Never Gone Episode 1 Recap
> Never Gone Recap
The morning sun illuminated Shanghai as Su Yunjin, a capable professional, discussed work with a colleague, preparing for a crucial meeting with Mr. Lin. Her colleague praised the venue, remarking that Su Yunjin, as a director, always received preferential treatment and that their current client, Mr. Lin, must be more important than previous ones.
Su Yunjin, however, corrected her on a data point in their report, reminding her that Mr. Lin was known for being strict and precise, and senior to Mr. Xu. She instructed her colleague to make the changes and proofread the report, hoping they could still make it in time. Unexpectedly, a woman identifying herself as Mrs. Xu approached Su Yunjin. After confirming Su Yunjin's identity, she splashed a drink on her, accusing her of being a homewrecker.
Su Yunjin remained composed, denying any involvement beyond a professional relationship with Mr. Xu, and stated that her accuser had clearly misunderstood. Her colleague intervened, warning Mrs. Xu against further harassment, and Mrs. Xu, visibly angered, eventually walked away, but not before demanding an apology from Su Yunjin. After Mrs. Xu left, Su Yunjin's colleague checked on her, and Su Yunjin calmly said she would go clean up.
While Su Yunjin was in the washroom, her colleague informed her that a woman in the lobby had given her a coat, claiming to know Su Yunjin and saying it was for an emergency. Su Yunjin didn't know who the tall, pretty woman was. Soon after, Mr. Lin arrived, and the meeting proceeded. Su Yunjin's colleague later lauded her composure and ability to secure the project, reporting that Mr. Lin was impressed despite the earlier incident.
The colleague even suggested that Su Yunjin and Mr. Xu were a perfect match, unlike his "fierce wife." During this time, Cheng Zheng, speaking to an unknown person, commented on Su Yunjin's "bulletproof" composure after being splashed, suggesting it had ruined a "plan" he had, and decided to "find her another day." Later, Su Yunjin was seen looking at wedding photos on her phone with a complex expression.
Meanwhile, Cheng Zheng received a phone call from an old classmate, Meng Xue, inviting him to her wedding. She playfully urged him to attend, hinting that he shouldn't avoid it because of "certain people," implying Su Yunjin. Separately, Su Yunjin also received a text from Meng Xue, apologizing for their past dispute and insisting Su Yunjin attend the wedding if she accepted the apology. Su Yunjin sighed, realizing she was cornered and had no choice but to go.
Her colleague, overhearing, encouraged her to attend, hoping she might find a new love interest, or perhaps rekindle an old one, teasing Su Yunjin about her "age." Su Yunjin explained that sometimes, a step back from an opponent forces you to take a step forward. She then assigned her colleague the task of finalizing Mr. Lin's amendments for Mr. Xu by the next morning, offering a day off as incentive.
Later, Su Yunjin found herself lost in thought, recalling a romantic past with Cheng Zheng that once seemed enviable but now felt distant and irrevocably gone. Her mind drifted further back to her humble upbringing. Her father suffered from an illness, and her mother toiled tirelessly to support the family. Su Yunjin was a diligent student, choosing science over liberal arts in high school, hoping to acquire a valuable skill and become self-sufficient, a decision her father proudly supported.
She always assured her parents that their life was good and that she was happy to stay with them in their small home. Snapping back to the present, Su Yunjin received a call from Mr. Xu (Xu Zhiheng), who was waiting downstairs. Despite her telling him that an apology wasn't necessary, he insisted he was "just passing by" and asked her to come down.
Meeting him, Mr. Xu offered her pan-fried dumplings, claiming he had pulled strings to get them without queuing. He sincerely apologized for his wife's earlier outburst, explaining he hadn't anticipated her actions. Su Yunjin acknowledged that his wife, in her distress, needed an outlet, but regretted that she had targeted the wrong person. Mr. Xu then presented her with a valuable "apology gift" he had picked up on a business trip, saying it suited her. Su Yunjin accepted it.
Mr. Xu then inquired if Su Yunjin would be attending Meng Xue's wedding. Su Yunjin confirmed she would, as both Meng Xue and her fiancé, Song Ming, were old classmates. Upon returning to her office, Su Yunjin received a package from Rongge Bookstore, which transported her back to her high school days. In that flashback, Su Yunjin had worked part-time at Rongge Bookstore to help with family expenses.
One day, Cheng Zheng, secretly eager to get closer to Su Yunjin, dragged his friend Zhou Ziyi to the bookstore under the pretense of finding "Rui Rui," whom Cheng Zheng claimed often visited. Zhou Ziyi, clearly annoyed, complained about being forced to accompany Cheng Zheng and his quest, but Cheng Zheng ignored his protests. During their visit, Su Yunjin accidentally tore her clothing. Seeing her predicament, Cheng Zheng quickly offered her his own new jacket, which he hadn't worn.
Su Yunjin blushed. Zhou Ziyi, upon returning from getting drinks, immediately noticed Cheng Zheng talking to Su Yunjin and accused him of ditching the search for "Rui Rui" to flirt with Su Yunjin, hinting at Cheng Zheng's true intentions of seeing Su Yunjin. In another scene, Meng Xue was seen trying on her wedding dress. The attendant complimented the dress and how perfectly it fit Meng Xue. Meng Xue settled on the gown.
Her fiancé, Song Ming, then informed her that Su Yunjin had confirmed her attendance at the wedding. Upon hearing this, Meng Xue recalled her high school days with Su Yunjin, Cheng Zheng, and others. Despite being childhood sweethearts with Cheng Zheng, she remembered how his attention was always solely on Su Yunjin, no matter how hard she tried to get close to him. The flashback continued to the start of a new school term.
During the assembly, the principal welcomed students back and encouraged them to strive for improvement. In class, Meng Xue approached Cheng Zheng, giving him a pair of knitted knee pads she made over the holiday, knowing he enjoyed football. Cheng Zheng thanked her but said she didn't need to have bothered. Meng Xue then asked if the seat in front of him was available, hoping to sit there, as students could choose their seats.
Cheng Zheng, however, pointed to Su Yunjin, who was already sitting in that spot, stating they had an agreement. Meng Xue looked at Su Yunjin, surprised by her presence, recognizing that her efforts to be near Cheng Zheng were once again thwarted by Su Yunjin.
