The Bond Episode 19 Recap
> The Bond Recap
Sun Xiaomo broke her date with Qiao Erqiang to meet Director Chen, who had claimed to be injured. Director Chen expressed his continued affection for her, telling her he had loved her from the first moment he saw her and his feelings hadn't changed. Sun Xiaomo, however, reminded him she was on a date with her husband and asked to discuss things the next day.
As she tried to leave, Director Chen, claiming to be in a bad mood, held her back and asked her to stay and chat. Sun Xiaomo confronted him, asking if he had ever truly loved her and, if so, why he hadn't married her. She then questioned why he bothered her if he didn't love her, before slapping him and demanding he let her go. Later that evening, Qiao Erqiang drove Sun Xiaomo home.
Her mother was away at her aunt's with her elderly dance group for rehearsals, so she invited him upstairs, mentioning she had made New Year rice-cakes and wanted him to try them. After they ate, Qiao Erqiang again tried to leave, stating it was getting late. Sun Xiaomo, not wanting to be alone, asked him to stay the night, then kissed him. The next morning, Qiao Yicheng caught Qiao Erqiang leaving Sun Xiaomo's house.
Qiao Erqiang explained that Sun Xiaomo's mother was not home. Qiao Yicheng urged them to hold their wedding banquet soon. Qiao Erqiang agreed and also expressed his desire to move in with Sun Xiaomo, noting it was her wish as well. Qiao Yicheng, feeling apologetic that he couldn't provide a wedding chamber for them, was reassured by Qiao Erqiang that he and Sun Xiaomo were content.
While Qiao Erqiang went to the market to buy groceries for their first dinner together, Sun Xiaomo's mother expressed her displeasure to Sun Xiaomo about them getting married so quickly. She admitted that Qiao Erqiang's only virtue was his honesty. She then brought up Director Chen, saying Sun Xiaomo had waited so long for him without a proper status, and even suggested Sun Xiaomo should have kept the baby she was pregnant with.
Sun Xiaomo, however, firmly stated her fear of living a lifetime of turmoil like her mother, of having a child without a name, or her child growing up fatherless. She vowed not to repeat her mother's path. Unbeknownst to them, Qiao Erqiang and Ma Suqin briefly passed each other at the market while Qiao Erqiang was buying carp and celery and Ma Suqin was asking about clams.
Meanwhile, Qiao Sanli and Qiao Simei went to watch a movie to give Ye Xiaolang and Qiao Yicheng some space, as Ye Xiaolang was back from Shanghai. Qiao Sanli intended for them to move back to the old house soon. Qiao Simei openly criticized Ye Xiaolang, disdainfully referring to her as "Ye TOEFL" and declaring her unworthy of Qiao Yicheng. Qiao Sanli defended Ye Xiaolang, suggesting that she might have endured hardships.
In a taxi, Ye Xiaolang told Qiao Yicheng that she had performed well in her studies and her visa application was smooth. She then apologized to him, explaining that she had prepared many times to tell him things but the timing was always off, attributing it to a lack of mutual trust. Back at the old house, Qiao Erqiang, Qiao Sanli, and Qiao Simei were cleaning up.
Qiao Sanli informed Qiao Erqiang that she and Wang Yiding had decided against a traditional wedding banquet, opting instead for a wedding trip since she had never traveled outside Nanjing. After they obtained their marriage certificate, Qiao Sanli gifted Wang Yiding a new pager, explaining that she thought of getting it for him when he took her father back to their hometown.
Wang Yiding was hesitant, considering it too expensive, but Qiao Sanli insisted, saying it would make communication easier for them. Wang Mother later asked Wang Yiding if he and Qiao Sanli would live at home first. She then requested he give his new character-displaying pager to Wang Yining for his date with Xiao Min, to help him "maintain appearances" as Xiao Min's family was wealthier.
Wang Yiding explained it was a wedding gift from Qiao Sanli and he would need to discuss it with her first. This angered Wang Mother, who accused him of being controlled by his wife, putting her before his family, and slammed her chopsticks down. Wang Yiding reluctantly agreed to give the pager to Wang Yining. Upon hearing this, Qiao Sanli was furious and vowed to retrieve it, complaining that Wang Yining was a "parasite."
Despite Wang Yiding's attempts to appease her and promise a better pager, Qiao Sanli was hurt, emphasizing it was the first expensive gift she had ever given him. She even questioned if Wang Yiding was truly his mother's biological son, comparing the preferential treatment Wang Yining received. Meanwhile, Qiao Zuwang, who had been avoiding creditors by staying in another city, scurried back upon hearing of Qiao Sanli's wedding. At the restaurant, Qiao Sanli and Wang Yiding nervously awaited Qiao Yicheng.
Qiao Sanli, after much hesitation, informed Qiao Yicheng that their father had returned. Qiao Yicheng immediately turned to leave, but Qiao Sanli stopped him, pleading that it was her wedding day and despite Qiao Zuwang's past actions, he was still their father. With tears in her eyes, she explained how their mother had passed away early, and how deeply wronged she would feel if no elder was present.
Qiao Yicheng ultimately relented, and though his expression remained stiff upon seeing Qiao Zuwang, he did not make a scene. During the wedding dinner, Qiao Zuwang presented "local specialties," including "wild hornet honey," which Wang Yining recognized as products from their hometown that were "export rejects," implying lower quality goods sold domestically. Qiao Zuwang also inquired about Ye Xiaolang, to which Qiao Erqiang responded that she was busy with her drafts and couldn't attend.
Separately, Qiao Qiqi met his girlfriend, Yang Lingzi, after class. She told him her parents were out of town for a wedding and she was scared to be alone at home, inviting him over to watch videos. Once there, Yang Lingzi provocatively suggested they watch "something special." Qiao Yicheng woke up early to find a note from Ye Xiaolang. As he was late for work, Song Qingyuan rushed him to his office, stating that "creditors" were waiting.
To Qiao Yicheng's surprise, it was Ye Xiaolang's parents, who, only knowing he worked at the TV station, came to him to settle their son's legal issue. Their son had assaulted someone, and they demanded money to resolve the matter privately. Ye Xiaolang was furious when she heard about her parents' visit.
She told Qiao Yicheng she had wanted to borrow money from Xiaomeng, planning to pay it back in USD from her future earnings abroad, to ease his financial burden. Qiao Yicheng, who had always disliked borrowing money, reluctantly agreed. She sternly warned him not to use their savings to bail out her brother, urging him to harden his heart. Song Qingyuan also advised Qiao Yicheng not to pay, but Qiao Yicheng felt obligated because they were Ye Xiaolang's parents.
He then discreetly asked Song Qingyuan for a loan, not for her parents, but to exchange for more USD given the favorable exchange rate. Qiao Yicheng went to the guest house and gave money to Ye Xiaolang's parents, also offering to arrange their return tickets. Despite his help, her parents showed no gratitude, instead plotting to keep him and Ye Xiaolang as their "money trees."
Back home, Qiao Zuwang spent his days playing mahjong and smoking, filling the house with noise and fumes. Qiao Simei, unable to bear it, argued with him. Qiao Zuwang, feeling disrespected, told her to "get out" if she was annoyed, so Qiao Simei stormed out of the house. Qiao Yicheng, returning home, found Qiao Simei squatting outside, complaining that living with Qiao Zuwang was like "living in hell." Inside, they found Ye Xiaolang also squatting on the floor, visibly distressed.
She explained her parents had called, feigning heart problems to get her to visit, but she knew they simply wanted to stay in Nanjing and depend on her. Qiao Yicheng, with his soft heart, inadvertently revealed that he had just been to the guest house. Ye Xiaolang erupted in anger, accusing Qiao Yicheng of having a "problem" and recklessly giving away their hard-earned, frugally saved money to bail out her "good-for-nothing" brother again.
She ran into her room, crying, lamenting how she had sacrificed for the TOEFL exam and worked secretly to save money, only to have to give it all to her family because of blood ties. She desperately wished to live for herself for once. Qiao Yicheng patiently comforted her, assuring her she was not wrong and that he would find a way to send her parents away. Ye Xiaolang's mood quickly lifted, and she even spoke kindly to Qiao Simei, who, after hearing about Ye Xiaolang's family struggles, found herself unexpectedly admiring her.
