Episode 20 recap: Prince Ling disagreed with Shi Zi and Jin Rong's relationship
Chun Ban Xia was studying when she overheard a conversation between Shen Wang Yan and Du Ru Yu. Shen Wang Yan complimented Du Ru Yu on her youthful appearance, which made her naturally happy. Shen Wang Yan informed Du Ru Yu that a wealthy family had already approached him to be their retainer.
Upon learning that Shen Wang Yan was leaving, Du Ru Yu was reluctant to see him go. Ban Xia, who overheard their conversation, couldn't concentrate on her studies. Shen Wang Yan approached her and, seeing her reading The Analects, jokingly remarked that if she continued reading, she would never get married. He advised Ban Xia not to let Lady Chun worry about her, but she angrily closed the window, telling him not to worry too much.
Ban Xia went to have her meal and was furious when she discovered that Shen Wang Yan was using her bowl. She scolded him loudly. Du Ru Yu was displeased with Ban Xia's attitude towards Shen Wang Yan, so Ban Xia decided not to eat and went to the medicine room instead. Upon learning that Jin Rong and Ke Ling were still sleeping, Du Ru Yu angrily declared that she wouldn't save any food for them. Lu Bu Ping, upon hearing this, intended to take Jin Rong and Ke Ling's portion for herself, but Du Ru Yu stopped her.
Jin Rong and Shi Zi had a date at the Chun Jiang Tower. Jin Rong was unhappy with Shi Zi's secretive behavior and wanted to publicly announce their relationship. However, whenever she brought up the topic, Shi Zi seemed to have some reservations and avoided the subject. Jin Rong believed that his behavior lacked sincerity and informed Shi Zi that her mother wanted her to go on a blind date. Shi Zi vehemently opposed the idea.
Chun Jin Rong and Shi Zi had conflicting opinions about whether to openly declare their relationship. Annoyed, Shi Zi left in a huff. Shen Wang Yan visited Guo Zhen Sheng with a skin condition caused by flea bites. Guo Zhen Sheng diagnosed it and prescribed external and internal medications for Shen Wang Yan. Ban Xia immediately quoted a price of two taels of silver, which Guo Zhen Sheng found to be quite expensive. Shen Wang Yan realized he didn't have money with him and Guo Zhen Sheng didn't insist on payment. This made Ban Xia very angry.
Shen Wang Yan was in his room taking an herbal bath when Ban Xia, without realizing, pushed the door open and witnessed the scene. She shyly turned around and ran away, but her heart was racing when she returned to her room.
Jin Rong invited Shi Zi to a boat ride in order to cheer him up. They expressed their feelings to each other, and Shi Zi quickly forgave Jin Rong. He opened up about his grievances, and Jin Rong shared the difficulties he had faced as well. They grew closer and more understanding of each other. However, when Jin Rong brought up the topic of openly declaring their relationship again, Shi Zi pretended to be drunk and infuriated Jin Rong.
Ban Xia approached Shen Wang Yan and asked him not to reveal that she had seen him bathing. Shen Wang Yan assured her that he wouldn't because he was the one who suffered in that situation. He also instructed Ban Xia not to disclose it. However, Ban Xia became suspicious and, upon hearing her family whispering, mistakenly believed they were discussing what she had seen. Unable to contain herself, she blurted out the incident loudly at the dinner table.
Everyone was surprised to learn about the incident, and their reactions varied. Ban Xia herself felt embarrassed and ran out. Shen Wang Yan approached, fanning himself, and scolded her for revealing the secret. Frustrated, Ban Xia angrily told him to leave, to which Shen Wang Yan criticized her for being rude despite being a scholar.
In reality, Shi Zi was worried that his father wouldn't approve of his relationship with Jin Rong. However, Jin Rong seemed confident and assured Shi Zi that she excelled in various talents and knew how to win over elders' hearts. This reassured Shi Zi. Meanwhile, Prince Ling was hosting a banquet at his residence, and Shi Zi brought Jin Rong to greet him. To increase Prince Ling's favorable impression, Jin Rong offered to perform a dance for him. Everyone was captivated by her performance, and both Shi Zi and Jin Rong felt that Prince Ling had no objections.
After Shi Zi helped Prince Ling sober up, he expressed his desire to start a family. Prince Ling agreed, but insisted that Shi Zi find a girl from a family of at least the fourth or fifth rank. When Shi Zi mentioned Chun Jin Rong, Prince Ling angrily refused, believing that Shi Zi should never marry a dancer.
Jin Xia, who had been listening nearby, quietly left Prince Ling's residence. When Du Ru Yu saw Jin Rong crying alone, she approached and inquired about the situation. Upon learning that Jin Rong and Shi Zi had been in a relationship for a while and that Prince Ling opposed it due to their difference in social status, Du Ru Yu comforted Jin Rong and said that they had missed out on a good marriage prospect, but Jin Rong would eventually marry into a good family.
Xin, the steward, came to visit Du Ru Yu and informed her that their master had invited Shen Wang Yan to become their retainer, offering a high price of twenty taels a day. Du Ru Yu was reluctant to let Shen Wang Yan leave, but Ban Xia informed Shen Wang Yan about the offer. Shen Wang Yan decided to leave, and Du Ru Yu personally gave him some money for his journey. Before leaving, he cryptically said to Ban Xia that he hoped to see her again and left a book behind.
I can't believe this whole family. Even watching a comedy can make me so frustrated. It started off quite funny, but the more I watched, the more annoyed I became. I don't even have the energy to criticize Lu Bu Ping and the second sister's attitudes anymore.
But during the plot of the second sister's birthday, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to comment before I even finished watching. It was her birthday, and she happily got up early to wash peaches for everyone to eat. But one by one, they all forgot about her birthday.
Yes! I know the plot was building up to a surprise at the end, but so what! She was sad and upset the entire day of her birthday, doing extra chores that she doesn't normally do. And then they give her a surprise in the evening to make her happy for a while.
But shouldn't a birthday be a whole day of happiness? Even if there aren't huge surprises, it should still be a joyful occasion. I just can't accept it. I think this kind of surprise is unnecessary. I know it's all scripted, and I'm just venting my frustration.
Feel free to criticize me. It's just my personal opinion. ☺☺
Uncle Zhensheng traveled a long way to be with Ru Yu. He sold his property and used all his savings, generously lending it to Ru Yu and allowing the whole family to settle down in the city.
Having given up everything himself, he couldn't continue to stay in that impoverished village.
So, Uncle Zhensheng followed them, wanting to reunite with these five family members.
Uncle Zhensheng, he's truly an introverted person. He knows what he feels inside, but he just can't bring himself to express it and let her know.
Is love really that difficult to put into words? Uncle Zhensheng repeatedly endures, the words on the tip of his tongue swallowed back into his belly several times, until he heard that someone was trying to introduce Ru Yu to a late-life romance.
That was the last straw for Uncle Zhensheng. He couldn't sit still anymore and explained repeatedly that he didn't desire fame and success, he only wanted to spend his later years peacefully in the Chun family.
Later on, a few ignorant individuals actually encouraged Uncle Zhensheng to pursue his dreams and career. Poor Uncle Zhensheng, he couldn't express his inner torment. He could only reluctantly embark on a journey to another prominent pharmacy, leaving the Chun family behind.
Fortunately, just as he left the house and was about to go his separate way, he encountered a competitor who came knocking on the door. How could Uncle Zhensheng tolerate this? After pursuing Ru Yu for so many years with great effort, he couldn't just hand her over to someone else.
He quickly dismissed the person who invited him, informed the shop owner that Ru Yu had moved away, and then turned around, closed the courtyard gate. Before leaving, he couldn't help but give a parting reminder, "Don't come here, or else I'll give you a beating.
Haha, if you don't scare him a bit, you'll never know how much strength he possesses.
Pei Lan is a person with a weak personality, and she is also the least temperamental one in the Chun family. She feels sad for everyone and is very considerate in meeting everyone's demands, doing her best to be good to everyone.
This is what people call a kind-hearted person, always putting themselves last and prioritizing the needs of others.
Everyone says that this kind of person is a good person, and yes, they are. But why aren't you willing to become a good person?
You all try your best to maintain your reputation and individuality, not wanting to be labeled as a pushover.
Because everyone knows that a pushover is considered foolish, someone who gets taken advantage of for no reason.
People still need boundaries, a limit where they absolutely cannot compromise. It's not that the more you help others, the more you gain. The saying "being taken advantage of is a blessing" is just a helpless acceptance of inevitable bitterness.
We need to be people who know how to strike a balance, who know how to make choices. We shouldn't be like central air conditioning, trying to please everyone. It's not about whether one is kind or not; it's about recognizing that a person's energy is limited.
We just need to remember to be good to those who are important to us and those who have been kind to us. The rest, the insignificant passersby, we can simply smile and let them go.
Saying "no" is a skill, a way to protect ourselves and maintain appropriate boundaries with others.
At the same time, being overly nice to everyone can also lead to misunderstandings, as people might perceive your enthusiasm as implicit consent, ultimately adding to your troubles.
Ban Xia has read many books and has gained a lot of knowledge. Naturally, she becomes more critical of the people and things around her, making it harder for her to understand social conventions.
She always speaks and acts decisively, without leaving any room for mercy. When her own mother comes to visit and mentions her, Ban Xia will retort without hesitation, without realizing that she is in the wrong, and even scolds her own mother.
In reality, Ru Yu's comment was just a casual remark, but it unsettled Ban Xia. With just a few exchanges of words, the role of the family's decision-maker naturally shifted from Ru Yu to Ban Xia.
Initially, I thought Ban Xia, being so capable, would be able to control the people in her family. However, when Ban Xia actually tried to put her idealistic principles into practice, she realized that managing a household is not an easy task.
Each person has their own temperament, strengths, and weaknesses.
It cannot be achieved simply by enforcing the absolute fairness she envisioned. Furthermore, her so-called absolute fairness, although it may seem to bring more benefits to everyone, becomes a source of hardship and discomfort once people realize that attaining that level of fairness is beyond their capabilities.
The division of labor among individuals truly requires teaching according to their aptitude. It is important to recognize everyone's skills and strengths, and then calmly and cooperatively allocate tasks.