Characters grabbed me from the start and I wanted to see how their dreams played out. Xiao Chunsheng portrayed by Xiao Zhan is a social cow who everyone is attracted to. He and his circle of friends from the military compound and nearby hutongs grow up together and pursue their dreams during a time of big change in China. Chungsheng and his Menghai gang - Tong Xiao Mei (Li Qin), Ye Guo Hua ( Liu Rui Lin), He Hong Ling (Cao Fei Ran), Chen Hong Jun (Cui Hang) and Ye Fang (Zhao Xin) - are faced with many challenges and have to make difficult choices along the way. The excellent scriptwriters, production team and talented actors made their youth story tender and compelling. There's teenage puppy love, brotherhood and bravado, inspiring courage, wartime tragedies, sincerity and betrayal, enduring friendship, real love that develops over time and persistence to overcome obstacles and follow one's dream.

Authentic scenery and costumes immerse viewers in old Beijing during the 1970’s during China’s opening up period. I never realized how powerful military was politically (getting into army, school, jobs, rations, movie tickets, privileges) and socially (prestige, influence, popularity).

Some of my favorites scenes include Shichahai rink, top of Great Wall, moonlight military training, land mine field, hospital good-bye, train ride home, meeting sister at train station, first steps, bookmark realization, and library reunion. I enjoyed everything about this drama and pulled for each character to achieve his dream.