Where the Lost Ones Go Episode 9 Recap
> Where the Lost Ones Go Recap
Lin Sen arrived on the hospital rooftop to find Xiang Zeyi waiting. Xiang Zeyi presented him with a wish post-it he had found when he confessed his feelings to Ye Zi, suggesting Lin Sen take it so Ye Zi would accept his marriage proposal. Lin Sen did not accept it. When Lin Sen asked if Ye Zi knew about this, Xiang Zeyi claimed it was what Ye Zi had asked him to find.
Lin Sen then told Xiang Zeyi, "You are braver than me," before angrily punching him and leaving. Xiang Zeyi simply wiped the blood from his mouth and walked away in silence. Back at his place, Xiang Zeyi cleaned the blood from his lip. As he clicked his table lamp on and off, his mind drifted back to his college days, remembering a night ten years ago.
In a flashback to his college years, Xiang Zeyi secretly painted in the art room late at night. Zhang Daniao discovered him, humorously questioning what he was doing and if he was trying to disturb everyone. Xiang Zeyi playfully accused Zhang Daniao of following him. Zhang Daniao teased him, asking if he, a known Casanova, had turned into a Romeo.
Xiang Zeyi asked Zhang Daniao to keep his secret, promising in return that his "girl" (Ye Zi) would speak well of Zhang Daniao. Zhang Daniao agreed to the deal but insisted on seeing the painting. Xiang Zeyi, still working on it, revealed he was creating a special piece that depicted his and Ye Zi's shared memories, intending to give it to Ye Zi. Xiang Zeyi then presented the finished painting to Ye Zi.
Upon seeing it, she exclaimed in surprise, "For me?" The artwork depicted every memory they had shared together, deeply moving Ye Zi. She confessed, "I didn’t know you’d do things like this." Xiang Zeyi, teasing, said there were many things she didn't know about him but he would allow her time to discover them. He asked if she found it romantic, to which she replied he was "funny."
Ye Zi treasured it as his first gift, declaring it hers and refusing to give it back even when Xiang Zeyi playfully threatened to take it. She then hugged him tightly. During their conversation, Xiang Zeyi shared his lifelong passion for drawing and his dream of creating art known worldwide. Ye Zi encouraged him to pursue his dream and remain true to himself. Later, while Xiang Zeyi was drawing in the art room, a visibly upset Zhang Daniao stormed in.
Recognizing the signs, Xiang Zeyi immediately asked if he had fought with Liu Xinran. Zhang Daniao confirmed it, frustrated that Liu Xinran constantly thought about the future and wanted "unreal results" for everything. He questioned, "What is love? I don’t get it. Aren’t two people being together to have fun?" He felt that in their age, not being in crazy love was a waste of time, but he couldn't comprehend women's focus on future and work.
Xiang Zeyi, understanding that as university students, they couldn't promise much, countered, suggesting that Liu Xinran might simply be afraid of losing him, and that what "a woman wants from a man is a promise." Zhang Daniao then challenged Xiang Zeyi about his own promise to Ye Zi, to which Xiang Zeyi confidently replied, "Soon." At a bar they frequented, Xiang Zeyi arrived late, causing Ye Zi to be visibly annoyed.
A bar staff member joked about him being "ordered" by Ye Zi, and Ye Zi, still displeased, playfully instructed the staff to make his drink taste bad. To lighten her mood, Xiang Zeyi presented her with a small drawing of her pouting, finally cheering her up. When he saw her smile, he took out his walkman and listened to music with her.
He promised to draw one for her every day, intending for the collected box of drawings to be his proposal gift when he graduated. Ye Zi teased him about who would marry him, to which he mused about what his future bride would look like. He then shared a "trick" that made her laugh. After she acknowledged his luck, he offered to show her "one more." Ten years later, Xiang Zeyi returned to the same bar.
The bar owner immediately recognized him and greeted him warmly. When asked about his girlfriend, Xiang Zeyi quietly replied that they had broken up. He then looked around the familiar surroundings, lost in memories of his past moments with Ye Zi. Zhang Daniao finally approached Liu Xinran, who initially avoided him, stating there would be no "result" between them. Zhang Daniao argued passionately against the need for immediate results, asking, "Do we know about tomorrow when we are living today?"
He questioned her about her feelings, and she initially denied still liking him. As he turned to leave, Liu Xinran called him back, apologized, and listened as he confessed, "I can’t give you the result you want yet, but I also can’t leave you. I can only promise you that I won’t let you get hurt as long as I’m with you." He then presented her with a handmade, slightly imperfect ring, hoping she would like it.
Liu Xinran accepted it and made him promise never to lie to her again, finally reconciling. At the library, the class monitor approached Cheng Xi, asking if she was free to go to the movies with him, as he had received two tickets. Cheng Xi politely but firmly declined, stating she wasn't interested. She advised him to "stop wasting time" on her and to ask someone else instead, as she already knew he was pursuing her but had not agreed.
Later, Zhu Xuan joked with Ye Zi about the joys of having someone say goodnight every day, lamenting her own situation with Yuan Lang. Ye Zi wondered if she would ever get used to not having Xiang Zeyi say goodnight, but Zhu Xuan reassured her that Xiang Zeyi was romantic enough to say goodnight even when he was old, encouraging Ye Zi to enjoy life. Xiang Zeyi led Ye Zi to the bar with her eyes closed.
This was the same bar where he had first brought her and sang a heartfelt song, deeply moving her. When she opened her eyes, she saw the painting he had hung there earlier. He asked if she liked it, and she confirmed she did, then asked why he chose to hang it in the bar. Xiang Zeyi explained that "it’s not simply a painting. It’s more like a promise to me.
As long as it hangs here, I’ll always be here for you." While Ye Zi and her dorm mates were playing tennis, Ye Zi sat out due to a cold. Liu Xinran noticed she didn't look well and asked if she had a fever, suggesting she take medicine. Liu Xinran then mentioned that Zhang Daniao had told her Xiang Zeyi also had a cold.
Zhu Xuan immediately seized the opportunity to tease Ye Zi, asking, "Yezi, what naughty thing did you do with Xiang Zeyi?" She continued to joke about "Eve and Adam" being meant to be together, playfully implying something inappropriate.
Liu Xinran tried to inquire more about Xiang Zeyi's condition, but Zhu Xuan cut her off, asserting that even if Xiang Zeyi was sick, he was a man and stronger than Ye Zi, jokingly telling Ye Zi to break up with him if he was weaker. Alone in the hospital hallway, Lin Sen held the wish post-it given to him by Xiang Zeyi, then deliberately crumpled it in his hand.
That night, while Xiang Zeyi was drawing at home, his doorbell rang. It was Mr. Shao, a company boss who had once highly regarded his talent during his college days. Mr. Shao greeted him warmly, joking about his living space feeling like a workspace and calling it a "good place to stand back on your feet." He revealed that his invitation for Xiang Zeyi to join his company after graduation was "still valid."
Xiang Zeyi expressed his current struggles, admitting, "I can’t even draw well an oil painting now," and worried he might never regain his skill after not touching art for years. Mr. Shao encouraged him, reminding him of his past "brave and passionate" self, with a "personal style" special enough to declare love publicly.
He urged Xiang Zeyi not to give up on his decision to start over, but to "go to the old places, meet your muses, find your heart" to rekindle his inspiration. He reiterated that the opportunity still stood, as he had kept his position after all these years. However, Xiang Zeyi still refused the offer. Zhu Xuan arranged to meet Lin Sen, immediately pressing him about the situation with Ye Zi.
She asked if Xiang Zeyi was back, noting that Ye Zi had suddenly mentioned a sticker on the day Lin Sen proposed, implying it was a sign of Xiang Zeyi's return. Lin Sen, however, insisted his only concern was protecting Ye Zi from further hurt, regardless of Xiang Zeyi's presence. Noticing Zhu Xuan seemed unwell, he asked about her condition, but she dismissed it as mere "stomach ache" from worrying about him and Ye Zi.
Lin Sen urged her to get checked if she felt unwell, reminding her that Yuan Lang would worry. Zhu Xuan, however, told him to focus on himself and Ye Zi, insisting she was fine, before Lin Sen concluded their conversation, stating he had things to do. Alone, Xiang Zeyi reflected on his past actions, lamenting, "I thought I love you the most. But I made you scared for so long. I'm sorry."
