My Sunshine [何以笙箫默] Episode 1

         

From the same novelist, Gu Man, of “Boss & Me”/”Shan Shan Comes to Eat”, comes “My Sunshine” or “Silent Separation” (a direct translation from the Chinese title). I've decided to invest some of my love from “Boss & Me” to this new show by recapping it. It better satisfy my hangover from “Boss & Me” or I’m breaking up with it. First episode started off not with bang but quite decent. That is a compliment from me since not a lot of Chinese dramas keep me at bay within the first 20 minutes. On a side note, If i were you, I'd totally refrain from watching Chinese drama trailers because they have no intention of hiding any spoilers… None.

We start off at the airport with our heroine, Zhao Mo Sheng, who's returning to China from America. She’s sent off by a mysterious man (to us, not to her) who says if she doesn’t plan to come back to America, let’s not keep in touch for now. What a nice sent off message. She agrees to that without much drama.

While Zhao Mo Sheng is waiting to board her plane, a woman bumps into her backpack and it drops to the floor. Without much of a word she opens her bag to check her belongings. She takes out a nifty looking camera, carefully examining it to see if anything’s broken. We learn here that Mo Sheng is a professional photographer. The woman apologizes for knocking her things over and explains her jittery feelings from finally being able to visit China after two years of studying abroad and reuniting with her boyfriend. Zhao Mo Sheng is seemingly in the same situation as her but her state of mentality is completely different. She'sportrayed as calmly as ever, topped with a tinge of sadness when she hasn’t returned for seven years. Plus she has no boyfriend to pick her out on the other side of the world. She muses to herself that no one will even remember her anyways.

 After arriving at the airport in China, she thinks how nice it would be if “he” was here to pick her up. Walking towards the exit, she feels a magical presence. Yes, it’s a given that heroines have this ability. She turns her head…and misses.

And the hero has this ability too: to sense magical presences, that is. He swirls around to catch a glimpse.

He misses too.

He’s He Yi Chen, a quite successful lawyer, who’s just returned from a business trip and ready to tackle another case right after landing. He’s quite successful in negotiating that even the opposing team wants him on their side. He reprimands the other team for wasting time on a showy but non-substantive presentation (which I suppose would have been quite effective if he wasn’t the lawyer she was against) and delivered his proposal without even bothering to present it. He basically declared to them that they have a few minutes to read the proposal over and that’s how the battle was over.

During the meeting, he actually meets one of his university peers who gives us more background on He Yi Chen. Turns out he was the star of the university. Surprising right? And she was just any other classmate that He Yi Chen probably has zero memory of. Girl, were you rejected? Because your words are a little prickly or maybe I’m just sensitive.

Revelations of his past continues after the meeting when a pretty female in white, May, walks in and only cares about He Yi Chen while neglecting all the businessmen surrounding him. The prickly girl assesses her and adds unnecessary comments but necessary for us. She sincerely inquires him the whereabouts of Zhao Mo Sheng, who used to follow him everywhere. She emphasizes that Mo Sheng was his first love. As she continues her monologue, she fails to notice He Yi Chen’s darkened expression upon hearing about Zhao Mo Sheng. Then she casually glimpses over the pretty girl in white with a ‘Oh, you were here – Oh, so you’re the new girlfriend – Whooops’- look. A look, I guarantee, most girls can throw. Obviously, the prickly girl isn't an ounce apologetic and even comments on how He Yi Chen probably threw away his first love for this one here now that he’s successful. It was only after this comment that He Yi Chen clarifies that May is his sister. Well, I didn't expect that. Now it’s his turn to not notice how May’s smile dimmed a little with that clarification. The prickly girls is also a little disappointed that he wasn't joining in on the dinner to celebrate a successful negotiation. His excuse was he’s got prior arrangements.

So the siblings head to the supermarket. Cause you know, drama people don’t always go to restaurants to eat or their fridges don’t magically buy their own groceries. She drives to the supermarket while He Yi Chen looks over his documents. May learns that he’s heading to America next month. She mutters that he’s looking for “her” again and he simply denies it. She also planned to watch a movie with her brother afterwards but he turned down that offer because he actually does have prior arrangements. He suggests she finds someone else that can do that with her. We all know what he’s implying and May’s visually not happy. With his comment, she also becomes visually unaware of a motorbike right in front her while she’s driving.

I don’t get how the accident occurred but I guess the importance is we get introduced to Lu Yuan Feng. He slowly gets up unscathed except for the elbow. He reassures He Yi Chen that he’s fine while May hides behind the wheel, more nervous than scared. She’s reluctant to come out and take responsibility but is relieved when the guy doesn’t blame her at all.

And they take a selfie. To commemorate their crash together. Well, no. Apparently his mother is a fan of her because she hosts this law show. Me thinks he’s the bigger fan though.

Turns out Lu Yuan Feng works at the same company, Treasure, as Zhao Mo Sheng. Technically she just got hired into the company after a successful interview. Well, it really wasn't much of an interview because the boss only asked one question: why leave America with her reputation and come to China to start from scratch? Zhao Mo Sheng hesitates to answer and her eyes exudes a sad undertone. She blinks that thought away and gives a very shallow response (which the boss accepts warmly): she misses China (from her university days). Anyways, after the interviewm the boss introduces her to Lu Yuan Feng who is also a fellow photographer.  

Lu Yuan Feng introduces her to the rest of the coworkers and even helps her find a place to rent. Does this girl have no one here? What about her family? After settling down her luggage at her new apartment, she’s headed to the supermarket. Yes, there’s only one supermarket in dramaland. After a few dramatic misses, she finally spots He Yi Chen first. However, it turns out she knows the girl (May) too and she mulls to herself that they really are together now.

Then some idiot must have used a lot of force to send her cart flying straight to the pile of cans stacked at least a meter high, successfully grabbing the attention of the siblings. They all stare at each other for a while.

May asks whether he was was going to greet her. He Yi Chen recollects himself and rejects that idea. Keeping his eyes fixated forward, he brushes past Zhao Mo Sheng without a single word or acknowledgment. May also leaves the scene following her brother’s footsteps. Later in the car with He Yi Chen driving, she silently admits to herself that she was scared if he had went over to Zhao Mo Sheng but the fact that he walked away from her, she feels even more afraid. Because that would mean he still cares for her.

He returns home, where he lives alone, and it’s his turn to mull over his thoughts: she’s already not a part of his life (so he should stop thinking about her). Right. Anyways, he makes a call and decides to not go to America (but he says England this time) anymore. Yay!

He goes to work the next day an hour late. That’s not like him and his lawyer buddy doesn't let go of that. He Yi Chen claims there’s nothing that can affect him. To get him off his case, He Yi Chen demands the progress of his case to which the lawyer buddy immediately backs off. The lawyer buddy comments to himself how rare it is to see He Yi Chen with this behaviour.

Zhao Mo Sheng starts work today and her first project turns out to be Lu Yuan Feng’s project because his injured elbow prevents him from holding the camera properly. However, his underlying issue with this project is because of the bitchy model: Xiao Xiao ((forgive me if I butchered her name, I’m not equipped with Pin Yin knowledge). It’s renowned in the industry that she has terrible attitude.  

This whole reuniting with old classmates doesn’t stop as Zhao Mo Sheng and Xiao Xiao were classmates plus roommates in university and in fact, it seems they were close friends. Zhao Mo Sheng is pleased seeing her old friend while Xiao Xiao is quite cold towards Zhao Mo Sheng. Xiao Xiao acts curt and ignores the handshake Zhao Mo Sheng offers. They head right into work but Zhao Mo Sheng isn't satisfied with the pictures even though Lu Yuan Feng’s praises them. He also comments on how good Xiao Xiao’s attitude thus far. They take a break from the photo-shoot while the old friends go for a coffee break.

Their conversation starts out with dieting but Xiao Xiao’s words become more piercing as she pokes at Zhao Mo Sheng's fake kindness. Through Xiao Xiao's confrontation, we learn a bit more about Zhao Mo Sheng's departure to America. Turns out she left without any notice, and everyone only knew from the people clearing out her stuff from her dorm a few days after she left. Xiao Xiao says that she can vividly recall how He Yi Chen, normally with a cool persona, became so empty and devastated from her departure. He even searched for her desperately before learning of her departure. Zhao Mo Sheng thinks it was because of regret. Xiao Xiao doesn't seem to understand the implications behind that because she reprimands her for being heartless and cold when it’s her that’s supposed to be regretful for leaving everyone behind. Zhao Mo Sheng attempts to clarify but it was a weak attempt and Xiao Xiao shuts it right down (probably because she was hurt too by her departure). Zhao Mo Sheng doesn't make an attempt to clarify anymore and only thinks to herself that it was He Yi Chen that didn't want her.

Coffee break is over and they head back to finish the photoshoot but Xiao Xiao only returned to get her bag to leave.