Reel Tastes & Travels – a light dose of entertainment to wake you up

This series works best when it leans into the chemistry between Zhi and Chong so it is simply better that they aren’t apart for too long. Thankfully, their separation is soon at an end, and they are reunited at Xicheng. But before that happy eventuality, Zhi still has to deal with her unsupportive mom and the over-supportive Yiming. For a brief moment, her mom seemed to show a glimmer of maternal affection but that soon went out the window when Zhi refused to fall in with her plans for her of a company job and an engagement with Yiming. Look, I get it … parents generally want what’s best for the child although the conflict usually comes from differing ideas on what that is. I’d like to give Zhi’s mom the benefit of the doubt and believe that she is genuinely worried about her daughter. But considering that money is obviously not an issue for them, her abrasive attitude and the way she tries to dictate Zhi’s life probably only serves to make Zhi dig her feet in even more. Even when it comes to Yiming (who objectively speaking is a catch), she just pushes and pushes without taking Zhi’s feelings into account. And expectedly, Zhi runs off to Chong’s waiting arms in Xicheng.

Now Chong and Zhi aren’t official yet but they don’t seem to be in a particular hurry to move out of this courtship phase. They’re both fairly secure in their mutual feelings at this point and are enjoying just spending time together without stressing about the next step. The most compelling screen romances are the ones where the main couple’s interactions are filled not just with attraction, but with affection. And that’s evident here, whether it is Zhi blowing on the milk tea so that Chong doesn’t get burnt when he drinks it, or Chong casually shooting down the guy at the supermarket who was hitting on Zhi. Chong is in a sense, a ‘Mr. Darcy’ type (shout-out to any Jane Austen fans), gruff and stand-offish to those outside his circle but clearly beloved and respected by his friends. And with Zhi, as with his closest family, his softer side comes out.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately since the story does have to move along), their privacy is soon interrupted by the arrival of the Jiang siblings. Didn’t Yiming hear Zhi yelling at her mom that she likes someone else already? If nothing else, Zhi literally running away from home to escape the idea of an engagement with him should have at least clued him in. But he persists in deluding himself that she simply doesn’t know her own mind and will eventually warm up to the idea if he is persistent enough. Sadly, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening fairly soon now that all of them are hanging out together. It does give us a glimpse of the jealous side of Chong though, so perhaps his arrival will be the catalyst that leads them to actually declare their feelings.

On the other side of things, the atmosphere between Nanfeng and Yan is as awkward as you could expect. I am a bit confused by her and Zhi’s attitude though. It feels like they are blaming Yan for the breakup and yet we saw Nanfeng discard him without a second thought earlier. Perhaps she was hoping for some action or protest from his end and was disappointed when that didn’t materialize? If that was the case, then the only thing I can say is…Communication, people!

Stray Musings

• Will Zhi ever stop calling Chong ‘Master’? Enquiring minds want to know!
• Zhi may think that she’s keeping her more risqué thoughts hidden, but Beici’s detective work allows Chong a peek into Zhi’s inner feelings through her hidden social media account. And he definitely doesn’t mind what he sees there!