Episode 21 recap: Hu Na Na came to find Guo Zhen Sheng while the Chun family members were watching the play separately.
At this moment, the city of Linjiang was particularly lively, with people coming and going on the streets. There was a long queue in front of the Chunjiang Tower, and everyone was buying tickets. Lu Bu Ping was also in the queue. He had sneaked out and was worried about being discovered by the Chun family. Pei Lan came back with a lot of things, and Du Ru Yu quickly came out to take them. She asked where Lu Bu Ping went, and Pei Lan made an excuse, saying that Brother Lu wasn't feeling well today.
Du Ru Yu complained that Lu Bu Ping must be slacking off, but Pei Lan quickly defended him. Du Ru Yu asked Pei Lan about the rumor that the annual performance at Chunjiang Tower was about to begin, and they had invited renowned performers from the Western Regions. Pei Lan replied that the streets were bustling anyway. Du Ru Yu noticed Ke Ling and asked her to stay and help Pei Lan with the work.
Guo Zhen Sheng waited in the long queue and finally got the tickets. He was delighted and planned to invite Du Ru Yu to watch the play together. Just then, a plump woman entered the pharmacy and called Guo Zhen Sheng "cousin." Guo Zhen Sheng recognized her as his cousin Hu Na Na and quickly went over to greet her.
As soon as Hu Na Na entered, she coquettishly addressed Guo Zhen Sheng, which annoyed Ban Xia who was standing nearby. Hu Na Na claimed that all the inns in Jianglin were fully booked, so she hadn't found a place to stay. She wanted to stay with Guo Zhen Sheng. He brought Hu Na Na to find Du Ru Yu, who immediately agreed and arranged for her to stay in Ke Ling's room.
Hu Na Na's husband passed away a few years ago, and she had been searching for Guo Zhen Sheng because she wanted to rekindle their past relationship. Her mother had intended to betroth her to Guo Zhen Sheng, but Hu Na Na fell in love with her own husband. She coquettishly asked Guo Zhen Sheng to lend her ten taels of silver. Guo Zhen Sheng told her that all the money from running the pharmacy had been handed over to Du Ru Yu, so he would have to discuss the matter with her.
Hu Na Na forced Guo Zhen Sheng to go find Du Ru Yu. When Du Ru Yu took out two taels of silver and said she had no more money, Hu Na Na defended Guo Zhen Sheng, accusing Du Ru Yu of bullying her honest cousin. Angered, Du Ru Yu ordered Guo Zhen Sheng to leave.
Ke Ling sneaked out to meet Si Huang Zi, but encountered Yao WenYao Wu. Ke Ling claimed that she was out to buy a broom for a thorough cleaning at home, and both Yao WenYao Wu expressed their willingness to accompany her and help with the chores. Ke Ling finally managed to get rid of them and found Si Huang Zi.
Hu Na Na asked Guo Zhen Sheng to accompany her for shopping, and she ended up buying a wedding dress, which Guo Zhen Sheng disapproved of. Unfortunately, Jin Rong saw them and immediately reported the matter to her mother. After Guo Zhen Sheng and Hu Na Na returned home, Hu Na Na kept showing off in front of Du Ru Yu.
Du Ru Yu suppressed her anger and congratulated Guo Zhen Sheng. Seeing Du Ru Yu leave in a huff, Guo Zhen Sheng couldn't hold back anymore and scolded Hu Na Na, telling her not to deceive herself in this way. Hu Na Na had always sought sympathy by imposing on others since childhood, but now that she had grown up and aged, she couldn't continue to do such immature things.
Feeling unwelcome by the Chun family, Hu Na Na decided to leave. Before leaving, Guo Zhen Sheng borrowed twenty taels of high-interest loan for her as traveling expenses. Hu Na Na wanted to drink, but after two cups of wine, she undressed and loudly accused Guo Zhen Sheng of assaulting her.
Upon hearing this, Du Ru Yu rushed over with her three daughters. She firmly stood by Guo Zhen Sheng's side and believed that Hu Na Na was extorting him. Ban Xia even reported the incident to the authorities. Hu Na Na, seeing her plan foiled, threw a tantrum in the pharmacy, intentionally causing a scene. Coincidentally, the constables arrived and took her away.
After being reprimanded by the authorities, Hu Na Na became much more obedient. She packed her belongings and left dejectedly. Guo Zhen Sheng, feeling remorseful, sought forgiveness from Du Ru Yu. She stood up for him, and Guo Zhen Sheng was deeply moved. Du Ru Yu also forgave him for borrowing the high-interest loan. Guo Zhen Sheng invited Du Ru Yu to watch the play, and she shyly agreed.
However, when they arrived at the theater, they discovered that Ke Ling and Si Huang Zi were also there. They turned their heads and saw Pei Lan and Lu Bu Ping as well. Meanwhile, Jin Rong and Shi Zi were sitting in the front row. Everyone felt both happy and worried about being recognized by familiar faces, unaware that they had all discovered each other's presence. During dinner that evening, the family sat together, each with their own concerns, and only Ban Xia felt confused when she saw everyone's expressions.
Shi Zi's character is filled with many comedic moments. Despite being a member of the royal family, he has always been restricted by his family. Deep down, he yearns for freedom.
He hopes for someone who can redeem him and lead him to a liberated life.
When Shi Zi interacts with Li Teng Yun, he doesn't have any malicious intentions. He simply wants to teach Li Teng Yun a lesson.
If he were asked to frame the Chun family, it's not something Shi Zi could bring himself to do. It seems that he is quite burdened internally. When he drinks with the eldest sister, the things he says feel very genuine.
What he lacks is freedom. It's difficult for him to openly be with the person he loves.
Chun Ban Xia has learned the most from her mother, and that is the sense of dignity that belongs to a mother. When Chun Ban Xia and Du Ru Lan are together, it feels like facing two towering statues.
They can detect any thought in your mind. If you really want to lie, you have to bear such immense pressure and effortlessly speak out a well-prepared lie, which is actually quite difficult.
Once you stutter, there's a high chance of being found out. If there is a need for someone to manage the household in the future, I think Chun Ban Xia would be the most suitable candidate.
Although she has her own principles most of the time, at least she won't make a mess of the house.
I have to say, when Lu Bu Ping first entered the Chun family, he really gave off the vibe of someone who escaped from a remote place.
It seems that as long as someone offers him a meal, Lu Bu Ping is willing to follow along without expecting anything in return.
He's like a free laborer for other people's households.
As long as someone takes him in and provides him with a place to stay, that's enough for him. I wonder what kind of courage he has to venture out into the world!
Once he steps out of the house, he has no way to protect himself, let alone protect the person he likes.
When others escape from a difficult situation, they would at least make some preparations, store some provisions. But Lu Bu Ping is more like a person who abandons their armor and weapons.
The disheveled appearance of Lu Bu Ping when he arrived at the Chun family truly makes it hard to imagine that he was once a pampered young master.
Besides the fact that we can tell he doesn't know anything, it's just that we perceive him as being foolish.
Du Ru Lan has always been someone who talks tough but has a soft heart. This becomes evident when she interacts with Lu Bu Ping.
Du Ru Lan initially wanted to hand Lu Bu Ping over to the authorities because she feared that Lu Bu Ping might have some ulterior motives when coming to her home.
It was very possible that Lu Bu Ping could harm her family. However, in the end, she chose to take in Lu Bu Ping, solely because he had saved her daughter.
Although she made Lu Bu Ping work, she also provided him with a new blanket.
This shows that she has slowly accepted Lu Bu Ping and now sees him as a member of the family.
At the very least, Lu Bu Ping has stayed with this family. Although there are times when he has to work, I believe that Pei Lan, for the most part, won't let her "brother" suffer.
Lu Bu Ping's bizarre behavior really makes it easy for people to think he's a fraudster trying to infiltrate their home. Although the Chun family is just an ordinary household and there's nothing worth someone's effort to scheme for, what if there is?
Nobody knows, after all, even a small fly has meat on its legs. Lu Bu Ping's intention to disguise himself in their home seems more straightforward. That timid appearance is like telling others, "I may look like a thief, why don't you try catching me?
" No wonder Madam Chun wanted to hand Lu Bu Ping over to the authorities at certain moments. After all, the resemblance is just too striking! If it weren't for Pei Lan mediating in between, Lu Bu Ping would probably have been exposed long ago!
The way Pei Lan cheers herself on is like she's talking to herself, saying, "You can do it, you can definitely protect Big Brother Lu." Being in this family, I truly feel that Pei Lan is working hard. She is striving to maintain balance within the family, trying to make everything go according to her own ideas and not wanting anyone to get hurt.
In Pei Lan's heart, her mother and sister are close to her, but Lu Bu Ping is also dear to her. Although Pei Lan didn't realize her feelings for Lu Bu Ping at that time, her unconscious efforts to protect him had already exposed everything.
As she tidies herself up, preparing to have a serious talk with her mother, Pei Lan truly gives off a sense of coming home, as if returning to her true self.
In the past, Lu Bu Ping didn't know how to do any chores. However, after he came to the Chun family, he gradually learned how to work and started to integrate into the family. Lu Bu Ping and Pei Lan are like two laborers in this household, using their hands every day to almost do all the work for the entire family.
Lu Bu Ping is more like accompanying Pei Lan in her work. While Pei Lan seeks a sense of accomplishment in taking care of the family, Lu Bu Ping simply feels that if he does more work, it will make things easier for Pei Lan.
Although Lu Bu Ping sometimes causes chaos, he is making an effort to learn! At least, from being a pampered young master in the past, he has now become someone who is very adept at hanging clothes to dry.
Lu Bu Ping and Pei Lan truly appear to be a perfect match. Both of them carry an air of simplicity that seems unaffected by anyone's influence.
And if you were once simple-minded, as soon as you stand in front of them, you won't be simple-minded anymore.
Because there will always be someone even more naive than you. If they want to confront Du Ru Lan, they are simply too inexperienced!
Without even launching an attack, they are easily pushed back. Watching them repeatedly retreat, I sincerely want to tell them not to overestimate themselves!
Sometimes, it's really unnecessary to strive so hard and end up embarrassing oneself. Being a servant is fine.
At least there's food and drink, without any worries.
When Pei Lan stood in front of Lu Bu Ping with her petite body, it truly made us envious of their relationship.
Even though they had just met and didn't spend much time together, Lu Bu Ping saved Pei Lan's life, and such a debt of gratitude must be repaid.
When Pei Lan took Lu Bu Ping home after finding him injured, she didn't overthink it. It was because of her that others got hurt.
If she had simply ignored everything and left, that would have been truly devoid of any moral principles.
Pei Lan is naturally a slightly timid girl, but when faced with a situation, she doesn't choose to run away. At least in this aspect, Lu Bu Ping can learn a thing or two from Pei Lan.