I'm pleasantly surprised with how raw this drama felt. I thought this will be another cutesy, angsty and full of youthful energy drama but it's more than just that.

I love the balance - when focused on the youth, the story is leaning more towards innocence, studies, and having fun (except for our poor Jiang Haoyue of course 🥲); while the adults' story is very real and heavy. This makes Flourish in Time a perfect drama to watch with the entire family. Oftentimes, adults would want to shield their children from the early exposure to the realities of life which is why JHY's story is absolutely gut-wrenching. I hate to think any child would go through life like that but I know it's real. The drama was able to convey that without ruining the lightness of a youth drama.

I like that JHY's father had a redemption arc, so did Su Daifei. It's also refreshing that somehow 2 of the leads didn't have partners at the end, and didn't just magically found a partner in the final ep. I also love Ziye and Shi Che's dynamics, they'd make a cute couple. And personally, I'd easily fall for Qu Wei lol he's a nerd but also has a comparably high EQ and i love his humor. He's a very well-written character.

Zhang Linghe's naturally soft and innocent aura is a double-edged sword for me. He's definitely lovable but this is the 4th time (LBFAD, MJTY, SOKP) I've watched him in a dysfunctional family and so emotionally and mentally troubled because of it. It's heartbreaking to watch especially with those soft dewy eyes 🥲 Nonetheless he's done a really good job portraying Jiang Haoyue!

Solid story and acting from everyone = an amazing drama, Flourish in Time.