Shine On Me - Episode 19
Links to episode discussions: Masterpost | Ep 5-8 | Ep 9-10 | Ep 11-12 | Ep 13-14 | Ep 15-16 | Ep 17 | Ep 18
Let's recap Episode 19:
Xiguang’s Room: We start the episode with Xiguang reflecting on the backstory she heard from her uncle. To add to the backstory we heard from Weiai in ep 18, we learn that Yusen’s father overshadowed his in-laws and as a result he was shipped overseas where he died in the crossfire of a coup. Jiang Yun (Xigua’s mom) adds that Weiai probably felt conflicted by her own emotions towards her family so as soon as Mr Lin died she went overseas and never cameback no matter the circumstances. Yusen had stayed to take care of his paternal grandparents.
The flashback ends as Xiguang messages Yusen : A funny back and forth about how he blew her cover at the dinner. It is heartwarming how Xigua always tries to cheer him up with random messages the moment she thinks he might be feeling down, even if she was only feeling sad for him in her own thoughts.
They were arguing about who is to blame for blowing the cover.
Xiguang Inner Thoughts: Since when did I start being so unreasonable with him?
Just as she deletes the message before sending it, Yusen replies with a ‘fine, my bad’ He spoils her endlessly. In reply she ends up sending the message anyway. She magnanimously gives him the chance to make it up to her by asking him to come with her to feed the deer. Yusen is happy with the arrangement and we cut to Xigua once again sneaking out of the house for her lil date. (On her way out, she picks up some fireworks)
Deer Feeding Grounds:
Xiguang is all bundled up as she walks up to Yusen with her deer feed basket. She explains that Guide Hu prepared it for them for the morning. They find the caretaker ready to take the deer back but Yusen convinces him to let the reindeer have a late night snack. They feed it for a bit before it has to go, Yusen asks her what to do next? And Xiguang cutely agonizes over it. “Let’s set off some fireworks!” She tells him to go get a lighter. We cut to them watching the fireworks they lit up.
look at how adorable Xigua looks!
She tells him that the fireworks they set off today was his paycheck, he asks her if they’re made of gold and she counters by “They might not back much but I am braving -20 degrees weather just to light it with you! It has to be worth something” Yusen, ever the indulger, says yes. She asks him if he is happy now and he affirms. Xiguang, you’ve fallen already, just confess please I want even more couple-y cuteness. She hands him the last firework to set off, and he pockets it saying that he wants to keep it as a souvenir as it is his paycheck. Xiguang is all touched and we cut off to them on a ….you guessed it, a walk. (I will be starting a walk and food counter from this ep.)
Xiguang is still trying to convince him to set off the firework “You can’t bring it on the plane anyway”. They lapse into silence before Xiguang receives a message from Jiang Rui asking her where did she sneak off to? ‘Did you go out to meet that guy?’
Xiguang shows Yusen the message and he asks ‘What challenge?’ Jiang Rui replies in voice note ‘ a race on the black runs’. Yusen leans in to reply back.
I love how expressive Jinmai is.
The walk comes to an end, but before Xigua’s heads inside, Yusen hands her another ice figurine. (Just how early does he arrive every time that he manages to makes such pretty sculptors?) He had made it in the morning but couldn’t give it to her then. This time the sculptor is of her skiing. She exclaims that he is good with his hands. She realises her words might have been insensitive but he just looks at her unbothered. She changes the subject by asking ‘What sculptor will it be tomorrow?’ and he says he has no design yet, but they’ll see tomorrow. The scene ends with him staring at Xiguang as she heads inside.
The scupltors kept being piled up.
The scene ends with her happy with the 2 sculptors then we cut to the next morning, a new sculptor is in!
Aunt Jiang asks ‘where did Jiang Rui and Xiguang go?” and uncle replies that they’re off competing. Auntie is happy that they are getting along. They talk about their plans, Jiang Yun convinces them to go downtown alone as she is going to be having tea with Ms Sheng Weiai.
Snowy Slopes pt 2
Xiguang calls out Rui for being so cringey as to race and he counters by saying that it’s ‘an adrenaline rush! Right Lin-ge?’. Yusen is ready as he even brought out his snowboard for this. Xiguang asks him why he brought the snowboard, and he says he doesn’t want Rui to be disadvantaged as skis are usually faster.
My Rui making sure not to slander his jie
Xiguang says that she’ll wait for them down there, but Yusen convinces her to come up with them to see the view from the peak. Jiang Rui screams out ‘THIS IS THE MIGHTY PEAK WE’RE GONNA CONQUER!’ and Xiguang pushes Yusen farther away pretending she doesn’t know Rui. They go to a cafe, where Yusen’s mission to score family points continues. He is as prepared and pumped for the race as Rui, and we see them both pull out a map to choose which trajectory to go with. Xiguang is just amused by their antics. Xiguang leaves the coffee shop to take pictures and we see Chris entering the same place.
Rui and Yusen are still ground rules, with Yusen insisting for Rui to put safety first, the latter puts down the condition that should Yusen loses, he will have to stop chasing Xiguang. Chris hears that and looks at the both of them, surprised. Yusen says that the race has nothing to do with his pursuit, and that Rui is being inappropriate ‘what if Xiguang hears about this?’ Rui hurries to tell him that it wasn’t what he meant! ‘Don’t you dare snitch on me’
Haolin Han is also so expressive, I enjoy all his expressions.
They continue bantering with Rui expressing interest in how unique Yusen’s snowboard is, the latter tells him he can get him a custom one too but our Rui is firm about ‘not accepting anything from you until you are officially Xiguang’s boyfriend.’ Off to the race! With Chris having heard the whole conversation.
Race Montage (basically an ad)
Shared this as a video because Xiguang's voice is just adorable here.
Xiguang is on the cable ride filming them from up high. Race montage done, we see Xigua asking who won? The winner is Yusen! By quite a gap, Rui expresses his desire for another go when he gets better and Yusen is happy to take him on whenever. Xiguang is all pumped and wants to try the black runs too. Rui makes fun of her and they argue in front of Yusen who is just grinning at their antics. Xigua tells them she will go practice on the green runs, Yusen offers to go with her but she refuses telling them to go have fun, that she is being considerate given the difference in their skiing proficiency. Yusen refuses saying that ‘tomorrow I can go off on my own but today I am sticking with you. We have a training plan’. Yusen is taking her to train on the blue runs.I was so worried she’d be left alone to meet Zhuang Xu or something but nope. Not today!
Rui takes her aside to caution her to play it safe and not be all straight-up like before, Xiguang clarifies that they’re not dating yet. Idk what she’s waiting for.. . They banter, she smacks him on the head and then abandons him to go off with Yusen.
On the Ride up the Hills
Yusen wonders if he should’ve let Rui win, but Xiguang says of course not. Yusen explains that he did think about it but then he remembered that she named the race Xiguang Cup and abandoned the idea. My man implying he would never let anyone else win her <3.
Tea-time with the Moms
These locations are so so beautiful.
We see Weiai telling Jiang Yun about how this is the first time she’s seen Yusen care so much, about how he’s only ever cared about books and making plans for everything but romance. Jiang Yun expresses her surprise and Weiai sadly says that ‘the family influence got him too used to his own company’. The moms are getting along as they decide to let the kids make their own decisions. They each talk about their own lives and what they have been up to. Weiai says that she always felt that Jiang Yun had sharper instincts for business than her ex and we see her surprised to hear that. Will we get to see her be all business lady by the end of the series? Please I would love to see, especially as Xiguang’s dad has yet to impress me.
Resort Villa
Jiang Yun walks in on Xiguang practicing her ski skills by watching a video. She says she had tea with Yusen’s mom and that they enjoyed the conversation so much they ended up having dinner together too. Uncle Luo was abandoned to his own devices.
As she is about to leave to shower, Xiguang asks her for her help with work. The problem constantly on Xiguang’s mind? The Phase II Plant garden. She explains the situation and her mom is happy to see her ‘all grown up and taking things seriously’. Xiguang playfully scolds her mom for always praising her for doing the work she’s supposed to, saying that ‘I didn’t end up spoiled thanks to my strong moral compass’. The mom teases her back then goes into professional mode as she gives her daughter solid advice. As her mom talks, we see Xiguang form a plan in her mind. Eventually, the topic of her dad comes up, and she tells her mom about how her dad has been missing payment. The mom theorizes the reason why and Xigua just says ‘I have no idea’.
Mom tells her about how she tried convinced her dad to invest in PV back in 2005 but he wouldn’t heed her advice and as a result they ended up missing the explosive wave of the PV industry. This is to show us the business sharpness Weiai praised her for.
If you are to run a business one day there is a paradox you must remember:business is inherently about chasing profit yet you must remain clear head amidst all the fame and fortune. Something her dad lacks as all the family members keep hinting at.
Jiang Yun’s Room
Mom is thinking about Weiai’s words to her. She also remembers her time with Chengyuan, we can see how wealth was changing Chengyuan, making him more short with her and how his inferiority complex was continuously getting them into fights.
Back to Skiing!
Xiguang reminds them of their plan to do their own thing. They chat and we learn that : 1. Xiguang’s fam are leaving the resort in a day. 2. Yusen’s fam is leaving it tomorrow afternoon, with Weiai and Luo heading back to Switzerland and Yusen going to Beijing. They agree to all meet back up at 5.30 p.m. Yusen promises to treat them to hot pot.
We cut to the Huaya Squad. Oh no, please drama just let the both of them move on. Chris and the other female colleague go ahead, leaving Xu to talk with Justin. *Naturally the show doesn’t hear my complaints as Justin opens his mouth and blabs “*I can see the guy who is chasing your student’s cousin, he looks like a total pro” Xu asks for clarification, and Justin confirms. THE EPISODE ENDS ON HIM COMING TO THAT REALISATION AND I AM MAD AT THE FACT WE ARE GETTING ONLY ONE EPISODE A DAY!!!!.
Walk Counter: Just 2. The one episode I decide to start keeping track we don't have much.
Overall Thoughts:
- I love how we get time to explore everyone's backstories. Both Weiai's last episode and Jiang Yun's in this. This episode just further feeds my growing dislike towards Chengyuan.
- I am really enjoying the maturity with which the whole family deals with Xiguang's news about her relationship.
- The way the episode ended doesn't bode well for me. I can't wait to go tackle episode 20 because my friends had some reactions.
We will be back to 2 episodes a day starting tomorrow!! Finally.
Posted Dec 31, 2025, 5:47 PM UTC