Hu Tong Episode 35 Recap
> Hu Tong Recap
Residents of the local courtyard gathered to watch the National Day parade on television, marveling at the formidable soldiers marching through Tiananmen Square, the display of advanced military equipment, and the air force planes soaring overhead, leaving trails of color in the sky. Everyone present was deeply moved. As the Beijing citizens' formation passed, Lin Weidong eagerly peered at the screen, searching for Sun Xiaomin, but found no sight of her.
He expressed his disappointment, lamenting that Sun Xiaomin had trained rigorously for this parade yet didn't even get a close-up shot. Tian Zao chided Lin Weidong for being ungrateful, reminding him that being selected to represent the street in the National Day parade was an immense honor. Suo Lanqi praised Tian Zao for raising such a fine daughter as Sun Xiaomin, acknowledging the pride Tian Zao felt. Following the parade, Tian Zao prepared a celebratory feast for Sun Xiaomin.
Sun Xiaomin recounted her exhilarating experience of marching through Tiananmen Square. Tian Zao then casually mentioned her own participation in parades back in the day, a family tradition. Lin Yue, inspired, vowed not to let Tian Zao and Sun Xiaomin down. Sun Xiaomin later convened a meeting with the neighborhood committee directors, relaying the city government's decision to renovate the courtyards and establish "symbiotic courtyards" from the vacated properties. She then assigned them specific tasks.
Director Chang posted renovation renderings in the committee yard, allowing households to choose their preferred styles. Residents would contribute a portion of the cost, with design and construction units handling the full renovation. Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui elaborated on the plans for turning these courtyards into B&Bs, a folk museum, and activity centers for the elderly. The residents enthusiastically supported the initiative.
Suo Lanqi and Juanzi invited Lin Weidong and Sun Xiaomin to dinner, but Sun Xiaomin was too busy with work to attend, so Lin Weidong went alone. Suo Lanqi expressed his gratitude to Sun Xiaomin for advising him to vacate his house, which enabled them to move into a much better home. He also mentioned that his son, Taozi, was now happily working at a design company. The three shared drinks and enjoyed a lively conversation throughout the meal.
Suo Lanqi proudly noted that Taozi had proposed several design plans that had been well-received by his boss, leading to a salary increase. Lin Weidong agreed that Taozi was talented and would surpass his father. Suo Lanqi expressed his heartfelt wish for his son to have a great future, even better than his own or his wife's. Lin Yue was busy day and night, taking designers to Hao Grandma's house to plan the B&B conversion.
When Tian Zao learned about Hao Grandma's courtyard becoming a B&B, she too expressed interest in converting her own home, believing it could not only introduce visitors to Beijing's history and culture but also alleviate loneliness for the elderly. Lin Yue remained unsatisfied after reviewing five design proposals, insisting on a complete overhaul to address Hao Grandma's damp and dark living conditions and ensure convenient mobility for an elderly person. The designers found her requests challenging.
Later, Ouyang Hui invited Lin Yue, Ding Ding, and Taozi for a karaoke session. Lin Yue confided her stress over Hao Grandma's B&B design. Ding Ding suggested Taozi, highlighting his talent, which Lin Yue initially questioned. Ding Ding reassured her of Taozi's abilities, citing his successful projects at the design company. Lin Yue promised Taozi a grand dinner if he could deliver a satisfactory plan.
Taozi playfully responded that her approval alone would be enough if she would agree to be his girlfriend. During the evening, Ouyang Hui and Lin Yue performed a duet, showcasing their seamless coordination. Meanwhile, Chen Hui worked diligently at Uncle Qi's noodle restaurant. Uncle Qi often sent her home with some of his favorite Beijing snacks.
He also asked Er Qiangzi to visit the restaurant's kitchen to guide the chefs, a request Er Qiangzi eagerly accepted, proud of his growing responsibilities and hoping for another pay raise. Binbin stayed up for several consecutive nights working on a design project. Chen Hui was concerned for his health but didn't want to disturb him. After their strenuous efforts, Binbin and his team finally completed the design, and he immediately collapsed into sleep from exhaustion.
Lin Yue and Ding Ding then met Taozi at Hao Grandma's house. Lin Yue outlined her requirements for the B&B: it needed to be spacious, bright, and convenient for an elderly person, especially in the bathroom and kitchen areas. Ding Ding added that the design should also be stylish and modern. Taozi acknowledged the high demands, recognizing that a complete rethinking of the architectural pattern would be necessary, but he confidently accepted the challenge.
Chen Ying received a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be a police officer from the Municipal Bureau's Economic Investigation Division. The caller accused her of involvement in a major money laundering case and instructed her to immediately go to room 201 of Hongbin Hotel for a phone interview, bringing all bank cards and ID cards belonging to herself and her parents. She was strictly warned to keep the matter confidential.
Frightened and without much thought, Chen Ying rushed home to collect the documents before heading to the hotel. Her mother noted her hurried departure but Chen Ying dismissed her concerns. Han Yi received an urgent call from the anti-fraud center, reporting that Chen Ying was on a lengthy call with a suspected scammer. Her phone line remained busy. Han Yi immediately contacted Lin Yue, and they went to Chen Ying's workplace and then her home for an investigation.
At her home, Chen Ying's mother discovered that all the family's bank cards and ID cards, which Chen Ying typically managed since her parents were retired, were missing. With Chen Ying's phone still engaged, Han Yi concluded she was being defrauded. He then received another call from the anti-fraud center, informing him that Zheng Tong and his wife were also in contact with a scam call.
Han Yi arranged for Chen Ying's location to be traced to Hongbin Hotel, room 201. He quickly dispatched officers there, while instructing his colleague to accompany Lin Yue to Zheng Tong's residence to investigate. Upon arriving at the hotel, Han Yi explained to a skeptical Chen Ying that she was being scammed. He had her try to call the "officer" back, but the number was continuously unreachable, finally convincing her.
He then had her accompany him back to the police station to give a detailed statement. Meanwhile, Lin Yue called Ouyang Hui to assist her in visiting Zheng Tong and his wife with a police officer. The couple initially denied receiving any suspicious calls. Lin Yue urged them to think carefully, and Zheng's wife eventually admitted she had met a "financial friend" in an online group and had invested 30,000 yuan on a platform he recommended.
She opened her computer, showing them her account balance had grown to 36,000 yuan. Lin Yue, along with Ouyang Hui, tried to explain the implausibility of such high returns. Lin Yue then asked Zheng's wife to attempt a small withdrawal, which was immediately frozen. Zheng's wife frantically messaged her "financial friend," who told her she needed to take a photo of her ID and a half-length photo for "advanced certification" to withdraw the funds.
She was about to comply, genuinely believing him. Ouyang Hui vehemently insisted that she was being scammed, detailing the typical steps of such frauds where scammers acquire personal information. Still unconvinced, Zheng's wife received a call from the "financial manager." The police officer took the phone, and upon identifying himself, the scammer instantly hung up and blocked Zheng's wife's number. Zheng Tong and his wife were devastated, realizing they had lost their 30,000 yuan in retirement savings. Zheng Tong angrily blamed his wife, but Lin Yue and Ouyang Hui intervened, explaining the challenges of catching international telecommunications fraudsters and recovering losses.
