Dream Garden Episode 8 Recap
> Dream Garden Recap
Lin Shen went to the underground garage looking for Xiao Xiao, but couldn't find her, and she wasn't answering her phone. Suddenly, a car sped towards him. Noticing something strange about the vehicle, Lin Shen gave chase, only for the car to hit him, throwing him to the roadside. The driver then pulled out a knife, preparing to attack him. Ten days prior, the landlord, Mrs. Li, visited the psychological counseling center, announcing a rent increase.
Lin Shen rushed back after receiving a call about it. Zuo Yan's expression remained complex throughout the visit, and Mrs. Li observed her with unconcealed disdain. Lin Shen sensed a misunderstanding between Mrs. Li and Zuo Yan and invited her to the upstairs office to discuss it. Mrs. Li explained that she had once liked Zuo Yan and introduced her to her nephew, only to discover that Zuo Yan, who appeared gentle in person, was venomous behind her back.
Mrs. Li showed Lin Shen and Xiao Xiao chat records between Zuo Yan and her nephew. While the nephew’s messages were polite, sharing stories about his mother's cooking and healthy eating habits, Zuo Yan had bombarded him with sarcastic remarks, questioning his upbringing, asking if he expected a "nanny memo," and labeling him a "mama's boy" before blocking him.
Lin Shen tried to defend Zuo Yan, but Xiao Xiao interjected, suggesting Zuo Yan might be affected by the negative emotions of their patients. She advised Mrs. Li to tell her nephew to move on and offered to help him find new matches on online dating sites. Impressed by Xiao Xiao's warmth and helpfulness, Mrs. Li unexpectedly asked if Xiao Xiao had a boyfriend.
Lin Shen quickly stated that Xiao Xiao was still in college, and Xiao Xiao chimed in, cheerfully adding that she was only eighteen. Pleased by Xiao Xiao, Mrs. Li agreed not to raise the rent. Later, Xiao Xiao expressed disbelief that Zuo Yan could have written such harsh words, given her gentle demeanor at work. She wanted to talk to Zuo Yan, but Lin Shen insisted it was Zuo Yan's private matter and they shouldn't interfere.
He felt the chat logs alone weren't enough to understand the full picture. Xiao Xiao, full of imagination, proposed hosting a grand matchmaking party to create a controlled environment that might "trigger" Zuo Yan's hidden "Id." As she spoke excitedly, she nearly stumbled, but Lin Shen swiftly caught her, his ears turning red as he softly told her that high heels didn't suit her.
Xiao Xiao wasted no time, posting an invitation for a "Summer Fellowship Recruitment Activity" to launch her matchmaking party. Meanwhile, at home, Zuo Yan shed her daytime facade, transforming into a "keyboard warrior" as she vented her frustrations online. Her mother soon interrupted, admonishing Zuo Yan for staying up late and insisting she drink her vegetable juice. She then pressed Zuo Yan about her previous blind date, clearly expressing her controlling nature and high standards for Zuo Yan’s potential partner.
The pressure of encountering a "mama's boy" on the blind date, her ex-boyfriend Yu Yang's impending marriage, and her mother’s suffocating control all fueled Zuo Yan's online aggression. Sun Kele reported to Xiao Xiao that the matchmaking plan might be in trouble because she had many female registrants but only three male participants.
When Fan Qi heard about the event, he called Xiao Xiao, offering to have his single male colleagues from Dianfan Group's investment department participate, resolving the shortage of male guests. He also said he would attend as an investor. Xiao Xiao sent invitations to Zuo Yan and other colleagues, enticing them with the promise of meeting elite bachelors from Dianfan Group.
Chai Qian, the PR manager, naturally designed and hosted the event, which featured a five-minute speed-dating format where male guests rotated after each interval. At the event, Xiao Xiao closely observed Zuo Yan, who seemed distracted and uninterested in the male guests. Lin Shen felt uneasy about everyone attending the party, and his anxiety heightened when he saw a photo of Xiao Xiao and Fan Qi together on a social media post.
Xiao Xiao found it perplexing that Zuo Yan didn't seem to actively reject the blind dates, despite her earlier behavior. Xiao Xiao asked Fan Qi about his ideal partner, to which he replied he preferred "interesting souls," subtly implying Xiao Xiao fit the description. Before Xiao Xiao could react, she saw Lin Shen arrive and quickly left Fan Qi to approach him.
Lin Shen learned from Xiao Xiao that six male guests had selected Zuo Yan as their "girl of choice," praising her as "gentle" and "modest." This observation further confused Xiao Xiao, as it indicated that the act of matchmaking itself did not trigger Zuo Yan's aggressive side. Moments later, Xiao Xiao nearly fell again, but Lin Shen was blocked by another guest, and it was Fan Qi who caught her. However, Xiao Xiao’s thoughts were solely on Lin Shen.
Fan Qi then asked Xiao Xiao to call him "Qi," which she happily agreed to. Lin Shen, witnessing their jovial conversation, looked visibly jealous. Xiao Xiao also felt a pang of jealousy seeing Lin Shen talking casually with someone else, but when she turned back, he had disappeared. She then noticed Sun Kele engaging Zuo Yan in conversation. Lin Shen later received a package containing a lawyer's letter.
Sometime after the event, Sun Kele was seen chatting with Zuo Yan by the sea, appearing nervous and carrying coffee to calm his nerves. Zuo Yan received a WeChat message and immediately launched into an aggressive reply. Lin Shen interrupted Xiao Xiao and Fan Qi's conversation, stating they had urgent work to attend to. Fan Qi watched the two walk away together, his eyes filled with resentment.
Lin Shen then held a meeting with Xiao Xiao and Zuo Yan, revealing that the lawyer's letter was sent by Zhang Kexi because Zuo Yan had used the company's official Weibo account to attack her. Xiao Xiao quickly checked her phone, shocked by Zuo Yan's highly emotional and offensive posts, which she realized were the same aggressive online rants she had seen before.
Zuo Yan admitted she had "forgotten to switch to her personal account" and had deleted the posts immediately after realizing her mistake. However, the opposing party demanded not only the deletion of the comments and a personal apology, but also an apology from Shaolin, the company. Zuo Yan tearfully apologized to Lin Shen.
Soon after, Xiao Xiao received a message from Chai Qian containing a screenshot of a male guest's social media post from the event, calling Zuo Yan a "rare arguer" and sharing screenshots of her scathing remarks during the speed-dating session. Lin Shen explained that while some people argue unconsciously, Zuo Yan's conscious awareness of her wrong behavior, yet inability to control it, made her situation potentially more dangerous.
Xiao Xiao believed they needed to find the root cause of Zuo Yan's aggressive behavior. Lin Shen pondered why Zuo Yan concealed her aggression from familiar people while being so confrontational online, and what precisely triggered her outbursts. Zuo Yan issued a personal apology to Zhang Kexi, clarifying that her actions were unrelated to Shaolin Counseling Center. To understand Zuo Yan's underlying issues, Xiao Xiao asked Sun Kele to help her investigate Zuo Yan's private online accounts.
Initially reluctant to "pry into a beautiful woman's privacy," Sun Kele eventually understood Xiao Xiao's intention to help Zuo Yan. However, Lin Shen quickly found Zuo Yan's accounts himself and compiled a summary of her aggressive online comments, forwarding them to Xiao Xiao with a warning to be mentally prepared. Xiao Xiao then asked Lin Shen to help analyze the context behind these posts, specifically why Zuo Yan used arguing as a self-defense mechanism.
She connected Zuo Yan’s aggressive behavior to her subconscious "Id." Lin Shen explained that according to his analysis of Zuo Yan’s posts, commanding words like "impossible," "should," and "must" often triggered her argumentative responses. Zuo Yan, entering their office, realized they were discussing her. Lin Shen intentionally used a keyword, telling her she "should" take her situation seriously. Zuo Yan, with an uncharacteristically sharp tone, requested that Lin Shen and her colleagues "pay less attention to her personal affairs."
Xiao Xiao noted this new, defensive attitude. Shao Lin, the head of the center, asked Lin Shen to deliver a wedding gift to Yu Yang, a company partner and Zuo Yan's ex-boyfriend. When Xiao Xiao noticed the name, she exclaimed that Yu Yang was Zuo Yan's ex-boyfriend. Lin Shen clarified that Yu Yang referred to Zuo Yan as an "old classmate," and that he had introduced Zuo Yan to the company.
Later, Xiao Xiao accidentally saw Zuo Yan crying in the restroom, clutching Yu Yang's wedding invitation. After work, Xiao Xiao took Zuo Yan to a bar, hoping to open her heart. At the bar, Xiao Xiao, acting as a supportive friend, prepared a "Passionate Kiss" cocktail for Zuo Yan, describing it as a mix of sweet, sour, and bitter, reflective of her love story.
Zuo Yan confessed her struggles with her controlling mother, showing Xiao Xiao a picture of Yu Yang, cut from an old college club photo. She recounted how her mother disapproved of Yu Yang because he attended a vocational college and lacked a good degree or local residency, ultimately deleting his contact information.
Zuo Yan described a childhood where she was never allowed to express negative emotions, forced to be "generous and act like a lady," leading to a life of emotional suppression and "hypocrisy." She admitted that she could only endure her mother's dictates because "she is my mom." She explained that while she constantly avoided conflict in reality, the anonymity of the internet allowed her to "express herself freely, even unrestrainedly," as a form of "venting."
Xiao Xiao asked Zuo Yan if she had ever imagined what her life with Yu Yang might have been like if her mother hadn't intervened. Zuo Yan admitted to fantasizing about a happy life, marrying and having children with him. Xiao Xiao then introduced the concept of the "forbidden fruit effect," suggesting that Zuo Yan's lingering feelings for Yu Yang were intensified precisely because the relationship was forbidden.
Zuo Yan agreed, realizing that what she truly couldn't let go of was "the love I missed because of my mom's obstruction," rather than Yu Yang himself. Xiao Xiao then ordered two new cocktails from Max the bartender: a "Singapore Sling" and a "Pink Lady." She gave Zuo Yan the Singapore Sling, explaining its origin during a female prohibition era and its symbolism of "breaking free." Zuo Yan chose the drink, embracing its meaning.
Xiao Xiao then gave Zuo Yan the Pink Lady, saying it was for her and represented love coming into her life. Xiao Xiao promised to accompany Zuo Yan and help her change "little by little," a promise Zuo Yan accepted as they clinked glasses. Lin Shen had been waiting outside the bar, worried about Xiao Xiao. When she emerged, heavily intoxicated, Zuo Yan entrusted her to Lin Shen, apologizing for the trouble.
In her drunken state, Xiao Xiao told Lin Shen to "stay away from me" because he was "dangerous." Lin Shen tried to guide her away from a nearby swimming pool, but as he pulled her into his arms to prevent her from falling, they accidentally shared a kiss due to inertia. Although their hearts had long been drawing closer, Xiao Xiao was too drunk to realize what had happened, while Lin Shen blushed deeply.
When Zuo Yan returned home, her mother was still awake, immediately interrogating her about her whereabouts and companions. Zuo Yan said she was with a "girl colleague" named Xiao Xiao. Her mother then imposed a strict curfew: "Never come back later than 11 o'clock." She forced Zuo Yan to drink her daily vegetable juice, insisting on maintaining her "good habits."
However, Zuo Yan's composure shattered when her mother revealed she had found the matchmaking party invitation while "packing her bag," admitting she had gone through her personal belongings. Zuo Yan confronted her mother about invading her privacy, but her mother dismissively replied, "I'm your mother, what can't I see?" and reminded Zuo Yan that she had even kept the combination lock for her childhood diary.
Zuo Yan silently finished the juice, her mind filled with the despairing thought that "Nothing will change at all." A subsequent cryptic message from an unknown individual mentioned that "The tickets for the spa hotel have been sent out," with further instructions to follow, hinting at upcoming developments.
