The Battle of ChangSha Watch Along ep2

This is an ep I am in constant giggly fits of every little nuanced OTP goodness.

Again, YT playlist: here

• XX is NOT saying she does not have eyes for Gu when Sis gently provokes, in her pov, she is not good enough catching his eyes.  kekeke
• Sis is not mincing words, everyone is in a mad rush marrying off daughters.  Gu is THE dreamboat, every one else is faring much worse.  XX is almost nodding to the absurd.  Sis canoodles her on how young, pretty and educated XX is, and a family as prominent as the Gu must be more picky and cautious in their future daughterinlaw.  Her words have a gentle, rippling, powerful way like dripping waterdrops breaking stone or XX’s head, letting the idea she puts in takes root  inconspicuously.  XX is not unrealistic, she is not completely against arranging of marriage, but no matter what way, her lovely head is set to get her family out of danger, out of town, out of the evil grasps of BiL she snides.
• BiL is smoothing his end with Gu’s Uncle/his boss by all means necessary with so much game and artful brownnosing, delightful to watch. There is no way boss can back out without losing face (…you are his Uncle, he wouldn’t dare refuse), goodwill of his wife (BiL is soo resourceful with his side shady business Boss is in the know but one eye shut: not day 1 he has been the gift that keeps gifting), and gold bars (literally), even quoting adages ‘One would rather ruin 10 towns than take the disgrace of breaking a marriage’  profound and he could’ve made that up on the spot. Totally buying there is nothing he can’t do when he put his words to work.
• Another ‘chance’ meeting is arranged, the welcoming party for Prince Gu ChingMing by the businessmen of high Changsha society. XX and XM are duly attending, no struggling nor jumping off buildings this time.  She would hit me before admitting, but XX is a goner at first sight having an eidetic memory of their first meeting and certainly replaying scene too often.

• Haha but it is Gu’s time to pwn all the well heeled of ChangSha.  Life is easier to kiss up on the Princeling, the greenlight to his very powerful old man, the normal thought. XX is swooning impressed with Gu’s balls for showing up…by only his uniform and his underling mookie (i am not making this up *serious face* his family name is mu/mook in canto and his nick is literally lil’ mook, aka mookie) is having so much fun reading out Gu’s sarcastic speech, almost repeating XX’s words of focusing on a fine young man of his stature should only focus on his duties as a soldier, safeguarding the town his every waking hour… and any business handshaking dealings can be better dealt with, throwing the ball to his prominent all-powerful Daddy’s court in Chongqing.
• ATVM XX is more than delighted and only like a young girl thinking a bit too much and having him on mind more than aware, she is taking in the show as Gu listening to her lecturing, she shamelessly tells XM, ‘melikey! Exactly what i would do! Like Minds’ Not untrue, she could’ve been his speech writer (and his OTP!)
• And Mookie seriously is me, i would’ve rebutted back, ‘who cares of repercussions from Mr Gu senior with War on the brink?  When I do not know if i can live to the scolding from Papa Gu?!’ Attaboy!
• Only BiL, he begs and pleads his way on all fours to yet another ‘chance’ meeting, his Boss has to deliver 30 jackets to Gu his nephew as promised. BiL can bring XX along with her mouth taped shut, said Uncle.  Good luck with that BiL
• Lol BiL warns XX if she is a spoilsport yet again he would tie her up in all fours and marry her off as an 18th concubine to anybody. I believe him.
• Gu is working all Sherlock on a runaway soldier.  SWOON
•  He refuses a call from dad.  Phone lines, reception are impossibly precious, even with sweet urgings of mookie, who is also grinning so wide as as obvious shipper spilling out the nudging on marriage with lil sista XiangXiang front by BiL.
• Gu quips it would just be same old heated exchange between his dad, better free up the line for military communication.
• Gu reminds mookie he has no time for ‘happy occasion’ like marrying XX, his only happiness is ‘fighting off all japs.’ Hmmm, eating words must be most delicious.
• 13:48: Gu smoking is hazardous to my health.

poor MOOKIE~~~!

• He could’ve ignored her, instead the two big men doing all the persuasions are almost invisible, not even spared a glance.. More so, he directly asks her what she is doing here. ‘Perchance, asking my hand in marriage?!
• XX bows and apologizes for her ‘wrongdoing’ on their first meeting on the stairs.  Face is still deviant. Gu does not even break eyesmexing her nonstop. My social skills dictate if u r pissed at someone u don’t care, u ignore, but vexed because u care too much?! We turn petty and scorned, ie Gu’s face and his every word. Muahaha! She is the only person in front of him, still ignoring the guys.
• Hahaha he repeats her words verbatim, deliberately choosing her praising how fine and strong his physique a passionate soldier he is/ should be:

• Still using her exact words refusing the marriage arrangement she is indirectly agreeing on, threats by BiL be damned. How her words must’ve hurt his ego so spectacularly, and he cares so much her wrongful opinion of her, he has to make the 16 yo girl pays.
• Remember, the first thing out of XX’s mouth on Gu ChingMing is he is a….cock… full of cockadoodledoo in CS slang?! He does too. Must’ve bugged him so much, he has to ask what she meant, her very first impression of him.  To hammer in the point, he is as smitten with her at first sight as she is,  just too proud to even process a thing.

• XX is sooooooo cute being scared of BiL, genuinely pleading her innocence this is going south because he is refusing her apology, snubbing her.  She catches Gu losing his cool again as kids are stealing cement, very pricey stuff for his assignment of rebuilding city walls.
• lolz the kid is not a good actor as a random kid should be. Nice touch even if unintentional.
• haha this OTP is causing me too much giggling fits.  XX re-enacts  Gu aping her lines to XM, in the midst of her rapid firing words, her real grumble to her twin, why does Gu ChingMing not have the hots for me?!
• XM plays along, that suits her having no desire to get married, he chuckles.
• hahaha XX is now suddenly not against marrying…so early, and not to a Gu ChingMing…who does not like her.  Her ego is sooo bleeding.  A willing Gu ChingMing? Great match with our willing Hu XiangXiang.
• hahaha XM is having too much fun with her sister, he pokes XX some more as she shouts he is not his younger bro no more, to call him ‘big bro’ once instead and he would go along saying all the bad things about Gu for her for the day.
• BiL prohibits anyone asking the twins down for dinner.  Oh daddy, not a good time opining, ‘what kind of horrible BiL are you?!’
• Even in venting his frustration, BiL is making his brand of sense in every word.  It should not be his duty to work this hard marrying XX off.  It is XX’s parents’ duty, but since they are incapable of the responsibility, he is taking it up on his own.  He did everything he could and now XX spoils, and he is to take the blame?!  No way in his world.
• Sis says another ‘obvious’ thing snapping XX who is just outside the room stomping off. ‘It is not XX’s fault Commander Gu does not care for her.’  Her poor bleeding pride is assaulted again.
• BiL is not done with his rant, he continues on Gu having no place to be a snob on his turf.  Game is on, he swears he will make an even better match for XX.  Grandma is (faking) relieved with his sworn words. Dad just HAS to snide again he is feeling the opposite, uneasy because of BiL’s promise.
• XX and XM are back to more ogling at the fine fine fine Gu. ShipperXM nudges the obvious Gu really is a fine specimen, good marriage material.
• REVENGE.  XX bribes a swarm of kids with candies XM spent a fortune buying for her, grabbing all the cement they can.  Gu catches a glimpse of a giggling, fleeting XX and XM.
• Moving Day for the Hu family.  smh at Dad being a useless nut occupying himself on some rare recordings of CN opera he found in BiL’s collection when his Mama is hands-on laboring, dusting stuff.  ‘ I’d rather be dead than without operas in my life’  So very let them eat cake. Lesigh.
• Shaking my head some more at the twins are back home and not helping, off to their rooms they scurry, even Lil tot PingOn is trying to help.

• 27:48 for slightly different reason, I would have XX’s exact face if my front door is opening to that fine visual of Gu.

 My screen is suddenly dirty in need of licking.

• I am looking for Hu XiangXiang my wifey duh.
• Sis buying time mentioning her husband, the team leader of the city’s security guards.  Gu: ‘He should know how serious an offense destroying military constructions she has committed then.’
• The capable Hu ladies are holding up a fight, reminding Gu it is also an offense trespassing without a purpose. Gu repeats his sole purpose, ‘ I am here looking for Hu XiangXiang.’ Hmmmm
• The runaway soldier is caught, Gu orders his execution on the spot.
• Mookie fires a shot in the air to stop the commotion, Gu is clearly disapproving the going too far, his stance is softened, concern on his face as XX’s Mom faints.
• BiL should be handsomely rich if his canoodling is paid by word count.
• hahaha so obvious is Gu unknowingly letting his heart on sleeves, here he is repeating scene of their first meeting, ad nauseum.  ‘She is not properly raised (as I have said and repeated now thrice in 2 eps) since you are not keeping an eye on her properly, I will take your place of custodianship.‘ Serious, and ignorant of this is so OTP staking claim of his much younger wifey.
• D’awwww BiL says he is willing to kneel down apologizing.  Whatever it takes.  We are sure by now he is actually a man of his word.
• As slick and worldly, as XX is taken away by Gu, Bil loses his pokerface, hollering, ‘How fine she is as you are taking her away, I expect her to be sent back exactly unharmed, not a hair frazzled!’
• Fearless and shameless, except when he is in the company of two ladies in his life he clearly loves and/or respects more than himself.  It is like he’s shrunk 3 sizes and regressed back to a little filial boy in front of Grandmama who can pierce through all his layers of slick and hustling, deep into his soul, and lay down commands in simple softspoken words he can never refuse to do exactly as told.  He can’t even hustle he can get XX out and she knows.  She is ‘only’ asking to see XX in captive, even pulling out the ‘I am old and no one respects me no more’ card.
• With heart-wrenching sympathy mookie and Gu gives the runaway soldier they executed as proper a rest in peace as they could summon.  C’est la vie.
• mookie, the nice, sweet, young thing (HAHAHA so much fun I am having!) reads out the notice he just posted on the square for BiL, who is obviously illiterate but no one is snuffing himself out.  Commander Gu is inviting the whole town for a public meeting.  BiL does not blink at the chance to ask about how XX is doing, where she is in holding.  Mookie, the sweetheart, tells him everything.  XX is surprisingly held at a decent hotel room with all the fine china for her to smash her rage out.
• BiL: What if he is abusing his power?!  He sure is entitled to, he is a Gu, you are a Hu and you are a nobody.   Truer wisecracking word, none.
• Finally a smile brightening up a very frightened but holding up a feisty front XX.  BiL agrees with her suggestion yeah, lets report him to his superior.  Oh REALLY…