Hu Tong Episode 30 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
Ding Ding, a recent graduate from Beijing University of Technology, arrived at the Neighborhood Committee for an interview. Secretary Chang spoke with her briefly. Ouyang Hui then posed several incisive questions regarding public welfare, to which Ding Ding responded with clear and well-organized viewpoints. Secretary Chang was very pleased with Ding Ding, noting that she reminded her of Lin Yue when Lin Yue first applied.
Lin Yue, too, took a liking to Ding Ding and decided to take her on as her apprentice. Meanwhile, the illegal constructions in the hutongs had been dismantled, but their spaces were once again occupied by private cars. Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui surveyed the area, unsure how to solve the recurring parking problem. Ouyang Hui invited Lin Yue to dinner to discuss solutions. As they talked, they found much in common.
Lin Yue expressed her frustration over the chaotic parking, but Ouyang Hui reassured her and quickly formulated a practical plan. Sun Xiaomin convened a meeting for Neighborhood Committee directors to address the unregulated parking. Lin Yue presented a proposal for one-way parking in the hutongs, suggesting designated parking spots for each household and strictly prohibiting outside vehicles. She showcased a detailed route map she and Ouyang Hui had drafted. Lin Yue also recommended clearing "zombie cars" and abandoned bicycles.
Sun Xiaomin praised Lin Yue's innovative approach and instructed all attendees to implement similar measures in their respective communities. Later, Lin Yue invited Ouyang Hui for a meal. The restaurant owner mistakenly assumed they were a couple, which Lin Yue promptly denied. She chided Ouyang Hui for missing the morning meeting, forcing her to present their plan alone. Ouyang Hui explained he had family matters to attend to.
Lin Yue then voiced her concern that while one-way parking would ease congestion, it would significantly reduce the total available parking spaces, leaving many residents' cars without a place to park. Ouyang Hui agreed that their current solutions were temporary and a truly permanent one was still needed. Elsewhere, Sun Xiaomin had repeatedly tried to persuade Suo Lanqi to comply with the rectification efforts, but he remained unyielding, absorbed instead in training his crickets.
Juanzi, Suo Lanqi's wife, attempted to convince him to support Sun Xiaomin's work, but he adamantly refused, citing potential financial losses. Suo Lanqi later challenged Han, another cricket enthusiast, to a fight, winning the first round. Taozi, Suo Lanqi's son, subtly advised his father to stop there, wary of Han's more formidable cricket. Just then, Sun Xiaomin called Suo Lanqi, urging him to come to his shop. Suo Lanqi left abruptly.
Han then challenged Taozi, but Taozi, knowing his own cricket's limitations against Han's, also made an excuse and departed. Taozi caught up with Suo Lanqi, promising to find a way for him to defeat Han's prized cricket and restore their honor. Back at his shop, Suo Lanqi was met by Sun Xiaomin, who pointed out that his was the only establishment on the street that had yet to comply with the new regulations.
Suo Lanqi stubbornly declared he would be a "nail house," refusing to budge. That evening, at Sun Xiaomin's home, her husband Lin Weidong revealed that Suo Lanqi had secretly rented out his shop. Sun Xiaomin shared that she had spoken with the tenant, who was considering vacating due to poor business caused by the renovations and was willing to clear out goods and get a refund.
Tian Zao, however, expressed her concern that Suo Lanqi's deep-seated resentment meant he wouldn't back down easily. Tian Zao's prediction proved true when Suo Lanqi stormed into Sun Xiaomin's home during dinner, angrily confronting her and Lin Weidong for their "despicable" actions, accusing them of conspiring against him. He vowed to resist any attempt to close his shop and would operate it himself if necessary.
Returning home, Suo Lanqi reiterated his defiance to Taozi, who then suggested alternative business ideas for the shop, such as selling folk crafts and hand-woven goods. Chun Xi, Suo Lanqi's mother, overheard his stubbornness and severely reprimanded him. She reminded him of how the community, led by Tian Zao, had supported their family when she first married, helping them rebuild their home.
Chun Xi accused him of ingratitude for opposing the government and causing Tian Zao distress, lamenting the decline of human compassion despite Beijing's progress. Later, Sun Xiaomin and Lin Weidong discussed whether their tactics had gone too far, both feeling uncomfortable with the situation. Lin Weidong acknowledged Tian Zao's insight that Suo Lanqi's emotional "knot" needed to be untied for any real progress. Ding Ding was officially hired by the Neighborhood Committee.
Secretary Chang, placing great trust in her, assigned her to learn under Lin Yue. Lin Yue immediately took Ding Ding on a tour of the local residences, detailing the situation of each household with remarkable familiarity, which Ding Ding meticulously recorded in her notebook. Lin Yue then invited Ding Ding to her home, eager to introduce her to her grandmother, Tian Zao, whom Lin Yue referred to as the "legend" of their Neighborhood Committee and its first director.
On their way, they ran into Taozi, who was hurrying to join Suo Lanqi for another cricket match against Han. Taozi was instantly smitten with Ding Ding, introducing himself and asking about her. Lin Yue, however, quickly intervened, sending him on his way to the cricket fight. Ding Ding introduced herself as a new hire at the Neighborhood Committee, now Lin Yue's apprentice.
Later, Suo Lanqi and Taozi achieved a triumphant victory against Han in their cricket battle, a source of great celebration for them. At Lin Yue's home, Tian Zao warmly welcomed Ding Ding, complimenting her beauty and expressing her appreciation for young graduates like Ding Ding choosing to work for the community, emphasizing the importance of genuinely caring for the ordinary people.
