Northwards Episode 24 Recap
> Northwards Recap
Shao Xingchi and Zhou Haikuo found themselves in a difficult situation at work, as their colleague Mr. Song seemed to be deliberately causing trouble. Shao Xingchi suggested they call Xie Wanghe to inform him. Wanghe, currently in the hospital, confirmed his father, Xie Tiancheng, was doing well after receiving a few stitches and would be discharged in two days. He instructed Xingchi and Haikuo not to make any decisions regarding the company's issues until he returned.
Meanwhile, Xie Tiancheng, despite being in the hospital, urged his son to stop pretending to be busy and "hurry up and give me a grandson" as a true act of filial piety. Wanghe, mentioning another acquaintance, Liang, who had a daughter, was told to quickly find a girlfriend. When Wanghe claimed to be too busy, Xie Tiancheng suggested, "If you really don't have time, finding someone who's already available is fine too," implicitly pushing him towards Fenghua.
Concurrently, He Tianming called Fenghua, informing her that his mother had fallen while working and was now in the hospital, requiring a CT scan. In a moment of urgency, he asked to borrow 5,000 yuan, stating he had some funds but was concerned it wouldn't suffice. Without hesitation, Fenghua immediately agreed and transferred the requested amount to him. Due to the overwhelming amount of work at her express station, Fenghua had to return to Beijing.
Li Yan assured Fenghua that Xie Tiancheng understood her need to leave, and they would all meet for a meal in Beijing later. Wanghe offered his car for her drive back, explaining that Shao Xingchi and Zhou Haikuo needed it for their intensive street canvassing. Although Wanghe expressed concern about her driving while tired, Fenghua brushed it off, confident in her endurance from past demanding periods. After Fenghua departed, Xie Wanghe reflected on his conversation with his father.
Xie Tiancheng had directly challenged Wanghe, asserting that Fenghua's continued struggle in Beijing's competitive environment was not for ambition but for him. He revealed that his younger son had discovered Fenghua's diary during a renovation, which was "all about you," indicating her deep-seated feelings. Xie Tiancheng pressed Wanghe, asking if he didn't want to "give it a try with her," leaving Wanghe with a complex mix of emotions.
Chen Bo, his father, Zhou Yipu, and Shao Bingyi were engaged in an intense discussion about advancing the sunken ship research. Chen Bo reported that he had emailed Verona's cultural department about potential merchant ships between China and Italy during the Qing Dynasty, but hadn't received a reply. He suggested checking remaining customs records, though they first needed to identify the families involved, noting that a name like "Little Polo" was too common to easily trace.
The group collectively decided to begin their investigation by examining local county records and their family genealogies along the canal, using surnames from a notebook. Shao Bingyi offered to obtain a copy of his family's genealogy. Chen Bo also suggested looking for old family artifacts, similar to his family's old silver coins. The conversation included a humorous mention of a shoehorn.
They recalled Shao Xingchi having previously mentioned a small wine flask belonging to the Xie family and an item with foreign writing from the Xia family. Someone inquired about Shao Xingchi's return, but it was unknown. The elders then pondered Shao Xingchi's carefree attitude, emphasizing that parents shouldn't be overly strict and wishing he would simply not cause trouble. Meanwhile, Zhou Yanlin encountered Ms. Bian, who he had previously been set up with for a blind date.
She sought his cooking advice, claiming the quick dishes he taught her hadn't turned out well and asking for a demonstration. Ms. Bian expressed a strong interest in cooking and even suggested becoming his apprentice. However, Yanlin was direct, stating he didn't believe they were a good match and that she wasn't fully aware of his situation. He explicitly told her, "I still want to wait for her a bit longer."
When Ms. Bian pointed out that "she's been gone for a long time" and questioned if he intended to wait his entire life, Yanlin steadfastly replied that while he didn't know if he would wait forever, he was certain he "will definitely regret it" if he stopped waiting and she returned. Later, Fenghua greeted He Tianming's mother upon her return from the hospital.
She urged He Tianming's mother to take good care of her health and undergo a comprehensive physical examination, not just X-rays for bones, citing an example of an elderly neighbor who suddenly had a stroke. Although He Tianming's mother found the comment inauspicious, Fenghua reiterated the importance of regular check-ups. Her thoughts then turned to Granny Ma and Ma Siyi.
Fenghua called her own mother, asking her to burn gold ingots at Granny Ma's doorstep, not paper money, explaining that she missed her, even though it wasn't the Qingming Festival. While on the phone, she looked at a picture of Ma Siyi, expressing how much she missed her. Under pressure from his wife, He Tianming reluctantly approached Fenghua to apply for work-related injury reimbursement for his mother.
Fenghua informed him that because the company had purchased insurance, the medical expenses would largely be covered by the insurance payout, making it unnecessary for him to pay upfront. Relieved, He Tianming was about to leave, but a warning glance from his wife prompted him to return and request a raise of 1,000 yuan per month, citing former colleagues at Bee earning significantly more.
Fenghua was surprised by this demand, but upon hearing his wife's cough from their room, she understood the situation. She directly stated that a raise was impossible. She then told He Tianming that if he desired to join Bee, she wouldn't stop him, but he would have to take his mother and wife with him, as she could no longer afford to support "idle people."
He Tianming's mother was devastated by her son and daughter-in-law's actions, crying and accusing them of being heartless. She vowed not to meddle in their affairs anymore, telling them to choose their own path. His wife, however, defiantly suggested that if Fenghua were to fire them, they would receive severance, which they could then use to start their own delivery business. The following morning, He Tianming went to Fenghua, sincerely apologizing and withdrawing his request for a raise.
When Fenghua pressed him for his true feelings, he admitted to being "blinded by money." Fenghua explained that due to the industry's downturn, a raise was genuinely impossible. He Tianming then expressed deep regret and filial guilt, admitting his desire to provide a better life for his child and especially for his mother, who had endured hardship and almost lacked medical funds while living with him. In a gesture of immense kindness, Fenghua agreed to let him transfer to Bee.
She also allowed his mother and wife to remain employed at her express station, explaining that if his heart was elsewhere, he wouldn't perform well at her company. She encouraged him, stating that a grown man providing for his family was commendable. Fenghua even lightened the mood with a humorous request: if he encountered Xie Wanghe at Bee, he should play some minor pranks on him, like putting pebbles in his sandals or discarding his instant noodle seasoning packet.
Li Yan, undeterred, continued her efforts to find a suitable partner for Zhou Yanlin. She proposed another match to Zhou Yipu: a beautiful and capable company owner from the city, asking if Yanlin would like to meet her. Zhou Yipu, however, believed Yanlin was uninterested, likely because "he probably hasn't moved on his heart" from Luo Zhimei.
Acknowledging his son's stubborn nature, Zhou Yipu suggested asking Granny Ma to intervene, recalling how she had previously mediated conflicts between Yanlin and Zhimei. He decided to seek Granny Ma's help to persuade Yanlin. Furthermore, Zhou Yipu proposed that Granny Ma should also "vet" any future potential partners for Yanlin, as "she's good at judging people." Meng Wei was enraged by the continuous decline in data from the Haidian district.
With Mr. Song fanning the flames, Meng Wei summoned Shao Xingchi and Zhou Haikuo for an explanation. Qiu Lin, trying to explain, admitted to oversight and mentioned that Wanghe's two subordinates, to whom the week's tasks were assigned, were still in an adjustment period. Meng Wei retorted, questioning if they were "adjusting or just slacking off." Zhou Haikuo tried to take the blame, offering to be fired, but Meng Wei dismissed him, asking if that would solve the problem.
When Meng Wei inquired about Xie Wanghe, he learned Wanghe was in Tianjin because his father, Xie Tiancheng, had been hospitalized after being stabbed while intervening in a crime, though his life was not in danger. Furious that Wanghe had left without notice, Meng Wei ordered them to call Xie Wanghe and tell him to return "today," threatening, "If he doesn't come back today, don't ever come back!" Upon his return, Xie Wanghe met with Meng Wei.
Meng Wei began by inquiring about Xie Tiancheng's health, but quickly expressed anger that Wanghe hadn't informed him about his father's hospitalization, feeling Wanghe didn't treat him as "one of his own." Wanghe apologized, attributing it to leaving in a hurry. Meng Wei then lectured him, stressing that in the future, Wanghe should inform him of difficulties immediately, allowing Meng Wei to find solutions first. Meng Wei criticized Wanghe's two subordinates for their inexperience, noting they were "a bit green."
The conversation shifted to the intense competition with Yuntu, particularly their strategy of subsidies and shorter delivery times. Wanghe argued against matching Yuntu's subsidies, as they were designed to force Bee to burn cash. He also deemed further shortening delivery times unrealistic. Meng Wei dismissed this, reminding Wanghe of his previous suggestion to use motorcycles, but Wanghe rejected it as too dangerous.
Meng Wei then delivered a metaphor, describing a company as a precisely structured machine where every part must function perfectly. If a part cannot keep up, it must be "either fix it or replace it," rather than waiting for the entire machine to fail. After the meeting, Wanghe looked deflated. Shao Xingchi inquired, but Wanghe denied being scolded, instead asking about Mr. Song and Qiu Lin's activities, which Xingchi reported as merely attempts to label Wanghe as unprofessional.
Xingchi also mentioned Yuntu's server upgrade. Wanghe asserted that online aspects were less crucial than offline delivery speed. When Xingchi highlighted Yuntu's superior app user experience, Wanghe demanded they "change it." Xingchi expressed frustration, noting he was alone against Yuntu's large UI team and that Zhou Haikuo's ideas had been ignored by the programming department. Wanghe, growing irritated by their complaints, sarcastically questioned their purpose if he had to handle everything himself.
He then reiterated that delivery times "needs to be shortened further." When Xingchi explained they were already "squeezing it out of the delivery riders," Wanghe retorted, "Cut the crap. If you want to do it, do it. If not, get lost!" Zhou Haikuo was furious, interpreting Wanghe's harsh words as directed at him. That evening, Xie Wanghe made an impromptu visit to Fenghua Express, finding Fenghua still at work, personally delivering urgent orders for her staff.
Fenghua confronted him for his unannounced appearance. Wanghe, in turn, expressed frustration, stating that "They pissed me off," referring to his colleagues and then adding, "You piss me off too." Fenghua denied angering him. Wanghe complained that she hadn't offered him tea, and Fenghua, in turn, accused him of poaching her employees. Wanghe retorted that the departures were due to "market demand" and higher food delivery wages, asserting it was "normal" for people to seek better opportunities.
He then proudly shared Bee's ambition to go public next year, aiming for market dominance and "industry status," wanting to make a "contribution to this world." Fenghua acknowledged his lifelong aspirations, admitting she had doubts but mostly wished him well, even hoping to brag about their connection. However, she then sternly declared, "I need to stay away from a company that doesn't treat its employees as human beings. Or else I'll have bad karma."
She criticized Bee's recent performance as ruthless, comparing him to Emperor Qin. Wanghe defended his aggressive strategy, explaining it was driven by "capital's demands" for rapid expansion and market seizure to avoid becoming "a stepping stone." Fenghua conceded he had the potential for success, but called his approach "cold-bloodedness." When Wanghe, exasperated, asked if he should become a "philanthropist" and let the company fail, Fenghua’s only request was, "don't be too harsh on my old employees."
The conversation ended on a sour note, reflecting their deep ideological differences. Later that night, Shao Xingchi was out drinking with Zhou Haikuo, trying to calm him down by suggesting Wanghe was also under immense pressure. Haikuo, however, regretted leaving his previous stable job for Wanghe, admitting his girlfriend, Xiaohui, had opposed the move due to the high failure rate of startups. Haikuo expressed concern about Bee's Series C funding running out and the potential for share dilution and acquisition.
Xingchi noted that Wanghe, with his equity, wouldn't lose out in an acquisition. Haikuo felt Wanghe had "changed" from a brother to a demanding leader, leading to unreasonable behavior. In their anger, both Haikuo and Xingchi fantasized about pranking Wanghe: Haikuo wanted to stuff chewed gum in his keyhole, while Xingchi suggested putting cockroaches in his bed and pulling out the fuse.
Xingchi then lightened the mood by ordering a "pig brain" for Haikuo, joking it was to "nourish your brain and appease Xiaohui." Late in the night, Wanghe returned home to find them still there. He demanded they open the door, mockingly identifying himself as "your dear old dad" and claiming to be desperate to pee. Inside, he confronted them, demanding an apology. Haikuo and Xingchi defiantly refused, calling him a "reactionary bully, landlord, capitalist."
When Wanghe finally gained entry, he was dismayed to discover they had opened and finished his prized "Latour" wine, leaving "not a drop left." They claimed ignorance of its value. Wanghe then pointed out that Haikuo was sitting on his leg, adding to the absurdity of the situation.
