The Romance of Hua Rong Episode 24 (Ending) Recap
> The Romance of Hua Rong Recap
Hua Rong wandered aimlessly through the streets, her heart heavy with despair. She passed by a stall selling Yun He Hero dolls, and the vendor, recalling her previous large purchases, offered her one for free, saying, "Here you go, take it. Come again when you are free." Hua Rong accepted the doll, looked at it briefly, and then released her grip, allowing it to shatter on the ground.
She then found herself at a theater, where memories of shared moments with Qin Shangcheng flooded her mind, making her weep bitterly. She reminisced about his vows, "Expect me to come back. Write down your name. A marriage contract. I gallop after you thousands of miles away. Just to look at your flawless skin." She also heard a song about eternal love, an infatuated heart, and the best couple in the world, which only deepened her sorrow.
Hua Rong remained on the bridge from day until night, letting the rain soak her as she cried out loud. Qin Shangcheng watched her from a distance, his heart aching. He, too, could not hold back his tears, whispering "Ronger" and expressing how much he missed her. He sang about eternal love that would never end, intertwining fingers, and a fluttering butterfly, echoing the rain that "doesn't stop." He desperately wished for her to forget him.
Jin Yiwen and Wan Wan soon arrived at the bridge, calling out to her, "Sister Rong. Let's go back." They led Hua Rong home. Back in her room, Jin Yiwen and Wan Wan tried to comfort Hua Rong. Wan Wan offered her some porridge, saying, "Sister Rong. Drink a little." Jin Yiwen tried to explain, "Brother Qin doesn't want to explain. But in my understanding of him there's no way he will leave you like this.
There must be a reason why he did this." Wan Wan added, "Take some medicine firstly." However, Hua Rong was listless and unresponsive, simply stating, "I'm tired. We may talk about it tomorrow." Jin Yiwen and Wan Wan left her to rest, telling her, "Take a good rest. We'll see you tomorrow." That night, as Hua Rong slept, Qin Shangcheng quietly entered her room and sat by her bed. He longed to touch her face, but refrained.
In her sleep, Hua Rong murmured his name, calling out, "Qin Shangcheng. Don't go. Don't leave me." She instinctively grasped his hand. Qin Shangcheng gently kissed her forehead, whispering, "Ronger. This may be the last time I call you that. You must live well in the future. And forget about me," expressing his deep sorrow. Later, Tang Mengdie confronted Qin Shangcheng, urging him to tell Hua Rong the truth, especially since he missed her so much.
Qin Shangcheng, however, remained firm. He explained he knew Hua Rong too well; if she learned the truth about his poisoning, she would relentlessly pursue the treasure to find an antidote, putting herself in grave danger. Tang Mengdie warned him that Hua Rong would hate him if she thought he died, but Qin Shangcheng was resolute, believing Hua Rong would soon forget him and find happiness.
Tang Mengdie argued that she would prefer to know the truth and support her loved one no matter the decision, saying Hua Rong would likely feel the same. Qin Shangcheng abruptly ended the conversation, stating he had made up his mind. The next morning, Hua Rong awoke and immediately noticed the quilt covering her and the bed curtains drawn around her. She recognized these small details, realizing that only Qin Shangcheng knew she disliked light when she slept.
She excitedly concluded, "That's him. He has been here." Convinced he still loved her, she exclaimed, "He won't betray me. I'm going to find him!" and rushed out of bed. Just then, Tang Mengdie arrived. Hua Rong questioned her presence, and Tang Mengdie clarified, "I come to tell you, I'm not married to Brother Qin. That's the whole story." Hua Rong then understood that she had misunderstood Qin Shangcheng, realizing he had feigned indifference to protect her.
Seeing his pitiful state, Hua Rong declared, "I want to find him. I won't let him die. Never." Tang Mengdie proposed a plan: "If we find two pieces of white jade, go to the treasury and find the antidote. He can be saved." Hua Rong agreed, suggesting, "Jin Duoxiong's piece of white jade should be in the Jin palace," while Tang Mengdie took charge of retrieving Qin Shangcheng's piece. They decided to split up.
Tang Mengdie, however, opted to stay at Mengdie Villa to avoid Qin Shangcheng's suspicion and to keep an eye on him, while Jin Yiwen joined Hua Rong, assuring Wan Wan, who expressed concern about the rough road ahead, that he would be careful. Jin Yiwen, Hua Rong, and their companions successfully infiltrated Jin Duoxiong's mansion and retrieved the other half of the white jade. The process was surprisingly smooth. Unbeknownst to them, Jin Duoxiong had intentionally allowed the theft.
He had been watching their every move, planning for Hua Rong to lead him to the treasure. He smugly declared, "The fish has taken the bait. Qin Shangcheng is strongly poisoned. Hua Rong will go to the treasury to find the antidote for sure. With her to lead the way, we can reap the rewards easily." Back at Mengdie Villa, Tang Mengdie, concerned about Qin Shangcheng's continued unhappiness, prepared to combine the white jade pieces.
She and Hua Rong examined the two pieces, at first wondering if one was fake, then realizing both were real. Once combined, a complete map was revealed on the table. Hua Rong immediately recognized the pattern from a secret passage in a dry well she had discovered with Qin Shangcheng previously. Jin Yiwen noted the mysterious symbol on the map, suggesting it wasn't an ordinary grave. Convinced the treasure was there, Hua Rong decided they must go immediately.
Jin Yiwen volunteered to accompany her, while Tang Mengdie stayed behind to avoid arousing Qin Shangcheng's suspicion and to keep an eye on him. Upon reaching the dry well, Jin Yiwen remarked on the unexpected location of the treasure in such an "nameless mountain." Hua Rong confirmed it was the place where she and Qin Shangcheng had escaped an assassination from Jin Fu and were saved by Zhang Xian and Qian Dayou.
Jin Yiwen reassured her that they would find the antidote. They carefully examined the area, with Hua Rong pointing to the treasure entrance indicated on the map. Jin Yiwen observed that the stone door in the secret passage appeared to be the treasury's exit. Hua Rong noticed words inscribed on tablets near a strange statue of a local guardian god, whose outstretched hands seemed to be asking for something.
She deciphered the riddle, realizing that the first and last words of each sentence formed the phrase, "Give me the jade." Following this clue, they activated a mechanism, and the stone door opened, revealing a purple butterfly, which made Hua Rong immediately think of Qin Shangcheng and question his whereabouts. Suddenly, Qian Dayou and Zhang Xian appeared, their faces grim. Hua Rong desperately asked, "Where is Qin Shangcheng?" They reluctantly informed her, "He died because of the poison."
Hua Rong was devastated and refused to believe it, repeatedly demanding to know, "How could that happen? How could Qin Shangcheng die?" Just then, Jin Duoxiong and his men emerged, surrounding them. Jin Duoxiong gloated, thanking Hua Rong for unknowingly leading him to the treasure. Jin Yiwen confronted his brother, accusing him of treachery, but Jin Duoxiong dismissed his brotherly affection, asserting that Jin Yiwen's continued opposition and alliance with Qin Shangcheng left him no choice.
Hua Rong defiantly proclaimed she would not let Jin Duoxiong succeed, while Qin Shangcheng's men, enraged by their boss's supposed death, vowed revenge. Jin Duoxiong, unconcerned, ordered his men to capture them all, stating he would personally finish them off after securing the treasure. As evening fell, Jin Duoxiong had Hua Rong and the others tied to pillars.
He raised a toast to his jubilant men, declaring that with the treasure now in his possession, it was time to "rule the world." His soldiers cheered in unison, echoing his ambition. Jin Duoxiong then approached Hua Rong, boasting about his triumph and proposing a toast to her for her unwitting help. Hua Rong, however, remained defiant, refusing to drink and retorting that the wages of sin were death.
As Jin Duoxiong, angered by her defiance, moved to strike her, a voice from behind exclaimed, "Stop, brother!" Unexpectedly, Qin Shangcheng burst forth from one of the treasure chests, grabbing Jin Duoxiong. Jin Duoxiong, bewildered, questioned how Qin Shangcheng could be alive, having believed him dead from the poison. Qin Shangcheng, holding Jin Duoxiong captive, explained his elaborate deception. He had previously discovered the treasure's location and used the antidote found within to cure himself.
He then ordered Qian Dayou and Zhang Xian to secretly move most of the treasure through the dry well to another location. He had faked his death to lower Jin Duoxiong's guard, hiding himself and his pirate regiment within the remaining treasure chests to ambush him. Jin Duoxiong praised his cunning plan, admitting he had been outwitted.
Qin Shangcheng then revealed his true motive, stating he intended to kill Jin Duoxiong personally to avenge his adopted father, Qin Ba Tian, whom Jin Duoxiong had killed eight years prior. Jin Duoxiong challenged him to a fight, which Qin Shangcheng readily accepted. Hua Rong, overjoyed but also annoyed by Qin Shangcheng's deception, tearfully expressed her relief that he was alive, while Qin Shangcheng apologized profusely, vowing never to lie to her again.
Qin Shangcheng swiftly defeated Jin Duoxiong in their one-on-one combat, taking him into custody. Seeing their leader captured, Jin Duoxiong's remaining men immediately surrendered. The Black Dragon Gang was dismantled, and the treasure secured. Later, on a pirate ship, Qin Shangcheng, Hua Rong, and their friends celebrated their victory. Jin Yiwen announced that he and Wan Wan were officially together, receiving congratulations from everyone.
Qin Shangcheng then suggested that Zhang Xian and Xiaohui also get together, to which Zhang Xian expressed his gratitude. Qian Dayou, though, proudly stated he would find his own wife. As evening fell, Hua Rong and Qin Shangcheng shared a private moment. Hua Rong asked him about his plans for the treasure, and he replied, "All these will be used in aiding needy people."
He then retrieved the golden lock he had given her before, asking her to raise her hair so he could place it around her neck. He told her never to remove it without his permission. Recalling their last interrupted proposal, Qin Shangcheng reiterated, "Will you marry me, as Qin Shangcheng's wife?" He then declared the vast treasure to be her dowry. With a radiant smile, Hua Rong replied, "I do." The two shared a tender embrace and kissed, their journey full of twists and turns finally culminating in a promise of eternal love.
