The First Frost Episode 26 Recap
> The First Frost Recap
Wen Yifan, having completed her statement at the police station, was accompanied by Officer Chen to her home. Officer Chen's daughter, Chen Xi, a vibrant girl of Wen Yifan's age, warmly welcomed her, hoping Wen Yifan would find comfort despite the small house. Chen Xi eagerly took Wen Yifan to her bedroom, calling it their "secret base" for reading, chatting, and playing games.
She playfully compared Wen Yifan to the Bone Spirit from the game "Fantasy Westward Journey", remarking that Wen Yifan was even prettier. During dinner, Chen Xi shared that Wen Yifan wasn't the first girl her mother had offered shelter to, noting that while the girls arrived unhappy, they always left cheerful thanks to her mother's care. Chen Xi promised Wen Yifan that she, too, would become happy.
Later, Chen Xi excitedly changed her university preference online to attend the same institution as her "idol." Inspired by this, Wen Yifan asked to use the computer, and when asked if she also had an "idol," she revealed her desire to "leave everyone I know behind" and go "somewhere no one knows me." Chen Xi, sensing her distress, reassured her and left her to make the change.
Sang Yan, bearing visible injuries from a fight, refused to seek hospital treatment, preferring to bandage his wounds himself. Xiang Lang, who was waiting for him, expressed concern about his state. Xiang Lang then inquired about the situation between Sang Yan and Wen Yifan, to which Sang Yan admitted he was equally confused. Xiang Lang accused Sang Yan of driving her away and then acting oblivious.
Sang Yan revealed he had been searching for Wen Yifan for six months without giving up. Xiang Lang then shared a crucial clue: he believed Wen Yifan might be in Hong Kong, China. He offered to mediate any misunderstandings, but Sang Yan insisted there were none. Xiang Lang, however, recalled Sang Yan's long-standing concern about Wen Yifan's sudden departure after the college entrance exam.
He confessed that his previous claim about them both planning to attend Yihe University was a fabrication intended to provoke Sang Yan. Xiang Lang admitted he didn't know why Wen Yifan suddenly chose Yihe University but speculated it might be linked to her aunt and uncle, Che Yanqin and Che Xingde, mentioning that Wen Yifan had a difficult time and that her aunt would often yell at her.
He also recalled Qiao mentioning that Wen Yifan's uncle, Che Xingde, had said strange things to her. After that summer following the college entrance exam, Wen Yifan had moved without a trace. Xiang Lang then described seeing someone resembling Wen Yifan at the Star Ferry Pier in Hong Kong, China. He called out to her, but she didn't respond and entered a building. Despite days of searching, he found nothing.
Sang Yan immediately requested the building's address and name, even as Xiang Lang cautioned that he wasn't entirely sure it was her. Sang Yan promptly flew to Hong Kong, China, to follow up on Xiang Lang's lead. At the hotel Xiang Lang mentioned, Sang Yan inquired about "Wen Yifan," but the receptionist found no record.
After Sang Yan showed a picture, the receptionist recognized the person but stated she had registered under the surname "Sang," not Wen, and had since moved out. The receptionist added that the beautiful girl always seemed to have a lot on her mind, appeared unhappy, and often ate only bread and bottled water, suggesting she was living a hard life. Days of searching yielded no further results, and urgent work projects back in Nanwu compelled Sang Yan to return.
Xiang Lang called, advising him to come back due to the difficulty of the search and his professional responsibilities. Back in Nanwu, Sang Yan tried calling Wen Yifan, but her phone was off. Su Hao'an, offering support, tried to cheer Sang Yan up, reminding him that being gloomy wouldn't bring Wen Yifan back.
He suggested that if Wen Yifan was indeed in Hong Kong, she must be either studying or working, and offered to ask his grandparents, who once lived there, to help with the search, even after hearing about the surname change. Su Hao'an's grandmother also reassured Sang Yan, emphasizing that if two people are destined to be together, they will find their way back, just as his grandparents did.
She encouraged him to maintain a strong belief, likening it to the Law of Attraction, as he was not one to give up easily. Sang Yan expressed his hope for such luck again. Wen Yifan started working as a teacher at a dance studio in Hong Kong, where she was introduced to her young students as "Miss Wen" or "Wendy." The children warmly welcomed their new ballet instructor.
Meanwhile, Su Hao'an informed Zhong Siqiao that his grandmother's university contact had indeed found a graduate student named Wen Yifan, confirming their suspicions based on Xiang Lang's sighting and Sang Yan's hotel discovery. Zhong Siqiao, worried about Wen Yifan's stubborn nature and potential reluctance, suggested they approach her first before informing Sang Yan. Su Hao'an agreed, acknowledging that convincing Wen Yifan to return to Nanwu would be challenging. They then traveled to Hong Kong.
Upon checking into their hotel, the front desk recognized Su Hao'an from his frequent stays while handling his grandparents' business. He initially requested two rooms, but Qiao insisted on one, reminding him they had shared a bed before. When Qiao questioned his familiarity with the front desk, Su Hao'an explained his personal rule of not traveling with girlfriends to avoid relationship conflicts over differing values and habits.
However, he admitted he felt "at ease" traveling with her, a change he found significant, feeling more relaxed and able to share anything with her. Su Hao'an then confessed to Qiao that being so close to her ignited an intense, overwhelming desire that he found "really tough" to control. Qiao, taking the initiative, declared, "I want us to be together." Su Hao'an, taken aback but delighted, admitted he had been waiting a long time to hear those words.
As they grew intimate, he paused, realizing he had no protection. Qiao, also unprepared, promised to buy some the next day. Unable to sleep, they sat together by the bed, waiting for the sunrise. Qiao then playfully asked if they could make their relationship official on social media.
Back at the university, Su Hao'an complained to Qiao about the school office's refusal to release student data due to privacy laws, making their method of asking students individually inefficient and arduous in the heat. In her ballet class, Wen Yifan demonstrated a jump, but her landing appeared somewhat unnatural. When a student asked if her foot was alright, Wen Yifan quickly dismissed any injury, assuring them she would be fine.
Later, Wen Yifan had dinner with her colleagues, Sen and Yuqing. Wen Yifan expressed gratitude for the opportunity to resume dancing, and Yuqing, aware of Yifan's past injury, recommended coconut peach gum milk for recovery. Sen then shared a philosophical view on life, stating that injuries and setbacks are inevitable, but continuously recovering from them makes one "unstoppable." He emphasized that facing challenges sooner is better, declaring his own happiness despite having overcome many.
Yuqing further elaborated on Sen's inspiring past: he was a talented second-string dancer with the New York City Ballet, on the verge of joining the first team for a Paris performance, when a car accident severely injured his leg, ending his dream. Despite immense pain and a prolonged recovery, Sen returned to Hong Kong, China, where he found contentment doing what he loved. Eventually, Su Hao'an and Zhong Siqiao spotted Wen Yifan.
Qiao excitedly rushed over, embracing her tightly and noting how much weight Yifan had lost. After agreeing to meet for dinner the following day, Wen Yifan returned to her place. Realizing that evasion was no longer the best course of action, she turned on her old phone, which immediately filled with numerous messages and missed calls, including some from Sang Yan and a menacing one from Che Xingde.
Che Xingde's message threatened to pursue her "to the ends of the earth." With newfound resolve, Wen Yifan recorded a voice message for Che Xingde, declaring that she no longer needed to hide, that she was in Hong Kong, China, and that she would never be afraid of him again, vowing to make him pay for his actions. She reflected that simply running away only caused harm to everyone.
Meanwhile, Qiao and Su Hao'an discussed whether to immediately inform Sang Yan. Qiao argued that Wen Yifan must have her own reasons for leaving and that they should first gauge her feelings. She worried that Wen Yifan might have met someone new or that her feelings for Sang Yan could have changed during her time in Hong Kong, China, especially given Sang Yan's temper and less-than-charming demeanor.
Su Hao'an concurred, concerned that if they didn't reconcile, Sang Yan might take years to recover. They decided to hear Wen Yifan out the next day. At dinner, Qiao deliberately created space by taking Su Hao'an away to order, giving Wen Yifan privacy. Wen Yifan then called Sang Yan, who was in the middle of writing a resignation letter. He, still haunted by her disappearance, expressed how her absence—and her twenty-yuan debt to him—had robbed him of his peace. Wen Yifan then asked if they could meet.
