Return of the Queen Episode 15 Recap
> Return of the Queen Recap
Ye Haimeng and Lu Siyu shared a kiss beneath the withered tree, a moment witnessed by Ling Ke, who moved to intervene but was pulled away by Ye Bochen. Ling Ke questioned Ye Bochen about his foreknowledge of their actions, to which he casually responded that he had just seen it and didn't think it was a significant issue, just like her.
Ling Ke passionately argued that Haimeng's original goal was to reclaim Mare Nubium and uncover the truth, which she had now achieved. Ye Bochen asserted that since Haimeng had recovered Mare Nubium and Lu Sinan's manipulative marriage had been exposed, it was time for her to move on. Ling Ke countered, asking if returning to a "normal life" meant being with Lu Siyu. She praised Lu Siyu's integrity and accomplishments, stating he was worthy of Haimeng.
However, Ling Ke stressed that the core issue wasn't about worthiness but about Lu Siyu bearing the same surname as Lu Sinan, who had already caused Haimeng immense pain. She urged Ye Bochen, as Haimeng's cousin and friend, to advise her to escape the Lu family's turmoil, not to repeat past mistakes. Growing frustrated, Ling Ke declared she wanted Lu Siyu out of Haimeng's life, then abruptly left, with Ye Bochen calling after her in vain.
Later, Lu Siyu discovered a painting and questioned Mo about it. Mo revealed it was a token of love commissioned by Lu Sinan for Ms. Ye before their wedding, a piece that intricately entwined their fates. This revelation, coupled with the sight of a butterfly pendant in a flashback, triggered a painful memory for Lu Siyu.
He recalled a younger Lu Sinan presenting him with the pendant as a motivation to win archery championships, promising him a bright future within the Lu family. However, the memory was overlaid with Ye Haimeng's previous revelation that Lu Sinan never saw him as a real brother and had orchestrated a marriage to claim the Ye family's assets, even attempting to murder her. The realization of his brother's manipulative nature deeply wounded Lu Siyu.
The next day, Lu Siyu received a phone call from his father, Lu Changdong, ordering him to return home. There, Mo announced Lu Changdong's decisions: Lu Siyue and Jiang Lin were to move out of the Lu Mansion and establish their own household from the next day, with Jiang Lin joining Changlu Capital to learn under Mo. Lu Siyu was ordered to liquidate all his domestic investments within the week and would be sent back overseas the following week.
Lastly, Lu Changdong intended to divorce Du Meiyun, accusing her of failing as the family's mistress, raising her children poorly, and instigating Lu Sinan's horrible deeds. Du Meiyun vehemently denied the accusations, retorting that Lu Sinan was Lu Changdong's son from his first marriage and harbored resentment towards her.
She asserted that Lu Sinan's schemes against the Ye family were his own, accusing Lu Changdong of neglecting Sinan's upbringing, to the point of being unaware of his secret marriage and child overseas, and his plot to murder Ye Haimeng. Enraged, Lu Changdong raised his cane to strike Du Meiyun, but Lu Siyue bravely stepped in front of her mother, shielding her.
Lu Siyue then exposed Lu Sinan's true feelings, stating he never considered them family, and his deep-seated hatred for her and, particularly, for Lu Siyu. She recalled Sinan, at the age of seven, constantly telling Mo that he wanted Lu Siyu expelled from the Lu family, wanting Siyu to have no ties to the Lu surname or the family business, and that all his talk of archery championships was just an excuse.
Mo confirmed that Sinan indeed disliked Siyu, probably due to their different mothers. Du Meiyun then turned on Lu Changdong, blaming him for the family's current state due to his neglect. When Lu Changdong ordered Lu Siyu to speak, Siyu remained silent. With the Lu family having already lost one son, Lu Changdong instructed Mo to keep a close watch on Lu Siyu, as they couldn't lose a second son, and to arrange for his immediate departure overseas.
That evening, Lu Siyu called Ye Haimeng to inform her of his impending forced departure overseas the following Wednesday night. Ye Haimeng, worried about his old wounds, meticulously listed instructions for his care, urging him to see his private doctor if his condition worsened, possibly needing another surgery.
Lu Siyu, however, somberly recounted his past three years of recurring pain and medication, stating these wounds were a constant reminder of what had happened, and that he would take care of himself. Ye Haimeng then expressed her profound sadness and guilt, lamenting that his injuries were caused by her brother and that her family's downfall was due to his family's schemes.
She questioned why her brother had acted so cruelly towards both of them, and if the world was truly devoid of good. Lu Siyu then described the world as a place where some strive cleanly, while others manipulate heartlessly for gain. He concluded that in Lu Sinan's eyes, Ye Haimeng was merely a numerical value of Mare Nubium. After Lu Siyu delivered the news of his departure, he asked if she had anything else to say.
Ye Haimeng simply replied, "Have a safe journey," leaving Lu Siyu with a sense of disappointment. A short while later, Ling Ke visited Ye Haimeng, telling her about the massive changes in the Lu family, including Du Meiyun's forced divorce and departure, and Lu Siyue and Jiang Lin moving out. She then mentioned Lu Siyu's imminent forced departure overseas that very night.
Ling Ke, surprised by Ye Haimeng's lack of reaction, directly asked her about her feelings for Lu Siyu, referencing the kiss under the tree and his family ties. Ye Haimeng stated unequivocally that she had kissed him because she wanted to, regardless of his family ties. She declared her independence, asserting that she had reclaimed Mare Nubium and had no further connection to Lu Sinan.
Her only desire was to live her own life, follow her heart, and disregard others' opinions. She assured Ling Ke that she knew what she wanted. Shortly after, a maid announced the arrival of Bai Jingmin, who entered and commented that the house resembled Lu Sinan's taste. Ye Haimeng, suspicious, confirmed it was her home and asked Bai Jingmin's purpose.
Bai Jingmin, acknowledging the unlikelihood of Haimeng's cooperation, humbly requested Lu Sinan's death certificate, memorial photo, and burial site, explaining that she had long wanted to contact her since Haimeng's return. She admitted Sinan had caused Haimeng immense pain but also shared her own enduring suffering and confusion about Sinan's deeper motives, recounting his difficult childhood within the Lu family after his mother's illness and his stepmother's arrival, leaving him with no one to rely on.
Ye Haimeng, cutting her off, firmly stated that no matter what Sinan had endured, it didn't justify his actions, and she would never forgive him for ruining her family and seizing Mare Nubium. Despite the painful conversation, an unexpected understanding emerged between the two women.
Bai Jingmin reiterated her unwavering love for Lu Sinan, despite his grave mistakes and the cost of his life, and pleaded to take all of his belongings from the apartment and from Ye Haimeng's life, as she and her son had only him left and she wished to see him one last time. Moved, Ye Haimeng agreed to her request.
She promised to have Sinan's belongings and memorial photo sent to Bai Jingmin's address, and his burial site details sent to her phone. Regarding the death certificate, she explained it was still tied up in the inheritance litigation process and would be delivered by her lawyer once finalized.
Ye Haimeng then asked Bai Jingmin to take everything related to Sinan, completely and without a trace, just as he had abruptly entered her life, adding that while she would not forgive him, she wished to never remember him again. Bai Jingmin, in turn, sincerely wished Ye Haimeng happiness and that she would find someone who truly loved her.
Later, Ye Bochen arrived, out of breath, to deliver a pair of earrings from Lu Siyu, calling them Ye Haimeng's "wishing stars." Ye Haimeng, lost in a flood of memories of Lu Siyu, initially seemed hesitant. Ye Bochen, unaware of her internal struggle, playfully questioned the "wishing stars" concept, asking why wishes were now made with diamonds instead of four-leaf clovers.
Finally, Ye Haimeng accepted the earrings and, upon questioning Ye Bochen, learned that Lu Siyu had already left for the airport and had two hours until his flight. Distraught, Ye Haimeng immediately drove off, furiously pursuing the car transporting Lu Siyu. The driver, realizing she was following, was ordered by someone in the car to shake her off and turn onto a closed road.
