City of Streamer Episode 1 Recap
> City of Streamer Recap
In the early 20th century, amidst the warlords and revolutionary fervor of Shanghai, the wealthy Rong family sought to hire a governess, attracting numerous applicants. Feng Shizhen, a top student from Ginling Women's University, was among them. She presented a recommendation letter from Professor Pei Dongren. Mrs. Rong's nephew, Yang Xiucheng, challenged the applicants with the most difficult questions selected from foreign university textbooks. Feng Shizhen was the only one to answer all of them correctly, impressing Mrs. Rong.
Mrs. Rong then inquired about Feng's family background, and Feng revealed that her family used to live in Wenchunli, Hongkou, where her father owned a Chinese medicine shop. However, a fire had caused their family to lose everything. Mrs. Rong then tasked Feng with teaching her husband Rong Dingkun's children.
Yang Xiucheng outlined their educational needs, noting that the eldest son, Rong Jiashang, had fallen behind in his studies after attending military school, while the two daughters, Rong Fanglin and Rong Fanghua, needed English tutoring to enter McTyeire School for Girls. Mrs. Rong expressed concern that Feng, being not much older than Rong Jiashang, might not be able to control his unruly nature. Feng confidently assured her that she had experience tutoring male university students and could maintain authority.
As Feng Shizhen walked home, she saw her mother being harassed by their neighbor, Zhang, a widow. She rushed to her mother's defense. Zhang complained that their quilt, hung out to dry, blocked the sun from her sauce vat. In a fit of anger, Zhang pulled down the quilt, accidentally smashing her own vat. Zhang then hit Feng's mother and demanded compensation. Feng confronted Zhang, reminding her of previous incidents where Zhang had stolen their dried fish and salted vegetables.
Feng declared that she would no longer tolerate Zhang's bullying and warned that she would fight to the end if anyone dared to harm her family. Although her mother worried about being seen as a "shrew," Feng insisted that in such times, being too kind would only invite more trouble. Later, hearing her father's persistent cough, Feng urged her mother to stop giving him opium, fearing addiction.
Her mother admitted her helplessness, explaining that the opium alleviated his severe pain and allowed him to sleep. Feng pointed out that Doctor Li had said her father's injuries were largely healed, suggesting his pain was more due to drug dependence, and implored her mother to help him quit. That night, Feng Shizhen went to the New Metropolis Club to report to Meng Xu'an, who was also known as Boss.
She informed him that her application had been surprisingly successful, and she would move into the Rong residence in two days. Meng Xu'an was pleased but cautioned her to be wary of Yang Xiucheng, who was Mrs. Rong's trusted nephew. Feng explained her strategy: she had researched the Rong family and learned that Rong Dingkun favored his second concubine, Concubine Sun, who was now pregnant and asserting her influence over Mrs. Rong.
Feng deduced that Mrs. Rong was not just hiring a governess but was seeking an ally. By presenting herself as a pure, educated, yet financially struggling woman, she had appealed to Mrs. Rong's intentions. Meng Xu'an further revealed that Yang Xiucheng, Mrs. Rong's nephew, had been working for Rong Dingkun since college graduation and ran errands for Mrs. Rong, having free access to the house. He reiterated the importance of caution regarding Yang.
Meng Xu'an then presented Feng with extensive, detailed files on the Rong family, covering everything from their business dealings to individual birthdates, and even Mrs. Rong's favorite hair salons and shops. He explained that these were merely surface details. Rong Dingkun, a former comprador who built his wealth through the tea trade, secretly operated several crucial shipping routes for illicit businesses.
Meng emphasized that Rong Dingkun was a heinous criminal, and they desperately needed concrete evidence of his crimes, which had been impossible to obtain from the outside. Feng's role as a governess was unique; she could interact with everyone from the family to the servants without arousing suspicion. Her primary mission was to quickly integrate into the family, gain Rong Jiashang's trust, and use him as a "protection umbrella" to facilitate her investigation.
Meng provided details about Rong Jiashang, Rong Dingkun's eldest son, noting that he was born to a woman named Tang, and had been sent to military school at the age of twelve. This was due to an earlier kidnapping incident involving both Rong Jiashang and Mrs. Rong's own son, where only Rong Jiashang survived. To placate Mrs. Rong's grief, Rong Dingkun had exiled Rong Jiashang to military school under the guise of training.
Rong Jiashang had only recently returned, which was why Meng's contacts did not yet have a photograph of him. Feng confidently accepted the task, assuring Meng that she was the right person for the job. Before leaving, Feng requested Meng's help in caring for her parents in her absence, a request he readily granted, promising to arrange for someone to look after them.
As Feng Shizhen exited Meng Xu'an's office, she bumped into her friend, Xiao Baoli, who excitedly offered her some blusher and face cream from America. Meanwhile, inside the New Metropolis Club, Wu Yunchi brought Rong Jiashang to relax. Many young women flocked to Rong Jiashang, who seemed annoyed and tried to avoid them, accidentally bumping one. Feng Shizhen quickly helped the woman up and then, taking the initiative, asked Rong Jiashang to dance.
They danced gracefully together, their seamless coordination earning applause from everyone present. Afterward, as the women crowded Rong Jiashang again, Meng Xu'an, having heard the commotion, came out to observe. Feng discreetly departed the club. Rong Jiashang, having finally evaded the persistent attention, noticed that Feng Shizhen had vanished. Wu Yunchi, surprised by Rong Jiashang's dancing skills, wondered why he hadn't taught him and noted his friend's distraction. Feng Shizhen then prepared to move to the Rong residence.
True to his word, Meng Xu'an dispatched a man named Wen to live in Feng's family home as a tenant, ensuring her parents' safety. Feng's mother, worried about her daughter leaving, questioned if she had enough clothes. Feng reassured her that the Rong family would provide her attire and downplayed any potential dangers.
Upon Feng's arrival at the Rong residence, the housekeeper, apologizing for Mrs. Rong's temporary absence, introduced her to the young ladies, Rong Fanglin and Rong Fanghua, who were painting in the courtyard. The sisters invited Feng to critique their artworks. Feng offered an objective assessment, noting Fanglin's impressionistic style and bold use of color, and Fanghua's solid foundation and skilled technique, suggesting her talent lay more in traditional Chinese painting.
Fanglin appreciated Feng's honest feedback, unlike the usual flatterers, and revealed that Fanghua was more skilled in painting, while she herself had only recently started learning oil painting. Feng modestly admitted her science background and reliance on intuition, but Fanglin was impressed by her academic prowess and looked forward to learning from her. Shortly after, Rong Jiashang returned home with Wu Yunchi. A servant informed Rong Jiashang about the new, pretty governess.
The sisters, meanwhile, had discussed Rong Jiashang's poor academic record, considering his military school a "boot camp for troublemakers." Feng Shizhen greeted Rong Jiashang, introducing herself as the new governess. Rong Jiashang recognized her from the club, his expression turning cold and suspicious, hinting at ulterior motives. Later, he expressed a desire to throw away the shirt he had worn while dancing with Feng. Wu Yunchi questioned his reasoning, as he usually liked the shirt, but Rong Jiashang insisted.
However, he eventually instructed Ms. Kang to simply wash and put the shirt away. Wu Yunchi found Rong Jiashang's behavior unusual. That evening, Mrs. Rong's servant reported back to Mrs. Rong. She had tried to test Feng by speaking ill of Concubine Sun in Feng's room but Feng remained silent, not taking the bait. The servant noted Feng's composure and believed she was indeed a "fallen noble lady" based on her old but fine clothes.
Mrs. Rong affirmed her strategy: Concubine Sun herself had captivated Rong Dingkun with her innocent "schoolgirl" demeanor, and men's preferences for types of women rarely changed. She reasoned that if Concubine Sun could offer her own sister to Rong Dingkun, she could also introduce a new "schoolgirl" type to appeal to him. Mrs. Rong, in discussion with her servant, expressed her disdain for Concubine Sun's ambition to become an equal wife without bearing a son, considering it a foolish dream.
Mrs. Rong concluded that whether Feng was truly on their side was irrelevant, as long as she served her purpose. At dinner, Mrs. Rong invited Feng to sit and formally introduced her to Concubine Wang, who managed the household. Mrs. Rong praised Feng's intellect and entrusted Fanghua's studies to her, also mentioning Concubine Sun, who was pregnant and visiting family but would soon return, suggesting Feng and she might get along due to their shared interest in reading and poetry.
Rong Jiashang and Wu Yunchi then joined the dinner. Mrs. Rong again introduced Rong Jiashang to Feng. Rong Jiashang, still suspicious, remarked that Feng looked familiar and wondered if they had met before. Feng denied having any impression of him, humorously stating she would surely remember a "handsome young man" like him, and reiterated that she taught at an all-girls school where she rarely encountered men.
Wu Yunchi interjected, suggesting they might have crossed paths when he picked up his little sister, dismissing it as common in a city full of similar female teachers and clerks. Mrs. Rong urged Rong Jiashang to study diligently with Feng, as his father would inquire about his progress. Wu Yunchi then attempted to verify Feng's academic knowledge by asking if she knew Professor Chen Bingguo.
Feng calmly identified Chen Bingguo as a physics professor who had taught basic physics to freshmen but had retired the previous year and moved to Yenching University. Wu Yunchi feigned a lack of familiarity. Mrs. Rong reminded Feng of her significant responsibility, implying that any failure by Rong Jiashang would reflect poorly on Feng.
Fanglin then asked when her father would return, and Mrs. Rong replied he was inspecting tea plantations in the south and would be back within a week. Wu Yunchi and Rong Jiashang abruptly excused themselves, claiming prior engagements, and left without eating, despite Wu Yunchi admitting they had lost track of time chatting with Feng. Feng was then offered to eat.
Later that evening, as Rong Jiashang and Wu Yunchi walked outside, Wu Yunchi questioned Rong Jiashang's refusal to go to the club. He expressed surprise at Mrs. Rong's decision to hire Feng Shizhen, who he knew had danced at the New Metropolis, as a governess, but conceded that Feng's education and experience seemed genuine.
Rong Jiashang, however, remained cynical, remarking that after Concubine Sun's example, academically inclined young women likely viewed the Rong family as an easy target for social climbing. Wu Yunchi defended Feng, saying she didn't seem like that kind of person. As Rong Jiashang returned home much later, he spotted Feng Shizhen sitting by a window, lost in thought. He deliberately pulled the curtains shut, pointedly ignoring her presence. The housekeeper, Zhao Ma, offered to give Feng a tour of the house, which Feng accepted.
