Sparkle Love Episode 18 Recap
> Sparkle Love Recap
Mai Sichong joined the provincial team, but the distance did not cool his relationship with Mei Weiwei. They continued to exchange gifts, voice messages, and video calls daily. During one video call, Mai Sichong saw Mei Weiwei studying in a common area and playfully told her not to be distracted. Meanwhile, Li Daixi was preparing to confess her feelings to Ding Yi after arranging to watch a movie.
With much awkwardness and hesitation, she finally declared, "It means I love you!" Ding Yi, overwhelmed with joy upon realizing her feelings, immediately asked if he was her boyfriend, to which Li Daixi enthusiastically replied, "Of course!" The two decided to keep their relationship a secret until Mai Sichong returned, as Ding Yi felt it would be hard for Mei Weiwei to see them together while Mai Sichong was away.
Ding Yi then agreed to help Mai Sichong prepare a surprise for Mei Weiwei. Later, as they worked on the surprise, Ding Yi jokingly questioned Li Daixi's excessive enthusiasm for Mai Sichong's matters, to which she retorted, "Besides you, who else can fall in love with me?" While helping with the surprise, Li Daixi attempted to engage in some public display of affection with Ding Yi, but he subtly pulled his hand away, maintaining their secret.
Mei Weiwei was delighted by the surprise, expressing her gratitude to Ding Yi, who explained Mai Sichong had called him specifically to arrange it. Mei Weiwei commented that she and Mai Sichong were "star-crossed lovers" due to their long-distance. Li Daixi then teased Ding Yi that Mai Sichong had plagiarized her "light painting" idea for the surprise, and Mei Weiwei enthusiastically offered to take a light painting photo for them.
After her final exams, Mei Weiwei fell ill, causing her unique electrical abilities to become unstable and even rendering her phone unusable. Mai Sichong, unable to reach her, worriedly called Ding Yi to check on her, who promised to ask Li Daixi. Mai Sichong later used a public phone to call Jun Jun, expressing his desire to return.
Jun Jun reassured him that Mei Weiwei was recovering from a fever and promised to take good care of her, allowing him to focus on his training. Jun Jun delivered preserved egg and lean meat porridge and medicine to Mei Weiwei, explaining that Mai Sichong had arranged it all. Mei Weiwei was touched, realizing how much she missed him, as this was their longest time apart.
Mai Sichong was summoned to Coach Cai's office, where he was informed of an anonymous report accusing him of using stimulants to overcome old injuries and achieve his top rank, thus entering the provincial training camp. Mai Sichong vehemently denied the allegations, insisting his performance was genuine and his past injuries did not affect his current abilities, an assertion supported by his rehabilitation doctors. He argued that his past concealment of illness should not be used to slander him.
To clear his name, Mai Sichong readily agreed to undergo regular drug tests at a designated hospital. Back at the dorm, Jun Jun and Mei Weiwei opened blind boxes. Jun Jun subtly guided Mei Weiwei to open a specific box, which contained a train ticket to Mai Sichong's city. Encouraged by Jun Jun, Mei Weiwei traveled to the training center. After some initial difficulty with the security guard, she finally met Mai Sichong.
Overjoyed and relieved, she rushed into his arms. Mai Sichong, concerned, examined her injured hand and apologized for not being there. He then took her to the swimming pool to meet his teammates. His teammates teased him about his girlfriend, and one jokingly warned Mei Weiwei that many female athletes were interested in Mai Sichong, prompting him to swiftly lead her away.
As they enjoyed their time together, Mai Sichong gifted Mei Weiwei a Hello Kitty plushie, knowing her fondness for it. He playfully admitted that his aversion to durian had turned into an addiction, a subtle nod to their growing closeness. As their time together drew to a close, Mei Weiwei reminded Mai Sichong to train well and return in triumph sooner rather than later.
Before she left, Mai Sichong affectionately marked her hand, explaining that she should show it if anyone tried to hit on her, declaring her as "Mai Sichong's girlfriend." He watched her depart, lost in thought. During the school holidays, Mei Weiwei returned home but continued her video calls with Mai Sichong. One night, while whispering to Mai Sichong from the living room, her parents were startled by the noise, mistaking it for an intruder.
They discovered Mei Weiwei secretly chatting on her phone and playfully scolded her for her late-night "English studies," fully aware of her burgeoning romance. Meanwhile, Mai Sichong mentioned that a female athlete had recently confessed to him, but Mei Weiwei was reassured when he showed her the "Mai Sichong's girlfriend" mark on his clothes, a clear sign of his commitment. Mei Weiwei's father, observing from a distance, noticed the increasingly obvious signs of his daughter's new relationship.
Later, Mei Weiwei went to the station expecting to meet Mai Sichong, but only Xia Rui appeared. Xia Rui vaguely explained that Mai Sichong had been "held back" at the training center due to "some matters" but didn't know the specifics. Disappointed and worried, Mei Weiwei's heart was filled with growing concern.
