The New World: Episode 15

Sharing is caring!

*WARNING*: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. If you DO NOT want to be spoiled, please DO NOT read. You have been warned.

So after Chen Jie disclosed of Dong Han and Zi Yan’s relationship–or so he had guessed from all their interactions in the past, Yong Mei kept a closer eye on Zi Yan after Chen Jie delivered the tray of juices and cookies for her.

While that was going on, Zi Hong and Miao Miao returned to the forest to check it out, like they had talked about the previous day. They found out that the wooden tags were all gone, including Xiao Cao’s. It didn’t get dropped on the ground or anything like that. At least there wasn’t a trace of it. As Miao Miao was pondering about it, Zi Hong was forced to remember back to the poem that Grandpa Yang had recited in his letter to Miao Miao, and then also the poem that Xiao Cao had sent to Dong Han as a note previously. When Miao Miao asked, Zi Hong presented a possible case, stating that the person who came back to get the rest of the wooden tags wasn’t Xi Shuai but Xiao Cao.

On the other hand, Yang Yong Zhao finally made his move. Wearing an over-sized coat helped. Because he was able to conceal explosives inside the coat and managed to plant it on one of the locations. Then Xiao He finally managed to track down Dong Han’s mother. Or more like some other police officers had tracked her down and she said she’d been visiting friends these past few days. However, when Xiao He tracked her cell phone signals, it showed that she was at another location. The strangest thing was how she was at Yang Yong Zhao’s place.

Then it was back to Zi Hong and Miao Miao. Miao Miao was wondering why her grandpa’s letter and Xiao Cao’s note were from the same poet. Zi Hong pointed out that Dong Han and Grandpa Yang’s goals didn’t just include setting off an explosion to send a message. Miao Miao knew Zi Hong meant Jiang Jian Ming was the target yet she pointed out that the security was high at this point so it would be impossible for anyone to go near the place, even if it was Dong Han. Zi Hong said what if there was someone else at the Luo resident that was part of the plan. Miao Miao asked, “It’s her?” Who was she thinking about?

While they were waiting for new development (or whatever it was), Chief Zheng was thinking about what they’d learned so far with Yang Yong Zhao. He couldn’t believe it that Yang Yong Zhao had anything with this madness–or if he could figure it out. Yet he had some suspicions. It was too much of a coincidence. So belong long, he told Ah Gang to go find Yang Yong Zhao before calling Xiao He up. As that was going on, Dong Han was seen somewhere setting up a laptop. Was he getting ready for the final move?

Yong Mei finally approached Zi Yan to talk instead of spying on her from afar. Or more like, Zi Yan had spotted her minutes ago so she couldn’t hide anymore. Yong Mei’s first words to Zi Yan were asking Zi Yan why Zi Yan didn’t tell her that Zi Yan also liked Dong Han. Yong Mei actually apologized for not knowing, because she only focused on herself. Zi Yan asked Yong Mei why she was talking about that at such a time. Yong Mei recounted what Chen Jie told her, regarding how he wanted to drink Zi Yan and Dong Han’s ‘happy wine.’ Since Zi Yan didn’t say anything, Yong Mei continued on by asking if Dong Han also liked Zi Yan. Zi Yan didn’t say anything either so Yong Mei asked if Zi Yan could tell her. Zi Yan told her not to ask. Yong Mei insisted, saying she wanted to know. Yong Mei said perhaps Zi Yan had misunderstood. Zi Yan asked Yong Mei what she meant. Yong Mei said maybe Dong Han didn’t like Zi Yan yet Zi Yan had misunderstood. Zi Yan told Yong Mei not to say those hurtful words. Yong Mei yelled out that Zi Yan was hurting her by not telling her. (Really?) Then Yong Mei apologized, saying that she was the one who hurt Zi Yan. She said she initially thought that she could start over with Dong Han since she was carrying his baby. She never meant to hurt anyone, but just wanted to love someone. Yong Mei persisted again, asking why Zi Yan didn’t tell her earlier. Zi Yan finally spoke up, saying it was because she couldn’t say it out. When Yong Mei asked why, Zi Yan repeated her previous statement, telling Yong Mei not to ask because it was a secret. She said that there were things that could never be explained yet there were also things that could be explained within the next second. Yet she said Yong Mei could be reassured because Dong Han liked her. When Yong Mei asked Zi Yan how she had known, Zi Yan only stepped forward a little and leaned in, whispering, “Secret.” Then she left.

The turn of events finally happened. Zi Yan was told to rest while Chen Jie already had Xiao Ling there to help him. After nodding and smiling, Zi Yan quickly knocked both Chen Jie and Xiao Ling out. Before that though, Zi Hong and Miao Miao already put together that Zi Yan was Xiao Cao. Chief Zheng was talking to Xiao He as well with pulling Zi Yan’s file and her original identity. The question now is, could they stop her? After knocking both parties out, Zi Yan told Chen Jie not to go upstairs or he would incur bad luck. Chen Jie asked why it was her. As Zi Yan was heading upstairs, the flashback of Dong Han and her told the truth of what actually happened during their face-off. After Dong Han asked her, “So?”, she actually lowered her weapon and tossed him something. It was the wooden tag he carved with the symbol of a 4-clover leaf. She clarified that Teacher Yang didn’t just seek him out for the Returning Home Project, but had also sought her out. Dong Han asked her why Yang Yong Zhao didn’t tell him. She said she just found out about his identity the previous day. Dong Han then said that Teacher Yang had told him that there was someone else that was posing near Jiang Jian Ming. Zi Yan said it was her. When Zi Yan told him about their childhood and how he’d made pinwheels for them, his was yellow and hers was green, he finally lowered his gun. That was also when she walked over to him and hugged him–and he hugged her back. After a while, she pulled away and told him that there wasn’t much time left. Yet she had to ask one last thing, which was if he liked Yong Mei. She told him not to lie to her, and that she knew about Yong Mei’s pregnancy already. He said that previously, he thought he didn’t like Yong Mei at all yet after learning of her pregnancy he didn’t know anymore. When she asked about them, he said it hadn’t changed so she didn’t need to ask. Then he turned away, asking where Ah Zhi was. (Ah Zhi was the officer accompanying her that morning.) She looked at him a while before saying that he didn’t need to look anymore since she was going to send him off. She quickly drew her gun and shot herself in the arm. So she shot herself, not Dong Han. (If anyone watched episode 14’s BTS though, they would know.) Upon hearing the gunshot, Dong Han was beyond shocked, rushing over to her, asking what she was doing, trying to put pressure on her wound to stop the bleeding. She told him to leave yet he didn’t, he was still mad worried. She had to yell at him before he got up reluctantly to leave. But he turned one last time to look at her before finally leaving at last.

Back to the present, things were definitely moving fast now. Zi Yan was entering Jiang Jian Ming and his wife’s room. That was why she told Chen Jie not to go upstairs earlier. She told them of her original name before pointing a gun at them. They were soon tied up while Chen Jie and the others tried to do some damage control downstairs. Zi Yan used her cell phone to set up and it was connected to Dong Han. She told the other two in the room that they were being recorded and it was live. She advised them to tell the truth and she wouldn’t hurt them. She pointed the gun on them again, wanting them to follow Dong Han’s previous requests. Jiang Jian Ming asked if Zi Yan was nuts. (Seriously?) So elsewhere, Chief Zheng was calling Zi Hong and asking for his and Miao Miao’s help regarding Zi Yan. After much pressure from Zi Yan, Mrs. Jiang finally spoke up, admitting that she was the one who called Zhang Guo Tang yet she said she didn’t mean to hurt them. (Again, really?) It was like what Zhang Guo Tang said, Mrs. Jiang wanted to give some pressures toward the three families who didn’t want to move yet it turned into a disaster with the accident and all. Zi Yan didn’t believe it, considering the deaths and casualties. Zi Yan was indeed going crazy now, not far behind from Dong Han’s, forcing Mrs. Jiang to admit of hers and her husband’s doings. Jiang Jian Ming spoke up again, trying to get to Zi Yan, saying that he didn’t know about the matter until afterward and how his wife had regretted her actions since then hence moving to the U.S. until now because she couldn’t forgive herself. Jiang Jian Ming told Zi Yan to pull the trigger if she still didn’t believe his words because he already said all that needed to be said. Zi Yan couldn’t do it after much hesitation, breaking down completely. Outside, Miao Miao finally brushed off her tears and decided to enter. Chen Jie had given his ‘okay’, so Zi Hong knocked, trying to connect to Zi Yan by calling her “Xiao Cao”. They were able to enter the room. Miao Miao walked over to Zi Yan and they hugged. Zi Yan confessed that she really missed them both, always wanting to call their names when they met up in the present time yet she couldn’t. After much rambling, Zi Yan finally pulled away and told the others that Jiang Jian Ming and his wife admitted their doings already. Miao Miao stopped her and told her not to continue on that path anymore. Zi Hong spoke up to clarify the matter, saying that it was unbelievable yet he had already asked Zhang Guo Tang and his answer was the same. (Can we please find some other more credible sources on this?) That got Zi Yan riled up again, saying how could it be just an accident. Zi Hong said it was all right since he would prove it to her. He approached Mrs. Jiang at that time, asking her if she knew who he was. Mrs. Jiang diverted her eyes away from Zi Hong when he asked if there was some other reason aside from calling Zhang Guo Tang to scare the families who didn’t want to move. It wasn’t just because she was currently in fear of them, but because she was hiding something. Zi Hong said it out anyway, asking her if she meant for Zhang Guo Tang to send a message to his mother. Zi Hong said that he couldn’t forgive her yet he knew his mother had already forgiven her. Zi Yan jumped in then, asking Zi Hong what he meant. He then explained about the music box. Zi Hong’s conclusion was that that ‘accident’ could just be an accident or not because the target could just be him and his mother.

While that was going on, Chief Zheng finally found Yang Yong Zhao and had a talk with him. Chief Zheng had directed for the others to leave already. Chief Zheng said he wanted to do some betting with Yang Yong Zhao. Yang Yong Zhao asked why Chief Zheng was picking such a time to play around. Chief Zheng said that he believed Yang Yong Zhao wouldn’t let the plan carry through, i.e. the upcoming explosion. Yang Yong Zhao had to drop the front since Chief Zheng already put two and two together. Chief Zheng said that when he put together the special team, Dong Han and Zi Yan were recommended by Yang Yong Zhao. He had believed Yang Yong Zhao so much that he didn’t think otherwise. Chief Zheng reminded Yang Yong Zhao of his previous philosophy about not hurting others if one didn’t have to. He told Yang Yong Zhao to give up. Chief Zheng said that Zi Yan had already let go and that Zi Hong and Miao Miao were accompanying her. Chief Zheng also said that he could tell Chen Jie to let them go. Then the three of them could go look for Dong Han. Chief Zheng pointed out Yang Yong Zhao had wasted 20 years to set up this plan yet had caused many tragedies, because of the truth that he wanted. Chief Zheng went on to say perhaps the real monster wasn’t Jiang Jian Ming but was someone else. Project Jing Hai wasn’t what they thought it was nor was the so-called “truth” they were seeking. Yang Yong Zhao was still upset, obviously. He thought it through already but couldn’t accept it. Chief Zheng won since Yang Yong Zhao couldn’t carry through. He told Chief Zheng to arrest him at last. Yet Chief Zheng smiled, saying that he didn’t carry handcuffs. He also pointed out that if Yang Yong Zhao didn’t say anything, no one would know anyway. (What? So he gets the free ticket out?) Soon, Zi Yan called Yang Yong Zhao, telling him that she’d failed since the other two didn’t admit their doings. Yang Yong Zhao told her not to worry about it since it was more important that she found a way out. He told her that he also failed, that he’d let her and Dong Han down since he wasn’t able to carry through. Zi Yan told him that she and Dong Han knew already, and that the Returning Home Project had already started, and that she and Dong Han wanted to go find the truth home. Upon hearing that, Yang Yong Zhao was shocked, real shock this time. He asked her what she meant yet she said she wasn’t going to say before hanging up. Sensing the change in the wind, Chief Zheng asked Yang Yong Zhao what was going on after he hung up.

On the other hand, Zi Yan turned on her serious expression again after hanging up. She said that Zi Hong and Miao Miao were right yet she and Dong Han couldn’t let go. So she went to the door and told Chen Jie to disperse all police officers out of sight or she would kill the Jiang couple. Chen Jie shouted that she was also a cop yet she said she wished it was so, but she wasn’t anymore. Chen Jie had no choice but to do as told, telling all officers to clear out. Before entering his car, Chen Jie had turned to look at Zi Yan – who was upstairs monitoring their actions. When she was sure everyone had cleared out, she went back into the room, asking to borrow Zi Hong and Miao Miao’s car. Miao Miao wanted to know what Zi Yan meant earlier when she said “truth home” yet Zi Yan told her not to ask before turning to Zi Hong for the car key. She thanked Zi Hong before telling them to call Chen Jie after her departure and tell Chen Jie not to follow or Jiang Jian Ming would be in danger. Mrs. Jiang begged Zi Yan not to hurt Jiang Jian Ming. Zi Yan said that if she wanted to hurt anyone, Mrs. Jiang wouldn’t have a chance to beg her. Then she ordered Jiang Jian Ming to get up. She turned to Zi Hong and Miao Miao again, saying it was hard to talk each time they met since she didn’t have any time so she could only say a few words. Then she left with Jiang Jian Ming. After Zi Yan hauled Jiang Jiang Ming away, Zi Hong hesitated for quite a time before untying Mrs. Jiang. After a while, Mrs. Jiang said she wanted to apologize to Zi Hong for twenty years already.

Meanwhile, Zi Yan finally stopped along the way and hauled Jiang Jian Ming out. He kept insisting on the whole ‘innocent’ card. Jiang Jian Ming asked Zi Yan if she wanted to kill him. He only admitted his fault where Zi Hong and his mother were concerned. Zi Yan let Jiang Jian Ming go. Yet it wasn’t really letting him go. (He had better start walking, lol.) And back at the Luo resident, Zi Hong and Miao Miao were still trying to decipher Zi Yan’s words.

Zi Yan and Dong Han finally met up again. While they were walking toward one another, flashbacks showed what happened years ago when Yang Yong Zhao first approached them and wanted to recruit them for the plan. There was another part of the conversation between Zi Yan and Dong Han during their face-off scene that wasn’t revealed yet. It was about how Yang Yong Zhao kept their identities secret from one another to protect them. Then back to the present scene, they finally hugged. Zi Yan said that she wanted to go look for him three years ago yet Teacher Yang told her to send that note to him. Dong Han said he understood. And then elsewhere, Chen Jie was driving Zi Hong and Miao Miao at this point, still trying to figure out the puzzle. Chen Jie wanted to know if there was a way to persuade Dong Han and Zi Yan.

So the crucial moment had arrived. Zi Yan and Dong Han were both ready. They finally activated the bomb, which was somewhere below the bridge. Yes, that was their plan. It was no longer Yang Yong Zhao’s fight, considering how he had backed out on them. Zi Hong, Miao Miao, and Chen Jie also arrived on time. Before heading off with Miao Miao, Zi Hong told Chen Jie to stay away. Upon seeing Zi Hong and Miao Miao, Dong Han yelled out, warning them not to come any closer. However, typical them, they didn’t listen. When they were much closer, Zi Hong took another step to be where Zi Yan and Dong Han were and placed his hand on theirs before turning to Miao Miao. She walked over and did the same. She also declared that they were finally reunited. Zi Hong asked Zi Yan and Dong Han if they missed their old town. He said he wasn’t going to persuade the two otherwise since he knew it would be useless anyway. He said if they wanted to go home, they would all go together. It was like how when they were little, standing in a circle but holding the music box. Dong Han couldn’t take it anymore so he tossed the remote toward the water. Zi Hong was happy that he had let go so they hurdled together for a group hug.

Dong Han was seen standing far away from them minutes later. Zi Hong was asking Chen Jie if it was possible to let them go. Chen Jie couldn’t believe what he was hearing. On the other side, Miao Miao was saying how Zi Yan told her that Zi Yan had a lot to tell her, so she admitted she was the same. She wanted Zi Yan to move in with them later. It seemed like it was set. However, what was troublesome was how Dong Han had wandered off on his own. He didn’t seem to be fine like how Zi Yan seemed to give up on the idea of the plan already. He went to deactivate the bomb.

When he returned, the others were still standing there waiting for him. He took a look at them before speaking. After some ominous words, he called out his three childhood friends, saying he loved them before running off. Yup, he wasn’t giving up as easily. He had strapped some explosives to himself. So now the other four were chasing him, trying to get him to stop. He finally stopped at a clearing, having left them behind a long distance already. He turned to take one last look at them, even smiling, before heading toward the trees. Yup, he committed suicide with the explosives. Miao Miao had Zi Hong to grab her back, but what about Zi Yan? Chen Jie was as shocked as the rest of them, so he hadn’t recovered yet. Zi Yan was able to take several more steps toward the sight, which was still sending smokes up the atmosphere, before breaking down completely. Zi Yan finally blurted out that she was able to see the crescent moon within daylight that Dong Han had mentioned before.

Another tragic scene was when Dong Han’s mother received the last message from him. He said that when she received the message, she would also receive a present. It’s his last Christmas present to her. He thanked her for giving him such a family. What he owed her, he had no way of repaying. So what he wanted was for her not to shed tears because of him.

Yong Mei finally broke the news to her family about her pregnancy, and who the father of her child was. She had also decided to keep the baby. She would one day tell the baby who his/her father was. She wanted the others to think carefully about the situation. She wanted to seek some justice for Dong Han. Head Commissioner Luo said that he owed Dong Han that ‘justice’, so he would take care of it. That seemed to satisfy Yong Mei.

So then people moved on with their lives. Zi Hong was seen back at school, teaching the kids singing and getting them involved in some competition. Yet the point wasn’t about winning or losing but about the music. Zi Hong, Miao Miao, and Yong Mei were seen at the forest hanging paper cranes. Then Chief Zheng was seen talking to Yang Yong Zhao and Miao Miao, and that Yang Yong Zhao wanted to confess his crime. Chief Zheng wanted to forget it and even told Chen Jie and the other two to forget the matter. Mrs. Jiang finally confessed to her doings twenty years ago, even if that was an accident, but she was the one who gave instructions to threaten the others anyway. As for Zi Yan, she was seen in the interrogation room with Chief Zheng with the other three remaining members of the special team standing outside watching. No other details were disclosed about her. At least not yet. Then surprise of all surprises, but possibly not that much, Zi Hong moved back in with Shen You Fu. Miao Miao was seen inside preparing dinner for them all. Even Xuan Xuan was there. Another incident was how Zi Hong managed to go meet up with Jiang Jian Ming. Jiang Jian Ming finally told Zi Hong the truth–with how he didn’t plan on Zi Hong’s existence, but he was very happy to have Zi Hong as a son. Even though Jiang Jian Ming admitted his guilt in not being able to take care of both mother and son, but Zi Hong clarified Jiang Jian Ming only owed his mother, not him since he was his mother’s son, not Jiang Jian Ming’s. Yup, he still hadn’t accepted Jiang Jian Ming.

Then it was revealed where Zi Yan was. She was in prison. Yong Mei came to see her and asked about her well-being. (Really? What kind of question was that?) Zi Yan nodded her head, indicating she was fine. Yong Mei came to brag about how Dong Han had curved a wooden tag with a rose on it for her. So she said that Zi Yan was right that Dong Han liked her and cared for her. Zi Yan only nodded. Yong Mei then told Zi Yan about her decision in keeping the baby. She then asked Zi Yan if Zi Yan wanted to be a mother. She wanted to share the baby. Zi Yan agreed, even shedding some tears.

Then the townspeople of years ago were gathered around those trees like they once promised–after so many things had happened. Yong Mei also took that chance to tell Dong Han’s mother that she was pregnant with Dong Han’s child. Ms. Liu was more than happy, of course. She then looked toward Yong Mei’s mother, who was standing at a distance from them and smiled. It was like they were making peace at last.

*All images were captured by DTLCT

Sharing is caring!