Gone with the Rain Episode 12 Recap
> Gone with the Rain Recap
Mo Xi continued to feel that the academy was peculiar and warned Fengyao to be cautious, but Fengyao found nothing unusual, reassuring Mo Xi that she would keep an eye on things. Later, Mo Xi went shopping for clothes. As she didn't have much money, she sought out inexpensive fabric. She bought enough material for one outfit, intending to make it for Fengyao first, and then make her own after Fengyao received her salary.
Fengyao, however, insisted that Mo Xi should make clothes for herself first, arguing that her current attire was thick enough to endure the cold. She rebuffed Mo Xi's suggestion to ask for a salary advance, stating she was too shy after losing their storage box and preferred to endure the cold rather than steal. Soon after, Shen Shumo arrived with food, guessing that the sisters hadn't eaten.
Noticing Fengyao's reluctance to wear the new clothes Mo Xi had planned for her, Shen Shumo offered Fengyao some of her spare money. Despite Fengyao's initial refusal, Shen Shumo insisted, explaining it was merely a loan with no interest, which Fengyao could repay whenever convenient. Mo Xi gratefully accepted the money on Fengyao's behalf.
After Shen Shumo departed, Fengyao expressed her apprehension to Mo Xi about accepting others' kindness too readily, worrying they might suffer losses as newcomers unfamiliar with the place. She cautioned Mo Xi never to take advantage of others for small gains. Mo Xi, in turn, reassured her that she knew how to handle herself and wouldn't be taken advantage of, joking that "rabbits don't eat grass near their burrows." Fengyao was relieved by Mo Xi's assurance.
When Mo Xi went out to buy ingredients, she remembered Fengyao's advice. At the market, after carefully selecting a piece of meat, she noticed another piece had fallen to the ground and kindly reminded the vendor to hang it properly. Impressed by Mo Xi's good nature, the vendor gave her some extra sheep intestines for free.
Meanwhile, due to Miss Li taking a long leave for personal matters, Fengyao was tasked with temporarily teaching poetry and literature to both Ding 1 and Ding 2 classes. She observed that the students from the two classes wore different uniforms and seemed openly hostile towards each other, making her wonder if they had a history of conflicts. During class, two students from different sections began to argue and fight.
The Principal, upon learning of the incident, reprimanded the students for their lack of manners. She then turned to Fengyao, acknowledging her youth and inexperience but emphasizing the need for strictness with students. The Principal stated that allowing such a fight in the classroom was uncivilized and would tarnish the academy's reputation. She urged Fengyao to lead by example, be more cautious, and prevent future incidents, so her colleagues wouldn't doubt her abilities.
Fengyao respectfully accepted the criticism, vowing to guide her students more diligently. Upon returning to her room, Mo Xi was happily cooking the free sheep intestines, confident Fengyao would enjoy her efforts despite the strong smell during cleaning. However, Fengyao, upon entering and smelling the dish, immediately grew suspicious when Mo Xi mentioned they "didn't spend any money on these." Fengyao accused Mo Xi of accepting small favors and taking advantage of others, disregarding her advice.
Feeling deeply misunderstood and insulted, Mo Xi retorted that Fengyao was too noble for such things and that she had tarnished Fengyao's dignity as a young lady of the Bai family, then stormed out. Sitting alone in the yard, feeling wronged, Mo Xi overheard a female student chasing Wu Yin, accusing her of not helping explain things in class, which led to a bigger problem.
The student expressed frustration that Wu Yin, despite her knowledge, wouldn't help their Ding 1 class against the "hypocritical maids from Ding 2 Class," and accused her of being ungrateful despite past protection. Wu Yin simply replied, "What does it have to do with me?" After the student left, Wu Yin noticed Mo Xi and called her out. Mo Xi recognized Wu Yin as the person who had been spying on her when they first arrived at the academy.
To her surprise, Mo Xi realized that Wu Yin, whom she had presumed to be a female student, was "actually a man." Later, as Fengyao searched for Mo Xi, she ran into Feng Ming. Feng Ming, observing Fengyao's upset demeanor, offered sympathy for her struggles with unruly students and suggested she join him if she was unhappy. Fengyao quickly dismissed him, reminding him to mind his manners. Undeterred, Feng Ming silently vowed that he "must have her."
Fengyao eventually found Mo Xi and apologized sincerely, admitting she was wrong to accuse her and acknowledging that Mo Xi always kept her promises. She realized the sheep intestines were a gift and she had truly misunderstood. Mo Xi accepted her apology, and as a "punishment," playfully made Fengyao eat the braised intestines she had prepared. Fengyao readily agreed.
That evening, Shen Shumo visited Fengyao to offer comfort regarding the Principal's earlier scolding, advising her not to take the Principal's "unpleasantly" proud words to heart. Shen Shumo also mentioned she had important information about the students to share and invited Fengyao to her room for a detailed discussion.
There, Shen Shumo recounted the century-long history of the Qingzhou School for Women, explaining it was founded by the Zhao family's descendants from an abandoned temple to promote female virtues and education. She also highlighted the stone monument dedicated to Dowager Empress Zhong, a virtuous and intelligent former student. Shen Shumo elaborated on the academy's two sections, Meng Academy and Female Academy, detailing the strict selection process for female students, which involved rigorous assessments of knowledge, character, and background.
She then revealed a secret: despite the strict rules, the Principal was "tempted by the lavish bribes from those high-ranking officials" and had secretly admitted "mediocre" students. This information, Shen Shumo explained, was secretly shared by Miss Sun Jingyun, the former teacher who had unexpectedly left. Jingyun had discovered forged examination papers by the Principal while copying calligraphy in the library at night.
Fengyao wondered why Jingyun hadn't reported this evidence, to which Shen Shumo replied that Jingyun "probably had her reasons" and had left too suddenly, perhaps not wanting to associate with her after marrying into a prominent family. As Mo Xi returned to her room, she saw someone sneaking around and gave chase, but the person vanished. She then unexpectedly encountered Feng Ming.
Feng Ming claimed Mo Xi had sent him a letter asking to meet "in the woods near the school at midnight." He declared his true affections for Fengyao but offered to make Mo Xi his "second wife" if she helped him win Fengyao over. Realizing she hadn't sent any letter, Mo Xi suspected "this be some kind of a trap to frame me for having a tryst with Feng Ming?"
Suddenly, the Principal and her guards arrived, searching for her brother, Feng Ming, after a guard reported his presence. The Principal suspected "some seductress" was behind his midnight visit and vowed to uncover the culprit. Feng Ming quickly hid, urging Mo Xi to keep quiet, fearing that if they were caught, he and Fengyao "wouldn't be able to explain ourselves." Mo Xi returned to her room to find it ransacked.
She deduced that the person who lured her away was the same person who then searched their room. Though the thief's figure seemed familiar, she couldn't identify them. In the following days, Feng Ming continued to pursue Fengyao. Fengyao observed him acting inappropriately towards female students during archery class.
She confronted him about his alleged meeting with Mo Xi, firmly stating that she knew Mo Xi would never arrange such a secret rendezvous and warned him against defaming a woman's reputation. Feng Ming denied any involvement with Mo Xi, reaffirming his sole affection for Fengyao and attempting to give her gifts. Fengyao rebuffed him, telling him to stop his "nonsense and having any improper thoughts" before quickly departing.
Feng Ming's harassment persisted, and he even followed Fengyao to the female teachers' dormitory. Witnessing his relentless pursuit, Mo Xi dramatically splashed porridge on him. She then grabbed a pot for self-defense and, in the ensuing commotion, accidentally hit Feng Ming with it. A crowd gathered at the disturbance, and Feng Ming only retreated upon seeing Shen Shumo arrive.
