Go Ahead Episode 38 Recap
> Go Ahead Recap
Ling Xiao drives his mother, Chen Ting, and sister, Qin Meiyang, back to the hotel, suggesting he book their flight tickets for Sunday back to Singapore. Chen Ting states she doesn't plan to return to Singapore immediately, as she intends to visit many relatives and stay in China for a while, implying Ling Xiao doesn't need to book tickets yet. Qin Meiyang expresses dissatisfaction, feeling Ling Xiao is eager to rush them back to Singapore.
Ling Xiao then blames Chen Ting for giving He Ziqiu money for the cake. Chen Ting defends her action, saying it's reasonable given He Ziqiu's business difficulties and her desire not to burden him. Later, Ling Xiao returns home to a birthday surprise from He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian, who present him with a cake, finally making him feel it's truly his birthday.
Ling Xiao jokingly asks He Ziqiu for money, but He Ziqiu refuses, revealing he received 1000 yuan cake money from Chen Ting and won't part with it easily. Li Haichao, restless and concerned about He Mei, visits her beauty salon. He believes her actions are unreasonable, finding it hard to believe He Mei, who deeply loved He Ziqiu, would abandon him due to poverty, especially since she diligently raised Winter, a child unrelated to her.
He insists on knowing the truth, unwilling to be deceived further. Under Li Haichao's persistent questioning, He Mei sends her employee, Winter, out to play and reveals the true story. Years ago, He Mei moved to Shenzhen, hoping for a better life. After two years working at a beauty salon, a dispute arose when a client had an allergic reaction.
He Mei intervened to help a colleague, but the client accidentally fell, hitting her head on a stone step and dying from excessive bleeding. Though not intentional, He Mei was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served four years in prison. She had only allowed her sister, Aunt He Lan, to visit her secretly and wrote a letter for Aunt He Lan to take back, fearing Aunt He Lan or Li Haichao would leak the truth.
He Mei concealed this from Li Haichao, fearing he would not be willing to raise the son of a "murderer." She did all of this to ensure Li Haichao would raise He Ziqiu as his own son without worry. Li Haichao is deeply astonished and sympathetic, scolding He Mei for being so distant. He reiterates that he raised He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian as his own, expecting no return, only their happiness and health.
He knows He Ziqiu has always felt a void that only He Mei can fill. He Mei, however, stubbornly believes this void is permanent and cannot be filled, stating that her only contribution now is to avoid troubling He Ziqiu further. Li Haichao, realizing He Ziqiu's stubbornness originates from He Mei, persuades her that if she truly feels indebted, she should gradually compensate He Ziqiu, emphasizing his right to know the truth.
Meanwhile, He Ziqiu visits his Aunt He Lan in the hospital. As Aunt He Lan sees him out, she hesitantly urges him not to hate He Mei, calling He Mei pitiful and explaining she had no choice. Aunt He Lan describes He Mei's profound sorrow in prison, crying like a "peach" and writing many unsent letters to He Ziqiu. Aunt He Lan accidentally reveals He Mei's past incarceration, leading He Ziqiu to press for the full truth.
Soon after, Li Haichao calls He Ziqiu, not only revealing He Mei's past and her reasons for abandoning him but also informing him that Winter is not He Mei's biological child. Just as Li Haichao is about to call He Ziqiu, Aunt He Lan calls him, informing He Mei that He Ziqiu already knows everything. Agitated by the revelations, He Ziqiu goes to the beach to clear his mind.
Li Haichao, worried about He Ziqiu, calls Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao, who drop their work and rush to find him. Ling Xiao admits he worried He Ziqiu might jump into the sea. He Ziqiu assures them he is fine and would not contemplate suicide. He confesses he feels much better knowing he wasn't abandoned and that He Mei didn't remarry or have other children. However, He Ziqiu finds the concept of "forgiveness" meaningless, as he never hated He Mei.
He also believes that reconciliation is unnecessary and that living separate lives is the best approach. Later that night, Li Haichao and He Ziqiu share drinks and a conversation at the noodle shop. Li Haichao asks about He Ziqiu's future plans, to which He Ziqiu replies he is unsure, feeling any proactive move to connect with He Mei now would seem forced, and that the current situation is fine. Qi Mingyue confides in Tang Can about her parents' arguments.
Tang Can, concerned, advises Qi Mingyue to confront or compromise, rather than continuing to avoid the situation. Qi Mingyue retorts that Tang Can herself eventually compromised. Tang Can clarifies that her compromise was with fate, not her parents, explaining that since starting work at the museum, her life has become smoother, her parents' relationship has improved, and her inner turmoil has ceased.
Later, Qi Mingyue's mother, Jin Yuxiang, calls Qi Mingyue, informing her that she is coming to get her household register page to help her buy a house. Qi Mingyue, who is out, attempts to stall her mother with various excuses. However, Jin Yuxiang encounters Tang Can downstairs and decides to go up to the apartment. Hearing this, Qi Mingyue immediately rushes home.
Qi Mother, led by Tang Can, arrives, changes her shoes, and enters Qi Mingyue's messy room, searching for the household register. Tang Can calls Qi Mingyue and advises her not to worry, as the household register page is at her company and her mother won't find it. After searching extensively without finding the household register, Jin Yuxiang discovers a box of empty beer cans under the bed, revealing that Qi Mingyue has not been preparing for the civil servant exam.
Furious and frustrated by her fruitless search, Qi Mother returns to the living room to wait for Qi Mingyue, radiating a low-pressure aura. Tang Can, observing Jin Yuxiang's anger, messages Li Jianjian, asking her to wait for Qi Mingyue on her way back home, and also warns Qi Mingyue that she has angered her mother. Later, while Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian are together at home watching TV, Ling Heping unexpectedly returns.
He asks about Ling Xiao's recent condition and reminds him to take his medicine and get a follow-up check-up once it's finished. After Ling Heping goes to shower, Ling Xiao unexpectedly proposes marriage to Li Jianjian. Caught off guard, Li Jianjian is stunned and doesn't agree, leading Ling Xiao to drop the topic.
