‘Love Actually’ Episode 4 [Recap]

Darn you photo shop! Darn you for deleting yourself when I last rebooted the shit that I still call a computer! Just when I decided I want to attempt better quality screen caps and images, you bail on me? Technology’s a bitch. Just thought I’d get that off my chest.

As a way to get rid of the nasty feeling left behind by all that messy techy stuff, I think it’s time I relish in the feel of good drama…that sadly also happens to require…umm yeah technology. Recap time! 🙂

First off, I’d like to point out the fact that I was mistaken earlier, about the number of episodes that were already out. It seems like some people have watched up to ep 17, the last time I checked, which was a couple of days ago. Well, since I usually watch it on Viki, I’ll go with how many eps they have uploaded.

Now for real recap time.

The whole Chen family is regretting the decision of having lost contact with Wang Xiao Xia and Yang Guang. Papa Chen has lost his appetite, Li Yang isn’t his super happy self, quick to understand that there really is no way to placate Papa Chen. Even Hao Feng is feeling the emptiness left behind by their departure. Yet no one is sure what to really do. The customers, want their Sunny Happiness. Li Yang makes an attempt at locating the two with no success, until…Xiao Xiao walks back into the restaurant.

While making small talk with Li Yang, she makes a sudden realisation. Xiao Xia wasn’t Li Yang’s girlfriend! No shit-did she miss the age gap-or is she going to blame  it on Xiao Xia’s youthfulness? Regardless, she gets quite the scolding from the usually laid back Li Yang. In order to rectify her mistake, she promises to bring the two back home.

Bring them home, she does. And so we have ourselves a family re-union-yay! G’pa Chen is delighted to see Yang Guang, and we finally see that long awaited smile from Hao Feng. It barely escapes his lips.

Chen family not feeling the emptiness left behind by the two that left so suddenly.

Yang Guang eating a pot of noodles out in the brazen cold weather. While his aunt works away at her cleaning job.

Hao Feng trying and failing to console his dad.

Uh-oh, Xiao Xiao’s in trouble.

Bingo!

The usually controlled Hao Feng let’s escape his relief… I have to say it. Joe is freaking awesome. I love the way he depicts these small emotions and makes it seem so effortless.

awww~

Xiao Xia looks a bit apprehensive about returning. I think she’s about to become extra careful about living with her fake persona.

He’s genuinely happy 🙂

Li Yang is eating his words. Since Xiao Xiao got Xiao Xia to return in no time, he owe’s her a lifetime now…according to her anyway.

And we’re back in the kitchen, like all is normal. She’s finally getting the hang of the Chen kitchen.

Chef is pleased…and he’s on the cusp of forgetting his anger.

She doesn’t get it…this kitchen love is going to blossom at some point. Don’t grin at him too hard, or else it’s going to get messy…ah they’ll figure out a way.

‘What am I doing?’ He just realised he was smiling at her…ah he’s goofy when he’s on the verge of love.

All the while someone is plotting away. Eldest brother (Hao Jie) is almost about to sell out his family to…uh a guy who happens to look like a loan shark on a good day and a pimp on others…he just so happens to want in on the Chen family secret ingredients.

Amidst the peace of the Chen household, Xiao Xia still hasn’t solved her money problems. They’re still there, and she still has to pay for Yang Guang’s school fees. Since she’s been spending more time in the kitchen, helping out, she hasn’t made any income of her own. Thankfully G’pa isn’t ignorant, and he brings her over, to provide her with a salary for working in the kitchen. Xiao Xia has a few ethical problems  mainly her guilt. She’s already living rent free, under a lie that is bound to come loose sooner or later. Hao Feng accidentally over hears her refusal to accept the money that G’pa is offering. Given his expression, I think his opinion of her is gradually improving.

money. money.money. sigh.

G’pa Chen feels like he owe’s her for bringing a sense of domesticity to the household.

She keeps proving him wrong. Ah I want a confession or something.

lmao. The loan shark/ pimp decides to practically run him over to make a grandiose entrance, just as he’s left the damn place. As a reminder he repeats the same old speech he gave earlier.

Insert more baddies! So we have ourselves another bad guy…actually the initial bad guy was working for a lot more demure lady. Who happens to seek the ‘lost knowledge’ and she’s out to get Chen Quan (G’pa).

Million dollar question now is, is he going to sell out his family like Xiao Xia’s brother already did?

Li Yang and Xiao Xia joking around, while he bitches about Xiao Xiao.

And let’s welcome our latest nemesis. Maybe that’ll soften her up.

It’s so cute the way she calls Li Yang ‘Yang Yang Yang’. She’s actually not that bad, once she get’s over her OCD over him.

I lied. It wasn’t a million dollar question. It was less than dollar. He sold his family out before you could yell out super Super-cala-fragalistic-expialidocious in one breath.

Switch back to the main character and she’s being solicited by Xiao Xiao into helping her celebrate her and Li Yang’s 23rd anniversary of some sort (they’re family friends, and she’s known him since the cradle.) Xiao Xia has little choice and reluctantly agrees to bake a cake for whatever she has planned.

She has no experience with western baking…

She’s already asked him for help, and the answer was a blatant-no. He’s more concerned that he won’t find a spanking clean kitchen when he wakes up.

Xiao Xiao asks Xiao Xia dating tips…like she has any and lies out of her ass.

And so the episode concludes with a tiny encounter that depicts Xiao Xiao and Li Yang squabbling as usual. Me wants more Hao Feng and Xiao Xia action! I’ve been saying it for a few episodes now, and I stick by them. I really want to seem more interaction between the two, they seem like rare moments given how much of the 45 minutes is taken up with interaction between Xiao Xia and side characters. Oh well maybe by the time I come back for the next recap I’ll have more screen caps that have the two of them together, fingers crossed.