Episode Summary
Jin An stays the night at Li Shuang's after falling off her roof, leading to a night of tension and painful memories for her. The next day, Lu Xin and Mo Yin's attempt to rescue Li Shuang is thwarted by her refusal to leave. After seeing drawings from his past, Jin An confronts Li Shuang about their shared history, leading to a violent kiss and a painful rejection. The episode concludes with the impending arrival of Li Shuang's brother, Li Wei, putting Jin An on high alert.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 34: Roofs, Memories, and a Forced Kiss
You know a guy is down bad when he rides through a storm just because he remembers your roof leaks. That's exactly how this episode kicks off. Jin An is worried about Li Shuang. Her little courtyard house is old. He knows the roof is shot. So he gets on his horse and rushes over in the middle of a downpour.
A Rocky Night
He finds Li Shuang trying to patch the roof herself. She's clumsy with the straw. It's a sad sight. Jin An, ever the hero, flies up to the roof to fix it properly. Then he immediately falls off. Li Shuang is stunned for a second, then she can't help but laugh. He tries to play it cool, insisting he's fine, but his back says otherwise. She pulls out the same ointment he gave her before, teasing him the whole time.
While she's helping him with the medicine, she notices the old bite mark on his shoulder. She once told him it was their new bond. He sees her pause. He explains that an old injury wiped his memory. He has no idea where the scar came from. The rain is still coming down hard. Li Shuang tells him he should just stay the night. He's hurt, and it's a storm. He gets all suspicious and grabs her hand, asking what she's planning. She just says she'll sleep on the floor. He warns her not to try anything while he's asleep, bragging that his years as a soldier have made him vigilant. Then he lies down and is out like a light. Li Shuang just watches him, flooded with painful memories of their past together.
Unwanted Rescues and a Confrontation
The next morning, Jin An is annoyed with himself. He was supposed to be testing her, but he slept deeper than he has in ages. Just then, Lu Xin and Mo Yin show up. They're shocked to see that Jin An is actually Duan Aodeng.Lu Xin is furious and wants to teach him a lesson for being an ungrateful jerk. Mo Yin uses his needles to paralyze the guards so they can get inside.
Lu Xin tries to "rescue" Li Shuang. But Li Shuang refuses to leave. She says the conflict between their nations isn't over. If she runs now, her soldiers will be in danger, and the war will just start again. Lu Xin has no choice but to agree to protect her from the shadows with Mo Yin. But when Lu Xin steps outside, Mo Yin is gone. He left a note saying he'll meet her at an inn in two days.
Later, Jin An is still wrestling with his feelings and his fragmented memories. He finds Li Shuang sitting on the roof at night and joins her. He even brings her a gift. It's some fabric from Tai Jin that he doesn't like, so he gives it to her. They talk about the prejudices between their countries. They both genuinely want peace. As he's about to leave, he sees she's fallen asleep. A leaf lands on her forehead. He gently brushes it away, feeling that familiar pull in his chest.
The real drama hits when Mo Yin's little project pays off. He copied the drawings Jin An made in the past and had them sent to his house. Jin An sees the sketches of himself and Li Shuang together. He finally understands. He storms over to her courtyard and demands answers. Did they know each other in Tai Jin? Who was he? He knows she was given a poison to use on him. He asks why she never did it. "Is it because I look like Jin An," he asks, "or because I am Jin An?"He gets frantic and kisses her forcefully. She stabs him in the shoulder with her hairpin to make him stop. "You look like Jin An," she says. "But you are not him."
The episode ends with Jin An grilling his subordinate again about his connection to Li Shuang. The man refuses to talk, saying it's a matter of national security. Then, an urgent report comes in. Li Wei, Li Shuang's brother, is approaching with prisoners of war. Jin An doesn't think he's coming for a fight, but he orders his army to assemble just in case.
