Love in Time Episode 4 Recap
> Love in Time Recap
He Zhengyu, despite his earlier claim he would move out, reappeared at the apartment, much to Jialan's annoyance. She accused him of not keeping his word, but he insisted that although they exist in different timelines, the apartment is also her home, and she has the right to live as she chooses. He then suggested their cohabitation was in an "adjustment period," which Jialan quickly corrected to "roommates."
To mend fences, He Zhengyu invited her to an "informal dinner," which turned out to be an extravagant Western meal. Suspicious of his motives, Jialan rejected the meal and challenged him to prepare Liuzhou river snails rice noodle for her, adding a fried egg and a chicken claw to the request, knowing he had never tried it before. He Zhengyu reluctantly took on the task, visibly disgusted by the odor of the noodles but trying to act unaffected.
After he finished his meal, he excused himself to the study, where he spotted a photo of Jiang Shenghao on Jialan's computer. He feigned curiosity, and Jialan proudly revealed that Jiang Shenghao was married to her good friend, Wu Jirong, confirming his proposal was successful. Seeking to gather more information, He Zhengyu slyly commented on the high divorce rates among those who marry quickly, which angered Jialan, who fiercely defended her friend and ordered him to leave.
Meanwhile, at the iNEWS office, the team discussed the case of the Li brothers, Li Zili and Li Ziqiang, against Fei's Company. Li Ziqiang claimed he was severely beaten during a forced demolition, presenting a hospital report for a comminuted fracture. Jialan, however, expressed doubts, revealing she discovered that Li Zili and his construction team were fired "before" the demolition, suggesting there was more to the story.
While her colleagues questioned her lack of evidence, her editor-in-chief and Mu Shiming praised her journalistic intuition. Mu Shiming, known for working alone, announced he would partner with Jialan to investigate the connection, sparking surprise and gossip among their colleagues. Later, He Zhengyu and a colleague located Chen Kexin, a key witness in Jiang Shenghao's case. Chen Kexin claimed Jiang Shenghao was a "jerk" who was with her but refused to divorce Wu Jirong.
However, when asked to testify in court, she grew evasive, excused herself to the restroom, and escaped with the help of the café staff. He Zhengyu remained unfazed, deducing her escape was proof she was hiding something crucial to the case. Back home, He Zhengyu found Jialan furiously practicing mixed martial arts to vent her frustrations. Hoping to get her to arrange a meeting with Wu Jirong, he took her out for cake, suggesting sweets could improve her mood.
Jialan recounted how her colleagues had disparaged a cake she made for them, despite her having treated them to dinner. She revealed she had left the dinner early at Jiang Shenghao’s request, which instantly piqued He Zhengyu's interest. He tried to extract more information, but Jialan refused to gossip about her best friend. As Jialan spoke about the importance of genuine friendships, He Zhengyu awkwardly tried to wipe cream from her face.
The next day, Jialan learned that He Zhengyu was the attorney representing Fei's Company at their press conference. Just before the event, He Zhengyu experienced a sudden, painful memory update. He composed himself and took the stage, asserting that he would secure victory for his client. The Li brothers dramatically interrupted, accusing Fei's Company of assault and presenting a report as proof of a "tenth-degree disability." He Zhengyu calmly dismissed them, threatening legal action for defamation.
Jialan then challenged him, asking if he pursued "justice" or "victory for wealthy clients." He retorted that justice has no universal standard and that as a lawyer, he upholds the justice defined by law, before criticizing her for violating journalistic objectivity. Mu Shiming intervened, arguing that true journalism requires the courage to speak for the vulnerable. Outside, Mu Shiming warned Jialan to be wary of He Zhengyu, who in turn questioned the professionalism of iNEWS.
That evening, a furious Jialan confronted He Zhengyu about the press conference. He showed her on his phone that Fei's Company had won the lawsuit, preserving his undefeated record. Still unconvinced, Jialan declared the result was not the truth and vowed to investigate it herself. A flashback to 2021 reveals she had previously investigated the case, secretly following He Zhengyu only to discover he was also investigating the Li brothers.
They reluctantly teamed up, with He Zhengyu advising her on how to go undercover. They covertly recorded Li Zili confessing his scheme: he had his brother deliberately break his own arm to frame Fei's Company for money. He Zhengyu later explained that the forensic report showed two fractures in the same place, strongly suggesting a self-inflicted injury. This revelation shocked Jialan, who gained a new respect for his undefeated record and intelligence.
Back in 2022, while playing video games with Zhou Dajun, He Zhengyu suffered another painful memory update, which revealed to him that Jialan had been with him during the 2021 investigation. He lamented their strained relationship, wondering which version of him she disliked more, but remained determined to get her help in meeting Wu Jirong. That night, he waited for Jialan to return, but she deliberately stayed out late to avoid him.
A final flashback to 2021 shows Jialan's joyous reaction to Jiang Shenghao's proposal and her first meeting with Wu Jirong, where she promised to protect her new friend. Watching this happy memory, the 2022 He Zhengyu cynically remarked that the "happiness" was more like a "nightmare" and vowed that Jialan would eventually have to come to him for help.
