Though Maomao’s adventures hit pause in the season finale on March 23, 2024, fans will be delighted to know that The Apothecary Diaries season 2 will be released in 2025. Touko Shino, the character designer of the series, shared an illustration to celebrate the announcement. Moreover, the anime unveiled a teaser trailer and visual to confirm that the beloved series will return next year.
The Apothecary Diaries episode 24 recap & spoilers: Lakan reunites with Fengxian
The Apothecary Diaries episode 24 was titled “Jinshi and Maomao.” Continuing the events from the previous installment, the episode begins with Lakan holding the blue rose that Maomao had left for him.
When it was time to choose the courtesan to buy as per Maomao’s conditions, the old madam lined up the best courtesans for him, including the three famous sisters of the Verdigris House. Since Lakan was most acquainted with Meimei, he heads towards her.
However, when Lakan was about to choose her, Meimei opened a door so that he could find Fengxian. A confused Lakan immediately understood the message that the blue rose from Maomao depicted. Though the madam tried to stop him, he ran outside the door.
As he runs breathlessly, he reaches the secluded room that inhabits his long-lost love, Fengxian. The madam seems unhappy with how the events had turned out because she was seemingly protecting Fengxian by keeping her away from Lakan.
However, Lakan’s happiness knows no bounds when he sees her. The strategist asks Fengxian to play Go with him. The episode beautifully captures how he still pictured his lover behind the syphilis-ridden woman’s face. As such, Maomao and Meimei help Lakan reunite with Fengxian, and he proudly celebrates the occasion. He decorates the town and proves that he loves Fengxian just the same.
The Apothecary Diaries finale: How does the series end for Jinshi and Maomao?
The episode later highlights how Maomao, though she hoped for her parents to reunite, did not like Lakan. She says that she does not necessarily hate him but that she dislikes him. To this, Gaoshun replied that no father wants to be hated.
However, her history with Lakan shows how she, as a child, was scared when Lakan suddenly barged into her life and wanted her to refer to him as her father. Since Loumen raised him all this while, this must have taken a toll on little Maomao, who then grew up disliking his biological father.
As Maomao receives Meimei’s letter, she dresses up to dance on the rooftop. Her graceful dance shocks Jinshi, who comes to check on her after officials inform him about “another strange lady” dancing on the rooftop.
With the series’ first season ending, the episode shifts focus to Jinshi and Maomao. The protagonist’s wound opening up gives Jinshi an excuse to carry her in his arms again and he seems relatively carefree about people discovering them together in that state.
The episode ends on a humorous note as Maomao builds romantic tension with Jinshi, only for the protagonist to end up asking for the Ox Bezoar that Jinshi promised to give her in episode 19. With this, the episode ends, concluding the first season and setting the stage for The Apothecary Diaries season 2.
