Episode 1 recap: Huang Ying Zi apologized to Hao Ping in helplessness.
The story begins in 2008 when Huang Ying Zi (played by Yang Zi) called her classmates outside the classroom to rehearse together. At that time, Jiang Yi (played by Fan Cheng Cheng) was studying computers. Everyone had their own dreams. Huang Ying Zi mentioned her current question, which was how to carry a rice cooker on her back because their stage play was starting that evening.
Huang Ying Zi was the first to stand on the stage, but she suddenly became very nervous and forgot her lines. She quickly returned to the backstage area, luckily with Jiang Yi's help, she managed to recall her lines bit by bit and soon returned to perform on stage.
In this place called Hangtian City, Huang Ying Zi and the other five people grew up playing together. Lan Yi Fei was a rising star in the dance world and also Huang Ying Zi's best friend. There were also Guan Chao, Fang Ming Yu, and Zhuang Yuan. This nonsensical stage play was something they started since the day they met. They used to believe that they would always be together, even during the sudden stormy nights.
However, time changed them and the way they saw the world. Many years passed, and Huang Ying Zi made a deal with an old gentleman, but they didn't reach an agreement. Huang Ying Zi returned to the company with the recorded files. Her only request was to protect the victims as much as possible.
The editor-in-chief, however, said that once the files were made public, they might receive a lawyer's letter from the old gentleman, Hao Ping, the next day. Huang Ying Zi believed she could obtain the truth, which she considered more important than anything else. She started chatting with Hao Ping, who initially believed that there was no problem in the world that couldn't be solved with money. Huang Ying Zi simply told him that he had been tricked.
There was no actual interview, but Huang Ying Zi secretly recorded the conversation with Hao Ping. Hao Ping became anxious and then asked Huang Ying Zi how much money she needed for the matter not to be made public. However, Huang Ying Zi was unwilling to accept the transaction.
Originally, Huang Ying Zi wanted to make the news public, but the editor-in-chief requested her to apologize to Hao Ping. The editor-in-chief told Huang Ying Zi that the truth was indeed good, but in the adult world, it was not something she could easily change.
Huang Ying Zi remembered the words she said to her thirty-year-old self upon graduating from high school. Tears welled up in her eyes, and in the end, she made the heart-wrenching decision to delete the video. Huang Ying Zi looked at the graduation photos of everyone and suddenly remembered that autumn in 2007 when she won a writing competition. As a reward, her father bought her a mountain bike, and Huang Ying Zi rode the bike around the entire city.
Huang Ying Zi also told her two good friends that her father gave her pocket money, so she invited them to have fast food and watch a movie. Taking advantage of her grandmother being busy inside, Huang Ying Zi left with Lan Yi Fei and Fang Ming Yu. Huang Ying Zi messaged Lan Yi Fei and told her that Guan Chao was getting married. Since Lan Yi Fei happened to be in the city, they decided to meet up after many years of not seeing each other.
Huang Ying Zi also recalled their childhood when the six of them felt like they would never separate. But now it seemed like they hadn't contacted each other for a long time. Lan Yi Fei begged Huang Ying Zi to bring everyone back together and return to Hangtian City. In the past, Huang Ying Zi always took the lead in everything, and this time she hoped Huang Ying Zi could lead everyone back. Huang Ying Zi hugged Lan Yi Fei and agreed to do it.
Huang Ying Zi returned home and suddenly called Fang Ming Yu. Their conversation became very cold. Fang Ming Yu was still under pressure from her superiors. Huang Ying Zi only sent her a message hoping that they could all go back to Hangtian City together for Guan Chao's wedding.
Afterward, Huang Ying Zi also messaged Jiang Yi. Over the years, Jiang Yi had always received messages from Huang Ying Zi but had never replied. Zhuang Yuan bought a lot of coffee, but some of it spilled on the way back. Coincidentally, Huang Ying Zi passed by, so Zhuang Yuan planned to give her the remaining coffee to drink.
Huang Ying Zi came today to ask Zhuang Yuan to accompany her to find Fang Ming Yu. Zhuang Yuan found various excuses not to go, so Huang Ying Zi had to go alone. The next morning, Huang Ying Zi arrived at Fang Ming Yu's company. The company was currently preparing for layoffs, and as the manager of the Human Resources Department, she had to proactively approach the older employees. The person she approached became angry and even splashed water on her face. Huang Ying Zi was afraid that Fang Ming Yu would feel embarrassed when she saw her, so she left first.
She also bought her favorite chocolate pie from back then and gave it to Fang Ming Yu. When Fang Ming Yu saw it, she remembered the scene of the three of them eating together. Although they didn't have much money at the time, their carefree life was truly worth reminiscing. While waiting at a traffic light, Huang Ying Zi suddenly saw someone riding a motorcycle, and the figure was very familiar—it was Jiang Yi. Jiang Yi saw Huang Ying Zi and quickly rode away, but Huang Ying Zi caught up to him. It was their first meeting in years, and it happened in such a situation.
It's so good! Every frame feels so real. From the naive youth to the pressured newcomer in the workplace, the characters' personal journeys are portrayed in a three-dimensional manner.
There are no exaggerated plotlines, no fast-food-style romances, and no gratuitous melodrama for the sake of cruelty. It's natural, genuine, and effortlessly draws you in, allowing you to experience the mixed flavors of life.
This can truly be said as one of the best dramas in recent years.
It's so good. I got addicted halfway through the first episode, and I ended up watching it twice in four episodes. The male lead is cheerful and lively, and I love how he expresses his affection for the female lead and his love for his parents.
He was happy when his mom came back, but then the parents got busy with work. I feel like everyone did a great job, it was very authentic.
The female lead is lively and cheerful.
She's attentive and always notices things about the person she likes and her friends, but she's also stubborn and likes to act tough even when she's sad.
I feel like it's very realistic, just like a childhood template. When we were kids, we could all gather together and grow up, but as we get busy with work, we don't have as much time.
So when we have half a day off, we have to travel far to meet up, and I wouldn't go unless it's for going home for the Lunar New Year. But I don't go home every year either, it's not interesting.
Friends celebrate the New Year at their own homes or outside. Some are busy with their marriages, some can't make time even at 6 in the morning, so I stop reaching out.
Those with families are busier, and those without families can gather more.
I love every member of the Six-Person Group, and my heart aches for them as they slowly drift apart, carrying an indescribable bitterness. I hope they can reunite and regain their past friendship, especially Zhuang Yu and Ying Zi.
Overall, this drama feels like a prose love letter from the production team to us, the same-age peers. So many details seem to have been extracted from our memories, making us cry and laugh uncontrollably, constantly reflecting on our childhood selves.
I believe this is a drama that I will keep rewatching, as each time it reminds me of my growth and the person I was becoming, urging me to cherish the people and life in front of me.