To @agdr03, @fern, and my 10 cute followers,

Don’t accuse me of cheating on CLoY because I’m writing about another drama. I’m slowly weaning myself off CLoY so when the finale comes in two weeks’ time, I won’t suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do…to getting over you.” — Mindy McCready

My highlights for this episode —

1. Chinese plant torture

I guess I should feel outrage that Ji Heng was plucking its flower. But I think that his method is radically more humane than the Chinese water torture. I laughed when she was pleading, “Commander, if you want to torture something, please torture me! No! No! Let me torture myself (slaps herself).”

Her self-inflicted torture was too funny. It came out of nowhere.

I know the actor isn’t experienced enough to show a snicker on his face, but I imagine the character should have been laughing secretly at Tian Qi’s emotional distress over a plant. It was over-the-top.

She promised, “I’ll hit myself. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. Please don’t pick at it anymore. If you pick at it some more, it really will die.”

Remember Ji Heng was a successful general in the army.  He killed people in battle. He must find this *man’s* weak spot ludicrous. Can you imagine if it had been this easy to coerce an enemy combatant to reveal secret military operations?

He asked her, “Will you agree to become the bait or not?” She hesitated again so he plucked off another flower. She gasped, “I agree! I agree! I will.”

Game over.

2. Ji Zheng, the younger brother

If Ji Heng is the tough military general, then his younger brother, Ji Zheng, is the compassionate scholar.

Zheng: I heard from Sheng Anhuai (his assistant/aide-de-camp) that you let the doctor serving Princess Shuncheng investigate this matter. However you also suspect that the doctor to be the culprit. I can’t figure out what you want to do here.
Heng: No matter if he intentionally assisted the murderer or unintentionally became the accomplice, the culprit borrowed his hands to kill the princess.

This is not true, though. The culprit wanted to kill the princess, but he didn’t want Heng killed by the poison. Tian Qi was about to pour the poisoned tea for Heng and she was tripped deliberately to stop her.

Heng: Now, he’s deliberately trying to find the culprit in the manor. If you were the murderer, wouldn’t you be in a hurry to kill him?
Zheng: (understanding now Heng’s plan for TQ) He’s in the light, we’re in the dark. If he catches the bait, then we can definitely catch the fish. However, the life of that doctor —
Heng: Tian Qi, even if he’s not the real murderer, he still indirectly caused the death of the princess. I’m sacrificing him to find the true culprit. On one hand, I can give an answer to the emperor. On the other, it’ll prove that he’s very loyal. In time, I’ll give him a glorious funeral and generously compensate his family. What? Are you grieving over a little doctor you’ve never met?

Yes. Zheng’s concern for the doctor pricked his conscience.

Zheng: Older Brother, you are a person who does great things so you must have thought it through.

He was conceding that Heng had a broader perspective of the situation. He was concerned about one person while Heng was worried about the political repercussion. I think this scene is setting the viewers up for the conflict. Zheng will only be guided by his emotions for Tian Qi but Heng will have to take into consideration the political fallout as well as his own emotions for Tian Qi.

Zheng: (continuing) However, although I’ve never met this doctor, if he’s really an innocent bystander, I hope you will spare his life.
Heng: Okay. (sighing) After so many years, you haven’t changed one bit. It’s good.

He wasn’t being patronizing here. He appreciated his younger brother’s reminder to spare Tian Qi’s life. It probably would have bothered him had Zheng displayed a disregard for an innocent life.

3. Fireworks

This is when the story introduces the backstory between TQ and JH.

He remembered the firework festival because the child TQ liked fireworks and they’d watched it together. Back then, JH said that TQ was the only person who’s ever stepped on him.

As children, he did whatever she wanted to please her. When they became adults, however, their situations reversed, and she had to work to please him.

Mental note to myself: Tian Qi’s real name is Shen Zhao’er.

Ji Heng said that the tragedy that befell her family was because of him. And as he reflected on this, he squeezed his hand so tightly, his wound started bleeding again. He ordered Tian Qi to come and attend to it.

I thought this was a foreshadowing, i.e., Tian Qi will “heal all wounds” and all that stuff.

4. “Talk to the Hand”

One reason I like about these early episodes of Dr Cutie is that we have a lot of couple time. I don’t have to fast-forward through so many side stories.

JH: You’re not the one who’s injured. Why are you wincing?
TQ: I feel pain just looking at this. Commander, if it’s painful for you, don’t bear with it. I’ll understand.
JH: (muttering) It’s just applying medication, yet you talk so much.

Did you notice that? He didn’t tell to shut up. Instead, he was grumbling under his breath and, more importantly, he wasn’t addressing her. It’s as if he knew it was useless to tell her to stop talking so he’s just grumbling to HIMSELF. I took this to be a sign that he was accepting her little quirks.

On a side note: Did anybody else find TQ’s doctor’s bag cute? I like all the compartments; I want one!!

TQ: Commander, I personally concocted this medication. It’s very effective for these kinds of flesh wounds. But when I apply this (powder in a white jar), it’ll be extremely painful. But when I apply this one, it won’t hurt that much. However, the effect is rather mild. Commander, which would you like to use?
JH: Of course, the one which is most effective. I’m a man. Would I scream like a girl in pain?

He’s gonna regret saying this in 5…4…3….2….

TQ: Yes. That’s right. I’m applying the medication now.
JH: (groans)

TQ: Commander, see? I told you it would be very painful.
JH: (protesting) Are you applying medication or poison? Why does it hurt that much?
TQ: I’ll blow on it, and it won’t hurt anymore.

She blew on it while he watched. He had a flashback of young Zhao’er treating him at another occasion, and comforting him with the same words, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll blow on it and it won’t hurt anymore.”

He smiled as he remembered.

I thought this was a visually-appealing shot. I’ll explain why.

In visual arts, triangles can join different points of interest into one composition. I can spot three triangles here.

The obvious one is the small pink triangle, formed by the light of candelabra in the middle foreground. The pink triangle serves as a fulcrum. It balances the shot.

The yellow triangle on the right is the one focused on Tian Qi. She’s looking at his open hand. Our eyes will naturally gravitate towards her eyes; then our eyes will look downwards to his palm, just like her eyes. From there, our eyes will follow his fingers which point back up to her mouth. Do you see what I’m talking about? There’s movement in this triangle.

The blue triangle is the one that creates the over-all harmony for this picture. As she’s smiling down at his hand, he’s smiling down at her. His outstretched arm links them both physically.

To me, the triangles in this shot grouped the details into an organized composition. And that’s why I say it’s visually-appealing.  🙂

Anyway, to continue…

TQ: Does it hurt?

He continued to smile at her because he was still remembering the young Zhao’er blowing his hand. Then, he stopped smiling and wrested his hand from her hold.

JH: What are you doing?
TQ: To answer your question, it’s a tradition of mine. When I injured myself when I was young, my father would blow on it like this, too.

He asked a rhetorical question, so no answer was expected. But she answered him anyway.

JH: What’s with the blowing. It’s so girly. As a man, to do this is perverted.
TQ: (frowning then turning away) Didn’t you scream like a girl just now? You even said you were not afraid of pain.

Do you see what happened here? She was mirroring her reaction to his. Earlier, he grumbled about her chattering about the pain. Now, SHE was grumbling about his whining about the pain.

JH: What did you say?
TQ: (smiling) I said that I have never met anyone whom after using my medication could tolerate such pain like you did.

lol. He looked at her suspiciously. He realized that she was lying but he probably wasn’t sure if she was fearful of a reprisal or was being cheeky.

TQ: You’re very brave. I admire. Admire you.

Of course, he couldn’t call her out for lying because if he did, then he’d be admitting that he yelped out in pain like a girl.

JH: Okay. Leave now that you’ve applied the medication.
TQ: Commander. After applying this medicine, when the wound has dried, it’ll turn into a scab and heal gradually. For the time being, don’t let it get wet and don’t strain it. I’m leaving now. Leaving now. (giggling nervously)
JH: (after she left) Why did I think of Zhao’er when I looked at him just now?

Although I’ve seen countless of bandaging scenes in Kdramas and Cdramas, I like this one because of the undercurrent of confusion and discomfiture. Ji Heng was starting to feel awkward in her company, but couldn’t quite put his finger on the cause of this uneasiness. Of course, we the viewers understand that he was feeling self-conscious because he was beginning to like a guy. While his subconscious was beginning to recognize Tian Qi as that young Zhao’er from his past, his eyes could only see Tian Qi as a male doctor. That’s why in this scene, he twice brought up that he was a man. hahaha.

That night, he had a nightmare. He dreamt that Zhao’er was asking him why he didn’t come to save her and her parents.

5. The maid Chun Hua

Ji Heng couldn’t sleep anymore so he went out for a stroll. He witnessed Tian Qi come to the rescue of a maid being harassed by another servant.

Harasser: Who are you?
TQ: It’s not important who I am. What’s more important is who this woman is. Do you know who she is? She’s the woman whom Commander Ji fancies! You are doomed!

uh.oh. Here she goes again…bluffing her way out of trouble. I like how Ji Heng and Mr. Sheng exchanged horrified looks at hearing her lies.

The harasser didn’t believe her, of course. So, she tried to level up with her bluffing.

TQ: Why not? Do you know who I am? I’m the physician of Ji Manor, Ding Zhi. His Majesty sent me here to take care of Commander Ji. Thanks to the commander’s trust, I’ve become his confidant. Once in a while, I check his health and listen to his concerns. So what the Commander Ji is thinking, I know very well.

Harasser: Commander Ji personally told you that he likes Chun Hua?
TQ: Yes, of course.

The whole time she was spouting these whoppers about Ji Heng, the man himself was listening to her with a frown. He didn’t come out of his hiding spot and tell her to stop it.

TQ: Commander Ji even secretly sent me to help nurse her health. I say, you guys, you are doomed, you know? You even dared to touch Commander Ji’s woman?
Harasser: Do you think I’d believe what you say? Who in this manor doesn’t know that Commander Ji doesn’t get close to any women? You said that Commander Ji fancies Chun Hua? Could it be that you fancy Chun Hua instead?

Hmmm…why is it that we like to hear that Ji Heng didn’t associate with girls? Is it because we like the idea that he’d been faithful to the memory of one girl all his life?

The Harasser ordered his men to beat up Tian Qi.

TQ: Wait! Look, Brothers. The color of the moon is so beautiful tonight.

As soon as she started talking about the moon, Ji Heng rushed in to rescue her. He knew that Tian Qi had run out of arguments to stop the bullies and was about to get beaten to a pulp.

Do you see how funny this whole scene was?

Tian Qi didn’t know that her bluff actually became true. She told the bullies that Ji Heng didn’t like “his woman” to be touched and sure enough, Ji Heng entered the fray because he didn’t like “his woman” to be touched and get injured in the brawl.

Tian Qi didn’t know however that the woman here was her, not the maid Chun Hua.

JH: How dare you?! I haven’t been back to the manor for more than a few days and you’ve already broken the rules to this extent? Since when can you bully the physician and a servant in this manor?

He then ordered the harasser and his gang to be punished. Tian Qi grinned widely.

Once the bad guys were gone, he approached TQ. Okayyyyy… if I were Tian Qi, this was a good time to faint.

TQ began to pray for God’s protection because she worried that he heard all her nonsense. But all he said was, “As for you, escort the woman whom I fancy back safely. Since I fancy her, if she loses a strand of her hair, I’ll blame it on you.”

Without waiting to hear her excuses, he turned around to go back inside his residence.

Isn’t that sweet? He let her know that he overheard everything she said, but instead of embarrassing her in front of Chun Hua, he let her sweat it out. He knew that Tian Qi would worry to no end about her punishment.

Chun Hua asked TQ if what she said about the general liking her was true and TQ quickly disabused her of that idea. Chun Hua smiled; it was obvious that she didn’t like the general liking her because she liked TQ.

TQ explained that she didn’t like to see her being bullied so she made up the lie about the general. Although she couldn’t beat the bullies physically, she thought the mention of the general’s name would deterred the bullies. Unfortunately for TQ, she didn’t know that Ji Heng had a reputation of keeping to himself.

TQ offered to escort her home. She grabbed Chun Hua’s hand, unaware that the poor maid was fangirling her daring rescue.

I think it’s funny that our Dr. Cutie has three people falling for her: Ji Heng, Ji Zheng and the maid.

Okay, I’ve to end here. Busy day tomorrow for me. 🙂