Hu Tong Episode 24 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
Ahua left his wallet at the hair salon after work. When he returned to retrieve it, Juanzi was alone cleaning. Taking advantage of the empty salon and his drunken state, Ahua began to harass Juanzi, telling her he liked her and offering her money. Juanzi fiercely resisted his advances, calling him a "bastard" before struggling free and running home.
Crying, she recounted Ahua's actions to Suo Lanqi, who immediately declared Ahua "wants to die" and rushed to the salon to confront him. Suo Lanqi began to beat Ahua, with Juanzi trying to intervene and stop the fight, fearing Suo Lanqi might hit him too hard. Suo Lanqi dismissed her concerns, saying Lin Weidong would "kill him" if he knew, but Juanzi pleaded with him not to tell Lin Weidong, attributing Ahua's behavior to being drunk.
Suo Lanqi, however, believed Ahua should be fired, although Juanzi explained that Sun Xiaomin had tried to fire him multiple times, but Lin Weidong valued his craftsmanship. Later, Ahua, bruised and resentful, gathered some "Cantonese boys" from Beijing to retaliate against Suo Lanqi. They attacked Suo Lanqi with sticks, injuring him. Juanzi quickly called Lin Weidong, who was playing mahjong with his friends.
Upon hearing that Ahua and a group of Cantonese men had beaten Suo Lanqi, Lin Weidong became enraged and rallied his friends, declaring he would "kill him." Juanzi suggested that Ahua would likely be at the Cantonese restaurant they frequented. Lin Weidong and his group went there, where Ahua was celebrating his perceived victory with his "brothers," boasting about putting Beijing "old hats" in their place.
Lin Weidong and his friends then proceeded to severely beat Ahua and his Cantonese associates. All involved were subsequently arrested and taken to the police station. Sun Xiaomin rushed to the police station, where she learned that Lin Weidong, Suo Lanqi, and Ahua had all been detained. Juanzi tearfully confessed that the whole incident was her fault and explained the sequence of events.
When Lin Weidong and Suo Lanqi were released, Sun Xiaomin, Liuzi, and Juanzi were there to meet them. Back home, Li Hongying chastised Lin Weidong for taking matters into his own hands rather than letting the Public Security Bureau handle it, especially since Ahua had initiated the harassment but hadn't escalated it to a more severe crime. Lin Weidong remained unrepentant, asserting that bullying Juanzi was unacceptable and declaring, "This is not over."
Lin Zheng, his father, intervened, forbidding Lin Weidong from leaving the house and asking Lin Weimin to keep an eye on him. Lin Weimin, citing his busy business, declined the responsibility, so Tian Zao stepped in, promising that the Neighborhood Committee would supervise Lin Weidong. Meanwhile, Ahua reported his grievances to Ahong, a prominent Cantonese figure in Beijing. Ahong, having heard only Ahua's version of events, publicly announced his feud with Lin Weidong, saying he was "at odds" with him.
When Lin Weidong learned of Ahong's threat, he immediately wanted to confront him, but Tian Zao and other neighbors physically blocked him at his gate, restricting his activities to "this house and this small courtyard." Suo Lanqi relayed the escalating situation to Sun Xiaomin, expressing concern about Brother Hong's reputation and suggesting that lives might be at stake if the conflict continued. Sun Xiaomin, however, insisted on a peaceful resolution, stating that violence had no place in a "socialist society."
She instructed Liuzi to arrange a meeting with Brother Hong at a teahouse. Liuzi expressed apprehension about Sun Xiaomin going alone, suggesting bringing backup, but Sun Xiaomin was resolute, confident that as a woman seeking to reason, she would be safe. Sun Xiaomin met Ahong alone at the teahouse.
Ahong revealed he was well aware of her reputation as the Vice President of the West Side Self-employed Association, and also knew and respected her mother, Tian Zao, as a highly regarded Neighborhood Committee Director. He maintained that Cantonese people came to Beijing to work and earn money, not to cause trouble, but would not tolerate being bullied. He demanded an explanation from Lin Weidong, stressing that he did not care about Lin Weidong's influential parents.
Sun Xiaomin, emphasizing the importance of morality, then truthfully recounted Ahua's actions towards Juanzi. Ahua, who was present, became visibly agitated and repeatedly apologized to Brother Hong as Sun Xiaomin spoke. Furious at being misled, Ahong severely reprimanded Ahua and then apologized to Sun Xiaomin, thanking her for averting a potential "bloody battle." Sun Xiaomin seized the opportunity to suggest that Ahong organize the Cantonese people in Beijing to join the self-employed association, offering them support and community.
Ahong readily agreed, later telling Ahua to "Pack your things and leave quickly," stating he didn't want to see him in Beijing again. Lin Weidong enthusiastically praised Sun Xiaomin's bravery and effectiveness, calling her a "hero among women." Sun Xiaomin, however, quickly turned to Lin Weidong's own behavior, scolding him for his idleness, excessive spending, drinking, and gambling. Lin Weidong defended himself, claiming he had "nothing to do" as Awen and Juanzi managed the salon and night market.
Sun Xiaomin retorted that his lack of supervision directly led to the incident with Ahua. She urged him to "read more books," calling him a "three-no youth" (no ideal, no ambition, no pursuit), and threatened to break up with him if he didn't change his ways. Lin Weidong, distressed, immediately apologized and promised to turn over a new leaf, vowing to buy books, stop gambling and drinking, and dedicate his time to work and reading.
Sun Xiaomin expressed her desire for him to become a strong, dependable man who could shelter her from life's challenges. Meanwhile, local self-employed individuals like Liuzi complained to Sun Xiaomin that their businesses were suffering due to the increasing number of "outsiders" from Guangdong, Zhejiang, and the Northeast. Sun Xiaomin rebuked them for their laziness and for renting their stalls to outsiders, which some considered "leading the wolf into the house."
She reminded them that Beijing is a capital for all Chinese people, and these newcomers bring new fashions, skills, and diverse goods and cuisines, enriching the city and offering more choices. She emphasized Beijingers' traditional open-mindedness and encouraged them to focus on improving their own businesses. Sun Xiaomin then wrote a report on the current state of individual businesses and the challenges posed by the influx of external workers, submitting it to Li Hongying.
Li Hongying praised the report's timeliness and depth, acknowledging the need for new approaches to support and manage this growing population. She commended Sun Xiaomin's cultural background, ideological consciousness, and willingness to serve the people, urging her to join the street office to "work for the country." Sun Xiaomin, surprised, said she needed time to discuss it with Lin Weidong.
Tian Zao, nearing her retirement age of sixty, had long hoped for Sun Xiaomin to succeed her as the Neighborhood Committee Director, as she couldn't find a suitable replacement. Sun Xiaomin was hesitant, but Tian Zao, with support from Sun Tie, pressed the matter. She argued that while the Neighborhood Committee offered little pay, it was a crucial grassroots organization directly serving the people, a role that perfectly suited Sun Xiaomin's character.
Sun Xiaomin consulted Lin Weidong, who opposed both the street office and neighborhood committee roles, complaining that her current commitments already left them with little time together. To ensure he wouldn't revert to gambling, Sun Xiaomin proposed a new rule: he would accompany her everywhere she went, from managing the hair salon and night market to attending government meetings and checking on self-employed businesses.
This, she explained, would not only ensure he saw enough of her but also help him shed bad habits, read more, and develop his ideological consciousness by observing the hard work of others. Lin Weidong reluctantly agreed to her terms. In 1992, after Deng Xiaoping's important Southern Tour speeches, which provided new direction for China's development, the city organized study sessions for various government offices and neighborhood committees.
Li Hongying retired, and despite Tian Zao reaching retirement age, she was re-elected as the Neighborhood Committee Director once again, as the community felt there was no one they trusted enough to take her place. Lin Weidong and Sun Xiaomin were now married, as were Suo Lanqi and Juanzi. The two couples planned a hot pot meal together.
Suo Qian, Suo Lanqi's father, who was still actively but often unsuccessfully pursuing business deals, hoping for a big break, asked to borrow Suo Lanqi's mobile phone for his business. Suo Lanqi politely declined, citing the phone bill and his father's history of unsuccessful ventures. Suo Qian grumbled about his son's disrespect despite his children providing him with expensive clothes and accessories, praising the country's reform policy for allowing the younger generation such prosperity.
Later, Erqiangzi, a childhood neighbor, sought out Lin Weimin at his lavish office. Erqiangzi's textile factory was struggling with a backlog of unsold products, and workers were required to meet sales targets to receive full bonuses. He appealed to Lin Weimin to purchase some of the goods. Lin Weimin, however, criticized the factory's outdated production methods and unappealing products, arguing that they failed to adapt to the market economy and new trends in fashion. Despite Erqiangzi's pleas, Lin Weimin refused to buy the goods, explaining that his own company would incur losses by doing so.
