Episode Summary
Wei Yun and Chu Yu escape their pursuers by jumping off a cliff and are found by a villager, Shen Niangzi. They pretend to be a married couple to hide their identities. While Chu Yu gives Wei Yun an awkward but necessary medical treatment, they discover their hosts might not be who they seem. The episode ends with the two of them forced to share a bed, leading to a highly charged moment.
Spoiler Alert
The Search Party Gathers
The episode kicks off right where we left off. Wei Yun is barely conscious, but he wakes up when he hears Chu Yu’s voice. He knows he has to pull through. He has to do it for his people and, let's be real, he has to do it for her.
While they're stuck, a search party is on their trail. It starts pouring rain. Chu Linyang, Wei Qiu, Wanyue, and Lu Qiba make it to the edge of a cliff. Wanyue knows this area well. She tells them a raging river flows at the bottom. She thinks Wei Yun and Chu Yu probably jumped to escape. Lu Qiba’s weird compass-thingy also points over the edge. That's enough for Chu Linyang. He tells Wanyue to lead them down to the base of the cliff.
A Cliffside Confession
Back with our main pair, Chu Yu is trying desperately to keep Wei Yun from passing out. She gets him talking. She brings up old conversations she had with Old General Chu. Wei Yun stares at their small fire. He gets emotional. He finally tells Chu Yu how he feels.
He admits he’s jealous of her dog, which is a wild thing to say, but he means it. He wants to be the one she treasures. He then asks her if she’s willing to have him in her life from now on. Chu Yu is completely thrown. Her mind is a mess. She just instinctively pulls her hand away from his. Ouch.
Saved by a Stranger
The next morning, they run into a young woman. Her name is Shen Niangzi. She says she’s a villager from nearby. Wei Yun immediately starts lying. He claims he and Chu Yu are a married couple. He says they were ambushed by bandits on the cliff and pushed into the water below. He spins a tale about how they barely escaped death.
Shen Niangzi buys it. She takes them back to her home. She examines Wei Yun’s leg wound. She says she has some experience with injuries like this. The cut is deep, but the bleeding has stopped. She thinks his leg can be saved if they treat it right away. Then she explains the treatment, and things get very awkward for both Wei Yun and Chu Yu.
An Awkward Treatment
Shen Niangzi’s treatment plan involves massaging the root of Wei Yun's thigh to help circulation. Since she thinks they're married, she just assumes Chu Yu can do it. She points out that having a stranger do it would just make Wei Yun tense up. Chu Yu knows she has no choice. She has to do this to save his leg. So, she reluctantly agrees.
Shen Niangzi shows her the massage technique. Chu Yu starts working on his injured leg. She tries to make small talk to cut the tension. But then she accidentally presses the wrong spot. Wei Yun’s whole body goes rigid. He clenches his fists. Chu Yu realizes what she did. She gets flustered and makes an excuse to go outside for some air.
Outside, she finds Shen Niangzi mending a fishing net. They chat for a bit. Chu Yu learns that Shen Niangzi's husband, Cui Lang, also has a leg injury. The village is mostly filled with the elderly, women, and children. All the young, able-bodied men went off to fight in the war. Shen Niangzi and her husband do what they can to help the old folks in the village. Chu Yu thinks about how all these people just want peace. That’s her wish, too. She wants to send a message back to the city, but Shen Niangzi convinces her to stay. She says they can leave after Wei Yun’s leg has had some time to heal.
At the same time, Chu Linyang's group finds the remains of a campfire. He sees the leftover grilled fish and instantly recognizes Chu Yu’s handiwork. They're getting closer.
A Suspicious Host
Later, Wei Yun and Chu Yu finally meet Shen Niangzi’s husband, Cui Lang. They notice something strange. He knows how to make milk wine. This is a drink that is unique to the northern Bei Qi region. This immediately puts both of them on high alert. Something isn’t right here.
One Bed
That night, things get even more complicated. Shen Niangzi gives them one room. It has only one bed and one blanket. To keep up their married couple act, Chu Yu knows what they have to do. They have to share the bed.
She insists Wei Yun take the only blanket since he's injured. Wei Yun, of course, cannot sleep. He’s lying in bed next to the person he just confessed his love to. He turns on his side and just watches her sleep. He can't help himself. He gently reaches out to brush a piece of hair from her forehead.
Just then, Chu Yu’s eyes open. She asks him why he’s still awake.
They stare at each other. Wei Yun feels a surge of courage. He starts to slowly lean in closer to her. As he gets nearer, Chu Yu’s heart starts pounding. She freezes up, unsure of what he’s about to do. She grips her sleeves so tightly her knuckles turn white.
