Sweet Tai Chi Episode 8 Recap
> Sweet Tai Chi Recap
Piaopiao was fifteen minutes late for her first day of training with Wei Chu, struggling to adapt to the early start. Wei Chu, despite stating that the initial intensity shouldn't be too high, challenged her to run thirty kilometers in two hours, supervising her on a balance bike. Piaopiao, exhausted and frustrated, called him "Wei Bastard" and questioned the impossible task, but Wei Chu simply dismissed her being late and told her to proceed.
Even after running twenty kilometers in over two hours, she refused to continue. Wei Chu remained firm, emphasizing that rules were rules, and instructed her to change and prepare for more training. Piaopiao attempted to skip the rest of her training, explaining to Wei Chu that she had a task from Teacher Kong to show the new Japanese exchange student, Yueshanxun, around campus. She described Yueshanxun as a handsome and talented artist, much like a character from a Japanese comic.
Hearing this, Wei Chu, citing Piaopiao's poor physical fitness, forbade her from going and, using his authority as Student Union President, reassigned the task to someone else. He then took her to the back mountain for more rigorous exercises, including "zhan zhuang" (standing stake), which Piaopiao found incredibly demanding after her run. Wei Chu reminded her of his philosophy about stability and resilience, which Piaopiao still remembered.
She complained that his training was "hellish" compared to the fun she had with her Grandpa Feng. Wei Chu countered that while her grandfather was a good learner, he wasn't the best teacher if she aimed to compete in the Martial Arts Conference. Piaopiao grew defensive about her grandpa, leading Wei Chu to tell her she didn't need to come for training the next day and could train with her grandfather instead.
Later, in class, Piaopiao and Xiao Xiao discussed their recent art history exam scores. Piaopiao scored high, which Xiao Xiao attributed to Wei Chu's tutoring. Piaopiao internally acknowledged Wei Chu's effective study methods. As she left to continue her training, which she referred to as "paying a debt," she encountered Yueshanxun, who was looking for a place to sketch.
Piaopiao, feeling a prior obligation, apologized for forgetting an earlier arrangement and, despite her own discomfort from training, kindly led him to Crescent Bay, a scenic spot for sketching. Arriving late at Wei Chu's training location, Piaopiao discovered Jin Rou, a senior schoolmate from the department of painting and calligraphy who harbored a crush on Wei Chu, trying to confess her feelings.
Wei Chu, holding a hairpin, confronted Jin Rou, who admitted the hairpin was hers and that she had been lingering near his villa to confess. Wei Chu politely but firmly dismissed her. After Jin Rou left, Piaopiao emerged from hiding, explaining she thought it was better to wait.
Wei Chu apologized for his earlier harsh words about her grandpa and expressed his commitment to teaching her the best, believing it was her grandfather's wish for her to become a true Tai Chi master. During a break, as Wei Chu meditated, Piaopiao found herself mesmerized by his handsome features. Startled when he caught her staring, she awkwardly ran off. Distracted, she accidentally bumped into Jin Rou, causing her to fall.
Aijia, another senior schoolmate, aggressively demanded an apology from Piaopiao and accused her of being flirtatious with Yueshanxun. Yueshanxun, witnessing the scene, intervened and defended Piaopiao, reminding Aijia that pushing someone down the stairs constituted intentional harm. Piaopiao, trying to calm the situation, apologized to Jin Rou. Yueshanxun checked on Piaopiao, and their close encounter left him visibly smitten. He later approached Piaopiao for help understanding ancient Chinese texts in his "History of Chinese Art" course.
Piaopiao readily offered her assistance, and Yueshanxun, finding her kind and lovely, implied he would seek her help often during his three-month stay. Campus gossip exploded online, with photos of Piaopiao and Yueshanxun, along with pictures of Wei Chu's rigorous training. Piaopiao was accused of two-timing and Wei Chu of domestic abuse, making her the public enemy of many female students.
Xiao Xiao, concerned, showed Piaopiao the hateful comments and suggested she end her association with Wei Chu to curb the rumors. Piaopiao was visibly upset by the accusations. Meanwhile, Bai Haiyang, also aware of the escalating situation, contacted Wei Chu, sending him links to the news articles. Bai Haiyang expressed concern for Piaopiao's reputation and urged Wei Chu to distance himself from her if he didn't like her.
Wei Chu, however, asserted he would handle the matter on his own terms. Defying public opinion, Wei Chu arrived at Piaopiao's dormitory building to meet her. As Piaopiao came downstairs, Yueshanxun also appeared. In a decisive move, Wei Chu pulled Piaopiao into an embrace, a clear display of affection for Yueshanxun to witness. Piaopiao then made an excuse to Yueshanxun, promising to see him another day, and left with Wei Chu.
Yueshanxun, watching them walk away, declared in Japanese that he would never give up. As the winter break began, Piaopiao intensified her training under Wei Chu's demanding guidance. On New Year's Eve, while Piaopiao was making dumplings with Grandpa Feng, Wei Chu unexpectedly arrived. Piaopiao playfully called him "Wei pig" before formally greeting him as "Head Guard." Grandpa Feng warmly welcomed Wei Chu, offering him dumplings and asking him to help Piaopiao with traditional New Year decorations.
Wei Chu explained he came to visit since he was alone for the holiday. During dinner, Wei Chu formally proposed that Piaopiao participate in the upcoming National Martial Arts Conference. Grandpa Feng, despite initial reservations about the high-level competition, fully supported the idea, especially with Wei Chu's assurance of Piaopiao's talent and his commitment to her training.
Piaopiao, though jokingly complaining that Wei Chu forced her, was encouraged by her grandpa, who asserted that her persistence in training was a sign of genuine passion. The three celebrated the New Year together. Later, Yueshanxun, who was unable to return home, sent Piaopiao a New Year's greeting and expressed his loneliness, asking her to hang out after the holiday.
Piaopiao happily agreed, promising to include him when she and Xiao Xiao went out, even neglecting to reply to Wei Chu's messages due to her excitement. Seeing Piaopiao's overwhelming joy, Wei Chu became visibly jealous and furious. True to her word, Piaopiao and Xiao Xiao brought Yueshanxun to a local temple fair, explaining he likely hadn't experienced such a festive event.
At the fair, Yueshanxun shared that the atmosphere reminded him of his hometown and the time he spent there with his mother, who had passed away two years prior. Piaopiao and Xiao Xiao, sympathizing, suggested they light fireworks to make his New Year's joyful, and the three friends shared a pleasant evening.
