Hohoho I’m not sure how many of you saw this coming, but I’ve basically fallen in love with this drama ever since it was in its infant stage (lol, meaning Episode 2 or 3). This was actually adapted from a novel, written by an author who commonly has other works spun off into dramas (e.g Summer’s Desire).

Much as I love this show however, I’m not sure how much I can commit to it yet – if I can recap it regularly until it finishes, or only on an ad-hoc basis. I hope to make it more concise than my usual recaps, so that this leaves me more time to do this on a regular basis.

If you have been following the drama, you would have realised that there’s a China cut and a Taiwan cut. I would say that the Taiwan cut is much nicer, but slower. The China version has cut the ‘inconsequential’ things out, but sometimes it’s those ‘inconsequential’ scenes that really gives a drama its appeal (for e.g the nonsensical dialogues in When I See You Again are my favourite). Nevertheless, the China episodes are away ahead in terms of plot than the Taiwan cut, so guess who couldn’t really resist and skim-watched some of those episodes already hurhur. But I will be recapping based on the Taiwan episodes, and following its pace as well.

Okay have been rambling, true to my name. Here we go!

Xi Shan reports that some US company which they have a stake in has been acquired, so they can no longer exercise their influence there. However, Liu Bing, the one whom they really want to control, didn’t go to US anyway.

Sha Sha watches the couple as they work in a cafe, and she’s decked up in the most ridiculous manner ever. She complains that Liu Bing is degrading himself by working at the cafe, and promises that she will snatch him back.

Oh no you didn’t just insult half the population (*figures according to me) who works part-time either for fun, for experience or really for the money!

Rui Xi bids farewell to the badge that Liu Bing had left with him. HAHA why does it amuse me so much that Rui Xi is probably the one saddened because Liu Bing didn’t go US? Lucy (aka Hannah) watches from behind a wall and gets an idea.

I’ve been loving Hannah’s acting in this show. Okay, you might say Lucy isn’t a character that needs any acting, buttttt I think there’s a danger that if done wrongly, Lucy could become one huge Irritation in the drama! With Hannah, I really enjoyed her bimbotic moments, and of course that joke they pulled about Jay Chou hehe.

Sha Sha eats an apple that is almost the size of her face, and recalls Coco’s advice to her. She doesn’t care whether the rest have a bad view of her, what she cares – if she can’t have him, she won’t let them be happy as well.

Grandpa encourages Liu Bing’s dad to patch up with Liu Bing.

Next day, Liu Bing gets gastric pain and Xiao Xi, as usual, grabs his hand to massage the spot. Liu Bing grumbles, “Hey, why do you take advantage of the situation by holding my hand?” HAHAH. A bunch of athletes approaches Xiao Xi and Liu Bing even heroically stands in front of her to protect her….which is REALLY sweet and yet funny at the same time considering how so far, Xiao Xi has been the one kicking asses (literally).

These people in judo mean no harm. They just hope that Xiao Xi can join their club and remind her not to join Taekwando. Xiao Xi runs away from them and Liu Bing laughs at how popular she is now.

Hao Xue is inspired by the working couple and hopes that one day she will be able to work with Ce too. She buys pamphlets and a vest from a lady on the street who is giving out flyers, so that she can practice working part-time. Okay, Hao Xue, alright.

Rui Xi comes along and helps Hao Xue give out the flyers. She has been distributing them in a bunch instead of a single flyer at a time. Hao Xue gazes at him and basically thinks to herself oh what a great friend he is, he always appears and cheers me up, but oh it’s a different kind of feeling from Ce. Thank you, my best friend, Rui Xi. HAHAHA, you just got thoroughly friend-zoned, Rui Xi.

I feel a bit disapproving that Rui Xi is now her best friend, instead of Xiao Xi, but I guess…that’s natural?

Grandpa calls Liu Bing back home and he’s pissed off to find out that he got called home so that his dad can transfer all his assets to him. That’s his father’s way of reconciliation, but they end up quarreling, with his dad ALSO bringing in the argument that he’s degrading himself by serving coffee.

Liu Bing makes a nice exit, “What you need to go against Tie Da Qi is courage…if not, Mum would not have died.”

 

Hao Xue happily tells Ce about her working experience and suggests that Ce should work as a florist. Hao Nan is just like omg don’t tell people you are my sister.

Xiao Xi learns of confrontation between father and son from Grandpa and asks Liu Bing how he is. Liu Bing brushes it off as the normal way they communicate and Xiao Xi walks off, but later comes back to hug him and to tell him that Hao Xue is treating them dinner that night.

CUTEEE.

Hao Xue is treating dinner because she had her first working experience HAHA! Hao Nan grumbles and Sha Sha chastises him for not knowing how to appreciate life’s experiences. Hao Xue points out that Liu Bing will definitely accompany Xiao Xi when she works, and she thinks that’s really sweet, but actually Xiao Xi doesn’t want Liu Bing to be so tired.

This also irritates Sha Sha since she doesn’t like it that Liu Bing is working. She excuses herself to the ladies and probably waits in ambush for Liu Bing. She bursts out, “Liu Bing, the one I love is you!” Liu Bing immediately retorts, “Are you crazy?” He reminds her that the person she’s supposed to love is Hao Nan and she cannot hurt him, so you know this sets psychotic Sha Sha off  – you only care about the fact that Hao Nan is hurt? What about me?

Well, Ms B****, stop victimising yourself.

Provoked by this, Sha Sha returns to the table and announces that she wants to marry Hao Nan. Hao Nan warns Hao Xue to keep mum about it to…Mum and he is super rude to her, which sets both me and her off.

Sha Sha informs her dad about her wedding plans, and her dad just approves of it, which takes her aback.

 

Xiao Xi runs into Hao Nan and congratulates him on the impending marriage. He looks at her and suddenly starts ranting at her about how her presence has caused the friendship between the three of them to break down. “It’s all your fault! You weirdo, you have ruined everything! I, Dong Hai Nan, don’t need your blessings. You are a jinx. Leave us as far as you can!!”

OMG, just because you are angry that no one is actually happy for you that you are being made use of, doesn’t mean you can unleash your anger on everyone else.

Hao Xue ultimately tells Mum the truth and Mum calls Hao Nan to scold him, which irritates him even more. Xiao Xi is upset and asks Ce if she has really caused the three brothers’ relationship to break down. Ce asks in reply if Hao Nan has said something to her and she runs off. Both realise that he didn’t actually answer her question, which means it’s a yes.

Xiao Xi asks Sha Sha if there was any misunderstanding, because Liu Bing and Ce seem to disapprove of the marriage. She’s asking because she’s a good friend, but Sha Sha cuts in – “Don’t think that just because Liu Bing likes you, you can ride on that to talk nonsense to me!”

“Just because you are with Liu Bing, you think that you are happy, but everyone is unhappy because of you!” Nope, you and only you are unhappy about it.

Xiao Xi cries over this quietly and Liu Bing talks to her privately in the kitchen to console her. But even then, she tries to stand up for Sha Sha.

Rui Xi who actually saw the entire Hao Nan Ranting Session calls Liu Bing and tells him about it. Liu Bing is pissed  and rushes off to find Hao Nan.

This thing is between Hao Nan, Sha Sha and him, and has nothing to do with Xiao Xi. What Hao Nan should be concerned with is whether Sha Sha loves him, and not to find someone to vent his anger. “I love her. You don’t need to care about anything else!” Liu Bing wants him to cancel his engagement because he doesn’t want him to be unfortunate.

“WHAT RIGHTS DO YOU HAVE TO ASK ME TO CANCEL MY ENGAGEMENT? THE ONE I LOVE WANTS TO MARRY ME, WHY SHOULD I GIVE UP? WHY IS NO ONE WILLING TO SUPPORT ME?”

…

We have now arrived at my favourite scene. FAVOURITE. I swear I rewatched these few seconds about 5 times.

“Because you know the one whom Sha Sha loves is me.”

OH DAMN.

Fight ensues, Xiao Xi arrives with Rui Xi and (funnily) breaks the couple apart, Ce arrives to settle the dispute – turns out, Hao Nan has already written Sha Sha’s name on the paper at the beach…but we/they all know, that he can’t be sure of Sha Sha’s feelings towards him and you are supposed to only write the girl’s name when both of you love each other.

Xiao Xi is sad since they fought because of her. She smacks Liu Bing for fighting and he winces. In her fumble to take care of him, they fall to the ground OOOH.

“Sorry.” WHEEEEE. They look great.

 

Hao Nan gets beaten INTO his senses and finds Sha Sha to cancel the engagement. Even if she wants to provoke Liu Bing, ultimately the one she’s going to hurt is herself and he cannot allow that. She cries and slaps him – even if what he says is true, “I will still want to marry you.”

Xiao Xi tends to Liu Bing’s injuries, much to Min Rong’s curiosity. Hao Nan appears at that apartment with injuries too and collapses to the floor. He has already aired the truth out there, but Sha Sha still wants to marry him. He doesn’t know what to do, “I cannot let her do something that she will regret. Ah Bing, what should I do??”

The next day, Min Rong spies on a sleeping Ah Bing and a sleeping Hao Nan and is very happy about her love life. She rushes up to hug Hao Nan but Ce interrupts by arriving at the apartment. She’s even more delighted because now Guang Yu Three Brothers are all at her apartment. She stands up and her skirt drops so she starts screaming, which wakes the two brothers up. HAHA.

-the end-

Are any of you watching this because I would LOVE to hear what you guys think of this episode! I have no idea why but I really love the scene where Liu Bing says, “The one she loves is me.” It’s like badass, suave, cool and omg all sorts of goodness rolled into 5 seconds. I think both Lin Zi Hong and Pets Tseng acted pretty well, but Evan Ma is passable. That’s okay because Ce isn’t a character which needs much acting (but he triggers all sorts of Second Lead feels in me hehe).

Hao Nan is obviously my least favourite and I think there’s not much character development with him. He’s pretty two-dimensional but I think he has more room to grow, which he did in the later episodes (not yet released in Taiwan’s version).

I think this recap still ended up not being very concise because as usual I was rambling hehe. Drop a comment if you enjoyed my recap!

<3thoughtsramble