My Dear Brothers Episode 5 Recap
> My Dear Brothers Recap
After Hou Chi carefully treated Shi Xia's minor injuries, he questioned her about her visit to the forbidden mountains. Shi Xia confessed that she had been searching for a way to return to her world and believed she could learn the enchantment of "breaking the void space" there. Hou Chi immediately dismissed this, explaining that such a power was exclusively wielded by the leader of the Immortals Alliance and could not simply be found in the forbidden area.
Disappointed, Shi Xia described her home as a "modern" place in another parallel universe, filled with ordinary mortals who valued intelligence and their family's standing over spiritual cultivation. While Hou Chi initially found this concept "hard" and potentially boring, Shi Xia enthusiastically compared their technological advancements like airplanes, telephones, and computers to the cultivation world's magic. Intrigued, Hou Chi expressed a desire to witness her world.
Shi Xia, realizing he couldn't eat, quickly offered to show him all her favorite foods if he ever visited. Understanding her deep longing to return, Hou Chi promised to help her "break the void space" and send her home once he became the Immortals Alliance leader. In return, he asked her to be his "sister."
Shi Xia, suspecting he was misled by an opponent into believing a sister could enhance his "Heart of Guardian" ability, decided to agree, recognizing his sincerity. She then proposed a "brother-sister contract" with three conditions. Hou Chi, preferring to seal the agreement with his power, created a symbolic mark on her hand. Shi Xia's first rule was "no inappropriate body contact," specifying "kisses and hugs," which Hou Chi admitted he didn't understand.
She playfully refused to demonstrate, promising to inform him if he ever crossed the line. Her second condition was "don't ask me to call you brother." Hou Chi, insisting on the title due to their bond, countered that she must accompany him in practice for an hour daily. After some negotiation, they settled on once a week. Finally, Shi Xia's third rule was that no one else could make conditions for her.
Hou Chi then sealed their contract, depicting himself as a large, protective triangle and Shi Xia as a small circle within it, symbolizing his eternal guardianship. Shi Xia was moved by his explanation despite finding the drawing rather unrefined. The next morning, Hou Chi woke Shi Xia for her contracted practice session, much to her annoyance. She grudgingly complied, but soon grew restless, finding his slow progress frustrating. Longing for a refreshing bath, she retreated indoors.
Hou Chi, perceiving her wish, conjured a bath filled with warm water, rose petals, and a lively duck. Shi Xia was delighted by the thoughtful gesture, recalling how her own brother used to put rubber ducks in her tub to coax her into bathing. She found the real duck charming and decided to keep it before Hou Chi departed for some errands.
Meanwhile, Hou Chi summoned Yi Yaogua and another disciple to the Discipline Hall to account for harming a fellow disciple and lying. He recited several sect rules, reminding them that admitting their transgressions could lead to lighter punishment. Bi Hong echoed this sentiment, prompting the two disciples to confess. Hou Chi then instructed Bi Hong to impose "Master Yuanye's old rules" on them.
Shortly after, a senior disciple arrived to summon Hou Chi to the Sect Leader, Yuan Zhao, leaving Bi Hong to oversee the punishment. Yi Yaogua and his accomplice were subsequently ordered to clean the academy, enduring the ridicule of their peers. One disciple whispered to Yi Yaogua, speculating about Hou Chi's supposed favoritism and a scandalous relationship with Shi Xia. Yi Yaogua, fiercely loyal to Hou Chi, vehemently defended his "idol," blaming Shi Xia for all their troubles.
Hou Chi, upon meeting with Sect Leader Yuan Zhao, was praised for maintaining his cultivation prowess, which had not been "wasted." Yuan Zhao, however, gently cautioned him against distractions that could disturb his focus, emphasizing the approaching "first test for the leader of Immortals Alliance." Later, Shi Xia observed Hou Chi's somber mood and guessed it stemmed from the meeting with the Sect Leader.
Hoping to help him with his cultivation, she tried a method she'd seen in modern TV dramas, placing her hands on his back. Hou Chi was startled and warned her not to touch him during practice, fearing she might get hurt, just like the Holy Tree. He then led her to a withered tree, explaining that its current state was "because of me."
He recounted how he had practiced under it as a child when it was vibrant and full of "seven-colour leaves, shining." As his own power grew by absorbing the tree's spirit, the ancient Holy Tree, which was the "holy pulse of the Yuhua Sect," slowly withered. He believed their fates were intertwined, as he himself had been found abandoned by Yuan Zhao at the mountain's base.
Hou Chi lamented that the tree, once a symbol of the Yuhua Sect, must be disappointed that his abilities were stagnant. Shi Xia reassured him, asserting that trees were resilient. She shared a story from her home world about a lonely child and a comforting tree appearing for him, explaining that in her world, each tree had a destiny to guard a person. She encouraged Hou Chi to hug the tree for peace, just as she would.
However, Hou Chi dismissed the tree's importance, stating that having Shi Xia as his sister was all that mattered. Privately, Shi Xia worried about Hou Chi's emotional well-being if she were to leave and resolved to revive the Holy Tree as a parting gift, ensuring he wouldn't be alone. Early the next morning, Shi Xia visited Bi Hong at his medicine house, impressed by his thriving garden and assuming his expertise in plants.
She confessed her desire to save the Holy Tree, to which Bi Hong reminded her of the Sect Leader's strict decree: anyone tampering with the Holy Tree would be expelled. Shi Xia, unfazed, declared her intention to "fight fate" and sought his tools and advice, taking full responsibility. She demonstrated her "forestry" knowledge from her hometown by performing a "chemical experiment" on his hydrangea, adding lye to change its color from blue to pink, explaining the plant's sensitivity to pH.
Impressed, Bi Hong agreed to lend his tools. Shi Xia gave him the pink hydrangea, explaining flower meanings, a concept new to Bi Hong, who found it "interesting." Bi Hong, in turn, warned her to keep their efforts hidden from Hou Chi, as Hou Chi's involvement could cause him to lose a lot of spiritual power.
Shi Xia then concocted a plan to get Hou Chi out of the way, sending him on a seemingly impossible quest to find "cotton candy"—something "sweet, soft, that melts in your mouth"—and instructing him not to return until he found it. As soon as Hou Chi left, Shi Xia and Bi Hong began their work, wrapping the Holy Tree's trunk with straw ropes to conserve moisture.
Unbeknownst to them, Yi Yaogua and his follower had tracked Shi Xia to Hou Chi's residence. Jealous, Yi Yaogua attempted to peek into the courtyard over the wall. Just then, Hou Chi returned, immediately sensing the intrusion. Inside, as Bi Hong reached to wipe sweat from Shi Xia's forehead, Hou Chi quickly encased him in a protective spherical barrier, prompting Bi Hong to grumble about Hou Chi's pettiness. Shi Xia, surprised by Hou Chi's early return, watched as he presented her with cotton and sugar, claiming he had found her "sweet, soft" cotton candy.
