Episode Summary
Xia Maotian's mother and sister-in-law arrive with a young boy, intending for him to adopt the boy as an heir. This causes a major family conflict, with Li Yan threatening divorce. Xie Wanghe intervenes, leading to the arrest of Xia Maotian's mother and sister-in-law for child trafficking. Meanwhile, the family's financial struggles worsen, and Xie Wanghe tries to help his father sell their boat online.
Spoiler Alert
The drama escalates in Episode 12 when Li Yan initially suspects her mother-in-law and sister-in-law are visiting for money. However, their true motive is far more shocking: they've brought a young boy from their hometown, intending to have Xia Maotian adopt him to secure a male heir for the family. Xia Maotian is stunned by the revelation, Li Yan is furious, and Xia Fenghua learns from the boy that the grandmother has come to divide the property.
Xia Maotian clearly rejects this arrangement, angrily accusing his mother of feudal thinking. Li Yan is adamant that she will never accept the boy, stating that Xia Fenghua is her only daughter. When her plan is thwarted, the old Mrs. Xia throws a tantrum, creating a scene that disturbs the neighbors. Xie Wanghe rushes to find Xia Fenghua, but she delegates the problem to him.
Meanwhile, the old Mrs. Xia and her daughter are at home, feasting on canned food, completely indifferent to Li Yan's distress and even hurling insults at her. Xia Maotian, caught between his wife and his mother and sister, is paralyzed by indecision. Li Yan, fed up with her husband's weakness, threatens divorce if he agrees to raise the boy.
Xia Fenghua is confident her mother won't agree, but she fears her parents might actually divorce over this issue. Xie Wanghe, after some thought, decides to find someone to deal with the unreasonable old Mrs. Xia. Xie Tiancheng, Shao Bingyi, Zhou Yanlin, and others offer Xia Maotian advice, emphasizing that while filial piety is a virtue, it shouldn't be blind obedience.
Fueled by Xie Tiancheng's outburst, Xia Maotian finally stands up to his mother. He realizes his mother and aunt are after the village's demolition compensation and tells them to take the child away, stressing that he doesn't want the money, only for them to stop harassing Li Yan. The old Mrs. Xia and her daughter surprisingly agree, quickly leaving with the boy.
However, their escape is cut short when Xie Wanghe arrives with Officer Shen Yong. Shen Yong arrests the old Mrs. Xia and her daughter on charges of child trafficking. The old Mrs. Xia is terrified and begs for mercy. Xia Fenghua worries that the punishment is too harsh, but Xie Wanghe believes it's justified.
That evening, Xia Maotian sits outside, lost in thought. Xia Fenghua, feeling sorry for him, sits beside him. Although Xia Maotian is often weak-willed, he genuinely loves his daughter and admits that she's the only thing he's ever been proud of. Xia Fenghua is moved to tears and leans on her father's shoulder.
The decline of river transport has hit the canal-side businesses hard. Xie Tiancheng is saddened to see Xia Maotian's floating supermarket open. Meanwhile, Liang Haihong struggles with her driving lessons, frustrating her instructor to the point of giving up on her.
Back home, Xie Tiancheng drowns his sorrows in alcohol. He discovers Liang Haihong's driving school payment slip, making him even more depressed. Liang Haihong reveals that they're running out of money and haven't been able to pay dividends to their neighbors in the courtyard for a long time. She comforts her husband, promising they'll work through it together. However, Xie Tiancheng remains despondent, unable to overcome his inner turmoil. During the day, Xie Wanghe sits on the boat, feeling lost and uncertain about the future.
The school's trial program for intensive test preparation shows promising results, with Xie Wanghe's classmates' grades significantly improving. Mr. Xu and the principal are delighted. After evening study, Mr. Xu announces another set of exercises, much to the students' dismay. Because Xie Tiancheng hasn't been able to sell the boat for a good price, Xie Wanghe takes his friends to an internet cafe to post an online advertisement for the boat. He just wants to ease his parents' burden, and nothing else matters. Zhou Haikuo and Shao Xingchi are deeply touched. Back home, Xie Wanghe finds his father drunk again. Xie Tiancheng cries about his own failures and urges his son to study hard, leaving Xie Wanghe heartbroken.
