Sniper Butterfly Episode 22 Recap
> Sniper Butterfly Recap
After receiving news of an exchange student opportunity, Li Wu contemplated the offer while his friend Cheng Rui arrived at their dorm. Cheng Rui, excited, showed off a new phone he bought for Tao Wanwen, explaining her old high school phone constantly ran out of battery and the new one would facilitate video calls once he was in the United States.
He also shared that his mother had already applied for US schools on his behalf, and with Li Wu's exchange spot, they wouldn't have to go alone. Li Wu decided to tell Cen Jin that evening and sent her a text message asking if she was free for dinner. At work, Cen Jin couldn't hide her smile as she responded, catching the attention of her colleagues who teased her about having good news.
That evening, Cen Jin returned home to find Li Wu had prepared a lavish meal. She wondered if there was something special to celebrate, noting how many of her favorite dishes he had made. Li Wu explained he wanted to make up for missing her birthday last year and insisted on celebrating it this year. He had even thoughtfully removed an ingredient from her food that she disliked.
Cen Jin, pleased, playfully demanded a birthday gift and began secretly browsing tourist destinations on her phone, imagining future trips with Li Wu. However, their happy planning was interrupted by a phone call to Cen Jin from Dean Zhang, Li Wu's university dean. The dean informed her that Li Wu had decided to decline the exchange student offer to Penn and urged her to persuade him otherwise. Disturbed by the news, Cen Jin confided in her friend Chun Chang.
Cen Jin felt that Li Wu's decision mirrored his choice to change his college preference for her in the past, and she worried she was now hindering his future and preventing him from experiencing a wider world. She believed his life should encompass more than just love. Chun Chang, however, suggested Cen Jin was overthinking things. She reminded Cen Jin that everyone must choose their own path and questioned if Li Wu might willingly forgo the "bigger world" for love.
Chun Chang advised Cen Jin to discuss it directly with Li Wu. Still conflicted, Cen Jin visited her parents, but couldn't bring herself to mention Li Wu's exchange opportunity or her dilemma. Her father mentioned how much livelier the house felt when she visited and expressed how pleased he was that she could finally relax after completing her various tasks and seeing Li Wu settled in college.
The next day, Li Wu came home to find a job application from a US company laid out on the table. Cen Jin, confronting him, asked why he hadn't told her about giving up the exchange program, especially since she had heard it from his dean. Li Wu admitted he never intended to go, explaining his fear of a two-year separation and the potential changes it might bring.
Cen Jin expressed her hurt that he didn't trust her enough to discuss such an important decision. She reassured him that she wouldn't change her feelings for him and that his future was paramount. Cen Jin then revealed her own plan: she had contacted a friend working in a renowned advertising agency, Shixiang, in the US for a job referral, and her application was already submitted.
This company was located in New York, only a two-hour drive from Penn in Philadelphia, where Li Wu's exchange program was located. Li Wu's face lit up with joy, and he thanked Cen Jin for including him in her future plans. They began discussing their future living arrangements and looking for apartments near their respective locations. The couple then started making preparations for their move abroad.
Cen Jin advised Li Wu to pack minimal clothing and purchase basic prescription medicines, noting that many medications in the US require a prescription and can be expensive. She also planned to find a reliable housekeeper for her parents, as they would be away for nearly a year and couldn't rely solely on Chun Chang. Li Wu agreed to all her suggestions. Cen Jin finalized her resignation and savored her newfound freedom.
She decided to surprise Li Wu by visiting him at Yida University to experience a day in his student life. They attended classes together, sitting side-by-side in the front row, and later watched him play basketball in the gym. Cen Jin felt a nostalgic sense of ease, as if she were a student again. As they left the university, Li Wu pulled Cen Jin along, rushing to catch a bus.
Cen Jin was puzzled by his haste, but Li Wu explained it was his routine to get home before her. On the bus, a female classmate, Liu Ying, mistook Cen Jin for a teacher. Li Wu, with evident pride, introduced Cen Jin as his girlfriend. Cen Jin felt a surge of pride, realizing that Liu Ying, the "school beauty," clearly had feelings for Li Wu, but he had chosen her.
Liu Ying playfully commented on Li Wu's "trendy" choice of an older girlfriend and joked about finding a boyfriend like him by "waiting" at a middle school. Li Wu quickly interjected, claiming he was the one who "snagged" Cen Jin first. Back home, Cen Jin's warm feelings persisted, and Li Wu, teasing her, asked for the "reward" she had promised earlier. They spent a loving night together.
After Li Wu had fallen asleep, Cen Jin, gazing at his peaceful, young face, pulled out her phone and quietly took a photo, cherishing the moment. The following day, Li Wu submitted his final lab data, thanking Shen Yiyang for his guidance during the internship.
Shen Yiyang congratulated him and advised him to thrive in the US, expressing regret that he couldn't attend Cen Jin's birthday party, which Li Wu had cancelled because her birthday would occur after they left for the US. Li Wu then met with Cheng Rui and Tao Wanwen for a meal. Cheng Rui tried to open a drink for Tao Wanwen, who playfully criticized his "service level."
As they bickered good-naturedly, Cheng Rui expressed his excitement about joining them in the US after passing his TOEFL exams, envisioning them "traveling the world side by side." However, Tao Wanwen "rained on his parade" by pointing out that the schools his mother had selected for him in Los Angeles were nearly 4000 kilometers away from Li Wu's location in Philadelphia, a five to six-hour flight.
Cheng Rui reacted defensively, accusing her of "stabbing him in the heart" and "tearing him down," leading to more playful arguing while Li Wu quietly enjoyed their company. As the day for their departure neared, the planned birthday party for Cen Jin couldn't take place. Li Wu decided to send the party supplies to Chun Chang's bar, knowing she could use them for her own events.
Cen Jin also asked Chun Chang to regularly check on her parents during their absence. Chun Chang affectionately agreed, treating Cen Jin's parents as her own, and jokingly hinted that she might unexpectedly "pop up in the US" herself. As Cen Jin and Li Wu left the bar, Cen Jin informed him of a change in her work plans: her US company required her to start work earlier than anticipated, disrupting their initial arrangement to meet after he had settled.
She asked him to continue his preparations. Li Wu, undeterred, brightly envisioned their future in the US. He planned to quickly obtain a US driver's license and purchase a cheap used car, allowing him to drive to New York to visit her on weekends. He excitedly listed iconic landmarks they could explore together, such as Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, and various art museums, in addition to trying all the delicious food.
