Episode 1 recap: The Tuden Family Feast Ends in Discontent
In the first episode, as the first rays of sunlight pierce through the morning mist and illuminate the old city of Lhasa, the streets gradually come to life. Men, women, and children dressed in traditional Tibetan robes flow through the area, some spinning prayer wheels and softly reciting mantras as they make their daily pilgrimage around the Jokhang Temple on Barkhor Street. Others carry goods, their faces bright with simple smiles as they engage in everyday transactions.
The calls of vendors, the chatter of tourists, and the distant chanting from the temples create a lively urban symphony, welcoming the annual Tibetan festival—Shoton Festival. On this day, locals and visitors gather at Norbulingka to enjoy spectacular Tibetan opera performances. Tu Deng, a dedicated opera master who has devoted his life to the troupe, has three children: his eldest daughter, Qu Zong, runs a popular butter tea shop; his second son, Suo Lang, has been preparing for a civil service exam for three years and is seen as the family's hope; the youngest son, Za Xi, is obedient and has successfully pursued a medical career.
As the head of the Nanka Tibetan Opera Troupe, Tu Deng is admired by his neighbors and serves as the backbone of the group. However, Deputy Leader Da Jie discovers that the Gongbu Danzeng Opera Troupe is performing nearby, prompting him to call Tu Deng and request his presence to help maintain their reputation. Yet, today is the day of the civil service exam results, and Tu Deng's focus is solely on Suo Lang, unaware that his son has already given up on the exam to start his own business.
At this moment, the community director of the Gajie neighborhood, Tsering, rushes to the Gajie courtyard to announce that his son has passed the exam for the Cultural and Tourism Bureau, while Suo Lang has been accepted by the Cultural and Tourism Department. Delighted, Tu Deng invites all the neighbors for a Tibetan hotpot meal and decides to take advantage of the good mood by performing opera to regain their troupe's spotlight.
Suo Lang prepares to sign a contract with the mainland's largest e-commerce platform, "Good Life Network." Before leaving, he chats with his sister Qu Zong, mentioning he will return in the afternoon to share some exciting news. Qu Zong also plans to reveal her relationship with Xu Shaojie. Xu, the party secretary of the Gajie community, has been secretly dating Qu Zong, and they intend to use this auspicious day to formally seek their father's blessing.
Among everyone, Grandma Yu Zhen is the only one who knows about Qu Zong and Xu Shaojie's relationship, and she is quite pleased with him. In contrast, the youngest son, Za Xi, who should be at the hospital for work, takes a leave to attend the opera, not expecting Tu Deng to show up and take charge of the performance.
Just as Za Xi was on the phone seeking help from Suo Lang, he saw someone approaching from the front desk and quickly hung up, only to be informed that Ashley, the director of the product center, had an emergency and the meeting was canceled.
Previously, their point of contact had been Mr. Huang, and Suo Lang had arranged the contract with him, so the sudden switch to Ashley caught both Suo Lang and his friend A Wang off guard. Despite Suo Lang's desire to seize the opportunity to secure the contract, Ashley stated that there were issues with the project and that the signing was on hold until the company had a clear investigation outcome.
Za Xi reluctantly took the stage to perform Tibetan opera, and coincidentally, a boy in the audience choked on some candy. Fortunately, Za Xi quickly took emergency measures, but this also revealed to his father, Tu Deng, that he had taken leave to perform. Meanwhile, Grandma Yu Zhen returned to the Gajie courtyard with a bouquet and saw the neighbors happily setting up tables for a Tibetan hotpot.
Tu Deng returned home with a grim expression, suppressing his anger as he told Za Xi to value his identity as a doctor. For their Tibetan people, a doctor is revered, carrying the great responsibility of saving lives, and should not focus on performing opera. Za Xi, being soft-spoken, didn't argue back at that moment and promised to work hard, which helped restore a harmonious atmosphere between father and son.
Everyone gradually sat down to eat, but Suo Lang and Xu Shaojie had yet to arrive. Feeling guilty for not having signed the contract, Suo Lang hesitated at the door about whether to enter. Just then, Xu Shaojie arrived with a gift, and they both began discussing their respective situations without ever finding common ground.
Before the meal, Tu Deng announced that Suo Lang had passed the civil service exam, which stunned Suo Lang, who quickly explained that he had given up on the exam long ago. Everyone checked the list and realized it was a misunderstanding.
This led to an extremely awkward situation, causing the neighbors to leave one by one, leaving only Tu Deng's family at the table. Suo Lang, engrossed in his entrepreneurial pursuits and refusing to take the civil service exam, infuriated Tu Deng, who angrily smashed a bowl and retreated to his room. The lively feast ended in discontent. That evening, both Tu Deng's family and Xu Shaojie were in low spirits. Qu Zong messaged Xu Shaojie, suggesting they postpone discussing marriage, to which Xu quickly replied to comfort her.
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