Binary Love Episode 17 Recap
> Binary Love Recap
Linlin sobbed uncontrollably outside the operation room, terrified after Wen Tao was stabbed while protecting her from a group of gangsters. She answered a call from Fang Yuke, crying that Wen Tao was in the operation room and had been for a while, having bled profusely. Fang Yuke, worried and somewhat panicked, tried to calm her down, assuring her they would wait for Wen Tao to come out.
Shortly after, the doctor emerged and informed Linlin that Wen Tao was lucky to have been brought in quickly. His wound, near the belly button, was deep but protected by the omentum, so no internal organs were damaged. The wound had been stitched, and although his left calf sustained some soft tissue injury, a CT report showed it wasn't severe, requiring only rest. Linlin, concerned about Wen Tao's future as an athlete, asked if this would impact his career.
The doctor replied that it would depend on his recovery. Relieved, Linlin finally relaxed, while Fang Yuke began searching for flight tickets. As Linlin gently wiped Wen Tao’s forehead in his hospital room, his roommates rushed in. Linlin explained that Wen Tao was still unconscious after surgery but out of danger.
His roommates expressed their frustration, noting that Wen Tao had painstakingly arranged this day off for Linlin's birthday, only for such an accident to happen, likely delaying his upcoming match. Linlin learned the match was scheduled for three days later. She insisted on staying to care for Wen Tao herself, despite the hospital's one-caretaker policy and her friends' offer to help, stating it was her responsibility. Later, as Linlin poured water, Wen Tao awoke.
She immediately asked about his discomfort, offering to call a doctor, but Wen Tao only wanted her by his side. Moved to tears, Linlin thanked him, but told him he didn't need to do so much for her. Wen Tao responded that his feelings for her had never changed, and even though he knew her answer, it didn't matter. He explained that just as she couldn't fall in love with him, his love for her was equally unchangeable.
He simply asked her to visit him often and not to be overly sad or moved. Back home, Linlin found a birthday cake and takeout food at her door. She lit candles, made a wish, and thought about sending a message to Fang Yuke expressing how much she wished he was with her, but decided against it. She then ate the lemon candy from the cake.
That evening, Linlin brought Wen Tao some noodles, which had clumped together, but he insisted they were the best he’d ever eaten. After returning home and messaging Fang Yuke that she had arrived and was tired, Linlin was surprised by a knock at her door. It was Fang Yuke. Overwhelmed with surprise and emotion, she hugged him tightly, crying and asking why he took so long, confessing how scared and helpless she had felt.
Fang Yuke held her, reassuring her that he was there now and she had nothing to fear. The next day, Linlin arrived at the hospital with food for Wen Tao, who had assumed she wouldn't come. She explained a delay in sending an email to her tutor. Wen Tao commented that the noodles were much tastier than last time, prompting Linlin to reveal they were made by Fang Yuke, who then walked in. Wen Tao was visibly disappointed.
Fang Yuke suggested Linlin go to her classes, assuring her he would take care of Wen Tao. He thanked Wen Tao for saving Linlin, promising to look after him on her behalf, even bringing an array of soups, food, and fruit. Wen Tao, wary of Fang Yuke’s sudden kindness, expressed his fear, even flinching when Fang Yuke offered him a peeled mandarin, suspecting it might be poisoned.
Linlin later returned to find Wen Tao agitated, claiming Fang Yuke was trying to "torture" him. Wen Tao suggested Fang Yuke, being a top student, might be committing "high-IQ crime," perhaps by putting laxatives in his food. Linlin tried to reassure him but decided to talk to Fang Yuke outside. She asked him why he was suddenly so kind to Wen Tao.
Fang Yuke explained his deep gratitude, stating that if Wen Tao hadn't intervened, Linlin would have been hurt, an outcome he couldn't bear. He was genuinely committed to caring for Wen Tao until his full recovery. Linlin thanked him, and Fang Yuke, noting her jet lag, sent her home to rest, promising to convey her good intentions to Wen Tao. For about half a month, Fang Yuke diligently cared for Wen Tao, who continued to be uncomfortable with his presence.
Fang Yuke even brought in a professional, experienced caregiver who specialized in athletes, but Wen Tao refused his help. When Linlin visited, Wen Tao exaggerated his recovery, trying to convince her he was well enough to be discharged and avoid Fang Yuke. Linlin, however, reiterated the importance of a full recovery for an athlete, citing the "100 days for bone injury" proverb and emphasizing that rushing recovery could impact his career.
Fang Yuke reassured Linlin that Wen Tao had recently undergone a full check-up and his health indicators were excellent. As Fang Yuke prepared to leave for China, Linlin expressed her sadness at their impending separation. Fang Yuke, making dinner, asked Linlin to call Wen Tao to check if he was back in his dorm. Wen Tao, eager to show he was fine, lied, claiming he was already at the training ground, actively practicing.
He boasted about being a genius tennis player and his responsibilities to the team. Linlin, reassured by his supposed recovery, enjoyed a shared meal with Fang Yuke from a single plate. Wen Tao, meanwhile, confided in his roommates, realizing that despite his efforts, Linlin was happiest with Fang Yuke. He reflected that he had tried his best to be there for Linlin, but Fang Yuke's presence made her truly happy. He then resolved to be happy if Linlin was happy.
Later, when Fang Yuke departed, Linlin, unable to bear watching him leave, hid under her covers, promising they would reunite soon and never part again. Fang Yuke reciprocated the sentiment. The next day, as Linlin attended a sketching class, she messaged Fang Yuke, asking if he had arrived at the airport. To her surprise, Fang Yuke suddenly appeared in her classroom, introduced by the professor as the model for the day's lesson to understand human anatomy.
Overjoyed, Linlin learned that Fang Yuke had applied for an extension with his professor, allowing him to stay longer and work on his projects online, on the condition that he would be her exclusive model every day. Eventually, Linlin returned to China and was warmly welcomed by her roommates. They eagerly inquired about her relationship with Fang Yuke, discovering she had cut short her master class (referred to as "Stark") to return for him.
Fang Yuke's friends also pressed him for details about his experiences with Linlin, particularly on intimacy, but he playfully deflected, initially urging them to focus on their studies, then jokingly admitting he would make time for dating amidst his work.
On January 21, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened, Linlin's mother called, advising her not to come home for Chinese New Year, but to stay at school with Fang Yuke and stock up on masks, as their community was under strict lockdown. Linlin immediately called Fang Yuke, who was queuing for masks. Just then, the school announced a lockdown starting at 6 PM. Linlin urged Fang Yuke to return quickly.
He managed to buy masks and made it back to campus by jumping over a barrier just as the gates closed at 6 PM, ensuring they would spend the lockdown together. Even amidst the serious situation, Fang Yuke's playful nature surfaced as he teasingly interrupted Linlin's studies with his antics.
