Where the Lost Ones Go Episode 2 Recap
> Where the Lost Ones Go Recap
Ye Zi's art exhibition was a lively affair, attended by her university friends. As Ye Zi greeted her friends, she paused before a particular painting. Her eyes fixated on a figure's back in the distance, strikingly similar to Xiang Zeyi. Her heart pounded intensely, leaving her frozen in place until her friends called her name, pulling her back from her trance. Though back in reality, her mind was flooded with memories of Xiang Zeyi from ten years ago.
During their university days, Xiang Zeyi learned painting from an eccentric artist he affectionately called "Old man." One day, as Xiang Zeyi painted on the wall of the Old man's warehouse, the Old man observed his work and astutely remarked, "Are you in love?" Xiang Zeyi, surprised, denied it, asking who could possibly "conquer" him, to which the Old man conceded his attractiveness.
The Old man then explained that he detected "restraint" in Xiang Zeyi's painting, a sign that he was trying to hide his true feelings, which meant he was in love. Xiang Zeyi dismissed it as "nonsense" and, frustrated, threw his brush, ruining a painting the Old man had been working on all morning.
The Old man, unfazed, simply told Xiang Zeyi to forget about his ruined painting, offering to work together on Xiang Zeyi's piece, guiding him to "add some here" to improve it. Elsewhere on campus, Zhu Xuan and her roommates were engrossed in the latest campus gossip: a handsome art student was pursuing a talented girl from the Chinese Painting Department. When asked who it was, Zhu Xuan excitedly revealed that it was Ye Zi.
Believing "things didn't go well between them," Zhu Xuan decided that as Ye Zi's sister, she and her friends should intervene and help them get together. Soon after, Ye Zi accidentally dropped her books on a path. Xiang Zeyi, passing by, stopped to help her, recognizing her from their earlier encounter. He directly asked, "Did you see my walkman?"
Ye Zi, knowing it was broken, became flustered and vaguely replied that she didn't have it with her and would return it next time. Xiang Zeyi, already aware of the situation, offered to give her his class information so she could return it to him. Ye Zi, however, insisted he provide his contact details instead. Xiang Zeyi then walked away, leaving her to fret about the broken walkman. Later, Ye Zi and Zhu Xuan were at a convenience store.
Zhu Xuan was enthralled by a poster of SHE, while Ye Zi was captivated by a Little Tigers poster. Ye Zi expressed how "great" it would be if the Little Tigers poster were hers. Zhu Xuan, seeing Ye Zi's interest, declared her intention to buy it for her, offering the store owner 300 yuan. However, the owner adamantly refused, stating all posters were "not for sale" and were "precious" as her son, a director, had obtained them through difficulties.
Zhu Xuan grew frustrated and even suggested the owner was "blackmailing." Ye Zi pulled Zhu Xuan away, questioning her sanity for wanting to spend so much on a poster. Zhu Xuan then admitted her earlier plan to use the poster as a "thanking gift" for a favor she needed from Ye Zi.
She relentlessly pleaded with Ye Zi, promising it would be a simple task this time and that she would "definitely" get the poster for Ye Zi if she helped. Ye Zi, unable to resist Zhu Xuan's persistence, reluctantly agreed. The favor, as Zhu Xuan then revealed, was for Ye Zi to "send the love letter to Yuan Lang." Stumped on how to deliver the letter, Ye Zi sought out Lin Sen.
Upon seeing the letter, Lin Sen initially assumed it was a love letter for Ye Zi, expressing annoyance that boys were already sending her letters so early in their enrollment, and even jokingly asked if it was from Xiang Zeyi. Ye Zi quickly clarified, "This is from Zhu Xuan." Realizing the situation, Lin Sen expressed that while people have the right to pursue love, he felt "unwell" about it, though he ultimately conceded to help.
When Lin Sen found Yuan Lang studying, he tried to pass him the letter. Yuan Lang initially refused, thinking it was from Lin Sen himself. But upon learning it was from Zhu Xuan, his demeanor changed instantly; he eagerly snatched the letter, forbidding Lin Sen from taking it back, and insisted on opening it. As Yuan Lang read Zhu Xuan's letter—which playfully mentioned a cold joke and the promise of more—Lin Sen teased him, saying, "You look in love."
Later, Zhu Xuan excitedly asked Ye Zi if the letter had been delivered, to which Ye Zi confirmed it was. Zhu Xuan, convinced that her "pure love" expressed in the letter would surely elicit a positive response from Yuan Lang, declared, "He will finally be mine." That night, Zhu Xuan, determined to get the Little Tigers poster for Ye Zi, convinced her to go to the convenience store again, this time to "steal" it.
Ye Zi was hesitant, feeling it was wrong to act "like a thief" and insisting they should obtain it "in a proper way," but Zhu Xuan dragged her along. As they crept towards the poster, Xiang Zeyi suddenly appeared, startling them. Zhu Xuan quickly tried to make an excuse, claiming they were just "doing exercise" after eating too much, and attempted to leave. However, Xiang Zeyi stopped Ye Zi.
Aware of their intentions, he blackmailed Ye Zi, telling her, "A good student wants to steal a poster. Will they be interested in this news?" He offered a deal: if Ye Zi promised him one thing, he wouldn't reveal her secret, and she wouldn't have to return his walkman. Ye Zi, cornered, asked what the "one thing" was, but Xiang Zeyi only said, "You will know tomorrow."
He reassured her he wouldn't let others know she tried to steal the poster. The next day, in class, while discussing the boring lecture by Professor Wang, Ye Zi and her friends spotted a notice board. They learned that Xiang Zeyi had won first place in the preliminary round of the National Cartoon Competition. Zhu Xuan connected this to his absence, realizing the preliminary round ended "yesterday."
Then, Ye Zi noticed a poster for a "Campus Singer Competition," with a walkman as the first prize. Zhu Xuan immediately urged Ye Zi to participate, wanting the walkman. Ye Zi repeatedly refused. Suddenly, Xiang Zeyi appeared behind Ye Zi and announced, "Begin practicing tomorrow, and I'll inform you the time." Zhu Xuan, confused, asked Ye Zi if she had agreed to participate with him.
Ye Zi, equally confused, confronted Xiang Zeyi, who reminded her of their agreement from "yesterday evening." He explained that if they won, she wouldn't have to return his walkman, and he would keep her secret, calling it a "win-win." Though hesitant, Ye Zi eventually agreed to meet him at 13:30 tomorrow on the Small Balcony to begin practicing.
Ten years later, Xiang Zeyi, appearing somber and having lost his youthful vigor, stood downstairs from Ye Zi's home, discarded his finished drink, and then visited the Old man at his old residence. The Old man, seeing him, immediately sensed that Xiang Zeyi was still unable to "let go" of something from his past. Xiang Zeyi, with a sigh, responded that "we always regret in our lives."
