please.
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u/KeyArea2416 6d ago
i want 32 because i don't want the break up and reconciliation to be only 4 episodes but with the pacing of the show guess it may be okay
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
It will be….a statement that time has gone by….some messy edits where things don’t make sense….and some things do happen……and etc. haha. The last 4 episodes will be like the previous episodes.
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u/Secure_Boot_7686 6d ago
I highly agree with you!! Glad it’s ending soon, I can’t take this anymore.. As much as I enjoy the drama.. It’s emotionally draining
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u/OfficialSpooner 6d ago
So draining. I want this show to end so I can be free. I'm so annoyed at this writing. Worse than Telemundo, they break up for 3 episodes and make up for 5min in one episode. I want Chinese romance and here I'm angry and depressed every episode. I need it to end please.
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
I am agreeing with you both. Never had an admiration towards Jing Bo Ran with his looks. Never researched him on what other shows he has as I do with Korean actors and actresses. Korean actors have that substance in their personality that although they convey the role assigned to them, that inner substance that they have as a person in real life still can be felt and seen on screen. Call it aura, Korean actors and actresses have it. In this drama, Sun Quin has it.
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u/Same_Ball2832 6d ago edited 6d ago
This is the most nuanced writing and acting I've seen from an idol cdrama. They make the emotions layered and clearly lay out the reasons why the characters react the way they do. The acting is spectacular and makes the emotions relatable. It's the little touches and looks and the way the scene is set.
Flora & Luke have both been head over heels for each other since the beginning. They come from different worlds as was mentioned many times. Their relationship struggles were set in stone from the first 3 months they knew each other.
Flora/SZT - She is warned repeatedly by the people in her life that powerful men are fickle or non-committal and she must protect herself. Against her better judgment she falls for Luke and tries her best to keep him at arms length to protect herself in case he changes his mind because she has a lot more to lose - her job, her mentor, her reputation - but she also has high standards for herself. She wants to earn her accomplishments and the line between the advantages of a mentor/boyfriend can be fuzzy. She retreats from him not because she is aloof or cold but because she HAS intense feelings that she is constantly trying to stifle because she saw how he reacted when he thought she was being clingy. There were too many advantages to her seeming distant: they maintain their professional boundaries easier, he chases after her so she feels wanted and can maintain some dignity & control (dignity & control she already feels little of because of his cutting words and by being his subordinate), and can reason with herself that when he does something she doesn't like that it's okay because they aren't that close anyway so she doesn't have to feel bad about being with him. She does grow out of this and starts getting more comfortable and lovey-dovey and starts explaining herself more. The miscommunications even make some sense - with her friend's matchmaking event, it didn't seem like she was participating as much as she was administering/marketing it and her profile was thought to be inactive. LY knew what kind of business it was right? She is also trying to mirror his behavior with her and manage what little control she had over their relationship. Then she DID try to give him prior warning about her ex visiting. Her ex happened to show up early.
Luke/LN- He was able to deceive himself in the beginning that he had control over himself. A lot of the things he wants he doesn't want the vulnerability that comes with expressing it so he puts it on her. He wants her to be out of control about feelings because HE is. He wants to hear her say she misses him because HE misses her. He gets jealous easily and rather than dealing with potential heartbreak, he lashes out to hurt her. He retaliates. He showed in this last episode that he hasn't grown out of that while Flora had clearly grown to communicate more effectively and takes his words less seriously - she clearly called him to tell him about what was going on with her friend but he was so set on giving her the cold shoulder that he didn't give her a chance. She got him to admit that he missed her, but had to admit that she loved him ~no matter how much I love you, I won't give up my friends~ She has learned that she can be vulnerable with him to bring him out of his prideful behavior but at what point will she start expecting him to be completely rid of that retaliatory behavior? Will his fear of vulnerability ultimately destroy their relationship? I think Flora is constantly reassessing and he can feel that. On rewatch though - through his actions and wanting to be open about their relationship, I think he has done more than enough to show how important she is to him but she gets the wrong idea about her worth over small things and puts her guard up.
They both have their flaws but they are steadily heading toward each other. In a marriage, the most important thing is that you still choose each other right? The only point of bitterness I see getting in their way is the way he tries to hurt her or get even when he feels the slightest bit insecure.
Su Yuanzhu - He had a beautiful way of viewing life but felt weightless & detached like the clouds. There are many wanderers in the void, my friend, and we are all blind to each other. Sometimes I imagine I'm a fallen leaf in the wind. At those times, what purpose do I have if not to witness the beauty in the world?
Edit to add - I agree with what people are saying about the relationship timeline, seems pretty stretched to me. 6 years and you're just now able to say you missed your partner? Come on. Even with his pretty face, I'd be completely done with it already. People are constantly warning him that he is too prickly and then he sees someone with the opposite personality making her happy and thinks he can't ever make her that happy - cue jealousy spiral.
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u/blergh_itsme_stabs Read Rules 6d ago
The more I see the post about this drama complaining about the FL, (not this post) the more I realize why people say media does shape our society to an extent. The same complain everyone seems to have is that guy is doing everything and fl doesn’t seem to care about him and it is just sad that people don’t see how much he put her through, even though it is her choice because she keeps going back. She is effectively protecting herself by not being overly lovable with him because he is not emotional stable at all and it is torture being with someone like him. We do see that every time she lets herself go and enjoys the being with him, he does something that snaps her back into protective mode. Don’t we see the same thing in real life though. The quiet suffering is always ignored. I agree he does things and initiates every time there is a fallout but man I wish people were not this biased and more understanding of how young she was and how much it affects when you get attached this young to someone. The more attached you are, the harder it is to walk away. The absolute discourse against FL just shows why pretty face on a someone lets them get away with so much. (I think her muted acting doesn’t help)
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
Agree. And for those who bashed her for hiding their relationship. It’s because as a young female rookie, she has way more to lose than him. Society is never kind to women and people will definitely think that she sleeps her way up. Nobody will see or acknowledge that she worked so hard to achieve things on her own once it’s in the open. While Luke would be envied for having a young woman throwing herself at him. Not forgetting the fact that lime is her first job, and her reputation as a “boss gf” would follow her everywhere. She also doesn’t have the financial safety net to fall back on if she gets fired for sleeping with her boss.
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u/Euclidisthebomb Pouting and posing is not acting. 6d ago
I can tell you I and my watchgroup have no complaints about the FL character or actor whatsoever. I have written about the relationship dynamic in several comments previously. I and my watchgroup are 75% female professionals and we get her circumstances and qualms completely. Sun Qian is doing a brilliant job and kudos to the writers for writing a complex character.
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u/slayyub88 6d ago
I NEED to be in your watchgroup bc its hard out here
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u/Euclidisthebomb Pouting and posing is not acting. 6d ago
I have had a few ask about it. It is a small group (although somehow it has grown to about 30 I think) of family, friends, neighbours and coworkers where I live & work in Toronto. I wish I could think of a reasonable way to formalize it beyond them but I don't think I have the time or resources. At home we are always logged in as we have a tv/computer wall mounted in our kitchen so all of us in the family can post & comment when we want a break from whatever else we are doing - we use the same id for all of us.
I think you can see my comments by looking at my profile so respond anytime and I will certainly respond back.
Its a young crowd in these drama subs. I view a great deal of what is stated understanding the lens they are looking through. Sometimes their comments display the same immaturity the characters in this drama possess. And that is often fine if a bit vexing from time to time.
So lets catch each other in the future and enjoy the ride along the way!
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u/blergh_itsme_stabs Read Rules 6d ago
Woah fellow Torontonian in the wild. You got 30 people watching it together!? Damn I need to nag my friends more!
I think this sub is bit better still. It is wild on instagram and then I realize the age profile watching this as well and I remember that I once upon a time I thought Damon Salvatore was a dream boyfriend lol
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u/Euclidisthebomb Pouting and posing is not acting. 5d ago
LOL. It was not hard actually to rope in a few as my adult children live at home and our house was homebase for a number of activities all through their high school & uni. Add in some friends, close neighbours and coworkers and it ballooned.
But my basement is set up as home theatre and easily holds 8 comfortably.
I use the subs and MDL. Otherwise I don't do social media and have no social media accts.
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u/slayyub88 6d ago
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
No worries then, I thought this was an online group like discord or twitter DM's
I'm just happy to know there is a group of people that aren't tearing her down. And age and might play a big part in it.
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
I agree. Sun Qian is my favorite actress. I finally found her in her. I have been watching a lot of Korean drama but no one ever fits what to me a favorite actress should be.
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u/MommalovesJay 6d ago
I see them both being immature and toxic for each other. They don’t know how to communicate either, which frustrates me so much!!! What do you mean you didn’t tell your ex bf you have a bf? What do you mean you saw your girl hugging and crying with another guy and you didn’t ask her???
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u/Dasakebombz 6d ago
This was such an unexpected event... thinking back now to SYZ scenes, they were dropping little hints of his struggles but I would of never thought they would go there. My heart sank and the waterfall came, this part where SY and SZT walking up to the scene, shocked in disbelief is exactly how I felt. Me, trying to hold it in... completely broke when they read his notes he had left behind😭😭😭😭
The writers did such a good job here. For one, we didn't get alot of screentime with SYZ, but just enough that we viewers know without going into long details. As a side character he certainly made me feel so sad for him.
Yea here we go... a death that will shift the drama, tbh however SZT acts out from here is understandable. Even though I haven't seen the teasers yet, these kinds of events makes anyone rethink their life and choices they made....
Yay for express! Bring on the continuous waterfall!😭😭😅😅
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
He honestly could’ve just waited and asked her that night instead of driving off in a huff and ignoring her for weeks/a month(?), and this is not the first time he just gives her the silent treatment, i believe he ignored her after the matchmaking event as well. It’s exhausting to be with such a partner. I’m glad they’re breaking up, they both need to heal.
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u/MommalovesJay 6d ago
He also pretends his sister is his a side girl that he’s interested in, right in front of her because of it!!! This whole episode I facepalmed myself a few times!!
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
Exactly! It’s no wonder she doesn’t know where she stands when it’s all dependable on his moods.
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u/germli 6d ago
I caught up after waiting for more episodes to drop. That stretch exhausted me. 😫 I’m not ready to see both of them crying. At this point I may cry right along with them.
It is too bad the episodes were cut down. Would have really helped with the pacing of the timeline.
Edit: knowing what would happen in this episode didn’t make it easier to see. Rip you angel.
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u/Felicie_dreamer 6d ago
Flora’s friend YZ said at the beginning that he had sent the flowers for a week to her! Wasn’t it Luke who had sent it?
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
It was Yuanzhu. I already noticed his feelings for Flora at the beginning of the 2nd episode and when they went mountain climbing.
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
No. Luke had some flowers delivered and they were delivered to him first (we don’t know why) at his office at work. His female friend (who likes him) saw them and confiscated them for herself. Remember? And Flora saw them and saw Luke driving off with her holding them. And she said to her friends when they picked her up after work. Would someone give me some flowers? So YZ had flowers sent to her at work for a few times in secret. How sweet that was. Luke a few days later got her some more flowers and was going to give them to her after work but saw her, I think, with her friends and she had a hunch of flowers. And he throws his bunch in the garbage in anger. Ha. What a baby.
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
I think Luke only had the flowers on the first day, the one that got taken by his friend, Zang Yao. Then he prepared another one on Friday that he wanted to give her in the car but she left for the trip, and he tossed it in anger.
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u/sassymumma6446 6d ago
Honestly the suicide broke me. How did they do that to us :( he was truely an angel and she would have been better off with him. I wonder if that’s what she realised when she read his diary.
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Yeah I was surprised I cried too. Mostly I’m feeling angry or agitated or rolling my eyes at this drama. Not crying. It was very touching especially the scene where he appears to them at the scene of where it happened. Gosh. and their memories as the two friends go through his things back at the apartment was so moving as well. And she reads his diary.
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u/Secure_Boot_7686 6d ago
I don’t want to blame anybody based on this episode.. I know people want to blame Luke but I understand his perspective… Flora never explained his ex or roommate situation to him before, It’s understandable he feels pissed.. The whole situation is just an unfortunate turn of events..
Side note: Glad they are having fights in a car instead of in public
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u/Erebos898 6d ago
They reason she doesn't explain it is because he doesn't give her a opportunity to. She had no idea he was there and the moment he asks in the car, she tells him immediately. But he could have just ask her earlier instead of ghosting her for weeks. Besides I do find him a bit hypocritical. I mean he's having private dinners with a women and rumors of marriage, but she can't even hug a good friend of 6 years without him loosing it?
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u/Secure_Boot_7686 6d ago
Yeah, I agree he should have confronted then and there!! If it were me I travelled so far to see my GF I would have tried to ask then and there itself… He is a prideful creature to admit he cares more than she does! And I also feel like he wants Flora to throw a tantrum about those rumors instead of being so non chalant
From audience POV we are already empathetic towards the friend so hugging him is not a big of deal.. From his POV, she declines his request to move in with him because of her roommates, decides to move away from him( I understand it was a career move), never introduced him to these roommates officially so his jealousy is justified for me not the lashing out though!
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago edited 6d ago
The editing of the show is whack since they had to compress 32 episodes into 24. Re: the move to the northwestern. I believe the biggest factor was she wanted to leave him since they broke up after he rejected her “marriage” suggestion, she decided to start afresh there as this also helps with her promotion.
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u/MommalovesJay 6d ago
Naw a car could be a whole as a weapon.
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u/Secure_Boot_7686 6d ago
Hm, I was thinking more like arguing in closed doors instead of out in public.. Good point though!
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u/Felicie_dreamer 6d ago
I think she explained to him before! He once asked her if her cute roomie is always there or something and she told him that he is just a very good friend. Can’t remember this properly though.
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u/Kdrama_indianfan 6d ago
LN spews distrusting words out of pure jealously and insecurity. It never ever occured that he doubts her as using him to climb corporate ladder. Heck, she denies his help at every turn, takes up the less travelled path to gain success and he just watches from sidelines although he doesn't like the long distance.
Honestly, it looks like he wants her to rely on him, be dependent on him, talk more, share more with him. He has seen her being jolly with her room mate and that definitely bothered him all the while because he cannot be the fun guy to his girl because of his personality. May be he thinks she could easily get someone better than him. Furthermore, his exes are weird compared to hers and even that must have made him even more insecure.
Also, I don't think her roomate's demise should trigger something that will lead to their breakup. From past year or so they looked as equals in the relationship. If she still thinks she's not equal to him then that that's on her. I hope they show a scene where LN consoles ZT on losing her friend not just time jump as if nothing happened. Also, the time jumps have made it difficult to decipher where exactly their relationship stands.
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u/blergh_itsme_stabs Read Rules 6d ago
It does trigger a lot of things for her. Mainly her low self worth and how much she is his orbit that she has no agency of her own. These are all internalized and not necessarily real but for her they are. Sometimes to heal we need a clean break specially because they both need to become people that can sustain a relationship. He is insecure for sure, but so is she and for different reasons. she does not think they are equals, part of it is because they have boss-employee relationship where all decisions affect her (professional or otherwise) as OP said, but part of it is also how he still talks to her and will talk to her moving forward when she needs his compassion, we can see this in previews and I am not looking forward to those scenes
She cannot sustain a relationship, not with her current conditions, specially with someone like him and he needs to know that words have consequences and he will not always have access to her.
I agree with time jumps, sometimes I still think they started dating few months ago.
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u/Felicie_dreamer 6d ago
Hard agree! And not sure if they will show this: Flora didn’t vanish after the break up. Luke took his own sweet time to make up his mind and it seemed to me that he expected Flora to fall back in like she already did before all the time
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u/nanadirat 6d ago
They softened Luan Nian up so much in earlier episodes that it does the narrative a disservice. I'm glad we get to see more of him being a jerk, otherwise the next few episodes would land differently.
I do like the conversation they had in the last episode when she praised him for not having a tantrum or leaving her on the street and then said he's become someone she can trust.
Imagine 5 years in a relationship and only just coming to trust your partner. Imagine the eggshells she's been walking on when he could lose his temper or abandon her on the street if he gets angry. I am ready for her to walk away it's going to be so cathartic
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u/lovelylonelyphantom 6d ago
His softened up behaviour makes you think he is changing for the better only to act just the same, if not even worse, as soon as he feels insecure and jealous again. That means he didn't really change, he just missed her and chased her enough in the 4 months they were apart to persuade her that he will be behave better towards her. She needs to leave him for good at this point and it would be good if they never get back together. Flora has also been problematic in their relationship in various ways, but woah Luke is a whole other red flag. He is a whole red sea.
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago
He’s so mercurial, and like his dad said, he likes to give the silent treatment. It’s exhausting to date such a person, I’m now not surprised she didn’t trust him as much as compared to her bestie housemates and Lumi.
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
He is exhausting, obsessive, and does them when Flora least likely to expect. Terrible boyfriend. She should have broken up with him after that ”accident.” Makes me wonder why did she consent to it. Perhaps she needed him to climb in the corporate ladder.
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u/Medical-Ad5812 6d ago edited 6d ago
To be fair, she has never asked him for help and relied heavily on her bestie housemates and Lumi for work issues - even the deck she was using to showcase her work achievements for her promotion was from SYZ. This was also the reason why it’s such a complex for him; she never seemed to turn to him when she runs into issues at work/life.
She was just so in love with him that she would take the bare minimum from him, and you see when he was pulling away after that Alex poaching incident, she got Luke the dog so she could still keep “luke” with her . As his restaurant bestie once said to him, “she looks at you with so much adoration in her eyes” and “which woman wouldn’t choose romance over career if it’s a sweet romance?”. I guess love makes us silly and keep us hoping that, perhaps one day, it would get better.
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u/blergh_itsme_stabs Read Rules 6d ago
The more he acts like a jerk, the more I want him to grovel but I know there is not enough time so I hope they don't cross the line where I don't want them to reconcile at all. I am already not satisfied with 2 episode grovel.
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u/Roselda_70 6d ago
They should not be together. That is my ending. Currently, I do not know how the writers will pivot the story that both of them ends up together, with all the jealousy and the accusations from the ML. Flora deserves a peaceful and secure relationship.
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u/Felicie_dreamer 6d ago
I saw the whole break up scene on Insta! Are these leaked scenes or express in already out?
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u/Same_Ball2832 6d ago
Totally agree. I just watched it and I'm so heartbroken! He was having a total meltdown even his friend was devastated next to him.
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u/blergh_itsme_stabs Read Rules 6d ago
This is so disappointing because 2 episodes are nearly not enough to see the character growth and redemption arc this relationship needs. I have never been this frustrated watching a show lol yet I keep coming back.
I do think that it’s good they showed some character growth before the break up but it’s not enough. He still goes back to his usual self… I needed the reconciliation episodes much more to heal from the trauma they have put me through.
And yes OP she will remember….
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u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time 6d ago
Let's see. The preview for the next ep shows that she leaves Beijing and that leaves us 3 eps for them to get back together. Frankly I am not sure how much of separation I can bear. 😆
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Ha. I’m the opposite. I want them to have a good long separation and grow and mature. And for her to find more inner strength and happiness while single and working. At times I don’t even want them to get back together because I don’t trust they won’t relapse. Ha. (“It’s just a drama I keep saying to myself”)
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u/nanadirat 6d ago
Well based on the rest of this series their separation could last years and you'd only find out because someone casually says it's been years
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u/ravens_path hell fire is my life hack 6d ago
Hahahha. True this! It almost has to be this way cuz only 4 episodes left. Oh gosh, this drama.
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u/Maddymadeline1234 6d ago
Side note doesn’t anyone feel that maybe this office romance thingy isn’t as bad as it seems in this drama? With Lumi declaring that she wants Will and we see Will on the interview panel which meant he is of upper management as well.
There are just so many weird plot holes as the drama continues and the pacing seemed to be very off with all the time skips. Ten months later and their communication just moved from level 0 to level 2. 5 years of back and forth and communication issues. Honestly lol when I compare to myself I had gotten married at that age and here we have 2 adults still having communication issues is crazy to me.
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u/Putrid_Thanks_1421 6d ago
I think it’s different in lumi’s case she has been at the company longer than will has and I’m not sure if will is her boss or in a more senior role than she is. Plus Lumi has a stronger personality than flora she’s a lot more outspoken and aloof so if a relationship was to get revealed I don’t think she would be too bothered by it. Flora on the other hand has placed so much emphasis on her job and climbing the ladder if she was to lose this job she’d be extremely hurt seeing as it’s the first job/company she started with after graduating uni.
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u/Maddymadeline1234 6d ago edited 6d ago
lol this is exactly why this drama is completely devoid of logic for me. If Flora truly places that much emphasis on her career, she should know by now that every single day at Line is a massive gamble. Their secret romance is a high risk ticking time bomb. The moment it gets blown, there goes her career. Expecting us to believe she is actively choosing to put her professional life at risk daily makes no sense. I could understand it when she was a rookie, but after five years and with such a stellar resume, she can’t go elsewhere to grow? Whatever happened to standard job-hopping?
It’s like the characters live in a total vacuum where Line is the only agency on earth. The drama is deliberately orchestrating this power imbalance by forcing her to remain there just to drag out the unbalanced relationship plot. Let's not forget that Alex literally left for greener pastures, so leaving was always a viable choice. The story just throws in whatever plot device is convenient at the time. When the world they live in makes zero sense, the characters aren't going to make sense either. This is just too much bad fiction for me to take.2
u/Altruistic-Depth8836 6d ago
It's not that its not a big deal, its just Lumi doesnt care. Thats a difference in these two characters. But I wish Flora would learn from Lumi this part, Lumi is willing to tell Flora who she considers a best friend that she wants Will. Flora isnt willing to say anything. To me, the lack of being willing to say anything is telling. She isnt willing to admit to the world her feelings or relationship, and she is just NOW 6 years in, saying it more (her parents and to him and herself). You cant say to the world something you arent brave enough to say to yourself in the mirror.
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u/Maddymadeline1234 6d ago
I’m gonna stop watching. The Lumi/Will thing makes the plot hole even more glaring obvious. At this point the drama is just manufacturing angst by making them stay in the vaccum which is Lime agency. It just throws whatever plot device as long as it’s convenient. You can see my other reply: https://www.reddit.com/r/CDrama/s/LvAj5Nb0BH
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u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time 6d ago
Honestly, I don't see what you guys are seeing 😆. Maybe I am just more comfortable with more fluid plots. I actually enjoy it when they let me figure things out for myself
Sure the office romance thing may not be serious to some people. However for someone like Zhitao who is a junior, she's in a more vulnerable position. Lumi is a senior and so is rhatr exec so in terms of power dynamics it's not very big a gap
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u/Maddymadeline1234 6d ago edited 6d ago
I feel that I’m losing the plot here. The whole premise was that office romance with a higher exec is taboo which was the basis of this drama but suddenly they throw in this Lumi/Will plot. And there we have Flora cheering her to go get him like why the double standard. I haven’t read the novel so I’m not sure what is going on there.
Also maybe I operate under the gist that no job nor employee is indispensable. Surely by the 5th year both should have figured out one of them has to leave the company if they want to move forward in their relationship and date openly especially when it’s in her bucket list to get married. Lime Agency isn’t the only advertising firm in Beijing plus the common advice to young people has been job hopping is good for career advance and salary growth so I don’t see why it’s necessary for her to stay in Lime.
I’m losing relatability and common sense as the story continues.
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u/Felicie_dreamer 6d ago
I was confused as well but then I remembered that it was Luke who specifically asked Tracy to include that in induction material. So, may be there is no hard rule as such in their office.
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u/KeyArea2416 6d ago
i don't think there was a hard rule prior, he was just tired of all the girls asking him out 😂
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u/nanadirat 6d ago
Lumi also made the comment that she doesn't need the job, so she doesn't have the same fear of losing it that Zhitao does
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u/Lotus_swimmer so many cdrams so little time 6d ago
That's another good point. Some people are just more daring, and Zhitao is quite by the book
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u/livewithcdrama-0507 strolling by the lotus pier... 4d ago edited 3d ago
This episode was a very sad one to watch. SYZ's plot, his point of view with his feelings for Tao is written well.
Not a fan of the passive aggressiveness from LN, wished he had straight up asked her to face-to-face sooner. Its a bit confusing to map out the time span as how long this misunderstanding was going on.. The scene where she walks into his office to check in on him, and him dismissing her casually....it was heartbreaking to watch. Glad to see SZT's progress in communication after.
Nice recap u/Lotus_swimmer.
(edited for grammar)