Ms. Cupid in Love Episode 1 Recap
> Ms. Cupid in Love Recap
In the Daduan Dynasty, a society that greatly values marriage, there is a prosperous city called Yueyang City. Legend holds that centuries ago, the God of Marriage, Li Fu, planted a Hongluan tree in the mountains behind the city, transforming Yueyang City into an auspicious place where good marriages are made. Couples who worshipped the Hongluan tree were said to live happily ever after. Over time, the Hongluan tree became immensely sacred to the people.
Meanwhile, in the Sky Palace, God Yan'guang, Bo Yan, pursued an evil spirit into the Marriage Palace of God Li Fu. The spirit was attempting to return to the human world to see his beloved. Ignoring Li Fu's warnings, Bo Yan mercilessly struck the evil spirit, scattering its soul. In the process, he also accidentally severed all the red threads of marriage held by Li Fu.
An exasperated Li Fu informed Bo Yan that one day in Heaven is equivalent to one year on Earth, and his actions would cause great chaos to human marriages. He declared that the Emperor of Heaven would banish Bo Yan to the mortal world to personally mend the red threads and experience a tragic romance. Bo Yan, seemingly indifferent, did not appear to be listening. One year later in Yueyang City, the sacred Hongluan tree had inexplicably withered and died.
Consequently, the city's marriage customs spiraled into disarray. People began to embrace singlehood with enthusiasm, and divorces became a common occurrence. Shops, including jewelry stores, taverns, and inns, even offered discounts to single individuals. Wan Yuanming, who operated "Ming's Reasoning" performance house, capitalized on this trend by establishing the Bachelor Club, actively recruiting members with the goal of dismantling marriages and transforming Yueyang City into a city of singles.
Shangguan Ya, the respected head of the "Top Matchmaker" family, lamented the dire state of her family business, which had once been the most prestigious matchmaking agency in Yueyang City, boasting a plaque granted by the Emperor. Determined to revive her family's reputation, Shangguan Ya invested her remaining resources to organize a marriage conference. Her goal was to provide opportunities for those seeking love and happiness.
During the assembly, participants, identified by red strings, engaged in various activities like ball-tossing and dice-rolling to find compatible partners. Shangguan Ya, hidden behind a statue of the God of Marriage, secretly guided matches by tossing "good" or "rotten" peach blossoms. Her servants, Hongdou and Lianli, expressed concern about the financial strain on her father, who often feigned illness when money was tight. Lianli, ever loyal, vowed to protect the event from any of Wan Yuanming's potential saboteurs.
The conference was proceeding smoothly until a man suddenly crashed through the roof, landing dramatically. Shangguan Ya, startled, locked eyes with him. Before she could react, the startled crowd discovered her hidden position behind the statue, accusing the Top Matchmaker of fraud and demanding refunds. Thinking quickly, Shangguan Ya grabbed the stranger and announced they were on a blind date, then fled the scene amidst the chaos. She suspected the man was a saboteur sent by Wan Yuanming.
The mysterious man was indeed Bo Yan, banished from the Sky Palace, but he had lost all memory of his past and promptly fainted on Shangguan Ya's shoulder. Shangguan Ya's father was deeply apprehensive of this unexpected guest, but her grandmother, charmed by Bo Yan's handsome looks, instantly took a liking to him. Furthermore, Bo Yan had easily subdued the family's servants, demonstrating his formidable strength. Shangguan Ya confronted Bo Yan, demanding compensation for the extensive damage.
When he claimed amnesia, she accused him of trying to evade his debts. To settle the dispute, Shangguan Ya dragged him to the county magistrate's office to see her friend, Jing, a constable. While observing the county magistrate, Bo Yan felt a strange sense of familiarity, recalling an image of himself standing behind the judicial bench. During a whispered conversation, Shangguan Ya explained the situation to Jing. Bo Yan, despite their low voices, overheard them.
Jing suggested imprisoning him due to his amnesia, though this meant Shangguan Ya would lose her money. To their surprise, Bo Yan then cited Article 72 of the Criminal Law, arguing that illegally imprisoning someone and causing severe injury carried a heavy penalty, implying that Shangguan Ya herself could be convicted for his memory loss. Shangguan Ya argued that his injury was self-inflicted, resulting from his fall through her roof.
Bo Yan retorted by asking why he had fallen specifically into her house. Jing, acknowledging that the situation could escalate into an unexplainable mess, advised Shangguan Ya to take Bo Yan home, hoping his memory would eventually return, especially given his seemingly wealthy attire. Back at the Top Matchmaker, Shangguan Ya assigned Bo Yan to the dirty woodshed, informing him that he would work to pay off his debts.
She insisted he would be at her constant command for all manner of tasks, from moving heavy objects to chopping wood and running errands, and that all her family members could instruct him. Despite the lowly assignment, Bo Yan's noble demeanor still commanded respect. The next day, Shangguan Ya instructed Bo Yan to repair the damaged roof, explaining that he needed to lay tiles one by one. Initially, Bo Yan refused, claiming such work was beneath him.
However, when Shangguan Ya pressed the issue, reminding him of his debt, he conceded. To everyone's astonishment, he simply extended his hand, and the roof tiles flew into place, quickly and perfectly repairing the damage. Later, during dinner, Shangguan Ya's grandmother showered Bo Yan with affection, serving him food more attentively than her own granddaughter.
When the roof began to leak again during a sudden downpour, Bo Yan casually used a valuable screen belonging to Shangguan Ya's frugal father to plug the hole, causing her father to nearly faint from outrage. While waiting for medicine to be prepared in the kitchen, Bo Yan noticed the withered Hongluan tree on the distant hill, finding it oddly familiar. When Shangguan Ya came to check on him, he inquired about the tree's purpose.
She explained its significance to Yueyang City's marriages and lamented its inexplicable death a year ago, attributing the resulting chaos to fate. Bo Yan, however, seemed unconvinced, suggesting it might not be predestined. As they walked back, Shangguan Ya was confronted by a "playboy" from the marriage conference, the very man to whom she had given a "rotten peach blossom." He and his thugs surrounded her.
Just as she was cornered, Bo Yan appeared, positioning himself protectively in front of her. He issued a stern warning to the attackers to cherish their lives before effortlessly dispatching them, ensuring Shangguan Ya's safety.
