Su Ran Ran's Husband Hunting Journey Episode 16 to 20

It’s time for this man to do the noble thing and suppress his love for Ran Ran. At least the drama gives us more romantic moments between the two first.

These two are flower gazing.

Until they’re interrupted by Lou Xuan. Ran Ran complains how she always bumps into him. Ran Ran, it’s not you, it’s him. Lou Xuan simply tells her it must be fate. When asked if he’s here to admire the flowers Lou Xuan’s like: “Nope, I’m here to admire beauties.” And then he seductively eyes Ran Ran. No subtlety there at all.

When Qin Lang and Ran Ran finally have some alone time (actually they don’t really get alone time, her stalkers are there too), Qin Lang clarifies to her about his stance on marriage. It was true he didn’t want to marry without resolving his brother’s murder case but since his marriage partner is Ran Ran that changes the entire game. Their talk is suspended when a sad melody envelopes the entire scenery.

The source of the sad melody is Lou Xuan playing his flute. Ran Ran wonders why this melody is so sad. With Ran Ran distracted, Qin Lang has some time to stare at her lovingly. Qin Lang vows to himself he'll make her happy even if the man she loves isn't him.

Meanwhile Lou Xuan asks himself what he really wants: is it to possess her or for her to be happy?

So the man who possess her isn’t the man she loves and the man she loves can’t possess her. Both men want the same thing though: Ran Ran’s happiness. But let me ask this, does Ran Ran look happy? =.=

Meanwhile Lou Xuan is contemplating on being selfish for selfless, the man that has been selfless from the very beginning is Mu Chen. He’s fainted once again from protecting the flower. Sigh. This guys has either been sitting or fainting since forever.

Ran Ran is on another date with Qin Lang. Oddly, she’s reminded of Lou Xuan and her intimate ride with him on his horse, which is why she refuses to ride on Qin Lang’s horse.

While everyone thinks Ran Ran is content with the marriage, Biu-Jie sees through the farce. Ran Ran is in love with Ri Xuan but she tells herself she can't love a killer. Biu-Jie inquires about Ru and somehow, our super smart girl, has deduced Ru was indeed already dead before Ri Xuan killed her. So zombies are confirmed to exist in this drama. Anyways, she tells Ran Ran to confirm it with Ri Xuan that he indeed is not a bloodthirsty killer.

Ran Ran, normally directionless, has miraculously found her way to the cottage in an instant. There, she sees Ri Xuan has made a grave for Ru. Accepting the fact that Ri Xuan had not killed Ru, she now wants to know who the man in her dream was. If only Ran Ran had understood Ri Xuan earlier because now Ri Xuan has decided to become a noble idiot. He denies that he's the man in her dreams. He saved her only because she reminds him of "Yue Ying", says the noble idiot.

Ran Ran tears up: Yes, I forgot the one you like is Yue Ying.

So who exactly is Ran Ran in love with? Ri Xuan or Lou Xuan? Well it’s both! Bet you didn’t guess that! (Heavy sarcasm). Ri Xuan returns home as Lou Xuan and he's playing that sad melody again while staring at Ran Ran’s jade. He's now decided to become entirely selfless as he plans to cancel the marriage with Biu-Jie. He's cutting all ties with Ran Ran.

Not long after Ran Ran returns home, she faints from heartbreak. Bui-Jie is worried enough now to confess to the parents she heard about Ran Ran’s poison being life-threatening but parents know nothing else about the memories Ran Ran lost. Her brothers finally start noticing something is wrong with their sister’s health but they don't know what.  The family is essentially useless; they’re just there for comic relief but at least they’re doing a good job of that. It’s cute when 7^th Bro decides to sleepover at Ran Ran’s room until she gets married so he can care for her as much as he can.

At Tai Yi Shan, Mu Chen finally discovers that Qing Tian was the culprit but Yao Bing refuses to believe it. She gets injured while protecting Qing Tian from Mu Chen.  

Back story about Qing Tian: she's actually the temporary leader of Yue Ling Gong. Lin Lang works for her but it doesn't seem like she's got Ling Lang’s submission. Qing Tian is in love with Ri Xuan because he protected her from her teacher, which is why she's stealing that Yue Ling flower for him. Qing Tian had wanted to leave Tai Yi Shan earlier because Ling Lang had updated her about Ri Xuan’s whereabouts (and how “Yue Ying” doesn’t care for Ri Xuan) but with Yao Bing injured, she stays to care for her.

However, that night Qin Ting discovers a wooden anklet on Yao Bing and suddenly she realizes that Yao Bing might be her sister. Finallyyyyyyyyy.

Biu-Jie has been having “dates” in the library with Lou Xuan for a while now (like every single episode). Each time 5^th Bro will always be waiting silently for her for hours on ends. Men in this drama have nothing to do other than being hopeless romantics. 5^th Bro even gets a fever because he waited outside in the rain for her.

Here’s a very quick summary of the library dates, which aren’t really dates: they’re researching about Jiu Ban Ling Zhi, the mushroom that can supposedly cure Ran Ran of her poison but Biu-Jie just never knew why Lou Xuan was interested in the flower. He comes clean (that he wants to save Ran Ran with it) and the two form a duo to save Ran Ran. With his true motive exposed, he no longer needs to work with her under the pretense of being engaged so the marriage is cancelled.

How is Biu-Jie convinced Lou Xuan is serious about saving Ran Ran? Well, Lou Xuan says lines like these: “I wish that my life is hers and her life is mine. If she must leave, then I will not live alone.” And the alliance is formed just like that. I don't know how this guy keeps such a straight face while saying all these cheesy lines.

[Episode 20] Lou Xian personally goes to Su manor to notify the parents of the nullification of the marriage. He comes across Ran Ran in her yard and tells her of the happy news too. Of course, that happy news comes with a price, he demands her to return the favour. Here’s the logic behind all of this: Ran Ran had wanted him to retract the marriage proposal for Biu-Jie’s sake and now that he does so, it happens to be a favour for Ran Ran, which she has to repay. In essence there really is no logic behind this because the goal is to get them on a date for whatever reason. Hey, just give me the date and I’ll be happy. Also this scene is a lot cuter than what I chose to write about.

Ran Ran agrees to go night lantern-ing with him (which happens to be the date she refused to go with Qin Lang to). Lou Xuan tells her a bit about his past but stops when he’s about to talk about his romance. She wants to know and sulks he’s belittling her knowledge on romance. Lou Xuan swings his gaze towards her and asks: “Well do you (know about romance)?” She can’t answer. But he sighs and tells her anyways after seeing her a little depressed. He avoids the romance part though. He tells her of his father who he's been separated with ever since he was stuck in a hidden place for over a decade. He regrets not having to talk to his father before he died. Hearing this, Ran Ran pulls him to buy another lantern.

It’s funny how she tells him to pay for the lantern like it's a given but anyways, she releases the lantern to the night sky telling him she helped him wrote how much he missed his dad on the lantern. Ri Xuan laughs at her naivety but the way he thanks her swoons her a little because there was so much sincerity in it. Lou Xuan then jokes: “If only my dad can have such a nice daughter-in-law like you.” It’s not a joke.

- - - Comments - - - 

Okay, we’re finally getting to places now. I’ve been dying to lose that pretense like I didn’t know Yao Bing and Qing Tian are sisters, Ri Xuan is Lou Xuan and Yue Ying is Ran Ran. Finally it’s out there now. It’s not like the drama was purposely hiding it well either but I just wanted to follow the flow of the drama.

I like the alliance between Lou Xuan and Biu-Jie and how platonic their relationship is. The romances in this drama are so clear cut it’s reassuring.

Although Episode 20 ended off on a romantic note, it signals the end for Lou Xuan's pursuit of Ran Ran. He’s decided to be selfless. But I’d like to mention, the guy that has always been selfless was Mu Chen. He’s sacrificing his life for Ran Ran and she doesn’t even know it. At least Lou Xian gets to be on dates with her as himself and as Ri Xuan. I can’t decide which outing I liked more between her and Ri Xuan or her and Lou Xuan. I liked Ri Xuan's mask and how expressive his eyes were in Episode 11 but I quite like how he teases her in Episode 20. Oh well, I'll just take both as my favourites (: And then there’s the innocent Ran Ran who doesn’t know she’s in love with two men which are really the same person. 

______________________________________________
Links:
Su Ran Ran's Husband Hunting Journey Episode 21 to 23
Su Ran Ran's Husband Hunting Journey Episode 13 to 15