Light Beyond the Reed Episode 4 Recap
> Light Beyond the Reed Recap
Ye Sibei woke up in a haze and was startled to find Qin Nan in the living room. She hastily gathered torn clothes from the floor, appearing self-conscious and anxious, and asked him why he was back. Qin Nan, noticing her unwell state, gently inquired about what she had endured, hoping she would confide in him. Ye Sibei, however, evaded his questions, claiming recent work stress was causing her discomfort.
Qin Nan directly challenged her, revealing he had seen a video that showed her getting drunk at a company event, being driven home by a colleague, and then sexually assaulted. When asked, Ye Sibei responded by asking if he had come for divorce papers or to finalize the divorce, offering to retrieve them for him. Qin Nan pressed for a reason why she suddenly agreed to the divorce.
She simply stated there was no reason and if he wanted a divorce, so be it. Qin Nan then detailed the events of April 9th, describing how Ye Sibei had a drinking engagement, got drunk, and was driven away in Fan Jiancheng's car after another colleague, Chuchu, had been dropped off. He explained that Ye Sibei was taken to a canola field, and when she woke up, she called the police but then withdrew her report when they arrived.
Qin Nan asked who the perpetrator was, but Ye Sibei replied that it no longer mattered since he knew everything, reiterating that she would not report it. When he asked if it was Fan Jiancheng, she claimed not to remember. She then recounted her version of the night: a boss had insisted she drink at a company dinner. After arguing with her mother about their divorce, she had consumed more alcohol.
Fan Jiancheng offered to drive her home and claimed she had asked to get off the car near her home, but she remembered nothing until she woke up in the canola field and called the police, asking for a coat. Qin Nan urged her to file a police report, assuring her that both the police and he would support her, questioning why she chose to bear the burden alone.
Ye Sibei argued that reporting it would only lead to public blame and scrutiny, likening it to a child getting hit on both cheeks for reporting a fight. She felt it was "not a big deal" and that she "wasn't careful enough." She tearfully apologized to Qin Nan, believing she had wronged him, but he insisted she had done nothing wrong while simply doing her job.
Despite his pleas, she vehemently refused to report it, stating she just wanted the incident to pass and for them to divorce if he wished. Qin Nan warned her that an unaddressed wound would fester, leading to internal decay and a lifetime of questioning. He stated that while people might pity her now, in the future, they would only see her deteriorated life and label her as worthless.
Ye Sibei conceded, saying she felt worthless and had learned from her mother to accept fate. Qin Nan encouraged her to fight, to "win once," but Sibei despaired, saying she had never won, despite years of hard work and belief that a better future awaited her. She felt inadequate and burdened by life's criticisms, only wishing for a simple, peaceful life without conflict. Qin Nan, seeing through her resignation, remarked that a part of her still refused to give up.
He reiterated his desire to go to the police with her so she could live a normal life, adding that he was willing to help her break free from a life of being bullied. Ye Sibei, in turn, felt as if her husband was a lone boat, saving her from drowning. At that moment, Nianwen, Ye Sibei's younger brother, appeared at their doorstep. He explained that Chuchu had informed him about Qin Nan assaulting Fan Jiancheng, prompting his visit.
He overheard their argument and didn't want to interrupt. Ye Sibei, realizing Nianwen was trying to prevent them from reporting the incident, told him to move aside. Nianwen, a lawyer, argued that filing a report now would have a low chance of success and would subject Ye Sibei to public scrutiny, with people questioning her actions and relationship with the perpetrator.
He painted a grim picture of her past being scrutinized and potentially being labeled a "honey trap" or worse, suggesting that if Qin Nan couldn't accept it, he should divorce Ye Sibei, but he wouldn't allow his sister to be ruined. Ye Sibei then confronted him, realizing he had seen her at the hospital that day and deliberately said those things to dissuade her from reporting. Feeling distraught, she asked everyone to leave so she could be alone.
Nianwen, seeing his sister push him and Qin Nan away, fell silent, feeling deeply upset. She also remarked to Qin Nan that he had already gotten into two fights and questioned what they would do after reporting it, asserting that violence solves nothing. Qin Nan, now angered, confronted Nianwen, accusing him and their mother of always being selfish and preventing Ye Sibei from seeking justice.
He revealed Nianwen's past, recalling how their mother paid a hefty school placement fee for Nianwen, sacrificing Ye Sibei's education in the process. He detailed how Ye Sibei worked to put herself through high school and college, while Nianwen consistently relied on the family for financial support, even for his house down payment, which Sibei secretly covered with a 100,000 yuan credit loan.
Nianwen claimed he was unaware of the loan, but Qin Nan countered that he chose to be ignorant, enjoying the benefits of his sister's sacrifices. Qin Nan passionately argued that Nianwen's inaction and the family's constant demands had brought Ye Sibei to her current desperate state, concluding that if Nianwen had acted like a man even once, Ye Sibei's life would not be so dire.
He accused Nianwen of being a hypocritical parasite who, under the guise of protecting Ye Sibei, was merely avoiding trouble for himself and the family. Qin Nan asserted that no one in their family, including himself, had ever truly told Sibei that she was faultless and deserved a good life.
Nianwen, with a heavy heart, admitted that even if he expressed his admiration now, Qin Nan might not believe him, but he genuinely hoped Sibei would always remain the person he admired. Nianwen then departed, reminding them that it was their father's birthday and offering to inform their parents if they couldn't attend. After Nianwen left, Qin Nan repeatedly tried to call Ye Sibei, but her phone was off.
Feeling a growing sense of unease and regret for not supporting his wife more, he rushed home. There, he found Ye Sibei collapsed on the floor and quickly took her to the hospital.
On the way, as Qin Nan urged her to hold on and talk to him, Ye Sibei faintly confessed that she too longed to fight for herself, but every time she mustered the courage, someone from her family would tell her to endure for her own good, making her suffer immensely. She reiterated that she had tried, truly tried, to live.
Qin Nan encouraged her to hold on, reminding her that she was not afraid of death, so she should not fear living. Flashbacks revealed Ye Sibei's difficult past. Despite being an excellent student with aspirations for college, her mother, prioritizing her brother, forced Sibei to drop out to save money, insisting she work at their food stall.
Her mother argued that two children in college were too expensive and that as the eldest, Sibei should sacrifice for her brother, who was the "hope of the family." However, a kind teacher helped Sibei secure a targeted financial aid, allowing her to complete high school and attend university. During her college years, while her brother received money for socializing, Sibei worked various part-time jobs to support herself.
She even borrowed clothes for job interviews, aiming to establish herself in the city. Her mother frequently called, pressuring her to return to Nancheng for a teaching job she had arranged, but Sibei was determined to stay in the city where she believed opportunities were fairer, even if it meant defying her mother. She worked many part-time jobs, and at one point, even fainted from exhaustion.
Ye Sibei’s relentless efforts led to a promising internship at Tengda Company, where she diligently handled many tasks, hoping to secure a permanent position. However, her mother unexpectedly appeared at her workplace. During a crucial meeting, her mother caused a dramatic scene, criticizing the company for exploiting her daughter and for employees' lack of courtesy, and publicly announced Sibei was quitting. Despite Sibei's desperate pleas that she was about to be promoted, her mother's disruption led to her immediate dismissal.
Soon after, Sibei faced another blow when her landlord evicted her because the rental agency had absconded with her rent money. With nowhere else to go, Ye Sibei ended up spending nights in internet cafes, exhausted from her struggles to survive in the big city.
