So we’ve reached the end.

The premise of Love O2O is very simple. It talks about love that began online gradually developing into love offline. Hence, the title: Love O2O or Love Online to Offline.

Its original title, One Smile is Very Alluring, is also interesting. But since I’m not Chinese, somebody else will have to explain the pun. All I know is that the title is a play on words because it sounds like Weiwei’s name.

The second part will come tomorrow. I’ll be busy with 9/11 memorial services so I’ve scheduled posts to upload automatically.

1. Educating Weiwei

Particularly in this episode, I’m reminded once again of how innocent Weiwei has been throughout the romcom. Despite her two-year relationship with Dashen (lol I almost forgot Xiao Nai’s moniker!), she remains chaste.

Note: I know that feminazis will roll their eyes at the sanctification of the “Virginal Woman” in this Chinese drama but I’m too tired to debate their propensity to adulate whores and disparage madonnas. Fact: no girl grows up aspiring to be a whore.

Too often, it’s only after her life has become royally fucked up by bad choices and circumstances, that she begins to deride conventional wisdom and rationalize that being a whore may not be such a bad alternative after all. But as this Bitch loves to say, denial is not only a river (The Nile) in Egypt. In any culture, throughout the ages, and no matter what slurs a radical feminist will rant, a good girl is infinitely better than a bad girl.

Now, as I was saying…

Weiwei sees her roommate Erxi about to fall off a pedestal with only Cao Guang stopping her.

Worried, she wants to rescue her from Cao Guang.

But XiaoLing chides her, saying, “Are you stupid? Can’t you feel the lovey-dovey atmosphere between Erxi and Cao Guang? It’s the classic scene for budding love in a romantic drama.”

The problem with XiaoLing is that she doesn’t know the full story about Cao Guan. Had she known CG’s wrongdoing against Weiwei and Erxi two summers ago, then she too would have been dismayed to see Erxi with CG. She’s unaware that Weiwei and Erxi had a falling-out because CG’s attempt to shame Weiwei online backfired on him and hurt Erxi in the process.

From Episode 23.

XiaoLing’s ignorance is the reason that she can poke Weiwei’s arm and poke fun at her, “Have you ever been in love?”

Weiwei lamely says, “Have I?” and Dashen aka Nai steps in. Clearing his throat, he says, “My apologies. I’ll teach her.”

It’s to Dashen’s credit that she’s remained pure all these years. And I don’t mean just in the sexual sense, okay?

By pure, I mean that Weiwei has preserved her romantic and idealistic concept of love because of Nai. After dating him for two years, her opinion of him as a Dashen or “god” hasn’t changed. It’s said that familiarity breeds contempt but Nai has neither disillusioned her nor corrupted her sense of love.

In contrast, her dislike for CG hasn’t waned. She still found his outlook and attitude in life insufferable.

From Episode 23:

WW: If I were Huantian Xidi (Sisi’s online character) and Huantian Xidi were Bei Beiwei, why did you still pretend ignorance in the game and stay with Huantian Xidi, after everyone in school already knew about me and Xiao Nai?
CG: (couldn’t answer)
WW: You said that you liked me in the past, but you kept slandering me and questioning me. Is this what you meant by liking? I’m telling you in all seriousness, Cao Guang. I don’t like you at all. In the past, I didn’t and in the future, I won’t. Please stay far away from me and my friends from now on. I don’t ever want to see you. I don’t want to continually waste my time to restore (meaning, to correct or salvage) your worldview.

To me then, Weiwei has no problem recognizing a lovey-dovey moment.

She has a problem, however, approving of her best friend Erxi fooling around with an undesirable guy like Cao Guang. That’s why she meant when she told Nai when they were alone, “I’m not worried about the campus property.” She was worried that a guy like CG could only end up huring Erxi again.

pic

Most likely, Nai doesn’t approve of the match either. But to him, it’s not their business to interfere in Erxi’s lovelife so he pulls Weiwei away while promising to “educate” her about love.

His education continues with his teasing.

WW: Senior Brother Xiao Nai, why do you have time to see us take graduation pictures? Weren’t you at an interview?
Nai: You’re very aware of my activities. You even knew I had an interview. (Ha! Is he implying that she’s a stalker?)
WW: I watched for about seven, eight, or nine minutes.
Nai: In total, it’s 26 minutes. So, you saw the key point, right?
WW: (making a face then whispering) When did I agree to be your fiancée?
Nai: What do you think?

lol. I think she’s trying to get back at him and to ruffle his feathers for announcing their engagement without her consent. But being a Dashen, he’s unflappable.

Before she can think of a riposte, a couple of fangirls interrupt their conversation to ask for his autograph. He politely declines and the fangirls leave. By then, it’s too late for a clever comeback so she snorts and gets in the car. She’s peeved and she commands him, “Let’s go, fiancé. Take my luggage to XiaoLing’s house.”

He then turns the tables on her. “Weiwei, when did I agree to be your fiancé?” For a second, she’s perplexed so he continues to tease her. “We’ve known each other for such a long time. It’s probably okay to get your luggage. Let’s go.”

lol. He’s pretending that he’s doing her a favor. He’s transporting her luggage because of their long friendship, not because of their engagement. He’s obliging her as a friend, not as a fiancé.

And she’s speechless once again.

2. Continuing education

He loads her luggage in the trunk. Weiwei tells him that she and her roommates are planning to exchange their dorm for XiaoLing’s apartment. Nai is surprised to hear of this arrangement and asks skeptically whether DaZhong, XL’s boyfriend, doesn’t mind them living all together after graduation.

WW: (clueless) Why would he object?
Nai: (studying her face and sees that she totally doesn’t get it) Get in the car.

He brings her back to his home and states his objection clearly. He says, “Da Zhong doesn’t have any objections but I do.” He wheels both her luggage in and deposits them in his bedroom.  It looks to me as if he’s afraid that if she’ll try to escape.

WW: My beddings and pillow have been moved to XiaoLing’s place.
Nai: (curtly) Use mine.
WW: But you only have one pillow.
Nai: (brusquely) It’ll do.
WW: Sleeping on the couch too often can ruin your spine.
Nai: (approaching her) Who says I’m sleeping on the couch?

I find it funny how Nai uses questions to get her to think his way. I’ll list them, okay?

re. the interview about their engagement: “So, you saw the key point, right?”
re. her becoming his fiancée: When does she think she agreed to become his fiancée?
re. him becoming her fiancé: “Weiwei, when did I agree to be your fiancé?”
re. her post-grad living arrangement: “Da Zhong doesn’t mind you girls living with XiaoLing?”
re. her REAL post-grad living arrangement: “Who says I’m sleeping on the couch?”

It’s like the Socratic method where he poses questions to guide her to understand his way of thinking. In this sense, he doesn’t coerce her. He lets her draw out the answers. lol.

3. Living the monk’s life

Welllll, if she’s a madonna, then I expect him to be a monk, too.

After their kissing, Weiwei reminds him of his promise.

WW: You said that…
Nai: I know. I wouldn’t.

Flashback of a recent encounter in his apartment. The conversation must have been recent because Nai talks about being in “self control” for two years already. She’s reading in bed and Nai gets up from the couch and joins her in bed.

Nai: (straight to the point) When will you let me graduate?
WW: Graduate in what?
Nai: Haven’t you asked me to study in the Department of Self-Control for two years?

pwahahaha.

When I read that, I’ve this vision of Nai receiving top honors.

WW: Department of Self-Control?
Nai: Yes. Self-control.

They look at each other, smile then cuddle.

To me, this is the second time that the couple were indirectly talking about an engagement. Weiwei told her roommates that Nai offered her to take the man (meaning, him), instead of the money, after her graduation.

Now again, in this instance, Nai broached the topic of their life after graduation. He promised to “wait” (meaning, exercise self-control) until her graduation, and now that her graduation was approaching, he was indicating that he was ready to take the next step in their relationship.

Remembering his promise to her, he embraces her and tells her to “Keep calm. Don’t move.”

In other words, he isn’t going to drag her to bed and ravish her right there and then. She can rest easy. She doesn’t have to worry that he’s going to seduce her.

Shucks!

After a moment, he tells her of his plans.

Nai: After the graduation in two days, let’s go to Wuhan.
WW: Okay.
Nai: We will drive there.
WW: Drive? Why? Wuhan is so far away. Besides, I’m not moving back to Wuhan to work and I don’t have much luggage.

Note: According to google, Beijing to Wuhan is about 2 hours and 20 minutes by flight and 11 hours and 27 minutes by drive. Wuhan is south of Beijing.

Nai: You grew up there. Hence you need to move your stuff here. It’s more convenient to drive.
WW: So you’re driving there not to move stuff back home, but tomove things back here?
Nai: That’s right. Weiwei, I’ve decided never to return you to your parents.

To me, this is the moment when she could have said her objections to his plans if she had any. But she leans back again on his shoulder and smiles. This is her consent. She officially becomes his fiancée.

4. Meeting her parents

Sigh. What mom wouldn’t be swoon over her prospective son-in-law if he looked this good?

He had me at hello..err.. “Aunt.” lol.

To be fair, his manners are impeccable. The mom may be easily impressed but her judgment isn’t faulty. It’s the father who resists falling for the guy and stonewalls him.

For instance, at dinner time, he sulks when Weiwei gives Nai a crawfish because he’s expecting to be served one, too.

It’s a good thing thing that Nai easily peels the crawfish and gives it back to Weiwei. Otherwise, her father would have noted down that Nai is a selfish or inattentive boyfriend.

BTW, is this a test? Why did the serve him food crawfish? What if he’s allergic to them or didn’t know how to eat crawfish? I think they shouldn’t have served a messy, “finger” food for their first meal together.

And what’s up with the dad checking to see if Nai snores and smells? Creepy.

The following morning, the dad makes him run with a sack of rice and a box of drinks.

I like that he just grins at Weiwei, good-naturedly, when she sees him with the heavy load.

WW: Are you really accommodating my father?
Nai: Let’s have sons in the future.
WW: Where did that line of thought come from? You haven’t settled my father yet.
Nai: When Uncle made me run five kilometers just now, I started thinking. If we have a daughter, I fear that, compared to Uncle, I’d think of even tought ways to test the person trying to marry my daughter. I’ve more or less thought about how to scare them. However, if this is the case, I fear our daughter wouldn’t be able to get married.

On a side note: I think the word on his shirt (it’s been crossed out) is “muerte.” It means “death” in Spanish. He probably feels like death after her father tested him that morning.

Nai: Let’s have a son instead. I can teach him how to handle someone’s daughter. WW: I’m someone else’s daughter, right?
Nai: Darn it! I was discovered by my wife through my carelessness.
WW: I’m not your wife yet. I’m going to see my father.

As it turns out the dad worries that Xiao Nai is too perfect. “Xiao Nai has good qualities and is good at everything. I can say that he’s more perfect than me during my time. He’s too perfect, and that worries me.”

I think this is worrisome to a father because he doesn’t like to think of his daughter being burdened by living with a perfect guy or expected to be as perfect as Nai.

That’s when Weiwei tells him that he can’t cook. And this nugget of info suddenly delights the dad because it discredits Nai. Her dad tells her that if she marries Nai, she’ll have to buy the groceries and cook for him every day.

After her talk with her dad, Weiwei worriedly goes back to Nai and reports that she messed up. But he smiles at her worried face and tells her that he’s going to have a chat with her father. I like that he quickly steps in to ease Weiwei’s anxiety. He doesn’t want her distressed.

I also like that he looks very confident. Of course, he should already have a plan up his sleeves. If he can design a business proposal, then he can design a wedding proposal.

A few minutes later, the father comes back in laughing.

Dad: (talking to Nai) Okay, it’s agreed then. (to Weiwei) Weiwei, if you want to get married, do it soon. As soon as possible.

Behind him, Nai gives an OK hand signal. lol.

Dad: Foolish child. Why are you still sitting there? Go and talk to each other.

Outside, Weiwei asks him what he said to get her father’s approval in such a short time. Nai shared his devious plan.

Nai: I talked to him about your childhood.
WW: That’s it??
Nai: Uh-huh. Uncle seems to like children very much. I mentioned the government’s reformed policy which allows having two children. If they look like you, they sould be very adorable.
WW: What does this have to do with us getting married?
Nai: Your father probably thinks it’s not bad to have two grandchildren early.

From inside the house, the father shouts at them, “These youngsters! They should get married as soon as possible! Get married early and have children! She’s young and will recover fast.

What??!! Is she a sow or something? What does he mean she’s going to “recover” fast?

WW: You win.

Her parents are excited to be grandparents. Her mother calls her inside, leaving Nai to happily call up his mom. He tells her that he’s taken care of his proposal and that they can come down with a betrothal gift.

5. Rushing wedding up 

WW: Are Uncle and Aunt coming tomorrow?
Nai: Mmm.
WW: So soon?
Nai: Miss Bei, you sounds reluctant.
WW: Miss Bei thinks that life is so unreal. I’m totally unprepared. My parents wanted me to go to Wuhan University. But I thought I’d never been to other cities yet. I decided to come to Tsinghua University instead. If I’d gone to Wuhan University, I probably wouldn’t have met you.

He stops walking.

WW: What are you thinking about?
Nai: Parallel universe theory.

Huh? My reaction and Weiwei’s are the same.

WW: Why are you thinking about that?
Nai: I’m thinking if a parallel universe does exist, and that Bei Weiwei went to Wuhan University, wouldn’t that mean that Xiao Nai would never get married? I’d pity him.

Meaning, he’d feel sad for that other Nai because his life would have been lonely without her.

WW: Wouldn’t he find someone else?
Nai: He must very picky.

Meaning, no, he wouldn’t find someone else because he has high expectation. I thought that’s a nice thing to say. It means that that he’s picky but she meets all his standards.

WW: (nods her head) Mmm. I think that Bei Weiwei would be very picky, too.

Meaning, she too wouldn’t marry somebody else.

WW: (continuing) Anyway, life is long. They’d eventually meet. Maybe in their sixties, when they’re very old, one day, they’d meet and spark a twilight romance.
Nai: Twilight romance?

Twilight romance doesn’t mean a romance like Edward and Bella’s from that Twilight book. Twilight here means the final years or the last phase of one’s life. In that alternate universe, they plan to meet at the end of their lives and spend the rest of their days together.

WW: Yes. People in their sixties, both single, and they make do as a couple.
Nai: Weiwei, let’s move up our wedding day.

WW: Why?
Nai: Making up for the time lost by that old man and old lady. Making up for it in quality time.

Awwww. On one hand, he’s saying that to compensate — or make up — for the sad lives of that other Nai and Weiwei living in a parallel universe, they’re going to marry right away and fill their lives with fun time.

But on another level, he’s channeling Harry from “When Harry Met Sally” who said, “I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

But in his unique level, Nai’s saying that he doesn’t want to miss a day, an hour, a minute or even a second more of their life together. Although he’s a very picky guy, he’s already met her, the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with.

And he wants to GROW OLD together with her as soon as possible, without delay.

6. Family meeting

This is funny. They all look at him feeding her and swooned.

*************

Okay, that’s it. One more to go.