Better Halves Episode 11 Recap
> Better Halves Recap
After a tense vote, Shi Fa'ke and Marriage Broker Deng were tied, leaving Lu Chi's decision as the tie-breaker. Despite Marriage Broker Deng's assumption that Lu Chi would support her due to their previous closeness, Lu Chi cast all his votes for Shi Fa'ke, securing her victory in the bid to host the Flower Assembly. Marriage Broker Deng looked on in astonishment, while Shi Fa'ke realized Lu Chi had deliberately helped her.
Overjoyed, Shi Fa'ke returned home to share the news with her family. Her mother, Chief Matchmaker Tao, was immensely proud, expressing gratitude for her daughter's success in upholding the family tradition of hosting the Flower Assembly. Her siblings also celebrated her achievement. Later that night, Shi Fa'ke ventured out, hoping to thank Lu Chi. She stood by a wall, wondering if he was home, but heard no sound.
Believing he was absent, she confessed her true feelings aloud, expressing her deep gratitude for his help and apologizing for her earlier coldness. She admitted that her past reluctance to meet him stemmed from a childhood engagement that had never been fulfilled, and she was unsure how to navigate the situation. Unbeknownst to her, Lu Chi was on the other side of the wall, hearing every word.
After she finished speaking, Lu Chi, deeply touched by her confession, quietly asked if she could give him a chance to love her for a lifetime, as she considered him a "very good person." Meanwhile, the Marquis Wu'an was furious. His assassins had failed to eliminate Lu Chi, and Marriage Broker Deng had lost the Flower Assembly hosting rights to Shi Fa'ke. He berated Ms. Deng for her incompetence, threatening to strip her of her coveted Chief Matchmaker position.
Ms. Deng, desperate to retain the role she had dedicated her life to, pleaded with him not to remove her. The Marquis, still seething, vowed to let Shi Fa'ke host a "real spectacle" of a Flower Assembly, hinting at further malicious plans. Shi Fa'ke visited Xibao Pavilion to deliver VIP tickets for the Flower Assembly. Li Pan'er, the manager of Xibao Pavilion, directed Shi Fa'ke to Lu Chi, explaining that he was the decision-maker due to his substantial financial contribution.
Shi Fa'ke presented the tickets to Lu Chi, explaining that with so many participants, tickets were essential for engaging with the ladies on stage, and having everyone collect them from Xibao Pavilion would boost its popularity. Lu Chi agreed to instruct Ms. Li to manage the distribution. Shi Fa'ke then suggested that since Xibao Pavilion had provided substantial funds for the event, they should also oversee the financial accounts to ensure transparency and prevent corruption.
She proposed that marriage brokers could purchase necessary items and settle accounts directly with Xibao Pavilion, allowing them to verify market prices and quantities, thereby saving manpower and ensuring honesty. Lu Chi praised her foresight and agreed to spend a few days at the Official Matchmaking Agency to oversee the accounts. However, upon their arrival, Marriage Broker Deng protested, asserting that as Chief Matchmaker, all accounts should pass through her, hoping to gain illicit benefits.
Shi Fa'ke firmly rejected this, stating that Deng was unfamiliar with the Flower Assembly's accounts and that Xibao Pavilion would handle all verification to prevent any illicit gains. She then publicly informed all other colleagues that they could present their receipts to Xibao Pavilion for direct payment, effectively excluding Deng from the financial management of the Flower Assembly.
During her regular duties at the novel shop, Li Pan'er encountered a male customer who showed an unusual familiarity with Xibao Pavilion and a unique way of addressing Lu Chi. He even requested a rare tea called "Snow-Tipped Jade," known only to Lu Chi and Li Pan'er. Her suspicions were confirmed when she noticed his jade belt, a unique item made only for Lu Chi and his Deputy Chief.
Realizing she was speaking to Lu Zhuxi, Lu Chi's brother and the Deputy Chief, Li Pan'er questioned if Lu Chi knew of his unauthorized visit from the mountain. Lu Zhuxi admitted he hadn't informed his brother and was enjoying the capital's vibrancy. Soon after, Lu Chi arrived, and Lu Zhuxi, initially trying to avoid him, became curious about the "Flower Assembly." Li Pan'er explained it was a grand garden party for singles, sponsored by Xibao Pavilion.
Lu Zhuxi eagerly expressed his desire to attend, but Lu Chi sternly forbade him, ordering him to remain at Xibao Pavilion. Despite Lu Chi's command, Lu Zhuxi persistently insisted on going. With the Flower Assembly approaching and hands short, Shi Fa'ke sought assistance. The custom-made fragile glass lamps for the event arrived, and Shi Fa'ke consulted Lu Chi about finding a reliable person to help Li Pan'er transport them. Lu Chi suggested Shi Fa'ke's elder brother, Shi Xianxian.
Shi Fa'ke agreed, confident that her brother would readily help with the Flower Assembly. When Shi Fa'ke approached Shi Xianxian, he enthusiastically agreed to help Li Pan'er at Xibao Pavilion. During their work, Shi Xianxian accidentally bumped into Li Pan'er, their hands touching. He became flustered and ran away, which Li Pan'er found amusing. Their second brother, Shi Chongshan, also unexpectedly volunteered to help He Ketian at He's Bakery, causing their mother to question his sudden eagerness.
Shi Xianxian, eager to assist Li Pan'er, rushed off to bed, ready for the next day's tasks. Shi Fa'ke had noticed the growing affection between her elder brother, Shi Xianxian, and Li Pan'er. Later, she discussed this with Lu Chi, who admitted he had orchestrated opportunities for them. Shi Fa'ke then expressed her full support in helping them formalize their relationship. The conversation shifted to Shi Chongshan's recent odd behavior, as he was frequently visiting the He family.
Lu Chi suggested Shi Chongshan and He Ketian would make a good match, but Shi Fa'ke immediately disagreed, stating that He Ketian was already engaged and her commitment shouldn't be easily broken. Lu Chi challenged her, asking if He Ketian truly loved her fiancé or even knew him well, and whether the fiancé sincerely wished to marry her. Shi Fa'ke insisted that a promise was a promise and Ketian would never break an engagement for someone more suitable.
Lu Chi then turned the question on Shi Fa'ke, asking if she and her own fiancé understood and loved each other. Shi Fa'ke deftly avoided the question, refocusing on her responsibility to arrange Ketian's wedding and then her brothers' marriages, stating she would patiently wait for her own fiancé to fulfill their long-standing agreement.
She then redirected the conversation to the pressing matters of the Flower Assembly, inviting Lu Chi and Li Pan'er to a family banquet in honor of their ancestors and to express their gratitude. Lu Chi readily accepted, promising to bring gifts. At the Shi family banquet, Lu Chi presented Chief Matchmaker Tao and her husband with elaborate gifts, including a jade balance scale for Shi Fa'ke, symbolizing his wish for her success in all matchmaking endeavors.
The family expressed profound thanks to Lu Chi, Li Pan'er, He Kexian, and He Ketian for their invaluable contributions to the Flower Assembly, especially Lu Chi's financial support and the timely delivery of the exquisite glass lamps. Shi Fa'ke also personally thanked everyone for their help, acknowledging Lu Chi for securing her the hosting rights. Li Pan'er praised Shi Xianxian's diligent and capable assistance at Xibao Pavilion.
He Kexian and He Ketian reiterated their deep bond with the Shi family, stating that Shi Fa'ke's affairs were their own. During the meal, Chief Matchmaker Tao discreetly inquired about Li Pan'er's marital status. Li Pan'er revealed that her husband had passed away years ago and she had no plans to remarry, believing that marriage was not the only path for women.
Shi Fa'ke and Lu Chi encouraged her, urging her to open her heart if she were to encounter someone new. Shi Xianxian echoed their sentiments. Shi Fa'ke then offered Shi Xianxian a VIP ticket to the Flower Assembly, subtly suggesting he might find someone there. After some hesitation, he accepted. He Kexian and He Ketian toasted Shi Chongshan, thanking him for his help at the bakery, which made Shi Chongshan act unusually.
The dinner concluded with everyone raising their glasses to Shi Fa'ke, wishing her success for the upcoming Flower Assembly. Later, Lu Yi observed to Lu Chi that despite the Shi family's gratitude, Lu Chi had not managed to secure private time with Shi Fa'ke's parents during the banquet, and was not yet considered their unique best candidate for a son-in-law. Lu Yi urged Lu Chi to work harder. Lu Chi then asked Lu Yi for advice.
Lu Yi suggested that Lu Chi should focus on helping Shi Fa'ke make the Flower Assembly extraordinary and unique, as it was Chief Matchmaker Tao's most cherished project, which would surely win over his future mother-in-law's favor. Lu Yi further encouraged Lu Chi to be more proactive and decisive in his pursuit. On the day of the Flower Assembly, preparations were in full swing at the Flower Manor. Ms. Deng, though meticulously dressed, observed the bustling entrance with bitter resentment.
She privately lamented that she could never truly control the Official Matchmaking Agency or surpass the Tao and Shi families. As guests arrived, Zhu Yanyan admired Shi Fa'ke's beautiful outfit and trendy hairstyle, noting that she had received a discount at Xibao Pavilion after mentioning Shi Fa'ke's name. Lu Chi then formally introduced his brother, Lu Zhuxi, to Shi Fa'ke, leading to Lu Zhuxi's surprised remark, "So you're Marriage Broker Shi?"
