Twelve Letters Episode 11 Recap
> Twelve Letters Recap
The community buzzed with gossip about Wu Fengying, who was generally seen as kind, questioning how she could have abandoned her child and left such a negative impact. When Ye Yibo returned home, a young Ye Haitang rushed to him, asking about her mother. Ye Yibo, with a harsh tone, told her that her mother had run off with another man, no longer wanting them, and that from then on, it would only be the two of them.
He also mentioned that Haitang’s grandmother was in the hospital. Terrified, Haitang embraced her father, and they wept together, with Ye Yibo repeatedly emphasizing that her mother had abandoned them. Ye Haitang waited anxiously at the police station for news of Tang Yixun. She pressed the officers for information on his release and injuries, asserting herself as his family, but they could offer no specifics, advising her to go home.
Despite the rain stopping, she remained, waiting from dusk until dawn. Finally, as the gates of the detention center opened, Tang Yixun emerged. Haitang immediately called his name, her relief evident. Tang Yixun noticed a prominent injury on her fair hand, guilt instantly washing over him, knowing how much girls valued their appearance. Yet, Haitang simply smiled, assuring him it was nothing more than a potential scar that would make her appear tougher. They then decided to go home.
Carrying a sleeping Haitang on his back, Tang Yixun walked steadily towards home. He passed by what used to be their familiar billiards hall, now transformed into a restaurant. Seeing the new sign, Tang Yixun silently vowed to work tirelessly to earn enough money to buy back the billiards hall. Later, Shen Xiaojun approached Tang Yixun, expressing profound gratitude for saving him.
He attempted to offer Tang Yixun a thank-you meal, a job at his father’s nightclub as a manager, and even a stack of his New Year’s money, but Tang Yixun politely declined, stating he preferred honest labor for clean money to save for Haitang’s future. Tang Yixun only asked Shen Xiaojun to treat Haitang well at school. Shen Xiaojun promised that no one at Meiwan High School would dare bully Ye Haitang as long as he was there.
Shen Xiaojun then offered for Haitang to join his private tutoring sessions, explaining that while it wouldn't help his own grades, Haitang, being academically gifted, would surely benefit and get into a good university. Tang Yixun gratefully accepted this offer.
True to his word, Tang Yixun embarked on a regimen of strenuous labor, working long hours and taking extra shifts, including a multi-day trip to Shenzhen, to earn more money, despite comments about his slender build and warnings not to overexert himself. His determination was fueled by his promise to support Haitang’s education. Upon receiving his pay, he sought a gift for Haitang. He found two boxes of imported Cookie biscuits, which he bought for ten yuan.
When he returned home, Haitang teased him about his secret purchase. He presented her with the Cookies, explaining they were from sailors and meant to provide her with a sweet treat during her demanding studies. They happily shared the Cookies, and Haitang suggested they keep the decorative boxes to store things in the future, one for each of them.
During their conversation, Haitang expressed her wish that the time-traveling mailbox hadn't gone missing, as she wanted to tell Yu Nian about her upcoming college exams and ask if she had found her mother. Tang Yixun suddenly recalled the future letters, specifically the mention of a son named Shen Cheng. He pondered why Haitang's son would bear the surname Shen, as Shen Xiaojun was the only person they knew with that name, despite their initial animosity.
He noted their improved relationship due to the tutoring sessions and began to suspect Shen Xiaojun. Determined to get answers, Tang Yixun resolved to find the mailbox. The next morning, he went to a scrapyard to unload trash and, guided by a familiar cat, miraculously found the damaged mailbox. They fixed it together, deciding to return it to its original spot, believing it would only function there.
Haitang then clarified Tang Yixun's suspicions about Shen Xiaojun, revealing that Shen Xiaojun actually had a crush on Wang Manyu, an intelligent and kind girl, and his new dedication to studying was motivated by a desire to get into the same university as her. With the mailbox restored, Haitang and Tang Yixun decided to write to future Shen Cheng and Yu Nian.
Haitang's letter expressed her bewilderment but belief in the miraculous events, affirming Tang Yixun as her closest person and her trust in him. She asked about their lives in 2026 and whether her grandmother, Wu Fengying, was still alive. Tang Yixun insisted on adding a question about Shen Cheng's father. As they placed the letter in the mailbox, Haitang wondered if they could change a future different from their imagination.
Tang Yixun assured her they could, emphatically declaring he would not let her marry Shen Xiaojun and that her son would never be named Shen. They then shared their dreams for the future: Haitang imagined them in their fifties by 2026, having traveled and accomplished their desires without regrets. Tang Yixun simply wished to be by her side, accompanying her wherever she wanted to go and doing whatever she wanted to do, finding happiness simply in watching her.
They concluded that if they achieved all their dreams by fifty, they would simply spend the rest of their lives "looking at each other." Shortly after, Shen Dashan, Shen Xiaojun’s father, arrived to thank them, offering money, which they declined. Shen Dashan then revealed his connection to Wu Fengying, whom he considered his savior.
Years ago, as a reckless young man, he attempted to steal money from the Fenghua Sugar Factory but was caught by Wu Fengying, who was on duty. Instead of reporting him, she bravely lied to security, claiming he was her cousin. Shen Dashan tried to repay her generosity later by offering her a job at his successful company, but she always refused, only accepting two tins of malted milk over the years.
Haitang realized this was the same malted milk her mother had given her. Shen Dashan confessed that Wu Fengying had once asked him for two boat tickets, which he believed was when she first encountered trouble. He had arranged for someone to meet her at the dock with provisions, but she never boarded the boat.
He also recounted how he once found Ye Yibo cornered by loan sharks, having lost over a thousand yuan gambling, and paid off his debts, a significant sum at the time. Haitang shared that she had already severed ties with Ye Yibo. Shen Dashan reiterated his unwavering support, considering them family. Tang Yixun pointed out the strange coincidence of Ye Yibo's gambling debt with the large sum of money allegedly stolen from the factory by Haitang's mother.
Haitang, remembering the factory director's accusation, began to suspect that Ye Yibo might have been responsible for the theft, and that his narrative of her mother running off with another man was a lie. She recalled her last morning with her mother, who was rushing due to an early cash delivery at the factory, giving her fish cakes and telling her to meet at Shiqiao at 11 AM.
Haitang waited at the bridge at 11:10 AM, but her mother never appeared. This memory solidified her belief that her mother didn’t abandon her but was in danger, possibly due to Ye Yibo's actions. Tang Yixun vowed to confront Ye Yibo, but Haitang, having searched for her mother fruitlessly for years, worried about the lack of evidence.
Tang Yixun comforted her, promising that once she got into college, they would search for her mother together, clear her name, and expose Ye Yibo if he was indeed responsible. In another timeline, Zhang Quan urgently contacted Yu Nian and Shen Cheng, informing them that the Lingda Corporation was demolishing the area, and the mailbox was slated for removal in three days.
He explained that while the mailbox wasn't the target, the entire area was being redeveloped, and despite his and Sun Miaomiao's efforts to protect it, they were struggling. Recognizing the imminent threat to their connection with the past, Yu Nian and Shen Cheng decided they had to return immediately to relay crucial information before the mailbox was destroyed, frantically packing for their trip to the airport.
Meanwhile, Yu Nian received a distressing phone call from the police: her father, Tang Yixun, had collapsed at the cemetery. The police explained he was known to visit annually around that time but had refused to leave this year, resulting in his critical condition and subsequent rescue. Yu Nian rushed to the hospital, only to find his bed empty, the nurse revealing he had vanished while she was getting medication. Frantic, Yu Nian immediately ran out to search for him.
In the cemetery, at what seemed to be a different point in time, Tang Yixun was seen, singing a lullaby. A young Ye Haitang appeared before him, offering her hand and saying, "Xun, let's go home." He took her hand, and they walked and danced together in a beautiful, snowy landscape.
