Love in Time Episode 21 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
One evening, 2021 He Zhengyu called Jialan, using the lie that her grandmother had suddenly arrived in Shanghai to lure her home before the time-space overlap. Jialan, seeing through the ruse, initially resisted, but hurried back after He Zhengyu claimed her grandmother was already inside and might be frightened by the strange phenomenon. Upon arriving, she found only 2022 He Zhengyu and realized they had colluded with her grandmother to trick her.
As a furious Jialan stormed out, 2021 He Zhengyu confronted her. He emotionally described the pain of his future self, a once-proud man who refuses to give up on the woman who has rejected him three times, simply because he loves her so much. He pleaded with her to stop tormenting him. Moved, Jialan wiped her tears and went back inside. Inside, 2022 He Zhengyu shared critical information with his past self and Jialan.
He revealed that in his timeline, the case of Zhang Xiaojiang led to him being framed for assaulting her boss, Gao Ming. The scandal got him fired from his firm and forced him to move into the apartment early on December 12, the same day Jialan had her car crash. He explained that Zhang Xiaojiang's case ultimately went nowhere, leading him to believe the entire sequence of events, including Jialan's crash, was a deliberate setup and not an accident.
He voiced a strong suspicion that rival lawyer Sun Defeng was involved, describing their situation as a "closed loop" from which they cannot escape. Despite the grim forecast, 2021 He Zhengyu chose to face the challenge, declaring that Jialan's safety was more important than his reputation. Initially, to avoid the setup, 2021 He Zhengyu refused to represent Zhang Xiaojiang when she called with a tip that Gao Ming's driver had suddenly resigned.
Shortly after, He Zhengyu learned that Wu Anwen had been officially arrested. He and Jialan visited Wu Anwen's sister, Jirong, finding her remarkably calm. Jirong asked them to witness her signing divorce papers with Jiang Shenghao. Despite his and Jialan's pleas for her to reconsider, Jirong remained resolute, stating she had accepted her path and would stand by her brother, regardless of his crimes.
Jialan later discovered that the desperate Zhang Xiaojiang had been approached by Sun Defeng, who guaranteed he could win her case. Jialan confronted 2021 He Zhengyu, blaming his refusal for pushing Zhang toward the suspicious lawyer. Aware that Jialan was intentionally trying to persuade him, and recalling his future self's warning about Sun Defeng, He Zhengyu's reluctance began to fade. He officially took the case after Zhang Xiaojiang called him directly, stating that he was the lawyer she trusted most.
On He Zhengyu's birthday, Jialan declined an invitation from his 2021 self, citing work on Zhang's case. He Zhengyu canceled his restaurant reservation and told them to give the birthday cake away. At the apartment, Jialan prepared a surprise cake for 2022 He Zhengyu. During the overlap, he found her hiding outside and brought her in for a tender celebration.
As she made a wish, he kissed her, revealing his own wish was for her to live life to the fullest without fear. He lamented the simple daily routines they could never share and promised to fulfill all her wishes so they would have no regrets. Jialan tearfully agreed, acknowledging their connection was filled with both joy and sorrow, and vowing to cherish their time.
The investigation began with 2021 He Zhengyu confronting Gao Ming’s former driver of ten years, Meng Jianguo. The driver was evasive, insisting Zhang Xiaojiang was the liar and claiming he quit to spend more time with his daughter. Later, He Zhengyu, Jialan, and Zhang Xiaojiang concluded Meng was likely paid hush money.
Their case was strengthened by footage from a neighbor’s smart doorbell that corroborated Zhang's account of the incident, and by the realization that her viral social media post had been professionally ghostwritten. In a separate development, the actress Jirong gave her first public interview since her comeback, confirming her divorce. She clarified the decision was her own, expressed gratitude for her marriage to Jiang Shenghao, and stated she had no regrets.
During another overlap, 2022 He Zhengyu and Jialan shared a romantic evening on a rooftop. As they walked home, Jialan admired a wedding dress, reminding her of a painting he once made of them getting married in Santorini. The episode ends on a sinister note, as the antagonist, Gao Ming, is shown in a car being addressed as "Boss Gao." He makes a call, instructing a subordinate to investigate his own former driver, Meng Jianguo, revealing he is actively manipulating events from the shadows.
