Welcome to the Open Thread, everybody! I like this shot of Guang Xi and Xiao Le – a lot! 😍 – which is why it’s headlining our submit at present.
SOME IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS, earlier than we start:
ZERO SPOILER POLICY
1. We will probably be adopting a ZERO SPOILER POLICY for this Open Thread, apart from occasions which have occurred within the present, up thus far.
The spoiler tags don’t work in electronic mail notifications, due to this fact, please take notice that WE WILL NOT BE USING SPOILER TAGS FOR THIS OPEN THREAD.
ANY AND ALL SPOILERS WILL BE REDACTED to guard first-time viewers in our midst (though, I’d admire it when you would save me the difficulty of getting to redact spoilers, heh 😅).
This contains, however will not be restricted to, how characters &/or relationships develop, later within the present.
We have to shield the harmless! 😉
SPOILER ZONE
2. HOWEVER!! If you happen to’d like to debate spoilers from a rewatcher’s standpoint, I’ve created a SPOILER ZONE for you, the place you’ll be able to talk about all of the spoilers you’d like, with out the necessity for spoiler warnings. You will discover it right here!
With out additional ado, listed below are my reactions to this set of episodes; have enjoyable within the Open Thread, everybody! ❤️
My ideas
Episode 19
We begin the episode on a handhold, and finish the episode, additionally on a handhold, and but, it appears like Guang Xi isn’t that a lot nearer to determining the reality, regardless of the varied fragments of data and recollections that he good points.
I’m not mad about it, to be clear; I nonetheless discover the watch participating. I’m simply questioning when Present will permit the reveal, as a result of we nonetheless have fairly a number of issues to kind out after the reveal.
I really feel like Present’s writers principally mapped out every thing that Guang Xi and Mu Cheng skilled collectively, 6 years in the past, after which used it as a guidelines, when it comes to creating conditions that echo these experiences in our present timeline.
Not solely do these serve to jog Guang Xi’s recollections (by the little bit that they’re allowed to be jogged), additionally they serve to jog Mu Cheng’s feelings.
I had a little bit of a giggle at how they needed to conceal in Shende Corridor after which get locked in there, in an effort to mirror the final time they’d been locked in there collectively. So THIS was the important thing cause that the symposium needed to be held at Shende College within the first place.
I’ve to present it to Present’s writers; they do plan forward.
So whereas I would giggle on the moments after I understand issues, like, “Aha! THIS is why Xiao Le’s been written to deal with Mu Cheng by title, all this time, as an alternative of Mother!,” I truly admire the truth that our writers aren’t simply making up stuff as they go alongside.
And, on this scene, Guang Xi’s reminiscence flashes are getting extra particular; he’s in a position to bear in mind fairly key issues, like how there had been a piano within the room earlier than, and the way there’s a spare key hidden within the clock.
All this makes me assume that we’re getting nearer to Guang Xi regaining his recollections, which, YAY. I actually do hope that he will get his recollections again in full, and never simply in fragments.
The best way Guang Xi talks about not with the ability to bear in mind individuals who is perhaps necessary to him, feels so poignant, notably since he shares that he’s been hiding these wistful emotions from the folks round him, in order to not burden them.
He does need to bear in mind, and he does care about remembering, and for that cause, I actually hope he does.
After all, it does really feel actually bizarre on a sensible notice, that they’re on such a time crunch to save lots of Hua Tien Village, and so they’re spending this prolonged interlude in Shende Corridor, having this introspective dialog, however I’ll simply depend that as par for the course, for a retro melo like this.
Plus, I do like the concept Guang Xi feels snug sufficient with Mu Cheng to share these ideas along with her, which he’s been maintaining to himself for the previous 6 years.
And, from the way in which Mu Cheng tells him the story of how the rollerblading marks on the ground had come about, I do really feel like she’s softening up a bit, and stress-free the guard that she’s put up, in an effort to preserve the reality from Guang Xi.
That’s.. some type of progress, sure?
The entire means Hua Tien Village is saved, with Director He agreeing to return the land to the villagers, and compensate them in a fashion that’s not solely honest however leans beneficiant, is fairly unbelievable to me, actually.
If he’s so sad about it, then why would he comply with Guang Xi’s request, since it might actually trigger him to lose cash within the thousands and thousands? That doesn’t appear natural to his character, I really feel.
Nonetheless, as a result of I’m simply glad for this arc to be concluded (in order that we will transfer on to different arcs), I shan’t quibble an excessive amount of.
It’s additionally good to see everybody really feel so grateful to Guang Xi, and need to rejoice him a lot.
On the identical time, with Xiao Le wanting so withdrawn and somber in the course of the celebration dinner, I can’t assist however be reminded that Guang Xi’s time in Hua Tien Village is now lastly up, and his departure – which might be so gutting for Xiao Le – is imminent.
Dang. That does add a really sharp layer of pathos to what’s in any other case a rowdy and glad event.
I do just like the element that Guang Xi seeks out Xiao Le and Mu Cheng within the midst of the celebrations, as a result of he notices Xiao Le’s unhappy temper, and he additionally notices that Mu Cheng hasn’t raised her glass but, to present him a toast.
I admire this indication that Xiao Le and Mu Cheng are further necessary to him, as a result of, YES PLEASE.
It appears like the right selection, when Mu Cheng says her toast to Guang Xi, and makes it about him being the Ren Guang Xi whom he’s at all times been. I completely imagine that that’s what she needs, for him, no matter troublesome particulars like his lacking reminiscence.
Guang Xi quickly good points some necessary intel from Auntie Hua, who occurs to say two key items of data to him, as they chat after dinner.
One, that Mu Cheng had used to promote bento packing containers at Shende College, and two, that Mu Cheng had already been pregnant, when she’d come to Hua Tien Village.
It’s too quickly for him to place any items collectively, nevertheless it feels necessary that he is aware of this.
After all, Xiao Le’s tantrum about eager to go dwelling, is simply in order that Guang Xi and Mu Cheng can have some alone time operating within the rain.
However y’know what, I’m so looking forward to Guang Xi to determine the reality, that I can’t complain about something that maybe-possibly-hopefully nudges us in that route. 😅
Episode 20
Okay, this feels Important with a Capital S, as a result of Guang Xi’s lastly satisfied sufficient of his reminiscence fragments, that he’s asking outright, if he and Mu Cheng had identified one another earlier than.
Though Mu Cheng insists that she couldn’t have identified him from earlier than, I admire that Guang Xi doesn’t hand over straight away.
He even cites the truth that she is aware of concerning the rollerblade mark in Shende Corridor, and that she hadn’t felt like a stranger to him, the primary time they’d met at Hua Tien Village.
And, he even talks about how she’d been in a position to see by his plans, after which satisfied him to assist get the land again, concluding that she is aware of him higher than anybody else.
PLUS, he’s saying that she appears a lot just like the individual he retains seeing in his reminiscence flashes.
Ahhh! That is the closest we’ve come to Guang Xi truly uncovering the reality, and it appears like he’s so shut, as a result of every thing he says is true!
Sadly, Mu Cheng is adamant in sustaining her place, that she has no thought what he’s speaking about, and isn’t the individual he’s considering of – even when Guang Xi offers her pet eyes and earnestly beseeches her to be trustworthy with him.
Gosh, Mu Cheng’s obtained extra will energy than most individuals, that’s for positive!
Guang Xi seems to imagine her wholeheartedly, which I’m considerably bummed about, however which I can’t blame him for, since he actually doesn’t have a lot to go on besides circumstantial proof, and his blurry reminiscence flashes.
In the meantime, Yi Qian arrives at Mu Cheng’s home, dun dun DUN!
How very awkward, particularly since we discover out later, that Yi Qian truly has full information of precisely who Mu Cheng is, and the way she matches into Guang Xi’s misplaced recollections.
Effectively that’s obtained to be extraordinarily awkward for Yi Qian, who’s enjoying together with the narrative that she’s assembly Mu Cheng for the primary time, and solely is aware of her as Guang Xi’s landlady.
On hindsight, the way in which Yi Qian talks to Mu Cheng about Mu Cheng being particular to Guang Xi, and managing to vary him in such a short while, completely appears like Yi Qian’s testing Mu Cheng, to see how Mu Cheng feels about Guang Xi now, 6 years later.
I imply, because the dialog goes on, Yi Qian even talks about how she’d thought that Mu Cheng can be somebody who cherishes the previous, to which Mu Cheng solutions that actuality had pressured her to some folks and issues behind as she’d moved ahead.
This completely feels like they’re speaking in code, doesn’t it? Besides that Mu Cheng doesn’t understand that Yi Qian in all probability understands extra about Mu Cheng’s hidden that means than she’s letting on.
I do love the scene that we get of Guang Xi sharing a shower with Xiao Le.
When Guang Xi had jumped as much as volunteer to present Xiao Le a shower, a shared bubble bathtub was completely NOT what I’d been anticipating, heh. I suppose Guang Xi’s a little bit of an overachiever? 😁
Their little dialog within the tub is cute and candy, and I discover it very heartwarming, that when Xiao Le tells Guang Xi his want, that Guang Xi would sleep with him that evening, Guang Xi agrees so readily.
Aw. He actually does love that little child, doesn’t he?
When Yi Qian readily agrees to remain the evening, and Guang Xi sits with Mu Cheng, asking, “Yi Qian’s a great girl, isn’t she?,” I used to be bracing myself for a noble-idiocy tinged dialog, the place Mu Cheng must endure listening to Guang Xi speak about how good Yi Qian is.
However no. The minute Mu Cheng agrees that Yi Qian’s a great girl, and that it’s Guang Xi’s fortune to have met her, Guang Xi follows that up by saying that it’s additionally been his fortune to have met Mu Cheng and Xiao Le.
That, regardless that she says they didn’t know one another from earlier than, they’ve actually introduced him a lot delight, since he’s met them. After which he thanks her.
Awww. That could be very candy and honest (although it does make Yi Qian, who’s overheard every thing, look moderately uneasy).
Each grownup in the home spends the evening in deep thought, with very completely different emotions, among the many three of them.
Guang Xi’s wistful about leaving, and specifically, he appears wistful about leaving Xiao Le, whereas Mu Cheng’s deep in considered all that’s occurred these days, with needs for his happiness, as she reminds herself that Yi Qian is his future.
And Yi Qian herself thinks over every thing about Mu Cheng that she’s discovered, whereas additionally taking us on a flashback to how President Mother had persuaded her to maintain the reality from Guang Xi, in an effort to construct him a brand new future.
Huh. I’m not stunned by this, however belief President Mother to have made requests of each Mu Cheng and Yi Qian, in order that she’d have the ability to form him into the son whom she desires him to be.
The dialog the following morning between Yi Qian and Mu Cheng is every kind of awkward, and it actually appears fairly futile, as a result of what does Yi Qian count on Mu Cheng to do, anyway?
Even when every thing Yi Qian believes about Mu Cheng is true, it’s not like she truly desires Mu Cheng to ‘fess as much as the reality, and take Guang Xi again?
That mentioned, I can perceive the emotional facet of it, the place Yi Qian’s merely burning with a darkish curiosity, to know whether or not Mu Cheng feels in any respect sorry, for abandoning Guang Xi at his most weak level.
She doesn’t count on Mu Cheng to do something about it; she simply desires to know.
However she doesn’t truly be taught something in the long run, actually, since Mu Cheng takes the noble fool type of route, by leaning into the Unhealthy Lady characterization, and accepting all of the blame.
Which I type of perceive, in that Mu Cheng thinks that Guang Xi’s obtained this vibrant future forward of him, and that she would simply find yourself being a burden in his life.
I’m additionally guessing that it’s as a result of Guang Xi doesn’t bear in mind her anyway, and so he wouldn’t really feel the loss, and so, why torture him with a reveal, if it’s going to really feel like another person’s life anyway?
Or perhaps that’s simply me projecting onto Mu Cheng, and he or she’s merely making an attempt to maintain the promise which she’d made to President Mother, 6 years in the past.
I don’t understand how I really feel about Tuo Ye displaying up and pretending to be Mu Cheng’s boyfriend, and talking up for her, as a result of it kinda appears like he’s complicating the state of affairs additional, as if it’s not already difficult sufficient.
What I’m most to know, is whether or not Guang Xi’s overheard any of this, when he walks as much as be part of the dialog.
(As a result of, if he has, ahhhh!!)
Episode 21
Effectively. Because it seems, it appears like Guang Xi hadn’t overheard something in spite of everything, and everybody simply retains preparing for Guang Xi to depart.
Which is a decidedly odd time limit for Tuo Ye to determine to admit his emotions for Mu Cheng, however I’ll take the purpose that the way in which he’d stood up for Mu Cheng and pretended to be her boyfriend, in all probability triggered him to need to make it official.
To Tuo Ye’s credit score, his love confession is nice, earnest and heartfelt, and I do need him to be proud of the lady he loves.
Nonetheless, it’s clear to see that he isn’t the one whom Mu Cheng loves.
I’m guessing that the rationale Mu Cheng decides to simply accept his love confession, is extra for Xiao Le’s sake than anything.
Almost definitely, she’s realizing, from watching Xiao Le glom onto Guang Xi, that Xiao Le wants a dad, and since she’s concluded that she must let Guang Xi go, Tuo Ye works out to be a stable selection, not just for his devotion to her, but additionally, for his love for Xiao Le.
I’m positive that given the prospect, Tuo Ye can be a loving dad to Xiao Le.
However, as glad as he’s about the truth that Mu Cheng has accepted his love confession and agreed to let him be “the one,” I do assume that it’s unhappy for Tuo Ye, that he can be committing himself to somebody who doesn’t truly love him.
And naturally, poor Chi Xin’s witnessed this complete factor, together with Guang Xi, who, for some unexplained cause, has determined to deliver that reward of bedding INTO the home, as an alternative of loading it into the automobile. 😅
I’ve tried to discover a technique to rationalize this, however I’ve come up empty. Do you guys have any concepts?
After all, essentially the most heartrending a part of this episode, is when Guang Xi leaves, and Xiao Le begins operating after the automobile, whereas wailing inconsolably.
Augh. The sight of his little bawling face simply makes my coronary heart ache, critically. 💔 After which, Guang Xi’s face crumpling in tears, as he drives away, additionally makes my coronary heart ache.
AUGH. I would like this father-son pair to be reunited, as quickly as doable please!
And.. would possibly we be getting in that route quickly? As a result of Yi Qian realizes that one thing doesn’t fairly add up proper, when she hears from Guang Xi that Mu Cheng had already been pregnant when Tuo Ye had taken her to Hua Tien Village.
So far as Yi Qian is aware of, Mu Cheng had left Guang Xi on the aspect of the street, and left with Tuo Ye, sure?
After all.. she’s additionally accused Mu Cheng of courting 3 males directly, to which Mu Cheng’s made a false confession, so.. hm, perhaps Yi Qian’s not placing as many items collectively as I’d thought?
within the meantime, I really feel dangerous for Tuo Ye, that he will get such an upset response from his mom, when he breaks the information that Mu Cheng has agreed up to now him.
On that notice, I simply wished to say that Present’s achieved a good job of constructing us see that Auntie Hua isn’t a foul individual, regardless that her prejudice in opposition to Mu Cheng as a possible daughter-in-law is so sturdy.
Additionally, she’s been made out to be extra of a comic-relief character than a severe one, all this time, so for that cause, I discover myself treating her indignant rant with much less of a severe lens.
Poor Tuo Ye. It looks as if nobody is definitely glad for him, when that is one thing that he personally considers actually particular.
And in addition, poor Chi Xin, whose coronary heart can’t assist however be damaged, and who’s nonetheless making an attempt to maintain up a robust entrance, for Tuo Ye’s sake.
I’m not stunned that Chi Xin would determine to depart. It’s a technique to begin over for her, and in addition, I’m positive she’s considering alongside the strains that Auntie Hua wouldn’t preserve bugging Tuo Ye to marry her, if she’s not even there.
And as unlikely because it appears, {that a} taxi driver would comply with drive a 5-year-old boy from the countryside all the way in which to Taipei, Present does at the least permit the taxi driver to protest at first, and undergo a technique of rationalization, earlier than agreeing to take Xiao Le to Taipei.
That helps to make it at the least just a little bit extra plausible. Like, perhaps this taxi driver has a specific delicate spot for youngsters who’ve been affected by divorce, and that’s why he’s making an exception and taking Xiao Le to fulfill his alien dad?
And, it appears like Mu Cheng’s landed on Xiao Le’s doubtless plan of action, so I’m positive she’ll have the ability to hint his whereabouts earlier than lengthy – all the way in which to Guang Xi’s aspect. 😁
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