Episode 10 recap: Hui and Lao Wang Together
In Episode 10, Xian is looking at medicine when Meng Yu Nong returns. He deliberately makes an excuse to go to the bathroom and flushes the medicine down the toilet. Soon after, the September 18 Incident occurs, and the streets are filled with Japanese soldiers. The public is thrown into chaos, and people flee in all directions. Lao Wang pulls Hui to hide, but he ends up getting injured in the head. When they return home, Lao Wang expresses his desire to leave and escape the danger, saying they can't stay here any longer. Hui cuddles in Lao Wang’s arms, pleading with him not to go.
The Japanese offensive intensifies, and the situation worsens. The police are constantly arresting people, causing widespread panic. Meng Yu Nong informs Xian that recent films might be put on hold for a while. That night, Meng Yu Nong suggests leaving, but Xian, holding onto him, begs him to stay. Ultimately, Meng Yu Nong can't bring himself to leave and takes Xian to bed.
Before dawn, Meng Yu Nong gets dressed to leave for a meeting at the company. He also gives Xian some money, advising her to give it to Hui, as having some cash during these troubled times could be useful. When Xian returns, she finds Hui dressed in a striking red qipao. Xian notices something different about Hui, and when she gives Hui the money, Hui remarks that Meng Yu Nong treats Xian well, encouraging her to stick with him.
While walking down the street, Xian sees Cong in a parade. Cong wants to contribute to the country during this chaotic time, seeing his camera as a weapon of resistance. Xian suddenly feels a sense of unfamiliarity with the man before her. Cong urges Xian to step up and join the revolutionary efforts, emphasizing the strength that comes from unity, but Xian refuses to listen.
When Xian returns home, she finds Meng Yu Nong waiting for her. He expresses his concern for Xian’s safety and shares his plans to go to Hong Kong, feeling uneasy about leaving her behind. He advises Xian to move back home for now until he returns, given the instability in their surroundings.
Xian struggles to sleep, watching Meng Yu Nong as he lies beside her. When he sleeps, he seems different, and she contemplates leaving with him. However, Meng Yu Nong declines, and Xian fears that he might disappear after he leaves. All she can do is watch him go, trusting in his promises.
Meanwhile, Hui and Lao Wang are living together. One night, while Lao Wang is taking a shower, Hui starts gathering their valuable belongings, but Lao Wang catches a glimpse of her through the door.
Xian returns home to find that her mother is living with Lao Wang. However, she doesn't blame her mother; she just doesn't understand why she would choose a man like Lao Wang over someone as good as Uncle Li. Hui, on the other hand, believes Lao Wang is a good man, also a victim of fate. In their conversations, she indirectly criticizes Xian for not finding a man to marry, lamenting that if she ends up lonely in her room, no one would even know.
When Hui hears that Meng Yu Nong has gone to Hong Kong, she worries that he might never return. Xian gets angry, feeling that her mother doesn't truly wish for her happiness. Feeling a bit awkward, Lao Wang returns to live at the barbershop. Hui invites him over for dinner, preparing a feast in the hopes of easing the tension between them. However, Xian is still dissatisfied with Lao Wang and ends up arguing with her mother again.
The next day, Xian goes to the company to inquire about Meng Yu Nong, but she can't find any information. On her way back, she flips through a film magazine when Lao Wang approaches, trying to get closer by complimenting her as a star. Xian brushes him off, getting up to leave and heading straight to Cong. Meanwhile, Hui has prepared dinner at home, waiting for Xian's return. When Xian doesn't come back, she decides to eat with Lao Wang instead. At this moment, Xian is at Cong's place, venting about her mother, feeling that Hui is blinded by her infatuation with Lao Wang and can't see his true nature.
Cong learns that Xian has moved back home and that Meng Yu Nong has gone to Hong Kong; he looks worried. While developing photos, Cong captures various aspects of life during this tumultuous time. He tells Xian that if she doesn't stand up for herself and resist, no one will truly protect her, and Meng Yu Nong is unreliable. Xian doesn't want to hear this, believing that Meng Yu Nong won't abandon her.
Cong informs Xian that he will be leaving soon to join the resistance and hopes she will seriously consider going with him. He reminds her that those photos and the college students fighting for the country are all young lives. Cong wants Xian to be prepared; if she decides to join, it won't be about luxury but about hardship and fighting. After returning home, Xian feels inspired and expresses her desire to go to the countryside with Cong to promote the anti-Japanese cause. Hui warns Xian about what will happen if Meng Yu Nong returns; she can't be torn between two men or she risks losing everything.
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