Memory of Encaustic Tile Episode 23 Recap
> Memory of Encaustic Tile Recap
Zheng Sunian explained to Pei Shu that he had once claimed not to like girls in a class meeting to deter persistent female admirers, which led to misunderstandings. Pei Shu, initially concerned by Zheng Sunian's joke, was relieved when he remembered Bai Yunsheng was also in their dorm. Just then, Bai Yunsheng returned to the dorm. Zheng Sunian invited both Pei Shu and Bai Yunsheng out for instant-boiled mutton.
Bai Yunsheng initially declined, but Pei Shu jokingly threatened to mimic a girl calling his name during a phone call, which convinced Bai Yunsheng to join them. During dinner, Bai Yunsheng drank heavily, expressing his lingering sadness over his family's past. He blamed Ms. Kang for his family's misery and detailed his father's scandalous affairs that led to their downfall. He was determined to rebuild his family's jewelry business and buy back their old house to honor his deceased mother.
Zheng Sunian then shared that his own mother had passed away earlier that year. Pei Shu acknowledged their difficult circumstances, stating they were both "desolate" but encouraging them to move forward and focus on a brighter future. Inspired by this conversation and his friends' support, Bai Yunsheng decided it was time to meet Ms. Kang to resolve their past. Bai Yunsheng met with Ms. Kang.
She offered him an apology, but Bai Yunsheng clarified that while he didn't hate her, he blamed his father for ruining both their lives and then simply dying. Ms. Kang admitted that despite her efforts, she couldn't completely forget his father. Bai Yunsheng advised her to let go of the past, live for herself, and return to her hometown to visit. He believed that with time, everyone could look back on difficult memories with a smile.
The next morning, Zheng Sunian visited Shao Xue. After some playful banter, he invited her to his home to give her some of his mother's paintings and other belongings. While looking through these items, Shao Xue found a cat bookmark and commented on Jin Ning (Zheng Sunian's mother)'s love for cats. She then asked to see Zheng Sunian's sketches, but he tried to put her off, claiming his sketchbooks were at school.
However, Shao Xue spotted a sketchbook on his table and insisted on seeing it. As Zheng Sunian tried to hide it, the sketchbook accidentally opened, revealing numerous sketches of Shao Xue herself. Surprised and touched, Shao Xue asked why he had drawn so many pictures of her. He claimed it was just practice, as he was not good at portraits.
Shao Xue then requested a finished portrait, and Zheng Sunian promised to draw a perfect one for her, even signing a bookmark as an IOU. Meanwhile, other friends were embarking on new phases of their lives. Lin Shiyin attended an audition for broadcasting, reciting "To the Oak," while Wu Huan faced repeated rejections in his job search. Fu Qiaomu and Siyuan celebrated their marriage by taking a wedding photo with a cactus.
Shao Xue, on the other hand, was deeply immersed in preparing for her National College Entrance Examination. The day before her exam, Zheng Sunian gave her a drawing with a heartfelt message, wishing her good luck. After the exam, Zheng Sunian picked up Shao Xue. Zhang Qi, who had recently returned home for vacation, organized a celebratory dinner with everyone. During the dinner, Zhang Qi announced his plans to study in Cambridge.
Everyone was initially shocked but quickly expressed their happiness and pride for him. As they drank and reminisced about their childhood memories in the hutong, Zhang Qi became emotional. He expressed how much he would miss them and specifically asked Zheng Sunian to take good care of Shao Xue. After Zheng Sunian took the intoxicated Shao Xue home, Wu Huan and Shiyin were left alone. Wu Huan took the opportunity to apologize for his temper at her birthday party.
Shiyin also admitted to being impulsive that day and offered to apologize to Wu Huan's mother. Wu Huan expressed his feelings, believing that now that they had graduated, Shiyin no longer needed him and he would no longer be a part of her world, feeling "scorched by this light." Shiyin, however, embraced him tightly, reassuring him that she always needed him and would not let him leave.
Back at the dorm, Zhang Qi called Zheng Sunian, needing his dorm key as Bai Yunsheng was also out. Later, Shao Xue, when talking to Zheng Sunian, jokingly described Zhang Qi as "preferring the new to the old, abandoning after using" and declared "we'll meet again, someday" in response to his departure. Wu Huan eventually found a job at a logistics company, where he was surprised to discover that the manager, Mr. Ji, was Shiyin's uncle.
Mr. Ji revealed that Shiyin had persistently lobbied him for two to three days to hire Wu Huan, much to Wu Huan's delight and gratitude. Elsewhere, Bai Yunsheng was found drunk in his room, having socialized extensively for his design work. His roommate observed that Bai Yunsheng was an ambitious person, actively "paving the way" for his own brand, which often involved drinking with clients who might not understand design.
Shao Xue's parents were growing anxious as her college acceptance letter had not yet arrived. Shao Xue revealed that she had boldly applied only to the School of Foreign Studies, without a second choice or backup. She felt embarrassed because almost everyone else in her freshman QQ group, even those from distant provinces, had received their letters, while she, being in Beijing, had not.
Seeing her distress, her parents, despite their previous concerns about her estimated scores being "barely passed," decided to explore the option of sending her to study abroad if she wasn't accepted, even planning to withdraw all their savings to support her. Shao Xue sought comfort by re-watching "Harry Potter," wistfully wishing that Dumbledore would send her an acceptance letter. In a touching moment, Zheng Sunian brought her a toy wand and encouraged her to make a wish; she wished to not disappoint her parents again.
