Episode Summary
Yi Yi learns the truth about her late husband's secret life as a revolutionary after Wen Pu gives her his last letters. This discovery leads her to give a moving speech, which causes Wen Pu to develop feelings for her. Meanwhile, drama erupts at Yi Yi's factory when an employee is harassed by her former mother-in-law, and Yi Yi's own sister-in-law, fearing Yi Yi might remarry, tries to move in with her.
Spoiler Alert
Footprints of Change: Episode 15 Recap
Alright, let's get into it. This episode was all about secrets from the past and new feelings stirring up. You can tell things are about to get complicated for Yi Yi.
A Past Uncovered
The episode kicks off in a library. Yi Yi has a cute run-in with a little girl and then meets her father. It turns out to be Wen Pu. He’s a single dad, and he’s there for a serious reason.
Wen Pu hands over a thick stack of documents that belonged to Yi Yi’s late husband, Zhou Zhaoyuan. Inside, there's a letter Zhaoyuan wrote to her. There are also interrogation files. We learn Zhaoyuan was betrayed by a spy during an undercover mission and was tortured. Yi Yi stays up all night, absorbing every word. She finally understands the truth about the man she married and the sacrifices he made.
Office Politics and a Sleazy Coworker
The story then shifts to Wen Pu's workplace. His department has four promotion slots open. A female leader, Su Xiurong, wants to promote a guy named Yang Xue'an. Wen Pu immediately shuts it down. He knows Xue'an is an aggressive, nasty piece of work who loves to belittle people.
The problem is, Xue'an once saved Su Xiurong's husband, so she has a soft spot for him. Of course, Xue'an overhears this whole conversation from the doorway. He gets desperate. He decides he needs to impress Wen Pu to get that promotion.
His brilliant idea is to force Zhou Yunqing, Yi Yi's sister-in-law, to get Yi Yi to give a speech at their workplace. He's a real bully about it, yelling at Yunqing until she cries. She runs to Yi Yi for help. Yi Yi sees her sister-in-law in tears and that jerk Xue'an standing there, and she gets the picture. She agrees to do it.
A Speech from the Heart
When it's time for the presentation, Yi Yi throws out the script Xue'an gave her. Instead, she speaks from the heart. She talks about the letters from her husband and what they taught her. [p] She explains that she never knew his real identity when he was alive. [p] Reading his final words made her understand the importance of the revolution and the party's difficult journey. [p] It’s a powerful moment that really moves the audience.
Wen Pu is in the crowd, and he is completely captivated. You can see it on his face. He's been a widower for years, but this is the first time he’s felt something for someone. After the speech, he personally drives Yi Yi home and gives her a book. A classic move.
Trouble at the Factory
The drama doesn't stop there. Back at Yi Yi's factory, an employee named A Fen gets into trouble. Her ex-mother-in-law shows up and causes a scene. A Fen’s first husband has been dead for years, and she has since remarried. The former mother-in-law accuses her of being immoral and even slaps her.
Yi Yi is not having any of it. She hates this kind of old-fashioned bullying. She stands up for A Fen and has the woman thrown out.
This whole incident spooks Zhou Yunqing. She gets worried that Yi Yi might also decide to remarry one day. So, she decides she needs to move in with Yi Yi to keep an eye on her. Yi Yi is used to living alone and can't stand Yunqing's traditional, nosy attitude. They are a terrible match. When Yi Yi refuses, Yunqing just plops herself down and won't leave. So, Yi Yi just walks out.
