Small Town Stories ep 16 recap/spoilers

Episode 16 recap: Bai Lang went to Beijing to console Mu Di.

Late at night, Bai Lang messaged Mu Di asking if they were asleep. Mu Di saw the message but didn't reply and was crying alone in bed. The next day, Mu Di still hadn't responded, and Bai Lang became restless. They immediately called the personnel department of the orchestra where Mu Di was taking the exam and were shocked to learn that Mu Di hadn't been accepted.

The group of wealthy second-generation individuals also found out that Mu Di hadn't been accepted. They believed that William had deceived them and went to ask William for money. William didn't believe them and called Mu Di, but Mu Di didn't answer. William then received a call from Qu Wen Wen, who informed him that his mother had been hospitalized. William had no choice but to go to the hospital first and asked Huang Jin to entertain the wealthy second-generation individuals. Huang Jin couldn't make decisions and asked someone else to call Bai Lang.

Mu Di was devastated by the blow and was arguing with themselves. They kept playing the Suona flute, determined to outperform Yan Xiaoqiang from the previous night. They played it over and over again, alone in the rehearsal room, tears streaming down their face. At that moment, Bai Lang unexpectedly walked in. Bai Lang sat beside Mu Di and silently accompanied the heartbroken Mu Di.

After arriving at the hospital, William was told by his aunt and second aunt that his mother had collapsed out of exhaustion. The family business wasn't doing well, and William's father was hardly ever home. In addition to William's immature behavior that caused the incident at the music festival, it was all too much for his mother. William felt guilty. At that moment, his aunt and second aunt mentioned that William's mind was not focused on the family business and suggested that his cousin take over. They asked William what he thought about the idea, and William didn't want his mother to suffer anymore, so he decided to take over the business himself.

Mu Di asked Bai Lang how they came to Beijing, and Bai Lang said they came to check the equipment and decided to visit Mu Di as well. They told Mu Di not to overthink it. After a moment of silence, Mu Di told Bai Lang that they didn't pass the exam. Bai Lang calmly said they knew, but Mu Di felt ashamed and didn't know how to face their parents. They also shared some of their inner thoughts with Bai Lang, expressing that they worked so hard to play the Suona to prove themselves. They thanked Bai Lang for helping them understand their Suona better. Bai Lang felt a bit shy, and Mu Di, after saying so much, felt more open-minded, which made Bai Lang very happy.

After Qu Wen Wen left the ward, she gave William some instructions and told him that she would come and take over his shift tomorrow. William sincerely thanked Qu Wen Wen and apologized to her for the previous incident. Qu Wen Wen forgave William and comforted him regarding the music festival.

After seeing Mu Di off, Bai Lang finally returned Huang Jin's call. They lied and said they were in their hometown. Huang Jin informed Bai Lang about everything and urged them to come back immediately. Bai Lang said they could only return the day after tomorrow and asked Huang Jin to delay it. Huang Jin sensed something was wrong and pressed Bai Lang for more information. Huang Jin even offered to pick them up, so Bai Lang reluctantly agreed to return the next morning.

Qu Wen Wen's father was not pleased with her decision to take care of William's mother. He called her over to inquire about the situation. Qu Wen Wen explained that this was the most difficult time for William, and she wanted to help him because he needed her. Qu Wen Wen's father expressed his dissatisfaction, saying that he still needed her help as well and questioned why she wasn't helping him instead. Qu Wen Wen retorted, saying that when she needed her father in her childhood, he never thought about being there for his daughter. This made Qu Wen Wen's father speechless. He angrily pointed at Qu Wen Wen and informed her that William's family was likely to go bankrupt. Qu Wen Wen pleaded with her father to help William, but her father said he would only help if William became his son-in-law and they confirmed their relationship. However, he emphasized that he could only provide temporary assistance, and Qu Wen Wen needed to think carefully. He then gave Qu Wen Wen some time off to consider the situation.

William's mother noticed that William kept receiving phone calls and asked him to tell her how much debt he had accumulated. William had no choice but to admit it was over a million. His mother became very worried. William reassured her, saying that he would not let her worry anymore and he would earn money to support her. In the end, William's mother cautioned him not to take money lightly and advised him not to engage in risky businesses. She pointed out that now the whole city's wealthy families knew about the situation and urged him to use the company's money to repay the debt as soon as possible.

After Bai Lang returned, they went to the hospital to find William, but he wasn't there. They only encountered William's mother, who, upon hearing that Bai Lang came for the music festival, assumed they came to ask for money and scolded them. Fortunately, William arrived in time and explained the situation to his mother, who finally understood.

After leaving the ward, Bai Lang asked William about the music concert. William smiled bitterly and said it would definitely be postponed. Other people were anxious to get their money back, and they must have suffered significant losses. He mentioned that he would have to sell his car to repay the debt and could no longer rely on his family's money. Bai Lang smiled and said, "Why rely on your family's money?"