Out Of The Dream Episode 25 Recap
> Out Of The Dream Recap
After escaping a difficult situation with Bai Feili, Lingjiu embraced him, proposing marriage as a way to help his family. She explained that her father would invest in Shang & Shan Group if they married, which could help them overcome their current difficulties. However, Bai Feili firmly refused, stating he would handle his family matters himself. He told Lingjiu she no longer needed to come to the studio and that he would find a solution for Liu Xichan.
He also contacted Lingjiu's agent to pick her up. Lingjiu, upset, questioned why she wasn't good enough and asked how Yu Fei was better, offering to change. Bai Feili assured her she was a good person and someone would eventually cherish her.
Lingjiu then confessed her long-standing affection, saying she had wanted to be by his side since they first met, and that her involvement in 2D culture and her impulsive resignation from Liu Xichan's role were all attempts to gain his attention. She acknowledged that love cannot be forced but expressed her unwillingness to give him up.
Bai Feili told her she had a long life ahead and would meet someone who truly loved her, at which point she would realize he was insignificant in her life. He then walked away without looking back. Lingjiu, left alone, declared that Bai Feili would someday realize her devotion. She decided to focus on her career, calling her agent to arrange her participation in Director Zhang's next play. Meanwhile, Yu Fei stood on the Shandengting troupe stage.
She recalled seeing her Uncle perform "Lady General Mu Takes Command" on the same stage when it was packed with people. Her Uncle, present now, reminisced about his aging voice and the declining number of opera-goers, but noted the surprisingly large audience for Yu Fei today. Yu Fei told him he was the one who made her fall in love with the stage and eagerly asked for his critique.
Her Uncle pointed out that her delivery of the line "Be bold and head for Hushan Mountain" was too rigid and warned her not to assume she was a Protagonist just because she was in the "Golden Age of Spring and Autumn Period" training, reminding her of the long road ahead. Later, remembering a past conversation about Lou Shitang's extensive business ventures, Yu Fei decided to contact him to seek assistance for Bai Feili.
Bai Feili, having chosen not to go to Singapore, remained with his Jiubai studio, asserting that as a founder, he couldn't simply walk away in the face of difficulties. Economic investigators arrived to seize the studio's assets, leading Bai Feili to feel deep guilt for causing years of hard work to go to waste due to his and Shang & Shan Group's troubles.
His colleagues, however, showed unwavering loyalty, assuring him that their efforts were not in vain and that they would restart together. They vowed to contribute what they could—design drawings, materials, sound equipment, props, scripts, and cosmetics. With only half an hour before the final count, Bai Feili rallied everyone for one last, impassioned rehearsal of the second act, urging them to enjoy it to the fullest.
Later, Yu Fei attended a dinner party organized by Lou Shitang, where many former Shandengting troupe patrons were present. Despite someone warning Lou Shitang that Yu Fei couldn't drink much, she was pressured by the guests to toast each one. To secure funding for the Shandengting troupe, Yu Fei kept drinking until she had to excuse herself to vomit in the restroom.
Upon her return, the guests resumed their pressure, but Bai Feili arrived and intervened, declaring that anyone who forced Yu Fei to drink further would have to deal with him. This defiance led to his humiliation by the patrons, who mocked him for acting like his father, who they claimed only pursued victory without stability. Bai Feili attempted to discuss a win-win business solution with Lou Shitang, but Lou Shitang refused to talk business at a private dinner.
Lou Shitang, having learned from Zeng Qiu about Bai Feili's childhood trauma and subsequent mental illness (post-traumatic stress disorder from being locked in a closet and seeing blood), cruelly set a trap. He revealed Bai Feili as a "secret Protagonist" and mentioned his mother, Shang Dong, was a famous Qing Yi actress.
He then proposed that Bai Feili perform his mother's role as Yuji in "Farewell My Concubine" for the guests' entertainment, implying he wanted to see the "shadow" of Shang Dong. Yu Fei offered to perform instead, arguing that Bai Feili was not even a professional amateur. However, Lou Shitang insisted, implying that the audience wanted to see Bai Feili, not her.
For his father's sake, Bai Feili reluctantly agreed to perform, hoping it would secure a discussion about his father's situation. He requested to perform without makeup due to a three-year hiatus from the stage, but Lou Shitang insisted he wear the costume to maintain the appearance of an actor.
Lou Shitang then ominously warned Bai Feili that the stage props were real, reminding him not to lose himself in the performance like his mother once did, hinting at a past tragedy. As Bai Feili performed, he seemed to hallucinate his mother, becoming visibly distressed and breathless. Concerned, Yu Fei watched him, and as he raised a real sword to his neck during the performance, she rushed onto the stage to stop him.
Backstage, Bai Feili opened a wardrobe and was overwhelmed by a vivid hallucination of his mother. In his mind, his mother told him he always tried to solve everything alone, recalling a time he lied about bleeding from a bullying incident, saying it was red ink. She told him her unhappiness was due to her illness, not him.
Bai Feili tearfully asked why she hadn't told him she was sick, to which his mother replied that the pain of being misunderstood was something he knew well. He confessed that for years he hadn't dared to see her, fearing he would never see her again. His mother encouraged him to be braver than her, to live through sadness and misunderstanding, to reach her age and beyond, experiencing the life she missed, even if it meant living an ordinary life.
She then bid him farewell. Bai Feili desperately called out to his "Mummy" to open the door. Meanwhile, Yu Fei rushed to the backstage room, repeatedly knocking and calling out Bai Feili's name. Hearing no response and fearing for his safety, she broke the door down. Inside, she saw blood on the ground. Yu Fei comforted him, telling him everything would be alright and that she was there.
She then answered a question he had asked her recently, confirming her unwavering love and desire to stay by his side forever. She urged him not to leave and to let her stay to supervise him, ensuring she kept her promise. Together, they went to Tianyou Hospital. At the hospital, Bai Feili's Attending doctor spoke with Yu Fei, explaining that due to strict confidentiality, patient information could only be shared in emergencies.
The doctor revealed that Bai Feili suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had been undergoing psychological counseling for fifteen years. He had worked diligently and cooperated actively with his treatment, managing to lead a normal life by avoiding triggers such as blood, closets, his mother, and highly stimulating situations.
The doctor also shared that Bai Feili frequently dreamt of two birds singing and talking to him in a snowy Zhan Garden, and his most common question to them was if they would stay with him forever. Yu Fei was deeply pained to learn of Bai Feili's secret struggles, realizing the sparkling stage performer harbored such deep pain. The doctor explained that Bai Feili had chosen Yu Fei as his emergency contact and wished to confide in her himself.
The doctor clarified that mental illness is akin to a common cold or fever and thanked Yu Fei for being someone who could truly understand and enter Bai Feili's world, recognizing her positive influence on his treatment.
