Probably one of the best coming-of-age story that was really worth the watch. First of all, the setting and timeline of the drama was well executed, bringing the daily life of youth during 1996-97. The years when people lived without the use of modern technologies and how they keep themselves entertain by interacting with the real world. The bicycle as a form of transportation to everyone including the adults was really a thing in the past that I also want to experience right now.

Focusing on the life of 18 years-old students, this show let me reminisce those precious memories of my high school years, the more I watched, the more nostalgic I became. Both the struggle and fun times of every student were so realistic, in fact I do also experience those kind of stories. The beauty of youth will really be highlighted in your whole life if you share those years with your circle of friends. I am so grateful that I genuinely enjoy these years surrounded by nice, amazing, and kind people.
The variety of stories from the whole cast and their different background stories was the reason why the show is that great for me. The depth, appeal, plot, and how they overcome those painful situations is a double thumbs up. In short, every one of them is a loveable and relatable character, no one has been left behind.

Hua Biao being the not-your-typical-main-lead is really one of a kind. Growing up with a deceased parent, he manages to be a fine, kind, and intelligent young boy. At school, I love how he is so helpful to his classmates and a jolly monitor who joins the fun together with the whole class. I’ve been a class president many times and I know how serious this position is, it is a job for those who see his classmates equally. Outside school, he is still a hardworking and loving man who will do everything for his grandma. He’s life was truly a sad one, but it doesn’t let poorness ruins the quality of life. It was a heartwarming moments when his friends and neighbors help him in taking good care of his grandma and their home.

Yang Xi, the definition of a happy-go-lucky girl who shows an incredible improvement in life. Her personality liven up the mood of the show all the time. What I love about her is that she faces life with so much energy and a big smile in her face. Her family was my favorite one, a loving father who isn’t strict to his baby girl, a dedicated mother who will do everything to his children, and a funny and thoughtful inventor brother who’s no doubt that supported his sister in everything. Living with an honest family, her personality shows how awesome it is to be born and grow up being close to the family. The time when she finds out that her mother was lend off from the company, was really make me emotional. Parents really had the pride of creating an image of a strong and dependable parent to their child.

Li Yu is one of my favorite character that shows that a second male lead is possible to avoid getting a fight to the main lead just because of a roaming romance with the same girl. I don’t blame Yang Xi for not showing romantic affections towards Li Yu because you can’t really force someone to love you the way you love them romantically. It is so painful to see Li Yu loses his courage the moment Hua Biao confesses his feelings to Yang Xi, this kind of feelings continued on the sequence of next episodes. It hurts me so much that the story keeps insisting Li Yu on loving Yang Xi secretly. He is also the kind of student who wasn’t good at all subjects and had something to looking forward for improvements. The moments when he was shocked and emotional by his father and mother having another affair just shows how hard it is for a youth to fully accept the possible life of having a divorced parent. The last episode in which they finally admitted his feelings to Yang Xi and also say his goodbye was really an emotional moment for me. Living side by side the moment they were born to finally being separated for the first time is a big time crying scene for me.

Si Tu Er Tiao, the rich and supportive friend who is willing to give everything he had for his beloved friends is a treasure. I love how he didn’t question himself or his friends for expending money because he knows that he has a sincere bunch of friend who shares the fun moments in his life. It was a gloomy moment when he is the only one who isn’t qualified to even a junior college university but I’m glad that he had something to do for his future by going abroad. He was influenced by his father on being a successful and strategic entrepreneur, he is smart in the small business category. The father and son relationship isn’t that great because of how the father nature of being a womanizer affected the way his son treated him by calling his real name instead of a being called as a father. That’s also why he deeply wants attention from others, Si Tu Er Tiao really loves his friends because they are the one who make him feel at home.

Yang Xiao He Mei is the definition of beauty but not so brainy. Don’t get me wrong because I do love her. She was a kind and innocent young lady who only wants the freedom from her strict parents. I guess because of the pressure coming from her mother, this became hard for her to do well in the studies. Family issues are a different kind of pain; the parent and child relationship varies depending on how the parents treat their child. Consider yourself lucky if you had a peaceful relationship with your parents or guardian cause not everyone had it. The cute side of He Mei is her one sided love with Yang Chao, which turned to be her best-friends’ brother. Sad thing is, she was once again suffered for the pain, but even myself doesn’t regret it if I fall in love with a kind person like Yang Chao.

Huang Deng Deng deserves the best in character development award. At first I thought she will be another young lady who will be bitchy and creates a troublesome attitude to the main cast but it turned out that she is a loveable and honest woman. Her patient and determine is so strong no matter how many times she was rejected by Li Yu. One thing I’m glad about her is when she doesn’t fully sacrifice the ballet just to be with Li Yu longer. Unconditional love happens even it is one a sided crush. I can’t blame her for having a long time crush to Li Yu because the guy really was something hard not to love.

Each one of them explicit a kind of story that brings inspiration and life lessons to the viewers. The above mentioned characters as well as granny, Yang Xi’s mother & father, Teacher Kong Xiao Jun, Yang Chao, Li Yu’s father & mother, the headmaster, and the rest of the cast shows greatness in their parts of the story.

Although I give this a high rating score, there are some scenes that I don’t really like namely;
• I am the type of a student who avoid getting too close to my teacher. The specific scene when the whole class headed by Hua Biao, walk outed and even shouted to Mr. Kong was an off scene for me. No matter how much angriness I had over my teacher, me and my friends will never cross the boundary and did such thing. Respect is always taught to us. I feel that Hua Biao closeness to Mr. Kong make him treated the teacher the same way he treated a classmate when he is out of control, it was a nasty attitude for me. And yet, the only one faced Mr. Kong was Li Yu and Hua Biao and Yang Xi let the two talk out about what happened. Youth really tends to do things that makes adults angry.
• The head gang situation. Why do an eighteen-year-old student had something big to deal with a gang leader, I know it happens rarely but still a big no for me. Even though it is unrealistic, I’m still glad that they handled the situation in a comedic way of approach. The moment when Mr. Kong stalked his students and help them overcome the crises by means of an intellectual battle.
• The poor security of the schools. Anytime, they can freely enter the school with less worries because they know how to hide themselves in the room lmao. (Moments when Hua Biao practices his chemistry research on his previous school and also when he stayed at their classroom in order to hide his scar from his grandma)
• The romance of Hua Biao and Yang Xi. At first I truly like their chemistry but as the time goes by, I was feeling blank about their over growing feelings. I like them individually but not as a couple. But those farewell in the ending was so sad for me too. Hua Biao sacrificing a time for his studies and letting the rest of the time with his grandma being still conscious.
• The resemblance of some scenes from the hit Korean series Reply 1988. I know it isn’t a big deal but I can’t help but to feel it.

Of course if there is a negative feedback, I do also have my favorite memories from the show, namely;
• The comedy and emotional moments. I can’t count how many times I cried when watching the show.
• OST, the masterpiece. The first time I heard the song, I already knew that it will give me the kind of feeling I keep wanting to; the soothing and heartwarming emotions after hearing it. A beautiful song perfect for the story.
• Yang Xi vs Huang Deng Deng. I laughed so hard during their campus fight, the presence of the whole students from the school was so funny. Bickering turned into violence hahaha
• Every episode is wholesome. The 24 episodes delivered some strong emotional feelings to me, a person who misses his teenage school life.
• Knows how to make the main boys so attractive, both in their physical appearance and their charming personalities. Either one of them really deserves the love from the main girl.
• The involvement of the parents and teachers to the students’ academics.

Overall, it was a flawless ending. Growing up means that you will also experience being far away from the people you had in high school. Everyone will continue living by pursuing their dreams, setting on a new environment is necessary. I feel so much joy and happiness finishing the show, it makes me remember how youthful living at 18 was. I already love the ending but if season 2 may happen, I am openly eager to wait for it and watch the new season with a happy heart.