Speed and Love Episode 21 Recap
> Speed and Love Recap
After surviving the life-threatening events surrounding the race, Jin Chao and Jiang Mu share a heavy, quiet moment. He thanks her for saving his life, acknowledging that he is no god but an ordinary man who would not be standing there without her. When she tries to check him for injuries, he insists he is fine and urges her to return to Canada.
He reminds her that after her mother’s major surgery, Jiang Yinghan needs family by her side for a proper recovery. Overwhelmed with guilt that they cannot go to Nanjing together as planned, Jiang Mu tearfully asks if he is breaking up with her. Jin Chao avoids a direct answer; he reaches out to wipe her tears but immediately pulls his hand back, maintaining a painful distance.
He encourages her to see the world, telling her she will eventually realize there are many men better than him. Resolute in his decision to let her go, Jin Chao asks San Lai to cancel his phone number and WeChat account. Before the line is cut, he sends a final message to Jiang Mu, claiming he is leaving Manshi to seek new opportunities and will contact her once he is settled.
San Lai finds this approach cruel, but Jin Chao believes he cannot become a burden to her. Six months later, Jin Chao returns to his empty garage one last time. Surrounded by the lingering memories of Jiang Mu’s laughter and presence, he closes the shop for good and decides to return to China to resume his studies. Upon her own return to the country later, Jiang Mu visits Jin Qiang and Zhao Meijuan, but the reunion is clouded by secrets.
Although they feel for her, the couple follows Jin Chao’s wishes and refuses to reveal his whereabouts. Zhao Meijuan explains that since Jin Chao isn't Jin Qiang’s biological son and has lived independently for years, they have no right to interfere in his life. Desperate, Jiang Mu visits the old garage and the neighboring pet shop, only to find both long abandoned.
She calls San Lai, but he maintains the deception, claiming he hasn't heard from Jin Chao in ages and even encourages her to find a new boyfriend in Canada to move on from that "rascal." Three years pass. In Canada, the family gathers at Chris’s home for a Christmas party to celebrate Jiang Yinghan’s full recovery. Jiang Mu prepares a massive feast, reflecting on how she couldn't even cook a single dish back in Manshi.
During the party, Chris’s son, Nick, attempts to pursue her, but she politely declines. She eventually tries to enter the world of blind dating, but the experiences feel hollow. During a date, as she sips bitter coffee, she hallucinates Jin Chao standing before her. In her mind, he asks if the coffee is as good as the sweet brew he used to make and questions if she has forgotten his "flavor."
She vividly remembers his promise never to let her taste anything bitter, and the memory makes her current reality unbearable. At twenty-six, despite seeing much of the world, she finds she still cannot forget him. While studying at the library, Jiang Mu is approached by Gu Zhijie, a senior from Nanjing and an alumnus of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Noticing the fountain pen she is using, he is stunned to learn she received it from an ex-boyfriend she only dated for a week. He points out that the pen features an 18k gold nib and a barrel intricately carved from pure silver. Jiang Mu stares at the gift, realizing that even when Jin Chao had nothing, he had given her the very best he possessed.
Gu Zhijie eventually invites Jiang Mu to return to Nanjing to work as his research assistant. At a gathering with colleagues, his mentor, Professor Gan, notices Jiang Mu’s pendant. He explains that it is "Linglong dice with a red bean heart," a traditional token representing love that reaches "to the bone." This realization strengthens Jiang Mu's resolve, and she accepts the job in Nanjing.
Back in China, Jiang Mu visits Jin Qiang again, but he still insists there is no news. However, a chance meeting with Pan Kai finally breaks the silence. Pan Kai reveals that Jin Chao returned early last year to save his father’s factory by securing a supply chain at a price far below the market average. He explains that Jin Chao did this to repay a years-old debt from when Pan Kai’s factory helped him repair his trashed car.
Armed with Jin Chao’s contact information from Pan Kai, Jiang Mu realizes that Jin Chao is not the heartless man he pretended to be and that Jin Qiang has been intentionally hiding the truth. She visits her childhood home, but the neighborhood has been completely redeveloped. Standing amidst the unfamiliar buildings, she wonders if they were always destined to miss one another or if she can still find him in this changed world.
