I Will Never Let You Go Episode 34 Recap
> I Will Never Let You Go Recap
Dongfang Shi and Hei Feng divided their paths to search for Hua Buqi. Dongfang Shi, confident in his martial arts skills, brushed off Hei Feng's concerns about his safety, while Hei Feng cautiously mentioned the possibility of Hua Buqi seeking out the Lotus Robe Knight. Hua Buqi and Zhu Shou arrived at the Longhu Hotel, an establishment uniquely situated in the desert, operating both a gambling den and a brothel.
Hua Buqi was impressed by the hotel's resilient owner, Jin Xianyu, who also ran an intelligence network, selling information to officials, bandits, and local outlaws, allowing her to thrive by pleasing all sides. Hua Buqi playfully suggested Jin Xianyu would be a suitable wife for Zhu Shou, a notion that visibly terrified him. Jin Xianyu, an old acquaintance of Zhu Shou, soon greeted them, complimenting Hua Buqi's beauty and mistaking her for a pretty young man or a "little wife."
Zhu Shou quickly clarified that Hua Buqi was his sister. They planned to stay for one night before continuing their journey to Xichu Province, and Jin Xianyu graciously offered them free wine and high-quality rooms. Later that night, Dongfang Shi arrived at the Longhu Hotel and showed Jin Xianyu portraits of Hua Buqi and Zhu Shou. Jin Xianyu lied, claiming she had not seen them, and arranged a room for Dongfang Shi.
Shortly after, Jin Xianyu secretly went to Zhu Shou's room to warn him about Dongfang Shi's presence and his search for them. Zhu Shou, recognizing Dongfang Shi's persistence, gave Jin Xianyu a generous sum of gold leaves and asked for her help to escape. Jin Xianyu then led Hua Buqi and Zhu Shou through a secret tunnel, guiding them out of the inn and into the desert.
However, once they were out of sight, Jin Xianyu instructed her henchman to inform "Third Master" about "two profitable targets" heading his way, citing past losses to Zhu Shou as her motivation, but also advising them to be gentle, as they were "friends." Meanwhile, Dongfang Shi, having discovered the secret tunnel, confronted Jin Xianyu. He ruthlessly broke her finger and forced her to reveal the truth about Hua Buqi and Zhu Shou's escape and their intended destination.
Elsewhere, Hua Buqi and Zhu Shou arrived at another inn. Exhausted, Hua Buqi immediately fell asleep. Zhu Shou soon realized that this inn was a trap set by "Third Master" and his men. He quickly woke Hua Buqi, urging her to take some money and flee while he stayed behind to distract their captors. Zhu Shou, using silver coins as weapons, bravely negotiated with Third Master.
He offered a hefty ransom of 500,000 taels for their release, threatening to kill himself if his terms were not met, which would leave Third Master with no money at all. As Zhu Shou began to write the ransom letter, Dongfang Shi burst into the room, holding the injured Jin Xianyu captive. The unexpected intrusion startled Third Master. Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Shou made a quick escape. Dongfang Shi learned that Hua Buqi had already fled and was safe.
He then immediately demanded the fastest horse available to pursue Hua Buqi. Dongfang Shi swiftly caught up with Hua Buqi. Initially, Hua Buqi wanted to hide from him, surprised that he had found her again. During their conversation, Hua Buqi discovered that not only was the Yiliang Gambling House his family's property, but also the largest brothel in Suzhou, and even the Zhu family owed money to the Dongfang family, leaving her in awe of their immense wealth.
Hua Buqi returned the Prince of Cheng's badge to Dongfang Shi, who explained it was a family heirloom, a gift from the Prince of Cheng in appreciation for the Dongfang family's help during a difficult time. Hua Buqi confessed her plan to go to Xiaojin Ku, the largest gambling house in Xichu Province, to earn money. She requested Dongfang Shi's help to rescue Zhu Shou from the gangster inn, offering 10,000 taels.
Dongfang Shi, after some playful teasing about her stinginess, informed her that Zhu Shou had already managed to escape and was safe. Dongfang Shi then warned Hua Buqi about the treacherous nature of the vast and boundless Xichu Desert, recounting his previous two journeys through it with his grandfather and offering to be her guide, emphasizing the danger of bandits if she strayed from him. Despite his warnings, they soon found themselves lost, having circled back to their starting point.
Dongfang Shi suggested they wait for nightfall to navigate by the Big Dipper. Hua Buqi realized that her water and dried provisions were all with Zhu Shou. Dongfang Shi, taking a deliberate drink from his own water pouch, observed her thirst. He then offered his water to her for 100,000 taels or if she would "flirt" with him. Hua Buqi was astonished by his cunning business sense even in their desperate situation.
Refusing to succumb to his terms, she began to dig for water from plant roots, recalling Uncle Jiu's lessons on finding water in arid regions. Seeing her stubborn determination, Dongfang Shi eventually relented and gave her his water, though not without one last playful jab about her unwillingness to flirt. Later, as they rested, Hua Buqi, overcome with exhaustion, fell asleep. When Dongfang Shi reached out to touch her, she instinctively reacted by aiming her crossbow at him.
She apologized, explaining that her heightened vigilance was a reflex from being constantly pursued by assassins. Dongfang Shi, understanding her plight, told her to rest, assuring her he would protect her. Hua Buqi found herself seeing a more considerate side to Dongfang Shi, but quickly reminded herself of his past misdeeds, such as poisoning Yun Lang. Suddenly, Hua Buqi was stung by a poisonous insect.
Without hesitation, Dongfang Shi personally sucked the venom from her leg, causing his lips to swell noticeably. He then lightened the mood by joking about his swollen lips, calling them "sausage lips," which made Hua Buqi burst into laughter. Still lost in the desert, Hua Buqi questioned if they could find food, while Dongfang Shi playfully suggested catching and roasting a snake, admitting he hadn't had one in a long time.
Hua Buqi, however, was more concerned about their dwindling water supply, which also contained sand, and the looming threat of becoming dried corpses in the vast desert. Dongfang Shi then mused, "Even though we were not born on the same day, maybe we can die on the same day together." Meanwhile, Afu and his sister approached the entrance of Biluotian, closely monitored by the Emperor's guards.
Afu, who had stolen half of Xiao Jiufeng's map, planned to exploit the inevitable conflict between the Emperor's forces and Xiao Jiufeng's anticipated ambush to create an opportunity to access Biluotian. Concurrently, Xiao Jiufeng received news that the Emperor's people were nearing Gui Valley. He immediately ordered his subordinate, "Big Bearded Ma," to prepare an ambush in the surrounding woods to intercept them.
