Wind Direction Episode 19 Recap
> Wind Direction Recap
When Yang Songbai visited Beijing to accompany Zi for medical treatment, he also went to purchase the portable music player Hu Qiumin had been longing for. Initially, he intended to buy a cheaper cassette player, but after some deliberation, he changed his mind and opted for the most expensive CD player available. The following morning, Xiao Fang awoke in her dorm room with a face covered in red rashes, still disoriented from a hangover.
Startled by her reflection, she was then visited by Gao Feiyang, who brought her breakfast and wished to discuss Hua'er's school enrollment. Embarrassed, Xiao Fang repeatedly declined the breakfast and stated that the matter was complicated and beyond her immediate control, advising him to wait for the principal's return. Later, Cheng Miaomiao, Li Si, and Qiang Xiaowa were discussing Jia Baoshan and Xiao Fang.
Li Si dismissed the idea of them being serious, but Qiang Xiaowa disagreed, pointing out Jia Baoshan's history of fleeting affections. Cheng Miaomiao then enthusiastically highlighted Xiao Fang's significant influence in their school, likening her status to that of a vice-principal. She believed that if Xiao Fang were to become their aunt, they would hold immense power and easily secure Hua'er's enrollment. Determined to help Hua'er, Cheng Miaomiao went to Xiao Fang's office.
Noticing Xiao Fang's rash, Cheng Miaomiao tactfully brought up the previous night's events, mentioning Jia Baoshan had taken Xiao Fang back to her dorm. She then showered Xiao Fang with elaborate praise, recounting her heroic actions in the oilfield, her successful fundraising for Zi, and her three decades of dedication to education. Finally, she delicately hinted at the "special relationship" between Xiao Fang and Jia Baoshan while pressing for Hua'er's enrollment.
Xiao Fang agreed to "look into it" but sternly warned Cheng Miaomiao not to speak of what happened last night. Shortly after Cheng Miaomiao left, Gao Feiyang arrived for the same reason. He passionately pleaded Hua'er's case, emphasizing the girl's love for learning and the school's duty to provide equal opportunities. Xiao Fang then proposed an entrance exam for Hua'er. If Hua'er met the standard, Xiao Fang vowed to present the results to the principal and fight for her admission.
Gao Feiyang expressed his profound gratitude. Meanwhile, Jia Baoshan, having diligently researched Shanghai cuisine, prepared an Eight-Treasure Duck intending to deliver it to Han Shu at the school. However, at the guardhouse, he was intercepted by Xiao Fang, who, assuming the dish was for her, enthusiastically led him to her office. Xiao Fang devoured the entire duck, praising his culinary skills despite its sweet Shanghai flavor, while Jia Baoshan watched in silent frustration.
When Han Shu arrived to inquire about exam schedules, Jia Baoshan tried to offer her some of the dish, but Han Shu declined. Xiao Fang quickly intervened, preventing Jia Baoshan from insisting and promptly sending Han Shu on her way. Gao Feiyang shared the good news about Hua'er's entrance exam with Cheng Miaomiao, Li Si, and Qiang Xiaowa, providing them with textbooks and practice papers. He asked Qiang Xiaowa to help Hua'er prepare for the test.
Qiang Xiaowa readily agreed, confident that Hua'er would pass. While Qiang Xiaowa focused on helping Hua'er, Cheng Miaomiao and Li Si began to worry about their own upcoming final exams. Elsewhere, Li Dahai visited Cheng Pengfei, complaining of a stomachache. Cheng Pengfei, an ENT specialist, scolded his friend for excessive drinking to curry favor at work and refused to use his connections with a gastroenterologist for a "backdoor" diagnosis.
At home, Hua'er expressed her self-consciousness and fear of being judged by city children, admiring their expensive clothes and two-layer birthday cakes. Qiang Xiaowa, understanding her feelings, reassured her by recounting his own experience of giving a handmade gift to Cheng Miaomiao's younger brother. He explained that despite his initial worries about the humble present, the boy had genuinely appreciated it. He emphasized that Cheng Miaomiao and her friends were kind people who wouldn't look down on her.
Still fuming over Xiao Fang's gluttony and misinterpretation, Jia Baoshan returned home and angrily prepared another Eight-Treasure Duck. He then drove his motorcycle back to the school dormitories, heading directly for Han Shu's room. Xiao Fang, hearing the familiar sound of his motorcycle, quickly primped herself, certain he was coming for her. Her hopes were dashed when he went to Han Shu's door instead.
Waiting in vain, Xiao Fang overheard Jia Baoshan explaining to Han Shu that the first duck was always meant for her, but Xiao Fang had "self-deludingly" taken it. Han Shu firmly rejected Jia Baoshan's advances, closing the door on him. As Jia Baoshan turned away, he spotted a furious Xiao Fang. He attempted to lie, claiming admiration for her, but Xiao Fang unleashed a torrent of accusations, labeling him "two-faced" and "despicable."
She angrily reminded him of her thirty years of dedication to education and ordered him to leave immediately, threatening to call security. A dejected Jia Baoshan returned home with the untouched duck. Cheng Miaomiao noticed his mood and asked if he was heartbroken. She tried to lift his spirits by recounting Xiao Fang's supposed compliments about him from earlier that day, but Jia Baoshan remained unconvinced.
Cheng Miaomiao, however, remained optimistic, reiterating her belief that despite the sorrows of love, they would soon have Xiao Fang as their aunt. The next day, Cheng Miaomiao delivered Xiao Fang's bag to her. When she mentioned Jia Baoshan, Xiao Fang's demeanor shifted dramatically. She harshly reprimanded Cheng Miaomiao, telling her to instruct her uncle to stay away from the school, which was not a place for just anyone.
Xiao Fang's sudden change in attitude made Cheng Miaomiao fear for Hua'er's chances. However, Gao Feiyang later reassured Cheng Miaomiao, Li Si, and Qiang Xiaowa that Xiao Fang was still committed to Hua'er's exam. He confirmed that Xiao Fang had discussed the exam details that very morning and would even supervise it herself, indicating she was not one to let personal grievances interfere with her professional duties.
In the following days, Qiang Xiaowa diligently tutored Hua'er, confident she would pass her entrance exam. Meanwhile, Cheng Miaomiao and Li Si anxiously contemplated their own looming final exams. Jia Baoshan, in a sudden change of heart, decided to actively pursue Xiao Fang. He sought out Li Si to uncover the secret to his family's Boiled Sliced Pork recipe. Convinced of his own "excellence" and Xiao Fang's, Jia Baoshan believed a misunderstanding had occurred and could be resolved.
He prepared the Boiled Sliced Pork and presented it to Xiao Fang, hoping to mend fences. However, Xiao Fang remained unappeased. She questioned his motives, denied any misunderstanding between them, and pointedly suggested his "misunderstanding" was with Han Shu, before telling him to deliver the dish to Han Shu while it was still hot. On the day of Hua'er's entrance exam, neither Hua'er nor Qiang Xiaowa appeared.
After a long wait, Qiang Xiaowa arrived alone, with visible injuries on his face. He revealed that on their way to the school, Hua'er's parents had intercepted them, demanding she return to Guangdong to work and earn money for her brother's wedding. When Qiang Xiaowa tried to intervene, they physically assaulted him. Hua'er, not wanting to cause further trouble, reluctantly agreed to go with her parents, feeling powerless against her predetermined "fate." Everyone present was heartbroken.
Cheng Miaomiao reflected on the harsh reality that not every child has the opportunity to receive an education, realizing that what she considered ordinary was an unattainable dream for others. The narrator, expressing a profound sense of helplessness, concluded that despite everyone's assistance, they could not secure a school placement for Hua'er. She wished Hua'er peace and a good life, wherever she might go.
