Hola dear readers, this is the Ending Explained of the drama Twelve Letters. Unlike my usual style, I didn’t write many explanations for this excellent drama. I wasn’t trying to be stingy, trust me.
Since Twelve Letters only has 12 episodes, if I explained too much, I wouldn’t just be writing about the ending, I’d be retelling the whole story. I think it’s better if you experience it for yourself. As I mentioned in my review, this drama is simply too good to miss. 😉
Here, I’ll focus on the key points of how it wraps up. Although it’s an open ending, I feel it leaves us with a sliver of hope and the sense that our characters are moving toward brighter days. Anyhow, before I couldn’t stop talking, let’s get started dear readers. Happy reading!
Read this drama review and ending explained here:
Twelve Letters Ending Explained
What Happened in the Past?
Ye Hai Tang never expected that helping Shen Xiao Jun would help her to uncover the truth about her mother, Wu Feng Ying. Through Shen Xiao Jun’s father, She Da Shan, she learned that Wu Feng Ying had once been his saviour.
Years ago, Wu Feng Ying helped cover up his crime, saving him from prison. Out of gratitude, Shen Da Shan offered her a job in his growing business with a salary higher than what she earned at the sugar factory.
But Wu Feng Ying refused and never asked for anything in return. The only thing she ever accepted was two cans of malted milk. Ye Hai Tang then remembered that she used to see him and her mother in front of a car, with two cans of malted milk.
However, this kind gesture from Shen Da Shan led to her being brutally beaten by Ye Yi Bo, who was jealous and suspicious of her relationship with Shen Da Shan.
Later, Wu Feng Ying asked Shen Da Shan to help her buy two boat tickets to Pushui. He not only purchased the tickets but also prepared supplies for her journey. Yet, Wu Feng Ying never boarded the boat.
A few days later, when Shen Da Shan learned of her disappearance, he went to her house. There, he found Ye Yi Bo was cornered by loan sharks because of his gambling debts. Shen Da Shan stepped in once again, settling the debt of 1,000 yuan.
Shen Da Shan’s story confused Ye Hai Tang. She was wondering why Wu Feng Ying bought two boat tickets. Slowly, the truth dawned on her. Wu Feng Ying had bought the second ticket for her.
Then she remembered that on that very day, one of Wu Feng Ying’s colleagues came to tell her to come to work early because the boss wanted to sort the accounts, and all cash must be brought to the office.
Wu Feng Ying was panicked. Ye Hai Tang and Ye Yi Bo were almost leaving the house, so she secretly slipped a secret note, asking her to wait at Shiqiao at 11.00 AM. But Wu Feng Ying never appeared.
Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun suspected that the money Ye Yi Bo used for gambling was stolen from Wu Feng Yin, who worked as a cashier. However, after Wu Feng Ying disappeared, Ye Yi Bo spread the rumour that Wu Feng Ying had run away with another man and stolen the factory’s money.
However, without any evidence, Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun couldn’t confront Ye Yi Bo to reveal the truth. All Tang Yi Xun could do was comfort Ye Hai Yang, saying that wherever Wu Feng Ying was, it was better than staying with Ye Yi Bo. They promised to search for her in the future.
Ye Yi Bo proved himself to be the most selfish jerk in the Cdramaland! 🤬
Ye Yi Bo learned that the Shiqiao foothills were about to be developed for construction soon. Panic-stricken, he went to a shady person named Li to help him with something.
Li used to refuse, but Ye Yi Bo offered big pay to make him agree. By chance, Tan Yi Xun saw Ye Yi Bo leaving Li’s house on a motorcycle. Alarmed, he rushed home to warn Ye Hai Tang.
One evening, after returning from the study session, Ye Hai Tang and Shen Xiao Jun unexpectedly met Ye Yi Bo. Ye Hai Tang noticed he had brought digging tools on his motorcycle.
Realizing that Ye Hai Tang had seen him, Ye Yi Bo grew flustered and hurriedly left the place. Suspicion flared in Ye Hai Tang’s mind. The pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. Without hesitation, she dashed after him, leaving Shen Xiao Jun alone.
Meanwhile, Tang Yi Xun checked the mailbox after work. At first, he found nothing, so he left. But after a while, he was stopped by the familiar orange cat. Something in its behavior made him turn back.
He opened the mailbox again and discovered a piece of paper. As he read Zhang Guan’s message on the letter, Shen Xiao Jun suddenly appeared, saying that Ye Hai Tang was chasing after a suspicious man.
Without hesitation, Tang Yi Xun told Shen Xiao Jun to call the police and send them to the foothills. He then rushed to chase Ye Hai Tang. His heart was pounding with fear that she had gone after Ye Yi Bo and her life might be in danger.
Meanwhile, Ye Hai Tang found her mother’s hairclip on the ground. This confirmed her suspicion. At the foothills, Ye Hai Tang arrived just as Ye Yi Bo was struggling to drag a heavy sack towards Li’s boat.
Her heart sank. She asked Ye Yi Bo what was inside the sack. At first, he dodged the question. But when Ye Hai Tang showed Wu Feng Ying’s hairclip, he completely lost control. Ye Yi Bo shouted to Li that, for the double price, he must kill Ye Hai Tang.
The two men overpowered her, trying ot force her onto the boat. Luckily, Tang Yi Xun arrived at the critical time. Li immediately lunged at him with a knife while Ye Yi Bo wrapped his hand around Ye Hai Tang’s neck, trying to choke her to death.
Tang Yi Xun managed to kick Ye Yi Bo away from her, but li came at him again. They fought, and Tang Yi Xun almost stabbed Li. But he hesitated when he remembered the message on the letter.
Li saw his hesitation and snatched the knife away. The situation turned. Now it was Tang Yi Xun who was in danger, while Ye Hai Tang fought desperately to resist Ye Yi Bo.
Just then, the police siren echoed. Shen Xiao had done his part successfully, and the police noticed the dangerous situation. Terrified, Li and Ye Yi Bo abandoned everything and fled to save themselves.
Exhausted, Tang Yi Xun crawled to Ye Hai Tang and pulled her into his embrace. Relief washed over him. Ye Hai Tang was safe, and he hadn’t killed anyone. The two clung to each other for comfort. Nearby, Shen Xiao Jun cried and kept muttering, “It’s okay now.”
What Happened in the Future?
Yu Nian and Shen Cheng were troubled because the factory was going to be demolished in three days. And when that happened, the mailbox would be gone forever.
Just as they were preparing to leave for Beixing, a call came from the police. They had found Yu Zhi Yong. He had been staying at the cemetery, refusing to leave. When his condition worsened, the police had no choice but to take him to the hospital.
Hearing the news, Yu Nian was overjoyed. The police had already cleared Yu Zhi Ying of any involvement in Ye Hai Tang’s death, and she had so many things she wanted to say to him. But when she and Shen Cheng arrived at the hospital ward, Yu Zhi Yong had gone once more.
It turned out that he went back to the cemetery. Yu Zhi Yong sat in the chair he used to sit when he watched Ye Hai Tang come to visit his grave.
There, frail and dying, Yu Zhi Yong chose his place to wait for her. As his life slipped away, he suddenly saw her, young and radiant in white, coming to take him away. His dim eyes brightened.
Yu Zhi Yong suddenly became the young and spirited Tang Yi Xun again. Smiling, Ye Hai Tang reached out her hand. Tang Yi Xun’s face softened into peace, and together they walked away. Hand in hand, they went to the magical place where the snow always falls.
By the time Yu Nian and Shen Cheng arrived, Yu Zhi Yong had already passed away. Grief and regret washed over her. She held her old man and wept. Shen Cheng could only watch her from the side with a heavy feeling.
Later, Yu Zhi Yong was laid to rest next to Ye Hai Tang. On their tombstones, Yu Nian and Shen Cheng placed a picture of themselves together. Young and happy. Now they have reunited and will stay side by side forever.
Not long after, the police discovered the body of the man who had once ridden in Ye Hai Tang s car before she died. That man was Ye Yi Bp. The rebellion shocked Shen Cheng. He couldn’t believe that the man, who suddenly appeared, was his relative.
Shen Cheng is convinced that the present tragedy was connected to the event of 1991. He asked Detective Wang to show him the file.
So, what really happened to Ye Hai Tang and Ye Yi Bo on September 8, 2026?
That day, Ye Hai Tang was driving through town when she spotted a man collecting scrap. She recognized him immediately as Ye Yi Bo. Without hesitation, she chased after him, questioned him, and eventually took him into her car. Inside, she confronted Ye Yi Bo about her mother, Wu Feng Ying.
At last, Ye Yi Bo confessed. He admitted that he had killed Wu Feng Ying because she was planning to leave him. When her found two boat tickets at her, he assumed Wu Feng Ying intended to escape with another man. Enraged, he tried to force her to return with him, but when she refused, he strangled her and buried her body at Shiqiao Foothills.
Seeing that Ye Yi Bo showed no remorse and no thought of repentance, Ye Hai Tang decided to take the matter into her own hands. She took Ye Yi Bo to Shiqiao and killed him. But after that, Ye Hai Tang also ended her life.
After knowing the truth, Shen Cheng planned to tell Tang Yi Xun and Ye Hai Tang the truth about Wu Feng Ying’s death. He wanted to alter their unfortunate fate. Bu Yu Nian stopped him. She argues that if the past were changed, the future would also be changed.
If Tang Yi Xun didn’t commit murder, then he and Ye Hai Tang wouldn’t be separated. But it meant Ye Hai Tang would miss her husband, and Shen Cheng would never have been born.
But Shen Cheng made his choice. he said that he had begun to understand Tang Yi Xun and Ye Hai Tang. And the more he thought about them, the less he could accept his mother ending her life because of Ye Yi Bo. Yu Nian pleaded with him, insisting that the whole matter should not require him to be sacrificed.
Shen Cheng replied that they had no choice, because the mailbox had chosen them. Through it, they had the power to help two young people escape their suffering.
Yu Nian could not agree. She reminded him that he still had a family who loved him. he responded that if everything changed, his father would never have had him, he would have no family. Therefore, no one would even remember him.
Yu Nian told him that she would remember him, always. Her determination stunned Shen Cheng. In desperation, Yu Nian tore his passport to stop him from leaving. But even that couldn’t stop him.
With time running out, Shen Cheng sent a message to Zhang Guan, asking him ot write down a message for Tang Yi XUn and Ye Hai Tang and send it through the mailbox.
The letter said that Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun must not go to the foothills on the night of November 30, because if they did, Tang Yi Xun would kill someone, and they would never see each other again.
Because of Zhang Guan’s carelessness, the last sheet of paper tore. He could only manage to write the most important part of the message.
The warning for Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun to avoid the foothills and to avoid killing on November 30. They nearly failed to reach the mailbox on time, as the demolition had already begun. But in the last minutes before midnight, Zhang Guan and Sun Miao Miao managed to send it.
That night, beneath the pale moonlight. Yu Nian and Shen Cheng stood waiting for the news. For the first time, Shen Cheng opens up about himself. He works as a dentist, but he didn’t enjoy it because he loves anything sugary. He once wanted to be a postman, and he loves to read people’s expressions.
Then their phone rings. It’s a message from Zhang Guan and Sun Miao Miao saying that the mission has been accomplished. The letter was mailed to the past.
Shen Chegn’s face showed relief, but Yu Nian’s was filled with sorrow. He tried to comfort her, telling her that they would meet again. Later that night, Shen Cheng waited quietly at Ye Hai Tang’s grave, waiting for the time he ceased to exist.
Epilogue
Yu Nian woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom. She saw the familiar orange cat curled up on the sofa. She grabbed the phone and searched for the number under “Dad,” but it was not found.
While under the Shen name, there were several, but there was no Shen Cheng. At that moment, she realized that the future had changed. Tears slowly rolled down her face.
Somewhere, in a little café, a red mailbox stood. A young man took a letter from the mailbox. It was from Ye Hai Tang and Tang Yi Xun. The letter said that it would be their last. They wanted to thank Yu Nian and Shen Cheng for their warning.
Because of it, Tang Yi Xun didn’t kill anyone and was no longer haunted by the past. Ye Hai Tang was accepted into college and was finally free from her nightmares. They were leaving Meiwan and had many plans for the future. Even if the future changed, they still hoped to see Yu Nian and Shen Cheng. Finally, they said goodbye and wished them well.
My Two Cents
Thankfully, everything ended well. Ye Yi Bo being taken to prison ensured that Ye Hai Tang could finally live her life in peace. Tang Yi Xun could now rebuild his life and start over. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending than this.
Did you notice the young man at the end? Didn’t his build look a lot like Shen Cheng’s? Could it be that he had become someone else, yet still carried the memories of the past? And I couldn’t help but feel that the café was located in the same place as the old bookstore.
I don’t wish for a second season. Still, deep down, I hope that in this lifetime, Shen Cheng will somehow meet Yu Nian again. 🥰
And another thought, if Tang Yi Xun had never swapped identities with Yu Zhi Yong, Yu Nian might never have become friends with Song Miao Miao, and they would never have met Zhang Guan. Geez, thinking that a small letter could change so many things still gives me goosebumps. ..😱
Well, that’s all for the Ending Explained for Twelve Letters. Thank you for staying with me until the very end. This drama left me with lingering emotions about fate, memory, and love.
What about you, dear readers? Do you have any thoughts about the ending? Please share them in the comment box below, I’d love to hear from you. I’ll see you again in another Drama Review and Ending Explained post. Until next time. Ciao!
