A Love So Romantic Episode 16 Recap
> A Love So Romantic Recap
Xin Ziqian returned home to find his mother anxious. He felt extremely guilty, believing her anxiety was due to him sneaking out to find Su Xiaowan, and promised to be obedient. His mother reassured him that it had nothing to do with him, urging him to stay safe as he was her only hope. She found her medicine too bitter to drink, so Xin Ziqian offered to buy her some honey-coated preserved plums.
She agreed, saying she also wanted to rest. As Xin Ziqian left the mansion, he found Xiaoya still waiting for him. She explained that he was her only acquaintance in Lin'an City and she had nowhere else to go. Xin Ziqian took her to the team, where he spoke with the coach. The coach agreed to let Xiaoya stay as a helper, providing her with food and lodging, but no wages. Xiaoya happily accepted, stating she could do anything.
Before leaving, Xin Ziqian told Xiaoya he had to buy something. Xiaoya asked when he would return, and the coach explained that Xin Ziqian was a semi-regular player and would visit often. Cheng Qianyu's maid informed her that her mother had sent another letter, remarking on her constant concern. Cheng Qianyu simply instructed her to place it on the shelf, unwilling to read it.
Upon hearing that Gu Yanxi had returned, she rushed to see him, but his attendant, Yuanhe, informed her that Gu Yanxi was occupied with business and could not be disturbed. Cheng Qianyu then gave Yuanhe pastries she had made for Gu Yanxi, deciding to wait outside in case Gu Yanxi finished his work soon.
Inside, Gu Yanxi casually remarked to Su Xiaowan that Cheng Qianyu was like a sister to him, dismissing any talk of them as mere jokes between elders. While reviewing accounts for Lady Ru, Su Xiaowan noticed the smell of burning oil on a record dated April 28 in the 8th year of Emperor Jiayuan's Reign—the day Gu Yanxi’s mother died in a fire.
They connected the two taels of silver for oil mentioned in the record to a large quantity a coachman would not typically buy, suspecting a link to his mother's death. Gu Yanxi vowed to uncover the truth. They planned to meet at Nanxiao Street the next morning after Su Xiaowan visited Xiao'an at the treatment center. As Su Xiaowan left Gu Yanxi's room, she encountered Cheng Qianyu.
Su Xiaowan quickly covered for Gu Yanxi, claiming she was merely grinding ink for him. Cheng Qianyu, still believing Su Xiaowan was Gu Yanxi's sister, expressed concern about Su Xiaowan's recent encounter with robbers and noted how well Gu Yanxi treated her. Meanwhile, Lady Ru went to find Ma Liu, pretending to suggest they leave together and later inform Xin Ziqian to join them. During their conversation, she deliberately paused, secretly gripping a dagger.
Ma Liu, looking at Lady Ru with deep affection, fantasized about their future together. He revealed that he had taken Gu Xiaowan and buried her for Lady Ru's sake in the past. He expressed that a smile from her could make him happy for days and was overjoyed that they could finally be together. He excitedly embraced Lady Ru, but then felt the dagger.
Ma Liu quickly seized the dagger from her and wished for her to say out loud that she only wanted him dead, promising he would give his life for her. Just then, Gu Yanxi arrived with his men. Ma Liu held the dagger to Lady Ru's nose, forcing Gu Yanxi to retreat. He then led Lady Ru step by step to the edge of a cliff.
Ma Liu faked an accidental fall, plunging over the cliff, in truth sacrificing himself to protect Lady Ru. Gu Yanxi apologized to Lady Ru and sent her back, but secretly, he was frustrated that he had failed to capture the culprit. Lady Ru, in the carriage, wept uncontrollably, remembering Ma Liu's last whispered words that he would arrange everything for her, and that his death was for her sake. Gu Yanxi then returned with Su Xiaowan.
Separately, Cheng Qianyu, hearing that Gu Yanxi was ill and staying at the medical center, rushed to visit him. However, she was stopped by Ru Ying, who lied, claiming Gu Yanxi was recuperating and could not be disturbed. In reality, Gu Yanxi was not there. As Cheng Qianyu was about to leave, Su Xiao'an unexpectedly returned and inadvertently blurted out the truth. To silence Su Xiao'an, Cheng Qianyu accidentally pushed him, resulting in an unexpected kiss.
Cheng Qianyu covered her eyes and fled, condemning their actions as indecent. Su Xiaowan waited at Nanxiao Street for Gu Yanxi, growing hungry. Earlier, Gu Yanxi had been delayed by issues with the phoenix coronet and had asked his attendant to inform Su Xiaowan of his late arrival.
When she tried to buy steamed buns but realized she had no money, the vendor, prompted by Xin Ziqian who had secretly bought them, offered her two for free, claiming he was closing his stall early. Su Xiaowan gratefully accepted, feeling incredibly lucky, and later traded one of her buns for a child's sugar-coated haws. Her luck continued when she admired a beautiful Hotan Jade bracelet, but couldn't afford its one tael of silver price.
As she walked away, Xin Ziqian approached the vendor to buy the bracelet for her. However, he then saw Gu Yanxi, who had arrived to meet Su Xiaowan, take her by the hand and leave, prompting Xin Ziqian to depart silently. Gu Yanxi finally arrived at Nanxiao Street, apologizing to Su Xiaowan for being late.
Su Xiaowan, who greatly enjoyed their private time together and repeatedly wanted to hold his hand, playfully told him she hadn't waited long, only having strolled the street several times and eaten a few meals. Though Gu Yanxi initially suggested returning, Su Xiaowan persuaded him to visit the Lin'an night market.
While exploring, a juggling act caused a commotion, and Gu Yanxi instinctively grabbed Su Xiaowan's hand to pull her out of harm's way, a moment Su Xiaowan had longed for. They then found a ring-toss game where Su Xiaowan admired a unique small stove. The vendor refused to sell it, emphasizing that the game's enjoyment lay in the process. Gu Yanxi bought ten rings, giving five to Su Xiaowan, but she only wanted one.
After several unsuccessful attempts from both of them, the vendor offered to give them the stove since it was getting late, but Gu Yanxi insisted on winning it fair and square. He bought five more rings and finally succeeded, presenting the stove to Su Xiaowan. She noticed the carving, which Gu Yanxi explained was a foreign word meaning "Romance." He clarified that "Romance" meant "holding the hands of my love and growing old together with her."
Su Xiaowan, to his surprise, understood this, explaining that she had done her research when selling flowers. She elaborated that it meant they would stay together until they were a hundred, even if they were bald and toothless. Gu Yanxi then became serious, telling Su Xiaowan he had urgent matters to handle, but promised to reveal her true identity to his grandmother and be with her openly once everything was resolved.
Su Xiaowan agreed to wait, noting that waiting had always been her strength. As Gu Yanxi and Su Xiaowan walked through the garden on their way back, Gu Yanxi informed her that the tiara should be finished soon and she could rest tomorrow while Yuanhe checked accounts.
Su Xiaowan worried that being seen holding hands on such a dark night might lead to rumors of an affair, but Gu Yanxi playfully suggested they could pass it off as "loving siblings," a virtue. Su Xiaowan then tried to trick him by shouting "Grandma!" but Gu Yanxi saw through her "clumsy charade." He leaned in to kiss her, but just as she closed her eyes, his grandmother genuinely called out their names. They quickly straightened up.
Su Xiaowan quickly concocted a story, claiming she brought Gu Yanxi to the garden to admire the starlit sky and relax after his strenuous work on the tiara. Gu Yanxi readily affirmed her story. His grandmother, delighted by their apparent sibling bond, suggested they all take a walk together. As they flanked her, subtly holding hands behind her back while embracing her waist, she encouraged Gu Yanxi to learn from his caring "sister."
Concerned about Gu Yanxi's health, Cheng Qianyu visited Physician Ru at the treatment center to request a tonic, explaining that Gu Yanxi had been overwhelmed by the Gu Mansion's recent troubles. She found Ru Ying in the backyard, drying medicinal herbs. Cheng Qianyu admired one, the Jade Butterfly, Ru Ying’s favorite, remarking on its resemblance to snow. This sparked a memory from her childhood when she visited the Gu Mansion and fell while playing in the snow, losing a shoe.
Fearing her mother’s punishment, she hid her bare foot in the snow, enduring the cold. A boy in a red cape, Gu Yanxi, then came and gently covered her foot with his cape before helping her put on her shoe. She shared that it was her first meeting with Gu Yanxi and from then on, she grew to love snow.
Ru Ying commented on how Gu Yanxi, who was once so cute, had grown into a man with a "poker face." Cheng Qianyu mused that while Gu Yanxi’s kindness remained unchanged, treating her like a sister as he always had, her feelings for him had evolved. To comfort her, Ru Ying playfully gathered handfuls of the Jade Butterfly herb and scattered them, creating a personal "snowfall" around her.
He hoped that this unique snowfall, unlike the one that had made her fall for Gu Yanxi, might give him a chance to win her heart. They ended with a lighthearted playful exchange.
