Twelve Letters Episode 10 Recap
> Twelve Letters Recap
Yu Nian and Shen Cheng met with Zhang Hao to inquire about the past. Zhang Hao frowned slightly as he recalled those times, firmly stating that Tang Yixun could never have committed murder. He revealed the existence of Ye Yibo, Ye Haitang's father, a hopeless gambler who had nearly ruined Ye Haitang's life multiple times. Zhang Hao recounted that Tang Yixun, an orphan with no family, had protected Ye Haitang and later severed all ties with Ye Yibo.
Zhang Hao explained that he was released from prison in 1996 and, after searching for Tang Yixun, found him in another prison. Tang Yixun had asked Zhang Hao to tell Ye Haitang that he was dead, feeling it would be a waste of her life to wait for a convict for over a decade. To make Ye Haitang believe him, Tang Yixun had Zhang Hao erect a tombstone in his name.
Zhang Hao added that the incident that led to Tang Yixun's imprisonment profoundly changed all their fates, thinking it would be their last struggle, but a greater disaster lay ahead. Years later, a salesperson asked Ye Haitang if she was buying a burial plot for her parents, to which she replied she was buying one for herself, specifically next to Plot 1-5, which was Tang Yixun's supposed grave.
Yu Nian pondered that if Ye Haitang believed Tang Yixun was dead, the claim that Tang Yixun killed Ye Haitang could not be true. The friends' lives took a turn due to the relentless harassment from a gangster named Bao and his associate, Qiang. Everyone was weary of the gang life and yearned for peace. Qiang frequently brought his men to a local food stall, causing disturbances and even physically assaulting an old lady, who was later hospitalized.
Zhang Hao, enraged that the old lady and potentially Zhenzhu were targeted, confronted Li Chadong about his inaction. He questioned whether Li Chadong would tolerate similar harm to Ye Haitang or Tan Xin. Zhang Hao and Tang Yixun were determined to confront Bao, but Li Chadong stopped them, warning that violence would only lead to their deaths and leave their loved ones unprotected. Li Chadong promised to "make things right." Meanwhile, Ye Haitang's bookstore had been vandalized and burned.
The owner, deeply disheartened, informed Ye Haitang that he was closing the bookstore and moving back home, giving her a pile of good books. He told her it wasn't her fault, but rather the "problem" of their town. He urged her to "study hard," "give it her all," and "get into university" to "leave here." Tan Xin often found Li Chadong with Qiang, leading her to believe he was reverting to his old habits.
One evening, she confronted him, asking why his billiard house closed and what he discussed with Qiang's men, suspecting they were plotting debt collection or worse. Li Chadong insisted he was done with his past, but Tan Xin, having believed him many times before, expressed her disappointment. She told him that she no longer knew who he was and couldn't wait any longer.
Li Chadong, unable to disclose the true nature of his predicament, desperately asked Tan Xin to leave with him, anywhere, but she refused, her trust in him completely broken. Later, Li Chadong sought out Tan Xin, returning her investment from the billiard house as a final gesture. During this emotional farewell, Tan Xin acknowledged his efforts, telling him he owed her nothing, but also lamented that she "never did make it onto [his] ship in the end."
Bao held a meeting with his subordinates, who complained about Shen Dashan’s actions impacting their earnings. Bao managed to calm them, assuring them he would resolve the issue. At that moment, Li Chadong burst in, fell to his knees, and begged Bao to spare him. He apologized for any past offenses, stating that he and his friends were giving up their old ways.
Bao, still in control, offered Li Chadong one final job, promising that if he completed it, he would leave Li Chadong and his friends alone. Li Chadong reluctantly agreed. As he was leaving, Qiang deliberately asked Li Chadong for a light, then slyly put Li Chadong’s lighter into a plastic bag. Earlier, Zhenzhu had personally knitted a red sweater for Zhang Hao.
Overjoyed, Zhang Hao put it on immediately, vowing to wear it for a lifetime, a moment of fleeting happiness before the impending danger. Li Chadong returned to Tang Yixun and Zhang Hao, informing them of Bao's final task. Zhang Hao was skeptical, calling it a "death trap" and urging them to call the police. Li Chadong explained that Bao was too "clean" and would only escalate his harassment if they reported him.
Tang Yixun proposed they flee, but Li Chadong argued that their loved ones—Grandma, Zhenzhu, Ye Haitang, and Tan Xin—were either too frail, unwilling, or focused on their future (like Ye Haitang's college aspirations) to simply run away. He concluded that Bao had left them no other choice. Ultimately, they decided to take a gamble: "If we win, we live. If we lose, we die together." Before embarking on the dangerous mission, each man sought out their loved ones.
Tang Yixun found Ye Haitang troubled by his recent behavior. He confessed his fears, not for himself, but for her and everyone else he might endanger. He worried that she suffered because of him, especially with the bookstore closing due to harassment. Ye Haitang, however, reassured him that she had never suffered because of him and that "having you is my greatest fortune." They embraced, finding strength and solace in each other's presence.
Ye Haitang, increasingly worried about Tang Yixun, sought out Zhenzhu. Zhenzhu reported seeing someone in a dirty white van, wearing the red knitted vest she had made for Zhang Hao, heading towards the Sihai Wine Factory. Ye Haitang immediately realized Tang Yixun was in trouble and rushed to the factory. At the Sihai Wine Factory, Tang Yixun and Zhang Hao were anxious, fearing Bao might have them do something illegal.
Zhang Hao worried that Bao might be planning to harm the girls, or that the mysterious crates contained drugs, possibly to frame them for trafficking. Meanwhile, Li Chadong, who had earlier prayed to Lord Guan for their safety and a chance at a new life, arrived. He reiterated their job was simply to deliver the cargo without questioning its contents and instructed them to have weapons ready and flee if anything went wrong.
Tang Yixun, feeling uneasy about the weight of the crates, insisted on opening one. He found only rocks and bricks. Against Zhang Hao’s protests, he opened the second, revealing their schoolmate, Shen Xiaojun, who was barely conscious. Tang Yixun quickly tried to quiet Shen Xiaojun, who, upon recognizing Tang Yixun, cried out, believing Tang Yixun had kidnapped and beaten him. Li Chadong entered and was shocked by the discovery.
Bao, having been informed by Qiang that Shen Dashan (Shen Xiaojun's father) had gone to the police, knew that Tang Yixun and his friends had opened the crates. Bao and his men stormed in, overpowering Tang Yixun, Zhang Hao, and Li Chadong, knocking them unconscious and tying them up with thick ropes. Under Bao's threats, Li Chadong, distraught, offered to "clean up" the situation by killing Shen Xiaojun himself if Bao would spare Tang Yixun and Zhang Hao.
Tang Yixun vehemently rejected the offer, stating it was Bao's fault. Bao then presented Li Chadong with a cruel choice: "Either you die together or you pick one." In a heart-wrenching decision, Tang Yixun told Li Chadong to take Zhang Hao and go to the hospital. Despite Zhang Hao's pleas not to leave Tang Yixun behind, Li Chadong, with profound regret, dragged Zhang Hao away.
Bao then ordered his men to set the factory on fire, leaving Tang Yixun and Shen Xiaojun to burn. Inside the burning factory, Tang Yixun frantically searched for a blade he had hidden in his mouth to cut his ropes. Shen Xiaojun, trembling with fear, fumbled the blade, sending it out of reach. In a desperate moment, Ye Haitang burst through the flames, quickly retrieving the blade and cutting Tang Yixun's ropes.
Outside, Bao relentlessly directed his men to beat Li Chadong and Zhang Hao, who were now struggling against them. As Tang Yixun, Ye Haitang, and Shen Xiaojun emerged from the inferno, they were spotted by Bao's men, initiating a frantic chase. Thankfully, the police arrived just in time, saving Tang Yixun, Ye Haitang, and Shen Xiaojun. However, during the chaotic struggle, Zhang Hao and Li Chadong accidentally killed Bao.
They were subsequently arrested for kidnapping Shen Xiaojun and killing Bao, leading to their imprisonment. From inside prison, Zhang Hao recounted these events to Yu Nian and Shen Cheng. He explained that Ye Haitang had bravely risked her life to rescue Tang Yixun from the burning factory, sustaining serious burns that left her with scars. Zhang Hao further revealed that Tang Yixun, an orphan, considered Ye Haitang his only family and was willing to sacrifice anything for her.
He concluded by telling Yu Nian and Shen Cheng that he kept old photographs—including one of himself, his wife Zhenzhu, Ye Haitang, and Tang Yixun—as cherished memories. Zhang Hao entrusted the photo to Yu Nian and Shen Cheng, asking them to inform him if they ever found Tang Yixun. At the police station, Ye Haitang, despite her injuries, insisted on giving a statement to clear Tang Yixun's name.
She explained that Tang Yixun was already tied up when she found him and was trying to save Shen Xiaojun. Shen Xiaojun's parents, Shen Dashan and Gao Xiaocui, arrived, with Shen Dashan demanding that the kidnappers be executed. Shen Xiaojun, shaken and injured, struggled to speak, but eventually confirmed to the police that Tang Yixun had not kidnapped him; rather, he had been trying to rescue him. Ye Haitang's teacher, Tan Xin, then took her to the hospital, reassuring her that Tang Yixun would be alright.
