I Cannot Hug You Episode 15 Recap
> I Cannot Hug You Recap
A police car arrived at NL Cosmetics, and plainclothes officers entered the building. Yu Ze, preparing to leave, encountered them. The police were investigating several disappearance cases they suspected might be connected to NL Cosmetics. Yu Ze calmly assured the officers of his company's strong reputation, stating it was upright and open, and pledged full cooperation to demonstrate their trustworthiness.
Shortly after, Yu Ze spoke with his assistant, who apologized for the police attention despite careful handling of a previous situation. Yu Ze instructed the assistant to leave the country and assume a new identity once the current matter was resolved. On his way home, Yu Ze received a call from Qingran.
She had made some cookies, originally for Li Shiya, but since Li Shiya was trying to lose weight and couldn't be reached, Qingran offered to bring them to Yu Ze, along with some other items she had for him. Yu Ze agreed and invited her to his house. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhihao stood at Li Shiya's door.
He reflected on his commitment to overcome his germaphobia and embrace the kind of interaction Li Shiya desired, acknowledging it was his first time truly liking someone. He rang the doorbell and called out her name, but no one answered. Unbeknownst to them, Li Shiya was trapped in a secluded laboratory, her limbs bound to a bed.
Professor Chen, who had previously worked with Yu Ze, had captured her, aiming to use her unique genes to develop a way for vampire-human hybrids to live as long as normal humans. He instructed his assistant to ensure her survival, noting her unique qualities compared to previous test subjects.
Professor Chen taunted Li Shiya, telling her that her screams were futile, merely laughing at her cries, and that she was his last crucial subject for a project he had dedicated years to, planning to cut her open for research data. Qingran arrived at Yu Ze's home with cookies, which he surprisingly enjoyed. During their conversation, she mentioned her mother died giving birth to her.
Qingran also brought a box of his belongings from a school locker, items he had left behind when he transferred, including a notebook, a photo album, and his old basketball uniform. Yu Ze explained he left them because they were too important, fearing they would make his future seem miserable by comparison. Qingran then reminisced about a boy wearing yellow rain boots during a heavy rainstorm.
Seeing Yu Ze's emotional reaction, Qingran affirmed her belief in the good person he was, recounting his acts of kindness towards homeless elders and a sick shopkeeper's son. Yu Ze, however, felt he was not as good as she perceived, believing her affection was for an idealized image from the past. He was full of guilt over his past actions, and though he clearly liked Qingran, his lifespan and crimes made him afraid to accept her love.
Qingran confessed her past feelings for him, which Yu Ze acknowledged. As Qingran began to express her current feelings, Yu Ze gently cut her off, thanking her for remembering his past self and insisting on walking her home. Before parting ways, Qingran handed him a piece of candy.
Later, alone in his home, Yu Ze cried in the dark, reflecting on his life, admitting his many mistakes and concluding that his desire to live had been too greedy, despite the love he had unexpectedly received. Overcome by guilt, Yu Ze informed his assistant that he was ending the experiments.
He ordered his assistant to cease all killings, disband NL Cosmetics, provide generous severance packages or overseas relocation for employees, and release all captive vampires from the secret laboratory, stating that the laboratory's location was a secret unknown to them. His assistant protested, but Yu Ze remained firm, declaring it his final, non-negotiable command. At a photoshoot, the crew grew increasingly frustrated by Li Shiya's absence and inability to be reached, realizing she was truly missing.
An anxious Qingran first called Simba and Jiang Zhihao, but neither knew where Li Shiya was. Qingran then spoke with Li Shiya's manager about her disappearance, and during this call, she recalled that Li Shiya's phone call had abruptly ended while she was jogging. She immediately reported Li Shiya missing to the police.
Xin Ba also received news of Li Shiya's disappearance and, distraught, abandoned his upcoming performance, asking his manager Shi Huan to cover for him, so he could search for her. Jiang Zhihao was already out searching, asking passersby if they had seen Li Shiya. Xin Ba later met Jiang Zhihao at his home, apologizing for past events, and confessed his own deep feelings for Li Shiya.
He urged Jiang Zhihao that if he found her first, he must hold her hand, as it was an intimacy only Jiang Zhihao could offer her. They agreed to split up and continue the search. Meanwhile, Yu Ze's assistant informed him that Professor Chen, unwilling to accept the termination of research, had taken Li Shiya and privately fled, intending to continue his research elsewhere.
Professor Chen brought Li Shiya to a secluded laboratory in the suburbs, where he continued to torment her, telling her that the future of humanity depended on her. He contemplated where to begin his dissection, even praising her delicate features while intending to disfigure her, noting that she would soon become a specimen.
Jiang Zhihao, driving alone to search, relied on a special couple phone case Li Shiya had bought; it had a small star that lit up when their phones were within a certain range. Using this hint and questioning local shopkeepers about secluded areas, Jiang Zhihao called Xin Ba, urging him and others to hurry. He learned about an abandoned parking lot owned by an eccentric, rarely-seen professor, described by locals as a "pervert," which solidified Jiang Zhihao's suspicions.
Just as Professor Chen prepared to make the first incision on Li Shiya's face, Jiang Zhihao burst into the laboratory, shouting for him to release her. A fierce struggle ensued, with Professor Chen vowing to kill them both. Jiang Zhihao managed to overpower Professor Chen, knocking him unconscious. He then rushed to Li Shiya, who was terrified, believing she was about to die. Jiang Zhihao embraced her, promising he would never leave her side.
Simultaneously, vampire prosecutor Li Lanxi, having tracked Yu Ze to his remote location through superior's position tracking, confronted him. She identified herself as from Security Management and arrested him for the murder and kidnapping of innocent vampires for research, crimes that had severely impacted both human and vampire societies and violated the laws of the vampire world.
Yu Ze, knowing his time was limited and unable to escape, admitted his inability to atone for his sins, stating it was his fault. He made a final request to Li Lanxi: if anyone, specifically Qingran, inquired about him, she should not be told the truth of his actions, so that he could remain a good person in her memory, because he had done many bad things to live.
Li Lanxi acknowledged she was aware of Qingran's past affection for him, as Qingran had once consulted her about a senior who dropped out of school. Yu Ze then said "Goodbye" to Li Lanxi, then drew a gun from his bosom and took his own life.
He died with Qingran's candy still clutched in his hand, his final thoughts drifting to Qingran and his unexpressed love for her, feeling he had no right to love her, believing he could finally leave, even though he couldn't bear to. He was recalling their memories, from their first meeting to the candy that was a token of their farewell, a sweet love that couldn't continue due to unfair fate.
