She and Her Girls ep 16 recap/spoilers

Episode 16 recap: Yao Xiaoshan and Wei Tingyun Confess Their Feelings

In this episode, Chen Sihai bows deeply to Zhang Guimei, surprised by the honor she has given him. While everyone else has gone home to celebrate the holiday, Gu Yu stays in the dormitory, focused on her studies. Zhao Xiaolei, who also grew up in the orphanage, comes to find her and invites her to join him somewhere. Meanwhile, Zhang Guimei is in the orphanage making dumplings with the children. When Gu Yu arrives, everyone is thrilled, and she quickly washes her hands to help. Zhang Guimei intentionally puts a coin in one of the dumplings, saying that whoever finds it will have good luck in the New Year.

Yao Xiaoshan hasn’t left the school either; he tosses and turns, unable to sleep, and decides to go to the office. Wei Tingyun is there too, surrounded by papers but unable to concentrate. When Yao Xiaoshan asks why she isn’t going home, she quickly covers, saying she still has work to do. He suggests they make some dishes together to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

After the dumplings are cooked, Zhang Guimei sits down to eat with everyone and gives Gu Yu extra dumplings since she did well on her exam. According to their arrangement, Yuan Shuai is assigned to Master Cai's construction site, but all the workers have gone home for the holiday. Only Master Cai stays behind to oversee the site. As Yuan Shuai carries cement bags, he considers leaving when Master Cai stops him, insisting he must finish carrying a hundred bags before he can go. Reluctantly, Yuan Shuai stays.

Yao Xiaoshan prepares several dishes and shares a drink with Wei Tingyun. After a few glasses, the atmosphere becomes more relaxed. Wei Tingyun openly expresses her happiness that Yao Xiaoshan chose to stay. He, feeling emboldened by the alcohol, admits he came to the girls’ school for her and decided to stay for the same reason. However, Wei Tingyun seems nonchalant about his confession.

Suddenly, Wei Tingyun takes a sip of her drink and reminds him that they promised Zhang Guimei they wouldn’t date for three years. With just 102 days left until that promise expires, she says she will be with Yao Xiaoshan after that. Overjoyed, Yao Xiaoshan raises his drink in celebration. Gu Yu discovers the coin in her dumpling, prompting Zhang Guimei to encourage her to make a wish, while everyone applauds.

Later, once the children are asleep, Gu Yu visits Zhang Guimei and places the coin in her hand. She thanks Zhang Guimei for giving her the dumpling and asks if she has forgiven her. Zhang Guimei reveals that she has never been angry with Gu Yu, seeing her stubbornness as a reflection of her younger self. She then shares her own story.

In her youth, Zhang Guimei was beautiful and artistic. Her handsome husband pampered her, taking care of all household chores and buying her anything she wanted—those were the happiest times of her life. Unfortunately, her husband passed away unexpectedly, and Zhang Guimei struggled to cope with the loss. She threw herself into work, leading to severe health issues, including a serious uterine fibroid.

With no money for surgery, she contemplated giving up, feeling she didn't want to live alone after her husband’s death. However, her doctor harshly criticized her. Friends from the mountains, like Ali, visited and donated money for her treatment, sharing the struggles of women in their community. Zhang Guimei realized she couldn’t die; she needed to bring hope and light to others.

Revitalized, Zhang Guimei dedicated herself even more to her work, understanding that her life was no longer just her own. Gu Yu tightly embraces Zhang Guimei, having come to see her as a mother figure. She plans to attend Yunnan Normal University, hoping to return to teach at the girls' school, inspiring more girls from the mountains to reach for greater opportunities.

Meanwhile, Master Cai has a meal with Yuan Shuai, using his own life as an example to urge Yuan Shuai to value his education and not end up like him, working on a construction site in old age. Suddenly, Yuan Shuai carries an unconscious Master Cai to the hospital, realizing that Master Cai has collapsed. The doctor tells Yuan Shuai to contact the family, and he remembers that Zhang Guimei knows Master Cai.

When Zhang Guimei receives the hospital call, she rushes over in a panic.