BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“The bottom line is we never fall for the person we’re supposed to.” – Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
I found this to be full of dark humor with a good sprinkling of sadness to puncture its levity. It is a story about two astonishingly handsome yet despondent young men. Full of life yet both having given up on it as well. Although this series is short, it portrays an acutely innermost story between two men that were never meant to meet, yet did. Forced circumstances allowed them to fall in love. Although they were not supposed to; they did anyway.
Chen Xi (Qin Jia Lin) had to borrow money from a loan shark for someone very close to him who needed an operation. For a loan shark, it is irrelevant if that operation is successful or not. The money owed is the money that needs and must be repaid. Who is send, for another round of persuasion, is Hau Yu (Wang Zi Hang), who almost from the beginning conveys an inability to be ‘tough’. Not only are his vulnerabilities out in the open to see, but they are also so funny contextually, at the same time relatable. What develops is an alliance between the two in which they share their fragilities. By completely exposing their weaknesses, neither has anything further to lose, which ironically strengthens what gives both their individual traits. In a sense, each finds they complement the other, making for a synergy. The metamorphosis of their bond is nothing short of endearing.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. this series? The beauty of these two young actors is that they are so relatable to us, at some point in our lives. Oh, perhaps not as low as they got, but their feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are certainly understandable. Each might have been positioned differently, but they shared the same feelings. Each could see, ironically, that it was wrong in the other but not in themselves. Do not be fooled by the brevity of this series. They portrayed their characterizations with deep respect and an intense understanding of who each was. And we could see them move into various stages from adversary to friend to deeper understanding to outward love. And they were able to display that on the screen with a significant level of sincerity. Even for being a Chinese series. Their screen chemistry is super-charged. The acting in this series is distinctive and intense. We honestly get to know who Chen Xi and Hau Yu well. They allowed us to see them.
The screenplay for this series shows an acute understanding of male bonding. Although there is a lot of innuendo initially, as their union deepens, someone on the writing staff understood the psychology of men and was willing to state ‘the quiet part out loud’. When Chen Xi half-heartedly whispers a sexual interest to Hau Yu who then sheepishly rejects him, he responds ever so gently back to him, “Men understand men better” as he further tries to seduce him. I loved that line as I do believe that is a truism. From then on, something changes, and both begin to find an extended aptness between them.
When Hau Yu thinks Chen Xi is going to commit suicide, he matches his same moves. Giving Chen Xi now a clear indication that their relationship has gone into an unreservedly different realm. Someone was willing to die along with him. Then when Hau Yu is beaten up because he would not reveal to the other thugs where Chen Xi was, their relationship became even more devoted and intense. They were both willing and now bound to one another to not forsake the other. Their commitment is manifest.
What is the ending for these essentially two misfits of society? Who knows! All we know is that they have found each other and in this present moment, they are enjoying all the pleasures that are due to them because of the circumstances of who they are and the moment they are in.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It let us look at two rather pleasing-looking guys in the here-and-now that I could believe in. And these two actors put it all together and made it work and made it feel genuine and honest.
Equally importantly, it left me with a small sliver of hope that these two will somehow ‘make it’. Chen Xi and Hau Yu, I hope you are still together. Please make it work!
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