Love Unexpected Episode 23 Recap
> Love Unexpected Recap
Liu Ruochen returned home, presenting Lu Fanfan with the sanitary pads he had purchased for her. Lu Fanfan thanked him. Liu Ruochen then went to the study to relieve Qin Yang from his watch duty. Noticing Qin Yang's exhaustion, Liu Ruochen insisted he go rest, offering to take over for the remainder of the night as he had plenty of homework to do. Qin Yang, despite his concern for Liu Ruochen being alone, ultimately conceded to rest.
Liu Ruochen then settled into his watch, enjoying some cartoons. A week passed with no sign of Gao Ruwen, leading Lu Fanfan to question if their fears were overblown. However, Liu Ruochen cautioned against complacency, stating that their current passive approach was not ideal and their patience was being tested. Qin Yang then announced that the school required their presence that afternoon and suggested Lu Fanfan accompany them, believing Gao Ruwen would not strike in a crowded school.
Liu Ruochen agreed with the idea but pointed out that Pikachu, their dog, had not eaten all morning and appeared unwell. Lu Fanfan insisted they go to school without her, emphasizing that they had already sacrificed too much time for her. Liu Ruochen, still worried, offered to stay, but Lu Fanfan reiterated her resolve, promising to lock the door and only open it for them, using their secret code.
Reluctantly, Liu Ruochen, Qin Yang, and Yi Xiao departed for school, with Qin Yang reminding Lu Fanfan to be extremely careful and not to open the door for anyone else. Soon after they left, Lu Fanfan was tending to Pikachu, who was still refusing to eat, when the doorbell rang. She was surprised by the quick arrival, having just ordered medicine for the dog.
When she attempted to use their secret code, the person outside failed to respond, instead claiming to be a deliveryman. Her suspicion immediately aroused, Lu Fanfan suspected it was Gao Ruwen and quickly called Liu Ruochen. Over the phone, Liu Ruochen instructed her to stall him, assuring her they were rushing back. Lu Fanfan tried to buy time by claiming she had ordered the wrong item and asked the "deliveryman" to cancel it.
Gao Ruwen, no longer pretending, insisted she had to come out and sign to confirm the cancellation. Lu Fanfan, realizing the ploy, directly confronted him, stating she knew it was him. Amused, Gao Ruwen acknowledged her discovery, expressed his enjoyment of their "game," and told her he had left a "gift" at her door before leaving. Liu Ruochen, Qin Yang, and Yi Xiao returned swiftly, narrowly missing Gao Ruwen. Liu Ruochen immediately embraced a shaken Lu Fanfan.
Lu Fanfan told them about the gift Gao Ruwen had mentioned, which she hadn't dared to retrieve from outside. After much speculation about whether it was a trap, a bomb, or something grotesque, Liu Ruochen cautiously ventured out. Inside a bag, he found a box. Opening it, they discovered a roasted chicken and a note from Gao Ruwen posing a chilling question: "Who will you choose between Liu Ruochen and 'you'?"
Lu Fanfan initially thought "you" referred to her, but Qin Yang quickly understood that "you," coupled with the roasted chicken (Little Fan's favorite), referred to Little Fan. They realized with horror that Gao Ruwen had kidnapped Little Fan. Liu Ruochen regretted their oversight, admitting they had focused solely on protecting the adult Lu Fanfan, forgetting about her younger self. With no other options, they decided to wait for Gao Ruwen's next move.
That night, Gao Ruwen called Lu Fanfan, inquiring if she liked his gift and inviting her to play a simple game. When Lu Fanfan demanded to know about Little Fan, Gao Ruwen confirmed the kidnapping by letting Little Fan's desperate cries for help be heard over the phone. Lu Fanfan pleaded with him not to harm the child, but Liu Ruochen interjected, telling Gao Ruwen to state his terms directly.
Gao Ruwen chillingly implied that Little Fan was not an ordinary child and that Lu Fanfan's emotions were tied to her well-being. He then gave them his terms: they were to meet him alone at the Abandoned factory in the western suburbs at midnight, with only one hour to arrive and a stern warning against involving the police. Liu Ruochen and Lu Fanfan decided to keep this information from Qin Yang and Yi Xiao, choosing to face Gao Ruwen together.
Upon arriving at the desolate factory, they found Little Fan tied up. Gao Ruwen, pleased by their punctuality, taunted them. Liu Ruochen demanded Little Fan's release, but Gao Ruwen dismissed his threats, claiming he merely wanted to play a game because the "Liu Ruochen from 2024" was such a "bad sport." Liu Ruochen pressed him to reveal the rules of the game. Gao Ruwen then gave Lu Fanfan an ultimatum: she had to choose between Little Fan and Liu Ruochen.
To save Little Fan, she would have to take a stick and beat Liu Ruochen. Liu Ruochen tried to reason with Gao Ruwen, stating that he was the one Gao Ruwen had a problem with, not Lu Fanfan or Little Fan. However, Gao Ruwen retorted that they were the ones who had forced his actions, preventing him from living peacefully.
He revealed that ever since he arrived in this timeline, his body had been deteriorating, and he was curious why Lu Fanfan remained unaffected and still had a chance. He then reiterated his challenge: choose between her 12-year-old self or the man she loved most. Liu Ruochen, picking up the stick himself, urged Lu Fanfan to hit him, stressing that Little Fan's life depended on it.
Lu Fanfan was distraught, unable to bring herself to strike him, but Liu Ruochen's desperate insistence compelled her. Gao Ruwen cruelly encouraged her, telling her to hit him harder. Lu Fanfan, tearfully, delivered blows to Liu Ruochen until he eventually collapsed, nearly unconscious. Gao Ruwen then instructed Little Fan to stay upstairs before brandishing a dagger and descending towards the incapacitated Liu Ruochen.
