Dear Mayang Street Episode 34 Recap
> Dear Mayang Street Recap
In 1995, Yi Dongdong took on the role of Director at the local Letters and Visits Bureau, where he dedicated himself to resolving disputes, particularly those involving wage arrears. He diligently addressed villagers' concerns about an alleged runaway factory owner, assuring them that the director had been located and had proof of seeking loans, cautioning against spreading rumors. Meanwhile, Hao Pushi’s household was equipped with a landline telephone, a convenience she immediately utilized to contact Yi Dongdong.
She urged him to return home for dinner, but he made excuses about being preoccupied with work. When she pressed, suggesting his office hours should allow him to be home, he candidly stated he would return if she stopped setting him up on blind dates. Hao Pushi, exasperated, argued he was already twenty-eight and needed to find a partner, mentioning a girl from a previous date who liked him. Yi Dongdong consistently replied that he felt "no connection."
Frustrated, Hao Pushi wondered aloud what kind of extraordinary woman could possibly meet Yi Dongdong's standards before he abruptly ended the call, claiming work responsibilities. Ma Xiaoxiao was also thriving in her legal career at a law firm.
She proposed the establishment of a specialized temporary group to handle the increasing number of labor rights cases, believing it would enhance efficiency and help colleagues familiarize themselves with new regulations, a suggestion quickly approved by Xing Lu, who placed her in charge. Ma Xiaoxiao also began mentoring a new intern, Xiao Ding, whom she considered bright but sometimes lacked discretion.
During a firm meeting, Xiao Ding fearlessly spoke up, criticizing the firm's system, specifically citing how some senior lawyers, including lawyer Xu, made interns work overtime without compensation or even pay for their own expenses. Lawyer Xu tried to dismiss her comments and blamed Ma Xiaoxiao for her intern’s lack of discipline. Ma Xiaoxiao instructed Xiao Ding to sit down and apologized to lawyer Xu for her intern's disruption.
Later, Xiao Ding approached Ma Xiaoxiao, questioning if her outspokenness was wrong. Ma Xiaoxiao acknowledged Xiao Ding's facts were correct but her approach was flawed. When Xiao Ding expressed admiration for Ma Xiaoxiao’s sense of justice, Ma Xiaoxiao humbly stated she was merely an ordinary lawyer and highlighted that Xiao Ding’s public accusations, while truthful, showed a lack of respect and politeness in a professional setting.
She advised Xiao Ding that a lawyer needs more than just a sense of justice; careful thought and strategy are equally important. Upon returning home, Ma Xiaoxiao found Yi Dongdong having dinner with her father, Ma Yingjun, who mentioned Yi Dongdong's mother had sent the meal. As they cleaned up, Ma Xiaoxiao confided in Yi Dongdong about Xiao Ding's outburst, musing that she herself would have been even more "fiery" at that age.
This sparked a memory for Yi Dongdong, who recalled a high school incident where Ma Xiaoxiao challenged Teacher Su over unfair seating arrangements. In a flashback, Ma Xiaoxiao, then a student in Class 3, confidently told Teacher Su that if he wanted students to earn better seats through grades, she would achieve first place in her grade and then discuss it with him. The flashback showed her doing exactly that.
Back in the present, Yi Dongdong praised her youthful "drive and confidence." Ma Xiaoxiao reflected that she once believed herself to be a free-spirited, fearless person, but now realized she couldn’t abandon her father or her home. Yi Dongdong resonated with her feelings and expressed a desire for change in his own life. Ma Xiaoxiao found contentment in her current, simple life.
Yi Dongdong, observing her, noted in an internal monologue that Ma Xiaoxiao had matured, her once flamboyant spirit now replaced with a quiet calm and a sense of life's compromises. Her father, Ma Yingjun, then called out for his fruit. Meanwhile, Aunt Niu's restaurant continued to expand. Chen Lili, still working there, passionately defended a dish of Dry Fried niuhe against a complaining couple, even suggesting their unfamiliarity with local cuisine was the issue.
When the customers accused her of discrimination and demanded an apology, Chen Lili vehemently refused, asserting she had done nothing wrong. In a fit of anger, she declared she was quitting. Later, on her way home, Chen Lili overheard neighbors gossiping about Sun Benyan frequently dining with a young woman named Xiao Wu. Overwhelmed, Chen Lili fainted.
After recovering, she confronted Sun Benyan, preparing for divorce and discussing how to divide their meager assets and ensure Sun Falcon had a home. Sun Benyan was forced to confess: he had been laid off from his neighborhood patrol job due to a policy change, and Xiao Wu worked at a re-employment center; he had been taking her out to seek help in finding new work, even arguing with her when she couldn't secure him a position.
To his surprise, Chen Lili then revealed that she too had been laid off from Aunt Niu's restaurant. When Sun Falcon returned home, hungry, they quickly tried to conceal their job losses. Meanwhile, Ma Xiaoxiao was doing dishes at home when she heard a strange noise. Believing it to be a thief, she grabbed a rolling pin and cautiously approached, only to discover it was Aunt Niu who had returned.
It was revealed that Ma Dada's company intended to film her "native family" for a program, leading Ma Yingjun to worry about his appearance embarrassing Ma Dada. Sun Falcon was ecstatic at the news of Ma Dada returning from Hong Kong to film a program about her family. He shared his excitement with Yi Dongdong, who encouraged him to "seize the opportunity."
Yi Dongdong also updated Sun Falcon on their other friends: Yi Nannan, after retiring from the army, was busy with his father's transport business, finding it more demanding than military training. Liang Xiaobao and Zeng Hao had married and had a daughter, while Zeng Xing had become a renowned architect and was also married. Sun Falcon lamented that only he and Yi Dongdong remained unmarried, to which Yi Dongdong declared he was merely "temporarily behind."
Sun Falcon teased Yi Dongdong about his decade-long silent affection for Ma Xiaoxiao, but Yi Dongdong confidently asserted his "master" status, likening his patience to a "ten-year sword sharpening, one-strike kill." On the day of Ma Dada's arrival, Aunt Niu, dressed in a festive red outfit that Chen Lili and Hao Pushi admired, was asked by Sun Falcon, relaying a request from the program's director, to change into something less vibrant for the camera. She obligingly changed.
However, when she looked for Ma Yingjun, he was gone. Yi Dongdong offered to find him. Ma Xiaoxiao, having arrived, became worried and joined the search, splitting up with Yi Dongdong. Ma Yingjun had left because he didn't want his visible disability and cane to embarrass Ma Dada on camera. Ma Dada received a warm welcome from a throng of fans and neighbors.
During an interview segment by the big banyan tree, Ma Dada shared its significance as a symbol of her childhood memories with friends from Mayang Street. When asked what she would say to her childhood playmates, she playfully directed her gaze at Sun Falcon, who was filming, and quipped that she would tell the boy who used to bully her "not to be caught by me."
As she later entered the house and introduced Aunt Hao, Chen Lili, and Uncle Sun Benyan, she noted the absence of her father and sister with a flicker of disappointment. Inside, Aunt Niu worried about Ma Yingjun and Ma Xiaoxiao's absence, so Ma Dada's mother lied, saying they were out buying groceries.
When Ma Yingjun finally returned, a cheerful Ma Dada chatted with him, expressing how proud she was and that the interview had finally shown Mayang Street her own beauty and talent, not just Ma Xiaoxiao's. Ma Yingjun asked if he had embarrassed her, and she assured him he hadn't.
Ma Xiaoxiao then interjected, gently revealing that their father had intentionally absented himself from the filming so his visible disability and cane would not be a source of embarrassment for Ma Dada. Hearing this, Ma Yingjun affirmed his pride in Ma Dada. He then remorsefully expressed how Ma Xiaoxiao had sacrificed her own dreams and stayed in Guangzhou, choosing a local law firm near home, all for him. He even suggested moving into a nursing home.
Ma Xiaoxiao immediately reassured him that her choices were made willingly and without regret, firmly dismissing the idea of him going to a nursing home. Ma Dada, touched, apologized to Ma Xiaoxiao. Aunt Niu lightened the mood by teasing Ma Dada for exaggerating her mother's good temper during the interview. The family then shared a meal, playfully resuming their old custom of the last one to finish washing the dishes.
Later, during an advertisement shoot, Ma Dada showcased her poised professionalism, smoothly deflecting a reporter’s intrusive questions about her first film role and her personal preferences for men. The reporter then probed her non-academic background and her on-screen embraces, suggesting her acting was merely "true character portrayal." This line of questioning infuriated Sun Falcon, who was also present. He confronted the reporter, accusing him of lacking professionalism and striking him, threatening to "clean up his stinky mouth."
The incident caused an uproar, but Ma Dada quickly composed herself and assured the production team that she would make up for the ruined interview. She then spoke privately with Sun Falcon, handing him some medicine for his hand. She teased him, saying his intervention was poorly executed and that he should have just attacked without talking, jokingly asking if he'd forgotten his "Martial Arts cheat book" and noting his "dog-like" biting technique.
She called him a "childish ghost" and urged him to apply the medicine to avoid needing a rabies vaccine. When Sun Falcon offered to walk her home, Ma Dada declined, humorously stating that her "mood was not smooth" for a shared journey. She later presented Ma Xiaoxiao with new clothes and skincare products from her advertisement, advising her to prioritize beauty to keep up with younger girls, and playfully pointing out Ma Xiaoxiao's "crow's feet" and "forehead wrinkles."
