Bright Eyes in the Dark Episode 31 Recap
> Bright Eyes in the Dark Recap
Jiang Ge visited his father in the hospital. His father asked about the Huanyu Building fire, and Jiang Ge confirmed that the fire investigation report showed it was an accident, fortunately with no fatalities. He mentioned that injury counts were being tabulated and follow-up investigations would require cooperation. However, the company would need to cover the initial costs for employee and guest compensation, building repairs, and upgrading fire safety equipment.
His father expressed deep worry and anxiety, lamenting that their headquarters, the Huanyu Building, had caught fire, fearing the negative impression it would leave on the outside world and its impact on cooperation, especially after they had promoted firefighting before. He worried how they would recover from this setback, which ruined his plans for the 40th-anniversary celebration. Jiang Ge assured his father he understood the situation and had instructed the company's public relations department to draft a statement.
He explained that although it was an accident, he feared malicious rumors and believed issuing a statement first would help guide public opinion based on his past experience. His father approved of the plan. Before leaving, his father checked if Jiang Ge was injured and thanked him for his efforts. Jiang Ge reassured him he was fine and would handle everything. Later, Jiang Ge met with Lin Qi.
Jiang Ge said his injury was minor and asked about Lin Qi's father. He admitted the fire had impacted the company, with some orders and partnerships terminating despite their efforts in public opinion control. Combined with his father's illness, handling everything was tiring, so he asked Lin Qi to focus on the platform. Lin Qi assured him he was fully committed to the platform, which was also partly his.
Jiang Ge expressed gratitude, admitting that after this experience, he realized how difficult it was for his father to manage the group and how he hadn't understood him, despite always blaming his father for not understanding him. He acknowledged that his father had indulged him and paid the price for his actions since he returned.
Lin Qi agreed they were similar, mentioning he wouldn't have had the courage to pursue music without his brother's support, which led him to Milan and meeting Jiang Ge. Jiang Ge reflected that both Lin Qi and Nan Chu had taught him a lot, and their current platform was inspired by them. Lin Qi then asked Jiang Ge what he truly wanted to do after being back for so long and doing so many things.
Jiang Ge confessed he still didn't know. At the hospital, Nan Chu and Xi Gu discussed online comments, with many people "shipping" Nan Chu and Lin Luxiao as a "fire-romance couple." Nan Chu asked Xi Gu to contact the photographer to see if there were other photos, as she realized she didn't have a single proper photo with Lin Luxiao despite knowing him for so long.
Xi Gu revealed that Shen Guangzong was already contacting the photographer but was buying the photos to delete them. Xi Gu explained that Shen Guangzong was worried that the photo, showing Lin Luxiao looking concerned and Nan Chu looking blissful, would lead to speculation about their relationship, calling it a serious matter. Xi Gu suggested that since keeping a low profile hadn't worked, perhaps they should just take this opportunity to go public.
Nan Chu acknowledged Xi Gu's desire for her to go public but felt it wasn't necessary. Lin Luxiao took half a day off to visit Nan Chu at the hospital, bringing her homemade soup. Shen Guangzong briefly tried to divert him, mentioning Mr. Han, but Lin Luxiao went straight to Nan Chu's room. He checked on her, asking if she was scared.
Nan Chu praised his soup, and Lin Luxiao claimed he was very good at it, mentioning his father, Lin Qi, and "this girl" (Nan Chu) had tasted it. Nan Chu asked how her performance in the fire was, and Lin Luxiao called it "excellent." As a reward, she asked him to take her out. Lin Luxiao agreed. They left the hospital, with Nan Chu expressing slight worry about Xia Wan finding out. Lin Luxiao reassured her.
As they discussed where to go, Nan Chu had many ideas, calling it a rare date. Lin Luxiao suggested buying her clothes first. She tried on a dress, and he bought it for her, saying he wouldn't buy anything for himself as it was her day off. Nan Chu was happy. Later, Xia Wan called Lin Luxiao, stating it was almost time for rounds and Nan Chu needed to be brought back.
She mentioned she had seen them "eating and shopping" online and that it was being "live streamed," revealing they had been secretly photographed and their activities posted online. Nan Chu pleaded to stay out longer, but Lin Luxiao insisted they return, promising to spend his future holidays with her doing nothing else. Nan Chu agreed, acknowledging his promise as a "military order."
News of Nan Chu and Lin Luxiao's relationship spread rapidly online, fueled by the leaked photos and comments excitedly calling them a "fire-romance couple." At the fire station, even the firefighters became famous, earning the nickname "Firefighting Boys" and gaining fans.
Meanwhile, Shen Guangzong reported to Han Beiyao, detailing numerous business offers for Nan Chu, including an endorsement from MG Diamonds, an exclusive interview about her relationship with Lin Luxiao for a fashion magazine, and a role in a firefighting drama from Jade Gold Film Company. Han Beiyao instructed Shen Guangzong to reject all commercial activities and interviews for Nan Chu, firmly asserting his disapproval.
At the hospital, reporters swarmed outside Nan Chu's room, calling her name, demanding to know if the photo was real, if they were dating, and if the company had concealed it. Xia Wan intervened, asking the reporters to leave to allow the patient to rest, maintaining hospital order, offering to arrange interviews through the company, and threatening to call the police. Shen Guangzong questioned if Han Beiyao was not optimistic about Nan Chu and Lin Luxiao's relationship.
Han Beiyao clarified that he thought they were a good match but feared public opinion would ruin them. He explained that firefighting was a special profession, and firefighters were not part of the entertainment industry, making them targets for people with ulterior motives who might exploit their relationship for hype. He stated that while many in the company wanted to leverage the situation for popularity, he did not and wanted to protect them.
Shen Guangzong understood and agreed to speak with Nan Chu. Xia Wan spoke to Lin Luxiao, explaining that the increasing number of reporters at the hospital was affecting their work and that Nan Chu continuing to stay there was not beneficial for either of them. Lin Luxiao understood and thanked her. They discharged Nan Chu, making sure they weren't followed. Nan Chu asked what her company said about the situation.
Lin Luxiao said nothing specific but noted the online news was a mess. He expressed worry about hindering her career, which was just starting, mentioning the saying "people are afraid of being famous." Nan Chu insisted she wasn't afraid, hadn't sought hype, and it hadn't affected her work. She asked if it affected his station's work, and he confirmed they operated normally. She stated that their relationship was their private life and she didn't want people criticizing it.
Lin Luxiao agreed in principle but explained that with her fame, some fans might not want her to have a private life and would want her to be the person they imagined, which could be troublesome and potentially hurt her. Nan Chu reassured him that she would protect herself in the workplace, just as he protected her in the fire.
On the way home, Lin Luxiao received a call from Lin Qi, who was at Lin Luxiao's house with their father. Lin Qi informed him that their father was cooking and wanted Lin Luxiao to bring Nan Chu home for dinner immediately, insisting it was non-negotiable. Nan Chu found it sudden but agreed to go, mentioning the idea of the "ugly wife meeting her parents-in-law." Lin Luxiao reassured her that his father was easy to talk to.
At the house, they were welcomed by Lin Qi and his father. Nan Chu gave their father a gift. At the dinner table, Lin Luxiao's father asked Nan Chu about herself. She explained her special connection to firefighters, stemming from Lin Luxiao saving her from a fire when she was seventeen, for which she was always grateful.
Lin Qi corroborated the story, adding that there was a mix-up because Lin Luxiao wore someone else's gear during the rescue, causing Nan Chu to almost thank the wrong person, calling it fate that they met again. Nan Chu agreed it was fated. Nan Chu shared that she was an actress but dreamed of being a dancer, having opened a dance studio with friends, and invited him to see a performance.
She also mentioned her mother was in the US and her father had passed away early. When their father continued asking questions, Lin Qi and Lin Luxiao urged him to let Nan Chu eat, noting she was nervous. After dinner, their father spoke with Nan Chu privately. He frankly stated that he did not look favorably upon her relationship with Lin Luxiao. Nan Chu asked if it was because of her profession.
He clarified it was because of Lin Luxiao's job as a firefighter, stating his life was not solely his own. Nan Chu affirmed she knew this and was prepared. Their father commented that while things were easy during their current "lovey-dovey period," they would face many more difficulties in the future, trusting that she, being a smart girl, understood his meaning.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhiyi, whose work had been paused due to her injury, saw the news about Nan Chu and Lin Luxiao. After a conversation where Ran Dongyang made comments about Nan Chu, Xu Zhiyi decided to cooperate with him. Xu Zhiyi later posted a video online, introducing herself as a witness to the Huanyu Building fire and describing the fire as terrifying but expressing her luck in surviving.
She then publicly questioned whether firefighters saved people based on relationships, implying her rescue was delayed, sparking significant public outcry. Xi Gu called Nan Chu, telling her about Xu Zhiyi's video and calling her crazy for potentially harming their own company's artists. Nan Chu was at Lin Luxiao's house. Xi Gu instructed her not to move and to wait for her and Han Beiyao to handle the situation.
Seeing Nan Chu upset by the online backlash from Xu Zhiyi's video, Lin Luxiao comforted her, telling her not to look at the negative comments. He assured her that the rescue procedure that day was completely professional and without any issues, asking her to trust him and let them handle the matter. Nan Chu agreed. Back home, Lin Qi confronted his father, asking why he had spoken to Nan Chu that way and stating his belief that they were suitable.
His father insisted they were not. Lin Qi questioned if it was solely because his brother was a firefighter, arguing that this was very unfair to Lin Luxiao. His father dismissed his understanding. Lin Qi insisted that his father should stop interfering, revealing that the reason he himself had refused to become a firefighter despite his father's wishes was that he had his own aspirations, and the same applied to Lin Luxiao, who wasn't "born to be a firefighter."
Lin Qi passionately argued that his father did not know how hard things had been for Lin Luxiao, how strict he had been, and how he was never satisfied despite Lin Luxiao always meeting his expectations. He asked what else his brother had to do for their father to be satisfied. His father stated he would only be satisfied if Lin Luxiao lived a good life, acknowledging his past success but emphasizing the uncertainty of the future.
Lin Qi felt his father had changed since their mother passed away, taking over everything in their lives. When his father asked if he felt he had done something wrong, Lin Qi clarified that he and Lin Luxiao knew their father cared despite being busy and not always showing it kindly. He added that they were grown up, their father had fulfilled his promise to his mother, and he should trust them to take care of themselves.
Lin Qi firmly believed Lin Luxiao and Nan Chu would be happy. His father reiterated he was not against them but knew a firefighter and an actress would face many difficulties together. Lin Qi asked why he was so certain, but his father simply said he knew. Lin Qi argued that precisely because their path would be difficult, they needed their family's support even more. He invoked the memory of their mother, saying she would support Lin Luxiao.
He reminded his father of their childhood family meetings with voting rules and playfully claimed that with his mother's proxy vote, it was two votes to one in favor of supporting his brother. Lin Luxiao reported to Meng Guohong, providing details of the Huanyu fire rescue. Meng Guohong was aware of the online situation, acknowledging the chaos of self-media. He suggested holding a press conference with media to clarify the situation. Lin Luxiao offered to explain it himself.
Meng Guohong told him that if there was a press conference, he wouldn't need to attend, stating he would handle the matter himself, as he felt the controversy was aimed at Lin Luxiao and he didn't want others implicated. Meng Guohong reassured him, stating that just as Lin Luxiao protected people in the fire, they would protect him now.
At the press conference later, Captain Meng Guohong, accompanied by representatives including Director Lou Mingye from the Heping Road Special Division Station, addressed the media. He stated that personal relationship issues were not for discussion and they would only cover the rescue itself. When asked about Lin Luxiao's absence, Meng Guohong explained that reports and speculation had caused mental and physical harm to Lin Luxiao and those around him, so he was given leave for protection.
He refused to confirm if "those around him" referred to Nan Chu, citing the boundary on personal matters. Director Lou Mingye then began explaining the specifics of the Huanyu Building fire and offered fire safety tips.
