Episode Summary
Zhou Mu Sun becomes increasingly smitten with Luo Man after witnessing her unique personality, even helping her sell a script she wrote. Their relationship blossoms, highlighted by sweet gestures and his support for her career, though a run-in with his ex-wife, Yu Qiao Qiao, causes a moment of surprise for Luo Man. Meanwhile, Chen Kai Xi's marriage to Chen Mian hits a rough patch as they argue over her helping Li Wei An with a custody battle, leaving Chen Kai Xi feeling isolated. Luo Man's parents decide to help her buy an apartment for her birthday. Zhou Mu Sun makes Luo Man's birthday special with a surprise return and a home-cooked meal, but his actual gift leaves Luo Man questioning her importance to him. Chen Kai Xi, on the other hand, spends a lonely evening after Chen Mian fails to come home for a planned dinner.
Spoiler Alert
We kicked things off with Zhou Mu Sun having a bit of an epiphany. He caught Luo Man red-handed (or should I say, bare-footed?) helping her bestie Zhong Qing Cheng pull a revenge prank on an ex. And you know what? Instead of being weirded out, Zhou Mu Sun was totally captivated by Luo Man's unique, fiery spirit. It was like a switch flipped for him. Even his ex, Yu Qiao Qiao, noticed the change, thinking out loud that Zhou Mu Sun might have finally found his person.
Speaking of that prank, Luo Man and her crew were left standing awkwardly, literally barefoot on the ground. But did Zhou Mu Sun care? Nope! In a move that probably melted a few hearts (including those of Luo Man’s besties Chen Kai Xi and Zhong Qing Cheng, who were looking on), he just swooped in, picked Luo Man up, and carried her off. Seriously, cue the romantic background music!
It's not just her personality that’s got Zhou Mu Sun hooked; Luo Man’s also a budding screenwriter! She penned a script that he found absolutely compelling. He’s now all in on helping her shop it around, totally championing her career ambitions. Luo Man, understandably, is floating on cloud nine with all this support and couldn't help but gush to Chen Kai Xi about how considerate Zhou Mu Sun has been.
And his help pays off! A film company is interested in investing in Luo Man's script, and they're talking a level of commitment that even takes Luo Man by surprise. They even offered some solid pointers for improvement. But here’s the kicker: as Luo Man was seeing off the film company's boss, Xin Di, guess who rolls up to pick Xin Di up? None other than Zhou Mu Sun’s ex-wife, Yu Qiao Qiao! Talk about an awkward "Whaaat?!" moment for Luo Man.
Meanwhile, in the Chen household, things are a bit…tense. Chen Mian was about to head out for the evening when he overheard his wife, Chen Kai Xi, watching a video for her work. He was a bit surprised her guest wasn't Li Wei An (apparently, Li Wei An isn't doing so hot right now and isn't up for filming). Chen Kai Xi gave a quick explanation, secretly pleased her hubby was showing some interest in her career. Chen Mian even sat down to watch, complimenting the guest, a Mrs. Zheng (Zheng Tai Tai), on her engaging conversation and suggesting Chen Kai Xi spice up her future videos with more interactive content. Awww, right?
Well, hold that thought. Later, Chen Mian storms back home, furious that Chen Kai Xi helped Li Wei An find a lawyer. Chen Kai Xi stands her ground, arguing that Li Wei An deserves custody of her child. The two have a major blowout, and Chen Kai Xi, completely fed up, just walks away. Ouch. That night, she’s alone in bed, upset and unable to sleep. When Luo Man, fresh off finishing her script, messages her, Chen Kai Xi replies instantly – a sure sign of a rough night.
Back to our girls! Luo Man, Chen Kai Xi, and Zhong Qing Cheng had one of their classic get-togethers. Luo Man vented a bit, saying Zhou Mu Sun has been a little "extra" or high-maintenance lately, always having to get a word in. True to form, Luo Man isn't one to just take it. But Chen Kai Xi and Zhong Qing Cheng? They just see it as classic lovey-dovey behavior, even predicting Zhou Mu Sun has a big birthday surprise up his sleeve for Luo Man. Adding to the birthday excitement, Luo Man’s parents decide they’re going to help her buy an apartment as a gift!
So, Luo Man starts the apartment hunt, but it’s the usual struggle: the places she loves, she can't afford, and the places she can afford, she doesn't love. Zhou Mu Sun, ever the supportive boyfriend, advises her to go with the one that caught her eye from the get-go.
As Luo Man's birthday approaches, she and Chen Kai Xi exchange presents – and adorably, they’ve been giving each other pretty much the same kind of gifts since their school days. Chen Kai Xi, naturally, is curious about Zhou Mu Sun’s gift plans, but Luo Man has no idea, especially since he’s away on a business trip. On the night before her birthday, Luo Man stays up, and right at the stroke of midnight, she gets a sweet birthday video message from Zhou Mu Sun. Content, she finally drifts off to sleep.
Then, on her actual birthday, Zhou Mu Sun makes a surprise return and cooks her an elaborate dinner! It’s all very romantic. Luo Man even fesses up that she totally lied about her cooking skills when they first met. Zhou Mu Sun’s response? He knew all along she was just putting on an act. Later, Luo Man peeks at how Zhou Mu Sun saved her contact in WeChat – and sees he’s noted her birthday right there! She’s so thrilled, she immediately shares the news with her besties.
While Luo Man’s birthday seems to be hitting all the right notes, Chen Kai Xi’s evening takes a different turn. She also cooked a big dinner, hoping Chen Mian would come home so they could celebrate… something (the text was a bit vague here, but the sentiment was clear). But her efforts were for nothing. Chen Mian never showed, leaving Chen Kai Xi heartbroken and alone.
So, Luo Man’s birthday seems to be going great, right? Well, almost. Despite the video, the surprise return, and the home-cooked meal, when it came to the actual gift from Zhou Mu Sun, something about it left Luo Man feeling like maybe, just maybe, she wasn't quite as high on his priority list as she thought. Uh-oh.
