Love a Lifetime Episode 36 Recap
> Love a Lifetime Recap
Rong Jingfeng summoned Rong Su, adopting a surprisingly affectionate demeanor and inviting her to sit in the City Lord's chair. Rong Su, though outwardly expressing loyalty, hesitated to sit, feeling such an act was presumptuous. However, at her father's insistence, she eventually took the seat. Rong Jingfeng spoke of his age and declining health, expressing his hope for her to inherit the position as she was the only family member remaining by his side.
Rong Su, however, respectfully declined the immediate offer, stating her desire to earn the City Lord's position through her own capabilities and the recognition of the city's disciples. She assured him of her unwavering dedication to Dragon Howl City and denied any improper ambitions for the leadership.
Rong Jingfeng responded with feigned satisfaction, then cautioned her about the heavy burdens of leadership, implying that the responsibility of protecting all of Dragon Howl City's disciples and their families would lead to difficult and unavoidable decisions, ultimately costing her personal freedom. Rong Su affirmed her understanding and thanked him for his advice. Meanwhile, Bai Su's health continued to worsen, and he spent increasingly longer periods in a coma.
Xuan Ye, tasked with protecting Bai Su under Rong Su's orders, attempted to rouse Bai Weizhi's suspicions. However, Bai Weizhi was too engrossed in concocting medicines to notice any underlying issues. When Xuan Ye helped Bai Su attempt to sit up, Bai Weizhi immediately chided him for moving a severely injured person, gently urging Bai Su to rest and postpone any discussions. After Bai Weizhi dismissed Xuan Ye, Bai Su, in a moment of frustration, shattered a bowl of medicine.
Xuan Ye then cautiously suggested that Bai Su might not be accustomed to Dragon Howl City's environment and might recover faster in a quieter location. Bai Weizhi, now suspicious, questioned Xuan Ye about any hidden truths, but Xuan Ye only reiterated his suggestion without elaborating. At the Mei Mansion, Rong Hua prepared a meal, inviting Mei Xueman to join her.
Mei Xueman, still holding resentment, coldly refused, citing Rong Hua's recent childbirth and the ongoing search for Lin Jing as reasons for Rong Hua to avoid public exposure. Mei Xueman also mentioned her need to prepare for her parents' upcoming death anniversary and lamenting Mei Ying's demise, making it clear she had only attended to Rong Hua previously out of concern for Lin Jing. When Lin Jing arrived to assist Rong Hua, Mei Xueman's mood darkened further.
Rong Hua, noticing her sister-in-law's lingering sadness, commented to Lin Jing that Mei Xueman had an emotional knot that needed to be untied. Later, Rong Hua offered Mei Xueman a sweet bird's nest and pear soup. She then offered to return the deed to the Mei Mansion, revealing that she had acquired the property and the funds for its renovation without personal payment, from a senior elder.
Mei Xueman, initially resistant to accepting the mansion without compensation and asserting her family's integrity, was surprised by Rong Hua's confession. Rong Hua then candidly disclosed that Mei Ying was still alive, having used golden needles to disguise himself and switch identities with a subordinate, then escaping Dragon Howl City after the subordinate was killed. Mei Xueman was deeply shocked but ultimately relieved, feeling that her parents could now rest in peace.
She thanked Rong Hua for alleviating her long-held grief. Rong Hua admitted her initial desire for revenge against Mei Ying for harming her aunt and Lin Jing, but stated she had since let go of that hatred. Mei Xueman, impressed by Rong Hua's honesty and integrity, finally understood Lin Jing's deep affection for her. Rong Hua then assured Mei Xueman that she too was now part of her family, to which Mei Xueman affectionately referred to Rong Hua as "sister-in-law."
Despite her reconciliation with Rong Hua, Mei Xueman could not easily let go of her feelings for Lin Jing. She later gently rejected an advance from Cang Qi, who graciously accepted her decision, offering to remain her friend and protector. Liuli arrived at the Mei Mansion, but upon seeing Lu Yizhou and Lin Jing, she tried to leave, believing they had summoned her. Rong Hua called her in, and Liuli clarified that Rong Hua, not others, was her direct contact.
Liuli then reported on the situation in Dragon Howl City, confirming that Rong Jingfeng had sustained minor injuries, but Bai Su was severely wounded and his condition was not improving. Liuli also reported that Rong Su had gained significant favor with Rong Jingfeng, becoming the most influential person in Dragon Howl City. When asked about Mo Huan, Liuli explained that Mo Huan was far away, and such information would only be privy to the Snow Union chief, not her.
Lin Jing advised Liuli to prioritize her self-preservation in the turbulent martial world. Rong Hua then requested a favor from Liuli. Lin Jing, despite his rapid cultivation progress to the final stage of the Command to the Dark Soldiers Skill, struggled to control the Chihua Pill. This caused him to experience another bout of Illusion toxins, during which he lost control and harmed those around him.
Cang Qi restrained him, and Rong Hua quickly used golden needles to temporarily suppress the backlash. Recognizing this was not a permanent solution, Rong Hua then proposed an alternative to Mei Xueman: a risky method she learned from her mother, involving driving her own internal coldness into Lin Jing's body to mitigate his Illusion toxins, drawing a parallel between the Chihua Pill and the Illusion Butterflies.
Mei Xueman expressed concern that this could trigger Rong Hua's own cold disease, but Rong Hua dismissed her worries, stating she was accustomed to such attacks. She then asked Mei Xueman to help her prepare the necessary medicinal ingredients. Later that night, as Rong Hua performed the "driving coldness into the body" technique with Mei Xueman's assistance, Lin Jing's toxins were suppressed, but Rong Hua collapsed, unconscious.
Mei Xueman confided in Cang Qi, expressing her anxiety over Lin Jing's potential continued instability and her doubts about the rightness of their actions. Cang Qi reassured her, urging her to prioritize her safety and promising to protect Lin Jing. However, Mei Xueman steadfastly refused to leave the Mei Mansion, declaring it her home and Lin Jing her family.
When Lin Jing awoke and learned from Cang Qi about Rong Hua's sacrifice to bring him back to consciousness, he was enraged. He confronted Mei Xueman, who confessed to her part in helping Rong Hua and defiantly stated her willingness to die with Rong Hua if anything happened to her. Overwhelmed, Lin Jing sternly ordered both Mei Xueman and Cang Qi out of the room. He then shared a tender moment with Rong Hua as she slowly regained consciousness.
Later, Lin Jing confessed to Cang Qi that he had reached the final stage of the Command to the Dark Soldiers Skill but could no longer predict or control its powerful backlash, endangering everyone near him. Despite Cang Qi's concerns about the toll on Lin Jing's body, Lin Jing decided he would launch a surprise attack against Mo Huan, telling Cang Qi to be prepared to evacuate Rong Hua and others at a moment's notice as a precaution.
Meanwhile, after receiving Rong Hua's message via Liuli, Wang Zhiyuan and Wang Qingzheng arrived at Dragon Howl City. They met with Rong Jingfeng, feigning gratitude for his care of Bai Su. In front of him, they deliberately argued about Bai Su's immediate future: Wang Zhiyuan advocating for returning to Black Rock Mountain for recovery, while Wang Qingzheng insisted that Bai Su was too frail for such a journey and should remain in Dragon Howl City.
Their dispute was interrupted by Bai Weizhi, who rushed in to announce that Bai Su was near death. Rong Jingfeng examined Bai Su, confirming his weak pulse and critical condition. Wang Zhiyuan angrily blamed Bai Weizhi for his master's decline. Bai Weizhi defended himself by stating Bai Su's proud nature would not permit him to die away from his home. The three disciples then agreed to transport Bai Su back to Black Rock Mountain for burial.
Rong Jingfeng, appearing to accept their decision, agreed to arrange for Bai Su's escort out of the city. Separately, Liuli was discovered in the Hall of Emptiness by Xuan Ye. She explained her presence was to investigate Bai Su's condition. She revealed her discovery that while Bai Su's medicine was clean, his pillow and quilt had been subtly fumigated with eaglewood. This substance, colorless and odorless, was chemically incompatible with Bai Su's medication, leading to his worsening condition and disorientation.
Liuli concluded that Bai Su was beyond recovery and speculated that Rong Jingfeng planned to have Bai Su and the Wangs killed once they left the city. She questioned Xuan Ye about Rong Jingfeng's motive for wanting to eliminate a reclusive elder like Bai Su, to which Xuan Ye cryptically replied, "The more you know, the quicker you die." Liuli then pressed Xuan Ye to consider his own future, questioning if he wished to remain a mere hall master, perpetually fighting for others, without pursuing his own aspirations.
