The thread is open.
Spoilers ahead.
The omnibus containing all the open threads for this drama is here: Omnibus thread
Remember, you can always search and pull up the threads from the Categories box.
Enjoy the show.
The thread is open.
Spoilers ahead.
The omnibus containing all the open threads for this drama is here: Omnibus thread
Remember, you can always search and pull up the threads from the Categories box.
Enjoy the show.
Ep 6-10
I’m leaving a comment on each thread so that I’ll get notifications if anyone posts something on them. 🙂
Good morning, @Growing Beautifully.
I’ve just watched episode 10. Spoiler alert.
In vino veritas. The ‘brother’ knew her well — he said Xu Qin drank not to drown her sorrows, but to give herself courage when she heard that Song Yan would meet up with another woman.
What a scene at Yan’s family home! Xu Qin really let it out for once. I was very interested in the reactions of Yan’s cousin and of Xiao Yixiao (Is he a brother? Cousin?). Of course, they hadn’t understood the depth of Xu Qin’s attachment to Song Yan or her point of view. At the end of the scene, Yan is running after her again, like at the time of their first break-up, but instead of the mother, it’s Meng Yanchen the brother being the gate-keeper. He gives me the chills with his dead butterfly arrangements. He reminds me of the evil brother in ‘Forever and Ever.’ I thought the scene was very effective.
The actor who plays Xu Qin’s blind date played ‘Panicky’ the buddy and gamer friend of Yu Tu in You Are My Glory. I heard that he is a friend of Yang Yang’s. He was so good doing comedy; it’s funny to see him playing a straight role here.
Hi @Fern! I just replied to you on the EP 1-5 thread.
Good to know you’ve hit Ep 10 already!!!
I really like the butterfly motif. We see it in the opening credits and we see that Yan Chen has a collection of them (and other insects) in his office. Ironically of course, he’s the one who’s pinned down. Not only by mother (and father), but by his attachment to XQ, his perfectionist attitude towards work,… But he’s not a bad guy.
We notice that he does have a caring streak.
In the end, XQ is the butterfly who takes flight first, as we notice by her drunken tantrum. We trust that her wings won’t be clipped by brother, but that ultimately, she’ll inspire him to take flight as well.
Sidenote: Yan Chen is smart. He leaves his ‘dirty’ hobby (of insect collection) in the office where Mother won’t see and throw them out! Poor XQ’s wood carvings were thrown away by her hard-hearted Mother because they were ‘dirty’ with sawdust.
In school she did not have a hobby, but she met Song Yan’s uncle later and loved how he shaved wood. I believe that’s how she took up wood carving as a hobby. That’s also probably why Mother hated the wood… it was associated with Song Yan.
Hi, @GB. I’m just going through my emails in order, so here we are in eps. 6-10. Yes, Yan Chen has dead butterflies in his office, but they are in glass cloches to keep them tidy and ordered. (shudder) As an aside, my first part-time job ever was in a florist shop making displays with moss, twigs and dried flowers to a pattern that would go under a glass cloche like his. I had wanted to work with real flowers and plants there. I lasted one day and never went back.
I saw in early episodes how happy Xu Qin was at Song Yan’s aunt and uncle’s house and how much she enjoyed the wood working. If her adoptive mother was so against Yan and old things, it makes me wonder why she never threw out the case Qin kept that contained memories of Yan. I guess we’ll see more of that later.
Also the reasons behind the obsessive cleanliness of Xu Qin — I’m guessing it’s not just because of the influence of the adoptive mother. It seems more like a psychological reaction to some trauma. Again, I suppose I’ll learn more about that.
P.S., I’m glad to hear that Meng Yan Chen isn’t 100 per cent a bad guy. It was a bit uncomfortable thinking that he might turn out to be horrible.
@Fern, I’m randomly replying to emails and so am not as orderly as you!!
Your comment on your job of displaying nature under glass reminded me that Yan Chen’s beautiful butterflies, under the bell jars/glass cloches were only for display. There was also the beautiful pattern of butterflies on his wall at home… all pinned to fill out a shape of one huge butterfly. That’s rather what Mother had/has in mind for XQ. Mother was displeased that XQ had chosen to take up medicine and practise it. She wanted her to be pinned in place, a perfect homemaker, possibly after marriage to an influential family.
I missed the obsessive cleanliness of Xu Qin… I thought she was only avoiding make-up because as a surgeon she had to be scrupulously clean. Otherwise she bore with the blood, dirt and dust during the earthquake rescue pretty well.
There were comments about how clean Xu Qin was at work if I’m recalling correctly, and later about her own flat (when the other friend came over to do her makeup). In episode 10 we see her washing and washing her hands at the bar while thinking of the upsetting conversation that had taken place. People who clean themselves obsessively sometimes have had a trauma that has left them feeling soiled. It is a thing that is on lists for signs of abuse. I hope it’s not something like that.
Yes, I think she can deal with dirt when confronted by it, but at this point she seems to have a stress reaction that is relieved by washing/cleaning.
Xu Qui is a neat freak – her room / house is in perfect order (when her mom drops in she comments in relief that thankfully her daughter keeps a spic and span apartment) .. her grooming tools at the dresser and washbasin are in order .. Her office desk is in perfect order.
Her mother insisted on perfection – neatness and order .. look at their dinner table set up.
Yes the handwashing classic OCD levels.
Fear of being chastised and as a coping mechanism (she cleans when she is stressed) .. this is her thing.