Memory of Encaustic Tile Episode 20 Recap
> Memory of Encaustic Tile Recap
To celebrate Zhang Qi’s admission to college and to thank the neighbors, Zhang Ling invited everyone from the hutong and the Restoration Division to a lamb hotpot dinner. While the neighbors were happy, Zhang Qi was less enthusiastic, believing his misery was the fuel of their happiness. Shao Xue told him he was ungrateful, reminding him that having a genius son wasn’t always "good and dandy," as it was troublesome and expensive, requiring celebratory dinners.
Zhang Qi further complained that since his success, several neighborhood madams had been pestering him to tutor their children, with one even bringing her son to his home to ask if the child had a "maths material" face. His honest response earned him a beating from his mother, leading him to conclude that "being ordinary is the best thing ever." Shao Xue retorted that his statement was as irritating as a millionaire wanting to live a "normal life."
During a toast, Zhang Ling expressed her gratitude to her "relatives and neighbors" for celebrating her son's "minor achievement," assuring them she would always be there to help. At the dinner, Zhang Ling asked Fu Qiaomu about Siyuan's job search. Fu Qiaomu revealed her frustration, stating that she had pulled many strings to find him a job, but he was unappreciative.
Siyuan, upset, declared he liked the repair institute and didn't want to go anywhere else, despite Zhang Ling’s insistence that he had the education and qualifications for a better-paying corporate job. Siyuan abruptly left, claiming he had work to do. Fu Qiaomu, disheartened, soon followed him out. Shao Xue went after Fu Qiaomu to understand what happened. Fu Qiaomu explained that after taking Siyuan to a classmate reunion where everyone else seemed successful, he appeared visibly upset.
She assumed he was envious and wanted a better job with a higher starting salary, so she tried to help him find a tech position in a big company. However, he turned it down, making her feel meddlesome and as if she had "pissed off everyone." Shao Xue pointed out that Siyuan was a traditional man and might have felt too ashamed to accept a job she found for him.
Sun Qirui, the Master, joined them, saying that if one could list reasons for liking someone, "then it's just business, not love." He revealed that Siyuan had been indecisive about staying at the institute until he met Fu Qiaomu. Siyuan concluded that if the girl he liked wanted to stay, he had no reason to leave.
Sun Qirui elaborated on the pressure Siyuan faced from his parents to pursue a higher-paying job in Beijing, but Siyuan prioritized his passion for the "metal scraps" over money. Fu Qiaomu, now understanding, expressed her frustration that Siyuan "kept everything to himself" instead of communicating with her.
Sun Qirui then shared his own story, recounting how he chose to stay in the restoration workshop over a high-paying antique appraiser job—a decision his late wife supported, saying he should do "what I thought was worth doing" and "leave something for this world." This realization deeply resonated with Fu Qiaomu. Inspired by Sun Qirui's words, Zheng Sunian took Shao Xue to Tiananmen Square.
He expressed his desire to leave a lasting mark on the world, something that "will still be admired by many after a century," much like the Forbidden City, so that when he is old, he can look back with "no regret." Shao Xue echoed his sentiment, quoting, "I regret nothing for I did not squander my life away; I'm ashamed of nothing for I did not toil blindly in vain."
When Zheng Sunian expressed his wish to find his calling and for things around him to remain unchanged, he also considered how to help Shao Xue go abroad. However, Shao Xue lied to him, claiming she had not passed her own exam and therefore would stay, expressing her desire to "cling to him" for life. She then made a wish for him to smile and encouraged him to make one too.
The next day, Siyuan, worried by Fu Qiaomu’s absence from work, was spurred on by Sun Qirui’s hints that she was truly upset and might have left the department permanently. Siyuan rushed to her school, mistakenly believing she had left with a man driving a Mercedes-Benz. To his embarrassment, Fu Qiaomu pointed out that the Mercedes driver was a female classmate.
Siyuan then explained his earlier dismissive behavior, saying he thought Fu Qiaomu found him "too poor" and wanted him to get a new job. Fu Qiaomu clarified that she had indeed thought he wanted a better job, but after she met him, that thought disappeared. She explained her perspective: if he changed jobs, he would leave the Restoration Department, and they wouldn't be able to be together.
Amidst the cheers of her classmates urging her to "dump him," Siyuan confessed his love, acknowledging his social awkwardness but stating, "after I met you, I think loving someone means I want to be with her every day." Fu Qiaomu, moved, accepted his heartfelt confession. Zheng Sunian visited the Restoration Division, seeking traces of his mother. Luo Huaijin showed him Jin Ning’s unfinished painting, praising its quality and emotional depth.
He explained that although cultural relics are inanimate objects, they gain life when one's soul is poured into them. Luo Huaijin advised Zheng Sunian that everyone must eventually leave the world, but leaving "something for this world" makes one's life worthwhile. He encouraged Zheng Sunian to process his grief and then "move on and live. . . for yourself and for your mother."
Deeply moved, Zheng Sunian told Luo Huaijin he wanted to be like his mother and complete her unfinished painting. Later, Zheng Sunian's father, Zheng Jian, supported his son's decision to switch to the art department and pursue painting, specifically ancient painting replication, after Zheng Sunian explained his desire to "leave something for this ever-changing world" like his parents.
Zheng Sunian then shared his plans with Shao Xue, who, despite her concerns about the late start, wholeheartedly believed in his ability to succeed in anything he set his mind to. Meanwhile, Shi Yin's mother, worried that her daughter was skipping school to take broadcasting classes in secret, sought advice from Yu Dongge, Shao Xue's mother.
Shi Yin's mother recounted how Shi Yin had delivered a dramatic speech about her dream of becoming an "excellent host" and threatened to quit school if her parents didn't support her. She asked Yu Dongge to have Shao Xue convince Shi Yin to change her mind, believing Shi Yin would listen to her friend.
However, Shao Xue, when consulted by her mother, felt that broadcasting "suits Shiyin" and refused to interfere with Shi Yin’s personal decision, knowing it would damage their friendship. Yu Dongge, exasperated by her daughter's stance, told Shao Xue to focus on her own studies and the upcoming college entrance examination. Zheng Sunian began attending an art class.
A presumptuous classmate, Li Yuan, who had been studying there for three years, initially belittled Zheng Sunian for being a beginner, mocking his ambition to apply to the Academy of Fine Arts after only a few months of learning. However, Li Yuan’s attitude quickly shifted when Zheng Sunian mentioned his mother replicated old paintings at the Restoration Department and that Luo Huaijin was his mother’s master.
Immediately, Li Yuan became deferential, asking Zheng Sunian to introduce him to the esteemed Luo Huaijin. Separately, Shao Xue visited Ms. Kang, who had been absent from work. Shao Xue found Ms. Kang dressed up and was complimented on her appearance. Ms. Kang confessed that she was sad and used alcohol to forget her unhappiness. Shao Xue noticed a spread of delicious Suzhou cuisine and inquired if it was for a special occasion.
