Deep Affection Eyes Episode 5 Recap
> Deep Affection Eyes Recap
In the middle of the night, Li Jinyu escorted a very drunk Ye Meng back to her hotel. Ye Meng, feeling dizzy from the alcohol, pulled him into her room, telling him he had "deeply affectionate eyes" that were "particularly beautiful." She tried to get him to stay, asking if he was "afraid," but he reminded her she was drunk.
Ye Meng insisted he shouldn't leave, but Li Jinyu said he was too tired and suggested they do something another day. Shortly after, Ye Meng fell into a daze and slept. Li Jinyu then unexpectedly received a visit from his psychologist, Mr. Yang. Mr. Yang explained that Ye Meng had sent him an urgent message asking him to see a friend.
It was revealed that Ye Meng had discovered Li Jinyu's serious emotional issues and secretly contacted Mr. Yang to help him, which deeply moved Li Jinyu. When Li Jinyu asked how they knew each other, Mr. Yang recounted that Ye Meng had consistently attended his public lectures on depression in Ningsui a few years prior, even asking many questions. Li Jinyu suspected Ye Meng knew about his past, but Mr. Yang dismissed it, describing her as overly nosy.
Mr. Yang encouraged Li Jinyu to try dating, noting his previous popularity but reluctance to commit. He also mentioned hearing from Li Jinyu's grandmother about a blind date arranged with a girl from Jiangbei, which turned out to be Ye Meng, though Li Jinyu clarified it was just a one-time meeting for his grandmother's sake. Mr. Yang brought up the "white bear effect," explaining that the more one tries to avoid thinking about something, the more it comes to mind.
He advised Li Jinyu not to deliberately avoid his past but also not to rush. As Mr. Yang left, he promised Li Jinyu he would pretend not to know him if Ye Meng were to inquire. Once Mr. Yang was gone, Ye Meng groggily awoke, asking about the conversation. Li Jinyu admitted Mr. Yang had been his psychologist for years.
Ye Meng explained she started attending Mr. Yang's lectures because her grandmother told her that her own mother suffered from depression, making her curious. She confessed her fear for Li Jinyu and expressed hope that he would open up. She said she was used to facing difficult times alone, but now he had her, suggesting she was stable, financially secure, and available, urging him to consider her.
Li Jinyu asked what she liked about him, and she playfully said his face was enough, noting it was the first time she had ever actively asked someone for their contact information, despite having used an earlier excuse about asking about a crab restaurant. Li Jinyu then warned her not to provoke him, stating that if he falls for someone, his feelings would never change.
Ye Meng claimed the same was true for her, to which Li Jinyu jokingly said her claim was "yet to be proven." She mused that she should have just "taken him down" instead of letting Mr. Yang come. Li Jinyu retorted that she should thank him for not taking advantage of her, then added that if he wanted to do something, there was still plenty of time. Ye Meng said goodnight, and Li Jinyu, after a moment, left the room.
Outside, Jiang Luzhi confronted Li Jinyu, revealing she had been looking for him all night and asking if he was now with Ye Meng. She admitted that her previous attempts to show affection towards him were solely to provoke Ye Meng, whom she disliked intensely. Jiang Luzhi expressed her deep resentment towards Ye Meng, citing how teachers, classmates, and even her own parents favored Ye Meng, and how boys she liked always preferred Ye Meng.
Li Jinyu suggested that perhaps Ye Meng also saw Jiang Luzhi as the "perfect girl." Jiang Luzhi concluded that they would likely hate each other forever. She apologized for using Li Jinyu as a tool and asked if they could still be friends. She then advised him that if he truly liked Ye Meng, he should keep her in Ningsui and prevent her from returning to Jiangbei.
The next morning, Li Jinyu visited his grandmother in the hospital, who was recovering from a broken leg. He informed her he planned to go to Jiangbei to see Li Lingbai. His grandmother was baffled and upset, questioning why he would visit the woman who had treated him so poorly in the past.
Li Jinyu explained that Li Lingbai was seriously ill, possibly dying, and that as her son, he felt obligated to go, sarcastically adding that he might "fight for the property." He promised to return to care for his grandmother, joking about using a world map as a dartboard for their future adventures. His grandmother, aware of Li Lingbai's true character, dismissively told him not to be flippant.
Though she reluctantly accepted his decision, she warned him to notify her upon landing, as she had taken out "expensive insurance" on him in case anything happened, so she could claim compensation. He promised to crawl back before Chinese New Year if he had to. Originally, Li Jinyu had wanted to message Ye Meng about going to Jiangbei, but he deleted the text after typing it.
Meanwhile, Ye Meng, with her recovering leg, was busy learning to make a cake from Fang Ya'en for Li Jinyu's upcoming birthday. Fang Ya'en was filming the process as part of a school assignment on "the power of love." Ye Meng, still clumsy with baking, became distracted when she noticed it was snowing in Ningsui.
She confessed that her first instinct wasn't to take a photo, but to worry whether Li Jinyu had an umbrella or if he might fall on the slippery ground. Fang Ya'en teased her, saying she sounded like she was in a romantic drama, and secretly filmed the video, sending it to Li Jinyu. Seeing this, Li Jinyu smiled and immediately replied to Ye Meng's message.
Ye Meng then asked Fang Ya'en for gift ideas for Li Jinyu, dismissing Fang Ya'en's suggestion of "giving herself" as vulgar. She insisted on making the cake herself, emphasizing the "sense of ceremony," despite Fang Ya'en's playful complaints about the cold from the open window. Fang Ya'en proceeded to guide her through decorating the cake. Li Lingbai had arranged Li Jinyu's flight to Jiangbei, sending a driver to pick him up.
At the hospital, she began by asking about his grandmother and noting his change, remarking that he had become "more like a man." She apologized for her past actions towards him and his grandmother, claiming her sudden serious illness was "karma." She recounted vivid nightmares of a stormy night where he cried, begging her not to send him away.
She then admitted she brought him there to ask him to donate bone marrow, adding that he must have already known her intention. She explained the complex procedure would require him to stay for several days. Unaware of the full truth, Ye Meng learned from Qiao Maimai that Li Jinyu had gone to Jiangbei.
Qiao Maimai told her that Li Jinyu's mother was gravely ill and needed bone marrow, calling Li Jinyu "stupid" for rushing off without hesitation, possibly still hoping his mother remembered his birthday. Qiao Maimai added that bone marrow donation was very painful and lamented that Li Jinyu was alone with no one to comfort him. Ye Meng tried to call Li Jinyu, but his phone was off. Distraught, she drove to Jiangbei.
Li Jinyu, meanwhile, had prepared for the procedure, but only learned the truth—that the one truly ill was Li Lingbai's younger son, Li Zhuofeng—upon entering the operating room. After the procedure, Li Jinyu was in considerable pain. He was left alone in the ward, with only the figure of Ye Meng, who had rushed there overnight, present.
Outside his room, Li Lingbai was seen with another young man, Yu Ziyang, whom she affectionately called her "super hero" son, embracing him and telling him she missed him. Li Jinyu, now fully aware of the deception, was confronted by Li Lingbai. He acknowledged he knew Li Zhuofeng was the one who was sick, stating he had sharp eyes.
Li Lingbai offered him money as "compensation," but Li Jinyu refused it, stating the bone marrow was something he owed his father, and she could use it for whoever she wished, adding that he had no interest in knowing more. He discarded the bank card into a nearby trash can before leaving. Soon after, Li Jinyu regained consciousness and saw numerous missed calls from Ye Meng.
He called her back, but not wanting her to see him in a weak state, he told her he didn't want to see her. Ye Meng, who had been standing outside his hospital room, quietly left the hospital. As Li Jinyu took the train back to Ningsui, he saw a mother and child embracing, a sight that stirred complex emotions within him.
Thankfully, Ye Meng appeared at the train station, explaining she had come to "block" him since he had gone to Jiangbei without a word. Li Jinyu apologized, and offered to treat her to tofu cake. She asked about his trip to Jiangbei, noting how weary he looked. Back at Ye Meng's home, she had prepared a birthday celebration for Li Jinyu.
She apologized for it not being a "grand" celebration because he had secretly gone to Jiangbei, but emphasized that she had made the cake herself for the first time. She noted that he had also bought her a tofu cake, declaring them to be "a mutual pursuit." Li Jinyu corrected her usage of the phrase, but she insisted she could use words however she pleased.
She then presented him with a goldfish and a "little black fish," which was Li Jinyu's nickname. She explained it was for the "little black fish" to have a companion and not be lonely, setting an example for them. As he tasted the cake, Li Jinyu, having seen flight information pop up on her phone, asked if she had gone to Jiangbei.
She admitted that Qiao Maimai had told her, and she went to check on him, fearing he might be harmed. Li Jinyu questioned why she hadn't told him. She replied that she had called him, but he had told her he didn't want to see her, which was why she had returned. Feeling touched by her dedication, Li Jinyu then asked if she wanted to try dating him or be with him.
Immediately, he retracted the question, saying to forget he said anything. Ye Meng asked him if he was asking because he truly liked her or simply because he was moved by her actions. She expressed her desire to be with someone who genuinely liked her and told him to take his time thinking about it.
She then urged him to eat the cake, playfully warning him that she didn't know if it was "poisonous," and added that the smiley face on the cake resembled him, suggesting he should smile more often.
