xiaoyezi
Only we can decide how we want to live and love
“The first time I truly felt happy is when I knew I have the ability to love my family. Even when I am disabled, it didn’t stop me from providing for them.” Zhuang Jie
~~~~
Zhuang Jie was like any other lady. In fact, she was more charming and chic than your girl next door. Except she had a disability - she lost a leg and her father from a bad accident during her teens.
This trip back to Nanjing was to recuperate from her surgery. She never planned to stay for long. Until she met Chen Maidong, her crush from high school.
Chen Maidong was like any other guy. In fact, he … really was like any other guy. With a granny that worried for his singlehood and aloofness about marriage. With a job at funeral line he held a little more dearly because of his past.
He never planned for his life to be different. Until he met Zhuang Jie.
Will Love in Spring could be a typical romantic contemporary story. What made it stood out and great was firstly, perfect casting choice.
Zhou Yu Tong and Li Xian chemistry as the main leads are on fire! How I love watching romance between adults. Their pull and push. Their fights and getting back together. Their kiss scenes. Purfect!
The supporting characters were great too. Each of them have their personalities which made them memorable and relatable. They aren’t only tools who push the plot forward. Their interactions with the leads and each other give more color and warmth to WLiS and the Nanping town.
First mention is Granny Chen’s and Granny Lin’s friendship - how lovely, being decades of friends. I love the depiction of their friendship which shows from this quote -
“以前是小手拉小手, 一转眼就是老手拉老手.
Last time, we held each other’s small hands, in a blink of an eye, we now hold each other’s old hands.”
The younger representation of equally great friendships were ZJ’s mum / Aunty Wu’s, and of course, ZJ and Wang Xi Xia.
The next mention is the sibling‘s relationship between ZJ, Zhuang Yan and He Niao Niao is another love. This is the kind of siblings we all wish to have. It’s a testament to how successful ZJ’s mum was in bringing them up. I love love their family scenes. Even when ZJ’s mum were scolding and had a more traditional mindset, this is a heartwarming family.
Similarly, Granny Chen and CMD family dynamics is lovely to watch too.
Special mention of Cui Ge and Jisan Goose. They added a lot of humour to WLiS.
With an ensemble like this , everyone one of them made facing all the heavy topics like separations, deaths, long distance relationships, disability, conflicting wants and adulting easier. How lovely and heartwarming.
Next, let’s dive deeper about the main leads love story.
Real and adult are 2 words come to mind.
I seen a lot of comments critiquing ZJ for shamelessly flirting CMD when she didn’t plan to stay long. I judged too - but then again, it’s the kind of judgment that holds a little envy. I envy her boldness of to speak her mind and enjoy the moment. I admire her quick wittedness and willingness to apologise first.
How charming, how attractive and how believable that CMD sunk.
It’s not a bed of roses after they confirmed their feelings for each other. Even when they made blunders and fight, I was satisfied with their resolution.
Some could name ZJ’s and CMD’s relationship toxic. I feel this is how real relationships are like. We stumble. We say things we don’t mean. So long we learn to apologise and we don’t repeat, I think it’s fine.
…well I guess the problem is sometimes we don’t. Thank goodness our leads do in WLiS.
Lastly, funeral makeup artist is no longer an unusual onscreen occupation. With this onscreen job, death is brought up every other episode. If not done well, the empathy for characters who passed away in the story and messages about appreciating life could feel empty and overtly cheesy.
For WLiS, I felt the balance was appropriate. They successfully made me care for the characters, hence, receptive with the subsequent messages that come with each death case that CMD had to handle.
This particular chat he had with someone contemplating suicide touched my heart somewhere. And I hope it reaches you too.
~~~~
“Everyone has times when they are tired of life. The reasons may vary, but the pain will feel the same.
Some family members want to use special coffins, unique urns or expensive headstones to prove the deceased was special.
However, these are all illusions.
Once we die, everyone is the same.
We can only prove how special we are by living well.” Chen Maidong
~~~~
Zhuang Jie was like any other lady. In fact, she was more charming and chic than your girl next door. Except she had a disability - she lost a leg and her father from a bad accident during her teens.
This trip back to Nanjing was to recuperate from her surgery. She never planned to stay for long. Until she met Chen Maidong, her crush from high school.
Chen Maidong was like any other guy. In fact, he … really was like any other guy. With a granny that worried for his singlehood and aloofness about marriage. With a job at funeral line he held a little more dearly because of his past.
He never planned for his life to be different. Until he met Zhuang Jie.
Will Love in Spring could be a typical romantic contemporary story. What made it stood out and great was firstly, perfect casting choice.
Zhou Yu Tong and Li Xian chemistry as the main leads are on fire! How I love watching romance between adults. Their pull and push. Their fights and getting back together. Their kiss scenes. Purfect!
The supporting characters were great too. Each of them have their personalities which made them memorable and relatable. They aren’t only tools who push the plot forward. Their interactions with the leads and each other give more color and warmth to WLiS and the Nanping town.
First mention is Granny Chen’s and Granny Lin’s friendship - how lovely, being decades of friends. I love the depiction of their friendship which shows from this quote -
“以前是小手拉小手, 一转眼就是老手拉老手.
Last time, we held each other’s small hands, in a blink of an eye, we now hold each other’s old hands.”
The younger representation of equally great friendships were ZJ’s mum / Aunty Wu’s, and of course, ZJ and Wang Xi Xia.
The next mention is the sibling‘s relationship between ZJ, Zhuang Yan and He Niao Niao is another love. This is the kind of siblings we all wish to have. It’s a testament to how successful ZJ’s mum was in bringing them up. I love love their family scenes. Even when ZJ’s mum were scolding and had a more traditional mindset, this is a heartwarming family.
Similarly, Granny Chen and CMD family dynamics is lovely to watch too.
Special mention of Cui Ge and Jisan Goose. They added a lot of humour to WLiS.
With an ensemble like this , everyone one of them made facing all the heavy topics like separations, deaths, long distance relationships, disability, conflicting wants and adulting easier. How lovely and heartwarming.
Next, let’s dive deeper about the main leads love story.
Real and adult are 2 words come to mind.
I seen a lot of comments critiquing ZJ for shamelessly flirting CMD when she didn’t plan to stay long. I judged too - but then again, it’s the kind of judgment that holds a little envy. I envy her boldness of to speak her mind and enjoy the moment. I admire her quick wittedness and willingness to apologise first.
How charming, how attractive and how believable that CMD sunk.
It’s not a bed of roses after they confirmed their feelings for each other. Even when they made blunders and fight, I was satisfied with their resolution.
Some could name ZJ’s and CMD’s relationship toxic. I feel this is how real relationships are like. We stumble. We say things we don’t mean. So long we learn to apologise and we don’t repeat, I think it’s fine.
…well I guess the problem is sometimes we don’t. Thank goodness our leads do in WLiS.
Lastly, funeral makeup artist is no longer an unusual onscreen occupation. With this onscreen job, death is brought up every other episode. If not done well, the empathy for characters who passed away in the story and messages about appreciating life could feel empty and overtly cheesy.
For WLiS, I felt the balance was appropriate. They successfully made me care for the characters, hence, receptive with the subsequent messages that come with each death case that CMD had to handle.
This particular chat he had with someone contemplating suicide touched my heart somewhere. And I hope it reaches you too.
~~~~
“Everyone has times when they are tired of life. The reasons may vary, but the pain will feel the same.
Some family members want to use special coffins, unique urns or expensive headstones to prove the deceased was special.
However, these are all illusions.
Once we die, everyone is the same.
We can only prove how special we are by living well.” Chen Maidong
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