Notable Actors/Actresses
Zhou Yu Tong: Lu Fang Ning
Gong Jun: Ling Rui
Chinese Title
從結婚開始戀愛
[Ep1] The drama begins with a marriage. The bride’s Dad greets the guests and praises his son-in-law: "The man who chose my daughter must be an Angel." Lol. This angel is Ling Rui; the devil bride is Lu Fang Ning. After Lu Fang Ning throws the bouquet, she flips her groom back to hold him at his waist.
Rewind two weeks ago. Lu Fang Ning, a CEO of a shopping mall visits an executive director at the hospital to win her approval of her brand "Infinite". The director just gave birth and tells her she’ll never vote for someone as cold-hearted as Lu Fang Ning. The director makes her look after her baby. In Lu Fang Ning's presence, the baby cries immediately. Ling Rui, a doctor, passes by. Like an angel, he smiles and coos the baby. Lu Fang Ning sees the angel in him too. The director comes back and snaps a picture of them taking care of her baby.
Lu Fang Ning accidentally walks into Ling Rui’s office. He’s in the middle of changing. Brashly, she sits herself down to tell him to continue changing. A fellow doctor catches them in an awkward pose. Ling Rui can’t explain himself. Before Lu Fang Ning leaves his office, she compliments his abs for being hard. She also apologizes for her inability to control her desires to see beautiful things. Lol. Ling Rui is so flustered he buttons his buttons wrong.
Lu Fang Ning’s father lectures his daughter that if she doesn’t get married and give birth within a year, he’ll never approve of her project. Lu Fang Ning holds a grudge against her father and it’s related to her older sister, Lu Yue. That night, she returns to her own home and the electricity is out. She’s fed up that her father thinks she should marry against her desire but when she remembers her sister’s wish of having a family, Lu Fang Ning accepts the challenge. She calls her dad and yells to the dark sky in her dark condo “You and Fate are not my match!” Her condo lights up and the sky lights up with fireworks.
Lu Fang Ning now needs a candidate to marry. When she’s given a chance to take her "friend" Tang Ping to the hospital, she quickly takes it. She’s preying on Ling Rui. He notices her neck is injured and she exaggerates her pain to make him look at it. Abruptly, she asks, “Are you married?” He’s shocked. Calmly, so calmly, she corrects herself, “Oh, I mean do you have a girlfriend?.” He doesn’t tell her but she assures him she’ll know. Lu Fang Ning bends over to make him meet her eyes and when he does she gives him a confident wink. Lol, girls, that’s how you do it.
[Ep2] Ling Rui falls prey to Lu Fang Ning when his aunt owes her a hefty sum. Lu Fang Ning offers him a sweet deal. She’ll write off half his debt if he marries her for a year. She smiles confidently at him. He flatly refuses her bait. Unfazed, she clears two-thirds. Their eyes narrow at each other. Wind blows in this indoor meeting room. There’s no reaction from him. Three-quarters. Natta. All. He doesn’t sell himself to her dismay.
Following her secretary’s (Gao Er Fan) advice, Lu Fang Ning switches up her tactics. She buys Ling Rui a huge rose bouquet. LOL. I’m pretty sure Gao Er Fan didn’t mean it that way. Lu Fang Ning proposes, “Please marry me. I’m sincere.” She places hand over her right chest. He corrects her that her heart is on the left. Oh dear. This doesn’t quite match her being a capable CEO. Or maybe it’s to mean she’s not sincere at all. He rejects her once more.
Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning bump into each other at the hotel. He finds out the man she’s with is planning to drug her.
[Ep3] Ling Rui runs back to the hotel to save Lu Fang Ning but she’s the one who’s twisting the man’s fingers. Lu Fang Ning doesn’t need anyone saving her. However her stomach does start hurting. Ling Rui wants to take her to the hospital but she still has a meeting to attend.
[Ep4] So, we learn that the Lu Fang Ning’s brother (Lu Fang Yu) and Ling Rui’s aunt (Ling Ya Zhi) teamed up together to scam their own family. They’re chasing their ballerina dream together.
Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui have a family dinner. Ling Rui impresses her family with his show of love. Tang Ping barges in and almost reveals there’s no way these two are in love. Lu Fang Ning pulls Ling Rui in for a kiss. He breaks away but she pulls him back for another one. In the car ride back, he’s smiling sweetly. Lu Fang Ning is casually fixing her lipstick and wipes his lips to remove her lipstick mark.
Lu Fang Ning’s father visits Ling Rui at the hospital. He asks him if his daughter has his weakness or something. Lol. No one knows Lu Fang Ning as well as her own father. Long Rui starts his spiel about her hidden charms. It’s music to dad’s ears.
[Ep5] In front of everyone, Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning are to look like a normal couple. Hence in front of the maid, Ling Rui gives Lu Fang Ning an aggressive Bi Dong. He makes it look like he's going to take the strawberry from her lips with his lips. He doesn't.
[Ep8] The night is ruined when Ling Rui finds out her baby plans. He ties her up in the blanket with the belts again, heh. It angers him that in her plans she only wanted the baby and not him. If he ever finds another wife a year later, she tells him he's free to go but the baby will be hers. He's furious she never thought of keeping the child's father. She doesn't get why he's angry and he leaves her home. No worries, Lu Fang Ning makes herself home at his home. His mother is also very welcoming. She tells his mother that they haven't done it. Mom does everything she can to help her daughter-in-law commit the deed. She pushes Lu Fang Ning into the washroom while Ling Rui is showering. He knows he's there and slides the curtain to reveal himself. He's got shorts on. From the outside, all his aunts and mother are listening in. They hear Lu Fang Ning's laughter. He tickles her to make his family leave. When they're alone in his room, he insists on sleeping separately. He reminds her that according to their contract she cannot take advantage of him because he has the right to annul their contract (i.e. divorce) if she does.
[Ep11] Lu Fang Ning asks Ling Rui to sing her to sleep. He won’t. She asks him to read her a bedtime story. He won’t. She asks him if she can hug him to sleep. She complains about her cramps. He gives in but he only gives her his arm. She happily takes it and some more. She snugs in as close to him as possible. Cute.
Overnight, Ling Rui contemplates Lu Fang Ning's words about wanting to be a mother. He doesn’t think he’s a good fit for her. He thinks she has her right to have a baby and so his decision is to have a divorce. She doesn’t want to. She assures him she doesn’t want a baby anymore and agrees to revert back to their original contract. After she closes the door on him she jumps in joy and praises her own acting. She still wants a baby but what’s important now is keeping her man.
Chinese Title
從結婚開始戀愛
Network: MangoTV
Mini Recaps
Rewind two weeks ago. Lu Fang Ning, a CEO of a shopping mall visits an executive director at the hospital to win her approval of her brand "Infinite". The director just gave birth and tells her she’ll never vote for someone as cold-hearted as Lu Fang Ning. The director makes her look after her baby. In Lu Fang Ning's presence, the baby cries immediately. Ling Rui, a doctor, passes by. Like an angel, he smiles and coos the baby. Lu Fang Ning sees the angel in him too. The director comes back and snaps a picture of them taking care of her baby.
Lu Fang Ning accidentally walks into Ling Rui’s office. He’s in the middle of changing. Brashly, she sits herself down to tell him to continue changing. A fellow doctor catches them in an awkward pose. Ling Rui can’t explain himself. Before Lu Fang Ning leaves his office, she compliments his abs for being hard. She also apologizes for her inability to control her desires to see beautiful things. Lol. Ling Rui is so flustered he buttons his buttons wrong.
Lu Fang Ning’s father lectures his daughter that if she doesn’t get married and give birth within a year, he’ll never approve of her project. Lu Fang Ning holds a grudge against her father and it’s related to her older sister, Lu Yue. That night, she returns to her own home and the electricity is out. She’s fed up that her father thinks she should marry against her desire but when she remembers her sister’s wish of having a family, Lu Fang Ning accepts the challenge. She calls her dad and yells to the dark sky in her dark condo “You and Fate are not my match!” Her condo lights up and the sky lights up with fireworks.
Lu Fang Ning now needs a candidate to marry. When she’s given a chance to take her "friend" Tang Ping to the hospital, she quickly takes it. She’s preying on Ling Rui. He notices her neck is injured and she exaggerates her pain to make him look at it. Abruptly, she asks, “Are you married?” He’s shocked. Calmly, so calmly, she corrects herself, “Oh, I mean do you have a girlfriend?.” He doesn’t tell her but she assures him she’ll know. Lu Fang Ning bends over to make him meet her eyes and when he does she gives him a confident wink. Lol, girls, that’s how you do it.
[Ep2] Ling Rui falls prey to Lu Fang Ning when his aunt owes her a hefty sum. Lu Fang Ning offers him a sweet deal. She’ll write off half his debt if he marries her for a year. She smiles confidently at him. He flatly refuses her bait. Unfazed, she clears two-thirds. Their eyes narrow at each other. Wind blows in this indoor meeting room. There’s no reaction from him. Three-quarters. Natta. All. He doesn’t sell himself to her dismay.
Following her secretary’s (Gao Er Fan) advice, Lu Fang Ning switches up her tactics. She buys Ling Rui a huge rose bouquet. LOL. I’m pretty sure Gao Er Fan didn’t mean it that way. Lu Fang Ning proposes, “Please marry me. I’m sincere.” She places hand over her right chest. He corrects her that her heart is on the left. Oh dear. This doesn’t quite match her being a capable CEO. Or maybe it’s to mean she’s not sincere at all. He rejects her once more.
Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning bump into each other at the hotel. He finds out the man she’s with is planning to drug her.
[Ep3] Ling Rui runs back to the hotel to save Lu Fang Ning but she’s the one who’s twisting the man’s fingers. Lu Fang Ning doesn’t need anyone saving her. However her stomach does start hurting. Ling Rui wants to take her to the hospital but she still has a meeting to attend.
Lu Fang Ning thought he left her after the meeting but he’s back with medicine and drives her home. When he puts her to bed he sees her childhood pictures. He immediately recognizes her now.
While Lu Fang Ning is sleeping, Ling Rui cleans her pig pen room. That’s it. He’s a done deal. He makes her congee when she’s up and she’s surprised he found a pot. She uses pity now and tells him that if she doesn’t marry for a year, she’ll lose all her hard work.
Next morning, Lu Fang Ning finds a note from him, he's agreeing to a “one year deal.” She immediately shows up at his home and asks his parents or more like inform his parents they’re going to sign a contract, a contract to marry. Most of us just say “marry”. His mother immediately thinks his son is selling his body to Lu Fang Ning but Ling Rui pulls his mother aside and convinces her that he wants to learn more about her. Mom eases up that her son admits he’s marrying for love.
There’s no end to Lu Fang Ning’s absurdity. She makes Ling Rui do a health checkup. He’s good. Or more than good. Oh right, she needs a baby too.
While Lu Fang Ning is sleeping, Ling Rui cleans her pig pen room. That’s it. He’s a done deal. He makes her congee when she’s up and she’s surprised he found a pot. She uses pity now and tells him that if she doesn’t marry for a year, she’ll lose all her hard work.
Next morning, Lu Fang Ning finds a note from him, he's agreeing to a “one year deal.” She immediately shows up at his home and asks his parents or more like inform his parents they’re going to sign a contract, a contract to marry. Most of us just say “marry”. His mother immediately thinks his son is selling his body to Lu Fang Ning but Ling Rui pulls his mother aside and convinces her that he wants to learn more about her. Mom eases up that her son admits he’s marrying for love.
There’s no end to Lu Fang Ning’s absurdity. She makes Ling Rui do a health checkup. He’s good. Or more than good. Oh right, she needs a baby too.
[Ep4] So, we learn that the Lu Fang Ning’s brother (Lu Fang Yu) and Ling Rui’s aunt (Ling Ya Zhi) teamed up together to scam their own family. They’re chasing their ballerina dream together.
Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui have a family dinner. Ling Rui impresses her family with his show of love. Tang Ping barges in and almost reveals there’s no way these two are in love. Lu Fang Ning pulls Ling Rui in for a kiss. He breaks away but she pulls him back for another one. In the car ride back, he’s smiling sweetly. Lu Fang Ning is casually fixing her lipstick and wipes his lips to remove her lipstick mark.
Lu Fang Ning’s father visits Ling Rui at the hospital. He asks him if his daughter has his weakness or something. Lol. No one knows Lu Fang Ning as well as her own father. Long Rui starts his spiel about her hidden charms. It’s music to dad’s ears.
Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui are married. There is no flip at the waist by Lu Fang Ning, that was all in her imagination. The marriage is sweet and rather normal. Immediately after the ceremony, she's busy with work.
There's no honeymoon. There's only a ton of jealousy from Ling Rui. Lu Yi Yao shows up. He's Lu Fang Ning's "uncle" but he was actually adopted into the family. If anything he's more like a brother according to Lu Fang Ning. He's back after ten years. It's odd though because he wouldn't come back at all but suddenly after Lu Fang Ning's marriage, he's back. Seeing them walk together on the beach, Ling Rui turns on the hose to interrupt their moment. He takes Lu Fang Ning in his arms and shows Lu Yi Yao who she belongs to. It's a show down between the men.
Our newly wed shares the room at night. He takes the floor. Lu Fang Ning needs a baby, so she rolls her way down to him and hugs onto him tightly while pretending to be sleeping. Unfortunately, he doesn't take her. Instead he wraps her up in a blanket and straps her with three belts to prevent her from attacking him.
[Ep6] Lu Fang Ning's Infinite brand is a go thanks to Dad and Ling Rui. Ling Rui convinced the director (the mom who just gave birth) to vote yes.
Cai Si Yu is a reporter and she accidentally finds out about the contract marriage between Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning. However, she's the type of person who hates creating gossips. She doesn't know what to do with the recording she has and so she shows up at Lu Fang Ning's office. Instead she bumps into Lu Yi Yao and accidentally kisses him. That's not all. She spills coffee on him and then a few minutes later she spills water on him. By the way, she's no longer a reporter; she's changed her profession and works under Lu Yi Yao after agreeing to keep Lu Fang Ning's contract marriage a secret.
[Ep7] Ling Rui visits Lu Fang Ning at her mall. She's quite mesmerizing with how serious she is at her work. Lu Fang Yu spots these two and decides to give a helpful push and shuts off the mall electricity to give them time alone. Ling Rui instinctively holds onto Lu Fang Ning in the dark. He's a bit of scaredy-cat. They spend the night at a furniture store and play a game of truth. She asks him about Tang Ping and he clarifies that he's only looking into her father's health condition. She also asks why he married her. He wanted to help her. She was expecting more to his answer but that's all he gives her. He asks the same question back of why she wanted to marry him. She wants a child but she can't let him know that so she tells him she wants a deeper relationship with him. She didn't lie. He's giddy on the inside.
That night she sleeps on his shoulder. When she wakes up momentarily, her world turns into a purple galaxy. A blue butterfly flutters across. Pink lights swirl in the sky. Lu Fang Ning falls back asleep and holds onto his sleeve. Ling Rui also wakes up to the same purple galaxy. He smiles and holds her hand that's holding onto his sleeve. Well. That was random.
In the morning, Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning have breakfast at the hospital. He's finally in a higher position than her in others' eyes. He never really cared about their social hierarchy, its just Lu Fang Ning who finds it nice to have everyone call her Mrs. Ling instead of Lu Fang Ning the CEO. He also likes showing off that he has her as a wife.
At night, Lu Fang Ning begins her baby plans. She drugs his soup to stimulate him. She also falls into his lap to make it even more exhilarating.
[Ep8] The night is ruined when Ling Rui finds out her baby plans. He ties her up in the blanket with the belts again, heh. It angers him that in her plans she only wanted the baby and not him. If he ever finds another wife a year later, she tells him he's free to go but the baby will be hers. He's furious she never thought of keeping the child's father. She doesn't get why he's angry and he leaves her home. No worries, Lu Fang Ning makes herself home at his home. His mother is also very welcoming. She tells his mother that they haven't done it. Mom does everything she can to help her daughter-in-law commit the deed. She pushes Lu Fang Ning into the washroom while Ling Rui is showering. He knows he's there and slides the curtain to reveal himself. He's got shorts on. From the outside, all his aunts and mother are listening in. They hear Lu Fang Ning's laughter. He tickles her to make his family leave. When they're alone in his room, he insists on sleeping separately. He reminds her that according to their contract she cannot take advantage of him because he has the right to annul their contract (i.e. divorce) if she does.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao and Cai Si Yu seem to be filming a different romcom. He's the typical romcom male lead in her life. Even she thinks she's the female heroine with all their fated meetings. He even saves her from a falling light piece.
[Ep9] Ling Rui isn't feeling the best because of a patient's condition. Lu Fang Ning takes him to an amusement park. He actually brightens up just by seeing her. As she's cheering him up, there's not one minute she's forgotten about her baby business. She gives him a Bi Dong to seduce him (this was actually Cai Si Yu's advice for Lu Fang Ning to seduce Ling Rui). He doesn't fall for it. He takes her challenge and they go to a motel. But she chickens out. He lies on the bed, opens his shirt and tilts his head for her to take action. She can't do it, ha. She doesn't have the experience to back her up.
[Ep10] Qin Yu Jiang (Lu Yi Yao's ex) threatens Lu Yi Yao she'll tell Lu Fang Ning that he loved this "niece" of his for over ten years.
Ling Rui is at his high school reunion dinner. They all talk behind his back, calling him haughty. Lu Fang Ning confidently walks in to help her husband but when a peer tries to be aggressive with her, Ling Rui won't let that pass.
Lu Fang Ning has her period cramps. Ling Rui, although still unhappy about the baby business, tends to her the entire night. She asks him to stay and for once they sleep together on the bed – innocently sleep together.
Overnight, Ling Rui contemplates Lu Fang Ning's words about wanting to be a mother. He doesn’t think he’s a good fit for her. He thinks she has her right to have a baby and so his decision is to have a divorce. She doesn’t want to. She assures him she doesn’t want a baby anymore and agrees to revert back to their original contract. After she closes the door on him she jumps in joy and praises her own acting. She still wants a baby but what’s important now is keeping her man.
Lu Fang Ning smirks: “Ling Rui, you can’t run away.”
Ling Rui becomes jealous of Lu Yao Yi and urges to move in with her sooner. She’s elated but then is immediately dejected when he has a three day business trip. She starts imagining him and even hugs her imaginary Ling Rui in front of her secretary.
Ling Rui’s doctor friends (Peng Bo) think Lu Fang Ning is mad at Ling Rui so they tell him about his past to gain her pity. From a young age he took care of his father who had cancer. He soon passed away. Then in middle school, he had to move back to his hometown to take care of his mother. Lu Fang Ning is in tears.
[Ep12] Ling Rui is back early from his business trip. He’s making food. Lu Fang Ning is pleasantly surprised to see him home in her kitchen. She pokes him to make sure he’s real this time. I’m just wondering how long he’s planning to chop whatever he’s chopping. She asks him to let her hug him because she really wants to. She’s thinking about his childhood. He permits it. And so she stays glued to him even when he’s fetching stuff from the the refrigerator. She is officially in love with him.
Tan Ping barges in Lu Fang Ning’s home. She exposes to Lu Fang Ning she knows how she forced Ling Rui to marry her with his debt. Without hesitation, Lu Fang Ning confesses she’s in love with Ling Rui, “I love you.” Ling Rui smiles and takes her hand. He tells Tan Ping, “Our marriage is happy. Thank you for your (unnecessary) concern.” When Tan Ping leaves, the dinner is awkward. He doesn’t believe it no matter how many times she says she loves him. She has lied too many times before. He doesn’t think loving someone can be easily said out loud like that. He’s the perfect example. The whole night he tosses and turns in his bed thinking about her confession. Even in the morning, he hears her confessing to him.
By the end of the episode, Ling Rui still doesn’t believe Lu Fang Ning loves him. He’s even angry at her for making a scene at the hospital auction event with Tan Ping where they were childishly fighting for a picture of him.
Sisterly Friendship: Two clueless girls (Cai Si Yu and Li Fang Ning) talking about love that they know nothing of.
Tan Ping barges in Lu Fang Ning’s home. She exposes to Lu Fang Ning she knows how she forced Ling Rui to marry her with his debt. Without hesitation, Lu Fang Ning confesses she’s in love with Ling Rui, “I love you.” Ling Rui smiles and takes her hand. He tells Tan Ping, “Our marriage is happy. Thank you for your (unnecessary) concern.” When Tan Ping leaves, the dinner is awkward. He doesn’t believe it no matter how many times she says she loves him. She has lied too many times before. He doesn’t think loving someone can be easily said out loud like that. He’s the perfect example. The whole night he tosses and turns in his bed thinking about her confession. Even in the morning, he hears her confessing to him.
By the end of the episode, Ling Rui still doesn’t believe Lu Fang Ning loves him. He’s even angry at her for making a scene at the hospital auction event with Tan Ping where they were childishly fighting for a picture of him.
Sisterly Friendship: Two clueless girls (Cai Si Yu and Li Fang Ning) talking about love that they know nothing of.
[Ep13] Ling Rui explodes at Lu Fang Ning for pretending to cook for him. He calls her pretentious and mocks her love for him. However, he doesn't know that Lu Fang Ning had hired a chef and cooked multiple times, it's just everything burned, and so she had to order take out. She also didn’t fake her injuries from cooking. He regrets yelling at her.
Lu Fang Ning realizes the one Lu Yi Yao loves is her. Lu Yi Yao also figures out she knows. Thus, when Cai Si Yu offers herself to him, Lu Yi Yao accepts her confession.
[Ep14] Lu Fang Ning is looking for an endorsement model for her Infinity brand. She's at a filming site watching the acting. There's two men and one girl. The men slap each other and then the girl slaps both of them and then this girl and this guy hug, and then guy pushes her off, and then the two men embrace. The director calls cut. It was a good take. WHAT, hahaha. Anyways, Tan Ping catches her and this young male actor hanging out and snaps a picture to show Ling Rui. In a split second, he's here to stop her from interacting with this new boy of hers. This boy becomes the perfect tool Lu Fang Ning uses to make Ling Rui jealous, super jealous.
Second Couple: Cai Si Yu knows Lu Yi Yao doesn't like her. He must have her reasons but that's okay. As long as each day she can make him like her a bit more, then it's all worth it. These two are cute.
[Ep15] It's Lu Fang Ning's birthday tonight. Ling Rui plans a surprise birthday party for her with the intentions of telling her their past. However, she's not quite happy about her birthday. That day she receives an unidentified parcel again. We don't know how long she's been receiving these though. Possibly since her sister's death on her birthday in a traffic accident? Inside are all sorts of postcards (e.g. Santa Claus, Christmas stuff). When Lu Fang Ning returns home, she's shocked at the decorations. Ling Rui gives her the coin he kept ever since he met her. Finding it difficult to breath, she leaves the condo. Ling Rui calls up Lu Fang Yu to ask about his sister and he learns their family never celebrated her birthday since their oldest sister's death.
Lu Fang Ning finds a letter Ling Rui ripped into pieces. It was meant to be a love letter but she's under the impression he wants to divorce her. She won't allow it. Thus, whenever Ling Rui wants to eat with her, she refuses because she doesn't want to give him a chance to tell her he wants a divorce. Her innocent stomach will have to suffer from hunger though.
Second Couple: Cai Si Yu is pretty cute at pretending to be normal in the office to keep their relationship hidden. It's cute because she's so bad at it.
[Ep16] Ling Rui finally corners Lu Fang Ning. She can’t escape from him and to her delight it’s a love confession, “Are you willing to date after marrying me?” She can’t believe her ears. She warns him she’s a very serious person. He repeats his question. Lu Fang Ning gives him a big hug; there’s tears of happiness in her eyes. And so these two are officially dating after marriage.
Thus, the cheesy love silliness takes place. But the above screenshot was just an imagination of Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui’s. I don’t know what there is left to squeeze out of this couple for the next fourteen episodes. However, I don’t quite mind sitting through a bit more episodes of Lu Fang Ning’s monologues. Her last scene yelling at the mirror because of her jealousy was funny.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao buys Cai Si Yu a painting. Tan Ping also likes it. The girls fight over it and she scoffs at Cai Si Yu for thinking she could ever be Lu Yi Yao’s girlfriend. That’s when he shows up and pulls her into his chest. These two, lol. I get Love is Sweet flashbacks. If a drama was going to make a super sweet and completely unrealistic secondary couple, Begin Again is clearly superior.
[Ep18] Lu Fang Ning tells Ling Rui about her sister, Lu Yue. She was set to take the CEO spot. Dad was very proud of her but one day Lu Yue tells Lu Fang Ning she's like a painting (without life). Soon, Lu Yue runs away from home. Lu Fang Ning overhears dad yell at Lu Yue on the phone to die if she's going to choose that man. Lu Yue is only willing to meet up with Lu Fang Ning on her birthday. When Dad appears, she takes off in her car and dies in a car accident. Lu Fang Ning blames her sister’s death on her father which is why their current relationship is so hostile.
Lu Fang Ning will not allow Lu Fang Yu to suffer the same as her sister. She'll make it so that Lu Fang Yu can continue his ballerina dream. However, Lu Fang Yu's mother is against it. She wants her son to take over the company. She happens to learn of Lu Fang Ning's contract marriage with Ling Rui (from Lu Yi Yao who just found out the truth too) and plans to expose her at a press conference which was to promote the company's new brand: Infinity.
[Ep19] Dad stops mom from making a scene at the press conference. However, Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui take to the stage and confess their marriage started off on the wrong foot but they're happily in love right now. It's a stage to show off how much they love each other.
Second Couple: Cai Si Yu realizes Lu Yi Yao was in love with Lu Fang Ning all along. Despite this, she's still willing to be his girlfriend. Lu Yi Yao's eyes are red and he yells, "You clearly know I don't love you but you still want to be my girlfriend. Are you stupid!?" He calls it off. Cai Si Yu drops her bag, "I said I don't care and that means I don't care!" She runs to him. The episode ends. Aw. I think I'm starting to like this couple more.
[Ep20] Cai Si Yu runs to Lu Yi Yao to kiss him. He pushes her off and tells her he doesn't deserve her love.
Cai Si Yu: Lu Yi Yao, I love you. I really do love you. I never hoped to get a reward from this relationship. I just hope that whenever you feel lonely or unhappy, you'll remember that there was once this girl who loved you sincerely.
Even with that confession, Lu Yi Yao walks away. There’s tears in his eyes.
The secretary (Gao Er Fan) is showing his true colours. His motivations are currently unknown but they’re evil ones. Meanwhile Lu Fang Ning is happily on a trip back to Ling Rui's hometown. A dog starts barking at Lu Fang Ning. Scared, she jumps onto Ling Rui and she won't get off of him after that. He ends up carrying her like a baby across the street. I honestly don't think that way of carrying her was flattering at all. The night turns sexy but Tang Ping interrupts right on cue. Lu Fang Ning wants to continue their night but Tang Ping blasts classical music in the room next door. Ling Rui can't get in the mood.
Tang Ping has a stalker. Despite ruining the night for Lu Fang Ning, she helps Tang Ping with the stalker. She doesn't want Ling Rui involved and says that "he's no good". Our cute Ling Rui thinks she meant his manhood is no good, lol.
[Ep21] Ling Rui helps the girls to catch the stalker. He trips the man so that he can’t run away. Lu Fang Ning grabs Ling Rui's hand and coo at how amazing her hubby is just to make Tang Ping jealous. Ling Rui had to remind her that it was his feet that kicked the stalker not his hand. Ling Rui also realizes he misunderstood her “he’s no good" comment" but still he emphasizes, “I can do it” to a completely clueless Lu Fang Ning.
After the stalker incident, Tang Ping is completely over Ling Rui. She’s now infatuated with Lu Fang Ning. With Tang Ping all over Lu Fang Ning, Ling Rui still can’t prove “he can do it” that night. They do make out as much as they can while Tang Ping is sleeping. This scene must have been awkward to film, lol.
Lu Fang Ning loses the token but regains her memory of it. And we finally get the story of the token. These two met when they were children. They played at an amusement park together. Not long after, Ling Rui’s father was dying. His family was poor and couldn’t afford treatment. Lu Fang Ning, young but still rich, gives him all the money she has but he doesn’t want any of it. She wants to help him because he plays with her and she likes it when he smiles at her. Ling Rui picks up the coins he dropped and only keeps the amusement park token. Lu Fang Ning promises that when she grows up she’ll make lots and lots of money and she’ll come back to marry him. The token is her deposit. What a cheap deposit for such an amazing guy. By the way, is Ling Rui the boy Lu Fang Ning said she had a relationship with when Cai Si Yu asked about her dating history?
Lu Fang Ning apologizes to Ling Rui for losing the token but, no worries, he found it. He tells her that she was the one who gave him hope when he saw no light. His father never had a treatment option and that’s why Ling Rui is a doctor. His dream is to research a treatment for others who have the same disease as his father.
The scenes in this drama are just....so beyond my imagination. The picture above makes me think I’m watching something inside an organ. Ling Rui proves he can do it.
[Ep22] Gao Er Fan is destroying the company. Stocks are dropping. Meanwhile Ling Rui gets a chance to further his research in Germany but he wavers on accepting the invitation because he doesn’t want to be separated from Lu Fang Ning.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao has a dinner meeting with an investor who happens to be female. She's making a move on him. Cai Si Yu becomes jealous and takes Lu Yi Yao's drink for him. The female investor dares her to drink ten more bottles. The whole time Lu Yi Yao is worried about Cai Si Yu. The female investor feels neglected and storms off. Somehow someway, Cai Si Yu and Lu Yi Yao end up arguing and drinking some more. Two two continue in a hotel. Does Lu Yi Yao prove he can do it too?
[Ep23] The morning becomes super awkward for Lu Yi Yao and Cai Si Yu. Lu Yi Yao was so cute fighting himself under the blanket and Cai Si Yu was hilarious when she screamed in the elevator full of people. These two aren't sure if they've done it.
Gao Er Fan's motive for destroying Lu Fang Ning's company is to avenge for Lu Yue. He's the man that Dad was against her marrying. Gao Er Fan blames Lu Fang Ning for Lu Yue's death. He is also the one who's been sending her postcards reminding her of Lu Yue's death every year. If Lu Yue had not returned to celebrate Lu Fang Ning's birthday than she wouldn't have died. A little far fetched, no?
Ling Rui forgoes his chance to go to Germany for Lu Fang Ning.
[Ep24] Dad wants to divorce Lu Fang Yu's mother so that she doesn't have to face bankruptcy with him. But mom is like Dream on! Now you have to listen to me. It's your turn to cook! Aw.
Ling Rui's mother tells Lu Fang Ning about Ling Rui's chance to go to Germany. Mom knows her son well. He'd choose family over his own career. Mom doesn't want her son to let go of a chance he's been striving for his entire life.
Lu Fang Ning confesses to her father that she knew he peeked at her phone when she invited her sister to celebrate her birthday. It becomes emotional when they both take the blame for Lu Yue's death. Somebody tell these two it was an accident. Lu Fang Ning realizes how guilty dad is about his daughter's death. That is why he wants the best for Lu Fang Ning. He wants her to have a happy family because that's what he thinks is happiness. He apologizes for forcing his thoughts on her (and Lu Yue). This is probably the first time both father and daughter were honest with their feelings.
Lu Fang Ning visits Lu Yi Yao. She asks him to help her contact a doctor in Germany so that Ling Rui can have his chance overseas again. The next morning, Lu Fang Ning disappears from Ling Rui's life. She removes all traces of her from his life (from the taekwando place to their home). Lu Fang Ning and her father have removed themselves from the company.
Lu Fang Ning is abroad and has a son! He’s Lu You You. He’s five and ran away from home all the way back to China (with the help of his uncle, Lu Yi Yao) to find his father.
Lu Fang Ning explains to Lu Yi Yao why she disappeared without a sound. First year she was pregnant and she didn’t want to bother Ling Rui when his career in Germany just started. Then second year she was too ugly to see him because she just gave birth. Then her own career just started again and she was busy babysitting; she had no time to look for Ling Rui. Six years now, Lu Fang Ning doesn’t know how to explain it to Ling Rui. Uhhh.......... She’s afraid he’s moved on or she’s afraid he’d be mad at her.
Tang Ping learns of Lu Fang Ning’s return and tells Cai Si Yu. Both girls give her attitude but they’re absolutely elated she’s back. They start telling her about Ling Rui but both of them sigh and leave their thoughts unfinished. !
Ling Rui is successful with his research and gives a lecture about it. After the lecture, a girl leaves a note for him. She asks him if he has girlfriend. Ling Rui smiles and shows his wedding band to the audience. It’s fake. He wears it to fend off hungry girls. He’s single and still divorced.
[Ep26] Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui bump into each other. She nervously greets him but he walks right by her as if he never saw her. In their next encounter, he greets her first but he puts a distance between them. She thinks he doesn't like her anymore. She tells him she won't bother his life and will leave soon. In their next encounter, Ling Rui tells her his number has never changed. For the record, she never asked.
[Ep27] Ling Rui is giddy that Lu Fang Ning is back but his bubble bursts when his aunts tell him she's long forgotten him; she already has a child with another man. Fortunately, he finds out Lu You You is his son after all. However, he's even more furious. How can she take their son away from him? How can she chose so selfishly?
Second Couple: It's a regular morning for Lu Yi Yao. He dreams of waking up with Cai Si Yu again. It's the 98th time, lol. Fed up, he visits her and asks her if they've done it that night. AFTER SIX YEARS. Cai Si Yu sighs. She says they didn't. He doesn't believe her. But what does it matter now. It's not like she secretly had his child and hid it from him. LOL.... He's squeamish now. He just wants to know the truth. Sighing again, she pats at the empty seat next to her. Obediently, he sits there. She whisper in his ears whether he regrets dumping her six years ago. He should have cherished her. He shakes his ears, overwhelmed by her new aura. She wonders if age has made him nostalgic i.e. she's calling him old. Without hearing another word, she sends him out her home but he refuses to leave until he knows whether they slept together. Cai Si Yu honestly doesn't care whether he's here or not. Or that's what she's appearing to be like. She's typing gibberish on her laptop.
Cai Si Yu is bullied by her editor. Lu Yi Yao, who has been following her, stands up for her but angers her editor. Cai Si Yu doesn't need his help and storms off. He's blocking her path though. She yells at him to scat. He doesn't. She's even meaner the second time. Lu Yi Yao gives in. The tables have totally turned.
Lu Yi Yao is jealous of Cai Si Yu's trainer. The trainer unintentionally rubs it in that he's old. Poor Lu Yi Yao; he's being called old over and over again this episode. Lu Yi Yao tries to prove himself but he pulls his back instead. The way he walked after he strained his back was hilarious.
[Ep28] Lu Fang Ning calls up everyone for help to pacify her relationship with Ling Rui. Lu Yi Yao's ongoing back strain is hilarious. Ling Rui threatens to go to court with her for Lu You You's custody. Psh. How does she even take him for real? Lu Fang Ning promises to let him see Lu You You for as long as he wants. But she doesn't get that Ling Rui wants to see her too. There's also another problem: how is Ling Rui going to tell his mother he has a son who is five years old.
[Ep29] Mom confesses to Ling Rui that six years ago she spoke to Lu Fang Ning about his career. To this day she regrets it and now she can finally speak the truth. Currently, she’s smitten with her cute little grandson.
Lu Fang Ning is jealous of Yu Shi Yi (a doctor) but there’s no need. Ling Rui never considered her. He enjoys seeing Lu Fang Ning jealous though. Lu Fang Ning asks Ling Rui if You You can sleep with her tonight. He won’t allow it. Then she suggest that the three of them spend the night together. Ling Rui quickly accepts.
[Ep30] Ling Rui is at Lu Fang Ning’s home and he remembers how much pain he was in when Lu Fang Ning left him. He cried in every corner of this home.
Lu Fang Ning thinks Ling Rui has someone else he loves. She cries and assures him she'll be fine without him. You You will be fine too. She tries her best to congratulate him. Ling Rui has heard enough. He tells her how heartbroken he was. If she thinks she can take You You and leave him again, she's so wrong. You You is their connection forever. She can never leave him again. He kisses her and asks her, "Let's be together again." This is followed by another kiss.
[Ep31] Ling Rui is smoothly moving back into Lu Fang Ning's life like he was there all along. He sleeps in her bed. He hovers over to give her a kiss. She was nervous but when she closes her eyes to anticipate it, he kisses her forehead instead. In the morning, he finally prepares her breakfast too (instead of just his son's). He wants a payment. He wants a kiss. She's still brushing her teeth though. It's okay. He'll just kiss her with her mouth full of toothpaste. He politely asks her clean off the toothpaste on his lips. The tables have turned. She's the one who's shy now. Although they’re living together again, their relationship is still awkward. Neither have opened up about their feelings.
Although it's been six years, Gao Er Fan is still psychotically after Lu Fang Ning.
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| Lu Yi Yao's chest on the right side of this pic, lol |
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| Lu Yi Yao drinking soup from that height to avoid bending his old back |
[Ep32] How many episodes has it been and Lu Yi Yao's back is still in pain? xD Cai Si Yu takes care of him. She's also writing about him in her online novel (about a man who doesn't know how to love himself).
Cai Si Yu catches him sleeping and starts tracing his features with her finger. He wasn't sleeping. He pulls her head down to kiss her. He asks her to give her another chance but Cai Si Yu thinks he's playing her. She was hurt too deep by him.
Cai Si Yu and Lu Yi Yao argue about men and women problems right in front of Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning. They start blurting out how Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning did all these hurtful things to each other out of love. Both of them want an apology from each other but neither are giving it. Cai Si Yu realizes she's in big trouble for exposing Lu Fang Ning. Lu Yi Yao quickly takes her behind him to protect her from Lu Fang Ning. Cai Si Yu is a little touched.
As I'm editing this, I realized I forgot what happened to Ling Rui and Lu Fang Ning this episode.. I think they're awkwardly trying to make up still. I don't know if it's obvious, I'm more interested in Lu Y Yao and Cai Si Yu.
[Ep33] Gao Er Fan destroys any attempt Lu Fang Ning is making to establish her business. Lu Fang Ning tells him he’s wrong about his ways. He doesn’t know what her sister wanted the most.
Ling Rui asks Lu Fang Ning to get their marriage license again. He adds that he loves her. Lu Fang Ning is moved to tears. He thinks she’s not ready yet so he tells her she can say it whenever. She quickly gives him a back hug and repeats I love you over and over again. He’s the person she loves the most.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao takes advantage that he’s Cai Si Yu's inspiration to visit her home countless times. As she tells him her ridiculous story (incest, child, amnesia, etc.........) he’s focusing on how to make her his again. He pulls her down to his lap and reminds her that this was the pose they were in that motivated her writing. She becomes obedient and lets him kiss her – until someone knocks on the door. It’s a delivery. Cai Si Yu is back to her senses and drags him out of her home. Once outside, Lu Yi Yao almost destroys her package. Heh.
Third Couple: Tang Ping calls out two men who she thinks loves her (Peng Bo and Shen Zhuo). Both men think Tang Ping is introducing her boyfriend to them. None of them actually “love” her, especially Shen Zhuo. Basically, it’s a meeting that embarrasses herself. However, when Tang Ping cries continuously on set when she’s supposed to be in love, Peng Bo is anxious for her. He calls out Shen Zhuo to act out that they both like her. It works like a charm. Shen Zhuo rolls his eyes. Only Shen Zhuo is sincerely happy for Tang Ping. However, when Tang Ping accepts him as her boyfriend, he’s not happy. He has the love of a fan. He doesn’t think he’s her match.
[Ep34] The girls try to make Lu Fang Ning hyped up for a public proposal but Lu Fang Ning hates stuff like this. Everything she hates is apparently what Ling Rui will do for her on her birthday.
At the actual event (at an amusement park), everything was planned perfectly. Shen Zhuo was ordered to close the lights but when he was supposed to open the lights, he wasn’t in the right position. They ruin the table of decorations but Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui smile at their friends’ clumsiness. When Lu Fang Ning spots her parents, the first person she hugs is her stepmother. Stepmom is pleasantly surprised.
There’s another surprise. Gao Er Fan is a guest too. He realizes Lu Yue would be happy to celebrate her sister’s birthday and thus he arrives with good intentions. Lu Fang Ning happily receives him and so do others.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao asks Cai Si Yu to meet him one last time. He waits for her outside but she doesn’t arrive. It starts raining. He finds a place for shelter but thinks that Cai Si Yu wouldn’t be able to find him so he steps back out in the rain. Cai Si Yu shows up in a red umbrella. She gives him shelter. Lu Yi Yao gives her the bouquet (that’s all soggy now). He apologizes for giving her flower for the first time in six years. Cai Si Yu thinks this is another trick of his but he tells her he loves her and wants her to be his girlfriend. Moved, she kisses him. He kisses her back.
[Ep35] It’s a closure for Gao Er Fan and Lu Fang Ning as they both remember Lu Yue and how happy she would be for them right now.
Lu Fang Ning is slightly disappointed that this event is strictly a birthday party only. She’s waiting for the proposal. Only until everyone disperses does Ling Rui give her a private romantic proposal. The type of proposal she wants. He gets down on one knee and asks her to marry him. From her own pocket, she takes out the ring she had from their first marriage. Ling Rui is touched. Lu Fang Ning puts on the original ring and says that it’s from her husband. She then takes the ring that he’s giving her now and says that this is from her boyfriend. Their relationship begins again.
The end.
But there’s more!
Gao Er Fan and Lu Fang Ning: A few days after the birthday party, he gives her back all the company stocks. He’s going to leave to travel the world.
Second Couple: Lu Yi Yao wants to propose but in his mind is Cai Si Yu’s “I Reject”. She said that to him too many times that it’s burned in his mind. Thus he’s using a crying tactic and makes her pity him for being old to convince her to marry him. She comforts him that he’s a good looking old man. She actually regrets that day. He’s so good-looking but that day she didn’t even get to see his body nor do anything. It’s a yes to the proposal as they roll around on the bed.
Main Couple: It’s a happily every after for Ling Rui, Lu Fang Ning and You You. Their token rolls on the screen with “Game not over” imprinted on it. This token makes me understand why the drama chose to “end” at the proposal in the amusement park. It’s the place that’s meaningful to them so that they can truly begin again.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-8)] In succession of Perfect and Casual, MangoTV is following up with another contract marriage drama. It's not quite the same though. It's a reversal of the trope where instead of the male taking the lead in the marriage, it's Lu Fang Ning (our heroine) who makes the move from seducing him, to marrying him and to getting a baby with him. I love the idea of this. In text, this looks amazing but the way the story progresses, it's kind of flat. I don't feel anything for the leads when I really want to. A bit of it has to do with him suddenly changing his mind on her just because he knows her when they were children. I'm hoping it's still too soon to judge this. I was looking forward to this when I knew this drama existed.
[Actors/Actresses] I like both leads but Gong Jun (Simon Gong) hasn't been impressing me lately. I'm a little sad about that. Zhou Yu Tong is the reason that makes me happy to click the next episode. Her Lu Fang Ning is quite similar to her character in Young Blood: beautiful and confident. She is dumber here though like most modern romcom heroines.
[Episode 11 Update] I like the reversals but the plot doesn’t handle it very well. If it’s not okay for drama men to force a girl to bear his child (in modern romcoms) it shouldn’t be okay when the genders are flipped. Sigh.
[Behind the Scenes]
[Behind the Scenes]
[Ending] Happy.
Final Review
[Review] A miss for me.
Begin Again is a drama that likes to usurp tropes by using tropes and therefore very trope-y. Lu Fang Ning is the female CEO who takes a
I don’t buy the chemistry between Lu Fang Ning and Ling Rui. Gong Jun has lost his touch on me. Meanwhile Zhou Yu Tong plays a rather outrageous and unrealistic character that I don’t think she successfully made me believe in her acting. What is there to like about Lu Fang Ning? She uses money to force him to marry her. She tries to spike his soup to make him have sex with her. She disappears for years without an explanation. In my eyes, she’s selfish. Other than helping Tang Ping with her stalker, I don’t know what else she did to deserve so much love.
It was the second couple who kept me entertained. I loved how Cai Si Yu transitioned from being an innocent and naive girl to being independent and overly suspicious (heh). Lu Yi Yao being called an oldie is funny.
Overall, the main couple is a miss for me but I can see why it would be entertaining for others.
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