Sniper Butterfly Episode 19 Recap
> Sniper Butterfly Recap
Li Wu dedicated himself to caring for Cen Jin, preparing multiple dishes for each meal, even though she couldn't eat much. When Cen Jin needed to use the restroom, she asked for her crutches, but Li Wu insisted on carrying her, gently placing her on the toilet. He then waited outside the bathroom door, standing at a distance when she asked him to move further away.
While waiting, Li Wu saw a message on Cen Jin's phone from Chun Chang, asking how younger brother (referring to Li Wu) was doing and if she (Chun Chang) needed to come over. He replied using his own phone, assuring Chun Chang that Cen Jin was asleep and he was handling everything well, so Chun Chang could focus on her own matters. Chun Chang responded that she would visit in a few days.
After helping Cen Jin back to bed, Li Wu stayed in her room until she was ready to sleep, but not before Cen Jin playfully chided him to give her a heads-up next time he picked her up, asking if he used to carry his grandfather like that. Li Wu, smiling, retorted that the situations were different because she was a girl. Li Wu later researched bone fracture recovery online and decided chicken soup would be beneficial.
He prepared a batch for Cen Jin. After drinking the soup, Cen Jin wanted to nap and suggested Li Wu go to his own room. However, Li Wu insisted he wasn't sleepy and wanted to read by her bed, promising not to disturb her. As he read, he picked up a book about overcoming timidity. He drew the curtains when she found the sunlight too bright. As she rested, Li Wu found himself staring at her.
He then openly complimented her beauty, leaving Cen Jin unsure how to respond. Suddenly, Cen Jin's father arrived, bringing food and fruits. Cen Jin had not been home for several days. He expressed his frustration that Cen Jin had hidden her injury from the family, emphasizing that a broken bone takes 100 days to heal. He proposed she return home to be cared for. Cen Jin, however, didn't want to trouble her busy father, especially since her mother was abroad.
Li Wu quickly intervened, reassuring Cen Jin's father that he had experience caring for his own grandfather and would take good care of Cen Jin, as she had always cared for him. Cen Jin added that she could manage, and Chun Chang would also visit. She also worried about her father's bad back. Cen Jin's father eventually agreed but made her promise to call him immediately if anything happened.
Before leaving, Cen Jin's father praised Li Wu's ambition, particularly his plan to pursue a direct PhD and his dedication to his interests, concluding with the saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way." Li Wu thanked Cen Jin's father, addressing him as "Teacher Cen." Later, while Cen Jin was washing her face in the bathroom, she accidentally knocked a bottle of eye cream behind the door and fell while trying to pick it up.
Li Wu rushed in and picked her up. As he held her close, he felt an urge to kiss her. Just then, Cen Jin's father returned for his keys, having forgotten them earlier. Panicked, Cen Jin quickly told Li Wu to hide and turned on the faucet to pretend she was showering. She then explained to her father that Li Wu had gone to the convenience store.
After her father retrieved his keys and departed, Cen Jin told Li Wu to leave the bathroom. She also confronted him about buying her expensive eye cream, which she said was not worth it given his tireless work, declaring she would keep it as a "bad present example." A month passed, and Cen Jin had largely recovered and could move around freely.
Li Wu continued his diligent care, preparing a sumptuous breakfast and even packing lunch for her to heat up later. As he prepared to leave for school, Cen Jin playfully brought up a past "spirited" comment he made about not coming when she called. Li Wu explained that Chun Chang had called him this time, prompting Cen Jin to tease him, asking if he wouldn't come if "she" called directly.
He playfully dodged her question, and Cen Jin told him to go to school. At work, Cen Jin received an update in a company group chat about a new promotional project for Bei'ao Motors, with a new person in charge named Manager Song. She immediately messaged Shen Yun to inquire about the changes. Meanwhile, at school, the campus beauty was organizing an exchange lecture.
Cheng Rui, keen to approach her but too shy to sign up alone, persuaded Li Wu to join as a volunteer. Li Wu initially hesitated, citing his responsibility to care for Cen Jin, but Cheng Rui eventually convinced him by stating it was a rare opportunity to get close to the department beauty and promised not to delay Li Wu. Chun Chang later visited Cen Jin and remarked on how tidy her home had become since Li Wu moved in.
As Li Wu went to cook, Chun Chang asked Cen Jin if she found him appealing, given their constant proximity. Cen Jin admitted to feeling conflicted, enjoying his care but struggling to accept his feelings beyond a brother-sister relationship. She expressed that she didn't want to fall out with Li Wu or become strangers.
Chun Chang suggested that Cen Jin might care for him more than she realized and advised her to try dating him, even if only to help him move on if it didn't work out. That night, Cen Jin sent Li Wu a message asking if he still liked her. He promptly confirmed that he did. Cen Jin then initiated a voice call, asking him to listen carefully and not get agitated.
She explained that she couldn't accept anything beyond a brother-sister relationship for now. While she was honored by his affection and found that he stroked her ego, she highlighted the practical obstacles: their different life stages (school vs. career), disparate social circles, a significant age gap that could lead to a "generation gap," and the difficulty of explaining their relationship to her parents.
She mentioned friends who had younger boyfriends for casual, stress-free fun, but questioned if Li Wu, a proud individual, could accept such an arrangement, adding that not addressing these issues openly would do him more harm than good. She also confessed she wasn't ready for a new relationship after her failed marriage and that emotions could be more complicated than he imagined. Li Wu interrupted, declaring he didn't care and was confident he could overcome any challenges.
Cen Jin countered that it wasn't solely up to them, urging him to experience the wider world and meet other excellent people before making a decision, as she didn't want to be "the cage that confines him." Li Wu insisted that no one would be better than her. Cen Jin suggested they not "jump to conclusions" and give each other time.
She proposed that if, by the same time next year, he still liked her and she hadn't found anyone else, they could reconsider. Li Wu happily agreed. Cen Jin thanked him for his care and told him to pack his belongings and return to school after her cast was removed, so as not to disrupt his studies. Li Wu agreed to return after her cast was off and bid her goodnight.
A moment later, he asked if he could still continue to like her. Cen Jin replied, "Suit yourself." Li Wu then vowed to love her until his dying day and no one else. Cen Jin teasingly called him "good job." He then boldly asked if she could stop treating him "only" as her younger brother and instead treat him as "a man."
Cen Jin responded by telling him, "Sleep early, young man," implying she still saw the age difference between them. The next morning, Cen Jin messaged Li Wu, asking him to come to her room and how he had slept. Li Wu confessed he hadn't slept at all, his face beaming uncontrollably. Cen Jin warned him to control his expression, worrying about her parents finding out, but Li Wu couldn't help but smile. When Cen Jin needed to brush her teeth, Li Wu offered to carry her to the bathroom.
