Notable Actors/Actresses
Wu Jin Yan: Zhang Xiao Yu
Yin Tao: Lin Rui
Chinese Title
正青春
[Ep1] Zhang Xiao Yu is a clever one. She’s interviewing at this makeup company (SW) which appears to be a cutthroat environment.
[Ep4] Zhang Xiao Yu sees her ex in the elevator but she doesn’t reunite with him because she smells like sweat. She isn’t successful enough to meet him yet. The next time she sees him, he’s with a new girlfriend. Dan Ding casually passes by and tries to help her by pointing out she’s the girl on the internet who saved someone but he realizes saying that is pretty useless. He takes his exit but Zhang Xiao Yu pulls him back and introduces Dan Ding as this guy who’s better than her ex at every angle. Dan Ding is very smug at this point. She continues to tell him that Dan Ding has pursued her for over a year. Dan Ding is no longer smug but he plays along. Before she leaves her ex, she tells him to not cheat anymore. Dan Ding leaves with her but she closes the elevator door on him telling him the same words he told her at the pub about never meeting again. Before the elevator door completely closes, Zhang Xiao Yu is smiling at him.
[Ep5] There’s an interesting dinner where Xiao Yu and Dong Xin Ran coincidentally bump into Dan Ding and this guy Mao Xiao Feng. This guy takes an immediate liking to Dong Xin Ran. Xiao Yu wants everyone’s help to get a contract. The guys reluctantly agree. She also tells them about her interaction with Meng Zhe (this big boss she’s trying to convince) and everyone thinks this boss likes her.
[Ep6] Xiao Yu’s Mother’s Day promotion is approved by Lin Rui but her practice for the presentation speech is overheard by Fang Jing. I thought she was going to steal the idea but Fang Jing proposes the idea to Shu Wan Ting and gives Xiao Yu credit. The project is approved and particularly praised by Fang Jing.
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[Ep15] Dong Xin Ran and Mao Xiao Feng had broken up and are back together. They broke up because he was against marriage. They're back together because he proposed to her. Zhang Xiao Yu felt a tiny (tiny) betrayal because they had promised to be careerwomen so that they don't have to chase men, men will line up for them. (That was how Zhang Xiao Yu tried to cheer up her friend).
[Ep16] Fang Jing proposes to Xiao Yu to work for her instead. Xiao Yu is curious why Fang Jing thinks she would for work for her after Lin Rui just promoted her. Fang Jing tells Xiao Yu the difference is she’ll be working with her (Fang Jing) but with Lin Rui, she’ll be working for her (Lin Rui). The next morning, Lin Rui and Xiao Yu have an argument and it circulates the company. Xiao Yu calls Fang Jing to ask her if the spot on Team 2 is still available.
[Ep17] Xiao Yu comes from a rich family. She’s not super rich but money isn’t a problem to her. Her mother doesn’t care whether her daughter’s future boyfriend is rich or capable. He just has to be nice and dependable. Xiao Yu lies that she has a boyfriend. She calls Dan Ding first but she accidentally gets Meng Zhe to help as her fake boyfriend instead. Xiao Yu is beginning to like Meng Zhe just a bit more. Omg. Please, no.
[Ep18] Xiao Yu was never loyal to Fang Jing. She was working for Lin Rui this whole time. Fang Jing also never believed Xiao Yu was ever loyal. Fang Jing wins.
[Ep22] Team 1 and Team 2 collaborate for once. Ling Xiao Xiao and Dong Xin Ran accidentally give each other high-fives.
Chinese Title
正青春
Network: iQIYI
Recap Grade: B/C
First Impression: 2.75/5
First Impression: 2.75/5
Mini Recaps
Zhang Xiao Yu is searching for this boy and drops her task to chase him in a taxi. It’s not him. Instead she meets Dan Ding. I took an instant liking to this boy. I can’t believe he’s the same actor from Story of Yanxi Palace acting as that prince.
Zhang Xiao Yu is hired (temporarily) with that snobby Ling Xiao Xiao. Fortunately, I think Zhang Xiao Yu will have a good friend in SW in Dong Xin Ran. She’s got an attitude too but she seems to have a snob radar with zero tolerance for them.
[Ep2-3] The man Zhang Xiao Yu is looking for is her ex in Shanghai. By chance, she had met Lin Rui (SW manager) when she was a makeup sales associate. Lin Rui saw Zhang Xiao Yu chug down a bottle of makeup cleanser and her determination to win over a client and thus offers her a chance to apply for a position in SW. Zhang Xiao Yu had no interest and even threw away the application but she learns that her ex works in the same building as SW and so Zhang Xiao Yu digs up the application from the trashcan. That’s her single motivation to enter SW.
[Ep2-3] The man Zhang Xiao Yu is looking for is her ex in Shanghai. By chance, she had met Lin Rui (SW manager) when she was a makeup sales associate. Lin Rui saw Zhang Xiao Yu chug down a bottle of makeup cleanser and her determination to win over a client and thus offers her a chance to apply for a position in SW. Zhang Xiao Yu had no interest and even threw away the application but she learns that her ex works in the same building as SW and so Zhang Xiao Yu digs up the application from the trashcan. That’s her single motivation to enter SW.
[Ep4] Zhang Xiao Yu sees her ex in the elevator but she doesn’t reunite with him because she smells like sweat. She isn’t successful enough to meet him yet. The next time she sees him, he’s with a new girlfriend. Dan Ding casually passes by and tries to help her by pointing out she’s the girl on the internet who saved someone but he realizes saying that is pretty useless. He takes his exit but Zhang Xiao Yu pulls him back and introduces Dan Ding as this guy who’s better than her ex at every angle. Dan Ding is very smug at this point. She continues to tell him that Dan Ding has pursued her for over a year. Dan Ding is no longer smug but he plays along. Before she leaves her ex, she tells him to not cheat anymore. Dan Ding leaves with her but she closes the elevator door on him telling him the same words he told her at the pub about never meeting again. Before the elevator door completely closes, Zhang Xiao Yu is smiling at him.
Lin Rui sees everything. She asks Zhang Xiao Yu if her ex is that trashy. She admits she lied about the extent of his cheating just to get back at her ex. Lin Rui asks her if she’s over him, Zhang Xiao Yu says she’ll win him back first and then decide what to do after. Lin Rui likes that answer.
[Ep5] There’s an interesting dinner where Xiao Yu and Dong Xin Ran coincidentally bump into Dan Ding and this guy Mao Xiao Feng. This guy takes an immediate liking to Dong Xin Ran. Xiao Yu wants everyone’s help to get a contract. The guys reluctantly agree. She also tells them about her interaction with Meng Zhe (this big boss she’s trying to convince) and everyone thinks this boss likes her.
There’s also these interesting interactions with Lin Rui and Jin Xiao Bei (but he goes by Bei Ge). He’s this younger guy (I assume) who’s trying to pursue her and even becomes her substitute driver.
[Ep6] Xiao Yu’s Mother’s Day promotion is approved by Lin Rui but her practice for the presentation speech is overheard by Fang Jing. I thought she was going to steal the idea but Fang Jing proposes the idea to Shu Wan Ting and gives Xiao Yu credit. The project is approved and particularly praised by Fang Jing.
Jin Xiao Bei (Bei Ge) picks up Lin Rui from SW. He notices Fang Jing is Ling Rui’s enemy. She asks him how he knows. He tells her, “Whatta walla you, matta you.” Hahaha, that is my best translation of whatever he was saying. I had no idea it was even English. I had to read the Chinese captions to understand he was saying "What worries you, masters you.”
There’s a problem at SW with the Mother’s Day promotion. The promotional items given to customers have an expiry date of one month. Zhang Xiao Yu is now under investigation for company espionage. Lin Rui backs her up that it isn’t espionage. She thinks someone is sabotaging either her team or Xiao Yu. However, a mistake is a mistake. Lin Rui fires Xiao Yu.
[Ep7] Ling Xiao Xiao is the one behind the expired product. Thus, Xiao Yu gets the manager position over Ling Xiao Xiao. The latter is to leave on her own. When she returns home, she overhears her auntie wants her to leave their home. She’s got nowhere to sleep now. It’s not the end of her though because Fang Jing hires her back.
Xiao Yu’s ex wants her back because his current girlfriend has no money and no house in Shanghai. By coincidence, she meets Meng Zhe at a bar who needs help getting rid of his ex too. They put on act together but Xiao Yu cries for real. She stops acting with Meng Zhe and yells at her ex.
Xiao Yu’s ex wants her back because his current girlfriend has no money and no house in Shanghai. By coincidence, she meets Meng Zhe at a bar who needs help getting rid of his ex too. They put on act together but Xiao Yu cries for real. She stops acting with Meng Zhe and yells at her ex.
[Ep8] Fang Jing hired Ling Xiao Xiao back knowing very well it was her who sabotaged Zhang Xiao Yu.
Lin Rui waits for her breakfast and driver but Jin Xiao Bei is nowhere in sight just when her heart was easing up to him. He shows up late without a mustache and without gelled up hair. He purposely dressed up to hide his age, lol. No wonder his style was so bad. She takes off her sunglasses and skeptically asks how old he is. He's like, his birth age might be young but his heart and mind isn't. LOL. He changes the topic that there's something on her face. When he pokes at her cheek, he realizes it doesn't come off. It's a tiny mole. LOL. Both of them can't help but laugh.
[Ep9] Meng Zhe and Dan Ding ask each other if they have feelings for Zhang Xiao Yu. Dan Ding says he doesn't but Meng Zhe says he does. He even wants to marry her. Huh. He asks Dan Ding for help. Dan Ding isn't very cheery anymore. He likes her but he won't admit it in front of Meng Zhe or in front of Xiao Yu. He even creates a chance encounter between Xiao Yu and Meng Zhe. He tries to sneak out but Xiao Yu calls him back to listen to her rejecting Meng Zhe. She tells Meng Zhe if she likes someone, she'd confess and not wait until the person confesses to her. I'm eagerly waiting for her to confess to Dan Ding in future episodes. Dan Ding stifles a laughter until he can't hold it in. He's happy that she's rejecting him but he says he's laughing because the great Meng Zhe is rejected. Meng Zhe takes her rejection as a chance to know her more. Dan Ding wants to leave this awkward conversation but Zhang Xiao Yu orders him to sit. I like how he's stuck in the inside seat. She turns her anger at Dan Ding for sniffing out information about her to sell to his buddy. She sighs and turns back to Meng Zhe. She tells him that although Dan Ding doesn't have a proper job or money, and he likes those pretty girls on social media, he will do anything to help a friend in need even if his bank accounts goes in the red. If she has to choose who to date right now, it would be Dan Ding. Dan Ding, our idiot, thinks she's using him as a shield again.
Meng Zhe leaves but he's not giving up. Alone with her now, Dan Ding asks Zhang Xiao Yu if she meant it when she said she'd choose him. She says, "Guess!". Dan Ding is pessimistic and guesses that she’s just joking.
Lin Rui is skeptical of Jin Xiao Bei's motives for approaching her but she keeps him close to dig out what he wants.
[Ep10] Dan Ding immediately helps Xiao Yu when she calls him. Finding him handsome, she gives him a smooch on the cheek. Dan Ding likes it ~ (but when his buddy, Meng Ze asks him if he likes Xiao Yu, he still won't admit it!).
Is Jin Xiao Bei really a cheater? Lin Rui seems to have found evidence but the girl she confronts says they're only childhood friends. She also finds out his background. He's a rich kid. She doesn't like his lies and she doesn't like his identity (despite actually falling in love with him a bit).
Fang Jing has her relationship problems too. She's married but her husband is cheating.
[Ep12] Meng Zhe's new job is to babysit Jin Xiao Bei. His father wants him back in the company.
There's a gang after Dan Ding and Xiao Yu. They agree on the count of three to run together but it was a lie. It's so she can run away while he stays to distract the gang. But Xiao Yu is back on his motorbike! He quickly boards and hugs her waist extra tight. Xiao Yu smiles. She stops by at a convenience store to grab bandages for his wounds. When she gets back on to ride the bike, he stops her. He straps on her helmet for her and takes the handle to drive her home.
[Ep14]
[Ep15] Dong Xin Ran and Mao Xiao Feng had broken up and are back together. They broke up because he was against marriage. They're back together because he proposed to her. Zhang Xiao Yu felt a tiny (tiny) betrayal because they had promised to be careerwomen so that they don't have to chase men, men will line up for them. (That was how Zhang Xiao Yu tried to cheer up her friend).
[Ep16] Fang Jing proposes to Xiao Yu to work for her instead. Xiao Yu is curious why Fang Jing thinks she would for work for her after Lin Rui just promoted her. Fang Jing tells Xiao Yu the difference is she’ll be working with her (Fang Jing) but with Lin Rui, she’ll be working for her (Lin Rui). The next morning, Lin Rui and Xiao Yu have an argument and it circulates the company. Xiao Yu calls Fang Jing to ask her if the spot on Team 2 is still available.
[Ep17] Xiao Yu comes from a rich family. She’s not super rich but money isn’t a problem to her. Her mother doesn’t care whether her daughter’s future boyfriend is rich or capable. He just has to be nice and dependable. Xiao Yu lies that she has a boyfriend. She calls Dan Ding first but she accidentally gets Meng Zhe to help as her fake boyfriend instead. Xiao Yu is beginning to like Meng Zhe just a bit more. Omg. Please, no.
[Ep18] Xiao Yu was never loyal to Fang Jing. She was working for Lin Rui this whole time. Fang Jing also never believed Xiao Yu was ever loyal. Fang Jing wins.
[Ep19] Xiao Yu calls Dan Ding to ask him for help to get rid of Meng Zhe. Through the phone Xiao Yu realizes Dan Ding is her rival on this video game. She makes him tell her his location in the game so she can beat him. Thus Dan Ding knows she’s the newbie who keeps annoying him.
Lin Rui truly accepts Xiao Yu as a friend. Xiao Yu gets the privilege of calling her Jackie or Lin Rui (instead of Boss).
Lin Rui truly accepts Xiao Yu as a friend. Xiao Yu gets the privilege of calling her Jackie or Lin Rui (instead of Boss).
[Ep20] Jin Xiao Bei helps Lin Rui scheme over Fang Jing. Jin Xiao Bei is looking good in front of the girl he wants to impress.
Jin Xiao Bei teasing Lin Rui is cute. She’s totally following his pace.
Dan Ding and Xiao Yu still playing around with each other.
Jin Xiao Bei teasing Lin Rui is cute. She’s totally following his pace.
Dan Ding and Xiao Yu still playing around with each other.
[Ep21]
[Ep22] Team 1 and Team 2 collaborate for once. Ling Xiao Xiao and Dong Xin Ran accidentally give each other high-fives.
[Ep23] Xiao Yu and Dan Ding win paintball. She’s so happy, she jumps onto him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. He calls her out for taking advantage of him. She puckers her lip that he can take it back. Does he dare kiss her? He pulls her head close...to kiss her forehead. Xiao Yu glows at him. He kissed her so that means he’s hers now! But he says he only wanted to show that the could do it. Why isn’t he accepting her? He clearly like her so I don’t get it.
There’s a problem at SW. Both Lin Rui and Fang Jing have to take responsibility. Since Lin Rui is on a business trip, Fang Jing promises to let her gloriously come back as she looks into what went wrong. Our enemies are working together. Lin Rui places her trust in Fang Jing to investigate who sabotaged the both of them. For once they’re on the same side.
[Ep24] Xiao Yu showers Dan Ding with sincere compliments. She calls him handsome. He's like he knows, there are mirrors in his home. She clarifies that his handsomeness is more than just his face. His brain is sexy too. Dan Ding bites his lip and asks her, "You can't be confessing, right?" He reminds her they're friends. Whaat. Xiao Yu loses the mood.
[Ep24] Xiao Yu showers Dan Ding with sincere compliments. She calls him handsome. He's like he knows, there are mirrors in his home. She clarifies that his handsomeness is more than just his face. His brain is sexy too. Dan Ding bites his lip and asks her, "You can't be confessing, right?" He reminds her they're friends. Whaat. Xiao Yu loses the mood.
Xiao Yu tells Fang Jing her husband is cheating on her. She has all the proof but Fang Jing refutes her every claim.
Xiao Yu takes the blame for Dong Xin Ran’s mistake. Xiao Yu is terminated until further notice.
[Ep26] Lin Rui can tell Dan Ding is avoiding Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu assures Lin Rui the man she wants cannot escape her.
[Ep25] Dan Ding comforts Xiao Yu for her termination. She hugs him and says this is the best way to comfort someone. He calls her out for taking advantage again but he lets her hug him. He piggybacks her home and she asks him to be her boyfriend. His smile disappears and tells her he can’t. Xiao Yu asks for a reason and he can only reply that he’s thinking of one. She asks him if it’s because she earns more than him. If that’s the case, she doesn’t mind. He does. He pushes her away and comes up with an excuse. Xiao Yu cries and it’s her turn to push him away.
[Ep26] Lin Rui can tell Dan Ding is avoiding Xiao Yu. Xiao Yu assures Lin Rui the man she wants cannot escape her.
Dan Ding likes her too but his self esteem won't let him date Xiao Yu who has a nicer job and wealthier background.
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[First Impression (Ep1-6)] Wu Jin Yan's Zhang Xiao Yu is the tiny fish in this "cutthroat" makeup company. I clicked into this skeptically but came out of Ep1 pretty impressed. When Wu Jin Yan plays these optimistic roles striving for success, it’s pretty easy to like her and root for her. It’s similar to her role in Something Just Like This. She’s very jumpy which makes this a lighter watch than I had anticipated. The surprise for me is Hong Yan as Dan Ding. Was he this good looking in Story of Yanxi Palace? I hope the romance is between these two and not Peter Ho...
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Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-6)] Wu Jin Yan's Zhang Xiao Yu is the tiny fish in this "cutthroat" makeup company. I clicked into this skeptically but came out of Ep1 pretty impressed. When Wu Jin Yan plays these optimistic roles striving for success, it’s pretty easy to like her and root for her. It’s similar to her role in Something Just Like This. She’s very jumpy which makes this a lighter watch than I had anticipated. The surprise for me is Hong Yan as Dan Ding. Was he this good looking in Story of Yanxi Palace? I hope the romance is between these two and not Peter Ho...
The office environment seems more tame than it is cutthroat. The only person who looks like a tiger is Lin Rui but it’s pretty obvious she’s a softie on the inside (deep inside). I’m hoping the fight between the girls is less biatchy and more crafty. If they have to be evil, make them smart and not backstabbing idiots.
[Actors/Actresses] It’s such a coincidence to have Zuo Xiao Qing play a villain in two concurrently airing dramas. She’s the evil Empress in The Rebel Princess and the conniving team manager here. However, I actually don’t like her that much. She doesn’t have that evil face or expression I take gratification in hating. Her features are too soft. I like my villains hateful and she just comes off bland.
Wu Jin Yan does get quite a bit of hate for her exaggerated acting. I personally like her so I’m just going to turn a blind-eye to those criticisms. However, if the third time she’s still this jumpy, my love will dwindle.
[Dropped] My sole focus on this drama has narrowed down to Xiao Yu and Dan Ding (SW is too boring) but the latter is making me annoyed with how he won't accept her. They both like each other! The least the guy can do is tell her why he's rejecting her. Geez.
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