Joy of Life Episode 1 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
Zhang Qing, a university student, sought out Professor Ye in hopes of securing him as his academic advisor. However, Professor Ye unequivocally declined the request, deeming Zhang Qing's approach of analyzing ancient literary history with modern concepts to be preposterous. Undeterred, Zhang Qing resolved to pursue his ideas through an alternative avenue.
He registered for Tencent's online science fiction contest, intending to write a novel exploring the collision between modern thought and ancient systems, centered on the theme of "If You Have a Chance to Live Once Again," with the aim of encouraging readers to cherish their present lives and live for happiness. Professor Ye found himself intrigued by this novel concept. Encouraged, Zhang Qing enthusiastically explained that he had already completed the initial chapters of his story, only lacking a title.
As he pondered, his gaze fell upon a passage from the second edition of "A Dream of Red Mansions" displayed near a bookshelf – specifically, "Leave behind a residue of joy" from the "Twelve Songs of Red Mansions." A flash of inspiration struck him, and he immediately named his novel "Joy of Life." He then vividly described the world of his story to Professor Ye.
The narrative began with a modern young man, afflicted with myasthenia gravis, who awoke to find himself reborn as an infant in a bamboo basket. He retained all the memories of his past life in modern society. Soon, he was surrounded by assassins in ancient attire. Amidst his confusion, a new world unfolded before him. This infant, the protagonist of the novel, was named Fan Xian.
The blindfolded man who carried him, escaping the pursuers, was Wuzhu, a devoted servant of Fan Xian's late mother, Ye Qingmei. Wuzhu carried Fan Xian to safety, eventually meeting Chen Pingping, the Director of Nanqing's Investigator's Office, who arrived with his black knights. Chen Pingping, grieving over the news of Ye Qingmei's death, wished to take Fan Xian to the capital city.
However, Wuzhu, expressing his profound distrust of everyone in the capital due to Ye Qingmei's demise, insisted on protecting Fan Xian himself. Observing Wuzhu's resolve, Chen Pingping suggested that Fan Xian be taken to Danzhou, where The Madam, Fan Xian's paternal grandmother, resided and could raise him. Thus, Fan Xian was entrusted to The Madam's care in Danzhou. Years passed, and Fan Xian grew into a sharp-witted boy.
He shared a close bond with Fan Ruoruo, his legitimate half-sister, who was of similar age and grew up alongside him. Despite his intelligence and charm, Fan Xian, being Earl Fan Jian's illegitimate son, received a cold reception from The Madam, while his father remained distant. He often faced subtle and overt mistreatment. One day, upon returning from an outing with Fan Ruoruo, he witnessed Butler Zhou, the mansion's steward, arrogantly punishing his maids.
Fan Xian intervened, but Butler Zhou ignored him, citing The Madam's authority as justification for his actions. Enraged, Fan Xian quickly retrieved a stool, climbed onto it, and ordered Butler Zhou to approach him. As the confused Butler Zhou drew near, Fan Xian delivered a forceful slap, knocking out one of Butler Zhou's back teeth and leaving a bloody mark on his face. Disgruntled by the humiliation and the injury, Butler Zhou complained to The Madam during dinner.
In response, The Madam ordered all maids to be removed from Fan Xian's courtyard and sent Fan Ruoruo back to the capital city, leaving Fan Xian isolated. Butler Zhou further taunted Fan Xian about his status as an illegitimate son and the impossibility of his union with Fan Ruoruo, mocking his lisp from his lost tooth. Later that night, a masked man clad in black silently entered Fan Xian's room.
To the intruder's surprise, Fan Xian was awake and seemingly expecting him, exclaiming that his "father" had finally arrived. The black-clad figure was bewildered, but Fan Xian, believing it was his father, expressed his joy. Realizing the misunderstanding, Fan Xian seized the opportunity. As the man relaxed his guard, Fan Xian struck him repeatedly with a porcelain pillow from his bed, ensuring he was unconscious, before frantically running to Wuzhu's nearby shop for help.
It was revealed that Wuzhu had remained in Danzhou, secretly watching over Fan Xian as he grew up. Wuzhu inspected the unconscious man and calmly informed Fan Xian that he was not dead and was not an enemy. He was Fei Jie, the Head of the Third Division of the Investigator's Office in the capital city, and "one of us."
The following day, Fei Jie, bearing a letter from Earl Fan Jian, presented himself to The Madam and formally became Fan Xian's teacher. Fei Jie, with his peculiar demeanor, chose an unconventional curriculum. Instead of traditional studies or martial arts, he taught Fan Xian medicine and poisons. Their first lesson involved a nocturnal visit to an unmarked grave, where they exhumed and dissected a corpse.
For a typical child, this would have been terrifying, but for Fan Xian, with his modern adult mind and prior experience in hospitals, it was merely routine. After a night of dissecting, Fan Xian sought out Wuzhu to complain and discreetly inquire about his mother. Wuzhu only provided her name, Ye Qingmei, refusing to elaborate further. Fan Xian then asked about the vitality Qi cultivation manual Wuzhu had given him.
Wuzhu, not a practitioner of vitality Qi himself, could not explain the cultivation methods. After some thought, he led Fan Xian to a bamboo grove on the outskirts of the city and began teaching him combat through a unique method: Wuzhu would attack, and Fan Xian would dodge. Under the demanding tutelage of both men, Fan Xian grew rapidly. Being poisoned became commonplace, and enduring Wuzhu's beatings became second nature.
Despite Fei Jie's eccentric methods, he taught Fan Xian with genuine dedication, while Wuzhu provided unwavering protection. Their care filled Fan Xian's mature yet previously empty heart. Time flew by, and one day, Fan Xian successfully "poisoned" Fei Jie. This wasn't with a harmful toxin, but by overloading Fei Jie's system with tonics he had secretly added to his tea, causing an imbalance. This clever trick signified the completion of Fan Xian's apprenticeship.
Over the years, their bond had deepened, becoming akin to that of a father and son. Besides Wuzhu, Fan Xian now had another person he could wholeheartedly trust. As they parted ways, Fan Xian presented Fei Jie with surgical gloves he had painstakingly crafted from lamb intestine. In return, Fei Jie gave Fan Xian the Director's token of the Investigator's Office, explaining that the Director had been an acquaintance of Fan Xian's mother.
Returning to the Fan Mansion, The Madam noticed Fan Xian's despondent mood but assured him that Fei Jie's departure was beneficial. She explained that Fei Jie's presence in Danzhou would inevitably draw unwanted attention from the capital city. She warned that the true danger would only arrive if red-armor knights appeared on the streets of Danzhou. Taking her words to heart, Fan Xian began to sit by the main gate every day, patiently awaiting the arrival of the red-armor knights.
Years passed like flowing water, and Fan Xian transformed from a young child into a refined young man. Finally, one day, a group of people wearing red armor appeared on the streets. The Madam informed Fan Xian that these individuals were sent by his father to escort him to the capital city. However, she firmly refused their request, stating that the capital was a perilous place, the very site where his mother had met her end.
She insisted that Fan Xian would live a longer life by remaining in Danzhou and coldly instructed that if the knights chose to kneel to death, they should simply be buried.
