Never fear, I’m still recapping King Flower. It hasn’t pissed me off to the extent I’m forced to stop recapping for the sake of my sanity (see Miss Rose), though episode 14 was by and large a narrative throwaway. But the preview for episode 15? Holy cow the shit is about to hit the fan, and I for one want to see some gamechangers here. This episode was redeemed by some awesome Terry scenes, and I now hesitate to say Terry-Da Hua scenes because she continues to get on my nerve with her blind devotion to Lin Guan Jun and acceptance of his jerky ways to Terry. Her contract stated one year with no contact with her family, and how she’s gallivanting out on dates with Guan Jun left and right? She might as well take Terry up on his offer and GO HOME, because this half-assing it is really counterproductive. I’m all for Terry coming clean to President Du, he should have done it when Liang Yen died though the impact might have been too much for him to handle. I do have hope the drama knows what its doing to resolve that situation even if it remains adamant to sticking with a pre-ordained OTP when over 90% of the vote last week for who Da Hua should end up with was voting for Terry. That’s some serious one-way drama fan preference, and some balls SETTV has to ignore that.

While Chris Wu is getting all the attention for his acting in this drama, Nikki Hsieh also is doing a lovely job in her dual roles and my annoyance with Da Hua is not anything related to her acting. She’s darling and a new favorite of mine. She gave an interview this week and a question was posed about her kissing scenes in the drama. Nikki said this “James (Wen) is like an older brother, we acted together 7 years ago so have known each other for awhile. Kissing him is not awkward and is actually very funny. I don’t see Chris (Wu) as an older brother. He is a man. So our kissing scenes are harder for me to do because I can’t laugh it off.” See! From the leading lady’s very own mouth she’s articulated the drama narrative and viewer perception conundrum exhibited by her own chemistry with her leading men – Da Hua and Guan Jun grew up as siblings, act like siblings, have the chemistry of siblings, there is no way to force a viewer to buy them as a romantic couple, whereas Terry and Da Hua are like two combustible adults who are dealing with unexpected attraction of the best kind and that is what the viewer responds to.

Stage 14 recap:

Guan Jun drives Da Hua to their date and discuss the last time he drove her was to the airport. He confesses that he didn’t want her to leave and went back but by then she had already left. When they arrive at the date spot, Da Hua asks what he would have said had he caught her and Guan Jun screams out “Jin Da Hua, never leave me!” She’s so happy she bites his thumb and he grimaces but lets her be silly.

Guan Jun covers Da Hua’s eyes and shows her the surprise, he’s decorated the van with lights that light up in the shape of a heart, and prepared a BBQ by the side of the river. Da Hua is so happy she leaps into his arms for a hug.

Guan Jun grills while Da Hua sits and watches him. He promises to work hard, and feels bad for taking so long to realize his feelings for her and taking her for granted for so long.

Guan Jun will wait patiently for Da Hua to finish her contract with Terry and come home. To help pass time, he’s written a note for each day remaining and gives it to her so she can count down the days.

It starts to rain and they run into the truck. They hug and watch the rain outside.

Terry stands in the living room staring at the rain. Poor Cheng Hong is tired and tentatively asks if maybe he should leave so Terry can get some rest before tomorrow’s business trip. Terry asks if he’s tired and Cheng Hong quickly says no and then has no reason to leave. He points out that Lin Guan Jun is so annoying, showing up just like that and taking Da Hua way. Tell me about it.

Cheng Hong sits down next to Terry and asks if he likes Da Hua. He says Terry doesn’t need to answer, but he wouldn’t be surprised if Terry did. Terry doesn’t answer and leans back to see what Cheng Hong has to say. Da Hua is a nice smart girl (not sure about the smart part), who is kind and considerate. She’s also become more refined these days.

Cheng Hong points out that if Terry likes Da Hua, he would be crazy not to keep her beside him. If she stayed, he would have the person he loved with him, and be able to protect the company from his sleazy cousin Johnson. Cheng Hong adorably makes this evil villain cackle when he mentions Johnson. LOL, I adore him and how loyal he is to Terry.

Suddenly the door open and Terry’s face lights up as he hurries over to welcome Da Hua home. He notices she’s wet and worriedly asks if she was out in the rain? Da Hua smiles and says no worries, Guan Jun gave her his jacket. Terry pulls back and tells her to go dry up.

Da Hua’s good-for-nothing dad is playing mahjong in the park with his cronies with Hu Jing Biao arrives and proceeds to use mind tricks to goad Da Hua’s dad to gambling at his den of vice. Honestly? I could care less about the Jin family woes at this point. It’s all self-made.

Da Hua and Terry are at a business meeting in Yi Lan and the owner of the hotel happily signs a contract with Sheng Da for a joint venture. He admires Terry’s acumen and hard working ethics and is very pleased to work with him. He offers the couple a night at the hotel’s honeymoon suite and Terry accepts.

Da Hua is not comfortable with staying in the same room but Terry points out they are an engaged couple in the eyes of the world and he couldn’t turn down a sincere offer from a new business partner. Terry calls her a little idiot and says that he’ll be sleeping on the sofa.

Terry and Da Hua enter the room and she’s still a little nervous. She starts to freak out when she sees Terry taking his clothes off matter-of-factly. Terry says he’s going to shower and change into something comfortable and then they can go have dinner.

As Terry is showering, Da Hua suddenly hears a loud noise and rushes over to ask if he’s alright. He tells her to come in and turns out a towel rack fell down. Terry has a towel wrapped around his waist but Da Hua glimpses him for a second before she quickly covers her eyes. Silly girl, who would not paw him at this very chance.

Terry asks her to come hold the rack up so he can attach it and she keeps her eyes closed the entire time. Terry is positioning the rack when he notices her eyes tightly shut and finds it amusing as he runs his hand over her face and confirms she’s got her eyes closed.

Terry teases that his towel dropped and he needs Da Hua to pick to up. She opens her eyes and freaks out before realizing he’s just teasing her.

Da Hua huffs away but then slips on the wet floor. Terry grabs her and breaks her fall, but she lands on him and jabs him in the stomach.

Da Hua helps Terry up and their closeness causes them both to pause and stare at each other. Da Hua is first to break the eye-contact and rushes out to get someone to help.

Da Li and Ah Xi are at the flower store bickering as usual and discussing their karaoke night out with Da Hua. Guan Jun arrives and they wonder where Da Hua is.

Terry and Da Hua are at dinner and he can tell she’s still very awkward with him when they both reach for the same shrimp and she quickly pulls back. He peels one for her and puts it on her plate while telling her to stop being so weirded out. He was the one who got his naked body all looked over by her.

His teasing brings back the old Da Hua and she yells back that her eyes hurt from looking at his scrawny body. She says it so loud the entire restaurant turns to stare. Da Hua quickly excuses herself to go to the bathroom while Terry smiles as she walks away.

Da Hua’s cellphone rings while she’s in the bathroom and the caller ID says Guan Jun. Terry picks up and tells Guan Jun that Da Hua can’t make it because she is with him on a business trip.

Guan Jun, Da Li, and Ah Xi are making a mountain out of a mole hill and insist that Da Hua be tracked down and brought back. They call the busty secretary and find out where Da Hua is on the business trip with Terry. I hate these people. Wholly self-absorbed and useless.

The main course arrives and Terry invites Da Hua to dig in because the food here is very good. Da Hua notes that every place Terry has taken her to eat has been very good. Terry says likewise, the steak place she took him was also very good. Terry mentions that the wedding pictures are ready and Da Hua is happy to pick it up tomorrow and bring it to President Du to cheer him up.

As they are eating, Terry suddenly thanks Da Hua. Not for what she has done, but for all the encouragement and support she has given him. He really doesn’t know what would have happened with him if she wasn’t around.

Da Hua smiles and says she will always be his friend. If he needs anything, all he has to do is ask and she will do her best. Terry says “friend?” and then asks what she will do if he asked her to stay with him forever? Da Hua chokes on her drink and Terry quickly says he was kidding. She drops her fork and both lean down to pick it up.

There is yet another sizzling round of eye sex that leaves both of them affected, with Da Hua once again the first to break free and sit up straight.

Suddenly Da Hua hears someone call Manager Du and turns around to see Guan Jun, Da Li, and Ah Xi arriving at the restaurant. From Taipei to Yi Lan? In what appears to be 30 minutes? Did they fly in a helicopter?

Terry tells Da Hua that Guan Jun called earlier and he didn’t get around to tell her. Guan Jun starts asserting his presence and says Manager Du promised to go karaoking with them tonight so they are here to pick her up since its so late and the business trip is over. Terry says no need, he can take Da Hua home since she’s going to the same place as him. Guan Jun says they have a lot to say and catch up. Terry doesn’t mind but is worried that folks will think it weird if she’s seen with them. Guan Jun says he can promise to be careful. Terry points out that everyone in the family knows now, so how did that happen?

Da Hua takes the blame for that slip up and Terry quickly says he wasn’t trying to blame her. Da Hua doesn’t want the situation to get awkward so asks Terry if she can just go with them. Terry says of course. He hands her cellphone to Guan Jun and asks him to drive safely. Guan Jun says no need to worry, he’ll bring Da Hua back safely.

On the way back, Da Li and Ah Xi suggest Da Hua spending time with Terry alone is not good because he can come on to her. Da Hua says no way, Terry is a very gentlemanly person and would never do that. They point out that if Guan Jun went on a business trip with Hu Xiao Fei, how would Da Hua feel? Da Hua promises to be more aware in the future.

President Du wakes up in the hospital when Liang Yen comes to visit him. She apologizes for not being able to be a filial daughter to him anymore, and says that she can’t marry Terry. President Du freaks out as Liang Yen walks away. Suddenly he wakes up and it was all a dream. Or his ghost daughter just visited him.

Terry and Da Hua pick up the wedding pictures and bring it to President Du, who is very happy to look through it. He urges them to quickly set a wedding date and reveals a bad dream he had last night when Liang Yen told him she couldn’t be a good daughter to him anymore and she also couldn’t marry Terry. Both Da Hua and Terry exchange a glance and he quickly changes the topic.

Da Hua’s dad predictably loses and loses big to Hu Jing Biao, to the tune of NT 5 million.

The lackeys call Guan Jun in and Hu Jing Biao gives him a choice – come work for him as the Manager of his newly legit real estate business or pay back the money Da Hua’s dad owes. Xiao Fei urges him to accept since its a better career future then him running his own delivery service. Hu Jing Biao insists that he is going straight.

Guan Jun has no choice but to accept the job and get back the debt marker, but his demand is that he will never date Hu Xiao Fei. Why dude? She’s adorable and plucky, you’re lucky she has no taste and likes you.