I wanna draw oni characters with designs based off of abnormalities from lob corp but 1 motivation and 2 I wanna make Olivia plague doctor soooo bad because the idea makes me go crazy especially with making a white knight printing pod design too but it's the latter bit that would be hard as hell and then I'd also have to make Jackie one sin like legally and I don't wanna do that both design wise and character wise because one sin is my bestie

Fight or Flight

Chapter 13 of Ricochet (An Open Heart AU)

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Synopsis: Bryce and Heather both need to make major decisions as they face the final revelation about what truly transpired during Heather's kidnapping.

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x MC (Dr. Heather Song) ft. PLATONIC Ethan Ramsey

Words: 3.5k+ | Genre: Crime, Suspense/Thriller, Romance

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / language, hints of violence

Author's Notes: So this took too long to write, and frankly, I'm still reeling with it. I have long planned the conclusion of this series but I am still shocked with how I came up with this final twist. I do hope you forgive me for sitting on this for far too long. Life wasn't making it easier.

Also, disclaimer: Majority of the characters are owned by Pixelberry, except the main character Heather Song.

"You can't go back to the case, Lahela."

Bryce pounded his fists on his oak desk in frustration. He just came out of a meeting from Chief Tanaka, requesting for him to be assigned back on the Farrugia case.

Victim - prosecutor relations. Possible disbarrment. Termination. To sum it all up, his career will be in jeopardy.

These are the looming threats over Bryce's head if he didn't back off the case. Not that he had much choice. Now that his and Heather's faces were plastered across every Boston online article from the gala.

He couldn't help but to think that someone planned to stop his involvement in the case. Probably because that person knows he's doomed once Bryce works his way to untangle the web of conspiracies that transpired.

Resolved, the ADA swears to himself to get to the bottom of it before he lets this go. Sitting down, his mind ventures to Heather, wishing that her day back to Edenbrook was going much smoother than his was.

*** 

Unfortunately, before noon, Heather found herself in a supply closet.

It was proving more difficult to go back to normalcy after everything that has happened. Patients recognize her from the news coverage. Doctors, nurses, even half the staff was treating her like something fragile. Even the usually grumpy attending that was her boss wasn't trying to get on her toes today.

For Heather, it was incredibly disorienting.

But the probable reason behind how everyone was acting weird around her was that early morning incident.

While taking on an emergency case, she froze up. The last time she did was during her intern year. And that was for an entirely different reason. This time, her head blanked out because she thought she saw Ed Farrugia in that gurney. The slithering snake of a man he was. She couldn't move her fingers, nor speak because of the mixed emotions of her imagined vision.

Edenbrook was where it all began.

Luckily, Dr. Naveen was around to sub for her.

And thus began her slow downturn, reaching the tipping point in this condemned supply closet.

Eyes closed and breathing slowly, Heather struggled to free herself from the suffocation she was feeling. She loved Edenbrook, she loved working here. But now, why does she only feel dread the first day she again set foot on it?

Beep beep.

The sound of her pager momentarily freed her from her prodding mind. It was Ethan. He wanted to see her at Chief Banerji's office. Sighing deeply, she fixed herself and got out of the closet, wondering what this meeting might be about.

An elevator trip and a couple of minutes later, she knocked on Naveen's door and let herself in. Ethan Ramsey was already inside.

"You asked for me?" Heather said, closing the door behind her.

Her mentor and grand-mentor exchanged looks of concern before straightening up.

"Grand-protégé, have a seat," Chief Naveen gestured towards the comfortable chairs in front of her desk, where Ethan already took a seat on one.

She obliged, taking the seat opposite her boss. Dr. Ramsey didn't take long to speak right after.

"We know you've been through a lot recently Dr. Song and we-"

"Please don't put this delicately, Ethan. I can't get anymore fragile," Heather spoke up, demanding for both doctors to tell it to her straight.

"Of course, Heather." Ethan coughed, before sitting up in a more commanding posture.

"Johns Hopkins have offered a long-term position to the Cancer research partnership we have with them," Naveen said. "We both think it's in the best interest of you and Edenbrook to take the opportunity, given that it's your target specialization and -"

"It's not in Boston." Heather finished the sentence for him.

"Yes," Ethan nodded. "We don't want your career to be overshadowed by what has been going on. You have a lot of potential, and this would make you a forerunner in the advancement of cancer research."

"It's frankly what you can call it, hitting two birds with one stone," the eldest of the doctors added.

"How long will it be?" Heather asked, weighing it all in.

"A year, a year and a half, at least." Ethan replied.

"And what of my position in the diagnostics team?"

"You'll stay on to consult remotely, but your responsibilities will be diminished given that we want you to spend more time on the cancer research."

Heather swallowed hard. They're putting me into self-imposed exile.

Sensing her hesitation, Ethan reached out to her and patted her arm.

"We only want what we think is best for you Heather, so please at least give this some thought."

She met her mentors' gaze and nodded at them, before rising to stand up.

"I will think about it," she said, leaving the office.

*** 

Pulling all the strings he had left, Bryce Lahela stepped foot into the mansion of Massachusetts' prolific senator. Isolated by house arrest, thinking about Ed Farrugia made the young ADA's skin crawl.

As he walked the carpeted floors into a receiving room, he couldn't help but notice the select macabre portraits that showed war scenes hanging on the stuffy walls. Says alot about its owner, that's for sure.

The double doors he entered in opened, and a tall imposing figure in unflattering maroon satin robes came in. He looked a bit older, yet, somehow, more formidable.

"Ah, ADA Lahela. I see you are not backing down?"

Bryce almost snorted at his arrogance, immediately sensing the pretend machismo in his foe's tone.

"We'll see about that, Senator," the prosecutor replied politely. Didn't want to cross the point of no return before I had the answers I wanted.

"So, what does the young and promising prosecutor want from a disgraced politician today?" Ed sat down on one of the most pretentious armchairs Bryce has ever seen in his life.

"The truth," Bryce smiled cheekily, standing opposite the other man, matching his bravado.

The senator's response was to lean back on the too comfortable chair, crossing his legs.

"Well ADA Lahela, are you certain you are ready for the truth? It may get closer to home, more than you will ever think," Farrugia replied, a sinister grin masking his features which suddenly made Bryce feel queasy.

I don't like where this is going. He thought to himself, staying quiet.

"I thought so," Ed Farrugia nodded, watching the lawyer's stoic facade slowly crumble. "But to hell with it, it's just going to be fun to watch how you had a hand on all of what happened to your precious Doctor Song."

The former senator snapped, and in came a butler that carried a tray. In the tray was a white envelope, and a tumbler of what Bryce smelled as scotch. The politico grabbed the glass and sipped the rich liquid, neither offering Bryce any nor pouring him another glass. Instead, he reached for the white envelope and raised it to Bryce's level.

"Recognize the handwriting, young man?" Ed Farrugia was now sneering at him, expectant.

As Bryce's sight slowly trailed the cursive handwriting, he sensed the familiarity of the strokes. Ed Farrugia's name was written, but there was something about the way it was written.

When his eyes fell on the top left side, he recognized the insignia almost immediately, the hairs at the back of his neck standing up.

There it was, the name he tried to get away from since his adolescent life. Lahela. The logo of his parents' godforsaken company that duped so many families.

Bryce can only freeze in place, as the horror of the realization that his parents somehow had a hand in all of the things that happened to Heather slowly dawned on him.

"Heather Song was the doctor that saved my ass, ADA Lahela, so of course I didn't have the motive to hurt her, you know. She prevented my assassination, and I'm not an ungrateful hypocrite," Ed Farrugia began to explain. "But Heather knows this... I am not to shy away from people who can give what I want, what I need, you understand of course? You're a smart young man."

"So in exchange of a generous donation to my campaign, I am to concoct a plan that will mutually be beneficial to me and my donors," Farrugia continued. "My donors wish to teach you a lesson, make sure that you do not forget where you came from, remind you that no matter where you go, once a Lahela, always a Lahela."

"That's why we went with a warning first, remember? Get out of Boston, or else," the senator shook his head. "Your parents didn't think she'd be a good influence to you. Frankly, an orphan with an absentee father? She'd set you up for failure. At least that was what your parents thought."

"And of course, I wanted to gain something more with it, might as well do the work right? I had my kidnapping staged, that dashcam footage you received? That's from me so that you can arrive at the scene before I get killed by that amateur wannabe Jordan. What's in it for me was public sympathy - as the survivor of a second assassination attempt. Public sympathy equals votes. As simple as that."

Ed stood then, and padded his way to the nearest open window, before looking back at Bryce.

"I used my own enemy, the Travis Brothers, to deflect suspicion, of course. I also a used a middle man, someone who already wants payback from Dr. Song, someone with motive... So Declan Nash worked for me, in exchange of leniency in his role on Panacea's medicare fraud." He smirked, satisfied with the grandiose of his plan. "My only mistake was that I underestimated that ungrateful piece of crap though. Who would have thought he had the brains to record me?" his fist connected on the windowsill, startling Bryce.

"So you see, young man, everything that happened, is on you. No one is to be blamed more than you. All because of your ambition to become something you are not. Something you will never be, be apart from your family name."

Stunned into silence, Bryce can only gape at the senator. The turmoil within though, was unparalleled.

The anger that was boiling in him in the revelation that all this time, his parents was the cause of so much misery. Bryce's heart was so quenched of the discovery that he hasn't completely escaped them, nor their relentless hunger for taking control of his life.

His fists clenched, wanting nothing but to smash every single thing in that wretched room. He didn't care anymore.

What right do they have after putting him in so much pain? What do they even want to achieve? Do they want to make him crawl back to them as if nothing happened? Do they want the same pretentious respect that so many others had just for their mercy?

How does he even begin to explain all of this to Heather? That everything that went downhill for her was because of the person she loved? How can she accept him now? How can she love him now?

And as if on queue, Bryce's phone began to ring. When he saw the caller ID, he almost dropped it.

It rang once again. And he knew he had to take it.

"Bryce? Can we meet?" The voice from the other line was firm, but fragile.

He tried to level his voice, not wanting to have her worried. At least not now.

"Sure, babe. Where do you want to go?" Bryce replied, walking out of the mansion that was sucking the life out of him.

"In that cafe, where I bought you coffee that first day we met. Do you remember where?"

Bryce sensed the urgency in Heather's voice. Has she found out? He hoped not.

"Okay, what time?"

"I was hoping now. If you're done working, that is."

He was done. No reason to delay the inevitable.

"Okay, I'll drive there now. I'll see you."

With a heart heavier than it has ever been in his entire life, he drove down to where it all began, praying so much that it wouldn't be a trip to full circle.

***

Heather nervously sat by the glass wall of the Cafe, in a quiet corner. She already ordered two caramel macchiatos, the same drinks she and Bryce had the first day they met.

She rehearsed what she was about to say in her head, hoping that repetition will make it less taunting. Once she sensed Bryce, she waved him to the table and stood up.

He instantly saw her, and the load he was bearing suddenly become a little lighter. But the guilt was still there. The guilt of being the person to have caused much misery in her life.

But years of practice of showing everyone else the facade of his unbreakable confidence helped him hide what he was truly feeling at the moment, and instead smiled at her.

Her beaming return smile proved to be almost too much.

He reached out to her and intertwined his fingers with hers, almost nudging the cup of coffee in front of him.

"Hey, you remembered," Bryce was touched.

"Of course, it's probably the only thing you ordered during those meetings." Heather chuckled, brushing his cheek with her knuckles.

Her chuckle was lackluster, not her usual one full of wit.

"What's going on, Heath? It can't be that you just missed me," Bryce asked, straight to the point, hoping to dodge her intuitive powers of observation.

She sensed the edge in his voice, making her eyebrow quirk. Heather discerned it was best to ask him first.

"No, Bryce. What's up?"

For the second time that day, Bryce was stunned into silence. Heather's sharp perception of him was unimaginably accurate. And he knew he'd explode if he didn't tell her.

So he did.

From the denial and threats of Chief Tanaka, to his prodding, which led him to the heavy weight of the truth of Senator Ed Farrugia's admission. He didn't spare any detail.

Heather listened intently, trying to comprehend exactly what he was saying. She saw the guilt in Bryce's eyes when he told her that his parents set the wheels in motion, apparently for some sick and twisted lesson he needed to learn, like he was still under their supervision, under their control.

The more she heard, the more overwhelmed she got. But she didn't let go of the grip she had on Bryce's hands, reassuring him that she's there to not judge, but only hear out what he learned of the unnerving truth. And to acknowledge the strength of Bryce's character to not hold out the truth to her.

That was what she loved about Bryce. He was never one to back down from the truth, when it mattered. At least that's the case with her.

She has spent half the day pondering about her own decision. She took Bryce's position into account but she didn't expect this other factor to come into play.

If she stayed in Boston, she'd stay with him. And he won't be able to help her case. She knew Bryce, and he'll be unnerved not to be able to personally oversee it. And with this new discovery, he'd want to all the more take this case. This was personal. And Bryce wasn't one to back down against it. She's going to hold her back.

If she left... Well, Bryce would be able to take on the case.

Either way, she'll lose him. And the mere thought of it pained Heather to the core.

Bryce noticed Heather's lack of reply, the contemplative look in her face made him sense something was about to go south.

"What if there's a way, Bryce?" Heather finally spoke. "What if there's a chance for you to fight all this? Would you take it?"

"Heath, I don't think I want to know where this is heading..." Bryce stared at her, confused.

"Answer me first, Lahela. If I give you an out where all those hurdles goes out of your way, will you go through with it?" The intensity with which her eyes bore into his was unparalleled, yet rendering him clueless.

It took him a few moments before answering. Everytime he asked himself the same question, the answer was never different.

"Yes, Heath. I'll fight this to make sure those bastards can do you no more harm." his answer was firm, but as to her way, he still had reservations.

She nodded, her heart screaming not to do this. But she had to do it, else, everything her and Bryce will have between them will be diminished to nothing but resentment and guilt. With him claiming responsibility for his own parents' actions, yet unable to do anything about it. And Heather resentment, because she can't guarantee that a day won't come that she'll blame him.

They can't be together. Not until this is all resolved, not until they can leave everything behind.

Laying it down the line, Heather had to choose. She had to choose for both of them, even if it will surely hurt them both.

"Do you trust me, Bryce? Do you trust us?" Heather was firmly holding his hands, determined.

He nodded, despite himself. He feared what she was about to say, so he held his breath.

"So be it, Bryce. I'll give you an out. I'll give you what I think you need now,"

Bryce was afraid to ask the next question in his mind, but he did anyway, fuelled by Heather’s fire.

"What's the cost, Heath?"

"I'm leaving for Baltimore, Bryce," she said quietly, biting her lower lip, clearly putting in an effort to hold back tears. "I hope two years is enough for you to fight everything alone, because you'll have to. We both have to fight this separately, it seems."

Bryce's blood ran cold. No, no, no, no fucking way.

Seeing the panic in his eyes, Heather soothed him by brushing her fingertips on the back of his hand, sadness beginning to creep into her expression.

"It's the only way, Bryce, it's the only way..." she repeated, as if to convince herself rather than him.

"No, Heather, I can't lose you, not this time, not ever." Bryce's voice was pleading with her, yet he knew, deep down, that she was right. That this seemed to be the only way to fight all the remaining battles of their lives.

"If we concede now, Bryce, it would only break us. If we avoid this now, it will eventually haunt us and we'll succumb to it. We'll just end up hurting each other." She struggled to reassure him, but she pressed on.

"This way, we're not bowing down. We stand more of a chance to overcome this if you'll fight this. If, we will fight this." She rose from her seat to take the chair beside him. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, comforting him. "We're merely carving our own way around it. It's not going to be easy, but I know we'll overcome... Because you're one hell of a prosecutor, Lahela. You're the best and you know it."

"How come you're the one who's so brave about this?" Bryce stared back at her, tears brimming in the corner of his eyes, aware that this may be their end.

"Because I believe so much in you, Bryce. Because you can do so much for this world more than how your parents defined you. You are your own person, and nothing can ever take that away from you," she paused, brushing the hair away from the beautiful amber eyes that gazed down at her. "Most importantly, because I love you so, so much. And what I can give you now, the love I have now in me, is less than what you deserve. I want to heal, for myself Bryce. I want to be whole again, so that I can give my 100%. When all of this is over, I'll come find you, that's a promise."

Bryce couldn't help himself anymore and pressed his lips against hers with fervent passion, knowing that this will be the last time in a long time before he can find her in his arms like this. Agreeing to this course of action, they bid their goodbyes, never as uncertain as they were about the decision they just made.

In less than a week, Heather left for Johns Hopkins, bidding goodbye to everyone except Bryce. Hoping the moment she stepped inside the plane, life would give her this chance to start over, to completely heal, to become whole again. Because Bryce Lahela deserved more than the fraction of what she could give. He deserved everything of her, no inhibitions, no limits, no holding back.

Bryce watched her go from a distance. He watched her plane took off from the ground, all the while concocting a plan to defeat the shadows of his past lurking around so that he could be with her again. Freely, completely and irreversibly.

That day, two open hearts chose to fight. Fight for the things that hung over their head so that it was no more. But in their decision to fight, they lost the comfort of each other.  They embarked on their separate paths with the promise of meeting again one day.

The path to the summit was often lonely. It is in their hopes however, that the moment they reach the end of this hard path they were in, they would no longer be alone anymore.

More than their willingness to overcome another hurdle in their way was their certainty to trust in each other, in the strength of their love for one another. In their endurance. In their hope.

For them, that was more than enough. It has to be enough.

Author's Notes 2: If you're reading this, I want to thank you so much for taking time to read this series. There's an epilogue in the final edits and I promise to tie the loose ends of this final chapter! Please do share your thoughts in the comments, I would really appreciate it!

Tags: @eleanorbloom @ejustlurkshere @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

The "Idiocracy" of our Political System

The state of our collective idiocy astounds me on a daily basis. It doesn't matter if you are left or right in your views, both sides still fall into the duped category. This is astoundingly prevalent in North America currently. I cannot think of two more opposing political views than the ones held by Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump. However, both share resounding similarities when you get down to the roots of who they are and what they represent.

Both of these characters have carefully crafted images to appeal to their bases....Trumps may actually be a little less careful....maybe we should say, managed. Let's start with Justin Trudeau, the flowing locks of the compassionate feminist doing yoga while taking a selfie. An image that he works hard to portray to appeal to the softer side of the Canadian collective consciousness. People eat that dog shit up like its handed to them on a silver platter. The comments of "He's so good looking" are enough to make me want to throw up.....why would you hire the leader of your nation based on garbage like that. This guy was literally a ski instructor and a drama teacher.....not exactly the resume you would think you need to run a nation. Buuuut, Jr. has some very wealthy and powerful friends who required his image to push forth their agenda.

And Trump...the orange bombastic megalomaniac. The flowing locks of carefully crafted madness upon his head, with the suit and tie of a successful business man. Doesn't matter how he gains his success that is his image, the larger than life character literally building his empire to see his name plated in gold on his various buildings. This appealed to the collective consciousness of the U.S. that this businessman could put more money in their pockets at the end of day than some extension of the Obama legacy liberal agenda. It did not matter that Trump is a racist, womanizing "pussy" grabber, people believed he'd be better than the money grabbing liberals. This guy literally had ZERO experience in the political arena....not exactly the resume you would think you need to run a nation. Buuuut, Jr. has some very wealthy and powerful friends who required his image to push forth their agenda.

These are our choices... Really??? This is the best and the brightest that these two nations have to offer....Really? This is the point that idiocy comes into play in our political systems. For the most part people are voting based on an image, not the substance of the candidate. If it was based on substance both of these leaders would have more credentials on their resume. These 2 characters are the puppets for their political donors. It takes MONEY to get elected, not substance. That money equals favors and obligations for the candidate who gets elected to push forth the donors agendas...not any of the lies that the candidates are telling you.

Trudeau and Trump at the core of who they are are actually quite similar. They are both narcissistic wealthy trust fund kids who are there for gain for themselves and their friends. I don't believe for a second that these two have any real cares about the "middle class". Both are very media savvy and know how to work the human brain into complacency. This is about power and corruption for these two, just delivered on different plates. Trudeau is old guard of Central Canada, Trump is old guard of corporate America. If you actually look at the policies moving forward (not the spin version of the policies) its all about putting money in their friends pockets.

Trudeau gives away money like its candy to buy power and more friends, all in the name of "helping the middle class. Money for Bombardier is an easy gift in vote rich Quebec. Changing tax policy to benefit his own finance minister is exceptionally corrupt. Bill Morneau's family sells private investment tools for retirement...so lets take away good tax policy for small business owners so Bill Morneau's family can benefit, disgusting. What does this get us?? Higher tax bills and higher national debt.

Trump is planning on taking away a health care plan that will literally leave millions of people with no options if they get sick. All the while gutting the EPA which will mean more pollution for more people to get sick. He also plans on a massive tax cut will leave more money in his and his wealthiest friends bank accounts even though its bad policy and will add a trillion dollars to the nations balance sheet. Don't get wrong here, I am actually very pro low taxes...money in the hands of government is inefficient but that's for another post. He claims this is necessary for the "middle class" even though unemployment rates are at their lowest point in over a decade. His policies are racist class warfare which will just leave people with bigger bills and less money.

So what does the collective "we" do while this shit show goes on? Nothing. There are rallies and protests but for the most part most people don't have the time or the energy to get anywhere. The real policies are delivered by the well funded lobbyists to get their agendas passed by making promises of future donations. We just get tired and go back to work so we can buy more crap.

So where does the term "Idiocracy" come from? It is a 2006 movie starring Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph. Now it seems as though it was a prophecy for our state of politics in 2017. I would push everyone to watch it....its the movie version of our current reality. How do we find our way out of this mess? Who knows, maybe we are designed to be the sheep that the political establishments believe's we are. Maybe a spiritual enlightenment of the collective consciousness will guide the way. Until then, we can watch this madness unfold and hope that Trump doesn't start a nuclear war in the mean time.

Hillary “Queen of the Warmongers” as Trump’s Greatest Asset The US presidential race hits a “new low” with Cold War slurs. As Ilia Chavchavadze, a famous Georgian writer, poet, and journalist once wrote, “Judge not a man by his friends but look at his enemies, and then I can tell you who this man is!” However, in this case, that man is a woman, and one that is collecting high profile enemies. Speaking truth to power has such a nice ring. That is because it is so seldom applied these days, as you are soon marginalised and labelled a loose cannon, or even worse—a Russian asset, Manchurian Candidate, or an Assad apologist! Tulsi Gabbard once went so far as to sponsor a bill known as the “Stop Arming Terrorists Act,” through Congress, which would have meant cutting off aid to the rebels/terrorists fighting Assad. Tulsi Gabbard The NYT and other MSM were quick to attack Tulsi Gabbard. They did not try to discredit her for anything that is out of the ordinary, but because she told too many inconvenient truths. This was especially the case in a response to former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for having had taking on the one democratic candidate that has views that are being expressed by more and more Americans, especially former military and rank and file Americans. Thus, it is understandable why Gabbard is NOT the candidate of choice for the DNC. She speaks her mind about the DNC and Hillary Clinton. The result for her is being branded with a Scarlet Letter. She also turned her back on the DNC back in 2016, walking away, when she realized how Hillary was rigging the election, stealing the Democratic nomination, and even the Whitehouse was stolen from Bernie Sanders. Being true to herself—and the core values of the Democratic Party, Tulsi Gabbard spared no words in describing Hillary Clinton for what she was and continues to be. You, Hillary Clinton, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain. Ever since I announced my candidacy there has been a concerted campaign to destroy my reputation. We wondered who was behind it and why… it was always you.” She further added a challenge: It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me, don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies, Join the race directly. Besides having the ability to think for herself; Gabbard has the military experience and education to do that, especially in terms of national security issues. That means by conventional wisdom she doesn’t belong in the Democrat Party and that in itself is a REAL threat to the Republican Party and Trump’s reelection bid. To have the audacity to talk opening about the consequences of 4-profit US “regime change wars” comes at a high political cost, at least at the first impression. For this reason, Gabbard is being smeared as a “foreign agent”—a Manchurian Candidate. This is old term that is commonly used to indicate disloyalty or corruption, whether intentional or unintentional—and comes from a Cold War era movie about capture POWs who had been brainwashed and trained to be part of sleeper cells that would eventually carryout missions upon return to the United States. But this mudslinging is flying back in Hillary’s face. Within 48 hours not one but two CNN correspondents have not only backed Tulsi, but called out Clinton. Is the sky falling, or is it because Tulsi brings a power to the game that we haven’t seen in politics…. I guess there is no level beneath which Hillary cannot sink. Game-Changer As one CNN pundit describes her: Clinton Is Acting Just Like Trump. Tulsi Gabbard is now calling The New York Times and CNN —”completely despicable” for alleging she is a Russian asset and Assad apologist. Finian Cunningham writes: “On the other hand, Gabbard stands alone in telling the American people the plain and awful truth. US policy is the fundamental problem. Ending its regime-change war in Syria and elsewhere and ending its diabolical collusion with terror groups is the way to bring peace to the Middle East and to spare ordinary Americans from the economic disaster of spiraling war debts.” It is very sad indeed that there is a lack of accountability for war crimes (so far) and the unjustified killing of millions of women, children and other civilians (as well as the sad deaths, suicides and wounding of soldiers duped into fighting these illegal wars) War criminals are being celebrated as national heroes: ones to be emulated. And there is an attempt to silence the voices of those who know the true horror and costs of America’s perpetual wars. And you don’t even have to read Orwell to understand what is going on with never-ending wars. Obama continued with enthusiasm the wars he inherited from the times of the Bush administration. People should not forget that it was Trump who promised to bring an end to such wars and bring American soldiers home during his campaign. And the shared hope of Americans to see the end of needless wars is what got Trump elected in the first place. Hillary as Trump Asset It is almost as if Hillary Clinton is working hard to get Trump reelected by further dividing an already divided Democratic Party. If anyone could be called a Russian asset, one only needs to look at her own sordid history: the uranium deals, 20 percent of American stocks sold off to the Russians, the dealings of the Clinton Foundation, its list of donors and how some biting sanctions were lifted on Russian on Bill’s watch, allegedly with a cash payment in return. It was Hillary and the DNC who stole the nomination from Bernie Sanders. She prevented the only candidate who had a standing chance against a Trump Whitehouse from being nominated. However, all that is moot now. It would be interesting to watch how her recent actions and allegations, will open up the race for the Democrats and put new life into a party that has been on death throes. Democrats went from a dominant majority to a marginalized party that represents coastal cities. The party seems to have abandoned enormous areas of the country—the heartland. Democrats lost 10 percent of their Senate seats, 19 percent of their House seats, and 20 percent of the seats in state legislatures. One only has to look at the map of the Electoral College and where Trump won the election to understand there has been a change in voter expectations. Hillary and the Democrats, especially the power elite in the DNC should take a refresher introductory college course in American government. They would then understand that the popular vote does not always matter – as the system is based on allocating representation between all states – and the Electoral College decides who will the president and the race is not by direct vote. That explains much of what is going on: the efforts to impeach Trump from behind closed doors, and all the rhetoric over the need to reform or eliminate the Electoral College system. Not going to happen, at least anytime soon! This explains the concerted effort by Hillary to smear one of the few candidates, who if nominated and with the support of the DNC and the rank and file of Democrats could actually beat Trump in the National Election. Hillary’s words on October 17th are well-chosen for the “unwashed masses” of American voters who still think that anyone painted with her wide red brush will be the kiss-of-death, a proverbial Scarlet Letter. As Hillary so sarcastically said: “I’m not making any prediction, but I think they’ve got their eye on somebody who’s currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate. She’s the favorite of the Russians. …They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far. And, that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not because she’s also a Russian asset.” Such statements are from another era, like that of Joseph McCarthy—and from the time of the Red Scare. But there is method in madness. And it is clear that the comments “appear” to be directed at Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. This was later confirmed after Hillary Clinton’s comments drew considerable criticism from both political parties. As a result Clinton’s spokesman Nick Merrill backed away from the former Secretary of State’s allegation. Merrill tweeted, “She doesn’t say the Russians are grooming anyone. It was a question about Republicans.” Whatever that means is open to debate. One thing is certain, the Democratic Party has been injured the most as a result of Hillary’s obvious cheap shots and she should control her diarrhea of the mouth, at least restrain from making public statements. However, the damage has already been done, and not only to Gabbard but to the Democratic Party as a whole, showing that there is no such thing as party solidarity. To attack a war veteran and respected member of Congress is a new low, even for Hillary. It is too early to predict if this incident may have political ramifications, as to who gets the nomination. However, it does give good press to Gabbard and a boost to her fledgling campaign. Much to the dismay of many voters, this infighting in the party is a windfall to Trump’s campaign and it may be the incumbent may be reelected. Hillary is actually doing something constructive for the first time in her sordid career – by giving an unexpected and much-needed boost to Tulsi Gabbard who is the only candidate who challenges the military-industrial complex and never-ending war agenda. At least Americans have another choice to consider. There are also health and political issues to consider, Bernie Sanders and his heart, and Joe Biden and his son. It is good to know that there are a few candidates who are in the prime of their life, their political careers, and who are not carrying of the millstones of political corruption around-their-necks. My prediction: Bernie + Tulsi as VP Gabbard’s time may not be now but her name will be recognized in the next presidential election, as Trump is only allowed to serve two terms. Perhaps Hillary would take the challenge – to run openly against Gabbard, and then we can be certain of another four years of Donald Trump. Or that is perhaps the real plan, “Hillary as Trump’s GREATEST Asset!

Displaced Manobo community in SurSur swears allegiance to PH law 

#PHinfo: Displaced Manobo community in SurSur swears allegiance to PH law 

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 7 (PIA) -- Lumad and non-lumad community members of Purok Tubod and in adjacent communities of Sitios Babaraas, Bishop, Nalindog, Tandungan, and Nahikyad wilfully sworn their support to the Philippine Constitution during the joint ceremony of the closing of the conduct of Community Support Program (CSP) operation by 75th Infantry (Marauder) Battalion (75IB) on Saturday, Nov. 27, and the start of the Retooled CSP (RCSP) by the San Miguel Local Government at the open grounds of Purok Tubod, Brgy. Bolhoon, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.

This was the communities’ way of retracting their support and membership in the underground mass organization that was established by political officers of CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) Guerilla Front 19 of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), which are comprised predominantly by the Manobos.

Two years ago, these same Manobos were duped to participate in the “Taktikang Bakwit” of the CNTs and stayed for around a year at the Capitol Grounds of Surigao del Sur. During the residency in the area, their children were sent to Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur (TRIFPSS) and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), non-DepEd learning institutions established in Surigao del Sur. The schools were used by the CNTs to divert intensified military operations against the New People’s Army (NPA), and use as a front to collect funds and resources from foreign donors.

After the IPs’ stay in the bakwit site, they returned to their original community in Sitio Nalindog, but eventually went deeper inland and settled to Purok Bugbog which they thereafter renamed as Purok Tubod.

The oath-taking took place during the Grand Pulong-pulong and Serbisyo Caravan in the area, officiated by Town Mayor Hazel H. Elizalde and witnessed by the Philippine Army, representatives from national government agencies and staff of the provincial government.

A mass wedding, dubbed as “Kasalan sa Barangay” was conducted prior to the event, where 25 Manobo couples of different ages were united in matrimony. Rain poured throughout the day but it did not dampen the excitement and joy of the couples, their entourage, and the whole community.

During the Grand Pulong-pulong, Ltc Jeffrey Villarosa, 75IB Battalion Commander rendered the report and expressed his gratitude to provincial and municipal governments and all members of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF ELCAC) for their unconditional partnership which greatly contributed to the successful conduct of CSP.

“Our strong partnership significantly contributed to winning back the support of our populace. From here on, San Miguel RCSP Team will take the lead in the whole-of-nation approach to provide our communities with government services that are peculiar to them,” Villarosa stated.

Datu Leonilo “Tatay Eloy” Wagdos, Purok Bugbog Chairman, was emotional when he addressed the good Mayor and all other visitors from the different agencies of government. He was very thankful for not giving up on his and the community’s “notoriety."

“Sa pila ka tuig nga nagpuyo ko diri sa among yutang kabilin, walay nagpaka bana kanamo maong kami walay mahimo ug nailad jud sa mga New People’s Army (NPA). Pero sa tabang sa pag abot sa presensya sa mga kasundaluhan sa 75IB dinhi sa among lugar mura kami ug nahulugan ug anghel gikan sa langit nga maoy nakaluwas kanako og sa akong mga katribu, naghatag og kadamlag sa sayup nga pagtoo batok sa atong gobyerno. [In my many years of stay here in our ancestral domain, I did not feel nor receive any support from the government. They are reasons why we got easily deceived by the NPAs. The soldiers of 75IB are angels sent from heaven to save me and my tribesmen. They enlightened our minds of the wrong perception about our government),” Wagdos said.

He was more thankful for the visitors’ presence and for seeing for themselves the condition of their community. He was grateful to the Department of Education (DepEd) for immediately sending teachers to their more than a hundred learners the people behind the construction of a clean and secured water system, communal fishpond, and the basketball court.

He also conveyed to the concerned government agency the community’s desire to have better access basic necessities such as a school for the lumad, infrastructure, electricity, and livelihood program and opportunities.

Concerned government agencies such as the National Commission on the Indigenous People (NCIP), the Regional Health Unit (RHU), the Provincial Agriculture Officer, the Chief of Police of San Miguel, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MWSDO), Surigao Electric Cooperative (SURSECO), and the DepEd enunciated their commitment to fulfilling the appeal of the tribal leader. 

In his message, San Miguel IP Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Datu Rico Maca, lauded the local government and the Philippine Army for their commitment to ending insurgency in the area.

“Despite the inclement weather and unpleasant road condition, you came here to provide my fellow Manobos the attention that they need which I know will be translated into concrete actions. I am a staunch believer of our government and I will continue to be against CPP-NPA Terrorists because they continue to deceive, exploit, and kill my fellow tribesmen and all other IP tribes in our country. After all, we refuse to be used and exploited by them,” said Maca.

Mayor Elizalde acknowledged the hardships the community members endured and vowed to serve them better.

“Tubod occupies a big space in my heart and I will do all I can to alleviate your condition. The resources of our municipality are limited but Purok Tubod will be among my priority because I know you are among those who need them most. Under my watch, no one will be left behind,” Elizalde said.

Datu Rudy “Baning” Miranda, a highly respected elder of the community, also conveyed his gratitude on behalf of the community and recounted their experiences during their displacement.

“We are like goats who got astray. While we were wandering, we fell into a pond and were trying to swim to stay afloat. We are very fortunate that the troops from 75IB came. They came and saved us just before we all got drowned," he said.

The Provincial Police Office, through the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC), distributed gifts to the learners of the School of Living Tradition while municipal government turned-over the basketballs and volleyballs. Food packs courtesy of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the provincial government were also distributed to the communities. 

Upon the conclusion of the event, Lt. Col. Villarosa reaffirmed the commitment of the government and the Philippine Army to serving conflict-affected areas and securing peace and order in the entire province.

“Security and development is a tandem that is inseparable. The Marauder Troopers will always be at the forefront to ensure that there are security and peace in our communities, especially in geographically isolated and disadvantaged conflict-affected communities such as Purok Tubod and its adjacent communities. As we work on our mandate, we closely partner with all stakeholders so that much-needed interventions can be immediately delivered. Our task here is nowhere close to being over. We are just glad that the “whole-of-nation” is at work in our Area of Operation,” he concluded.  (DMNR/75IB/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

***

References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "Displaced Manobo community in SurSur swears allegiance to PH law ." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1060863 (accessed December 07, 2020 at 09:16AM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "Displaced Manobo community in SurSur swears allegiance to PH law ." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1060863 (archived).

Winter Begonia episode 32 recap

We start with Lin Danqiu getting hit up for money by the thugs once more, but now his sister, Zeng Aiyu witnesses the exchange. Upon his return to their apartment, she asks about it, wanting to know if he got himself into trouble again. He replies no, claiming these people are old buddies who are short of money after gambling. She seems to believe it and I am like, are you fucking stupid? You really believed that lie? She is incredibly naive for someone, a far cry from the woman we first saw in Beiping. Well apparently she can sense these people are up to no again, so maybe she is not that easily duped. Lin Danqiu reassures that once SXR finishes his performance at the Hanxiang Troupe, they will leave, so don’t think too much about these scoundrels. That makes her happy and she tells him she will book their tickets back home, so he would not back down again. He tells her that once they return to their ancestral home in Yunnan, he will clean it up, then find her a husband to marry.  She is like, big bro, you need to find me a sister-in-law first before setting me up for marriage! He’s like fine, as long as we are not separated again, everything is hokie dokie. Such a nice sibling moment.

Outside in the rain, our Er Ye is waiting patiently in his car for his bae. Said bae finally emerges out of the theater, and Er Ye calls out for his wifey to get inside the carriage. Ahh, he is so protective of his wifey.  Rui Rui invites Lin Danqiu for a ride, but the man declines, stating that his sister will come and bring him an umbrella. Damn, he really likes his meimei.  Rui Rui is a bit envious at all the attention Linzi is getting from his meimei and I am like, Rui Rui, you have a fine thicc daddy doing the same for you! Oh, he actually recognizes that he is equally lucky since he has a fine sugar daddy.  Said sugar daddy is like, well, I will do all of these as long as you don’t beat me to death.  AHAHAHAHA. Oh, the meimei is here and all the men turn to see her.  Oh shit, Er Ye sees who this famed meimei and realizes that is Fengyi’s mom and the cause of his troubles. Lin Danqiu introduces Aiyu to Er Ye and you can guess her reaction.  Meanwhile, Rui Rui sees the pendant on her neck and his eyes widened since it looks a lot like his. Not to raise any suspicion, she acts as if she doesn’t know CFT and tells him she has heard much about him from her brother.  He gets the hint and greets her as if it was the first time they’ve met. Rui Rui stares at her intently and Aiyu notices. 

Er Ye tells Boss Lin they are leaving while Rui Rui seems affected.  Aiyu is equally affected by her reunion with CFT. Rui Rui is rubbing his pendant, lost in thoughts when Er Ye tells Lin Danqiu’s sister name. Rui Rui gets out of his reverie to ask Er Ye to repeat himself. Er Ye obliges not noticing that his bae is distracted. Rui Rui asks who Zeng Aiyu is and Er Ye reveals that’s sperm donor Fan Lian’s mistress and Fengyi’s bio mom.  Rui Rui is stunned, but more than he should, which surprises Er Ye, wondering why his bae has such a strong reaction.  Rui Rui keeps silence, but at night, he seems to have a bad dream while holding his pendant. We see again the footage and see baby Rui Rui walking with his little sister.  He breaks off with his family to watch the opera, but once the opera is over, he goes out to look for them and can’t find anyone. OH NO! POOR BABY. 

The newspaper boy announces the opening show is sold out.  Er Ye calls out the boy to purchase a copy. Rui Rui seems to be pensive while Er Ye tells him about the article, which is apparently more flowery than anything Du Qi would write.  LOL, I can imagine Du Qi yelling at Er Ye for that comment. Er Ye turns to Rui Rui and notices his bae is not paying attention.  He gently taps his head with the newspaper to get him out of his reverie. Rui Rui tells him nothing is wrong. 

 At the theater’s backstage area, we see Rui Rui as the White Snake, which btw, is the main lead of this story, which means top billing. Boss Wang comments that Rui Rui’s presence has drawn 60% more people than before.  Rui Rui comments only 60%? Boss Wang reassures him it’s a good thing considering how Kunqu’s popularity is dwindling. Rui Rui asks about Er Ye, missing his bae. Boss Wang tells him Er Ye went to take care of the reporters.  Rui Rui pouts and says that Er Ye likes to do those unnecessary and excessive stuff instead of keeping him company.  Boss Wang laughs. Rui Rui asks why and...Ok, the next line is one of those line that made me want to throw my phone outside because of how ludicrous it is.  So, Boss Wang comments that despite Rui Rui and Er Ye being close in age (btw, Rui Rui is 25, so Er Ye should be close to mid 30s), their relationship seem that of father-son. GTFO with this ish!!!! OPENING YOUR FREAKING EYES, THEY ARE LOVERS.  L-O-V-E-R-S.  Give me a moment so I can get out of this rage bit.  Alright, Rui Rui replies that he could never have such a serious son and that is hilarious. Boss Wang slightly redeems himself by commenting that Er Ye takes good care of his wifey, thinking about him in everything he does, even calling Boss Wang to tell him about the theater and even tell him about the braised pork shoulder Rui Rui loves to eat before his performance. Boss Wang asks if there is anyone in this world that is this meticulous in taking care of his wifey.  WELP, Er Ye has set the bar too high, how am I going to find a man like this????? Boss Wang continues commenting how Rui Rui persists in doing things his own way and aren’t afraid of anything, like low tickets sales for his Kunqu Opera. However, when he runs into problems, he goes to his husband and discuss the matter with him, and in turn, Er Ye always makes the decision for him.  Boss Wang conclusion is that it is like a kid talking to his elders at home. DAFUQ.  NO bish, this is like a married couple discussing and coming up with solution together.  This is like a husband doting on his pretty little husband.  This is like a man utterly in love who would do everything for his soulmate.  GEEZUS XRIST. Rui Rui replies the way Boss Wang puts it is something he has never heard before and I nod in agreement.  LOL, Rui Rui says he got the short stick in this arrangement.  Leave it to Rui Rui to bring levity in an otherwise ridiculous conversation. I sometime ponder why others are not able to see the love between the two.  Are they too blind? Ugh, whatever. Someone comes to let them know it is showtime and we get to see Rui Rui trademark quirk, calling out Little White Snake fairy.  

While they sing, the other performers comment how faultless their performance is. Lin Danqiu is in full costume, probably playing the White Snake husband or the monk, I am unsure. Another performer comments he has never heard such an amazing rendition of Broken Bridge, but Linzi shushes them. Hmm, it looks like he wishes to continue as an opera performer.  Oh well.  Meanwhile, Zeng Aiyu waits outside, not even bothering to come see her brother perform.  Geezus Xrist. Sorry, but as a performer, a musician, I would be heartbroken to see my family not bothering to support me in my endeavor.  Knowing my parents actually likes what I do, gives me the emotional support that I need.  Anyhoo, her prejudice is keeping her from seeing the sacrifice her brother did to get where he is.  

Back in the backstage area, Boss Wang comments that Rui Rui does not seem to happy. Rui Rui comments that whenever he performs the opera, he felt something was not quite right.  Boss Wang comments the performance was impeccable. Rui Rui tells him the problem is with the audience not responding the way they should at the right cues. He thought he had made a mistake and they were booing.  While Lin Danqiu enters the room, Boss Wang tells him the reason why Broken Bridge was successful the last time he perform with Fairy Godmother was due to Liu Hanyu’s love of Kunqu, thus people not wanting to be on his bad side were far more enthused.  However, in Shanghai, the situation is not the same, and shows how Kunqu is losing its place in the opera circles.  Much like any music, they have their rise and fall, but it has nothing to do with the ju’er’s talent. Lin Danqiu tries to reassure his junior uncle, telling him that as long as people are willing to buy tickets and watch, is enough, don’t bother with their reactions. He also tells him that Rui Rui’s presence drew a big audience, something that wouldn’t happen if it was anyone else and if he were to sing Beijing Opera, it would definitely be a huge draw/full house. Rui Rui slams the table and agrees with Lin Danqiu, however, he is still insistent on singing Kunqu and try to renew the audience interest in it.  Oh my baby, I have a feeling it’s a lost cause. Er Ye finally shows up and Rui Rui asks where hubby has been all this time. Er Ye responds that he was staying outside waiting for him to finish. He invites all three to come and eat at the restaurant, but Lin Danqiu announces that he will be leaving soon with his meimei.  Rui Rui sounds sad, but I have a feeling it has nothing to do with Linzi.  Lin Danqiu tells him that he had initially wanted to accompany Rui Rui during all of his performances but his sister can’t wait. Sigh, I cannot say that I like Zeng Aiyu much, especially her imposing on her brother and taking away his dream to perform with Rui Rui. Oh My GOD, pouty Rui Rui!!! They meet up with Zeng Aiyu and Lin Danqiu bids his adieu to our couple. Aiyu nods to Er Ye, a silent greeting that hides a lot of mitigated emotions. Rui Rui looks at Aiyu intently, which gets Er Ye to comments and misunderstand the gaze that Rui Rui can’t take his eyes from a beauty. COUGH, Er Ye, you do know the only beauty Rui Rui has eyes for is you! Rui Rui throws a temper tantrum and tells him he is not going to eat, instead wanting to go home. Ohhh, baby is mad. Er Ye tells him he was only joking. 

We see him sleeping restlessly again, holding on to the pendant.  The same dream is playing.  After the opera is over, we see a little Rui Rui standing alone, calling out for his parents.  Damn, this is too sad. Seriously, why didn’t the parents just waited for the crowd to disperse to find their son? They just left to look for him elsewhere? I don’t get it.  The next day, hubby is waiting for him for breakfast and notice his wifey is not up yet.  He calls out to him, telling him he has prepared his favorite dishes.  OH MY GOD, SO DOMESTICATED.  Noticing there are no response, Er Ye is worried, since Rui Rui would never ignore food. He goes to the room, but it is empty. OHHHH, where could Rui Rui be?

We see him standing outside a building looking sad.  Oh, it is where Lin Danqiu and Zeng Aiyu is living.  As soon as Lin Danqiu leaves, he approaches Aiyu and gazes upon her pendant.  She asks why is he here? For her brother? She tells him he just missed him.  He replies that he is here for her.  She is surprised to hear that and asks if CFT sent him to look for her.  She tells him that CFT does not have to worry about her breaking her promise about Fengyi.  She tells him that her and ‘brother’ will be leaving for Yunnan and won’t ever cross path with anyone from her recent past. Rui Rui reveals he didn’t come for CFT.  He tells her that CFT never mentioned she had a biological brother.  She chuckles and tells him CFT doesn’t know everything about her, since their relationship wasn’t so deep. Rui Rui also tells her he’s not here for the baby.  She’s like, hmmm, why are you here then? He tells her he is here to help coax Lin Danqiu to remain in the opera since Shanghai does not have many good young ju’er.  To give up all the sacrifice he made over a decade would be a pity. Yeah, I doubt that will work Rui Rui, despite how adorable you look. Zeng Aiyu replies that she remembers Fan Lian telling her that Rui Rui was an opera addict, but reproach him for intruding into her family affairs because of it.  She adds that even though her family has declined, it was written in the ancestral code that no descendent of Zeng is allowed to enter Liyuan.  Damn! The prejudice runs deep! Her anger towards opera performers is also due to her childhood.  He asks why.  She tells him that when she was a child, her and her brother came with their parents to visit relatives.  Due to watching opera, she lost her big brother.  It took 12 years, to find him and during that time, her family fell apart.  So when she hears the noises associated with opera, her heart is filled of hatred. Ok, let’s pause here. When she went to the theater with Fan Lian, trying to seduce Er Ye, didn’t she know she was actually going to watch opera? Like, she could have declined, but she went anyway.  It seems only when she heard the awful treatment opera performers underwent as training that she seems to be upset.  Anyhoo, it is a bit weird. Rui Rui seems affected to hear about the family falling apart and asks about it. She reveals that only her and her older brother are left.  She informs him that after she lost her brother, their mother became ill and never recovered, dying the year after.  When she was 16, her father passed. 

This greatly affects Rui Rui who learns that not only he has found his sister but that his parents died without ever giving him a chance to see him.  I bet if they were alive, they would probably realize Lin Danqiu is not their kid, but oh well. He ask what if her brother isn’t willing to leave the opera troupe, and you can tell he is asking for himself not Danqiu. She tells him it won’t happen since fake brother has already quit Hanxiang Troupe and they are going back to Yunnan. Rui Rui replies, what if fake brother changes his mind because he really loves the opera. Wait, is he talking about himself or fake brother? Zeng Aiyu is incensed and tells him that she will harshly scold and terminate their sibling relationship.  

Well, it looks like the happy reunion is never going to happen Rui Rui. She notices the sadness and heartbreak on his face, but mistake it for fear, as if Rui Rui was scared of her reaction. She apologizes to him and tells him she was simply teasing. Yeah, that didn’t look like teasing at all. She reveals that instead of her trying to convince fake brother to quit, he decided upon himself to do so. Shanghai bund is full of glitter and money, all vices that can corrupt a young man like him who has been living in that kind of environment that encourages fame and money.  Geez, was your family saintly or something.  I guess you had to be to be to make the least amount of effort to look for your child. Oh well, I digress. She tells him that once they return, she can have a simple life, open a small business with fake brother and live a moral life. Gurl, you weren’t that sinless in Beiping.  Whatever, she seems to blame the glitz of these urban centers for her misfortune, but not the bad decisions that her and her family prior did.  Seriously, based on Rui Rui’s dream, I cannot get over the fact the family did not move heaven and earth to look for him. If you knew that he had went to watch the opera singer, why not wait for the crowd to leave to find him.  He stay put until the show was over! Dafuq! She wants to put all of her past behind and start anew, but you can tell it is ripping Rui Rui apart.  Knowing that his only family rejects his passion, his only joie de vivre (well apart from Er Ye), is clearly crushing him and he can’t say anything about it. He changes a bit the subject, talking about the pendant.  She tells him its the family heirloom; when they were young, her and her brother broke it when they were fooling around. Their grandmother had practically divined that breaking the pendant was akin to breaking their family fortune, which came true in a sense.  Their grandmother gave them each a piece, in the hope it will protect them.  However, it didn’t seem to do them any good since her brother still got lost.  Well...Ugh, I won’t even bother. Rui Rui asks if Lin Danqiu has a piece as well and of course she replies that he has lost his.  Not really honey, since he is a fake brother and your real one still carries his close to his chest. GAH, I can’t.  Rui Rui is broken at this moment and I just want to hold him. I am mad because his family did a piss poor job looking for him, his sister is basically rejecting him, mistaking another man for her brother, like wtf? Can you tell the lack of resemblance between you and Lin Danqiu, Zeng Aiyu.  Like, it is one of my biggest gripe in most dramas, especially Asian dramas that feature long lost siblings.  Usually, siblings look similar.  Even if they don’t look similar, they would have inherited some of their parents traits.  Can’t you tell that Lin Danqiu looks nothing like you or your parents? I don’t get it. Gaahhhh, I am frustrated for my baby. Zeng Aiyu asks why he is so interests in her business.  He tells her that he is simply intrigued.  Can we give Andrew Yin Zheng an award for portraying Rui Rui’s restraint form?  HIs maturity has taken leaps and bounds, especially in this situation where he realizes the gain and loss he experiences in a matter of minutes. I feel the enormity of his pain that he cannot let out, having to keep mum which could break an otherwise weak man. Gah, I am crying right now. He tells his bio sister that Er Ye had shared how Fengyi’s name came from the pendant, and also bring out the fact the baby’s name was changed from Fengwei to Fengyi due to the Beiping pronunciation of tail is Yi as in Jia Yi Bing Ding, not Wei, which is probably the way Shanghainese pronounce it. He tells her that he was the one who changed it, and I can hear the pride swell in his heart as he realized that he has renamed his own niece. GAHHHH, I am crying again. She takes a moment to repeat the new name, which makes her smile and cry, telling him it sounds good.  She then says that she should thank CFT for taking care of the baby. She asks how her baby is doing and Rui Rui is quick to let her know how obedient and well his niece is.  He also tells her that hubby and his niece are staying with him at Shuiyin House, but I don’t think she cares to hear, still elated to hear about the well-being of her baby.

Rui Rui is walking in the rain which looks like it is masking his tears and washing away his pain (or trying to). Meanwhile, hubby is drinking, clearly unhappy that his wifey is somewhere else without telling him.  He check his watch, and judging from the dark skies, it’s been a while Rui Rui has disappeared.  Er Ye paces as he wait for his bae.  Rui Rui returns, although we do not see that, and shares with worried hubby that Zeng Aiyu is his real bio sister.  Rui Rui is wearing his white garment and wait...is that..Er Ye’s coat?! KYAAAAAAAAAA.  I cannot with the “they are so married” imagery. STAHP SHOW. He pulls out his pendant and shows it to hubby, telling him he’s been wearing it since he was a child. Er Ye looks at it while Rui Rui shares that he went to see her to take a look. Her pendant and his are a perfect match; his is the head of the phoenix while hers is the tail. Er Ye comments it is too much of a coincidence, then realizes Fengyi is his bae’s biological niece. He asks about Lin Danqiu and what his place in all this.  Is he another sibling that Rui Rui doesn’t know? Rui Rui tells him that’s the issue, he doesn’t remember having a younger brother. He wants Er Ye to help him figure out the connection between Zeng Aiyu and Lin Danqiu, how they came about to believe they are siblings. Like a good doting hubby, Er Ye says yes and asks if Rui Rui has any leads.  He tells him the information he gathered via the performers of Hanxiang Troupe, like the fact that Zeng Aiyu paid off fake brother’s debts to a loan shark called Six Brother. Ohh, Er Ye realizes why she got pregnant and sold Fengyi. This is fucked up. Rui Rui stands up wanting to talk to that Sixth Brother, but Er Ye stops him, asking if he even knows where to find that guy.  Rui Rui tells him he has a mouth under nose, aka he can go around and ask. Er Ye being the voice of logic tells him how is he going to find someone he has no information upon.  By the time he finds out the correct Sixth Brother, both his bio sister and the fake brother will be long gone to Yunnan. Desperate Rui Rui asks what he should do; Er Ye tells him it is too late, but in the morning he will ask his friends at the police station to find out for him. Impatient, Rui Rui sits him down, takes the phone and begs him to call his friend now. Hmmm, their positions are quite suggestive as Rui Rui is on the ground, on his knees, while Er Ye is sitting, as if waiting for bae to give him.....wait, I am getting sidetracked. Er Ye comments how Rui Rui had previously stated that he didn’t care much about his long lost parents, but now he is desperate to find out about his sister and how she got conned by Lin Danqiu. Rui Rui tells him its a different matter and that he’s been dreaming about his childhood a lot lately, feeling unsettled.  He needs to find out the connection between the two. Er Ye gets serious and ask him a very important question.  What would he do if it turns out that she really is his sister and her being adamant that her sibling not remain a performer.  Would he quit for her? Rui Rui is unable to answer. 

We see the Sixth Brother and a cop talking to dashing super sexy Er Ye with Rui Rui standing right behind him.  The cop gives some background info on the thug; his name is Wu Liu and is a big figure in Shanghai underworld. The cop asks if they need help dealing with the thug, but Er Ye is like, nah, we will be find, I have a martial artist as my backup. LOL, Er Ye looks back at his bae who is laser focused on Wu Liu.  Er Ye is like, yeah, my bae is ready for some beat down. They follow Sixth Brother, lol, Rui Rui is walking so fast, Er Ye has to fasten his pace.  They arrive at the same alleyway where Wu Liu went but does not see him.  Then, the thug reappears with his acolytes in tow each holding a bat. He asks if they are looking for him and Er Ye chuckles with his attack penguin right behind him. Er Ye tells him he is looking for information from Sixth Brother.  The thug is like, oh, well, I am an easy going guy, just take some beating and if you are still breathing, then I may grace you with some information. Er Ye is like, oh honey, I ain’t scared, I have a ferocious chipmunk right behind me ready to pounce. He slides away to let the kung fu penguin do his thing. When Sixth Brother hits the penguin face, Er Ye pulls a gun on him.  No one touches my bae’s face! The tough thug turns into a weepy bish as he tells a pissed off Er Ye as he tells him he won some money, which Er Ye takes to pay his bae’s medical fees.  LOL, like he needed that little amount of cash.  Er Ye, you petty. Er Ye asks about Lin Danqiu and Wul Liu feign ignorance until Rui Rui grabs the bat and threatens him with it.  The man spills the beans, telling about Lin Danqiu bad luck with gambling and large debt. Er Ye believes the man set Lin Danqiu to lose, but Rui Rui is not interested in this, he wants to know the connection between his sister and his junior ‘nephew’. The man tells him that two years ago, he found a mark, Zeng Aiyu, who looked like she came from a distinguished family, poised and elegant. He approached her and found out she was looking for her older brother, offering a high reward to anyone who found him.  Er Ye thinks they set up a ploy to con her, but the thug denies it.  He tells Er Ye that Zeng Aiyu had told him that an opera troupe had kidnapped her brother and since Lin Danqiu had a similar background, and apparently matched the description in terms of looks and facial expression (WHAAAAAT), it was a happy coincidence and Zeng Aiyu did not question anything.  Again, I have a problem with this.  Was she so desperate to find her brother that she would just grab anyone who came close to fitting that description? I don’t get it, I really don’t. It robs Rui Rui of an opportunity to reunite with his family, it robs Zeng Aiyu of her real brother. Not only that, but she used her body to help repay that fake brother’s debt, although she claimed to going back to her hometown to raise the money.  But we all know how she actually raised that money. She could have died giving birth to Fengyi. Sigh, I am upset. The thug is tapping himself on the shoulder for doing such a good deed of reuniting the siblings. SIGH. An upset Rui Rui tells the thug to get the fuck out, which the thug and his acolytes oblige. Rui Rui sets out to go after Lin Danqiu, but hubby blocks his path.  Er Ye reasons with him that killing Lin Danqiu and acknowledging Zeng Aiyu will amount to nothing, especially in the face of his bio sister’s sacrifice for a fake brother.  How would she take the truth knowing that she basically prostituted herself and ended up almost dying for someone who is not really her blood?  Geezus, I am crushed guys, I am tearing up writing this.  This is soul crushing to say the least.  Rui Rui so wants to reunite with a family he had long forgotten, but  as Er Ye is trying to tell him, there’s a huge elephant blocking his path.  Tell his sister the truth would kill her. At this point, Rui Rui is so consumed by anger, he doesn’t see what Er Ye is trying to tell him.  He just wants to take back what is his. I don’t blame him.  How would you feel finding your family and learning that someone else has taken your place, adding the fact that your sister went through hell for that imposter? You cannot reason with someone who is already an emotional mess, filled with feelings he has no time to digest, to understand. A man who previously only lived for one thing and had horrible social skills, and is now thrusted into a situation he has no way of dealing with? Er Ye insists on standing in his way, to keep his lover from making a great mistake, but Rui Rui does not back down, even threatening his hubby with the bat. As Er Ye flinches, he takes the opportunity to run away toward the train station.  WHoa, this is the first time Er Ye calls him by his full name. Damn. Rui Rui is in the rickshaw heading toward the station. 

We see the fake siblings at the train station sharing food.  Rui Rui rushes through the station, passing through the guards who try to nab him.  Lin Danqiu tells them he is his junior uncle (Viki got the wrong translation).  Rui Rui stares at his sister, who sees the blood on his forehead from when Sixth Brother hit him. After appeasing the guards, Lin Danqiu asks Rui Rui who did he fight to have this gash.  Rui Rui takes another gaze at his sister and asks Lin Danqiu to follow him for a little chat. Lin Danqiu is a bit confused about Rui Rui’s behavior, telling him they have to hurry so he won’t miss his train. As soon as the door is closed, kung fu penguin is back in action and kicks Lin Danqiu to the ground, then proceeds to beat the shit out of Lin Danqiu. The fake brother begs for mercy and asks why Rui Rui is beating up him, thinking he has gone crazy. Rui Rui asks him if he has no idea of the terrible thing he has done. Lin Danqiu is clueless, until Rui Rui takes out his pendant and throws it at him. He realizes that his junior uncle is the real Zeng son.  Rui Rui is like, now you get it, don’t I have the right to be mad, to beat the shit out of you? Lin Danqiu is like, I didn’t do it deliberately, I was at my wit’s end, with a lot of debt, and was forced by these thugs (BROOOO).  Rui Rui is like, yeah, they forced you, they forced you to make my sister become a showgirl to pay off your debt. Lin Danqiu seems genuinely shocked to hear this.  GAAHHH, Yin Zheng, I will give you all the awards!  His righteous anger, unable to spit it out, but you can tell he wants to curse Lin Danqiu all the way to hell. He tells the fake brother that he not only hit him because he lied to his sister, but also because she went through hell selling her body to pay his debt.  Not only that but the fact he didn’t even question how a young woman like her was able to get such a large sum of money so fast. Lin Danqiu really believed she had sold the ancestral home.  Wait...didn’t you guys have plan to go back to the ancestral home and clean it up? So, if she sold it, how can you make such plans? Dafuq? Unless they had many ancestral homes or...he knew what she did and is feigning ignorance.  I am confused. Rui Rui tells that no, she sold her body, became the mistress of an useless socialite and gave birth to a bastard child. Lin Danqiu is either a better actor that Rui Rui gives him credit for or he truly can’t believe what he has just learned, but Rui Rui tells him it is the utmost truth and that baby is actually staying with him at Shuiyin House after CFT paid 100 000 for it. Lin Danqiu tells him that he didn’t woefully lied to her; the fact is, he was desperate for a family, having been an orphaned for so long.  According to his teacher, his background matched that of Rui Rui’s, so when Zeng Aiyu came with her story, he thought he had found his family, that he was blessed by God.  He felt happy to find a family member, a little sister who overcame so much to find him. 

Sigh, there is so much to offload from this episode. I have already said much of how I felt when I watched it. It is one of those gut-wrenching chapter, where Rui Rui is faced with the truth of his childhood, the discovery of his family, something he had never thought of or even bothered to care for prior.  This is a lot of emotion to thrust on someone who was stunted by horrible treatment to become an opera performer.  Not only that, but to learn that his flesh and blood hates what he has become, hates the only thing that he loves the most, that kept him sane all.  Through all this, Er Ye can only stand by and watch his lover goes through such a painful situation.  He can try to reason or block him, but can’t do much else.  This is Rui Rui cross to bear, It was beautifully executed and acted by Yin Zheng.  Seriously, what an amazing actor he is; you could see the gamut of emotions, the pain, the anger and sadness conveyed in his eyes and facial expressions.  All the applause goes to him.

Also, on the subject of his separation from his family, I have issues with the parents not doing the utmost to find their son.  If it had been me, I would have tore apart the area, moved heaven and earth to find my kid.  The fact that he was left alone, with no parents in sight looking, boggles my mind.  If, according to Zeng Aiyu, they knew that he had been kidnapped by an Opera troupe or that he had gone to see the opera, why not look for the performance stage?  I just don’t get it.