Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Tsundere / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General
The FL:
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot / Business-woman
Describe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love (F) Rivals +++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / Harem / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Rebirth / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / School to Adulthood / Star-Crossed Lovers
Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++
Remarks
[Drama Info]
Directed by Zhang Kai Zhou and written by Zeng Lu., this series reunites the A-team behind The Story of Ming Lan, Battle of Changsha, and Ode to Joy 2. Zhang’s past works also include Romance in the Alley and The Bond.. They're backed by the prestigious Delight Entertainment label. (No pressure, Zhang Ling He and Zhao Jin Mai!).
Zhang Ling He and Zhao Jin Mai have been together for nearly all of 2024. Early in the year, they filmed Princess Royal, promoted it in the summer, and then filmed for this one immediately after. They also bring in a lot of new/unknown actors in the supporting cast.
Wrapped on November 23, 2024.
[Ending] Happy.
Drama Overview & Review
The Main Romance. Jiang Qiao Xi’s a broken soul and Yin Tao brings him back to life with nothing but her unconditional love. What they share is deep. Just don't expect it to be too romantic. [Skip »]
The romance starts and ends here ~
Zhao Jin Mai's pissed off smile + Zhang Ling He's cheeky one
Yin Tao serenading Jiang Qiao Xi
He carries her so romantically....
Yin Tao is actually embarrassed about the scarves:
Girl always goes to him first, kisses him first, and confesses first.
☙ ☙ ☙ ☙ ☙
Friendship & 2nd CP. It's not that romantic, but somehow there's not enough room for family and friends too! Yu Qiao and Qin Ye Yun definitely grow on you. I wish there was more of just them, and the two boys who were neglected. [Skip »]
Cute Yin Tao!
It was these boys who told Yin Tao, "we need you!"
Yu Qiao's little brother's first love is over xD
But they all love the scarves because they love Jiang Qiao Xi
Yu Qiao and Qin Ye Yu both bought the same bunny cake for Yin Tao.
This is a quiet drama about different types of relationships: family, friends, romance but this is not a romantic movie.
Our Generation is about a woman’s (Lin Ying Tao) life from 9 years old to 29 years old. Her life was quiet and normal. She had 3 best friends and another girl around. Then came the new guy, Jiang Qiao Xi. He was quiet and odd. But her parents welcomed him and his dad into town. They actually looked after JQX while his dad was still working. She got to know him and the gang of 4 became a gang of 5. It wasn’t a gang of 6 because the other girl, Qun Ye Yun, didn’t hang out with them much as she had to mind the store for her disabled single father,
He opened up her world with all his knowledge and she opened his eyes to life outside of studying. Then his mom came into town and decided that small town life wasn’t for him, a math genius. So JQX was abruptly sent away. Ying Tao and the boys would miss him. She, however, never got over why JQX never responded. For years, she would write letters to him but didn’t know where to send them. As the years progressed, her circle of friends started to relocate to the big city. And then she was the last one in the small town.
Then one day she decided to send all her letters as a notebook to Jiang Qiao Xi in the big city. This created a storm full of rumors and falsehood at JQX’s school where the other Qun Shan Gang also attended. The girl, Qin Ye Yun, decided to call Ying Tao and told her to stop pining for JQX. This lead to Ying Tao wanting to find answers. So she decided to skip school and go to the big city to find JQX and see for herself. Once she made the trek to his school, he publicly said he did not know her.
Publicly humiliated she ran even further away. She was walking aimlessly in the city and was found by Yu Qiao (one of the Qun Shan Gang best friend who has a crush on her). He brought her to his home and called the other boys letting them know Ying Tao is in town. His parents called her parents to let them know she is safe. When her parents came to pick her up, the Qun Shan families had a reunion meal, and her parents finally realized Ying Tao needs her friends and so they decided to relocate to the big city.
Then began her journey through high school where she reunited with her childhood friends and Ye Yun became part of the gang. The drama follows the normal coming of age plots with jealous female, high school hi jinx’s with the center story on Jiang Qiao Xi’s struggle with wanting to hang out with the Qun Shan gang and his mother’s desire for him to win math competition and be the top student. Then when Jiang Qiao Xi finally obtained his mom’s desire, he decided to quit the math competition and all hell broke loose. Poor Ying Tao, once again, was left behind without an explanation from JQX. As she went through high school graduation then a couple years of university, they finally located JQX.
Like before, she dropped everything to go find him. Thus begin their way back to each other. We find out that JQX’s life turned for the worst and he had to stay in Hong Kong to help his cousin’s family when his cousin got paralyzed in an accident.
I give this drama a 4/5. Like Chase the Truth, I came into this drama with low expectations that the second drama with same leads will be a hit. And like Chase the Truth, there was very little romance. Yes there was a love story but it was told in a grand fashion with very few romantic scenes. The relationships were done beautifully. The child actors gave off a genuine love and friendship and the adult actors were able to continue that vibe. There was no evil person or evil action. Though Jiang Qiao Xi’s mother was towing that line quite tightly lol. The parents’ relationship was very believable and you understand why the kids are so close. This drama followed a little girl and her pursuit of happiness.
Three (3/5)
Two (2/5)
Reviewer: cynlynn
Date: July 2025
Hearts: ♥
Maybe this is a deep romance for folks who don’t actually care for the romance part? Could be. Well then, welcome home – I'm the one clearly in the wrong neighbourhood.
Romance, family, friendship – I thought this show was aiming to give us a full-course emotional meal, giving each element plenty of depth. Instead, I got a tiny tasting menu. At least the bite-size sample came with quality, and the acting sells the depth, so there's that (i.e. there's deep emotions, but the plot didn't have that depth to make me see and feel their emotions.)
The show seems to be stuck in an awkward limbo. If it’s aiming for young, unconditional love – like Hidden Love or the best-and-worst example that is Love O2O, it forgets the sweet, the swoon, and the fun. If it’s trying to capture grounded family, friendship, or childhood vibes à la Romance in the Alley, well... maybe don’t cut/skim those family&friend scenes? The quality’s there, but it misses the sweet spot for either camp.
P.S. A ♥ because I still love Zhao Jin Mai and Zhang Ling He together. She’s fiercely in love, takes the lead in everything, and even serenades him across a field in the middle of the night for the whole school to hear.
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