Everyone Wants to Meet You | Recap and Review

A prickly CEO (who has a heart of gold) meeting a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. 
Notable Actors/Actresses
Zhang Zhe Han: Zhang Min
Zhang Ruo Nan: Luo Xi
Chen Hao Lan: Li Wen Na

Chinese Title:

谁都渴望遇见你

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

Network: iQIYI

Year: 2020
Episodes: 36

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Mini Recaps

[Ep1] Their first meeting starts off rocky. They're both heirs to Zhang Min’s grandfather's vine house. He wants to sell it but Luo Xi doesn't. She's a botanist the grandfather hired to save the vineyard. I quite like the relationship between Zhang Wei and his secretary; our CEO isn't as stiff as he looks
[Ep2] Their relationship continues to be rocky. Tao Lun's appearance completes the love triangle.

[Ep3] He protects her from being slashed by an ax... What a way to get him in the hospital and earn pity points, show. She learns why he so desperately wants to sell the land: his company is about to layoff thousands of employees and needs the cash flow. We also get a pretty obvious hint that the real grandson of the Zhang family isn't the male lead, but actually Tao Lun. Meanwhile Zhang Min and Luo Xi are getting closer.
[Ep4] She hurriedly leaves France because of her brother. Zhang Min finds out after the fact that she left and is tremendously upset. Fate has it that they meet again in China.

[Ep5] I don't know how he was able to recognize her in the alien outfit. He's pretty happy about it while she's running away. Beats me why she's running away. I'm also confused why he's suddenly so forward in gluing himself to her. The two men (Zhang Min and Tao Lun) proceed to have a drinking contest in front of Luo Xi. They even get jealous over a small girl.
[Ep6] Aw, ZM saves her contact as his "Headache Medicine." With her around, he doesn't get his pounding headaches.
[Ep7] He pays her family's debt, buys her clothes, and even puts on her shoes for her. He gives her the hairpin he bought from France and tells her to not ignore his texts and calls. TL makes a move too: he confesses (but is rejected).
[Ep8] ZM hires her, telling her he "needs her body". With her around he doesn't get his pounding headaches nor his insomnia. After hearing the reason, she's disappointed. He also looks disappointed, should have just said he liked her instead. I like Liu Wen Na for now (just saw her in I've Fallen For You). She's pretty crazy as the rich fiancée. Meanwhile, I don't like it when the heroine unnecessarily hates the male lead especially when all he did was help her.
[Ep9] They spend a night together (with the secretary around). He accidentally kisses her. A jealous fiancée weaves her way into making LX's life miserable in the company. Sidenote: ZM's life in the company is pretty miserable as well. He's an adopted son but no one can know that. He works hard to please a father who'll never love him. His uncle is plotting against him. His mom pities him but doesn't truly love him. He's better off raised like an orphan (like LX and his brothers) than being tortured in this family.
[Ep10] LX vacuums his tie.

[Ep11] ZM figures out who's the real "Zhang Min": Tao Lun. However, ZM is also his father's son (ZM and TL are half brothers). ZM's mother claims the current mom stole her lover. It was all in ZM's mother's plan to abandon the real ZM and replace her son into that family. His mom begs ZM not to reveal it. Heartbroken, ZM finds console in LX. He hugs her and she lets him fall into her arm. He asks her to spend the night with him, she does. They're just sleeping. He's practically in her arms the next morning. She describes him as this flower (too lazy to translate it at the moment): it has a strong desire to live but but requires a lot of care to grow. He describes her as a plant too, one that helps people heal. She displeased, she thinks he's calling her his medicine again.
[Ep12] She's avoiding him now that his engagement is made public by his family. I'm getting the feeling I'll be dropping this soon. This couple started getting together before I felt any chemistry.

[Ep13] I think if I'm staying for this drama it'll be for Liu Wen Na and Tao Lun. Liu Wen Na is a scene-stealer, the only interesting character in this drama. She's a righteous spoiled brat.
[Ep14] Yep, I'm only watching this for Liu Wen Na. He thinks she's crazy: she pop ups in the middle of the night at his window showing support his love for Luo Xi.
[Ep15] Three things happen this episode: drunk kissing, forehead bumping and hand holding. The kiss: a drunk ZM kisses LX, he is then pushed away, and faints over, and is sent to the hospital. The forehead bump: LX saves a drowning ZM (but before jumping in she remembers to take off her shoes) by bumping his forehead underwater; he wasn't drowning, he was just practicing underwater mindfulness. Hand holding: their hands interlock; a flower blooms.
[Ep16] So ZM's (non biological) mom is the only person in the "family" who doesn't know that the current ZM is her husband's ex-lover's son. Zhang Min's real name is Zhang Chi (hence the "C" sewn in his sweatshirts).

[Ep17] They ride a Ferris wheel for his birthday wish, something his father never promised him. He tells her that she brings him courage.

ZM: I want you to let me stay with you forever, can I do that? 

Except they can’t change the fact that he’ll be a married man. They cry. So is Liu Wen Na who’s waiting for a man who won’t come to her. Both his moms also celebrate his birthday but the real mom is only doing it out of fear that her son might betray her. The one who sincerely celebrates his birthday with him in the family is the only one who’s not related him: the fake mom. Pitiful.

ZM’s face when he’s eating noodles is so cute 😂

[Ep18] TL and LWN ♥. She’s making me laugh. She comes out strong and bright in front of TL but as he nitpicks her, she starts bawling. He tries to compliment her but he keeps repeating the same compliments. And then she suddenly rebounds back to her cheerful self, asking TL, “am I beautiful?” I want a drama of just these two.
[Ep19] LWN throwing a fit at her father and walking up and down those stairs make me laugh. She's throwing a fit because his dad cancels her engagement with ZM. She doesn't care if ZM has a scandal with LX. To prove that, she publicly declares her love for ZM. Having no choice, her father kidnaps her own daughter.

[Ep20] ZM breaks LWN's heart. LWN, however, is still that same resilient girl and rebounds the next morning. Love her personality.
[Ep21] Is it necessary for all the higher ups to participate in a small, small, employee's case? Anyways they're discussing on her company espionage charges.

[Ep22] A sulky LWN shows up again in front of TL. She needs a replacement for ZM to attend the engagement dress rehearsal and she's got no one else but TL. He gives her a friendly advice: don't go through with the marriage especially if she needs a stand in for her fiancé at such an event. Meanwhile Dad is closing in on finding his lost son.

[Ep23] ZM abandons LWN at their engagement party...

...and goes to find his one true love, LX (who's at the airport leaving to Los Angeles with TL)

Ditched by LX, TL goes on his lonely journey to find his parents.

Meanwhile these two are happily in love spending their first morning together...

...LWN had to suffer all the embarrassment by herself. She does her best to appear strong in front of her guests and explain why ZM left her all alone without faulting him one bit. She's truly the scene stealer.

[Ep24] ZM has to clean up the mess he left after canceling the engagement. He hasn't slept or ate well. Neither has he had time to reply LX's texts of calls, making her a tad bit angry. To solve both problems, he eats the bread in her mouth.

LWN escapes to LA because of the engagement scandal but she's still got bodyguards surrounding her. Guess who she calls for help. TL, of course! Yay.  TL asks her why she chose LA.

LWN: I should have went to England instead of America because the right side of my face isn't as pretty as my left profile. (So a country on the right side of the world will expose the prettier profile of her...LOL)

TL then comments on why he still can't escape from her clutches when he's on a different continent.

LWN: Right now in this entire world, the person I want to see the most is you. Because they're both suffering the same pain according to her logic.  Thus, I believe the person you want to see the most is also me. Haha.

He laughs, but he's not laughing at her.

TL: I never thought the person who would chase me to Earth's ends would be someone like you. He's not used to having someone thinking his presence is that important because his family left him and his love doesn't love him. 

He tells her he doesn't find her annoying, he actually quite likes her clinging onto him :D Meanwhile back to China, ZM is trying very, very hard to organize a date time but LX isn't giving up her work for him. Even if he says "I miss you" in various languages isn't going to convince her.

[Ep25] ZM proposes; LX rejects for now but takes the ring. Mom faints into a coma when she learns her adopted son is her husband's mistress's son. Dad learns of his lost son and his ex-lover's evil deeds.
[Ep27] Everyone knows TL is actually ZM. He personally tells LWN as well. She learns that he's actually the boy who she grew to like, not the current ZM. Current ZM's real mom also faints into a coma...Anyways. The two boys comically fight over LX in front of their shared mother (the nice mom) who's still in a coma. [I will still call TL as TL and ZM as ZM]
[Ep28] TL and ZM's lives are essentially switched. Poor TL has to live ZM's suffocating life. Meanwhile ZM constantly has a smile plastered on his face even if he's doing physical labour for LX's family.
[Ep29] TL starts to remember bits and pieces of his childhood with LWN. He helps her get rid of an eyelash in her eye so naturally. But her overprotective father freaks out. LWN's also the only one who messages TL when he's living the lonely life of ZM.
[Ep30] It's exposed that TL and ZM are half brothers (no one was supposed to know this except ZM's real family). All of a sudden the world has turned on ZM, even LX. The only one who remains loyal is his secretary. LX's is still on the fence. TL is disappointed, asking her why she's still in love with him. I wonder too why everyone loves her. She answers that sometimes loving someone needs no reason. But I need one to support you two...
[Ep31] ZM is charged with identity theft; he's protecting his mom by taking all the blame. The father tries to redeem himself and save both of his sons but none of them want or care for his help.

[Ep32] She forgiven him. She finally connects the dots that the "C" on his sweatshirt stands for Zhang "Chi".

LWN also forgives TL for ignoring her, 60% because she knows he's busy and 20% for his sincere attitude. He promises her that she'll be the first one to know if anything has happened to him as long as she doesn't find it annoying. This girl will love to hear from you, TL. He's meeting her for a serious reason, he needs a secretary but he can't trust anyone else but her. 

Another thing, ZM's mother commits suicide.

[Ep33] By the way ZM's mother committed suicide. Obviously ZM is devastated. However, TL is too. The woman he hated so much has finally gotten her punishment but he doesn't feel good about it at all. LWN comforts him and kisses him. He kisses her back but she wants to make sure he's not too drunk to knows who he's kissing. Scene cuts and we don't know if he continues to kiss her. Probably not. LX is also comforting ZM. She does this by putting her engagement ring on. It works? ZM also forgives dad. ZM is happy again.
[Ep34] TL is not happy again. Seeing his mother still unconscious as well as his father and ZM's presence makes him explode. LWN overhears TL mentioning how ZM also stole LX from him. That upsets LWN tremendously. Therefore no one is happy in this episode. LWN has the best dad in this whole entire show, not that he has much competition anyways.
[Ep35] The episode where everyone turns on TL thinking he's changed. LWN also leaves him.

[Ep36] LWN's imagination as she boards the plane.
Everyone conveniently figures out Uncle was the true mastermind behind TL's disappearance from years ago. Uncle's motive was to inherit the company. TL and ZM go on a street chase to hunt down Uncle. Huh? And then ZM gets into an almost fatal car accident. But he's okay.

LWN actually goes to the place TL wanted to go to: Moldova. She calls him first but he's the one who tells her he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. He tells her to wait for him, he'll fly there immediately.

ZM and LX are back in France and they're caring for the grape vine. Happily ever after.

Remarks

First Impression (Ep1-12). First episode: Ou, I like. Second, third, fourth: Eh.. By episode twelve: Meh. It's those overly dramatic romance/family dramas without chemistry. Feels like an old-fashioned Kdrama.

By Episode 24: I am pretty much bored of this drama for various reasons: ZM and LX's star-crossed love and the hotel business. The saving grace is Li Wen Na and her budding romance with Tao Lun. I love this girl.

Low Rating: I was deceived by the first two episodes. It immediately loses its appeal thereafter. Becomes stales almost if not for the secondary love line. But even that is not worth 36 episodes of anyone's time. I don't understand why the dramatic irony (TL's identity) took 25 episodes to reveal itself when it was so obvious by episode three. I was already too far in this to drop the drama, plus I wanted to complete it for the simple sake of completing it. Unfortunate how uneventful this was. I wanted Zhang Zhe Han and Chen Hao Lan to do well too. I would warn Zhang Zhe Han fans from watching this though. Once the identity switch happens, it's like he's not the main character anymore. TL and LWN get way more screen time, not that I'm complaining though. 

Rating: 1/5