A bright actress illuminates a man weathered by reality.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Notable Actors/Actresses
Dilraba Dilmurat (Dilireba): Qiao Jing Jing
Yang Yang: Yu Tu
Network: Tencent Video
Mini Recaps
[Ep1] It’s a night to gossip on Qiao Jing Jing, our famous actress. First, her high school alumni reveals to the tabloids that Qiao Jing Jing was harshly rejected by her high school crush. Ou, the humiliation – not – Qiao Jing Jing can care less. Then someone posts a video of her failing a simple game when she’s supposed to be a decent gamer. This will affect her endorsement with a gaming company (King of Glory). However, what’s more troubling is who exposed her. Only people she trusts could have posted the video.
In one month Qiao Jing Jing has to improve and show the world she can game. Manager Li (Drama calls her Ling Jie; jie means older sister) finds her a pro gamer: her husband who self-proclaims he’s a pro (a cameo by Tu Song Yan). It's questionable whether she sucks at learning or he sucks at teaching.
Qiao Jing Jing plays alone at night, using her alternative QQ account. Her nickname is 手可摘棉花 which means the "Hand Can Grab Cotton". To her surprise, on her friend list is 玉兔搗药 (yutudaoyao). He's Yu Tu. He invites her into a multiplayer quest with his friends. It's an accident, he says. Yu Tu also protects Qiao Jing Jing during the game. (Read more on their names under my First Impression)
[Ep2] Yu Tu continues to invite Qiao Jing Jing to play in the game, despite not knowing who she is even after listening to her voice. To Qiao Jing Jing who's close to 30, Yu Tu is still as godly as he was back in high school.
Yu Tu clarified in the high school group chat that he never rudely turned down Qiao Jing Jing’s confession and will gladly refute those malicious rumours if he needs to. It's Pei Pei who's updating Qiao Jing Jing everything. They're besties. Qiao Jing Jing is nostalgic as she remembers Yu Tu and how he refused her: "Sorry. At his moment, I don't need a girlfriend.” His reason:"I want to find someone who will work hard with me.”
Over the game, Qiao Jing Jing asks Yu Tu to be her coach. She tells him about the tournament she has to win to keep her career (while keeping her identity a secret). He deliberates but after she cutely begs “Jade Rabbit God”, he gives in.
[Ep3] Qiao Jing Jing and Yu Tu meet in real life~ Qiao Jing Jing uses the excuse that her air purifier is broken to get Yu Tu to fix it. He’s a co-founder of the company. When he’s there, Qiao Jing Jing is at the lobby to receive him. She stands there with her back facing the door. Then she turns, giving him the perfect, slow-mo angle to admire her beauty. She admits to lying about her broken air purifier. It’s actually amazing. She asks him for a walk instead. He looks down at her attire and wonders if she’ll be cold. Qiao Jing Jing quickly changes into pants and they take a stroll. She has her mask on but she’s still receiving attention. It’s because he’s a hottie too. She gives him a mask. I’ve already seen so little of Yang Yang. Thank you for covering his face now. She asks him to coach her personally. He accepts after much deliberation, confessing he hasn’t played professional. Yeah, you have! Oh wait, no that was another drama. This dude has been in too many gaming dramas.
[Ep4] Yu Tu is now a home tutor. He’s serious about it and even studies for it. He’s also her unofficial food delivery guy.
[Ep5] Xia Qing (Jin Chen’s cameo) visits Yu Tu. She’s his ex-girlfriend. They broke up because he prioritized work over her. She didn't feel like he loved her. She’s also high school alumni with Qiao Jing Jing. When she sees her ad plastered on a building, she wonders if Qiao Jing Jing is laughing at them. They're the smarter ones but they're working their butts off to make an income that's not even half of hers. Yu Tu dismisses her comment with certainty. Qiao Jing Jing isn’t that kind of person. He knows.
Yu Tu is back at Qiao Jing Jing’s place. She’s concentrating on her game and doesn’t notice he’s right beside her until his hand reaches out to help her on the phone. His hand touches a wisp of her hair. This moment sends her heart fluttering. I think it’s details like this from Gu Man’s novels/dramas that I like. The subtle moments. Except this one isn’t that subtle, heh.
Ding dong~ Someone’s at the door. It’s Qiao Jing Jing’s ex (a cameo by Ji Xiao Bin). She broke up with him over two years. He wanted her to quit because his parents disapproved of her career.
Yu Tu has a get together with his university friends. There’s this annoying dude who's annoying (duh). He’s the type of guy who needs to disparage another person to feel great about himself and he sets his target on Yu Tu. He makes fun of Yu Tu for quitting his job as an aerospace engineer and starting anew in finance. His salary will be like an intern's. Xiao Zhu (Jing Jing's assistant) hears this and updates Qiao Jing Jing and so Jing Jing buys the table Romanée-Conti (as Ms. Qiao) to buff up Yu Tu's reputation. A smile finally appears on his face. He excuses himself from this dreadful reunion and snatches up the Romanée-Conti. We can't let the douche enjoy such expensive wine, now can we? Except it wasn't expensive at all. When he arrives at Qiao Jing Jing's with the wine, she tells him it's only a drama prop. It's regular wine. But still, wine is wine. She invites him inside for a glass. It takes her 20 minutes to set up the room to the atmosphere. Yu Tu was patiently counting the minutes. Then when he can finally take a sip, she tells him to wait, she forgot something. She caught him mid-gulp and his voice is raspy from almost choking, heh. As they're drinking, Qiao Jing Jing notices his solemnity. She distracts him with her stories. Her optimism is contagious. Yu Tu is smiling again.
Zhai Liang texts Yu Tu who Ms. Qiao is. His phone won't stop ringing. Yu Tu's answer: “An old high school alumni. Just met.” “Just met” isn’t the right translation. He's in the process of learning about the real her that he never knew despite knowing her.
[Ep6] Yu Tu has dinner with a senior who asks him about his dating status. Simultaneously, Qiao Jing Jing is texting him continuously to play a game. He smiles at the texts and then answers his senior, “Yes I am still single.” I swear I heard the emphasis on the “still” to mean soon he won’t be.
When Yu Tu is finally free, he joins Qiao Jing Jing and her multiplayer online game. A guy insults Qiao Jing Jing to Yu Tu: “your girlfriend sucks more than my girlfriend” Excuse me? D: What kind of insult was that? The gf, who hears that, even cheers him on in the next scene.... Qiao Jing Jing counters: “Your skills aren’t any better than my boyfriend’s!” Yu Tu is surprised. Qiao Jing Jing apologizes in text. At the very least, she can’t lose in a game of insults. After the game, Yu Tu texts Qiao Jing Jing: "Why are you so naughty?" In an endearing way. But he recalls the message. She read it, though~
The next day, as Yu Tu tutors Qiao Jing Jing, her mind is still on his recalled message. Why did he delete it? Amidst teaching, he tells her he has another get together that evening. Then he explains it’s work related. She whines that he’s leaving to have fun while giving her homework. He answers without thinking, "If I invite you, will you go?" In other words, he thought of bringing her. He instantly realizes he said something romantically (mis)leading. He can’t recall this sentence now, can he?
[Ep7] Yu Tu ends his reunion early and invites Qiao Jing Jing to the movies. He's browsing for a film but he's either picking one with a female actress who's her rival or another one with a male actor who cheated on her friend. Celebrities have different standards for movies, ha. Yu Tu surrenders his phone for Jing Jing to choose. As she's browsing through his phone, his hand accidentally touches hers. It's him who's feeling tingly now.
Yu Tu and Jing Jing take separate paths because he noticed they're being followed. With his instructions, she leaves the ticket in the magazine for him. Sitting alone in the theatre, Jing Jing wonders if the ticket is stolen. Then Yu Tu casually walks in, asking her if there's anyone sitting beside her – a pick up line – and our actress couldn't receive it because her heart was fluttering for this man.
Yu Tu is quitting his aerospace career because of his parents. Although they supported his dream, he couldn't support them when his parents needed him. His mother has cancer and was in the city for a checkup. He found them living in the dingiest hotel to save cost. He couldn't do anything about it. With his career, he's not making big money nor does he have time to accompany them. For his passion, his parents are sacrificing. But it didn't have to be like this. He had the ability to choose a stable, and prosperous career to provide the best for his parents. Alone in the corridor, he crouches over and makes the most difficult choice of his life: to give up his dream.
After hearing his story, Jing Jing phones Yu Tu to tell him something she forgot: "You are already the rabbit who’s seen the most stars." Yu Tu is our Jaded Rabbit, after all. She cheers him on: Just because you're giving up your career (passion), your previous efforts aren't wasted, Jiayou, Rabbit God!
[Ep8] Yu Tu meets Qiao Jing Jing's management team, including Manager Ling and her husband. Everyone loves him, maybe except the husband, Jing Jing's ex-coach.
[Ep9] Qiao Jing Jing meets Yu Tu's university professor. The professor asks Yu Tu for his reason for quitting. Yu Tu can only answer: "For money." The professor is disappointed in Yu Tu. Jing Jing has heard enough of the professor lecturing Yu Tu. How can he put his impossible standards on someone else? By rebutting the professor, Jing Jing and Yu Tu have their first argument. No matter what, she should have respected his professor. Teary, Jing Jing tells him, "I, compared to anyone else, wish you can continue to be an aerospace engineer." What she means: she wants him to continue his passion but unlike the professor, she's not pressuring him to her standards. Yu Tu asks why. She can't answer.
There's also someone recording this argument in the background ...
Our to-be-couple don't have a chance to reconcile. Yu Tu is called to work for an emergency.
[Ep10] Alright, so something really amazing happens at the aerospace facility.
Guan Zai, Yu Tu's coworker, always believed Yu Tu would return. They nonchalantly chat and it arrives at the girl Yu Tu is "seeing." He says she's a high school alumni he recently got to know more of. Guan Zai asks why it took all these years. Yu Tu sighs: "My judgement was poor."
Guan Zai has a disease. I don't know if I keep missing what it is or if the drama didn't tell us. Yu Tu takes an overnight trip with him back to Shanghai. And it sounds like Yu Tu is diagnosed with something too??
Once in the city, Yu Tu is at Jing Jing's lobby, sitting in a corner. Jing Jing didn't know until Xiao Zhu told her. Jing Jing runs down, eager to see him, but the elevator has never been so slow. It's her heart that's beating too fast. She arrives at the lobby breathlessly when the elevator did all the work, but I get it.
Yu Tu: Still angry?
[Ep11] Jing Jing bites her lower lips and pinches her clothes. Translation: No! Since she's not speaking, he asks her more questions.
Yu Tu: So do you still need me to teach you?
Jing Jing avoids answering that one too. He goes on and tells her he noticed she's been playing well without him. The conversation goes back to the same question (but a little differently).
Yu Tu: So do you still need me? Oh. Gu Man, I see what you did there. Subtle.
Jing Jing turns silent. Then she reminds him of all his parcels that are delivered to her home. He has to care for those, right?
Yu Tu smiles: Care, indeed. I struggle translating this line. He's repeating the end of her sentence to confirm he will care. There's no subject in his sentence so if you really wanted to, you can interpret it as "I will care for you", if you really wanted to... lol.
Shyly, Jing Jing invites him over for dinner but he refuses. He claims that he smells after spending the entire night on the train. She exclaims that he's here at her place after that long trip. He's like, Good thing I have a power bank. Aw, that's not the point, but sweet. She orders her driver to send him home. She prohibits him from refusing her offer. On the ride home, we learn that it takes him two hours to get to her place. He's like Nah, it's only 1.5 and a bit more. That's 2. This means, to coach her, he spends 3 hours commuting back and forth, but let's not forget the breakfast he buys! So that's like 4 hours. He even has a smile reminiscing it. Once home, he collapses on the bed without unpacking – he's this tired and he went all the way to her place that takes 2, well, 1.5 hours and a bit more to get there.
Shen Jing, Guan Zai's wife, learns of his condition. Yu Tu helps whenever he can.
[Ep12] Jing Jing gets unlimited access to Yu Tu's phone, even his WeChat and all his friends' moments. He casually gave her his passcode. Girlfriend privileges?
While watching an esports match, Yu Tu falls asleep from exhaustion. Jing Jing wants to snap the perfect photo of him napping and instead of walking over to the other side like most normal people would do, she leans over his body but then slips on the couch. Her belly plops onto his lap. Is she light enough that it's like a feather floating onto his lap? Yeah, no. He's wide awake as he finds her lying across his lap. With a soft grasp around her wrist, he helps her up. Pretending nothing happened, they talk about the match. She learns that he's been mimicking this player's gaming style to help her in her upcoming competition.
[Ep13] It's the "Honor of King" competition. Jing Jing follows Yu Tu's game plan. I skipped most of this, which is like the entire episode. The special effects were cool, though. Jing Jing's ex watches from the control room. He's impressed Qiao Jing Jing's team is annihilating the opponent. The competition ends! No, wait, that was just the first round, which means there's a second round. Ai-ya. Hey, but this second round Jing Jing gets to choose a new teammate and, well, of course, she'd choose Yu Tu. The spotlight finds Yu Tu. He is the spotlight. Yu Tu walks down the stairs to meet Jing Jing on the stage. The light follows him. On the stage, he takes his spot next to her. Is it on purpose that their shoulders are touching?
[Ep14] The emcee has questions for Yu Tu but it's Jing Jing who's eagerly answering everything and revealing that they're not just high school alumni, but also elementary. Jing Jing discloses on stage that Honor of King reunited her with her old classmates. Unlike other classmates though, Yu Tu is this single dude who's on vacation and has free time to teach her. The emcee catches the point: "That's weird. So handsome, and so smart, and yet single for so many years?" Jing Jing laughs and adds, "Right? And he games well too."
Yu Tu: Not weird. – looks at her – you are too.
These two aren't just randomly chitchatting. Jing Jing wanted to clarify rumours in case she gets called for being a third party in Yu Tu's relationship with his ex. Yu Tu caught on and is improvising with her. It's finally introduction time. After some deliberation, he introduces himself as an Aerospace Engineer.
During the game, although they lose a round, Jing Jing notices Yu Tu is excited. He's enjoying this game. There's a bright smile on him that she hasn't seen in a while. I like their chattering during the game. Ultimately, our team wins. Jing Jing jumps in joy and loses her balance. Yu Tu catches her by the arm. Her heart flutters from this contact.
There's a post-game interview. The emcee asks Yu Tu to consider professional e-sports. Jing Jing rejects that for him: he's too old. The emcee laughs and calls her brutal. How can she forget all the times he saved her in the game? Jing Jing cutely answers, "Isn't that what he's supposed to?" She passes the mic to Yu Tu. In his deep voice, he answers, "Yes." The crowd cheers and calls him "brother-in-law".
They're all backstage. Jing Jing is summoned back on stage and quickly hands Yu Tu her phone. Of all people, she chose him. Yu Tu notices this too. A heart fluttering moment for him too? Alone in the dressing room, he puts his own phone aside and plays with her phone instead. Does he know her passcode?
Those who watched Summer Again, one of Jing Jing's teammates is Chen He Yi! I did not recognize his face at all, I recognized his voice.
[Ep15] On the way home in Jing Jing's car, the ride is awkward. Yu Tu is silent, not that he's ever talkative, but he's practically mute and unresponsive in the car. She learns from someone else that Yu Tu is heading back to the aerospace facility tomorrow. He never told her. He asks to be let off at the subway station and refuses to join for dinner.
Yu Tu returns to work. The professor who lectured him on quitting, apologizes and asks about Jing Jing. He asks if a marriage is on the horizon.
Yu Tu's head hangs low: Based on what (am I worthy of her)? Based on the fact that it's you who she likes!
Professor is aggravated. Yu Tu, an aerospace engineer, graduated from a prestigious university. How is he unworthy of a superstar? If it's about salary, well, no one can really beat her. The professor doesn't understand why Yu Tu has such a low self esteem. I felt his rejection of her was sudden. But he looks so crushed and demoralized. Last episode he got to see Jing Jing up close in her career where she's the brightest star. Perhaps that made him realize he's unworthy of her. How can he deserve to be loved by someone as wonderful as her? That kind of thought.
Yu Tu streams her birthday fanmeet. She's all smiles for her fans. She's asked if she received any special present to which she answers no. This seems to surprise Yu Tu. Girl, check your phone!
[Ep16] Xia Qing wants Yu Tu back, but does she want him back or does she want to win against Jing Jing? Xia Qing is aggressive and takes her advance but she's briskly shot down by Yu Tu when she indirectly belittles Qiao Jing Jing. He also praises Xia Qing for her uncanny perception to break up with him back then. What a backhanded compliment, lol.
Yu Tu learns from Zhai Liang (his roommate) that Qiao Jing Jing hasn't logged on to the game since the day of the competition. Yu Tu buries his face in his hands, realizing he messed up big time. Every minute he's regretting rejecting her, eh.
[Ep17] Yu Tu has a short vacay and visits home. He pieces his old computer together, which took quite a bit of effort because Mom stuffed it in the storage. He checks his QQ and the conversation logs are still there ~ He realizes he ignored a lot of Jing Jing's messages. Aw. He barely replied to her let alone initiated a conversation. Then he checks the aerospace group chat where she tells everyone she's going to stop chatting here – she has to focus on her exams. She was also rejected by the boy she likes. She’s going to study hard to match him. Yu Tu, look how hard she tried to be worthy of you. It's your turn!
Mom urges Yu Tu to marry. Mom isn't picky. As long as the girl he chooses knows how to take care of others, she doesn't have to be very pretty. Yu Tu replies, "Mom, I think I like the opposite." He means he likes pretty girls, and he'd rather be the one to care for her. :D But it's not that he likes all pretty girls, he likes this one specific pretty girl.
[Ep18] Yu Tu is away on a business trip for a month. Everyone and everything reminds him of Jing Jing. When someone brings up the "Lunar Rover Jaded Rabit (Yu Tu)" he remembers her words: "You are already the rabbit who has seen the most stars”. Even when the guys are showering, they're asking about the girl he buys breakfast for. Then Guan Zhai calls him and it's also about Jing Jing. Yu Tu is probably like Great. Yu Tu doesn’t know what he can do for Jing Jing. Money aside, he can't even give her the simplest thing: his time. Guan Zai can't reply. Neither can Shen Jing who's next to him.
It was never a matter of whether Yu Tu loves Jing Jing. He does but he wants to give her the best, but he can't and that's what's stopping him.
At night, Yu Tu is writing a letter. It's to Jing Jing. He even mails it!! Alright, how long is that going to take?
It's been a month. He's back from his business trip. The satellite (I think it's a satellite...) is named "Searching for the Supernatural" (Soushen hao) which is derived from Shoushen Ji, a compilation of supernatural legends written by Gan Bao in Jin dynasty. The meaning behind the name is for the satellite to search for other beings in outer space, to search for a miracle, and to let us know we're not alone in this galaxy.
[Ep19] Jing Jing’s ex has intentions to win her back. He apologizes for the leaked video of her poor gaming. He had saved her video because he found it amusing but his girlfriend (currently his ex) disclosed it out of jealousy. However, there’s not an ounce of sincerity in this guy. Jing Jing knows that if she had lost the competition, he wouldn’t even bother talking to her now.
Jing Jing receives the letters from Yu Tu! In the letter, Yu Tu sincerely apologizes for his lateness in replying to her QQ questions. Is it too late to reply now? I like Jing Jing's flashback where she had asked “When will you initiate the conversation with me?” He’s doing it now. With letters. Yu Tu answers all her questions with scientific explanations and hand-drawn diagrams. O’ headache. There’s so many letters because he’s thoroughly everything from years ago. So different from that pretentious ex of hers. Jing Jing arrives at the last letter in which he tells her his next letter will describe the romantic story of their Yutu Rover (full name Lunar Rover Jaded Rabbit), but by the time she receives the letter, the year will be over. He wonders if she’s going back home to celebrate the Lunar New Years. After reading all the letters, Jing Jing texts Yu Tu to thank him for his replies, but his answers are meaningless to her now.
Yu Tu receives the message and man, does he look hollow. But the next day he’s there! In front of her. He says he's here to hitch a ride back to their hometown. Jing Jing somehow gets rid of her assistant and Yu Tu smoothly takes over being the driver. He also gives her his driver’s licence to prove he can drive. And now there's just two of them in the car.
The silence is stifling.
Yu Tu initiates the conversation (!) and asks Jing Jing to turn on navigation. She retorts that if he doesn’t know the way, why steal her driver’s job. Also, why isn’t he at home celebrating Lunar New Years? He came from home. If it wasn’t because he had to celebrate New Year’s Eve with his family, he'd be here a day earlier. Jing Jing bites her lower lips and remains silent.
Yu Tu glances at the rear-view mirror: Jing Jing. I’m anxious now. Translation: I’m dying right now. If you don’t want me anymore, my heart will explode, and shatter, and I will be a hollow shell, not that I’m not already one without you.
Jing Jing ignores him and pretends to sleep but she glimpses at his driver’s licence and at his side profile.
Yu Tu says the car needs gas and pulls over at the station. In the meantime, Jing Jing goes to the washroom. When she's done, he’s waiting outside. It’s late. He’s worried about leaving her alone. They walk back to the car and their coats are brushing, but she keeps her distance. When she’s about to open the car door, he puts his hand at the door to stop her.
Yu Tu: Is it really meaningless?
[Ep20] Jing Jing doesn’t want Yu Tu's love if it’s out of sympathy. Are his letters reminding her how foolish she was for loving him all these years? Yu Tu never implied that. When he wrote those letters, he was up late, but he was never tired because he thought she’d be excited to receive them.
Yu Tu: Jing Jing, by thinking like this (that you’d be happy), is my intelligence dropping into the negatives? My lifetime’s stupidity, I think I gave them all to you. I couldn’t think of any other way. It’s not because I read our chat log that I regretted it. I already regretted it. I just didn’t admit it. Afterwards, I had a business trip ... I thought I was still resisting (my feelings) but one day I realized the time I spent on resisting was far too little. Most of the time, I was thinking of how to mend this. I even blamed you – takes off Jing Jing’s mask – blamed you for asking me so early. I would have surrendered to myself and then I would have asked you, how nice would that be?
Jing Jing: Ask what?
Yu Tu: Ask...are you willing to date me. (So) Are you willing to date me?
Jing Jing murmurs: I’m a bit willing but if I say it like this, my heart is still upset. Aw.
Yu Tu embraces. He apologizes as he hides his face in her hair.
Jing Jing in a muffled voice because he’s hugging her so tightly and because she’s crying: I don’t want to find someone who loves me less than I love him.
Yu Tu: This is invalid. My love for you isn’t any less.
Jing Jing: It is! You said we weren’t compatible.
Yu Tu explains he had to consider tacky things like income, what he can give her, the time he can give her, etc. She replies that she doesn’t have a lot of time to give him either. In her defence: Love is impulsive. If you truly love someone, you wouldn’t hesitate. Yu Tu admits to being different on that. He had a lot to consider, given he’s practically thought of their future together.
Jing Jing pouts: No matter what, it’s still less than mine.
Yu Tu: Alright, how about this, you tell me the formula to calculate how much you love me, and then I’ll make it all up.
Jing Jing looks up, astonished.Yu Tu: It can’t be that you’re not even willing to tell me the formula?Jing Jing really pouts this time: You’re bullying me again.Yu Tu hugs her tightly and apologizes once more. Ha.Jing Jing: I haven’t accepted you yet. Says the girl who’s letting him hug her.Yu Tu: I know.Jing Jing: I’m cold.Yu Tu: Then we’ll get back inside the car, but this time, sit in the front, okay? Help me navigate. I really don't know the way back. Ahh, get it? He wants her to navigate him back to her heart that he missed along the way.
Once inside the car, Jing Jing notices he lied about needing gas. Heh. She continues to give him silent treatment and uses the phone’s navigation to take him to her home. Keeping conversation to a bare minimum, she takes her suitcase from the trunk and leaves. He asks her when she’s returning to Shanghai. Well, technically, he’s only confirming with her because he already has all the information from her assistant. Before she rings her doorbell, Jing Jing pauses and asks him how he’s getting home. Hope glimmers in his eyes as he tells her he's walking – he says he lives nearby. Almost automatically, she tells him, “When you’re home – “ She stops herself mid-sentence but he’s already nodding to it. He’ll text her. She counters that she won’t reply. He nods to that too. Then he takes a step forward. Jing Jing is flustered but he’s only saying goodnight at a closer distance.
Thirty minutes later, Jing Jing receives the text from Yu Tu that he’s home. He lives rather far. Thirty minutes was already pretty fast for the distance.
Yu Tu’s Mom isn’t too happy to see his son return home all worn out. Her instincts tell her this pretty girl he's seeing is no good.
Yu Tu’s texts Jing Jing right at 9am in the morning, thinking she'd be up (because that's when they usually meet when he tutored her) but he's not receiving any replies from Jing Jing and so he calls her. He finds out she’s in the mountains and had wanted to ask if she wanted to hang out in the afternoon. Welp, he can only walk around in frustration because the girl he likes is barely replying. Or is he purposely taking this walk to see if he can catch her car coming down from the mountains?
Pei Pei is here to visit Jing Jing. And then she finds Yu Tu’s driver’s licence in Jing Jing's car. I wanted to say this earlier, but Yu Tu just hands Jing Jing anything, eh. Access to his phone, his ID
[Ep21] Pei Pei plays Honor or King on Jing Jing's phone. When she logs in, she notices Jing Jing has Exceptional Things. Things because I don't know what that is in the game, presumably very good things. She only asked for one but he got her two. Yu Tu did give her a birthday present. Jing Jing slowly realizes that Yu Tu may not have lied. He could possibly love her just as much as she loves him.
Jing Jing attends the high school reunion (for Yu Tu). Catching wind of that, Yu Tu immediately heads out but he's stuck in traffic. Our Yu Tu is "anxious" again. He runs the rest of the way and from outside, he hears her singing. Slowly, he opens the door. The world around them is dark except for each other. Jing Jing returns to her seat, pretending to be nonchalant about his arrival. While everyone is chatting, Yu Tu makes his way to Jing Jing. He kneels down on one knee in front of her like no one is gawking at them or anything.
Yu Tu: You're here, is it because of me?Jing Jing: I'm not going to haggle on that with you.Yu Tu smiles a knowing smile: Thank you.
Yu Tu leans in: Do you want to leave?The class mumblesJing Jing lightly kicks his shoes: Why don't you find a place to sit first?Yu Tu ain't listening. He leans in to kiss her ~ a soft kiss.Yu Tu: Let's go.
Yu Tu takes her coat and Pei Pei dexterously throws her bunny purse into Jing Jing's hand. Jing Jing is swept off in the hands of Yu Tu. Pei Pei is so happy for her bestie, she's treating the class to KTV and giving them red packets – it's a silencing fee.
Finding a private area outside, Yu Tu wraps her warmly in her coat and scarf. He asks, "Why?" He means why is she here after giving him the cold shoulder? She replies with a question about the Exceptional Things. Didn't he say he wasn't going to give her a birthday present? Yu Tu thought it didn't count because he didn't win them with her. He's more interested to know if that (Exceptional Things) is the reason she's willing to see him. She says it's not, but then she doesn't really have another explanation. She changes the topic and wonders how he knew her passcode. He saw it by accident. Also, he won two ugh, sorry Exceptional Things by adjuring fellow gamers that he has a girlfriend to impress.
(I was told Exceptional Things = Penta-kill which is killing the entire opponent team within one fight. This is obviously very difficult since not only do you need to wipe out the entire opponent team, your character has to deal all 5 killing blows. That's also why he said he thought it didn't count, because Jing Jing wanted him to help her achieve the penta-kill, whereas he did the penta-kill on his own (albeit still on her account – from flash2351 in the comments below)
Jing Jing hides in her scarf: That doesn't sound like you.
Yu Tu: Right now, I'm not like me either.
Yu Tu: Can we stop talking about the game?Jing Jing: Then what should we talk about?Yu Tu: Does this mean you're accepting me?Jing Jing coyly changes the topic: I remember I asked you other questions [on QQ]!Yu Tu smiles: Yes.Jing Jing smiles with her eyes: You have to keep writing them.Yu Tu: Okay.Jing Jing: But you don't need to stay up. I'm not in a rushYu Tu: Okay
Yu Tu takes Jing Jing to their high school. He actually remembers where she sat. It's not that he actually remembers after all these years but that recently, he's been actively searching for memories of her. And all he can find are her misdemeanors or when she bribed him to tutor her with food. She reveries how she had a dream that she never accomplished. He knows. It's attending the same university as him.
Yu Tu reflects: I should have tutored you.Jing Jing smiles, asking him if he would have had the patience or if he could even teach her because she could be really dumb.Yu Tu: It's okay. I'm smart.
Our narcissist kisses Jing Jing.
[Ep22] Yu Tu sends Jing Jing home. He wants to be introduced to her parents. She'd rather keep it a secret until she's exposed. And then Pei Pei drives up in Jing Jing's car. She rolls down the window and asks our lovebirds how their elopement went. Our couple is all smiles.
Jing Jing has space-themed PJs.
Although Yu Tu slept later than Jing Jing, he wakes up earlier than her and texts her at 9am sharp. Was he eagerly waiting to text her? They're on the phone and Yu Tu tells her he has to shovel the snow. She notices him sighing.
Yu Tu explains: I'm wondering when I can shovel your house's driveway.
Jing Jing is happily speechless. She's also wide awake. Who can sleep with so much sugar in the morning, anyway? She takes off to find her boyfriend. Upon seeing her, Yu Tu hugs her, and then, whoops, Mom sees this. Jing Jing swiftly explains she's Yu Tu's girlfriend and that they were dating for a while but Yu Tu never wanted to introduce her. Yu Tu does a double take. Who? What? Where? Jing Jing, our drama queen, adds rather pitifully that Yu Tu said his parents wouldn't like her. Yu Tu's jaw drops. Caught between the two women, Yu Tu swallows all the wrongful accusations and admits everything is his fault. No wonder Jing Jing said parents usually love her. Running away from further accusations, Yu Tu takes Jing Jing to the lake. He's taking her on a motor boat cruise. Then he comes to a full stop.
Yu Tu: Can't move. Need to add oil.
He pulls her in for a kiss. He needs to charge himself. Ohhh. This is what he meant in Ep19 too. He didn't need gas for the vehicle. He needed it for himself ~ As they kissed, their hands clutch tighter onto each other: her on his coat and he on her life jacket.
Yu Tu smirks: The tank's full.
Yu Tu drives Jing Jing back home and confirms the plan tomorrow that in front of her parents, he's to pretend to be his high school alumni who happens to be driving her back to Shanghai. Oh, but Yu Tu has a mischievous grin. Our rabbit holds grudges. The next day, our rabbit, a quick learner, applies the exact trick Jing Jing used on his mother on her parents. He lies that he's her secret boyfriend whom her parents would surely dislike. He's also got the pitiful expression down.
[Ep23] Irresponsible. Jing Jing is lectured by her parents. She swears to her mother that she only started dating Yu Tu like yesterday. After her mother hangs up on her, Jing Jing glares at Yu Tu, "My mother said I'm irresponsible when it comes to relationship." Yu Tu nods, his mother said the same thing about him too, ha.
Sleeping Over. At Jing Jing's condo, Yu Tu swiftly opens her mailbox; it's the same combo to her house. Dude knows everything already. He takes out the letter he sent her. It's his tenth letter. When he wrote it, he had wondered if he'd be able to read it out loud to her. His wish has come true. It's the story of the romantic Yu Tu Rover read by our romantic Yu Tu. Jing Jing is sleepy and lying on his lap. She already had Xiao Zhu pack her suitcase, she won't have to come tonight. Yu Tu smirks. He recognizes she wants alone time with him. Reciprocating her wish, he will stay tonight – on the sofa.
Jing Jing jolts up, no longer sleepy. Our Yu Tu will be more proactive now. He wants her to let him know if he ever crosses the line, For example, tonight, I want to stay over. Is that crossing the line?" He explains that he wants to drive her to the airport tomorrow, and if he goes back home, he'll have to come back at 4am. Jing Jing is dazed. She didn't know he had intentions of driving her in the morning.
Yu Tu: Are your standards for your boyfriend that low?Jing Jing smiles: Not over the line. Not at all.
Sweet Drink. The next morning, Xiao Zhu is stupefied. Not only is Yu Tu opening the door for her, but his show of love is also blinding. When Jing Jing finds her drink too sweet, Yu Tu switches their drink. Then Jing Jing is sad that the sugar-free drink tastes so bad. And so Yu Tu drinks some of hers just to empty it enough that he can mix some of the sweetness from his to hers.
Yu Tu rests his head on his hand, giving her a perfect angle: Is it sweet now?Jing Jing: Sweet. Too sweet. Drowning. Save me. Her drink is sweetened from love.
Mask Kiss. Jing Jing has a drama to film and it seems they won't be able to see each other for two whole months. He sighs. The one who doesn't have time is indeed Jing Jing. To make it up, she kisses him but they both have masks on, and so it's a mask kiss. AH. That really bothers me. The bacteria! The virus!
AI Girlfriend. Jing Jing lands safely and sends him a selfie with cat ears. She says she'll be his AI girlfriend from here on. The two are constantly chatting whenever they're free or not free. This "AI girlfriend" really confuses his coworker, though. He happens to be single and very intrigued.
Genes. Jing Jing reports to Yu Tu that Manager Jing called him invisible. How is it that their relationship is still a secret when they're so obvious about it? Yu Tu replies that he can't be invisible. He's positive light doesn't go through him. Yu Tu is the light. Jing Jing gave him light and now he emits light. They even went to KTV with their friends, how could there be no pictures? Yu Tu explains that it was all because of Pei Pei. Yu Tu paid her back, though. Pei Pei initially refused it, but figured she can't let him off so easily. She even asked for a silencing fee because in the end she'll just give it back when they marry. Yu Tu found that reasonable. Jing Jing is more interested to know how much money he was robbed off. Mm, about half his monthly salary. Jing Jing is upset. Yu Tu laughs, and suggests they could minus it from their betrothal gifts. Jing Jing quickly hangs up, excusing herself that she needs to read her script. He calls her back and promises to not bring up anything wedding related. She smiles and tells him to be good because she really needs to read her script. He nods. He'll be good. But she's the one who's staring at him. She asks him what he's writing. It's another letter to her. Or a story. He's trying to explain how emigrating to Mars will work but because it's a little impossible in current day technology, he's writing a story about the future, using their future generation as main characters: Yu Xiao Qiao and Yu Jing. Yu Tu kept to his word. He stopped talking about their future wedding, and went straight to talking about their future children. Jing Jing finds something unfair: "Why is it that Yu Xiao Qing still sucks at math. Didn't she inherit any of your genes?"
Yu Tu: I will have to ask you that question. Will you allow my genes to influence your genes?Jing Jing screams: Ah! How am I supposed to memorize my script! Yu Tu!
[Ep24] AI Jing Jing. Jing Jing is gloomy from all the NG’s she received. On the phone, she wants Yu Tu to cheer her up. He ends up telling her that failure is common in his career. Jing Jing perks up and motivates him instead. True to her character, she really is ball of optimism. But he's offending her left and right and he doesn’t even know it. Jing Jing learns he saved her name as "Ms. AI.” Angrily, Jing Jing hangs up on him to pick up Manager Ling's call and responds like a robot: "He he. Today, AI Jing Jing is temporarily not in service."
Blind Date. Jing Jing asks Yu Tu for a selfie of him playing basketball and so he asks his coworkers to take the picture. He lies to his coworkers the picture is for his blind date and now his coworkers are asking for hers. Jing Jing hugs a bunny stuffed animal for her selfie. For some reason, Yu Tu isn't replying for the longest time. That’s ‘cause he’s dazed at her picture. He wants to be the bunny in her arms. Our bunny misses Jing Jing. Yu Tu phones her to at least hear her voice to ask his “blinddate" when they can finally see each other.
Soon!
Jing Jing finds an opportunity to end her schedule early. She gets three days off. Immediately, Yu Tu sends her a red packet of 520 RMB. 520 = I love you.
Yu Tu’s Place. At the airport, they're so loving, it's blinding Xiao Zhu again and it’s blinding our couple as well because no one notices the paparazzis tailing them. Yu Tu is also too preoccupied with the traffic. The drive to Jing Jing’s will take forever (Yu Tu can’t be wasting their precious time on the road). He suggests a new destination that will only take 20 minutes: his home. She pretends to be offended, but coyly taps his home on the navigation.
Yu Tu has cute slippers for Jing Jing. He prepared them since New Year’s. He also pours her water and follows her around with the cup that she carelessly leaves around. He truly likes taking care of his pretty girl. That’s not all, he has a rocket stuffed animal for her.
Sleeping Over. While Yu Tu is enjoying his uncooked noodles, Jing Jing receives a game request from Chen Xue who needs help levelling up. Chen Xue is a cameo by Wu Qian. She was in a Gu Man drama adaptation: My Sunshine. Yu Tu quickly slurps up the hard noodles to help Jing Jing (to help Chen Xue). He promises he’ll win within an hour. Oh, but man, he really sucks and it takes him three hours to win. Shucks, looks like it's too late to drive Jing Jing back home ~ Yu Tu, you sneaky little bunny. Jing Jing exposes Yu Tu who can actually win the game in 15 minutes. She gets up to leave for a hotel but Yu Tu pulls her down to sit on his lap. He moves on to phase two: Pity. He says he’s been OT-ing to take the day off tomorrow just to spend it with her. If he has to drive to her place and back, he'll have to stay up past 2am. Pity me? It works like a charm.
Tranquility. Unable to sleep, Jing Jing heads out to the living room. Yu Tu is up and reading research journals. Isn't he tired? He had his OTs, right? He explains that today of all days, he needs to read them to achieve inner tranquility. Otherwise he'll keep going... Jing Jing gets it ...and going... She skips away ...and going... but he pulls her down to sit on his lap again. Ou, is he going? He tells her, "You're not allowed to run out here again, otherwise.... – dramatic pause – Go sleep" He lets her leave. Ah, he is not going. And after she's gone, he hangs his head back. Ah, where to relieve the tension?
Jing Jian can’t sleep either. She phones Manager Ling to send her script over. She needs to achieve inner tranquility too. Pft. This is hilariously exposed to Yu Tu the next morning when Jing Jing puts Manager Ling on speaker.
Yu Tu mutters quietly: It wasn't that effective.Jing Jing: Hm?Yu Tu: The research papers. Ha.
Life Contract. Yu Tu accompanies Jing Jing to work, pretending to be her assistant. The stylist is stunned at such a handsome assistant. Jing Jing tells the stylist she’s considering mentoring him but she’s not sure if he’s willing to sign a contract of at least ten years. Yu Tu perks up, "I can sign longer than that.” Then Jing Jing curiously asks about his salary. Yu Tu replies, "You just have to give me enough money to eat.” The stylist is shocked at Yu Tu’s eagerness to sign a slave contract. T/N: Yu Tu is agreeing to give her his body for life (i.e. marriage) and all his earnings. I’m seriously translating this time. This is exactly what he means.
Jing Jing asks for Yu Tu’s advice on which dress she should wear. Yu Tu proceeds to weigh them. He picks the lighter dress. Manager Ling spits out her water at his unique taste. Our bunny can’t even let a dress tire her out.
Back home. Yu Tu joins Jing Jing's live event in the audience. He's not quite liking her fanboys and fangirls calling Jing Jing their wifey. But he does love it that her fans love her so much. And really, he's not that jealous. After all, he’s the one who gets to take her home.
Jing Jing: Go home with you, and then what? Watch you translate research papers again? Oh. She just poked the Energizer Bunny.
And they're at his home. Yu Tu takes her lips. In the middle of the kisses, he breathlessly asks, “Is it okay?" Yes! He lifts her to bed, and asks Jing Jing that other than the pillow on the bed, what else bothers her.
Jing Jing: You.Yu Tu: This can't be helped. You will get used to it.
Whilst she's feeling hot with his kisses, he, in his raspy voice, asks her about the height of the pillow (there is no pillow).
Yu Tu: Let's try this height – he moves – What about now? – she tries to move – Don't move [too much]. What height do you like? – he jerks her head backwards again – This? – she says no – Then I’ll try lower.
We're talking about pillow height, here, guys. Pil-low.
[Ep26] Paparazzi are still stalking our couple. However, once they follow Yu Tu to work, the police arrest them, charging them with espionage, and we all know how confidential aerospace research is, right? No, lol. The police confiscate all the pictures. Yu Tu and Jing Jing laugh. It seems no paparazzi will ever dare expose them anymore. Oh, but their dating is exposed by a casual fan who caught them at the movie theatre. Manager Ling is perfectly fine with Jing Jing confirming her dating status but Jing Jing doesn't want to publicize her relationship. Yu Tu's career is too important to be under public scrutiny.
Zhao Zi Qi (cameo by Zhao Ying Zi) is Jing Jing's rival. Zhao's boyfriend visits their filming set in the middle of a desert. Not only does he bring food, he also brings a chef to cook for the crew. Xiao Zhu is worried for Jing Jing because Yu Tu is to visit the day after. What if he shows up with nothing and she loses face (i.e. reputation)? Jing Jing is like His face is enough. Actually I said that, but it's pretty much Jing Jing's message. She just wants to see Yu Tu and there isn’t a need to disturb the set with any extravaganza.
Our bunny can't stand not being able to contact her. As Yu Tu is fixing the antenna, the producer asks Jing Jing if Yu Tu is her friend. She denies it – he’s just a technician. Ha. Once he fixes the signal, Jing Jing receives Yu Tu's message, "I miss you, too.” The director is so appreciative towards Yu Tu because internet signal is life, he frees up Jing Jing's schedule for the day. Our couple get down to business – real business – two people business. ;)
[Ep27] Jing Jing and Yu Tu say their farewells. She’s looking glum. It’s another separation. When will they get to see each other? Well, that’s why Yu Tu fixed their reception signal. He video-calls her on the bus. His friend wakes up and Jing Jing swiftly pretends to be hosting a livestream. The dumb (and sleepy) coworker believes it and asks Yu Tu what he’s learning from our superstar Jing Jing. Yu Tu replies with an idiom: A sea with no horizon. There is no limit to what he can learn (from Jing Jing).
Uh, so remember about Guan Zai? He’s better and working.
Yu Tu returns home and smiles at the suitcases in the middle of his living room. Jing Jing is here. I guess Zhai Liang doesn’t live here anymore? Quietly, he enters his room. Jing Jing is sleeping in his bed. He kisses her softly and she wakes up to that. She holds his arm and wants more kisses. Yu Tu changes first. He’ll take a nap with her. Jing Jing smiles as she watches him strip. He covers her eyes but she’s desperate to see more. She peeks through the buttons and slips her hand to rest on his pecs ~ Why so firm? ~
Jing Jing apologizes to Yu Tu that her two month vacay is cancelled. She has work tomorrow. It’s a lie. Yu Tu finds out through Manager Ling. Unaware, Jing Jing is eagerly waiting for Yu Tu who’d be hot for her since their time is short but instead he's ignoring her. He finally confronts her about the lie. Jing Jing jolts up from bed, explaining she wanted to give him a surprise. Yu Tu, visibly upset, tells her, "Forget it. Too lazy to reason with you” because he’d rather seize her lips with his mouth. Is it just me or is there this one inaudible mumbling that’s not captioned? Or is that just him breathing hoarsely? xD
Jing Jing squirms from underneath him: I’m at fault! I wanted to give you a surpriseYu Tu’s voice is muffled, his mouth is occupied: Do I look surprised? 惊喜 means happily surprised.Jing Jing whimpers: Yu Tu.... – ruffle ruffle – I’m not (happily) surprised.Yu Tu: So how long?Jing Jing: Two months.
Yu Tu has a surprise for Jing Jing. He cleared out the storage room for her clothes. Since he had thought she’d be staying for two months and knowing his Jing Jing who loves being pretty, he made a walk-in closet for her. She thanks him for the present. He doesn’t consider it one. It’s more like he’s building his nest of a home with his precious person. Y’all this closet is high tech! It's a revolving one!
Jing Jing sends Yu Tu off to work at the door. He tells her to not take a nap and fix her jet lag.
Jing Jing: But you don’t let me sleep properly at night.Yu Tu hesitates, laughs, and then nods: You’re right. Then you should nap in the afternoon (because tonight...)Jing Jing dramatically sighs: I think I understand now. For your happiness, I have to sacrifice my biological clock.Yu Tu: Just mine? (Just my happiness?)
Before Yu Tu even leaves the neighbourhood, Jing Jing calls him. She wants to decorate his home. Yu Tu straightens his expression. Something is upsetting him. The renovations? No. She said “his home”. Jing Jing smiles and corrects herself “my home”.
Then Yu Tu gets another call from Jing Jing. This time he’s at the gates at work. Jing Jing has a question: why are all his awards, certificates, and trophies all boxed up. He had no time to display them and brags that what if his future child is pressured by his father’s glory. Jing Jing snorts that his child could be smarter than him. Yu Tu whispers, "Then we should jiayou (work hard).”
[Ep28] Jing Jing wants to cut down on her variety appearances and ads to focus on her acting career. She knows she’s further from her youthful days. She wants people to remember her work and recognize her as an actress. She doesn't want to lag behind Yu Tu who will continue to shine brighter in his career. His presence and attitude motivates her to be better.
Guan Zai is quitting project Soushenhao – there's nothing more he can do. He's also no longer as healthy. He doesn't want to see his team pull all nighters while he gets off work on time. The team may not mind it, but he does. Plus Soushenhao will be in good hands: Yu Tu finds it regretful that Guan Zai is leaving. He was his mentor, his partner, his role model, and his friend. Jing Jing comforts Yu Tu that Guan Zai is still working in the same field, their ambitions are still the same. Jing Jing is the same too. She may not be in the same field but she's accompanying his walk to their respective dreams. Remember how Yu Tu rejected Jing Jing in high school? He wanted someone to "work hard with him" Jing Jing is the one all along. She jokes that she needs to win more awards otherwise how can she compare with all of Yu Tu's trophies. She goes on to say What if people are curious who Yu Tu's "family" is and they search me up and find that it's just this really pretty girl. Isn't that shameful? Yu Tu sighs at her boasting ability. Our girl is merely complimenting her own superior looks. Yeah, I wonder who taught her how to boast like that. But her boasting is effective, he's happy again.
This two month vacay will be the longest consecutive duration Jing Jing and Yu Tu will spend together. Jing Jing worries that what if they realize they don't actually get along. Yu Tu reminds her that they spent a longer time together when he taught her how to play Honor of King (9qm-9pm) but admits it is different now. Back then, they spent the daytime together. Now, because of his work, they spend nighttime together.
Yu Tu: But Jing Jing, at night, when do we even have time to not get along? All these suggestive lines!
For the next two month our couple, day or night, get along sweetly. Since they're revamping their home, I recommend they get rid of all the chairs in the house except one. Jing Jing only needs his lap.
[Ep29] Chen Xue invites Jing Jing and Yu Tu for dinner at her place. Cheng Xue and friends put on an acting skit to impress Yu Tu for Jing Jing's sake but they're the ones impressed by him when he provides professional input on the script. Also Chen Xue asks Jing Jing about her ex and how he'd be a better ($) choice. She also wonders if Jing Jing wasn't as rich, would she pick Yu Tu. Jing Jing reasons that with her looks and intelligence, she can flourish anywhere doing anything. But what if she's just really unlucky and poor, would she still choose Yu Tu? Jing Jing mocks Chen Xue's stupidity, Isn't that more of a reason to latch onto Yu Tu? Yu Tu overhears this and he's pretty smug the whole way home because either way, the person Jing Jing wants is him no matter if she's rich or poor.
Yu Tu invites Jing Jing to the aerospace facility. Their department has a basketball match. Gu Man just loves her ML playing basketball. This is nostalgic for Jing Jing. Her 神 shen (god) is still so 神. But she continues to roast his age as if she's not the same age, lol.
Jing Jing compares her ID with Yu Tu on who looks better. Yu Tu counters that to compare they first need to control the environment and the independent variables (i.e. the pictures need to be taken under the same light, with the same photographer, and at the same place). Nervously, he clutches his hands behind his back ...
Yu Tu: So when can we take a formal picture together?
He's asking for a wedding picture (for their wedding ID). And this is a proposal. And Jing Jing accepts it~ Just like that. No ring, no kneel, just Jing Jing and Yu Tu under the light and in love.
At the speed of light, we're talking about marriage and the families are sitting down to discuss wedding arrangements. Jing Jing realizes Yu Tu's mother only had one request from his girlfriend: to take care of him. Yu Tu sighs that his mother forgot all that the moment she saw Jing Jing. Then Yu Tu asks about her parents' expectations. She replies that all they care about is probably his looks.
Yu Tu's ego speaking: Then I won the moment I was born. Yes, Yang Yang, you did.
[Ep30] Jing Jing opts for a mass wedding at his workplace. He thought she wanted to save money but Jing Jing had deeper thoughts than that. This way she can avoid a lot of hassles that entails with being a celebrity. She merely wants a normal wedding between the two of them. It doesn't have to be grand. It's her who asks him if this wedding is unfitting for him. Yu Tu wants to redo his proposal; Jing Jing is just too precious.
Yu Tu is about to cry: Qiao Jing Jing tongxue (student), we've known each other for almost 16 years. Because of my prejudice, we missed 13 years. You said you didn't regret it but I really regret it. Thankfully, we have all the years ahead of us. Will you give the rest of the time you have to me?
Of course. The mass wedding is on!
The entire aerospace department from the head professor to the staff ensure Jing Jing's presence as a bride is kept a secret – this department is a pro at keeping confidentiality anyway.
The makeup artist is late and the other brides are fretting. No worries, Jing Jing has her entire team here. They enter like the Avengers to save girls from their bare faces.
The only problem is the guests are hyping about Jing Jing and so Yu Tu leads her away from the imminent crowd and towards their wedding venue before the wedding. Although it's a regular conventional wedding, Yu Tu had other surprises for Jing Jing. He had a part in decorating the event hall. Across the floor, he designed constellations that light up as she walks across.
After they marry, at a hotel on a balcony, Jing Jing asks Yu Tu to use her phone to update her fans that she's married with this message: "Mm, I love you too." Yu Tu smiles.
[Ep31] It's been five years. Our couple is 38yo! Jing Jing is the lucky recipient to visit the aerospace facility (Yu Tu has been submitting for the draw for the past five years). This visit is special. She will get to witness the launching of Soushenhao up close. Jing Jing has never been so excited. She's rambling like an aerospace nerd. Lovingly, Yu Tu gives her a kiss. But aren't there surveillance cameras all around? Yes. They are in a confidential area, after all. Pondering for a second, Jing Jing gives him another kiss. It's confidential anyways.
Yu Tu is super busy with super cool looking aerospace stuff and doesn't have time for Jing Jing. I like the detail of Jing Jing fixing his ID for him when he was apologizing. It feels so natural. Jing Jing doesn't mind, she never minds. She values his work as much as he does. She also uses her time efficiently and takes all the ladies (who are also neglected by their husbands) to a cruise/tour.
Yu Tu speeds up his work progress any chance he gets even if he's sacrificing his good looks with his horrible table manners. The faster he eats, the faster he can get back to work, the faster he can see Jing Jing. But the men are distracting him with all their "complaints" about Jing Jing. She's bringing all the ladies to play and they're either bothering their husbands to pick out which picture (that honestly all look the same) is better lol, am guilty or they no longer get yummy food at night. Yu Tu comforts the guys that he doesn't even get a late night snack. The boys pity him but Yu Tu smiles and twirls his ring as he blissfully tells them, "My wife has a lot of merits too. She's so lovable." Omg. Lol. He had this dorky smile too. Yu Tu proves it by calling her and reporting all the complaints. Grinning, Jing Jing demands to be on speaker asking who is this complainer and what is there to complain about. All the men shrink in their seats. Not a man dares to speak. Lovable, isn't she?
At night, our couple put the two single beds together so they can sleep in each other's arms. Yu Tu falls asleep first; he's too tired. I like how Jing Jing stared at him before she slept. After five years, she's still so in love. Actually, after 20 years. In the middle of the night, Yu Tu wakes up. He's nervous about the launching tomorrow.
[Ep32] Yu Tu barely slept and before it’s 6am, he's out the door. Shoushenhao is to launch today. Jing Jing had set her alarm for 6am to send him off on this important day, but he turned it off and so she overslept. But that’s okay. She’s always supporting him anyway. From high school she knew he’d be an exceptional aerospace engineer. This is why she said "I, compared to anyone else, wish you can continue to be an aerospace engineer"~ (Ep9). She recognized his passion from the very beginning.
Shoushenhao launches!
Guan Zai, in another lab, watches proudly. He is also the first person Yu Tu phones after the successful launch. Jing Jing was upset that Yu Tu didn’t call her first but when she realized it’s Guan Zai, she became teary. This was their dream. They did it. Yu Tu's second call is to Jing Jing. He's reminded that Jing Jing had told him: "You are the rabbit who has already seen the most stars". Today, he truly is. He thanks her for accompanying him on his journey.
Jing Jing: Turn around, I’m behind you. And always with ya.Yu Tu: You’re already this age and you’re still so naughty. The same thing he said in Ep6. I say it's the moment he realized he liked her and also the moment he restrained himself.
They hug and he apologizes for being away from home so often. Jing Jing is forgiving, after all, his dream is so grand.
Jing Jing: 我以你為荣, 我以你們為荣 | You are my glory. You are all my glory.
The end!
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-6)] Bias level: High.
First of all, this is a Gu Man adaptation and she is the screen writer for this as well. I have loved her previous drama adaptations (Love O2O, My Sunshine, Boss & Me). I don't know what it is about her stories that tingles my heart. As much as I am a fan of her dramas, I also don't think they stand against time – newcomers to Cdramas probably wouldn't like these dramas as much as I did when I first watched them. From my faulty memory, at that time there weren't too many sweet romantic contemporary Cdramas that also weren't dramatic. To me, these were the pioneers to contemporary Cdrama romances. Times are different now and we're saturated with all kinds of sweet dramas that these ones really aren't that special anymore in the landscape of dramas, but they'll always be special in my heart.
Now, this drama.
Frankly, my expectations of this was that as long as it was "watchable" I would be happy. I am happy.
There are sluggish moments – "moments" might be too generous of a word – but I like it. Not the sluggish moments. I skip those too. Other than the obvious reasons of why this drama works for me (Gu Man, Yang Yang, and Dilireba), I do like the understated romance the drama is going for – it's the slow kind. I don't quite feel the "burn" but I like the subtle moments. Yu Tu is the ML who is rediscovering our FL and falling in love with her. In the process, Qiao Jing Jing is motivating the current him who's wounded from his harsh reality. He's no longer the "glorious" boy he used to be but with Qiao Jing Jing's natural brightness, she'll make him shine again.
[Names]
Qiao Jing Jing: Her name 晶 (jing) means shining, brilliant, light, etc.
Back in high school, Qiao Jing Jing's original ID used to be 闪闪發光 (flickering and shining like her name and career) but she changed it to 手可摘星辰 (the hand can reach the starry galaxy) so that Yu Tu would accept her friend request since he likes astronomy. Currently, it's 手可摘棉花. Instead of grabbing the stars, she's grabbing cotton. During gaming, the boys will call her Cotton for short.
Yu Tu:
His ID name is 玉兔搗药 (yutudaoyao) which means Jaded Rabbit Pounds Medicine. It's a homophone with his name. The Jaded Rabbit (yutu) is a mythical figure. I was once told that in the moon lives a rabbit (Jaded Rabbit). This rabbit can be seen when the moon is at its fullest and brightest – it's really just physics and the orbits of the Moon and the Earth, anyway – which is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Now, hold up, there's a rabbit in the moon? Well, someone (I have no clue who) really imaginative noted that the shadows on the moon had these ears and these paws – voila, it's a rabbit! If you try, you may be able to see it. You may also ask what is this rabbit doing in the moon. It's pounding "medicine" which is actually the Mooncakes we (Chinese folks) eat during Mid-Autumn Festival.
The above is the modern version that I hear of. There is an actual folklore. You can Google it.
[Actors/Actresses] This is Yang Yang's second Gu Man adaptation. Unlike Xiao Nai from Love O2O, Yu Tu is a man who's sad, weathered. He has a dream, a passion, but he's dropping it for a 9-5 job. It's sad watching Yang Yang sad so I'm hoping we pick up on that Qiao-Jing-Jing magic and brighten up his life sooner rather than later.
I am confused at the difference between supporting roles vs. cameos in this drama. It feels like everyone is a cameo and there are no supporting actors except maybe the assistant and the manager. The drama has surrounded our leads with very good actors in very minor roles. There's Tu Song Yan, Jin Chen, Ji Xiao Bin, Pan Yue Ming, Gao Lu, Wu Qian, and Zheng He Hui Zi.
[Behind the Scenes]
[Drama Details] I take NO credit in these details, I'm only compiling them. Mostly from douban (@彩虹拖拉机 and @白羊cxt) because they have posts that lists them neatly. There's so many subtle moments, it has become a scavenger hunt for some very dedicated fans. A lot are aerospace-related, which I skipped, ahem.
The rabbit moments (Jing Jing loves “rabbits”)
[Ep3] The first time Jing Jing meets Yu Tu face-to-face she was carrying a mini black rabbit purse
[Ep12] The episode Jing Jing falls on Yu Tu’s lap when he was sleeping, she was watching TV and hugging a rabbit stuffed animal.
Jing Jing's emoji’s are rabbits
The rabbit moments (Jing Jing loves “rabbits”)
[Ep3] The first time Jing Jing meets Yu Tu face-to-face she was carrying a mini black rabbit purse
[Ep12] The episode Jing Jing falls on Yu Tu’s lap when he was sleeping, she was watching TV and hugging a rabbit stuffed animal.
Jing Jing's emoji’s are rabbits
Jing Jing's earrings are rabbits
Aerospace related:
[Ep7] “You are already the rabbit who’s seen the most stars” comes from the Weibo message of Lunar Rover Jaded Rabbit, which is a lunar rover that existed in China. This quote is part of its last Weibo message.
Aerospace related:
[Ep7] “You are already the rabbit who’s seen the most stars” comes from the Weibo message of Lunar Rover Jaded Rabbit, which is a lunar rover that existed in China. This quote is part of its last Weibo message.
[Ep12] Yu Tu’s passcode is 0424 which is China’s Aerospace Day
[Ep13] When Jing Jing was browsing his phone, there are a lot of space related apps and also aerospace related jargon in his group chats.
[Ep13] When Jing Jing was browsing his phone, there are a lot of space related apps and also aerospace related jargon in his group chats.
[Ep22] Jing Jing's space themed PJs
Romance related:
[Ep1] Yu Tu’s QQ ID ends with 520 and Jing Jing’s QQ ID ends with 1314.
Romance related:
[Ep1] Yu Tu’s QQ ID ends with 520 and Jing Jing’s QQ ID ends with 1314.
520 = I love you1314 = Forever5201314 = I love you forever.
[Ep3] The episode Yu Tu went to fix the air purifier, he got off the subway and passed by Jing Jing’s ad without sparing it a glance. After their night stroll and on his way back home, he notices the ad and pauses to look at it. Is this the prelude of love on his end?
[Ep11] The details of the bun. When Yu Tu learned from Guan Zhai’s wife how tasty they are, he went and bought them for Jing Jing’s breakfast.
[Ep12] Yu Tu has Jing Jing pinned to the top on his WeChat. He’s on her Favourite Contact list, which is different from Ep10 where she was still a regular contact.
[Ep11] The details of the bun. When Yu Tu learned from Guan Zhai’s wife how tasty they are, he went and bought them for Jing Jing’s breakfast.
[Ep12] Yu Tu has Jing Jing pinned to the top on his WeChat. He’s on her Favourite Contact list, which is different from Ep10 where she was still a regular contact.
[Ep23] Netizens claims that Yu Tu's iconic line "Will you allow my genes to influence your genes" was supposed to be more suggestive. Instead of 影響 (to influence), his line through his mouth shape should have been 融入(to blend' to merge). The supposed original connotation is that it involves mixing, intertwining, inter-y'know.
[Glossary]
[Ending] Yu Tu and Jing Jing are married ~ (But where is Yu Jing and Yu Xiao Qiao! What happened to influencing each other's genes!)
[Review & Rating]
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