Episode Summary
In this episode, the truth about Yi Yi's mother, Su Ye, is revealed: she passed away, and Yi Yi was unknowingly communicating with her aunt. This revelation brings Yi Yi and her father, Zhang Jun, closer. Meanwhile, Yu Shi's mother discovers Yu Shi's past stroke and medication, leading to a moment of understanding and reconciliation between them. Xiao Xia, dealing with harassment from her relatives and grieving her grandfather, grows more reliant on Zhao Dongcheng, asking him to leave town with her, which he seems hesitant to do. Shen Xinxin has an awkward reunion with his high school crush, who confesses she's married, has a child, and was using him for business due to her husband's failed venture; he ends up sharing noodles with Wang Kankan.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicked off with a major reveal concerning little Yi Yi and her "mom," Su Ye. Things got incredibly awkward when Yi Yi called her "mom" in front of her classmates, only for another child's voice to be heard on the other end calling for "Mommy." Naturally, the kids started pestering Yi Yi about having a secret sibling. Overwhelmed and confused, poor Yi Yi did what any distressed kid might do – she ran off.
Luckily, a kind lady from the neighborhood found her and got in touch with Yu Shi. Yi Yi, clearly distraught, made Yu Shi promise not to tell her dad, Zhang Jun, about her escape, threatening to run away again if she did. Yu Shi found Yi Yi at the lady's shop, crying her eyes out, convinced her mom didn't want her anymore and that her dad had been lying to her.
Right on cue, Guan Xu appeared. Yu Shi's mom has her reservations about him, thinking he's too young for Yu Shi, though Yu Shi herself seems to brush off his obvious crush as his own business. Guan Xu brought two colas, and since Yi Yi's dad usually forbids them, she decided to indulge with Yu Shi. Not wanting to go home yet, Yi Yi asked to go to the riverside, so Yu Shi and Guan Xu took her.
Meanwhile, Zhang Jun was, understandably, in a panic, with his friends Zhao Dongcheng and Shen Xinxin trying to support him. When Zhao Dongcheng gently inquired about Su Ye, Zhang Jun was hesitant to speak. However, a call from Yi Yi's classmate's mother, explaining the incident at school, seemed to be the catalyst he needed. Zhang Jun decided it was time to reveal the truth. He later went to the riverside to pick up Yi Yi and finally confessed: Su Ye, Yi Yi's actual mother, had passed away some time ago due to an illness. The "mom" Yi Yi had been communicating with was, in fact, Su Ye's sister – Yi Yi's aunt. This heartbreaking revelation suddenly explained why Zhang Jun always had to "schedule" calls with "Su Ye."
Later, Zhang Jun sat Yi Yi down and told her everything. Though deeply saddened, the brave little girl seemed to mature in that very moment, becoming a true comfort to her grieving father.
Yu Shi's Secret and a Mother's Realization
Secrets were a running theme, as Yu Shi's mom stumbled upon Yu Shi's medication. A quick inquiry with a doctor revealed it was for stroke recovery. Shocked and unaware, she contacted Zhao Dongcheng. He confirmed that Yu Shi had indeed suffered a stroke while at the hospital but had insisted on keeping it from her mother, confiding only in him.
This news hit Yu Shi's mom hard. She was confronted with the reality of how much she didn't know about her daughter's life and struggles, and how unfairly she had judged Yu Shi for choosing to work at a community hospital. The emotional weight of this discovery was compounded when Yu Shi's older sister called. Unable to visit their mother as planned, the sister began to blame Yu Shi for their mom sounding upset. For the very first time, Yu Shi's mother fiercely defended Yu Shi to her older daughter. It was a powerful moment. After calming down, she lovingly prepared soup for Yu Shi, signaling a thaw in their strained relationship and a step towards healing.
Xiao Xia's Troubles and Growing Reliance
Over in Xiao Xia's world, the drama continued with her troublesome aunt and uncle. They persisted in creating disturbances outside her home, causing Xiao Xia so much stress that her blood pressure spiked, forcing her to call Zhao Dongcheng for urgent medical attention.
It's clear that Xiao Xia is becoming increasingly dependent on Zhao Dongcheng, especially following the recent death of her grandfather. In a vulnerable moment, she asked him to stay with her, and he did, holding her hand as she fell asleep. However, the peace was short-lived. When her relatives returned to cause more trouble, Xiao Xia decided she'd had enough and wanted to move away. The complication? She wants Zhao Dongcheng to leave with her, but he doesn't seem to share her plans to relocate. This could spell trouble for their budding connection.
Shen Xinxin's Awkward Reunion and a Dose of Reality
Finally, Shen Xinxin had a rather uncomfortable dinner with his high school crush. She had recently returned to China and enlisted his help in finding people to sign insurance contracts. As it turns out, she's facing significant financial difficulties. When the ever-helpful Shen Xinxin presented her with a set of signed contracts, she was overcome with guilt about using him.
They ended up at Chun Jie's noodle shop for "suo fen" (rice noodles), where she confessed everything. She revealed she was married with a child and had only returned to China because her husband's business had failed. She thanked Shen Xinxin for his kindness but stated she wouldn't take advantage of him further, and then she left. Just as she departed, Wang Kankan arrived at the shop. Chun Jie brought out the noodles, and Shen Xinxin found himself sharing a meal of "suo fen" with Wang Kankan – an unexpected end to a complicated evening.
