Notable Actors/Actresses
Wu Jia Yi: Xiao Yu
Zhai Zi Lu: Nan Bei
Lu Zhao Hua: Tuan Zi
Scriptwriter:
Wang Shi Long, Zhao Cong
Chinese Title你好，對方辯友2
Network: MangoTV
Mini Recaps
[Cyn-opsis (Ep1-2)] The university's debate club is forced to disband because the school is merging and the other school's debate club is stronger. Our team includes four members: Nan Bei (South North), Xiao Yu (Little Fish), Tuan Zi (Dumpling), and Tao Hao. To allow their club to co-exist, they have to beat the rival team which consists of Duan Nan, Liu Yan Ze, and others. They happen to be Xiao Yu and Nan Bei's archnemeses respectively.
Note: You're not going to get decent recaps here. Why? Because this drama is heavy with dialogue and that's the fun part of this drama and I'd love to recap the fun but I cannot recap dialogue.
Extra lesson: Don't ever pay when the cashier isn't looking. Nan Bei did that. Xiao Yu had warned him. Now, he has to pay again. Xiao Yu sneers at him. This is their relationship. Romantic, isn't it?
[Ep2]
[Ep3] Tuan Zi is in big trouble. She's a shopping addict. She doesn't buy anything expensive, just the small cheap things that seem really cute and useful, and just a lot of it (is that any of you out there?) that she now owes $30 000 RMB with incredibly scary interest rates. There are these loaning platforms in China that target young adults (with it's accessibility). It'a real problem; they borrow very little compared to the interest that they have to pay back which grows exponentially.
Nan Bei is held captive by Tuan Zi's father (occupation: security guard) like he's a criminal. Dad just wants to know what's up with his daughter.
The Debate: In university life, external discipline is better. Our team is for the statement. External discipline is when the institution (or parents) have control in planning your life. Internal discipline is self-discipline.
The Cute: Xiao Yu makes a stupid mistake during the debate. Nan Bei knows she's hung up on it so he passes her a note. It's a drawing of a little piggy. He tells her, "Little Silly, don't be nervous.". The cutest thing about this scene is the dimple on Nan Bei when he smirks as her.
[Ep4] Tuan Zi gives a very emotional closure at the end (detailing how her self discipline was a failure; an emotional dad is in the audience) but she still loses to the remarkable closure by Liu Yan Ze. Our debate team loses. The club is disbanded.
The Funny: The waterfall scene. xD.
[Ep5] Xiao Yu is motivating her friend to run the 800m. Nan Bei is motivating his friend to ask the girl he likes on a date. The Lesson: If you take action, it may fail 99% of the time but there's that 1% that you may succeed. If you don't take action then it's 100% failure.
[Ep6] The Funny: Nan Bei says this line (你看看你就知道給我生氣) in English: "You see see you, Uncle know make me birth gas.” Hahaha. It is a literal translation of each character with the exception of "Uncle (舅)" that sounds the same as 就. He was saying to Xiao Yu (who had a laughing fit) about Liu Yan Ze.
The debate team accepts being the secondary team to gain points for the school. The primary team is still the other team. Nan Bei and Xiao Yu swallowed a lot of their pride be inferior to their archnemeses and it’s all because of their love of debate.
[Ep7]
[Ep8] Ma Nan is the new addition to the team! He replaces Tuan Zi's fourth spot (but Tuan Zi is still on the team...as support?). It was funny how the team tried to recruit him. He'd use debate against them and the entire team felt dazed just talking to him. Initially, he didn't want to join, probably because he didn't want to take on responsibility. However, when he noticed his parents are ageing (white hair) and are still working to support him (buy him a house), he realizes he can't laze around anymore.
[Ep9] In contrast to Ma Nan's laze and leisure, we have Tao Hao who's a busy girl. Very busy. She's in her fourth year so she has her own internship on top of the debate club (which sounds SO HARD already), but she also has to take on everyone's small errands AND her boyfriend's internship(!). Ma Nan bumps into Tao Hao at the convenience store and she took the last ramen. She hasn't eaten anything herself, yet she gives it to him anyways. He's picking at the ramen and adds that if he had a side dish that would be awesome. Then he asks for more food and more drinks. Tao Hao, although extremely fatigued, does everything he wants. Girl, what is wrong with you! Ma Nan was just testing her. He knows something is wrong with her "Tao Hao" personality (Tao Hao = To please others). Tao Hao tells Ma Nan that when she was in high school, her mother gave birth to her sibling. To gain a bit more love for herself, she'd go out of her way to take care of the baby (e.g. her parents would be having lunch but she'd be feeding the baby). Due to her parents' work, she had to move a lot. She had no stable friends and so she would gratefully do anything for her classmates to gain their favour too. That began a deathly habit of her doing anything to please anyone.
Ma Nan begins to train her. He takes her to a street performance and prohibits her from giving the guitarist money. She clenches onto her bill looking constipated. Ma Nan sighs and gives in to her. You'd think she'd just give the one bill in her hand, but no, this girl empties her purse, that's not all, she asks the guitarist to give her a QR code so she can transfer more money. This is certainly a disease that needs treatment ASAP.
[Ep10] I love the "I don't agree" argument between Xiao Yu and Nan Bei and how he yield to her to not agree to agreeing so that they can agree.
Tuan Zi got the meeting room back from Liu Yan Ze. Guys, that's a huge win, lol. Way, waaay better than Teacher Sa. 
[Ep11] Our team gets their debate back from Team 1. They mockingly act surprised (hahahaha) when they knew they were going to get it back all along. I love them.
Debate: Having a social media profile will improve our social intercourse. Our team is against the statement. Tao Hao made a moving speech. Tao Hao wanted to be liked so much the image she showed to others consumed her. She lost her own identity.
Liu Yan Ze was fat as a kid. His confession to a girl was embarrassingly rejected. It haunts him still. He tells Tuan Zi that her cookies were too delicious that’s why he ran away. He wasn’t running away from her.
Our debate team needs a name. Tuan Zi says their team is like “Salty Fish Revived”. Nan Bei enthusiastically settles with “Salty Fish Revived”. No one agrees with him. Teacher Sa makes another suggestion. Nan Bei once again thinks of an awful name from that suggestion. Nan Bei makes me laugh way too much. He finally comes up with 235 from a card game. In some region 235 is the biggest, in other regions it’s the smallest. They’re going to be the X factor that will take down the JQK.
Debate: Having a social media profile will improve our social intercourse. Our team is against the statement. Tao Hao made a moving speech. Tao Hao wanted to be liked so much the image she showed to others consumed her. She lost her own identity.
Liu Yan Ze was fat as a kid. His confession to a girl was embarrassingly rejected. It haunts him still. He tells Tuan Zi that her cookies were too delicious that’s why he ran away. He wasn’t running away from her.
Our debate team needs a name. Tuan Zi says their team is like “Salty Fish Revived”. Nan Bei enthusiastically settles with “Salty Fish Revived”. No one agrees with him. Teacher Sa makes another suggestion. Nan Bei once again thinks of an awful name from that suggestion. Nan Bei makes me laugh way too much. He finally comes up with 235 from a card game. In some region 235 is the biggest, in other regions it’s the smallest. They’re going to be the X factor that will take down the JQK.
[Ep12] Ma Nan scams a store owner for a month’s worth of milk supply. The final sun is $250. 250 is a way to call someone dumb. Tao Hao asks him for help to find a club room. He refuses. She brightly smiles and asks the boss if he needed help recalculating the milk cost. Ma Nan quickly agrees.
Nan Bei asks his friend how he knew he was in love with the girl. The friend immediately knows Nan Bei is asking because of Xiao Yu. Nan Bei gapes at his friend who replies, “The thing between you two is probably clueless to the two of you. Anyone with eyes can see.” Yes, yes, yes!
Tuan Zi shows Xiao Yu a survey that if a girl checks all six of them then she’s in love with that guy. Xiao Yu snickers at the validity of it but when she sees Nan Bei, her heart realizes something is wrong. Something is right, girl! According to the survery, first, she’ll notice the guy from a crowd. Tuan Zi couldn’t see Nan Bei but Xiao Yu recognized him instantly. Second, sudden skinship will make the girl embarrassed. That’s checked when Nan Bei casually has his arm over her shoulder and Xiao Yu nervously runs away.
Tuan Zi shows Xiao Yu a survey that if a girl checks all six of them then she’s in love with that guy. Xiao Yu snickers at the validity of it but when she sees Nan Bei, her heart realizes something is wrong. Something is right, girl! According to the survery, first, she’ll notice the guy from a crowd. Tuan Zi couldn’t see Nan Bei but Xiao Yu recognized him instantly. Second, sudden skinship will make the girl embarrassed. That’s checked when Nan Bei casually has his arm over her shoulder and Xiao Yu nervously runs away.
[Ep13] Third on the survey, the girl can’t help but want to talk to the guy and will laugh sillily at her phone. Xiao Yu: Check. From then on, Xiao Yu is so hilariously awkward whenever she sees Nan Bei.
Tao Hao and Ma Nan go to an aquarium. He buys key chains as an add on. This penny counter is buying her an extra item? Hm (:
Ma Nan gives Nan Bei the love advice he wants before he even asks. Xiao Yu and Nan Bei have been arguing over something and now she's not talking to him anymore. Ma Nan counsels him that it's a choice: supporting what he thinks is right or choosing love. If he chooses love, he'll have to say yes even to things he doesn't support. Nan Bei's 'yes' training made me laugh so much xD. I love this guy. When Nan Bei meets Xiao Yu, he immediately tells her he agrees with her thoughts. This upset Xiao Yu even more because there's no sincerity in that. He admits he was only agreeing because she's been ignoring him –he steps back– giving him cold shoulders –another step back– and basically he was afraid of her and it shows in his actions. Whadya know, this makes Xiao Yu even angrier.
When Nan Bei is true to his opinions is when Xiao Yu accepts him again. He sincerely asks her to forgive him and they agree to disagree. Beautiful. Xiao Yu also checks the fourth item in the survey: combing her hair (doing something girly) in front of the guy she likes.
Peace is short-lived. Right after Nan Bei says that girls in their youth shouldn't use too much makeup, his eyes are glued to beautiful girls in make up. Xiao Yu is mad again, lol, clearly jealous. Insert random tea scene. Lol. The group begins a debate on whether girls should apply makeup. Nan Bei says what’s wrong with trying to look better to impress the person he likes? If it were him he would dress up for the girl he likes, then walk up to her –walks up to Xiao Yu– and then tell her, "Hey Beautiful, What’s up?” That dimple! Everyone gets the hint except Xiao Yu who's still mad.
[Ep14] This is the episode where Nan Bei and Xiao Yu are so close to getting together but they're not!
Lol @ everyone showing up one by one when Nan Bei admits he likes Xiao Yu. Only Xiao Yu and Ma Nan don't hear it directly because they entered the restaurant together.
Xiao Yu takes a make up course in university (it's a free event). Duan Nan is the famous instructor. She fires up Xiao Yu to take her course and somehow Xiao Yu messes up her own eyebrow, a single eyebrow, so only half her face looks ferocious. Nan Bec sees her and he takes back what he said about putting on make up. She's better without it. Like her ferocious makeup, Xiao Yu ferociously runs after him.
Nan Bei asks Xiao Yu are on a (non)date. She puckers her lip to ask him if her lipstick colour is nice. (She chose that colour because Tuan Zi said Nan Bei likes that colour) Nan Bei nervously looks away from her lips and offers to buy milktea instead. They're stargazing together and she admires the night scenery. He admires the scenery beside him. She catches him staring but he changes the topic that she's cold and proceeds to take of his jacket for her. She's not cold, though. He insists she's cold. Lol.
Xiao Yu has hopes of getting Nan Bei's apple on New Year's Eve. To get an apple from a man is a confession. She spots him at a convenience store with an apple in hand. For the longest time he stares at it and then suddenly he eats it with conviction. Lol. At her dorm, she receives a basket of fruits. There's not a single apple in there. There's even a pear. Pear in Chinese is a bad present between couples because in the characters for pear is the word "separation”.
[Ep15] Six hours ago. Nan Bei had wanted to buy Xiao Yu an apple at the supermarket. He even fought Liu Yan Ze for the last one (ou, who did Liu Yan Ze wanted to buy it for?). However it’s a rotten one, the boss cuts it out for Nan Bei and even gives him a discount. Nan Bei stared down at his imperfect apple that he can no longer give Xiao Yu. He angrily bites down on it and that’s the scene Xiao Yu and Tuan Zi saw.
Then Nan Bei buys a fruit basket with a single apple in it. After he furtively enters the female dorms, he realizes the apple is gone (his roommate ate it).
Then Nan Bei goes to a supermarket to buy an apple but he’s no match for the older ladies there. The apples are sold out before he can even reach the counter.
Then Nan Bei visits the apple orchid. He crashes the bike and walks the rest of the way carrying a broken bike. He has no wallet and ends up stealing the apple. A scary dog chases after him and he hurriedly enters a taxi. On the taxi he realizes he lost his phone during the commotion at the supermarket and so he has no money to pay the taxi fare either. The driver is willing to drive him part way using apple as money (lol) and so Nan Bei is down to one apple again.
Then Nan Bei walks alone on a stranded beach. He finds a crying child. Pitying him, he takes the child’s hand and gives him the last apple. And now we’re down to zero. And phone-less.
What a story for an apple. I almost forgot he wanted to confess.
Finally, he meets Xiao Yu (apple-less). He doesn’t want to talk about his day at all. They’re with the debate team to celebrate New Years with fireworks. However, an officer stops them. Fireworks aren’t allowed in this area. Nan Bei, what kind of poop did you step on today?
In the bag of fireworks, Nan Bei finds an apple that Tuan Zi randomly threw in. It was the apple from Tao Hao. He smiles and gives the apple to Xiao Yu who accepts it. He asks her what relationship they have now. She smiles. He smiles. They’re together!
They have their first date the next night. It’s cute how she was looking for his hand to hold meanwhile his hand is hovering over her shoulders. She turns around to look for his hand and holds it in hers. Nan Bei wants to tell everyone their relationship but Xiao Yu doesn’t. She’s afraid if they breakup it will affect their debate team. Nan Bei doesn’t like the thought of that but listens to her anyways. When Xiao Yu sees Tao Hao, she quickly twists Nan Bei’s hand to act that they’re fighting. Any time they want to do anything lovey-dovey, they meet someone familiar. Any time they’re not doing anything suspicious, Xiao Yu is still nervous and will hide in a corner with Nan Bei.
[Ep16] It’s the holidays so Xiao Yu and Duan Nan are back in their home town. The two girls both have sorrows but different ones. Xiao Yu’s sorrow is that her parents are micromanaging her and choosing a career she doesn’t want. Duan Nan's sorrow is that her parents don’t care enough of her. She wants to choose a riskier entrepreneur path over her financial degree which she clearly excels at but her mom ie like yeah sure, whatever you want.
Nan Bei’s parents are worried about their son’s choice because they don’t know anything but his law speciality. He sits them down and explains every detail of the career path he’s chosen. Aw.
Tuan Zi’s dad wants her to choose something she’s good at as her career and what she likes as her hobby. She definitely doesn’t have the skill as a manhua artist.
Nan Bei knows Xiao Yu is unhappy she couldn’t convince her parents about her career choice so he takes a long distance bus all the way to her home with a rose bouquet. The boy is still in his pyjamas! Aw! He tells her to parents will always think them as children. If she wants to convince her parents, she’ll need to show them she’s an adult too.
Xiao Yu is so smitten with her boyfriend she gives him a peck on the cheek. He’s startled as he turns to meet her eyes. She wants to give him another peck and he’s flustered and fidgets around. She holds his head steady and gives him the second kiss. Afterwards, she scowls, “I’m just kissing you, what are you dodging for?” Nan Bei holds his cheek and smiles the rest of the ride home.
[Ep17] Xiao Yu wants to tell everyone her relationship with Nan Bei. He asks her about her fear of breaking up. She smiles that she doesn't think it's that big of a possibility anymore. Aw. To their dismay, when they announced the happy news, none of the debate team cared except Teacher Sa. For the rest of team they describe their relationship is something they were highly expecting for so long and now that it’s finally here, they feel nothing, lol.
Today's debate Tuan Zi and Ma Nan chill lax in the audience.
Debate topic: Within a family relationship is being ourselves or being considerate of family more important. Our team is supporting the latter. I usually love my romances but when the debate segment came up I realized how much I missed it. There's a lot of interesting points that I wish I could jot down.
- Main points come down to persisting our beliefs or sacrificing them for our family. Nan Bei's closing argument was touching as he brought up his father's sacrifice on his singer dream for his family (I love it when the drama inserts these scenes beforehand and recall it in the debate). But is it really sacrifice when his family became more important than his dream? It's not sacrifice when you're doing it out of love and consideration for the family. Gosh, Nan Bei’s line sounded so much better than what I typed.
Xiao Yu's highschool crush is here to visit but who is he visiting?
[Ep18] Debate topic: When in love, which is better: being natural or working hard to maintain it?
The boys are like what's the difference?Tuan Zi: Of course there is a difference! Working hard at it means you careNan Bei: So being natural means you don't care. LOL.Xiao Yu: That's not what it means. If love isn't there then you don't have to treat her well (work hard to maintain it).Ma Nan: Ah so if love disappeared, I still have to treat her well? That's what it means to work hard and keep the relationship going?Tuan Zi: No, of course not (because that refutes her premise).Nan Bei: Okay...so what really is the difference between the two? I love how unenthusiastic the boys are.Tuan Zi: Well that is... you know... working hard to maintain it is...being very deliberate, you know.
Xiao Yu sneaks out of dinner with Nan Bei to have dinner with her high school crush. She was planning to refuse the crush thinking he liked her but he only wanted to ask her for help to pursue another girl. Now Nan Bei thinks Xiao Yu is cheating on him.
Liu Yan Zhe and Tuan Zi have a "friendly" date. When did these get this close? He buys her a rare manga. Tuan Zi realizes there's more than one way to be involved in manga work other than drawing the manga.
[Ep19] Ma Nan and the boys try to convince Nan Bei to make up with Xiao Yu. He complains it's always him and that's when Xiao Yu initiates a movie date (thanks to Tao Hao persuading her). He's smug but he keeps mentioning his childhood female friend just to make her jealous. But he goes overboard! She's sick of hearing it. The more she glares at him, the more Nan Bei thinks he's effectively making her jealous.
Xiao Yu grabs Nan Bei by the collar and drills it in his head that she isn't the type of girl to cheat. It seems like Nan Bei likes the aggressive type. With her glaring him down and yelling it to his face that she has no feelings for that high school friend, Nan Bei immediately wants a make up hug with her. Lol.
The debate today is the love topic. Nan Bei and Xiao Yu argues that love should be something maintained (over natural) just like how they solved their argument. It bugs me how I cannot summarize the debate! But I do like these points:
- Xiao Yu: A crush isn't love. Love is mutual. Interesting perspective.
- Nan Bei: A crush is Love waiting to happen.
[Ep20] Teacher Sa got our team a car to drive them to the debates, However, I can't tell if he sucks at driving or the car is that bad. I think it's both. Their car is slower that a tractor. Teacher Sa even pitched in his own savings to buy them the car! Later, he also got a ticket. But it's all worth it when our 235 Team wins all their debates! Eventually, the car breaks down. Lol. Nan Bei piggybacks Xiao Yu. Meanwhile Ma Nan finds an excuse to give a somewhat-cold Tao Hao his jacket. Aw. Nan Bei gets tired of carrying Xiao Yu and drops her on purpose. Lol.
The girls keep discussing their debate topic overnight. The lone girl who isn’t on the debate team is annoyed she can’t sleep with their chattering. I would be too. Thus, the girls take their conversation out on the tracks. They meet the boys who also can’t sleep because they’re stuck on the debate topic too. Our 235 team stop by at a tea place and they meet their doppelgängers. The werewolf game was funny when the Nanbei’s want to kill the Xiaoyu’s and the real Nan Bei won his doppelgänger to kill the real Xiao Yu. His shoulder move after winning his doppelgänger was funny. This doppelgänger gang is also a debate team and it’s the competition our 235 is bailing out on for another competition that’s worth more points. It turns out if 235 refuses this match then it’s over for the doppelgänger debate team. That team leader’s persistence and passion touches our 235 team and so they drop the other competition that’s worth more points.
Our 235 team wins the debate. However, they now have to be in a three way elimination match with Team 1 (Liu Yan Zhe) and another random team. Only one team can win the points to enter the finals.
The team confronts Ma Nan when he’s going to confess to Tao Hao. They were all excitedly waiting for Ma Nan to ask Tao Hao out when she tells him she doesn’t have any plans today either. To their dismay, he doesn’t do anything. Ma Nan says he has his own pace. A snail’s pace, lol.
[Ep21] Ma Nan stalks Tao Hao when she meets up with her ex. Her ex is taking psychological therapy and wanted her help. Ma Nan is caught stalking. He tries to explain but she tells him it's pretty obvious why he's following her. She knows he likes him. So why isn't he confessing?
Nan Bei and his team confidently walk into the debate but he confidently sits in the wrong seat (Liu Yan Zhe's team). The funny part of this is his own teammates gave up on telling me he was in the wrong seat, hahaha.
Debate Topic: In life, is it more important to learn to pick things up, let it go or be casual.
- "Picking up" is my semi-direct translation of the Chinese words.
- Our 235 Debate team is supporting this stance. They argue that it means to take on responsibilities and facing your courage.
- "Letting go"
- A random team is arguing this one. Their perspective is that life is about losing (losing time, youth, etc). Once we learn to let go on what we have lost then we have the energy to pick up on the right resources to move on and improve.
- "Be Casual"
- Liu Yan Zhe and Duan Nan are on this team. Being casual is not giving up. It's not forcing oneself to make a choice. It is adapting to the environment. You can't always get what you want and so it's best working with what you have to get the best result.
The three-way debate was too interesting. I didn't know how they were going to argue "Letting Go" and "Being Casual" but am pretty impressed, as expected. "Be Casual" had an advantage because they're right in the middle of the two arguments and it's arguing casual = adapting. I love Liu Yan Zhe's closing statement ("There are people who can pick up and let go, and there are also people who can't pick up and can't let go; don't let other people persuade you to go either way, go your own way").
The winners of the debate: Liu Yan Zhe and Duan Nan's team. Aw! That's it for our 235 debate team. We didn't even get to hear their closing argument.
Liu Yan Zhe finds a way for them to enter the final debate!! He tells Tuan Zi and before he even finished talking, she’s off to tell her teammates. Awwww. There is still a debate left and through that they can gain an extra point which will allow them to enter the finals.
Nan Bei doesn’t fail to make me laugh when he lets out a loathing thank you between his teeth to Liu Yan Zhe.
Tao Hao and Ma Nan each try out a dating app on their own for their debate topic (related to AI). They’re 100% compatible as they talk about the person they remind each other of because their heart has each other!. They deny the chance for a video chat because their heart has each other!.
[Ep23] Debate Topic: Rapid technological advances is more beneficial to mankind. Our team is for this argument. The interesting part of this debate is that they’re arguing against a robot who’s arguing against this statement.
Our 235 team wins the debate.
Tao Hao asks Ma Nan to accompany her. She needs someone to help her get back her money that she lent. She didn’t expect him to help her that much, she just wanted him at her side because he gives her security. Ma Nan likes hearing that. She smiles and says that her "Tao Hao” disease is 99% better. Then in comes a call. Another friend is asking her for money. She peeks at Ma Nan and then quickly gives in to her friend. Lol. After Ma Nan convinces her out of it, she nervously tells her friend she can’t lend the money afraid that’d be the end of their friendship. It isn’t. Ma Nan smiles and opens his arm to show how easy it was. She thought it meant he wanted a hug so she gives him one. Ma Pu can’t move in her arms. This dude has never been in love, eh. Hehehe.
Liu Yan Zhe confesses to Tuan Zi (already!) while she’s teaching him how to bake. She’s stunned to silence and runs away. She runs to tell Tao Hao that she rejected Liu Yan Zhe when she loves him so much. Lol. Her freaking out is hilarious. She’s way too nervous to think the godly Liu Yan Zhe would like her back. Liu Yan Zhe misunderstands that she has a terminal disease and that’s why she’s rejecting him. LOL, what are these scenes. Our drama has turned into a funny melodrama. He hugs her and tells her that no matter how bad her condition is, he will love her and stay at her side. Luckily, the misunderstanding is resolved. Liu Yan Zhe and Tuan Zi are officially together. The girls scream at the news. Nan Bei hollers. LOL. He’s in a fury that she’s dating Liu Yan Zhe. Xiao Yu has to hold him down. Lol.
[Ep24] Liu Yan Zhe, Tuan Zi, Nan Bei and Xiao Yu are on a double date. We finally figure out why Nan Bei hates Liu Yan Zhe. When the boys had their military training, Liu Yan Zhe tried to hide Nan Bai’s video game from the supervisor but he accidentally deletes all his history. Nan Bei thought he deleted it on purpose and held a grudge on him for all these years. The girls make them ride a Ferris wheel together and Nan Bei grudgingly says he forgives Liu Yan Zhe, lol. I guess this is actually a date between Liu Yan Zhe and Nan Bei? Nan Bei is way too childish.
Ma Nan walks Tao Hao home but he just drops her off without saying anything. Fed up, Tao Hao picks up her courage and yells back at him, “Ma Nan, You are such a coward!” I agree!! Suddenly, he walks with determination towards her and gives her a strong kiss! Yay!!! These two have crept up my favourite couple list.
Unfortunately, Ma Nan is too rusty in dating, and Tao Hao thinks she needs to be girly to be loved. It turns out pretty awkward for the two of them when she turns cute (inspired by Tuan Zi). Ma Nan takes her hand in his and tells her he likes her for who she is. If she doesn’t know how to be cutesy, he’ll be cute instead. Tao Hao likes the idea of that. I really like them.
Tao Hao manages Ma Nan’s graduation. She can let go of the little things but not this one. He might feel a little strangled but I think he’s blessed.
Also in this episode: the three boyfriends almost die when they accompany their girlfriends shopping the entire day. They almost died of boredom.
Xiao Yu is a bridesmaid for the couple she had successfully mediated for. The roommate shares her view on marriage. Heads up, it’s scary. She thinks that there will be a day she’ll want to kill her husband and if she goes to the supermarket and buys his favourite food but didn’t buy a gun, once she’s home she’s going to regret not buying the gun. LMAO. The way she monotonously says it in one breath makes this even funnier.
The marriage is an even bigger obstacle. Our drama turns into an action for this wedding. Unfortunately, the groom doesn’t manage to pick up his bride from her family who are hungry for money. The groom asks the bridesmaid for help to pretend to be his bride to walk down the aisle so his relatives aren’t disappointed. Tuan Zi volunteers. There’s a veil to hide her face. However the dress is too big for her; Xiao Yu has to be the bride. Nan Bei who had comforted Tuan Zi about how Liu Yan Zhe wouldn’t mind is now freaking out. Haha.
[Ep26] Nan Bei wails as the wedding music turns on. Haha. But his Xiao Yu is right behind him. The real bride assumed her proper role.
Ma Nan is still being managed quite tightly by Tao Hao, lol.
Xiao Yu catches the bouquet. She’s next to be married? Ma Nan gives Nan Bei a huge thumbs up (or more like Ma Nan is laughing at Nan Bei).
The final debates. Liu Yan Zhe’s team is winning the other team. The topic: whether anxiety marketing is a morally correct. Liu Yan Zhe closes the argument. How is making someone anxious morally wrong? Is it wrong to remind a person of the risks in life? Is it wrong for parents to nag their children about their studies for a successful future? Ma Nan looks at Tao Hao. Ahhh, so this is the point of this debate.
235 also advances.
[Ep27] Teacher Sa has a loveline too. It’s Dian Dian. I like how Ma Nan motivated Teacher Sa.
[Ep28] Debate Topic: Which requires more courage: accepting reality or changing reality. 235 is arguing accepting is harder. The opposite team is Dian Dian’s.
Ma Nan: When we accept that this is reality, that means we have to change. When we accept that we have to fight that means we have to change the fact that we’re weak. Changing ourselves is hard, really hard.
235 wins and advance to the finals.
Teacher Sa takes the debate to heart. He courageously accepts his weakness and finally pursues Dian Dian.
235’s opponent is Liu Yan Zhe’s team. Nan Bei was truly excited but once reality dawns on him, he feels sick and nervous to actually compete against Liu Yan Zhe.
[Ep29] Tuan Zi accidentally takes Liu Yan Zhe’s notebook with his debate notes. Nan Bei accidentally reads it. He was going to confess to Liu Yan Zhe but he pussies out. Nan Bei does feel bad for reading it and voluntarily steps out of the debate. Ah, so we don’t get a Nan Bei and Liu Yan Zhe PK.
Other stuff this episode: The original coach for 235 team has a surgery; the musical band is disbanding.
Debate Topic: "無用之用” (Uselessness’s Usefulness), does it mean it’s useful or useless? 235 is arguing it’s useless. Okay, so what does this mean? The argument is should we see useless things as useless or see the worth in the useless (e.g. listening to music will not make me money but it makes me happy).
[Ep30] One hour later. The judges discuss the debate. They’re torn on who the winner is. Some highlights during the debate:
- Tuan Zi brought up a nice point: What is usefulness? Just because it may be useful doesn’t mean it’s useful to me.
- 235 is losing. Nan Bei substitutes Tuan Zi. Liu Yan Zhe had also texted: "See you at the match” to Nan Bei.
- Nan Bei asks Liu Yan Zhe how their team determines the usefulness of uselessness. Liu Yan Zhe gives an example: handmade items (useless) are popular online. Nan Bei agrees. But it is popular because it's useless. Not because it is useful. Reading mangas is fun because we're not tested on it. Once it's in exam contents, it'll become "useful" and now manga has no entertainment value. Nan Bei just threw off every point the opponent made. Basic summary: we gotta admit what is useless is useless then the statement 無用之用 can truly fulfill itself and be useful.
- We delve deeper in the topic as the Drama takes our debate teams out of their seats in an alternate dimension to explain 無用之用
- We all use "Useful" to bind us to life’s motivations (i.e. studying is useful, high grades are useful).
- But when we let go of what is "useful" and let go of the debate results then we can truly admire this debate's worth.
- Once we're willing to admit something is useless, respect that something is useless then we can enjoy 無用之用 (the usefulness in uselessness), then we are truly free.
- Then let us all hope that we are the one who can enjoy the usefulness in uselessness
- And that can help us become the most useful person.
- This drama is in dire needs of proper English subtitles. I don’t think I brought justice to how Drama used this debate to make us appreciate 無用之用 and how it relates to chasing our dreams even if it appears useless in everyone else’s eyes.
235 wins! Nan Bei finally wins Liu Yan Zhe. The musical band also wins their rival too. The coach's surgery is successful too.
Ma Nan graduates. He thanks the team for pulling him through his lazy habits otherwise he'd still be playing computer games. However, before he finishes his gratitude speech, he actually can't graduate because he's missing a course. LOL. Tao Hao won't be mad as long as he works two jobs next year to make up for the deficit. Ma Nan is one of the recurring cast of Hello Debate Opponent. Does that mean he'll just never graduate and always be part of this series?
Someone confesses to Liu Yan Zhe in the very same way Tuan Zi had confessed to him in the beginning. Before Liu Yan Zhe can refuse, Tuan Zi claims him as hers. She's angry at Liu Yan Zhe but he gives her a sweet kiss.
Nan Bei gifts Xiao Yu a photo album of their pictures together. It's all selfies he snapped with her falling asleep in the background. Haha. She hunts him down.
Final scene: A group photo of our debate club with the coach and the addition of Liu Yan Zhe because he's Xiao Yu's "family”.
Six months later. More debates!
In the ending song, it gives credit to all the cameos of people who are actually involved in debates. There are real MC’s; there are real university student debate club members. In the last debate, all those judges are well known in the debate circle. Some of them are champions in big debates. Drama, I love the effort. Bravo!
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-10)] There's all sorts of jokes everywhere! It’s witty, it’s smart, and sometimes downright silly. Many of the topics this drama addresses resound with real problems of young adults in Chinese society. The magic of this drama is how it balances the real and the comedy. One moment I’m laughing at them, then I get a dose of reality, then I watch the youths in this drama learn and grow, and then I laugh some more – a lot more. Oh yes, this is also a youth romance drama but the romance isn’t in heavy doses. I particularly like the romance between Xiao Yu and Nan Bei. They’re like bros, very comfortable with each other, very loyal with one another. Then I like Ma Pu and Tao Hao; they balance each other. I wasn’t expecting to find her character funny (funny-weird kind of funny). And then I like the potential romance between our foody, Tuan Zi – also known as Dumpling – and Liu Yan Ze. Basically, I’m telling you I like all the couples.
Most importantly, the debates are fascinating. I’m unaccustomed to debate clubs. The only debates I’ve seen are the presidential ones and they’re nothing like this. They talk sooo fast! I’m processing the words but my brain isn’t fast enough to process the logic. Their logic starts from A and then X and then B and then Q and then back to A. I can get the individual A, X, B and Q but it’s the connection of it all that loses me at times. Yet, I’m still mesmerized by the way they talk, especially Nan Bei. When he talks, I understand everything. I’m sucked into his presence.
I did not know Hello Debate Opponent was this fun. If I finish this (and if time permits!) I'll want to watch first season too.
[Actors/Actresses] Zhai Zi Lu has elevated to his role (Nan Bei). I love his character as the loyal friend of Xiao Yu. His comedic beat is spot on. When he’s debating my eyes are involuntarily glued to him. I don't even need his dimple because he already won me over when he spoke during his debate.
[Behind the Scenes]
[Ending] Happy!
Final Review
[Review] What I like: The witty remarks spat out at high speed in the most unexpected moments. The humour in this drama is right up my alley. There’s a lot of stupidly funny things but I enjoy the wit in the dialogues more. Every episode had a scene/dialogue that made me laugh out loud.
What I would have loved: A deeper dive into the debates. When this drama is in debate mode, this shines. I wished the drama spent at least half of its time in the debates. A vast range of topics were covered and all of them being were relatable (e.g. the pains of growing up and adapting to adult society, family values, attitude on life, the changing world, the woes of chasing a dream, etc). I’m awed at how easily convinced I was to either side just because of how the Drama structured the arguments. Sometimes the closing statements pin my heart where it’s sore. It reminds me of choices I’ve made that I’ve regretted.
What I love: The time spent on and around the debates. I love it when a drama nonchalantly integrates miscellaneous scenes to later use it in the most profound way. This drama has done plenty of that. For example, Tuan Zi’s shopaholic disease (that I can relate to a certain degree, those discounts!) that lead into a debate about self control. When you expect this drama to be light and comedic – which it is – you’ll get a meaningful moment without any warning. It’s these moments that makes this drama above and beyond regular youth dramas.
The other thing I love: The individual characters and the ensemble synergy of the cast. I love this cast so much, the Drama can give me random scenes outside the debate and I won’t utter a complaint. However, even as someone who usually enjoys romances, I didn’t need that much of it in this particular drama. If anything, the heavy focus on romance might have been this drama’s biggest weakness (because I wanted more debates). But since I love everyone, it’s okay. Also, the romances have their cute moments. You’re bound to love at least one couple.
My favourite couple was Xiao Yu and Nan Bei. When they got together they lost a tad bit of their freshness. No worries, though. Ma Nan and Tao Hao swiftly filled in. They were cute and funny to the end. By the way, Tao Hao crept up as my favourite character. She had the best character development. Other couples: Tuan Zi & Liu Yan Ze; Teacher Sa & his sweetheart.
Random Recommendation: Youth (2018) a very different feel but both are youth dramas that have complexity.
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