Done! Just scroll down for my update.

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This is a placeholder. A sticky note to remind me to finish this cdrama because some lurkers are waiting for my review, like this poster:

Admin please domore reviews im waiting for your next reviews everday please do more plese!!!!!!!!!!!

I must say that I don’t see how my interpretations of the events will be much different from yours. We’re all watching the same episodes and this Cdrama isn’t at all complicated to follow. That’s one of the things I liked about this show: what you see is what you get. So don’t let your enjoyment of the show hang on my reviews.

But I understand that some of the readers here have become accustomed to my writing style so…you look forward to my posts like “comfort food.” (lol. I hope you don’t choke when I’m on my bitch mode.)

That said, the highlights of this episode for me are: the honey-glazed walnut, the old lady in the taxi, and the kiss. I’ll explain later.

Right now, I’ve to carve pumpkin with hubby.

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Updated 11/1/2020.

1. The honey-glazed walnut

After a long day of meetings with his secretary, Lu Jin was back in his room looking through his collection of photos of Shengnan’s dishes on his phone. That was cute. Ordinarily, a man would have pictures of his girlfriend to look at when they’re apart. But Jin and Shengnan’s relationship hadn’t reached that level where they had photos of their time together before they split up. So, he had to content himself with the food porn. lol.

Xinjie: Are you trying to feed yourself with pictures, or are you missing somebody?
Jin: (denying) No. I’m just hungry.

XJ was doubly correct. Jin was missing her so he was feeding his soul with pictures of a hearty meal. He wasn’t hungry: he didn’t want to order room service nor did he want to dine at a local restaurant. A picky guy, he was fine with whatever takeout XJ chose for them. But you know, for a person is a food connoisseur like him, take-out food is a sacrilege. There’s no way that the food will be served at the right temperature and look appetizing coming from a takeaway box. Take-out food is mass-produced food, and the total opposite of the dishes that Shengnan created for him.

And that’s what I think was running in his head when he saw the jar of honey-glazed walnut.

The jar wasn’t merely a reminder of their good-bye. It was also proof of her devotion to him. She was worried that he wouldn’t like the food at the restaurant given his picky taste buds, so she made him a snack to tide him over. She was concerned about his health.

I like that he banged his head with the jar. He felt terrible because, for one, she had zero inkling that he was going end their relationship that night. She looked like a lamb to the slaughter. For another, he couldn’t lessen the blow of the breakup even if he wanted to.

There was no possibility for them in the future so he believed he needed to make a clean break, with no false hope of seeing each other again.

pic

Because there was no handy brick to bang his head against, hitting himself with the jar is gratifying sight for me.

2. The chatty woman in the taxi

We all love his reaction when he heard that Shengnan was in the hospital.

Oh, be still my beating heart! 

Xinjie was relaying the news of Shengnan’s hospitalization casually, so he probably didn’t know if he heard him correctly.

He was upset that he hadn’t known that she was injured.

And he decided right there and then to go to her side.

I was happy that the gods of the typhoon frustrated his efforts for a speedy return to Suhai. No plane, no train, he had to endure a 10-hour taxi ride with strangers. But while the bad weather jinxed his plan, his encounter with the chatty woman was a godsend.

Woman: Mr. Driver, you work so hard.
Driver: You should thank that man (Lu Jin) Coming from Zhuozhuo and going to Suhai. Unbelievable, right?
Woman: Young man, you’re good. Impressive.

She offered them corn and he declined, even though he skipped dinner.

Jin: I’m not hungry, thank you.
Woman: Young man. You’re going so far and in such a hurry. Is it for love? I’ll take your silence as a yes. What is it? Did you two have a fight?

He didn’t respond. I like it that Jin didn’t look down upon this woman, and tell her to be mind her own business.

Woman: (continuing) Judging from your age, you must have children. Hold on to it for your kids.

He looked speechless. I guess, he wasn’t expecting such personal conversation with a stranger.

Woman: Young man, what were you doing in Zhuozhuo?
Jin: Business trip.
Woman: Business trip? Me, too. I came to Zhuozhou for an animal feed contract. I run a chicken farm back home. The business can’t be better. (bragging) I’m kind of an entrepreneur back home.

That he tolerated non-stop chatter from a stranger tells me that he wasn’t pompous and arrogant. He hadn’t forgotten that his family’s humble beginnings.

Woman: (continuing) When my husband was chasing me, he was poor. He was afraid I wouldn’t like him. And he couldn’t afford gifts for me. So he went to learn how to knit.

He must have been reminded of Shengnan. Just like the husband, Shengnan “chased” him. And because she was poor, she’d always shown a curious mix of pride and vulnerability. She knew she couldn’t fall for him since he was out of her league. She had nothing to offer him, materially. But her cooking was her one talent, so she learned to cook food that would entice him.

Woman: See? This one was something he knitted. Isn’t it pretty? Young man, is it pretty?

He looked at it without saying a word.

Woman: I know! It means nothing to you, rich people. But I think it’s pretty. I’ve worn it for years. I couldn’t throw it away. I still think this sweater my husband knitted is the warmest. So warm.

Again, he looked pained here.

I hope he realized that the reason he was looking at the photos of dishes that Shengnan cooked for him. Just like the lady who thought her red sweater was the best, he too thought her food was most special because they were made with special feelings for him.

Woman: Young man, for a couple, if you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you. If you like me, I’ll like you, too. See each other as much as you can.

Then, Jin has a flashback of Shengnan telling him the same thing. “Why are you so nice to me all of a sudden? But if you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you. You can come to my home for meals if you want to. For free.

And he laughed. I’m sure he realized that rules of life were quite simple for Shengnan. Like the chatty lady, kindness is reciprocated, and affection is requited. They don’t have the complicated mentality and anxieties of rich people.

Woman: (offering him corn again) Do you want one?

This time, Jin took it and bit into it hungrily.

And I thought that this was symbolic of him getting in touch with his physical and emotional hunger. He’d been depriving himself of food all day. In the hotel, he had no appetite for food that wasn’t prepared by Shengnan. In the taxi, he had no appetite for street food like corn.

To me, after listening to the chatter of this kind woman, he gave in to his hunger pangs. On one level, he was starving for food, and the corn did the trick. But, on another level, he cast aside whatever trepidation or reservation he had in returning to Shengnan’s side. He knew her accident spurred him into action, and he acknowledged that he was “starving” to see her again. But… he wasn’t ready to admit WHY he wanted to see her.

When they dropped off the lady at her destination, he complimented her on the sweater.

Jin: Madam, your sweater is pretty.
Woman: Right? I also think so. Wish you good luck in finding your love soon.
Jin: Buh-bye.

He looked sad again. He still had a long way to go. The 10-hour drive was relatively short compared to the distance between him and Shengnan. Sure, he knew where to find her, but whether she’d accept him was another matter.

3. The kiss

About that kiss, I would have pushed him away, too, if he tried that on me, and said, “Thanks but no thanks.” Or if I was feeling Christianly, I’d tell him, “I’m good. God bless you though.”

I get that he must have been tired after the long trip, and that he must have been stressed out. The last thing he expected to see was Shengnan up and about with a cute guy bringing her home.

Jin: Gu Shengnan. That, Cheng…
Shengnan: Cheng Ziqian.
Jin: I don’t need you to remind me. Why did he bring you home?
Shengnan: (pause) Isn’t this famous CEO Lu? What happened to you? Didn’t have time to blow dry your hair?

lol. Did she just imply that he looked scruffy and unkempt? Good! She wasn’t going to answer his question because that was none of his business, so she needled him instead about his appearance.

Jin: I had a little situation last night. Don’t you change the topic. I asked you why Cheng Ziqian brought you home.
Shengnan: It’s none of your business. (turning away)
Jin: (holding her back)

Good acting. I like how a single look from her made him drop his hand. And I like how this actress used just her eyes to show that she was offended. She didn’t have to overplay or over-emote this moment. It’s always better to act dignified especially when you’re the “wronged party.”

Jin: Your leg…
Shengnan: I told you. It’s none of your business. I thought you said we’re even. Why are you standing here pretending to care about me? Hmm?

I like that this “Hmm?”

She put him on the spot because he knew what sound means. Remember? They went over the different meanings of “hmm’s” in this very spot not a long while ago.

Jin: Can we talk inside?
Shengnan: No.

She looked down at his mouth, then stepped back. If I’m reading her reaction correctly, I think she was distracted by his lips. For a second, she probably thought of kissing him. That’s why she took a step back. She was removing herself from “temptation.”

Shengnan: (continuing) CEO Lu. You’re the one who said you’re never coming here to eat again. Right. You’re always going back on your words. You said you wouldn’t eat what I cook. But you went to the food stall. And then you told me to call it even, and you have to go back to your work. But now you’re here. What do you want?

Jin: I have no idea why I am standing here. I just heard that you fell down the stairs. I want to come here and check on you.

Shengnan: Yes. I shouldn’t have fallen off the stairs. I was wrong. I won’t do it again. Even if I fall to my death, I’ll never let you know!

lol. This is sooo dramatic. This is the time where I think her immaturity was showing, But I get where she was coming from. She was expressing her outrage as the “rejected woman.” She was letting her resentment out so she exaggerated it. He was only telling her that he came because he was worried. But she took his words to mean that he was actually blaming her for causing him to worry about her.

He was dumbstruck. He probably realized that she was absolutely right. She could have died on him, and he would have known nothing about it since he wanted all contact with her terminated.

He then kissed her.

I don’t know why he kissed her. Personally, if if I were a guy and the girl was screaming at me, the last thing that would enter my mind is to embrace her and slobber all over her lips. But hey, that’s just me. I like to kiss with tenderness, not anger.

However, if I were to imagine that he was terrified at the thought that he could have lost her to some serious accident and he wouldn’t know about it, then yes…I guess…his kiss was a kiss of desperation…or relief that she was safe.

And she pushed him away.

Shengnan: (yelling) What are you doing? Have you gone crazy?
Jin: I’m sorry. (he turned around and tripped over a step)
Shengnan: (crying) Kissed and ran.

lol. She made him sound like he ate and ran without paying.

To me, he hotfooted it out of there because he was shocked, too. He didn’t know what came over him.

So, do I find this episode well-executed?

Yes. I like how it was all about “worries.” It began with the jar of walnut, or that jar of Shengnan’s “worries” for him. Then we had the 10-hour ride to return to Shengnan’s side because he was worried about her. For him, that was a ride full of worries. Then, the episode ended with worries, too. That kiss worried them more than it resolved anything, didn’t it?

So, the theme of this episode was worries, spoken and unspoken ones. 🙂

Okay, let’s see if I can work on Episode 8 soon.