So, I definitely think that their separation was a good thing because they both needed to grow separately as people. They had been together for so long so as much as I didn't want them to leave each other I definitely think it was necessary. Even Tao Xiaodong was saying to both of them that he was glad they both were able to grow separately for awhile since again they were kind of bound together all the time. Also, their reunion doesn't really pan out like the summary says. The event in the summary still happens but it pans out differently and you'll just have to read the novel to get what I'm saying.

Tao Xiaodong, Tao Xiaodong I love you so much. You've done so much good in this world I hope only good things will happen to you from now on.

One of my biggest quips while reading Wildfire was how Xiaodong would leave his two younger brothers in high school at home while he stayed almost full time with Dr Tang. Well, in FDOO, we got to know that he really only worked himself for money to bring up his brothers and to support his charity work (and also answered what we read in Tattoo, call him sellout as you may!) and had been doing so for so, so long way back when the brothers were still in junior high.

Another quip I had in Wildfire was the assumption on how Xiaodong viewed Chi Cheng. Like did he view Chi Cheng as a convenient caretaker? It did look like that from the few scenes Chi Cheng were in - it wasn't fully explored in Wildfire. But now we know with so much convictions that Xiaodong loved Chi Cheng dearly too. He's really his brother too.

And I love how he admitted later on that, that wasn't the way kids should be brought up. He shouldn't have done that and let them grow on their own and it was just he was also so very young when he had to raise them so he only know how to make money to sustain them. Also breaks my heart that once Xiaodong got over his eye disease scare, he and Dr Tang had to face Chi Cheng leaving and Xiaonan being suicidal and depressed. When it rains, it really pours.

The fact that Chi Cheng keep on sending money to Xiaodong to signal that he will do well enough in life that he can continue Xiaodong's charity works is so them. I have no words. I love all of them so much.

The scene where Chi Cheng takes Tao Huainan's hand and cuts apart his chest still shocks me to this day. That was easily the most impactful scene I've read in a modern day book, too good.

Ignoring him constantly, getting angry over every small thing, throwing him around, hurting him, strangling him, saying he wanted to literally kill him, that he hates him, wants to destroy him, and will never ever forgive him, just because they had a fight and the MC pushed him away??? And of course, the MC sees nothing wrong with the ML's behavior, and thinks it's all his own fault. Typical.

It's obviously more complicated than just that, and I'm not saying what the MC did was right or that he handled it well at all. He truly did hurt the ML. He hid his pain from his family. But, he was severely depressed and anxious, suicidal, and he felt like he was always holding others back. He was immature and insecure. AND he was dealing with a horrible situation with losing his hearing while being blind. I can't even imagine being in his position. He needed compassion, not hatred.

People make mistakes. The ML never even bothered to try to understand the MC's feelings, until it was way too late. I get that's kind of his personality, but seriously it was just too awful to read.