The Starry Night, The Starry Sea Episode 9 Recap
> The Starry Night, The Starry Sea Recap
Wu Jingjing met with Wu Julan, expressing concern that his actions, such as cooking fish and making an ancient zither, had made the villagers suspicious of his identity. She warned him that his excessive involvement with Shen Luo was risky and could lead to his identity being revealed, causing him unnecessary trouble. Wu Julan assured her he had his own plans and was aware of the risks.
Wu Jingjing then questioned if he was truly falling in love with Shen Luo, reminding him that Shen Luo was a descendant of Du Xiaolin, his ancestral enemy, and that he absolutely could not fall for her. Wu Julan vehemently denied any romantic feelings. Wu Jingjing also voiced her suspicion that Shen Luo and her grandfather might have deliberately orchestrated the disappearance of the spiritual pearl.
Wu Julan dismissed her theories as "baseless guesses" and said he was tired, wanting to rest. Before he left, Wu Jingjing reminded him that the fifteenth of the lunar month was approaching, and he should leave as soon as he found the spiritual pearl. Despite her warnings, Wu Jingjing understood that the spiritual pearl was within Shen Luo, and the only way to retrieve it was for Shen Luo to fall in love with Wu Julan.
Knowing Wu Julan's inexperience with pursuing women, Wu Jingjing decided to help him. The next morning, Shen Luo woke up feeling regretful and embarrassed, checking her appearance and wondering if she had "done that" to Wu Julan while drunk. She internally scolded herself for being "so thirsty" and making a move on him. When Wu Julan appeared, Shen Luo confronted him, demanding he clarify what happened the previous night. Wu Julan teased her, asking if she had forgotten.
He then recounted how she had clung to him, repeatedly rubbed her face against his chest, called him her best friend, claimed not to believe in love, but expressed a desire to "see what a kiss tasted like." Shen Luo was mortified, insisting she wasn't that crazy and that anything said while drunk didn't count, and she wouldn't take responsibility.
She was still embarrassed, wondering if she actually kissed him, and how she could face him living under the same roof. Jiang Yisheng, determined to win Wu Jingjing, gathered her and all the female nurses who liked him. He dramatically declared his intention to "retire from the martial world" and only love Wu Jingjing from now on. The nurses, angered by his grand pronouncement, swarmed him and beat him, leaving him bruised and swollen.
Wu Jingjing, finding the scene unamusing, left. After extricating himself, a battered Jiang Yisheng found Wu Jingjing and tearfully complained about his misfortune. Taking the opportunity, Wu Jingjing subtly asked Jiang Yisheng for advice on how to make Shen Luo fall in love, inquiring about her preferences. Jiang Yisheng, misinterpreting Wu Jingjing's interest, suddenly realized why she had always rejected him: he thought she was in love with Shen Luo.
He then casually listed a few insignificant things Shen Luo liked. However, when he recounted how Shen Luo had almost died after falling into the sea as a child, and how her grandfather, against all medical odds, had miraculously saved her, Wu Jingjing immediately left. She went to inform her grandmother that Shen Luo's grandfather had not intentionally hidden the spiritual pearl, but had been compelled to use it to save Shen Luo's life.
Her grandmother then revealed that if Wu Julan were to retrieve the spiritual pearl, Shen Luo would quickly die, emphasizing that Wu Julan must never know this truth. Later, Shen Luo was washing clothes and stringing necklaces when Wu Julan returned. She called him over to help, and as they stomped on clothes in a large basin, Shen Luo slipped. Wu Julan caught her, holding her close and gazing intensely at her lips.
Wu Julan later left a love letter inside a seashell for Shen Luo. However, the letter, containing classical poetry from the "Book of Songs" expressing love, was incomprehensible to Shen Luo. Believing Wu Julan was deliberately mocking her, she grew angry and ordered him to go do some work, which he reluctantly did. Feeling despondent because of Wu Jingjing's inquiries about how to pursue Shen Luo, Jiang Yisheng sought out Zhou Buwen to vent his frustrations.
Zhou Buwen speculated that Wu Jingjing might have been asking on behalf of Wu Julan, implying that Wu Julan was pursuing Shen Luo first. Jiang Yisheng was greatly relieved to hear this, but the realization troubled Zhou Buwen. Jiang Yisheng later returned to Wu Jingjing to reconfirm that it was indeed Wu Julan who intended to pursue Shen Luo. Once assured, he enthusiastically promised to help.
He gave Wu Julan a complete makeover, including a new hairstyle, a pink shirt, and even cologne. This attempt backfired, however, as Shen Luo mistakenly thought Wu Julan looked like a nightclub attendant. With his plan a failure, Jiang Yisheng decided to try a grander gesture: arranging for Wu Julan to invite Shen Luo to a temple fair. Zhou Buwen found a new, secluded residence for An Zuo.
When he offered to help An Zuo move his belongings, An Zuo declined, wary that Zhou Buwen might try to steal from him again. Zhou Buyan, frequently stood up by her brother Zhou Buwen who used being busy as an excuse, felt bored and went to a bar. There, she spotted Zhu Yiyang and tried to pry information from him about what her brother was so busy with, but Zhu Yiyang didn't know.
He mentioned there would be a temple fair the next day and invited her to go with him. Zhou Buyan, upon hearing about the temple fair, walked away absorbed in her own thoughts, completely disregarding Zhu Yiyang's invitation. Later, Zhou Buyan confronted Zhou Buwen, demanding he pack his things and return home with her, upset that he was never nice to her since coming to the island.
Zhou Buwen made excuses about being busy with work and promised to take her out in a few days. To appease her, he also revealed he had ordered a limited edition purse for her. Zhou Buyan, pleased, warned him not to anger her, or she would tell their father, who had financed his company. To invite Shen Luo to the temple fair, Wu Julan spent several nights making wind chimes and also prepared breakfast for her.
Seeing his diligent efforts to please her, Shen Luo agreed to go with him. On the day of the temple fair, the island was bustling with unprecedented activity. Zhu Yiyang waited anxiously with two ice creams for Zhou Buyan, only to see her arrive hand-in-hand with Zhou Buwen. Wu Julan and Shen Luo arrived together, as did Wu Jingjing and Jiang Yisheng. Jiang Yisheng pulled Wu Jingjing away, leaving Wu Julan and Shen Luo to explore the fair.
Wu Julan proved to be exceptionally skilled at every game, hitting every balloon with perfect aim and easily winning prizes from claw machines. The exasperated stall owners, suspecting cheating, chased after them, forcing Wu Julan and Shen Luo to flee. Exhausted from running, Shen Luo leaned into Wu Julan's chest. Wu Julan, visibly stirred, was about to kiss her when Zhou Buwen suddenly intervened, pulling them apart. He confronted Wu Julan, who, under pressure, admitted his feelings for Shen Luo.
This revelation startled Shen Luo, who quickly ran away, with Wu Julan in close pursuit. Zhou Buwen angrily confronted Jiang Yisheng, chastising him for helping someone else pursue Shen Luo, despite knowing that Zhou Buwen had harbored feelings for her for many years. Just then, Zhou Buyan caught up to her brother, overheard the conversation, and got into a heated argument with him. Zhou Buwen sharply told Zhou Buyan to mind her own business.
Shen Luo ran to the beach, with Wu Julan following close behind. Shen Luo, feeling shy, hid, but Wu Julan had already spotted her. Wu Julan declared to Shen Luo that he would officially pursue her from that moment on. Shen Luo believed he was acting on impulse, finding it unlikely he would be genuinely interested in an ordinary, stingy, and short-tempered girl like herself. However, in Wu Julan's eyes, all these traits had become endearing qualities.
Shen Luo sought Jiang Yisheng's help, wanting to get rid of Wu Julan. Jiang Yisheng advised her that if she truly didn't like him, she should take action to make him give up. Later that day, as Wu Julan and Shen Luo were selling wind chimes, a group of young women, smitten with Wu Julan, surrounded him, eager to take photos.
Seeing an opportunity, Shen Luo quickly began collecting money from the girls, willing to "sacrifice" Wu Julan's image for profit, hoping to anger him. As the girls eagerly crowded around, Shen Luo was suddenly pushed by the throng and fell directly into Wu Julan's arms, her lips accidentally brushing against his cheek. Mortified by the unexpected kiss, Shen Luo was overcome with embarrassment, and the angered girls dispersed. Zhou Buwen was taking a shower when his phone rang.
Coincidentally, Zhou Buyan entered and answered it. She discovered that Zhou Buwen had reserved a bar on the island. Believing it was a surprise for her, she was overjoyed. Jiang Yisheng, leading people disguised as water meter readers, broke into Wu Jingjing's home. Jiang Yisheng declared that Wu Jingjing was the person who understood him best, and he would now earnestly "cure his illness" and be a good person.
Wu Jingjing tried to drive him away, but Jiang Yisheng stubbornly refused to leave. He then accidentally saw a photo of An Zuo. From Wu Jingjing's panicked expression, he correctly guessed An Zuo was her ex-boyfriend. Worried that Jiang Yisheng would continue to be bothersome, Wu Jingjing drove him out. Meanwhile, Wu Julan was experiencing one of his periodic weaknesses. Shen Luo found him collapsed and grew worried, wondering if he was suffering from shock or worsening depression.
Jiang Yisheng, called to examine him, assured her Wu Julan was fine and simply needed rest. He explained that Wu Julan experiences such weakness a few days each month, but it's not an illness and requires no treatment. Wu Jingjing, witnessing Wu Julan's weakened state, again urged him to move to her place, arguing that his current state made him vulnerable and that his true form might be revealed. Wu Julan, however, refused, stating that leaving would arouse suspicion.
Zhou Buwen, dressed immaculately after his shower, arrived at the bar, intending to take Shen Luo out for what he envisioned as a romantic dinner and a confession. Wu Julan tried to stop Shen Luo from going, but she insisted, hoping to make him give up. Zhou Buwen had arranged a very grand and romantic setting, clearly for a confession. However, before Zhou Buwen could finish speaking, Shen Luo interrupted him with an excuse to go to the restroom. Just then, Zhou Buyan arrived at the bar, looking for Zhou Buwen.
