Fall in Love Episode 1 Recap
> Fall in Love Recap
In 1926 Shanghai, Mu Wanqing wrote in her diary, reflecting on the decade since she last saw the city. Newspaper snippets revealed a Shanghai riddled with unease and instability, yet amidst this turmoil, her father, Mu Zhiyuan, had become the President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The familiar Mu Mansion now had a new hostess, Cui Lianfeng, who was seen impatiently directing servants to arrange furniture.
When the butler informed her that all cars were assigned to pick up the military governor and garrison commander, leaving none for Mu Wanqing, Cui Lianfeng dismissed his concerns about her being late, calling him "meddlesome." Clutching a memento from her late mother, Mu Wanqing recalled her advice: if life at the Mu Mansion became difficult, she should sell her dowry to start a new life. Wanqing vowed to live well for her mother and elder brother.
On the ferry back to Shanghai, Mu Wanqing was startled by breaking glass, witnessing a tense moment between a man, Tan Xuanlin, the Young Marshal of the Tan Army, and his confidential secretary, Xu Man. Feigning a stomachache to get away from him, Xu Man went to his room and attempted to open his suitcase. Tan Xuanlin, having followed her, confronted her.
Xu Man claimed she was trying to prevent him from making a mistake, arguing that Military Governor Xu Bojun’s influence in Shanghai was too strong for a mutiny to succeed. Deducing she intended to steal his deployment map for Xu Bojun, Tan Xuanlin engaged in a brief struggle before killing her with her own dagger.
Mu Wanqing, having earlier spoken Japanese to a waiter, returned to her cabin and, due to a loose door number plate, mistakenly entered Tan Xuanlin's room, stumbling upon the scene. She screamed and was immediately silenced by Tan Xuanlin. Mistaking her for a Japanese woman who couldn't understand him, he warned her to be quiet or be killed, forcibly keeping her with him until they disembarked.
At the wharf, Commander Wu Xiangying of the Shanghai Defense Command greeted Tan Xuanlin, complaining that Military Governor Xu Bojun was watching him closely and he had only evaded surveillance by claiming to meet his nephew. When Wu asked about Mu Wanqing, Tan Xuanlin explained that she had witnessed him killing the traitor Xu Man, prompting Wu to suggest they dispose of her. It was then that Tan Xuanlin, realizing from their conversation that Wanqing could understand Chinese, was alarmed.
Seeing she had slipped away, he chased after her and forced her into his car. Despite her pleas that she was only in Shanghai to bury her mother and would not reveal anything, Tan Xuanlin, concerned she would disrupt his plans, handcuffed her to himself. Wu Xiangying again suggested killing her, but Tan Xuanlin laughingly dismissed the idea, referring to her as his new "niece-in-law."
Tan Xuanlin took Mu Wanqing to a hotel, where they ran into Xu Guangyao, Military Governor Xu Bojun’s son. At the reception desk, Tan Xuanlin claimed Mu Wanqing was his wife to secure a room. Mu Wanqing tried to signal Xu Guangyao for help, but Tan Xuanlin thwarted her attempts. Once inside, Wanqing expressed her outrage at being forced into the charade.
Tan Xuanlin retorted that a fake wife couldn't be trusted and hinted at making their arrangement real before handcuffing her to the bed and leaving. Seizing the opportunity, Mu Wanqing freed herself and fled, mistakenly grabbing Tan Xuanlin’s suitcase. She ran into Tan Xuanlin at the elevator and, in a panic, ducked into Xu Guangyao's room. Mu Wanqing and Xu Guangyao, childhood acquaintances, were overjoyed to reunite after ten years.
She quickly explained that Tan Xuanlin had kidnapped her after she witnessed him commit murder. Meanwhile, Tan Xuanlin learned that Military Governor Xu Bojun planned to announce his marriage to Mu Wanting at an upcoming dinner. Realizing the danger of Mu Wanqing escaping with his suitcase, he contacted Wu Xiangying.
He revealed that the suitcase contained the mutiny's deployment map and that a cigarette butt with a special filter—known to be exclusively supplied to military governors—found nearby suggested Wanqing may have been intercepted by Xu Bojun's men. Tan Xuanlin urged Wu to launch the mutiny ahead of schedule, arguing that since Xu Bojun's train had just arrived, the governor wouldn't have received the map yet.
Despite Wu's hesitation, Tan Xuanlin insisted, pointing out that with Pei Xun, another key figure from the Beijing government, also in Shanghai, they could force both leaders to publicly accept the outcome. He revealed he had already ordered his army, positioned outside the city, to act that night, compelling Wu to comply.
Back at the Mu Mansion, Mu Wanting asked her mother, Cui Lianfeng, if her dress was suitable for Xu Guangyao’s arrival, and was told to act with more reserve. When Xu Guangyao arrived with Mu Wanqing, Cui Lianfeng feigned a warm welcome, blaming the chauffeur for the mix-up. After Wanqing addressed her as "Auntie Cui," Mu Wanting interjected, insisting she call her mother "Madam."
Recognizing the suitcase as Tan Xuanlin's, Xu Guangyao insisted on carrying it to Wanqing's room, telling her it wasn't hers. Inside, they found the lock picked and a false bottom. Before they could investigate further, Mu Wanting interrupted, urging Xu Guangyao to greet the arriving Military Governor Xu Bojun. Sensing something was wrong, Xu Guangyao left with her.
