Unrequited Love Episode 34 Recap
> Unrequited Love Recap
Ye Zhanyan, consumed by jealousy, watched Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi walk away hand-in-hand. She couldn't understand why, after finally achieving a unique happiness, she had to lose it completely at the same time. Luo Zhi's happiness was a source of pain for Ye Zhanyan, who, after each loss, deeply regretted it but never understood where she went wrong.
She had just received a message from Zhuo Chen, who explained how he had climbed a snowy mountain to capture a unique photograph of both their constellations, created using linear algebra to locate their exact coordinates. He called it the last thing he could do for her, describing her as a beautiful, unreachable starry sky, and wished her a Happy New Year.
Infuriated and confused, Ye Zhanyan immediately called Shuijing, demanding to know what Zhuo Chen meant by his words and why he would leave her without her permission. Seeing Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi together intensified her anger, and she vented to Shuijing, expressing her profound jealousy and inability to understand why Luo Zhi could find happiness while she was simultaneously losing hers.
Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi continued their night by purchasing strong liquor and then impulsively sneaking into an exhibition hall. Luo Zhi expressed a desire to see the pipe organ, which was closed for the night, but Sheng Huainan playfully insisted they could still see it, daring her once they were inside. As they looked at the pipe organ, Sheng Huainan remarked that its sound reminded him of murder scenes from Detective Conan.
Luo Zhi then playfully began to "interview" Sheng Huainan, asking him questions she had heard about him, seeking to uncover the real person behind the rumors. She questioned him about a high school legend where he supposedly memorized an entire English textbook in a week; he denied it, only recalling the first lesson about a handbag. Luo Zhi then revealed she had memorized the whole book in an effort to catch up to him.
She also asked if he was hurt when his basketball teammates failed to catch him after a winning throw, to which he admitted it was painful but he had hidden it due to pride. Sheng Huainan then playfully responded to her questions about his morning routine, saying he thinks of reasons to find her, and his preferred clothing style, which he described as "couple's clothes like yours."
When Luo Zhi questioned why he always linked everything to her, he simply replied he didn't know, he just thought so. He dodged a question about the last time he cried, deeming it a matter of "a man's dignity," promising to tell her when she became his wife. Finally, Luo Zhi asked about his consistent laundry detergent scent, which he attributed to using too much detergent and not rinsing thoroughly.
Sheng Huainan then asked if his answers satisfied her, expressing a slight fear that he might not meet her expectations. Luo Zhi assured him that her questions meant she wanted to hear the truth directly from him, asserting she could discern his sincerity even if he spoke white lies for her sake. Sheng Huainan, taking her hand, then promised to show her his sincerity.
He led Luo Zhi to a wall outside the exhibition hall, where an aphorism of love was displayed, declaring that a woman is part of a man, and thus they leave their parents to become one flesh. Later, at a cafe, Sheng Huainan described the liquor they were drinking as sweet with a bitter aftertaste, much like love itself.
Luo Zhi reminisced about an earlier time at Dreamland when Sheng Huainan offered her his water bottle, and she drank from it directly to conceal her feelings, contemplating how that could have been an indirect kiss, much like their current shared drink. Sheng Huainan then asked if Luo Zhi had realized his interest from their first meeting at the cafe. She playfully denied being "self-deluded" like Ge Bi.
Sheng Huainan then confessed that while he usually avoided confessions from girls, her past declaration of feelings was the only one that helped him overcome his "obsession with pure love." He emotionally admitted how much it pained him to see her cry that day and that he truly could not bear to be apart from her, regardless of any past misunderstandings.
As they talked, Luo Zhi observed Sheng Huainan, who had boasted about drinking all night, quickly falling asleep on her shoulder, finding him endearingly cute despite his stubbornness. Luo Zhi, in an internal monologue, affirmed her unwavering commitment to their love, regardless of how challenging her secret love had been. When Luo Zhi woke up the next morning, she found herself resting on Sheng Huainan's leg, with him holding a book to shield her from the glaring sun.
As Sheng Huainan leaned closer, Luo Zhi's first thought was her unbrushed teeth, but their mutual affection overshadowed any such concern. He then kissed her, a moment warmed by the sunlight, making it even more memorable. Meanwhile, Jiang Baili, feeling lost in her own romantic entanglement, consulted tarot cards, lamenting that she could not find true love.
In a separate moment, Ge Bi stared at Jiang Baili's contact on his phone but ultimately decided against calling, choosing to silently endure his regret. At the beach, Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi officially began their relationship. Sheng Huainan playfully buried Luo Zhi in the sand, claiming she would have "many, many boyfriends" by next autumn if he did so.
He then presented her with a hair clip, revealing he had carried it with him daily, confident that she would eventually be his girlfriend. He asked her to close her eyes while he put on the clip, secretly taking a photo of himself kissing the clip near her head.
Luo Zhi, discovering his playful prank, demanded to see the photo, but Sheng Huainan refused, promising to send it to her later and asserting she would love him even more after seeing it. She teased him about his newfound skill in flirting, then challenged him to a game of chase, refusing to let her go unless she kissed him.
As they ran, Luo Zhi reflected on secret love, noting it was about constantly testing boundaries, trying to see who loved more, and eventually facing one's honest self. Sheng Huainan then declared, "You are my Southern Cross. With you, I will never be lost in life," establishing the Southern Cross as their token of love.
The next morning, Luo Zhi returned to her dormitory to find Jiang Baili hand-washing clothes in the cold, seemingly as a way to distract herself from troubled thoughts. Luo Zhi questioned why she wasn't using the washing machine, but Jiang Baili admitted she preferred to keep busy to avoid thinking about her problems. Observing that Luo Zhi had been out all night, Jiang Baili playfully interrogated her, asking for details.
Luo Zhi confessed that she and Sheng Huainan were officially dating. Jiang Baili, overjoyed and emotional, congratulated Luo Zhi as if she were an "old mother" witnessing her child's happiness, calling it "perfect." However, Luo Zhi noticed Jiang Baili's swollen eyes and asked if she had been crying. Jiang Baili denied it, attributing it to eating too much.
When pressed about her activities with Gu Ziye the previous night, Jiang Baili vaguely stated they had gone for drinks at a bar, and she returned early to avoid a scolding. Luo Zhi also pointed out Jiang Baili was washing summer clothes, questioning if she had time before her early bus. Jiang Baili then reiterated her congratulations for Luo Zhi's happiness with Sheng Huainan.
Later, over coffee, Luo Zhi admitted to Jiang Baili that her new relationship felt "unreal" after such a long secret crush, and she was unsure how to be a girlfriend. Jiang Baili, despite her own struggles, offered advice on "girlfriend privileges." Luo Zhi, however, reflected that these privileges sounded more like something Jiang Baili herself would do for a boyfriend, rather than receive.
Jiang Baili sadly agreed, admitting she had never truly experienced being pampered in a relationship, only sacrificing and trying to please. Luo Zhi consoled her, noting that now Jiang Baili was being doted on by both Ge Bi and Gu Ziye, caught in a dilemma. Jiang Baili conceded this was merely superficial, revealing she had decided to sort out her feelings during the upcoming Spring Festival, and mentioned she had refused a love letter from Ge Bi.
As the Spring Festival approached, students prepared to go home. Sheng Huainan, back in his dorm, found his roommates Xu Zhian and Lei Tian lamenting their lack of funds after purchasing game items, now needing money for gifts for their girlfriends. Sheng Huainan offered them money, curious if they were planning to introduce their girlfriends to their parents. Xu Zhian explained his girlfriend simply wanted to eat, as they wouldn't see each other during the break.
Lei Tian jokingly remarked how lucky Sheng Huainan was to be single and free of such worries. Just then, Zhang Mingrui entered, and Sheng Huainan announced his news: "I'm not single. I'm with Luo Zhi." His roommates reacted with surprise and congratulations. Sheng Huainan then sought their advice on how to tell his parents about Luo Zhi, as he planned to take her home.
Zhang Mingrui, acting as Luo Zhi's older brother, playfully demanded Sheng Huainan call him "big brother," leading to a mock attack from Sheng Huainan and the other roommates. Meanwhile, Sheng Huainan received a phone call from his mother, who urged him to come home early because his grandfather was seriously ill and might have to spend the New Year in the hospital.
She also warned him not to mention Luo Zhi or past events to his father, who was already stressed with company matters. Despite his mother's warning, Sheng Huainan remained determined to bring Luo Zhi home, wanting to demonstrate the seriousness of his feelings and provide her with a sense of security. Before leaving for the Spring Festival, Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi went on a date, enjoying themselves like any ordinary couple.
Luo Zhi mentioned she was trying to buy train tickets on her own, but Sheng Huainan insisted she should rely on him, her boyfriend, for such matters, offering to teach her how a relationship works. As they walked, Sheng Huainan metaphorically compared himself to the syrup on sugar-coated haws – outwardly easygoing but inwardly governed by strict principles, making him "hard to get along with."
He admitted to preferring only the traditional haw flakes, viewing other fruit varieties as mere "gimmicks." Luo Zhi countered that she favored strawberry-flavored tanghulu, playfully asking if he considered her superficial. Sheng Huainan then took her strawberry tanghulu, explaining that she was the one who made him break his rules and principles, comparing her to the perfect strawberry, completed only when coated in his "syrup." Luo Zhi teased him about his sweet words, admitting he was "sweeter than tanghulu."
When Luo Zhi got sugar on her face from eating, Sheng Huainan gently cleaned it off with his own mouth. They then bought some duck neck, a favorite of Jiang Baili, along with other Xiamen specialties for Luo Zhi to take home to her mother. Sheng Huainan then invited Luo Zhi to come home with him to Harbin.
Luo Zhi, taken aback by the suddenness of meeting his parents, expressed her hesitation, but Sheng Huainan reassured her it was merely a formality and that she was the one he truly wanted, no matter what. Luo Zhi reciprocated his feelings.
On the day of their departure for the Spring Festival, Luo Zhi helped Jiang Baili pack her excessively heavy and overflowing suitcase, which included a music ball and a plush toy, a "lucky charm" given to her by Ge Bi. As they struggled, a knock at the door revealed Ge Bi, who offered to help with her luggage, having seen her social media post. Luo Zhi intervened, urging Jiang Baili not to accept his help.
Jiang Baili, wishing to avoid further entanglement with Ge Bi, claimed someone else was already taking her to the station. Ge Bi, suspecting Gu Ziye, was proven right when Gu Ziye arrived shortly after. A tense confrontation ensued as both men vied for the right to carry Jiang Baili's suitcase, with Ge Bi making pointed remarks about Gu Ziye "eating humble pie" and Gu Ziye retorting about Ge Bi's business.
In their struggle, Jiang Baili tried to intervene and ended up getting hurt. Overwhelmed, Jiang Baili expressed her frustration, realizing that while being loved by one man was a blessing, being fought over by two felt like "poison," causing her immense distress and making her feel like she was developing a "split personality." She vowed to visit a temple during the New Year to pray for a change of luck.
Luo Zhi and Sheng Huainan, having traveled to Harbin by train using tickets Sheng Huainan secured through a relative, shared a tender moment upon arrival. Luo Zhi spoke to Jiang Baili on the phone, who teasingly wished them sweetness. Sheng Huainan then offered Luo Zhi a ride in his family's car, but Luo Zhi politely declined, choosing to take a taxi home.
She expressed her concerns about the timing of meeting his parents given their family's complicated past, preferring to cherish their present happiness without demanding too much from the future. As they temporarily parted ways, Sheng Huainan promised to meet her again soon. Luo Zhi's internal monologue reflected her deep affection for Sheng Huainan and her hope that their "beautiful dream of happiness" would not end too soon, despite the "complicated" history between their families.
