City of Streamer Episode 40 (Ending) Recap
> City of Streamer Recap
Today marked the wedding of Rong Fanghua and Wu Yunchi, and while the Rong estate buzzed with celebration, Rong Fanghua found herself lost in thought. Rong Fanglin comforted her, encouraging her to anticipate a new life with Yunchi in their own home, distinct from the one she had known.
When Rong Fanghua worried about being a burden to Yunchi, Rong Fanglin reminded her of their shared aspirations to be strong, independent women with their own purpose, not merely defined by their marital or maternal roles. She urged her sister to hold onto her dreams even after marriage, and then helped her into her wedding dress. Meanwhile, Wang Yitai assisted Rong Dingkun with his attire, commenting on his distinguished appearance.
She reflected on Rong Fanghua being the first daughter to marry, lamenting that her daughter hadn't been born a lineal daughter to the first wife, which had subjected her to ridicule because of Wang Yitai's concubine status. She found solace in Rong Fanghua's good match and expressed her sole desire to live a good life caring for Rong Dingkun. Rong Dingkun, observing his children's growing ambition to leave the nest, was assured by Wang Yitai that they would always return.
She urged him to prioritize his health, hoping for a grandson by the following year. Rong Dingkun then expressed a wish to witness the festivities. Later, as Wang Yitai prepared Rong Fanghua, she reminisced about her daughter's childhood, amazed at how quickly she was getting married. She presented Rong Fanghua with her most treasured earrings, wishing her a splendid wedding.
Wang Yitai advised her daughter to be more accommodating in her marriage to Yunchi, emphasizing the importance of a peaceful life. Separately, Rong Jiashang handed Wu Yunchi a dossier containing evidence of his father's crimes, requesting it be published after the wedding. Wu Yunchi expressed apprehension about the Rong family's ruin, but Rong Jiashang accepted it as their deserved fate, dating back to his father's initial misdeeds.
He told Yunchi not to worry about him and to focus on caring for Fanghua, assuring him all other matters were handled. Feng Shizhen, intending to attend the wedding, was accompanied by Feng Shixun, who worried about her safety given Rong Dingkun's cruel nature. Feng Shizhen tried to reassure him, asserting that Rong Dingkun wouldn't dare harm her at a public event and vowed to confront him after the wedding.
Feng Shixun, however, insisted on his role as her protective brother. Meng Xu'an's subordinate questioned the timing of uniting Meng Xiaojiu with Rong Dingkun. Meng Xu'an, however, believed it was an opportune moment, suggesting that Rong Dingkun, having been disappointed by Rong Jiashang, might cherish a more docile son like Xiaojiu. The wedding ceremony commenced, with the priest officiating. Wu Yunchi and Rong Fanghua exchanged heartfelt vows, pledging eternal fidelity through all circumstances.
They were pronounced husband and wife, receiving heartfelt blessings from those present. During the banquet, Rong Jiashang sent someone to escort Rong Dingkun to a private room. Feng Shixun confronted him there, apologizing for his intrusion but needing answers. Rong Dingkun, aware of Feng Shixun's purpose, deflected blame onto Feng Shizhen and dismissed Sun Shaolan as a willing participant in his schemes, despite being his concubine and bearing his child.
Feng Shixun accused Rong Dingkun of twisting truth and excelling at self-justification, lamenting that he wasn't a politician. Rong Dingkun tried to end the discussion, stating he had another guest, but Feng Shixun declared himself Rong Dingkun's final visitor. Feng Shixun then produced a scalpel, offering Rong Dingkun a peaceful death if he cooperated. Just then, Meng Xiaojiu arrived at the door, hoping to recognize Rong Dingkun as his father.
Rong Dingkun, held at knifepoint by Feng Shixun, quickly dismissed Meng Xiaojiu, claiming to have other business and wanting to rest. Meng Xiaojiu, worried, offered to fetch Rong Jiashang for a doctor, but Rong Dingkun insisted he only needed sleep and sent him away. Meanwhile, Rong Jiashang approached Feng Shizhen, complimenting Rong Fanghua's beauty and imagining Feng Shizhen in a wedding dress.
He acknowledged his father's unforgivable actions but also his paternal role, promising to secure justice for Feng Shizhen after the wedding. Feng Shizhen, however, expressed her reluctance to involve him further in her long-standing feud with Rong Dingkun, though she agreed the conflict must end. A servant then mentioned sending Meng Xiaojiu to Rong Dingkun, and Feng Shizhen, upon learning Feng Shixun had also inquired about that room, realized his dangerous intent.
Exclaiming in alarm, she rushed towards the room, inadvertently dropping her longevity lock, which Rong Jiashang picked up and pocketed before following her. Inside, Feng Shizhen desperately pleaded with Feng Shixun, reminding him of the numerous victims of Rong Dingkun's cruelty, including Sun Shaolan and their own family. She implored him not to stain his hands with murder, emphasizing his role as a healer.
Rong Jiashang intervened, revealing he had already submitted all evidence of Rong Dingkun's crimes to the newspaper for public exposure, assuring Feng Shixun that justice would prevail. He warned that killing Rong Dingkun now would only jeopardize his own future and life. Feng Shizhen then appealed to Feng Shixun's familial duty, reminding him that with their brother Wen still in a coma, he and their parents were her last remaining close family, begging him not to abandon them.
Overwhelmed, Feng Shixun reluctantly lowered his scalpel. Suddenly, Rong Dingkun produced a pistol and aimed it at Feng Shizhen. Meng Xiaojiu screamed, "Daddy!" Rong Jiashang bravely shielded Feng Shizhen and took the bullet, collapsing. Feng Shizhen rushed to his side, relieved to find that the longevity lock had miraculously deflected the shot, leaving him unharmed. To everyone's astonishment, Rong Dingkun then rose from his wheelchair, pistol in hand, and took Feng Shizhen hostage.
A flashback revealed Zhao Hua'an had provided Rong Dingkun with a powerful German medicine, enabling him to stand for a critical fifteen minutes. Rong Dingkun defiantly stated that he would now show them how a "caring" father would eliminate the woman who ruined his family. Rong Jiashang declared he would die with Feng Shizhen and questioned if Rong Dingkun desired Meng Xiaojiu, the "mad boy," as his heir.
Meng Xiaojiu, calling out "Daddy," was harshly rebuked by Rong Dingkun, who questioned how Qingzhi could have birthed such a "freak." Meng Xu'an then entered, confirming Meng Xiaojiu as Rong Dingkun's true son. He scorned Rong Dingkun's villainy and desperate act of holding a woman hostage, asking how it felt to be utterly abandoned. Rong Dingkun dismissed Meng Xiaojiu as a "bastard," but Meng Xu'an pushed Meng Xiaojiu's wheelchair closer, urging Rong Dingkun to look closely at his son.
As Meng Xu'an advanced, Rong Dingkun, still holding Feng Shizhen hostage, retreated towards a window, repeatedly demanding Meng Xu'an to stop. In a decisive move, Meng Xu'an fired, striking Rong Dingkun. Rong Dingkun stumbled backward through the window, dragging Feng Shizhen with him. Rong Jiashang and Meng Xu'an immediately pulled Feng Shizhen back to safety. Rong Dingkun was also retrieved, but he had been fatally strangled by Feng Shizhen's scarf during the fall.
His swift and unexpected death, at the hands of a simple scarf, left everyone stunned. The man who had fueled so much conflict was suddenly gone. A wave of relief, tinged with disbelief, washed over the attendees, as if a prolonged battle had abruptly ended. As the reality settled in, a collective sigh of relief filled the room. Feng Shizhen and Rong Jiashang, overcome with shared emotions, embraced passionately.
At the dock, Wu Yunchi, Rong Fanghua, and Rong Fanglin prepared for their departure. Rong Fanglin reminded her sister to care for herself and write. Rong Fanghua, in turn, reassured her mother, promising to return after her studies and noting Wu Yunchi's protective presence. Wu Yunchi pledged to care for them both. Wang Yitai informed Rong Fanghua that she (Wang Yitai) and Mrs. Rong were moving to a Nanjing residence, urging her daughter to visit and remember her maternal home.
Wang Yitai offered farewell advice, emphasizing self-care and continued education, recalling Mr. Feng's guidance. Rong Jiashang, seeing his sister off, mentioned Feng Shizhen's own impending departure. He believed he and Feng Shizhen needed time to heal separately, convinced that time would mend their wounds and that their paths might cross again. He reaffirmed that his decision to publicize Rong Dingkun's crimes was his alone, freeing his family from that burden.
With final emotional goodbyes, Rong Fanghua, Wu Yunchi, and Rong Fanglin embarked on their journey. Feng Shizhen met with Meng Xu'an to say goodbye. She shared that Wen had recovered, and she and Feng Shixun planned to move their family to Peking, where Feng Shixun would open a clinic and she would teach, allowing her more time with Wen. She expressed a desire to shed her past in Shanghai and start anew.
Feng Shizhen thanked Meng Xu'an for his steadfast support over the years, assuring him she would never forget his kindness and wished him well. Meng Xu'an, pained by her departure, simply replied that being remembered by her was sufficient. Later, Xiao Baoli questioned Meng Xu'an's failure to persuade Feng Shizhen to stay, knowing his feelings for her. Mrs. Rong and Wang Yitai moved to Nanjing.
Rong Jiashang, the last to leave the Rong residence, packed his belongings, feeling a poignant mix of nostalgia and uncertainty. At the train station, he saw Feng Shizhen on the opposite platform. He was heading to Guangzhou for military school, while she was bound for Peking. They exchanged a silent, knowing smile, then boarded trains heading in different directions. Three years later, in Peking, a recovered Wen handed Feng Shizhen a letter from Meng Xu'an.
Feng Shizhen learned that Meng Xu'an's business was flourishing, he had made significant donations to soldiers, and Xiao Baoli was marrying an honest scholar. Wen also observed the countless monthly letters from Rong Jiashang, questioning why Feng Shizhen never replied or sought to reunite. Feng Shizhen simply told him to attend to his tasks.
From Guangzhou, Rong Jiashang wrote to Feng Shizhen, lamenting the heat and his dreams of her visiting, while fearing the weather would be too much for her. He shared his success in military school exams, recalling their first meeting three years prior. He described himself as stronger and more tanned, wondering if she would recognize him. He also mentioned his dog, Moon Cake, was happy with him and had puppies. During this time, Du Lanxin managed the Rong family's business.
In a phone call with Rong Jiashang, she playfully chided him for his "hands-off" approach, but he expressed full confidence in her. She complained about the "mess" he left but admitted she wouldn't have helped without his past kindness. She pressed him about his return, to which he vaguely replied, "In a while," jokingly conceding the business's profits to her. At his graduation ball, Rong Jiashang declined to dance with anyone, explaining he lacked a suitable partner.
His friend teased him, noting Feng Shizhen's lack of replies to his letters and suggesting she might have moved on. Rong Jiashang, however, held firm, stating that he knew she was waiting for him and would come to him someday. His belief proved true when Feng Shizhen appeared at the ball. Disbelieving, Rong Jiashang wondered if he was dreaming. Feng Shizhen approached him, gracefully asking him to dance. They danced, then shared a deep, passionate kiss, a reunion that filled them with immense joy. " Now that I have seen you, should I not rejoice?"
