Sparrow 麻雀 Episodes 50-51 Recap

Episodes 50-51 Recap

Last episode we all wondered how Xiaonan would be able to relay the message to the nationalists not to hold their meeting at the Da Fang Hotel. Episode 50 reveals all. Xiaonan is still in pain, but one of the doctors in charge of taking care of her is another friend of Chen Shen’s. (When she was quite sick last year and got kicked out of her apartment because she couldn’t afford to pay the bills, Chen Shen helped her out and even helped her get a job.) Xiaonan pleads her that Chen Shen needs help, so would she please go to Da Fang Hotel before 3pm and light a fire torch so that people know that the circumstances have changed and that there is impending danger? That is exactly what the doctor does.

San Sheng arrives to the scene just having missed the party. All the nationalists have already fled, and he can only return to the bureau empty-handed. The Japanese are pissed, because not only did they lose opportunity to capture the nationalists, even Shu Di Huang’s partner managed to escape. Zhongliang is quite giddy, but at the same time he has lost faith in Chen Shen. After the 3pm deadline is past, he returns home, bringing Chen Shen along.

He tells Chen Shen to enter his study room, and all of a sudden Zhongliang points a gun at him. He says Chen Shen has used Xiaonan this time, and he must have been the culprit last time in saving Bicheng from being arrested as the telegram-sender. “You must tell me who you are,” Zhongliang says. “Or I will have no choice but to hand you over to Ying Zuo.”

Chen Shen doesn’t directly answer Zhongliang’s allegations. Instead, he says that there’s no point in handing him over. Even if he does so, this will only showcase Zhongliang’s inability to do so earlier, highlighting his incompetency in the whole Guilin fiasco. Chen Shen then asks Zhongliang why he is so loyal to the Japanese. He says the Japanese are only using Zhongliang right now because he has value to be used. In the future, when he has lost the value, he will be tossed as well. “That’s why I am only loyal to myself,” Chen Shen says. Before leaving, he adds “On part of us being brothers, I hope this is the last time you point a gun at me.”

San Sheng goes to see Xiaonan after his big failed plan, and she asks him if she can see Chen Shen. San Sheng agrees stiffly, still barely managing composure, but once he leaves the hospital room he erupts in anger, releasing it upon his inferiors. He happens to see Chen Shen about to enter the hospital, and he alleges “You used Xiaonan, didn’t you?” Chen Shen says San Sheng ought to be a novel writer. San Sheng says to cut the crap, and that one day he will beat him. Wow, I think this mission to track down Shu Di Huang and Sparrow has become personal to San Sheng. Chen Shen feeds Xiaonan porridge.

Bicheng has successfully escaped to the location Chen Shen instructed her to head towards. Chen Shen goes to see her, and he suggests that she leave Shanghai as soon as possible. He asks “What if Shanhai sells you out?” Bicheng says she cannot leave Chen Shen, nor can she abandon Shanhai. “After all, if he sells me out, that would mean he would sell you out as well, and you aren’t leaving.” Good point, Bicheng. Getting sassier, aren’t you? Chen Shen says he can’t leave because he already promised someone (Zai Xiang) that he would become a rusted nail in deep in the heart of the enemy ranks. Then Chen Shen hugs her.

Meanwhile, San Sheng tortures Shanhai, whose excuse is that he was meeting a friend at the cafe when his hat got switched. San Sheng laughs at the made-up story. Shanhai was originally worried for Bicheng’s safety, that he might have endangered her, but San Sheng mentions “Once we capture Da Chun and Bicheng […] ” which implies that they haven’t captured her yet. Shanhai is relieved that she has managed to escape.

Boss Li sees Ying Zuo, who’s pissed. “This must be someone trying to frame us,” Boss Li says. “Many people at the bureau are jealous of me.” Ying Zuo raises an eyebrow, replying that it was San Sheng’s work that allowed Shanhai, allegedly Shu Di Huang, to be captured. Boss Li then goes to see San Sheng, and then slaps him. “Do you know what that slap was for? Before committing an action, one must know how to be a person.” Eh, the phrase sounds better in Chinese, 做事之前要知道怎么做人. San Sheng says sorry for disobeying bureau rules and directly contacting Mei Ji Guan without going through Boss Li. Boss Li leaves, but not before adding one more phrase “Do not become too ambitious.”

San Sheng searches Shanhai’s house and begins to suspect that Chen Shen called Bicheng right before people arrived there to capture her. He tells Ah Da to go look into phone records yesterday and see who was the last person who called Bicheng. They also find a letter in one of the drawers that is written from Bicheng to Shanhai. In it Bicheng confesses she is Shu Di Huang, and that she is sorry for not explaining earlier. She was never able to get over Meina and Shanhai’s relationship, but she found a guy called Da Chun who shared her same beliefs and values, so she decided to run away with him. Of course, this letter isn’t true — Chen Shen told Bicheng what to write.

Boss Li and Zhongliang decide to team up with each other for once, because this time San Sheng really harmed their pride and standing within the bureau. They decide to transfer Shanhai from Mei Ji Guan to Zhongliang’s bureau to be interrogated. It’s not as if they are overstepping their bounds either, since this is actually what the rules dictate. San Sheng is angry, but can’t do anything in the face of Ying Zuo’s authority and say in the matter. On the car ride back to the bureau Chen Shen secretly shows Shanhai the letter he had Bicheng write, just in case Shanhai is asked similar questions during interrogation.

Chen Shen gives Shanhai a chance to die in a fast manner, bringing him just within the gates of the jail outside, where Zhongliang’s dog is exercising quite viciously. His neck could be snapped within seconds by the dog, Chen Shen says. But Shanhai doesn’t open the gate awaiting his fast death. He says that the difference between dog and man is that man has dreams and ideals. Chen Shen then reassures him that he has a way to rescue him out of prison – so long as Shanhai has something to offer Zhongliang and Boss Li, he can barter for his life back.