Memory of Encaustic Tile Episode 26 Recap
> Memory of Encaustic Tile Recap
Zheng Sunian arrived at the Restoration Department and was surprised when Mr. Luo announced that he was taking Sunian as his apprentice, stating that Sunian should now call him "Master" instead of "Grandpa Luo." Mr. Luo brushed aside Sunian's concerns about the appropriateness of this new relationship, a move that placed Sunian in a standing akin to his father's generation, and promised to discuss it with Sunian's father later. He then formally introduced Sunian to his colleagues, who congratulated him.
Mr. Luo assigned Sunian a desk and outlined his duties, which included arriving early to clean, drawing, and only being allowed to work on vintage items once his drawing skills were up to standard, with each drawing receiving a score. Shao Xue later called Sunian to share the exciting news of his apprenticeship. Shao Xue found it amusing that Sunian's father was now his colleague, joking about their new generational standing.
She then asked Sunian to accompany her to the mall that evening to buy a formal dress for an important English speech contest and to treat her to dinner. Shortly after their call, Shao Xue received an urgent phone call from her mother, Yu Dongge, who declared that she intended to divorce Shao Xue’s father.
At the Restoration Department, Yu Dongge confronted Shao Hua, accusing him of taking her breakfast and warning him to stop touching her belongings as they would soon be divorced. Zheng Jin, witnessing the argument, tried to intervene, but Shao Hua expressed his frustration, explaining that Yu Dongge had thrown out his collection of vintage items from the flea market, which he kept in two small drawers.
Yu Dongge retorted that his drawers were a mess and that she had only meant to tidy them, but an item was accidentally lost, leading to Shao Hua yelling at her and calling her a "junk collector." Shao Hua, in turn, angrily threw out many of Yu Dongge's fabrics, then accused her of filling two large wardrobes with her "rags."
Yu Dongge defended her fabrics, explaining how good materials could be repurposed into new clothes, and later Shao Xue highlighted how many new clothes her mother had made for the family over the years. The argument escalated, with Yu Dongge recounting that Shao Hua called her a "tigress," "uneducated," and accused her of taking away his "human rights." She then angrily declared, "Let's get a divorce!"
Shao Hua readily agreed, even mentioning he had a contact at the Civil Affairs Bureau to expedite the process. Shao Xue rushed home to mediate. She spoke with her father, advising him to be more understanding of her mother, who might be experiencing menopause, and to make amends. Shao Hua initially felt he was in the right, pointing out his small collection versus his wife's expansive fabric collection.
Shao Xue reminded him that "being right" wouldn't help if he lost his wife and highlighted how much her mother had contributed to the family with her sewing. Convinced, Shao Hua decided to try a new approach to win his wife back. Meanwhile, Lin Shiyin was shopping with friends when she encountered Wu Huan, who was in his delivery uniform. Feeling embarrassed, she introduced him to her friends as just a high school classmate.
Noticing his discomfort and realizing her behavior had hurt him, Shiyin left her friends to take Wu Huan to a Western restaurant to alleviate the awkwardness. Wu Huan, finding the restaurant expensive, suggested for their next date that he could buy steak from the supermarket and cook it for her at his place, which displeased Shiyin. He then inquired about a play rehearsal, but Shiyin claimed the play was already over.
When he suggested spending the next day together, she declined, citing urgent overtime work due to a regional manager's inspection that could lead to career opportunities. Later, Zheng Sunian, Shao Xue, Pei Shu, and Bai Yunsheng went shopping. Shao Xue felt uncomfortable with Pei Shu and Bai Yunsheng accompanying them. Bai Yunsheng asked Shao Xue to try on a dress for his girlfriend, Yunjin, as they had similar builds. Shao Xue agreed, initially excited about the luxury store.
However, while she was trying on clothes, Bai Yunsheng received a call from Xue Ning, asking him to go shopping, so he left, asking Sunian and Pei Shu to take the purchased dress home for him. After trying on the dress, Shao Xue found it expensive, uncomfortable, and unattractive. She decided not to buy it and suggested they go eat instead. Shao Hua, still struggling to reconcile with Yu Dongge, asked Shao Xue for more advice.
Shao Xue told him his traditional methods were outdated and suggested he try "romance." Inspired, Shao Hua recorded an apology and loving sentiments on various clocks, proclaiming his deep love and inability to live without his wife. When Yu Dongge heard the messages, she chuckled, calling him a "smelly mouse," but then, with a smile, asked him to help fold the quilt.
Reconciled, she presented him with a new embroidered shirt she had made, which Shao Hua proudly wore to work, showing it off to his colleagues. Zheng Jin noted how much more refreshed Shao Hua looked. At an English speech contest, Mo Hai informed Shao Xue that Huanyu Investment, a major company, had inquired about her for a potential internship.
He mentioned they usually recruited master's students for international translation roles and were disappointed she was only a freshman, but reassured her about future opportunities if she entered their talent pool. After the contest, Shiyin cautioned Shao Xue to maintain a distance from Mo Hai.
Shiyin then excitedly told Shao Xue about a free "Queen's Spa" beauty treatment worth 1,888 yuan that she could get as an annual member at her beauty salon, urging Shao Xue to join her for a "luxurious experience." Shao Xue was hesitant, as she had promised to watch the new "Harry Potter" movie with Sunian.
Shiyin, however, insisted, advising Shao Xue to "play hard-to-get" by standing Sunian up this time, promising it would make him more interested when she later appeared "dazzling." Shao Xue reluctantly sent a text to Sunian, stating "something urgent came up." Sunian replied, asking for details, which left Shao Xue flustered. Shiyin told her to simply lie and say she was writing a thesis.
Unbeknownst to Shao Xue and Shiyin, Pei Shu saw Shao Xue at the beauty salon and immediately called Sunian, reporting her whereabouts. Sunian, feeling deceived, sent a message to Shao Xue, revealing he knew she was at a beauty salon. Shocked, Shao Xue rushed out to call him, explaining that Shiyin's free beauty treatment was a "now or never" opportunity, worth 1,888 yuan.
Sunian, hurt by her choice, replied that "money is more important than me" and told her to continue her treatment. Panicked by his obvious anger, Shao Xue desperately called him back, insisting she suddenly had an intense desire to watch the movie and needed to see him, begging him not to refuse. She quickly wiped off her facial mask and rushed to the cinema.
At the movie theater, Sunian remained distant and silent, rejecting her offers of popcorn and milk tea, telling her to simply watch the film. After the movie, Shao Xue, still unable to appease him, remembered a childhood incident where she had set off fireworks to cheer him up when he was angry, accidentally burning her hand, which immediately made him stop being upset and worry about her. Outside his apartment, she tried the same tactic, lighting fireworks and feigning injury.
Sunian rushed out, asking if she was hurt. Shao Xue playfully made him promise not to be angry before showing him her hand, claiming it no longer hurt now that he wasn't mad. As she continued to playfully coax him, pleading with him to smile, Sunian leaned in and kissed her. Shao Xue was secretly thrilled that her first kiss was with the person she loved.
The next day, Shao Xue, still processing the kiss, asked Shiyin if a relationship between good friends would be "better." Shiyin, reflecting on her own relationship with Wu Huan, which was struggling due to their different social circles and lack of common interests, advised Shao Xue to "be cautious."
She warned that once the "window paper is broken," meaning the friendship turns into romance, things might become different from what one imagined, and there would be "no going back to being friends." Meanwhile, Sunian was clearly distracted, lost in happy thoughts of the kiss, which Pei Shu noticed, commenting on his progress with Shao Xue. Sunian later asked Pei Shu if kissing someone automatically meant they were officially together.
Pei Shu clarified that one must first confess their feelings, and only then does a kiss confirm the relationship; otherwise, he stated, it would be considered "making improper advances." Pei Shu then pressed Sunian to reveal who he had kissed.
