Ms. Cupid in Love Episode 8 Recap
> Ms. Cupid in Love Recap
The First Matchmaker posted advertisements for their "Counseling Room," but members of the Singleton Alliance intentionally vandalized the notices and spread rumors, claiming it was a scam. This led to no one registering.
A "Young Master" (Xu Yunchuan, based on his subsequent actions and rivalry with Bo Yan) was pleased, remarking that "Chu Ye" (Bo Yan) wasn't capable enough to handle the shop and that he would personally resolve the situation, hoping Shangguan Ya would then see him in a new light. Shangguan Ya, seeing the empty hall, decided they needed to go where people seeking marriage would naturally go.
Shangguan Ya and Bo Yan went to the Temple of Fate, where they found several zealous scholars attempting to smash the God of Marriage statue, believing it would affirm their ambition for the imperial examination and bring them luck. Shangguan Ya confronted them, arguing that such an illogical act was unnecessary to prove their commitment to their studies and questioned if they intended to remain single forever.
Despite Bo Yan's skepticism about the God of Marriage's power, Shangguan Ya insisted that as a matchmaker, she could not idly watch the statue be destroyed. In her attempt to stop them, she was injured when a hammer dropped by a student struck her foot. Bo Yan rushed to her aid, driving the students away and locking the statue away for protection. He then carried her back to the First Matchmaker's establishment.
As Bo Yan carried the injured Shangguan Ya back, Xu Yunchuan, who had arrived hoping to assist and impress Shangguan Ya, saw them. He questioned Bo Yan's closeness with Shangguan Ya and expressed concern for her injury, immediately sending for a physician. The physician confirmed that Shangguan Ya's injury was not severe, only requiring a few days of rest. Despite her father's suggestion to postpone the Counseling Room, Shangguan Ya adamantly refused to give up, determined to open it.
Later that night, Xu Yunchuan visited Magistrate Lu, who, flustered, pretended to be a diligent official. Xu Yunchuan requested that Magistrate Lu deploy constables to guard the First Matchmaker's establishment, preventing any further disruptions from the Singleton Alliance. With the security in place, the Counseling Room finally opened its doors to a steady stream of people seeking advice. Shangguan Ya, Bo Yan, Master Shangguan, and even Shangguan's elderly mother all participated, mediating and analyzing relationship issues and domestic squabbles.
The Counseling Room initially saw varied success. In one instance, Shangguan Ya effectively helped a woman break off an engagement with a polygamous fiancé. However, during a session with a couple, where the wife (Yan'er) mistakenly believed her husband was visiting brothels due to his secretive gift-buying, Bo Yan intervened. Despite Shangguan Ya's attempt to mediate, explaining that communication and understanding were key, Bo Yan harshly condemned the husband for lying, even if it was a "good-willed" lie.
He insisted on punishing the husband and threatened to send him to the magistrate's court. Outraged by Bo Yan's actions, Yan'er, eager to protect her husband, ordered her attendants to trash the First Matchmaker's establishment. This debacle left Master Shangguan furious, lamenting the destruction and the failure to resolve the conflict. Shangguan Ya confronted Bo Yan about his "wrong approach," leading to her being summoned to the county magistrate's office by her father due to the severity of the incident.
At the county magistrate's office, Magistrate Lu sternly admonished Master Shangguan, questioning why such a significant family business like the First Matchmaker was entrusted to an outsider (Bo Yan, also known as Chu Ye) who caused so much trouble. Shangguan Ya attempted to take responsibility for Bo Yan's actions, but Xu Yunchuan quickly offered a solution.
He proposed a system of incentives for couples in Yueyang City who chose to reconcile instead of divorcing, categorized by their occupation: scholars would receive more land, farmers an extra measure of rice monthly, craftsmen an additional ten wen monthly, and merchants a 10% tax reduction. While Shangguan Ya privately expressed her disagreement with this approach, Xu Yunchuan explained it was necessary to protect the First Matchmaker's damaged reputation and allow them time to recover, to which she reluctantly agreed.
Bo Yan arrived at the county magistrate's office to escort Shangguan Ya home. When Xu Yunchuan offered to send her back in his carriage, Bo Yan, clearly jealous, discreetly spooked the horse, causing it to run off and leaving only the carriage body. He then proudly led Shangguan Ya away. Later, while getting wontons, Bo Yan chastised Shangguan Ya for resting her injured foot improperly but then gently massaged it for her.
The vendor, witnessing their interaction, playfully assumed they were a loving couple, despite Shangguan Ya's insistence that Bo Yan was merely her "little brother." Back at the First Matchmaker, Bo Yan unveiled a rotating bookshelf he had secretly constructed to help organize and match singles, simplifying the matchmaking process. Impressed by his ingenuity and dedication, Shangguan Ya clapped him on the shoulder, affirming her belief that he would become a great matchmaker. Bo Yan, blushing shyly, quickly excused himself.
A young gentleman named Wen Congshan anxiously arrived at the First Matchmaker, distraught because his engagement to Miss Tan (Yuwan) was suddenly broken. He explained that Miss Tan had become increasingly upset and temperamental as their wedding date approached, asking him strange hypothetical questions about their future married life. After learning that she decided to break off the engagement over a seemingly normal comment he made, Shangguan Ya decided to speak with Miss Tan.
Miss Tan confessed to feeling pre-marital anxiety, citing the rising divorce rates and a hurtful comment from Wen Congshan about their future home being "his home," making her feel like an outsider. Wen Congshan, heartbroken, insisted he hadn't meant to upset her and that marrying her was his greatest fortune. Shangguan Ya explained to Wen Congshan that Miss Tan's anxiety stemmed from her deep love for him and insecurity about his feelings.
She advised him to use sincere expressions of love to alleviate Miss Tan's worries and restore her faith in their marriage. Wen Congshan, despite finding it "troublesome," declared his willingness to pay any amount to win Yuwan back, a statement that Bo Yan found vulgar. Shangguan Ya and Bo Yan discussed strategies to alleviate Miss Tan's anxieties. Shangguan Ya suggested that Wen Congshan list ten virtues of Miss Tan.
To demonstrate its efficacy, she spontaneously listed ten qualities of Bo Yan, including "handsome, rich, good in martial arts, loyal, clean, good memory, well-dressed, good voice, and generous" (noting she said "rich" twice). She then challenged Bo Yan to list her virtues, but he struggled, eventually quipping that she was "very noisy," much to her annoyance.
Next, Shangguan Ya proposed that Wen Congshan and Miss Tan engage in physical contact, explaining that "a woman will be attracted to a physically strong man." To illustrate, Bo Yan swiftly picked her up in a side embrace. The unexpected closeness caused Shangguan Ya's heart to pound, and she quickly retreated, touching her racing chest. Bo Yan later concluded that this method was "useless" and decided to find another approach.
Taking his role as the First Matchmaker's head seriously, Bo Yan crafted an elaborate romantic setting for Wen Congshan and Miss Tan. He created a mock pavilion and hid acrostic poems, including one saying "Yuwan, you are my love," within lanterns. Shangguan Ya was thoroughly impressed by his elegant and unexpected approach. While they were discussing his newfound literary talent, a wall separating their property from the adjacent one was suddenly torn down, revealing Xu Yunchuan strolling in casually.
He announced that he had purchased the neighboring house and removed the wall to facilitate easier interaction between their families. Master Shangguan, delighted at the prospect of closer ties with the imperial censor, readily agreed. The next morning, Xu Yunchuan joined them for breakfast, much to Bo Yan's visible annoyance. Li Fu, observing Bo Yan's sour mood, playfully teased him for acting like a child.
During breakfast, Master Shangguan offered Xu Yunchuan a seat that Bo Yan considered his own, further fueling Bo Yan's displeasure. Desperate to curry favor with Xu Yunchuan for a promotion, Magistrate Lu ordered Ouyang Jing to move into the Shangguan residence to closely monitor Xu Yunchuan. Ouyang Jing arrived with her luggage, claiming she was there to protect Shangguan Ya and Bo Yan from "outsiders," although her presence immediately stirred up conflict with Li Fu.
She and Li Fu fiercely argued over a room, each asserting their right to it. Ouyang Jing claimed prior residency, having lived in the room since she was a child, while Li Fu argued he had a right to it because he had paid rent. Ouyang Jing, despite Li Fu's valid claim, remained unyielding and declared the room hers.
