[E] OUTBOUND LOVE / 單戀雙城 [2014][TVB]

I won't say this episode is bad. It is in fact an episode which explains a lot of stuff, inadequately but since I am writing with hindsight (having watched Episode 17), my criticism may seem irrelevant but at the point of watching this episode, without watching the next episode, it is very relevant.

Oh and Malaysia, you again! And I am sure for the last time?

Short recap.

Let's do away with the irrelevant first.

Chun Chun basically threatened Chin Chun with the exposure of another video of him stripping and singing Aaron Kwok's classic song and so Chin Chun agrees to quit and return to KL and open a dessert shop with Chun Chun.

And now back to our main couple. After the charming breakthrough of last episode, this episode however is back to square one. Someone mentioned that perhaps it would have been so much more romantic to show Ruco kissing Sik Sik passionately when he saved her from falling from stairs and accidentally kissing her. I agree. Oh by the way, I wonder what Frankie Lam has to say about this accidental kiss, which featured Ruco Chan? Bigger mystery is he is still watching TVB series?

Where was I? Oh yes, this episode started with Ruco at office and NOT with him and Elaine who is Hong Yi Kiu (I was googling and found out she was another Yi Kiu, as in Ko Yi Kiu in Bottled Passion - TVB running out of names) by the stairs. Char Gor wants to do a real estate tour in Malaysia (got such a concept meh?) and wants to ask famous singer, Hong Yi Kiu as tour guide (got such a concept meh?) and Ruco gives all sort of excuses, doesn't want to meet Yi Kiu to discuss terms. Sik Sik doesn't understand why he is acting like a petulant child. Long story short, they both met with her manager and Ruco was more than happy to run away when manage said Yi Kiu is not free for the tour and then Yi Kiu appeared, he looked very uncomfortable with her and in the end Yi Kiu said she will think about it and Ruco ran off, not before Sik Sik, quite angry with him asked him to help her take a picture with her idol which he did. Then innocently Sik Sik said she can take a picture for them and reluctantly he walked and stood next to her when suddenly she did something very intimate; she brushed his hair with her fingers and then smiled for a picture. Naturally Sik Sik is confused.

Outside Sik Sik was angry with Ruco for his behaviour and he angrily said he didn't want to be involved and so why must she insist of shredding open his broken heart to let it bleed again. She was intrigued but asked no more. Interestingly Yi Kiu agreed to the trip and Sik Sik being Sik Sik, asked Char Gor whether Ruco can be excused since he was so busy anyway. This is Sik Sik's way of protecting him which is nice but Ruco showed up and happily said he will do it, much to her confusion.

Trip day Ruco was extra hard working which caused much confusion to Sik Sik and also to Yi Kiu who stared at Ruco who was willing to smile and do the carrying, baby sitting of the tour etc. She didn't like what she saw. 

Now in Malaysia (Penang? KL? Can't remember) and at some luxury home babysitting some very unreasonable rich ah-tais, Yi Kiu was angry to see Ruco being told to do this and that and runaround like some slave and that Ruco was happy to oblige. When one ah-tai was being rude and unreasonable and then wanted Yi Kiu to take a picture with her, Ruco was tasked to ask Yi Kiu and angrily Yi Kiu said "Why are you doing such a menial job? You were never like this in the past! You had a dream, you had personality, look at you now!" and when Ruco smiled and said he was always this way and happy with what he got now, Yi Kiu angrily said "Fine! If you want me to take a picture with her, if you insist, I will do it!" and Ruco smiled and said "Please take a picture with her" and angrily Yi Kiu went to take the picture. Later at lunch, Yi Kiu was very bothered with how Ruco was reacting and behaving and she noticed how close he was with Sik Sik and did ask in a friendly way about his relationship with Sik Sik. Sik Sik was happy to reply how she thought of Ruco, and how she felt he is actually a nice guy, etc. But Yi Kiu wasn't happy. 

I forgot to mention Sik Sik saw the pamphlet and knew it was Nic's company as the developer and she quickly rushed away. Oh dear, already in a new sort of relationship and she is still running away at Nic's name. Nic was upstairs and saw Sik Sik but did not rush to her.

Later Sik Sik asked Ruco to go with her and have dinner with Chun Chun and Chin Chun and Yi Kiu asked to go along much to Ruco's surprise. They all met, Yi Kiu was being very inquisitive, asking about Ruco and their friendships when Ruco went away and she followed along and confronted him about what she really thought about him.

Here or thereabouts we had a flashback of where we left in Episode 15. They met again with Yi Kiu saying she saw Marco the white haired producer and she found out he was back in HK and she waited 3 days for him and finally saw him. But Ruco brushed her off and walked away.

Present time, as Yi Kiu heard how Ruco was happy to earn megre tips from doing such a meaningless job, Yi Kiu frustratingly said "You are more talented than this! You belong to the music world. This is not your world! This is not you!" but Ruco acted like he didn't care and all that and Yi Kiu, saddened hugged him from behind causing him to pause as she said quietly "I didn't realise how much I have hurt you. I am so sorry. I tried looking for you and when you were gone I realised how much I missed you. Come back to me..." and Sik Sik through the window saw what happened and quietly walked away. Ruco pushed Yi Kiu gently away and said the past is the past.

Sik Sik back with Chun Chun and Chin Chun who both wondered where Ruco and Yi Kiu went and wanted to find them when Sik Sik alarmed blocked the door and made some excuses. Again her way of protecting Ruco. But Ruco knocked and said Yi Kiu left, much to the surprise of Sik Sik and they both went to Lassie Hotel and met with Yvonne, etc.

Back to their hotel rooms, Sik Sik couldn't take her eyes off Ruco who for once was very very subdued.

Later Sik Sik, Ruco and Sky Gor went drinking. When Sik Sik, half drunk went back to her room she saw Yi Kiu walking out and Yi Kiu asked her to join her for sauna. At this point Sik Sik was curious about her and Ruco as well as being star struck followed and when in sauna, Yi Kiu asked her about Ruco and Sik Sik laughingly said Ruco is like an onion. She can never get the real him and as they were chatting, Sik Sik suddenly felt faint and actually fainted. Yi Kiu shocked rushed out crying for help and Ruco passed by and carried Sik Sik to the clinic. Yi Kiu saw how he cared for Sik Sik very much. Sik Sik fainted because being drunk plus sauna will cause someone to faint.

Later that night, she was well again and walking out to the beach when she heard someone playing the piano and it was her favourite song, "I really want to hate you" and she looked and it wasn't Ruco but it was Yi Kiu. She clapped and Yi Kiu was surprised to see her as Sik Sik complimented Yi Kiu as talented and wrote such an amazing song. Yi Kiu fretted and said "Do you want to hear a very ridiculous story? I didn't write this song, nor did I write the lyrics. It was your colleague, Luk Kung Tzi" and Sik Sik looked on surprised as Yi Kiu had some flashback moment.

5 years ago she was just a cashier at some departmental store or some low meaningless job. But she loved to sing and she will always rushed to sing at any event and at one event, Ruco was there and became her fan. He rushed to her and introduced himself as a beginner composer and that was how their relationship started. Zoom forward and they became lovers. She was tinkling with the keyboard one day and Ruco liked the tune but she said it was nothing. Not long later he penned a song for Jason Lam and won the new composer award which we saw earlier and Marco wanted him to write more songs for Jason when he introduced Yi Kiu to him asking Marco to give her a chance. Which he did. Not long later he wrote the song "I really want to hate you" and he wanted her to sing it and Yi Kiu made a very selfish request; that he let her take credit for it, since it will be her debut song and it would be good for promo purposes. Deeply in love with her, he agreed and from thereon she became very famous thanks to this song.

Back to present.

Yi Kiu sadly said "He loved me so much he was willing to do anything for me, even if my request was to his detriment. He was the one who helped me in my career; he showed me how to dress myself, he found me this chance and he even gave me his song". Quietly Sik Sik listened as Yi Kiu asked "I took credit for something I did not do. All these years I lied to my fans. Did I disappoint you as a fan?" and Sik Sik politely smiled and asked "Why did you and Kung Tzi separated?" and this time Yi Kiu seemed to brush that question aside as she said fleetingly "I became very famous, had less time with him and argued much more so one day we each shouted at the other to separate and so we did. I regretted my actions and tried to find him but he already left HK. It was only recently I found out he returned to HK". Sik Sik just listened as Yi Kiu said "I know he cares about you. I can see it. Sik Sik, can you do something for me?"

And it will be episode 17 that tells us what that something is. However the editing is so jumpy that the answer was not a direct answer to the question.

Frankly when I saw this episode I thought the breakup was so flimsy, Ruco seems like a petulant child. But of course in hindsight, what she did to him was terrible although I hope episode 18 will show more as to how. I feel this broken heart is the reason for the new love story with Sik Sik. Sik Sik had her heart broken so cruelly by Nic and Ruco had his heart broken so cruelly by Yi Kiu, each heart was broken in the most devastating way that is nothing short of betrayal. That's why as much as the healing process is important and healing is by way of finding love again and trust as well, I feel the hurt must be shown as in how the hurt manifested. Episode 16 did not explain how. I feel Yi Kiu and Ruco's love story deserves more than just a short flashback. It is pivotal to show us more. Unfortunately this is not to be,

Performance wise, Ruco excels again and Aimee is tolerable. Whilst I see a small chemistry between Ruco and Aimee, I was surprised at how Ruco and Elaine were so at ease with one another. They hosted  a travel program to Taiwan together, not sure before or after this and he was teasing the hell out of her and she was quite flustered. In this series, I find them more intimate and with more chemistry, the way she hugged him, the way he hugged her back, etc. Whatever the kiss or hand pulling or leg kicking that Aimee and Ruco shared, they were not as intimate as the act of hugging between Ruco and Elaine. A definite chemistry.

Elaine Yiu did not disappoint as Yi Kiu seems very intriguing. After all she was the faceless "bitch" who broke Ruco's heart but lo and behold, she was no bitch. She was gracious, nice, polite and more importantly she was the one who called out Ruco for his playful and in the end disappointing behaviour. Maybe it is easy to villified Yi Kiu, after all in Episode 17 we know what her request was. You can say that request was selfish in nature but since this series refuses to make her a villain, her request seems like a genuine effort to :-

a. benefit herself; and

b. benefit Ruco.

I am intrigued by her and a pity she took so long to appear. Her story with Ruco deserves a more in depth portrayal.

Back to square one. I can understand why Sik Sik is so frustrated at Ruco. Here Ruco seems to be doing something so romantic, which it is. But in the  bigger scheme of things, what he did was so petty. If you want an attentive boyfriend, Ruco's act for Sik Sik was sweet but if you want a boyfriend who does not waste his own talent, what he did was understandably like what Yi Kiu said, a waste of a good talent. I am pissed off that at episode 17 only now we see such a meaningless romantic gesture when such an act should have been done episodes' ago and by now there should be more about the healing, the finding of one's trust again or perhaps make Yi Kiu a villain and give her free reign to wreck havoc. But in some ways I am glad Yi Kiu is not a villain (maybe she will be in the next few episodes but doesn't look like it) because that would be too easy.

Recap.

Let's do away with the irrelevant first.

Chun Chun and Chin Chun returns to HK and Chin Chun's mom doesn't like Chun Chun due to Nic but in the end likes her very much. Because come on! Chun Chun however nasal she sounds, however BB she sounds, however useless she may be, is a very very very nice girl. So Sis Sze is hoping Chin Chun and Chun Chun is an item. Oh no worries, they will be. And their new shop I think is called Manis (malay for sweet).

Now back to main pair.

Back in HK, Yi Kiu is disappointed at Ruco's over friendliness and yet very very cold demeanour towards her and they parted way. Char Gor is very happy with the results of the trip and one woman wanted some bag that the agency gave out 3 years ago and Ruco went to look for it in the store room. Meanwhile Sik Sik and colleagues went to music store and heard her colleagues said Yi Kiu's new album is not good at all. For someone who wrote that mega career making hit, her new album is just so-so. Sik Sik decided to do something about this and rushed away.

Back in store room Sik Sik made Ruco a deal that if she found the bag first he had to do whatever she asked him to and they each rushed to find the bag and Ruco who probably knew what she wanted found the bag first and gloatingly went away and Sik Sik pissed.

Later Sik Sik got a call from someone mysterious (we all know who) and agreed to do something. Ruco dropped by and said the woman was so happy with the bag she gave him 2 free dinner coupons to a very expensive hotel's restaurant and Sik Sik agreed to go. Back home Ruco dressed well and took the bracelet of Sik Sik along. Sik Sik arrived looking lovely but fidgeting when she sms-ed someone and suddenly Marco and Yi Kiu arrived like it was some coincidence but Ruco knew better as he stared at Sik Sik. Marco made Ruco a great deal; write songs and be a producer for Jason Lam and Yi Kiu's next collaborative album. Ruco politely declined and eve Marco was frustrated with his attitude as he asked if Ruco wanted to be in this current meaningless job in lieu of such a fantastic career in music and Ruco said yes since he is busy with planning with his impending wedding with Sik Sik much to her surprise and grabbed Sik Sik away.

Outside Sik Sik was very angry with him for the lie about the wedding and he told her there is a lot of things she doesn't know about him and Yi Kiu and Sik Sik angrily said let's assume she doesn't and so why didn't he said yes to such a great deal and in Sik Sik's mind Ruco was some petulant child without ambition and that Ruco couldn't get over Yi Kiu (actually this part was just something she said by the way and not the main point, she doesn't seem to mind Yi Kiu and Ruco had some lingering issues) she angrily went away. All Ruco wanted was to have Sik Sik as his girlfriend but it seems every time the "car" is about to start, the engine dies. Very very frustrating and I feel Sik Sik was too presumptuous in her assumptions about Ruco. Perhaps a better line for Ruco to utter is "If Char Gor asks you to do a luxury home tour with Nic, will you do it?" and of course that's a perfect question. How come that question was never asked?

Sik Sik ignores Ruco as best she could and if she couldn't, goes back to insulting him. Even when he waited hours for her with coconut drink, even when he apologised, she rudely told him to throw that coconut away and just get lost. I want to like Sik Sik but I feel when she doesn't get her way, she is the petulant child. Understandably she has high hopes for Ruco with his talent but isn't there a better way to deal with his refusal than the emotional blackmail way?

Anyway we later find out why Ruco is so insistent on avoiding Yi Kiu because Yi Kiu only told half the story. Flashback!

Ruco rushes to the pier to find Yi Kiu asking some rich ugly dude to wait on his yatch and Ruco said "This is not you! You can be famous without resorting to such tactics!" but Yi Kiu has made up her mind that she wanted to be famous, she never wants to go back to the way she was and she won't regret her actions and she went to the yatch and I presume to that rich man's bed. Ruco was so heartbroken he drank himself stupid much to his mother's worries as we have seen before, was so drunk he crashed into a tree and then left for Malaysia. So basically he had a 2 year relationship with Yi Kiu who dumped him in favour of her career by sleeping her way up. Poor poor guy! If Sik Sik knew the full story would she have insisted he worked with Yi Kiu again? I mean he can be a composer again, but for someone else, need not be Yi Kiu! In a way Yi Kiu's request for Sik Sik to help her persuade Ruco to write songs for her again is a selfish request but again due to Yi Kiu not being a villain, her request is actually reasonable except maybe she forgotten how much she hurt him.

Rest of the episode is about Sik Sik liking a shoe but wasn't her size and how Ruco spent days looking for it and charming a few sale ladies. I mean this is romantic but at this point, I can totally see Sik Sik's point about him being such a useless idiot (she didn't say that but I assumed it is so). What a waste of effort. His real effort will be writing a new song I tell you! And a waste of my time as well so I won't recap in painful details how he found the shoe only to see Sik Sik wearing one supposedly bought by Chun Chun from a friend overseas and he looked very disappointed.  Later at home her bracelet even snapped and Ruco forlornly asked "My god, why must it be so?!" and cue thunder! lightning! sad violin sounds!

What a bummer.

Oh and Chun Chun seems to be super efficient; found new supplier for Su Su's boutique lar, got Sik Sik's shoes lar, I think even helped Sik Sik's dad or something. But let me speculate; it was Nic? It had to be. Because earlier Chun Chun did say she seldom seen Nic but she felt Nic has changed a lot for the better.

But where on earth is Wong Kei Ying??

No comments about the performances. But the story is back to roundabout again. I detested watching how Ruco went looking for the damn shoe. So much effort but so damn pointless. Romantic? Yes of course but at episode 17? Pointless romanticism. And the couple has yet to even begin. I mean lots of flirting, teasing but Sik Sik still looks terrified at every mention of Nic and Ruco still in hiding from Yi Kiu, it seems the romance proper won't start until the series ends. Perhaps there will be a sequel called "Inbound Love" starring Wong Cholam as Sik Sik's love interest since Ruco, being the dispensable one in TVB's opinion will die in episode 1 in some boating accident.

Oh please... this series just refuses to move on!!!

BUT!! 

One great news! End song that is Ruco's song has appeared! Yeah! Finally I need not hear the nasal sound again!