Episode 19 recap: Luo Yi Ning Deceives Lu Jia Xue by Claiming Old Friend Mei Mei is Dead
In Episode 19, Lu Jia Xue, filled with emotion, grabs Luo Yi Ning's arm and presses her for details on how she learned his secret about gambling. He realizes that the only person who knows and would comment on this secret is a woman named Mei Mei. Seeing the urgency in his eyes, Luo Yi Ning knows she needs to come up with an explanation to get through this moment, so she cleverly concocts a story.
She claims that "Mei Mei" is actually a maid who once cared for a blind gentleman at a separate estate and had shared many of her emotional entanglements with him. Luo Yi Ning had hoped that when the maid married, she would return her indenture, but one day the maid returned, covered in blood.
Continuing her tale, Luo Yi Ning explains that Mei Mei had deep feelings for the gentleman but tragically met an untimely death. Before her demise, Mei Mei gave Luo Yi Ning a white jade pendant engraved with the character "Lu." Reflecting on it now, Luo Yi Ning suspects that the pendant's owner might be Lu Jia Xue himself.
Upon hearing this, Lu Jia Xue, distraught, immediately asks where Mei Mei was buried. Luo Yi Ning calmly informs him that it was near the separate estate and that no headstone was erected, as she wished this matter to fade away. Heartbroken, Lu Jia Xue sees in Luo Yi Ning's eyes that she is not lying and silently accepts this cruel reality.
As night falls, Luo Yi Ning sits alone in a pavilion, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Just then, Luo Shen Yuan returns home, and emboldened by the drink, she disregards the decorum of the day and throws herself into his arms, asking if he will always protect her and stand by her side in times of danger.
Luo Shen Yuan gently pats her back, giving her a firm promise that makes Luo Yi Ning feel an unprecedented sense of security. She thinks this is merely sibling affection, unaware that Luo Shen Yuan has already deeply fallen for her and vows to keep her safe.
As the imperial exams approach, Luo Yi Lian notices her brother Luo Xuan Yuan feeling pressured by Luo Shen Yuan's involvement. She secretly plots to help him by creating obstacles. She instructs a maid to tamper with Luo Shen Yuan's exam supplies in an attempt to sabotage him.
Luo Yi Ning senses Luo Yi Lian's unusual behavior and proactively sets up a plan, asking the maid Xue Zhi to keep an eye on her. Indeed, Luo Yi Lian visits Luo Shen Yuan's residence again, providing Luo Yi Ning the perfect opportunity to check his exam materials. She discreetly informs Lin Hai Ru about the issues she finds.
On the eve of the exams, Lin Hai Ru deliberately has Luo Cheng Zhang inspect the children's exam preparations as a precaution. Luo Cheng Zhang conducts a thorough check, and when he examines Luo Xuan Yuan’s package, he discovers an anomaly—a couple of seemingly ordinary candles that actually conceal cheat sheets.
This revelation infuriates Luo Cheng Zhang, who harshly interrogates Luo Xuan Yuan. Luo Xuan Yuan is bewildered and at a loss, while Luo Yi Lian turns pale and rushes to defend her brother, claiming he knows nothing about it.
A brewing storm within the family is averted thanks to Luo Yi Ning's cleverness and attention to detail, but the underlying tensions are now more apparent than ever.
Comments(Episode 19)