Let's be real for a second. If you walked into a room and saw a grown, married woman surrounded by enough stuffed alpacas to fill a claw machine, you’d probably turn around and walk right back out. I almost did. When I first started watching Lingering in Mind, the 2025 Chinese drama starring Liu Nian and He Cong Rui, I thought I’d made a massive mistake.
The female lead, Sang Lu, is... a lot. She’s loud. She’s bubbly to the point of being a human sparkler. And those accessories? They’re basically a safety hazard. But then something weird happens. You keep watching. And suddenly, you realize this isn't just another cookie-cutter romance. It’s actually a pretty smart commentary on emotional labor and how we judge people who refuse to "grow up" in the way society expects.
Lingering in Mind: What’s the Story Actually About?
Basically, we're looking at a classic "married strangers" trope, but with a weirdly modern twist. The setup is simple: an arranged marriage orchestrated by meddling grandparents. Typical C-drama stuff, right? Feng Yan (played by He Cong Rui) is your standard-issue "Ice King" CEO. He’s got the selective mutism, the minimalist mansion that looks like a high-end morgue, and a heart that’s been frozen solid for years.
Then enters Sang Lu.
Except, she’s not the original Sang Lu. The plot kicks off with a soul-swap or a transmigration—depending on which subtitle translation you’re reading—where a much more "sunshine" personality takes over the body of the previously resentful wife. This new version of Sang Lu decides that instead of being miserable, she’s just going to be aggressively herself.
The "Sunshine and Midnight" Dynamic
One YouTube commenter called their relationship "sunshine and midnight," and honestly, that’s the most accurate description I’ve heard. It’s not just that they’re opposites. It’s that Sang Lu’s chaos is the only thing that could possibly penetrate Feng Yan’s silence.
💡 You might also like: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
He Cong Rui does a fantastic job with the selective mutism aspect. It’s not just "he’s a brooding guy who doesn't talk." It’s a legitimate character trait that requires him to act mostly with his eyes and body language. When he starts "thawing," it doesn’t happen because of a big speech. It happens because he starts realizing his assistant is basically his "first wife" who has to translate his every micro-expression.
Why the Fluff Matters
People have complained about the styling. I get it. Sang Lu’s room looks like a Sanrio store exploded in there. It’s "kiddish." It’s primary-school chic.
But if you look closer, it’s a defense mechanism. Sang Lu isn't a rich heiress playing house; she’s a regular person dropped into a world of extreme wealth and cold, calculated social climbing. She uses that "ridiculousness" to keep people at a distance or to disarm them. When she confronts her jealous relatives at the hot spring hotel, she’s not the "walking plushie" anymore. She’s sharp. She’s mature. She’s the only one in the room with actual emotional clarity.
The Production Reality
Let’s talk numbers. Lingering in Mind is a long one—92 episodes.
Yeah. 92.
📖 Related: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
Usually, that’s a red flag for "filler content." And look, I won't lie to you: the music is pretty forgettable. If you’re looking for a soundtrack that’ll stay with you like The Untamed or Eternal Love, you’re going to be disappointed. The rewatch value is also kind of low because once the mystery of their emotional connection is solved, the tension drops off.
However, the acting carries it. Liu Nian is a revelation here. If you saw her in Yue Ran Ai Ren, you won't even recognize her. She goes from being a serious actress to this ball of chaotic energy without making it feel like a caricature.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
Without spoiling the final episodes, there’s a lot of debate online about whether the "transmigration" was real or just a psychological break. Some fans on MyDramaList are convinced it’s a literal fantasy element, while others think it’s a metaphor for how we change when we’re pushed to our breaking point.
Honestly? It doesn't really matter. The value of the show is in the "acts of service" love language. It’s in the way Feng Yan’s assistant has to decipher his love signals because the man literally cannot say "I like you." It’s a drama about learning to read between the lines.
Key Takeaways for Your Watchlist
If you’re on the fence, here’s the breakdown of what to expect:
👉 See also: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
- The Tone: It starts off feeling like a sitcom but ends up being a sneakily sincere romance.
- The Pace: It’s a slow burn. Like, really slow. Don't expect a kiss until deep into the season.
- The Vibe: High-end CEO life meets 2-dollar-store aesthetic. It’s weird. It works.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Viewing
Don't binge this in one go. You’ll get "sparkle fatigue." Because the episodes are short but numerous, it’s better as a "lunch break" show.
If you're looking for more like this, you might want to check out Please Come Into My Heart, which features a similar cast dynamic but with a bit more of a traditional plot structure. But if you want something that feels like a warm hug—even if that hug is being given by someone wearing a giant alpaca sweater—then Lingering in Mind is your best bet for 2025.
Check out the official streaming platforms like Tencent or iQIYI to see if it’s available in your region with the updated 2026 subs. The fan translations are okay, but the official ones catch the nuance of Feng Yan’s selective mutism much better.
Go watch the hot spring hotel scene in Episode 45. If that doesn't sell you on Sang Lu as a top-tier female lead, nothing will.