Choice Husband Episode 23 Recap
> Choice Husband Recap
A myth about the love story between a beautiful Grape Fairy, the God of Fire, and the God of Night was being performed on a stage in Weiyang. Xiao, visiting the city for the first time, listened as Xu Sheng explained the popular but tragic tale, remarking that the endings often left the two persons in love hurting each other. Xu Sheng, realizing Xiao still called her "Mom," asked him why, wondering if they knew each other.
Xiao questioned if she truly didn't remember him or his "Great-uncle." Xu Sheng was confused until Xiao revealed his Great-uncle was the Regent, who was blind. Connecting this to a story about the Regent's wife being his niece, Xu Sheng deduced Xiao was the Regent's son. Xiao confessed he refused to call Pei Yanzhen "Dad" because his mother died because of him.
He also indicated knowledge of the Xu family's blood feud, making Xu Sheng wary of the Regent, as Song Xiyuan had warned her to stay away. Meanwhile, Song Xiyuan's informants confirmed that Pei Yanzhen's visit to Weiyang was solely to find a divine healer for his blindness, not for Shen Miao. Seizing the opportunity, Song Xiyuan planned to rescue Xiao from Pei Yanzhen's custody.
Pei Yanzhen, having booked the entire theater through Zhan Yue, called out to Xiao, seemingly aware of his hiding spot. He chided Xiao for his mischievous behavior and for ignoring his warnings against wandering off. Xu Sheng attempted to signal Xiao to remain silent and take advantage of Pei Yanzhen's blindness to escape. However, Pei Yanzhen’s acute hearing allowed him to sense their presence.
When Xiao coughed, Pei Yanzhen inquired about his health, then confronted Xu Sheng, demanding to know her identity and why she had abducted his son. Pei Yanzhen repeatedly called out "Miao" and "Miao'er," mistaking Xu Sheng for Shen Miao. Xiao defended Xu Sheng, explaining she was a kind person who took him in when he was lost. When Pei Yanzhen asked why she didn't speak, Xu Sheng wrote on his palm, revealing she was a mute.
The familiar touch immediately confirmed to Pei Yanzhen that she was indeed Shen Miao. He apologized for his previous rudeness. Pei Yanzhen thanked Xu Sheng for caring for Xiao and offered a reward. He asked Xiao why he had run off to the theatrical troupe, to which Xiao replied that his mother loved watching shows.
Xiao then pleaded with Pei Yanzhen to allow him to stay with the troupe and learn acting, arguing that troupes are for parentless children like him. Pei Yanzhen initially refused, deeming the troupe a mixed bag, but when Xu Sheng subtly wrote that allowing Xiao to pursue his interest would prevent him from running away again, Pei Yanzhen agreed.
He then gave Xu Sheng a familiar hairpin as a deposit for teaching Xiao, inviting her to his residence the next day. Xu Sheng was perplexed by the Regent's interest in a mere folktale and the familiarity of the hairpin. Later, Song Xiyuan visited Xu Sheng, confirming he was heading to the capital. He questioned her about going to the theater, having heard their parrot was there, and reminded her of the danger if Pei Yanzhen discovered her true identity.
He warned her again to stay away from Pei Yanzhen, who he called a "cold-blooded demon." Xu Sheng expressed a feeling that Pei Yanzhen was connected to her lost memories, but Song Xiyuan dismissed it, reiterating that he had already told her everything and questioned her trust in him. He promised that once he returned from the capital, he would take her away from Weiyang to wander the world, far from all disputes.
Meanwhile, Pei Yanzhen postponed his eye treatment, choosing to remain in Weiyang. He confided in Zhan Yue that he had met Shen Miao, but she didn't remember him. He admitted his conflicted feelings: he wanted her to remember him but feared the painful memories of their past. He clarified that he recognized her by her touch, not sight, and instructed Zhan Yue to do nothing, stating his only desire was for her to live well.
After Song Xiyuan departed, his guards diligently watched Xu Sheng, blocking her every attempt to leave the residence. Zhang San explained that Song Xiyuan had anticipated all her potential escape routes and briefed them on the map he had drawn. Undeterred, Xu Sheng eventually found a way to slip past the guards using a parrot's distraction, right under Tie Niu's nose. She found Pei Yanzhen airing clothes, playfully chiding the Regent for doing such mundane tasks.
The parrot then sang a melancholic song. Xiao waited anxiously for Xu Sheng, disappointed by her absence. Pei Yanzhen comforted him, explaining that his mother was sick and had forgotten the past. He suggested that forgetting might be better for her, even if it saddened Xiao, because remembering would bring her pain. Xiao, understanding, suggested they return to the capital once Pei Yanzhen's eyes were healed, believing his mother would be fine with Xiyuan.
When Xu Sheng finally arrived, Lvying rushed to embrace her long-lost mistress. Zhan Yue gently led Lvying away, leaving Xu Sheng and Pei Yanzhen alone. As they ate, Xu Sheng tasted the sweet and sour cabbage, finding its flavor strikingly familiar, as if she had eaten it before. She then questioned Pei Yanzhen about whether he had visited Lingzhou two years ago, mentioning someone told her they had met.
Pei Yanzhen denied it, stating he hadn't been to Lingzhou since becoming Regent and rarely met people even if he had visited. As they walked in the garden, holding hands, Pei Yanzhen commented on his blindness, to which Xu Sheng, in a playful yet sincere manner, asserted that people of the jianghu should care for the vulnerable.
She confessed she had heard he was a brutal villain, but seeing him now, she observed the calluses on his hand from perennial sword practice and recognized his elegant, polite, and capable nature, believing him to be a hero. Pei Yanzhen, touched, asked if she truly thought so. Xu Sheng reaffirmed her honesty and explained her delay was due to her brother's strict watch. Pei Yanzhen then asked about her relationship with Song Xiyuan.
Suddenly, Xu Sheng's attention was drawn to a shadow play depicting "Pei Yanzhen greeting Miss Shen," accompanied by poignant dialogue about enduring love and past promises. The scene shifted to a memory of Shen Miao confronting Pei Yanzhen, accusing him of wanting to kill her with the hairpin he had given her, while Pei Yanzhen questioned her eagerness to take his life, reminding her of the destruction of her family.
As the voices of "Miao," "Sister," and "Mother" echoed, Xiao ran to Xu Sheng, asking if she liked his gift. Looking at Xiao calling her "Mother" and then at Pei Yanzhen beside her, all of Shen Miao's forgotten memories flooded back. Overwhelmed by the painful past, she fainted. A physician examined Shen Miao, explaining she had survived a fatal injury years ago, with blood stagnation affecting her memory.
He noted her current unconsciousness might be a blessing, as the recent "stimulus" had cleared the stasis, potentially restoring her memory. Xiao, overjoyed, expressed hope his mother would now recognize him. However, Pei Yanzhen, recalling the accusations from Xiao that he had harmed his mother, asked the physician for a way to make her forget the past to spare her from pain. He disregarded Xiao's protests, stating, "Just think of me as a selfish person," and had Xiao taken away.
Pei Yanzhen then consulted with the physician on adjusting the medicine. Later, Lvying brought the medicine to the still-unconscious Shen Miao, tearfully wishing her mistress would return. When Shen Miao awoke, she furiously knocked over the medicine bowl, refusing to hear anything about Pei Yanzhen. Lvying tried to explain Pei Yanzhen's intentions were for her own good, believing forgetting would free her from misery.
Shen Miao angrily questioned whether Pei Yanzhen's actions were truly for her well-being or merely to absolve himself. She declared she wanted to hear nothing about him and challenged Lvying to report her awakening to him. Lvying, proclaiming her loyalty, promised to help. Shen Miao then firmly stated her resolve to take Xiao away from Pei Yanzhen and asked Lvying for her assistance in escaping.
