It’s been a long while since I watched a Chinese drama without fast forwarding or doing something else on the side. I forgot how nice it feels to float easily from episode to episode, buoyed by competent directing, writing and acting.

I'd love to see more work from this director, who firmly says no to ham and pretty posing, keeping it natural and believable. His style reminds me of Yin Tao, where the magic is in the tiniest of details. Peach Blossom Valley comes alive under his vision as an isolated and idyllic place with its own rustic culture and… lousy food.

The writers understand that every good romance also needs good character development. We have a leading lady who is learning to trust that people outside Peach Blossom Valley aren’t all bad. And we have a leading man who is learning to trust… someone other than himself. They don't try to be too cute and clever with the dialogue, relying on show rather than tell.

And show us they did. Huang Yi's large expressive eyes remind me of Vicky Zhao, while Wang Hong Yi plays his part with such control, conveying feelings with nano-expressions and the merest flicker of the eyes. His Zuo Jing Lun is so keenly attuned to Qing Qing's every move that you feel like his entire world revolves around her. It's interesting to note that Qing Qing falls in love with him twice, not because of how he treats her but because of how he treats others. Now that’s the kind of maturity and unselfishness I like to see in my romance heroine.

Like Peach Blossom Valley itself, this is a hidden little gem of escapism. It has a definite place on my rewatch list for Valentine's season.