Dui bu qi. Miahne. Gomen. Sorry to all the Drunkeners out there for this later than usual recap. Yes, I do feel bad when I don’t post on my usual schedule. It was a long weekend here in Koalalandia, plus another drama about a pretend marriage exploded in insane shippiness. So perfect, wonderful, reliable Drunken to Love You took a backseat while I fed the masses clamoring for kisses that appeared to have wandered over from a TW-drama and landed at the Lie to Me set. Not complain’ about that.

With that said, my god was this episode goooood. And by jove, Song Jie Xiu, you are THE MAN. I knew I shouldn’t doubt him, and he proved once again that he is someone who trusts his heart, thinks with his brain, and above all else, knows something special when he sees it. Right now, Jie Xiu is on track to be the best male lead in a drama in 2011. Lin Xiao Ru, the day that douchebag Ren Yi Xian dumped you was the best day of your life, babycakes.

Cup 7 recap:

Jie Xiu wakes up next to ex-girlfriend/present-bitch Avril, who’s all “are you feeling better?” and tries to shamelessly imply that she was the person who spent the night with Jie Xiu. He’s confused, and tries to ask what happened last night. This time Avril flat out lies and says that she took care of him all night. Like those who say fighting is the best aphrodisiac, Avril tells Jie Xiu that he was very intense last night. He asks if she’s implying they……, and she asks him what he thinks? All Jie Xiu remembers was Xiao Ru leaving a letter and leaving, the manager coming by, and then it’s all murky.

Avril says she came by when Jie Xiu was in the middle of a drunken bender, and she blames Xiao Ru for leaving Jie Xiu alone when he needed someone. She tries to hold his hand, but he uncomfortably sits down and tells her that he’s fine now and she can go. Avril tries to act cute with Jie Xiu, saying she’s had time to think things through, she knows what she did wrong, and she’s willing to change herself. Jie Xiu thinks back to what Xiao Ru said to him about finding happiness together.

Jie Xiu tells Avril she needn’t change herself for him, she can still be the person she always was. He asks she take better care of herself. Avril tries to pout, saying that they have never fought for so long. She tells Jie Xiu that he’s just confused by Xiao Ru right now, but Avril is the woman who belongs to him completely. Jie Xiu says their issues have nothing to do with Xiao Ru, why doesn’t Avril see that. Avril says that usually when they fight, it brings them closer together. She’s afraid of what’s happening this time.

Avril says that they have been together for so long, and their memories can’t be just thrown away this easily. Jie Xiu asks for some maturity from her, they both need more time to seriously think it over. Avril reluctantly agrees, wanting confirmation that this is just a temporary separation. Jie Xiu doesn’t answer. Avril has a slight headache, which she blames on not sleeping last night and getting yelled at by the director. She gets a call that the director is looking for her, and she leaves.

Avril’s departure from Jie Xiu’s room, wearing her bathrobe, is captured by the paparazzi. As Avril is leaving, she leans in to kiss Jie Xiu, who immediately steps back like she’s got the pox. Mwahaha, the expression on his face is priceless, it’s like “woah bitch, stay away from me.” The picture snapped by the paparazzi doesn’t clearly show Jie Xiu’s face.

After Avril leaves, Jie Xiu sits down to sketch using the hotel stationary. Oh, and Jie Xiu looks smoking hot in a leather jacket. Rawr. He thinks about calling Xiao Ru, but ends up just walking around the room and kicking things in frustration. He spies the single button on the floor, picking it up and looking at it curiously.

Xiao Ru is handwashing laundry at Meng Jun’s house. She asks Xiao Ru what’s with the handwashing when there is a washing machine around? Xiao Ru claims K-drama heroines look so pretty in the washing laundry scenes. Meng Jun can tell Xiao Ru is bothered by something. Xiao Ru asks about work, since she’s going back tomorrow.

Jie Xiu drives back home, thinking back to the night before as he looks at the button. He thinks to himself “is the person who spent the night with me Avril?” He arrives back home and rushes up to Xiao Ru’s room. He opens the door to find it empty.

Meng Jun tells Xiao Ru that they have a new manager, who is a total witch. Meng Jun asks Xiao Ru what happened with Jie Xiu to get her so bothered? Xiao Ru tells Meng Jun to stop investigating since nothing is going on. Meng Jun astutely observes that Xiao Ru talks about Jie Xiu differently, and even took a night bus back to Taipei under the pretense that she didn’t want to disturb his work at the resort. Meng Jun says that the best cure for heartbreak is to find a new love, and Xiao Ru is starting to have feelings for her contract husband.

Meng Jun tells Xiao Ru that the opportunity is right before her, and she needs to have the courage to step up and fight for her love. Xiao Ru says it’s not like that – she’s just a kidnap victim of Jie Xiu’s, who will be released once the contract is up. Meng Jun reminds Xiao Ru there is something called Stockholm Syndrome, where the kidnap victim falls in love with the kidnapper. Meng Jun thinks this is just like arranged marriages amongst the nobility – marriage first, then fall in love. Xiao Ru says she will maintain a distance from Jie Xiu until the contract is up, and nothing will happen between them.

Xiao Ru leaves, which is when Jie Xiu calls Meng Jung trying to find Xiao Ru. Meng Jun rips into Jie Xiu, asking him what the hell he did to Xiao Ru, who spent the day scrubbing all her bathrooms raw. Meng Jun keeps yelling at him, but Jie Xiu hangs up the phone and runs out to find Xiao Ru. As he’s driving, he pulls alongside a bus. He looks out and sees Xiao Ru sitting inside the bus, but she doesn’t notice him waving at her.

Jie Xiu pulls over and gets out of the car, running into the bus at the same stop that Xiao Ru gets off. He misses her again as he’s stuck on the bus and she’s outside walking. Jie Xiu finally gets off the bus, and he runs after his car as it’s getting towed.

Xiao Ru sits in a cafe and looks at her phone, seeing 10 missed calls from Jie Xiu. It’s nighttime already when Jie Xiu comes home. He goes in to see a pizza on the table. He starts talking to Xiao Ru, asking his wild boar what happened today, did she get lost in the city? Which is when Avril pops out of the kitchen, claiming she came by to bring him some snacks. He reminds her that they are taking time apart, and she needn’t do this. Avril says they are still friend during this time apart, so he shouldn’t push her away like this.

Jie Xiu looks at the button, asking Avril what the most important thing between friends is? She asks why he’s asking her this question? He says that the most important thing between friends is trust, and without it, they can’t even be friends. Avril asks him not to be so serious right now. Xiao Ru comes home and sees the light still on. She grumbles as to why Jie Xiu is not asleep yet. She vows to rush up to her room in 10 seconds flat. She opens the door and runs in, but Jie Xiu and Avril sees her.

Xiao Ru tries to pretend that she’s fine, pretending to be happy that Jie Xiu and Avril have made up. She tries to go upstairs when Jie Xiu stops her. He takes out the button and asks her if the button is hers. Avril gives Xiao Ru a look, and Xiao Ru doesn’t speak. Avril picks up the button and says that it’s hers. She says that she’s been looking for the button for some time now. It probably fell off when Jie Xiu pulled her sweater off. Avril throws the button away in the trash, saying that she doesn’t need it anymore.

Xiao Ru runs upstairs and Jie Xiu tries to follow her. Avril asks him to let Xiao Ru get some rest. Jie Xiu tells her to leave, because he’s not really hungry right now. She leaves, telling him that in the past, she would have been mad if he treated her this way. But not this time, because she feel like this is her penance for doing something wrong. He tells her to drive slowly.

The paparazzi is celebrating with his magazine staff for netting a juicy scandal scoop. His editor is so pleased and is complimenting his tenacity.

Jie Xiu heads up stairs, but not before fishing the lone button out of the trash first. I love him for not buying Avril and Xiao Ru’s combined bullshit act. Xiao Ru marks off another day on her calendar. But she’s hungry and can smell the pizza. She decides to go down and get some, hoping Jie Xiu already went to sleep. But suddenly Jie Xiu knocks on her door, asking if she’s asleep. He just wanted to tell her that what’s going on between him and Avril has nothing to do with her. He wants to say more, but decides not to say anything, leaving it for another time.

Avril sends a text message to Xiao Ru, thanking her for helping her earlier. Avril says she owes Xiao Ru a new shirt. We flashback to what happened the night before. Xiao Ru and Avril are talking at the foot of the bed, with Jie Xiu naked and sleep on the bed. Avril asks Xiao Ru what happened last night? Xiao Ru doesn’t answer, but says that she’s leaving now. Avril yells that Xiao Ru was supposed to temporary be with Jie Xiu, not try to steal him away from Avril. If Xiao Ru can’t obey the contract provisions, then Avril wants them to get a divorce right away.

Avril doesn’t care if Xiao Ru wants out of the contract right now. Avril says that since Jie Xiu won’t remember what happened tomorrow, she wants this to be a secret between the two women. Avril begs Xiao Ru to leave right now. Xiao Ru takes her bag and gives Jie Xiu one long hard look, and then she leaves.

Jie Xiu sits in his room and stares at the button. Xiao Ru is tossing and turning in her bed all night, thinking back to what Men Jun told her about Stockholm Syndrome. She remembers drunken Jie Xiu telling her that he’s only complete because he has her. Xiao Ru tells herself to stop thinking, otherwise she’ll drive herself crazy.

The next morning, Xiao Ru tries to sneak out of the house extra early and very quietly. She tip-toes down the stairs, only to be scared witness when Jie Xiu is waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. He asks her where she is going? She says work and tries to leave, but she almost slips and Jie Xiu grabs her.

The two of them find themselves in an embrace. Jie Xiu wonders if it isn’t too early to go to work? Xiao Ru says that the contract requirements means that they should interfere with each other’s “sex” life. Jie Xiu repeats “sex” life, and Xiao Ru realizes she misspoke, and claims she said “new” life. Jie Xiu says it doesn’t matter if its sex life or new life, shouldn’t they at least have breakfast together at home. Xiao Ru reluctantly cooks breakfast, and he asks her why she’s been behaving weirdly since she got back from the resort.

Xiao Ru is so flustered by what Jie Xiu is asking her that she dumps an entire jar of spices in the pot. She rushes out, telling Jie Xiu that it’s a combination porridge and is ready to eat in an hour. Meng Jiun finds Xiao Ru at the hotel, sleeping on the sofa since she got there so early. Xiao Ru asks Meng Jun for breakfast, and wonders if the clothes that Xiao Ru washed at Meng Jun’s house is still there. Meng Jun says Xiao Ru shouldn’t be worried about her clothes at a time like this. In fact, Meng Jun wouldn’t be surprised if Xiao Ru ended up pregnant soon.

Xiao Ru asks Meng Jun to stop piling on at a time like this. Xiao Ru asks Meng Jun to punish Xiao Ru anytime Meng Jun sees Xiao Ru being too caring about Jie Xiu. Suddenly the entertainment news reports on the Avril and Jie Xiu story about how they were caught spending the night at the resort. Xiao Ru wants to call Jie Xiu, but Meng Jun reminds her that Xiao Ru just said she didn’t want to be too nice to Jie Xiu. Xiao Ru ends up calling Avril, worriedly asking if Jie Xiu is surrounding by reporters right now.

Avril is not happy Xiao Ru is so worried about Avril’s boyfriend. Avril tells Xiao Ru that she’s decided to reveal everything now. The movie has already started filming and Avril isn’t worried about the movie changing lead actresses now. She wants to use this opportunity to start over with Jie Xiu. Avril wants to hold a press conference to reveal everything, and she wants Xiao Ru to bring her copy of the contract and just act as a witness to the fact that her marriage to Jie Xiu is a sham. Avril is willing to pay Xiao Ru the entire contract amount. Xiao Ru agrees to bring the contract.

Xiao Ru goes home to grab the contract, asking Meng Jun to cover for her at work. Jie Xiu is surrounded by the media at his workplace, and is helped inside by assistant Tony. Jie Xiu doesn’t know what’s going on until he’s shown the news report. His boss doesn’t buy this scandal, since Jie Xiu is so lovey dovey with his new wife. Jie Xiu gets a call from Avril, and he says that he disagrees with her plan to go public. His concern is for Xiao Ru – if the contract marriage is revealed, how will Xiao Ru live down the shame?

He asks Avril is stop being so selfish. Avril is willing to take the spotlight, and suggest they send Xiao Ru abroad for a few months until the furor dies down. Avril tells Jie Xiu that right now, she’s more afraid of losing Jie Xiu than losing her movie role. She tells Jie Xiu that this is their last chance, she asks Jie Xiu to trust her one last time. Attend the press conference with her, and hear Avril tell the world that she loves only him. Jie Xiu says that he can trust her one more time, but this isn’t going to bring their relationship back to the way it was before. He thinks she’s only going to destroy herself.

Avril is readying for the press conference when her agent calls her with the news that the movie director is about to fire Avril. The director doesn’t want Avril anymore, because this scandal paints Avril in the light of a third party. The movie image needs Avril to be a poor girl who gets her heartbroken, and now no one will buy that image. Rickie listens to the director and even his own manage rag on Avril, and you can tell it bothers him to see Avril castigated as a third party in a marriage.

Avril’s agent tells her that her endorsement deals will also be terminated if she announces that she’s involved with Song Jie Xiu. Finally Rickie can’t stand it anymore and walks up to Avril, taking her hand and announcing that he’s going to attend the press conference with her.

The media immediately asks Avril why and how long she’s been a third party in Song Jie Xiu’s marriage. Avril claims she’s not the third party. Jie Xiu arrives at the hotel right at that time, entering the press conference to hear Avril’s answer to question. But before Avril can answer, Rickie takes the microphone and announces that the man in the picture is him. Since the picture doesn’t show the man behind the door, the rest of the media buy into this newly revealed relationship between Rickie and Avril.

Rickie says their relationship was initially a secret, but he’s willing to go public now that Avril’s being threatened with a scandal. The paparazzi refuses to believe this story, but Rickie smoothly sells their new relationship to the rest of the media present. The paparazzi asks Avril to answer the question directly – who was the man in her room that night? Avril thinks hard, and finally answers that the man in her room that night was Rickie. Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru stand at the back and hear this declaration.

But the paparazzi has a torn drawing done by Jie Xiu on hotel stationary that was found in the trash can of that room. Jie Xiu walks up to the podium and announces that he was in that room because he went to deliver a design sketch to Avril. Now that she’s in a relationship, her apartment will need to be redesigned for a couple in live in. Apparently Avril wasn’t pleased with his initial design, which explains why the sketch was torn up and tossed in the trash. But Jie Xiu will use this to do a better design for Avril, one that reflects her approach to love, to be honest and forthright.

Jie Xiu apologizes to Rickie, saying this redesign was suppose to be a surprise from Avril to Rickie. He wishes Rickie and Avril much happiness. When Avril is asked why she left the room wearing her bathrobe, she explains that she wanted to let Rickie sleep longer, so she wore her bathrobe and went to her asssistant’s room to put on makeup and change.

Rickie and Avril stand up and provide the obligatory couple shots for the media, who wave Jie Xiu away from the podium because he’s ruining their shot of the couple. Rickie tells the media to take clear pictures, and he leans in to kiss Avril.

Jie Xiu walks away, telling Xiao Ru that everything has been taken care of, and they can leave now. Jie Xiu is walking way too fast and Xiao Ru asks him to please slow down. She demands to know why Jie Xiu helped Avril lie back there? Jie Xiu explains that he came today to prevent Avril from exposing the truth, so this result was exactly what Jie Xiu wanted. Xiao Ru asks how Jie Xiu can be fine with this? Avril said she wanted to reveal everything, except she ended up telling an even bigger lie.

Jie Xiu says that he’s fine with it, so why is Xiao Ru so upset on his behalf? Xiao Ru is upset at the person who hurt him. Jie Xiu says that he’s not as emotionally weak as Xiao Ru thinks, he’s really fine with it. He needs to leave now and give a presentation to the president about the hotel redesign. Jie Xiu gets into the car and drives off without noticing that Xiao Ru hadn’t gotten in yet. Xiao Ru gets a call from Meng Jun, saying the new manager has declared that if Xiao Ru doesn’t show up soon she’ll be fired.

Jie Xiu is back at the company giving a presentation, but all everyone wants to talk about is Jie Xiu’s almost scandal with Avril. Jie Xiu is getting upset, clenching his hands in anger as everyone jokes about this situation with him. Suddenly Xiao Ru shows up at the company. She presses her own handrawn wild boar girl picture against the window pane, clearly telling him to be strong and cheering him on. Jie Xiu slowly unclenches his hand and smiles at Xiao Ru.

Thoughts of Mine:

Okay, let’s get the giant elephant out of the way – the previews for episode 8 mentions pregnancy?!?! I don’t know if it’s a real plot twist or just a red herring. My gut tells me it’s the latter, since it’s discussed SO prominently that it will probably turn out to be a misunderstanding. Likely Xiao Ru ate something bad. She’s so ridiculous that way, and I love her so much for it. I don’t need a Fated to Love You part deux in this story. Or even a replay of Peggy’s get-pregnant-to-keep-a-guy way.

Avril, Avril, Avril – you earned every single heart break you’ve heaped on yourself, you know? I wasn’t surprised the press conference ended up being yet another stinking pile of lies, because Jie Xiu doesn’t want her anymore. But then for Jie Xiu to publicly receive yet another slap on the face really hurt, because he have everything to this woman for 10 years. And she’s lied and let him down each time she should have stood up and acknowledged him. Good riddance, Avril, don’t let the door hit you on the way out, cuz the door to Jie Xiu’s heart is closed to you FOREVER.

This is the first time I didn’t get annoyed with the leading lady pulling the noble idiot act and leaving Jie Xiu for his sake. Jie Xiu hasn’t yet told her flat out that he wants to be with her, though in a drunken state he’s said as much (OMG, you complete me? That was sooo romantic). What I love is how Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru think and act like normal human beings – cautious in love yet daring to take a chance.

I think with this new plot development, officially Yi Xian AND Avril are outta there, so the rest is really up to Jie Xiu and and Xiao Ru to make it work. I know they can, because their love story is one of the sweetest, warmest, most tender and effortless romances I’ve ever watched. Though I have to confess that seven episodes into DTLY, my prediction is that when all is said and done, Sunny Happiness will still remain my favorite (and the best) TW-drama of the year so far.