Dear Mayang Street Episode 31 Recap
> Dear Mayang Street Recap
Ma Xiaoxiao went to the cemetery to visit Grandma Ou. While there, she saw Ou Xiaojian getting into Chen Fang's car and followed them, watching Ou Xiaojian enter Jinhao Mansion. Inside, Chen Fang formally asked Ou Xiaojian to join her Hongtu company. Ou Xiaojian agreed, but demanded a "joining gift," calling for Antu to come out, indicating he wanted Antu's life as a condition.
Chen Fang acknowledged that a joining gift should be prepared, but stated that taking a human life was unlucky. Instead, she offered to give Ou Xiaojian half of Antu's business, making them equals, a decision Antu, who was present, protested. Ma Xiaoxiao called Ou Xiaojian on her phone, demanding to know his room number at Jinhao Mansion and threatening to search every room if he didn't tell her.
When she arrived, staff attempted to stop her, but she insisted she was looking for her boyfriend. Inside the room, Ou Xiaojian, to put on a show for Chen Fang and seemingly push Ma Xiaoxiao away, continued to act intimately with a hostess. Ma Xiaoxiao burst in, confronting him and asking if this was what he had been busy with. He retorted aggressively, asking if she was finished. Seeing him seemingly enjoy the situation, Ma Xiaoxiao was heartbroken.
She dramatically unbuttoned her shirt, asking if he preferred her "taste" this way. Ou Xiaojian stopped her, simply stating that "beautiful women, men will like it," and tried to prevent her from drinking more. After an emotional kiss, Ma Xiaoxiao slapped him and stormed out into the heavy rain, declaring that she didn't know him anymore and that he had never given her a chance to enter his world. Ou Xiaojian, concerned, chased after her.
Antu, observing the scene, remarked to Chen Fang that Ou Xiaojian's actions for a girl seemed suspicious, but Chen Fang defended him, suggesting it would be more problematic if he didn't care about the girl, especially given how much he cared for his grandmother. Ou Xiaojian found Ma Xiaoxiao soaked and distraught, and brought her home, instructing Ma Dada to get a towel and take care of her since she was drunk and wet.
Thinking of Ma Xiaoxiao's innocent and romantic smile, Ou Xiaojian felt a dull ache in his heart. The next morning, after sobering up, Ma Xiaoxiao watched Ou Xiaojian from her balcony, feeling a growing distance between them. She went to him, returned the book "A Tale of Two Cities" he had given her, and simply stated, "I'm tired. Break up." Ou Xiaojian took the book and quietly said, "Sorry." Both were left with heavy hearts. Little Hong Kong remained closed.
Ma Xiaoxiao, while caring for Ma Yingjun, recounted the sad news of old Grandma Huang from the market passing away, leaving her Grandpa Huang to buy fish alone. Ou Xiaojian, heartbroken over the breakup, found himself cooking meals alone. Meanwhile, Ma Xiaoxiao was often seen sitting alone on the balcony.
Aunt Niu pressed Ma Dada for updates on Ma Xiaoxiao, reminding her that Ma Xiaoxiao and Ou Xiaojian had broken up half a month ago and that Ma Dada shouldn't cover for her sister. Ma Dada, feeling overlooked, then proudly shared her own news: a Hong Kong director had seen her competition video and invited her to be the lead actress in a musical. She added that she had been swarmed by fans asking for autographs at the TV station.
Aunt Niu was thrilled for her, praising her and encouraging her to aim for prestigious awards. However, Ma Yingjun expressed skepticism, worrying that the Hong Kong director might be a scammer. Aunt Niu retorted, saying that if the TV station introduced him, he couldn't be a liar, and told Ma Yingjun to stop making "sarcastic remarks."
Ma Yingjun countered that he was merely expressing concern for Dada, leading to a heated argument where both accused each other of being uncaring or self-centered. Later, Ma Xiaoxiao accidentally found a cassette tape in a drawer, which reminded her of Ou Xiaojian and their sweet moments together, listening to the songs he recorded for her. Late at night, Hao Pushi called Yi Dongdong out to talk because she couldn't sleep.
She asked him about his thoughts on his future and his ideal partner. Yi Dongdong, hesitant, admitted he had some ideas but didn't know how to express them. Hao Pushi then shared her own thoughts on relationships, mentioning she was attracted to Yi Shengli's honesty when they first met, but now he was constantly away doing business, leaving her wondering when he would settle down.
Yi Dongdong then confessed that he had ideas he wanted to share, acknowledging his mother's wish for him to stay at the Bureau of Letters and Visits. However, seeing Shenzhen's rapid development, he felt he should "go out for a break" and try his luck there, just like his father.
Hao Pushi strongly disagreed, reminding him that as the eldest son, with his father already away and his brother soon joining the army, his departure would leave their family "torn apart." Hao Pushi also complained about Yi Nannan's lack of focus in his studies, regretting the decision to let him repeat a year, as he often dozed off while reviewing.
She expressed concern that he might fail the college entrance exam again, emphasizing that while luck played a part, "luck also depends on strength." Yi Shengli offered a solution, suggesting Yi Nannan join the army in Hainan. He explained that as a soldier himself, he knew the military discipline would help Yi Nannan mature, and that "only by suffering can a man be born." Yi Dongdong supported the idea, agreeing that college might not be what Yi Nannan truly desired.
Yi Nannan, upon hearing this, eagerly confirmed his desire to join the army, admitting that he struggled with studying and simply wanted to sleep when looking at textbooks. Hao Pushi, seeing his distress, finally agreed to let him drop out of cram school the next day and pursue his dream of becoming a soldier.
Aunt Niu later announced to Ma Xiaoxiao and Ma Dada that she and Ma Yingjun were "separated but not divorced," and had moved into Grandma Zeng's former house, which Ma Dada admired for its elegant, intellectual atmosphere. Ma Xiaoxiao, however, stated that no house was better than their family home. Ma Dada, feeling the weight of the separation, asked her mother when she would move back.
Aunt Niu explained that she would only consider it if Ma Yingjun fully recognized the seriousness of his mistakes and acknowledged her contributions to the family. She demanded a sincere apology and a personal invitation from him. Before leaving, Aunt Niu discreetly gave Ma Dada a substantial amount of money for her trip to Hong Kong, instructing her not to tell Ma Yingjun. Ma Dada, deeply touched, promised to earn even more money to repay her mother.
Back at their empty home, Ma Yingjun descended into a fit of self-pity and denial. He defiantly proclaimed his freedom, saying he could now walk and spin around as he pleased. When Ma Xiaoxiao urged him to be careful, he misinterpreted it as her believing he was useless, lamenting that he "couldn't perform his martial arts in his life." A neighbor later gossiped to her husband, "Lao Liang," about Aunt Niu moving to Grandma Zeng's house and Ma Yingjun's dejected state, wondering what had truly transpired between the couple.
