Sparrow 麻雀 Episodes 12-13 Recap

Episodes 12-13 Recap

The next arc commences. Before I start the recap: Zhou Dongyu acts the role of Xu Bicheng, not Xu Bingcheng – sorry for this earlier typo!

Tao Dachun, who is working for Shanhai, creates another plan to attack Chen Shen. He implants a bomb in Chen Shen’s room. That night when Li Xiaonan visits him, she accidentally touches the container the bomb is located in, activating it. Chen Shen has her carefully remove her hands from the bomb as he places his hands on the container, and he tells her to run to outside the building. She tearfully agrees, and the bomb explodes. Chen Shen isn’t too badly hurt, however, since he hides behind a sofa to shield the impact.

Shanhai was trying to look for Dachun during this time to tell him to stop the plans to harm Chen Shen and Zhongliang, but was unable to do so until right after this incident. He is the one who brings Chen Shen to the hospital. Bicheng worriedly runs towards the hospital, asking a little too intently about Chen Shen’s injuries. Zhongliang and Xiaonan suspect Bicheng. Chen Shen and Zhongliang talk afterward about who might be behind this incident, but they deduce that if it was Shanhai, why would he bring him to the hospital and not kill him right there?

On the car ride home Bicheng chastises Shanhai for not contacting Dachun earlier, and Shanhai says if he had done so earlier, it would have compromised his identity. To Bicheng, is he or Chen Shen more important? Bicheng tells him not to act his part of husband so earnestly. But Shanhai essentially confesses to her – indirectly – that he likes her.

Shanhai’s alibi is that he just so happened to be buying books at a nearby bookstore. Dachun temporarily kidnaps the bookstore owner and has one of his men act like the owner when Zhongliang comes to investigate the truth. Zhongliang appears to believe the cover story. Dachun then gives a bunch of money to the original owner and tells him to leave Shanghai.

Zhongliang’s wife likes Xiaonan and wants her to get married to Chen Shen. Zhongliang suggests the Xiaonan live in a new house (since she’s unable to afford the rent at her old apartment)… that just happens to be next to where Bicheng and Shanhai live. This would allow Chen Shen more opportunities to investigate the couple. Zhongliang also has one of his assistants look more into Xiaonan’s background.

Once Bicheng hears Shanhai’s confession, she doesn’t feel safe and writes up a whole list of guidelines for him to follow, such as him not being allowed to talk anything but work with her. He signs the agreement without looking at it too closely, and replies “If this gives a sense of security, then I’ll obey these rules.” He also hands her a gun, and tells her to put it underneath her pillow. If he ever disobeys the rules, he tells her she can kill him.

Shanhai and Bicheng receive a new mission: to find a top secret document in Zhongliang’s office, which is also being sought for by Sparrow. Bicheng wonders how they can find it, and Shanhai suggests they follow Sparrow’s actions closely. This brings up the next question – who is Sparrow? They suspect Chen Shen, for two main reasons. 1) Why else would he help them in the Wu Long arc? 2) His suspicious behavior that seemed to want to help Qiuxia escape the agent headquarters.

They have dinner with Boss Li, who suggests Bicheng switch jobs in the office, since she’s bored with her current position. Her new job comprises of organizing reports that come into the office. Bicheng agrees readily, though Shanhai is more hesitant. He thinks Bicheng might be tricked with a fake report from Zhongliang, or get swayed by her feelings once more. She tells him she’ll always tell him what reports she’s read in the office.

The first test arrives. Bicheng reads a report regarding one of her friends back when she was in school, who is to be investigated by the office. Essentially anyone investigated by Zhongliang’s office is also an euphemism for being killed. Bicheng does not wish for this to happen to her best friend, and pleads Chen Shen to help (who declines), and then pleads Shanhai (who also declines).

Thoughts

I’m loving the OST. It’s dramatic, epic, and sets an appropriately somber tone for the series. Soundtrack links for anyone interested: Title song Fly 飞 (do not watch the music video though, because there are major spoilers), and another song from the OST 風中芭雷.

Not sure how I feel about Xiaonan and Chen Shen’s engagement. On the one hand, I actually don’t mind this couple, since Xiaonan obviously loves Chen Shen and he cares for her too. On the other hand, it’s precisely the fact that he just cares for her, rather than loving her as if she was his lover, that is the issue. Chen Shen treats her like a sister, and in the future Xiaonan may feel lonely if her feelings aren’t reciprocated.

Bicheng’s actions are somewhat frustrating. In past episodes she seemed to repent and genuinely want to change her habit of resorting to her emotions or discussing things with Chen Shen. But she has continued to rely on and trust Chen Shen more than she trusts Shanhai, which raises so many questions. Is she truly loyal to her party, or does Chen Shen come first? She doesn’t outright choose one or the other, and dawdles between the two options.

Pictures and gifs credit to 电视剧麻雀 Weibo.