Dream Garden Episode 7 Recap
> Dream Garden Recap
Huo Lang accompanied Chai Qian as she tried on wedding dresses. He complimented her, saying she looked beautiful in everything and that his heart was burning for her. However, he received an urgent call from a Mr. Chen, who insisted he return to revise a proposal immediately. Huo Lang initially tried to resist, explaining he was with Chai Qian, but ultimately had to leave. Chai Qian assured him she would be fine alone.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao and Lin Shen were also at the same mall. They spotted Huo Lang leaving the bridal shop. Xiao Xiao, noting how quickly Huo Lang and Chai Qian were moving towards marriage, felt a sense of urgency. Inside, they congratulated Chai Qian, who looked radiant in her wedding dress and assumed Xiao Xiao and Lin Shen were on a date.
Xiao Xiao clarified that they were attending a PUA training seminar for an article Lin Shen was writing on psychological manipulation in relationships. She recounted an example from the seminar about a man systematically undermining his girlfriend's confidence to make her dependent. Chai Qian, however, was in a state of blissful anticipation and dismissed the example, suggesting some men genuinely want to protect their girlfriends from overworking, citing Huo Lang as such an example.
Xiao Xiao worried her message hadn't gotten through. Lin Shen explained that to fundamentally change someone's deeply held beliefs requires a gradual approach, similar to hypnosis, to awaken their true desires. Xiao Xiao, realizing Lin Shen was still angry with her for abandoning him earlier, apologized profusely for her previous actions. Lin Shen, still slightly exasperated, called her a "gas canister," implying she was easily agitated and explosive.
Xiao Xiao later invited Chai Qian to view a wedding venue, which happened to be the very place Chai Qian had organized her first professional event. Recalling her past as a capable public relations manager, Chai Qian felt a pang of nostalgia, lamenting that she would no longer have opportunities in the PR industry. Xiao Xiao encouraged her to personally plan her own wedding, emphasizing the profound meaning it would hold.
Chai Qian embraced the idea, putting her heart into developing creative concepts for the wedding, themed after "Le Petit Prince". During a meeting with the wedding planner, the planner lavished praise on Chai Qian’s exceptional ideas and capabilities. Hearing this, Huo Lang's expression darkened, and he abruptly excused himself, claiming urgent work. Soon after, a visibly distressed Chai Qian sought out Xiao Xiao at the counseling center.
She recounted how Huo Lang had been furious about her continued involvement with the wedding planner. He dismissed the planner’s compliments as mere flattery, arguing that as a consumer, Chai Qian was merely being exploited for her ideas. He even admitted his earlier praises for her creativity were insincere. Chai Qian felt deeply invalidated and undervalued, realizing it was Huo Lang, not others, who constantly dismissed her efforts.
She burst out, expressing that her dedication to creating a unique wedding was being trampled by his standards. Huo Lang reacted with disappointment, telling her she had changed and asking where the "sweet and gentle girl" he knew had gone. Chai Qian confessed that working on the wedding, creating ideas, and coordinating with teams, had been the happiest she'd felt in a long time.
Xiao Xiao then gently steered the conversation back to the PUA courses and the concept of "gaslighting," explaining how manipulators use negative reinforcement to erode a person’s self-worth. She encouraged Chai Qian to reconsider Huo Lang’s actions and suggested she research "Free Wandering," a notorious online forum where men learned such tactics. Chai Qian took the advice to heart. She looked up "gaslighting" and "Free Wandering" on Huo Lang's laptop, finding search queries for the forum's new domain.
Huo Lang noticed his laptop had been accessed and the search history wiped, which made him uneasy. To cover his tracks, he orchestrated a conversation with a friend that Chai Qian overheard, implying that his friend had been the one searching for "Free Wandering" on his laptop. Chai Qian, for a moment, was relieved and believed him. Huo Lang then suggested they get officially registered, saying tomorrow was a propitious day.
However, a closer look at his phone revealed a dual system, confirming her worst fears about his deception. Her heart, which had briefly warmed, plunged back into an icy despair. Chai Qian went to the psychological counseling center to see Xiao Xiao, with Huo Lang following close behind. Huo Lang immediately tried to pull Chai Qian away, accusing Xiao Xiao of being unreliable. Xiao Xiao, however, had had enough.
She snatched Huo Lang’s phone and played a series of PUA audio messages detailing tactics like "mind control is important," "get registered as soon as you can," and "make her give birth to your child" to "make sure she never leaves you." Huo Lang, completely exposed, frantically tried to explain himself. As his emotions escalated, he lunged at Xiao Xiao, but Lin Shen arrived just in time to shield her.
Chai Qian, though heartbroken, intervened, preventing Xiao Xiao from calling the police, claiming Huo Lang was merely "caught up in the moment." Nevertheless, she declared their relationship over, telling him, "Let's break up. The wedding is canceled." Huo Lang refused to accept it, vowing, "I won't let you leave me." Fan Qi met Xiao Xiao for dinner.
Lin Shen spotted them and, pretending to be with Shao Lin, chose to dine at the same restaurant, subtly observing Xiao Xiao and Fan Qi. Xiao Xiao took the opportunity to recommend Chai Qian for a job to Fan Qi, mentioning that Chai Qian was interviewing at his company that day. Fan Qi expressed reservations, as Chai Qian had previously accepted a job offer from them but never showed up for work.
Xiao Xiao, undeterred, shamelessly pleaded with him to give Chai Qian another chance. Lin Shen, who had been eavesdropping from the next table, was about to leave, satisfied that there was no romantic involvement between Xiao Xiao and Fan Qi. However, Shao Lin mischievously insisted on staying and even raised his voice, causing Xiao Xiao to notice them. Lin Shen, visibly uncomfortable, could only offer Xiao Xiao a forced, awkward smile.
After dinner, Xiao Xiao shared a song with Lin Shen, composed by their talented friend Shan Shan during her studies abroad. As Lin Shen drove Xiao Xiao home, she played a special ringtone she had set for him, amusing him with its playful message. Chai Qian was about to officially start working at Dianfan Group next week, and Xiao Xiao was genuinely happy for her.
Huo Lang, however, continued to send her discouraging messages, asserting she would not succeed and only he truly understood her. Soon after, Xiao Xiao received a call saying Huo Lang had attempted suicide by taking sleeping pills and had his stomach pumped. He claimed his depression had relapsed after their breakup, pleading with her to stay, even using their cherished "Le Petit Prince" music box as an emotional appeal, and asking, "You don't want to watch me die, do you?"
Heartbroken, Chai Qian agreed to stay with him. Lin Shen, after hearing about Huo Lang's alleged depression, suggested they could help him. Chai Qian managed to persuade Huo Lang to visit the psychological counseling center for hypnotherapy. Xiao Xiao, suspicious, asked Chai Qian to take her to Huo Lang's apartment while Lin Shen conducted the session. Huo Lang surprisingly seemed cooperative during the session, which initially puzzled Lin Shen.
As familiar music played, Lin Shen attempted to induce a hypnotic state. Meanwhile, at Huo Lang’s apartment, Xiao Xiao found the empty sleeping pill bottle in the trash. After a quick chemical test, she confirmed they were indeed actual sleeping pills, leading her to believe Huo Lang genuinely intended to harm himself. Under "hypnosis," Huo Lang claimed he had accumulated over thirty sleeping pills in the month since Chai Qian broke up with him.
However, Lin Shen realized Huo Lang was not fully under hypnosis and that his narrative was a fabrication. Lin Shen then explored Huo Lang's motivations, understanding his desperate desire to keep Chai Qian by his side, even if it meant using manipulation and lies. He firmly stated that the beautiful story of "Le Petit Prince" should not be twisted into a tool for mental control. Huo Lang then "woke up," dismissing hypnosis as a "trick" and psychological consultants as "liars."
He immediately tried to take Chai Qian away. However, Chai Qian was holding the sleeping pill bottle, her face etched with disappointment. Xiao Xiao had discovered that the "stomach pumping record" Huo Lang presented was a fake, clearly edited from an online template.
She pointed out glaring inconsistencies in the medical data, such as the identical volume of stomach pumping solution (5000 milliliters) to an online example, and the discrepancy between the amount Huo Lang claimed to have taken (over thirty pills) versus the relatively small amount of solution used, especially compared to a friend who took ten pills and required more. Exposed, Huo Lang became aggressive, attempting to force Chai Qian to leave.
Lin Shen quickly stepped between them to protect Chai Qian. Exhausted and heartbroken, Chai Qian pleaded with Huo Lang, "I beg you to stay away from me if you've ever loved me." Following this, Huo Lang never returned for further counseling sessions. Lin Shen felt a sense of defeat, and his supervisor pointed out that his approach lacked neutrality and understanding of Huo Lang's true motives, dooming the session to failure.
Chai Qian, now fully aware of Huo Lang’s manipulative nature, moved out. Despite his repeated apologies and pleas, she refused to reconcile. Xiao Xiao wrote a powerful online post, articulating that true love is about mutual growth and shared progress, not about crushing another's spirit or binding them through manipulation. She emphasized that PUA cannot protect love, and there are no shortcuts to genuine affection, only a sincere heart.
In due course, Xiao Xiao's work as Lin Shen's assistant gained recognition from patients. To celebrate her achievements, her colleagues organized a tea party. Lin Shen, caught off guard, sheepishly claimed it was "company culture," a statement quickly debunked by Shao Lin, who revealed Lin Shen had personally covered all the costs. In the following months, Xiao Xiao diligently balanced her assistant duties with her graduate school studies, often burning the midnight oil.
When the day of her entrance exam arrived, Lin Shen drove her there, repeatedly checking if she had all her documents, clearly more nervous than she was. He jokingly warned her that her performance would reflect on his reputation, to which she confidently replied that she had learned from the best. After the exam, an excited Xiao Xiao rushed to Lin Shen's office, only to find him absent. Consulting his schedule, she hurried out and spotted him across the street.
Waving enthusiastically, she reminded him of his promise to grant her one request if she passed her exams. Lin Shen, feigning forgetfulness, gently reminded her that she had "made me say that." Xiao Xiao's request was for him to shower her with elaborate compliments. Knowing his reserved nature, she had prepared a "short composition" for him to read aloud.
Lin Shen, though hesitant, complied, reading aloud about his student Xiao Beibei's "face that would stop a clock" and "extremely intelligent mind." As he struggled to finish the list of her "hottest" attributes, Xiao Xiao urged him on, gleefully recording his efforts on her phone. Finally, Lin Shen walked over to her and, in a soft whisper, said, "I'll always be rooting for you."
Later, Zuo Yan received a call from a demanding patient, Ms. Xie, who listed a series of meticulous requirements for her upcoming appointment, including freshly squeezed juice prepared precisely five minutes before the session, specific fruit preparations (strawberries de-seeded, hawthorn peeled and cored, California oranges de-veined), a precise room temperature (26 degrees Celsius), and three humidifiers. Meanwhile, Lin Shen was visiting his mother at the hospital. He received an urgent call from Jia informing him that "something went wrong." Lin Shen quickly left, but did not notice two air-conditioner maintenance workers entering his mother's room shortly after his departure.
