Discussion post - episode 5

[yantantether]

The 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.







♥♥♥

Comments

[satsuma]

I sometimes wish Zuo Hong Ye was the main POV because she’s seemingly the only person who realizes how objectively ridiculous all the boys are being

And Jack looking super soft every time Zhao Zi talks about his grandmother is my fave thing tbh

[yantantether]

She's really doing her best to keep the business/gang together, and her brother and his henchman are too busy being dramatically in love and splashing about in swimming pools to pay attention 😂

[satsuma]

Someone get her like, five more competent assistants so she can stop having to manage her brothers/his second in command’s shit all the time on top of her own haha (hmmm except then Gu Dao Yi would be sad, or maybe the jealously would force him into getting his shit together sooner??)

[no_detective]

omg this episode is A LOT! (and a nice continuation of the msf/hospital OTP subplot, lol)

a few moments i enjoyed:

in the beginning scene, it is super obvious in several shots that ALL OF THEM are trying very hand not to crack up while they're sniffing around and fighting over tang yi, and it's ADORABLE:


in the subsequent scene in the restaurant, with msf angrily trying to eat his feelings and rambling about crimes of passion, i love his satisfied little smirk when tang yi drinks the Coke of Symbolism and msf just POURS HIM MORE <3


jack has his own moment of jealousy when he sees zz feeling up the random gangster - his face changes a few times in that scene, lol:


and i love that his wet shirt even RIDES UP in the pool! THE JACK-RELATED GIFTS JUST KEEP ON COMING :)


on a shallow note, hong ye's outfit AND her coffee cup in this scene are both on point:


doctor jiang is a genuine troll of my HEART:


100% agreed on the cuteness of the shopping montage! i mean msf's FAAAAAACE:


i, uhhhh. on a certain level, i rrrrrreally enjoyed tang yi going ballistic on the shooter? i mean yes, it's obviously not a good development for his character - he even smokes a lot right after, which is shorthand for shady/bad - buuuuuut it is kinda hot to see him lose control. (no worries, i won't share a gratuitous screencap of the knuckleduster... tho i might have to make an icon...)

btw, tang yi moves to (partly) undress THREE TIMES in this episode - for the massage with doctor jiang, in the driveway when he offers himself up to msf's touch, and at his house when he's storming in to question the shooter and whips off his jacket along the way - and each time his body is narratively presented to mean different things. during the massage, the scene is funny but his scars and recent injuries are visible and he looks kind of pliant and vulnerable - plus he's lending his body to his friend as a favor to practice the treatment. in the driveway, he's once again offering himself - in a dare-you way where he is still in control, but also very calmly and obviously putting his body at msf's disposal. but when he's about to confront the guy who shot at his sister and wounded his favorite disaster!cop... he's a weapon. for a show that spends a glorious amount of time objectifying the bodies of its stars (starting with tang yi taking a perfectly gratuitous shower in like the first episode, hashtag blessed), that is some IMPRESSIVE VISUAL FRAMING.

i'm also pretty impressed that jack reads the situation well enough to not worry that tang yi would kill the guy; jack just waits to take him to the doctor, because they are responsible gangsters mkay. OH - and that's also a great showcase for jack's ability to see right through li zhi de's nervousness. a+++ badassery.


and then, after all that, we see tang yi at the hospital looking wrecked as he holds msf's hand, feeling terrible to be responsible for putting him in harm's way <3

final note: every time i watch this ep, i LOL at zz's face when he walks in, sees tang yi in msf's room, and then just - slowly walks right out:

[clevermanka]

Jack's gonna KILL that dude if he tries anything, seriously.

i rrrrrreally enjoyed tang yi going ballistic on the shooter?
SAME. That shoulder roll? Hgnnnngng.
no worries, i won't share a gratuitous screencap of the knuckleduster
What would it take for you to consider it non-gratuitous?

I like your observation of the framing of Tang Yi's various states of undress. Very interesting and very cool.

Love love love how flat-out mean Jack looks in that screencap. And how beautifully it juxtaposes with the one of Zhao Zi right below it. (I also paused to literally LOL on that moment because yes, Zhao Zi's discovery face is PRICELESS)

[no_detective]

heh, consider my arm gently twisted... but yeah, that whole scene is A LOT. and the violence is so PERSONAL.

[satsuma]

(no worries, i won't share a gratuitous screencap of the knuckleduster... tho i might have to make an icon...)

But what if we want you to share gratuitous knuckleduster screencaps? :D

Also that Jack screencap from the same scene is excellent—I honestly don’t think Jack would have cared if Tang Yi killed the guy? Other than in an ‘ugh now I’ve gotta hide the body’ way haha. But I agree with you that he had a good enough read on the situation/Tang Yi’s limits in general to know that wasn’t gonna happen

[no_detective]

due to popular demand, then...

and yeah, jack totally knows how to deal with any problem that comes along - i find that to be a big part of his appeal. he also knows enough about tang yi to make a good estimate of what to expect, even in such a volatile situation.

[doctorskuld]

I honestly don’t think Jack would have cared if Tang Yi killed the guy?
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.

[yantantether]

the msf/hospital OTP subplot
Oh NO so accurate :D

That's such a funny screen shot of them cracking up in the sniffing scene - Stanley Mei in particular because Ah-De should NOT have been laughing there, but it must have been so funny to film it isn't surprising.

[no_detective]

it's such an adorable cast! <3

[doctorskuld]

I imagine they were on a tight filming schedule, and this was the take with the least corpsing, so the director just threw up her hands and declared it good enough?

[clevermanka]

This might be my favorite overall episode of the series. Both Andy and Hongye have a chance to shine in it, and it's got some great character development/interaction.

Meng Shao Fei's ANGRY EATING omg what a child I love him. I feel like Tang Yi knows he's got him at this point, but instead of reeling him in just yet, he's letting him bob around in the water still because he's too damn cute when he flails.

Jack CANNOT BELIEVE his luck.
Look at his happy face!

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.
I don't know about intentional, but I'd say definitely subconscious flirting!

I rewound Hongye's irritation scene three times watching it this go-around. I love it so much when she pokes and scratches at Tang Yi's face in the photo. I would love to know if that was direction or actor choice. It's just great.

Tang Yi responds by simply offering himself up to be touched.
I love the gif, here. Tang Yi is 100% DTF, like, right then and there. If Meng Shao Fei had groped him like Zhao Zi did Jack beside the pool, I don't think they'd have even made it back inside the house.

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.

I have many thoughts about Hongye's involvement in Ah-De's shenanigans but I'll save those for her character post.

[satsuma]

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.

God SAME. This is why you don’t take gay boys shopping with you, Hongye, they just can’t appreciate properly

Also ditto on saving things for the character post, I have a lot of things to say on hers and Jack’s both haha

[clevermanka]

This is why you don’t take gay boys shopping with you, Hongye
Well, not that one, anyway. Andy would be GREAT.

[doctorskuld]

I feel like Tang Yi knows he's got him at this point, but instead of reeling him in just yet, he's letting him bob around in the water still because he's too damn cute when he flails.
TY's really taking this one slow, like he wants this last, not just a quick fuck (though I'm sure one wouldn't hurt.)

I rewound Hongye's irritation scene three times watching it this go-around.
The way she stomps off when she finds Jack and ZZ in the swimming pool is hilarious.

[yantantether]

If Meng Shao Fei had groped him like Zhao Zi did Jack beside the pool, I don't think they'd have even made it back inside the house.
I can't stop thinking about this since yesterday because YUP. Up against the nearest flat surface and nvm any passing minions getting an eyeful.

[clevermanka]

Someone (*touches nose* not me) could always write an UST masturbation fic where Tang Yi goes to bed and imagines what could have happened in a shadowed corner of the gate wall. Just...sayin'.

[doctorskuld]

I want this AU.

[no_detective]

I feel like Tang Yi knows he's got him at this point, but instead of reeling him in just yet, he's letting him bob around in the water still because he's too damn cute when he flails.

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+++.

[doctorskuld]

I arise from the ashes of the Mystery Hunt! Apologies for the lateness of the email, it was a long Hunt this year.

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.
I would absolutely love to see how MSF and Andy interact with each other some time post-canon. Whether it's an uneasy truce between them, given Andy and Tang Yi's history with each other, or whether it's still out and out barbs and TY's long-suffering sigh.

The angry eating scene is the cutest, mainly with how utterly amused TY is by MSF clearly falling for him, but not quite being ready to admit it to himself yet. And then he pours the Coke into his teacup, drinks it, and instead of interpreting that gesture as "I like you too" MSF's response is "I have successfully converted you to the church of Coke and Spicy Food." *facepalm*

And then the Jack and Zhao Zi scene! Hey, he called in a favor with MSF and ZZ shows up and feels up some other dude? THIS MUST BE FIXED.

(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.)
I interpret it as totally unconscious flirting. I don't think at this point that ZZ realizes what he's doing, but he does definitely seem to have an impulse and an affinity for muscle. ...and Jack. It's clear that he likes Jack (as a friend, he tells himself), which is why he feels like...totally comfortable just digging his fingers into those pecs. He gives them a good SOLID squeeze or three.

And knowing the groping was Kenny's idea makes this scene even better.
*howls* It wasn't in the script! Kenny added it in, and Andy Bian just let Kenny touch him and grope him all over. Because Kenny's too cute. ...OH MY GOD. *dead*

You can see Jack MELTING as he speaks.
There's this little moment where you see Jack totally get it and empathize, but then he covers it up with a smile. AWWWW, JACK. <333333 This is totally moment #2 where Jack realizes he really genuinely likes ZZ.

And then the falling in the pool is so contrived and ridiculous, I love every second of it because THEY ARE HERE TO DELIVER ON THE TROPES.
This is the first time watching it that naye and I looked at each other and went, "Oh wow, Jack is ripped."

Tang Yi goes to the hospital for a very suggestive-sounding massage from Dr Jiang, while Meng Shao Fei goes loopy with jealousy outside.
The innuendo in this scene is absolutely amazing, and had me in stitches on the floor the first time. Oh, Ah-Fei, you have it so bad.

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.
I can totally see this, and it warms my heart so much. She totally needles him and he needles right back, and that's just how they are. Hongye is unexpectedly one of my favorite characters to write.

Then he goes to town with a knuckleduster on the shooter, one of Chen Wen Hao's minions, and it's honestly pretty scary.
I honestly can't tell if the shooter is actually somebody that CWH sent to assassinate Hong Ye or if he's actually a low-level Xin Tian Meng minion who is from the pro-CWH faction that Ah-De thinks he has control of but actually doesn't. (I guess there's functionally no difference.)

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?

Then Zuo Hong Ye tearfully confesses her feelings to Gu Dao Yi, while he looks quietly devastated.
I actually really like their relationship for some reason, despite the MASSIVE age difference between them, and I think it's that Sphinx Ting is really good at that very placidly sad look.

The episode ends with Tang Yi at Meng Shao Fei's bedside, holding his hand.
MSF x Hospital x TY OT3!!

[no_detective]

I interpret it as totally unconscious flirting. I don't think at this point that ZZ realizes what he's doing, but he does definitely seem to have an impulse and an affinity for muscle. ...and Jack.

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.

[satsuma]

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?

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*

[her_cool_aunt]

I'm so late to the party on this episode. Let me just say that I love all the discussions that have come up and many comments had me either nodding along vigorously or chuckling to myself. A few other things jumped out at me whilst watching, though.

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).

[doctorskuld]

Ah-De’s jacket is pretty fancy for henchman/bodyguard. I didn't see the blue bits on my first speedy watch.
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.