City of Streamer Episode 32 Recap
> City of Streamer Recap
Rong Dingkun, after Rong Jiashang's departure, wore a cunning, cold smile. Meanwhile, Feng Shizhen, longing for her family, called her brother, Feng Shixun, in Shanghai. She learned that their parents were well, but her brother disagreed with their wish to retire to the countryside due to a lack of medical care. Feng Shizhen expressed concern that their parents were lonely and teased Feng Shixun about finding a wife.
She then inquired about Rong Dingkun, and Feng Shixun revealed that Rong Dingkun had awoken but was paralyzed, considering it karma. He grimly noted that for a proud and dictatorial man like Rong Dingkun, paralysis would be worse than death, and his women would no longer fawn over him. Feng Shixun asked if Feng Shizhen was still in contact with Rong Jiashang.
Feng Shizhen lied, claiming they were no longer in touch after she had deceived him, explaining she had moved to Peking to avoid trouble. Feng Shixun warned her to stay away from wealthy people like Rong Jiashang and to inform him if Rong Jiashang ever bothered her. Feng Shizhen then asked Feng Shixun to pass a message to Sun Shaoqing, informing her that Feng Shizhen had met her sister in Peking and a letter would be sent soon.
Feng Shixun mentioned that Sun Shaoqing was having a difficult time as her son had a high fever and believed her sister's letter would bring her comfort. Feng Shizhen confirmed the letter would be addressed to him for collection. Suddenly, Meng Xu'an arrived in Peking to see Feng Shizhen. He noted that she had become more interesting since knowing Rong Jiashang, implying she was more attractive. Feng Shizhen, cutting to the chase, asked his true purpose for visiting.
Meng Xu'an mentioned seeing Rong Jiashang at a ball, surrounded by admirers, with Shiori Hashimoto appearing to be the most hopeful suitor. Feng Shizhen sarcastically pointed out that Meng Xu'an's previous schemes had inadvertently helped Rong Jiashang consolidate power. Meng Xu'an then revealed that Yang Xiucheng, now in his employ, had provided crucial information, including a "shocking" secret about Feng Shizhen's origins.
He explained that Yang Xiucheng had monitored Rong Jiashang's investigation into Feng Shizhen’s past and obtained a copy of an old photograph. Meng Xu'an presented the photo, identifying the man as Rong Dingkun and one of the women as Feng Shizhen's birth mother, concluding that Rong Dingkun was her father, making her Rong Jiashang’s half-sister.
Feng Shizhen vehemently rejected this, stating that she would never believe such a claim based on a blurry photo and a fabricated story, asserting that Rong Dingkun could not be her father. She added that Meng Xu'an didn't know everything about her. Meng Xu'an then revealed his theory: that the person who tried to kill Feng Shizhen and her mother was indeed her father, Rong Dingkun.
He pointed out that the timing of her mother's death and her adoption coincided with Rong Dingkun's first wife and children supposedly dying of illness. Feng Shizhen, disturbed, ironically asked if Rong Jiashang was her missing younger brother. Meng Xu'an dismissed this due to age but speculated that Rong Dingkun might have hidden another son.
Still unconvinced, Feng Shizhen stated that it was all mere speculation unless Rong Dingkun himself confirmed it, reiterating that she and Rong Jiashang could not be siblings. Meng Xu'an invited her to return to Shanghai with him to meet her aunt, Qian, to verify the truth. Feng Shizhen questioned his motives, but he insisted she deserved to know.
Feng Shizhen expressed a desire for a peaceful life, but Meng Xu'an contended that she was not destined for such a life, suggesting her future would be "amazing." He informed her he would depart for Shanghai the next day and would wait for her at the Peking Hotel. Feng Shizhen was left deep in thought, recalling her first encounter with Rong Dingkun and the unsettling possibility that she and Rong Jiashang might be siblings.
The next morning, Feng Shizhen, her heart heavy, called Rong Jiashang. She expressed how much she missed him and warned him to dress warmly in Shanghai. Rong Jiashang shared his breakfast plans, mentioning her favorite crab-roe buns and wontons. Feng Shizhen longed for such food but joked that she'd make him taste his cooking first to ensure it was safe.
Rong Jiashang then informed her he had arranged for the Peking Hotel to save some fresh hairy crabs for her to pick up. Overwhelmed with emotion, Feng Shizhen began to cry, unable to speak. Rong Jiashang, sensing her distress, repeatedly asked if she was still on the line. After a moment, Feng Shizhen composed herself enough to say she had a class and abruptly ended the call, leaving Rong Jiashang thoughtful.
Later, Feng Shizhen went to the Peking Hotel to meet Meng Xu'an, agreeing to return to Shanghai to uncover the truth, but clarifying that she was not resuming their old arrangement. Meng Xu'an asked what she would do if Rong Dingkun was indeed her father, to which she replied he would find out when the time came. Feng Shizhen expressed her continued doubts about the photograph, questioning its authenticity and whether it truly proved her parentage.
Meng Xu'an reassured her, mentioning that her aunt, Qian, possessed additional evidence, and Rong Jiashang had already dispatched bodyguards to bring Qian to Shanghai after confirming her identity. Meng Xu'an revealed he had sent his subordinate, Wen, to intercept them. Feng Shizhen questioned if Meng Xu'an had chosen her for his plans because he knew of her connection to the Rong family.
Meng Xu'an denied being a prophet but admitted he chose her for her perseverance, persistence, intelligence, and education, qualities he found useful. He added that he had once been disappointed when she seemed to be "held back by her so-called love" but later understood that everyone has weaknesses, affirming his belief that she could achieve great things. Meng Xu'an asked why she loved Rong Jiashang, describing him as boyish, naive, and lost.
Feng Shizhen simply stated that "love just happens before you know it," acknowledging that Rong Jiashang might not be as mature or perfect as Meng Xu'an, but they were growing together, a process she cherished. She suggested that Meng Xu'an would understand this feeling once he truly fell in love. Meng Xu'an responded cryptically, "Perhaps I've found her." Meanwhile, at the Shanghai railway station, Meng Xu'an's subordinate, Wen, successfully intercepted Qian.
He swiftly overpowered Rong Jiashang's guards and escorted Qian away. Upon learning of his men's failure, Rong Jiashang was furious. He confronted his guards, berating them for their incompetence and ordering them to find Qian or not return. Feng Shizhen quietly returned to Shanghai with Meng Xu'an and settled into his residence. Meng Xu'an explained that he would arrange for her to meet her aunt, Qian, the following day. Feng Shizhen inquired about Qian's trustworthiness.
Meng Xu'an confirmed Qian's identity, reiterating that Rong Jiashang had verified it, and explained that Qian was her mother's half-sister, who survived a plague that wiped out their families because she had married and moved to Guangzhou. He asserted that Qian was the only one who could provide clarity. Feng Shizhen remained cautious, questioning if Qian's account would be merely "empty words."
Meng Xu'an laid out the compelling evidence: her mother died in Bailiu Town, the only recorded tragedy there at the time; her mother was the only woman named Bai who married a Rong in Guojia Town and had a son and daughter; and the time and location of the deaths aligned perfectly.
He added that Rong Dingkun had sent a silver longevity lock when her mother gave birth to her, though Feng Shizhen recalled not having any such item when she was adopted. Meng Xu'an further revealed that Rong Dingkun, as a child, had broken his leg in a fall, and it healed improperly, causing him pain on rainy days. He suggested that Rong Dingkun's medical records from his recent gunshot injury would confirm this. Feng Shizhen acknowledged Meng Xu'an's thoroughness.
The next morning, Wen brought Qian to meet Feng Shizhen. Upon seeing Feng Shizhen, Qian, overcome with emotion, cried out "Sister!" She then eagerly confirmed Feng Shizhen's identity by locating a red mole on the back of her neck, identifying her as "Daniu," the daughter of Bai Yuzhen and Rong Dingkun. Qian recounted how she had changed Feng Shizhen’s diapers as a baby and expressed profound relief that she was alive.
Sitting down, Qian recounted Feng Shizhen's origins: her mother was Bai Yuzhen, and her father, Rong Dingkun, was the sole heir of the fourth branch of the Rong family in Guojia Town. Feng Shizhen's original name was Fangzhen. Rong Dingkun had left home for Shanghai before Fangzhen's birth to seek his fortune. Bai Yuzhen later became pregnant again and, due to conflicts with Rong Dingkun's mother, returned to her maiden home, where she gave birth to Feng Shizhen’s younger brother.
Rong Dingkun, now wealthy, was overjoyed and sent word that he would bring them all to Shanghai to live a good life. Qian, having married and moved to Guangzhou, had only heard these stories through letters. She sorrowfully recounted that Bai Yuzhen, Fangzhen, and her brother supposedly died of illness on their journey to Shanghai. She further added that Rong Dingkun, after burying them, was believed to have contracted the same illness, which then spread, killing the entire Rong family.
In his grief, Rong Dingkun sold off all his rural properties and moved permanently to Shanghai. Qian then pressed Feng Shizhen, asking how she had survived and what had become of her brother. Feng Shizhen, however, corrected Qian's account, tearfully revealing that her mother had not died of illness but had been murdered by assailants on their journey. She recounted being stabbed and falling into a river, where she was rescued by her foster parents.
Her foster parents later found her mother's lifeless body, but her brother remained missing. It was her foster parents who had paid for her mother's funeral, not Rong Dingkun, which contradicted the rumor that Rong Dingkun had buried all three of them in the family graveyard. Feng Shizhen showed Qian the photograph, which Qian confirmed was hers, but stated Rong Jiashang's men had taken the original. Feng Shizhen then asked about her father's character.
Qian described Rong Dingkun as a benevolent, diligent man, admired by all for his character, wealth, and fidelity. He had worked his way up from poverty, sent lavish gifts to his family from Shanghai, and even rebuilt the ancestral hall. Her grandmother (Rong Dingkun's mother) affectionately called him "He," his pet name, believing him to be a "lucky star." Feng Shizhen felt a faint familiarity with the name "He."
Meng Xu'an advised her not to overthink it and arranged for Qian to stay at his residence, encouraging her to share any further recollections. Meanwhile, in Shanghai, a servant informed Rong Jiashang that Rong Dingkun had suffered a severe opium craving and almost destroyed his room, only calmed by Fanghua administering his prescribed medication, allowing him to sleep. Rong Jiashang entered his father's room, only for Rong Dingkun to awaken and angrily dismiss him.
Rong Jiashang attempted to persuade his father to seek advanced treatment from Dr. Robert in New York, offering to accompany him and arrange for his chosen companions, hoping he could recover enough to walk Fanghua down the aisle at her wedding. Rong Dingkun scoffed, calling it ironic, as Rong Jiashang had initially disdained the family business. He then accused Rong Jiashang of actively destroying the empire he had painstakingly built.
Rong Jiashang vehemently countered that he was saving the Rong family. He reminded his father that the family enterprise belonged to more than just him, and that shareholders and elders did not wish to see it consumed by Rong Dingkun's personal vendetta against Meng Xu'an. He also vowed to protect his younger siblings from being entangled in "blood debts."
Rong Jiashang challenged his father, stating that he could only criticize him when he started to consider the welfare of others and the family, rather than solely his own interests. Rong Dingkun, enraged, insisted that Rong Jiashang could not understand his sacrifices. Rong Jiashang fired back, accusing his father of being utterly self-serving, treating women as mere possessions and children as pawns for strategic marriages.
He pointed out how Rong Dingkun had first called Fanghua "cheap" after her failed engagement, only to praise her as "blessed" when another suitor, Wu Yunchi, agreed to marry her, highlighting the immense pain this caused Fanghua and Fanglin. Rong Dingkun, unrepentant, retorted that daughters were merely raised to secure "useful" marriages.
