Symphony's Romance Episode 20 Recap
> Symphony's Romance Recap
Fang Xiaowo asked Li Zhenyan if he would leave her if he found a way to achieve his dream. Li Zhenyan mused that reality is always changing and perhaps she would be the one to leave him first, rather than the other way around. Fang Xiaowo firmly declared that she would never leave him and wanted to be with him forever.
Li Zhenyan responded that there was no such thing as leaving; even if they were too busy with work to see each other, their hearts would always be together, which was all that mattered. Moved by his words, Fang Xiaowo embraced him. Fang Xiaowo then met with Li Zhenyan's aunt to inquire about Li Zhenyan's recurring nightmares, explaining that she wanted to help him.
The aunt acknowledged that they had sought help from many doctors, both domestic and international, without success. Fang Xiaowo expressed her belief that Li Zhenyan was brilliant and deserved the best things in the world, likening him to the most delicious dish that all gourmets should rate perfectly, yet he currently lacked the opportunity to meet those "gourmets." She proposed a method to help him and sought the aunt's consent, as she was a parental figure.
The aunt, observing Li Zhenyan's unique affection for Fang Xiaowo, gave her full support. Fang Xiaowo subsequently found Zhong Yu, the guzheng player, and requested his assistance for a small favor. Later, Fang Xiaowo, from her window, called Li Zhenyan, who was looking up at the night sky, and invited him for a date the next day on the lawn where she often slept.
Li Zhenyan playfully accused her of wanting to feed bugs, but agreed to come after she promised him a gift for his successful performance. The following morning, Fang Xiaowo prepared the lawn with a blanket. With Zhong Yu playing the guzheng to create a calming atmosphere, she pulled out a pocket watch and once again attempted to hypnotize Li Zhenyan. Li Zhenyan, realizing her intention, decided to feign cooperation.
As he closed his eyes, Fang Xiaowo believed her hypnosis was working and began asking him questions, including his name, if he was a female, and his bank card password, which he jokingly provided as "379604." She also playfully reminded him that her favorite food was Beijing roast duck and urged him to bring her one if he ever flew to Beijing. After clarifying her deep affection for him, Fang Xiaowo slowly guided Li Zhenyan to recall his psychological trauma.
Unbeknownst to him, Li Zhenyan truly let down his guard and recounted the painful past. He recalled being a seven-year-old child when his parents were divorcing, and his mother was taking him back to China by plane. During the flight, the plane suddenly became turbulent, and his mother, who suffered from a heart condition, had an attack. Her medicine bottle fell to the floor, and he felt powerless, unable to retrieve it.
Fang Xiaowo gently reassured him that it was not his fault, as he was just a child. However, Li Zhenyan revealed a truth only he knew: before they left, during a struggle between his mother and Li Yazhe, his mother's medicine bottle had dropped, and she, in her haste to leave, had not noticed. This meant the medicine bottle was never even on the plane.
He expressed deep self-hatred for not picking up the bottle and his resentment towards Li Yazhe, believing that if not for him, his parents wouldn't have fought or divorced, and his mother wouldn't have died from her heart condition. Fang Xiaowo empathetically comforted him, emphasizing that it was not his fault and that he was just a child who could not have done anything.
She guided him to forgive his younger self, mentioning they were in "Doraemon's time machine" and reminding him that everyone has shadows but must overcome them. She told him that upon waking, he would no longer remember the dream or the events, and that he could now fly to Europe without fear. She then gave him a small lucky charm as a gift, hoping it would continue to help him.
Inspired by Fang Xiaowo's help and his apparent breakthrough, Li Zhenyan decided to apply for the Pilatini Conductor Contest, while Fang Xiaowo also committed to participating in a piano competition. Zhang teacher was delighted by her decision.
When Fang Xiaowo expressed her desire to win first place to secure a scholarship and study abroad, stating it was "to be closer to the person she likes," Zhang teacher was surprised, noting her change into someone competitive and driven, realizing it was for Li Zhenyan. He then advised her to join the school's intensive, closed-door training program due to the tight schedule. Fang Xiaowo hesitated, concerned about not seeing Li Zhenyan or eating his cooking, but ultimately agreed.
Before entering the intensive training, Fang Xiaowo wrote numerous sticky notes for Li Zhenyan and placed a photo of herself in his hand, asking him to keep thinking of her. After she left, Li Zhenyan called Qin Fen, informing him he needed to accomplish a significant life event and asking for his company. It turned out Li Zhenyan had decided to face his fear by taking a plane ride to Beijing.
Despite his initial step, he remained extremely nervous during the taxi ride to the airport. At the airport, Qin Fen was surprised to learn they had tickets and were flying to Beijing. When he realized Li Zhenyan was asking him to come along just to "practice courage" for flying, Qin Fen was dumbfounded, but he pushed Li Zhenyan forward to board the plane.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiaowo reported for her intensive training with a large amount of luggage, prompting Zhang teacher to playfully ask if she was immigrating or fleeing famine. Zhang teacher, along with his wife, who was a violist, then hosted Fang Xiaowo for a meal at their home. During dinner, Zhang teacher's wife shared how music brought her and her husband together and how his compositions made her viola, usually a supporting instrument, the protagonist.
Fang Xiaowo, deeply touched, expressed her wish to collaborate with Li Zhenyan and play music she composed with him. On the plane, Li Zhenyan was still visibly anxious, drinking countless cups of water. Qin Fen tried to calm him down with breathing exercises. At her training, Fang Xiaowo chose Mozart and a challenging Schubert piece for the first round of the competition. She struggled to understand the depth of Schubert's work.
Zhang teacher constantly reminded her about the rhythm, clear breakpoints, and the importance of understanding the composer's intent, rather than blindly composing herself. He emphasized that judges would not give high scores if she lacked a deep understanding of the composer and his work. Frustrated, Fang Xiaowo wondered why Schubert's music was so difficult to comprehend.
Suddenly, Li Zhenyan called her, advising her to engage with the composer by asking what they intended to express, to truly make friends with them and bring the music to life. Fang Xiaowo was baffled, asking how he knew she was practicing Schubert. Following his playful instructions, she looked around, walked, and opened the blinds, only to find Li Zhenyan standing outside her piano room. He explained he came to check on her and brought her Beijing roast duck.
Seeing him, Fang Xiaowo realized he had flown. Overjoyed, she confidently declared that she would win first place in the competition and go to Europe with him. Li Zhenyan cautioned her to take it one step at a time, reminding her that every note in a composition is meaningful, and a performer must fully understand the composer's intentions to interpret the music well. Fang Xiaowo reassured him that she would "make friends" with the composer.
