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In this short drama craze where everyone is talking about "marriage first, love later", "The Past That Lingers" quietly debuted, but as soon as it appeared, it pulled the emotional tug, fate reversal, heartbreak and redemption to the fullest. It is not the old-fashioned "Cinderella and the CEO" drama you remember, but a profound narrative about protection, repayment and regret - each episode is only a little over a minute, but it makes people addicted and heartbroken in a short time.
Click to watch immediately ⭢ The Past That Lingers feature film is online!
Part 1: Synopsis of "The Past That Lingers"
Six years ago, an accident made Melody owe Howard a life. This is not an ordinary "hero saving beauty", but she saved him and his young son at a critical moment. In order to repay her gratitude, Melody was willing to sign a six-year contract to become the "caretaker" of Howard's family, taking care of him and his son Liam who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to the accident.
In these six years, she has been nameless, silently guarding and taking good care of him, playing the role of a wife but not a wife.
Howard is a cold and ruthless boss on the surface, with an attitude of "I only let you stay because of responsibility". But in his inadvertent dependence on Melody, his lingering eyes, insomnia and struggle at night, we get a glimpse of the man who has actually been moved.
And Melody is also silently bearing invisible pain: she originally had a first love Caleb who loved her deeply, but chose to leave after saving someone that year, leaving without saying goodbye.
Now, the six-year contract period is about to end.
Melody decided to leave. She packed her luggage, wrote a letter, and prepared to completely withdraw from Howard and Liam's world. But at the moment she turned around, Howard finally realized his true feelings...
Part 2: Main character setting-interpreting the ultimate tug-of-war and emotional game
Melody (played by: Samantha Lin)
Once a top student in medical school, but dropped out because of her mother's illness. She is strong, forbearing, gentle and courageous. Melody is the kind of person who will not easily disturb other people's lives, but is willing to burn herself to fulfill others at critical moments.
In the six years of taking care of Howard and his son, she hid herself in the corner of the family - not the hostess, but more thoughtful than the hostess. But she is not a weak person. On the day when the contract ended, she left gracefully without a trace of nostalgia, but left a room full of silence.
Howard (played by: Richard Zhao)
A new upstart in the construction industry, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, hard on the outside but soft on the inside.
He always kept a distance from Melody, but appeared again and again when she needed help. Howard is the kind of person who is used to sealing all emotions in silence - you can't see his care, but you can feel his intentions.
It was not until Melody left that Howard collapsed and rushed to the airport, using all his sincerity, just to get back the woman who had decided to leave.
Caleb (played by: Dylan Rees)
Melody's first love, who was a sunny boy in college, is now a well-known psychologist. He has been looking for Melody because her sudden disappearance six years ago left him with questions.
Fate arranged for him to reappear when Howard and Melody's marriage was in name only, and also made Melody face her past and sincerity that she had not dealt with.
Liam (played by Eliot Kim)
Howard's son resisted Melody at first, but slowly opened his heart under her persistence. He is the most gentle promoter in the whole show, and the sentence "I hope you are my mother" directly pierced the audience's tear glands.
Part 3: Interpretation of popular dramas that cannot be missed
📌 Episode 1: "The Beginning of the Six-Year Contract"
Melody signed a contract and became the "contract caregiver" of Howard's family. She walked into his cold mansion with a calm smile, but what she didn't know was that her decision would completely change the fate of three people.
📌 Episode 5: "Familiar Kiss"
Melody unexpectedly meets Caleb again in the hospital, and Howard shows his unconcealed jealousy for the first time when he sees signs of their old love rekindled. This episode was praised by the audience as "the Shura field standing in the center".
📌 Episode 9: "He Finally Cried"
Liam was bullied at school, and Melody hugged him and cried in the rain. Howard appeared, handed the umbrella to Melody, and stared at them in the rain - he finally cried.
In this scene, the moment the soundtrack sounded, countless viewers commented in the comment area: "Director, you succeeded, my heart is broken."
📌 Episode 12: "Separation Letter"
Melody left in the early morning and pressed a letter on Howard's desk. In the camera switch, Howard returned home in the early morning, saw the letter at a glance, and then collapsed on the sofa. The whole shot, without a single line of dialogue, is better than a thousand words.
📌 Episode 15 (Final Episode) "The Past That Lingers"
The final chapter of the same title tells the story of their reunion at the airport and reveals the truth about why Melody suddenly disappeared six years ago.
Caleb also appeared at the airport and smiled gently as he watched Howard run towards Melody. Although this ending was not what all three of them wanted, it was the most suitable arrangement for everyone.
Click to watch the show now ⭢ Watch all the wonderful episodes of "The Past That Lingers"
Part 4: Behind-the-scenes production and viewing guide
"The Past That Lingers" is directed by the well-known director Yun Zhou, who is known for his expertise in "emotional light and shadow" and "extreme atmosphere".
The entire show was filmed in Paris and Toronto, with soft tones and a strong sense of life, breaking the texture of traditional web dramas with excessive filters, giving people a visual experience of "emotions that are real enough to touch".
In terms of music, the team that once composed the music for "Bye Bye, Trash Hubby!" was invited to create the OST. Several interludes of "Time Won't Heal", "Rain on the Window" and "Stay This Time" have successfully topped the soundtrack charts of major short video platforms and become one of the hottest BGMs at the moment.
Part 5: Highlights of audience reviews
"I was fooled into watching this drama by the cover, but I didn't expect that I would cry so much that I couldn't take care of myself."
"It's not as simple as a romance film, it's a farewell ceremony about 'leaving is also love'."
"What touched me the most was not the male and female protagonists, but the little boy. When he said, 'My mother left me once, I don't want you to leave me too', I burst into tears."
💬Join the drama craze and discuss the fate turning points and inner struggles of the characters in the drama!
Go to ⭢ The Past That Lingers full episode page now to watch for free!
Part 6: Conclusion - When the past is no longer just the past
The reason why "The Past That Lingers" can touch people's hearts is that it is not just a love story.
It tells how to struggle between gratitude and sincerity, how to grow up in guilt and regret, and also tells us that love does not necessarily need results, but must be sincere.
When you feel tired and need a story to soothe you, please click on this drama. It may not be the most gorgeous short drama, but it must be the most sincere one.
👇Download NetShort App now and start a sweet and sadistic love journey!
