Octogenarian, and The 90S Episode 1 Recap
> Octogenarian, and The 90S Recap
Lin Sufen, Dean of Sunshine House Nursing Home, arrived early, meticulously checking night patrol records to understand the seniors' sleep patterns. She then proceeded to inspect the cafeteria's food, which she found to be not fresh, prompting her decision to personally visit the market to investigate. Meanwhile, staff members, led by Vice Dean Wu Hui, guided the residents through morning exercises, including movements like patting their bellies and raising their arms.
Lin Sufen gave specific instructions to a staff member for procuring food, including bamboo shoots for Grandpa Hou, and emphasized the importance of taking meticulous care of all residents, especially those who had chosen to live there to ease their children's burdens. She also reminded the staff to ensure that Bu Gaoxing’s cake was prepared without sugar, using maltose instead, suitable for a diabetic.
At the nursing home, a resident named Bu Gaoxing secretly indulged his alcohol addiction, drinking from a hidden bottle in the kitchen. Later, Lin Sufen, while eating in the cafeteria, observed food being wasted. She addressed the residents, urging them to be mindful, stating that "every grain comes from hard work" and that wastage was a "retrograde step." She then experienced a sudden, intense abdominal pain, causing her to drop her bowl.
Bu Gaoxing approached her, offering to "find out" who was wasting food, but Lin Sufen redirected him, asking him to identify a man she had seen smoking behind the trees. Guo Sanshuang, a sales representative for "Future Health," captivated a group of seniors with a persuasive sales pitch, encouraging them to invest in "longevity" through his all-natural, additive-free health products.
He offered a "buy one, get one free" deal for ¥3,000, leading to a frenzy of purchases that significantly boosted his sales performance. This success earned him a promotion to store manager. However, his celebration was cut short when Sun Erniang, a loan company owner, confronted him. She revealed that his ex-girlfriend, Joey, had used his identity card to take out a ¥100,000 loan on her company's app.
Guo Sanshuang insisted he and Joey had broken up years ago and denied any involvement. Sun Erniang, after explaining her failed attempts to locate Joey, who had quit her job and moved, accused him of complicity. She threatened to pursue his grandpa, Guo Jiangdong, for the debt, knowing he had a retirement pension.
She forced Guo Sanshuang to sign a repayment agreement, but he spotted an error in the ID number on the document, creating a distraction that allowed him to make a swift escape, with her men giving chase. Ye Xiaomei, dealing with a recent breakup and unemployment, was startled awake at her grandmother Lin Sufen's house by a call from a friend. Her friend had arranged a well-paying translation task interview for her, urging her to go "right now."
Ye Xiaomei rushed to the company, only to present her manga draft instead of a professional resume to the HR manager. Given a strict deadline to submit a proper resume by noon, she hurried back home. Upon arrival, she realized she had forgotten her house keys. She called Lin Sufen, who was out, and was instructed to wait for her at the nursing home, with the promise that Lin Sufen would return in about 30 minutes.
At the market, Lin Sufen confronted vegetable vendor Old Li, demanding he replace his stale produce with fresh goods for the nursing home and threatening to sever their business relationship. She emphasized that food safety was a serious concern for her residents, unlike for restaurants. She also carefully selected specific ingredients, such as bamboo shoots for Grandpa Hou.
She reiterated her commitment to the meticulous care of her "old children" at the nursing home and reminded her staff about Bu Gaoxing's diabetic-friendly cake. Back at the nursing home, Ye Xiaomei was waiting when Bu Gaoxing, whom she called "Grandpa Ge," approached her, scolding her for her absence and impoliteness.
Ye Xiaomei, noticing the strong smell of smoke and alcohol on him, challenged his denial by pointing to a "No Smoking" sign, reminding him it was a public space and he should respect "public order." Their argument escalated, with Bu Gaoxing accusing her of disrespecting elders and bringing up her parents. When he claimed his chest was feeling suffocated and warned her not to anger him, Ye Xiaomei dismissed it as an act.
Despite her skepticism, Bu Gaoxing dramatically collapsed, feigning unconsciousness. Lin Sufen rushed to the hospital where Bu Gaoxing's son angrily confronted Ye Xiaomei, blaming her for his father's condition. As Bu Gaoxing regained consciousness, Ye Xiaomei immediately accused him of faking it. She exposed his habit of secretly drinking Erguotou, a Chinese liquor, from a water bottle and smoking in the nursing home, asserting that her minor scolding had caused him to feign illness.
Bu Gaoxing's son, still unaware of his father's deception, berated Ye Xiaomei, prompting her to defend herself and her grandmother. When Bu Gaoxing tried to argue but then "fainted" again from agitation, his son intensified his accusations against Ye Xiaomei, demanding an explanation from Dean Lin Sufen. To de-escalate the heated argument, Lin Sufen ordered Ye Xiaomei to apologize. The negative publicity caused by the loan sharks halted Guo Sanshuang's promotion.
His manager sternly told him that while his "merits offset his faults," his promotion to store manager was suspended. The manager offered him a chance to reclaim his position by securing contracts from nursing homes, specifically tasking him with making Sunshine House Nursing Home their new client. Dejected, Guo Sanshuang returned home, only to find the loan sharks had arrived. He quickly hid as they vandalized his front door, spraying "REPAY" in red paint and discussing his ex-girlfriend's cruelty.
To cover the red graffiti, Guo Sanshuang bought red paint and completely repainted his front door. When his grandpa, Guo Jiangdong, returned home with Northeast fried chicken wings, he was confused by the vibrant red door, finding it scary. Guo Sanshuang claimed a "Feng Shui Master" had recommended it, suggesting it meant "getting off to a good start" and would double his luck.
Grandpa Guo, though skeptical, instructed him to cook dinner, listing dishes like eggplant with mashed garlic, Sautéed Pig Kidney, and Chinese cabbage with tofu, and even offered cooking advice like soaking tofu in saline water. Meanwhile, Lin Sufen visited Bu Gaoxing in the hospital, giving him a sugar-free cake and sternly warning him that "faking an illness can actually make it come true" and that his "birthday might turn into his death day," prompting his apology.
Later, Lin Sufen herself experienced severe abdominal pain. She underwent a blood test and CT scan. The doctor delivered a grim initial diagnosis: a 10. 2 x 10 cm tumor on her right lobe and two masses on her left lobe, indicating late-stage liver cancer. Despite her stoic demeanor and experience with "sickness and old age," she was deeply shaken. She agreed to further tests with Director Li of Oncology.
Later that evening, Ye Xiaomei found Lin Sufen sitting alone in the dark. Ye Xiaomei, wanting to comfort her, acknowledged that Lin Sufen had been trying to protect her earlier at the hospital. Lin Sufen, overcome with emotion, asked for Ye Xiaomei's forgiveness and confessed her distress, revealing that her "days are numbered."
Ye Xiaomei, sensing her grandmother's profound sadness, tried to cheer her up, playfully suggesting that if Lin Sufen cried, she would cry too and become "ugly," implying Lin Sufen would then have to take care of her "for the rest of her life." Lin Sufen wept, and Ye Xiaomei continued to console her.
At home, Guo Sanshuang attempted to cook dinner, but his culinary skills were evidently lacking, disappointing his grandpa, Guo Jiangdong, who took over the cooking after expressing frustration. Soon after, a gas bill collector arrived. Guo Jiangdong, claiming his grandson had poor hearing, paid the bill. The collector complimented the newly painted red door.
Later, still wary of the loan sharks, Guo Sanshuang tried to convince Grandpa Guo to temporarily move, citing the humid rainy season and the risk of rheumatism on their second floor. However, Grandpa Guo adamantly refused, declaring his attachment to their home, stating, "Even a shabby house is worth a million. I've been living here for most of my life. I'm used to it. I'm not moving." Ye Xiaomei returned to apologize to Bu Gaoxing for their earlier argument.
Bu Gaoxing accepted her apology but lectured her on traditional rules of junior behavior, suggesting she hadn't been fully forgiven. Ye Xiaomei, in turn, playfully threatened to follow him around all day to "serve him drinks," implying she would prevent him from drinking alcohol, making him try to escape her presence. She then discovered her lost manga draft in a bag Bu Gaoxing had been carrying. Despite his initial denial and feigned memory loss, she retrieved her artwork.
He reminisced about her childhood, noting how Lin Sufen and Sister Hui had confiscated his cigarettes due to his age and health. He claimed he couldn't remember things without smoking, and Ye Xiaomei acknowledged this. Meanwhile, Guo Sanshuang, now focused on his new sales target, arrived at Sunshine House, introducing himself as the Sales Manager for "Future Health."
He attempted to pitch his "value-added" health products to the staff, but Ye Xiaomei, recognizing him as a health product salesman, immediately dismissed him, sternly telling him to "Get out!" and unceremoniously tossing his brochures into the trash.
