Dear Diary Episode 17 Recap
> Dear Diary Recap
Ouyang Wen Shan returned to the hospital, replaying his previous conversation with Duan Shuiliu. A growing sense of unease settled upon him, making him question everything, even the diary. He sought out Sin in the basement lent to him, where the sudden appearance of a crow reminded him of unsettling encounters he and Murong Jielun had experienced before.
Sin seemed to have been expecting Ouyang Wen Shan, remarking on their shared understanding despite Ouyang Wen Shan's previous promise not to disturb him. Ouyang Wen Shan subtly probed, questioning if Sin was merely a scholar, sensing he had greatly underestimated him. He recognized the distinct scent emanating from Sin, identical to the solid perfume Sin had given him earlier, the one that had nearly caused Murong Jielun to lose control.
Sin, unfazed, admitted the perfume was just one of his many tools. When pressed for his true identity, Sin revealed Ouyang Wen Shan's ancient name, Keane, and led him to a stone tablet. Looking at the tablet, Ouyang Wen Shan was overwhelmed by a vision of Babylon, a majestic empire guided by the lunar deity, conquering all in its path. Sin urged Keane to remember his true name, suggesting he recall the pain endured by his kin.
Meanwhile, Mei Ru and Murong Jielun walked along the path leading into the city, a route Mei Ru used to take with Jiang Hui Zhen as a child. She reminisced about the pink flowers that bloomed there each spring, which they would use to dye their nails. Mei Ru pointed out her old elementary school and the large tree where Jiang Hui Zhen first overheard her reading from her diary.
She shared how her hometown had become a painful memory due to the diary, which exposed her to ridicule and made her feel that an ordinary girl like Chen Mei Ru could never be loved by a prince. However, she told Murong Jielun that his presence had allowed her to rediscover the beauty in her surroundings and her past.
She realized that fantasizing about a profound love was not a sin and that for the sake of love, one could even create a world. Murong Jielun thanked the individual who had provided the inspiration for Mei Ru to create him and ultimately taught him how to love. He promised Mei Ru he would care for her, just as her twelve-year-old self had taught him love when he knew nothing of it.
As Sin continued to reveal Ouyang Wen Shan's past, Ouyang Wen Shan felt memories flooding his mind, depicting Murong Jielun as an enemy who had killed his brothers, kidnapped his kin, and instigated wars in ancient Babylon. Sin asserted that Ouyang Wen Shan should despise Murong Jielun, emphasizing a history of conflict and deep-seated vengeance between them, urging him not to befriend Murong Jielun. Sin then proposed they reunite, just as they had in their homeland.
He explained that he needed the diary because it was a "gate" through which they, along with Murong Jielun and the Hittite princess, could escape this modern world and return home, as they were all trapped here by Chen Mei Ru's writings. Sin declared Chen Mei Ru to be the "culprit" who had engineered their destinies.
Despite Ouyang Wen Shan's initial reluctance to betray Jiang Hui Zhen, Sin stressed that their time was running out, warning that if they failed to retrieve the diary, they would all perish irrevocably during the next blood moon. He promised that if Ouyang Wen Shan cooperated, his kin would be freed.
At home, Duan Shuiliu was delighted to find Ninth Heaven Dragon Lady waiting for him on the balcony, now showing off newly acquired domestic skills like buying breakfast and doing laundry, which she learned by observing other women through binoculars. Their locator bracelets kept them connected, and she affectionately chided him for being too far away.
They affirmed their love and their shared desire to break free from the diary's "setting" and defy any destiny, vowing to face all challenges together and never leave each other. Later, Jiang Hui Zhen was at the theater, looking at a performance costume Ouyang Wen Shan had given her. Ouyang Wen Shan arrived, appearing distraught, and pushed over a mannequin wearing the costume, declaring that costumes not worn on stage were useless.
Jiang Hui Zhen angrily demanded he leave, rejecting his previous offers to help her achieve her dreams. Ouyang Wen Shan, in despair, expressed that fulfilling her dream was his sole purpose, a chance she had now squandered forever. He questioned why she kept the "worthless" costume if he himself was now without value. He confessed his deep longing for her, stating she was the only person he wanted to see and talk to.
Jiang Hui Zhen, touched by his vulnerability, embraced him, admitting she missed him too and was unhappy running errands at the troupe. She expressed her desire to be with him and pursue her dreams not just for herself, but for him as well, embracing vulnerability as a fair price for their love. Ouyang Wen Shan, however, whispered an apology, expressing his wish to be just Ouyang Wen Shan, free from his ancient memories and the pain they brought.
The next morning, Jiang Hui Zhen rushed to Duan Shuiliu, panicked that her diary was gone. Duan Shuiliu immediately suspected Ouyang Wen Shan, but Jiang Hui Zhen adamantly refused to believe it, asserting Ouyang Wen Shan knew nothing of the diary. However, another troupe member confirmed Ouyang Wen Shan had visited her room the previous night. Duan Shuiliu then suspected Sin, recalling that he had previously hinted at the diary.
He furiously confronted Sin in his basement, finding Ouyang Wen Shan already there. Duan Shuiliu accused Sin of being a "thief" and a "schemer" who used women as pawns, realizing Ouyang Wen Shan had betrayed him by aligning with Sin and helping him steal the diary. Sin, in turn, threatened Duan Shuiliu's life, asserting that anything he desired would be his. Ouyang Wen Shan, now referring to Sin as the "true King of Babylon," warned Duan Shuiliu to leave.
As Sin prepared to attack Duan Shuiliu with an illusion, Ninth Heaven Dragon Lady arrived, having followed Duan Shuiliu's locator bracelet. She bravely intercepted Sin's attempt, defiantly proclaiming her loyalty to Duan Shuiliu and denouncing Sin as "evil." In the struggle, Ninth Heaven Dragon Lady's hand inadvertently touched the stone tablet, causing her eyes to glaze over as she was flooded with disturbing memories of her past imprisonment in a water dungeon in ancient Babylon.
