Wang Huilin holds that Xu Zhimo's approach to feelings is always "to face the tiger and never to try to hide." Liang Sicheng, another important male character, adopts another method: "He holds on tight and never lets go." The two are both "very serious" when it comes to love.
王蕙玲認為，徐志摩面對感情的方式一向是「正面迎戰，絕不避諱」，而另一個男主角梁思成採取的方式則是「默默守著，也不走開」，兩者對待感情其實「都很認真」。