See You Again Episode 17 Recap
> See You Again Recap
After tidying up the toilet faucet, Jin Ayin noticed her phone was constantly freezing, having just received a message from Ma Zehao saying he had to return to work. Xiang Qinyu was frantically searching for the watch Chi Yu's mother had given him, unaware that Ma Zehao had stolen it. Jin Ayin quickly located a watch, but it was Chi Yu's own, not the one from his mother, and it was scratched and wouldn't power on even after being charged.
She questioned what he had done to it, but he retorted that it wasn't his fault, implying she didn't know how to use it and kept tampering with it. Despite their bickering, Jin Ayin decided they would take it to be fixed if charging didn't work. Xiang Qinyu then showed Jin Ayin a photo, asking if it was the Taotao she had mentioned.
Recognizing her, Jin Ayin was surprised to see Taotao with Chi Yu and inquired about their relationship, which Xiang Qinyu couldn't explain. He then confided in Jin Ayin that there was a girl in his past who looked exactly like Taotao. While introducing his photography work to a customer, Jin Chuan heard about a broken vase incident from a previous guest, which he offered to resolve.
Later, he arrived at Chen Mumu's apartment, disguised as a delivery driver, bringing her takeout and the shoe heel she had lost during their last encounter. Chen Mumu, dressed in pajamas, was initially startled and defensive, but Jin Chuan complimented her appearance. She was annoyed by him returning the heel, thinking he was mocking her, but he playfully suggested keeping it as a souvenir. He also offered her turtle food and advice, then noticed her "common-taste" spicy chicken ribs.
Chen Mumu repeatedly asked him to leave, but Jin Chuan insisted on staying for dinner, making himself at home and eating her food. Chen Mumu finally called for a serious talk to avoid further misunderstandings. She admitted her impulsiveness that night but firmly stated that his "childish tricks" were not for her.
While Jin Chuan tried to downplay their age gap, Chen Mumu clarified her stance: she was accustomed to living alone and didn't want any men, especially "little boys," in her life. She plainly told him they were not suitable. Undeterred, Jin Chuan confessed his genuine feelings and asked if they could at least be friends or meet again. Chen Mumu proposed a bet: if it rained that week, they could meet; otherwise, he was to never contact her again.
Jin Chuan accepted, believing that even a slim chance was better than none. Jin Ayin was astounded to learn about a girl in Xiang Qinyu's past who looked exactly like Taotao, pondering if his journey to their era was somehow connected to Taotao. However, Xiang Qinyu admitted he never knew the girl's name, having dismissed her importance back then.
Jin Ayin then described Taotao's lifelong struggle with Phenylketonuria, a rare genetic disease that caused her hands to tremble, affected her memory, and resulted in a peculiar body odor. Taotao, an abandoned infant, was adopted by Grandma Tao. Despite countless hospital visits, her condition was incurable, leading Jin Ayin to believe this was why her biological parents deserted her. The townspeople, unfortunately, ostracized Taotao, speculating about inbreeding.
Jin Ayin, Taotao's childhood neighbor, formed a close bond with her, and later, Ma Zehao joined their trio, often invited to Grandma Tao's house after his father passed away. They effectively grew up together. Their paths diverged when Jin Ayin left for college, while Taotao, due to her health, stayed to retake her senior year courses. Ma Zehao, despite his academic prowess, was dissatisfied with his university placement.
Jin Ayin, after moving to Shanghai, inspired Taotao to study diligently and eventually join her in the city. Taotao persevered, retaking courses for three years before graduating and moving. Ma Zehao followed, primarily to accompany Taotao. Though they were all in Shanghai, their relationship gradually became less intimate than in childhood, as busy work schedules and distance led to fewer meet-ups and less frequent communication on WeChat.
Jin Ayin only learned of Taotao's accident a month after it happened, coinciding with the sudden appearance of Taotao's biological parents. Ma Zehao informed her via a phone call that Taotao had forgotten to turn off the gas stove, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning. Though medical staff managed to save her life, she remained in a coma. Devastated by the news, Grandma Tao soon passed away from grief.
Ma Zehao further explained that Taotao's biological parents forbade her from contacting her old friends, so he and Jin Ayin could only visit her secretly when her parents weren't present. Xiang Qinyu, drawing parallels to Chi Yu's supposed accidental drowning (which he knew was murder) and his own brush with death, began to suspect that Taotao's gas poisoning might not have been an accident either.
He theorized it could be connected to Chi Yu's murder and even the incident of a girl from his past jumping off a building. He felt a strong, unsettling connection between all these seemingly disparate events. Jin Ayin, however, tried to reassure him, reminding him not to dwell on such dark thoughts and to not worry. Jin Ayin and Xiang Qinyu visited a mall to get the watch fixed.
The repairman informed them it would be a complicated and expensive repair, costing at least a thousand or two thousand yuan. Jin Ayin questioned his honesty, but Xiang Qinyu insisted on fixing it, emphasizing its symbolic value as a gift he believed was from Chi Yu's parents. Jin Ayin then playfully told him he should be responsible for breaking his "toy" and earn the money himself.
At that moment, Xiang Qinyu received a call from a producer informing him that Director Feng had added a temporary scene, requiring his immediate presence. Xiang Qinyu left, declaring he would go earn money to buy whatever he wanted. Left alone, Jin Ayin asked the repairman to charge her dead phone. The repairman quickly diagnosed a virus, noting her phone's sluggishness, freezing, and black screen.
He offered to disinfect it for 50 yuan, cautioning her about potential privacy breaches like unsolicited recordings. Jin Ayin, finding the price exorbitant, declined, stating she had "high-tech friends" who could help. She then went to a nearby supermarket, where she was surprised to find Ma Zehao working a second job. Concerned, she offered him money, but he vaguely explained it was for a distant relative.
Jin Ayin told him about her phone's virus, and Ma Zehao confirmed the diagnosis, then downloaded a "software" onto her phone to remove it. Jin Ayin, after her phone was handled by Ma Zehao, suggested they visit Taotao together that day. However, Ma Zehao lied, claiming he had just called the hospital and Taotao's mother had unexpectedly arrived, necessitating the cancellation of their visit. Disappointed, Jin Ayin left.
On her way back, she was intercepted by Ms. Fan, who immediately addressed her as "my precious daughter-in-law." Ms. Fan proudly declared that everything Jin Ayin could see belonged to their family, a "treasure" she and her husband had built for Jin Ayin and Li Longda. When Jin Ayin attempted to excuse herself for work, Ms. Fan, asserting her influence, arranged for Jin Ayin to have a half-day off by making a call to her producer.
Ms. Fan then took Jin Ayin on a shopping spree, buying everything she fancied, stating that her hobby was spending money. She even acquired an array of baby clothes and items, excitedly preparing for "Longda's future baby" and expressing her eagerness for grandchildren. Jin Ayin tried to clarify that she and Li Longda were merely ordinary friends, but Ms. Fan brushed off her protests. Ms. Fan took several selfies with Jin Ayin and promptly uploaded them to her social media.
Meanwhile, Li Longda, upon seeing his mother's posts, called her, expressing embarrassment and asking how he was supposed to explain the situation to Jin Ayin, given she posted the photos without permission. Ms. Fan, however, dismissed his concerns, calling him foolish and saying she was merely helping him with "love after marriage," just as she had "won over his father." She then ordered him to prepare for his confession of love in two days.
Xiang Qinyu, seeing the photos, became visibly jealous. Jin Ayin arrived home laden with numerous shopping bags. Xiang Qinyu, clearly jealous, greeted her with sarcastic remarks about her "marrying into a rich family" and becoming "arrogant." Jin Ayin clarified that she had simply run into Li Longda's mother while going to visit Ma Zehao. She then showed Xiang Qinyu a photo Taotao had posted, featuring both Ma Zehao and Chi Yu.
Jin Ayin considered it a mere misunderstanding or coincidence, arguing that Ma Zehao would have shown some recognition of Xiang Qinyu earlier if he truly knew Chi Yu. Xiang Qinyu disagreed, recalling his earlier warnings about Ma Zehao's evasiveness and "erratic eyes." Jin Ayin staunchly defended Ma Zehao, insisting she had known him since childhood and he was incapable of lying. Xiang Qinyu retorted with a sarcastic jab, "Why did you watch everyone grow up?"
When Jin Ayin asked him not to touch her shopping bags as she planned to return them, Xiang Qinyu continued to provoke her, praising Li Longda's qualities, his mother's fondness for her, and his family's wealth. Playing along, Jin Ayin declared, "You're right. How about I don't return it and take it as a betrothal gift?" Xiang Qinyu reacted sharply, asking, "How dare you?" She defiantly challenged him, saying, "Why not? I won't return it.
Let's see what you can do to me." He then grabbed her, calling her "unruly," and in the ensuing playful struggle, she lost her balance, causing him to fall on top of her.
