The First Frost Episode 25 Recap
> The First Frost Recap
Sang Yan desperately searched every place Wen Yifan might have gone, traveling from Nanwu to Yihe and then to Beiyu. He realized how confined her world was, as if her life was trapped. Zhong Siqiao later called Sang Yan, informing him that Wen Yifan, whom they referred to as Dian, had contacted her to say she was safe, though she had not revealed her location.
Sang Yan expressed his profound distress, admitting he wished Wen Yifan's sudden departure was simply to distance herself from him. He theorized that during her six years away, she had silently carried many burdens alone, and her current leaving was likely another attempt to shoulder everything by herself. He regretted not having confronted her directly to understand her reasons back then. Wen Yifan, now in Hong Kong, eventually moved into a new, cramped apartment.
The tight space evoked painful memories from six years prior, when she first arrived at her Aunt Che Yanqin’s home in Beiyu. Her assigned room was a cluttered storage area, which she had to clean herself to create a small space for sleeping. Che Yanqin and her husband often argued about money, especially regarding Wen Yifan's stay. Later, Che Xingde, Che Yanqin's brother and Wen Yifan’s uncle, moved in.
From their initial encounter, he regarded Wen Yifan with ill intentions, frequently glancing at her during meals. Late one night, as Wen Yifan was studying, Che Xingde entered her room without knocking. He sat beside her, claiming to check her schoolwork, and then patted her shoulder, leaving her trembling with fear. Fortunately, Che Yanqin and her husband returned home, and upon hearing sounds, Che Xingde quickly left the room, feigning that he was only checking on Wen Yifan's studies.
During this challenging period, Sang Yan was Wen Yifan's only comfort and light. Though their feelings for each other remained unspoken, they secretly promised to both get into Nanwu University. Wen Yifan longed to return to Nanwu to be with him. To prevent him from making repeated trips to see her and to allow him to focus on his studies, she asked him not to visit her until their university admission results were announced.
Despite their shared dreams, Wen Yifan’s life in Beiyu remained fraught with anxiety. One rainy day, when Che Yanqin and her husband were away, Che Xingde tricked Wen Yifan into helping him find seasoning for her aunt’s stall. While she searched through boxes in the storage room, he began to make inappropriate advances. Wen Yifan struggled to push him away, crying out. Just then, Che Yanqin and her husband returned.
They witnessed the commotion and the disarray but did nothing to intervene, instead telling Wen Yifan, whom her aunt referred to as Jiang, to return to her room and obey her uncle. In despair, Wen Yifan called her mother, Zhao Yuandong, crying and pleading to be taken home. Zhao Yuandong, however, dismissed her fears lightly and quickly hung up, only promising to speak with Che Yanqin. After her college entrance exams, the situation with Che Xingde reached a terrifying climax.
One night, while Wen Yifan was asleep, Che Xingde crept into her room and attempted to get into her bed. Wen Yifan woke abruptly, grabbing a utility knife to defend herself, threatening to call the police. Che Xingde, his hand cut, became more aggressive, threatening her back by claiming the injury was proof she tried to kill him. He scoffed that he would tell the police she tried to steal his money, and they would believe him.
He then blocked all exits, trapping her on the balcony, and mocked her, asking if she wanted everyone to know about such a "shameful, humiliating" incident that would ruin her marriage prospects. With no other escape, Wen Yifan opened the security window and jumped from the second floor. In the ensuing struggle, Che Xingde also fell with her. Injured with a twisted ankle and utterly alone, Wen Yifan called the police.
Che Yanqin immediately phoned Zhao Yuandong, angrily complaining that her brother was merely drunk, had mistakenly entered Wen Yifan's room, and was now unjustly accused of rape with a broken leg. Zhao Yuandong, in turn, dismissed Wen Yifan's actions as an overreaction, insisting that Che Xingde was a good person. As Wen Yifan was a minor, she required a guardian to be present to make a police statement.
However, Zhao Yuandong quickly made an excuse about her husband needing to go to work and departed, leaving the limping Wen Yifan to be supported by the police officer alone. Wen Yifan silently reflected that the rain of Beiyu, symbolizing her trauma, felt as though it had seeped into her bones, and no matter where she ran, she could not escape that dark day.
Months later, while walking by a river in Hong Kong, Wen Yifan was spotted by Xiang Lang, who quickly contacted Zhong Siqiao, believing he had just seen "Dian." Wen Yifan, despite seeing numerous missed calls and messages from Sang Yan on her phone, chose to ignore them.
She had also sent Sang Yan a letter, stating she didn't expect his forgiveness for her sudden departure but hoped he would believe she had a compelling reason to leave, asking him not to miss her or search for her. Sang Yan, who had tirelessly sought her, had read her previous letter and longed for another. Six months after her disappearance, Wen Yifan continued to live and work part-time in Hong Kong, maintaining her distance from Sang Yan.
One day, at the bar where he worked, Sang Yan witnessed Che Xingde harassing a female customer. Enraged, Sang Yan dragged Che Xingde outside. Unrepentant, Che Xingde provoked Sang Yan by openly taunting him about having "touched his little girl" and almost "had her," even offering to share the details. While Sang Yan was distracted by the taunts, Che Xingde attacked him with a bottle. This pushed Sang Yan to his breaking point. He unleashed a furious assault on Che Xingde, beating him severely until he was incapacitated on the ground, then instructed his companions to call an ambulance.
