Go Ahead - Ending Explained

The series finale reveals several major twists: He Mei did not abandon Ziqiu out of lack of love; she was actually imprisoned for four years and wanted him to have a stable life with Li Haichao rather than a mother with a criminal record. This revelation allows Ziqiu to finally reconcile with her and accept her into his life. Ling Xiao’s mother, Chen Ting, attempts suicide in a final act of manipulation/despair but survives, eventually realizing she is the source of her son’s misery and deciding to return to Singapore. The series ends with the 'legalization' of the found family: Li Haichao and He Mei marry, officially making Ziqiu and Jianjian siblings on paper, while Jianjian and Ling Xiao pursue a romantic future together.

While many view the show as a celebration of love, some critics interpret it as a tragedy of sacrifice. From this perspective, Ling Xiao and Ziqiu never truly 'go ahead'; they are permanently tethered to their traumas, and their return to Jianjian is less about romance and more about a desperate need to return to the only time they felt safe. Another interpretation suggests the show is a critique of the 'absent father' trope in Chinese society, using Ling Heping as a foil to Li Haichao to show that providing financially is not the same as parenting.