The Best Thing (TV series)
2025 Chinese television series
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The Best Thing (Chinese: 爱你) is a 2025 Chinese romantic television series starring Zhang Linghe and Xu Ruohan.[1][2][3] The plot is adapted from the Chinese Web novel (Chinese: 爱你，是我做过最好的事, lit. 'Loving You, Is the Best Thing I'll Ever Do') by Sheng Li.[4][5] On 25 February 2025, it was released on iQIYI.[6] It tells the story of a doctor and a woman with chronic insomnia, and the healing bond that unfolds between them.[7][8]
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by Sheng Li
| The Best Thing | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Also known as | For Love |
| Simplified Chinese | 爱你 |
| Genre | |
| Based on | Loving You, Is the Best Thing I'll Ever Do by Sheng Li |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Che Liangyi |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language | Mandarin |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 28 |
| Production | |
| Production locations | Hangzhou, Nanjing, China |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company | iQIYI |
| Original release | |
| Network | IQIYI |
| Release | 25 February – 13 March 2025 |
Synopsis
Shen Xifan (Xu Ruohan), a hotel housekeeping manager, experiences insomnia and migraines following the end of a difficult relationship. At her family's suggestion, she visits a nearby traditional Chinese medicine clinic, where she meets He Suye (Zhang Linghe), the doctor assigned to her care. Their relationship begins on professional terms but gradually deepens as they discover they live in the same neighborhood and frequently cross paths. Both having been hurt by past relationships, they slowly learn to open their hearts again. He Suye's dedication to traditional Chinese medicine and his commitment to his career inspire Shen Xifan to pursue her own aspirations. Through shared experiences and mutual understanding, they find healing and develop a sincere and enduring love.[9][10]
Cast
Main cast
| Cast | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zhang Linghe | He Suye | Chief Physician of Oncology Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. He hails from a medical family.[11] |
| Xu Ruohan | Shen Xifan | Housekeeping Manager at Gunan Huating Hotel. She endures severe insomnia following a failed relationship.[12] |
Supporting cast
| Cast | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wang Youjun | Lin Yishen | Shen Xifan's close friend, the Marketing Manager at Gunan Huating Hotel, has secretly loved Xu Xiangya since their university days. He never confessed his feelings, fearing it would ruin their friendship.[13] |
| Tang Jiuzhou | Li Jie | He Suye's junior apprentice, an intern doctor in the oncology department at Jiangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital.[14] |
| Huang Cancan | Xu Xiangya | Shen Xifan's best friend and Lin Yishen's lover, Food and Beverage Manager at Gunan Huating Hotel. |
| Zhou Yiru | Fang Kexin | He Suye's junior apprentice and student of He Suye's maternal grandfather. An intern doctor in the gynecology department at Jiangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital. |
| Caesar Wu | Yan Heng | Shen Xifan's ex-boyfriend, who subjects his partner to psychological PUA-style manipulation and dated for seven years.[15] |
| Li Jianyi | You Liren | He Suye's grandfather; a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor in Hangzhou. |
| Fang Zibin | Shen Jiaping | A high-school English teacher and Shen Xifan's father. He tends to speak English when he drinks and is open-minded in his thinking. |
| Liu Weiwei | Liu Xiaoming | Shen Jiaping's wife and Shen Xifan's mother. Together with her husband, she forms a harmonious and happy family. She and her husband are a humorous pair of parents who care deeply about their daughter's marriage and frequently take an active role in her life in positive ways. |
| Guo Jinglin | He Sheng | He Suye's father and a well-known cardiovascular surgery specialist. He holds a high status and strong influence in the field of cardiac surgery and frequently participates in major medical exchange events. However, his family relationships are rather complicated. |
| Wang Ziming | Zhao Ze | He Suye's young patient. |
| Wu Yue | Mr. Ding | General Manager of Gunan Huating Hotel. |
| Zhang Yuning | Ding Wei | A former front-desk receptionist in the Front Office Department at Gunan Huating Hotel. |
| Zhang Lu | Liu Yunci | Elderly guest at the tourist's hotel. She is also known as Granny Liu. |
| Zhang Zimeng | Sun Jialing | Also known as "Little Sun", a nurse at the Hong'anmen Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic. |
| Osborn Ma | Song Feng | He Suye's senior fellow disciple and an oncologist at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. |
| Zhao Kaiyi | Yu Nianxiang | He Suye's mother and He Sheng's wife. Born into a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, but she died from breast cancer and loved tulips most of all. |
| Jia Yumeng | Nurse Wang | |
| Duanmu Yi Chen | Zhou Caifeng | |
| Chen Yuqian | Liu Pingping | |
| Jia Shuyi | Wu Ping |
Guest appearances
| Cast | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bi Wenjun | Self | Famous celebrity. |
| Xie Xinhao | Gu Ping | |
| Tan Yang | — | Yan Heng's father and chairman of Zhongyu Technology. He opposes his younger son's relationship with Shen Xifan, believing she is not worthy of their family. |
| Olive | Sun Jiajing | Nurse. |
| Luo Zi Shuo | He Suye (Young) | |
| Ning Zi | — | Patient's family. |
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for The Best Thing features various artists including Silence Wang and Mika Hashizume. The original soundtrack (OST) was released digitally across various platforms.[16]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Are in the World I Like" (Theme song) | Silence Wang | 3:42 | ||
| 2. | "The Best Time" | Lin Qiao, Wu Shang | Tojimura | Fu Yaning & Du Zhiwen | 3:16 |
| 3. | "Loving You" | Ray Hou, Zhang Xiaolu, Yang Shangyi | Ray Hou | Mika | 3:01 |
| 4. | "The Best Thing" | Cui Shixuan | Hou Zhijian | Sa Ji | 4:14 |
| 5. | "White Lover" | Yang Xinzhi, Yuan Tianye | Motif of Magic Flute, Water Dragon | Cao Yang (singer) | 4:15 |
| 6. | "My Love for You" | Xu Sisi | Zeng Di | Yan Renzhong | 4:12 |
| 7. | "Agarwood" | Xu Sisi | Zeng Di | Bo Yuan | 3:52 |
| 8. | "Two Little Hearts" | Ray Hou | Ray Hou | 3:28 | |
| 9. | "We Found Each Other" | Ray Hou | Wu Jiaqi | 3:28 | |
| 10. | "Fate" | Ray Hou | Gao Yiqian, Ray Hou | Lauren Woo | 3:22 |
| Total length: | 36:50 | ||||
Production
On 21 March 2024, the filming for the series began, and it concluded on 5 July 2024.[17][18][19] Zhang Linghe studied traditional Chinese medicine in preparation for his role in the drama.[20]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30th Busan International Film Festival (Asian Content & Global OTT Awards) |
Best Newcomer Actress | Xu Ruohan | Nominated | [21] |