Northwards Episode 11 Recap
> Northwards Recap
In Beijing, Xie Wanghe consulted with Brother Qiang, who revealed himself as the founder of "Pet Home," China's first pet operations website. Brother Qiang candidly shared his experience of successfully raising capital only to burn through it all in two years, leaving his partners burdened with debt. He emphasized the extreme difficulty of internet entrepreneurship, noting that out of millions of aspiring founders, very few secure funding or achieve listings on major exchanges.
His advice was clear: without substantial personal wealth or extensive resources, mere passion and creative ideas are insufficient to succeed. While still absorbing this disheartening information, Xie Wanghe received an urgent message from Xia Fenghua, informing him that Granny Ma had suffered a stroke and was hospitalized. Overwhelmed with worry, he immediately decided to return home.
Before leaving, he asked Brother Qiang about the potential for an online smart question bank, only to be shown another failed venture by an MIT graduate, which further crushed his spirits. Dejected, Xie Wanghe missed his bus on the journey home, finding himself sitting alone by the street with his broken computer case. Back in Flower Street, Granny Ma began her slow recovery, supported by her neighbors.
As she returned to her courtyard, she was met with a warm welcome from the community, who cheered her on for taking her first steps. Zhou Haikuo remarked that it was a small step for Granny Ma but a giant leap for their entire courtyard. Granny Ma, grateful for their concern, advised them to let her work less and to tell her if they needed anything. Xie Wanghe finally rushed back to the courtyard, relieved to see Granny Ma recovering.
However, his mother, Liang Haihong, was furious about his unauthorized trip to Beijing. She scolded him for prioritizing money-making schemes over his studies, contrasting his actions with his father's sacrifices in a different era. Liang Haihong insisted that she and his father were responsible for the family's finances, and it was not his time to earn money. During their argument, Mr. Xu, Xie Wanghe's teacher, arrived for a home visit.
Liang Haihong initially tried to cover for Xie Wanghe, claiming he was at an exhibition, but Xie Wanghe truthfully stated he had been renting servers. Mr. Xu reassured them that the school would not punish Xie Wanghe for his truancy, citing a "business plan" he had submitted. Mr. Xu then spoke directly to Xie Wanghe and his mother, acknowledging Xie Wanghe's intelligence despite his academic inconsistencies.
He expressed confidence that with focus and hard work, Xie Wanghe could still achieve university admission. To illustrate his point, Mr. Xu referenced Google's rise against the then-dominant Yahoo, attributing its success to deep knowledge and systematic thinking. He emphasized that systematic learning builds a crucial foundation, much like a building's height depends on its deep base.
Responding to Xie Wanghe's earlier comparison of himself to ebony wood, Mr. Xu explained that for wood to become priceless, it must first be a mature, well-formed tree, not merely a green foxtail waiting for time to pass. Moved by Mr. Xu's words, Liang Haihong vowed to ensure Xie Wanghe studied diligently, even threatening to discipline him herself if he failed to do so. Mr. Xu's heartfelt advice profoundly impacted Xie Wanghe.
After the teacher left, Xie Wanghe confessed to Shao Xingchi and Zhou Haikuo that his trip to Beijing had revealed his narrow-mindedness, making him feel like a "frog in a well" compared to the countless bright minds struggling in Zhongguancun. Zhou Haikuo encouraged him to pursue higher education, suggesting his intellect could secure him a spot at a second-tier university at least.
Xie Wanghe reflected on his family's financial struggles and his sister Siyi's tuition-free path, feeling the emotional weight of his father's burdens. Shao Xingchi, however, advised him against "emotional blackmail," urging Xie Wanghe to focus on his own aspirations. Resolved, Xie Wanghe decided to dedicate himself to studying, acknowledging it was his only viable path forward.
He declared his ambition to get into a good university to alleviate his father's worries and playfully challenged Xia Fenghua to study alongside him, suggesting she'd be embarrassed if she were the only one left behind. Xia Fenghua playfully retorted that if he truly got into a prestigious university, she would set up a breakfast stall outside and dramatically claim to be his abandoned first love.
Meanwhile, Liang Haihong shared her new plan with Li Yan: she intended to quit her stall and pursue a career driving large trucks. She had already found a local truck owner, Old Zhang, who was sick and wanted to rent out his truck, which she planned to use after getting her license, with the ultimate goal of buying her own. Knowing Xie Tiancheng would likely object, Liang Haihong decided to secure her license and establish herself first.
Li Yan fully supported her. In turn, Li Yan shared her and Xia Maotian's idea of opening a "floating supermarket" on a boat, which Liang Haihong also enthusiastically backed, despite the hard work it would entail. Liang Haihong later went to driving school to learn how to drive a large truck. There, she was mocked by a group of men, which ignited her competitive spirit.
She vowed to master driving, and the men made a bet with her: if she obtained her license, each of them would give her ten yuan. At Granny Ma's stall, while the young people enjoyed breakfast, Granny Ma praised Ma Siyi's cooking but humorously challenged her to learn the Ma family's secret braised meat recipe, hinting that one would need to marry into the family to acquire it.
Xie Wanghe, ever quick-witted, immediately declared his willingness to "marry in" to learn the recipe, much to Xia Fenghua's visible annoyance. Back at school, Xie Wanghe's suggestion for a test-prepping method was officially adopted, with their class chosen as a pilot program. The teacher publicly praised Xie Wanghe, calling him a "hero."
Despite the acclaim, Shao Xingchi reminded him that he could still pursue his intelligent question bank after college, but Xie Wanghe remained steadfast in his academic focus, determined to catch up and surpass his peers. After school, Hai confronted Xia Fenghua, demanding the 10,000 yuan he had paid her for modeling, plus a 50,000 yuan breach of contract fee. Xie Wanghe, Zhou Haikuo, and Shao Xingchi immediately stepped forward to defend Xia Fenghua.
Xie Wanghe accused Hai of exploiting minors for inappropriate photos, warning him that they had screenshots of his photo album and would expose him to the Public Security Bureau and the media if he continued his harassment. He even mockingly suggested a sensational newspaper headline detailing Hai's alleged misconduct. Hai, visibly unsettled by the mention of the album, attempted to dismiss the accusations, claiming it was legal lingerie modeling.
Xie Wanghe, however, stood firm, stating that as students, they had nothing to lose and would ensure Hai's business reputation was ruined if he pursued the matter. He threatened to beat Hai every time he saw him if he dared to bully Xia Fenghua again, with Shao Xingchi adding that all three of them would join in the next time.
Although Xia Fenghua admitted to being scared, Xie Wanghe reassured her that Hai wouldn't risk his entire business over 10,000 yuan. He promised Xia Fenghua that no one would bully her except her friends, vowing their fierce protection. However, the warmth of their camaraderie quickly faded when Xia Fenghua returned home to find her grandmother and aunt.
Her grandmother immediately began to mock her appearance, comparing her unfavorably to her childhood self and sarcastically asking if she was modeling for pig feed, while her aunt mentioned Hai's previous attempt to sign Xia Fenghua as a model. Xia Fenghua, ignoring her family's jabs, quietly asked about her father, only to learn he had left early. She deduced that her grandmother and aunt's visit was another attempt to extract money from her family, but she resolved not to give them any.
