Originally Posted by
Melanie
I think you may find this interesting... You may already know this, but I didn't... Apparently, 一触即发 is based on a novel. A youtube member, seagd927, informed me of this. Since I don't know how to read Chinese, she is kind enough to tell me some interesting tidbits regarding the characters in the original novel, mainly about Ah Chu, Ah Ci, and Ya Shu. According to seagd927, the novel and the drama are vastly different from each other. She has granted me permission to post her messages from youtube here at spcnet. Her comments contain spoilers to the drama, so DO NOT READ unless you have finished watching the drama or do not mind spoilers. Also, thank you to seagd927 for her wonderfully informative comments!
The following three excerpts are from seagd927 at youtube:
The novel and the TV series are like apples and oranges, they are completely different. Only a few of the central characters remained the same. Their relationships are different, the story lines are also completely different.
In the novel, there is no Japanese conspiracy of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The novel is not about communist vs. nationalist vs. the Japanese. Ah Chu is the main character of the novel, his story line is mainly about revenge, no mention of a secret biological warfare. Ah Ci has very little story line. His story was mainly based on his training at the military specialist camp. He never had a fiancee named Ya Shu, in fact, he liked a fellow trainee Xing Li Li (not the female trainer Yu Xiao Jiang in the TV series). Ya Shu was always Ah Chu's girlfriend, although she originally tried but failed to get Rong Sheng's attention. Ya Shu was never a Japanese spy. Ah Ci didn't get involved with Rong Hua romantically.
The novel had a happy ending. After Shanghai fell to Japanese invasion, the brothers and Ya Shu moved to Hong Kong. Ah Chu and Ya Shu were already married and had twin sons named Ah Zhong and Ah Hua. Ah Chu continued his business there. Ah Ci continued to be a military officer for the nationalist based in HK.
I am happy that in the TV series, Ah Ci was given more story lines. At least he seemed to be a main character in TV (vs. the novel). Many characters from the novels are missing.
I don't know why the novel and the TV are completely different, because they came from the same author/screen writer. And I don't understand why they had to make a simple story into something so political. Regardless of all these, this is a great series, well-acted by the leads and the supporting characters. This is rare in Chinese TV series nowadays!
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No, I don't mind you posting this. I am a big fan of Wallace myself. I actually went onto some of the websites and read about his works. The fans in mainland have first hand information on his upcoming appearances, such as concerts, movies, charity appearances, etc. (Oh how I wish he can come to the US and have a concert here!) But I only read, I don't post. I don't want to get involved in some of those arguments (whether he looks better with mustache or not).
In the novel, Ya Shu comes from a declined royal family (Qing dynasty). She understands that she has to marry well in order to live well. The only advantage she has is her beauty and her royal blood line. The first time she met Rong Sheng and Ah Chu was at the train station when they first got back from England. She was sick, so she fainted. Rong Sheng held her in his arms while Ah Chung went to get an ambulance. The reporter, who were all there to report the arrival of the much anticipated Rong brothers, snapped pictures of this "embrace". This was the headline of all the major newspaper on the following day. Ya Shu was very happy about this. She thought she had caught a big fish. However, during her follow-up check-up visits at the hospital, she met Ah Chu (who was already working as a doctor there). She loved his warm-hearted smile, handsome features, and gentlemanly manners. She thought he was equally rich (by his last name). So she tried to get his attention. Ah Chu, however, knows Rong Sheng likes this girl. So he kept the relationship strictly professional (doctor-patient). During one of the check-ups, Ya Shu slipped one of her jade bracelets into Ah Chu's pocket (a declaration of love, I guess). However, when Ah Chu discovered this, he gave the bracelet to Rong Sheng, he didn't say a word.
Ya Shu watched some of the interactions between the Rong brothers and discovered that Ah Chu was actually just a servant in the family. She was greatly disappointed. She didn't want that bracelet to incriminate herself. So during one of her conversations with Rong Sheng, she made up a story about how Ah Chu was trying to seduce her, and stole one of her bracelets. She told Rong Sheng that Ah Chu tried to take advantage of the doctor-patient relationship. She wanted to get Rong Sheng's sympathy. But what she didn't count on was that Rong Sheng has known Ah Chu for over 20 years, he knew Ah Chu would never do something like that. He told Ya Shu he was very disappointed in her behavior. He was going to propose to her that day, but now he changed his mind. Ya Shu felt totally defeated.
After a few months, in order to make ends meet, Ya Shu is now a "dance girl" in a club. Ah Chu's "godmother/older sister" already died in that explosion, he became a "big boss" (just like the TV series). Ah Chu went to this club, recognized Ya Shu, and danced with her. Ah Chu told her he knew what she did in the past, but he forgave her. He also told her he needs a woman to make him happy, both emotionally and physically, and she meets those requirements (physically and emotionally). He told her that he does not love her, but he "needs/wants" her. Ya Shu accepts this arrangement. She said she would rather be "needed/wanted" than nothing at all. At this point, the author told us that she had already fallen deeply in love with Ah Chu. Ah Chu did use her as a bait to attract his enemy in one of the plots. Ya Shu accepted this arrangement, she told him she would die for him. Kidnapping and bombs were involved, and the plot was successful. Ah Chu realized, after that incident, that he had fallen in love with Ya Shu too.
I don't remember if anything happened between Ah Ci and Xing Li Li. Again, he was not the main character in the novel, so the story line on his relationships was not described in detail. They did have a passionate dance comparable to the tango between him and Rong Hua in the TV series. However, it was during the graduation ball at the military training camp. Everyone watched in awe.
Yes, Yu Xiao Jiang knew the one who came back was Ah Chu, not Ah Ci. At first, she saw him from a distance and mistakenly thought he was Ah Ci. However, when she realized he didn't hug her back, her tear of joy became tear of despair. I thought it was VERY well-acted by that actress. She did not have a single line in that scene, but we all understood that she knew...
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I agree with your point of view on Ah Chu's changing personality. I was quite shocked at first too. It was as if he turned into a completely different person after the death of his godmother/real sister, and I am talking 180 degree difference.
What the TV series did not mention was Rong Sheng and Ah Chu's lives in England. Ah Chu loved a fellow student there. They both knew Ah Chu have to go back to Shanghai after graduation, so they were about to elope. However, Rong Sheng was "ill", so Ah Chu had to stay and take care of him (he is too nice). The girl was already on the ship to Paris, so she left. Ah Chu felt he had lost the love of his life.....
Rong Sheng was actually constructed as a "weakling" in the novel. He has been in a deep depression ever since his wife died. The purpose of his long stay in England is so that he can forget about this wife. (BTW, she was never a communist member.) Ah Chu went with him to take care of him. Nobody could have predicted that Ah Chu excelled in his studies. Rong Sheng's "illness" that prevented Ah Chu from eloping with his girlfriend is another episode of suicide. The author hinted that he has done so many times before. And only Ah Chu knew how to take care of this mess.