Episode 36 recap: Though his age is advanced, his passion remains undimmed.
Xiao Jian still did not want to go out, his mood low. The doctor said his nerves needed time to recover, but Xiao Jian felt this time would be too long, that by the time his nerves healed, his life would already be over. Xiao Lin tried to persuade him to go out and get some fresh air, but Xiao Jian saw himself as a useless person.
At this time, Xiao Chang Qing, who had been eavesdropping at the door, could no longer hold back and barged in, saying the three of them were planning to form a band and participate in some music festival. Xiao Jian did not believe it at all, but then Sun Qian Cheng and Chen Xin Cheng came in, corroborating Xiao Chang Qing's words, admitting there was indeed such a plan.
In reality, this was just an idea of Xiao Chang Qing's, but the words were already out, so the three old fellows had no choice but to pick up instruments and start learning from scratch. Xiao Chang Qing realized his mistake, and told his son Xiao Lin that in the past he had always treated Xiao Lin like a child, making decisions for him, but this was wrong. Xiao Lin should have his own life, and not have to shoulder the burden of his uncle's messy affairs like he had.
Xiao Lin's eyes reddened as he listened, not knowing what to say. Ma Ling had also overheard Xiao Chang Qing and Xiao Lin's conversation, and went to buy Xiao Lin a new guitar, supporting him to spend time playing music with Da Zhi to relax. As an adult, while taking care of the family, one should also be allowed to have hobbies.
The three old fellows also started learning instruments, with Sun Qian Cheng urging them to form a band and enter the music festival, but the two old men did not agree. Xiao Jian's rehabilitation progress was not ideal, mainly because he himself was not cooperating, his mind fixated on returning from abroad. Xiao Chang Qing called Xiao Lin to discuss whether Xiao Jian should be allowed to return home, or continue his rehabilitation abroad.
After some consideration, Xiao Lin thought it would be better for Xiao Jian to return, so they could take care of him, and Xiao Jian could also help with the children. Xiao Chang Qing felt Xiao Lin's reasoning made sense. Soon after, Xiao Jian returned to the country and temporarily stayed at a retirement center.
Through brief conversations, Xiao Chang Qing discovered that Xiao Jian indeed held a pessimistic attitude towards the effectiveness of his rehabilitation, though he always smiled when speaking, he was unwilling to go out and his mood was low. Sun Qian Cheng, Chen Xin Cheng, and Xiao Chang Qing confessed that they had met Linjie, and that she was doing well, with no grudges about their previous investigation of her.
Linjie learned that Xiao Chang Qing had been relentlessly searching for her, and she asked the two men to convey her gratitude to Xiao Chang Qing. Xiao Chang Qing had also come to terms with it - the process with Linjie was beautiful, the ending regrettable, so Linjie had become his obsession, but now this was the best outcome.
Xiao Jian's condition worried Xiao Chang Qing and the others. Sun Qian Cheng felt that the primary task was to divert Xiao Jian's attention and see what his hobbies were. But Xiao Jian had always been a reserved person, and Xiao Chang Qing really didn't know what his son's hobbies were.
He called Xiao Lin to ask, but Xiao Lin didn't know either. Xiao Lin mentioned that Xiao Jian could play the guitar, so he went to persuade Xiao Jian to join their band and take on the role of the rhythm instrumentalist. Xiao Jian naturally refused, self-deprecatingly calling himself a waste and saying he was different from them.
Hearing this, the displeased Xiao Chang Qing barged in and refuted it. He also said that the three of them, the old fellows, were going to form a band and participate in a music festival. Since these old fellows could still be crazy, why couldn't the young Xiao Jian? Sun Qian Cheng and Chen Xin Cheng came in, echoing Xiao Chang Qing's words, confirming that they indeed had plans to form a band and participate in the music festival.
Persuaded, Xiao Jian later actively asked Xiao Chang Qing to take him out for some fresh air, and then he saw Da Zhi, Xiao Lin, and Xiao Qing singing and playing the guitar. A guitar was also placed in Xiao Jian's hands, and under everyone's encouragement, Xiao Jian joined in, his face breaking into a long-absent smile.
The three old fellows also began to rehearse, specially finding a place that wouldn't disturb the residents or be disturbed and mocked. The residents of the retirement community learned that the three old fellows had formed a band to participate in the music festival and spontaneously organized a cheering squad to support them. Although the three old fellows' rehearsals went well, their instruments were outdated, and that's when Xiao Chang Qing brought up what they were best at in the propaganda team back then, and the other two remembered it as well.
Yuan Ying Shi proposed letting the three elderly retire and letting the young people manage the retirement center. Xiao Chang Qing and Chen Xin Cheng had long wanted to retire, but only Sun Qian Cheng found it hard to express his disappointment. Xia Ming Zhou, on the other hand, was quite open-minded, knowing that Sun Qian Cheng had always been this way, completing the task at hand and then letting others take over.
But at the end of the day, the process by which Sun Qian Cheng had accomplished the task was enough to prove that he was a person worthy of Xia Ming Zhou's love. At the music festival, the three old fellows sang on stage, their past glories resurfacing. Though they were now old, they had always been striving, walking the main path, never defeated by their age.
This world is ultimately for the young, but the role of the old fellows cannot be ignored. The end.
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