Light Chaser Rescue Episode 17 Recap
> Light Chaser Rescue Recap
Upon leaving work, Zhan Yan is approached by a nurse who notes her lack of a date and expresses curiosity about Luo Ben's quietness, observing he doesn't seem like someone who gives up easily. The nurse offers Zhan Yan advice on relationships, emphasizing that while it's natural for girls to be pampered, love is a two-way street. She advises Zhan Yan to actively care for her boyfriend, warning that no one would be attracted to someone "icy and wooden."
Later, Dapeng and the other veteran rescue team members challenge the newcomers to a competition. Dapeng proposes a new-old mixed team format where one person ties a safety rope and the other jumps down, highlighting the immense responsibility and trust involved for the rope-tier. The loser must buy breakfast for a month. When they are short one person, Luo Ben is chosen to join and is teamed with Dapeng.
Dapeng mockingly claims he's afraid of falling and will jump, leaving Luo Ben to tie the rope. Luo Ben hesitates, and Dapeng, impatient, quickly jumps. After the competition, Dapeng harshly criticizes Luo Ben for their loss, calling him a "loser" and a "waste" who "can't save people, but only hurt them," stating he's glad to have seen Luo Ben's true nature. Luo Ben, feeling responsible for the defeat, offers to pay for breakfast for the month.
Other teammates, including Snail, console Luo Ben, telling him not to take Dapeng's words to heart, reassuring him that Dapeng is not a bad person and reminding him that everyone makes mistakes, even mentioning their lost teammate Falcon. Zhan Qingshan, observing Luo Ben's emotional state, acknowledges that it's normal for team members to suffer from traumatic stress disorder after rescue operations.
He invites Luo Ben to a psychological sharing session that afternoon, suggesting that time can often heal what seems unfixable now. Luo Ben initially declines, but Zhan Qingshan gently urges him to consider it. Zhan Yan, sensing Luo Ben's distress, takes him to a supermarket. As they shop, Zhan Yan asks Luo Ben why he's buying knotting rope if he doesn't cook, to which he replies he intends to cook for her.
She then asks if he can truly balance both cooking and rescue work. Luo Ben, still grappling with his recent failure, questions if he should continue with rescues at all. Zhan Yan shares her own past trauma as a doctor: a critical error during an early surgery caused a patient severe bleeding, making her afraid to perform major operations. She recounts how she overcame this by confronting her fear and rededicating herself to her profession, working harder than others.
She tells Luo Ben he must ask himself if he truly wants to continue rescue work. In that moment, Luo Ben spots a small boy climbing high on a shelf. Without hesitation, he rushes forward to protect the child from a potential fall. After ensuring the child is safe and the mother thanks him, Luo Ben stands up. Zhan Yan observes him with a knowing smile, concluding that he has found his answer.
Later that day, Ruan Jingshu, the psychological counseling team leader, hosts a psychological sharing session titled "Regret and Growth in Rescue," encouraging members to share their stories for release and healing. A teammate shares a poignant story about losing a friend to hypothermia during a hike because no one had checked the weather forecast, a tragedy that spurred him to join the rescue team to save more lives, forging a bond of "life-and-death brotherhood" with his fellow rescuers.
Another teammate speaks about the team's collective grief over Falcon's death, acknowledging the pain, especially for Luo Ben, and emphasizing the importance of mutual support, encouragement, and care within the team. Luo Ben stands quietly at the back, listening to the deeply personal accounts, and although he considers speaking, he finds he is still unable to voice his own feelings. Through listening, Luo Ben finds his answer regarding his commitment to joining the rescue team.
The next morning, Luo Ben tries to wake Luo Yuan, but she is not in her room. He then encounters Ding Dingding and attempts to subtly inquire about Luo Yuan, asking if she frequently visits Ding Dingding and if she has "said anything." Ding Dingding, being elusive, replies that girls talk about everything and playfully asks Luo Ben what exactly he means, causing him to drop the subject.
Meanwhile, Xiong Fei receives a call informing him that Doubao is sick and needs to go to the hospital. Luo Yuan expresses her desire to take Doubao home to care for it after its hospital visit, which Xiong Fei readily agrees to. At the hospital, Luo Ben arrives with a homemade yam porridge for Zhan Yan, urging her to drink it as it's good for her stomach and he spent a long time preparing it.
Zhan Yan, busy with her patients, promises to drink it during her lunch break. Nearby, Shen Ruoxi, another doctor, notices Luo Ben's visit and openly gossips with a colleague about Zhan Yan's new relationship, remarking on how quickly it's developing with Luo Ben bringing her breakfast. Upon returning home, Luo Ben discovers a wet spot on the sofa, immediately suspecting Luo Yuan has brought an animal home without permission.
He opens a door and finds Doubao, recognizing the dog that belonged to the late Falcon. Luo Ben tenderly speaks to Doubao, as if the dog understands, telling it not to make Falcon worry. Luo Yuan, who is present, pleads with Luo Ben to let Doubao stay, and after a moment of reflection, Luo Ben agrees. At the publishing company, Zhou Mingming confronts Ding Dingding about the low viewership for "Light Chaser Rescue," threatening to disband the comic department.
Ding Dingding, frustrated, argues that her administrative duties, like "serving tea and water," prevent her from focusing on creation. She then declares her intention to "squat" at the rescue team's base to gather material for her comic, instructing Zhou Mingming to find someone else for the "errands." Zhou Mingming surprisingly agrees to her request. Later, Zhou Mingming arrives at the rescue team training as a new member, wearing worn-out "lucky shoes" and asking Ding Dingding to repair them.
Zhan Qingshan, addressing the team, emphasizes the need for high-standard, high-intensity training given their busy schedules. He decides to appoint a team leader to receive daily tasks from him. Ding Dingding promptly volunteers, addressing Zhan Qingshan as "Uncle", and arguing that her administrative role means she won't disrupt training, unlike the other members.
Despite an initial objection, the team, including a male teammate who suggests it's good to have a girl as captain, agrees, and Ding Dingding is appointed team leader. She immediately asserts her new authority by making Zhou Mingming perform basic exercises, citing his "weak foundation" and playfully calling it "public revenge" when he accuses her of personal revenge. For his mother's birthday, Xiong Fei prepares a gift and invites Luo Yuan to join them.
At his home, Xiong Fei's parents warmly welcome Luo Yuan. She presents a gift she carefully selected, signing "Happy Birthday" to his mother, which Xiong Fei translates. During dinner, Xiong Fei's mother expresses her fondness for Luo Yuan and subtly asks about their relationship, clearly sensing a deeper connection. She tells Xiong Fei that she doesn't mind Luo Yuan's inability to speak. She also advises Xiong Fei not to hide his past from Luo Yuan.
On their way back, Xiong Fei bravely reveals that he was imprisoned during college for defending his sister, stating he wants to be completely honest with her. Luo Yuan signs that she already knew about his past and that it doesn't matter to her; she only cares about his feelings for her. She then signs "I like you" and kisses him.
Ding Dingding later expresses her surprise at Luo Yuan's bold and rapid progress in her relationship with Xiong Fei, whom she affectionately calls a "wooden guy," and admires Luo Yuan's courage. Ding Dingding warns Luo Yuan that Luo Ben "doesn't like Xiong Fei that much" and asks if he knows Luo Yuan is helping Xiong Fei every morning. Luo Yuan dismisses the concern, confident that Luo Ben is too busy studying rescue skills to notice.
Inspired by Luo Ben's dedication, Ding Dingding decides she needs to work harder too, making Luo Yuan count sit-ups as she exercises. Later, Ding Dingding photographs the team training. Zhou Mingming, eager to be featured in the publicity brochure, wants to be photographed in cool, "manly" poses like speed drops or using cutting machines. Ding Dingding playfully teases him, claiming all the "good" poses have been taken, leaving only less glamorous ones like pushing tires, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups. Despite his reluctance, Zhou Mingming agrees, and Ding Dingding captures him struggling, making him hold difficult poses to get the most "authentic" shots.
