Episode Summary
Bai Enyu reflects on his troubled youth after visiting the grave of a friend who died in a fight, leading him to reconcile with Chen Junyan, another figure from his past. He uses his experiences to warn current young troublemakers. Meanwhile, Lin Zhitong, working on a story about juvenile crime prevention, goes with Bai Enyu to interview Lu Sheng at a restaurant. There, she has a shocking reunion with the owner, Xiao Yang, who is revealed to be her estranged younger brother. Their painful past, involving abuse and Lin Zhitong's 16-year disappearance, creates immediate tension. Despite Bai Enyu's mediation attempts and Xiao Yang defending her in a confrontation, Lin Zhitong remains resistant to reconnecting or facing their shared history.
Spoiler Alert
"Endless Protection" Episode 14 Recap & Spoilers: Ghosts of the Past & A Shocking Reunion
The episode kicks off with Bai Enyu and his wife paying respects at the grave of his childhood friend, Chen Junjie. If you remember, Chen Junjie tragically died way back in a group fight when they were all just reckless kids. That incident was a massive wake-up call for Bai Enyu and the others involved – they cleaned up their acts, and Bai Enyu even ended up marrying one of the girls who was part of that whole mess back in the day. It's clear that past still weighs heavily on him.
Next up, we see Tao Jia bringing Bai Enyu over to Chen Junyan's repair shop. There's some tension here, likely related to the past tragedy (maybe Chen Junyan feels some guilt or responsibility?). Tao Jia wants Bai Enyu to test out a motorcycle Chen Junyan recently tweaked – did he make it faster or slower? Bai Enyu takes it for a spin and confirms Chen Junyan actually detuned it, making it safer. This seems to be a turning point. Both guys realize they've been carrying around a ton of regret over their rebellious youth and the devastating consequences. They finally bury the hatchet, acknowledging that they were young, didn't understand the potential fallout, and it's time to let the past be the past.
Putting his reformed perspective into action, Bai Enyu rounds up some of his old buddies. Their mission? To talk some sense into a group of current young troublemakers. They basically pull a "scared straight" move, showing off their own battle scars – one guy walks with a limp, another apparently got his head cracked open back in the day – all results of their fighting past. It definitely spooks the kids. Bai Enyu also has a heart-to-heart with Bai Zuhao, telling him to stop pulling dangerous stunts just to get his parents' attention. He reminds him he's still a kid, school is the priority, and hopefully, his parents won't have to work themselves to the bone away from home forever once things get better financially.
Meanwhile, over at the prosecutor's office, Lin Zhitong is working on a follow-up project about juvenile offenders. Feeling sympathetic towards the kids' difficult backgrounds, she suggests shifting the focus to preventing juvenile crime instead. Her boss agrees, and she brings the assignment to Bai Enyu. This sparks an idea for Bai Enyu: remember Lu Sheng, the guy he helped get a job as a kitchen hand after he got out of prison? Lu Sheng's actually doing pretty well at the restaurant, which happens to be owned by Bai Enyu's good friend, Xiao Yang. Bai Enyu pitches the idea of interviewing Lu Sheng, and both Lu Sheng and Xiao Yang are on board.
Now, here's where things get wild. The next day, Bai Enyu brings Lin Zhitong to the restaurant for the interview. The second Lin Zhitong lays eyes on the owner, Xiao Yang, she completely freezes. Why? Plot twist: Xiao Yang is her younger brother!
While Lin Zhitong steps out to interview Lu Sheng (talk about awkward timing), Xiao Yang gives Bai Enyu the heartbreaking backstory. He and his sister (Lin Zhitong) were both abused by their father. Sixteen years ago, Lin Zhitong suddenly ran away from home and completely vanished – no calls, no letters, nothing. Xiao Yang was left behind to live with their mother and their "demon father." Seeing his sister after all this time hits him hard – he's hurt, sad, and probably a whole lot confused.
Bai Enyu, bless his heart, immediately tries to play mediator, but the initial attempt to reconcile the estranged siblings doesn't go well. Undeterred, Bai Enyu tries again, setting up a meeting at a KTV. Lin Zhitong practically bolts the second she sees her brother there. Bai Enyu keeps pushing, and eventually, Xiao Yang makes a plea: their family needs to relocate an ancestor's grave soon, and he wants Lin Zhitong to come home with him for it in a couple of days. It's a family duty, after all.
But Lin Zhitong just can't face it. The trauma is too deep. She makes excuses about being too busy with work and offers to send money instead. This infuriates Xiao Yang – it sounds like this isn't the first time she's refused to come home. Not wanting another fight, Lin Zhitong walks out of their KTV room.
As she's leaving, she spots some sketchy guys harassing a young girl in another room. The girl is clearly uncomfortable and trying to get away. Lin Zhitong, unable to just stand by, steps in to help the girl break free.
Just as Xiao Yang is about to leave, he sees the same guys now hassling his sister, pushing her around. Without a second thought, he rushes over and physically puts himself between Lin Zhitong and the aggressors, shielding her.
After that drama is settled, the three of them – Lin Zhitong, Bai Enyu, and Xiao Yang – head out. While Bai Enyu goes to get the car, Xiao Yang makes one last attempt to convince his sister to let go of the past. But Lin Zhitong is adamant. She tells him flat out that she is the kind of person who can't move on, and nobody can force her to forget what happened.
