Notable Actors/Actresses
[Ep1] Ling Xiao and his family moves to a new neighbourhood. He lives right upstairs from Li Jian Jian's condo. His family is always arguing. Apparently he once had a younger sister. Meanwhile Li Jian Jian’s mother passed away a year ago from cancer. Her dad, Li Hai Chao, has a blind date with a single mom. Her son is He Zi Qiu. From their date, it’s obvious dad loves children but this mom doesn’t seem to like them. She prefers reading.
[Ep2] Ling Xiao’s mother probably has a degree of depression. She blames her son for the death of her daughter. She died from choking on a walnut Ling Xiao had fed her. But he always fed her walnuts but by accident she couldn’t swallow it that day and the doors were locked from the outside. It’s not his fault at all. Ling Xiao’s father, Ling He Ping slaps the mom for hollering at their son. Ling Xiao sits there, absorbing all her hate. He doesn’t utter a word. Not long after, his parents divorce. Li Jian Jian was playing with Ling Xiao and notices his mother leaving with a suitcase. She cheerfully asks her if she’s leaving her son, can she take him as her older brother; she always wanted one. Mom is like, do whatever you want. Oof. Li Jian Jian happily skips around her new brother. Ling Xiao doesn’t utter a word. There’s only tears in his eyes as he watches his mother leave without turning back.
[Ep6] Li Jian Jian cheers up easily when Ling Xiao gives her a soft head-lock. But Ling Xiao still has to take care of his little sister (Qin Mei Ying) every night. Grandma lectures Chen Ting for this. Go Grandma. She reminds her he’s a high school student and needs to study to enter university. She can’t spoil one and let the other suffer.
Li Jian Jian and He Zi Qiu try to fool their brother into buying them snacks. Hahaha. That pic of them pretending to be good is hilarious. They've plastered a smile perfect for advertisements. They're celebrating after sending off Qin Mei Ying.
Ling Xiao runs at lightning speed to the police station. He too was planning to give Li Jian Jian a surprise but he's more shocked (and angry) to see He Zi Qiu. He Zi Qiu is angry too. Li Jian Jian is caught awkwardly between her angry brothers. She's dying of discomfort between the two and runs away. 
We've only been seeing things from Li Jian Jian's perspective. It turns out these two are still grumpy about the fight they had years ago. He Zi Qiu asks Ling Xiao if it was his mother who let him return. Ling Xiao counters with the same question, "Your dad let you back?" And thus begins the spiteful remarks. He Zi Qiu complains how he's still curt with his words. He casually says he missed Ling Xiao but Ling Xiao retorts that he saw none of it. There hasn't been a single text from He Zi Qiu. He Zi Qiu makes the same claim. Aw, these two! Ling Xiao quickly replies that it's because he never missed him, haha. He Zi Qiu's reactions are cute.
[Ep14] As much as I love my romances, He Zi Qiu and Dad’s love for each other tugs at my heart. It’s Li Hai Chao’s first time seeing his (favourite) son in nine years. Just seeing him brings tears to dad’s eyes. They exchanged two lines each and I’m crying. The cashier jokes that he should give dad a big bow. He Zi Qiu drops to his knees and bows immediately. Dad also found out that He Zi Qiu has been visiting his store regularly but very sneakily. I'm glad Dad knows how much He Zi Qiu loves him.
Li Jian Jian’s online friend asks her to date. She’s been talking to him for years and this will be the first time she sees him. Her friend, Du Juan, teases her that he must be ugly since he never let her see him.
Li Jian Jian is on her way home. She sees a large puddle on the ground and remembers how she piggybacked He Zi Qiu (when he was still physically smaller than her) over the puddle. Ling Xiao was fetching their rain boots but it was too late, they both fell. Li Jian Jian starts crying and blames He Zi Qiu. Ling Xiao drops everything and runs into the puddle to pick up Li Jian Jian. He Zi Qiu is left alone in the puddle. Awww. Ling Xiao is way too obvious with who he likes more even as a kid.
The family has hotpot. He Zi Qiu accidentally pulls down Ling Xiao's shirt, revealing a huge burn mark on his shoulder. That looks painful. He Qi Ziu anxiously asks why he didn't tell him. There's more that He Zi Qiu doesn't know like Ling He Ping's fall. He Zi Qiu stares at Ling He Ping and asks him why he didn't tell him this either. He Zi Qui feels left out. Li Jian Jian makes it worse. She retorts, "Why tell you, you're too far anyway." The dinner becomes awfully awkward. Ling Xiao puts food to He Zi Qiu's bowl to comfort him. The brothers give each other a toast. He Zi Qiu pats his back to thank him. It's not for the food but for the comfort he's giving him. It's these moments that make me assured Ling Xiao does care for He Zi Qiu because sometimes I really do wonder.
The girls celebrate He Zi Qiu's discharge with a hotpot dinner. While Tang Can is trying to impress Zhang Bei, Zhang Bei is trying to talk to Qi Ming Yue. Meanwhile Li Jian Jian is still with her brothers at the dinner table. She walks over to Ling Xiao's chair and shares half the seat with him. He's nervous with her being so close. She puts both her arms over her brothers' shoulders and welcomes them back sincerely this time. However, when a phone call from Ling Xiao's sister arrives, Li Jian Jian realizes Ling Xiao has to return to Singapore. Li Jian Jian, who's drunk, is upset and plants face down on the couch. Ling Xiao carries her to bed. He and Qi Ming Yue put her to bed. They look like parents putting their daughter to sleep... When Li Jian Jian complains about something uncomfortable, Ling Xiao instantly knows it's her socks that's bugging her so he takes it off quite sweetly.
Ling Xiao is in Li Jian Jian's room. He knows their passcode? She's sleeping. He gives her a forehead kiss. But that's not enough for him. He's been so eager to see her. He goes in to kiss her lips but he stops. He restrains himself. Thank you, show. I definitely don't want him to kiss her like this. This brother and sister thing needs closure first. Qi Ming Yue sees this and quickly turns away.
Li Jian Jian is also wide awake at this point. She opened her eyes when Ling Xiao opened his after he restrained himself from kissing her. After he leaves, she stays wide awake like that for the entire night. HAHA, Tang Song Yun, I like her for a reason. Her reactions can be so funny.
Ling Xiao feeds Li Jian Jian the watermelon. Li Jian Jian gulps it down. The rest of her body is frozen like stone. 
He Zi Qiu teaches Li Jian Jian how to ice a cake. It's practically a back hug but there's really nothing romantic (yet). He remembers how she always liked Ling Xiao more as a kid. She comforts him by swishing her hair in his face. He Zi Qiu's heart flutters. Omg. Why two brothers at the same time? Why can't one of them just stay brotherly??
[Episodes 22-40]
[First Impression (Ep1-4)] This looks like a good old heartwarming one with a decent romance. Starting from episode three, I'm certain I'm going to be sticking around. It was too fun when Li Jian Jian (Tan Song Yun) made her period announcement. It really brought out the family dynamics. There’s two fathers, one of them (Li Hai Chao) is more like the mother. I love thismother father the most. So sweet. The siblings, all motherless for various reasons, support each other. The brothers especially dote on their little sister, Li Jian Jian. She’s also the vitamin of the family and quite deserving of all the love. I was a little worried about the romance. How can they be in the same family and have romance? But it’s good. It’s between Song Wei Long and Tan Song Yun who clearly have different fathers and they live in separate condos. I can support this romance. Tan Song Yun works her magic again, she’s a natural at creating chemistry.
[OST] In Ep9 I fell in love with this OST: "无畏" (Fearless) by 马頔 (Ma Di). In Ep10, this OST is breaking my heart into pieces. Every time this plays, my tear ducts are cued.
[Midway Review (Episode 1-21)] This drama needs to be indicted for false advertisement. It started off grounded, so grounded as a family drama but Episode 20 is like KABOOM, Romance. I’m not one to say no to romance but I understand it for this drama in particular. I have to brainwash myself to not use the “I” word but this drama is borderline incest. Although no one is truly related, Li Jian Jian has always thought of them as brothers. First few episodes I was like phew, this romance will work. Then Episode 20 arrives and I’m like, “Woah show. Wooooaah there.” The transition from brother to man happened in an instant and it was hard to digest.
Song Wei Long: Ling Xiao
Tan Song Yun: Li Jian Jian
Zhang Xin Cheng: He Zi Qiu
Tu Song Yan: Li Hai Chao
In the Name of Family
Network: MangoTV
Year: 2020
Episodes: 40
Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 4/5
First Impression: 4/5
Mini Recaps
[Ep2] Ling Xiao’s mother probably has a degree of depression. She blames her son for the death of her daughter. She died from choking on a walnut Ling Xiao had fed her. But he always fed her walnuts but by accident she couldn’t swallow it that day and the doors were locked from the outside. It’s not his fault at all. Ling Xiao’s father, Ling He Ping slaps the mom for hollering at their son. Ling Xiao sits there, absorbing all her hate. He doesn’t utter a word. Not long after, his parents divorce. Li Jian Jian was playing with Ling Xiao and notices his mother leaving with a suitcase. She cheerfully asks her if she’s leaving her son, can she take him as her older brother; she always wanted one. Mom is like, do whatever you want. Oof. Li Jian Jian happily skips around her new brother. Ling Xiao doesn’t utter a word. There’s only tears in his eyes as he watches his mother leave without turning back.
Meanwhile Li Hai Chao (Li Jian Jian’s father) has a new son: He Zi Qiu. The single mom lied about her mother being sick, borrowed his money and left her son with him. She never came back to pick up her son.
It’s 2009. The two fathers raise these three children together. It’s sweet how Ling He Ping is like the husband giving allowance money to Li Hai Chao who’s in charge of cooking for the family.
He Zi Qiu has no washroom to use so he takes the keys to Ling Xiao’s condo which is upstairs to use his. Long Xiao hates it when Zi Qiu does a number two while he’s brushing his teeth so he steals all his toilet paper to teach Zi Qiu a hard lesson.
[Ep3] Today is Li Jian Jian’s first day of high school. Li Hai Chao tells his two sons (who are in their third year) to take care of her. Zi Qiu nods that he will. Ling Xiao nods that he’ll take care of both of them. Ling Xiao is obviously the obedient one and Zi Qiu is the rascal. Li Jian Jian is a whole different story. Ling He Ping had once made a comment that she's nothing like him or her mother. She's abnormally bright. She is also nothing like a normal girl. Being raised by two fathers and two brothers, she’s a little on the edgier side. When the three of them are on their way to school, the neighbourhood grandma asks Li Jian Jian if she misses her mother out of nowhere. Awkwaaaaaard. None of them have their mums. Grandma, why? It’s the first day of high school and the first day of her first ever period. She announces this loudly and proudly during dinner. The four men are utterly shocked and speechless. She then asks them why hers doesn’t hurt. The men can’t answer. Zi Qiu quickly changes the topic. He tells her that Ling Xiao mysteriously left her a present in her room. Ling Xiao stops her from looking at it but it’s too late. She screams happily and whips it around to show everyone, “He bought me new clothes!” It’s a bra; a white-laced one. HAHA. The men have had enough. None of them can eat anymore. The next day Li Hai Chao consults with a neighbourhood auntie about adolescent girls and their periods. Cute.
He Zi Qiu is in a bit of a pickle. Li Jian Jian makes an announcement on the school's PA system to alert Ling Xiao for help. They need help fighting a conman who's bullying another fellow student (Qi Ming Yue). At this moment, Li Jian Jian is already bulldozing her way to help her brother. She attacks the men. There’s another beast running up from behind them. Ling Xiao, the obedient kid, is a monster too when his siblings are bullied. His long legs scare the conmen away. He hits Li Jian Jian on her head. She yells at him if she turns dumb will he marry her? Is that something you ask your brother? Heh. He’s worried about his siblings, especially Li Jian Jian. Perhaps because she’s a girl. Mmhm. :)
The parent teacher meeting was funny. Everyone is giving Li Jian Jian‘s dad attitude. Qi Ming Yue’s mother ignores him and the teacher calls him out for being noisy with his daughter. The father and daughter are still as carefree as ever. I love this dad. So sweet.
At dinner, Ling Xiao’s maternal grandmother calls Ling He Ping. That immediately turns the mood sour. Ling Xiao leaves the dinner table; he barely ate anything. The fathers also bicker after the call like married couples. Li Jian Jian uses their full names to stop them from insulting each other. The fathers are obedient. Cute.
He Zi Qiu and Li Jian Jian visit Ling Xiao. They bring him food but he doesn’t want it. Randomly, they find out Li Jian Jian’s gums are inflamed. I like how close they are. Both brothers look into her mouth so casually. Ling Xiao urges them to leave but Li Jian Jian runs into his bed. She won’t leave his bed if he won’t eat the noodles they brought him. He sighs and starts eating until she makes a comment. She notes how good his blanket smells because it has his smell. Flustered, Ling Xiao drags her out of his bed and threatens to beat her if she ever climbs into his bed again. She stomps off and takes back the noodle. He Zi Qiu thinks he went over the line, reminding him she’s still young. Ling Xiao says she’s already sixteen. He likes her ~
[Ep4] Ling Xiao meets his mother. She’s here to visit him and tell him he has a younger sister. Ling Xiao doesn’t want to know, doesn’t care, and doesn’t understand why she’s involving herself in his life now. He Zi Qiu and Li Jian Jian wait outside the restaurant for him. They’re worried for him. Li Jian Jian asks He Zi Qiu if he ever thought of seeing his mother too. No. He walks off angrily. When he’s alone, he stares at the picture of his mother. Yes, he has.
[Ep5] Li Jian Jian, He Zi Qiu and Ling Xiao stake out on the roof to watch the meteor showers. Li Jian Jian falls asleep. He Zi Qiu asks Ling Xiao if he was ever curious why his mother abandoned him. Ling Xiao isn't curious because he knows exactly why his mother left. She didn't abandon him, she wanted to abandon her own past. Ling Xiao comforts He Zi Qiu to not think too much. If He Zi Qiu's mother wanted to come back for him, she would. He Zi Qiu scoffs and asks who she thinks she is. Ling Xiao simply replies: "Your mother." Their conversation is interrupted when they see the shooting stars. They wake up Li Jian Jian who jumps up and down, happily shouting to her mother if she sees her.
Li Jian Jian waits for Ling Xiao to walk home with him after his unpleasant meeting with his mother. She hugs onto his arm to comfort him. They’re caught by a school teacher who thinks they’re dating. Ling Xiao takes her hand to flee.
When they’re back home, Ling Xiao’s maternal grandmother and sister (Qin Mei Ying) are there waiting for him. Grandma is leaving his sister in his care. Ling Xiao doesn’t want her. Grandma takes him out to speak. Li Jian Jian walks up to this little sister, there’s not a bit of friendliness in Li Jian Jian’s stance. She strikes out a fist to her face. I like her more and more, ha. There’s candy in her fist though but the girl doesn’t want it. This girl is like an angel in front of Ling Xiao but to everyone else, she's bratty.
Grandma is lecturing Ling Xiao that the people who truly care about him are her and his mother. What is this bs? Li Jian Jian comes to his rescue. She purposely stomps on the puddles to dirty Grandma’s new shoes. Grandma leaves and ditches her granddaughter in Ling Xiao’s care.
He Zi Qiu and Li Jian Jian glare at this sister. Translation of their glares: No one can steal their Ling Xiao Ge Ge (brother). Haha.
Grandma is helping Chen Ting (Ling Xiao’s mother) rekindle their relationship. That’s why she left her granddaughter in Ling Xiao’s care. Mom knows she was wrong. But I don’t think she knows how wrong she was. The scar she left in his heart is too deep. Grandma is also so annoying. The way she bargains makes me roll my eyes too. This mother-daughter pair are so unlovable.
Li Hai Chao is upset at Ling He Ping for being nonchalant about their children. These two continue to cutely bicker. I love seeing how caring Li Hai Chao is in contrast to Ling He Ping, heh.
Ling Xiao tutors Qin Mei Ying and notices he has the same birthmark as his late sister. Li Jian Jian sees this and becomes jealous that his brother is stolen. Ling Xiao teases her for being jealous. She’s easily comforted by him.
It’s He Zi Qiu’s birthday. His auntie is a party pooper. She reminds him he’s not their real family. She also makes it obvious during dinner and that upsets Li Hai Chao tremendously. "Just because they don’t have the same surnames, they’re not father and son?" He asks, He holds both his sons’ hands to his chest and cries. I’m crying. I saw this part in a teaser and I'm still crying. He cries as he recounts that people always have to remind him he’s not their real father. “Then where are there real fathers?” He asks. He starts recounting all the things He Zi Qiu did as a kid, He’d do laundry and clean the floor at dawn and people still say he should be more obedient. Aw. I get where the auntie is coming from though. Unlike his siblings, he’s the only one not related by blood to any of them. Auntie wants his life to be easier in this family but she underestimated Li Hai Chao’s love for him.
When He Zi Qiu’s mother had left He Zi Qiu in Li Hai Chai’s care, he returned the boy to his grandmother. However when he visited the boy, his living conditions were awful. Thus, Li Hai Chao took He Zi Qiu home to raise him like his own son. But He Zi Qiu knows he’s not his son. That’s why he would lie that he doesn’t like meat. He would also help out in the restaurant to help clean the tables. The neighbourhood aunties tease him that if he doesn’t work hard, his father will abandon him. Poor kid freezes in the spot and starts crying. Li Hai Chao lectures the ladies and they laugh it off that they were only joking. Awful joke. This is not the episode I should be watching outside my home. Sniffle.
Li Jian Jian purposely makes Qin Mei Ying walk all over the place to find Ling Xiao. Qin Mei collapses (heat stroke?). This time Ling Xiao has no choice but to stay beside an ill Qin Mei Ying over Li Jian Jian.
It’s He Zi Qiu’s birthday. His auntie is a party pooper. She reminds him he’s not their real family. She also makes it obvious during dinner and that upsets Li Hai Chao tremendously. "Just because they don’t have the same surnames, they’re not father and son?" He asks, He holds both his sons’ hands to his chest and cries. I’m crying. I saw this part in a teaser and I'm still crying. He cries as he recounts that people always have to remind him he’s not their real father. “Then where are there real fathers?” He asks. He starts recounting all the things He Zi Qiu did as a kid, He’d do laundry and clean the floor at dawn and people still say he should be more obedient. Aw. I get where the auntie is coming from though. Unlike his siblings, he’s the only one not related by blood to any of them. Auntie wants his life to be easier in this family but she underestimated Li Hai Chao’s love for him.
When He Zi Qiu’s mother had left He Zi Qiu in Li Hai Chai’s care, he returned the boy to his grandmother. However when he visited the boy, his living conditions were awful. Thus, Li Hai Chao took He Zi Qiu home to raise him like his own son. But He Zi Qiu knows he’s not his son. That’s why he would lie that he doesn’t like meat. He would also help out in the restaurant to help clean the tables. The neighbourhood aunties tease him that if he doesn’t work hard, his father will abandon him. Poor kid freezes in the spot and starts crying. Li Hai Chao lectures the ladies and they laugh it off that they were only joking. Awful joke. This is not the episode I should be watching outside my home. Sniffle.
Li Jian Jian purposely makes Qin Mei Ying walk all over the place to find Ling Xiao. Qin Mei collapses (heat stroke?). This time Ling Xiao has no choice but to stay beside an ill Qin Mei Ying over Li Jian Jian.
[Ep6] Li Jian Jian cheers up easily when Ling Xiao gives her a soft head-lock. But Ling Xiao still has to take care of his little sister (Qin Mei Ying) every night. Grandma lectures Chen Ting for this. Go Grandma. She reminds her he’s a high school student and needs to study to enter university. She can’t spoil one and let the other suffer.
There's a new student in Li Jian Jian's class. She's Tang Can. She's the class's new goddess. She also has a few advertisements under her belt. However, behind her angelic smiling face, she smokes and clubs. Li Jian Jiang and Tang Can start off on the wrong foot.
Ling Xiao is the only smart one to figure out Qi Ming Yue likes He Zi Qiu.
He Zi Qiu’s father visits him. It ruins He Zi Qiu's mood for the entire day. His father married into a rich family but he and his wife haven't been able to give birth to children. His father wants him back and gives him the best education possible. He sleeps with his brother that night. Li Jian Jian refuses to be left out of this bonding time. She sleeps on the floor of Ling Xiao's room. She knows He Zi Qiu is unhappy. She tries to make him talk. He Zi Qiu is pondering about life. Li Jian Jian offers her two cents. Li Jian Jian's way of life is my way of life. Life is not something you can grasp. One can only live it the way it is. Life has no point which is why we live to find it meaningful. The brothers are impressed with her too. He Zi Qiu finally manages to fall asleep. He dreams of Li Jian Jian reaching out to him. She's his saviour.
[Ep7] Ling Xiao takes Li Jian Jian to a dental office. She’s scared out of her mind. Ling Xiao is cooing at her and doesn’t leave her side. After the visit, he takes her hand and walks her home. She complains that she wished he was her dentist instead. Hmm, so is he going to be a dentist for her then?
Ling Xiao comforts Qi Ming Yue. She was yelled at by He Zi Qiu for revealing to his siblings that his birth father had visited him at school. Is Qi Ming Yue switching her crush to Ling Xiao now?
He Zi Qiu's birth father visits Li Hai Chao and Ling He Ping. He only wants to speak to Li Hai Chao though. Ling He Ping, the godfather, feels offended. This is a serious conversation but I find it so funny. The birth father reminds Li Hai Chao that he has no relationship whatsoever with He Zi Qiu. The birth father is here to pick up his son to give him the life he deserves. The birth father offers a large sum of money. Our beloved fathers kick this bogus father out. As the birth father is leaving their home, he bumps into He Zi Qiu but he ignores him. The birth father yells at He Zi Qiu reminding him who’s the real one treating him well. Why are all these blood related family members asking the sons this question when they’re the ones who ditched them? Li Hai Chao comforts He Zi Qiu that no matter what “dad is here for you.”
Li Jian Jian and Tang Can bump heads again. Qi Ming Yue becomes Li Jian Jian’s spokesperson to get back at Tang Can’s arrogance. But Li Jian Jian’s pride is all on her two brothers. Haha.
Ling Xiao comforts Qi Ming Yue. She was yelled at by He Zi Qiu for revealing to his siblings that his birth father had visited him at school. Is Qi Ming Yue switching her crush to Ling Xiao now?
He Zi Qiu's birth father visits Li Hai Chao and Ling He Ping. He only wants to speak to Li Hai Chao though. Ling He Ping, the godfather, feels offended. This is a serious conversation but I find it so funny. The birth father reminds Li Hai Chao that he has no relationship whatsoever with He Zi Qiu. The birth father is here to pick up his son to give him the life he deserves. The birth father offers a large sum of money. Our beloved fathers kick this bogus father out. As the birth father is leaving their home, he bumps into He Zi Qiu but he ignores him. The birth father yells at He Zi Qiu reminding him who’s the real one treating him well. Why are all these blood related family members asking the sons this question when they’re the ones who ditched them? Li Hai Chao comforts He Zi Qiu that no matter what “dad is here for you.”
Li Jian Jian and Tang Can bump heads again. Qi Ming Yue becomes Li Jian Jian’s spokesperson to get back at Tang Can’s arrogance. But Li Jian Jian’s pride is all on her two brothers. Haha.
[Ep8] Li Hai Chao's restaurant runs into some problems. A customer gets food poisoning. It's He Zi Qiu's birth-father (Zhao Hua Guang) messing with him. Li Hai Chao also wants to expand his business. Ling He Ping is for it. Li Hai Chao is preparing for the future of his children. They'll need money to attend university. He Zi Qiu is also feeling the pressures of university. He doesn't want to be a burden to his fathers. His bio father's words are getting to him that it's hard for a normal family to even send one child to university let alone three and he's not even related to them.
It's exam day for the two brothers. Li Jian Jian wants to know if they wore her good-luck-red-underwear. They awkwardly nod. She wants to check and reaches out for He Zi Qiu's pants. He stops her. Still, they both have to reveal the redness to satisfy her. She's not just superstitious about their underwear, they have to bow at a specific corner of their exam room and they also have to leave the door at an auspicious hour (down to the second).
Ling Xiao forces Li Jian Jian to study. She's trying her best to slack off and he catches her every time. He hits her head when she gets a question wrong. She says her signature phrase to him: "Don't hit my brain, if I'm dumb, will you marry me?"
Ling Xiao calmly replies, "I'll marry you."
She doesn't think she heard correctly, so he repeats it once more for her. Li Jian Jian can't speak or reply. She can only study. He smirks.
This episode, Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother is hospitalized.
[Ep9] Ling Xiao's mother's side of the family falls apart. His grandmother dies. While driving to the hospital, Chen Ting's husband dies on the scene. Chen Ting is heavily injured and is still in a coma.
Ling Xiao hasn't returned home in ten days. Li Jian Jian is so worried about him she missteps on the stairs and falls down. At least that's the scene we see. But she claims she was pushed down. He Zi Qiu immediately calls up his birth-father to ask if it was him who pushed her.
Li Hai Chao collapses. What is wrong with this episode?? He's over-fatigued. He'll be fine but that gave me a fright. It also gave Li Jian Jian a fright. She cries. And I almost cried too. It's been a tough roller coaster ride for He Zi Qiu watching the people he cares about suffer.
He Mei (He Zi Qiu's mother) is here. She's not here for Zi Qiu though. She's here to talk Li Hai Chao into some sense. Zhao Hua Guang has been constantly contacting her about convincing their son to live with him instead. He Mei knows He Zi Qiu well. He Zi Qiu will forever feel like he owes Li Hai Chao and will always live with him to pay him back. But will that be a good future for He Zi Qiu? He Mei reminds Li Hai Chao that Zhao Hua Guang can financially support He Zi Qiu's studies abroad but Li Hai Chao cannot. Li Hai Chao is silent. This is all He Mei has to say. Li Hai Chao asks her if she wants to see He Zi Qiu. She doesn't. She has a family of her own. To her, Zi Qiu is a burden. This episode!!!!!! Wtf.
Ling Xiao is emotionally exhausted too. He wants some cuteness from Li Jian Jian. She automatically pinches her voice and says everything corny in one breath. She's like a girlfriend trying to comfort her boyfriend. Okay, now I'm in uncomfortable territories. I'm supportive of Ling Xiao when he's subtle with his love towards her. But when it's so obvious like this, I can't ignore that they're siblings and she treats him like a brother. I don't want to use the "I" word on them. Please don't make me use the "I" word on them.
Ling Xiao's mother has hopes of waking up. But no one wants to take care of her because she's going to need a lot of resources to recuperate. Her husband's family technically has no relationship with her anymore and throws the responsibility to the uncle (Chen Ting's brother). The uncle doesn't have the means to. All of a sudden, the responsibility falls on Ling Xiao. Ling Xiao asks the uncle based on what reason he has to take care of Chen Ting. The uncle says because he's her son. You mean the son she abandoned?
The fathers talk about supporting He Zi Qiu to study abroad. Li Hai Chao tells him all the benefits such as their son will come back and prosper. Ling He Ping calls him the silly bird who words hard to breed it's young but the young will fly off on their own leaving him all alone. It's a cute conversation between the fathers. This episode definitely needs more cuteness but even then it's not enough to negate everything else that was/is bad. He Zi Qiu returns home to tell his fathers he wants to study abroad. Li Hai Chao, although supportive of the idea, but hearing his son actually say it, looks distraught.
[Ep10] Li Hai Chao cries as he accepts He Zi Qiu's request to study abroad. He Zi Qiu is using his biological father's money to go. He Zi Qiu is crying too. I did not sign up for this much crying. For the next few days, Li Hai Chao barely looks or talks to He Zi Qiu.
It's Ling Xiao's birthday. He wants to celebrate it at home with Li Jian Jian and his family but he's still at the hospital. He smiles at Li Jian Jian's birthday text the most. His uncle critiques him for smiling while his mother is suffering. Sigh. After his real sister celebrates his birthday with him, he's made a decision that night. He returns home to Li Jian Jian and she throws herself at him. She wraps her legs around his waist and won't let go no matter what. Without a choice, he walks the rest of the way home with her on him.
Ling Xiao tells He Zi Qiu his decision. He's going to Singapore to attend university instead of Beijing. That's the only way he can take care of his mother and sister. He Zi Qiu reminds him that this mother of his abandoned him. Li Jian Jian was the one who was there for him. And now he's ditching her for his other sister. How can he leave Li Jian Jian? He Zi Qiu punches him in the face. He starts crying as he hollers at Ling Xiao. He too is planning to leave for England because he acknowledged that bastard father (Zhao Hua Guang) of his. Ling Xiao punches him too. I really did not sign up for this much crying. Both men fight it out. Both feeling so guilty for leaving their precious sister for family members who have long abandoned them.
Li Jian Jian doesn't understand why her brothers are ditching her for strangers. She doesn't approve of it but it's too late. Her brothers have already made the decision and applied to their selected universities. If they revoke their decision, they'll have to redo their senior year.
Li Jian Jian cries the entire night. Ling Xiao is at her bedside but she won't look at him under her covers.
Li Jian Jian: We don't have any relationship, is that correct? You're just a neighbour and Zi Qiu is an orphan we picked up. We aren't a family, is that correct?Ling Xiao: No. When you grow up, let's stay together forever. I see what he's saying.Li Jian Jian: I don't believe that. If you leave, then that means you're not my brother anymore.
He Zi Qiu has a father and son conversation with Li Hai Chao. He's crying about leaving. Li Hai Chao says that separation is bound to happen sooner or later, like getting married.
He Zi Qiu: I don't want to marry. I want to guard you (and my family) forever.Dad suggests that Li Jian Jian will have to marry.He Zi Qiu: She can't marry either. What if she's bullied?
Dad laughs at him that having a family is normal. He Zi Qiu doesn't need a wife or children. To him, having them (Li Hao Chao, Li Jian Jian and Ling Xiao) are enough. He Zi Qiu is still crying about leaving. He asks dad if he's angry at him. Li Hai Chao isn't. He wants his son to succeed. He tells him that he wants him back immediately after he graduates. He Zi Qiu's tears are pouring. Dad hugs him.
Ling He Ping returns home not knowing the world has turned upside down. He finds his sons injured. Li Jian Jian has left for her grandmother's home. He just discovers that his ex-wife's side is making his son take care of the mother who abandoned him. Ling He Ping phones uncle and yells at him for forcing his son to take care of Chen Ting. I'm nodding to everything Ling He Ping is saying on the phone but it's all too late.
After breakfast, the brothers find an Adidas box in their drawers. Li Jian Jian bought both of them an expensive pair of sneakers as a present for them attending a university in Beijing. But that's not happening anymore. T_T. These two idiots.
[Ep11] Ling Xiao has left (he had asked Qi Ming Yue to take care of Li Jian Jian). Li Jian Jian did not come home to send him off. It's He Zi Qiu's turn to leave. Li Jian Jian still refuses to come back home.
Summer is over. School has resumed. Li Jian Jian has to get used to living alone without her brothers. I thought I was done crying last episode! Show, stop this. She hates them for ditching her. She hates it more when others are gossiping about her good-for-nothing brothers who ditched them. Li Hai Chao reminds Li Jian Jian that these brothers loved her no less than any real siblings would and perhaps even more than any real siblings would. Li Jian Jian finally cries to dad that she never wanted them to leave.
Time has flown. It's New Years. Li Jian Jian is happily talking to her brothers again. They're webcamming. It's funny how He Zi Qiu keeps lagging. So real. But it's also a plot device to give Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian alone time. Ling Xiao is smiling the whole time. He's simply happy seeing her. She thanks him for the fruits he sent over last time. He tells her that if she wants to thank him then act cute. She whines about it but does it. However, the bratty sister interrupts. Being older, Li Jian Jian plays nice and gives her brother back to Qin Mei Ying.
Li Jian Jian is attending her first year of university. Ling Xiao took a year off to take care of his mother. Ling Xiao sent her a text to congratulate her first day. He reminds her she can't "date early". She wanted to say she's already 18 but she changed her mind and decided to keep the text short. He Zi Qiu is so busy with school he can't come back that year anymore. He plans to further his studies in bakery. Li Jian Jian's mood deflates but she doesn't show it like she used to and only wishes her brother luck with his studies.
Ling Xiao video calls Li Jian Jian but she gives her phone to Ling He Ping instead. Li Jian Jian is avoiding the video call. Every time Ling He Ping gives her the phone, she either pushes it away or keeps the conversation short. Ling Xiao does manage to ask what he's most curious about: whether or not she has a boyfriend. She doesn't. He tells her she needs to focus on school because she's still young.
Ling Xiao had also planted a mole beside Li Jian Jian. It's Qin Mei Ying. She periodically sends pictures of Li Jian Jian to him, heh. However, the siblings are starting to become more distant. Most of it I think is because of Li Jian Jian. She's disappointed her brothers aren't coming back as promised. Ling Xiao isn't returning home yet because his mother is tying herself to him. From unending conversations that they used to have, now they only text during major holidays.
Li Jian Jian is now 25. Tang Can returns and they've become good friends. In Li Jian Jian's voiceover, "those who come back will come back. Those who don't, won't."
[Ep12] Li Jian Jian tooth aches again. On another note, she's an award winning artist.
Ling Xiao is back. Qi Ming Yue picks him up at the airport. Ling Xiao thought the Range Rover was hers, I thought so too since her mother is so rich but it's the tiny hybrid car next to it. No offence to anyone driving those, the contrast was way too big for me to not laugh at this. Ling Xiao is waiting at home to surprise Li Jian Jian but before she finds out, he finds out she's at the police station.
He Qi Ziu is accused of molesting Li Jian Jian. In this whole interaction Li Jian Jian doesn't see his face. She continues to accuse him of not only touching her breasts but also squeezing them. He Qi Ziu covers his face in embarrassment. He didn't know those were her breasts, he thought that was her stomach. Is that an insult to her? Lol. How can they even be similar? He used to squeeze her stomach fat all the time. This makes Li Jian Jian suspicious and she finally sees his face. Haha. He Qi Ziu kept tailing her today to give her a surprise. He didn't mean to surprise her like this.
Ling Xiao is going to live across from Li Jian Jian's condo. He also gets to have dinner with the dads. Meanwhile He Zi Qiu has cornered himself into his own loneliness. He's too shy to see his fathers and too awkward to talk to Li Jian Jian.
The episode ends with Qin Ming Yue forcing Li Jian Jian to see a dentist for her toothache. The dentist inside tells her to sit down. It's Ling Xiao!
[Ep13] Li Jian Jian's dentist is Ling Xiao. He tells her a story to calm her as he examines her teeth. Li Jian Jian still doesn't know who he is. She almost runs away if he hadn't called her back. The music and his face when he took off his mask for her to see was beautiful. He prepares ice for he, but before he can apply it for her, she takes it from him. He takes her hand but she takes it back. She's purposely keeping a distance. He knows but he's happy to see her still.
He Zi Qiu wants to collude with Ling Xiao to win back Li Jian Jian. He Zi Qiu is certain Ling Xiao has his plans. Me too, me too. Ling Xiao looks sly, hehe. But Ling Xiao tells him to grow up. He doesn't have any plans.
He Zi Qiu ends up stealing Ling Xiao's condo but he doesn't know it was Ling Xiao who rented it first. Qi Ming Yue was the one who helped Ling Xiao rent it. She begs He Zi Qiu (who's in the washroom half naked) to let her rent it. She accidentally reveals to him that she is helping her big-time crush rent this place, she can't mess up. Throughout their entire interaction, these two (He Zi Qiu and Qi Ming Yue) haven't seen each other and haven't recognized each other's voices.
He Zi Qiu shows up as a pastry chef in front of Li Jian Jian. This is his ultimate surprise. He opened a new pastry store but the way he decorated everything looks more like a haunted house especially on a rainy night. She's more scared than elated. He's made a ton of cake for her but she can't eat it because of her teeth. He Zi Qiu thinks she's distancing herself from him. It's kind of true. She really is avoiding them.
Li Jian Jian returns home and complains to her friends (Qi Ming Yue and Tang Can) about meeting her brothers. It's super awkward. It's like eating expired food. The whole time she's complaining, Qi Ming Yue is kicking her feet. She's trying to tell her that Ling Xiao is in their home. The four of them have an awkward dinner. But Ling Xiao is still determined to live across from her. Thus, Tang Can dresses up to ask the neighbour (because she thinks it's her crush) if Ling Xiao can rent the condo with him.
He Zi Qiu isn't ready to reveal that he's living across from Li Jian Jian so he takes Tang Can around the neck to prevent her from seeing him. Seeing her in danger, everyone comes out to attack him, Ling Xiao even gives him a headlock, until they realize who it is.
He Zi Qiu realizes that the one who Qi Ming Yue wanted to rent for was Ling Xiao therefore he's the one she likes. Before He Qi Ziu can reveal that, Qi Ming Yue quickly dumps water over him. Everyone freezes. Haha. He Qi Ziu suffers one misfortune after another. What an unlucky character.
Ling Xiao visits He Zi Qiu in his condo and asks to co-rent. He Zi Qiu tells Ling Xiao to beg him. Ling Xiao “begs” him. He Zi Qiu immediately agrees. These two are truly bros.
The fathers are talking with each other. Ling He Ping thinks they can be in-laws because from the way he sees it, he thinks his son likes Li Jian Jian. Li Hai Chao scoffs at his idea and thinks his EQ is low.
Li Jian Jian can't sleep. She stays up with her girlfriends and confesses that to her, He Zi Qiu and Ling Xiao are strangers now. In the past she did look forward to them coming back home during the holidays but in the end they never did. It's been nine whole years since they've separated.
Li Jian Jian’s online friend asks her to date. She’s been talking to him for years and this will be the first time she sees him. Her friend, Du Juan, teases her that he must be ugly since he never let her see him.
Li Jian Jian is on her way home. She sees a large puddle on the ground and remembers how she piggybacked He Zi Qiu (when he was still physically smaller than her) over the puddle. Ling Xiao was fetching their rain boots but it was too late, they both fell. Li Jian Jian starts crying and blames He Zi Qiu. Ling Xiao drops everything and runs into the puddle to pick up Li Jian Jian. He Zi Qiu is left alone in the puddle. Awww. Ling Xiao is way too obvious with who he likes more even as a kid.
The family has hotpot. He Zi Qiu accidentally pulls down Ling Xiao's shirt, revealing a huge burn mark on his shoulder. That looks painful. He Qi Ziu anxiously asks why he didn't tell him. There's more that He Zi Qiu doesn't know like Ling He Ping's fall. He Zi Qiu stares at Ling He Ping and asks him why he didn't tell him this either. He Zi Qui feels left out. Li Jian Jian makes it worse. She retorts, "Why tell you, you're too far anyway." The dinner becomes awfully awkward. Ling Xiao puts food to He Zi Qiu's bowl to comfort him. The brothers give each other a toast. He Zi Qiu pats his back to thank him. It's not for the food but for the comfort he's giving him. It's these moments that make me assured Ling Xiao does care for He Zi Qiu because sometimes I really do wonder.
He Zi Qiu proudly offers his siblings a ride back home...on his trusty withered down motorbike. Ling Xiao grabs Li Jian Jian's wrist to take the taxi instead. But Li Jian Jian has a date. She's meeting her boyfriend. The brothers are flabbergasted. He Zi Qiu roars after her on his motorcycle...that breaks down halfway. Ling Xiao is too shocked. He needs a place to sit and think. He's rocking back and forth impatiently. He tries to call Li Jian Jian but her line is busy. Instead he gets a ton of long, and I mean loooooooooooooong, audio messages from mom. Her voice is almost haunting. Poor Ling Xiao.
Li Jian Jian is on the phone with her 'boyfriend". She tells them that Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu have this loneliness in their eyes when they stare at her. Aw. It's the same loneliness as when she first met the both of them. Yes girl, it's because you're abandoning them.
Ling Xiao is having lunch with his fathers. The neighbours tease Li Hai Chao that his perfect son-in-law candidates are already his sons. They ask Ling Xiao to take Li Jian Jian as his wife. Ling Xiao smiles and says he’ll try (努力). Heh.
Ling Xiao is having lunch with his fathers. The neighbours tease Li Hai Chao that his perfect son-in-law candidates are already his sons. They ask Ling Xiao to take Li Jian Jian as his wife. Ling Xiao smiles and says he’ll try (努力). Heh.
[Ep15] Ling Xiao phones Qi Ming Yue to ask her about Li Jian Jian's new boyfriend. Qi Ming Yue is shocked to learn this for the first time. Everyone's overthinking it. Li Jian Jian only wants to date to invigorate her creativity for her art. But everyone is against her, literally everyone. The four of them (Ling Xiao, He Zi Qiu, Qi Ming Yue, and Tan Can) join Li Jian Jian to see this guy for the first time. But the guy cancels the date last minute. On his way to their date spot, he had a eureka moment for his artwork and is on his way back home. Li Jian Jian is completely satisfied with the excuse. The brothers clasp their hands together to control their anger. Puahaha.
Ling Xiao is setting the door lock of his condo. He calls out Li Jian Jian to input her fingerprints. Ling Xiao holds her hand to stick out a finger of her wish. She chooses the middle finger. Heh. He closes that finger and uses her thumb instead. While he's holding her hand, he pauses and remembers how he always used to hold her hand.
Li Jian Jian has gone off to her date with Zheng Shu Ran (her boyfriend). The brothers are frantic because they can't contact her. They even go to Ling He Ping to report Li Jian Jian missing. However, dad is super calm. Pft. He calls up Li Hai Chao to tell him that his daughter is scammed by a man to a hotel according to the brothers. Li Hai Chao stands up from behind the counter and looks at his daughter who's having lunch with her new boyfriend at his restaurant. Haha
Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu arrive in an instant to confront this new boyfriend. Hahaha. If these two actually had a sister, I pity whoever will be her sister's boyfriend. Oh wait, I forgot Ling Xiao has a sister. He Zi Qiu gets right up close to Zheng Shu Ran. That's the end of this episode. Imagine what He Zi Qiu will do when Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian will date.
[Ep16] Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu aren't pleased with Zheng Shu Ran. The boy doesn't have a job and where he gets his inspirations from are a little perverted. He gets his eureka moments from butts. Ling Xiao is adamant on her breaking up with him. He Zi Qiu agrees. Li Jian Jian throws a fit. Who are they to control her life? She's been living fine on her own since they left her; her brothers no longer have the right to be involved in her life like this right now. She goes on to say that they aren't even related. Ling Xiao is so angry, he can't finish dinner and leaves. He Zi Qiu eyes turn red. He silently starts eating; his head hangs low.
The brothers' reactions are very different and it traces back to how they left her. Ling Xiao had no choice (he had to take care of his mother). He Zi Qiu had a choice (although his decision was to make Li Hai Chao's life easier). Because He Zi Qiu left on his own accord, he doesn't think he has a right to be angry at Li Jian Jian's words hence he's silent. Unlike Ling Xiao who's furious. He doesn't think he truly abandoned Li Jian Jian so her words feel unfair to him.
Ling Xiao is on the bus. He remembers how Li Jian Jian was almost kidnapped when they were kids. He held onto Li Jian Jian like his life depended on it to prevent the kidnappers from taking her. That's how their family became one. Li Hai Chao was so grateful, he made Ling He Ping her god-father and Ling Xiao her brother. Therefore Ling Xiao's reward for saving her is to take care of her for his entire life? Lol. He likes it so I guess that's a reward.
After dinner, He Zi Qiu walks Li Jian Jian home. She doesn't need it though. He Zi Qiu, with puppy eyes, earnestly asks Li Jian Jian to not abandon him. Aw. Li Jian Jian clarifies she has no right to abandon him, he's not hers.
The girls are having breakfast. Qi Ming Yue realizes Li Jian Jian doesn't even know what love is. Li Jian Jian cannot retort. Their conversation is interrupted when Qi Ming Yue's mom gives the girls a surprise visit. Mom is amazing at insulting each and every one of them where it hurts the most with a smiling face. For Li Jian Jian, mom mentions how she doesn't have a mother which must suck... Li Jian Jian is so used to it by now she just listens with one ear and empties it out in her other ear. But mom's words have really hurt Tang Can. Mom had commented that Tang Can used to be so popular but why is she resorting to lying to people to make a living that's barely supporting herself.
At Ling Xiao and He Zi Qiu's condo, Ling Xiao catches him using his stuff. He's okay with it but he can't touch the pair of Adidas Li Jian Jian gave him. He Zi Qiu retorts that he's got his own. Unlike his pair that's all tattered, he doesn't even want to wear his because it's too precious. Ling Xiao probably wore it every single day to remind himself of Li Jian Jian.
It's time for Li Jian Jian's dentist appointment but Ling Xiao isn't her dentist anymore. He assigned her to another dentist (the girl who likes him). The female dentist casually tells Li Jian Jian that she heard from Ling Xiao she'd be okay with any dentist as long as the dentist is good. Li Jian Jian mutters that Ling Xiao sure holds grudges. The dentist keeps on talking to her about Ling Xiao but when she asks her about his other sister, Li Jian Jian has heard enough and urges the dentist to continue with her job. On Li Jian Jian's way out, she makes eye contact with Ling Xiao. However, he turns away from her. I'm not sure if he was just removing his mask so he could talk to her. When he turns back, Li Jian Jian has already grumpily walked away.
[Ep17] Li Jian Jian bumps into Ling Xiao at the elevators. He's rolling a suitcase out. Li Jian Jian thinks he's leaving and immediately holds onto his arms to stop him. That touch makes him happy. He's not smiling, but his expression just looks so much better. She formally and sincerely apologizes to him and says that they're both her real brothers. He dismisses that. He doesn't want to be her real brother at all. Li Jian Jian continues to convince him to stay but slowly she realizes he's just throwing the suitcase away. Embarrassed, Li Jian Jian quickly takes the cue to leave when Qi Ming Yue is back home. Ling Xiao walks Qi Ming Yue home. The way he's walking it's like a gigantic rock is lifted from his chest. Meanwhile, Qi Ming Yue is giddy from just walking beside Ling Xiao.
Li Jian Jian sees He Zi Qiu standing in front of her door. She hides from him. He nervously leaves dessert at her door. Li Jian Jian laughs at him fidgeting around.
Tang Can has lunch with dad who's trying to convince his daughter to speak to her mother again. Tang Can recalls how she used to starve herself so much she would have to drink lemonade at night just to fill her stomach. Her mother calls her lazy now but who was it that stopped her from studying? On her way back home, Tang Can reminds her father about her allergies. The food he ordered today, she was actually allergic to them.
He Zi Qiu is in a motorcycle accident. Tang Can lies to Li Jian Jian that He Zi Qiu is dead. Li Jian Jian breaks down and can't even hear Tang Can anymore. Ling Xiao runs towards her and hugs her telling her it's okay. He also lectures Tang Can.
He Zi Qiu is okay. He got into an accident because he took too many sedatives. He Zi Qiu doesn't remember taking any. He only took his brother's "vitamins". That's when they all learn that Ling Xiao has been taking sedatives in order to sleep every night. Ling He Ping finally has the talk with Ling Xiao. He asks his son, almost begging, to start telling him about his life from on. Ling Xiao nods.
Li Jian Jian and He Zi Qiu ask Ling Xiao about the sedatives and why he had to hide them in vitamin bottles. Ling Xiao tells them it's to hide them from his mother and sister. In that family, he's not allowed to be sick. The siblings turn silent. That one sentence is enough to tell us what he's been through for those nine years.
Li Jian Jian finally warms up to her brothers. She's at a coffee store with Ling Xiao and asks him about his life in Singapore. Her first question is whether he had a girlfriend. Nope, he didn't. But he did have someone he likes. She asks him what the girl is like. He stares at Li Jian Jian and tells her that she's pretty and very cute. Li Jian Jian isn't particularly happy hearing it. She does continue to ask him about it but he wants to change the topic. So she asks him about his shoulder burn. He says it was from making congee and it accidentally spilled on his shoulder. He didn't feel the pain but when he realized it was a burn, his clothes were already stuck to his skin. Owwwwwww. Ling Xiao also finally gets to mess with her hair now even though she freaks out about it every time.
There's more sibling moments in this episode. The three of them are looking at the starry starless sky talking about random stuff. The topic changes to Li Jian Jian's boyfriend and Ling Xiao tells her to break it off with him. He asks her if she truly loves him. She doesn't quite answer that. She knows she's happy though. Ling Xiao mutters to himself that she's "farting nonsense". She doesn't hear that and so He Zi Qiu repeats his words to her. She doesn't believe Ling Xiao is capable of saying a word as vulgar as "fart". He Zi Qiu swears he did but Ling Xiao swears he didn't. Li Jian Jian believes in Ling Xiao. He Zi Qiu is always on the short end of the stick, heh.
There's no starry sky, but Li Jian Jian gets to read a book Ling Xiao likes; it's called 'The Starry Starry Night'. It's about a lonely boy. Basically, it's a story about Ling Xiao. While she's busy reading it, Ling Xiao falls asleep on her shoulders. Ah, so he can sleep when he's with her.
Zheng Shu Ran visits He Zi Qiu in the hospital. When the nurse hovers over to check He Zi Qiu's temperature, Zheng Shu Ran is staring at her butt. It's another eureka moment for him as he ogles at her butt. Ling Xiao is furious. Pft. Li Jian Jian notices it too. She quickly tries to smooth out the tense atmosphere with Ling Xiao but it's too late and she knows it. Li Jian Jian continues to wash up He Zi Qiu (who luckily is still clueless).
Ling Xiao takes Zheng Shu Ran out for lunch. He's trying to convince him that he doesn't actually love her. Okay, bro. You're doing too much now.
[Ep18] Li Jian Jian revamps Ling Xiao's entire bedroom when it's He Zi Qiu who's being discharged. With Qi Ming Yue's help, she changes everything from the bedsheets, to flowers, to a new mattress. Li Jian Jian even put pictures to the ceiling. Li Jian Jian also bought him a new picture story book.
He Zi Qiu says he doesn't care about his mother but he's secretly searching for her. I get the feeling He Zi Qiu's father stopped supporting him in England. He had to work all sorts of part-time to support himself. That's why he stayed there that long to complete school.
Li Jian Jian is taking Ling Xiao on a run so that he can sleep easier. Poor Ling Xiao has to run in tiny steps to match with Li Jian Jian, haha. She tells him how to sleep well and he comments on how she's like his doctor. She laughs. She can't be a doctor but she knows his problem well, it's a problem within his heart. He replies then that she's his heart's medication. She sighs and continues to tell him about the book she bought him. There's a line she likes: "I finally understand that one person cannot handle everything, the shadow of a single cloud can also make people suffocate." Ling Xiao smiles and says she really must be his medication. This guy won't stop flirting with her.
The dentist lady tries to ask Ling Xiao on a date. Ling Xiao refuses because he booked a plane back to Singapore. The girl thinks he's going back to see the girl he likes but Ling Xiao corrects her that the girl he likes is here. She's actually two years his junior. Coincidentally, Li Jian Jian and Qi Ming Yue are right at the door for their dentist appointment. The dentist girl starts talking to Qi Ming Yue during her teeth cleaning session about the girl Ling Xiao likes. Qi Ming Yue thinks it's herself. It's Li Jian Jian. Meanwhile Ling Xiao is looking at Li Jian Jian's teeth, she's trying to defend her boyfriend that he's not a pervert. Ling Xiao doesn't care what she has to say, the bottom line is he truly doesn't like him. He also tells her that he's going back to Singapore. She's surprised but relieved to know it's only for a few days. He has decided to tell his mother about staying here.
[Ep19] Zheng Shu Ran complains that Li Jian Jian is only talking about her brothers when she's on a date with him. He wants to date for real and tries to kiss her. She jumps away so he offers for her to kiss him. We don't get to see whether or not she kissed him though.
Li Jian Jian is worried about the size of Ling Xiao's suitcase. It's too big for a few days. He smiles that he's only bringing the backpack that's in the suitcase. I like how she just sits on his bed to talk. Li Jian Jian has a big smile on her face again.
Qi Ming Yue drives Ling Xiao to the airport. She kisses him on the cheek and says she doesn't want to have this "some" relationship anymore. Such a big misunderstanding on her part. Ling Xiao doesn't get to reply because she shoos him out of her car out of happy-embarrassment. She's certain he likes him. Poor girl.
He Zi Qiu's auntie visits Zi Qiu. However, she's here to borrow money. She's at her wits end, there's nowhere else she can borrow money from. Her husband has cancer and she has no money for his treatment. Li Hai Chao offers his money but He Zi Qiu overhears this and tells his dad there's no need to, he'll give the money instead. Li Jian Jian also offers to help. We finally get to see He Zi Qiu's back account. He's poor. He had even bought Li Jian Jian a designer bag. Auntie is very apologetic though. She never raised him when he's her nephew but now she's asking him for money. Somehow someway, He Zi Qiu finds the money to give to his auntie and it's a lot of money. Such a good boy. How'd He Mei and Zhao Hua Guang give birth to this angel?
Ling Xiao returns to his mother's home but he's just standing there by the door. He doesn't want to go in yet. When he does, mom asks him where's his suitcase. He doesn't answer. Mom gets it. She starts asking whether Ling He Ping is sick or whether he's not letting him come back. That's you, mom. Ling Xiao tells her he wants to go back home. Mom questions him why this dungeon isn't his home. She's so upset, she smashes his phone when Li Jian Jian calls. Thus making Li Jian Jian very worried that she can't contact her brother. Li Jian Jian doesn't even process Qi Ming Yue's declaration of confessing to Ling Xiao.
[Ep20] He Zi Qiu is experiencing a life crisis. He's seriously contemplating if he likes Li Jian Jian after Zhang Bei's words. But then he remembers how she pulled down his pants in high school lol. Poor He Zi Qiu had his butt cheek wrinkles exposed. Ling Xiao had quickly went over to cover Li Jian Jian's eyes but he was also laughing at He Zi Qiu too.
Meanwhile Li Jian Jian is worried sick her other brother is still unreachable. Ling Xiao promised to be back for her mother's death anniversary but he's not. That's because Ling Xiao's mother kept his passport hostage. Mom also threatens to die if Ling Xiao leaves. This woman is like a vampire sucking Ling Xiao of all his vitality. How can she make her son so miserable?
Ling Xiao makes it back before 12am! He kept his promise to Li Jian Jian to arrive for her mother's memorial. He is a little breathless meaning he ran here to make it on time. Ling He Ping was supposed to tell Li Jian Jian he would be back tonight but he completely forgot. Thus, Ling Xiao runs to Li Jian Jian. Li Hai Chao is like the nagging mom lecturing Ling He Ping for forgetting something this important.
[Ep21] The morning is super awkward. Li Jian Jian tries to avoid Ling Xiao like plague. She lies that she forgot her phone but forgot that it’s in her hands. He drags her in the elevator where she blurts out that she remembers nothing. Oops. He apologizes for not controlling himself but she should know his feelings by now. Li Jian Jian's brains has melted like dough. She insists they're family. He agrees. He does want to be family. He wants to marry her so that they will truly be a family. Woah. Woah. WOAH. Here is more that he wants from her: to break up with Ran; to consider him; to marry him. She doesn't want any of that. Too much, man. Slow down.
Actually, she did do one thing Ling Xiao wanted. She had already broken up with Zheng Shu Ran. She never kissed him that day. He realizes she doesn't like him and that they're not in love. He's the one who called it off. Zheng Shu Ran is a weirdo but a logical weirdo. Li Jian Jian isn't the least bit heartbroken. She definitely didn't show it at all; she was only worried about Ling Xiao not contacting her.
He Zi Qiu is still as confused as ever whether he likes Li Jian Jian but he's certainly aware that he may possibly like her. He consults with Zhang Bei whether it seems like a taboo if he likes Li Jian Jian. Zhang Bei doesn't think so and helps He Zi Qiu turn into a 'man' in front of Li Jian Jian. Omg, this is getting a little weird for me. Both brothers making a move? Gosh, now I need to stop calling them brothers. The drama also needs to stop calling them brothers.
Li Jian Jian tries to reason out with Ling Xiao that he actually doesn't like her. He must have experienced something dramatic during his trip to Singapore to misunderstand that he likes her. Ling Xiao clarifies when he liked her: in his senior year, he promised to marry her. Li Jian Jian gulps. He then corners her in his kitchen and takes a spoonful of the watermelon where it's the yummiest – right in the centre. It's a throwback to the past when she gave him the yummiest part of the watermelon. He seductively tells her he'll give her all the yummiest parts of the food.
Ling Xiao: When you picked me up at your home, my entire lifetime belonged to you. Girls, do not pick up random boys unless you're certain he'll turn into a Ling Xiao, um I mean Song Wei Long.Li Jian Jian: Bigger gulpLing Xiao smiles: Is it sweet?Li Jian Jian: Chokes.
Li Hai Chao finds He Mei (He Zi Qiu's mother). She's in the same town and has zero intentions of seeing her son. She appears quite cold and mean. She lectures Li Hai Chao that not everyone is good like him. She made every single decision for herself. However, when she sees He Zi Qiu chasing after her taxi, she tells the taxi driver to drive faster. She's running away from He Zi Qiu.
[Episodes 22-40]
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-4)] This looks like a good old heartwarming one with a decent romance. Starting from episode three, I'm certain I'm going to be sticking around. It was too fun when Li Jian Jian (Tan Song Yun) made her period announcement. It really brought out the family dynamics. There’s two fathers, one of them (Li Hai Chao) is more like the mother. I love this
The real life ages of the three leads are completely opposite to their drama roles. Song Wei Long plays the oldest brother but he’s the youngest at 21 (so young...). Zhang Xin Cheng plays the younger brother but he’s 24 in real life. Then Tan Song Yun plays the youngest sister when she’s actually 30. Did the producers base age by height? Heh.
[Actors/Actresses] Acting wise, I have no complaints for anyone. Song Wei Long may be the weakest of them all but he’s got this role down. It fits him well. Tan Song Yun is the master at being cute and rowdy. She’s also got a knack for creating chemistry. The actor who has won me over the most is Tu Song Yan (Li Hai Chao). He’s known for being fatherly in real life. After this drama airs, he might as well also be known for being motherly.
[Episode 7 Update] This drama continues to be emotionally riveting with the fathers. Don't watch this outside your home especially if you've got sensitive tear ducts. These 40 episode family dramas that are airing these days are really upping their game. They're so good.
[Episode 10 Update] Prepare tissues, a whole pack of it. The two brothers are idiots, but I can't blame them for their decisions either. Sniffle. Both Song Wei Long and Zhang Xin Cheng deliver an emotional punch but it's Zhang Xin Cheng who really made my heartache. The way he cries hurts me.
[OST] In Ep9 I fell in love with this OST: "无畏" (Fearless) by 马頔 (Ma Di). In Ep10, this OST is breaking my heart into pieces. Every time this plays, my tear ducts are cued.
[Behind the Scenes]
[Midway Review (Episode 1-21)] This drama needs to be indicted for false advertisement. It started off grounded, so grounded as a family drama but Episode 20 is like KABOOM, Romance. I’m not one to say no to romance but I understand it for this drama in particular. I have to brainwash myself to not use the “I” word but this drama is borderline incest. Although no one is truly related, Li Jian Jian has always thought of them as brothers. First few episodes I was like phew, this romance will work. Then Episode 20 arrives and I’m like, “Woah show. Wooooaah there.” The transition from brother to man happened in an instant and it was hard to digest.
Now the problem is I’m already halfway into this drama and I cannot de-invest what I’ve already fallen in love with. I really do love all the characters. My brain and my heart are in two different places for this drama and to make it easier for my brain, I need to defend the romance. So here I go:
- Song Wei Long’s Ling Xiao was already in love with Tan Song Yun’s Li Jian Jian since third year of high school when he was mature enough to know what love was. From then on he always treated her as the girl he liked and not the sister he had to care for. It shouldn’t be surprising he loves her. The only thing to blame is the pacing of the romance; it was uncomfortably fast and forceful on Ling Xiao’s part. Perhaps that boyfriend of hers (Zheng Shu Ran) must have really triggered him. The one thing I cannot defend him for is manipulating his brotherly role in controlling who Li Jian Jian can date. That’s a big no for me.
- Li Jian Jian subconsciously likes Ling Xiao too. When He Zi Qiu confessed to her, Li Jian Jian was certain it would be impossible with him. It’s only Ling Xiao who drives her nuts (and all us audience). After his confession, her love for him is brought to her consciousness. Li Jian Jian is obviously a bit dim when it comes to love. If Ling Xiao wasn’t as straightforward as he was, Li Jian Jian would never understand her own feelings.
- This drama is about an atypical family and therefore the romance is atypical too. Li Jian Jian’s understanding of a family unit is different from a traditional family. She barely had memories of her mother. She grew up with men. It was Ling Xiao who bought her a bra for the first time. She consults her menstruation problems with her dads and brothers. It’s so wrong to all of us but to her there’s nothing wrong with that. So to her, what’s wrong with liking Ling Xiao? Especially when they’re not related.
- Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian have two different fathers anyways. The person who has the same father is He Zi Qiu. Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian are technically childhood friends who grew up together but the drama wanted them to be close like family so they made them call each other brother and sister.
- I’m not going to defend He Zi Qiu. His is not love. He is just a poor and confused soul. His real love is Li Hai Chao. This father and son need more bonding screen time. The drama made both men “love” Li Jian Jian at the same time to show us that one is obviously a love from a brother and the other from a man. Li Jian Jian also obviously treats their confessions very differently.
- At the end of the day why I accept this couple is that when I watch Ling Xiao being happy with Li Jian Jian, I smile. That’s it.
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