Light Chaser Rescue Episode 26 Recap
> Light Chaser Rescue Recap
During a video call, Ding Dingding repeatedly asked Zhou Mingming for a kiss. Zhou Mingming, after playful reluctance, gave in, but his discomfort was noticeable after Li Aiqi, standing by the door, subtly reminded him of the office surveillance. He then excused himself, citing work. Later, Luo Ben taught Zhan Yan how to make cream puffs, explaining that each puff's final appearance has a certain randomness due to how much air and moisture it wraps and absorbs.
Zhan Yan expressed her dislike for such uncertainty, drawing a parallel to his rescue missions where she never knows the outcome, revealing her worry for him. She reminded him that he had saved her twice, playfully adding that if a third time arose, she would be the one to save him. Luo Ben simply told her to eat the puff.
Encouraged by Zhan Yan's concern, Luo Ben was overjoyed, and in the following days, they became inseparable, enjoying dates at the amusement park on weekends and participating in intense training sessions at the base. One evening, Luo Ben shared a meal of vegetable rice at Zhan Qingshan's home. Zhan Qingshan, cooking for him out of concern for his demanding training intensity, inquired if he could handle it, to which Luo Ben affirmed he could.
Luo Ben remarked that Zhan Qingshan's simple meal tasted like "home." He then recalled a past incident when he and Zhan Yan were trapped, and she expressed her strongest desire for a bowl of vegetable rice. Luo Ben realized that the specific taste Zhan Yan longed for could only be recreated by her father, concluding that her craving for vegetable rice was her way of missing Zhan Qingshan.
For Zhan Yan's birthday, Luo Ben visited her mother's tomb, placing flowers and expressing gratitude for bringing Zhan Yan into his life. He then declared that Zhan Yan's birthday would henceforth be "their exclusive festival." That evening, Luo Ben had arranged a surprise dinner for Zhan Yan, hoping to help her reconcile with her father.
Upon seeing Zhan Qingshan emerge from the kitchen dressed as a chef, Zhan Yan became furious, accusing both Luo Ben and her father of conspiring to deceive her. Zhan Qingshan tried to explain that he simply wanted to make her favorite vegetable rice for her birthday, but Zhan Yan remained incensed, telling Luo Ben not to meddle in her private affairs.
As she stormed out, Luo Ben followed, attempting to persuade her to reconcile with her father, reminding her that both of them were suffering from their prolonged estrangement. Zhan Yan, however, firmly told him to stop interfering. Later, Luo Ben messaged Zhan Yan, apologizing for his rashness and for not considering her feelings, though he still reiterated the importance of family bonds.
The next day, Zhan Yan caught up with Luo Ben, who was leaving after delivering flowers, and apologized for her poor attitude. Luo Ben accepted her apology and dismissed the incident. Meanwhile, Ding Dingding's mother brought her belongings back to the house, telling her daughter she needed to be "rebuilt" and would no longer be allowed to live alone.
Ding Dingding's parents, discussing Zhou Mingming, decided to invite him over for chicken soup wontons, remembering how he bravely saved their daughter. When Zhou Mingming arrived to meet them, visibly nervous, he presented thoughtful gifts, explaining he knew they were university professors and traditional gifts wouldn't suit their status. While waiting in the living room, he even frantically searched online for tips on how to please future in-laws.
Ding Dingding's parents inquired about his education and profession, learning he graduated from Linjiang Institute of Technology, a junior college, and worked at Mingmei Media, which specialized in romantic and idol dramas. Ding Dingding's mother subtly compared him to Luo Ben, a "top student," but Ding Dingding's father countered that Ding Dingding herself couldn't compare to Zhan Yan.
When Ding Dingding's father started discussing complex geological topics like the "Beauty Cave" and karst topography, Zhou Mingming humbly admitted his lack of expertise, though he mentioned learning basic diving rescue from Ding Dingding's cousin, Zhan Yan, and expressed his determination to improve his skills to train a professional diving rescue team for the Light Chaser Rescue Team. Ding Dingding's mother advised Zhou Mingming to be patient with Ding Dingding, suggesting her flightiness was due to inherited recessive genes.
Zhou Mingming, however, assured them that he found Ding Dingding "fine no matter what," regardless of her behavior. The Light Chaser Rescue Team began facing a storm of negative public opinion. Protestors gathered outside their base, accusing them of being a profit-driven organization charging exorbitant fees, and claiming they had authorized "Juwu Light Chaser Rescue Team" to offer projects at "clearly priced" rates. Ma Baoming, concerned about the impact on the Light Chaser comic series, suggested changing the comic's name.
Ding Dingding vehemently refused, stating she would not change the name and would instead fight to clear their name, even offering to terminate their contract if Ma Baoming was worried about the comic's performance. Zhan Qingshan called an emergency meeting, explaining that the "Juwu Light Chaser Rescue Team" was unauthorized and that someone had falsely used their name. He acknowledged the severe negative impact on the team and the broader public welfare cause.
Luo Ben, as a lawyer, pointed out that while winning a lawsuit against the imposters would be relatively easy, the true challenge lay in regaining public trust, which was being eroded by the rampant fake news online. Zhan Qingshan concurred, expressing deep worry that their years of building credibility in public welfare could be irrevocably damaged, calling it the biggest crisis the team had faced since its inception. Separately, Luo Yuan encouraged Xiong Fei to return to the rescue team.
She told him that she would rather he pursue his passion for rescue work, assuring him that she could manage the wonton business on her own and did not want to be a burden on him. Moved by her words, Xiong Fei decided to rejoin the team. Online, the debate raged.
While some netizens echoed the accusations against Light Chaser Rescue, others, including Zhan Yan, expressed skepticism, recounting how she had personally witnessed the team refuse money from rescued families and urging everyone to await official results. Both Ding Dingding and Zhou Mingming actively defended the team online; Zhou Mingming, despite his company responsibilities, directed his team to confront online accusers, prioritizing the pursuit of justice. During a training session, Zhan Qingshan noticed his team was dispirited.
He reminded them of their initial reasons for joining the rescue team – to help others, to realize life's value, and to make life more meaningful. He challenged them to question if they would still commit to public welfare despite difficulties, failures, setbacks, or even misunderstandings and insults. He emphatically stated that the team would never disband, even if only he remained. His words reignited their spirits, and at that moment, Xiong Fei appeared, formally requesting to rejoin the team.
He explained his past departure was due to personal and work issues, but he had since realized that beyond daily life, he sought to be a good person, making his return a personal pursuit. Zhan Qingshan welcomed him back and immediately appointed him as the new rope skills coach. Meanwhile, Zhou Mingming received a call from his mother, who demanded he immediately quit the rescue team.
She emphasized the company's critical period, warning that any further negative news could jeopardize their new project. Zhou Mingming, however, refused to abandon his teammates, asserting that doing public welfare was not shameful and would not tarnish the company's image. Luo Ben had decided to represent the Light Chaser Rescue Team as their attorney.
He discussed his strategy with Old He, suggesting a public hearing to clear their name, believing that only by openly confronting the accusations could they dispel the public pressure. Old He, while acknowledging Luo Ben's resolve, warned him of the immense risks, explaining that a public trial would scrutinize every word, and even a minor error could be magnified, potentially ruining his career if they lost.
Luo Ben, unwavering, confirmed his decision, offering to resign from the law firm if it would protect them from any negative repercussions. Old He, seeing his determination, accepted his decision and assured him that the firm would stand with him.