Episode Summary
During the 1999 World Cup, excitement turns to tragedy when Qian Jiayue's grandmother collapses during a celebratory moment. Despite a successful surgery, she later passes away, leaving the family heartbroken. Her final words reveal a deep affection for her daughter, Chen Xiu'e, resolving past conflicts. The family struggles to cope with the loss, cherishing memories of the grandmother. Xiao Han shares a poignant memory of his father's death.
Spoiler Alert
The summer of 1999 is in full swing, and World Cup fever has gripped the town. Zhang Qiming, ever the opportunist, has somehow acquired a Beckham-signed photo and is using it to drum up business at Liu Songming's restaurant. He's even created a special "Beckham Meal Deal," and the place is packed.
The excitement reaches a fever pitch when the soccer match culminates in a victory. The restaurant erupts in cheers, with everyone celebrating the players' prowess. Qian Jiayue's grandmother is caught up in the moment, enthusiastically blowing a whistle. But the joyous atmosphere is shattered when she suddenly collapses.
The scene shifts to the hospital, where Jiayue, along with her parents, anxiously waits outside the operating room. Jiayue's eyes are red and swollen from crying. Finally, the doors open, and the doctor delivers the good news: the surgery was a success. Mao Tou and Xiao Han, Jiayue's close friends, escort her home. The trio is unusually silent, the weight of the situation heavy on their minds. Back at Jiayue's place, Mao Tou asks Xiao Han if he remembers what happened when his own father passed away.
Xiao Han recalls the most unforgettable moment of his life. He was five or six years old, and his uncle picked up a bunch of relatives in a large bus. Young Xiao Han, thrilled, thought they were going on a trip. He remembers bouncing around in the bus, full of childish excitement. But his joy turned to horror when they arrived at their destination: a殡仪馆 (funeral home). He saw people standing silently, their eyes filled with tears. Walking to the front, he saw his beloved father lying there. The image is seared into his memory, a day he can never forget, a day that brings a chill to his heart whenever he thinks of it.
Tragedy strikes again a few days later. Jiayue's grandmother's condition worsens, and the doctor issues a "critically ill" notice. Jiayue, her parents, and Zhang Qiming rush to her side. In her final moments, the grandmother opens her eyes, tears streaming down her face as she grasps Jiayue's hand. She repeatedly apologizes, saying, "So young to go to Jiangxi, I'm so sorry." The family is enveloped in grief as this strong, kind, and spirited woman leaves them so suddenly.
It's revealed that only Jiayue's mother, Chen Xiu'e, had been to Jiangxi. The grandmother's last words were meant for her daughter. The two had a contentious relationship, with Xiu'e often accusing her mother of favoring her brothers, giving them jobs in Shanghai while she was sent to the countryside as part of the government's "Down to the Countryside Movement." But in her final moments, it's clear how much the grandmother cherished her youngest daughter.
After the funeral, Xiu'e takes Jiayue to the bank to withdraw money. Jiayue's grandmother had told her the password was her birthday, but multiple attempts fail. Then, Xiu'e enters her own birthday, and it works! The grandmother had used Xiu'e's birthday as the password.
In the aftermath, the family struggles to adjust to life without the grandmother. Jiayue finds herself staring at her grandmother's favorite chair, missing her presence and the laughter she brought into their lives. Jiayue discovers a note written on the back of a photo of herself, where her grandmother wrote that this was her at her most beautiful. The family realizes that they were all so busy with their own lives when she was alive, and now they yearn for the past, wishing they could see her again.
