Speed and Love Episode 23 Recap
> Speed and Love Recap
Jiang Mu adds Jin Chao on WeChat, noting the symmetry between his sunrise avatar and her own moon profile picture. She reflects on her life choices, realizing she pursued her current professional path to finish the journey Jin Chao was forced to abandon. For her, he has always been her only true ambition, and seeing him succeed now feels like the fulfillment of the dream they once shared. Meanwhile, Jin Chao is pushing himself in the gym.
During a phone call with Julia, he admits that his core muscles still aren't responding properly. Julia warns him that his body cannot handle such intense strain and urges him to be patient, reminding him that haste makes waste. Despite their new digital connection, Jin Chao remains distant in his messages, which frustrates Jiang Mu.
When her colleague Gu Zhijie calls to invite her to their coworker Xining’s wedding, Jiang Mu comes up with a plan to provoke a reaction from Jin Chao. She photoshops her own face onto a wedding photo and sends it to him, claiming she is getting married the following Tuesday.
She insists that he must attend as her "family representative" to ensure the groom's side doesn't look down on her, even demanding he prepare the traditional gold jewelry sets and a large cash gift. On the day of the wedding, a visibly shaken and sweating Jin Chao rushes to the venue, only to discover the whole thing was a prank. He lets out a long sigh of relief once he realizes the truth.
When Jiang Mu playfully asks about his state of mind, he confesses that he had actually prepared both the jewelry and the gift money. Jiang Mu keeps the ruse alive by claiming she had a massive fight with her "boyfriend" and put the wedding on hold, though she insists she will eventually need those gifts.
She teases him about her being easily swayed by men and asks him to keep looking out for her so she doesn't get taken advantage of. Business later takes Jiang Mu to Beijing for a conference on exoplanetary stellar systems and tidal dissipation. While she waits for a message that never comes, Jin Chao is also in Beijing at a different venue.
He delivers a sophisticated presentation on new energy vehicle technology, discussing active suspension and a streamlined body structure limited to 150 parts. He emphasizes a human-centered approach to automotive innovation, appearing confident and radiant as he speaks about reducing the driver's burden through cloud-based data. Back in Nanjing, Jiang Mu visits the café with Beijing specialties for the staff.
She tries to fish for information from the employee, Jia, who accidentally mentions that Jin Chao’s health wouldn't allow him to work a standard nine-to-five job. Jia quickly tries to cover her tracks by claiming the combined stress of the shop and school would be too much for anyone, but Jiang Mu is left suspicious.
Noticing Jin Chao is still ignoring her messages, Jiang Mu decides to take the dog, Lightning (whom the staff calls Mendan), home with her, leaving word that Jin Chao must pick the dog up from her apartment personally. Jin Chao eventually arrives at the Jingyuancheng Residential Community. Although he has her specific apartment number, he chooses to wait outside at the bottom of the stairs.
Looking down at him, Jiang Mu realizes that even after years of meeting various successful men, only Jin Chao has the power to make her heart race. As they walk together, she continues to lie, describing a life with a struggling boyfriend where they bicker over the cost of a new phone because he spends all his money on gaming. Jin Chao is clearly bothered by her stories, especially when she repeatedly refers to herself as his "ex-girlfriend."
When he asks what she could possibly see in a man like the one she described, she dismissively says she is just settling because she is getting older. Jin Chao finally tells her to stop making such jokes, admitting that hearing about her life in that way hurts him deeply. His confession strikes a chord with Jiang Mu, who feels that her own years of longing for him have been just as painful.
The following morning, Jiang Mu receives a weather alert about a cold front. Before she can reach out to Jin Chao, a message from him arrives first, reminding her to dress warmly and carry an umbrella. However, during a later visit to the café, Jia shares some unsettling gossip. Jia claims Jin Chao once mentioned being married with a family abroad to keep admirers away, but she also mentions having seen a beautiful, elegant woman at his house.
Driven by anger and curiosity, Jiang Mu gets Jin Chao’s address and heads to his home. She arrives just as a woman is entering the apartment using the door code. The woman, Julia, invites her in and offers her a pair of slippers, noting they are the only women's slippers in the house. Julia casually mentions she needs to take a shower to get rid of the smell of cigarette smoke from a meeting, confirming she lives there.
While alone in the apartment, Jiang Mu finds a drawing Jin Chao made of her along with a poignant note. In his writing, he expresses his regret for failing to keep his promises and his hope that she would go on to explore a bigger world, offering her his eternal blessings from afar.
