When a Snail Falls in Love 如果蜗牛有爱情 - Episode 9 (Recap)

kakashi: A confession is made, but doubt remains.
Trotwood: I confess! I confess! I stockpiled pancake mix because of Husband. Oops. You weren't talking about my confession. Right. Nothing to see here, folks. Nothing to see. Just go below.
JoAnne: I think XuXu is judging us.
Eleanor: Pancakes do sound rather delicious, maybe XuXu is just thinking she might like to make pancakes with a certain Lion. 

Episode 9

Intro: Ye Qiao sits with Ye Zixi in her mountain mansion. I note: Zixi is wearing the clothes she later gets killed in, the knives she gets slaughtered with are behind her. Ye Qiao is there to tell her cousin to leave Zhang Shiyong. Ye Zixi flat out refuses to do that. And she can't help Ye Qiao "with her other problems" either. Ye Qiao is furious ... and she looks back at the knives.
Nope. Still don't get why either of these women--both of whom have a LOT going for them--are fighting over a loser like Zhang Shiyong. Is this some male fantasy playing out here? The show gives the male viewers Shiyong while the female viewers can be Xu Xu or Yao Meng? I mean I can see these two fighting over Ji Bai or Husband--to the death with weaponry--but Shiyong? Pfft.
If you were a guy, would YOU want to be Shi Yong? When you have the option of being Ji Bai? Or Husband? Or heck, even Monkey?
I meant that you could still be a Shiyoung and get these two women looking at you just like you could just be Xu Xu and get J Bai instead of being like one of these two women.
He's totally not worth the potential of getting blood spatter on your nice winter coat.
Seriously, what do they see in him? Perhaps they don't see how awesome they are. 
It is 12.30am and Ye Qiao is ready to confess. She takes a deep breath and says: I admit it. I killed her. Flashbacks to Ye Qiao standing over her cousin's body, with bloody hands. I look at Ji Bai and Xu Xu's stone faced expressions and don't think they believe it.
I don't believe it either. She's involved, but there is more to this story. And look at that look they give her below. Their children will NOT get away with lying. Poor things. Can you imagine coming in late with them as your mom and dad?
I can't imagine being allowed to go OUT, let alone come back in late. What boy would be able to stand up under Ji Bai's glare or Xu Xu's analysis?
I just have a whole lot of question marks over my head. It doesn't make sense for her to admit to being the killer. There's people I don't like, but I can't imagine that kind of hate, and certainly when they spoke with her before, she seemed more sad than upset or livid over her husband's infidelity.
When someone confesses and we don't believe them, doesn't that normally mean they're covering for someone? There's no way she would cover for her cheating husband, so maybe there's some other family secret she's intent on keeping. And now I'm imagining some poor person asking one of Ji Bai and XuXu's kids out, LOL. 

Ye Qiao continues: she hired a private detective and thus knew of the affair. Other women would have been fine with her, but not Zixi. She always took things away from her. Her dad's love. Her leading role in the ballet competition. Being best at school. And ... Ji Bai. Oi, woman. You, too?!
Well. Duh. If I were there, I'd be like get in line, lady.
Seriously.  If that's a reason to kill another woman, then you better get a lot of knives Ye Qiao.
LOL Ji Bai is on everyone's wishlist these days methinks. Though I thought you were all after pancake Husband. 
It's just that Ji Bai is the kind of guy that everyone had a crush on in college no matter the taste. Everyone might disagree on everything else,but they would all agree about Ji Bai.
Ye Qiao claims she saw Ji Bai first. All the girls talked about him, but he had no interest. Until Zixi came - and became his friend. Zixi went to study abroad and Ye Qiao got herself a perfect life and the most handsome man (What? If they want me to believe this, then they needed to cast someone else that gave off a less smarmy aura.)- but Zixi came back and took him too. And that is why Ye Qiao went to her mansion and stabbed her with a knife. Pinned her to the floor like an insect. Took her phone and watched as the blood flowed out of her body, as she was struggling in pain. Because she regretted being the only one who saw her like this, she wanted the people in Zixi's heart to see her suffer too. Wow, the hate. Just wow. She seems utterly insane.
Actually, this is the first time any of this made sense to me. Why do all of this just for Zixi? Zixi's death is one thing, but her body here is really on display. What's the point of a display if there is no one to see it? I still think there is more to it than this. I can see her hating her enough to stab her. It's just unfortunate that it seems to be about a little man like Shiyong.
You saw her home. Ye Qiao's taste is questionable at best.
She doing a good version of a Thai second lead crazy. But still, if she indeed murdered our sad little flower, who threw ZiXi off the balcony? That splat is the important action.
And Ji Bai just sits there while she practically confesses to being in love with him...that's got to be awkward. Surely he knew that all the women were after him, but still, this is why perhaps he shouldn't be on the case. This is also making me think she didn't kill Zixi and that's she's just trying to throw Ji Bai off a bit. 
Ji Bai keeps his composure, I have no idea how he does it. But he walks out of there again, for another smoke. He lights it himself. He also is extremely gorgeous, so bear with me as I take many screenshots.
I don't mind. Not. one. bit.
When are they going to invent an Xray lens?
Hands off my man ladies *grrrrr* 😉 his ears though. Ah, I adore his ears. I just want to be able to reach out and touch them *sighs*
The little robot monster comes out too - how could she otherwise. I think he expected her to come. He looks at her like this ...
I think I just purred like a cat.
I know I got all tingly.
Ji Bai, yeah, definitely all tingly here. 
... and then throws her his lighter. From now on, she has the right to light his cigarettes.
Good lord. is it hot in here? Please excuse me for completely forgetting the sadness and trauma he's experiencing right now. I heard none of this the first time I saw this scene. I swear I heard, "Let's go to bed now." Really. I'm pretty sure that's what I thought he said.
Yes, I am definitely purring.
Why isn't she purring? Her analysis of the situation should end with "screaming under him".
Ahahahahahahahahahaha you ladies, I don't even need to spazz over him, as you've already done so. This scene though, so freaking sexy. Like sooooo sexy. 
And he invites her to sit by him with a head tilt. It's the first time their heads are even. Haha.
I think he finds comfort in her quiet. I think I'd find comfort in her quiet.
It's a trick of perspective (and my aging eyesight) but she looks even shorter than normal here.  
She is so little! Wang Ziwen is such a bright ball of energy. I wonder how she managed to be so quiet and still in this role. 
Inside, Ye Qiao was told to take off all her trinkets, to prepare her for lock-up. She wants to keep a locket with her mother's picture in it. But she can't. Yao Meng, the good soul, tells her her mother is beautiful after looking at the picture though. Damn, that Ye Qiao is a mess. She talks about how gentle her mother was, and how many affairs her father had. Her mother killed herself.
And here she is in a pattern of being with a cheating husband when she had the example of her mother in front of her. I felt sorry for her here.
I did, too.
Don't let her keep anything on her that has the potential to be used to harm herself or others. And if her father was catting on the side, wouldn't she almost expect that in her own marriage?
I do feel sorry for her. 
Outside, Ji Bai tells Xu Xu that he thought she wanted to talk to him before. Yup, I got that impression too. But she doesn't know what to talk about. She can be a "sympathetic ear" though. Aww. Yeah, so he thought she wanted to analyze him. That is correct, she replies, but she needs to know how he feels first. 
I bet he feels good. Nice and warm and solid with skin like sil...oh, that probably isn't what you meant.
Aren't you supposed to be making pancakes with Husband? Dang! Now you have me thinking about...well...stuff...
He says it's pretty obvious how he feels right now. Xu Xu: "I have no idea". (Thanks for saying what we are all thinking, Xu Xu. And thanks for making us feel better because if you can't figure him out, there's no reason why the rest of us--with less skill- can either.) Ahahaa. Is everything too much for him? Or does he just have an insane willpower? He asks what her intuition is, but she says psychologists don't use that. He kinda looks like he's about to cry. Well, not really, but he looks ... vulnerable. He asks what Xu Xu's intuition is. She says: "You're very upset and in a lot of pain".
Um, that doesn't exactly require intuition. That's just common sense.
Maybe he wanted to hear it out loud from her lips?
Maybe he needs someone else to vocalise it so he can then open up and be vulnerable. I doubt that being vulnerable comes easily to him. It took a lot for him to even throw that lighter to her. 
"Why"? he wants to know. Come on, man. She: "Intuition has no reason". He laughs. And then, he calls her "little monster from another planet". Oh yes - that's actually the nickname she got back in primary school.
They make a big deal out of her abilities and she is good but it's not like she's Sherlock.
But everyone thinks he's Sherlock, and he's testing her still. Even in this sad little conversation, to see how Snail would answer. He's confirming her level of empathy.
Oh I do like them so. 
Oh Xu Xu ... she's always been short and always been very smart, jumping classes. Nobody played with her. So she started to watch them play. Compete. Fight. Plot against each other. That's how she got so good at reading people. This is sad. She doesn't realize it, but I think he does. But since she doesn't realize that this is awkward, he relaxes again.
I think she doesn't realize how sad this sounds because even if she had been sad about it at one time, she really isn't anymore. I think she finds it all interesting like a puzzle her logic tries to figure out. She also seems to see how this "watching" has helped her in a craft that she has come to love now so isn't really resentful of what came before. I think he probably admires that in her character. I know I do. Neither Ye Qiao or Zixi would've had this response to being ignored.
She has taught herself to make the best of what she's given.
[chanting] Perfect match. Perfect match. Perfect match...
Why is it that humans struggle with things that are different from them? 
Inside, Husband sees Yao Meng just standing there in the interrogation room, staring into empty space. (Pushing everyone aside with my brand new 7 ft x 5 ft. placard with Husband's face surrounded by a halo made of golden glitter. Yelling "HOORAY, HUSBAND!!!" The pep band is on it's way. What? You think that's too much? I'll tell the pep band to come back at the end then) The good soul is sad for Yao Meng and her fate. And is troubled by her feelings. Zhao Han says it's completely normal to be like this. Police officers are humans after all. And yet, they have to enforce the law. It's what she needed to hear. 
Because he's damn near perfect. Propose to him now, Yao Meng! I bet he'd say yes and make you pancakes tomorrow.
Trot, if the signs get any bigger we'll have to apply for a permit.
I heard she's hiring an electrician for the next one.
Oh good, you're back to Pancake Husband and I can have my Kaikai back. 
I was always with husband, but only a dead person would not recognize that Ji Bai is a smoldering inferno of hot namja.

(How can I comment rationally when they're gifs like this around? Hmm?)
Cold medicine. It dulls your senses.
Kakashi, please make many gifs like this so I can keep Ji Bai to myself ;)

The investigations continue. Part of the team is at Ye Headquarters, trying to get access to Ye Qiao's office. Zi Shan comes along and offers to help. They also get the evidence from her car - there's blood everywhere. They find the discarded cell phone. Also, there is evidence that Ye Qiao knew about the financial fraud. There is a divorce agreement, too. And a shares transfer agreement... if anything happens to Ye Qiao, her brother get everything. Oh.
Curious.
Hmm. Well, who else would she leave them to? She's divorcing Shi Yong, there are no other siblings or cousins. Even if Zixi were alive, hell could freeze over before Ye Qiao would give her anything.
Wait, I'm confused about the blood in her car. How is this going to be explained? Will the samples match ZiXi's DNA? 
Wow. There is definitely more than enough evidence, circumstantial or not, plus a confession. Even if she isn't guilty, there's more than enough to convict her. And that is a very cute screencap of Pancake Husband. 
The police officers are happy - the case seems solved. They worked so hard, too. Ji Bai isn't in the mood to celebrate though. He is waiting for the forensic reports. And Xu Xu? She's puzzling over some photos of Ye Qiao's personal belongings. She isn't responsive, until the microwave makes its "done" sound. Yeo Meng heated up some left-over dumplings. She remembers that Zhang Shiyong said he heard the microwave beep as he entered the house. Oh.
Something's not adding up. Go, Xu Xu. Go. I was really cheering her on here.
A lot of what she does is just not ignore her gut.
I love these scene, because you can almost hear the wheels turning in her head. And I bet Ji Bai and can hear them too. 
Yes! I also love how both of them have picked up on the fact that some things just aren't adding up. 
And she remembers Ye Qiao's particular tense hand-movements as she confessed. And her statement that she arrived at around 10.00 pm and stayed for a long time. When asked whether she saw anyone else, she hesitates ... but shakes her head afterwards. She's clearly lying, even I can tell that. As to who opened the door to her, she claims it was Ye Zixi. She also said the air conditioning was on - it was really cold. There is a lot of focus on her hands during all of this.
The forensic report shows that the blood on the phone and the blood on the steering wheel are identical. Ji Bai tells his team ... but he still does not seem convinced. He looks over into the common room and his and Xu Xu's eyes lock.

Later that night, Xu Xu takes a taxi to the crime scene. She puts on the blue plastic slips for the shoes and white gloves before she enters the house. It's spooky. She is seeing Zhang Shiyong in her head ... and Ye Qiao, watching everything from outside. She then decides to play dead Zixi ... remembering the frightened look in her eyes.
This is going to sound odd, but I remember thinking that she looked really pretty here. 
You're right on both counts.
The blood would have seeped through the carpet to the floor, and would not have been removed until the crime scene is released back to the owner.  Plus they couldn't have a body outline when the carpet has been removed. It wouldn't be accurate.
Haha. True. But still. She does look rather pretty here. 
Back in the dorm, Yao Meng (Go, Yao Meng!! I have a fan poster for her, too guys) realizes Xu Xu isn't around. And then she realizes that something about Ye Qiao and her jewelry doesn't add up. She goes and watches some CCTV footage. What a nice shot of Ye Qiao's arm. She calls Husband (of course she does. Who wouldn't? and not just because . . . well you know), who promises to be there right away.
Poor guy probably thinks she needs some emotional support, and she wants to talk about work.
The more those two can be put together, the better. I luff them together. 
At the crime scene, Xu Xu closes her eyes ... and imagines being stabbed.
Creeeeeeepy.
Suuuuuper creepy! 

Comments

Damn, thrilling. Yikers.

Things don't add up and all of them have come to this conclusion ... some faster than others though. I love this team.
Go Team! I seriously spend a bunch of my time cheering like I'm at a homecoming game. 
I love when there is a show like this, that I can get really caught up in the moment.
Everybody brings their strengths to the investigation, which is awesome. I do hope to see more team dynamics in the future.
Amen to all your comments! 

This episode was stock full of lovely character moments too. First, Ji Bai - opening up to Xu Xu. Well, as much as he ever would at this moment. This opening up was cloaked in some more lessons, but it was clear he felt a need to connect with her, to have a kindred spirit there for him. And he got it.
He got it because he knows she is a kindred spirit and was willing to talk. It's an effort for him but less of an effort with her than with others. There are things he doesn't have to explain with her and that allows time to get to the other things that are deeper.
Sigh. I want a crime solving show where they work together and we watch them get old and retire, and their super genius kid takes over.
Ooh yes! I would watch this show. There really were some lovely moments in this episode. Really lovely. 

Her story was sad. She became so good at reading people because she never got the chance to be "normal" and play with the other kids. She made the best out of it and never complained. She accepts that she's a little robot monster - there's nothing wrong with it in her mind. But man, did I want to give her a hug!
I did, too, and then I remembered that she was next to Ji Bai. Thus, she didn't need me. :D
But if we hug her, and he hugs her....indirect hug!
Haha, I think I just want a direct Ji Bai hug.