American Perspectives: Feng Xi Losing His Memory Pt. 2 ("Twisted Fate of Love" Ep. 27)

 

Dong Yue is meeting with Lu Chuan, Dao Le, and Zi Yuan at the Shadow Puppet Theater so they can create some sort of play to revive Feng Xi's memories of Dong Yue.  Everyone is feeling annoyed with Dong Yue for having them get out of bed so early to plan this.

Lu Chuan is horrified that Feng Xi has forgotten everything involving Dong Yue, but he is also fascinated.

Dao Le is annoyed that Lu Chuan is even there, so he's feeling a bit testy.  He asks if Lu Chuan is finding this disaster joyous.

Lu Chuan insists that he isn't.

Dao Le continues to be annoyed, and he really doesn't want Lu Chuan helping with any of this.

Zi Yuan tells Dao Le to stop.  She suggests that they take Feng Xi to see the already existing "Xiyue," shadow puppet show, as that is also about Dong Yue and Feng Xi.  Zi Yuan is also not thrilled about having to create and perform a puppet show.

Dong Yue says that in spite of "Xiyue" being about her and Feng Xi, it is still satire.  Instead, she wants to revive his memory by having him see their true story.

Lu Chuan nods in acknowledgement.  "Just leave this to me.  Helping Minister is my honor."

 

Dong Yue escorts Feng Xi to the Puppet Theater, and helps him find a seat. He still doesn't recognize her, and he assumes she's one of the servants at his manor.

"Why did you bring me here?" he asks.  "Where is Dao Le?"

She explains that Dao Le has created a good skit for him.

"He said he would perform for me.  Was he serious?" Asks Feng Xi. "Fine!  I want to see which skit he'll perform."

Dong Yue tells him to sit for a moment.  She claps her hands, cue-ing the show to begin.

Dao Le and Zi Yuan are doing the puppet voices, while Lu Chuan is whispering the lines to them.

Feng Xi is watching, but he has no recollection.  Dong Yue is feeling disappointed.

"Stop! What a mess!" says Feng Xi.  "You ruined a perfectly good skit."

Dao Le and Lu Chuan begin to argue behind the puppet screen.

Lu Chuan suggests getting rid of the puppets and going with acting instead. Dao Le agrees.  That is, until Lu Chuan says he wants to be Feng Xi, and Zi Yuan is Dong Yue.  More arguing ensues, as Dao Le is sure Lu Chuan has a romantic interest in Zi Yuan (he doesn't).

Feng Xi stands up and rolls his eyes. "Once again, I've been tricked by Dao Le." He gets up to leave.

Dong Yue tells him to wait.

Lu Chuan and Dao Le continue to argue.  Dong Yue assures Feng Xi that she will talk to them, and to please sit down. He gives her side eye.

Dong Yue goes backstage and tells Lu Chuan and Dao Le to stop arguing over who gets to be Feng Xi, as the real Feng Xi is about to leave.  The two men immediately shape up.

Lu Chuan and Zi Yuan take initiative and immediately get on stage.  Dao Le is watching from the side. Lu Chuan and Zi Yuan begin the show, and Feng Xi begins to show signs of recollection.  Especially when they talk about Dong Yue's name. (Dong: Holly Flower. Yue: Moon).

When Lu Chuan reenacts giving the pendant to Zi Yuan, Dao Le is on the verge of losing it.  He grips the column he is hiding behind, in anger.

Feng Xi begins to mentally recall the time he gave Dong Yue the pendant, and the words he spoke.  "If you ever find yourself in a helpless situation, you may come to the Feng Manor in the capitol to find me."  He begins to remember Dong Yue.  He slaps his hand on the table, and stands up.

"Nonsense!" he shouts.

Lu Chuan looks at him in shock.

"That night, I said, 'If you find yourself in a helpless situation, you may come to the Feng Manor in the capitol to find me.'"

"He has remembered!" exclaimed Lu Chuan.

"Have you remembered?" Dong Yue asks, somewhat expecting him not to remember her.

Feng Xi wants to know why they are on stage, making a play.  Dong Yue explains that she asked them to.  She asks him if he realizes he's been forgetting things lately.

He looks at her with confusion. "It does seem..." he pauses, "to be that way."

Dong Yue explains that she doesn't understand what's going on with him, either.  "The things you've forgotten are all memories involving me.  Also, the periods where you forget who I am, are getting longer and longer."  And the times he remembers her are decreasing.

"Forget you?" Feng Xi is astounded. "How could that be possible?"

She reminds him that just a few moments ago, he thought she was a servant in the manor.  Due to the physicians being ineffective, she had to find her own solution to revive his memory.

He asks what he should do if he forgets tomorrow.

"If you still forget," Dong Yue begins to cry, "then I...then I will..."

Feng Xi embraces her. "You idiot," he says affectionately, "so what if I fall ill? So what if I forget you? I made it to today without believing in heaven or earth, and without believing in destiny.  As long as you're by my side, I fear nothing.  You shouldn't have to be afraid of it, either."  He strokes her face.

She tells him that the price she has to pay for transcending time to stop the war is him forgetting her.

"It's not a price," says Feng Xi.  "It's a blessing.  Even if I forget you once a day, I will remember you once a day.  From today forward, I will love you once each day." He hugs her tightly.  He doesn't want to let go.  He doesn't want to forget.

Feng Xi and Dong Yue decide to get behind the puppet screen and put on their own show.

Zi Yuan, Dao Le, and Lu Chuan smile and watch.

Dong Yue and Feng Xi end the show by kissing each other behind the screen.

 

Dong Yue is happily standing under the Holly Flower tree in the garden, looking out over the pond.  Feng Xi is standing from a reasonable distance, drawing her.  She is startled to see him. "Why are you acting so suspiciously behind me?"

He smiles at her. He shows her the book of illustrations he's working on, that tells the story of how they met.  She loves them. They laugh at a picture together.  He says he'll try everything to keep from forgetting her.

She looks at an illustration in his book. "Look, didn't you remember incorrectly? How could be I be this fat?"

Feng Xi picks up the book, and takes a closer look.  He squeezes her cheek and laughs.

"How annoying!" says Dong Yue.  She grabs the book from his hand.

She then writes, "Feng Xi bullied Dong Yue."

"Stop! You're manipulating my memories." He writes, "Feng Xi loves Dong Yue."

"Give it here!" she takes the brush and writes, "Feng Xi is just a big fatty." She laughs.

That evening, Feng Xi and Dong Yue walk into Feng Xi's study.  There they find several bookmark sized pieces of paper with writing on them, hanging from the ceiling.

Feng Xi looks at her to gauge her reaction.  Dong Yue realizes these are all notations of their memories together.  Dong Yue's eyes begin to tear up.

"These are all the places where we've interacted," Feng Xi explains. 

Dong Yue turns to him.  She walks up to a note, and looks it over.  She looks at many others.  "Eating red bean cake during the Lantern Festival," says one of the notes.

"You want to remember a small thing, such as eating red bean cake?  I'm sorry, your illness...will surely get better."

Feng Xi is about to cry.  "What if it really can't be cured?  I hope these paper slips can fill this entire room, and fill our future.  Eating red bean cake isn't just a small thing. Whenever I see the paper about eating red bean cake, I'll be reminded of flying kites with both the little and adult Dong Yue," he shows her the paper with the kite memory.

Dong Yue smiles brightly.

"After seeing the Holly Flower," Feng Xi reads, "I'll remember that at our first meeting, I chose your name for you."  They look over and enjoy the memories, but Feng Xi's energy begins to crash. "I'm sorry, my memories shouldn't be like this, in such bits and pieces."

Dong Yue assures him that it's fine.  They walk out into the courtyard, unaware that Yu Rou has been spying on them.  She sees the memories, and she begins to speculate.  Perhaps she has a chance with Feng Xi after all!

Yu Rou walks into the study, and takes a look, carefully studying and touching the memories one by one. 

 

The next day, Feng Xi is anxious to show something to Dong Yue. He is grinning brightly.  He insists on having an artist draw a portrait of them together to be used for their wedding.  They stand side by side, arm in arm, and Feng Xi can't stop smiling at her.

Dong Yue begins to get sore from standing too long, so Feng Xi asks the artist to stop for the day.

 

That evening, they take a stroll across the stone slabs laying over the pond.  He tells her he planted a Holly Tree in his manor, as the flowers will not fall at any time during a harsh winter.  "No matter how hard things are, they still can get past them."

"Will we be like that, too?" asks Dong Yue.

"As long as you're here.  The paper slips can remind me of my memories, but memories are not the same as love. I don't fear losing my memories.  I only fear losing you." He holds her hands.

"Don't worry, I'll always be here," she promises.

"Promise me, if I ever forget you, you should be just like you were on our first meeting, to make me fall in love with you once more."

"All right.  I promise you."

Feng Xi picks her up, and sits her down on the table.  He moves closer to her, looking at her, not wanting to forget a single detail.  He kisses her tenderly.

 

Feng Xi is at his desk, writing down more memories.  "Three days later," he writes, and then pauses. "First day...of...May, I..." his memory starts to wane.  "First day of May...what am I doing on the First day of May?" He panics.  "What was I just thinking about?"

"Why were you in such a hurry to return?" asks Dong Yue, as she enters his study.  

Feng Xi is getting a headache.

She asks him what's wrong.  He begins to bleed from his mouth.  Dong Yue panics.

"I can't remember," he says.

"It's fine.  If you can't remember, then don't force it right now."

He begins to cry, and she decides to go looking for a doctor, worrying just how long this strategy will work before it does profound harm.