I was putting off watching this drama for a while. I always saw it under 'top dramas', my recommendation feed, reviews where it was called as another ISWAK/Itazura na Kiss/Playful Kiss, etc.

Before I began watching this I was only familiar with the male lead in a drama where his role wasn't too big. I did know that he is quite decent so decided to go ahead. Here's what I thought finally:

STORY: On the surface it comes off as another youth drama. However what I liked most about the drama was the simplicity of the plot. It's just about a group of friends, an annoying love triangle, a jerk male lead and ditz female lead. I can see the comparisons with ISWAK but nothing tops that. It would be fair to say this was at least inspired from that story. But what sets this drama apart are the likeable characters and the trivial-yet-relatable situations they go through. Their friendship was excellent and it was best part for me over the romantic plot.

CHARACTERS AND LOVE TRIANGLE: I had a love-hate relationship with Xiao Xi. She's cute, simple but was too dense for my liking. I also don't like how she seemed not to have any self-respect. I was often uncomfortable with the message this drama keeps giving- it's fine to keep chasing someone even if they walk all over you. Not saying that Jiang Chen didn't like her, but he was mean to her majority of the drama. For me I was all in on the second lead ship. I haven't suffered such major Second Lead Syndrome since AGES. Bo Song deserved Xiao Xi's love. I hated how stone cold she was to him and even seemed ungrateful at times. He did so much for her but she always had one person in her heart. I would blame the writer for this plot because the better moments were written between Xiao Xi and Bo Song. She kept hanging with him till the last 2 episodes, not acknowledging his love. For god's sake, she spent her entire life with a one-sided love and I couldn't buy how she couldn't recognise Bo Song's love throughout regardless of what he said to her. I didn't really buy Jiang Chen as a character, his reason for being mean to her and why he liked her. He just seemed like a selfish person to me who played and manipulated her as he wished. I liked his adult side better because he had at least become more mature and expressive by then. I did enjoy his interactions with Xiao Xi towards the end. The other two friends were awesome and I was glad about having a secondary couple on the show.

FLAWS: It was slow, seemed to have borrowed ideas and lack of plot in between episodes. One thing that is rarely explained in Chinese dramas is why the leads fall for each other. In this drama also I had no clue. Especially Xiao Xi's devotion to JC was hard to understand. It was more than just fangirl feelings or puppy love. She was stupid, playful and childish but was bold when it came to pursuing him and had only him in her heart forever.

I think this drama is cute if you want to watch something relaxing without much drama. The drama was slow but it was consistent in following its own pacing in all the episodes. Just don't root for the second lead and this drama might just be more enjoyable.