I've been guilty of neglecting my recapping project of late (I totally blame the hilarious FBRS for distracting me...episode 7 and 8 was gggrreat btw) but that is not to say ITWY is not a good drama. As I've explained, ITWY is a drama I can afford to watch on a slower pace because errm if I must compare...FBRS is like MacDonald's and ITWY is like a nine-course chinese dinner. One is an addictive fastfood while the other needs to be savoured bite by bite.
Episode 5
The newly techno-savvy Mummy Cheng is having trouble keeping track of all her passwords –bank card, facebook (pfft!), etc and entrusts YQ with the responsibility of helping her remember all those troublesome passwords.
Signs of premature aging #5 – When you find yourself overwhelmed by countless passwords…
YQ is going through her packing list but is baffled by her own shorthand – what does “B” stands for? She calls up DR for help and he correctly guesses that it’s “Books”. She thanks him and reflects to herself that DR is probably the one person who understands her most at this moment.
The next morning, YQ waves excitedly when DR arrives to pick her up for their outing. Her enthusiasm is naturally dampened when she finds Maggie tagging along. Maggie rather slyly, asks to join them in such a way that YQ cannot justify dismissing her or herself from the trip without seeming petty.
So she proceeds to “welcome” her presence much to DR’s relief. And then there’s the prickly matter of seating arrangements. As DR’s girlfriend, Maggie takes it for granted that she gets the front seat but this being YQ’s trip, DR anxiously tells Maggie to give up the seat because YQ gets carsick if she sits in the back. Fed up by the situation, YQ takes over by declaring she’ll drive! Oh boy, already it’s clear that this trip will be anything but fun…LOL.
True enough Maggie feels alienated and disappointed as no one can possibly NOT notice the mutual understanding between DR and YQ through their interactions. She tries a little too hard to assert her presence and DR tries to make amends by responding, earning the ire of YQ. I so don’t envy him right now.
They take a washroom break and with Maggie gone, YQ lashes out to DR clearly unhappy that he’s brought Maggie along for what was to be their trip. DR defends himself by explaining that Maggie insisted to tag along and there was notice he could do. Maggie returns to find them arguing but YQ plays down the spat, unwilling to allow her the satisfaction of seeing them in discord.
During the trip, DR continues to tire himself trying to appease both ladies, but it’s telling when he says, “It’s most comfortable here…” when he lies down on the grass right next to YQ. YQ smiles for maybe the first time during the trip.
Conflicts repeatedly crops up throughout the trip though, especially when Maggie and YQ’s preferences greatly differ. DR gently reminds Maggie that this is essentially YQ’s trip and that she should respect her wishes, instead of imposing her preferences on others. Maggie is upset she’s playing second fiddle but reluctantly agrees to consult YQ for their itinerary.
Maggie finds YQ who is enjoying some peace and quiet in the hot spring. Maggie phrases her request to change the itinerary in a way that gives the impression that they’ve already decided and YQ’s opinion is unnecessary. YQ is aware of her unspoken challenge and excuses herself from her company politely. However, Maggie stops her – seems she’s afraid of ghosts! LOL.
Later, Maggie elaborates that she sleeps with the lights on at night and therefore wants to get married to DR asap to save on energy! (Wtf? Wow, she’s like a 5th
grader or something, so simple and naïve is her school of thoughts).
The girls enter a discussion on marriage where YQ tries to explain to her that good understanding should be the basis for a lasting marriage. Thinking that YQ is stamping her superiority, Maggie insists she has the upper hand because she has his love but only loses out to YQ in terms of time. Like a patient sister, YQ explains that she is not Maggie’s opponent; her opponent should be DR’s heart.
Later that night, Maggie barges into DR’s room like a child afraid of the dark. While she sleeps, DR seeks out YQ who’s soaking her feet alone by the swimming pool.
YQ: You are allowed to not treat me nice you know…? Because your niceness might not be nice for us after all…
DR: I only know that you treat me well too…
YQ confessed that she had wanted to teach him a lesson initially, but she has since decided she no longer wants to play third party and will retreat to her rightful place as a friend. DR confides that he’s confused and uncertain of his feelings for Maggie. On one hand, he likes her and she’s a decent girl, on the other hand, he’s still very far from loving her. He rationales that a gentle and stable relationship should be a better basis for a marriage than a passionate but volatile relationship, isn’t it? YQ chides him for his “trial”-like approach to relationships but tells him that she sincerely wishes him happiness. And if that happiness should make her jealous to death, so be it. She’d rather that than to be an obstacle in his quest for happiness. They reach a consensus to forgo their “ritual trip” in future, if their respective other halves is not agreeable. These ritual trips are actually promised trips they made to each other, if either of them faces difficulties and is in need of a break. They also reflected that they never seem to get along with each other boyfriends/girlfriends, which probably stems from the fact that they understand each other so well they can always sense each other’s unhappiness.
After their little chat, YQ and DR make a conscious effort to stay out of each other’s way the next day. Ironically, it’s Maggie who glues them together. She desperately wants to be magnanimous but only succeed to making herself more miserable.
On the trip back, they speak of their impression of each other.
YQ thinks DR is like the plains, where she can tread comfortably after removing her heels. Maggie, bless her heart, thinks DR is like a bed – on which she wants to lie all day. LOL. A little kinky for my runaway imagination but apt enough.
DR could not describe YQ in words and when pressed, remarks that he thinks of Maggie as a bookmark. He’s unable to elaborate and YQ helps him out by explaining that Maggie is like a rest stop when he reads a book and he does not need to exhaust any brain cells with her. The innocent Maggie thinks it’s romantic but YQ and DR looks at each other knowingly in the rear mirror. It’s clearer than ever that Maggie could only be an observer in this relationship and I wish DR would end her misery soon.
YQ returns home to find her nephew deposited in her mother’s care after her brother, Guan Qing had a fight with her sister-in-law. Mum wants YQ to be peacemaker.
Meanwhile, Maggie who’s spurred by her conversation with YQ, decides to pressure DR into introducing her to his family right away. DR is no match for her persistence and they arrive just as Uncle Bai and Mummy Li are rehearsing a play. For starters, Maggie mistakes Uncle Bai as daddy. Oopss. Next, Mummy Li admonishes DR for bringing guests home unannounced. Uncle Bai tries to defuse the awkward atmosphere but Maggie is disappointed to have left a poor first impression. (Somebody please knock some sense into her, it’s amazing how fixated she is to get married asap!)
Seems Mum is just unusually principled and has nothing against Maggie. Tao Tao analyses the situation for DR and concludes that Maggie is rather clueless. DR defends her, particularly her willingness to accept his close relationship with YQ. Tao tao perceptively observes that DR and YQ are just like Uncle Bai and Mum (she thinks Uncle Bai is hopelessly in love with mum, while mum just enjoys the ambiguous nature of the relationship).
YQ and brother have a heart-to-heart talk. Brother is a slacker with big dreams. YQ tries to talk sense into him but he gets all defensive and bristles at the suggestion that he’s at fault both in his career and his relationship with his wife. YQ tells him to buck up and face the music or risk losing everything he holds dear.
Next, YQ meets up with her sis-in-law. Sis-in-law envies YQ’s life but YQ clears her misconception that being single and independent is all sunshine and rainbows. YQ points out that it’s human nature to envy others for things they do not have instead of appreciating the things they do have. Life is unfair but it’s pointless to go on envying others forever.
Maggie opts for another way to increase her understanding of DR by …asking him. She calls him up and asks him like a hundred questions ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous. LOL.
DR asks YQ out for dinner and tells her that Mummy Li has requested for her expertise in selecting an “appropriate” dress for TaoTao suitable enough to attend their grandma’s birthday bash. The tricky part of this task is that the dress must satisfy both mother and daughter’s taste, which unfortunately, is polar opposite of each other. During the shopping outing, DR finally finds out that YQ is the reason behind Maggie’s latest obsession. Mummy Li and TaoTao approve of YQ’s assemble which is basically an amalgamation of two styles.
Maggie is further unsettled by the besties’ latest outing and comes up with the “bright” idea of introducing a boyfriend for YQ. DR shoots down her prospective candidates, one after and another and Maggie sulks. DR finally expresses his doubts over their suitability. Maggie latches on to him in desperation, begging in tears for him not to end it.
They walk in silence when a man alights from a taxi and approaches DR. It’s the infamous Ding Li Wei. He’s all polite on the surface but there’s no mistaking the tense undercurrent between the two men as they exchange numbers. DR is distracted at work, debating with himself whether or not to notify YQ that LW is back.
LW asks DR out on the pretext of catching up on ol’ times. Instead, LW punches DR, blaming him for his breakup with YQ. DR, not to be outdone, punches him back telling him off for finding excuses for his disloyalty.
And after exchanging punches, the guys go….BOWLING. LOL. It’s kinda funny that these two guys who should be natural nemesis can bare their hearts to each other. DR indirectly admitting his feelings to YQ and LW admitting he’s not over YQ.
DR finds YQ later that night and tells her that LW is back. She’s anxious and all but DR wonders if she secretly wants to rekindle her relationship with him. He tells her that he and LW has finally agreed on something – she’s akin to a book worth reading over and over again.
Charms of a mature lady #6 – No longer someone’s bookmark, but a book worth reading over and over again…
Thoughts:
Yay for a change of the players. Frankly Maggie as a character is so naïve, insecure and needy that it’s difficult trying to cut her some slack. So I’m hoping against hope that she gets cut out from the equation in this complicated relationship between DR and YQ like, ASAP. Especially since LW is back in the picture. Which could be a good thing…because it would force DR to man up to his feelings and confess to YQ. I mean, dude, you’re like 15 years overdue.
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