Lovely Us Episode 10 Recap
> Lovely Us Recap
The Shude Compound friends gathered in Huang Chengzi's room, where she shared sweet, tasty, and glutinous corn from her mother, Ms. Cheng. Tan Song, however, had no appetite, confessing he was anxious about his father, Debin, who had returned after three years. He explained that as he grew older, he found it increasingly difficult to interact with his father; their encounters were so awkward that "even the air can freeze."
While He Jinzhao and Chen Zui thought Tan's father was amiable and humorous, Tan Song insisted his father treated him differently. The awkwardness, he felt, had escalated to a "frightening" level for him. Unbeknownst to Tan Song, his father, Debin, also struggled with how to connect with his son. He had learned from a TV education professor that being strict was key to a child's growth.
Despite his joy at hearing from Tan Song's teacher that Tan Song had almost achieved a perfect score in math, he suppressed his happiness. Instead, he reprimanded Tan Song for his poor English performance, asking him to reflect on his mistakes and even write a self-criticism letter.
Later, while buying fruit to nourish his son, Tan's father overheard He Jinzhao's father mentioning Tan Song's upcoming basketball game on the 14th day of lunar January, a detail Tan Song hadn't shared with him. This discovery stung Tan's father, who quickly made an excuse to leave. Back in Tan Song's room, Huang Chengzi and Zhu Jinxiao were practicing cheerleading. Zhu Jinxiao was unhappy with the "silly" slogans, a sentiment Tan Song echoed, remarking that "every punctuation mark sounds silly."
Chen Zui then shared a slogan his own father had devised, which, to everyone's surprise, was equally simple and repetitive. Huang Chengzi directly suggested that Tan's father should cheer them on. Tan Song, fearing further embarrassment and his father's scrutiny, dismissed the idea, saying, "Forget it." This comment was overheard by Tan's father, who misinterpreted it, thinking his presence would hinder Tan Song's performance.
When He Jinzhao later invited him to the game, Tan's father declined, citing he was "too busy." Tan Song feigned indifference upon hearing his father wouldn't come, but felt deeply disappointed and sad. Noticing his sorrow, Huang Chengzi put an arm around his shoulder, reassuring him that her father would cheer so loudly, it would sound like ten people. During dinner, Tan Song and his father both reached for the last piece of meat.
Tan's father intended to let Tan Song have it, but Tan Song simply finished his rice and left the table. Later, Tan's grandmother reminded Debin not to forget something important. Shortly after, Tan Song's aunt arrived for a visit and inadvertently revealed to Tan Song that his father had gone on a blind date, hinting he would soon have a "new mother."
Distraught, Tan Song walked away in a daze, even ignoring Huang Chengzi when she tried to offer him some corn. Huang Chengzi, upon delivering corn to Tan's house, overheard the conversation about the blind date, realizing the cause of Tan Song's distress. Tan's grandparents tried to reassure Tan Song, explaining they had pressured his father into the blind date. However, Tan Song could not let it go.
When his father returned with his favorite Peking Duck, Tan Song refused to eat it, stating, "My favorite might have changed." Observing Huang Chengzi's close relationship with her father, Tan's father initially mused that daughters were generally more intimate with their fathers, while sons tended to be more reserved. However, upon returning home, he was surprised to find Tan Song enthusiastically discussing photography with Chen's father.
This stark contrast made him realize that there was indeed an issue with his relationship with his son. Later, Huang Chengzi found Tan Song sitting alone, lost in thought. He confided in her about his profound conflict regarding his father's blind date. He understood his mother had passed away long ago, and his father had worked tirelessly teaching in Xinjiang to support their large family. He genuinely wanted his father to find companionship and happiness.
Yet, this happiness was immediately met with a different kind of unhappiness: a deep fear that a new person would replace his mother, that his father might forget her, as if she had "never existed." From the moment he learned of the blind date, he had secretly prayed for its "failure, failure, failure."
Huang Chengzi gently comforted him, reminding him that his name, Tan Song—"Tan" from his father's surname and "Song" from his mother's surname—was a constant reminder of her to his father. She expressed her own desire to incorporate her surname into her future child's name, leading to a playful exchange about hypothetical names like "Liu Huang" and "Tan Huang," which deeply touched Tan Song.
Huang Chengzi then gave him a blue Fuwa, explaining that He Jinzhao had already claimed the red one. That night, Tan's father quietly covered a sleeping Tan Song with a blanket and noticed his son clutching the Fuwa, softly mumbling that "this is given by Chengzi." Seeking to bridge the gap with his son, Tan's father approached Huang Chengzi for advice.
Huang Chengzi told him to observe Tan Song's emotions, understand his "pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy," and then create more happiness for him while helping him solve his problems. Tan's father then began his observation, noting Tan Song's joy when playing cards with friends and eating snacks, his "anger" at the smell of garlic (preferring onions instead), and his "joy" in watching basketball. Crucially, he also realized that Tan Song's "joy" was Huang Chengzi.
However, the "sorrow" remained elusive until a later discovery. On the day of the basketball game, families gathered, cheering enthusiastically. Tan's father, however, stayed home, meticulously examining Tan Song's numerous awards. On the back of each certificate, he found a handwritten dedication: "To my dearest Mom and Dad." It was then that he understood this was Tan Song's "sorrow," a silent testament to his longing for both parents to share his achievements.
At the game, Tan Song's school team fell further behind the opponent, and Tan Song himself seemed to lose his fighting spirit. Just as despair set in, Tan's father arrived, holding a megaphone, and cheered loudly, "Tan Song! Come on!" His unexpected presence and heartfelt encouragement instantly revitalized Tan Song, who, re-energized, led his team to victory. That evening, Tan's father brought out an old photo album from Tan Song's childhood.
As they flipped through the pages, sharing stories and memories of his mother and their early years, the unspoken barrier between them slowly dissolved. Tan Song's father explained that his recent strictness stemmed from his uncertainty about how to compensate for the void left by his mother's passing. He admitted his mistake in assuming Tan Song was still a child and in avoiding difficult conversations, realizing that his son had silently borne much pain alone.
He vowed to be more present and share both the joyful and sorrowful moments with Tan Song. Tan Song, touched, reassured his father that he was already doing well. The two then sat together, watching a basketball game on TV, sharing snacks, and even playfully debating basketball players' nicknames, their relationship visibly mended and restored to a happy, unburdened state.
The episode concluded with a poignant reflection that fathers are often the ones who hide their feelings most, their unspoken care tucked into warm lights, their difficult-to-express encouragement woven into cherished awards, and countless silent surprises arranged in every step we take towards the future. Through this quiet, unwavering love, children are loved and, in turn, grow to love their fathers.
