Her Fantastic Adventures Episode 3 Recap
> Her Fantastic Adventures Recap
Sent to Jizhou Academy for being restless, Shaoyi was also to have a tailor make clothes for Miss Gu, as instructed by Duan Yu. Xing Si was surprised, asking if Duan Yu genuinely intended to propose to Miss Gu. Duan Yu clarified that the idea of a proposal came from Xing Si, not him, and stated he had his own judgment on whether he and Miss Gu were suitable, despite Xing Si's opinion that they were not a good match.
Gu Xingwu informed Gu Qingqiao that Duan Yu had invited her to the Duan Residence to have clothes made. Gu Qingqiao questioned why she needed to go there just for measurements and fitting. Gu Xingwu explained that although a formal proposal hadn't been made, it was likely, and she needed to put in effort.
He urged her to seize this opportunity, calling it a "chance" after a significant past incident had made few men in Changqing willing to propose to her. Gu Qingqiao felt hesitant about being too forward, but her father emphasized the importance of her getting married. He saw the visit as the perfect opportunity to turn a potential proposal into a definite one, framing it as a way to resolve past emotional baggage.
Shaoyi brought novels to Ruoyun, telling her he might be leaving for Jizhou Academy for a while. Ruoyun was disappointed, feeling she would lose a playmate, but Shaoyi promised to write. Ruoyun was evidently hoping Gu Qingqiao would become Shaoyi's aunt, which would mean marrying Duan Yu. Gu Qingqiao sought out Madam Zhang at home to borrow cosmetics.
She then applied a drastically ugly makeup to Lu Zizheng, commenting that with such a look, he could walk around Changqing openly and no one would recognize him. Lu Zizheng questioned why she liked Duan Yu. Gu Qingqiao stated there was no specific reason, simply that liking him was her wish for two lifetimes. Knowing Gu Qingqiao was going to the Duan Residence, Dongxi offered to do her makeup so she could look her best.
Gu Qingqiao, however, said she wasn't used to makeup, only typically wearing a natural look with lipstick. Dongxi offered to find her a face veil instead, which Gu Qingqiao considered. Wearing a face veil, Gu Qingqiao arrived at the Duan Residence. Duan Yu observed her carefully and instructed all the servants to turn away so they wouldn't look at her. Gu Qingqiao explained that she had put on makeup, but only for him to see.
Duan Yu told her she looked beautiful with or without makeup and that she was more suited without the veil. Pleased by his words, which she described as having high EQ/IQ, Gu Qingqiao removed the veil. Duan Yu gave Gu Qingqiao a tour of the Duan Residence, explaining that the family's prominence came from the Qilin Bow and recounting their deep enmity with the Sacred Blood Sect.
He revealed his father, Duan Sheng, had been fatally ambushed by the Sacred Blood Sect leader fifteen years prior, and his elder brother, Duan Yan, was injured protecting him. He then led her to the family shrine. Gu Qingqiao, mistakenly thinking he was introducing her to his family, knelt and made wishes aloud, praying for a long and happy life together with Duan Yu and for them to have children soon.
Duan Yu gently corrected her, noting that his brother was still alive and that having children might be a bit premature. When Gu Qingqiao asked if he had met her before, Duan Yu confirmed their first meeting was at the Gu Residence. Gu Qingqiao pressed him, asking why he would propose at their first meeting; he again attributed the idea to Xing Si. She then asked if he couldn't see it as a special connection between them.
Duan Yu agreed, calling her a very special girl. Gu Qingqiao expressed that this was the nicest thing anyone had said to her since she arrived in Changqing, calling him "slick and sly," which she defined as being very smart and tactful. Duan Yu returned the compliment, calling her a very slick and sly girl as well. Later, while they were on a boat, they encountered assassins. During the struggle, Gu Qingqiao fell into the lake.
Duan Yu quickly pulled her out, but she lost one of her shoes. Duan Yu offered to help her put it back on. Gu Qingqiao hesitated, mentioning the custom that a man shouldn't see a woman's feet before marriage, but admitted the main reason was that she was ticklish and preferred to put it on herself. At this point, the tailor arrived to take her measurements.
Gu Qingqiao suggested it wasn't necessary to measure her directly and offered to have Dongxi send over one of her existing dresses for the tailor to use as a reference for size. Unknown to Gu Qingqiao at the time, the events of the day were part of a test by Duan Yu.
He had deliberately misidentified a Sacred Blood Sect weapon and brought up the sect's history, and even the incident on the boat where she fell into the water was planned. His intention was to check her feet for a potential mark. He had also instructed Xing Si to gather information about her from Doctor Dong, who had treated her.
Duan Yu initially suspected Gu Qingqiao might be connected to the Sacred Blood Sect, later hypothesizing she could be the "Star of Rebellion," a figure prophesied to help restore the Sacred Blood Sect and bring about the downfall of the Duan family. This suspicion was heightened after she took the first incense at Shangqing Temple, followed by unusual celestial phenomena. However, the day's tests yielded no definitive proof.
Doctor Dong confirmed to Xing Si that Gu Qingqiao had indeed been gravely ill, died, and then revived, but seemed to have forgotten her past and talked strangely. The Wuyi Guards who were part of the staged attack on the boat reported that she showed no signs of internal strength. Duan Yu concluded that she appeared to be an ordinary woman, seemingly uninterested in martial arts factions or the Sacred Blood Sect.
Given the lack of evidence from his tests, Duan Yu considered the possibility that Gu Qingqiao might be "playing dumb but is actually very clever." Lu Zizheng sought out Gu Qingqiao, expressing annoyance that she seemed to have forgotten him after meeting Duan Yu. He eventually told her he knew the whereabouts of the "Four Treasures." He then produced an item he claimed was the Mantra Sect's sacred artifact, the Nine-turn melodious bell.
Gu Qingqiao immediately recognized it as her electronic watch. Lu Zizheng insisted it was the ancient artifact, pointing out its changing patterns and magical speaking ability ("Now is Beijing time. . ." ), claiming such functions were proof of its extraterrestrial origin, and noting its unique texture was neither leather nor metal. Gu Qingqiao countered that the texture was just plastic.
He offered her the bell, but only if she agreed to do something for him, implying it was not a simple favor. Meanwhile, Qingfeng Restaurant's business was flourishing thanks to Gu Qingqiao's innovations. Manager Yang Chunfeng of Chunfeng Restaurant visited Gu Xingwu, acknowledging Qingfeng's success but suggesting the upcoming food festival should be held at his long-established Chunfeng Restaurant, implying his venue was more suitable and the chairman would agree.
Gu Xingwu expressed concern that if the festival was held at Chunfeng, their efforts would benefit a rival. Gu Qingqiao reassured her father, stating he shouldn't worry and that Duan Yu would not agree to Manager Yang's proposal because of her. Gu Qingqiao met with Duan Yu and proposed a strategy for the food festival. She suggested they could use the festival as an opportunity to capture the Mantra Sect's Right Guardian and other members.
Her plan involved spreading a rumor that the Right Guardian intended to surrender to the government during the festival, which would lure him and other Mantra Sect members to the location, allowing the authorities to apprehend them amidst the crowds.
She insisted the festival must be held at Qingfeng Restaurant, explaining it was the ideal location due to its strategic layout: the spacious front suitable for plainclothes officers to blend in, and the narrow, winding back alleys and uneven rooftops perfect for ambushes and surveillance. Duan Yu agreed to the plan, acknowledging his initial reservations about holding such an event during a time of unrest but seeing the potential to capture the Mantra Sect members.
Gu Xingwu worried about the potential risks of the plan, especially involving the dangerous Mantra Sect, and the possibility of the event failing, which could harm their family's reputation and livelihood, affecting Gu Qingqiao's marriage prospects. Gu Qingqiao comforted him, assuring him that she had discussed the plan with Duan Yu and it would not be dangerous.
She encouraged her father not to worry, quoting adages about overcoming difficulties and having more solutions than problems, reminding him of the importance of believing in oneself and not giving up, referencing motivational words she seemed to recall from her father from a past life or memory. She declared this was an opportunity for Qingfeng Restaurant to become famous and that they must seize it.
She embraced him, stating that now she had grown up, it was her turn to protect him after all his sacrifices for her. Gu Qingqiao proceeded with training the Qingfeng Restaurant staff. She had the delivery team practice their motto while dressed in oilskin coats and rain hats, emphasizing their service was "super fast" in any weather and their slogan was "The Glory of Meat."
She also trained the kitchen staff to master "The Glory of Meat" recipes, aiming for "person and dish become one," asking if they could become the best chefs and conquer every diner. A staff member questioned Da's suitability as head chef, noting his poor speaking skills. Gu Qingqiao dismissed the objection, stating that speaking ability was irrelevant to cooking, and had Da demonstrate his culinary skills, which impressed everyone.
She also trained the staff on buffet planning, explaining concepts like separating cold and hot dishes, desserts, and beverages, and "action planning" or mapping customer flow. She introduced tiered pricing with top-up bonuses tied to accessing silver private boxes or gold suites. Gu Xingwu expressed concern about the significant investment in preparations, questioning if they would recoup the costs. Gu Qingqiao responded with proverbs about taking risks to achieve big rewards.
