The Romance of Hua Rong Episode 17 Recap
> The Romance of Hua Rong Recap
Qin Shang Cheng's surprising fear of spiders was revealed during the competition. Qin Shang Cheng knew that Hua Rong had intentionally pretended to be terrified of spiders to give him an easy way out, which he appreciated, readily drinking the given wine. Jin Yiwen observed this interaction and realized Hua Rong harbored feelings for Qin Shang Cheng. The competition between Qin Shang Cheng and Jin Yiwen continued with the second question: Hua Rong's most unforgettable moment.
Qin Shang Cheng confidently wrote "the proposal on deck," while Jin Yiwen left his answer blank. Qin Shang Cheng, realizing Hua Rong's subtle favoritism through the chosen questions, felt a quiet delight. As the competition progressed, both men had their moments, but Qin Shang Cheng ultimately led Jin Yiwen five to three, with Jin Yiwen gracefully accepting his defeat. For the final question, Hua Rong asked about her biggest dream, intending to test Qin Shang Cheng.
However, he mistakenly believed her dream was simply to marry him, causing her visible disappointment. Jin Yiwen then gently explained to everyone that Hua Rong's greatest aspiration was to become a heroic female warrior who champions justice. Hua Rong was annoyed by Qin Shang Cheng's self-centeredness, but he remained oblivious. She stood up and left. Later, in his room, Qin Shang Cheng was puzzled by Hua Rong's reaction.
Zhang Xian brought him the answer to the last question, revealing that Jin Yiwen had, in fact, given the correct answer. Meanwhile, Hua Rong and Wan Wan were having hotpot in their room. Hua Rong confided in Wan Wan, lamenting Qin Shang Cheng's stubbornness and lack of understanding, especially since even Jin Yiwen seemed to know what she truly desired.
Elsewhere, Three Arrows reported to a mysterious individual that "Situ Cheng" (Qin Shang Cheng's alias) had won the literary portion of the contest. The mysterious person instructed Three Arrows to continue monitoring Situ Cheng closely. Feeling restless, Hua Rong wandered the streets and encountered Qin Shang Cheng. He took her hand and apologized for overlooking her dream, promising his full support for her aspirations to become a heroine.
However, he quickly pivoted back to asking her to marry him, highlighting his unwavering love. Hua Rong, frustrated by his inability to grasp her deeper feelings and his focus solely on their relationship rather than her personal ambitions, found their conversation fruitless. They parted ways, both left with a sense of melancholy that kept them awake that night.
The next day, Hua Rong arrived at the match site, intending to register for the next round of the suitor selection competition in place of the indisposed Jin Yiwen. The second round was an archery contest. Jin Yiwen attempted to find archery masters to train Hua Rong, but all of them suddenly became unavailable. Hua Rong immediately suspected Qin Shang Cheng's involvement.
Back with his men, Qin Shang Cheng's subordinate, Qian Dayou, smugly confirmed that he had indeed bribed all the archery masters in the city to prevent them from teaching Hua Rong, ensuring she wouldn't win. Wan Wan soon approached Qin Shang Cheng, angrily scolding him for his cluelessness about Hua Rong's true desires.
She explained that in a relationship, the saddest thing is when one person gives "a ton of pears" when the other simply wants "an apple," signifying a profound lack of understanding. Hua Rong practiced archery alone, accidentally injuring her hand. Qin Shang Cheng, seeing her distress, rushed out. When she rebuffed him, he reappeared disguised as Yunhe, the hero she admired, and tenderly bandaged her wound. This moment was secretly witnessed by Three Arrows.
Qin Shang Cheng then offered to be her archery master, a proposal Hua Rong reluctantly accepted after some initial resistance. As he patiently guided her hand, teaching her the proper archery techniques, Hua Rong couldn't help but blush, feeling a blossoming happiness. With less than seven days until the competition, Hua Rong diligently continued her practice. Qin Shang Cheng, worried she was overexerting herself, suggested she rest until the next day and even offered to let her win the match.
This offer, however, only angered Hua Rong further, as she felt it disrespected her effort and her desire to win on her own merit. She firmly told him she intended to win through her own abilities. Qin Shang Cheng was left distraught, unable to comprehend Hua Rong's mindset. Qian Dayou suggested he visit a pleasure house, reasoning that a place with many women might offer insights into a woman's heart.
That night, Qin Shang Cheng went to a pleasure house and sought advice from the courtesans. Among them, a woman named Ning Xiang explained her dream was to improve her chess skills and find a true kindred spirit. She stressed that if someone were to "buy her freedom" merely to be with her, it wouldn't be genuine love and would lack mutual respect.
It was through Ning Xiang's words that Qin Shang Cheng finally grasped the true source of Hua Rong's anger: his failure to understand and respect her personal dreams and aspirations. Meanwhile, Jin Yiwen remained inwardly troubled by the situation, and Laisheng offered him a new suggestion. On Qin Shang Cheng's side, he was now diligently crafting a custom bow for Hua Rong.
The next day at the archery range, Jin Yiwen presented Hua Rong with a selection of bows, making her happy. Qin Shang Cheng arrived, narrowly avoiding an arrow Hua Rong fired. He took the bow from her, giving her the custom-made "Mu Rong" bow he had crafted, which Hua Rong praised for its ease of use. Qin Shang Cheng then knelt and presented her with a jade thumb ring, explaining it would protect her hand.
He continued to teach her the correct archery form, delighting Hua Rong, who felt he was finally beginning to understand her. Both Jin Yiwen and Qin Shang Cheng subtly intensified their efforts to win Hua Rong's favor.
