Episode Summary
In this episode, Wen Xiaoyao and Zhou Tong's romance deepens, with Zhou Tong delaying his plans to go abroad for her. A major conflict at the dance school between the lead dancer, Yang Yun, and the director, Zheng Gang, results in Yang Yun quitting. This opens the door for Wen Xiaoyao to potentially take over the lead role of Bai Suzhen. A new relationship between key investor Qiao Guanghui and Zhou Tong's father, Song Guanwang, is revealed. Concurrently, a new character, Shi Diandian, aggressively pursues the grieving qipao maker Xu Tian, challenging him to move on from his past. The episode ends with the decision to let Wen Xiaoyao audition for the lead role.
Spoiler Alert
The Wonderful World Episode 4: New Romances and Rising Tensions
The aftermath of a minor police incident sees Wen Xiaoyao declaring she's done with Zhou Tong, but her friend Qiao Mi isn't convinced, teasing that she's already fallen under love's spell. Qiao Mi's suspicions are correct; Zhou Tong informs his father, Song Guanwang, that he is postponing his plans to move abroad. He's decided to stay and "experience life" with Wen Xiaoyao, spending his time admiring photos of them together.
Meanwhile, drama erupts at the dance school. The lead dancer, Yang Yun, clashes with the director, Zheng Gang, over artistic interpretation. She argues that the old version is outdated and that she is pursuing a modern take on the classic. When Zheng Gang pushes back, asserting his authority, Yang Yun quits on the spot and storms out. This creates an unexpected opening, and Qiao Mi is quick to suggest Wen Xiaoyao for the part. She points out that not only does Wen Xiaoyao already know all the choreography, but her own mother was famously acclaimed for dancing the same role, Bai Suzhen.
New relationships come to light as Qiao Mi's father, Qiao Guanghui—a major investor in the dance school—is revealed to be dating Song Guanwang. Qiao Guanghui brings a disgruntled director, Zhao Gang, to meet his new partner at his children's ballet center. In a move that clearly annoys Zhao Gang, Qiao Guanghui volunteers him to teach a weekly class without any prior discussion.
A new character, the bold Shi Diandian, makes her intentions known as she pursues the qipao maker, Xu Tian. Pushed by his niece, her uncle Lao Shi awkwardly introduces them at Xu Tian's shop. Shi Diandian quickly assesses that Xu Tian is living in a shrine to his deceased mother. She critiques his shop's dated appearance, tries on a qipao that belonged to his mother, and explores his home, which has been perfectly preserved for twenty years. In a decisive move, she walks into his mother's room, turns off a bedside lamp that has been perpetually lit, and tells him to leave it off for two days. Her forwardness appears to have an impact; after she leaves and returns for her ID, she notices he has thrown out several bags of sweets she had advised him against eating.
The episode concludes with Qiao Guanghui and Zhao Gang discussing the now-vacant lead dancer position. With Yang Yun gone and unlikely to be asked back, they agree it's the right time to give Wen Xiaoyao a chance to audition for the role.
