* SPOILER AHEAD *
A privileged star fallen from the catwalk, living a dissolute life…
A talented girl from the poor countryside, chasing her dream in the city…
Set in a bustling city, a passionate and romantic “prodigal son and Cinderella” love story.
Wen Qingyao (Kim Jeong Hoon):
25 years old, well-built and handsome, wearing a trademark cynical smile, he is a male model who once became famous throughout Asia in a short space of time, but suddenly vanished from the fashion world. Like a riddle, he has a past full of unknown stories.
Qingyao was brought up by his nanny, while his mother was only a shadowy, beautiful figure to him in his childhood. He would wait day after day for her occasional and short appearances. She gave him no kisses or hugs, nor doted on him, only strict rules and demands. He always thought he might be inadequate; his mother might love him if only he were better.
College days held the best memories for Qingyao. Due to his mother’s connection, he became a model under RuiYi company and experienced a newfound satisfaction on the catwalk, where the lights forever glitter and the whole world’s eyes seemed to be watching him. He swiftly found success and his mother, as his boss, seemed pleased with him. Most importantly, he met Su Ruoxi who was different from the girls around him, always elegant and down-to-earth, shining like a pearl. When with her, his anxieties and fears would disappear and time would seem to stand still. Another student, Guan Shuoyan pursued Ruoxi but Qingyao was unfazed – Ruoxi belonged to him. So he believed, up till that day.
After graduation, Qingyao trained in Paris for half a year and upon returning to Shanghai heard the news of Ruoxi’s impending marriage, to none other than Guan Shuoyan. He rushed into the newlyweds’ room, but got no answer other than Ruoxi’s tears. He soon realised that this was a deal arranged long before, for his mother Ma Rui to obtain Ruoxi’s father’s financing and the Su family to gain a connection with the scholar Guan’s family. As for Qingyao, he was merely a pathetic pawn in the game. Qingyao’s heart died. For over a year, he led the life of a dissolute wanderer. Only when a peculiar girl moved into the adjacent room 302, his life took an unexpected turn.
During his wanderings overseas Qingyao got to know Gogo travel agency’s Zhang, his only friend from childhood. To help his friend’s business tide over some difficulties, Qingyao barged into his mother’s opening ceremony and demanded a large cheque. He got what he wanted, but Ruoxi’s appearance cruelly reopened the deep wound in his heart. Trying to hide his distress, Qingyao grabbed the girl from 302 who was taking out the garbage, called her his girlfriend and forced a kiss on her. His heart bled to see Ruoxi’s crying while the girl struggled to punch him.
Just like that, Qingyao now had a girl named Bian Tinghua in his life. She looked foolish but was extremely capable, rendering great help to the travel agency. As for Qingyao, teasing her everyday cheered him up and he could also use her to divert Ruoxi’s clinging. Only, he could not be certain how long he could avoid the bitterness in her eyes.
At that moment, Ma Rui tried to persuade Qingyao back to her company, how could he? Wouldn’t he become a pawn again? “I don’t owe this mother anything.”
In the course of spending time with Tinghua, Qingyao gradually started to understand this peculiar girl, that she had a kind and sensitive heart beneath her blunt appearance. Being with her, time moved a little faster and his troubles faded a little. However, Ruoxi’s repeated tearful advances began to move him: “Perhaps she really loves me, she was only forced to marry someone else.” To prove his theory, Qingyao appeared at RuiYi’s fashion show to force Ruoxi to admit her feelings in front of her father and husband, but Ruoxi’s cowardly expression left him disappointed once again.
Trans: wann @junghoonchina
