I call it legend because if this was a historical that's what they would title it. Its rags to riches and if you've ever read a rich person's rags to riches story then I would say they did ok. I will tell you right now ...modern women will relate to her struggle with relationships and career choices. Summarizing, she wins some and she loses some over a decade. To the story, I had no issue with her struggle with relationships. I applaud the director for not zoning her onto the ML lead. I was shocked by the shaming from some discussion boards because its 2021 and women still have to endure this double standard. The double standard that was perpuated by cdramas.

Let's address the issues that some struggle with...Why wasn't she only with the ML? The ML is high academic society and she came from rural country with no high school education. She thought he pitied her for some time. He is called the professor for a reason. By the time she knew he liked her, her best friend was in love with him. Its important to address because many say they would never do what she did. Actually many women would and have stepped aside if their friends like the same person. Her best friend...gawd Hua Hua!...lol.

Hua Hua was not just her friend...she was her sister...period. She loved that girl. Why ? ...Hua Hua was city poor, educated and sophisticated. She was the only female that completely accepts Liu Wenjing ...not even Xu Wei did this. How do I know ?...Hua Hua and Liu Wenjing brought each other home to their impovershed houses. Those who have lived poor tend to protect and hide their space from others to avoid shame. This is why all is forgiven with these two...they are family.

Why was she with the second ML?...Why not? I'll tell you the turning point for him and it's not when he came to her hometown. It's the day our Ye Hui met her ex fiancee Wan Shanji in the middle of night while walking home. Ye Hui is super rich, modern and intelligent. He walks with an entourage...lol and personifies the playboy lifestyle to the hilt and so she couldn't stand him... until that night. Their relationship speaks volumes and had me in tears. So many times loving someone is not enough...compromises and change must occur and still it fails. Their pairing is the hardest to watch because it's all to real for many couples. Their courtship was for years...this was not an idle pairing. He knew her almost as long as the professor...

The professor was not the ML we expected. Cdramas had us programmed for the aloof, ingenius and ambitious ML...We didnt get that ...lol. It was refreshing because I laughed and cried more with this ML than I usually do. Geniuses are notoriously hard to work ...because they think everyone else is wrong...lol. I rooted for him but he summarized himself well in the end. Do we suffer in silence ?...Yes many actually do but there is a time to speak regardless of the consequences. He was lucky this time but he almost didn't get the girl...

Liu Wenjing is the not so perfect FL that I loved. She wasn't the mary sue or the female boss. She was a mix of everything. She suffered in silence. She saw what she wanted to see...of which we're all guilty. She knew her place but wanted to break free. She tried to balance her gratitude to her friends without becoming beholden to them. No one achieves greatness alone. She was well aware there was a machine behind her. She opened her heart to those who were true to her...and when it wasn't enough... she let it go. Her family was always her family regardless...that includes her extended family. By the end when she overlooks the city in true cdrama fashion...I applaud her success. She earned it...clean.