Episode 20 recap: Xiao Qiu confessed his feelings to An Xin.
Zhao Xiu Fang encouraged Xiao Qiu to pursue An Xin, but Xiao Qiu felt shy and hesitated. So Zhao Xiu Fang gave her some advice. She suggested that Xiao Qiu spend time with An Xin every day, cooking and doing laundry together, as this would allow their feelings to develop over time. When An Xin found out that Lin Tian Yu had won a dance gold medal in college, she begged him to teach her how to dance.
Xiao Qiu brought An Xin to a large house and asked her if she would like to live with him. Unable to find Chen Ruo Hua, Zhao Xiu Li went to her sister's house to vent her frustrations. Zhao Xiu Fang comforted her and advised her to quickly bury the two urns. She said that Chen Ruo Hua wouldn't want to come home with the house in that condition. While they were talking, Zhao Xiu Fang received a text message from An Xin, saying that Chen Ruo Hua was with her. This finally put Zhao Xiu Li's mind at ease.
Chen Ruo Hua finally figured things out and decided to go to Beijing to pursue her career and distance herself from her mother. An Xin sent some videos, revealing that she had been in a car accident recently and proudly showed her prosthetic limb to her fans, not caring about it. She also proudly told her fans that she was able to stand up again because of her mother, Zhao Xiu Fang. Her mother had lost eighty pounds for her. Zhao Xiu Fang watched An Xin's video, heard her daughter praising her, and couldn't stop smiling.
Lin Tian Yu was teaching children how to dance, and the children gathered around to watch An Xin's livestream. He encouraged the children to learn from An Xin. Lin Tian Yu noticed that someone was spending a lot of money to reward An Xin, and the children speculated that the person must have fallen for Teacher An Xin. Lin Tian Yu gently tapped the heads of those children and told them not to talk nonsense. During her livestream, An Xin also mentioned Lin Tian Yu and thanked him for choreographing dances that suited her.
Zhao Xiu Fang approached Xiao Qiu to inquire about An Xin's situation and indirectly asked about his feelings for her. Xiao Qiu shared with her how Lin Tian Yu arranged nutritious meals for An Xin every day, which made Xiao Qiu feel tempted but too embarrassed to eat them. So Lin Tian Yu encouraged Xiao Qiu not to feel awkward and to spend more time with An Xin, cooking and doing laundry together every day. Eventually, they would settle into a routine.
Principal Zheng from the dance class found An Xin and had watched all her videos. The children in the dance class were greatly inspired by her. Under An Xin's encouragement, even the children who used to be afraid of pain stopped complaining. Principal Zheng brought An Xin an application form because a television station was organizing an evening gala and they hoped An Xin could participate. Principal Zheng also told her about Lin Tian Yu's situation. It was then that An Xin learned that Lin Tian Yu had won a dance gold medal in college but had given up dancing for unknown reasons.
An Xin went to find Lin Tian Yu and showed him the registration form, but Lin Tian Yu disagreed with her participation and mocked her for selling out her principles by attending the evening gala. Seeing that An Xin didn't understand his meaning, Lin Tian Yu spoke honestly and said that she, as a cripple, would only be seeking sympathy and praise for her perseverance by attending the event.
Upon hearing An Xin's declaration to become a dancer and stop livestreaming sales, Lin Tian Yu bluntly poured cold water on her, reminding her that the purpose of dancing is to make a living, not just to be a dancer. However, An Xin persisted in her desire to become a dancer and pleaded with Lin Tian Yu to teach her. Xiao Qiu brought An Xin to a large house he had rented and confessed his feelings to her, asking if she would be willing to be with him. Seeing An Xin's shocked expression, Xiao Qiu quickly changed his words and said he wanted to start a company with her. An Xin breathed a sigh of relief and told him about the invitation from the TV station. Upon hearing Lin Tian Yu's disapproval, Xiao Qiu took the initiative to do Lin Tian Yu's job.
Xiao Qiu learned why Lin Tian Yu opposed Chen Ruo Hua's appearance on TV, so he told Lin Tian Yu that An Xin's purpose for participating in the television show was to make money. However, Lin Tian Yu was concerned that once An Xin stepped on stage, she would become addicted, so he still refused to agree.
Unable to let go of the matter, Xiao Qiu couldn't help but ask Lin Tian Yu if he liked An Xin. Xiao Qiu told Lin Tian Yu the truth, that he had liked An Xin for a long time. Zhao Xiu Fang went to find Lin Tian Yu, feeling a bit upset. Xiao Qiu had told her that An Xin had just earned 50,000 yuan, but she only kept 500 yuan for herself, giving the rest to a person surnamed Qin who had betrayed her trust. Just thinking about it made her feel suffocated.
The reason she had moved out of An Xin's place so heartlessly was that she thought An Xin wouldn't be able to earn any money and would come begging to her in a few days. Saying this, Zhao Xiu Fang felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but shed tears. After wiping away her tears, she thought about An Xin's future and worried that once Xiao Qiu had money, he might look down on An Xin.
However, Lin Tian Yu told her that even someone as simple-minded as Xiao Qiu might not necessarily fancy An Xin. From his words, Zhao Xiu Fang sensed a strong jealousy. Zhao Xiu Li called An Xin and since Chen Ruo Hua didn't want to come back home, she wanted to rent out Chen Ruo Hua's room. At first, An Xin thought it was inappropriate for Zhao Xiu Li to do so, but when she saw Chen Ruo Hua making the "OK" gesture, she quickly changed her mind and said that Chen Ruo Hua had also thought of this idea a few days ago. She felt that if they rented out her room and had more people living in the house, it would prevent Zhao Xiu Li from feeling lonely.
What's great about this drama is that it always provokes profound thoughts on the ideological level. For Chen Ruo Hua, no matter how talented and brilliant she is, her first gratitude should go to her mother for giving her life and raising her.
But I can't help but wonder, is it really necessary to sacrifice herself to this extent for her mother? Doesn't she have a life of her own?
Ruohua's mother has been focusing on her children for over a decade. Now that her son has left, her daughter is the only focus of her life. If her daughter doesn't live with her either, she can't imagine what her future days will be like.
That's why she clings to her daughter like a vine, not allowing her to fly away. Eventually, her daughter will break free from the cocoon and fly away, and she will have to find a new focus for her life.
Xiuli is a soulless person, she has no sense of self and clings to Ruoxuan and Ruohua like a lost soul. With regards to Chen Ruo Hua, she needs to ensure that Chen Ruo Hua can "filially obey" her, so she constantly controls Chen Ruo Hua and subjects her to obedience tests.
She needs Chen Ruo Hua to have the ability to filially obey her. As a feudal traditional woman, she doesn't recognize Chen Ruo Hua's own abilities and believes that a woman should "marry well" and focus on being a good wife and mother.
Therefore, she needs a son-in-law who can support her and forces Chen Ruo Hua to marry a son-in-law who can support her. She doesn't love anyone; she only loves herself.