Love Details In Forever & Ever

“This floating life is but a dream. How often can life’s pleasures be enjoyed? Shi Yi, alone, is all that I asked.”

Forever & Ever ruined romance dramas for me in general since it is so beautifully written and acted with so much substance and depth on the plots and the characters. It is just very rare to find romance dramas that do not have stupid misunderstandings, petty games of push & pull, breakups and just about love, trust, loyalty, devotion and absolute understanding between two people in love. I can never stress out how wonderful and fantastic this drama is. Zhousheng Chen & Shi Yi’s relationship is really beautiful -- they have ‘soulmate’ kind of relationship since they can see deep into each other's souls where no words are needed to be spoken. I never seen a drama where the leads actually smile at each other as much as they smile to each other here -- they look totally in love, smitten and extremely blessed to be at each other's company. And this drama is actually more rewarding with each rewatch since the love & romantic details in it are especially amazing -- they are small, subtle and sometimes insignificant but conveyed thousand of words at the same time.

THE ESSENCE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP

I love that the essence of their love did not change at all despite both of them has different personalities than their previous life in One & Only. Shi Yi will fall first and Zhousheng Chen took time but when he did, she can feel it in her bones despite his love being silent most of the time. Reincarnation works that way in all reincarnation dramas. The soul is the same, but the personalities are different but their essence are still the same -- deep down, they are the same person with different outer packaging. And destined souls will be attracted to each other despite of this -- thats why they will fall with each other again regardless of they are having memories or not. You can see how Shi Yi have this strong desire to approach Zhousheng Chen at the airport despite she has never done it before. And for him, he was indifferent towards other girls but he gave his email to her surprisingly. 

And the most important of all, they found calm & tranquility with each other just like in One & Only -- the same calmness and safety. That is why when everything else is failing him (like his family), he always find her, since she gave him the comfort just like Shi Yi found the comfort from Zhousheng Chen in One & Only. They are still 'one heart and mind' -- in fact stronger since now, no explanation needed as they trust each other unconditionally.

And both of them really gets each other. They really know and understands each other in some fundamental ways. For Shi Yi for an example, all Zhousheng Chen's socially awkward and shy personality to his weird antics -- are the aspects that made her love him because they're what make him who he is. She doesn’t want to change him as she love him just as he is and vice versa. Their relationship is not just about physical beauty but they're about really seeing deeply into each other’s souls. Their attraction is based on trust and understanding. I love that their internal monologue would be like; 'I should hug her. She would also want me to hug her' which I find interesting since Zhousheng Chen completely understand what Shi Yi wants and desires. Even when they moved to Xi'an, the house that he bought and the furnitures in it are based on Shi Yi's preference even when she is not there to tell him. They have this 'Us against the world' mentality so adversities only make them closer instead of the other way around.

THE MAIN THEME OF BEAUTIFUL BONES 'INNER BEAUTY'   

"Most people see the skin and not the beauty of the bones." – and their relationship is not just bonding on the physical aspect but bonding of the soul.

Both One & Only and Forever & Ever explored both Zhousheng Chen & Shi Yi’s relationship with this fundamental core. The 'bonding of the soul' -- something that can’t be seen from the surface but both of them see each other’s' soul for who they truly are. That’s why when some people complained that they couldn't understand why someone as gorgeous as Shi Yi could be attracted to someone socially awkward and nerdy like Zhousheng Chen, it is exactly what the drama wants to achieve -- Shi Yi sees his beautiful bones instead of his skin and see the beautiful man he is from the inside and fall in love with that part of him. It was always meant to be portrayed that way. He is now different -- shy, awkward, boring, a bit chubby and wasn't as charismatic as before, yet, she still recognize him and fall in love with him all over again. Why? Because she always see his good bones whether in the past or the present time -- on how gentle he is, how kind he is or how compassionate he is. Also, you can see how Mei Xing (the reincarnation of Crown Prince from One & Only), got everything he envied of Zhousheng Chen in the past life -- be it good looks, intelligent mind, healthy body and adoration from everyone -- yet, Shiyi still only look at Zhousheng Chen in both lifetimes. It was never his outer beauty for her, as she is always see him from the inside.

That is why you will see Shi Yi constantly caressing Zhousheng Chen's nose whether in One & Only or Forever & Ever. It is to highlight that she sees him for his 'beautiful bones' instead of his 'beautiful face'.

CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PAST & PRESENT

I also love how the writer connect the past and the present -- from something simple as drying of Shi Yi’s hair to helping her changing shoes which both happened in One & Only and Forever & Ever.

To the part where Zhousheng Chen taught Shi Yi Guqin in One & Only while gifted her the Guqin factory in Forever & Ever. Or he gifted her tea all over the place in One & Only while gifted her Tea House in Forever & Ever.

Or something big like he guard the whole city for her safety in One & Only while he sent someone to protect her when she went back from Germany in Forever & Ever.

Or something significant but done in the most poetic and subtle ways like Zhousheng Chan's confession or declaration of love towards Shi Yi -- both dramas handle it similarly. In One & Only, he wrote her name in a dusty furniture to tell her that she is the secret in his heart that no one knows. While in Forever & Ever, its in something like imitating her lotus painting to the 3,000 hand-written wedding cards with little poem on how much she meant to him. 

Apart from that, there are so many easter eggs from One & Only in Forever & Ever. In one of the scenes in front of Shi Yi's studio, you can see the scene from One & Only where Shi Yi is carrassing Zhousheng Chen's nose in the background.

MIRROR STORYLINE THAT CONNECT ONE & ONLY AND FOREVER & EVER

One of the greatest aspect about this drama is this mirror storyline between One & Only and Forever & Ever. How all characters are presented with the same obstacles and circumstances in both lifetimes. And the different approach and decision each of the character chose define the outcome and their destinies. 

For an example, Zhousheng Chen in One & Only chose loyalty instead of rebellion to fight for the peace of the common people which is such an honorable and selfless thing to do. And in Forever & Ever, he is faced with the same dilemma but he decided to take control of his family business instead when he could just walk away from it and live a rather peaceful life. We know how much he dislike the business part of it and how it makes his relationship with his family more complicated and only handled it to Xiao Ren after 10 years.

Same can be said with Shi Yi. Shi Yi in One & Only is quiet, reserved and very polite and gentle. But in Forever & Ever, she is still as graceful as ever except she no longer holding back -- she did all the first moves from their first meeting, first kiss to their first night together. She kissed her husband anytime that she wants, hold and being intimate towards him without restrictions -- she bear naked her whole heart for him and the outcome for them is a happier end.

Also, it can be seen with Mei Xing and Wen Xing which is the reincarnation of the Crown Princess and the Princess from One & Only. Since both decided to hold back in this lifetime, thus, the result of their love also faced the same end this time around, which is unfruitful. Perhaps, their next life would be different.

DETAILS & HIDDEN MEANINGS IN THEIR LOVE RELATIONSHIP

I really enjoyed the reversal of their love dynamics in both dramas that in One & Only, Zhousheng Chen used to be Shi Yi's rock who console and give her tranquility when she faced difficult times while in Forever & Ever, it was Shi Yi's time to be his rock, the one where he finds her whenever his family make him sad or disappointed to the death of Wei Xing which almost broke him.

Lots of people just see the drama from the surface, thus passing it merely as fluff but once they actually see each scene on what the writer intended to tell, they are just gonna be surprise with how full of depth is their story.

Due to Zhousheng Chen’s unjust & cruel death in One & Only, the universe is rewarding him with this lifetime's full of love from the one he truly loves. That is why despite they have nothing on them at the airport, the security stopped them so they could meet each other. The sky also cleared up for them so that they could have their first date at Azure Dragon Temple at Xi’an. Also, there is interesting detail on that date, when they had a long talk along the cherry blossom trees where Zhousheng Chen told Shi Yi where he almost died when the lab he work at exploded. He was lucky he woke up late that day and missed the explosion by 6 minutes. That whole talk wasn't just a filler scene but rather another indications that the universe is rewarding him in this lifetime -- for all the good deeds he done in his previous life; a world where they can finally love each other freely and he got the best things of all which is Shi Yi's love -- which solely meant for him only.  Him being completely lucky during the explosion is a form of universe's mercy because he hasn't meet Shi Yi yet at that time.

I'm also surprised with new insights I managed to capture everytime I rewatch the drama. A simple scene like choosing a suit color actually conveyed so much meanings -- like when Zhousheng Chen wanted to visit Shi Yi's parents. He originally chose black suit but later change it to blue as Shi Yi is wearing blue at that time as he knows how much Shi Yi likes to wear matching outfits. Its just fantastic the attention to detail they put in the drama.  

Also this insight from AnonDevourerOfWorlds@Reddit might change the perspective of Zhousheng Chen & Shi Yi's first night at the water 'ghost' town. Before Zhousheng Chen comes and visit Shi Yi there, Shi Yi keeps having nightmares about the past where he sooth her to sleep by reciting the Tang Dynasty's Tea names. Then later when he met her at the town, he did appear more confident as in greeting her at the bridge to be witness by everyone which is so out of character for him to do -- it almost feels like that Zhousheng Chen from the past took over his body when he's at that town. That's why when they are having their first night that day, you can see him teasing her 'Don't turn up the heat, you will sweat later' to 'What do you mean when we are not busy?' just like Zhousheng Chen from One & Only who likes to tease Shi Yi. Then after they come back from the town, he revert back to his shy awkward self 'I thought you want me to sleep at the study?' to 'Do you like children?' ? There are also scene at the town where Shi Yi is drunk and said 'Zhousheng Chen, you finally back.' as if she sees the glimpse of Zhousheng Chen from the past at that time.

LOVE MESSAGES
In the drama, it seemed it is Shi Yi who first to say ‘I Love You’ but actually it is Zhousheng Chen with the 1 Yen coin from year 2011 (2011: 'Love You Shi Yi', and the 1 Yen refers to how she's his one & only).

Or how their wedding anniversary is May 11th which literally means 'I (Zhousheng Chen), Shi Yi's' anniversary and how Zhousheng Chen engraved that date in Lunar calendar on his wedding ring.

Or the Croc that Zhousheng Chen wore with ‘SY 520’ which means ‘Shi Yi, I Love You' and Shi Yi's 'ZSC 520' which means 'Zhousheng Chen, I Love You.' 

ZHOUSHENG CHEN’S SILENT LOVE

One of the greatest thing about Zhousheng Chen is his silent love. Like he will always do things silently -- never expecting anything in return but Shi Yi could always feel his love despite he never mention it -- whether in this life or their past life.

For an example, a simple scene like showing him paying their dinner together with his student at Xi'an where no one know except his assistant. Looking from the surface, it seemed like a filler scene but its actually to show his selfless and sincerity personality since everyone in the room thought his assistant is buying.

Or how he literally gave her a star (meteorite) just like the famous Chinese poem of 'to grab the stars from the sky for the person you love.' He simply just give her the watch without context until his Germany bestfriend told the full story to Shi Yi.

I love how the writer and director chose to portray Zhousheng Chen’s love that you can truly passed it as something insignificant because Shi Yi didn’t even know most of them. Like him calling her taxi at Xi'an -- even when he could tell her that it was him who did it, but he didn’t when she thought this nice gesture is from his assistant and not from him. Or how he helped the injured delivery guy -- he could tell her how he helped him (in the later episode) which will expose how he drove all night just to see her that day and again, he didn’t. Or the pomegranate scene that he passed as something he found on the street when in fact we as an audience knew the length that he go through for something that she said in her sleep.

Or something big like how he sent someone to protect her when she went back from Germany since he feels she is in danger to asking Xiao Ren to accompany her at the water 'ghost' town – both instances, Shi Yi never knew.

She once asked him how would she know he did all this if he never tell her but he said he simply did it out of love so it didn’t matter whether she know it or not -- exactly just like Zhousheng Chen from the past.

This is not including the one that Shi Yi can see like the 3,000 hand-written wedding cards or the wedding lanterns  hanging along the corridor where there are phrases of Shi Yi's favorite poem. I think no other drama actually show this much romantic details in their story -- I find it truly captivating.

SHI YI’S LOVE & AGENCY

Some people misunderstood Shi Yi since she seemed to agree with everything when it comes to Zhousheng Chen. Its not that she didn’t have agency but she understood him to the core. Like she didn’t have to protect herself or fight for her rights, because she know he will do it for her -- since he will never ask her to do something that she didn’t like or uncomfortable with. Like she know she didn’t have to move for him after the wedding, since he will move for her. Their relationship is actually rather fascinating in this aspect - a complete trust and understanding of each other.

He can’t come home as initially planned, she totally understands it. Need to leave early while they are in the middle of dating, she's cool with it too. Not because she's a pushover, but she knows that despite of anything, she is #1 in his heart -- a real mature understanding that reflect her state of mind.

Like we know she will do the cooking since it is her passion but in the drama, all we see is him cooking for her. Its not she has no agency or power since from actions and everything else, it is him most of the time who accommodate her. From something as simple as those coupling outfits he has to wear to important decision makings that they need to make.

Zhousheng Chen may not remember anything (unlike Shi Yi) but everything that he did in Forever & Ever is the things he regrets and couldn't give her in One & Only. That is why, he is my favorite romantic lead in any drama because his love is sincere, pure and did not ask anything in return -- its okay if she never knew what he did as long as she feel his love and that is all matters to him.

You are amazing in taking time to write all these details especially the ML's silent love. Like you said, some people just passed it as something insignificant but it is actually the most important part of his character.

And those messages using the numbers. This drama just has more and more special things about it. I'm totally charmed by all of this.

Anyone find another cdrama similar to this?  Something pure romance?

Thank you, beautifully written, a complete understanding of both characters in both time periods.  I felt their love in my heart.  The writers did a spectacular job for these characters.  The actor brought them to life.