Memory of Encaustic Tile Episode 18 Recap
> Memory of Encaustic Tile Recap
Zhang Qi, who was preparing for a competition, planned to visit Ms. Jin Ning with Shao Xue before his departure. However, Shao Xue informed him that Ms. Jin Ning had been transferred to the intensive care unit, where visiting hours were restricted to four hours daily, making it difficult to see her during the evening. Zhang Qi was surprised, having spoken with Zheng Sunian the previous night without hearing about this development.
He felt Zheng Sunian was not opening up to him, but Shao Xue explained that Zheng Sunian preferred not to discuss his mother's illness. She encouraged Zhang Qi to concentrate on his competition, wishing him success and urging him to take care of himself. After class, Zheng Sunian rushed to the hospital. His teacher stopped him, expressing concern about his declining grades in his senior year.
Despite acknowledging Zheng Sunian's difficult family situation, the teacher stressed the importance of his studies. Zheng Sunian, however, was focused on spending every possible moment with his mother, understanding her time was limited. He briefly assured his teacher he knew what he was doing before leaving. At the hospital, Zheng Sunian learned from his father, Zheng Jian, that Ms. Jin Ning was very weak and found the restricted diet unbearable.
She longed to see them whenever she woke, feeling that even a short absence felt like years. Moved by his mother’s suffering, Zheng Sunian suggested taking her home, but Zheng Jian insisted on her remaining in the hospital for better hope of recovery. Zheng Jian then tried to extend the visiting hours for Zheng Sunian. The mounting medical expenses were a heavy burden.
When Zheng Jian went to pay the bill of 35,800 yuan, he realized he didn't have enough money. Hesitantly, he visited Shao Xue’s home, struggling to voice his need for a loan. Shao Xue's mother, Dongge, perceived his unspoken request and offered him money collected by colleagues from the Restoration Division and neighbors from the hutong. Zheng Jian gratefully accepted the help but insisted on keeping a record of each contribution so he could repay them later.
Shao Xue, overhearing the conversation from her room, was deeply saddened by the family's struggles. Dongge later cautioned Shao Xue to keep the financial assistance a secret, especially from Zheng Sunian. The next day, Shao Xue was distracted during class, her mind on Ms. Jin Ning's family. As soon as school ended, she quickly rode her bicycle to the hospital. Ms. Jin Ning was pleased to see Shao Xue, acknowledging her consistent help with errands since her illness began.
Ms. Jin Ning then asked Shao Xue to deliver a voice recorder to Zheng Sunian, which contained her final messages and guidance for him. She hoped Shao Xue would help Zheng Sunian navigate his grief after her passing. Suddenly, Ms. Jin Ning was struck by intense pain but expressed a strong desire for cake. Shao Xue immediately rushed out to buy one.
After trying several cake shops that were closed or out of stock, Shao Xue desperately explained Ms. Jin Ning’s situation to a sympathetic shop owner, who agreed to bake a fresh cake for her. By the time Shao Xue returned to the hospital with the cake, visiting hours had ended. She couldn't enter the room. Shao Xue's father, Shao, had also arrived, and he was with Zheng Jian.
Zheng Jian explained that while Ms. Jin Ning had wished for the cake, she was no longer able to eat. Shao offered to stay the night with Zheng Jian, but Zheng Jian gently declined, wanting to be alone with his wife. Shao then took Shao Xue home. On their way, they encountered Zheng Sunian, who had just come from school. Shao Xue noticed how weary and disheartened he looked, a stark contrast to his formerly vibrant self.
Zheng Sunian admitted he just wanted to see his mother again, even though he knew visiting hours were over. The following day, Zheng Jian called everyone to inform them that Ms. Jin Ning was in her final moments. Friends and neighbors rushed to the hospital to say their goodbyes.
Inside the intensive care unit, a weak Ms. Jin Ning spoke to Zheng Sunian and Zheng Jian, expressing her enduring love for Zheng Jian and her wish to be his wife again in their next life. Zheng Jian then played a repaired music box, a symbol of their cherished memories. As the melody filled the room, Ms. Jin Ning peacefully passed away.
Overcome with sorrow, Zheng Jian cried out Ms. Jin Ning’s endearing nickname, "Ning'er," holding onto her hand, unable to let go. In the aftermath, neighbors and colleagues from the Restoration Division helped Zheng Jian organize Ms. Jin Ning's memorial service. The hutong residents mourned the loss of such a kind person, reflecting on the difficult future ahead for Zheng Jian and Zheng Sunian.
Shao Xue, not seeing Zheng Sunian among the mourners, went to his room, where he had secluded himself for days. She offered to take him for a walk or get him something to eat, observing that his silence was not a lack of grief but a profound, overwhelming sorrow. Shao Xue gave Zheng Sunian the voice recorder Ms. Jin Ning had given her, hoping his mother's words would bring him some comfort.
In the recording, Ms. Jin Ning spoke of her deep pride in Zheng Sunian’s sensible and kind nature. She expressed sorrow at not being able to witness his future milestones and jokingly mentioned her plans to conspire with his future wife to tease him and his father, both being introverts. Her final request was for Zheng Sunian to cry freely, urging him not to keep his sadness bottled up, assuring him that she would still hear him.
Listening to his mother's message, Zheng Sunian finally broke down in tears, while Shao Xue, standing outside his door, also wept, feeling the profound loss of Ms. Jin Ning, whose departure left an irreplaceable void in their lives.
