Wind Direction Episode 3 Recap
> Wind Direction Recap
In a childhood flashback, Jia Daiyu and Niu Lingling took young Li Si and Cheng Yaya to the bathhouse. The boys adamantly refused to enter the women's section, declaring the clear distinction between boys and girls and even rejecting Jia Daiyu's bribe of ice cream. Years later, seventeen-year-old Li Si’s youthful rebellion abruptly ended on their journey to Hong Kong. While stopping to relieve himself by the roadside, he inadvertently disturbed a hornet's nest.
Cheng Miaomiao sat crying, lamenting their misfortune and the shattered dream of visiting Hong Kong. However, Li Si felt an increasingly sharp pain in a sensitive area and urgently insisted on going to the hospital. Cheng Yaya tried to console Cheng Miaomiao but also shared a bleak medical theory from a book about potential blood circulation issues and necrosis if the swelling persisted, further alarming Li Si.
Despite the urgency, Cheng Miaomiao remained fixated on her broken dream, still expressing her desire to go to Hong Kong, not the hospital. Meanwhile, Li Dahai, proud of his newly acquired car from Qingdao, was showcasing it to his superiors. He highlighted the vehicle's modern features, including its sleek door handles. His pride soon turned to fury when he later discovered that parts of his car were missing.
Determined to get Li Si medical attention, Cheng Miaomiao, Cheng Yaya, and Hu Qiumin managed to flag down a tricycle. Li Si, despite his discomfort, complained about the bumpy ride. The silent driver stopped at a large bridge, refusing to proceed further even after Cheng Miaomiao offered him twenty yuan. Perplexed, they debated if the driver was deaf-mute or simply unwilling to speak.
In their moment of helplessness, Xiao Wan appeared, recognizing them, and immediately noticed Li Si's swollen face, asking if he had been hit by a car. News of Li Si being "hit by a car" reached Jia Daiyu and Niu Lingling during their performance, causing Niu Lingling to abandon the stage and rush to the hospital. In the doctor's office, Niu Lingling wept uncontrollably, expressing deep concern for her seventeen-year-old son's future marriage and ability to have children.
The doctor repeatedly assured her that the hornet sting was not severe and would not have any lasting consequences. Li Si lay on the hospital bed, utterly mortified by his injury. Still unconvinced, Niu Lingling insisted the hospital director conduct another thorough examination. Li Si adamantly refused to remove his pants, covering his sensitive area, but Niu Lingling's persistence eventually compelled him to comply.
Concurrently, Cheng Miaomiao continued to blame herself for Li Si's injury and the possible impact on his future, until Cheng Yaya revealed he had only been teasing Li Si with the severe medical prognosis. Back home, Jia Daiyu chased Cheng Miaomiao and Cheng Yaya, wielding a feather duster and scolding them for their attempt to run away.
At the same time, Yang Songbai called Yang Tao, sternly reprimanding him for instigating Hu Qiumin and accusing his college-aged son of disrespecting their family. Late that night, Li Dahai stormed into the hospital, enraged by the missing car parts. He confronted Li Si, beating him severely, prompting Niu Lingling to intervene, pleading that a tire was not worth her son's life and accusing Li Dahai of perpetually hitting their son rather than raising him.
Overwhelmed and terrified, Li Si abruptly fled the hospital. His parents, along with Jia Daiyu and Cheng Pengfei, frantically searched for him in the darkness, while Cheng Miaomiao was consumed by guilt. Li Si was found hiding under a bridge by his friends. Still angry at his father, he declared his intention to remain hidden until morning to catch a train and run away permanently, humiliated that his injury was now common knowledge throughout the Linqi Oilfield.
Cheng Miaomiao worried that if he wasn't found, the police would be involved, making the situation worse. Li Si, however, remained defiant. Cheng Yaya, barely suppressing his laughter, then fabricated a story about a wanted gang of criminals at large in their area, which was overheard by and terrified the searching parents.
Pretending to be supportive, Cheng Yaya and the others advised Li Si to hide in the bridge's cave while they went to retrieve "weapons" for him, then quickly departed. Frightened by being left alone, Li Si swiftly followed them. He then concocted a plausible reason for his return, claiming he had reconsidered his parents' feelings and wanted to give them a chance to turn over a new leaf, to which Cheng Yaya sarcastically agreed, noting Li Si’s impulsive nature.
Later, Cheng Yaya surprisingly secured three spots in the grand performance’s finale by trading a game cartridge, offering the opportunity to Cheng Miaomiao. Energized, Cheng Miaomiao enthusiastically dragged Li Si and Hu Qiumin into intense rehearsals, despite their roles being merely background performers. Li Si, initially hesitant, emphasized the importance of performing well to honor Cheng Yaya's effort.
This performance was set to coincide with the historic July 1, 1997, Hong Kong handover ceremony, a momentous occasion for the Chinese nation. During an interview on the day of the Hong Kong handover ceremony, Jia Daiyu proudly spoke of her family’s legacy in the oilfield and her hopes for her children to continue as oil workers.
However, when her children were asked about their own dreams, Cheng Miaomiao declared her aspiration to move to a big city and leave the oilfield, while Cheng Yaya announced his ambition to study archaeology. Their unexpected pronouncements mortified Jia Daiyu, who jokingly disowned them before angrily chasing them with a prop red-tasselled spear from the performance. In a separate vignette, the friends were in the bathhouse after their showers.
Li Si was still complaining about his ruined vacation and humiliated reputation, while Hu Qiumin expressed sadness over her father, who had visited briefly but hadn't spoken to her. Li Si remained sensitive about his hornet sting. As they discussed the bathhouse's limited operating hours and the rumored installation of solar water heaters, several shirtless men suddenly erupted into a fight. Reacting quickly, Cheng Yaya and Li Si covered Cheng Miaomiao and Hu Qiumin's eyes, shielding them from the sight.
When a new steakhouse opened, Li Si excitedly roused Cheng Miaomiao and Hu Qiumin to accompany him. The trio, unacquainted with the etiquette of steakhouse dining, found the experience rather amusing. Li Si tried to project an air of sophistication, confidently ordering ribeye and requesting it "80% cooked." When the waiter informed him they only offer 70% or 90% cooked, Li Si confidently switched to 70% for everyone, later claiming to his friends that it had the proper "vibe."
Hu Qiumin, however, worried about eating partially cooked meat. Li Si then attempted to instruct them on using a knife and fork, only for Cheng Miaomiao to question his technique. Frustrated by the dull knife, Li Si eventually called the waiter for three pairs of chopsticks, and they happily savored their steaks with ease. As Cheng Miaomiao matured, she found herself feeling increasingly melancholic, sitting alone in the yard, pondering her worries.
Her father, Cheng Pengfei, noticed her somber mood and sat beside her. Cheng Miaomiao confided that she found growing up boring and felt less capable than she once did. Cheng Pengfei empathized, admitting he sometimes felt equally capable and helpless as a father. He explained that such emotional shifts are natural, and that his enduring presence in the oilfield stemmed from finding fulfillment in his family: her mother, her brother, and their home.
He advised Miaomiao that despite her intelligence and numerous ideas, she had yet to discover her true passion, much like her mother in her youth, who had countless dreams but realized none. Cheng Miaomiao, however, expressed frustration with her mother’s lack of support for her ambitions and criticized other parents for their flawed approaches. Cheng Pengfei gently clarified that adults, having navigated similar paths, offer guidance out of love, even if teenagers insist on learning from their own mistakes.
He shared his childhood dream of becoming a doctor, inspired by a heroic figure in a Soviet film, a path that led him to join the army before he eventually settled in the oilfield. He emphasized that dreams are profound and demand persistent effort, regardless of setbacks, urging her to find her true calling and pursue it relentlessly.
As Cheng Miaomiao enthusiastically declared her renewed commitment to her dreams, she stumbled, a small incident that underscored Cheng Pengfei's point about life's unexpected obstacles. The narrator reflects that though they never made it to Hong Kong or shone brightly in the performance, and had much to learn about adulthood, nothing ultimately surpassed the vibrant and lively spirit of their youth.
