First Love Episode 1 Recap
> First Love Recap
During a professional medical quiz, Lu Wanwan, a sophomore in the Department of Clinical Studies, found herself deeply immersed in her imagination, treating the exam questions as real-life patient scenarios, such as a 35-year-old male with osteofascial compartment syndrome or a two-year-old boy with a displaced femur. Her vivid imagination caused her to lose precious time, leading her to haphazardly guess the remaining answers before turning in her paper.
Her professor, exasperated by her mumbling and disorganization, scolded her for her consistent struggle with exams despite her apparent diligence. As soon as the exam concluded, Lu Wanwan rushed out to pick up a birthday cake. On her way, she was stopped by An Jiaxian, who greeted her with the nickname "Flying Fairy" and reminded her about an important gathering that evening.
He urged her not to be late and to invite Liang Xia as well, hinting that he had something significant he had kept in his heart for a long time and wanted to tell her. He then gave her a container of soy milk, a daily gesture he had maintained since high school, which convinced Lu Wanwan that her five-year secret crush on him was finally about to be reciprocated.
Meanwhile, at the Qingyao University swimming pool, Ren Chu, the celebrated swimming champion, was leading a training session. He was in a hurry to get to the school auditorium to deliver a speech to the freshman class of the Mathematics Department. While cycling quickly, he nearly collided with Lu Wanwan, who was carrying the birthday cake.
Lu Wanwan immediately apologized profusely, blaming herself for obstructing his path, and even introduced herself by name, offering to take full responsibility if his bike was damaged. Ren Chu, however, simply dismissed her apology, assuring her that everything was fine. Ren Chu was not only a gifted swimmer but also a prodigy in mathematics, earning him the title of "Prince Charming on campus."
However, this reputation also earned him the nickname of an "academic tyrant"—a genius who was notoriously difficult to get along with. At the auditorium, after being introduced by Professor Huang, Ren Chu claimed to be "easy to get along with." However, his subsequent interactions—such as dissecting a freshman's impressive but not "ideal" exam score of 697 points by pointing out specific mistakes and bluntly advising her to consider changing her major—left many students intimidated.
Professor Huang even teased him, remarking that despite knowing him for four years, she still wasn't his WeChat friend, highlighting his distant nature. Back in her dormitory, Lu Wanwan excitedly shared her anticipation of An Jiaxian's confession with her roommate, Song Rongrong. Thrilled for her, Song Rongrong offered to help her pick out the best and most expensive clothes from her wardrobe to "blind An Jiaxian."
She strongly advised Lu Wanwan to be bold and proactive in dating, even suggesting she hug or kiss An Jiaxian if he seemed too shy. Song Rongrong also cautioned her against including her best friend, Liang Xia, in her romantic life, stating that "no matter how close best friends are, you really can't share a boyfriend." Lu Wanwan, confident in her friendship with Liang Xia and believing Liang Xia already knew about her crush, dismissed the warning.
Determined to make a lasting impression, Lu Wanwan even washed her hair a second time, considering it the "highest etiquette standard" for An Jiaxian. Arriving at the restaurant, Lu Wanwan joined a gathering where a toast was being made to Ren Chu's recent swimming victory. An Jiaxian approached her, and as she eagerly anticipated his long-awaited confession, he began by asking if she knew what it felt like to like someone.
Believing he was describing their mutual feelings, she affirmed that she did. However, An Jiaxian then revealed he had been secretly in love with Liang Xia for two years. He explained that he wanted to tell Lu Wanwan, his best friend, but Liang Xia had strongly opposed it, fearing Lu Wanwan wouldn't accept their relationship.
To Lu Wanwan's shock and heartbreak, An Jiaxian confessed their secret two-year relationship and revealed that Liang Xia had run off and threatened to break up after he insisted on telling Lu Wanwan. He then called Liang Xia, expressing his deep love for her. A painful flashback showed An Jiaxian introducing Liang Xia to Lu Wanwan and the three of them celebrating a birthday together, promising to always be a trio.
In the present, Lu Wanwan listened in agony as An Jiaxian, on the phone, told Liang Xia that Lu Wanwan now knew and had given them her blessing, before he turned and left to find her. Watching his retreating back, Lu Wanwan finally broke down in tears. Soon after, Song Rongrong arrived, having been called by An Jiaxian.
Finding Lu Wanwan distraught and heavily intoxicated, Song Rongrong listened as Lu Wanwan tearfully recounted how An Jiaxian and Liang Xia had deceived her. Enraged, Song Rongrong called An Jiaxian a "scumbag" and a "central air conditioning" type who tried to warm everyone. When Lu Wanwan defended him, Song Rongrong rephrased, calling him a "crispy-guy" who seems fine but crumbles into a mess upon contact.
She then presented Lu Wanwan with two choices: either fight to win An Jiaxian back, which Lu Wanwan immediately refused, or find someone better-looking and with better academic performance to make them jealous. The drunk Lu Wanwan embraced the second option. Recalling Ren Chu, the "Prince Charming on campus," she loudly declared, "I'm going to pursue him!"
Unbeknownst to her, other students overheard her, and Ren Chu himself, who had been nearby washing his hands, also heard her words, glanced at her, and then calmly walked away. The next morning, Lu Wanwan awoke to chaos. A group of angry girls surrounded her dorm room, demanding she explain why she was pursuing Ren Chu.
News of her drunken declaration had spread like wildfire across the school's web forum, with posts from "eyewitnesses" analyzing her supposed "micro expressions" of affection and even claiming Ren Chu smiled in response. Realizing the misunderstanding was severely impacting her life, she headed to the swimming pool to find Ren Chu. Upon spotting him lying motionless at the bottom of the pool, she mistakenly assumed he was drowning.
Driven by her instinct as a medical student, she bravely jumped in to save him despite her poor swimming skills, only to immediately struggle. Ren Chu, who had just been resting, quickly pulled her out. Lu Wanwan urgently explained the widespread scandal about them and proposed they clarify it together. Ren Chu dismissed her concerns, stating, "Rumors stop at the wise. I don't want to make extra explanations."
Lu Wanwan persisted, insisting it was a misunderstanding from her drunken "nonsense" and that she truly didn't like him. Ren Chu remained unconvinced, retorting, "Nothing is impossible in this world," hinting she was playing hard to get. In a desperate attempt to prove her disinterest, Lu Wanwan claimed she hadn't washed her hair or put on makeup to meet him, urging him to touch her greasy hair.
Growing annoyed, Ren Chu warned her to stop her physical advances or he would call the police. Lu Wanwan quickly changed tactics, complimenting his muscles as resembling an "anatomy model" and requesting to "study them some more." Ren Chu flatly refused. When she again pressed him to clarify the scandal, he told her, "Don't look where you shouldn't" and instructed her to "get in." When she questioned "What for?" , he replied, "Take a shower," then added a surprising "Together?"
