Meteor Garden 2018 Episode 38 Recap
> Meteor Garden 2018 Recap
The previous night, Ximen had taken Xiaoyou to a bar where she drank heavily with an unwelcome man. Meizuo noticed Xiaoyou's excessive drinking and growing vulnerability, but Ximen, initially appearing unconcerned and flirting with other women, finally intervened when the man began to act inappropriately with a drunken Xiaoyou. The man insisted Xiaoyou finish one last drink before he took her home, but Ximen stepped in, drank the glass himself, and angrily drove the man away.
Ximen then confronted Xiaoyou, frustrated by her reckless behavior. Xiaoyou, however, was defiant, declared her unwavering determination to be with him, and even tried to order more drinks. Ximen expressed his discomfort, telling her not to waste her feelings on him as he wasn't interested in a serious relationship. Xiaoyou, recalling Ximen’s previous remark that love is always regretful, asked him to share his own story of a past regretful love.
She promised that if he revealed everything, she would leave him alone. After a moment's hesitation, Ximen agreed. Ximen began to recount his past with Xiaogeng, his childhood friend and next-door neighbor. They spent countless hours together, studying and playing cards, and her presence became an intrinsic part of his life, as natural as breathing.
However, Ximen’s family life was fraught with tension; his parents' marriage was a façade, filled with pretense, which instilled in him a fear of deep emotional attachments. Xiaogeng became his sanctuary, a "switch" that allowed him to relax and escape the "lies of this world." He cherished their uncomplicated bond and wished their relationship would never change. Yet, Xiaogeng wasn't content to remain static; she yearned for a deeper connection and bravely tried to bridge the emotional distance.
She once dressed up more femininely and asked Ximen to take her out. Ximen, however, reacted harshly, telling her she looked strange and even scared him, advising her not to change. He deliberately maintained his distance, believing it was the only way to protect himself from the potential pain of love. This caused Xiaogeng immense sadness and eventually led her to stop visiting him for tea.
After finishing his narrative, Ximen reminded Xiaoyou to honor her promise and leave him alone. Meanwhile, Sister Zhuang returned to London, but not before ensuring Daoming Si's freedom from his mother's strict surveillance. She discreetly compensated the family bodyguards, instructing them to turn a blind eye to Daoming Si and Shancai's activities. Now free, Daoming Si eagerly met Shancai at school, informing her that his sister had "dealt with" the bodyguards, earning Shancai's admiration for Zhuang's resourcefulness.
During their conversation, Daoming Si excitedly revealed that he was her anonymous gaming partner, "I Have the Final Say," and the reigning champion of the "X9 League" in "Fantasy Westward Journey". He proudly presented her with his championship medal, which Shancai held like a cherished treasure. Xiaoyou kept her promise to leave Ximen, but she was convinced that Ximen's story about Xiaogeng was incomplete.
Driven by a burning desire to understand the depth of Xiaogeng's impact on Ximen, Xiaoyou embarked on a solitary and relentless search through numerous buildings across Shanghai, determined to uncover the full truth. Her mother confronted her about her late-night excursions, finding lists of buildings Xiaoyou had surveyed. Xiaoyou pleaded for her mother’s understanding, explaining that this quest was currently the most important thing in her life. Ximen remained sullen, and his friends assumed his mood was related to Xiaoyou.
Shancai, deeply concerned about Xiaoyou, tried to get answers, but Xiaoyou remained guarded, insisting it was a private matter she would resolve herself, believing it was her responsibility to conclude what she had started. Still worried, Shancai confronted Daoming Si, demanding he take her to Ximen, even threatening to end their relationship if he refused. They found Ximen at a bar, flirting with other women. Shancai immediately confronted him, accusing him of being irresponsible and causing Xiaoyou's despondency.
She demanded to know what had happened between them. Ximen, dismissive, stated that nothing significant occurred and that Xiaoyou simply needed to grow up. He callously declared he was not a good man and would never be with her, which further inflamed Shancai, leading her to also scold an innocent Meizuo. Later, Xiaoyou was angered by Shancai's interference, reiterating that she wanted to find out what Xiaogeng had done for Ximen, insisting that this knowledge was profoundly meaningful to her.
Ximen then reflected on the final moments of his relationship with Xiaogeng. Xiaogeng had messaged him, proposing a meeting at a specific address at five in the morning, where she wanted to show him something important. Fearing a deeper commitment, Ximen deliberately chose not to go. He reasoned that if they never truly "started" a romantic relationship, it could never "end," thus preserving their established dynamic.
He deleted the message with the address, not wanting to know what she intended to reveal. Later, when Xiaogeng asked if he had received her message, he lied, claiming he had been out with friends all night and implying that a 5 AM meeting was too early. He clung to the belief that Xiaogeng would simply reappear the next day, smiling as if nothing had happened, because he desperately didn't want to lose her.
However, Xiaogeng, deeply hurt, recorded a tearful voice message expressing her disappointment, her decision to leave, and her willingness to sacrifice her dignity for him, but acknowledged that he was hurting himself. She confessed her deep love for him but knew she had to leave. Ximen admitted that to this day, he can't help but wonder what their lives would be like if he had run to her and embraced her before she left crying.
In the present, Daoming Si and Shancai discovered that Daoming Si's mother had cut off his financial resources, rendering his mobile payment and credit cards unusable. Soon after, new bodyguards, sent by his mother, located them. Despite the escalating pressure, Shancai affirmed her unwavering commitment to Daoming Si, vowing to cherish their time together regardless of his mother's tactics.
Daoming Si, in turn, agreed to go with the bodyguards but issued a fierce warning: if they dared to harm Shancai in any way, he would ensure they suffered severe consequences.
