The Bond Episode 10 Recap
> The Bond Recap
After Song Qingyuan left, Qiao Yicheng and Ye Xiaolang walked together. Ye Xiaolang admitted she rarely went out with friends, preferring to stay home, so Qiao Yicheng suggested they sing karaoke. At a street-side stand, Ye Xiaolang enthusiastically picked up the microphone and sang "So Clear is My Heart." While she sang, Qiao Yicheng bought two roasted sweet potatoes, and Ye Xiaolang felt a growing sense of comfort watching him. Elsewhere, Qi Weimin and Chang Xinyu continued to grow closer.
Qi Weimin helped Chang Xinyu carry a heavy stand to her dormitory. Inside, Chang Xinyu noticed Qi Weimin attempting to sew a quilt, but his stitches were too large. She kindly pointed this out, and he acknowledged he could learn to do it better. Later, while covering a news story, Ye Xiaolang encountered Qiao Yicheng and Song Qingyuan, who were also there.
Ye Xiaolang's camera reportedly interfered with Song Qingyuan's opportunity, and she narrowly avoided a physical altercation with armed individuals. Qiao Yicheng warned her, as a young woman, to prioritize her safety and run when necessary, reminding her that "if you die, you won't be able to see or say anything." Ye Xiaolang, appreciative of his concern, invited Qiao Yicheng and Song Qingyuan to dinner as a thank you.
Song Qingyuan, however, shrewdly declined, stating he wouldn't go if she was paying. Back home, Qiao Simei tried to find companions for shopping. Qiao Sanli declined, as she had plans to watch "After Separation" with Wang Yiding the next day. Qiao Erqiang also couldn't go, as he was busy watching the restaurant. Qiao Simei jokingly remarked that she didn't want him to come anyway, not wanting people to mistake him for her boyfriend.
Qiao Yicheng then entered, warning Qiao Simei against wandering the streets and telling her to read books instead of going out. Qiao Yicheng then invited Ye Xiaolang to see "After Separation," after a brief argument over who would pay for their dinner. After the film, Ye Xiaolang expressed her desire to re-watch it, comparing her enjoyment of revisiting things she liked to eating roasted sweet potatoes for days.
She interpreted the ending as the female lead ultimately making the right choice to go abroad, despite secretly wanting the male lead to make her stay. Qiao Yicheng disagreed, feeling the female lead was merely swept up by a trend.
He then mused about a heartwarming scenario where the main characters stayed together, raising children and celebrating holidays, only to dismiss it as unrealistic, acknowledging he likely wouldn't have the courage to make someone stay either, though he would hope they would. Meanwhile, Qiao Sanli and Wang Yiding also watched "After Separation." As they stood by the roadside discussing the movie while waiting for the bus, Wang Yiding suddenly leaned in and kissed Qiao Sanli.
Instinctively, Qiao Sanli pushed him away, overwhelmed by painful childhood memories. She immediately told the bus driver to stop and, despite the pouring rain, got off and walked home. Wang Yiding quickly followed her in concern, watching her enter the house with a puzzled and worried expression. Qiao Simei was shocked to see Qiao Sanli return home completely soaked. She quickly got up to help her, asking if Wang Yiding had bullied her.
Qiao Sanli denied it, insisting she didn't blame him. Qiao Simei helped her warm up and then urged her sister to express her unhappiness, emphasizing that she shouldn't let one person ruin her entire life. Qiao Simei later happened upon Niuye's clothing store, where Qiao Erqiang was working. Upon seeing her, Qiao Erqiang tried to hide, but Niuye pulled him out, telling him there was no shame in working. Qiao Simei, surprised, asked why he wasn't at the restaurant.
Niuye, mistaking her for Qiao Sanli at first, quickly corrected himself and generously offered her any clothes as a gift. Qiao Simei was delighted and chose several items. After the incident, Qiao Sanli and Wang Yiding had not ridden their bikes home together for a while. Finally, Qiao Sanli initiated a meeting, only to tell him, "Let's break up." Wang Yiding was bewildered, asking if he had done anything wrong and promising to change.
Choked with emotion, Qiao Sanli insisted that it was entirely her fault, explaining that she sometimes didn't know what she was thinking and only realized her actions later. She reiterated that Wang Yiding was a good person and she didn't want to burden him. Wang Yiding expressed his hurt that she never explained anything, but Qiao Sanli only suggested they part ways for a bit and that she would go home by herself from now on.
Later, Qiao Simei, dressed in a new fashionable outfit, encountered Wang Yiding at the doorstep. He asked her to call Qiao Sanli so he could talk to her. However, Qiao Yicheng arrived and immediately scolded Qiao Simei for her revealing "lingerie look," calling it "strange outfits." Qiao Simei defended her fashion choice, stating she wanted a boyfriend who was open-minded, unlike Qiao Yicheng. Meanwhile, Qiao Erqiang confronted Qiao Zuwang, accusing him of stealing his hard-earned savings.
Qiao Zuwang initially denied it, then asserted his right as a father to take his son's money, challenging Qiao Erqiang to tell Qiao Yicheng the real reason he needed the money—to find Ma Suqin. Qiao Simei interceded, threatening to involve Qiao Yicheng if the money wasn't returned. Soon after, Wang Yiding confided in Qiao Yicheng about the breakup with Qiao Sanli.
Qiao Yicheng, frowning, explained that Qiao Sanli wasn't being difficult with him, but rather with herself due to shyness, and advised Wang Yiding to be more proactive and not blame himself. Separately, Qiao Zuwang warned Qiao Erqiang against pursuing Ma Suqin with the money, telling him to abandon such "confused thoughts." Filled with anger, Qiao Erqiang left for the clothing store to transport goods.
When Qiao Yicheng questioned his whereabouts, Qiao Simei quickly fabricated a story about a shift change at the restaurant. However, her attempt to cover for him failed, as Qiao Erqiang was soon arrested by the police while transporting goods for Niuye's clothing store, which turned out to be a smuggling operation. Qiao Yicheng had to bail him out. Back home, Qiao Yicheng severely reprimanded Qiao Erqiang, accusing him of being stubborn and acting "evil" like their father.
Qiao Erqiang, feeling helpless and frustrated, retorted that he knew Qiao Yicheng looked down on him. He then poured out his heart, confessing that he desperately wanted to succeed and do well, but every path he tried seemed to be a dead-end, leaving him unable to find what he wanted or the person he desired. He challenged Qiao Yicheng, "You're educated and skilled, so guide me down a path!"
Qiao Yicheng, in turn, berated him for being loud, warning him not to end up like their father, whom he had seen coming out of the police station as a child. Qiao Zuwang was playing mahjong with Old Xu, who mentioned he was working on "his own business" and needed strong tea due to little sleep. Qiao Zuwang, interested in potential earnings, initially asked Old Xu to share his money-making tips, but Old Xu deflected.
Later, while driving with Old Xu, Qiao Zuwang directly inquired about his "capital gathering business." Old Xu explained he could acquire wire rods that could be sold for significant profit. Qiao Zuwang immediately expressed his interest in participating. Old Xu clarified that only his company's General Manager, CEO Liu, could approve new investors.
When CEO Liu called Old Xu to finalize a new deal, Old Xu told Qiao Zuwang he was lucky because a new business opportunity had just opened up. Qiao Zuwang eagerly insisted on being included in the venture. Qiao Simei visited Wei Shufang's convenience store to buy romance novels. There, she learned from Wei Shufang's child that Qi Weimin and Chang Xinyu were getting engaged.
Qiao Simei enthusiastically congratulated Wei Shufang, who then expressed her belief that young people should prioritize their careers before marriage. Qiao Simei mentioned that Qiao Yicheng also intended to marry later, citing his commitment to his career at the TV station and a new news column offered by his chief editor.
However, Wei Shufang dismissed Qiao Simei's excuses, insisting that Qiao Yicheng was old enough to settle down and that truly capable individuals could balance both career and family, a sentiment Old Ma concurred with. As Qiao Simei left, promising to pay for the books later, Wei Shufang remarked that she was "just like her dad." Rushing home, Qiao Simei locked the door and began practicing tongue twisters with a book balanced on her head.
Unbeknownst to her, Qiao Erqiang was observing her from the rooftop. After surprising her with a comment, Qiao Simei chastised him for scaring her. The siblings then talked about their missing childhood cat, Little Mianhua. Despite the cat being gone, Qiao Simei habitually put biscuits, usually reserved for special occasions, into its bowl. Qiao Erqiang expressed doubt they would ever find Little Mianhua, but Qiao Simei lamented that she had never been able to keep anything she liked since childhood.
Qiao Erqiang tried to console her, suggesting new blessings would come. Qiao Simei then showed Qiao Erqiang a job recruitment ad from a newspaper, excited by the requirements that seemed to perfectly describe her. She mused about meeting handsome foreign men if she got the job, believing "love doesn't require a language." The siblings then called out for Little Mianhua together, until Qiao Zuwang, annoyed by the noise, yelled at them for shouting and "calling the departed souls."
