The Bond Episode 21 Recap
> The Bond Recap
Director Chen invited Sun Xiaomo to a restaurant they frequently visited. He recalled how she once ate an entire fish by herself, expressing his surprise at her appetite. He then offered her some nourishing soup with ginkgo, claiming it was good for her health, but Sun Xiaomo, feeling unwell, declined the food. Director Chen then presented her with a gift, a watch.
Upon opening it, Sun Xiaomo found a receipt from a year ago and realized it was a gift originally intended for his wife. She confronted him about it, stating that he shouldn't try to deceive her with someone else's gift. Director Chen dismissed her concerns, insisting that what was his was hers and questioning her lack of trust. It was then that Sun Xiaomo calmly revealed she was pregnant.
Director Chen immediately feigned happiness for Qiao Erqiang, saying he thought Sun Xiaomo was infertile, which he called one of his mistakes, and now her "knot" was untied. Sun Xiaomo shared her mixed feelings of joy and worry, but Director Chen reassured her, mentioning that doctors confirmed her illness was not hereditary and that she shouldn't overthink. He then asked if Qiao Erqiang knew, suggesting Sun Xiaomo was trying to surprise him.
Sun Xiaomo understood his implication and accused him of not acknowledging the child as his own. Director Chen coldly distanced himself, stating that her marriage, husband, and pregnancy had nothing to do with him and advised her to think clearly about her situation. In anger, Sun Xiaomo splashed him with a glass of cold water, calling him Chen Junliang. Later, Qiao Yicheng and Song Qingyuan went singing, then sat on a roadside bench drinking.
Song Qingyuan remarked that Qiao Yicheng was always chattering, even without alcohol, unlike others who became talkative only when drunk. He also noted how much more alcohol they could buy with the price of one drink from the bar. Qiao Yicheng eventually relaxed and admitted he felt refreshed. On their way back, Qiao Yicheng stumbled upon Wang Yiding selling handmade, light-up bracelets at a street stall. Wang Yiding was startled and pleaded with Qiao Yicheng not to tell Qiao Sanli.
Qiao Yicheng assured him he wouldn't, revealing he knew Wang Yiding wanted to save money to move out with Qiao Sanli and their unborn child, anticipating increased expenses after the baby's arrival. Qiao Yicheng encouraged him, saying it was good to earn extra money with a skill. Song Qingyuan, noticing the interaction, joked about Qiao Yicheng's brother-in-law, Wang Yiding, being a big guy with a "girlish feeling" for handicrafts.
Qiao Yicheng then tried to pay for a bracelet, but Wang Yiding insisted it was cheap and offered it as a gift. Sun Xiaomo took the watch from Director Chen to a store, requesting to exchange it for a simple men's watch without asking for the price difference. The salesperson explained that the watch was a limited edition from a year ago and there were no equivalent items available for exchange, but she insisted.
Meanwhile, Yang Lingzi was in a bad mood and rejected Qiao Qiqi's invitation to go skating and see a movie. She told him to go away, then angrily confronted another boy who was harassing her. Qiao Qiqi, unable to stand by, stepped in to protect Yang Lingzi. Later, he brought her Meiziwu Rice to cheer her up. As he sat shyly beside her, the bold and passionate Yang Lingzi suddenly hugged and kissed him.
Qiao Yicheng, Qiao Erqiang, and Qiao Sanli gathered for a meal at home. Qiao Simei complained about Qiao Sanli's mother-in-law, calling her greedy and biased, and even blaming her for almost causing Qiao Sanli's miscarriage. However, Qiao Sanli defended her, saying that while her mother-in-law was indeed fond of petty gains, she didn't have malicious intentions or plot against people.
They realized Qiao Zuwang wasn't home; he was out visiting neighbors, which Qiao Erqiang said was good as he drank less and could often get free meals. Qiao Simei then pointed out that none of them had brought their partners home. Qiao Yicheng mentioned that Ye Xiaolang was too busy to reply to his emails, and Qiao Sanli confirmed Wang Yiding was also very busy with overtime.
When Qiao Yicheng asked about Sun Xiaomo's health, Qiao Erqiang quickly responded that she was stable. Just then, Qiao Zuwang returned home and immediately chastised his children for not being able to bring their partners home, warning them to be careful of being cuckolded. Qiao Yicheng dismissed his father's words, but Qiao Zuwang retorted that the most "honest and dedicated" people often made the biggest mistakes.
While the others paid little attention, Qiao Simei excused herself from the table, claiming she was full and needed to study English, but her uneaten food suggested otherwise. Qiao Zuwang speculated she was on a diet, remarking that she ate less than a cat. Later, Qiao Erqiang, mistaking Qiao Simei's mood for dieting, offered her a baked sweet potato, but she refused.
Qiao Simei confessed her worries about Qi Chenggang, who hadn't replied to her letters in a long time, and his phone calls were always cold and brief. Despite Qiao Erqiang's suggestion that Qi Chenggang might have found someone else, Qiao Simei firmly believed he was simply too busy and exhausted from his missions in a high-altitude, cold region, possibly even ill, and without anyone to care for him.
She decided to request leave from work to go to him and take care of him, brushing aside Qiao Erqiang's concerns about her foreman position. When she remarked that Erqiang couldn't just leave because he was married and had a family, she wistfully wondered if she truly had one of her own. A few days later, Yang Lingzi’s mother and relatives stormed into his aunt and uncle's home, slapping Qiao Qiqi and accusing him of hooliganism.
Wei Shufang and Old Ma were bewildered by the commotion until Yang Lingzi’s mother declared that Qiao Qiqi had gotten her daughter pregnant. The relatives demanded accountability, threatening to take Qiao Qiqi to the police. Wei Shufang and Old Ma, overwhelmed by the responsibility, stated that Qiao Qiqi was their deceased sister’s child, whose father was absent, and they had raised him as their own. They admitted they couldn’t handle such a serious matter.
When pressed by his aunt, Qiao Qiqi finally admitted his involvement. Wei Shufang and Old Ma sought Qiao Yicheng’s help. Qiao Yicheng found Qiao Qiqi disoriented and bruised, muttering "Brother, help me," and immediately rushed him to the hospital. The next day, Qiao Yicheng met with Yang Lingzi's family.
He acknowledged that the situation was already muddled and proposed marriage as the only solution, despite the fact that both Qiao Qiqi and Yang Lingzi were below the minimum age for late marriage, which meant they couldn't get a certificate from the residential district. Qiao Yicheng suggested they sincerely explain the situation to the residential district and pay any fines.
He also emphasized that Qiao Qiqi needed to balance his studies and his new marriage to be able to support his family, while Yang Lingzi should stop her classes due to her pregnancy. Yang Lingzi’s mother, seeing no other option, reluctantly agreed to the marriage. She later visited Qiao Qiqi at the hospital, admitting she didn’t particularly like him, as no mother would accept such circumstances.
However, as they were soon to be family, she urged Qiao Qiqi to be good to Yang Lingzi, to which Qiao Qiqi promised to treat her well. On the wedding day, Qiao Qiqi appeared somewhat dull and dazed, being teased into drinking with Yang Lingzi. Qiao Simei, more joyful than the newlyweds, playfully smeared cake on Qiao Yicheng’s face, and in the ensuing chaos, Qiao Erqiang also ended up with cake on his face.
Qiao Zuwang, Qiao Yicheng, and Qiao Simei all drank heavily. Qiao Erqiang offered to go back to the old house to care for them but was rebuffed. As they walked home, Qiao Zuwang hummed a tune while Qiao Yicheng and Qiao Simei stumbled behind, bickering in their drunken state.
Qiao Yicheng lamented making a "great mistake" by having Qiao Qiqi marry, while Qiao Simei asked when she and Qi Chenggang would marry, prompting Qiao Yicheng to tell her to ask "the lord." Qiao Simei then drunkenly told Qiao Yicheng that every time she tries to like him, he does something she dislikes, making him a "pain in the neck." She then hugged him, professing her love. Qiao Yicheng tried to shake her off, telling her to let go.
The night before, Qiao Simei was still wondering when she would marry Qi Chenggang. The next morning, Qi Chenggang appeared at her door, announcing he wouldn't be returning to his post. Qiao Yicheng, surprised, stared at him, questioning how long he had served. But Qiao Simei, overwhelmed with joy at seeing her beloved, didn't care about the details of his service.
She immediately offered him money to go to the bathhouse to wash up, promising to cook noodles for him at home. Qi Chenggang accepted the money and went to the bathhouse while Qiao Simei prepared a meal for his return. Later, Chang Xinyu and Qi Weimin learned about Qiao Qiqi’s marriage after it had happened. Qi Weimin, in a fit of worry, lashed out at Chang Xinyu.
Chang Xinyu, though aware of Qiao Qiqi's relationship beforehand, felt unfairly blamed, arguing that they had been good enough to Qiao Qiqi and that they shouldn't be the ones feeling guilty. She shared that she only learned the news after returning from her business trip and immediately came to comfort him, barely sleeping out of fear of his agitation.
