Dream Garden Episode 15 Recap
> Dream Garden Recap
At the welfare house, young A Yan introduced himself and his younger brother, Xiao Qi, to A Yuan. A Yan became "big brother Yan," A Yuan "second brother Yuan," and Xiao Qi "third brother Qi." During an incident where A Yan and Xiao Qi defended A Yuan from a bully, A Yuan got a cut on his hand that would become a scar.
Young Xiao Qi promised to earn a lot of money to buy endless sugar-coated haws for his brothers. Years later, Fan Qi (formerly Xiao Qi) returned to the old welfare house, observing old photographs and memories. Back at a guest house, Xiao Xiao was flustered when Fan Qi opened the bathroom door and pulled back the shower curtain, thinking Lin Shen was hiding. Fan Qi simply intended to show her a better way to hang laundry.
He then received a phone call, and told Xiao Xiao that temporary work had come up, preventing him from joining her for drinks. After he left, Lin Shen emerged from the bubble-filled tub, soaking wet from holding his breath. He playfully pulled Xiao Xiao into the bath and, seeing her flushed face, warned her against drinking at all, and especially with Fan Qi. Xiao Xiao, seemingly in retaliation, echoed Lin Shen's earlier breakup phrase, "I'm fine on my own.
Thanks," before Lin Shen silenced her with a kiss. He then explained that this was why he couldn't let Fan Qi know she was in his room. As the rain continued, Xiao Xiao revealed to Lin Shen that she had clearly seen the logo of Sun Dong’s new investment company: Dianfan Group. She found it suspicious that Fan Qi had never mentioned Sun Dong’s serious situation. Lin Shen immediately contacted Shao Ning, asking him to investigate Fan Qi.
Later, Xiao Xiao had dinner with Fan Qi and intentionally brought up Sun Dong's situation, mentioning that Lin Shen was in professional trouble because one of his patients attempted suicide, and the family was accusing Lin Shen of inducing it, which led to Shaolin's forced closure. Fan Qi acknowledged Lin Shen’s immense pressure but showed little other reaction.
After taking Xiao Xiao back to the guest house, Fan Qi advised her to let bygones be bygones, suggesting that the happiness Lin Shen once provided would eventually be given to her by someone else. He gave her a comforting hug before leaving, noting she seemed unhappy, unlike her usual self. Lin Shen, having ordered a cake and flowers, was embarrassed to realize it was not yet Xiao Xiao's actual birthday.
They sat by the window, drinking, and eventually fell asleep. Lin Shen woke up after midnight, lit the candles, and, unable to wake Xiao Xiao, silently wished for her eternal happiness. He covered her with a blanket, playfully dabbed cream on her nose, and then left. Xiao Xiao woke shortly after he departed and blew out the candles on the cake.
In a separate moment of reflection after being injured, Lin Shen pondered that while fear of loss can make one feel weak, weakness itself is a normal emotion. Lin Shen attempted to leave Xiao Xiao behind, but she caught up with him at the airport, boarding the same flight.
She confronted him, acknowledging his intention to protect her from his dangerous predicament by breaking up and leaving her, but pointed out he never asked if she "wanted" to face it with him. Despite his reluctance, she declared her willingness to stand by him. Meanwhile, Fan Qi arrived at the guest house with flowers for Xiao Xiao's birthday, only to discover she had already checked out, a development that, he confirmed via phone call, was part of his "original plan."
On the plane, Xiao Xiao suddenly awoke from a dream where Lin Shen was arrested upon landing, clutching his arm in panic. Shao Ning informed Lin Shen that Sun Dong's family was completely uncooperative, and information remained limited. He also shared his findings on Fan Qi: an only child, raised abroad by his wealthy businessman father, who had only recently returned to China to start his own ventures. Shao Ning could not confirm any direct investment in Sun Dong's company.
Xiao Xiao, hearing this, found it puzzling, remembering Fan Qi had previously spoken of having a brother, creating two conflicting narratives about his background. Later, Zuo Yan called, reporting that people were blocking the doors of Shaolin again, including the back entrance. Lin Shen instructed Zuo Yan to remain inside, avoid conflict, and check surveillance footage for suspicious individuals or vehicles that had been present during previous disturbances.
Lin Shen and Xiao Xiao agreed it was time to move from being reactive to proactive. Zuo Yan discovered that a particular car consistently parked at the same spot whenever there was unrest at Shaolin, leaving only after the crowds dispersed. Sun Kele, having infiltrated the protesting crowd, learned they were organized and awaiting signals from their "boss." When the police arrived and scattered the crowd, Sun Kele confronted one of the instigators about payment.
Shao Ning then secretly followed the car and photographed the driver's side profile. Lin Shen immediately recognized the face: the same individual who had hit his car during a team-building event and later impersonated a repairman at the nursing home. Deeming it too dangerous to pursue further, Lin Shen instructed Shao Ning to report the car's license plate to the police.
Shao Ning quickly traced the vehicle to Xingyao Media, a company whose major shareholder was Dianfan Group, owned by Fan Qi. They also discovered that Lin Shen's ID and home address had been leaked. Although the precise motive was still unclear, they now definitively knew their adversary. Xiao Xiao believed Sun Dong was the key to unlocking the truth of the events and was determined to help Lin Shen.
Despite Mrs. Sun’s initial hostility, Xiao Xiao persistently visited Sun Dong in the hospital, assisting with his care by performing massages and regulating room conditions, eventually winning Mrs. Sun’s trust. During this time, Lin Shen noted he was being followed and decided to work separately from Shao Ning for safety. Fan Qi invited Xiao Xiao to a belated birthday celebration.
Xiao Xiao explained that Lin Shen was facing trouble, and despite their breakup, he remained a very important person, like family, to her. When she questioned Fan Qi again about his brother, he changed his story, insisting he was an only child. Xiao Xiao subtly took a picture of Fan Qi's cufflink and showed it to Yan Luo, who, thanks to her parents' tailor shop background, recognized it as an accessory from a traditional custom suit store.
Their search led them to a century-old shop, where the owner confirmed it was their unique design, with only a few ever made, specially customized by a buyer named Lu Yan. Xiao Xiao excitedly believed she had found a crucial lead, only for Lin Shen to deliver the startling news: Lu Yan was dead. Lin Shen and Xiao Xiao visited the welfare house, the place where Fan Qi and Lu Yan had lived.
The head explained that the photos on the wall were put up by Fan Qi on behalf of his brother when he returned. Fan Qi's original name was Lu Qi, but Lu Yan, being stubborn, never changed his surname after his adoption. Huang Yuan, who shared a room with them, became close friends with the brothers after they defended him from bullies, an incident that left Huang Yuan with a scar on his hand.
The full picture began to emerge: Fan Qi and Lu Yan, adopted by different families, experienced vastly different lives. Fan Qi was adopted by a wealthy businessman and received an elite education abroad, while Lu Yan faced a more challenging path, being abandoned multiple times. Despite starting a transportation company, Lu Yan met a tragic end, dying of a sudden heart attack in detention after being arrested for a criminal offense for intentionally hitting someone with his car.
The victim of that accident was Zhou Rui, a former financial director of Dianfan Group and a client of Lin Shen's who had just left Lin Shen's office on the day of the incident. Lin Shen realized he was the sole eyewitness to the accident, making him Fan Qi's target. According to Lu Yan's testimony, he and Zhou Rui had an argument when Zhou Rui hired him for moving services.
Lu Yan, with a strong sense of self-esteem, harbored resentment and intended to teach Zhou Rui a lesson. However, after hitting Zhou Rui with his car, he was recognized, leading him to, without hesitation, kill Zhou Rui. Lin Shen now found this account suspicious, especially considering Zhou Rui's past role at Dianfan Group.
Armed with the cufflink, Lin Shen confronted Fan Qi, presenting him with the story of two brothers who, after losing their family, were separated by fate but cherished their bond. He explained how the cufflink symbolized their precious connection, a gift from the elder brother to the younger. Fan Qi's composure visibly broke, and a tear rolled down his face as he softly called out "Brother." Lin Shen directly asked if Sun Dong’s suicide attempt was connected to him.
Fan Qi then recounted his own version of a story: a man who lost the most important person in his life, found the culprit, and vowed to make him suffer a similar loss, to ruin his reputation, and stated that even this would "not be enough." Fan Qi, however, denied being the protagonist of his own story, claiming his interaction with Lin Shen was solely due to his pursuit of Xiao Xiao.
He then issued a veiled threat, mentioning Lin Shen's mother in the hospital and implying that the victim's family in Lin Shen's case could cause harm there. Sun Dong regained consciousness but suffered from amnesia. Lin Shen and Xiao Xiao collaborated to help him recover his memory.
Recognizing Sun Dong's highly sensitive sense of smell, they decided to try awakening his olfactory memory, a concept Xiao Xiao brought up, mentioning how the scent of maple sugar reminded her of Lin Shen. Xiao Xiao continued her diligent care, and when she brought sleep-aid aromatherapy, Sun Dong found the scent eerily familiar. With Mrs. Sun's reluctant consent, Xiao Xiao continued using olfactory stimulation.
She expressed her belief in Lin Shen’s innocence, stating that the truth was not as it seemed, and was not afraid that Sun Dong might accuse him. Both Lin Shen and Mrs. Sun received calls from Officer Chen, confirming that the recording implicating Lin Shen had been edited and manipulated, indicating a deeper conspiracy. Lin Shen speculated that Sun Dong might also recognize the unique scent from Fan Qi’s office, a scent Lin Shen had been trying to identify.
Xiao Xiao also noticed a peculiar link: a song Fan Qi had hummed while in the ambulance was remarkably similar to a new piano piece, "Paper Airplane," that Sun Dong’s daughter had learned, suggesting Fan Qi might have taught it to her. In the hospital room, as Sun Dong inhaled the familiar aroma, he experienced vivid flashbacks of Fan Qi's manipulative words, instructing him to feign suicide to accuse Lin Shen in exchange for solving his debts.
His memory fully returned. Lin Shen then revealed to Sun Dong that Fan Qi was the one who taught his daughter the piano piece, "Paper Airplane," confirming that Fan Qi had thoroughly investigated Sun Dong's family and life before choosing him as a pawn. Lin Shen warned that Fan Qi, capable of such harm to Sun Dong, could also harm his daughter.
Mrs. Sun tearfully conveyed her gratitude for Xiao Xiao’s unwavering care and Lin Shen’s compassion in covering medical expenses and not pressing charges despite his mother's related incident. Deeply conflicted, Sun Dong ultimately decided to cooperate with the police, revealing that Fan Qi had instructed him to fabricate diary entries and had others edit the recording before sending it to him. Sun Dong had secretly recorded his own conversations with Fan Qi, providing crucial evidence.
Fan Qi informed Xiao Xiao that he was leaving for a "very distant place." Xiao Xiao casually reached for her phone, but Fan Qi gently stopped her, saying he had few friends growing up and considered knowing her an honor. He then asked if she had ever desired to protect someone. Xiao Xiao replied that she wished to protect her family, her friends, and Lin Shen. Fan Qi gave her another gift, advising her to open it later.
They shared a knowing glance, the unspoken truth hanging between them, before Fan Qi departed. Xiao Xiao immediately called Lin Shen to relay the news of Fan Qi’s departure, but before she could leave the coffee shop, Huang Yuan suddenly appeared and abducted her.
