Episode Summary
Chen Rui's broken leg brings Ma Siyi and his other friends to the hospital, where tensions rise between his parents. Gu Alian's elitist views clash with Ma Siyi's principles. Xie Wanghe contemplates dropping out of school, while his father faces threats from a debtor. Shao Bingyi's professional jealousy leads to conflict, and his drunken behavior escalates domestic tensions. Luo Zhimei's acting career creates friction with her husband. Xie Wanghe's anger at the debtor almost leads him to violence.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with Ma Siyi learning that Chen Rui, who's been absent from school, has broken his leg. Rushing to the hospital after class, she finds Chen Rui in a cast and his parents, Gu Alian and Chen Bo, bickering. Gu Alian is stressed with work calls, while Chen Bo is late due to his Writers' Association commitments. Chen Rui is visibly frustrated by their constant arguing.
Meanwhile, a group of kids, including Xia Fenghua, tries to find Chen Rui's room. Xia Fenghua fakes a heart problem to distract the nurse and sneak a peek at the room number. When they finally reach Chen Rui, his spirits are lifted. However, Gu Alian, a bit of a snob, is less than thrilled to see her son associating with "underachievers," except for Ma Siyi, whom she approves of because Siyi is willing to share her notes with Chen Rui.
Gu Alian then pulls Ma Siyi aside for a private chat. She thanks her for helping Chen Rui and even suggests Ma Siyi stay at their house for a while. Gu Alian makes it clear that she believes Ma Siyi and Chen Rui, as "good students," should focus solely on their studies and not waste time with the "lesser" students. Ma Siyi, understanding Gu Alian's condescending attitude, politely rebuffs her offer and leaves.
Xie Wanghe overhears Ma Siyi talking about sending money to her mother and worries she's selling blood to earn it. His persistent questioning annoys Ma Siyi, especially in light of Gu Alian's words. She tells Xie Wanghe to either quit school if he's not serious about studying or buckle down and take responsibility for his future.
Hurt by Ma Siyi's words, Xie Wanghe retreats to the rooftop to sulk. Xia Fenghua finds him there and echoes Ma Siyi's sentiments, telling Xie Wanghe, who is clearly intelligent, not to waste his potential and to stop worrying his parents.
Back home, Xie Wanghe discusses dropping out of school with his mother, Liang Haihong, to start a business and ease the family's financial burden. Liang Haihong vehemently opposes the idea. Meanwhile, Xie Wanghe's father, Xie Tiancheng, confronts a shady character named Sun Quezi(with a Limp), demanding payment for a debt. Sun Quezi dodges and weaves, making excuses and even threatening Xie Wanghe's safety, forcing Xie Tiancheng to back down.
Luo Zhimei is struggling to make it as an actress in Hengdian. Her friend, Ai Linlin, brings her a script and encourages her to seize the opportunity, but Luo Zhimei's husband, Zhou Yanlin, is secretly furious when he learns she has an audition in Beijing.
Shao Bingyi confronts his supervisor at the museum, demanding to know why his research proposal was rejected. The supervisor criticizes Shao Bingyi's focus on the fictional historical figure Su Xiaomei, particularly his obsession with her bound feet, calling it worthless. In contrast, Chen Bo's research on the evolution of dialects in the Honghuai region and its connection to the Grand Canal's role in China's economic and cultural exchange has received funding and a publishing deal.
Furious, Shao Bingyi returns to his office and mocks Chen Bo, suggesting his success is due to his wife's connections as a district official. Chen Bo insists his work is independent of Gu Alian, and they get into a heated argument, which the supervisor has to break up. Back home, Shao Bingyi continues to rant and, after drinking, pushes his wife, causing her old back injury to flare up. Their son, Shao Xingchi, intervenes, threatening to report his father for domestic violence if he continues his drunken behavior.
Xie Tiancheng, unable to collect the debt and worried about his family's finances, drowns his sorrows in alcohol. Liang Haihong finds a condom in his pocket (planted by Sun Quezi) and accuses him of cheating, leading to a violent confrontation. Xie Wanghe, used to their fights, escapes to the rooftop to chat with Shao Xingchi and Zhou Haikuo, who shares the story of how his parents met and fell in love.
Luo Zhimei's dedication to her acting career continues to irk Zhou Yanlin. Back home, Xie Wanghe overhears his father explaining the misunderstanding about the condom. Enraged by Sun Quezi's refusal to pay, Xie Wanghe storms off, intending to smash Sun Quezi's car. He ultimately can't go through with it, and Xia Fenghua appears, relieved that he didn't do something foolish.
