A girl lies to an amnesic guy that they are engaged.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Notable Actors/Actresses
Ji Xiao Bing: Ning Cheng Ming
Jin Mei Chen: Li Qian
Chinese Title
機智的戀愛生活
[Cyn-opsis (Ep1&2)] Li Qian meets her Death Star: Ning Cheng Ming. He was her mean professor back in university. She failed his test and no matter how much she begged him, he wouldn’t let her retake it. Now he’s finding fault in her company (where she’s just a secretary but she’s the brains behind her useless boss, Gu Zhe). She’s got quite the victim mentality but hey, she’s out FL and we should look at things from her perspective. He’s the mean one. Got it.
Yu Qing Qing, Li Qian’s bestie, gives her an idea: have Ning Cheng Ming temporarily arrested in Thailand for two days and her company's merger will be a success! Just a heads up, I'm actually not sure what the business part is about. Li Qian isn’t so sure about that but she tails Ning Cheng Ming's car anyway. For some reason Ning Cheng Ming pulls over to check out who’s tailing him. Does he see her? Li Qian makes a quick U-turn to avoid being caught but not long after, she hears a deafening crash. She looks back and Ning Cheng Ming’s car is totaled. A truck had intentionally rammed into it.
Drama hints that the person behind Ning Cheng Ming’s hit and run is Ma Hou, Ning Cheng Ming’s business partner. To put it simply, Ning Cheng Ming is on track to fire Ma Hou from the company and so Ma Hou's motive is to eliminate Ning Cheng Ming.
Ning Cheng Ming had an inkling he was Ma Hou’s target and so he had prepared a note for his secretary, Qi Wei, that if he were to disappear, do not call the police but to look for him in the hospital. Our clumsy Qi Wei keeps bumping into the hitman instead and fails to locate his boss.
It’s okay, though. Boss is safely with Li Qian. He’s just a bit amnesiac which is perfect for Li Qian because she can stall him at the hospital by claiming she’s his….fiancée! Of course, amnesia also entails retardation and so Ning Cheng Ming believes it.
[Ep3] There's more to Ning Cheng Ming. He's known as a Fox because he's cold and shrewd. He is born apathetic. I may have missed the name of his medical condition. When he was a child, his father died trying to save him and when he was told of the death, his response was to ask about food because he's hungry. Ning Cheng Ming is incapable of emoting.
[Ep4]
[Ep5] There's more to Li Qian. Her mother passed away when Li Qian was only a university student. Her father (Li Jing Fang) was never in her life until she was in university. It seems like Dad wants to care for Li Qian but she isn't accepting of him. There were rumours he played around with girls but he was serious about Li Qian's mother. Li Qian has two half brothers: Li Chen (2nd Bro) and Li Juan (Eldest Bro). This Li family is quite rich. Additionally, Li Chen isn't too fond of dad either.
[Ep6] There’s a kiss this episode because Ning Cheng Ming thought she wanted a kiss. She didn't.
[Ep7] Li Chen and Li Juan investigate Ning Cheng Ming for Dad. I'm liking this family: three overprotective men doting on the only girl in the family.
機智的戀愛生活
Network: MangoTV
Recap Grade: D → B
First Impression: 2.85/5
First Impression: 2.85/5
Mini Recaps
Yu Qing Qing, Li Qian’s bestie, gives her an idea: have Ning Cheng Ming temporarily arrested in Thailand for two days and her company's merger will be a success! Just a heads up, I'm actually not sure what the business part is about. Li Qian isn’t so sure about that but she tails Ning Cheng Ming's car anyway. For some reason Ning Cheng Ming pulls over to check out who’s tailing him. Does he see her? Li Qian makes a quick U-turn to avoid being caught but not long after, she hears a deafening crash. She looks back and Ning Cheng Ming’s car is totaled. A truck had intentionally rammed into it.
Drama hints that the person behind Ning Cheng Ming’s hit and run is Ma Hou, Ning Cheng Ming’s business partner. To put it simply, Ning Cheng Ming is on track to fire Ma Hou from the company and so Ma Hou's motive is to eliminate Ning Cheng Ming.
Ning Cheng Ming had an inkling he was Ma Hou’s target and so he had prepared a note for his secretary, Qi Wei, that if he were to disappear, do not call the police but to look for him in the hospital. Our clumsy Qi Wei keeps bumping into the hitman instead and fails to locate his boss.
It’s okay, though. Boss is safely with Li Qian. He’s just a bit amnesiac which is perfect for Li Qian because she can stall him at the hospital by claiming she’s his….fiancée! Of course, amnesia also entails retardation and so Ning Cheng Ming believes it.
[Ep3] There's more to Ning Cheng Ming. He's known as a Fox because he's cold and shrewd. He is born apathetic. I may have missed the name of his medical condition. When he was a child, his father died trying to save him and when he was told of the death, his response was to ask about food because he's hungry. Ning Cheng Ming is incapable of emoting.
[Ep4]
[Ep5] There's more to Li Qian. Her mother passed away when Li Qian was only a university student. Her father (Li Jing Fang) was never in her life until she was in university. It seems like Dad wants to care for Li Qian but she isn't accepting of him. There were rumours he played around with girls but he was serious about Li Qian's mother. Li Qian has two half brothers: Li Chen (2nd Bro) and Li Juan (Eldest Bro). This Li family is quite rich. Additionally, Li Chen isn't too fond of dad either.
Li Qian realizes Ning Cheng Ming's life is in danger. She decides to keep him with her.
[Ep6] There’s a kiss this episode because Ning Cheng Ming thought she wanted a kiss. She didn't.
[Ep7] Li Chen and Li Juan investigate Ning Cheng Ming for Dad. I'm liking this family: three overprotective men doting on the only girl in the family.
A cute convo:
Ning Cheng Ming: Am I not allowed to kiss you when there's people around?Li Qian: Yes!Ning Cheng Ming: Then what about now when there's no one around?Li Qian: No!Ning Cheng Ming: Why? Am I not your fiancé?
She manages to lie out of that one.
[Ep8] Yu Qing Qing has a tiny crush on Li Chen
Ning Cheng Ming is convinced Li Qian is out of love with him (because she won't let him kiss her) and so when she's home he gives her a romantic bidong.
[Ep9] The only problem is that the bidong isn't very romantic for Li Qian. She's trapped between a wall and a doofus.
Gu Lan and Li Chen have an engagement. Gu Lan is Gu Zhe's (Li Qian's boss) older sister. Neither are very willing to marry but neither are on bad terms.
[Ep10] Li Qian saves Ning Cheng Ming from a crowd of students stampeding over him. They hide in a staircase. She notices him sweating and wipes his forehead, asking if he's hot.
Ning Cheng Ming: I wasn't hot but now that you're holding me, I do feel a bit hot.
[Ep11] Li Qian almost consents to Ning Cheng Ming's kiss. She's struggling to not fall in love with him. On the other hand, Ning Cheng Ming is elevating his pursuit of her. He thinks he needs to save their relationship.
Dad Li and Li Juan hired people to tail Li Qian to confirm if Ning Cheng Ming is amnesiac. They've confirmed it.
[Ep12] Gu Zhe walks into the girls doing this. I like the girls' relationship.
[Ep13] Yu Qing Qing's crush on Li Chen ends after she overhears him denying any sort of feeling for her. Then she accidentally falls into the pool with Gu Zhe. Apparently both of them are getting over a heartbreak: Qing Qing for Li Chen and Gu Zhe for Li Qian. I am all onboard for our second couple to be Yu Qing Qing and Gu Zhe.
[Ep14] Li Qian thinks she lost Ning Cheng Ming and starts to cry. Our girl is in love.
[Ep15] Lots of kisses in this episode! Li Qian kisses Ning Cheng Ming back but with each kiss, he remembers his past (his parents car accident and his ex-girlfriend, Cao Mei)
[Ep16] Ning Cheng Ming recovers his memories. He's back to being a Fox – but he's capable of feeling anger now! – and returns to his company without a bye to Li Qian.
Ma Hou runs away. Oh, and he likes Cao Mei, Ning Cheng Ming's ex.
[Ep17]
[Ep18] Li Qian and Ning Cheng Ming see each other on opposite sides of the sidewalk. The light is green and they walk towards each other buuuuut he just walks by her at the intersection. He ignores her! Li Qian calls him back. Since she confronted him first, he will reason with her too. He blames it all on her that Ma Hou fled. If not for her, Qi Wei could have found him sooner and Ma Hou would have been arrested.
[Ep19] Ning Cheng Ming is yet again a pain in the arse for Li Qian's company, I mean Gu Zhe's company. I love how Li Qian can stand her ground against the douchey Ning Cheng Ming. She's just as business savvy as him.
[Ep20] In the middle of the meeting, Ning Cheng Ming and Li Qian are stuck in this room. They barely manage to cooperate to find a way out. While they're figuring out the mechanism that can lead them out, she asks him if there's any way he can go lenient on her company. He's like there is: You stay and work for three years as a manager. She scoffs that she'd just be arguing with the CEO (e.g. him) all the time. Ning Cheng Ming offers a second option: Gu Zhe can stay as the company mascot. Li Qian is protective of Gu Zhe and grudgingly agrees but adds on other conditions (things like the layoffs cannot exceed this percent etc.). He smoothly agrees. He wants her.
[Ep21] At work, it's clear as day Ning Cheng Ming is messing with Li Qian but, really, only Cao Mei can see the truth. Ning Cheng Ming cares about Li Qian. Thus, in every given opportunity, Cao Mei will snide at Li Qian whether it's during meetings or during lunch. When Ning Cheng Ming hears the girls are biatching it out, he smirks. His logic: if Li Qian can’t handle Cao Mei, then she’s not fit for her position. This "Old Fox" is training his Little Fox xD
Li Qian throws a fit at Ning Cheng Ming. He is angry at her too. He’s looking for an apology for her trickery of love but then again even if she apologizes he may not accept it. However, Li Qian doesn’t want to apologize. She’s not sorry for falling in love. Oh, so direct, I like her. But her feelings for him are over. She urges him to be more professional. "I’m not a little rabbit you can mess with!” Because Li Qian is a fox too!
Li Qian and Ning Cheng Ming’s fight turns childish. Being professional ain't happening. When she thinks he’s hiding a good project from her, she tries to snatch it from him and even stomps her heel on his foot to get it. Despite being in pain, he smiles. I really, really like her! She can be coy or brazen about her feelings with him and then she's also professional (when Nign Cheng Ming isn't triggering her). That smile of his, however, might be a sly one. The proposal she took was a trap he laid for her.
Ning Cheng Ming has a therapy session with his psychologist. He can understand emotions now! He also confesses to being angry with this one particular woman who lied to him and that he feels happier after his petty revenge. However, when she told him she no longer loves him, there’s this odd feeling in his heart. The psychologist answers him: this is love.
Ning Cheng Ming is at home, cutting his cousin’s (Lu Fan Yi) hair as they chat about his investigations into Cao Mei and her connections with Ma Hou. Can we cut Lu Fan Yi's bangs, please? Lu Fan Yi praises Ning Cheng Ming for pitting his ex against his ex-ex to get Cao Mei to let her guard down. He goes on to say that Li Qian might still love him. That gets Lu Fan Yi perked up. Ning Cheng Ming is all ears. Lu Fan Yi, a hermit who’s suddenly an expert in love, explains Li Qian finishes all the work Ning Cheng Ming gives him no matter how angry she is with him. He also warns Ning Cheng Ming that if he pushes her too much, he might lose her. Then Qi Wei returns home and informs the boss that Li Qian is still at the office. Ning Cheng Ming ditches in the middle of haircutting to go back to the office.
Ning Cheng Ming knocks on the glass but Li Qian is so preoccupied with her thoughts, she doesn’t hear it the first few times. Please see Ning Cheng Ming's involuntary smile just at the sight of her (:
[Ep22] Ning Cheng Ming likes Li Qian's work ethics. Sure he does. He gives her proper advice for the project. She lights up that he’s more like a human at night than he is during the day. She cutely asks him if he’s here to treat his employee for dinner. He laughs. He wasn’t but he is now! They go for a barbecue. He’s still wearing that smirk that’s almost permanent now. With the mood like this, she’s curious if he’s still angry. Smirk still on, he says he may digest all of it after this dinner but then it might be reignited when she submits a lousy proposal. Ahh~~ I love how he can’t stop smiling! I have this urge to replay this dinner scene over and over again. They have so much chemistry together! Ning Cheng Ming continues to laugh when there’s grease on her face. Like a gentleman, he excuses himself to give her time to clean off. By the time he’s back, she’s still cleaning, and so he offers to help. He reaches out his hand to tell her to come closer. She does and almost puts her chin where his hand is beckoning her. He’s flustered because he had wanted the napkin first. She argues the napkins are right beside him. His excuse is that he doesn’t want to waste another one. He grabs the napkin from her hand and, ah, an accidental touch. The butterflies~
Oh yes, and Qi Wei finishes up washing Lu Fan Yi’s hair (after Ning Cheng Ming ditched in the middle of cutting his hair). 1) Who sits upright to wash their hair? 2) Why are his bangs dry? 3) So can we cut those bangs already?
Ning Cheng Ming walks Li Qian home. He wants to understand why she’s so passionate about work: why she would go to such an extent to help her company and even tailing him in Thailand. Li Qian doesn’t have any deep answers, just that she believes in hard-work and responsibility. It’s rewarding to see all her accomplishments. Also, he should be proud of her. She’s his student, after all. Lastly, Li Qian sincerely apologizes. Ning Cheng Ming accepts it. After Li Qian leaves he’s still looking in her direction when she’s already long gone.
That night, Ning Cheng Ming dreams of dating Li Qian. Then she disappears and it’s his mom there. She warns him, “You have to remember that there is no true love in this world. It’s all a lie.” From the nightmare, he wakes up and touches the hairband Li Qian gave him that he now wears on his wrist. Oh no. Will he lose his smily face in the morning?
Nope! He’s even sweeter.
Ning Cheng Ming cutely headlocks Li Qian. Last night she had returned to the office because after the dinner, she suddenly had an inspiration. Ning Cheng Ming can't let her work like this. He makes her shower in the gym downstairs.
When Li Qian is out of the shower, her hair is wet. He sits her down to blow-dry it for her, aw. I declare the smily face is officially permanent whenever Li Qian is around. Both of them are reminded of their past. He's so lost in thought that he burns her hair. This lovely burnt-hair-moment is spotted by Gu Zhe, Qing Qing and Qi Wei who all happen to be using the treadmill at the gym.
This episode we also get some petty jealousy from Ning Cheng Ming. He sees Li Qian being friendly with this random guy (who seems rather suspicious). Ning Cheng Ming pulls her aside when the guy asks to add her on WeChat. Li Qian is at a loss and wonders to god what she did to anger this man once again. Ning Cheng Ming rips the hairband off his wrist and tells her to take it back. Li Qian reaches for it but he’s not letting go. The hair band is stretched to the point that it’s about to snap and so Li Qian releases her grip. Snap! Ning Cheng Ming jumps back in pain.
Oh and then they're called to the police station...?
Other updates:
→Gu Zhe is scammed. Qing Qing (our lawyer) will settle the matter for him.
→Gu Lan will go through with the engagement with Li Chen.
[Ep23] The police called them in to investigate Ma Hou. They believe Ning Cheng Ming is Ma Hou's partner in crime. Li Qian is interrogated as well and she pretends that she was fooled by Ning Cheng Ming to make her fall in love with him. Really, now. Ning Cheng Ming is amused to hear "Li Qian" and "in love with him" in one sentence.
Cao Mei picks up Ning Cheng Ming at the station and once again, the girls are verbally attacking each other to Ning Cheng Ming's amusement. His smile fades when the male reporter is arrested and Li Qian has to stay to testify.
Ning Cheng Ming stays to wait for Li Qian. He's not even mad when she spilled coffee all over his suit. His focus is on her in his arms as he tightens his grip around her waist. Even the police officer feels awkward at their overwhelming chemistry. The sun sets and Li Qian is just coming out of the police station. Ning Cheng Ming is still there waiting for her. He says he wants compensation for his spilled coffee and dirty suit.
At the laundromat, they unknowingly switch their drinks. Ning Cheng Ming notices the lipstick mark on his cup. He closes his eyes to savour another sip. Ahh, yum, lipstick stain ~ It's today he's convinced Li Qian truly fell in love with him. While she helps him adjust his clothes, she apologizes once more that she shouldn't have lied to him. She hugs him and tells him they should return to their original lives like the amnesia never happened. Ning Cheng Ming, who just understood love, is left puzzled. Why does she want to end everything? What did he do wrong?
Yu Qing Qing and Gu Zhe. Yu Qing Qing slaps a man so hard, he's flying. That man was insulting Gu Zhe.
[Ep24] Ning Cheng Ming can't sleep. Meanwhile Li Qian drinks all night with her friends.
The next day he gives her a present. He claims it's her birthday and these are her employee benefits. The present is a limited edition pair of shoes. What a coincidence. She had just mentioned to Gu Zhe a way to win a girl back is to buy her a pair of limited edition shoes. She was drunk, I don't think she meant it. Another coinkydink: Ning Cheng Ming is wearing the exact same pair of shoes too. Not only that, there's another present: it's a T-shirt – also limited edition; also a couple T. Instead of admitting he’s pursuing her, he blames it all on Qi Wei for buying these weird presents. Li Qian probably thinks he’s still sick. She doesn’t get it.
Cao Mei was the one who sent Ma Hou the message for him to flee. What does she want?
Ep25] The psychologist gives Ning Cheng Ming the right advice! Admit his feelings and confess. He does it. But, omg, Yu Qing Qing advised Li Qian that everything Ning Cheng Ming says is actually the opposite... because he's sick? And so Li Qian translates his "I like you" to "I don't like you".
[Ep26] Ning Cheng Ming almost got a breast job. Li Qian saves him but technically she was the one who risked his pecs from being inflated. Nin Cheng Ming is like "You sold me." Ha. He wants compensation.
Li Qian has an OT with her team. She assures Ning Cheng Ming she'll work out the proposal tonight. Ning Cheng Ming isn't worried about that. He's just worried about her health and as he says this, the team is sitting there going ou and ah. Then Ning Cheng Ming asks about dinner and how "this time it's your turn to treat me." The team collectively raises their eyebrows going Ou, they had dinner before?
Li Qian receives a present from a client. It's two massage chairs for the company. Ning Cheng Ming signs for the delivery and finds a card addressed to Li Qian that basically says women like them don't need to "hang onto one tree". Ning Cheng Ming feels bitter from this letter so when Li Qian tries out the massage chair, he has command of the controller. He turns on the highest setting to watch her squirm. To make it up, he then gives her a glass of milk to comfort her. Before he leaves, he has a message for her.
Ning Cheng Ming: Don't think about the forest anymore. You've already hung onto one tree so you have to take responsibility.
Li Qian stares down at the bottle of milk in her hand and smiles.
Gu Lan and Li Chen. They have their fake/real wedding engagement party.
[Ep27] Gu Lan announces to her family she wants to quit her executive position in Gu Company. Not only that, she will leave with her silly brother, Gu Zhe, because he will be her first product. Aw, lol. She really cares for him and he does too but when they're together, you can never tell.
Li Family is having an impromptu meeting to test if Ning Cheng Ming loves their precious sister. Li Juan is the mastermind. Gosh, Drama, why are you giving me so little scenes of these three! xD. The plan: make Ning Cheng Ming jealous by having Li Qian meet this other guy. Gu Lan is their intel who's on site recording everything for Li Chen and co. The result: Ning Cheng Ming passes with flying colours. He beats up the guy.
Gu Lan and Li Chen. They play a game of Go to decide who will get the bed tonight. Li Chen wins by cheating. Gu Lan topples over him on the sofa to find the piece he hid from her. He flips her over in a seductive way all to tell her she can take the bed. He princess-carries her to the bed and before he can let go, she pulls him down for a kiss. No one is taking the sofa tonight.
[Ep28] Ning Cheng Ming had beat the lights out of the guy because a) he's jealous and b) the guy is notorious in the field for being awful in awful ways. Li Qian doesn't understand why her own brother set her up like that unless.... Li Qian connects the dots, so does Ning Cheng Ming. Her family was testing him. Before they can explore this topic any further, Ning Cheng Ming's uncle phones. The police are here to arrest Zheng Zi Hui, Ning's auntie for colluding with Ma Hou. However, Auntie has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease for years. She can't have possibly helped Ma Hou. There is a case of identity theft.
Being at his uncle's home reminds Ning Cheng Ming of his parents' death. His mother was driving and offered Dad water. There were sedatives in there. Mom had intentions to kill all of them including herself because she suspected Dad was unfaithful. Ning Cheng Ming survived. Auntie had always held a grudge on him for being emotionless about his parents’ death. Currently, with her Alzheimer’s Disease acting up, she yells at Ning Cheng Ming. He freezes; guilt is written all over his face. Li Qian takes him out.
As Li Qian is driving Ning Cheng Ming home, she recalls what Uncle had told her: Ning Cheng Ming is both the victim and witness to his mother’s suicide and his father's murder. Uncle thinks it's actually a blessing Ning Cheng Ming is emotionless because imagine the pain he'd be in if he weren't. Well. Ning Cheng Ming currently feels the pain. He loses his composure and asks her to stop the car. All he can hear in his head are his mother’s last words: "This world has no love, only lies.” Ning Cheng Ming trips over a set of stairs. Li Qian worriedly checks on his injuries. Seeing her fret over him, he embraces her.
When Ning Cheng Ming is back to himself, Li Qian shares her story. Her mother raised her alone. She didn’t want Li Qian to be strangled by the formalities of family without any familial love. When her mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness, Li Qian had learned her mother was just about to accept Dad Li’s proposal. However, Li Qian chose not to live with Dad not because she hates him but because she has no feelings for him.
Ning Cheng Ming recounts the one time he met her mother. When Li Qian fainted at university from exhaustion, he carried her to the hospital and the doctor casually told him her mother is also in the hospital for a terminal disease. Confidentiality, what is that, again? Ning Cheng Ming, a professor at that time, pays her mother a visit and suggests to Mom for Li Qian to either quit her part-time and apply for scholarship or apply pressure to Dad for the fees. Mom smiles and shakes her head that these options were already discussed and rejected by Li Qian. Mom muses how similar he is with her daughter. How? There must be fate between them. What now? She also adds that if Li Qian’s Dad ever gives him a problem, then tell him she already approved of him. O-kay.
Li Qian comforts Ning Cheng Ming that his mother’s last words to him were to protect him. She doesn’t want him to live like her. Simultaneously, those words turned him away from emotions and people. Li Qian sympathizes. He must have been lonely.
Ning Cheng Ming: Now that I think about it, before I met you, I really was lonely.
Li Qian rests her hand at the nape of his neck. It’s a kissing signal ~ All is good except someone is hiding behind the trees taking pictures of them.
The next day at work, Ning Cheng Ming gets on a packed elevator with Li Qian. Inch by inch he slides next to her just to hold her hand. No need to be discreet, though, everyone can tell. Ning Cheng Ming doesn’t care. Then Yu Qing Qing enters and is blinded by their show of love. But she turns around and confronts them, “Are you two real or fake?” She shows them a picture and it’s of them kissing. Their picture is currently viral. Why does the world care about them kissing? Ning Cheng Ming just smirks.
There’s an emergency PR meeting. Them kissing isn't the only thing plummeting their stocks, so is Ning Cheng Ming's psychological disorder. Ning Cheng Ming has his diagnosis ready – he’s all cured. Okay, so only dating piece is left. Our publicist asks them to conform if they’re real or fake. They answer at the same time but Ning Cheng Ming says Yes and Li Qian says No. Okay, so which is it? Our couple looks at each other. Signal sent. The answers are a Yes from Ning and a No from Li. Ning Cheng Ming’s smirk is complacent, it's almost locked in place. The publicist goes with Li Qian’s answer; since they’re fake, they’re job now is to make it real. Ha. Ning Cheng Ming squints from laughing. He’s loving this.
However, the slander on them takes a bad turn. Li Qian’s mother is pulled into the headlines, calling them a pair of mistresses.
[Ep29] Li Juan shows Li Qian her parents' marriage certificate (a book). They married on the day she died. Hmm... that doesn't sound right but, okay, Drama. This is proof Li Qian's mother is no mistress. Meanwhile Li Chen uses Gu Zhe's platform to clarify his mother had already left the house, further asserting Li Qian's mother's innocence. The brothers really love their little sister.
Cao Mei is on the move. She hired an assassin to kill someone. Then Ning Cheng Ming receives a message from her to meet up at a hotel. Ning Cheng Ming updates Lu Fang Yi that if he senses danger, he’ll send him a location.
Elsewhere, Li Qian meets up with the reporter dude. He says he likes her. She tells him to stop pretending. It was him who posted the article on her mother. Li Qian threatens him that if he continues to slander, she’ll hire her lawyer friend to sue him. The dude runs.
Li Qian overhears Ning Cheng Ming is in trouble and dashes to the hotel to save him. The hotel room is coincidentally 520 (Chinese’s numerical representation of I love you). Cao Mei drugged Ning Cheng Ming’s drink so that he’d sleep with her. He's currently under the illusion that she is Li Qian. However she said this one line “I beg you, don’t leave me ever again” that allowed Ning Cheng Ming to snap into consciousness. Li Qian would never “beg” when it comes to love. She will only say “Let me announce to you I’m in love with you.” Li Qian arrives on the dot to hear this. She warns Cao Mei to stay away from her man.
Back at home, Ning Cheng Ming is still murky from the meds. Then Li Qian receives a call from Yu Qing Qing and Gu Zue who tell her what Li Chen had done for her (confessed his mother's betrayal to the world in order to protect Li Qian). After hearing this, Li Qian muses how she’s not used to depending on someone (her brothers, and her family). Ning Cheng Ming, who’s a little less clouded, explains that people who care about her would want her to know she can depend on them and not that she must depend on them. Li Qian slowly nods.
Ning Cheng Ming adds a clarification: I meant that you can depend on others but you should depend on me.
Li Qian laughs, and questions if he’s even sober right now. She asks a series of questions: What number am I holding? Who am I? Who are you? At the last question, Ning Cheng Ming pauses. He just proved her point. However, the next second, his lips find hers.
Ning Chng Ming: I am the Ning Cheng Ming who wants to kiss you.
He picks her off her feet, kicks the annoying door that’s blocking his path, and carries her inside his room. They’re on the bed, hands interlaced, lips interlocked. ~ ~ ~
Li Qian’s voice hovers over the screen: And I am the Li Qian who wants to turn off the lights.
The lights are out.
[Ep30] Ning Cheng Ming does the unthinkable (according to the boys): He cooks! It's all because Li Qian is there. Lu Fang Yi tells Qi Wei he’s of no use anymore. Pft. Qi Wei turns on his puppy eyes.
Dad Li gets to meet his daughter (Li Qian) for the first time at home. He’s decorating the place to receive Li Qian. Li Qian's room is always cleaned so whenever she wants to come home, it’s ready for her. The decorations were done by Li Juan. It’s in a hideous shade of pink.
Ning Cheng Ming texts his Jianghu Master (Gu Zhe’s online dating account service...) that he has graduated. Gu Zhe is upset. Envious, perhaps? The boys start replying in angry texts and then it erupts into a showdown at the Merry Go Rounds. Ou, macho. Li Qian and Yu Qing Qing successfully distract the boys before they find out each other's identity. Hence Gu Zhi doesn't know Ning Cheng Ming is 0205 (also Li Qian's birthday) and vice versa.
Prior to heading to Dad Li’s place, Li Qian searches through her mother’s paintings of Dad Li to give to him. She tells Ning Cheng Ming her reason she didn’t accept Dad Li when her mother was in the hospital. She thought that would mean accepting her mother’s pending death a reality. She regrets not giving Dad Li and her mother time together.
Also, Li Qian has a mandate for Ning Cheng Ming: Be happy no matter what. He stamps it with a kiss on the tip of her nose. She kisses him on the lip. It’s sealed.
At the end of the episode: Li Qian is on her own and that’s when she’s kidnapped!
Other couples:
→ Gu Zhe is jealous but when the man Yu Qing Qing wants to impress is in no way shape or form a worthy competition, Gu Zhe is grinning again.
→ Gu Zhe is jealous but when the man Yu Qing Qing wants to impress is in no way shape or form a worthy competition, Gu Zhe is grinning again.
→ Gu Lan’s fake relationship with Li Chen is still so fun.
[Ep31] Li Qian convinces her idiotic kidnappers to send money in her account to Gu Zhe's livestream. Well, now her location is available to the police and Lu Fan Yi (who's apparently better than the police). It's Cao Mei who ordered Ma Hou who hired imbeciles to kidnap Li Qian. For what? I don't know.
Cao Mei video-calls Ning Cheng Ming while Li Qian is tied up. The police are watching the video too... ?! Cao Meo proceeds to slap Li Qian who then blocks her. It turns out Li Qian had convinced the kidnappers to loosen the ropes on her hand because they're too tight. ?????????? A supposedly super scary Li Qian is forcing Cao Mei to back down but, honestly it just looks like the actress for Cao Mei is walking backward for Li Qian to walk forward. Li Qian informs her two things: 1) since high school, she's always been the best fighter; 2) even if Ning Cheng Ming doesn't love her, she'll still live beautifully. Li Qian walks away, turning her back on Cao Mei who then gets up to grab a random rod to smack Li Qian. Best fighter eva ~ Li Qian falls.
Then the police arrive. Cao Mei stands there, un-enthusiastically shocked that she's going to be arrested.
This episode is stupid beyond words.
[Ep32] Li Qian wakes up from a princess bed. Ah, this is her hideous pink room that Li Juan decorated. She has amnesia. Ning Cheng Ming smiles; he's pretty confident she's faking it. He tells her he's her husband; back in university, she pursued him. Li Qian keeps up her amnesiac act and claims she can remember everyone but him.
The next person Li Qian sees is her father. She finally gets the chance to give him his birthday present. Dad is tearful to have his daughter back.
Li Chen mobilizes his resources to help Ning Cheng Ming trigger Li Qian's memories. Li Chen's men renovate her old home that's now filled with all her memories with Ning Cheng Ming. Lastly, she finds a handwritten letter from him. In it, he calls her a Little Fox. He wasn't at all in love with her in the beginning but her smiles made him curious. Perhaps everything was fated when he met her mother. After meeting Li Qian again, he felt happiness like he never did but when he realized it was all a lie, he felt anger like never before. How could his memories all be fake? And so, he decided to take revenge. He found it amusing to bully her but there was more. He realizes he loves her. When Li Qian finishes reading the letter, Ning Cheng Ming appears. From afar, Dad Li. Li Juan, and Li Chen (plus Gu Lan) are watching with binoculars.
Li Qian's fake amnesia is exposed – happily exposed. Ning Cheng Ming kisses her. The Li Family are satisfied except Daddy Li. Li Juan herds the family to give the couple some privacy but then he peeks at the couple again with a brotherly smile.
A year later.
→ Li Chen and Gu Lan have a baby coming!
→ Li Juan is still a "ruthless" CEO, and single, I assume
→ Gu Zhe is still working on Yu Qing Qing (I think, unless they're already dating).
→ Daddy Li is still crazy about his daughter
Ning Cheng Ming and Li Qian are on their honeymoon in Thailand. At the resort, in the pool, he's reading a proposal, and she's working on her laptop. She realizes he scammed her into this honeymoon to work for him. But he does have a surprise for her: it's a dinner reservation. He scammed her. They head to the dinner but, I guess some icecream first and while he's gone, lewd men have set their eyes on Li Qian. Ning Cheng Ming punches them. And we're back to the familiar police station. They have two options: 1) follow the city's law 2) follow the town's rules. Our couple chooses #2 and it's a series of romantic mug shots.
The end.
Remarks
[Halfway Impression (Ep1-16)] Let me just preface this that saying I squeezed this drama in the background while I was busy typing up my long analysis for The Imperial Coroner. I couldn’t watch anything that was too demanding and this was perfect – it’s cute, simple, and trope-ically fun.
The one thing I hate about using amnesia as a plot device is that the ML is always the opposite of who he was. Amnesia is losing memory, right? Not rewiring personality. However, in this drama it sort of works. Our ML has something like alexithymia which is "dysfunction in emotional awareness, social attachment, and interpersonal relation" (Wikipedia). When his car crashed, he lost his memory, but (re)gained an ability to emote. Alas, he falls in love. Dun dun dun.
Ji Xiao Bing does a fine job being cute and clueless. He’s not very cute anymore when he regains his memory (mini-spoiler: it’s in Ep16!). I am interested to see this cold version of him grovel to her once he realizes he’s in love.
[Actors/Actresses] This will be the third time I’ve seen Jin Mo Xi (The Unknown and The Sweet Girl). I realize I like her and I say I “realize” because I forgot about her. There’s just too many actresses in her bracket. She is also one of those girls who can act sweet and be endearing in her own way. I hope she can land more opportunities!
[Behind the Scenes]
[Behind the Scenes]
[Ending] Happy ~
[Review & Rating]
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