Hilarious Family 2 Episode 16 Recap
> Hilarious Family 2 Recap
Wei Junyi was utterly embarrassed by Xue Muyun's recent actions. She confronted Xue Muyun, stating she had been wondering why Xue Muyun was "so flamboyant, just like a blossoming peacock." Wei Junyi further berated Xue Muyun, pointing out the age difference between her and Yunzhu, asking how she could flirt with him, and declaring that she had "totally disgraced our family." Xue Muyun stammered that she "didn't know what happened," feeling as if she "were possessed."
Wei Junyi then remembered Xue Muyun "nagged all the time" during Yunzhu's first visit and realized Xue Muyun wanted to marry him herself, despite previously offering to find Second Mother a husband. Under pressure, Xue Muyun confessed that Ai Sixi's mother "egged me on" and that she "was misguided." Wei Junyi immediately ordered a maid to summon Ai Sixi's mother, Ms. Mai, for a confrontation.
However, Ms. Mai was not in her room; she had already fled, leaving behind only a letter. Meanwhile, Jing Kan and Ai Sixi were celebrating their discovery, believing Jing Kan's mother had hidden the method of making Banfang Tea in a poem, calling her "really impressive" for the "one clue leads to another" mystery. Jing Kan excitedly declared he could "remake Banfang Tea" thanks to Ai Sixi.
Their joy was cut short when they returned to the tea shop to find a black-clad figure stealing Jing Kan's mother's painting. Ruan Ling and Guiwei were found unconscious on the floor. Jing Kan and Ai Sixi gave chase, with Ai Sixi yelling at the thief to "Come back" and "Stop." The pursuit led them to a small forest where the painting was set ablaze. As Ai Sixi rushed to extinguish the flames, the black-clad assailant attacked her.
Jing Kan intervened, wielding a long piece of wood to protect Ai Sixi, allowing her to strike and knock out the assailant. However, the painting was severely damaged by the fire, making it impossible to decipher any clues. Jing Kan suspected an insider had alerted the thief, noting that the attacker must be "just around me" and that he couldn't "investigate in a flagrant way" or they would "be defensive."
He decided to "do one thing under the cover of another," leaving Guiwei in charge of the shop and asking him to stay at Jing Residence to look for suspicious behavior. He also urged Guiwei to recall the "Seven Bowls of Tea poem" as soon as possible. When questioned by Jing Kan, Guiwei and Ruan Ling recalled only smelling a fragrance before fainting, and Ruan Ling became uneasy when Jing Kan spoke of an internal investigation.
Feeling frustrated, Jing Kan and Ai Sixi sought advice from Mr. An. Mr. An observed their discouraged state, noting that "the world is filled with scenes and plots" and that "the closer you get to success, the closer they'll get to you." He then candidly told them that even if the painting had not been burned, their current mental state would make it difficult to remake Banfang Tea.
Mr. An then advised them that the "tea leaves matter most" and criticized the Jing family tea plantation for over-harvesting early tea leaves, which "stifled the vitality" and caused the tea to lose "spiritual energy, charm, and wildness." He explained that for top-tier tea, they needed a wild tea tree. Just then, Mr. An's granddaughter, An Wanqing, arrived.
Mr. An suggested she take Jing Kan and Ai Sixi to Beiyuan Mountain to find a wild tea tree, as she was familiar with the area. As An Wanqing led them up the mountain, Jing Kan and An Wanqing recognized each other from childhood. An Wanqing recalled a time when Jing Kan, whom she called "Crybaby," was bitten by a leech and cried to his mother, while she "laughed beside you."
She remarked that Jing Kan had grown "uglier now" compared to his adorable childhood, but Ai Sixi defended him, calling him "handsome" and teasing An Wanqing that "love makes you blind." Later, An Wanqing excitedly pointed out a large tree, believing it to be the wild tea tree they sought. While Jing Kan's expression revealed it was not, Ai Sixi subtly stopped him from correcting her to preserve An Wanqing's enthusiasm, thanking her for leading them to "this tea tree."
Upon realizing they didn't know how to find "Tea-gold," they once again asked An Wanqing for directions. An Wanqing playfully remarked that since Jing Kan "begged coquettishly," she would "might as well take you there." Jing Kan vehemently denied begging. During the carriage ride, An Wanqing tried to engage Jing Kan in conversation, recalling childhood memories, but Jing Kan intentionally distanced himself, even moving between Ai Sixi and An Wanqing to prevent An Wanqing from continuing to share their past.
He feigned sleepiness due to motion sickness to avoid the topic. Meanwhile, Guiwei was trying to identify the "insider" at the Jing residence. However, Luo Zhusi, aware of Guiwei's surveillance, deliberately staged a scene to divert his attention. Guiwei, momentarily distracted by Lu Jiao'e, was discovered by a maid. He then discreetly monitored Xue Muyun, only to discover her ongoing financial exploitation by her family.
Xue Muyun was seen discussing with a maid how her family constantly demanded money, seeing her as a "cash cow." She expressed her frustration, lamenting that she had "been hearing this since I was little" and questioning if anyone cared about her good life. She was asked to gather another "thousand taels" for her brother's promotion, which she found outrageous. Xue Muyun's maid, Cuiying, overheard Guiwei eavesdropping and reported it to Xue Muyun and her daughter, Jing Zhenzhu.
Cuiying had also inquired with Mingnan and discovered that Luo Zhusi intended to "pass the blame" for the burned painting to Xue Muyun. Jing Zhenzhu, overhearing this, angrily suggested that if Luo Zhusi wanted to shift the blame, "we can also shift it" back onto "the one she cares most about." Acting on a deliberate tip-off from Xue Muyun's maid, who shifted the blame to Luo Aji, Guiwei began to monitor Luo Aji.
He overheard a conversation in a restaurant between Luo Aji and his friends, where Luo Aji was boasting about his approach to women: "First sweet, and then unfaithful." Luo Aji’s paramour then appeared, confronting him for drinking with friends instead of attending to important matters. When he refused to talk outside, she threatened to "drown myself now." Luo Aji dismissed her threat, urging his friends to "ignore her" and continue drinking.
One of Luo Aji's friends, Zeng, later spoke privately with the paramour, who confessed she was "actually here for you" and asked him when he would break up with Luo Aji, stating, "I'll break up with him!" She also admitted, "Zeng likes me, too." Luo Aji, noticing Zeng's reaction, expressed jealousy but then called his paramour "honey" and said he was "just kidding," promising not to be angry. Guiwei observed these "scandalous affairs," which left him deeply shocked.
Jing Kan, Ai Sixi, and An Wanqing finally arrived at Master Tea-gold's residence. An Wanqing excused herself to use the restroom, leaving Jing Kan and Ai Sixi to enter alone. They encountered an old man who, after repeatedly asking "How can I help you?" and denying he was Tea-gold despite holding Mr. An's letter of introduction, eventually revealed that he was, indeed, Master Tea-gold, but had a "poor memory" and "only remember[ed] a few people."
They explained their purpose: Jing Kan, from Jinyu Tea, wished to learn how to remake Banfang Tea to honor his mother and compete in the Tea Contest. Master Tea-gold initially refused, explaining that after his wife's death, he became a monk and no longer cared about worldly competitions. He offered them some tea as a gesture. Ai Sixi, however, emphasized that Jing Kan wished to restore his mother's glory, not just win for himself.
Moved by this, Master Tea-gold agreed to help, but only if Jing Kan read some specific books first. However, due to his poor memory, Master Tea-gold quickly forgot their conversation. When An Wanqing returned, he mistook her for his deceased wife, calling her "Wen" and remarking on their resemblance. After being reminded multiple times about the letter and who they were, he again agreed to teach them, and they left, hopeful.
