Love in Time Episode 20 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
He Zhengyu and Jialan waited for 10:06 PM. He Zhengyu asked Jialan if she often played the sync-testing game from the video with her 2022 self. Jialan replied that their sync wasn't good enough. He Zhengyu then noted that the answer didn't matter; the fact that his 2022 self was willing to spend time playing such an unreasonable game with her proved how much he cared for her. Jialan acknowledged this. As 10:06 PM arrived, Jialan sensed He Zhengyu's presence.
Just as she stood up, He Zhengyu appeared, embracing her shoulders and letting her lean against him. He Zhengyu promised Jialan he would never give up on her, regardless of how entropy changed. He reminded her that they had already altered Jirong's fate, and therefore, they could change Jialan's fate as well. Comparing their efforts to Sisyphus, he stressed that even if they failed, they would simply try again.
He further explained, quoting Schrödinger, that life lives on "negative entropy," and the meaning of life lies in the continuous battle against entropy increase. He emphasized that like Sisyphus, who always believed in the next attempt despite not knowing how many times he would roll the rock, Jialan should also believe. He Zhengyu encouraged her to believe that they could transform 46 minutes into 24 hours and that a positive outcome would eventually materialize, regardless of the time it took.
Jialan accepted this, declaring her readiness to "roll the rock." He Zhengyu then invited Jialan to the balcony to set off fireworks he had prepared. As they lit them, Jialan remarked on their beauty and how they reminded her of childhood. She asked He Zhengyy if wishes made to fireworks could come true like those made to meteors, to which he affirmed, stating they were both burning substances.
Jialan noted a change in He Zhengyu, observing that he no longer considered her foolish. He Zhengyu admitted this was because he had fallen in love with her. Jialan then wondered if he would be willing to do foolish things with her. Secretly, Jialan wished for her unused luck to be given to He Zhengyu.
When He Zhengyu asked about her wish, Jialan revealed she had wished to see him every day, that their ending would change, and that she would knock on his door while he waited for her. He Zhengyu then informed Jialan about the current situation: Wu Anwen was still in jail, but Jialan would still be involved in a hit-and-run car accident at the same location, with the perpetrator and vehicle still unfound.
He revealed that her accident date had been advanced from January 7 to December 12, leaving her with less than a month. With this grim update, He Zhengyu faded away, leaving Jialan alone on the empty balcony, feeling a profound sense of loneliness and helplessness. Sometime later, the 2022 He Zhengyu was gripped by a splitting headache. He recalled a text message from Jialan four months prior.
In it, Jialan urged him not to look for her, to forget her, and to live his own life well. She asserted that while life was about fighting entropy increase, entropy decrease inevitably led to an increase, a truth no one could alter. Citing Jirong's case as proof, she insisted that someone having to leave was a destined outcome, and that she, who was originally comatose with no future, was the best choice.
She expressed her regret but also her contentment because of him, hoping he would live a better life. Despite her words, He Zhengyu was left wondering how he could live well without her and had no idea where she had gone. He pressed his colleague, Mu Shiming, about Jialan’s whereabouts; Mu Shiming revealed she had only sent a leave request via WeChat that morning, and He Zhengyu instructed him to report immediately if she made contact.
Mu Shiming then informed He Zhengyu about a new case: Zhang Xiaojiang, a female employee of Gao's Group, had been sexually harassed and forced to drink by her boss, Gao Ming, then maliciously fired. She had sought public help online, generating significant discussion, and had now approached their law firm, requesting He Zhengyu to be her lawyer.
He Zhengyu acknowledged the difficulty of collecting evidence in such cases, especially with vague legal definitions, and noted the public's divided opinion, with some sympathizing with Zhang Xiaojiang and others believing it was a dispute over money. He instructed Mu Shiming to meet Zhang Xiaojiang to gather full details, inquire if she had immediately reported to the police, and document all available evidence before he decided to take the case. His thoughts, however, remained with Jialan's disappearance.
Later that night, the 2022 He Zhengyu, after much contemplation, realized Jialan might have gone to her grandmother's house in Changjia. Knowing he only had 46 minutes of interaction time and couldn't make it there himself, he called his 2021 self. The 2021 He Zhengyu agreed to go immediately, requesting the address.
The 2022 He Zhengyu warned him not to mention entropy to Jialan and threatened not to forgive him if she went missing again, leading to a brief argument where the 2021 He Zhengyu blamed him for Jialan's disappearance. The 2022 He Zhengyu quickly ended the dispute, urging his past self to go and drive safely.
As heavy rain, thunder, and lightning enveloped the area, the 2022 He Zhengyu, sitting in his apartment, found himself unable to rest easy, especially after attempting to call Jialan and finding her phone off. News reports on TV highlighted severe rainstorms in Changjia, with warnings of high rainfall, mudslides, and road closures, intensifying his worry. The next morning, the 2021 He Zhengyu finally arrived at Jialan's grandmother's house in Changjia.
He was relieved when Jialan’s grandmother recognized him as Jialan's lawyer and boyfriend, confirming he was in the right place. However, his relief was short-lived as her grandmother, in distress, informed him that Jialan had gone to visit her parents' grave the previous afternoon and had not returned, nor could she be reached by phone.
As a police officer tried to calm Jialan's grandmother, explaining that mountain roads were dangerous after the rain and a rescue team was already deployed, He Zhengyu immediately inquired about the cemetery's exact location. Despite the officer's warnings about flash floods and mudslides, He Zhengyu insisted on joining the search, revealing his past experience with field rescue and the Blue Sky Rescue Team. The officer, convinced by his expertise, provided him with equipment.
Before leaving, He Zhengyu assured Jialan's grandmother he would bring Jialan back safely. After a determined search, he finally found someone who confirmed seeing Jialan helping them pack their tent and directed him further into the area. He Zhengyu found Jialan, whose ankle was sprained from helping pack tents. He offered her his jacket and, without waiting for her consent, swiftly picked her up, carrying her on his back.
He chastised her for limping and causing worry, reminding her that her grandmother was undoubtedly frantic. Upon returning to her grandmother’s house, He Zhengyu took charge, applying ice to Jialan's sprained ankle and tending to a scratch on his own arm that she had noticed, chiding her for not even knowing how to properly care for a wound.
He Zhengyu confronted Jialan about her habit of disappearing and putting herself in danger, accusing her of planning to worry everyone before her self-sacrifice. Jialan reiterated her belief that since Jirong's fate was now stable and everyone else was fine, she, as the one who was originally comatose, was the best candidate for sacrifice, citing the entropy principle that a decrease in one area necessitates an increase elsewhere.
He Zhengyu vehemently disagreed, questioning if her sacrifice was truly for love or merely self-serving emotion, and criticizing her for not considering how her disappearance would affect her almost 70-year-old grandmother. He stressed that the "He Zhengyu four months later" would not agree with her choice. He then declared that all three of them would face whatever happened together and gave Jialan two options: return with him or he would stay with her. Jialan conceded.
He Zhengyu internally pondered his own heightened anxiety and uncharacteristic emotional state regarding Jialan. During dinner, Jialan's grandmother served their favorite dishes. He Zhengyu playfully told her grandmother that Jialan was mad at him and had run away after a fight. Jialan quickly denied they were a couple, but her grandmother, convinced by He Zhengyu's facade, advised Jialan on the importance of communication in relationships and not to casually talk about breaking up.
Their conversation was interrupted by loud crying from outside. They rushed out to find Zhang Xiaojiang's grandmother, who recognized Jialan as a journalist and begged for help for her granddaughter, Zhang Xiaojiang, who had been harassed and nearly raped by her boss, Gao Ming. Zhang Xiaojiang had been taken in by police for questioning after Gao Ming retaliated by accusing her of defamation.
He Zhengyu calmly explained that this was a routine summons, not an arrest, but confirmed she would be arrested if evidence of defamation emerged. Jialan expressed solidarity with Zhang Xiaojiang's courage. He Zhengyu then revealed that Zhang Xiaojiang had already approached him to be her lawyer, noting the coincidence of them being neighbors. He explained the case's complexities, including public skepticism about how a drunk woman could escape.
Jialan vehemently defended Zhang Xiaojiang, asserting that resistance was natural and that as a journalist, she would always lean towards believing women in such situations. He Zhengyu proposed they return to Shanghai together to help, emphasizing the urgency, and Jialan immediately agreed to pack. Before leaving for Shanghai, Jialan's grandmother reiterated her advice for Jialan to get along with He Zhengyu.
Jialan, in turn, handed her grandmother a bank card and a friend's contact information, urging her to call them if she couldn't be reached. Jialan’s grandmother then entrusted Jialan's care to He Zhengyu, asking him to look after and cherish her, which he promised to do. Back in Shanghai, they went directly to meet Zhang Xiaojiang.
Over a meal, Zhang Xiaojiang recounted the harrowing details: her boss, Gao Ming, had forced her to drink excessively, sexually harassed her in the car, and then assaulted her in her apartment. She recalled fighting back, kicking him until he stopped. He Zhengyu informed her that the available surveillance footage was unfavorable, showing only her being drunk and Gao Ming helping her upstairs, with no evidence of the assaults in the car or her home.
This left Zhang Xiaojiang fearing imprisonment despite being the victim. Jialan, having experienced cyber violence herself, praised Zhang Xiaojiang's bravery and asserted that justice would prevail. Jialan subsequently presented the case to her editor, Ms. Wen, and colleagues. While a colleague, Piaopiao, expressed concerns about the topic's volatility, Jialan affirmed her desire to pursue the story, not for its popularity but due to the unsettling online trend of blaming victims.
Jialan passionately argued that victims should not be held to an impossible standard of "flawlessness" and that public opinion should not become a "moral court." She criticized the media's polarization into irresponsible clickbait and overly cautious observers. Jialan asserted that a journalist's fundamental duty was to uncover the truth, irrespective of potential plot twists. Convinced by Jialan's powerful argument, Ms. Wen fully supported the investigation and assigned the case to her.
