Discussion post - episode 7

[yantantether]

The start of the episode gives us another gorgeous look at Tang Yi kneeling to kiss Meng Shao Fei's bullet wound, before Meng Shao Fei has a slight overload of feelings and horniness and goes to hide in the bathroom. But he's smiling once he gets in there so we know things are going to be OK.



When he comes out he and Tang Yi share the meal that Tang Yi has just cooked and I get mildly distracted by the way that Tang Yi keeps his apron on while they're eating, what a beautiful nerd. Then conflict arises between them as Tang Yi doesn't want him to get involved in the way he plans to deal with the attempted murder of Zuo Hong Ye and Meng Shao Fei, understandably, says that as a cop (and the actual shooting victim!) he can't not get involved.

There's a flashback to Tang Yi's lonely childhood with his horrible, abusive adoptive father. This part is so hard to watch, poor baby. Tang Guo Dong finds Tang Yi and Zuo Hong Ye being bullied by bigger kids in the street and takes them home to care for them. We see him and Tang Yi sharing food and Tang Yi gradually warming up to this new father figure.

Back in the present, Tang Yi shares his desire for revenge on Chen Wen Hao with Meng Shao Fei who, heartbreakingly, has to tell him that as a cop he'll always follow the rule of law and can't condone Tang Yi seeking vengeance.

The mood is lightened in the next scene by tiny failboat Zhao Zi googling "what to do when a man confesses to another man" on his work computer and being exasperated by the lack of good advice in the results. He then decides to ask Meng Shao Fei for his ~gay expertise in the middle of their shared office and Meng Shao Fei is just like "...omg." Although, bless him, he does try to respond by telling Zhao Zi that he was the one who kissed Tang Yi first.

Tang Yi have a conversation about business and some guy she might go on a date with and I get distracted by Tang Yi's pierced ears, which I've only just noticed and am very into. Tang Yi then tells Gu Dao Yi essentially to get over himself and grasp the nettle (the nettle in this case being his sister.)

Tang Yi is brooding in his room when Meng Shao Fei comes in with a birthday cake.



Meng Shao Fei has absolutely won boyfriend of the decade here because even though he and Tang Yi just had something of a disagreement, they've been together for about three seconds and Meng Shao Fei has a bullet wound, he still found the time to make and decorate a cake with their faces on it (and also happy birthday in English, for some reason.)

He asks to take Tang Yi's birthday wish and wishes to always be beside him on his birthday, and my heart grew three sizes.



Icing-covered make-outs ensue and we see Ah-De watching them from the garden. Which, creeper, but ALSO they are right up against the window with the light on. :D

Zuo Hong Ye is on a business date / date which has been set up by Tang Yi and the guy - Zhao Ren Guang - basically proposes marriage to her, while Gu Dao Yi has an aneurysm at the next table.

Next, Ah-De is driving Tang Yi somewhere and Tang Yi unknowingly drinks the water he's roofied. He tries to sexually assault Tang Yi and thank god he does it right by the side of the road and not somewhere more isolated - Tang Yi manages to fight him off, struggle out of the car and call Jack. Simultaneously, Meng Shao Fei is being attacked by some dudes in an alley.

A little later, Meng Shao Fei walks in on Tang Yi confronting Ah-De about his actions - Ah-De is defiant and unrepentant. Tang Yi threatens to kill him (or maybe just to beat him up really badly as the knuckleduster makes another appearance), but Meng Shao Fei bundles him out the room. This is a serious moment, but I'm also just noting that Meng Shao Fei can really manhandle him pretty effectively...

Tang Yi then asks Zuo Hong Ye to leave the country for her own safety and she reluctantly agrees, saying she'll go to Helsinki with Zhao Ren Guang. Thankfully this prompts Gu Dao Yi to finally confess his feelings to her in the parking garage.

The episode ends with Zhao Zi discovering that there must have been a secret connection between Li Li Zhen and Chen Wen Hao, as she and Tang Guo Dong jointly went to visit him in jail.

Comments

[doctorskuld]

The fact that we get another shot of Tang Yi kneeling to kiss MSF's wound is awesome, and makes up for the fact that they dangled the viewers there for a week when they aired it.

Oof, the flashback scene with TY and his adoptive father is hard to watch. Poor little bb TY, and the fact that he's forced out on his birthday night? Poor little thing. 😭

One of the cute behind the scenes facts is that the girl who plays tiny!Hong Ye is actually the sister of the boy who plays tiny!Tang Yi. I think it's just adorable that they cast them like that. The flashback to how TY and HY are discovered by Tang-ye really hits home the age difference between HY and Gu Dao Yi.

The mood is lightened in the next scene by tiny failboat Zhao Zi googling "what to do when a man confesses to another man" on his work computer
On his work computer, in an open plan office. I...ZZ, you should know better. naye just walked into the living roo where I am watching this scene, and we both just cracked up again. ZZ is such a special child.

The best worst best part is MSf's response is "I don't know", instead of something more sensible, like "Wait, why are you asking?" or "Wait, the guy who kidnapped you is now coming onto you? This seems incredibly sketchy, you should watch out." At least ZZ realizes MSF is the most useless best friend ever and lets it drop.

Meng Shao Fei has absolutely won boyfriend of the decade
BLARRRRRGH this scene is the absolute cutest. He hand-baked that cake! He went and threw TY a little boyfriend don't-worry-you-have-me-now birthday. MSF is the cutest, and TY has the saddest puppy dog eyes. They went straight from tentatively starting up this being together thing into being a monogamous couple.

As we cut to Ah-De staring at them from below, I do have to wonder how ill-advised it is for a mob boss to live in a house that is floor-to-ceiling glass walls. I know he has a security detail around the perimeter, but that's not going to stop a skilled sniper...

He tries to sexually assault Tang Yi and thank god he does it right by the side of the road and not somewhere more isolated
He even leaves the door open, and the car's not properly parked by the side of the road. TY is lucky that he has Jack on speed dial.

A little later, Meng Shao Fei walks in on Tang Yi confronting Ah-De about his actions - Ah-De is defiant and unrepentant.
The first few times I watched this scene, when MSF bursts through the door and you see Jack right there, I interpreted that as Jack having brought MSF up to the interrogation room, but now that I'm watching it again, it seems very much as MSF has forced his way through, and Jack was trying to stop him (albeit not terribly hard).

How much of what Ah-De says here, about not being the one who leaked TY's schedule to He Hang do we think is true? Not consciously, maybe, but if He Hang got it anyway from a source that could be traced to Ah-De not being as careful as he should?

I really like how tense this scene, particularly with TY's overpowering emotions and MSF's willingness to actually stand in his way. Their relationship is so new, but MSF is willing to physically drag him away and shove him into walls and be a barrier. Ah, I had forgotten how much I do love these two too.

Thankfully this prompts Gu Dao Yi to finally confess his feelings to her in the parking garage.
This is actually a very beautiful scene, and then you remember that it takes place in an underground parking lot and all the romance just goes out of it. XDDDD

Thank you for leading the episode recap posts, you are amazing, Yan!! <33333333333 I am having such a blast!

[her_cool_aunt]

the girl who plays tiny!Hong Ye is actually the sister of the boy who plays tiny!Tang Yi. I think it's just adorable that they cast them like that
That's so lovely! I'm very pro Hong-Ye in this episode. As well as being a super scrappy badass kid from the flashbacks, she's the only rational grown-up thinking straight now. Stuff that annoyed me the first watch (e.g. her wailing at Gu Daoyi to let her go) I have no problem with this time. I also love that's she's so mean/petty - and rightly so - to GD with the tea and the date and calling him "uncle" because he's just annoyingly wimpy.

He even leaves the door open, and the car's not properly parked by the side of the road
I took it that Li Zhide wasn't sure for how long the roofies would knock TY out and therefore speed was of the essence. As per my comment on episode 5 (I think), his actions are desperate to the point of going a bit crazy in his obsession. I don't believe he's thinking rationally about security protocols for when he rapes his boss. He's got some issues for sure.

The first few times I watched this scene, when MSF bursts through the door and you see Jack right there, I interpreted that as Jack having brought MSF up to the interrogation room, but now that I'm watching it again, it seems very much as MSF has forced his way through, and Jack was trying to stop him (albeit not terribly hard).
This was my interpretation too. You sort of see Jack's hands as MSF bursts past him into the room and it looks to me like Jack is putting up some (VERY token) resistance to letting MSF through.

Thank you for leading the episode recap posts, you are amazing, Yan!!
Seconded!! I am enjoying this so much. Thank you.

[doctorskuld]

I also love that's she's so mean/petty - and rightly so
I really, really love Hong Ye's mean and petty streak, and I can't blame her either, it must be so incredibly frustrating all the time to have Gu Dao Yi looking at you with a sad, loving eyes, and then when you try to be like, "Dude, I love you too" he goes on about he's not worthy or whatever. Must be so infuriating. Can't blame her at all. I'm glad they finally get together.

I took it that Li Zhide wasn't sure for how long the roofies would knock TY out and therefore speed was of the essence.
Yeah, I think you're right about this. I think that Tang Yi recovers decently quickly as well—if you're well enough to actually stagger away after a few moments...

Agree that Li Zhi De is very unhinged at this point. If you're at the point where you're trying rape the head of your crime syndicate, you are definitely not thinking clearly about possible consequences. I'm not sure if I read him as self-loathing about his homosexual desires, or whether he just has an aversion to MSF and what MSF represents, but either way, he has issues out the wazoo.

You sort of see Jack's hands as MSF bursts past him into the room and it looks to me like Jack is putting up some (VERY token) resistance to letting MSF through.
Yeah, I am changing my interpretation of this scene to MSF found out somehow and Jack put some very token resistance.

[her_cool_aunt]

Yeah, I am changing my interpretation of this scene to MSF found out somehow and Jack put some very token resistance.
I made up in my head that MSF goes over to TY's place to check everything's OK either straight after escaping his attackers in the market or once he's very quickly ruled out a police connection to the attack (meaning it has to do with TY and gang business). Jack then says somthing to fill him in on the TY/Ah-De situtation as MSF is barrelling past him and Jack is putting up that token resistance.

[yantantether]

I had no idea the tiny TY and HY actors were siblings, that's so cute!

How much of what Ah-De says here, about not being the one who leaked TY's schedule to He Hang do we think is true?
Trying to work out all the gang stuff and who's betraying who just makes my brain feel like it's about to go kaput :D

And this comm was such a great idea of yours - everyone here is the BEST ❤️

[satsuma]

One of the cute behind the scenes facts is that the girl who plays tiny!Hong Ye is actually the sister of the boy who plays tiny!Tang Yi. I think it's just adorable that they cast them like that.

Ah that's so cute! The Tiny!Hong Ye and Tang Yi flashback is just generally adorable tbh, but it's especially cute to know that they're siblings

The best worst best part is MSf's response is "I don't know", instead of something more sensible, like "Wait, why are you asking?" or "Wait, the guy who kidnapped you is now coming onto you? This seems incredibly sketchy, you should watch out." At least ZZ realizes MSF is the most useless best friend ever and lets it drop.

Yeah this whole bit is genuinely one of my fave scenes bc it's so rediculous. But MSF facilitated their third meeting (when ZZ goes to the gang estate to install security cameras) so I think he's past the point of being able to object?

How much of what Ah-De says here, about not being the one who leaked TY's schedule to He Hang do we think is true? Not consciously, maybe, but if He Hang got it anyway from a source that could be traced to Ah-De not being as careful as he should?

Ah-De has no honor left at this point, but he also seems to have very little sense so anywhere on the spectrum from "intentionally leaked it" to "is just a fucking idiot with his security protocols" seems reasonable tbh

This is actually a very beautiful scene, and then you remember that it takes place in an underground parking lot and all the romance just goes out of it. XDDDD

Yeah idk....the parking lot is a symbolic representation of the way GDY has held their relationship in limbo??? Nope, can't make it work (major props to both actors though, they both look gorgeously emotionally wrecked by the end of it)