Later, I Laughed Episode 23 Recap
> Later, I Laughed Recap
Humans often say things they don’t truly mean. What they express and what they actually feel are often at odds. When Wu Guodong arrived at the cancer hospital, he intended to cheer up his wife, Li Dongmei. However, the words that came out were complaints about her smoking and grumbles instead of comfort. Li Dongmei turned her head away, refusing to listen to his nagging.
Meanwhile, Shi Ye, driving his camper van back to Banghe Bar, couldn’t stop replaying the conversation between Wu Xiuya and her mother in his mind. He was painfully aware that he might not be the best choice for Xiuya when it came to marriage. Yet, his deep love for her pulled him in the opposite direction, leaving him torn and spiraling into emotional turmoil. Xiuya called Xiao Lan, reflecting on her argument with her mother.
She realized that understanding herself was a much harder task than she had imagined. She still couldn’t figure out what kind of life she truly wanted. Da Yong announced that he planned to return to his hometown next week and would no longer be involved with Banghe Bar. He also asked Shi Ye to find another place to store the camper van. Shi Ye didn’t say much after hearing this news but suggested that their parting should be done properly.
He organized a farewell gathering for everyone. Xiao Lan was out of Shanghai and couldn’t join, but Xiuya came straight from the hospital to meet with Cao Zhiyong, Shi Ye, and Liang Dong. The four of them gathered, shared a drink, and as the alcohol took effect, the sadness in the room became palpable. Xiuya’s eyes reddened as the mood grew heavy.
Da Yong revealed that he wouldn’t be participating in the comedy competition, implying that he was giving up on stand-up comedy entirely. Liang Dong was both upset and angry. It was Da Yong who had convinced him to enter the world of stand-up, promising him that it had a bright future. Now that Da Yong was abandoning it, Liang Dong felt like the foundation of his passion was crumbling.
After his conversation with Li Dongmei, Shi Ye had a deeper understanding of life’s choices. He could sympathize with Da Yong’s decision—people shouldn’t let dreams control their lives. Maybe going back home would help Da Yong figure out what he truly wanted. The group’s poor internet connection earlier had cut off Xiao Lan’s call, but now she returned Liang Dong’s video call. When her face appeared on the screen, Liang Dong, who was drunk, burst into tears.
He asked Xiao Lan when she would return because he missed her deeply and admitted that he genuinely liked her. Xiao Lan was stunned for a moment by this sudden and unprompted confession. Later, after the gathering ended, Xiuya and Shi Ye helped the drunk Da Yong and Liang Dong into a taxi. Then, Shi Ye suddenly hugged Xiuya and whispered in her ear that he wanted to break up. For a moment, Xiuya thought she had misheard him.
She asked Shi Ye for the reason behind the breakup. Shi Ye explained that he didn’t want their relationship to be constrained by external pressures. Even though Xiuya was heartbroken, she had no choice but to accept his decision. Xiao Lan, meanwhile, packed her bags and returned to Shanghai, heading straight to the seaside to find Liang Dong. At first, Liang Dong was too timid to admit that he had confessed to her on the phone.
But when Xiao Lan turned to leave, he finally mustered the courage to speak his true feelings. Xiao Lan’s sorrow turned into joy, and the two officially became a couple. Thus, Shi Ye and Xiuya broke up, while Liang Dong and Xiao Lan started their relationship. At the hospital, Wu Guodong went to pay the medical fees and happened to overhear a conversation between Xiuya and Xiao Lan. Only then did he learn that his daughter enjoyed doing stand-up comedy.
He also realized that she was hesitating to participate in the competition because of Li Dongmei’s illness. Later, Wu Guodong encouraged Xiuya to go for it, expressing his wish for her to live a happy life. Wu Guodong assured Xiuya that he could take care of Li Dongmei, allowing her to focus on the competition without any worries. In the end, Xiuya decided to sign up.
Surprisingly, even Da Yong, who wanted to put an end to his stand-up career, registered for the competition. The competition had a total of 53 participants, including Shi Ye. The producer of the event, Tian Tian, had previously watched Xiuya perform at a theater. It was Xiuya’s performance that had inspired Tian Tian to create a stand-up comedy entertainment program. When it was Xiuya’s turn to take the stage, she looked out into the audience and saw her parents, Wu Guodong and Li Dongmei, sitting there.
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