This #cdrama will forever have a place in my heart for all the beautiful growing pain themes that run through each of the character's lives.
This is the second modern #cdrama that I have watched.
Tan Song Yun, Song Wei Long, Zhang Xin Cheng, Tu Song Yan and Zhang Xi Lin are the brilliant stars of the show.
I loved it, the rhythm of life was good!
It's an emotional must watch, but definitely a must watch in my opinion.
Li Jian Jian and her father, a widower, Li Hai Chao live in an apartment building. Li Hai Cho owns a community-famous noodle restaurant, the best one in the neighborhood.
Ling He Ping and his family move into the same building and rent the apartment above. The family is tormented by the grief of their daughter's accidental death, his wife is emotional and unpredictable often taking out all her anger on her son, Ling Xiao and Dad Ling.
Li Jian Jian and her father are very welcoming of their new neighbors but that same energy is not returned. Eventually Ling Biao's mother (Yang Tong Shu) leaves and Dad Li and Dad Ling are left to raise the two children together.
Meanwhile Dad Li is always being set up by the neighbourhood match maker Aunt Qian. He always resists but eventually he takes a liking to Hi Mei.
Hi Mei (Yuan Ran) has a son called He Zi Qiu. During an emergency Hi Mei borrows some money from Dad Li and leaves her son with him promising to return soon but she never does....so He Zi Qiu joins the family!
Here are some of the things I enjoyed about the drama
The Lovable Chosen Family
This drama stands out for me because it is the mothers who leave their children. Instead, the fathers are left behind. They all become a real family looking out for each other and supporting each other, at times they are inseparable. Watching Dad Li cook for everyone, including his commitment to the happiness and wellbeing of each children is 💓💓💓.
Both fathers do their best but we can see that all three children are affected in different ways by the lack of a mother figure in their lives. This is what I like about the drama. The emotions and life experiences are different for each child and we get a chance to see and understand each one. For example, He Zi Qiu's wealthy father (Liu Jin Long) shows up in his late teens to convince Zi Qiu to become his heir but He Zi Qiu has been disappointed by his biological parents before so he's naturally resistant and loyal to Dad Li.
The child actors were exceptional. Sometimes I forgot that Cong Shang, Xu Wai Luo and Li Zhen Zhen were acting too, they were so believable!
Ba Li and Ba Ling
They are not a couple, but they really co-parent well. I enjoyed their dynamic and their understanding of each other's strengths which helped them run the family well. The sequences when Dad Li is busy preparing breakfast or lunch are nicely done . A man making the home rather than a women; their conversations about how to handle different dilemmas with children💓💓💓
Fantastic acting by both!
The Mother We All Hate 😠
We can all agree Chen Tong is the worst mother in the world. An emotionally manipulative and abusive self- centered woman who projects all her insecurities on her family. Even her children don't want to be around her. This drama does a good job of portraying and an abusive home and the short and long term effects on children.
First she abandons her family and then returns remarried and wealthy to create a relationship with her son. She is surprised that he doesn't want to be around her!?!? He is happy with his chosen family; this makes her even more infuriated. Poor Ling Xiao is traumatized from being forced to become the primary caregiver of his mother who abandoned him, then abuses him.
Honorable Mention Goes to Tan Song Yun fashion
I loved her casual fashion style, even her pyjamas were cool!
Friendships in your 20's
As always I love how they showcase the importance of Li Jian Jian' s friendships. They experience the growing pains together it was soooooo funny and nice to watch.
Crushes and Awkward Love
I wasn't so sure about the part where both brothers fall for Li Jian Jian. That was a bit much. right? Honestly, I am surprised she didn't need a little therapy to process everything.
However despite the love hiccups, the way the three of them love, support and stick up for each other throughout the drama is so endearing especially when they realize Ling Xiao is on medication for anxiety and depression or when He Zi Qiu's mother returns and his father continues trying to make him abandon his chosen family.
Also I want to know how to eat a watermelon with chop sticks too!
As I wrote at the beginning , it's an emotional must watch, but definitely a must watch in my opinion!
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