Episode 37 recap: Zhou Ye Wen proposed to Jiang Tian.
Wu Jing Fang asked Zhou Ye Wen why Ding Su E didn't inform them about the New Year's Eve arrangements. She suggested that Zhou Ye Wen should make plans with Jiang Tian. Zhou Ye Wen mentioned that there was no need for them to be together and embrace during the New Year countdown as they were an old married couple.
However, Zheng Qian claimed that Zhou Ye Wen had actually wanted to do so but was rejected by Jiang Tian. Out of frustration, Zhou Ye Wen decided to schedule the opening of his business on January 1st. Wu Jing Fang and Jiang Tian took the old furniture from the Yi Fan family to Jia Qian for repair. Jia Qian offered them a discounted price upon hearing about their friendship.
However, he initially refused to help them with the repairs. Wu Jing Fang came up with a plan to deal with Jia Qian. She took the furniture to Jia Qian's workshop and had the workers prepare to destroy them in front of him. Upon hearing this, Jia Qian couldn't bear it and immediately came out to agree to help them with the repairs. However, he stubbornly stated that he agreed because he couldn't bear to see good things being destroyed.
Wu Jing Fang, Ding Su E, and Wang Ping played mahjong together while discussing how to spend New Year's Day. Wang Ping informed them that she was going to Sanya for a trip with Lao Jin. Ding Su E asked her to come back soon because she wanted to see Wu Jing Fang and Jiang Tian off.
Wu Jing Fang believed that even if they didn't find a suitable house nearby, they wouldn't leave Suzhou. Ding Su E suggested that they could bring friends together to celebrate New Year's Day. Jiang Tian and Wu Jing Fang went to see a newly found house together, but Wu Jing Fang felt that one of the rooms was too dim.
Jiang Tian assured her that there were many ways to improve the lighting and it wasn't a problem. Jiang Tian was extremely busy and couldn't keep up with the numerous phone calls and couldn't properly view the houses. Zhou Ye Wen called her and said that his designer wasn't taking care of anything, so he asked Jiang Tian if she could come and help him.
Jiang Tian explained that she was extremely busy and didn't have time, so she suggested that Wu Jing Fang go and help him instead. When Jiang Tian returned home, she saw her father sitting in the yard. She informed him that they had already rented a house, although it was a bit far away. Jiang Tian asked when they should move back, and her father told her that he had a conversation with Yang, the manager of their restaurant.
He hoped that Jiang Tian's father could work at the hotel for another two years. Jiang Tian became anxious and reminded her father that they had agreed on only two months. Her father explained that Yang wouldn't make him do heavy work, and during the time he was in the hospital, many guests complained that the food at the hotel had lost its taste.
Therefore, Yang hoped that Uncle Jiang could oversee the kitchen. Reluctantly, Jiang Tian agreed to the arrangement.
Lin Xiao Xiao accidentally didn't close the door properly, and her cat meowed ran out. When she went out to look for it, she found that the cat had been picked up by an elderly lady. The lady claimed that the cat belonged to her, and they got into an argument.
The lady scolded Lin Xiao Xiao harshly, and coincidentally, Lin Xiao Xiao's mother, who was visiting her, overheard the commotion. Unable to bear seeing her daughter being mistreated, Lin Xiao Xiao's mother scolded the lady in return. Lin Xiao Xiao told Zheng Qian about the situation with her cat, and Zheng Qian comforted her, saying it was okay since it was someone else's cat. She suggested that Lin Xiao Xiao feed the remaining cat food to the stray cats in the neighborhood.
Wu Jing Fang asked Zhou Ye Wen if he would go to the New Year's Eve dinner arranged by Ding Su E. She suggested that Zhou Ye Wen should make plans with Jiang Tian instead. She mentioned how romantic it would be for them to embrace each other during the New Year countdown. Zhou Ye Wen responded that they were already an old married couple.
Zheng Qian added that Zhou Ye Wen had actually wanted to do so, but Jiang Tian rejected him. That's why he scheduled the opening of his business for January 1st. Just as they were talking, Lin Xiao Xiao came to invite Zheng Qian to have the New Year's Eve dinner together, and Zheng Qian happily agreed.
Jiang Tian noticed that there were many new blind boxes in Zhou Ye Wen's claw machine. Zhou Ye Wen took out several blind boxes for Jiang Tian to open. Among these blind boxes, Jiang Tian found a ring. It turned out that Zhou Ye Wen proposed to Jiang Tian in this way, and the two of them happily kissed each other.
Wu Jing Fang's first successful project as a designer finally came to fruition, and she wanted to treat everyone to hot pot. Everyone was stunned, and Jiang Tian suggested that at this point, they should just want to go home and sleep. Wu Jing Fang made a photo album of their time together with Jiang Tian and gave it to her as a gift. Jiang Tian looked at the photos, reminiscing about the past, and was moved to tears.
Wu Jing Fang and Jiang Tian started moving to their new home, while Jia Qian worked hard to manage his workshop, and Xiao Qiu continued to learn about interior decoration. Zheng Qian and Lin Xiao Xiao remained as close as before, and Zhou Ye Wen's store reopened after a renovation.
Everything was going smoothly, and Jiang Tian and Wu Jing Fang began their life together in the new home. (End of the drama)
Drama Synopsis: The essence of the whole drama lies in having the courage to start anew. Old Wu, despite his age, divorces and learns design. Jiang Tian, facing work difficulties, resigns and starts his own business.
Zhou Ye Wen, with a struggling business, renovates and reopens. Lin Xiao Xiao, after being a mommy's girl for 30 years, rents a house and begins a new life. While viewers may perceive the plot as ordinary and relaxed, it actually reflects the need for individuals to undergo psychological and spiritual challenges in their specific lives in order to make genuine decisions.
That's how life is—there are no smooth sailing journeys. However, we must always have the courage to start anew, no matter when.
Many people say that this drama feels frustrating to watch, but in my personal opinion, it is the closest portrayal of real life. Life and work are never smooth sailing! Stumbling and facing obstacles are part of the journey. The ending of this drama represents a transition into a more stable phase.
Another point is that I feel Wu is the true protagonist, showcasing how society can still support older and middle-aged individuals in achieving their dreams!
People say that the ending is not good, but why does an ending have to fulfill everyone's wishes to be considered good? That's just how life is. Just because you work hard, does it guarantee that you will always get what you want?
Do all your desires come true? Not necessarily. Disappointment is a part of life, and the things you pursue may not always be attained. Have you perhaps watched too many feel-good dramas? Take a look at your own life.
Maybe it's not as smooth sailing as this TV series, right?
The female lead has been facing constant hardships, being bullied and acting timidly. She could have proven herself, but she chose not to. The entire drama revolves around the female lead's timidity and numerous failures.
Despite her efforts, there are not many instances of success or plot twists. The female lead continues to feign kindness. The only drama where the female lead is both the director and the one sabotaging herself.
In the end, she doesn't achieve career success and ends up sacrificing herself for others. What is this? With so many conflicting plotlines, it's always the female lead acting timidly.
I can't help but leave a comment. This drama is truly heart-wrenching to watch! The last ten or so episodes were dragged out and fast-forwarded, with a scattered plot and no central focus. They set up the story and created multiple plot holes, but failed to fill in the last one, ending it hastily.
Some may argue that real life is like that, and it's true that the audience can handle a not-so-happy ending. However, what they can't accept is a plot with no development and an unclear resolution. It's a real shame considering the talent of several good actors!
I think this drama is very realistic. Maybe there are many frustrating aspects to it, but that's the reality of today's society. It tells us that reality and imagination are not the same thing. Many people say they didn't understand what it's trying to express, but what is there to express?
It's just two words: "reality" and nothing more. Reality can be even more cruel. You can't find a job, you're unemployed, you have no car, no house, and no place to belong, and so on.
Many people say that the ending is not good and lacks dramatic impact. But I think this drama is quite good. It's not meant to be an escapist fantasy; it reflects the true nature of life with its mundane aspects, ups and downs.
I believe the screenwriter has portrayed this reality exceptionally well, capturing the essence of ordinary life and depicting unexpected events realistically.
Home renovation is never a smooth journey. Just when you think everything is going well, there are surprises awaiting you, and sometimes things go smoothly when you least expect it.
That's life for you.
Moreover, the underlying message of this drama, in my opinion, is about Wu, who is 60 years old and has relied on her husband her whole life, but she not only learns to let go but also bravely pursues her own life and dreams.
I've heard many middle-aged people say, "This is how my life is, but if I were 20 years younger, I would have done this and that..." However, Wu truly embodies Chinese-style courage.
She is independent, courageous, and responsible, setting an example that ordinary people can learn from.
Xiao Jiang is also portrayed realistically. In the real world, most designers have their own aspirations, but our primary goal is to help clients solve problems and improve their quality of life.
However, during this process, various issues and conflicts may arise with clients. A responsible designer, even if misunderstood, will see the project through to completion.
Experienced designers won't even take on troublesome projects.
Therefore, design is not solely the responsibility of the designer or the homeowner; it's a mutual interaction, understanding, and realization.
Home renovation is never a smooth ride. We must embrace uncertainties while staying true to our initial intentions and believing in each other.
After watching it, I finally understand why the ratings are low. The plot is dragging, lacking any twists. A group of people who are passionate about their careers and have aspirations, but they don't receive any rewards in life. It feels unsatisfying.
Perhaps this film is truly meant to provide a different definition of life for the elderly, but what we would like to see more is someone like Jiang Tian, who has principles and a sense of justice, and can have a reasonably good outcome.
Maybe most people in the world are like Hu De Xiang, and there are very few people like Jiang Tian. Perhaps each of us needs the courage to start anew, but when harsh reality seeps into our lives, it often makes people hesitate and step back.
When I first started watching the middle and later parts of the drama, it felt quite frustrating. The constant emergence of problems, along with the meekness of the main characters, made the plot feel increasingly mundane. Perhaps it's because I initially loved the combination of dual healing, and I really understand the personality of the female lead.
I also long for the same small moments of happiness. My expectations were too high, and as I continued watching, the increasingly frustrating scenes became unbearable. However, after reading some comments, I came to my senses. Life is indeed not smooth sailing.
Although art surpasses life, we must not forget the true nature of life. We shouldn't be living in fantasies fed to us by escapist dramas. We need to accept the setbacks that may occur in life, acknowledge our failures, and then regroup and continue moving forward, stumbling along the way.
There are many different kinds of happy endings, and we will always encounter our own moments of small happiness. Thank you for accompanying me.