Unrequited Love Episode 36 Recap
> Unrequited Love Recap
While enjoying a day at the amusement park, Sheng Huainan received a distressing call from his lawyer. The lawyer informed him that the Sheng family company was in dire straits and likely to face bankruptcy. Furthermore, Sheng Huainan’s father had previously mortgaged their house in Harbin to the bank, meaning it would be legally seized if the company failed.
Upon seeing Luo Zhi return with ice cream, Sheng Huainan quickly put away his phone, forcing a smile to hide his worry and avoid affecting their date. Luo Zhi suggested they visit a haunted house after finishing their ice cream. When Sheng Huainan teased her about being scared, Luo Zhi confidently declared that as a child, she had once beaten up five or six kids.
Skeptical, Sheng Huainan challenged her, prompting Luo Zhi to casually recount how she had defended him when he was being bullied as a child. Sheng Huainan was stunned, realizing that Luo Zhi was the very little girl he had encountered at a relative's wedding, the one he had then jokingly asked to be his bride. Overjoyed, he recalled how he had previously mentioned this "little girl" to Luo Zhi, only for her to keep the secret.
When he asked why she hadn't told him sooner, Luo Zhi playfully replied that it wouldn't have been as fun. Sheng Huainan expressed his disbelief and happiness that the girl he had remembered for so many years had been by his side all along. Luo Zhi asked if he still remembered the promise he made back then.
Sheng Huainan affirmed, stating he had promised to marry her when he grew up, and then reiterated, "As soon as I graduate, I will marry you home." They sealed their promise with a pinky swear, then spent the rest of the day joyfully riding various attractions like the pirate ship, roller coaster, and carousel. That evening, after watching a performance based on Liao Zhai, Luo Zhi commented on the sadness of a love that required a lifetime of waiting.
Sheng Huainan assured her he wouldn't let her wait a lifetime, though Luo Zhi observed that it sounded as if they were about to part ways. Sheng Huainan clarified that he simply regretted making her wait for him for so long in the past. Meanwhile, Jiang Baili also expressed her curiosity to Ge Bi about how the world looked from his perspective and what she looked like to him, given his height.
Ge Bi responded by lifting her onto his shoulders, allowing her to experience his view. As fireworks lit up the night sky, symbolizing a countdown, "Sheng Huainan loves Luo Zhi, the whole world knows," a message was displayed. Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi shared a passionate kiss amidst the brilliant display. Jiang Baili, too, was mesmerized by the beautiful fireworks, smiling brightly. However, when Ge Bi leaned in to kiss her, she subtly, almost unconsciously, avoided it.
A wave of sadness washed over her as she anticipated their impending separation. The time came for Luo Zhi to attend an academic exchange seminar in the UK. Though she assured her friends, Sheng Huainan and Zhang Mingrui, that she would only be gone for two weeks, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was the last time she would see Sheng Huainan smiling with such radiant joy.
During her time abroad, Luo Zhi felt like a sponge, absorbing knowledge and broadening her horizons, excitedly looking forward to sharing her experiences with Sheng Huainan. As predicted, after returning from the seminar, Sheng Huainan vanished from her life, much like before, but this time for a full five years. Upon her return, Luo Zhi, unaware of what awaited her, eagerly messaged Sheng Huainan, asking him to meet her on the rooftop, promising a surprise.
However, it was Zhang Mingrui who showed up, looking distraught. He explained that Sheng Huainan's Grandpa had passed away, and he had returned home for the funeral, likely not to be back until exams. Luo Zhi expressed concern for Sheng Huainan's state, mentioning he hadn't told her anything in his recent messages. Zhang Mingrui quickly brushed off her worries, urging her to focus on her exams and assuring her that Sheng Huainan's grades were fine.
He also vaguely mentioned having a gift for her later and then rushed off, claiming a meeting with a professor. Luo Zhi, feeling uneasy, later called Sheng Huainan. To her surprise, Zhang Mingrui’s phone rang, revealing Sheng Huainan's phone was in his possession. She confronted Zhang Mingrui, realizing he had been impersonating Sheng Huainan in their messages while she was abroad.
Luo Zhi demanded to know what had truly happened to Sheng Huainan, questioning why he would keep her in the dark after all they had been through. Zhang Mingrui explained that it was Sheng Huainan's decision; he didn't want Luo Zhi to get entangled in his family's troubles. Sheng Huainan’s Grandpa was critically ill in the ICU, his father’s company was under investigation with widespread implications, and he felt he was about to lose everything.
Zhang Mingrui conveyed Sheng Huainan's belief that he owed Luo Zhi too much and didn't want her to worry about him, instructing Zhang Mingrui to maintain contact and reassure her. Sheng Huainan was convinced Luo Zhi would wait for him to resolve his issues. Luo Zhi, however, was heartbroken, lamenting that Sheng Huainan had chosen to bear his burdens alone, excluding her from his suffering when they should be sharing everything.
Zhang Mingrui revealed that the opportunity for the Plymouth University seminar, which had allowed Luo Zhi to freely develop her talents and experience such courtesies abroad, was originally Sheng Huainan's. He had rejected it, believing he had already received too much due to his privileged background, and recommended Luo Zhi instead, seeing her as someone who earned every opportunity through her own hard work. This revelation left Luo Zhi in tears, realizing the depth of Sheng Huainan's sacrifice and selflessness.
Sheng Huainan, meanwhile, faced immense pressure. Employees of his family's collapsing company confronted him, demanding repayment of debts. He appealed for more time, subtly reminding them of their own complicity in his father’s illicit dealings, which had led to his father's imprisonment. He promised to repay everyone but asked for patience. When he called his maternal uncle for help, he was met with a cold rejection, his uncle fearing entanglement with the disgraced Sheng family.
At the hospital, Sheng Huainan's mother, terrified of being imprisoned like her husband and unable to accept the desolate turn in her once-privileged life, desperately urged him to seek help from relatives, only for Sheng Huainan to reveal that all their contacts had already distanced themselves. He then confronted his mother about the factory fire that killed Luo Zhi's father years ago, revealing that it was caused by his father’s scheme to take kickbacks by purchasing faulty machinery.
His mother was shocked, having been told a different story, but ultimately saw his father’s current predicament as retribution for the injustice done to Luo Zhi's family. Sheng Huainan reassured his mother that she wasn’t implicated in the company’s accounts and promised to keep her safe. Later, Sheng Huainan made a phone call to his director.
Back at school, Luo Zhi continued to seek news of Sheng Huainan from Zhang Mingrui, who reiterated his advice to focus on her studies and avoid going to Harbin, stressing that keeping herself well was the best way to help Sheng Huainan. Soon after, Luo Zhi received an unexpected phone call. It was from lawyer Liu Dashan of Dasha Mountain Law Firm, who, at her professor's recommendation, offered her an early internship.
Despite not yet being of internship age, Luo Zhi was thrilled to accept, as the firm was her long-held aspiration. As she left the meeting, she saw Gu Ziye and Jiang Baili intimately entering an elevator, seemingly on their way to dinner, with Jiang Baili excitedly discussing high-end steak. Luo Zhi tried to follow, but it was too late.
