The Best Thing Episode 1 Recap
> The Best Thing Recap
Shen Xifan, the Front Office manager at Gunan Huating Hotel, found herself struggling with severe insomnia, a result of her demanding work and personal pressures. One morning, her mother discovered her dozing on a yoga mat and expressed concern for her sleep-deprived state. Shen Xifan explained that since she couldn't sleep in bed, she tried exercising, but confessed that various sleep aids like melatonin and fragrance had been useless, calling them a "tax on stupidity."
Her parents, worried about her collapsing, suggested she visit a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic nearby, which her father had heard about in the neighborhood group chat, emphasizing they should "treat a dead horse as if it were still alive." Shen Xifan reluctantly agreed to give it a try. Upon arriving at the Honganmen Clinic, Shen Xifan noticed that among the doctors' profiles, only He Suye's lacked a photo.
Opting for convenience, she chose his appointment slot as it required no queue. As she approached, she saw a tall, handsome man, briefly unmasked, exiting the room. Excited by his good looks, Shen Xifan immediately messaged her friend Xu Xiangya, describing the doctor as having "beautiful eyes" and declaring him Xu Xiangya's type, despite not seeing his full face. Xu Xiangya playfully challenged her to assess his complete appearance.
During her consultation with He Suye, Shen Xifan covertly assessed his composed demeanor, clean hands, and pleasant voice, mentally noting that he seemed like Xu Xiangya's type. She explained her insomnia, mentioning she typically slept past 1 AM and experienced many dreams. In a clumsy attempt to see his face, she pretended not to hear him and repeatedly asked him to speak louder. He Suye, however, simply reiterated his instructions without removing his mask.
After taking her pulse and checking her complexion, he diagnosed her condition as "emotional trauma," explaining that worrying had damaged her liver, heart, and spleen, leading to neurasthenia, restlessness, and frequent dreams. He advised her to avoid cold foods, iced coffee, and bubble tea, and prescribed liver-soothing and qi-regulating medicine, stressing that she needed to let go of her mental burdens. Shen Xifan vaguely attributed her stress to being busy with work.
Since she didn't know how to decoct the medicine, He Suye arranged for pharmacy decoction and scheduled a follow-up for the following Saturday. As she departed, she inadvertently left a small paper frog she had folded from her appointment slip, which He Suye later found and smiled at. While Shen Xifan was at the reception desk to pay, He Suye emerged from his office, calling out to her.
He reminded her that the pharmacy closed at 5 PM and that her decocted medicine would be ready for pickup in about four hours, around 2 PM. During this interaction, he briefly had his mask off, and Shen Xifan, momentarily stunned by his handsome face, was distracted and barely registered his instructions about the pickup time.
On her way home, Shen Xifan sent a text message to her boyfriend, Yan Heng, reflecting on his past complaints about her not communicating important decisions. She expressed a desire to avoid conflict, noting they hadn't seen each other in a while. She received no reply. Meanwhile, He Suye repeatedly checked with the front desk about Shen Xifan's medicine, leading the staff to remark on his unusual idleness. Shen Xifan's father eventually picked up the medicine.
Upon trying it, Shen Xifan found it "too bitter" and initially refused to drink it, but her mother insisted, reminding her that "bitter medicine is good for the disease." That night, He Suye received an urgent call from his junior colleague, Li Jie, who needed him to "save the day" at Jiangzhou University Affiliated TCM Hospital. An elderly patient with lung cancer was experiencing severe breathing difficulties, and his family was upset with Li Jie.
He Suye quickly reviewed the patient's medical records and observed his thick, greasy, red tongue coating. Li Jie confirmed he had already needled specific acupoints: Feishu, Neiguan, and Fenglong. He Suye, acting decisively, ordered Li Jie to prepare for cupping and retrieve the needle cart. He then performed acupuncture and cupping, which successfully alleviated the patient's symptoms.
Afterwards, He Suye reassured the family that Li Jie's initial treatment was correct and had bought them crucial time, explaining that Li Jie's hesitation to use the sputum suction machine was due to the patient's advanced age. He Suye stayed overnight to observe the patient, later messaging Li Jie to not worry about the incident. The next morning, Shen Xifan, still suffering from insomnia, went out for breakfast.
She sent a voice message to her mother, complaining that the TCM was ineffective and asking her to throw it away. He Suye, also at the breakfast shop, overheard her. He approached her and gently explained that TCM takes time to show effects and that discarding it after just one dose would be wasteful. Embarrassed by the encounter, Shen Xifan quickly left.
After she departed, He Suye discreetly inquired with the shop owner about the "girl who lived in this neighborhood," asking if she came often. Later, during a meeting at the Gunan Huating Hotel, Shen Xifan, in her capacity as Front Office manager, reported on the success of their "Sakura Goddess Set" and the upcoming arrivals of four VIP guests, including a VVIP, Mr. Jiang, who had a severe seafood allergy.
She was called away to resolve a customer issue, leaving her phone to charge. Upon her return, she found a message from Yan Heng, apologizing for his phone's dead battery and asking if she was in a meeting. She quickly replied, but again, received no further response.
During her lunch break with Xu Xiangya and another colleague, Shen Xifan enthusiastically described He Suye, comparing him to the handsome actor who portrays Gong Ziyu in the drama "My Journey to You" and proclaiming his face to be "so handsome that even a passing ant would be amazed." Intrigued, Xu Xiangya decided to accompany Shen Xifan to her follow-up appointment that Saturday, openly admitting her primary motivation was to see the attractive doctor rather than seek treatment herself.
However, at the clinic for her follow-up, Shen Xifan and Xu Xiangya were disappointed to discover that He Suye was not on duty. Instead, his grandfather, Yu Liren, an elderly expert, was covering his shift. Noticing their disappointment, Yu Liren humorously asked if they believed his medical skills were inferior to He Suye's, to which Shen Xifan quickly denied.
Xu Xiangya, still disheartened, declined to make an appointment for herself, reiterating that she was only there to see the handsome doctor. Yu Liren examined Shen Xifan, noting an improvement in her sleep and complexion, and renewed her prescription, making some adjustments. Later, while having milk tea at a mall, Xu Xiangya questioned Shen Xifan about her relationship with Yan Heng.
Shen Xifan confessed that after seven years, they had grown distant, with fewer shared topics, and she felt they had become like strangers. She admitted she was likely just accustomed to being with him. As Shen Xifan walked home, carrying a bouquet of flowers, she unexpectedly encountered He Suye skateboarding near their neighborhood. She approached him and asked if he lived there, which he confirmed, explaining he had moved closer to the clinic for convenience.
She then reminded him about her next follow-up, urging him not to "stand her up" again. He Suye intended to ask for her contact information, but Shen Xifan bid him goodbye and walked off before he could. He Suye later joined his grandfather, Yu Liren, and several master's students, who were interning under him, for dinner at Yu Liren's old house in the suburbs.
During the meal, Li Jie attempted to downplay his need for He Suye's help the previous night, implying he had handled the critical situation alone. Yu Liren, however, admonished He Suye for allowing an intern to face a crisis without supervision. Afterwards, Yu Liren mentioned Shen Xifan, expressing a positive impression of her, noting her pleasing appearance, good temperament, and elegance. He encouraged He Suye to pursue her, remarking that she was four years younger and "suitable in age." He also advised He Suye to obtain her phone number during her next follow-up visit to ensure he could notify her of any future schedule changes.
