Episode Summary
Bai Wan prepares to leave the capital, unaware that Xie Huaian is her biological brother. Ye Zheng sends Chaolu away to give her a normal life, sacrificing his own happiness. During a farewell dinner, Bai Wan shares her history of being lost as a child, while the men silently guard the secret of her identity. Xie Huaian orders a hit on a remaining enemy in her hometown to ensure her safety before disappearing to avoid a painful goodbye.
Spoiler Alert
"The Vendetta of An" Episode 7 Recap
The Weight of a Secret
We get a look back at the past. Years ago, a Tiger Guard found a young Bai Wan in Nanweigou. He tied her up. He was ready to drag her away. Xie Huaian stepped in just in time. He killed the guard and saved her. Bai Wan has been grateful ever since. She treats him like a brother.
But she doesn't know the half of it. Bai Wan was too young to remember the day the Liu family was destroyed. Xie Huaian remembers. He doesn't want her growing up fueled by hatred. So, he lies. He hides the truth. Bai Wan stands right in front of her biological brother, and she has no idea.
Post-Revenge Blues
Ye Zheng goes to see Chaolu. Her whole life revolved around killing Liu Ziyan to avenge her mother. Now Liu Ziyan is dead. The mission is over. You’d expect a party. Instead, Chaolu feels empty. She used to just embroider and wait for death notices. Now she has her wish, but she has nothing else.
She made Ye Zheng a new outfit. It’s a nice gesture. Ye Zheng is thrilled. He wears it back to show off to Xie Huaian and Xiao Wenjing. Xiao Wenjing gets a little jealous. He makes a snarky comment about the embroidery changing Ye Zheng’s whole look.
Ye Zheng wants to give a return gift. Xiao Wenjing suggests fabric. Bai Wan suggests something romantic. Ye Zheng goes with bright red fabric. No one saw that coming. Chaolu turns that fabric into something that looks a lot like a wedding dress. Ye Zheng gets her a carriage. He sends her home.
The Hardest Goodbye
Xiao Wenjing and Xie Huaian watch the scene unfold. They thought Ye Zheng was going to propose. Instead, he sends his crush away. Chaolu looks radiant in her new red clothes. Ye Zheng looks crushed the second she turns her back.
Xiao Wenjing actually respects it. He realizes Ye Zheng is deeper than he looks. Ye Zheng knows a killer’s life is messy. He loves her enough to let her go live a normal life.
A Picture of Peace
Bai Wan is leaving too. She cooks a massive farewell meal. She hands Xie Huaian a drawing she made. It’s not a portrait of a warrior. In the picture, Xie Huaian is lying on a chair. He has a blanket on his legs. A cat is sleeping on his lap.
She explains herself. She only ever sees him surrounded by violence and swords. She wants him to have an easy life one day. It hits hard.
During dinner, Bai Wan talks about her past. Her memory is fuzzy. She remembers walking a long way with a man to a quiet village. She was hungry. He told her to wait in a shack while he begged for porridge. She waited. Hunger won. She walked out and found a local family. They took her in. She realizes now that leaving that shack meant losing her only relative. She came to the capital to find family. She thinks she failed.
Silence and Safety
The tension at that table is thick. Xiao Wenjing, Ye Zheng, and Xie Huaian all sit there. They all know who she is. Xie Huaian stays quiet. The other two follow his lead.
Later that night, Ye Zheng asks the big question. Should they tell her? Xie Huaian shuts it down. He chooses silence to keep her safe.
Bai Wan prepares to return to Nanweigou. Xie Huaian doesn't just sit around, though. He sends a carrier pigeon with orders. His men need to take out Wei Ziting, the last Tiger Guard in Nanweigou. He wants his sister safe.
Morning comes. Bai Wan goes to say goodbye. The room is empty. Xie Huaian is gone. She leaves alone. She knows he hates goodbyes just as much as she does.
