Discussion post - episode 3

[yantantether]

The episode starts with Li Zhi De chastising some unfortunate minions for their failure to find Tang Yi. We get the first hints of his conflict with Jack and see the steel under Jack's smile as he warns Li Zhi De not to cross him.

Tang Yi and Meng Shao Fei make it to the road and run into a couple of bad guys. In a fairly odd sequence, Meng Shao Fei imagines trying to get past them by throwing pebbles at them from makeshift catapults, or by stripping down to their pants and flagging down a car. (And then he faints, but we don't see it, and Tang Yi somehow gets them to safety, right? I've always been a bit confused by this bit.)

Zhao Zi is napping on the interrogation room sofa and Jack wakes him up with the application of tickles. Zhao Zi is completely unintimidated by him and offers to trade Meng Shao Fei's number for food: a lot of food



We then see Meng Shao Fei in hospital being attended to by Dr Jiang. It becomes quickly obvious that Dr Jiang and Tang Yi are old friends, and that Tang Yi turning up with a mysterious dude with whom he spent the night on the mountain is probably the best thing to happen to Dr Jiang all year.

Zhao Zi and Jack chat as Zhao Zi eats ALL THE THINGS and Jack is so clearly and immediately charmed by him. And I love how angry and protective Jack gets when Li Zhi De pushes Zhao Zi's noodles to the floor (the yelling at Li Zhi De was what struck me this time, as well as the cuddling.) And, talking of being charmed, Jack's "I'll make it up to you next time" and Zhao Zi's sunny, "Sure" just melted me. Zhao Zi you probably shouldn't trust Jack this much this quickly, but I'm really glad that you do.



Once Tang Yi is back, Jack and Li Zhi De disagree over who kidnapped him, with Li Zhi De trying to pin the blame on Chen Wen Hao. We also get the first hints that Li Zhi De is shady, as he makes a mysterious phone call which Jack overhears.

Next morning, Meng Shao Fei endears himself to Tang Yi by returning the lost Lighter of Significance and they go out for lunch. Jack's look of amusement as the supposed enemies saunter off together is very cute. At lunch, Meng Shao Fei is variously an awkward turtle and a total spicy food + coke reprobate, and you can see Tang Yi being like, oh no, I'm falling for this guy? But it's easy to see why, because Meng Shao Fei's love of food and enthusiasm for life in general is very infectious.

Meng Shao Fei gets chewed out by Captain Shi (casting directors, please cast Captain Shi's actor in every comedy from now on, because he is HILARIOUS.) After they have to go apologise to the extremely rigid Interpol dude, we get a lovely sense of how much they do really care about each other, brought out by them being united against a common enemy.

Meng Shao Fei shows up at the suit shop to tell Tang Yi he believes it was Chen Wen Hao who kidnapped them, and apparently I now have a thing for Tang Yi very drily calling him Officer Meng, oh no.

The police team undertake another hilariously obvious stake out at Andy's bar to try arrest a drug dealer (?) called Big K. There may be no sight as uwu in this world as Meng Shao Fei wearing that frog jumper and holding a cosmopolitan.



Tang Yi comes into the bar to ask Andy for information, and Meng Shao Fei loses all interest in the stakeout as soon as he sees them together. Watching the scene this time I got hit with a lot of feelings about the positivity of the show's depiction of different ways of presenting as queer, and how well this is demonstrated by Andy and Tang Yi's close friendship and obvious huge affection for each other. Also, I think in order for a character to be likeable, you have to also like their friends and how they act towards them, and this is another thing Trapped does very well.

I love how pleased Andy looks that Tang Yi is interested in someone, even as he teases him. And I love that they know each other well enough that all it needs is Tang Yi's, "Help me out" before he kisses him and Andy knows exactly what he's trying to do, and has no objections to being used to make Meng Shao Fei jealous.

Comments

[doctorskuld]

We get the first hints of his conflict with Jack and see the steel under Jack's smile as he warns Li Zhi De not to cross him.
I like that Jack gets all up in Li Zhi De's face as he warns him off, but I wonder if there's a secondary motive too? naye read a lot of tension into that scene, and not just in that it was a power play by Jack, who is both taller and stronger than De-ge. Her takeaway from that scene is "...have they fucked?"

My interpretation of the undercurrent of this scene is that Jack knows that Ah-De is attracted to men (and most especially Tang Yi), and is trying to rile him by piquing his sexual desire.

(And then he faints, but we don't see it, and Tang Yi somehow gets them to safety, right? I've always been a bit confused by this bit.)
The novelization apparently reveals how Tang Yi got them off the mountain, but I've only skimmed it so I can't remember the details.

Zhao Zi is napping on the interrogation room sofa and Jack wakes him up with the application of tickles.
This has got to be the first time that Jack has ever run an interrogation, and the person he's questioning has fallen asleep on the sofa and has drooled on it.



Zhao Zi is completely unintimidated by him and offers to trade Meng Shao Fei's number for food: a lot of food
Jack's look of utter bewilderment as Zhao Zi has the idiotic audacity to negotiate with him...FOR FOOD. That's gotta be a first for Jack. XD


Is this guy for real?

Tang Yi turning up with a mysterious dude with whom he spent the night on the mountain is probably the best thing to happen to Dr Jiang all year.
Dr. Jiang is so absolutely delighted that Tang Yi's has personally brought somebody to him, and he even thinks they did some KINKY SHIT up in the mountains. Tang Yi almost grins too, and his reaction isn't 'ewwww, gross,' it's just "Nah, we didn't" in a slightly petulant stop-nagging-me drawl.

I really like Tang Yi clearly has a gay posse, and the fact he has supportive friends and is comfortable with himself as a gay man who is a head of an organized crime syndicate is amazing. <3

Jack is so clearly and immediately charmed by him. And I love how angry and protective Jack gets when Li Zhi De pushes Zhao Zi's noodles to the floor ¨
Oh my god, JAAAAAAACK. His entire reaction can be summed up as 'this one's weird, I like him.' *sobs* Both gangsters fell hard and fell early.

And Jack getting pissed at Ah-De and protective over Zhao Zi is A++++. I was totally sold on Jack/ZZ as a pairing after this scene.

Jack's "I'll make it up to you next time" and Zhao Zi's sunny, "Sure" just melted me. Zhao Zi you probably shouldn't trust Jack this much this quickly, but I'm really glad that you do.
I love how Zhao Zi's "Sure" is so immediate. Like...next time? He didn't even stop to think next time what!! Next time Jack kidnaps you and locks you in a room for a night? Next time you to see each other and Jack will take you somewhere and feed you like you're on a date? Then you'd be dating someone in a gang? ZHAO ZI YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT THIS THROUGH!!! (And I love that you haven't, please never change.)

I like how Jack just like...lets Zhao Zi go. Like, okay, you can go, just let yourself out the front door. Bye! *dies* If I were some low level Xing Tian Meng member patrolling the perimeter and I saw Zhao Zi just slip out, my first reaction would be WTF IS JACK EVEN DOING.

Also, the fact that everybody wears slippers inside of the house is hilarious and so...Asian. Like, Jack, just killed a dude two episodes in cold blood, but you know, he's civilized. SHOES OFF IN THE HOUSE.

We also get the first hints that Li Zhi De is shady, as he makes a mysterious phone call which Jack overhears.
I still haven't quite figured out what is going on with Li Zhi De and the level of involvement he had purposefully and accidentally in various things going wrong with Tang Yi and Xing Tian Meng. We know from later on that he's the one who has been enforcing Tang Yi's no drugs line with a faction that is very dissatisfied with Tang Yi's leadership and the legitimization. Is this the faction he's talking to, we think? Does Li Zhi De know that the anti-legitimization faction has communications channels with Chen Wen Hao or not?

Jack's look of amusement as the supposed enemies saunter off together is very cute.
Jack was the #1 TangFei CP fanboy, and I LIVE for all the little grins as he sees the attraction start to blossom between them. He is totally egging them on in the background and I LIVE for TangFei fanboy Jack.



I love that Tang Yi has totally already kind of fallen in love with MSF, as he's like, "I'm busy, I have to go," and then MSF invites him to lunch and he's like "Sure." Drops whatever else was on his agenda. Ah-De is dumbfounded and Jack is like, "OMG, they like each other? It's popcorn time."

Yeah, this scene is the one that convinces me that Jack is totally trolling Li Zhi De by trying to arouse him with his physical proximity. He has that little smile of amusement at the awkwardness, and then Ah-De walks into the wall, he's so distracted.

Have they fucked? I'm not sure, if they did, Jack totally topped and Li Zhi De felt so ashamed afterward that he liked it.

you can see Tang Yi being like, oh no, I'm falling for this guy?
The way Tang Yi regards MSF is PERFECT. You can totally see how Tang Yi is like, "OH NO, I LIKE HIM" and he...kind of likes that he likes him, but also is also like...OH NOOOOOOO SUCH A BAD CALL WHYYYY.

Captain Shi's actor in every comedy from now on, because he is HILARIOUS.
I don't think I appreciated before how funny Captain Shi is, but OMG, he is really one of the highlights of this show. Captain Shi really does have a connection with MSF, having that sort of mentorship connection depicted too is super cute.

There may be no sight as uwu in this world as Meng Shao Fei wearing that frog jumper and holding a cosmopolitan.
It's so ridiculous and I LOVE IT.
THE FROG SHIRT OMG

And I love that they know each other well enough that all it needs is Tang Yi's, "Help me out" before he kisses him and Andy knows exactly what he's trying to do,
His friendship with Andy gives me the warm fuzzies. They are have a history, they are very close, and they care about each other. I love how Andy helps Tang Yi out not only with information, but also with that kiss.

How much do you want to bet that he's already heard from Dr. Jiang that Tang Yi has someone in his sights, and it's a police officer no less?

[no_detective]

My interpretation of the undercurrent of this scene is that Jack knows that Ah-De is attracted to men (and most especially Tang Yi), and is trying to rile him by piquing his sexual desire. - hmmm, yes, this is my take on it too. jack strikes me as someone who would totally use everything at his disposal (sex included) to get what he wants, but... i don't think he really wants anything from li zhi de? other than to enjoy provoking him here and there, bc that's just fun.

Jack's look of utter bewilderment as Zhao Zi has the idiotic audacity to negotiate with him...FOR FOOD. That's gotta be a first for Jack. XD - LMAO! jack so rarely gets confused by people, and then ZZ happens to him!

Dr. Jiang is so absolutely delighted that Tang Yi's has personally brought somebody to him, and he even thinks they did some KINKY SHIT up in the mountains. Tang Yi almost grins too, and his reaction isn't 'ewwww, gross,' it's just "Nah, we didn't" in a slightly petulant stop-nagging-me drawl. - yes! and i like that he doesn't offer an explanation - both bc he's fine with dr. jiang teasing, and bc he wants to keep his friend out of gang business even by slightest association. (and i am very pleased that tang yi didn't just drop MSF off at the first emergency room, but took him to his trusted friend's hospital.)

I really like Tang Yi clearly has a gay posse, and the fact he has supportive friends and is comfortable with himself as a gay man who is a head of an organized crime syndicate is amazing. <3 - yes!!!

His entire reaction can be summed up as 'this one's weird, I like him.' *sobs* Both gangsters fell hard and fell early. - they sure did!



ZHAO ZI YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT THIS THROUGH!!! (And I love that you haven't, please never change.) - it astounds me that ZZ appears to be the only character more oblivious than MSF, yet he is the one who calls out MSF's obsession with tang yi for what it really is early on. amazing!

Also, the fact that everybody wears slippers inside of the house is hilarious and so...Asian. Like, Jack, just killed a dude two episodes in cold blood, but you know, he's civilized. SHOES OFF IN THE HOUSE. - on the rewatch, this bit made me LOL in the scene where you can see both ZZ's and jack's feet, and you realize that at some point during the KIDNAPPING, they stopped to take off their shoes and put on house slippers... and with this particular kidnapping it's very easy to see it happen, but STILL. :D :D :D

I LIVE for TangFei fanboy Jack. - LIKEWISE <3

[doctorskuld]

but... i don't think he really wants anything from li zhi de? other than to enjoy provoking him here and there, bc that's just fun.
As someone who plays for maximum chaos, I feel that the only thing that Jack wants out of Li Zhi De is amusement. It's clear that he's wound too tightly and is incredibly easy to rile up, and I can totally see Jack getting his kicks out of prodding Ah-De in that way. So, yes, what you said. XDDDD It's great sport to provoke Li Zhi De into doing something stupid, like walking into a wall.

jack so rarely gets confused by people, and then ZZ happens to him!
He's just go curious about ZZ, because ZZ confuses him and then...oh no, he's in love.

(and i am very pleased that tang yi didn't just drop MSF off at the first emergency room, but took him to his trusted friend's hospital.)
He knows that Dr. Jiang will take good care of MSF.

it astounds me that ZZ appears to be the only character more oblivious than MSF, yet he is the one who calls out MSF's obsession with tang yi for what it really is early on. amazing!
Yeah, he's the one who is like, "Ah-Fei, you are so totally obsessed with Tang Yi" and then when Jack goes, "You like me, don't you, Shorty?" ZZ is all, "...no way! *flees*"

...Awww, little baby ZZ. <33333 Feelings are hard.

this bit made me LOL in the scene where you can see both ZZ's and jack's feet, and you realize that at some point during the KIDNAPPING, they stopped to take off their shoes and put on house slippers...
I KNOOOOOOOOWWWW. XDDDDDDD
At some point, when Jack bodily hauled ZZ back to Tang Yi's house, he made him take off his shoes and put slippers on, because come on, walking in outdoor shoes on the boss's nice tile floors? WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING??

[yantantether]

He didn't even stop to think next time what!!
Somewhere, Captain Shi is feeling really stressed and he doesn't even know why.

And excellent point about how Jack just lets him wander off :DD

How much do you want to bet that he's already heard from Dr. Jiang that Tang Yi has someone in his sights
It has to be GOSSIP CENTRAL and Andy is probably texting the doc all night with updates!

[doctorskuld]

It has to be GOSSIP CENTRAL and Andy is probably texting the doc all night with updates!

I would love to see a short fic that is just the text message exchanges between Jiang Jin Tang and Andy gossiping about Tang Yi's love life and them watching the disaster TangFei train from the sidelines during the entire series.

[clevermanka]

Please put this in the bunny farm so somebody writes it before I do.

[her_cool_aunt]

And excellent point about how Jack just lets him wander off

Plus ZZ leaves his bag behind, so maybe he's planning on wandering back in at some point to say hello and pick it up again!

[clevermanka]

Jack, just killed a dude two episodes in cold blood, but you know, he's civilized. SHOES OFF IN THE HOUSE.
Hard same, possibly one of my #1 fave details about this show.

[her_cool_aunt]

SHOES OFF IN THE HOUSE

This is something I picked up on during my first watch. You also get it in a later episode in the seduction scene in MSF's apartment (where MSF handily has a spare pair of slippers for TY to wear). I love the juxtaposition of hard gangsters and shoes off/slipper etiquette. This also counts for all those kitchen aprons. :-) No splashing food on your gangster gear - although blood is OK obviously!!

[her_cool_aunt]

Tang Yi somehow gets them to safety

When MSF gives back the lighter he mentions that he forgot all about it when they "met those people" so clearly TY has help getting him down off the mountain. Unless he means when they saw the kidnappers again?