Normally the tail end of a rom-com is where random plot obstacles pop up left and right to keep our lovers apart. It’s almost like the drama writer wants to make sure that we, the viewers, feel like our OTP has earned the right to be together. Which is a seriously wack supposition. Conflict has to be organic, and the resolution has to be logical. Sunny Happiness episodes 17-18 should be a case study in how to handle dramatic plot points in the most believable and gentle of ways.

This drama moves so fast, yet everything is given its proper presentation and thoughtful moment for discussion. At this point, both Yong Yong and Yun Jie can feel and realizes that the other person has developed genuine feelings. But while Yun Jie makes his decision without hesitation (I knew he’d be like this – fall in love and it’s no holds barred for him), Yong Yong’s orphanage mentality haunts her every move. She worries about others above herself. Even if she knows that Yun Jie wants her, she cannot yet move forward if others may be hurt.

Episodes 17-18 Recap:

Yun Chao heads to his seat in front of the stage, where he finds Yun Jie sitting at the table already. He asks whether Yun Jie has suddenly developed an interest in fashion shows. Yun Jie laughs, telling him that Xin Jie is not just Yun Chao’s future wife, her family is also an investor in the Tian Yu shopping center project. As the President of the Tian Yu Group, its good to show his support.

The show starts, and Yong Yong is nervously getting ready to go on stage. Xin Jie caustically reminds her that this must be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her. Yong Yong walks the runaway, and both brothers stare at her as she models a wedding gown. Yun Chao tells Yun Jie that this was the surprise he was alluding to earlier – and that Yong Yong actually looks pretty when she’s all dolled up.

Everything is going well until Yong Yong turns to walk back, which is when she slips and tumbles off the stage. Both Yun Jie and Yun Chao rush to her side, and she’s taken to the hospital. In the hospital room, Yong Yong is still unconscious, and Yun Jie tenderly picks up her hand, and holds it against his face. Oh dude, you are so in love with her, just give it up and tell her you want her to stay your wife forever and ever.

Yun Chao and Xin Jie come in to check on Yong Yong, and Yun Jie asks her why she tried to be a model today and walk a runway? Yun Chao tells her that she’s already hurt, Yun Jie shouldn’t scold her at this time. Yun Jie looks a little surprised, and replies that he was merely concerned about Yong Yong. They leave so that she can rest, and Yun Jie tells her that he notified her family already and they are coming to stay with her.

The entire clan shows up and fusses over Yong Yong, which is when the doctor comes in and informs her that she is pregnant. Yong Yong’s face freezes in shock. After the family moves the discussion back home, dad is angrily asking which irreponsible guy got her knocked up? Her dad is not upset, he only wants to make sure the man takes responsibility.

Second sister tries to explain that Yong Yong isn’t irreponsible at all, but Yong Yong stops her from talking. The family wants to figure out what to do in the future, but Yong Yong wants to handle it herself. She leaves, and second sister spills the beans that the man in question has great qualities. The family pressures her to tell the truth by threatening to withhold food, and she blurts out the name of Xian Yun Jie.

Yong Yong is outside clearing her mind. She takes out her cellphone, and voiceovers to Yun Jie that she’s pregnant, and now their relationship is going to be even more complicated. She asks him to forgive her, but she’s not going to tell him about the baby. She doesn’t want to bind him to the marriage because of an accident, and she cries as she texts him that they should divorce early now that Xiao Nian is back in his custody. Poor Yong Yong chokes back sobs as her heart breaks.

Yong Yong finds out from second sister that the parental units and first sister know the truth and have gone to the Xian house to get Yun Jie to take responsibility. Yun Jie’s dad can’t believe that its Yun Jie who made the mistake (LOL, he’s all like “I’d totally believe it if you told me Yun Chao knocked her up”), which is when Yong Yong arrives and finds Yun Jie is also there. At the most uncomfortable meeting of the in-laws ever, Yong Yong is asked by his parents whether the baby really is Yun Jie’s?

Everyone is further shocked to find out that Yong Yong is already married to Yun Jie! Yun Jie takes Yong Yong’s hand and pulls her beside him as he addresses both families. He tells them that they got married because they fell in love. When he was in China two months ago, he was faced with a difficult situation. When he was in despair, he met Yong Yong. He initially didn’t notice her, but as he got to know her, he discovered what a wonderful person she was.

Yong Yong is like magic, everytime he sees her, his mood changes from the cold moody wetness of a rainy day and turns into the warm sunshine of a clear day. He now understands what love is, and after meeting Yong Yong, he knows that she is the person he wants to be with. He apologizes for getting married without telling anyone, but he sincerely loves Yong Yong, and wants to spend his whole life protecting her.

Yun Chao, who is the only person not buying Yun Jie’s sappy love story, asks why the marriage was kept a secret if they are in love? Yun Jie claims that they were worried about their disparate backgrounds. Yong Yong has a wave of nausea and rushes off to the bathroom retch. She wants to stay in the bathroom a bit longer, since it’s too complicated outside.

She looks at Yun Jie, and he tells her that he knows what she’s thinking about. He’ll continue to handle things, because he already created their love story, and now the story must go on. While the parental units discuss wedding plans, they head outside to continue their conversation. Yong Yong tells Yun Jie that there is still time to stop this mess. If they continue the story, the entire world will think that Yun Jie has a wife.

He’s fine with that, and Yong Yong wonders how Wan Lan will feel? Yun Jie tells her that it’s over with Wan Lan, and he doesn’t care how she feels. Yong Yong asks how Xiao Nian will feel, and Yun Jie tells her that he’s a reasonable boy. He asks her why she keeps talking about other people, what does she want? She tells him that she texted him her thoughts yesterday already.

Yun Jie looks away, and tells her than he wishes he hadn’t read the text. He will not allow her to divorce him early. She keeps telling him that she will take care of the baby, and he keeps wondering how her life will turn out. She tells him that since the day she met him, her life has become a confusing mess.

Yong Yong turns to leave, but he grabs her for a tight back hug. He tells her that he will not let divorce her early. She wants their story to end early, and he refuses, telling her that he wants to continue their story. He hugs her again, asking her gently to please stay with him.

Wan Lan is meeting with Si Han, and he’s happy to see the return of the Wan Lan of old. She opens the newpaper to read the cover story being the President of Tian Yu Group marrying a cleaning lady at the hotel, including pictures of Yun Jie and Yong Yong. Wan Lan is shocked, and Si Han asks if she’s still in love with Yun Jie. She claims to just be surprised by the news.

Yong Yong is hanging clothes out to dry when Yun Jie’s mom comes to stop her from doing housework since she’s about to become her daughter-in-law. She tells Yong Yong to call her mom. Yong Yong heads out to buy groceries and supplies to make some brownies for dessert, and she runs into Yun Chao by the front gate. He’s curt and dismissive towards her, and she’s a tad annoyed.

Yong Yong is baking brownies in the kitchen when Xin Jie comes in with a bag full of cakes. Xin Jie tells her to stop treating her like a guest and to call her Xin Jie from now. She tells Yong Yong that she doesn’t like her, but she’ll tolerate her now that she’s married to Yun Jie. She takes out some brownies she bought at a famous bakery, telling Yong Yong that she doesn’t want the family to eat a bad dessert tonight.

At dinner, Xin Jie passes out her store brought brownie, and Yun Jie passes out Yong Yong’s brownie. He takes a bite and doesn’t say anything. His mom takes a bite and tells Yong Yong that her brownie was just perfect. Yun Jie gives her a covert thumbs up and a smile. Hee, he’s such a wonderful husband.

Yong Yong is in the kitchen and tries her own brownie, saying that she’s becoming a genuis baker these days. Yun Chao comes downstairs and Yong Yong tries to give him the last piece of brownie, asking why he didn’t join them for dessert. He tells her that nothing is wrong, and he has no reason to avoid her. He walks out to the courtyard and she follows him, asking again what is going on?

Yun Chao turns and asks why she lied to him? She realizes that he’s upset about not being told about the secret marriage (oh yes he is, Yong Yong). He thought they had become friends who could talk about anything, and he hates the feeling of being kept in the dark. Yong Yong explains that she was worried that Yun Chao would think she was a golddigger, especially the way he used to talk about the women Yun Jie dated.

She slyly tries to get him to share some thoughts about the ladies Yun Jie used to date, and Yun Chao almost tells her before catching himself and telling her he’s not sharing that information with her so easily. She tells him that she’s actually not concerned about the women Yun Jie dated, she’s worried about her friendship with Yun Chao. She sincerely apologizes to him, for not realizing that keeping him in the dark would upset him so much.

He smiles and accepts her apology, wondering how his brother managed to marriage such a unique girl like her? She asks whether that is meant as a compliment or insult? He says for her to decipher his meaning, and she accepts his description of her as a compliment then.

Wan Lan is out at a skate park with Yun Jie and Xiao Nian. She asks Yun Jie if he is happy recently? He wonders why she is asking, and she tells him that she saw the news reports about his upcoming wedding to Yong Yong. Yun Jie tells her that he doesn’t need to explain himself to her. Wan Lan is clearly turning back into brain dead Wan Lan, and she chides Yun Jie for telling for lies (first that he was married, and then that the marriage was just a contract).

She wants to know how he really feels, and Yun Jie confesses that Yong Yong is pregnant. He apologizes to Wan Lan for his part in the dissolution of their marriage 8 years ago. He tells Wan Lan that he intends to divorce Yong Yong after the child is born, because its not fair for him to bind her to a marriage when she is so young and still a chance to live her life according to her wishes. Wan Lan asks if he has fallen in love with Yong Yong, and Yun Jie deflects her question.

That night, Wan Lan accidentally spills the beans to Xiao Nian that Yong Yong is married to his dad. Yong Yong is cleaning up Xiao Nian’s room, and Yun Jie comes to help her. He reminds her that she’s not the housekeeper anymore, she is Mrs. Xian. His clothes folding is pretty laughable, and she happily shows him how to fold clothes. He sighs that this is his first failure, being unable to fold his son’s clothes.

Wan Lan tries to explain the situation to Xiao Nian, that she and Yun Jie will always be Xiao Nian’s mom and dad, regardless of who they may marry. Xiao Nian comes home and has a totally surly attitude with Yun Jie and Yong Yong. He yells at Yong Yong for breaking up his mom and dad, and runs off to his room. Yun Jie is so angry he storms to see Wan Lan. Xiao Nian locks the door and refuses to let Yong Yong in.

Yun Jie accuses Wan Lan of planting ideas in Xiao Nian’s head for him to oppose the marriage so much. She wonders if that is how he sees her now, as someone with malice and spite. She tells him that Xiao Nian is eight already, and knows enough to be upset at the remarriage of his dad to someone not his mother. Yun Jie understands how upsetting it will be to Xiao Nian, which is why he wanted to find the right time to tell him. Wan Lan cries, and Yun Jie tells her that there is nothing for them to talk about anymore.

Xiao Nian runs away from home, and Yong Yong runs off to find him. Luckily, Xiao Nian runs into Ba Hu from the orphanage, who takes the kid back to wait for Yong Yong. After Xiao Nian plays with the kids and calms down, Yong Yong goes to talk with him.

She tells Xiao Nian that she may be marrying his dad, but she’s not planning to become his new mom. His mom will always be Wan Lan. She promises that she will only be married to his dad for a year, and then after that, she’ll leave, and give his dad back to him.

Yong Yong takes Xiao Nian home, who has reverted back to being a reasonable boy. Yun Jie apologizes for yelling at Xiao Nian, and Xiao Nian apologizes for saying such mean things to his dad. Yun Jie wants to know how Xiao Nian make up with Yong Yong, and he says that its a secret that he can’t tell. Yong Yong is cooking dinner, and Yun Jie comes into the kitchen to just look at her, before thanking her for today.

Wan Lan is filming a food segment for a TV show, and Si Han notices that she’s distracted and not her usual self. She grouses to Si Han that Yun Jie yelled at her today because of Yong Yong. Si Han wonders what Wan Lan wants him to say to her? To encourage her to fight for her feelings? He pretty much tells her that she knows his feelings for him, but she never gives him a chance. He thought one day she would accept him if he stayed by her side. But now Si Han realizes that Wan Lan is still in love with Yun Jie. He asks for a chance to fight fairly for her heart.

Yong Yong is washing dishes, and Yun Jie steps in to do it for her. She happily hands it over to him, and supervises from the side. She asks if she can keep cooking for the family even after the new housekeeper arrives. She loves to watch people enjoying the food she makes. She wonders if perhaps she should open a bakery when she gets old? He says sure, as long as she will support him.

Yun Jie gets a call and heads out. Yong Yong is going home, and runs into Yun Chao and Xin Jie outside. He’s upset that Yun Jie didn’t take her home first, and he offers to take Yong Yong home after he drops off Xin Jie, who is not pleased in the least. In the car, Xin Jie tells Yun Chao that she wants to learn how to cook now, and Yong Yong supports her desire to learn how to cook.

Xin Jie gives Yun Chao a quick peck on the cheek, and he tells her to stop it. Ouch, no good, Yun Chao. At least pretend to be more affectionate. He drops Xin Jie off first, and she’s not happy to leave Yun Chao and Yong Yong alone in the car. After he drives off, Yong Yong reminds Yun Chao to call and apologize to Xin Jie for not being nice to her tonight.

Yun Chao suddenly sees Yun Jie and Wan Lan walking on the side of the street, and he pulls over. Yong Yong but looks away and asks him to please just leave. He reluctantly drives off, and he can tell that Yong Yong’s got stuff on her mind. When he pulls up to her house, he asks her to call Yun Jie to ask why he lied to her that he was meeting a client.

Yong Yong makes up a reason for Yun Jie’s white lie, and she thanks Yun Chao and tells him to drive home carefully. After he pulls away, her face falls a little.

Thoughts of Mine:

Isn’t it refreshing to see a pregnancy plotline without any histrionics, any drama reactions shots, any rivers of tears worrying about what it all means. When Yong Yong did break down, it wasn’t because she was pregnant, but because she didn’t want to hold Yun Jie responsible, and in letting him go, she’s breaking her own heart. But luckily Yun Jie emotionally crossed that invisible line, and he has no qualms about announcing his fairytale-love-story-marriage to both families (and a peeved Yun Chao).

I love how this scene mirrored Yong Yong’s grand declaration to Si Han in the parking lot a few episodes back. SH actually has a lot of parallel scenes that are just exquisitely nuanced, and this was probably one of the most meaningful. He stands up before everyone, but really he’s addressing only Yong Yong, and pouring out his true feelings towards her. She is special, she has touched him in ways that have changed him gradually from a cold man to someone filled with laughter and warmth, he does want to take care of her.

Yong Yong’s insistence that she just wants an early divorce is understandable, thinking that Wan Lan had a chance to get back together with Yun Jie and create a real family for Xiao Nian again. I loved how Yun Jie flat out told her it’s never happening with Wan Lan again, which erased obstacle number 1. And then the two hugs where he told her that he wants their story to continue is about the best love declaration that doesn’t need the words “I love you” bandied about. And Yong Yong relented, because she dared to hope, and perhaps it buys her more time to spend with the man she loves.

Yun Chao’s hurt feelings for being lied to was also dealt with wonderfully, with the two friends talking it over and moving beyond it. Which really has been how SH has dealt with each and every conflict in this drama. Their friendship fell right back to their natural conversational ebbs and flows, which have a different flavor than the way Yong Yong and Yun Jie talk. Yong Yong and Yun Chao really do remind me of opposite sex BFFs, but in a way that would totally develop into something with time (but for the presence of another person). In this case, Yong Yong met Yun Jie first, and that’s the way the ball rolls.

I love how sensibly Yong Yong handled Xiao Nian’s anger and frustration, without any hint of impatience. She told him the truth as well, that in her mind she’s only going to be married to Yun Jie for one year. I wondered why Yun Jie would accept this now that she’s pregnant and he clearly loves her, but then his conversation with Wan Lan clarified it for me. He is angry that he put her in the position (married and pregnant) by his conduct, and he wants to give her a chance to live her life free of any constraints after the baby is born.

Yong Yong’s insistance of getting an early divorce probably adds to his confusion over her feelings, and lends credence to the mistaken assumption that she doesn’t want to be married to him. She wants to be with him, she’s just too scared to believe it could or should happened.

He thinks he’s letting her go, she thinks she’s letting him go. Oh kids, please just get back into that bed and don’t leave for a good 2 weeks. I promise you two will work through every little bit of confusion and doubt.

For now, I’m just glad Wan Lan got the memo from Yun Jie that she is never getting another chance with him. Whew! I can’t wait to watch Yong Yong and Yun Jie break down the final barriers which are keeping them from embracing being in this special relationship without reservation.