One more episode to go!!! I’ll start on another Cdrama soon. Still looking for around. Thanks for the recs, @agdr03 and @table122000.

1. Situ Mo visits GWY old lab. 

I say it’s about time she drops by. This “old lab” is the excuse GWY used for staying at their apartment with her. That being said, I personally would find it odd if a member of my staff brought his girlfriend in to show around the place. There are confidential/sensitive information that shouldn’t be viewed by non-employees. Also, if I had a girlfriend like Situ Mo, I would have told her not to touch equipment without supervision.

Mo: You used to the experiments in the new lab. Why did you suddenly go back to the old lab?
WY: The new project needs to be done here. And the old lab is more in line with the experimental environment.

She comes up behind him and puts both hands on his shoulders. Again, I say it’s about time that she initiates the physical lovey-dovey contacts. I like how he naturally holds her hands. But if I were him, I would have lifted one of the hands to give it a kiss. A kiss on the knuckles is a romantic gesture.

Mo: Take it off.
WY: Huh?

What’s he thinking? That she’s ordering him to strip naked? (Nice idea but don’t try this at the workplace, kids. Having)

Mo: Take off your white coat. I want to wear it for a long time.

Hahaha. This girl is weird. She fantasizes about wearing her boyfriend’s labcoat? Most girls fantasize about wearing their long sleeved, white shirts at home. The shirt company, Van Heusen, did an ad about it in the 80s. The slogan was “For a man to wear. A woman to borrow.”

lol. I don’t often see this “girl wearing BF’s men shirt” trope in Asian dramas but maybe it’ll become a thing in the future.

 

Mo: (putting on his lab coat) Does it look nice on me?

He smiles. GWY appears a bit stiff here, probably because he’s looking for an opening to  tell her about his Germany trip.

Mo: (clears throat) Xiao Gu-a! Get the nitroglycerin for me.
WY: The nitroglycerin is explosive.
Mo: But I can only think of nitroglycerin which seems to be a very professional word.

Gu Wei Yi suddenly holds her by the shoulder and sits her down.

Then he kneels in front of her.

I swear, for a split-second there, when he knelt down in front of her, I thought he was going to propose. Rats!!

Guys should be banned from taking a knee in front of their girlfriends unless they’re popping the question!

WY: I have something to tell you.
Mo: What’s the matter?
WY: In the last exam, I did better than Zhou Lei.
Mo: Congratulations. (She’s thinking, “And so?” She isn’t surprised and her eyes are elsewhere.)
WY: So, I’m qualified to join the Heidelberg University exchange in Germany with Professor Jiang and my seniors.
Mo: Congratulations….What? Germany?
WY: Mmm.

Notice now. She’s beginning her interrogation. It reminds me of that time when they were at the store and she asked him “Do you have a girlfriend?” out of the blue.

Mo: How long?
WY: More than six months.
Mo: When?
WY: The school is now speeding up the visa for us. It may take two weeks if it’s fast. The university sent the invitation at the end of last year so a lot of the process is done.
Mo: You knew it last year but you’re just telling me now?
WY: Since I wasn’t sure that I’d qualify. Besides Zhou Lei could do better than me in the exam. After all, he’d been more serious and I was busy falling in love with you.
Mo: (exasperated) Do you mean I disturbed your studies?
WY: I didn’t mean it that way.

lol. Situ Moooo! Such a Negative Nelly! Gu WeiYi obviously meant that she had been his priority rather than his studies – which was a fact. He’d been picking her up from work, and at her constant beck and call. He wasn’t complaining about the time he spent courting her.

Mo: Who else is going with you?
WY: Professor Jiang, Lu Jian Shi and Xie YuYin. (hahaha. He mentions her name last.)

STM takes off his lab coat and walks out.

Mo: Don’t follow me.

Grrrr… THAT is not the mature way of handling a situation. I get that she’s upset but once she calms down, I want her to sort out her feelings and determine WHY she’s upset.

Is it because he didn’t tell her sooner? There was a chance that the trip wouldn’t pan out so he wanted to delay worrying about it until it’s actually a sure thing.

Is it because she’s jealous that he was going with the Senior? If so, then she’ll have to learn to trust him. Besides, if he can’t be faithful in their short six months of separation, then he can’t be faithful in the long haul.

Or is it because she’ll miss him? If she’s upset because she’ll miss him, then walking out isn’t pretty smart, right? Essentially, she shortened their remaining time together because of her sulkiness.

2. Her sulkiness at the dinner with Fu Pei and co

He asks her if she’s still angry and she ignores him.

Sigh.

I’m going to skip writing about this because it’s flogging a dead horse.

3. A Handy Lesson from Fu Pei

Gu WeiYi learns from Fu Pei that he can use his drunkenness to escape scolding.

Fu Pei: (addressing ShanShan) Honey. Don’t be angry. You shouldn’t scold me because I drank too much.
Shan Shan: Don’t do this again. Let’s go. Walk properly.

His face!

Later, he tries it with Gu WeiYi. He stumbles and hangs on to STM.

Mo: What are you doing?
WY: I’m drunk and I can’t stand.
Mo: Really?
WY: Mmm.
Mo: But you were just fine.
WY: It just kicked in.
Mo: It’s just beer. Not strong alcohol.

WY wraps his arms around her. lol. This doesn’t work because STM is short while ShanShan is tall.

Mo: Gu WeiYi. Stand up. I don’t know if you’re really drunk.
WY: (gives her a woebegone look) I’m really drunk.
Mo: That’s crap.

Yes. It’s crap. She’s almost sure that he isn’t drunk but she can’t resist it. I like that she’s giving him the benefit of the doubt and helps him home.

Mo: Sit down. Sit down. I’ll bring you a glass of water.
WY: (grabbing her wrist) I’m not thirsty.

lol. That’s a giveaway. A drunk person won’t have such a quick reflex. Accurate, too.

Mo: Are you sure you’re drunk?

lol. Look at those sleepy eyes. Of course, he’s lying. He didn’t look like that when he was drunk and kissed her.

WY: Yeah.
Mo: I’ll ask you for one last time. Are you really sure you’re drunk?

She knows he’s lying. She’s just giving him a chance to own up to it. And GWY being GWY, he can’t really maintain a lie that long. I also think she wants him to make a clean breast of everything… not just the drinking part, but also about Germany.

WY: (straightening up) No.
Mo: Say it.
WY: Say what?
Mo: Why didn’t you tell me that you were going to Germany with Xie Yu Yin?

Aha!! So she’s jealous!

WY: I told you.

STM glares at him then stands up to leave again. He grabs her wrist again.

Look: they’re talking at cross-purposes here. For STM, she’s upset because the Senior Xue YuYin is going; she’s jealous. For GWY, Xue YuYin’s presence is a non-issue. He thinks that STM is upset because he didn’t tell her beforehand about the educational grant.

WY: I know it’s my fault. I didn’t tell you in the first place. (they sit down together). I’ve never thought about it before. Because I made all the decisions myself since I was small. I just need to inform them (meaning, his parents) after making the decision. This is the most efficient way that I communicate with them.
Mo: Because they didn’t have time for you?
WY: Because they didn’t understand what I’m going to do. But if you don’t like it that way, I’ll change my style for you, okay?
Mo: You have such a good attitude. I shouldn’t lose my temper with you.

There you go! I wish Situ Mo realized this sooner. Gu WeiYi is doing everything to please her, and all she seems to do lately is get mad at him.

WY: Do you want me to go to Germany?
Mo: Will you retreat if I don’t let you go?
WY: Mmm.

They stare for long moment. Then she hugs him.

Hopefully, she understands that this guy is willing to give up a career move for her. If he can do that for her, then she has nothing to worry about Senior Xue YuYin.

Mo: Just do it as you planned. I’ll wait for you.

Oh goodness! It’s only for six months! It isn’t the end of the world.

4. Bringing him to the hospital

lol. They’re both scared of needles.

Look at both their faces.

I like how they’re both comforting each other.  But I like how he reassures her even when he was the one in pain. He tells her that he’s fine and she shouldn’t look at the injection, but look at him instead.

5. Mom’s advice

Finally, the mom is useful for something!

I still think she’s an interfering busybody but I’m glad that she called up Gu WeiYi to give him tips on how to live with her moody daughter. My only comment is that she couched her tips in a negative way.

Of course, it would have been more laudable had she raised a better daughter. Based on these last episodes, I think STM is just too high maintenance for a besotted guy like GWY.

Her mom: Xiao Gu, how is your preparation for your going aboard?
WY: Pretty good.
Her mom: Did Momo mess with you?
WY: No.
Her mom: It’s almost there.
WY: Huh?
Her mom: I’m just calling you to remind you that Momo will be a bit different when she feels reluctant. So you mustn’t be angry with her. She’ll always be nitpicking something about you.

Then, GWY comes out of the bedroom, commanding him, “Don’t move!” She picks up his glass, lecturing him, “Your glass will leave a mark on the table. Your glasses are all over the place.”

Here, the mother could have expressed this in a positive way so as not to demean her daughter. I would have said something like, “Situ Mo will be distressed about your departure so she’ll be hovering around you. She’ll watch every move and make a fuss.This is because she’s worried how you’ll manage without her when you’re alone. Be patient with her.”

Her mom: (continuing her tips) Then, she’ll start to be cold and pretend that you don’t exist in this world.

GWY reads a book while STM tries to kill a flying insect. She sprays insecticide around him, contaminating his drinking water, not to mention his breathing space.

Here, I would have explained her odd behavior like this, “Situ Mo will pretend that she doesn’t see you. She’s ignoring you because she’s emotionally preparing herself for that time when you’re gone. Help her prepare for your separation.”

Her mom: (wrapping up her tips) In the end, she’s going to stick with you like a superglue. You just can’t shake her off.

Here, I would have couched her behavior differently. Instead of describing her as a “superglue,” I would have told Gu WeiYi to prepare for a roller coaster ride. GWY doesn’t need to “shake her off” as STM’s mom said. Rather he needs to ride it out together. They can help each other deal with their coming long-distance relationship. For instance, they can have a countdown: each day before his departure day, they can do something special as a couple.

STM: (in a kiddie voice) Bring me along with you.
GY: Okay. Lie down (closing his suitcase)
STM: (starts to whimper) You can’t go to Germany alone. You can’t drink German beer alone. You can’t leave me alone. Something’s going to happen.

STM: Bring me along.
GY: I’ll be back soon…It’ll be okay.

This is a cute scene but….

It never amazes me how vastly different an Asian drama is from a Hollywood show. If this had been a Hollywood movie, STM and GYWY’s sitting position would have been a prelude to a torrid make-out session. It’s called a “lap kiss.”

6. Departure 

Then, at the airport, she displays her clingy side. She orders him to buy different food while sitting on the luggage cart like it was a baby stroller. She’s reverting to a baby but he indulges her.

Then it’s time for him to go.

STM: Gu WeiYi, there’s ramen. Let’s eat ramen.

GY: It’s about time. I’m leaving.
STM: Oh.
GY: Give me a hug.

She steps away and says nothing.

GY: I’ll come back soon. (and flicks her head)
STM: I’ll miss you.

He approaches her and hugs her. She starts to cry. Hmmm…the interesting bit here is that he doesn’t want her to see him cry. He has to be strong for her.

GY: Situ Mo. Can you really live on your own?

She suddenly recovers her self-control. She pushes him back and smiles.

STM: I’m going back. Tell me when you get there.

She walks away without looking back at him. She wipes her tears.

He covers his eyes to prevent himself from crying. As to be expected. Of course, he doesn’t want to add to her sadness by showing that he’s sad, too.

Later on, we discover that while waiting to board the plane, he’s crying. He has his shades on so nobody will see his tears.

His tearful eyes cracked me though.

Real Advice for Long-Distance Couples

-Give a gift that he can hold on to while when he gets homesick. Gu WeiYi borrowed Situ Mo’s Doraemon mug.

-Text or video-call

-Know each other’s schedules so you won’t feel left out and you still feel like a part of her day. Even though

-Keep connected on social media.

-Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. When Situ Mo got upset with her mom for asking about their wedding plans. She walked back to her room and Gu WeiYi sensed that she was upset. He asked, “Situ Mo. What’s wrong? Did your mom say something to you?” Sigh… If she got upset with GWY for not telling her about his scholarship, GWY has every right to get mad at her, too, because she hides her feelings from him too.

-Avoid being caught in a compromising situation. GWY avoids hanging out with his roommate who’s a player, and he spells out to his fangirl that he’s already in a relationship.

-Have a timeline.  GWY is returning after six months.

-Plan to visit. GWY sets up an itinerary for her so her German visa can be approved. He’s proactive and he wants her to get a visa.

-Accentuate the positive. Even if you’re far apart, try to find something to be grateful about in your relationship. STM mentions to her mother that they keep in touch everyday so she isn’t panicking that GWY’s far away.

-Do things together. When STM isn’t feeling well, GWY doesn’t want to live his laptop. He wants to be there with her in sickness and… in health (lol) just like in a wedding vow.

-Keep busy. No moping around.

7. Finding her contract under her desk

She realizes that it was Gu WeiYi who hid the contract from her so she wouldn’t leave him. And he did it a long time ago, even before she began to suspect that he liked her.

8. Coordinated shirts

They’re not the tacky couple shirts seen in kdramas but yes, the designs are similar enough to show that the wearers are a couple. I like that

One more episode to go!