A girl secretly in love with a boy for fifteen years.
Notable Actors/Actresses
[Ep6] Zhang Ming Rui silently sits with a brokenhearted Luo Zhi. He lets her cry behind his back in an empty auditorium. Ah yes, now I remember how sweet Zhang Ming Rui was. Sheng Huai Nan sends an apology text to Luo Zhi after Zhang Ming Rui notifies him she’s crying over his first text (he refused the tutoring part time). Luo Zhi doesn’t like an apology without a reason. He wanted to text: “Back then I thought the world only revolved around me that I didn’t notice such a hardworking you.” He doesn't send it, though.
Sheng Huai Nan finds the question he wrote on the wall. Luo Zhi wrote the answer but he doesn’t know that it was her. He muses how that person knew his thoughts exactly.
Luo Zhi is an audience to Sheng Huai Nan's debate competition. She starts imagining a debate of her own with Sheng Huai Nan about love. Her imaginary Sheng Huai Nan tells her he finds it creepy she’s been observing him for all these years. She asks him how is she supposed to tell him she’s been doing everything she can to improve herself so that she can catch up to him, to be his match.
[Ep7] Sheng Huai Nan Makes a Move. Sheng Huai Nan sees Luo Zhi at the library. He also sees her stopping by at a window to write on it with her finger. After she leaves, he tries to recreate what she wrote. He also goes to law class again and sits right next to her. It belonged to Zhang Ming Rui. He’s not giving up his seat. Sheng Huai Nan points elsewhere for him to sit. He asks Luo Zhi where the class left off at. She points to the line in the book and she lingers on the 0.6cm distance between their fingers and their elbows.
[Ep8] Zheng Wen Rui makes a move on Sheng Huai Nan. She “accidentally” pours water onto Sheng Huai Nan to create that “Water Fate”. He desperately runs away. That incident makes Luo Zhi laugh for the rest of the class.
[Ep12] When the two of them are back at university, Sheng Huai Nan finds Luo Zhi at the library. She catches him staring at her. Lol @ Hu Yi Tian in a role where he secretly likes someone. She asks him if he’s done looking. He’s caught off guard and lies he wasn’t looking. She meant if he was done reading, heh
There’s an entrepreneurial competition. Sheng Huai Nan has an app idea for preventing kids from getting lost. He smirks at Luo Zhi. She’s the lost kid who inspired this idea of his. This app is to allow others to find the person they love. Ye Zhan Yan jealously stares at the love in their eyes. She self invited herself to join his team for the competition.
Other students don’t think Sheng Huai Nan should join because of his family background. Sheng Huai Nan isn't getting any special privileges but others don't believe it.
[Ep13]
[Ep14]
[Ep15]
[Ep16]
[Ep17]
[Ep18]
[Ep19]
[Ep20]
[Ep21]
[Ep22]
[Ep23]
[Ep24]
[Ep25]
[Ep26]
[Ep27]
[Ep28]
[Ep29]
[Ep30]
[Ep31]
[Ep32]
[Ep33]
[Ep34]
[Ep35]
[Ep36]
[Ep37]
[Ep38]
[First Impression (Ep1-8)] I have a pretty bad long term memory so I can’t remember Unrequited Love (2019) that well, just that I was addicted to it in the beginning. I definitely don’t have that same addiction here. There isn't that angst or burn or yearn. It’s probably better I drop the comparison for the sake of this drama. Before I do that though, I want to compliment 2019’s Luo Zhi (actress: Zhu Yan Man Zi). Her aura carried that drama in the beginning. She was classy and cold, she was smart and sarcastic; she was an introvert who thought highly of herself. Hu Bing Qing's Luo Zi lacks that essence.
As a stand-alone drama, it’s okay, maybe a little slow. It’s a simple romance between a shy but not that shy girl and her crush of fifteen years. I felt chemistry bubbling in Ep4 at the amusement park but the romance is quickly dampened because of jealous girls. With 38 episodes(!), I predict more story will be fleshed out of the side characters. There's only two I like: Zhang Ming Rui and Jiang Bai Lin. Other people make me want to skip, skip, skip.
I’m cautiously watching this. I like to believe I am over the phase where I’ll finish a drama purely for Hu Yi Tian. I’m waiting to see how these two will be like when they’re a couple. The drama is also pretty and soothing to look that.
[Actors/Actresses] To bring this adaptation to life, the heart of the drama is Luo Zhi. So many girls like Sheng Huai Nan, but why must I support Luo Zhi of all the girls? Hu Bing Qing's Luo Zhi doesn't convince me. Meanwhile, Hu Yi Tian is... Hu Yi Tian, lol. Compared to Luo Zhi, Sheng Huai Nan is easier to act; he needs to look good, smile, and be nice (Hu Yi Tian sits back, "Check, check, check.").
[Dropped (Ep13)] I don't mind slow romances but I mind not feeling the chemistry. If I had a smaller drama load I might still watch this because it’s easy to watch.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Hu Yi Tian: Sheng Huai Nan
Hu Bing Qing: Luo Zhi
Director:
Li Mu Ge
Chinese Title
暗戀·橘生淮南
[Ep1] Luo Zhi has been harbouring a fifteen year crush on Sheng Huai Nan.
[Ep2] Coffee (Non-)Date. Luo Zhi overhears a girl (Xu Ri Qing) embarrassing herself to make Sheng Huai Nan date her. Zhang Ming Rui (his buddy) likes this girl and she used him to befriend Sheng Huai Nan. Luo Zhi helps him avoid the girl. Sheng Huai Nan remembers her name. Happily, Luo Zhi asks him to thank her and so he treats her coffee. At the cafe, it really seems like he likes listening to her talk.
[Ep5] Unrequited loves everywhere. Things don’t look good for three pairs: Ding Shui Jing and Luo Yan (Luo Zhi’s brother), Jiang Bai Lin and Ge Bei, and last but not least Luo Zhi and Sheng Huai Nan. Oh yes, there’s also Zheng Wen Rui secretly crushing on Sheng Huai Nan too.
Confessions · Misunderstandings. The next morning, Luo Zhi has had enough of moping around. She wants to confess her love. She has to know why Sheng Huai Nan held her hand yesterday. However, Ye Zhan Yan meets him first. She introduces him to Ding Shui Jing. It’s a party to gossip on Luo Zhi. Ding Shui Jing shows him a picture of Luo Zhi’s diary where she admits she admires him. Thus, Sheng Huai Nan learns she lied about not knowing him that well when they met in university. He’s so upset, he explodes on his friends when he rarely ever does.
Chinese Title
暗戀·橘生淮南
Recap Grade: A
First Impression: 2/5
First Impression: 2/5
Mini Recaps
Highschool.
First Meeting in High School. A teacher chases the students for reading manga in the hallway. Luo Zhi’s friend stuffs the manga in her hand so she has to flee too. Sheng Huai Nan takes her hand to hide in the auditorium.
0.6cm. Luo Zhi helps a teacher write the students' name for the test ranking. She’s usually first but not this time. It’s the transfer student: Sheng Huai Nan. She stares at their names on the same paper; there’s a perfect 0.6cm distance between them.
"Romantic". Luo Zhi writes on the window with her finger. Sheng Huai Nan points out she got a character wrong. She’s inside the school and he’s outside the window. She smiles and tells him a story. There was once a boy who likes this girl and he asks her what type of day she likes the most: clear, cloudy or rainy. Sheng Huai Nan answers rainy. Luo Zhi ignores him and continues her story. The girl likes cloudy. The boy grins that he likes it too and runs away. The end. Sheng Nan Huai sighs that it’s romantic because for something to be romantic, doesn’t it mean there’s no ending? Sheng Huai Nan wanted to ask her for her name but Luo Zhi runs away.
Secret, Youth, Regret. Luo Zhi was going to tell Sheng Huai Nan she likes him if she wins this competition. She wants him to notice her but he drops out of the competition. That is how her crush remains a secret. It’s youthful; it’s regretful.
University.
No Hope. Sheng Huai Nan has a girlfriend (Ye Zhan Yan). Luo Zhi, who’s in the same university as him, spots them together. It upsets her not because he has a girlfriend but because his girlfriend is nothing like her. Even if Luo Zhi wears the same dress as Ye Zhan Yan, she can’t be the same as her. Luo Zhi throws away the dress. On the wall, behind the flower pots, she writes "Luo Zhi loves Sheng Huai Nan. No one will know.”
Yes Hope. Sheng Huai Nan breaks up with his girlfriend. It’s news for the school. I guess Luo Zhi is so happy, she starts singing when she’s alone. Sheng Huai Nan hears the beautiful voice and gravitates towards it but he’s called away by his friend before he can locate the source of the singing.
[Ep2] Coffee (Non-)Date. Luo Zhi overhears a girl (Xu Ri Qing) embarrassing herself to make Sheng Huai Nan date her. Zhang Ming Rui (his buddy) likes this girl and she used him to befriend Sheng Huai Nan. Luo Zhi helps him avoid the girl. Sheng Huai Nan remembers her name. Happily, Luo Zhi asks him to thank her and so he treats her coffee. At the cafe, it really seems like he likes listening to her talk.
Before she leaves, she tells him why she saved him from the girl. She pities the girl, she doesn’t want her to humiliate herself in front of the supermarket, and later regret it. Sheng Huai Nan nods in approval. He asks to add her on WeChat and takes her phone. She backs out and says she’ll input her number in his phone instead. She won’t let him see her phone because there’s a poem on it. The poem is the origin of her name. She yearns for the day to show him when they’re together.
Zhang Ming Rui asks Sheng Huai Nan what he thinks about Luo Zhi. He is silent. Zhang Ming Rui notes the oddity in his non-answer. The godly Sheng Huai Nan is silent about a girl. Sheng Huai Nan really doesn’t know her but when she talks he’s reminded of a little girl who saved him from a bully but he can’t quite remember her. Omg, this trope again!!
Hot Coffee Fate. Zhang Ming Rui accidentally pours hot coffee onto Luo Zhi (that is also apparently how Sheng Huai Nan and Ye Zhan Yan started dating). Sheng Huai Nan asks if she’s alright. She says yes. He reconfirms if it doesn’t hurt. This time, she’s curt, “It’s like you want me to be hurt.” She also has a retort for Zhang Ming Rui who keeps talking, “It’s like you want to be fated with me.” Sheng Huai Nan smirks.
Zhang Ming Rui teases Sheng Huai Nan about Luo Zhi. Sheng Huai Nan thinks he likes Luo Zhi and he, as his buddy, will support his love. The next day, Zhang Ming Rui asks her out. She tells him if it’s because of the hot coffee, then save it. If it’s because he likes her, she was going to reject. Through their short conversation, Zhang Ming Rui notices Luo Zhi likes Sheng Huai Nan “too”. Luo Zhi picks up on the “too" and realizes the girl he likes likes Sheng Huai Nan. Luo Zhi accepts his request for food. The whole time, Zhang Ming Rui speaks up for Sheng Huai Nan and how he finds her a perfect match for him (Sheng).
An uncomfortably alone Sheng Huai Nan is at the library. He texts Zhang Ming Rui to congratulate him on the date. Luo Zhi sees the text and coldly asks Zhang Ming Rui to not play her like a toy (one hand he’s pushing her with Sheng Huai Nan, the other hand, Sheng Huai Nan is pushing her with Zhang Min Rui).
[Ep3] No Feelings. Sheng Huai Nan doesn’t want to be in another relationship. He’s tired of people approaching him with motives which is why he won’t open up his heart to his feelings towards Luo Zhi. Thus, he swears to Zhang Ming Rui he doesn’t have feelings for Luo Zhi.
No Feelings, Really? Ge Bi follows Luo Zhi at the supermarket. His girlfriend (Jiang Bai Li) is her roommate and she won’t talk to him. Ge Bi wants Luo Zhi to give a bouquet to Jiang Bai Li for him. She throws it away. Jiang Bai Li is allergic to flowers. Their argument in front of the supermarket is interrupted by Sheng Huai Nan. Ge Bi awkwardly leaves. Sheng Huai Nan asks her if she should thank him. She gives him a drink she bought at the supermarket. That’s not the thank you he was expecting.
Sheng Huai Nan follows Luo Zhi to the library. Luo Zhi deduces Sheng Huai Nan’s coincidences aren't coincidences. He compliments her for not hiding her thoughts to expose others. Not true. She’s always hiding herself. After they share the same interest in the same books, they finally have a proper conversation that extends into phone messages even when they’re separated.
Another Secret Admirer. Zheng Wen Rui confronts Luo Zhi that she likes Sheng Huai Nan too. A secret admirer can identity a fellow secret admirer. This girl looks like a scary one. She had found the diary Luo Zhi threw away. So someone does know.
[Ep4] Intro: Sheng Huai Nan finds Luo Zhi's bookmark at the library.
Amusement Park Date. Sheng Huai Nan and Luo Zhi coincidentally meet at the amusement park. She's taking the kids she tutors and he's going with his roommates (the roommates girlfriends insisted he go). He can sense the girls motives. He much rather be with Luo Zhi and the kids.
Back in Highschool. Ye Zhan Yan saw Luo Zhi run away when Sheng Huai Nan asked her for her name at the rooftop. From then on, Ye Zhan Yan guarded that place until she coincidentally bumped into Sheng Huan Nan. Thus she became the storyteller of the "romantic" story and the person who recommended him the book he likes.
[Ep5] Unrequited loves everywhere. Things don’t look good for three pairs: Ding Shui Jing and Luo Yan (Luo Zhi’s brother), Jiang Bai Lin and Ge Bei, and last but not least Luo Zhi and Sheng Huai Nan. Oh yes, there’s also Zheng Wen Rui secretly crushing on Sheng Huai Nan too.
Confessions · Misunderstandings. The next morning, Luo Zhi has had enough of moping around. She wants to confess her love. She has to know why Sheng Huai Nan held her hand yesterday. However, Ye Zhan Yan meets him first. She introduces him to Ding Shui Jing. It’s a party to gossip on Luo Zhi. Ding Shui Jing shows him a picture of Luo Zhi’s diary where she admits she admires him. Thus, Sheng Huai Nan learns she lied about not knowing him that well when they met in university. He’s so upset, he explodes on his friends when he rarely ever does.
[Ep6] Zhang Ming Rui silently sits with a brokenhearted Luo Zhi. He lets her cry behind his back in an empty auditorium. Ah yes, now I remember how sweet Zhang Ming Rui was. Sheng Huai Nan sends an apology text to Luo Zhi after Zhang Ming Rui notifies him she’s crying over his first text (he refused the tutoring part time). Luo Zhi doesn’t like an apology without a reason. He wanted to text: “Back then I thought the world only revolved around me that I didn’t notice such a hardworking you.” He doesn't send it, though.
Sheng Huai Nan finds the question he wrote on the wall. Luo Zhi wrote the answer but he doesn’t know that it was her. He muses how that person knew his thoughts exactly.
Luo Zhi is an audience to Sheng Huai Nan's debate competition. She starts imagining a debate of her own with Sheng Huai Nan about love. Her imaginary Sheng Huai Nan tells her he finds it creepy she’s been observing him for all these years. She asks him how is she supposed to tell him she’s been doing everything she can to improve herself so that she can catch up to him, to be his match.
[Ep7] Sheng Huai Nan Makes a Move. Sheng Huai Nan sees Luo Zhi at the library. He also sees her stopping by at a window to write on it with her finger. After she leaves, he tries to recreate what she wrote. He also goes to law class again and sits right next to her. It belonged to Zhang Ming Rui. He’s not giving up his seat. Sheng Huai Nan points elsewhere for him to sit. He asks Luo Zhi where the class left off at. She points to the line in the book and she lingers on the 0.6cm distance between their fingers and their elbows.
Sheng Huai Nan notices the sun is bothering Luo Zhi so he leans further back in this awkward angle to block the sun for her. Zhang Ming Rui glimpses at them and smiles. Luo Zhi smiles too.
During class, Sheng Huai Nan keeps writing notes to her. He asks her what book she would recommend. She recommends the same book back in high school. Will he know it was her who he spoke to back then?
During class, Sheng Huai Nan keeps writing notes to her. He asks her what book she would recommend. She recommends the same book back in high school. Will he know it was her who he spoke to back then?
Sheng Huai Nan is determined to make Luo Zhi have lunch with him (and Zhang Ming Rui). He's relieved when she accepts but when she notices something is wrong with Jiang Bai Lin, she ditches the boys to hang out with her friend.
[Ep8] Zheng Wen Rui makes a move on Sheng Huai Nan. She “accidentally” pours water onto Sheng Huai Nan to create that “Water Fate”. He desperately runs away. That incident makes Luo Zhi laugh for the rest of the class.
Sheng Huai Nan looks at a laughing Luo Zhi and tells her she reminds him of a little girl who saved him from bullies. It is her but Luo Zhi stays silent; she waits for him to recall what he said to her. But he can’t remember. And she lets go of this chance too. Eight episodes is too soon for a reunion, eh?
[Ep9] Sheng Huai Nan lied that his “romantic” story doesn’t have an ending. Every time he passes by the place the little girl saved him, he’d pause there and wonder if he’ll miraculously meet her. To him, she’s the only person who helped him without any motives.
Luo Zhi also lied about using three chopsticks and hiding fatty part of the meat during lunch just so she can appeal to him that she’s the same as him.
Sheng Huai Nan takes Luo Zhi to the place he wrote the question and asks her if her answer would be the same as what’s written. Luo Zhi once again doesn’t admit that it’s her. Why??? He also tells her of the girl who sang that day. She asks him if he saw the girl’s face. No, duh. It bugs me that she’s baiting him to initiate everything while she does nothing when given so many chances.
[Ep10] Sheng Huai Nan snaps a picture of Luo Zhi pouting her cheeks in class for being distracted. She replies with a picture of his messy hair. The prelude to being together.
Luo Zhi befriends Xu Ri Qing after they share their unrequited loves for the same man.
Sheng Huai Nan and Luo Zhi bump into each other on campus. She has to tutor. There’s silence between them when none of them want to leave first. Luo Zhi points to the sky. In French, there’s a saying when there’s a silence, an angel had passed by. Luo Zhi smiles, “An angel must have flown by.” Sheng Huai Nan grins and takes her to tutoring on his bike. He lets her hold onto his shirt and assures her of his bike skills. As she rides behind him she remembers back in high school how she ran to keep up with him. Look at her now, she’s sitting right behind him. I like that high school scene. Very pretty how she fell back and then put in all her effort to jog alongside him. The effort is beautiful.
Sheng Huai Nan goes meow for Luo Zhi. Their playfulness is spotted by Ye Zhan Yan. She’s never seen her ex this happy with her before.
Sheng Huai Nan asks Luo Zhi for a date. She texts him who else will be there. He’s like who else do you want to be there! Jiang Bai Lin preps her for the date.
On the day of the date, Luo Zhi calls Sheng Huai Nan. Feeling ominous, he asks her if she’s calling to cancel. She has a problem. She mutters she’s lost. He heartily laughs and asks where she is. “Turn this corner and you’ll meet love.” Sheng Huai Nan perks up at that statement but she says it’s the street name. He directs her to go downhill, then turn one more corner and she’ll find (love) him.
On their date, he compliments she’s beautiful. Luo Zhi smiles: "I know". He adds that he has a similar shirt as hers. If he knew he would have worn it then they’d look like a ... two shirt. “Couple shirt” was what he wanted to say.
Luo Zhi befriends Xu Ri Qing after they share their unrequited loves for the same man.
Sheng Huai Nan and Luo Zhi bump into each other on campus. She has to tutor. There’s silence between them when none of them want to leave first. Luo Zhi points to the sky. In French, there’s a saying when there’s a silence, an angel had passed by. Luo Zhi smiles, “An angel must have flown by.” Sheng Huai Nan grins and takes her to tutoring on his bike. He lets her hold onto his shirt and assures her of his bike skills. As she rides behind him she remembers back in high school how she ran to keep up with him. Look at her now, she’s sitting right behind him. I like that high school scene. Very pretty how she fell back and then put in all her effort to jog alongside him. The effort is beautiful.
Sheng Huai Nan goes meow for Luo Zhi. Their playfulness is spotted by Ye Zhan Yan. She’s never seen her ex this happy with her before.
Sheng Huai Nan asks Luo Zhi for a date. She texts him who else will be there. He’s like who else do you want to be there! Jiang Bai Lin preps her for the date.
On the day of the date, Luo Zhi calls Sheng Huai Nan. Feeling ominous, he asks her if she’s calling to cancel. She has a problem. She mutters she’s lost. He heartily laughs and asks where she is. “Turn this corner and you’ll meet love.” Sheng Huai Nan perks up at that statement but she says it’s the street name. He directs her to go downhill, then turn one more corner and she’ll find (love) him.
On their date, he compliments she’s beautiful. Luo Zhi smiles: "I know". He adds that he has a similar shirt as hers. If he knew he would have worn it then they’d look like a ... two shirt. “Couple shirt” was what he wanted to say.
[Ep11] Luo Zhi and Sheng Huai Nan’s date is interrupted by Ye Zhan Yan. Ding Shui Jing had called Sheng Huai Nan to tell him to come over immediately because of Ye Zhan Yan. Luo Zhi watches Sheng Huai Nan get on a taxi to leave. She suddenly suggests to join him. She doesn’t want him to let go of her again after he meets with Ye Zhan Yan.
Ye Zhan Yan faints over and is hospitalized. Ding Shui Jing tells Sheng Huai Nan and Luo Zhi about why it's such a shock for Ye Zhan Yan that her father is remarrying. She witnessed her mother commit suicide in the second year of high school but she pretends to be happy in front of others.
Ye Zhan Yan wants Sheng Huai Nan to stay at the hospital with her but he chooses to send off Luo Zhi. Luo Zhi felt like an extra but not after he sent her off. Meanwhile Ye Zhan Nan never understood how Luo Zhi was always in between hers and Sheng Huai Nan’s relationship when Luo Zhi didn’t do anything. Ye Zhen Nan did all she could to pursue him. To her, it’s not fair.
There’s an entrepreneurial competition. Sheng Huai Nan has an app idea for preventing kids from getting lost. He smirks at Luo Zhi. She’s the lost kid who inspired this idea of his. This app is to allow others to find the person they love. Ye Zhan Yan jealously stares at the love in their eyes. She self invited herself to join his team for the competition.
Other students don’t think Sheng Huai Nan should join because of his family background. Sheng Huai Nan isn't getting any special privileges but others don't believe it.
[Ep13]
[Ep14]
[Ep15]
[Ep16]
[Ep17]
[Ep18]
[Ep19]
[Ep20]
[Ep21]
[Ep22]
[Ep23]
[Ep24]
[Ep25]
[Ep26]
[Ep27]
[Ep28]
[Ep29]
[Ep30]
[Ep31]
[Ep32]
[Ep33]
[Ep34]
[Ep35]
[Ep36]
[Ep37]
[Ep38]
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-8)] I have a pretty bad long term memory so I can’t remember Unrequited Love (2019) that well, just that I was addicted to it in the beginning. I definitely don’t have that same addiction here. There isn't that angst or burn or yearn. It’s probably better I drop the comparison for the sake of this drama. Before I do that though, I want to compliment 2019’s Luo Zhi (actress: Zhu Yan Man Zi). Her aura carried that drama in the beginning. She was classy and cold, she was smart and sarcastic; she was an introvert who thought highly of herself. Hu Bing Qing's Luo Zi lacks that essence.
As a stand-alone drama, it’s okay, maybe a little slow. It’s a simple romance between a shy but not that shy girl and her crush of fifteen years. I felt chemistry bubbling in Ep4 at the amusement park but the romance is quickly dampened because of jealous girls. With 38 episodes(!), I predict more story will be fleshed out of the side characters. There's only two I like: Zhang Ming Rui and Jiang Bai Lin. Other people make me want to skip, skip, skip.
I’m cautiously watching this. I like to believe I am over the phase where I’ll finish a drama purely for Hu Yi Tian. I’m waiting to see how these two will be like when they’re a couple. The drama is also pretty and soothing to look that.
[Actors/Actresses] To bring this adaptation to life, the heart of the drama is Luo Zhi. So many girls like Sheng Huai Nan, but why must I support Luo Zhi of all the girls? Hu Bing Qing's Luo Zhi doesn't convince me. Meanwhile, Hu Yi Tian is... Hu Yi Tian, lol. Compared to Luo Zhi, Sheng Huai Nan is easier to act; he needs to look good, smile, and be nice (Hu Yi Tian sits back, "Check, check, check.").
[Dropped (Ep13)] I don't mind slow romances but I mind not feeling the chemistry. If I had a smaller drama load I might still watch this because it’s easy to watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment