Go Ahead Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Go Ahead Synopsis
Three children who are not related by blood and have suffered different traumas in their original families are brought together by coincidence to become brother and sister.
The elder brother Ling Xiao, the second brother He Ziqiu, and the younger sister Li Jianjian are raised by two fathers Li Haichao and Ling Heping. They support each other and grow up together.
After graduating from high school, the two brothers return to their families of origin. On one side is the new family that they recognize and cherish each other, and on the other side is their biological parents that they cannot choose but have an indifferent relationship. They wandered between two families.
Nine years later, the brothers return to their new families and are finally reunited, but the psychological problems caused by their families of origin still follow them.
Facing various difficulties in life, they choose to make a concerted effort to get through them. After some trials and tribulations, they finally bravely step out of the shadow of their past, allowing their parents to face their problems and making each other become better and better.
Go Ahead Recap
Episode 1 Recap
In the summer of 1999, young Li Jianjian was drawing downstairs outside Li Haichao's noodle shop. A moving truck carrying the Ling family passed, and a chair fell off, landing a few meters from Li Jianjian. Li Haichao, who ran the noodle shop, rushed out to check on his daughter. The new neighbor, police officer Ling Heping, exited the truck and apologized to Li Haichao. Li Haichao, having learned about Ling Heping from Mrs. Fang, introduced himself.
Ling Heping then introduced his wife Chen Ting and son Ling Xiao. While Li Jianjian offered a friendly smile to Ling Xiao, he remained expressionless. Chen Ting, the new neighbor upstairs, urged Ling Heping to return home. Li Haichao, being warm-hearted, offered to help them move later. Inside their new home, Ling Heping and Chen Ting began unpacking. Chen Ting remarked on Li Haichao's wife having passed away a year prior due to childbirth, to which Ling Heping expressed sympathy.
However, Chen Ting retorted that her own family was not doing any better, indicating her own grief. Perceiving her distress, Ling Heping tried to change the subject, mentioning he needed to report to the police station. Later, Chen Ting discovered a photo of their family of four hidden under Ling Xiao's bed. This photo revealed they had an older daughter who had died young.
Overcome with pain, Chen Ting angrily tore the photo and threw it into the trash bin downstairs. Meanwhile, Li Jianjian, bringing ice cream for Ling Xiao, encountered Chen Ting near the trash. Chen Ting coldly rejected the ice cream, stating Ling Xiao did not eat it, and left. Curious, Li Jianjian searched the trash bin and found the torn family photo along with a box of toys.
She secretly picked up the photo and took it home, gluing it back together. When Li Haichao saw the mended photo, he realized the Ling family had a deceased daughter and speculated that her death was the reason for Chen Ting tearing the picture. Li Haichao warned Li Jianjian not to mention the matter to the Lings. Although he initially wanted to discard the photo, Li Jianjian’s pleas convinced him to let her keep it.
Li Jianjian also, out of curiosity, asked about her own mother, who had died a year ago; Li Haichao lied, telling her that her mother had gone to Fairy Mountain and would not return. The next morning, Li Haichao, a widower for just over a year since his wife's death in childbirth, met He Mei, his blind date arranged by Mrs. Qian. Li Haichao brought his daughter, Li Jianjian, and He Mei brought her son, He Ziqiu.
Li Jianjian, realizing her father was seeking a new mother, became angry, hit Li Haichao, and ran off. Mrs. Qian stayed with Li Jianjian, while He Mei allowed He Ziqiu to go play. Li Haichao and He Mei conversed, with He Mei already aware of Li Haichao’s family situation through the matchmaker. He Mei shared that she worked ten hours daily at a mall counter and struggled to cook for He Ziqiu.
Li Haichao, expressing his fondness for children, suggested He Ziqiu could eat at his noodle shop. In the park, Li Jianjian displayed strong hostility towards He Ziqiu, chasing him with a water gun. Later, as Li Haichao and Li Jianjian returned home, they encountered Chen Ting and Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian, still upset, remarked that her father was dating a "fairy."
Upon learning of Li Haichao's blind date, Chen Ting criticized him to Ling Heping, feeling he was unfeeling to seek a new partner so soon after his wife's death. She empathized with Li Haichao's deceased wife, drawing parallels to her own lingering grief over her daughter's death, which often led to arguments with Ling Heping, whom she accused of only caring about work and not the family. Ling Heping, however, considered Li Haichao a good person.
While Li Jianjian disliked He Ziqiu, she held an affection for Ling Xiao. Li Haichao gave Li Jianjian a basket of walnuts to deliver to the Ling family. When Ling Xiao opened the door, the sight of the walnuts seemingly triggered an unknown pain within him, causing him to emotionally push Li Jianjian and close the door. Li Haichao, hearing the commotion, was upset that Li Jianjian had been pushed.
However, Li Jianjian remained unbothered, believing Ling Xiao simply disliked walnuts and vowing to bring him candy next time. Ling Heping intended to bring Ling Xiao to apologize to the Li family, but Chen Ting refused, sparking another argument between them. He Mei brought He Ziqiu to Li Haichao's noodle shop. Li Jianjian, seeing He Ziqiu playing with her toys, was rude to him, but Li Haichao showed great patience.
Observing Li Haichao's gentle nature with children, He Mei's perception of him improved. She later visited Li Haichao's home, where they chatted. He Mei expressed admiration for how well Li Haichao managed life as a single father. Li Haichao was modest. He Mei confided that she had discovered her pregnancy after divorcing her ex-husband and, despite the difficulties, insisted on raising the child.
Li Haichao, joking, offered to raise He Ziqiu himself if she ever regretted it, as he genuinely liked children. Ling Heping and Chen Ting were constantly arguing, a fact well-known among their neighbors. Mrs. Qian received complaints about the frequent disputes in their home. Ling Heping, seeking to avoid further conflict, often ate at Li Haichao's noodle shop for lunch.
Neighbors, including Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Fang, advised Ling Heping to communicate more with Chen Ting and avoid prolonged cold wars, which were detrimental to their relationship. That evening, Li Haichao again heard the Lings arguing and saw Ling Xiao sitting alone in the hallway reading. Feeling sympathetic, Li Haichao invited Ling Xiao to his home, but Ling Xiao initially refused. Later, Mrs. Qian visited Chen Ting.
When Ling Heping returned, he denied having revealed their family situation to Mrs. Qian, but Chen Ting disbelieved him. Drunk, she tearfully demanded Ling Heping stay home instead of covering a colleague's shift, whose daughter was sick. Chen Ting became distraught, blaming Ling Heping for not taking better care of their own deceased daughter when she was ill. Mrs. Fang and Mrs. Qian also visited the Ling family, witnessing Ling Xiao eating instant noodles.
Ling Xiao then brewed tea for them before excusing himself to sit in the hallway and read. The women tried to encourage Chen Ting to socialize more with the neighbors instead of staying home all day, but Chen Ting listened distractedly. One day, while Ling Xiao was reading alone in the park, Zhu Peng, a second-grader from the neighborhood, and other children bullied him, calling him mute.
Li Jianjian, witnessing the injustice, immediately intervened to help Ling Xiao, fighting Zhu Peng. He Ziqiu also joined in. All three children sustained minor injuries. Zhu Peng's mother later came to Li Haichao's home to demand justice. Li Haichao skillfully defused the conflict with a few words. After Zhu Peng and his mother left, He Mei, who was visiting Li Haichao's home, told Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu to wash up for dinner, though Li Jianjian remained sulky.
Suddenly, Ling Xiao knocked on the door, bringing Povidone-iodine for Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu. Ling Xiao's initial silence, a result of his parents' frequent arguments, had begun to dissipate after Li Jianjian defended him. He Ziqiu returned home to an empty house and ate instant noodles alone. Chen Ting, seeing him eat instant noodles, felt a pang of guilt, though Ling Xiao simply said he liked instant noodles.
Mrs. Fang and Mrs. Qian, visiting the Ling family, also saw Ling Xiao eating instant noodles. After Ling Xiao made them tea, he claimed he was going out to play, but in reality, he just sat in the hallway reading. That evening, Chen Ting resumed her argument with Ling Heping, convinced he had called Mrs. Qian and Mrs. Fang to intervene. Ling Heping, worn out by Chen Ting's emotional state, found himself in another exhausting confrontation.
Ling Xiao, sitting alone in the hallway as he often did, was once again invited by Li Haichao and Li Jianjian to eat dinner at their home. This time, he accepted, shedding his initial hostility towards Li Jianjian after she had defended him earlier. After dinner, Li Jianjian returned the mended family photo to Ling Xiao, comforting him by saying his sister had gone to the sea to become a fairy.
Ling Xiao, however, more mature than Li Jianjian, refuted this, stating that Li Haichao was lying. He asserted that his sister and Li Jianjian's mother were both dead, and that "dead" meant "never again." He suggested that they should throw away things belonging to the deceased and forget them. Seeing Ling Xiao's disbelief, Li Jianjian then secretly led him to Li Haichao's room, promising to show him Li Haichao's secret.
Episode 2 Recap
Li Jianjian pulled open the drawer by Li Haichao's bedside and showed Ling Xiao Li Mama's photos and various old items. Li Jianjian said that she knew everything; she knew Li Haichao hadn't forgotten Li Mama, but was secretly thinking of Li Mama alone, and she too was secretly thinking of her mom alone, without letting her dad know.
After this, Ling Xiao's attitude towards Li Jianjian was no longer cold, and he got used to eating at Li Jianjian's home. One day, as the few of them were eating at home, He Mei suddenly called Li Haichao. He Mei said her mother was gravely ill and wanted to borrow some money from Li Haichao, and hoped Li Haichao could look after He Ziqiu for a while. The kind-hearted Li Haichao agreed to He Mei.
Li Haichao brought He Ziqiu home. He Ziqiu saw Li Haichao lending money to He Mei and thought it was a betrothal gift from Li Haichao to He Mei. Seeing He Ziqiu's cuteness, Li Haichao jokingly said that He Ziqiu would be a child of the Li family from then on. He Ziqiu, however, looked at Li Haichao and called him "Dad."
Li Haichao felt a pang in his heart, and looking at He Ziqiu, his eyes became a little moist. When Li Jianjian came home and learned about this, she threw a tantrum, not allowing He Ziqiu to call Li Haichao "Dad," and repeatedly threw out He Ziqiu's suitcase. But as time went on, Li Jianjian gradually accepted He Ziqiu's presence. Chen Ting found the photo Ling Xiao had secretly hidden at home.
She lost her temper with Ling Xiao and even hit him. Ling Heping quickly stopped her, but Chen Ting was overcome by emotion and accused Ling Xiao of being the one who killed his younger sister. It turned out that year Chen Ting had gone out to play mahjong with friends, leaving Ling Xiao at home to look after his younger sister. Ling Xiao's younger sister loved walnuts, and usually Ling Xiao would feed walnuts to his sister.
Coincidentally, an accident happened that day: a walnut got stuck in his sister's windpipe, and the door was locked from the inside. Ling Xiao couldn't go out to call for help. By the time Chen Ting returned, his sister had already lost her life. Chen Ting had also moved because she couldn't stand being gossiped about and cursed by people in their original neighborhood.
Ling Heping, seeing Chen Ting bring up the matter again and lose her temper with Ling Xiao, could no longer hold back. He raised his hand and slapped Chen Ting. This slap also broke their marital bond, and Chen Ting chose to divorce. When Chen Ting left, Li Jianjian was walking home with Ling Xiao. Downstairs, they saw Chen Ting pulling her suitcase, ready to leave. Li Jianjian asked her if she no longer wanted Ling Xiao.
Chen Ting hardened her heart and said she didn't want him anymore, giving Ling Xiao to Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao watched his mother leave, while Li Jianjian was happy that she had an older brother. After Chen Ting left, Ling Heping entrusted Li Haichao with taking care of Ling Xiao. When he returned from work that evening, Ling Heping wanted to pick up the children, but found Ling Xiao and the two other children sleeping soundly in bed.
Ling Heping didn't want to disturb the children, so he sat in the living room with Li Haichao, drinking and chatting. Ling Heping talked about his daughter's incident from years ago. Because of the over-quota birth, Chen Ting lost her job, and Ling Heping also lost opportunities for promotion. But he had never regretted having this daughter. His only regret was not taking good care of the child.
The former Ling Xiao used to be talkative and lively, but now he had become taciturn because of his sister's incident. Li Haichao comforted him, and then told Ling Heping not to be polite, and to treat this place as his own home from now on. Time flew by, and Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu all grew up. Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu were older than Li Jianjian and started high school before her.
When Li Jianjian was in her first year of high school, He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao were already in their third year. Li Haichao also instructed Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu to keep an eye on Li Jianjian at school and make sure she didn't cause trouble. After the three went to school, He Ziqiu's Aunt He Lan came to Li Haichao's shop. The two exchanged a few pleasantries at the doorway.
After they entered, the neighbors playing mahjong at the entrance began to gossip, and it was then that they learned He Ziqiu's maternal grandparents had both passed away, and He Mei had been missing ever since. At noon, Ling Heping also came to Li Haichao's home for a meal. Li Jianjian and the others returned from school and sat down to eat together. Li Jianjian said she had something big to announce.
The others didn't know what she was going to say, but Li Jianjian happily announced that she had gotten her period. The men were all a bit awkward. He Ziqiu wanted to change the subject, so he said that Ling Xiao had just sent something to Li Jianjian's room and told Li Jianjian to go see what it was. Li Jianjian ran to the room and saw that Ling Xiao had bought her a piece of underwear.
Li Jianjian didn't shy away, boldly displaying it in front of them. The few people couldn't eat anymore and all made excuses to leave. Li Haichao quickly stopped Li Jianjian and told her not to talk about these things outside. Li Jianjian said nonchalantly that she hadn't said it outside, but at home.
Li Haichao realized he hadn't paid enough attention to Li Jianjian in this regard, so he quickly went to Mrs. Qian, hoping Mrs. Qian's daughter Fangfang could teach Li Jianjian. At school, a girl was harassed by a scammer trying to stage an accident. He Ziqiu protected the girl. After Li Jianjian knew He Ziqiu was in trouble, she called Ling Xiao, and then went to help He Ziqiu herself first.
Episode 3 Recap
Li Jianjian, described by Aunt Qian as a tomboy who has grown up inseparable from Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, is known for her spirited nature; Aunt Qian even remarks that if given a stick, Li Jianjian would "wreak havoc." This fearless spirit was evident when Li Jianjian helped He Ziqiu defend their classmate, Qi Mingyue, against two scammers behind the school.
He Ziqiu had already been in a half-hour standoff with the scammers and gotten into a physical altercation when Li Jianjian arrived, taking down one of them. Before heading to the scene, Li Jianjian had used the school broadcast to alert Ling Xiao, who was in class and quickly rushed to their aid. Upon Ling Xiao's arrival, he scared the scammers off by claiming to have called the police, causing them to flee.
Li Jianjian, still eager to fight, wanted to chase them, but He Ziqiu held her back. Ling Xiao, visibly shaken, admonished Li Jianjian for her impulsiveness, fearing the consequences if the scammers had carried weapons. Following the incident, the three were reprimanded by school faculty, who, while acknowledging their "heroic acts," advised them to seek out teachers in similar situations in the future.
Qi Mingyue, the class monitor and the student they rescued, thanked them, inviting them to eat expensive ice cream. Li Jianjian, however, said she didn't know Qi Mingyue, which confused Qi Mingyue. When asked why they helped, the trio responded in unison, "heroic acts."
Despite the initial confusion, Qi Mingyue accepted Li Jianjian's straightforward declaration that they were "a family, just without blood ties," a statement that initially left Qi Mingyue wide-eyed and silently surprised, but she soon became good friends with Li Jianjian. However, Qi Mingyue's mother, Jin Yuxiang, who is strict with her high-achieving daughter, disapproved of Qi Mingyue associating with Li Jianjian, especially because Li Jianjian's academic performance was poor.
During a parent-teacher conference, after Li Jianjian introduced her father, Li Haichao, to Qi Mingyue, Jin Yuxiang looked down upon Li Jianjian and Li Haichao. While the teacher praised Wang Yajie, the top student, and Wang Yajie's mother shared her parenting experience, Jin Yuxiang, whose daughter was always second best, became unhappy. She stood up to present her own parenting philosophy, asserting her daughter's excellence.
Jin Yuxiang consistently pushed Qi Mingyue to excel, even sending her to a math tutoring class and promising a digital camera if she could surpass Wang Yajie in the next exam, warning her against being "the perennial second best" or associating with "bad students" like Li Jianjian. Qi Mingyue, though reluctant and complaining about the tutoring, considered Li Jianjian her benefactor and disagreed with her mother's request to distance herself from her.
One afternoon, while Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu, Li Jianjian, and Qi Mingyue were doing homework together at a drink shop, Qi Mingyue accidentally drank from He Ziqiu's cup, causing her to blush as she looked at his lips and quickly offer to buy him another drink.
Later that evening, as the two families (Li Haichao, Li Jianjian, He Ziqiu, Ling Xiao, and Ling Heping) ate hotpot together, Li Haichao casually brought up Li Jianjian's grades, resigned to the fact that they wouldn't improve. Their lighthearted meal was interrupted when Ling Heping received a call from Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother.
Ling Xiao's demeanor instantly changed; he dropped his chopsticks and left, a reaction Li Jianjian observed was typical whenever anything about his mother's family came up, leaving him unable to eat. Li Haichao, feeling helpless, offered to cook noodles for Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu to take to Ling Xiao. Later, Li Haichao privately inquired about the call, learning that Ling Xiao's mother, Chen Ting, had remarried and settled in Singapore.
Her husband was coming for a six-month work assignment, and Chen Ting and her daughter, Chengzi, would also be arriving. Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother had requested Ling Heping to arrange Chengzi's temporary enrollment in school. Ling Heping revealed that Chen Ting, who had left years ago and never returned, now wished to reconnect with Ling Xiao through her mother.
Ling Heping, who had lived like family with Li Haichao for years, was concerned but felt he couldn't completely cut off Ling Xiao's ties with his maternal grandmother. Meanwhile, He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian took the noodles to Ling Xiao. When he refused to eat, Li Jianjian jumped onto his bed, declaring she wouldn't leave until he ate. Ling Xiao, unable to resist Li Jianjian, reluctantly took the bowl.
Li Jianjian then commented that his quilt smelled nice, like him, causing Ling Xiao to blush. He promptly pulled her off the bed and forbade her from getting on his and He Ziqiu's bed again, indicating his nascent awareness of gender boundaries, a concept Li Jianjian, still young and naive, didn't fully grasp. Chen Ting eventually returned and visited Ling Xiao at school.
Despite Ling Xiao's claim to treat her as a stranger, he felt a complex mix of emotions upon seeing her. He Ziqiu also spotted Chen Ting after finishing a basketball game. During their conversation at a restaurant, Chen Ting informed Ling Xiao about her new life in Singapore with her daughter, Chengzi, who reportedly wanted to meet him. Ling Xiao, however, was cold and dismissive, stating he didn't know Chengzi and saw no reason to meet her.
When Chen Ting asked about his well-being at Li Haichao's home and if he had suffered any grievances, Ling Xiao grew angry. He sternly told her not to interfere with his family, declaring that he regarded Li Haichao as his biological father and would care for him in his old age. Chen Ting was saddened by his attitude, explaining that she had been overwhelmed back then, and taking Ling Xiao with her might have caused him greater harm.
She still missed him and desired his forgiveness. Outside the restaurant, Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu waited for Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian asked He Ziqiu if he had ever considered finding He Mei. He Ziqiu reacted with sudden anger, proclaiming he was not "trash to be discarded and picked up at will," and walked off, unwilling to wait for Ling Xiao any longer.
Despite his outward resentment towards He Mei, He Ziqiu secretly kept her photograph, harboring a hidden hope for her return. Ling Xiao, ignoring Chen Ting, walked out of the restaurant, spotted Li Jianjian squatting outside, pulled her up, and left with her.
Episode 4 Recap
Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao are mistaken for dating by the Academic Director while holding hands, prompting them to flee. Later, Ling Xiao's birth mother, Chen Ting, returns after ten years. She first meets Ling Xiao, then Ling Heping. Their meeting is awkward, with polite initial conversation. Ling Heping provides Chen Ting with her daughter's school transfer documents, then tries to leave, but Chen Ting reveals she met Ling Xiao.
Ling Heping becomes furious, demanding to know why she suddenly appeared after a decade, questioning her consideration for Ling Xiao's feelings. Chen Ting retorts, accusing Ling Heping of failing his fatherly duties by abandoning Ling Xiao to neighbors, and suggesting Li Haichao, raising three children alone, cannot educate them well. Ling Heping counters that Li Haichao is Ling Xiao's true father and instructs Chen Ting to stop bothering Ling Xiao.
Ling Heping later asks Li Haichao to speak with Ling Xiao about Chen Ting, as Ling Xiao confides in Li Haichao. Li Haichao agrees, worried about Ling Xiao. While Ling Xiao deals with his birth mother, He Ziqiu constantly thinks of his own mother, He Mei. He recalls their last meeting seven or eight years ago, when she promised to return after going to Shenzhen but never did. Playing basketball with his friend Zhuang Bei, He Ziqiu is distracted.
He rejects Zhuang Bei's suggestion that Ling Xiao should be kinder to Qin Meiyang and Chen Ting, asserting their family consists of only five people, with others being outsiders. Zhuang Bei then questions why He Ziqiu still searches for He Mei. He Ziqiu explains he seeks answers for her abandonment and intends to retrieve Li Haichao's money. He Ziqiu mistakes a woman in a long dress for He Mei, follows her, but realizes his error when she turns around.
He then denies the mistake to Zhuang Bei and a classmate, claiming he thought she was an acquaintance or another sister. Soon after, Ling Xiao, Li Jianjian, and He Ziqiu return to Li Haichao's noodle shop after school. They find Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother there with Qin Meiyang (also referred to as Chengzi), Ling Xiao's half-sister. Qin Meiyang, enthusiastic, introduces herself and offers a gift, but Ling Xiao, having no good feelings for her, refuses it.
The grandmother takes Ling Xiao outside, scolding him for treating Li Haichao as his real father and claiming Ling Heping's good relationship with Li Haichao (who had lent him money) is merely a transactional one. Ling Xiao, realizing her intent to slander Li Haichao, becomes enraged and tells his grandmother to stop visiting and bothering Ling Heping. In her anger, she hits Ling Xiao's wrist. Li Jianjian, witnessing this from inside, rushes out to protect Ling Xiao.
The grandmother leaves Qin Meiyang with Ling Xiao, criticizing Li Jianjian's upbringing. Inside the noodle shop, Qin Meiyang asks Li Jianjian why she calls Ling Xiao 'brother', asserting that Ling Xiao only has her as a sister. Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu both refute her, with Li Jianjian leaning on Ling Xiao's shoulder to emphasize she is his sister. Li Haichao intervenes, scolding the three for bullying a child.
Ling Heping returns and takes Qin Meiyang home, preventing her from following Ling Xiao. Chen Ting expresses dissatisfaction with her mother's aggressive tactics. However, the grandmother explains her actions are deliberate, aimed at making Ling Xiao accustomed to Qin Meiyang's presence since Chen Ting's decade-long absence prevents Ling Xiao from approaching her willingly. She also admits to frequently using Ling Heping for errands to maintain a connection with Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao's grandmother continues to bring Qin Meiyang to see him, publicly spreading news about Chen Ting's life, leaving Ling Heping powerless. Ling Xiao feels complicated hearing neighbors discussing Chen Ting's affairs, while Chen Ting's mother, a miser, boasts to neighbors about Chen Ting's wealthy marriage to a Singaporean businessman, driving luxury cars. Ling Xiao has a nightmare about the day his younger sister died during a thunderstorm, when his desperate cries went unheard.
Later, Chen Ting brings Qin Meiyang to Li Haichao's noodle shop. As Ling Xiao helps Qin Meiyang with her homework, he discovers an identical birthmark on Qin Meiyang's neck to that of his deceased younger sister. Chen Ting, observing Ling Xiao's reaction, tearfully recounts the past, revealing her recurring nightmares about thunderstorms. She explains her fear of divine retribution. Ling Xiao, though touched by her words, dismisses it as superstition.
She also explains that during the heavy thunderstorm when his sister died, Ling Xiao's desperate cries for help and attempts to open the door went unheard due to the overwhelming thunder. Chen Ting is happy to see Ling Xiao and Qin Meiyang getting closer. That evening, Ling Xiao, Li Jianjian, and He Ziqiu gather on the rooftop, eating supper while waiting for a meteor shower. After supper, with no meteors in sight, Li Jianjian falls asleep.
He Ziqiu asks Ling Xiao if he ever wondered why Chen Ting left. Ling Xiao replies that he knows she abandoned the past, not him, and feels "noisy" but happy for her current good life. He Ziqiu, feeling they are unimportant to their parents, questions if He Mei would ever return. Ling Xiao advises him not to overthink, suggesting He Mei would return if she wanted him. However, He Ziqiu dislikes being treated so casually. Suddenly, meteors appear.
Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu quickly wake Li Jianjian. Overjoyed, Li Jianjian looks at the meteors, calling out to her mother in the sky, hoping her mother can see her, which makes both Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu feel tender for her. Elsewhere, He Ziqiu encounters Qi Mingyue after basketball. Jin Yuxiang asks Qi Mingyue about her interactions with Li Jianjian, advising her to focus solely on her studies.
Qi Mingyue, as class monitor, explains she needs to be aware of classmates' situations and shares that Ling Xiao is ranked first in the grade, and He Ziqiu is among the top ten in their class, impressing Jin Yuxiang.
Episode 5 Recap
Earlier, Ling Xiao had discovered that Qin Meiyang has a birthmark on the back of her neck identical to that of his deceased older sister. Chen Ting finds this profoundly miraculous, believing it to be a sign of fate. She reveals that since Qin Meiyang's birth, she has stopped having recurring dreams of rain and thunder, a phenomenon she attributes to the fact that her first daughter passed away on a night of severe thunderstorms. He Ziqiu's 18th birthday approaches.
Qi Mingyue remembers it is next Friday, while Li Jianjian has forgotten, leading to Qi Mingyue's shy demeanor as she asks about He Ziqiu's gift preference, implying her affection for him. On the day of his birthday, Ling Xiao buys a pair of headphones for him, leaving school accompanied by Li Jianjian, who has been feeling upset regarding Ling Xiao's situation. He Ziqiu returns home and starts cooking.
Aunt He Lan, He Ziqiu's maternal aunt, specifically visits the Li family for his birthday. While He Ziqiu is helping Li Haichao cook in the kitchen, Ling Xiao tells him to go entertain Aunt He Lan. Reluctantly, He Ziqiu leaves the kitchen. He brings a plate of fruit into Li Jianjian's room, where Aunt He Lan is observing Li Jianjian's wood carving. Noticing wood shavings on the table, He Ziqiu tells Li Jianjian to clean them up later.
Aunt He Lan, however, is displeased with He Ziqiu's attitude. She pulls him aside, reminding him that he is not Li Haichao's biological son and must therefore be grateful, not lazy, and diligently do chores around the house. She suggests that he is "eating and drinking for free" and will be disliked by the Li family if he isn't more diligent. Li Haichao, preparing dinner, overhears Aunt He Lan's words from outside the room.
He becomes annoyed by her constant "outsider" perspective, feeling she always expects He Ziqiu to be submissive. Li Haichao calls them for dinner, and the family gathers to eat. Aunt He Lan insists that He Ziqiu toast Li Haichao as a display of gratitude, even threatening to break his legs if he isn't filial in the future. Both He Ziqiu and Li Haichao are embarrassed by this.
Aunt He Lan then tries to make He Ziqiu toast Ling Heping, who declines the offer but gives He Ziqiu a red envelope instead. Li Haichao, having had too much to drink, expresses his true feelings. He confronts Aunt He Lan, criticizing her for being too formal and constantly demanding He Ziqiu's gratitude. He passionately declares that He Ziqiu is already very filial and diligent with chores, despite what Aunt He Lan perceives.
Getting increasingly agitated, Li Haichao asserts his deep love for Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, considering them his own sons despite their lack of blood relation. He recounts Ling Xiao's sleepless nights after seeing Chen Ting and the many grievances He Ziqiu suffered growing up, always being reminded to be filial or risk being sent away because he was fostered. Li Haichao states that Aunt He Lan's words hurt both him and He Ziqiu deeply.
Overwhelmed, Li Haichao suddenly feels nauseous. Ling Heping and others quickly help the drunken Li Haichao to bed. Aunt He Lan remains in the living room alone, feeling uneasy. After being helped to bed, Li Haichao regains some sobriety and reflects on the past. Seven or eight years ago, He Mei had left He Ziqiu in their mountain village and gone to another city, where she had a brief one-year marriage.
She owed Li Haichao a sum of money which she never repaid. Li Haichao, accompanied by Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao, traveled to He Ziqiu's hometown. He found He Ziqiu neglected by both Aunt He Lan and his maternal grandmother, who initially assumed Li Haichao was there to collect the debt. Feeling deeply pained by He Ziqiu's situation, Li Haichao suddenly decided to offer to raise him, promising him better living conditions and family.
After He Ziqiu was brought back to the city to live with the Li family, he feared being sent away, so he proactively washed clothes and cleaned tables at Li Haichao's noodle shop. When customers joked about him, Li Haichao angrily pulled He Ziqiu aside, reassuring him that he was his own child, just like Li Jianjian, and would never be sent away. He Ziqiu has now lived with the Li family for seven or eight years.
As Aunt He Lan leaves, she advises He Ziqiu not to inquire about He Mei anymore, telling him to forget her to avoid upsetting Li Haichao, as many years have passed since He Mei sent a thank-you letter to Li Haichao, promising to repay the money she owed, but there has been no further news from her. Qin Meiyang unexpectedly shows up alone at Li Jianjian's house, asking Li Jianjian to take her to find Ling Xiao.
Li Jianjian initially refuses, but changes her mind when Qin Meiyang offers her 100 yuan. Li Jianjian accepts the money and takes Qin Meiyang to a place with stone steps. As they walk up, Qin Meiyang accidentally falls down. Li Jianjian hears a scream, turns to see Qin Meiyang at the bottom of the steps. Li Jianjian immediately takes Qin Meiyang to the hospital. Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu, and Li Haichao quickly arrive there.
Fortunately, Qin Meiyang is not seriously injured. Chen Ting, upon her arrival, rages at Li Jianjian, accusing her and questioning how Qin Meiyang fell, even suspecting Li Jianjian purposely injured her. Li Jianjian, who had been facing away, honestly states she doesn't know how Qin Meiyang fell, but Chen Ting refuses to believe her. When Ling Xiao emerges from the ward, Chen Ting immediately dismisses Li Jianjian and goes to attend to Qin Meiyang.
As Li Jianjian looks at Ling Xiao, wanting to say something, Qin Meiyang loudly calls for her brother from inside the ward. Ling Xiao then tells Li Jianjian, He Ziqiu, and Li Haichao to go home. Afterwards, Chen Ting speaks with Ling Xiao, expressing her wish for him to share his affection for Li Jianjian with Qin Meiyang.
Ling Xiao firmly refuses, stating that he is different from Chen Ting and will not share what he considers to belong exclusively to Li Jianjian. Li Jianjian is deeply bothered by these events. He Ziqiu, accompanying Li Jianjian later as they look at the night sky, expresses his view that Chen Ting is shameless and Qin Meiyang is a jinx, believing that the Li and Ling families will only find peace once Qin Meiyang is discharged from the hospital.
For several days, Ling Xiao goes directly to the hospital after school, leading to Li Jianjian not seeing him for a while. She worries that he must be in a bad mood constantly dealing with Chen Ting and feels that she has inadvertently caused trouble for him, though Ling Xiao does not blame her.
When Li Jianjian picks up Ling Xiao from school later, they chat, and Ling Xiao reassures her by stroking her head, affirming that he is not angry about his sister's injury. In the hospital room, Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother scolds Chen Ting, accusing her of spoiling Qin Meiyang and forcing Ling Xiao, a senior in high school, to stay overnight every night to accompany Qin Meiyang. Chen Ting is annoyed, feeling that her mother always finds fault with her actions.
The grandmother further complains that Chen Ting married too far away, preventing her from being present to care for her if she falls ill, and that Chen Ting can only send money in such situations.
Episode 6 Recap
After Qin Meiyang was injured and hospitalized, her grandmother scolded Chen Ting. Ling Xiao was distant from his mother's family members, including Qin Meiyang. Li Haichao visited Qin Meiyang in the hospital, and Chen Ting offered him a stack of money as thanks for his years of care for Ling Xiao. Li Haichao firmly refused, stating he treated Ling Xiao as his own child and would care for him regardless of payment.
However, as Chen Ting was preparing to return to Singapore and insisted, Li Haichao eventually found it hard to refuse her generosity and accepted the money. Chen Ting completed Qin Meiyang’s discharge procedures, and together they said goodbye to Ling Xiao before departing for Singapore. Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu were eager for Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang to leave, and once the mother and daughter drove away, they ran out to Ling Xiao, celebrating their departure.
Soon after, Li Jianjian, who had been learning wood carving online, won a gold award in a competition after Ling Xiao secretly submitted her work. Li Jianjian initially thought the call from the organizers was a scam until Ling Xiao took the phone and confirmed the award, making her extremely happy. She even displayed a celebratory banner outside the noodle restaurant.
Later, during the New Year, the Li and Ling families gathered for a New Year's Eve dinner, and Qi Mingyue called Li Jianjian specifically to wish her a Happy New Year. A new school semester began, and Tang Can transferred to Li Jianjian's class. Tang Can had previously appeared in an ice cream commercial and was a part-time actress. She introduced herself in a particularly elegant and dignified manner, expressing her hope for classmates' help to improve her academic performance.
After school, Qi Mingyue found Tang Can's bus card. She and Li Jianjian went to return it but unintentionally discovered Tang Can in an alley. There, Tang Can had changed out of her school uniform into mature clothes and was applying makeup, completely transforming from her previous pure student image. Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue were astonished. When Tang Can turned and saw them, her face instantly darkened.
Qi Mingyue dropped the bus card on the ground, and she and Li Jianjian quickly ran away. From that day on, Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue perceived Tang Can as "two-faced" or a "monster." During physical education class the next day, Li Jianjian mocked Tang Can by imitating her actions from the alley, angering Tang Can. Qi Mingyue, not wanting more trouble, pulled Li Jianjian away to watch He Ziqiu play basketball.
Li Jianjian later deliberately made a face at Tang Can while she was resting with other members of a club. After He Ziqiu finished playing basketball, a middle-aged man named Zhao Huaguang approached him, claiming to be his biological father.
Zhao Huaguang, who had already investigated and learned He Ziqiu was raised by Li Haichao, told He Ziqiu that he had been too poor to raise him, not knowing He Mei was pregnant when they divorced after only a year of marriage. He claimed He Ziqiu must have suffered many grievances living with others and offered to take him abroad to study at the best universities.
He Ziqiu, however, rejected Zhao Huaguang, believing him to be a liar and shaking him off to leave. He Ziqiu remained unhappy that evening, contemplating Zhao Huaguang’s words. He used an excuse to ask his Second Aunt (He Lan) about Zhao Huaguang. He Lan confirmed Zhao Huaguang was indeed his biological father, explaining that Zhao Huaguang's hometown was a remote, poor mountain village near He Mei's, where he was once too poor to support a wife and child.
Zhao Huaguang later became wealthy by marrying a rich woman and working with her family’s business. He had no children of his own, and although he had built a road for his village and was considered a local benefactor, He Lan knew his character was poor and was glad He Ziqiu hadn't inherited his low-quality genes. He Ziqiu implicitly guessed Zhao Huaguang's true motives.
Li Jianjian noticed He Ziqiu's sadness, but he would only say that he was too happy with his current life and feared it being disrupted by outsiders. In class, Li Jianjian checked her exam results and was pleased to see she had moved from second to last to third to last, while Tang Can had scored last. Teacher Huang called Li Jianjian to her office to lecture her.
At that moment, Tang Can's mother arrived with Tang Can, and Teacher Huang assumed it was about Tang Can's grades. Instead, Tang Can's mother requested leave for Tang Can to film an advertisement in Shanghai. Teacher Huang agreed but urged Tang Can not to fall behind in her studies. Tang Can, who truly aspired to be an actress, was not keen on filming commercials but accepted her mother's arrangements.
Jin Yuxiang, Qi Mingyue’s mother, heard about Tang Can and was dismissive, advising Qi Mingyue not to be influenced. Having been impressed by Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu’s good grades, Jin Yuxiang took the opportunity to invite the three siblings—Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu—to dinner. A year later, Jin Yuxiang had a conversation with them about their future aspirations. All three expressed intentions to attend universities in Beijing.
Jin Yuxiang stated that Qi Mingyue wanted to become a lawyer and study at the China University of Political Science and Law, asking the trio to look after her. He Ziqiu shared his plan to become a traffic policeman, while Li Jianjian intended to pursue wood carving.
Episode 7 Recap
Qi Mingyue, her mother Jin Yuxiang, Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu have dinner together. During the meal, Jin Yuxiang, who admires Ling Xiao's academic excellence, expresses her desire for Qi Mingyue to become a lawyer, a path Qi Mingyue is reluctant to take. Li Jianjian, who teaches herself wood carving from online videos, describes her unique learning method, which Jin Yuxiang finds remarkable. Li Jianjian appreciates Li Haichao's tolerant parenting style, contrasting it with Jin Yuxiang's controlling nature.
Jin Yuxiang also notices Qi Mingyue's developing feelings for He Ziqiu, urging her to focus on her studies and deny her romantic interest. Later, Zhao Huaguang, He Ziqiu's biological father, attempts to forge a relationship with his son by sending gifts and Western food to He Ziqiu's classmates at school. This act inadvertently reveals to He Ziqiu's classmates that Li Haichao is not his biological father, with some classmates praising Zhao Huaguang's wealth.
Furious, He Ziqiu retrieves all the gifts, confronts Zhao Huaguang, throws them back at him, and vehemently tells him to stop bothering him, stating he does not want to owe him anything or have him bribe his friends. Zhuang Bei, learning of the incident, advises He Ziqiu to inform Li Haichao about Zhao Huaguang to prepare him. Meanwhile, Li Jianjian experiences a painful toothache and must undergo a tooth extraction.
She is terrified of the dentist, treating the appointment like an execution and making excuses to delay. Ling Xiao accompanies her to the dental clinic, constantly comforting her and tightly holding her hand throughout the procedure. After the extraction, a still-scared Li Jianjian expresses a wish for Ling Xiao to become a dentist in the future. Qi Mingyue, having witnessed He Ziqiu's encounter with Zhao Huaguang, later visits Li Jianjian's home (either to deliver textbooks or just to play).
She asks Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao about He Ziqiu's situation, only to discover they are unaware. Qi Mingyue then reveals what she saw. When He Ziqiu returns, Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao question him, prompting He Ziqiu to angrily scold Qi Mingyue for meddling and exposing his secret. Feeling wronged, Qi Mingyue leaves upset. Li Jianjian attempts to follow and console her, but Ling Xiao intervenes, telling Li Jianjian to rest and going to comfort Qi Mingyue himself.
Ling Xiao reassures Qi Mingyue that she did nothing wrong and should not feel guilty because of He Ziqiu's anger. He praises Qi Mingyue and advises her not to immediately doubt herself in similar situations, which helps her to feel better and gain a sense of clarity. Ling Xiao later discusses the matter with He Ziqiu but does not press him further when He Ziqiu insists on not informing Li Haichao about Zhao Huaguang.
However, the next day, Zhao Huaguang seeks out Li Haichao, first at his noodle shop and then visiting his home. Li Haichao, realizing Zhao Huaguang's intent, calls Ling Heping, who works as a police officer, to come home early and lend support. Zhao Huaguang boasts about his excellent financial conditions and argues that since Li Haichao and He Mei were never married, Li Haichao has no legal relationship with He Ziqiu.
He declares his intention to reclaim his son and offers Li Haichao one million yuan as compensation. Infuriated, Li Haichao and Ling Heping mockingly discuss the impracticality of carrying one million yuan, demonstrating their disregard for the money, and unequivocally throw Zhao Huaguang out of the house. As Zhao Huaguang curses and leaves, he encounters He Ziqiu, Li Jianjian, and Ling Xiao returning home from school.
Seeing his biological father still harassing Li Haichao at their home, a furious He Ziqiu throws his schoolbag at Zhao Huaguang. Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian quickly pull He Ziqiu away to prevent further entanglement. Back home, Li Haichao confronts He Ziqiu about concealing Zhao Huaguang's visits. He Ziqiu promptly apologizes.
Li Haichao expresses concern that Zhao Huaguang's interference could affect He Ziqiu's studies, emphasizing that while they have grown, they are not yet adults capable of handling such complex problems. Ling Heping advises that if Zhao Huaguang harasses them again, they should call the police. After dinner, Li Haichao goes to He Ziqiu's room to comfort him.
Li Haichao acknowledges that he understands He Ziqiu's deep-seated feelings of indebtedness to the Li family, which often leads him to tolerate and accommodate Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao. Li Haichao reminds He Ziqiu that after his wife died in childbirth, Li Jianjian always dreamed of having a brother, and He Ziqiu's presence fulfilled that wish for her. Li Haichao reassures He Ziqiu that no matter what happens, he will always be there for him. He Ziqiu's mood improves, and Li Haichao leaves him to his homework.
Episode 8 Recap
Tang Can, popular among classmates and sometimes called "Teacher Tang" due to her acting experience, often acts pretentious, leading Li Jianjian to openly satirize and mock her. Zhao Huaguang repeatedly visits Li Haichao's noodle shop, trying to persuade Li Haichao to let He Ziqiu go. He initially tries to communicate politely, assuring Li Haichao he doesn't consider him poor, but later suggests Li Haichao is keeping He Ziqiu for old-age support and might be dissatisfied with one million yuan.
These attempts enrage Li Haichao, who consistently throws him out of the noodle shop. During one such expulsion, Mrs. Qian, witnessing the scene, curses Zhao Huaguang and attempts to splash him with boiling water, forcing him to flee. Homeroom teacher Mr. Huang asks Qi Mingyue to deliver class notes to Tang Can, and Li Jianjian accompanies her. They wait for over half an hour at Tang Can's apartment complex entrance before Tang Can finally appears.
Tang Can feigns unwillingness for others to know where she lives, which further irritates Li Jianjian, who mocks her. Qi Mingyue, equally frustrated, angrily tells Tang Can she wouldn't understand the notes anyway. Li Jianjian returns home to find the noodle shop closed and no one home. She learns from Ling Xiao that they are at the hospital because a customer suffered food poisoning.
This incident, following a series of recent hygiene problems at the shop, leads the health bureau to order a temporary closure for rectification, lasting for a week. Li Jianjian suspects that someone is trying to "take revenge on" her father or deliberately targeting them. He Ziqiu, upon hearing this, becomes anxious and suspects his biological father, Zhao Huaguang, of being behind the malicious acts. Li Haichao's noodle shop is ordered to close for a week due to hygiene issues.
After discussing the situation, Li Haichao goes to prepare dinner. Li Jianjian attempts to press for more details, but He Ziqiu, aware of Li Haichao's distress, stops her. He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao take Li Jianjian to a convenience store, allowing Li Haichao time to compose himself.
On their return, a sad He Ziqiu wishes to grow up quickly to share Li Haichao's burdens, to which Ling Xiao responds that true maturity, an instantaneous realization of life's weight when one feels the weight of life, can happen at any moment—next second, tomorrow, or even ten, twenty years, or a lifetime, unbeknownst to others but known to oneself.
Meanwhile, Li Haichao contemplates how to earn money and decides to rent the adjacent storefront to expand his noodle shop, a decision supported by Ling Heping. He Ziqiu confronts Zhao Huaguang, accusing him of orchestrating the noodle shop's troubles. Zhao Huaguang denies involvement, claiming that as He Ziqiu's biological father, he wouldn't do anything to harm him.
He Ziqiu, however, doesn't believe him and bitterly pleads with Zhao Huaguang to leave their family alone, highlighting that the noodle shop is their sole economic source and emphasizing Li Haichao's immense efforts, waking up early and returning late daily to prepare various ingredients and run the shop, living a difficult life. Zhao Huaguang, seizing the opportunity, tries to persuade He Ziqiu to go with him, suggesting it would alleviate Li Haichao's financial burden, especially with upcoming university expenses.
He Ziqiu refuses, angered by Zhao Huaguang's persistent belittling of Li Haichao. Zhao Huaguang's demeanor hardens, and he warns He Ziqiu to "wait and see," vowing he will not give up. As the Gaokao approaches, Li Jianjian, determined to ensure success, makes He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao wear red underwear, even demanding they expose their waistbands to prove it, which they reluctantly do.
On the day of the exam, Li Jianjian and Li Haichao are notably more nervous than the examinees themselves, providing detailed instructions, including an exam site map, advising them to enter from the left, exit from the right, and reverently bow to the statue of Confucius. After the exam, Li Jianjian returns to school. In class, homeroom teacher Mr. Huang assigns a composition titled "My Good Friend Worth Learning From."
He calls on the top three students to read their essays, with Qi Mingyue being the first. She nervously reads her composition, which is about Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian becomes angry, not for the subject, but because Qi Mingyue failed to include her and He Ziqiu. Qi Mingyue quickly promises to write a separate essay about Li Jianjian next time, which calms her down.
Meanwhile, a film and television company holds an audition at the school, attracting many student participants, including Tang Can, who, despite her initial lack of confidence, successfully places fifth among two thousand candidates. Her mother, having secretly investigated the top four, proudly believes Tang Can is superior. Tang Can and her family celebrate this success at a restaurant. Coincidentally, Li Jianjian, Qi Mingyue, and their friends are in the same restaurant, celebrating Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu's successful Gaokao.
From behind a screen, Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue overhear Tang Can's parents discuss their jobs—her mother works as a supermarket cashier and her father as a long-haul transportation driver—thus realizing Tang Can's family is not well-off, contrary to initial impressions. Tang Can is scheduled to go to Beijing for training the following week. After Tang Can's family leaves the restaurant, Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue go to the restroom, where they openly discuss Tang Can's family situation.
Suddenly, Tang Can emerges from a stall, aggressively demanding they keep her family's financial situation a secret and not gossip at school. A hot-tempered Li Jianjian tries to physically confront Tang Can, but Qi Mingyue intervenes and restrains her. Tang Can, somewhat intimidated but maintaining a tough facade, issues another warning before departing. The next day in class, Tang Can nervously watches Li Jianjian.
Li Jianjian finds a box of chocolates or snacks in her drawer with a note asking her not to gossip, realizing Tang Can left them as a bribe. After Li Jianjian eats the treat and makes a "zip it" gesture, implying she will keep the secret, Tang Can visibly relaxes, relieved.
Episode 9 Recap
Li Haichao was busy renovating his noodle shop. He Ziqiu thoughtfully massaged Li Haichao's back with medicated oil and offered his help. Li Haichao declined, even offering He Ziqiu 500 yuan for a graduation dinner and class reunion, telling him not to worry about money. He Ziqiu felt increasing guilt, remembering Zhao Huaguang's words about Li Haichao's hardship and meager income from the noodle shop.
Before leaving, Li Haichao worriedly asked if Zhao Huaguang had contacted He Ziqiu again, but He Ziqiu hesitated and lied. Meanwhile, Li Jianjian was doing homework and asked He Ziqiu to buy some things, requiring her to give him money. Ling Xiao also asked He Ziqiu to buy items, requesting Li Jianjian pay for them upfront. Li Jianjian diligently continued her homework, expressing worry about not getting into university and consequently, no one marrying her.
Ling Xiao, who had been studying at home with Li Jianjian after his own exams, took her paper and tapped her head for a wrong answer. Li Jianjian jokingly asked if Ling Xiao would marry her if he "tapped her silly." Ling Xiao seriously replied that he would, startling Li Jianjian and making her uneasy. She quietly took back her paper and did not respond. Suddenly, Ling Heping rushed home.
Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother had suffered a sudden heart attack and was in the hospital. Ling Heping instructed Ling Xiao to immediately go with him. Ling Xiao's maternal uncle and aunt were already at the hospital, where doctors had issued four critical illness notices for his grandmother, whose condition was grim. Chen Ting, Ling Xiao's mother, was in Singapore and could not get a flight until the next morning. Ling Xiao and Ling Heping stayed at the hospital overnight.
During this time, Ling Xiao updated Chen Ting via phone. Later, Ling Xiao received another call, this time from Qin Meiyang's uncle, informing him that Chen Ting and her husband had been in a car accident on their way to the airport. Her husband had died instantly, and Chen Ting was seriously injured. Ling Xiao was thunderstruck; still reeling from this news, his maternal grandmother passed away.
Li Haichao and his family waited until midnight for Ling Heping to return home. Li Haichao, worried about Chen Ting's situation, asked Ling Heping for news. Ling Heping gravely informed them of Chen Ting's husband's death and Chen Ting's severe injuries, now in the hospital. Chen Ting's in-laws were pressuring her maternal family to quickly obtain visas to Singapore.
Ling Heping spent the day with Ling Xiao and Ling Xiao's maternal uncle applying for expedited visas, which would still take several days. They planned to use this time to handle Ling Xiao's maternal grandmother's funeral before Ling Xiao's trip. Li Haichao expressed concern that Ling Xiao might not be able to cope, but Ling Heping stated that Ling Xiao was old enough to endure the hardship.
Ling Jianjian was very worried for Ling Xiao, becoming distracted in class the next day, unable to answer a question, despite Qi Mingyue's attempts to prompt her. Ling Xiao and his maternal uncle eventually arrived in Singapore, where Chen Ting was in the intensive care unit. Qin Meiyang's grandmother had already handled her son's funeral and planned to return to Malaysia, taking Qin Meiyang with her.
However, Qin Meiyang refused to leave, clinging to Ling Xiao and insisting she wanted to wait for Chen Ting to wake up with him. Seeing her persistent pleas, Ling Xiao allowed her to stay by his side. Meanwhile, He Ziqiu discussed his desire to study abroad with Zhuang Bei.
Zhuang Bei supported the idea, suggesting that by using Zhao Huaguang's money for his education, He Ziqiu could save money for Li Haichao, with the intention of returning home after he had grown up. Due to her constant worry about Ling Xiao, Li Jianjian was frequently distracted in school. After class, as she descended the stairs with many other students, she felt someone push her from behind and subsequently fell from the third-floor stairs, injuring her arm.
Qi Mingyue immediately called He Ziqiu. He Ziqiu rushed to the school and, upon learning of Li Jianjian's accident and her memory of being pushed, called Zhao Huaguang, suspecting his involvement. Zhao Huaguang denied any wrongdoing, and He Ziqiu, having no time to argue, hung up and carried Li Jianjian home. On their way, Li Jianjian mentioned Ling Xiao, whom she hadn't seen for half a month, realizing how intensely she missed him.
As they walked and talked, they overheard neighbors discussing Li Haichao's collapse. Shocked, they quickly rushed to the hospital, where a nurse informed them that Li Haichao had fainted from overwork and malnutrition but was otherwise fine. After Li Haichao received an IV drip, the three returned home. Li Haichao went to bed to rest, and upon waking, found Li Jianjian sleeping beside him, with He Ziqiu watching over him from the bedside.
Episode 10 Recap
Li Haichao awoke to He Ziqiu looking at him worriedly, so he put on a brave face, saying he was fine and intended to get up and cook for them. As he got out of bed, he accidentally bumped Li Jianjian's injury, causing her to cry out in pain and wake up.
Seeing Li Haichao up, Li Jianjian also quickly asked if he was alright, to which Li Haichao reassured her he was fine, but felt great heartache seeing her injury, which was bandaged on her face and hands. After resting sufficiently, Li Haichao returned to the construction site to oversee the renovation of his noodle shop. During a break, a woman wearing sunglasses entered.
Li Haichao explained the shop was under construction, but the woman, dressed in red, removed her sunglasses, revealing herself to be He Mei, who had been missing for years. He Mei appeared to be doing well, working in a beauty salon in Shenzhen with a good income.
She produced a stack of money, stating she was returning 30,000 yuan for a 10,000 yuan debt Li Haichao lent her years ago when He Ziqiu's maternal grandmother was ill, adding that the original amount was equivalent to 30,000 yuan now. Li Haichao, unconcerned with the money, asked where she had been all these years. He Mei explained she wasn't there for He Ziqiu, nor solely to return money, but about Zhao Huaguang.
Zhao Huaguang had contacted He Mei through her former colleagues, wanting to reclaim He Ziqiu, as his remarried wife was infertile, making He Ziqiu his only biological child. He Mei was aware of recent events and knew Zhao Huaguang was a bully, and that honest Li Haichao wouldn't be able to contend with him.
She believed Li Haichao lacked the financial ability to support He Ziqiu through university or to study abroad, and advised him to let Zhao Huaguang take He Ziqiu back for a better future. Li Haichao, however, was resolute, declaring that even if he had to beg in the streets, he would not let Zhao Huaguang take He Ziqiu if He Ziqiu was unwilling. He refused He Mei's view, returning 20,000 yuan to her and only accepting the original 10,000 yuan.
He Mei, though initially believing Li Haichao was easily manipulated, was impressed by his sense of responsibility. As she prepared to leave, she asked Li Haichao to pretend she hadn't come and not to tell He Ziqiu for his own good. Li Haichao mentioned that He Ziqiu still wished to see her. He Mei hesitated, then revealed she now had her own family, and her current husband was unaware of He Ziqiu, making He Ziqiu a burden in her life.
Li Haichao stopped He Mei, gave back the extra money she had given, and told her not to concern herself with He Ziqiu anymore. After He Mei left, Li Haichao returned to the kitchen, reflecting on her words about his limited finances and inability to continue supporting He Ziqiu's university education. Meanwhile, in Singapore, Chen Ting had temporarily recovered from danger but remained in the intensive care unit.
Li Jianjian called Ling Xiao, complaining that their family seemed to be constantly dealing with hospitals. When Ling Xiao asked who was sick, Li Jianjian, not wanting him to worry, quickly denied it, then asked if he could return before her birthday. Ling Xiao hesitated, saying he might be two days late.
Qi Mingyue also visited, bringing Jin Yuxiang's graduation gifts for He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao, and asked Ling Xiao if she could have their class notes, which he readily agreed to. As Li Jianjian was about to hang up, Ling Xiao suddenly asked her to "act spoiled," which she obediently did. Ling Xiao felt much lighter, though he teasingly remarked that Li Jianjian's spoiled act was too fake.
Li Jianjian later sent Ling Xiao a text message expressing her longing for him with sweet words. Ling Xiao had achieved excellent college entrance exam results. He returned to the hospital, where doctors informed him and the family that Chen Ting's most severe injury was paralysis of the lower limbs caused by nerve damage.
They advised the family to prepare for a long battle, noting that while many patients could regain a degree of self-care through long-term physical therapy, it would require immense willpower from both Chen Ting and her family, and that Chen Ting would mostly be unable to walk for the rest of her life. Ling Xiao's maternal uncle then argued with Qin Meiyang's paternal uncle.
Qin Meiyang's paternal uncle planned for Chen Ting's maternal relatives to care for her, while the Qin family would care for Qin Meiyang. However, Ling Xiao's maternal uncle had work in China and couldn't stay in Singapore long-term. This left Ling Xiao as the only one available to care for Chen Ting. Ling Xiao's maternal uncle urged him to attend university in Chen Ting's city in Singapore, allowing him to both study and care for Chen Ting.
Ling Xiao, however, was angry, feeling abandoned by Chen Ting in the past and believing he had no obligation to care for her now, despite sympathizing with her plight. Li Haichao, influenced by his conversation with He Mei, began considering He Ziqiu studying abroad. Ling Heping found Li Haichao's change of heart odd, but Li Haichao insisted it was for He Ziqiu's future.
Ling Heping initially disagreed, advising Li Haichao not to tell He Ziqiu yet, but Li Haichao wanted Ling Heping to help him persuade He Ziqiu later. Ling Heping still didn't agree, but seeing Li Haichao's determination for He Ziqiu's better future, he could no longer object. When He Ziqiu returned, before Li Haichao could even speak, He Ziqiu brought up university applications and stated he wanted to discuss studying abroad.
Li Haichao was stunned; although he had just decided to persuade He Ziqiu to study abroad, hearing He Ziqiu say it first made him reluctant to let him go. He Ziqiu wanted to lessen Li Haichao's burden, while Li Haichao wanted a better future for He Ziqiu, but the prerequisite was for He Ziqiu to acknowledge Zhao Huaguang, a point that deeply pained both of them. Li Haichao couldn't help but cry, but he ultimately agreed to He Ziqiu's decision.
Ling Heping watched He Ziqiu eat with tears in his eyes, offering him comfort and concern. Unaware of He Ziqiu's decision, Li Jianjian excitedly bought two pairs of shoes as gifts for He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao. When she returned home, she noticed a tense atmosphere between He Ziqiu and Li Haichao, assuming they had argued. Li Haichao told He Ziqiu to speak with Li Jianjian, who then thought they were discussing making up for Ling Xiao's belated birthday celebration.
Far away in Singapore, Ling Xiao smiled involuntarily as he read the birthday wishes from his family. His maternal uncle saw his smile and grew angry, stating he would return home in two days and that Ling Xiao should stay by Chen Ting's side until school started. Ling Xiao, however, declared he would return home in two days to see Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao's maternal uncle was deeply disappointed, scolding him as a "cold-blooded animal."
Two days later, Ling Xiao returned home, having disregarded his uncle's objections and packed his bags. Li Jianjian rushed out to greet him, excitedly jumping on him. Li Haichao, both amused and frustrated, scolded Li Jianjian during dinner for her lack of personal image. That night, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu talked on the rooftop.
Ling Xiao informed He Ziqiu that he was going to university in Singapore and would be leaving the following week, asking He Ziqiu to take good care of Li Jianjian. He Ziqiu, failing to understand Ling Xiao's predicament and believing Ling Xiao was choosing to care for his half-sister Qin Meiyang and abandon Li Jianjian, became furious and punched Ling Xiao, knocking him to the ground.
Episode 11 Recap
Ling Xiao informed He Ziqiu of his decision to attend university in Singapore to care for his mother, Chen Ting, and his sister. In a fit of anger and surprise, He Ziqiu punched Ling Xiao, accusing him of being heartless. He Ziqiu then revealed that he had reconciled with his biological father, Zhao Huaguang, and would also be going abroad for his studies, admitting that he, too, was like a heartless ingrate.
Ling Xiao, surprised, got up and punched He Ziqiu, then mounted him and grabbed his collar, escalating into a physical struggle on the rooftop. Li Jianjian arrived on the rooftop, saw her two brothers fighting, and quickly intervened to pull them apart. After they returned inside, Li Jianjian learned that both Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu were planning to go abroad, essentially leaving her. She was deeply distressed and refused to accept their departure, hoping they would stay.
Li Haichao tried to persuade her, explaining that the decision was final. Li Jianjian, unable to accept this, retreated to her room and cried, muffled under her blanket. She asked Ling Xiao why he had to go to Singapore to care for Chen Ting, to which Ling Xiao silently replied that Chen Ting was, after all, his mother. Unable to refute this fact, Li Jianjian continued to cry.
He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao sequentially entered Li Jianjian's room to check on her. Li Jianjian, however, remained muffled under her blanket, refusing to acknowledge Ling Xiao and only crying without speaking when He Ziqiu tried to persuade her to eat. After He Ziqiu left, Ling Xiao tried to comfort Li Jianjian.
As Ling Xiao prepared to leave, Li Jianjian suddenly questioned if they were not truly a family, suggesting Ling Xiao was merely a neighbor and He Ziqiu just fostered. Ling Xiao denied this, affirming they were a family in his heart and even promised that once Li Jianjian grew up, they would be together forever. Ling Xiao also assured her he would be in a relationship with her upon his return.
However, Li Jianjian did not believe him, thinking he was lying, and kept crying, stating that if they left, they would no longer be her brothers. Ling Xiao, feeling helpless, then left the room. Later that night, Li Haichao found He Ziqiu still awake when he got up for the restroom. Li Haichao poured He Ziqiu a glass of milk, and they talked. He Ziqiu felt particularly guilty towards Li Jianjian.
Li Haichao reassured him, saying Li Jianjian was just struggling to accept it for the moment, and that children eventually leave their parents. He Ziqiu worried about Li Jianjian being bullied in their absence. Li Haichao, a little resigned, advised that if she were bullied, she would have to fight back herself, and that he and Ling Xiao also had to bear their own grievances when facing difficulties outside.
He also mentioned that as they grew up, He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao would eventually have their own families and greater responsibilities. He Ziqiu, however, declared that he would not marry and that staying with them was enough. Li Haichao dismissed this as childish talk from someone who hadn't yet grown up.
Li Haichao urged He Ziqiu not to overthink things and expressed his genuine desire for He Ziqiu to have a better future, also strictly instructing him to return immediately after graduation. He Ziqiu, realizing Li Haichao was not angry with him, broke down in tears due to his inner turmoil. The following morning, Li Haichao went to call Li Jianjian for breakfast but discovered she was not in her room.
He learned from a phone call that Li Jianjian had gone to grandma-in-law's house. Ling Heping returned home for breakfast and noticed the injuries on Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu's faces. Upon inquiring, he learned about Ling Xiao's uncle wanting Ling Xiao to attend university in Singapore. Ling Heping called Ling Xiao's uncle, sternly reprimanding him for being selfish and irresponsible, for abandoning Chen Ting and expecting Ling Xiao to care for her.
Ling Heping, in a fit of pique, declared that the Ling family would no longer consider Ling Xiao's uncle a relative and threatened to sever ties before hanging up. Ling Heping then asked Ling Xiao if his university application could still be changed. Ling Xiao revealed that he had already been accepted by the medical school in Singapore and could no longer change his plans.
Ling Heping was furious that Ling Xiao had not discussed this with him, but Li Haichao protected Ling Xiao, telling Ling Heping to stop. With both brothers' departures for studies now finalized, they went back to their rooms to pack and found shoes Li Jianjian had bought for them, leaving them feeling deeply saddened.
Before his departure, Ling Xiao met with Qi Mingyue at a restaurant, informing her that he and He Ziqiu would be studying abroad and entrusting her with Li Jianjian's care. Qi Mingyue cried profusely, unwilling to part with Ling Xiao. On the day of Ling Xiao's departure, Li Jianjian did not return home. Ling Xiao took a taxi to the airport, and He Ziqiu did not see him off.
On the eve of He Ziqiu's departure, Li Haichao called Li Jianjian, urging her to come back to see He Ziqiu off. Li Jianjian remained stubbornly unwilling to return home. He Ziqiu could only ask Li Haichao to send him a message when Li Jianjian eventually came back. Li Jianjian spent the entire summer at grandma-in-law's house. She finally returned home for the start of the new school term.
In class, Qi Mingyue asked Li Jianjian if she had called Ling Xiao or He Ziqiu, and tried to persuade Li Jianjian to understand the difficulties her brothers faced. Li Jianjian, unable to listen, lost her temper with Qi Mingyue for the first time, kicking a chair and storming out of the classroom, not returning for class. Qi Mingyue felt worried about Li Jianjian.
Tang Can entered the classroom just as Li Jianjian was leaving angrily, and classmates, seeing Tang Can, unanimously called her "Female Lead" and eagerly gathered around her to flatter her. Li Jianjian took the bus home alone after school. With few passengers, she found herself recalling past bus rides with He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao, when the three of them would sit together after school, leaning on each other happily.
The painful memories brought tears to her eyes, which she wiped away. She unknowingly fell asleep and only woke up when the driver called her name at her stop. Burdened with thoughts, she got off the bus and walked home. Neighbor Wang Doudou suddenly caught up with Li Jianjian and asked about her two brothers, concluding that Li Jianjian had been abandoned by them.
Li Jianjian, however, vehemently insisted that she had not been abandoned, defending them by saying they would return after finishing university. Outside the building, Aunt Qian was chatting with Wang Doudou's mother. Wang Doudou's mother also brought up Li Jianjian's two brothers who had gone abroad. Aunt Qian remarked that time would reveal everything, and if the brothers returned to fulfill their filial duties after they started working, it would show they had a conscience.
Upon arriving home, Li Jianjian found Li Haichao on the phone with Ling Xiao, advising Ling Xiao to take good care of his mother. Seeing Li Jianjian enter, Li Haichao quickly told Ling Xiao not to hang up and to talk to her. However, Li Jianjian ignored him, changed her shoes, and closed herself in her room.
Episode 12 Recap
Initially, Li Jianjian expressed deep sadness and unwillingness regarding the impending departure of her two older brothers, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu. She felt their family bond was superficial, like "playing house," arguing that they weren't "real" family since they lacked the legal standing to sign surgery consent forms for her or her father, Li Haichao.
Li Haichao, disheartened, earnestly explained that He Ziqiu was leaving to study abroad to alleviate the family's financial burden and pursue his desired field, while Ling Xiao’s move to Singapore was to care for his birth mother, Chen Ting, rather than a personal choice. He reminded Li Jianjian that true family connection transcends physical distance, drawing a parallel to her future family.
Although Li Jianjian understood Li Haichao’s logic, she simply did not want Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu to leave and sometimes refused to answer Ling Xiao's calls. Over time, Li Jianjian’s initial heartache and stubbornness subsided. During a Chinese New Year, she opened her heart and ended her cold war, reconnecting with her brothers via video call. After a brief conversation, He Ziqiu’s poor signal caused him to disconnect.
Ling Xiao continued talking with Li Jianjian, who mentioned the pineapple tarts he had sent. When Ling Xiao playfully suggested she "act spoiled" as thanks, his cousin Qin Meiyang suddenly appeared, calling him for dinner and behaving in a spoiled manner, leaving Li Jianjian with an "unspeakable emotion." In 2012, Li Jianjian graduated high school and was admitted to a local university's sculpture department, where she became very busy with her studies in wood carving.
Ling Xiao took a leave of absence to care for Chen Ting in Singapore. The years of separation began to strain their once close relationship, with Li Jianjian, who used to confide everything, becoming hesitant during their conversations. Ling Xiao, through a video call, also warned her against dating, stating she was too young and should wait until after university.
He Ziqiu, who frequently video-called Li Haichao, planned to return home to start a dessert business after graduating from university, as his current major would require him to work in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, which he did not desire. He sent Li Jianjian photos of his practice desserts, admitting his skills were still lacking.
Li Jianjian, listening to his call with Li Haichao, understood that prolonged separation could lead to unspoken words and growing unfamiliarity, but she assured He Ziqiu she was not angry. During this period, Li Jianjian sometimes avoided Ling Xiao's calls, passing the phone to Ling Heping, who could only manage polite small talk and inquire about Chen Ting's improving condition; she was able to stand and assist with light chores.
Ling Xiao maintained contact with Qi Mingyue, secretly asking her to send him photos of Li Jianjian. After graduating, Li Jianjian partnered with her senior, Du Juan, to open a woodcarving studio named "Gap of Time." Li Haichao later revealed that Ling Xiao had graduated from university and been accepted by a local hospital in Singapore, with his internship hospital even offering him a permanent position.
This news deeply disappointed Li Jianjian and Li Haichao, as it meant Ling Xiao would not be returning to China for a long-term stay. Ling Heping speculated that Chen Ting was the reason for Ling Xiao's prolonged absence. Ling Xiao called Li Jianjian, explaining his decision to return in two years, once Qin Meiyang was older and capable of caring for Chen Ting. However, contact between Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao gradually dwindled, limited mainly to holiday greetings.
By 2018, Li Jianjian was 25 years old. Tang Can, having struggled to establish herself in Beijing, returned to their hometown. With her father's permission, Li Jianjian rented an apartment near her studio and began living with Tang Can and Qi Mingyue. Li Jianjian reflected that those who were truly meant to return would, and for those who wouldn't, there was no need to wait. The following year, when Li Jianjian was 26, her sculpture work won an award.
To celebrate, Li Haichao’s thriving noodle shop offered a special discount. Li Haichao received a call from Ling Heping, informing him that Ling Xiao was returning after nine years away. Qi Mingyue, who had rented an apartment for Ling Xiao, picked him up from the airport. Driving her new car, she mentioned Li Jianjian's award-winning exhibition and asked if he wanted to see it.
Ling Xiao, calm, thanked Qi Mingyue for the apartment but stated he had other things to do and asked her to take him directly home, as he wanted to eat Li Haichao's noodles first. Meanwhile, Li Jianjian, who that morning had chipped her tooth on a cucumber and encountered a pickpocket on a crowded bus (whom she cleverly marked with a drawn turtle on his back), arrived at the exhibition, where she was accidentally bumped into by a man.
Ling Xiao finally arrived home after nine years and ate Li Haichao's noodles. Li Haichao's noodle shop continued to flourish, and a regular customer, Aunt Qian, even praised Li Jianjian's consistent success in her woodcarving career and offered to help Li Haichao find a new partner.
Episode 13 Recap
Ling Xiao returns home and tells Li Haichao that he will not leave again, having found a job that starts tomorrow. Li Haichao is overjoyed and calls Li Jianjian to come home, but she is at the police station. At an exhibition, Li Jianjian was accidentally knocked over. He Ziqiu appeared and caught her, inadvertently grabbing her chest instead of her stomach. Li Jianjian, thinking she was being sexually harassed, called the police.
At the police station, He Ziqiu hides his face, avoiding eye contact with Li Jianjian. When Li Jianjian recognizes his voice and turns him around, she realizes it's He Ziqiu. After clearing up the misunderstanding, Li Jianjian asks why He Ziqiu didn't tell them he was coming back. He Ziqiu wanted to surprise them. Ling Xiao arrives at the police station and sees He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian together. The three reunite, but the atmosphere is awkward.
Li Jianjian makes an excuse to leave. Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu talk. Ling Xiao has a job at a stomatological hospital, and He Ziqiu plans to start a business. Ling Xiao invites He Ziqiu to come home with him, but He Ziqiu wants to surprise Li Haichao and asks Ling Xiao not to tell him. Ling Xiao agrees. That night, Li Haichao and Ling Heping have hot pot to welcome Ling Xiao home.
He Ziqiu watches them from outside the noodle shop. Tang Can returns home and encounters Zhuang Bei, who is helping He Ziqiu rent a place, at the elevator. Zhuang Bei is tying his shoelaces when Tang Can steps on his pen and sprains her ankle. Zhuang Bei catches her, and they fall to the ground in an embrace. They recognize each other, but before they can say anything, the elevator opens, revealing two children. Zhuang Bei, embarrassed, quickly leaves.
Tang Can picks up the pen and tells Qi Mingyue about the encounter, hoping to see Zhuang Bei again. Li Jianjian arrives, and they ask her about the sexual harassment incident. She says it was a misunderstanding. Li Jianjian goes to her room and remembers their childhood. Ling Xiao tells Li Haichao that he has rented an apartment across from Li Jianjian. Li Haichao is relieved but notes that Li Jianjian seems distant.
Li Haichao comforts him, reminding him that she was a child when they left. Ling Xiao suggests Li Haichao and Ling Heping remarry, but Li Haichao is used to being alone. Li Haichao asks if Ling Xiao has a girlfriend, but Ling Xiao says he didn't have time while studying. The next morning, Ling Heping returns from the police station. Li Haichao leaves to give them time alone.
Ling Heping is disappointed that Ling Xiao is moving out and asks when he starts work. Ling Xiao says he starts today. Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue takes Li Jianjian to the dentist. The dentist is Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian is nervous and doesn't recognize his voice. Ling Xiao comforts her, knowing she is afraid of dentists. After the appointment, Ling Xiao gives her an ice pack and holds her hand.
Li Jianjian remembers when Ling Xiao accompanied her to the dentist as a child. She is uncomfortable with the closeness and pulls her hand away, complimenting his doctor's overall. Ling Xiao compliments her back, saying she is the most beautiful. Ling Xiao eats noodles made by Li Haichao. Li Haichao is happy that his cooking still pleases Ling Xiao.
Episode 14 Recap
Li Jianjian feels awkward after chatting briefly with Ling Xiao about He Ziqiu and says she needs to return to her studio. He Ziqiu then arrives at the hospital to see Ling Xiao, who asks him what surprise he is preparing. He Ziqiu refuses to reveal anything, saying Ling Xiao will find out in due time.
He Ziqiu states that Zhao Huaguang can no longer control him and that he intends to stay this time, wanting to be filial to Li Haichao and take care of Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao asks how he plans to take care of her, and He Ziqiu says he wants things to be like before. Ling Xiao points out that the past nine years have changed all three of them, and Li Jianjian is no longer a child.
He mentions that in the first two years after they left, things were fine, but later, the three had less and less to say to each other. He Ziqiu suggests forming an alliance with Ling Xiao, knowing Li Jianjian has always listened to him, and believing Ling Xiao has a plan to win her over. Ling Xiao claims he has no strategies and advises He Ziqiu to let time cultivate their relationship.
He also urges He Ziqiu to go home soon, as Li Haichao misses him. Ling Xiao later removes his mask and greets Li Jianjian, who recognizes him and realizes Qi Mingyue tricked her into seeing him, as she knew he was a dentist. Ling Xiao used to take Li Jianjian to the dentist and promised to stay by her side. Now, he has fulfilled that promise by becoming a dentist and treating her.
After leaving Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu goes to the house he has rented opposite Li Jianjian's. He paid a high price for it. The apartment was originally rented by Qi Mingyue for Ling Xiao. Unaware that He Ziqiu has moved in, she calls a cleaning service to clean the apartment for Ling Xiao. However, when the cleaning service arrives, they find He Ziqiu has moved in.
He Ziqiu, just out of the shower and not fully dressed, opens the door and quickly retreats into the bathroom. Neither recognizes the other. Qi Mingyue calls the landlord, who explains that He Ziqiu is a relative who suddenly returned for work, so the apartment is no longer available for rent. Qi Mingyue tries to negotiate with He Ziqiu, explaining she rented the place for her crush, and ruining things would make her lose face.
He Ziqiu refuses to cooperate and threatens to come out if she doesn't leave, forcing Qi Mingyue to leave. He Ziqiu has opened a coffee shop near their old high school. He asks Du Juan to invite Li Jianjian, telling her he wants to buy her wood carvings. When Li Jianjian enters, the initially dark room lights up, revealing a table full of cakes, but no one is visible.
Suddenly, there is thunder and lightning outside, startling Li Jianjian, and she drops her phone. As she bends to pick it up, she sees He Ziqiu's feet and is startled again, jumping up to find He Ziqiu.
He Ziqiu secretly returned without going home to prepare the opening, planning to lure Li Jianjian and Li Haichao with free cake coupons and surprise them, but Li Jianjian says Li Haichao is busy and would dismiss the coupon call as a sales call. He Ziqiu is embarrassed and asks Li Jianjian to try his cake, but she's uncomfortable after her dental appointment and only eats a small bite.
The atmosphere becomes awkward, and Li Jianjian brings up the wood carvings, offering to find him good material and carve a three-legged toad for him. Later, He Ziqiu makes a table of desserts and insists Li Jianjian try them. She reluctantly eats a bite, and is surprised by how good it tastes. He tries to get her to eat more, but she refuses due to her tooth discomfort, and He Ziqiu backs down when he sees she's unhappy.
She then leaves as the rain subsides. That evening, after Tang Can returns home, Qi Mingyue tells her about Ling Xiao's return. Tang Can is angry, seeing Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu as ungrateful, but Qi Mingyue defends Ling Xiao. Tang Can's tough exterior fades when Ling Xiao actually arrives. Qi Mingyue asks her to make tea and tells Ling Xiao that the landlord rented the apartment across the hall to a relative.
Tang Can, overhearing this, assumes it is Zhuang Bei, whom she met at the elevator. Soon, Li Jianjian comes home, unaware that Ling Xiao is there. She complains about how awkward it was to see Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, feeling uncomfortable around them. As she complains, Ling Xiao emerges from the bathroom, telling Li Jianjian to be careful with what she eats. Li Jianjian is mortified that he overheard her complaints.
During dinner, Ling Xiao suggests renting the apartment across the hall together. Tang Can, believing it's Zhuang Bei, meticulously dresses up to help Ling Xiao negotiate the lease, but there's confusion and they realize He Ziqiu is living there. He Ziqiu reveals that he pretended to be the landlord's relative in order to rent the apartment, and Ling Xiao jokes that he is a rich second-generation heir.
Looking at Qi Mingyue, He Ziqiu remembers what she said about her crush, and realizes she likes Ling Xiao. Afraid He Ziqiu will reveal her secret, Qi Mingyue impulsively throws a glass of water on him. He Ziqiu goes home to change clothes, and Qi Mingyue seeks him out, begging him to keep her secret.
She threatens to spread rumors about him having a physical defect if he reveals her secret, emphasizing her power over him since they were alone together. He Ziqiu is frightened and notes how different Qi Mingyue is now compared to before. Ling Xiao then comes to He Ziqiu and asks to share the apartment with him and He Ziqiu agrees.
Later that night, Li Jianjian can't sleep and seeks out Qi Mingyue, and the two end up in Tang Can's room. While wearing face masks, they talk about Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu. Tang Can dislikes them, while Qi Mingyue defends them. They then turn to Li Jianjian, asking how she feels. Li Jianjian says their relationship used to be great because they were young and always together.
When she was in school, she used to look forward to their return during vacations, but after repeated disappointments, she stopped expecting it. Now that they are back, Li Jianjian feels uncomfortable and estranged. However, she knows that if she doesn't get along with Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, Ling Heping and Li Haichao will be upset.
She recalls going to ancestral ceremonies with Li Haichao and noticing that the less familiar the relatives were, the more enthusiastic their greetings were. She decides to treat Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu as distant relatives she hasn't seen in a long time. She says that she and He Ziqiu used to be very close, but now they are strangers.
Episode 15 Recap
Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu were applying face masks at home, chatting idly. Li Jianjian reflected on her relationship with He Ziqiu, noting that while they used to share everything, a "gap" had formed, making them feel like strangers unable to return to their former closeness. She agreed with Tang Can's thoughts and felt her mood improve after deciding how to approach Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu.
To make Li Haichao and Ling Heping happy, she decided to invite them for a belated birthday dinner for Ling Heping the next evening. The following morning, she quickly informed He Ziqiu, suggesting he, as a skilled pastry maker, could bake a cake for Ling Heping. He Ziqiu was pleased by her change in attitude but also pondered how to face Li Haichao.
He later realized Li Jianjian had used "my dad" instead of "our dad" when referring to her father, a subtle but significant shift in their perceived relationship. Meanwhile, at the stomatological hospital, Ling Xiao comforted a crying little girl who refused to see a doctor. He cleverly distracted her with a toy stick, and she stopped crying, asking him to check her teeth.
Feng Xixi, the girl's original doctor who feared children, signaled Ling Xiao to take over, which he agreed to. Later, Feng Xixi, who had developed a crush on Ling Xiao, approached him at a cafe. Ling Xiao maintained his distance, openly stating he had a sister and a brother. He Ziqiu finally gathered the courage to return home, going to Li Haichao's noodle restaurant. Li Haichao, busy in the kitchen, recognized He Ziqiu the moment he stepped out.
Father and son, separated for years, were overwhelmed with emotion. He Ziqiu’s eyes welled up, and he immediately knelt to express his gratitude to Li Haichao. Li Haichao quickly helped him up and hugged him tightly. The front desk clerk, recognizing He Ziqiu from a photo on the counter of him, Li Jianjian, and Ling Xiao, and from Li Haichao often talking about the three of them, guessed he might want sweet and sour spare ribs noodles.
He Ziqiu wasn't sure what to order, but Li Haichao, hearing the clerk, realized his son was back. After they returned home, Li Haichao hesitated before asking about Zhao Huaguang's reaction to He Ziqiu's return. He Ziqiu dismissed Zhao Huaguang, saying he couldn't control him. Li Haichao, acknowledging Zhao Huaguang had paid for He Ziqiu's tuition fees and living expenses for years, cautioned him not to hurt Zhao Huaguang's feelings, though he dropped the subject when He Ziqiu showed reluctance.
He Ziqiu noticed his old room had been tidied and asked if someone had been living there. Li Haichao smiled, revealing Li Jianjian had called that day mentioning an extra person coming, and also admitted knowing about He Ziqiu's earlier secret visit to the noodle restaurant, thus guessing his return. Li Haichao asked when He Ziqiu would move back, and He Ziqiu replied he was living with Ling Xiao.
Li Jianjian, busy in her studio, received a confession text from Ran, an online friend she had known for a long time. They had previously arranged to meet at an exhibition but missed it due to He Ziqiu's mix-up. Conflicted, Li Jianjian confided in her senior, Du Juan. Du Juan encouraged her to date, suggesting love might bring new creative inspiration.
However, upon learning Ran had confessed, Du Juan noted that Ran's works showed an almost divine worship of women, which she described as beautiful yet fragile. Based on her own dating experience, Du Juan suggested people like Ran were often "ugly" and advised Li Jianjian to see Ran's photo first. On her way home, Li Jianjian passed a puddle, triggering childhood memories of her and He Ziqiu playing and jumping in puddles.
She recalled one instance where He Ziqiu fell, and Ling Xiao arrived to pull him up. That evening, the five family members — Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu, Li Haichao, and Ling Heping — gathered at home for Ling Heping's birthday celebration, happily eating and drinking. He Ziqiu presented Ling Heping with a handmade cake but forgot the candles.
Ling Xiao offered to retrieve them, but He Ziqiu pulled him back, insisting he would go, inadvertently revealing a scar on Ling Xiao's shoulder. He Ziqiu repeatedly questioned him about the injury. Ling Heping also asked why Ling Xiao had never mentioned it, to which Ling Xiao retorted that Ling Heping himself had never mentioned his own broken leg and concussion from a mission. He Ziqiu was surprised, having never known this.
Li Jianjian, annoyed, interjected that even if they had been told, they couldn't have rushed back to care for them, leaving He Ziqiu speechless. The atmosphere grew awkward, and Li Jianjian, feeling she had spoken inappropriately, quickly urged everyone to continue eating. During the celebration, He Ziqiu gave gifts to everyone except Ling Xiao, jokingly apologizing for not having a present for him.
Ling Xiao, realizing He Ziqiu was trying to embarrass him, pretended indifference and announced he also hadn't bought a gift for He Ziqiu, calling them even. After dinner, Ling Xiao wanted to share a taxi with Li Jianjian to take her home, but He Ziqiu insisted she ride in his car. Initially, they thought he had bought a car, but it turned out to be a second-hand electric motorcycle bought online, which He Ziqiu struggled to start.
Li Jianjian received a message and laughed happily. When Ling Xiao asked who it was, she replied it was her boyfriend. Without waiting for He Ziqiu to start his bike, she left to catch a taxi. Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu exchanged surprised glances, astonished that Li Jianjian had a boyfriend. Feeling uneasy, He Ziqiu quickly rode his motorcycle to chase Li Jianjian, who was in a car. She was unaware he was following.
After chasing for a while, his bike broke down, forcing him to push it. While waiting at a traffic light, He Ziqiu saw a woman strongly resembling He Mei in a passing car. Startled by the sight of his mother, he let go of the electric bike, which fell to the ground. By the time he recovered from his shock, the car was too far away to catch.
Meanwhile, Li Jianjian was on the phone in her car, discussing her situation with her two brothers, wondering why they now looked at her differently, just like when they first met.
Episode 16 Recap
Ling Xiao has returned home from Singapore and does not plan to go back. His mother, Chen Ting, is unaware of this and repeatedly calls and sends voice messages to him, hoping he will return to Singapore soon. Ling Xiao does not answer her calls and is unsure how to reply to her messages, feeling uneasy as he listens to them. The next morning, Ling Xiao dines at a noodle shop with Ling Heping.
Their neighbors, Mrs. He and Mrs. Qian, join them. Mrs. Qian playfully teases Li Haichao, suggesting he pick either He Ziqiu or Ling Xiao as a son-in-law, and encourages Ling Xiao to pursue Li Jianjian to keep the "good fortune" within their family. Ling Heping and Li Haichao are amused, while Ling Xiao jokingly affirms he is "working hard" to pursue Li Jianjian, leading to hearty laughter from everyone present.
Qi Mingyue, working as a reporter, is initially tasked with interviewing at a wet market alongside photographer Gu Feng, who talks about his past adventures. However, they receive a last-minute tip from neighbor Mrs. Li about suspected baby cries from a sewer, prompting them to rush to the location. While there, Qi Mingyue discovers a missed call from Ling Xiao. She immediately calls him back, and he inquires about Li Jianjian having a boyfriend.
Qi Mingyue is unaware of this development and even calls Tang Can, who is equally surprised. Li Jianjian has an online boyfriend named Ran, who is also a sculptor. She tells her friend Du Juan and her new employee Zhou Miao that she agreed to be with him primarily to try a different type of relationship and see if it can spark her creative inspiration, admitting this is her starting point.
Du Juan asks if she's concerned about Ran's appearance, but Li Jianjian is unbothered. Li Jianjian also shares with Qi Mingyue and Tang Can that Ran does not sell his carvings and relies on his family for money, describing him as someone who lives off his parents. When Li Jianjian returns home, Tang Can and Qi Mingyue confront her about her boyfriend. Having seen Ran's Weibo, they strongly disapprove, considering him peculiar.
Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu also learn about Ran. He Ziqiu is immediately and impulsively against the relationship, while Li Jianjian remains indifferent to his objections. Ling Xiao, however, is silent and his expression darkens. Later, Ling Xiao calmly discusses Ran with He Ziqiu, who wants Ling Xiao to intervene. Ling Xiao notes that Li Jianjian and Ran have known each other online for years but haven't met in person.
He suspects Ran might have secretly seen Li Jianjian and is now pursuing her due to infatuation. Ling Xiao suggests that Li Jianjian invite Ran to He Ziqiu's coffee shop so they can all meet him. Li Jianjian prepares for the meeting, with Qi Mingyue and Tang Can joining her for support at He Ziqiu's dessert shop, which they discover she co-owns, much to their delight at the prospect of free food. He Ziqiu serves them desserts.
On the scheduled Sunday, they wait for Ran at the coffee shop, but he never shows up. Ran calls Li Jianjian, canceling the meeting because he suddenly got an inspiration on his way and decided to return home to create. Li Jianjian, understanding, doesn't mind and supports his decision. After the canceled meeting, Ling Xiao offers to take Li Jianjian to her studio, but she declines. Ling Xiao then accompanies Qi Mingyue to their landlord to recover some overpaid rent.
To thank Qi Mingyue after getting the money back, Ling Xiao treats her to dinner. During the meal, Ling Xiao confides in Qi Mingyue about the growing distance he feels between himself and Li Jianjian. Qi Mingyue offers comfort and agrees to monitor Li Jianjian's relationship with Ran. That evening, Qi Mingyue's news program is broadcast. Her mother, Jin Yuxiang, disapproves of Qi Mingyue's television image, calls to criticize her, and suggests she take the civil servant exam.
After handling the call, Qi Mingyue hears the doorbell. Li Jianjian answers it to find Ling Xiao squatting outside her door. He asks her to record her fingerprint for his apartment door. Despite her reluctance, Li Jianjian allows Ling Xiao to guide her hand to record the fingerprint.
Afterward, Ling Xiao reminds her of her hospital follow-up appointment the next day and offers to go with her, but Li Jianjian declines, stating she plans to stay up late drawing and will wake up late, preferring to go to the hospital alone. Li Jianjian bids Ling Xiao goodnight and returns to her room, intending to work on design drawings.
She struggles to make progress and, feeling frustrated, spontaneously begins drawing He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao, finding the process surprisingly smooth until she finishes. The next morning, Li Jianjian wakes up to a breakfast prepared by He Ziqiu. After an awkward meal, Li Jianjian heads to the hospital for a dental appointment. Ling Xiao observes her discomfort around him.
After the appointment, Ling Xiao goes to pick up her medicine, while Feng Xixi offers Li Jianjian ice cream and subtly asks if Ling Xiao has a girlfriend. Before Li Jianjian can respond, Ling Xiao returns and interjects that he already has someone he likes. As Li Jianjian prepares to return to her studio, Ran calls, expressing a desire to meet. Tang Can operates an online store where she offers role-playing services for clients.
During one such assignment, where she is impersonating a client on a blind date, the date, a Mr. Li, makes offensive remarks, including calling girls who cohabitate with their boyfriends "unvirtuous." Tang Can, struggling to control her anger, tries to conclude the date. However, Zhuang Bei, who happens to be nearby and overhears the exchange, can no longer tolerate Mr. Li's behavior and intervenes to contradict him. Tang Can recognizes Zhuang Bei and is deeply moved by his defense of her.
Episode 17 Recap
Tang Can met with a Mr. Li, who was arrogant and criticized her. Zhuang Bei, who was sitting nearby, intervened, defending Tang Can and accusing Mr. Li of insulting her. Mr. Li was left speechless. Zhuang Bei then gave his lawyer business card. Tang Can returned a pen to Zhuang Bei, who, saying he had many, let her keep it. Zhuang Bei, knowing Tang Can's job, asked her if she could help him with a favor.
Meanwhile, Li Jianjian met her online friend, Zheng Shuran (also referred to as Ran). Qi Mingyue discovered their meeting by checking Zheng Shuran's Weibo, where she also found a strange post. Concerned about Li Jianjian's safety and the risks of meeting online friends, Qi Mingyue tried to call Li Jianjian, but her phone was unreachable. She quickly informed Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, who became very anxious. They went to the police station to seek out Ling Heping.
Ling Heping, remaining calm, called Li Haichao, who revealed Li Jianjian was at the noodle shop, eating with Zheng Shuran. He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao then rushed to the noodle shop. At the noodle shop, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu were openly hostile towards Zheng Shuran. Li Haichao, conversely, treated Zheng Shuran as an honored guest and enthusiastically introduced He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao.
Li Jianjian quickly introduced them to Zheng Shuran, explaining that her previous award-winning work was based on Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu as prototypes. Zheng Shuran, excited and thrilled to meet the inspirations in person, began discussing art creation with Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, confused and listening intently, interrupted to ask Zheng Shuran if he had only developed the intention to date Li Jianjian after meeting her.
Zheng Shuran admitted that he had not only developed the intention to date her after meeting her, but also clarified that it was not their first encounter, and their initial meeting had been unpleasant. After Zheng Shuran departed, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu returned to Li Haichao's home for dinner. There, they discussed Zheng Shuran's character.
Ling Xiao criticized Zheng Shuran, believing he was attracted to Li Jianjian's looks and was a "啃老族" (moocher/dependent on parents) who had graduated years ago but still relied on his parents for living expenses, deeming him lazy and unworthy of dating Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao then pressured Li Jianjian to call Zheng Shuran and break up, with He Ziqiu supporting him.
Li Jianjian became furious, telling them not to meddle in her life and that they had already significantly impacted it. Emotionally, she blurted out everything she had been holding back, stating they were not her biological brothers and didn't need to be so good to her. Ling Xiao, saddened, asked if she had intended to say these things all along, then left Li's house directly.
Li Haichao then criticized Li Jianjian, urging her to remember their shared history of growing up together. On his way home, Ling Xiao recalled a childhood incident. While walking home from school with Li Jianjian, she demanded candy, and when he refused, she squatted by the roadside, refusing to move. Ling Xiao, in a huff, walked a few steps ahead but turned back to find Li Jianjian missing. After searching, he discovered she was being carried away by human traffickers.
Ling Xiao bravely rushed forward, desperately holding onto Li Jianjian, refusing to let go and buying time for rescue, which attracted passersby. These passersby then called the police, leading to Li Jianjian's rescue. Following this, Li Haichao was profoundly grateful to Ling Heping and Ling Xiao, taking Li Jianjian to thank Ling Xiao, and asked Li Jianjian to recognize Ling Heping as her godfather. After dinner, He Ziqiu apologized to Li Jianjian.
Li Jianjian, however, insisted that He Ziqiu didn't owe her anything and didn't need to apologize or compensate her, as it would cause her significant psychological burden and make her uncomfortable. He Ziqiu insisted he did owe her. Li Jianjian continued, stating that past events were over, everyone had grown up, and she couldn't cling to her "brothers" like she did as a child.
He Ziqiu, feeling sad and disliked by Li Jianjian's distant remarks, asked if she didn't want him anymore. Annoyed, Li Jianjian told He Ziqiu to find his own family. Ling Heping and Li Haichao discussed the day's events at home. Ling Heping asked Li Haichao what he planned to do, but Li Haichao decided not to intervene, stating it was their internal conflict for them to resolve.
The next morning, He Ziqiu still went to Li Jianjian's house and made breakfast. Feeling extremely awkward upon seeing Li Jianjian, he left after preparing it. Li Jianjian waited for He Ziqiu to leave, then came out to eat breakfast with Tang Can and Qi Mingyue. The three discussed Zheng Shuran.
Qi Mingyue, full of curiosity, asked Li Jianjian about her feelings for Zheng Shuran, specifically if her heart raced when meeting him or if she was nervous bringing him to meet her family. Li Jianjian couldn't answer, stating she had no feelings for him despite dating him.
Qi Mingyue, observing Li Jianjian's cluelessness, concluded that Li Jianjian definitely didn't like Zheng Shuran, believing she couldn't distinguish between liking a friend and liking a lover, and that she wouldn't have brought him to meet family on the first date otherwise. Li Jianjian was also confused, explaining her motivation was purely for better artistic creation. As the three girls chatted, the doorbell rang. Qi Mingyue opened it to find Jin Yuxiang (Qi Mingyue's mother), who brought them food and immediately began cleaning the house.
Episode 18 Recap
After Jin Yuxiang finished cleaning Qi Mingyue's home, Qi Mingyue accompanied her downstairs and spoke of a new opportunity at the TV station to send two young reporters to Beijing to be resident correspondents. Jin Yuxiang strongly opposed this, expressing concern that Beijing was too far, and she worried about Qi Mingyue going alone.
She also stated that if Qi Mingyue went to Beijing for two years, she would be twenty-seven upon her return, and marriage would then become a problem. Jin Yuxiang further argued that as a girl, working alone in another city would be too difficult and unsafe, and she might not meet anyone, leading to difficulties with marriage. While Ling Heping was at work, Chen Ting called him, asking after Ling Xiao and exchanging pleasantries.
From Chen Ting's words, Ling Heping realized she was unaware that Ling Xiao had returned to China for work. That evening, Ling Heping discussed the call with Li Haichao, who advised him to talk to Ling Xiao and clarify the situation. Ling Heping felt he couldn't easily talk to Ling Xiao and asked Li Haichao to do it instead. However, Li Haichao refused, insisting that Ling Heping himself needed to speak with Ling Xiao.
Due to the strained relationship between Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao rescheduled Li Jianjian's dental appointment, assigning it to Feng Xixi. At the clinic, Feng Xixi tried to inquire about Ling Xiao from Li Jianjian, but Li Jianjian was reluctant to discuss him. After her dental examination, Li Jianjian couldn't resist peeking into Ling Xiao's clinic. Ling Xiao saw her but showed no reaction. Feeling down, Li Jianjian returned to her studio. While there, Zheng Shuran visited.
Li Jianjian spoke about Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, leading Du Juan to realize that Li Jianjian had two older brothers. Du Juan attempted to press for more details, but Li Jianjian quickly changed the subject. That evening, Li Jianjian encountered Ling Xiao, who was dragging a suitcase, in the elevator. Ling Xiao remained silent, simply pulling his suitcase away. Li Jianjian chased after him, asking if he intended to move back to Ling Heping's home or return to Singapore.
When Ling Xiao did not answer the question about Singapore, Li Jianjian assumed he was silently confirming it. Believing she had angered him and that he was going back to Singapore due to their spat, Li Jianjian softened her attitude and apologized, admitting she had been impulsive and asking for time for both him and He Ziqiu to adjust.
Ling Xiao then walked to a trash can, squatted, and opened his suitcase, explaining that he was merely going downstairs to throw out the trash. Li Jianjian was mortified and embarrassed, unsure what to say. Just then, Qi Mingyue returned home from work. Li Jianjian quickly took Qi Mingyue's belongings and headed upstairs, leaving Qi Mingyue and Ling Xiao to talk. Later, He Ziqiu was seen at Li Jianjian's front door, hesitating to knock.
He hung a bag on the doorknob. His phone rang, and it was Zhuang Bei. After his recent encounter with He Mei, He Ziqiu had secretly entrusted Zhuang Bei with investigating his mother's whereabouts, specifically her starting and ending points. Zhuang Bei asked why He Ziqiu hadn't sought Ling Heping's help for the investigation. Li Jianjian was hiding nearby, listening to He Ziqiu's call.
Before He Ziqiu could answer Zhuang Bei, Ling Xiao suddenly returned, causing He Ziqiu to quickly hang up the phone. Tang Can's father met her for dinner. Tang Can had moved out of her family home due to ongoing conflict with her mother, believing her mother only cared about her earning more money. Her father struggled to mediate between them. After dinner, he reminded Tang Can that her mother's birthday was approaching and asked her to come home to celebrate.
Tang Can hesitated but eventually agreed. Unexpectedly, He Ziqiu was involved in a car accident and was rushed to the hospital. Upon hearing the news while on a bus and unable to disembark immediately, Li Jianjian called Tang Can and asked her to go to the hospital first, using her bank card.
When Li Jianjian arrived at the hospital and asked Tang Can about He Ziqiu's condition, Tang Can dramatically pretended that He Ziqiu had been covered in blood and that the doctors had done their best. Tang Can had intended to tease Li Jianjian, but Li Jianjian took it seriously and burst into loud sobs. Hearing Li Jianjian's crying, Ling Xiao quickly came over to comfort her.
Li Jianjian was relieved to learn that He Ziqiu was actually fine, but continued to cry even harder. Li Jianjian and the others had rushed to the hospital, filled with anxiety. When He Ziqiu regained consciousness, a nurse informed them that he had taken tranquilizers. He Ziqiu then recalled taking medicine from Ling Xiao's nightstand earlier, which Ling Xiao had told him were "vitamin tablets." He now realized that Ling Xiao suffered from insomnia and the pills were sleeping pills.
Ling Heping, worried about Ling Xiao, scolded him gently and brought up Chen Ting's phone call. He urged Ling Xiao to clearly explain the situation to Chen Ting, emphasizing that if Ling Xiao wanted to stay in China, he needed to be clear with his mother. Ling Xiao acknowledged that he could not avoid the conversation any longer and decided to call Chen Ting to tell her the truth.
Ling Heping also asked Ling Xiao to share both good and bad news with him in the future, to which Ling Xiao agreed. Ling Xiao then returned to the hospital room where Li Jianjian was caring for He Ziqiu. He Ziqiu asked Ling Xiao about the incident.
Ling Xiao explained that he was fine and that he had hidden the tranquilizers in a vitamin bottle because he did not want Qin Meiyang and Chen Ting to know he was sick, as he felt he could not be ill in that family and they would worry. Both He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian felt a pang of sympathy for Ling Xiao. After He Ziqiu rested, Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao went to a coffee shop, where Li Jianjian asked Ling Xiao about his time in Singapore.
Episode 19 Recap
Li Jianjian asked Ling Xiao if he had a girlfriend, and he denied it, stating he already had someone he liked. When pressed, Ling Xiao described his beloved as both beautiful and very cute, which made Li Jianjian somewhat unhappy, feeling there was no need to delve deeper since she wouldn't meet the person anyway.
Li Jianjian also inquired about a burn scar on Ling Xiao's shoulder; he explained he had accidentally spilled hot porridge on himself, initially feeling no pain until he realized his clothes had stuck to his skin during treatment, making Li Jianjian feel pained. Qi Mingyue visited He Ziqiu at the hospital, bringing him flowers from Tang Can, along with clothes and toiletries for Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao.
Tang Can had sent the flowers because she was too embarrassed to see He Ziqiu after a previous joke, but He Ziqiu was not bothered and actually wanted to thank her, realizing that Li Jianjian didn't truly dislike him. Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao also brought coffee to the hospital, but Li Jianjian refused to let He Ziqiu drink it. Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue later left the hospital together, discussing Ling Xiao's love life.
Qi Mingyue, who secretly harbored feelings for Ling Xiao but was too shy to confess, tried to discreetly inquire about his relationship status. Li Jianjian admitted she wasn't sure if Ling Xiao had a girlfriend but believed he would eventually, adding that some "wild girl" would take him away, which secretly upset Qi Mingyue. Later, Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu took a walk outside the hospital and sat on a bench.
While Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao ate roasted sweet potatoes, they refused to share with He Ziqiu, who was craving them. Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu also brought up Zheng Shuran, wanting Li Jianjian to break up with him. Ling Xiao asked Li Jianjian if she genuinely liked Zheng Shuran, but after thinking for a while, Li Jianjian couldn't articulate a clear reason, only stating that she was happy now.
He Ziqiu looked up at the dark, starless sky, reflecting on how different it was from his childhood when he used to see many stars with Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian. Ling Xiao mentioned having seen similarly light-polluted skies in Singapore, suggesting one must go to deep mountains to truly see stars. He Ziqiu then suggested going home for a few days before returning to the hospital, worried about his dessert shop being unattended.
Ling Xiao chided him, saying he wasn't seriously hurt and could be discharged in two or three days. He Ziqiu also recalled his time studying abroad, often arguing with his biological father and wanting to return to China despite his compromise. After playing around, He Ziqiu developed a fever back in the ward, and Li Jianjian gave him medicine before telling him to sleep. He Ziqiu lay down, and Li Jianjian saw Ling Xiao reading a book.
Ling Xiao explained he reads it when he can't sleep; it's about two lonely children wanting to escape the city. Li Jianjian took the book out of curiosity and increasingly felt that the lonely children described were Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, leaving her with complex emotions. Ling Xiao then fell asleep on Li Jianjian's shoulder. Ling Xiao had a private conversation with Zheng Shuran, asking him about his family background.
Zheng Shuran revealed he was an only child with no siblings and hoped that bringing Li Jianjian home would compensate for this lack. On a different occasion, when Zheng Shuran visited He Ziqiu in the hospital, he brought gifts but was met with an unfriendly reception from He Ziqiu. While a nurse was measuring He Ziqiu's temperature, Zheng Shuran stared intently at her waist.
Ling Xiao witnessed this, and after the nurse left, Zheng Shuran, seemingly finding inspiration, began sketching in his album. Li Jianjian, feeling awkward, explained that he was creating art. Ling Xiao later pulled Zheng Shuran aside for a meal and asked him why he liked Li Jianjian. After Zheng Shuran provided his reasons, Ling Xiao expressed his opinion that Zheng Shuran treated relationships too lightly.
While not opposing their friendship, Ling Xiao urged Zheng Shuran to consider if a fleeting romance was worth sacrificing a deep, soul-connected friendship. To improve Ling Xiao's sleep, Li Jianjian went to a bookstore to choose books for him. She also bought wallpaper and other decorations with Qi Mingyue, transforming Ling Xiao's room into a warm and cozy space.
He Ziqiu was discharged from the hospital and immediately insisted on taking a bath upon arriving home, even asking Ling Xiao for help. A gathering was held at home for hotpot, prepared by Qi Mingyue. Zhuang Bei also joined. Tang Can, upon seeing Zhuang Bei, immediately greeted him, but Zhuang Bei seemed afraid to speak to her, keeping his head down.
Tang Can, who had previously felt guilty and apologized to Li Jianjian for an unstated reason (and Li Jianjian embraced her without blame), then sarcastically explained to everyone that her relationship with Zhuang Bei was purely client-based. Qi Mingyue walked over, jokingly announcing that Li Jianjian and Tang Can were together, prompting Li Jianjian to invite Qi Mingyue to join their embrace, and the three hugged tightly, happily.
After dinner, while Qi Mingyue and Tang Can were singing karaoke in the living room, Zhuang Bei engaged Qi Mingyue in conversation. He asked her if she had a boyfriend and what she thought of Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu. Qi Mingyue, feeling shy, did not reveal her true feelings. Zhuang Bei then speculated that because Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu had been close since childhood, one pair among them was bound to end up together.
Qi Mingyue dismissed this, stating that Ling Xiao already had someone he liked. Zhuang Bei further opined that men with a "sister complex" were undesirable, as their sister would always come first. However, Qi Mingyue countered that such men, being so kind to their sisters, would also be very good to their girlfriends. Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue eventually became tipsy, singing loudly into the microphones without concern for their singing ability.
Later, with only Li Jianjian, He Ziqiu, and Ling Xiao remaining at the dinner table, Li Jianjian watched the two brothers bickering. Feeling emotional, she sat between them, embracing both. She reflected that since the previous day, she had realized she would deeply regret her recent harsh attitude towards He Ziqiu if anything truly happened to him. She genuinely welcomed both He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao home.
Episode 20 Recap
Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu reconcile and agree to return to their old camaraderie. He Ziqiu suddenly needs to use the restroom, and Ling Xiao accompanies him. While Ling Xiao is away, Qin Meiyang calls Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian, slightly drunk, answers Ling Xiao's phone. Qin Meiyang recognizes Li Jianjian's voice and asks when Ling Xiao will return, mentioning that Ling Xiao told them he would be back in Singapore in a month.
Li Jianjian is upset by this news and loses interest in singing with Qi Mingyue and Tang Can. Ling Xiao finds Li Jianjian asleep on the sofa and carries her to her room. After the gathering, Tang Can enthusiastically sees Zhuang Bei to the elevator. Zhuang Bei, however, is only interested in Qi Mingyue. He takes a picture of Qi Mingyue and Tang Can before leaving, but Tang Can mistakenly believes he is interested in her.
Ling Xiao returns to his meticulously decorated room, complete with bedtime reading material prepared by Li Jianjian. The next morning, Ling Xiao asks Li Jianjian if she answered Qin Meiyang's call, worried about what Qin Meiyang might have said. Li Jianjian doesn't reveal the truth, only telling him to return Qin Meiyang's call. Li Jianjian confides in He Ziqiu, suspecting Ling Xiao is deceiving Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang. She feels helpless in this situation.
Mrs. Qian arranges a blind date for Li Haichao, but he avoids it. Mrs. Qian, displeased, asks Ling Heping to persuade Li Haichao. Mrs. Qian inquires with Xiaozhu, a shop assistant, about Li Haichao's whereabouts and learns he is at He Ziqiu's cafe. Li Haichao brings He Ziqiu fried dumplings. They talk, and Li Haichao asks if He Ziqiu has ever considered finding He Mei, offering to help him find her contact information.
He Ziqiu declines, believing He Mei has likely forgotten him and unsure what to say even if he found her. Although he tells Li Haichao he doesn't want to find He Mei, he still asks Zhuang Bei where He Mei went after getting into a car that day. That evening, Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao go for a night run. Li Jianjian says Ling Xiao's anxiety disorder is a mental issue and needs to be approached optimistically.
Ling Xiao responds that a mental illness needs a mental cure, and Li Jianjian is his cure. Li Jianjian finds this cheesy, but Ling Xiao is serious, saying her decorating made him feel relaxed. Li Jianjian mentions her mother's 21st death anniversary is next week, and she regrets her childhood behavior, refusing a stepmother and leaving Li Haichao to raise them alone for so long. She also feels responsible for He Mei's departure, as she strongly opposed their relationship.
Now that she is older and Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu are back, she wants them to take care of their fathers. Li Jianjian goes to the dentist. Qi Mingyue has also scheduled a teeth cleaning appointment with Feng Xixi. While Ling Xiao is examining Li Jianjian's teeth, she mentions Zheng Shuran, asking Ling Xiao not to be so harsh on him, stating that Zheng Shuran isn't lecherous despite looking at girls.
Ling Xiao says he simply dislikes Zheng Shuran, but refuses to give a reason, promising to tell Li Jianjian after he returns from Singapore. Hearing that Ling Xiao is returning to Singapore, Li Jianjian is worried. Ling Xiao assures her he is only going to Singapore for business and will return before her mother's death anniversary. Meanwhile, Feng Xixi asks Qi Mingyue if she knows that Ling Xiao has a crush on a female student.
Qi Mingyue is secretly delighted, believing that Ling Xiao is talking about her. Qi Mingyue tells Li Jianjian about this, but Li Jianjian is preoccupied with Ling Xiao's trip to Singapore. Jin Yuxiang invites Qi Mingyue to dinner with Mrs. Chen, only to reveal that it is a setup for a blind date with a civil servant from Mrs. Chen's workplace named Lu Jianyang. Qi Mingyue is caught off guard.
Halfway through the meal, Qi Mingyue tries to leave, claiming work commitments, but Jin Yuxiang stops her. Qi Mingyue then says she already has someone she likes and doesn't want any further setups. Provoked by Jin Yuxiang, Qi Mingyue promises to bring the person she likes home in a couple of days. Jin Yuxiang also tells Qi Mingyue not to think about working in Beijing and to focus on preparing for the civil service exam.
Zheng Shuran waits for Li Jianjian at He Ziqiu's cafe. He Ziqiu becomes angry when he sees Zheng Shuran drawing other girls and says that as long as he is around, Zheng Shuran won't get into the Li family. Zheng Shuran retorts that He Ziqiu has been eating and drinking for free in the Li family for years and ran away as soon as his wealthy father came. He Ziqiu doesn't want to argue with Zheng Shuran.
When Li Jianjian arrives, He Ziqiu shows her the drawings of other girls, urging her to break up with Zheng Shuran. Li Jianjian is unfazed. While they are sketching outdoors, Li Jianjian talks about Ling Xiao's upcoming trip to Singapore, debating whether to buy him a farewell gift and worrying that he might not come back. Tang Can, at Zhuang Bei's request, accompanies Zhuang's mother to play mahjong and chat. Zhuang's mother takes a liking to Tang Can.
Upon learning about Tang Can's strained relationship with her own mother, she advises Tang Can to be more understanding. During this time Li Jianjian is drunkenly resting on both Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu's shoulders. Ling Xiao feels a spark of emotion. Feng Xixi believes Ling Xiao is in a long distance relationship but Ling Xiao denies the theory and mentions that he is fond of a junior student in the local area.
He Ziqiu snatches Zheng Shuran's drawings from three nearby girls, they compliment Zheng Shuran's drawings. Li Jianjian is conflicted to see these drawings. Li Jianjian tells Zheng Shuran to buy a gift for Ling Xiao before he goes to Singapore.
Episode 21 Recap
Zheng Shuran, seeking a more romantic relationship, tried to kiss Li Jianjian during a date, wanting to discuss topics other than Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu. Li Jianjian, however, instinctively avoided him. Meanwhile, Tang Can returned home, having lost 300 yuan playing mahjong. Qi Mingyue, concerned that Tang Can might be repeating past mistakes of spending money on men—her ex-boyfriend still owed her 25,000 yuan and had blocked her—grew agitated.
Tang Can deflected by asking why Qi Mingyue had prepared a gift box. Qi Mingyue explained it was a "souvenir" for Ling Xiao, prompting Tang Can to tease her about her feelings. Just then, Li Jianjian arrived. Tang Can urged Li Jianjian to look at Qi Mingyue's gift, but Li Jianjian, preoccupied, took the box directly to Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian worried Ling Xiao might not return until he showed her his return flight ticket, which finally reassured her.
The next morning, Qi Mingyue drove Ling Xiao to the airport. Misinterpreting his feelings, she gathered her courage and kissed him, declaring it her "answer." Ling Xiao appeared confused by her words. A shy Qi Mingyue then urged him to leave, suggesting they discuss everything upon his return, and Ling Xiao exited the car. He Ziqiu's Aunt He Lan visited him at his café.
She expressed happiness for his venture but also guilt for not having cared for him when he was younger, then reminded him to always be filial to Li Haichao. After talking at the café, He Ziqiu and Aunt He Lan went to the Li family home for dinner. Li Haichao welcomed Aunt He Lan, while He Ziqiu went to pick up Li Jianjian.
Aunt He Lan, concerned that Li Haichao might resent He Ziqiu for reconnecting with Zhao Huaguang, spoke favorably of He Ziqiu to Li Haichao. Li Haichao, however, assured her he wasn't bothered and was happy He Ziqiu had the opportunity to study abroad. Aunt He Lan then burst into tears, revealing her husband had cancer and needed chemotherapy the following week.
She confessed she had come to borrow money from He Ziqiu but found it difficult to ask, having already tried to borrow from others without success. Li Haichao, relieved He Ziqiu was unaware, decided to help, though he was momentarily troubled upon learning she needed 20,000 yuan. He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian, having just arrived, overheard the conversation from outside the door.
He Ziqiu entered, interrupting Li Haichao, and offered to lend Aunt He Lan the money himself, telling Li Haichao not to worry. Although He Ziqiu had some funds, he was in the startup phase of his business and needed stable capital. He later went to an ATM but found his card had limited funds, so he retrieved the card to withdraw the money from a bank counter.
Upon Ling Xiao's return to Singapore, he was immediately met with cold remarks from his sister, Qin Meiyang. Chen Ting, seeing Qin Meiyang criticize Ling Xiao, scolded her daughter. During dinner, Chen Ting, observing that Ling Xiao had not brought his luggage, grew anxious and relentlessly questioned why he had abandoned his promising job in Singapore.
She suspected his return was motivated by Li Jianjian and acknowledged he liked her, but expressed her unwillingness for him to sacrifice his future for love. While they were arguing, Li Jianjian called. Ling Xiao picked up his phone to answer, but Chen Ting, seeing Li Jianjian's name on the caller ID, became furious and tried to snatch the phone, preventing him from taking the call. In the struggle, Ling Xiao's phone fell and broke.
Witnessing the argument, Qin Meiyang grabbed her bag and left the house. Li Jianjian, unable to reach Ling Xiao, grew increasingly worried; she was puzzled that she could call him moments earlier, but now his phone was unreachable. He Ziqiu watched Li Jianjian with concern. Later that evening, Ling Heping and Li Haichao chatted at the noodle shop. Ling Heping asked Li Haichao if he still harbored feelings for He Mei.
Li Haichao denied it but then expressed concern that He Ziqiu might still be thinking of He Mei and asked Ling Heping for help locating her. He also mentioned that He Mei had repaid him 10,000 yuan, which he hadn't told He Ziqiu about, causing him some discomfort.
At Li Jianjian's home, where she had returned from work feeling unhappy, Qi Mingyue informed Li Jianjian and Tang Can that she had confessed her feelings to someone and expected an answer upon their return. Tang Can, perceptive, correctly guessed she was referring to Ling Xiao. Qi Mingyue did not deny it and noticed Li Jianjian's frowning, unhappy expression. Upon Qi Mingyue's questioning, Li Jianjian admitted she was in a bad mood because she couldn't get through to Ling Xiao.
Qi Mingyue, who had initially thought Li Jianjian was jealous of her confession, was relieved to learn the real reason for her unhappiness. Tang Can, outspoken, voiced her opinion that Qi Mingyue was not suited for Ling Xiao, suggesting that if they were to marry, Qi Mingyue might not tolerate Ling Xiao's excessive doting on Li Jianjian. At He Ziqiu's café, which had seen a decrease in foot traffic after a recent event, Zheng Shuran unexpectedly showed up again.
He Ziqiu was annoyed but felt helpless. Du Juan, in Li Jianjian's wood carving studio, had earlier recognized a branded bag Li Jianjian carried as a gift from He Ziqiu, expressing envy for Li Jianjian having such a good brother. Back at the café, Zhuang Bei, seeing He Ziqiu's reaction to Zheng Shuran, asked what kind of boyfriend Li Jianjian would need. He Ziqiu instinctively replied that Li Jianjian didn't need a boyfriend.
Episode 22 Recap
Zhuang Bei initiated a conversation with He Ziqiu about relationships, suggesting that He Ziqiu should pursue and marry Li Jianjian, believing he likes her and it would allow him to protect her forever and share a household registration. Although He Ziqiu initially expressed annoyance, he later found himself reflecting on Zhuang Bei's words and began to suspect he might indeed like Li Jianjian. Meanwhile, Li Jianjian was preoccupied with thoughts of Ling Xiao, who was in Singapore.
She felt distracted at work, hoping he would return soon, and was worried about being unable to contact him, noting that if he didn't call, he hadn't come back. In Singapore, Ling Xiao was eager to return home for work, but his mother, Chen Ting, had withheld his passport and other identification documents. Chen Ting, visibly upset and having refused to eat for a day in protest, questioned if Ling Xiao was abandoning her and Qin Meiyang.
Ling Xiao clarified that he merely wished to live and work back home and was not abandoning his mother and sister. Qin Meiyang remained indifferent to Chen Ting's anger. Li Jianjian returned home early, anticipating Ling Xiao's arrival, and Qi Mingyue had even prepared a celebratory meal. However, Ling Xiao’s phone was unreachable, and by nightfall, he still hadn't returned. Li Jianjian, heartbroken, silently retreated to her room.
He Ziqiu entered to console her, but Li Jianjian, unwilling to talk much, told him to sleep, reminding him they needed to offer incense to her mother at 8 AM the next morning. The next day, marking the death anniversary of Li Jianjian’s mother, Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu returned to the Li family home. Li Jianjian led in offering incense to her mother, telling her that while she hadn’t yet become rich, she surely would in the future.
Li Haichao invited relatives and neighbors from their hometown to the noodle shop, causing Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu some annoyance as the relatives gossiped about their family’s affairs. He Ziqiu’s maternal grandmother tried to set him up with a girl named Jiao Jiao, but Li Jianjian helped him out by claiming Jiao Jiao already had a boyfriend, whom the grandmother deemed too poor.
Other relatives, including his "second aunt in my mother's family" and "second aunt," also consistently tried to arrange blind dates for He Ziqiu. Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu endured the idle chatter with forced smiles. After most relatives departed, two children remained, and Li Jianjian was tasked by her father to care for them.
He Ziqiu, annoyed by the noisy children, made an excuse about work and left Li Jianjian to manage the two children, who eagerly wanted to go to an amusement park. Feeling down, Li Jianjian later went to the rooftop, thinking of Ling Xiao as a plane flew overhead. He Ziqiu joined her there, correctly guessing her thoughts about Ling Xiao’s return.
That evening, Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu shared a late-night meal, burning paper money by the river/on the beach and drinking alcohol. Li Jianjian became heavily intoxicated and unable to walk, so He Ziqiu carried her home. On his back, she drunkenly asked him not to leave, and He Ziqiu promised he will never go, assuring her that if Ling Xiao doesn't return, he will always stay by her side.
Upon arriving home, Qi Mingyue helped put the "rotten drunk" Li Jianjian to bed, commenting that Li Jianjian would even eat rat poison when drunk. Qi Mingyue then asked He Ziqiu if Ling Xiao had returned. He Ziqiu responded negatively, reasoning that Ling Xiao would have called him if he had. Qi Mingyue scoffed, asserting that if Ling Xiao returned, he would first call her because she liked him.
He Ziqiu didn't understand her implication, and Qi Mingyue, regaining her composure, pushed him out of the room. Meanwhile, Ling Heping found Li Haichao drinking alone at home, so they shared a meal and drinks together. Li Haichao expressed his feelings about his wife’s passing 21 years ago, feeling lost and empty. Ling Heping brought up Ling Xiao, concerned that Chen Ting might prevent his return.
Ling Xiao had called Ling Heping that afternoon to say he missed his original flight and subsequent transfer, but asked Ling Heping to inform Li Jianjian he would return that very night. Ling Heping became angry when discussing Chen Ting. Just as Ling Heping was complaining about Chen Ting, Ling Xiao arrived. His first act upon entering was to offer incense to Li Jianjian’s mother.
Ling Heping then remembered he forgot to inform Li Jianjian about Ling Xiao’s return that night, causing Ling Xiao some concern. Ling Xiao then quickly left for Li Jianjian’s house. Ling Xiao went to Li Jianjian's house and entered her room, finding her asleep. He watched her, then, overwhelmed by his feelings, he leaned in and kissed her. This moment was witnessed by Qi Mingyue, who was outside the door and leaned against the wall, surprised and uneasy.
Li Jianjian awakened, seeing Ling Xiao before her and recalling the sensation of the kiss, she stared with wide eyes. Ling Xiao tried to speak to her, but Li Jianjian turned away to avoid him. Ling Xiao, seeing her reaction, then left the room. The next morning, Li Jianjian woke up, vaguely recalling the kiss from the night before, unsure if it was a dream.
Episode 23 Recap
One night, Ling Xiao secretly kissed a sleeping Li Jianjian, who subconsciously recalled being kissed upon waking. Qi Mingyue witnessed this and was upset. The next morning, He Ziqiu prepared breakfast at Li Jianjian's home. During breakfast, Li Jianjian felt awkward seeing Ling Xiao. He Ziqiu and Tang Can discussed Qi Mingyue moving back home and Ling Xiao's reaction to Qi Mingyue's confession. Ling Xiao clarified to Li Jianjian that he intended to tell Qi Mingyue he liked someone else.
Li Jianjian, uncomfortable, quickly left. Later, He Ziqiu noticed an upset Qi Mingyue leaving without a word. Over a meal with Li Jianjian and others, Tang Can brought up Ling Xiao's past mention of liking a high school junior. Ling Xiao denied it was Qi Mingyue, and also denied Tang Can's subsequent guess that she was the one. Li Jianjian suddenly looked upset and left.
Tang Can wondered why, while He Ziqiu guessed Li Jianjian was upset because Ling Xiao had not returned on time to mourn Li Jianjian's mother. After leaving breakfast, Li Jianjian waited for Ling Xiao to depart before heading to her studio. However, Ling Xiao also came out, catching Li Jianjian at the elevator. Though Li Jianjian tried to avoid him, Ling Xiao stopped her.
Following Li Jianjian into the elevator, Ling Xiao confessed to having secretly kissed her and directly declared his love, proposing marriage. He acknowledged not controlling himself the previous night. Li Jianjian, who only viewed Ling Xiao as a brother, was scared and unsure what to do, refusing his proposal and fleeing when the elevator opened. At her wood carving studio, Li Jianjian called Qi Mingyue, who responded coldly and quickly hung up.
Her colleagues, Du Juan and her boyfriend Zhou Miao, returned to the studio affectionately. Du Juan, surprised to see Li Jianjian, asked about her relationship with Zheng Shuran. Li Jianjian revealed she had broken up with Zheng Shuran and been dumped. Zheng Shuran had initiated the breakup either because he felt they were better as friends, or because he wanted a deeper romantic relationship beyond "playing house" and Li Jianjian's refusal led to an angry breakup.
Du Juan approved, stating that Li Jianjian and Zheng Shuran lacked romantic chemistry and that physical intimacy in a true relationship should evoke anticipation, not repulsion. This swift failure of Li Jianjian's first romance, lasting less than a month, left her disheartened. Zheng Shuran visited He Ziqiu at his dessert shop to inform him of the breakup. He Ziqiu, who was in the kitchen, brandished a dagger towards Zheng Shuran, threatening him, but was secretly overjoyed by the news.
He Ziqiu then called Ling Xiao to share the update. Later, after work, He Ziqiu dined with Zhuang Bei, revealing his decision to pursue Li Jianjian. Worried about being perceived as a pervert for liking his "sister," he sought Zhuang Bei's advice. Zhuang Bei found this amusing and suggested He Ziqiu should work to change Li Jianjian's perception of him and actively break their sibling dynamic.
Meanwhile, Feng Xixi chatted with Ling Xiao at work, attempting to ask him out and inquiring about the identity of the junior he liked. Ling Xiao informed her he had already confessed to his crush, Li Jianjian, mentioning he had once bought her ice cream. Feng Xixi was devastated upon realizing Ling Xiao's feelings for Li Jianjian, muttering to herself about her foolishness for not realizing it sooner.
Troubled by Ling Xiao's confession, Li Jianjian sat downstairs, hesitant to go home. Tang Can found her and mistakenly thought she was angry about Ling Xiao returning late. Back home, Ling Xiao reminded Li Jianjian about a hospital follow-up check-up. Li Jianjian, not wanting to engage, said she was fine and didn't need one. Sensing her reluctance, Ling Xiao left.
Observing the awkward atmosphere, Tang Can, still believing Li Jianjian was angry, revealed that Ling Xiao suffered from anxiety disorder and urged Li Jianjian to be understanding. After some deliberation, Li Jianjian went to Ling Xiao, intending to clarify things. She believed he might have been emotionally stimulated to confuse their familial bond with romantic love.
Ling Xiao, however, asserted that he had liked Li Jianjian since high school and, ever since she "picked him up" as a child, he considered himself hers for life. Li Jianjian was stunned and retreated to her room in a daze. Separately, Ling Heping and Li Haichao had been searching for He Mei. Ling Heping found her address and shared it with Li Haichao, revealing He Mei had returned two years prior and was operating a beauty salon.
Li Haichao, after much searching, also learned of her whereabouts, specifically that she ran a restaurant. The next morning, He Ziqiu found a note from Li Jianjian stating she had eaten out. He Ziqiu made breakfast for himself and Ling Xiao. During breakfast, He Ziqiu asked if Ling Xiao had been "stimulated" in Singapore. Ling Xiao then asked He Ziqiu if he had considered finding He Mei.
He Ziqiu admitted he had already located He Mei's beauty salon but had only watched from a distance before leaving. Later, Li Haichao arrived at He Mei's place of business, a restaurant. A front desk clerk initially stated He Mei was out, but He Mei soon appeared at the door. She looked serious, seemingly unwelcoming to Li Haichao.
Episode 24 Recap
Li Haichao and He Mei met, during which He Mei had a child with her. Li Haichao deduced she runs a kindergarten, not a beauty salon, and her second child is a few years old. Li Haichao informed He Mei that He Ziqiu had returned from abroad and expressed his hope that she would meet He Ziqiu to help resolve the complex he harbors about his birth mother, despite being grown up.
He Mei, however, was indifferent to the suggestion, even showing annoyance at Li Haichao's "goody-two-shoes" demeanor. She asserted that her departure and return were solely for her own sake, that she lived well, and saw no necessity in seeing He Ziqiu again. She declared that if they were to encounter each other on the street, they should pretend to be strangers, before abruptly leaving the coffee shop.
It was revealed that He Mei had already seen He Ziqiu chasing her car and had secretly visited his coffee/dessert shop, watching him serve customers. Nevertheless, she continually hardened her heart, reminding herself not to reconnect with her son, He Ziqiu, to avoid changing her hard-won life. Li Haichao had found He Mei's location with the help of Ling Ping. Li Jianjian visited He Ziqiu's coffee/dessert shop and chatted with Zheng Shuran.
Li Jianjian found it strange that He Ziqiu's attitude towards Zheng Shuran had suddenly improved, and Zheng Shuran explained it was because they had broken up. Later, Li Jianjian joined He Ziqiu in the kitchen where he was baking a cake. He Ziqiu offered to teach her how to pipe frosting, guiding her hands-on. As they baked and discussed Ling Xiao, He Ziqiu expressed slight jealousy, noting Li Jianjian's childhood closeness with Ling Xiao.
Li Jianjian quickly defended herself, asserting she treated both him and Ling Xiao equally. Their close proximity made He Ziqiu lose focus, leading to a mistake in the frosting. Feeling guilty, Li Jianjian offered to take the cake, as she planned to stay at Li's home that night. He Ziqiu, enjoying their intimate time, also intended to return to Li's home that night to discuss something with Li Haichao.
That evening, He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian dined at Li Haichao's noodle shop. Mrs. Qian, also present, teased Li Haichao about He Ziqiu becoming his son-in-law. She actively encouraged Li Haichao to arrange for Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu to marry, suggesting it would be a "closer union" since He Ziqiu is not Li Haichao's biological son, and Li Haichao, having raised him, would trust him.
Mrs. Qian also directly advised He Ziqiu to pursue Li Jianjian, stressing that if they both married other people, Li Haichao would be left alone and miserable, lacking support in old age, illness, or emergencies. After dinner, Li Jianjian returned home, bathed, and went to the rooftop to get some air and see the night view, lying on a cement slab.
Hearing a door open, she initially thought it was He Ziqiu but was startled to find it was Ling Xiao. He asked if she was avoiding him, which she denied. Ling Xiao then brought up their childhood, claiming Li Jianjian was always closest to He Ziqiu, going to internet cafes and causing trouble with him, viewing them as "bad kids" while he was "good."
Li Jianjian denied preferring He Ziqiu, explaining that she was closer to He Ziqiu because Ling Xiao was too rigid and disapproved of her troublemaking. She tried to explain that Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu are like her palm and the back of her hand.
However, Ling Xiao countered by asking if, in times of danger, she would clench her fist to protect the palm, and then asked whether he is the palm or the back of her hand, leaving Li Jianjian unable to answer. After the noodle shop closed, He Ziqiu returned to speak with Li Haichao. He revealed Li Jianjian's recent breakup and confessed his own romantic feelings for Li Jianjian, seeking Li Haichao's permission.
Li Haichao was taken aback by this news and struggled to process it. He advised He Ziqiu to consider his feelings thoroughly, expressing concern that the instability of a romantic relationship could potentially ruin the deep family affection they have shared since childhood. Li Haichao asked He Ziqiu to promise that even if their relationship doesn't advance romantically, they will still remain siblings. He Ziqiu agreed to this condition.
After Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao's rooftop conversation, Ling Xiao reiterated his romantic feelings for Li Jianjian once they were home, asking her to consider treating him as a man in the future if her feelings changed. He also declared his intent to tell people around them to prevent others from misunderstanding his relationships. Li Jianjian, terrified, asked if he had told Qi Mingyue, to which Ling Xiao replied he had not, having only informed Feng Xixi so far.
Wanting to keep it private, Li Jianjian promised to consider his proposal if he kept it a secret. She specifically instructed him not to tell He Ziqiu, worried about how He Ziqiu might react, and Ling Xiao agreed. Li Jianjian rejected him again. After Ling Xiao departed, Li Jianjian muttered to herself in frustration.
Hearing a door open, she quickly hid, thinking it might be someone else, but it turned out to be He Ziqiu, which made her sigh in relief. Feeling more at ease in his presence, Li Jianjian was then shocked when He Ziqiu, massaging her feet, suddenly confessed his desire to be her boyfriend and proposed marriage, stating he had thoroughly considered it.
Li Jianjian's face changed dramatically; she was terrified and rejected his proposal, pushing away He Ziqiu and retreating to another sofa, unable to accept that He Ziqiu also confessed to her. She quickly created distance and urged him not to tell Ling Xiao.
Li Jianjian expressed concern about her father's reaction, but He Ziqiu assured her he already discussed it with his adoptive father, Li Haichao, who, while advising him to think carefully, did not object to him marrying Li Jianjian. The following morning, Li Jianjian left early for her studio. During breakfast, Li Haichao informed He Ziqiu about He Mei, revealing she has repaid the money she owed, remarried, and has a child.
He told He Ziqiu that He Mei is located in the same city, a detail he discovered with Ling Ping's help. Li Haichao left the decision to meet He Mei up to He Ziqiu. He Ziqiu, however, asked if He Mei even wanted to see him, which rendered Li Haichao speechless.
Ling Xiao then intervened, stating that regardless of He Mei's desire, He Ziqiu should meet her to clarify that she failed in her maternal duties during his childhood and, consequently, should not expect him to bear responsibility for any future changes or issues she might face. Ling Xiao encouraged He Ziqiu not to be sad, reminding him that he managed to live without a mother as a child and can now strive for anything he desires.
Episode 25 Recap
Twenty years prior, He Ziqiu recalled He Mei buying him a hamburger before leaving for Shenzhen. He Mei refused to marry Li Haichao due to a lack of affection between them, though He Ziqiu was fond of Li Haichao’s family. He Mei had instructed He Ziqiu to obey his grandmother and promised to return for him once she earned money.
His grandmother, who wished for He Mei to marry Li Haichao and settle down, was furious but He Mei was resolute and departed without looking back after bidding them farewell. Years later, Li Haichao informed He Ziqiu about He Mei's current life: she had opened a kindergarten, remarried, and had a four-year-old son, without disclosing her elder son to her new husband. He Ziqiu, feigning indifference, was deeply affected. He Ziqiu, influenced by Ling Xiao, later sought out He Mei.
He first visited a beauty salon but she wasn't there, so he left his address with a staff member, asking her to relay his desire to meet. He also passed a KFC, which triggered memories of He Mei buying him a meal there before her departure. He Ziqiu subsequently visited a restaurant run by He Mei, but she was absent, so he informed the staff he was a friend's son and decided to return another day.
Meanwhile, Li Jianjian secretly purchased sibling manga. While unboxing her delivery at the studio, Du Juan excitedly entered. Li Jianjian hastily hid the manga in a drawer, accidentally leaving one book on a chair. Du Juan announced that an international company was interested in buying the derivative rights for Li Jianjian’s award-winning work, "three close friends." The company's representative would visit the studio soon for negotiations; a successful collaboration would mean a commission for every sale.
In her joy, Li Jianjian forgot about the book, which Du Juan picked up. Du Juan teased Li Jianjian, remarking that such manga wasn't suitable for her and advised her to focus on her competition entry, as Li Jianjian was struggling with a lack of inspiration. After Li Jianjian left, Zhou Miao expressed concern to Du Juan that Li Jianjian might leave the studio if they earned significant money.
Du Juan trusted Li Jianjian, believing her focus was on creation, while Du Juan managed the studio's daily operations, with each fulfilling their distinct roles. Zhou Miao remained uneasy, suggesting a contract, but Du Juan dismissed the idea. At midday, Ling Xiao unexpectedly arrived at Li Jianjian’s studio to invite her to lunch. Ling Xiao and Du Juan briefly introduced themselves, and Ling Xiao offered to treat Du Juan to a meal in the future.
Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian then went to a shopping mall, where they bought a new phone before lunch. On the way, Ling Xiao attempted to hold Li Jianjian’s hand; she felt awkward but, remembering their past familiarity, took his hand. Upon checking his new phone, Ling Xiao discovered messages from Qi Mingyue. Qi Mingyue confessed she had seen him kiss Li Jianjian, realizing she had misunderstood their relationship.
She requested that he and Li Jianjian keep their relationship private until she moved out to save her reputation. Li Jianjian, after reading Qi Mingyue’s messages, felt complicated emotions and blamed Ling Xiao for her predicament. Li Jianjian tried calling and messaging Qi Mingyue, but received no response. Unable to reach her, Li Jianjian waited downstairs outside Qi Mingyue’s apartment. Qi Mingyue, returning home and seeing Li Jianjian, initially ignored her.
However, Li Jianjian, whose legs had gone numb from squatting, stumbled when trying to stand, falling and kneeling on a stone with a cry. Hearing Li Jianjian's yelp, Qi Mingyue instinctively turned back to help her. While applying medicine to Li Jianjian’s leg, Qi Mingyue became angry upon learning that Li Jianjian had read her text to Ling Xiao, feeling like a fool and believing Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian had made a joke of her.
Qi Mingyue refused to listen to Li Jianjian’s explanations. Her anger intensified when she learned that He Ziqiu also liked Li Jianjian, making her feel as though Li Jianjian was deliberately showing off. Li Jianjian, unable to bear it, argued with Qi Mingyue, and they parted unhappily. Tang Can went to play mahjong with Zhuang Bei's mother again, presenting her with a necklace. Zhuang Bei's mother enjoyed the game, and their relationship grew closer.
She also expressed concern for Tang Can, suggesting she pursue other work. Tang Can, slightly embarrassed, explained that acting was her profession, and her current activities were for life experience. She mentioned several past acting roles and advertisements, some of which Zhuang Bei’s mother vaguely recalled. After Tang Can finished playing mahjong, Zhuang Bei picked her up for dinner. Following their meal, Zhuang Bei, hoping to see Qi Mingyue, escorted Tang Can home.
Upon learning Qi Mingyue was not there, Zhuang Bei used the excuse of needing to write a case and did not accompany Tang Can upstairs. Tang Can entered her home to find Li Jianjian crying profusely on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. Tang Can, startled and concerned, immediately uncovered her and asked why she was crying. He Ziqiu was distracted all day.
In the evening, as his workplace was closing, He Mei finally arrived, and the mother and son met. He Mei, knowing Zhao Huaguang’s character, suspected He Ziqiu had run away, as Zhao Huaguang would not easily release him. He Ziqiu, not wishing to discuss Zhao Huaguang, simply stated Zhao Huaguang couldn't control him.
He Ziqiu sought closure and answers, asking why, after promising to return for him once settled in Shenzhen, she later wrote to say she no longer wanted him. He Mei explained that her initial plans for Shenzhen were naive; she couldn't even support herself, let alone a child, and believed abandoning He Ziqiu was better for both of them.
He Ziqiu, fighting back tears, continued, stating he was now an adult with his own important family, and since she hadn't raised him, he would not support her in her old age. He Mei reassured him that she had a son and wouldn't need his support. He Ziqiu then returned a compact mirror with He Mei’s photo (alternatively described as a locket with her young photo), expressing gratitude for his birth but wishing to be strangers henceforth.
As He Ziqiu began to leave, He Mei called out, offering help if he ever faced difficulties, but He Ziqiu refused. He Mei then picked up the locket/compact mirror and gazed at her younger self's image inside. As He Ziqiu rode away on his electric scooter, he finally lost control of his emotions, stopping his vehicle and weeping uncontrollably.
Episode 26 Recap
Li Jianjian was found crying uncontrollably under a blanket by Tang Can, who, after being kicked out by Li Jianjian, sought out Ling Xiao. Upon seeing Ling Xiao, Li Jianjian hit him several times and bit his shoulder, blaming him for her argument with Qi Mingyue, during which Qi Mingyue had called her a dog. Ling Xiao took Li Jianjian to his home, applied an ice pack to her eyes, and massaged her.
He advised her to give Qi Mingyue some time to calm down before apologizing. Feeling better after crying, Li Jianjian massaged Ling Xiao's shoulder, noting her bite was serious. When He Ziqiu returned home, he immediately noticed Li Jianjian's red eyes, though she initially lied about not crying. Ling Xiao revealed the truth about the argument with Qi Mingyue, but He Ziqiu dismissed it, believing girls frequently argue and would reconcile soon.
He Ziqiu then shared details of his meeting with He Mei, explaining her situation and their conversation. Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao were silent, unsure how to comfort him, as He Ziqiu feigned strength. That evening, Li Jianjian brought candy to He Ziqiu's room. He Ziqiu, hidden under his blanket, took the candy with one hand.
After he ate it, Li Jianjian held his hand, comforting him gently, just as she had done twenty years ago when, newly arrived in Li Jianjian's neighborhood, a child named Doudou mocked He Ziqiu as a burden after his birth mother abandoned him. Li Jianjian had defended him then, teaching Doudou a lesson, and would always bring him candy and remind him he was not a burden whenever he was mocked.
Later, Du Juan and Li Jianjian needed to negotiate a business collaboration for their "three close friends" project with an international company, the Maxwell Company. However, Du Juan's hired translator was unavailable. Du Juan's boyfriend had suggested He Ziqiu, who had studied abroad and had excellent English, and Zhou Miao also suggested He Ziqiu.
Li Jianjian initially believed it was unnecessary as the foreign clients would have their own translator, but Du Juan argued that a language barrier could lead to them being taken advantage of. Convinced, Li Jianjian called He Ziqiu for help. He Ziqiu readily agreed, arriving at the studio in a suit and sunglasses, looking impressive, which surprised Li Jianjian, Du Juan, and Zhou Miao. He explained his formal attire was to project a professional image for translation.
Du Juan praised his imposing demeanor and even took a photo with him, making Zhou Miao somewhat jealous. Du Juan provided He Ziqiu with the studio's materials and her desired price range. He Ziqiu successfully negotiated the collaboration with the Maxwell Company. After the successful negotiation, the group went to dinner. Du Juan mentioned that Li Jianjian was a student of renowned professor Peng Yulin.
Zhou Miao expressed surprise and suggested Li Jianjian leverage her teacher's connections to enter the artist circle and sell her works more effectively. Li Jianjian, however, was clearly displeased, insisting on letting her work and talent speak for themselves. Du Juan, noticing Li Jianjian's discomfort, subtly kicked Zhou Miao to silence him.
He Ziqiu also spoke up in defense of Li Jianjian, criticizing Zhou Miao's approach of using flattery and connections to advance one's career and stating that if Zhou Miao wished to operate that way, he should not be working in Li Jianjian's studio. He Ziqiu added that Li Jianjian's hands had been constantly injured since she developed her love for wood carving, while Zhou Miao's hands showed no such signs, implying he did not share her dedication.
Feeling guilty, Zhou Miao ceased his remarks. That night, Ling Xiao fell asleep on the sofa and had a nightmare in which Chen Ting appeared, questioning if he no longer wanted her and Qin Meiyang. He woke up startled, disoriented by the sound of an outside delivery, momentarily confusing his dream with reality and thinking Chen Ting had truly come for him. Li Jianjian arrived home at that moment, bringing in the takeout.
Seeing Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao embraced her for comfort, and Li Jianjian, sensing his distress, allowed him to hold her. Later, Li Jianjian took Ling Xiao running. During their rest, Li Jianjian asked how he had managed to return from Singapore. Ling Xiao recounted how Chen Ting had withheld his documents. One day, while Chen Ting was out buying groceries, he searched her room.
Qin Meiyang suddenly entered, threw his documents onto the bed, and claimed Chen Ting had instructed her to give them to him. Ling Xiao initially disbelieved her, but Qin Meiyang insisted that his heart was not truly with them and urged him to return to his own life, assuring him she would care for Chen Ting. When Chen Ting returned, she even proactively asked Ling Xiao if he had bought his flight ticket, confirming her consent to his departure.
After their run, Li Jianjian accidentally fell downstairs again near their building. As Ling Xiao treated her injuries, Li Jianjian recounted how she had fallen down the school stairs in high school. He Ziqiu had always believed Zhao Huaguang was responsible and felt immense guilt over it. However, Li Jianjian clarified that she had fallen accidentally and had concocted a lie with Qi Mingyue to avoid being scolded by Li Haichao.
He Ziqiu then mentioned that Zhao Huaguang had never denied responsibility when questioned about it, leaving Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao perplexed as to why Zhao Huaguang would take the blame. Later, Li Jianjian anonymously posted on an online "Treehole" forum about her predicament of being confessed to by her two brothers. At Li Haichao's noodle shop, Mrs. Qian was once again trying to set Li Haichao up on a date, this time with a teacher named Hongying.
Hongying, having heard of Li Haichao's good character through Mrs. Qian, spoke positively of him and mentioned her own adult, self-reliant children. While they were chatting, He Mei unexpectedly arrived at the noodle shop, stating she needed to speak with Li Haichao. Li Haichao excused himself from Hongying and Mrs. Qian, asking Xiaozhu to attend to them, and took He Mei home.
He Mei expressed her belief that, given her understanding of Zhao Huaguang, he would not have so easily allowed He Ziqiu to return, and questioned if Li Haichao knew the full circumstances, which he did not. Despite outwardly claiming to have cut ties with He Ziqiu, He Mei secretly cared for him and had been analyzing the performance of his coffee and dessert shop.
She noted its poor location and high pricing, estimating that it was likely already operating at a loss. While He Ziqiu attracted students with discounts, she worried that if these discounts ended, the students might stop frequenting the shop, making it difficult to sustain a business reliant solely on student patronage. Li Haichao, however, disagreed with He Mei's assessment, defending He Ziqiu's pricing by stating that his coffee used authentic, quality ingredients, which justified the higher cost.
Episode 27 Recap
He Mei asks Li Haichao to add her on WeChat, as she intends to help He Ziqiu discreetly. She plans to introduce Li Haichao to her sister, who is a chain coffee shop manager, so Li Haichao can then introduce the manager to He Ziqiu as a friend. Later, He Mei visits Li Haichao at his noodle shop and follows him home, where Aunt Qian recognizes her.
At Li Haichao’s home, He Mei expresses concern that Zhao Huaguang will not easily release He Ziqiu. She also observes that He Ziqiu’s dessert shop business is stagnant due to high prices, which deters most customers. Tang Can attends her mother's birthday party with her father, her sister Tang Yan, and her mother's friends. Tang Can discovers that her mother has been telling relatives she works at a museum to maintain appearances.
During the meal, relatives bring up Tang Can's childhood acting, which makes her very uncomfortable. Her mother also tells friends about Tang Can’s talent for acting in her youth, stating that Tang Can later lost interest and changed careers. Tang Yan sarcastically remarks that she is glad she is not as beautiful as Tang Can, or she might have wasted her prime years acting.
After the unpleasant meal, Tang Can's mother scolds her for her "unseemly" Taobao shop and errand runner work, dismissing her aspirations to continue acting as "daydreaming." Tang Can's father attempts to mediate but fails to please either side. Tang Can returns home upset and confides in Li Jianjian. Li Jianjian suggests that since Tang Can no longer plans to pursue acting, she should not continue running errands to hone acting skills and should instead find a new job.
Upset, Tang Can misinterprets Li Jianjian's good intentions, feeling that Li Jianjian also looks down upon her errand work. They argue, and an angry Li Jianjian leaves for Ling Xiao's place. Earlier, Li Jianjian had met with Qi Mingyue after Tang Can asked her to deliver a household register page. Qi Mingyue took the page and immediately wanted to leave, stating her intention to move out. Li Jianjian retrieved the page and tried to convince Qi Mingyue to move back.
Qi Mingyue, however, felt that moving back would make her a joke and she could not overcome that psychological barrier. Li Jianjian, feeling very apologetic, repeatedly emphasized that no one was laughing at Qi Mingyue and even offered to move out herself until Qi Mingyue was ready to return. Qi Mingyue sighed, asking if Li Jianjian thought she was being unreasonable, which Li Jianjian quickly denied.
With tears in her eyes, Qi Mingyue admitted that she only dared to be unreasonable with them. She acknowledged that she had given up on Ling Xiao since he did not like her, but she still could not face Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao and requested more time. Qi Mingyue was also still upset, believing Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao were already dating, and had refused to talk much with Li Jianjian during a restaurant meeting.
Li Jianjian's attempt for Ling Xiao to apologize to Qi Mingyue was rejected by Qi Mingyue, who felt Li Jianjian was being insincere and had played her, causing Qi Mingyue to leave the restaurant abruptly. Returning to the argument with Tang Can, when Li Jianjian arrives at Ling Xiao's home, he asks what is wrong with her and Tang Can.
Learning they argued, Ling Xiao advises Li Jianjian not to take angry words to heart, but Li Jianjian insists she cannot control her thoughts and is furious. Ling Xiao then claims he can do something to make Li Jianjian stop thinking about Tang Can's issue. Li Jianjian, disbelieving, states she will not get over it that night. Seeing her disbelief, Ling Xiao steps forward and kisses Li Jianjian. Her mind instantly goes blank.
After he releases her, Li Jianjian shrinks into a corner of the sofa like an ostrich. She quickly returns home after Ling Xiao goes to shower. Ling Xiao, in contrast, remains calm with a faint smile, enjoying what is implied to be his first direct kiss with Li Jianjian, who, after recovering from the kiss, buries her face in the sofa out of embarrassment. The next morning, Li Jianjian discovers Qi Mingyue has returned to their shared residence.
Qi Mingyue teases Li Jianjian and reveals she has figured out that neither Ling Xiao nor He Ziqiu is aware of the other's feelings for Li Jianjian. As the sole confidante, she decides to simply observe the unfolding drama. Later, while walking out with He Ziqiu, Li Jianjian, still preoccupied with Ling Xiao's forceful kiss, asks He Ziqiu if he would ever forcefully kiss her when she is not thinking clearly.
He Ziqiu promptly denies it, joking that he would only shove her head into a refrigerator to cool down. Qi Mingyue also faces ongoing parental pressure. While dining with her parents, Jin Yuxiang scolds Qi Mingyue about both her love life and her work, clearly wanting to control all aspects of her daughter's life.
Annoyed, Qi Mingyue states she will go home for the night, and Jin Yuxiang, without objection, hands her several books, telling her to study them thoroughly to prepare for the civil servant exam. Qi Mingyue unconsciously accepts the books, only realizing later at home that she has once again been manipulated by Jin Yuxiang. She shoves the books into a drawer, intending to ignore them.
Later, Jin Yuxiang meets Qi Mingyue at a restaurant and scolds her again, this time for not replying to the messages of a blind date, Lu Jianyang. Qi Mingyue expresses disinterest in Lu Jianyang and refuses her mother's advice to pursue him. Later, Ling Xiao invites Qi Mingyue for lunch and encourages her to order for herself, leading Qi Mingyue to belatedly realize her lack of assertiveness, and she considers it normal that Ling Xiao does not like her.
Meanwhile, Li Jianjian's career is flourishing. Du Juan excitedly informs Li Jianjian at the studio that she has become famous. One of Li Jianjian's designs was acquired by a foreign company, garnering national attention, making her a celebrity on social media, and leading to her story being published in newspapers. Li Jianjian sits at her desk and sees a newspaper featuring her professional accomplishments. However, this success also brings complications.
Zhou Miao orchestrates an article promoting Li Jianjian with excessive praise and arranges an interview. Li Jianjian is furious, demanding Zhou Miao cancel the interview, stating that this kind of unworthy publicity is a taboo for her teacher, Peng Yulin. Zhou Miao refuses, insisting on prioritizing the studio's collective interests. Li Jianjian, genuinely angered, adopts a boss-like demeanor, telling Zhou Miao that he is merely an employee who should stick to his job.
Du Juan quickly signals Zhou Miao to stop talking. The earlier tension between Li Jianjian and Tang Can escalates once more. Tang Can's career remains stagnant, compounded by her sister's teasing, leaving her feeling unbalanced. Conversely, Li Jianjian's career has skyrocketed. Tang Can, feeling that Li Jianjian looks down upon her, reaches her breaking point and argues with Li Jianjian again.
Provoked by Tang Can's "nonsense," Li Jianjian, releasing her long-suppressed anger, grabs a pillow, straddles Tang Can on the sofa, and furiously hits her with it. Tang Can, verbally strong but physically outmatched, screams and dodges the blows. At the hospital, Feng Fifi approaches Ling Xiao with coffee, gossiping about his relationship progress with Li Jianjian, but Ling Xiao declines to discuss personal matters.
Episode 28 Recap
During a dinner with Qi Mingyue, Ling Xiao encouraged her, asserting her inherent qualities and explaining that he wouldn't be friends with her if she were truly inadequate. He then candidly admitted his own shortcomings, acknowledging that he had somewhat utilized their friendship during his intensely stressful years in Singapore, where he balanced his studies with caring for Chen Ting.
In those moments of overwhelming pressure, he would message Qi Mingyue to inquire about Li Jianjian, finding solace in her updates. Qi Mingyue, understanding his plight, did not fault him; instead, she felt a sense of happiness that she had been able to assist him, even as Ling Xiao insisted on apologizing and thanking her.
Ling Xiao then probed her about her long-standing affection for him, expressing confusion as they had known each other for less than a year before he left for Singapore and rarely conversed. Qi Mingyue confessed she had liked him since her freshman year of high school because he had affirmed her and boosted her confidence.
However, Ling Xiao suggested she didn't truly know him, noting their WeChat conversations were almost exclusively about Li Jianjian and she had shown no curiosity about his life in Singapore, implying her feelings might not have been as deep as she imagined. Upon realizing Ling Xiao's true feelings for Li Jianjian, Qi Mingyue's primary emotion was embarrassment over her misunderstanding.
Reflecting on their conversation, she began to doubt her unrequited love, concluding that she might have been more enamored with the idea of having a crush than with Ling Xiao himself. Returning home, Qi Mingyue felt a profound sense of relief after her confession. When Tang Can inquired about her meeting with Ling Xiao, Qi Mingyue explained that she preferred the feeling of an unburdened, private crush and saw no need to develop a romantic relationship with Ling Xiao.
Tang Can was utterly bewildered by this sentiment, advising Qi Mingyue to pursue a proper relationship next time, lest she be forced into an arranged marriage by Jin Yuxiang. Tang Can lamented their shared misfortunes, calling them "sisters in adversity" with one unlucky in love and the other in career, while Li Jianjian seemed to enjoy unbridled success. Tang Can further suggested they were "unworthy of being Li Jianjian's friends."
Li Jianjian, having overheard Tang Can's cutting remarks from the doorway, angrily slammed the door and left, startling both Tang Can and Qi Mingyue, the latter immediately attempting to pursue her friend. To alleviate her gloomy mood, Li Jianjian went to eat cake, where she coincidentally met Ling Xiao. He recounted his dinner with Qi Mingyue, and Li Jianjian, in turn, shared her conflict with Tang Can. Ling Xiao offered comfort and playful banter, which significantly improved Li Jianjian's spirits.
The following day, Li Jianjian was interviewed at He Ziqiu's coffee shop. The staff gossiped about Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu's relationship, speculating that he opened the shop solely to please her. After the interview, Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu discussed the coffee shop's recent slow business, a concern they both shared. He Ziqiu mentioned that Li Haichao had introduced him to a "Manager Luo," an expert in preparing coffee shop chains, and they had already scheduled a meeting.
Changing the subject, Li Jianjian described her imagined scenario of marrying He Ziqiu as a "nightmare" filled with frequent, severe arguments where they would cease communicating. Despite He Ziqiu's initial surprise and joy that she was even considering marriage, Li Jianjian firmly stated that she regarded him as her beloved brother. She explained that while he might have wanted to care for the younger Li Jianjian, the 25-year-old version could now care for herself and her two brothers.
She emphasized that, regardless of their legal non-relation, in her heart, He Ziqiu was the eldest son of the Li family and her true brother. Meanwhile, Tang Can was recording an audition video for a drama, a surprise given her earlier pronouncements of having abandoned acting. Qi Mingyue and Li Jianjian came to her room, hoping to reconcile and share a late-night snack. They offered their unwavering support, as they had since high school.
However, Tang Can admitted that their encouragement had become a burden, making her feel even more like a failure after each unsuccessful audition. Li Jianjian pointed out Tang Can's contradictory nature: claiming a lack of acting ability while relentlessly auditioning. She argued that Tang Can was her own worst enemy, rejecting acting opportunities by deeming small roles embarrassing and aspiring only to lead roles despite being an unknown novice.
Li Jianjian recalled that Tang Can, who was strong-willed, had pretended to be an experienced actress after transferring to their high school, only for three classmates to discover her repeated audition failures and mock her. Tang Can, feeling her life was a failure and interpreting Li Jianjian's advice as mockery—especially when comparing herself to Qi Mingyue's stable journalism career and Li Jianjian's international design fame—angrily rejected Li Jianjian's attempts to encourage her.
Li Jianjian, exasperated, reminded Tang Can that they were not enemies and urged her to accept advice. Tang Can, refusing to be swayed, angrily retreated to her room to sulk, prompting a furious Li Jianjian to run to Ling Xiao's house. At Ling Xiao's house, Zhuang Bei was helping Li Jianjian with a contract while watching TV with Ling Xiao. Tang Can, who had followed Li Jianjian, calmed down somewhat upon seeing Zhuang Bei.
Zhuang Bei had intended to privately return a necklace Tang Can had given to his mother, but with Qi Mingyue also present, he decided to return it publicly, which deeply embarrassed Tang Can. She turned and went home.
Zhuang Bei, who had earlier felt uneasy upon hearing Tang Can and Li Jianjian's argument and had almost followed Tang Can to her room but deemed it inappropriate, was later admonished separately by both Qi Mingyue and Li Jianjian for his public action, leaving him utterly confused about what he had done wrong. Ling Xiao went to his room to comfort Li Jianjian, noting Tang Can's straightforward and emotionally transparent nature.
During their conversation, Ling Xiao received a call from his mother, Chen Ting. Aware that Li Jianjian was nearby, Chen Ting asked to speak with her. Ling Xiao put the call on speakerphone, and Chen Ting spoke kindly to Li Jianjian, asking about Li Haichao's well-being before Ling Xiao took the phone back.
Li Jianjian was surprised by Chen Ting's changed demeanor, as she had previously worried that Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang would strongly oppose her relationship with Ling Xiao, potentially leading to an unhappy marriage. Ling Xiao was secretly pleased that Li Jianjian still harbored these concerns. Li Jianjian then asked Ling Xiao when he first developed feelings for her. He revealed it was during high school, which explained why he had not allowed her into his room back then.
Li Jianjian, surprised, thought he was "premature" to have such feelings at that age, but Ling Xiao dismissed her thought, calling her a "late bloomer" for not realizing she was admired. Finally, Li Jianjian asked what Ling Xiao would do if she had married someone else before his return; he gravely stated he would wait for her divorce.
Episode 29 Recap
Ling Xiao, believing he has lost the ability to form intimate relationships with strangers, regards Li Jianjian as essential for his "self-rescue," metaphorically seeing himself in a swamp needing her to pull him out. He declares that if Li Jianjian does not marry him, he will wait for her for a lifetime, and if she were to marry someone else and not divorce, he would remain her brother forever.
Li Jianjian, though not fully understanding his profound words, promises to always reach out and grab his hand. Their intimate moment, as Ling Xiao cups Li Jianjian's face attempting to kiss her, is twice interrupted by He Ziqiu entering the room. Both times, Li Jianjian quickly covers their interaction by claiming they were just playing around, which He Ziqiu believes. Li Jianjian also expresses worries about marrying Ling Xiao, fearing potential exclusion from his mother, Chen Ting, and sister.
The following morning, Qi Mingyue advises Li Jianjian to clarify her relationship with Ling Xiao soon, as prolonged secrecy could negatively impact the brotherly bond between Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu, a concern that only heightens Li Jianjian's distress. Li Jianjian later tells Qi Mingyue about He Ziqiu's financial plight and asks her to stop calling him a "rich second generation." He Ziqiu's dessert shop faces severe business difficulties, relying on discounts to attract students.
He Mei, Li Haichao's friend, introduces her friend, Auntie Luo Hong, to evaluate the shop. Luo Hong suggests lowering costs, offering cheaper beverages and desserts, and implementing promotional activities during summer to attract students, also offering to plan his operational strategies. However, He Ziqiu recognizes Luo Hong as He Mei's friend, not Li Haichao's, and, suspecting Li Haichao requested He Mei's help, refuses her assistance out of pride.
A "guidance teacher" also inspects He Ziqiu's business, confirming its over-reliance on students but noting that nearby training schools could still provide customers during school holidays. At lunch, He Ziqiu exposes Li Haichao's lie about Luo Hong and asks him to cease contact with He Mei.
Li Haichao then questions Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu about their relationship, which Li Jianjian vehemently denies, jokingly stating He Ziqiu's desire to be on the Li family's household register has been "cured" by her. After lunch, Li Jianjian discovers He Ziqiu using a credit card to pay employees. She questions his finances, mistakenly assuming his startup capital came from Zhao Huaguang, and asks why he isn't seeking more funds from his birth father.
He Ziqiu angrily reveals that after he refused to call Zhao Huaguang "dad" or change his surname abroad, Zhao Huaguang imposed financial sanctions. Aside from the first two years, He Ziqiu funded himself by working abroad, saving every penny for his business, and he intentionally kept these struggles from Li Haichao to spare him worry. Li Jianjian informs Ling Xiao of the situation, and together they confront He Ziqiu.
Ling Xiao suggests closing the struggling shop, but He Ziqiu adamantly refuses, unwilling to see his efforts wasted, and asserting that closing the shop would make them a laughingstock, especially if people knew Li Haichao had sought He Mei's help. Li Jianjian, expecting a copyright fee soon, offers to financially assist He Ziqiu. Ling Xiao, however, stops her, cautioning that without a proper business strategy, it would be a "bottomless pit."
This leads to a minor spat; Li Jianjian feels Ling Xiao is always discouraging her and He Ziqiu, while Ling Xiao perceives their actions as excluding him. After a brief argument, Ling Xiao retreats to his room, feigning anger. Li Jianjian follows to appease him, only to find him smirking behind the door, teasing her for taking twenty-seven seconds to respond to her "angry boyfriend." It is then that Li Jianjian fully comprehends the shift in their relationship.
They agree to keep their romantic relationship a secret from He Ziqiu for the time being. Later, He Ziqiu goes to buy fruits, and Li Jianjian, remembering his financial troubles, quickly follows to pay, despite Ling Xiao's attempt to stop her, fearing it would upset He Ziqiu. As Ling Xiao predicted, He Ziqiu is angered by Li Jianjian's attempt to pay, and they argue.
Li Jianjian believes that as family, supporting each other is natural, but He Ziqiu insists he should be the one to support her, not the other way around, unable to accept her financial assistance. After Li Jianjian leaves, Tang Can emerges and attempts to console He Ziqiu, but he sharply rebuffs her.
Angrily, Tang Can asks him to relay a message to Zhuang Bei: her gift of a necklace to Zhuang Bei's mother was situational, and she will not subsidize men like Li Jianjian, adding that she will no longer meet with Zhuang Bei. Tang Can later apologizes to Li Jianjian for past issues, and they reconcile. Tang Can also confesses to Li Jianjian that she has given up on Zhuang Bei.
At a celebration for Li Jianjian's studio selling derivative copyrights, Tang Can speaks with Zhuang Bei. She asks him to instruct his mother to stop ordering from her online shop. Hesitantly, Tang Can then asks about his feelings for her. Zhuang Bei states he finds her lovely but admits he has feelings for someone else, whose identity he keeps secret as he hasn't confessed yet.
Tang Can pretends to be unfazed and encourages him, but later breaks down into a fit of tears in the restroom. Meanwhile, Du Juan, unaware of Li Jianjian's relationship with Ling Xiao, warns Li Jianjian against becoming too absorbed in sibling romance comics.
Episode 30 Recap
The drama begins when Du Juan discovers a trending Weibo post – Li Jianjian's submission to Treehole – which Zhou Miao immediately shares to his Moments, claiming Li Jianjian is two-timing. He Ziqiu, while eating hotpot, also sees an online article about Li Jianjian's emotional entanglement with her two brothers, as do Zhuang Bei and others, causing the dinner atmosphere to turn tense.
Upon seeing the online article/Weibo post, Li Jianjian is at a loss, while He Ziqiu and Ling Xiao realize that they both like Li Jianjian. Upon returning home, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu confront Li Jianjian. Their argument quickly escalates.
Ling Xiao contends that because he and Li Jianjian had a childhood engagement, it's natural for them to be in a relationship, and even though Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu grew up together without blood ties, they are like biological siblings. He Ziqiu retorts that Li Haichao raised Ling Xiao like a biological son, making him no different from a biological sibling.
He Ziqiu questions Chen Ting's potential approval of Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian's relationship, but Ling Xiao asserts he only needs the person involved's consent. He Ziqiu, unaware they are already dating, insists Li Jianjian only views them as brothers. Feeling guilty, Li Jianjian stays quiet as Ling Xiao pulls her close, declaring they are already together.
He Ziqiu initially laughs but is devastated when Li Jianjian confirms their relationship by not pushing Ling Xiao away and nodding, struggling to understand why she chose Ling Xiao over him, as they are both her brothers. Li Jianjian feels complicated and down all night, while He Ziqiu lies awake. The next morning, He Ziqiu wakes up early and prepares breakfast as usual, placing it on the table.
Li Jianjian, Qi Mingyue, and Tang Can assume he won't make breakfast and plan to eat out, but find it ready. He Ziqiu's expression is unnatural, and Li Jianjian is awkward. He Ziqiu leaves for work without eating, claiming he isn't angry when Li Jianjian tries to stop him and asks him not to be. As He Ziqiu opens the door, Ling Xiao emerges.
While He Ziqiu's attitude towards Li Jianjian remains normal, he sarcastically addresses Ling Xiao as Li Jianjian's boyfriend, showing strong dislike for him. Tang Can, meanwhile, controls her sadness after Zhuang Bei admits he has someone he likes and leaves; she cries in the bathroom. At the studio, Li Jianjian receives a call from a high school classmate about the Weibo post and quickly denies it, making an excuse to hang up.
Du Juan sympathizes with Li Jianjian, saying she'd also find it hard to choose. Zhou Miao suggests Li Jianjian choose He Ziqiu, claiming he is wealthier. Just then, Du Juan receives notification that the guaranteed authorization fee has arrived, exciting everyone. Li Jianjian, needing money urgently, asks Du Juan to transfer her share. Zhou Miao suggests using some money for promotion, but Li Jianjian warns him that if he brings it up again, she will fire him, silencing him.
Meanwhile, Feng Xixi, having seen the Weibo post and guessed it was Li Jianjian's, gossips to Ling Xiao, finding their story fascinating. Ling Xiao, however, is angry, considering the experience painful, and Feng Xixi regrets her words. Qi Mingyue and Zhuang Bei meet at He Ziqiu's dessert shop for a legal consultation.
They both find it incredible that He Ziqiu has shown no significant shock or resentment after learning Li Jianjian chose Ling Xiao, instead calmly continuing to run his shop. Separately, while Ling Xiao rests, Chen Ting calls him asking for the address of a pineapple tarts shop near his university. Feeling uneasy, Ling Xiao calls Qin Meiyang, who reports that Chen Ting is slightly more normal lately, having hosted friends for dinner and gone shopping.
Ling Xiao is somewhat relieved but warns Qin Meiyang not to anger Chen Ting. Meanwhile, Luo Hong tells He Mei over tea that He Ziqiu does not resent her and encourages He Mei to acknowledge him. He Mei refuses, feeling she doesn't have the right. During their conversation, the kindergarten teacher calls He Mei, informing her that her son, Dongdong, has bitten another child again. He Mei rushes to the kindergarten.
The teacher suggests transferring Dongdong to a special school, stating it would be better for him, and reveals that Dongdong has Autism. He Mei initially believes her son is usually well-behaved unless provoked and is troubled by his intellectual disability. In the evening, Ling Xiao picks up Li Jianjian from work and takes her to her school to see a tree she planted.
Li Jianjian leans against the tree, which has become the school's wishing tree due to its excellent growth. Ling Xiao writes a wish on a piece of paper and sticks it on the tree. As they walk and chat, Li Jianjian asks if Ling Xiao had a girlfriend or close female friends in college; he denies a girlfriend but mentions a good friend who helped him a lot.
Ling Xiao, knowing everything about Li Jianjian's time in school, playfully asks her height. Li Jianjian first says 1. 62 meters, but when Ling Xiao disbelieves her, she admits to 1. 60 meters. Ling Xiao then embraces her and kisses her under the tree. After the kiss, they go to a restaurant to eat noodles. Ling Xiao jokes that Li Jianjian is too short, and kissing her makes his neck tired.
He then proposes that Li Jianjian keep her distance from He Ziqiu in the future, which she agrees to. However, Li Jianjian also suggests they should maintain distance in front of He Ziqiu to avoid upsetting him. Ling Xiao strongly disagrees, scolding her for being a "good person" and overly sympathetic.
He even gets angry, asking if she wants to reconsider, believing she chose him out of pity, and surprisingly plans to buy an engagement ring, which shocks Li Jianjian, who feels their relationship is too new for marriage. Growing increasingly furious, Ling Xiao accuses Li Jianjian of not wanting to be in a relationship and abruptly leaves the restaurant. Li Jianjian, unable to comprehend his sudden anger, chases after him, emphasizing that she likes him and wouldn't have accepted him if she didn't.
Episode 31 Recap
Ling Xiao suffers from extreme insecurity, viewing Li Jianjian as his lifeline and feeling he cannot live without her, unlike Li Jianjian who lives well independently with friends. He reveals that during his time in Singapore, he constantly thought of Li Jianjian and home, daydreaming about marrying her, having a child, and a happy family, even naming the child.
Li Jianjian, concerned, asks if he has other interests or what he did in Singapore besides caring for Chen Ting and studying, then wonders if he is sick. Li Jianjian asks Qi Mingyue about Ling Xiao's experiences in Singapore, but Qi Mingyue, who only reported Li Jianjian's situation to him, recommends asking Ling Xiao directly. Li Jianjian worries Ling Xiao might have psychological problems.
She proactively starts caring for Ling Xiao, waiting for him after work and inviting him to lunch daily, promising to pick him up early. Ling Xiao finds this strange, but Li Jianjian playfully explains she is "pitying" him, telling him not to overthink when alone and to use his cleverness productively. Ling Xiao's mood brightens. Ling Heping, faking illness, takes Ling Xiao to see Doctor Zhao.
Doctor Zhao diagnoses Ling Xiao with liver qi stagnation and excessive mental stress, or high psychological pressure leading to potential physical changes, suggesting he see a psychiatrist. Ling Heping adamantly denies Ling Xiao is sick, slamming the table, insisting he only sleeps poorly, and expresses reluctance to follow the psychiatric suggestion due to concerns for Ling Xiao's reputation, despite the doctor's insistence that Ling Xiao has "mental problems" and suggestions for hospital checks.
Ling Heping is scolded for his conservative views. Ling Xiao, who overhears the conversation, appears relaxed and does not think his mental issues are serious. Ling Heping later advises Ling Xiao to open up to him, Li Haichao, He Ziqiu, or Li Jianjian if he cannot talk to him, emphasizing not to bottle things up.
Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue believes He Ziqiu has more significant psychological problems, noting his frustration after Li Jianjian chose Ling Xiao, his recent drinking, and the downturn in his coffee shop business. Li Jianjian attempts to help He Ziqiu by giving him her copyright fees, or a bank card, to pay off credit card debt, saying it's better to owe her than the bank. However, He Ziqiu coldly rejects the money, insisting he hates and doesn't need pity.
Li Jianjian, who only wished to help and not pity him, is left feeling disheartened as He Ziqiu closes the door on her, which she interprets as him closing his heart due to his excessive pride. At one point, Ling Xiao suddenly becomes angry and leaves a restaurant, accusing Li Jianjian of excessive pity. Li Jianjian follows him, trying to understand his sudden shift in mood and his experiences abroad.
Ling Xiao confesses his frequent yearning for Li Jianjian and home, and his insomnia since returning. Li Jianjian, deeply moved, embraces him and cries, realizing his loneliness. Later, when Li Jianjian visits Ling Xiao at the dental clinic after work and invites him to dinner, she again jokingly says she is "overflowing with love" and enjoys pitying people, deciding to pity him.
Confused and thinking she is still angry, Ling Xiao is surprised when Li Jianjian pulls his collar, bends him down, and kisses him on tiptoes before casually walking away. Li Jianjian, feeling down, calls Li Haichao. He cheers her up by joking and pretending to converse with others. Before hanging up, she expresses familial love, making Li Haichao realize his daughter has grown up and is grateful.
Li Jianjian feels guilty that Li Haichao has remained single for so many years because of her, and asks if he truly desires a partner. Li Haichao denies wanting one, stating he finds "helping each other" with Ling Heping to be good, and they even planned to go to a nursing home together in retirement. Li Jianjian playfully objects, promising to live with and care for him herself.
At Li Haichao's noodle shop, Mrs. Qian and Hongying, whom Li Haichao once went on a blind date with, are playing mahjong. The store employee Xiaozhu asks Li Haichao to fill in. Mrs. Qian asks Li Haichao about a recent meeting with He Mei, inquiring if it was solely for He Ziqiu or if anything else transpired. Li Haichao smiles and confirms He Mei is remarried, emphasizing her successful career and that she has a son.
Mrs. Qian speculates he still harbors feelings for He Mei, but Li Haichao denies it, stating he couldn't still be thinking of her. Upon hearing He Mei is remarried, Hongying happily shows active interest in Li Haichao, with other aunties trying to set them up. Mrs. Qian also remarks on Li Haichao's aging appearance compared to He Mei's ageless look.
Episode 32 Recap
Mrs. Qian introduced Hongying to Li Haichao as a potential match, but Li Haichao felt uncomfortable. Hongying suggested he call her Hongying instead of Teacher Zhang, but Li Haichao was overly polite. After the mahjong game, Li Haichao confided in Mrs. Qian that he didn't think he and Hongying were a good fit. Mrs. Qian was displeased and scolded him.
She suspected Li Haichao still had feelings for He Mei, but he denied it, saying He Mei was remarried with a child. Mrs. Qian told Li Haichao that it was Li Jianjian who asked her to find someone for him, because Li Jianjian was worried about him. Later, Mrs. Qian ran into Li Jianjian, who said she was fine with Li Haichao remarrying as long as the person was healthy and had no bad habits.
Li Jianjian was so talkative that Mrs. Qian thought she would be great at matchmaking. Li Jianjian shared watermelon with Ling Xiao. Ling Xiao recalled the difficult time when his mother, Chen Ting, was in the hospital in Singapore. She was paralyzed from the waist down and unable to control her bodily functions. In the beginning, Ling Xiao resented caring for her, but as time went on, he began to feel sympathy as he watched her struggle.
Chen Ting lost hope and attempted suicide by cutting her wrists in the bathroom. After being rescued, she remained despondent. After being discharged, Chen Ting would lash out and threw hot porridge at Ling Xiao, burning his shoulder. Ling Xiao, worried she would try again, sat in the living room every night listening for sounds from her room.
One day, he heard a noise and rushed in, finding Chen Ting trying to use crutches and wanting to go to the rehabilitation center. He finally felt a glimmer of hope. Li Jianjian felt sorry for Ling Xiao and promised to take good care of him in the future. He Mei took Dongdong to a buffet. While getting food, Dongdong wandered off and He Mei found him in the dessert area with He Ziqiu, who was working there.
He Mei was surprised and asked if his shop had closed, but he didn't answer. He Ziqiu later found a stray dog near the trash and took it home. Li Jianjian ran into He Ziqiu and helped him bathe the dog. Li Jianjian confronted He Ziqiu about his coldness towards her, asking if he still considered her family.
After he affirmed, she told him that family is about caring for and cherishing each other, and that marriage is only a temporary form of family. She added that if family members don't cherish each other, the relationship will break, like Ling Heping and Chen Ting, and He Mei and Zhao Huaguang. Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu's and Ling Xiao's relationship almost broke because they didn't share their true feelings, both the good and the bad.
He Ziqiu didn't want to burden Li Jianjian with his unhappiness, but Li Jianjian said she's only unhappy when he's not being open with her. He Ziqiu was moved by her words. The stray dog escaped the bathroom. The next day at the noodle shop, Li Jianjian gave Ling Xiao food, and they smiled at each other. He Ziqiu looked uncomfortable. Noticing, Li Jianjian gave He Ziqiu food as well.
He Ziqiu said he wanted to make three rules we must observe: first, Li Jianjian couldn't treat him and Ling Xiao differently; second, if Ling Xiao and he fought, Li Jianjian had to side with him; and third, if Ling Xiao treated Li Jianjian badly, he would beat him up. Ling Xiao was about to say something, but Li Jianjian nudged him, and he agreed.
Xiaozhu told Li Jianjian that Hongying was planning to pursue Li Haichao, but he wasn't keen on the idea. As they were talking, Li Haichao and Hongying returned from grocery shopping together. Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao and He Ziqiu greeted Hongying. Li Haichao sent Hongying to the kitchen and told them he and Ling Heping were helping each other, but Ling Xiao said Ling Heping was only a hands-off parent who just provided money.
Ling Xiao also said that he was different and that he would prioritize family over career. Li Haichao was pleased and said whoever married Ling Xiao would be very happy. Ling Xiao took Li Jianjian's hand and said Li Haichao could trust him with her. Li Haichao started to agree before realizing what was happening and froze. Li Jianjian pushed Li Haichao into the kitchen to help Hongying.
Later, Li Haichao went home and sent Ling Xiao out to buy ointment, intending to talk to Li Jianjian alone. He specifically asked Li Jianjian how she and Ling Xiao are with each other. Ling Heping dropped Ling Xiao off at his place, and Ling Xiao asked about his health. Ling Heping avoided the topic and told Ling Xiao not to stay up too late and to rest more. Mrs. Zhuang placed another order at Tang Can's shop.
Tang Can met Zhuang Bei to tell Mrs. Zhuang the truth, but Zhuang Bei begged her to help him because Mrs. Zhuang had already bragged to her relatives that Tang Can was his girlfriend. During the argument, Tang Can saw that Zhuang Bei's phone wallpaper was a picture of Qi Mingyue and understood that Zhuang Bei liked Qi Mingyue. Tang Can realized Zhuang Bei liked Qi Mingyue after seeing that he used a photo of her on his phone, and she was devastated and went home to cry.
Episode 33 Recap
Li Haichao remains troubled by Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao's romantic relationship. While he fully approves of Ling Xiao as a son-in-law, his primary concern is Ling Xiao's mother, Chen Ting, fearing her potential opposition and the difficulties she might pose for Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian reassures her father, mentioning that her recent phone call with Chen Ting indicated a more amicable demeanor, and that Chen Ting, being in Singapore, wouldn't be able to interfere directly.
Li Jianjian then shifts the conversation, attempting to set up Li Haichao with Hongying. Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue secretly fills out an application to work in Beijing but hesitates to send it. When her mother, Jin Yuxiang, calls, Qi Mingyue quickly retrieves civil servant exam materials, pretending to study. Satisfied, Jin Yuxiang ends the call.
Afterward, Qi Mingyue, frustrated by her mother's expectations and her unrequited feelings for Ling Xiao—who is now dating Li Jianjian—angrily throws her books onto the floor, realizing she has no desire to become a civil servant but lacks the courage to defy her mother. Overcome with vexation and sadness, she smashes nearby objects and cries uncontrollably on her bed.
Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian discover that He Ziqiu is secretly working at a buffet restaurant to cover the financial losses of his coffee shop. They go to the restaurant and discreetly observe him from behind a menu. Ling Xiao jokes that he has "bound" himself to He Ziqiu and can always find him, and Li Jianjian reveals that Ling Xiao secretly paid off He Ziqiu's credit card debt, even deleting collection messages to keep it hidden.
He Ziqiu initially feels annoyed by their interference and is reluctant to accept their help, but he eventually acknowledges their concern and accepts their good intentions. He Mei suddenly arrives at Li Haichao's noodle shop with her son, Dongdong. Li Haichao prepares a bowl of noodles for Dongdong, who eats heartily.
He Mei informs Li Haichao that she investigated Zhao Huaguang's hometown, discovering he has remarried and has a five-year-old son, which explains why he had so easily allowed He Ziqiu to return to the Li family. She also reveals she saw He Ziqiu working at the buffet restaurant and asks Li Haichao for Zhao Huaguang's phone number. He Mei calls Zhao Huaguang, accusing him of withholding financial support, which has left He Ziqiu struggling to keep his coffee shop afloat.
Zhao Huaguang confesses that six or seven years prior, he had deliberately cut off He Ziqiu's economic resources to force him to sever ties with the Li family. He explains that He Ziqiu had stubbornly insisted on working to earn his own tuition and living expenses for all those years, despite Zhao Huaguang's initial intention to compensate him.
He Mei, disregarding Zhao Huaguang's explanations and pointedly mentioning his past of "eating soft rice," threatens to expose his secrets if he doesn't compensate He Ziqiu. She puts the phone on speaker for Li Haichao to hear the exchange. Following this, Zhao Huaguang calls He Ziqiu, scolding him and implying that He Ziqiu secretly wanted money but was too proud to ask directly, so he used his mother instead.
While He Mei and Li Haichao are talking, Dongdong quietly takes his bowl of food to feed Li Haichao's dog, and then is found eating dog food himself. Li Haichao quickly picks up Dongdong and takes him to wash his hands and mouth. He then prepares a table full of dishes and continues talking with He Mei. Li Haichao, upon learning about He Ziqiu's hardships abroad, feels remorseful, calling himself an "incompetent, poor father" for letting He Ziqiu suffer.
He Mei genuinely comforts him, acknowledging that no one else could have managed raising three children as well as Li Haichao did. She is touched by Li Haichao's tender care for Dongdong and smiles. After receiving the infuriating call from Zhao Huaguang, He Ziqiu is consumed by anger and confusion. He feels deeply humiliated by the insinuation that he indirectly sought money through his mother. He throws his phone and storms out of the house.
Li Jianjian, who had just arrived with watermelon, is baffled by his unusual behavior, as he bumps into her without acknowledgment. She quickly calls Li Haichao and then chases after He Ziqiu. They find him at He Mei's shop, where Li Haichao and He Mei also soon arrive. He Ziqiu confronts He Mei, tearfully questioning why she continues to interfere in his life and expressing the profound shame he feels from her asking Zhao Huaguang for money on his behalf.
He asserts that he doesn't harbor hatred for He Mei or Zhao Huaguang for abandoning him, but he simply cannot comprehend why he is always the one left behind. He recounts how only Li Jianjian and Li Haichao ever took him in when he needed a family.
He declares his unwavering determination to earn money, to open Li Jianjian's favorite coffee shop filled with her preferred desserts, and to provide the absolute best for those who never abandoned him, wanting everyone to know he is thriving and does not need pity. He tells He Mei he does not need her apology, only that she lives her own life well and without regret.
As He Ziqiu finishes speaking, he turns to leave and pauses, seeing Ling Xiao standing at the doorway, who looks at him with deep sympathy. He Ziqiu walks past Ling Xiao and departs with him and Li Jianjian. Li Haichao remains, visibly worried about He Mei. He Mei apologizes to Li Haichao for causing trouble, promising it will not happen again. After Li Haichao leaves, He Mei crouches down and breaks into sobs.
Li Jianjian and Li Haichao, who had been standing outside and overheard every word He Ziqiu spoke, have red, tearful eyes, acknowledging that they, along with Ling Xiao, are likely the only ones who truly comprehend the immense suffering He Ziqiu has endured. The four then ride home in the car, all remaining silent and heavy-hearted. Li Jianjian sits beside Ling Xiao, her spirits equally low.
Episode 34 Recap
One morning, He Ziqiu awoke to find a drawing on the floor, secretly slipped under his door by Li Jianjian the previous night. The drawing depicted their family eating together at a table. Li Haichao had already prepared breakfast, instructing He Ziqiu to call Ling Xiao to eat. At the breakfast table, Li Haichao took the opportunity to share his heartfelt thoughts with the three young people.
He began by reflecting on his own shortcomings, admitting that he hadn't been a good enough father beyond cooking for them and had only hoped that difficulties would pass with time. He expressed that adults are sometimes the ones who make mistakes and often lack the courage to admit them.
Li Haichao also noted that Li Jianjian often acted first and reported later, concealing many things, and that Ling Xiao's situation wasn't much better than He Ziqiu's, as he too had experienced many grievances. He then told He Ziqiu that while he wasn't obligated to forgive He Mei, there were certain things he needed to know about her past.
Li Haichao recounted the truth about He Mei’s earlier experiences, which He Mei had shared with him the previous night and recently. While working at a counter in Shenzhen, He Mei developed feelings with her supervisor, who had deceived her as he was already married. The supervisor's wife publicly confronted and insulted He Mei, accusing her of being a mistress at the department store, with onlookers watching the spectacle. A colleague even tried to help He Mei manage the situation.
Though the supervisor pulled his wife aside, he still pursued He Mei. He Mei, seeing his infidelity, slapped him in anger. In retaliation, the supervisor fired her and docked her pay. Adding to her misfortune, He Mei's landlord, having heard the rumors of her being a mistress, evicted her from her rental home, refusing to rent to an "indecent woman."
With her reputation ruined locally, He Mei was unable to stay and was forced to leave Shenzhen for work, leading her to cruelly abandon her young son, He Ziqiu. He Ziqiu fell silent for a long time after hearing these revelations. Ling Xiao, concerned, suggested Li Jianjian delay going to her studio to stay and talk with He Ziqiu, but He Ziqiu was unresponsive to Li Jianjian's attempts at persuasion.
Upon returning home, He Mei developed a fever and suffered a nightmare, dreaming she lost a young He Ziqiu in a park. She woke up calling his name. Luo Hong, checking on He Mei after receiving a WeChat message from Li Haichao, discovered He Mei's illness. Luo Hong mused that both Li Haichao and He Mei were single, and Li Haichao was such a good person, suggesting He Mei reconsider him.
However, He Mei felt she had wronged Li Haichao terribly in the past and didn't have the courage to approach him, believing his kindness was simply inherent. She also hadn't fully disclosed her situation concerning her son, Dongdong, to Li Haichao, as he still believed she had remarried and had Dongdong. She felt she was an unimportant person and didn't want her personal matters to affect Li Haichao.
When Ling Heping returned from a business trip, he visited the noodle shop. Li Haichao informed him of two significant matters: one concerning Ling Xiao and the other He Ziqiu. Li Haichao first revealed that Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian were dating. Earlier, Li Jianjian had gone to the dental clinic to pick up Ling Xiao from work, and Feng Xixi had expressed envy at their affectionate hand-holding.
Ling Heping was overjoyed, having long hoped for Li Jianjian to become his daughter-in-law. He fully supported their relationship, citing that Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao had grown up together, making them a perfect match and keeping "the fertilizer in one's own field." Li Haichao expressed concern that Chen Ting might not approve of Li Jianjian, leading to future difficulties for her. Ling Heping reassured him that Chen Ting, residing in Singapore, couldn't interfere much.
After discussing Ling Xiao, Li Haichao then shared He Mei and He Ziqiu's story with Ling Heping. Meanwhile, Zhuang Bei finally mustered the courage to confess his feelings to Qi Mingyue. He arranged to meet her at a restaurant. Unable to say it aloud, he sent her a message. Qi Mingyue, without finishing the message, reacted with anger and questioned why he was confessing to her, knowing Tang Can liked him.
Zhuang Bei, at a loss, quickly explained that he had already clarified things with Tang Can and that he had always liked Qi Mingyue. Realizing his abruptness, he even tried to reintroduce himself. However, Qi Mingyue only considered Zhuang Bei a friend; she harbored feelings for Ling Xiao, even though he was now dating Li Jianjian. She did not accept Zhuang Bei's confession and left.
Soon after, Tang Can called Qi Mingyue excitedly, revealing that a director wanted to hire her for a role. Qi Mingyue, still feeling uneasy about Zhuang Bei's confession, was happy for Tang Can and agreed to discuss it in detail that evening. Later that night, Qi Mingyue was hesitant to go home. Downstairs, she received another text message from Zhuang Bei, prompting her to block him immediately.
Just then, Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao returned from dinner and saw Qi Mingyue. Li Jianjian playfully patted Qi Mingyue, who, startled, relaxed upon seeing it was her. Qi Mingyue glanced at Ling Xiao, and Li Jianjian, understanding, sent Ling Xiao upstairs first. Once alone, Qi Mingyue quietly confided in Li Jianjian about Zhuang Bei's confession, including his explicit statement that he didn't like Tang Can but liked Qi Mingyue. Li Jianjian, reflecting on her own experiences, felt it would be impossible to keep the matter a secret and privately thought that Zhuang Bei liking Qi Mingyue was overly dramatic.
Episode 35 Recap
Ling Xiao sends a message to Li Jianjian before leaving work and then departs the office with Feng Xixi. Li Jianjian arrives to pick up Ling Xiao, and as Feng Xixi accompanies Ling Xiao out into the hallway, Li Jianjian immediately greets him. The two hold hands, openly displaying their sweet affection in front of Feng Xixi, who good-naturedly complains about being a "third wheel."
Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue returns downstairs, feeling conflicted and hesitant to go upstairs to face Tang Can. She later tells Li Jianjian that Zhuang Bei had confessed his feelings for her. Realizing this is why Qi Mingyue is avoiding Tang Can, Li Jianjian encourages her to tell Tang Can, especially while Tang Can is in a good mood. Li Jianjian brings Qi Mingyue home, where Tang Can is trying on clothes for an upcoming audition, in high spirits.
Qi Mingyue is flustered and unsure how to approach Tang Can. Li Jianjian initially offers to speak on Qi Mingyue's behalf but then pushes Qi Mingyue to talk, saying she has something to tell Tang Can. Qi Mingyue bravely tells Tang Can about Zhuang Bei. Tang Can remains calm, revealing she had known about it two days prior and had already clarified things with Zhuang Bei, agreeing they would remain friends.
She expresses no resentment towards Qi Mingyue, understanding that feelings cannot be forced. Tang Can then asks Qi Mingyue if she would consider Zhuang Bei, but Qi Mingyue replies that she had already blocked him, emphatically stating her strong dislike for being pursued. The next morning, He Ziqiu, having breakfast at Li Jianjian's house, brings up Zhuang Bei. Qi Mingyue asks He Ziqiu to convey to Zhuang Bei that they are truly not suitable.
Zhuang Bei also finds Qi Mingyue to suggest they remain friends. Separately, He Ziqiu and Zhuang Bei are later seen drinking together, both preoccupied with their own thoughts and using alcohol to cope. After their conversation, everyone encourages and praises Tang Can, knowing she is going for an audition that day. Tang Can waits for a long time at the office before meeting the director and producer. They are satisfied after learning about her background.
Just as Tang Can feels hopeful, the director and producer inform her that they need her to be a stand-in for the female lead, Sun Li. They promise to prioritize her for their next project if she accepts the offer, advising her to go home, consider it, and reply later. Tang Can's mood drastically changes; she leaves the audition room dejected. Later, Jin Yuxiang (Qi Mingyue's mother) suddenly tells Qi Mingyue that she must buy a house.
Jin Yuxiang reveals her plan: she will pay 50% of the down payment, and Qi Mingyue will repay the mortgage after getting a better job and a raise. Qi Mingyue is angry about her mother's unilateral decision, believing her salary is too low to afford a house or the monthly mortgage. When Qi Mingyue tries to refuse, Jin Yuxiang reveals she has already paid a 200,000 deposit, which is non-refundable.
Qi Mingyue feels her life, including work and love, is messy, making a house seem meaningless to her. After this conversation, Zhuang Bei also comes to find Qi Mingyue, wanting to clarify things with her. Still upset, Qi Mingyue speaks impolitely to Zhuang Bei, even saying that the mere thought of him makes her uncomfortable. She then leaves. Li Jianjian receives a call from Qi Mingyue, inviting her to talk that afternoon. Tang Can also joins them.
Tang Can recounts her upsetting audition experience from that morning, feeling her long-awaited dream of becoming a lead actress had slipped away again, despite her previous confidence. Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue empathize with her. Tang Can then asks Qi Mingyue what's wrong. Qi Mingyue tells them about her mother's insistence on her buying a house with a loan.
She explains that if they take out the loan, their family would be "emptied out," facing monthly payments of over 10,000 for 30 years, worrying her about a potential economic crisis if any unforeseen circumstances arise. Tang Can reflects that while she once believed "all roads lead to Rome," now it feels like "this road is blocked" on every path.
Tang Can and Qi Mingyue feel dejected for a while but then encourage each other, resolving to try regardless of how difficult the future might be. Listening to Tang Can and Qi Mingyue discuss their parents, Li Jianjian recalls an incident where she passed by Li Haichao's noodle shop. Wanting to tease him, she asked what he was doing.
Because Li Jianjian had told Li Haichao she disliked voice messages, he was slowly typing out a message, character by character, wearing his reading glasses. Watching from outside the window, Li Jianjian felt a pang of sadness, realizing her father was growing old. From that moment on, Li Jianjian proactively told Li Haichao that sending voice messages would be fine. Tang Can and Qi Mingyue comfort Li Jianjian for a while. The three friends then eat dinner and return home.
Upon arriving home, they discover a box of express delivery on the table, sent by Tang Can's father. Li Jianjian opens it to find a variety of Tang Can's favorite foods, made by her mother. Her mother, despite not expressing it verbally, had been thinking of Tang Can at home and was too shy to give the food directly, so she sent it. Li Jianjian and Qi Mingyue are fascinated by the pickled foods, eagerly inspecting them.
Tang Can, however, feels a mix of emotions, sitting quietly, as her dream of a lead role had just vanished. She then asks her mother (via her father on the phone) if the museum job her father had mentioned previously was still available. Qi Mingyue also calls her father. He is very angry upon hearing about the 200,000 deposit.
He is currently on a business trip and had not agreed to the house purchase when Jin Yuxiang (Qi Mingyue's mother) first suggested it, saying they would discuss it upon his return. Qi Mingyue reassures her father not to worry, explaining that while the deposit is non-refundable, it can be transferred to someone else. Her father then specifically warns Qi Mingyue not to give the household register page to her mother for the loan.
Tang Can's father also calls her, speaking on behalf of her mother. He explains that her mother had always treated Tang Can as a "little star," boasting to everyone about her daughter having acted in many TV dramas and commercials, despite Tang Can's adult career struggles and never becoming a professional actress.
Episode 36 Recap
Tang Can's mother was feeling unwell, prompting Tang Can's father to call and discuss her condition. Tang Can grew worried and urged her mother to seek a hospital check-up, fearing a potential tumor. Her mother, however, chastised her for speaking inauspiciously. Motivated by her parents' well-being and her own long-standing struggle with acting, having faced countless rejections and never landing a lead role, Tang Can decided to abandon her acting aspirations.
She made the brave decision to call her father and ask if the museum job he had previously mentioned was still available, expressing her desire to work there. She then informed Qi Mingyue and Li Jianjian that she would no longer be working at the errand shop and had given up acting, planning to interview for a museum guide position the following day. She sought a stable job to care for herself and fulfill her filial duties to her parents.
Tang Can also met with Zhuang Bei, informing him that she would be ending their part-time collaboration as she intended to pursue a formal, stable career. She explained that she needed to settle down, as her parents disapproved of her unstable, wandering lifestyle.
Although she was quitting the errand shop, Tang Can assured Zhuang Bei that she would still complete the task entrusted by his mother, considering it a favor, but emphasized that he must clarify to his mother that this would be the final time. Zhuang Bei was puzzled by her sudden decision to quit the errand shop.
Tang Can then offered him comfort, noting that despite his failed confession to Qi Mingyue, he should not be discouraged or think poorly of himself. She explained that Qi Mingyue had no prior romantic experience and might not know how to respond to a declaration of affection, asserting that Zhuang Bei was a good person and should regain his confidence. Zhuang Bei appeared mentally sound, showing no signs of being disheartened by the rejection, which relieved Tang Can.
Meanwhile, at Li Haichao's shop, as he rested after finishing his work, Hongying suddenly arrived. She had prepared homemade dumplings and asked Li Haichao to taste them, enthusiastically feeding him. Ling Heping entered the shop, witnessed the scene, and playfully teased the two. Later, when Li Jianjian and others returned to the Li family home for lunch, Ling Heping vividly recounted and mimicked Hongying feeding dumplings to Li Haichao, further teasing him. Li Jianjian also made a few playful remarks.
Ling Heping even jokingly claimed jealousy that Li Haichao had found a "partner," criticizing him for not informing anyone and then denying it, insisting she was just a "good friend." Li Haichao, however, maintained that he and Hongying were not suitable for each other and were merely friends, not yet at the stage of dating. Seeing Li Haichao's genuine discomfort with the idea, Ling Xiao refrained from joining in the teasing.
As Ling Xiao's birthday approached, Chen Ting decided to surprise him by returning to China with Qin Meiyang. Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian were leaving work and encountered Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang at Ling Xiao's residence, either coming out of the elevator or at the doorstep. They were both extremely surprised. Ling Xiao quickly released Li Jianjian's hand, unwilling to display intimacy in front of his mother.
Qin Meiyang observed that Ling Xiao seemed unhappy to see them but became cheerful upon seeing Li Jianjian. Despite Li Jianjian instinctively removing Ling Xiao's hand from her shoulder, Ling Xiao openly embraced her in front of Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang, clearly declaring their relationship. Ling Xiao then led Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang into his home. Li Jianjian soon arrived with a fruit platter for them.
Chen Ting warmly greeted Li Jianjian, inviting her in, and praised her, remarking on how much she had grown. However, Chen Ting then brought up the past incident where Qin Meiyang had fallen and gotten injured while following Li Jianjian. Qin Meiyang had forgotten about the incident, but Li Jianjian looked awkward, forcing a smile in response to Chen Ting's words.
After a short visit, Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang returned to their hotel, planning to book a restaurant for Ling Xiao's birthday and invite Li Haichao and Ling Heping to celebrate. Ling Heping was very worried about Chen Ting's return, suspecting her of harboring ill intentions, but Li Haichao felt that Chen Ting might have changed from her former self. After Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang left, Ling Xiao found himself unable to sleep, experiencing auditory hallucinations again.
Li Jianjian, guessing that Ling Xiao was upset by Chen Ting's arrival, came to his room, saying she couldn't sleep and wanted to sleep with him. Her comforting presence slowly helped Ling Xiao's mood to stabilize. Later, Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang visited Ling Xiao at his workplace, a dental clinic. They brought gifts from Singapore for his colleagues. Feng Xixi, at the front desk, recognized Chen Ting as Ling Xiao's mother and proactively greeted her.
Chen Ting explained to the front desk staff that she simply wanted to see Ling Xiao's work environment. Ling Xiao, who was treating a patient, only learned of his mother's visit after finishing his consultation, either from Feng Xixi or other staff. He was visibly upset, stating that Chen Ting should have informed him in advance of her visit. Chen Ting claimed she had called him, but he was busy and didn't answer.
Unwilling to argue further, Ling Xiao informed them that he had already arranged a shift swap with a colleague and would take them sightseeing that afternoon. Separately, He Mei visited He Lan's husband in the hospital before having dinner with He Lan at a restaurant. He Mei inquired about He Lan's recent situation, to which He Lan expressed a touch of melancholy, feeling her life hadn't been as fortunate as He Mei's.
They reminisced about past events, and He Lan asked why He Mei had not contacted them for so many years. He Mei explained that she was afraid of causing them trouble. He Lan surmised that He Mei had remarried and commented that if He Mei and Li Haichao had married back then, things would have been far less complicated. He Mei, however, opted to change the subject. After their meal, He Mei gave He Lan a bag containing money.
Shortly after leaving the restaurant, He Mei received a call from her employee, informing her that Dongdong was missing, having been seen on surveillance footage chasing a dog and running off.
Episode 37 Recap
Dongdong got lost after chasing a puppy, and a good Samaritan brought him to the police station. The police required a guardian with identification to pick him up. He Mei, knowing Ling Heping was a police officer, called Li Haichao for help. With Ling Heping's assistance, He Mei retrieved Dongdong. Ling Heping and Li Haichao then learned that Dongdong was not He Mei's biological son.
Dongdong was the child of a staff member from He Mei's time as a beauty salon manager in Shenzhen. Dongdong's mother had endured long-term domestic violence; in an argument, she stabbed her husband to death. The court ruled it excessive self-defense, sentencing her to four years, and she was due for release this year. He Mei had arranged to hire Dongdong's mother upon her release. Ling Heping and Li Haichao were moved by the story.
Dongdong, who rarely spoke, suddenly said "dog," prompting Li Haichao to realize Dongdong wanted to play with Snow Egg, a dog He Ziqiu had once found and was now kept by the supermarket. Li Haichao arranged for He Mei to take Snow Egg. He Mei was grateful to Li Haichao but felt she had caused trouble. Li Haichao, curious, asked if He Mei had remarried, and she confirmed she was still alone.
Li Haichao questioned why she had kept them in the dark, especially since He Ziqiu had been upset under the impression she had remarried. He Mei explained her principle: she had promised that if Li Haichao raised He Ziqiu, he would be Li Haichao's son, and she would not claim him back. Li Haichao angrily reminded her of her unkept promise to return for He Ziqiu. He Mei, stung, cried, and Li Haichao comforted her, as he also felt bad.
He Mei expressed that she felt unworthy of being a mother for abandoning He Ziqiu and did not hope for reconciliation. Qi Mingyue's mother, Jin Yuxiang, paid a house deposit for Qi Mingyue without her father, Qi Papa's, approval. Qi Papa flew back from out of town and met Jin Yuxiang and Qi Mingyue at a restaurant, where the family could not eat harmoniously.
Qi Papa strongly opposed spending all their savings to buy a house, worrying that, being in their fifties, they would have no money for unexpected incidents like illness. Jin Yuxiang insisted on buying the house, stating she wanted to solve Qi Mingyue's biggest life pressure. Qi Mingyue, while acknowledging her own biggest pressure came from Jin Yuxiang, supported her father.
Jin Yuxiang scolded Qi Papa for saying inauspicious things and remained unyielding, despite Qi Papa usually deferring to her on everything else. The argument escalated, with Jin Yuxiang angrily threatening divorce if Qi Papa continued to oppose the purchase. In anger, Qi Papa also stated he would divorce if she insisted, then left the table. Qi Mingyue blamed Jin Yuxiang for being excessive and casually bringing up divorce, but Jin Yuxiang saw no fault in her actions.
Since Tang Can started working at the museum, her relationship with her parents had not improved. However, during a lunch break, her mother, Tang Mama, expressed satisfaction with Tang Can's recent changes and suggested she take the civil servant exam the following year. Tang Mama recalled how Tang Can, as an actress, had earned enough to buy the family two houses and a car.
She noted that the family's small supermarket now generated sufficient income, crediting Tang Can for enabling her parents to live a good life, and expressing that they would be fully relieved once Tang Can settled down. Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang visited Ling Xiao at his hospital, giving gifts to the front desk staff. Feng Xixi deduced Qin Meiyang was Ling Xiao's sister from his personal file.
After surgery, Ling Xiao swapped shifts to spend the afternoon with them, taking them for lunch and to play. Later, Ling Xiao spent the afternoon shopping with Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang. That night, Li Jianjian snuck into Ling Xiao's room, worried he couldn't sleep, offering to keep him company.
Ling Xiao appreciated her concern but sent her back, mentioning his plan to take Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang to Gulangyu Island the next morning and the potential trouble if Li Haichao found out. The next morning, Ling Xiao found Li Jianjian's birthday gift—new shoes—on his table and happily put them on.
For Ling Xiao's birthday, He Ziqiu kindly made a cake, but when Qin Meiyang came to pick it up, she insisted on paying despite He Ziqiu's refusal, stating Chen Ting's instructions to leave money if he wouldn't accept. She placed a stack of money on the table and left, leaving He Ziqiu angry, so he did not attend Ling Xiao's birthday party that night. Chen Ting hosted a dinner at a hotel for Ling Xiao's birthday.
Ling Xiao and the others present were visibly unhappy about the cake payment but said nothing. Chen Ting toasted Li Haichao, thanking him for his care of Ling Xiao over the years but with sarcasm, reminding him that Ling Xiao was not his biological son. Ling Heping remained silent and looked uneasy throughout the dinner. Everyone at the table was unhappy and filled with suppressed anger. When Li Jianjian went to the restroom, Qin Meiyang followed her.
At the sink, Qin Meiyang asked Li Jianjian if she was dating Ling Xiao. Upon confirmation, Qin Meiyang declared their relationship futile, saying both she and Chen Ting disliked Li Jianjian and would never accept her marrying Ling Xiao, adding that she personally hated Li Jianjian. Li Jianjian remained unfazed, stating she didn't care. Seeing Li Jianjian's attitude, Qin Meiyang ended the conversation. After dinner, Ling Xiao accompanied Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang back.
Li Haichao and Li Jianjian waited for Ling Heping to bring the car. Li Jianjian, after a moment, said He Ziqiu had asked her to return quickly and decided to take a taxi to talk to him.
Episode 38 Recap
Ling Xiao drives his mother, Chen Ting, and sister, Qin Meiyang, back to the hotel, suggesting he book their flight tickets for Sunday back to Singapore. Chen Ting states she doesn't plan to return to Singapore immediately, as she intends to visit many relatives and stay in China for a while, implying Ling Xiao doesn't need to book tickets yet. Qin Meiyang expresses dissatisfaction, feeling Ling Xiao is eager to rush them back to Singapore.
Ling Xiao then blames Chen Ting for giving He Ziqiu money for the cake. Chen Ting defends her action, saying it's reasonable given He Ziqiu's business difficulties and her desire not to burden him. Later, Ling Xiao returns home to a birthday surprise from He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian, who present him with a cake, finally making him feel it's truly his birthday.
Ling Xiao jokingly asks He Ziqiu for money, but He Ziqiu refuses, revealing he received 1000 yuan cake money from Chen Ting and won't part with it easily. Li Haichao, restless and concerned about He Mei, visits her beauty salon. He believes her actions are unreasonable, finding it hard to believe He Mei, who deeply loved He Ziqiu, would abandon him due to poverty, especially since she diligently raised Winter, a child unrelated to her.
He insists on knowing the truth, unwilling to be deceived further. Under Li Haichao's persistent questioning, He Mei sends her employee, Winter, out to play and reveals the true story. Years ago, He Mei moved to Shenzhen, hoping for a better life. After two years working at a beauty salon, a dispute arose when a client had an allergic reaction.
He Mei intervened to help a colleague, but the client accidentally fell, hitting her head on a stone step and dying from excessive bleeding. Though not intentional, He Mei was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served four years in prison. She had only allowed her sister, Aunt He Lan, to visit her secretly and wrote a letter for Aunt He Lan to take back, fearing Aunt He Lan or Li Haichao would leak the truth.
He Mei concealed this from Li Haichao, fearing he would not be willing to raise the son of a "murderer." She did all of this to ensure Li Haichao would raise He Ziqiu as his own son without worry. Li Haichao is deeply astonished and sympathetic, scolding He Mei for being so distant. He reiterates that he raised He Ziqiu and Li Jianjian as his own, expecting no return, only their happiness and health.
He knows He Ziqiu has always felt a void that only He Mei can fill. He Mei, however, stubbornly believes this void is permanent and cannot be filled, stating that her only contribution now is to avoid troubling He Ziqiu further. Li Haichao, realizing He Ziqiu's stubbornness originates from He Mei, persuades her that if she truly feels indebted, she should gradually compensate He Ziqiu, emphasizing his right to know the truth.
Meanwhile, He Ziqiu visits his Aunt He Lan in the hospital. As Aunt He Lan sees him out, she hesitantly urges him not to hate He Mei, calling He Mei pitiful and explaining she had no choice. Aunt He Lan describes He Mei's profound sorrow in prison, crying like a "peach" and writing many unsent letters to He Ziqiu. Aunt He Lan accidentally reveals He Mei's past incarceration, leading He Ziqiu to press for the full truth.
Soon after, Li Haichao calls He Ziqiu, not only revealing He Mei's past and her reasons for abandoning him but also informing him that Winter is not He Mei's biological child. Just as Li Haichao is about to call He Ziqiu, Aunt He Lan calls him, informing He Mei that He Ziqiu already knows everything. Agitated by the revelations, He Ziqiu goes to the beach to clear his mind.
Li Haichao, worried about He Ziqiu, calls Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao, who drop their work and rush to find him. Ling Xiao admits he worried He Ziqiu might jump into the sea. He Ziqiu assures them he is fine and would not contemplate suicide. He confesses he feels much better knowing he wasn't abandoned and that He Mei didn't remarry or have other children. However, He Ziqiu finds the concept of "forgiveness" meaningless, as he never hated He Mei.
He also believes that reconciliation is unnecessary and that living separate lives is the best approach. Later that night, Li Haichao and He Ziqiu share drinks and a conversation at the noodle shop. Li Haichao asks about He Ziqiu's future plans, to which He Ziqiu replies he is unsure, feeling any proactive move to connect with He Mei now would seem forced, and that the current situation is fine. Qi Mingyue confides in Tang Can about her parents' arguments.
Tang Can, concerned, advises Qi Mingyue to confront or compromise, rather than continuing to avoid the situation. Qi Mingyue retorts that Tang Can herself eventually compromised. Tang Can clarifies that her compromise was with fate, not her parents, explaining that since starting work at the museum, her life has become smoother, her parents' relationship has improved, and her inner turmoil has ceased.
Later, Qi Mingyue's mother, Jin Yuxiang, calls Qi Mingyue, informing her that she is coming to get her household register page to help her buy a house. Qi Mingyue, who is out, attempts to stall her mother with various excuses. However, Jin Yuxiang encounters Tang Can downstairs and decides to go up to the apartment. Hearing this, Qi Mingyue immediately rushes home.
Qi Mother, led by Tang Can, arrives, changes her shoes, and enters Qi Mingyue's messy room, searching for the household register. Tang Can calls Qi Mingyue and advises her not to worry, as the household register page is at her company and her mother won't find it. After searching extensively without finding the household register, Jin Yuxiang discovers a box of empty beer cans under the bed, revealing that Qi Mingyue has not been preparing for the civil servant exam.
Furious and frustrated by her fruitless search, Qi Mother returns to the living room to wait for Qi Mingyue, radiating a low-pressure aura. Tang Can, observing Jin Yuxiang's anger, messages Li Jianjian, asking her to wait for Qi Mingyue on her way back home, and also warns Qi Mingyue that she has angered her mother. Later, while Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian are together at home watching TV, Ling Heping unexpectedly returns.
He asks about Ling Xiao's recent condition and reminds him to take his medicine and get a follow-up check-up once it's finished. After Ling Heping goes to shower, Ling Xiao unexpectedly proposes marriage to Li Jianjian. Caught off guard, Li Jianjian is stunned and doesn't agree, leading Ling Xiao to drop the topic.
Episode 39 Recap
Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao sat on the living room sofa, sharing a romantic moment, with Ling Xiao explicitly stating his plans to marry Li Jianjian in the future. Li Jianjian leaned against him, her face filled with anticipation for their future together. Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue's mother, Jin Yuxiang, visited Qi Mingyue's residence to retrieve the household register and unexpectedly discovered that Qi Mingyue had not been studying for the civil servant examination.
Jin Yuxiang furiously called Qi Mingyue, demanding she return home. Tang Can messaged Li Jianjian about Jin Yuxiang's visit. Li Jianjian, saying she was going home to get clothes, returned almost simultaneously with Qi Mingyue. Jin Yuxiang, having reached her limit, severely reprimanded Qi Mingyue, accusing her of verbally agreeing to pursue a civil servant career while secretly neglecting the studies. Seeing that her mother knew the truth, Qi Mingyue decided to be frank.
She confessed that she had no intention of becoming a civil servant and instead wanted to be a journalist in Beijing for two years. Jin Yuxiang was disdainful, arguing that Beijing was teeming with talent and that such a good opportunity would not be given to Qi Mingyue. She believed Qi Mingyue would not advance even if she went to Beijing and returned.
Jin Yuxiang had always criticized Qi Mingyue since childhood, making her lose confidence, but Qi Mingyue was no longer willing to endure it. Jin Yuxiang continued to mock and invalidate Qi Mingyue, believing she was acting for Qi Mingyue's own good and showing care. Qi Mingyue rejected this kind of care, leading to a heated argument. Jin Yuxiang even blamed Li Jianjian and Tang Can for "corrupting" Qi Mingyue, making her a liar and someone who talked back to adults.
Qi Mingyue defended her friends, revealing that she had always been this way, and had secretly done many things Jin Yuxiang would deem "bad." She even admitted to intentionally underperforming on her Gaokao, knowing that if her scores were high enough, Jin Yuxiang would force her to attend the China University of Political Science and Law. Instead, she chose the "most foolish method" to pursue her desired major.
Qi Mingyue declared her determination to become a journalist, go to Beijing, explore the world, and see what she could achieve on her own, vowing never to listen to Jin Yuxiang again. Jin Yuxiang was shocked and enraged by Qi Mingyue's words and stormed out. Li Jianjian followed Jin Yuxiang, who asked if Li Jianjian had known about Qi Mingyue's intentional omission of answers on her exam sheet. Li Jianjian denied it, stating she had just learned the truth.
Jin Yuxiang was deeply disappointed, feeling that her diligent efforts in managing the household had led to this outcome. She asked Li Jianjian to inform Qi Mingyue that she would no longer buy her a house and would not support her move to Beijing.
After Li Jianjian conveyed the message, Qi Mingyue calmly took out her computer from her bag and sent a pre-written application report to her leader, who had already agreed to take her on first if she applied. Qi Mingyue then asked Li Jianjian and Tang Can to keep her room for her, assuring them she would continue to pay rent on time.
That evening, Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and Zhuang Bei enjoyed BBQ and watched a game at Ling Xiao's home. Li Jianjian encouraged Zhuang Bei to be more proactive with Qi Mingyue, but Zhuang Bei stated that matter was "over" and he was only there for the game. Soon after, Tang Can arrived to join them for BBQ. Upon seeing Zhuang Bei, she echoed Li Jianjian's advice, adding that Qi Mingyue tends to resist people she likes internally.
Zhuang Bei appeared somewhat helpless. He Ziqiu, who was also present, joked that Tang Can was treating everyone as females due to her uninhibited eating. After the game, Zhuang Bei found a dejected Tang Can downstairs, who was upset by Jin Yuxiang's disapproval of her. Tang Can vented her frustrations and began to cry, lamenting her situation and her years of unsuccessful attempts to become a female lead. Zhuang Bei sat beside her, trying to comfort and cheer her up.
Separately, Li Jianjian received a video from Xiaozhu, a shop clerk. Upon opening it, she saw He Mei and her son Dongdong eating noodles with Li Haichao at the noodle shop. Li Haichao showed He Mei He Ziqiu's high school photos. He Mei told Li Haichao that after some thought, she agreed with him that being cared for felt much better than being ignored.
However, she expressed uncertainty about how to treat He Ziqiu well, having been out of contact with him for so many years and unaware of his preferences. Li Haichao mentioned He Ziqiu's fondness for buying things for the family and jokingly recalled how He Ziqiu once wanted to marry Li Jianjian just to be on the same household register as the Li family. Li Jianjian later showed this video to He Ziqiu.
In another development, Chen Ting suddenly decided to return to China permanently and intended to rent an apartment in Ling Xiao's community. Qin Meiyang, unable to dissuade her, immediately called Ling Xiao to ask him to return. Ling Xiao arrived, and Chen Ting's attitude softened considerably.
She explained that she had discussed it with Ling Xiao's uncle and believed it would be better to settle in China now, as Ling Xiao would otherwise have to travel to Singapore if anything happened to her when she got older. They had also looked at houses, with Chen Ting liking one, and a real estate agent mentioning a better price for a yearly payment.
Qin Meiyang, however, sat nearby with a gloomy expression, opposing her mother's decision to settle in China. Ling Xiao countered that Qin Meiyang was about to enter her senior year of high school, and the significant differences between Chinese and Singaporean curricula would negatively impact her studies. He suggested waiting until Qin Meiyang finished her Gaokao before moving back permanently.
Chen Ting insisted on moving now, using the excuse that she grew up in China and was familiar with the environment, planning a long-term stay. When Ling Xiao failed to persuade Chen Ting, Qin Meiyang threw a tantrum, declaring she would return to Singapore on the weekend anyway. Ling Xiao realized that Chen Ting had planned this return long ago, which explained her recent activities of buying things and meeting friends in Singapore – these were her farewells.
Chen Ting maintained her determination to stay in China, despite Qin Meiyang and Ling Xiao's strong disapproval. Chen Ting reiterated her reasoning about old age and ease of care for Ling Xiao if she resided in China. For Qin Meiyang's studies, Chen Ting countered that modern transportation was highly developed, and Qin Meiyang flying back to Singapore would not take much time.
Episode 40 Recap
Ling Xiao brought his mother, Chen Ting, and his sister, Qin Meiyang, back to his residence. Chen Ting insisted on settling in China despite Ling Xiao's attempts to dissuade her, leading him to scold her. Qin Meiyang, in turn, accused her mother of trying to evoke sympathy, which Ling Xiao scolded her for. Qin Meiyang, however, believed she was voicing Ling Xiao's own unspoken thoughts. At this tense moment, Li Jianjian arrived, carrying a box of local specialties.
She had heard Chen Ting was returning to Singapore and, unaware of her change of heart, had bought them, though the delivery initially went to her woodcarving studio. When Li Jianjian tried to leave after giving the specialties to Ling Xiao, he pulled her to him, intentionally kissing her in front of Chen Ting to signal his profound love for Li Jianjian.
Witnessing the kiss, Chen Ting grew angry and decided to return to her hotel, leaving alone after stating her decision to settle in China and her intention not to bother Ling Xiao if he didn't want to see her. Qin Meiyang was also infuriated and abandoned her mother, disappearing without a trace. Ling Xiao was deeply distressed and sought comfort from Li Jianjian. Qin Meiyang wandered the streets alone.
As night fell, she found herself in the residential area, sitting on a concrete platform. Unable to check into a hotel because her identification was with Chen Ting, she encountered a drunk man who harassed her. Fortunately, He Ziqiu, on his way home from work, arrived and helped her out of the situation, bringing her back to Li Jianjian's house.
Li Jianjian reluctantly took Qin Meiyang in, giving up her own room for Qin Meiyang to sleep in, while planning to share a room with Qi Mingyue for the night. Ling Xiao, upon Qin Meiyang's return, playfully suggested he and Li Jianjian sleep together, a remark Li Jianjian quickly dismissed as a joke. The next morning, Qin Meiyang declared she would stay at Li Jianjian's house until the weekend, then return directly to Singapore.
However, Ling Xiao revealed he had cancelled her plane ticket, unwilling to let her travel alone. When Qin Meiyang started to protest, Li Jianjian offered to take her to the woodcarving studio. Qin Meiyang declined, instead expressing a desire to go to the cafe with He Ziqiu. Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian, seeing this, instructed He Ziqiu to look after her. Meanwhile, Ling Heping met with Chen Ting, having learned of her decision to settle in China.
He informed her of Ling Xiao's anxiety and insomnia, crediting Li Jianjian with his improved condition and better sleep. Ling Heping noticed Chen Ting seemed startled and asked if she was unaware of Ling Xiao's psychological illness. Chen Ting quickly claimed she knew. Ling Heping continued, asserting that for Ling Xiao's well-being, Chen Ting needed to learn to like Li Jianjian.
Chen Ting, denying any dislike, merely stated she wasn't familiar with Li Jianjian and didn't know what to say to her. Despite Ling Heping's ongoing conversation, Chen Ting remained preoccupied with the news of Ling Xiao's illness, unable to fully absorb his words. After their meeting, Ling Heping had lunch with Ling Xiao, advising him not to overly concern himself with Chen Ting's return, as she would be cared for by relatives, making things easier for Ling Xiao.
Separately, He Mei surprised He Ziqiu by visiting him at his shop. Their relationship had significantly improved since He Ziqiu learned more about her past, and he was happy to sit and chat. They discussed Dongdong, with He Mei clarifying that Dongdong's issues were psychological, stemming from witnessing his father abuse his mother, not an intellectual problem as He Ziqiu had mistakenly thought.
She also mentioned that Dongdong's mother would be released from prison in a few months and would be able to take him. He Ziqiu also told He Mei that he had seen a video of her eating noodles at Li Haichao's shop, remarking that many people believed Li Haichao still harbored feelings for her, which embarrassed He Mei.
Before leaving, He Mei gave He Ziqiu a new makeup mirror containing a childhood photo of them together, bringing a smile to his face. That evening, Li Jianjian returned to the noodle shop for dinner. She playfully guessed Li Haichao was messaging He Mei and teased him, saying she would wholeheartedly support him if he found a partner, but advised him not to just seek beauty but someone diligent and thrifty.
Li Haichao grew annoyed, scolding Li Jianjian for meddling and pointing out he never interfered with her relationships before leaving. Soon after, Ling Heping arrived. He discreetly sent Li Haichao away to speak privately with Li Jianjian. Ling Heping had noticed Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang's negative attitude towards Li Jianjian at Ling Xiao's birthday and wanted to console her, promising to defend her if Chen Ting ever bullied her. Li Jianjian was touched by his concern.
After dinner, Li Jianjian took the bus home. Ling Xiao waited for her at the bus stop, and they walked home hand-in-hand, chatting, which always improved Ling Xiao's mood. As soon as they arrived, Tang Can complained to Li Jianjian that Qin Meiyang had snatched her remote control. Ling Xiao called Qin Meiyang over.
He and He Ziqiu discussed the situation and agreed that Qin Meiyang could continue to accompany He Ziqiu to the cafe the next day, provided she followed his instructions. Earlier in the day, Qin Meiyang had visited He Ziqiu's shop and rudely ordered a second mango juice after finishing her first. He Ziqiu decided to teach her some manners, instructing his staff not to serve her unless she became polite and respectful.
Frustrated, Qin Meiyang started to leave, but He Ziqiu pretended to call Ling Xiao to pick her up. Unwilling to inconvenience Ling Xiao, Qin Meiyang compromised, softened her tone, and politely asked He Ziqiu for another mango juice. After work, He Ziqiu brought Qin Meiyang home. He and Ling Xiao had agreed that she could continue to go to the dessert shop with him, but with a strict rule: she was not allowed to eat durian there. Qin Meiyang argued she had only eaten a small amount, but He Ziqiu reminded her that even that small amount had driven away three tables of customers.
Episode 41 Recap
Qin Meiyang, Ling Xiao's cousin, is facing a long and idle summer vacation in China, unfamiliar with the surroundings and lacking friends. To help her experience earning money, He Ziqiu implements "three rules we must observe" and arranges for her to work part-time at his dessert shop, where she dons a uniform and carefully serves customers. Ling Xiao reinforces this arrangement, humorously warning Qin Meiyang that if she doesn't work, she'll accompany Chen Ting to buy furniture.
Anxious about Chen Ting's potential permanent return to China, Qin Meiyang asks Ling Xiao for a solution, but he expresses helplessness, stating that Chen Ting has never considered his feelings, otherwise he wouldn't just be returning from Singapore now. He Ziqiu doesn't fully understand Ling Xiao's comment, and Qin Meiyang offers no further explanation. Li Jianjian suggests enrolling Qin Meiyang in an art training class but believes she wouldn't be interested.
Chen Ting, having returned to China, visits Ling Xiao's dental hospital while he is at work, recalling Ling Heping's mentions of Ling Xiao's medication and insomnia. She chats with Feng Xixi, adding her on WeChat and indirectly probing about Feng Xixi's boyfriend. After work, Chen Ting and Ling Xiao meet at a shop. Ling Xiao is notably impatient and reluctant to engage in conversation. Chen Ting expresses her sadness at his demeanor and encourages him to confide in her.
Ling Xiao abruptly declares his intention to marry Li Jianjian. Chen Ting, though surprised, verbally supports his decision, yet suggests their progress is too rapid and advises against marrying too soon, hinting at her underlying disapproval of Li Jianjian. Later, Li Jianjian encounters Chen Ting and Ling Xiao's aunt at Ling Xiao's doorstep.
Chen Ting, unable to get the door code from Ling Xiao over the phone, hangs up upon seeing Li Jianjian and asks her for help opening the door. Worried about Li Jianjian being alone with Chen Ting, Ling Xiao leaves work and rushes home. While at home with Li Jianjian, Qin Meiyang directly questions the extent of Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao's relationship, specifically if they have "slept together."
Li Jianjian, initially taken aback, replies that she often sleeps with Ling Xiao, quickly clarifying that she has done so since childhood. Qin Meiyang then seriously warns Li Jianjian against having sexual relations with Ling Xiao, firmly stating that their marriage is impossible because Chen Ting would never agree. Qin Meiyang reveals that Chen Ting previously prevented Ling Xiao from returning after college because she despised Ling Heping, Li Haichao, and Li Jianjian, considering them her most hated individuals.
She asserts that Ling Xiao, both then and now, cannot overcome Chen Ting's opposition because she is his mother. Li Jianjian jokingly offers to leave Ling Xiao for five million if Chen Ting pays. Qi Mingyue's father informs her that he is divorcing Jin Yuxiang, explaining that a recent house purchase made him realize their incompatibility. He has since moved into a hotel. Qi Mingyue, who had dismissed their past arguments as empty threats, is shocked.
Concerned for her mother, she uses a borrowed phone to contact Jin Yuxiang (whose number she is blocked from). Jin Yuxiang reacts with fury to the divorce news and challenges Qi's father to bring the household registration book to the civil affairs bureau for an immediate divorce. Qi Mingyue, feeling down, attempts to confide in Tang Can, who is busy selecting an outfit to accompany Zhuang Bei's mother to Zhuang Bei's grandmother's birthday.
Tang Can offers a quick comfort before heading out. Zhuang Bei, waiting in his car downstairs, experiences a sudden romantic interest as Tang Can approaches. Zhuang Bei's mother expresses great joy upon seeing Tang Can and regrets that she is no longer an actress. Tang Can's smile briefly falters as Zhuang Bei's mother discusses her acting past. Tang Can then forces a smile, insisting she isn't cut out for acting, having tried numerous auditions without securing a lead role.
Zhuang Bei's mother disagrees, believing Tang Can possesses acting talent, despite not being a big star and having appeared in some films and television series. Mrs. Qian and Hongying are at Li Haichao's noodle shop. Hongying, who has been seeing Li Haichao for some time, is presumed by Mrs. Qian to be in a romantic relationship with him. Hongying denies this, acknowledging they are only friends and that Li Haichao does not love her.
He Mei then arrives at the noodle shop to learn He Ziqiu's favorite dishes from Li Haichao. Mrs. Qian recognizes He Mei. Li Haichao warmly escorts He Mei out of the shop, leaving Mrs. Qian and Hongying behind. Hongying, witnessing Li Haichao's familiarity with He Mei, feels neglected and suspects he has feelings for someone else. Li Haichao clarifies his meetings with He Mei are solely for He Ziqiu's sake.
Hongying disbelieves him and asserts her good character despite Li Haichao's average circumstances. He Mei intervenes, defending Li Haichao by stating he is indeed a good person, which makes it hard for him to reject Hongying directly without causing hurt. He Mei adds that Hongying is attracted to Li Haichao's goodness, and Li Haichao is attracted to her (He Mei's) beauty, implying that everyone has their motivations, and no one is superior. Hongying is left speechless.
He Mei then pulls Li Haichao away, asking about Hongying. Li Haichao, embarrassed, explains that Li Jianjian arranged for Mrs. Qian to set them up. He then mentions Li Jianjian's strong desire for He Mei and He Ziqiu to reconcile. He Mei is surprised, recalling Li Jianjian's childhood dislike for her. Li Haichao clarifies that Li Jianjian's aversion back then was not to He Mei herself, but to having a stepmother.
He Mei, seizing the opportunity, asks if being Li Jianjian's stepmother would be acceptable now. Li Haichao, momentarily processing the implication, replies "no problem," then realizes the significance of his words. He Mei shyly walks ahead a few steps, and Li Haichao, now overjoyed, catches up, cautioning her to be careful on the stone steps to avoid falling. He wants to help her but refrains, anxiously walking beside her until she safely descends.
Zhou Miao discretely shows Du Juan a school newspaper featuring an exclusive interview with Li Jianjian's senior, Yufei. In the interview, Yufei makes sarcastic accusations, claiming Li Jianjian's work, "Three Close Friends," imitates and plagiarizes his own work, "Us Three." Du Juan immediately shows the newspaper to Li Jianjian, who tries to call Yufei for clarification, but he doesn't answer. Distraught, Li Jianjian loses focus on work and leaves the studio early.
Episode 42 Recap
Chen Ting and Ling Xiao's aunt arrive, and Ling Xiao, worried about Li Jianjian being bullied, leaves work and rushes home. Li Jianjian, returning home, encounters them and uses her fingerprint to unlock Ling Xiao's door, allowing Chen Ting and Ling Xiao's aunt to enter. Chen Ting is displeased but conceals it. Li Jianjian kindly brings watermelon, but Chen Ting declines it, stating she doesn't like watermelon and deliberately dismisses Li Jianjian.
Li Jianjian, feeling rejected, returns to her home, lies on the sofa, and cries, also sad about a plagiarism issue. Ling Xiao arrives, noticing Li Jianjian's red eyes, assumes Chen Ting has bullied her. He immediately confronts Chen Ting, demanding to know what she did. Chen Ting, confused, thinks Li Jianjian has badmouthed her. Li Jianjian, realizing the misunderstanding, rushes over to explain, but Ling Xiao is angry, telling Chen Ting she can mistreat him, but not Li Jianjian.
Chen Ting, seeing Li Jianjian, demands to know what Li Jianjian told Ling Xiao. Li Jianjian tries to pull Ling Xiao away to stop the argument, but the fight has already begun. Chen Ting's pent-up emotions erupt, accusing Ling Xiao of focusing all his attention on Li Jianjian, Ling Heping, and even neighbors, but neglecting her as his mother. Ling Xiao interrupts, stating Ling Heping and Li Haichao love him, then asks Chen Ting why she doesn't.
Chen Ting is stunned into silence. Ling Xiao apologizes to his aunt and leaves with Li Jianjian, apologizing to Li Jianjian, who gently pats him, explaining her sadness wasn't due to Chen Ting. Ling Xiao's aunt later tries to incite Chen Ting further, suggesting Li Jianjian is manipulative and unsuitable for Ling Xiao, which causes Chen Ting to ponder deeply.
Li Jianjian then confides in Ling Xiao about her plagiarism problem: Yufei, a senior, had seen her "three close friends" design draft at her studio, plagiarized it, launched the product first, and then accused Li Jianjian of plagiarism. Li Jianjian needs the original photo of the design prototype to prove her innocence. Qi Mingyue took this photo, and Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu each possessed a copy. Li Jianjian's copy is lost, and Ling Xiao can't find his.
Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao go to a cafe to ask He Ziqiu about his copy. He Ziqiu believes his photo is at Zhao Huaguang's house. While there, Qin Meiyang, overhearing their conversation, suggests He Ziqiu call Zhao Huaguang, but He Ziqiu dismisses her. Qin Meiyang then reveals that Ling Xiao's photo album wasn't lost; Chen Ting, in a fit of rage, had cut up all of his photos.
Ling Xiao tries to stop her, but Qin Meiyang insists they should know about Chen Ting's unstable behavior to be prepared. Qin Meiyang recounts that when Ling Xiao was nearing university graduation and planning to return home, Chen Ting became depressed and volatile, using her poor health as an excuse and yelling to prevent his return.
In a fit of rage, she instructed Qin Meiyang to throw away the shoes Li Jianjian had given Ling Xiao and also took Ling Xiao's photo album, including photos of him with Li Jianjian, cutting all the photos into pieces. Ling Xiao, furious, reprimanded Chen Ting, and Qin Meiyang, concerned about her mother's unstable emotions, intervened to take away the scissors.
Ling Xiao decided to leave, but Qin Meiyang desperately pleaded with him, revealing she had secretly retrieved the discarded shoes and confessing her fear of being left alone to care for Chen Ting due to her mother's unpredictable temperament. Ling Xiao, upon hearing this, still tried to leave, pushing the apartment door shut on the landing to prevent Qin Meiyang from following him.
After revealing these past events, Qin Meiyang, feeling sad and dejected, hides in the kitchen of the dessert shop where she works. He Ziqiu, after sending off Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian, crouches down to comfort her. He understands that Qin Meiyang shared these stories out of concern for Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao, despite her sharp tongue, but also reminds her that a sharp tongue can be hurtful.
Qin Meiyang confesses she believes Li Jianjian still resents her for a childhood incident where Qin Meiyang falsely accused Li Jianjian of pushing her down the stairs. He Ziqiu gently guides her, acknowledging her good heart but pointing out that Chen Ting's influence has made her accustomed to thinking the worst of people. He suggests she apologize directly to Li Jianjian, assuring her that Li Jianjian would not hold a grudge.
He Ziqiu later receives a call from his biological father, Zhao Huaguang, who sounds weary. Zhao Huaguang informs He Ziqiu that his grandfather has lung cancer and only a few months to live, wishing to see He Ziqiu before he passes away. He Ziqiu initially refuses.
When He Ziqiu calls Zhao Huaguang again specifically asking him to make a copy of the required photo, Zhao Huaguang, noting He Ziqiu's urgency for the photo, offers to copy it only if He Ziqiu agrees to visit his grandfather and spend his remaining days with him, trying to persuade He Ziqiu to fulfill his grandfather's dying wish. Meanwhile, Qi Mingyue seeks out Jin Yuxiang to discuss her and Qi's father's relationship.
Jin Yuxiang refuses to engage, saying their divorce is better for both her and Qi's father. Qi Mingyue apologizes, expressing deep regret for her immature rebellion and for hurting Jin Yuxiang. Jin Yuxiang clarifies that Qi Mingyue hurt herself, not her. Jin Yuxiang raises her hand as if to slap Qi Mingyue but instead slaps herself. Qi Mingyue hugs Jin Yuxiang, who breaks down, asking what she did wrong and why both Qi's father and Qi Mingyue are abandoning her.
Jin Yuxiang believes Qi Mingyue wants to escape her by going to Beijing. Qi Mingyue admits this was initially true, but now she wants to go to Beijing for her ideals. Separately, Zhuang Bei picks up Tang Can from her museum job after work, having bought two front-row tickets for a play. Tang Can is delighted and offers to treat Zhuang Bei to dinner.
During dinner, Tang Can speaks passionately and animatedly about acting, her eyes lighting up, while Zhuang Bei observes that she becomes gloomy when discussing her museum work. Tang Can expresses her helplessness, stating she needs to make a living. Recognizing her genuine love for acting, Zhuang Bei suggests she try stage plays, but Tang Can, having lost confidence, repeatedly claims she cannot do it.
Regarding the plagiarism issue, Zheng Shuran calls Li Jianjian, offering comfort and promising to find dirt on Yufei. Du Juan also calls Li Jianjian to inquire if the necessary photo has been found.
Episode 43 Recap
Zhuang Bei proposed that Tang Can try stage acting and contacted a theater director friend. After watching a performance with Tang Can, they met the director in the rehearsal hall. Tang Can watched the actors rehearsing on stage with envy and longing. The director explained that the actress originally cast as the leading actress, Xiao Fei, was injured and could no longer perform, halting their rehearsals as they sought a replacement.
While the troupe had understudies, the director found them less than ideal. Upon meeting Tang Can, the director felt her image was highly suitable for the leading actress role, a sentiment Zhuang Bei enthusiastically supported. Though initially hesitant, the director handed Tang Can the script and invited her to audition the next day, stating that while her image was a good fit, her acting skills needed to be assessed.
Tang Can was surprised by the sudden opportunity and harbored many doubts; she had planned to give up acting, lacked stage experience, and feared she wouldn't perform well. The director reassured her, asking her only to read the script and provide an answer by noon the following day. Zhuang Bei encouraged Tang Can, who was staring at the script, assuring her of his belief in her abilities. Unwilling to abandon her acting dream, Tang Can decided to seize the opportunity.
The next morning, she shared the news with Li Jianjian, who also offered her full support. Bolstered by this encouragement, Tang Can immediately called the museum to request leave, preparing for her noon audition. Zhuang Bei accompanied Tang Can to the audition. Tang Can met the director on set and began her tryout, while Zhuang Bei waited nervously in the hallway. When Tang Can emerged, she appeared distraught, her expression off.
Zhuang Bei's heart sank, and he quickly approached her, asking about the results. Tang Can remained silent and dazed for a long time, tears welling in her eyes, eventually squatting on the ground when pressed. Zhuang Bei comforted her, reminding her that even if she had failed, it was acceptable, and she should maintain confidence. Tang Can then suddenly announced her success; she had been overwhelmed because, after numerous previous failures, this sudden achievement felt like a dream.
Overcome with emotion and excitement, she impulsively embraced Zhuang Bei, who was initially startled but then accepted her hug. The director was very satisfied with Tang Can's performance, and she successfully secured the role. After Tang Can's call, Li Jianjian went to summon Qin Meiyang for breakfast.
Qin Meiyang mysteriously invited Li Jianjian into her tidied room, where she presented Li Jianjian with a small speaker as a token of gratitude for her hospitality and for allowing her to use her bed. Qin Meiyang announced her plan to move back in with Chen Ting that very day. Li Jianjian was surprised by Qin Meiyang's improved demeanor and offered some advice. Qin Meiyang then apologized for their childhood conflicts.
As He Ziqiu had predicted, Li Jianjian had long forgotten those past events and found Qin Meiyang's continued mention of them amusing, assuring her she held no grudges. Qin Meiyang, Li Jianjian, and Tang Can later shared a meal. During their conversation, Qin Meiyang playfully revealed that Tang Can had often hidden the remote control while she was staying with them, adding that she no longer needed to, as she was moving out.
Tang Can, embarrassed, vehemently denied ever hiding it, prompting laughter from both Qin Meiyang and Li Jianjian, who teased Tang Can for her denial despite being found out. Li Jianjian, after a phone call with Du Juan, felt mentally and physically exhausted and rested her head on her desk. Ling Xiao, understanding her situation, spoke softly to her and suggested they go out for ice cream. Li Jianjian, a big fan of ice cream, immediately perked up, her fatigue dissolving.
Upon arriving at the studio, Du Juan and Zhou Miao were already there. Du Juan inquired about Li Jianjian's situation, but Li Jianjian remained calm. Zhou Miao, visibly angry, informed Li Jianjian that the collaborating company was questioning her about potential plagiarism and urged her to find photos to prove her innocence immediately. He warned that if the plagiarism allegations were confirmed, they would face substantial liquidated damages. Du Juan, however, told Zhou Miao to stop interfering.
As Li Jianjian could not prove her innocence without the photos, He Ziqiu urgently sought Zhao Huaguang for them. Zhao Huaguang, currently traveling to various temples to pray, grew furious when He Ziqiu only spoke of the photos. He accused He Ziqiu of being unfilial, prioritizing photos over "Grandpa's illness," and abruptly hung up the phone. Qi Mingyue arranged a meeting for her parents.
Jin Yuxiang, Qi Mingyue's mother, asked her father if his insistence on divorce was due to infidelity. Qi father explained that he could no longer tolerate Jin Yuxiang's long-term oppression and her bossy, unreasonable nature. He revealed years of suppressed frustration, stating that while he could accommodate her on most matters, he firmly disagreed with her persistence in buying a house, and this incident proved her unwillingness to reflect.
Jin Yuxiang, however, could not understand his grievances, believing her actions were always for his good, and she refused to compromise on buying the house. Exhausted, Qi father proposed divorce, and Jin Yuxiang, angered by his use of divorce as leverage, agreed. With their conversation leading nowhere, Jin Yuxiang prepared to leave. Qi Mingyue stopped her, asking her parents to stay and listen to her.
While acknowledging their decision to divorce, she spoke candidly: she highlighted Jin Yuxiang's immense hard work and sacrifices over the years, but also pointed out her father's long-standing neglect of the family (barely entering the kitchen) and his tendency to avoid problems out of fear, which contributed to Jin Yuxiang becoming increasingly autocratic. Qi Mingyue comforted Jin Yuxiang, assuring her that even after the divorce, she would live a good life, and Qi Mingyue would be there to support her. Jin Yuxiang, seeing her husband's unyielding resolve, agreed to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau the following day to finalize the divorce.
Episode 44 Recap
Qi Father and Jin Yuxiang (Qi Mother) were divorcing, scheduling to finalize it the following afternoon at 2 PM. The divorce was initiated by Qi Father after an argument, with Jin Yuxiang angrily agreeing. Qi Mingyue attempted to mediate, criticizing her father for years of neglecting the family, rarely cooking, and causing her mother to feel neglected and develop an aggressive personality. She believed her father was partly responsible for her mother's strong character, leaving him speechless.
Qi Mingyue offered to stay with Jin Yuxiang for two months before her own departure for Beijing, but Jin Yuxiang declined, preferring to adapt to living alone. Qi Mingyue, identifying as a journalist, defended her earlier statements to her mother as merely stating facts. Meanwhile, Chen Ting rented an apartment in Ling Xiao's residential complex. Qin Meiyang returned home and, finding Chen Ting mopping, helped her.
Qin Meiyang, having become more open after reconciling with Li Jianjian and her friends, revealed she was working at He Ziqiu's coffee/dessert shop. Chen Ting was surprised and angry, forbidding Qin Meiyang from returning. Chen Ting, with a dark and paranoid mindset, suspected He Ziqiu's intentions, believing he didn't like Qin Meiyang and was up to no good, especially after he missed Ling Xiao's birthday.
Qin Meiyang defended He Ziqiu and scolded her mother for always thinking the worst of people, accusing her of having "persecutory delusions" and reminding her that everyone has their own lives. Chen Ting felt betrayed, believing Qin Meiyang was becoming disobedient and had been "brainwashed" by He Ziqiu and his friends, just like Ling Xiao. Qin Meiyang, realizing Chen Ting wouldn't listen, stopped trying to explain.
After Tang Can secured a job with a theater troupe, Zhuang Bei consistently walked her home. During one of these walks, Tang Can shared her decision to resign from her museum job, planning to discuss it thoroughly with her mother and continue to advocate for her choice if her mother disagreed. As they arrived downstairs, they encountered Qi Mingyue and Jin Yuxiang. Zhuang Bei felt awkward seeing Qi Mingyue and, after a greeting, prepared to leave.
However, Qi Mingyue asked Tang Can and Jin Yuxiang to go upstairs first, as she wanted to speak with Zhuang Bei. Qi Mingyue apologized for her previous reaction to his confession, explaining that after much thought, she realized she didn't dislike him but rather herself, fearing he would be disappointed once he truly knew her.
She confessed that she never understood what growing up felt like until her parents' impending divorce made her realize she needed to mature and support her family. Zhuang Bei comforted her, suggesting the divorce might not be a bad thing and reminding her that everyone makes mistakes, including himself. They reconnected on WeChat, agreeing to remain good friends.
Following the divorce, Qi Father packed his belongings, and Jin Yuxiang slept in Qi Mingyue's room, where Qi Mingyue heard her mother crying and comforted her, feeling her pain. That night, Jin Yuxiang was restless and felt disliked. Early the next morning, Qin Meiyang arrived at Li Jianjian's house to deliver a gift, where Qi Mingyue opened the door and offered to visit Qin Meiyang's house later that evening.
As they exchanged greetings, Li Jianjian suddenly emerged from Ling Xiao's house. Both Qi Mingyue and Qin Meiyang were astonished, asking if Li Jianjian had slept at Ling Xiao's. Li Jianjian quickly explained that she had indeed slept at Ling Xiao's house, but only stayed to chat and did not engage in any intimate activities with him. Qi Mingyue and Qin Meiyang looked at her in disbelief, unconvinced that nothing more had happened.
Xiaozhu inquired about the relationship between He Mei and Li Haichao, mentioning He Mei's recent rebuttal of Hongying at the noodle shop and Li Haichao's invitation for He Mei to a bookstore the next day. Li Jianjian was excited about their burgeoning relationship, expressing happiness at the prospect of them marrying and uniting their family under one household register.
However, He Ziqiu worried that He Mei might abandon Li Haichao again, as she had in the past when she deceived him, leading Li Haichao to raise He Ziqiu. Li Jianjian dismissed He Mei's past actions, but Ling Xiao also expressed concern that Li Haichao might be deceived again. Li Jianjian then suggested she and He Ziqiu secretly observe Li Haichao and He Mei's date.
The next day, Li Haichao meticulously prepared himself before going out, feeling nervous upon seeing He Mei at the bookstore. He picked up a classic book, prompting He Mei to tease him, suggesting his newfound interest in classics was due to having dated a teacher. Li Haichao quickly clarified that he and Hongying were merely friends, not on a blind date, and that he was reading classics because He Mei used to enjoy them.
He Mei chuckled, remarking on her past poor judgment in men and her current appreciation for a serious man. After Li Haichao and He Mei walked away, Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu emerged from behind a bookshelf. Li Jianjian found their affectionate interaction "beautiful" and wanted to continue following them, but He Ziqiu, feeling awkward, tried to pull her away. During their brief struggle, Li Haichao and He Mei returned and discovered them.
The four then went to a hot pot restaurant for lunch. Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu were visibly uncomfortable and restless throughout the meal. To alleviate the awkward atmosphere, Li Jianjian claimed she didn't think they were on a date, but He Mei frankly admitted that they were. Li Jianjian was overjoyed by this confirmation, believing Li Haichao's romantic future was settled, and immediately called Ling Xiao after lunch to share the news.
Meanwhile, He Ziqiu picked up Li Jianjian from her studio to go home for dinner, bringing coffee for the three of them, but Zhou Miao showed no appreciation. After Li Jianjian and He Ziqiu left, Du Juan questioned Zhou Miao about his behavior. Zhou Miao continued to criticize Li Jianjian, claiming she was not taking the plagiarism issue seriously and seemed unconcerned. He pointed out the prolonged inability to find evidence, insinuating Li Jianjian might be guilty.
Zhou Miao further argued that Yufei, a renowned artist, had no reason to plagiarize Li Jianjian. He reminded Du Juan that Li Jianjian had signed a contract with a furniture manufacturer, and failure to provide evidence of non-plagiarism would result in a substantial breach of contract penalty. Observing Du Juan's worry, Zhou Miao asserted that the plagiarism was Li Jianjian's personal problem, and Du Juan, being a victim herself, shouldn't have to share the penalty.
He repeatedly urged Du Juan to dissolve their partnership to avoid the financial repercussions and even proposed they form a new partnership after his graduation. Du Juan was deeply troubled and conflicted by Zhou Miao's words. After a night of careful consideration, Du Juan called Li Jianjian to the studio for an important discussion the following morning. Zhou Miao, eagerly anticipating Du Juan's decision to terminate the partnership with Li Jianjian, listened with expectation. However, after a moment of silence, Du Juan formally announced her decision to fire Zhou Miao instead.
Episode 45 Recap
Du Juan fires Zhou Miao in front of Li Jianjian, ending their romantic relationship and his employment. She is heartbroken, admitting she loves him, but can no longer tolerate his lack of ambition, constant gaming, and attempts to sow discord. Zhou Miao leaves in anger and humiliation. He Ziqiu visits his grandfather in the hospital and returns the money Zhao Huaguang had given him.
Zhao Huaguang asks if He Ziqiu thinks he is heartless, but He Ziqiu says they have no emotional connection, making Zhao Huaguang's behavior understandable. Despite this, He Ziqiu recognizes Zhao Huaguang's filial piety towards his own father and finds him slightly less detestable. He Ziqiu promises to keep his appointments to visit his grandfather in exchange for the photos he requested.
After their meeting, Zhao Huaguang sends the photos to He Ziqiu, stating they are now even and need not meet again. He Ziqiu immediately forwards the photos to Zheng Shuran. Tang Can discusses her opportunity to perform in a play with her parents. She expresses her genuine love for acting, not just fame.
Her father supports her, but her mother, believing Tang Can has not been settled for very long, claims a fortune teller told her Tang Can lacks "star luck." Tang Can insists she's not acting for fame, but out of passion. Unable to persuade her mother, Tang Can finds support in her father, easing her worries. Zheng Shuran spends two days uncovering dirt on Yufei to help Li Jianjian. He discovers Yufei is a plagiarist with prior accusations online.
Zheng Shuran compiles the evidence of Yufei's plagiarism and includes photos proving Li Jianjian's innocence in an article, which he posts on a forum. He immediately informs Li Jianjian and Du Juan at the studio, and they express their gratitude. Chen Ting prepares a housewarming dinner but doesn't invite Li Jianjian, upsetting Qin Meiyang, who believes Chen Ting is pressuring Ling Xiao and will cause conflict.
Qin Meiyang advises Chen Ting to let Ling Xiao live as he chooses, but Chen Ting ignores her. Ling Xiao and Feng Xixi arrive at his home together after work, encountering Qi Mingyue downstairs, who finds their arrival together odd, especially since Ling Xiao has a girlfriend. Ling Xiao reveals to Chen Ting that he brought Feng Xixi home as a guest.
After bringing Feng Xixi inside, Ling Xiao grows increasingly sullen, seeing through Chen Ting's plan to set him up with Feng Xixi. While Feng Xixi is in the bathroom, Ling Xiao confronts Chen Ting, stating he has a girlfriend and she should stop her schemes. Chen Ting admits her dislike for Li Jianjian, infuriating Ling Xiao, who slams the table and leaves.
Chen Ting is persistent and expresses that she likes Feng Xixi and wants Ling Xiao to be with her. Feng Xixi, who finds the situation awkward, tells Chen Ting she sees Ling Xiao as a younger brother. She admires Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian's childhood bond, mentioning the "Treehole" posts written by Li Jianjian.
Feng Xixi shares the Weibo posts with Chen Ting, explaining how she was touched by the deep connection between Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian in their youth and urging Chen Ting not to interfere with their relationship. Li Jianjian returns home, and Qi Mingyue assumes she was at Chen Ting's dinner. Learning she wasn't invited, Li Jianjian is upset. Tang Can defends Li Jianjian, asking if she was particularly annoying as a child.
Li Jianjian recounts the walnut incident from childhood. Qi Mingyue elaborates on the incident for Tang Can. Qi Mingyue suspects Chen Ting's dislike stems from Li Jianjian's knowledge of her past, including how neighbors and Li Haichao knew of Chen Ting leaving her children unattended to play cards, causing her to feel exposed and resenting Li Jianjian. Qi Mingyue believes that the reason Chen Ting dislikes Li Jianjian is because Chen Ting knows that Li Jianjian, Li Haichao and the neighbour know about Chen Ting's history.
Episode 46 (Ending) Recap
Qi Mingyue speculated that Chen Ting's intense dislike for Li Jianjian stemmed from Li Jianjian knowing that Chen Ting had caused her daughter Yun's death, making Chen Ting feel "stripped bare" or "exposed" every time she saw Li Jianjian. Tang Can agreed, believing that from Chen Ting's perspective, anyone would be a better partner for Ling Xiao than Li Jianjian, and she suggested Chen Ting had a psychological illness.
Li Jianjian, however, remained calm, stating that she had no specific plans and believed "the boat would naturally straighten when it reached the bridge." Qi Mingyue felt somewhat relieved by Li Jianjian's outlook, offering comfort that their strong love would help them overcome any difficulties. Meanwhile, Ling Heping, aware of Ling Xiao's struggles, took his son out for a meal and drinks.
Ling Heping expressed guilt over not showing enough care for Ling Xiao, but Ling Xiao reassured him, stating that he felt particularly secure whenever Ling Heping was present. Ling Xiao suddenly mentioned he hadn't dreamt of Yun in a long time, wondering if she had forgiven him and if his debt to Chen Ting had been repaid.
Ling Heping, pained, struggled to find a response, and the two fell silent as a sudden, violent thunderstorm, reminiscent of the day Yun died, erupted outside. At home, Chen Ting watched the heavy rain, worried about Ling Xiao but afraid to contact him. She opened Feng Xixi's Weibo, reading posts that narrated past events from Li Jianjian's perspective. These posts about Ling Xiao's family frequently arguing upstairs triggered Chen Ting's memories of moving into the apartment above Li Jianjian's home.
She recalled her frequent arguments with Ling Heping, her hostility towards Ling Xiao, and her unwavering belief that Ling Xiao was responsible for Yun's death. She remembered Ling Heping always protecting Ling Xiao when she scolded him, and her act of throwing away all of Yun's cherished belongings that Ling Xiao had kept, only for Li Jianjian to retrieve them later. These painful recollections surged through Chen Ting, filling her with guilt.
Her emotions plummeted, leading her to write a suicide note. In it, she confessed her inability to overcome her inner demons, stating that every encounter with Li Jianjian reminded her of abandoning Ling Xiao. Realizing her love had become a source of pain for Ling Xiao, and regretting not taking him with her when she initially left, Chen Ting felt her attempts to compensate only exacerbated the situation.
She acknowledged her inability to prevent Ling Xiao and Li Jianjian's love and her refusal to accept Li Jianjian. Believing her opposition stemmed from a fear of reliving painful memories and wanting to free Ling Xiao from her selfish love and the burden she imposed, she resolved to end her life, thinking "out of sight, out of mind." During this time, Chen Ting called Ling Xiao.
However, Ling Xiao, in a taxi with Ling Heping, had fallen asleep drunkenly, leaning on his father. Ling Heping answered the call and, infuriated, chastised Chen Ting for constantly pressuring and tormenting Ling Xiao. He pleaded with her to stop, then abruptly hung up. The next morning, a distraught Qin Meiyang came crying to Ling Xiao, revealing that Chen Ting was missing and had left a suicide note.
Ling Xiao hastily read the note and rushed out to search for her. Chen Ting had gone to the seaside, attempting suicide by jumping into the ocean, where she lost consciousness. Fortunately, two fishermen, who had gone out early to fish, discovered her and rescued her from the water. Chen Ting regained consciousness in a hospital bed, with Ling Xiao sitting by her side.
He gently but firmly told her that if she felt she had made mistakes, she should live to make amends, emphasizing that death would only bring things to a halt, never truly rectifying past wrongs. This near-death experience significantly transformed Chen Ting's mindset; after her discharge, she adopted a more open-minded perspective. She decided to return to Singapore with Qin Meiyang.
Ling Heping went to Chen Ting's home to help with her luggage and took the opportunity to apologize to her. Before her departure, Chen Ting held Li Jianjian's hand, thanking her for taking care of Ling Xiao and genuinely entrusting him to her. Li Jianjian, in turn, promised to ensure Ling Xiao's happiness. A month later, Qin Meiyang also departed for Singapore to resume her studies, sharing a tight embrace with Ling Xiao before she left.
With Chen Ting and Qin Meiyang sent off, Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu hurried home to change clothes. It was Li Haichao and He Mei's wedding registration day, and they also planned a family photoshoot. Li Jianjian and Ling Xiao, whose own marriage was now on the agenda and who were dressed smartly for the day, went to pick up Li Haichao for the civil affairs bureau.
Ling Xiao almost kissed Li Jianjian but was interrupted by Li Haichao emerging in his new suit. He Ziqiu went to pick up He Mei. In the car, He Ziqiu, brimming with joy, confessed to He Mei that he had never imagined he would witness her wedding, deeply touching He Mei and filling her with mixed emotions. He Mei also inquired about He Ziqiu's coffee shop.
He Ziqiu explained that while it was now profitable, he still wished to focus on making desserts. He planned to transfer the coffee shop and open a dessert shop in a scenic area, asking He Mei if Luo Hong could assist him in scouting for a location, to which He Mei happily agreed. He Ziqiu sincerely wished He Mei and Li Haichao a happy life together.
Li Haichao and He Mei registered their marriage and then went to a photography studio for commemorative photos. Once Ling Heping arrived, both families gathered together, smiling broadly for a joyous full family portrait. That evening, amidst heavy rain, He Ziqiu left his dessert shop after work, and He Mei arrived with an umbrella, the mother and son happily sharing it as they walked, symbolizing their repaired relationship.
Ultimately, Ling Xiao and Chen Ting found a healthier way to interact, and He Ziqiu let go of past grievances, sincerely blessing He Mei and repairing their relationship. All these resolutions were made possible by the unwavering companionship of their family. The narrative concludes by suggesting that true family transcends mere blood ties, built instead on love, mutual care, and concern for one another.
