Almost Lover Episode 6 Recap
> Almost Lover Recap
He Xiaoran’s throat was sore and her voice was hoarse. Sui Mingwei, concerned, prepared a bland lunch and plain water for her. Meanwhile, Xiao Shangqi, recalling their past experience of eating red swamp crayfish, tried to send some to her. He had previously attempted to get her attention by posting on Moments and asking for likes, but when she didn't respond, he thought of sending her red swamp crayfish, which his chef, Mr. Meng, informed him was in season.
However, He Xiaoran refused the delivery, thinking it was a deliberate taunt given her condition. Upon learning of her inflamed throat from his assistant, Xiao Shangqi realized his attempt to care for her had backfired. Determined to reach her, Xiao Shangqi sought online advice on how to surprise someone and break their routine. He arrived at the broadcasting station, pretending to discuss future program plans as a sponsor.
When He Xiaoran tried to direct him to her boss, Mr. He, he noticed her hoarse voice. He Xiaoran confronted him, sternly telling him to stop sending gifts like red swamp crayfish if he wanted to avoid rumors and to simply stay away from her, reiterating that his previous actions had crossed the line. Xiao Shangqi asked if she had taken medicine, to which she retorted that he was the one who was sick.
Following a new piece of online advice suggesting he "disappear" to make her realize his importance, Xiao Shangqi took a more subtle approach. He personally brewed a throat-soothing tea, which he then had a security guard deliver to He Xiaoran, claiming it was from a fan. He Xiaoran, although initially suspecting it might be Xiao Shangqi, dismissed the thought, believing he wouldn't resort to such indirect methods.
Mr. Meng, however, pointed out that He Xiaoran might be hesitant to drink an unlabeled tea from an anonymous sender. Taking this feedback, Xiao Shangqi used Mr. Meng's phone to create a WeChat account and joined the broadcasting group. There, he messaged He Xiaoran as the "fan who sent the throat tea," providing the recipe and assuring her she could make it herself if she preferred, which finally prompted her to drink it.
He continued to check on her well-being anonymously through the group. Despite Xiao Shangqi's subtle attempts to remain in her life, He Xiaoran felt a profound sense of loss, believing he had truly departed. While waiting for a bus after work, Sui Mingwei approached her on his motorcycle and proposed a bet.
He suggested that if her bus arrived within a minute, she should let go of the past and move on; if it didn't, she should go to Jifeng Hotel and tell Xiao Shangqi their feelings were rekindled. He even offered to abandon his motorcycle and take the bus with her if she won. As fate would have it, the bus arrived just in time, and He Xiaoran boarded it, leaving Sui Mingwei to deal with his abandoned motorcycle.
Xiao Shangqi, observing this from afar, felt a pang of jealousy and immediately called to have Sui Mingwei's motorcycle towed away. Sui Mingwei, resolved to confess his feelings, asked Li Hui to play guitar and sing a love song to set the mood for his elaborate drone confession, explaining that his friends were already helping with the setup.
Li Hui flatly refused, criticizing his timing and reminding him that "confession is a white flag," where the first to confess is the loser. Sui Mingwei countered that he was young and ignorant to think that way, and true love required giving it all. However, Li Hui firmly stated that He Xiaoran was not someone who would use a new relationship to forget an old one, and would never accept him until she had truly moved on.
She added that helping him would be "mindless" and while she wouldn't stop his confession, she wouldn't "jump into that fire pit" with him. Meanwhile, Xiao Shangqi, who was drawing with a child, was inspired by the child’s innocent declaration of love for his father and “Uncle Mo.” The child shared his father's belief that love should be expressed promptly, or it "goes bad," and that the "heart is most important."
This made Xiao Shangqi question why he was using so many tactics and roundabout ways to test He Xiaoran's feelings if the heart was truly what mattered. He immediately set out to find her. Sui Mingwei had arranged for a drone performance to display a love declaration, "He Xiaoran, I love you," during the evening. As he was making final preparations, some children took his balloons. He stepped away to resolve the issue, asking He Xiaoran to wait for him.
Just then, Xiao Shangqi found He Xiaoran. As he was about to speak, he was unexpectedly hit on the head by a falling wooden pole. He Xiaoran rushed to his side to tend to his injury. She asked why he was out and about if he hadn't slept well and if he had something urgent to tell her. Xiao Shangqi tried to explain why she had left abruptly that night and if she hadn't heard what he tried to say.
Before he could fully articulate his feelings, a broadcast announcement interrupted him. The broadcast announced that a six-year-old girl named Lele was lost in the creative market. He Xiaoran realized it was the same girl she had seen earlier (the one who took the balloons) and quickly informed security, mentioning she had found the child's watch. She accurately estimated Lele's possible location based on an adult's walking speed, emphasizing the urgency of the "golden search period."
Sui Mingwei’s drone team, whose equipment was originally intended for his confession, was quickly repurposed to assist in the search, along with his friends on motorcycles. He Xiaoran took the initiative to launch a live stream on short video platforms, linking with the radio station and using the drones for aerial surveillance, successfully mobilizing nearby vehicles and residents on Hubin Street to join the search. Sui Mingwei's drone located Lele on the rooftop opposite the art museum.
He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi rushed to the scene. He Xiaoran calmly coaxed Lele, who was precariously trying to retrieve balloons, to come down. In a sudden turn, Lele slipped, and He Xiaoran managed to pull her to safety but lost her own footing, plummeting over the edge. Xiao Shangqi quickly grabbed her hand, holding on tightly as onlookers encouraged them until she was safely pulled back onto the rooftop.
Lele’s parents arrived and immediately began to scold their older daughter for not watching her sister, threatening her if Lele had been lost. Xiao Shangqi, witnessing this, became agitated and intervened, arguing that it was the parents' responsibility to care for their children, not the older daughter's. He emphatically stated that no child is born to take care of another. The police quickly arrived to defuse the escalating situation.
The incident brought back painful memories for Xiao Shangqi, making him recall his past with his brother. He Xiaoran comforted him, assuring him that the love his family owed him would be compensated in other ways, at least by her, who had stood by him for many years. Feeling validated and emboldened, Xiao Shangqi asked He Xiaoran if her steadfast protection for him meant she returned his feelings. He then confessed his love to her.
Flustered, He Xiaoran tried to run away, asking him to stop following and suggesting they both needed to calm down. Xiao Shangqi pursued her, stating he no longer wanted to be just friends and couldn't bear to miss her again. He insisted he was sober and clarified that it wasn't a sudden confession; everyone knew he liked her except her. He confessed his love once more and, as she remained silent, he declared he would assume she loved him too.
He Xiaoran finally conceded with a soft "Yes." Xiao Shangqi apologized for taking eight years to reach her and vowed never to let her go again, as they embraced. Despite seeing He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi embracing, Sui Mingwei was unwilling to give up his confession. His friends prompted him that it was time to initiate his grand drone confession. The drones lit up the night sky, spelling out "He Xiaoran, I love you."
Passersby marvelled at the romantic spectacle, mistaking it for a marriage proposal. Meanwhile, He Xiaoran and Xiao Shangqi walked away hand in hand, completely oblivious to Sui Mingwei's heartfelt but unseen declaration. He Xiaoran’s heroic rescue efforts during the search for Lele became a viral sensation, earning her the nickname "Miss Hanging" and significant attention from the station director.
Mr. He, her boss, personally congratulated her, announcing two days off as their program slot would be temporarily used for a series report. He suggested a team trip to Mountain Linglong, a local "social influencers' favorite spot," clarifying that "Mountain Linglong" was actually a lake. He Xiaoran immediately proposed that Xiao Shangqi, as a "hero" of the rescue, should join them, to which Sui Mingwei reluctantly agreed.
He Xiaoran confided in Li Hui about her newfound relationship with Xiao Shangqi, describing it as a dream she never wanted to wake from and determined to make sure he would never regret being with her. Li Hui, in turn, advised her to simply enjoy the love while it lasted. Xiao Shangqi, eager for the trip, worked late to complete his tasks.
He arranged a large car for the team but cleverly handed the keys to Sui Mingwei, claiming unfamiliarity with the local roads around Wusu, much to Sui Mingwei's silent chagrin. Xiao Shangqi playfully brought unwashed strawberries for He Xiaoran, evoking memories of high school spring trips. Sui Mingwei, still stewing in his unrequited feelings, drove somewhat recklessly, making everyone uneasy. Upon reaching Mountain Linglong, He Xiaoran pointed out fish in the lake, but Xiao Shangqi became visibly uncomfortable and nauseous.
He later confessed that when he was seven, he had fallen into the sea while fishing with his family, and his fifteen-year-old brother, Xiao Xian, had jumped in without hesitation to save him, suffering a permanent leg injury. He revealed that his father’s unspoken blame and Xiao Xian’s crutch had become a persistent "thorn" in everyone’s heart.
He Xiaoran reassured him that it was an accident, and at seven years old, it was not his fault, noting it was the first time he had heard such words. She emphasized that while close friends might keep some bad experiences to themselves, a person meant to spend their life with another should not hide anything, and made him promise not to conceal anything from her in the future.
Later, Li Hui called to inform them that Sui Mingwei was experiencing a stomachache and she was taking him to the hospital, delaying their return. As darkness fell, He Xiaoran suggested that with no ride back and it being so late, they should stay at a nearby homestay, and Xiao Shangqi readily agreed.
