Engaging storyline and romance plot, but be aware of plot holes

My two cents on this drama:
PROS
• Story overall about computer programming and IT industry in China is interesting and engaging, and what I would expect of a "drama"...dramatic moments, characters and plots. Really interesting feud between ML and 2nd ML.
• Likable characters and dialogue, with witty banter, humor and certainly the romantic and dramatic scenes that drive the story
• Interestingly told romantic plot line between ML, FL. Yes it follows a trop but the way it is sequenced and told in the story is clever, with the intro of the current, then about the past, and flash forward again to the present.
•Chemistry between ML, FL: sweet romance blossom between the two. Opposites attract. The leads were very comfortable with each other and the attraction is believable and at many points natural in their acting...actually enjoyed watching the love mature yet still remain innocent as they got older
• Character development of ML, FL (some other reviewers may disagree)

CONS
• Some holes in the story: felt like an incomplete story and conclusion about FL and her relationship with her parents, especially at Ep. 36 with the confrontation. It wasn't made clear to me what FL view was in terms of studying abroad after uni because her parents made her? Or was that her own choice? It muddled the story in the beginning and i think confusing as to whether that familial relationship was what really drove a wedge between the FL and ML in the beginning or not.
Especially felt there was a gap in storytelling, after they graduated and moved into the workforce. Other reviews suggest scenes were deleted and editing wasn't up to par- if they have to edit out scenes, that tells me also the series was prolonged in unnecessary ways but could have been better developed in others, i.e. ML and his experience post incarceration.
•Some holes in the character development: ML understandably had a non-traditional upbringing which explains his broodiness, arrogance, cold and business like personality. There are some painful events that occur that further impact him, and he deals with it like one would expect of someone who is traumatized. The series I think attempts to give some explanation and show his remorse, his insecurity, his vulnerability but I feel writers could have given him more depth in exploring and trying to heal from the trauma, especially as how it affected his relationship with FL. A lot of other reviews say "ML pushed her away because he was protecting her". Ok. But why not built that in? This also leads me to say that the relationship between FL and ML could be more convincing and reliant on emotional and experiential bonds rather than otherwise attraction and good-girl-falls-for-bad-boy.


Overall, I would have scored this lower but after reading other reviews and reflecting overall on the series, I think I understand the story they were trying to tell, and I accepted that not everything came to a perfect resolution, probably deliberately. But if they were trying to do that, wished they could have been more intentional with the storytelling because at times it felt out of place.
Great job to the actors! First time watching Zhang Jingyi...loved her emotional range. Her wide eye blinks and stares though we're getting a bit much. Looking forward to seeing Chen Feiyu develop and mature in his acting range and abilities.

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