Dragon Day, You're Dead Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Dragon Day, You're Dead Synopsis
At the beginning of the new school year, Zhang Jingmei started her new life with the imagination of a good campus.
She has been pretending to be a “lady”, but by mistake, she has gotten into trouble with the number one “bully” on campus, Long Riyi.
In order to maintain her image, Zhang Jingmei reluctantly becomes the “slave” of Long Riyi, during which she must obey any unreasonable arrangement of Long Riyi, and must also accept his sudden harassment at any time.
After some unsuccessful coordination of tolerance, Zhang Jingmei finally could not stand it anymore and decided to launch a counter-attack plan and began to collect all the weaknesses in the life of Long Riyi.
Thus, a battle of “freedom” began…
Dragon Day, You're Dead Recap
Episode 1 Recap
The prestigious Ben Cheng Business Academy, a luxurious institution for the next generation of heirs, was co-founded by the Bai, Jin, and Long families. These three powerful families, whose joint enterprises form the influential Long's Group, held significant influence across Asia. The Long's Group itself had risen as a heavy industry company before expanding into various sectors.
The academy itself was renowned, being the only school in Asia to consistently feature on the James Higher Education World University Rankings for five consecutive years. New student Zhang Jingmei, a confident and smart young woman with a black belt in Taekwondo and a history of countless medals, arrived at the opulent campus. Despite her impressive accomplishments, which included being a cover girl for "Young Lady" magazine, she was known for her tough and straightforward nature.
As she admired the grand surroundings and took a selfie, a commotion erupted with students rushing towards a "Confession Stage." Jingmei was curious about the scene, where a girl stood tearfully, declaring her love for Long Riyi and pleading, "You’re the only one for me! Will you accept me?" Soon after, Han Zhihe, recognized as Long Riyi’s most devoted fan, pushed through the crowd with her followers.
Disdaining the girl on stage, Han Zhihe loudly asserted, "Only I am qualified enough to be his girlfriend!" and ordered her followers to pull the girl down. The tense situation was dramatically interrupted by the arrival of three limited-edition sports cars. From one of them emerged Long Riyi, the sole heir of the powerful Long's Group. He was known for his hot temper and disdain for authority, though he secretly feared water, heights, and his own grandfather.
Without a word to the confessor, Long Riyi confronted a male student who had been involved in pulling the girl down, kicking him to the ground. He sternly warned the boy, "You should not bully others in school! Even more, you shouldn’t bully the weaker ones! Understand? Get lost." The boy quickly complied and fled. The girl who had been confessing approached Long Riyi, expressing her affection and asking him to be her boyfriend. Long Riyi merely pushed her aside.
Seeing this, Zhang Jingmei rushed forward to help the girl, then courageously stepped in front of Long Riyi, demanding that he apologize. Long Riyi ignored her, attempting to walk past. Han Zhihe, delighted despite Long Riyi's dismissiveness, excitedly informed him that she had been assigned to the 3rd class, right next to his 4th class. For an unknown reason, this news visibly angered Long Riyi, who then stormed off towards the teaching building.
Meanwhile, Zhang Jingmei was in the director's office discussing her transfer. Long Riyi burst in, furious about being held back a year. The director, though respectful of Long Riyi's status, calmly explained that the school board had decided he must repeat first grade due to his attendance of only three days and terrible grades. Long Riyi, perceiving this as another tactic from his family, spotted Jingmei's enrollment award on the desk and angrily pressed his hand on it.
Jingmei desperately tried to retrieve her award, cautiously reminding him. Recognizing her as the girl who had challenged him earlier, Long Riyi, still seething, deliberately tore her award. Enraged, Jingmei retorted, "I don’t know how someone like you got into this school! But, you are going too far. The fact that the school is letting you stay, you should be thankful instead." She then demanded he apologize to the director.
Long Riyi, surprised by her defiance, questioned her right to speak. The director interjected, revealing that Long Riyi's family was, in fact, the founder of the school. The director then firmly instructed Jingmei to leave the office, which she reluctantly did. Later, the homeroom teacher introduced Zhang Jingmei to her new class. Many students immediately recognized her as one of the "Top 10 Venus Girls" and a cover model for "Young Lady" magazine.
Fan Bingbing, who was also in the class, thanked Jingmei for her earlier help, and the two quickly became friends. Han Zhihe, present in the same class, sneered, "No one would bother buying this magazine with this kind of face on it. What a joke," and tossed the magazine onto a desk. Fan Bingbing, however, dismissed Han Zhihe's jealousy. That evening, Jingmei returned home to an enthusiastic welcome from her parents and younger brother.
Her brother eagerly asked if she had met the "Bai Jin Long," referring to the heirs of the three founding families. Her mother encouraged her to befriend them, hoping for VIP cards and even a wealthy husband. Jingmei's mother then presented a contract she had signed on Jingmei's behalf with "Young Lady" magazine. The contract aimed to promote Jingmei as a "new fair girl," requiring her to maintain a ladylike image in public.
Jingmei protested, explaining she only took the cover shoot to earn money for Taekwondo and to get into Ben Cheng, and preferred her natural, bold personality. However, the contract stipulated a 5,000,000 yuan penalty for breach, leaving Jingmei no choice but to comply, especially given her family's financial needs. Later, Jingmei confided in an online friend about her frustrating first day at school, describing Long Riyi as "rude and has no manners. But he thinks it's cool.
Which makes me, such a normal person, an outsider." Her friend consoled her, then revealed he would be returning to China the following week and wished to meet. They exchanged names; he was Jin Chunxi, and Jingmei, excited, looked forward to their meeting, wondering if he would be as handsome as his name suggested. The next morning, Zhang Jingmei sat in a quiet school corridor, attempting to read English and adhere to her contract's strictures against eating in public.
Her concentration was shattered by the roaring engines of sports cars. Annoyed, she approached the vehicles, recognizing Long Riyi in one. " Hello classmate," she began, "Here is school. Please be quiet." When he ignored her, she repeated her demand louder. Long Riyi’s friends retorted that the area was originally his private land, generously donated to the school, and she had no right to complain.
Jingmei, undeterred, countered that his car was "noisy and pollutional," and even caused "visual pollution," calling it "such a failure." Long Riyi was taken aback by her insult, wondering if she was calling his car ugly. He found her resilience intriguing, noting that she neither ran nor knelt before him, which he found "kinda of interesting." Later, Long Riyi's confidantes, having gathered Zhang Jingmei's information, asked him how he wanted to deal with her.
Long Riyi, determined, silently vowed that Zhang Jingmei would be expelled. The following day, as classes ended, Long Riyi entered Zhang Jingmei's classroom. He walked directly to her desk, placing a document before her. " Zhang Jingmei," he declared, "You’re the first one to get a challenge letter from me. I send it here personally. Dare to provoke me, you’re so dead." Fan Bingbing watched with concern, knowing that no one who received a challenge letter from Long Riyi had ever escaped unscathed.
Episode 2 Recap
Before PE class, Zhang Jingmei couldn't find her sneakers. As she was searching everywhere, several girls, carrying water and flour, poured it all over Zhang Jingmei. Zhang Jingmei had no choice but to attend class in her school uniform and leather shoes. The PE teacher saw Zhang Jingmei was late and immediately ordered her to run five laps as punishment.
Left with no option, Zhang Jingmei ran five laps in her leather shoes, chafing her ankle, and had to go to the infirmary for bandaging. Recalling the situation in the changing room, Zhang Jingmei believed it must have been Long Riyi's doing. After class, back in the classroom, Long Riyi stopped her.
Zhang Jingmei, mindful of her identity as a lady, suppressed her anger and tried to shake hands with Long Riyi to make peace, but Long Riyi pushed her away. Seeing that a peaceful resolution was impossible, Zhang Jingmei decided to fight Long Riyi to the end. In class, the teacher assigned homework, instructing students to form groups automatically.
However, due to Long Riyi's prestige, no one in the class, except Fan Bingbing, was willing to be in a group with Zhang Jingmei. And since Fan Bingbing was very lazy, Zhang Jingmei had no choice but to shoulder the heavy academic tasks alone. Zhang Jingmei was diligently working on her assignments in the library when Squid and Octopus, following Long Riyi's orders, came to the library and snatched Zhang Jingmei's laptop.
They led her to Long Riyi, who produced a master-servant agreement, threatening Zhang Jingmei that if she didn't agree, he would expel her from the academy. Zhang Jingmei didn't want her parents' efforts to go to waste, so she had no choice but to agree. During self-study class, Long Riyi sent a WeChat message, ordering Zhang Jingmei to immediately bring toilet paper to the men's restroom on the third floor.
Zhang Jingmei, out of breath, ran upstairs with the toilet paper. Long Riyi unhurriedly changed into his school uniform and walked out. Behind him, Squid and Octopus secretly filmed Zhang Jingmei sneaking into the restroom. Seeing his cunning plan succeed, Long Riyi left triumphantly. During judo class, Zhang Jingmei received another order: to personally pull out a strand of the teacher's hair. Long Riyi was watching from nearby.
Zhang Jingmei had no choice but to obey, so she stood up and challenged the teacher. Zhang Jingmei's movements were incredibly swift, and she fiercely pulled out a strand of the teacher's hair. Long Riyi was stunned and had no choice but to let Zhang Jingmei off the hook for once. Zhang Jingmei returned home exhausted, opened her computer, and chatted with her online friend on WeChat as planned.
The online friend had been Zhang Jingmei's confidant for many years, a person with whom she vented her feelings, named Jin Chunxi. They arranged to officially meet at the bookstore at 1 PM on Saturday. The next day, Long Riyi continued to torment Zhang Jingmei relentlessly. After one torment session ended, Long Riyi demanded that Zhang Jingmei help him complete his essay homework. Zhang Jingmei, having a sudden idea, agreed to Long Riyi's request.
The next day, the teacher read Long Riyi's essay aloud in front of the whole class: "I stood in front of the mirror, wearing a lace mini-skirt. . ." This caused the entire class to burst into laughter. Long Riyi felt utterly humiliated and angrily left the classroom. Zhang Jingmei proudly stuck her tongue out at him.
Episode 3 Recap
During class, Squid and Octopus played Long Riyi's video, where he demanded Zhang Jingmei appear before him within 60 seconds, accusing her of having "strongly violated our contract." Zhang Jingmei protested, stating she was at school to study and did not wish to be bothered. Long Riyi dismissed her concerns, declaring his immediate desire for sushi and instructing her to buy it.
He sent her the address to a Japanese restaurant renowned for its air-freighted ingredients, imposing a strict 40-minute deadline for the sushi to be delivered fresh from slicing. He also mentioned the restaurant's exclusivity, noting it only welcomed eight guests daily and was located in a very secret place, leaving its discovery to her luck. As Zhang Jingmei hurried back with the sushi, she was accidentally knocked down by a bicycle, causing the food to spill.
Despite injuring her leg, she quickly re-arranged the sushi, unwilling to waste time by returning to the distant restaurant for a new order. Zhang Jingmei brought the sushi to Long Riyi. As she turned to leave, he stopped her, noticing her injured leg. He sat her down and carefully applied a band-aid to her wound, which left her quite surprised. When Long Riyi reached for the sushi, Zhang Jingmei swiftly snatched it away.
She claimed she was hungry, not wanting him to eat the potentially tainted food. Long Riyi, observing her eager expression, ultimately conceded and allowed her to keep the sushi, although he also mentioned being hungry himself. Later in class, Han Zhihe immediately recognized the distinctive band-aid on Zhang Jingmei's leg as Long Riyi's exclusive design. She confronted Zhang Jingmei, sternly warning her to "stay away from Childe Long" and implying that Zhang Jingmei was trying to seduce him.
Zhang Jingmei, genuinely perplexed by the accusation, insisted she never wanted to be near him. Han Zhihe retorted that if Zhang Jingmei desired such a band-aid, she should ask Long Riyi directly. The argument was interrupted by a teacher, who told Han Zhihe to return to her seat as the bell had rung. In the afternoon, as Zhang Jingmei and Fan Bingbing were walking, Long Riyi called Zhang Jingmei's phone again.
While Zhang Jingmei hesitated to answer, Han Zhihe and a group of girls approached. Seeing Long Riyi's incoming call, Han Zhihe angrily snatched Zhang Jingmei's phone and threw it, then grabbed Zhang Jingmei by her collar, warning her again about getting involved with Long Riyi. Fan Bingbing advised Zhang Jingmei to control her temper, reminding her of her "Venus girl" idol image, yet also encouraging her to use her Taekwondo Black Belt skills to fight back.
From an upstairs window, Long Riyi and his friends observed the confrontation. Long Riyi immediately rushed downstairs, physically blocked Han Zhihe's impending slap, and declared that he was "the only one who can bully her," ordering Han Zhihe to "get lost" within three seconds. Zhang Jingmei, surprised by his intervention, found herself gazing at his profile and realizing he was not as hateful as she had once perceived, even noting his muscular physique.
Long Riyi then took off his school uniform, intending to put it on Zhang Jingmei, but became self-conscious under her intense gaze and simply tossed it onto her shoulder before coolly walking away. Fan Bingbing and Zhang Jingmei discussed how manly he had been, though Fan Bingbing pointed out that without Long Riyi's constant presence, Zhang Jingmei wouldn't have been bullied by Han Zhihe at all.
After leaving Zhang Jingmei, Long Riyi's friends, Squid and Octopus, prepared to play basketball with him. However, both received calls that required them to leave: Octopus had a "geek conference," and Squid had an arrangement for the following day. Left alone, Long Riyi grew bored. He scrolled through his phone contacts and, without consciously intending to, found himself opening Zhang Jingmei's phone. He quickly put it away, dismissing his own actions.
On the weekend, Zhang Jingmei carefully dressed up to meet her online friend, Jin Chunxi, with whom she had been conversing for years. Her younger brother noticed her elaborate attire, teasing her about being in love, but she clarified she was simply meeting a "net friend" and gave him money to keep it a secret. As she stepped out of her house, Long Riyi was waiting for her.
Without a word, he pulled her into a car, telling her, "Now I'm your most important thing." He took her to a shopping mall, insisting she "change your unwatchable dress," and proceeded to select outfits for her. None of his choices, however, satisfied him. With her meeting time rapidly approaching, Zhang Jingmei feigned fatigue and a desire to walk around.
She covertly texted Jin Chunxi to change their meeting location to a café within the same Central Mall, then discreetly slipped away from Long Riyi. Following Jin Chunxi's playful instructions over the phone, Zhang Jingmei navigated to a painting, which Jin Chunxi revealed was a gift for her—a portrait of Zhang Jingmei herself, remarkably accurate despite their never having met. Startled and shy, she finally turned to find Jin Chunxi smiling warmly behind her. They settled into the mall café.
During their conversation, Jin Chunxi subtly pointed out an unremoved tag on her new dress. Mortified, Zhang Jingmei excused herself to the restroom, but instead rushed back to the store where Long Riyi was still waiting. She quickly changed into a different outfit, making an excuse to a sales associate that the previous dress wasn't right, and then discreetly rejoined Jin Chunxi. After Zhang Jingmei's repeated disappearances and reappearances, Long Riyi grew suspicious.
He waited inside the store for her return, catching her as she rushed back. Before Zhang Jingmei could offer an explanation, Jin Chunxi appeared, calling her name and returning a bag she had left behind. Long Riyi's expression immediately hardened in recognition, and he asked, "Is that you?" Jin Chunxi, in turn, recognized Long Riyi and greeted him with a smiling, "Yi, long time, no see." The two men reacted to each other with starkly different emotions.
Episode 4 Recap
Zhang Jingmei found herself seated with Long Riyi and Jin Chunxi, where it quickly became clear that Jin Chunxi and Long Riyi were childhood friends who frequently bickered. Jin Chunxi initiated by remarking on Long Riyi's tendency to torment Jingmei. Long Riyi then questioned Jin Chunxi's return from studying abroad, calling his way of showing off "lame," to which Jin Chunxi retorted that he used "lame tactics" to deal with "lame people."
Jingmei, amused by their childish antics, asked if they were even close, also noting that Long Riyi was still playing childish games. Long Riyi then taunted Jingmei, accusing her of talking behind his back and listing several errands she had run for him, such as buying coffee, running errands, and delivering toilet paper. Jingmei tried to defend herself, stating they had their discussions "in a good manner." Long Riyi dismissed her, calling her contradictory.
As Long Riyi left, Jin Chunxi apologized to Jingmei for the messy first meeting, suggesting they meet again another time. Later that night, Jingmei was relieved to receive a text from Jin Chunxi, assuring her that Long Riyi was not angry and that he had been like that for over ten years.
Jingmei, however, secretly worried about her "Young Lady Idol" image if Long Riyi and Jin Chunxi were to discuss her past embarrassing encounters with Long Riyi, having previously "bad mouthed Long in front of him." That evening, Long Riyi returned home for dinner. His grandfather expressed concern over his academic performance and graduation, pressing him to take over the family business. His mother suggested finding a good tutor.
Long Riyi, wanting to avoid being burdened by unwanted studies, quickly claimed he had already found a tutor: Zhang Jingmei from their academy. When his grandfather inquired about her family background, Long Riyi dismissed it, emphasizing her teaching ability. The family ultimately agreed to the arrangement. The next day, Long Riyi summoned Jingmei to the garage, presenting her with a contract that designated her as his tutor and servant. Jingmei, annoyed by his childishness, tried to reject the offer.
Long Riyi, however, asserted it was an order, dictating that she must come to his house daily after school and refrain from meeting Jin Chunxi privately. Jingmei suspected his true motive was to prevent her from seeing Jin Chunxi. Long Riyi then had Uncle Li send her the address before leaving abruptly. Later, in class, Jingmei’s friend Ice-Ice loudly read the contract, alerting Han Zhihe, who became visibly angry upon learning Jingmei would be tutoring Long Riyi.
At home, Jingmei debated the offer with her family. Her father supported her rejection, while her mother saw it as an opportunity for Jingmei to potentially marry into the wealthy Long family, citing their family's financial struggles and her hopes that Jingmei could "make that millionaire become our family member." Jingmei's younger sister was also excited by the prospect of 1000 yuan for new clothes.
Motivated by her family's hopes and the prospect of money, Jingmei decided to accept the tutoring position. Jingmei arrived at Long Riyi's expansive home, greeted by the warm housekeeper, Uncle Li, who advised her on the quiet teaching environment. She marveled at the sheer size of the mansion, joking about the long distance to the restroom.
Long Riyi's mother, a gentle and beautiful woman, then greeted Jingmei, expressing her happiness and praising Jingmei's excellent academic and explanatory skills, based on Long Riyi's reports. She asked Jingmei to take care of her son. Jingmei was surprised by such a kind mother raising the "devil" Long Riyi, wondering if it was a "genetic mutation." In the study, Jingmei admired Long Riyi's collection of out-of-print books, thinking them wasted on someone who disliked studying.
Long Riyi entered and took a book she particularly desired, offering it to her with conditions. As Jingmei hesitated, Long Riyi dramatically tossed it out the window. Furious, Jingmei confronted him, accusing him of deeming everything but himself worthless. Long Riyi's expression hardened. He clarified he had thrown an "exercise book", not the valuable one, and demanded an apology for her hurtful words, stating that many unseen things were, in fact, meaningful to him. Realizing her mistake, Jingmei sincerely apologized.
Long Riyi's demeanor softened, and he instinctively reached out to touch her face, but Jingmei quickly recoiled. He immediately regained his cold composure, dismissed her by calling women "slow in thinking," and left, telling her he was not having a tutorial and would see her at school. The next morning, Long Riyi found Jingmei and told her she had forgotten something at his house and should come to pick it up.
This conversation was overheard by Han Zhihe and her friends. Determined to teach Jingmei a lesson, Han Zhihe instructed one of her friends to secretly put laxatives into Jingmei's coffee. Later, at a coffee shop, Jingmei and Ice-Ice picked up their drinks. Ice-Ice then remembered she forgot a book at school, and Jingmei accompanied her back to retrieve it. Seizing the opportunity, Han Zhihe put the laxatives into Jingmei's coffee.
Upon their return, Jingmei drank her coffee and soon felt severe stomach pain, rushing to the restroom. Han Zhihe was delighted by her apparent success. However, shortly after, Han Zhihe herself suddenly experienced intense stomach cramps after drinking her coffee and had to rush to the restroom. Jingmei and Ice-Ice struggled to contain their laughter. In the restroom, Han Zhihe's friend expressed confusion, recalling that the laxative had been put in Jingmei's coffee.
Han Zhihe wondered if they had been exposed. Jingmei, feigning concern, asked Han Zhihe what was wrong. Ice-Ice then revealed that she had overheard Han Zhihe's plot while in the restroom earlier and had secretly swapped the coffee cups while Han Zhihe was absent. Han Zhihe was left furious and humiliated. That evening, Jingmei received a text from Jin Chunxi inviting her to dinner, making her very excited.
At Jin Chunxi's home, he had prepared a delicious steak, mentioning he had never cooked for anyone before and that she was his first. Jingmei praised it as the "best Western meal" she had ever eaten. Jin Chunxi then showed her his childhood photo album. Jingmei's eyes landed on a picture of a "little girl" holding hands with a "little boy." Jin Chunxi revealed the "little girl" was actually him.
He explained that his mother had always wanted a daughter and frequently dressed him in girls' clothing, even skirts for kindergarten. Jingmei was surprised by how pretty he looked. Jin Chunxi then revealed the "little boy" was Long Riyi, who, believing Jin Chunxi was a girl, once confessed his feelings to him. He even showed a childish love letter Long Riyi had written, where "0" represented snacks because Long Riyi couldn't write difficult Chinese characters.
Jin Chunxi further elaborated that Long Riyi had tried to keep him from moving overseas by bringing him many snacks and taking that photo. Amused, Jingmei asked to borrow the photo, explaining her "master-servant contract" with Long Riyi and her desire to use the photo to "control" him. Jin Chunxi readily agreed, convinced the photo would grant her leverage.
Later that night, Jingmei went to Long Riyi's house to pick up something she had forgotten, still counting her martial arts repetitions, reaching "One hundred fifty!" Uncle Li greeted her, informing her Long Riyi was in his room. Upon entering, she was startled to find Long Riyi emerging from the bathroom clad only in a towel. Jingmei exclaimed, "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?" Long Riyi, unfazed, responded it was his own house and joked about removing the towel.
Flustered and in a panic, Jingmei accidentally tripped and pulled his towel clean off, seeing him entirely exposed. Long Riyi then confronted her, stating that since she had seen his "majestic appearance," she must take responsibility. Jingmei tried to argue that doctors and nurses also saw people at birth, but Long Riyi cut her off, declaring, "From now on, be my girl." Jingmei was left speechless and shocked.
Episode 5 Recap
After Zhang Jingmei accidentally saw Long Riyi naked, he demanded she take responsibility by becoming his girlfriend. He insisted that no one had ever seen his "majestic appearance" since birth, except for the doctor and nurse. Zhang Jingmei furiously retorted, calling him "despicable, inferior, shameless, and disgusting" for forcing her to see something she shouldn't have. Long Riyi, however, remained adamant, asserting that she could not escape from being his girlfriend.
Zhang Jingmei, unwilling to accept such an outrageous demand, firmly refused and quickly left the Long residence. Back home, Zhang Jingmei couldn't stop replaying the embarrassing scene at Long Riyi's house. She considered using the photo she had obtained from Jin Chunxi against him, but worried Long Riyi would simply snatch and destroy it. She resolved to find a more opportune moment to reveal it.
The next morning, Long Riyi arrived at Zhang Jingmei's house with his brothers, making a grand spectacle. They unfurled banners and loudly chanted her name outside, drawing attention to their high-profile pickup. Zhang Jingmei's younger brother, thrilled at the prospect of her dating the famous Long Riyi, joyfully announced to their mother that Zhang Jingmei was now "Mrs. Long" and their family was "going to be rich."
Zhang Jingmei, mortified, tried to explain that it was all a misunderstanding, but she was quickly pulled into Long Riyi's car by Long Riyi's henchmen. Inside the car, Zhang Jingmei pleaded with Long Riyi to let her go, reiterating that her actions the previous night were unintentional. Long Riyi, however, asserted that she had no right to choose now that she was his girlfriend, a position many others yearned for.
At school, Long Riyi publicly proclaimed Zhang Jingmei as his girlfriend, much to her embarrassment. Later, he entered her classroom and demanded she have lunch with him. Zhang Jingmei tried to decline, stating she had plans to eat with Bingbing. Long Riyi's intimidating stare at Bingbing immediately made Bingbing realize the situation, and she quickly excused herself. Left with no alternative, Zhang Jingmei reluctantly agreed to go with Long Riyi.
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Zhang Jingmei was surprised to find Jin Chunxi already there, having been invited by Long Riyi. Long Riyi proudly introduced Zhang Jingmei as his girlfriend to Jin Chunxi. Zhang Jingmei immediately refuted his claim, explaining that she merely happened to be present when he was showering, and he had then suddenly insisted she become his girlfriend.
Long Riyi interrupted, twisting the story to claim Zhang Jingmei broke into his room, took off his towel, and saw his "majestic appearance," therefore necessitating her to take responsibility. Jin Chunxi remarked that Long Riyi hadn't changed since they were kids. Annoyed by the situation, Zhang Jingmei declared she had classes and left, instructing the waitress to get her a taxi. After she departed, Jin Chunxi reminded Long Riyi of their long-standing competition.
Long Riyi readily agreed to a race, setting the time for two days later at their usual spot. Returning home, Zhang Jingmei found her family celebrating her supposed status as "Mrs. Long." Her brother excitedly inquired about luxury cars and whether their father could retire, implying their newfound wealth. Zhang Jingmei quickly dismissed it as a prank and characterized Long Riyi as merely an "irritating person."
Unconvinced by her explanation, her mother and brother decided to investigate further at school to confirm if Long Riyi was indeed dating her. The next day at school, Han Zhihe, having heard that Zhang Jingmei was now Long Riyi's girlfriend, confronted her. Han Zhihe declared herself the only one qualified to be Long Riyi's girlfriend, but Zhang Jingmei asserted she had no interest in him.
Han Zhihe, angered by what she perceived as Zhang Jingmei's arrogance, ordered her followers to "hit her!" However, Long Riyi's henchmen, Squid and Cuttlefish, arrived just in time to intervene, warning Han Zhihe that "no one touches Mrs. Long." Zhang Jingmei then inquired about Long Riyi's whereabouts. Squid explained that Long Riyi was practicing his driving skills and had sent them to look after her, but she had already left before they could pick her up.
Zhang Jingmei stated she didn't need their protection, and after she left, Squid and Cuttlefish instructed Bingbing to contact them if Zhang Jingmei encountered any trouble. Han Zhihe later recalled seeing discount coupons in Zhang Jingmei's bag during their confrontation. She and her followers found it peculiar for a student at Ben Cheng, a school for the wealthy, to possess such items. They deduced that Zhang Jingmei must frequently use them, suggesting she might be poor.
That evening, Han Zhihe's followers trailed Zhang Jingmei, observing her mother returning home with large bags of discounted goods and her father driving a modest, older car. This confirmed their suspicions that Zhang Jingmei did not come from a privileged background. That night, Zhang Jingmei's mother came to her room and presented her with a heavily discounted, fake branded bag.
She explained that she didn't want her daughter to feel out of place at Ben Cheng, where everyone carried designer bags. Zhang Jingmei immediately recognized it as a fake and protested against wasting money, but her mother insisted it was for "other people to see the label," particularly since she was attending Ben Cheng and, as her family believed, "dating Long Riyi."
Zhang Jingmei again denied being in a relationship with Long Riyi, but her mother, viewing him as a "gold mine," urged her to use the bag, emphasizing the importance of her image. The next day, Long Riyi and Jin Chunxi met for their much-anticipated car race.
Long Riyi confidently told Jin Chunxi he was there to claim second place, but Jin Chunxi countered, reminding Long Riyi that he had never lost to him since childhood and intended to "kick his butt" today. With their taunts exchanged, the two rivals began their high-stakes race. Meanwhile, at school, Zhang Jingmei arrived in her classroom to find "The True Face of Zhang Jingmei" written prominently on the blackboard. Han Zhihe stepped forward, publicly exposing Zhang Jingmei's humble family background.
She announced to everyone that Zhang Jingmei's mother only bought discounted products and her father drove a "broken car," concluding that Zhang Jingmei was neither qualified to be a Ben Cheng student nor Long Riyi's girlfriend. Han Zhihe then forcefully took Zhang Jingmei's bag and mockingly showcased its "fake and ugly" appearance, branding Zhang Jingmei as a liar and a "Venus Girl" who relied on fakes.
She threatened to teach Zhang Jingmei a lesson, confident that no one could help her this time. Seeing the escalating situation, Bingbing discreetly contacted Squid and Cuttlefish via radio. Squid immediately relayed the urgent message to Long Riyi, who was still in the midst of his race with Jin Chunxi, shouting that "Mrs. Long is in trouble!"
Upon hearing this, Long Riyi abruptly abandoned the race, and both he and Jin Chunxi turned their cars around, speeding back towards the school. Just as Han Zhihe was about to throw Zhang Jingmei's fake bag, Long Riyi burst into the classroom, stopping her in her tracks. He fiercely demanded, "How dare you touch my girl? Do you want to die?"
Zhang Jingmei was deeply moved by his protection, but Han Zhihe continued to press, attempting to expose more of Zhang Jingmei's "secrets" and demanding she reveal how she truly entered Ben Cheng. Zhang Jingmei hesitated, struggling with whether to confess her true admission status. Seeing her distress, Long Riyi reassured her, "No matter what you say, Jingmei, I'll believe you." Zhang Jingmei began to say, "Long Riyi, actually, I. . .
," but Jin Chunxi immediately interrupted, knowing the implications of her potential confession regarding her enrollment. Jin Chunxi offered to take an injured Zhang Jingmei to the hospital, but Long Riyi stepped in, taking charge. He warned Han Zhihe not to let such an incident occur again, then gently took his coat and wrapped it around Zhang Jingmei before carrying her out of the classroom. That night, Zhang Jingmei reflected on Long Riyi's unexpected kindness and protection.
Despite his usual difficult demeanor, his words, "No matter what you say, Jingmei, I'll believe you," resonated with her. Acknowledging his help, she felt a need to express her gratitude. She stayed up late, baking cookies for him as a thank-you gift. Her younger brother walked in, jokingly remarking about her late-night activity, to which she playfully brushed him off.
The next morning, Long Riyi was seen waiting for Zhang Jingmei, although he pretended to simply be "walking around" when questioned. Zhang Jingmei eventually arrived, presenting him with the cookies she had baked. She explained that it was a small gift of gratitude for his help, made with her own hands since she couldn't afford expensive presents.
Long Riyi outwardly dismissed the cookies as "too crappy" and "visual pollution," but he accepted them, joking that he didn't want people to assume she was trying to court him, as often happened in dramas where poor girls married rich young masters after being helped. Zhang Jingmei scoffed at his dramatic interpretation. Soon after, during their tutoring session, Long Riyi was uncharacteristically obedient, diligently focusing on his homework.
Episode 6 Recap
During a tutoring session, Long Riyi initially displayed unusual obedience, accurately completing all his assignments. However, his demeanor shifted when Zhang Jingmei asked him to read an English article. He struggled with the pronunciation and declared he was not in the mood to continue. When Jingmei retorted that only children act based on their mood, Long Riyi’s face darkened, and he stubbornly refused to learn further. Frustrated, Jingmei gathered her books and left.
Later that evening, Long Riyi, looking at the cookies Jingmei had made for him, asked Uncle Li how to preserve them permanently. Uncle Li suggested a resin process and offered to find a factory capable of customizing a mold. The next day, Long Riyi's friends, Squid and Octopus, came to visit. Octopus began eating some cookies on the table, prompting Long Riyi to immediately tackle him, fearing he was consuming the special cookies from Jingmei.
Uncle Li quickly intervened, clarifying that those were not Jingmei's cookies. Meanwhile, Jingmei visited the car maintenance plant, hoping to learn more about Long Riyi from Squid and Octopus. She inquired why they called him "Boss." They explained that when they were children, Long Riyi often stood up for them against bullies and deeply disliked hypocrisy. They also revealed that Long Riyi’s biological mother passed away when he was six, and his current mother is his stepmother.
Despite his stepmother’s kindness, he often felt lonely, believing he only had them. They shared a story about him waiting all day for them once when they were on holiday. At school, Jin Chunxi approached Jingmei, presenting her with highly coveted tickets for "West Side Story," which made her very happy. As they chatted animatedly about going to dinner, Octopus spotted them and immediately called Long Riyi. Long Riyi soon appeared, his face tight with anger.
He confronted Jin Chunxi and Jingmei, then snatched the tickets from Jingmei's hand and tore them into pieces, declaring he could simply buy her new ones. Jingmei was furious, accusing him of being overbearing and disrespecting things she cherished. Despite Long Riyi's assertion that she belonged to him, Jingmei, enraged, walked away. As Jingmei walked, a melancholic violin melody caught her attention.
She observed the male musician, reflecting on the vast differences between people, contrasting the diligent violinist with Long Riyi. Assuming the musician was a struggling street artist, she placed some money in his violin case. The musician tried to return the money, but Jingmei explained that she had detected a profound sadness hidden within his seemingly joyful music. Intrigued, the musician smiled and played another song, this time exclusively for her.
That evening, Jingmei returned to Long Riyi’s house for tutoring. As she entered, Long Riyi abruptly opened his door, pushing her to the floor. He then ordered her to open a can of cola for him. In retaliation, Jingmei vigorously shook the cola can before spraying its contents directly onto Long Riyi’s face. She then turned and walked out, ignoring his threat of consequences. Outside, Jingmei again encountered the violinist. Noticing her unhappiness, he spontaneously played a tune for her.
Her mood significantly improved, and she decided to treat him to dinner at a local food stall. Observing his pale and thin appearance, she mistakenly believed he was struggling to make a living and encouraged him to eat heartily and work hard. The musician simply offered a faint smile at her words. The next day at school, the music teacher announced a special guest: a musical talent who would share classical music with the students.
To Jingmei’s utter astonishment, the elegantly dressed man who walked into the classroom was the violinist from the street. He introduced himself as Long Haiyi, a distinguished alumnus, a music doctorate student from LUBS, and the new music teacher. Jingmei was mortified, realizing she had completely misunderstood his circumstances. Long Haiyi then performed a piece for the class.
Later, Long Haiyi caught up with Jingmei in the hallway, and they chatted about their previous encounters, joking about her thinking he was a street artist. They agreed to have dinner together again soon. Their conversation was abruptly cut short when Long Riyi suddenly appeared, pulling Jingmei away and warning Long Haiyi to stay away from "his girlfriend." Long Haiyi, however, calmly greeted Long Riyi, leading Jingmei to realize they knew each other.
Long Riyi then questioned Long Haiyi about why he hadn’t been home, implying a familial connection, but Long Haiyi dismissed the idea of going home with him. The following day, Long Riyi surprised Jingmei by pulling her into his car and driving her to the beach for a barbecue, stating his intention to help her relax. Jingmei posted her location online, and shortly after, Jin Chunxi arrived, having seen her post.
He excitedly shared the news that he had won an international design award. As Jin Chunxi and Jingmei celebrated and enjoyed the barbecue together, Long Riyi grew increasingly annoyed, feeling powerless to intervene. His attention was diverted when his phone rang. His expression softened noticeably as he answered, addressing the caller as "Yoona." He then abruptly left the beach to meet her. Feigning indifference, Jingmei asked Jin Chunxi who Yoona was.
Jin Chunxi explained that Bai Yoona was Long Riyi’s beautiful and elegant childhood sweetheart, his "dream girl," who had always comforted him when he was upset. Jingmei nodded, a feeling of unease settling in her heart, while Jin Chunxi teased her about being jealous.
Episode 7 Recap
During lunch, Zhang Jingmei was preoccupied with thoughts of Bai Yoona. Han Zhihe approached her, displaying a picture of Bai Yoona, and suggested they team up to confront Bai Yoona regarding Long Riyi. Han Zhihe stated that Bai Yoona was the daughter of the Bai's Group, from a notable family, and Long Riyi had been with her. She told Zhang Jingmei that she had nothing to compare with Bai Yoona and would be an "instant K. O."
if she faced her alone, but an alliance might give her a chance. Zhang Jingmei rejected the proposal, stating it was none of her business whom Long Riyi was with and that comparing herself to others was silly. Enraged, Han Zhihe spilled food on Zhang Jingmei's uniform. Zhang Jingmei, unfazed, commented that Han Zhihe's way of making a scene was immature before leaving the cafeteria with Bingbing.
As they exited, Long Riyi's car pulled up, and he swiftly opened the door for a graceful and beautiful woman, Bai Yoona. Zhang Jingmei was struck by her elegance. Long Riyi introduced Bai Yoona to Zhang Jingmei, surprising her by calling Zhang Jingmei his "girlfriend." Bai Yoona kindly greeted Zhang Jingmei and, noticing the stains on her uniform, took out a scarf from her bag to cover them, asking what had happened.
Long Riyi quickly interjected, claiming he accidentally messed up Zhang Jingmei's uniform. Bai Yoona then invited Zhang Jingmei to a small party she was hosting the next day. Zhang Jingmei initially hesitated, citing assignments, but Long Riyi decided for her, asserting she had no right to refuse. Just then, Long Haiyi arrived, and Bai Yoona affectionately linked arms with him. Long Riyi's expression changed instantly, and he pulled Zhang Jingmei away from the scene.
Outside, Zhang Jingmei wondered if Long Riyi was upset about Bai Yoona holding Long Haiyi's arm, but he changed the subject, insisting he would pick her up for tutoring the next day despite her protests of being tired. Later, Bai Yoona was practicing piano in a music room while Long Haiyi listened intently. He quickly pointed out errors in her playing, noting a diminuendo in the second bar and incorrect notes in the fourth.
Bai Yoona playfully pouted, then embraced him, complaining he was "harsher than my piano teacher" after she thought they would be reminiscing. The two are lovers. She then asked about the relationship between Long Riyi and Long Haiyi. Long Haiyi sighed, admitting he had been trying hard but Long Riyi was unwilling to open up.
Bai Yoona comforted him and suggested that tomorrow's party would be a good opportunity for Long Haiyi to talk to Long Riyi and try to ease the tension between them. As they were out, Bai Yoona's phone rang. Long Haiyi encouraged her to answer, but she was hesitant, saying it was her mother and she would call her back later. After Long Haiyi insisted, she answered.
Her mother immediately chided her for taking so long to answer and questioned if she was "with that person again." She pressed Bai Yoona about a matchmaking arrangement, expressing fear of being "thoroughly discredited" if she bailed, and claiming it was for Bai Yoona's future. Bai Yoona quickly agreed to hang up and ended the call, looking troubled. At the party, Zhang Jingmei slipped out for some fresh air, feeling stifled indoors. Bai Yoona found her and joined her outside.
Zhang Jingmei felt inferior to Bai Yoona's temperament. Bai Yoona confided that she had never seen Long Riyi so devoted to a girl before, believing Zhang Jingmei was special to him. She then explained that Long Riyi was bad at expressing himself, perhaps because he lost his mother when he was a child.
Despite Mr. and Mrs. Long treating him well, Long Riyi felt abandoned and shut himself off from new family members, including Long Haiyi, causing difficulties between the brothers. Bai Yoona asked Zhang Jingmei to help her break the ice between them, to which Zhang Jingmei readily agreed. Zhang Jingmei then shared her dream of becoming a film director. Bai Yoona confessed she had no dreams but wished to travel somewhere new.
She expressed a desire to revisit Lanxi Mountain, a place she frequently visited as a child, but Long Haiyi was too busy to accompany her. Zhang Jingmei spontaneously offered to go with her, and they happily made plans to hike there together that weekend. On Saturday morning, Zhang Jingmei prepared sushi. Her younger brother tried to sample it but was shooed away. When Zhang Jingmei wasn't looking, he stealthily took her phone to play games.
While he was occupied, Bai Yoona called. Zhang Jingmei's brother answered, and Bai Yoona apologized, explaining she was not feeling well and had to cancel their hiking plans for Lanxi Mountain. The brother acknowledged the message, promising to convey it to Zhang Jingmei later. Soon after, Long Riyi called, asking for Zhang Jingmei. The brother excitedly called him "brother-in-law" and offered to get his sister. He then realized Zhang Jingmei had already left the house, leaving her phone behind.
Panicked, he informed Long Riyi that Zhang Jingmei had gone out and believed she was going to meet Bai Yoona. He also assured Long Riyi that he would keep an eye on his sister to ensure no other men could contact her. Long Riyi abruptly hung up. Long Riyi rushed to Bai Yoona's house, asking the staff where she was and if they had seen Zhang Jingmei.
The staff confirmed Bai Yoona was in her room but no other guests were present. Long Riyi found Bai Yoona burning with a high fever and chastised the staff for their negligence. He then took her to the hospital. As Bai Yoona recovered, she asked how Long Riyi knew she was sick.
He explained he went to look for Zhang Jingmei, and her brother mentioned she was coming to see Bai Yoona, but when Bai Yoona didn't answer his calls, he came directly to her house. The television in the hospital room then broadcast a storm warning, reporting heavy rainfall and a landslide near Lanxi Mountain. Bai Yoona sighed in relief, grateful they had canceled their hiking plan, remarking that otherwise, she and Zhang Jingmei would have been trapped.
Realizing Zhang Jingmei might have gone to Lanxi Mountain alone since her phone was left at home, Long Riyi immediately rushed out of the hospital and drove towards the mountain. Upon arrival, he found the mountain road blocked by mud and debris. Ignoring warnings from rescuers, Long Riyi frantically dug through the mud, desperately calling out Zhang Jingmei's name. Suddenly, Zhang Jingmei appeared behind him, holding an umbrella.
Overwhelmed with relief at seeing her safe, Long Riyi embraced her and kissed her deeply in the rain. That evening, Long Riyi was at home, still replaying the kiss in his mind. Convinced that Zhang Jingmei's lack of resistance meant she liked him, he confidently called Jin Chunxi, who was jogging in France. Long Riyi provocatively warned Jin Chunxi not to meet Zhang Jingmei behind his back, asserting that Zhang Jingmei was "my girl!"
When Jin Chunxi expressed doubt, Long Riyi revealed that they had shared a kiss, implying that Zhang Jingmei had not told him, and suggesting they weren't that close. Jin Chunxi immediately called Zhang Jingmei, who was visibly distressed. She vehemently denied the kiss, insisting it was a "misunderstanding" and an "accident," then denying it happened at all, and pleading with Jin Chunxi to believe her. Jin Chunxi calmly responded, "I believe you."
After a moment of silence, he proposed that they go on a formal date when he returned to the country. Zhang Jingmei was overjoyed, repeating "He asked me out!" to herself, while trying to remind herself that the kiss with Long Riyi was an accident and Jin Chunxi was her Mr. Right.
Episode 8 Recap
After Long Riyi and Zhang Jingmei shared a kiss, Jingmei began to actively avoid him at school. Long Riyi, however, insisted that she was his girlfriend, reminding her of their kiss as proof. Jingmei repeatedly told him to stop, firmly stating that she didn't have a boyfriend and had no feelings for him, neither in the past, present, nor future. Meanwhile, Long Haiyi was at the hospital, diligently caring for Yoona. He reaffirmed his commitment to always look after her.
He suggested visiting her parents once she recovered, but Yoona’s reaction was conflicted. She knew her family disapproved of their relationship, viewing Long Haiyi as merely a stepson of the Long family, a status they considered beneath the Bai family. Overwhelmed by the difficulties ahead, Yoona held onto Long Haiyi, making him promise to never let go of her, no matter what challenges they might face. Back at school, Long Riyi was visibly distracted during class, murmuring Jingmei's name.
His friends, Cuttlefish and Squid, had never seen him act this way. They suspected he was truly in love and decided to confirm it by having him take a psychological questionnaire. Riyi initially resisted, insisting Jingmei was already his girlfriend, but eventually relented. After analyzing his answers, Cuttlefish and Squid proudly declared that Riyi had fallen deeply in love with Jingmei. Embarrassed, Riyi denied it and quickly left.
Cuttlefish and Squid then approached Jingmei, excitedly relaying Long Riyi's feelings for her. Jingmei, however, claimed to have feelings for someone else and asked them to tell Riyi to stop bothering her. Cuttlefish recognized her words as one of "women's Five Lies" and was puzzled why both Riyi and Jingmei continued to deny their feelings, especially after having shared a kiss. Unbeknownst to them, Han Zhihe overheard their conversation.
Angered by the news of Riyi and Jingmei's kiss, she instructed her followers to keep a close watch on Jingmei's every move. Later, one of Han Zhihe's followers secretly entered the library and stole Jingmei's phone, delivering it to Zhihe. Zhihe then used Jingmei's phone to send a text message to Long Riyi, arranging to meet at 8 PM near her house, a spot her follower confirmed Jingmei frequently passed on her way home from a nearby supermarket.
Long Riyi arrived at the appointed time, only to find Han Zhihe waiting for him, not Jingmei. Zhihe confessed her feelings and declared her desire to be his girlfriend. Long Riyi firmly rejected her, stating that Zhang Jingmei was his only girlfriend and there was no comparison between the two women. Just as he was telling Zhihe to stop her tricks, Jingmei walked past. Seizing the opportunity, Han Zhihe grabbed Long Riyi and kissed him, ensuring Jingmei witnessed the act.
Heartbroken, Jingmei turned and walked away, telling Riyi to never bother her again. Riyi immediately pushed Zhihe away and rushed to explain to Jingmei. As he chased after her, calling her name across the street, Long Riyi was struck by a car. Jingmei watched in horror, then rushed to his side, crying and begging him to wake up. Long Riyi was rushed to the hospital.
When he regained consciousness, he recognized the name "Jingmei" as his girlfriend, but he didn't recognize the Zhang Jingmei standing before him, nor his friends Cuttlefish and Squid. Cuttlefish and Squid quickly realized he was suffering from amnesia. Jingmei tried to offer him soup, but Riyi rejected it, still unable to recall her. Shortly after, Bingbing arrived to visit.
Riyi mistook Bingbing for Jingmei, grabbed her hand, hugged her, and commented on her apparent weight gain, much to Zhang Jingmei's dismay. Cuttlefish and Squid pulled Zhang Jingmei aside, explaining that the most crucial task was to help Riyi regain his memory. They suggested using "memory stimulation," specifically a special memory that made his heart race.
As Riyi leaned in to kiss Bingbing, Zhang Jingmei burst into the room, stopping Bingbing and declaring that she would help Long Riyi recover his memory, but with a different method.
Episode 9 Recap
Zhang Jingmei was conflicted after preventing Bingbing from kissing Long Riyi; she questioned if her nervousness meant she liked him, quickly dismissing it as her duty to help him regain his memory. To that end, she brought Long Riyi, accompanied by his assistants Squid and Cuttlefish, to the mountain where his accident occurred. Long Riyi claimed no recollection of the event. Squid and Cuttlefish suggested a re-enactment, asking Jingmei for more specific details.
Jingmei described how she had been stranded there in the rain after a landslide, and Long Riyi had frantically dug for her, calling her name. Squid and Cuttlefish then created artificial rain. Jingmei immersed herself in the artificial rain, mimicking Long Riyi's actions of digging in the soil while calling her own name. Long Riyi, seeing her drenched, instinctively took an umbrella and rushed to her side, telling her she would catch a cold.
Despite her efforts, he still couldn't recall the specific memories. In a desperate attempt, Jingmei pulled him close and kissed him. Meanwhile, Jin Chunxi called Jingmei to invite her on a date, but she declined, explaining that she needed to care for Long Riyi, who had amnesia and was her responsibility. Suspecting a trick, Jin Chunxi visited Long Riyi at the hospital.
He immediately noticed Long Riyi's alert demeanor, realizing that Long Riyi was feigning amnesia to keep Jingmei by his side. Jin Chunxi confronted Long Riyi, stating his intention was "to expose him." Long Riyi, pretending not to know him, called Jin Chunxi "ugly." Jin Chunxi then deliberately acted intimately with Jingmei, sparking a reaction from Long Riyi, who claimed Jingmei was his girlfriend. Squid and Cuttlefish, playing along, forcibly separated Jin Chunxi from Jingmei.
To prevent Jin Chunxi from exposing his lie, Long Riyi feigned a severe headache. Doctors were called, and Jin Chunxi, Squid, and Cuttlefish were asked to leave. Jin Chunxi then confronted Long Riyi again, calling his actions childish and declaring that Jingmei was "his." To further challenge Long Riyi and expose his pretense, Jin Chunxi suggested taking Long Riyi and Jingmei to an amusement park to stimulate his memory. He claimed thrilling rides were Long Riyi's childhood favorites.
Long Riyi, who actually suffered from acrophobia, was forced to go on intense roller coasters and drop towers with Jingmei to maintain his facade. After enduring several rides, a visibly pale and unsteady Long Riyi collapsed onto a bench. Jin Chunxi offered him a glass of milk, knowing Long Riyi was lactose intolerant. Long Riyi drank it to uphold his act, but soon suffered from severe stomach pain and had to rush to the restroom repeatedly.
Inside, he angrily confided in Squid and Cuttlefish that Jin Chunxi had seen through his act and was deliberately pranking him. He ordered them to find a way to get rid of Jin Chunxi. Squid and Cuttlefish informed Jingmei that Long Riyi was unwell, prompting her to rush to his side. They then attempted to lure Jin Chunxi onto a Ferris wheel, but the clever Jin Chunxi outwitted them, leaving them trapped while he rejoined Long Riyi and Jingmei.
Jingmei, sensing the tension, excused herself to buy drinks, leaving the two rivals alone. Jin Chunxi directly challenged Long Riyi, demanding they cancel the "master-servant" contract with Jingmei and compete fairly for her affection. Long Riyi refused, reiterating that Jingmei was his girlfriend. Jingmei returned, and Long Riyi promptly took her back to the hospital. Separately, Long Haiyi visited Yoon-er at his coffee shop. He gently brought up the idea of meeting her parents as her boyfriend.
Yoon-er's hesitant reaction revealed her parents' disapproval of his status as a stepson in the Long family. She cautiously asked if there was any chance he could join the Long Group, hoping it might change her parents' perception. Long Haiyi, however, firmly stated his unwillingness to involve his family's influence in his personal relationship and assured Yoon-er he would win her parents over in his own way.
Later, Jin Chunxi unexpectedly invited Long Riyi and Jingmei to his home to watch a movie. To their shock, the screen displayed dashcam footage of the supposed accident. The video clearly showed Long Riyi stumbling and falling, then deliberately feigning unconsciousness on the road, rather than being hit by a vehicle. Jingmei, realizing Long Riyi had lied about his amnesia and the accident, became enraged and stormed out of the house.
Long Riyi shot a furious glance at Jin Chunxi before rushing out to chase after Jingmei. Determined to win back Jingmei's forgiveness, Long Riyi enlisted Squid and Cuttlefish to project an apology video onto the classroom screen during Jingmei's class. Long Riyi appeared on screen, sincerely apologizing for lying to her. The public apology drew the attention of students and even the teacher.
However, a stone-faced Jingmei, unmoved by the gesture, simply walked up to the screen and turned off the video, then calmly resumed her lesson as if nothing had happened. Disappointed, Long Riyi acknowledged that his plan had failed. He then began to think of a new idea to win her over.
Episode 10 Recap
Long Riyi, determined to earn Jingmei's forgiveness after his previous failed attempts, brainstormed a new idea with his subordinates. He arranged for numerous banners and posters to be placed along Jingmei's path from school, even bribing students and staff to help. These banners included messages like, "I'm sorry! I'm afraid of losing you because I care about you. In order to keep you, I had to lie to you. I had short-term amnesia when I fell to the ground.
I was afraid I'd forget you. I felt really happy seeing you worried about me. Please forgive my selfishness. I promise to be true to you from now on. Your boyfriend: Riyi." While some students found it romantic, Jingmei was somewhat moved but still didn't respond to Long Riyi, merely calling it "boring" to his face and expressing frustration with his methods before rushing off. His subordinates later commented that Jingmei had completely rejected their efforts.
That evening, Long Riyi stood outside Jingmei's building, using a loudspeaker to loudly declare, "Zhang Jingmei, I was wrong! Please forgive me!" He threatened to come up if she didn't descend. Concerned about disturbing her family, Jingmei came down, making sure to tell her parents she'd be back quickly and putting on a scarf to ward off the cold. Riyi then led her to an open field, ostensibly to watch fireworks.
As fireworks bloomed in the sky, Jingmei was initially upset, listing his past "bullying, deceiving, and being unreasonable," and stated that his apology felt selfish and insincere. Riyi, in turn, confessed to a deep loneliness, explaining that his life had always been meticulously planned, from his education to his friendships, leaving him feeling isolated. He likened it to "drowning in cold water," unable to connect with his own family.
He then sincerely apologized, saying that her presence had changed him and brought him happiness, and that he truly liked her. Jingmei reflected that this was probably the first time he had truly opened up. She accepted his apology, but when he embraced her and implied she was his girlfriend, she quickly corrected him. She stated that accepting his apology didn't mean she was his girlfriend, especially since their prior kiss was an accident she wanted him to forget.
Riyi, however, argued that their shared "firsts"—first kiss, first time seeing her naked, first apology—meant she should be his girlfriend. Jingmei, flustered, ran off, with Riyi happily chasing after her. The next day, Han Zhihe discovered her computer frozen with a message reading "Extreme Challenge Gauntlet Name: Han Zhihe." Infuriated, she ordered her subordinates to find the culprit. Later, after school, she found her car had been vandalized.
Long Riyi then appeared, warning her not to cause any more trouble for Jingmei. He threatened that if she continued, he would make her "suffer every day you're inside Ben Cheng" and told her to "just mind your business" regarding Jingmei. Enraged by his protection of Jingmei, Han Zhihe refused to give up and instructed her subordinates to "keep an eye on Zhang Jingmei," declaring that if she "can't get him, I won't let her as well."
When the school announced its art festival, Han Zhihe initially found it "boring" and had no intention of participating. However, upon learning that Jingmei had signed up for the director's group, Zhihe, disdainfully calling Jingmei "just an eyecandy," immediately decided she couldn't let Jingmei "steal my thunder." She then signed up for the director's group herself. When the final list was published, Jingmei was selected as the drama director, much to the joy of her friends.
Han Zhihe, however, was assigned to the production group. When Jingmei's friends congratulated both, Zhihe angrily retorted, "What's the fuss? What's so amazing about being a director?" Jingmei, seizing the opportunity, playfully countered by asking why someone didn't make it as director for "such an unimportant thing," which only fueled Zhihe's resentment. Jingmei then ironically advised Zhihe to eat more, given the demanding nature of the drama crew, before her friends celebrated her directorship and offered their assistance.
Yoona brought Long Haiyi to her home to meet her mother. Haiyi presented a gift, but Yoona's mother, claiming they were house cleaning, directed them to the yard and quickly sent Yoona away to her room, leaving her alone with Haiyi. She immediately told Haiyi that "you and Yoona are not gonna work out" and strongly opposed their marriage.
Haiyi mentioned his upcoming work in the Long's Group, but her mother dismissed it, making it clear that her true concern was his "motives and purpose" in approaching Yoona, the sole heiress of the Bai family business. She warned him to "better forget it" if his intentions were to exploit her daughter's inheritance. Haiyi, though a stepson of the Long family, asserted his dignity, stating he was with Yoona purely out of love.
Yoona's mother, however, coldly retorted that while a backbone was good, it would be "better if you have similar abilities," before dismissing him, claiming she was tired. Yoona, having overheard, rushed back to the garden, crying and apologizing for her mother's harshness, begging Haiyi to stay, but her mother flatly refused her plea. Haiyi, understanding her mother's concerns and feeling humiliated but comforting Yoona, promised to find another way, then left.
Yoona later confronted her mother, who insisted she was acting "for your own good" and told her to "just forget about him." Jingmei invited Jin Chunxi to a restaurant to discuss the upcoming art festival play.
Jin Chunxi impressed Jingmei with his acting skills, performing a Hamlet monologue, and they brainstormed ideas, considering options like "Cats" (a musical with high demands) and "Equus" (problematic due to nudity) before settling on Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" for its cheerful and romantic themes and appeal to students. During their discussion, Riyi's subordinates, Squid and Cuttlefish, spotted Jingmei and Jin Chunxi together at the canteen and immediately reported it to Riyi.
Riyi, furious, rushed to the restaurant, confronting Jin Chunxi and asserting that Jingmei was "my girlfriend" and he shouldn't be meeting her without his permission. Jingmei promptly corrected Riyi, stating she had never admitted to being his girlfriend and their meeting was strictly for work, expressing her dissatisfaction with his constant obstruction. Upon learning that Jingmei had successfully applied to be the drama director, Riyi spontaneously declared that he would join the production as well. Jingmei, perhaps to keep him in check, appointed him as the assistant director, a role Riyi was visibly confused about, asking his subordinates to look up its meaning.
Episode 11 Recap
Jingmei convened the first group meeting for the play, introducing the staff members. Just as she was about to introduce everyone again, Long Riyi arrived, declaring himself the assistant director. He brought various items like fruits, a cooling drink, and a mini coffee cup, claiming they were for Jingmei’s well-being. Jingmei, though annoyed by his unsolicited gestures, appreciated his thoughtfulness. She told him to take everything away, asserting she was working and he should leave.
Long Riyi insisted he was helping, and Bingbing, a coordinator, backed him up. Later, when a large meal from the Peninsula Hotel was delivered, everyone realized Long Riyi had taken charge of the entire crew's catering, despite their limited budget. He proudly announced that he would handle all future meal arrangements, leaving Jingmei to silently acknowledge that "money is also a kind of handsome trait."
Meanwhile, Yoona's mother secretly arranged a meeting between Yoona and Lin Feng, the successor of Huan Yu Group, hoping to secure land for Yoona's father's acquisitions. During the meeting, Yoona's mother explained the business implications and urged her to consider Lin Feng, highlighting that Long Haiyi, Yoona’s current boyfriend, could not inherit the Long family estate. Yoona, however, declared her happiness with Haiyi and her indifference to wealth.
As Lin Feng arrived, Yoona found him to be a "mama's boy" and openly criticized his attire. Feigning a restroom break, Yoona discreetly slipped away from the cafe and rushed to Long Haiyi's office. She embraced him, distraught. Long Haiyi, sensing her parents were pressuring her again, gently comforted her. Yoona then tentatively asked if he could try to inherit the Long family fortune, even for her sake.
Long Haiyi expressed his difficulty, explaining that Long Riyi was the designated heir and he had no desire to contend for it. Yoona, though slightly disappointed, respected his decision. Haiyi promised he would not leave her and that he would visit her once he secured a job offer from an investment bank. Back at the school, the audition for the play's female lead began. Han Zhihe, still resentful of Jingmei, subtly intimidated and sent away all the aspiring actresses.
After a long wait with no one showing up, Jingmei and Bingbing were stumped. To avoid wasting more time, Jingmei decided to temporarily fill in as the female lead during the male lead’s rehearsal. As the male lead was about to kiss Jingmei during a passionate scene, Long Riyi dramatically burst in, stopping him and warning the actor to stay five meters away from his girlfriend. He then declared himself the new male lead, forcefully dismissing the original actor.
Despite not having seen the script, Long Riyi confidently announced he remembered the lines. As he performed with Jingmei, his earnest gaze captivated her, but just as he leaned in for a kiss, Jingmei snapped back to reality and, flustered, ran off. Later, Bingbing convinced Jingmei that having Long Riyi as the male lead, despite his disruptive nature, could significantly boost the play's publicity and solve the problem of finding a lead actress.
Jingmei also consulted Long Haiyi about the play's soundtrack, as the school orchestra was unavailable. Long Riyi, despite Jingmei's playful attempts to assign him to various tasks like calling Mr. Shen to fix a circuit problem, remained intent on being involved in the artistic decisions, showing a burgeoning interest in the production's overall aesthetic, even comically suggesting his "SK cars" for the stage design. After work, Long Riyi invited Jingmei out for a date the next day.
That evening, Jingmei's younger brother asked her to cover his part-time shift at an amusement park, as he had an audition for an e-sports training team. Jingmei agreed, only to realize the shift was scheduled for the same day as her date with Long Riyi. The following morning, Long Riyi arrived early, eager for their outing. Jingmei, desperate to avoid telling him the real reason, feigned illness, vaguely claiming her "aunt" was visiting, a euphemism for her period.
Long Riyi, initially offering to buy her medicine or take her to visit her "aunt," eventually understood her meaning. Believing she was genuinely unwell and "troublesome," he left. Upon returning home, Long Riyi found Yoona waiting for Long Haiyi, who was not there. Seizing the opportunity, Long Riyi spontaneously decided to take Yoona to the amusement park instead.
Episode 12 Recap
Zhang Jingmei took on a part-time job at an amusement park, where she was dressed as Rilakkuma to entertain guests. While happily posing for photos with visitors, she unexpectedly saw Yoona and Long Riyi approaching. Wanting to play a prank on Long Riyi, Zhang Jingmei rushed forward, hugged Yoona, and then pushed Long Riyi away when he tried to join for a photo.
Long Riyi was confused, asking if Rilakkuma was specifically targeting him, and thought to himself that besides Zhang Jingmei, there was another person who would dare to treat him this way. Meanwhile, Long Riyi had taken Yoona to the amusement park because she was feeling depressed, reassuring her that they were there to have fun and forget upsetting things. Yoona thanked him, saying she was glad he was with her.
Later, while Zhang Jingmei was taking a break and out of her costume, some children playfully kicked her Rilakkuma head. She scolded them, retrieving the head and setting it aside, completely unaware that Long Riyi was behind her. The children, initially calling her "Auntie," quickly changed to "Sister" when she corrected them, and then pointed out Long Riyi's presence.
Long Riyi, discovering it was Zhang Jingmei, questioned why she was at the amusement park when she had claimed to be sick to cancel their date. Yoona then arrived, delighted to find Zhang Jingmei there. Realizing Zhang Jingmei was the Rilakkuma, Yoona believed that both Zhang Jingmei and Long Riyi had conspired to cheer her up, making her mood significantly brighter. Long Riyi dismissed this as nonsense.
The next day, before leaving for school, Long Haiyi had an earlier conversation with his mother. She apologized for the hardships she had faced because of him, expressing pride in him. She revealed she knew he had gone to the Bai family and offered to have his grandfather put him on the board, acknowledging his excellent performance in Leeds.
Long Haiyi, however, told her not to worry and that he would handle things, promising to tell her the truth when he brought Yoona back. Later, as Long Haiyi was heading to school with his violin, Long Riyi intercepted him, demanding an explanation for standing Yoona up. Long Haiyi stated that his relationship with Yoona was their private matter and he would handle it. Long Riyi insisted Long Haiyi had hurt her and he couldn't stand by.
Long Haiyi tried to leave, but Long Riyi snatched his violin and threw it, breaking a string. Their mother rushed to the scene, quickly defending Long Riyi and trying to comfort Long Haiyi, saying the strings could be replaced and Long Riyi hadn't meant it. Long Riyi, however, was ungrateful, telling his mother that despite being called "Madam," she was not the true mistress of the Long family.
This comment infuriated Long Haiyi, who demanded Long Riyi apologize to their mother, saying he could tolerate Long Riyi's usual antics but not disrespect towards their mother. Long Riyi retorted that she was Long Haiyi's mother, not his. Their grandfather arrived and intervened, bringing an end to the heated argument. Upon arriving at school, Long Haiyi found Yoona's mother waiting for him in the office. She declined any refreshments, stating she would speak a few words and leave.
Long Haiyi tried to explain that he was applying for an executive position at an investment bank and was expecting a response soon, asking for more time. Yoona’s mother insisted she was speaking as a mother, revealing that Yoona had given up many opportunities for him, including running away from a blind date with the heir of Huan Yu Group.
Long Haiyi asked if his relationship with Yoona didn't matter, but she countered that relationships could be nurtured and youth was crucial for girls. She then directly asked when he intended to break up with Yoona, telling him to stop dragging her down. Feeling immense pressure, Long Haiyi later sent a heartfelt message to Yoona via his phone, expressing his deep love but acknowledging the "huge gap" between them.
He felt they both had responsibilities to their parents and family that they couldn't abandon, and therefore he couldn't give her a better future or continue their dream. He regretfully decided to let her go. Heartbroken, Yoona called Zhang Jingmei, apologizing for the sudden call but stating Zhang Jingmei was the only person she could confide in. Zhang Jingmei, concerned, asked if something was wrong, and Yoona, feeling depressed, asked her to join for a drink.
During their conversation, Yoona asked Zhang Jingmei’s opinion of Long Haiyi, to which Zhang Jingmei praised him as handsome, talented, thoughtful, and a perfect match for Yoona. Yoona, however, disagreed, stating there was no such thing as a perfect couple and that appearances could be deceiving, hinting at a hidden darkness.
When Zhang Jingmei inquired about her pessimism, Yoona revealed Long Haiyi’s background: he was Aunt Yang's child and had no blood relation to the Long family, meaning he couldn't inherit the family business. Yoona sadly explained that in their world, marriages were either unions of powerful families or at least between equals, and therefore her parents would never accept Long Haiyi. Despite admitting she loved him deeply, she felt helpless, especially after her mother's harsh words to Long Haiyi.
Zhang Jingmei expressed her sympathy. Yoona then suggested there might be something Zhang Jingmei could do to help. Zhang Jingmei later visited Long Haiyi, inquiring about his well-being and acknowledging his breakup with Yoona. She mentioned Yoona was worried about him. Long Haiyi initially pretended to be fine, but Zhang Jingmei saw through his facade, prompting him to admit he felt terrible, suffocated by the thought of losing Yoona.
However, he believed he shouldn't impede her future if he couldn't offer her something better. He lamented that he had nothing left to lose. Zhang Jingmei, touched, told him she thought he was great, while she considered herself a coward when it came to love.
News of Long Riyi becoming the male lead for the stage play spread, sparking a frenzy among female students eager to audition for the female lead role, primarily to act alongside him rather than for the play itself. Many candidates presented unsuited talents or expressed their admiration for Long Riyi.
During the auditions, one contestant sang, another, Xie Danni, demonstrated her extensive knowledge of Long Riyi's personal details but knew nothing about the play, and another recited a poem dedicated to Long Riyi. Zhang Jingmei noted that none of the participants seemed genuinely interested in the drama itself. Amidst the chaos, Han Zhihe boldly stormed in, declaring herself the only suitable leading lady and dismissing other candidates before performing an impressive dance.
Later, Zhang Jingmei and the crew were working on revisions, and she grew impatient waiting for Long Riyi, who was scheduled to arrive at 10 AM. He appeared precisely on time. Zhang Jingmei presented him with three final candidates, explaining he would practice with each to select the leading lady. Long Riyi immediately rejected them all, dismissing them from the stage. Zhang Jingmei confronted him, asking who would be the leading lady then.
Long Riyi unexpectedly pointed to Jin Chunxi as the lead actress, remarking that Jin Chunxi already knew how to be a girl and had tried it before. Jin Chunxi and Long Riyi then bickered intensely over who should take the role, with Jin Chunxi even suggesting Long Riyi himself play the leading lady. Frustrated by their antics, Zhang Jingmei stormed out of the rehearsal room.
Someone from the crew followed her, pointing out that Long Riyi might have suggested Jin Chunxi because their bickering created a chemistry reminiscent of a couple. The crew member, a "senior fan," admitted she wanted to see two handsome men on the same stage as lead actors, creating a great spectacle. She also highlighted that neither Long Riyi nor Jin Chunxi wanted to be the leading lady, leaving the decision to Zhang Jingmei as the director. After careful consideration, Zhang Jingmei returned to the theater to announce the final cast list for "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Episode 13 Recap
The cast list for "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was announced, with Jin Chunxi chosen as the male lead. Surprisingly, Long Riyi was cast as the leading lady. Long Riyi immediately protested the decision, exclaiming, "What are you talking about? You're the leading lady! Are you crazy? I refuse!" Jingmei, however, held up a photo Jin Chunxi had given her and asked, "You sure you don't want to do it?"
Long Riyi was stunned, asking why she had that picture, then realized, "I see, it was Jin Chunxi." Jingmei reminded him of their master-servant agreement and warned him, "The whole school already knows you've been bullying me, but this picture, not many people have seen it. Be careful or I'll put it on the big screen, and I'll let the whole school know how infatuated Childe Long is."
Long Riyi furiously told her not to let anyone see the picture, or "you'll die," but ultimately had no choice but to accept the role. During rehearsals, Jin Chunxi performed his lines with skill and emotion. Long Riyi, however, struggled, fumbling through his lines on stage. Concerned for their boss, Cuttlefish and Squid secretly gave Long Riyi an earpiece and positioned themselves backstage to feed him lines.
Jingmei and Jin Chunxi decided to switch to a different scene, but Long Riyi, still relying on the earpiece, was unaware. When it was his turn, he recited lines from the first act, while Jin Chunxi had just completed a different scene. Jingmei found this odd and went backstage, discovering Cuttlefish and Squid hiding and prompting Long Riyi. Furious, Jingmei confronted Long Riyi, accusing him of being irresponsible. "
I can accept that your acting is not as good as Jin Chunxi's. But your perfunctory attitude, I really can't take it anymore. I actually thought you really wanted to play the drama with us. Ultimately, you just tricked me. A person with an irresponsible and negative attitude like that, only you, Long Riyi, can have them." Long Riyi stormed out.
Cuttlefish and Squid defended Long Riyi to Jingmei, pointing out the script's small and numerous words and how hard he had worked. Jingmei then had a realization, remembering that Long Riyi had dyslexia. Upon returning home, Jingmei researched methods to overcome dyslexia. The next day, she went to Long Riyi, teaching him line by line, having him repeat after her. He found it difficult to read, stuttering "After. . . After the. . ." but his memory was astonishing.
When Jingmei read, "Hermia, you've been running around in the forest, and you almost fainted with fatigue. Let's have a rest," he repeated, "Lysander says, Hermia, you've been running around in the forest. Let's have a rest." Jingmei corrected him that he didn't need to say "Lysander says" and that he was Hermia, but he kept repeating everything exactly as she said it. She got exasperated, but he reminded her, "You told me to repeat after you.
You'll read a line, and I'll follow you." When Jingmei read another segment, "A piece of grass can be used as pillow for the both of us. Two bodies, one heart, we should sleep in a bed together," Long Riyi repeated it perfectly after only one listen. He soon fell asleep, and Jingmei, observing him, marveled at how someone so seemingly carefree could possess such an extraordinary memory, considering him a paradox.
Days later, Long Riyi gradually adapted to his role, performing his lines smoothly. During a rehearsal, Jingmei instructed him to portray Hermia with more grace and less masculine movement. When Long Riyi still hesitated, Jin Chunxi offered to take over the role. Jingmei quickly threatened to replace Long Riyi if he wasn't serious. This prompted Long Riyi to finally embrace the character.
He performed a scene with Jin Chunxi, showing a much gentler demeanor as Hermia, causing Jingmei to tease him, "Are you okay?" Long Riyi, staying in character, replied, "No. My dear, lie further away. A little further, okay?" The rehearsal concluded successfully, and Jingmei praised Long Riyi, acknowledging his significant progress from lines to acting, realizing that Jin Chunxi's earlier suggestion of "spiritual encouragement" had indeed worked wonders.
Jin Chunxi later joked to Jingmei that Long Riyi's current focus was entirely on "how to screw me." Jingmei reassured him she would handle everything for the upcoming dress rehearsal. On the day of the dress rehearsal, Jingmei was busy directing the crew, ensuring costumes, lighting, and stage setup were perfect. In the dressing room, Long Riyi and Jin Chunxi squabbled over the men's changing space, with Long Riyi, playing Hermia, asserting his right to be there.
Jingmei intervened, taking a photo of Long Riyi with her phone and threatening to post this embarrassing photo if he didn't get dressed immediately. Long Riyi reluctantly complied. Just before the show began, Jingmei handed the original "infatuated Childe Long" photo to a staff member for safekeeping, instructing them not to give it to anyone until she was off stage. The performance began as scheduled.
As Long Riyi delivered his lines with newfound confidence, he noticed Jingmei and Long Haiyi whispering together in the audience. He faltered momentarily, breaking character to shout to the audience, "Hey! Say your lines!" before quickly regaining his composure and continuing the play, albeit with a slightly altered tone. The audience and his friends cheered for his performance.
After the successful conclusion of the stage play, the screen behind the performers suddenly displayed the very photo Jingmei had used to threaten Long Riyi earlier – the "infatuated Childe Long" picture. The entire audience gasped in surprise and began pointing at the screen. Long Riyi froze, staring dumbfounded at a bewildered Jingmei.
Episode 14 Recap
After the shocking photo of Long Riyi's childhood appeared on stage, he angrily stormed off and hid in the dressing room. Zhang Jingmei followed, trying to clarify that she was not responsible for the display. Long Riyi refused to believe her, convinced it was a deliberate act to humiliate him. He accused her, "You got the picture, who are you kidding? You promised me! And you lie!" Jingmei pleaded, "Long Riyi, can you believe me?" but he retorted, "Believe you?
I got fooled by you in front of the whole school?" Jingmei insisted on her innocence, explaining she had been watching him and didn't have time to post the picture. Long Riyi remained suspicious, suggesting she, as the director, could easily order it. Jin Chunxi attempted to intervene, telling Long Riyi it was just a childhood photo and the show was a success, but Long Riyi cut him off, stating it was a private matter.
Long Riyi then left, leaving a crying Jingmei behind. Jin Chunxi comforted her, saying he believed her, but Jingmei lamented, "But Long Riyi, why doesn't he believe me? He must hate me now." Squid and Octopus soon found her and tried to console her. News of Long Riyi and Jin Chunxi's "relationship" quickly spread, becoming a campus joke. Rumors blamed Zhang Jingmei, labeling her Long Riyi's "ex-girlfriend" who manipulated events.
Distressed by the widespread gossip, Jingmei recognized the severity of the problem. Carrying Long Riyi's jacket, she sought out Squid and Octopus to help her find Long Riyi and explain everything in person. They were hesitant, citing Long Riyi's bad mood, but Jingmei insisted, pleading, "I didn't really do that thing. I want to explain to him. Please help me."
Meanwhile, Han Zhihe spotted Jingmei, Squid, and Octopus heading towards Long Riyi and secretly ordered her followers to tail them and eavesdrop. Jingmei found Long Riyi, but before she could explain, he angrily rebuffed her attempts to return his jacket, saying he didn't want it. He then took out their master-servant contract and, with a sarcastic remark about her previous desire to break it, tore it into pieces.
Long Riyi declared, "From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Despite her initial wish to terminate the contract, Jingmei felt a sudden pang of pain, realizing the contract represented a significant bond between them. She desperately stopped him, insisting, "I didn't really do that. I'll find the evidence. Give me two days, just two days." Long Riyi dismissively asked if it still mattered, but Jingmei firmly responded, "Yes! I don't want you to misunderstand me."
Determined, Zhang Jingmei visited the control room and learned that all screen displays were managed from there and no unauthorized individuals were permitted entry. The staff, surprised by Jingmei's questions, realized she hadn't been responsible for the photo. Jingmei then asked where she could view surveillance footage and was directed to the Security Office, though informed that students couldn't access it. She called Long Haiyi, who helped her review the surveillance.
Pausing the footage, Jingmei exclaimed, "So it was her," as she identified Han Zhihe as the culprit who had accessed the control room. Long Haiyi assisted her in extracting the relevant video segment and copying it onto a USB drive. Later, while Jingmei was walking alone, she was ambushed by two thugs. She fought back, but Han Zhihe was secretly recording the entire fight. Han Zhihe then confronted Jingmei, demanding the USB drive.
Jingmei refused, but Han Zhihe boasted, "There's nothing I can't get if I want it. And the footage from the surveillance room, I've already processed it. You have nothing to prove yourself anymore." Han Zhihe then blackmailed Jingmei, threatening to release the fight video to ruin her "lady" image if she didn't hand over the surveillance footage. Under the threat, and burdened by a one million breach of contract penalty, Jingmei reluctantly gave up the USB drive.
Han Zhihe walked away triumphantly. As the two-day deadline passed, Han Zhihe publicly released the video of Zhang Jingmei fighting. Students immediately gossiped, calling Jingmei "scheming." Han Zhihe then brought Jingmei to Long Riyi, presenting the fight video as evidence of Jingmei's true, "terrible" nature. Jingmei tried to explain, "Long Riyi, don't listen to her. She framed me," but Han Zhihe countered, "Zhang Jingmei, you're a liar."
Long Riyi, seeing the video, angrily confronted Jingmei, "What else do you want to say? You said you need two days to collect evidence, where is it?" When Jingmei explained that Han Zhihe had taken it, Long Riyi scoffed, "Who can take your things? You're so good at fighting, do you think I'm stupid?" He further disbelieved her, taking the fight video as proof of her deceit.
Jingmei tried to defend herself, stating that even if she sometimes dissembled, it didn't mean she deserved to be framed. Han Zhihe twisted Jingmei's words, portraying her as a habitual liar now enraged by exposure. Overwhelmed, Long Riyi angrily told Jingmei to "Get out of my sight" and pushed her away. Han Zhihe left, assured of her victory.
Squid and Octopus tried to calm Long Riyi, but he was furious, stating he didn't care if Zhang Jingmei was a lady, but she had lied to him, and he was angry they still tried to help her. Undeterred, Zhang Jingmei confronted Han Zhihe again, asking, "Why are you always against me?" Han Zhihe proudly explained her jealousy, stating, "Childe Long should belong to me. If you don't appear, will he ignore me?
If I can't have it, you can't have it, too." She then, overconfidently, revealed her entire scheme: she happened to be there when Jingmei threatened Long Riyi with the picture, seizing the opportunity, and her friends, the operators, allowed her into the control room. Unbeknownst to Han Zhihe, Jingmei secretly recorded their conversation. Jingmei then found Long Riyi at his garage. He repeatedly dismissed her, refusing to listen to anything she had to say.
Jingmei insisted, "You can hate me, but you can't wrong me. This is the evidence." She handed him the recording, explaining, "It's a little bit late, but the contents inside can prove that I was innocent." Long Riyi remained unresponsive, telling her, "You can go now." Squid and Octopus, also present, urged Long Riyi to listen, emphasizing that a misunderstanding needed to be resolved. Despite Long Riyi's initial resistance, they persisted and eventually played the recording for him.
The audio clearly exposed Han Zhihe's confession of her manipulative plot. Upon hearing the truth, Squid and Octopus realized they had "really got Mrs. Long wrong" and that "It's Han Zhihe." Long Riyi, still agitated, told them to leave him alone. Despite knowing the truth, Long Riyi remained in a foul mood. Squid and Octopus speculated that he was most upset by Zhang Jingmei's perceived deception, not the photo itself. Long Riyi instructed them not to defend her.
He felt a profound sense of unfamiliarity with Zhang Jingmei, as if he no longer truly knew her. Meanwhile, Jingmei was left wondering why Long Riyi hadn't contacted her after receiving the recording, frustrated that she had done everything she could.
Episode 15 Recap
After attending an art exhibition with Jin Chunxi, a weary Jingmei falls asleep in his car, unconsciously murmuring Long Riyi's name and repeatedly asking, "Long Riyi, why don't you believe me?" Jin Chunxi, who harbors deep feelings for Jingmei, later asks her to meet him at a cafe. He intends to confess his love and present her with roses, but he accidentally spills coffee on her phone.
Jingmei's immediate distress is not for the damaged phone itself, but for the possibility of missing a call from Long Riyi. Jin Chunxi asks her, "Is he really that important to you?" and then, "What about us?" Jingmei confides in him, explaining that while life felt less difficult after meeting him, Long Riyi, initially a "big trouble" she wished to be rid of, has now become an inseparable part of her life.
His absence leaves her feeling empty, and she admits, "It seems I can't leave Long Riyi." Distraught by Jingmei's confession, Jin Chunxi returns home and covers a portrait he made of her. He then seeks out Long Riyi and challenges him to a fight "for Zhang Jingmei." Long Riyi's subordinates attempt to intervene, but Long Riyi sends them away, insisting it's his problem.
During their exhaustive brawl, Jin Chunxi criticizes Long Riyi, asking if he's "blind" for not seeing Jingmei's kindness, and questioning his lack of trust. Long Riyi argues that he only saw her using his emotions to embarrass him. Jin Chunxi, in turn, tells Long Riyi, "You don't treasure what you have. You have more than what you want," revealing his own pain by adding, "it's over for me before I even started."
Long Riyi eventually acknowledges Jin Chunxi's words, stating, "Thank you. You wake me up." The following day, Bingbing takes Jingmei to a secluded Buddhist temple and encourages her to confide in the Zen Master. Tearfully, Jingmei pours out her heart, confessing her feelings for Long Riyi. She describes him as "childish, overbearing, and unreasonable," and sometimes "cocky," recalling moments he made her life difficult.
Yet, she admits she began caring for him more and more, even recalling his declarations like, "From now on, you are mine," and "Zhang Jingmei, I. . . I think I really like you." She found herself accustomed to his antics and missed him more than she anticipated when he said he wouldn't see her anymore. When she asks the Zen Master what she should do, the voice from behind the curtain replies, "Stay with him."
Jingmei recognizes the voice and discovers Long Riyi behind the screen. Long Riyi teases her about her earlier descriptions of him, and a playful argument ensues about their past interactions, including who took whose first kiss. Long Riyi then declares, "You finally admit I'm your boyfriend," to which Jingmei bravely replies, "Why not?" pulling him close for a passionate kiss that solidifies their mutual feelings.
Soon after, Jingmei accidentally sprains her ankle, and Long Riyi, exaggerating the injury, insists on pushing her around in a wheelchair at school. He even grandly designates an office elevator as "Zhang Jingmei's personal elevator." Bingbing, observing Long Riyi's devoted (and overly dramatic) care, expresses her admiration, calling him "a combination of strength and kindness, gently and manly." Long Riyi gives Jingmei a personal item, instructing her to press a button if she needs anything.
Later, Bingbing, intrigued, presses the button by mistake, causing Long Riyi to immediately rush into the classroom with Squid and Cuttlefish. Seeing Jingmei is fine, he then leaves, leaving Jingmei touched by his concern. After class, as Jingmei and Bingbing are making dinner plans, Squid and Cuttlefish arrive in a fleet of luxury cars, calling Jingmei "Mrs. Long" and announcing they are there to pick her up.
Bingbing, utterly charmed, quickly backs out of her plans, leaving Jingmei to be escorted to the beach. There, Long Riyi explains he wants to give her a "special gift in a special way." He has her find a small car model hidden under a rock, proudly proclaiming it his "favorite." Jingmei can only laugh, asking if he shouldn't consider her preferences. Long Riyi simply states he wants to give his favorite things to the person he likes the most.
As they sit by the sea, Jingmei asks Long Riyi what they would do if his family opposed their relationship. He firmly assures her, "You can't leave me for the rest of life. No matter where you go, I will be there," playfully threatening to throw her into the sea if she overthinks it. Their romantic moment is cut short by unexpected rain. Long Riyi takes Jingmei back to his house.
Finding it empty, Jingmei encourages him to shower and change. As Long Riyi comes downstairs, still only in a towel, the entire Long family unexpectedly arrives for a rescheduled family gathering. Jingmei, having been alone with Long Riyi in the mansion and thinking "A man and a woman alone in a room. Oh, my God. What am I thinking?" blushes as Long Riyi teases her. Long Riyi then formally introduces Jingmei as his girlfriend to his surprised family.
While his mother, Xiaokun, and Long Haiyi seem pleased, his grandfather strongly objects. He sternly declares he "wouldn't allow the tragedy to happen again on Yi," implicitly forbidding Long Riyi's relationship with Jingmei. Long Riyi attempts to argue, but Jingmei subtly stops him, then apologizes for disrupting their family gathering and quietly leaves the Long residence alone.
Episode 16 Recap
Jingmei returned home where her mother eagerly inquired about the Long's mansion. Jingmei dismissed her mother's interest, stating that a large house doesn't signify comfort. Shortly after, a distraught Yoona arrived, in tears. Jingmei offered her water and invited her to stay the night. Yoona revealed that she and Long Haiyi were likely going to break up, explaining that he had not contacted her since her mother's humiliation of him.
Jingmei tried to comfort Yoona, suggesting Long Haiyi might have his own reasons. Yoona, however, insisted she didn't care about his status as a stepchild in the Long family or his lack of inheritance rights, only their mutual love. Jingmei then confided that Long Haiyi had previously told her he truly loved Yoona and had only made the decision to end things because he didn't want to impede her, implying it wasn't his genuine desire.
Jingmei encouraged Yoona, reminding her that "opportunities are created by ourselves." Yoona found some solace in Jingmei's words and nodded, still tearful. The next morning, Long Haiyi received a text message from Yoona, who asked him to meet her at the school gate for their future happiness. Upon his arrival, Yoona suggested they run away together to a place where no one knew them. Long Haiyi refused, calling her "wayward" and expressing concern for their parents' feelings.
Yoona insisted she only wanted to be with him and didn't care about others' opinions. Long Haiyi then definitively stated, "Yoona, we're done. You should go and find your own happiness." A heartbroken Yoona replied that she couldn't be happy without him and couldn't accept anyone else. Long Haiyi apologized, but Yoona, ignoring his apology, demanded to know if he still loved her.
He explained that they were no longer children and love couldn't change everything, especially his identity and the lack of approval from her family. Yoona accused him of giving up easily, contrasting him with Long Riyi. When Long Haiyi offered to take her home, Yoona, utterly disappointed, declined and walked away. Later, Jingmei learned that Yoona was sick. She rushed to find Long Haiyi, who was playing a string instrument, to deliver the news.
Although Long Haiyi asked if Yoona was okay, Jingmei pressed him, asking why he wasn't caring for her if he truly cared. Long Haiyi stated that he and Yoona "were over," but insisted he valued their relationship and had been working hard. He explained that he had many helpless circumstances and that some things couldn't be changed despite effort. Jingmei, recalling Yoona's earlier suggestion, asked why he couldn't just take Yoona away with him.
Long Haiyi clarified that running away would be a mistake, as it wouldn't solve their problems and would only cause conflict between Yoona and her family, adding that he must also consider his own parents and the consequences. Jingmei apologized for her oversight. Long Haiyi then expressed his hope that Yoona could let go of their relationship as soon as possible, telling Jingmei that she "don't understand a lot of things."
Jingmei observed that even the "seemingly perfect Haiyi also lives a difficult life." Long Haiyi admitted to hating himself sometimes and wished he were Long Riyi, who could "do whatever I want" and "leave no regrets" even if he failed, in contrast to his own need to be "very careful everyday." He then departed.
Driven to despair, Yoona burned all her mementos of Long Haiyi and numbly began to accept blind dates arranged by her family, going on dates with wealthy young men introduced by her mother. In the afternoon, Jingmei and Bingbing were enjoying afternoon tea. Jingmei's mother unexpectedly called her to Long Quan Mall. There, Jingmei found Long Riyi shopping with her mother, buying an expensive, limited-edition bag, with the salesperson remarking on his filial piety towards his "future mother-in-law."
Jingmei's mother gloated about the purchase, comparing it to an item owned by a Mrs. Lee. Jingmei expressed disdain for her mother's "tacky" comparisons. She confronted Long Riyi, accusing him of "bribing my family." Her mother and Bingbing defended Long Riyi, calling it a way to show his love. Jingmei argued that "happiness can't always be bought with money" and that she "like[s] you just because who you are, not for your money."
She insisted on returning the bag and pulled Long Riyi away from the store. Long Riyi accepted her stance, promising not to spend lavishly, and was not upset by her rejection of the gifts. Jingmei suggested that if he truly wanted to express his love, he should invite her to a movie. As they prepared to go, Jingmei received a message from Yoona, asking both of them to meet her at Long's Building the following day.
The next day, Jingmei and Long Riyi arrived at the Long's Building, where they found Yoona trying on a wedding gown with a blank expression. Her fiancé, a man named Bai, politely stepped out when asked. With a forced smile, Yoona informed Jingmei that she was getting married and asked Long Riyi to help pick a bouquet. Jingmei was visibly shocked and asked about Long Haiyi.
Yoona explained that Long Haiyi "decided to let go," making it "no significance" for her to continue fighting. She confirmed she had accepted her family's arranged marriage, despite Jingmei's protest that she "obviously still love[s] Haiyi." Yoona told Jingmei not to feel sorry for her, as she believed it's better to "accept it calmly" if it's "fate."
She admitted she lacked the courage to "throw everything away and gamble with Haiyi to an unknowable future," but found comfort in having "been in love passionately." Yoona mused that "the most rare thing in the world is the resonance between two lovers," and while Long Haiyi was "perfect," he was "hard to get." She concluded that if one cannot "marry to love," it is "better to marry a reliable marriage."
When Jingmei questioned if she didn't "feel bad" about her decision, Yoona revealed she "fought for it," "fought back," and "even broke up with my family for this relationship," but it proved futile, especially since Long Haiyi "has given up completely." Yoona then advised Jingmei to "believe in Yi," praising Long Riyi for daring to pursue what he believes in, even against the world. She implored Jingmei to be happy. Long Riyi returned with a bouquet that Yoona instantly loved.
Before leaving to change, Yoona took Long Riyi aside and earnestly told him that Jingmei is a good girl whom he "must cherish well." Long Riyi assured her he would. Yoona then wished them happiness again.
Episode 17 Recap
After accompanying Yoona for her wedding dress fitting, Long Riyi returned home in a rage, demanding to know from Long Haiyi why he had given up on Yoona. Long Riyi pressed, asking if he was satisfied with Yoona getting married. Long Haiyi responded to his mother, stating that his relationship with Yoona was over, prompting Long Riyi to call him a coward.
Their mother asked Long Haiyi to explain, and he revealed that the Bai family opposed Yoona marrying a stepson who had no inheritance. Long Haiyi then reassured his parents that he was fine and wouldn't do anything reckless before retreating to his room. Later, their father expressed shame, feeling it was his own mistake, but their mother gently comforted him, acknowledging he had also endured hardships.
Long Riyi, still preoccupied with Yoona, inquired about the situation, learning that Yoona was marrying a stranger chosen through a blind date because the Bai family objected to Long Haiyi's identity. He questioned the importance of identity, to which he was told that if it were him, Long Riyi would defy all social rules. He hoped he possessed such resolve.
Later that evening, Long Riyi's grandfather found him and insisted he attend a ball in Paris to develop his social skills. Long Riyi resisted, calling it a "pretentious ball" and "meaningless." However, his grandfather was firm, telling him to get ready. Before leaving, Long Riyi pulled Jingmei from her class, hugging her tightly.
He told her he was going to Paris soon and she wouldn't get a hug from him for a while, prompting Jingmei to ask for a longer embrace. He then instructed Squid and Cuttlefish to take good care of Jingmei in his absence, particularly reminding them that she shouldn't be bullied and would face consequences if anything happened to her. They assured him they would protect her. Long Riyi also made Jingmei promise to call him every morning and night.
Despite her playful retort that he looked better when silent, he reiterated that she should contact him if she ever needed him. After their farewells, Long Riyi departed. The next day, Long Haiyi walked through the campus looking despondent. Jingmei approached him, asking if he was okay. He simply replied that it was over. He then noted Long Riyi's good fortune in having loyal friends. Jingmei performed a simple magic trick to lift his spirits, identifying herself as his friend.
Long Haiyi chuckled, and Jingmei encouraged him to confide in her if he felt upset, adding that he would have to treat her in return, which he readily agreed to. Meanwhile, Squid and Cuttlefish attempted to fulfill Long Riyi's instructions by picking up Jingmei, but she insisted they call her by her name and that she could go home alone.
She expressed concern for Long Riyi in Paris and wondered about the ladies there, but Squid reassured her that Long Riyi only liked "Mrs. Long." Missing Long Riyi, Jingmei mused about him, feeling that her longing would persist regardless of their different time zones. At school, the class teacher announced a cross-country running competition and sought volunteers.
Han Zhihe, noticing Jingmei was preoccupied with thoughts of Long Riyi, prompted a follower to throw a paper ball at Jingmei, causing her to yelp. The teacher misinterpreted Jingmei's exclamation as a willingness to participate and signed her up. With no other option, Jingmei began training at the track. Long Haiyi, who was also exercising, noticed her.
Having participated in the tournament before, he offered to help her, remarking on her "rhythm control" issues and suggesting they run together to improve her fitness. As they walked out of school together later, Squid and Cuttlefish, who were supposed to pick up Jingmei, saw them and, sensing trouble, followed them to a gym. There, Long Haiyi continued to coach Jingmei on leg exercises, focusing on core and leg strength.
During their training, Long Riyi made a video call to Jingmei, asking why she hadn't answered her phone. Squid turned the camera to show Long Riyi that Jingmei was training with Long Haiyi. Consumed by jealousy, Long Riyi angrily ordered Jingmei not to be with Long Haiyi anymore. Jingmei quickly explained she was training for a school competition and ended the call, continuing her workout with Long Haiyi.
Concerned by Long Riyi's reaction and aiming to prevent further private interaction between Jingmei and Long Haiyi, Squid and Cuttlefish asked Long Haiyi to also guide them in their exercises. After Long Haiyi left, promising to continue their plan the next day, Squid and Cuttlefish confronted Jingmei, saying Long Haiyi was their teacher too, and made her swear not to cheat on Long Riyi.
On the day of the cross-country race, Squid and Cuttlefish tried to convince Jingmei to quit, citing the new, more difficult mountain portion of the route. They even offered to give her a car ride at a certain point, but Jingmei firmly refused, stating she had prepared for a long time and would not give up. She instructed them not to let Long Riyi know about her participation.
Before the race began, Squid and Cuttlefish gave Jingmei a walkie-talkie, telling her to contact them if any problems arose. The teacher announced the new mountain road section and advised participants to follow the signboards. The race started, and Jingmei quickly took the lead. Upon reaching the intersection of the road and mountain path, she followed a signboard pointing to the right. However, Han Zhihe's follower, hidden nearby, swapped the signboard to point straight ahead after Jingmei had passed, sending her down the wrong route.
Episode 18 Recap
During the cross-country race, Jingmei was running when it began to rain. She quickly sought shelter in the nearby forest, but soon realized she was lost. She initially thought of contacting Long Riyi, but then remembered he was in Paris. She then attempted to contact Squid and Cuttlefish with her phone, but there was no signal in the mountains. Frustrated, she tried to find a signal, but didn't notice the loose stones beneath her feet and twisted her ankle.
While searching for a way out, she accidentally dropped and broke her phone. With no other options, she sat in the forest, calling out for help and hoping for rescue. " Am I really going to be stuck in this deep forest?" she wondered, wishing Long Riyi were there. At the race finish line, all the competitors arrived except for Jingmei.
Long Haiyi grew increasingly worried, especially after seeing Han Zhihe's smug expression, which made him suspect something bad had happened. He called Jingmei but her phone was unavailable. Han Zhihe and her friends made comments about Jingmei being alone in the forest. Long Haiyi asked Squid and Cuttlefish if they had seen her, and they replied that they had searched for her multiple times along the way but couldn't find her.
Realizing Jingmei was in trouble, Long Haiyi grabbed a first aid kit and drove along the race route. Han Zhihe observed his urgency, wondering aloud about Jingmei's charm and why everyone seemed to care so much about her. When Long Haiyi reached a fork in the mountain road, he noticed the direction sign had been tampered with. He followed the incorrect path into the forest, calling out Jingmei's name.
Jingmei, exhausted and bruised, was limping through the woods when she heard him. Her vision blurred from fatigue, and she hallucinated, believing Long Haiyi was Long Riyi who had returned from Paris to save her. " Long Riyi," she whispered, before collapsing into Long Haiyi's arms. Meanwhile, in Paris, Long Riyi had dismissed his plans to attend a party, stating he had an urgent matter requiring him to return to his country immediately.
When Jingmei awoke, Long Haiyi had already built a fire and carefully bandaged her injuries. Surprised, she asked, "Haiyi, why are you here?" He explained that he noticed her prolonged absence and came to find her. He detailed her injured foot, emphasizing the need for proper care to avoid long-term issues, offering to handle it himself.
Jingmei asked when they would leave, and Long Haiyi, considering her injured feet and the difficult terrain, suggested they spend the night and descend at dawn. Seeing the fire, Jingmei remarked on his resourcefulness, "You can even do this." Long Haiyi playfully spoke about using his survival skills and explained how to make a warm sleeping spot from embers and a thick layer of leaves, assuring her he would stay by the fire to ensure her comfort.
Jingmei, observing his thoughtfulness, felt a pang of sympathy for the unfair treatment he endured, thinking, "Haiyi is so perfect and so thoughtful, but why is he so unlucky? Is his heart still in pain?" Her foot felt much better after his care, and she thanked him, feeling guilty that he was suffering with her. Long Haiyi brushed it off, recalling his own camping experiences during school days.
Jingmei then imagined how Long Riyi would react to such a situation, predicting his complaints about the lack of amenities and his grandiose plans to buy the area to build a resort. Jingmei told Long Haiyi that Long Riyi's rudeness wasn't intentional but a way to conceal his inner pain, advising him not to take it seriously. Long Haiyi smiled, understanding why Long Riyi was so fond of her.
He assured her he wouldn't care about Long Riyi's attitude, believing his brother would understand someday, as both of them felt excluded. Long Haiyi then shared a childhood memory, explaining that Long Riyi's mother died when he was six. At that age, Long Riyi didn't understand death and felt abandoned. When their father remarried and brought others home, Long Riyi felt further excluded.
Long Haiyi confessed he had experienced similar feelings, describing how difficult it was to constantly be careful in a new home, fearing he might cause unnecessary trouble. Jingmei commented on Long Riyi's impulsive temper but encouraged Long Haiyi not to give up on building a brotherly relationship, believing Long Riyi truly wanted to accept him but struggled with his stubbornness. Long Haiyi promised he wouldn't give up but made Jingmei promise not to hurt her foot again that night.
The two sat and talked through the night. Upon learning of Jingmei's disappearance, Long Riyi immediately returned to the country. He, along with Squid and Cuttlefish, rushed to the forest to search for her, having to stop a car midway after his broke down and taking another. He impatiently demanded to know where Jingmei was. They soon spotted Long Haiyi helping Jingmei walk out of the forest. Jingmei, happy to see Long Riyi, eagerly ran towards him but stumbled.
As Long Haiyi moved to help her, Long Riyi angrily pushed him away. Upset by Long Riyi's aggressive behavior, Jingmei demanded, "Why are you being so aggressive? Haiyi, are you alright?" She then commanded Long Riyi to apologize to his elder brother, reminding him to be reasonable. Long Riyi refused, asking why she cared about Long Haiyi, then grabbed Jingmei, saying, "If it weren't Haiyi, I would have. . ."
before carrying her back home, despite her protests that she could walk on her own. He gently placed her on her bed. Still fuming from the incident, Jingmei confronted Long Riyi, stating, "We don't even have any trust between us. What else do you want me to say?" Long Riyi retorted that he didn't trust Long Haiyi's intentions, accusing him of always wanting to take things from him, even her. Jingmei tried to defend Long Haiyi, but their argument escalated.
Jingmei's brother, Zhang Dongshuai, entered the room with ice packs, concerned about Jingmei and telling Long Riyi that their parents were worried. Long Riyi furiously ordered Zhang Dongshuai to get out. Long Riyi angrily declared to Jingmei that she would not see Long Haiyi again. Jingmei, exasperated, said, "I don't know how to communicate with you. Go back." She even threatened, "I won't use ice packs if you don't get out."
Long Riyi, feeling misunderstood and unappreciated after rushing back from France, yelled, "I dropped the ball from France and came straight back here, why do you talk to me like that?" He then stormed out, proclaiming, "Okay, I'll go. I'm leaving right now." Outside, Long Riyi confronted Long Haiyi, telling him to stop. He asserted, "Zhang Jingmei is my girlfriend. From now on, you can't approach her even a step."
Long Haiyi tried to clarify, "Jingmei and I are just good friends." Long Riyi shot back, declaring that only he could call her Jingmei. Long Riyi accused Long Haiyi of trying to grab everything from him since they were kids and warned him, "But this time, you can't even touch Zhang Jingmei."
Long Haiyi, tired of the unreasonable accusations, stated that he was Jingmei's friend now, and if he wanted to be her boyfriend, she could refuse him, "but not you." Long Riyi angrily responded that he could tolerate Long Haiyi being part of the Long family, "But I will not allow you to get close to Jingmei."
Long Haiyi reminded him that the entanglement of their parents was beyond their control, but Long Riyi dismissed it, saying, "Don't talk to me about them. That's your parents. Not mine." He then warned Long Haiyi to abandon his "improper thoughts." The school announced an annual island trip, a romantic tour for the students. Jingmei, finding the cost too expensive, made an excuse not to go, claiming she had promised her brother she would help him with his studies.
Han Zhihe, overhearing this, taunted Jingmei about not being able to afford the tour and lingering around Long Riyi. Jingmei retorted, telling Han Zhihe to do some charity if she had money, so she could accumulate virtue for herself. Long Riyi then passed by, and Bingbing asked him if he would join the trip. Long Riyi dismissed it as "such a boring trip."
Still upset about their previous argument, Jingmei, passing by him, mumbled that "it's more boring to travel with boring people." Long Riyi challenged her, asking if she wanted to fight him, but Jingmei just took Bingbing and left. Long Riyi’s followers, Squid and Cuttlefish, asked him if they were going, and he firmly said he would not. The next day, Jingmei reluctantly arrived at the beach with the group.
Her mother, upon learning of the trip, had enthusiastically registered her for it without her knowledge, reasoning that since the money was already spent, Jingmei should go. Long Riyi also appeared there. It turned out that Squid and Cuttlefish, upon hearing that Jingmei would be attending the tour, had informed him. Despite his earlier disinterest in the island trip, he suddenly became very enthusiastic and signed up.
At the welcome gathering, the teacher announced that the substitute teacher couldn't make it, so she would be in charge of the trip, and a big party was planned for that evening. Jingmei, seeing Long Riyi, thought, "No tyrannosaurus, a gentle dragon is better."
Episode 19 Recap
Long Haiyi gathered the students on the beach, announcing that he was now in charge of their trip, which would include a big party that evening, followed by free time for everyone to enjoy themselves. Meanwhile, Jingmei and Bingbing were applying sunscreen when Long Haiyi approached them, asking about Jingmei's foot and suggesting they go snorkeling together, which Jingmei agreed to.
Their conversation was interrupted by Long Riyi, who arrived and dismissively questioned if Jingmei still wanted to "explore the world," before insisting she ride a beach bike with him. Jingmei coldly refused, prompting Long Riyi to grab her arm and try to pull her away. Long Haiyi intervened, urging Long Riyi to respect Jingmei's opinion. Long Riyi retorted, questioning why Long Haiyi was concerned about his girlfriend and telling him it was none of his business.
Fed up with being pulled between them, Jingmei forcefully freed herself from their grasp and walked away with Bingbing. Later, Jingmei received a phone call from her mother, who was at home practicing upper-class social etiquette with Jingmei’s brother. Jingmei’s mother excitedly talked about Long Riyi being a "huge dragon" that everyone wanted and instructed Jingmei to "catch" him. She then told Jingmei to check her luggage for a surprise. Jingmei opened her bag to find seductive lingerie.
Realizing her mother’s intentions, Jingmei, exasperated, hung up the phone abruptly. At a beachfront restaurant, Long Haiyi was approached by several children selling handmade crafts. The orphanage director explained that this was a long-running charity project with the community, where children from the orphanage sold their creations to tourists to support their home. Impressed, Long Haiyi bought all the handicrafts and arranged for the payment to be deducted from his personal account.
The director was deeply grateful for his generous act and informed him that, as the first donor, he had the privilege of selecting his dance partner for the ball that night. Long Haiyi, however, seemed to dismiss the privilege. The director then warned of an impending storm but assured everyone the party would proceed as planned. Han Zhihe, overhearing this exchange, began to formulate a plan.
That evening, as Jingmei and Bingbing were heading back to their room, they spotted Dingding, one of Han Zhihe’s followers, in the restroom clutching her stomach in apparent pain. Despite Bingbing’s warning to be cautious of Han Zhihe, Jingmei insisted on helping, taking Dingding to a room to rest. Han Zhihe, receiving confirmation that Dingding was now with Jingmei, instructed another follower to proceed with the next phase of her scheme.
At the same time, Long Riyi, unable to find Jingmei or Bingbing, left with one of his followers to search for them, while Han Zhihe received another update on Jingmei’s whereabouts. The ball began, and the host called Long Haiyi to the stage to choose his dance partner, amidst cheers from the crowd. Meanwhile, one of Han Zhihe’s followers found Jingmei in the room with Dingding, telling her that Long Haiyi was urgently looking for her.
Jingmei, unaware of the ploy, asked her to take care of Dingding and headed to the ball. Upon seeing Long Haiyi, she asked him if he needed something. The host, seizing the moment, dramatically drew Jingmei forward, implying she was the chosen partner. Long Haiyi then formally invited her to the first dance. He was also presented with a necklace from the orphanage children, which he lovingly placed around Jingmei’s neck.
As they began to dance, the crowd gossiped about Jingmei, Long Riyi’s girlfriend, dancing with Long Haiyi. Long Haiyi expressed his gratitude to Jingmei for being there for him, and she returned the sentiment. He then looked at her tenderly and asked if she would have considered him if they had met before Long Riyi, leaving Jingmei stunned. Suddenly, Long Riyi burst into the ballroom and furiously pushed Long Haiyi away.
Han Zhihe then stepped forward, addressing Long Riyi and subtly fanning the flames of his anger, accusing Jingmei of being deceptive. When Long Riyi questioned her, Han Zhihe proclaimed she had evidence. She then projected a series of photos onto the large screen. The images depicted Jingmei secretly training in tae kwon do, engaged in what appeared to be a fight with her brother, and meeting privately with Long Haiyi and Jin Chunxi.
Han Zhihe further exposed Jingmei’s entry into the school by using the identity of her father’s leader’s daughter. Jingmei, unable to defend herself against the barrage of accusations, confessed that her father’s surname was Zhang and she had indeed entered Ben Cheng as a replacement for her father’s leader’s daughter. Han Zhihe continued her tirade, portraying Jingmei as calculating and vain, claiming she was using the Long brothers for personal gain.
Jingmei vehemently denied being disloyal to Long Riyi, asserting that he was the only one she had ever dated. However, Long Riyi, visibly upset, demanded to know all her secrets directly. Jingmei desperately pleaded with him to trust her, reminding him of their shared moments, but he angrily shook off her hand. With whispers and taunts from Han Zhihe’s followers, Jingmei, heartbroken, ran out of the ballroom. Long Haiyi, after calming the other students, immediately chased after her.
Outside, a fierce storm had begun. Jingmei ran to the rocks by the sea, distraught. Long Riyi followed and tried to pull her away, but they discovered the tide had risen, isolating the rocks. As the waves crashed around them, both slipped into the churning sea and were pulled under by the currents. Long Haiyi arrived shortly after, quickly pulling Jingmei back to shore. He then bravely plunged back into the deep, turbulent water to rescue Long Riyi.
After successfully bringing Long Riyi to safety, Long Haiyi, weakened and exhausted, was swept away by a powerful wave. Long Riyi was rushed to the emergency room, where his grandfather and parents soon arrived. The grandfather demanded an explanation for the disaster. Jingmei, weeping, confessed that it was all her fault. Bingbing quickly interjected, explaining that the sudden rising tide and heavy rain led to Long Riyi’s accidental fall, and Long Haiyi had saved him before being swept away himself.
Long Riyi’s mother was shocked to hear he was near the water, knowing his fear of it. Han Zhihe then admitted her part in the events. Jingmei reiterated her fault, stating that if she hadn’t run out, Long Riyi wouldn’t have followed, and Haiyi wouldn't be missing. The grandfather, furious, blamed them both for harming his grandsons and ordered them to leave.
Jingmei stated she would leave once Long Riyi was stable, but Long Riyi’s father vehemently told her to get out. Han Zhihe then fully confessed that all the trouble began because of her, asking the grandfather to scold her instead. The grandfather, still seething, ordered all of them to leave the hospital. Doctors then emerged from the emergency room, informing the family that Long Riyi had been saved but remained in critical condition and required observation in the ICU. The grandfather was devastated and immediately ordered his subordinates to mobilize all resources to find Long Haiyi and uncover the full truth of what had transpired.
Episode 20 (Ending) Recap
After the dramatic incident at the dance, as Zhang Jingmei prepared to leave, Han Zhihe called out to her, questioning why she had taken all the blame. Zhang Jingmei turned around coldly, stating, "This is all my fault. It has nothing to do with you," before silently walking away. Han Zhihe watched her go, a sudden wave of regret washing over her for her actions.
Grandfather Long, having received a detailed report on Zhang Jingmei's background and intentions, asserted to his servant that he couldn't allow her to reappear in Long Riyi's life, regardless of her past as a replacement student. When Zhang Jingmei later brought flowers and fruit to visit Long Riyi at the hospital, Grandfather Long confronted her, ordering her away, commanding that she never step foot in the Long family again.
Struggling against the guards, Zhang Jingmei pleaded, "Grandpa, let me see Long Riyi once. If I see that he is fine, I will leave immediately." Grandfather Long, however, declared there was no need for an outsider to worry about his grandson and insisted, "I don't want to see her anymore." Heartbroken, Zhang Jingmei wandered the streets, eventually finding herself at the place where she often listened to Long Haiyi play music.
Memories of Long Haiyi's playful suggestion of a "solo concert" and their agreement for her to buy him a meal, mingled with thoughts of Long Riyi's current unconscious state and their shared past, filled her mind. She whispered to herself, "You said, whenever I come here, you'll be talking to me. But now, where are you?" Jin Chunxi, who had been trying to reach her by phone, found her there.
He explained that her friends had been worried and, remembering she would come to this street garden when unhappy, he sought her out. Zhang Jingmei anxiously asked about Long Riyi, and Jin Chunxi sadly confirmed, "He is lying on the hospital bed, still unconscious." Overwhelmed with guilt, Zhang Jingmei tearfully confessed that if it weren't for her, "this wouldn't happen. Long Riyi and Haiyi, they're not gonna be like this."
She pushed Jin Chunxi away, urging him, "You'd better stay away from me. Before I even hurt you as well." Jin Chunxi gently reassured her, "It's okay. Everything will be fine," as she broke down crying on his shoulder. The next day, Zhang Jingmei went to the school board to officially withdraw. The board members expressed their regret, remarking, "We feel very sorry about your own decision. Such a good student left. I hope you will have a good future."
Before leaving the school entirely, she visited her classroom to say goodbye. She told her classmates, "I'm not taking these books, I'll leave them to you. Listen to the teacher when in class, no more sleeping." Her classmates were visibly upset, with one lamenting, "Jingmei, this is not fair." Han Zhihe approached Zhang Jingmei, demanding, "What do you mean? Are you trying to make me feel guilty? I planned everything. Why did you drop out? That should be me."
She insisted on going with Zhang Jingmei to clarify things with the board, but Zhang Jingmei gently refused, "Thank you for your kindness. I appreciate it." Han Zhihe countered, "When did I become kind? I did this to you. Come with me." But Zhang Jingmei maintained, "Things have already been decided. It would be useless. Anyway, thank you." Han Zhihe, filled with remorse, admitted, "I didn't know it was going to be this serious. I'm sorry."
As Zhang Jingmei prepared to leave, her classmates all stood up, repeatedly apologizing to her. With tears in her eyes but a faint smile, Zhang Jingmei responded, "Oh, I don't really like this. During all the time I've been with you, I've been through a lot of things. I'm gonna miss you all. Anyway, thank you, everyone. Goodbye." She then left Ben Cheng school.
Zhang Jingmei returned home, exhausted, to find her parents, Meili and Zhang Deshuai, anxiously trying to hide something. Her mother was upset, saying to her husband, "You worked hard for over 20 years, why you're suddenly being demoted so easily? Are they thinking that they can bully Meili? What about the law? Come on, let's go." Zhang Deshuai tried to calm her, explaining that after what happened with the Long family, they couldn't expect to be unaffected.
He urged his wife not to tell Zhang Jingmei, saying, "She can't be burdened more. You must keep your mouth shut." However, their son, Zhang Dongshuai, burst in and inadvertently revealed that their father had been demoted. Zhang Jingmei, connecting the dots, asked, "Is it because of me?" Her father tried to cover it up, claiming he wanted a new position, and her mother played along, saying it was good for him to change after twenty years.
But the truth soon unraveled when Zhang Dongshuai blurted out, "Sister, you dropped out of school?" Her mother, stunned, asked, "Jingmei, what's going on? Why did you drop out? Is it because of the Long family?" Overwhelmed with guilt, Zhang Jingmei apologized to her parents, "I'm sorry, mom and dad. I'm out of school and I cause trouble to dad."
Her father insisted it was his own fault for his lack of ability, while her mother blamed herself for pushing Zhang Jingmei to associate with the Long family. Zhang Jingmei, in tears, embraced her parents, assuring them, "Mom, don't say that. I know you're all for my own good." Her parents comforted her, telling her not to blame herself and that she didn't have to study at Ben Cheng. " You're the baby girl of our family.
We won't let other people bully you," her father said, with her mother adding, "Without Ben Cheng, we'll let you study somewhere else. Things will eventually sort themselves out." Zhang Jingmei wept sorrowfully in their embrace. Zhang Jingmei searched for admission to various schools across the city, but all rejected her due to pressure from the Long family. At one school, an administrator, after initially praising Zhang Jingmei's resume, received a phone call that abruptly changed her demeanor.
She regretfully told Zhang Jingmei, "You better go to another school," and dismissed her. Realizing her options were exhausted in the city, Zhang Jingmei told her parents, "If there are no schools in this city to accept me, I can go to another city." She explained her decision, "If there's the Long family, even if I go to all schools here, I think the result will all be the same.
After everything I've been through, I really want to go somewhere else to start over." She had found a technical school in Xiao Shi city that was expanding, where she had already submitted an application and was approved for a scholarship. Her parents were initially against it, with her mother exclaiming, "No, Jingmei. You've always been a good student since you were a kid, why are you going to this school now? No, absolutely not."
Zhang Jingmei patiently explained, assuring them the technical school was good and she could still pursue higher degrees. She promised, "That place is safe, and the environment is good, too. Besides, the transportation is so developed now, if I miss mom and dad, I can come back to see you." Her father, still overcome with sorrow, lamented that he wasn't good enough to protect her. Zhang Jingmei tearfully apologized to them for everything they had endured because of her.
Before her departure, Zhang Jingmei asked her friends, Mo Yu and You Yu, to take her to Long Riyi's hospital room for a final glance. Mo Yu informed her that Long Riyi was out of danger but still in a coma. Zhang Jingmei pleaded, "Can you take me to see him? Just a glance. After I saw him, maybe I can leave peacefully." Mo Yu and You Yu were saddened, asking where she was going.
They reluctantly agreed to take her, acting as lookouts while she entered the room. Seeing Long Riyi lying unconscious, Zhang Jingmei sadly leaned by the window. She whispered to him, "You ever said that, you will always hold my hand. But now you're lying here, how can you hold my hand? I'm sorry. Blame me for not telling you first, I know all the things you did for me. But what did I do to you?"
Suddenly, a nurse announced that visiting hours were over, and Mo Yu and You Yu rushed in, urging, "Mrs. Long, hurry. Security is coming. We need to go!" They quickly pulled her away to prevent the Long family from discovering her presence. Meanwhile, the search for Long Haiyi continued intensely. Grandfather Long, on the phone, gave stern orders: "Whether dead or alive, you must find him."
Long Riyi's mother, distraught, cried, "If there's anything wrong happening to Hai, I don't want to live either." She lamented how Long Haiyi had always been well-behaved and considerate since childhood, never asking for anything after coming to the Long Family, always concerned about her well-being. " Such a sensible child, why this happened to him? Why?" she despaired. Grandfather Long tried to comfort her, assuring her, "I believe that Hai is fine. I'm sure we can find him.
Don't worry." That evening, as Zhang Jingmei was about to leave home to begin her new school life in another city, her mother, Meili, pressed some money into her hand, urging, "Jingmei, you're out there by yourself. You have to take care of yourself. If you have no money or something wrong, you have to call us back." Her father, Zhang Deshuai, also told her, "You just have to put up with it.
After all this, dad will find a way to get you back. Wait for dad's good news." Zhang Jingmei, in turn, asked her parents to take care of themselves and reminded her brother, Zhang Dongshuai, not to make their parents angry again. He promised, "I know, sis." Her mother gave her one last hug, saying, "You have to take care of yourself out there." Jin Chunxi arrived at her house to accompany her. As they departed, her mother waved goodbye with tearful farewells.
