Unrequited Love Episode 5 Recap
> Unrequited Love Recap
After returning from the amusement park, Luo Zhi felt like Cinderella, stripped of her splendid carriage and glass slipper, pulled back into a harsh reality. She described her day at the Dreamland as wandering around in a beautiful dream, meeting the person she wanted to see, and spending a very unreal time with him. She was like a fool, laughing all day beside Sheng Huainan, especially when he held her hand on the roller coaster.
However, as soon as they left the amusement park, he reverted to his polite and courteous self, acting as if nothing had happened and suggesting they could become good friends. Jiang Baili, her roommate, initially questioned if Sheng Huainan could be 'scum' given his good reputation and lack of dating history outside of Ye Zhanyan. However, she ultimately found his behavior deceptive, interpreting it as him playing hard to get with Luo Zhi.
Meanwhile, Sheng Huainan was also in a foul mood, torn between not wanting to believe Ye Zhanyan's messages and being bothered by her persistent entanglement. He aggressively hit baseballs, wishing to hit his troubles as far away as possible, as he found it difficult to accept Ye Zhanyan coming and going at her whim, yet he also couldn't just discard his feelings like an object.
Zhang Mingrui asked him about Ye Zhanyan, who had returned and declared she wouldn't let him go again. Sheng Huainan dodged the question, stating that his emotions were not like a tofu block that could be neatly cut into squares for public display. Frustrated by Sheng Huainan's evasiveness about both Luo Zhi and Ye Zhanyan, Zhang Mingrui accused him of not being open about his feelings for girls, contrary to a past promise, and walked away.
In Xiamen, Luo Yang found himself in a similar state of emotional turmoil as his sister, Luo Zhi. He had come for a conference and, despite receiving a message from Ding Wenjing, chose to hide and secretly watch her from a distance as she waited.
He recalled their past; Ding Wenjing, once a painting model, found new courage to pursue art after seeing Luo Yang's work, even deciding to drop out of university and re-enroll in art against her parents' wishes, all for him and her dreams. Luo Yang, however, had decided to forgo his artistic aspirations to teach at Zhenhua High School.
As the waves crashed on the beach, enveloping them in the soft light of dusk, Ding Wenjing, with her simple, bright view of the world, believed everyone could determine their own path. Luo Yang, however, reflected that after experiencing reality, he understood how much of life is involuntary. Unable to take the step towards her, Luo Yang did not go to meet Ding Wenjing. Later that night, Luo Zhi wept in her bed, comforted by Jiang Baili.
Jiang Baili shared her own pain, knowing that Ge Bi, whom she had loved for years, was also secretly in love with the unapproachable Chen Mohan, a girl she described as the most artistic she had ever met, entirely different from herself. Jiang Baili knew that if Chen Mohan ever showed interest, Ge Bi would immediately abandon her. Despite Ge Bi's mistreatment, Jiang Baili continued to forgive him, acknowledging her deep fear of losing him after so many years.
Elsewhere, Sheng Huainan, recalling Luo Zhi drinking from his water bottle, discarded it in frustration, only for Zheng Wenrui to pick it up and cherish it. Everyone that night was lost in the sadness of unrequited or complicated love. The next morning, driven by fifteen years of waiting and the fleeting closeness she experienced, Luo Zhi, filled with renewed determination, hurried to the male dormitory. She intended to confront Sheng Huainan about why he had held her hand.
However, fate seemed to intervene, as she was once again a step behind Ye Zhanyan. Zhang Mingrui informed Luo Zhi that Sheng Huainan had already left with Ye Zhanyan. Seeing Luo Zhi's disappointment, Zhang Mingrui offered to get her breakfast, but when he returned, she was gone. Luo Zhi, sitting disheartened in a classroom, was found by Zhang Mingrui, who brought her a sandwich.
When Zhang Mingrui then speculated about Sheng Huainan's outing with Ye Zhanyan, Luo Zhi dismissed it, claiming she didn't care about his dealings with Ye Zhanyan. Ye Zhanyan, after asking Sheng Huainan to get back together, took him to meet Ding Wenjing. There, both women collectively accused Luo Zhi of approaching Sheng Huainan with schemes and a calculating approach. Ye Zhanyan reminded Sheng Huainan of their breakup day when she tearfully warned him not to be with Luo Zhi.
When Sheng Huainan questioned her intense focus on Luo Zhi, Ye Zhanyan admitted to high school jealousy over Luo Zhi's academic achievements. To further her accusations, Ding Wenjing produced photos of Luo Zhi's diary (on a phone), which Ye Zhanyan had seen in high school, and Ye Zhanyan selectively read an entry describing Sheng Huainan as Luo Zhi's greatest motivation, twisting its meaning to portray Luo Zhi as manipulative.
Sheng Huainan, though dismissing the unethical act of taking photos of someone's diary and stating that Luo Zhi was a Zhenhua High School classmate, appeared to have been influenced by their words. Luo Zhi spent the day feeling disheartened, her earlier courage completely gone. Jiang Baili urged her to call Sheng Huainan, trying to convince her to act quickly and not lose the opportunity.
However, Luo Zhi refused, reasoning that Sheng Huainan needed time to sort out his feelings, especially with his ex-girlfriend demanding a response. Luo Zhi reflected that Sheng Huainan's name in her life had become synonymous with "patience," and she comforted herself that a little more waiting would not cause her to lose anything more.
Back in the male dorm, Sheng Huainan's roommates, Lei Tian and Xu Zhian, complained that Sheng Huainan's early departure from the amusement park had ruined Xiaosen's birthday plans (she even left Xu Zhian and didn't eat her cake) and prevented them from going to Gulangyu, calling him disloyal. Sheng Huainan, already vexed, retorted that he cared only about his brothers, not their girlfriends.
Zhang Mingrui intervened, reminding them that they were like family and that Sheng Huainan was simply in a bad mood. Sheng Huainan then apologized for his harsh words, asking his friends not to take it to heart. As Sheng Huainan left the room, his friends speculated he might have a girlfriend.
