Ms. Cupid in Love Episode 18 Recap
> Ms. Cupid in Love Recap
After an evening of revelry and drinks in a tavern, a tipsy Ouyang Jing let slip that she and Li Fu were already engaged. Li Fu quickly denied it, while Shangguan Ya and Chu Ye simply smiled. With Ouyang Jing and Li Fu having drunk themselves into a stupor, Shangguan Ya and Chu Ye stepped out onto a pavilion, finding a moment of tranquil joy in their peaceful lives together. Meanwhile, a lovelorn Xu Yunchuan sought solace in alcohol.
His servant, A Xi, encouraged him, pointing out that moping around only gave Chu Ye more time with Shangguan Ya. Realizing the futility of his self-pity, Xu Yunchuan resolved to take action. He approached Shangguan Ya, suggesting that Bo Yan's identity as a deity made a stable relationship with her inherently difficult.
Shangguan Ya, frowning, acknowledged his point but then blurted out that Bo Yan hadn't even formally confessed his feelings to her, making their current ambiguous relationship far from stable. Xu Yunchuan, misinterpreting her words, thought she was agreeing with him and still had a chance. His servant, observing this, sarcastically lauded Xu Yunchuan for trying to "matchmake the two of them." Ouyang Jing, in her straightforward manner, told Shangguan Ya to simply confess her feelings.
But the proud Shangguan Ya refused to be the one to declare her love first; her plan was to offer hints. The Top Matchmaker then posted a notice announcing a "half-price for a friend" matchmaking event. Shangguan Ya used this opportunity to quiz Chu Ye on the traditional steps from courtship to marriage, hoping to subtly probe the progression of their own relationship.
However, Chu Ye, effortlessly reciting the entire process, remained oblivious to her hints, believing she was merely testing his matchmaking skills. Undeterred, Shangguan Ya invited Chu Ye to see an opera depicting Cui Yingying's heartfelt confession. Yet again, Chu Ye missed the point, instead analyzing how the protagonist, Scholar Zhang, would need a highly eloquent matchmaker to win over Madame Cui, thinking Shangguan Ya was trying to further refine his professional abilities.
Rolling her eyes and suppressing her frustration, Shangguan Ya decided to try one more time. She picked up a roadside flower, whose vendor explained it symbolized "eternal togetherness" for confessions, and presented it to Chu Ye. To her dismay, Chu Ye, ever practical, refused to buy it, explaining that he was saving his money to buy her candied fruit. He then asked if she was angry, and she, denying it, questioned why she should be.
He speculated that her anger stemmed from the chaos of marriage in Yueyang City, which he claimed to be working diligently to fix. Ouyang Jing, still pondering Shangguan Ya's "confession theory" and the importance of a formal declaration, burst into the room where Li Fu was sleeping. She climbed onto him, demanding to know when he would propose, as she had been waiting for days.
Li Fu, startled, tried to sidestep the question, reminding her of their "engagement in the grove." Ouyang Jing adamantly declared him "my man in life and my deity in death," vowing to be responsible for him until the end. Li Fu, trying to defer, cited the overwhelming busyness of the Top Matchmaker, suggesting they put the matter on hold. Meanwhile, Bo Yan, vexed by his inability to please Shangguan Ya, encountered a dejected Ouyang Jing drinking alone.
Ouyang Jing complained that despite her clear expressions of affection, Li Fu continued to evade her, leaving her confused about his intentions. Bo Yan, also seeking insight into Shangguan Ya’s feelings, proposed an alliance: Ouyang Jing would help him understand Shangguan Ya, and he would help her decipher Li Fu. They sealed their pact with a drink. Later, Bo Yan entered the main hall and noticed the statue of the God of Marriage unusually alert.
Using his divine power, he pulled Li Fu out from inside the statue. Li Fu explained he was hiding from Ouyang Jing, describing her as a "real pest." He confessed his fear that her attraction was merely an "impulse" and that she might regret their deity-mortal romance if she ever found her true destined match. Such relationships, he emphasized, required extreme caution. Bo Yan relayed Li Fu's concerns to Ouyang Jing, who, with her typical boldness, wasted no time.
She promptly arrived with betrothal gifts and a marriage certificate, transforming her room into a bridal chamber. Bo Yan, having been convinced by Ouyang Jing to lure Li Fu, tricked him into going to her room. Ouyang Jing then pushed him onto the bed. The next morning, a bewildered Li Fu awoke, realizing their relationship had irrevocably progressed.
Accepting his fate, the former God of Marriage resigned himself to embarking on a passionate romance, later telling Bo Yan that he was "impressed by A Jing." Bo Yan jokingly claimed credit for being his matchmaker. Chu Ye finally understood that Shangguan Ya's various actions were all subtle attempts to elicit a formal confession from him.
Around this time, Shangguan Ya's father, observing Chu Ye handing a large bag of silver to a woman and then sneaking out, immediately alerted his daughter, fearing Chu Ye was becoming "bold." Shangguan Ya, full of suspicion, discreetly followed Chu Ye to a lantern shop. Lian Li and Hongdou also noticed Chu Ye's "weird" behavior lately, commenting on the "dozens of beautiful women" who visited him daily, suggesting even a "hardened heart" might soften.
Ouyang Jing then breathlessly informed Shangguan Ya that Chu Ye had gone to the Marriage Temple with a woman. Shangguan Ya rushed to the Marriage Temple, ready for a confrontation, but instead found a breathtaking sight: countless red candles arranged in a giant heart shape. Chu Ye gently embraced her and soared with her onto the rooftop, just as countless lovers across Yueyang City began to light and release their wish lanterns into the night sky.
Shangguan Ya, her heart swelling with understanding, realized that Chu Ye's recent "suspicious" activities had been efforts to enlist the entire city's help in orchestrating this magnificent and public declaration of love. As they stood amidst the shimmering sea of lanterns, the two soulmates shared a tender kiss. Now deeply in love, Chu Ye and Shangguan Ya dedicated themselves to resolving the marital discord in Yueyang City.
Shangguan Ya organized a special gathering for well-educated young women from influential families who were seeking good matches. Bo Yan, now openly by her side as her fiancé, attended, setting an inspiring example for the attendees. When Shangguan Ya mentioned that she had made up her advice on showing affection through action, Bo Yan responded, "Well, aren't we trying it now?"
The event culminated in a "Conveying Love with Poems, Expressing Thoughts with Paintings" session, where the "eight talents" of Yueyang City joined the women, celebrating the new spirit of finding love and understanding.
