Northwards Episode 20 Recap
> Northwards Recap
Returning to the courtyard, Ma Siyi overheard the neighborhood elders discussing ways to help her. Overwhelmed, she retreated to her room, and the sight of her empty home, coupled with memories of Granny Ma and Ge Siwei, brought her to tears.
The elders were debating whether their family should cover Ma Siyi's tuition if she chose to repeat a year, with some emphasizing her sensitive nature and others suggesting she could start a small business with Xia Fenghua if university wasn't for her. One elder passionately declared he would sell his blood to support his own daughter if she could get into university, highlighting the contrast in their situations.
Ma Siyi's poignant memory was of Ge Siwei innocently offering her candy he had licked, and Granny Ma playfully scolding him while affirming Ge Siwei would grow up to protect his sister. Before dawn the next day, Ma Siyi left Flower Street alone, leaving a heartfelt letter for her neighbors and insoles handmade by Granny Ma for the children.
She apologized for not saying goodbye in person, stating that her eight years in the courtyard were the happiest of her life and that she would cherish their kindness. Meanwhile, Chen Rui found an IOU Ma Siyi had left for him. Xie Wanghe and others rushed to stop her, but Ma Siyi departed on a bus without looking back. Her departure marked the definitive end of their youth.
The summer after their high school graduation stretched endlessly, forcing them to learn to feign smiles through countless difficult nights. On graduation day, the entire school gathered for a group photo. Simultaneously, a sunken ship from years ago was salvaged from the river in Flower Street, drawing a crowd of onlookers. An internal thought expressed how a relationship had ended before it even began, and that the rediscovered ship was a symbol of rebirth.
As a new year dawned, the friends gathered to watch the Spring Festival Gala. Xie Wanghe and Xia Fenghua sent New Year's greetings to Ma Siyi, but received no reply, prompting them to wonder if she had ever truly been in their lives. After the New Year, the friends gradually moved to Beijing, fulfilling their childhood dreams. Xie Wanghe enrolled in economics at Renmin University, effortlessly becoming the top student.
Zhou Haikuo pursued computer science at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, where he met his first love on the very first day. Chen Rui, committed to his promise to Ma Siyi, defied his family's wishes and entered the archaeology department at Honghuai Normal University. Xia Fenghua and Shao Xingchi unexpectedly ran into each other on a bus in Beijing. Neither had attended university, and they were working ordinary jobs.
They reminisced about their carefree days in Flower Street and how much they now appreciated their parents' protection. Meanwhile, the discovery of the sunken ship in the canal sparked Chen Rui's interest in researching the history of Flower Street in college. He joined an expedition team with Chen Bo and Shao Bingyi.
By 2014, the golden era of internet entrepreneurship, Xia Fenghua had, after years of hard work, established her own express delivery station in Haidian and earned a self-study diploma in business management. After graduating, Xie Wanghe joined Bee Delivery, excelling in his role and earning attention from headhunters offering lucrative positions. He politely declined these offers. Elsewhere, Shao Xingchi was illicitly selling fake diplomas in a computer market. Unbeknownst to him, it was a police sting operation.
Sensing trouble, he fled, desperately calling Xie Wanghe and others, but they were all occupied and couldn't answer. He was eventually apprehended, taken to the police station by Officer Xia. Xia Fenghua, upon hearing the news, immediately contacted Chen Rui, stating she had already bailed Shao Xingchi out multiple times for similar offenses. Upon returning to his office, Xie Wanghe informed his boss, Mr. Meng, about the headhunter's offer.
Impressed, Mr. Meng promoted Xie Wanghe, assigning him to the Haidian branch with the crucial task of increasing Bee's market share in the district to over 50%. Xie Wanghe accepted, reassured by Mr. Meng's full backing. He would have to confront a veteran employee's brother-in-law, Qiu Lin, who managed the Haidian distribution station. Xie Wanghe clarified his intent was not to cause trouble but to prioritize company survival over personal connections if necessary.
Xia Fenghua personally bailed Shao Xingchi out, scolding him for his shiftless lifestyle. Frustrated by her perceived lack of understanding, Shao Xingchi angrily smashed a plate and cup before storming off. Separately, Xie Wanghe transferred a substantial sum of money to his parents. His mother, speaking to him over the phone while her husband changed a tire by the roadside, expressed relief that, with this payment and their current delivery trip, their family's debts would finally be cleared.
She urged him to take care of his stomach issues, while Xie Wanghe worried about his hot-tempered father. Despite clearing their debt, his parents planned to continue working to save for a potential down payment on a house for Xie Wanghe in Beijing. To help Shao Xingchi find a stable path, Shao Bingyi visited his friend, Mr. Du, with gifts, imploring him to teach Shao Xingchi a craft.
Mr. Du agreed, though he questioned Shao Xingchi's willingness, to which Shao Bingyi vowed to force him to learn. Shao Bingyi confessed to Mr. Du that Shao Xingchi had been causing constant trouble since moving to Beijing, including multiple arrests, and expressed his desperation for help. He then rushed off, prioritizing a new discovery at the sunken ship excavation over calling his son, whose phone was off. Later that evening, Xie Wanghe and his friends gathered.
The atmosphere was tense as Xie Wanghe angrily confronted Shao Xingchi about his reckless behavior, expressing his disappointment. Xia Fenghua tried to lighten the mood by proudly presenting her self-study university diploma. While everyone congratulated her, Shao Xingchi made cynical remarks, questioning the value of a self-study diploma and dismissing her efforts, which further ignited Xie Wanghe's anger, leading to a heated argument. The dinner ended abruptly. On a balcony, Xie Wanghe and Xia Fenghua talked.
Meanwhile, Zhou Haikuo and Chen Rui tried to reason with Shao Xingchi, who insisted he was merely "unlucky" and defended his illicit activities by claiming he was "contributing to society" and would find "diploma mills abroad" for "real" fake certificates to circumvent the law. His friends tried to persuade him to pursue an honest living, reminding him that they, too, were struggling but working diligently.
Chen Rui pointed out that even Xia Fenghua, despite her modest academic background, worked hard for her diploma, while Shao Xingchi only offered cynical comments. Xia Fenghua then tried to return money to Xie Wanghe, money he had paid as compensation after getting into a fight for her in high school. Xie Wanghe initially refused, but she insisted, wanting to feel a sense of accomplishment for rectifying past wrongs. He eventually agreed to hold onto the money for her.
As Xie Wanghe walked Xia Fenghua to the subway station, they reflected on how quickly time had passed and how Beijing, once a symbol of endless possibilities, now felt like a vast city that pushed them further apart. Xia Fenghua shared an anecdote about an elderly lady at her express station who regularly received flowers from Guangzhou, emphasizing that true connection transcends distance. They bid each other goodnight, with Xie Wanghe asking her to text him upon arriving home. The next day, their plans to visit the Great Wall were canceled, as both Zhou Haikuo and Chen Rui had pressing work and thesis deadlines, highlighting their continuing busy lives.
