Love Unexpected Episode 4 Recap
> Love Unexpected Recap
In 2012, as Lu Fanfan and Liu Ruochen walked through the campus, a thief suddenly snatched Fanfan’s bag. Liu Ruochen immediately ran after the thief. Meanwhile, Zhu Yixiao stopped Lu Fanfan and questioned her relationship with Liu Ruochen, falsely claiming to be his first love and noting that the chocolate ice cream Fanfan was eating was also her favorite flavor, implying Liu Ruochen still thought of her.
As Liu Ruochen approached, Zhu Yixiao dramatically opened a bottle of water and, pretending to struggle with Fanfan, poured it onto the ground, then tearfully accused Fanfan of splashing water on her. She added that she had simply intended to bring Liu Ruochen water and that Fanfan's actions were uncalled for, especially after what happened at the basketball court earlier.
Recognizing Zhu Yixiao's trick, Liu Ruochen took off his jacket and, to Zhu Yixiao’s surprise, poured the remaining water on himself. He declared firmly that Lu Fanfan was his girlfriend, asserting that he trusted her completely, which left Zhu Yixiao fuming. Lu Fanfan was touched by his trust and happily used a tissue to dry his hair. As he bent down, Liu Ruochen noticed that one of Fanfan’s earrings was missing.
Realizing it was a gift from her mother, they quickly went back to search for it. Years later, in 2024, Liu Ruochen confided in Qin Yang by the sea, acknowledging that Lu Fanfan still hadn’t regained her memories despite all his efforts. Qin Yang suggested moving on, but Liu Ruochen was resolute, stating that after twelve years, he was prepared to wait longer and start fresh if she never remembered. That evening, Lu Fanfan's apartment experienced a power outage.
Believing it was due to an unpaid bill, she went to find her top-up card. Liu Ruochen suddenly appeared, explaining that he had rented the adjacent apartment because their first encounter had also been during a blackout. He hoped this would help trigger her memories and offered to help her every day, starting tomorrow. The following day, they visited the sea. Lu Fanfan was delighted watching children build sandcastles and soon joined them.
This scene brought back Liu Ruochen’s memories of building sandcastles with her in the past. Later, Zhu Yixiao was forcibly dragged into a forest by a man who demanded money, claiming he had bad luck gambling and urging her to use her wealthy admirers to get more funds. Lu Fanfan and Liu Ruochen witnessed the scene.
Zhu Yixiao quickly ran to them, lying that the man was their former driver who had gambling debts and was merely asking for a loan. Liu Ruochen appeared to believe her, but Lu Fanfan saw through the fabrication and, feigning another engagement, left with Liu Ruochen, advising Zhu Yixiao to report the robbery to the police if she was truly in trouble. In 2012, Yu Xiao Yue walked down the street, clutching a new album.
However, her "friends" took it, mocked her poverty for buying such an expensive item, and then threw it to the ground, leaving Xiao Yue upset. Meanwhile, Zhu Yixiao’s father, Zhu Guo Feng, having lost more money gambling, wanted to get money from Zhu Yixiao, but her mother intervened. Lu Fanfan, walking along, accidentally bumped into Zhu Yixiao’s mother. Their identical bags got swapped in the fall, and Fanfan didn’t notice until much later.
Upon returning home without the money Zhu Guo Feng expected, Zhu Yixiao’s mother was violently assaulted by her husband. Just then, Lu Fanfan called her phone, which was in the swapped bag, to arrange the bag exchange. Zhu Guo Feng answered and gave Lu Fanfan their address on Jinshui Street. When Lu Fanfan arrived, Zhu Yixiao saw her. Zhu Guo Feng then demanded her phone and assaulted her.
Liu Ruochen, who had been waiting for Lu Fanfan at Dongfeng Road and called her, overheard Lu Fanfan's cries for help and Zhu Guo Feng's voice through the phone, quickly rushing to the address. He kicked Zhu Guo Feng away, causing him to flee after being told the police were on their way. Zhu Yixiao then entered, calling out to her mother, revealing to Liu Ruochen and Lu Fanfan that the injured woman was her mother.
Back in 2024, Lu Fanfan visited Professor Gao Ruwen for a hypnosis session to recover her lost memories. Professor Gao explained that hypnosis accesses the subconscious to retrieve forgotten memories, and she might experience fragmented images, which she should describe. During the session, Lu Fanfan was abruptly startled and woke up. She described seeing only darkness and hearing a man repeatedly calling her name, though she couldn't discern his face.
Professor Gao, observing her distressed state, advised against another immediate session, suggesting her mental state was too fragile. He reassured her that with more treatments, her memories would surely return. Returning to 2012, Liu Ruochen advised Lu Fanfan not to go back to her family’s restaurant immediately, fearing Zhu Guo Feng's violent retaliation against her or her parents. Lu Fanfan agreed but pointed out she couldn't stay in a hotel without an ID.
She then asked if she could temporarily stay at his place, knowing he had many empty rooms. Liu Ruochen initially expressed concern about the impropriety, but Lu Fanfan insisted, highlighting their close friendship and appealing to him not to leave her homeless. Ultimately, he agreed. To alleviate her parents' worries, Liu Ruochen called them, informing them that he and Lu Fanfan were going on a trip together and, to Lu Fanfan's blush and secret delight, implied they were now dating. Her parents, relieved she was safe with Liu Ruochen, readily approved of the "trip."
