Northwards Episode 1 Recap, Plot

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In 1901, a brown-haired, blue-eyed man traveled from Italy to China, personally inspecting the historic canal project. There, he made close friends, settled down, and started a family. Over the long years that followed, the canal nurtured and enriched generations of families living along its banks. The boats traveling north and south carried memories spanning ancient and modern times. For the people living by the canal, it was more than just a route—it was a compass guiding them toward the world, representing a lifetime of connection to their homeland.

Time quickly passed, and by the summer of 2000, Xia Fenghua, Xie Wanghe, Shao Xingchi, and Zhou Haikuo had all grown up along the canal in Huajie. At just ten years old, they were lively and mischievous, the kind of kids both adorable and exasperating. As usual, the four worked together to sneak into a boat’s cabin to steal watermelons. Even when the boat owner caught them, they weren’t afraid—they just laughed and jumped into the river, carrying their stolen watermelons triumphantly back to shore to share their "hard-earned" prize.

The boat owner was furious but couldn't really lay a hand on the kids. Instead, he went straight to Xie Wanghe's mother, Liang Haihong. Upon hearing what happened, Liang Haihong quickly assured him that she would pay for the watermelons. Meanwhile, the four little troublemakers were squatting by the riverbank, watching a lively boat wedding ceremony. Xia Fenghua admired the scene and hoped that when she grew up, she could have a wedding just like this—and she wanted to marry the one she always thought about, Xie Wanghe.

Grandma Ma returned home with a girl who had distinct mixed-race features. The children excitedly ran up to greet her and learned that she was Grandma Ma’s granddaughter, Ma Siyi. Ever since Ma Siyi’s father passed away, her mother remarried and had a son, sending Ma Siyi back to live with her grandmother. Without the love and attention of her parents, Ma Siyi became overly mature yet withdrawn. Aside from greeting everyone politely, she mostly remained silent.

In stark contrast to Ma Siyi’s quiet nature, Xia Fenghua was noticeably lively and talkative. She often went to Grandma Ma’s house for meals and enthusiastically started chatting with Ma Siyi. During dinner, Grandma Ma told Xia Fenghua about Ma Siyi’s grandfather, whose ancestors were foreigners. She even showed the two girls some old photos, which thrilled Xia Fenghua.

After dinner, Xia Fenghua took Ma Siyi around to introduce her to the neighbors. They first visited Zhou Haikuo’s grandfather and parents, then moved on to the Xie and Shao families. The children eagerly vied for the chance to play with Ma Siyi, and the warm atmosphere gradually helped her feel at ease.

Just then, Shao Xingchi’s father, Shao Bingyi, returned on his bicycle. With a mysterious air, he whispered to the elder Zhou Yipu that Xie Tiancheng was planning to replace his boat. Xie Tiancheng, Xie Wanghe’s father, was the most well-known boat owner in Huajie. Because the neighbors trusted him, they all invested in his cargo ship. However, Shao Bingyi was puzzled and displeased about the decision to change boats.

Soon, Xie Tiancheng returned from his shipping trip, proudly carrying gifts into the courtyard. He even handed out money to everyone, brightening their otherwise ordinary days. Since he had made a small fortune through cargo shipping, Xie Tiancheng was considering upgrading his 500-ton boat to a 1,000-ton one. He proposed pooling together another 100,000 yuan, but this put the neighbors in a difficult spot.

According to Zhou Yanlin, the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway was set to be fully operational by the end of the year. The highway might impact canal shipping, but Xie Tiancheng didn’t take the concern seriously. He believed that despite the highway’s existence, its costs were too high. As long as they focused on the Honghuai shipping route, they could still make a huge profit. Zhou Yanlin wanted to say more, but his father, Zhou Yipu, suddenly stood up and opposed him. Deeply attached to the canal, Zhou Yipu firmly reminded them that they were born by the water and must not forget their roots.

That night, Xie Tiancheng’s wife, Liang Haihong, felt that replacing the boat was a big decision and that the neighbors should have had more time to prepare. However, Xie Tiancheng insisted that upgrading the boat would bring nothing but benefits. When he found out that his son had stolen a watermelon, he grabbed a slipper and chased after him. Meanwhile, Xia Fenghua couldn’t escape punishment either.

Shao Bingyi, already displeased with Xie Tiancheng’s plan to change boats, became even more frustrated upon seeing how poorly his son wrote his essay. As a scholar, he cared about appearances and didn’t want to be the only one to withdraw his investment, so despite his resentment, he kept his dissatisfaction to himself.

Li Yan and her husband, Xia Maotian, also discussed the boat replacement issue. However, Xia Maotian's casual remarks quickly angered Li Yan, and soon her loud voice echoed through the courtyard again. Meanwhile, Luo Zhimei returned home and complained that Zhou Yanlin shouldn’t have spoken so pessimistically. Zhou Yanlin understood that his father deeply cared about the canal’s fate, so he was willing to contribute money to upgrade the boat. However, Luo Zhimei worried that Grandma Ma’s family might be struggling financially and unable to contribute.

At the same time, Ma Siyi lay in bed, unable to sleep. She leaned against Grandma Ma, listening to her tell stories about their ancestors. She learned that the Italian man who traveled to China long ago had changed his name to Ma Fude. He once had a violent encounter with a Japanese man and was ultimately mauled to death by a wolfdog. On his deathbed, Ma Fude regretted not finding the brother who had also traveled to China. So, his descendants followed the canal southward until they finally settled in Huajie.

Episode 2 Recap

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