Love Formula Episode 16 Recap
> Love Formula Recap
Han Yansheng was helping Jiang Zhishan move her luggage into the dorm room when Jian Dan, who was showering, called out, mistaking him for Mi Fen. She asked him to grab her towel from the chair. Han Yansheng, flustered, silently handed her the towel. From inside the bathroom, Jian Dan spoke, expressing concern for her grandma and mentioning that before leaving the hospital, Grandma had urged her to treat Han Yansheng better.
However, Jian Dan mused that she didn't know how to do that since he seemed to have everything he needed. Hearing this, Han Yansheng silently left, muttering to himself, "Who says I have everything?" Jian Dan later received a school notification about upcoming club evaluations. She approached Han Yansheng to ask about the rules. He explained that these annual evaluations determine funding, with lower-ranked clubs receiving no funds and facing disbandment if they consistently remain at the bottom.
Jian Dan pressed him on what constituted a low-ranked club, and Han Yansheng listed newly founded clubs with zero awards and average members. Jian Dan immediately realized this description fit her Rock Climbing Club perfectly and worried aloud about securing funding, wishing for a "rock climbing genius" to appear. Meanwhile, Jiang Zhishan completed her enrollment, and her teacher advised her to join a club for extra credit.
Separately, a girl asked Gu Entong to deliver a love letter to Su Lishi. Gu Entong agreed but was seen by Jiang Zhishan about to discard the letter, prompting Jiang Zhishan to bluntly remark that Gu Entong was "as fake as ever." Jiang Zhishan went to the Rock Climbing Club. Gu Entong gave her directions but chose not to accompany her. At the club, members were training when Jiang Zhishan inquired about the president.
Jian Dan stepped forward, revealing herself to be the president, which Jiang Zhishan found hard to believe. Jiang Zhishan presented her impressive resume, detailing multiple first-place finishes and gold medals in international and national climbing competitions. Jian Dan was overjoyed, believing Jiang Zhishan's expertise would secure a high ranking for their club. However, after inspecting the old equipment and insecure ropes, Jiang Zhishan declared the club "seriously amateur" and left.
The other club members lamented her departure, recognizing her skill and connection to Han Yansheng, while Jian Dan admitted she didn't know how to convince her to stay. Later, Jian Dan encountered Jiang Zhishan at the dorms and urged her to reconsider joining the Rock Climbing Club. She explained that with Jiang Zhishan's talent, the club could achieve a high ranking, secure funding, and address its equipment issues.
After some consideration, Jiang Zhishan proposed a climbing match three days later: if Jian Dan won, she would join. Jian Dan readily agreed to the challenge. Around this time, Gu Entong delivered the love letter to Su Lishi. When asked by Su Lishi if she was envious, Gu Entong claimed she preferred peace over receiving love letters. Han Yansheng later spoke with Jiang Zhishan, asking if her challenge was related to Jian Dan staying at her place.
He clarified that Jian Dan was unaware of the housing arrangement and that targeting her was unfair. Jiang Zhishan maintained that her primary concern was not wasting time on an unprofessional club, despite joining for academic credit. Han Yansheng then vouched for Jian Dan, emphasizing her hard work in establishing the club and his belief in her potential, asking Jiang Zhishan to give her a fair chance. Jiang Zhishan reiterated her promise to join if Jian Dan could beat her.
Jian Dan trained tirelessly for the match. Han Yansheng brought her food and fruit, encouraging her to rest, though he playfully remarked that she was unlikely to win anyway. Jian Dan, determined, asserted that she would succeed in getting Jiang Zhishan to join the club. On the day of the match, Han Yansheng was called away to a student council meeting about club evaluations. He asked Monkey to livestream the match for him and cheer for Jian Dan.
Before the competition, many spectators doubted Jian Dan's chances against a professional like Jiang Zhishan, who herself told Jian Dan not to fall "too far behind." As the match began, Jiang Zhishan quickly established a significant lead. Despite having sustained a prior foot injury, Jian Dan climbed with incredible tenacity, gradually catching up. Just as she was about to pull even, Jian Dan slipped and re-injured her leg.
Refusing to give up, she persevered with astonishing willpower, ultimately reaching the summit at the exact same moment as Jiang Zhishan, resulting in a tie. The crowd erupted in cheers. Han Yansheng, receiving an urgent message from Monkey about Jian Dan's injury, immediately left his meeting and rushed to the scene. After the match, Jiang Zhishan declared that since she hadn't won, she had lost, and she would honor her promise to join the Rock Climbing Club.
Jian Dan was thrilled and, in addition to welcoming her as a member, invited her to become the club's coach, to impart her knowledge and skills to make everyone stronger. Jiang Zhishan accepted this new role. Seeing Jian Dan's bleeding leg, Han Yansheng immediately scooped her up and carried her towards the infirmary. On the way, Jian Dan asked him to put her down, insisting she could walk.
Han Yansheng responded that he felt partially responsible for Jiang Zhishan's initial animosity toward her. Meanwhile, Gu Entong, upon seeing photos of Han Yansheng carrying Jian Dan (presumably from Monkey), became visibly annoyed. Later, at the infirmary, as Han Yansheng applied medicine to Jian Dan's leg, she complained about his technique. Han Yansheng playfully reminded her about Grandma's wish for her to treat him better. Jian Dan then realized that Han Yansheng had overheard her conversation.
She also deduced that he was the one who handed her the towel during her shower. Han Yansheng admitted it, explaining that he had been helping his aunt move into the dorm with the dorm lady's permission. Jiang Zhishan began her role as coach with strict "demon" training methods, pushing the new club members with intense endurance exercises. Many members complained loudly about the exhausting, hours-long sessions and threatened to quit.
Jian Dan calmed them, defending Jiang Zhishan by highlighting her impressive climbing achievements and suggesting that the coach might have simply overlooked individual fitness levels. She encouraged the members to be more understanding and to communicate their concerns. Overhearing Jian Dan's supportive words, Jiang Zhishan's impression of her deepened positively. One day, Jiang Zhishan arrived at the club to find it empty and worried that everyone had quit.
To her surprise, Jian Dan and the other members entered, carrying a birthday cake and gifts, having planned a surprise celebration for her. Jian Dan explained she had remembered Jiang Zhishan's birthday from her resume. Jiang Zhishan was visibly moved by their thoughtfulness. Later, Gu Entong and Monkey discussed Jiang Zhishan's birthday, with Monkey complaining about her specific gift list and the difficulties he faced in trying to book a popular restaurant she wanted.
During the birthday celebration, Jiang Zhishan accidentally smeared cake on Han Yansheng's face. Later that evening, at a gathering, Jiang Zhishan insisted Jian Dan drink more, despite Jian Dan admitting she had a low tolerance for liquor, though she could manage red wine. Han Yansheng, heavily intoxicated, caused a scene outside. Jian Dan attempted to guide him, but he was disoriented and nearly walked into traffic. She called Su Lishi to pick him up.
As Jian Dan helped the drunken Han Yansheng, he slurred, "Do you know what it feels like to cuddle a cat?" Su Lishi eventually arrived, remarking how cute Han Yansheng was when drunk. Han Yansheng, still groggy, asked, "What did you say just now?"
