Wind Direction Episode 24 Recap
> Wind Direction Recap
Cheng Pengfei and Jia Baoshan were relaxing with their maternal grandfather in the yard when Pengfei noticed his grandfather smoking again, reminding him he had quit. The grandfather lamented his lack of freedom, feeling controlled whether his wife was present or not. Pengfei, recalling his grandmother's saying that a couple should divorce if they cannot live together, asked if their marriage was in crisis.
The grandfather dismissed it as his wife's bragging from decades past but admitted that it would be untrue to say he never entertained such thoughts, as no long marriage is without grievances. He reminisced about the hardships when Jia Baoshan was born, working tirelessly, and enduring his wife's harsh words and vanity, which he believed caused his coronary heart disease.
He even recounted running away from home for over half a month, thinking he wasn't afraid of divorce, only to realize he could no longer recall the specific reason for that major conflict. This forgetfulness, he concluded, signified his inability to live without his wife, his family, and his two children. He cherished memories of his children's first "Dad" and his wife fiercely defending him.
Most vividly, he remembered whispering to his wife on their wedding night that he hoped to die after her, unable to bear the thought of her living alone. They then shared a drink, and the grandfather reflected that life is a long road with many obstacles, all of which they had overcome. Meanwhile, an essay contest was underway. Cheng Miaomiao's entry, filled with excessive praise for her father, was returned, as was Li Si's kung fu story.
A rumor spread that the first-place winner would advance to a provincial competition in Qingdao. Back home, Jia Daiyu found Jia Baoshan sitting idle and criticized his lack of ambition. Regarding his interest in Xiao Fang, Jia Daiyu asserted that any attention from Xiao Fang, the esteemed Director of Teaching and Discipline, was simply an act of kindness from an intellectual.
Jia Baoshan, undeterred, declared he was a late bloomer, destined to establish a career after thirty, and revealed his intention to pursue a role in the education sector, specifically managing the school canteen. He argued this would further his relationship with Director Xiao and also allow him to look after Cheng Miaomiao and Cheng Yaya, ambitiously stating his desire to excel in both love and career.
In class, Gao Feiyang announced that Qiang Xiaowa had won first place in the essay contest with his work "The Ideal Country," earning him the honor to represent Linqi No. 2 High School at the provincial competition in Qingdao. During a class break, Yuan Shanqing presented Cheng Yaya with a hand-knitted scarf.
Cheng Yaya eagerly tried it on, admiring the color, but was disheartened to learn it was a gift for her maternal grandmother, a token of appreciation for the vests the grandmother had made for Yuan Shanqing and Zi. Yuan Shanqing then gave Cheng Yaya a book containing her own poetry from the contest, explaining that although it hadn't won, she wanted her to have it. The provincial competition was set for the May Day holiday in Qingdao.
Qiang Xiaowa initially expressed reluctance to go, but Cheng Miaomiao and Li Si insisted it was a team effort and a prime opportunity for them to travel. After some persuasion, Qiang Xiaowa agreed, though he still felt he needed his mother's permission. Miaomiao pleaded with her father, Cheng Pengfei, who, despite Jia Daiyu's warnings about past dangers, wholeheartedly supported the children's desire to gain experience.
To secure funds for the trip, Li Si recited a poem to his father, Li Dahai, who misinterpreted lines about a "deceased father" as Li Si wishing him ill. Upon realizing Li Si's true intention was to solicit money, Li Dahai angrily sent him away. Qiang Xiaowa called his elder brother to share the news of his win, and his brother, delighted, insisted he go to Qingdao, even offering to send money.
Hu Qiumin's plan to ask her mother, Hu Yue, about going to Qingdao was thwarted when Hu Yue received a call about Yang Songbai's mother visiting for the May Day holiday. Hu Qiumin then kept quiet about the trip. She later regretted this when Hu Yue clarified that the grandmother was already in town but staying at a guesthouse instead of their home. Seemingly unbothered, Hu Yue canceled her plan to buy a new TV and went out dancing.
Jia Baoshan arranged a romantic date for Xiao Fang in the school's astronomy room, treating her to homemade ribs and chicken wings. However, he ruined the mood by proposing to work in the school canteen, hoping to be closer to her. Xiao Fang misinterpreted this as a calculated move to use her for personal gain and left in anger. Disappointed by the rejection, Jia Baoshan abandoned that idea and approached Jia Daiyu with a new business venture, asking for money.
Recognizing his intention to borrow, she quickly ran off. In Qingdao, Cheng Miaomiao, Li Si, and Qiang Xiaowa got lost after exiting the train station. They arrived at the registration site for the essay competition only to find it closed. After they frantically explained their predicament, the sympathetic staff allowed Qiang Xiaowa to register. In their hotel room, Cheng Miaomiao was astonished by the card-activated electricity and a hairdryer she named "Monica." Li Si explained hotel amenities like complimentary tissues.
On a phone call, Miaomiao bragged about a past luxurious hotel stay in Shanghai to feign experience. While having a drink with Jia Daiyu and Niu Lingling, Hu Yue stunned them by producing her divorce certificate, announcing that she and Yang Songbai had divorced that morning. The decision stemmed from a frank conversation the previous night, where they both revealed the true, painful reasons for their first divorces.
Hu Yue confessed that the real reason for her first divorce was domestic violence, detailing how her ex-husband had once thrown an ashtray, leaving her with a scar from shielding a young Hu Qiumin. Yang Songbai, in turn, confessed that his own first wife, Feng Jing, had cheated on him and left him for another man. He had never told anyone, not even his mother, which explained his mother's consistent disapproval of Hu Yue.
They realized they had both hidden their painful truths, leading to lives filled with grievances. They had always lived for their children, either divorcing or staying together for their sake, never truly for themselves. Resolving to finally live for themselves, Hu Yue declared she had taken annual leave to travel and see the world.
