Resumen del episodio 3 de Never-Ending Summer
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After escaping the pursuit of the school administration, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao find a quiet moment to talk by the swimming pool. Looking at the water, Zhou Wan admits that Lu Xixiao is quite different from the pampered, lazy rich boy she had originally imagined—someone who would simply bask in the sun, skip studying, and eventually inherit a family business with a dozen secretaries.
Lu Xixiao jokingly agrees that such a lifestyle was indeed his plan, but he is intrigued when she notes that he seems too kind to ever hurt anyone. Their conversation shifts to the albino tree near the pool, which Lu Xixiao noticed she had set as her social media profile picture. Zhou Wan is surprised he noticed it, explaining that others found it ugly and banished it to this lonely corner.
Lu Xixiao gently points out that since they both appreciate it now, the tree is no longer lonely. After their talk, Lu Xixiao rides his motorcycle alongside Zhou Wan's bus to escort her all the way home. Meanwhile, Lu Xixiao spends time at a motorcycle workshop, half-heartedly reciting English vocabulary about friendship and adversity. When his friend tries to coax him into hanging out, Lu Xixiao refuses, reminding him of his plans to study abroad.
He strictly warns his friend not to let his family or the school know about his departure, preferring to keep his plans a secret. On their last tutoring session, Zhou Wan and Lu Xixiao pass by a local fish vendor. Seeing beautiful goldfish crowded inside small plastic bags, Zhou Wan pauses, expressing a quiet wish to rescue them all, though she lacks the funds.
Hearing this, Lu Xixiao immediately calls out to the vendor, Old Yu, and generously purchases every single goldfish along with a large tank. Seeking a spacious home for them, he decides to release them into the school's swimming pool. However, Lu Xixiao accidentally releases aggressive betta fish into the same water. Realizing they will fight, a worried Zhou Wan jumps into the pool to separate them and move the little bettas to a safer spot.
Lu Xixiao joins her in the water, admitting he never watched much television as a child because his family complained it was too noisy. As they swim among the colorful fish, the dull pool transforms into a vibrant fairytale world. To prevent her from catching a cold, Lu Xixiao finds some club T-shirts for them to change into. While changing, Zhou Wan asks him why he wants to go abroad in secret.
Lu Xixiao replies that there is simply no one here he cares to stay for, and asks about her future plans. Zhou Wan admits she doesn't have the luxury of choice. Knowing how brilliant her grades are, Lu Xixiao urges her to be cautious with her future, unlike himself who merely lives day by day. Zhou Wan softly reflects that they are both only eighteen, facing a world where they have very few choices.
Before they leave, she asks him if he will attend the upcoming parent-teacher meeting and club festival to release balloons. Though he initially dismisses the activity as childish and meaningless, Zhou Wan's gentle confession—that she wants to release balloons with him—leaves him stunned. He questions if she is deliberately trying to get close to him, but before she can answer, a security guard spots them, forcing them out. The midnight escapade quickly catches up with them.
The next morning, the school administration broadcasts a public reprimand over the speakers. Stepping up to the microphone, Lu Xixiao boldly shoulders the entire blame, claiming he incited Zhou Wan to join him under the pretense of a lab experiment. Zhou Wan’s classmates are stunned to see the usually indifferent Lu Xixiao willingly take the fall for someone else.
When Zhou Wan later expresses her gratitude, Lu Xixiao brushes it off, noting that a blemish on his record means nothing since he is leaving the country anyway, whereas she cannot afford any distractions before the college entrance exams. To show her gratitude, Zhou Wan treats Lu Xixiao to a meal at Uncle Kang's modest noodle shop. Unaccustomed to such humble eateries, Lu Xixiao is fascinated by everything on the menu.
Uncle Kang, an old motorcycle enthusiast, immediately spots Lu Xixiao’s impressive bike and strikes up a warm conversation, reminiscing about the Xingfu 250 he rode in his youth. Zhou Wan orders their special Three Delicacies Noodles, a signature dish that her grandmother, who usually works at the shop, often prepares. Since her grandmother is away that day, they enjoy their meal in peace.
Uncle Kang offers to drive her grandmother to the school's parent-teacher meeting the next day, but Zhou Wan politely declines, explaining that her grandmother is unwell and the event is not important enough to trouble her. Unfortunately, their dinner does not go unnoticed. Jiang Yan, Zhou Wan's childhood friend, is consumed by jealousy upon seeing them together. He takes it upon himself to inform Zhou Wan's grandmother about her recent behavior.
When Zhou Wan returns home, her grandmother is furious, scolding her for skipping classes, getting publicly disciplined, and wasting time with a boy instead of focusing on her dream of entering Huaqing University. Zhou Wan tearfully admits that she has no desire to move far away and face loneliness, and that getting into the prestigious university does not matter to her.
Softening, her grandmother reminds her that while her destiny is in her own hands, all she truly wishes is for Zhou Wan to be safe, healthy, and happy. Zhou Wan later confronts Jiang Yan about his betrayal. Jiang Yan defends his actions, admitting he is terrified of how close she is getting to Lu Xixiao, a boy who belongs to a completely different world.
Zhou Wan insists she knows what she is doing but firmly states that some matters are beyond a friend's help. Sensing the growing distance between them, Jiang Yan sadly recalls the day they first met, when she was crying in their secret hideout. Zhou Wan reassures her first friend that this difficult period will soon pass, promising not to shut him out if he swears never to snitch again.
That night, Lu Xixiao texts Zhou Wan, asking about the start time for the club festival after seeing her social media posts. Despite her inner conflict, she replies that it begins at three-thirty. Zhou Wan has already quietly contacted Lu Xixiao's stepmother, Guo Yan, inviting her to the event. The next afternoon, the school playground is buzzing with families taking celebratory photos.
Zhou Wan helps her friend Meng Meng take a family photo, all the while anxiously scanning the crowd for Lu Xixiao. Just as the countdown begins and she fears he won't show, Lu Xixiao appears carrying a massive, towering cluster of colorful balloons. He smiles, wanting to ensure all her wishes can be granted at once. Zhou Wan is deeply touched, yet haunted by a silent guilt, knowing her initial approach to him was fueled by a desire for revenge.
The warm moment is soon interrupted by the arrival of Guo Yan. Lu Xixiao's demeanor instantly turns icy. When she tries to hand him a balloon and wish him well, he mockingly tells her to save her efforts and focus on giving his father another son instead of playing the part of his mother. Guo Yan quietly asserts that he is her only son.
Watching this cold exchange from a distance, Zhou Wan later asks Lu Xixiao about his intense hatred for his stepmother. Lu Xixiao bitterly explains that his father only values women who are pretty, obedient, and easy to control. When Zhou Wan asks what would happen if his stepmother ever displeased his father, Lu Xixiao coldly replies that his father would simply discard her.
Later that evening, after the school activities have concluded, Guo Yan arrives at the street outside Zhou Wan and her grandmother's apartment. Zhou Wan walks down to meet her, looking at her biological mother and quietly addressing her as "Mom."
