The Bond Episode 2 Recap
> The Bond Recap
The neighborhood was abuzz with activity for Aunt Wu's son's wedding, and the air was filled with delicious aromas. Qiao Erqiang, driven by hunger, stealthily went to Aunt Wu's home to snatch some food. Roast duck, braised pork belly, and pork rib soup were among the tempting smells he had identified. Aunt Wu quickly discovered him and, disgusted by his actions, began to scold him.
Other neighbors tried to intervene, suggesting she have some mercy on the poor children, but Aunt Wu retorted that the Qiao children were not fatherless. She complained that Qiao Zuwang made money, yet only spent it on old wine and pig's head meat for himself, never on his children. Despite her initial anger, Aunt Wu's heart softened, and she gave Qiao Erqiang, Qiao Sanli, and Qiao Simei some wedding candy.
When Qiao Yicheng found out, he pulled his younger siblings home and sternly lectured them. Qiao Yicheng, mature beyond his years, felt the heavy burden of supporting his family. When Qiao Sanli developed a fever and needed medicine, Qiao Yicheng was at a loss for how to pay for it. He went to find Qiao Zuwang, who was deeply engrossed in a mahjong game.
Qiao Yicheng explained that Qiao Sanli had stomach flu, had an infusion at the clinic, and that their living expenses for the month were insufficient. Qiao Zuwang, however, was too preoccupied with his winning hand, celebrating "7 dots" and paying no mind to his son's urgent pleas. Adding to their woes, the family's vegetables were stolen, causing Qiao Yicheng immense despair. He ran to the police station and reported Qiao Zuwang for gambling.
At the police station, the gamblers, who had always been careful to keep their activities secret, suspected that a family member must have reported them. Qiao Zuwang attempted to evade punishment by claiming to be a handicapped person missing a toe on his left foot, working at a welfare factory for the handicapped.
He then cried that he had many children, including a "little baby" who couldn't be left alone, and that he was only gambling to earn "milk powder money." The police officers, Comrade Wang and Chief Liu, dismissed his excuses, telling him he could either pay a fine or be detained for fifteen days.
As Qiao Zuwang was being led away, an officer stared at him and remarked that "bad bamboos can still produce good bamboo shoots," implying his children were better than him. Back home, Qiao Erqiang, who had been craving what he thought was plum juice, mistakenly drank Qiao Zuwang's treasured kombucha. Finding it disgusting, he accidentally dropped and shattered the bottle. The four children looked at the messy floor, completely bewildered.
When Qiao Zuwang returned, Qiao Yicheng served him, helping him wash up and bringing him food. Afterwards, Qiao Zuwang dragged Qiao Yicheng into the room, accusing him, "How dare you report your father? !" and began to beat him severely. Qiao Erqiang, Qiao Sanli, and Qiao Simei cried and pleaded for their father to stop, asking him not to hit Qiao Yicheng's head.
Qiao Yicheng, in a moment of desperate pride, broke free and ran out, his siblings chasing after him. They couldn't understand why their father had beaten Qiao Yicheng, especially when Qiao Erqiang felt responsible for breaking the kombucha. Qi Ziqiang, who had heard that Qiao Zuwang had beaten Qiao Yicheng, was heartbroken to see him silently bearing his injuries.
Qi Ziqiang comforted Qiao Yicheng, telling him that life is hard, but he must grit his teeth and endure, and to "have a sun in his heart" and hope, just like his strong mother. He promised to bear the weight for Qiao Yicheng whenever needed. In that cloudy yet bright afternoon, as Qi Ziqiang led the children home, Qiao Yicheng saw a girl he would never forget.
The younger children, captivated by a Western-styled house they passed, wondered about the happy families and delicious food that might be inside. Later, Qiao Zuwang was drinking in his room when Qiao Yicheng bravely confronted him with a list of requests.
He demanded five more yuan for living expenses each month to afford better nutrition, two more yuan a month for their Second Aunt to continue looking after Qiao Qiqi, and new galvanized iron pipes for their heater, as the old ones were rusted and posed a carbon monoxide poisoning risk. Qiao Zuwang, annoyed, retorted, "So you've become my father?" and sarcastically asked what else Qiao Yicheng wanted.
Qiao Yicheng then asked for a pair of white tennis shoes, revealing he knew Qiao Zuwang had received a half-level salary increase from his factory. As the Qiao children grew, cared for mostly by Qiao Yicheng, Qiao Zuwang remained self-indulgent. One morning, Qiao Erqiang asked his father to attend a parent-teacher conference, but Qiao Zuwang, eager to visit a new bathhouse, refused and told him to ask Qiao Yicheng instead.
After school, Qiao Yicheng attended the parent-teacher conference for Qiao Erqiang. There, he learned that Qiao Erqiang's academic performance was unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the teacher reported that Qiao Erqiang had suddenly started wearing fashionable, expensive clothing. Students had observed him changing into this "Hong Kong shirt" in a public restroom before school and changing back into his old clothes afterwards, like "Mike," whom the teacher didn't know.
The teacher questioned the source of the 11 or 12 yuan garment, especially since several students had recently reported money missing—some losing lunch money, and one losing money for study materials. When Li Heman visited the Qiao home, he found only Qiao Sanli and Qiao Simei there. He offered to treat them to bean curd pudding and gave money to Qiao Simei, who enthusiastically described the delicious dish.
Qiao Yicheng, having finished the parent-teacher conference, went to Niu Ye's house to pull Qiao Erqiang away from watching TV, intending to seriously discuss his behavior and school issues. However, as they entered their home, they heard Qiao Sanli's terrified screams. Inside, they discovered Li Heman harassing Qiao Sanli. Qiao Yicheng and Qiao Erqiang immediately attacked Li Heman, who fled in a panic, knocking over the freshly bought bean curd pudding on his way out.
Qiao Yicheng told Qiao Zuwang that he had witnessed Li Heman harassing Qiao Sanli with his own eyes. To their surprise, Qiao Zuwang, uncharacteristically enraged, grabbed a knife and stormed off to Li Heman's house. Qiao Yicheng desperately hoped his father would finally secure justice for Qiao Sanli. Qiao Yicheng, still concerned about Qiao Erqiang's new Hong Kong shirt, confronted him in front of their mother's photograph, demanding to know where the money came from.
Qiao Erqiang, tearfully swearing on their mother's spirit, explained that he hadn't stolen anything. He had saved money by skipping breakfast and lunch, and walking to school instead of buying bus tickets, all because he simply wanted a Hong Kong shirt. Qiao Sanli corroborated his story, confirming he had indeed saved money by foregoing meals and bus fares, keeping it hidden in his pillow.
Later, Qiao Zuwang took Qiao Sanli out and bought two baskets of steamed dumplings, allowing Qiao Sanli to eat only after his permission. She thoughtfully asked to bring a basket back for her brothers. The younger children worried that Qiao Zuwang might give Qiao Sanli away, like their classmate's father did with his sister. Qiao Yicheng waited anxiously by the door for their return. When Qiao Zuwang and Qiao Sanli finally came home, the children eagerly ate the dumplings.
Qiao Yicheng, however, knew the true cost of those dumplings. He furiously confronted Qiao Zuwang, declaring him unworthy of being Qiao Sanli's father, and unworthy of being their father. Another incident occurred when Qiao Simei reported that Aunt Wu's pigeons had once again soiled their bed sheets. Qiao Yicheng took the dirty sheets to Aunt Wu, requesting she manage her pigeons.
Aunt Wu dismissed his concerns, saying she couldn't control birds in the sky, and then rudely reminded him how his siblings constantly pestered her for food. In retaliation, Qiao Sanli picked up a stone and threw it at Aunt Wu's pigeon cage. In a fit of anger and frustration, Qiao Yicheng smashed Li Heman's window.
He ultimately decided to report Li Heman to the authorities, and Li Heman was subsequently convicted of lewd behavior and sentenced to three years in prison. Qiao Yicheng went to Qiao Erqiang's school to clear his name, explaining to the teacher that his brother had bought the Hong Kong shirt with money saved from skipping meals and bus fares, and had sworn this on their late mother's memorial photo.
The teacher acknowledged that Qiao Yicheng's mother had passed away, but indicated that an investigation was still ongoing. She assured Qiao Yicheng that if his account was true, she would definitely clarify the situation to the class to protect Qiao Erqiang's reputation.
