Sweet First Love Episode 23 Recap
> Sweet First Love Recap
At Liu Zihui's studio, Su Nianfeng and Su Muyun were in a quiet cold war, barely speaking to each other. Lin Di and Liu Zihui tried to mediate, urging them to eat and reconcile. Lin Di then took Su Muyun aside for a serious talk, but was interrupted by a message on his phone. Upon reading it, Lin Di's expression changed dramatically, and he stormed back into the studio, demanding an explanation from Liu Zihui.
He questioned why she had sold a brand-new bag he had given her. A slightly inebriated Liu Zihui glanced at his phone, realizing she had forgotten to remove the online listing for the bag. Their discussion quickly escalated into a heated argument. Su Nianfeng attempted to defend Liu Zihui, explaining it was a misunderstanding, but Lin Di, overcome with anger, was not listening. He accused Liu Zihui of not valuing him, declaring he would disappear from her life.
Liu Zihui, equally enraged, told him she never wanted to see him again and stormed out. Su Nianfeng stayed to comfort Liu Zihui, who, despite her anger, couldn't stop looking at her phone, claiming she was waiting for Lin Di's "death" but clearly still caring for him. Liu Zihui lamented that all men were "bad." The next day, Su Muyun was in his laboratory.
His professor informed him that while the initial funding for his smart home system had gone smoothly, the project's actual implementation was stalled. The professor warned that if a breakthrough wasn't made within a month, the venture could fail. Su Muyun assured him he would find a solution. Later that evening, Su Muyun was still immersed in his work at the lab when Lin Di arrived with food. Su Muyun, having lost his appetite, refused to eat.
Lin Di jokingly threatened to tell Su Nianfeng that Su Muyun was on a hunger strike. Lin Di teased Su Muyun, suggesting his intense dedication to work was a result of recent romantic troubles. Su Muyun admitted that the project faced significant implementation issues and might even be canceled. Lin Di then shared his own woes, complaining that Liu Zihui had even changed the locks on her studio door, calling her a "cruel woman."
Lin Di borrowed Su Muyun's phone to watch Liu Zihui's live stream, where she was cheerfully promoting skincare products. Lin Di was puzzled by her seemingly unaffected demeanor and asked Su Muyun, as a "top student," to analyze why she didn't appear sad. Su Muyun, after observing the stream, confirmed that she indeed didn't seem sad, which made Lin Di dejected.
Liu Zihui then introduced a "new love necklace," mentioning she had given it to her best friend for her birthday and that her friend loved it. Su Muyun immediately recognized the necklace as the one Su Nianfeng wore, realizing it was not a gift from Ouyang Yu as he had previously thought, which made him happy.
Later, Liu Zihui convinced Su Nianfeng to attend a cosplay party, telling her not to give up on other potential relationships because of one person. Su Muyun, seeing Liu Zihui's social media post with Su Nianfeng, rushed to the party. At the entrance, he was stopped because he wasn't in costume. He was directed to a nearby anime shop.
As he left the shop, a delivery scooter accidentally hit him, but he brushed off the concern for his leg injury, insisting he was fine, and hurried back to the party. Inside, while Liu Zihui went to the restroom, a man approached Su Nianfeng, who was sitting alone. He offered her a drink, which she politely declined, explaining she was there with friends and didn't drink.
The man persisted, hinting she was playing hard to get, and tried to pull her away. Frustrated, Su Nianfeng splashed her drink on him. He continued to harass her, pulling her arm. Just then, Su Muyun entered the party, dressed in a striking ancient-style costume, drawing admiring glances from many attendees. Su Muyun walked directly to Su Nianfeng, pushed the persistent man away, and began to lead her out.
Su Nianfeng, hampered by her elaborate costume, asked him to slow down. Su Muyun pulled her against a wall, sternly asking if she would dare to come to such places again. Su Nianfeng retorted that it was none of his business. Su Muyun then pulled her closer, saying, "You're such a good girl. Others might take you away," before kissing her.
Su Nianfeng pushed him away, but he held her firmly, reiterating that she was too good and could be snatched. She struggled forcefully to break free, pushing him backward. Su Muyun crashed into the wall, and his injured leg buckled, causing him to wince in pain and bend over. Immediately, Su Nianfeng turned back to check on him, her concern evident. Back at home, Su Nianfeng carefully bandaged Su Muyun's injured leg.
As she finished tidying the medicine box and prepared to leave, Su Muyun suddenly pulled her onto his lap. When she tried to stand, he gently pushed her onto the sofa. He then took the necklace from her neck, telling her, "You look the most beautiful when you put this on," and deeply kissed her lips. The next morning, Su Nianfeng woke early to prepare breakfast for him. Su Muyun watched her, thinking about how hard she worked.
He suddenly had an idea: if a robot could help with household chores, it would be wonderful. This thought sparked an exciting connection to his smart home project, and he eagerly rushed to the laboratory. At the lab, Su Muyun shared his refined vision with his professor: the smart home system should be simpler, more intuitive, and feel like a true "part of a family." He proposed naming his new robot "Su Xiaoai."
The professor was supportive but reminded Su Muyun that he was scheduled to participate in the Global Intelligence Robot Invention Competition in New York in just two weeks, making significant changes a tight squeeze. Su Muyun, however, was determined to try, preferring to perfect his project rather than settle for less. To assist him, the professor brought in an assistant, who turned out to be Ouyang Qingxue, much to Su Muyun's surprise.
As Su Muyun diligently worked, Ouyang Qingxue attempted to feed him oranges, but he coldly refused, citing laboratory rules against eating. Ouyang Qingxue then took photos of herself with Su Muyun while he was working and posted them on social media, with a caption suggesting she was working with a smart person, tagging Su Nianfeng. Su Nianfeng saw the post and became visibly jealous. She immediately went to the lab.
When Ouyang Qingxue saw Su Nianfeng arrive, she deliberately put her arm around Su Muyun's neck and offered to have her uncle reconsider investing in his project, attempting to portray closeness. Su Muyun politely rejected her offer, asking if she truly hated him that much, and clarifying that his "Su Xiaoai" project was intended as a proposal gift.
However, Su Nianfeng, witnessing Ouyang Qingxue's physical closeness and Su Muyun's explanation (which she perceived as fumbling), accused him of being a "bad guy" and turned to leave. Su Muyun quickly chased after her, trying to reiterate that the robot was indeed meant for his proposal, but Su Nianfeng had already stormed off, refusing to believe him. Later, Ouyang Qingxue contacted Su Nianfeng, inviting her to her home "alone" if she wanted to know the truth about her parents.
Su Nianfeng, cautious, sent a message to Su Muyun, stating that if she didn't return safely, he should look for her at Ouyang Qingxue's house. Su Muyun, busy in the lab, didn't see the message until later. Upon realizing the situation, he immediately messaged Ouyang Yu to check on Su Nianfeng at Ouyang Qingxue's house, and then rushed there himself.
At Ouyang Qingxue's home, Ouyang Qingxue attempted to manipulate Su Nianfeng, claiming the Su family was responsible for her parents' deaths. She presented a "Car Inspection Report" and other fabricated evidence, alleging that Su Zijian's assistant, Chen Jun, and Su Zijian's wife, Yang Keying, were involved in her parents' accident and had received large sums of money. Su Nianfeng quickly deduced that Ouyang Qingxue's true motive was to drive a wedge between her and Su Muyun.
Ouyang Qingxue even offered to send Su Nianfeng abroad to study medicine to "escape" her current life. Just then, Ouyang Yu and Su Muyun arrived. Ouyang Yu confronted Ouyang Qingxue, expressing his disappointment, and then played an authentic audio recording from a past interview.
In the recording, Mr. Zhuo (Su Nianfeng's father), spoke about the collapse of Zhuo Group, describing it as a "well-planned conspiracy" and mentioning his trust in Su Zijian and his wife, who were his best friends and partners. Upon hearing this, Su Nianfeng realized that the evidence Ouyang Qingxue had previously given her was fabricated. Ouyang Yu then revealed the full truth. He explained that his father, leading the Ouyang Group, saw the Zhuo Group as a formidable competitor.
To eliminate this threat, his father employed extreme business tactics, feigning a strong alliance with the Zhuo Group while secretly poaching its key personnel, draining its talent, severing its financial lifeline, and ultimately forcing it into bankruptcy. The Su couple, who were close partners of the Zhuo Group and trusted the collaboration, shared internal information with the Ouyang Group.
By the time they discovered Ouyang Yu's father's deceit, it was too late; the Ouyang Group had already hollowed out and gained full control of the Zhuo Group. Ouyang Yu confirmed that the share transfer contract was real, but all other documents Ouyang Qingxue had presented were forged. He apologized to Su Nianfeng. Ouyang Qingxue, distraught, questioned her brother's loyalty, demanding to know why he was helping others.
She broke down, crying hysterically, and vehemently blamed Su Muyun for her despair. She tearfully recounted her first meeting with Su Muyun at his family's home, where her father had sought a partnership with the Su family. She had developed feelings for him, but he had only eyes for Su Nianfeng, making her feel humiliated and destroying her self-esteem.
She proclaimed that she had always gotten what she wanted in life, except for Su Muyun, and despite her relentless efforts to excel, his gaze never left Su Nianfeng, whom she deemed an "ordinary girl." Su Muyun, claiming to remember none of what she said, told her that she had misinterpreted the world and that her actions stemmed from her own possessiveness.
As Ouyang Qingxue became increasingly agitated, Ouyang Yu tried to calm her, but she violently pushed him away, lost her balance, and fell, hitting her head on a table corner. Ouyang Yu immediately rushed to her side. Su Muyun then guided Su Nianfeng away from the chaotic scene.
