Hi, everyone and welcome back to Happy Hour. 歡迎回來酒館. Hi, 安瀾.

Hi, lulu. Hi, everyone.

安瀾, do you know what day is today or what's the date?

It's not payday. Is it?

Come on, think romantic?

It's Valentine's Day today.

Yep. So let's do a Valentine's Day special episode.

Eww.

Why? We're not gonna talk about a romantic lovey-dovey stuff. Actually, for the past few years, every year I've done like an anti-valentine thing.

That's a lot more fun.

It's being sarcastic. But having said that, this is the first time I do like a double act on Valentine's Day.

I would like to point out this is not a date in any way, shape or form.

We're sitting in the studio, working.

We're sitting quite far apart from each other as well. Yeah.

So talking about Valentine's Day, this is the day that usually a lot of, especially guys get a bit nervous. They're like, they probably have been nervous for a while up to this point like what gift should I prepare? Where should I take her out to, that sort of thing.

In Chinese we say, 特別是女生要什么儀式感, 要有儀式感. Have you heard about that.

Sort of sense of occasion.

That's how I would translate it. So not ritualistic,

No, I know some people translate it as ceremonial or ritualistic.

It sounds religious. It sounds like you're sacrificing a chicken.

Exactly

對. 這個儀式感不能直接翻譯. Usually it's just sense of occasion. The basic idea is you're treating it as a special day, a special situation, a special scenario.

And I can understand why people think that but personally Valentine's Day is not really for me.

Would you say you're not a romantic? You strike me as a romantic.

I'm a romantic, but I don't like Valentine's Day. The reason why is that I've got a lot of negative associations with Valentine's Day.

Oh, have you been dumped on Valentine’s Day?

No, not at all. My mom used to be a florist. So I had to help out in the florist shop because it was so busy.

So it's like a work overtime day.

Exactly. So for me Valentine's Day I always think of lots and lots of flowers. I think about having to help my mom. I also think about my mom being incredibly busy and not seeing her for a few days.

To me, you know that I'm not a romantic.

I have noticed that about you, yes.

And I think all of these holidays, for lovers, for valentine's or whatever, I think all of these are just marketing hypes, business gimmicks and trying to sell things at a higher price and try to get the restaurants and bars busy.

Wow, that is incredibly cynical even for me.

Yeah, but don't you think so? it's... I mean I could have gone to the restaurants or bars or gotten the same products for much cheaper some other time of the year.

Exactly. And to be perfectly honest, I always find it less romantic if you only do some romantic on Valentine's Day because everyone else is doing it.

And also I'm pretty rebellious as a person. 就一身反骨, I refuse to let some business tell me this is the day that I have to celebrate.

I can't argue against that.

So people used to ask me like Lulu, but won't you get mad if your boyfriend forgets or your partner forgets Valentine's Day? I'm like, no, not really. I forget it all the time.

Yeah. Same here. I don't think I've ever really celebrated Valentine's Day even when I've been in relationships.

But what about in the UK, like people around you, your family, your friends, do you think there's a general vibe of celebrating Valentine's Day, at least sending each other a card? I’m being ridiculous but...

They would give each other a card. They might do like a special meal or something. But to be honest, not really. It's not a festival that we really had in my family because again, as I say, my mom would finish work about 10 o'clock, so...

But what about your friends like in the UK in general?

Some of my friends they really go into Valentine's Day, big time, kind of big romantic gestures, lots of presents.

Usually when they try to impress the other person.

Exactly. And personally I just... no, it's not for me.

Seriously, what was the most romantic gesture you have done? And what's the most romantic gesture that someone has done for you?

I would say years and years ago I was dating this woman, and English wasn’t her first language. She wasn't Chinese, but English wasn’t her first language, came from another country. I did actually spend a long time learning how to say kind of a romantic poem.

Oh, in her language. That is... I would feel I would find that to be if I'm dating someone who's not native speaker of Chinese and if this person learns my language and goes into the whole elaborate efforts of writing a poem. I would find that quite impressive.

She was quite impressed, even though we did break up, but she liked it at the time.

But what about something that you have received?

I once dated a woman who she knew that I was really craving a particular food from my childhood like it is a type of dessert. And she learned how to make it despite not being a very good cook.

You are such a cliche, 安瀾, it's like “the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.” (抓住了男人的胃就抓住了男人的心)

People say that because it's true, simple as that. So what about you? What's the most romantic thing that's been done to you?

That just sounds released...

I'll change... keep it PG (“PG”是“Parental Guidance”（家長指導）的縮寫,意思是“保持內容適合所有年齡段的觀眾，避免涉及成人或不適當的內容”).

That's not what I mean. Take your mind out the gutter.

Mhm.

What is the most romantic thing that someone has done for you? What's the most romantic thing you've done for someone else?

Okay, so starting with what I've done for the other person, actually, although I'm not a romantic person, I'm the ultimate pragmatist and cynical person, but I love planning surprises for other people. I love seeing their little faces light up like I do that for friends, family and people I date and my partner that sort of thing.

So, I think probably one of the most romantic gestures that I've done is putting together like a book of our love story.

About love stories like it was an actual like a loose-leaf file of the things and it was almost like scrap book （剪貼簿：用于收集和保存照片、文章、紀念品等的書，通常包括各種各樣的材料和裝飾）as well.

You have like the movie tickets or the performance tickets and things we... so and then they were writing as well and to give it to him as for keepsake(紀念品).

That's so cute and very cheesy.

I know. And the thing that I find to be the most romantic that I have received as a gift was I don't like the typical gifts like skin care products and all of that bags. I'm super nerd when it comes to puzzles, mystery that sort of thing.

So someone planned a murder mystery night for me.

Oh, were you the murderer or were you the victim?

I was certainly not the victim.

I don't know.

What's the point in that I would spend the whole night lying there. It was pretty interesting, I guess for me it's more like the person actually knows me, that's very important.

They make the effort.

Exactly. We've talked about Valentine's Day, sense of occasion, and our respective experiences, I thought towards the end of conversation, our chat today, we can also look at some truly awkward, cringy, cheesy quotes.

Good!

I have a few. Are you ready? 我們來看一些那種cringy 很尬或者很cheesy很土, 就土味情話. Ok. I guess we can start with pick up line.

Ok. You got the classic. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?

I've talked about that before on the show.

Are you sure you're not tired? Because you've been running through my mind all day.

That's an old one. Or Let’s flip a coin. Heads, you are mine, tails, I am yours. I know it's old, making me physically uncomfortable.

If you and I were socks, we'd make a great pair.

Why would I wanna be a smelly sock?

Yes.

And also things like, Do you like raisins? Then how about a date? raisins, date?

I believe in following my dreams. Can I have your Instagram?

Okay, and also things like, Do you play soccer? (Do you play football) because you look like a keeper? (在足球比賽中，keeper是負責防守球門的球員。在口語中，“keeper”可以用來指某人或某物非常值得珍惜，是一種親昵的稱呼。)

Kiss me if I'm wrong, but dinosaurs still exist. Don't they?

That is just a bit retarded to be honest. There are also some cringey love poems.

Okay!

For example, I've got this one. I can't even keep a straight face.

I stutter and stammer

as I nervously declare

my love for you, my dear,

please don't run in fear.

（我結結巴巴，我語無倫次，當我緊張地向你表白我的愛，親愛的，請不要因為害怕而逃跑。）

Oh, wow!

Is this from a rapist?

That is pretty scary.

Anything from your research?

I found this one.

I thought I could love no other,

until that is I met your brother.

That's gotta be a joke.

That is a joke, or that's a confession that they've been cheating on that man, where is his brother?

That is terrible.

I want to feel your sweet embrace

but don't take that paper bag off of your face.

Who writes these kind of stuff.

I have no idea.

What inspired this amorous rhyme?

two parts vodka, one part lime.

I can only fall in love with you when I'm drunk. Yeah. So I don't think any of these would work.

No. I would like to say if anybody uses these on their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, you only have yourself to blame.

Exactly.

Don't blame us.

Exactly. As we're wrapping up today's episode, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. We love you.

Absolutely. And for those of you who are not celebrating Valentine's Day, good on you.

But we also love you.

Exactly.

And leave us a comment in comment section if you know any other cheesy love lines or pickup lines so that we can all feel cringed out about it.

Until then.

Happy Valentine's Day!

See you next time.

Bye, bye.