Hu Tong Episode 18 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
Upon learning of Lin Weidong's involvement in a fight, Lin Zheng informed Li Hongying that Old Qi had initiated the altercation after harassing Juanzi, but Lin Weidong's intervention resulted in Old Qi being injured. Lin Zheng expressed his frustration, initially suggesting Lin Weidong deserved a heavy sentence. However, he then revealed he had visited Old Qi's family, where Old Qi's father became more cooperative after recognizing Lin Zheng's identity. Lin Zheng also paid medical and emotional damages, securing their forgiveness.
Despite this, Lin Weidong and Solanqi were still to be detained for fifteen days, a decision Lin Zheng believed was lenient compared to re-education through labor. Li Hongying worried about her son's suffering, but Lin Zheng maintained Lin Weidong deserved the punishment. Sun Xiaomin confronted Juanzi, accusing her of being a "troublemaker" responsible for Lin Weidong and Solanqi's detention. Juanzi retorted, sarcastically accepting the label but asserting that Sun Xiaomin was not in a position to criticize her.
She passionately recounted her shared hardships with Lin Weidong, helping him with his ventures from selling cigarettes to vegetables, and standing by him in every fight, all because of her feelings for him. Juanzi then tearfully confessed that while she desired Lin Weidong, his heart was solely for Sun Xiaomin. She described how Lin Weidong's spirit sagged in Sun Xiaomin's absence but brightened whenever he saw her, causing Juanzi immense pain, which she silently endured.
She concluded by stating that only Sun Xiaomin lacked the right to accuse her, before running off in tears. Fifteen days later, Tian Zao, accompanied by Springjoy, Juanzi, and Sun Xiaomin, arrived at the detention center to pick up Lin Weidong and Solanqi. Lin Weidong, unrepentant, boasted about his comfortable time in detention, protected by his father's status.
Tian Zao instructed both him and Solanqi to report to the neighborhood committee daily for "thought reports" and to reflect on their actions. Lin Weidong, however, cut her short, grabbing Sun Xiaomin and leaving, with Juanzi pulling Solanqi along. Outside, Sun Xiaomin reproached Lin Weidong for his impulsiveness, intending to ask him about what Juanzi had said. However, Lin Weidong misinterpreted her concern as disdain and lashed out.
He accused her of looking down on him, calling him a "loafer" and a "hooligan," and contrasted his life with her pursuit of higher education and a literary career like his brother. He challenged why she had even bothered to pick him up. Hurt by his harsh words, Sun Xiaomin called him "muddy" and declared she never wanted him to approach her again, fleeing in tears. Juanzi invited Solanqi to dinner to thank him for protecting her during the fight.
Solanqi, seizing the moment, confessed his long-standing feelings for her, vowing to like her forever. Juanzi, unable to reciprocate, remained silent. Solanqi, understanding her dilemma, acknowledged that she loved Lin Weidong and that her feelings for him were unrequited, expressing his empathy for her pain, which mirrored his own. Juanzi then confided that she had argued with Sun Xiaomin, asserting that she, not Sun Xiaomin, belonged with Lin Weidong, though she knew it was a futile hope.
She recounted a painful memory from high school: when Lin Weidong was first arrested for defending Sun Xiaomin, he declared to Sun Xiaomin, "In my life, I'm going to marry you." Juanzi, having witnessed this, knew then that her love for Lin Weidong was destined to be unfulfilled. Sharing their heartbreak, Solanqi and Juanzi drank heavily. That evening, Lin Weidong had not returned home, causing Li Hongying to worry.
Lin Zheng, exasperated, threatened to beat him, but Li Hongying fiercely defended their son, blaming their shared preoccupation with work during the turbulent times for his lack of proper guidance. Lin Zheng declared he had given up on Lin Weidong and wished the government would keep him in custody longer for proper education. Li Hongying sarcastically questioned his "high consciousness," reminding him of his recent actions to apologize and compensate Old Qi's family.
Unbeknownst to them, Lin Weidong had overheard their argument and, taking some money, slipped out of the house again. Meanwhile, Solanqi returned home to a scolding from his father, So Qian, for his recklessness. So Qian forbade him from associating with Lin Weidong and Juanzi. Solanqi, feigning a need to use the restroom, snuck out when he heard Lin Weidong whistling. Lin Weidong explained he ran away because he didn't want to cause further arguments between his parents.
He revealed his plan to go to Guangzhou with a friend to buy goods for a stall in Xidan. Solanqi and Juanzi, hearing this, enthusiastically insisted on joining him. Lin Weidong agreed, instructing them to meet him at the railway station the next morning, warning them to keep their plans secret. The next morning, with Lin Weidong having been gone all night, a frantic Li Hongying went to Sun Xiaomin's home, where she met Tian Zao.
Sun Xiaomin was called out, but still upset from their argument, she could not provide any information. The mystery was solved when Solanqi's father, So Qian, and Juanzi's mother, Xiulan, arrived with notes from their children, revealing that the trio had run off to Guangzhou together. In Guangzhou, Lin Weidong, Juanzi, and Solanqi marveled at the city before meeting Lin Weidong's local friend, who introduced them to Xiaoli, the owner of a clothing store.
Xiaoli immediately took a liking to Lin Weidong, declaring him her "brother." She recommended popular items like "graphite blue jeans," T-shirts, sunglasses, and electronic watches. Lin Weidong, focusing on clothing, asked her to help him select and prepare the stock. Back in Beijing, their Xidan stall was a resounding success, selling out quickly and netting a significant profit.
Excited by their success, Lin Weidong decided the train was too slow for future trips and resolved to fly to Guangzhou the next day, citing the emerging motto "time is money, efficiency is life" to Solanqi's surprise. Lin Weidong left Solanqi and Juanzi to manage the remaining goods, claiming he had another errand. Later that night, Lin Weidong covertly watched Sun Xiaomin leave her night school. He saw Lin Weimin arrive to pick her up.
Sun Xiaomin chastised Lin Weimin for coming, expressing concern about appearances at school. Lin Weimin dismissed her worries, stating he was simply taking his "girlfriend" home, which prompted Sun Xiaomin to firmly correct him, reminding him she was not his girlfriend. At a subsequent meeting with the neighborhood committee, Li Hongying relayed the spirit of the Eleventh Central Committee's Third Plenary Session, which endorsed reform and opening up and promoted individual economic development.
She announced plans for several large night markets to encourage unemployed youth and returned educated youth to start businesses. Tian Zao, however, remained troubled, struggling to reconcile the new policies with past anti-capitalist rhetoric. After the meeting, Li Hongying tried to persuade Tian Zao, explaining that the Party's consistent goal was to improve people's lives.
She urged Tian Zao to observe how self-employment benefited both individuals and society, pointing to increasing material wealth and the emergence of "ten thousand yuan households." While Tian Zao acknowledged the positive aspects, she worried about the potential chaos of many stalls in Beijing's streets. Li Hongying assured her that these changes were for the betterment of society, leading to a more prosperous life for everyone.
