The Rose

Story

Bai He comes to Han Li’s home after her grandmother’s funeral. Her grandmother has claimed that she is Han Li’s daughter. She is about to reach the house with a heavy suitcase when she smells of liquor. A tall guy wearing dark glasses walks past and she runs after him to ask the way. She accidentally trips and falls into a mud puddle. He also trips because of her suitcase flies to him. He is Jin.

The house is like a castle. She walks in to see a person, Kui on the sofa with long hair. A guy or a woman? He is angry and thinks that Bai He is Li’s fan and Fu Rong is puzzled when Bai He shows that she is Li’s daughter by showing her birth certificate. The three are speechless. Bai He is the daughter of Li’s third husband, Zheng Ye. All of them are half-siblings with different fathers.

The two guys don’t believe it. Kui mentions that Bai He looks like a bun while Jin feels that she is too fat to be Bai He although all of them have flowers as names. Bai He also doesn’t understand why she looks different from them. All of them inherit Li’s tall and beautiful genes except her. Bai He even forces Bai He to brew coffee for her. Li is furious when Jin calls her to return and claims that she is a cheat.

But Bai He still walks over to her and says that she isn’t lying. It is unexpected that Li calls her Bai He. Doesn’t her grandmother refuse to give Bai He to her? She is silent to know her death and Jin suggests testing DNA as she looks so different. Kui even cites that she looks like a pig carried from the pet shop by the nurse by mistake. Li cuts Bai He’s hair short as it is very untidy and wants her to work as a servant.

Bai He cries at night and wants to return home. Suddenly a person comes in – it is Jin with a wine cup. She is angry that he still wears shades at night and is puzzled that he gives her a glass of milk. He wants to hug her but she boxes him till his shades fall off his face. She is angry that he comes to bully her. He explains that this is the first time he has a sister and he wants to hug her. He has blue eyes because his father is an American so he is called Jin. But he doesn’t like others to look at him so he wears shades.

He persuades her to stay – why is he so different in the day? He is cold again in the morning. Fu Rong explains that he will be gentle to women once he is drunk so whatever he has said doesn’t meant from his hear. Bai He’s blood runs cold. She goes to Jin’s room and is shocked to see Kui kissing him. Fu Rong finds it normal as Lui worships Jin. Li’s marriages don’t last for a few years. Fu Rong is here since 7 and Jin comes later. But Kui is already 14 when he comes.

No one knows what happens to him before he comes. In the first week, he doesn’t eat or talk but Jin changes him. So Jin isn’t only his elder brother and is also the only person he trusts. Jin is nice so he only consoles Bai He on her first day. But Bai He must be careful since she is 18 and Jin is 21. Even though they are siblings, anything can happen. Kui still thinks that Bai He isn’t one of them. Although Li recognizes her immediately, she treats her as a maid. Why is she so thick skinned to stay?

She cries and Jin comes to ask her to fix his loose button on his shirt. He learns that she cries because of her ugliness. He wants her to give herself more confidence. Hasn’t she seen the roses in the garden – there is a pixie in each flower – there is one with 2 buns so many sneer her for not being a pixie. She later dreams of the pixie having colourful wings later. Jin mentions that she has suspected it too but this is her change.

But when she wakes up, Jin’s face is near her again. He is unhappy that she sleeps beside him. Fu Rong watches videos and Bai He joins her. Bai He has an ex boyfriend and bastketballer, Guo Sen who breaks off with her to be with Yu Lian after knowing that she can’t get into university. Fu Rong hates guys who uses the brawns and have no brains. Bai He wants to watch a movie where a young boy kills himself.

She is stunned to know that Jin is the actor. Jin is only 15 years old then and the movie title is jade. Jin’s father is the movie director. Although he has no lines and this is the only movie, Bai He likes it and dreams of him to be her prince charming. She wakes up in shock – it should be normal since she can’t accept incest. And moreover Jin dislikes ugly women. She hears Jin’s cold voice saying that she is right. Jin sleeps on her bad again! She nearly goes mad – is he a ninja to sleep on her bed daily?

She has locked the door and always gives hurting remarks in the morning. But thanks to this – if not she will not treat him as her elder brother. She decides to lock the door and also blocks it with a table. But…..at midnight, he comes to her bed and hugs her with the blanket, urging her to tell him her troubles. She nearly explodes – she hates him to be nice to women when drunk and forgets completely in the morning.

He is shocked for a while but smiles – she looks cute when jealous so he decides to be nice to her only. Jin hugs her into his chest – she is his only younger sister and will take good care of her. So she must tell him who she likes. If they want to elope, don’t tell him as he will be lonely. He even puts his finger on his lips and Bai He is shaken – Jin looks at her and later falls on her. Sigh – he is too drunk but Bai He notices that he looks extremely weak. She is about to touch his face and later stops.

She walks out after removing his glasses and covering him with the blanket. Why isn’t she happy that they are not strangers but siblings? Bai He comes face to face with the house keeper, Grandma who has worked for 48 years. Bai He wants to help her to walk upon knowing that she just recovers from a sprained back but she walks past Bai He. Bai He is hurt when she tells her that Bai He tells her to treat her as a maid. Grandma even complains that Bai He doesn’t clean the stove properly.

At night, she dreams of the two saying that she isn’t Li’s child. She wakes up and hears Jin mumbling that she should not snatch the blanket. It is Jin again! She wants to sleep in another room but he stops her from leaving. Does she hate him to hide from him – she is his only younger sister and he wishes to like her more. Why doesn’t she accept him? She asks if he will ignore her if they aren’t related. Jin answers maybe. She gets troubled – she is tormented whether or not they are related.

Jin touches her hair and tells her not to think too much. He gets out – it is like Cinderella – he is only nice to her when drunk. Fu Rong is puzzled as she notices that Jin isn’t drunk this time. Li brings Guo Sen and Yu Lian home. Yu Lian is the film producer’s daughter. Guo Sen is stunned to see Bai He and she nearly faints too. Luckily a strong arm circles her and prevents her from falling. Jin comes to her side and tells him that Bai He isn’t Li’s servant but is Li’s daughter.

Is Jin helping her – Bai He can’t help smiling. Is what Fu Rong says true – he is nice to her even though he is sober. She tells Yu Lian that she likes someone else. Kui brings all the wine bottles into Bai He’s room – does Bai He like Jin? He keeps them because there is a woman at home. Bai He is upset when Guo Sen and Yu Lian sneer at her secretly. She asks Grandma how she gets along with them for 40 years.

Grandma tells her that the family can be very blunt in their speech. But because of this, any dispute can be resolved easily because the thorns can be seen easily like the roses. Bai He realizes that se does love her family because they are not hideous. Yu Lian and Guo Sen run away quickly from their home. Yu Lian reveals her likeness towards Kui near the pool and gets pushed in by him. Guo Sen writes a love letter to Fu Rong to get read to all during breakfast. They are driven away by Li when they quarrel.

Fu Rong is glad to drive the nasty people away and praises Bai He for ditching Guo Sen. Bai He is touched – the usually sarcastic Fu Rong can be so kind to her. But Fu Rong adds – the idiot does have some foresight to reject the ugly her. Sigh – Bai He’s family are really roses with roses. Bai He gets into Li’s room and finds her missing. She has tried asking her about Ye and she describes Ye as a betrayer. He has her as his wife but still commits adultery. So she ditches him.

She is once upset for leaving Bai He but doesn’t want to bring up a child of his. She leaves the divorce documents and Bai He in a fit of rage but Ye, the writer sends the documents to her after signing. Grandma tells Bai He about the past. Li knows Ye when she is 17. But she is rejected and agrees to an arranged marriage by Grandpa. Later, she gets into the entertainment showbuzz to leave her husband and Fu Rong to study acting in the U.S. She gets to know Jin’s father but she sees Ye on her return and insists to stay with him. Grandma has seen the quiet and gentle Ye before.

Grandma is surprised when Ye wants her to bring Li home. Both look so loving so she wants to know the reason. She then discovers that he is too sick and dies a few years later. So how can he love others? Jin describes Li as flattering herself and refuses to tell them much about their fathers. Fu Rong describes her as adventure seeking to remarry continuously and refuse to take care of every child. Kui will quarrel with her. Fu Rong hates her but doesn’t dislike her because she is at least truthful to be impulsive.

Kui is skinny but is a big eater. Today, he loses his appetite – why he gets the same invitation card as Bai He. His youngest uncle is marrying Bai He’s high school classmate. He refuses to go with a fat Bai He to get ridiculed. But Fu Rong reminds him that this is his favourite uncle. Although his words hurt Bai He, she pities him for looking as if he has be assaulted. Fu Rong suggests making Bai He prettier.

Kui breaks Bai He’s piggy bank and only finds NT$2000 in it. How can she afford a dress? He will give her a makeover in 3 weeks but she must work with him to reduce 5kg to work on his diet. He pinches her face and only gives her only an apple with a glass of water per meal. She drops the apple when he forces her to exercise. The fats which follows her 10 over years never leave her after a week.

Kui jumps – are the fats made of rubber? He decides to use make up but she has no cosmetics. He drags her into his room – he has plenty and she is hesitant – he has the habit? Kui calls her an idiot – they are from those who think that he is a woman. But he doubts she will know how to apply makeup so he does it for her. She suddenly faints and discovers that she is on Kui’s bed. When Kui hears her voice, his nervous expression vanishes and points at her face.

Why doesn’t she slim down – every midnight she sleepwalks to eat food from the kitchen and Grandma sees it. How can she be hungry to this extent? Luckily she is fine so she should give up then. This is the first time she sees Kui being concerned about her. Although he often bullies her, he cares for her. He tries so hard to help her but she ruins all his efforts. She feels tears in her eyes – it is good enough to congratulate her friend but she wants to look better not to disgrace him.

She apologises but Kui presses her to rest back on the bed – he doesn’t blame her for it. Does she want to move around to let Fu Rong scold him again? She sleeps but feels Kui stroking her face. She suddenly feels close to him. Because of this sickness, she loses 2 kg. After fitting into Kui’s dress and his makeup, she looks differently – he is excited – she will not scare anyone. She accidentally knocks down Kui’s photo and is surprised to see that he has short hair when young.

She asks why he keeps long hair as he will look handsome with short hair but he refuses to listen. Jin comes in and is stunned for a while before saying that Bai He looks cute. Kui then tells Bai He that the photo is taken by Jin’s fiancée, Qin. She is so hurt that she gets off the cab midway to the marriage venue to shock Kui. Does she really love Jin now? When she returns home, she is shocked to know that Qin is dead. In secondary 3, Jin is the centre of attraction. He is handsome and his studies has been good.

Qin is in the same class but he hasn’t noticed her till she snatches his no. 1 class position. He sneers at her being a year older than them so her results should be good. She admits it and Jin is remorseful over his sarcasm. She is sick to stop her studies for a year. They become a couple and get into university together but she has lung cancer just a month after their engagement.

Qin wants Jin to bring her to He Huan mountain to see snow for the last time. She gives Jin a rose necklace and hopes Jin not to love others. But she can’t be so selfish and he can give it to someone else. Let the person love him as her but don’t forget her. Jin runs with her to the mountain top and nearly gets frozen to death. He becomes lifeless and only recovers after 1 year.

Li wants to bring her friends home for a party after filming but Jin is angry as he wants to finish 3 reports. Kui wants to bring him to the bungalow to stay as it is quiet. Bai He knows that he is up to something and wants to follow. Jin wants her to come along to cook for him although Kui protests. Bai He finds out that Kui keeps long hair after Qin’s death. He has not wanted Kui to forget Qin – she knows that Kui and her have the same feelings in loving Jin secretly.

Bai He can’t help looking at the rose necklace after knowing the story. How does Jin feel looking at it daily? Fu Rong has asked how relieved she is after knowing that her love rival is dead. Bai He does feel despicable for feeling so but she knows she is selfish as Jin is really very depressed. She hopes Jin will only love Qin and not anyone else. It is enough that she stands by him.

Bai He feels that it is to hot to sleep but gets to see Kui’s face. He accuses her for saying that he has designs on Jin but she comes to sleep with Jin. It is only now that Bai He sees Jin on the other side of the bed. She insists that Jin comes into her room. Both decide to sleep in Kui’s room. But Bai He sees that Kui wants Jin drunk with the wine bottle in his hand. So she sits with a blanket wrapping her at Kui’s door.

Kui knows that she will catch a cold if this goes on and wants to let her sleep on his bed. She is about to answer him when she faints. Although blurry, she hears Kui’s frantic voice that she has a fever and there is a blackout. She can’t remember what happens but she hears the two talking. Jin asks Kui if Bai He resembles something round and hot to hold in the hand during winter. Kui says that she is a bun. Jin finds Kui’s description more accurate as he has wanted to say that she is like a ball of wool.

Kui says that carrying Bai He is very comfortable. He carries her and finds her too hot like a bun which is over steamed. Jin then says that Fu Rong tells him that Kui loves elder sisters but he doesn’t know it. Kui protests that he will not love an ugly woman. Bai He feels better the next day but her temperature shoots up upon seeing that she is sleeping between the guys. They try to keep her warm as the heater is not working.

Upon reaching home, Bai He sees Fu Rong watching kissing scenes from a movie. She admits that she doesn’t have the experience. Fu Rong mentions that it is a nice feeling to imagine the person she likes to be in front of her. Bai He closes her eyes but is shocked when Jin appears. Li’s film director, Uncle Weirdo is here. He is very lustful to pester Li all the time.

All of them hide from him but when he wants to see a young Li’s photos, Bai He is attracted to see how pretty Li looks but sees that all are torn into half to have only her. She knows that she cuts Ye away and manages to grab his last photo when it drops out from the album. She finally sees Ye. Uncle Weirdo has seen him before – Ye is his university senior and is also a centre of attraction. He clings close to Bai He.

Li tells him that she hates Bai He – especially the way she yearns for motherly love. He tries to kiss her and his face gets close to her. When she screams and opens her eyes, Uncle Weirdo has already fallen to one side. Jin commands him to leave with a vacuum cleaner in his hand. If he doesn’t leave, he will be the first person in history to die under a vacuum cleaner. Jin tries hard to pacify Bai He after he leaves. She nearly loses her first kiss. The oily face with tobacco smell leaves her disgusted.

Can she still kiss in future with the man’s face in front of her? She sobs that she can never kiss anymore. Jin suddenly grabs her and removes his glasses. Before she can react, his lips have touched hers. They are so soft and so near. The whole world seems to have his smell and breath. He releases her with a gentle voice – is this better? Don’t give up because of that man. She nearly faints.

Bai He is about to ask more about Ye when she overhears Li telling Fu Rong that Bai He belongs to Ye and Zi Ying. Zi Ying is her university mate. She works with Ye in the same company and one day, Ye brings a baby to want Li to take care of her. Li spends a lot of money making Bai He her daughter on her birth certificate. Zi Ying wants to marry another man but regards Bai He a burden to push her to Ye. Zi Ying goes on tour with the man but both die in a car accident.

Bai He finds the truth unacceptable – so she is not Li’s daughter. Fu Rong finds an old birth certificate in a drawer to prove that Zi Ying is her mother. So she leaves home at midnight. She only realizes now that she treats this place at home now but she can’t find a reason to stay. She goes to a café and a man keeps looking at her. He wears a Haiwaian shirt with a pair of Pu Yi glasses. Is he a gangster? Why is she with a luggage in the middle of the night? Suddenly two men grab him and her to a place.

Bai He has thought that they are going to get killed but they are brought into an office. It has a few guys who have not shaved for days and have dark circles around the eyes. They are drawing comics and look like skeletons. They beg her to cook homecook food as they are sick of lunchboxes. They have hurried their work for a week without rest. This is comic drawer, Mao Ji’s workplace. They are his assistants and have been working non-stop. Mao Ji complains that the coffee is unbearable so he sneaks out.

So the publisher gets him back. This happens at least once a month. Bai He sees that Mao Ji is drawing swiftly with his hand non-stop now. The people leave and all lie on the floor. Bai He helps them in their work. She learns that Mao Ji can even draw in his sleep and he can draw all sorts of comics. Every month, he can have 5 stories up and all have to serve him like hell.

She is about to leave when Mao Ji gets her to stay to cook for him. He will die if he eats lunchboxes again. She can work for him and he will pay her. She agrees as she wants to stay close to the Hans and she has nowhere to go. Bai He prepares food for them and Mao Ji tells her that Jin comes to look for her. The whole family discovers that she is here. Jin wants to bring her home but Mao Ji tells him that both of them are in love so she isn’t returning. Bai He drops the basket.

The apples and carrots drop to the floor – why does Mao Ji deceive Jin? Mao Ji wants to make fun of him. Does she leave home because of her parentage? Jin has said that Bai He thinks that she is no longer part of the family. That is a misunderstanding but he also thinks that they don’t look alike. And when he mentions that, Jin is very angry. Jin will return soon and warns Mao Ji not to bully his only younger sister.

How does Jin sound in his tone and expression? Why does she miss him suddenly? Why 3 days seem 3 years? She misses home now so Mao Ji tells her to go home. She is grateful to Mao Ji. The first time she meets him she thinks he is a gangster. But now he is such a nice man to know others’ feelings. But he requests her to continue working for him and she agrees.

Ye isn’t the one having the affair. Li has thought that he has an affair with Zi Ying so she seduces Zi Ying’s fiancé, Cao Zhi. She never knows that Bai He is Cai Zhi and Zi Ying’s daughter. She has thought that she belongs to Ye and Zi Ying. Zi Ying only leaves her in Ye’s care for a few days to pull Zhi out to have fun. Zhi is interested in a rich girl and wants to break off with Zi Ying and doesn’t want to acknowledge Bai He too. Perhaps Zi Ying wants to win him back but both die in the car accident.

But Bai He thinks – is that really an accident? Zi Ying must have felt miserable – Zhi ditches her and her best friend seduces him too. Ye lies to Li that Bai He is his child and Li is too angry to notice that he wants to force her away from him. Only Grandma knows the truth because Zi Ying writes a letter to explain to Li. But Ye wants Grandma to keep it from Li. Ye loves Li than anyone else but he doesn’t know that he hurts her instead. Bai He is the child that Li really wants.

Li has asked her from her grandmother many times – she never does this to the other 3. Because Bai He is the only thing Ye left for her. Li also loves Ye but the harsh fact is she is pregnant when she leaves Ye – not with Ye’s child but it belongs to Zhi – who is Kui. Bai He feels like crying – how will Kui think? He has thought that he belongs to Li’s 4th marriage but never knows that he shares the same dad as Bai He. The three women have thought that Bai He isn’t back so they discuss this.

They never expect Bai He and Kui to overhear it. Bai He is upset – how can she stay on as Kui is Li’s child but she is only Kui’s half-sister. Fu Rong chides her for being stupid – all the siblings only have half the blood in them. Men may not necessary have blood relations to be close. They can be a family even though they aren’t related. Moreover, Jin needs her. before Bai He is here, Fu Rong has not noticed that Jin yearns to love others. He shuts himself to be lonely because of Qin. He doesn’t wish to be loved but needs to love someone. At this time, Bai He appears as his younger sister for him to love openly.

So what does he think by telling Mao Ji that she is his only younger sister? Fu Rong tells her to continue to play the younger sister role. Jin’s heart has a big hole which no one can mend but she can still blow warm air into the hole. She gets into Jin’s room and happens to see his tall built behind the shower glass. Jin is bathing! Bai He starts to breathe abnormally. Fu Rong has wanted her to get a tape from him.

She thinks that it is in the video tape recorder and turns it on. She sees a beautiful woman and is attracted. She is Qin. Suddenly the image vanishes and she sees Jin throwing the remote on his bed. He throws the tape at her and walks past her. Bai He realises that she is a selfish elder sister – she has never looked at Kui who suffers like her but hopes that he will console her when she is down. When Kui comes wanting to sleep with her, he is hysterical – why those he likes have relations with him? Bai He says nothing and both sleep side by side to keep each other warm. She cries upon recalling how Jin misses Qin.

Fu Rong is out the next day to reject matchmaking. Bai He has thought that Fu Rong doesn’t know how to do housework. But Grandma cites that she knows everything as she has been a housewife before. She doesn’t do this at home to let Grandma continue working. She has divorced. So many people have their own troubles. Fu Rong returns angrily that the opposite party also agrees reluctantly to matchmaking but he doesn’t even turn up and gets a mad man to replace him. Bai He receives a call and when Mao Ji requests to speak to her beautiful elder sister, she bursts into laughter.

Fu Rong gives Bai He Qin’s photo to keep. She is her dream to be like her to get ridiculed by Kui. But she is glad that Jin likes a nice woman like Qin. If Qin is pretty but nasty, she has nothing to say. Fu Rong decides to hide from Mao Ji at the bungalow with Grandma. Jin is visiting Qin’s family during his university holiday so only Kui and Bai He are at home. Bai He closes the window at midnight and screams when she sees a masked thief. Kui chases after the man.

Bai He can’t take her eyes off Kui. He changes into a man to protect her. He files a police report and she looks up at him. It is not just Jin – Kui is also tall. Kui suddenly wants to give up Jin with her. He realizes that he loves her – maybe from the time she tries to lose weight or the time when she is back from the bungalow. She shivers and doesn’t want to change a thing. Bai He looks at the rose necklace again after watching Qin’s tape. She can never get close to Jin.

Li’s friend’s daughter, Ya Man stays over at their home. Kui and Bai He are shocked that she resembles Qin in looks. But soon they discover that she is nasty and decide to chase her away as Jin is in danger. But when Jin is back, they are startled that he is early. Kui runs to lock the windows but it is too late. He sees Ya Man but he doesn’t show anything. Bai He hates Ya Man acting pitifully in front of the brothers and nasty in front of her and says impulsively that she wants her to leave.

Jin wakes up and stands at the corridor – Ya Man cries to him for help. From that day onwards, she moves out and Jin isn’t at home at night. Bai He finds a note writing a hotel room number and sure enough she finds the two there. She is sad and wants to keep the rose necklace from his shelf. Since he has a change of heart, she will keep it for Qin. Jin slaps her and later Kui consoles her by applying lipstick on her. He starts kissing her and now he looks beautiful with the lipstick stain.

This is the first time both are on the street. Bai He knows that her brother is a handsome man. When she looks into the mirror to observe the two of them, she knows why people are curious. They don’t look like a pair. Kui knows that she has low self-esteem again. Both of them are lost in love but he tries his best to console her. Kui has told Jin that he will protect Bai He and they should do something exciting together to make Jin uneasy. When both are back from the amusement back, it is already dawn.

When the two want to enter the house secretly, Jin looks angry to say that both are early home. Bai He apologises to Jin. Jin has wanted to scold them but because of this, he gets panicky. Bai He wants to laugh – Jin is back again. So what attracts him to Ya Man is her face. Ya Man has a married lover but she discovers that he has another lover. She wants to kill herself but has no guts. Suddenly, Bai He doesn’t hate her anymore – she is just like Li. Jin touches Bai He’s face to say sorry. The moment he sees her telling Ya Man to leave is like seeing her scolding Qin. Whoever bullies Qin will cause him to lose his senses.

Bai He tells him that she has seen his movie and he gets shy when she mentions that she is happy to hear his voice. He is the first to call her name. She then knows that the voice has warmth. He suddenly asks if she likes someone – this is what Kui tells him. Is that person him? She nearly falls into the pond. If it is not him, he will be upset as her brother. Grandma prepares a birthday for Bai He’s 20th birthday.

She starts drinking wine till she gets drunk and hums Ye’s song. Jin hears her and tells her that he hears it before. He is five and he sees Ye standing in the garden of roses with Bai He singing the song to her. Ye tells Jin to remember it to sing one day to Bai He to prevent her from crying. He gives her a postcard that Ye sends to him as a present.

Bai He is at the filming studio – is this Kui? When he flings his hair, he looks attractive when he hugs the model close to him and lifts her face. It is like examining a porcelain piece. Her breathing becomes fast – he looks so devoted and attentive to plant a kiss on her lips. This morning a Manager Chen comes to their home. The male model is injured and he gets Li’s manager to find Kui for help.

Bai He pities the uncle – he begs Kui but he doesn’t agree. When he mentions that he has an employee to help Kui to write his English Literature thesis, Kui turns back. Upon seeing him hesitant, the uncle drags him out excitedly. When Kui shouts that he hasn’t agreed to it, Bai He starts to pity him. Kui wants BaiHe to get his notes and dictionary to the studio.

Bai He doesn’t feel like coming. Everyone looks suspiciously at her when she says that she is Kui’s sister. One girl says that Kui is a born model right in front of the camera. But when it is resting time, his face turns into an ice cube. When Bai He turns over, she has a shock of her life. Earlier, he has a smile on his face and now he is cold sitting in front of the mirror – rejecting all to get near him. Another can’t imagine a person who is so cold all along can be gentle too.

All along? Even the Kui at home isn’t like this. Within these minutes, she sees two Kuis that she doesn’t know. What is happening? Maybe this is how he is like in the crowd. Kui sees her from the mirror so he runs and jumps to her. So this is not another person who looks exactly the same. Some working crew say secretly – they have thought that he doesn’t know how to smile. He wants her to prepare the feast for him enough for 5 as he is too hungry. When the crew starts explaining the script to him, he starts to put on a wary mask again. Bai He sneaks out when he isn’t looking.

She should be happy looking at him. The face which is cold to other but the face which can laugh, cry or angry at her. Which is the real him? If not for the crowd, she nearly forgets how he is different and attractive. This Kui only loves her and treats her differently – but she can’t give him anything as he is her younger brother. Kui is angry to get cheated as the man can’t help him at all and he still has to complete his assignment on his own. Bai He says that he is fine as a model to look glamous beside a pretty girl.

He gets angry – does she mean that he becomes an ugly man with her? She thinks that pretty women suit him. What can they do with blood relations entangled? He tells her not to use ugly as an excuse to reply him but Bai He reminds him that he is the one to say that. Jin brings them to the beach but the clumsy Bai He falls into the sea to get wet. She drinks some seawater and feels two strong arms pulling her into safety.
Bai He is astonished to see both guys baring the top – they look like beach boys.

They reach the bungalow and Kui jumps upon reminded that Jin is at the orchard. He used to come here with Qin during this season and he nearly goes mad wanting to blind himself upon knowing that he can’t see her again. The scene nearly scares Kui to death. But they only get to see Jin lamenting that everything is the same but Qin is no longer around. He looks so lonely in a sesa of purple flowers. She asks Jin what the flowers are and he laughs – they are lavender.

She is angry – what is wrong of her not to know it and she sneezes. Jin covers her with his jacket. At the moment, he thinks he sees Qin because she also asks the same question. Bai He finds Kui drinking. He wants to know what he means to Kui. Bai He has not seen how he is determined to die after Qin’s death. But Jin opens his heart easily to Bai He now. Bai He replies bitterly as they are his siblings. Why don’t they need him? Bai He tries hard to console him and wonder when they can find their beach.

Bai He meets her high school classmate, Shan Bai. He comments that she looks prettier and she is flattered. Jin isn’t happy to see them together and her blushing. He drives away in a rage and she wonders why. She hasn’t met a guy for a long time. She only sees the brothers who only call her the bun. She tells Fu Rong about it. Fu Rong knows girls are prettier when praised. Jin always sneers at her because he doesn’t want her to be pretty till someone loves her and not the exterior.

These few days she is with Shan Bai but Jin seems to be frightened that she will be kidnapped. Fu Rong even tells her that Jin tails them. What is wrong with him? Jin admits and wonders why she chooses Shan Bai. Even though he has a girlfriend, he shouldn’t place his hand on Bai He’s shoulder. Even though, he is a friend, he can be a luster. Just like now – he suddenly attacks her and she nearly cries.

Shan Bai appologises to Bai He for making use of her – he has quarreled with his girlfriend so he gets close to her. Bai He forgives him – she isn’t wrong about him being a good man as he is nice to admit it. She sends him off and taps on Jin’s car window to thank him for his company. Jin pretends that he only passes by and sends her home after patting her head.

Li wants Bai He to go for a matchmaking session. She should go since she is young without qualifications and is ugly. Fu Rong encourages her to go – if she is secretly in love with Jin forever, she can never get married. Fu Rong helps her in everything and she thinks of Uncle Weirdo. She doesn’t want to meet any middle-aged man but Li forces her into the car. This is the first time they are together. Bai He’s heart beats fast – is it as if she is having a matchmaking session with Li.

The car stops in front of a big hotel. Bai He is surprised to come face to face with a handsome and young guy, Li Wen. Li Wen shows her around the hotel. The owner is his father and he doesn’t show that he has airs. He asks if she is unhappy as she looks troubled. Bai He is reminded how Li brags about her being a good daughter. Even though it is acting, she is touched – why isn’t her her daughter?

Li Wen’s father is Li’s fan and now he pushes them out. As if the old are having another matchmaking session. Both smile and feel relaxed. Li Wen has wanted to reject but later wants to come after seeing her photo. He thinks that she is cuter than the photo. She explains that she has make-up – normally she looks like a torn car seat. He then knows that she has someone else in mind. He understands her and asks her not to give up. Why is he so nice to her?

Li is angry when Bai He rejects the match. She can’t say that she loves Jin but Li insists that she should go to change her mind. Jin then says that he will send them there. Later, both women discover that they are on the highway and not on the way to the hotel. Li is angry to walk on the beach – she gives up. She doesn’t want to be a grandmother so soon upon seeing Bai He’s figure – knowing that she might give birth easily after marriage. Then all her fans will leave her. The three suddenly see a loving old couple walking past.
Li has wanted to be with Ye while Jin with Qin. But both are not with them. Bai He is luckier than them.

Bai He wants to give up her attempt to be pretty. Kui mentions to Jin that he wants to marry Bai He. Jin says no and also no to marrying Bai He. Since he thinks she is ugly, he can make her pretty. It must be the matchmaking session. Fu Rong mentions that the brothers sneak to the hotel. The session gives Kui a hard blow. Why everyone has the right but he doesn’t have the right to love her? He suddenly hugs her – the way that Jin gets angry is not what a normal brother should react.

He wants Bai He to woo Jin. If she doesn’t agree, he will tell Jin her parentage. Jin sees this and boxes Kui. Kui suddenly kisses Jin – he admits loving him for 5 years. Jin sprawls on the floor after the kiss. Bai He uses ice to apply on Kui’s wound. Jin’s blow is sure a hard one. Bai He allows him to sleep beside her by the night and promises to fix him nice food. But later, she is alarmed when he leaves the house.

A few days later, she loses him in the crowd when she brings Grandma to hospital to have her back checkup. She cries but later sees Kui standing behind her with lots of food with him. She hugs him and he covers her with his coat. Kui’s apartment is burnt and he hurts his arm while trying to save a kid from a running car. He has 5 stitches on his arm and needs to change medicine daily. She tries in vain to change his mind to return home. He has wanted to clear his mind but is confused again after seeing her.

Jin comes – he knows the address after asking the hospital when Grandma informs him. Jin decides to move in with him – to be his no. 1. He knows that Kui likes both of them but it is dangerous for them to have a kid but for men, it is impossible. Jin is mad! Jin considers seriously – the problem is will he like a man but he will overcome it. They push Bai He out of the door. Fu Rong is calm over it.

It is time for Jin to do something for Kui. Jin has once said that Kui is the fellow who eats non-stop. After Qin’s death, he walks around daily and doesn’t notice that Kui is behind him. Till Kui mentions that he is reaching the end of the valley. He will accompany him if he wants. This is the only moment that Jin turns around to find that his hair grows longer and he regains his senses. Kui returns home ill and Jin takes care of him. This is the first time Jin becomes normal after her death.

Bai He bursts into tears – Kui is a fool. Jin’s eyes are for him after Qin’s death. The two return home and Jin takes off his glasses to show a bruise on his left eyes. Is this he has done? Bai He sobs as the whole family is together again. Both smack her head together – what is there to cry about?

Jin’s high school classmate and Qin’s best friend, Rui Shu comes to visit them – but why does Bai He feel that she is so different from Qin? She says that Bai He is ugly and Jin’s glasses nearly fall from his face – is she really the fat person from the school recording studio? Fu Rong tells Bai He that her hope is here – she doesn’t have to give up. Rui Shu spends 2 years to slim down to propose marriage to Jin.

Jin’s voice is cold – has she lost her brain after sliming. He only loves Qin and she has to give up. She really comes daily and even exchanges Qin’s diaries with Jin. Kui sees that Bai He has no courage to stop Rui Shu. So he walks over to invite her to stay overnight. Bai He is shocked – what is he up to? Sure enough, Rui Shu wakes Bai He up – how can the siblings sleep together? Jin sleeps on her bed again and he doesn’t wear a shirt. He wakes up and still looks normal – Kui has given him a drink before this.

Rui Shu sees that she has Qin’s photo and brings her to her condominium. She shows her her old photos. She becomes very fat after an illness. She starts to give up and bumps into Qin. Qin loves her lovely voice and encourages her to be a DJ. Bai He realizes that she doesn’t like Jin – it is Qin and she wants to test him. Bai He tells her that there is no need to do that as Jin will never betray Qin.

Suddenly the door phone rings but Rui Shu throws it back. Bai He tells her that she should love him like Qin. It is Qin who betrays her and why is she pushing the blame to others? But she knows that Rui Shu likes Qin more than she likes Qin. When she opens the door, she is stunned to see Jin and flees. What right she has to blame Rui Shu? She also lies to love Jin with the sister identity too.

Jin knows everything from the conversation when Rui Shu doesn’t hang up the phone properly. He scolds Rui Shu – he doesn’t need her test. Even though he betrays Qin, it is up to Qin to decide and not her. Rui Shu knows Bai He loves Jin but tells her not to give up. Bai He’s interior is like Qin. He hugs the Qin in her. But Bai He needs to release herself to believe in herself.

The whole family comes to the bungalow. The brothers drive out to get firewood. Bai He remembers that there are some at the beach and goes there. She sees their horse running away and pulls the reins to get dragged and wounded. Is she dying? Why does she feel cold and wants to see Jin the last time? Jin comes but she can’t see him clearly. She thinks that she is dying and reveals that she loves him and she is not his younger sister. She is too tired and closes her eyes.

She loses her voice as she has said something that she shouldn’t. Kui brings her home and she walks with a walking stick. Grandma is too shocked and gets hospitalized again because of her back ailment. Kui exchanges shifts with Fu Rong to take care of her. Jin only visits Bai He once. He is shocked to see a weeping Bai He who can’t talk. Bai He takes Qin’s photo to the garden. Suddenly the photo drops into the pool. She tries to drag it close to her with the walking stick in vain. Her sweat and tears mix together. Jin sees this and jumps into the pool to get for her.

Why is she crying? He apologises for not being able to accept her because he still loves Qin. Even so, he thinks she is cuter than being his sister. So he doesn’t like to see her frozen lips. He wants to hear her voice and laughter. He gives her warmth by kissing her lips. Bai He bursts out crying and apologises to him. He hugs her and allows her to cry into his chest.

Kui is unhappy that things still remain the same. Since Jin knows that she isn’t his sister, Kui makes Jin promise him that he will never lie on Bai He’s bed again by kicking his drinking habit. Fu Rong has noticed that Jin places soup in a wine cup to drink – and the soup has ice! What a pathetic Jin – is there a place that he can sleep peacefully? Bai He gets into Jin’s room – he smiles and calls out Qin’s name. He seems that he is going to hug something and wakes up.

When he sees her face, he jumps – why is he on her bed since he hasn’t drink? Bai He explains that it is still his room. Now she knows why he only comes to her – because he dreams of Qin. He can have her in his dreams but he is lonely without her. So his body searches for Qin in his sleep. He wants to hold something warm and she has the weight.

Jin is confused – is that so? His puzzled expression is cute. Bai He knows she can’t replace Qin but she is happy to give him warmth. She gives him a kiss on his cheek before leaving. Kui’s cousin, Xiao Feng is sad that Kui forgets her. She has wanted to marry Kui when she is 10 years old and Kui agrees to it. Now she is 20 and Kui forgets his promise. Kui laments that she looks like a guy when she is bald then with a husky voice. He knows that men can’t marry so he gives an empty promise.

Kui is angry when her luggage is sent to their house. Xiao Feng then asks if Kui has someone in mind. Kui then hugs Bai He – she is the one. Xiao Feng refuses to give up. Xiao Feng is nice to help Bai He with the housework. But when mentioning about Kui, she becomes wary. Bai He panicks when Kui’s favourite white shirt is stained pink but Xiao Feng’s red pyjamas. Xiao Feng wants to wash their clothes together like the way he is beside her.

Bai He is touched and tries to help her to change it back to white. Xiao Feng doesn’t understand why she doesn’t try to get Jin but to share Qin with him. Kui is angry to find the mess and grabs Xiao Feng’s hand – how can this happen? She nearly faints and her face turns red – Kui holds her hand….she faints and Kui carries her into her room. Bai He regrets not taping the scene down for her.

The doctor says that Xiao Feng is too tense. She finally knows that Kui likes Bai He because he turns gentle. The past Kui likes to say nasty words and is very cold. He is a child but yet he doesn’t laugh or cry. She likes him because he is lonely and needs someone to share his burden. But Bai He changes him so she has to give up. But her dreams still has him. Now she also likes her too. Kui sends Xiao Feng home and wants Xiao Feng to look at the sky to feel better.

Jin gets the new writer award. Soon, the publishers come to ask him to publish a second piece. So he decides to publish it. When the title is in the news, their mailbox is full and they receive non-stop calls from his kindergarten to university classmates. But when his photo is in the papers as a handsome guy, the family can’t step out of the door. Kui blames the press – how can they publish their house photo? If they know that Jin is Li’s son, things will get out of control.

Bai He is also tired as the young girls crowding at the gate daily. She dreams of Jin leaving home and later wakes to find Jin in bed again. He really wants to leave home to prevent them from being harassed. He still wants to continue studying for his masters so he will rent a house nearby. He wants not to treat her like a sister or a family member. He wants to treat her as a woman.

Bai He is happy to see all the things back in Jin’s new room. He starts writing because of Ye. He has been to Ye’s house. Even though the house isn’t there, the roses are. Jin uses his first pay to buy a necklace for her 22nd birthday. She likes the black crystal and he puts it on her neck. She still sees the rose necklace in his cupboard but she is contented. Bai He can grow old but Qin will stop at 20 forever. He is afraid that they will leave her further and further. Kui follows her home and informs her that he has asked his youngest uncle to check on Zhi. It seems that Kui’s blood group is different from Zhi.

Perhaps their father is different. He doesn’t know if he should be happy or upset although he has a fair chance now. This is very important to him. Bai He decides to forget her love for Jin so as not to force him anymore. Kui scolds Jin for being a nitwit for using a dead person to reject Bai He’s love. So he is going to make Bai He move towards him. Jin encourages her to accept Kui and she runs away.

She never wants him to forget Qin - can’t they love her together? Kui sits beside Bai He in bed. Both run away from home and get to the bungalow. She likes his long tresses – which is as soft as silk. His kisses are on her eyebrows and forehead. This is the first time she accepts him and he switches off the lights. Suddenly, he asks why her hand is so coarse. They switch on the lights and see the person between them – it is Jin! He doesn’t want to appear at this time.

Fu Rong has found out from Zhi’s doctor that Kui is Zhi’s son and they are real siblings. Bai He doesn’t dare to think further – they almost create incest. Jin manages to pacify Kui and they return home. Although Jin can’t forget Qin and if his eyes can’t be dried, Bai He promises to swim in his tears. Bai He has a walk with Jin a few weeks later. He says that he is uneasy for not seeing her for long. He finally confesses that he loves her when they are in the midst of white flowers. She is very happy over it.

Jin is saved by her words. He can love Qin just like how Qin consoles Bai He in her dreams. Fu Rong reminds both of them that her birth certificate still says that she is Li’s daughter and she needs to make the change. Li ignores Bai He totally. Why say that she is her daughter? Is it because she hopes to have Ye’s child? At that time, she doesn’t know that she isn’t Ye’s daughter. Zi Ying and Li are friends and she still hate them till now. Li cries – she hates Ye for keeping his illness from her.

Bai He feels bad from taking his last 3 years away from her but is happy to be her daughter. She is shocked that Li kicks off her smoking habit because she is pregnant. Fu Rong is mad – how can she give birth at her age and she will not take care of it - especially when Li doesn’t know who is the father! Bai He is touched to know that Li is the pretty woman to save her from the ceiling when she nearly falls from there without Grandmother’s care as she is hospitalized. So the dream that she has all the time is true.

Bai He’s uncle comes and demands her to return with him as her grandfather has a stroke. Li chases him away – it must be because of money and he wants Bai He to be a free servant. Bai He refuses to be part of the Lis – she only wants to be Ye’s daughter. She cries – how can her relatives be like this? Kui consoles her – she still has him. She visits her grandfather and he is guilty of not looking for her because he refuses to acknowledge Zi Ying for causing disgrace to the family.

Kui mentions that he stays with his father for a while. His stepmother treats him badly after his half-brother is born and accuses him for causing their house to be burnt. His youngest uncle sends him here and they know that they are just looking for an excuse to send him away. Jin coaxes him and that is how he discovers that he is still hungry. From then on, he has a big appetite.

Bai He cries and hugs him upon knowing his sad past. He feels that he is fortunate now. In the past, he hates others but Jin and her let him realize that he can love others. Jin mentions that Bai He brings air to the home. They are all abnormal but she changes everything. They can’t see but can feel it. Kui has placed the two of them in the first position in his heart.

Jin wants to introduce Bai He to his high school friends in his friend’s wedding. She has no courage but Fu Rong coaxes her – this is her to make Jin love her – doesn’t this give her confidence? Her confidence is shaken upon seeing many beauties at the venue. Jin comes to her and all eyes are fixed on them. This makes her insecure. He comments that she looks pretty but she owes this to Fu Rong. She gets too nervous and causes a hole in her stocking. He is about to get her a new pair when she tells him that Fu Rong already tells her to prepare another pair in her handbag.

Her confidence is totally crushed when she is in the toilet to hear nasty remarks about her, saying that she is unfit for Jin. She fails miserably later when she overturns a glass of water on her dress and pushes a waiter down accidentally to fall on him. When the waiter yells, she closes her eyes and refuses to look at others – who can help her to die?? Jin stops her at the street. He has wanted to get her a new dress but she flees.

He pulls her into his apartment. He doesn’t protect her and this is his fault but how can she leave like this? He nearly goes mad when he can’t find her. He doesn’t think that she disgraces him. She feels that he is too perfect for her but Jin is mad – if she is lousy, isn’t he lousy too? What must he do to make her feel more confident of herself? To make her know that he loves her and isn’t having empty shell?

He hugs Bai He – he can’t suppress himself and really wants to have her. She pushes him aside – he is afraid of this moment to get rejected. He allows her to sleep in his room while he sleeps in the living room. Does she want him to love her but why does she hide from him now? Why is she frightened to show him his fat body and she isn’t afraid of it when with Kui? Kui brings her things to her.

He tells her that she has to bring down her defence. How will Jin still not like her upon seeing how fat she is? He leaves them cheekily.She doesn’t want to return home now and hugs Jin. She then realizes that she really wants to hug him. They spend the night together and he complains not seeing her in the morning. She gets him breakfast and doesn’t have the courage to let him see her fat figure in the daylight. She will not run away now as she loves him more and more.

Li slaps Bai He upon knowing what has happened. She refuses to change Bai He’s identity. Li wants Bai He to leave but she refuses. She knows Li wants to see her to be reminded of Ye but she thanks Li for giving birth to Kui and Jin to give her a family. Li is in danger now. The press notices that Li often goes for checkups and follows her. She is so angry and refuses to go there anymore. Later, she is hospitalized as she has continuous bleeding. She loses the baby and is dying too.

Fu Rong screams – she can’t die after giving them so much trouble. She doesn’t say sorry to them – how can she leave? She wants to kill her herself. Fu Rong must love Li the most. When her heart beat returns, Fu Rogn cries. Kui is relieved that she is back. Jin says that Li has a hard life and that is why she is their mother. He remembers the song – the rose that Fu Rong sings for him when young. This is the only song that Li sings in the movies and both hum together in tears.

Bai He has hoped to see the new life to be the first family that she will know from start to carry him. Kui says that she can give birth to one after marrying Jin. Jin says that she can save the trouble of bringing the chicken soup to hospital since Li is energetic. Jin hurries in to tell them that Li is missing. They look around and find her in the home laundry. Fu Rong scolds her while the others chide her to make them worry. She answers - why since they detest her?

She gives birth to them but ignores them. Kui knows that she misses them to return home while Jin knows that she is upset. They should have a younger brother or sister to love. Fu Rong consoles her – at least they don’t lose her. Li describes that they come crying to the world to have a chance to live. But this child doesn’t have a chance to cry at all. Bai He says that she will give birth to many to replace it. Li regrets not giving birth to Bai He. She is willful to ignore others but she is thankful that they forgive her.

Fu Rong informs Bai He that Li accepts her now but she must wear her wedding gown that she prepares for her wedding to Ye. Bai He likes it and wants to fulfill Li’s dream. Kui is levelheaded – the waist is only 23 and Bai He’s waist is 30 inches! Fu Rong says that she can’t change it. Kui is angry – just change the documents and get married. But Bai He really wants to wear it.

That night, Fu Rong brings the documents home – she is now Ye’s daughter and the wedding venue and date is fixed 2 months for now. Li’s manager will handle everything. Jin is nervous – they want to get married and what has this to do with Li? Fu Rong supports Li. She dosen’t want Bai He to retreat. Every woman wants to look her best on her wedding day.

She knows that only efforts aren’t enough and Bai He has endless potential. Bai He starts her cycling training with Kui and her slimming programme to drink only vegetable soup by Grandma and gets involved in spa for 2 hours daily but she only manages to slim down by 2inches. What can she do for the remaining month? To beg Li to alter the waist line? She dreams that she can wear it but the face is Qin. When it comes to her, the gown explodes because she has 5 inches more to reduce.

She wakes up in shock – Qin wants to wear the gown more than anyone else but she can’t anymore. Bai He can make it come true so why should she give up? Jin hurries home upon learning from Kui that she is a changed person. That is 2 weeks later – she should not force herself – what happens if she gets sick again? She assures him that she is fine. He notices that Bai He has changed – her expression no longer looks tense and the feeling is clear. He touches her face – she is like the wild rose which can survive anywhere.

She dresses in the gown and Fu Rong praises her for being pretty. Why no one discovers this earlier? Kui comes in and shouts – who is she to come in here easily? Jin also shouts – why is she wearing Bai He’s gown? Both are stunned to hear her voice when she says that she is wearing a wig. They look at each other – it is her voice indeed. Jin observes her closely – she is too pretty to amaze him. She doesn’t know how to thank others for praising her but she wants to say thanks on this special day.

She knows that she is pretty and she thanks Grandma for cooking the soups for her. She remembers the first day Grandma complains that she doesn’t clean the stove properly. She even says lots of words to hurt Bai He. But actually she wants to touch her head on that day to say how fast she has grown. But she can’t say this. Can she say it now that she is a pretty bride? Bai He is in tears. Li has mixed feelings too – Zi Ying should see how she is now.

Bai He thanks Zi Ying for giving birth to her, Grandmother and Ye for caring for her. Are they looking at her now? Kui tells them that he will go to the church with Jin first. Jin drags Bai He to sit beside him in the car. Bai He looks at the roses – she sees a pixie with colourful wings on a rose. The ceremony went on smoothly but the zip snapped when it was about to end. Bai He was frantic as her waist still could not fit. Jin helped her to hold the damaged zip. He told her that he would not care what has happened as she is still his pretty bride today. He fixes a kiss on her lips.

Introduction on characters

1. Ba He – Ella Chen Jia Hua
She is the dull and ugly duckling who turns up at the doorstep unexpectedly. Thus all her half-siblings do not treat her well. Slowly, they warm up to her after discovering that she is sincere to them. This was Ella’s best performance. She really did the crying scenes well. Her performance for other dramas went downhill after that. She can’t surpass herself anymore – why?!

2. Fu Rong – Lu Ming Jun
She is the eldest sister and returns home after a failed marriage. Indifferent as she seems, she is actually protective towards all her siblings. She is often at loggerheads with Han Li as both have a fiery temper. Ming Jun has the elegant and conceited look but portrays an intelligent onlooker and eldest silbling.

3. Han Li – Ye Tong
She is the irresponsible mother who sleeps with different men to have mothered so many children. Her only regret is Ba He not being her own with the man she truly loves. She treats her badly because she doesn’t know how to face her. She also opposes to Ba He marrying Jin as that implies that she is no longer her daughter. A breakthrough from her other performances – thank goodness she isn’t exaggerating this time!

4. Grandmother – Bi Li
She is the housekeeper and nags at the siblings constantly. She is helpful to Ba He to tell her more about the weird family that she is staying with.

5. Qin/Lu Ya Man - Selina
She is Jin’s first love who is sweet, demure and intelligent. Her early demise causes him to have a big wound in his heart. Ya Man’s resemblance to Qin causes Jin to be confused to treat Ba He coldly as he thinks that she is mistreating her. But luckily, he is brought back to his senses soon to notice the difference between the two women. To tell the truth, I can’t tell the difference between the two roles because Selina gives a very bland performance.

6. Xiao Feng – Hebe
She is Kui’s cousin who declares her love for him openly but Kui chooses to hide from her as he finds her overbearing. She doesn’t mind his old treatment and even offers to do housework for the family to get into his good books. No wonder Hebe is given another tomboyish role in ‘Reaching for the stars’ after this.

7. Jin – Huang Zhi Wei
He has the natural Eurasian look so he wears dark shades to hide his blue eyes. He is Kui’s elder brother and he often gets drunk to lie on Bai He’s bed. He also changes totally into a warm person when this happens. He keeps hypnotizing himself that he can never like a plain Jane but he finds himself luring to her. But he has to stop himself from loving deeper as he has thought that they have the same mother. When he discovers that they have no blood relations at all, he defies his mother to go through all odds to marry her.

Zhi Wei is the most suitable person for the role. Yuan Chang is already tall but he is even taller. He also speaks his lines clearly so it comes as a surprise to all that this is his debut drama.

8. Kui – Zheng Yuan Chang
He is genuinely Bai He’s half younger brother as they share the same father. But why is he so handsome while she is dull looking? Because her mother isn’t Han Li. Kui keeps long hair as he longs to get Jin’s love after Jin’s girlfriend is dead. But this hasn’t hide his manly side as he likes women. Because of Bai He, he becomes straight again. He falls for Bai He too and fights hard to win her love.

Yuan Chang has this devilish and defiant look that makes this rebellious role come alive. All will be captivated by his presence. This is also his debut drama which shoots him to fame like Zhi Wei. I really laugh at the part Kui tries hard to help Bai He to reduce her weight to fit into Li’s wedding dress. That is surely the top highlight of the drama besides the wedding scene.

9. Mao Ji – Hong Jiao Nang
He is a comic artist and creates the most laughs in the drama by wooing Fu Rong. He has Bai He to thank by being his most capable assistant.

Favourite character
Bai He, she only considers for others and ignores her own needs. That is why her dashing ‘brothers’ look beyond her ordinary appearance to fall for her inner beauty.

Most hated character
Li, she causes misery to all her children with her willful ways. She gets pregnant at her age and even endangers her own life when she has a miscarriage, causing unnecessary worry to them.

Interesting facts

The first thing the producer team stumbled was the cast selection which lasted 3 months. S.H.E. was easy to choose for the female roles but what about the guys? At this time, Zhi Wei won a modeling contest in 2002 and had a towering height of 193 cm. The producer yelled in delight upon seeing him doing the catwalk for Jin. Zhi Wei was uninterested then – his only plan was modeling, studies and basketball (He was the national team player and was an university student.) As for acting, it wasn’t important to him.

He went through the selection process with an earnest attitude and this affirms the team’s selection. This man may look arrogant but he has a warm heart – just right for the role! Yuan Chang also won them over with his playful and talkative attitude. But when the producer wanted to talk to him alone, he became shy and insecure. This was how Kui behaved too. As for Fu Rong, she must look elegant and Ming Jun fitted that. Knowing that this was their first attempt in acting, the producer sent them for acting classes.

They were hesitant to get Yip Tong initially as they knew how expensive she was. But they were surprised that she offered to waive her fees upon reading the manga. She liked the role very much and she enjoyed having different clothes in the serial. All thought that Ella was like Bai He – sending smiles to them even though the acting conditions were harsh. The hardest part for her was to act upset when she was in a good mood. When she was waiting for her turn, she would play with the Hebe to lift her spirits.

Ming Jun found it easy to act as she was like Fu Rong in real life. She enjoyed acting with her idol, Yip Tong and acting with Hong Jiao Nang was a challenge because he had very diverse thoughts. When they realize that they had common interests, they got along well. Zhi Wei has very sharp features that looked like an Eurasian but he is 100% Taiwanese. His looks gave him a lot of trouble. He wondered why he was different from his siblings and was ridiculed by his classmates when young. Can you believe that he even asked his mother to find out if he was truly her son?!

Zhi Wei reads widely to improve himself and worked very hard. The producer was pleased with him – he was direct, honest and also playful. This speciality was only seen on Takeshi Jin Cheng Wu. Zhi Wei had an internal struggle before accepting the role. He was afraid that he didn’t know acting and would disappoint all. Plus, he had never been in love before. It was easy to relate siblings’ relationship but how to act as a lover to Qin and Bai He? His solution let everyone crack up – he treated both as his cars!! Being a car fanatic, he loved his car so much as a girlfriend and surprisingly, the results turned well.

Upon knowing that he is acting as Kui, Yuan Chang immediately rented dvds on homosexuals to study. When the producer wished to cut the brothers’ kissing scene, he requested to keep them as this was an important development to the plot. The cast was close because they just stepped into showbuzz. Selina thought acting Qin and Ya Man makes no difference to her as she had few scenes although both have different personalities. The others even commented that her Ya Man was really a witch. Hebe acted as Xiao Feng and she liked her to be direct too.

Hong Jiao Nang is a person who was already afraid of cameras in taking photos. What’s more in acting in a drama? This was the first time he ever acted and was an experience. All the behind scene team doubled up as Mao Ji’s workmates and acted so well. He felt apologetic as compared to them. Mao Ji was weird to him –the only thing in common was both were cartoonists. Bi Li was in the entertainment circle for 20 over years. She was cheerful in nature…but why was she so old and grim in here? She seldom accepted dramas and this was a challenge to her. She praised the cast for acting well and not proud at all.

Zhi Wei had no time for romance but felt this serial made him treasure his family more. Selina and him were in this hospital scene – many stayed away from the hospital because of SARS. The whole working team covered their mouths with masks while they had to lie on the bed. How unforgettable! The dying scene in the mountains took 10 hours and NT4 million but it took 4 minutes on screen. They set up everything at night but Zhi Wei had an injured ankle.

These busy days caused this old ailment and although he was about to recover, he needed to carry Selina up the slope. To make sure that they were fine, the shooting crew tied them together. But if they had n.g.s, didn’t Zhi Wei have to carry her back and fro? This will tire him out! They then release the ropes so that Selina could walk on her own if there were n.g.s After running over 10 over times, the first scene was completed. They sat under the tree and the artificial snow fell. They could not move for 2 over hours and when it was done, all were so relieved. Poor Zhi Wei had problems standing up then.

It was Yuan Chang’s first time kissing a guy. Even though the other guy was handsome, he could not overcome his awkwardness. The final moment came and finally worked. He had thought it to be the most difficult thing to do with ‘da ge’(big brother) but when he was immersed in the roel, he forgot about it. But if he were Kui knowing that Bai He was his sister, he would collapse. Recalling the scenes on how Kui went shopping with Bai He, to kiss, quarrel and hug her – he was certain that his love for Bai He was not lesser than Jin’s love for Qin.

The scene where Bai He drops Qin’s photo in the pool was shot under the cold weather. But all braved through it – even the non-swimmer Zhi Wei also jumped into the pool. He felt so cold – he didn’t even know that the water was hot when he went for his shower. And when he kissed Ella in the rain, it only took one take. The rain was strong and when he opened his mouth, water went into it. He could not spit it out so he drank it but the taste was weird….er…..was his stomach made of steel as he was fine after that?

If given the choice, Ella would choose Kui. Kui can hate and love well and also sacrifice for his love. Yuan Chang added that he didn’t read the manga when he went through the selection. He only read it after that and wished to act Kui. He was so happy to get it as Kui truly knew the meaning of love. Ella’s most unforgettable scene was how Han Li slapped Bai He. Although it was painful, she truly felt how Yip Tong added Han Li’s confused feelings in it.

The scene where Han Li had a miscarriage shot 4 hours. Ella cried during the rehearsal and the rest followed too. But why so many retakes? It wasn’t that they acted badly but they were too immersed into the roles till their makeup was ruined or they didn’t know that a mosquito was around. But most times was due to the producer’s insistence that it wasn’t perfect enough! Their eyes were swollen until the next day. Remember that Jin imagines having 1000 angels with Qin? The crew found 100 children but had a hard time controlling them as they threw the balls down the mountain.

Many were made fun of on their birthdays (Hebe, Yip Tong, the director himself etc) but many were still deceived. This showed how resourceful the team was. All planned on how to fix Zhi Wei this time. The poor man was told to come for his make-up session at 6 but he didn’t have any scene today! The obedient Zhi Wei turned up early although he slept late the last night. He waited the whole morning where Kui fought with Xiao Feng and Ella had a hard time keeping from him as Zhi Wei kept asking for his turn.

The make-up artist and the photographer came to him. They realized how chatty he was – from his car to his dream of owning a farm till his modeling days to his future plans. Lastly, he mentioned about his zodiac sign – he was happy to tell both that it was his birthday. They tried hard not to laugh when congratulating him. He told them that their team loved to make fun of those having birthdays. He recalled how Yip Tong was fixed and said that they would find a chance today but he would not provide any.

The two people nearly laughed in front of him. They decided to stop their conversation or their cover would be blown. They hid in the security room with Ella and Hebe. The others pretended to look for things for the next scene. Zhi Wei wore the blue contact lenses and the stylist pretended to be angry as the producer didn’t arrange the clothes for Zhi Wei. He came in his university track suit. They pretended to quarrel in front of him while he looked at them innocently when the producer said shooting the top was fine.

So Zhi Wei was arranged to run into the police station and when he opened the door to see the birthday cake, he sprang when they sang the birthday song. He then knew that the stylist was involved in this so he should have been an actor instead of a stylist! After eating, he asked when his next scene was. The producer said work was stopped. Zhi Wei jumped – calling him to come at 6. He was already lacking sleep and needed to wear contact lenses? Now nothing on him? Ha…..who said that he would never be made fun of?

This scene had both brothers talking beside the swimming pool. Zhi Wei was suave while Yuan Chang was wild. Standing beside each other made a beautiful photo – what’s more in their swimming trunks to show off their firm muscles and long legs? The photographers keep snapping the photos. The guys are as close as brothers although they have not been together for long. Zhi Wei loved taking care of people and he ws concerned for his siblings. Yuan Chang looked innocent but he was independent.

Nevertheless, they became good friends as they were healthy, confident and also bright. Even so, there were certain things that they would not know…..When filming ended, Yuan Chang dived into the pool but Zhi Wei chose to stand beside the pool to be under the sun. Yuan Chang lifted his head from the pool and became curious. Why was ‘Lao Ge’ not swimming since the weather was fine? He said no need – he liked the breeze. Yuan Chang started to coax him like a child to join him but he kept saying no. need. Yuan Chang finally saw something wrong as Zhi Wei kept quiet. Was it because he could not swim?

Zhi Wei’s face turned red and Yuan Chang laughed loud – Lao Ge had a sportsman figure but he could not swim! The crew heard his laughter and came over. Zhi Wei could not swim? The next line from the producer sent all into sorrow clouds – what should Zhi Wei do for the next swimming scene. Even Yuan Chang got tense – what should Lao Ge do? Zhi Wei said hesitantly that he would walk since he was tall.

All saw him warming up before the shoot and he looked nervously at the 2 m pool. His heart pounded hard – all knew that this was his only chance as the clothes and makeup allowed no retakes – not even a rehearsal! So all was ready and their hearts hung in the air upon seeing him in the pool. Will he cause an n.g.? He took the photo bravely and went near the edge. All clapped for him when the take was done. He had made an impossible mission possible.

The filming crew’s greatest challenge was to find Han Li’s home. They rented the home for NT50,000 a month and you can estimate the cost after a few months. Not many serials would spend so much money enough for a movie. And this was only the main scene.

Conclusion

I read the manga before watching this drama. This must be the first drama about homosexuality and incest so I am quite baffled by its daring plot. This drama is done tastefully as the right people are chosen as the right roles. Initially, Bai He’s half-siblings find it unbelievable that she is related to them. All of them are named after flowers as they look beautiful like flowers. How can she be one of them? So they treat her harshly. The closely knitted kinship is depicted well.

Why do the brothers fall for Bai He? They are so handsome looking and Bai He is an ugly duckling. They have seen her beautiful heart beneath her plain exterior. Without her presence, they feel insecure. Even Fu Rong starts to miss her too – they have regarded her as their family unknowingly.

The love relationships are complicated with the ridiculous development indeed. If I don’t read the manga beforehand, I doubt I can follow the plot. I keep guessing who is really related to Bai He. I can’t help feeling sorry for Kui. His qualities do not lose out to Jin. It is just that he falls in love with Bai He for the wrong reason. Why do others have a happy ending except him?

Many must be happy over the ending. Which woman doesn’t like two handsome, tall guys to fall for them? Seeing how protective they are towards Bai He will make you laugh. Especially when they hug her from behind, holding her waist. They will grumble that she is too plump but they enjoy curdling her as she gives them a warm feel – just like how they hug pillows.

It is like a fairytale, telling others that there is always hope and love in life for ordinary folks. Although it has some shortcomings, it still cuts a level above the other idol dramas. It is worth fondly remembered by fans as the inexperienced cast have done a good job.

Sukting’s ratings :

On acting : ***1/2 (Scale of 5)

On story : **** (Scale of 5)