Northwards Episode 35 Recap
> Northwards Recap
Upon Zhou Haikuo's return from Beijing, he met Xia Fenghua at a tofu pudding shop. Xia Fenghua questioned his sudden resignation from Bee, noting his promising career in Beijing, Hangzhou, or Shenzhen. Zhou Haikuo, however, felt his location didn't matter as a programmer. He countered, asking if career prospects were truly important, and then questioned why Xia Fenghua herself had returned.
Xia Fenghua explained their difference: as a man, he needed to establish a career before starting a family, whereas she, as a woman, could start a family without a career. When Zhou Haikuo pressed who she intended to marry, Xia Fenghua jokingly asserted her appeal and mentioned that Xie Wanghe was "first in line," warning he would be furious if anyone cut in.
As rain approached, they decided to head home, with Xia Fenghua promising her father would cook for Zhou Haikuo that evening. Xia Fenghua subtly concealed her illness from Zhou Haikuo, who, sensing her reluctance to elaborate, did not pry. Meanwhile, Shao Xingchi was still uncertain about his career path. When Xia Fenghua’s mother questioned him about finding a job, Xia Fenghua intervened, telling him to make his own decisions.
Xia Fenghua advised Shao Xingchi to pursue what he genuinely loved rather than just what was suitable. She reflected on their youth, when they chased high-paying jobs with low entry barriers, only to find themselves switching careers multiple times. She emphasized that at their age, one should identify true passions to avoid future regret. Later that evening, during dinner, Shao Xingchi confided in his father, Shao Bingyi, about his confusion.
Shao Bingyi encouraged him to trust his instincts, likening finding one's passion to falling in love—something inherently clear. He added that when one truly enjoys a task, time seems to fly by. Shao Xingchi reflected that he only felt truly happy and free from worries when cooking, feeling in control of everything on the stove. Inspired by these conversations, Shao Xingchi went to By the Canal and asked Zhou Yanlin to take him on as an apprentice.
Despite Zhou Yanlin's concern that Shao Xingchi was starting late in a profession requiring early training, Shao Xingchi insisted he did not aim to be a top chef, only to learn, even if it meant starting as a kitchen helper. Zhou Yanlin agreed, but warned that as a kitchen hand, Shao Xingchi might not touch a stove for months.
He set a test: successfully preparing a bowl of Yang Chun Noodles, noting that simpler dishes are often the hardest to perfect. As a final condition, Zhou Yanlin demanded Shao Xingchi shave his long hair, which Shao Xingchi readily accepted, eagerly rushing off to do so. Separately, Chen Bo presented Chen Rui with an old pocket watch, which had been left behind by Mr. Zhou after being brought in for repair.
Engraved in Italian with "Zhou Yiyan," the watch was confirmed to be a Zhou family heirloom. Chen Bo explained that the name Zhou Yiyan appeared in Little Polo's diary as the second apprentice of the seafarer Xia, confirming the Zhou family's connection to Little Polo's journey. Chen Bo and Chen Rui shared the exciting news with Zhou Yanlin, who found the discovery astonishing.
With the Shao and Zhou families' ancestors now identified, only the Xie and Xia families remained to be traced. Chen Bo suggested contacting the Xia family to check for records, believing a matching name would be sufficient confirmation. They all agreed to share the good news with Zhou Yanlin's father. Later, Zhou Yanlin recounted the story of Little Polo to his father, Zhou Yipu.
He described Little Polo as an Italian fascinated by ancient China, who, like Marco Polo, embarked on a journey. Little Polo rented a ship in Wuxi and traveled north along the canal, accompanied by an interpreter named Xie Pingyao, a porter named Shao Changlai, and a ship owner named Xia. This Xia had two apprentices, one of whom was Zhou Yiyan, the Zhou family ancestor.
Zhou Yanlin explained how Little Polo documented China's transformation in the early 20th century, while Xie Pingyao pondered the nation's future, and Zhou Yiyan secretly learned Italian, hoping his descendants might become interpreters. Moved by Zhou Yiyan's eagerness, Little Polo gifted him a watch, which had been passed down through generations to the present day.
That evening, as Xia Maotian, Shao Bingyi, and others gathered, Xie Tiancheng joined them and learned that the Xia family had also confirmed their ancestor's identity. Xia Maotian explained that an elder in his village recounted an ancestor who was a seafarer for a foreigner, receiving an old Kodak camera, which they had kept hidden due to fear of persecution. He showed them an old photo depicting Zhou Yiyan, Shao Changlai, and an interpreter, Xie Pingyao.
While the Xia, Shao, and Zhou family connections were confirmed, they couldn't immediately ascertain if Xie Pingyao was Xie Tiancheng's ancestor. So, they planned a trip to Xie Tiancheng's hometown for further investigation. Liang Haihong expressed her anxieties about their son, Xie Wanghe, who was facing public criticism in Beijing. Xie Tiancheng, however, reassured her, confident that their son would persevere, just as he himself had at that age.
Liang Haihong packed diligently for Xie Tiancheng, advising him to look after the others on their journey. The ancestry search proved challenging, disheartening Xie Tiancheng to the point of wanting to give up. However, Chen Rui, along with Chen Bo, discovered an ancestral hall nearby. An elderly gentleman there, upon hearing of their historical research, presented them with a notebook containing Italian inscriptions. Chen Bo explained that this old gentleman's ancestor had been a close friend of Xie Pingyao.
The notebook contained an Italian inscription "To my friend Shaoming," which the old gentleman confirmed was his ancestor. Further, a letter revealed that this notebook was a gift from "Pingyao before he and his son Lingzhi left for Hangzhou," and that Pingyao had taught the recipient Italian. Upon hearing "his son Lingzhi," Xie Tiancheng recognized the name, exclaiming that Xie Lingzhi was his great-grandfather's elder brother, thus confirming his own family's ancestral link to Xie Pingyao.
During this time, Zhou Yipu had a chat with Zhou Haikuo, sharing his observations about Xia Fenghua. He noted that despite her carefree demeanor, Xia Fenghua was deeply sensitive and vulnerable, often bottling up her emotions to spare her parents, a trait that made girls like her "suffer a lot" and their feelings "always ignored." Meanwhile, Xia Fenghua sat alone by a bridge, lost in thought, when Xie Wanghe appeared beside her.
Earlier, Xie Wanghe had made the difficult decision to reject a significant career opportunity in Beijing, sacrificing a potential regional director position offered by Meng Wei, to return to Flower Street for Xia Fenghua. Despite not wanting to be seen as "love-struck" or "a loser," the thought of Xia Fenghua crying melted his resolve. He felt a deep sense of responsibility, believing it was time to "make it up to her" for having bullied her as a child.
Finding Xia Fenghua by the bridge, Xie Wanghe comforted her, telling her not to be afraid and assuring her, "I'm back." They embraced tightly. The next morning, Xie Wanghe confronted Xia Fenghua about her brain tumor, producing a strip of medication he had found hidden in her room. He pressed her to seek proper medical treatment in Beijing, arguing that conservative treatment was insufficient. Xia Fenghua confessed that her reluctance to undergo surgery stemmed from her concern for her parents.
Xie Wanghe then dramatically proposed, producing a ring and stating his desire for her name to be on his household registration. He promised that if the surgery were to fail, her parents would become his, and he would care for them for the rest of his life. Despite Xia Fenghua's initial dismissal of his intense declaration as mere possessiveness, Xie Wanghe insisted on claiming her, stating, "I want you to be mine."
Deeply moved by his unwavering commitment, Xia Fenghua accepted his proposal, to which he vowed to spend the rest of his life proving her impeccable taste in choosing him. Following his commitment to learning cooking, Shao Xingchi, now with his hair cut short, gathered with Zhou Haikuo and Xie Wanghe. Xie Wanghe shared the news of his proposal and, more somberly, revealed Xia Fenghua's brain tumor. Later, Xia Fenghua went to Xie Wanghe's mother, Liang Haihong, to explain everything.
Attempting to soften the blow, Xia Fenghua started by weaving a hypothetical story about a young woman with cancer whose fiancé wanted to marry her despite family objections. Liang Haihong, unaware of the real situation, dismissed such a storyline as a "soap opera plot," stating that a girl with cancer shouldn't burden anyone and should "find a place far away to wait for death."
When Xia Fenghua then revealed her own diagnosis and Xie Wanghe's desire to marry her, Liang Haihong was heartbroken. She tearfully declared her disapproval, stating that neither she nor Xie Tiancheng would agree to their son marrying someone whose life might be cut short, emphasizing that "no mother would agree to her son doing that."
