Northwards Episode 30 Recap
> Northwards Recap
After work, Wanghe went to Fenghua’s express station to take her home, but the station was dark, indicating she wasn't there. He called Fenghua, who informed him she had already returned to Flower Street for the New Year. Wanghe was surprised, sensing her mood was off, and asked why she hadn't mentioned it. Fenghua quickly ended the call, citing a bad signal.
Fenghua arrived at Flower Street and embraced her mother, Li Yan, singing "Only Mama Is Good in the World" and silently weeping. Li Yan, concerned, asked Fenghua why she hadn't told her she was coming back and noticed Fenghua had lost weight. Fenghua explained she had less work and wanted to spend more time with her mother.
Li Yan urged Fenghua to quit her job in Beijing and return home, promising to care for her and mentioning Fenghua’s recent hair loss due to stress. Fenghua, however, said she hadn't decided about moving back permanently. Shortly after, Fenghua and Li Yan encountered Xingchi. Li Yan inquired why he was back so early. Xingchi explained he was tired and had taken leave from Wanghe to spend time with her.
Li Yan expressed concern, reminding him that he got his job at Bee through Wanghe's help and should work hard, especially since he lacked a formal degree. That evening, Xingchi invited Fenghua for a drink. They went to a bar that used to be an internet cafe they often visited.
Fenghua reminisced about a time when she was upset after being pranked by friends pretending to be Chris Lee online, and Wanghe comforted her by taking her to a Chris Lee concert. Xingchi then revealed that he also bought a ticket to that concert and saw them leave together. He confessed his feelings to Fenghua, offering to accompany her anywhere she wanted to go if she ever decided to leave Beijing.
Fenghua, however, stated she hadn't decided to move back and didn't need his company, saying she was perfectly content on her own. She then described her ideal future, one filled with luxury and a wealthy partner, prioritizing practicality now that she was grown up. Xingchi acknowledged her aspirations, and they toasted to their future happiness. Meanwhile, Wanghe was working late.
His colleague suggested he stay in Beijing for New Year's Eve, but Wanghe insisted on driving back to Flower Street immediately as he needed to speak with Fenghua in person. When he arrived, he spoke to Li Yan, who told him that Fenghua was still asleep after a night out drinking with Xingchi. Wanghe was clearly bothered by this news.
Later, Wanghe confronted Xingchi, asking about his early return and reduced bonus, then subtly tried to pry into his conversation with Fenghua from the previous night. Xingchi remained evasive. Wanghe then went to Fenghua, who had just woken up. He asked if she was feeling better, mentioning his long drive and suggesting they go watch fireworks that evening.
Fenghua, still distant, declined, saying she was too lazy to go out in the cold and left to help her mother at the shop. On New Year’s Eve, Wanghe brought a dish from his home to Fenghua’s family dinner. He tried to engage Fenghua, but she was cold and unresponsive, a change even Li Yan noticed. Fenghua soon made an excuse to leave the house. Wanghe followed her, pressing her about her recent avoidance.
Fenghua eventually admitted that what she thought was love for him was merely a habit from their childhood friendship. She explained that they had grown up, and it was time for her to move on from their shared childhood. She walked away, leaving Wanghe in tears, unaware that Fenghua herself was crying profusely. After the New Year holidays, as winter turned to summer, Fenghua returned to Beijing for her medical treatment.
The doctor informed her that her conservative treatment wasn't yielding positive results and strongly recommended immediate surgery, as the tumor could otherwise grow and further compress her nerves. Considering her health, Fenghua began planning for her employees’ future. She approached Mr. Sun, proposing a merger of their express stations.
Fenghua highlighted her station’s strengths, such as high customer loyalty and top-ranking positive reviews, contrasting it with Mr. Sun's station's issues like frequent lost packages, overcrowded warehouses, and conflicts between staff and customers. She argued that while his station focused on high volume, it carried many hidden risks. She asserted that combining their strengths—her station's customer service focus and his high volume—was the only viable path to success, as individual efforts would lead to failure.
Recognizing the value of her station’s reputation, Mr. Sun seemed open to negotiation. Meanwhile, Meng Wei visited Zhou Haikuo’s office, praising his excellent work on the new navigation system and promising him stock options, acknowledging his previous refusal to grant them. Haikuo was overjoyed and quickly messaged Xiaohui, but received no reply. Elsewhere, Xingchi diligently reminded his delivery riders to prioritize safety while on the road. One of Xingchi’s riders, Wang Yuan, was overwhelmed with orders.
When a customer delayed coming down to collect their food, Wang Yuan, facing a looming deadline, left the order at the front desk, took a photo, and sent it to the customer. Soon after, the customer called, enraged, claiming they never received the food and immediately filed a complaint. This complaint added a "black mark" to Wang Yuan's record, essentially putting him on a "blacklist" and reducing his chances of receiving future orders. Distraught, Wang Yuan confided in Xingchi.
Xingchi, understanding his plight, accompanied Wang Yuan to apologize to the customer. However, the customer was unyielding, demanding Wang Yuan kneel and kowtow three times. Enraged by the customer’s unreasonable demand, Xingchi punched him. Later, after work, Zhou Haikuo went to Xiaohui’s apartment and saw her being dropped off by another man with whom she shared an intimate moment.
Xiaohui then told Haikuo that she desired a stable marriage with financial security and a clear future, unwilling to continue struggling in a rented apartment with him. Their differing perspectives led to an unspoken breakup. Following the incident where Xingchi punched the customer, he was confronted at a police station by an officer who knew him from his time on the force. The officer mockingly asked why Xingchi, a former police officer himself, was "causing trouble again" despite having a "proper job," and suggested Xingchi relay this story to his own leader.
