Joy of Life Episode 12 Recap
> Joy of Life Recap
After the maid left, Ye Ling’er quietly asked Lin Wan’er, who was feigning sleep, where Fan Xian was. Fan Xian, who had been holding his breath under the covers, then emerged. Lin Wan’er, embarrassed, explained that it was an act out of emergency. Understanding, Ye Ling’er, holding a drumstick, quickly left the room to keep watch outside. Fan Xian playfully refused to get out of bed.
Lin Wan’er was both shy and annoyed, urging him to get up, worried about being discovered as they were engaged but not yet married. Seeing her urgency, Fan Xian sat on the bed's edge, remarking on his incredible luck, "I fell in love with a girl, and it turns out that she is my future wife. This must be fate!" Lin Wan’er then questioned his relationship with Si Lili from the Joy Tsin House.
Fan Xian quickly clarified that he had nothing to do with her, explaining that all the trouble he had caused was to cancel his engagement because he was in love with a "little maidservant who steals drumsticks." He even confessed that if His Majesty didn't agree, he would have run away with her to the end of the world. Overjoyed by his sincerity, Lin Wan’er expressed sadness about her tuberculosis, believing she couldn't travel far with him.
Fan Xian comforted her, assuring her that tuberculosis could be cured with careful treatment. He promised, "Believe me. I will cure you." Lin Wan’er, now trusting him, thanked "Doctor Fan," to which he playfully objected, wishing she'd call him by his name. He offered to visit her regularly, but she replied, "No." This prompted him to share a story about how a simple "No" can ruin a life, recounting a tale of missed love.
Lin Wan’er, with her ancient perspective, struggled to grasp the story's modern sentiments. She later suggested he tell her the rest of the story of "Red Mansions" instead. Seeing her fall asleep, Fan Xian quietly left, both unaware that Ye Ling’er had stood guard outside in the cold all night. The next morning, Lin Wan’er awoke feeling refreshed. She found a note from Fan Xian on her desk that read, "Hold your hand, and age with you."
Her heart swelled with happiness. Ye Ling’er entered, shivering and sneezing. Lin Wan’er immediately instructed a servant to prepare medicine for Ye Ling’er. Ye Ling’er, however, declared that since Lin Wan’er already had someone she liked, she would go to the Fan mansion after breakfast to challenge Fan Xian and make him break off the engagement. Lin Wan’er quickly stopped her, revealing that Fan Xian was indeed the man she loved.
Confused but concerned, Ye Ling’er decided to go find Si Lili to clarify her relationship with Fan Xian. Shortly after, the Princess Royal summoned Lin Wan’er to the palace, happily informing her that the engagement with Fan Xian would likely be dissolved soon. Lin Wan’er reacted with worry, asking if it wasn't an imperial edict. The Princess Royal explained it wasn't a formal decree, and the Second Prince was also trying to help cancel the marriage.
Sensing her mother's misunderstanding, Lin Wan’er hesitantly suggested there was no need to rush. The discerning Princess Royal, picking up on her daughter's change of heart, calmly asked for her true thoughts. Wan’er explained her previous urgency to cancel the engagement was due to a misunderstanding. The Princess Royal pressed her on how it was resolved, asking if she had met Fan Xian. Lin Wan’er quickly shook her head in denial.
Unwilling to pressure her daughter, the Princess Royal agreed to revisit the matter later. Meanwhile, Fan Xian was busy in the kitchen, making a sandwich for breakfast, his good mood unfazed by Teng Zijing's stoic demeanor. The Heir of Prince Jing, on behalf of the Second Prince, invited Fan Xian to meet at the Joy Tsin House the following day. Elsewhere, Ye Ling’er, approaching Si Lili’s pleasure boat, was shocked to find a dead maid.
Inside, she saw Si Lili speaking with two women in white and handing one a token. While eavesdropping, Ye Ling’er accidentally sneezed, alerting those inside. She fled but was injured by an assailant, eventually escaping by jumping into the water. Fan Xian diligently prepared a potent cough medicine for Lin Wan’er and a special sachet containing extracts from over eighty types of flowers and leaves. To Teng Zijing, it smelled like spiced duck.
Ignoring his guard, Fan Xian, dressed in nocturnal attire, skillfully climbed through Wan’er's window. Lin Wan’er, anticipating his visit, had sent her servants away. However, she still found his late-night window-climbing improper. Fan Xian presented the medicine, explaining his actions were for her treatment. After drinking it, Lin Wan’er became drowsy and flushed. Fan Xian quickly helped her back to bed.
Sitting by her side as she slept, Fan Xian revealed his deepest secret: he was from another world and had felt profoundly lonely until he met her, which gave his existence meaning. On his way back, Fan Xian ran alone through the empty streets, feeling like a child who had finally found his way home. The next day, Fan Xian prepared to meet the Second Prince. Ruoruo, concerned, wanted to accompany him, knowing the Second Prince aimed to recruit him.
Fan Xian understood that royal power struggles could endanger his family and wished to keep his distance. Ruoruo worried about the Crown Prince's continued inaction since the last trial. Fan Xian reassured her, joking, "This is the capital city. Can he really kill me on the streets?" With that, he and Teng Zijing set off for the Joy Tsin House.
Unbeknownst to them, in a hidden residence in the capital, two women released Cheng Jushu, an eighth-rank master from Northern Qi, from a locked chest, intending to kill Fan Xian by surprise. Before they left, Teng Zijing spoke of his family's importance, saying his son had called for him in a dream, and how meaningless life would be without someone to die for.
Fan Xian agreed, inviting him to move back to Danzhou with him and Wan’er after their marriage, so their families could be neighbors. Fan Xian then shared his original goals in the capital—to find out about his mother's past, uncover the world's secrets, and identify who tried to kill him—but admitted his inherent laziness now made him only want a good life, provided his finances were secure.
When Fan Xian jokingly asked him to be a diligent guard, Teng Zijing candidly stated his life was for his family, and Fan Xian would have to face danger alone, as he would flee. Fan Xian appreciated his honesty. Meanwhile, the Second Prince was already at the Joy Tsin House, awaiting Fan Xian.
