Moonlit Reunion Episode 31 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
The sky had just begun to lighten when Wu Zhen ordered her servants to pack, and the group returned to the Duke’s manor in a grand procession, drawing stares and whispers from the city dwellers. Duke Wu was initially delighted to see his daughter, believing she had come home to visit him. “ Zhen came back to see me! Daughters are the best. My caring sweetheart.”
He even thought she had bought him a gift, but his face fell as he read the divorce deed handed to him by Mingzhuang. “ Wait. What’s going on here? Why?” he exclaimed, utterly shocked. At this moment, Mei Si, still bearing Liu Taizhen’s face, hurried to Mei Zhuyu. Onlookers gossiped, mistaking Mei Si for Young Lady Liu, saying, “Isn’t that Young Lady Liu? It really is. I heard Qinghe County Princess argued with Commissioner Mei.
She just moved out of the Mei Residence, and Young Lady Liu came over right away. Don’t you think Commissioner Mei is really lucky with women?” Mei Si, desperate, pleaded with Mei Zhuyu, “Zhuyu, help me. I really. . . I really can’t take it anymore. I feel so miserable.” He revealed he could no longer endure his daily duties at the Beast Market.
Mei Zhuyu explained that holding the puppets higher wouldn't help and there was no way to switch back for now. He also stressed the importance of keeping their body swap a secret, instructing Mei Si to play both Young Lady Liu and Serpent Master convincingly. Mei Si, still in Liu Taizhen’s body, complained about having to act like a proper lady and a demon master, finding the pressure unbearable.
Mei Zhuyu, concerned about appearances, urged him to get up, dismissing Mei Si's lament about Wu Zhen's departure. Rumors instantly spread throughout Chang’an. Duke Wu, enraged, stormed into the Mei Residence with Minister Liu Gongshen, brandishing a stick. “ Liu Gongshen, is the rumor true? That your daughter stole my son-in-law?” Minister Liu, who had just heard the news, defended his daughter, saying she wouldn't do such a thing. Duke Wu pointed out that "her" carriage was still outside.
Minister Liu suggested they go inside to clarify, and Duke Wu agreed, proposing they catch them red-handed. Upon bursting into the room, Duke Wu was horrified to see Mei Zhuyu and Mei Si (in Liu Taizhen's body) seemingly alone together, holding hands. “ Stop right there! What a crime! My daughter. This is retribution! How dare you betray my daughter?” he yelled at Mei Zhuyu.
Mei Si, flustered, tried to explain it was a misunderstanding, but Duke Wu insisted, “You two are alone in one room. Your hands were like this. And you call it a misunderstanding?” Minister Liu Gongshen, upon witnessing the scene, was so overwhelmed that he fainted. After Minister Liu recovered, Mei Zhuyu explained to Duke Wu and Minister Liu that Liu Taizhen’s visit was for medical treatment and to reconcile Wu Zhen and Mei Zhuyu.
Minister Liu, relieved that his daughter was not involved in an affair, still expressed his disapproval of Mei Si, saying he was unreliable and nowhere near as steady as Mei Zhuyu, so it was understandable if his daughter was unhappy with him. However, he stressed she should not interfere with others' marriages. Mei Si, hearing his "father's" criticism, couldn't help but defend himself, blurting out, “This has nothing to do with Young Master Mei Si!”
Minister Liu, misinterpreting this as his daughter defending Mei Si, exclaimed, “Are you my daughter? Why are you suddenly defending Young Master Mei Si?” Later that night, Liu Taizhen, still in Mei Si’s body, was furious upon learning how Mei Si had ruined her reputation. She muttered, "Well done. In just one day, I, a proper lady, have become someone who ruins others' relationships. You destroyed the reputation I've built over a decade in a single day."
She then asked Wu Zhen if a solution had been found. Wu Zhen explained what the doll seller had said: the puppet could make a person swap bodies with their beloved, and they would switch back when the other person developed true feelings. Liu Taizhen scoffed, “Is this a joke? I refuse to swap back. I don't mind continuing as Young Master Mei Si.”
She rejected this method, determined to find another way, and ordered Mei Si (in Liu Taizhen’s body) to return to the Beast Market as Serpent Master. Mei Si pleaded not to go back, calling the Beast Market terrifying, but Liu Taizhen was firm, threatening to kick him there herself. Wu Zhen then accompanied Mei Si (in Liu Taizhen’s body) to the Beast Market, reiterating that the key to swapping back lay with Liu Taizhen.
Mei Si was overwhelmed by the chaotic and unfamiliar environment, bewildered by demons openly squabbling over business. Wu Zhen suddenly felt dizzy and nearly collapsed, but Wu Zishu appeared just in time to support her. Wu Zishu noticed the dark bruises on her wrist, realizing they were not ordinary injuries but demonic wounds, a consequence of Cat Master's power exceeding her mortal body's capacity.
He explained that the cell transformation technique had caused a backlash, accelerating her body's breakdown, and her mortal form could no longer endure. Upon learning this truth, Wu Zhen finally broke down in tears, and Wu Zishu vowed, “Don’t worry, Zhen. No matter what, I won’t let anything happen to you.” Mei Si (in Liu Taizhen’s body) watched from a distance, confused about her condition.
Mei Zhuyu knelt before the memorial tablets of his parents, agonizing over the painful truth: the enemy he had pursued for over a decade resided within the body of the woman he loved. " I never thought that after waiting over ten years, the truth I thought was within reach would turn out like this. The enemy I wanted to kill with my own hands actually lives within the person I love.
Tell me, what am I supposed to do now?" A moment later, Mei Si (in Liu Taizhen’s body) clumsily got Mei Zhuyu’s attention, after having fallen from a tree he climbed to reach a locked door. He reported that Wu Zhen was ill, though he didn't know the specifics. After Mei Si left, Wu Zhen found Mei Zhuyu sitting alone in a dark corner of Ruyi Pavilion.
When he approached her with concern, she remained distant, coldly stating that their relationship was over. Mei Zhuyu asked to see her hand, further showing his concern. At Yuzhen Workshop, Liu Taizhen (still in Mei Si’s body) made an appearance at a gathering of noble youths. She immediately faced mockery and ridicule. Ling Xiao intervened, explaining that these young men, who were her admirers, resented Mei Si's persistent pursuit of her, leading them to taunt "him".
Liu Taizhen then learned that Mei Si would typically just laugh off these insults, except for one occasion when a Young Master Wu had spoken harshly about her. Enraged, Mei Si had stormed into the Wu Residence and fought him to defend her honor. Recalling Mei Si’s unwavering devotion and now realizing how he had defended her, Liu Taizhen was deeply touched.
Liu Taizhen (still in Mei Si’s body) later summoned Mei Si (still in Liu Taizhen’s body) to ask about his conflict with the young master from the Wu family. Mei Si humbly admitted he was no match for him but insisted he couldn't let anyone insult Liu Taizhen's name. Hearing this, Liu Taizhen, moved by his genuine concern and sincerity, apologized to Mei Si for her previous dismissiveness and harsh treatment.
As her apology hung in the air, their bodies suddenly swapped back to their original forms. Wu Zhen's words proved true: Liu Taizhen had indeed fallen in love with Mei Si. Mei Si, overjoyed, exclaimed, "We swapped back! We swapped back, Young Lady Liu! He said this thing can let you swap bodies with the one you love. Once the other develops true feelings, you can swap back."
Liu Taizhen, in her own body once more, quickly left, overwhelmed by her newfound feelings. That night, Mei Zhuyu infiltrated Yuzhen Workshop and held Ling Xiao hostage to compel Wu Zhen to meet him. Liu Taizhen arrived with Wu Zhen and sharply rebuked Mei Zhuyu for his dishonorable tactics. Mei Zhuyu, unfazed, demanded that Wu Zhen have dinner with him. The table was laden with dishes prepared precisely to Wu Zhen’s liking.
Mei Zhuyu looked intently at her, explaining that his decade-long pursuit of revenge had left him cold and heartless, but it was Wu Zhen who had pulled him back into the mortal world, and he could not simply abandon her. Wu Zhen, however, dismissed his words, suggesting he had read too many romantic stories and that human bonds weren't so difficult to let go of. Mei Zhuyu, perplexed, pressed her, "If that's the case, why do you keep avoiding me? What are you hiding?"
