Hilarious Family 2 Episode 8 Recap
> Hilarious Family 2 Recap
Ruan Ling, bound by Ai Sixi and Jing Kan, attempted to talk his way out of trouble by claiming he would not run away. He then spun a tale of misfortune, stating he was forced to deceive people because his gravely ill mother required expensive daily medical treatment. He presented a comatose patient at a clinic as his mother. Jing Kan, feeling sympathetic, noted Ruan Ling's difficult life.
Ai Sixi, however, remained skeptical, demanding Ruan Ling wake the "mother" to prove his sincerity. When the actual patient, Cuiying, awoke and questioned Ruan Ling's identity, his deception became undeniable. Pressed further, Ruan Ling finally confessed that his real mother had passed away. Despite Ruan Ling's deceit, Jing Kan saw a potential advantage. He proposed to Ai Sixi that instead of reporting Ruan Ling to the authorities, they should employ him at their tea shop to work off his debt.
He argued that Mr. An, a reliable man, would not have highly praised Ruan Ling's abilities without reason. Ai Sixi initially demanded her money back, but Jing Kan suggested that Ruan Ling's cunning, while not to be used for harm, could be redirected to benefit their business. Ruan Ling, surprised they would still consider him after his betrayal, was told their trust lay solely in Mr. An.
He then recounted his own experience of being swindled out of all his savings, an event he now viewed as a valuable, albeit painful, life lesson. Ruan Ling initially resisted the idea of selling tea, dismissing it as a "rightful path." In response, Jing Kan and Ai Sixi decided to take him to the local yamen. There, they found the yamen overflowing with citizens reporting fraud, and the constables were too overwhelmed to handle new cases.
Witnessing the angry crowd's cries to kill swindlers, Ruan Ling realized many victims were likely looking for him. He quickly changed his tune, agreeing to work for them. Back at the shop, they drew up a contract stating Ruan Ling's monthly salary of one tael, with ninety percent dedicated to repaying his debts to them and to the fruit vendors he had previously defrauded.
Ai Sixi also insisted that he reside at their shop, providing board and lodging, to prevent any escape. Ruan Ling's attempts to renegotiate were met with a threat to summon all his other victims, forcing him to reluctantly accept his new position as a shop assistant at the Anping Bridge Shop under Guiwei's watchful eye. During breakfast, Guiwei complained about Ruan Ling's excessive bathing habits, which left him to do most of the shop's work.
Their conversation was interrupted by Lü Jiao'e, whose sudden appearance flustered Guiwei. Lü Jiao'e delivered a message from Wei Junyi, the Old Lady, asking Ai Sixi to deliver some vests and pearl headbands to their Great-grandaunt. Jing Kan inquired about this Great-grandaunt, learning she was the Old Lady's aunt, a figure of high seniority. He also discovered she was married to a silk shop owner and had a long-standing rivalry with Luo Zhusi, even having physically fought Cuiying.
Ai Sixi, intrigued by this "brave woman," expressed a keen interest in meeting her. It was Luo Zhusi's birthday, and she reminisced over a red agate bracelet, the first gift from her late husband, Beishui, symbolizing everlasting love. She voiced her sadness that Beishui seemed to prioritize Qin Baoyi, and that she was now destined to be eternally alone.
Cuiying tried to console her, assuring her of Beishui's love and noting the numerous birthday gifts she had received, although no one from the Jing family had remembered. Luo Zhusi expressed her heartbreak that her adopted son, Aji, only acknowledged his birth mother's birthday. Later, a servant informed her that Wei Junyi, the Old Lady, invited her to lunch. Luo Zhusi felt a glimmer of hope, especially upon seeing Wei Junyi wearing the jade bracelet she had gifted her.
However, Wei Junyi's true intention was not to celebrate Luo Zhusi, but to commemorate the day, 53 years prior, when Beishui first called her "Mother." Luo Zhusi was deeply hurt by Wei Junyi's deliberate oversight and the insensitive focus on her deceased son. The meal escalated into a heated argument. Luo Zhusi confronted Wei Junyi about her apparent favoritism towards Qin Baoyi, contrasting it with Wei Junyi's neglect of her own birthday.
Wei Junyi countered, praising Qin Baoyi's dedication to the tea business, implying Luo Zhusi lacked such commitment. Wei Junyi then pointed to a jade bracelet, falsely claiming it was a gift from Qin Baoyi, though Luo Zhusi had originally given it to her. This further inflamed Luo Zhusi, who demanded respect. Wei Junyi dismissed her, accusing her of being ill-mannered and narrow-minded.
A maid confided in Jing Zhenzhu that Wei Junyi's actions were a deliberate retaliation because no one had paid their respects to the Old Lady on Luo Zhusi's birthday. Jing Zhenzhu then aggravated Wei Junyi further by complaining about Luo Zhusi's perceived slights. Enraged, Wei Junyi instructed Jing Zhenzhu to deliver harsh threats to Luo Zhusi, vowing to outlive her and warning her to treat Wei Junyi with respect if she wished to continue living well in the family.
In her room, a furious Luo Zhusi vented to Cuiying, regretting her lack of sharp retorts during the argument. She practiced comebacks but ultimately concluded that, as Wei Junyi was her mother-in-law, such rudeness was inappropriate. Just then, Jing Zhenzhu arrived, relishing her role as provocateur.
She maliciously exaggerated Wei Junyi's threats to Luo Zhusi, adding that Wei Junyi would even "sweep her tomb" if Luo Zhusi did not treat Jing Zhenzhu with more kindness, and informed Luo Zhusi that, in Wei Junyi's eyes, Luo Zhusi was merely an "outsider" compared to the "virtuous, gentle, and amiable" Qin Baoyi. This proved to be Luo Zhusi's breaking point.
She ordered Cuiying to gather all the hairpins and jewels Wei Junyi had ever given her, and sent a message declaring that she would no longer acknowledge Wei Junyi as her mother-in-law, thereby severing their relationship forever. Meanwhile, Ai Sixi and Jing Kan prepared to infiltrate Yuanyang House to rescue the Great-grandaunt. Jing Kan expressed reservations about the dangerous endeavor, but Ai Sixi reminded him that without a guarantee letter, the Great-grandaunt faced indefinite suffering.
Ai Sixi also reassured him that the Old Lady was recovering from her earlier fainting spell caused by the argument with Luo Zhusi and only needed rest and medicine. To gain entry, Jing Kan reluctantly disguised himself as a woman, enduring Ai Sixi's playful mockery. Inside, they split up: Ai Sixi created a diversion, while Jing Kan searched for the Great-grandaunt. Jing Kan inadvertently stumbled into a women's sleeping quarter and discovered the Great-grandaunt, who was indeed Wei Shuangxi.
Wei Shuangxi was startled to see Jing Kan dressed in women's clothing. Ai Sixi then revealed that Wei Shuangxi was the same person who had framed and reported her during her own confinement in Yuanyang House, where Ai Sixi was known as inmate No. 357. As they attempted to escape by climbing over a wall, Jing Kan introduced Wei Shuangxi to Ai Sixi. Ai Sixi, recognizing Wei Shuangxi, seized an opportunity for retribution.
She instructed Wei Shuangxi to squat, then used her as a step to climb over the wall, leaving Wei Shuangxi in a humiliating and exposed position. As Ai Sixi scaled the wall, Wei Shuangxi cried out for the governesses, alerting them to the escape attempt and explicitly mentioning "No. 357" (Ai Sixi).
Jing Kan, dismayed by Ai Sixi's actions, tried to intervene, reminding her that Wei Shuangxi, despite her past misdeeds, had shown him kindness and would be doomed if left behind. Ai Sixi, however, remained firm, asserting that those who frame others deserved to suffer. Wei Shuangxi desperately tried to shift the blame onto Ai Sixi, accusing "No. 357" of tricking her into escaping and claiming she was close to earning her release. However, the governess, after hearing Wei Shuangxi's confession, dismissed her claims and ordered her to be flogged for her own foolishness and gullibility.
