December 27, 2020

A Love So Romantic | Recap and Review

A Love So Romantic
A boy can only keep the girl in his manor by lying to everyone she’s his sister. 
Notable Actors/Actresses
Yang Zhi WenSu Xiao Wan
Ye Sheng JiaGu Yan Xi
Chinese Title
少爺與我的羅曼史
My Master and My "Luo Man Shi" (Romance)
Year2020
Episodes: 32
Recap Grade: C
First Impression: 3.7/5

Jump to Review

Mini Recaps


[Ep1] Su Xiao Wan puts on an act to get a doctor to treat her brother (Su Xiao An) who’s leg hasn’t healed from a fracture for years. Her ticket to see the doctor is accidentally taken by Gu Yan Xi who thinks she's a liar and a cheater. She sneaks into his manor while he's showering to retrieve her ticket. And that’s how he finds her utterly annoying. 

As Su Xiao Wan is escaping Gu Manor, she bumps into a man dressed in all black. She thinks he’s another fellow trespasser and cues him that there’s guards around. He says he works here as a servant and helps her escape. She then realizes he might just be the little dude (Ah Ye) she was married to as a child. It’s a happy memory for her but she had actually threatened him to play along with the marriage to fool her mother (who was probably dying?). Thus, to reunite with her little lover, she applies to be Gu Manor’s maid. 

Gu Yan Xi kicks her out almost immediately. However, Grandma Gu thinks Su Xiao Wan is her lost granddaughter, Gu Wan'er. She’s got a case of Alzheimer’s. Gu Yan Xi adores his grandmother and thus Su Xiao Wan gets to stay. Most of the time she's Gu Yan Xi's personal servant but, undercover, she visits Grandma Gu as her granddaughter. 

[Ep2] Gu Yan Xi is popular in his manor. Among the servants, there’s a fan club for him. The girls in this club are jealous of Su Xiao Wan for being Gu Yan Xi’s personal servant. She lies that she’s just grateful of Gu Yan Xi for saving her brother. The fan girls believe her and tell her all about Gu Yan Xi. The current Madam of the family isn’t Gu Yan Xi’s birth mother. His mother died. His brother, Gu Zi Qian, was brought over from the marriage. I don’t really get what’s so touching but After learning his past, Su Xiao Wan is suddenly very obedient. She cleans his study room exactly as he wishes without any complaints. He orders her to organize his books according to content. There’s nothing special in this scene but I really like it. She has no idea how to read some of the words and peeks at him for help. He gives her a few glances too until he gives her a dictionary and one by one she puts the books away. There’s also pretty instrumental accompanying this scene. 

Gu Yan Xi catches her sleeping after organizing his books. He drapes a cloak over her. Saliva is literally running down the corner of her lips. Lol. First time I’ve seen water actually dripping like that. The next day, his servant tells him the cloak has a strange scent. Gu Yan Xi quickly throws it in Su Xiao Wan’s face and demands her to wash off her saliva. When she thinks he’s not listening, she starts complaining that he too has saliva so what's wrong with hers. Gu Yan Xi is right behind her though. She quickly corrects herself that his saliva is like no other, it’s more expensive than bird saliva bird’s nest (a Chinese delicacy). 

A little fed up, Su Xiao Wan uses a strand of his hair to make a voodoo doll of him. While she's hitting it she’s caught by him again. She lies that that it’s a doll to wish for his health. He points out that she used a wrong character for his name. Her punishment: to write out his name a thousand times. 

Gu Yan Xi doesn’t give Su Xiao Wan her full pay. This time she draws him so that she has a picture to yell at but she drew it too cutely that his fangirls all want a portrait of him. Money starts flowing in. One of the maids even ask her to pluck a strand of his hair for a hefty sum.

[Ep3] Su Xiao Wan runs into trouble and is attacked by a bunch of barbaric men. Gu Yan Xi saves her rather coolly but there's too many of them. He takes her wrist and they run for it. With nowhere else left to run, she takes him flying. Literally. She gives him an umbrella and holds onto him as she jumps off the balcony with him. They slow-mo twirl in the sky and he holds onto her waist. Although they escape, Gu Yan Xi is furious she's always bringing so much mess in his life. Not to mention, she dirtied his clothes again. 
Su Xiao Wan wants to leave asap to see her "Ah Ye" but accidentally ruins Gu Yan Xi's accounting books which he needs to hand over tomorrow. She's not that good at everything else, but when it comes to counting money, she's second to no other. Oh, and cooking as well. It's so good, he gobbles it all down. He won't even let her have the last drumstick. Casually, she bends over ultra-close to him and takes a bite at the drumstick he's holding. He can't eat it anymore. She doesn't feel the butterflies (yet), but he sure does. The whole time she's with him, she has completely forgotten about her love, Ah Ye. 

[Ep4] Su Xiao Wan has a meeting planned with Ah Ye but Gu Yan Xi takes her to a temple to pray for Grandma Gu's health. Su Xiao Wan is touched that he's so filial. On their way back home, there are bandits after Gu Yan Xi. He tells her to run but she chooses to stay with him. When they're safe, he asks her why she chose to be with him. She answers with ease that she's safer with him than by herself. 

They arrive in HaHa village and she speaks alien language with the citizens there. She tells them the truth that they're master and servant relationship but HaHa people think she's lying. Because they obviously look like lovers? Branded as liars, they're banned from entering HaHa village. Subsequently, Gu Yan Xi lies that they're actually husband and wife. HaHa people believe that and so they get to stay the night. Su Xian Wan takes the baton to continue their love story to the villagers. The story turns into a thrilling elopement. When it's time to dance around the campfire, Su Xiao Wan drags Gu Yan Xi to dance the HaHa dance.

Gu Yan Xi wakes up from a nightmare. He lost his mother in a fire. Su Xian Wan asks him to join her stargazing if he can't sleep. They count the stars together and she slowly falls asleep on his shoulder. He lets her sleep there. She wakes up in the middle of the night to find him asleep (while sitting). Mesmerized, she reaches out to brush his eyelashes. To her she's much more handsome asleep than awake. 

[Ep5] The whole time Su Xiao Wan is spending with Ah Ye, she's thinking of Gu Yan Xi. He's also looking everywhere for her. Su Xiao Wan tests her on feelings for Ah Ye by hovering her face close to his. Her heart doesn't race for him like it does for Gu Yan Xi. Gu Yan Xi finally finds her but he spots her with a suspicious man. Su Xiao Wan helps Ah Ye escape by distracting Gu Yan Xi. She also accidentally knocks Gu Yan Xi into the pond. He's cold and angry (mostly jealous). However, all that melts away when she clasps her hands around his shivering ones. Her heart tingles for him once again. So does his

Su Xiao Wan goes missing because of jealous fan girls maids. A worried Gu Yan Xi searches for her and punishes the maids who sabotaged her. He finds her at an abandoned wing of Gu Manor. He gets flashes of memory of a little girl. He seems to have forgotten quite a bit of his past. He finally finds Su Xiao Wan but it's all dark and she thinks it's a ghost. It's not until she whacks him does she realize it's Gu Yan Xi. Knowing she's scared, he takes her hand to walk around this eerie wing. 

[Ep6] As Gu Yan Xi is in this abandoned place, more of the memories he has forgotten materialize in his consciousness. Gu Yan Xi faints. Su Xiao Wan shouts for help. Ah Ye brings men to help them out and that's how she learns Ah Ye is Gu Zi Qian, the younger brother of Gu Yan Xi. 
Gu Yan Xi's servant prohibits Su Xiao Wan from entering his room to care for him but she sneaks in anyways. She cares for him while daydreaming at his beautiful sleeping face. Soon, she falls asleep right beside him. Although she wakes up first, she doesn't escape in time before he wakes up. Cute how he tugged her shirt

Gu Zi Qian apologizes to Su Xiao Wan for lying about his identity. She easily forgives him (i.e. she doesn't care about him). He also confesses the Ah Ye she's searching for is actually Gu Yan Xi but he doesn't have his memory. The jade he carries is also Gu Yan Xi's. Su Xiao Wan's wild imaginations spark again and she's already foreseeing her future as Gu Yan Xi's wife, lady of the house, and how tough it would be. 

Gu Yan Xi visits the doctor (Ru Ying) to tell him more of what he has remembered. Yo, the doctor is eating one of the largest apples I've ever seen. He remembers Wan'er (his real sister) guiding him to find his mother. Although Gu Yan Xi doesn't remember much, he thinks the reason why his mother died and his sister disappeared was because he made that one visit to his mother.

[Ep7] Madam Ru shows up. She’s the lady of Gu Family and mother of Gu Zi Qian. She wants to take over Gu Manor but as long as Gu Yan Xi is there, she cannot succeed. She also has a secret lover. 

Su Xiao Wan helps Gu Zi Qian escape the house to play kick ball (Chinese soccer back in the heyday) which his mother is adamantly against. Gu Yan Xi also helps. After the game is won, Gu Zi Qian wants to thank her but Gu Yan Xi holds onto Su Xiao Wan's wrist as if claiming she's his. Gu Zi Qian doesn’t back down though. He takes her hand too. The tug of war is won by Gu Yan Xi. However, he has to leave when his servant tells him of the maid who who kidnapped Wan’er. 

Madam Ru punishes Su Xiao Wan for allowing Gu Zi Qian to escape the manor. Gu Yan Xi saves her, disregarding his stepmother. To keep Su Xiao Wan safe, Gu Yan Xi claims she is Gu Wan’er, Gu family’s youngest daughter. Madam Ru mutters to herself that it shouldn’t be possible. 

[Ep8] Gu Yan Xi stays in Su Xiao Wan’s room while Qiu Xiang is tending to her injuries on her bare back. Gu Yan Xi wants Su Xiao Wan to stay as Gu Wan’er. They need to match up their testimony. Qiu Xiang has to vow to keep everything she hears confidential. Su Xiao Wan refuses to lie though. Gu Yan Xi silently tells Qiu Xiang to leave so that he can tend to Su Xiao Wan's injuries himself. When she turns around, she’s surprised it’s him touching her back. He tells her he wants her to stay. Smiling, Su Xiao Wan accepts but she doesn’t know how it’ll work. Gu Yan Xi assures her that as long as she’s willing to stay, he can handle everything else. Su Xiao Wan’s romantic fantasies are popped when she learns he only wants her to stay for his grandmother’s illness. He also pinches her cheek to tease her. 

Madam Ru is skeptical of this new Gu Wan’er. Her lover tells her that he personally buried Gu Wan’er. It shouldn’t be possible she’s alive. They plan to confirm her identity with a birthmark on her body. Gu Yan Xi is a step ahead. She draws the birthmark on her arm. However, the birthmark almost fades away when Madam Ru insists on taking Su Xiao Wan to a spa resort. 

[Ep9] Su Xiao Wan desperately searches for Gu Yan Xi in the men’s sauna to show him the fading birthmark he drew on her. Thus, he decides to make the birth mark permanent. That’s a lot she’s doing for him. It’s a permanent mark on her skin. Anxiously, she makes him promise that in the next life he must dote on her, take care of her and ensure she’ll eat well and sleep well. He calls her out for over-exaggerating the tattoo. But she’s serious about her life. If anything goes wrong, Madam Ru will surely want her life. Gu Yan Xi promises. He moves in on her arm again to make the tattoo but she stops him once more. If she does make it out alive, she wants him to still keep his promise. He still has to take care of her. Either way, alive or dead, this tattoo means he has to take care of her. He promises her. 

He begins etching on her skin. Ouch. In pain, she tightly clutches his other wrist. He distracts her with thoughts of food, meat in particular. It's a good distraction. 

Su Xiao Wan becomes jealous of this Cheng Qian Yu who grandmother wants Gu Yan Xi to marry. 

[Ep10] Su Xiao Wan broods over Cheng Qian Yu. She says goodbye to him by throwing her cute drawings of Gu Yan Xi in the water. He's currently right behind her. Out of fear, she chews the remaining pictures of him. Gu Yan Xi touches her forehead to make sure she isn’t sick. She reminds him that he can’t just touch her like that. She is a girl. He corrects her that she’s his sister. An excuse to touch her rightfully.

Su Xiao Wan visits her brother. He can walk now! She also drops by to visit Dr. Ru Ying. She wants the Ru Ying to accept her brother as a disciple. He has just invented a new pill: never-drunk-pill. All his workers avoid him like a plague, only the innocent Su Xiao Wan offers to be his guinea pig. 

Jealously is in the air for Gu Yan Xi too. He tags along with Gu Zi Qian and Su Xiao Wan’s night date during the lantern festival. Gu Yan Xi manages to get her alone with him. A girl is selling flowers and so Gu Yan Xi buys a big red flower for Su Xiao Wan.  He place it in her hair and calls it beautiful. Then a chubby middle-aged lady sports the exact same flower. Gu Yan Xi laughs. Pouting, Su Xiao Wan storms off and drinks ten pitcher of alcohol because she thinks she’s got the pill for it. She ends up drunk. He thinks she was going to kiss him but she pukes on his clothes. At least he’s not mad about her ruining his clothes again. He lets her drunk walk as she pleases and when she’s asleep, he piggybacks her home. Su Xiao Wan mumbles that he’s a big idiot, how can he forget such an important event. Gu Yan Xi remembers it. He remembers it! He knows she’s the little girl he married when they were toddlers. 

[Ep11] Su Xiao Wan doesn’t remember anything about last night. 

Cheng Qian Yu arrives at Gu Manor. Ru Ying falls in love with her at first sight. He strikes a deal with Su Xiao Wan that if she helps him, she’ll get what she wants too (Gu Yan Xi). 

Grandma is proactive about hooking up Cheng Qian Yu and Gu Yan Xi. She won’t allow Su Xiao Wan to join on their date. Although Gu Yan Xi has a date with another girl, he makes sure there are guards at home to protect Su Xiao Wan. 

[Ep12] Madam Ru’s new plan is to find ways to make Grandma hate Su Xiao Wan to kick her out of the manor. 

Su Xiao Wan sneaks out of the manor to follow Gu Yan Xi on his date with Cheng Qian Yu. Gu Yan Xi notices them. He pretends to be sweet with Cheng Qian Yu to make Su Xiao Wan jealous?. Ru Ying joins Su Xiao Wan to stalk them. They accidentally anger these big thugs. The guys each take a girl to flee. Both girls offer their hand to Gu Yan Xi but he takes Su Xiao Wan’s hand. Ru Ying takes Cheng Qian Yu. 

Gu Yan Xi and Su Xiao Wan hide in a boat. They’re close enough to kiss (he’s initiating it) but the stern paddler exposes them. He accuses of messing with his boat all those other times. This issue is easily solved with money but the misunderstanding of them as the couple who destroys boat is still there. 
Ru Ying piggybacks the heavy Cheng Qian Yu. Lol. When he heroically saves her, they dance in the middle of the street and almost kiss – nah, it’s all in his imagination. Her being heavy is real though. 

The night meant for Cheng Qian Yu is now Su Xiao Wan and Gu Yan Xi's. They watch the meteor shower together. There’s a legend where if two people hold hands and make a wish, it’ll come true. He doesn’t believe it but he indirectly tells her that he perhaps can indirectly grant her wish. She wants the person she loves to love her back. 

Su Xiao Wan: Gu Yan Xi, I like you. I want to be with you.

[Ep13] Su Xiao Wan holds onto Gu Yan Xi's arms as she confesses. He takes her arm too (ah, so they’re holding each other arms in the meteor shower) but he apologizes to her. Taking the cue, she laughs that it was all a joke. She walks away. Gu Zi Qian finds her. He comforts her that he also has someone he loves but she doesn’t love him back. He also has a present for her. He gathers a bunch of fireflies for her. Using fireflies they make their wishes. She wishes he’ll be the best soccer player; he wishes she’ll continue be silly and happy. She follows up with another wish that his love will come true. 

Madam Ru sends Su Xiao Wan away. On the road, she’s attacked by that lover boy (Ma Xiao Liu). To distract him, she shouts that Gu Yan Xi is right behind him. She quickly takes the chance to run away but the man is still after her. Gu Yan Xi really appears. She cries and runs into his arms. He hugs her back. He takes all the attacks for her (suffering a gash to his arm). Gu Yan Xi’s men arrive and so Gu Yan Xi takes Su Xiao Wan to safety. He gets Ru Ying to check up on her. Doc says she’s alright, she’s only scared. Gu Yan Xi is skeptical (because he’s too worried). There is a small scratch on her arm which he personally applies ointment on for her. At her request he also sings her to sleep. 

Su Xiao Wan wakes up from a nightmare. She happens to overhear Gu Yan Xi speak to his servant that they used her to bait the predator. She doesn’t quite hear that he was wavering because of her. He chases after her and that’s when his servant finds out about his arm injury. Gu Yan Xi only cares about Su Xiao Wan who is now ignoring him.

Ru Ying tends to Gu Yan Xi’s injuries which are much more severe than Su Xiao Wan’s but his mind isn’t on himself. Ru Ying sees through that he likes Su Xiao Wan.  

[Ep14] Su Xiao Wan leaves the manor. She’s leaving Gu Yan Xi. She shouts to the lake she’ll definitely find someone better than Gu Yan Xi, someone more handsome, someone smarter, and someone who loves her more. Gu Yan Xi arrives on his horse. The first thing he does is kiss her. He wants to explain to her but her brother drags her away. Gu Yan Xi grabs her back, “even if you leave to the Earth’s ends, I’ll still find you.” 

Gu Yan Xi follows them to the restaurant. He sits at a separate table and orders all the food she likes, meat in particular. Gu Yan Xi wants to give the food to her but Su Xiao An sends it back. 

Later that night Su Xiao Wan develops a fever. Su Xiao An needs an ingredient thus in the pouring rain, Gu Yan Xi retrieves it for him. He also makes the medication. Whilst Su Xiao An cares for his sister, she’s sleeptalking about Gu Yan Xi. Su Xiao An is softening up. Gu Yan Xi tells him he cannot be without Su Xiao Wan. The brother also realizes that Gu Yan Xi was the little boy her sister loved all these years. What they continue to talk about that night is unknown but whatever happened made Su Xiao An entrust his sister to him. 

That morning, Su Xiao Wan demands Gu Yan Xi what he said to her brother to make him leave. She flings his arm away, his injured arm. He winces in pain and exaggerates his pain to make Su Xiao Wan care. She stays. However, she still wants him to make up for using her. They arrive back at the restaurant and she orders all her meat. She calls Gu Yan Xi her butler. He entertains her and calls her his master. However, they have no money to pay for anything.  

Second Couple: Gu Zi Qian is looking for Su Xiao Wan too but Ru Ying points to the opposite direction. Thus, Gu Zi Qian meets a new girl. She’s on the run and he saves her. 

[Ep15] Gu Yan Xi boils eggs for Su Xiao Wan. Her stomach grumbles. He peels the eggs for her despite it being scathing hot. He’s hungry too but he gives her all the food. Seeing her happily smile is enough for him.

Content, Su Xiao Wan listens to Gu Yan Xi’s story. He wanted to use her as his sister to investigate his mother’s death. He gives her a choice to leave if she wants to. 

Madam Ru elopes with Ma Xiao Liu. Since he’s exposed, it isn’t safe for him to be here. However, it’s just to get him alone in a stranded place so she can finish him. Ma Xiao Liu figures it out though. He is willing to give her his life. At this moment Gu Yan Xi arrives. To help Madam Ru, Ma Xiao Liu takes her hostage to prove that she has nothing to do with him. 

Su Xiao Wan wakes up in the morning to find Gu Yan Xi gone. The lady at the cabin shakes her head at her. Su Xiao Wan believes he’ll be back for her. He is. She returns to Gu Manor with Gu Yan Xi as his little sister. 

Xu Xiao An takes Ru Ying’s first kiss right in front of Cheng Qian Yu. Lol.

[Ep16] Madam Ru wants Gu Yan Xi to pay for Ma Xiao Liu’s life. Woman, you wanted to kill him first

Su Xiao Wan and Gu Yan Xi have a meeting. He’s very late. Gu Zi Qian follows her as she roams the street. Everything she wants to eat, he secretly buys for her. He was just about to show her the jade he bought but Gu Yan Xi arrives. He sees Gu Yan Xi wipe off the crumbs from her mouth ever so lovingly. Aw, poor guy.

Su Xiao Wan and Gu Yan Xi walk around in the night market. She tries to hold his hand but shies out every time. When there’s danger he takes her hand in one swoop and he keeps holding onto her for the walk. 

After a long night together, Gu Yan Xi finally wins her this item (a gold pot?). It has the English term “Romance” on it. She asks him what it means.To him, romance is 執子之手 與子偕老. Su Xiao Wan knows what it means: to hold hands together until they’re a hundred years old; even if their hair is white and they lose all their teeth, they still won’t separate. He smiles but then turns serious. He promises that once he solves his mother’s case, he’ll date her properly. She doesn’t mind waiting. She already waited since she was a child. This time it’s not just her waiting though. It’s the two of them. 

[Ep17] Gu Yan Xi is closer to finding out the fire that killed his mother was an arson caused by Madam Ru. Su Xiao Wan hugs him and comforts him. She has a plan to catch Madam Ru: to haunt the truth out of her. Out of fear at seeing a ghost, Madam Ru spits out everything. Grandma Gu is among the audience. 

What happened to Gu Yan Xi's mother. Madam Ru used to be just a servant. She poisoned Madam Gu's pouch to make her hallucinate. She had thought the master would banish Madam Gu but he sent her to a quieter wing. Soon, Madam Gu recovered her memory. As a result, Madam Ru set her place on fire to destroy her once and for all. She spared Gu Yan Xi because he lost his memory.

[Ep18] Gu Zi Qian won't leave with his mother, not after the crimes she committed. Madam Ru says she'll die but he's too used to her threatening him with her death. He turns away. 

Gu Zi Qian packs his bag to leave on his own. It's shameful of him to stay in Gu Manor. The girl he saved follows him. He tells her his story on why he's leaving but she tells him he needs to stay. His brother was kind to him. Him packing his bags is running away from the responsibility he should carry for his mother's crimes. 
Gu Family is delegated the task to make a crown for a royal consort's birthday but it's destroyed. Gu Yan Xi wants Su Xiao Wan to leave for a few days because the chances of him making a new one in time is slim. This is flatly refused by Su Xiao Wan. No matter sweet or bitter, poor or rich, she will stay with him. The biggest punishment upon him would be evicting him from the city. No matter how long, she'll wait for him. Touched, Gu Yan Xi kisses her. His lips barely touched hers and they're interrupted by Qiu Xiang (maid). Gu Yan Xi leaves. But he's actually hiding. He waited until the maid left to pull her back for their unfinished kiss. :D

Cheng Qian Yu spots them kissing. She's shocked because they're supposed to be siblings.

[Ep19] Cheng Qian Yu knows Su Xiao Wan’s real identity isn't Gu Wan'er

Gu Yan Xi rejects Cheng Qian Yu’s family’s wedding proposal. They’re willing to give him money so that he can buy his way out of the punishment for not finishing the crown on time but he still refuses. 

Gu Zi Qian returns home at Xiao Ya's request. Gu Yan Xi tells him he has a task for him that only someone he trusts can help. It’s to oversee the business while he fixes the crown. Brothers will be brothers. Su Xiao Wan is a business whiz. She helps Gu Zi Qian handle Gu Family’s business. 

[Ep20] Gu Yan Xi is a tiny bit jealous to see Gu Zi Qian and Su Xiao Wan walk home together. He gives a random excuse to stop their walk. 

Su Xiao Wan tells Gu Yan Xi the lock that the prince cannot open. If they can open it then perhaps he’ll get an extension for the crown. Gu Yan Xi isn't so confident he can open it. Su Xiao Wan assures him he can, after all, he is the person she chose. The information isn't for free though. She wants to taste a bit of his flesh. He sits next to her and closes his eyes ready for her to take him lol. She's surprised she has to do it herself. He's like what, you want me to do it? He tells her to close his eyes and gives her a small peck on the cheek. Her eyes are still closed. He calls her silly and adds, "Let's sleep." Her eyes fly open. He calls her silly again. He meant to sleep separately. Back in his study room, Gu Yan Xi hand-makes a hairpin for Su Xiao Wan. 

Cheng Qian Yu sleepwalks all the way to Ru Ying’s place. He comforts her about her heartbreak. 

Su Xiao Wan begins her infiltration into the the prince's manor to find the lock. 

[Ep21] Gu Yan Xi opens the lock for the prince. However, when the prince doesn’t agree to the extension, Gu Yan Xi locks it again. Lol. Prince agrees to their terms. 

The next obstacle: Su Xiao Wan’s identity. Grandma’s health might not be able to take such a shocking news that her granddaughter isn’t her granddaughter and is actually dating her grandson. 

Su Xiao Wan has another superstition to make her wish comes true. Gu Yan Xi holds her hand and tells her with him here why would she need to wish on something else. She tells him this time her wish isn’t about love (something he can now easily grant), she’s wishing for Gu Family’s safety. As she's writing her wish, he admires her and compliments her calligraphy. He lifts her up to hang her wish upon the tree. The higher the wish, the more likely it is to come true. When he finally lets her down, he has a gift for her. It’s the hairpin. Although he didn’t make a wish, she hopes that the hairpin will stay with her forever. He kisses her. 

Cheng Qian Yu visits the prince’s son to help Gu Yan Xi with the crown business. As a result she's almost raped. 

[Ep22] It's mostly because of Ru Ying that Cheng Qian Yu is saved but as he's piggybacking her, all she mumbles in her unconsciousness is Gu Yan Xi. 

That rotten prince's son wants to take Cheng Qian Yu as his wife forcefully. Cheng Qian Yu's nanny begs Gu Yan Xi to marry her mistress to save her. Gu Yan Xi refuses to marry her. Instead, he tries to beg the prince but he's off on a trip for a month. The nanny tattles to Grandma Gu and so grandma decides they'll marry without Gu Yan Xi's approval. Meanwhile Cheng Qian Yu thought it was Gu Yan Xi who had wanted to marry her. When she learns that's not the case, she depressingly leaves the manor. She bumps into Ru Ying who gives her a romantic confession but she throws away his flowers and coldly rejects him. 

[Ep23] From the way Cheng Qian Yu left, Su Xiao Wan feels ominous. She was right. Cheng Qian Yu almost committed suicide if Su Xiao Wan hadn't arrived on time. Feeling bad for her, Su Xiao Wan promises she'll make her "brother" marry her. Gu Yan Xi overhears. He leaves in anger. He was prepared to not see her but Su Xiao Wan takes a seat on his lap. She says she's a squirrel and he's her tree. She won't come down. She's being super cute and tells him that a wedding is just formalities. Once he helps Cheng Qian Yu, they can just divorce. Gu Yan Xi can't say no to her when she's this cute. 

[Ep24] Gu Zi Qian leaves the manor. He gives a warning to Gu Yan Xi: if he ever mistreats Gu Yan Xi, he'll come back for her. 

Cheng Qian Yu is marrying Gu Yan Xi. Ru Ying just found out because he holed himself in his lab trying to make a potion that can make one forget (that was what she wanted the night she committed suicide). He runs into her room to show her his successful invention. To make him give up on her completely, she makes a vow that if she has him in her heart, then her marriage will never be happy. Dejected, Ru Ying leaves. That dejection is lifted when Gu Yan Xi assures him it's a marriage meant for divorce.
Although Ru Ying is happy that they're going to divorce, he can't watch the wedding. Su Xiao Wan thought she could but it's difficult for her too. Gu Zi Qian drags her away to play. During the wedding night, the nanny mixes a stimulation medication in Gu Yan Xi's wine. He starts to hallucinate Su Xiao Wan. Luckily, he figures out it's Cheng Qian Yu. He escapes from her forceful embrace to Su Xiao Wan's room. He complains he's hot and takes her for a kiss. She reminds him of his wedding but he tells her his bride is only her, Su Xiao Wan. He takes her to bed. 

Cheng Qian Yu receives news that Gu Yan Xi is spending the night at Su Xiao Wan’s. She's furious. Cheng Qian Yu turning evil... I thought her character was supposed to be somewhat nice.

The next morning, Gu Yan Xi wakes up on the floor. He doesn't remember anything. She tells him last night was embarrassing. It's best to not remember. He looks under the cover and then apologizes. LOL. Last night they had every intention to do it. He took off his shirt but fell off the bed and then went into deep sleep. Gu Yan Xi asks her why she didn't wake him up. She did. She tried really hard but he was dead like a corpse. LOL.

[Ep25] Cheng Qian Yu's nanny hires a hitman to kill Su Xiao Wan. 

Gu Yan Xi is jealous of the crab that Su Xiao Wan plays with. It's a crab she caught with Gu Zi Qian on Gu Yan Xi's wedding day. He kills her crab. That's actually cruel... you can't just kill an animal someone identifies as a pet... As he chases her on the street, they adopt a pig. The pig, omg, is naked. It's furless for the most part except the head. But pigs have fur/hair? I don't know pigs......... She calls him the pig's father. He’s a tad offended but then he asks her what she is then. She answers she's the mother, of course – and then she realizes she said the wrong thing. He takes the piggy in his arms and teasingly accepts the piggy as his daughter since she wants it so much. She hits him and that's how they make up. 

The name of the piggy: Wan Wan. 

Later that night, Su Xiao Wan is kidnapped. Gu Yan Xi is led to their lair. He's the man who they sent to prison and now he's back for revenge. Gu Yan Xi is forced to kneel to protect Su Xiao Wan. He lets the man beat him without any resistance. Gu Zi Qian arrives to save the two of them. (Before Gu Yan Xi had left the store, he left hints for his brother to save them.)

Ru Ying is here to check up on a severely injured Gu Yan Xi. The first thing this doctor does is shake Gu Yan Xi's head – really shake. LOL

[Ep26] Su Xiao Wan cried so much she fainted and slept for two days. When she wakes up, Gu Yan Xi is amnesiac. I blame Ru Ying for shaking his head. He forgot everything related to Su Xiao Wan. Now Su Xiao Wan really has to live in the manor as his sister. She tries incredibly hard to hold back her tears in front of Gu Zi Jian and Ru Ying who tried to comfort her. Anyone with eyes can see tears welling in her eyes. Ru Ying can’t see it. He’s got eyes but no brain.

Cheng Qian Yu fires Gu Yan Xi’s faithful servant with the excuse of him failing his duties of protecting his master.

Cheng Qian Yu falls asleep while watching Gu Yan Xi in his study room. He covers her with a blanket and she thinks it’s a chance to kiss. She puckers her lip for him but there’s oinking sounds. Yu Shu Xin and her knack for humour, lol. Su Xiao Wan dropped in her pig to stop their kiss.

The girls begin their fight for Gu Yan Xi’s attention. Meanwhile I think piggy Wan Wan won, lol. He actually likes the pig.

With Gu Yan Xi recovered, grandma urges Cheng Qian Yun to move in with Gu Yan Xi. Grandma wants grandkids.

There’s a guest at the door. Someone claims she is the real Gu Wan’er. 

[Ep27] Grandma keeps the potential real Gu Wan 'er a secret. She needs to further investigate into this. 

Gu Yan Xi asks Cheng Qian Yu where Su Xiao Wan is. He’s gotten used to her prancing around him and now that she’s not here, he finds it odd. Cheng Qian Yu is purposely prohibiting them from meeting. That night she uses her body to seduce him. He refused her but she goes at him again. Her seduction plan completely fails when Su Xiao Wan starts a small fire to alarm the entire manor. 

Grandma punishes Su Xiao Wan to copy a mantra. Gu Yan Xi pleads for her. He also helps her copy. His brain doesn’t remember her but his heart does. She’s lost just staring at his face. He’s soon called away by Cheng Qian Yu. Before he leaves, Su Xiao Wan solemnly warns him, “You will have a child. Protect your body; the war is long.” LOL. Haha.

With Gu Zi Qian’s help, Su Xiao Wan has alone time with Gu Yan Xi to tell him the truth. She gives him a book she drew that details their past. He takes the book and leaves. He needs to digest the information. She grabs him back for a kiss. He hesitates but then pushes her away. Su Xiao Wan isn’t a girl one can just push away. She pushes him back to kiss him again. Memories rush in. He kisses her back. However, Cheng Qian Yu arrives. Then Gu Yan Xi faints from a headache. Cheng Qian Yu’s nanny tattles to grandma that Su Xiao Wan is a fake Gu Wan'er. She only pretended to be Gu Wan’er to seduce Gu Yan Xi. Grandma believes Cheng Qian Yu.  

[Ep28] Cheng Qian Yu reads the book Su Xiao Wan made for Gu Yan Xi. Does she realize Gu Yan Xi isn’t for her? Gu Yan Xi wakes up with incomplete memory. He just knows that Su Xiao Wan is important to him. 

Grandmother is torn. She’s told Su Xiao Wan is a liar and a cheat but she also can’t believe Su Xiao Wan was faking her love towards her this whole time. Suddenly a letter comes in detailing how Su Xiao Wan planned the kidnapping (Ep23). Grandma throws her out the house. Cheng Qian Yu sends her out with a fake message from Gu Yan Xi wishing her farewell. He’s not even in the manor to know she was kicked out. 

Gu Zi Qian shields her from the rain. Su Xiao Wan cries in his arms. Gu Yan Xi, where are you? Gu Yan Xi finds his servant and learns the truth. He runs home but Su Xiao Wan is already gone. 

Three years later. What! Su Xiao Wan sells jewelry on the street. Gu Zi Qian brings her lunch. Meanwhile Gu Yan Xi has been looking for her all these years without ever giving up. 

[Ep29] Gu Yan Xi passes by a fortuneteller tent. Su Xiao Wan was hiding there after she ran away from her chasers (a man was upset she stole all his business). Gu Yan Xi and Su Xiao Wan are separated by a cloth as he tells her he wants to find her wife. Su Xiao Wan pretends to be the fortuneteller. Before she finishes lying her way through, the real fortuneteller is back and exposes her. She's on the run again and Gu Yan Xi sees her. He, along with a bunch of other men, chase after her. Gu Zi Qian finds her first. He brings her home to celebrate her birthday. Su Xian An is here too. That birthday song was awful sounding.

Gu Yan Xi celebrates Su Xiao Wan's birthday too, just alone. 

On Su Xiao Wan's birthday, Gu Zi Qian has a wish. He wishes he can be with the girl he loves. He asks her for a chance to make this wish come true. Su Xiao Wan is apologetic. She can't accept. (The boy even gave up his soccer team to be with her these three years). After a night of thinking it through and her brother's persuasion to move on, she accepts Gu Zi Qian. She's not sure she's able to completely move on so she asks him for a month's transition time. Oof, drama, why give this man so much hope when we all know he's only the second lead. Su Xiao Wan's first step to forget Gu Yan Xi is to leave behind the hairpin he made for her. 

Gu Zi Qian bumps into Gu Yan Xi. Gu Zi Qian lies that he doesn't know where Su Xiao Wan is. 

Gu Yan Xi wanders the street. A little girl has found Su Xiao Wan's hairpin and Gu Yan Xi buys it. When he finds Su Xiao Wan's spot where she sells her jewelry, she's not there. The men from yesterday destroyed all her merchandise. Gu Zi Qian wants to move to a different city. Su Xiao Wan agrees. 

[Ep30] It's the lantern festival. Mostly everyone is wearing masks so Gu Yan Xi buys one too. With the mask on, he spots Su Xiao Wan but she doesn't know it's him. He walks over to her and she lifts his mask. Their eyes finally meet. With tears in their eyes, he hugs her. She pushes him away. He tells her he already divorced Cheng Qian Yu. The truth about her being sabotaged is already known to grandma. However, none of that matters anymore (or so she tells him). She has a new life. Gu Zi Qian comes back and takes her hand. He leads her away.

Su Xiao Wan forgives Gu Zi Qian for knowing about Gu Yan Xi's presence and not telling her. She confesses that her heart moved for Gu Yan Xi. She confesses she doesn't think it's fair for Gu Zi Qian. Gu Zi Qian tells her he had given her up but each time she was in a heartbreak. He wants to give her happiness with his own hands this time. 

The next morning, Su Xiao Wan and Gu Zi Qian leave the city. Gu Yan Xi waits in front of her home and follows them wherever they go. He'll run up to them and walk right in between them. When Gu Zi Qian tells Su Xiao Wan a romantic story, she kind of ruins it with her commentary. It's completely ruined when Gu Yan Xi appears with a candlelight under his chin. Su Xiao Wan shrieks. He begins chasing after her as she runs away. Gu Zi Qian solemnly stares at them being playful with one another.

Su Xiao Wan wakes up early for a shower but a cat's meow scares her. The boys run to her. Yan Xi quickly covers Zi Qian's eyes. Once she's all dressed, she's once again scared by the same cat. She falls backward. Yan Xi catches her and it's his turn to yelp in pain. Lol. She's that heavy? The injury was just him faking it to gain her pity. Gu Zi Qian's buddies help Zi Qian expose Yan Xi. Thus, Zi Qian and Su Xiao Wan get a day alone together. 

The next day, it's Gu Yan Xi's turn to deter Gu Zi Qian so that Yan Xi can spend time with Su Xiao Wan. He finds a tree similar to the ones they wished upon. He hangs a ton of red ribbons, all are wishes to be with Su Xiao Wan forever. Rain starts pouring. Su Xiao Wan leaves. Gu Yan Xi grabs her back to kiss her. Then there's the mandatory push. Then he grabs her back for a hug. Déjà vu but vice versa.

[Ep31] Su Xiao Wan and Gu Yan Xi take shelter in a cabin to dry their clothes after that heavy rain. She doesn't believe in him. When she gave him the book of their relationship, he gave it to Cheng Qian Yu. He tries to explain but he collapses. He has a fever. She wants to leave to find him a doctor but he pulls her in for a hug. He can't let her leave him. Every day and every night he thought of her. He's afraid if he sleeps, she'll disappear. He kisses her. 

The next morning, Su Xiao Wan leaves first. She's guilty and wonders if she needs to take responsibility. Lol. When she's back she finds out Gu Zi Qian's leg suffered a serious injury and he can't participate in the soccer match anymore. It's all because Yuan He (the servant) made Zi Qian fall into a ditch. Su Xiao Wan slaps Gu Yan Xi. 

Gu Zi Qian explains that he tripped by himself. Su Xiao Wan goes to apologize but Gu Yan Xi has already left. At night, she's drunk. She mumbles to herself that he left so easily when he claims he looked for her for three years. She curses him that if he really left, he'll never be able to forget her. Gu Zi Qian overhears all her drunktalk. The sad truth settles in: the one person who can make her happy and cry is still Gu Yan Xi. 

The next morning, news travel to Su Xiao Wan that Gu Yan Xi has drowned. She runs to the harbour. She gives him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but the villagers warn her he's already a dead man. She cries on his chest and she finally hears his heartbeat. When she looks up again, his eyes are open. The villagers exclaim. Gu Zi Qian hobbles into the scene and explain that this was all his plan. He knows she still loves Gu Yan Xi. 

Although Su Xiao Wan's feelings are exposed, that doesn't mean she's not angry they fooled her feelings like that. Gu Yan Xi follows her but she won't spare him a glance. When she does smile at him, it was just so he let his guard down so that she can stomp on his foot. He continues to knock on her doors but suddenly he stops knocking. Su Xiao Wan opens a slight crack through the doors to check if he's still there but she sees Ru Ying instead. At his side, is Cheng Qian Yu looking full. She's pregnant. 

Cheng Qian Yu explains everything the nanny did for her, even bribing the physician so that Gu Yan Xi remains amnesic. Su Xiao Wan is still angry at Cheng Qian Yu because the nanny operates under her. Cheng Qian Yu admits she still has fault. She had wanted to give up her feelings but she saw hope once again when she found the real Gu Wan'er (it was Xiao Ya). The nanny then bribed the housekeeper to give a fake account to sabotage Su Xiao Wan. Cheng Qian Yu also apologizes about the book. Then Yuan He gives Su Xiao Wan the book that Gu Yan Xi redrew. He reveals his master sleeps with it every night. 
[Ep32] Su Xiao Wan runs to find Gu Yan Xi. As she's on her way, pedestrians give her flowers to lead her to him. He's waiting by the lake with a lantern. It's his turn to tell her of a superstition about wishes using lantern. For the past three years he's made countless wishes for her. Su Xiao Wan reminds him one cannot be too greedy. If you have too many wishes, they might not come true. Gu Yan Xi only ever had one wish: "Marry me." He grabs her hand so that they can both let the lantern fly. Immediately after, he calls her his wifey. Su Xiao Wan cutely argues that the lantern only had "Marry Me." It never mentioned who was going to marry who. To Gu Yan Xi, it doesn't matter. He's okay with her marrying him or him marrying her. Lol, isn't he cute, copying her. Su Xiao Wan smiles and nods. 
Cheng Qian Yu and Ru Ying watch on the side. They're in this super awkward Titanic pose and he's holding her pregnant stomach. Only Yu Shu Xin...lol. She says this posture is good for their child "Niu Niu”.

Su Xiao Wan returns home with Gu Yan Xi. Gu Zi Qian sends them off. He assures her he'll be well.

Ten days later, Gu Yan Xi, Su Xiao Wan, Ru Ying and Cheng Qian Yu are still traveling in the carriage. Su Xiao Wan asks Cheng Qian Yu how she and Ru Ying started their relationship. It was after Gu Yan Xi divorced her (which was after Su Xiao Wan was kicked out). Outside the manor, Ru Ying stood as upright as he can, all bruised up, to wait for Cheng Qian Yu. I guess his persistence touched her. Gu Yan Xi assures Su Xiao Wan that they're going to catch up to them because that night, they did it. Su Xiao Wan is so embarrassed she hides her face in his arm. 

Qiu Xiang runs out to receive Su Xiao Wan. With her new hairdo, it shows that she's married. She's married to Yuan He who's just standing there like a log LOL and is still standing there like a log after both girls look at him. Grandma is in tears when she sees Su Xiao Wan; she's apologetic for what she's done to her. Gu Wan'er is also happy to see Su Xiao Wan because she's grateful that someone took care of her grandmother in her stead. 

Gu Wan'er asks Gu Yan Xi to borrow Su Xiao Wan for a bit. She wants to know about Gu Zi Qian. She still likes him. 

Su Xiao Wan returns to her room. Qiu Xiang is cleaning it. She tells Su Xiao Wan that Gu Yan Xi went out to care for piggy Wan Wan. Gu Yan Xi has also been sleeping in her room for three years. He doesn't let anyone change the decorations in this room. 

It's the wedding ceremony! There was scene of when they married as kids which reminds me why he's calling her his wife all the time. They really were married way before this. After the ceremony, they're sitting on the bed. Gu Yan Xi tells Su Xiao Wan this time he'll do well. Ha. An eavesdropping Ru Ying and Cheng Qian Yu giggle. Ru Ying also gives his wife a kiss. 

Extra Scene: The maids are looking for their mistress. It's Gu Zao Chen. She's Gu Yan Xi and Su Xiao Wan's daughter. She's drawing in her book and telling us her story. Everyone thinks she's pampered by her loving father but actually her father loves her mother way more. She only gets one dessert while her mother gets ten times more and her dad even feeds her mother. Gu Zao Chen's treatment is the same as Zao Zao, a pig (which is a baby piggy, the daughter of Wan Wan). Gu Zao Chen is a light bulb to her parents' relationship. 
Gu Zao Chen recounts another story of her parents fighting over a chicken wing. Su Xiao Wan was going to run away from home with Gu Zao Chen. Zao Chen wants to go to Zi Qian's uncle's place and wishes he was her father instead. Then Zao Chen spots her father approaching and quickly changes her attitude that her own father is the best father. LOL. Such a smart kiddo. She then winks at her mother so that she too follows the compliments. Yan Xi is still upset, though, because they're obviously running away. Su Xiao Wan cutely tugs onto his shirt. He asks her if she knows where she went wrong. Su Xiao Wan suggestively tells him that she'll explain everything once they're in the room. Gu Yan Xi blinks. Su Xiao Wan suggestively blinks back with a smile. He quickly takes her into the room. Our lonely Gu Zao Chen reaches her arm out for her mother who has already forgotten her. Awwwww. This is too cute!! Poor daughter, though hehe

Her name (Gu Zhao Chen) is funny too. It's the opposite of her mother's where “Wan" means “Night” (or late). "Zao" and "Chen" are two characters that mean “Morning" (or early) and so her full name is Gu(d) Morning xD.

Remarks



[First Impression (Ep1-8)] This is silly and cute. Then there are moments where the scenes turn beautifully romantic. Not bad, not bad. I find myself grinning at this more than I thought I would. 

This is about a girl who sneaks into the guy's manor to find her childhood crush. In the process (she keeps dirtying his clothes and) she falls in love with the person she thought she hated the most. It's as simple as that but still very, very cute. 

[Actors/Actresses] I have never seen the main actors but they match well. Both are baby-faced. Is is just me or is Yang Zhi Wen a tiny bit cross-eyed? Other than that her cuteness is likable. 

[Chinese Title] 羅曼史 (Luo-Man-Shi) is the Chinese characters used to spell out “Romance”. “Romance” is mentioned in Ep16 when Su Xiao Wan asks Gu Yan Xi what it means. To him romance is 執子之手 與子偕老 (holding hands and growing old together).

[Behind the Scenes

[Ending] Happy, with a cute epilogue. 

Final Review


[Review] Cute! This satisfies the simple child in me. I like this one just because it’s cute and the chemistry is good. The directing team had a way of slowing down the scenes to make it extra romantic. The last third of the drama used this one overused trope but I won’t fault the entire drama because of that one trope – no way – especially with how cute the drama ended.

Yu Shu Xin (Esther Yu) has a supporting role in this. I love how she injects natural humour in her character but I don’t like her character at all. I don’t know why she has a happy ending.

I believe there’s a similar production team behind A Love So Beautiful and a Love So Romantic. Perhaps, this isn’t as good as A Love So Beautiful but it does channel a similar vibe. Both are simple and cute, and the magic lies in whether the chemistry flies.
 
Random Recommendation: Oh! My Sweet Liar! 

Rating3/5 ♥♥

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