When We Were Young Recap, Plot, Synopsis
When We Were Young Synopsis
Chu Yinyin is a limelight student at an elite school, Xia Er is a student who has no good education and is heavily in debt.
The two sisters were adopted separately as children and had never met each other. They switched identities because of the accidental disappearance of Chu Yinyin.
Xia Er was taken by a kind-hearted person to Chu Yinyin’s house because she looked exactly like the photo on the search notice, and started a life in the elite college as Chu Yinyin.
The real Chu Yinyin was stranded at Xia Er’S School due to memory loss and started a new life.
The proud Chu Yinyin was not willing to fall into a failure, and she used her strength to ignite the enthusiasm for learning in this school and understood the value of struggle in her new life.
Both of them found something missing in their lives in their new lives.
When We Were Young Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Chu Yinyin, an eighteen-year-old female who is 1. 5 meters tall, left-handed, gets dizzy from eating durian, and has blood type O, introduces herself as a proud and queen-like individual with high intelligence and a tall figure, who is also quite beautiful. She studies at Qing Teng International School, a prestigious institution where students from affluent families with excellent academic performance gather, and anything less than an A is considered a failure.
Chu Yinyin, never willing to fall behind, always strives for the best academically, making straight A's a habit for her. Her mother, Chu Mingzhu, a successful businesswoman frequently featured in business magazines, raised her like a princess. Recently, Chu Yinyin has become the center of school gossip after her mysterious disappearance.
Her mother worries she might have been kidnapped, while gossiping female students at school speculate she might have been cursed, or perhaps ran away after a poor test performance to avoid facing it. A package addressed to Xu Konglin, sent by Chu Yinyin, arrives at the school. Xu Konglin hurriedly opens the empty box, but notices the letters "SOS" on it. He rushes to the police station without hesitation.
Officer Chen, already handling Chu Mingzhu’s missing person report, questions Xu Konglin about his relationship with Chu Yinyin. Xu Konglin recalls a conflict they had before Chu Yinyin’s disappearance. Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin harbored mutual feelings for each other. Chu Yinyin made a pact with Xu Konglin that he should never win against her in any future exams, to which Xu Konglin readily agreed. However, during the assessment for a social practice assignment, Xu Konglin again received an A.
Chu Yinyin, having lost to Xu Konglin, didn't believe his explanations, feeling he had lied to her, and left in tears. Officer Chen then leads his team to the Chu residence. Chu Mingzhu instructs her maid, Xiao Mei, to post missing person notices in the streets, promising a generous reward for any clues leading to Chu Yinyin. Meanwhile, in the city suburbs, Xia Er and her friend Xiao'er are being chased by thugs led by Brother Qiang.
Under pressure from life, Xia Er had borrowed five thousand yuan from Brother Qiang and his group, and now, unable to repay, she is being pursued. In a critical moment, Xia Er creates a diversion and escapes by climbing over the school fence, promising to bring the money to Brother Qiang tomorrow. As Xia Er flees the school, she crosses paths with Chu Yinyin, but neither girl notices their striking resemblance.
Xia Er also finds Chu Yinyin’s necklace on the ground and puts it on. Chu Yinyin stands at the school gate, checking her Weibo on her phone. At that moment, someone carrying a stick hits her from behind, causing Chu Yinyin to sustain a head injury and fall unconscious. To earn money, Xia Er takes a job at an amusement park haunted house, where she plays a ghost. Unexpectedly, a terrified customer violently lashes out at Xia Er.
Xia Er instinctively fights back, but the customer complains, and she ends up leaving the amusement park without earning any money. On the road, an older woman carrying a small dog passes Xia Er. The woman holds one of the missing person posters that Xiao Mei had put up. The older woman notices Xia Er’s striking resemblance to the person in the poster and relentlessly pursues her, insisting on taking Xia Er to the Chu residence.
After understanding the situation, Xia Er, who is in urgent need of money, negotiates with the older woman. She agrees to go to the Chu residence but insists on being heavily disguised, and demands half of the reward money if successful. The older woman agrees, and brings the heavily disguised Xia Er to the Chu residence.
Episode 2 Recap
Upon returning home, Chu Mingzhu was overjoyed to see her daughter, Chu Yinyin. However, "Yinyin" was reluctant to speak. When Chu Mingzhu removed her daughter's hat, she noticed an injury on her eye, immediately becoming concerned and suspecting that her daughter had suffered some distress outside. This "Yinyin" was actually Xia Er, who, after surveying the opulent Chu residence, decided it was a wealthy household and planned to stay temporarily.
Her immediate goal was to obtain five thousand yuan to repay Brother Qiang before figuring out her next move. Chu Mingzhu took Xia Er to the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed her with temporary amnesia, likely induced by a significant psychological trauma within the past two days. Xia Er secretly mused about faking an expensive illness to cover her "nutritional expenses," and was surprised to learn the initial consultation and test fees alone amounted to ¥58,000.
While Chu Mingzhu expressed her determination to help "Yinyin" regain her memories, Xia Er saw an opportunity, contemplating the idea of impersonating Chu Yinyin given the doctor's diagnosis. Meanwhile, the real Chu Yinyin woke up in a different hospital, confused and unable to recognize her friends, Xiao Er and Leng Shao, who rushed to her side.
The doctor explained that Chu Yinyin had suffered a severe blow to the head, leading to a temporary lack of oxygen to her brain and resulting in amnesia. Outside the room, Brother Qiang and a female student were present. The student recounted how Xia Er had sold her an expired facial mask that made her face glow green, prompting her to seek revenge with Brother Qiang.
They had rushed to the school gate where they found someone (the real Chu Yinyin) unconscious and bleeding, mistaking her for Xia Er, and had brought her to the hospital. Xiao Er, however, was highly skeptical, accusing Brother Qiang and his group of assaulting Xia Er to collect a debt and then feigning kindness by bringing her to the hospital. Leng Shao, claiming to be Xia Er's boyfriend, also joined the argument, vehemently defending "Xia Er."
Overwhelmed by the argument and her confusion, Chu Yinyin began to cry. Seeing her tears, Brother Qiang softened slightly but insisted that "Xia Er" stop acting and demanded payment of ¥5,600, covering both previous debts and the current medical expenses. Back at the Chu residence, Xia Er, now fully immersed in her role, decided to acquire funds by stealing some of Chu Yinyin's designer bags and clothes to sell.
As she packed them, she was discovered by Xiao Mei and Chu Mingzhu. To avoid suspicion, Xia Er feigned a severe headache, causing Chu Mingzhu to rush to her side. Later, Xia Er reflected on Chu Yinyin's fortunate life and her mother's deep care, deciding to fully embrace the impersonation and slowly extract money. That night, she asked Chu Mingzhu to sleep with her, experiencing the warmth of a mother's embrace for the first time.
Chu Mingzhu showed "Yinyin" childhood photos and numerous trophies, highlighting her achievements in piano, dance, calligraphy, and art, stating that Chu Yinyin was an exceptional daughter who always excelled. Xia Er felt a pang of envy for Chu Yinyin's talented past and loving mother. When Chu Mingzhu mentioned that "Yinyin's" father had passed away when she was young and she had raised her alone, Xia Er was touched by her mother's strength.
The next morning, Chu Mingzhu announced that she would be sending "Yinyin" back to Qing Teng International School. Despite Xia Er's initial reluctance and feigned anxiety about catching up on studies due to her amnesia, Chu Mingzhu reassured her that amnesia wouldn't affect her intelligence and a familiar environment would aid memory recovery. To motivate her, Chu Mingzhu promised a Chanel limited edition bag, Chu Yinyin's favorite, if she placed first in the upcoming monthly exam.
The mention of the expensive bag (around ¥20,000) immediately boosted Xia Er's enthusiasm. Xiao Mei was tasked with compiling a detailed list of Chu Yinyin's personal information, grades, family background, and childhood experiences for Xia Er to memorize. Xia Er struggled with the extensive details, wondering if the real Chu Yinyin's intense academic life was abnormal. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Xiao Er and Leng Shao decided to sneak the real Chu Yinyin out.
They couldn't afford the medical bills, and they believed Chu Yinyin was healthy enough to be discharged. As they carried her out, Chu Yinyin, still confused, questioned why her family hadn't come for her. Xiao Er then revealed Xia Er's true past: she was an orphan raised by an elderly man who now suffered from senile dementia and lived in a nursing home.
Xiao Er explained that Xia Er, with her positive and determined attitude, became a popular Weibo personality in the suburbs, selling cosmetics to earn a living, which led her to New Southern Vocational School. When they arrived at "her" (Xia Er's) messy dormitory, filled with goods and order forms, Chu Yinyin was astonished by the stark reality of her "past life." At Qing Teng International School, Xia Er, now posing as Chu Yinyin, arrived for her first day.
Her homeroom teacher, having been briefed by Chu Mingzhu about her amnesia, welcomed her and gave her a new phone from her mother. Xia Er was delighted, remarking how wonderful it would have been to have such a caring mother earlier. During class, a transfer student named Li Bai made a comment about "Yinyin" to Xu Kong Ling. Outside, Xu Kong Ling accidentally ran into Xia Er. Concerned about Xia Er's foot, Xu Kong Ling carried her to the infirmary.
Xia Er was captivated by Xu Kong Ling's handsomeness. In the infirmary, Xu Kong Ling asked "Yin Yin" about an "S. O. S." message he had received in an empty box from her, clearly concerned. Xia Er, genuinely unaware, replied that she didn't know. Xu Kong Ling noted her new habit of smiling, which was unusual for the real Chu Yinyin. Xia Er explained she liked smiling and would do it more often.
He then questioned if her current demeanor was another one of her "games," referring to a past incident, and urged her not to joke about herself. Confused, Xia Er revealed that she had amnesia and didn't remember anything about her past.
Episode 3 Recap
A new exchange student named Li Bai joins Xu Konglin's class. Unfamiliar with the school's dynamics, he becomes curious about the students' discussions regarding Chu Yinyin. Playfully, Li Bai takes Xu Konglin's towel and folds it into a "roasted chicken" on his desk, eliciting laughter from the class. When Xu Konglin returns, he is speechless at the sight. Li Bai, realizing he's been caught, flees with Xu Konglin in pursuit through the campus.
Meanwhile, Xia Er, who has just arrived at school with Chu Mingzhu, is accidentally bumped by the fleeing Li Bai. Li Bai quickly steadies her by the waist, making Xia Er appreciate his good looks. Her gaze then drifts to Xu Konglin in the distance, and she is equally struck by his handsomeness. As she walks towards him, she accidentally sprains her ankle. Xu Konglin, clearly concerned, rushes to her side and carries her to the infirmary.
In the infirmary, Xia Er, realizing the handsome man is Xu Konglin, hands him a jersey that the real Chu Yinyin had asked her housemaid, Xiao Mei, to send him earlier. Xia Er claims amnesia and says she doesn't know why she wanted to send it. Xu Konglin confronts "Yinyin," asking if her amnesia is a game or a joke related to some past issue.
He presses her to reveal what truly happened, where she has been, and if her injury was an accident. Xia Er, feigning ignorance, insists she has amnesia and asks about the "S. O. S." he mentioned. Xu Konglin reminds her that she wrote "Strawberry on sushi" on the delivery sheet for an empty box she sent him, explaining that the first letters spell S. O. S.
He recounts calling the police when he received the package, only for her to reappear soon after, asking if she is playing games with him. Xia Er's internal thoughts reveal her panic as she worries about the real Chu Yinyin's safety and whether her own identity has been exposed. She desperately tries to deflect Xu Konglin's questions, asking if she looks different from the past. Overwhelmed by fear for Chu Yinyin, Xia Er flees the infirmary.
Back in the classroom, Xia Er notices many students staring at her. Li Nike, Chu Yinyin's rival, approaches and questions her changed demeanor, noting Chu Yinyin never smiled at her before. Xia Er, fearing exposure, internally decides to embrace her new identity and dramatically announces to the class that she has amnesia. Her classmates are shocked, and Li Nike, skeptical, questions her authenticity, even mentioning "post-traumatic stress disorder." Xia Er plays along, agreeing with the suggestion.
As Teacher Lu, the homeroom teacher, prepares for the monthly English test, she shares a meaningful glance with Mr. Lan in the hallway. Xia Er, unable to understand the test questions, covertly uses her phone under the desk to search for news of missing female students online. Both Li Bai and Xu Konglin notice her surreptitious behavior, with Xu Konglin suspecting her amnesia is a deliberate act of revenge.
As Teacher Lu approaches, Li Bai raises his hand with a question, distracting her and allowing Xia Er to hide her phone. Realizing that finding clues about Chu Yinyin's disappearance is more critical, Xia Er hastily fills in some answers, submits her paper early, and rushes out of the classroom. Unbeknownst to her, Chu Mingzhu is observing her from outside. Li Bai, curious, also submits his test and follows her.
Xia Er's attempt to leave the school is thwarted by Teacher Shi, the disciplinarian. After a comical exchange with Li Bai, Teacher Shi sternly questions Xia Er about leaving during a test. In her office, Teacher Shi expresses concern over Xia Er's amnesia, but then, identifying herself as a psychologist, she "diagnoses" Xia Er with psychological issues, attributing her amnesia to conceit, a lack of resilience, and even suggesting suicidal tendencies stemming from family conflict.
Xia Er is left bewildered and frightened by Teacher Shi's dramatic interpretations. Xia Er, still perturbed by her encounter with Teacher Shi, returns to school. Li Bai discovers a jersey in Xu Konglin's desk. Learning it was from Chu Yinyin, Li Bai asks Xia Er if he can wear it. Xia Er, exasperated, tells him she doesn't care. Li Bai immediately puts on the Golden State Warriors jersey and heads to the basketball court.
Xu Konglin, playing basketball, is furious to see Li Bai wearing the jersey. He demands Li Bai take it off. When Xu Konglin notices markings on the jersey, he mistakenly believes Li Bai defaced it and angrily attacks him. Li Bai, confused by the sudden aggression, takes off the jersey and throws it back at Xu Konglin. After the confrontation, Xia Er approaches Li Nike, hoping to gather information about Xu Konglin.
Li Nike, claiming to be a childhood friend, shares that Xu Konglin likes girls with wavy hair and suggests she try a "Beethoven" style. Li Nike also advises Xia Er to discuss the Houston Rockets, claiming it's Xu Konglin's favorite team, even translating the name when Xia Er claims to have forgotten English due to amnesia. Later, Xia Er tries this tactic with Xu Konglin, passionately praising the Houston Rockets and its famous players.
However, Xu Konglin corrects her, stating his true favorite team is the Golden State Warriors, leaving Xia Er flustered and exposed. Xu Konglin then hands her the jersey, telling her to keep it since he believes it has been carelessly drawn on, leaving Xia Er annoyed. That evening, Xia Er returns home. Xiao Mei, picking her up, describes the real Chu Yinyin as demanding and critical in the past, a stark contrast to Xia Er's current demeanor.
Xiao Mei metaphorically compares the old Chu Yinyin to a "high and lofty lotus flower" and the new one to a "morning glory." When Chu Mingzhu visits with milk, she strongly emphasizes the importance of Xia Er's academic performance, expecting an "A" on the test. Observing Chu Mingzhu's intense focus on grades, Xia Er begins to suspect that Chu Yinyin's disappearance might be linked to this immense academic pressure.
Later that night, Xia Er watches a video posted by Xiao Er on Weibo. In the video, Xiao Er describes their financial difficulties and appeals for help for her friend, "Xia Er," who "got hit by a stick and lost her memory." The video shows clips of this "Xia Er" struggling with street vending, running from creditors, and even fainting.
Watching this, Xia Er realizes the girl in the video, who looks exactly like her and has amnesia, is the real Chu Yinyin, now living the life of "Xia Er." She begins to wonder if Chu Yinyin was deliberately placed in that situation as part of a larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, Chu Mingzhu, increasingly suspicious of "Chu Yinyin's" changed personality, subtly collects hair samples from Xia Er and Chu Yinyin's old comb, preparing to send them for DNA comparison.
The monthly test results are posted. Li Bai achieves a high score, but Xia Er (as Chu Yinyin) receives an "F," placing her last in the experimental class and risking transfer to a regular class. Xia Er internally panics, fearing her cover will be blown and she will lose Chu Mingzhu's promised reward. Xu Konglin, visibly more concerned than Xia Er, confronts her.
He accuses her of intentionally failing to "get back at him," recalling a past agreement between him and Chu Yinyin to both get an "F" which he failed to uphold, making Chu Yinyin angry. Xia Er, genuinely confused by his accusations, denies any such game or intent to fail. She then brings up the basketball jersey, which Xu Konglin had given her earlier, suggesting it might contain clues related to the "S. O. S." message.
Xu Konglin examines the Golden State Warriors jersey, noting erased wire cables on the Golden Gate Bridge logo and the letters "X, Y," which he believes could be a person's name, indicating a potential clue. He suggests they investigate further, but when Li Nike approaches, he discourages her involvement.
Episode 4 Recap
Xia Er discovers the letters "X" and "Y" on a jersey, believing they are clues related to Chu Yinyin's disappearance and her "S. O. S" signal. Feigning amnesia, Xia Er asks Xu Konglin for help recalling what these marks mean. Ni Ke arrives, showing jealousy, but Xu Konglin explains the situation and asks for her input. Li Bai then joins them, immediately suggesting that "X" and "Y" represent a function with X-axis and Y-axis coordinates.
After some calculations, they arrive at several numerical combinations, including "3275," "649878," and "0. 1263." They initially brainstorm various interpretations such as geographical coordinates, basketball scores, enrollment rates, or even bust sizes, discarding most as nonsensical. Following an unintentional action by Xia Er, Xu Konglin remembers a game he used to play with Chu Yinyin, where they memorized library book reference numbers and their corresponding names.
He deduces that "32-75" must be a library book's identification number: bookshelf 32, book 75. Following this lead, Xia Er locates the book, titled "Domestication of Wild Boars," leaving her utterly bewildered. At home, Xia Er begins to read "Domestication of Wild Boars." Chu Mingzhu enters her room, inquiring about her monthly exam results. Xia Er fabricates a story about placing first, which makes Chu Mingzhu overjoyed and she promises a reward.
Xia Er seizes the opportunity to ask if she exhibited any unusual behavior before her disappearance. Chu Mingzhu has a vivid flashback of an intense argument with the real Chu Yinyin, who defiantly admitted to purposely failing an exam, declaring her refusal to always be a "perfect child." In a fit of anger, Chu Mingzhu slapped her. Despite this memory, Chu Mingzhu conceals the truth from Xia Er, claiming there was nothing strange.
She then tries to prompt Xia Er's memory by talking about past family trips and Chu Yinyin's love for Frédéric Chopin's music, suggesting she play the piano. Xia Er, lacking the real Chu Yinyin's piano skills, pretends to have forgotten, which Chu Mingzhu immediately notices. Meanwhile, Chu Mingzhu contacts a judicial identification center, urging them to expedite a DNA comparison between Chu Yinyin's hair and Xia Er's samples that she had already sent.
Xia Er, frustrated by the lack of clear clues and the pressure to maintain her facade, laments the difficulty of her situation. The school announces the monthly exam results, revealing Chu Yinyin (Xia Er) has scored an F, placing her last in the experimental class. Her math teacher, furious that Chu Yinyin had erased the chalkboard during class, reports her to Ms. Lu. Ms. Lu attempts to defend Chu Yinyin, reminding Principal Zhang of her amnesia and the recent trauma.
However, Principal Zhang insists that this is Chu Yinyin's second failing grade, and to maintain the school's integrity and fairness, she must be transferred to a regular class. He instructs Ms. Lu to inform Chu Yinyin's parents. Upon learning of the situation, Chu Mingzhu barges into Principal Zhang's office. She slams Chu Yinyin's medical diagnosis onto his desk, vehemently protesting the transfer and citing her daughter's severely affected mental state. She then offers generous sponsorship for all school events.
Despite Principal Zhang's initial reluctance to bend the rules, Chu Mingzhu's emotional appeals and substantial financial offer ultimately persuade him, and he reluctantly agrees to halt Chu Yinyin's transfer to a regular class. Meanwhile, the real Chu Yinyin is struggling at a vocational technical school. She is frequently pursued by Liu Qiang and his associates for overdue debts.
While attempting to buy a pen at a supermarket, she is cornered by Liu Qiang, who confronts her about her numerous unpaid bills, totaling around 280 yuan for items like seaweed and fruits, which she apparently bought for her father. One of Liu Qiang's associates also mentions they covered her previous medical bills. The real Chu Yinyin, having lost her memory, is utterly bewildered by these accusations and her past self's spendthrift habits.
She notes the accumulated debt and resolves to prioritize earning money to pay it off, after which she plans to focus on her studies. Later, Xiao Mei accidentally hands Chu Mingzhu's "Judicial Identification Center DNA Test Report" to Xia Er. Reading the report, Xia Er is stunned to discover a 99. 9999% probability of a blood relationship between "Chu Yin Yin" and an "Unknown Person."
She realizes that she is the "Unknown Person" and that Chu Mingzhu is their mother, meaning she and Chu Yinyin are twins. Initially thrilled to discover she has a family and is part of a wealthy household, Xia Er soon becomes suspicious about the coincidence of her arrival with Chu Yinyin's disappearance and the cryptic "wild boars" clue.
Learning that the real Chu Yinyin is being pursued by debt collectors, Xia Er feels a strong urge to help her sister and considers drastic measures to earn money to repay the debts. However, she is closely monitored by Xiao Mei, who has been instructed by Chu Mingzhu to ensure Xia Er's safety and prevent her from leaving.
To create an opportunity to escape, Xia Er cleverly demands specific groceries, like chicken feet and big shrimps, knowing they are not readily available at home, thereby prompting Chu Mingzhu and Xiao Mei to leave the house. Having successfully sent Chu Mingzhu and Xiao Mei on their errand, Xia Er makes her way to the New Southern Vocational School, the school where the real Chu Yinyin is.
There, she witnesses the real Chu Yinyin being aggressively pursued by Liu Qiang and his gang. Xia Er quickly orchestrates a diversion, drawing the attention of Liu Qiang's group away and allowing the real Chu Yinyin to escape. Soon after, Xia Er, wearing a mask to conceal her identity, approaches the bewildered Chu Yinyin, claiming to be her devoted fan. Chu Yinyin, stunned by their uncanny resemblance, asks who Xia Er truly is.
Xia Er assures her she is a good person and asks about her amnesia. The real Chu Yinyin reveals that she believes she was hit, possibly by Liu Qiang, which caused her memory loss, and that she currently owes him about 5,600 yuan. Xia Er, expressing concern, offers to help her find more clues, while also encouraging Chu Yinyin to focus on living well despite her past struggles and current difficulties.
Episode 5 Recap
Xia Er visited her adoptive father at the nursing home, where the medical staff informed her that his condition was worsening, and his moments of clarity were becoming increasingly rare. She learned that her father found her in a park when he was already in his forties and a bachelor. Xia Er, tearfully, promised to buy him new clothes and delicious food, regretting that she currently couldn't earn money and was instead in debt.
As her father’s dementia worsened, he struggled to recognize her, asking if she was wearing long johns and calling her a "silly girl" for claiming him as her father. Xia Er entrusted his care to the medical staff, vowing to uncover the mystery of her and Chu Yinyin's identities and settle her debts so she could properly care for him. Meanwhile, Chu Mingzhu discovered that Xiao Mei had mistakenly placed the DNA test report in Chu Yinyin's room.
Panicked, Chu Mingzhu searched and found the intact report in her study. She questioned Xiao Mei, who, fearing repercussions, lied and claimed she must have remembered incorrectly, suggesting that Xia Er had seen the report and left it on Chu Mingzhu’s desk. Xia Er felt compelled to accelerate her investigation into Chu Yinyin's disappearance and the clues left behind.
She met with Xu Konglin, Li Bai, and Li Nike to discuss the connection between Chu Yinyin’s disappearance and the book "The Taming of the Wild Boar". Xu Konglin proposed a theory that the wild boar's prolific breeding might relate to genetics. However, Li Nike was dismissive, arguing that since Chu Yinyin had returned, further investigation into her disappearance seemed unnecessary and likely just a prank to gain attention.
Xia Er, pretending to be Chu Yinyin, fiercely defended the seriousness of the situation, stating that if she hadn't been lucky, she might have been "thrown into the wild." She declared her intention to continue the investigation alone, growing frustrated when Li Bai also voiced doubts about wasting time on something that might not exist. As she stormed off, Xu Konglin followed her, urging her to tell him what kind of person she truly was.
Xia Er, recalling her past at the New Southern Vocational Technical School—cheating on exams and busily selling stockings and facial masks—felt like a useless person compared to the "Chu Yinyin" Xu Konglin knew. She then rescinded her previous demand, telling Xu Konglin that she would no longer investigate and that he should return the book.
After Xia Er left, Li Bai asked Li Nike if she was interested in Chu Yinyin, to which Li Nike retorted that she found Chu Yinyin to be "interesting." Li Bai then deduced that Li Nike harbored feelings for Xu Konglin. Back at the house, Chu Mingzhu subtly probed Xia Er about whether she had seen any document folder. Xia Er, ever vigilant, pretended complete ignorance, knowing it was a test.
Chu Mingzhu, determined to see "Chu Yinyin" excel, informed Xia Er that she would be moving into the school dormitory to improve her grades and help regain her memories. Despite Xia Er's strong internal reluctance, fearing exposure of her true identity and the inability to earn money for her adoptive father, she couldn't refuse Chu Mingzhu’s authoritative stance. Before Xia Er moved, Chu Mingzhu gave her the password to Chu Yinyin's laptop, "Lovemum520," explaining that the numbers were her birthday.
Xia Er, finding it difficult to remember, immediately changed it to "123456." Xia Er moved into the school dormitory, sharing a room with Li Nike. Shortly after her arrival, Li Bai, who had just seen "Chu Yinyin" off at the dorm entrance, was still around. Xia Er, seemingly unaffected by Li Nike's sarcastic remarks about her recent poor test scores and needing to take medicine, defiantly made herself at home by placing her mirror in Li Nike's space.
She then took medicine using Li Nike's cup, which further irritated Li Nike, who immediately declared she would throw the cup away. Xu Konglin and Li Bai went to the library to return "The Taming of the Wild Boar". There, they learned from the librarian that the entire system had recently been upgraded, and all books had been re-labeled with new reference numbers.
The librarian also clarified that the book they had wasn't supposed to be in section "32" under the old system. This meant their previous clue, "32-75," was not referring to "The Taming of the Wild Boar". Xu Konglin asked the librarian to help find the book labeled "32-75," but was told it was impossible without the new code or title.
Xu Konglin then told Li Bai that if it wasn't the book about wild boars, it must be another important book. Li Nike, overhearing their conversation about the re-labeling, mobilized her friends to search the library for any book still bearing the old "32-75" label. After an afternoon of searching, Li Nike successfully located the book, an English edition of "Hamlet". Li Nike took the book to her room, hoping to uncover its secrets.
Believing that hidden messages could be revealed by heat, she tried to burn a page, accidentally setting the book on fire before quickly extinguishing it. When Xia Er returned to the dorm to get her student ID, she smelled something burning and questioned Li Nike, who quickly hid the book.
Xia Er, after Li Nike left, searched Li Nike's room and found the book, noting its new label: "Foreign Literature 33-90," but she didn't realize its significance at that moment and placed it back on Li Nike's desk. Later, Xu Konglin deduced a correlation between the old and new library reference numbers: books previously in a "32" row were now in "33" for foreign literature.
Realizing the book she had seen in Li Nike's room was the one they were searching for, Xia Er later attempted to retrieve it. Li Nike caught Xia Er in her room and accused her of stealing, but Xia Er cleverly feigned sleepwalking to escape the confrontation. To finally obtain the book, Xia Er deliberately spilled water on Li Nike, creating a distraction to steal the book from Li Nike's bag while she was changing her uniform.
Meanwhile, the real Chu Yinyin confided in Xia Er (who was masked) about her amnesia and how she believed she was hit by Liu Qiang because she owed him ¥5,600. Xia Er, in her mind, was astonished at how quickly the debt had escalated from ¥2,000. When Chu Yinyin questioned how Xia Er knew so much about her past, Xia Er spun a tale of being a "hardcore fan."
Chu Yinyin then showed Xia Er a notebook where she had meticulously recorded all her debts and bad habits, vowing to study hard, earn money to repay everything, and never again engage in harmful activities. Xia Er, however, was secretly concerned, wondering how she would manage if the real Chu Yinyin became so capable, and even subtly advised her to not push herself too hard with studies, suggesting she aim to be an average student.
Xia Er later confronted Liu Qiang, accusing him of hitting Chu Yinyin. Liu Qiang vehemently denied it, claiming he was a chivalrous and reasonable person, which made Xia Er doubt if he was truly the assailant and wonder about Chu Yinyin’s connection to Chu Mingzhu. Xu Konglin's parents, aware of "Chu Yinyin's" amnesia, encouraged him to be more caring and supportive of his classmate during her difficult time.
Episode 6 Recap
To uncover the truth, Xia Er cleverly retrieved the English version of "Hamlet" from Li Nike. She then met with Xu Konglin and Li Bai, and the trio went to the library to investigate. They used the computer to check the book's borrowing history, confirming that Chu Yinyin had borrowed it before Li Nike. Chu Yinyin had left a cryptic note in the records: "That is a question."
Xia Er expressed her frustration, wondering why her past self would have wanted them to find this book, given her amnesia. Li Bai, recalling Li Nike's Weibo username, "To Be Or Not To Be," a line from Hamlet, found the situation suspiciously tied to her. Xu Konglin further discovered that Li Nike had reposted a rumor on Weibo about Chu Yinyin's mysterious disappearance. They confronted Li Nike, who vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
When Xu Konglin questioned her about borrowing the book right after the library system updated, Li Nike dismissed it as a coincidence, stating her love for Shakespeare. She accused "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) of fabricating the disappearance and leaving misleading clues, expressing relief that she, not someone else, had borrowed the book. When pressed about her Weibo name, Li Nike reiterated her affection for Shakespeare.
Xu Konglin asked about her past relationship with Chu Yinyin, to which Li Nike claimed they were always peaceful. However, Xia Er, despite her amnesia, directly accused Li Nike of being suspicious. Li Nike retorted, suggesting "Chu Yinyin's" amnesia might be a brain malfunction. Xu Konglin initially believed Li Nike, but Xia Er remained unconvinced, sensing Li Nike's persistent animosity towards her. While Xia Er was using her laptop, Li Nike secretly observed her password.
Having learned Chu Yinyin's original password from Chu Mingzhu, Xia Er had simplified it to '123456' for easier recall before moving into the dorm. Later, when Xia Er was out, Li Nike accessed her computer and saw Xiao Er selling face masks on Xia Er's Weibo, but she didn't grasp the significance. Later, Xia Er approached Xu Konglin and Li Bai, expressing her strong belief that Li Nike was constantly targeting her.
She recounted Li Nike's past pranks and the incident with the "Hamlet" book, but Xu Konglin dismissed them as mere coincidences or simple pranks. Xia Er theorized that Li Nike's targeting stemmed from jealousy, as Li Nike liked Xu Konglin, and Xu Konglin had previously liked Chu Yinyin.
Li Bai, taking on Xia Er's request to investigate Li Nike's motives, learned from other students that Li Nike harbored romantic feelings for Xu Konglin, who, in turn, previously liked Chu Yinyin and now seemed to have feelings for Xia Er. Li Bai then made a bet with Xia Er: if her suspicions about Li Nike were correct, he would perform something embarrassing in public.
Separately, at the nursing home, Xia Er's foster father frantically searched for a photograph of his daughter and her older sister. The caregiver, not understanding the situation, dismissed his efforts as a bout of confusion and tried to comfort him. Meanwhile, at the New Southern Vocational School, "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) found herself in a bizarre situation. A group of "non-mainstream" teenagers confronted her, claiming she was their online girlfriend, "Fireworks Turn Cold," and owed them money.
Confused and unaware of who they were, Xia Er was defended by Xiao Er, who explained her amnesia and accused the teenagers of trying to cheat her. Later, "Chu Yinyin" attended her culinary arts class, where she struggled with basic tasks like cutting vegetables, accidentally throwing a knife towards the teacher, Instructor Zhu. Xiao Er again stepped in to explain her memory loss.
Instructor Zhu then spoke with "Chu Yinyin" privately, encouraging her by reminiscing about her past self, who was a diligent and enthusiastic student, and revealing she had chosen culinary arts because of her idol, Liu Yi Wei. Back in the dorm, Xia Er's roommates were shocked by the results of her terrible cooking, lamenting their lost ingredients. Back at the high school, Xu Konglin meticulously examined Li Nike's Weibo account.
He noticed a peculiar "like" on Li Nike's reposted message about Chu Yinyin's disappearance. The profile picture of the "liker" was a piano keyboard, an image Xu Konglin remembered sending to Chu Yinyin herself. He deduced this was Chu Yinyin's secret Weibo account, its username, "C5654523," actually a musical sequence from Chopin's Fantaisie-Impromptu, with "C" potentially standing for "Chu." However, the account was private, and Xia Er could not recall the password.
Attempts to reset it led to a series of cryptic security questions: "the result of being betrayed," "Mom's blood type," and "3-28-36." Xia Er expressed frustration at these obscure questions, wondering why her past self made it so difficult to be found. While Xu Konglin and Xia Er grappled with the password, Li Bai observed Li Nike's anxious reaction to their investigation. He discreetly followed her, discovering her luxurious family background.
He witnessed her father, a wealthy gym magnate, scolding her for being late for a business meeting, emphasizing her role in the family empire. Shortly after, Li Nike's mother, who was promoting gym memberships, faked an emergency to lure Li Nike to her, complaining about boredom since her father was always busy. Li Nike, expressing a desire for her mother to find true happiness post-divorce, shared her plans to study abroad and bring her mother with her.
Later, during a physical education class, students participated in a "two people, three teams" race. Xia Er was partnered with Xu Konglin, while Li Nike was with Li Bai. Li Nike's team lost to Xia Er's, fueling her resentment. She angrily confronted Li Bai, attributing their loss to his incompetence and reiterating her deep "enmity" towards Chu Yinyin. After the class, Li Nike secretly accessed Xia Er's phone, assuming the password would be as simple as her laptop's.
Episode 7 Recap
During physical education class at Elite Academy, Mr. Lan organized a two-legged race, assigning partners. Xu Konglin and Xia Er displayed excellent teamwork, quickly taking the lead, while Li Nike and Li Bai, clashing due to their mutual dislike, lagged behind. During a break, Li Nike subtly took Xia Er's phone. Li Bai, noticing Li Nike’s suspicious actions, intercepted her just as she was attempting to browse Xia Er's social media.
Later, as Xia Er and Xu Konglin sat together, Xu Konglin suggested that Li Nike harbored no ill will towards Chu Yinyin. Xia Er disagreed. Xu Konglin then speculated that Chu Yinyin might still be angry with him, and recounted a past agreement he had with her. Previously, a highly competitive Chu Yinyin, unwilling to be outdone, made Xu Konglin promise never to win against her; if she took first place, he had to take second.
Xu Konglin agreed to this unreasonable request and immediately wrote a guarantee. This pact was tested during a social practice assignment when Xu Konglin deliberately submitted a poor paper, aiming for an F to honor their agreement. Unexpectedly, he still received an A, while Chu Yinyin got an A-. This outcome deeply upset Chu Yinyin, who accused him of betrayal and refused to believe his explanations.
Xia Er, upon hearing the story, remarked on Chu Yinyin's seemingly "unreasonable" and "fragile" reactions to academic setbacks. Based on this story, Xu Konglin believed the answer to the first security question, "Consequence of betrayal," was "forever lose the other party." Xia Er entered this, and it was correct. The second question prompted for "Mother's blood type." Xia Er, knowing her own blood type was O and assuming Chu Yinyin's was the same, tried "O," but it was incorrect.
Xu Konglin pointed out that if "Chu Yinyin" (referring to Xia Er, who he thought was Chu Yinyin) was O, then Chu Ming Zhu could not be AB. Xia Er then tried "A" and "B," both yielding incorrect results. To their surprise, when she entered "AB," it was correct. This revelation deeply unsettled Xia Er, making her suspect there was something amiss. Agitated, Xia Er pressed Xu Konglin about the third question, leading to a heated argument between them.
The Elite Academy's sports meet was approaching. Mr. Lan, the physical education teacher, sought Ms. Lu's help to encourage her elite class students, particularly academically focused ones like Chu Yinyin, to participate. Entrusted with this task, Ms. Lu motivated her class, but student enthusiasm was low. Li Nike, seizing an opportunity, enthusiastically approached Xu Konglin to register him, but he coolly informed her he had already signed up. Unwilling to give up, Li Nike came up with another plan.
She returned to the dorm and persuaded Xia Er to let her fill out the registration form for her. Xia Er was eager to go home, so she agreed. At home, Xu Konglin found his parents engrossed in online games. Feeling neglected and frustrated, he couldn't help but question if he was their biological son. His mother, noticing his unhappiness, gently advised him that girls needed to be coaxed, comparing it to how his father always appeased her.
She reassured him of his biological connection. The next day, Ms. Lu posted the sports meet registration list on the blackboard, to everyone's astonishment. Li Nike had registered "Chu Yinyin" for an extraordinary number of events: the 3000-meter run, 400-meter hurdles, 100-meter sprint, long jump, and high jump. Xia Er heard the commotion and walked to the blackboard.
Seeing all this, she realized Li Nike was deliberately pranking her, but Xia Er was fearless and agreed to participate in all events. Everyone was ready for a good show. Concurrently, at Southern Vocational Technical School, the sports meet was also approaching.
The person inhabiting Xia Er's body (the real Chu Yinyin, who possessed Xia Er's memories and personality, and was known as a sports ace there) had also been signed up by Xiao Er for numerous events, including the 3000-meter run, 100-meter sprint, long jump, and high jump. Xiao Er reassured her to relax and just perform normally.
Episode 8 Recap
Elite International Academy’s sports meet commenced. Before the 3,000-meter race, students expressed frustration about girls having to compete, fearing it would lower their class's average score, specifically mentioning Xu Konglin. They collectively prayed for "Chu Yinyin." In the 3,000-meter race, Xia Er, representing the experimental class, initially lagged behind. Li Nike, positioned on the trackside, instructed Nana to observe "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) and play her part, emphasizing that competition was paramount, and friendship secondary.
An opposing runner taunted Xia Er, but Xia Er remained focused, telling the runner not to negatively affect her performance. As Xia Er began her sprint, Nana, following Li Nike's subtle cue, tripped her. Xia Er fell hard, her leg bleeding. Li Bai and Xu Konglin rushed to her side, and Xu Konglin expressed concern. Xia Er, however, inwardly acknowledged Xu Konglin's continued care for Chu Yinyin.
Resolved to endure for the truth, she pushed him away, declared she was fine, and bravely resumed the race. Defying her injury, she overtook most competitors and won first place, setting a new women's record. After the race, Xia Er approached Xu Konglin, asking if he would be willing to continue searching for answers with her if she won first place in all her events. Xu Konglin smiled and nodded, promising his support.
Li Nike, observing Xia Er’s surprising victory, remarked to Nana that "Chu Yinyin" must be "possessed" and wondered how it was possible. Nana added that "Chu Yinyin" seemed to have become stronger after being wounded, noting how her intelligence had plummeted while her sports abilities soared, contrasting this with her usual delicate appearance where she seemed able to "break a bone whenever she took a couple of steps."
Meanwhile, at the New South Vocational School’s sports meet, the original Chu Yinyin struggled in her 3,000-meter race. She was the last to finish, running ten minutes after the second-to-last person, and openly lamented being signed up for so many events by Li Nike. Her performance remained poor in the javelin and long jump. During the high jump, she accidentally struck the bar, which then hit her head, causing her to faint.
Back at Elite International Academy, Xia Er also collapsed from exhaustion during the high jump competition. Xu Konglin was the first to rush to her, carrying her to the medical room. As she regained consciousness in his arms, Xia Er reflected on his consistent rescues, feeling satisfied by his actions regardless of whether they were for her or Chu Yinyin. The doctor confirmed Xia Er was fine but needed rest due to overexertion.
Xia Er, however, wanted to return to the competition, feeling she hadn't achieved her goal. Xu Konglin gently stopped her, stating she had done very well and needed to rest. He then confirmed their plan to go to the library together on Sunday to find the answers. Xia Er secretly acknowledged the great effort she was making for Chu Yinyin.
Li Bai and other friends offered their unwavering support, with Li Bai proclaiming he would stand by her side even if the entire world opposed her. Thanks to Xia Er's exceptional performance, the experimental class secured many medals. Ms. Lu proudly displayed the results to Mr. Lan, boasting that their class led with "Experimental class 15: Normal class 6." Mr. Lan, however, remained unconvinced, finding "Chu Yinyin's" sudden athletic prowess "unreal" and hinting at a deeper issue.
Ms. Lu insisted he simply wouldn't admit her progress. Later, Li Nike confronted Xu Konglin, questioning his continued help to Yin Yin in finding "non-existent evidence." She reminded him of the answer to the first question, "lost the other party forever," and suggested Chu Yinyin was merely blaming him. Xu Konglin maintained that it was his own problem and he could handle it.
Li Nike also offered to help, though Li Bai, present at the time, humorously declined to persuade Xu Konglin on her behalf, stating he wouldn't do so just because she asked. Li Nike further argued that everyone believed Xu Konglin had changed since "Chu Yin Yin's" return, describing "Chu Yin Yin" as "weird" and not her former self, especially concerning the "evidence thing."
Xu Konglin calmly told Li Nike that he understood her concerns but urged her to "understand Yin Yin more," emphasizing that "no matter what she becomes, she is still Yin Yin." He told her that he and others would handle "future matters" and she should "not be involved anymore." Before he left, Li Nike confessed her long-standing affection for him, saying she had liked him for over ten years and found it impossible he didn't know.
She expressed her frustration, asking why he continued to like Chu Yinyin even if she was an "idiot" and if there was "only her" in his heart. Xu Konglin responded by suggesting she didn't truly like him but merely wanted to "go against Yin Yin." He advised her to "let the past be the past" and stop "making things hard for her." Li Nike was deeply hurt, questioning why he wouldn't believe her.
Meanwhile, Xu Konglin reviewed old photos and notes, attempting to reconstruct Chu Yinyin's past. He meticulously listed their favorite park (Hebing Park), her favorite playwright (Dario Fo), their preferred library seating (fifth and sixth seats from the left in the second last row), the first album he gave her (Chopin's Waltz), and their dream destination ("End of the world in Sri Lanka"). He then sent these details to Chu Yinyin via WeChat, hoping these reminders would trigger her memories.
The next day, as Xia Er was preparing for her date with Xu Konglin, she asked her younger sister, Xiao Mei, to prepare a specific lunch box and also asked for a pair of scissors. Deciding to get them herself from the study room, she stumbled upon Chu Mingzhu's physical examination report. Her eyes fell on the "Blood Type: AB" entry.
This immediately made Xia Er recall Chu Mingzhu's previous implied claim of having O blood type and the incident where Chu Mingzhu had pulled her hair, ostensibly for a "hair treatment." Xia Er realized the significance of the blood type discrepancy: if Chu Mingzhu was indeed AB, and Chu Yinyin (who shares Xia Er's O blood type) was her daughter, it would be genetically impossible.
She connected this revelation to the second security question, suspecting a deeper family secret and that Chu Mingzhu had perhaps suspected her true identity long ago. Xia Er quickly asked Xiao Mei if their mother usually got health checks at the medical center, to which Xiao Mei explained that Dr. Liu only handled treatments, not regular checkups. Declining Xiao Mei's offer to schedule a checkup for her, Xia Er excused herself, leaving Xiao Mei with the prepared lunch box.
Xu Konglin, waking up, found a note from his parents wishing him a happy date with Chu Yinyin. He dressed up and waited at the library for Xia Er, but she never arrived. He tried calling her, but her phone was off. Xia Er, having discovered Chu Mingzhu's secret, abandoned the date to pursue her newfound suspicions. Instead, Xia Er, donning a hat and sunglasses, returned to the New South Vocational School.
There, she encountered Liu Qiang and his gang confronting a group of students, including Chu Yinyin and Xiao Er, demanding money and calling them "losers." A skirmish ensued, and Liu Qiang's gang chased the fleeing students. Xia Er pulled Xiao Er aside, to Xiao Er's surprise, who immediately commented on Xia Er's different clothes. Xia Er urgently asked if she had truly lost her memories and if anything strange had happened since then.
Xiao Er, puzzled by Xia Er's current "strange" behavior and her apparent forgetting of her memory loss, confirmed that Liu Qiang had been constantly after them for money. Xiao Er explained that when she found Xia Er in the hospital after the memory loss, the circumstances were unclear, as there were no CCTVs at the school gate to capture what happened. They were interrupted again by Liu Qiang's gang and had to run.
Later, back in the dorm, Xiao Er saw Chu Yinyin (the original) in yet another different outfit, intensifying her confusion. She couldn't reconcile seeing what appeared to be two "Xia Ers" (or Chu Yinyins) in different clothes within a short span, wondering if she had seen a "clone." Her friends dismissed her concerns, suggesting she was overthinking and encouraging her to focus on more "useful things" like playing a mobile game called "Pai Pai."
Xia Er met with Li Bai, expressing her frustration about the unanswered questions. She recounted the first two answers to him: Xu Konglin's "betrayal" and Chu Mingzhu's blood type being AB while Chu Yinyin (and Xia Er) is O, which puzzled Li Bai. She then asked for his help with the third question, a sequence of numbers: "3-28-36." Li Bai speculated about patterns, upside-down English letters, and even Morse Code, but none of his attempts yielded a coherent answer.
As evening fell, Li Bai walked Xia Er back to her dormitory. He tried to reassure her, saying that if they didn't give up, "the heavens would definitely help them!" In a playful mood, Li Bai tugged at Xia Er's hair, and they engaged in a lighthearted scuffle, with Li Bai dramatically complaining about his waist. Unbeknownst to them, Xu Konglin, who had waited fruitlessly at the library all day, witnessed this scene from a distance. Misinterpreting their playful interaction, he turned and walked away, his face clouded with disappointment.
Episode 9 Recap
After seeing Xia Er and Li Bai laughing and playing, Xu Konglin left, looking upset. Li Bai asked Xia Er if she had done something wrong to Xu Konglin, but she just pushed him away. Meanwhile, Li Nike was determined to solve the third password question. Recalling Chu Yinyin's past comment about using the periodic table for a chemistry test, Li Nike realized the numbers 3-28-36 corresponded to the elements Lithium (Li), Nickel (Ni), and Krypton (Kr).
The phonetic combination "Li Ni Kr" sounded like "Li Ni Ke" (her own name). Annoyed at Chu Yinyin for using her name, Li Nike entered the answer, which was correct. She then reset Chu Yinyin's Weibo password and logged into the account. Li Nike proceeded to publish a series of posts on Chu Yinyin's Weibo, accusing Xu Konglin of betrayal and coldness, hoping to create a rift between Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin.
The next day at Qing Teng International Academy, students buzzed with gossip about Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin's supposed date. When Xu Konglin entered the classroom, he cast a cold glance at Xia Er, and the tension between them was palpable to everyone. The ongoing cold war with Xia Er left Xu Konglin irritable, leading to a poor performance during basketball practice. He argued fiercely with a teammate, Yuan Ye, who, in a fit of anger, quit the team.
Hearing that Yuan Ye was blaming Xu Konglin's change in behavior on her, Xia Er, who was present at Qing Teng, angrily went to the boys' dorm to confront him. Yuan Ye retorted that Xu Konglin had become irresponsible because of a "silly woman." Xia Er defended Xu Konglin, telling Yuan Ye that he could insult her, but not Xu Konglin. As Yuan Ye pushed past her and left, Xu Konglin arrived.
Xia Er tried to explain, but Xu Konglin, his face devoid of expression, coldly told her that from now on, she should handle her own matters. Concurrently, at New South Vocational School, Xia Er (impersonating Chu Yinyin) was in an English class. Teacher Zhu announced a Professional English competition with a prize of priority recommendation to a five-star hotel, noting that no student from their school had ever qualified.
Xia Er then pointed out an error in the teacher's translation of a problem, fluently correcting it in English. She expressed her desire to participate in the competition, but the teacher dismissed her, claiming she lacked the necessary skills. This only fueled Xia Er's determination. She challenged the teacher to a knowledge competition, stating that if she won, he must allow her to compete. The class erupted in cheers, and the teacher reluctantly agreed to a duel in one week.
Xia Er's roommates, worried about the teacher's pride, urged her to apologize, but Xia Er confidently refused, asserting her knowledge and claiming her amnesia might have turned her into a genius. Frustrated, her roommates temporarily broke ties with her. Back at Qing Teng International, Xia Er later discovered a periodic table in her desk. Xia Er, with Li Bai's help, realized the answer to the third question was Li Nike.
Both Xia Er and Li Bai were surprised why Chu Yinyin would set the password to Li Nike's name. Then, logging into Chu Yinyin's Weibo account, they found the alarming posts accusing Xu Konglin and implying suicidal thoughts. Xia Er herself struggled to believe Xu Konglin capable of such actions, but the evidence online was clear. With Yuan Ye gone, the basketball team needed a new point guard. Li Bai volunteered, and Xu Konglin agreed to a one-on-one tryout.
Li Bai performed exceptionally well, matching Xu Konglin's skill. Xu Konglin acknowledged his talent but noted he still needed to improve compared to the rest of the team. Despite this, Li Bai declared his victory and was accepted onto the team. Soon, rumors began to spread throughout Qing Teng International, claiming that Xu Konglin had used Chu Yinyin to secure a spot at an Ivy League university, causing her severe emotional distress and leading to her disappearance and suicidal thoughts.
Xu Konglin, bewildered by these rumors, confronted Xia Er, asking if her recent coldness was due to them. He told her that people were saying her disappearance was because of him. Xia Er denied knowing who started the rumors or how they knew about the Weibo posts, adding that she didn't even know why she had written those things, and her private posts were only visible to herself.
Still confused, Xia Er approached Li Bai, asking if he had revealed the Weibo content to anyone. Li Bai adamantly denied it, swearing he hadn't said anything. When asked why he joined the basketball team, he admitted his true motive was to observe Xu Konglin on her behalf, understanding Xia Er's internal conflict about whether to trust Xu Konglin. However, the origin of the widespread rumors remained a mystery to them both.
Episode 10 Recap
At Elite International Academy, the principal announced the prestigious Ivy League interview list. Xu Konglin, Li Nike, and Shangguan Na were among the selected, but Chu Yinyin, who had been confident of her success, surprisingly failed to make the cut and once again became the center of school gossip. Li Nike couldn't hide her satisfaction, while Xia Er, impersonating Chu Yinyin, felt increasingly uncomfortable under the scrutinizing eyes of her classmates.
Later, during a basketball match between Elite Academy and Nanfeng, Xu Konglin, captain of Elite’s team, was noticeably distracted by the persistent rumors circulating about him. This affected his performance, and Elite Academy began to fall behind. Unable to watch idly, Xia Er rushed to the court to cheer for the Elite team. However, instead of cheering for Xu Konglin, she loudly encouraged Li Bai.
This seemingly small act further unsettled Xu Konglin, causing him to momentarily falter with the ball, which was then stolen by an opponent. Elite Academy ultimately lost the game, a rare defeat against Nanfeng. Following the loss, disgruntled teammates, instigated by Yuan Ye, blamed Xu Konglin for their defeat and demanded he step down as captain. When Xia Er tried to defend Xu Konglin, Yuan Ye verbally attacked her.
Xu Konglin, provoked, got into a fight with Yuan Ye before other players intervened. Annoyed by the team's accusations and lack of support, Xu Konglin declared his resignation from the team, with Li Bai immediately following suit in solidarity. Xia Er pursued Xu Konglin, questioning his performance. He explained that given the rampant rumors, he needed answers more than anyone else and was determined to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Li Nike approached Xu Konglin, feigning concern.
She spread a fabricated story that students in the girls’ dormitory were saying he had pretended to befriend Chu Yinyin and used her to secure his spot on the Ivy League interview list. She implied that Chu Yinyin might be the source of these rumors, suggesting Chu Yinyin was simply trying to understand her memory loss but was being irresponsible.
Xu Konglin dismissed Li Nike, making it clear that the matter was between him and Chu Yinyin, and he would resolve it himself. Shortly after, Li Bai also confronted Li Nike, suspecting her involvement in the widespread rumors and warning her to stop her malicious actions. Simultaneously, at New South Vocational Technical School, Xia Er, still impersonating Chu Yinyin, began her much-anticipated knowledge contest against Mr. Zhu.
After a hesitant start with the first two questions, Xia Er quickly answered every subsequent question correctly, astonishing the audience and leaving Mr. Zhu flustered and drenched in sweat. Xia Er emerged victorious, though some teachers and students accused her of cheating. She confidently challenged them to an impromptu quiz, a proposition they couldn't refute, thus solidifying her win. Xia Er, knowing she won fairly, was perplexed by their suspicions.
Separately, Xia Er's friends, Qi Xiao Er, Fei Fei, and Enli, took Chu Yinyin to a nursing home to celebrate her birthday with Uncle Xia, Xia Er's adoptive father. Upon seeing Chu Yinyin, Uncle Xia repeatedly insisted she wasn't Xia Er, asking, "Are you the older sister?" His comments, though unsettling, were dismissed by the friends as typical behavior from his condition. Leng Shao recorded the birthday celebration and posted it online.
Xia Er saw the video and felt a pang of sadness mixed with resolve. She silently wished her friends would care for Chu Yinyin well, recognizing that Chu Yinyin, unlike herself, had lived a sheltered life free from hardship.
Xia Er reflected on her difficult journey at Elite International, a place she now considered a "wicked place with deep waters and hot flames," and resolved to uncover the truth about her and Chu Yinyin's identities before returning to her adoptive father. Back at Elite International, the rumors about Xu Konglin manipulating Chu Yinyin intensified, spreading rapidly across school forums. Li Bai saw the posts, and Xia Er asked him to delete them, which he successfully did.
However, shortly after, another accusatory message against Xu Konglin appeared on Chu Yinyin's Weibo account. Xu Konglin, frustrated, confronted Xia Er. Xia Er vehemently denied posting it, realizing she had been logged out of her account and the password had been changed. She promptly reset her password, confirming someone else had used her account. Xu Konglin expressed his confusion and anger, admitting he couldn't understand Chu Yinyin's intentions. Feeling deeply misunderstood, Xia Er vowed to prove her innocence.
From an upstairs window, Li Nike watched the distressed exchange between Xu Konglin and Xia Er, a triumphant smirk on her face. Later, recalling the clue in Chu Yinyin's Weibo password that pointed to Li Nike's name, Xu Konglin confronted Li Nike directly, demanding answers about the online posts and the connection to her name. However, Li Nike feigned ignorance and refused to provide any explanation, leaving Xu Konglin with no further answers.
Episode 11 Recap
Xia Er, the amnesiac protagonist currently posing as Chu Yinyin, continued to feel frustrated at Elite International Academy. In the cafeteria, Li Nike provoked her by bringing up her Weibo posts, suggesting Xia Er (as Chu Yinyin) was jealous and framing Xu Konglin. When Xia Er retorted, Li Bai stepped in to defend Xia Er by playfully teasing Li Nike with a mobile game, which further enraged Li Nike. Xia Er struggled with her memories.
Concerned about the "real" Chu Yinyin's well-being in New Southern, Xia Er often left messages on Qi Xiao Er's Weibo account, asking if "Chu Yinyin" had regained any memories, particularly about her mother. Qi Xiao Er responded, confused by the persistent questions, and mentioned that "Chu Yinyin" not only lost her memory but also didn't recognize her own foster father, Mr. Xia.
Upon reading Qi Xiao Er's replies, Xia Er grew furious, convinced that Li Nike was behind these ongoing manipulations and public gossip. Overhearing some girls gossiping that she (Xia Er, as Chu Yinyin) was pretending to have amnesia to get revenge on Xu Konglin, Xia Er lunged to confront them, but Li Bai quickly intervened to calm her. Seeing Xia Er's distress, Li Bai gently urged her to share any secrets she might be withholding.
Xia Er revealed her confusion about blood types; she remembered hers being O, but the answer to a "second question" about her mother was AB. Li Bai immediately grasped the implication: Xia Er suspected she wasn't Chu Mingzhu's biological daughter. Xia Er also recalled a game called "Dare or Not" she played with Xu Konglin, where they agreed to submit a poor research report together.
She was upset that Xu Konglin had "betrayed" her by getting an A while she presumably received an F. Li Bai expressed anger and even jealousy over their shared past. Xia Er challenged Li Bai to uncover the truth behind these questions, including the third question, which referenced Li Nike's name. Taking action, Li Bai approached Xu Konglin, who admitted his own suspicions about the research report.
He confirmed that his unexpected A grade, when he expected an F, was puzzling and suggested someone might be trying to drive a wedge between him and Xia Er (the amnesiac "Chu Yinyin"). Both Li Bai and Xu Konglin came to suspect Li Nike was the instigator. Li Bai decided to follow Li Nike. Li Bai trailed Li Nike to Chen Xing Private Hospital, specifically to the Neurosurgery department, which immediately raised his suspicions about her mental state.
After Li Nike left, Li Bai boldly entered, feigning distress as Li Nike’s "stepbrother" and fabricating a story about her having multiple personality disorder. He asked the doctor what Li Nike had inquired about. The doctor revealed that Li Nike had visited multiple times, not for treatment, but to seek medical advice about a friend who had lost her memory in an accident. She asked about common amnesia side effects, such as changes in dietary habits, daily behavior, and handwriting.
Li Bai, still playing his role, then asked how to tell if someone with amnesia was faking it. The doctor advised that if a person repeatedly gave the same answers verbatim, it indicated they had prepared responses and might be lying. Li Bai thanked the doctor, requesting strict confidentiality. Meanwhile, at an elder care facility, Xia Er's foster father, Mr. Xia, continued to show signs of memory confusion.
He consistently failed to recognize Xia Er (the protagonist), denying she was his daughter and stating that his daughter, "the real" Xia Er, had gone to find her older sister and abandoned him. However, he paradoxically still received healthcare products that "the real" Xia Er had bought for him, deepening the mystery of their relationship. Back at school, Li Bai tested Xia Er, asking her to recall everything she could about herself.
She robotically recited, "I am just a pretty and top student. I have a great mother and have been great at every subject since birth. Left handed. Blood type O." Li Bai noted this carefully, recalling the doctor’s advice that prepared, identical answers could indicate deception. He pressed Xia Er for any deeper secrets, but she insisted she had none, saying she only remembered that much.
Li Bai then formulated a plan to investigate Chu Mingzhu’s blood type at Yinghua Medical Center, where Chu Mingzhu regularly had her health check-ups and where Li Bai's own mother, Chen Jiaojiao, was a VIP. Li Bai called his mother to inquire about Dr. Chen at Yinghua, though he didn't explicitly feign illness for himself during the call.
Though initially reluctant, Xu Konglin agreed to join Li Bai on this "super mission" related to Xia Er (the amnesiac "Chu Yinyin"), motivated by a desire to prove his innocence. At Yinghua Medical Center, Li Bai initially failed to gain access to Chu Mingzhu's records as the front desk receptionist wouldn't allow it. However, Xu Konglin arrived and charmed the receptionist, creating a diversion that allowed Li Bai to proceed.
Li Bai then found Dr. Chen and cleverly tricked him into leaving his office by claiming his mother, Chen Jiaojiao, was feeling unwell in the VIP waiting area and needed his immediate attention. While Dr. Chen rushed off, Li Bai accessed his computer and located Chu Mingzhu's VIP file, confirming her blood type as AB. Just outside, Chen Jiaojiao coincidentally met Li Nike's father, Li Qing Fu, a CEO, and they engaged in a friendly conversation.
When Dr. Chen returned, he was surprised to find Chen Jiaojiao walking around, not ill as Li Bai had claimed. Li Bai and Xu Konglin quickly debriefed, confirming that if Xia Er's (the protagonist's) blood type was O and Chu Mingzhu's was AB, then Xia Er could not be Chu Mingzhu's biological daughter. They decided to keep this discovery a secret for the time being, considering Xia Er's amnesia and the complex implications, and planned how to eventually tell her.
Li Bai also shared his observation that he had seen Li Nike's father at the medical center, hinting at further connections. Meanwhile, Li Nike continued her manipulative activities. After intercepting Xia Er and Teacher Lu, Li Nike observed a laptop screen, noting that Xia Er "certainly can't remember the password," suggesting she had successfully locked Xia Er out of her accounts.
Episode 12 Recap
Xia Er, currently posing as Chu Yinyin, arrived at Xu Konglin’s home to explain the recent online accusations against him. Xu Konglin’s parents warmly welcomed her. Alone in his room, Xia Er assured him that she did not create the latest accusatory Weibo post. When Xu Konglin questioned how she knew the third answer to Chu Yinyin's email password, Xia Er explained that Li Bai had deduced it from a periodic table anonymously placed on her desk.
She speculated that the person who left the clue might be the real hacker. Xia Er also mentioned that she had diligently deleted all unfavorable posts about Xu Konglin from the school discussion forum. Moved by her actions, Xu Konglin realized he had been too quick to judge her. Later, Chu Mingzhu called Xia Er, and someone inadvertently revealed that it was Chu Yinyin’s birthday the next day.
Xia Er tried to dismiss the idea of a celebration, stating she was too old at nineteen for such festivities. Despite her protests, Xu Konglin presented her with a birthday gift he had already prepared, promising to uncover the truth behind the mysterious posts and rumors. Xia Er, however, still harbored suspicions that Li Nike was involved. The following day, Xu Konglin and Li Bai confronted Li Nike, asking about her connection to the third password clue.
They mentioned seeing her father at the medical center. Li Nike, cornered, admitted that she had accompanied her father to that medical center and discovered Chu Mingzhu’s blood type was AB. Believing she was helping, she then informed Chu Yinyin of her finding. Xu Konglin immediately connected these events, realizing that the news, coupled with Chu Yinyin’s mistaken belief that he had betrayed her, had triggered Chu Yinyin's emotional breakdown and subsequent disappearance.
He pressed Li Nike further, accusing her of being behind the malicious posts on Chu Yinyin’s Weibo and the school forum. Li Nike vehemently denied it, claiming the posts also attacked her and questioning why she would intentionally harm herself. Xu Konglin and Li Bai remained unconvinced, firmly believing she was responsible for the forum posts and widespread rumors. Becoming agitated, Li Nike demanded why Chu Yinyin was always forgiven while her own actions were always deemed wrong.
Xu Konglin calmly replied that it was likely because she was not Chu Yinyin. Challenging him, Li Nike asked if he would still hold that belief if she proved that the current Chu Yinyin was not the real one, before walking away in tears. Later, crying alone on the basketball court, she reflected on the significant changes in Xia Er’s handwriting and habits, which cemented her suspicion that Xia Er was an impostor.
After their encounter with Li Nike, Xu Konglin and Li Bai discussed the delicate situation. Li Bai acknowledged that Li Nike's past actions were often mere pranks, but her recent behavior had crossed a line. He expressed concern for the original Chu Yinyin, noting her past sensitivity and fierce pride, and worried about the impact of the truth about her adoption if she were to regain her memories.
He observed that the current "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) was very different and less prone to running away. They decided it was best not to reveal Chu Mingzhu's true AB blood type to Xia Er for now, fearing it could cause a similar crisis to the one that led to Chu Yinyin's disappearance. They resolved to uncover the full truth before Xia Er regained her memories.
Separately, Xu Konglin informed Li Bai that his attempts to trace the culprit behind the online posts had led to virtual IDs and fake IP addresses, indicating a skilled perpetrator. They then visited the Haibei City Children's Welfare Home where Chu Mingzhu had adopted Chu Yinyin, hoping to find more clues. However, all adoption records were confidential, and they left empty-handed, speculating that Li Nike might still be withholding crucial information.
Meanwhile, at New Southern Vocational School, the real Chu Yinyin (now Xia Er) celebrated a significant victory in the Professional English competition, having outperformed Mr. Zhu. Leng Shao, acting as her image consultant, capitalized on her success to aggressively promote his hair salon. He boastfully claimed that his haircut had boosted her confidence and that her amnesia had "gloriously" transformed her into a straight-A student, making her a perfect endorsement for his business.
The real Chu Yinyin expressed her annoyance at his blatant self-promotion, reminding him that her win was unrelated to his styling, but Leng Shao justified his actions as a means to help her pay off her debts. Her friends later complained that most of her 2,000 yuan prize money had already been spent on celebrations and snacks, leaving little to pay her remaining debt to Liu Qiang.
Determined to settle her debts, the real Chu Yinyin decided to leverage her online presence. She asked her friends for her Weibo account ID, initially leading them to believe she would sell things. To their surprise, she began recording English teaching videos. While her initial attempts were met with online comments expressing confusion and longing for her "old Xia Er" persona, she persisted.
Over time, her dedication to learning began to resonate, attracting new fans who praised her transformation, and her videos started to receive positive feedback. In a nursing home, a nurse showed Old Mr. Xia a video of the real Chu Yinyin teaching English, but he firmly denied that the person in the video was his daughter, recognizing her instead as the child who had been left at the door of the welfare home.
Watching videos of the real Chu Yinyin's (now Xia Er) newfound success on Weibo, Xia Er (posing as Chu Yinyin) felt a pang of jealousy, reflecting on how those were her best friends, yet now she had no one and was burdened with her own set of problems. Back at Elite International, Xia Er, still posing as Chu Yinyin, was in the library searching for books to aid her memory.
She accidentally knocked over a large stack of books and stumbled, nearly falling and twisting her ankle. Xu Konglin, passing by, quickly intervened, catching her before she hit the ground. His swift action and concern made her heart flutter, as she realized she was developing feelings for him. Later, Ms. Shi confronted Mr. Lu, armed with a letter detailing student complaints about "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) and recent rumors affecting school discipline.
She insisted that "Chu Yinyin" required remedial lessons and, despite Mr. Lu’s protests about "Chu Yinyin"'s improving happiness and social life, demanded that Li Nike tutor her, viewing "Chu Yinyin" as a hindrance to the experimental class. Mr. Lu’s suggestion of Xu Konglin as a tutor was dismissed by Ms. Shi, who cited rumors about his complicated relationship with "Chu Yinyin." The school ultimately decided that Li Nike would be her tutor.
In class, when Mr. Lu announced the decision, he expected "Chu Yinyin" (Xia Er) to object, but she surprisingly accepted the arrangement, stating her intention to befriend Li Nike. Xu Konglin later found Li Nike and warned her not to make things difficult for "Chu Yinyin." Li Nike, however, expressed her deep hurt and frustration to Xu Konglin, accusing him of not understanding her true feelings despite their long history, and lamenting his constant defense of "Chu Yinyin" over her.
She challenged him, asking if they could ever return to their past friendship, believing that some things are permanently changed. Later, Li Nike directly confronted Xia Er, who was still posing as Chu Yinyin, with a math problem about water tubes. She provocatively suggested that "Yin Yin" return to her "original world," implying her "world of amnesia and bad grades," highlighting her ongoing belief that Xia Er was not the real Chu Yinyin.
Episode 13 Recap
Nurses at the nursing home watched Chu Yinyin's popular online English teaching video, praising her proficiency. However, Mr. Xia, while watching the video, recognized the person on screen as his biological daughter, but he insisted she was "the older sister" who had been left at the orphanage entrance, not "Xia Er." He hinted at a past where he had two daughters and abandoned one. The nurses and others dismissed his words as mere confusion.
At New South Vocational Technical School, Teacher Zhu lauded his students for their recent improvement in homework. Qi Xiao Er and Feifei eagerly credited Chu Yinyin's online video tutorials for their rapid progress, finding her teaching methods engaging and fun. Seizing this opportunity, the economically-minded Qi Xiao Er established an "English Tutoring Club" at school with Feifei and Chu Yinyin, recruiting members for a fee. Soon after, Liu Qiang and Du Zizi approached Chu Yinyin.
Instead of demanding repayment for her debt, they offered a deal: if she could help them significantly raise their English proficiency before graduation, their debt would be completely waived. If she failed, however, they warned of severe consequences. Chu Yinyin accepted the challenge, waiving their membership fees. Chu Yinyin's passion for learning deeply moved one of their friends, who had been considering dropping out to manage a family beauty parlor.
After a direct appeal from Chu Yinyin, he decided to remain in school and commit to his studies. Meanwhile, Xia Er, having seen Chu Yinyin's widely circulated English teaching videos on Weibo, lamented her situation. She reflected on how a "study genius" like Chu Yinyin would always command popularity, while she herself was constantly embroiled in various troubles. She noted that Qi Xiao Er, being aligned with Chu Yinyin, seemed destined for success.
At Elite International Academy, preparations were underway for a visit from a foreign delegation. Teacher Lu, acknowledging Xia Er's unique circumstances, secured a special opportunity for her to participate in hosting the visiting foreign university leaders, despite Xia Er not being on the initial interview list. Li Nike, overhearing this development, immediately concocted a scheme. She approached Xia Er in the conference room where Xia Er was arranging the podium and presented her with a box of foreign tea.
Nike deceptively told Xia Er that this was a premium "top-grade Chinese tea" specifically prepared by the principal for Mr. Craig Levin, the chairman of the American delegation. She explained that the foreign language on the packaging indicated it was a special export-only blend for Americans, and emphasized that paying attention to such minute details was crucial for the alliance between their school and the Ivy League.
Xia Er, unable to read the English instructions, believed Nike's fabrication and brewed the special tea for Mr. Levin, while serving regular tea bags to the other delegates. As Xu Konglin was calibrating the audio equipment, Xia Er inadvertently spilled water onto the extension cord, damaging the power socket. Declaring her intent to take full responsibility, Xia Er, convinced of her "born talent" for fixing things, attempted to repair the faulty socket herself. Her efforts, however, only exacerbated the problem.
During the subsequent meeting, Teacher Chen received an electric shock from the malfunctioning outlet, and to add to the chaos, Chairman Craig Levin suffered from severe diarrhea after consuming the tea Xia Er had prepared. The series of embarrassing mishaps infuriated Principal Zhang, who reprimanded both Teacher Lu and Chu Yinyin, highlighting the damage done to the school's reputation.
Teacher Lu expressed profound disappointment in Xia Er, noting that the former Chu Yinyin would have taken responsibility for her mistakes rather than shifting blame to others. Xia Er, however, maintained that Li Nike was the true instigator. Separately, Li Bai confronted Li Nike, asserting his knowledge that she had deliberately orchestrated the incidents. Nike vehemently denied any wrongdoing, sarcastically questioning Li Bai's concern for Chu Yinyin and dismissing Chu Yinyin as an "idiot."
Later, Li Nike continued to taunt Xia Er via phone call in their dorm, prompting Xia Er to vow that she would uncover evidence of Nike's malicious actions. Chu Mingzhu called Xia Er home and insisted on taking her to see a psychologist. During the session, Xia Er fabricated a narrative of academic stress and the pressures of being Chu Yinyin.
The psychologist concluded that Xia Er was experiencing amnesia and a distinct change in personality, which was a normal response to her unique situation, suggesting that exploring past interests could aid memory recovery. Chu Mingzhu expressed her deep concern that years of cultivating Chu Yinyin's brilliance would be wasted if her daughter wasn't "cured" and restored to her former self, pleading with the doctor for a guaranteed outcome, though the doctor stated she could not promise specific results.
Privately, Xia Er reflected on her predicament, realizing she needed to fully embrace the role of Chu Yinyin and acknowledging Xu Konglin's support, determined not to let down the "real" Chu Yinyin. Meanwhile, Qi Xiao Er and Chu Yinyin went to the nursing home with the money Chu Yinyin had earned from tutoring to pay Mr. Xia's care fees.
To their surprise, the nurse informed them that Xia Er had already paid for the next six months during her previous visit. This news perplexed Qi Xiao Er, who wondered how Xia Er, with her existing debts to Liu Qiang, had managed to cover such a significant expense. During a remedial English lesson, Li Nike continued her torment, placing sticky notes on Xia Er's head for every incorrect answer.
When Teacher Lu discovered the sticky notes on Xia Er's head in class, she sternly criticized Xia Er for disrespecting classroom rules. Xu Konglin attempted to defend Xia Er, suggesting that unconventional learning methods could still be effective, but Teacher Lu redirected her criticism towards him as well. Seizing the opportunity, Li Nike announced that she was unable to effectively tutor Xia Er and would no longer provide remedial lessons.
Immediately, Xu Konglin volunteered to take over Xia Er's tutoring, much to Xia Er's delight. Elated, Xia Er orchestrated a formal "Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin Friendship Tutoring Signing of Contract Ceremony" on the rooftop. She presented Xu Konglin with a contract filled with what she playfully called "Princess clauses," which were effectively "tyrant clauses" from her perspective. The terms dictated daily reports, varied tutoring locations, and Xu Konglin being at her constant command.
If she failed a clause, he owed her one request; if he failed, he owed her two. Xu Konglin, recognizing the disadvantageous terms but doing it for Xia Er, signed the contract with a smile. During their first tutoring session, Xia Er found herself more captivated by Xu Konglin's handsome appearance than by the lesson.
She proposed a reward system: if she answered five questions correctly, he would take her to play the arcade claw machine, with no penalties for incorrect answers. Xu Konglin agreed. After two hours, Xia Er had completed ten questions, all of which were wrong, prompting Xu Konglin to joke about adding a punishment clause to their agreement.
Episode 14 Recap
Xu Konglin continued tutoring Xia Er. After two hours, Xia Er had only completed ten math problems, all of which were incorrect. Seeing her lack of progress, Xu Konglin decided to implement a punishment system, stating that Xia Er would not be allowed to speak until she answered a question correctly, a rule that took effect immediately.
Li Bai, who was also present, tried to distract Xia Er, making playful remarks about her being a cursed princess who needed a prince's kiss to speak. Despite his attempts, Xia Er remained silent, only revealing her motivation by writing it down: if she answered ten questions correctly, Xu Konglin would take her to the movies. Li Bai expressed his dismay at her seriousness, lamenting that she wasn't the carefree Chu Yinyin he once knew.
Xia Er, however, affirmed her happiness by writing it down. Meanwhile, other students gossiped about Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin going on a date, questioning if Chu Yinyin's amnesia was a pretense to gain advantages. Ni Ke, angered by Xu Konglin's willingness to tutor Xia Er, confronted him. She reminded him of how Chu Yinyin had previously treated him and the malicious posts she had made, asking why he would agree to help her.
Xu Konglin told Ni Ke to stop, acknowledging her concerns but explaining that he felt responsible if Chu Yinyin's past struggles were due to him. Since she seemed to have moved on, he felt he had nothing more to say. He understood Ni Ke's reluctance to help but stated that having made a promise, he would not give up easily and told her not to worry. Later, Xu Konglin took Xia Er to the cinema as a reward.
Xia Er was displeased that their seats weren't together, with an empty seat in between. Xu Konglin explained that these were the only seats available and reminded her the movie was an extra reward. To their surprise, Li Bai arrived with popcorn and sat in the empty seat between them, claiming he was just there to watch the movie. Annoyed, Xia Er cleverly switched seats with another moviegoer, successfully sitting next to Xu Konglin and leaving Li Bai frustrated.
During the screening of "Roman Holiday", Xia Er found herself uninterested and fell asleep, resting her head on Xu Konglin's shoulder with her arms around his neck, much to Li Bai's astonishment. After the movie, Xu Konglin woke her up. Xia Er, still full of energy, pulled him towards a nearby arcade. Xu Konglin expressed his surprise, noting that the "old Chu Yinyin" would not have enjoyed such activities.
Xia Er countered, explaining that since her memory loss, she felt life should have new meaning, seeking "excitement, energy, youth," and a "fabulous life" that she felt was missing before. She then challenged Xu Konglin to a game, proposing that if she won, he would have to cook her a meal at his home. Xu Konglin agreed, but with the condition that she first correctly answer twenty more questions.
Li Bai also joined their arcade games, but Xia Er ultimately won against Xu Konglin. Back in her dorm, Xia Er dedicated herself to studying, reciting phrases about the importance of academics. When her friend suggested she was doing it for Xu Konglin, Xia Er confirmed that she was determined to answer all twenty questions correctly so she could go to Xu Konglin's house and taste his cooking.
Other students were surprised, discussing if Chu Yinyin's answers were genuinely correct or if Xu Konglin simply said they were. One student urged Li Bai to intervene, likening him to a "third party for five hundred years" who should act like "Spiderman." Li Bai, realizing he had no plans for the weekend, decided to visit Xu Konglin's house himself. The next day, Xia Er proudly presented Xu Konglin with the twenty completed questions, all answered correctly.
True to his word, Xu Konglin invited her to his home for a meal that weekend, also giving her a notebook with answers, jokingly claiming it was for her to monitor his cooking. On the weekend, Xia Er arrived at Xu Konglin's house with a basket of imported fruits as a thank-you gift. She offered to help in the kitchen, mentioning her previous studies in culinary arts. Li Bai, having arrived uninvited earlier, was in the living room.
Xu Konglin's mother praised Xu Konglin for his diligence in cooking. In the kitchen, Xia Er observed Xu Konglin's cutting technique and offered to teach him proper knife work, boasting about her expertise from New Southern Vocational School. Li Bai then burst into the kitchen, criticized their cooking, and tried to take over.
Xu Konglin's father, seeing the potential for chaos, intervened, politely urging Li Bai to leave the kitchen as it was too crowded and instead inviting him to play video games with him and Xu Konglin's mother in the living room, knowing Xu Konglin wasn't interested in games. At the dinner table, Xu Konglin's parents praised the delicious meal, assuming Xia Er had cooked it.
Xia Er clarified that she had only cut the vegetables, but Xu Konglin's father insisted that her excellent cutting skills were the reason for the dishes' taste. Li Bai, however, tried to undermine her contribution, claiming the food was ordinary. He even tried to snatch food from Xu Konglin's plate, provoking a witty retort from Xu Konglin. Xu Konglin then subtly hinted that he and Xia Er needed to study, implying Li Bai should leave.
Xu Konglin's parents, eager to give their son and Xia Er some alone time, then insisted that Li Bai join them for more games, before politely sending him home, promising he could visit again when Chu Yinyin wasn't there. Later that evening, Xu Konglin tutored Xia Er in his room. While wiping spilled water from the table, Xia Er accidentally bumped into Xu Konglin, causing him to lose his balance.
In his attempt to steady himself, he inadvertently grabbed her bra strap, creating an intensely awkward moment for both of them. After the tutoring session, Xia Er prepared to leave, but Xu Konglin discovered the door lock was broken. His parents were out for the night and unreachable by phone. With no other option, Xu Konglin had to ask Xia Er to stay overnight.
Xia Er received a message from Xiao Mei, asking when she would be home, mentioning "the President is asking," to which Xia Er replied that she might be home late and her mother should go to sleep. Xu Konglin offered Xia Er his room and planned to sleep on the sofa. Before she went to bed, Xu Konglin tried to help Xia Er recover her memories by asking about her old hobbies like playing claw machines or watching specific movies.
Xia Er, however, spoke of her new interests in gaming and pop concerts, admitting she couldn't remember her past preferences. He played a melody, hoping to jog her memory, and Xia Er wondered if he was helping her search for forgotten experiences. She acknowledged that some memories might be painful but expressed a determination to uncover the truth. Xu Konglin questioned if she would forgive him if the "truth is because of me."
Xia Er, however, stated that she was content with her current life, surrounded by caring people and a loving mother. The next morning, Xia Er returned home and was severely reprimanded by her mother, Chu Mingzhu (Vice President Zhu), for staying overnight at a male classmate's house, especially one who was her rival. Chu Mingzhu also instructed Xiao Mei to write a self-reflection report for covering for Xia Er.
While acknowledging Xia Er's recent academic improvement, Chu Mingzhu emphasized the importance of proper conduct and warned her against such behavior in the future. At school, Miss Lu praised Chu Yinyin's improved grades. She then announced the upcoming annual school uniform competition, involving fifty schools, with the winner to be featured on the cover of "Youth Style" magazine. Miss Lu encouraged all students, particularly those in the experimental class, to participate, highlighting the importance of practical knowledge in foreign institutions.
Xia Er, feeling invigorated, expressed her keen interest in joining the competition. Meanwhile, Ni Ke, confident in her abilities, expressed her need for a strong partner and sincerely invited Chu Yinyin to team up with her. Ni Ke conveyed her remorse for past actions, suggesting that winning the competition could help "pave the way for you to study overseas" and clear her "debt." Xia Er considered this an opportunity to contribute to Chu Yinyin's future.
Separately, at New Southern Vocational School, Xiao Er, believing the current Chu Yinyin to be Xia Er (who was very skilled in design), unilaterally registered Chu Yinyin for the competition. Xia Er then approached Xu Konglin, asking him to participate in the competition with her. However, Xu Konglin informed her that she was "too late," as he had already promised to register with Ni Ke. He then asked Xia Er if she had any contacts in the fashion design industry, and surprisingly stated that he was "withdrawing from the competition."
Episode 15 Recap
Chu Yinyin, determined to win the upcoming school uniform competition, believed victory would help the original Chu Yinyin secure a direct admission to an Ivy League University. While she pondered inviting Xu Konglin to be her partner, Li Nike took the initiative, walking directly to Xu Konglin and proposing they team up.
Xu Konglin instinctively glanced at Chu Yinyin, prompting Li Nike to subtly advise him against bothering Chu Yinyin, claiming Chu Yinyin had more pressing academic matters and that the competition would be a "waste of time" if she couldn't even pass her exams. Li Nike's words infuriated Chu Yinyin, who angrily rose to leave the classroom, exclaiming, "What crappy school! Is good grades in school life’s only goal? Do grades mean everything!"
Li Bai quickly followed her, quipping about her "split personality" due to her amnesia. To cheer her up, he produced tickets to her favorite idol's concert. Initially hesitant, Chu Yinyin soon beamed with joy, grabbing Li Bai's arm and agreeing to go. This scene was witnessed by Xu Konglin, who had also followed Chu Yinyin out.
After the concert, Chu Yinyin and Li Bai, while at a restaurant, stumbled upon their school's Teacher Shi on a blind date with an older man. They covertly observed the scene, but upon realizing Teacher Shi had spotted them, they quickly made their escape to avoid a reprimand. The following day, news of Teacher Shi's unusual blind date had become rampant gossip throughout the Qing Teng Academy.
Meanwhile, a visibly jealous Xu Konglin approached Chu Yinyin, asking about the whereabouts of a necklace he had given her, implying his displeasure over her going to the concert with Li Bai. Chu Yinyin searched frantically but couldn't find it, recalling it must have fallen off at the restaurant when they rushed out. Unwilling to admit fault, Chu Yinyin defensively remarked that it was "not that expensive anyway."
This dismissive comment deeply wounded Xu Konglin, who was dismayed by her apparent lack of care. After school, he went alone to the restaurant and painstakingly searched until he found the lost necklace. However, feeling hurt and undervalued, he decided not to return it to Chu Yinyin, believing she hadn't cherished it. Later, Chu Yinyin sought out Xu Konglin, inviting him to join her in the school uniform design competition.
Still smarting from their earlier argument and her perceived nonchalance, a sulking Xu Konglin rejected her offer, stating he had already promised to partner with Li Nike. Chu Yinyin, unaware of the depth of his anger, was upset and accused him of being untrustworthy. During class, after Teacher Lu announced the rules for the school uniform design competition, Li Nike immediately declared that she and Xu Konglin would represent their class, confident they would win.
Xu Konglin remained silent, his gaze fixed on Chu Yinyin. Observing the situation, Teacher Lu looked at Chu Yinyin, wondering how she would react. Chu Yinyin stood up and announced her intention to participate in the competition alone. She explained that she wanted to use this opportunity to reconnect with her past self and prove her capabilities, rather than constantly relying on others. Li Bai, still hoping to partner with Chu Yinyin, approached Li Nike.
He suggested he could replace Xu Konglin as her partner, though Li Nike, seeing through his efforts to manipulate partners, scoffed that he was "foolish" for trying to set up Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin, and she scornfully rejected his proposal. Later, Xu Konglin attempted to offer discreet help to Chu Yinyin with her designs, but she firmly declined, reiterating her desire to win through her own efforts. This left Xu Konglin feeling dejected.
He later confronted Li Bai, accusing him of forcing Chu Yinyin to confront her memories and making her feel bad. He suggested that perhaps Chu Yinyin subconsciously wanted to forget the past and that he intended to understand her current needs rather than push her. Concurrently, at the New Southern Vocational School, Liu Qiang and Du Zizi showed significant improvement in their English, thanks to Chu Yinyin's tutoring. Liu Qiang even managed to secure an internship.
Du Zizi, who majored in fashion design, offered her expertise to Chu Yinyin to assist her with the school uniform project. Li Nike also leveraged her father's connections, asking him to arrange for professional fashion designers to assist her with her competition designs, justifying it by arguing for a guaranteed victory and its benefits for overseas university admissions.
Xu Konglin vehemently disapproved of her "deceitful" tactics, leading to further arguments about the integrity of the competition and the importance of winning fairly. Li Nike later found Chu Yinyin sketching design ideas alone in the classroom and approached her with sarcastic remarks, questioning her ability to handle the competition by herself.
Overhearing Li Nike's taunts, Xu Konglin, disgusted by her actions and wanting to spare Chu Yinyin further distress, intervened and declared his withdrawal from the competition, stating he refused to win through such "strategy." In response, Li Nike also withdrew from the competition, claiming she would stand by Xu Konglin. However, she maliciously confided in her friends that her real motivation was to see Chu Yinyin publicly embarrass herself.
Despite her internal turmoil and the mounting pressure, Chu Yinyin continued to work on her designs. When Li Bai once again tried to help by presenting her with his own design drafts, she found them terribly uninspired. Although she dismissed his artistic attempts, she grudgingly accepted his presence and implied she was open to his ideas, admitting her own current struggle with creative direction.
Episode 16 Recap
Xia Er, carrying a stack of design drafts, was hurrying back to her dormitory when Xu Konglin stopped her. He offered to be her partner for the school uniform competition, but Xia Er declined, explaining that it would be inappropriate for him to re-enter the competition after having already withdrawn. She stated her preference to complete the design herself. Back in the dormitory, Li Nike questioned Xia Er about participating alone and staying up late.
Xia Er provocatively mentioned that someone who had previously withdrawn from the competition had offered to help her, but she rejected him. Li Nike, sensing she was referring to Xu Konglin, scoffed at the idea. Xia Er then retorted, implying Li Nike's withdrawal due to lacking a partner was a shame, especially since Li Nike always aimed for first place.
During class, Xu Konglin stood up to ask Miss Lu if he could still join the school uniform competition to assist Chu Yinyin. However, Miss Lu informed him that the class would instead receive external help from their senior, Lin Jia Yi, who was returning to assist. This announcement sparked excitement among students, who lauded Lin Jia Yi's exceptional talents and achievements.
Li Nike, however, expressed her annoyance and jealousy that Chu Yinyin, whom she wished to see humiliated, was now receiving help from such an accomplished senior. Xu Konglin, upon hearing the news, felt a pang of nervousness, recalling how much the original Chu Yinyin had admired Lin Jia Yi. Lin Jia Yi arrived on campus to great fanfare, with students excitedly cheering and asking for autographs.
He greeted the principal and Miss Lu, who then introduced him to Xia Er, urging her to learn from the accomplished senior. Lin Jia Yi recognized Xia Er as Chu Yinyin, reminding her of their past experiences together at a UN Youth Forum, a summer camp, and a trip to Africa. Miss Lu intervened, explaining Chu Yinyin's memory loss. Xia Er, pretending to be Chu Yinyin, apologized for not remembering but later claimed to recall him from photographs.
Lin Jia Yi expressed happiness to compete with her and confidence in winning. Privately, Xia Er mused about Chu Yinyin's incredible luck, being surrounded by so many handsome men and having shared so much history with Lin Jia Yi. Meanwhile, Li Bai caught Xu Konglin secretly browsing Lin Jia Yi's Weibo, observing his immense popularity.
Xu Konglin admitted Lin Jia Yi was talented and likely to win the competition with Chu Yinyin, but he avoided going to the library where they were, stating he didn't want to disturb them. The arrival of Lin Jia Yi stirred a sense of crisis in both Xu Konglin and Li Bai, prompting them to form a united front against him. Xu Konglin later approached Xia Er, who was carrying a stack of documents.
He offered to help, but she declined. He expressed concern that she might neglect her studies due to the competition, and questioned if she and Lin Jia Yi had maintained contact, noting what he perceived as her "look of admiration" for him. Xia Er playfully asked if he was jealous, which he denied, claiming he was merely offering "kind advice." He then insisted that their tutoring sessions must continue, and he would check her progress daily.
Xia Er privately acknowledged Chu Yinyin's enviable position, with handsome men vying for her attention and expressing jealousy. She resolved that after the school uniform competition, she would return Chu Yinyin's identity, feeling that maintaining the deception any longer would cause her emotional distress. Meanwhile, at New Southern Vocational School, Xia Er's friends encouraged her to participate in a competition, hoping it would boost her popularity and help her repay her debt to Liu Qiang.
Xia Er submitted an apron design she called "Elves Cape," which was met with enthusiastic, if dramatic, interpretations by her friends. Mr. Zhu, impressed by the design, selected it to represent their school in the competition, aiming to get Xia Er through the qualifying rounds to the city finals. Back at Qing Teng, Xia Er and Lin Jia Yi worked late in the library, discussing designs.
Lin Jia Yi critiqued Xia Er's initial ideas, suggesting her memory loss had impacted her design sensibility, before showing her his own impressive concepts. Xia Er complimented his talent, and he remarked on her increased cheerfulness and confidence. Xu Konglin, after trying to reach Xia Er by text, arrived at the library, followed by Li Bai. Both expressed concern that Xia Er was neglecting her studies for the competition, with Li Bai openly accusing Xu Konglin of jealousy.
Despite Xia Er's promise to make up for tutoring, Xu Konglin and Li Bai insisted that grades were paramount, emphasizing their past efforts to help her. Lin Jia Yi countered that they should support Chu Yinyin in pursuing her passions, as creativity brought her joy. Xia Er sided with Lin Jia Yi, telling Xu Konglin and Li Bai they were interfering and should leave so she could focus on the competition, promising to double her efforts in her studies.
After Xu Konglin and Li Bai left, Lin Jia Yi told Xia Er that she had changed significantly from her past self. Xia Er attributed this to her memory loss. Lin Jia Yi acknowledged the rumors about her being troublesome, but assured her it was "nothing wrong with opening up another phase of your life" and found her "even cuter than the you in the past." Xu Konglin and Li Bai later discussed their predicament.
Li Bai dramatically described Lin Jia Yi's arrival as a "third tiger" or "wolf" entering their "mountain," suggesting that despite their rivalry, they should unite to protect their territory. Xu Konglin dismissed the idea of Li Bai as an opponent. Li Bai then expressed concern that Chu Yinyin's admiration for Lin Jia Yi might evolve into love, especially given her memory loss and potential infatuation. Xu Konglin, visibly uncomfortable, abruptly ended the conversation and went home.
Campus rumors about Lin Jia Yi and Chu Yinyin began to spread, with photos and videos circulating online. Students joked about "old love reviving" and "love sparks," noting Chu Yinyin's excitement to work with her idol. Li Nike, overhearing the conversation, sarcastically commented that if there were "sparks," they would surely win the award, then questioned if Xu Konglin believed such "ridiculous rumors."
Later, on the playground, as Xu Konglin and Li Nike were talking, Lin Jia Yi and Xia Er walked by. Li Nike offered Xu Konglin a soda in his favorite flavor, which he conspicuously accepted, hoping to draw Xia Er's attention. Seeing through Xu Konglin's attempt to provoke Xia Er, Lin Jia Yi deliberately invited her to a romantic dessert shop, and she readily accepted.
Afterwards, Yuan Ye confronted Xu Konglin, accusing him of using Li Nike and warning him not to involve others in his relationship issues with Chu Yinyin. Yuan Ye explicitly stated he had no respect for Xu Konglin's actions as a man. During a discussion about designs, Xia Er mentioned that Xu Konglin looked great in sports uniforms, prompting Lin Jia Yi to offer himself as a model.
Later, Lin Jia Yi challenged Xu Konglin to a basketball game, with Li Bai joining them. After a competitive match that ended in a draw, the three went to a bar. As Li Bai got heavily drunk, Lin Jia Yi observed that both Xu Konglin and Li Bai were hesitant to act on their feelings.
Lin Jia Yi then revealed to a stunned Xu Konglin that he had quit his overseas studies to start his own successful accessories brand, called "Unforgettable," whose pendants are named after emotions. He explained that Chu Yinyin's words, encouraging him to pursue his dreams and "not leave yourself with regrets," inspired his decision.
Lin Jia Yi urged Xu Konglin to reflect on his own potential regrets, hinting at his feelings for Chu Yinyin, before he took charge of the unconscious Li Bai. Driven by Lin Jia Yi's encouragement and his own drunken state, Xu Konglin went to the girls' dormitory and loudly called for Chu Yinyin.
When Xia Er came down, he tearfully apologized for his past actions, admitting his anger and sadness stemmed from how much he cared for her, and earnestly asked to start over. He then placed a necklace around her neck, emphasizing its significance to their shared memories.
As Xu Konglin leaned in to kiss her, Xia Er's internal thoughts warred; she longed to accept but reminded herself that he loved the original Chu Yinyin, not her, and that this situation was too dangerous. She pushed him away, resolving to return to New Southern Vocational School. Unbeknownst to them, Li Nike watched the entire exchange from her window, her jealousy intensifying as she vowed to deal ruthlessly with Chu Yinyin.
The next morning, Li Bai confronted Xia Er, asking if anything had happened with Xu Konglin, who was drunk and had seemingly looked for her. Xia Er feigned ignorance, and Li Bai revealed that Lin Jia Yi was the one who had encouraged them to drink. Li Bai, suspecting Xia Er was hiding something, pressed her for details, but she maintained that she and Xu Konglin were merely "ordinary classmates."
Episode 17 Recap
Xu Konglin, still hoping to help Xia Er recover her memories, took her to an amusement park. After riding a roller coaster, a visibly tired Xu Konglin checked on Xia Er, who was energetic and teased him for being scared of heights. He reminisced about a time when Chu Yinyin wanted to ride the roller coaster but ultimately backed out because of his own fear. Xu Konglin explained his intention was to revisit past experiences that might trigger her memory.
Xia Er confirmed she still couldn't recall anything. He tenderly told her not to be too hard on herself and that he was willing to do anything to help her. Internally, Xia Er felt a pang of sadness, realizing that Xu Konglin only wished for the return of the real Chu Yinyin, and she feared his reaction if he discovered her true identity.
Later, Xia Er and Lin Jiayi worked late into the night on their designs in a meeting room. When Xia Er tried to return to her dormitory, she found the door locked from the inside, forcing her to spend the night with Lin Jiayi in the meeting room. The next morning, Li Nike led a group of classmates, including Xu Konglin, to the meeting room.
She loudly questioned Chu Yinyin’s absence, speculating that she was avoiding submitting her work, then dramatically feigned shock upon finding Xia Er and Lin Jiayi asleep inside. This public display caused Xu Konglin to feel a surge of jealousy. Convinced that Li Nike was behind the incident, Li Bai confronted her, accusing her of deliberately locking Xia Er and Lin Jiayi in the room. Li Nike denied it, sarcastically suggesting they were simply too dedicated to their competition work.
Li Bai warned her to stop targeting Xia Er, but Li Nike retorted that his and Xu Konglin's interference would only make her intensify her efforts, vowing to make "Chu Yinyin" lose everything if they continued to get involved. Li Bai insisted she stop playing tricks, to which Li Nike defiantly told him to worry about his "Chu Yinyin." Li Bai later found Xia Er on the rooftop, deep in thought.
He told Xia Er to confide in him if she was unhappy, revealing that he liked the current Xia Er. He urged her to live for herself, not for Chu Yinyin, and offered to be the first person she could confide in if she had any secrets, promising to protect her. Xia Er initially dismissed his words, claiming her amnesia meant she had no secrets.
Li Bai, however, reassured her that he didn't care about her past or "what kind of Chu Yinyin" she might be, only the person standing before him, and vowed to protect her from Li Nike. Moved by his sincerity, Xia Er finally revealed her true identity, confessing that she was Xia Er, an orphan from New Southern Vocational School, and not Chu Yinyin.
Li Bai, though surprised, accepted her revelation and playfully acknowledged his "win" over Xu Konglin by being privy to her secret first, promising to keep it confidential. Xia Er then shared more details of her past, including how her adoptive mother, Chu Mingzhu, once arranged a DNA test which revealed that Xia Er was not an orphan but had a biological mother and a twin sister who looked identical to her.
Despite this, she still felt abandoned by her biological mother, though she had decided to let go of the resentment, grateful for her supportive friends and her caring "dad." She reiterated her plan to return Chu Yinyin’s life to her after the school uniform competition and go back to her own world.
Li Bai then delivered a shocking truth: Chu Mingzhu's actual blood type indicated that neither Xia Er nor the original Chu Yinyin were Chu Mingzhu's biological daughters, explaining that he and Xu Konglin had lied earlier to protect her. Xia Er realized that the real Chu Yinyin must have learned this from Li Nike, leading her to leave home, and confirmed that the real Chu Yinyin had amnesia and was living a simple, happy life with Xia Er's friends.
Enraged, Xia Er condemned Li Nike's malicious actions. Li Bai cautioned her to remain calm, improve her ability to maintain her cover, and keep her identity a secret from Xu Konglin until they could uncover the full truth behind Chu Yinyin's disappearance and memory loss. He assured Xia Er he would handle Li Nike and encouraged her to focus on winning the competition. The final list for the school uniform competition was announced.
Xia Er and Lin Jiayi successfully qualified from Qing Teng International. Li Bai and Xia Er noticed "Xia Er" from New Southern Vocational School also made the finals, confirming it was the real Chu Yinyin. Li Nike also saw the list, and she and her classmates discussed their surprise at a vocational school qualifying, suspecting foul play.
At New Southern Vocational School, Teacher Zhu announced that "Xia Er" (the real Chu Yinyin) had successfully qualified for the school uniform competition finals and would represent their school at Qing Teng. He also mentioned that winning could secure her a chance to study at Qing Teng International School. Chu Yinyin found the name "Qing Teng International School" familiar but couldn't recall why.
Lin Jiayi informed Xu Konglin that he was leaving the country and that Chu Yinyin would need a new partner for the competition, implicitly suggesting Xu Konglin help her. Xu Konglin noted he had already withdrawn from the competition. Meanwhile, Li Nike overheard their conversation and angrily confronted Xu Konglin, questioning why he would consider helping Chu Yinyin when he wouldn't help her. She vowed to cause Chu Yinyin public humiliation.
Following this, Li Nike was seen secretly photographing Xia Er's design drafts. Li Nike then anonymously sent these stolen designs to Chu Yinyin at New Southern Vocational School. Chu Yinyin initially found the designs uninteresting but decided to modify them, impressed by their underlying creativity. Her friends, Qi Xiao Er and Leng Shao, and other students, praised her improved designs.
Witnessing this, Li Bai, who had secretly arrived at New Southern and observed the striking resemblance between Chu Yinyin and Xia Er, resolved to prevent the two from meeting. He disguised himself as a pop star, "Li Tie Zhu" (White Li), and announced auditions for a music video to distract Chu Yinyin. Despite his persistent attempts, Chu Yinyin remained focused on the school uniform competition, uninterested in his offer, and left to refine her designs further.
Episode 18 Recap
On the playground, Xu Konglin informed Xia Er that he wanted to help her with the upcoming competition. Xia Er agreed, but a wave of disappointment washed over her, knowing that Xu Konglin’s true motivation for helping was Chu Yinyin. Despite her feelings, Xia Er and Xu Konglin began to dedicate themselves fully to preparing for the finals. Meanwhile, Nicole waited for Xu Konglin at the basketball court, but after a long wait, she only encountered Yuan Ye.
Yuan Ye advised Nicole to give up her pursuit of Xu Konglin, suggesting that if she let go early, it would be better for her. However, Nicole was resolute, stating that she would not abandon her feelings because she refused to lose to Chu Yinyin. In an effort to help Xia Er, Li Bai traveled alone to New Southern Vocational School. There, he was stunned to see Chu Yinyin, who looked exactly like Xia Er.
Upon his return, Li Bai told Xia Er about his visit. Eager to know about Chu Yinyin’s situation at New Southern, Xia Er pressed him for details. Li Bai, however, presented a condition: he would only share the information if Xia Er publicly confessed her feelings for him in class.
Though she felt he was taking advantage of the situation, Xia Er, desperate for news of Chu Yinyin, stood before her classmates and declared Li Bai her "god," causing a ripple of murmurs and surprise throughout the classroom. Xu Konglin, shocked by the declaration, confronted Li Bai after class. Li Bai, in a playful manner, simply stated that Xia Er had developed a crush on him.
Xu Konglin, exasperated, asked Li Bai to stop messing around, especially with the competition at a critical stage. Li Bai brushed off the accusation, clarifying that he wasn't the one causing trouble like Lin Jiayi. He then offered his assistance to Xu Konglin, recognizing Chu Yinyin’s importance to their competition. When Xu Konglin questioned how much help he could offer, Li Bai confidently responded, "More than you can ever imagine," and they struck a deal.
Later, Teacher Zhu, along with Xiao Er and Chu Yinyin, arrived at Qing Teng International School for the competition finals. As Chu Yinyin entered the campus, she felt a profound sense of familiarity with the place, though she couldn't recall specifics. Other students passing by recognized Chu Yinyin and wondered why she was with such an unusual group of people.
Around this time, Lin Jiayi, who was preparing to return abroad, met with Xu Konglin and asked him to help Xia Er with the competition. Nicole overheard their conversation and, overcome by jealousy, began to plot again. She secretly photographed Xia Er's design plans from Teacher Lu's office and anonymously sent them to the real Chu Yinyin at New Southern Vocational School.
Unaware of the true origin of the designs, Chu Yinyin, along with Xiao Er and Leng Shao, were impressed by their creativity. Backstage, Chu Yinyin and her team changed into their competition outfits. As Chu Yinyin went to the restroom, Xu Konglin spotted her. He started to follow, but Xia Er intercepted him, pulling him away. Xu Konglin was perplexed by Xia Er’s appearance, as she seemed to have changed outfits in a remarkably short time.
Li Bai, roaming backstage, encountered Chu Yinyin. Concerned that her presence would expose Xia Er’s impersonation, he deceived Chu Yinyin by claiming he wanted to explain something and led her to a basement room. Despite Chu Yinyin’s pleas and demands to be released, Li Bai locked her inside, apologizing as he did so. From inside, Chu Yinyin repeatedly called for help, asking who was doing this to her.
The uniform show commenced, and Xia Er, impersonating Chu Yinyin, walked to the waiting area with Xu Konglin. During her walk on the stage, Xia Er kept her head down, feeling a surge of guilt upon seeing Xiao Er and anticipating the presence of Teacher Zhu and Fei Fei in the audience. Teacher Lu, seeing Xia Er's demeanor, grew concerned about her strange behavior.
Onlookers in the audience also questioned "Chu Yin Yin's" strange behavior and expressed concern that she was damaging their school's image. Xu Konglin noticed her discomfort and asked if she was feeling unwell. Internally, Xia Er panicked, convinced that her identity would be exposed and she would be utterly humiliated. Xu Konglin tried to reassure her, telling her not to stress too much and that winning wasn’t everything. Meanwhile, Teacher Zhu learned that Chu Yinyin was missing.
He instructed Xiao Er and Da Biao to hold the stage while he, Fei Fei, and Only went to search for her. Following Chu Yinyin’s cries for help, they eventually located her in the basement. Relieved to be found, Chu Yinyin immediately rushed to the competition venue, determined not to miss her opportunity.
In the Qing Teng resting room, Xia Er, still impersonating Chu Yinyin, was awaiting the final segment of the competition, where contestants were to elaborate on their design concepts. Overwhelmed by the impending exposure of her identity, Xia Er decided to escape. In her thoughts, she expressed deep regret, apologizing to Chu Yinyin for potentially ruining things, despite her original intention to help her win.
When Xu Konglin offered encouragement, telling her he would always be by her side and that winning wasn't everything, Xia Er thought, "What do you even know? What happens next can end my life. Not good! I must leave!" Feigning nervousness, she asked to use the toilet. As she made her exit, she internally bid farewell to Xu Konglin, hoping they wouldn't meet again.
Episode 19 Recap
Fearing her identity as Chu Yinyin would be revealed, Xia Er attempted to flee the competition backstage. She told Ms. Shi that she wanted to withdraw due to nervousness, but Ms. Shi insisted she continue, reminding her of the critical stage of the competition. Xu Konglin also urged those backstage to hurry to the stage. The emcee then introduced "Xia Er" from New Southern Vocational School, who was the real Chu Yinyin, to present her design concept.
Chu Yinyin confidently explained her sportswear, highlighting its innovative design that moved beyond traditional athletic wear to be suitable for casual outings, using unique colors and polyester fabric to increase texture. Xu Konglin, watching her from the side, found her voice and presence deeply familiar, leading him to strongly suspect she was the real Chu Yinyin. When it was Qing Teng International School's turn, Xia Er, posing as Chu Yinyin, was called to the stage.
Realizing her deception was about to be revealed, she reluctantly began her presentation, initially keeping her head down and refusing to speak before eventually lifting her head. As she spoke, the audio system suddenly went haywire. Backstage, Li Bai, witnessing the real Chu Yinyin's appearance on stage, had intentionally pulled the audio plugs, causing chaos. The sound returned, and Xia Er continued to stammer through her explanation.
The audience and the emcee were visibly stunned, with the emcee even joking about having a pair of twins present at the competition. The crowd erupted in chatter, and Chu Yinyin herself was shocked to see her doppelganger. Following the commotion, school officials expressed their anger at the unprecedented situation. Xu Konglin immediately confronted Xia Er, demanding to know the identity of the girl who looked exactly like her. Xia Er offered an apology.
Li Bai attempted to intervene and calm Xu Konglin, but Xu Konglin, consumed by anger, brushed him aside. He then sought out the real Chu Yinyin, who was with Leng Shao and Xiao Er. Chu Yinyin's teacher, Mr. Zhu, went to inquire about the situation with Qing Teng's teachers. Leng Shao protectively confronted Xu Konglin when he tried to speak to Chu Yinyin, warning him to stay away from "his woman."
Xu Konglin, however, insisted on clearing things up and brought Chu Yinyin to face Xia Er. Xia Er tearfully admitted that she was Xia Er from New Southern and that the amnesiac girl was the true Chu Yinyin. Chu Yinyin, confused by the revelation, insisted that "she" was Xia Er and could not recall anything about being Chu Yinyin due to her amnesia.
Xia Er tried to explain that she had accidentally switched identities with Chu Yinyin, but an enraged Xu Konglin accused her of deceiving everyone and demanded to know the real reason behind Chu Yinyin's amnesia, dismissing her apology and "accidental switch" explanation. Li Bai again tried to defend Xia Er, but Xu Konglin vehemently told him to stay out of their business. Both Xia Er and Chu Yinyin were brought to the principal's office.
The principal, recognizing the gravity of the situation, decided to contact Chu Mingzhu. Upon arrival, Chu Mingzhu first encountered Xia Er outside the office, mistaking her for her adopted daughter and assuming she was in trouble. However, when she entered and saw the real Chu Yinyin, she was visibly stunned by the identical appearance of the two girls.
Chu Mingzhu then revealed that Chu Yinyin was not her biological daughter; she had adopted her from an orphanage when Chu Yinyin was six months old and had no knowledge of a twin or any other biological family. She also confirmed that she had never seen Xia Er before. The school also confirmed that Xia Er was an orphan, raised by a foster father who now lived in a retirement home.
Faced with this astonishing revelation, Chu Mingzhu decided to take both girls home for a period to live together and arranged for them to undergo DNA testing to confirm if they were indeed twins. Chu Yinyin’s teacher, Mr. Zhu, also encouraged Xia Er to go with Chu Mingzhu. Meanwhile, Xiao Er approached Xia Er, initially confused about her true identity given the recent events.
To convince her, Xia Er accurately recited several intimate details about Xiao Er's habits and preferences, including her love for lamb kidneys, her chosen hair salon, and her infrequent sock-washing routine. Convinced, Xiao Er finally recognized her friend. Xia Er then pleaded with Xiao Er to keep her identity a secret. Chu Yinyin and Xia Er then went to Chu Mingzhu's home. Chu Mingzhu, treating both girls with care, gave them a tour.
In the study, Chu Yinyin's eyes fell upon a wall adorned with countless awards and trophies. As Chu Mingzhu proudly explained that these were all Chu Yinyin's achievements, a wave of emotion washed over Chu Yinyin. She broke down in tears, proclaiming that she always knew she was outstanding and not useless, a powerful realization of her true self. Outside, Xia Er, witnessing Chu Yinyin's distress, felt a pang of guilt and anxiety.
She called Li Bai, questioning if she should finally confess her true identity to Chu Mingzhu. Li Bai, however, persuaded her to stay, arguing that Chu Yinyin's amnesia was likely caused by an assault, and Xia Er, as her sister, should remain to uncover the truth and be with her newfound family.
Episode 20 Recap
Xu Konglin was tormented by memories of his last interaction with Xia Er. He recalled how, in a drunken state, he had tried to kiss her, only for her to push him away, intending to reveal the truth about her amnesia, a truth he hadn't listened to at the time. Feeling distraught, he left his home and went to Chu Yinyin's house. At the Chu residence, Xia Er called out Chu Yinyin, asking how she had been.
Previously, Xiao Mei had noticed a change in Chu Yinyin (the real one, whom Xiao Mei had previously known as Xia Er), remarking that she seemed more like her former self than her current persona, more like the "sister from before." Chu Yinyin, now having recovered her memories, acknowledged that the style of her room was exactly what she liked, explaining why everything at Xin Nan Fang School had felt so out of place.
Shortly after, Xu Konglin arrived to confront Xia Er. Li Bai interceded, defending Xia Er as she explained that she had been forced into the deception by circumstances and hadn't intended to trick anyone. Xu Konglin, however, was angry and demanded to see Chu Yinyin. Since he didn't have Chu Yinyin's number, Xia Er called her out. When Chu Yinyin appeared, Xu Konglin asked if she remembered him.
She hesitated, then said she had seen him in a picture at home and asked if they were classmates, indicating her memory loss still affected their past connection. The next day, Xia Er and Chu Yinyin decided it was time to reveal the full truth to Chu Mingzhu. Chu Mingzhu, who had just received a call from Dr. Liu confirming that Xia Er and Chu Yinyin were identical twins, was overjoyed, though the question of who was older remained.
Xia Er then took Chu Mingzhu aside and confessed that she was not Chu Yinyin. Chu Mingzhu was shocked and cried, asking if the person inside was her real daughter, Chu Yinyin. Xia Er apologized for the deception, and Chu Mingzhu, after overcoming her initial shock, expressed gratitude to Xia Er. She admitted that she had been too busy with work in the past and hadn't been attentive to Chu Yinyin, who was introverted and not very close to her.
Chu Mingzhu said that the lively and optimistic Xia Er had brought her much happiness. Xia Er then expressed her desire to return to Xin Nan Fang School, but Chu Mingzhu insisted that since they were biological sisters, both of them should stay with her, to which Xia Er agreed. Chu Mingzhu then tearfully embraced Chu Yinyin, relieved to have her daughter back.
Chu Yinyin, known for her strict and meticulous nature, soon found herself at odds with Xia Er's more carefree and messy habits. She sent Xia Er a series of messages, instructing her to put things back after use, squeeze toothpaste from the bottom, close the toilet lid, and dispose of junk food wrappers in the trash. Xia Er found these directives bothersome and felt Chu Yinyin was overly controlling.
That night, Chu Mingzhu shared a bed with Chu Yinyin, recounting the story of Snow White, a favorite from Chu Yinyin’s childhood. Chu Yinyin, however, didn't remember it, causing Chu Mingzhu to realize the extent of her daughter's memory loss and how much she must have suffered. Xia Er and Chu Yinyin hosted a farewell dinner for their friends from Xin Nan Fang, including Xiao Er and Leng Shao, as Xia Er was temporarily staying in Qing Teng.
Xiao Er explained the complex situation to a bewildered Leng Shao, clarifying that the identities of the twins had been switched. During the dinner, the twins playfully debated who was the older sister. Chu Yinyin insisted she was, citing her maturity. They settled the dispute with a game of rock-paper-scissors, which Chu Yinyin won, much to her smug satisfaction, though Xia Er conceded that the title didn't matter.
Everyone expressed their sadness at the upcoming separation, promising to stay in touch. Later, Chu Mingzhu accompanied Chu Yinyin to meet Principal Zhang at Qing Teng International School. Not wishing to delve into the intricate details of their identity switch, Chu Mingzhu asked for Chu Yinyin to transfer to Qing Teng, temporarily using Xia Er’s identity.
Principal Zhang, impressed by Chu Yinyin's academic record at Xin Nan Fang (referring to her achievements under the identity of Xia Er), agreed but stipulated that she must pass an entrance exam and rank within the top fifteen to be accepted. Chu Yinyin confidently accepted the challenge. On the way to school, Nicole confronted the real Xia Er about her deception regarding the identity switch, but Xu Konglin intervened.
He then noticed the necklace the real Xia Er was wearing and asked about it. Xia Er explained that she had found it, but Xu Konglin corrected her, stating that it was a unique, custom-made piece he had given to Chu Yinyin. Feeling accused of stealing, Xia Er angrily removed the necklace and returned it to him before storming off. Xu Konglin, troubled by these developments, returned home and discussed the situation with his parents.
His mother and father immediately began arguing over which twin would be a better match for him, much to Xu Konglin's exasperation. Meanwhile, Xiao Mei observed a significant change in Chu Yinyin. The once picky Chu Yinyin was now much more easygoing, even accepting dishes she previously disliked. Chu Mingzhu also noticed this newfound openness in her daughter. Xu Konglin later met Chu Yinyin and returned the necklace to her.
Chu Yinyin recognized it but couldn't recall its history or the depth of her past relationship with Xu Konglin, only feeling a vague sense of familiarity. When she asked if they were close, Xu Konglin gently told her they were "great friends." Confused, Chu Yinyin sought out Xia Er and asked about Xu Konglin. Xia Er truthfully told her, "He likes you." Chu Yinyin admitted she didn't remember but wanted to understand clearly. She decided to focus on her upcoming exam, not wanting to be distracted.
Episode 21 Recap
With the upcoming transfer exam looming, Xia Er felt embarrassed to ask Chu Yinyin for help but did so anyway, seeking tutoring. Chu Yinyin, having previously spent time at New Southern, bluntly stated that she knew Xia Er's academic level and believed it would be difficult for her to catch up even if she returned to classes now. Chu Yinyin also expressed her fondness for New Southern's academic environment, considering it a relaxing and excellent place.
The next day, the Qing Teng Academy transfer exam took place. Xia Er, taking the exam under Chu Yinyin's name, struggled immensely and could not answer any questions. In stark contrast, Chu Yinyin, taking the exam under Xia Er's name, performed flawlessly. The school principal and faculty were impressed by "Xia Er's" perfect score. As a result, Chu Yinyin, identified as "Xia Er" on the exam papers, earned first place and was readmitted to the experimental class.
Meanwhile, Xia Er, identified as "Chu Yinyin," scored last and was transferred to the ordinary class. Teacher Lü accompanied Chu Yinyin, identified as "Xia Er," to the experimental class, while a disheartened Xia Er, identified as "Chu Yinyin," packed her belongings for the ordinary class. On her way out, Xia Er stumbled and fell. Although Chu Yinyin felt sympathy for her sister, she understood that she couldn't change the school's rules.
Upon arriving in the ordinary class, Xia Er, identified as "Chu Yinyin," faced immediate ostracism from her new classmates. The students were upset about someone from the experimental class being "demoted" to their ranks and loudly declared their intention to unite against such individuals. Xia Er internally groaned, anticipating another difficult struggle. Displeased with Xia Er's transfer to the ordinary class, Li Bai approached the principal, insisting on transferring to the ordinary class himself.
He argued that he wasn't suited for the experimental class and didn't intend to compete for the special quota to Evergreen University, as he planned to study overseas after a year. Despite the principal's initial reluctance to change school rules, Li Bai's persistence eventually led to his request being granted. Later, Xu Konglin took Chu Yinyin to the basketball court, hoping to trigger her memories.
As Chu Yinyin watched Xu Konglin play, she began to recall snippets of the past, including an instance where she wiped sweat from his face on the court. However, their moment was interrupted by Teacher Shi, who sternly reminded Xu Konglin that while she wouldn't interfere with his past relationship with Chu Yinyin, "Xia Er" (referring to Chu Yinyin currently posing as Xia Er) was Chu Yinyin's twin.
She blamed Xu Konglin for causing "Chu Yinyin's" (the real Xia Er's) grades to plummet and her subsequent transfer to the ordinary class. Having successfully transferred to the ordinary class, Li Bai sought information from Xia Er about the location of her foster father, Xia Jianguo's, nursing home. That weekend, he quietly visited the nursing home, hoping to learn more about Chu Yinyin and Xia Er's past from Xia Jianguo.
However, Xia Jianguo's dementia was severe, and his confused responses, claiming to have "three" or even "four" children when asked if he picked up one or two, provided no useful information, leaving Li Bai empty-handed. That evening, at home, the usually meticulous Chu Yinyin (still posing as Xia Er) became irritated by Xia Er's (still posing as Chu Yinyin) messy room. She criticized Xia Er for her lack of progress and untidy habits.
A dejected Xia Er jumped off her bed, proclaiming that she was simply not as outstanding as Chu Yinyin. Chu Yinyin, a bit speechless, then asked about her amnesia. Xia Er then shared her findings, presenting a malicious Weibo post and asserting that Li Nike was the primary suspect behind Chu Yinyin's memory loss and departure. Xia Er pointed out that only Li Nike would have known the personal content posted on Chu Yinyin's Weibo.
The identical appearance of Xia Er and Chu Yinyin continued to cause confusion on campus, even for close friends like Li Bai and Xu Konglin. To help distinguish them, Li Bai had an idea and gave Xia Er a blue hair clip, remarking that the color suited her independent and unique personality, and it would ensure people no longer mistook her for Chu Yinyin.
Despite their earlier argument, Xia Er sent a text message to Chu Yinyin late that night, apologizing for impersonating her. She explained her desperate circumstances, including her academic struggles, accumulated debts, and the need to care for her father, stating she had no choice but to make those decisions and never intended to steal Chu Yinyin's life. Chu Yinyin, not truly angry, reflected on her own shortcomings and sent an apology back to Xia Er via text.
Meanwhile, Xia Jianguo's dementia worsened, and he wandered off from the nursing home. Xia Er's friend, Xiao'er, received a phone call notifying her of his disappearance and immediately rushed out with Leng Shao and other friends to search for him. Late that night, Xia Er received a threatening email, which she realized was intended for Chu Yinyin. The sender accused Chu Yinyin of being too outstanding, thereby hindering their own chances of securing a direct admission spot to Evergreen University.
The email warned Chu Yinyin not to become too complacent. After a night-long search, Xiao'er and Leng Shao finally located Xia Jianguo and safely returned him to the nursing home. Xia Er forwarded the threatening email to Xu Konglin. He and Li Bai discussed the situation, concluding that the sender must be someone among the top ten students vying for the coveted spot.
They also considered the possibility that the sender was intentionally trying to create conflict between the sisters out of jealousy. In the cafeteria, Li Nike feigned concern and tried to gauge Chu Yinyin's reaction to the email. She pretended to be friends with "Xia Er" (the real Chu Yinyin), pushing food towards her and expressing sympathy for "Yin Yin" (the real Xia Er) being a victim of the intense quota competition.
Chu Yinyin, however, saw through Li Nike's disingenuous behavior and decided to play along to uncover her true intentions. Believing Li Nike was behind the threatening email, Xu Konglin confronted her, urging her to stop targeting Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. He emphasized that the sisters should be left alone. Li Nike, however, refused to back down, questioning Xu Konglin's concern for the twins and claiming she was simply trying to make new friends.
Xu Konglin warned her against any ulterior motives with Xia Er, but his intervention only intensified Li Nike's jealousy towards the sisters. Following the exam and class changes, Chu Yinyin's mother, Chu Mingzhu, asked her (the real Chu Yinyin, posing as Xia Er) via a phone call if she was settling well at school. Chu Yinyin assured her mother she could take care of herself.
Chu Mingzhu, feeling the house was too empty, instructed Xiao Mei to pack Chu Yinyin's luggage, indicating that Chu Yinyin would be moving into the dorms. Simultaneously, Xia Er (the real Xia Er, posing as Chu Yinyin) also moved into the dorms and received a warm welcome from her new roommates, Wang Tingting and Li Xiao Mi, who admired her academic attitude (believing her to be Chu Yinyin).
Li Nike later presented Wang Tingting and Li Xiao Mi with VIP concert tickets, seemingly using them to subtly isolate Xia Er. Li Bai then confronted Li Nike, who was arguing with her mother on the phone about switching schools. Li Bai questioned her sudden closeness with Xia Er and her long-standing animosity towards Chu Yinyin. Li Nike retorted that everyone has a past they wish to keep private, implying that Li Bai also had secrets.
Episode 22 Recap
Li Nike, having recently sustained an injury while saving Chu Yinyin, found herself at the center of a misunderstanding. When Xia Er learned of Li Nike's injury, she cynically suggested that Li Nike was merely feigning suffering to garner sympathy. Chu Yinyin, however, defended Li Nike, urging Xia Er to not always assume the worst of people. This sparked a heated argument between the twin sisters.
Feeling deeply wronged by Chu Yinyin's suspicion that she was deliberately causing trouble and stealing the limelight, Xia Er declared that she would no longer involve herself in Chu Yinyin's affairs. Li Nike, observing their quarrel, smiled subtly, pleased that her plan was unfolding as intended, then hypocritically advised Xia Er not to take Chu Yinyin's words to heart, offering her own made-up reasons for Chu Yinyin's frustration, suggesting it stemmed from jealousy over her transfer to the normal class.
Meanwhile, Li Bai was embroiled in a dispute with his mother, who wanted him to transfer schools. He confided in Xu Konglin, explaining his reluctance to leave Qing Teng because of the people he cared about there. Feeling dejected and needing to distance himself from his mother, Li Bai asked to stay at Xu Konglin's house. Although Xu Konglin initially declined, he eventually agreed.
At Xu Konglin's home, Li Bai was welcomed warmly by Xu Konglin's parents, who openly admired Li Bai's outgoing personality and encouraged Xu Konglin to learn from him. Annoyed by the comparison, Xu Konglin informed Li Bai that he would have to sleep on the floor. Li Bai, despite his complaints about Xu Konglin's lack of hospitality, eventually joined Xu Konglin's parents for some entertainment.
Li Nike's manipulative schemes continued when she saw a WeChat message on Xia Er's phone from Xiao Er, expressing how much everyone missed Xia Er and wondered why she hadn't visited. Li Nike's expression hardened, reflecting her conviction that "the fox's mouth will have a slip of the tongue one day." She then sought out Yuan Ye, who harbored feelings for her, and easily enlisted his help.
Li Nike instructed Yuan Ye to impersonate Chu Yinyin and resend the previous threatening email to the top ten students shortlisted for the prestigious interview. Yuan Ye complied, and the recipients were furious, perceiving the message as Chu Yinyin challenging the school's rules and their hard work, especially in light of her recent transfer to the normal class.
The student body quickly confronted Chu Yinyin about the email, which she vehemently denied sending, claiming her phone must have been used for a prank. Soon after, Principal Zhang summoned Xia Er, accusing her of sending the message and demanding an explanation. Xu Konglin and Li Bai rushed to Xia Er's defense, explaining that it was a misunderstanding and an anonymous prank.
They argued that Chu Yinyin was grateful for her opportunities and that the prankster, while misguided, might have intended to promote fair competition and mutual help. As they spoke, a commotion erupted outside: a photo of Xia Er, identical to Chu Yinyin, had been conspicuously displayed on the school's bulletin board. Yuan Ye, when questioned by Xia Er, denied any involvement. The principal, enraged by these escalating events, demanded an immediate explanation from Xia Er, who was mistakenly implicated.
Li Bai then stepped forward, taking responsibility for posting the photo, claiming he wanted to remind everyone about the importance of balancing study and recreation, though he admitted his method was unconventional. Xu Konglin supported this, suggesting that the school's singular focus on competition might cause students to lose sight of their true dreams, and that Chu Yinyin's message, regardless of its sender, served as a valuable reminder.
Chu Yinyin herself arrived, agreeing with these sentiments, expressing her appreciation for the school's environment but lamenting the lack of discussion about students' true aspirations. Overwhelmed, the principal summoned Teacher Shi to handle the disciplinary action for the four students. In Teacher Shi's office, Chu Yinyin, Xu Konglin, and Li Bai were present. Teacher Shi initially inquired about Xia Er's absence, then refused to hear their explanations.
Chu Yinyin insisted she was not involved in the email and offered to bear the full responsibility. Teacher Shi ordered Chu Yinyin, Xu Konglin, Li Bai, and Xia Er to each write a 2000-word self-reflection essay and clean the school's bulletin board. She sternly warned that the true culprit would face harsh punishment. Suspecting Li Nike was behind the mail and photo incidents, Xia Er and Chu Yinyin devised a plan to prank her.
The following day, Chu Yinyin feigned a stomach ache and left the classroom. Xia Er then entered, approaching Li Nike under the pretense of needing help with a math problem. While feigning a discussion, she subtly knocked Li Nike's math textbook out of the window. Li Nike, believing the person to be Xia Er, chased after her, only to find Chu Yinyin standing innocently in the hallway. Realizing she had been duped, Li Nike was visibly enraged.
Later, Xia Er discovered a suspicious "Hacker's Helper" app on Li Nike's phone, which appeared to be a platform for computer-related assistance, prompting the twins to question why Li Nike would be using such software. Afterward, Li Nike sought out Yuan Ye once more, intent on devising further schemes against the twins. That evening, a heavily intoxicated Li Bai shared his troubled past with Xu Konglin.
He recounted his mother's frequent remarriages, which led to a succession of "fathers" of different nationalities and constant moves across the globe. He confessed to despising this rootless existence, often waking up disoriented. He admitted that his earlier claim of being multi-ethnic was merely a joke. His mother, he explained, valued her freedom but also yearned for enduring love, leading her to constantly search for a life partner.
She had recently brought them back to China from England, hoping to "return to their roots" and settle down, but Li Bai expressed his profound skepticism about her ability to do so. He revealed his desire to leave China before his mother inevitably decided to move again. Xu Konglin listened empathetically and advised Li Bai to consider his mother's perspective, emphasizing that Li Bai was very important to her. The next day, Xu Konglin developed a high fever.
Li Bai, taking responsibility, took leave from school to care for him, explaining to Teacher Lu that Xu Konglin's parents were too busy. Xia Er, upon hearing of Xu Konglin's illness, became very anxious. She rushed home and instructed Xiao Mei to buy a fresh fish for steaming. Xiao Mei then suggested chicken soup was better for a sick person, and Xia Er agreed, emphasizing that it needed to be simmered overnight in a traditional casserole pot.
Later that night, Xia Er woke up and was surprised to find Chu Yinyin in the kitchen, meticulously tending to the simmering chicken soup, having taken over from Xiao Mei. The following morning, Xia Er arrived at Xu Konglin's house with the chicken soup. When Xu Konglin asked if she had cooked it, Xia Er initially claimed responsibility by saying "Not really," but Li Bai, also present, then revealed that Chu Yinyin had stayed up all night to prepare it. Chu Yinyin arrived at Xu Konglin's house shortly after.
Episode 23 Recap
The next morning, Xia Er brought chicken soup to Xu Konglin's house, and shortly after, Chu Yinyin arrived with a large bag of medicine. Xu Konglin thanked Chu Yinyin for the chicken soup, which he said he liked very much, making Chu Yinyin realize that Xia Er must have told him it was hers. Chu Yinyin simply told Xu Konglin to take the medicine after the soup.
Li Bai, surprised by the amount of medicine, joked it was too much for a fever. Chu Yinyin retorted that men often lacked basic medicine and should keep some for backup, insisting Xu Konglin take them all until he recovered. Xu Konglin assured them he was fine. As Chu Yinyin poured water for Xu Konglin, she accidentally spilled it on his leg and quickly rushed to wipe it with tissues. Seeing Chu Yinyin's attentive care, Xia Er felt uneasy.
Xia Er explained that Xu Konglin's illness might have stemmed from eating barbecue, while also admitting that he drank a lot and she worried he was exposed to a cold air conditioner while taking care of her the previous night, which made Chu Yinyin ask when they had barbecue. Li Bai noticed Xia Er's unhappiness and pulled her away from the house, leaving Chu Yinyin to care for Xu Konglin.
Xu Konglin's parents, who had been secretly observing, discussed the qualities of each twin and compared them. As Li Bai and Xia Er left, they bid farewell to Xu Konglin's parents, assuring them that Chu Yinyin would look after Xu Konglin. Li Bai suggested they go to the arcade since their plans to visit the retirement home were canceled due to Xu Konglin's illness.
Xia Er, feeling downcast, declared she would never return to Xu Konglin's house again, telling them to take good care of him. Li Bai, however, became ecstatic, proclaiming, "He needs you! And. . . I need you, too." He then asked if her visits were solely for Xu Konglin or if there was a slight possibility they were for him.
Xia Er responded that they were for him, which thrilled Li Bai, who said he knew he was always in her heart. He playfully called her a "lunatic and troublemaker" but then seriously warned her not to let Xu Konglin fall sick again, promising to ensure Xu Konglin's full recovery.
Li Bai concluded that Xu Konglin belonged to Chu Yinyin and enthusiastically proposed celebrating Xia Er's liberation from Xu Konglin and her return to their "Legendary Slag" group by playing video games. Xia Er dismissed him as "immature." Determined to undermine Xia Er and Chu Yinyin, Li Nike visited New Southern Vocational School.
There, she met Qi Xia'er, who showed her Xia Er's former room and desk, sharing details about Xia Er's cheerful personality, her love for culinary arts, and how popular she was, especially with Leng Shao. Qi Xia'er also showed Li Nike a video of Chu Yinyin, who was then impersonating Xia Er, confidently teaching an online English class.
Li Nike thanked Qi Xia'er and asked her not to disclose her visit to Chu Yinyin or Xia Er, deceptively claiming it was to prevent further trauma for Xia Er and to aid her memory recovery. Upon returning to Qing Teng, Li Nike immediately shared the video with Shangguan Na and other classmates.
She revealed that the confident English teacher in the video was actually Chu Yinyin, not Xia Er, and explained that Chu Yinyin had been disguised as Xia Er. The classmates were stunned, realizing the twins had swapped identities, especially noticing the current "Xia Er's" poor English skills. Li Nike further argued that memory loss wouldn't regress one's handwriting or IQ, implying that the "Xia Er" currently at Qing Teng was a fraud.
Shangguan Na and the others concluded that this revelation would "rock the entire school" and served as Li Nike's revenge for the sports meet incident. News of the identity swap quickly spread throughout Qing Teng. Li Bai's friends confronted him, asking if he knew about the switch, and he was surprised that the secret had reached the principal. Principal Zhang was enraged, believing Xia Er had caused too many troubles and was discrediting the school.
In his office, Chu Yinyin attempted to explain that they hadn't intended to deceive anyone, citing an accident and subsequent memory loss as the cause of their confusion. She nervously explained that she sometimes didn't know whether she was Chu Yinyin or Xia Er. Principal Zhang cut her off and instructed Teacher Shi to handle the matter strictly. Teacher Shi, without allowing further explanation, immediately suspended both Chu Yinyin and Xia Er from classes.
Teacher Lu tried to intervene on their behalf, but Principal Zhang overruled her, stating that he would handle the issue personally. Xu Konglin, looking unwell, confronted Li Nike, suspecting her of orchestrating the identity swap reveal. He asked if she truly intended to continue causing trouble. Li Nike insisted she was only revealing the truth, accusing Chu Yinyin and Xia Er of deceiving everyone, including Xu Konglin.
Xu Konglin retorted that she was not a judge and had no right to humiliate others. Yuan Ye, angered by Xu Konglin's attitude towards Li Nike, intervened and confronted him. However, Li Nike told Yuan Ye to back off, stating it was none of his business. Yuan Ye continued to argue that Xia Er was a fraud. Xu Konglin then reflected on his own indecision, acknowledging that his wavering had likely hurt both Xia Er and Chu Yinyin.
Li Nike acknowledged his point but insisted he stay out of her affairs, claiming that everything she did was for the school's reputation and for him, urging him to face reality. Xu Konglin dismissed her motives as merely satisfying her "own desire to control things." Enraged, Yuan Ye lunged at Xu Konglin, calling him a "hypocrite" who was "crazy" and oblivious to Li Nike's efforts, accusing Xu Konglin of hurting more people by his indecision.
Later, Li Nike told Yuan Ye not to do "stupid things" for her and applied medicine to his wound. Chu Yinyin and Xia Er returned home, having been suspended from school. Their mother was shocked by the suspension and considered calling the principal. Xia Er apologized for causing trouble for her older sister, expressing a desire to return to her original identity and regretting the deception. Their mother assured them it wasn't their fault.
Noticing Chu Yinyin's profound sadness, Xia Er urged her mother to talk to her. Their mother attempted to console Chu Yinyin, suggesting that Xia Er was straightforward and knew she had made a mistake. Chu Yinyin admitted to being unhappy, reflecting on her time impersonating Xia Er in the countryside after losing her memory. She felt that Xia Er was truly happy there and would be happier returning to her original self.
Chu Yinyin emphasized that she had been happy at New Southern, finding the friends there more innocent and adorable than the students at Qing Teng. She concluded that attending a prestigious school didn't necessarily guarantee good friendships. When her mother stressed the importance of academics, Chu Yinyin disagreed, stating that while studies were important, she prioritized genuine human relationships. Good academic performance without good relationships, she maintained, was not what she wanted.
That evening, Xu Konglin messaged Xia Er to meet him outside her home. When they met, he apologized for his previous actions and for not considering her feelings due to his own issues. Xia Er asked if he still liked Chu Yinyin and if his near-kiss with her was because he mistook her for Chu Yinyin. Xu Konglin denied it. Suddenly, Li Bai appeared, angrily confronting Xu Konglin for almost kissing Xia Er and accusing him of hypocrisy.
Xia Er tried to intervene, clarifying it was only "almost" a kiss, but a physical altercation broke out between the two boys. Chu Yinyin, hearing the commotion, came downstairs. Li Bai, in his anger, revealed to Chu Yinyin that Xu Konglin had almost kissed Xia Er, mistaking her for Chu Yinyin. Chu Yinyin was deeply hurt, sending a WeChat message questioning Xia Er why she was taking everything from her.
Xu Konglin tried to explain and deny a full kiss, but Chu Yinyin, heartbroken and feeling betrayed, walked away in tears despite his pleas. Xia Er, stunned by the message, then told Xu Konglin to forget anything that had happened between them, asserting she would not take anything that belonged to her older sister and that she had not intended to hurt anyone. She then told him to leave, and he did.
Xia Er then tried to dismiss Li Bai, but he confessed his enduring affection for her, regardless of her name or background. Xia Er, thinking he was joking, rejected him, stating she only saw him as a friend and called him crazy. Li Bai, frustrated, argued that if Xu Konglin could almost kiss her, so could he, claiming fairness since Xu Konglin liked Chu Yinyin and he liked Xia Er.
Xia Er vehemently rejected his advances, telling him she didn't want his pity or "ridiculous fairness." Later, Xu Konglin tried to get Li Bai to leave his house, but Li Bai cleverly used Xu Konglin's parents' fondness for him to stay, with his father even calling him "family," leading to a comical argument between Xu Konglin and Li Bai about who would leave.
Xu Konglin discussed the situation with Li Bai, explaining that his earlier actions, which led to the near-kiss with Xia Er, were a misunderstanding and an attempt to help Chu Yinyin regain her memories. Li Bai admitted his own rashness. They considered the sisters' suspension; Li Bai suggested a strike, but Xu Konglin argued it would only lead to expulsion.
Xu Konglin proposed that if Chu Yinyin could regain her memories, all current problems would be resolved, and the school would no longer be so severe in its judgment. Li Bai agreed to join Xu Konglin in this endeavor to help Chu Yinyin recover her memories. The next morning, Xia Er went to Chu Yinyin's room to apologize. Speaking through the closed door, Xia Er admitted her past mistakes and selfishness, confessing to envying Chu Yinyin.
However, she maintained that her actions were not entirely for her own benefit. Xia Er also shared her happiness at discovering her twin sister, expressing her belief that their parents, wherever they were, would be delighted to see them together. Chu Yinyin remained silent behind the door, listening, while internally wishing she had never left New Southern Vocational School.
Episode 24 Recap
After much thought, Xia Er made her way to Chu Yinyin's room to apologize. Chu Yinyin, though listening behind the closed door, did not open it. After Xia Er left, Chu Yinyin watched her sister's retreating figure with tears in her eyes. Reflecting on her time in New Southern since her memory loss, Chu Yinyin realized she felt happier there.
She found herself questioning what was real and what was false, even contemplating letting Xia Er keep her identity, thinking it might not be a bad thing. Missing her friends from New Southern Vocational School, Chu Yinyin initiated a video call with Qi Xiao Er. Qi Xiao Er was delighted and gathered with Leng Shao and other friends to chat. During the call, Leng Shao received a video call from Xia Er.
Upon learning that Chu Yinyin was already talking to their friends, Xia Er felt that her friends were being "stolen" from her. Chu Yinyin confronted Xia Er, asking if she was accusing her of deliberately taking her friends. A heated argument ensued, with Xia Er stating she had already apologized and felt ignored, while Chu Yinyin accused Xia Er of seeking attention and tormenting others.
Their New Southern friends intervened, reminding them that they were all good friends, part of the "Super Beauty" group, and had missed them dearly. They urged the sisters to value their newfound bond after years of separation. Both sisters, touched by their friends' words, apologized to each other. Chu Yinyin acknowledged her fault in being hurtful, and Xia Er admitted her own mistakes, promising to maintain peace.
The friends emphasized that the coincidental meeting should make them stronger, and if they truly loved each other, they should let each other "fly." During the conversation, Qi Xiao Er revealed that Li Nike had recently visited New Southern and had been shown their old dormitory. Realizing this was how their identities were exposed, Xia Er immediately concluded that Li Nike was behind the scheme. Chu Yinyin agreed that Li Nike was being overly malicious.
Xia Er then addressed Chu Yinyin as "Sister," expressing her belief that as biological sisters, they should be on the same side. Chu Yinyin accepted, proposing they embrace their true identities from that day forward and stop fighting, regardless of past misunderstandings or coincidences. Despite her amnesia, Chu Yinyin agreed with Qi Xiao Er's sentiment that there was no right or wrong in their situation and that they should be grateful for their unexpected reunion.
The sisters then united, resolving to confront Li Nike together. Chu Mingzhu met with Principal Zhang, presenting a doctor's diagnosis confirming her daughters, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er, suffered from memory loss due to various disturbances. She explained that their decision not to publicize this was partly for the school's reputation and partly out of a mother's natural selfishness, hoping the principal would understand. Chu Mingzhu also criticized the school for suspending her daughters without consent, calling it subjective.
Principal Zhang acknowledged her feelings but insisted the identity switch was a serious deception that caused an uproar and required an explanation. Chu Mingzhu, while taking responsibility for the chaos, cleverly shifted some blame to the school, pointing out that if they had helped Xia Er regain her memory while she was impersonating Chu Yinyin, the situation could have been avoided. She argued that the school hadn't fully cared for its students, especially when some classmates showed more support.
She then requested the school revoke their suspension, arguing that her daughters' futures shouldn't be sacrificed by such a punishment. As a solution, she presented a confirmation letter for Chu Yinyin's interview for direct admission to Ivy League schools, emphasizing her daughter's consistent excellence and the importance of this opportunity. Principal Zhang, persuaded by her arguments, agreed to reinstate the sisters. Li Bai's mother, Chen Jiaojiao, found him at Xu Konglin's house after days of searching and unanswered calls.
She tearfully confronted him, expressing her worry and asking why he had not returned home. Li Bai, trying to soothe her, claimed he was simply tired of living in the school dormitory and desired a change of environment, rather than admitting any unhappiness due to her. Chen Jiaojiao, feeling guilty for not providing him with a stable home, offered to take him anywhere he wished, even abroad.
However, Li Bai insisted he wanted to stay where he was, suggesting she move out if she was unhappy, as he could take care of them both. To cheer her up, Li Bai playfully mentioned that Xu Konglin admired her beauty, further adding that Xu Konglin had supposedly "pestered" him to stay at his house just to see her. Reassured, Chen Jiaojiao accepted Xu Konglin's parents' invitation to dine with them at their home to express gratitude for their hospitality.
The next day, Li Bai informed Xu Konglin that he was returning to school. Xu Konglin advised him to spend more time with his mother, prompting Li Bai to sadly remark that their current residence was not truly his home, as they lived under someone else's roof. Teacher Shi informed Teacher Lu that Principal Zhang had approved Chu Yinyin and Xia Er's return to classes, citing Qing Teng's open-minded and responsible approach to its students.
However, Teacher Shi, acting as a counselor, sternly advised Teacher Lu to manage her students more effectively, holding her accountable for the recent disruptions that had tarnished the school's reputation. Teacher Lu defended her philosophy, believing that students learn from mistakes and that teachers should foster growth and even friendship.
Teacher Shi dismissed this, emphasizing the clear boundaries between teachers and students and asserting that Teacher Lu, in her second year as homeroom teacher, was not yet qualified to discuss teaching philosophies. She warned Teacher Lu to be strict and that any further incidents would be met with severe consequences. Later, feeling stressed and frustrated, Teacher Lu discovered her computer had been unplugged, causing her to lose an unsaved file.
Teacher Lan appeared, admitting he had unplugged it intentionally to give her an outlet to vent. He then took her out for a meal, where they encountered Li Bai. Li Bai handed Teacher Lu an apology letter from Xia Er, who expressed regret for having lied. Teacher Lu accepted it, stating she was not angry and simply wished for the sisters to do their best now that they were back.
The next day, Teacher Lu officially welcomed Chu Yinyin back to the experimental class. Most students were happy about her return, but Li Nike remained hostile, publicly accusing the sisters of deception regarding their memory loss and demanding they leave Qing Teng. However, her actions were seen as excessive by other students like Nana, who began to distance themselves from her.
Chu Yinyin apologized to Xu Konglin for her past willfulness, and he reassured her, promising to help her regain her memories. During their conversation, Chu Yinyin revealed that Li Nike had used hacker software to breach her Weibo account, linking this to her memory loss.
Xu Konglin then began his efforts to help Chu Yinyin regain her memories by taking her out for a meal, recalling her specific food preferences: her dislike for animal innards, spicy food, and cilantro, but her love for celery, honey peaches, and hatred of durians. Chu Yinyin, still suspicious, questioned his true intentions, to which he replied he was simply trying to atone for his past impulsiveness, specifically mentioning when he almost kissed her.
Xia Er then arrived and insisted on joining their memory recovery mission, despite Li Bai's attempts to dissuade her by pointing out her lack of knowledge about Chu Yinyin's past. However, Chu Yinyin agreed, seeing it as an opportunity for the sisters to learn about each other's histories. Meanwhile, back at New Southern, Leng Shao and his friends were deeply concerned about Xia Er.
Leng Shao, in a dramatic display of sadness, had fallen into water after fainting from hunger, having starved for a day to protest Xia Er's absence. He lamented the loss of their "proud and royal princess" and declared he had no appetite. His friends, however, chastised him for creating a fuss with a hunger strike when Xia Er already faced so many problems.
Qi Xiao Er questioned his understanding of Xia Er, reminding him of his declaration of her as his princess. Another friend interjected, suggesting that everyone felt like not eating without Xia Er around. Eventually, they collectively resolved that Xia Er had moved past her difficulties and would have a better life, urging each other not to worry about her anymore.
Leng Shao agreed, promising to reflect, eat well, study hard, and continue to "love Xia Er well," ensuring he lived well so she wouldn't worry. Xu Konglin then announced their next activity: attending a concert, a pastime Chu Yinyin once loved.
At the concert, Xu Konglin reminded her of the first time they attended one together, recalling how they met at a record store where she was holding a Chopin disc, and how he later bought them tickets with his tutoring money. Though Chu Yinyin only vaguely remembered her fondness for Chopin, the experience triggered a vivid recollection of a past conversation.
In this memory, Xu Konglin had invited her to a Chopin recital, and she had expressed a wish to one day play the piano on stage, with him as her sole audience. After the concert concluded, Chu Yinyin borrowed the venue's piano and played a Chopin piece for Xu Konglin.
Episode 25 Recap
After Chu Yinyin’s impromptu piano performance, she and Xu Konglin left the concert hall. Meanwhile, Li Bai had stopped Xia Er from attending the concert, instead taking her to an amusement park. Xia Er was frustrated about missing the event, but Li Bai teased her about her punk-rock attire, claiming she wouldn't have been let in anyway. While walking, they bought colorful wigs, with Xia Er choosing green and Li Bai purple, which made them look quite comical.
Xia Er felt a sense of unfamiliarity with her old style, realizing how challenging it must have been for Chu Yinyin to live her life in New Southern. Li Bai reassured her that Chu Yinyin had returned to her normal life, but cautioned that Li Nike would likely continue to cause trouble, urging them to be careful.
Back at school, Li Bai was chatting with a hacker on his phone when Teacher Lan approached Xia Er, mistaking her for Chu Yinyin and urging her to hurry to the Ivy League direct admission interview. This was how Xia Er and Li Bai learned that Chu Yinyin was missing. To avoid any issues, Li Bai asked Xia Er to pretend to be Chu Yinyin in the waiting area.
Li Bai, accompanied by Teacher Shi, then went to the girls' dormitory to find Chu Yinyin. Xu Konglin, upon learning Chu Yinyin was absent from the waiting area, immediately rushed off to look for her. In the waiting area, Xia Er, posing as Chu Yinyin, was quickly recognized by Li Nike, who challenged her identity and expressed disbelief at her presence. Xia Er, suspicious of Li Nike's confident accusation, questioned if Li Nike already knew Chu Yinyin wouldn't be there.
Other students in the waiting area noticed the commotion, and Li Nike then accused Xia Er of causing problems and implicating Xu Konglin, who was also missing. Meanwhile, at Chu Yinyin's dormitory, the dorm manager, acting on Li Bai's request, persistently knocked on Chu Yinyin's door, eventually waking her from a deep sleep. Chu Yinyin had overslept, with a half-finished glass of milk on her desk from the night before.
Xu Konglin arrived just as Chu Yinyin woke up, giving her chewing gum to freshen up before rushing her to the interview room. However, Teacher Shi blocked their entry, citing their tardiness and disregard for rules. Teacher Lu attempted to intercede, but Teacher Shi was unyielding. Just then, Teacher Lan strategically led a group of students in loud exercises near the building, distracting Teacher Shi.
Seizing the opportunity, Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin, with a subtle nod from Teacher Lu, dashed into the interview room. Teacher Shi, agitated by Teacher Lan's actions, began to reprimand him, while Teacher Lu subtly defended her students and questioned Teacher Shi's motives for hindering them. After the interview, Li Bai found Xia Er. They realized Chu Yinyin's oversleeping was suspicious and strongly suspected Li Nike was behind it.
When Chu Yinyin later recalled setting an alarm that never rang, her suspicion solidified. Li Bai then informed Xia Er that the hacker, after some persuasion and payment, confirmed Li Nike had hired him. He jokingly added that he had posed as Li Nike's boyfriend to get the information, which also implicitly verified Li Nike's involvement. Xia Er decided to take action to expose Li Nike. Xia Er went to Chu Yinyin's dormitory, pretending to be Chu Yinyin.
Chu Yinyin's roommate, Wang Tingting, appeared nervous. Xia Er, playing along, thanked her for the milk from the previous night and casually mentioned she hadn't wanted to attend the interview anyway. Wang Tingting, believing she was talking to Chu Yinyin, quickly confessed that it wasn't her idea and that Li Nike had instructed her to tamper with the alarm. She even offered to return the beauty card Li Nike had given her.
Unbeknownst to Wang Tingting, Xia Er secretly recorded the conversation and sent the audio to Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin, who were in class. Upon hearing the recording, both of them immediately looked towards Li Nike. Li Bai and Xu Konglin discussed the recording. Xu Konglin believed Li Nike wasn't inherently bad and advised against a direct confrontation without more conclusive evidence of bribery, suggesting they needed Wang Tingting to testify.
Li Nike, who was secretly following them, overheard their conversation. Feeling cornered, she immediately found Wang Tingting, explained Xia Er's deception, and instructed her on a new plan to follow. Later, Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin met with Wang Tingting, intending for her to clarify the situation. However, Wang Tingting, following Li Nike's new instructions, produced a handful of beauty cards and accused Chu Yinyin of bribing her to frame Li Nike.
Just as she finished, Li Nike arrived with a group of students, publicly accusing Chu Yinyin of trying to set her up. Many students believed Li Nike, turning public opinion against Chu Yinyin. Li Bai and Xia Er were enraged and wanted immediate revenge, but Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin argued that Li Nike's actions stemmed from recklessness rather than malice and that forgiveness was the best approach. Xia Er strongly disagreed, criticizing their tendency to forgive everything.
In a moment of frustration, Chu Yinyin retorted that she had also forgiven Xia Er for impersonating her. The comment created an awkward silence. Eventually, Xia Er reluctantly agreed to try to resolve the conflict peacefully. Xu Konglin later reassured Chu Yinyin that Xia Er understood she hadn't meant to hurt her with the remark. That evening, Chu Yinyin sent Xia Er a text message apologizing for her earlier comment.
Xia Er accepted her apology, and they talked about how life at Qing Teng had been surprisingly more challenging than New Southern due to constant interpersonal conflicts. They agreed to be more accepting of others and decided to visit Xia Er's father together over the weekend.
Meanwhile, after an earlier conversation with Xu Konglin where Li Bai expressed his concern that Li Nike would not give up easily, Li Bai’s mother, Chen Jiaojiao, picked him up from school and they went to Xu Konglin’s house. At Xu Konglin’s house, Chen Jiaojiao chatted warmly with Xu Konglin’s parents, making general observations about Li Nike’s spoiled nature.
Li Bai, seeking advice from Xu Konglin’s father about how to pursue a girl, was told simply to "boldly say it if you love someone." Later that night, Chen Jiaojiao and Li Bai had a heart-to-heart conversation. Li Bai expressed his exhaustion with her constant pursuit of new relationships and longing for a stable, complete family like Xu Konglin’s. Chen Jiaojiao, tearfully, apologized for not providing him with such a family, confessing her deep fear of being alone.
The next day, Chu Yinyin, Xia Er, Li Bai, and Xu Konglin went to visit Xia Er's father, Xia Jianguo, at the retirement home. Despite his dementia, Xia Jianguo recognized Xia Er and correctly identified her as the older sister and Chu Yinyin as the younger sister. The caretaker then revealed that Xia Jianguo had previously spoken about twins, a photo, and an orphanage, indicating he had always known about Chu Yinyin's adoption.
Chu Yinyin was heartbroken that her father had kept this secret but affirmed that he was still her father. Li Bai presented a donation from his mother and conveyed her offer for Xia Jianguo to move back to the city with them. Before leaving, they all gathered for a group photo to create new memories with Xia Jianguo.
Episode 26 Recap
Under his father's instruction, Li Bai decided to act on his feelings. He strode into the classroom and, in front of the entire class, confessed his love to Xia Er. At the same time, Xu Konglin, who was helping Li Bai, entered holding a bouquet of roses. Students mistakenly believed that Xu Konglin was also trying to confess to Xia Er. Feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed, Xia Er rushed out of the classroom, with Li Bai quickly following her.
Li Bai caught up to Xia Er and, despite her initial embarrassment and calls for him to stop, seriously conveyed his feelings. He told her that he knew she was unique from the first day he saw her, an innocent and genuine person, unlike anyone else in the school, and that he liked her for being herself. Xia Er, however, questioned if these words were truly for her and not Chu Yinyin.
Li Bai reassured her, stating unequivocally that his feelings were "Just you. Xia Er." Xia Er then expressed her concern about her eventual departure for New Southern Vocational School, asking, "What if I disappear one day?" Li Bai promised he would not let her out of his sight and would follow her wherever he went. Despite his heartfelt declaration, Xia Er internally wrestled with the promise, considering it unrealistic and acknowledging that they came from "two different worlds."
She also internally critiqued Xu Konglin for not daring to eat chicken feet and Chu Yinyin for constantly stirring up trouble. She realized she couldn't allow herself to become too attached to the people there before she had to leave. Meanwhile, Xu Konglin was left standing awkwardly with the bouquet Li Bai had given him. He encountered Ms. Lu in the hallway, who inquired about the flowers. Thinking quickly, Xu Konglin claimed that Mr. Lan had sent them to her.
Later, Mr. Lan saw the flowers on Ms. Lu's desk. Believing Ms. Lu had received them from someone else and was flaunting them, he sarcastically congratulated her, criticizing the "lame" and "out-dated" gesture of sending red roses. Ms. Lu, realizing the flowers were not from Mr. Lan as Xu Konglin had implied, was left confused by the situation. Later, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er invited Li Nike to dinner.
Chu Yinyin genuinely hoped to reconcile, expressing that after this meal, all past misunderstandings and unpleasantness would vanish. Li Nike feigned agreement, secretly plotting after noticing surveillance cameras in the restaurant. During the meal, Chu Yinyin chose dishes she thought Li Nike would enjoy and apologized for any past wrongs, offering a toast to their renewed friendship. Li Nike accepted her apology and reciprocated, promising to treat them next time.
After the meal, Li Nike claimed to feel unwell and asked Chu Yinyin and Xia Er to accompany her to the restroom. Once inside, Li Nike insisted her stomach was bothering her and told them to leave first, assuring them she would be fine and her father's chauffeur would pick her up.
Concerned, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er offered to wait or take her to the hospital, but Li Nike repeatedly urged them to go, saying they would "see you tomorrow at school." Believing her, they left. The next day, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er discovered Li Nike's true intentions. Ms. Shi summoned them to the principal's office, where they were shown a video from the restaurant.
The footage depicted Chu Yinyin and Xia Er entering and leaving the restroom, and then, after they had gone, Li Nike emerged with injuries on her face, claiming the sisters had assaulted her. The girls were astonished, vehemently denying any wrongdoing. However, Ms. Shi accused them of having ulterior motives, causing harm, and taking inappropriate photos and videos of Li Nike.
She threatened them with legal action and suggested that Chu Yinyin's interview for the Ivy League program be canceled due to the school's reputation being at stake. The principal noted that while the video showed their presence and Li Nike's injuries, he had not yet reached a definitive conclusion regarding the assault, stating that the evidence presented was based on footage and student accounts whose veracity was still undetermined. He decided to call their parents.
News of the incident spread rapidly throughout the school. Shangguan Na, among others, publicly denounced Chu Yinyin and Xia Er, calling them "shameless" for allegedly hitting Li Nike and taking inappropriate photos. Li Bai defended the sisters, urging Shangguan Na to stop spreading rumors and criticizing Li Nike. Inside the principal's office, Ms. Lu tried to defend Chu Yinyin and Xia Er, asserting their innocence, but Ms. Shi accused her of bias.
When their mother, Chu Mingzhu, arrived, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er explained they had done nothing wrong and were being framed. Chu Mingzhu assured them of her belief and unwavering support. Li Nike's father then arrived, addressing Chu Mingzhu as "the mother of the perpetrators." He suggested a private settlement that would involve Chu Yinyin and Xia Er transferring schools. Chu Mingzhu adamantly refused, declaring that her innocent daughters would not be forced to transfer.
She challenged Li Nike's father to pursue legal action, insisting on a police report to thoroughly investigate how Li Nike sustained her injuries and clear her daughters' names. Li Nike's father agreed to call his lawyer. At that moment, Li Nike, visibly injured, walked into the office and pleaded with her father not to call the police, stating she didn't want the "whole world to know." Li Nike's father, however, remained determined to have the "perpetrators" punished.
Chu Mingzhu stood firm, emphasizing that her daughters' reputations were at stake and that they would fully cooperate until the truth was revealed. Later, Xu Konglin confronted Li Nike about the surveillance video, pointing out that without police cooperation, she shouldn't have been able to obtain it. Li Nike claimed the restaurant manager took pity on her.
When Xu Konglin also mentioned having discovered that she hired a hacker to infiltrate Chu Yinyin's Weibo, Li Nike feigned ignorance and tried to leave. Xu Konglin pressed her further, even asking if she was responsible for Chu Yinyin's amnesia, but Leng Shao intervened, telling Xu Konglin to release Li Nike and questioning his harshness towards her. Li Nike, distressed, insisted she knew nothing and simply wanted the matter to conclude quickly without involving the police.
Xia Er sent a lengthy text message to Leng Shao, detailing the situation. After a brief playful exchange with Qi Xiaoer, Leng Shao learned the full story and immediately decided to help, with Qi Xiaoer also offering assistance. Concurrently, Li Bai and Xu Konglin went to the restaurant to investigate. They questioned a waiter about the incident and whether someone had obtained surveillance video. The waiter was evasive, citing customer privacy and directing them to the police, raising Xu Konglin and Li Bai's suspicions.
Episode 27 Recap
Xu Konglin and Li Bai waited late into the night for a waitress named Tingting to finish her shift at a restaurant. Tingting, holding an adult self-study book, insisted she knew nothing about the incident involving Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. Xu Konglin, recognizing her dedication to self-study despite leaving school, appealed to her sense of ambition, urging her to speak the truth for Chu Yinyin and Xia Er's dreams, suggesting she wouldn't want to see their futures ruined.
However, Tingting refused to cooperate, maintaining her ignorance and threatening to call the police if they continued to press her. Upon returning home, Xu Konglin shared the details of the situation with his parents and Li Bai's mother. His father immediately suspected Li Nike was the orchestrator, attributing her manipulative behavior to her father's unchecked indulgence.
Li Bai's mother expressed deep concern that Chu Yinyin and Xia Er might face expulsion and volunteered to join Xu Konglin's parents in the search for witnesses to clear their names. The effort to find witnesses expanded rapidly. Qi Xiao Er and Leng Shao were already actively looking when Liu Qiang and Du Zizi unexpectedly offered their help. Liu Qiang, despite his past dealings with Xia Er regarding debts, firmly believed she was not capable of bullying or violence.
Du Zizi echoed his sentiment, affirming Xia Er's inherent kindness and asserting that she was being falsely accused. They even enlisted the help of their friends to aid in the search. Meanwhile, in the experimental class, Nana and other female students gathered to discuss the alleged assault on Li Nike, unanimously blaming Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. Li Nike, seated nearby, listened, a subtle, cold smile playing on her lips, observing the unfolding drama she had orchestrated.
On their way to school, Xia Er confided in Li Bai, expressing a profound nostalgia for her time at New Southern, where disputes were handled fairly and openly, unlike the hidden schemes prevalent at Qing Teng. Li Bai comforted her, urging her to remain hopeful and promising to exhaust all efforts to find witnesses and vindicate both her and Chu Yinyin.
Xia Er later received a phone call from Qi Xiao Er, who shared the welcome news of Liu Qiang and Du Zizi's support, which deeply touched Xia Er. Xu Konglin's parents and Li Bai's mother subsequently visited the principal, demanding a fair and thorough investigation. Li Bai's mother introduced herself as the parent of a new transfer student.
They emphasized that Chu Yinyin and Xia Er were good children and that the school, which values student character, should not rush to judgment based solely on Li Nike's accusations. They urged the principal to handle the matter impartially. During class, Qi Xiao Er received a video from a neighbor who had captured a peculiar scene. The video showed Li Nike in a bathroom, carefully applying makeup to her face to simulate injuries, creating the appearance of being beaten.
Realizing the truth, Qi Xiao Er promptly sent the video to Xia Er. Xia Er then presented the video to Ms. Lu, who was visibly saddened and dismayed by Li Nike's calculated deception. Xia Er also revealed Li Nike's previous sabotage of Chu Yinyin's interview. Despite their anger, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er decided not to publicize Li Nike's actions, content with simply proving their innocence and respecting Ms. Lu's concern for Li Nike's future.
Ms. Lu, in turn, promised to handle the matter discreetly. Xu Konglin and Li Bai, having independently investigated, also uncovered evidence of Li Nike's scheme. They discovered she had hired a hacker to manipulate Chu Yinyin's Weibo account, fabricating posts and backdating them to make it seem as though Chu Yinyin had publicly revealed sensitive family information before her disappearance. Armed with this knowledge and the video, they confronted Li Nike.
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Li Nike confessed to everything: hacking Chu Yinyin's Weibo, revealing the identity switch, bribing Wang Tingting to disrupt Chu Yinyin's interview, and orchestrating the restaurant incident. However, she deflected blame onto Chu Yinyin, claiming that her constant feelings of inferiority and living in Chu Yinyin's shadow, coupled with Chu Yinyin's perceived arrogance, had forced her to act. She believed that everyone would always side with Chu Yinyin regardless.
Xu Konglin felt pity for Li Nike, recognizing the destructive power of her insecurity. Li Bai questioned if Li Nike was also responsible for Chu Yinyin's amnesia, but Li Nike vehemently denied involvement, expressing her own confusion about Chu Yinyin's memory loss. She reiterated that she was coerced into her actions and did not seek forgiveness, still holding Chu Yinyin responsible for her transformation. Xu Konglin reminded her that Chu Yinyin and Xia Er were willing to reconcile.
Li Nike then offered an apology for her past actions. Later, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er discussed the matter with Xu Konglin, reaffirming their decision not to publicly expose Li Nike. They stated that a clear conscience was enough and they did not require anyone's forgiveness. Chu Yinyin, however, still puzzled over how she knew she had a younger sister in New Southern before her memory loss, recalling Li Nike's mention of geographical coordinates on her Weibo.
The principal convened a meeting with Chu Mingzhu and Li Nike's father to resolve the situation. Li Nike's father offered a heartfelt apology for his daughter's misdeeds, proposing financial compensation and pleading for forgiveness. Chu Mingzhu accepted his apology but clarified that money was not the issue. She advised Li Nike's father to prioritize communication with his daughter over scolding her, emphasizing that children need parental time and interaction more than material possessions.
Ms. Lu also apologized for her oversight as their homeroom teacher. The principal agreed not to revoke Chu Yinyin's interview and suggested offering Li Nike a fair opportunity, respecting Chu Yinyin and Xia Er's willingness to forgive. Li Nike's father decided to have his daughter stay home for a couple of days to guide her. However, he then disclosed that Li Nike had not returned to her dormitory the previous night and her phone was switched off.
News of Li Nike's disappearance quickly spread, causing widespread concern. Her distressed father considered calling the police but was informed that Li Nike was an adult and it had been less than 24 hours. Chu Mingzhu offered to deploy her staff to aid in the search for Li Nike, and Ms. Lu instructed students to check her usual haunts. In the experimental class, Nana openly blamed Chu Yinyin and Xia Er for Li Nike's disappearance, speculating that Li Nike had gone into hiding due to the pressure they exerted.
Episode 28 Recap
Li Bai informed Xia Er that Li Nike had disappeared, causing Xia Er some distress despite her usual dislike for Li Nike. She expressed concern for Li Nike's safety, a sentiment Li Bai found remarkable given their past. Meanwhile, Chu Yinyin, Xu Konglin, and other classmates tirelessly searched every corner of the campus for Li Nike, but to no avail.
Chu Yinyin tried calling Li Nike, but her phone was switched off, prompting her to ask Xu Konglin if he knew where Li Nike might go when she was upset, although he had already checked all the places he knew. Chu Yinyin felt a sense of guilt, believing Li Nike was hiding because they had uncovered evidence against her and feared blame, but she emphasized they only wanted to resolve any misunderstandings.
During this time, Li Nike was found by Yuan Ye, alone and lost in thought by the sea. Yuan Ye reassured her that he would always support her unconditionally, no matter what she had done. Li Nike, however, dismissed him as foolish, insisting she was not worth his unwavering support and urging him to leave her alone.
Yuan Ye insisted that everyone cared for her, even mentioning that her class had halted lessons and Ms. Lu was worried, prompting Li Nike to check her phone. Seeing numerous missed calls and messages, including from Xu Konglin and Ms. Lu, Li Nike began to understand Chu Yinyin's previous emotional state. Yuan Ye encouraged her not to view everyone as her enemy and revealed that Chu Yinyin and Xia Er were also looking for her.
Moved by his words and the messages, Li Nike decided to return to school to confess her mistakes to her father, the principal, and the teachers. Back at school, in the principal's office, Li Nike admitted her wrongdoing in front of the principal, Chu Mingzhu, and her own father. Her father, in an attempt to alleviate the situation, offered monetary compensation to Chu Mingzhu.
This gesture infuriated Li Nike, who lashed out, accusing him of always valuing money over her feelings. She stated that while he had provided her with an outwardly privileged life, he had never truly cared about her emotional well-being, even considering having her quit school for his business. Feeling deeply wronged and misunderstood, Li Nike stormed out of the office.
Chu Mingzhu then told the principal to let the school handle the matter and asked them to ensure that any future rumors would be investigated to protect Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. She also thanked Ms. Lu for trusting her daughters. Li Nike’s father chased after her, scolding her for embarrassing him and reiterating his demand for her to transfer schools, claiming that the gossip from other students would "drown her."
Li Nike defiantly refused, stating she would not leave and was indifferent to what others might say. Xu Konglin then approached her, expressing his worry and urging her not to be so extreme. Li Nike, however, misinterpreted his concern as mockery, believing he was there to enjoy her predicament. Xu Konglin clarified that he hoped she would stay and believed she truly regretted her actions and would strive to make amends.
Li Nike, while admitting her faults and apologizing, insisted she did not need his lessons or sympathy, stating she would apologize to those who needed it but would not be seen as a weakling. Determined to uncover the truth behind Chu Yinyin's amnesia, Xia Er decided to accompany Chu Yinyin back to New Southern, the school where Chu Yinyin had been attacked and lost her memory. Li Bai, offering to be their bodyguard, and Xu Konglin also joined them.
Xu Konglin later discussed Chu Yinyin's memory loss with his parents. His mother worried about the constant troubles the sisters faced, while his father joked about Chu Yinyin forgetting her relationship with Xu Konglin. Xu Konglin also informed his parents that he, Li Bai, and the twin sisters were going to the suburbs to visit friends and search for clues about Chu Yinyin's amnesia, to which his parents agreed, reminding him not to neglect his studies.
The next day, Li Nike returned to class. She observed Nana and other classmates still commiserating over her alleged mistreatment by Chu Yinyin. Li Nike felt a pang of guilt, realizing that Chu Yinyin and Xia Er had not revealed the full truth of the situation. She attempted to confess, but Chu Yinyin intervened, stopping her and publicly declaring that the incident was merely a "small misunderstanding" and that she and Li Nike had reconciled.
This smoothed things over with their classmates, much to Nana's confusion. Separately, Li Bai was asked by a classmate about Li Nike and whether she had revealed the truth, and Li Bai was surprised to hear about the "reconciliation." Later, at New Southern, Chu Yinyin, Xia Er, Li Bai, and Xu Konglin met up with their friends Leng Shao and Qi Xiaoer.
Leng Shao was in a foul mood, having lost a significant amount of money in a scam while trying to help find out the truth for Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. His friends consoled him, advising him to take it as a lesson. Qi Xiaoer then announced that Xia Er had called, and they were on their way, lifting Leng Shao's spirits. They began their investigation, with Liu Qiang pointing out the spot where Chu Yinyin was found.
They quickly realized it was a camera blind spot. However, Chu Yinyin then noticed a public bus stop nearby with a surveillance camera. Reviewing the footage, they saw Chu Yinyin and Xia Er pass each other, two minutes apart. Moments later, two unknown men appeared on screen, carrying Chu Yinyin's bag. Li Bai recognized one of the men, nicknamed "Slippers," as someone who used to steal his merchandise. The group immediately suspected that Chu Yinyin had been robbed.
When questioned, Xia Er explained that she had found Chu Yinyin's necklace at the bus stop and intended to sell it. She insisted she only knew the two men by sight and was not involved in any robbery, clarifying she had been chased for debts that day and then waited for the bus. Police Officer Chen arrived, already aware of their complicated situation, and took Xia Er aside for questioning.
He pressed her on her supposed acquaintance with the robbers, her presence at the scene, and her finding the necklace, implying a possible connection. Xia Er vehemently denied any involvement, asserting she would never harm her sister. Chu Yinyin, Xu Konglin, and Li Bai expressed their shock and disbelief that the police were suspecting Xia Er.
Police Officer Chen then questioned Chu Yinyin about why she had gone to New Southern, revealing that Li Nike's hacking of her Weibo account had shown "New Southern coordinates." Chu Yinyin stated she couldn't recall anything, and Xia Er wondered if this too could be Li Nike's doing.
Episode 29 Recap
Li Bai suggested a method to help Chu Yinyin regain her memory. He believed that since her memory loss was caused by an external shock, experiencing a similar shock might help her remember. Chu Yinyin was willing to try, but Xu Konglin strongly disagreed, deeming it too dangerous and preferring to wait for the police. Meanwhile, Xia Er explained her situation to Officer Chen.
She recounted how she was curious about someone who looked exactly like her and how, needing money at the time, she ended up taking Chu Yinyin's place. Once treated with maternal love by Chu Mingzhu, she couldn't bring herself to leave. She detailed her activities on the day of the incident, including working at an amusement park and being brought to her "sister's" house by Aunt Huang. Officer Chen acknowledged her statement but said the investigation would continue.
Later, Xu Konglin returned home and updated his parents on the situation. He explained that the police suspected Xia Er because her sudden appearance after Chu Yinyin's disappearance seemed too coincidental. While his mother was initially worried, she ultimately expressed faith in Xia Er, calling her a naive child, and urged Xu Konglin to look after both sisters. Officer Chen continued his investigation by visiting Aunt Huang, who had originally brought Xia Er to the Chu residence.
He showed Aunt Huang a picture of Xia Er and questioned her about the details of meeting her on the streets. Aunt Huang recalled finding Xia Er at a convenience store. Officer Chen then went to the Chu home to speak with Xiao Mei and Chu Mingzhu. He asked Xiao Mei if Xia Er had behaved strangely after coming home. Xiao Mei remembered Xia Er doing housework and even sleeping in the closet.
Chu Mingzhu, displeased with the police’s assumptions based on security footage, asserted her belief in Xia Er's innocence and urged Officer Chen to find the real perpetrator, not just speculate. She later instructed Xiao Mei to trust Xia Er and to only provide truly useful information to the police. Chu Mingzhu called Xia Er at school, expressing her concern about the police investigation.
Xia Er apologized for not informing her sooner, explaining that she wanted to handle things herself to avoid worrying her mother. She reassured her mother that she was innocent and the police were just doing their job, promising to cooperate with the investigation and not return home until the matter was resolved. Unbeknownst to Xia Er, Li Nike overheard this phone conversation in the dorm room, listening with an expression of growing concern.
Officer Chen arrived at the school to question Xia Er further. In a meeting room, he informed her that her part-time job at the amusement park had no official records, and the video footage was unclear due to her ghost makeup. He also revealed that her supervisor claimed she had assaulted a customer and fled. He pointed out the slight time discrepancy between Chu Yinyin's robbery and Xia Er's appearance at a convenience store.
Officer Chen explained that her claims of seeing the suspects, her possession of Chu Yinyin’s necklace, and her subsequent impersonation of Chu Yinyin made her a suspect, requiring more evidence to prove her non-involvement. Teacher Lu, Xia Er's homeroom teacher, was present and tried to interject. While this interrogation was happening, Nana eavesdropped from outside the meeting room and quickly spread the rumors throughout the school.
Students began gossiping, accusing Xia Er of harming her own sister out of jealousy and even stealing Xu Konglin. Li Bai found Xia Er distraught amidst the accusations and pulled her away. Xia Er declared that she was not afraid of the rumors, knowing the truth would prevail. Li Bai offered his support, even jokingly suggesting they transfer schools together, but Xia Er refused to run away, asserting her innocence.
Nana later approached Li Nike, excitedly sharing the rumors about Xia Er being questioned for impersonation and causing Chu Yinyin's memory loss. However, Li Nike uncharacteristically rebuked Nana, questioning her proof and calling it defamation that could "kill people." Chu Yinyin, still anxious to recover her memory, discussed her frustration with Xu Konglin. He suggested they ask Qi Xiao Er and Leng Shao at New Southern for help in finding clues near the school.
Chu Yinyin was hesitant to burden them, but Xu Konglin insisted they needed to catch the perpetrator. They decided to go to New Southern. Xu Konglin and Li Bai successfully applied for leave from Teacher Lu, who understood the importance of supporting a friend in trouble. Teacher Shi attempted to stop them from leaving, but Mr. Lan intervened by falsely telling Teacher Shi that Principal Zhang wanted to promote her teaching methods, effectively distracting her.
Upon arriving at New Southern, Xu Konglin and Li Bai met with Qi Xiao Er and Leng Shao. Qi Xiao Er explained their initial investigation had yielded no eyewitnesses or useful CCTV footage from the school entrance. Leng Shao confidently declared his belief in Xia Er's innocence. Qi Xiao Er proposed re-enacting the crime scene, a suggestion that quickly devolved into an argument over roles and unrealistic scenarios, ultimately proving fruitless.
While Xu Konglin and Qi Xiao Er were brainstorming, Li Bai went to the nursing home to visit Xia Jianguo, hoping to find clues. Xia Jianguo, suffering from memory loss, was disoriented and confused, believing Xia Er had found her older sister. The nurse explained his condition and confirmed Xia Er's filial devotion, but could offer no specific information about the incident or any previous clues from Xia Er, other than Xia Jianguo's vague mentions of a photo.
Li Bai left without any useful information. Meanwhile, back at New Southern, Leng Shao, reviewing the blurry CCTV footage of the robbery, suddenly recognized one of the perpetrators. He recalled the man, nicknamed "Slippers," had visited his salon for a haircut and paid via WeChat, never carrying cash.
He rushed back to his salon, retrieved the surveillance video from that day, along with the WeChat payment details, and sent them to Xu Konglin and Li Bai, hoping it would provide crucial evidence. Later, Yuan Ye approached Li Nike, expressing his unconditional belief in her regarding the accusations against Xia Er. He encouraged her to tell the police the truth if she knew anything, especially as a victim herself.
Li Nike, with a knowing smile, thanked him but explained that his "blind trust" was similar to her own past folly, which had prevented her from discerning right from wrong. She stated that his trust had ironically helped her realize the right path to take, indicating a profound personal change.
Episode 30 Recap
Xu Konglin and Li Bai presented Officer Chen with their investigation findings, including a surveillance video provided by Leng Shao. The video captured "Slippers," one of the attackers, paying at a hair salon. Officer Chen acknowledged this as a crucial lead, promising to follow up on the login IP address they also provided. Meanwhile, Teacher Lu was overheard on the phone with a friend, expressing self-doubt about her ability to be a good teacher, feeling overwhelmed by recent events.
Teacher Lan, who was nearby, consoled her, telling her not to belittle herself. He affirmed that in his eyes, she was a dedicated teacher who genuinely cared for her students, highlighting her concern for Chu Yinyin. Officer Chen later located Chu Yinyin's missing bag and student ID in an underground sewer about 10 kilometers from the crime scene. He brought them to Chu Yinyin for identification.
She recognized them, confirming that Xu Konglin had also told her the bag was hers. Her phone, however, was still missing. Chu Yinyin pressed Officer Chen to swiftly investigate and clear Xia Er's name, expressing concern about her sister's continued suspicion. Officer Chen reassured her that they were working to prove Xia Er's innocence and that everything would be clear once the culprit was apprehended.
Before class, Li Nike, gathering her courage, publicly confessed to everyone that she had fabricated the story about Chu Yinyin and Xia Er assaulting her and forcing her to take pictures. She admitted to lying to everyone and purposefully framing them out of revenge. She apologized sincerely to Chu Yinyin and the entire class. The students were shocked, with Nana expressing particular anger and disgust at Li Nike's deception.
Despite Chu Yinyin not holding it against her, many classmates began to shun Li Nike, refusing to associate with her. Yuan Ye, however, stood by Li Nike, telling her to ignore the negative comments and assuring her of his unwavering support. Li Nike's father also came to the school, having overheard his daughter's classmates ostracizing her. Heartbroken, he suggested she consider transferring to another school, leaving the decision to her.
Back in the dormitory, Li Nike tried to apologize to Nana again, but Nana refused to forgive her, feeling deeply betrayed by her best friend. Xia Er, however, was upset by the news of Li Nike potentially transferring, urging her not to leave. Chu Yinyin continued to struggle with her memory of the attack, only recalling fragments and the necklace.
Xu Konglin encouraged her to remember anything unusual from before she entered the school, particularly about how the necklace ended up with Xia Er. Chu Yinyin then remembered that she had thrown the necklace away out of anger with Xu Konglin. She told Xu Konglin about this, believing it could help clear Xia Er.
However, Xu Konglin later informed her that Officer Chen, while appreciating the information, noted that as sisters, Chu Yinyin's testimony could be seen as an attempt to cover for Xia Er due to their family relationship, making it less credible without further evidence. Officer Chen informed Xu Konglin that they had apprehended one of the suspects, Slippers.
When questioned by Officer Chen, Slippers initially denied full knowledge but eventually confessed to the robbery after being led to believe that Chu Yinyin was still severely injured in the hospital. He then shockingly implicated Xia Er, claiming she was his accomplice who instigated the robbery because she needed money and pointed out Chu Yinyin as the target.
Following Slippers' confession, Officer Chen and his team visited Qing Teng School to gather more evidence, interviewing all students and teachers who knew Xia Er. They described Xia Er as kind, righteous, and popular, vouching for her character and asserting her inability to commit such a crime. Leng Shao also insisted that Slippers was lying. Officer Chen then took Xia Er away for questioning.
Chu Yinyin was deeply worried and blamed herself for Xia Er's predicament, feeling guilty for her inability to recall the incident. However, at the police station, Officer Chen asked Xia Er a few questions and then released her, stating they would not make arrests based solely on one-sided allegations. Upon hearing the news, Qi Xiaoer and Leng Shao immediately called Xia Er to check on her well-being.
Despite Xia Er's release, Xu Konglin and Li Bai continued to investigate the case, focusing on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Chu Yinyin's trip to New Southern and the two days she was unaccounted for. They sought to uncover the true reason behind her initial departure from home, linking it to Li Nike's earlier statement about Chu Yinyin's Weibo post regarding her younger sister and a package Chu Yinyin had sent.
Episode 31 Recap
Qing Teng Academy teachers expressed concern for Xia Er, who was falsely accused. Teacher Lu felt anxious about Xia Er's predicament, describing her as a former student whom she regarded like a younger sister, knowing Xia Er would never take part in a robbery. Teacher Lan encouraged her to relax, breathe deeply, and comfort Xia Er and Chu Yinyin, assuring her that the truth would eventually be revealed by the police.
During this exchange, Teacher Lan discreetly kissed Teacher Lu after she closed her eyes to breathe deeply. Following this, Teacher Lu met with Teacher Shi to apply for leave for Xia Er. Teacher Shi, having reflected on her past strictness after Li Nike's recent issues, approved the leave. She acknowledged that she had been too inflexible with students, focusing only on their actions rather than their psychological well-being.
She promised to approach teaching with more empathy, considering students' feelings and allowing them to grow, while still guiding them within school boundaries. Teacher Lu then apologized to Teacher Shi on behalf of Teacher Lan for a previous misunderstanding, though Teacher Shi found it curious that Teacher Lu was the one apologizing. Meanwhile, Xu Konglin asked Li Bai to check his old school account login records, suspecting someone had tampered with his research report.
Li Bai traced the IP address to the female dormitory and discovered the culprit was Li Nike. Xu Konglin confronted Li Nike about the "F" grade incident. Li Nike confessed, admitting she overheard Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin planning to get an "F" on their report.
Driven by jealousy and her long-standing feelings for Xu Konglin, she had hacked his account and changed his grade to an "A" to prevent him from "giving up on himself" and ensure he could pursue his academic goals, hoping to eventually be in the same city as him.
She also admitted to later revealing the blood type discrepancy to Chu Yinyin while pretending to comfort her, and tampering with Chu Yinyin's Weibo to delete geographical coordinates and falsify content after Chu Yinyin went missing. Xu Konglin, realizing his neglect of her feelings, apologized for always perceiving her as strong. Li Nike expressed deep regret for her manipulative actions, acknowledging that her methods were wrong despite her intentions, and solemnly apologized to everyone for the harm she caused.
Following Li Nike's confession, Chu Yinyin met with Teacher Shi. Teacher Shi apologized for being too harsh and not considering Chu Yinyin's feelings, acknowledging that her strictness had contributed to past problems. Chu Yinyin accepted the apology, stating she had never blamed Teacher Shi and realized she was being stubborn, ultimately understanding that both Teacher Lu and Teacher Shi had considered her future well-being.
Later, Chen Jiaojiao, Xu Konglin, and Xu's parents discussed ways to help Chu Yinyin and Xia Er. Xu Konglin wished Chu Yinyin could recall more details. Chen Jiaojiao suggested taking Chu Yinyin to places they frequently visited, and Xu's parents proposed using "reenactment" to trigger her memories, particularly in emotionally charged locations. Inspired, Xu Konglin called Chu Yinyin and invited her to an undisclosed location the next day, challenging her with a playful "Dare to go?" to which she agreed.
The following day, Xu Konglin took Chu Yinyin to an amusement park. While resting near a roller coaster, he explained the truth about the "F" grade, assuring her he had never betrayed her. This explanation triggered Chu Yinyin's memories. She recalled receiving an anonymous text message claiming Xia Er at New Southern Vocational School was her biological sister, which prompted her to go there.
She also remembered that her lost phone was synced to an online photo album, and she had discovered a selfie of a stranger in it. She identified this person as Slippers' accomplice, the individual who stole her phone. Xu Konglin urged her to send the photo to Officer Chen immediately to help clear Xia Er's name.
They reminisced about their past bet on the roller coaster, and Chu Yinyin reflected on her original motive for seeking an "F" grade—to test her family's love beyond her academic achievements. Xu Konglin promised to support her in finding her biological parents if she wished, though Chu Yinyin expressed mixed feelings, valuing her current family with her mother and Xia Er.
Still searching for more clues, Xu Konglin later inquired about a basketball jersey Chu Yinyin had given him, believing it held a key to her memories. After much searching, Xu Konglin's father remembered that Xu's mother had repurposed the jersey as a cushion. Upon seeing the retrieved jersey, Chu Yinyin recalled something related to a book. Afterward, Chu Yinyin encountered Li Nike.
Li Nike apologized to Chu Yinyin for her past petty and manipulative actions, acknowledging that she had viewed Chu Yinyin as an opponent and had been too concerned with others' opinions. Chu Yinyin, in turn, apologized for her past "hateful" behavior and offered to be friends, which Li Nike happily accepted, remarking on Chu Yinyin's positive change.
Just then, Hao Tian approached Xu Konglin and Chu Yinyin, confessing that she was the one who sent the text message informing Chu Yinyin of Xia Er's location. She explained that she had overheard Li Nike telling Chu Yinyin about her mother's blood type not matching hers, which had caused Chu Yinyin to run off upset.
Episode 32 (Ending) Recap
Hao Tian explained to Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin that she discovered Xia Er's existence online. She had seen a video of someone selling items in an unusual way and immediately thought it was Chu Yinyin due to their striking resemblance. When the person identified herself as Xia Er, Hao Tian watched more of her videos. Xu Konglin questioned why she hadn't come forward sooner.
Hao Tian confessed she was terrified of police questioning and felt responsible for Chu Yinyin's robbery and subsequent amnesia, which occurred after Hao Tian sent the text message leading her to New Southern. Chu Yinyin, however, reassured Hao Tian, stating she did not blame her and expressed gratitude for the crucial information, calling her amnesia an unforeseen accident. Xu Konglin then contacted Officer Chen to share this new development and help clear Xia Er's name.
Later, as Li Bai and Xia Er sat together, Li Bai informed her that Chu Yinyin's recovered memories and the evidence she provided to the police had fully exonerated Xia Er, with the suspect, Slippers, having confessed to covering for an accomplice and deliberately framing her. Xia Er, in good spirits, playfully attributed her escape from trouble to her own good character. Li Bai then brought up his earlier love confession and pressed her for an answer.
Xia Er responded that she planned to return to New Southern after the current semester to diligently prepare for her ideal university. She proposed a deal: if she successfully gains admission to her dream college, she will then give him her answer. Li Bai readily agreed to wait for her. Chu Yinyin joined them, reflecting on their shared journey and acknowledging the new life and happiness they had found with their adoptive parents, Chu Mingzhu and Xia Jianguo.
She expressed their deep gratitude, promising to live their lives well in return, and told Xia Er she felt truly fortunate to have their family. During a class, Teacher Lu announced that Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin had both secured spots in the overseas study program, having tied for first place. Teacher Lu then shared more good news: Xia Er's innocence had been conclusively proven. Li Bai and Xia Er relaxed on the school track.
Li Bai expressed his reluctance for Xia Er to leave Qingteng, but Xia Er responded that she would feel more at ease returning to New Southern and reiterated her intention to return there after the semester to prepare for her ideal university. In the afternoon, Xia Er returned to New Southern and shared her intention to return to class next semester with Xiao Er and others, who were all very happy.
Xia Er observed the interactions between Xiao Er and Leng Shao, realized they were a couple, and sincerely congratulated them. Later, Chu Yinyin also arrived at New Southern. At the dormitory, Chu Yinyin and Xia Er returned to the dormitory they had shared. Chu Yinyin suggested they all take a group photo, wanting to carry these cherished memories with her when she studied abroad. Chu Yinyin, Xia Er, Xu Konglin, and Li Bai visited Xia Jianguo at an eldercare facility.
Xia Jianguo presented them with a baby photo of the twin sisters. On the back of the photo, they found a note detailing their birth date, that the elder sister Xiao Le had a mole behind her ear, and the younger sister was named Xiao Huan. Chen Jiao Jiao broke up with her boyfriend, deciding to pursue an independent life and no longer rely on others. Li Bai comforted his mother, promising to always be by her side.
Meanwhile, Teacher Lu agreed to be Teacher Lan's girlfriend, making Teacher Lan feel flattered and excitedly incoherent. Xu Konglin told Chu Yinyin about his part-time job, explaining his desire to earn money to lessen the financial strain on his parents. Chu Yinyin knew Xu Konglin wanted to go abroad for her, and she realized his efforts to study abroad were entirely for her, to ensure he could keep pace with her.
She then hesitantly asked if he would consider giving up the overseas study opportunity with her. Chu Yinyin revealed that after all the recent events, she had come to understand that the "pride and honor" she once pursued were no longer her true desires. Instead, she yearned for a peaceful life with him, her mother, and Xia Er. Xu Konglin, deeply moved, assured her she didn't need to explain further, pledging his unconditional support for whatever choice she made.
Li Bai and Xu Konglin found Yuan Ye, inviting him to rejoin the basketball team for their final basketball game. Following a training session, Yuan Ye met with Li Nike, who revealed her plans to study overseas, having received the opportunity after Chu Yinyin and Xu Konglin decided to forgo their spots. She presented him with a thoughtful gift of kneepads. Yuan Ye then surprised her by announcing that he was also going abroad, suggesting they could travel together.
The Qingteng basketball game commenced. With outstanding plays from Xu Konglin, Li Bai, and Yuan Ye, Qingteng secured a triumphant victory. The players looked towards Chu Yinyin, Xia Er, and Li Nike in the stands, exchanging smiles and marking a happy conclusion to the series.
