The 24-episode novel-adapted youth drama 'When I Fly Towards You' made for a refreshing watch. As it encapsulated the nostalgic firsts we all experienced into a lighthearted coming-of-age romance, its simply constructed narrative and cheery allure gave a new birth to those juvenile emotions that are sunk down to the core of our personalities and of which have created the base of who we are today.

The predominance of viewers who are discontent with their watch seem to center their review around the plot’s fixated trope of middle school puppy love with Su Zaizai catching feelings for a senior student, Zhang Lurang. In her world, the introverted scholar evolves from being a mere crush from afar, to a math tutor and subsequently her whole teenage-hood, adulthood, and wholehearted reason for the smile she always oh-so brightly shines.

"She's a little crazy, but she likes me. Since she likes me, for the time being, I will pretend that she isn't." This excerpted phrase from 'She's a Little Crazy' is a generalized portrayal of their affection towards one another in the direct words of the main male character Zhang Lurang. Rather than his cold demeanour driving Su Zaizai away, his utter indifference drives her all the more crazy for his attention. Rising actors Yiran Zhou and Miao Yi Zhang have brought the short novel to life with a binge-worthy representation of what falling in love with someone truly looks like.

Beyond the undeniable youthful chemistry the main leads share, one can complain the series wasn’t developed into the remarkable production its plot summary promised to the viewers who wanted to enlighten their yearning for more modern-day Chinese dramas following the 2023 chart-topping and heart-conquering hit release ‘Hidden Love’. Although skimming the bland side of television works—'When I Fly Towards You' is nothing short of the reality of a boy-smitten adolescent. It suggests to the audience the journey of trial and error in winning over another's heart. The series' focus revolves around the progress of the main couple's blossoming love, which smoothly incorporates into a fresh imagery with its liveliness.

'When I Fly Towards You' brings a new approach to young love, using a simple plot with adorable feet-kicking clichées to prioritize the structural growth viewers get the chance to witness through the characters. Su Zaizai, Zhang Lurang, Jiang Jia, Gu Ran and Guan Fang share the depths of their high school lives—from struggles to their dearest hopes and dreams—of which, in the end, brew together to perfect the crafting of a true worthwhile friendship. The repetition of filming her beloved times with her lover Zhang Lurang suggests the capturing of Su Zaizai's most precious memories and can serve as reference points in the frequent time-lapsing story-line, furthermore introducing us to the many encounters that brought their special bond as friends to the becoming of a married couple.

"Not everything has to be weighed for its worth in the world" was a phrase shared between the two during a time of hardship. Deliverance isn't the series' forte, but feelings are, and just that solemn aspect enabled the actors to deliver their performance and transmit the desired image of profound affection into a play of passion, attachment, and courage. Although not extravagant, the priceless pieces of memories that seamlessly formed such special moments through the main lead’s romance bloomed with honesty, trust, and such a beautiful love. The admiration Su Zaizai shared for her crush grew from immediate to utterly life-shifting for the latter, his self-worth and confidence piercing through the mold Zhang Lurang framed himself in.