I Am The Years You Are The Stars Episode 14 Recap
> I Am The Years You Are The Stars Recap
Yang Xue'er arrived at Qing'ai Group for a fitting, where Dao Ruifeng, the third-generation designer, greeted her. His assistant, William, paced anxiously, drawing a comment from Dao Ruifeng. William retorted, "I'm rubbing my hands because you look like a black-eyed chicken." He added that Xue'er was "here to try on the clothes, not to meet me."
A conversation between Dao Ruifeng and another person hinted at William being in a "sour mood" and the need for Mrs. Dao to find another celebrity in France if Yang Xue'er hadn't come. Yang Xue'er and her manager arrived. Her manager, citing a tight schedule, urged them to proceed directly to the clothes. Yang Xue'er noted that Dao Ruifeng didn't look like he slept well.
He responded, "After I heard that you'd come today, I got too excited to sleep last night. Hope you don't mind." She countered, "I didn't put on any makeup because I wanted you to see my natural look. Hope you don't mind, either." After exchanging formal introductions, they moved to view the designs. Yang Xue'er found the new collection "messy, but very pretty." She inquired about the series' name.
Dao Ruifeng explained, "It's called 'The Nine Stages of a Decaying Corpse.' " He elaborated that the concept originated in China and was later developed in Japan, referring to nine stages of post-mortem decay, listing them as "distension, rupture, exudation of blood, discoloration and desiccation, consumption by animals, putrefaction, bones, dismemberment, and parched to dust." Yang Xue'er found it "strange" and questioned why, with so many themes available, "death" was chosen.
Jiang Baiju, acting as Dao Ruifeng's assistant "Bai," then stepped in. He explained that "The Nine Stages" is typically found in temples, usually depicting a female cadaver, to illustrate that physical beauty is a mere illusion and that all carnal desires ultimately lead to an unsightly decay. He clarified that "a beauty will eventually grow old and die" and undergo these stages. He then posed a question to Yang Xue'er: "Do you think death can take love away?"
He continued, "Love will never last. But memories will remain. We never forget those happy moments we experienced." He emphasized that "the flesh will decay, but love will last forever." He suggested that the designs, "messy but beautiful," might represent confronting "the tough love you've had." He added that betrayal, jealousy, and hurting each other are "even worse than death," including "the fear of death" and "the reluctance to accept death," which the designer hoped she would feel.
He urged her to "see through the ugliness hidden beneath the beautiful facade," yet "still choose to believe in beauty." Yang Xue'er, intrigued, asked, "Who are you?" Jiang Baiju replied he was "Wei Ruifeng's assistant," to which Dao Ruifeng added, "This is Bai, my assistant. He's become Crayon Shin-chan." At her late husband's grave, Xiaoyu found Mrs. Xu, who happily reported her recent blood test results were "pretty good," allowing her to visit the grave.
Despite her improved appearance, Mrs. Xu speculated it could be "terminal lucidity." She shared her decision to donate her organs and body for medical teaching, hoping to be a "Silent Mentor" for students, as she'd never done anything significant in life. She also brought up euthanasia, pondering that while people say one should "live well," who dictates that one "can't die well"? Xiaoyu agreed.
At the hospital, a nurse discussed strategies for avoiding blind dates, while news spread that Mrs. Xu, a liver cancer patient in VIP ward No. 3, had made a miraculous recovery, with all her indicators normal, thrilling Chief Sun. Weilan, however, remained suspicious about this "medical miracle." Qian Tu consulted Professor Chen regarding the specific drug. Professor Chen admitted that even his internationally renowned senior expert had never encountered the radioactive substance found in the drug.
He did confirm that the substance affects dopamine secretion, leading to dopamine dysregulation syndrome, which is linked to Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and Tourette's, "especially schizophrenia." He concluded that this was likely related to Tan Yueran's sudden emotional breakdown and that "schizophrenia is the sequela of taking this pill," warning of dire consequences if she hadn't been found.
Jiang Baiju then revealed he was searching for a radioactive meteorite, drawing a parallel to the Chernobyl disaster, where radiation caused animals to mutate to abnormal sizes, like a mouse growing "to the size of a horse." He recounted how his search for such materials led him to a 20-year-old illegal medical treatment case, where confiscated radioactive medical instruments were illicitly sold. He traced the case to Zhao Shan's hospital and his partner, Gao Guofu, a car repairman.
The pursuit of Gao Guofu ended with the "bus incident," where Gao Guofu, showing "no fear of death," died, cutting off the lead. Jiang Baiju confided that he needed the meteorite to "return to normal." Later, Jiang Baiju found Xiaoyu reading "Forensic Entomology" and asked if she wanted to be a forensic pathologist. She explained she sometimes used insects in her encoffining work and was reading the book gifted by Detective Xu.
She explained, "If I killed you and placed you in a plastic bag, flies wouldn't be easily attracted to you." Jiang Baiju called this "the most romantic words I've heard for dozens of years." Around 11 p. m. , Jiang Baiju asked Xiaoyu if she could dance. She joked about square dancing, but he began teaching her, guiding her movements closely. She accused him of flirting, to which he playfully retorted that she was the one being flirty.
A song playing prompted Xiaoyu to ask about the singer, whom Jiang Baiju identified as a "top singer back in my time." He reminisced about his youth, confessing that he and "old Chen" both admired alluring women, and that he had once vowed to marry Chen Mansha, only to attend her funeral instead of her wedding, a reminder that "one should never make a resolution he can't fulfill."
He concluded, "But in the end, I fell in love with someone else." Xiaoyu teased him about his preferences, asking if he would have liked her if she were alluring, implying she'd need plastic surgery. She declared herself a "natural beauty," and they continued dancing, increasingly close. Xiaoyu admitted he had "changed my mind about living alone forever." Jiang Baiju joked about her "short life expectancy" and that he hadn't agreed to be her boyfriend yet.
She accused him of "ulterior motives" in teaching her to dance, given her poor balance. He dared her to stand up, threatening to "practice 'decomposition caused by sarcosaprophagous insects'" on her if she didn't. She found his technical jargon "impressive." Elsewhere, Qian Cheng expressed frustration with William, who was pacing and playing music. William explained that Jiang Baiju plays music when he's happy or sad, but "rarely did Young Master feel happy before. He's been in a good mood recently.
Listen. He's laughing." Qian Cheng mockingly declared he would "end our friendship." Yang Xue'er then requested that Dao Ruifeng's assistant be arranged to have dinner with her, prompting William to exclaim, "The show is about to reach the dramatic part." Mrs. Xu was discharged, exchanging heartfelt goodbyes with her daughter, He Meiman, and promising to share her meal plan. Weilan called Xiaoyu, expressing renewed suspicion about Mrs. Xu's recovery, connecting it to the specific drug.
Xiaoyu and Jiang Baiju agreed they had "hit the jackpot," confirming the drug was being used. That night, a neighbor complained about Mr. Wang's dog incessantly barking, which annoyed He Meiman. Soon after, the dog fell silent, and blood was later seen near its cage. Mrs. Xu, her hair now white, seemingly like a ghost, entered He Meiman's room, wielding a knife. Shouting "Kill the manizer! Kill the bad guy!" she attacked her daughter.
He Meiman, terrified, screamed that she was her daughter, "Meiman." Fortunately, Jiang Baiju and Xiaoyu arrived just in time to intervene and prevent her from harming He Meiman. He Meiman later explained that in her desperation, after her father's passing, she had bought the illegal drug from a woman she met at the hospital's billing counter, who claimed her husband with pancreatic cancer was sustained by it and that it was brought from Thailand.
Xiaoyu and Jiang Baiju talked with He Meiman, acknowledging the immense weight of caring for a seriously ill parent. They discussed how, despite the love, children must eventually grow up, and women, in particular, rarely live for themselves, their names often only truly remembered at their funerals, being referred to by relational titles like "grandma, aunt, sister-in-law" otherwise. Xiaoyu reiterated Mrs. Xu's sentiment that it's a profound sorrow to lack autonomy in both life and death.
Back at Qing'ai, a colleague suggested short dresses for Yang Xue'er. Yang Xue'er's manager noted her strong interest in "Mr. Dao Ruifeng's assistant," Jiang Baiju, and that she had personally arranged dinner, indicating its importance. He expressed concern that this attention might "cause any inconvenience to Bai" as he was "just an assistant" and Dao Ruifeng was the designer.
He admitted telling Yang Xue'er that promoting an assistant could "embarrass the designer" and make the assistant's life difficult, but she still texted him. Dao Ruifeng, referring to Yang Xue'er as a "stubborn child," then offered Xiaoyu a dress from his "Jade Pond" collection, described as "more feminine" and "suitable for elegant ladies," but Xiaoyu found it "too much." Jiang Baiju informed Dao Ruifeng of the dinner reservation at "Louvre," a restaurant with a strict dress code.
Dao Ruifeng expressed concern about the "3,000 Yuan per person" cost and offered to accompany Jiang Baiju with William for "safety." Jiang Baiju declined, saying he wouldn't bother Xiaoyu during work hours. Later, Xiaoyu discovered the invitation. Qian Cheng, intentionally provoking her, informed her that Jiang Baiju, "Young Master," would be dining with Yang Xue'er at 6 p. m. at a high-end restaurant.
He praised Jiang Baiju's "irresistible charm" and suggested Xiaoyu "go confront him right now and ask for an explanation." Xiaoyu, pretending indifference, said she wouldn't fall for his trick. However, once alone, she couldn't resist calling the restaurant, "Louvre," to inquire about the reservation, only to be told it was a members-only establishment and she couldn't book a table.
Frustrated, Xiaoyu, thinking about Jiang Baiju's excitement and Yang Xue'er's apparent crush, decided to invite Lin Nuoyan to the same restaurant to surprise Jiang Baiju. Lin Nuoyan arrived to pick up Xiaoyu, who was wearing the dress from the "Jade Pond" collection (which was actually a nightgown) and Lin Nuoyan's jacket. He complimented her, saying she looked like a "movie star." Xiaoyu replied, "As a matter of fact, do you know what's the best dressing tip? Be confident.
You only dress up for the others to see. As long as you don't feel awkward, who cares how the others feel?" At the restaurant, Lin Nuoyan noted that due to their "last-minute reservation," they were seated in the dining room, while private rooms required a week's advance booking. He mentioned the restaurant offered fixed dinner menus and he chose "the most bang for your buck meal." They playfully argued about who would pay.
Lin Nuoyan pointed out a "VVVIP" door, explaining it was "specially designed for the VVVIP," with a special parking lot and garden entrance. Just then, Jiang Baiju, Yang Xue'er, and Qian Cheng entered through that very door. Yang Xue'er, seeing the others, immediately insisted that "Assistant Bai" (Jiang Baiju) sit next to her, stating, "I'm just here to tag along. The artists are more important." Yang Xue'er continued to press Jiang Baiju for his full name.
He again deflected, emphasizing his role as "Mr. Dao Ruifeng's assistant." Qian Cheng interjected, revealing that Jiang Baiju was "actually trained by my grandmother" and was "Mrs. Dao's apprentice." Yang Xue'er, impressed, then asked to "have the honor to have you design a dress for me." Jiang Baiju declined, reiterating he was "just a smooth-talking assistant." Yang Xue'er insisted it was her "intuition" about his talent.
Dao Ruifeng confirmed Bai was talented but "not ready yet for the real challenge," as Mrs. Dao "hoped that he could hone his skills and become a true artist instead of a commercial designer." Jiang Baiju concurred, inviting Yang Xue'er to model for him when he made his debut, and she agreed to see his "secret designs." They all toasted.
