Flourish In Time Episode 21 Recap
> Flourish In Time Recap
The friends noticed Lu Miao's unusual quietness and absence from their usual haunts, the milk tea store and the bookstore. They recognized she was deeply affected, not only by her grandfather's illness and her parents' impending divorce but also by the news of Jiang Haoyue's departure. Realizing how important Jiang Haoyue was to her, they resolved they "must do something" to prevent him from leaving.
Shi Che cornered Jiang Haoyue on the rooftop, questioning why he would choose to leave at such a difficult time for Lu Miao, especially when she cared for him so much. Jiang Haoyue insisted that his departure was for Lu Miao's own good, believing that "only I leave so she could live well."
Unconvinced, Shi Che scoffed at Jiang Haoyue's reasoning and, using provocation, declared that he wanted Jiang Haoyue to leave, implying he would then take care of Lu Miao himself. Despite his personal happiness at Jiang Haoyue's planned departure, Shi Che prioritized Lu Miao's well-being. He decided to employ a strategic diversion to make Jiang Haoyue reconsider.
His plan was to publicly confess his feelings to Lu Miao using paper airplanes, a gesture he hoped would create a sense of urgency for Jiang Haoyue. Shi Che's friend doubted this would work, but Shi Che confidently asserted that if he were in Jiang Haoyue's shoes, he would stay. Lu Miao struggled with the impending farewell to Jiang Haoyue. Her father, seeing her distress, took her to the seashore.
He showed her a "water rocket" he had crafted in his youth, explaining that when he felt troubled as a child, he would write his worries on paper, insert them into the rocket, fill it with water, and launch it into the sky over the sea, symbolizing his troubles flying away. Together, they wrote their own anxieties on notes, put them inside the water rocket, and launched it into the sky over the sea.
In an elaborate public display, Shi Che prepared 195 paper airplanes, each representing a country, along with corresponding flight tickets. From a rooftop, he began throwing the planes, declaring through a loudspeaker that he had prepared flights to every country to make Lu Miao happy and that their shared future would be a unique journey. Lu Miao initially misconstrued the gesture as an invitation to travel and enthusiastically shouted out countries she wished to visit, like Morocco, France, and Mauritius.
Just as Shi Che was about to explicitly say "I like you," his loudspeaker malfunctioned. Later, Xie Ziye found one of the discarded paper airplanes, noting the word "Switzerland" written on it, and placed it within her book. Undeterred by the loudspeaker mishap, Shi Che made another attempt to confess to Lu Miao in the corridor, directly in front of Jiang Haoyue. Jiang Haoyue, visibly uncomfortable, turned and walked away.
Upon Lu Miao's gentle but firm rejection, stating she liked someone else, Shi Che quickly shifted his demeanor, pretending it had all been a joke, even playfully remarking on Lu Miao's surprised expression. Later, back at the bookstore, Xie Ziye confronted Lu Miao, revealing that Shi Che had genuinely harbored feelings for her for a long time, citing his past rivalry with Jiang Haoyue and the confession letter he had written during the school games.
Xie Ziye explained that Shi Che had wanted Lu Miao to discover his feelings on her own. Lu Miao, however, reiterated that she genuinely liked someone else and could not reciprocate Shi Che's affection. Meanwhile, Xie Ziye's personal "male assessment" system finally yielded a perfect score for Qu Wei, prompting her to confess to him as she had planned.
She presented him with a confession gift, explaining that he topped her list of assessed males and fit her criteria best, even surpassing Jiang Haoyue in her system. Qu Wei, however, respectfully declined, explaining that true affection isn't found through a scoring system. He stated that it's about meeting the right person first, and then the feeling of affection develops naturally, rather than the other way around.
As Jiang Haoyue's departure loomed, his father cautiously probed during a meal, suggesting he could help Jiang Haoyue refuse his mother if he didn't truly wish to leave. Jiang Haoyue simply told his father to manage his own affairs. Later, while at the dike, Jiang Haoyue captured beautiful sunset photos, seemingly for Lu Miao, but left his laptop behind. Seeing Shi Che's dejected state on the sports field after his failed confession, Xie Ziye took him to an amusement park.
They rode a thrilling "Flying High" attraction, and through the shouts and screams, Shi Che found a release for his lingering sadness, proving to himself that he was courageous and could overcome fear. Simultaneously, Lu Miao intercepted Jiang Haoyue at the classroom door to apologize for her earlier outburst, acknowledging she hadn't managed her emotions well. She then gave him a handmade amulet, instructing him to wear it for safety.
Lu Miao reflected on her future without Jiang Haoyue by her side, believing she would be more independent and happier. Later, Lu Miao stumbled upon Jiang Haoyue's laptop at the dike. Though hesitant, considering it an invasion of privacy, she opened it. She discovered a video Jiang Haoyue had recorded. The video contained clips from their shared past: a young Lu Miao introducing herself, calling herself his sister, challenging him in games, protecting him from bullies, and comforting him.
Jiang Haoyue's voice narrated how he had grown accustomed to her presence, how she had brought color to his childhood, and how he had believed he would always be her brother, neighbor, and friend. He expressed sorrow that what he took for granted was now fading, stating, "I’m leaving next month. Sorry, I can’t be with you." He then said he wanted to give her "the best sea, the best sunset." As Lu Miao watched, tears streamed down her face.
She cried out, "Without you, it makes no sense," and pleaded, "Will you not go? Don’t go! Jiang Haoyue, don’t go! I won’t let you go." The video also contained a flashback to a young Jiang Haoyue being confronted by his father for trying to call his mother, with his father claiming she had abandoned him, and young Jiang Haoyue retorting that his father had driven her away. A young Lu Miao intervened, offering Jiang Haoyue chocolate and asserting that sweet things bring happiness.
