Never Gone Episode 16 Recap
> Never Gone Recap
The Cheng and Zhang families gathered, and Zhang Yue informed her cousin, Cheng Zheng, that Zhang Jinmeng admired his talents. Starting in his third year, Cheng Zheng was expected to intern in the company's engineering department while continuing his studies. Cheng Zheng, however, was clearly displeased with the idea of joining his family's business. He then noticed Zhang Yue was alone and inquired about Shen Juan’s absence.
Unable to hold back, Zhang Yue revealed that Su Yunjin and Shen Juan had broken up, which she believed occurred just the day before. This news shocked and enraged Cheng Zheng, who, ignoring his impending competition, immediately stormed off to confront Shen Juan. Cheng Zheng found Shen Juan and angrily accused him of being a heartless scoundrel. Shen Juan retaliated by saying Cheng Zheng was out of line, and the two men quickly engaged in a physical fight.
When Su Yunjin arrived at the scene, she pulled Cheng Zheng away and loudly declared that she was the one who initiated the breakup. Hearing this, Cheng Zheng immediately quieted down. Su Yunjin urged him to apologize, but Cheng Zheng refused, insisting he had done nothing wrong and only acted to protect her. He then told Su Yunjin that she should be celebrating the breakup rather than creating a disturbance.
Su Yunjin took Cheng Zheng to the school clinic, where he exaggerated his injuries in an attempt to gain her sympathy. The doctor, however, was not fooled and simply advised him to avoid fighting in the future. As they left the clinic, Su Yunjin gently scolded Cheng Zheng for his impulsive behavior. Suddenly, Cheng Zheng remembered his architectural design competition, which had started half an hour earlier.
He despaired, feeling it was too late to attend and worried about his father’s reaction, especially seeing his bruised face. He vaguely mentioned that he had entered the competition for a "strange reason," hinting at wanting to impress Su Yunjin, as he thought she preferred people who achieved awards. Unwilling to let him give up, Su Yunjin called Cheng Zheng childish and pulled him, running towards the school gate.
She passionately told him that he was pursuing a profession and participating in a competition of his own choice, questioning if proving his capabilities held no meaning for him. She emphasized that he shouldn't give up for her, nor should he imitate anyone because of her, urging him to simply be himself. Motivated by her words, Cheng Zheng felt a renewed determination.
He echoed her sentiment, stating he would go to prove himself, not to imitate others or to please her, and quickly hailed a taxi to the venue. Zhou Ziyi, who was observing the scene, remarked on Cheng Zheng's volatile nature. He then sheepishly mentioned to Su Yunjin that he had accidentally torn Mo Yuhua’s birthday photo album during his drunken state and had later found that Su Yunjin had already retrieved it from the shop.
At the competition venue, the host announced Cheng Zheng's turn, but he was absent. His father, a judge, expressed his anger at Cheng Zheng's lack of punctuality and immediately disqualified him. Meanwhile, Cheng Zheng's mother, worried about her son's and husband’s unresponsiveness to her calls, voiced her frustration. Zhang Jinmeng offered to "teach him a lesson" if he came to intern with her.
Upon learning Cheng Zheng was stuck in traffic on his way, his mother wanted to call his father, but Zhang Yue advised against it, explaining that Cheng Zheng wouldn't want his father's intervention either, fearing it would undermine his achievements. Zhang Yue then suggested her aunt avoid interfering in the father-son conflict and offered to book a spa day for her and Cheng Zheng's mother, telling them to lock their phones to "teach them a lesson."
Cheng Zheng's mother praised Zhang Yue for her thoughtfulness, wishing Cheng Zheng were more like her. She then pressed Zhang Yue for details about Cheng Zheng's frequent visits to Shanghai, as he seemed to confide in Zhang Yue the most. Zhang Yue, however, dodged the questions, citing an urgent work matter and swiftly left. Cheng Zheng eventually arrived at the competition, out of breath, only to find it had ended. His father berated him for his arrogance and tardiness.
Cheng Zheng argued that he didn't care for rankings or trophies, only wanting to prove the originality of his work. Other judges, intrigued and looking for a diversion, convinced Cheng Zheng's father to let him present, assuring it wouldn't affect the results. On stage, Cheng Zheng confidently presented his architectural design, describing it as a flower-inspired structure embodying life and growth, a "futuristic aesthetic."
He acknowledged that it drew inspiration from a respected architect's previous work but incorporated his own elements. He emphasized that beyond strong foundations, a design should possess "feelings." Despite being a student with limited experience, he spoke of his lifelong admiration for someone who transformed sketches into buildings, explaining his love for a profession that not only fulfills designers' dreams but also witnesses human emotions.
He expressed his hope that his designs would resonate emotionally and evolve with people throughout their lives, vowing to work tirelessly to become an excellent architect like his idol. Afterward, his father noticed the injuries on Cheng Zheng’s face and questioned him, but Cheng Zheng merely brushed it off. His father criticized him for being spoilt and undisciplined, lamenting his infrequent visits home despite living in Shanghai.
Cheng Zheng, in turn, quipped that his mother was similarly indulged by his father, then offered to help his father with design drafts before leaving, reminding him to prioritize rest. Zhang Yue summoned Shen Juan to her office after seeing his injured face. She apologized for inadvertently causing Cheng Zheng's outburst by revealing the breakup. Shen Juan dismissed his injuries, remarking that he and Cheng Zheng were "equal" in the fight and he had already acquired medicine.
Zhang Yue, offering an ice pack, couldn't help but compare Shen Juan's maturity to her brother's childishness, despite their small age gap. Shen Juan simply attributed it to different personalities, and Zhang Yue jokingly told him to heal quickly, as she wouldn't want to bring a "disfigured staff" to client meetings. Later, Mo Yuhua asked Su Yunjin about her breakup with Shen Juan.
Su Yunjin calmly explained that while she once envisioned a future with him, people and their life objectives can change. Mo Yuhua agreed, reflecting that stagnation was a dead end and expressing her decision to "take up the courage and try" new things.
She confided that she had been in contact with a man she met at the hospital and wished to explore a friendship, admitting that her years of preoccupation with Zhou Ziyi had left her with few other friends. Su Yunjin fully supported her, advising her not to overthink a mere friendship, and reiterated that ending an unsuitable relationship was less painful than prolonging it.
Meanwhile, a bored Zhou Ziyi sat alone in a bar, lamenting that even Mo Yuhua was too busy to meet him. To his shock, he then spotted Mo Yuhua on a date with a stranger at another table. When the man attempted to wipe a spill from Mo Yuhua’s skirt, Zhou Ziyi erupted. He confronted them, accusing the stranger of having ill intentions, and demanded Mo Yuhua leave.
Outside, Zhou Ziyi chastised Mo Yuhua for meeting someone in a bar, but she calmly explained they had met in the hospital. Undeterred, Zhou Ziyi continued to speak ill of the man, questioning Mo Yuhua's judgment for choosing such a venue. He attributed his own sour mood to his friends’ unavailability. He then criticized Mo Yuhua’s dress, stating it didn’t suit her and that men had better taste in fashion.
Still gripping her hand, he told her it was late and insisted on escorting her back to school. Mo Yuhua asked why he was so angry and if he would care if she dated other men. Zhou Ziyi retorted that he didn't care whom she dated, but she should "choose wisely," reiterating that the man was "not a good man."
He then demanded she fix the photo album he had torn when drunk, telling her to glue it back together and return it. Mo Yuhua then asked him to let go of her hand. When the semester break began, Cheng Zheng went to the station to see Su Yunjin off. This time, she accepted his company. Su Yunjin asked if his wounds had healed and if they still pained him.
Cheng Zheng cheerfully dismissed his injuries as minor and fully healed, admitting with a smile that he had feigned greater pain at the clinic to gain her sympathy. Su Yunjin then inquired about his competition. Cheng Zheng informed her he hadn't made it in time but had at least had the opportunity to express his ideas, planning to re-enter next year.
He told her he would be in Shanghai for the Lunar New Year and invited her to call him if she returned early. Su Yunjin advised him to spend time with his mother, as he rarely went home. As she paused, seemingly about to offer something else, Cheng Zheng playfully interrupted, implying he was merely joking about needing a chance and was content with their current interaction.
