This has got to be one of the best episodes of Drunken to Love You. From beginning to end, I was just hollering inside for the continued Song Jie Xiu brand of emotional pressure and breakthrough. This man takes no crap or bullshit from anyone. Not from ex-girlfriend Avril, stab wound guilt trip or not. Not from contract wife Xiao Ru, continued protests of lack of interest on her part or not.

He’s one of the smartest male leads I’ve seen in any drama, reading conversations, actions, and mood so well that it boggles the mind. DTLY throws in funny antics, but the core of the emotional development between the OTP is 100 percent sincere, mature, and thoughtful. It’s brilliantly done, and takes this drama into the last third of its run with so much momentum and excitement that I’m totally thrilled to see what surprises lay in store.

Cup 10 recap:

Jie Xiu tells Xiao Ru to go to bed, he’ll take care of Avril for the rest of the night. Xiao Ru goes back to her room and holds her two wooden wild boar carvings, making them kiss each other. She reminds herself that letting go of things that aren’t meant to be is how she’s survived for so long. She tells her wild boar carvings that its time here isn’t for much longer. She tells them to sleep with her tonight, and she cradles them in her arms.

Jie Xiu tucks Avril in and then gets a text from Tony, who’s not quite sure if he should send the digitally merged baby picture of Xiao Ru and Jie Xiu’s little bundle of joy since it’s quite…..odd. Jie Xiu opens the picture and mutters that Tony’s dead tomorrow. But then he looks some more and smiles, saying that the more he looks at it, the more it looks just very special. He talks to the baby that he’s really excited for the baby to arrive. Then he realizes he’s talking to himself in the way that Xiao Ru pointed out. OMG, Jie Xiu, how do you get even more awesome, I really am just flabbergasted. You wuv your fictional ugly baby with Xiao Ru, that is so sweet!

Xiao Ru wakes up the next morning, walking downstairs to eat some food and fill up the emptiness in her heart. She accidentally spills some orange juice so she quickly gets under the table to wipe it clean before OCD Jie Xiu wakes up. This is when Samantha, Jie Xiu’s mom, walks into the house and announces that “I’m home!” She sees Xiao Ru and mistakens her for the new housemaid.

Before Xiao Ru can clear up the mistaken identity and find out who this woman is, Samantha walks upstairs to see Jie Xiu. Xiao Ru realizes that Samantha is still wearing her shoes in the house. Samantha waltzes into Jie Xiu rooms and asks how her daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild is doing?

Jie Xiu explains that his wife is pregnant like Tony said, but said wife is NOT Avril. Xiao Ru suddenly runs in demanding Samantha take her shoes off. Jie Xiu helps her up, reminding her to be careful since she’s expecting. Samantha thinks Jie Xiu knocked up the household help, and Xiao Ru is stunned to hear that Jie Xiu described her as a pregnant housemaid to his mom. Mwahahaha.

Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru move the conversation outside and Xiao Ru laughs about how her recent actions lead Jie Xiu to mistaken her for being pregnant. She asks why he didn’t just ask her directly? Jie Xiu says people told him not to discuss the pregnancy during the first 3 months. Jie Xiu mutters that he’s changed so much because of her, being so concerned about her pregnancy. Since knowing that she was an orphan, and then how she got dumped by Yi Xian, he finds himself always worried about her now.

Xiao Ru thanks Jie Xiu for accepting this imaginary baby, since she thought he would ask her to abort it since the parents are not in love. But then she gets silent, and Jie Xiu says what she is thinking, that perhaps Jie Xiu is falling in love with her. Jie Xiu says he’s been confused since their resort trip. When Xiao Ru keeps denying that night, he takes out the button and says that he knows Xiao Ru and Avril made some sort of back room deal. He’s not that easy to fool, plus he’s getting snippets of his memory back.

Xiao Ru concedes that the button is hers and she lost it before she left. Samantha keeps eavesdropping on their conversation, muttering that it’s so boring they can talk about a button for so long. Jie Xiu asks Xiao Ru how she knew he got drunk if she claimed to have left the room before he returned? He demands she tell him the truth right now. Yes, push her to tell the truth, Jie Xiu!

Sadly, we see that Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru didn’t consummate their relationship that night. She actually came to her senses and pushed him off. Then Avril called and it was Xiao Ru who asked Avril to come to the room. Xiao Ru tells Jie Xiu not to keep looking for the truth. They simply have a contract marriage and that is it. Jie Xiu tells her that he got up his courage to tell her how he feels, why is she so scared right now?

Xiao Ru turns it around and asks him why it’s considered being scared if she refuses to steal away something from another person. Xiao Ru just wants to continue the contract for the remaining time left, and she doesn’t think they have a past, present, or future together beyond that. Xiao Ru hates someone taking something from her, so she would never do it to someone else. Jie Xiu asks her why that is important? She will live her life refusing to fight for what she wants? Xiao Ru says that is how she’s always lived.

Samantha wonders how Jie Xiu got involved with such a realistic girl. Avril comes down and Samantha asks Avril what play they are putting on? Avril apologizes, saying that she asked Jie Xiu to do this. Samantha tells Avril that she’s so stupid to do this, and now Jie Xiu is falling for Xiao Ru. Is it fun for Avril to drop a rock on her own foot? Samantha doesn’t want Jie Xiu to keep falling deeper for Xiao Ru.

Xiao Ru walks to work but remains deep in thought. She thinks back to her childhood when she was adopted into a family. Her adoptive sister was upset that Xiao Ru put on her dress and in the ensuing tussle the other girl fell and hurt her arm. Xiao Ru was blamed for the incident and the family asked her to leave. Okay, those are some shitty human beings right there. Little Xiao Ru cries and reminds herself not to covet something that doesn’t belong to her. Then nothing bad would ever happen. Adult Xiao Ru reminds herself that Jie Xiu is not hers.

Rickie goes to the hospital and finds the bed empty. Everyone is worried about where Avril went, but Rickie immediately heads to Jie Xiu’s place to find her.

Samantha is meeting with people at the Farglory Hotel. She asks Meng Jun to bring Xiao Ru out, she needs to talk with her. Xiao Ru comes out and thanks Meng Jun for giving her little croissants (which we know came from Daniel). Xiao Ru walks over and Samantha asks for her input in terms of planning a travel holiday. Xiao Ru sits down and the guy next to her scoots closer and puts his arm around her.

Samantha says Jie Xiu is not going on the trip. Xiao Ru asks Samantha why she’s not spending time with Jie Xiu, since she’s been away for three years now. Xiao Ru says that Jie Xiu really cares about Samantha, but he’s always waiting for her and she’s never there for him. She explains how Jie Xiu pretends he doesn’t care, but it’s because he doesn’t think whatever he does will get Samantha to care about him. Xiao Ru cries and asks Samantha why Jie Xiu is so lonely even though he has a mother. Samantha thinks she’s given Jie Xiu a life that lacks for nothing, but Xiao Ru cries that Jie Xiu wants things that Samantha doesn’t seem to see.

The two ladies face off until the two models stand up and try and diffuse the situation. Xiao Ru pushes the guy off her when Kelly shows up demanding that Xiao Ru apologize to the guests. Kelly sits down and totally starts hitting on the two guys. Samantha calls an end to this project and takes off.

Rickie and Jie Xiu are having a stand-off of their own at his house. Rickie says he’s just here for Avril, and has nothing to discuss with Jie Xiu. Jie Xiu says he has something to say, and thanks Rickie for getting Avril out of the mess at the press conference. He knows Rickie cares about Avril. Rickie says that as a man, Jie Xiu must know that another man doesn’t just care about a girl without an ulterior motive.

Rickie asks Jie Xiu what is going on with Avril? Jie Xiu says he still has feelings for Avril, but it’s definitely not love. Rickie asks if he can pursue Avril, and Jie Xiu says that it’s up to Avril whether she wants to accept Rickie or not. He tells Rickie that it would be great if he can heal Avril’s past pain, but doesn’t explain what it is.

Tony calls Jie Xiu to remind him that a very prestigious interview has been lined up. Rickie tells Jie Xiu that he can leave for the interview, Rickie and the doctor will stay with Avril. Jie Xiu calls Xiao Ru out to attend the interview with him. Jie Xiu reminds Xiao Ru that based on the contract, she has a duty to attend couple events. He gives her half an hour to show up. Xiao Ru shows up a little late and Jie Xiu is already fuming.

He pushes Xiao Ru aside to give her clothes that he’s prepared for her. She thanks him, and he says he’s just doing his contract requirement that she’s not allowed to do anything to hurt his reputation. So if she’s poorly dressed for an interview that is bad for him. Xiao Ru asks him to stop mentioned the contract all the time, and he snarks that she’s the one who insisted on following the contract. Xiao Ru changes into a lovely outfit that leaves our Jie Xiu mouth open staring at her. Hee. He mutters that she looks decent finally.

During the interview, Jie Xiu is asked about what his philosophy about family is? He says it’s love and companionship, protecting the person you love. When asked what she thinks, Xiao Ru says that following the contract is the most important. She laughs that the contract is the oath before God about love, obey, til death do us part.

The interview goes well and ends with a photospread that requires Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru to act lovely dovey. Finally the last shot is of the two of them laying on a bed and they are told to look deeping into each other’s eyes. It’s so wonderful, the moment they stop kidding around and fighting, and just looking into each other’s eyes.

The doctor tells Avril to rest and she’s told that Rickie has arranged it so that she’ll be staying at Jie Xiu’s house for the remaining of her recovery period. Avril sincerely thanks Rickie, and he smiles and says it’s nothing. Avril notices that Rickie’s arm is odd and he confesses that he was also cut yesterday by the assailant. Avril worries about him and tends to his wound, which leads to Rickie joking that she appears to be very concerned about him. Rickie says that a wound needs to be exposed so it can heal. He will be like a doctor always waiting for her to heal her wounds.

Xiao Ru and Jie Xiu walk outside after the interview. Xiao Ru’s bag drops and one of her wild boar wood carvings falls out. She runs to pick it up, not noticing the car backing up right into her. Jie Xiu sees it and grabs her out of the way, yelling at why she’s so careless. She shouts that her wild boar almost got smushed, she was just saving it. Jie Xiu stops his yelling and asks Xiao Ru why she’s so protective of the wild boar carving if she claimed that she has no feelings for him?

Jie Xiu tells Xiao Ru that she has no more excuses. It doesn’t matter if nothing did happen between them that night at the resort. He has his own feelings, he’s not an idiot. He’ll find the truth by himself. He holds up the wild boar, saying that the wild boar wasn’t hers to begin with initially as well. Yet here she is protecting it with her life. He doesn’t want to play any coy games with her anymore. Right now, Jie Xiu just wants to be like this wild boar. OMG, Jie Xiu, your speeches just take awesome to new heights each and everytime.

Kelly is at the hotel spying on male employees through a CCTV feed of the locker room. Xiao Ru arrives and Meng Jun asks what happened earlier with that lady and those two model guys. They discuss whether Samantha knows the truth about the fake contract marriage, which Kelly overhears. Xiao Ru would rather Samantha found out and kicked her out of the house right now. Xiao Ru wants to end her ill-fated connection with the entire Song family.

The paparazzi Jack is dressed as a dog mascot to entertain kids. He gets yelled at for doing a poor job, and we find out he lost his job after the last Avril reporting fiasco. Kelly calls him and wants to give him a huge scandal. Jack goes to his editor and claims that he has the proof about Song Jie Xiu’s fake contract marriage. The editor tells Jack to use his brains to find out why Lin Xiao Ru would enter into a contract marriage. He tells Jack to get him a copy of the marriage contract before coming back here.

Samantha and Avril are discussing how to get rid of Xiao Ru, with Avril claiming that she loves Jie Xiu and she needs Samantha’s help. Suddenly Samantha gets a text from the temple that Xiao Ru visited in the last episode (it’s called the “Big Booby Temple” har har har). It asks Samantha to come and make a wish on love that will come true. Samantha calls the number back and asks the temple lady what they need to do to find love. The temple lady says that she needs a drop of blood from the target in question.

Jie Xiu is hitting a punching bag in his room and wondering why Xiao Ru keeps denying that she has feelings for him, when its clear that she does. He wonders if his confession about his own feeling wasn’t straightforward enough, or is it his tone of voice is too mean? Jie Xiu tells himself to just go ask Xiao Ru instead of staying here and talking to himself. Samantha claims fear of blood and tells Avril to get the blood herself.

Xiao Ru is being told that she needs to get a drop of Jie Xiu’s blood for the ritual that the temple will do to end her messy entanglement with Jie Xiu. Meng Jun thinks Xiao Ru is balking about getting the blood because she’s reluctant to end the fake marriage with Jie Xiu. Xiao Ru keeps insisting that it will all end in 3 months no matter what. Xiao Ru tells herself to think of this ritual as ending all her wrong thoughts about Jie Xiu.

Jie Xiu calls Xiao Ru and both of them mention they have something to say to each other. Jie Xiu hangs up the phone and goes into take a shower. Avril sneaks into his room. She sets up a romantic scene with candles, wine, and herself wearing only a white men’s dress shirt. She lays down on his bed and waits for him. Jie Xiu walks out of the bathroom and asks her what the heck she’s doing right now?

Avril does her sexy routine but Jie Xiu tells her to go back to her room immediately and stop messing around. Avril says no and gets up, telling Jie Xiu that he’s clearly interested. Jie Xiu suddenly gets a nosebleed and Avril pulls him down on the bed. We then see that this is Avril’s fantasy, and she thinks it’ll be a piece of cake to get Jie Xiu’s blood via her sexy routine.

Xiao Ru arrives at home and wonders how to get Jie Xiu’s blood. He grand plan is to pretend her arm hurts and then knock Jie Xiu out with a left hook.

Avril gets ready to so her sex goddess routine but her wound hurts so much she decides to get under the covers and wait for Jie Xiu. Xiao Ru opens the door to Jie Xiu’s room and wonders why he’s already asleep since he asked to speak with her tonight. She decides to heck with it and get the blood. She gets on top of Avril, and the two ladies punch each other in the face. Jie Xiu walks out of the bathroom and asks why the two of them are here?

Xiao Ru and Avril both have a bloody nose and they laugh at each other. Avril claimed she heard wild boar snorting noses from his room so came in to check. Xiao Ru claims she heard a giant rat making noise in his room so she came to kill a rat. HAHAHAHA. Jie Xiu has a cut on his cheek from shaving, and both girls lunge towards him when they see he’s bleeding. Jie Xiu screams and then pushes the both of them out. But they’ve both gotten a bit of his blood on their hands.

Avril goes back to Jie Xiu’s room and asks to go inside because she has something for him. Jie Xiu asks her to rest and closes the door on her. Avril has no choice but to knock on Xiao Ru’s door. She hands him ointment for Jie Xiu’s face, telling Xiao Ru that he won’t accept anything from Avril right now. She begs Xiao Ru to help her. Xiao Ru asks Avril why she made Jie Xiu hurt so much in the beginning if she’s so worried about him hurting right now. Avril says the person doing the hurting can hurt as well, but has no right to act hurt.

Xiao Ru wonders if she didn’t exist between them, could Avril and Jie Xiu heal each other’s hurt? Jie Xiu opens the door and lets Xiao Ru in, reminding her they need to talk. Xiao Ru puts the ointment on Jie Xiu because he’s not doing a thorough job. Xiao Ru puts her head close to Jie Xiu to apply the ointment, and he says that her hair smells nice. Xiao Ru tries to leave but he pulls her down asking they discuss the issue directly.

Jie Xiu asks Xiao Ru if she likes him? Xiao Ru doesn’t answer at first, then she laughs and says that she’s discussed this with him before. Jie Xiu says he doesn’t want any lame excuses, he just wants an honest and straightforward answer from her. Does she like him – yes or no? Xiao Ru thinks about how sad Avril was earlier and says no to Jie Xiu. She gets up to leave and he pulls her down on the bed, telling her that he doesn’t believe this is her real answer.

Xiao Ru says they have a contract and Jie Xiu says that he’ll pay her money right now to kiss him. She pushes him off and tells him that she can’t be bought. Jie Xiu says that if she had agreed to his offer, then it means they are just a contract relationship. Then he would give up on her. But now he knows how she really feels. He tells her that she can keep avoiding him and pushing him away. But she has no right to force him to change him mind. Jie Xiu says “I have decided to fall in love with you…….and to make you fall in love with me.”

OMO, who literally melted into a puddle of goo right now. That would be me and the entire female population watching this drama.

Thoughts of Mine:

What is the foundation of a marriage? It’s love, but what is love premised on? Not sexual attraction and not the meeting of the minds. Both are critical for developing interest, but love is predicated on caring. You start caring about another person, and that care coupled with attraction and mutual interest blossoms into love. Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru was a contract marriage that almost immediately made them care about each other. Because it’s two broken people finding each other at their lowest point in their emotional lives.

Jie Xiu’s girlfriend just guilt-tripped him into a contract marriage. Xiao Ru’s boyfriend just knocked up another girl and cruelly dumped her in a water fountain. Jie Xiu saw Xiao Ru’s pain, Xiao Ru saw Jie Xiu’s shame. From the very beginning these two people had no pretenses with each other. One was an OCD with a very sharp tongue, the other a wild boar with a very healthy appetite. It was like the fates took pity on them and at their lowest moment sent them a savior. Jie Xiu recognized this very early on (smart boy) and is trying his damndest in this episode to force Xiao Ru to acknowledge it as well.

I lovelovelove how he just keeps pushing her, he doesn’t listen to words that say no, he looks at actions and her eyes that say yes. God is this man wonderful or what? I get Xiao Ru’s childhood trauma about coveting something that doesn’t belong to her, and I allow that she’ll need more help to overcome this emotional barrier. What’s amazing is that Jie Xiu sees it, he doesn’t take her denials and rejections and then go stew because he had his romantic confession rejected and his pursuit denied, he just keeps soldiering on. OMG, how refreshing is this to see?

Avril really doesn’t annoy me anymore, especially knowing that Xiao Ru told Avril to come to the room that night. So Xiao Ru got exteme cold feet and found a replacement for Jie Xiu. I just pity Avril, a woman who literally dug her own grave. She knows she did something wrong, but she’s been banking on Jie Xiu’s forgiveness one more time, only to finally discover it’s never coming again. Ouch. Rickie really is the sweetest (though not terribly bright bulb) boy, even if Tom Price’s acting makes me cringe still. But he’s adorable, and together with Avril they’d make gorgeous Super EuroAsian babies.

Don’t get me started on Samantha. I know most dramas like to throw in a terrible parent of two, and she definitely fits the bill. She’s self-absorbed and painfully dead inside. Ugh, I hate that she’s been hurting Jie Xiu his entire life. I hope once Xiao Ru and Jie Xiu start the rest of their lives together, they change the locks to the house and ship her ass off to Easter Island. In the end, it’s not really the side characters or the plot of DTLY that makes this drama so delightful, it’s the characterizations of Jie Xiu and Xiao Ru and their every interaction that makes me smiles from cheek-to-cheek. Sigh, just thinking about Jie Xiu looking at that ugly as heck composite baby picture and cooing to it, claiming that it looks “special”, that was simply priceless.