After finishing watching Skate Into Love, I’m now watching The Love Equations. This is a sister drama to A Love So Beautiful and Put Your Head On My Shoulder. I really enjoyed the first two dramas so obviously I need to watch this one! Here’s my review of The Love Equations.
Episode 1
Ep 1 was interesting enough to keep me wanting to watch more. This is the third novel by Zhao Qian Qian turned into a drama and there are lot of similarities to the other two, A Love So Beautiful (致我们单纯的小美好) and Put Your Head On My Shoulder (致我们暖暖的小时光). Firstly, you can see the main CP not liking each other in the beginning and eventually falling for one another. Zhao Fan Zhou really reminds me of Jiang Chen and Gu Wei Yi. He’s really smart, cold, doesn’t like talking, tall and handsome – it’s the exact same character trope. Zhou Xiao is a little different compared to the previous female male lead tropes – she’s more adventurous and smart though she also likes talking a lot. Again, like Put Your Head On My Shoulder, there are a lot of coincidental run-ins between the main CP.
They’ve already shared their first sweet moment in the taxi and I’m excited to see more moments between them. I found the scene where a random guy asks for her number and she pretends to be Japanese – that was so smart! I’m pretty sure the second male, Cai Ya Si lead likes Zhou Xiao, not sure what’s up with the art roommate and her story – will she end up with second male lead? Also, random fact, her parents have been parents of other characters in very recent dramas – same mom as Skate Into Love and same dad as Find Yourself.
Episode 2-4
LOL I’m already liking the glances they’re giving each other – Fan Zhou noticing her smile and helping her out during the room inspection! Awwh I like how the girls are all slowly becoming good friends – reminds me of dorm room days, especially as Zhu Lu puts her guard down. LOL I like how it’s Fan Zhou that’s paying attention to her instead of vice versa. She seems to be still really afraid of him ahaha.
Awwwh he’s really taken an interest in her, he just watches her from afar during the club fair. Never mind about my earlier theory – looks like Zhu Lu will end up with badminton guy! But jeez he’s so annoying and such an egomaniac. Zhou Xiao is so lively! Good for her for attending a class that’s not even hers to learn more about forensics. Awwh I really like her friend, Cai Ya Si – Zhou Xiao is so clueless to him liking her, he’s always there for her and stood up for her too!
Omg matching outfit already – he’s clearly interested and she’s so clueless, willingly joining her club. Hmmm what’s up with Fan Zhou’s mom? She always calls and seems to be quite stressed. The hair sweep scene in the library was so cute! He saved her contact number! LOL honestly if he wasn’t cute a lot of the stuff he’s doing could come off as creepy. 😂 LOL and then he tells her to add his number, too smooth aha.
Episode 5 & 6
Awwwh the suave response of “I was nearby” when he actually ran to her to save her from the elevator, so cuuute. Telling her to treat him to dinner – Fan Zhou is too good at finding ways to spend time with her! Does this dinner count as a first date? I’d say so! He ate the carrots for her, and he looked sad when she mentioned Cai Ya Si, awww Zhou Xiao you’re so oblivious! Heh I love how he keeps on doing these mini smiles at her. Omg AND he bought a bike because she said she wanted to use a bike to get around, I can’t!! Ahh so he doesn’t eat carrots too but he ate them for her anyways!
What’s the story behind Fan Zhou and that senior girl Yi Chun? She obvs likes him. Haha I love Cai Ya Si and Zhou Xiao’s relationship, they’re so playful and relaxed around one another. Okay finally ep 5 gets good, there are a lot of sweet moments between Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao and I got to see a really independent side of Zhou Xiao, I’m really liking both characters now! The detective aspect of the show is actually pretty fun too!
“和你在一起幼稚的游戏也会变得美好” ahhh too sweet. And first kiss is an accidental forehead kiss! Awh staring at her through the window! Fan Zhou is actually such a sweetie, he looks like he doesn’t care and doesn’t say much but he gives so much attention to her! Okaaay the supermarket scene is so funny and cute! A deep stare between the two of them ahhh. Xie Yi Xing is growing on me too, though he’s still too much of a narcissist he treats Zhu Lu quite nicely.
Episode 7 & 8
LOL for a detective writer she’s actually really clueless to Fan Zhou’s intentions towards her. All the clues point to him liking you silly! Wow, he rushed down to stop her from seeing the skull, he’s so different when it comes to her. LOL the professor wing-manning for Fan Zhou, that really reminds me of Put Your Head On Your Shoulder and Gu Wei Yi’s lab professor. Awwh I really feel for Ya Si – he clearly likes her but it’s tough since they’re such good friends and he doesn’t want to lose the friendship in case a confession goes wrong. They know each other too well to the point that they’re like siblings.
AHH so direct, Fan Zhou tells it straight to Yi Chun that he likes Zhou Xiao! Yay Zhou Xiao got the job which means more screen time between her and Fan Zhou at the library. Aww Yi Xing really cares for Zhu Lu, though carrying her off the court like that was really dramatic LOL. But Yi Xing has too much of a superhero complex/large ego for me to enjoy his character, hopefully he changes as the show goes on. Finally the reverse as Zhou Xiao does some staring at Fan Zhou heh. Maybe she’s not oblivious after all!
Episode 9 & 10
AHH first overnight together in the library?! Of course Fan Zhou hides the phone charger to spend more time with her heh. Ah poor Ya Si, Zhou Xiao will never like him like how he does, he’s friend zoned harddd. Ouf I really liked the spotlight stage scene, it was like it was just the two of them in the world, until Ya Si interrupted LOL. This show is too funny, the four guys all lined up to watch the four girls perform. NOO I CAN’T WATCH, what an awkward moment as Ya Si confesses to Zhou Xiao in front of everybody! Oh yikes but he’s done this so many times that Zhou Xiao only thinks he’s joking, poor Ya Si. I love all of Fan Zhou’s smiles as he walks away from Zhou Xiao, it’s so adorable.
Haha this ep is all about Fan Zhou learning about love and adjusting himself to Zhou Xiao and her interests. Okayyy super dramatic, a little scare made her freak out into crying? I love how up front Fan Zhou is to others about wanting to date Zhou Xiao, when is he gonna tell her? Hmm I really don’t think a forensic scientist truly knows how to operate on a cat – that’s stretching it too far. But heh look at him slightly smile when Zhou Xiao compliments him!
Noooo so I binged way too quickly – finished the 10 eps in three days. Now I have to endure and wait for new eps to come out ahhh. Can’t wait for more sweet moments between them.
Episode 11 & 12
Aww Zhou Xiao misses Fan Zhou after a few days of not seeing him come in to work. Omg the professor being the best wingman and messaging Zhou Xiao to come over to the lab and run into Fan Zhou! Ahh Fan Zhou has such a puppy dog sad look when Zhou Xiao tells him she already agreed to go to the exhibit with Ya Si. Hehe Fan Zhou is jealous she’s all dressed up to go see Ya Si. Fan Zhou is so slick! He’s so calm and composed and just stares straight into Zhou Xiao, it’s giving me goosebumps!
Ahhh I loved the bowtie scene, he pranked her by going on his tippytoes too, so playful and cute!! Wow Cai Ya Si has such good friends, they helped distract the teacher so he could leave. If I were Zhou Xiao I’d also stare at Fan Zhou without him noticing LOL. Ahhh loving the two boys fight over Zhou Xiao, why is she so clueless!
YES Fan Zhou you tell it to Yi Chun! He’s so straight up with her about how they’ll never be together, I love it. Ouch, Zhou Xiao used Ya Si’s plushie as a pillow for Fan Zhou, that must really hurt Ya Si. What a sad yet sweet shot as Zhou Xiao looks at Fan Zhou and Ya Si looks at her. Awwh poor guy, the QR code had his confession on it but he knows she doesn’t like him now. Ahh she’s daydreaming about Fan Zhou in a romantic way now! Initially she dreamt that he was a stalker/creeper LOL. AHH awkwardddd Zhou Xiao sent her text about Fan Zhou to Fan Zhou LOL hate when that happens. Yeees he read it before she deleted it, muahaha.
Omg I love Fan Zhou so much, he doesn’t want her to feel embarrassed so he pretends he never read the text and continues to act the same around her. His stares and smiles are so loving. Hehe he’s just following her everywhere – library, cafeteria, it’s too cute. Oooh loving the twist of being honest with her too, telling her he initially lied about liking carrots. Usually dramas just go on with the lie. And then saying he lied because he was angry Ya Si helped her eat the carrots – gosh Fan Zhou you’re just making her all jittery around you with your lines!
Episode 13 & 14
LOL Zhou Xiao is so nervous around him it’s adorable. All she keeps thinking about is him and she tries to avoid him to stop thinking! “你好好想想为什么我要买这本书。。。能不能不想。。。不能” ahhh the lines are too good! I love how calm and collected Fan Zhou is whereas Zhou Xiao is super flustered and he just watches her continue to be silly. AHHH the confession happened! He looked her in the room so she couldn’t hide and he could tell her straight on. His little smile at the end is so cute when she admits she likes him too. “我能申请和我女朋友单独吃饭吗?” omg I feel like Zhou Xiao’s getting eaten up by his stares, his eyes pierce right through her. Yaaay, hand holding too, so slick, grabbing onto her hand after she finishes buttoning his sleeve. Omg the barcode scanning scene in the library is so cute – and a kiss almost happened!
Something’s up with Chen Yu (the badminton captain) and I wonder what it is. Does he have a girlfriend already? Family problems? Maybe he’s a single dad. Zhu Lu won’t end up with him that’s for sure. Aww Fan Zhou is jealous and then tells Zhou Xiao he’s jealous hehe. I love how comfortable they are around each other already, with her writing and him reading. Omg he’s so cute – he looks so stern and serious but then he just plays around by throwing paper into her hood and pulling the hood strings together. AHH FIRST KISS HAPPENED – that was a nice long kiss, with Fan Zhou holding onto her bottom lip, yumm. Omg he’s so sweet and gentle with her – “我努力让你不失望” aaaah, what a sweet line.
Episode 15 & 16
OMG LOL Fan Zhou wrote up a report on dates for Zhou Xiao, filled with notes on what she’ll like and not like, sooo cute. Ahhh adorable, she fully wrapped her arms around his waist on the bike! LOL they made a shoutout to Put Your Head On Your Shoulder and Gu Wei Yi’s poop clay creation, loveee it. Aww Xie Yi Xing is so nice to Xiao Lu here, giving her a safe space to cry and just guarding over her. LOL Zhou Xiao is too funny when she thinks Fan Zhou has dated someone else before and thinks she’s a mistress ahaha.
Fan Zhou really trying to be the number one boyfriend out here, dating out in public, having hair ties, he’s prepared everything! Hmm I feel Xiao Lu’s reaction is an overreaction, she hadn’t really been dating Chen Yu for that long, not eating is only hurting herself. LOL Fan Zhou recorded Zhou Xiao snoring!
Double date time but then they both went their separate ways LOL. Aww Fan Zhou is scared of rollercoasters while Zhou Xiao is having so much fun aha. Haha actually Xiao Lu and Yi Xing are a pretty good match, he’s extremely hyper and kiddish while she’s got that cool-girl bad-ass vibe. LOL a normal knife shouldn’t make a scar as ugly as the one Fan Zhou has, too dramatic. Ahh Fan Zhou is such a romantic, buying fireworks for Zhou Xiao. Ahhh Zhou Xiao gifted him “fireworks” too and he took the moment to sweep her up and kiss her. What a long and deep kiss too!!
Episode 17 & 18
LOOL Fan Zhou is playing snake on Zhou Xiao’s temp phone while she’s hard at work! Jeez Yi Chun invaded personal property and deleted Fan Zhou’s text off Zhou Xiao’s phone, horrible! Oh shit did she block their numbers as well? What a b*tch! Oh shit, I can see that this is gonna cause a major miscommunication/fight between them. Hmm I wonder if Yi Chun switched out Zhou Xiao’s number for hers cuz they’re able to text? And yeep, Zhou Xiao thinks they’ve broken up because she can’t get in touch with him!
LOOL them depicting Zhou Xiao in her breakup stages is too funny, especially the stage where she tries in school. Cai Ya Si is such a bestie! Though he wants to be with Zhou Xiao he still helps her out with Fan Zhou cuz he wants her to be happy aww. “数字不重要，你最重要” LOL Zhou Xiao comes clutch with the sweet words to get out of trouble with Fan Zhou on not calling him enough haha.
Episode 19 & 20
Ouf Fan Zhou with a sudden kiss, SO CUTE! Zhou Xiao keeps talking about Cai Ya Si and he just pulls her in to kiss her and catch her off guard hehe. LOL at Fan Zhou and Ya Si competing in who makes a better bbq skewer. LOL YES Fan Zhou is a happy drunk ahaha. Oooh we get to see a half-naked Fan Zhou! Damn he’s got abs!! Awwwh Fan Zhou just slips into Zhou Xiao’s bed after watching TV so they sleep in they same bed together hehe, what a smooth move. LOL Zhou Xiao really testing his self-control by wrapping herself around him. Yay Xiao Lu accepts Xie Yi Xing after his romantic gesture! Whoa Zhou Xiao says “love you” to Fan Zhou so nonchalantly. Love how he keeps pulling her in close to him.
LOL they got caught almost kissing by her father oh god how awkward. Her parents are too funny – her father wears a suit to intimidate Fan Zhou while her mom is like a little girl and wants to know all the details of their relationship! Ooof Fan Zhou in the kitchen wearing an apron is sooo attractive. Omg he picked her up onto the counter and then pretended he was gonna kiss her, I love it! I don’t really understand Fan Zhou’s family dynamic, the relationship between his dad and mom is strained, and Fan Zhou seems to dislike his dad a lot but also understands that his mom is sick and his dad has his reasons. They don’t really explain it so it’s hard to sympathize with it.
Episode 21 & 22
Ahhh finally makes sense now, Fan Zhou finds out his mother has bipolar disorder. Why doesn’t Fan Zhou not tell Zhou Xiao about his mother’s condition? Does he not trust her enough? Aww they’re so sweet to one another when Zhou Xiao tells him not to be scared and hugs him. WOO Zhou Xiao initiated a kiss at the airport! So rare for dramas to have the girls to initiate the kiss, it’s refreshing to see the change.
LOL Zhou Xiao is so cute as she tries to make Fan Zhou less angry. Wow Zhou Xiao is such a good girlfriend for spending so much time with Fan Zhou’s mom in the hospital! WTF did Yi Chun fake a health report for Fan Zhou? Dude that’s basically illegal as a medical practitioner, wtf. NOOO he asked to break up ugh ugh ugh. I don’t want to watch anymore wah.
Episode 23 & 24
Waaah they’re both so teary eyed when Fan Zhou brings up breaking up. I agree with Zhou Xiao, at least give her a reason why! Just minutes ago he was hugging her so tightly and now all of a sudden he asks to break up, she must be so confused! Cai Ya Si has perfect timing – staying by Zhou Xiao’s side when she needs it most. Awww I love when Fan Zhou tells Cai Ya Si about all the little things Zhou Xiao does, it shows how much he knows and cares about her. Ugh hating these awkward post-breakup scenes. How many more eps of breakup!!
Heh Cai Ya Si treats Zhou Xiao so well, I’m a little sad she doesn’t like him back. Ouf Fan Zhou leaves just like that to Beijing, without saying goodbye. LOL Fan Zhou grew a stache. Hmm I wonder how long it’s been since Fan Zhou left? I skipped through this ep like crazy LOL super bored when they’re not together and just waiting to get through the scenes til they’re back together.
Episode 25 & 26
Oh shit it’s been almost a year since the breakup. Finally Fan Zhou finds out his risk is low for bipolar disorder. Yi Chun admits she faked the first report! Jeez she’s so awful. Time to get Zhou Xiao back!! Yay finally, get to see the two of them on screen together but now Fan Zhou has to work at getting her back. Aww Fan Zhou crying in front of Zhou Xiao is so heartbreaking. She finally knows why he broke up with her but he’s definitely still in the wrong for doing so and she doesn’t forgive him. I like Zhou Xiao’s strong character! LOL Xie Yi Xing and Zhu Lu are too funny, he has to agree with everything she says!
LOL omg at Fan Zhou and Cai Ya Si fighting over Zhou Xiao and being by her side at all times in the library. Yay finally something exciting happened with the earthquake except everyone’s so stupid – Fan Zhou for running deeper into the library to find Zhou Xiao, Zhou Xiao running in after him when she already got out, Cai Ya Si following Zhou Xiao… get out cuz there’s an earthquake! I feel so bad for Cai Ya Si as he hides his feelings waah.
Another half-naked scene with Fan Zhou, oooouf look at those abs! Zhou Xiao won’t look but I will hehe. LOOL Fan Zhou’s parents helping to set them up together, poor Zhou Xiao falling for all three of their acts haha. Zhou Xiao finds out he’s listening to her snoring to fall asleep hehe. Yay finally back together. Kinda weird how he kissed her as she was crying and was still mad at him.
Episode 27 & Extra
Heh back to the matching outfits! Zhou Xiao feels really awkward now that they’re back together. She’s scared they’ll split again cuz it happened once already. Hmm I’m liking the realistic depiction of post-breakup and getting back together. They’re tipping around each other because it’s not that easy to just go back to everything being normal. LOL Fan Zhou’s future revolves around everything related to Zhou Xiao while Zhou Xiao just wants to be a writer and live a simple life ahaha. Yay and now they’re back to being okay after he shares his future with her! Damn that kiss was deep too!
Fast forward and it’s now graduation time. I’m sad they didn’t film more time of Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao in school together. Xie Yi Xing proposes to Zhu Lu and Zhou Xiao’s parents find out about their relationship and slowly comes around to accepting Fan Zhou.
Okay thank god there was more screen time that they put into the extra ep, I found the ending of ep 27 to be too rushed. The extra begins with them living together and preparing for the wedding, ahhh!! Damn Cai Ya Si is CEO of his own company! LOL the wedding is too cute, they decorated it with skeletons ahaha. Fan Zhou looks really nice with his hair slicked back and Zhou Xiao looks really beautiful. Haha the wedding kiss ended up showing a montage of all their previous kisses. Oh so cute, ending it post wedding too! A decent way to wrap up with them having a happy ever after.
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