Before I begin this, I must state that I was never a fan of Qiong Yao or her overly dramatic formulas and I was actually watching this because of Joanne Tseng. (Though her screen time was limited in here because it was added in for this new version, I watched on anyway.)
Aside from the overly dramatic moments and the typical romantic backdrop often seen in Qiong Yao dramas, I want to mention that Qin Lan was really good in here as Lu Ping. I never watched the old version (obviously from my first sentence) so can’t compare. But by the time it hit episode 26, I felt that Qin Lan nailed it all. It did not matter if she matched with Bao Jian Feng (who was portraying Chu Lian) or not, but her performance during the confrontation was worth a lot of points. She really brought out the emotions of her character. She was lied to. Whether she loved him the right way or not (according to his words at times when he tried to convince Zi Ling that his and Lu Ping’s relationship wasn’t love), she did not deserve that kind of treatment. IF he messed up his life, he DID NOT have to make her look bad by saying that she did not love him properly. IF he said those things earlier on AND confronted her or ended that relationship faster (i.e. when they were WAY younger and feelings weren’t as deep yet), she would never lose her leg OR even better, she would’ve found someone who loved her for who she was (like Jian Bo). Lu Ping and Chu Lian were so wrong for each other and it was obvious at various points YET I found it dumb to blame it on her that she did not pay enough attention to him. He knew her passion for dancing AND just because she neglected him (or failed to know his presence) during her practice sessions, she was the one to be blamed? Hello! Attention getting much? She was practicing. NOT like she was flirting with the guys when they were going on a date OR something. She just trusted him and thought that he would understand her, especially how she even asked him about it too (and he said that he would support her). I wouldn’t blame him IF he didn’t choose her, but instead, he misled her and then made it like her fault that their relationship didn’t work? LAME!
At that point, I found out that the whole confrontation scene made Chu Lian even more despicable. He made it like he was not able to control the whole idea of people pinning him to Lu Ping since young BUT he forgot that he had a mouth to defend himself and clarify–regardless of how they misled him. IF he knew that he liked Zi Ling, then why go with Lu Ping until it was too late AND changed his mind? It was like he wanted to try it out and then if it did not work, he would go with ‘Plan B’ AND he made himself look all pitiful so others could sympathize with him. OF COURSE, I was disappointed in Zi Ling also for giving in to his words and betraying her sister. Though an accident prevented them from being together, it did not earn her any more points (since she was feeling full of guilt and wanting to give up). (So there, I did not just pick on the guy BUT the girl also.) I found it extremely stupid also that Chu Lian still tried to defend himself even after Lu Ping already read his MSN messages regarding how he planned to break up with Lu Ping after her performance. He made it like he was led astray by Zi Ling thus falling prey to temptation (aka pushing all the blame on Zi Ling OR something) but he had always loved Lu Ping. Who was he lying to? Weak defense. Not to mention how it made him look extremely stupid in front of everyone. Oh yeah, it was dumb too that he did not hide his past affairs more carefully than that. That was lame! He used Zi Ling’s birthday as the password? He should’ve just put it on the USB and take it with him IF he wanted to reminiscence about the past. NOT that I encourage him to hide it BUT if he had chosen already, then he should not leave so many trails behind, knowing that Lu Ping could find out one day. Also, what kind of come back was that? He wished he died already seeing how he hurt others? IDIOT! He was taking the ‘easy way out’ and leaving the rest of them there to patch things up for Lu Ping in the future? IF he had the gut to cheat, then prepare to face the consequences.
I felt like Chu Pei was an idiot to even not check his DVD OR the camera properly aka he should’ve erased the clip ages ago (when I read the spoilers and then actually witnessed the scene). BUT I do not blame him any longer. He should not be blamed or be responsible for what his brother had done NOR should he be responsible for cleaning up his brother’s mess. He was equally disappointed in his brother upon learning of the affair between Chu Lian and Zi Ling, BUT he also forgave him and tried to cover up because he thought it was to protect Lu Ping. BUT who knew that someone else (namely Chu Lian) wouldn’t move on and still kept a lot of other evidence around? Sure, they could pass it off as Chu Lian and Zi Ling posing for the camera aka helping Liu Yu Shan with filming BUT the MSN conversations became the solid evidence. AGAIN, not trying to encourage him to hide, but I hated that he was not able to fulfill his promise. He did not try to move on nor put enough effort to love Lu Ping like she deserved. IF he did not propose to her and then marrying her, I would’ve forgiven him more since he was obviously playing the ‘pity’ card and then backing out on it when he thought that it wasn’t what he planned it out to be.
At the beginning, I really disliked Zi Ling and Lu Ping’s mother for being fake and only cared for her reputation, etc BUT suddenly I realized it by the time Lu Ping’s confrontation that she was also a victim. YES, she cared for her reputation A LOT, but she should not be made as the scapegoat OR made out to be a ‘witch’ (or so it seemed), just because her husband chose to cheat and lie to her. I felt that in a way, Chu Lian was like him that they were too wishy-washy thus making others suffer AND then eventually wanting to back out and save themselves (YET they did not think how the other parties would hurt–whether physically or emotionally). It was like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t ruin my life like this, I gotta back out. Time to think up of a way to make the other party feel bad about how she did not love me properly and move out.” I seriously have that feeling. They should NOT get with them OR even marry them IF they did not love them. It made marriage a joke and commitment nonexistence. It was like they were getting on the ‘marriage’ thing too just for the sake of it AND not because of love. (It was almost like a trend AND not something that should be taken in a serious manner.) Marrying someone and giving that person gratitude and pity doesn’t mean it’s good for that person. (AND I hate the father for saying that Chu Lian was a bigger person because he’d married Lu Ping. HE WAS trying to make his own guilt go away.)
Oh yeah, the whole thing with everyone wanting to shut Lu Ping up and go back to their peaceful life was even more despicable. NOT everyone, but like her parents and even Chu Lian, etc. I felt that only Chu Pei and Yu Shan were the only ones truly wanting Lu Ping to be happy with how they honestly wanted to think of a way to cheer Lu Ping up–regardless of how ridiculous it was. It was to make Lu Ping happy and that they actually liked her for who she was–unlike others who thought OR seemed to push the blame on Lu Ping just because she was frustrated and/or beyond mad at what happened. I felt she was entitled to be mad. Even more than that. Why did the others had to shut her up? OR wanting to go back to their normal life just like that? They weren’t the ones hurting. Making themselves more pitiful did not mean they were right. Just because she was the loud one did not mean she was wrong. Just because they tried to make it like a phenomenon or somewhat a miracle that Chu Lian was marrying her OR Chu Lian seemed to be a bigger person (as said before) DID NOT mean he was right! IF They think it was good for her, THEN do a better job of concealing everything. IF NOT, then don’t lie at all because everything would blow over anyway. Just because it was ‘good for her’ according to them, that means she should be glad and JUST MOVE ON like that? Were they treating her like a machine? Saying they cared for her YET they just didn’t want everything to be exposed to the public OR faced the consequences IF more people know.
Another thing was Chu Lian did not even know he was wrong BUT wanted to shift the blame on others. YES, I mentioned before how dumb it was that Chu Pei still have the clip and Yu Shan copied the part over to the DVD along with the dance segment by accident, BUT IF Chu Lian didn’t cheat and didn’t get caught, THERE would be no clip in the first place. Why was he making it like IF there was no disc, there would be no problems? The problem already existed the minute he cheated.
In the end, only Jian Bo comprehended the whole picture behind Lu Ping’s extreme, cruel exterior. Only he knew and understood her right from the start. He knew that she was hurting so much that she used the schemes to torture others YET she was hurting so much she did not know how to cover up the hole in her heart. She was falling through an endless pit that she was unable to save herself. She not only discovered betrayal but her own stupidity for being too innocent, too trusting, and for not being able to look at her surroundings more carefully. She blamed herself more than anything for letting things like that happened, for not knowing how to protect herself.
Things became even clearer with Yun Fan and Chu Lian’s conversation regarding Chu Lian’s thoughts. Chu Lian grew up with both sisters yet he did not realize what they really wanted OR did he understand Zi Ling. He thought that by convincing Yun Fan to bring Zi Ling back to France and seal her away it meant that he was protecting her. He did not understand that the only way she could be happy was to resolve everything. Though Yun Fan did not like the idea of coming back and facing the matter either (since he was fearing the worst) but he still respected her in accompanying her back and being there for her throughout. Chu Lian feared Lu Ping and continuously making himself the victim YET he did not know that he had chosen that path, why was he blaming her? It was pathetic to hear him confess his fear of Lu Ping amongst other things. It goes right back to what I just said regarding how he did not understand either sister.
I just want to clarify that I DO NOT hate any part of the cast, BUT just hate the characters, so don’t misunderstand.
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