Unrequited Love Episode 8 Recap
> Unrequited Love Recap
The narrative begins with Ge Bi's long-standing infatuation with Chen Mohan, his childhood sweetheart and old family friend. He recalls being captivated by her elegance at just ten years old, as she ordered in French at a high-end restaurant, a memory that has stayed with him ever since. Wherever Chen Mohan went, Ge Bi was sure to follow. Later, Jiang Baili found herself in a confrontation after passersby broke Chen Mohan's expensive thermos.
Ge Bi, who had been observing from his car, intervened to defend Jiang Baili, easily dispatching the boys. Jiang Baili, impressed by his heroic act, immediately fell for him. Ge Bi, however, was merely using the opportunity, asking Jiang Baili if she was Chen Mohan's good friend. Upon her affirmation, he requested she meet him the next morning at seven to deliver breakfast to Chen Mohan.
Jiang Baili readily agreed, thus becoming an informer for him, constantly providing him with candid photos of Chen Mohan. Ge Bi later invited Jiang Baili to a French restaurant, the same one where he first met Chen Mohan. He spoke solely of Chen Mohan, reminiscing about their childhood, their families being old friends, and his persistent, yet unrequited, affection for her.
He explained how Chen Mohan always seemed indifferent to him, but how in high school, he noticed she was inseparable from Jiang Baili, leading him to ask Jiang Baili for insights into Chen Mohan's preferences. During this first dinner together, Jiang Baili acutely felt Ge Bi's complete disregard for her presence, lost as he was in his memories of another girl.
Her pursuit of Ge Bi during her freshman year turned into a cross-campus romance drama, earning her scorn from female students at both Siming University and Haishan University. At Haishan University, Jiang Baili once confronted Chen Mohan, urging her to honor her promise to date Ge Bi after he publicly confessed to her at the freshman orientation. Chen Mohan dismissed it as mere "pleasantries," a way to save Ge Bi from public embarrassment.
Jiang Baili, upset by Chen Mohan's casual disregard for Ge Bi's feelings, accused her of being selfish. Chen Mohan, in turn, declared her lack of interest in Ge Bi and "gave" him to Jiang Baili. Ge Bi, arriving with a bouquet of roses, witnessed the argument and, angered, threw the flowers down and stormed off. The next day, news of Ge Bi being "dumped" spread quickly across both universities.
Jiang Baili, unable to bear seeing him self-destruct, began following him, cleaning up his messes. She would search every bar for him and his silver Audi, then carry the heavily intoxicated Ge Bi back to his dormitory. Jiang Baili confessed to Luo Zhi that her relationship with Ge Bi began because Chen Mohan had deeply wounded his pride. Chen Mohan's words, "Ge Bi, since you won't give up, why don't we be together?"
had pushed him to impulsively accept Jiang Baili's persistent "10086-style" harassment confessions, simply replying with "Okay." Jiang Baili described her daily text messages of "Good morning, I love you," "Good afternoon, I like you," and "Good evening, I miss you," to which Ge Bi would either not reply or send evasive answers, never a heart emoji.
She recalled the only time he showed affection was after a student union party when he was drunk and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. When she asked if he loved her, he pointed out the window and said they were "like Shaxian snacks and Qingfeng buns, always together." His words, though seemingly affectionate, had made her burst into tears.
Luo Zhi recognized that Jiang Baili's love was merely a pawn in a bet between Ge Bi and Chen Mohan. Luo Zhi advised Jiang Baili to break up with Ge Bi to avoid further hurt. However, Jiang Baili, having invested so much, refused, declaring she wouldn't give up until she saw the end of it. She proudly stated she was the girl who understood Ge Bi best and would never abandon him.
Luo Zhi, listening to her friend, reflected on her own situation, acknowledging that while Jiang Baili had at least been a "protagonist" in her own "sad play," she herself had been a "spectator" for fifteen years in her unrequited love for Sheng Huainan. Luo Zhi wondered if she could truly let go of Sheng Huainan, questioning her own ability to offer such advice. Life, however, continued. Back at the dormitory, Zhang Mingrui jokingly complained to Sheng Huainan about eating alone.
Sheng Huainan, offering him food, then sought Zhang Mingrui's advice. He asked if it was possible to achieve complete synchronicity and understanding with someone one deeply admired and considered a learning role model. Zhang Mingrui responded with a heart gesture, suggesting love. The next day, Sheng Huainan, on his bicycle, and Zhang Mingrui, on his skateboard, followed Luo Zhi to their Law Introduction class. Zheng Wenrui, a waitlisted student, also attended, eager to get closer to Sheng Huainan.
During class, Luo Zhi was the first to submit her homework. The teaching assistant, Zhang Wei, playfully commented on her name, noting its "awkward" pronunciation and suggesting a private consultation on "name science." Zhang Mingrui wondered if Zhang Wei was flirting with Luo Zhi. Luo Zhi confidently asserted that it was normal for someone to be attracted to an excellent student like herself.
Sheng Huainan quietly informed Zhang Mingrui that Zhang Wei was a third-year student union senior with a generally poor reputation. Zhang Mingrui was surprised by Sheng Huainan's unusually sharp comment. As Sheng Huainan got up to leave, Zheng Wenrui "accidentally" splashed him with water, then vigorously tried to wipe him dry, an obvious ploy that Zhang Mingrui easily saw through.
After class, Zhang Mingrui invited Luo Zhi to the supermarket, but she declined, stating she needed to go to the library to make English learning flashcards for her tutoring job. Zhang Mingrui suggested she could be less serious about it, given her academic prowess, but Luo Zhi insisted she took her work seriously and held herself to high standards, ensuring her performance matched her pay. Sheng Huainan told Zhang Mingrui to apologize to Luo Zhi.
Luo Zhi, in turn, told Zhang Mingrui that not everything could be solved with an apology, playfully "punishing" him to buy her every flavor of potato chips. Sheng Huainan also offered Luo Zhi a drink. In the library, Zheng Wenrui, seeing the chips meant for Luo Zhi, took a bag and thanked Sheng Huainan, before leaving.
Later, Luo Zhi pondered Sheng Huainan's recent actions, wondering if he was trying to compensate her, appease her, or if it was just a fleeting impulse. She received a text message from Sheng Huainan, asking if she was still angry. Although she didn't reply, she was indeed upset. After some hesitation, Sheng Huainan sent a voice message, inviting her to lunch to make up for their previously interrupted meal.
As Luo Zhi went downstairs to meet him, she encountered Zheng Wenrui, who informed her that Ye Zhanyan was currently preoccupied with several new admirers and thus not focused on Sheng Huainan. Luo Zhi found Zheng Wenrui's "enthusiasm" somewhat endearing, though Zheng Wenrui warned she would continue to keep an eye on Sheng Huainan. Luo Zhi watched Sheng Huainan approach, reflecting on how four years ago, he walked past her without noticing, but now he walked directly towards her.
Meanwhile, Ye Zhanyan was being pestered by Li Dawei, who offered her concert tickets. She impatiently dismissed him, explaining she was busy preparing for a book club. She challenged him with complex mathematical questions about Fermat's Last Theorem, Descartes' cardioid, and Archimedean spirals, highlighting his ignorance. At that moment, Zhuo Chen, a sophomore mathematics student from Siming University, pushed Li Dawei away, preventing him from stepping on mathematical equations he had just written on the ground.
He also stopped Ye Zhanyan from treading on them, apologizing for his impromptu roadside calculations. He then introduced himself to Ye Zhanyan, remarking that she was as beautiful as "Descartes' cardioid," and offered to explain the relationship between mathematical formulas and love in her book. Sheng Huainan and Luo Zhi had lunch. Sheng Huainan was surprised to see Luo Zhi also using three chopsticks.
Luo Zhi, who had recently adopted the habit to feel closer to Sheng Huainan, shared a childhood memory of discreetly hiding fatty meat, which she disliked, on the crossbar of a chair during a family visit. Sheng Huainan then recounted a similar experience, explaining that his grandfather had forced him to eat with three chopsticks to improve his focus, a "survival instinct" he acquired after being hungry for a few meals.
He also shared his own childhood aversion to fatty meat, and how he had once hidden pieces on the chair's crossbar, only to be discovered. He then cleverly complimented his aunt's precise cutting, saying each piece was as perfectly sized as the chair's crossbar. Luo Zhi teased him about holding a grudge. Sheng Huainan mused that nothing in the world is truly unique, as there are always people with similar thoughts and experiences.
Luo Zhi took this to mean she wasn't as special as she thought, but Sheng Huainan playfully reassured her that her "splashing water" trick was uniquely hers. Luo Zhi confirmed it was indeed unpleasant to attend class soaking wet, and Sheng Huainan then asked if she'd like to "experience" it herself. Sheng Huainan then confided that Luo Zhi reminded him of a little girl he met at a relative's wedding long ago.
He remembered being bullied by older children and the girl bravely stepping in to defend him, even biting one of the bullies. However, he admitted that so much time had passed that he could no longer recall her face or what specific words he had said to her back then. Luo Zhi's hopeful expression visibly faltered at his inability to remember the exact words he had spoken.
