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history3_trappedThe episode begins with Meng Shao Fei and Ah-De busting in on Andy and Tang Yi. In the scene that follows Meng Shao Fei is mildly obnoxious, Andy is brilliantly sarcastic, and a bit of (a lot of) Tang Yi is clearly loving being fought over. Next we see Meng Shao Fei angrily eating lunch with Tang Yi and Ah-De, and the atmosphere is so tense that it even gets through to Ah-De - he makes his excuses and goes to wait outside.
Meng Shao Fei is acting VERY jealous of Andy (and to be fair, that's exactly what Tang Yi was going for all along.) I love the way the moment is punctured by Tang Yi calling him on it and Meng Shao Fei just admitting that, yes, he is jealous, before unconvincingly trying to take it back. And then Tang Yi diverts him from his obsessive ramblings by taking a drink of his coke (the Coke of Symbolism.) Meng Shao Fei points out that his saliva is in it and Tang Yi LICKS HIS LIPS and drinks some more and it's, uh. Yep, that's VERY intimate and emblematic of just how happy he'd be to get a taste of Meng Shao Fei (in a NUMBER of ways) for real.
Zhao Zi comes over to Tang Yi's house to install the new security cameras and starts feeling up the chest of one of Tang Yi's minions. Jack CANNOT BELIEVE his luck.
"Are you one of those guys who looks skinny with their clothes on and muscular when naked?" ZHAO!! ZI!! (Side note: I wonder how much we're meant to take Zhao Zi's flirting with Jack as conscious and intentional? I feel like maybe not so much, though I prefer to lean towards interpreting it that way.)
Jack guides Zhao Zi's hand to his chest and Zhao Zi gets *right* in there.
And knowing the groping was Kenny's idea makes this scene even better. Zhao Zi talks about how he took up the dangerous job of being a cop because tuition was free at the police academy and his grandma didn't have much money, and it is just so sweet and heart-breaking and entirely him. You can see Jack MELTING as he speaks.
And then! Zhao Zi falls from the ladder and he and Jack plummet into the pool. Zhao Zi then gets a little distracted.
Zuo Hong Ye arrives and looks understandably annoyed to find Henchman Number Two cuddling a random boy in the swimming pool.
Concerned about the number of cops there are now cluttering up the place while flirting madly, she vents to Gu Dao Yi. Then she comes onto him but he lets her down gently (while looking extremely tempted) and escapes to make coffee.
Tang Yi goes to the hospital for a very suggestive-sounding massage from Dr Jiang, while Meng Shao Fei goes loopy with jealousy outside. Back at the house, there's a nice moment where Meng Shao Fei acknowledges that he's angry at himself for being jealous of other people getting to touch Tang Yi. Tang Yi responds by simply offering himself up to be touched.
This is a super sexy moment because... he's putting himself on a plate for you right there, Meng Shao Fei! But Meng Shao Fei can't quite let himself do it, not yet.
Later, Ah-De tries to warn Tang Yi about Meng Shao Fei's feelings for him (which is OBVIOUSLY not going to go well) and Tang Yi threatens to transfer him if he doesn't drop it. The next day, Zuo Hong Ye steals Meng Shao Fei from Tang Yi to be her shopping escort. There follows a pretty cute scene of her making him give his opinions on her purchases and running him ragged around the mall. If it wasn't for what follows, you could start to get such a clear picture of a future where they're bickering in-laws who actually really care about each other underneath. Obviously, that's the moment someone starts shooting at them.
At the hospital, Tang Yi cradles Zuo Hong Ye and looks utterly devastated when he learns Meng Shao Fei is badly injured. Captain Shi bulldozes up to him and starts shaking him by the lapels and Tang Yi just lets him do it. Then he goes to town with a knuckleduster on the shooter, one of Chen Wen Hao's minions, and it's honestly pretty scary.
But THEN we find out that Zuo Hong Ye and Ah-De have been conspiring to get rid of Meng Shao Fei (although Ah-De was just meant to have him beaten up, and the would-be assassin got there first.) Zuo Hong Ye makes it clear their conspiracy is at an end (we've seen previously that Jack is clearly suspicious of Ah-De, and Gu Dao Yi is obviously also clued into what's going on.) Then Zuo Hong Ye tearfully confesses her feelings to Gu Dao Yi, while he looks quietly devastated.
The episode ends with Tang Yi at Meng Shao Fei's bedside, holding his hand.
♥♥♥
Meng Shao Fei is acting VERY jealous of Andy (and to be fair, that's exactly what Tang Yi was going for all along.) I love the way the moment is punctured by Tang Yi calling him on it and Meng Shao Fei just admitting that, yes, he is jealous, before unconvincingly trying to take it back. And then Tang Yi diverts him from his obsessive ramblings by taking a drink of his coke (the Coke of Symbolism.) Meng Shao Fei points out that his saliva is in it and Tang Yi LICKS HIS LIPS and drinks some more and it's, uh. Yep, that's VERY intimate and emblematic of just how happy he'd be to get a taste of Meng Shao Fei (in a NUMBER of ways) for real.
Zhao Zi comes over to Tang Yi's house to install the new security cameras and starts feeling up the chest of one of Tang Yi's minions. Jack CANNOT BELIEVE his luck.
"Are you one of those guys who looks skinny with their clothes on and muscular when naked?" ZHAO!! ZI!! (Side note: I wonder how much we're meant to take Zhao Zi's flirting with Jack as conscious and intentional? I feel like maybe not so much, though I prefer to lean towards interpreting it that way.)
Jack guides Zhao Zi's hand to his chest and Zhao Zi gets *right* in there.
And knowing the groping was Kenny's idea makes this scene even better. Zhao Zi talks about how he took up the dangerous job of being a cop because tuition was free at the police academy and his grandma didn't have much money, and it is just so sweet and heart-breaking and entirely him. You can see Jack MELTING as he speaks.
And then! Zhao Zi falls from the ladder and he and Jack plummet into the pool. Zhao Zi then gets a little distracted.
Zuo Hong Ye arrives and looks understandably annoyed to find Henchman Number Two cuddling a random boy in the swimming pool.
Concerned about the number of cops there are now cluttering up the place while flirting madly, she vents to Gu Dao Yi. Then she comes onto him but he lets her down gently (while looking extremely tempted) and escapes to make coffee.
Tang Yi goes to the hospital for a very suggestive-sounding massage from Dr Jiang, while Meng Shao Fei goes loopy with jealousy outside. Back at the house, there's a nice moment where Meng Shao Fei acknowledges that he's angry at himself for being jealous of other people getting to touch Tang Yi. Tang Yi responds by simply offering himself up to be touched.
This is a super sexy moment because... he's putting himself on a plate for you right there, Meng Shao Fei! But Meng Shao Fei can't quite let himself do it, not yet.
Later, Ah-De tries to warn Tang Yi about Meng Shao Fei's feelings for him (which is OBVIOUSLY not going to go well) and Tang Yi threatens to transfer him if he doesn't drop it. The next day, Zuo Hong Ye steals Meng Shao Fei from Tang Yi to be her shopping escort. There follows a pretty cute scene of her making him give his opinions on her purchases and running him ragged around the mall. If it wasn't for what follows, you could start to get such a clear picture of a future where they're bickering in-laws who actually really care about each other underneath. Obviously, that's the moment someone starts shooting at them.
At the hospital, Tang Yi cradles Zuo Hong Ye and looks utterly devastated when he learns Meng Shao Fei is badly injured. Captain Shi bulldozes up to him and starts shaking him by the lapels and Tang Yi just lets him do it. Then he goes to town with a knuckleduster on the shooter, one of Chen Wen Hao's minions, and it's honestly pretty scary.
But THEN we find out that Zuo Hong Ye and Ah-De have been conspiring to get rid of Meng Shao Fei (although Ah-De was just meant to have him beaten up, and the would-be assassin got there first.) Zuo Hong Ye makes it clear their conspiracy is at an end (we've seen previously that Jack is clearly suspicious of Ah-De, and Gu Dao Yi is obviously also clued into what's going on.) Then Zuo Hong Ye tearfully confesses her feelings to Gu Dao Yi, while he looks quietly devastated.
The episode ends with Tang Yi at Meng Shao Fei's bedside, holding his hand.
♥♥♥
no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:21 (UTC)that's a perfect description, and i am SUPER charmed by his approach. it's so light-handed that, while giving msf time and space to process, it also works like an irresistible tease. if the shooting never happened, i wonder how much tang yi would keep it up. he'd probably keep a tally in his head for the number of times he'd made msf pop a boner by his sheer proximity - idk, licking a teaspoon or casually adjusting his collar or just blinking slowly in his direction. that would be the best/worst cohabitation experience of msf's LIFE. *evil cackle*
I. Love. The Shopping. Scene. The "seaweed" exchange is GOLD. And also I love the sheer top/bralet outfit? With those chunky heel booties? It's a good look, Hongye, you should've definitely gotten that one. I WANT TO SEE MENG SHAO FEI IN THE RED PIGGY UNDIES.
YES TO ALL OF THIS!!! and i agree, that sheer top outfit was a+++.
no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:21 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:24 (UTC)I dunno, I think that Jack might have intervened, but probably right down to the wire.
I was the under the impression, later in the series, that he's the one who contacted MSF when the whole Ah-De attempted rape thing happened. And he brought MSF specifically in to stop TY.
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:25 (UTC)2nding this yeah, he’s the most competent/unflappable character in the whole show
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:26 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:30 (UTC)I think Jack’s morality really depends on what tf you think is going on with the Interpol subplot? Which is a WHOLE THREAD in its own right tbh
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:32 (UTC)Yeah her reaction to them is so spot on there! I was laughing even as I felt bad for her for having to deal with this nonsense
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:44 (UTC)(The Jack character discussion post will up shortly after the rewatch ends, and we can all pile in.)
I really need to read the epilogue of the novel where they reveal a little more about his background, but I don't read Chinese very well, so it'll take forever...
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:44 (UTC)this entire scene is INCREDIBLE and kenny plays clueless-but-super-into-it comedy with such perfect innocence, i feel like andy's reactions - especially laughter - were probably quite genuine :)
I say this because Li Zhi De looks so worried, as Jack rightly points out. If it were really someone unknown from CWH's syndicate, wouldn't Ah-De be relieved that it wasn't his guy in there?
the gang politics plot makes my brain hurt :( but maybe ah-de was worried this was a case of minions outsourcing a hit to other minions, and somehow it might all still come back to him? idk. ouch!
Sphinx Ting is really good at that very placidly sad look.
ohh, he really is! what a good description.
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Date: 20 Jan 2020 21:48 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 22:20 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 22:22 (UTC)no subject
Date: 20 Jan 2020 23:49 (UTC)I'll save my Jack thoughts for the post then!
Do you know if the novel is based on the show or is the show based on the novel? It doesn't really matter I suppose but I am curious
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Date: 21 Jan 2020 00:02 (UTC)My read on this was that Li Zhi De had given out Hong Ye's schedule so some random flunky who wasn't as trustworthy as he'd thought and then the flunky had sold/given the info to Chen Wen Hao. So like, Ah-De can't be directly implicated (the hit genuinely was ordered by CWH) but it's his fault that the info was leaked.
Maybe that's overly convoluted? but it feels like the right amount of culpability for Ah-De to have at that point in the plot so *shrugs*
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Date: 21 Jan 2020 15:41 (UTC)no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2020 15:44 (UTC)no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2020 21:26 (UTC)no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2020 21:28 (UTC)no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2020 21:29 (UTC)Yeah, the gang politics...is definitely not the focus of this show. XDDDDD And it shows.
I like the theory that Ah-De was worried that the series of hitman sub-contracting would eventually come back, let's go with that. Actually plausible.
no subject
Date: 21 Jan 2020 21:32 (UTC)Oh, that's a good one too! I like it, it's definitely a good explanation for what might have been going on.
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Date: 22 Jan 2020 06:29 (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Jan 2020 22:35 (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Jan 2020 22:45 (UTC)I’m surprised TY doesn’t sack Ah-De for behaving like this in the office. For a henchman, manhandling the boss like that seems a step too far.
At MSF and TY's tense lunch, could there be an alternative translation for “friends that you do intense exercise with”? I wasn’t sure if this was a euphemism for friends you have sex with, i.e. friends with benefits.
Personal taste is personal but I really don’t see what Zuo Hong Ye sees in Gu Daoyi. He’s a bit of a wet drip with a weak chin, isn’t he? (Sorry GDY! Sorry everyone who likes him!)
Ah-De’s jacket is pretty fancy for henchman/bodyguard. I didn't see the blue bits on my first speedy watch.
Sorry again, but the boxers Hong Ye buys for MSF are hideous. For all the fancy suits, the underwear in this show (including in the final episode) is baaaad.
It's completely ridiculous that the entire police team decamp to the hospital. But this is how they live - over-dramatically, right?
Captain Shi Da-pao gets a little crazy when he starts attacking TY. It seemed disproportionate when I watched the first time. Now I’m wondering if it’s guilt (from things we will learn later) driving his overreaction.
TY tracing MSF's eyebrows in hospital is weird but I love his thumb gently rubbing over MSF’s hand. It’s the first touch that’s purely from a place of love and care (not also frustration or teasing or anger).
no subject
Date: 26 Jan 2020 11:37 (UTC)I read Jack as more TY's bodyguard, and Ah-De as more the right-hand man who gets the business done, but it's true that that line is a little blurred, since there are times when Jack just isn't there and Ah-De is left alone with The Boss. None of the mob stuff actually makes sense in this show. ( ╯°□°)╯ ┻━━┻
Captain Shi Da-pao gets a little crazy when he starts attacking TY. It seemed disproportionate when I watched the first time. Now I’m wondering if it’s guilt (from things we will learn later) driving his overreaction.
It's very clear that he is protective over MSF, and that they have that sort of father-son/mentor-son type of relationship, but I am also sure that guilt is a huge part of what simultaneously drives and eats at that relationship too. So I think you're right about that, absolutely.