Recap
Wen sleeps on the floor, and the next morning is pleased to hear he’s the only one who has slept over at Jim’s. He offers to stay at a hotel, but Jim gives him permission to stay until he finds a new place. Wen smiles more.
Wen cooks breakfast, but Li Ming won’t join them and is short with Jim. Wen can tell there was another fight.
Li Ming goes to Heart’s place. Heart’s mom tells him the debt is repaid and he doesn’t need to come anymore, but Li Ming wants to continue to see Heart. He apologizes for taking Heart out secretly but tells her exactly what they’ve been up to and how happy Heart has been. Heart’s Mom has to be envisioning the wholesome happiness we’ve been seeing for the last 4 episodes and gives Li Ming her permission.
Li Ming tricks Heart by slipping a note under his door, then when Heart opens the door, pushes his way in and gleefully jumps onto his bed.
At the restaurant, Leng smiles when he sees Wen and Jim show up together. He confirms that Jim doesn’t let people stay over. Wen tells Leng to ask Jim what to call their relationship and seems disappointed when Jim says ‘friends’.
At night they share a beer together and talk about the past. Wen tries for another kiss with no luck. He asks why Jim’s wall is so high and if he’s to blame.
Jim reveals more about his cheating boyfriend, Beam. He tried to break up with him and Beam got into a ferry accident and died. Jim wishes he’d put up a bigger fight, that he’d stopped Beam from getting on the ferry and had gotten answers to nagging questions. Wen comforts him with a side hug.
Jim meets with Alan about the loan again. Alan says he can’t separate personal and business matters, and gives him a business card for another branch. Jim leaves the card.
Jim has dinner with Gaipa, and they talk about Gaipa’s parent’s courtship and how his mother pursued his father. Jim comments that the one being pursued will feel differently depending on the pursuer. Gaipa makes his move and gets his heart broken and the title deed back. Poor sweet Gaipa cries and tries to get on with dinner.
Leng tries to console Gaipa on the phone. When Jim shows up Leng wants to know why he gave the deed back. Jim couldn’t take advantage of Gaipa’s feelings, no matter how desperate. He’ll talk to his sister, Jam
Wen and Jim decorate for New Year’s, and Wen gets permission to lay his head in Jim’s lap. After some hesitation, Jim strokes Wen’s head.
The next day they go make offerings at a temple together. Beam’s memorial is there and Jim cleans it. Wen suggests Jim meet Beam’s girlfriend, Jim acts hesitant but Wen encourages him.
So Jim does just that. Beam’s girlfriend tells Jim the history, that she and Beam were together first because their parents set them up. She thinks Beam really did love Jim, and that she and Jim were both in love with a selfish man. She’s married with a kid and upset that Beam never apologized, but she’s happy now.
Wen and Jim sit on the beach together. Jim mentions not knowing where he’d be without Wen and thanks him. They hold hands and walk in the water.
Heart comes over to Li Mings and his first spoken word is the cat’s name. Perfect. Li Min gets Heart to say his own name and is so excited he hugs him. Heart is overwhelmed.
They do a New Year’s countdown together and kiss.
Jim has come home just in time to see it. He leaves without a word, but Wen needs a ride because Alan is in the hospital. The accident specifics are unclear but Alan, who usually doesn’t drink, was drunk.
Wen, with Jim’s understanding, agrees to be Alan’s caretaker.
Thoughts
There’s a very subtle undercurrent here, and I may be reading too much into it but I don’t think so, about gay men and their families.
Jim mentions him and his sister running away from their family. His boyfriend Beam used seeing his family as an excuse to clandestinely see his girlfriend and keep Jim away from them. A girlfriend that he met because their families set it up. And Alan doesn’t have anyone from his family showing up to take care of him.
But Gaipa and Wen both have supportive and loving families.
None of this is part of the conflict, but the various ways families treat LGBTQ+ members are being shown and explored as part of the larger world and backstories and I appreciate the depth that gives the story. Everyone is okay. Everyone is finding love and support. But it is much better when the family is supportive.
The bit with Jim’s ex and his girlfriend felt really clunky the first time I watched it. Wen suggests the idea and BAM, they are on the beach outside her restaurant. I could have used an insert to show Jim considering the idea, time passing, a message to the girlfriend, something.
But the girlfriend character was great. Not overly friendly, not mean either, but seeing a kinship in Jim that neither of them chose. Unlike Jim, she’s moved on but she’s not handing him advice. I think Wen was the example and inspiration that got Jim to take this step to get closure and she is the example of where he can get eventually.
Jim’s words to Gaipa, on how being pursued really depends on the pursuer, stood out to me this watch. Jim decided on Wen in episode two, but he’s hesitant and not willing to compromise about some things. Luckily, Wen seems to get it and is patient, asking questions and moving slowly, accepting Jim’s walls when they come up. I was glad to see Jim finally verbally expressing his appreciation of Wen, because it feels like prior to this he’s been pretty non-verbal with both accepting and rejecting Wen.
Li Ming’s tactical conversation with Heart’s mom was great. Li Ming for best boyfriend of the year.