Wind Direction Episode 14 Recap
> Wind Direction Recap
In the winter of 1994, Yuan Shanqing was doing her homework when her father, Yuan Yong, returned home drunk with a woman named Lin Xiu. Yuan Yong displayed aggressive affection towards Lin Xiu in front of Yuan Shanqing, then demanded his daughter call Lin Xiu "Aunt." When Yuan Shanqing remained silent, Yuan Yong berated her, calling her a useless burden. Lin Xiu, upset by Yuan Yong's behavior, threatened to leave, stating that he was scaring her.
Yuan Yong pleaded with her to stay, and Lin Xiu subsequently told Yuan Shanqing to return to her studies. Lin Xiu eventually became Yuan Shanqing's stepmother. However, just three days after their daughter, Zi, was born, Yuan Yong disappeared with their money. Furious, Lin Xiu left to find him, and the two only returned after half a month. During their absence, a window was left open, and Zi developed a high fever that lasted three days, nearly costing her life.
Her parents were completely indifferent, leaving Yuan Shanqing to care for her baby sister alone. Later, Yuan Yong acquired a car, which he and Lin Xiu used to scam people out of money. They neglected Zi entirely and even considered selling her because she was a girl. Yuan Shanqing spent her days hiding with Zi, too afraid to go to school. Their fraudulent schemes were eventually exposed, prompting Yuan Yong and Lin Xiu to flee.
Their house was confiscated by the factory. Yuan Shanqing, with Zi in her arms, sat outside the factory's office building for three days until a manager arranged for them to have their current home. Yuan Shanqing confided in the Cheng family that she found a metal box containing over 10,000 yuan, which Yuan Yong had left behind, and she had handed it over to the police.
Yuan Shanqing believed that Yuan Yong and Lin Xiu fleeing was a blessing, as it allowed her and Zi to survive. Yuan Shanqing shared her traumatic past with the Cheng family. Jia Daiyu felt great sympathy for Zi. Yuan Shanqing questioned if Zi's hearing problem was caused by her fever and blamed herself for not returning home earlier that day. Cheng Pengfei, a kind ENT specialist, reassured her that he would arrange a more comprehensive examination.
Cheng Yaya enthusiastically supported this, highlighting her father's reputation as the best ENT doctor who had successfully treated many, including the factory manager and an elderly woman. Yuan Shanqing lamented the unfairness of life, feeling that Zi was suffering for her parents' misdeeds, but Cheng Pengfei advised her to remain resilient, promising that justice would eventually be served against Yuan Yong and Lin Xiu, and that Zi would get better.
On the way home, with Cheng Yaya holding Zi, Yuan Shanqing confided in her about her childhood. She recounted how Yuan Yong often beat her mother, who always insisted on keeping domestic troubles private, fearing shame. Yuan Shanqing's deepest regret was not knowing her mother's burial place, as Yuan Yong would beat her every time she dared to ask.
Despite the painful memories, Yuan Shanqing declared that Zi was her priority, vowing to do whatever it took to ensure her sister's recovery. Cheng Miaomiao specifically came to pick up Li Si for school. Li Si, using crutches after spraining his ankle playing basketball, had hoped to use his injury to get a day off, but his mother refused. He dramatically declared he would attend school on crutches, embodying a "strong will despite the injury."
Cheng Miaomiao playfully urged him to walk faster, and even try to run. Teacher Han Shu was greatly impressed by Yuan Shanqing's essay, expressing relief that the recent events had not negatively affected her psychological state. She noted Yuan Shanqing's newfound confidence and initiative in joining the poetry contest, which had also brought a new sense of peace and reduced bullying in the classroom.
To help Qiang Xiaowa participate in the upcoming poetry reading contest, Cheng Miaomiao diligently taught him Mandarin. Despite the class monitor's reservations about Qiang Xiaowa's proficiency and warning him not to "drag the class down," Cheng Miaomiao and Li Si defended him, with Cheng Miaomiao pointing out his noticeable improvement. After school, Li Si, Cheng Miaomiao, and Hu Qiumin visited Qiang Xiaowa's home by the sea. Hu Qiumin and Cheng Miaomiao were fascinated by the unique environment.
When Cheng Miaomiao accidentally stumbled, Qiang Xiaowa quickly helped her up. Hu Qiumin captured this "hero saving the beauty" moment with her camera, which visibly ignited Li Si's jealousy. Driven by his pique, Li Si then made Qiang Xiaowa practice reciting lines from "The Song of Youth," which Qiang Xiaowa struggled with. Cheng Pengfei confirmed that Zi's condition was sensorineural hearing loss, not an intellectual disability or congenital deafness.
He explained that a cochlear implant could be surgically installed to stimulate the auditory nerve, allowing her to hear like a normal person, citing successful cases in China. This offered Zi the prospect of a new life with sound. At Qiang Xiaowa's home, he treated everyone to a table laden with fresh seafood. Hu Qiumin and Li Si were curious about their unique way of life.
Qiang Xiaowa explained the challenges of living in a fishing village, where income was unstable and entirely dependent on fishing. He revealed that their area had no school, forcing children to either fish, seek work elsewhere, or, in his case, travel to town for education, making him the only one still enrolled. Hearing this, Cheng Miaomiao, who previously felt their oilfield base was lacking compared to big cities, realized how fortunate they were.
During their study sessions, with Cheng Miaomiao, Li Si, and Hu Qiumin helping Qiang Xiaowa with Mandarin and other subjects, Qiang Xiaowa's grandfather consistently brought them dried seafood. Cheng Yaya brought some of this seafood home, and Cheng Pengfei, pleased, suggested they offer Qiang Xiaowa's grandfather some medicinal patches for his leg and back pain, along with other essential medicines, as they were difficult to acquire in the village.
Cheng Pengfei revealed that his inquiries about cochlear implants through his Beijing comrades showed a successful case similar to Zi's, offering hope for her surgery. However, the procedure was estimated to cost 100,000 yuan, which could be reduced to about 50,000 yuan with a special grant from the Children's Foundation. This news initially extinguished Yuan Shanqing's flicker of hope, as she felt relentless misfortune despite her efforts.
Cheng Yaya comforted her with a story about her grandmother's faith, explaining that believing in a higher power wasn't superstition but a way to maintain a strong spirit and conviction that problems could be solved and things would improve. Inspired by this philosophy and with collective support, the school organized a donation drive for Zi.
Director Xiao Fang personally held the donation box, collecting contributions from students and teachers, including Luo Zheng, who asked if the surgery would restore Zi's hearing. The factory also rallied its workers to donate, emphasizing community solidarity and pledging support to any member facing hardship.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Yuan Shanqing penned a thank-you letter, expressing her profound appreciation to every kind individual from the school and oilfield who contributed to her sister, Yuan Shanzi, and promising to repay their kindness through her future endeavors. Teacher Han Shu announced that Yuan Shanqing's exceptional poem would be the class's entry for the poetry reading contest, and Yuan Shanqing herself would lead the recitation.
Before performing, students from various classes applied red blush to their cheeks as performance makeup, although Yuan Shanqing's class chose not to. Cheng Miaomiao led her class in reciting "The Song of Youth," and Qiang Xiaowa performed admirably, demonstrating his improved Mandarin. When it was Yuan Shanqing's class's turn, she delivered a powerful recitation of her poem, "The Seabird."
The poem eloquently depicted the arduous migration of Arctic Terns, drawing parallels to life's journey, overcoming obstacles, and the resilient spirit of youth. The performance resonated deeply, ultimately earning "The Seabird" first prize in the Red October Poetry Reading Competition. Cheng Miaomiao and her friends genuinely celebrated the victory.
An older Yuan Shanqing reflected on her youthful dreams of freedom beyond the oilfield, realizing later that their small base had always been home, and fondly remembering the simple joy of their red-painted faces on that memorable day.
