Memory of Encaustic Tile Episode 15 Recap
> Memory of Encaustic Tile Recap
Shao Xue pressed her father, Shao Hua, to recount the story of his youth and how he and her mother fell in love. Although her father was worried her mother would be upset, he couldn't resist her persistence. He began by describing her mother, Yu Dongge, as a beautiful girl from their hutong with large, striking eyes and a long, thick ponytail. He confessed he had liked her since childhood, and she liked him too.
However, Yu Dongge harbored dreams of exploring the world, a notion her father, Shao Xue's grandfather, rejected, believing women should prioritize marriage and remain close to home. This disagreement led to a heated argument, and Yu Dongge, in a fit of anger, ran away. Worried for Yu Dongge's safety and deeply in love, Shao Hua decided to resign from his factory job and embark on a search for her, starting from the north and making his way south.
His mother supported his decision, urging him to find his happiness. After a long search, Shao Hua eventually located Yu Dongge working at a clothing factory. Upon seeing him, Yu Dongge hid, embarrassed by her struggles and fearing his ridicule. Despite her reluctance, many of her co-workers felt she should at least meet Shao Hua, who had been waiting outside the factory for days.
Sensing she was hiding, Shao Hua went to her rental room and spoke to her through the closed door, making several heartfelt promises. He assured her he would take care of her father, Mr. Yu, "like my own father," and urged her to write to her father, Mr. Yu, to ease his worries. He also vowed to protect her, promising to come from Beijing to "beat him to death" if anyone dared to bully her.
Moved to tears, Yu Dongge finally opened the door, tearfully apologizing and embracing him. They eventually returned to Beijing together, started working at the Restoration Department, got married, and had Shao Xue. Back in the present, Shao Hua reminded Shao Xue that her mother’s "nagging" was always for her own good and her future. He highlighted how Yu Dongge was frugal and saved diligently for Shao Xue's education, future studies abroad, and even her marriage.
Moved by her father's story, Shao Xue hugged her mother, feeling ashamed of her past disagreements. Her mother then jokingly asked to see an item Shao Xue had recently bought online. Later, Shiyin was out eating with Wang Haoran. When Wang Haoran ordered only a small plate of chips, claiming Shiyin was on a diet, she grew annoyed. Unexpectedly, Wang Haoran’s mother appeared and immediately began to scold Shiyin, blaming her for Wang Haoran's declining grades.
Shiyin, feeling utterly wronged, desperately asked Wang Haoran to explain, but he sided with his mother, affirming that Shiyin was indeed pestering him. Shiyin was heartbroken by his betrayal. Meanwhile, Shao Xue had an interview for her "Two Plus One" study abroad program. The interviewers, tired of generic self-introductions, asked her about her favorite school.
Shao Xue boldly declared it was "The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," arguing that the question didn't specify a real institution and praising Harry Potter for bringing magic to the world. Her unconventional answer impressed the interviewers. At school, Wu Huan noticed Shiyin's absence and asked Shao Xue, who admitted they hadn't been in touch recently. The situation escalated when Wang Haoran’s mother went to the school, complaining to the principal and Mr. Liu about Shiyin.
Shiyin’s mother, Ms. Ji, distraught and crying, told Mr. Liu that Wang Haoran's mother had caused a scene in their hutong, spreading damaging rumors. Mr. Liu, Shiyin's class teacher, reassured Ms. Ji that he believed Shiyin was a good child who wouldn't do anything inappropriate, promising the school would handle the matter. However, the rumors had already spread throughout the hutong. At home, Shao Xue overheard neighbors gossiping about Shiyin.
Yu Dongge, upon learning Shao Xue knew about the incident, scolded her and warned her not to get involved or follow Shiyin's example, fearing for Shao Xue's reputation. Just then, Zheng Sunian arrived with a gift from his mother. Yu Dongge, still concerned but relieved by Zheng Sunian’s presence, asked him to accompany Shao Xue to visit Shiyin.
When they arrived at Shiyin’s house, Shiyin had locked herself in her room and refused to open the door, even for Shao Xue. To Ms. Ji and Shiyin inside the room, Zheng Sunian stated that Wang Haoran was a "jerk" and his words were "never to be trusted." He advised Ms. Ji to ask the boys at school about Wang Haoran to learn about his "bad behavior" and to take this as a lesson, ignoring others' opinions.
Later, as they walked home, Shao Xue warned Zheng Sunian against early romance, emphasizing he had many admirers. Zheng Sunian, however, replied that he couldn't "see them anyway," implying that those not in his heart were irrelevant, regardless of their appearance. The next morning, Wu Huan went to Shiyin's window to comfort her.
He told her not to be sad over Wang Haoran, who was "not worthy" of her, and revealed he knew she was the one who always requested the Li Xunhuan songs. He expressed his belief that "the best Li Xunhuan will be waiting for you in the future." Shiyin finally returned to school, though many students continued to gossip about her, making her feel self-conscious.
Zhang Qi initially said Shiyin deserved the public humiliation, recalling her past mistreatment of Wu Huan. But Shao Xue, determined to clear Shiyin's name, urged him to find a solution. Zhang Qi, in response, devised a plan to make Wang Haoran publicly apologize. He recorded Wang Haoran's confession and played it over the school's broadcast system.
The recording, titled "I'm really shameless," featured Wang Haoran admitting he was the one who pestered Shiyin, but out of fear of his mother, he lied and blamed Shiyin. He further detailed his manipulative behavior, boasting about bullying others in the drama club and forcing basketball teammates to let him score.
While Mr. Liu initially tried to stop the broadcast, Shao Xue bravely kept him out of the room, and upon hearing the full confession, Mr. Liu allowed it to continue. After the broadcast, Shiyin and Shao Xue reconciled, with Shiyin jokingly scolding Shao Xue for not seeking her out earlier. Their group of five friends was whole again. To celebrate Zhang Qi's upcoming birthday, they decided to go to the beach for a two-day, one-night trip.
To get parental approval, Zhang Qi presented a fake flyer for a "High School Essay Training Camp" supposedly organized by his mother, Zhang Ling's, workplace. He explained that his mother had forgotten her phone on her business trip, and he had pre-recorded "universal voice messages" of her voice to answer any calls from parents. Shao Xue, although hesitant, used the flyer to ask her mother, Yu Dongge, for permission.
Yu Dongge, suspicious, called Zhang Ling (who was actually Zhang Qi's pre-recorded voice claiming to be busy in a meeting). Convinced, Yu Dongge allowed Shao Xue to go. Shao Hua, however, later found it odd that they would choose to attend a training camp instead of celebrating Zhang Qi's birthday with a feast.
