Episode Summary
In 1901, an Italian man settles in China by the Grand Canal. In 2000, a group of children, including Xia Fenghua, Xie Wanghe, Shao Xingchi, and Zhou Haikuo, grow up along the Canal. A new girl, Ma Siyi, arrives. Xie Wanghe's father, a boat captain, plans a major boat upgrade, causing discussion and concern among the invested neighbors, especially with a new expressway opening. Ma Siyi learns about her ancestor, Ma Fude.
Spoiler Alert
The series opens with a flashback to 1901. A brown-haired, blue-eyed man from Italy travels to China to personally examine the Grand Canal, a waterway with a rich history and cultural significance. He befriends locals, settles down, and starts a family. The Canal becomes a central part of life for generations of families living along its banks, serving not just as a transportation route but as a symbol of their heritage and connection to the wider world.
Fast forward to the summer of 2000. We're introduced to four mischievous ten-year-olds: Xia Fenghua, Xie Wanghe, Shao Xingchi, and Zhou Haikuo. They're the quintessential rambunctious kids, growing up together in Flower Street, a neighborhood along the Canal. Their favorite pastime? Sneaking onto boats and stealing watermelons! Even when caught by the boat captain, they just laugh it off, jump in the water, and share their "hard-earned" loot.
The angry boat captain complains to Xie Wanghe's mother, Liang Haihong, who promises to pay for the stolen melons. Meanwhile, the four culprits are distracted by a lively boat wedding ceremony. Xia Fenghua dreams of having such a wedding herself, declaring her desire to marry Xie Wanghe.
A new arrival shakes things up: Ma Siyi, a young girl with striking mixed-race features, comes to live with her grandmother, Grandma Ma. Ma Siyi's father has passed away, and her mother has remarried and had a son. As a result, she's been sent to live with Grandma Ma. Ma Siyi is noticeably quiet and reserved, a stark contrast to the boisterous Xia Fenghua.
Xia Fenghua, ever the social butterfly, takes Ma Siyi under her wing. During dinner at Grandma Ma's, Xia Fenghua learns that Ma Siyi's great-grandfather was a foreigner, and she's thrilled to see old photos.
After dinner, Xia Fenghua introduces Ma Siyi to the neighbors, including Zhou Haikuo's family, and the Xie and Shao households. The kids eagerly welcome Ma Siyi, and the warm atmosphere starts to ease her shyness.
Shao Xingchi's father, Shao Bingyi, returns home on his bicycle with some intriguing news: Xie Tiancheng, Xie Wanghe's father and the most renowned boat captain in Flower Street, is planning to upgrade his boat. The neighbors have all invested in Xie Tiancheng's cargo boat, trusting his expertise, so Shao Bingyi is suspicious and unhappy about this sudden change.
Xie Tiancheng arrives home, proudly distributing gifts and money to the families, a testament to his success in the shipping business. He announces his plan to upgrade from a 500-ton boat to a massive 1,000-ton vessel, asking the investors to contribute another 100,000 yuan. This request causes considerable concern.
Zhou Yanlin points out that the Jinghu Expressway is about to be fully completed, which could negatively impact the Canal's shipping business. However, Xie Tiancheng dismisses this, arguing that highway transportation is too expensive and that their route, focusing on the Honghuai line, will remain profitable. Zhou Yanlin's father, Zhou Yipu, a staunch supporter of the Canal, interrupts, emphasizing their deep connection to the waterway and declaring that they must not forget their roots.
That night, Liang Haihong tells her husband, Xie Tiancheng, that such a big decision as upgrading the boat should have been discussed earlier to prepare everyone. Xie Tiancheng, however, is confident that the upgrade is all benefit and no risk. He then chases after his son with a slipper for the watermelon incident, while Xia Fenghua also faces punishment. Shao Bingyi, already unhappy about the boat upgrade, is further enraged by his son's poor composition writing, but his pride as a scholar prevents him from withdrawing his investment.
Li Yan and her husband Xia Maotian also discuss the boat upgrade, and Xia Maotian quickly angers Li Yan, leading to another shouting match in the courtyard. Luo Zhimei complains to her husband, Zhou Yanlin, that he shouldn't have said such discouraging things. Zhou Yanlin, knowing his father's deep concern for the Grand Canal, is willing to invest in the new boat, but Luo Zhimei worries that Grandma Ma's family might not have the funds.
Meanwhile, Ma Siyi, unable to sleep, snuggles with Grandma Ma and listens to stories about her ancestors. She learns that the Italian man who came to China long ago changed his name to Ma Fude. He fought with the Japanese and was ultimately killed by their dogs. Ma Fude's dying regret was that he never found his brother, who had also visited China, so his descendants followed the Canal south, eventually settling in Flower Street.
