[NORTHWARD]
[Episode 17]
If you're sleepy, take a nap in the back.
If you're done drinking, put the lid back and place it here.
Don't spill water on yourself.
After finishing this trip
and deducting all the expenses,
we'll have about 700 yuan left.
While on the road,
I've been thinking about something.
Driving a truck is really tough.
Let's
work hard for a few years.
After we put our son through college
and he finds a good job,
we can take a breather.
We'll stop driving
and take a good rest.
Or
we can buy a small ship.
It doesn't matter how many shipping deals we can get.
If we can't get any deals, we'll just enjoy the scenery on the ship.
You like the idea?
Mom.
You're back.
Son, you're back.
Where's Dad?
Sleeping.
Did everything go smoothly?
Yeah.
The client wanted to dock my pay because I arrived late.
Your dad rolled up his sleeves and made him pay the full amount.
He's like your bodyguard.
Great.
Luckily, it didn't come to blows.
Otherwise,
the money we earned
couldn't even cover the medical bills.
Dad is experienced in this.
Back when he was a seafarer,
there were also people who tried to skip out on paying.
He just got physical.
What's wrong, Mom?
Did you two have a fight?
No.
I wish we had.
Your dad didn't give me the chance.
What do you mean?
During the trip,
over 2,000 kilometers in total,
your father kept a long face
the whole time.
And he said to me a total of maybe…
200 words?
Boss Xie.
Mr. Shao.
Are you off work?
I thought it was you from afar.
It's really you.
You're in charge of
buying groceries now?
Well, Haihong
is busy driving the truck.
I'll do what I can to help.
Yeah.
Well,
how's the publication of your book going?
It's in the works.
I don't have any publishing experience,
so I'm learning as I go.
Oh, right.
There's something I wanted to talk to you about.
Can we have a talk here?
Okay.
Come, sit here.
Alright.
Sit.
Here is the thing.
I have a suggestion
that might seem immature.
I'd like to share it with you
to see if it's feasible.
You're being so polite. What's it?
You know, every year, many people
drown in the canal.
Yesterday, another person drowned upstream near Liu Village.
No one is willing to retrieve the body.
Here's what I'm thinking.
Could you consider being an initiator
to get some volunteers
to form a canal rescue team
that helps those
who fall into the water?
What do you think?
Hold on, M-Mr. Shao.
What exactly are you getting at?
Here's the thing.
As you know, the authorities are currently applying for
World Heritage status for the canal.
The heritage is not the canal
but the canal culture.
Speaking of culture,
look at our Flower Street.
What culture does it have?
There were a few famous local female entertainers in history,
but we can't
use romantic tales to make our case.
However,
with good people who did good things,
we can say this is a town
with kind-hearted folks.
That could be a characteristic of Flower Street,
right?
Mr. Shao,
are you planning to write and publish something?
No.
Good people and good deeds
are highly commendable.
You'll do good things,
and I'll praise you.
It's a win-win.
Then I should get half of the writing fee, right?
Forget about that little bit of money.
What matters is the honor.
Alright, it's settled then.
The honor goes to you,
and the writing fee goes to me.
If you say so,
you're making me speechless.
I'm just joking with you.
No matter what,
this is a serious matter.
After I go home,
I need to discuss it with my wife.
I can only do it if she agrees.
Alright.
Then I'll wait for your reply.
If the canal gets World Heritage status,
it'll be able
to flourish again.
By then,
you can truly return to the river.
Alright.
I'll be going.
See you.
Bye, Boss Xie.
Boss Xie.
What are you doing here?
I came out for some fresh air.
You're drinking?
I'll grab a few more bottles.
A few more.
How's everything? Good?
Just so-so.
It's still cold.
How about you?
How's the long-haul driving going?
Compared to seafaring,
it's much more tiring.
Is that so?
With seafaring,
ships don't go very fast,
right?
You don't have to
stay focused all the time.
Driving is different.
When driving, you always have to keep your eyes on the road.
After a whole day,
you're sore all over,
and your head buzzes.
It's not so unbearable
as long as you can make money.
Right?
Is your supermarket going well?
Kind of.
I can make about 200 yuan a day.
That's pretty good.
Yeah.
Your wife must be happy now.
I guess you could say that.
I haven't been told off for over half a month.
To be honest, I'm not used to it.
That's not good for your health.
I'll remind Yan
to nag you more often.
No, no, no.
To give you a hard time.
Will that make you feel better?
Boss Xie, I'm begging you.
Please.
These days,
every time we fight,
it takes hours to appease her.
I don't mind groveling a bit,
but my lower back can't take it.
My lower back can't take it.
It can't?
Well, Mr. Shao
made a suggestion to me.
He said I should
form a canal rescue team.
Are you interested?
Rescue team?
O-Okay.
Well,
if you want me in, I'm in.
Right?
I know I can count on you.
As long as it doesn't affect my business.
Boss Xie,
don't you need to drive the truck?
Does your wife know about this?
Do you have cigarettes?
Yes.
Give me one.
Here.
Who are you bowing to?
The river god.
Didn't Mr. Zhou say
the official from the Qing dynasty is the river god here?
We should pay our respects.
Of course.
Oh, River God,
I'm begging you.
Please make
this canal prosper again.
Prosper again.
Let us return to our ships.
Return to our ships.
Return…
People like us
love the smells of kerosene
and diesel.
We love those smells.
We love the roars
of the engine.
Right.
Please.
We love that sound.
Please.
We beg you.
Bless us.
Please.
What are you doing?
Why are you making all that noise?
How can I sleep?
It's late at night.
Get on the bed and sleep.
Why are you fiddling with that? Are you crazy?
What's wrong?
You should go back to the canal.
I can see it.
You're like a fish.
You can't survive without water.
What if you get sick from holding it in?
I'm not holding anything in.
I'm serious.
Yuling said Mr. Shao wants you
to form a canal rescue team, right?
Yeah.
I haven't decided whether to do it or not.
Do it.
As long as you're happy,
I'll support you.
Is this a prank?
This family
used to rely entirely on you.
But now,
I can share your burden.
In the future, our son
will surely be successful.
Xie Tiancheng,
I'm asking you
to keep your spirits up.
I will.
I married you
not because you were rich.
It was just because you were nice and righteous.
Even if you only had
ten cents on you,
you'd still look
like a boss.
The vibes you gave
fascinated me back then.
So you must not
lose those spirits.
I won't lose them. I won't.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
I do.
Let's do some exercise
so I won't lose you.
Come here.
It's the middle of the night.
Our son is next door.
One can do this anytime.
I'm very serious now.
Perfect timing.
What I was talking about is important.
Look at you.
This is the most important thing.
Anything else can wait.
[Flower Street]
Boss Xie.
Guys, they're there.
Boss Xie.
What's going on?
You're to be interviewed.
What?
Come up. You're to be interviewed.
The reporters are here to interview you.
Where is the flag? Take out the flag.
Alright.
Hold this flag. They're going to take a photo.
Come on. Take a photo.
Everyone, come over.
Look here.
Okay, one, two, three.
Smile.
Good.
One more shot.
Come on, one, two, three.
Cheese!
Good.
As everyone knows,
[Canal Rescue Team]
this canal
has a long history
[Water Rescue]
and a splendid culture.
As people born by the canal,
we feel
it's our duty
to keep
people on the canal safe.
[Building a Strong Lifeline on the Water]
They brave the waves
and fight in the water.
They're selfless
and dedicated to helping others.
The virtue once embodied
by Dr. Norman Bethune
is now being carried forward
by Xie Tiancheng
and his canal rescue team.
Awesome!
Impressive!
Alright, enough with the praise.
I'm getting embarrassed.
I-I didn't hear
Xia's name in the article.
I-I am mentioned.
I-I'm part of the rescue team.
Praising the rescue team is praising me,
right, Boss Xie?
Yes.
He's in the photo!
Yes, look at the photo.
He's right there in the photo!
Here he is, see?
Your parents haven't argued lately, have they?
Cut it out and paste it on the wall.
Your dad is amazing.
He's in the newspaper.
You have no idea.
Men are all proud.
Are you crazy?
What are you talking about?
Fenghua!
Here, Siyi.
Try this. It's freshly fried.
Okay.
Be gentle!
Careful. It's hot.
Siyi.
Are you really going to apply to Honghuai Normal University?
Fenghua.
We're all applying to universities in Beijing.
Why don't you apply to a university in Beijing too?
You can bring Grandma there too.
No.
Why not?
The same reason as your dad's.
Not everyone likes Beijing.
Some people are just not suited for that place.
Wait. You've never been there.
How do you know you're not suited for it?
I went to Beijing.
I gave it a try.
So I know
I'm just an ignorant fool.
But when I'm ready, I'll go there again.
This time, I'll start from scratch
and make a name for myself.
Not everyone wants to make a name for themselves.
Exactly. I don't want to.
Then you can just stay at home.
But you're different.
You still have a chance.
Xie Wanghe,
you always talk about success.
That's not wrong.
But everyone's definition of success
is different.
Making a lot of money is just one type of success.
For me,
success is
living the life I want. That's enough.
So what kind of life do you want?
Just the life now.
Every day I wake up, I can see Grandma and my brother,
and I spend most of the day
doing things I enjoy.
Like memorizing vocabulary,
doing schoolwork,
and chatting and fooling around with Fenghua.
I'm very satisfied with my current life.
And I'm content.
People with big dreams like you
can never understand the goals of someone like me.
Well said!
Shut up.
Ma Siyi.
You should try to see the bigger world,
understand?
You're not just someone.
What on earth did you two talk about?
What's wrong with the two of them?
Guys,
[Final battle in June. Let's meet at Tsinghua and Peking.]
this is your final semester
in high school
and the last stretch before the college entrance exam.
The school has decided
to implement full closed-off management for senior students
from Monday to Friday.
Morning reading will start at 6:30 AM,
and you will stay at school overnight.
No one
is allowed to leave the school unless necessary.
Please summon all your strength
[Final battle in June. Let's meet at Tsinghua and Peking.]
and be 100% focused.
Concentrate your time and energy
on the final battle of the college entrance exam.
Do you have confidence?
[Final battle in June. Let's meet at Tsinghua and Peking.]
Yes!
Day student?
No way.
It's against the school's rules.
But my brother is very young.
He needs someone to take care of him.
And my grandma isn't in good health.
I have to look after them at home.
Siyi,
your school performance is quite good,
but your family
has been such a burden on you.
I'm worried that if this continues,
it'll affect your performance in the college entrance exam.
It won't. My ranking didn't drop this time.
I promise to study hard at home.
Alright, I'll apply to the school
to make an exception for you,
allowing you to be a day student.
But you must remember,
don't waste a minute.
Make the most of the last semester.
Thank you, madam.
Siyi.
Do you have a moment?
Let's talk.
You'd better not be a day student.
This semester is crucial.
You know how things are with my family.
Are there no other options?
What options do I have?
My brother needs to go to school.
Grandma might be hospitalized at any time.
If I don't go back to keep an eye on things,
something could go wrong at any moment.
What about hiring a caregiver?
Do you think I can afford a caregiver?
I can lend you money.
Don't worry.
I won't ask my parents for it.
I'll lend you the pocket money I've saved up.
It should be enough.
Chen Rui.
You've always been very nice to me.
I'm grateful.
I already felt indebted to you
when I went to your house for free classes.
I shouldn't take advantage of your kindness.
Thank you.
I don't know how it happened.
It just suddenly popped up, you know?
Look, she's wearing a floral bra.
She even has boobs.
Yeah.
Fenghua isn't like this.
What are you looking at?
Show me.
Show me!
Fenghua, did someone take your picture without you knowing?
What's it?
Give it to me!
Fenghua!
What's on the phone?
[Select] [Return]
Are you sure you didn't take these photos?
You think I'm crazy?
Dressing like that for photos.
They're obviously photoshopped.
Then it's no big deal, Fenghua.
File a complaint.
Contact the website administrator
to delete the post.
It's a private forum.
If its administrator refuses, we can't delete the post.
Can't we hack in?
That takes time.
Word has spread.
I'm afraid it'll affect Fenghua's reputation.
And the person who posted it said
this is just an appetizer.
There's more juicy content to come.
[Forum Homepage]
What should I do?
Good. More alluring. Gorgeous.
What a big star!
Gorgeous!
Pang Dahai!
One more.
How could you do that?
Who let you in?
Get out!
She's underage.
Aren't you afraid of karma for doing such a thing?
She should've returned my money.
Every action has consequences. She deserves it.
I'm telling you. This is just the beginning.
You're crazy!
Call the police!
Scum!
I told you
to keep it between you and me
and leave Fenghua alone!
Leave Fenghua alone!
You little bastard.
You're finished.
Look.
Your parents are right there.
The boy is safe.
Your parents are on the bank.
Thank goodness. He's fine.
Look.
Well done!
Come on, give us a hand.
Applause.
Careful, careful.
-Thank you. -Be careful.
Thank you, sir.
Please make way.
Alright.
Watch your step.
Careful.
What's wrong with you?
Why are you so naughty?
Don't hit him! Don't hit him!
Enough.
Don't let the boy wander by the river again.
Thank you.
Get up, get up.
Your phone's ringing.
This is Xie Tiancheng. What's the matter?
Is the boy okay?
He's alright.
Watch him closely.
Just keep a close eye on him.
Keep a close eye on him.
Where is he now?
Thank God the boy is alright.
Thank you, guys.
Okay.
I-I-I'll be right there.
You guys go ahead.
I need to deal with something here.
Yong, Yong.
Okay, I got it.
[Flower Street Police Station]
Alright, bye.
What took you so long?
Where is he?
Still downtown. He's been detained.
They asked him
for his family's number.
He gave them my number.
I guess he didn't want you to worry.
Who did he beat?
A photographer.
Not only did he beat him,
but he also trashed his photo studio.
This is very serious.
If it's not handled well, he could go to prison.
Get in the car.
Wanghe is a good boy.
He has a strong sense of justice, just like you.
But he's got quite a temper.
He acts without considering the consequences.
Wanghe wouldn't be the one who started it.
He must have done that
for a reason.
[Police]
[Tangbei Police Station] [Reception Hall]
Yong, have some water.
Alright, sit.
Where's the boy?
He's detained. He won't say a word when questioned.
He said he'd wait for you.
We scared him a bit, and he asked for a lawyer.
He watched too many Hong Kong movies.
I want to ask,
how is the man he hit?
He's been sent to the hospital.
We don't know the specifics.
I advise you
to go meet the victim
and try to get his forgiveness.
If he refuses
and insists on a forensic medical examination,
and it confirms an injury,
your son's future will be ruined.
Forgive him?
Like hell I will!
I was taking photos just fine.
He came in and smashed things.
What?
Am I a pushover?
Listen!
I'm not short of money.
I'll make sure he rots in jail!
Get lost!
Honey.
You need to come back right away.
What's wrong?
Chen.
Chen!
Liang.
Why don't you take a break?
I'll drive.
Chen, listen to me.
I need to go home immediately.
There are over 400 kilometers left.
You'll have to drive alone.
I'll give you all the money
for this trip.
Okay?
Give me my things!
You're back.
Where's our son?
H-He's still in detention.
What were you doing?
What were you doing when our son got in trouble?
Where were you?
Is this how you looked after our son when I was away?
All you do is drink!
Drink yourself to death!
[Petition Letter]
How many?
How many did you get there?
Ten.
48 here.
48.
Granny Ma.
She's worried.
You should stay at home.
Granny Ma.
Careful, careful.
I just came to listen.
Have a seat.
Careful, careful.
Alright.
Don't mind me.
We've already
collected signatures from 124 households
on Flower Street.
The neighborhood committee
and their school will also step in.
What's the school's attitude?
The school already knows the whole story.
The principal thinks
what Wanghe did is understandable,
but he doesn't encourage
or support his behavior.
Gosh,
that doesn't mean anything.
Officer Shen just called.
The police station is planning
to arrange a mediation tomorrow.
They want to know our conditions.
Conditions?
I went to the hospital to see that guy.
He's a tough nut to crack.
He won't settle this with us peacefully.
That bastard started it!
Shut up!
It's true.
Xingchi.
It is true.
That guy
photoshopped Fenghua's underwear photos
and posted them online.
What?
Wait a minute.
Fenghua's
underwear photos
are online?
Calm down.
Wait.
Make it clear.
Here's what happened.
Well,
he put Fenghua's face
on someone else's body
and then posted the photos online.
And he posted the link
in our school's online forum.
Wanghe was mad after finding it out.
So he beat that guy up.
Zhou Haikuo, why didn't you…
Why didn't you tell us this earlier?
Who do you think you are?
You think you can handle this by yourselves?
What should we do?
I'm completely at a loss.
Don't panic, don't panic.
What's the situation now?
Where are the photos?
We discovered it early
and found the source.
They've already been deleted.
The school has intervened.
Are you sure they're deleted?
Yes, yes.
So Wanghe did this for Fenghua!
You guys,
why didn't you stop him in the first place?
Wanghe went on his own.
He didn't tell us.
We both only found out afterward.
How did you know it was that guy?
Yeah.
Is there any evidence?
No.
I checked the IP address.
He used a proxy server,
so it's hard to trace.
But I think
he's the one who took the original photos.
That's a clue.
But we need to file a police report first.
Report it to the police!
We must report it to the police!
He should be arrested!
Will that help?
This isn't evidence.
Can you prove he broke the law?
He was just trying to give us trouble.
Wait.
Isn't the boy still detained?
Let's get him out
before discussing other matters, okay?
Yes, yes.
Let's get him out first.
He's the most important now.
Right.
What did the police say?
The police said
we should pay for the damage
and try to meet all his conditions.
This way, Wanghe might be able to come out
and not miss the college entrance exam.
He's a rotten rogue!
We're to pay him?
How's that possible?
S-Stop.
We'll pay him.
T-This is not about money, okay?
Then what do you want to do?
Do you want to make things worse
and let your son stay in the police station?
That's not what I mean!
What's the use of shouting like this?
You'll only make things worse and keep our son detained!
We should get him out!
Alright. Alright.
We have to find a way!
Calm down and solve this step by step.
Aren't we
trying to find a solution?
Alright.
Stop crying.
Enough.
It's just detention.
He'll be out in a couple of days.
Everything will be fine.
Wanghe was able to go to college.
But because of me…
No matter how indebted you are to him,
you can pay it back bit by bit.
I'm afraid I can't pay it back.
You can if you want to.
Wanghe sees you as his sister.
He stood up for you.
We must remember his kindness.
Let me tell you,
no matter how it ends for Wanghe,
we'll face it with him.
If he's in debt,
we'll pay it together.
Don't pull me!
I have something to do with Haikuo!
[Heaven rewards the diligent]
Xingchi, your dad means well.
He's afraid you'll get implicated.
Why would I be implicated?
Wanghe didn't do anything wrong!
Come back!
[Heaven rewards the diligent]
If he didn't do anything wrong, why have the police arrested him?
What is the law made for?
The law is made to maintain social stability!
That gangster style of settling scores doesn't work!
Then let me ask you, Dad.
Fenghua was bullied.
Should we help her or not?
You should!
Of course you should!
But you should have principles and strategies.
You can't act recklessly, boy!
Right.
Fine.
I'm telling you about this now.
You tell me, how should we get back at that rogue?
Let's find a lawyer to sue him.
Didn't you just say?
This won't hold up in court.
The law can't punish him.
He just wanted to give us trouble.
Then...
Then what?
[Police]
[People's Mediation Rooms]
This is the Tangbei Police Station in Qingtang District, Honghuai City.
[Meditation Room 2]
Both parties involved are here.
Today, we're having this mediation meeting
to clarify the legal responsibilities of both parties,
not to simply sweep things under the rug.
You've all watched
[Mediator]
the security footage.
Xie Wanghe rushed in and smashed things,
but he didn't hurt anyone.
Pang Dahai was the first to get physical.
Xie Wanghe only retaliated after being attacked.
What else could I do?
I was supposed to just watch him smash things?
That light alone was very expensive.
If I hadn't stopped him,
I'd have gone bankrupt from the damage.
Regardless of the cause,
the offender committed the crime of picking quarrels and making trouble.
Today, we're here to see
if you can reach an understanding
to minimize the legal consequences of this case.
Alright.
If both parties disagree,
we'll proceed as we should,
with detention or sentence as necessary.
Think it through.
Can I speak to him privately for a moment?
Thank you.
This time,
it was indeed my son's fault.
I apologize to you.
Apologizing now
is a bit late, isn't it?
The reason
why he beat you,
you know better than anyone, don't you?
What do you mean?
Fenghua
is still in school.
How could you do such a thing to a young girl?
Don't you think
it's despicable?
W-What did I do?
Playing dumb, huh?
You're a man.
Just own up to what you did.
What did I do?
What should I own up to?
Let me tell you.
Don't talk nonsense here.
This is the police station.
I'll sue you for defamation.
Anyway,
he's my only son.
You've met me
and my husband.
Both of us are very ordinary.
In this life,
we only hope our son can
make something of himself.
If you crush our only hope,
don't blame us
for dragging you down.
Are you threatening me?
I'm not threatening you.
I'm negotiating with you.
I'm not asking you to put yourself in our shoes.
I'm just asking you
not to ruin the futures
of both our families.
I'm begging you.
Let's do the math.
[Mediator]
Well,
medical treatment
has cost about 30,000 yuan.
Recovering from these injuries
will cost quite a bit too, right?
And the smashed cameras and computers,
all these odds and ends,
if you add them up…
100,000 yuan.
That should settle this matter.
100,000?
Why don't you just rob a bank?
100,000 it is.
Let's sign the agreement now.
Are you sure?
Wait.
Listen.
It must be paid in full at once.
Paid in full at once?
You're really pushing it, aren't you?
No problem.
If you hadn't done that despicable thing…
No problem.
could my son have beaten you up?
Alright, stop.
This is the police station.
This is the police station!
Stop yelling.
It's already settled. Stop arguing.
Do you know where you are?
Alright. Don't listen to him.
I can make the decision on this matter.
You can't!
Don't get yourself arrested!
It's 100,000 yuan!
Shut up!
I'll sign.