To me, the episode highlighted the different girls in the story.

1. The fangirl and the useless wife

First, there’s Nini who invites Weiwei and Naihe to defeat an “Underground Granny” with her.

Naihe orders Nini to call another “long-distance shooter” and when she advertises “one shooter and one anything,” the Ex-husband Zhensui answers the call with his wifey Yaoyao.

In a panic, Nini thinks of terrible excuses to cop out of the game. Like “the weather is terrible today, so let’s call it a day.” And “What day is it today? Let’s not kill today.” And the usual OTT too-much-information excuse, “My stomach hurts. I think I have diarrhea.”

While everybody’s waiting how to start the game with the unlikely couples, Yaoyao says that the other couple should leave because they’re in the same clan as Nini.

Nai overrides her and commands, “Team up.”

Nini isn’t as bad as Yaoyao. It’s apparent that she has zero skills and requires constant rescuing. But I think she appeals to Zhensui’s ego because of her helplessness, “Zhensui, you’re amazing. You save me every time.” In comparison, Weiwei’s praise of her Naihe’s is less about her neediness, and more of confidence and admiration for his skills.

Even Nini is grossed out by Yaoyao’s weakness and tells Naihe and Weiwei “I don’t envy them at all. I envy you and Naihe.”

Nini then explains the last battle. If the female member of the team dies in battle, the system will only announce that the player died in battle. But if either Naihe or Zhensui dies in battle, then they will be announced as having become a slave/lover of the Underworld Granny.

lol. I don’t think Naihe approves of becoming a male slave.

For the last battle, a team commander has to be chosen. It’s usually the player with highest level but both Zhenshui and Naihe are at level 147.

Zhenshui steps up to lead but Naihe preempts him by downplaying the difficulty level of the game. He says, “It’s okay. (meaning it doesn’t matter to him if he’s a team leader). This instance dungeon’s difficulty level is average. (meaning it doesn’t require a high-ranking gamer to succeed in this game).

He downplays the importance of the battle.

Weiwei correctly interprets him. She thinks, “Lord is harsh. Zhenshui was going to take the command, but after what he said, it’d be hard for Zhenshui to volunteer. Otherwise, it’d seem like he’s taking advantage of Lord.”

Weiwei volunteers herself then. “I’ll do it since the difficulty level is average.”

The battle turns out winnable even with Yaoyao needing Naihe’s blood points. He tells her to dodge the attacks because if she’s hit, she can’t contribute to the other gamers.

But when victory is eminent, Zhenshui does a dick move and shoots his own teammate, Naihe. Without Naihe blocking the Bad Granny, Zhenshui and his wife are killed instantly. Naihe returns to resurrect them and finish off the Bad Granny.

Nini fangirls Weiwei’s husband. “Amazing! Weiwei, your Lord is incredible. How did he do that in such a short time! He revived Zhenshui and Yaoyao! He’s so magnanimous, so manly!” lol. She’s rubbing salt in Zhenshui’s wounds.

Edited to add this gif.

I bet she’ll faint too if she discovers, like Weiwei does after the match, that Nai was playing while on a business call. lol.

She’s amazed that he can multitask.

and she’s fangirling again.

Weiwei also asks him why he healed Zhenshui, and his answer is very simple.

Like a good husband, Nai tells her that he’s going on a trip in two days. I really like this. At first, he was telling her as courtesy so she didn’t have to wait for him, but now, he’s telling her his schedule because she’s his girlfriend.

2. The wifely “Okay, my husband is certifiably crazy, but he’s mine” type.

On the day of his business trips, Nai eats breakfast with his girlfriend in the cafeteria. I think he likes seeing her before he leaves but he doesn’t want to admit this. Instead, he tells her that he likes breakfast in school.

WW: You have a 9 am flight. Why did you still come to school for breakfast? It’s already 7 am.
XN: The school breakfast tastes good.

Sure. But Nai didn’t have to go to her dorm cafeteria for breakfast, you know. There’s one closer to Nai’s dorm. Plus, he only started doing this recently. He and his friends didn’t use to go to this cafeteria because it was farther from their dorm.

WW: But you’ll be graduating soon. You won’t get to eat it anymore. Your meal card will be taken back.
XN: You still have yours.

hahaha. I like how his brain works already. What is yours is mine; what’s mine is yours.

WW: And if I don’t lend it to you?
XN: Then, I’ll have to live off my parents. My parents’ cards.
WW: You’re so calm even when it comes to living off your parents.

She talks of his father’s class that day. It’s the last lecture of the semester.

WW: So…Does he know about us?” (I love that there’s an “us” now.)
XN: Oh.

WW: What does that mean? Does he know or not? We’re turning in our parents today. Will he be there?
XN: He wasn’t going to but now he will. (hahaha. How can say he that and not panic for Weiwei?)
WW: Then that means he knows. If I’d known, I would have asked you to look over my paper. If it’s poorly written, will I lose brownie points?

She’s naturally freaking out. Who doesn’t want to make a good impression on her boyfriend’s parents?

But he’s no help at all.

XN: It’s actually a very simple matter. You don’t need to be so nervous.
WW: How so?
XN: You just need to…pretend not to know him.

She stares at him, stunned at him, then drinks her milk.

She’s probably telling herself to get a grip. Her Nai isn’t this harsh. This too shall pass. 

3. The parents approve of Weiwei because she’s intelligent.

On the flip side, his parents too are excited to see this girl. Who doesn’t want their son married to an intelligent girl?

I shudder at the thought of having a daughter-in-law who does this in her mid-30s: aegyo.

And that’s my reason for skipping Yoo In Na’s romcom with that Lee Dong Wok. She isn’t my type of actress, and the roles she picks are shallow and ditzy.

She brings out my inner bitch.

To get back to the story, Nai’s Dad is excited that she’s bright and logical. Apparently, they’ve already spoken with their next-door neighbor, the dean of Weiwei’s college and asked about her.

His mom is amazed that he got a girlfriend right after graduating college.

I love the way they talk about her. It’s like Nai hit jackpot.

4. It’s fun to have friends who are pervy. Right @agdr03?

Erxi: Hey, you don’t have to sigh when you come to eat with us because your great Master isn’t here.
WW: I’m so not sighing. I’m thinking what dishes will be left by the time we get to the front.
Erxi: Weiwei, how far have you and Master gotten?

lol. This was something my friends and I would talk about, but never in public — and the lunch line! Look at Mozart’s face. He’s funny.

WW: Meeting the parents.
Erxi: So soon?

Again, look at Nai’s friend’s reaction.

WW: I’m kidding. It’s only been a week since we met. How could that possibly happen so fast? I meant I just had Professor Xiao’s class today.
Sisi: You guys established a relationship after only two hours. At that rate, it wouldn’t be strange to meet the parents after a week.
WW: I haven’t met his parents, I swear.
Erxi: Really?
WW: I really haven’t. Why did I have to make that joke?
Xiaoling: No way. Has Master Xiao changed his strategy and is taking it slow now? He’s planning on cooking a frog with warm water?

hahaha. I love the Chinese way of saying to scare off someone. But ugh, I hate the idea of eating frogs.

Xiaoling: (continuing) He must want a long courtship with Weiwei. That’s so romantic.
Weiwei: (poking Xiaoling) You’re the frog.
Xiaoling. What? That must be the case. First bring it to a boil, then simmer with low heat. (noooo. I don’t want to know how to cook frogs! TMI!) Sooner or later, he’ll swallow you, the frog.
Erxi: I think Lord’s game plan is first a blitz then infiltration. When will you engage in a protracted guerrilla warfare, Weiwei?
Sisi: Right! First, it’s howling winds and torrential rain so he can’t find his path. And then a fine drizzle to leave him confused and disoriented. And what kind of rain comes last?
Weiwei: Thunderstorms?

Now, note this. In Netflix, the subs said, “Sex in the rain.” Probably something like this.

Erxi: It’s a prolonged battle

But Netflix subs said, “It’s about performance and endurance.” I think Netflix’s subs work better because that sent Mozart laughing. He’s been eavesdropping.

He introduces himself as one of the guys in the game and Weiwei, to cover up her girls’ gaffe, teases him as Mr Beauty. I’m not sure if I interpreted this correctly, but I think the girls think he’s gay so they giggle in understanding.

Later while he’s eating solo and watching the girls telling jokes, he texts Nai. “Your wife is coming on to me.” expecting Nai to come to his defense. Nai immediately texts back with, “Enjoy it! I don’t mind.”

Mozarta grumbles that they’re a well-coordinated couple, meaning both of them are on the same evil wavelengths.  Then, he says, “I’ll have my revenge later.” lol.

5. The sister-in-law

I like it how the guys are at ease calling Weiwei up. Friend #1 asks if she’s disappointed that it isn’t Nai calling her. And she admits that she’s very disappointed and is hanging up.

Friend #1 then invites her to play online and she tells them off for bothering a student studying for her exams.

Friend #2 says Nai can just help her study when he gets back. And she parries that by saying that Nai already does.

lol. The guys grumble that she’s showing off again, meaning she’s bragging that Nai’s a perfect boyfriend to help her with her studies.

So they bid her goodbye after reminding her not to forget their guardian beasts. She invites them to wait at her and Naihe’s house, then hangs up.

hahaha. She got the last word in that time.

Like Nai, she’s learning to handle the guys and she knows that she can rub it in that they’re single. Hence, she shows off that she and Nai have a house together. After she hangs up the phone, she thinks about Nai on his business trip.

Later, one of the guys texts Nai that Weiwei is bullying them. Nai thinks, “Looks like you guys are having fun without me.”

What the guys meant by Weiwei bullying them is Weiwei is holding her own against them and countering their their attacks very well. It’s only with Nai that she flounders with her words.

6. Yiran

I’ve been avoiding talking about Yiran because I think she’s a sad character.  But she’s the last type of girl here in this episode.

Similar to the Useless Wife, she wants to be the Trophy Wife. Her new friend, something something Chanel, advises her to use her qualities and beauty to attract Nai into chasing her. She has a status to maintain so she can’t outright chase him but she can use all her “available opportunities to come into contact with Xiao Nai.”

Although I don’t think she’s naturally mean-spirited like Yiran, she and Weiwei are worlds apart. Weiwei doesn’t want to be known for her physical beauty because she has other assets like intelligence, skills, and her “inner beauty” (like her kindness to friends) to set her apart from the others. While the Useless Wife only has physical beauty to rely on, Yiran is banking on both her physical beauty and her social connections to get her her man.

Nai wouldn’t have tolerated the Useless Wife’s helplessness, and he wasn’t at all attracted to Yiran’s beauty. He has no need for Yiran’s connections because as he told his uncle in Episode 1, he wants to make his own way under his own steam. Of all the women he’s met, Weiwei is the best match for him.

 

 

 

*****

To @phoenix and @agdr03

Here’s the bimbo move that YIN’s character did. I was searching for gifs to prove my point and I saw this one. She’s been typecast!

She’s boxed herself into playing these dumb sexy kitten roles. Gee, thanks for setting feminism back a decade!

Really. If she was my employee in my law firm and she comported herself this way, I’d call HR to have her replace in a new york minute. Not funny, tvN!