Sweet Combat Episode 25 Recap
> Sweet Combat Recap
Fang Yu arrived at Ming Tian's home and cooked stir-fried noodles for him and his younger siblings. However, she had bought too few noodles for herself and could only watch them eat. Amidst the curious glances from Ming Zhu and Ming Lang, Ming Tian affectionately offered Fang Yu a mouthful of noodles, which she accepted with a quiet smile. The next day, Fang Yu did not report to the office.
Upon learning this, her grandfather immediately instructed someone to arrange a leave of absence for her from school. Fang Zhou tried to contact Fang Yu, but her calls went unanswered. The principal expressed regret but was powerless to oppose Fang Yu's grandfather's decision. When Fang Yu eventually found out, she asserted that she would handle the situation herself. As she walked contemplatively, a text message from Ming Tian inviting her to dinner instantly lifted her spirits.
Determined to prove that she and Ming Tian could function like any ordinary couple, she began researching common romantic activities online, mentally rehearsing various sweet gestures like wall pins, exercising together, and swinging on a swing. Later at the cafeteria, Fang Yu tried to show Ming Tian a magazine image of models feeding each other, but he was more interested in the agricultural content on the opposite page, much to her annoyance.
The next moment, Ming Tian surprisingly offered her a piece of celery with his chopsticks, startling the other students present. The students subsequently concocted various wild theories, including Fang Yu threatening Ming Tian into a relationship, their eventual marriage upon graduation, or even Ming Tian going blind after eating Fang Yu's cooking. Meanwhile, He Xiaofeng appointed Li Qing as the Vice President of their club, which infuriated Ma Yichen, who blamed Ming Tian for the outcome.
Fang Yu's grandfather later sought out Ming Tian at the car wash, requesting that he end his relationship with Fang Yu. He promised that if Ming Tian agreed, he would fulfill any demand Ming Tian made, acknowledging the difficulty Ming Tian faced raising his siblings alone. Despite his visible reluctance, Ming Tian politely refused, stating he would not leave Fang Yu unless she herself asked him to.
At the martial arts club, Fang Yu learned about the situation between Cheng Yanan and Luo Guanyan and expressed her regret, advising Cheng Yanan to carefully reconsider. Ming Tian then called Fang Yu, and they conversed in a series of playful riddles. On his end, Ming Tian looked at a rabbit doll, recalling the words of Fang Yu's grandfather, and a look of sadness crossed his face.
He mentioned having a "foreign friend from Dubai" with him, which Fang Yu correctly guessed was his "Miss Rabbit" (the doll). Ming Tian then used the analogy of the moon and the rabbit's companion to convey his somber mood, hinting at the emotional distance he felt in the wake of his conversation with Fang Yu's grandfather. He ended the call by wishing her good night. Upon returning home, Ming Tian found Ma Yichen waiting outside.
Faced with Ma Yichen's persistent provocations, Ming Tian finally erupted. He poured out his frustrations, detailing how he had struggled daily to survive and care for his younger brother and sister, living in constant exhaustion and worrying about the immediate future while others concerned themselves with distant goals.
He pleaded with Ma Yichen to stop targeting him, then revealed that Ma Yichen's actions had inadvertently pushed him to participate in the Zhengze League preliminaries, a turning point that led him to grow stronger. Ma Yichen, however, defiantly vowed to defeat him and declared that defeating Ming Tian was the most meaningful thing in his life. Ming Tian, in turn, expressed his happiness at becoming Ma Yichen's new life goal.
Song Xiaomi remained distressed over her heartbreak, initially planning a cathartic trek to Beijing. Sun Hao, alarmed by her drastic idea, suggested footvolley as a less extreme way to release tension, explaining it involved playing volleyball using only feet, head, chest, and knees. Despite initial disinterest, Song Xiaomi was provoked by Sun Hao's insinuation that she might find it challenging, and eagerly agreed. On their way to the footvolley court, they coincidentally encountered Fang Yu and Cheng Yanan.
Although Fang Yu and Song Xiaomi felt awkward with each other, Cheng Yanan skillfully urged them to join, arguing that they couldn't avoid each other forever. At the court, they ran into Wang Shiwei, who, along with his companions, confidently challenged them for the court. A heated argument ensued, with Sun Hao insulting Wang Shiwei for owing Fang Yu money. Despite Sun Hao's initial apprehension, Cheng Yanan and Song Xiaomi accepted the challenge after Wang Shiwei taunted them.
During the game, both Fang Yu and Song Xiaomi struggled, while Wang Shiwei's team consistently scored. Meanwhile, Ming Tian entered the training room to find it empty and began his solitary practice. The game continued with Song Xiaomi and Fang Yu facing difficulties, but through teamwork, they managed to win the match against Wang Shiwei's team. They celebrated their victory, toasting "For Zhengze! For the miracle we have created! For. . . that bastard Wang Shiwei!"
During their post-game meal, Sun Hao's mother, affectionately called Mother Hao, brought them food and thanked Fang Yu, Cheng Yanan, and Song Xiaomi for helping Sun Hao stay in school. Cheng Yanan inquired about her father bringing medicine for Mother Hao, who denied receiving it, leaving Cheng Yanan puzzled. Later that night, a drunken Song Xiaomi began arguing with Fang Yu, accusing her of acting like a "queen" and being arrogant.
Fang Yu countered by saying she envied Song Xiaomi's ability to express her emotions freely. Song Xiaomi then directly asked Fang Yu if she truly liked Ming Tian, to which Fang Yu affirmed her genuine feelings and belief that Ming Tian reciprocated them. The argument escalated into a pillow fight, initiated by Cheng Yanan to defuse the tension, which eventually helped Fang Yu and Song Xiaomi reconcile.
Song Xiaomi inwardly acknowledged that friendship was more valuable than love and mentally urged Fang Yu to treat Ming Tian well, warning her against ever bullying him. Fang Yu, for her part, assured her that such a day would never come. The following morning, Cheng Yanan awoke to find her father waiting for Fang Yu to cook breakfast, unaware that Fang Yu and Song Xiaomi had left early.
Cheng Yanan confronted her father about not delivering the medicine to Mother Hao, urging him to face his mistake and apologize. He tried to evade going, making excuses, but Cheng Yanan insisted, eventually dragging him to Mother Hao's house, which they found empty. Back at the family company, Fang Zhou reported to his grandfather about successful sales figures and proposed new product designs.
His grandfather, though acknowledging the progress, remarked that Fang Yu's "combat fame is the only contribution she's made for our company," expressing his reluctance to retire despite his age, implying his continued control over the family's affairs. Later, Fang Zhou went searching for Fang Yu. He encountered Song Xiaomi and gave her his sister's milk tea, playfully asking her to protect him. Song Xiaomi teased him about "little brothers of friends having no chance."
Fang Zhou eventually found Fang Yu in her dorm. He informed her that the company was very busy, especially since their grandfather was ill with a cold. Fang Yu expressed concern about their grandfather's health. Fang Zhou gently encouraged her to return home, assuring her that their grandfather understood her resolve and reminding her of their shared past of enduring his strict rules due to his own pain from losing their parents and his role as their protector.
Moved by his words, Fang Yu returned home. Her grandfather greeted her with a cold demeanor, but Fang Zhou tried to mediate the tension. Fang Yu offered to make tea for her grandfather, who simply instructed her not to make it too concentrated. Fang Yu later met Ming Tian and informed him that she had moved back home and reconciled with her grandfather. Ming Tian expressed his happiness for her.
She reassured him that her grandfather had not brought up her leaving school again, dismissing it as "just something he said out of anger." She concluded by telling him not to worry, that "everything is fine. The rain has passed and the sun is out."
