I've had several unsuccessful attempts at resuming my blogging streak and
so I’ll try again with this.
This week, I was able to borrow a CD from a friend to watch the classic
Taiwanese drama, Meteor Garden. Being a story that focuses heavily on romance, it
was almost a given for me to get invested in a ship/pairing. The soap opera functions
in such a way that it revolves around a love triangle, leaving not much room anything
else. Each event is aimed at either causing a rift between the main character
and a particular love interest or strengthening their relationship. In this case,
because the plot is terribly simple and straightforward, you’ll find yourself
preferring only either Dao Ming Si or Hua Ze
Lei for Shan Cai (unless you’re into crackships).
I've always known about who she ends up with, but that didn't
stop me from deciding that she was better off getting it off with the sensitive and dreamy
Lei. While I do occasionally like Dao Ming Si and his feisty attitude, I believe
Lei x Shan Cai would have made the better pairing with their cheesy conversations
and laidback outings/dates-- whichever you prefer to call it. And here are my personal reasons for thinking so (yay it’s
been a long time since I wrote a list-type post)...
15 REASONS WHY LEI WOULD BE A BETTER MATCH FOR SHAN CAI THAN SI:
1.) He doesn't and wouldn't hit her, or any girl for that matter.
I just generally get a bad impression when boys hit or inject any kind of physical abuse on girls. The fact that Ah Si did it more than once to Shan Cai (and other females) doesn't bode well with me. If Si loses his special feelings for her, he'll end up treating her like the other girls which is why it is also not acceptable (in my opinion) if he stops hitting her but still does it to other girls.
2.) She gets him to talk.
Lei has always been the quiet and reserved type but as the episodes progress and he gets closer to Shan Cai, he becomes chattier. We can also note that he's less uptight when it's just the two of them talking, and he even reveals a playful and cheeky side at times.
3.) He doesn't have to change himself for her.
I like how Shan Cai changed Ah Si for the better, but the fact that he had to change so much of his personality and being for her makes me skeptical. Their love is young, and a lot of things may change when it is not so fresh anymore. Si may revert to his old self and Shan Cai will go back to hating him. Of course, this will never happen if she had ended up with Lei because she's always liked him just the way he has been, and vice versa.
4.) She doesn't lie or hide things from him.
I've noticed how Shan Cai always has something to hide from Si. Whether it's about meeting and getting close to other boys or losing the things he gives her, she just can't seem to tell him the truth. In contrast, she never lies to Lei and even admits to eavesdropping on his conversation with Jing. Honesty is a key factor in any relationship.
5.) Love fades.
When they are no longer young and hopeful, Shan Cai and Si will end up bickering all the time. This environment is stressful, which is why she's better off watching the ocean and flying kites with Lei.
6.) They valued each other's feelings (at one point) over their personal desires.
Shan Cai told Lei to fight for his love for Jing despite being deeply attracted to him herself. Similarly, Lei helped her look for her lost necklace and often helps her and Ah Si even though he personally fancies Shan Cai. Such love is unselfish and wonderful. Think about it, had their positions been flipped, would Dao Ming Si have done the same?
7.) She's headstrong while he's gentle.
Yin and Yang (as opposed to Yang and Yang). Opposites attract. A perfect match . Need I say more?
8.) They talk about other things than love.
Shan Cai and Si usually just insult each other and then go on about their intense love, which is good except they do it all the time. Like, the only thing they do other than what I've mentioned is expressing their love by making out or hugging, etc. They don't really seem to talk about anything else. Lei and Shan Cai talk about other topics and people which is refreshing. It also means that they cover more common ground than Shan Cai and Si.
9.) He wouldn't force her to do something she doesn't want to do.
Because we all know he has never and will never force her to kiss him. Si has done that twice but I'd rather not look back on it because it makes me sick.
10.) She liked and chose him first.
There's the possibility of Shan Cai developing feelings for Ah Si in response to his devotion to her. What I'm saying is that she might suddenly wake up someday and wonder why the heck she fell in love with him in the first place. Sometimes, I feel like she ended up liking him only because he liked her. I feel like she was subconsciously pressured into falling for him. Shan Cai, of course, was smitten with Lei long before fancying Si. Lei fell for her later on in the series, but it happened when she was already preoccupied with Si. It means that he ended up liking her of his own accord, too.
11.) He isn't possessive to the point of driving her crazy.
Possessive boys stir up a lot of drama where it isn't needed. You need to constantly worry about pleasing him, either. Good thing Lei isn't!
12.) They make each other happy.
Notice how much Shan Cai smiles whenever she's around him, and vice versa? They're actually good at making each other laugh and lifting up their spirits. Si is usually the source of all of Shan Cai's woes and they bicker a lot of times.
13.) They flirt even as platonic friends.
Example being that Lei calls her pretty all the time. He also invites her to a cup of coffee and they reminisce their first date. Shan Cai, on the other hand, asks to hold his hand and is comfortable with sleeping next to him and sharing a blanket. These aren't things ordinary friends would do. Maybe they've been doing them...... subconsciously?
14.) They run to each other when they're in trouble.
Lei is always there for Shan Cai. She runs to him whenever she has trouble with Dao Ming Si. He is her shoulder to cry on (literally), and he is the only one with whom she can share her real feelingsl. I don't think she's that open to Si even during their happy moments. Lei is Shan Cai's guardian angel, and he always watches out for her. He even goes to the fishing village to settle her debt and bring her back to Taipei. Conversely, Shan Cai is the person that Lei can talk to the most openly (if at all) about his failed relationship with Jing. He even kisses her in the beach scene and says something along the lines of 'I can bear it in the day but the nights are unbearable.'
15.) They would have totally gotten together already if Lei didn't step aside for Si.
Because of all the reasons stated above........ Lei could have gotten Shan Cai if he wasn't such a good friend. No fights, no crying, they would have been perfect if the timing was right... sniff sniff!
I wrote this months ago and while my sentiments are the more or less still the same, I feel like the writing is a bit off... Of course, I wrote it at four in the morning when I was high on Meteor Garden feels (because Dayum that show is like a drug sometimes). Do keep in mind that I based all of these arguments on Season 1 because I have never and will probably not watch season 2. Also, as I am typing this, I doing it through the crappy mobile version, so there are probably more than enough grammatical and writing errors. I'd like to fix them but honestly I find it too tiresome to. Anyway, I'll return to this post and fix those errors sooner or later...
I guess it's been a while since I posted. This isn't exactly the best comeback post ever, but it'll have to do.
Xoxo
Bea
I guess it's been a while since I posted. This isn't exactly the best comeback post ever, but it'll have to do.
Xoxo
Bea
