Cry Me A River of Stars Episode 17 Recap
> Cry Me A River of Stars Recap
The Azure Festival, a day when men in Azureland confess their feelings to women they admire, arrived. In the evening, women gathered in the town square, and men would mark the faces of their chosen women with ash. Tao Junran, his own face smeared with ash, used the cover of the festivities to bring A Fan away from the crowds. Nanshan helped by distracting Lian Qi, allowing Tao Junran to spend time with A Fan.
A Fan, having drunk too much, didn't recognize Tao Junran, who was wearing a mask. She poured out her heart, expressing how much she missed the man she loved, but sadly remarked that she might never see him again, before succumbing to intoxication. Seeing Lian Qi approaching, Tao Junran shared a reluctant kiss with the unconscious A Fan and quickly departed. A Fan awoke the next morning in bed, surprised to find Nanshan by her side.
Lian Qi entered, offering her a hangover soup. Though she initially resisted, A Fan drank the soup completely, as she needed to be clear-headed for the upcoming Bell Contest. She couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity from the man she met last night and wondered if it could have been Tao Junran.
The Bell Contest began, a highlight of the Azure Festival, where the victor would be crowned the Martial Arts Master and earn the right to spend three days with a woman of his choice, regardless of her social status. Tao Junran proved victorious, claiming the title. As the winner was being celebrated, Nanshan excitedly informed A Fan that the Martial Arts Master was none other than Tao Junran.
Without hesitation, A Fan rushed onto the stage to claim Tao Junran, confronting Ruby, who had also expected to be chosen. Despite Ruby's confidence, Tao Junran decisively chose A Fan. A Fan then refused to let Tao Junran remove his mask, declaring that only she was allowed to see his true face. Watching A Fan lead Tao Junran away, Lian Qi was visibly enraged. Later that night, Ruby approached Lian Qi, expressing her concern for his feelings.
She suggested he let A Fan go, arguing that A Fan would never appreciate his efforts and was disrespecting him by repeatedly taking people from his household. Lian Qi, however, dismissed her advice, admitting that his position as High Priest was important to him. He then stated that, ultimately, Azureland belonged to A Fan. He told Ruby to leave.
A Fan, still disbelieving, asked Tao Junran to pinch her, wondering if she was dreaming, as she had dreamed of him previously and woken to find him gone. Tao Junran reassured her, promising that he was truly there and would not leave again. A Fan joyfully expressed her desire to return to Cloud County with him, to bring her father, Li Yu, and Nanshan, and live a peaceful life together.
With a heavy heart, Tao Junran delivered the devastating news that her father had passed away. A Fan was overcome with grief, refusing to believe him, but Tao Junran gently comforted her, saying that her father would have wanted her to live a happy life. Meanwhile, a severe storm had caused landslides, rivers to swell, and suburban villages to be submerged, resulting in unknown casualties. Lian Qi convened a meeting with the stewards to discuss disaster relief.
Ruby and the other stewards, displaying a callous disregard for human life, argued that too much time had passed since the disaster began, making rescue efforts futile and dangerous. They advocated for prioritizing flood control, proposing the construction of reservoirs and even suggesting that A Fan was a harbinger of ill fortune, having brought a plague to Cloud County and now a flood to Azureland.
Disgusted by their heartlessness, A Fan passionately argued for saving the victims and offered to lead a rescue team herself if Lian Qi would provide manpower. While Lian Qi ultimately prioritized flood control, assigning Ruby and Ms. Jin to build reservoirs, he also agreed to send people to survey the affected rivers and mountains. A Fan and Tao Junran immediately led a rescue team to the flooded areas.
Tao Junran observed that the rain had loosened the soil from the landslides, making a secondary collapse highly likely and necessitating a swift evacuation of the area. A Fan instructed those with good swimming skills to join her in rescuing people from the water, while others were to help transfer victims to the safety of the city. Before entering the dangerous waters, she checked on Tao Junran, who reassured her and then went in to help.
Unbeknownst to them, Ruby's flood control plan was facing severe problems. Workers attempted to build reservoirs as per Ruby's design, but torrential rain made construction impossible. Despite the difficulties and the rising water levels, Ruby insisted on moving forward. Tao Junran, reviewing the situation, noted that building reservoirs in the low-lying, mountain-surrounded Azureland was a massive undertaking, and the rising water and unstable mountains made it incredibly risky.
He proposed an alternative: clearing silt from the rivers and digging tributaries to divert water out of the basin. However, Lian Qi, under pressure, ordered the placement of a bronze ox as a spiritual measure and the diversion of water to the unfinished reservoirs. This premature action triggered a massive mudslide, burying the reservoirs and many workers. Upon hearing the horrific news, Lian Qi was deeply shocked, and Ruby herself sustained injuries. Tao Junran informed A Fan of the catastrophe, and A Fan, undeterred, quickly proposed a new solution.
