Episode 21 recap: Hua Qian acted as a mediator between Qian Zhi and Nan Feng.
Hua Qian said that Mu Yao risked her brother's life with her own investigation, and although Mu Yao wanted to explain, Hua Qian made it clear that she wouldn't forgive Mu Yao for this matter. Mu Yao also promised not to provoke the Hua family from now on, but Hua Qian demanded that Mu Yao investigate the mastermind behind the scenes, otherwise it would be detrimental to Wu Shuo Mo. Mu Yao had no choice but to agree.
Soon, Zhong Xi Wu's subordinates also obtained some information about Hei Yi Ren (Men in Black). When Zhong Xi Wu found out, he was extremely angry but couldn't take any action at the moment, so he was frustrated.
At night, Hua Qian kept staring at the full moon. Hua Rong Zhou knew that Hua Qian wanted to deal with someone, and he was willing to help no matter who it was. However, Hua Qian didn't want to involve Hua Rong Zhou. Mu Yao also informed Wu Shuo Mo's subordinates about the true identity of the mastermind. As soon as the person left, Mu Yao asked why Zhong Ye Lan hadn't made a move yet.
In fact, Zhong Ye Lan had known about Mu Yao's actions all along, and Mu Yao didn't understand what had gotten into her. She even thought that things would have been better if she hadn't interfered with the parrot. Zhong Ye Lan held Mu Yao's hand, and Mu Yao cried, admitting that she had done something wrong. Zhong Ye Lan comforted her.
There were no more secrets between the two of them. However, Zhong Ye Lan returned the items that Hua Qian had once left at his residence. Hua Qian went fishing by the river with her father, but she couldn't catch any fish despite trying for a long time. Her father advised her not to startle the fish and eventually caught one himself.
In fact, her father used fishing as a way to teach her that as long as the bait was tempting enough, she wouldn't have to worry about not catching any fish. Lately, Hua Qian dared not visit her mother, as she was afraid her mother would be even angrier at her. Hua Qian took out the evidence that Hua Rong Zhou had helped her investigate and pondered for a long time before deciding to burn it.
Hua Qian planned to sell all her shops, as part of her future plans. Nan Feng brought something for Hua Qian, but ended up being scolded by Qian Zhi. Qian Zhi mistakenly thought that Nan Feng had feelings for Hua Qian, which made Nan Feng feel uneasy, while Hua Qian was happy for Qian Zhi.
Hua Qian took Hua Rong Zhou to meet Nan Feng, wanting to gauge Nan Feng's attitude. They discovered that Nan Feng actually liked Qian Zhi, but Qian Zhi rejected Nan Feng. In reality, Qian Zhi also had feelings for Nan Feng, but due to concerns about Hua Qian's relationship with Zhong Ye Lan, she didn't want to give Nan Feng a chance.
Hua Qian tested Nan Feng, and Nan Feng impressed her. He told them that they would have to rely on themselves for their future endeavors. Hua Qian prepared dowry gifts for Qian Zhi, as she had never treated Qian Zhi as a maid. They encountered a beggar child with a injured knee, and although Hua Rong Zhou immediately saw through the child's ploy, Hua Qian still gave the child some money.
Hua Rong Zhou quickly reminded Hua Qian of their first encounter on the street, even though Hua Qian had already forgotten about it. When Zhong Xi Wu went to see Miss Meng, he noticed that Meng's supervisor was also present, and he pretended to praise the supervisor.
Hua Qian handed Qian Zhi a box containing the contracts for the shops and her own indenture, saying that it was a pretend purchase for Qian Zhi. Hua Qian could also see that Qian Zhi had feelings for Nan Feng, so she wanted to help them get together.
After all, she didn't want to involve Qian Zhi in the conflicts between herself and Zhong Ye Lan. Hua Qian then planned to go to the Zhong family's garden, as she needed to take action for Qian Zhi's happiness as well.
Why does everyone insist on being with the patriarch? Being with the patriarch has made Hua Qian's path difficult and her reputation has suffered. The patriarch has yet to solve any problems that would allow her to move forward with peace of mind.
When she fell off the cliff, the patriarch was nowhere to be seen. Whenever she got hurt, the patriarch was nowhere to be found. Being with the patriarch currently has no benefits whatsoever. The patriarch has too many things they can't let go of.
In the novel, a patriarch is essentially an emperor, and the family cannot possibly choose only one for the sake of Hua Qian. The Crown Princess would never agree to it either. The patriarch cannot prioritize Hua Qian above everything else.