We can’t see their love until we watch the show!
If you want something, go get it
Zi Xiang says that aloud but doesn’t seem to want anything except Not To Work. Which I get. His new assistant, Feng Jie, is better suited for his job and deserves a better boss, but can’t do anything about it. Employees can’t choose.
This is intercut with Shao Peng, a tall deaf man who wants something and has gone to get it. But at his interview for a caretaking position he’s treated dismissively. He’s not even an employee yet.
Out of nowhere thugs are after Zi Xiang and Feng Jie. They split up, and Zi Xiang literally runs into Shao Peng. Shao Peng thinks he’s being attacked and restrains Zi Xiang. In a panic, Zi Xiang shoves him at the bad guys and he automatically starts fighting.
Shao Peng drags Zi Xiang into a playground tunnel to hide. Zi Xiang is noisy about not being a coward and Shao Peng covers his mouth until they’re safe.
In a strange sequence of events, there is now blue paint on Shao Peng’s hand and Zi Xiang’s face. This amuses Shao Peng and upsets Zi Xiang. He runs off still unaware Shao Peng is deaf.
Shao Peng is more upset by the job interview than the thugs
He gets home to his mom re-enacting a zombie version of The Ring. He smiles but his mom can tell he’s upset. His friend Shu He texts him to check in on him, and offers to hire him as her assistant.
By the power of drama writing, Shu He works for a construction company partnering with Zi Xiang’s company. An injury from fighting has Zi Xiang in a wheelchair, giving him an excuse to be even needier. Shu He talks with Feng Jie because Zi Xiang contributes nothing except inappropriate comments. She’s arranged a safe, private place for them to stay and is looking into who attacked them.
Shao Peng vents his frustration by practicing taekwondo at his father’s studio downstairs. Thankfully, his father is the opposite of Do Hoe’s and interested in his son’s feelings. He suggests Shao Peng should have given that interviewer the middle finger.
More usefully, he offers Shao Peng a job at the studio, but Shao Peng wants to be a caretaker.
Time for silly editing
The show wants us to think Zi Xiang tries to get Feng Jie to do sexual favors and refuses. There’s xylophone comedy music I hate it. Then we’re supposed to think Zi Xiang hires Shao Peng for these sexual favors, as Shao Peng is in a bathrobe as Zi Xiang creepily gestures for him to come closer.
This is not what happened.
Zi Xiang wanted Feng Jie to cook for him and then ordered delivery despite people wanting to kill him. Shao Peng, making what money he can, is the delivery guy. Zi Xiang gets too aggressive with his wheelchair and flies into Shao Peng’s arms. Food goes all over Shao Peng’s shirt.
Seeing someone who needs care, Shao Peng bridal carries Zi Xiang and lets him direct him to the shower. In return, Zi Xiang accidentally sprays them with water.
Do you like shower scenes? This show likes shower scenes
Good to know Shao Peng takes cleanliness seriously as he washes that food off. Zi Xiang somehow gets clean despite the complaining. We’ve caught up to the end of episode one. Zi Xing tries to get Shao Peng closer because he’s an obnoxious brat. Also, he hasn’t figured out Shao Peng’s deaf.
Shao Peng uses his smartphone to clear that up. He finds the drier for his shirt while Zi Xiang begs him to wash his clothes too. Shao Peng can only be so nice, and he’s not being paid to take care of him. Yet.
Feng Jie is appalled Zi Xiang ordered delivery, has a stranger in the house, and openly talks about their issues. Zi Xiang explains that Shao Peng is deaf. Meanwhile, Shao Peng read his lips and caught words like “gangs” and “murder”. He gets out of there fast.
But Shao Peng’s fate is sealed
He has an interview in the same building as Shu He’s company, and Zi Xiang sees him in the lobby afterward. Shao Peng is flustered as some lady explains that he got rejected because he’s deaf while he can’t understand her because he’s deaf.
Seeing Zi Xiang, Shao Peng bolts, dropping his resume so Zi Xiang can make Feng Jie pick it up. Later, at home, Zi Xiang looks over the resume. He remembers seeing Shao Peng helping someone in a wheelchair.
Then he takes a phone call from his older brother. For the first time he tries to be a responsible adult talking about business, but this cold-looking man puts him down. Zi Xiang goes back to acting stupid. His brother blames him for some ocean incident and may not be a good guy.
At least Shao Peng’s home life is sweet
Shu He comes over and acts like she’s home, signing with Shao Peng. She works in his room while he works on his resume, surrounded by books about caretaking. She offers him a job again, but he sells the importance of caretaking jobs to her, and us.
Shu He wishes him well and complains about the useless rich kid she’s working for. Shao Peng suggests the rich kid has other talents and something he wants to do. She thinks it’s living off his parents. She’s not wrong.
She spends the night and rushes out the next morning. The doorbell rings, Shao Peng thinks it’s her and goes to get it.
It’s not her. It’s Zi Xiang and Feng Jie. Intertitles let us know Shao Peng is in for some surprises.
Not the strongest setup but the important things are there
The moments of humor contrasted with the more serious stuff make the show feel scattered and tonally confusing. We’ve got a deaf man being discriminated against AND a hot shower scene. What follows naturally after that?
And yet I think the light tone is important because some of what happens could descend into kdrama-level darkness. I just think it’s a bit extra in these first episodes.
I’m not sure why the mom is re-enacting The Ring and it’s my 3rd time watching. Maybe it’s to surprise and amuse Shao Peng when he gets home?
The parents still get bonus points for being the rare parents of a deaf child, unfortunately in drama or real life, who sign. We don’t see the dad sign (the middle finger doesn’t count) but he understands Shao Peng so I’ll take that win.
What needs to be set up is clear. Our two guys appear like opposites. Zi Xiang is rich and being handed everything. Shao Peng is not rich and can’t get anything because he’s being discriminated against. Zi Xiang’s one family member is mean to him. Shao Pengs family is great. Zi Xiang can’t take care of himself and Shao Peng can take care of himself and others.
But what they have in common is that neither is happy with where they are now. Zi Xiang has a job he doesn’t want and Shao Peng can’t get the job he wants.
And they both have 11 episodes left to get somewhere better!
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