This Chinese BL drama had a bit of a rocky start to the screen, getting cancelled before it was eventually picked up and aired. Felt like a win! Despite its troubled start, it still managed to pull me in with its raw performances.

The chemistry between the main leads Qi Lu and Qin Xiao, was evident from the very first episode. Their struggles and sacrifices for each other were portrayed with great sensitivity considering how the drama handled the difficult themes with grace. There’s a subtle yet profound tenderness in their shared moments.

They did a good job of giving both Qi Lu and Qin Xiao well-developed backstories especially Qi Lu’s traumatic experiences with his abusive father and Qin Xiao’s longing for a family. These aspects were explored thoughtfully, allowing us to really grasp the emotional weight and baggage each character carried around.
In the initial episodes, the moments were nuanced and carefully built giving the story that depth and authenticity but as the drama progressed, the pacing seemed to speed up. This abrupt shift made the character arcs feel incomplete. The slower, more thoughtful exploration of their struggles in the beginning was what made their stories so compelling, but in the end, to me it felt like they didn’t get the conclusion they deserved.

The secondary couple Tan Yin and Liu Ming Yang, add a sort of a unique dynamic to the story. Their relationship develops in a subtle but meaningful way with Tan Yin’s persistence to pursue Liu Ming Yang.
Their interactions felt natural, and them navigating the struggles together was sweet. However, I do feel like their storyline could have been given more depth. The resolution of their arc felt a bit rushed, and it would have been nice to see it explored a little more. At times, their conflicts felt a bit forced, complicating things unnecessarily.

However, it wasn’t without its flaws. The editing felt pretty choppy at times, overall making things feel a bit disconnected. You could also tell the show had a low budget with some of the production values being a bit obvious. But the biggest issue though was how rushed the last few episodes felt. Conflicts popped up out of nowhere and were resolved off-screen which left the ending feeling a little weak. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate the ending, but given how strong the drama started it definitely felt like it was wrapped up too quickly. It was as if the show tried to tie things up too neatly without fully exploring the emotional implications of everything they'd been through. The way the conflicts were resolved could have been handled much better.

Overall, I will still recommend giving this a watch especially since there aren’t that many Chinese BLs out there. Yes, it has its flaws but the fact that they took a brave shot at something with the censorship around deserves props. If you're into love stories and don’t mind a bit of indie, low-budget vibe then definitely check it out!