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XiGuang and mom have a candid chat about why she wants to sell shares. I have to admit surprise that she thought it worth her time trying to be ‘wifey’ material. Just shows how hard other people’s opinions can hit and make you question your place and value. This will be a good move for her and an assist to XiGuang…a definite win win. Nie was so sour at the signing. He is realizing she has shred the last bit of him and with no vested interest can be blamed for any failure on his part nor can he assume any credit for her work going forward. She is out from under his shadow and becoming the cloud that flies high. XiGuang tells her work friends who her mom is. They are definitely surprised but not criticizing her like her college friends. I have no clue why she wants to go to SiLiang’s bday party. This is the girl who quietly pined for Xu and is settling with her current bf. I don’t think there were ulterior motives this time, it was actually a fun meal and celebration. But that is all ruined thanks to Xu knowing she’s there. He was actually having a decent time celebrating Chris’ bday with colleagues. He should just finish the night with them. YuSen is meeting with his prior professor. Their brain interactive software would be a good fit for him. I don’t think he realized she felt he’d been poached by clinical medicine. He is attending a meeting and listening to the possibilities. She is definitely going to keep in touch knowing he wants to get back to medicine. He has signed for his Gpa’s shares so power is shifting with the companies. Waiting to see how that all plays out. The episode ends with Xu perking up at the mention of XiGuang and an invite.😝
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After Nie’s conversation at the Sheng home he tries to find dirt on Lin. We already knew there was none to find, but it did turn up his interest in XiGuang. For once him sticking in shed some light on misunderstandings. Her dad is very like Xu in his way or the highway.😝 I like that she stands up for herself. If he were a parent at all, this would have been disrespectful. But I think his own parents would have stood behind her and applauded at telling her dad what she thought of his judgments. Him throwing the fake daughter name in finally got a time and event placement for Lin’s interest. What I loved is that she went right to the source. At first I thought she was going to make the mistake of talking to fake sis. Lin saw her pacing, and like her, he went to the source. He went to his friend directly and got the tea on his date invite. The friend realized the mischief he had caused because he never anticipated them actually meeting and dating. I want to smack him but he was thoroughly embarrassed at his bad mistake and had been putting it off just like Lin had been. What is heartbreaking is how guilty Lin feels about his initial attitude with XiGuang. I am sure he is playing it all out in exact detail the numerous trials he added on her because of her ‘carefree and forgetting’ nature. He is beating himself up royally and doesn’t know where he goes from there. The one thing he does know is how she would have really reacted had it been her 2 yrs ago. There would have been no mistake of her concern for him. XiGuang now finally is piecing things together and understands why he had a grudge. It remains to be seen how she processes this, but at least she knows what really happened and who’s to blame. I think she is much like Lin and can forgive but we will have to see what hoops the drama chooses to give them. 😝 There was a good bit of discussion with her project and stage 2 progression. This will probably be good distractions for both of them to hurl themselves into work while they sort out things. Lin will finally be able to sort his past and know the girl he loved at first sight was not the carefree thoughtless girl that couldn’t be bothered to check on him in the hospital. Now it’s just waiting to see how long he takes to forgive himself and how XiGuang feels about this amalgam of events past and present. This episode just shreds you for him, but she is as bighearted as he is….I am very curious how she is going to process this information.
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The episode opens with Dr Lin doing an intricate surgery. He is praised by hospital staff for being an excellent doctor and for being kind. This is a rare combination for a surgeon. A friend calls for him to come to Wuxi for a date with Nie XiGuang. There is a flashback where he has seen her and he accepts the date but is in a horrible accident on the way. Just like Dr Strange a magnificent surgeon has his hands injured so that he can no longer be a surgeon. We now are at XiGuang’s uncle’s home and she is being teased by her cousin, Jian Rui. He is talking about a banquet with her father the previous week. This is where Dr Lin first saw her. XiGuang is tagged to open the door for new tutor and enter Zhuang Xu. Instant crushing from XiGuang. She decides to return to the dorm so she can study better and be in closer proximity to her crush. She comes to the dorm with tons of food when her crush comes up with a girl. The first thing Ye Rong does is introduce him with salary earnings and how he is treating them to dinner. During the meal XiGuang is trying to find out if they are friends or bf/gf. They act closer than friends but there is no confirmation if they are actually dating or not. They are finishing up their studies and talking about job plans. When XiGuang mentions Wuxi, Zhuang Xu started off encouraging her to consider options but then had to add leeching off her parents. He speaks to her like someone on the spectrum that has no filter. He speaks truth but bluntly and not with consideration for how his words are received. Her cousin gets her to do another inconvenient favor for him. He is a pain in the arse for her, but he is cute and good natured so she endures it. Everybody is surprised to see XiGuang back in the dorm and the roommates are telling Rong she needs to clarify her relationship with Zhuang Xu. She wonders if he has changed because he makes a good salary now. Her cousin sweetly greets her after the meal to ride home where she gets to hear her aunt and uncle give the gossip of her divorced parents. Her dad has a new gf and has accepted her daughter as his adding to the gossip. The group of friends are getting their resumes for a job fair and are surprised when XiGuang chooses to go along with them. Zhuang Xu’s words about the lackluster job in Wuxi has her chatting with a stray cat while pondering. 😂Zhuang Xu takes it upon himself to personally submit her resume to his senior in the company but she tries to politely steer him to other companies. Dr Lin is there and he now works for the company and looks over the resume personally. Lin wants to know why he is submitting her resume for her and his opinion of the company hiring her. When he exits the building he lies about where he submitted her resumes. Rong managed to lose her phone and upset she will miss interview news. She becomes jealous when XiGuang gets a call from Shengyuan which is her top choice for future employment. The episode ends with Lin looking over the resumes. This episode gave small slices of life to introduce the various characters in their home/school/work environments as well as how they interact with each other. There’s a lot going on but they are trying to establish why Lin is now at a company instead of hospital and that he has attitude where XiGuang is concerned. Both he and Zhuang Xu want her hired and it’s a good thing Rong only knows about Xu. 😝
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As with the episode of stepmom’s history, I had no interest in the self absorbed bullies of shogi family.😝 That she had the temerity to ask Asuka not to take him away from them😝omg as if she had any desire to do so. I enjoyed Asuka’s reaction to his complete bs monster excuse for deserting his ‘beloved’ family. He deserves the family he now has and they are well aware that he does. My favorite person in this episode was Yuna. She was palpably emanating all her positive energy Asuka’s way. I have no clue why she stayed with the brother, but love is blind. This finale game was not as riveting for me as I expected it to be. Yuna’s reaction was the most stand out for me. Asuka got to tell the shogi world to kiss off after the game but I am glad she allowed herself to enjoy the game and not let it rule her life negatively like her father and Todo did. She plays because she loves it, not possessed by the need to win. I was with her in how anticlimactic defeating him seemed when all was said and done. He gave himself a moment of fatherly pride at her soaring past him, but I could not appreciate it because of his treatment of his first wife and daughter. Once he bodily tossed Asuka out the door and told her to stop playing, he lost any fatherly right to appreciate her competence and skill with the game. This time with her mother’s ashes I didn’t find it creepy like I did with Todo’s dad’s ashes. She was letting her mom know she was going to live her best life and they were acknowledged by the third member of their family at least on paper. Her brother might be less of an ass in future and there is even a glimmer of hope for the dad. His second family may reach a better than tolerate each other stage. Asuka’s family is at the bar living out of the shadow of shogi and ushering in the new era of women joining the game. I wanted Asuka to have some response for her dad, but she was lost in the game still stunned that it was all over and she didn’t find the ecstasy she expected at beating him. She was happy she won the game but at this point I don’t think she really had any more feelings for her dad. She burned them up responding to his written words to Todo and once the game was truly won, there really was nothing she needed to say. The slap of the pieces on the board said everything that needed said between them.I have mixed feelings in how they ended this. They tried to soften the father’s desertion and make his family appear vulnerable. That didn’t work for me at all in both episodes where they visited their histories. The woman that died pining for his sorry ass deserved his acknowledgment in person before she died. That he lacked the spine to include them in his book said everything about him that we need to know. I liked that Asuka’s smile matched her mother’s when she won and Yuna exploding from her chair to cheer makes me hopeful those two will become shogi buddies for life. They can take turns beating up her little brother.😂🤣It’s a good watch even if you know nothing about the game. She wanted to overcome the shitty world her father had left her in and I think she was quite successful with that. She is playing the game on her terms and enjoying it, while Todo can let go and enjoy his family. The burning anger in both Asuka and Todo has been released and whether or not the father has learned anything, they are soaring high above him with no care in their eyes for anything except a shining future.
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All three are back working together to make trap for Kang. I thought they did quite a good job and was an especially nice touch to have police officer that started the case all those years ago be able to end it. This series did a good job with scamming the scammers while working on revenge. It had a ‘Leverage’ vibe to it and for the most part was well done. They seem to be gearing up for a second season which I will be sure to watch. My only complaint is not truly ending the revenge on Kang but leaving it open. The actors did a good job on their own without needing this device for a season two. For me, this downgraded the entire point of the season, to have a reckoning with the one that killed a father and traumatized a young child. I am disappointed that they thought they needed to carry this over to another season rather than ending it here and starting with a new case entirely. I would have accepted this better had he been dealt with in some fashion and then escaped or appealed out of it, but for him to never be caught officially, for me, undermined the point of the revenge and did not resonate well.
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Footprints of Change Episode 21
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Zhao was placed in a communist brig of some sort. Wen had made half the money and still coming up with the rest. I guess he did hear Fang or didn’t want to burden Yi, but he made a huge mistake not enlightening. Zhao gave his friend his watch to repair and they parted. Shortly after, Zhao committed suicide. Wen was devastated by the news. While he was processing the information in his study, Yi came over with window dressings for the house to lighten things up. She kept referring to Zhao helping her get Wen to appreciate finer things. At this point Wen burst out of the study, ripped the curtains down yelled about not needing or wanting those types of things and told her to get lost. She was desperate enough to ask directer Fang what was wrong and Fang told her about Zhao and that Wen had collapsed from an old war injury. She said he must not have trusted her like his first wife or she would have known these things. She left and her husband said Yi could not visit him in hospital that he needed his rest. Yi gave him six months of rest while she toured the north west getting more inspiration for her designs. She asked Qing to return his pen and camera right after she left. I have no pity for Wen here. His stance on strict oversight of himself for every possession, is as obsessive as Yang thinking he has the power and authority to do as he saw fit. Yang has been moved to a first floor quarters. I think this is so they can monitor him easier. It is obvious he is mentally unwell. Qing brought him some food and meds making it clear she was visiting for the committee and not herself. He tried to play up his loneliness and she took the liquor bottle out with her and said he should stay away from it and left. I am so glad she wasn’t even tempted with his routine. Her alone time with Yi has helped her become the sister she was always supposed to be. This time, you can see how fragile Yang is because he sits on his bed going how did I get here? This is one thing I think he and Zhao felt similarly. Their vices took them from the things truly important and ultimately broke their spirits. When Yi came back from her adventures, she was happily greeted by Qing and head seamstress. Her designs did well in the contest, so she was happy with the news. Qing told her she got into school and wanted to show Yi her class. She took her where she could see Wen teaching and mentioned that he had started teaching classes because somebody had told him the story of Marpessa. While Yi is staring at Wen, Qing screams for him and runs away. 😂 I was not sure if I would ever like that young lady but I find that I do. She will find her own way just like Yi did. Wen saw her and left his class to give her a hug. She already figured out while she was gone why he didn’t tell her the sad things. She told him she didn’t need his protection of the bad stuff. They needed to face it together. His class runs out to spy on them and he hugs her tighter.🥰 I do not know how much time has passed, but Wen’s son has gone from an angry adolescent to an angry man. He has cut ties with his father and Yi is trying to negotiate. He is not having his daughter share his name and if they write to her, the letters will be sent to his workplace and he will choose if to read them to her. It is not said why he left, but I am guessing between Wen not helping the family that raised him and Zhao taking his life that he felt his dad was both responsible and could have prevented it. He is right, but life is complicated. As he grows older and his daughter grows up he might come to understand his father better. In 1984 Wen passed away and left all his savings to his granddaughter. It is not said if the family reconciled, but at least she and Yi seem close. The 50’s arc ends with no further comment about Qing or Wen’s daughter. I found this arc as interesting as the first, but the transition to start and end it did not flow so well. We are now in the 90’s and back to the wedding Ye Xi Ning was visiting. She is meeting the brother of the groom and they commiserate how they were used for cash and life had greatly changed because of what the couple did. We are not told why they stole, just that they used those closest to them to get the cash and then disappeared leaving a wake of financial ruin for the unsuspecting victims. XiNing had saved herself by pawning Cheng’s watch. Seems it was worth the 50k to counter the theft. The young man she was meeting, was not as fortunate. The groom stole his US Visa and stole 60k from the faculty using his name. The college gave him two months to repay and suspended his classes. This also caused his trip abroad to never happen. His drinking celebration over his US Visa with friends gave the groom the opportunity for the identity theft. Why they did what they did is still the biggest mystery.
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Footprints of Change Episode 19
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I am very annoyed with Zhao. He’s having an affair and that is why the guy in white suit calls him brother in law. He’s the brother of the mistress. Zhao’s wife knows something is up and tries to talk with Wen, but he can’t imagine his friend acting like Fu.😝His ‘check in’ with Wen was to be with his wife as the four of them shared a meal. It goes to a cute scene where Yi has thrown away the collapsed chair and bought him a nice one for his study. It is not decorative and is simply a good quality plain chair. She tells him she understands his principles but he doesn’t have to be an ascetic monk. She agrees not to throw out anything again without discussing it. She later sees him mending his daughter’s dress and she sees more evidence of his frugality. She is going to convince him that a firm mattress is better than a board to sleep on.😝😂 They are cute at the bus stop not wanting to say goodbye before work. 🥰 An old friend has come to visit and his son and Wen’s are similar age. He is hoping Wen will keep his son in Shanghai and find a position for him. His friend plans on returning home as he has a job lined up. Wen will not guarantee a job and the old guy gets upset. This crying is very exaggerated and does not go with the calm softer way his chat has been. His son gets irate because this family pretty much raised him and he thinks his father is wrong to not help. Yi offers a temp job at her shop but Wen doesn’t think she has the authority to do that. Here Wen should have let Yi decide her own terms where her workplace is involved. This is where he is too meticulous in appearing above board. Kindness can be rewarded without it being improper. The boys run off and Wen let’s the father know he will keep the boys in Shanghai a few days and not to worry. He sees his friend off and then heads out with Yi and food to find the boys. Wen’s son is still seething. He thinks he is owed an apology and reflection paper. Yi hands them food and Wen tells his son about his mother. She and Wen were fighting guerillas and their son was starving. To keep him safe they left him with their friends but she was devastated they had to make that choice. He wanted his son to understand why he was so angry when he spoke badly of her. Yi steps up and said they were here so his father could apologize and write a reflection paper. 😂 Zhao was there at the house having an arm wrestling contest between the boys. When his son didn’t want to try, Yi assured him he could win. Yi and Zhou made sure that he did.😂 Her uniform design task is down to the last 2 months and she needs inspiration. She is looking through Wen’s books and he helps her find the right one. Here they have a chat about Greek mythology. He likes Prometheus and she likes Marpessa. When he asked why she said she just wanted to live a simple ordinary life. When he gives her the camera, she should have told him it wouldn’t be proper and see what he had to say😝😂 She accepted it kindly because it was meant for her to take pictures for inspiration with her designing. This is the first episode that hasn’t flowed nicely. They were trying to cram too much past and present to finish things up with this arc.
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Footprints of Change Episode 17
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Minister Wen was a bit flustered after getting measured for new uniform.😂 The gulping water to cool down spoke volumes.🤣 After measuring, while on the bus, she ruminates on her encounters with Wen. He is actually there waiting for her to get off the bus to talk. Here is where I wish she would have let him say what he wanted to say. She gave him a way out and he took it. If he can’t fight for her, he doesn’t deserve her. Qing is not only trying her hand at matchmaking, she is appointing herself as chaperone.🤣 To her credit, she at least got in the vicinity of correct unlike Wen’s matchmakers. I think she considers him a candidate because he is nothing like her brother. I don’t see Yi interested in anybody Qing can boss around.😝And is this the director’s assistance to distract from Wen? Qing has adjusted pretty quickly to the idea of Yi finding someone else so I am thinking her comrades must have had some influence. This is both better and worse for Yi. I had a good chuckle when she stashed the professor’s flowers in Qing’s pocket and said these are for you.😂🤣 Fu is shmoozing with directer Zhao. He wants him to drive his Mercedes around longer. I am disappointed that he isn’t firmer about leaving his gifted watch on. Yang , Directer Fang, and Wen are seeing Yang off with his new employer. The one thing I have appreciated this episode is that both Qing and Yang have less volume. My ears thank you. Wen notices Fu’s car but also the change in license plates. Here I fear his buddy may really be like Dalun. He is noting his friend commenting on the plates. It skips to the finishing up of the blind date meeting for Yi. Qing actually tries to sound like a mother explaining why Yi needs time.😝🙄 This child is very damn clueless on propriety. At this point the last thing Yi wants is a double date with sis and Yang so she sets up her own meeting at the studio and professor Xu rides off happily. He is an odd duck spouting out Italian phrases in Qing and Yang volume.😝😂 Yi’s response…are you done? She tells him quite candidly she doesn’t like him and that she likes someone else. 😂 Zhao visits Wen and has gifts. Wen is noticing his friend liking finer things. Wen understands that small bribes lead to bigger ones so he tells his friend to talk to him before anything happens. Qing 😂🤣 Yi has finally had it with her and treats her like the irritable child she is.😂🤣 Qing trying to talk softly is somewhere between a whisper and squeaking like when you have laryngitis.😝😂 Yi has had enough of their gossip and finally makes it clear she will file charges if they keep it up. Yay for her. She gets back to work and head seamstress shows up. She mentions that Wen assigned her the job. Her family shows up and the kids are hungry so Yi surprises her by suggesting they go to her place to get noodles. Wen and Zhao start well looking at new project site but things go downhill rapidly when a young man calls him brother in law and wants to use his car. Zhao tells him no and the kid flattens his tire for him. Zhao and Wen have it out about gift receipts. Here I think Wen goes overboard in accepting nothing, but after seeing his friend I understand why. He wants his friend to report the car and his friend refuses. Wen is totally pissed off and heading to town on foot and the episode ends.
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Footprints of Change Episode 16
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Qing is with director Fang whining because she doesn’t think Yi should be allowed to ever be interested in another man. Wonder how she would feel if the director said she and Yang not compatible and can’t get married? Her youth and devotion to brother quite evident. This is why Yi takes it in stride and the director finds it adorable. Yi and head seamstress agree there is something missing from clothing line and seamstress suggests a walk. This is kinda sad that Yi didn’t think this permissible. She mentions her bike and Qing is out fixing it. She has no clue what her sis in-law is capable of when Yi says where she’s been on a bike and carrying it if something happened. Qing is so sure she is lying that she mocks the very idea. She wants that bourgeois tag on Yi’s forehead saying fragile and spoiled with no work capabilities. Wen spots her as she’s sketching and Yi finds herself on an unexpected adventure. They have noodles at a friend’s new eatery and Wen wants to supervise how to eat. When she serves him soup his friend wants served too.😂They are so like Ao and Dalun with Yi Sun in back. It took his friend a minute to get why Wen wanted him to slow down. When the car overheats, Wen finds fruit and friend tells her about the jeep’s military exploits. It is hilarious that Wen doesn’t want his friend to have any.😂 Yi eats one and hands him the rest. Wen isn’t as enthused with that but he gives his friend permission. It is really funny watching the buddy be Wen’s wingman.😂🤣Wen wants to be gallant and wash her handkerchief but slides in the water instead. He is embarrassed but he brushes it off pretty well. She finds herself invited to the daughter’s bday party where she sees Wen has a HS aged son and the daughter. The children spend the bulk of their time living at school which is part of the concessions a single dad has to accept. Yi offered to go help in the kitchen but Wen takes her to his study instead. His frugality is noted when the chair collapses under her. 😂🤣Looking around the house this has to remind her of how her husband would live if necessary. There is a nice selection of books and music but there is a complete absence of decorative decor. He watches her look through his books and notes she takes out the one her husband did not get to read. Their conversation is interrupted by director and the nurse who wasn’t invited. She puts the nurse and Yi in the kitchen to show off the young woman’s culinary skills. I do not understand why she thinks Wen would want to date someone barely older than his son. Can you picture that nurse his stepmom? She is as hopeless as his buddy if she thinks that doe eyed school age girl would appeal to an honorable, refined and educated middle aged man. Here she shows she is the labor party wife and not scholar magistrate mentality. Wen takes the nurse to the study for a chat and the director takes Yi out for one as well. It is funny how she declares feudalism with women having to stay single forever is abolished while simultaneously being the empress dowager director declaring Wen must have the proper wedding alliance. 🙄😝 It is so funny when these people pronouncing judgment never see themselves doing the same thing. She brushes the children aside for her important conversation when it was supposed to be their day and it is their home.😝🙄Yi tells her straight up that they have read her diary and know her thoughts on what she finds important. She just wants to make a living and doesn’t expect anything. Now the dowager pshaws that notion and said she should make opportunity. She might just have to lower her expectations. Her arrogance is straight up royal full of yourself crap. The crime they accuse Yi of.😝🙄Minister Wen has put it in simplest enough terms that the nurse finally understands. She is far from stupid she just naively believed wholeheartedly the exaggerations and flat out lies the director told her. And she gets mad at Wen rather than the one who lied.😝 Director empress dowager has made it clear Yi doesn’t measure up. She boldly tells her conversation with Yi and that she sent her on her way. Wen is annoyed he is in hot water with his guest and that director took it upon herself to be the head of his home.😝 Yi works all night and is slammed with a new ‘have to do’ task. She must make them uniforms. She says she isn’t familiar with men’s clothing and someone more capable should do it. The seamstress slams it down and says refusal is not an option. I really wanna know where her creative mind will take her with this task. As far as empress dowager director Fang goes, Wen has an ace if willing to use it. She wants her lackey Yang and he wants to date Yi. He will swap a Yi for a Yang. Neither will like that arrangement, but both would get their way where it matters most to them. I really hope this comes into play because I would love to watch her face through this negotiation. How much does her chosen boy really mean to her?
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Footprints of Change Episode 15
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The director is trying to push Yang’s promotion and Wen is the only holdout. She argues like Yang with him but she makes no more progress. He tells her to let the committee decide. This is a two edged sword for her. She swings it often to bend other’s wills but now that it swings against her she is frustrated. Wen has a very cute daughter. Yi was quite patient with her when the child was restless waiting on dad. Seems she likes art too but Wen refused Yi giving her a sketchbook because he doesn’t want it seen as a bribe. At the hospital Wen wants to tell the nurse he’s not interested but she gets called away by her job. Yang makes excuse to see Qing. I want to find it cute but still struggling. My bias against him is quite strong. It is interesting to me that he chose the same gift as Wen for Yi, a pen. Here he wants Qing to practice her calligraphy. He has invented his own style. This was a surprise for me that gives me a bit of hope for him. He did not want to just be seen as a master’s copier. He wanted anything he wrote down to be recognized as his work specifically. I did not expect one so zealot in behavior could have an understanding and appreciation of individuality. This is the first time I have something in agreement with him. Our handwriting and signature is how we can be seen on paper. It lets the world see our style and personality on paper. Wen gave Yi Yuan’s interrogation file and his final letter. It was a hard gift to receive but it gave her an insight to his last thoughts. Yang and Qi cornered her about going to a meeting and Yi surprised them by saying yes. I found it humerous that Qing tries to have him learn an inside voice instead of yelling. She is the first one to counter his complaints about the dark with why didn’t you bring them? He had to reflect for a moment. He brought candles and expected her to have the matches.😂He sees her as his complement and she really is. Usually this is where I get a warm fuzzy at a budding romance, but I can’t get past the stereo shrieking they will do.😝😂 Maybe they will both learn inside voices. Yi shares her husband’s last letter instead of the prepped speech Yang had written out for her. I like that she both respected and defied their attempts on interpreting her public thoughts. In the workshop a granny comes in and starts beating on a young worker. Her husband died early and she had remarried. The first mother in law counted it a betrayal because their custom was to stay single for the rest of their days after husband died. Here is where Yi stood up all pro party lines. Too bad director wasn’t there to witness. She forcefully told the Gma that in new China the feudal ways were no longer the standard. That they were allowed marriage and the freedom to work and make their place within the party. Here the first bit of understanding why the old regime was ousted. These were her own pet peeves with men ordering her about— deciding who and when she could marry, and claiming her inheritance, work and earnings for themselves. Now women were on an equal status for work. The new girl is the one that told on the young girl’s whereabouts. They were from the same town and new girl thought that was a way to diminish competition. Yi catches her in the act of gossiping and calls her on it. The Gma has actually started a brawl on the work floor and is escorted out. Qing and the leader hold her to task for gossiping against the widowed martyr. Here is where they missed what should have been addressed. The old woman trying to enslave a young girl to family tradition and feudal thinking. Here is where the party showed they were of like ilk because they did not value Yi as a person, but as the wife of a revered martyr. I think they expect her to keep that status indefinitely. Qing asking if she was so naive about rumors. However, in spite of her coarse criticism she is right. Lies told often become truth to the masses that don’t care or bother about what is really true. The irony is she never considered repeated accusations by the party made false evidence believed as truth. It’s the flip side of the coin. Yang has received a job offer as a reporter and Wen is all for it. As he re aligns the sofa doilies he is practically doing a happy dance that Yang will be gone and in a job where he can’t be as harmful to others with his judgments. The director tries to corner Wen about begging for Yang to stay. Wen is not biting and now director can feel what it’s like to be manipulated by party job offers. Qing has made herself Yi’s personal assistant. She wants to stick like glue to her. Yi questions why. I think there is a low key desire to learn how to date from someone she respects. Yi sees her as an extension of Yang’s monitoring and Qing can’t deny it. When Qing won’t leave, Yi does. Yi is appreciating the new freedoms in the workplace due to new leadership. But the strings attached monitoring of all things personal wears at her soul. This is why she told Wen she is appreciating the party more but sees herself better as one who watches the watchers. I love her determination to take the difficult but most true path for herself. She will follow nobody blindly. Aunt SiYun and her father taught her that very early on. She has her aunt’s spine and determination to follow a course of her choosing. She is starting to find it.
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The episode starts with a chat about bday gifts. When Tang asks Xun when his bday is, he has no response. In his entire life he has never once celebrated his bday. She declared 9 Nov his bday and that they would be celebrated every year. His tearful face at having somebody love him and make a day for him. Their happiness turned into a nightmare. They are running and bloody and he has a knife. I am guessing they had their last fight with Bao et al. At least they are all alive. All three guys went to jail for various time lengths. Xun got 13 yrs for involuntary manslaughter. Since Cha said he owed him money, I am wondering if he took the worst crime to keep his friend out of trouble. When jailed he refused to see Tang. She reached a point where she wanted to end it all and walk into the sea, but as she was giving up, she heard Xun’s voice in her head telling her to live well. She got herself together, unburied her cookie tin with their keepsakes and went to college. She ran into Hao who gave her the memorial plot address for Xun. He was not really dead but he did not want to lessen her life with his past crimes. He did try to call her once but when he heard her son call her mom, he figured she was married and better off without him. Every year on 9 Nov she cleaned his memorial and left a bday cake and flowers. She did this for decades. The episode ends with them being old and she still delivers the cake. This year she just gave him the cake and said goodbye, she usually sat and chatted with him but this time it was just happy bday and leaving. He is there watching and as she leaves he still doesn’t say anything but cries bitterly. His life had changed significantly after prison. He promised he would visit his friend’s family because he would not live to see them. That sweet little girl kept asking him questions and he committed to be with them every day. He became the Gma’s son and became father to Nian. It was not the family he had planned, but it was the family that needed him. He looked after them well for as long as they were under his care.
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Footprints of Change Episode 14
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Yi goes to the memorial that has Zhou Yuan’s name on it. Her grief is palpable. Wen knows she is there and stays with her. She thanks him for finding out the truth about her husband. I am thinking that he ran into people like Mr Gu and that had him join. He and Cheng were far less concerned with politics and steadfast in wanting best for China. All parties have good and bad. I am sure Zhou Yuan would have been less happy with Yang and his influence over wife and sister. She is young and her husband’s sister so Yi treats her with far more courtesy than she receives. Fu is happy for her. They have ‘allowed’ her to go back to her home and given her a job she is well suited for. They completely sweep under the rug that this is what they should have done from the beginning. They started their relationship with the stick and then thought she’d be grateful for the carrot. 😝 They would have been far more successful had they respected her from the beginning as a valuable asset to their organization. For Yi, that ship has sailed. The sis in law, how her tone changes from Yi to Fu. She is a decade younger and thinks she can school Yi about men.😝 she could have shared time waiting for brother with Yi. She had five years. Now that she thinks she has brother’s approval she wants to be sisterly. She doesn’t get that maybe all these things are too painful for Yi knowing he is dead. Why would she want to have a youthful dead husband picture in her face right now. She is so obtuse to how she’s been treating Yi. She honestly thinks her presence is appreciated. Yi doesn’t hate her, but she has no reason to have deep affection for her either. Yi tried subtly and spoke often of her brother and always with love, but the sis never accepted it because of her youthful mindset. She could not claim her brother and fall in line with the party. She couldn’t reconcile that and took it out on Yi. I don’t hate the young woman for her conflict, but her distasteful bossing of Yi should register how discourteous it is. The fact that she doesn’t grasp that leaves little ground for establishing a better relationship. She may grow up enough to be more like her brother, but with Yang’s constant presence and the manipulative director, the chances are slim for her. The director is still keeping eye via sis in law. She is the one assigning her Yi I am sure. 😝 Yi has requested to go abroad, and now the organization doesn’t want her to go. Wen tries to urge her to see the rejuvenated Shanghai as a result of liberation efforts. This angle should have started years ago.😝Minister Wen is at hospital to visit chief Yan. The nurse kicks him out of the room and director shows up. The director is trying to get Wen to consider the nurse. She is as good as his friend in matchmaking.😂😝 She is pretty and much like how sis is with Yang once she finds out who he is. The last thing he wants is a sycophant partner.😝 The director sees him eyeing Yi and wants an approved party wife for him. Good luck with that director.😂🤣😝 The chief never showed, the director tried hard to make that an impromptu date. Dinner between shifts 😂😝 now Qing wants her to give stories of her brother’s heroism to the class. Yi didn’t even know he was communist, what was she supposed to fabricate for them?😝 I found it touching what she tried to share with them. The last dress her husband had made for her. It was too subtle and the two loudmouths kept any chance from learning away from the group. Fu invited her to the club for a last gathering. The organization would have better plans. He is considered a reprobate because he has three concubines. Yuan was his friend anyways. And any man that deliberately chooses to have more than one woman, has already cloaked himself in estrogen storm. 😂he merits whatever hassle they give him. Yi, on the other hand did not. She was actually rescued by her comrade sisters. What struck Yi the hardest is when the local supervisor joined Qing in demanding tales of the great martyr. She was stunned that her husband’s affiliations is why they view her now as trustworthy. She doesn’t know what to do with that thinking. She is not deliberately other from them. She is just as unfamiliar with their experiences as they are from hers. Wen strongly urges her to change her thinking. He is not rude and expresses it calmly, but he is quite direct. Qing shows up with tea eggs and wants forgiveness. Yi obliges. The demanding of communal clap and the female Yang shouting makes what should have been a sweet scene off putting. She could have had a quiet meeting of apology but wants the party included admiring her actions. Wen visits Yi after the scene at the club. He finds she doesn’t need comfort and he learns of some of her experiences with the army. She asks him directly as an intellectual how he adapted. It all came down to taking the time to know and understand the other side. To not decide arbitrarily that someone is too stupid to understand. The head seamstress never understood that her skills were always appreciated and worth notice. The bosses didn’t understand that needed to be heard and understood by the crafters. Respect, courtesy and appreciation should go both ways. Here Yi understands where she was obtuse taking it as a given they knew their skills were appreciated. Her silence gave them the impression she was cold and arrogant. She now knows to take the time to ask them directly for their opinions and to acknowledge the product is better when there is understanding of what makes the work easier and still has the desired end result. Wen’s gift of the pen is like his watch gift to his buddy. It is flawed but works well if know how to use. 😂😁 They have mutual respect which is a good foundation for friendship. The episode ends with the buyers for club coming to look over the property and make bids. Jian is there and director Cheng. Is he the Cheng we know or just same name? And is this the Jian Zhou Yuan knew? This marks the end of an era when times were more carefree for the upper class. This episode makes you look at how biases effects how we see people. It filters our perception. We are shown that often the thing most required to understand people we don’t agree with ideologically, is to force ourselves to remove those personal biases and simply see the person as a fellow human being. Changes in perception can enlighten understanding from the shared commonalities rather than focus on the differences.
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Footprints of Change Episode 13
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Wen said that before liberation people were made ghosts, and this is definitely true. He also said the liberation made those ghosts back to people. That is also true. But it fails with intellectuals, white collar workers, and people who had their own means of supporting themselves by making them ghosts. Suppression is still alive and well. The only thing is the suppressed have become the suppressors. Her sis in law has become a Yang mini me. I can’t find her crush on him cute because she is treating others just like he does. I couldn’t sympathize with him about the loss of his mom because they literally forced him to go home and he was so determined to suppress the evil capitalist, that he saw that as the better way to spend his time. I don’t even have words for that miserable wretch that said the dress was for her granddaughter and then sold it. Sending her home is something they probably dread more than she does.😝 Yi turned her down flat with her business plan, and was actually trying to motivate herself teaching the classes they forced on her. But those actions and efforts were not considered by the organization. She was condemned for making 3 dresses and the true guilty one was ms truthful neighbor😝 for pointing the blame to the one they wanted guilty. Yang saw her conditions, mocked her to work with her hands, and then condemned her for doing it. He then went on to denounce Minister Wen and made himself the law of the land because he was in charge of the local businesses. Truth was whatever he said it was. So, while the power of leadership has definitely shifted, how much has truly changed? If you have to live as a spy and report every infraction to party line rules, how is that existence so much better? Yi was supposed to rejoice that her husband turned out to be a loyal communist so now she is trustworthy and has a legacy to continue. She hasn’t changed, their perspective lense now allows her to be who she is. Sis acting joyful that she could talk to her now. Why should Yi rejoice? They could have always spoken. I am glad she left while the director was still talking. What could her words possibly mean to her other than confirming the death of her husband? No other words mattered. The majority of people think things will improve when power is exchanged. The potential is indeed there. But the roots of greed and power tend to corrupt any leadership. When the suppressed are put in charge, one would think those who were bullied would be the best masters. But often they just turn into bigger bullies. I am thinking Minister Wen’s business trip was to find out what exactly happened to Zhou Yuan. What I am curious about now is if Yi will leave Shanghai now? There is no reason to wait or stay.
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Footprints of Change Episode 12
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Yi has had to move from her home. She now has a garret space to stay in. The comrades responsible for her make sure she feels every minute. They have the fake syrupy condescending tone of the chief’s wife down pat. Yi is getting a bird’s eye view how the party saying it’s for the people is only for some of the people.😝 This is another attempt by the friendly neighborhood comrades to get her to leave Shanghai. While she appears to be bullied, she is quietly and resolutely holding her ground. She wins by staying in the city of her choice in spite of their crap. They think she is too weak from wealth to deal with harsh conditions. They have no clue what her family put her through. Compared to her father and gma, these naggy old biddies are nothing to her. That is why she does not bother angering them. That’s wasted effort. Mr Fu is trying to be helpful in his blundering way. He is cowardly, but truthful. The one thing Minister Wen got from the conversation about ZhouYuan is that he lived with integrity and humility. He had good taste in his preferences, but not pretentious. Fu was trying to send business Yi’s way and the one thing that did score a point for biddy was demanding her seamstress skills. This was the first time a bit of fear showed in Yi’s eyes. Minister Wen stops by. I like their conversation about garrets and the inspired artists and authors who created in these spaces. He notes the meager living arrangements and that she doesn’t complain about them. He encourages Yi to get along with her neighbors. But if he was neighbors with Yang’s ilk and charm, how much would he want to mingle?😝 Like most youth flexing their almost adult wings, her sis in law felt entitled to read Yi’s diary and demand compliance to the new party. She doesn’t have enough interest in history or life experience to choose to think for herself. She is easily indoctrinated to ‘better ways.’ She is also so angry and miserable about her brother. Her pet peeve right now is that she and sis in law are on same page where her brother is concerned. It tickles the back of her mind that he would have nothing to do with the organization she prizes so highly now. She wants to drown that sentiment out by making Yi fall in line. I hope at some point they can have a real conversation, but again, politics can really tear up families. I liked Yi’s stance on not pride of being Shanghainese but respecting her identity. That is what all parties ‘ of the people ‘ want to make us forget — who we are as individuals and how that makes the world better. It is harder to keep people as sheep when they have individual thought. Anything not coarse and unrefined is seen as bourgeois, so they conveniently label Yi as such without even knowing her. They vent their conflicts with status and wealth on her and make her the pariah and scapegoat. She is the one that needs retrained to their thinking. This is pretty indicative of all ‘inclusive’ parties. You are welcomed as long as your opinions don’t disagree with their party line. The surprising thing is Yi takes her diary and turns it in, the second surprising thing is her bold stance of demanding immediate judgment. She is going to wait til they read and evaluate it on the spot. She knows if she leaves, it’s all over. Her sis in law has to blab to Yang in her self righteous little rant. They go storming in to find her already there. Unfortunately for Yi, little miss chatty Cathy now has made it so Yang is in charge. He makes everything an interrogation. I have to smirk when the brainwashed kid has no clue how to answer. She finally lets some truth out and immediately gets yelled at for it. I absolutely loved Wen’s response to Yang, I think your diary had some negative remarks too. How about we get yours out pass it around and discuss it. Wen gets summarily dismissed by my favorite organization lady.😝 Her private admonishing of Yang proves she knows he’s not fit for the job. She just wants a loud guard dog to intimidate people. 😝 The only good thing is that the sister is getting to work out some of her emotional turmoil about her brother. She has admitted the real circumstances of Yi’s family and deep down wants to do the right thing. This is more peripherally for her brother, but at least she still cares about him. She just has few qualms throwing Yi under the bus if necessary. Yi warns Fu to keep his distance right when her ‘escort’ arrives to take her home. She is now expected to join activities that will introduce her to all her lovely neighbors. Yi collapses when she gets home. Not surprising since she’s been living on coffee and water.😝 They are keeping her diary and there’s no telling who all they are going to share it with. She now has to write a reflection paper so that she doesn’t have a charge on her record. Yep, that’s pure freedom for the people right there.😝I am starting to think lady comrade that came at her so fiercely is seeing that Yi is not at all what she expected. In her own way, other than Wen, she is actually trying to be kinder. Minister Wen and his friend remind me of Ao and Dalun😂 His buddy thinks he has found Wen the ideal woman and their meal turns into a blind date. This snobby woman couldn’t be more of a misstep then if he was actually trying to sabotage Wen on purpose. Since they are supposed to be condemning wealth, surprised the comrade knew all the best places in town to eat.😝 Hypocrisy runs deep in all political parties. That is the one true common denominator for every single one of them.😝 This drama is doing an excellent job moving forward in time and keeping the story going. All of the conflicts in this time frame also hit home today as history often repeats itself. There is one mystery Minister Wen learned from sis in law. ZhouYuan had his sister deliver a book to someone named Jian. She was asked to keep it secret even from Yi. So who is Jian and what intel was in book he was passing along?
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While SiYun is rallying herself together Cheng and Shen are bickering in the adjoining room. When she is finally tired of it she leaves to find Mrs Shen. Her son tells her how Mr Dong got a bit out of hand but was handled. She corners them with who introduced her question and son has to admit fault. She is far from happy and offers to personally escort her to the right people for investing. Cheng assured her that there will be no repeats. Mrs Shen asks Si Yun directly that with Mr Dong being an issue things might get difficult and Si Yun lets her know her clinic will happen no matter how difficult. There is a man killed in the bathroom and everybody is getting checked at the door. The waiter who has had two other names tossed around is also Mr Gu from shantytown. They are holding him at the door and Cheng and father get him out. He does remember to go back and get Si Yun. There is a father/son chat about Mr Gu and Cheng is strongly warned about not getting involved in politics. This is also where mentioned Cheng is adopted son. The house has been purchased by Mrs Shen and she comes to get paperwork. Si Yun then learns that Mrs Shen is considering this her investment and she wants the hospital here. Yi Sun can’t believe her good fortune. As it is changed to be a hospital Cheng visits and offers his legal services. She is not to worry about paying he considers himself a second investor. I like where Cheng is cornered by Ms Shen and asked directly if he has feelings for Si Yun, his response, I simply have no feelings for you.😂Then when asked who is better he responds Si Yun is excellent and he gave no such recommendation for her. I don’t think he would have typically been that harsh, but she needed to truly understand he wasn’t interested. The niece returns from school and sees the new hospital coming into shape. She is headed to her old room now part of the dormitory. It was cute watching her guy bring in her luggage for her and then immediately excuse himself. Cheng then has a chat with his sidekick and son about the military. Dad is all against and Cheng supports him. During training there was an issue where the boy was beaten and jailed for communist thinking. He wanted clarification about why politics were more important than fighting invasion forces. This went to court and the jury is out tho it looks promising to go his way. Si Yun invites Ao to lunch and the kid responds. When chastised by his dad, Cheng includes them. Si Yun wasn’t as happy but said that is what Mr Cheng wanted.😂 I don’t think he will be asked out again any time soon.😂They are headed out for food and episode ends.
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