Episode 18 recap: Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming reconcile their past grievances. Ye Lan submits a party membership application.
Early in the morning, Luo Xiangqian arrived at the confinement room and saw Wang Xianming and Li Tianzhu sleeping with their heads buried in a blanket. He immediately lifted the blanket and shouted at them to wake up and start working. The two of them reluctantly sat up, muttering about why they had to work while being confined. Luo Xiangqian scolded them loudly, saying that being confined wouldn't stop them from working, and they would continue with the confinement transformation during the day and work at night.
Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming had no choice but to reluctantly get up and go to the construction site. Luo Xiangqian saw Zhang Biao moving large rocks despite foot pain and hurried over to stop him. The two of them saw the broken stones on the ground and discussed how to clear them away. When it was time to eat, Wang Lanzhi and Ku Mei served the meals. Wang Lanzhi wanted to give her shoes to Zhang Biao but was worried that he wouldn't accept them, so she asked Ku Mei to help her deliver them. When Zhang Biao learned that the shoes were specially made by Wang Lanzhi for him, he refused to accept them and walked away. Luo Xiangqian accepted them on his behalf and followed him to sit down, carefully looking at the shoes in his hands, praising Wang Lanzhi for making them so well and even trying them on his own feet. When Zhang Biao saw that Luo Xiangqian was going to wear them, he snatched them away.
Luo Xiangqian smiled and advised him that if a woman can be so magnanimous, Zhang Biao shouldn't be narrow-minded anymore and should let go of the past. Zhang Biao held the shoes, feeling a mix of emotions. In the evening, Luo Xiangqian gathered everyone together to discuss how to transport the broken stones. The captains of several squads offered suggestions and competed to complete the most difficult transportation route.
After the meeting, Ye Lan asked Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming how they were doing. Luo Xiangqian smiled and said they were getting along like brothers. However, he still needed to give them some lessons and education. Ye Lan insisted on going with him to see how Luo Xiangqian worked with them, so Luo Xiangqian had to take Ye Lan to the confinement room.
Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming both admitted their mistakes. Luo Xiangqian praised their progress and asked why they came to work on the road. They replied that it was to have enough to eat. Luo Xiangqian was dissatisfied with their answer and taught them that they shouldn't only think about themselves and avoid losing out.
Luo Xiangqian took out the buttons he carried with him and told them that each button represented a life and had a story behind it. He then told them moving stories of how his comrades sacrificed their lives for the hardworking masses and the new China, regardless of personal safety. Back at the team headquarters, Ye Lan was still deeply moved. She was deeply touched by the stories of the buttons told by Luo Xiangqian and asked to join the Communist Party of China. Luo Xiangqian happily agreed to be her party introduction.
In the evening, Ku Mei noticed that Zhang Biao hadn't come to find Wang Lanzhi and couldn't help but worry about them. She encouraged Wang Lanzhi to go and find Zhang Biao, but Wang Lanzhi couldn't bring herself to do it.
In the morning, Wu Zhi brought mountain spring water early on. Luo Xiangqian remarked that although they often complained about the harsh conditions at the construction site, the mountain spring water was much better than the tap water in Chongqing.
Ye Lan came to see Luo Xiangqian and submitted her application to join the Communist Party. Luo Xiangqian promised to convene a meeting of the party committee to discuss and review her application. Ye Lan was going to lead a team to survey the stone transportation route, so Luo Xiangqian gave her some mountain spring water to take with her on the way.
Luo Xiangqian went to see Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming and noticed that they had woken up early that day. The two of them said that after Luo Xiangqian's education the previous night, they had raised their consciousness. Luo Xiangqian then approached Wang Lanzhi and Ku Mei and gave them some money, asking them to make a few quilts for the workers and students at the construction site. The two of them happily accepted the task.
Luo Xiangqian led everyone to carry stones in baskets on their backs. It was extremely difficult as they traversed mountains and hills. Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming kept teasing each other along the way. Luo Xiangqian climbed up a hill to boost everyone's morale, using the example of attacking enemy positions during wartime to encourage them. The workers were greatly inspired.
On the way, Wang Xianming and Li Tianzhu followed Luo Xiangqian and asked if their confinement could be lifted since they had performed well that day. Wu Zhi also spoke up in their favor. Luo Xiangqian agreed to lift their confinement as a result. Meanwhile, Wang Lanzhi and Ku Mei were busy making the quilts, and Luo Xiangqian praised them for their speed.
Zhang Biao went out to find explosives for blasting the stones, but they were scarce due to the recent liberation, so he couldn't find any. He felt disappointed. Luo Xiangqian changed the subject and persuaded him to put on the shoes made by Wang Lanzhi. Zhang Biao found Luo Xiangqian annoying and left, but once he returned to the dormitory, he took out the shoes and examined them closely.
Luo Xiangqian and Ye Lan delivered the quilts to Li Tianzhu and Wang Xianming, and they educated them to learn from Ku Mei and Wang Lanzhi and strive for unity.
Comments(Episode 18)