The Romance of Hua Rong 2 Episode 6 Recap
> The Romance of Hua Rong 2 Recap
Qin Shangcheng and Hua Rong were enjoying snacks by the street. Hua Rong jokingly refused to eat Qin Shangcheng's leftovers, then affectionately accepted them, to his delight. He mentioned buying Ruyi Su (lucky pastry) from Fan Building, explaining that a bite for each spouse symbolized a long and successful marriage. Qin Shangcheng urged Hua Rong to save room for more food, stating he needed to help her regain weight after his recent bad behavior had made her thin.
Hua Rong playfully accused him of trying to fatten her up to leave her, declaring she wouldn't eat anything else. Qin Shangcheng then tempted her with the famous sleeping fish soup of Hai City, claiming those who didn't try it would regret it. Hua Rong, swayed, agreed to a small bowl, and they set off. Qin Shangcheng was very familiar with Hai City, his hometown, as his foster father was the chief.
He wanted Hua Rong to see the place where he grew up. He reminisced about his childhood, recalling how his foster father would bring him and his foster mother sleeping fish soup after every sea trip, making it the taste of home in his memory. They visited his old, uninhabited courtyard, which remained just as it was.
Hua Rong asked why he left, and Qin Shangcheng explained that after his foster mother's death, the Black Dragon Gang discovered his foster father's whereabouts. Luckily, his foster father received news in time and took him away before they arrived. Qin Shangcheng showed her the swords his foster father used to teach him swordplay in that very yard, regretting that they left in such a hurry that they couldn't take anything.
Hua Rong comforted him, promising to help him rediscover all his childhood memories. They uncovered many of Qin Shangcheng's childhood treasures, including seashells that still echoed the sound of the sea, which Hua Rong found magical. He also showed her a book of Number Riddles he used to communicate secret codes with his friends. He demonstrated examples like "four five" meaning "it's me" and "five two one" meaning "I love you."
Hua Rong found it fascinating and proposed they adopt it as their secret code. Qin Shangcheng then gave her a unique compass, playfully telling her it was so she wouldn't get lost from being too spoiled by him. He explained that the compass was a pair with a boomerang; normally inconspicuous, it would automatically point to the boomerang if it was within a mile.
Hua Rong, amused, dubbed it "points to man" instead of a compass (a pun on the Chinese "指男针"). Qin Shangcheng regretfully shared that the boomerang was lost during the search for the Black Dragon Gang. Hua Rong, however, remained optimistic, suggesting she could keep the compass on her at all times, hoping it might help them find the boomerang.
Walking hand in hand, Qin Shangcheng recalled his foster mother's belief that water connected to all seas, and splashing water on someone would allow them to feel the longing of his foster father, who was sailing. They used to play a water-sprinkling game to pass the time, and they playfully engaged in it once more. Later that evening, while tidying Hua Rong's clothes, Qin Shangcheng discovered her "Thirty-Six Stratagems for Taming Husbands," realizing her recent antics were calculated.
He mused that he would be ready for her next move. He then took her to make a wish to the full moon, as it was the middle of the month and his foster mother had said wishes made on a full moon were especially potent. Hua Rong wished for eternal unity with Qin Shangcheng, and to her surprise, he accurately guessed her wish, causing her to internally worry if her wish would still come true.
Suddenly, a group of masked assailants appeared. One of them, after being kicked by Qin Shangcheng, revealed herself to be the Sixth Princess, Chu Fengling. She recognized Qin Shangcheng as the King Pirate who had dared to challenge her father, the Emperor, and stated she admired him too much to kill him. She clarified that her target was actually Duanmu Bai, as she intended to prevent the hostage exchange and avoid marrying her fiancé, Nie Yu, whom she deemed unworthy.
Hua Rong, quick to introduce Qin Shangcheng as her nephew to maintain their cover, expressed concern that Chu Fengling might have ulterior motives for staying. However, recalling her book's advice on "playing hard-to-get," which suggested showing magnanimity and indifference when an admirer appeared, Hua Rong agreed to let Chu Fengling stay.
She set two conditions: Chu Fengling must serve as her personal maid and abandon her assassination plans for Duanmu Bai, in return for Hua Rong's promise to help her avoid the arranged marriage to Nie Yu. Chu Fengling happily agreed, playfully suggesting Hua Rong should serve her in private, a notion Hua Rong quickly dismissed.
Qin Shangcheng questioned Hua Rong about the wisdom of keeping such a "spoiled princess" close, but Hua Rong confidently dismissed the threat, comparing Chu Fengling's "little flame" to be far less potent than that of the cunning Butterfly. Meanwhile, Qian Dayou and Zhang Xian, returning from a failed mission for Qin Shangcheng, stumbled upon Chu Fengling. Mistaking her for a suspicious spy, Qian Dayou demanded she remove her veil.
Upon seeing her face, Qian Dayou was instantly smitten, declaring it love at first sight. Zhang Xian, after snapping Qian Dayou out of his daze, hurried him to report to Qin Shangcheng. They informed Qin Shangcheng that their plan to lure Duanmu Bai into a trap had failed, and the treasure had been stolen by the Qing Hong Gang.
Hua Rong teased Qin Shangcheng about the setback, but he remained unfazed, believing Duanmu Bai would be more anxious than them about the lost treasure. Duanmu Bai, having investigated, revealed that the Qing Hong Gang would be auctioning the stolen treasure at Qing Hong Villa the next day, indicating that their true target was not the treasure itself, but them. They decided to infiltrate the auction under disguise.
Duanmu Bai's subordinate presented a list of deceased individuals whose identities they could assume, including "Jian Lai" and "Jian Wu" of Mei Ying Tower, and "Xie Lingyuan" and "Zhao Yang," the "Death Couple." Qin Shangcheng worried about encountering the real people, to which Duanmu Bai's subordinate bluntly stated that "dead people won't show up," shocking Chu Fengling with their casual talk of death. Duanmu Bai announced they needed one more woman for their team.
Chu Fengling, ever eager to be near Qin Shangcheng, quickly volunteered. She argued that it would be inappropriate for an unmarried Hua Rong to pose as a couple with her 'nephew' (Qin Shangcheng), as this would damage Hua Rong's reputation. Therefore, Chu Fengling offered to 'take the fall' herself and partner with Qin Shangcheng. Hua Rong, testing Qin Shangcheng, asked for his opinion. Qin Shangcheng, understanding her intent to gauge his reaction, strategically deferred to her.
Taking charge, Hua Rong assigned herself and Duanmu Bai to pose as the Mei Ying Tower couple, pairing Qin Shangcheng with Chu Fengling. Duanmu Bai, observing this, mistakenly concluded that Hua Rong still harbored feelings for him. Later, Qin Shangcheng discussed with Qian Dayou and Zhang Xian how to use this opportunity to give Hua Rong a "honeymoon gift" by dealing with the Qing Hong Gang, whom he described as a new, deceptive force engaged in illicit activities.
Hua Rong, meanwhile, reflected on her "Thirty-Six Stratagems," realizing her previous "playing hard-to-get" tactic had been too subtle. She decided on a new strategy, "a velvet paw," which she defined as using gentleness as a facade to present herself as a magnanimous wife, while subtly holding a hidden blade to maintain a morally invincible position. She brought Qin Shangcheng a bowl of sleeping fish soup, hoping to evoke guilt and prompt him to suggest a regrouping.
Qin Shangcheng praised her for being a "model good wife" for bringing him soup despite his feigned anger over her pretending to be with the princess, and even offered to regroup to honor her trust. However, Hua Rong, maintaining her "magnanimous" facade, declared that the current arrangement was "good," dismissing Chu Fengling as merely "a little girl" whom she didn't mind. That night, Chu Fengling appeared at Qin Shangcheng's door, seeking his wisdom on a problem that kept her awake.
She directly asked if he would confess his feelings to someone he liked, to which he affirmed. Emboldened, Chu Fengling boldly proposed marriage to Qin Shangcheng. He pointed out their brief acquaintance, but she countered by citing Hua Rong and Duanmu Bai's arranged engagement, reiterating that her association with Duanmu Bai was merely pretense. Qin Shangcheng, expressing disinterest in becoming a consort, gently declined. Chu Fengling, undeterred, declared her intention to keep trying until he reciprocated her feelings.
Hua Rong, eavesdropping from hiding, accidentally made a noise. Qin Shangcheng quickly covered for her, humorously blaming "mice" that "steal vinegar" (a pun for jealousy) and "climb into my bed," promising to deal with them later. As Chu Fengling left, Qin Shangcheng whispered something to her, which she agreed to. She then jokingly reminded him that he was the first to kick her and compared Hua Rong to a mouse.
Qin Shangcheng asked Hua Rong if she was angry, but she feigned indifference, only expressing curiosity about their private conversation. He told her she would find out tomorrow and asked her to close the door on her way out, which she slammed shut in frustration. Qian Dayou and Zhang Xian, observing from a distance, predicted marital strife for Qin Shangcheng and Hua Rong due to the princess, with Qian Dayou vowing to "solve" the problem by pursuing Chu Fengling himself.
Separately, Duanmu Bai dismissed Hua Rong's attempts to partner with him as childish and ineffective, comparing her unfavorably to his "Little White Dove." The next morning, Hua Rong, pretending to be unaffected by recent events, attempted to make Qin Shangcheng jealous by ostentatiously doting on Duanmu Bai during breakfast, wiping his face after he ate. Duanmu Bai, aware of her game, advised her to be more discreet.
Qin Shangcheng, noticing her actions, internally commented on her growing boldness in using "borrowed knives" against him. Chu Fengling then arrived with green bean soup for Qin Shangcheng. When he attempted to offer it to Hua Rong, remarking on her "liver fire," Duanmu Bai interjected, presenting Hua Rong with a more luxurious "Spring Abundant Pill," saying green bean soup was beneath the dignity of Mei Ying Tower. Hua Rong happily left with Duanmu Bai, further attempting to provoke Qin Shangcheng.
Later, Hua Rong and Qin Shangcheng prepared a time box. Hua Rong placed items representing their shared memories, lamenting the box's small size, which allowed her to include only a few important pieces. She asked Qin Shangcheng what he would contribute. He presented a small porcelain bottle containing balloon flower seeds, explaining that since their memories were too numerous to bury entirely, he chose the seeds because Hua Rong loved balloon flowers, and they symbolized their marriage.
He envisioned digging up the box in ten years with their children, seeing their love blossom, and planting the flowers to reminisce about the past and anticipate the future together. Hua Rong was pleased, telling him he "barely passed the test." Qin Shangcheng then suggested burying the box under a phoenix tree, known as the "tree of love," to symbolize their wish to "be together forever." Hua Rong agreed.
