Episode 8 recap: Qu Zong's Romance Discovered by Her Father
In Episode 8, after the skills training program ends in failure, Xu Shaojie feels defeated and sits alone on the rooftop, lost in thought. Qu Zong approaches him to offer comfort, reminding him that he has already done his best. Xu Shaojie responds that during his time in the military, no one dared to cross the border, which he considers true effort. Now, trying to organize a training program feels incredibly difficult. He believes that even if he has to leave Lhasa, he should do it with style.
Yangjing gets a job as a hostess at the Xide Courtyard restaurant, where the pay is quite good. She returns to Gaji Courtyard feeling happy. Qu Zong asks her if she is still planning to attend the training program. Yangjing feels that since she has already secured a job, there is no need to consider training anymore. As noon approaches, Qu Zong, aware that Xu Shaojie often skips meals due to his busy work and chronic stomach issues, decides to cook potato and beef stew for him.
Considering Xu Shaojie’s stomach discomfort, Qu Zong prepares the beef stew with mashed potatoes, making sure to blend the two. However, when Suolang sits down for a meal, he notices that the stew only contains beef with no potato residue left. Just as Xu Shaojie happily enjoys the meal Qu Zong made, he receives a video call from his mother, who brings up the topic of arranging a blind date, prompting him to lose his temper.
With Qu Zong’s encouragement, Xu Shaojie calms down and introduces Qu Zong to his parents, stating that he will marry no one but her. His parents are also fond of Qu Zong, appreciating her beauty. Coincidentally, Tu Deng arrives to submit paperwork for a joint household and overhears the conversation between Qu Zong and Xu Shaojie’s parents. He is shocked to learn that his daughter plans to return to Shandong with Xu Shaojie for the New Year.
Tu Deng bursts into the room, startling the two young people, who quickly stand up. Qu Zong has to leave with her father to return to Gaji Courtyard. Grandma Yu Zhen notices that both father and daughter are in a bad mood and advises Tu Deng to speak kindly and avoid getting angry. Suolang approaches Xu Shaojie for Gungbu’s phone number and accidentally spots the food container on the table, realizing that Qu Zong brought it. He becomes aware that the two have been secretly dating.
Xu Shaojie admits he never intended to hide their relationship; he simply hasn’t found the right moment to reveal it. He hopes Suolang will quickly disclose Tu Deng’s stance, but Suolang uses this as leverage to get Xu Shaojie to share Gungbu’s number.
Meanwhile, Tu Deng reveals that he has known about Qu Zong and Xu Shaojie's relationship all along but has been waiting for them to tell him. Now that he confirms his daughter is determined to be with Xu Shaojie, he hands over his late wife’s Gawu box to Qu Zong as a form of dowry, fulfilling his late wife’s wishes. Qu Zong is deeply moved and cries.
That evening, Suolang chats with Qu Zong. Although he is reluctant to see her leave, he also hopes she finds happiness. As they walk back, they spot Xu Shaojie outside Gaji Courtyard. He intends to talk to Tu Deng, but Qu Zong prefers not to interrupt her father. Once Qu Zong is back in her room, Suolang curiously asks Xu Shaojie if he encouraged him to take the civil service exam to please Tu Deng.
Xu Shaojie immediately denies this, explaining that he suggested Suolang take the exam because he worries about him being unable to handle failure, which could lead to a downward spiral. Xu Shaojie believes Suolang should quickly improve his skills to recover from setbacks; otherwise, he risks being trapped in a dead end.
Suolang finds Xu Shaojie’s advice familiar. Xu Shaojie admits that Ashley genuinely cared about Suolang’s future. Whether it’s Xu Shaojie, Ashley, or Tu Deng, they all agree that Suolang needs to be strong to withstand challenges. Ashley used her down payment to buy a house in Chengdu for her parents and handed the deed to her father, Pu Bu, hoping he can persuade her mother, Qiao Yanru, to leave Lhasa and return to Chengdu for retirement.
However, Pu Bu expresses that every time he brings up the topic, Qiao Yanru avoids it, clearly indicating she does not want to return.
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