Resumen del episodio 13 de Our Dazzling Days
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Xia Lei returned to his dormitory feeling dejected after being snubbed at the hometown association gathering. He vented to his roommate, Eight, about how a fellow townsman had claimed those from the East Chemical Plant weren't true Tiecheng locals. Eight was unsurprised, explaining that the "Third Front Plant" was often viewed as its own separate world. He suggested they start their own association with Xia Lei as the president, creating a place where everyone from the plant could be brothers.
This idea helped ease Xia Lei’s frustration. Meanwhile, Chen Guoqing approached Yan Xiaodan, but before he could say much, she preemptively brought up her relationship. She told him she had a childhood boyfriend named Zhang Xiaoman and that their long-distance bond was stable with no plans for a breakup. She made it clear she only wanted to be with Xiaoman. Chen handled the rejection gracefully, admitting he had feelings for her but respected her as a younger sister.
Both felt relieved after clearing the air, agreeing to remain ordinary friends. At the East Chemical Plant technical school, Zhang Xiaoman was engrossed in his welding practice. His friend Dongdong sat nearby, complaining about the factory's declining benefits, noting that workers now received plain boiled water instead of the sugar water they used to get in winter.
Their conversation was interrupted by Mr. Zhuang, a Grade 8 turner, who scolded them for their sloppy work and for not wearing their uniforms properly. Mr. Zhuang spoke of his son, Zhuang Sen, with frustration, noting that the boy had fled the plant the moment he put on his work clothes. Xiaoman defended Zhuang Sen, insisting he had his own dreams. He and Dongdong promised to carry on the older man's legacy.
Ding Guoqiang later learned from the accountant, Zhao, that under new financial regulations, Xiaoman’s monthly 100-yuan subsidy would be cut because he had turned eighteen. Concerned that the boy would lose his only source of income, Ding personally handed Zhao one hundred yuan of his own money to continue the payments, insisting she keep it a secret. To Xiaoman, Ding was more like a father than a godfather. Meanwhile, Xiaoman was busy welding a handmade gift for Xiaodan.
Dongdong mocked the metal object, suggesting it looked like a meat cleaver or a toothbrush. Despite Dongdong’s suggestion to ask Mr. Zhuang for help, Xiaoman refused, believing a gift made by others would lack the sincerity he wanted to show Xiaodan. When the gift reached Shanghai, Xiaodan was initially puzzled by the rough metal piece. While walking, she accidentally dropped a part of it, which a cleaning lady nearly swept away as scrap.
After retrieving the piece, Xiaodan realized it was a clumsy but heartfelt sailboat. She cherished it, seeing the time and energy Xiaoman had put into it. As winter break approached, Xiaodan hoped to return to the plant, but her parents refused, insisting she visit relatives in Shanghai to integrate into the city. Her mother eventually promised she could return during the summer. When Xia Lei returned home for the break, Xiaoman was waiting for him.
They felt the absence of Xiaodan, but the two friends immediately headed to the bathhouse. Soaking in the hot water, Xia Lei complained about the harsh Shanghai winters, where the damp cold was more penetrating than the dry cold back home. He described waking up from leg cramps and sleeping with a hot water bottle that would turn ice-cold by morning. He admitted that the city’s vastness made him feel like a lonely "rootless duckweed."
On New Year’s Eve in 1998, Xiaoman and Xia Lei stayed at Xia’s home, using a twenty-meter-long telephone cord to bring the phone to the window so they could watch the fireworks with Xiaodan. As the sky lit up, the three friends counted down together and shouted their New Year's greetings across the line. Once the break ended, Xia Lei returned to school, where Fan Weijie tried to sell the roommates trendy leather jackets.
While the others were uninterested, the encounter highlighted the growing consumerism of the city. Back at the plant, Ding Guoqiang asked Xiaoman about his future. Xiaoman remained firm, stating he would follow Xiaodan wherever she went. In Shanghai, Meng Ge noticed Xiaodan’s interest in European architecture and suggested she study abroad. Though tempted, Xiaodan declined, not wanting to be separated from Xiaoman.
Later, Fan Weijie took Xia Lei to a computer experience zone and spoke about the wonders of the internet and paperless offices. Xia Lei was fascinated by the speed of information, especially after finding the East Chemical Plant quarters online. He even visited Xiaodan’s house to surf the web, and her mother, seeing them together, secretly thought they were a good match. Eventually, Xia Lei and Eight decided to buy a second-hand computer from Fan on an installment plan.
To save money for a trip to Shanghai, Xiaoman began taking on private pipeline projects. When Dongdong asked to borrow money for his dates with Lulu, Xiaoman convinced him to join the project instead. However, their lack of experience led to a disaster. Failing to account for the water pressure from the building's pumps, they caused pipes to burst, flooding the hallway. Ding Guoqiang had to step in to fix the mess and apologize to the angry neighbors.
The next day at the technical school, Mr. Zhuang publicly shamed them, mockingly introducing them as "Nezha" and "Sun Wukong" for their "heroic" flooding of the building. He warned the class that without proper skills, they would be nothing.
