Love, Now: Episode 10

Aw, she knows. Will her love die in the hands of the unforgiving Shi De? In this episode, tensions and emotions run high on both ends as they sink deeper into misery. As Confucius teh man once said: Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

EPISODE 10 RECAP
We open to a bunch of toilet bowls in the middle of the city. Shi De wants Yi Ru to conduct a survey in the name of the project, questions which include "How do you feel sitting on this toilet bowl?" 

I will myself not to laugh. This is so mean! *stares disapprovingly at Shi De*

Despite the embarrassing set up, Yi Ru takes it in stride and goes about cheerfully, asking passersby for ten minutes of their time. Eventually she completes the task, looking proud of herself, as she very well should be. (I too, watched like a proud mama.)

She hands the file to Shi De, and he barely glanced at it before going, oops, looks like it's the wrong questionnaire. Guess you'll have to do it again. He cavalierly hands her the correct file. 

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG - I will kill you myself. I swear to God, I will. 

She looks at him, for what seemed like forever, bucks up and goes out again. Shi De avoids her gaze. Hmm, guilty conscience rearing its head? It can be a bit stifling, doesn't it? I hope you sleep well at night. 

Aw, this time around her temperament could not be more different. She goes around looking like she's got cancer. Sad. And because she's sad, and therefore out of it, the questionaire flew right out of her hands. She goes to pick it up, and nearly gets hit by a vehicle, AGAIN. Being sad does not bode well for this woman.

Like before, Shi De sees what's coming, and rushes out to save her. But this time around, he's too late. Lucky for us (and Shi De's conscience), Yi Ru didn't end up roadkill, thanks to Qi Ming who came in the nick of time. Congrats, Qi Ming. After nine episodes, you've earned your first point from me.

Qi Ming is angry, what kind of questionnaire is worth risking your life for?! WHY is there a need for one in the first place? They've done this before, and not once did they personally have to conduct such a thing. He calls Shi De out on his shit, a big company like Shi De could have hired students to do this gig in the first place. Word.

Yi Ru tells him to stop his tirade. This is her job and she will therefore complete it. Qi Ming does the wrist-grabbing thing, but Yi Ru shakes him off, yelling, I told you, I'm working! 

Fine! Have it your way. They have a staring match before Qi Ming snatches the questionnaire file and joins her. With that, he earns nine bonus points (ten minus one for the wrist-grab).

Whew! That was intense wasn't it? Let's have a Kit Kat from all that:

Shi Yun and Stalker Boy - (her wardrobe drives me crazy btw, I'm hopping it'll change during the course of the show) Today she finds him standing in front of the tow truck - trying to stop her car from being driven away. Shi Yun wants to talk it out with the truck driver, but Stalker Boy is like a Korean ajumma, he willfully stands in front of the truck, daring the driver to drive past him. 

Shi Yun, ever the relationship expert, chides Stalker Boy for yelling at the tow driver, telling him communication is important. Hilariously, he follows her lead, hear that? The lady says communication is important!

But The Talk turned out fruitless, and he ends up sitting in front of the truck, much to Shi Yun's chagrin. What will her fans say if they hear of this? (From the way she goes about it, you'd think that she were a movie star)

The exasperated Tow Driver frees the clamp. He makes a comment about not having time to deal with couples like them. Shi Yun vehemently denies that they're couple, not that anyone gives a damn (the toll truck drives off). 

Given Stalker Boy's hatred last episode, I am kinda awed watching him profess his undying love for her every other minute. The story ends on the same note: with her telling him to stop following her.

Back at Feng Hua, Qi Ming has Serious Face on. 

Lan Shi De just screwed you over, don't you know that?

I know.

Oh, so she'd realized. So sad; no wonder she stared at him for so long - she just couldn't believe it. And yet she still defended him. And still is, right now, as Qi Ming asks her why the hell is she not angry. She believes that he did not deliberately set out to do that - it must be a spur of the moment thing. 

Aw, honey. I wished it was. 

Qi Ming continues to warn her, a petty man like Shi De will only get worse. But Yi Ru doesn't have a choice - they signed the contract remember? A hefty sum needs to be paid if they forfeit the project.

Qi Ming's well-meaning "I told you so" is not appreciated by Yi Ru, the latter telling him to STOP. Stop already, "I'm the one to blame for being naive." AW. Shi De, you really should be ashamed of yourself. Go bald, Shi De!

THE PEANUT GALLERY

Looks like grandma is no longer on Yi Ru's side. Woah - I'm reeling from the whiplash - hasn't she just proposed marriage a few days ago? Usually in family heavy-twdramas, the parent figure are the ones responsible for bringing the OTP together, no matter how the OTP themselves are adamant to it (see: Fated To Love You, Easy Fortune Happy Life, ISWAK, etc). Guess this is not one of them. 

Worst thing is, Aunt knows the whole truth now (she had visited Yi Ru's dad) but grandma brushes it off, saying the truth is not important anymore - Yi Ru has done something irrevocable in Shi De's eyes. Guess fate is not on their side. Not on their side, my ass. Fate has done plenty enough already; can't you just get off your lazy butt and tell Shi De that one bit he needs to know! 

Older sis heaves a sigh of relief at that - so we're back to zero. Nope, grandma says. We're at 1 - because he has found himself a lovely doctor, and grandma has just set up a date for him. Go bald, Shi De.

THE SHOWDOWN
The next day, Yi Ru arrives at Shi De's company. She takes a deep breath before stepping in. To her dismay, she finds Qi Ming there at his office. Shit. She races up the stairs.

The two men greet each other (well, kinda) and they both converse with thinly-veiled insults. Yi Ru arrives; the first thing she does is grab Qi Ming by the shoulders and tells him to shut it. 

Sorry, Qi Ming says, words don't go through my brain, I say what I feel. Not like some men out there. 

Pot calling the kettle black, Shi De says. Qi Ming admits, they were wrong first, but please stop picking on the woman, what kind of man does that.

At this, Shi De walks over to Yi Ru, who has her head hung low. His response is laden with menace:

Shi De: "Preying on a someone's compassion for your own benefit, I don't care whether it's a man or a woman, I'll make you pay."

It's fucking scary, the way he says it. The exasperated Qi Ming replies, how many times must I tell you, she did it for me, so stop making things difficult for her. 

Which, eek. Nice gesture, but it's only making things worse. Yi Ru finally turns to face Shi De, though she's still not looking him in the eye. She apologizes on behalf of Qi Ming. Please forgive this foolish boss of hers.

Again, nice gesture. He applauds (literally) at that, bravo! I already know you guys can act well, but is there a need to keep this facade on? Boracay was enough. 

Boracay? But she-

Yi Ru: "Are you saying... that I've lied to you since Boracay?" 

Shi De: "Isn't that the case?" 

Yi Ru: "Of course not! I-"

He cuts her off, his next words loaded with sarcasm: 

Shi De: So it was just a coincidence? I was in Boracay, and I met you by chance?

Shi De thinks that even the meeting in Boracay was a set-up. No wonder he's so mad! But this was the bomb, disgust in his words apparent:

For the lawsuit, you were even willing to sell yourself. 

But as he said that, he's fighting back tears, and so is the recipient of those words. For better or for worse, this moment has become indelible to me. Because he had just called her a whore. My god, I guess love runs deep on his end, but not trust. An employee interrupts them, unfortunate girl. Shi De chides employee for not knocking first. She knocks. 

GET LOST! 

OH SHIT JUST GOT SERIOUS. There goes his Boss Of The Year award.