My Dear Brothers Episode 21 Recap
> My Dear Brothers Recap
Shi Xia and Hou Chi arrived to find that Yuan Kui had already left, having been angry about Bi Hong and was about to attack him. Bi Hong, whose eyes were now healed, claimed it was all a misunderstanding that he had explained to Master Uncle, and that Master Uncle would no longer seek to kill him.
Shi Xia was surprised to see Bi Hong's sight restored, and he suggested that perhaps the Dark Forest's magic had limits, meaning Shi Xia's sense of taste could also be recovered. Shi Xia then noticed their sect's immortal umbrella on a nearby tree. Hou Chi retrieved it, feeling a prick but dismissing it. Shi Xia found it strange, as the umbrella had been stolen by the Devil Sect, and wondered why it was there, suspecting Shi Dong was behind it.
Shi Xia then understood the gravity of the situation: the Immortal perception had been stolen, infuriating Master Uncle, and the Devil Lord was likely using it to find the Holy Garment. With the entire Immortals Alliance searching for Shi Dong, Shi Xia worried for Shi Dong's safety. Hou Chi reassured her that if they found Shi Dong first, they could protect him.
Indeed, they soon found Shi Dong surrounded by cultivators demanding a compass, an artifact made from the Immortal perception. Hou Chi intervened, making the cultivators retreat. Shi Dong, attributing his safety to a "protagonist's charm," boasted about the power of his artifact. Shi Xia, however, remained skeptical, reminding him that the entire Immortals Alliance was hunting him and his artifact alone wouldn't ensure their success in finding the Holy Garment.
Shi Dong then urged Shi Xia to enlist Hou Chi’s help, stressing their familial bond. Shi Xia initially hesitated, stating Hou Chi was also like her brother and she couldn’t exploit him. Shi Dong retorted that Hou Chi merely saw her as a sister and reminded her that she had only accepted Hou Chi as a brother to facilitate their return home. He invoked the idea of "blood being thicker than water" to sway her.
Reluctantly, Shi Xia agreed to help, on the condition that if Shi Dong became the head of the Alliance, they would immediately go home. As they continued their journey, Shi Dong, using the compass as a guide, led the way. When Bi Hong offered Shi Xia wild fruit and Hou Chi offered water, Shi Dong quickly snatched and ate them both.
Later, when Shi Xia almost tripped, both Bi Hong and Hou Chi quickly moved to support her, a scene Shi Dong found increasingly telling of their feelings for Shi Xia. Shi Dong observed a jade pendant on Shi Xia's waist, realizing it was identical to one Yuan Zhao had given her, suggesting Yuan Zhao was attempting to separate Hou Chi and Shi Xia by using his own son, Bi Hong. Shi Xia expressed her intention to return the pendant.
They playfully ran ahead. Hou Chi sensed someone following and subtly used magic to obscure their tracks. When Shi Dong stopped to rest, Hou Chi seized the opportunity to ask him about the distinction between a brother and a brother-in-law. Shi Dong explained that a brother's love for a sister is familial, while a brother-in-law's love is romantic.
When Hou Chi still seemed confused, Shi Dong clarified the concept of "first in line," asserting that a brother-in-law always holds the primary position and greater privileges compared to a brother. Armed with this newfound understanding, Hou Chi became determined to secure his "first in line" status, constantly positioning himself between Shi Xia and Bi Hong throughout the rest of their journey. Shi Dong found their interactions to be increasingly amusing.
Shi Dong's compass eventually led them to a dilapidated village, the old site of the Devil Sect's altar. As they stepped inside, the compass suddenly malfunctioned and broke. Shi Xia shrewdly concluded that, much like a regular compass malfunctions near a magnetic pole, the Holy Garment must be hidden there, causing the Immortal perception compass to break.
Just then, Er Ha appeared, enthusiastically welcoming Shi Dong and Hou Chi to his sister’s wedding, which was being held at the altar site according to Devil Sect customs. Seizing an opportunity, Shi Dong requested Shi Xia and Hou Chi to serve as the bridesmaid and groomsman.
Shi Xia initially found the idea awkward, given her newfound sibling relationship with Hou Chi, but Shi Dong persuaded her by emphasizing the "bigger picture"—using this to distract Hou Chi and secure the Holy Garment for himself. With Er Ha also pleading, Shi Xia reluctantly agreed. Hou Chi, recalling Shi Dong's explanation of "first in line," asked if being a good groomsman would cement his primary position with Shi Xia.
Shi Dong confirmed it, urging him to perform well, to which Hou Chi enthusiastically vowed to give his best effort. During the wedding ceremony, the Devil Sect custom required the grooms to identify their brides, who were concealed under veils. Hou Chi, mistakenly believing this applied to him and Shi Xia, confidently stepped forward and, to everyone's astonishment, easily recognized Shi Xia, much to her embarrassment.
She admonished him, reminding him they were merely supporting actors and should not overshadow the actual bride and groom. Later, during the "love apple" ritual where the couple had to bite an apple from a string, the real groom struggled. Witnessing the couple finally kiss, Hou Chi, in a surprising move, grabbed an apple, bit into it, and then kissed Shi Xia, causing a stir among the guests.
A deeply mortified Shi Xia questioned why Hou Chi would "provoke" her if he truly considered her his sister, emphatically stating that sibling affection could never be compared to romantic love. As he kissed Shi Xia, Hou Chi felt a sudden tightness in his chest—an effect of a blood curse that Qiu Li had imbued into the immortal umbrella. However, seeing Shi Xia flee, he quickly disregarded his discomfort and pursued her.
Meanwhile, Qiu Li, observing that her plan was nearing completion with only Bi Hong left to manipulate, confronted him. In a cruel twist of fate, a flashback revealed that Qiu Li had orchestrated Bi Hong to shoot Yuan Kui with an immortal arrow, leading to Yuan Kui's demise. She then framed Bi Hong for the murder, taunting him about killing his own Master.
When Bi Hong vehemently denied it, Qiu Li mockingly reminded him of his blindness, suggesting he couldn't witness his Master's gruesome end. With a chilling ritual, Qiu Li extracted Yuan Kui's eyes and transplanted them into Bi Hong, instantly restoring his sight. Horrified, Bi Hong saw his deceased Master and questioned Qiu Li about his whereabouts.
Qiu Li calmly stated she had buried Yuan Kui and handed Bi Hong a secret manual she claimed to have found on Yuan Kui's person, suggesting he keep it as a memento. Inside, Bi Hong found a letter from Yuan Kui, addressing him as "Hong'er." The letter acknowledged Bi Hong's diligent cultivation despite his lack of Immortal perception and presented the manual as a potential means to acquire it.
Overwhelmed by guilt and the horrific realization that he had indeed killed his Master, Bi Hong cried out that he didn't want the new eyes. Qiu Li, however, relentlessly pressed him, asking if he wished to pluck them out and return them to his Master. She further twisted the knife by reminding him of the two centuries of ridicule he had endured for lacking Immortal perception, emphasizing that losing his sight now would render him utterly useless.
Meanwhile, Hou Chi was still at the wedding, baffling Er Ha by trying to prevent San Ha and her groom from entering the bridal chamber. Hou Chi mistakenly believed that as a brother, Er Ha should personally protect his sister and prevent her from entering with the groom, as this was one of those things a brother-in-law could do, but a brother could not.
Er Ha, bewildered, tried to explain that the bridal chamber was exclusively for the newly married couple. Just then, Shi Dong and Shi Xia rushed back, alerting everyone that the Lingxiu Sect and other Immortal sects were hot on their heels, hoping to claim the Holy Garment, which they believed should belong to them.
Shi Dong urged Er Ha to quickly send San Ha away and told Hou Chi and Shi Xia to hide in the bridal room, while he fled to protect the compass. Alone in the bridal chamber, Hou Chi, recalling his earlier lesson, presented Shi Xia with a "bride price"—various items arranged in pairs, as Er Ha had explained. Shi Xia, still viewing him as a brother, was confused, pointing out that a bride price was meant for a spouse.
Hou Chi, with newfound clarity, then unequivocally declared that he no longer wished to be her brother. Instead, he wanted to be her brother-in-law, openly confessing that his feelings for her were romantic love, not sibling affection, and expressing his desire to enter the bridal chamber with her.
