Asian Addicts Anonymous

You know, I have this feeling that if it wasn’t for watching Ai Xing and Tian Ze and now Ling Li I would have dropped this drama already. It gets preachy. Tries for grandeur, but falls flat. Amber Kuo’s acting has really improved since her debut, but I am actually sick if seeing Jing Jing’s wide-eyed anxious/worried/surprised look. That’s all she seems to be wearing anymore. The original, sassy Jing Jing has all but disappeared and only every slight reappears on occasion to school Ren Wei. And her mom? Yeah. Her mom is doing too much of the shocked half craziness and then the look of disgust way too much for my taste of late. Sigh. How can this drama pull in the highest rating and leave the better written idol drama Absolute Boyfriend/Absolute Darling in the dust?

Jing Jing comes home to find Ai Xing there with party poppers. Ai Xing tells Jing Jing the good news about selling her first pieces of real estate and Jing Jing genuinely congratulates her friend. Mrs. Meng watches their good friendship and smiles. Is she recalling her good friend from the past? Ai Xing then gives Jing Jing a friendship charm bracelet. Ai Xing picked a heart to symbolize Jing Jing who years for love and a dollar charm to signify herself since she loves money (not as much as she loves her friends, though). Anywho, Jing Jing reveals that Ren Wei wishes to marry her. Ai Xing is flummoxed. So her coworker was right? This is all Ai Xing’s fault for putting that thought into Ren Wei’s head. Is he blackmailing Jing Jing to marry him? Jing Jing says that some people might call it that, but she sees it as him helping her (in his own twisted way). So, will Jing Jing marry him? Well, we all know what choice Jing Jing will make, but at this point she isn’t certain of just what she wants to do.

Ai Xing comes home and finds Tian Ze on the phone. He was talking to his colleague at his father’s firm in hopes of ganging evidence that can stop Ren Wei from completely destroying the Mengs. Jing Jing sees the memorandum on the table and wishes to look at it, but Tian Ze won’t let her. Plus, Ai Xing is totally worried about just what to do. Should she tell Tian Ze what happened between Ren Wei and Jing Jing? She tries to, but stops herself, she just can’t. This annoys Tian Ze. Can’t Ai Xing finish her sentences? Ai Xing yells that he can’t force her and rushes into her room. This surprises Tian Ze, who wanted to force her to tell him anything? It was cute. I admit it. Poor Ai Xing is forever stuck in the middle between these two. Will that ever change? Meanwhile we see Mrs. Meng nodding off while watching TV and Jing Jing just looks really sad and unhappy. Well…it’s good that she finally understands and worries about her mom, but…yeah.

The next morning the colleague comes and delivers the information to Tian Ze. He’s worried about his friend. If Tian Ze is caught doing this, he can get disbarred! Oh, no. That wouldn’t be good, but Tian Ze is willing to sacrifice all he can to save Jing Jing. I know what she said in earlier episodes was just to push him away so she could do what she deemed necessary with Ren Wei, but does she still not get that even if Tian Ze and Ai Xing cannot help financially as Ren Wei can, they will do their damndest to save her regardless of the cost to themselves? I liked this scene as we learn that the rebel Tian Ze wasn’t a boy who flunked law school just to annoy his father. Why did he flunk? He was doing volunteer work during final exams. LOL. Only Tian Ze.

At work, Ai Xing is delivering files to Ren Wei who is nowhere to be seen. So what does she decide to do? Something stupid. Something really, really stupid. She decides to ransack his office for proof of his revenge scheme against the Meng’s. Now, this wouldn’t be too stupid, but it’s Ai Xing and she never really thinks things through well at all. Ren Wei and Ling Li come back and Ren Wei is shocked to find the door locked, he didn’t lock it when he left. As he turns to get his keys from the car, Ai Xing opens the office door and rather unconvincedly lies saying the door locked itself as she was delivering files. What makes it more unconvincing is she didn’t even attempt to cover up the mess of her looking. Oy. Ai Xing. She can be so smart in one moment and so dumb in the next. Ren takes all this in and yells at Ai Xing demanding to know just what she was doing. This startles both Ai Xing and Ling Li.

Ren Wei then calls Jing Jing and Tian Ze over. Once they arrive he demands to know who put Ai Xing up to looking through his office. Ai Xing asserts she did it on her own volition. Ren Wei doesn’t believe this and insists he won’t do anything to her as long as she tells the truth. Ai Xing sticks to her guns and says she did it freely on her own with neither Tian Ze nor Jing Jing asking her. This makes Ren Wei explode. Ai Xing then speaks up saying she did it to save Jing Jing from Ren Wei. And all hell breaks loose. Ai Xing gives a horrible speech about her friend needing love. Gag me. I mean…at this point, yes, Jing Jing needs love, but really that wasn’t quite what I was expecting and was rather trite and lame. This of course leads to Ren Wei revealing the whole marriage scheme, Tian Ze getting angry. Fists fly and before you know it, everyone’s at the police station.

The office in charge tells the boys to each go to the hospital for a check up to assess the damages. Seriously? For like a max of two or three punches, is a hospital visit really necessary? To add insult to injury, Mr. Du was called in by Ren Wei for legal advice. Du is horrified to learn that Tian Ze and company might be doing something unethical that could get his son disbarred. Ren Wei gets up to leave and the agitated Ling Li (agitated because of what happened to Ai Xing and what Ren Wei confessed about marrying Jing Jing) scolds them for doing this to Ren Wei as that makes him even more determined to plow ahead and sue and have Tian Ze disbarred. I loved how annoyed Ren Wei looked when both Jing Jing and Ai Xing stood up for Tian Ze (with Ai Xing admitting she acted solely on her own and TIan Ze had nothing to do with it). This, of course, also leads Jing Jing to tell her two best friends to butt out of her affairs and let her handle things. Well, they did make things a wee bit messier.

Outside, Ling Li has had enough. As tough as she acts and as much as she put Ren Wei in his place, she has always harbored the hope he would turn to her one day. And if he didn’t, as long as he never settled down with anyone or was serious about anyone, she would happily remain by his side. But this? She can’t take this. She knows Ren Wei is opening his heart to Jing Jing. It has nothing to do with revenge or him just using and easy method to help her. Easy would just be paying back the debt with no strings attached. Ling Li then tells Ren Wei that it’s over. She’s done. She can’t remain by his side and watch him open himself up to another woman. You go Jing Jing. At least she isn’t the kind to suffer silently, unloved by the man’s side wasting away. And Ren Wei? He’s completely lost. What does he do without the woman he trusts the most? His best, and only, friend?

We then get a cute scene where Ai Xing is trying to ice Tian Ze’s bruised face. The two bicker over what happened. Ai Xing apologizes, but she was only trying to help him (and Jing Jing). Poor Tian Ze. What can he do? He can’t protect either of the two women he cares about. Well, it really is hard to protect Ai Xing from her own stupidity. And Jing Jing, it wouldn’t make it a drama if he could easily swoop in and save the day and protect her from the confusing Ren Wei.

Jing Jing comes home to find her mother has made dinner. Mrs. Meng happily greets her daughter, but then burns herself when the hot soup gushes over the side of the pan. Jing Jing quickly rushes to her mother’s aid. They sit down and her mom wonders how she could be so careless. She used to cook all of the time. She then looks at her hands and talks about how she kept them as nice as possible to impress Mr. Meng’s clients and friends. A woman’s hand tells a lot. She then tells Jing Jing to take care of her hands for when she marries someday. Jing Jing uses this as an opening to mention getting married soon. To who, Tian Ze? No.Ren Wei. Mrs. Meng absolutely forbids it. I like how she has changed her mind. Before she wanted Jing Jing to marry well so she will be protected. But she doesn’t want her daughter to marry solely for money reasons and to Ren Wei of all people. Rock on Mrs. Meng. NOW your are acting more and more like a mother. Mrs. Meng even has another wee bit crazy spell looking for a pink diamond set that Mr. Meng gave her for an anniversary. Why? She wants to sell it to keep Jing Jing from marrying Ren Wei. Aww. Now that’s the mother I’ve been wanting to see.

Yia Nan hurriedly looks for Ai Xing to tell her that Ling Li quit! Oh, and Ren Wei wants to see her. Uh-oh. But this is becoming pretty commonplace. Ai Xing does something that she, as a subordinate really shouldn’t do and Ren Wei always lectures her about firing her for her actions. But the man never does. Ren Wei then instructs Ai Xing to bring Ling Li back (on the company’s dime, too). Ai Xing then tries to use this to maneuver Ren Wei into letting Tian Ze off by promising to be loyal to Ren Wei and the company. Omo. Ren Wei then asks if Ai Xing is trying to blackmail him. Well, it would serve him right. Ai Xing clams up a bit, but does her final parting shot like always mystifying Ren Wei. You know, why does he put up with her lip and actions, especially when they annoy him so much and he’s no longer toying with her like before? Is it because of her similarities to Ling Li? Does he still feel himself drawn to the younger girl? I just don’t know and just don’t quite get it.

Tian Ze is at the bank looking at his stocks again and recalling how he told Jing Jing that he kept them in hopes that she would someday return to him. He also recalls the time when Jing Jing threw the money back at him saying he couldn’t help and to just sell the stock because it is just a stock and not a precious memento. Ai Xing shows up and Tian Ze says he’s thinking about selling it to help pay a few months rent. Ai Xing tells him no. Wow. She always encouraged him to sell it before. Ai Xing knows the stock is a memento of Tian Ze and Jing Jing. She feels that if the stock is sold that means that Jing Jing and their relationship (all of them, not Just Tian Ze and Jing Jing) will be permanently severed. Thus, Ai Xing forbids Tian Ze from selling it. How the tables turn.

Mrs. Meng is out and notices a sign saying help is wanted at a café. She looks around nervously and tries her best to cover her face as she goes in. Okay. Now, given the area and everything that’s happened, does she really need to do that? Most of her friends won’t want anything to do with her now that she’s bankrupt and swimming in debt. Plus, I highly doubt many of her high class friends would frequent that restaurant anyways. The manager does hire her after she assures him that she is willing to clean and look after the customers and learn whatever she doesn’t know. The manager likes to encourage housewives to step back into the work world (but she’s NEVER worked!).

Mrs. Meng starts her job right away and is very self conscience in her new uniform. She tries to keep her face hidden and picks up the trash and leftovers in disgust. She says she’s willing, but she seems anything but. She then accidentally collides with customers and drops everything. This earns her a scolding just as her daughter comes in for lunch. Jing Jing is horrified to see her mother there and insists that her mom  quits on the spot. Mrs. Meng refuses. Before Jing Jing can insist more, she gets notified that another loan payment check has bounced. Oy. Ren Wei. Ren Wei. You play dirty. Yes, you do.

Jing Jing rushes to confront him and Ren Wei states the payments will clear as long as she marries him. Honestly, he can’t understand why she’s not jumping at the chance. Jing Jing tells him that it’s her life, her future. She can’t just do anything completely rash, especially with a man who loves to toy with her. Angry, Jing Jing grabs Ren Wei’s phone and runs out of the building. Ren Wei pursues her and manages to stop her. Just what does she think she’s doing? Jing Jing smiles and says she’s toying with him before throwing the cell in the street where it gets run over. She explains that she is like that phone and can be easily destroyed and thrown away by Ren Wei. Nicely done, Jing Jing. She then leaves after tossing Ren Wei’s cell back. Apparently she just through the cover into the road to trick Ren Wei. She knows she gets under his skin and is trying to utilize that while she figures out just what she will do.

I LOVED how Ren Wei didn’t understand why any girl in her right mind would refuse him! LOL. Oh, you narcissistic child, you.

While Ren Wei is mulling this over, Ling Li and Ai Xing meet for drinks. Ai Xing uses her smooth tongue to try to sweet talk Ling Li into working. I really loved this scene between these two girls. They talk about life, love, work, and missed opportunities. And I love how Ai Xing uses Ling Li’s complaint about dating half her life and not finding anyone suitable. So Ai Xing’s solution? Go back to work so you aren’t drowning in loneliness. Ai Xing has no experience in love, so she can’t say much about Ling Li’s complaints and advice there, but she understands loneliness a bit. The two girls then take their party back to Ai Xing’s apartment where Tian Ze has to deal with them. LOL. Poor guy. It’s like dealing with double the drunken Ai Xings. Ling Li starts talking about their feelings and relationship and basically tells them both to wake up and smell the coffee. You rock, Ling Li. And to think I originally thought I’d hate you through the whole series. I wonder if her words will wake the two up at all?

Mrs. Meng overhears Jing Jing’s side of a phone conversation with Ren Wei. She is still very insistent that her daughter does not marry such a man and Jing Jing’s gravitating more and more towards it. Jing Jing insists once again for her mom to quit working when Mrs. Meng has a back pain. You know, right here, I hate Jing Jing’s attitude. Yes, I get it. She loves her mom and wants to protect her, but still. How can she treat her mother as a baby. Mrs. Meng should face reality and do what she can instead of living as a sheltered doll. THAT is actually better. Sure, there is no way to swim out of debt doing what she’s doing, but Mrs. Meng took the initiative and wants to help. Jing Jing should be more understanding of this and realize that it could actually be good for her mother. I liked it when Jing Jing lied about having some savings left and Mrs. Meng called her out on it. Their roles are finally reversing back to parent and child and Mrs. Meng is maturing and becoming more accustomed to things. However, when Jing Jing sees her mother willing to sacrifice her limited edition handbags, designer clothes, and precious gifts from her father, Jing Jing looks even more horrible. Oh, dear lord. I get it, I do, but still. Shakes head. Dumb Jing Jing. I am also confused because Mrs. Meng mentions having worked in a factory before. Then how does she have nice hands and no work experience?

So what does Jing Jing do? She goes to see Ren Wei to ask him if he really meant what he said about repaying the debt if she marries him. Of course, when she asks that Ren Wei let Tian Ze off, he gets angry thinking that’s the only thing that spurred on her decision. Jing Jing insists it was all for her mother that she finally came to her decision. And Mrs. Meng? Yeah, she’s rushed over to Ai Xing’s to find Jing Jing who was acting weird and had told her not misunderstand her if she does something her mom won’t like. This sends the three rushing over to Ren Wei’s to stop Jing Jing from making another decision like that.

Ren Wei and Jing Jing are both shocked to see the trio swarm in. How did they even know about the new place? Ai Xing’s comment about the secretary cracked me up. But there is little humor in this scene as Jing Jing announces that she is marrying Ren Wei. Mrs. Meng immediately voices her disapproval. She refuses to allow Jing Jing to marry that man. I actually cheered when Mrs. Meng slapped her daughter. I mean, really, Jing Jing deserved it. Even it it was a horribly fake slap in the history of drama fake slaps. The shocked faces were priceless. I can’t remember what drama it is now, but there was one when someone sacrificed quite a bit for a certain someone. Was that person grateful? No, they were not. Their response was “who asked you to do something like that?” It’s all well and good if you are willing to make some pretty big decisions and sacrifices, but it is completely another to think that your intentions when you do them will justify your actions to the person you’re doing them for. Jing Jing made this decision and even though you understand the motivation behind it, I think Mrs. Meng is perfectly justifiable in her anger and unwillingness to accept the sacrifice.

We then end this episode with Mrs. Meng collapsing. What would Jing Jing do if she lost her mother because of this? I wonder. Hopefully the drama won’t go that far. And the scenes for 16? Whooo boy.