One of my favourite episodes because it’s all
dedicated to Ri Xuan and Ran Ran, which is why this episode deserves its own post (:
Summary: Ran Ran might be falling in love with Ri Xuan all over
again.
Ri Xuan saves Ran Ran who for some reason seems to be in a
critical condition because he feeds her half of the pill (called Soul Returning
Pill – I kid you not)
that she always carries with her in case of emergencies. Not a lot of people
know of the pill’s existence but oddly Ri Xuan does.
Seeing her safe now, our relieved Ri Xuan kisses her softly
on her forehead.
In a half awake state, Ran Ran takes his thumb into her
mouth and bites down hard. Ri Xuan grimaces but he smiles at her. Uhhhhhhh.
Ri Xuan: Yue
Ying, don’t be afraid. I will always be with you
Still only half awake, Ran
Ran pleads to him: Don’t go.
Ri Xuan: I won’t
go. I will always be with you.
Then she passes out again.
As for Ri Xuan, tears are
trailing down his face.
While Ran Ran is asleep, she dreams of herself chasing after
a man whose face she can’t see but she’s stopped by someone else grabbing onto
her ankle. The person holding her back turns out to be herself. Shocked, she wakes
up and finds herself being tended to by a masked man.
When she has recovered enough,
she sits outside the little cottage where a little girl brings her “Mo Li
Flowers”. These are her favourite flowers but Ri Xuan takes them from her and
starts ripping the flower heads and leaves. He’s actually grinding them and
making herbal medicines out of them. Ran Ran is surprised he knows the herbal
effect of these flowers and asks if he’s hurt but without a word, he takes her
hand and applies the medicine on her.
This masked man of few words seems
to have touched Ran Ran. He even blows on her injury. I’m so sorry guys, I can’t help but roll my eyes here.
Everything was great up until the blowing part. He also tells her he’s
notified her family of her safety. (Side note: 5th Bro isn’t worried about Ran
Ran after knowing Ri Xuan is tending to her because of Episode 1 where he saved
Ran Ran)
Hate to take you guys away from Ran Ran and Ri Xuan but Qin
Lang has finally realized the one he loves is Ran Ran and not Biu-Jie. Unlike
before where he was calmly investigating for his missing fiancée, now he takes
matters in his own hand and rushes out of the city to find Ran Ran.
Back to Ran Ran, she’s out flower gazing until Ri Xuan
forcibly swings her over his shoulder and brings her into the cottage because lunch
time cannot be missed. The child who brought her flowers also brings her lunch.
Ran Ran immediately lightens up to see buns on her food tray. However she
hesitates slightly before digging in because the girl and masked man are
silently staring at her eat. Still, one cannot resist the temptation of the
buns.
I love
his eyes! The mask does wonders to his visuals. The slightest change in his eyes
does so much for his expression. Even though he doesn’t speak, with his eyes
alone, he shows he loves and cares for her but represses it at the same time. He
makes his eyes look so playful and yet other times he remains serious. He needs
to have that mask on 24/7 xD.
Later that day Ran Ran wakes up with her favourite flowers
at her bed side. It's from Ri Xuan.
She goes out and finds Ri Xuan and then they flirt. I mean
sword dance. I mean gauging each other’s sword-ing skills. She comments how
similar his moves are to Er-Shi-Xiong’s and shows off a move he’s taught her in
the past.
However, she’s no match for Ri Xuan and ends up in his arms
quite a bit.
 |
| Ru |
Later that day Ran Ran visits the little girl. Seeing Ran
Ran standing there, the little girl automatically wipes down the seat for Ran
Ran to sit on. Ran Ran asks her for details on Ri Xuan but the girl is vocally
challenged. Ri Xuan comes by and gives the little girl a gift. (Hey, it’s the
wishing knot that Ran Ran has been buying from the scammer.) Happily, the little
girl tucks the gift safely away and goes back to doing her work (nearby). The
little girl really adores him eh. Ri Xuan then tells Ran Ran the little girl’s
name is Ru. She's an orphan.
Ran Ran uses various methods in trying to convince Ri Xuan
to let her go home (he doesn't let her go home because she's not fully recovered yet. It has
absolutely nothing to do with him wanting to spend more quality time with her.
Nope. Natta.). She asks him if he could provide her with
the directions but her request is met with a blank (but amused) stare from Ri
Xuan. I’m pretty sure he knows
she’s directionless. Then she tries to express her gratitude, saying she
can’t continue to exploit his hospitality anymore. Still, Ri Xuan doesn’t speak
and just rolls his eyes around. Her third attempt is to challenge him to rock paper
scissors and if she wins he’ll take her home. More eye rolling from Ri Xuan. He’s enjoying this.
Assuming her previous suggestion was too childish for him, her last resort is to challenge him to a sword duel. Holding out her stick she takes a jab a Ri Xuan but Ru comes rushing in to protect Ri Xuan and so the stick jabs at Ru’s heart (where she kept her gift). Ran Ran quickly apologizes and the topic on returning home is dropped.
That evening Ru is out in the meadows looking for flowers.
It turns out to be a deadly trip as she comes across Ling Lang who’s faking her
injuries. (Reminder: Ling Lang is the girl from Yue Ling Gong that had a duel
with Ri Xuan in Episode 1)
At night, Ran Ran is hypnotized by the sound of Ling Lang’s
bells. Following the ringing, she heads out of the cottage and is almost
killed by a zombie. Yes, you
read it correctly, I said zombie. Luckily Ri Xuan comes in at the nick
of time and brings the hypnotized Ran Ran back into the cottage. Ri Xuan brings Ran Ran back to her
senses by whispering in her ears: “Don’t be afraid.”
More zombies come out and Ri Xuan goes outside to deal with
them but before that he warns Ran Ran to not leave the cottage. One of the
zombies manage to break into the cottage though. This zombie is Ru. She’s aiming the
sword at Ran Ran. Once again Ri Xuan comes in at this moment to save Ran Ran
from Ru but Ran Ran pleads for him to save the possessed Ru. With regret and
pain in his eyes, Ri Xuan sends his sword straight through Ru’s back and Ru
collapses as her blood splatters everywhere. Wow, it's been a while since I've seen killing scenes that fake.
Shocked at Ri Xuan’s cruelty, she cries and jerks away at
his touch. He tries to tell her Ru was already dead (before he killed her with
the sword) but how can Ran Ran believe him when he obviously killed Ru right
before her eyes.
- - - Comments - - -
The drama tries to justify
that Ri Xuan didn’t kill because they were “zombies” that were already dead.
They’re only moving because they’re possessed by Ling Lang’s bells. However, Ri
Xuan has killed (the lady at the brothel and the creep who bought Ran Ran).
Ri Xuan kills to save Ran Ran and that’s the only reason he kills. I’m not sure
how Ran Ran will like that though. As for me, maybe it’s because I've recently
watched a drama where the hero manages to fight every single person without
ever killing a single soul, I appreciate a show that makes the hero imperfect
and a tad bit more realistic. That being said, I'm very lenient with this drama and that's mostly because it's successfully created a world I'm willing to believe exists. I’m sucked into their fantasy
world even if they throw vampires and zombies at me.
On the topic of vampires, Ran Ran biting down on Ri Xuan’s
thumb worries me. Ri Xuan smiling at her sucking his blood means she’s done
this before? Uh oh.
I’m not a vampire or zombie fan but if the show must go down
this dreaded path, then I shall follow.
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