Love a Lifetime Episode 2 Recap
> Love a Lifetime Recap
Lin Jing found himself affected by a potent stun gas and, in a confused state, trespassed into the Flower Sea, the forbidden area of Dragon Howl City. There, he was severely wounded by Rong Jingfeng. Fortunately, Rong Hua arrived just in time, intervening to prevent further harm and saving his life.
After Rong Hua took him back to his room to recuperate, Lin Jing explained that he had searched the entire Dragon Howl City for her, as they were supposed to practice swordsmanship together, before his disorientation led him to the Flower Sea. He then showed Rong Hua a mysterious letter, which he had mistaken for an invitation from her due to the stun gas.
Rong Hua recognized that the deliberate absence of guards and the use of the stun gas pointed to her Aunt Zi Yan acting under her father’s command. Understanding the implications, Rong Hua decided to keep quiet about the sender of the letter. She then tried to persuade Lin Jing to return home for his impending marriage, playfully hinting at jealousy while he praised his fiancée's beauty, character, and noble background.
Despite her efforts, Lin Jing dismissed his arranged marriage, leaning on her shoulder and confessing that no matter how good the girl was, she was not the one he wished to marry in his lifetime. Feigning pain from his wound, he vowed to leave only when she no longer wanted him there, securing his stay. Meanwhile, outside Dragon Howl City, Lu Yizhou was seen leisurely playing Go.
Rong Su, having learned of Lin Jing's trespass, confronted Lu Yizhou, accusing him and Lin Jing of conspiring to steal the Chihua Pill. She warned him that their intentions were exposed and advised him to leave. Lu Yizhou, however, scoffed at her accusations, stating that he held no interest in the Chihua Pill, which he considered a false treasure, and subtly hinted at Dragon Howl City's shallow understanding of its true nature.
He then challenged Rong Su to a game of Go, offering her the white pieces for a better chance of victory. Despite the clear advantage, Rong Su, in her arrogance, chose the black pieces, leading to an inevitable defeat.
After the game, Lu Yizhou presented her with a black piece, remarking that "turning the tide is just wishful thinking" and urged her to practice her Go skills for a future rematch, a challenge Rong Su accepted with a vow to reclaim her victory. Zi Yan later visited Rong Su, who was still recovering from old injuries. She brought medicine and advised Rong Su to manage her city affairs carefully to avoid exacerbating her condition.
She also encouraged Rong Su to see her father's decision to have both sisters oversee city matters as an opportunity for growth, reminding her that Rong Hua's cold disease hadn't recurred in a decade. Unmoved, Rong Su expressed concerns about Rong Hua's chronic illness, asserting that her sister's condition was merely suppressed by their father, not cured.
She questioned who would lead Dragon Howl City if a crisis struck and Rong Hua's illness flared up, hinting at her desire for the City Lord position. Zi Yan, wary of such remarks, cautioned her against speculating about the future, reminding her that Rong Jingfeng had his reasons for everything. Back in Dragon Howl City, Lin Jing sought out Lu Yizhou, dramatically feigning illness and loneliness to convince his friend to help him.
Initially reluctant, Lu Yizhou eventually agreed to assist. Lin Jing admitted that he was not in Dragon Howl City merely to escape marriage, but to uncover some truths, acknowledging that his life was in danger. Despite his claims of grave peril, he reassured Lu Yizhou that the "trouble" was manageable. In the following days, Lin Jing took on the role of Rong Hua's martial arts instructor. He diligently taught her practical defense techniques, often correcting her graceful but ineffective moves.
Their interactions became close and harmonious, much to Rong Jingfeng's displeasure, who watched them from afar. Upon Lin Jing's full recovery, Rong Jingfeng, citing Dragon Howl City's strict rules against outsiders, unceremoniously ordered him to leave the following day. With no room for argument, Lin Jing agreed, understanding that defying the City Lord would only cause trouble for Rong Hua. He departed the city alone, without farewells, lamenting the "heartlessness" of those who failed to see him off.
Rong Jingfeng then dispatched both Rong Su and Rong Hua out of the city on separate errands. In a calculated move, he used the Chihua Pill to extend Master Xue's life, thereby securing the Xue family's allegiance to Dragon Howl City for generations to come. Meanwhile, Rong Su took the opportunity to poison Rong Hua’s tea, aiming to trigger her sister’s cold disease and remove her from contention for the City Lord position.
Soon after, Rong Hua's cold disease flared up, leaving her vulnerable as she was pursued by masked assassins. Simultaneously, Rong Su, returning from her mission, was also ambushed by a separate group of assailants. Fortunately, Lin Jing and Lu Yizhou, seemingly anticipating these events, arrived to rescue them. Lu Yizhou valiantly defended Rong Su, noting the assassins' professional training and questioning who Dragon Howl City had offended. However, Rong Su remained ungrateful, accusing him of orchestrating the attack.
Lu Yizhou denied her claims, stating his sole purpose was to find Lin Jing, and pointed out that Rong Hua had also mysteriously disappeared. Rong Hua's cold disease rapidly worsened, forcing Lin Jing to take her to the renowned physician Mu Yan's residence. Finding the doctor absent, Lin Jing attempted acupuncture, relying on Rong Hua's instructions regarding moxibustion ingredients. His efforts proved futile as Rong Hua's condition deteriorated further. Just then, Mu Yan, a spry young woman, arrived.
She swiftly took charge, instructing Lin Jing on how to prepare the necessary herbs. Introducing herself as Mu Yan, she confidently asserted her superior medical skills. She quickly stabilized Rong Hua, identifying the "cold rouge powder" as the cause of her recurrence. Mu Yan explained that this rare and potent poison indicated deliberate, long-term planning by someone intimately familiar with Rong Hua's condition.
She further revealed the origin of Rong Hua's chronic cold disease: her mother was forced to give birth in a cold lake while being hunted, which instilled a chill in Rong Hua from birth. Despite her father's expensive remedies, Rong Hua had endured immense suffering from recurrent attacks. Observing Lin Jing, Mu Yan recognized his exceptional martial arts but cryptically stated that further advancement would be difficult unless he placed himself on a field of death before fighting to live.
Not long after, Master Xue was found brutally murdered within Dragon Howl City, his meridians severed, and the Chihua Pill in his chest destroyed by internal force. Rong Jingfeng, suspecting Lin Jing, vowed revenge and ordered the Hall of Emptiness to hunt him down, dead or alive. Although the Hall of Emptiness was forced to comply, Rong Su knew that the true culprit was Mo Huan, who was now living in disguise as the physician Mu Yan.
In the Hall of Emptiness, Rong Su was shown a box of extracted teeth, a grim warning from Lingxu Pavilion, who claimed to have captured some of her disciples. Rong Su was unfazed, confident that her Hall of Emptiness recruits were trained as loyal warriors who would rather poison themselves than betray information.
She dismissed Lingxu Pavilion's action as a desperate measure after failing to extract any intelligence, stating that she never intended for those sent to Lingxu Pavilion to return alive. Her immediate priority, she declared, was to locate Rong Hua and investigate Master Xue's murder. Meanwhile, at Lingxu Pavilion, Lin Ruohan, the Pavilion Master, was gravely ill. Her subordinate reported that the young master, who had gone to seek the Chihua Pill, had not yet returned.
The subordinate urged Lin Ruohan to consider using the Chihua Pill to extend her life. However, Lin Ruohan expressed her reluctance, seeing the Chihua Pill not as a cure but as a means to prolong a miserable existence. Her subordinate then detailed the true nature of the Chihua Pill: it is derived from a rare flower that blooms twice a season, yielding red parts for the pill and white parts for its antidote.
The pill, once ingested, parasitically repairs a patient's injuries but simultaneously consumes the healthy parts of the host's body, eventually exhausting them entirely. Despite its perilous nature, many in the martial arts world continued to seek it from Dragon Howl City, unaware of its true, devastating cost.
