The Wonderful World Episode 26 Recap
> The Wonderful World Recap
Qiao Guanghui drove to Song Guanwang's building. He called Zhao Gang, who seemed busy and uninterested in talking. Qiao Guanghui went up alone and found Song Guanwang mopping the floor. She welcomed him, saying food and drinks were ready upstairs. Qiao Guanghui offered to help, noting she didn't have staff and that both her businesses were losing money, but she declined his help and urged him upstairs.
The table was set with a feast, and Qiao Guanghui sensed an announcement was coming, possibly related to Zhao Gang. Song Guanwang proposed they drink first. After three toasts, one of which she drank on behalf of Zhao Gang, she made her announcement: there was absolutely nothing romantic between her and Zhao Gang, and he was not the type of man she wanted. She told Qiao Guanghui to stop trying to set them up from now on.
Qiao Guanghui had brought a ring, intended for Zhao Gang to give her, and had placed it on the table. Hearing her announcement, he moved to take it back, but Song Guanwang insisted that once given, it could not be taken back. Realizing her words implied she might be accepting him, Qiao Guanghui became overjoyed and, needing to release his excitement, grabbed the mop and started enthusiastically cleaning upstairs. Yin Ye was visiting Yang Yun.
Feeling neglected due to Yang Yun's lack of conversation, Yin Ye expressed her frustration, accusing Yang Yun of being self-centered and having no feelings for anyone, even her boyfriend. She confessed she had loved Yang Yun for years but still didn't know how Yang Yun felt. Yin Ye argued that love was about giving, but Yang Yun seemed incapable of letting go, especially of herself.
Yin Ye pointed out that Yang Yun's lack of femininity was incompatible with playing purely feminine roles like Bai Suzhen or directing a piece about two women. Yin Ye left angrily, throwing out the trash. Later, Zhao Gang arrived. Yang Yun sought his advice regarding her career struggles. Zhao Gang echoed the sentiment that trying to do both dancing and choreography would lead to failure.
He advised her to stop dancing and focus solely on being a choreographer, suggesting her student Wen Xiaoyao was better suited for performance due to her ability to deeply inhabit characters. Yang Yun was reluctant to give up dancing after over twenty years, offering Zhao Gang the concept for her "Jinse" production if he would direct while she danced.
Zhao Gang refused, preferring to direct "The White Snake," a production Yang Yun said she couldn't dance in, again suggesting Wen Xiaoyao for the role. Zhao Gang stressed that the hardest obstacles to overcome were emotional ones, advising Yang Yun to reconsider her attachment to the stage. Qiao Guanghui returned home drunk that night. Xu Tian was waiting outside, having been invited to stay there.
Qiao Guanghui, unsteady on his feet, announced he had just celebrated his own "wedding banquet" with Song Guanwang, claiming it was a secret for now and would become official when they were living together. Xu Tian mentioned seeing Shi Diandian, noting she still didn't remember him. Qiao Guanghui suggested she see a doctor but also told Xu Tian he was responsible for her condition and advised him on winning her over again.
Qiao Guanghui told Xu Tian to forget their past relationship and treat Shi Diandian as a new person, dating her and winning her over again by being persistent and going "full throttle," suggesting that good things can happen unexpectedly, just like his own situation with Song Guanwang. Shi Diandian went out looking for a job, and Xu Tian followed her.
At the subway station, Shi Diandian tricked Xu Tian by pretending to get off the train but staying on, leaving him on the platform. She confirmed she was getting off at the next stop for an interview. She agreed to add him on WeChat and sent him the interview address. Xu Tian met Shi Diandian near the office building where her interview was. He brought coffee and noted she seemed nervous.
Shi Diandian admitted she hadn't interviewed since she worked in Ningbo for three years after college and hadn't had one since resigning two years ago. Xu Tian offered to go with her to help calm her nerves. He waited outside while she went in. The male interviewer, seeing Xu Tian through the glass door, invited him in, mistakenly believing he was her boyfriend and stating the company valued employees' personal lives.
When Xu Tian clarified they had only just met the day before and were "just starting dating," the interviewer began asking intrusive personal questions, including marriage and children plans, presenting them as part of the interview process. Finally, he asked if Shi Diandian would give him a massage, citing a shoulder issue. Shi Diandian reacted decisively, hitting or grabbing him and running out of the room. Xu Tian verbally confronted the interviewer before leaving.
He met Shi Diandian in the elevator, where she expressed excitement about the confrontation and offered to buy him lunch, although he insisted on treating her. Little Ears took Qiao Mi out on a date, with Wen Xiaoyao accompanying them out of concern for Qiao Mi's safety. Little Ears drove them to a seemingly abandoned factory building, which made Qiao Mi and Wen Xiaoyao nervous. He led them inside and locked the door.
He then revealed a repurposed open-top truck bed set up as a stage. He introduced the performers as wandering musicians gathered there. Little Ears had arranged a special music festival just for them, performing "for our love." The unexpected event touched and excited Qiao Mi and Wen Xiaoyao. Later, Xu Tian and Shi Diandian had lunch. Shi Diandian used her own portable utensil set, which she had sterilized.
She offered Xu Tian a set and suggested he buy his own, mentioning cute designs were available online. Xu Tian offered to buy her a set if she liked him, but she refused, stating she disliked gifts because they made her sad, reminding her that objects last longer than people. She showed him a Doraemon keychain given to her by her birth mother twenty-three years prior, explaining it made her sad to see but she couldn't part with it.
After lunch, Xu Tian offered to take Shi Diandian home. She suggested they go to the supermarket first as her fridge was empty. They went shopping together, their relationship developing quickly. Deeply moved by Little Ears' gesture, Qiao Mi decided she wanted him to meet her father. Qiao Guanghui informed Zhao Gang that Song Guanwang had explicitly told him there was no chance between her and Zhao Gang and that she was now with him.
He expressed hope this wouldn't create awkwardness between them. Zhao Gang replied that he was never interested in Song Guanwang in the first place and felt Qiao Guanghui's matchmaking had caused the confusion, suggesting Song Guanwang was only using him to provoke Qiao Guanghui. Qiao Guanghui dismissed this, believing he understood Song Guanwang better and she was direct. Zhao Gang reiterated his lack of interest and concern that Qiao Guanghui might get hurt.
Qiao Mi and Wen Xiaoyao arrived at Qiao Guanghui's house. Wen Xiaoyao mentioned wanting to visit Auntie Song. Qiao Guanghui, appearing lost in thought, also indicated he wanted to go visit Song Guanwang. However, Qiao Mi stopped him, saying she needed to have an important talk.
She presented a scenario about a wealthy landlord (clearly referencing her father) whose daughter falls in love, describing three negative potential reactions from the father: rage, disowning the daughter, or violence leading to the daughter running away. By outlining these options, she conveyed the seriousness of her relationship with a "wandering performer" and asked how he would react.
Qiao Guanghui immediately reacted negatively upon hearing what Little Ears did for a living, threatening physical harm and life-long care for the performer. Qiao Mi challenged him, saying he understood love better and pleading for him to meet Little Ears. Qiao Guanghui refused outright, firmly stating his opposition to the relationship and forbidding her from dating or marrying him.
