Symphony's Romance Episode 33 Recap
> Symphony's Romance Recap
Qin Fen quickly traveled to Paris with financial support from Qin Ba, who had given him a bank card with the password "Do Re Mi Fa Suo Pull" to encourage him to visit Lin Qingshang and avoid future regrets. Qin Fen kept his arrival a secret from Lin Qingshang, waiting for her to leave the apartment before sneaking in.
Fang Xiaowo and Li Zhenyan were surprised to see him, wondering if there was trouble with the RS Orchestra or if he had run away from home. Qin Fen explained that his father had supported his trip and that he intentionally didn't tell Lin Qingshang to prevent it from affecting her upcoming competition. Lin Qingshang soon returned to the apartment, having forgotten something, and was overjoyed to find Qin Fen there.
She asked if his decision to come to Paris was made when he called her previously. Qin Fen confessed he had wanted to visit her since she arrived in Paris and saw her competition as the perfect opportunity. He felt his presence might be too distracting. With Qin Fen staying in the apartment, Fang Xiaowo remarked that while he wouldn't disturb them, his sleeping in the living room would disrupt their routine. Qin Fen said he'd make himself at home.
He assured them the RS Orchestra was stable with Chen Zheng and He Shengliang managing affairs, emphasizing he was there solely for Lin Qingshang’s competition. Fang Xiaowo teased Qin Fen about his romantic gesture, while he playfully chided her for snacking before dinner. Lin Qingshang told Fang Xiaowo to tidy up later, as she needed to practice for her competition the next day.
Qin Fen then revealed he had bought a new suit specifically for the competition, to which Lin Qingshang expressed her excitement. Fang Xiaowo couldn't help but wonder about the status of Qin Fen and Lin Qingshang's relationship. Back in China, Yan Yan visited Jiang Caiwei in her recording studio, finding her asleep after tirelessly practicing.
Yan Yan discovered Jiang Caiwei was taking medication and, upon persistent questioning, Jiang Caiwei tearfully confessed it was a drug that allowed her to sing for a short time. She admitted her fear of surgery, worried she might lose her voice permanently, and preferred to preserve her voice for a limited time rather than risk never singing again. She couldn't accept such a failure.
Yan Yan argued vehemently with her, stressing that relying on temporary medication was not a long-term solution and that the severe side effects could lead to permanent vocal damage. Yan Yan also asked if Jiang Caiwei regretted any decisions she had made after they met. Meanwhile, back in the Paris apartment, Lin Qingshang noticed that Qin Fen had developed a rash from sleeping on the floor for two nights. Qin Fen had even brought his eczema cream from China.
Lin Qingshang suggested a locked storage room in the apartment. Qin Fen, applying a trick his father taught him, located the key by the door. However, upon opening it, they found the room to be small, dusty, and cluttered with old items, making it unsuitable for living. After Qin Fen and Lin Qingshang left, Fang Xiaowo, curious about the open door, ventured into the storage room.
There, she discovered a copy of "The Little Prince" with a family photograph of Li Zhenyan’s family tucked inside. On the back of the photo, in Li Yazhe’s handwriting, was the message: "One day I will grow up, but I will not become an adult like you." Fang Xiaowo realized that the landlord was Li Yazhe and that he had not abandoned Li Zhenyan and his mother but had been silently watching over them.
She immediately called Li Zhenyan to share her findings about the book, the photo, the message, and Li Yazhe’s hidden care. Hearing this, Li Zhenyan rushed back to the apartment and found an old video player in the storage room. He watched old recordings of his family happily together in that very apartment, tears streaming down his face. He recognized the message on the table as one he had carved himself, vowing never to become like his father.
Sasha was preparing to move and informed Tian Yisong that she would no longer be living there, implying he wouldn't need to visit her. Tian Yisong admitted he couldn't forget Jiang Caiwei, stating he had tried to, but he just couldn't move on. Sasha reflected that she used to believe persistence could achieve anything, but Tian Yisong’s reluctance made her realize that love isn't merely gratitude, and some things cannot be forced.
She urged him to go find Jiang Caiwei, acknowledging that their connection began because of Jiang Caiwei. Sasha confessed that despite everything, she still liked Tian Yisong, but she recognized she had lost herself in loving him and needed to rediscover her own path. She handed him her new address, expressing a hope that he might think of her or return someday, and that she would be waiting.
She declined his offer to accompany her, stating she didn't need his escort, but hoped he would come to find her. Fang Xiaowo's studies in Paris were nearing an end. Li Yazhe inquired about her future plans, but Fang Xiaowo instead encouraged him to have a genuine conversation with Li Zhenyan about their previous missed appointment. Li Yazhe promised to find an opportunity to explain.
Fang Xiaowo conveyed her appreciation for learning from Li Yazhe, valuing him both as "Professor Vogry" and "Li Zhenyan's father." Li Yazhe commended her significant progress, noting her transformation from a student in piano competition videos to a remarkable rising star. He elaborated that success isn't about universal approval, comparing music to a vast realm with a door that must be pushed open to truly enter its depths.
Fang Xiaowo asked if she could "push his door," and Li Yazhe, who believed she was "born for music" from the first notes he heard, assured her she could. On the day of Lin Qingshang's competition, Qin Fen watched her radiant performance on stage. He felt her decision to study abroad was profoundly correct and reaffirmed his resolve to work harder, striving to be closer to her and to accompany her through every step of her musical journey.
To celebrate Lin Qingshang's first-place victory and Fang Xiaowo's completion of her studies, Li Zhenyan prepared a hot pot meal in the apartment. Dalia, experiencing hot pot for the first time, was captivated by Chinese cuisine. Ji Mo confirmed his intention to return to China after finishing his work in Paris, with Dalia announcing she would follow him wherever he went, highlighting their blossoming romance. Both expressed renewed inspiration from Lin Qingshang's competition to continue their musical pursuits.
Qin Fen, however, felt a profound sense of inadequacy, believing everyone else had advanced significantly abroad while he had achieved nothing at home. He shared his frustrations about the RS Orchestra's struggles: the constant need to take commercial gigs for money, a lack of unity among members, and an endless stream of new problems that made him question the orchestra's very existence.
Li Zhenyan revealed he had been contemplating returning to China to assist the RS Orchestra, despite having received renewal offers from the Lumalie Orchestra and the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra. He stated he needed more time to make a decision. Lin Qingshang immediately declared her commitment to return to the RS Orchestra to support Qin Fen.
Everyone assumed Fang Xiaowo would join them back in China; Li Zhenyan even mused about them becoming neighbors again in their old attic apartment if it hadn't been rented out. However, Fang Xiaowo announced her decision to remain in France and continue her advanced studies with Li Yazhe. Surprised, Li Zhenyan asked why she had suddenly made this choice. Fang Xiaowo explained that a conversation with Li Yazhe had helped her rediscover her initial passion for the piano.
She recounted a childhood memory of being so mesmerized by piano music that falling snow seemed to dance, making her forget dinner. She realized she had lost her reverence for the instrument, focusing only on superficial achievements. Now, she aspired to pursue her piano dreams with the same unwavering dedication Li Zhenyan showed for his conducting dreams, aiming to draw closer to the "light of the piano."
Li Zhenyan was visibly moved by her maturity and newfound courage, promising to support her dream. Later, Li Zhenyan met with Li Yazhe. Li Yazhe attempted to explain his previous missed appointment, citing an emergency, and tried to justify his collaboration with Butterfly Jean. Li Zhenyan, however, maintained an indifferent demeanor, stating he hadn't been waiting for him and that Li Yazhe's professional choices were his own.
He then confronted Li Yazhe, asking if he ever regretted leaving him and his mother, and why he never sought him out afterwards. Li Zhenyan spoke of the nightmares caused by his father forcing him to practice piano, which he associated with his mother's suffering. He revealed that after his mother's death, he grew up mostly alone, with only his maternal aunt occasionally visiting. Li Zhenyan concluded that if Li Yazhe had simply come to find him, he might have found it in his heart to forgive him.
