Episode Summary
Chu Shaohua finally wins over Xia Chu's disapproving mother with an elaborate birthday surprise, and the two begin planning their wedding. However, on the eve of the ceremony, Xia Chu is accidentally killed during a chaotic police operation. Consumed by grief and denial, Shaohua proceeds with wedding preparations until the truth becomes undeniable. She then seeks revenge, confronting the killer, Mu Ziru, in a tense standoff that is only resolved when Wen Zhiqiu intervenes with a grenade.
Spoiler Alert
Well, That Escalated Quickly
This episode went from a wedding to a funeral so fast it gave me whiplash. Just when you think things are finally looking up for Chu Shaohua, the floor gives out from under her. Again.
Winning Over the Mother-in-Law from Hell
So, Chu Shaohua and her first love, Xia Chu, are back together in Shanghai.They’re all in. The problem is, Xia Chu's mother is having none of it. Mother Xia is dead-set against the marriage. She even confronts Shaohua, but Shaohua isn't backing down. She's just as determined to marry Xia Chu.
Mother Xia gets so worked up she lands herself in the hospital. Shaohua, ever the bigger person, tells Xia Chu to go easy on his mom. Then she puts a plan into motion. For Mother Xia's 60th birthday, Shaohua arranges a massive surprise. She hires an opera troupe to perform "Mulan" and even has a custom-made costume created for Mother Xia. It's a replica of an old one she sold years ago to help her son's business.
The gesture works. Mother Xia is moved to tears and finally performs on stage again. Later, at the banquet, she sees Shaohua running the whole show. She thanks her and tells Xia Chu to marry her as soon as possible. The whole family celebrates. For a minute, it looks like a happy ending.
From Wedding Dresses to Gunshots
The story jumps to 1927. The Northern Expedition army has just rolled into Shanghai. In the middle of all this, Shaohua and Xia Chu are planning their wedding.Wen Zhiqiu hears about it from Xia Yuan and you can tell he's not thrilled, though he doesn't say anything.
Then, the day goes sideways. While Shaohua and Xia Chu are trying on wedding clothes, someone calls Xia Chu away. He never comes back. That night, Shaohua hears gunshots and police sirens. She’s obviously terrified.
The next morning, the worst possible news arrives. Xia Yuan's wife comes to tell Shaohua that Xia Chu is dead. Shaohua rushes to the morgue, sees his body, and collapses.
A Bride in Denial
When Shaohua wakes up, she's not okay. Her friends Kang Erniu and Wen Zhiqiu are by her side, but she's completely detached from reality. She refuses to accept that Xia Chu is gone. Instead, she just keeps planning the wedding. She calls to order more flowers. She adds more tables to the reception. She sits down and starts writing invitations. It's heartbreaking to watch.
Xia Yuan's wife tries to get through to her, repeating that Xia Chu is dead. But Shaohua doesn't listen. She truly believes he's going to show up for their wedding the next day.
The morning of the wedding, Shaohua is gone. She's put on her wedding dress and gone to the venue. Wen Zhiqiu finds her there and has to tell her again. Her fiancé is dead. This time, the reality hits, and she completely breaks down.
A Confrontation with a Grenade
Later, at Xia Chu's grave, Shaohua finds Xia Yuan, who swears he'll get revenge on Mu Ziru. This gives Shaohua an idea. She tracks down Mu Ziru. She also swipes a gun from Wen Zhiqiu's place.
She finds Mu Ziru in the middle of proposing to Kang Erniu. Shaohua bursts in, gun pointed right at him, ready to kill him for what he did. Mu Ziru panics. He swears it was an accident. He says he was arresting people, Xia Chu wasn't on his list, but he showed up and the gun went off by mistake.
Shaohua doesn't buy it for a second. As she's about to pull the trigger, Kang Erniu jumps in front of Mu Ziru to protect him. Mu Ziru then pulls his own gun on Shaohua. It's a total standoff. Kang Erniu grabs his gun and threatens to kill herself if he doesn't stop.
Just when you think it can't get any crazier, Wen Zhiqiu shows up holding a grenade. He tells Mu Ziru he's taking Shaohua and leaving. Mu Ziru refuses, so Wen Zhiqiu threatens to blow them all to kingdom come. That finally gets Mu Ziru to back down.
As they leave, Kang Erniu slaps Mu Ziru, throws the engagement ring at him, and tells him it's over. She also warns him to stay away from Shaohua. The episode ends with Wen Zhiqiu getting his gun back and giving Shaohua a much-needed lecture.
