Golden House Hidden Love Episode 9 Recap
> Golden House Hidden Love Recap
Nan Hua estimates the necessary repairs to the ancient house, named Taiping, would cost at least 30,000 yuan just for the collapsed section, not including foundation or interior renovation, a significant burden given his lack of funds. He admits to Jin Xia that while he had savings before the Republic of China era, an accident left him penniless.
Jin Xia had hoped to use her salary, but her company announces a month-long delay in pay due to costs associated with an upcoming major show, thwarting her plan. Jin Xia also attempts to call her grandma about a voice recording bead but cannot reach her. Later, her grandma calls back, saying she was in the hospital visiting a sick friend and that she will come for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Desperate for money, Nan Hua attempts to pawn his important keepsake, a pair of meteor-shattered stone earrings. He tells the pawnbroker they are ancient meteorites over 2,000 years old, but without an official appraisal, the highest offer is only 12,000 yuan, which Nan Hua deems too low. His search for other work is hindered by his lack of an ID card. He encounters Ding Yanhai, who is buying soy sauce for his mother.
Ding Yanhai insists on helping Nan Hua find work in exchange for Nan Hua talking to him more. Nan Hua finds a temporary job cutting squid but is criticized by the woman running the stand for being slow. Ding Yanhai, an auxiliary officer in the town, expresses surprise that Nan Hua, an architect, is doing such work and asks if Jin Xia isn't paying for the repairs, which Nan Hua asserts is his responsibility.
Jin Xia happens to pass by and sees Nan Hua cutting squid with Ding Yanhai. Hiding, she overhears their conversation, learning Nan Hua needs money for the house and plans to sell his ancient earrings after getting them appraised in the city. She questions if he would sell such an important item just for the house repairs, which shouldn't cost that much, and wonders if it's for her mortgage.
Realizing the sacrifice he is willing to make, she is deeply touched. News of the ancient house being struck by a meteor spreads online, making it a trending topic and attracting many influencers seeking attention. They surround the house as Jin Xia returns home, filming and questioning her.
They call it the "Legendary Romantic Ancient House," linking it to a local legend about a general who became a Wangqi Stone waiting for his wife, and speculate the house was their home and the meteor a sign of the wife's return. They also spread rumors the house is haunted by a mysterious man, citing unexplained lights and sounds.
When Jin Xia denies ghosts exist, they ask why she called the police reporting a ghost when she first moved in, leaving her flustered. As Jin Xia is overwhelmed, Nan Hua arrives. The influencers comment on his handsome appearance. Nan Hua confronts them for trespassing. When they speculate he is the mysterious man from the legend, Jin Xia quickly declares he is her boyfriend. Nan Hua's presence or agitation causes signal interference for the influencers' phones.
Jin Xia calls out for Ding Yanhai, who arrives and introduces himself as an auxiliary officer and Nan Hua's friend ("brother"). He cleverly tells the influencers the real meteorite is with the town mayor and offers to show them a fake one, successfully diverting them away and restoring calm. Jin Xia reflects privately that despite her public declaration, she and Nan Hua are not truly dating, feeling the situation is absurd but acknowledging they haven't explicitly defined their relationship.
Shortly after, Jiang Xiaochuan arrives, having seen the house on social media. Excited, she tells Jin Xia the house's value has "soared" and suggests selling it for a large profit, enabling her to become rich. Nan Hua, who is present, looks on with concern. Jin Xia firmly rejects the idea, reassuring Nan Hua that she intends to live in the house permanently and would never sell it, playfully blaming Jiang Xiaochuan for even suggesting it.
During the conversation, Nan Hua admits his lack of funds and reliance on Jin Xia due to his inability to work and build savings over his long life, unlike fictional characters who have lived for centuries. Ding Yanhai returns, reporting the influencers are now photographing a fake meteorite and he warned them about the consequences of trespassing and portrait rights infringement. Ding Yanhai and Jiang Xiaochuan meet and introduce themselves; Ding Yanhai is impressed by her beauty.
Jiang Xiaochuan gives Nan Hua the small amount he earned cutting squid. Jiang Xiaochuan proposes turning the house into a tourist attraction based on the Wangqi Town legend, noting their popularity on social media. Nan Hua dismisses the idea, fearing it would cause problems for him and Jin Xia by drawing too much attention. Ding Yanhai jokes the real trouble would be revealing Nan Hua's non-human nature.
Later, the four gather, and Jiang Xiaochuan shares a romantic version of the Wangqi Town legend: a general falls in love with a heavenly goddess, but their forbidden love leads to her being forcibly taken away by heavenly soldiers, leaving him to wait eternally at the house until he turns to stone, becoming the Wangqi Stone.
Ding Yanhai offers a darker, local version passed down through generations: the general initially knew the woman was an immortal goddess, but the general's jealous sister uses cruel dark arts to kill the goddess and steal her immortality and power. The general is heartbroken and waits alone at the house, turning to stone, while the immortal sister still exists, lurking in the world. Jin Xia prefers the romantic version.
Nan Hua reveals the true origin of the legend is based on his own history: a man who has waited for someone he isn't sure about at the ancient house for a thousand years. He admits his identity is extraordinary but not that of a ghost or alien and asks Ding Yanhai to keep it secret. Ding Yanhai agrees, asking that Nan Hua stop treating him like a stranger and at least greet him when they meet. Nan Hua agrees.
Ding Yanhai connects various strange incidents as evidence that Nan Hua is not a normal human: Jin Xia's initial report of an invisible person, her sudden fighting ability when dealing with the tricksters, Nan Hua's unchanging appearance over a decade, levitating objects (like a pot he witnessed and a bowl during dinner), Nan Hua's intervention during the meteor event (flying high into the air and emitting an air wave to break it apart), and Nan Hua's lack of an ID card.
During dinner, Ding Yanhai finds Jiang Xiaochuan familiar but can't place her, despite her suggestion he might have seen her online. Jin Xia advises Jiang Xiaochuan not to pay attention to Ding Yanhai, calling him a "super simp" who flatters everyone. Ding Yanhai tries to stay the night, claiming his mother kicked him out for forgetting the soy sauce, but Jin Xia sends him away, noting his own house is nearby.
As Jiang Xiaochuan leaves, Ding Yanhai realizes she forgot her packed food and offers to take it to her. He catches up to her on the road and sees her talking to a man who quickly enters a luxury car when Ding Yanhai approaches. Jiang Xiaochuan claims the man was a ride-share driver, but Ding Yanhai remains suspicious, doubting such a car would be available in their remote location.
Afterward, Jin Xia, reflecting on her feelings and Jiang Xiaochuan's advice to directly ask Nan Hua how he feels, tentatively asks Nan Hua about his feelings, suggesting his fate is tied to her if she doesn't sell the house. Nan Hua responds that staying together forever would be ideal. Jin Xia then asks if that means he'll have to cut squid his whole life to manage the high repair costs. Nan Hua doesn't directly answer but seems accepting.
The next day, Jiang Xiaochuan transfers 100,000 yuan to Jin Xia, telling her to use it and repay later. Separately, Jiang Xiaochuan is in a luxury car instructing a driver to prepare a contract, confirming her plan to invest in Wangqi Town and develop it into a "top-class tourist town."
