[Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 14

Outbound Love <單戀雙城>
TVB Series 2014

Cast: Ruco Chan, Aimee Chan, Tony Hung, Lin Xia Wei, Matt Yeung, and Samantha Ko

Disclaimer: This is a watch as I write episodic thoughts and some information may not be accurate since this is memory based. Certain dialogue is reproduced with some creative license adopted. I apologize if there is any mistake. All opinion remains my own.

EPISODE 14

FUNNLING METRE

As I was typing this recap, I can hear fire crackers everywhere. Boom! Boom! Boom! And my reaction to this series is almost like that. Tonight’s episode has very little about our main pair, Sik Sik and Ruco and yet I feel even if the main story isn’t about them, somehow a lot has to do with them. There’s a tiny progression to their relationship, still in friends zone and at episode 14, this is getting intolerable for someone hoping by now for some hand holding and kissing and some romance and confusion like Ruco or Nic sort of situation. Unfortunately I don’t suppose we will get that for another sayyyyy 2 or 3 episodes but at least it is moving on, snail paced, slowly but hopefully surely. My biggest criticism by now, at episode 14 is when everything should be midway, we are still at maybe square no. 2. Not as bad as back to square 1 but where is square 3, 4 or 5? I thought this couple had its fighting, misunderstandings, cooperation, reconciliations wayyyy back in Malaysia and so I expected when back in HK it will be the start of romance. But yet here we are again, more bonding and it makes me feel like a series about refreshing scenery, good feelings and romance, what we have is a rehashed of things except different scenery. If not for some good laughter in the end thanks to some unexpected people, and the fact that I can stare at Ruco all day long (but from the waist up because the pants sucks!), I will feel this episode is just going somewhere by going nowhere. But good news is at least it is enjoyable in its own small way although I can’t understand 1 factor.

Recap.

2 scenarios.

Scenario 1.

Jun Weng admits to having a one night stand with a Sis Man when he didn’t. He thought he did, Sis Man made him thought he did when he didn’t. Mr Law throws him out and strangely Su Su the wife is very very calm. Everyone is naturally worried. Jun Weng in a moment of utter silliness accepts Sis Man’s offer to stay at her shop. Like seriously, he said yes. Sis Man then says to Jun Weng she found his ring, he rushes back home and of course the wife draws the unfortunate conclusion he was with that other woman again and this time she lets him in and throws him out again but not before saying she will divorce him on the grounds of adultery and that he will not contest the custody of the son who is busy crying for his father. Jun Weng begs for help from the only person who seems doubtful about this new Jun Weng that is Sik Sik but she can’t do much. And more silliness, he goes back to stay with Sis Man.

Next day in telling us how close they’re now, Sik Sik tells Ruco everything. Ruco widely deduces the sister is going through the 5 stages of grief that is denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance except Sik Sik and family did not give her a chance to go beyond denial when they unceremoniously cut short her grief by urging her to divorce the husband. So Ruco says she must go through this cycle and they should be careful of what she will do next.

Su Su at the shop was having an argument with young customers who was discussing about being mistresses and old wives. Su Su was suddenly so overcame with anger, wondering why her husband had the affair that she smashed the mirror and crying, took a glass and wanted to cut her own wrists. Sik Sik and Ruco arrived to stop her and Sik Sik crying tried to comfort her sister who kept asking why why why. She did hurt her hand.

At home she was sleeping and when she awoke she saw her worried father who scolded his daughter for not eating, fainting, smashed the glass and hurt herself. Su Su was dumbfounded but Sik Sik motioned her to just be silent. Outside, Mr Law was alone and very very sad. He was also very angry and Ruco was there and saw Mr Law basically blamed Sik Sik for not watching over Jun Weng and causing this tragedy to befall on Su Su. It was an unfair accusation. When Sik Sik was walking with Ruco outside and Ruco observed the same thing, like how he felt Mr Law seems to love Su Su more than Sik Sik with that sort of accusation, Sik Sik did not argue about that. She even agreed she was a very naughty child, her family was very patient with her and so she must now be patient with them. Ruco smiled and teased her for being a chicken and of course laughingly she wanted to unleash her invincible leg (mou ying geuk) at his leg except he avoided that and clarified that he thought she was like a mother hen, very protective of her family. And so all these to show us they’re now firmly in friends zone but admiring and respecting one another. Yes yes, can we move on?

On the other hand, the sister recovers from her silly suicidal thoughts and even begin to reason why Jun Weng is now happily with another woman. This was after silly woman Sis Man came to see her and begged for forgiveness and basically put things into such an awful perspective, like Jun Weng is in love with her but can’t betray his wife, etc etc that Su Su began to accept that her husband’s heart is not with her anymore. More so when she was hurt, Sik Sik asked Ruco if she should inform Jun Weng and he said why not and she messaged him except Sis Man deleted the message and Su Su thought he didn’t care about her anymore. So Su Su finally accepted that she was partially at fault. After all she was never quite appreciative of her husband, she complained about him daily and mocked him and from someone who will never lie or cheat on her he finally found Sis Man. So to Su Su Jun Weng found the woman he wants to be with except he didn’t. He never loved Sis Man. In fact Sis Man made a move on him, asking him to massage some hot gel onto her tired shoulder which he did and when she suggested he should stay for the night, he basically said sorry and ran away. So here is some miscommunication, obviously. No worries, I am sure there will be a happy ending.

Pause.

I don’t get Su Su’s reaction though. She was always this pampered, spoiled brat who constantly berated her husband for being useless and everything she was not satisfied with. So when she discovered her husband’s infidelity, she became so despondent. I get that part except I thought that was such a convenient way of showing Su Su change for the better and so fast. I was thinking wouldn’t it be better for the plot and all that she celebrated that he left her for another woman or rather she threw her out and thought she could make a better match elsewhere now she was unsaddled with the useless not very beneficial husband and then of course in her loneliness realised she was perhaps somewhat wrong in all that and then her reconciliation with the fact that she did in some part drove her husband away? I mean why not up the notch on her arrogance and self assurance a little rather than this super fast Happy Meal way?

Continue.

Anyway Jun Weng became a man when he refused to take the blame for Char Gor at work, shouted, argued and in the end resigned from his job, becoming quite a man for once.

We shall leave this forlorn pair for now which will of course bring the romance out of Sik Sik and Ruco, hopefully, sooner than later.

Back in Malaysia, Chun Chun is doing a durian macaroon I think. And I always thought Macaroon is one of the most difficult dessert to make and Chun Chun can’t even bake anything decently. Anyway she was very touched by Chin Chun who helped her that she deleted that damaging clip and told him no matter what she will leave for Canada after the competition although she still can’t reproduce the same macaroon that Chin Chun approved. Competition day and it was darn funny watching a sour faced judge condemning every contestant like they’re worth negative zero and Chin Chun realised what Chun Chun’s macaron was missing and he rushed to her, fall down but still protected the things in the bag and then before she was up next gave her the bag and in it were kampung chicken farm eggs with smiley faces. Happily Chun Chun made her macaroon and tasting done and we are not shown the reaction. Outside whilst waiting for verdict Chun Chun thanked Chin Chun and was very happy whatever the result eventhough she prepared herself for the worst. Back inside, winners were announced and there was a joint first place and the judge (that arrogant one) said one novice chef managed to make something refreshing and delicious out of a very local ingredient and Chun Chun and Chin Chun both sat up straight and the judge announced the 1st place winner is …

Next episode you will know but you know, kind of a dead giveaway.

I seriously enjoyed the 2nd half of this episode because of the very unprofessional antics of this very arrogant judge and had a good laugh. It would seem Chun Chun and Chin Chun may start on the romance earlier than our main pair which is seriously depressing for me. 14 episodes.. 14 episodes and still no official romance. Or will this series not show the romance, jump straight to past loves returning and then end with official beginning of a romance? If so I feel cheated.

It is like one big merry go round. Whatever happened in first 10 episodes, a rehash now except on friendlier terms. I was so hoping the 3 messages by Sik Sik to Ruco will signal Sik Sik’s part of winning the love of Ruco but it seems Ruco is still and will forever be her guardian angel so that he should deserve her love whilst her love for him is dependent on his actions and yet not vice versa. This is not a romantic love story. This is just a love story that has yet to begin.

I should use the impatient emoticon but at this point I am past being impatient and am now back to just enjoying whatever this series throws at me, hoping for the occasional cute or gallant Ruco moments to spur me on. I bet when she finds out he was the white knight, she will return his love or meet his love or something like that. Hopefully knowing he is white knight will reaffirm her feelings rather than ignite it because if I was Sik Sik, no way in hell I won’t feel attracted to such a helpful handsome gallant Luk Kung Tzi, even if he is sorta flirtatious but at least flirtatious only to me. It is a sure sign of attraction when a guy spends so much time teasing one particular girl and it is also a sure sign of returned attraction when a girl spends so much time wondering who/what/why/where/how of the guy who teases her so much. Except this series has yet to spell out that attraction. I am inferring a lot.

Maybe I am still impatient.

Performance wise, enough with Ruco as some heavy drama actor. Someone please remake Cheong Dam Dong Alice and I want, I WANTTTTTT Ruco to be that leading character of that super rich chaebol’s son. Nothing less than super rich chaebol’s son will do. Not sure what I am talking about? Ahhhh you must read my posts here at http://www.point2e.com/2013/10/o-cheongdam-dong-alice-2013-versus-of.html. Ok maybe that series is too much about love and very snail paced and single minded but I really want Ruco in such a role. But I bet if TVB remakes that sort of series, Kenneth Ma will get cast instead. I love Kenneth Ma but come on, only Ruco can do teasing, flirting and seduction with pouts, tears and incredulous expression all in one great justice.

“Outbound Love” Episode 14 Clip

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RELATED ARTICLES

• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 1
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 2
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 3
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 4
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 5
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 6
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 7
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episodes 8 and 9
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 10
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 11
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 12
• [Episodic Thoughts] “Outbound Love” Episode 13

This Episodic Thoughts is written by Funn Lim, a Contributing Writer at JayneStars.com, and was originally posted at http://outboundlove.blogspot.com.