A Girl Like Me Episode 10 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Princess Royal, Ban Hua's grandmother, explained to Ban Hua that she had hidden her illness because if the senior court officials knew she was sick, they would certainly move against the Ban family. Ban Hua was confused why Physician Zhang, who owed the Princess Royal a debt of gratitude, would poison her. Princess Royal stated that Physician Zhang was timid and must have acted under coercion.
However, she could not see through Rong Xia, warning Ban Hua that he was secretive and a mystery, and she should watch out for him. Ban Hua defended Rong Xia, saying she trusted he would not harm them, and if he did, she would beat him to a pulp. Madam Chang then chided Ban Hua for not acting like a lady.
Madam Chang and the Princess Royal discussed the matter, suspecting Prince Luo, Jiang Luo, was behind the poisoning, likely as a plot against the Crown Prince. As Ban Hua insisted on investigating for her grandmother’s safety, her attendant, Ruan Mianmian, rushed in to announce she had found Physician Zhang's hiding place outside the city. Ban Hua immediately rushed off with her.
They met Rong Xia and his guard Du Jiu, and decided on a plan: Rong Xia would go to the back entrance while Ban Hua would take the front. As they approached the building, Ban Hua noted the open front door was a likely a trap.
Inside, Rong Xia was already engaged in a fight with assassins at the back of the house, while Ruan Mianmian held off more attackers in the courtyard, urging Ban Hua to go help Rong Xia. Du Jiu held off a group of black-clothed men, allowing Rong Xia to lead Physician Zhang away. Rong Xia questioned Physician Zhang about Prince Luo’s motive for wanting the Princess Royal dead.
Physician Zhang began to reveal that he had overheard Prince Luo saying something about "silencing a witness" before he was suddenly shot dead by an arrow. The assassin, who had been masked, revealed himself to be Xie Chongjin. He urged Rong Xia to consider his previous offer, stating that only Prince Luo could help Rong Xia get justice for his family's past tragedy. After delivering his message, Xie Chongjin heard Ban Hua approaching and quickly departed.
When Ban Hua arrived, asking who had killed Physician Zhang, Rong Xia feigned ignorance. Physician Zhang's dying words, "Second. . . Second. . . Second Prince, Jiang Luo!" convinced Ban Hua that Jiang Luo was indeed the one who ordered the poisoning. Enraged, she swore to settle the score, but Rong Xia stopped her, urging her not to jump to conclusions.
Back home, Ban Hua's brother, Ban Heng, was skeptical, initially dismissing Jiang Luo as too incompetent to cause real damage. However, Ban Hua insisted that without Rong Xia's help, they would have been in grave danger. Yin Shi, their mother, suggested they prepare gifts and thank Rong Xia immediately. Ban Hua soon arrived at Rong’s Mansion with a plethora of gifts, claiming they were all for Rong Xia’s cat, Huahua.
Rong Xia politely questioned the abundance of gifts, but Ban Heng, who had secretly followed, exposed Ban Hua's true intention was to see Rong Xia. Ban Hua playfully asked Rong Xia if he was one of those "dull, aloof, and scheming" people who wouldn't like her. Rong Xia skillfully avoided a direct answer, praising Ban Hua’s honest and free spirit, leading to playful banter about the merits of quiet "nerds" versus "wild kitties."
Soon after, the Yan family sent a matchmaker to propose marriage to Ban Hua, offering a valuable family heirloom. Yin Shi, however, firmly rejected the proposal, stating that while the son was acceptable, his mother was a problem. Later, Rong Xia accompanied Ban Hua, and she asked him if he had ever had a crush on a girl.
When Rong Xia said "never," Ban Hua called him a "blockhead" and directly asked him to choose a potential wife from Shi Feixian, Xie Wanyu, and Li Xiaoru. Rong Xia carefully described the virtues of each woman but ultimately stated that marriage required mutual love and could not be forced. Dissatisfied, Ban Hua declared she was going on a date with Yan Zhen to "experience mutual love," prompting a word of caution from Rong Xia.
Ban Heng, aware of Yan Zhen's notorious reputation, warned Ban Hua that he was "Daye's number one mama's boy" and extremely "fussy." Ban Hua imagined a future with Yan Zhen where his mother controlled every aspect of their lives, from their intimate moments to her choice of clothing. Horrified by the vision, Ban Hua concluded life with him would be miserable.
When the matchmaker persisted, Ban Hua publicly declared that she would only marry for mutual love and understanding, dramatically throwing down the offered gift. Meanwhile, Xie Chongjin met with Rong Xia, presenting a memorial document. Rong Xia compared it to another sample of Prime Minister Yan Hui's handwriting and confirmed it was identical, revealing Yan Hui’s involvement in the Rong family’s past tragedy.
Later, at the Shi family banquet, the Crown Prince attempted to discreetly set up Rong Xia and Shi Feixian, using poetic metaphors to suggest their compatibility. However, Ban Hua, interrupting their roundabout attempts, directly asked Shi Feixian if she wished to marry Rong Xia. When Shi Feixian hesitated, Ban Hua then directly asked Rong Xia, who candidly stated that his focus was on court affairs and he had no current plans for marriage, effectively turning her down.
Afterwards, Xie Wanyu, intrigued by Ban Hua’s unique headwear, asked Ban Heng for its design manuscript, offering to make him desserts in return, a deal Ban Heng readily accepted. Yan Zhen then approached Ban Hua and publicly declared his love, claiming it was "love at first sight" and that her "signals" had captivated him. Ban Hua flatly rejected him, stating she didn’t share his feelings and had given no such signals. When Yan Zhen persisted, Rong Xia intervened.
Yan Zhen returned, begging Ban Hua to reconsider. She then posed a hypothetical: what would he do if his wife was free-spirited, didn't want children, or if his mother disapproved? Yan Zhen's responses consistently showed he would prioritize his mother's wishes. Ban Hua concluded that they were not meant to be, as he did not truly consider his partner's feelings, and wished him luck in finding a girl who would obey his mother.
When a bewildered Yan Zhen asked why she was different from other girls, Ban Hua simply replied, "That's just the kind of woman I am." As the evening concluded, Shi Feixian invited Rong Xia to stay for dinner, but he declined, stating he needed to take Ban Hua home. This left Shi Feixian visibly upset. In the carriage, Ban Hua questioned Rong Xia about his constant rejection of the highly-praised Shi Feixian.
When Rong Xia admitted Shi Feixian was indeed attractive, Ban Hua jokingly told him to get out of the moving carriage. Ban Heng finally caught up and hopped aboard. Knowing both Ban Hua and Rong Xia were troubled by constant marriage proposals, he playfully suggested they have a "fake marriage" to deter unwanted suitors. Both immediately rejected the idea, with Rong Xia stating that a woman's reputation and happiness were not to be trifled with.
Ban Heng then revised his suggestion to a "fake engagement," but both Ban Hua and Rong Xia simultaneously blurted out "No!" , fearing the Emperor might then decree a real marriage for them.
