Episode Summary
In this episode, the village prepares for the Lunar New Year. A letter from Fei Wendian prompts his mother, Fei Zuoshi, to aid her tenant farmers. The budding romance between Tie Tou and Yinzi faces opposition from his mother. New Year's Eve brings both conflict and community, with Ning Xiuxiu thwarting a debt collector and hosting a feast that contrasts with the poverty of Yinzi's family and the loneliness of others like Ning Xuexiang and Ning Susu. The night ends with a touching, promise-fulfilling moment between Xiuxiu and Big Foot Feng, and the following day at a temple fair, Susu observes their happiness with envy.
Spoiler Alert
As the Lunar New Year approaches in Tianniu Temple Village, the lives of its residents are a whirlwind of activity, emotion, and shifting fortunes.
Feng Er, a man whose heart is rooted in the soil, is overjoyed when his wife, Ning Xiuxiu, proposes renting quality farmland from Fei Zuoshi. Xiuxiu, however, is hesitant to approach Fei Zuoshi, given their painful history; Fei Zuoshi had previously tricked Xiuxiu into abandoning her marriage to Fei Wendian. She decides it's best to consult with her sister, Ning Susu, first.
Meanwhile, the traveling merchant Guo Guiyao returns to the village, bringing not only goods but also news from the outside world. He shares tales of warlords and the Northern Expeditionary Army, capturing the attention of villagers like Feng Si, who is intrigued by the promise of land redistribution for farmers. Guo Guiyao also has a personal delivery: a letter for Ning Susu from her estranged husband, Fei Wendian. After a playful encounter where he teases her with an octopus, he hands over the letter along with a box of chocolates.
Susu reads the letter to Fei Zuoshi. In it, Wendian explains he won't be home for the New Year due to his work. He writes about his time spent with farmers, witnessing their suffering under heavy taxes, and urges his mother to provide grain to their tenant farmers for the holiday. Fei Zuoshi initially refuses, pointing out that Wendian never once mentioned Susu in the letter. Susu, however, seems unfazed, admitting she doesn't consider him family.
Elsewhere, love and conflict are in the air. Tie Tou is smitten with Yinzi and has been stealing grain from his own family to help hers, which is struggling under the patriarch Big Belly Fei. Tie Tou's mother is furious, but Big Foot Feng steps in to mediate, urging her to accept the young couple's love. She refuses, fearing Yinzi's family will become a burden. Despite this, Tie Tou finds Yinzi in the fields and, in a heartfelt moment, declares she is his wife, lifting her and spinning her in the air.
On New Year's Eve, various dramas unfold. Ning Xuexiang arrives at Feng Si's home to aggressively collect a debt, only to be cleverly driven away by Ning Xiuxiu, who has come to deliver food with Big Foot Feng. Influenced by her son's letter, Fei Zuoshi has a change of heart and sends Bearded Liu to distribute grain to the tenants. As the village celebrates with firecrackers, Ning Susu sits alone, missing the New Year's traditions she shared with her sister.
Xiuxiu hosts a large New Year's dinner, inviting Feng Si's family and even Tie Tou and his mother. The gathering highlights the community's contrasts: while they feast, Yinzi's family makes do with simple steamed cornbread. During the meal, Tie Tou's declaration that he will work hard to marry Yinzi earns him a sharp rebuke from his mother. In stark contrast to the communal joy, Ning Xuexiang drinks alone, filled with bitterness. Later that night, during the New Year's vigil, Big Foot Feng comforts a tearful Xiuxiu as she remembers her late mother. He confesses that he once promised her mother he would always protect her, a revelation that deeply moves Xiuxiu.
The next morning, the village heads to a temple fair. Xiuxiu invites Susu along, and on their way home, Susu teasingly asks about Xiuxiu's relationship with Big Foot Feng. Seeing their genuine affection, Susu can't help but feel a pang of envy for the happiness her sister has found.
