Speed and Love Episode 18 Recap
> Speed and Love Recap
Jiang Mu leads Jin Chao to meet Pan Kai, who introduces them to Ren Guodong, the chief engineer at his father's factory. Since Ren and Jin Chao are already acquainted, Ren provides the technical drawings and solutions needed to restore the car. Jin Chao moves the vehicle to a warehouse at the factory, where he works alongside Iron Cock and Xiao Yang under Ren's guidance.
Pan Kai reveals that he secured the workspace by threatening to fail his college entrance exams again; surprisingly, his father agreed to help despite being aware of Jin Chao's personal feud with the head of the Wan Corporation. While repairs are underway, San Lai acts as the logistics manager, bringing meals to the crew. Unbeknownst to him, a mysterious car lurks in the shadows, following him all the way to the factory.
After dinner, Jin Chao pulls Pan Kai aside to express his gratitude. He firmly insists that he is the one who owes the favor and will be the person to repay it, pointedly stating that it is his debt to settle, not Jiang Mu’s. One evening, Jiang Mu visits the workshop wearing a qipao and bringing late-night snacks. When Jin Chao steps out for some fresh air, she follows him, and the two share a close embrace.
Jiang Mu asks if he would be willing to return to Nanjing with her to open a garage or perhaps a quiet coffee shop at the foot of a mountain lined with phoenix trees. She imagines a happy life where their dog, Lightning, can run through the golden autumn leaves. Jin Chao asks her to wait just a few more days, promising he will give her an answer soon.
Their intimate moment is interrupted when Pan Kai accidentally sees them kissing. Shocked by the revelation of their relationship, Pan Kai quickly takes the hint from Jin Chao’s warning look and promises to keep their secret. Once the car is fully restored, Jin Chao invites Jiang Mu to be his navigator for a trial run. He tells her that while the destiny of the RX7 is the track, his own destiny is to conquer it.
During their drive, they come across a street singer's performance. Jiang Mu joins in to sing an English song while Jin Chao watches her with an affectionate smile. Later, Jin Chao sets off fireworks for her and gives her a brand-new fountain pen, acknowledging that the one she bought with her own performance fees was getting old. Their bond continues to grow when Jiang Mu discovers Jin Chao has been secretly sketching her.
Though he tries to dismiss it as mere doodling, she coaxingly asks him to draw her properly while she sits for him. The peace is shattered when San Lai is suddenly kidnapped. Jin Chao immediately gives chase in his car. It turns out that San Lai’s father, Lai Qide, owes a significant gambling debt, and the creditors have taken San Lai to force a repayment. Jin Chao manages to intercept the kidnappers and rescues San Lai after a physical confrontation.
The incident triggers a memory for San Lai from their school days. He recalls being isolated and often leaving his shoelaces untied because he was afraid that if he stopped to fix them, his classmates would walk away and leave him behind. At the time, Jin Chao had told him that if his laces ever came undone, he should always tie them properly because he would be there to wait for him.
Back in the present, Jin Chao learns the extent of the debt and offers to help raise the money, telling San Lai not to worry. San Lai is deeply moved and mentions his dream of eventually leaving this life behind to open a small restaurant and adopt stray dogs. Despite their efforts, they remain short on funds.
When Jin Chao goes to the pet shop to find him, he discovers a note saying San Lai has gone to find his father. Fearing for his friend's safety, Jin Chao contacts Officer Lu for assistance. San Lai attempts to ransom his father alone. While the creditors are counting the money, he tries to threaten them with a knife, but he is easily disarmed and beaten.
Jin Chao arrives and fights off the thugs, but he is forced to stop when they hold a knife to San Lai’s throat. Jin Chao allows himself to be struck to protect his friend until the police finally arrive. Afterward, a devastated San Lai confronts his father for gambling away their home and his mother's future, declaring this to be the final time he will help him.
Sometime later, Jiang Mu gives Jin Chao a LEGO set of a space rocket. While they discuss the difficulty of the project, they notice that Lightning has rolled in the mud. They work together to clean the dog, and Jin Chao teases Jiang Mu about her and the dog's swimming abilities. Afterward, he helps her find a change of clothes as they share a quiet, sweet moment.
