Meteor Garden 2018 Episode 5 Recap
> Meteor Garden 2018 Recap
Having confronted Teng Tangjing, Shancai inquired if she truly didn't like Huaze Lei. Teng Tangjing clarified that she wouldn't change her decision for anyone, regardless of being called capricious or selfish. She emphasized that love isn't the most important thing to her; instead, she prioritizes pursuing her own dreams and avoiding regret. After thanking Shancai for her concern, Teng Tangjing departed. Shortly after, Huaze Lei appeared and angrily questioned Shancai about going behind his back to beg Teng Tangjing.
He explained that both he and Jing were proud people, and he didn't want his deep, private feelings for her to be made a spectacle of. Shancai explained she believed she could persuade Teng Tangjing, but Huaze Lei accused her of meddling and dismissed her. Shancai, tearfully, tried to argue that he might never see Teng Tangjing again and she didn't want to see him suffer, but Huaze Lei harshly told her to mind her own business and get out.
Deeply hurt, Shancai later reflected on Huaze Lei's words, wondering if she had been wrong and embarrassed him with her self-righteous intentions. The next day, everyone gathered at the airport for Teng Tangjing's departure to Paris, except for Huaze Lei, who was nowhere to be found, much to everyone's disappointment. Daoming Si, Meizuo, and Ximen attempted to call him but couldn't get through. Daoming Si showed off a gag gift he had for Teng Tangjing.
Chen Qinghe, also present, joked that if Huaze Lei had half of Daoming Si's thick skin, he wouldn't be in such pain. Daoming Si then teased Shancai about her gloomy face. Shancai asked Daoming Si if he had someone he liked, sharing her view that true love means being happy for the other person, even if it means silently suppressing one's own feelings. Daoming Si strongly disagreed, calling such a notion foolish.
He argued that unexpressed love is meaningless and would lead to lifelong regret, stating that one shouldn't expect the other person to read their mind. Shancai was surprised by the simple truth in Daoming Si's words, which addressed a problem that had troubled her and Huaze Lei. After her final goodbyes, Teng Tangjing hugged Shancai, assuring her she would be happy, and asked everyone to tell Huaze Lei to take care of himself.
She also warned F4 not to bully Shancai anymore, a sentiment Daoming Si scoffed at, and gave Shancai a small gift. As everyone turned to leave, a cheerful-looking Huaze Lei appeared. He admitted he had been at the airport for an hour, hiding behind a pillar. An exasperated Shancai confronted him, questioning why he would hide and watch Teng Tangjing leave.
She criticized him for not knowing how to fight for what he wants, unlike Teng Tangjing who bravely pursued her dreams. Huaze Lei, however, smiled and revealed his own ticket and passport, announcing that he would take the next flight to Paris. He confessed that his anger the previous day wasn't at Shancai but stemmed from his own cowardice. He had spent the night reflecting and decided to bravely pursue his feelings.
He thanked Shancai by kissing her forehead and then headed for his gate. Meizuo and Ximen were impressed by Huaze Lei's newfound determination and Shancai's unexpected influence, speculating it must be the "power of love." After Huaze Lei departed, Daoming Si suddenly asked Shancai out, but the roar of a taking-off plane drowned out his words. Shancai asked him to repeat, but Daoming Si refused, calling her an "idiot" for not hearing him.
Later, Daoming Si was looking for dating tips online, even considering a "limited edition Love Aroma" perfume, which Meizuo and Ximen teased him about. They offered to be his "love experts," starting with a detailed "love simulation": arrive early, choose a romantic restaurant, present a red rose with a heartfelt card, maintain eye contact, offer compliments, avoid discussing past relationships, and console her if she cries by saying, "It's okay. He left you so that I could meet you."
The date, they concluded, should end with a waltz, leaving an unforgettable impression. Daoming Si found these suggestions "cheesy" and asked for something simpler. Ximen then suggested "playing hard to get," which Daoming Si comically misunderstood as the name of a person. The next day, Daoming Si announced on the school's information wall that F4 would face Chen Qinghe and Dong Shancai in a bridge duel.
Chen Qinghe was thrilled, boasting about a previous time in Sanya where Daoming Si lost to him in squid fishing and fantasizing about making F4 dance "four little swans" or Daoming Si shave his head. Shancai, however, was terrified, knowing she couldn't play bridge. At the match, Shancai complained about the unfairness, prompting Daoming Si to allow her and Chen Qinghe to set the rules, while he would set the stakes.
Chen Qinghe proposed "compare sizes," a simple card game where the highest card wins, to which Daoming Si agreed. F4 easily won, as Meizuo demonstrated his incredible skill by naming cards without looking, even revealing that Chen Qinghe had tried to cheat by hiding a Spade Ace in his pocket. Accepting defeat, Shancai braced herself for Daoming Si's punishment. To her surprise, Daoming Si only asked her to treat him to dinner at Jiangwan Stadium Square on Sunday noon.
Shancai, still suspicious of a trick, reluctantly agreed but resolved not to go. Chen Qinghe called her later, worried about Daoming Si's revenge, and Shancai confirmed her intention to stand him up, complaining about her broken phone. On Sunday, as Shancai was shopping with her mother, heavy rain began. Worried that Daoming Si might actually be waiting, she rushed out of the mall, still wearing a new coat her mother had made her try on.
At Jiangwan Stadium Square, she found Daoming Si drenched, having waited for four hours. He embraced her tightly, scolding her for being late but not genuinely angry. He explained that his calls to her had failed, and he feared she wouldn't find him or that something had happened, so he dared not seek shelter from the rain. Touched by his sincerity, Shancai agreed to treat him to dinner.
They searched for a restaurant, with Shancai proposing a cheap buffet, which Daoming Si found appalling. After several attempts to find an open eatery, they boarded an elevator, which promptly got stuck between floors. The lights went out, and there was no phone signal. Meanwhile, Shancai's worried parents were frantically calling the police and Li Zhen, unable to reach their daughter. Trapped in the dark elevator, Daoming Si suddenly collapsed, weak with fever from waiting in the rain.
Feeling guilty, Shancai laid him on her lap and covered him with her new coat to keep him warm, hoping for rescue. Later that night, Daoming Si awoke, and they began to bicker. When Shancai mentioned his mother, Daoming Si's demeanor changed.
He revealed he hadn't seen his mother in two years, as his father had passed away when he was in middle school, and his mother was always busy with business in London, leaving him with only her assistants to answer his calls. Shancai realized his deep loneliness, a stark contrast to her own family, who, despite their arguments, always cared for her. Feeling sympathy, Shancai offered to compensate him for his suffering.
Daoming Si then leaned in for a kiss, but just as their lips were about to meet, the elevator door suddenly opened, revealing a repairman who calmly remarked on Daoming Si's "boldness." Startled and embarrassed, Shancai quickly covered her face with an umbrella and fled. Returning home, Shancai found her parents frantic with worry.
Her mother, initially angry about her staying out all night, was quickly appeased when Shancai showed her broken phone and explained she had been trapped in the elevator. Overwhelmed with relief, her parents fussed over her, offering her their phone and warm porridge. Shancai felt a wave of warmth from their love, realizing it was something Daoming Si yearned for. The next day at school, both Shancai and Daoming Si appeared haggard, Daoming Si suffering from a severe cold.
Other students, including Xin Hui, gossiped, assuming Daoming Si had tormented Shancai after she lost the card game, while Chen Qinghe vowed to protect her. Shancai tried to reassure her friends that Daoming Si hadn't bullied her. Just then, Daoming Si approached Shancai, handed her jacket back, and casually mentioned she had "forgotten it this morning." This seemingly innocent gesture, however, fueled rumors among the student body that Shancai and Daoming Si had spent the night together.
Meizuo and Ximen, after hearing Daoming Si's account of being trapped in the elevator and almost kissing Shancai before being interrupted by the repairman, were both excited by the "exciting" situation and disappointed that nothing more had transpired.
