Episode Summary
In this episode, Xia Yan tries to help his friends with housing in war-torn Guilin. Liu Yazi returns safely and reaffirms his political loyalties. The writer Mao Dun (Shen Yanbing) is forced to leave the city, and his friends discover he is secretly suffering from a severe case of tuberculosis and is too poor to afford treatment. Meanwhile, Tian Han's patriotic play premieres to great acclaim.
Spoiler Alert
A Friend in Need
Finding a Place in a War-Torn City
The episode kicks off with Xia Yan. He visits the writer, Mr. Mao Dun, and sees his living situation. It’s pretty bad. So, Xia Yan makes it his mission to find him a better home.
This isn't easy, though. You have to remember this is wartime Guilin. The city is overflowing with people. Housing is almost impossible to find. Bombs level buildings every day, so rent prices are through the roof. But Xia Yan is determined. He starts looking anyway.
A Hero's Welcome
Good news comes for another character. Liu Yazi is finally safe. He's made it back to Guilin. Li Renren hears this and is ecstatic. He tells Xia Yan to bring Liu Yazi straight to his house. He wants to throw a proper welcoming party himself.
You see, Liu Yazi has been a wanted man. He publicly called out Chiang Kai-shek in the newspapers. He listed all the ways Chiang was wrecking the united front. This put a target on his back. After being hunted and on the run, this warm welcome from Li Renren really hits him hard.
Xia Yan has already worked his magic. He found a clean, comfortable place for Liu Yazi to stay. Getting a house in Guilin right now is a huge deal. Liu Yazi knows how tough it must have been. Xia Yan also hands him a personal letter from Zhou Enlai. The letter tells Liu Yazi not to worry about a thing. His living expenses are covered, and he should just focus on his work. This is a big moment for Liu Yazi. He used to work for the other side, but they kicked him out for disagreeing. Now, the only people looking out for him are the Communists. It really cements where his loyalties lie.
A Sudden Farewell and a Hidden Illness
An Urgent Departure
Just as things seem to be looking up, there's a shift. Mao Dun finally finishes writing his script. Xia Yan has even found him that new place to live. But then An E rushes in with urgent news. The Party organization has sent a message. Mao Dun must leave Guilin immediately.
He doesn't ask why. He just trusts that the organization has its reasons. Hearing this, Xia Yan decides they need to give him a proper send-off. He plans a small farewell party. Mao Dun is a writer who mostly keeps to himself. He isn't very social. So Xia Yan gives An E a specific guest list to make sure the right people are there.
Something's Wrong with Shen Yanbing
At the party, An E notices something is off. She sees Shen Yanbing—that's Mao Dun's real name—in a corner, throwing up. He looks incredibly pale. He's clutching his stomach but just laughs it off. He claims he drank too much.
After Shen Yanbing leaves, An E tells Xia Yan what she saw. Xia Yan thinks it's strange. He points out that Shen Yanbing barely drank any alcohol at the party.
The next morning, there's a knock on An E's door. It's Shen Yanbing's wife, Qin Ying. She's worried. Shen Yanbing never came home last night. An E and her husband, Tian Han, immediately go out to help her search. Qin Ying tells them that her husband's health has been terrible. Years of writing hunched over a desk with poor nutrition have destroyed his body. He faints a lot now.
The Truth Comes Out
We then see where Shen Yanbing is. He's at a hospital, looking weak. A nurse hands him a bill for his visit. He doesn't even have the eight yuan to pay for the consultation. He has to tell her he'll owe her the money.
The nurse happens to see the name he signed. It's "Shen Yanbing." She's a huge fan of his books. She can't believe she's meeting him in person. She had tried to get him to stay at the hospital for treatment earlier, but he refused. Now, she runs out after him. She is determined to convince him to come back and get proper care.
She follows him home. That's when An E finally learns the truth about his condition. Shen Yanbing has tuberculosis. Xia Yan is heartbroken when he hears. It's a very difficult disease to cure. He realizes Shen Yanbing was avoiding treatment because he couldn't afford it. The organization decides to step up. They start a fundraiser specifically to cover his medical bills.
The Show Must Go On
A Play for the People
While all this is happening, life continues. Tian Han's play, "Autumn Sound Ode," is finally ready for rehearsals. He throws himself into the creative work. He also does something incredibly selfless. He tells An E to take their family's savings and give the money to Qin Ying to help with expenses.
A Powerful Premiere
"Autumn Sound Ode" opens right on schedule. The premiere is a major event. All the writers and artists in Guilin are there. The play is about a powerful idea. It's about sacrificing your personal happiness for the survival of the entire nation. It’s about fighting for something bigger than yourself.
The story connects deeply with everyone in the theater. By the end, the entire audience is in tears. The performance gets a massive, thundering ovation. It's a huge success.
