The Rational Life (2021) [+]
Dec 13 2023
The Rational Life was a Chinese romance/drama that ran 35 40-minute episodes. Shen Ruoxin (Qin Lan) is a lawyer and manager in the legal department of ZenPro Motors, East China Division. She's a workaholic and totally committed to her job and really not into her current boyfriend (and when she tries to break up he tries to get her fired because he loves her so much, yikes). Looking for a new assistant she decides to hire Qi Xiao (Dylan Wang) even though they had an argument a few days ago but he's quite persistent about needing the job.
Unfortunately Qi Xiao is hire just in time to get caught up when office politics force Shen Ruoxin out of the legal department and into the administrative department where careers go to die (upper management really want her to quit). But in those short few days Qi Xiao has seen a different side of Shen Ruoxin and is determined to follow her and continue being her assistant. Together they bring energy into a department where everyone slacks off. Qi Xiao's admiration for Shen Ruoxin starts to become attraction which Shen Ruoxin doesn't begin to realize until episode 21 or so.
Besides work there are other possible love interests for Shen Ruoxin. Xu Ming Jie (Calvin Li) VP of the new electric vehicle division (New Energy Cars as the translation goes). Later on a former classmate who returns to Shanghai from abroad. In both cases the attraction is pretty much on the men's side as Shen Ruoxin feels she doesn't have time for romance and likes being single. Towards the end the other obstacle is Shen Ruoxin's mother Zhou Yilan (Pan Hong) who thinks a romance with a man 12 years younger is doomed. Luckily there is a lot of talking between both moms (Qi Xiao's mom is quite fine with their relationship) and with Shen Ruoxin and Qi Xiao to finally convince Zhou Yilan...
I think as is usual the first couple of episodes are kind of rough with character introductions and showing their routines before meeting. Once you get past that boring part it gets interesting and the romance plays pretty well. Shen Ruoxin is a charming character who loves astronomy (she posts color-corrected astronomy pictures taken by big telescopes), loves spicy food, laughs like a kid, and is always looking out for her people. Qi Xiao is not quite as appealing especially when he's conniving in a young adult way. But when he's looking out for Shen Ruoxin he comes off well.
It was an engrossing series.
Unfortunately Qi Xiao is hire just in time to get caught up when office politics force Shen Ruoxin out of the legal department and into the administrative department where careers go to die (upper management really want her to quit). But in those short few days Qi Xiao has seen a different side of Shen Ruoxin and is determined to follow her and continue being her assistant. Together they bring energy into a department where everyone slacks off. Qi Xiao's admiration for Shen Ruoxin starts to become attraction which Shen Ruoxin doesn't begin to realize until episode 21 or so.
Besides work there are other possible love interests for Shen Ruoxin. Xu Ming Jie (Calvin Li) VP of the new electric vehicle division (New Energy Cars as the translation goes). Later on a former classmate who returns to Shanghai from abroad. In both cases the attraction is pretty much on the men's side as Shen Ruoxin feels she doesn't have time for romance and likes being single. Towards the end the other obstacle is Shen Ruoxin's mother Zhou Yilan (Pan Hong) who thinks a romance with a man 12 years younger is doomed. Luckily there is a lot of talking between both moms (Qi Xiao's mom is quite fine with their relationship) and with Shen Ruoxin and Qi Xiao to finally convince Zhou Yilan...
I think as is usual the first couple of episodes are kind of rough with character introductions and showing their routines before meeting. Once you get past that boring part it gets interesting and the romance plays pretty well. Shen Ruoxin is a charming character who loves astronomy (she posts color-corrected astronomy pictures taken by big telescopes), loves spicy food, laughs like a kid, and is always looking out for her people. Qi Xiao is not quite as appealing especially when he's conniving in a young adult way. But when he's looking out for Shen Ruoxin he comes off well.
It was an engrossing series.