As I said in my First Impression post, I have different standards when watching a Hollywood movie, European artsy-fartsy film, BBC production, Korean romcom and Chinese miniseries. I also don’t think that a “deep meaning” and length of a drama are mutually exclusive. A two-hour feature film can just be as profound or nonsensical as a 100-episode soap opera.

I do think, however, that when a director is given time to expound on a theme, he’s not going to rush to give away the central message in the second episode.

That’s why I said I was giving this romcom time to grow on me.

Highlights:

1. Movie Date

One reason I thought that Xia Ke was sweet on her was he noticed every little thing she did. For instance, he walked in on her searching the internet for the movie times of “God of Games.”

When his secretary asked him later that day if he had any suggestion for their office team building event, he immediately recommended watching “God of Games.”

He told Xing Yun that her dating game she designed lacked a dating atmosphere, meaning it wasn’t romantic enough. When she asked him to be more specific, he told her that she had started dating, implying that she should be able to glean the dating essentials from personal experience. When she looked awkward, he pounced on her, “What’s wrong? Got dumped?”

Lol. He knew she wasn’t dumped when she had been looking for movie times earlier. And do you realize now why he suggested “God of Games” to his secretary? 😈 To ruin HER movie plans. Once it was circulated that “God of Games” was his recommendation, of course, she would have to pick another movie because who would want to watch a movie twice? Sneaky bastard, wasn’t he?

Xing Yun: I don’t know either. Frankly, my love situation seems to be different from others.

I was surprised that she could discuss this with him so easily. This showed how close they actually were when she could confide in him about her dating woes.

Xing Yun: (continuing) On the day of the blind date, he was very sure that we were compatible and wanted to give it a try. But it’s been a long time. He hasn’t called or texted at all. I wanted to invite him to the movies but I feel that he should take the initiative first. CEO Xia, how did you confirm your relationship with your girlfriend in the past?
Xia Ke: (just stared at her)
Xing Yun: Sorry. I spoke too much. I’m going to amend this immediately.
Xia Ke: Wait. Lend me your cell phone.

She handed it to him. He saw her designated name for him, “Reply immediately.” And she just giggled nervously, and tried to snatch her phone back. He simply pushed her hand away.

He began to text CN, her boyfriend. She protested but he ignored her. At this point, I knew for sure that their relationship had already moved from a typical employer-employee stage. My secretary has been with me for decades but I can count with my fingers the number of times we’ve hugged. lol.

To any Chinese speaker here: Help! 

Can somebody tell me what he texted to Chu Nan? I’ve two guesses. Did he text CN that she wanted to watch a movie with her? Or did he text that they should break up with her since he wasn’t interested in meeting with her anyway? lol.

She was upset that he didn’t write an emoji so, to me, he must have written something audacious that needed to be softened with an emoji.

Edited to add the translation. Thanks @grace!!! Now we know that Xia Ke, while pretending to be Xing Yun, invited Chu Nan to watch a movie. lol.

On the text CN sent:
CN: 早点睡吧 – Sleep soon
XY: 晚安 – good night
XY (seems like it’s later that she added that text): 我想看电影 (I would like to watch a movie) 你几时有空 (when will you be free to?)

CN immediately texted back, “When do you get off work? I will pick you up.” The contrast between their facial reactions was too funny: her face lit up with delight while his face looked…sour.

Xing Yun gleefully thanked him for his help in setting up her date. She looked as frisky as a puppy when she left his office to work on the project proposal. He didn’t let on that he suspected the guy to be trifling with her. He thought that her boyfriend was “playing a cat and mouse game. He’s indeed an experienced guy in romance.”

Later, when he discovered who she was dating, he realized what was happening (more on this later).

Now for me, there are two interesting things about Xing Yun’s movie date. One, Xia Ke pushed Xing Yun to level up in her dating relationship. He was the one who initiated contact with the boyfriend and jump-started her romantic life.

Two, while Xing Yun was out dating with Chu Nan, her thoughts wandered back to Xia Ke. She couldn’t help remembering the last time she had gone to the theater with Xia Ke and comparing the two occasions.

Now: Chu Nan went to get the popcorn for her.
Before: She bought the popcorn for Xia Ke but he wanted it hot, so she had to line up again to get a fresh container of popcorn.

Now: She and Chu Nan took their seats together.
Before: She had to find her way back to Xia Ke’s side. He didn’t wait for her while she got the popcorn.

Now: Chu Nan fell asleep in the middle of the film.
Before: Although she and Xia Ke found the movie funny, she became self-conscious because Xia Ke frowned at her for laughing uncontrollably.

The contrast between now and then underscored that she was dating now, and only working before.

However…

Before the movies started, she said something odd to Chu Nan. She said, “When the lights go down, I get this feeling of an impending good drama. I haven’t experienced it for such a long time.” Chu Nan asked her curiously, “You haven’t been to the movies for a long time?”

She answered, “It’s not that.”

Now, if the Viki subs are correct, I’m assuming that she was commenting about Xia Ke. She missed the company of Xia Ke who was good at creating drama out of everything and nothing, like the cold popcorn and her boisterous laughter. As I said earlier, Xia Ke nitpicked every little single thing she did. She KNEW that side of him very well, too, but oddly enough, she’d grown accustomed to his way and missed him when he wasn’t there.

2. Misunderstanding

On the night she was going over to Chu Nan’s house to watch a documentary, her friend forced her to buy sexy lingerie. By cosmic coincidence, they met Xia Ke at the lingerie store.

Xia Ke: What are you doing here?
Xing Yun: I should be asking you that.
Xia Ke: (seeing her scrap of lingerie that she’d dropped on the ground) What is that?
Xing Yun: (picking it up) Nothing.
Xia Ke: I didn’t expect you to be this kind of a lucky charm.

Ha. Ha.

He probably meant that a) he couldn’t imagine her as a Victoria’s Secret angel who’d prance around in skimpy garments, b) he didn’t expect her to wear this kind of lingerie, or c) he never would’ve thought that she’d have good fortune (and occasion) to use that sexy outfit in the bedroom.

Note: I’m excusing his comment because this is a romcom and they don’t exactly have an employer-employee relationship. But, here in the US, that comment of his can be misconstrued as sexual harassment.

I like that she scolded him for calling her “lucky charm.” After her initial embarrassment, she focused on what really mattered: he was downplaying her achievements as nothing more than a result of sheer luck rather than her hard work and excellent capability. To his credit, he listened to her and stopped teasing her.

Xing Yun: CEO Xia. I already emphasized this many times. Stop calling me a lucky charm. I’m capable at my job. Not only can I draw. This time, I plan to also submit a satisfactory proposal.
Her friend: That’s right, CEO Xia. You’re overthinking this. It’s a special occasion today. She has a date.

At the mention of the word “date,” he looked stunned.

He looked ready to warn her about Chu Nan, but unfortunately, his sister called him away to help him with his purchases. He told Xing Yun to wait for him.

Xing Yun and her friend watch Xia Ke pay for his sister’s purchases. They mistakenly assumed that he was in the company of his girlfriend, and they hastily dropped everything and ran off.

Two things happened there. Just like Xia Ke misunderstood Xing Yun and thought that she was sleeping over at her boyfriend’s house, Xing Yun misunderstood Xia Ke and though he was buying intimate items for his girlfriend. But her boyfriend lived with his parents so she couldn’t possibly sleep over. And Xia Ke wasn’t the type to buy sexy lingerie for just any ordinary girl. He was there at the behest of his older sister.

These misunderstanding and mix-up would be funny for a couple more episodes.

Now outside the store, Xing Yun and her friend, Yiyi, discussed his girlfriend.

XY: Why are we running?
Friend: Are you stupid? Can’t you see that woman is CEO Xia’s girlfriend? CEO Xia always said that he was single. I thought that he liked you.

lol. This was sweet. The whole time Xing Yun and Xia Ke knew each other, they never dated anybody. But it was also problematic. He’d been so used to her companionship and their compatibility that he didn’t realize it was time to take things up a notch until there was there was a momentous change looming in his life. When it dawned on him that her companionship could have a built-in deadline, he began seeing her as indispensable.

Hmmm…that’s another reason I like this romcom. It wasn’t love at first sight. Their romance didn’t feel forced, like in many kdramas, because they’ve known each other for a long time. The progress of the romance was organic. They were helpmates before they became soulmates.

XY: Xu Yiyi! Your brain is so peculiar.
Friend: No, I’m speaking for real. I thought that he used to like to tease you. But after you were successful in your blind date, he hasn’t been behaving normally. Look at him. When he heard that you were going to Chu Nan’s home tonight, his face turned green right away.

See that? Her close friends always knew that she and their boss had a “special” relationship. It was like Tom-and-Jerry. He would tease her but she would get away with anything.

XY: Ugh! He’s not that kind of person.
Friend: Don’t be in such a hurry to deny it. Think about it carefully. Do you like the “overbearing president”?

Xing Yun had a flashback of the many times she was surprised by her paycheck. In her mind, Xia Ke was never “overbearing” or dictatorial but always generous and benevolent. Lol. I call her attitude in denial. She refused to think of him in a romantic setting.

XY: I definitely do. He raised my pay four times in two years. He’s the express train to my dreams that wasn’t easy to catch. I won’t let go.
Friend: This walnut brain of yours. So small and then you open it, and there’s nothing inside.
XY: I’m very satisfied with maintaining a pure long-lasting salary-motivated relationship with CEO Xia. To add further, I already have Chu Nan.
Friend: Just you wait and see. Tonight, CEO Xia will definitely think of every method to stop your date.
XY: But didn’t you say before that you would help me to make tonight a success?
Friend: Ahhh… Right. You must win. You can’t let that two-timing CEO Xia greedily succeed.

The translator’s note here said: “eating from the bowl while looking at the pot.” I think the idiom to describe Xia Ke’s feelings for her is “a dog in the manger.” Although he was unaware of his romantic attachment to her, he’s keeping and guarding her close to him in order to prevent Chu Nan from stealing her away from him. According to a fable, the dog was hanging around the manger (which is a box where hay is placed for the cows and horses to eat) not because it wanted to eat the hay but because it didn’t want other animals to eat the hay.

Friend: (continuing) You must win. Infuriate him. Let’s go to another warfare underwear shop.

I like that Yiyi understood Xia Ke’s feelings better than Xing Yun. She was right in her assessment. We all need friends like her. lol.

3. Guarding Xing Yun

Sure enough, Xia Ke interrupted her dinner with Chu Nan and his parents.

Calling her up, he lied that he was with the project manager of the advertising firm. He said that they needed to see her new game characters in order to create a marketing strategy. However, he didn’t intend for her to *physically* bring her project proposal since he was already at home. He only wanted her to *email* the revised characters to him because he wasn’t really in a meeting with the project manager.

Now, Xia Ke didn’t know that she actually wanted to leave the dinner at that very instant. Chu Nan’s mother had been so eager to marry them off that she felt very uncomfortable during the dinner. When Xia Ke called her up, she grasped at this chance to escape the dinner. She insisted on physically bringing her design and joining their meeting. She told him to text her their address.

Trapped in his own lie, Xia Ke had no choice but to arrange a hasty meeting with his best friend.

Of course, he could have insisted that there was no need for her to come over and just ordered her to email the draft. But part of me thinks that he didn’t mind seeing her again that night. You see, if she sat in their meeting, then that would certainly mean that she wasn’t going to stay overnight at Chu Nan’s place and use the sexy lingerie.

lol. Sneaky guy, right?

So he scrambled and asked his best friend, He Yu, to play along. His best friend was at the golf range, so he arranged for Xing Yun to meet them there. His odd behavior didn’t escape He Yu’s attention, though, who teased him, “The female employee dates and the boss helps guard against jerks. Tell me. Do you also have to arrange marriages, too?”

Xia Ke insisted that he was doing this for his older sister, Shen Qing. Shen Qing’s ex-boyfriend happened to be Xing Yun’s current boyfriend. Xia Ke reasoned that Chu Nan would be a bad boyfriend for Xing Yun because he had unfinished business with his sister Shen Qing. His best friend retorted that Shen Qing and her ex broke up ages ago. He knew that Xia Ke had his own motive that he refused to say out in the open.

Note here: to outsiders like Yiyi and He Yu, it was easy to read and understand Xia Ke’s odd behavior with Xing Yun. It was clear as day that he was jealous and was guarding her from other guys…like a dog in the manger.

Xia Ke couldn’t have foreseen that, in trying to guard Xing Yun from her boyfriend, he actually endangered her. On the way to their rendezvous place, she was almost kidnapped. Due to her quick thinking, however, she ended up in the police station rather than the back of the van of human traffickers.

She called Xia Ke up from the police station, and he rushed to her side.

Note here: He was so worried about her that he didn’t bother to correct the police’s wrong impression that he was the boyfriend.

Police: Actually letting your girlfriend come alone to such a remote place…since you asked her to come, you have to guarantee her safety. Otherwise, how can her parents be at ease handing their daughter over to you?

Now, in my opinion, this was Chu Nan’s fault. Xia Ke fully expected Chu Nan to drop off her at the golf range. He didn’t know that she had called a cab to get to there.

Xia Ke: (didn’t correct him) Where is she?
Police: Now you’re worried? What were you doing before?
Xia Ke: Sorry.

When he saw Xing Yun, he got mad.

Xia Ke: What on earth happened?
Xing Yun: CEO Xia, I’m sorry. Just now, I was recording my statement and couldn’t look at my phone.

She was apologizing because she thought he was angry that she didn’t pick up his calls. Remember: her phone identification for him was “Reply Immediately.”

Xia Ke: Are you an idiot? I didn’t ask about the phone! I asked about you!

By the way, this is normal behavior. When a person is fearful, agitated, or anxious about a beloved person’s situation, he tends to shout to express their concern.

She wailed then hugged him closer.

Uhhhh…. @agdr03, did you notice how awkward her position was? Her face was against his crotch. lol.

Xing Yun: Hearing you scold me is so nice! I can finally be sure that I haven’t died and am still alive.
Xia Ke: Okay. It’s okay now.
Police: She ran into a human trafficker. He insisted that he was her husband and nearly kidnapped her. Tell me. If that had happened, where would you go to cry then?
Police 2: Young man, if you really care about your girlfriend, then don’t let her walk alone at night. How dangerous is that?
Police 3: That’s right. Hey, you should be nicely comforting her. This young lady was scared to death.

Note here: the police all assumed that he was the boyfriend and they were reproving him for his neglect. He didn’t correct them and assumed responsibility for her.

Xing Yun: No, no. He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my boss.
Police 2: He’s not your boyfriend?
Xing Yun: My boss is so handsome he wouldn’t be attracted to me.

To me, this was the first honest statement that she made about their relationship. She told Yiyi that she was “very satisfied with maintaining a pure, long-lasting, salary-motivated relationship with CEO Xia.” But to me, she was settling for a platonic relationship with him to spare her feelings from getting hurt in the likelihood that he rejected her. The excuse “My boss is so handsome” was the wall she erected to guard herself from falling for him or clinging to him.

Note: he looked at her then let that comment slide without saying a word.

Police: From what I see, you two match well.
Xing Yun: Don’t speak nonsense.
Police: Perhaps one day, you’ll be together. When he came, his face was filled with anxiety.

Later, on their way out of the police station, Xia Ke was lectured again by the police. “Young man, when something like this happens to a young lady, what she needs is comforting. This hard exterior, soft heart method of yours will get you nowhere.”

This scene at the police station showed me Xia Ke’s forbearance. He didn’t explain that he wasn’t Xing Yun’s boyfriend who sent her off in a cab. Neither did he complain that the police were unfairly reprimanding him. He took their reproaches in stride. Above all, he didn’t make excuses.

As we shall see later with his sister’s story, this was also part of his character trait. He’d shoulder the blame and accept responsibility even when the fault wasn’t his.

4. The Piggy-back ride

I have to finish this later. I’ve a phone conference. 🙂