Fell Upon Me Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Fell Upon Me Synopsis
In 2012, as the college entrance exam approaches, transfer student Jiang Ling unexpectedly steps into An Zhenzhen’s world when her phone accidentally connects to “Old Jiang” from 2024. Guided by Old Jiang, An Zhenzhen draws closer to the young Jiang Ling in an attempt to change the future, but her actions lead to a misunderstanding with her best friend Qiu Qian. This seemingly improbable encounter binds Jiang Ling’s and An Zhenzhen’s fates together.
While uncovering the truth behind an impending crisis with Jiang Ling, An Zhenzhen faces the exposure of family scandals and the betrayal of false accusations, driving her in despair to the rooftop—only to be saved by Jiang Ling. With his help, she reconciles with her friends, but a new crisis quietly emerges. To stop class monitor Gu Ming, who is being coerced, An Zhenzhen once again climbs to the rooftop. In another timeline, Old Jiang painfully searches for the truth, trying to change the outcome, yet An Zhenzhen’s death still cannot be avoided.
Just at the edge of despair, pages turn and gears softly click. Under the power of words, the cold “doomsday” prophecy is quietly rewritten.
Fell Upon Me Recap
Episode 1 Recap
An Zhenzhen is abruptly woken up for her second mock exam, taking place 104 days before the college entrance exam. She immediately reflects on a strange dream she just had. During the exam, she experiences a brief hallucination where the classroom empties, leaving only her and her homeroom teacher, Liu Yaru, staring at her. Her trance is broken by another teacher announcing the remaining time.
Later that day, a new transfer student, Jiang Ling, is introduced to homeroom teacher Liu Yaru; he is scheduled to officially join Senior Class 3 the next day. After the exam, An Zhenzhen, still disoriented, confides in her friend Qiu Qian about her hallucination, but Qiu Qian dismisses it as exam-induced confusion. Their friend, Qi Shuo, joins them, and as they plan to go out, they are curtly advised by the class monitor to focus on studying instead.
The trio then heads to a wishing tree. An Zhenzhen wishes for world peace and for the 2012 apocalypse prophecy to be false, while Qiu Qian wishes to marry a rich, handsome man, and Qi Shuo declares his ambition to become a famous actor. Realizing none of them wished for academic success, An Zhenzhen quickly adds a wish for them all to pass the college entrance exam. As they are chatting, Qiu Qian spots a handsome stranger.
The man approaches, returns An Zhenzhen's name tag before leaving, making her wonder how he found it. Meanwhile, in a cluttered apartment, a disheveled man known as "Lao Jiang" is drinking and searching for money. He finds an old, defunct phone just as debt collectors arrive, demanding he settle his overdue debt. Lao Jiang lies that his editor will pay him soon, but the debt collectors force him to call again.
As he fakes dialing on the dead phone, a clap of thunder sounds outside, and a woman's voice suddenly speaks through the phone, leaving Lao Jiang stunned. The debt collectors grab the phone and threaten the person on the line. On the other end, An Zhenzhen, Qiu Qian, and Qi Shuo assume it's a phone scam and playfully respond in Korean.
Seizing the opportunity, Lao Jiang takes the phone back, pretends to resolve the issue, and successfully gets the debt collectors to leave. That night, An Zhenzhen's phone rings again. As she answers, the dorm supervisor calls her name during roll call, causing her to hang up. On the other end, Lao Jiang, having heard her name, is startled. He identifies himself as Jiang Ling, but a confused An Zhenzhen dismisses him as a scammer and ends the call.
The next day, Liu Yaru introduces the new transfer student to the class. To An Zhenzhen's shock, the student is Jiang Ling, the same person from the phone calls. While she is pondering this, her phone rings in class, and Liu Yaru confiscates it. After class, An Zhenzhen angrily confronts Jiang Ling, who ignores her.
During lunch, An Zhenzhen pleads with her friends to help retrieve her phone, fabricating a story that a chat log of them gossiping about Liu Yaru was on the screen when it was taken. Fearing repercussions, her friends agree to help. They create a diversion, but Qi Shuo mistakenly grabs the teacher's phone, as Jiang Ling has already taken An Zhenzhen's phone from the office. An Zhenzhen dials her own number, and Jiang Ling's phone rings, confirming he has it.
At that moment, a call comes in for An Zhenzhen from someone identifying as "Jiangling from 2024." She hands the phone to the 2012 Jiang Ling beside her. As the two Jiang Lings speak across time, they both experience a painful physical repulsion. Later that night, Jiang Ling from 2024 calls An Zhenzhen again and explains their predicament, attributing the strange calls to a solar and electromagnetic storm causing communication across parallel timelines.
He confirms he is from 2024 and she is in 2012. An Zhenzhen sarcastically asks if humanity was destroyed in 2012. To convince her, the 2024 Jiang Ling mentions future events, like Liang Bo winning "The Voice of China" and Kobe Bryant breaking his nose in an upcoming NBA All-Star Game. Still skeptical, An Zhenzhen dismisses him as a liar. The 2024 Jiang Ling then remembers a significant event that is about to happen in her timeline.
Episode 2 Recap
Continuing her mission to verify the mysterious phone call, An Zhenzhen anxiously waited for the predicted time the next day. To her astonishment, the events unfolded exactly as described. A major incident erupted in the school cafeteria when students, already frustrated with the poor food quality and the ban on outside meals, reached their breaking point after a student named Shi Xiaoxin had his food confiscated. A heated conflict ensued between students and cafeteria staff, quickly escalating into chaos.
This sequence of events perfectly mirrored what the future Jiang Ling from 2024 had foretold, leaving An Zhenzhen feeling a mixture of dread and disbelief. That evening, An Zhenzhen went online, searching for forums about time-space communication. In the living room, her parents argued over her father's perceived lack of involvement in her studies. Later, An Zhenzhen had a vivid nightmare where she found herself in a mysterious place, approaching the back of a man she knew was Jiang Ling.
Just as he was about to turn, she woke up. The next morning, An Zhenzhen's father was watching an NBA All-Star Game and excitedly pointed out that Kobe Bryant had just broken his nose, another detail from the future Jiang Ling's predictions that confirmed their unsettling accuracy. Noticing it was raining, An Zhenzhen suspected another call from the future was possible.
Her father drove her to school, and she asked to be dropped off at an intersection, pretending she wanted to walk. The moment he left, she called the future Jiang Ling. During their conversation, the future Jiang Ling confessed he was in dire straits, having been scammed after publishing a book and left deeply in debt.
He implored An Zhenzhen to convince his 2012 self to buy a specific lottery ticket, with the winnings deposited into the 2012 Jiang Ling's bank account. He explained he only needed enough to pay his debts and that the rest of the winnings would be for his past self. In return for her help, An Zhenzhen asked him to check on her own future, and he promised he would.
After giving her the lottery number, they concluded their calls were likely enabled by thunderstorms happening in both their timelines. An Zhenzhen worried about approaching the aloof 2012 Jiang Ling, so his future self revealed a weakness: a deep fondness for noodles from a specific shop on Hongzhuan Road. An Zhenzhen rushed to the shop, but after waiting in a long line, it sold out.
Back at school, her visible frustration and glares toward Jiang Ling caught the attention of her friend, Qiu Qian. An Zhenzhen made another attempt with noodles from a different shop. She offered them to Jiang Ling with a whimsical explanation about astrology, and while he reluctantly ate some, she worried it was the wrong kind. Her suspicion was confirmed when she later saw Jiang Ling leaving a crowded noodle shop with a bowl he had bought himself.
That evening, as another thunderstorm raged, the future Jiang Ling called again. Sensing her frustration, he offered an alternative strategy: find a specific book, "Ulysses," at a bookstore on Wanhong Road. As An Zhenzhen snuck out of the dormitory, Qiu Qian, having overheard the call, tried to follow but was intercepted by the dorm supervisor after An Zhenzhen created a diversion. At the bookstore, An Zhenzhen located the rare book after a difficult search.
The next day, she placed it on Jiang Ling's desk. He was genuinely delighted, calling the book a prized possession. An Zhenzhen offered it as a gift to start a friendship, but he insisted on paying her the exact price, accepting her friendship on his own terms. Seizing the opportunity, she immediately invited him out for noodles. At the noodle shop, the owner warmly greeted Jiang Ling as "Xiao Jiang" and praised his helpful and kind-hearted nature, surprising An Zhenzhen.
While they ate, An Zhenzhen revealed the truth. She explained the phone call was from his future self, who had shared details like his love for noodles and specific novels. To convince him, she showed him her call log, proving a call was made from his number before she even had it. She then detailed his future self's financial troubles and the desperate need for him to buy the lottery ticket. After a moment of disbelief, Jiang Ling agreed to go with her to the lottery store after he finished his meal.
Episode 3 Recap
Following her successful verification of Jiang Ling's time-travel calls, An Zhenzhen, now convinced, accompanies Jiang Ling to purchase lottery tickets using the number provided by his future self. She envisions a future where she wins over 400,000 yuan and excitedly plans to donate to charities, bolster her father's company, and even build a private, round-the-clock amusement park.
Jiang Ling, accompanying her, relays a message from his future self, urging her to pay the electricity bill that night as it would "definitely help" her. An Zhenzhen, eager to learn more about her destiny, presses him for details about her future and her parents, but Jiang Ling remains dismissive, stating he doesn't believe in time-traveling calls and that the future is only shaped by present choices.
He is then momentarily lost in a painful childhood memory of his father entrusting him to his aunt. Unaware of Jiang Ling’s underlying sadness, An Zhenzhen holds up the lottery ticket, declaring her belief that her future is in her own hands and that life itself is a miracle. That evening, back in her dorm, An Zhenzhen is still gazing at her lottery ticket when her friend Qiu Qian confronts her.
Qiu Qian, revealing her affection for Jiang Ling, asks An Zhenzhen to keep her distance from him, misinterpreting An Zhenzhen’s recent interactions as an attempt to pursue him. An Zhenzhen tries to clarify the situation, but Qiu Qian firmly insists she stop. The following day, while sharing a meal with An Zhenzhen and Qi Shuo, Qiu Qian seeks advice on how to confess to Jiang Ling, praising his handsome looks and charming smile.
Their conversation is interrupted by Qiu Qian's persistent admirer, nicknamed "The Chicken Cutlet Guy." With her friends' help, Qiu Qian manages to evade him and sets off to find Jiang Ling. Qiu Qian soon finds Jiang Ling and attempts to invite him to lunch, but he politely declines. Her hopes are dashed further when she discovers he is writing a novel featuring a character named "Zhenzhen," a revelation that immediately makes her suspect Jiang Ling might like An Zhenzhen.
Later in class, Qiu Qian passes a note to An Zhenzhen, leading to a tense exchange about the novel. Their teacher, noticing their distraction, reprimands them, and Qi Shuo, who was acting as their messenger, is sent to stand at the back of the classroom. After class, Qiu Qian is still upset and demands an explanation. An Zhenzhen attempts to pacify her by strategically showering her with compliments, praising her beauty, personality, and talent.
Appeased by the flattery, Qiu Qian asks An Zhenzhen to invite Jiang Ling to dinner that night so they can all get to know each other better. Before the dinner, Jiang Ling reminds An Zhenzhen to keep her lottery ticket safe. An Zhenzhen, reluctantly fulfilling Qiu Qian's request, invites Jiang Ling to a group dinner, emphasizing that her friend Qiu Qian wants to get to know him.
Jiang Ling initially declines, claiming he isn't hungry, but An Zhenzhen's persistent and dramatic pleas eventually persuade him. The four of them—An Zhenzhen, Jiang Ling, Qiu Qian, and Qi Shuo—head to a noodle shop. At the table, An Zhenzhen introduces Qiu Qian to Jiang Ling, but Qiu Qian takes over, enthusiastically introducing herself and expressing a strong "connection" with Jiang Ling, even envisioning a future together. Jiang Ling, however, is distant and unresponsive towards Qiu Qian, barely acknowledging her presence.
An Zhenzhen tries to cover for his coldness by fabricating an excuse about him having a cold and being warm-hearted, which Jiang Ling attempts to correct. Qiu Qian grows increasingly frustrated by Jiang Ling's aloofness throughout the meal. Following the awkward dinner, Qiu Qian, in retaliation for Jiang Ling's aloofness and her suspicions about his feelings for An Zhenzhen, secretly photocopies and circulates copies of Jiang Ling's novel around the school.
The novel features a character also named "Zhenzhen," a name similar to An Zhenzhen's but spelled with a different character. An Zhenzhen is bewildered and upset by the circulation of the novel, dismissing it as a childish prank and denying that the story could possibly be about her. Meanwhile, in 2024, Jiang Ling visits a bank, eagerly anticipating the lottery winnings he believed his past self had secured.
He is delighted to discover a fixed deposit account containing 200,000 yuan, accumulated with 12 years of interest. He immediately activates the account and transfers the funds. Overjoyed, he goes shopping before visiting his aunt. During their conversation, his aunt reveals that she was the one who deposited the 200,000 yuan in his account years ago, having kept it a secret to prevent him from spending it recklessly.
This revelation comes after Jiang Ling expresses his long-held frustrations about his aunt’s past interference in his life choices, specifically her insistence that he study science over liberal arts and pursue a "proper" job instead of writing. His aunt apologizes for pushing him to follow in his deceased mother’s footsteps as a physics teacher. Jiang Ling's hopes are shattered as he realizes his belief about the lottery winnings was entirely mistaken.
Back in 2012, An Zhenzhen calls Jiang Ling (from 2024), confirming she paid the electricity bill as instructed and still has the lottery ticket. The call abruptly cuts off. In 2024, Jiang Ling, hearing the disconnection, plunges deeper into despair, concluding that miracles simply do not happen.
In 2012, a power outage causes Jiang Ling’s aunt to fall and injure her back, an incident that Jiang Ling (from 2024) had subtly warned his past self about by emphasizing the importance of paying the electricity bill. On the day of the lottery drawing, An Zhenzhen anxiously checks her ticket but discovers that none of her numbers match, leaving her disheartened and questioning the validity of the future information she received.
In 2024, overwhelmed by the compounded disappointments, Jiang Ling finds himself on a rooftop, contemplating suicide. Debt collectors arrive, desperately seeking their money, but they are too terrified to approach as Jiang Ling threatens to jump, declaring that there are "no miracles left." At this critical moment, An Zhenzhen from 2012 calls him, expressing her disappointment about the failed lottery numbers.
Drunk and despairing, Jiang Ling reveals he is on the rooftop, initially trying to dismiss his presence as simply getting "fresh air" and "looking at the moon." An Zhenzhen, however, quickly understands his suicidal intent and desperately pleads with him not to jump, offering to help him rectify any mistakes.
In his state of inebriation, Jiang Ling blurts out a shocking truth: An Zhenzhen has no future because she will die before the college entrance exam, meaning she has less than 100 days to live. He confesses that he lied about knowing her future, insisting that everything has changed and that he can't save her, nor can she save him. He then abruptly says "Goodbye" and hangs up, leaving An Zhenzhen in a state of terror and disbelief.
Devastated by the news of her impending death, An Zhenzhen returns home deeply distressed and unable to speak. Her mother, concerned by her daughter's unusual behavior, tries to comfort her, mistaking An Zhenzhen's profound sadness for academic pressure. An Zhenzhen tearfully tells her mother that she doesn't want to leave her, while Jiang Ling's words about her having no future echo relentlessly in her mind.
Episode 4 Recap
An Zhenzhen woke from a restless sleep, visibly troubled by the knowledge of her impending death revealed in the previous episode. The next morning, she asked her father to spend more time with her, lamenting his frequent work travels.
As her father drove her to school, An Zhenzhen was unusually anxious, constantly reminding him to drive carefully, maintain a safe speed, and watch out for other vehicles, explaining that the approaching 100-day countdown to the college entrance exam made her feel immense pressure and a need to avoid all risks. Her father noted her uncharacteristic quietness and jumpiness. Upon arriving at school, An Zhenzhen continued to be on edge, startled by every small movement and sound.
Her behavior caught the attention of Teacher Liu, who questioned class monitor Gu Ming about An Zhenzhen's recent change. Gu Ming suggested that An Zhenzhen was likely under extreme academic pressure, possibly suppressing her feelings, and offered to keep a closer eye on her. An Zhenzhen remained hyper-vigilant throughout the day, her anxiety deepening when she realized Jiang Ling was absent from school.
Her mind raced, wondering if he had disappeared and if the future Jiang Ling's attempted suicide had impacted the present. During a class, her fears culminated in a vivid hallucination where the teacher's voice became distorted, telling her she was dead, had no future, and couldn't be saved, while also hearing a voice claiming rebirth. The illusion only broke when the class bell rang.
Still concerned about Jiang Ling, she asked Gu Ming about his whereabouts, but the class monitor gently steered her back to focusing on her studies and the looming college entrance exam, stressing its importance for their futures. An Zhenzhen felt a profound sense of despair, believing that her future was nonexistent and that the timeline of her future self was influencing the present. Just as she was grappling with these thoughts, Jiang Ling suddenly appeared.
An Zhenzhen pulled Jiang Ling aside, initially wanting to scold him for his absence but ultimately holding back. Jiang Ling explained that a power outage the previous night led to his aunt falling and injuring her back, requiring him to stay with her. An Zhenzhen then remembered a detail from her call with future Jiang Ling, mentioning that "Lao Jiang" had asked her to remind him to pay the electricity bill.
Jiang Ling was surprised by this seemingly personal knowledge, wondering if the mysterious caller was indeed his future self. They discussed the lottery numbers future Jiang Ling had given her, which hadn't won, leading them to ponder whether their two timelines truly couldn't influence each other, citing Hawking's theory of an invisible energy preventing changes to the universe's trajectory. Jiang Ling, however, was more interested in the identity and purpose of this "Lao Jiang."
When Jiang Ling asked about his future self and his aunt's well-being, An Zhenzhen, hesitant to reveal the full truth, told him he would become a very successful writer, perhaps facing only minor financial difficulties. But when he pressed her about her own future, An Zhenzhen bravely admitted that she would die before the college entrance exam.
Jiang Ling was taken aback, immediately offering to treat her to meals and encouraging her to live the rest of her life to the fullest and seek happiness, dismissing the phone call as potentially a scam. An Zhenzhen, still haunted by her hallucination, questioned if they would have a future together. Jiang Ling then offered to buy her snacks, and as they ate, An Zhenzhen shared her unfulfilled dreams, like owning a kitten and visiting Disneyland.
Jiang Ling promised to experience these things for her, even taking her photo with him if she were gone, but An Zhenzhen playfully insisted he take her in person if she survived. Finally, An Zhenzhen urged Jiang Ling to persevere in the future, no matter what difficulties he faced, and to live well for his dreams.
Time then shifted to twenty-four years later, where Jiang Ling woke from a drunken stupor, having been saved by some individuals from what he thought was a fall. He was given noodles by a man who called him a "great writer" and told him to cherish his life, then assigned him work as a delivery driver with a new motorcycle.
Jiang Ling, now working diligently and no longer lost in fantasies, found himself delivering a document to his old high school. He approached the entrance, seeking Teacher Liu Yaru, and was greeted by You Lifeng, the familiar security guard, who was surprised to see him. Jiang Ling, an alumnus, reminisced about the old food stalls around the school, learning they were gone because the vendors had aged or the younger generation couldn't handle the work.
You Lifeng shared how he used to chase the vendors away but now felt an unexpected emptiness in their absence. Jiang Ling asked to look around the unchanged school grounds. As he walked through the familiar campus, memories of An Zhenzhen and their time together flooded his mind. Suddenly, An Zhenzhen, in her own time, received a phone call from the future Jiang Ling.
Shocked, she asked if he was real, confirming he was alive and hadn't jumped from the building as she had feared. She expressed her immense terror and demanded an explanation for his mysterious "death" and reappearance. Future Jiang Ling reaffirmed that he had not lied about their previous calls. An Zhenzhen then pressed him for details about her own death, specifically how she would die before the college entrance exam.
Future Jiang Ling admitted he didn't know the specifics, only that she had died at school. Distraught, An Zhenzhen pleaded with him to investigate further, hoping to find a way to change her fate and realize her dreams, despite their previous belief that timelines couldn't be influenced. Future Jiang Ling, hearing her earnest plea, promised to do everything he could to save her.
Episode 5 Recap
As An Zhenzhen had just learned that Jiang Ling from 2024 did not jump off the building and could help her investigate the cause of her death, she was very excited. While Jiang Ling was asleep, Qiu Qian secretly placed a confession note on a drink bottle on his desk, observing. An Zhenzhen, overwhelmed with excitement, went to wake the sleeping Jiang Ling, causing the drink and note to fall to the floor unnoticed by the waking Jiang Ling.
Qiu Qian, who had been watching, saw An Zhenzhen disrupt her confession and developed a strong resentment towards An Zhenzhen and Jiang Ling's apparent closeness. Jiang Ling from 2024 then went to An Zhenzhen's home to investigate any clues. He spoke with An Zhenzhen's mother, who showed him An Zhenzhen's room. Afterward, Jiang Ling sought out Qi Shuo, a former classmate of An Zhenzhen, to inquire about Qiu Qian.
Qi Shuo revealed that while he hadn't been in touch with Qiu Qian for a long time, he knew her whereabouts. He also mentioned that Qiu Qian used to pursue Jiang Ling. Back in 2012, Qiu Qian was very angry with An Zhenzhen and ignored her, despite An Zhenzhen's continuous attempts to reconcile. An Zhenzhen later noticed an unknown substance in her water cup.
Remembering that she would die before the college entrance exam, she suspected someone was trying to poison her. She asked the dorm supervisor and her roommates, but no one could provide any information, and the supervisor dismissed it as limescale. That night, An Zhenzhen woke up thirsty and discovered a medicine bottle containing white powder in Qiu Qian's cabinet. Alarmed, she watched as Qiu Qian woke up, took the bottle, and displayed a frightening expression, which terrified An Zhenzhen.
The next day, after class, An Zhenzhen pulled Jiang Ling aside and told him she suspected someone in the dorm was trying to poison her, also mentioning Qiu Qian's recent strange behavior. An Zhenzhen attempted to call Jiang Ling from 2024 for help but realized it was a sunny day, meaning Jiang Ling from 2012 answered the call instead. Based on Qi Shuo's information, Jiang Ling from 2024 found Qiu Qian performing at a bar to make a living.
Qiu Qian feigned not knowing him, but Jiang Ling's probing questions, including a mention of her past with "Chicken Cutlet Guy" as heard from An Zhenzhen, nearly made her reveal something. Just as Jiang Ling was about to press further, a customer appeared, and Qiu Qian's demeanor instantly changed to an enthusiastic smile as she left with him. Jiang Ling later revisited Qi Shuo, seeking a way to get closer to Qiu Qian, who had been uncooperative.
Qi Shuo suggested seeking help from Gu Ming, their former class monitor, who was now very successful, even holding a PhD. Qi Shuo also described Qiu Qian's current lifestyle, associating with "sketchy people," smoking, drinking, and having boyfriends. Jiang Ling also mentioned he was writing a novel based on An Zhenzhen to get Qi Shuo's help.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ling from 2012 was eating noodles at a roadside stall when he overheard some young men talking about hitting on An Zhenzhen and Qiu Qian. Annoyed, Jiang Ling confronted and fought them. Afterward, Jiang Ling had a conversation with their class monitor, Gu Ming, who bought him noodles. Gu Ming talked about his aspirations to study quantum physics in Beijing and noted Jiang Ling's interest in literature and his recent closeness with An Zhenzhen.
In the dorm, Qiu Qian's vanity and constant bragging led to her being ignored by everyone except An Zhenzhen. An Zhenzhen persisted in trying to reconcile with Qiu Qian, but Qiu Qian kept avoiding her. Feeling disheartened, An Zhenzhen returned to the dorm and saw old volleyball team photos in Qiu Qian's cabinet, recalling Qiu Qian's care for her during their time on the team. As An Zhenzhen was putting the photos back, Qiu Qian returned and noticed them.
Seeing the photos, Qiu Qian remembered their good times together and finally agreed to talk. During a thunderstorm, An Zhenzhen contacted Jiang Ling from 2024, telling him about Qiu Qian's recent behavior. Jiang Ling told An Zhenzhen about Qiu Qian's future, revealing that she would be dancing in a nightclub and that she had been hiding something. An Zhenzhen was shocked to learn about Qiu Qian's future.
Episode 6 Recap
An Zhenzhen, growing increasingly anxious due to dangerous new leads from Old Jiang, seeks out Jiangling. Having heard he knows martial arts, she asks him to teach her self-defense. Jiangling agrees and demonstrates several moves, including a chokehold and a finger-bending technique. An Zhenzhen, desiring a move to instantly subdue an opponent, attempts a more complex throw.
During the practice, she accidentally falls on top of Jiangling, creating an awkward moment before he breaks the tension by claiming to be hungry and leaving. Later, after finding a lipstick in her husband's bag, An Zhenzhen's mother urges him to pay more attention to their daughter, whose grades are a concern. She mentions exploring a sports scholarship option if An Zhenzhen can meet the 800-meter qualifying time, despite An Zhenzhen only playing volleyball.
Separately, Teacher Liu confronts An Zhenzhen about her frequent tardiness for evening study, reminding her of the impending college entrance exam. An Zhenzhen claims she was exercising, but Teacher Liu expresses concern about her focus and suggests she study more with Gu Ming. An Zhenzhen then confides a premonition that she might not be able to take the exam, which Teacher Liu dismisses as stress.
After school, Qiu Qian invites An Zhenzhen to a bubble tea shop, where she confronts An Zhenzhen about her increasing closeness with Jiangling. She accuses An Zhenzhen of deliberately trying to win his favor and making him dislike Qiu Qian, especially since Qiu Qian had already expressed her own interest in him. Qiu Qian demands that An Zhenzhen stay away from Jiangling to preserve their friendship. An Zhenzhen refuses, explaining she needs his help for reasons she cannot disclose.
Qiu Qian dismisses this and accuses An Zhenzhen of being manipulative, citing instances like frequent calls to Jiangling, her behavior at the noodle stand, and a note she believes An Zhenzhen left on her milk. An Zhenzhen denies knowledge of the note and expresses hurt that Qiu Qian perceives her this way, revealing her own silent suffering.
In desperation, An Zhenzhen blurts out that she might "be about to die," but Qiu Qian dismisses it as a scare tactic and calls her selfish. Deeply wounded, Qiu Qian throws down a Monchichi doll, a symbol of their friendship, and tells An Zhenzhen to disappear from her life forever. Overwhelmed, An Zhenzhen walks heedlessly through the streets and is nearly hit by a car at an intersection, but Jiangling swiftly intervenes and saves her.
The next day, An Zhenzhen thanks him for his rescue. Later, at a bar, a friend points out that a man named Jin is watching Qiu Qian. Qiu Qian dismisses him as strange, but Jin approaches her, jokingly asking her to be his girlfriend. The next day at school, the tension between An Zhenzhen and Qiu Qian is palpable. The school then announces sports recruitment.
An Zhenzhen is dismayed to learn from class monitor Gu Ming that her name is on the list for the 800-meter test, realizing her father likely signed her up without her consent. She expresses a fatalistic belief that she will die from physical collapse after the race. Hearing her concerns, Jiangling volunteers to sign up as well and offers to train with her. They begin rigorous training, with Jiangling motivating her with promises of hot pot.
After a session, they visit a noodle shop, where Qiu Qian passes by and sees them together. Shortly after, Qiu Qian is harassed by Jin. From a distance, An Zhenzhen observes Qiu Qian's troubled interaction with these "shady characters" and worries that her own actions might have contributed to Qiu Qian's bleak future. Years later, in 2024, Qiu Qian is violently attacked by a group of women. Jiangling appears, scaring them off, and comforts her.
Qiu Qian acknowledges that Jiangling found her because of An Zhenzhen but admits she doesn't know the specifics of what happened, as their friendship had waned by the end of their senior year. Jiangling presses her to recall any unusual behavior or particularly close relationships An Zhenzhen had before the college entrance exam. Qiu Qian reveals that the only person An Zhenzhen was truly close to at that time was their class monitor, Gu Ming.
Episode 7 Recap
An Zhenzhen contacted Lao Jiang, asking about Qiu Qian's future well-being and if he could offer help. Lao Jiang advised her to focus on her own situation but promised to assist Qiu Qian, theorizing their predicament could be a "space-time chain reaction." He relayed a message from the future Qiu Qian: in the final months of senior year, An Zhenzhen and Gu Ming had become unusually close. An Zhenzhen found this perplexing.
Though they were desk mates, she had always felt closer to Qi Shuo and Qiu Qian. Suspecting Gu Ming might be involved in her fate, she resolved to investigate him, prompting Lao Jiang to warn her to be cautious. During class, An Zhenzhen was lost in thought observing Gu Ming when her teacher, Ms. Liu, reprimanded her for not paying attention. Assuming An Zhenzhen had a crush, Ms. Liu called Gu Ming to her office.
Gu Ming clarified they were just friends and that An Zhenzhen's father, a family friend, had asked him to supervise her studies. He assured Ms. Liu he understood the importance of their exams and would help An Zhenzhen focus. Later, Gu Ming apologized to An Zhenzhen for the trouble and offered to tutor her, much to her surprise. Jiangling took An Zhenzhen to the track for training, but the rigorous exercises left her exhausted.
Discouraged, she felt she wasn't suited for the sports program and called her father to quit. Her father, who was in a car with Qi Shuo's sister, dismissed her concerns, revealing he had already used his connections. He explained she only needed to meet the minimum requirements for a local teachers' college, and he would handle the rest, telling her not to worry about "adult business."
In the same car, Qi Shuo's sister complained that he hadn't helped her brother, who wanted to be an actor. He replied that his connections were limited to sports but promised to look into it. To encourage a disheartened An Zhenzhen, Jiangling took her to meet his aunt, a former athlete. His aunt advised that while there were no shortcuts, consistent training in cardio, lower-body strength, and getting a proper pair of running shoes would be beneficial.
Meanwhile, Ms. Liu caught Qi Shuo sleeping in class and demanded to see his guardian. His sister arrived, explaining their parents had passed away and she had raised him alone. She discussed Qi Shuo's dream of attending film school, which she deemed impractical given his grades. Hearing about the sports recruitment program and how another student (An Zhenzhen) had allegedly gotten in through influence, she urged Ms. Liu to sign Qi Shuo up.
Overhearing the conversation, Qi Shuo confronted his sister, insisting he only wanted to be an actor. She tearfully argued that his dream was unrealistic for people like them who lacked "talent and connections," reminding him of their years of hardship and a previously failed arts exam. Deciding to help his sister, Qi Shuo abandoned his dream and joined An Zhenzhen and Jiangling at the track, announcing he had also signed up for sports recruitment.
As they trained, Qi Shuo struggled immensely while An Zhenzhen, now more disciplined, performed with surprising ease, leaving him impressed by her progress. Years later, in 2024, Gu Ming visited An Zhenzhen's mother, Mrs. An, bringing groceries and helping around the house. Mrs. An expressed her gratitude for his years of support, calling him her "godson."
Jiangling's unexpected arrival surprised Gu Ming, triggering a flashback to high school when An Zhenzhen had happily abandoned his tutoring session to train with Jiangling. Both men declined Mrs. An's dinner invitation and left together. Outside, Jiangling revealed he was writing a novel based on An Zhenzhen's case and asked Gu Ming if he knew the real reason for her death. Gu Ming evasively replied that she was likely overwhelmed by pressure and "couldn't see a way out."
