Wind Direction Episode 7 Recap
> Wind Direction Recap
In the winter of 1987, Li Si promised Jia Daiyu and Hu Qiumin that he would protect them from anyone who dared to bully them. He even gave Jia Daiyu his precious "Skillful Star, Wanderer Yan Qing" hero card. The three children made a pinky swear, sealing their bond as an inseparable trio, and Li Si's uncle captured the moment with a photograph.
Years later, a police raid swept through a gambling den, and Jia Baoshan was among those arrested and cuffed as a prime culprit. Meanwhile, Jia Daiyu, Li Si, and Hu Qiumin arrived at the police station, having apprehended a swindler. To their surprise, they found Jia Baoshan there. When asked, Jia Baoshan claimed he was innocent and had been trying to stop criminals, not gamble himself, adding that he was there to give money to his uncle.
Li Si tried to explain to Cheng Miaomiao that he was a victim, falsely arrested after being robbed, and blamed Qiang Xiaowa. Cheng Miaomiao, however, quickly pointed out that Qiang Xiaowa had saved Li Si twice. Li Si's mother, Niu Lingling, was furious, comparing Li Si negatively to Cheng Yaya and wishing the police would lock him up. Present with his family, Cheng Yaya intervened, urging Niu Lingling to calm down, noting that the full story wasn't clear.
Li Si recounted his punishment at home, but Cheng Miaomiao insisted that he should repay Qiang Xiaowa's kindness, despite Qiang Xiaowa's reserved and often unfriendly demeanor. Cheng Miaomiao believed Qiang Xiaowa was self-conscious about his Mandarin skills. She also revealed that she had promised their teacher, Mr. Gao, that she would help Qiang Xiaowa integrate, and her upcoming class monitor election depended on it.
After leaving the police station, Qiang Xiaowa, speaking in his local dialect, confided in Li Si that many people in his village had lost everything in that gambling house. He highlighted the stark difference between the paved asphalt roads of Li Si's oilfield community and the muddy slush of his own village. Li Si, however, did not grasp the gravity of Qiang Xiaowa's words.
Back home, Jia Daiyu harshly reprimanded Jia Baoshan for gambling and, worse, for involving a student like Li Si. She forbade him from ever returning to her house. Jia Baoshan insisted he hadn't gambled and showed her his untouched money. He agreed to pay back the 500-yuan fine the following month, but Jia Daiyu still threatened to break his legs if he gambled again.
Li Si also faced consequences, receiving a family punishment from Niu Lingling that included losing his pocket money and spending the night squatting with a basin on his head. The next morning, Jia Baoshan quietly left early, Jia Daiyu's anger still unresolved. Cheng Miaomiao was determined to succeed in her mission to integrate Qiang Xiaowa into the class, seeing it as crucial for her class monitor election.
She tried various approaches: offering him Maltesers, tempting him with delicious meat buns, trying to help with his homework, and even sweeping around his desk. She invited him to play soccer, but Qiang Xiaowa mostly avoided her or dismissed her attempts. Li Si and Hu Qiumin noticed Cheng Miaomiao's intense focus on becoming class monitor.
Cheng Miaomiao later discussed Yuan Shanqing's constant tardiness with her friends, also mentioning her attempts to talk sense into her own brother, Cheng Yaya, to stop him from causing trouble at school. During a long-distance run in PE class, Qiang Xiaowa initially led the pack, but Li Si, fueled by competitiveness, surged ahead to take first place. Li Si boasted about his "usual performance" and ability to deliver at "critical moments."
Meanwhile, the school director, Xiao Wan, pressed Gao Feiyang again about Qiang Xiaowa's failure to wear his school uniform and get a haircut. Xiao Wan threatened to send Qiang Xiaowa back if he didn't comply, putting immense pressure on Gao Feiyang. Gao Feiyang tried to explain Qiang Xiaowa's unique background, suggesting a gradual approach, but Xiao Wan insisted on equal treatment for all students at the Oilfield Children's School.
After class, Gao Feiyang approached Qiang Xiaowa, offering him a free haircut and mentioning arrangements with the school's logistics department for his uniform, but Qiang Xiaowa remained unresponsive and unchanged. Later, at a bookstore, Li Si and Cheng Miaomiao were supposedly researching for exams but soon found themselves engrossed in martial arts novels.
They debated the meaning of "Ice Palm" and Zhang Wuji's feelings for Zhao Min, with Li Si humorously stating he'd marry Zhao Min for her wealth, beauty, and the protection of the Xuanming Elders. The conversation shifted to Linghu Chong and Ren Yingying, leading Li Si to declare that a man's first love is paramount and he would marry his.
Cheng Miaomiao, intrigued, pressed him about his "first love," which led Li Si to accidentally reveal a deep family secret: he once saw his father, Li Dahai, drunk and weeping in the stairwell, clutching a photograph of a woman named Bai Shuang. This revelation made Li Si suspect that his father had abandoned Bai Shuang to marry Niu Lingling solely for her father's influential position, leading him to believe his father didn't truly love his mother.
Cheng Miaomiao, hearing this, likened Li Dahai to the infamous "Chen Shimei" from Chinese folklore, known for abandoning his wife. On the day of the class monitor election, Cheng Miaomiao sought out Qiang Xiaowa, reminding him of their friendship and subtly asking for his vote, promising to look out for him. Qiang Xiaowa offered no verbal response. During the election, Cheng Yaya was successfully elected as Study Monitor.
For the Sports Monitor position, Cheng Yaya unexpectedly nominated Luo Zheng, arguing that his athletic prowess and strong sense of justice made him a better candidate than someone chosen purely for academics. Luo Zheng was elected, much to everyone's surprise. When the votes for class monitor were tallied, Cheng Miaomiao received only one vote, leaving her utterly distraught. She was particularly upset that Xu Wenwu, who she felt had contributed less to the class, had received more votes than her.
She emphasized her leadership in past events, like the tug-of-war, and her current efforts to help Qiang Xiaowa. Li Si, trying to console her, suggested that her initial motivation to help Qiang Xiaowa was indeed tied to the class monitor position. Cheng Miaomiao denied this, insisting her actions stemmed from a genuine desire to repay kindness and prevent bullying.
Later, Qiang Xiaowa confronted Cheng Miaomiao, bluntly telling her that her single vote proved she was not suited to be class monitor and implying she cried over it. Gao Feiyang found Cheng Miaomiao upset and offered solace, drawing parallels to the martial arts hero Qiao Feng, who was revered for his deeds rather than titles. He encouraged her to look beyond the immediate goal of being class monitor and aspire to the "wider world."
Cheng Miaomiao, wiping away tears, eventually came to terms with losing the election but reaffirmed her commitment to continue helping Qiang Xiaowa. Li Si and Hu Qiumin agreed to support her, though Li Si expressed frustration over Qiang Xiaowa's stubbornness. Li Si then offered Qiang Xiaowa a free haircut, but Qiang Xiaowa mistakenly perceived it as an insult regarding his family's financial situation.
The trio found themselves at a loss, reflecting on their close bond as an "inseparable trio" and Li Si's past generosity in supporting his friends. As the oil field's sports meet commenced, Cheng Yaya was observed learning the ropes of refereeing from his father. Cheng Miaomiao and Li Si were suddenly summoned to the bridge area, where they received urgent news that something had happened to Hu Qiumin.
