The First Frost Episode 4 Recap
> The First Frost Recap
In high school, Wen Yifan was often the subject of gossip. Sang Yan secretly followed her during runs, then openly offered to be her pacer, though he jokingly claimed she was pacing him, before pointing out her untied shoelace. Years later, classmates still gossiped, calling her "Wen the Vase," and spreading rumors of a love triangle between her, Sang Yan, and Xiang Lang.
They claimed she only dated Sang Yan because he pursued her, then cheated with the wealthier Xiang Lang. Sang Yan fiercely confronted the ringleader, Zhou Zhiming, forcing him to apologize to Wen Yifan and himself, warning that anyone else spreading such rumors would face the same consequences. He proudly declared that if he were to pursue someone, they would be completely captivated by him. One evening, as Wen Yifan returned home, she found movers bringing in furniture.
Sang Yan, occupied with his phone, sheepishly admitted to adding some items. A worker revealed that a cat tree had been sent by "her boyfriend." Sang Yan quickly explained it was a free add-on from a bundle deal and could be discarded if not needed. Wen Yifan happily settled her cat, Dian Dian, on the new cat tree. Shortly after, Sang Yan transferred 18,000 to her.
When Wen Yifan returned 520, a number often associated with love, Sang Yan immediately questioned it. Mortified, Wen Yifan sent him the expense breakdown, realizing she had miscalculated and overpaid him by 15 yuan. She then awkwardly requested the small amount back via WeChat, wishing she had sent a less suggestive number like 250. Meanwhile, Zhong Siqiao was abruptly woken by her mother's call, who was annoyed she hadn't come home.
Zhong Siqiao found herself in an unfamiliar bed, naked beside a sleeping Su Hao'an. She screamed, startling him awake, then kicked him out of bed, demanding an explanation. Both were utterly bewildered, having blacked out from heavy drinking the previous night. Reviewing the building's surveillance footage, they saw a heartbroken Su Hao'an, recently dumped by his girlfriend, being comforted by Zhong Siqiao, leading to them sharing whiskey.
The footage then showed a very drunk Su Hao'an carrying a similarly inebriated Zhong Siqiao into his apartment, making it appear entirely mutual. The security guard confirmed the cameras only covered up to the door. After an awkward breakfast, they agreed to treat the night as a mutual misunderstanding and never speak of it again.
While at work, Zhong Siqiao called Wen Yifan to announce that their old friend, Xiang Lang, had returned from abroad and was looking for a place to rent. She even playfully suggested Wen Yifan and Xiang Lang become roommates. Sang Yan, who was nearby, listened intently. Wen Yifan, however, informed Zhong Siqiao that she already had a roommate. The three friends agreed to meet up on Thursday for a reunion.
Wen Yifan later explained to Sang Yan that Xiang Lang was a childhood friend from kindergarten and high school, asking if he remembered him, but Sang Yan claimed he had no recollection. Sang Yan then proposed that their reunion take place at his gastropub, Overtime, hinting that his business needed a boost. Wen Yifan teasingly asked if he was so desperate he had to personally solicit customers.
Sang Yan offered a "roommate discount," which turned out to be a mere 1%. Wen Yifan found this incredibly stingy. She further critiqued the gastropub, remarking that it was hard to find the sign and the decor resembled a barbershop rather than a restaurant. Sang Yan reminded her that she had once referred to him as "The Headliner," a term she used when first visiting. He acknowledged her feedback but declared he wouldn't change anything.
Later, on a group chat, Zhong Siqiao informed Xiang Lang about Wen Yifan's choice of venue and the meager discount, both finding it amusing but agreeing to go for Wen Yifan. At Nanwu TV, Wen Yifan was editing footage when a colleague, Mr. Zhang, brought her coffee and snacks, then put his hand on her shoulder. Startled, Wen Yifan knocked over the coffee and rushed out of the editing room.
She heard colleagues gossiping about her, suggesting she was in trouble and reiterating old rumors from her previous job at Yihe Daily. They claimed she was blacklisted after the editor-in-chief's wife publicly confronted her, accusing her of flirting with her husband through late-night messages. Wen Yifan recalled trying to show the wife her phone to prove her innocence, but the woman refused to listen, screaming that it "takes two to tango."
Wen Yifan felt frustrated, lamenting how victims are often blamed while the perpetrators escape scrutiny. She had learned that rumors, like wounds, would eventually stop hurting if ignored, as people only believe what they want to believe. Later, returning from an interview, Wen Yifan unexpectedly encountered her half-sister. Her sister asked why she was back in Nanwu, and Wen Yifan explained she had moved back.
Her sister quickly clarified that Wen Yifan wouldn't be staying at her family home and suggested they pretend they hadn't met. Wen Yifan expressed her hurt, stating she never said her sister couldn't come home. Her sister apologized for past actions, admitting she was young when she forced Wen Yifan out of their home. Wen Yifan dismissed it, stating she had no desire to rehash old conflicts or catch up.
As it began to snow, Wen Yifan refused her sister's offer to exchange contact information, emphasizing that all her decisions, including her return to Nanwu and not staying at her sister's home, were solely for herself. The falling snow brought back memories of her father, who had given her the nickname "A Jiang" (阿降) because she was born on the day of "Frost's Descent" (霜降), explaining the meaning of the solar term and promising to always keep her warm.
Back home, Sang Yan confronted Wen Yifan, citing his strong safety awareness and inability to sleep if the door wasn't locked. He requested that she inform him if she were to return after 10 PM as a matter of mutual respect, to which she agreed. As Wen Yifan headed to her room, she was surprised to find Duan Jiaxu, Sang Yan's friend, emerging from the bathroom wrapped only in a towel.
Sang Yan introduced them, and Wen Yifan remembered Su Hao'an mentioning that Sang Yan had spent his entire university life hanging out with "campus heartthrob" Duan Jiaxu instead of dating. Wen Yifan reiterated the co-rental rule about notifying each other before bringing guests home. Sang Yan apologized for his oversight, and Wen Yifan, acknowledging it was early in their cohabitation, excused his mistake and left them to catch up.
On the day of the gathering, Zhong Siqiao called Wen Yifan to say she and Xiang Lang were waiting downstairs. Wen Yifan, still drying clothes, promised to be quick. When Wen Yifan informed Sang Yan she was leaving, he quickly changed his clothes and joined her in the elevator. Outside, Su Hao'an was waiting for Sang Yan. Zhong Siqiao greeted Wen Yifan and Xiang Lang with a big hug, emphasizing their "Nanwu Trio" reunion.
Su Hao'an mistook Xiang Lang for Wen Yifan's boyfriend. Sang Yan then declared he couldn't be bothered to drive his own car and insisted on joining them in Xiang Lang's car, despite Xiang Lang's subtle reluctance. Xiang Lang offered Wen Yifan the front passenger seat to help with navigation, but Sang Yan, claiming his legs were too long for the back, swiftly took the spot, adjusting the rearview mirror to observe Wen Yifan in the back.
During the ride, Su Hao'an directly asked Xiang Lang about the old high school rumor of a love triangle involving him, Sang Yan, and Wen Yifan. Xiang Lang firmly denied it, dismissing it as baseless gossip. Xiang Lang then asked Sang Yan if he had known in advance that Wen Yifan would be his roommate. Sang Yan confirmed that he had known, which was precisely why he decided to move in.
