A beautiful second chance romance.

Second chance romances are my weakness (see: Persuasion) but they are so tricky because the audience has to be invested in their past, understand the reason for their separation, and have the proper buildup of angst and the satisfying conclusion of them getting back together, and hopefully get some moments of happiness of them post reunion. This drama delivers on all counts.

I loved the chemistry between Song Qian and Chen Xing Xu, both believable in their carefree younger selves, and then their matured personalities eight years later, though with many lingering feelings. The worries and pressures from Xixi's side to leave Yicheng the first time and her hesitation for that second chance was so understandable. It is too easy for the male lead to stay bitter and make it difficult for the reunion to be believable, and Yicheng was, for a time, but early on, it was obvious how he had never moved on (i.e. taking out the spice for the soup in their very first dinner), and he did not take very long to ask Xixi to take him back. This one could be classified as a slow burn but there were so many things they did for each other behind the scenes (e.g. Xixi looking for another source of investment for Yuyi), and moments of sweetness that reminded them of their past. The buildup to them getting back together was perfect, and it was a thrill to see them succeed as highly ambitious professionals, together, as a team. Bonus points for how much Chen Xing Xu could communicate with his gazes - he really had the softness down whenever he looked at Song Qian.

What elevates the drama to another level is the act of translation being the centre point of the story. I have always been fascinated by languages and the abilities of some to speak and communicate in many different tongues. Xixi's drive to be become the best interpreter she could be, her discipline, dedication, and passion to her work are all so admirable. A lot of this was driven by her insecurities growing up in the shadows of her cousin and her expectations of her grandfather, a legend in the translation world. Usually the family drama never interests me much, but I was riveted and could relate so much to how much it affected her, and on a personal note, the way it all resolved is so much nicer than in real life. Yicheng's dream of creating an AI interpreter that could rival and best humans is also all too relevant in this day and age. I'm still on Xixi's romantic side (and Cheng Yao's!) about the humans doing the better job, no matter how efficiently machine may do it. The dialogue, the texts and idioms used, even the difference in the Chinese and the English subtitles if you're able to understand both (I kept pausing to compare the two), was a real treat for a viewer who enjoys the finer details like me. If my Chinese was good enough to appreciate the poetry more, I could love it even more.

This drama was a quietly beautiful surprise. It's been ages since I finished a Chinese drama, and this one was the hopeful one I needed to get back into watching more, and mostly importantly, inspiration to be more diligent in my language learning.

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