Age of Legends Episode 19 Recap
> Age of Legends Recap
At a birthday celebration, Liu Ziguang confronted Hou Sihai, accusing him of monopolizing the sand business in Jiangbei and demanding that Hou Sihai eat a cake representing the market. When Hou Sihai defiantly declared his intention to control the Jiangbei sand and pebble construction materials market, Liu Ziguang forcefully pushed Hou Sihai’s face into the cake, stating that Sunshine Sand Quarry would continue its operations and that Hou Sihai should come directly to him for any issues.
Watching the scene, Nie Wanfeng subtly smiled, observing Liu Ziguang. Meanwhile, Little Zhao called Hu Rong, informing her that the chief labor contractor, Xiao Qiang, had not left Jiangbei and was spotted near Lakeside Estates. Hu Rong immediately went to the local police station to inform Deputy Head Yang Feng, who promptly dispatched officers to apprehend the contractor. Liu Ziguang was discussing the aftermath of the confrontation with Li Jianguo.
Li Jianguo expressed concern that Hou Sihai would not let Liu Ziguang off easily, emphasizing Hou Sihai's pride. Liu Ziguang, however, dismissed the seriousness of the matter, pointing out he hadn't harmed Hou Sihai's men or money. He believed that the bosses, long oppressed by Hou Sihai, desired change and that justice would prevail in a society governed by law.
Liu Ziguang further asserted that he would not leave Jiangbei until the problems with Zhicheng were resolved, reassuring Li Jianguo that the Public Security Bureau could handle Hou Sihai if needed. At that moment, Hu Rong arrived, having learned of Liu Ziguang's location when he didn't answer her calls. She excitedly informed him that they had found the chief labor contractor, who was slightly injured and now in the hospital.
Liu Ziguang quickly instructed Li Jianguo to return to the office and inform Li Wan, while he prepared to go to the hospital with Hu Rong. As he turned to speak with Hu Rong, a truck suddenly sped towards her. Liu Ziguang instinctively pushed Hu Rong out of the way, taking the full impact of the collision himself. Liu Ziguang lay gravely injured, and Hu Rong rushed him to the hospital, where Li Jianguo soon joined her.
In the emergency room, doctors urgently worked on Liu Ziguang as his blood pressure and heart rate plummeted. He suffered cardiac fibrillation, and despite multiple defibrillation attempts and the administration of epinephrine, his heart stopped for a moment. During this critical time, a heartfelt thought from Hu Rong echoed, "I have not told you that I like you yet." Miraculously, Liu Ziguang’s heart began beating again, and his vital signs were restored, though he remained deeply unconscious.
The doctors stated they could not predict if or when he would regain consciousness. At the hospital, Li Jianguo tried to reassure a frantic Grandpa Guo that Liu Ziguang was stable, though he had been hit by a car. Grandpa Guo immediately suspected Hou Sihai was behind the attack. Hu Rong, meanwhile, stood vigil by Liu Ziguang’s bedside, gently cleaning his face and hands, hoping he would awaken.
She silently pledged to do all the things they had longed to do together, confessing her unspoken feelings. Nie Wanfeng’s associate, Tiger, informed him that Liu Ziguang, though momentarily dead, had been saved and was now unconscious, calling his life "tough." Nie Wanfeng instructed Tiger to monitor all activity at the hospital but warned against taking any further action given the number of people around Liu Ziguang.
He confirmed that the driver responsible for the accident had been safely moved out of Jiangbei, reiterating the importance of avoiding police capture. Simultaneously, at a board meeting of Zhicheng Group, Director Yin and other board members highlighted the severe financial losses incurred daily due to the paralyzed Sunshine Sand Quarry, which affected projects like Riverbank Estates and Longyang, totaling millions in damages.
Li Wan, accepting responsibility, announced her resignation from her position, stating she would "get lost" if it satisfied them, and recalled how her father had once scammed his own daughter. Later, Li Wan visited the comatose Liu Ziguang, expressing her determination to find the best neurosurgery specialists, even if it meant searching in Beijing or overseas, to ensure his recovery. Hu Rong, also present, confirmed she had already consulted specialists who gave similar grim assessments.
Meanwhile, Hou Sihai, delighted, boasted to Sun Wei about Li Wan’s removal and Liu Ziguang’s coma, considering it a significant victory. Sun Wei reminded him that Meng Zhiqiu, known as Qiu Zi, still needed to be dealt with for his previous actions. Hou Sihai then confronted Qiu Zi at the pier, questioning his loyalty and pointing out that Qiu Zi had allowed Liu Ziguang to transport sand and caused the detention of some of Hou Sihai's men.
Qiu Zi admitted his error and expressed willingness to face punishment. He offered to withdraw from the pier, pleading with Hou Sihai to allow his loyal brothers to continue earning a living. Hou Sihai, granting Qiu Zi this "honor," agreed to let the men stay but declared their contract null and void. Police Captain Han and his team visited the hospital to see Hu Rong and Liu Ziguang.
Han Jin noted Hu Rong's haggard appearance and urged her to take care of herself. He updated her on the investigation: the driver had escaped, but the construction foreman and Wang Biao, who had assaulted Zhuo Li, confessed to acting on Hou Sihai’s orders. Hu Rong, determined to contribute, expressed her desire to return to work, and Han Jin advised her to apply directly to Deputy Director Song.
In another part of the hospital, Bei Xiaoshuai tried to conceal Liu Ziguang's condition from Zhuo Li, who was recovering. He lied, saying Liu Ziguang was busy at the sand quarry, which was thriving after Liu Ziguang had "scared off" Hou Sihai. However, Zhuo Li noticed Bei Xiaoshuai's visible distress and pressed him, sensing something was amiss. Later, Zhuo Li, escorted by an officer, managed to reach Liu Ziguang's room after A-Se's attempts to hide the truth failed.
Upon seeing Liu Ziguang in a coma, Zhuo Li was overwhelmed with grief, pleading with his friend to wake up. He furiously asked if Hou Sihai was responsible. Soon after, Bei Xiaoshuai found Zhuo Li, who was determined to seek revenge on Hou Sihai, even in his injured state. Unable to deter him, Bei Xiaoshuai, with fierce loyalty, declared he would join Zhuo Li in confronting Hou Sihai.
However, Li Jianguo timely discovered them and rationally prevented them from confronting Hou Sihai. Later, Hou Sihai met with Nie Wanfeng, deliberately arriving late to assert dominance. He openly admitted to ordering the attack on Liu Ziguang, which left him unconscious. Nie Wanfeng, while acknowledging the news, maintained that the conflict was personal and he would not interfere.
Hou Sihai then complained that Liu Ziguang's close ties with the police had caused increased scrutiny and scared off his men, making business difficult. He demanded an increase of 20% in the profit split to compensate for the operational challenges, to which Nie Wanfeng readily agreed. Nie Wanfeng's associate later commented on Hou Sihai's arrogance, but Nie Wanfeng, seemingly unfazed, mused that such overconfidence would only bring danger closer.
Later, Hu Rong waited at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau for Deputy Director Song to finish work. She proactively requested to return to duty, claiming she had adjusted well. However, Deputy Director Song, seeing her anxious demeanor, unhesitatingly instructed her to continue resting and rejected her application. Disappointed, Hu Rong turned her attention to her father, Director Hu Yuejin. At home, she meticulously prepared a meal for him.
Hu Yuejin, however, immediately saw through her intentions, pointing out she had ordered a pile of takeout to fool him. Seeing her plan foiled, Hu Rong turned to leave. Hu Yuejin then pressed her about her frequent interactions with Liu Ziguang and their relationship. Hu Rong stammered and quickly escaped. Deputy Director Song reported to Director Hu Yuejin that based on various clues, it was inferred that Hou Sihai was also behind Liu Ziguang's car accident.
The police had now largely mapped out the structure of Hou Sihai's criminal gang. Hu Yuejin ordered them to start with the periphery of Hou Sihai's criminal group, breaking them down one by one, ensuring no one escaped, and waiting for Hou Sihai to reveal his true colors. Back in the hospital ward, doctors, after a diagnosis, revealed a grim expression and requested to speak with Liu Ziguang's immediate family. As everyone exchanged glances, Hu Rong stepped forward.
The doctor and Hu Rong then exited the room, where he informed her that Liu Ziguang's condition had worsened and he might become a vegetable. Hu Rong's heart sank upon hearing this, and she was overcome with sorrow, recalling their past moments together. Grandpa Guo visited Liu Ziguang and was deeply moved by Hu Rong's unwavering and meticulous care for him over the past days.
In a senior's tone, he advised Hu Rong to visit less often, as he could care for Liu Ziguang, reminding her that Liu Ziguang might become a vegetable and that Hu Rong had her own life and social circle, expressing concern that she might sacrifice her own future for him. Hu Rong, leaning over Liu Ziguang's bedside, was overcome with grief and sobbed silently.
However, while Li Jianguo was caring for Liu Ziguang in the ward, he noticed Liu Ziguang's fingers move. Overjoyed, he called out Liu Ziguang's name. Liu Ziguang then opened his eyes, his mind filled with thoughts of Hu Rong. He asked Li Jianguo where he was, and Li Jianguo explained about the car accident. Liu Ziguang recalled the painful incident but pulled Li Jianguo back when he tried to call a doctor.
Nie Wanfeng, despite Tiger’s dismissive remarks, instructed his associate to keep monitoring Hou Sihai and Liu Ziguang, suspecting things weren't as simple as they seemed. A week later, Li Jianguo helped Liu Ziguang sneak out of the hospital ward. Wearing a mask, Liu Ziguang quietly left to investigate Hou Sihai and discovered Sun Wei colluding with a Zhicheng Group contractor.
Upon returning to the hospital, he was spotted in the elevator by Hu Rong, who was overjoyed to see him awake. Everyone rejoiced upon learning of Liu Ziguang's awakening. Bei Xiaoshuai playfully chided him for not informing them sooner, causing unnecessary worry. Liu Ziguang explained his actions were a ploy to deceive Hou Sihai and facilitate his investigation.
He revealed he had discovered Sun Wei secretly siphoning money from Hou Sihai and intended to use this information to provoke infighting between them. Li Jianguo secretly stole a phone from one of Sun Wei's subordinates. He retrieved evidence of the subordinate's monthly transfer of 100,000 yuan to Sun Wei and sent it to Hou Sihai. Hou Sihai then sent men to apprehend Sun Wei's subordinate, questioning him about the monthly 100,000 yuan deposits.
The subordinate nervously knelt, explaining that the account number wasn't his but Sun Wei's, which instantly darkened Hou Sihai's expression. Continuing his secret surveillance, Li Jianguo unexpectedly discovered Hou Sihai's mistress secretly meeting with Sun Wei. Simultaneously, at the Public Security Bureau, Deputy Director Song was deploying forces and issuing a command for a sweeping operation, determined to round up Hou Sihai's criminal gang. At this very moment, Hu Rong entered his office, requesting to return to duty.
Sun Wei was quickly brought before Hou Sihai, where he knelt, begged for forgiveness, and repeatedly slapped himself in remorse. Hou Sihai remained unmoved, then feigned magnanimity, giving Sun Wei a reprieve and instructing him to focus on managing the pier and goods. Feeling as if he had received a great pardon, Sun Wei hastily left. After being discharged from the hospital, Liu Ziguang made a special trip to the detention center to visit Zhuo Li.
Zhuo Li, seeing Liu Ziguang's sudden appearance, immediately brightened and then wept with joy, having previously feared Liu Ziguang was dead. Liu Ziguang chided him for planning to confront Hou Sihai with a pair of scissors without considering the consequences. Zhuo Li emotionally explained that before Liu Ziguang returned, he and Bei Xiaoshuai had lived aimlessly, but seeing Liu Ziguang had rekindled his hope for life. Returning home, Liu Ziguang found Grandpa Guo drinking continuously.
Upon inquiry, he learned that Grandma Zhang, whom Grandpa Guo had long admired, had married someone else and left. Grandpa Guo was deeply frustrated, regretting not having confessed his feelings all these years. He advised Liu Ziguang to learn from his mistake and proactively confess his feelings to Hu Rong. Seeing Liu Ziguang busy shopping online, Bei Xiaoshuai learned he was preparing to confess his feelings and began offering advice.
Liu Ziguang, finding Bei Xiaoshuai unreliable, decided to buy a recording doll online himself. Action-oriented, he invited Hu Rong to a local restaurant called Dididao. He intended to give her a surprise, but it turned into a fright when Liu Ziguang personally handled the barbecue. As they ate, Liu Ziguang gazed intently at Hu Rong and, gathering his courage, told her he had a gift for her.
