Sniper Butterfly Episode 13 Recap
> Sniper Butterfly Recap
Li Wu gazed at a New Year photo of himself and Cen Jin, a smile gracing both their faces, and was transported back in time. The sound of his alarm brought him back to his office, where he resumed work. Meanwhile, Cen Jin woke up, experiencing a slight cold and sneezed repeatedly. Just then, Dr. Lu called, inviting her to their usual restaurant to try some seasonal spring vegetables like Malantou and Tianqi.
Cen Jin, feeling unwell and dizzy, declined, explaining she thought she had caught a viral cold but had already prepared medicine. Dr. Lu urged her to eat something before taking it. Concerned, Dr. Lu bought some food and headed to Cen Jin's apartment. In the building's lobby, he encountered Mrs. Cen, who was carrying two bags of oranges. Mrs. Cen explained one was for Cen Jin and the other for Li Wu, noting they lived "door to door."
Dr. Lu, curious about their relationship, subtly inquired if Li Wu was Cen Jin's cousin. Mrs. Cen clarified that Li Wu was not a biological relative. She recounted how Cen Jin's uncle met Li Wu during a countryside excursion activity. After some unfortunate changes in Li Wu's family, Cen Jin "did a good deed" by bringing him to Yi City to study, and over time, they became like siblings.
Mrs. Cen added that Li Wu had studied abroad after being recommended by his school as a sophomore, but was now back and running his own company, and that both she and Cen Jin's father were very fond of him. Realizing she was late for a beauty appointment, Mrs. Cen asked Dr. Lu to deliver the oranges to Cen Jin. Upon entering Cen Jin's apartment, Dr. Lu noticed Li Wu's clothes and questioned Cen Jin about them.
Cen Jin explained that Li Wu had stayed over the previous night because his door lock was broken. Dr. Lu then revisited the topic of her relationship with Li Wu, admitting he found their dynamic perplexing, sometimes distant, other times perfectly in sync. He stated he wanted to understand to avoid any "miscommunication." Cen Jin simply responded that they were not biological siblings.
At his company, Tongchen, Li Wu was dissatisfied with engineer Chenyang's temporary solution to a system vulnerability, which involved "hard-coding" and merely suppressing the issue rather than resolving it. Li Wu pointed out that this approach would only make the problem more complex and demanded a deeper modification, questioning if Chenyang could take responsibility for a temporary fix. Chenyang, acknowledging Li Wu as the boss, agreed to follow his lead.
Soon after, Yi presented Li Wu with Mr. Qin's investment contract, which had been legally reviewed and deemed fine. Yi was eager to sign it quickly once Cheng Rui returned. However, Li Wu expressed his continued discomfort with Mr. Qin's terms, reminding Yi of their initial vision for Tongchen: to constantly pursue advanced technology and make a name for themselves in the industry.
Yi dismissed this as idealism, arguing that advanced technology required more funding and that rapid commercialization was the most efficient path, especially with the AI industry booming and "hot money" pouring in. Li Wu conceded that he wasn't purely idealistic but maintained that technology was their foundation. He highlighted Mr. Qin's interference with their development plans and the harsh profit conditions.
They agreed to postpone the discussion until Cheng Rui's return, as Li Wu was called away to deal with a runtime vulnerability. Meanwhile, Cen Jin learned about Rumeng company's new aromatherapy line, which claimed to aid sleep. Shen Yun, a colleague, informed her that the products only came with English instructions and their efficacy hadn't been verified. Despite this, Cen Jin was intrigued and volunteered to take one home, to which Shen Yun commended her dedication.
Later that evening, Li Wu, leaving work late, encountered Cen Jin at her doorstep. He confessed he hadn't eaten due to overtime and, with his stomach bothering him and no takeout in sight, asked if she could make him some noodles, promising to leave immediately afterward. Cen Jin invited him in. Inside, Li Wu noticed numerous aromatherapy products and inquired about their purpose. Cen Jin explained they were for an advertising campaign, focusing on sleep aid.
Knowing Li Wu suffered from insomnia, she suggested he try them, instructing him to place one by his bed and add essential oil. She also offered to download a sleep monitoring app for him. Li Wu agreed to try but pointed out that a week's trial would be "too small a sample size" for meaningful analysis. Cen Jin playfully teased him about his scientific mindset. He promised to compile a trial report.
She then inquired about his recent sleep, headaches, and medication adherence, to which he replied his sleep was "a bit better than before." Cen Jin reminded him of his upcoming follow-up appointment. Noticing Cen Jin struggling to translate the English product manual on her computer, Li Wu offered his assistance. As Cen Jin prepared the noodles, Li Wu, immersed in translating, eventually dozed off at the table, seemingly lulled to sleep by the aromatherapy.
Cen Jin, upon seeing him asleep, mused that the product "works pretty well" and the project was "definitely doable." The narrative then shifted back to 2017. Li Wu, having just completed his final exams, eagerly called Cen Jin to share the news, feeling confident about his performance. Cen Jin told him she would pick him up when he returned to school for his report card.
Upon returning home, a minor mishap occurred when Li Wu emerged from the bathroom shirtless, having mistakenly grabbed the wrong clothes after showering. He was flustered to find Cen Jin also walking out of her bedroom. He quickly retreated, dropping his towel in his haste. Cen Jin later reassured her friend Chun Chang on the phone that it was just Li Wu, not another man, playfully dismissing Chun Chang's cheeky inquiry about Li Wu's physique.
Cen Jin then called out to Li Wu, asking him to come out once dressed and mentioning his forgotten towel. When he reappeared, Cen Jin handed him the towel, which promptly slipped from her grasp and fell. As they both bent down to retrieve it, their eyes met, creating a moment of awkward intimacy. Cen Jin inquired about his holiday plans, offering to take him to her parents' place if he was busy, but Li Wu declined.
She advised him to dress warmly to avoid catching a cold. Li Wu then expressed a desire to visit Yunfeng Village. Cen Jin drove him there. Since his uncle had returned to the village, Li Wu chose not to visit his aunt, and instead, they went directly to his grandfather's grave to pay respects. As Li Wu kowtowed, Cen Jin gently removed some dry grass from his hair. While descending the mountain, dusk quickly fell.
A weasel darted out, startling Cen Jin and leaving her visibly shaken. Li Wu quickly pulled out his flashlight and held her close, instructing her not to stray more than ten centimeters from him as they made their way down. Cen Jin reflected on a previous visit when Li Wu had returned alone, asking if he wasn't afraid. He simply stated he wasn't, as his grandfather was there.
They paused to admire the starry night sky, a beauty Cen Jin hadn't noticed before, to which Li Wu mused, "maybe they were hidden before." Cen Jin then declared, "Let's go home for the Chinese New Year." Back at school, Ms. Xu congratulated Li Wu on achieving first place in his final exams, noting his remarkable improvement since joining the school.
She proposed placing him in the "Rocket Class" next semester for a final push towards university, after advising him to work on his English listening during the holidays. Cen Jin, present with Li Wu, was overjoyed, calling it a recognition of his potential to enter a top university. Li Wu, however, humbly stated he had "just missed the top 30 in the school by only one place." Cen Jin insisted his achievement was impressive.
Mrs. Cen, however, interjected, urging them to discuss happier topics during the New Year, not scores. Cen Jin, amused, insisted Li Wu's success was indeed happy news. Mrs. Cen then criticized Cen Jin's oddly shaped dumplings, comparing them unfavorably to Li Wu's perfectly made ones. Cen Jin playfully argued that "once it's in your stomach, it's the same," a sentiment Li Wu echoed.
Mrs. Cen jokingly told Li Wu not to favor his sister, describing Cen Jin's strong-willed nature as unbearable, though Li Wu defended her, calling it a positive trait. During the New Year's Eve dinner, Mr. Cen offered Li Wu a drink, but Mrs. Cen quickly intervened, reminding them of the upcoming NCEE and telling Cen Jin to pour juice instead of hard liquor. Cen Jin humorously lamented her diminishing status in the family.
Cen Jin then led the New Year greetings, wishing her parents well, jokingly asking her mother for invincibility at the card table and her father for improved drinking capacity, before demanding red envelopes. She received one. She then prompted Li Wu to offer his greetings, advising him that "the sweeter your words, the thicker the red envelope."
Li Wu wished Mr. and Mrs. Cen a Happy Chinese New Year, good health, and safety, and was rewarded with a noticeably thicker red envelope than Cen Jin's. Cen Jin playfully protested the disparity, but Mrs. Cen asserted her right to give as she pleased. Li Wu initially tried to decline the red envelope, but both Mr. and Mrs. Cen and Cen Jin insisted he take the traditional Chinese New Year offering.
Finally, Mr. Cen encouraged Li Wu to confide in Cen Jin about any difficulties he might face in his studies or life. He expressed his wish for Li Wu to study hard, get into a good university, and always feel welcome to celebrate holidays with them in Yi City, like a true family. They then raised their glasses in a toast, and Mrs. Cen urged everyone to enjoy the dumplings, with Cen Jin proudly declaring hers would be delicious.
