When a Snail Falls in Love 如果蜗牛有爱情 - Episode 15 (Recap)

kakashi: Life-lessons need to be learned in this episode. And Xu Xu shows everyone just how incredibly tough she is. Respect.
JoAnne: Wow, I completely forgot about this... I'm sorry Husband! I'm sorry Ji Bai! I'm sorry XuXu and Yao Meng!
Trotwood: I'm going to admit that the first time I watched this I fastforwarded because I could not concentrate until I found out what happened to Husband. Thus, I am giving permission to people to scroll down without reading first.
Eleanor: So many good things in this episode! 

Episode 15

No cold open. We are back in the hospital, in Yao Meng's room. WHAT ABOUT HUSBAND?!(lump officially in throat) Her mom is with her, as is Xu Xu. After sending her mother out, Yao Meng asks about that nurse in the parking lot and that girl in the toilet ... but I think she knows already that they were both killed. And Xu Xu, crying herself, won't lie to her in this situation. The thing is, Xu Xu still thinks this is all her fault.
It's not, okay? Just stop.
It's not. We all know it's not. But if I were in Xu Xu's position, I'd be blaming myself, too.
Yeah, it's not XuXu. Please don't blame yourself. 
Later, Xu Xu draws and narrates little brave pig and snail stories for Yao Meng. It seems very therapeutic, but honestly, Yao Meng doesn't look alright at all. By the way - and I definitely didn't catch that the first time I watched - we get a clue through this story that indeed, Yao Meng has first hand experience of human trafficking. Her best friend got kidnapped when they were little. Ultimately, this is what made her become a cop.
(((((Little Yao Meng and Little Yao Meng's friend)))))
Thank goodness for this story. I feel cheated that we did not get more of this background even a conversation about it would've been good.
I really think this show needed several more episodes just so we could get more stories! Second season please? 
Ji Bai is waiting in Commissioner Zhan's office for the verdict. It's: "A serious flaw which resulted in a painful lesson". The end result outweighed the mistake, though. No punishment for Xu Xu or Yao Meng, but some punishment for the two guys in the room. Ji Bai seems quite taken aback ... but not because he disagrees because he did not expect such a reasonable decision!
I just don't get why there is a punishment here, but I welcome the contrasting Ji Bai's below.
Yeah, I'm not sure why there has to be punishment either. I could see some sort of report needing to be made, but not the need to punish. Mistakes happen, even to the best and brightest. 
There's sweet bromance between the two over some KaiKai water. It's cute. And we hear that Zhao Han aka Husband is doing fine!!!! {insert glitter happy dance.Hmm. I'm judging that mild glitter happy dance. I've hired a skywriter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i67efQi5aVA } The older man cautions Ji Bai, who claims everyone is doing great and his team has no issues, to not suppress his emotions all the time. But Ji Bai clearly doesn't want to listen. All he wants to think about is catching the people who are responsible for this mess. Well, Commissioner Zhan is on the same page. In fact, he has always continued investigating Uncle Zhao's death, despite the case being officially closed - and Ji Bai realizes it was him who helped him when he went to Burma for that pipe (and more). And he has prepared all the necessary steps to send Ji Bai to Myanmar again - this time in official capacity.
If that's the case, then he knows for a fact that Uncle Zhao is still alive.
Really? Or is he just hoping that he is?
I think he totally knows more than he's letting on. Surely it would be a good idea to tell Ji Bai before sending him back to Myanmar. 
As the two men leave the station, they talk about Xu Xu a bit. The older man is pleased to see that Ji Bai agrees about the abilities of "the little monster", but of course, Ji Bai insists on the physical test again. Okay, says Commissioner Zhan, but she must join him in Myanmar. He will need her. Oh dear. Ji Bai looks concerned, but it's an order.
I like the Commissioner. He seems like that guy who is mild and quiet at home and you are completely surprised one day to find out he's a total badass. Whereas Ji Bai's every pore just screams 'I am quiet, yes, but you do NOT want to f*** with me.'
So many other choices for what to do with him in that uniform. 
Seriously, Kaikai in uniform is always 😍😍😍😍😍😍
The very next day, he becomes her personal trainer. Not that he asks whether she wants him to do it ... but hey, I'm putting my hand up, because I could also use one? Ji Bai? Anyway, Xu Xu has long realized that her psychological skills are not sufficient. This work is about life and death situations. Bring it, Ji Bai. 
She needs to be ready, or she could get people killed on that mission. I like to think he'd do this for anyone on his team, but I wonder if maybe it's a little bit because it's her, at least. I feel like if it were a man, he'd just tell him to get ready and expect him to do it.
I think it's because it's her. I think if it were another woman, he'd just tell her to get ready and expect him to do it. He likes her. He finds her intriguing and comforting at the same time. He admires her skill and her determination and really wants to be part of that process of her getting through this. Oh and thank you for that gif. I love those side smiles of his.
Ji Bai smiles 😍 I would LOVE for Ji Bai to be my personal trainer. Seriously. And I totally second all your comments. 
Then, we're back at the hospital in ...... Husband's room!
THANK GOODNESS GRACIOUS. (click for sound effect)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBByTiKfyY
THANK GOODNESS GRACIOUS AGAIN. 

It's SO GOOD to see him. He is currently bragging to Xu Xu and Yao Meng about how well he is recovering and how much money that is saving the police. And - awwwwww - he is shy of the nurses because they've seen him completely naked.
He is so adorably awkward here. I am still calmly being thankful. I'm still watching the sky writer.
HUSBAND! HUSBAND! WOO HOOOOOOO! We missed you so much! And I must say, that pillow is a good look for you. We should see you with pillows more often. *grabs mask and places over face because Trot is coming, listen*
but . . .but . . look at that pic. LOOOOOK AT IT DAMN IT ALL OF YOU. GLORIOUS PANCAKE PILLOW MAN. LOOK AT THAT LOOK!!! (hear the rumbling. You think it's thunder, but it's the 50 glitter cannons going off at once.) If he keeps this up, we may have to spring for a professional fireworks display. I checked. They range from $10,000 to over $1,000,000.
Ahahahahahahaha you are so adorable (and your Husband too)
And then, there's this absolutely heart-breaking moment, when all this bravery these people show to the world around them breaks down. He starts talking about the pig and the hippo again, thinking about how stupid they both are, especially the hippo, for getting stuck in such a small house. She starts crying. And he turns his head away because he has to cry too.
I was sad they didn't at least hold hands.
I was sad she didn't climb into bed with him so they could hug it out. Just hug people. After all Xu Xu was also in the room as a chaperone. I love them. I want them together NOW.
Yes. To all you said. Ah. So lovely and sweet and adorable. 
Ji Bai is at the prison, visiting Ye Qiao. He tells her that her father helped them arrest all the criminal elements in his company. She is shocked to hear that the company has been used for drug trafficking. I feel a bit sorry for her, but when he is about to leave, she demands to know how he really felt about Ye Zixi. Damn, still obsessed?! Ji Bai says: "I guess we understood each other a little bit more than you understood your brother". I guess he means to say that he was closer to her than to a real sibling, and he always treasured that. And he has realized that you have to treasure it as long as you have it because it can disappear overnight.
This conversation ends with a mutual smile - and I am confident that Ye Qiao will be alright. As alright as she can be.
She will. And I'm glad that the family really didn't know about the bad stuff in the company. What kind of prison is she in, anyway, where the prison clothing has french cuffs?
I'm glad you pointed that out. I was wondering this as well. She's mighty crisp and starched for an inmate.
Maybe it's a prison for rich people? I have zero idea how Chinese prisons work. Or maybe she's just in a holding cell at the police department and they have nicer prison clothes? 
And Xu Xu trains with Ji Bai and draws Snail and Lion comics. She suffers, but she never complains. In fact, she eventually smiles. Even during training.
Ji Bai is sweaty and breathing hard. What's not to smile about?
I bet being near that makes a person feel intoxicated. She would be smiling.
I would be having trouble breathing. That's for sure. All the better for swooning...Ji Bai catching me...
We don't know how much time passes, but after a while, Yao Meng comes to the shooting range with Xu Xu. It ends in a disaster. She starts showing signs of great distress at the sound of Ji Bai's gun and when she tries to pull the trigger herself, she barely can. She fires blindly, sobbing... and then thinks there is blood everywhere. The diagnosis is PTSD.
Thing is, Yao Meng knew - she got the diagnosis from the psychiatrist, who suggested she leave the police force altogether. She wanted to go up against it with sheer will-power, but now, she's utterly destroyed. She even brought her resignation letter. But before she can formally "submit" it to him, Ji Bai takes it away from her and tells her he'll keep it. But he won't open it. PTSD can be cured. He is hoping to return this letter to her someday.
Why would the psychiatrist tell her to quit and not have her embark on a course of therapy for it? That's just dumb.
I thought this as well, but I'm not seeing any other women around except the two of them, so I assumed that the doc probably thought that a woman wouldn't be able to recover from such trauma.
Maybe they also have a terrible program for helping people get over PTSD? I'm glad Ji Bai is awesome about it though. He is a really excellent leader. 
She runs away crying. Ji Bai tells the blubbering Xu Xu that he thinks he isn't a good master. He didn't prepare them for what is really important: deal with failure. With death. With the blood of the innocent. They have no choice in the matter. The best they can do is pick up their guns and try to stop the villains.
What was he supposed to do? Give them this pep talk before the mission? 'Hey guys, we're as ready as we're gonna be, and God I hope we do well, but you know it could end with people dying. Us. The victims. The bad guys, maybe. So you know, don't freak out if that happens. We'll just get 'em next time.'
Yes, in a sense. He appears perfect all the time. He doesn't show emotions. Even the commissioner comments on this. You don't learn resiliency from watching someone who seems to never waver. I often tell students that they're problem is that they haven't failed enough. They are shocked when I say that, but it's more because they don't know how to respond when the you know what hits the fan. It always does eventually, and he needs to also help them prepare for this and show them (not just tell them) that it's okay.
I think though that even when people try and prep others for potential danger and failure, people don't always listen. It's not really easy to communicate the emotional trauma of an event before it happens. I wonder if this is also a general society thing (globally) where emotional truth and vulnerability isn't seen as an asset? It's a pity. 
Xu Xu takes the gun he is offering her - and shoots straight 10s. She is ready.
Tiny Queen.
I really just want to give her a big hug.
Me too! 

Comments

First of all: I am SO GLAD Husband is alive and seemingly well-ish. But I feel so, so sorry for Yao Meng. Her of all people, the champion, the number one! It will be extra-hard to deal with this situation. Finding the courage to believe in yourself again after such a blow is hard for anyone, but someone who is not used to blows has an even longer road to travel. Let's be confident she will make it - with these set of friends, it should be somewhat easier.
She has to get over it. She can't be that fearful when she marries Husband, who is after all a cop. She'll be back.
It is the most painful to see her so broken when she seemed the most light hearted and positive of the bunch. It's like they took away the sunshine.
I'm confident she'll be back. With such a great team on her side, she will find the strength to recover and heal. 

Ji Bai's statement that he is not a good Master could be immediately denied - of course he is. But maybe we should take him seriously when he says it. He is not fishing for compliments, he really realized in that very moment that he focused on the wrong things in his training so far. Physical fitness is crucial, yes - but psychological resilience is just as important in their line of work. Xu Xu has it - and it makes her such an invaluable asset, now that she's also getting fitter.