This drama low-key came out at a time when I didn’t pay attention, and in it are two of the best actors C-dramaland has to offer. Sneaky.
EPISODE 1 RECAP
Su Xiao is a career woman. In the first sneak peek into this very intense work culture, we see her going to work and falling asleep on the subway.
When she arrives at her workplace, a group of workers are causing a commotion in front of the building and demanding timely pay.
Su Xiao and her colleague try their best to handle the situation but it seems they are not in control of the company’s wallet to resolve the problem completely.
Sun Li manages to give her character an adorable quirky side that’s very believable. It’s not overdone, just enough to make you see that behind the façade she is forced to put on for work is a passionate and lively girl.
Anyway, this is a construction company and Su Xiao is one of their architects.
In a different department, in a comfortable office sits Xia Ming (Mark Zhao). He is playing around with his wooden building blocks. When his uncle comes in to talk to him about the strike and the money problem, he responds with that swaggering attitude that most CEO male characters have.
Xia Ming drops a block and makes his entire project collapse on purpose to demonstrate his answer. Like one of those strategist guys from period dramas. I guess he’s trying to say that if the workers don’t stop making trouble, he’ll bulldoze all their houses?
Anyway, he’s not going to yield to them, that’s the point. It’s probably good acting from Mark Zhao because I’m wanting to punch this guy already, but I can still see his point.
The next day, Su Xiao’s company people go out to supervise a construction project.
They give a passionate speech about “quality and safety”. Two seconds later, a structure collapses. Wow… that was sudden. Lots of people were probably injured too.
Xia Ming’s useless uncle oversaw that project so now he’s in big trouble with Xia Ming.
Xia Ming didn’t see this coming and he was genuinely worried. He and his uncle go to talk to their supplier, Mr. Wang.
Mr. Wang scolds them but then Xia Ming turns the table on him by blaming the low quality of his supplies. He threatens Mr. Wang in a very polite whisper that if Wang doesn’t keep his mouth shut and cooperate, he’ll let the newspaper say whatever they want to say about the rubbish cement.
A bit later, she’s in a meeting room with Xia Ming and the uncle. They try to mask the cheap cement as an accident but she calls them out. I’m not sure if this is their first meeting or not but Su Xiao doesn’t exactly acknowledge Xia Ming. When she does, they’ll be trouble coming since we can see clearly that she is righteous and he tends to be calculating.
COMMENTS
As far as episode one goes, I wouldn’t call this drama blind-blowing, but this is why it’s a good choice if you want a contemporary drama to chill with: the plot is simple enough and these actors are good.
You have that generic story about an ambitious career woman who has to face challenges at work to make her dreams come true. You also have that arrogant male lead who’s going to learn some lessons as he crosses paths with this girl. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Except that this time, you can sit back, relax, and rest assured that the lead actors are going to deliver.
I have not seen that many episodes yet, but based on the fact that both Sun Li and Mark Zhao are established actors who are picky about their projects, I’m willing to bet that we won’t be seeing anything tacky in the romance department.
If you have seen this drama, leave us your thoughts.