Northward: Episode 35 Recap and Spoilers

Episode Summary

Zhou Haikuo and Xia Fenghua mask personal struggles while discussing careers. Shao Xingchi embraces cooking after familial advice, cutting his hair to apprentice under Zhou Yanlin. A historic pocket watch reveals Zhou family ties to explorer Little Polo. Xie Wanghe proposes to Xia Fenghua despite her brain tumor, facing resistance from his mother Liang Haihong. Ancestral connections deepen as elders bond over shared heritage.

Spoiler Alert

Hey there, Northward fans! This week’s episode serves up emotional dumplings stuffed with family revelations, career crises, and a proposal so sweet it’ll make you reach for tissues. Let’s dive into the chaos of Flower Street!

**Zhou Haikuo & Xia Fenghua: The Art of Not Talking About Feelings**

Fresh off his Beijing trip, Zhou Haikuo (the guy who’s mastered brooding in 10 different dialects) shares a quiet moment with Xia Fenghua at the tofu shop. While he opens up about his career uncertainties, Xia—our resident "I’m totally fine" queen—hides her health struggles behind pep talks like, "Boys should chase their dreams!" Haikuo sees right through her but plays along. Classic Flower Street communication, folks.

Shao Xingchi’s Midlife Crisis (At 22?)

Shao Xingchi’s still job-hopping like a confused grasshopper until Xia Fenghua drops some wisdom: "Do what you love, or you’ll regret it at 80 while yelling at neighborhood cats." Later, his dad (Shao Bingyi) joins the intervention over dinner, and suddenly—lightbulb moment! Xingchi realizes cooking is his true love. Cue the dramatic kitchen montage!

He storms into "Canal Family" restaurant, begging grumpy chef Zhou Yanlin to take him on. The catch? Ditch the Fabio hair. Xingchi grabs the scissors faster than you can say "wok master"—no more split ends, just split vegetables.

Ancestor Drama: The 19th Century Soap Opera

Hold onto your genealogy charts! Chen Bo drops a bombshell: an antique pocket watch proves the Zhou family’s ancestor, Zhou Yiyan, once sailed with Little Polo (a foreign explorer, not the shirtless water sport guy). Turns out, Zhou Yiyan was buddies with translator Xie Pingyao, porter Shao Changlai, and boat captain Lao Xia.

Cue Zhou Yanlin explaining this to Grandpa Zhou Yipu, who zones out into a sepia-toned flashback of kids running home from school. Meanwhile, the dads (Xia Maotian, Shao Bingyi) get tipsy in the courtyard, bonding over their newfound "my great-grandpa knew your great-grandpa" connections. Even Xie Tiancheng joins the ancestry hunt after finding a "smoking gun" letter in an old temple.

Xie Wanghe vs. Terminal Illness: Love Wins (Sort Of)

Xia Fenghua’s been secretly battling a brain tumor, but Xie Wanghe—our resident "I’m not a simp, I swear" hero—catches her crying by the bridge. He ditched big-shot job offers to stay in Flower Street, declaring, "I’d rather be your tissues than a CEO’s coffee fetcher."

At dinner, he whips out her meds, pulls a ring, and delivers the line of the century: "Marry me. If surgery goes wrong, your parents become mine. Let’s haunt the family registry together." Cue ugly crying (hers and yours).

But Mama Liang? Not sold. She side-eyes the engagement, muttering, "My son deserves a wife who’ll outlive the goldfish." Drama for Episode 36: locked and loaded.