Debit Queen Episode 15 Recap
> Debit Queen Recap
Xu Zilu felt uneasy when he saw Ling Se and Wu Qi together, out doing research. Wu Qi offered Ling Se a handkerchief to wipe her sweat, but Xu Zilu also extended his own, suggesting she use his instead. Ling Se felt it didn't matter whose she used and took Wu Qi's.
Xu Zilu then picked up the used handkerchief and said he would have Fuding wash it and return it to Wu Qi, noting that it had been used by his wife. Wu Qi responded that their shared intention was just to prevent Ms. Ling from catching a cold, to which Ling Se replied she was healthy and not delicate. Wu Qi pointed out a nearby house with corn silk, suggesting they go see it.
Just then, they encountered Ling Shuo, Ping'er, Wang, and Tao Meili, who were also hiking, having come because the academy was on holiday. Since they had met, they decided to spend the rest of the day together, camping overnight as someone had brought a tent. Ling Se suggested they go to a farmhouse she saw to get ingredients and cook, as Ping'er must be hungry, and introduced Wu Qi to the arriving group.
At the farmhouse, they asked the farmer about buying ingredients. The farmer initially demanded ten taels of silver, which everyone thought was too expensive. Ling Se asked for a lower price. The farmer then agreed to five taels, but they would have to do the cooking themselves. Both Xu Zilu and Wu Qi reached for their coin pouches, vying to pay.
Ling Se decided on the five taels offer and told Xu Zilu to pay, which made him feel somewhat pleased. As part of the self-cooking process, Ling Se and Xu Zilu went together to a pond to wash vegetables, with Xu Zilu remarking that doing it themselves made the outing more interesting. While preparing food, Xu Zilu attempted to help with the onions but found them pungent and irritating his eyes.
He told Wu Qi to rest, stating that since he had paid the five taels, he was the host, and Wu Qi was the guest. During their meal which included popcorn made by the farmer, Wu Qi praised Xu Zilu's ability, suggesting he could make popcorn. Others also expressed interest in trying Xu Zilu's popcorn. Xu Zilu claimed making popcorn was troublesome and required many ingredients which they didn't have, thus he couldn't make it today.
Earlier, Ping'er admired a flower ring Wang had made for Ling Se, noting how dexterous he was. Observing Ling Se's appreciation, Xu Zilu later made one himself and presented it to her. Ling Se also received praise for her efforts in cooking. When Xu Zilu claimed he lacked the materials to make popcorn, Wu Qi revealed he had prepared them, forcing Xu Zilu to attempt it.
Xu Zilu proceeded awkwardly, putting sugar first and adding various seasonings, calling it a "secret recipe," which drew confused questions about the process. Wu Qi then offered a way out by saying he needed the oil for grilling meat and suggested they skip the popcorn for the day. Xu Zilu seemed relieved, while someone else (Ping'er) expressed impatience for the grilled meat.
Someone (Ling Se) lightly chided Xu Zilu for acting tough and pretending to know how to make popcorn, saying he should thank Wu Qi for saving him from embarrassment. Xu Zilu decided he didn't want the grilled meat Wu Qi would make, claiming he didn't like meat. He went off to pick and grill some mushrooms he found, and also drank a good amount of wine.
Ling Se brought him some grilled rabbit, but he refused it, insisting his mushrooms were better. She questioned if his wild mushrooms were safe to eat, especially mixed with wine, warning of possible poisoning, but he ignored her. As he grew visibly dizzy and erratic, Ling Se took him away to help him sober up.
Stumbling and rambling, he drunkenly spoke about his wife, Ling Se, complaining that she constantly caused trouble and never gave him peace, yet admitting she was sometimes cute. He mentioned her opening a shop. In his stupor, he mused aloud, asking why he didn't just divorce her and give her the five hundred taels back if she was so annoying. Answering himself, he loudly declared it was because he couldn't bear to leave her.
Ling Se, listening, asked him why he couldn't bear it, but Xu Zilu had already fallen asleep. Xu Zilu woke up to find Ling Se asleep beside him. He gently covered her with his outer garment. He looked at her and leaned closer as if to kiss her but stopped himself. Ling Se shifted and rested her head on his leg. Xu Zilu remained sitting in that position, keeping vigil over her for the rest of the night.
In the morning, Ling Se woke and asked if he was alright and if he remembered what happened the previous night. Xu Zilu replied that he only remembered things up until eating the mushrooms and had no memory of anything after that. Ling Se remarked that it was fortunate he forgot, otherwise he might have felt compelled to hang himself. As they started back, Ling Se feigned a sprained ankle, and Xu Zilu helped her walk.
They were soon found by Ping'er and the others, who had been worried when they didn't return. Ling Se covered for Xu Zilu, telling the others they had gotten lost and he had sprained his ankle, causing them to be delayed all night. Later, back at the Xu Mansion, Ling Se expressed concern for Xu Zilu's health, asking if he needed to see a doctor for potential lingering effects from the mushrooms.
He insisted he was fine, stating he would be perfectly well as long as a certain person (referring to Wu Qi) wasn't constantly around him. Ling Se, puzzled by his strong dislike for Wu Qi, asked why he had such animosity towards someone who hadn't offended him. Before Xu Zilu could explain, Ling Se interrupted, assuming the reason was the dough figurine incident.
She scoffed at Wu Qi for spending a thousand taels on something worth only two copper coins, calling him a fool. Hearing this validation made Xu Zilu happy. He then immediately pressed Ling Se about the dough figurine she had promised to make him, saying he had been waiting for days. Ling Se replied that it takes time to make and can't be done quickly.
Xu Zilu playfully accused her of trying to cheat him, prompting her to promise she would make it that very day once they got home. Just then, Fuding arrived with news, asking Xu Zilu to prepare. Ling Se asked what was happening, but Xu Zilu simply dismissed it as nothing.
Meanwhile, Xu Third Uncle met with Mr. Qi to secretly sell a batch of the Xu family's new Harmony Incense, which was a limited edition product not scheduled to be released until the end of the following month. Third Uncle explained its exclusivity, and they negotiated the price. Third Uncle insisted on at least five hundred taels for the six hundred and twenty kilograms.
Mr. Qi mentioned the additional costs of repackaging, but Third Uncle stressed the high demand, stating he was offering the opportunity only out of sincerity. They agreed on the price of five hundred taels, arranging for a cash-and-goods exchange that very night in the East Bamboo Forest. Later, Fuding mentioned that Wu Qi was persistent and was looking for Xu Zilu to challenge him to an incense competition.
Xu Zilu initially dismissed the idea as a waste of time, calling Wu Qi idle. However, Fuding expressed concern that if Wu Qi couldn't reach Xu Zilu, he might approach Ling Se, mentioning that Wu Qi liked the food she cooked and often visited her tea shop. This prompted Xu Zilu to change his mind, and he ordered a carriage to go to Fulai Inn to see Wu Qi.
At the inn, the bosslady grumbled about Wu Qi occupying her best private room. Xu Zilu arrived and asked for Wu Qi. Meeting in the private room, Xu Zilu acknowledged Wu Qi's identity as the head of the Lingnan Wu Family. Wu Qi stated his clear purpose: to have an incense competition to determine whether the Xu family or the Wu family was superior in incense making in Daqing.
Xu Zilu reiterated his long-standing decision years ago not to participate in any incense competitions. Wu Qi tried to entice him with the offer of a lost ancient incense-making formula if he lost, and also tried to pressure him by mentioning the rules of Linchun incense competitions, where avoiding a challenge is considered admitting defeat. Xu Zilu remained unswayed, stating he didn't care about losing, and stood to leave.
Wu Qi found his reaction interesting and declared he must still have this competition with him. That night, in the East Bamboo Forest, Xu Third Uncle waited for Mr. Qi, but it was Xu Zilu who arrived with Fuding. Xu Zilu immediately saw the boxes of Harmony Incense, questioning why the limited edition incense, meant for release next month, was there.
Xu Third Uncle initially admitted he had done wrong this time, claiming it was a momentary lapse and would never happen again. However, Xu Zilu laid out his full knowledge of Third Uncle's actions: privately transferring goods, selling them at high prices for personal enrichment, and altering the ledger to conceal his activities, suggesting Third Uncle thought he knew nothing. Third Uncle became defensive, denying the extent of the accusations.
He claimed he had always been dedicated to the family business and that Xu Zilu was slandering him over one mistake. He argued that he occasionally had to transfer goods for business connections and might have forgotten a transfer list now and then, but insisted everything was accounted for without error. Xu Zilu then brought forward Chen Yun, a former employee who had worked for Third Uncle, to testify.
Chen Yun stated that Third Master had instructed him to evade the family members and secretly ship goods from the Xu shop. Some of these goods were for Third Master to maintain connections, others were sold at high prices to balance accounts, and a significant amount of money was kept by Third Master.
Chen Yun also added that Third Master had returned this time specifically because Xu Zilu was planning to audit the accounts, and Third Master intended to cover up the shortfalls. Third Uncle vehemently denied Chen Yun's testimony, calling him a liar and questioning why Xu Zilu would believe the word of a mere employee. In response, Xu Zilu produced letters, identifying them as correspondence between Third Uncle and Chen Yun, written in Third Uncle's own hand, proving their secret dealings.
