My Deepest Dream Episode 4 Recap
> My Deepest Dream Recap
Upon returning home, Tan Jiao sternly chastised her younger brother, Hao, for wandering off on his own, ordering him to write a 100-word remorse letter. Observing her distressed mood, Hao sagely remarked that men, regardless of age, are "ingrates" and inquired if her partner, Wu Yu, had upset her again. He then offered advice, likening managing a boyfriend to flying a kite—a balance of tightening and loosening the string—before dutifully writing "Sorry, Tan Jiao" for his letter of self-criticism.
The next morning, Hao's father arrived to take him home. Tan Jiao cautioned her father about recent dangers and urged him to keep a close watch on Hao. She also gave Hao some of her favorite candy, playfully explaining it was to avoid getting fat. As Hao passed Wu Yu’s repair shop, he paused to give Wu Yu a piece of the candy, asking him to look out for Tan Jiao.
Wu Yu subtly smiled as he looked at the candy, a fleeting thought of Tan Jiao crossing his mind. Meanwhile, at the police station, officers discussed their frustration over a Red-naped tern that had distracted them, allowing kidnappers to escape with two children. Captain Shen Shiyan then met with Tan Jiao and Wu Yu, requesting their assistance in recalling further details from the previous day’s rescue.
Both independently mentioned the kidnapper’s drinking habit and his apparent reluctance to harm the children. When asked how they found the hideout, Wu Yu explained he followed a bird, and Shen Shiyan, surprisingly, revealed he was aware of this particular Red-naped tern, noting its consistent appearance at crime scenes. Tan Jiao corroborated, stating they followed the bird after suspecting Hao was in danger.
Wu Yu further detailed that one child was treated differently in the hideout—unbound and eating cake while the others were tied. He identified this child, Zhu Zihan, from a photo presented by Shen Shiyan. Shen Shiyan expressed his gratitude for their invaluable assistance. After the police departed, Wu Yu approached Tan Jiao, instructing her to direct any future police inquiries to him, as he wished for her to remain uninvolved in the dangerous affair.
Tan Jiao, misinterpreting his concern as him seeing her as a nuisance, retorted sharply about his erratic behavior and declared she would no longer "trouble" him, walking away in frustration. Soon after, Zhu Jirui, Zhu Zihan's aunt, along with Zihan's father, approached Tan Jiao, desperate for news of their missing nephew. Tan Jiao confirmed she had seen Zhu Zihan and that he was unharmed. Zhu Jirui left her business card, requesting any further information.
Tan Jiao did not notice a black feather subtly attached to Zhu Jirui's collar. Elsewhere, at the Zhu household, Zhu Fengxian, Zhu Jirui's father, expressed his furious blame towards Tan Jiao for her intervention, believing it jeopardized his grandson's rescue. He ominously vowed not to let Tan Jiao off if Zhu Zihan was not returned. Intriguingly, inside Zhu Jirui's home, a book specifically researching Red-naped terns lay open.
Back at the crime scene, Shen Shiyan's team found evidence of the cake, confirming Wu Yu’s account. Captain Feng then informed Shen Shiyan that the kidnapper had contacted Zhao Xinrui's family, demanding a three-million-yuan ransom to be paid within 48 hours. Seeking more information about Wu Yu, Tan Jiao called his former university and spoke with a classmate. The classmate revealed that Wu Yu had left Jinghai University before graduation and had been unreachable.
When Tan Jiao asked if something had happened to him, the classmate disclosed the tragic news: Wu Yu’s sister, Wu Miao, was one of the victims in the Jinghai Serial Murder case. This revelation brought a flood of poignant memories to Tan Jiao of Wu Miao’s vibrant personality and of her own innocent suggestion on the cruise that Wu Yu bring his sister along next time.
Simultaneously, a keychain holding Wu Miao’s hair tie slipped from Wu Yu’s hand, triggering a painful flashback to Wu Miao's 20th birthday. He remembered her excited voice anticipating a big surprise and their dinner plans, but his work had kept him busy, and his calls to her later that evening went unanswered. A chilling news report about the Jinghai serial murders, specifically targeting young women, followed, compounding his dread. He desperately called a friend, only to learn Miao was missing.
Overwhelmed by grief and self-blame, Wu Yu knelt in the rain, weeping. Tan Jiao found him and silently offered solace, shielding him from the rain with a red umbrella. She softly apologized for her past remarks. Wu Yu, wiping away his tears, stood and apologized in return, assuring her he never intended to cause her pain.
Tan Jiao promised not to burden him with her own troubles but reaffirmed her unwavering support, telling him, "If you ever need me, I'll be there." Leaving the red umbrella for Wu Yu, Tan Jiao hurried home and posted a cryptic message on her social media: "The dark cloud meets the bright moon." She was consumed by self-reproach, lamenting her insensitivity for repeatedly pressing Wu Yu about his sister despite his obvious discomfort.
Zhuang Yu arrived with a cake to cheer her up, trying to reassure her that Wu Yu’s past hardships were unchangeable and that her bluntness might even serve to "disinfect his wounds," ultimately forging a stronger person. As Tan Jiao ate the cake, a critical detail resurfaced: during the rescue at the wooden house, all the other children were tied, but Zhu Zihan was unbound and eating cake. Realizing the significance, Tan Jiao contacted Zhu Jirui to share this information.
Zhu Jirui expressed gratitude but then, intrigued, questioned how Tan Jiao had located such a remote hideout. Tan Jiao vaguely replied it was a "coincidence" during an excursion. After Zhu Jirui departed, a Red-naped tern mysteriously followed her, prompting a subtle smile from her. Tan Jiao, meanwhile, felt an uncanny familiarity with Zhu Jirui but couldn't place her. Later, while driving through a tunnel, Tan Jiao was suddenly swarmed by a flock of Red-naped terns, causing her to panic.
Wu Yu appeared just in time, pulling her into his car and driving her home. At her house, as Tan Jiao changed, she discovered a scratch on her arm from one of the birds. She then heard the distinct call of a Red-naped tern outside her window but saw nothing when she looked. A sudden, urgent knock revealed Wu Yu at her door. He calmly stated, "I need to live at your place for some time."
This unexpected request came while Zhu Jirui’s family agonized over the kidnapper's silence regarding Zhu Zihan, even as other families received ransom demands. Zhu Jirui, however, remained oddly confident, assuring her family that Zihan would be fine and that the kidnapper would not harm him.
