Northwards Episode 21 Recap
> Northwards Recap
Shao Xingchi returned to his cramped basement room only to be greeted by a phone call from his mother, who chided him for having his phone off all day. She then informed him that his father had arranged for him to learn bamboo carving from a renowned master, Uncle Du, emphasizing that it was an intangible cultural heritage. Xingchi promptly hung up.
His father, Shao Bingyi, was enraged when he couldn't get through again, lamenting that while other children like Wanghe, Haikuo, and Fenghua were making strides, Xingchi, almost thirty, was still in his rebellious phase. Shao Bingyi blamed himself for allowing his son to go to Beijing. The following morning, at the express delivery station, Xia Fenghua found her supervisor, Sun Daqing, attempting to evict He Tianming's family.
Sun argued that the station was a business, not a charity, and could not afford to support He Tianming's wife, child, and mother. He callously suggested they find other accommodation or even live under a bridge. Fenghua, recalling her past as a colleague with He Tianming and understanding his family's difficult circumstances, intervened. She defended He Tianming and his family, noting that his mother cooked for the station and his wife helped with sorting, so they weren't idle.
When Fenghua tried to appeal for a few more days, Sun Daqing remained unyielding and insulted Fenghua, suggesting she had no right to help others given her own financial standing. Outraged, Fenghua confronted Sun, reminding him that she was the original contractor for the station and he had no right to dismiss her employee. Sun retorted, questioning her self-study diploma and her financial acumen. Fenghua then demanded he settle accounts and leave, declaring she would run the station herself.
Sun left with a final defiant remark about them going their "separate ways." Afterwards, a guilt-ridden He Tianming apologized to Fenghua, offering to take on additional management duties without extra pay to help recover lost business. Fenghua, touched by his loyalty, accepted his offer. Meanwhile, Shao Bingyi, Chen Bo, and Zhou Yipu gathered at the site of the Flower Street shipwreck. Shao Bingyi presented an arrow found on the ship, suggesting it had been attacked.
Zhou Yipu, however, expressed skepticism about the late Qing dynasty ship's archaeological value, noting seven fruitless years of investigation and an unknown owner. Shao Bingyi countered by revealing new findings, including a compass, a pocket watch, a fountain pen, and a water-damaged notebook, confirming the ship's Italian owner.
He explained that Chen Rui had made a significant discovery from the notebook's photocopy and had gone to Beijing to consult Professor Su, the expert who supervised the original excavation, hoping to validate their years of effort. Chen Rui met Professor Su and explained that after copying the notebook and learning ancient Italian, he found it to be the ship owner's travel diary.
While Professor Su acknowledged that many Westerners visited China during that era and their journals might not hold significant historical value, Chen Rui highlighted a peculiar coincidence: the notebook listed the surnames of the ship's attendants as Xie, Zhou, Xia, and Shao—matching those of the families in Flower Street. He hypothesized that these families might be descendants of the shipwreck survivors and requested the original notebook to uncover the owner's true identity.
Professor Su agreed to have his staff search the warehouse for the original. Life on Flower Street was bustling again. Liang Haihong visited Li Yan's thriving tofu pudding shop, bringing a salted duck from Nanjing. They chatted about their children, with Li Yan mentioning her second son's successful floating supermarket. Liang, though tired from her work, expressed her and her husband's desire to save more money for Fenghua, worrying about her struggles alone in Beijing.
Li Yan reassured her, sharing that Xie Wanghe had told her of Fenghua's impressive management of a large team at her station, while also pointing out Xie Wanghe's own career trade-offs, where a higher position meant less commission. Liang then prompted Li Yan to consider "adult matters."
Later, Zhou Yipu attempted to set up a blind date for his son, Zhou Yanlin, with a female high school teacher, but Yanlin quickly rebuffed the idea, leading to a discussion about his father's own single status. Zhou Yanlin challenged his father, asking if he remained single out of necessity or choice, and if his father could endure loneliness for him, why couldn't he do the same for himself?
Zhou Yipu insisted that out of respect for their neighbors' good intentions, Yanlin should at least meet her. Ultimately, Liang Haihong and Li Yan decided that Xie Wanghe, being a peer and close friend, should try to persuade Zhou Yanlin. Xie Wanghe met with Zhou Haikuo, who explained his girlfriend Jiang Xiaohui was at a class reunion. Xie Wanghe hesitantly informed Haikuo that their parents were trying to find a partner for his father, Zhou Yipu.
Haikuo agreed that it was high time his father found companionship, having given up on his parents reconciling after his mother, Luo Zhimei, prioritized a cameo role over New Year's family plans. Xie Wanghe then confided in Haikuo about his upcoming transfer to the Haidian branch, revealing his concerns about navigating competition from rival platforms like Yuntu and "Eat Well," as well as the intricate company politics.
Zhou Haikuo advised him to be resolute, recommending he read "Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance" for strategic insights. He reminded Xie Wanghe of his past acumen during the "group-buying war," where his advice to shift focus to food delivery saved Bee, assuring him that his boss, Meng Wei, would recognize his value and support him. Upon arriving at the Haidian branch, Xie Wanghe was introduced to Qiu Lin, the local supervisor, by Mr. Song.
Qiu Lin, who had previously complained to a colleague about Xie Wanghe's "parachute" arrival as a territorial threat, was openly hostile. Xie Wanghe wasted no time in conveying headquarters' dissatisfaction with the Haidian branch's declining market share, emphasizing its critical importance. Qiu Lin angrily blamed the company's lack of subsidies and the fierce competition from Yuntu and "Eat Well" for the low market share, threatening to resign. Xie Wanghe calmly offered to process his resignation.
He then recounted Bee's arduous journey during the "group-buying war," where, despite limited funds, they survived by strategically focusing on smaller cities and relying on sheer determination. He stressed that Bee's new shift to local food delivery services necessitated conquering major cities like Beijing. Xie Wanghe then declared his pledge to Meng Wei: to achieve a 50% market share in Haidian within a year.
When Qiu Lin scoffed at this ambition, Xie Wanghe ominously stated that if he failed, he would resign, but would ensure all "responsible parties" resigned with him. Meanwhile, Shao Xingchi was attempting to find legitimate work and was inquiring about welding jobs when he unexpectedly encountered Officer Xia. The officer playfully hinted at Xingchi's past involvement in selling fake certificates. Xingchi insisted he had changed, lamenting that "prison food isn't good" and that he was now seeking honest work.
Officer Xia, who had investigated Xingchi's background and knew about his "acts of bravery" in previous years, questioned him about his hometown and past ventures. He critically noted that Xingchi's "legitimate businesses" had failed due to his lack of a diploma, but warned against resorting to illegal activities, even if more profitable. Officer Xia then suggested food delivery as a viable and lucrative option, describing the demanding but potentially high-earning nature of the job.
Seeing Xingchi's interest, Officer Xia offered to use his influence to help him secure a position at a local delivery station, urging him to turn his life around. At his own workplace, Zhou Haikuo was exchanging a bubble tea with Jiang Xiaohui when their team leader harshly reprimanded them for fraternizing during work hours, deducting points from each.
Zhou Haikuo defiantly retorted that the company was not a prison and they were not convicts, challenging the team leader to fire him if he was so displeased. Jiang Xiaohui quickly pulled him away. Haikuo later explained to her his frustration, recounting how he had helped the team leader when he first started, only for the leader to climb the ranks through flattery and tattling, eventually firing a helpful colleague.
Haikuo expressed his disdain for the company's culture, where merit was secondary, and his increasing desire to quit, finding the job too stable, boring, and unchallenging, feeling his "brain was almost rusted." Jiang Xiaohui voiced concern about his job prospects, but Haikuo remained confident in his abilities. Later, Xiao Li approached Xie Wanghe, discreetly informing him that Qiu Lin was secretly encouraging Bee's delivery riders to switch to Yuntu, promising them company shares and asserting Bee's inability to compete.
Xie Wanghe instructed Li to continue observing the situation without taking immediate action, assuring him he would handle the larger company issues. Li then pointed out Xie Wanghe's vulnerable position as a newcomer with only one assistant, surrounded by Qiu Lin's loyalists, and advised him on the critical importance of building his own team, even with Meng Wei's support. Xie Wanghe acknowledged the advice and tasked Li with keeping a vigilant eye on matters in his absence.
That evening, Xie Wanghe visited Shao Xingchi in his cluttered basement room, bringing him food. After some lighthearted banter about Xingchi's messy living conditions, Xie Wanghe revealed his new mission at the Haidian branch and invited Xingchi to join his food delivery team, emphasizing the immense potential of the industry. Xingchi initially declined, recounting a brief, "boring" experience helping Fenghua with express delivery and expressing concern about being a hindrance.
Xie Wanghe, however, reassured him of his capabilities, suggesting he merely hadn't found the right industry, and urged him to seriously consider the offer. Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a call from Chen Rui, who excitedly reported spotting Ma Siyi at a bar on Houhai Bar Street. Xie Wanghe and Shao Xingchi immediately rushed to the location, only to find that Ma Siyi had already left.
The bartender confirmed that Siyi had performed there for about two months but had left mid-last month for a "long trip," declining even a raise. Shao Xingchi was visibly distressed, blaming himself for Ma Siyi's past attempt to jump from a building and lamenting her continued silence. Despite efforts from Xie Wanghe and Chen Rui to console him and suggest Siyi's "heavy-hearted" nature, Shao Xingchi remained in despair. Unable to contain his emotions, Xie Wanghe impulsively took to the stage, dedicating a heartfelt song to "a friend who left without saying goodbye," Ma Siyi.
