Hu Tong Episode 29 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
Lin Yue earnestly tried to convince Uncle Qi to demolish his unauthorized small kitchen, but he remained unyielding. She eventually led him outside to the alley, where various household items were piled up. She pointed out a neighbor, referred to as Second Aunt, who had built a flower pond right by her doorstep, obstructing the path and fertilizing her flowers with manure, causing a pervasive stench throughout the alley.
Uncle Qi agreed that this situation definitely needed to be addressed, particularly when the smell interfered with neighbors coming to his place for breakfast, making it seem like his family sold stinky tofu. He insisted the flower pond be removed immediately. Lin Yue then highlighted that Uncle Qi's own expanded kitchen significantly hampered traffic, making it impossible for rescue vehicles to pass in an emergency.
Uncle Qi acknowledged the importance of community well-being but explained that his Beijing snack restaurant had been operating for over ten years, supporting his family and bringing him immense joy, with neighbors relying on his food. Lin Yue reminded him that the neighborhood committee had offered several alternative storefronts, but he had rejected them all. While she promised to continue searching for a suitable location, she reiterated the immediate need to remove the illegal kitchen.
Uncle Qi, however, refused to budge, stating he would only comply if all other illegal structures in the alley were torn down. Lin Yue, with an urgent meeting to attend, decided to return that evening to discuss it further and asked him to prepare more dumplings for her and her grandmother, Tian Zao. Meanwhile, Lin Weidong met Suo Lanqi for a meal.
Suo Lanqi quickly surmised that Lin Weidong was acting as a go-between for Xiaomin, a notion Lin Weidong denied, claiming he only wanted to share a drink. Suo Lanqi explained that he had rented out his antique shop because he lacked his father's expertise and was frequently defrauded. Although the rent was 8,000 yuan a month, his son, Tao, squandered it all. Lin Weidong expressed concern about Tao's lack of a steady job.
Suo Lanqi defended his current lifestyle, enjoying his time raising crickets in the autumn, grasshoppers in the winter, and fish and flowers in the summer. He informed Lin Weidong of his upcoming trip to Ningyang, Shandong, with Tao to collect crickets, determined to make up for last year's disappointing season. Lin Weidong, intrigued, asked to join them, and Suo Lanqi agreed without hesitation. Later, Sun Xiaomin inquired about Lin Weidong’s conversation with Suo Lanqi.
Lin Weidong reported that his efforts were futile. Sun Xiaomin expressed her frustration that Suo Lanqi, who was once more agreeable, had become so difficult. Lin Weidong explained that the issue was financial; the businesses were people's livelihoods. Sun Xiaomin, however, lamented the increasing selfishness she observed in people who only cared about their own interests.
Recognizing the impasse, Sun Xiaomin sought advice from Tian Zao, who recommended a "divide and conquer" strategy, suggesting individual conversations rather than group meetings to avoid "public anger." Director Chang, addressing the community staff, announced a severe rainstorm warning for Beijing. She emphasized the need for strict measures to prevent accidents, given the many old and dilapidated houses and aging drainage systems in their jurisdiction. That night, torrential rain led to widespread flooding.
Director Chang deployed Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui to help residents bail out water. With the drainage system overwhelmed, Lin Yue was tasked with calling for a pumping truck. Simultaneously, Aunt Yang in Courtyard No. 6 was injured by falling roof tiles, prompting Ouyang Hui to call for an ambulance. Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui quickly arrived at Aunt Yang's house.
Ouyang Hui bandaged Aunt Yang's injury, while Aunt Yang’s family expressed gratitude for Lin Yue’s earlier advice to keep medical supplies at home for the elderly. The ambulance, however, was blocked from entering the narrow alley by numerous parked private cars. Lin Yue immediately contacted the car owners to move their vehicles.
After Aunt Yang was safely transported to the hospital, the pumping truck arrived, only to find another car, which had been parked for over a year with its owner reportedly abroad, obstructing the path. Lin Yue organized the residents to physically lift and move the vehicle, allowing the pumping truck to commence its work. After an exhausting night, during which eighteen flooded homes were cleared, Director Chang and her team discussed solutions for illegal parking and aging sewer systems.
Residents, grateful for their efforts, brought them hot ginger syrup and breakfast. Lin Yue seized the opportunity to address the community, highlighting the dangers exemplified by Aunt Yang's injury and questioning if they would wait for tragedies to occur before acting on illegal constructions and parking. Inspired, Xiao Yong, Uncle Qi's son, declared his intention to persuade his father to demolish their small kitchen, stating their family should lead by example.
Other residents also began agreeing to remove their illegal structures. Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui started the demolition work by removing Second Aunt's flower pond, with Lin Yue helping her replant her cherished flowers in pots to take home. Uncle Qi and his wife offered Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui tea, and Uncle Qi playfully remarked that Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui looked like a couple.
Ouyang Hui, though initially surprised, expressed his growing affection for the neighborhood and its residents, acknowledging that Beijingers are reasonable and appreciate efforts made for their well-being. Following Tian Zao's advice, Sun Xiaomin continued her individual outreach. Over twenty businesses agreed to revert their illegal constructions. However, when she confronted Suo Lanqi again, he remained defiant, asserting his right to resist and even threatened to sue the government.
Suo Lanqi further informed her that he, Tao, and Lin Weidong were heading to Shandong to collect crickets. Sun Xiaomin attempted to dissuade Lin Weidong, dismissing it as frivolous, but he insisted on pursuing hobbies to enrich his retirement, drawing inspiration from Suo Lanqi’s passion for insects. In Shandong, at a bustling flower, bird, fish, and insect market, Suo Lanqi proudly acquired a high-quality cricket. Lin Weidong, however, managed to procure several even finer specimens.
Determined to avenge his defeat from "Lord Han" last year, Suo Lanqi vowed to train his cricket relentlessly. He blamed his previous loss on Xiaomin's constant calls about demolition, which he claimed had distracted him. Lin Weidong used this moment to subtly suggest that Suo Lanqi cooperate with Sun Xiaomin's initiatives. Suo Lanqi, however, was adamant, declaring he would simply tell Xiaomin he had "no time" if she approached him again.
He believed that his refusal would indefinitely delay any demolition efforts, allowing him to continue collecting rent, and even boasted about litigating to stall the process for "at least half a year." Lin Weidong warned him, citing cases where public housing was confiscated through legal means, emphasizing that the government would expedite such cases, leaving Suo Lanqi with no room for negotiation. Suo Lanqi dismissed these warnings, accusing Lin Weidong of trying to intimidate him on Xiaomin's behalf.
Back at the community office, Director Chang announced that Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui would lead this year's recruitment efforts for new staff, with herself and Deputy Director Tang overseeing the process. Deputy Director Tang expressed reservations about entrusting such a critical task to two relatively young and less experienced individuals. Ouyang Hui, however, elucidated Director Chang's vision: to implement new, modern assessment methods for the increasingly educated pool of young applicants.
He argued that their contemporary knowledge and innovative thinking, combined with the seasoned experience of Director Chang and Deputy Director Tang, would ensure the selection of "compound talents" best suited for modern community work. Both Lin Yue and Deputy Director Tang concurred, with Lin Yue readily accepting the responsibility.
Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui then went to a bookstore to research recruitment strategies from major enterprises, seeking inspiration for their interview questions to identify individuals who genuinely desired to serve the community. During the subsequent interviews, many highly qualified university graduates applied. One applicant, a recent graduate, articulated her desire to gain both work and social experience by working at the grassroots level. However, she struggled to provide a practical approach when asked about surveying laid-off workers.
Observing the interviews, Director Chang was pleased by the caliber of applicants but also expressed a sense of impending obsolescence. Deputy Director Tang reassured her, acknowledging the new generation's educational prowess but asserting that their own generation's deep understanding of grassroots work and community members remained invaluable.
