I’ve been waiting for this drama for a long time, although I’m not a big fan of sports dramas and romances where the woman is much older than the man (noona romance). I am a huge fan of Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong and they are the reason I watch this drama. They are both very good actors and I was sure they would make an amazing duo. I wasn’t wrong.
Oh is this drama?
22-year-old Song Sanchuan has been on the professional badminton team for a very long time. He is a talented player, but due to past events, he isn’t able to fully use his sporting potential. On his way, he meets 32-year-old Liang Youan, an extremely hard-working and effective assistant working for the president of a large company. At some point, Liang Youan and Song Sanchuan realize that their careers are at a standstill and it’s time to do something about it. Liang Youan has always seen great abilities in Song Sanchuan and wants him to awaken them to the maximum. She urges him to try to retrain from a professional badminton player to a professional tennis player. Seemingly impossible, but the hardworking 22-year-old has repeatedly shown what he can do.
The beginning of the drama is quite slow, because we get to know the main characters, their work environment and loved ones. He is young, impetuous at times, an athlete with an unresolved trauma, and she is a well-organized, resourceful assistant who dreams of another job. I was a little afraid that the character of Liang Youan would be presented as an ambitious, cold and calculating business woman. I was very relieved to find out that this character is very calm and sensitive. In her world, every person deserves respect and attention, regardless of social or professional position. She is a wonderful friend and aunt. She dreams of a dog, but her professional duties don’t allow her to do so. She wants someone close to her who will wait for her and the dog was supposed to give her that.
When she meets Song Sanchuan, she immediately notices him. He notices her too. They showed genuine interest in each other. Their relationship quickly turns into something like friendship, they understand and support each other. Both are in a similar professional situation. Thanks to this relationship, they finally free themselves from a life that doesn’t give them satisfaction. They can move on, take on new challenges, start living again. The big age difference in the eyes of Liang Youan disqualifies the young boy as a candidate for romance. You can see that they both like each other, but they focus primarily on their ambitions and plans. He is under her personal charm, but this fact doesn’t affect his professional life. He will always think carefully about each of her proposals before making a decision. He doesn’t act impulsively.
Song Sanchuan is an exceptional young man. He doesn’t hide his weaknesses and lack of knowledge. It doesn’t bother him when someone points it out to him. He knows that he has to learn a lot and work hard if he wants to achieve his goal. He knows that he need to face his weaknesses, not pretend they don’t exist. It was thanks to him that Liang Youan was able to make a very difficult decision and change her life. She sees him as an incredibly talented athlete who still has his greatest successes ahead of him and tries to support him on this path with all her strength.
The drama is very fast-paced. The story draws you in more and more each episode. Wu Lei and Zhou Yutong are very harmonious on screen. It’s fun to watch their relationship develop. My favorite supporting character is the famous tennis coach that Liang Youan employs at his club. He is a very smart, composed man, confident in his abilities, able to admit when he makes a mistake. He inspires great respect among team members.
The biggest downside of this drama is the plot of the younger half-sister of the main character. The drama wouldn’t have lost anything without this thread.
I will definitely watch the drama Nothing But You to the end. I recommend this drama to fans of the main actors and fans of sports stories.