Dr. Cutie Episode 12 Recap
> Dr. Cutie Recap
Ji Heng sat on his bed, allowing Shen Zhao'er to take his pulse. He brought up her family's tragic past, mentioning how her parents died in an accident, and asked for more details, a hint of concern in his eyes. Shen Zhao'er, initially startled, quickly composed herself but avoided direct answers, instead recalling her difficult youth in a brothel, where she was exposed to local gangsters and frauds, shaping her street-smart nature.
Ji Heng then directly questioned her true intentions for coming to the Ji Mansion. Shen Zhao'er responded with flowery compliments, praising Ji Heng's past heroism in saving his father, quelling the rebellion in Mountain Hei and Dong Mountain Village, and earning the people's respect.
She explained that, due to her weak constitution, she couldn't join the army, so she decided to become a doctor, hoping one day to follow him to the front and fulfill a man's dream of serving the country. Ji Heng, hearing her praise and especially her aspiration for a man's dream of serving the country, immediately decided to help her fulfill this dream.
Shen Zhao'er, dressed in heavy armor and struggling to hold a spear, was taken to the training grounds. Ji Heng personally demonstrated a few moves, then guided her hand-in-hand in a posture that seemed like an embrace, a gesture that made her blush as he stood closely behind her. She insisted she could practice by herself, prompting Ji Heng to call for a file of new recruits.
Shen Zhao'er, suspecting Ji Heng still doubted her gender, resolved to practice diligently to avoid revealing her secret. However, the heavy armor and strenuous exercise soon overwhelmed her, and she fainted. A butler quickly called for Dr. Ding, while Ji Heng, despite a moment of concern, feigned indifference, stating that as a mere doctor, his feelings were irrelevant. He then left, entrusting the butler with Shen Zhao'er's care. Upon waking, Shen Zhao'er found herself in Ji Heng's room.
She immediately reverted to her usual antics, trying to leverage her fainting spell for personal gain. She lamented being "tortured" at the training grounds, claiming no other doctor had ever undergone such rigorous training. When Ji Heng offered compensation, she eagerly presented an IOU, asking him to settle her debts. Ji Heng, however, revealed he had already paid off her previous debts and even accompanied her to deposit the remaining funds.
Feigning memory loss due to sunstroke, Shen Zhao'er insisted she had many more debts and that she had returned all the generous gifts she had previously received, expressing her heartbreak over it. Ji Heng, exasperated by her theatrics, called her a "piggy brain" and urged her to speak directly in the future. Alone, Shen Zhao'er mused about Ji Heng's perplexing kindness, pondering a future where their true identities were revealed and their relationship transformed.
Now equipped with the special token from Ji Heng, Shen Zhao'er freely walked out of the Ji Mansion's main gate. Her mission: to bring down Sun Congrui. She knew he was a powerful marquis, not easily overthrown without finding his weakness. She staked out the Sun Mansion, and soon, Sun Fan, Sun Congrui's arrogant son, emerged, stepping on a servant's back to mount his carriage.
Shen Zhao'er trailed him to a restaurant, where Sun Fan met with Li Lin, the ruffian who had harassed Shen Zhao'er in the market. Sun Fan, disdainful of the modest establishment, quickly turned his attention to the restaurant owner's sister. After Li Lin called her over, Sun Fan made advances, leading to the owner trying to protect his sister and asking her to leave.
When the owner pleaded with Sun Fan to not cause trouble, Sun Fan, mocking him, ordered his henchmen to beat the owner and trash the restaurant. Witnessing this display of cruelty, Shen Zhao'er's resolve to seek revenge against the Sun family solidified. As Shen Zhao'er continued her surveillance, Ji Zheng intercepted her on a bridge. He revealed he had been observing her for days, noticing her constant presence outside the Sun Mansion.
Faced with no other choice, Shen Zhao'er confessed her true identity as a woman and admitted her deep-seated feud with Sun Congrui, though she refused to disclose the details. Ji Zheng pressed her further, asking why she, as a woman, disguised herself to enter the Ji Mansion.
Shen Zhao'er tried to evade the question, but Ji Zheng, citing the silk scarf he had found outside the mansion and the moment she fell into his arms during a previous altercation with Sun Dali, stated his certainty about her gender. He even provocatively suggested she remove her clothes for verification, a request Shen Zhao'er firmly rejected.
Cornered, Shen Zhao'er asserted that her presence in the Ji Mansion posed no threat to Ji Heng or the family, and that her mission was personal, a matter she could not yet reveal. She knelt, begging Ji Zheng that if he insisted on expelling her, he should kill her instead. Ji Zheng, moved by her plea, helped her up, declared his trust in her, and promised to keep her secret.
He vowed to protect her identity as long as she posed no threat to his brother or the Ji family. Shen Zhao'er, touched by his kindness, wondered why he treated her so well. Ji Zheng simply attributed it to fate and his belief that she was interesting, proposing they become friends. Shen Zhao'er, recognizing the strategic advantage of having Ji Zheng as an ally, agreed.
From that day on, she began calling him "A-Zheng" instead of "Little Marquis," while he affectionately called her "Xiao Qi." To celebrate their new friendship, Ji Zheng offered to treat Shen Zhao'er to a meal. She intentionally led him to the Eight Immortals Building, where she had spotted Sun Fan. Inside, they encountered Zheng Shaofeng, a friend of Ji Zheng and the son of the city's wealthiest man, who was engaged in a game.
Zheng Shaofeng invited them to join, offering 100 guan if Shen Zhao'er helped him win. Shen Zhao'er, always with an eye for profit, negotiated for 200 guan and confidently secured the victory for Zheng Shaofeng, making his opponents "call him grandpa" as per the bet. Unbeknownst to them, Li Lin, still smarting from a past beating by Shen Zhao'er, saw her playing downstairs and quickly informed Sun Fan.
Eager to avenge his friend, Sun Fan and Li Lin confronted Shen Zhao'er, Ji Zheng, and Zheng Shaofeng as they were leaving, demanding another game. Shen Zhao'er, secretly thrilled that her "fish" had taken the bait, readily agreed. She proposed a high-stakes bet: no money, but the loser must grant the winner any single request. Sun Fan, confident, dramatically suggested they bet their lives.
Shen Zhao'er boldly accepted, stating her life was his for the taking if he valued it so much. The game commenced, and after an intense match, Shen Zhao'er emerged victorious. Sun Fan, still believing a lowly doctor wouldn't dare demand much, readily confirmed he would honor any non-injurious request. Shen Zhao'er then made her demand: Sun Fan must strip to his undergarments and take a boat ride around the city moat.
Humiliated, Sun Fan furiously cursed Shen Zhao'er, vowing revenge as he begrudgingly fulfilled the bet, much to the amusement of the onlookers. Zheng Shaofeng, anticipating Sun Fan's petty nature, warned Shen Zhao'er of future retribution. However, Shen Zhao'er was unfazed, confident in Ji Zheng's protection and declaring that a new feud was inconsequential compared to her unavenged parents' deaths.
Ji Zheng, acknowledging the potential for further trouble, decided it was best for them to leave the building immediately, politely declining Zheng Shaofeng's offer to accompany them. Back at the Ji Mansion, Shen Zhao'er knelt by a small turtle, earnestly praying for its divine intervention to help her uncover the truth about her parents' murder.
Ru Yi, Ji Heng's young nephew who had just returned to the mansion, was drawn to her whimsical ritual and joined her in playing with the turtle. Ji Zheng, passing by, explained that Ru Yi was the son of Ji Heng's deceased elder brother and usually very withdrawn, rarely speaking to anyone, even him or Ji Heng. To their surprise, Ru Yi, upon meeting Shen Zhao'er, affectionately called her "Mama," much to their astonishment.
Ji Zheng jokingly remarked that Shen Zhao'er's male disguise wasn't as convincing as she thought. Just then, Ji Heng appeared, having observed their cheerful interaction from a distance. A flash of unidentifiable irritation crossed his face as he walked over and sharply reprimanded both Ji Zheng and Shen Zhao'er, barely acknowledging Ru Yi.
