Love in Time Episode 16 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
Su Jianan found herself modifying a script late into the night, her thoughts consumed by Lu Boyan. She recalled how he had meticulously prepared travel essentials for her the day before she joined the crew. Now, those items remained, but his whereabouts were unknown. The next morning, a weather forecast predicted heavy rain in the Luochuan area. General Manager Kang, dressed for a meeting, was scheduled to go on a scene survey with Su Jianan.
However, his assistant informed him that Director Guo required his immediate attention for an important play that night. General Manager Kang, thus preoccupied, entrusted all decision-making regarding the scene survey to Su Jianan, sending the assistant, Song Yu, to accompany her instead. The chosen outdoor location was an abandoned building, heavily overgrown with greenery, its derelict appearance perfectly fitting the story's theme. Su Jianan decided to check the rooftop for a better view. Song Yu readily agreed.
Upon reaching the rooftop, Su Jianan found it deserted. As the sky darkened and strong winds began to pick up, she realized the small access door had locked from the inside. She tried to call Song Yu, but the signal was poor. Although he promised to come up, he couldn't open the door and left to find help. Meanwhile, Song Yu contacted Han Ruoxi to report. She instructed him to wait before informing General Manager Kang.
Han Ruoxi believed that only when someone was at their most helpless, confused, and terrified would another person's assistance be truly remembered and appreciated. Separately, Lu Boyan arrived at Su Jianan's residence, knocking but receiving no answer. He tried calling her, but the approaching thunderstorm disrupted the connection. Despite the poor reception, he managed to hear Su Jianan's desperate plea, "I was trapped on the roof of the abandoned building on Nanping Road. Come and save me!"
He urged her to stay calm and find a safe spot, warning her about the lightning, and promised to come immediately. As Lu Boyan rushed towards the abandoned building, Han Ruoxi emerged from her residence. Seeing him, she immediately tried to stop him. She reminded him of their many years of shared struggles and her contributions to Lu's Media, implying that their history should hold more weight than his current focus.
Lu Boyan, however, dismissed her claims, stating that he only cared about Su Jianan and that their past was irrelevant. He asserted that while they might have once been friends, Han Ruoxi's choice to harm Su Jianan had irrevocably changed everything between them. Ignoring Han Ruoxi’s pleas, Lu Boyan pushed her aside and left.
Han Ruoxi, falling to the ground, immediately called Song Yu, instructing him to tell General Manager Kang to save Su Jianan, turning it into a race against Lu Boyan. Back at the abandoned building, the rooftop was plunged into complete darkness, with thunder and lightning lashing down. Su Jianan huddled behind a supporting pillar, terrified by the pervasive darkness.
She remembered a past "Room Escape" game with Lu Boyan where he couldn't tolerate even a moment of darkness, and she worried how he would cope with this situation. Her fears were well-founded. As Lu Boyan entered the pitch-black stairwell, he was immediately enveloped by a crushing fear. His breathing became ragged, his legs turned to jelly, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Flashbacks of his childhood trauma, where he was kidnapped and locked in a dark, desolate room, flooded his mind, overwhelming him like an unstoppable tide. Despite his terror, he rallied, telling himself that only he could break this deadlock, and urged Su Jianan to wait for him. Finally, the rooftop door creaked open. Lu Boyan, pushing past his fear, called out Su Jianan's name and embraced her.
He apologized for his self-righteousness, admitting he had wronged her by his interference with her dream and not considering her feelings. Su Jianan confessed her own fear of losing him. A powerful wave of shared longing enveloped them, revealing the torment they had both endured from their separation. Acknowledging their deep affection, they vowed to compromise and communicate better.
Lu Boyan offered to take her back to the hotel, but Su Jianan, having nearly finished her script, insisted they go home instead. They embraced and shared a tender kiss, a scene witnessed by Kang Ruicheng, who arrived just a moment later. Instead of going straight home, Lu Boyan led Su Jianan to their shared alma mater. Under a large, familiar tree, he unearthed a box.
Inside lay a torn photograph of a chubby Su Jianan and a smiling Lu Boyan. He explained that the infamous school broadcast, which had only played the first half of a sentence, had caused a misunderstanding. He revealed the full, unsaid truth that he had wanted to tell her since July 12th: "Nobody likes to be friends with a fat girl, but I, Lu Boyan, just like it!"
He confessed his enduring love for her, explaining that his past silence was due to his fear that she wouldn't forgive him or would leave him. He promised to cherish her no matter what. Overjoyed, Su Jianan leaned in and kissed him. With their hearts finally aligned, Lu Boyan invited Su Jianan to share his bed. That night, as they lay together, Su Jianan, a little shy, watched him.
When she turned off the light, Lu Boyan suddenly flinched, startled by the darkness. She quietly wondered if he was still afraid of the dark. The next morning, Su Jianan tried to gently inquire about his reaction, but Lu Boyan skillfully dodged her questions, even preventing her from going to the kitchen, claiming it as his territory.
She later learned from Yuechuan that Lu Boyan's birthday was approaching, but he never celebrated it because it tragically coincided with his father's death anniversary. She also learned that this was the same date, July 12th, when Lu Boyan had arranged to meet her in childhood to explain the broadcast incident. She began to suspect a connection between this significant date and his fear of darkness. Determined to understand and help, Su Jianan gently pressed Lu Boyan for the truth.
She acknowledged his reluctance to speak but emphasized her worry as his wife. She recalled that thirteen years ago, on July 12th, the day they were supposed to meet and the day his father passed away, his fear of darkness had begun. She revealed that she had researched it and understood he suffered from nyctophobia, a mental trauma often rooted in childhood. Lu Boyan finally confessed that that day was the darkest of his life.
He had been on his way to apologize to her at their meeting spot when he was kidnapped by his father's business rivals and locked in a dilapidated, dark room. By the time he was rescued and arrived at their meeting place, she was gone, leaving only a torn photograph behind. On that very same day, he not only felt that she had abandoned him but also lost his father to a sudden heart attack.
This double blow of losing two crucial people in his life on the same day caused him and his mother to leave Taoran City and left him feeling as if he had never truly escaped that dark room. Su Jianan, understanding the depth of his trauma, reassured him, reminding him of his innate bravery, and pledged to help him overcome his nyctophobia. That evening, Su Jianan brought an eye mask, initiating her "treatment method." She gently explained that there would be "rewards" if he cooperated, signaling her commitment to helping him brave the darkness.
