Notable Actors/Actresses
Song Qian: He Fan Xing
Song Wei Long: Yuan Song
Zhang Yu Jian: He Can Yang
Yu Shu Xin: Cai Min Min (Cai Gua)
Wang Yao Qing: Ye Lu Ming
Director:
Scriptwriter:
Chinese Title
下一站是幸福Next Stop is Happiness
Network: MangoTV
First Impression: 4/5
Mini Recaps
[Ep6] They do it already? The aftermath is even cuter though lol, how is it that it's even better in the morning?
[Ep8] Small problems, big fights. I'm on his side. He's hurt that he's more invested in the relationship than she is.
[Ep10] Uncle and niece are a pair made in heaven: living in their fantasies and going for what they love.
[Ep11] Hm. The uncle is better at getting along with Fan Xin than Yuan Song is. Hmmmm.
[Ep14] Hell will break loose when Can Yang learns that Yuan Song is his future brother-in-law. He's mischievously worming his way into everyone's love life xD
[Ep17] How has this one episode made me love every single character in this drama.
- The family standing in line to prove they're a family in front of a jealous girlfriend. Ha.
- I have an ominous feeling the pregnant mom’s husband will be up to no good.
- Amongst the three girls, Song Xue's the most insightful of them all. Wonder who her boyfriend is. I'd ship Can Yang with either Song Xue (his first love) or Cai Min Min.
- Uncle and secretary/cousin are a hilarious duo. Love the power dynamics: she's got the upper-hand regardless if he's the boss.
- So frustrating that Cong Xiao is looking everywhere for her other half instead of right beside her! He's so good to her! He even hit her non-official ex for her when he's a coward himself & took a slap for her. He's the character I want to be happy the most.
Two moments I liked this episode:
- YS and FX have such casual skinship in front of his brother-in-law.
- YS secretly gave her a peck on the cheek with brother-in-law in the living room. I watch these two for these moments.
[Ep20] Cai Gua is so thick-skinned, I love it. My next favourite character, Song Xue, sniffed out that uncle's crush is is FX herself. Finally someone smartens her up. Meanwhile Yuan Song thinks he's so smart for exposing Chang Huan's secret crush on Cong Xiao but CH knows his secret too. Ha. Really liking this blooming friendship. Cong Xiao's my least favourite character at the moment: not liking the guy she should like; getting mad at FX for "stealing" a man who's not hers. I sort of get her anger at FX but I'm still peeved at how she treated Chang Huan.
[Ep21] The break-up episode. What's with FX, first ending his friendship with the uncle and now ending her relationship with YS. Random thought: I was curious how Song Wei Long yells with his wispy voice. Now I know, its a wispy yell. The ultimate couple goes to Cai Gua and Can Yang. These two make me burst out laughing. She calls him old all of a sudden; CY's expression is priceless. She wants to stay overnight to take care of YS, he's afraid she'll eat him. Its even funnier the next morning when mom chases CY around the house thinking her son hooked up with a teenager. I want more Mom x Cai Gua x Can Yang scenes.
CY finally discovers who his sister is dating and he goes and headbutts YS. He would have continued to hit him if not for the beautiful lady at YS's place. Keyword: beautiful.
The love-hate friendship of FX and Cong Xiao is giving me whiplashes. I like them when they're friendly and despise CX when she's petty. They have an awkward karaoke night when things get sour with the love triangle involving Cong Xiao and Chang Huan. He's so obvious about liking CX.
[Ep24] FX is giving the uncle a chance...
[Ep25] 30 minute episode with 5 minutes of replay. Alright. Uncle learns that she's accepted dating him over breakfast at her place. How did he manage to secure a breakfast spot at her family's so casually... He sets the rule for officially dating: none of that secret stuff, proper dinners, dates on the weekend, nothing less. Uh. That’s normal dating, no? He's delighted while she looks a little down.
SX: You have principles but you don't have a bottom-line LOL. Golden. Spot on. It's a pretty ruthless criticism in Chinese to CY. Too bad it doesn't have the same snap in English.
I get why Song Xue recruited Can Yang of all people. Just him sitting there incites fear. LOL. They've caught the cheating husband red-handed. Song Xue rocks. She delivers a piercing lecture.
FX: How do I help you? Pretend to be your girlfriend?
Uncle: Why would you pretend! You are my girlfriend. LMAO.
Fan Xing makes up with Mom. It's a lovely mother-daughter moment. The next morening everyone gets a kiss from an overly happy FX. Can Yang only gets a pat on the head (like a dog) after begging like a dog for a kiss too . Love this family. After she leaves mom freaks out if there's lipstick mark on her cheek. So real.
[Ep27] I never noticed how much better looking Can Yang is with glasses. He gets glared by Cai Gua in class because of the hotel incident. He cares enough about her to pull her into his office where he learns he got caught by the way he held his cups. He's speechless.
Song Xue walks in just in time to explain to Cai Gua their hotel voyage. After all the misunderstandings clear up and she leaves, CY laughingly tells SX that Cai Gua is pretty cute. SX agrees and these two mimic her cuteness. Hm. I don't know what to make of this scene. It's like a parallel of Chang Huan and Cong Xiao except CH obviously likes CX more than the younger girl. In this case the scriptwriter is leaning more towards a Can Yang and Cai Gua pairing even though him and Song Xue are a better match intellectually (and the same age). Nice parallel.
Yuan Song is in attack mode. He's the new employee (so he didn't quit!) and self invites himself to the dinner tonight hosted by Fan Xing's new boyfriend. Chang Huan's the only one feeling awkward because he's the only other person who truly knows. Alas the awkward dinner begins! Can't wait!! First encounter, Yuan Song cheerfully greets uncle: "Hi! Old man!" Then he proceeds to order the most expensive items on the menu.
The rivals then meet in the washroom.
Cue cowboy music.YS calls him out for stealing his girlfriend.
Uncle tells him to admit defeat. "The last one laughing is the true winner."
Yuan Song pauses, and agrees. "You'll never know who's the last one laughing." He exits with a winning smile and sprinkles water at his face. I LOVE THIS.Uncle, left alone in the washroom, hears footsteps and think it's YS coming back so he prepares a counterattack and uses water from the faucet to aim right at him only it's not him. It's a random stranger.
- I want to quit school for a year to date you
- My head isn't filled with love, it's filled with you
- I'm willing to die for you.
And then the ultimate weapon: tears. I love CY's reactions to her tears. He's so weak against tears.
CG suddenly gets up and understands he doesn't love her and tells him "I have decided. I will become a nun." He convinces her to rationalize and she calms down thinking there's a bit of a chance. His solution: they can try dating but it must be kept a secret until she graduates. Otherwise it’s officially off. We're doing this secret thing again? These twins. She sighs, “that's impossible”. But she'll do it. She then surprises him with a back hug and he's flustered.
Cai Gua: So if I agree (for it to be a secret), you'll be my boyfriend?
Can Yang: Of course
Cai Gua: I agree! I agree! I agree! - jumping gleefully -
Can Yang: Are you a spring - laughing as he puts his hand on his head - And thus begins Cai Gua's first relationship.
She puckers her lip for a kiss but she gets a forehead kiss instead.
Cai Gua: That's it?
Can Yang: Yeah - pause - I think you're better off becoming a nun. LOLCai Gua quickly retracts and accepts a forehead kiss will be all, calling him "Petty"
How does this episode get better and better? This is such a treat. The next morning uncle and niece come out of Fan Xing and Can Yang's condo respectively. The grand family meeting with Cai Gua in FX's tee. Enraged, uncle grabs her and she instinctively runs to FX, calling for her "auntie" (the title for her uncle's future wife) to save her.
Then everyone enjoys a family breakfast (because the family knows CG definitely isn't CY's girlfriend. HA. Cai Gua is slurping way too loudly that the entire family is staring at her. She's too preoccupied at the terrible coincidences to care about food etiquette. I'm surprised she didn't choke. Can Yang got out of the awkward situation where his sister was dating his student but now he's dating his sister's boyfriend's niece. It's like going from bad to worse. LOL. He's better off with Yuan Song as his brother in law. Oh but then that would mean his brother-in-law would be his girlfriend's first love. What a hot mess. Ha. CY's thinking that this is a hot mess too and suggests to CG: "Why don't we just call it off?" LMAO.
[Ep28] Everyone knows Cong Xiao likes CH, even she knows it too but she doesn't want to be with him because they have different life goals. She wants to keep improving while he likes to stay stable and play his video games. The next morning he asks her if she's got more clients, send them to him. She questions him, “don’t you want to save time and play your video games”. He tells her he's getting bored of them.
The pregnant mom (Xiao Yue) knows her husband is cheating. She doesn't let her friends know because she doesn't want a divorce, She has to consider her children as well. The girls have dinner together and Song Xue's boyfriend finally makes an appearance. He makes a comment that its a good thing him and Song Xue don't plan on having children. Xiao Yue is in the washroom and hears his comment. The pain in her expression as she holds on to her stomach. Interesting friendship. One is married with children, seemingly the happiest of them all but ends up with a cheating husband in her third trimester. The other vows to not marry or have children but has a stable boyfriend. The last one, Fan Xing, never dated until three months ago is still trying to find her true love.
Cai Gua and Yuan Song develop an unexpected friendship while discussing their secret (ex) relationships ^^ So funny how worried YS got for her when he learned that it was a secret relationship.
[Ep29] Fan Xing comments on her relationship with Uncle: "We decided to try going out but within a few days we've met my family, your family, my coworkers, your niece, and now your friends. This order is a little off, no? Very. She doesn't even yet have feelings for her despite them being comfortable around each other (at least when they were "friends"). I don't support the two but I like their funny interactions as well as their dialogues. They had a steak joke to compare relationships and it's pretty clever, but not something easily translated to English.
How do these meetings get even more awkward! He Fan Xing meets Yuan Song's parents. His stepmom was the lady Fan Xing thought was his ex-girlfriend. His dad is uncle's close friend that he confides in about his relationship. Ha ha ha. The uncle is dying inside especially if his friend (YS's dad) knows he stole his son's girlfriend. HAHAHA. Stepmom s its calmly on the side, knowing everything, and doing her slight damage control. The only innocent fella here is YS's dad. Dad even talks about how uncle used all means to win his current girlfriend and even goes as far to put down that ex-boyfriend of FX's, his own son!! LMAO. He's revealing how his girlfriend was stolen and dissing his son right in front of his son.
[Ep31] Cheng Huan: I'm not a snail, I'm a chameleon. I adapt to my surroundings. That was his reply to YS when he commented on his personality change. He never changed, he was always adapting to his surrounding. He also confidently admitted to earning money for his future wife (:
More YS and FX: YS teases her and she calls him out for teasing her like how an elementary school kid teases the girl they like. At night, they're walking super close and super slow. Turns out he's got night blindness. She takes his wrist like walking a dog so he casually tries to hold her hand but she slaps him in return. He comments on how aggressive she is now. She comments on how rude he is now. Aw their relationship right now is really cute.
[Ep32] YS: “I head you're pregnant.” Fan Xing chokes upon hearing his statement and spits her coffee into his. In return she treats him to BBQ. He taunts her in every way possible, forcing her to be angry and then calls her out for being angry. Then when he's hit her anger limit, he stops and compliments on how beautiful she is. Yuan Song has Fan Xing right around his fingers. Yikes, uncle sees it all and can't utter a word. You get what you sow. What comes around goes around. I do feel bad for him, but he does deserves it.
Awww these two! Finally! Cong Xiao said she'll pinch CH's hand if he sleeps (can't sleep after surgery). Chang Huan grabs her hand back, "I'll pinch you if I sleep." Aw. Mom looks on happily at her new daughter-in-law from afar.
[Ep33] CG hammers an imaginary nail into her mouth after angering Can Yang. I see a bright career for this actress, so funny. Can Yan pretty much has his way with girls, not sure how healthy this is for their relationship and just when I was thinking that, the show quickly acknowledges this. Cai Gua points out that she's more vulnerable in the relationship, liking him more, being afraid he's going to be angry, looking for rewards from him, etc. He apologizes for it and admits to truly liking her now. Aw. And so their lunch date continues.
CY's ex-girlfriend joins their lunch date and the girl keeps talking about her and CY's ex-dates, almost neglecting her own current boyfriend. I'm so confused why only CY finds it awkward.
Everything is exposed. Poor Xiao Yu keeping her smile on as her husband is begging at her knees and her daughter is crying in the background. Her friends want her to divorce him. She wants to give him another chance for the sake of her children (born and unborn).
There's a meeting between step mom and future daughter in law. She's such a contemporary mom. One, she's successful; two, she makes her daughter take after her surname (because it's only fair since Yuan Song took after his mother). She supports their love regardless of societal pressures. Meanwhile FX is trying to convince her (and herself) that uncle is her most suitable choice.
After work, uncle is watching FX and YS leave the office together and he's in his car with his flowers. However, he just sits there watching her girlfriend leave with another man. I'm a little sad too. I supported YS striving for his love but he's now basically stealing someone else's girlfriend... HMMM. At the same time, uncle shouldn't have "stole" something that wasn't his. But who's the one to know what's not yours if you haven't tried? Complicated mess.
Fan Xing and Yuan Song are visiting the recovering Chang Huan. YS casually peels an orange for FX and takes her unpeeled one. When CH's mom compliments FX's beauty, FX is modest about it but YS casually tells her, why be modest when you are pretty. This doesn't go unnoticed by Cong Xiao. While CX is busy pondering about YS and FX, YS, being the good buddy that he is, does his part to help out CH:
[Ep34] Yuan Song and Fan Xing finally talk it out. He loves her and wants to have a future with her. She likes him, she likes him for liking her, she likes the "some" relationship they have but she doesn't have the courage to accept him. She's fighting with herself and tells him to give up on her. He tells her he can't stop loving her so he'll have an unrequited love instead
Xiao Yu can't pretend everything is okay anymore. That morning he kisses her goodbye and she wipes the kiss off likes it's the world's most disgusting thing. Xiao Yu is admitted to the hospital because she's almost due. All the girls rush over and she confesses the truth that she's had enough of her husband. Alas, when the husband reaches there (after a supposed OT) the girls are ferociously attacking him. Can Yang smartly stands aside and murmurs, "Finally, it's not me." Heh.
[Ep35] Can Yang visits his girlfriend at work and feeds her. Aw. She gives him the 100 RMB she earned (the other 100 RMB she gave to her uncle) and he's sincerely touched.
FX's dad hasn't returned home for a whole day. They called the police. They even found a corpse in the lake making Can Yang's knees cave. I got a fright too. The next morning, fortunately, dad returns home. It's not all good news, he has Alzheimer's. CY returns home and starts bawling, which makes FX cry too, and then mom follows suit. Aw.
Cai Gua and Yuan Song develop an unexpected friendship while discussing their secret (ex) relationships ^^ So funny how worried YS got for her when he learned that it was a secret relationship.
[Ep29] Fan Xing comments on her relationship with Uncle: "We decided to try going out but within a few days we've met my family, your family, my coworkers, your niece, and now your friends. This order is a little off, no? Very. She doesn't even yet have feelings for her despite them being comfortable around each other (at least when they were "friends"). I don't support the two but I like their funny interactions as well as their dialogues. They had a steak joke to compare relationships and it's pretty clever, but not something easily translated to English.
[Ep31] Cheng Huan: I'm not a snail, I'm a chameleon. I adapt to my surroundings. That was his reply to YS when he commented on his personality change. He never changed, he was always adapting to his surrounding. He also confidently admitted to earning money for his future wife (:
More YS and FX: YS teases her and she calls him out for teasing her like how an elementary school kid teases the girl they like. At night, they're walking super close and super slow. Turns out he's got night blindness. She takes his wrist like walking a dog so he casually tries to hold her hand but she slaps him in return. He comments on how aggressive she is now. She comments on how rude he is now. Aw their relationship right now is really cute.
CG: I'd like to order a whole roasted chicken, not half, with mashed potato, a salmon salad and a seafood pizza.
CY: Is that enough?
CG: Pretty much. I'm on a diet. Hahahaha
CY to the waitress: I'd like a spaghetti.
CG after the waitress leaves: You don't need a diet, you're not even fat.
CY sarcastically answers: That's enough for me to eat.
After work, uncle is watching FX and YS leave the office together and he's in his car with his flowers. However, he just sits there watching her girlfriend leave with another man. I'm a little sad too. I supported YS striving for his love but he's now basically stealing someone else's girlfriend... HMMM. At the same time, uncle shouldn't have "stole" something that wasn't his. But who's the one to know what's not yours if you haven't tried? Complicated mess.
Fan Xing and Yuan Song are visiting the recovering Chang Huan. YS casually peels an orange for FX and takes her unpeeled one. When CH's mom compliments FX's beauty, FX is modest about it but YS casually tells her, why be modest when you are pretty. This doesn't go unnoticed by Cong Xiao. While CX is busy pondering about YS and FX, YS, being the good buddy that he is, does his part to help out CH:
YS: One is "Huan Huan" (happy), the other is "Xiao Xiao" (smile). A pair made in heaven. Why not get married?
[Ep36] With dad's condition, FX thinks she should marry uncle. Meanwhile Song Xue has news of her own: she's pregnant. Previously SX was against marriage and against having children. However, she's now accepting the baby inside her. Consequently, she gives up on her boyfriend because he's against having children. Why does she sees others so clearly but not herself?
[Ep37] Can Yan is in love with Cai Gua, its definite. However, their relationship is finally exposed. War starts brewing between the uncle and future nephew in law (CY), LOL. And I'm surprised, Fan Xing knew they dated since the hot pot incidence.
[Ep38] Only Xiao Yu is normal. She's exasperated when one of her friend broke up with her boyfriend because she's pregnant (SX) and the other goes play badminton with her ex-boyfriend (FX). Still, Fan Xing is trying really hard to like uncle, taking notes and everything. She wants to quickly settle down because of her father's Alzheimer's Disease.
 |
| I can't believe she lets him pinch her face like that xD |
Momma sees it all.
[Ep39] Cong Xiao: “If you win, I'll be your girlfriend.” I thought they were already dating? She wants to win YS at bowling so she made that bet with CH. He takes the bet, handsomely bowls, and rolls a gutter ball. He's disappointed and so is she. He gives her a hug when they're walking home and she hugs him back, telling him that she'll just pretend he won (since he was so cool). He's running around her like a puppy, asking her what she meant. (:
Pitiful uncle found FX's notebook on learning how to love him. Luckily his niece returns home to brighten up his day. Things aren't looking as bright on Can Yang's side: his parents have changed the code and deleted his fingerprint on their door lock. Ha.
[Ep40] FX runs over to uncle's place in the rain to tell him something only for him to say it first: "Let's break up". There's no fight, in fact they get along much better as friends now. But there is a fight between two unexpected participants: He Can Yang and Cai Min Min. She's mad that FX promised to date her uncle while still loving YS. How can a doting brother, Can Yang, stand on the sideline watching someone criticize her sister? He can't. I love these twins.
[Ep41] FX confesses to her parents her first love was Yuan Song. She wonders why she can't be like others (to get married to uncle), but at the same time she wonders why can't she be different? Aw. After getting over the little bump, she tells her parents she plans to pursue YS (who's on a business trip with that girl). He Can Yang, her trusty brother and partner in crime, helps her out.
YS is playing hard to get but we all know his heart is exploding.
YS: So are you proposing to me or confessing to me?
FX: Both! So your answer is?
YS: -smiles- the answer is of course -smiles sweeter- no.
FX: Neither of them?
YS: Neither.
FX: Even if you can't you have to say yes to one of them. Lol.
YS: Why do I feel like this scene is so familiar but reversed (trapped between a wall)
He's playing real hard to get.
[Ep42] YS is finally done playing hard to get and makes her fingerprint a contract that stipulates she cannot breakup for no reason and she is now his. A very surprised FX tries to grab her contract back only for him to grab her in for a kiss. As he hugs her that night he recounts a very drunk phone call from her the day she broke up with uncle. She had embarrassingly confessed every single thing. Sidenote: YS's dad is very proud of his son for winning the girl over from uncle; he no longer wants to call off their friendship, lol.
Song Xue's boyfriend is a real ass. Good riddance. She's more than capable of raising her child by herself. Or so I thought. He was mad that she decided everything independently without caring an ounce about him. The next day he picks her up and tells her that they're getting married. Not only that, but he's already planned out their future with their baby. Aww.
There's this chat that Song Xue, Xiao Yu, Fan Xing, and Can Yang (what is he doing in an all girls chat? Lol) are in. It's called "Chickens Fly and Dogs Hop"
Xiao Yu: I'm divorced!
Song Xue: I'm married!
Fan Xing: I'm in love!
Can Yang: I had a fight!
And its a wrap. A "happy" ending for everyone (and dad is still healthy). I like the ending. Everything I expected is there. A little bit disappointed to be honest, but I think it's more because it's ending. Well, also disappointed with FX and YS; they started to bore me a bit (when they got together so quickly their chemistry lost its flare for me). However, this is one of those dramas that has me unexpectedly care about every character regardless of who they end up with.
Remarks
Characters:
I can understand Fan Xing but it's so hard to support her when she's making such terrible decisions. I get her insecurity. You'd have to be pretty confident in yourself to think you can keep a man ten years your junior and think marriage is possible. Or be completely naive. FX is the former and wants everything to work well but she succumbs under societal pressure. She does what she thinks is right ignoring the fact that she should just simply be in love. She also does what she thinks is right for him, ignoring what he wants. I don't want to be her. It sucks. There's almost no winning here.
By the books the uncle (Ye Lu Ming) is a decent husband prospect. Not only is he financially secure but also emotionally. I would trust him to be faithful, loving, and doting. And. Dude is a CEO. However, that personality of his...stinks. He's cunning, manipulative - a bit like a weasel - and petty. His partner would have to be pretty obedient and passive to handle him. Kudos to the actor, Wang Yao Qing, for bringing this character to life. He's so wholehearted in pursuing his love I can't hate him for hovering around a girl with a boyfriend.
On the other hand Song Wei Long has a pretty hard acting task. Yuan Song is like a perfect cut-out from a fairy tale, not one bit believable. I personally cannot understand how a 22 year old can be that mature and that in love. It's just too unrealistic. If FX isn't as pretty and hot as she is, I can't understand why a hot boy like him could fall in love with her. But even then how long can such a relationship last?
I like Cong Xiao and I don't like her. She's petty, easily irritable, and bitchy. However, she's realistic. She has feelings for Chang Huan but she won't act on it. She's not looking for someone to date or someone to be deeply in love with like Fan Xing, she wants someone to marry, someone stable. I completely understand her on that point. Completely. She doesn't do anything underhanded but goes for her goal straightforwardly. I can't hate her but I don't love her.
Favourite characters:
Favourite episodes/scenes:
I like Cong Xiao and I don't like her. She's petty, easily irritable, and bitchy. However, she's realistic. She has feelings for Chang Huan but she won't act on it. She's not looking for someone to date or someone to be deeply in love with like Fan Xing, she wants someone to marry, someone stable. I completely understand her on that point. Completely. She doesn't do anything underhanded but goes for her goal straightforwardly. I can't hate her but I don't love her.
Favourite characters:
- Can Yang
- Chang Huan
- Song Xue
- Cai Gua / Cai Min Min
Favourite episodes/scenes:
- #27: The rivalry of YS and Uncle, the card game (YS and FX + Chang Huan and Cong Xiao), CY and Cai Gua, the family breakfast. Everything.
- #17: Each character gets their spotlight.
- #26: Each character shining even more
- #29: Yuan Song and family meet Fan Xing and uncle
- #7 When he catches her between him and the door after they're official.
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