A Love So Romantic Episode 8 Recap
> A Love So Romantic Recap
Gu Yanxi carried Su Xiaowan back to her room, but observing she wasn't seriously injured, he unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed. Su Xiaowan, feigning pain, complained, asking if he could be gentler with an injured person. Gu Yanxi saw through her act, calling her a "great actress." Su Xiaowan then questioned why he had identified her as "Wan'er" in front of Lady Ru. He explained that it was a necessary act to spare her from punishment.
Gu Yanxi instructed Qiuxiang to apply medicine to Su Xiaowan, who grumbled about men being unpredictable. Meanwhile, Lady Ru, after the incident, was advised by her maid that the sudden appearance of "Wan'er" was suspicious and warranted investigation. Grandmother, having heard that Su Xiaowan was punished, immediately rushed to confront Lady Ru. Lady Ru, feigning ignorance and concern, profusely apologized, claiming she had no idea the girl was Wan'er.
Distraught, Grandmother demanded to see Wan'er and threatened Lady Ru if anything were to happen to her. Lady Ru, with apparent remorse, escorted Grandmother to Su Xiaowan's room. After ensuring Qiuxiang's silence, Gu Yanxi told Su Xiaowan they needed to coordinate their story. He revealed his plan for her to pretend to be Gu Xiaowan, the long-lost eldest daughter of the Gu family.
Su Xiaowan, a simple country girl, protested, finding it hard to deceive so many people, especially the "fierce" Lady Ru, and suggested running away. Gu Yanxi insisted she must comply, saying they had no choice but to "play along with the mistake." When Su Xiaowan still hesitated, Gu Yanxi made an emotional appeal, telling her he needed her. Su Xiaowan, seeing an advantage, agreed but mockingly stated she was only staying for Grandmother's sake, as Grandmother's health depended on her.
Gu Yanxi, annoyed but satisfied, held her to her promise. Just then, a servant announced Grandmother and Lady Ru's arrival. Gu Yanxi quickly told Su Xiaowan he would handle the conversation. Grandmother rushed in, worried about Wan'er's injuries. Gu Yanxi intervened, explaining that he had found Wan'er earlier but kept her identity a secret due to Grandmother's illness and Lady Ru's absence, not wanting to cause further upheaval. Su Xiaowan corroborated, claiming it was her idea to remain discreet.
Lady Ru, still suspicious, probed Su Xiaowan about her years away and how she got lost. Su Xiaowan stammered, claiming she didn't remember anything before living with her adoptive parents and only learned about the Gu family from Gu Yanxi. Grandmother, noticing Su Xiaowan's distress, cut off Lady Ru's interrogation, insisting Wan'er needed rest due to her injuries and fright. Lady Ru then offered to manage Wan'er's affairs to "make up for her mistake," which Grandmother accepted.
Lady Ru then suggested appointing her maid Lianxin to serve Wan'er, but Gu Yanxi, concerned about spies, quickly recommended Qiuxiang, who had already been attending to Su Xiaowan. Su Xiaowan agreed, and Grandmother, valuing her comfort, appointed Qiuxiang as her personal maid. Lady Ru then offered a new room for Wan'er, but Gu Yanxi, again considering Su Xiaowan's fragile state (and Su Xiaowan feigning pain), suggested redecorating her current room instead.
Lady Ru agreed, and Gu Yanxi dismissed them all for the night, allowing Su Xiaowan to rest. After they left, Su Xiaowan confided in Qiuxiang, explaining the entire deception and asking for her cooperation in maintaining the charade, emphasizing that they were now "in the same boat." Back in her room, Lady Ru met with a mysterious man. He was dismayed by "Wan'er's" sudden reappearance, claiming he definitively buried her years ago.
He feared exposure because the real Gu Xiaowan had seen his face. Lady Ru, however, remembered a peach blossom birthmark on Gu Xiaowan's arm and planned to find an opportunity to verify if the current Su Xiaowan possessed it. She reassured the man, promising that if this "Wan'er" was indeed the real one, she would not let her survive a second time.
After Lady Ru and the mysterious man discussed the original Gu Xiaowan's birthmark, Gu Yanxi, anticipating Lady Ru's attempt to verify Su Xiaowan's identity, had earlier provided Su Xiaowan with a fake birthmark. This birthmark was made with a special, unfading pigment from the Western Regions, intended to temporarily pass Lady Ru's inspection.
Xin Ziqian, hearing about Su Xiaowan's punishment, visited her, bringing gifts such as sweet osmanthus cake, Shiquan Dabu teapills, a wind chime, and a kaleidoscope from the Western Regions. He expressed concern for her injuries, explaining that she was hurt because of him. Su Xiaowan subtly tried to get him to ask about her new identity, but Xin Ziqian stated that her status did not matter to him; she was simply herself in his heart.
Later, Lady Ru confronted Xin Ziqian about visiting "Wan'er," accusing him of being too close to her. Xin Ziqian retorted, criticizing his mother for the severe punishment Su Xiaowan received for helping him. Lady Ru, upset, revealed her deep-seated fear that Xin Ziqian would follow in his father's footsteps, becoming obsessed with Cuju and neglecting his responsibilities, leading to financial hardship. She emphasized that he was her only son and her entire world.
Xin Ziqian apologized for his tone and for sneaking out to play Cuju. He then promised to focus on business if Lady Ru promised not to punish others for his actions. Lady Ru agreed, and they parted ways. The next day, Lady Ru visited Su Xiaowan, bringing lavish gifts as a pretense to verify the birthmark. She sent Qiuxiang away on an errand to fetch "Yulu Cream" for Su Xiaowan's recovery.
Lady Ru subtly interrogated Su Xiaowan about her adoptive family in Wuling, Hunan, surnamed Xia, and her reluctance to have them visit, all while pretending concern. During the visit, Lady Ru's maid "accidentally" bumped into Su Xiaowan, causing her sleeve to lift and revealing a birthmark on her arm. Su Xiaowan, feigning pain, quickly retreated. Lady Ru reported this to the mysterious man, acknowledging the presence of a birthmark but expressing her suspicion due to Su Xiaowan's evasiveness.
She revealed her knowledge of a special, unfading Western Regions paint that could mimic birthmarks but would fade with a particular essential oil. They decided to use this oil to test Su Xiaowan. While massaging Grandmother, Lady Ru proposed a trip to a newly opened "Bliss Hot Spring Pool" owned by her distant cousin. She claimed the pool used special medicinal herbs and an "ointment from Western Regions" that would aid Grandmother's shoulder pain and Wan'er's recovery.
Grandmother, delighted by the prospect of relief and seeing "Wan'er" heal, readily agreed. Gu Yanxi tried to decline, citing an important appointment to submit a tiara design, but Grandmother insisted he join them for a rare moment of relaxation. At the hot spring, Lady Ru and Su Xiaowan shared a pool. Lady Ru deliberately splashed water on Su Xiaowan, trying to wash off the birthmark, causing Su Xiaowan to flail and try to avoid her.
After bathing, it was time for massages. During her massage, Su Xiaowan discovered that the birthmark on her arm had rubbed off. Panicked, she feigned dizziness, signaling Qiuxiang to take her back to her room. Lady Ru, highly suspicious of Su Xiaowan's sudden ailment, immediately instructed her maid Lianxin to follow them and observe what "this girl was up to."
