~ Chun Hua tries to get the antidote aka lots of Chun Hua Qiu Yue moments ~
Synopsis:
Plotwise, practically nothing happened in this episode. The only notable portion is where Fu Lou traces back the puppet Mr Shi and finds out that it was a dead man whose wife had been offered money by a stranger for a burial. The wife had seen the burial happen with her own two eyes but apparently, the body was dug up and used as a puppet afterwards. Which is why I’m calling this the Chun Hua Qiu Yue episode. Here’s what happened between them ~
Chun Hua confided in Qiu Yue about her feelings regarding the Longevity Fruit auction. She was upset that the Chiefs all looked sanctimonious but once they heard about the auction, their ugly sides were all exposed. Qiu Yue then asked if he should go to teach them all a lesson for her and she told him that it was too late because they were all dead. She soon starts to cry and Qiu Yue pulls her in for a hug. He tells her that regarding people who liked to distinguish between good and evil, she had to be careful because they might have a layer of dust in their hearts. After wiping away her tears, he tells her that she could continue to be her innocent self because he will do everything else for her.
The mood quickly shifts when Qiu Yue teases her by bringing up Xiao Bai again. He comments that she hadn’t been truthful with him, to which she retorts saying that she had been forthright with him before quickly switching the subject, saying that the person behind the Longevity Fruit auction was the one who hadn’t been truthful. To lessen the implications of her words, she added that the person might have even fooled him. Qiu Yue tells her that he couldn’t be fooled because he could easily see through people and figure out their true intentions, explaining that no matter how hard one tried to hide their weakness, it will still be written on their face and body. He used her situation as an example, saying that with the way was she was staring at him right now, she must be having lustful thoughts about him again. Ignoring her indignant protests, he continues that for others, regardless of how well they conceal it, their greed and infatuation can be discerned from their tone. Chun Hua then asked him whether he would ever hold an auction for fun since he could see through people’s innermost feelings and discern their next moves. Not giving her a reply, he brings her out, saying that the sun was perfect to combat the cold that she was feeling.
He brings her to a field backed by a river of lotus flowers and when she asked him which flower he liked, he smiles at her cheekily and answers ‘Xiao Chun Hua’, before throwing the question back to her. Plucking a dandelion that was beside her, she replied that she liked wild dandelions because they had a tenacious spirit. She then linked it to her next question, first commenting that she had heard that there was a poison name ‘Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion)’, then asking whether he had the antidote. With a serious gaze, Qiu Yue told her that only the person who gave the poison will have the antidote, questioning if she suspected him. She tries to laugh it off, saying that this poison must be a piece of cake for him. He tells her that she was right, even if it was a poison that no one had heard of before, he would still be able to make an antidote for it. Chun Hua quickly jumps at the chance to ask him where the antidote was and he told her that all his poisons were housed at his secret room. Chun Hua then asked when he would bring her to take a look. Turning his head to face her, he told her that it’ll have to depend on his mood and Chun Hua immediately asked how he felt that day. Her smile fell when he replied that he felt so-so that day and she muttered under her breath that his mood was pretty good.
Hand in hand, the two returned to Qian Yue Cave and at the entrance, Chun Hua tried to subtly hint at him to find a nice lady and settle down, saying it was a shame that he had yet to meet a lady that he admired. She tells him that he should stop caring about the chaos that happened outside Qian Yue Cave and save on the time he used to do evil to instead find a fairy-like lady to — Qiu Yue grabs her chin to face him. Commenting on the fact that she had brought up the poison and asked him to stop doing evil, he told her that if she suspected that he had orchestrated the whole auction event, she might as well tell him directly. Her expression turned serious as she told him that she had suspected him. However, she recalls that he had mentioned that a person’s character could be seen from their actions and ever since she had lost her memories, even though he kept teasing her, he had never truly hurt her. Instead, he had saved her countless times, which was why she believed that he wasn’t one to kill the innocent. He then asked her what if he had really done something and she simply replied that she felt like he would be happier if he chose a different way of life. With the mood lightened up, Qiu Yue asked if she would still be there with him if he lived differently.
Later, Chun Hua follows Ye Xing Zhu and finds out the location of the secret room. After seeing her turn a combination on the lock and entering, she leaves only to return later when the coast was clear. Despite turning the lock like she had seen Ye Xing Zhu do, she was unable to open the door. After some fiddling around, she realises that her Ice Silkworm Pearl could unlock the door too. Inside, she tries to find the antidote in vain, finally deciding to take a drug labelled “Three Day Drunk” to hopefully get him intoxicated so she could ask about the Pu Gong Ying’s antidote.
She returns to the hall to find a bottle of wine on the table. She dropped the drug into the jar of wine, watching in fascination as the whole bottle disappeared. She then shook the bottle a little before arranging it back on the table, checking to make sure that nothing looked out of place. Right at that moment, Qiu Yue enters the room and she quickly got up, commenting that he seemed to be in a good mood. They then sat down for a drink and Chun Hua fills both their glasses before giving him a toast and expressing her wishes that he will soon defeat the good sects and rule Jianghu. Hearing that, he asked her if she would still be there by his side when that day came. Chun Hua looked away awkwardly and he changed the subject, asking her to feed him. When she did, he pulled her in for a kiss, feeding her the mouthful he had just drunk before releasing her and taking a sip from his own glass. Qiu Yue then commented that a drug was missing from his secret room, adding that it was alright because another drug was inside it.
Chun Hua hides her shock and quickly tries to leave but she slips and Qiu Yue quickly caught her. Taking advantage of the position she was in, he comments about her trying to leave after slipping him the drug. He then spun and pinned her to the ground beneath him, telling her that he had trusted her but she had kept lying to him, asking if the drug she had tried to give him was something that could kill him. She immediately denies it, saying that it was just a philtre. He then asked if it was a drug that would make her like him more, commenting that she had become soft-hearted, only taking “Three Day Drunk” and even succeeding in making them closer. She retorts that she had meant to take “He Ding Hong” (Modern day: Arsenic). With a serious gaze, he told her that she wouldn’t, but that was as far as he could guess her thoughts because he doesn’t know how she would treat him, doesn’t know which of her words were truth or lies. He then rested a hand on her chest as he mumbled that the only way he could know for sure was to dig out her heart.
Qiu Yue then stood up and walked a few steps away from her, asking if she hated him that much. She replies that it was because she had to get the antidote for Pu Gong Ying, not for Xiao Bai but for herself because the people at Feng Ming Manor had poisoned her. Qiu Yue interrupted her before she could continue, telling her that it was alright, he would give her the antidote.
Thoughts:
That was such a roller-coaster ride! Every time the mood gets tense, one of them will change the subject or break the ice. And the back and forth between tense and sweet was exhilarating ♡ Hehe.
On another note, I’ve given up trying to read Qiu Yue in this episode and just enjoyed the Chun Hua Qiu Yue moments. With his wit, I’m pretty sure that he knows exactly what Chun Hua was there for but he doesn’t call her out and instead plays along with her. Is it because her reactions/replies are interesting to him or because he likes her and finds it endearing?
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♢ Lyrics for “Unfinished Moment” ♢
of Nutmegs and Kookies 