Episode Summary
Episode 10 sees the Shen family thrown into turmoil. Shen Yanqing confesses his feelings for Xiu Ju to his brother, Shen Yanzhou, who, feeling dejected, decides to leave for Nanyang. Xiu Ju misses her chance to say goodbye. The family conflict escalates when Shen Zhile announces her intention to marry Xiao Ye, leading to her confinement by Yanqing. The drama culminates in tragedy when news arrives that Yanzhou's ship has sunk with no survivors. Devastated by grief, Xiu Ju learns another shocking truth from her dying mother: she was adopted as a baby, left only with a jade pendant.
Spoiler Alert
Girls Fighting Fate: Episode 10 Recap & Spoilers
This Episode , an emotional storm hits the Shen family, leading to a stunning confession, a rash decision, and a tragedy that will irrevocably alter everyone's lives.
A Brother's Confession and a Painful Goodbye
The episode opens on a moment of rare vulnerability from Shen Yanqing, the stoic head of the Shen family. He confesses to his younger brother, Shen Yanzhou, that he has developed feelings for Xiu Ju. Yanqing admits he has never been skilled at expressing his emotions, especially towards women. His first marriage was a strategic alliance for the family business, and while he had a dalliance with Liu Ruyan, he reveals that Xiu Ju is the only woman who has ever genuinely moved his heart. When Yanzhou presses him for a reason, Yanqing can't articulate it, simply noting that love is inexplicable and that Xiu Ju is the only person who dares to challenge him on matters of business.
The conversation leaves Yanzhou deeply unsettled. He gets drunk and wanders into the tangerine garden, where he coincidentally finds a sleepless Xiu Ju, who was troubled by nightmares. Yanzhou laments that their relationship is like the tangerine saplings he has been tending—no matter how much care he gives them, they refuse to blossom.
The very next day, Yanzhou makes a shocking announcement: he is leaving for Nanyang (Southeast Asia) to explore new business ventures for a friend. The decision is abrupt, with his departure scheduled for the following day. The First Madam is horrified by the suddenness and distance of his journey. Yanqing, however, sees it as a sign of his brother's growing maturity and simply tells him to take care of himself. Before leaving, Yanzhou has a boat ticket delivered to Xiu Ju. Just as she discovers that the tangerine sapling has finally borne fruit, she rushes to find him, only to be met at the door by Yanqing and the First Madam. They inform her she is too late; Yanzhou is already gone.
Family in Turmoil and a Devastating Blow
Meanwhile, other family tensions are boiling over. The family's young daughter, Shen Zhile, returns home only to be harshly reprimanded by Yanqing for her association with a man he deems a hooligan, Xiao Ye. Defiantly, Zhile declares that not only will she continue to see Xiao Ye, but she intends to marry him. Enraged, Yanqing orders her to be confined to her room.
The household is still reeling from these conflicts when Butler Zhou returns with horrific news: the ship carrying Shen Yanzhou to Nanyang has sunk, and there are no survivors. The First Madam and Xiu Ju are shattered. The First Madam collapses in grief, mourning the boy who always called her "mother." Xiu Ju, overwhelmed, runs to the tangerine garden, where she finds a grief-stricken Yanqing. They are united in their sorrow and self-blame. Yanqing regrets allowing his brother to undertake the dangerous journey, while Xiu Ju is consumed by guilt, believing her failure to return Yanzhou's affections is what drove him to his death.
A Painful Past Revealed
The shock and grief are too much for Xiu Ju, and she faints. Yanqing personally prepares medicine for her, which the First Madam brings to her bedside. Just as she is recovering, Butler Zhou arrives with more tragic news: Xiu Ju's mother is critically ill. Xiu Ju rushes to her family home, arriving just in time for her mother's final words. On her deathbed, her mother reveals a life-altering secret: Xiu Ju is not her biological daughter. She was found as an infant on their doorstep, left with nothing but a jade pendant. Her mother's dying wish is for Xiu Ju to seek out her birth parents so she will not have to live her life alone. As her mother passes away, Xiu Ju is left to grapple with yet another profound loss and a shocking revelation about her own identity.
