Always on the Move Episode 36 Recap
> Always on the Move Recap
Upon learning that Shen Xiuping was sheltering her father, who had been released from prison and was suffering from lung disease, Ma Kui immediately offered to take care of him himself. Shen Xiuping was reluctant, fearing her father's past would affect her own reputation and consequently Ma Kui's career and family, especially with Ma Jian still young and Ma Yan unmarried.
Ma Kui dismissed these concerns, telling her not to worry about what others thought and that their lives were their own. Despite being touched by his offer and acknowledging him as a good person, Shen Xiuping felt she could not accept, believing it would be unfair to him. Later, Ma Kui gathered everyone in the courtyard for a public announcement.
He spoke of his late wife, Wang Sufang, and how Shen Xiuping had been a great help in raising his children and taking care of his family. He declared his intention to marry Shen Xiuping and form a family with her, stating that they were both single and wanted to live a good life together.
He mentioned recent troubles in Shen Xiuping's family but insisted he was not afraid of any gossip or consequences, stating he was determined to marry her. He added that his children, Ma Yan and Ma Jian, were supportive, and his apprentice Wang Xin also approved. Ma Kui announced the matter was settled and they would get married after the children's wedding. Shen Xiuping reacted with surprise and tried to tell him it wasn't decided, but Ma Kui was firm.
Wang Yongge thanked Ma Kui, while Shen Xiuping still felt things were more complicated than he made them sound. Shen Xiuping presented a new wedding quilt she had made for Wang Xin and Ma Yan to Ma Kui, who thanked her. However, after much contemplation, she wrote a letter to Ma Kui. In the letter, she expressed how his public declaration had touched her deeply and reignited her hope for a home and a life together.
But she explained that she could not overcome her inner conflict and felt she would bring shame and hardship to him and his children, fearing the gossip they would endure. Stating her heart would break if she caused them pain, she revealed she had left Ningyang by train with her father to care for him till the end. Reading the letter left Ma Kui heartbroken.
The next day, on Ma Yan's wedding day, Ma Kui tearfully combed her hair, reminiscing about her mother doing it and regretting his absence during the decade she and her mother suffered while she had to work to support the family. He praised her beauty and offered fatherly advice on marriage, urging her not to be willful but also to ensure she was never wronged. On the wedding day, the railway compound was decorated festively.
Wang Xin arrived to pick up the bride. Ma Jian, acting as the gatekeeper, challenged Wang Xin with three questions. Wang Xin truthfully answered questions ranging from when he first kissed Ma Yan (revealing it was at Hongyang Station in a bunker during a rainy night) to promising to handle household chores and stating Ma Yan would manage their money. Satisfied, Ma Jian allowed him in. Wang Xin brought Ma Yan back to his home.
In a tea ceremony, Ma Yan served tea to Wang Yongge, who welcomed her and gave her a red packet. Wang Xin served tea to Ma Kui, who also gave him money. A family photo was taken with the elders and the newlyweds, celebrating the union of the two families. Meanwhile, the railway system was modernizing, with steam locomotives being replaced by diesel and electric ones.
Ma Kui was assigned to go to Shenzhen with Wang Xin to apprehend drug dealers. After ensuring Wang Yongge was settled, Wang Xin met Ma Kui. On their way, they discussed the mission's risks, and Wang Xin insisted on accompanying Ma Kui. Upon their arrival in Shenzhen, they were met at the station by Niu Dali, who had become a successful entrepreneur in the city and arrived in his own car.
Niu Dali drove them to a location, which appeared to be a gambling house, to search for the individuals. Inside, a suspect pulled out a gun during the confrontation, but Wang Xin and Ma Kui quickly subdued him. Wang Xin was frustrated to learn the dealer was only a single-point contact, losing their lead in Hacheng. Ma Kui reassured him, stating they still managed to disrupt a transaction line in Shenzhen.
Niu Dali, showing off his thriving business (even having a soup named after him), hosted a dinner for Wang Xin and Ma Kui, expressing deep gratitude for their past help and offering future assistance. They declined expensive liquor as they were on duty. Later, back home, Ma Yan passionately argued with Ma Kui, seeking permission to quit her job and focus on her business, citing Niu Dali's success as inspiration and believing she was equally capable.
Ma Kui strongly opposed the idea, focusing on the financial risks involved with rent and salaries, and firmly refused to let her quit, despite her persistence. Frustrated by Ma Kui's refusal, Ma Yan complained to Wang Xin at home, declaring she would resign the next day against her father's wishes. Wang Xin tried to comfort her and initiate intimacy, but she was too preoccupied with her argument with Ma Kui to engage, leaving Wang Xin to sleep alone.
On a subsequent train journey while on duty, Wang Xin unexpectedly encountered Yao Yuling in the soft-seat cabin. They caught up, and she shared that she was living in Hacheng with her mother and busy with business. Upon learning Wang Xin and Ma Yan were married, she congratulated them and urged them to have children soon, noting their age, before leaving to rest.
An elderly blind man approached Ma Kui and Wang Xin with urgency, claiming to have detected a human trafficker by scent on the train. They searched the carriages and the platform at Beiling Station but found no one. The old man insisted the person was on board.
As they spoke, a woman walked by, and the old man instantly recognized her unique scent – like strongly alkaline steamed buns mixed with another odor – which he identified as the same smell belonging to the person who kidnapped his daughter on a train in 1963. He desperately chased her, but the human trafficker, Liu Guiying, managed to escape, leaving the old man distraught.
