Unusual Idol Love Episode 12 Recap
> Unusual Idol Love Recap
After Ji Nian woke up, she immediately asked Hu Li if he was injured. Hu Li revealed that he had regained his memory and remembered everything. He dismissed Zhou Hongwei's pursuit as a misunderstanding that was now resolved, assuring Ji Nian that Zhou Hongwei would no longer harm him. Ji Nian wondered if Hu Li now knew he was an AI.
As she tried to explain her complex relationship with Zhou Hongwei, Hu Li cut her off, stating he wouldn't hold her accountable for past events since she was Zhou Hongwei's daughter and had once saved him. Hu Li then presented Ji Nian with a bank card, explaining that the money was enough for her to pay off her debts, buy the coffee shop, and live the life she desired. He then abruptly told her that they should break up.
When Ji Nian asked if his decision was due to her connection with Zhou Hongwei, Hu Li denied it, saying he simply wanted to start a new life, as they were fundamentally on different paths and should not meet again. Ji Nian, heartbroken, questioned what their past together meant. Hu Li coldly stated he already had someone he liked who had been waiting for him.
When Ji Nian pointed out he still kept their photo album, he replied that he feared she would use it as leverage, then threw the album into the pouring rain before walking away. Ji Nian was left in tears, crying uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Zhou Hongwei contacted Yang Zhe, confirming Ji Nian's minor injuries and instructing Yang Zhe to take Hu Li away and ensure he never returned.
While he expressed regret regarding Ji Nian, Zhou Hongwei also mentioned a previous promise he had made regarding Hu Li, implying it was for Ji Nian's protection. He then firmly declared he would never allow Ji Nian to be with an AI, warning Yang Zhe not to let Hu Li appear before Ji Nian again, lest he regret his decision. Yang Zhe agreed.
Back at the cafe, Ji Nian's friend Luo Li, who had come to check on her on behalf of Ms. Fiona, and Xiao Pang found her engrossed in creating new desserts she called the "Heartbroken Series," with names like "I Brighten The Moon With My Heart, But The Moonlight Shining On The Drain" and "Falling Flowers Have Good Intention, Flowing Water Doesn't Have Feelings."
She playfully insisted they taste her creations, which evoked strong emotional reactions—Xiao Pang felt like crying, while Luo Li felt nauseous. Ji Nian announced her plan to participate in the Youhu Cup Dessert Competition to win the 100,000 RMB prize money to study abroad, finally pursuing her long-delayed dreams. Xiao Pang, now working at the cafe to atone for his brother's actions, lamented that Hu Li was a "modern Chen Shi Mei."
Despite her cheerful demeanor, Luo Li remained concerned about Ji Nian's emotional state. Later, Zhou Hongwei visited Ji Nian, attempting to reconcile and calling her "Nian Nian." He expressed regret over their years apart and offered to compensate her. Ji Nian flatly refused, stating that her mother was the one who deserved compensation. She confronted him about abandoning her mother, forcing her to be seen as a "third party," despite his claims of preparing for divorce.
Ji Nian affirmed that she was living a good life now and demanded that he no longer disturb her or her mother. She also boldly asserted that, regardless of whether Hu Li was human or AI, he had the right to live. As Hu Li was packing his belongings, Bai Dongchen arrived and presented a robot as a farewell gift, which he nicknamed "Broom Brother."
He boasted about the robot's powerful functions, suggesting it would keep Hu Li from being lonely, and proclaimed Hu Li as its "Brother Hu." Annoyed, Hu Li tried to refuse the gift. Bai Dongchen, however, seemed pleased, claiming Hu Li's departure would remove his biggest obstacle in the entertainment industry. He then wished Hu Li a smooth journey.
Shortly after, orchestrated by Bai Dongchen to reignite Hu Li's will to live, news broke across the media that Hu Li was, in fact, alive and living a secluded life with a mysterious girlfriend. The report also questioned Zhou Hongwei's previous public confirmation of Hu Li's death. Hu Li's fans reacted with a mix of joy and anger. Luo Li frantically called Ji Nian to warn her that the coffee shop was surrounded by fans.
During this phone call, Ji Nian reiterated her plan to participate in the Youhu Cup Dessert Competition to win the 100,000 RMB prize money. She explained that this prize money, combined with funds Yang Zhe had previously given her, would be enough to pay off her debts and pursue her dream of studying abroad.
Ji Nian then arrived at the Youhu Cup Dessert Competition, where she was immediately swarmed by reporters, who accused her of exploiting Hu Li's depression and holding him captive. Just as the situation escalated, Hu Li dramatically arrived on his motorcycle, pulling Ji Nian away from the crowd. Once they were alone, Ji Nian angrily demanded to know why she was being branded his "runaway girlfriend," reminding him that they had no ongoing relationship.
Hu Li explained he had just learned about the news and promised to resolve it. Ji Nian retorted, asking if he planned to solve it by paying off more people, accusing him of using her to stage his comeback. Hu Li asked if that was truly how she viewed him. Ji Nian responded that he was no longer the "Shi Tou" she knew, but rather "superstar Hu Li," and she no longer understood him.
She urged him not to play on her emotions, as it wouldn't work. She insisted that he publicly declare their non-relationship to his fans so she could return to her normal life. Hu Li agreed to give her what she wanted. As Ji Nian walked away, telling him she didn't need his heroic acts, Hu Li silently reflected, "I have never been a hero, but the only person I want to protect is you."
Hu Li later confronted Bai Dongchen about leaking the news. Bai Dongchen, unperturbed, was engrossed in a video game as he calmly explained his actions, arguing that if Hu Li lost both his stage and Ji Nian, he might lose the will to live. Bai Dongchen emphasized that Hu Li's mission as an AI was to protect the stage, and his own mission was to protect Hu Li and his stage.
He asserted that he would not allow Yang Zhe to take Hu Li away and strip him of his hope. At this point, Yang Zhe arrived, and the conversation shifted. Yang Zhe admitted to Bai Dongchen that he regretted his past selfishness and expressed his desire for Bai Dongchen to forget his assigned mission and make his own choices.
In response, Bai Dongchen (in Hu Li's presence) challenged Hu Li to make his own choice, to see if AI could defy fate. Zhou Hongwei then presented Hu Li with a public relations emergency plan. He proposed a press conference where Hu Li would claim his disappearance was due to depression and that Ji Nian had merely saved him by chance. Zhou Hongwei intended to arrange a "fake couple" pairing for Hu Li with another female artist to deflect attention.
Hu Li vehemently rejected the plan, accusing Zhou Hongwei of trying to control him again. He pointed out that photos of him and Ji Nian were already public, making a fake coupling absurd. When Zhou Hongwei questioned if Hu Li intended to force a "binding" with Ji Nian, Hu Li threatened to publicly reveal his AI identity, knowing Zhou Hongwei wouldn't dare.
Zhou Hongwei countered by reminding Hu Li that he was merely a "product" that could be "made to disappear" at any time. Hu Li, however, asserted that while humans destroying AI might not be illegal, an AI's resistance against humans was another matter. He declared he wouldn't resort to such measures because he was "more human" than Zhou Hongwei. Hu Li then announced his intention to make a comeback, "and with Ji Nian."
Later, at the Youhu Cup Dessert Competition, Ji Nian was again cornered by reporters, who aggressively questioned if she had imprisoned Hu Li using his depression. At that moment, Hu Li arrived, visibly recalling Yang Zhe's earlier words about having the freedom to choose and protect the person he loved, and that a solution for his malfunction was possible with time. Stepping forward amidst the flashing cameras, Hu Li boldly announced to the world, "I am Hu Li. I am still alive. Ji Nian saved me and accompanied me during my most desperate time. She is my girlfriend. She is the person I want to protect."
