Dear Mayang Street Episode 26 Recap
> Dear Mayang Street Recap
Yi Nannan, having performed poorly on his college entrance exams, spent his days consumed by video games, which escalated into gambling. After losing all his money, he desperately borrowed money from the arcade owner, hoping to win it back, but he lost everything once more. Cornered by his losses, Yi Nannan returned home and stole money from his family, meticulously staging a break-in to conceal his actions.
Later, while returning money to the game arcade, Yi Nannan spotted Sun Falcon and Liang Xiaobao playing games. Fearing discovery, he quickly fled. Back home, Sun Falcon recounted seeing Yi Nannan at the arcade to Yi Dongdong. Yi Dongdong, however, dismissed the claim, confident that he had personally taken Yi Nannan to cram school, making it impossible for him to be at an arcade.
Yi Dongdong even mentioned that Yi Nannan had become "sensible," spending every day in cram school and not returning home for lunch. Upon returning home, Hao Pushi discovered their house in disarray and money stolen. Her friend, Lin Jiahao, who was with her, quickly urged her to call the police. Hao Pushi was particularly distraught over the stolen money, which her husband, Yi Shengli, had recently given her.
Sun Benyan arrived with his team to investigate, promising Hao Pushi they would solve the case. He inquired about the family members' whereabouts. Hao Pushi explained that Yi Shengli was on a long-distance trip, Yi Dongdong and Siqian were at school, and Yi Nannan was supposedly at cram school, not home. Sun Benyan later found Yi Dongdong and took him aside, revealing that the investigation, including fingerprints, footprints, and the time of the incident, all pointed to Yi Nannan.
Yi Dongdong adamantly refused to believe it, requesting a re-investigation, but Sun Benyan confirmed the findings had been double-checked. Sun Benyan also informed Yi Dongdong that Yi Nannan had skipped cram school for four days. He explained that this was a case of burglary, which could lead to severe consequences.
Sun Benyan chose not to tell Hao Pushi to avoid causing her distress, and instead asked Yi Dongdong to speak with Yi Nannan from a brother's perspective to understand his motives. Yi Dongdong agreed to look into it for his parents' sake. Meanwhile, Aunt Niu excitedly told Ma Dada that Chen Lili would be joining her shop as an employee, making her workload lighter.
Ma Dada questioned if Aunt Niu was paying her, to which Aunt Niu confirmed, adding that it was also about helping a neighbor whose family had spent a lot trying to find Sun Falcon a job. Siqian, observing Hao Pushi's distracted state and inability to eat, tried to reassure her that Uncle Sun would help them recover the stolen money. Hao Pushi, still anxious, wondered why her children hadn't returned.
As Yi Nannan furtively approached their home, Yi Dongdong intercepted him and pulled him into an alley. He directly confronted Yi Nannan about the theft and his four-day absence from cram school. Yi Nannan, feigning indifference, challenged Yi Dongdong to call the police, claiming he didn't want to attend school anyway. Enraged, Yi Dongdong struck his younger brother.
He reminded Yi Nannan of their parents' sacrifices: their father, Yi Shengli, despite his age, worked long-distance and had recently been robbed and beaten by "road bullies" while driving, yet never told them to avoid causing worry. He also spoke of Hao Pushi's swollen feet from standing all day at the counter.
Yi Dongdong implored Yi Nannan to consider their parents' hardship and to be worthy of their efforts, emphasizing that their parents had given them their best despite not being wealthy or highly educated. Overwhelmed, Yi Nannan broke down, confessing he hadn't known the extent of his actions.
When Yi Dongdong revealed that Yi Nannan’s fingerprints and footprints were on file and he faced jail time, Yi Nannan, terrified, knelt and begged his brother for help, admitting his academic struggles and the immense pressure he felt to go to college. Back home, Yi Dongdong, with Yi Nannan present, confessed to Hao Pushi that he was the one who stole the money, claiming he had become addicted to "slot machines" and accumulated significant debt.
Hao Pushi, heartbroken and furious that her most trusted child had disappointed her so deeply and jeopardized his future, grabbed a kitchen knife and chased Yi Dongdong out of the house, proclaiming that her family had no place for an unfilial son. Both Siqian and Yi Nannan tried to stop Yi Dongdong, but Hao Pushi threatened to disown them if they followed. As Yi Dongdong left, Yi Nannan remained silent, unable to confess the truth.
Yi Dongdong, sitting outside in despair, encountered Ou Xiaojian. He inquired about prison life, indicating he might be heading there. Ou Xiaojian advised him to surrender, prompting Yi Dongdong to reveal that the fingerprints weren't actually his. He then confessed that Yi Nannan had stolen the money, but he couldn't bear to let his younger brother go to jail. Ou Xiaojian explained that family matters like this typically don't lead to prison.
He stated that if it were his own brother, he wouldn't cover for him but would "take the beating with him" and teach him that "a man has to take responsibility for what he does." Ou Xiaojian offered Yi Dongdong a place to stay for the night, and that night, Yi Dongdong noticed a copy of "A Tale of Two Cities."
The next morning, Ou Xiaojian encouraged him to think clearly about his responsibilities, adding that those who truly wished to believe him would. Later, Chen Lili saw Siqian crying with red eyes. Siqian confided that Yi Dongdong had been kicked out by their mother. Chen Lili, shocked and angered, hurried to tell Sun Benyan. She expressed her disdain for people who appeared honest but harbored ulterior motives, hinting at Yi Dongdong's alleged theft.
She worried about Sun Falcon being influenced by him and resolved to talk to her son about choosing his friends carefully. Sun Benyan, already aware of the true culprit, attempted to tear up the police report on the theft but was stopped by a colleague who reminded him of proper procedure. Sun Benyan confessed that while Yi Nannan was the thief, Yi Dongdong had taken the blame and been cast out.
He argued that the amount stolen was not enough for a formal case and urged his colleague not to report it to the school, emphasizing that Yi Dongdong was giving his brother a second chance. Sun Benyan, feeling guilty, eventually told Hao Pushi the truth about Yi Nannan's actions. Hao Pushi immediately went to bring Yi Dongdong home.
Upon their return, Yi Nannan knelt before Hao Pushi, begging for forgiveness and insisting that he was solely to blame, not Yi Dongdong. It was at this chaotic moment that Yi Shengli unexpectedly returned home. Sun Benyan had secured a good job for Sun Falcon at a TV station.
However, Sun Falcon preferred to work with Ou Xiaojian at Little Hong Kong, leading to a heated argument and a scolding from his father, who opposed his son associating with someone who had been imprisoned. Despite Sun Benyan's insistence on the TV job, Sun Falcon remained firm in his decision. Elsewhere, Ma Dada excitedly registered for the "Youth Invincible" singing competition, hoping for recognition from Tan Yonglin. She unexpectedly encountered Sun Falcon, who was interning at the TV station.
Ma Dada swore him to secrecy about her participation. Aunt Niu, having dressed up for a business meeting, informed Chen Lili that she was meeting Boss Li from South hotel to discuss a franchise partnership. The esteemed Boss Li expressed his interest in expanding his Southern Hotel chain and recognized Aunt Niu's capabilities. As their discussion progressed positively, with Boss Li even offering Aunt Niu management of a new branch, Ma Yingjun arrived.
Jealous of Aunt Niu's close interaction with Boss Li, he disrupted the meeting by loudly singing and then explicitly told Boss Li that Aunt Niu's "disabled" husband required all her attention, insinuating she couldn't manage another venture. Mortified, Aunt Niu apologized to Boss Li, ending the meeting abruptly. Later, Aunt Niu told Ma Dada and Sun Falcon that she intended to move out for a while. Concerned, her children questioned if she was considering divorce.
Aunt Niu reflected on her long marriage and how Ma Yingjun's illness had made him increasingly irrational. She clarified her intention was only to live separately to reduce conflict. Ma Dada and Sun Falcon, worried about a permanent separation, reassured her that they would take care of Ma Yingjun, urging her to focus on her successful breakfast shop, but pleaded with her not to get a divorce.
