Lovely Us Episode 1 Recap
> Lovely Us Recap
In the compound for Shude staff's families, a group of friends engaged in a song-guessing game.
Among them were He Jinzhao, described as routinely at the bottom of the compound's food chain and one of the rightful heirs to the Wanglai Shop; Zhu Jinxiao, an outstanding child in the eyes of parents but perceived by her friends as a cool, horrible, and ferocious Godzilla; Chen Zui, another exemplary child and the strongest peacemaker in Shude; Huang Chengzi, a lively sixteen-year-old girl and future champion of Chinese romantic fiction; and Tan Song, whom Huang Chengzi had disliked since childhood, serving as a constant antagonist and a perfect incarnation of bad luck.
The summer of 2007 marked the one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games, and the Shude compound was preparing for a full relocation. The friends bid farewell to the old apartment buildings, filled with memories and the clatter of daily life, as they moved into new, unfamiliar unit apartments. Huang Chengzi's mother, Cheng Hongxia, known for her frugality, refused to buy her daughter a new bicycle despite her pleas.
Instead, she asked Huang Chengzi to retrieve items like hangers, pots, and pans from their old house and suggested she find someone to help. Huang Chengzi tried to borrow Tan Song's bike, but he, engrossed in a game, teased her about her short legs, implying she couldn't even get on it, let alone ride it. Frustrated, Huang Chengzi decided to treat her other friends to ice cream before heading to the old house.
However, as soon as she unwrapped her ice cream, Tan Song snatched it, infuriating Huang Chengzi, who called him a "dog." Meanwhile, Cheng Hongxia handed Mrs. Zhu, the mother of He Jinzhao and Zhu Jinxiao, a train ticket. Mrs. Zhu had planned to visit her own mother for her birthday, mentioning that her husband Wenzhong was busy with deliveries and her children were out playing, leaving her free to enjoy her mother’s chicken soup.
While cleaning out the old house, Huang Chengzi unearthed 800 yuan. After her mother, Cheng Hongxia, inexplicably scolded her while being gentle and caring towards He Jinzhao and Zhu Jinxiao, Huang Chengzi became convinced the money was her mother's secret stash (after observing her father's avoidant behavior when asked about secrets and her mother's dismissive joke about Huang Chengzi being adopted). She then decided to hide the money, aiming to make Mrs. Cheng Hongxia lose it forever.
She reasoned that her father, Huang Zhenwu, would only hide a small amount in clothes or socks, not a sum this large. Mrs. Zhu later decided to return the train ticket and spend her birthday with her family, as Wenzhong and their children insisted on celebrating with her. Huang Chengzi, delighted with her decision to keep the money from her mother, gleefully hid the cash in a chandelier.
However, Zhu Jinxiao was disheartened because the concert tickets she had secured for the 6th clashed with her mother’s birthday. Her brother He Jinzhao also had plans, revealing he had a World of Warcraft contest with friends on the 6th. Zhu Jinxiao then called Chen Zui to see if he could exchange the tickets for the 7th.
When Cheng Hongxia called Huang Chengzi for dinner, Huang Chengzi realized the money in the chandelier was easily visible when the light was on. She decided to move the "giant sum" into a doll. Just when she thought it was safe, her cousin visited and immediately fixated on that very doll, forcing Huang Chengzi to find yet another hiding spot. After surveying the house for a secure place, she settled on placing the money on a fan.
Shortly after, Huang Zhenwu rushed in, desperately looking for something. When Huang Chengzi asked, he revealed the 800 yuan was his secret stash, saved specifically to buy her a new bicycle. Huang Chengzi told him the money was on the fan, and Huang Zhenwu praised her clever hiding spot. The next day, their neighbor Wenjun visited, bringing coconuts.
Cheng Hongxia happily welcomed her, and despite Huang Chengzi's protest that the temperature was below 30 degrees (their self-imposed rule for using the fan), Cheng Hongxia turned on the fan. To everyone’s surprise, money rained down from above. Thus, Huang Chengzi’s new bicycle fund was instantly gone.
Huang Zhenwu, following Cheng Hongxia's instructions to buy liquor as a gift for his boss, instead bought a book on how to make liquor and used the remaining money to secretly buy Huang Chengzi a new bike. He felt sorry for his daughter, seeing her struggle with her old, broken bicycle.
Huang Chengzi was overcome with tears of joy when her father presented her with the new bike, which he proudly declared to be the most expensive and best for his daughter. However, their celebration was cut short by Cheng Hongxia's furious shouts from upstairs. She had received a call from Director Wang's wife, complaining about the book.
Enraged by Huang Zhenwu's blunder and Huang Chengzi’s giggling, Cheng Hongxia declared that Huang Chengzi must ride the new bike for at least ten years as punishment. The following morning, Huang Chengzi proudly rode her new bike, showing it off to Tan Song and even giving him a ride to dispose of trash in a neighboring community. Along the way, they met Mr. Lin, who advised Huang Chengzi to buy a sturdy, high-quality lock to prevent theft.
Despite Tan Song's attempts to persuade her, Huang Chengzi, charmed by a street vendor's deal, bought three cheap locks for ten yuan, believing more locks meant more security. Later, after happily running errands for her family, making three trips to the supermarket on her new bike, Huang Chengzi emerged to find her bicycle stolen. She cried inconsolably as she searched for it.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Zhu was preparing to spend her birthday alone, as Wenzhong called to say he had a big delivery and wouldn't be home until after 1 AM, though he wished her a happy birthday and claimed she didn't care for celebrations. Just as she was thinking about it, the doorbell rang, and her own mother, who had traveled a long distance, stood there with a pot of chicken soup, ready to celebrate with her.
On her way to the concert, Zhu Jinxiao had a change of heart. She realized that while her absence might not sadden her idol, not being with her mother on her birthday would. She turned back, eager to celebrate with her mother. Soon after, Wenzhong and He Jinzhao also returned home, and Mrs. Zhu smiled, truly happy. Zhu Jinxiao, upon returning, gave her concert ticket to Huang Chengzi.
Huang Chengzi received a phone call from Tan Song while still sobbing about her lost bike. Tan Song comforted her and invited her to the concert. Hearing she could still attend the concert, Huang Chengzi stopped crying and rode her old, broken bike to the venue. After the concert, she realized she hadn't locked her old bike, but to her surprise, it hadn't been stolen—because no one would want such a shabby bike.
August 6, 2007, was indeed an unforgettable day. One child lost her beloved new bicycle, likely to be reunited with her old, broken one. Another child missed an idol's concert but didn't miss her mother's birthday. Many mothers, thinking of their children, quickened their steps. In life, there is no perfect choice that leaves no regrets.
We simply make the decisions we most want to make in the present moment, accepting the accompanying sacrifices, sadness, and tears, only to discover something more important along the way. Even walking home at night, the night sky appears extraordinarily beautiful.
