[E] OUTBOUND LOVE / 單戀雙城 [2014][TVB]

FUNNLING METRE

Come on everybody! Let's dance together! Why? Because I feel like dancing! I feel happy, I feel energetic, I feel finally this series is going somewhere. This is the beginning after episodes of non movement and finally we can all dance because this is an enjoyable episode. Ok maybe made less enjoyable with the comeback word of the day; "Leceh" but hey, not everything is perfect.

Oh before I begin, I saw the BTS for this series and poor Ruco really ran ALLLLLLLL the way up Batu Caves not once, not twice, not thrice but FOUR TIMES (in the interview he gave he said director said to run one more time and that he was resting after 3 times running up but I stand to be corrected)! Poor guy. At least we know he is fit as a fiddle.

Recap!!

Very short recap!!!!

Something about Chun Chun being jealous, Chin Chun being clueless, Ruco being playful and Sik Sik being angry, most of the time, even if she was more exasperated than angry. But nope, she did not say "Kung Tzi, I am sorry for mistaking you as some Lothario sex starved cheating useless bum". None. What we have is Sik Sik, Ruco, Sky, Yvonne and Mary all sitting together, eating, saying farewells. Yvonne apologised to Sky yet again which Sky graciously accepted and Yvonne timidly asked if she could call him Sky Gor instead of Uncle and Sky happily said yes. Everyone very very happy. Later, Ruco saw Sky taking down his prized "art cage" or something and Sky said he will go for a world tour when Yvonne is ready to takeover the hotel officially. Then we see Elaine back at the hotel, smiling happily and wanting to treat Ruco and Sik Sik to a nice thank you lunch. Ruco and Sik Sik grew closer and Sik Sik actually had some playful banter with Ruco but I still feel she was still too rude to him and Ruco still too familiar with her.

Pause.

The entire story is designed for them to be at odds and then began to understand each other and then fall for one another. Again at this point I will understand why Sik Sik fell for him which she hasn't but I still don't understand why her? Well the preview shows showed a scene in the future and I can see why he liked her very much for something she will do. A simple act but speaks volume. So I hope this series will expand how she will fall for him and what she will do for him.

Continue.

Ruco asked Sik Sik if she could help him to give his room keys to the plumber to fix his shower since he will be away to lead some tour groups. Reluctantly Sik Sik agreed but when Ruco came back, tired, sweaty, he opened his door and saw Chun Chun. He couldn't believe his eyes, closed the door, reopened and there was Chun Chun, smiling sweetly with that annoying BB voice of hers inviting Ruco in and he saw his place decorated with personal stuff like heart shaped curtains, pictures, etc. Ruco was exasperated and tried to tell Chun Chun he wasn't interested in her or in any relationship since he was deeply hurt before whilst Chun Chun countered she will be the one to reignite his passion and Ruco, now very very exasperated (best time to say to Chun Chun "Leceh woman") demanded for his keys back which Chun Chun refused and somehow she tumbled onto the bed, he on top of her as he tickled her to get back the keys and Chun Chun so happens to walked by, saw what they were doing, shocked and Ruco saw her, stood up and tried to explain but well, how to explain? Anyway next day Ruco dropped by with a huge bouquet of flowers which Chun Chun thought was for her, he walked over and have it to Sik Sik whilst confessing his love. Sik Sik didn't know what was going on and tried to counter Ruco but he made a huge show for Chun Chun to see, implying after that one night they were together, they were now a pair. Chun Chun was obviously angry and before she could do anything, Ruco dragged Sik Sik away and said he will treat her to Nasi Lemak (Coconut milk flavoured rice usually with sambal belacan aka chili, slices of cucumber and a piece of boiled egg). And they actually had Nasi Lemak! Ruco explained what happened, blamed Sik Sik for giving the keys to Chun Chun and Sik Sik said Ruco should blame himself for giving Chun Chun the wrong signals. So Sik Sik asked now what? Ruco said let's pretend to be lovers and later when Sik Sik moved back to HK, any long distance relationship will fail anyway and they can legitimately say bye bye to one another. Sik Sik dreaded lying to Chun Chun for so long but agreed. Ruco countered Sik Sik won't be attracted to him anyway and he himself was hurt deeply in a past relationship that he can no longer have any relationship. So both agreed to this master plan of deception.

Sik Sik met an elderly couple from Negeri Sembilan (like where Seremban is by the way, famous for their Siew Paus) who won a few days free stay at Lassie. I know the lady acting as the elderly wife, a Malaysian actress, not familiar with the actor who played her husband and she is not THAT elderly. Anyway Sik Sik and Ruco helped them to their room and was touched by the couple's love and devotion to one another. Later each will go see Sik Sik personally and the man gave Sik Sik his watch (an heirloom from his dad) and the woman gave Sik Sik her golden bracelet (a marital gift), each hoping each item was enough to redeem 2 more days of lodging at the hotel so that each could celebrate their 40th marital anniversary at the hotel. Sik Sik was touched but could not afford to pay for the 2 nights nor could she think of a way to give them free stays. So she asked Ruco who first told Sik Sik to pay for the room rates (she can't afford it), and then suggested why not follow some German hotels policy where if a guest could do something special, like perform, draw, etc at the hotel, then the hotel can give complimentary stays for them. Sik Sik was excited and decided Yvonne could agree to this.

Meanwhile Chun Chun was depressed and Chin Chun scolded her when she drew crying faces on the eggs and scolded that if not for Sik Sik she wouldn't have this job and Chun Chun blurted out why everyone cared only for Sik Sik and not for her when they were both women anyway and she basically said what Ruco said to her about himself and Sik Sik to Chin Chun and poor Chin Chun shocked.

Later he called Sik Sik to remind her about the special dinner that night or something but Sik Sik said she couldn't go because she had something important to do and Chin Chun heard Ruco's voice and then his line was so bad Sik Sik couldn't hear him. But he did happened to pass by a store and saw Ruco and Sik Sik being playful with one another.

Yes, cuteness overload for Ruco's fans where he dressed as Elvis and held a ukulele (?), or maybe a small guitar and proceeded to sing an Elvis song in the style of Elvis complete with the Elvis moves. Rather funny.

The important event was the elderly couple's special night and the husband gave a very emotional speech about how he proposed and promised his wife to give her a good life but ended up giving her a poor life so to speak whilst she gave him a good life by taking care of him very well. He than sang a song, Rose, Rose I love you (very well sung) to his wife and Ruco and Sik Sik were moved by their devotion and Ruco smiled and clapped and then he looked at the piano player playing the piano and suddenly he stopped smiling and stared hard. A brief moment passed and he made himself look away and then he was smiling and clapping again.

Chin Chun meanwhile got very drunk. I mean come on man, you don't have the balls to confess to Sik Sik, why get so drunk? A coward never gets the girl! He stumbled to the dormitory looking for Sik Sik. Meanwhile inside Chun Chun was angry and couldn't understand why everyone loved Sik Sik and she decided to check what Sik Sik used that made her so irresistible to men. She saw some mud facial thing and decided to use it when she heard Chin Chun shouting for Sik Sik. She opened the window and saw a drunk Chin Chun and quickly closed the window as Chin Chun banged the window and then shouted how much he had loved Sik Sik since very young, how he tried to confess in a note but his mother who was hoping to marry Sik Sik's dad decided to switch the note and later when Sik Sik's dad made it clear he had no intention to remarry she decided to encourage her son to pursue Sik Sik which he never did. He shouted I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! and guess what? Chun Chun recorded it all and she viciously said (well as vicious as her Chun Chun can ever be which isn't much) she now has something she can use against Chin Chun who was always shouting at her.

Back at the hotel Sik Sik gave back the elderly couple their stuff and said she hoped they will return for their 50th and 60th anniversary and the elderly couple was very happy and grateful.

Outside we see a sullen Ruco who touched the piano, sat down and played the instrumental version of that awful themesong and he played it (or rather acted like he was playing because we all know he didn't do that himself!) rather emotionally, like he was feeling everything, hurt, pain, loss and Sik Sik walked out, heard her favourite song and stopped and smiled as she saw the back of Ruco. If she had seen his expression, she wouldn't have smiled. He finished the song, was sitting quietly contemplating something and then he realised someone was standing at the back, he quickly looked behind and saw Sik Sik smiling sweetly at him.

Last scene was brief intro of Chinese in Penang and the famous Chow/Chew Jetty in Penang. If you want to see the massive Chew Jetty celebration during Chinese New Year or Malaysian way of interacting with one another, do watch the excellent The Journey. It might not be totally accurate but I love the scene about pancit as death or as the movie calls it, PONGCIT. Very funny.

Anyway great episode. A great huge leap for Ruco's Luk Kung Tzi and some development for Sik Sik. But I do feel they're way too friendly with one another and I love to hear Sik Sik say "Sor-ree Kung Tzi". That would be nice.

About the story, suddenly we see less of Malaysian scenery and even lesser about tour groups. This is becoming like some Hotel series and frankly I am not sure what is Sik Sik's job responsibility. As long as it isn't about Malaysian scenery, I suppose there will be less disappointment about how Malaysia is presented. Also suddenly no more full sentences in BM and every Malaysian seems to be speaking perfect cantonese. However applause to Law Lok Lam for saying Uncle the Malaysian way.

Performance wise, I am sure fans will love Ruco's Elvis impression but frankly I love the last scene when he was playing the piano, that one short moment of silent and his hurt, sorrow, pain, loss on his face all in the same exact moment. That scene shows Kung Tzi who may be playful on the outside must have been using that playful him as a shield or a cover for his real feelings; someone hurt him deeply and he was never quite the same again.  I hope TVB gives this small development some justice and make something memorable out of it.

Aimee did rather well as the mature, professional and understanding Sik Sik even if she is always always angry or exasperated. I am happy the series has forgotten about the clumsy, bad luck, cute good natured Sik Sik because Aimee doesn't suit that role. Here we see a mature Sik Sik, no longer begrudging about her bad luck or depending on her Nic on her good luck. Do away with the cutesy stuff and I must admit, I like this Sik Sik much much better and therefore like Aimee much much more. However I am confused why her Sik Sik is so inappropriately dressed. I mean she is like some PR woman or assistant manager or whatever in the hotel but her clothes are much too tight and not professional enough. Yvonne dressing like that I understand, since she's the boss whose always ready for some garden party or some brunch with some guy. Sik Sik should have dressed in suits or something not so tight or short.

Vivien Yeo deserves a mention for her graceful and lovely performance of the nice soft spoken ladylike Yvonne who doesn't have much role but her appearance is important enough to justify her airtime.

Tony Hung is ok as an actor. He suits the role of sulky no balls Chin Chun. But doesn't mean I like his Chin Chun.

Xiawei still annoys me. Her role is redundant except as an escape route for the love romance between Chin Chun and Sik Sik that was never meant to be and I really hate her BB voice.

I still hate the themesong.