Hidden Love (2023)

The Wish of First Love that She wrote on Paper Stars came True!! ♥

Cute and Wholesome ♡♡

Hidden Love is a binge worthy, adorable drama about a young girl in love with her brother's friend. Sang Zhi met Duan Jiaxu when she was just 14 years old and again when she was 17, with time she develops feelings for him. Jiaxu who was 5 years older than him only saw her as his little sister but she always had a special place in his life (as a family). They part ways for a period of time and meet again! And whoa now that she's an adult there starts a story of sweetness, hotness and the chemistry that literally do not leaves a chance of giving you butterflies!!

To talk about chemistry, nah they've physics, maths and every subject you can think off. It wasn't even much about the story tbh, most of us just adored this pair together! The good parts about this drama is probably the CHEMISTRY (*chef's kiss*), the ACTING (they look way too natural) and the LIGHTNESS (name a drama with almost no toxicity).

Not like the story left much impression, there was a lot going on and they could've gone in depth with it but instead they focused on our main couple and how to develop their relationship better. Sang Zhi kept saying "I'm not a kiddo anymore" and him finding his home in her and yet teasing her about it. This... This sweet banter, understanding and comfort they had around each other won my heart.

Sang Zhi (played by Zhao Lusi) is such a thoughtful character. Not only she never gave up on her love, the way she was giving her 100% for him and never being insecure or so damn sure that "yeah he is the one for me" is lovely to watch... and did I mention I fell for Zhao Lusi once again!! She ate her character. even her playing a 17 year old was kinda convincing, tho she was 23 when this was filmed. And she sang two songs that always lit up the atmosphere of each scene. She's genuinely impressive.

Complimenting her is Duan Jiaxu (Chen Zheyuan) . This man is a walking green flag. The reason I don't blame her for the puppy love is because who would not fall for him if the guy is this sweet and caring... and visuals obviously!!... Duan Jiaxu got his own struggles but he still walks like a sunshine being nice to everyone around... so take note future drama writers "past trauma do not makes every male lead poker faced and cold"

We also have some beautiful relationships around our leads like Sang Zhi and her brother Sang Yan (Victor Ma) who bicker so much like any other sibling would do... and her amazing parents that give off ideal family goals...

Just a reminder that this drama is FICTIONAL, Hidden love is a completely romance focused cheesy drama that kicks away all the toxicity very smoothly (unlike reality). there's no way a kind Sang Zhi like this or perfect Duan Jiaxu like this or a fully healthy relationship like this would exist. So don't get your expectations too high haha.

I did encounter some typical cdrama tropes but how come they made this drama extra sweet. I hope I'm not going to get tested positive for diabetes by next week as I plan on rewatching this a little more XD... its honestly been long since I've rated a drama a 10 but this one deserved it for staying in its genre and truthfully being what it is, a romcom.

Also trying to address an issue...
•• Is the age gap really an issue? No it's just 5 years.
•• Did he liked her too when she was still a kid? No. It was always her having a crush on him until they met again after she became an adult. so he is not a pervert


OSTs
If the chemistry wasn't enough to give you diabetes, the songs will - sweet and perfect for the moment

1. Only Want to Secretly Hide You (只想把你偷偷藏好) ~ by Zhao Lu Si & Silence Wang (you'll hear this song for half of the time in the drama and you won't mind it cause it's actually soothing to ears)

2. I Have Someone I Like (我有喜欢的人了) ~ Zhao Lu Si (Ioved her vocals for this song. Zhao lusi is just impressive ❤)

3. Be Your Light ~ Ma Bo Qian (my favorite one, love the feel good casual vibes of the song)

4.The One Who Stole the Stars (偷星星的人) ~ Yi Hui
5. Have You (有你) ~ Zhao Lei

6. Forever Star ~ Zhang Yi Hao
7. You are My Only Wish in this Lifetime (你是我此生唯一所愿) ~ Zhang Bi Chen


So Hidden Love is a 10/10 for me for being that perfect light romance drama that makes you blush in and out with the butterflies. it's worth checking out for the fluffy, sugar factor!! Would definitely recommend it!!

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A Girl's Secret Crush Diary

Hidden Love (偷偷藏不住) adapted from the novel of the same name, is a youth romance drama revolving around Sang Zhi, and her secret admiration towards Duan Jiaxu, her brother’s friend and how it develops to a relationship.

Hidden Love is a captivating and heartwarming youth romance drama that explores the theme of love, friendship, and personal growth. The drama sticks closely to the novel, keeping the dialogues between the characters. In addition, the drama also manages to beautifully capture and translate the novel to life, capturing the nuances of the character’s relationship and also seamlessly intertwines comedy with poignant moments, romance, and many more.

Although Hidden Love treads some of familiar tropes of a youth romance drama, but it manages to distinguish itself with its heartfelt storytelling, nuanced character development, and some freshness into the genre. Sang Zhi isn't like any other young female lead who blindlessly chase after Duan Jiaxu, just because love at first sight and so on. However, just like any other young girls, she began to develop feelings gradually and secretly. Duan Jiaxu is also a very good male lead, whereas he truly looks upon Sang Zhi like a litttle sister, being kind to her, defending her, guides her, and more.

Hidden Love manages to strike a balance between tender moments of romance, family moments, and also youth leaving a lasting impact on its viewers. The comedic timing of the talented cast is impeccable, delivering punchlines and physical comedy with finesse. Although the drama primarily focuses on the youth and romance, but it also touches on deeper emotional themes. Moments of introspection and personal growth are woven into the narrative, allowing the characters to overcome their past and discover new aspects. Those elements bring an additional emotional depth to the story, ensuring a well-rounded viewing experience.

Chen Zheyuan and Zhao Lusi is the perfect Duan Jiaxu and Sang Zhi! Both of their performances are nothing short of brilliant, both of them are able to bring Sang Zhi and Duan Jiaxu to life. Zhao Lusi is able to bring innocent Sang Zhi to life, she brilliantly portrays Sang Zhi from a young age to adulthood. Her cute little actions are so convicing that makes one think that she really is a high school student! On the other hand, Chen Zheyuan also did a brilliant job in portraying Duan Jiaxu. He uses micro expression and his expressive eyes to act and communicate. Both of their performance transports and immerse viewers in the lives of their characters, making us feel their every emotion, as if we are experiencing the joys and sorrows together with them. Both of their chemistry is also palpable, enhancing the authenticity of the relationships portrayed on screen and making viewers deeply invested in the drama.

The supporting cast also adds depth and charm to the narrative, bringing a diverse range of personalities and subplots that enrich the overall storytelling experience, keeping viewers engaged throughout the drama. For instance, Sang Yan, Sang Zhi’s brother. Sang Zhi and Sang Yan’s on-screen witty banter and comedic timing add a genuine touch to the storyline. The banter between the two siblings looked so realistic, just like any other siblings argument; many of their actions looks genuine, and feels like it is unscripted!

Hidden Love cinematography manages to capture the innocence of youth, the sweetness and pain of one-sided love, and the intimate moments between the character. However, I personally am not a fan of the drama’s green/ grey muted filter in the earlier episodes, which I find it makes the drama looks a little bit dull. However, as the episode progresses and Sang Zhi grow into an adult, the filter became better! There are also few moments when the pacing feels slightly uneven. Some scenes could have been trimmed to maintain a tighter narrative flow in the earlier episodes. However, in the latter episode, a lot of the scenes are cut down, which may leave viewers a little bit confused and unsatisfied with the closure. Nevertheless, these minor hiccups don't overshadow the drama’s overall charm. The overall execution, engaging performances, and heartfelt moments compensate for the drawbacks.

Hidden Love soundtrack also perfectly encapsulated the whole drama, enhancing the overall viewing experience. Composed of enchanting melodies and emotionally charged ballads, perfectly complements the narrative and adds an extra layer of depth to the series.

All in all, Hidden Love successfully captures the essence of a youth love journey. It is a delightful concoction of youth romance drama! With the actor’s stellar performance, engaging story, it offers a fresh delightful take on the youth-romance genre! You will find yourself with smiling, laughing and swooning watching the drama ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜

FYI. the male lead DOES NOT develop any romantic feelings for her until she is an adult

Hidden Love extra chapter (6) - Wedding Night: https://twitter.com/afterrnoont/status/1680883026438537216

Hidden Love extra chapter (7) - The Daily Routine of Life with Two Kids: https://twitter.com/afterrnoont/status/1680630598761861120

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I started this drama on a whim and ended up loving it. It's one of the better romance drama that I've watched in recent years.

The plot is very simple. It is about a teenager crush that evolves into a beautiful relationship once reciprocated. While it is simple, I think the show did a good job overall in portraying the different stages of the relationship. There is no unnecessary angst and the tone remains light and fluffy throughout.

The only thing that makes me rate the story lower is the lack of scenes showcasing ML thoughts. The drama could have used an extra episode to flesh out ML character more. His background story is way too short and he changed from brotherly affection to full on loving the FL so quickly that I find it a bit abrupt. It would be better if there are more scenes showcasing his hesitation and motivation. The novel did a much better job fleshing out his character imo.

The casts are definitely the highlight for me. Everyone fits their role so well and the acting feels quite natural. I love all the 3 leads, though I am most impressed with Chen Zheyuan. His eyes deliver so much emotion! The chemistry between the 3 leads are amazing. I definitely will be checking out their future projects.
I also really like the OST because they fit and added so much to the scenes.

Overall I really like this drama. It is well produced and I could tell a lot of thought and effort went into it. It was good from beginning to the end. Although I feel like they could use 1 or 2 more episodes, but overall I'm very satisfied with the series.

I would recommend this drama for anyone that likes romance, slice of life, and something simple in general. This drama has been my happy pill after a long tiring day at work for the past 2 weeks, so I would definitely missed it.

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Cute!!

Loved it till 18th episode and then it felt like it was dragging on. Finished the last couple of episodes in 1.5x. The sibling dynamics were a treat to watch and the cast acted well. I just liked "When I Fly towards you" better because I was watching them parallelly and the general lack of misunderstanding and cliches in When I fly made it a better watch than Hidden Love. One thing that I did like about HL is that female lead was not a damsel in distress and could take a stand and not just for herself - but for the male lead as well. All the female characters written by this author are strong and know their mind - I truly appreciate the fact that these characters are unlike the naive/weak/gullible ones usually found in dramas,.

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THE WAY 2 MY HEART

I usually never write these things but the way this drama has me on a chokehold I couldn't resist. I have always been a fan of lusi, and her extravagant acting but the way she expresses the character in this drama just shows you what an amazing actress she is. Waiting for one episode a day is really so annoying but this drama is really worth it.

I have seen a lot of TikTok taking about their age gap and how that is a problem, I just want to say 5 years is not even a big age gap. And second he doesn't even fall for her until she is fully grown which someone are saying - maybe he was waiting for her - as you can see in the first 8 episode he fully treats her as a little sister and nothing else. Even when he sees her 2 years later he still calls her a kid as if nothings changed which in his mind he still thinks of her as the shy little girl he used to tutor nothing more. But anyways I just want to say people need to stop being biased and unfair.

AFTER EVERY DRAMA I HAVE WATCH THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST THRILLING ONE AND THE WAIT IS KILLING ME - DONT FORGET TO RATE <3

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Realistic Cuteness Overload; A Breath of Fresh Air

Never expected this drama to be so realistic and light. I watched primarily for CZY because I wanted to see him develop into a mature male actor. I've seen several actors previously so I knew it would be a good cast. It really was cuteness overload but probably one of the least toxic c-dramas I've ever seen. It was a real breath of fresh air.

Pros: Favorite character was ML and I'm very proud of how he's grown from playing younger roles to a mature male who let me tell you, when he turned on those eyes of his, he'd melt women of all ages into a puddle. Other than that, he was also probably one of the most caring individuals on earth. Life dealt him a very cruel hand with what his father did and that stalker chick, but instead of curling into a ball and giving up, he just strove to be a better person worthy of the love of everyone around him especially the only one who truly loved every piece of him, our FL SZ.

Most of the story was very well developed. And honestly, other than the stalker chick, there wasn't a single character I didn't like. She was the main antagonist I guess you could say. FL, her parents, bro and all of their friends were just wonderful. I do have to say that I don't know about China but in the US, if you live as a resident in a quad in college, it's beyond rare that everyone gets along so well. I was never a resident but a commuter but my resident friends told me all sorts of stories back in the day. The fact that SZ lived with and got along so well with her roommates just adds to the loveliness of this story.

This story had you mostly laughing at the antics of our leads and everyone else. But it was also very inspirational and sometimes it even made you tear up. SZ was more mature in some aspects then people gave her credit for. Though I do wish many of her inner monologues came out of her mouth instead, she was endearing, kind, respectful, caring, loving, and fiercely protective of those she loved the most.

Everything had its rightful progression to a point. I have nothing to complain about the settings, OSTs, etc. Their moments together once they start coming together were the best and of course the comedy. But there is a con section though it won't be that long.

Cons: While I understand the misunderstandings as people have that makes them imagine or overthink when they're young; but it shouldn't happen when they're adults in a relationship or even by 12th grade in high school. Miscommunication is a known relationship killer. SZ never asks DJX what he's thinking but goes full steam ahead on her own assumptions which are usually worse case scenarios and completely false. DJX also doesn't open up to her and then they end up finding out through other means and how foolish it looks. But instead of learning and not doing it again, they keep repeating it. Even by episode 24, she still thought he was considering breaking up with her.

Then DJX's not dealing with the stalker as soon as he paid off the debt. Why? Her harassing him just complicated things for him both literally and psychologically. If he didn't find out she went after SZ, would he ever have dealt with her? What if she flew to Nanwu to find him?

The thing I wish there was less of were the flashbacks of SZ's childhood. Like once she became an adult, end those. We know what's going on. It wasn't until episode 3 that this drama picked up for me. But I'm very glad I stuck around.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. From all the ones I'm watching it was the only one that made me laugh and love little moments that I would rewind just to get a little bit more. I'm very glad I watched this drama and you should give it a chance too.

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The Best Cdrama I watched so far

Cdramas have tendency to have some toxic/red flag behaviors from some of its characters and I love how supportive and healthy all the relationships are. Hidden Love reminds me of what young first love feels like. The male lead was not only goodlooking but he also played his character well. Whenever he looked at the FL, it gave me butterflies. It was such a refreshing series that it totally on my re-watch list. Normally, with CDramas I start losing interest because of so many episodes and this is the first time that I wished it was longer.. I definitely recommend this drama!

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Go watch Hidden Love now!!!!

It's a beautiful series, and I think it deserves all the hype. I love how all that ends up, and without a doubt, it is one of the most outstanding cdramas in 2023.

Story:
In this story, a girl named Sang Zhi falls in love with Duan Jia Xu, her brother's best friend. Jia Xu regards Sang Zhi as a sister, yet Sang Zhi has started having feelings for him. As time passed, he developed feelings and fell in love with Sang Zhi.

The various periods of Sang Zhi and Duan Jia Xu are depicted throughout the plot, which is very well developed, from when they first met to when they started dating. It is very light and airy and shows various stages of relationships.

Cast:
Zhao Lu Si (Sang Zhi) and Chen Zhe Yuan (Duan Jia Xu) worked effectively in depicting their personality. They have fantastic chemistry on-screen and off-screen. They are the greenest of green flags, and their relationship is healthy. The series gets better because of the characters' excellent communication and comprehension. ZLS demonstrates how Sang Zhi matures as a character. Victor Ma also did an excellent job of portraying a brother who is a bother to his sister and still cares about her no matter what.

Twenty-five episodes is most certainly insufficient for me, but rather, it's without a doubt the ideal length. I, as of now, need to watch it again as it is beautiful, as it were. I strongly encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to try this drama—it's a warm and beautiful work of art!

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A FAIRYTALE ABOUT A FALLEN MILKY WAY :CRUSH + BUTTERFLIES!

A drama that counters on the POV of a young girl with a head full of love. the sweet feel of going back to the moment of that crush, reliving those feelings of doing those little crazy things for love. Stalking them?? Smiling at every little details you got of or with me, blushs and heart flutters at the simple sight or action of them. ah, That feeling of first love is always one that lingers forever. And that is what we view here from Sang zhi pov.

Call her weird, call her Silly but she's just a realistic portray of us at such age and it's rather refreshing to see.

And what if your crush is not your classmate..not the typical popular tsudere guy in school? not your typical Bad boy in school? but rather your Elders brother's friend who is 5 years older..

Of course things are about to get interesting!

This drama is one ready to give all those feels of a naive first love and won't forget to load It with endless BUTTERFLIES, sweetness overloaded I say and I mean it.

The acting? Gosh! it's on another level of real! I can't help but believe that this is what these casts are in real life. I can't stop praising lusi acting enough because she is bagging in this time.

if you watched Gen Z( I highly recommend you do) then you'll understand me when I say, This is literally the opposite of whom she is there! the switch up! wow!

Lusi had me impressed when she was portraying the 17 year old version! it was so convincing! Like I believed she was that age! and when she switched up much Older.. Gosh, give her an award already ??

The ML, this should be my 3rd drama from him (our secret, Mr bad and this) and believe me when I say this is the best from him. His acting here had me smiling each time. he did it so well that I'm forced to believe he was actually the GEGE or an older brother to Lusi! The scenes of him helping her with studies when she was 17..their conversation. it was basically older brother younger one coded. Kudos

The other support roles are currently doing just fine for their forte and roles and especially the one playing Sang yan role. Gosh, why is this my first time seeing him?? he's amazing! And he has the best dynamic for me here with sangzhi. Their brother sister duo is on another level of BEAUTIFULLY REALISTIC ( I can relate lol)

The ost of this show is just benefiting and suitings the lyrics really are speaking the storyline and it's interesting to see. my fav song from this has to be FOREVER LOVE ( too bad they barely sing it?)

And for the plot? do I need to say much? it's simple yet beautiful.

I basically didn't expect much from it since the plot was not grand. Your typical Crush tale with a pinch of age gap. So I won't call the plot a masterpiece. But what I shall call NICE Is the way the story is being told. the pacing is remarkable. and the storytelling is Ok.

I've seen people ( Annoying people) call this The Pedophilia word or so . Just because FL liked ML from her 14 year old and when he was 19...Like. Excuse me?

Setting Things straight, This is not IT! You can't judge the drama from literally 10 min into ep1. Or from synopsis. This drama ( Compared to the novel of 7 year old gap) reduced it to 5 year old. And not only that, made remarkable detailed efforts to make the narrative suitable and comfortable to view.

Firstly, A fourteen year old having a crush is not a crime! And on someone older is not a crime. unless this so called older person reciprocates the love...The red flag!
But the narrative of this drama was so careful to not do that! Even when the child actor was introduced. There was no Romantic sparks AT ALL. I for one watching only got the stare of the kid as a sisterly stare for ML. Lol. so stop complaining about the child actor there. it was clear with the kid's Arc that nothing Romance was on. She didn't even stare at him romantically ?

and even when lusi stepped in, the ML didn't like her at her young age. so stop with the false rumours. It's caused by your lack of understanding of the storyline and narrative.

Because basically this drama did a good job to keep a legal Greenflag Romance drama and they nailed it. Just wanted to clear it up.

If I say I waited 1 year for this drama, Then You heard that right ?. Basically knew when the drama was announced and when the leads were being picked (I prayed for Zheyuan to be lead because I feared Lin Yin couldn't execute the characters as I wanted ?) And waited till end of shooting to see this and I have to say..I'm not disappointed!

although I haven't read the Novel or comic because I'm a lazy reader. I still think the drama did a good job it it's aspects and still waxing strong. Highly recommended

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Highly overrated

I have to preface this by saying one thing - I like both Zhao Lusi and Chen Zheyuan and I’ve watched several of their shows. This is the show I couldn’t like either of them in.

I didn’t intend to watch this show at all- the premise and trailer didn’t interest me, but I thought I would give it a shot anyway. Even though there was an uncomfortable age difference between the characters (not generally, but just because she’s a minor at the beginning), I thought the first 9 episodes were handled pretty well. There were some sweet moments and the episodic nature of the show made it look a bit like a story about growing up.

Till about ep 14, the show was still kind of sweet and funny. It’s after ep 15 that I found this absolutely juvenile and boring. I know most of the comments here will praise the “love story” and so on and how great these characters are, but I actually couldn’t root for the couple at all. From ep 15 to the end I was hoping it would get better but it never did. It was like the writer put some effort into assuaging fears of the story seeming creepy in the beginning when Sang Zhi was young, but once she was “older” all of those efforts went out the window.

My main issues:

When did Jiaxu fall in love? For someone who had been through a bunch of trauma and had a difficult family situation, he has no hesitation or thought about getting into a relationship with Sang Zhi. I didn’t like how CZY played Jiaxu as a cocky, overconfident guy (I’m guessing that’s what the script required him to do). It seemed like such a bizarre decision. We are told that he somehow blames himself for what his family got into (the accident and all that)- at least that’s what we hear Sang Zhi saying- but we never see it from Jiaxu. He has no trauma that we can grasp - his father gets shown only twice in the drama. Once when he’s about to pass away. This is where we learn that Jiaxu doesn’t drink because of the accident his dad caused. None of these traumatic events are even touched upon until the story demands them to be there. Without them it would make no difference. Instead this trauma should have been a big reason for Jiaxu to hesitate or to believe that he’s worthy of being loved.

The other issue- Zhao Lusi playing a 19 year old like she’s 13. Initially when ZLS was playing a 17 year old like a kid, I accepted it. I thought it was cute and endearing in a way. But when she’s a supposed adult, she continues talking in a baby voice. I don’t see the difference between this version and the younger one. It became rather annoying after a while.

I also don’t understand why they cast a 10 year old kid to play 14 year old SZ. With all the comments about grooming and all that going on, you think the makers of this drama would’ve been extra careful. Instead, this didn’t help the case.

The love story did absolutely nothing for me. We are somehow supposed to believe that these two have an amazing love shared between them. They never have deep conversations about things like a real couple would. Instead there are just lots of kissing scenes inserted randomly. Where are the long and deep conversations? Where is the friendship and banter in a relationship? For two supposedly smart people, they surely don’t have any smart, intelligent conversations.

I think all of these are easy fixes. Firstly, SZ and DJX could’ve met once again probably 8 years after she gives up her crush on him. At this time having both of them as working adults, having meaningful lives outside each other would have been interesting. From a slow friendship it could’ve eventually grown into love. This would’ve been much better as currently there’s no friendship stage on this show. They go from “you’re my brother/sister” to “I want to woo you” within one episode.

The supporting characters could’ve been interesting and could’ve had their own stories but their lives mostly revolve around the leads. I liked SZ’s brother the most but even he doesn’t get as much to do outside the leads.

This show is just so disappointing. It’s not a horrible show by any means- the beginning was rather nice- but it is so superficial and lacks any depth. I’m rather shocked at the immensely high ratings for a show that has nothing to say or contribute.

I’m really stumped that the rating on MDL is this high, beating out masterpieces such as Nirvana in Fire, the Untamed, etc. Actually even ZLS’s other dramas like Love Like the Galaxy and Who Rules the World are so much better. To put it into perspective, a show with a simple story - such as Reply 1988 - is so brilliant that it could do so much with the time it had. It built multiple storylines with multiple characters and everyone had their own story to tell. HL missed so many of the important elements that makes for good storytelling, so yeah, I am indeed shocked by the ratings.

EDIT:
I forgot to mention how unrealistic it is that by 24, Jiaxu has paid his father's debts and medical bills, etc, owns a really fancy car, gets a house soon after, quits his job to move to SZ's city, all in just 2 years of working. Is he a millionaire or what? Another example of the writer not having had any experience of adult life.

I also completely dislike how this drama pushes the idea of a perfect romance to very young people. SZ is only 19 when she gets into a relationship and I guess she gets married 3 years later? That’s a really terrible idea when an individual’s brain doesn’t fully develop until they’re 25. I wouldn’t have had any problems if these two were actually above 27 (ideally late 20s), but this feels like it’s telling youngsters to find “the one”’ immediately after they become legal adults.

All that said, I’m happy that Chinese dramas are getting some popularity through this show, even though in my opinion this is an average Chinese show and far from the best. However, I guess it has made some people happy and I can appreciate that.

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