Episode Summary
In this episode, Luo Man tentatively rekindles her relationship with her ex, Wu Hao, encouraged by her friend Chen Kaixi. Wu Hao's parents approve of Luo Man, and he even invites her to a wedding, making her reconsider their past. However, Luo Man is quickly disillusioned after encountering Wu Hao's disrespectful friends and overhearing their crude remarks about her, leading her to break up with him decisively. Meanwhile, Zhong Qingcheng faces a career setback when a role is canceled and also discovers that her roommate was the woman Luo Man saw with Zhou Musun at the cinema. Upset after her confrontation at the wedding party, Luo Man goes to a bar where she unexpectedly meets Zhou Musun. Though initially guarded, she ends up confiding in him about her frustrations. The episode highlights the complexities of past relationships, societal expectations of women, and the support found in friendships.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with some late-night bestie bonding. Chen Kaixi is cozied up with Luo Man, confessing her fears about losing everything she has. Turns out, Luo Man has her own set of anxieties. It's one of those deep, honest conversations that only happen between true friends, and eventually, they drift off to sleep.
Bright and early the next morning, Chen Kaixi is already up, whipping up breakfast. As they eat, Luo Man spills the beans about bumping into her ex, Wu Hao. She even shows Chen Kaixi the messages he's been sending. Luo Man can tell Wu Hao is testing the waters, maybe trying to win her back, and she's definitely on the fence about it. Chen Kaixi, ever the supportive friend (with a hint of mischief), teases her a bit and offers to help suss out Wu Hao's intentions.
Meanwhile, Zhong Qingcheng gets some bad news. The director of a show she was supposed to be in calls to say her role has been cut due to some unforeseen issues. This is a tough blow, as Zhong Qingcheng is already struggling financially.
Luo Man, back at her place, can't stop looking at the photos Wu Hao sent her. Then, her dad calls, and you guessed it, it's the marriage talk again. Luo Man is clearly frustrated by the pressure and ends the call feeling pretty helpless.
Later, Chen Kaixi is at a gathering with a group of wealthy wives, and the main topic of conversation is, surprise surprise, men and their shortcomings. Listening to their complaints plants a seed of worry in Chen Kaixi's mind too.
Luo Man's script isn't having a great day either. It's getting slammed because the female lead is seen as too much of a pushover, not aligning with what today's young audiences want to see. Luo Man defends her writing, arguing that her portrayal is realistic. She goes on a bit of a rant about how modern society has ridiculously high expectations for women: they need to be gentle, considerate, good homemakers, and successful career women. Her passionate take leaves everyone a little stunned.
Back at Chen Kaixi's social event, Li Weian, who was just being bad-mouthed by the other wives, suddenly shows up. Awkward! The other women quickly make excuses and scatter. Li Weian, feeling like a pariah, is about to leave too. But Chen Kaixi, instead of shunning her, not only doesn't try to avoid her but also accepts a gift Li Weian offers. Li Weian is touched by this kindness, knowing how many people are keeping their distance from her these days.
Things get a bit complicated for Zhong Qingcheng. Her roommate suddenly feels unwell, and while Zhong Qingcheng is taking care of her, she notices her roommate's phone on the living room table. A call comes in, and it's from none other than Zhou Musun. Zhong Qingcheng is understandably flustered. Later, while trying to comfort her roommate, Zhong Qingcheng learns something shocking: the woman Luo Man saw with Zhou Musun at the movie theater was actually her roommate! So that mystery is solved. That evening, Luo Man gets a comforting message from her mom.
Luo Man decides to visit Wu Hao's place. His parents are thrilled to see her and can't stop singing her praises. Later, Luo Man and Wu Hao take his dog for a walk, strolling down familiar streets that have changed quite a bit. In a classic romantic move, Wu Hao reaches for Luo Man's hand, and she doesn't pull away. When he drops her home, Wu Hao lays his cards on the table, confessing his feelings. Luo Man, however, is still hesitant and can't quite bring herself to take that leap. After this encounter, she deletes Zhou Musun's WeChat contact.
Luo Man meets up with Chen Kaixi and Zhong Qingcheng for a meal, and naturally, her situation with Wu Hao comes up. Luo Man reveals she's decided to give dating him another shot, just to see how things go. Chen Kaixi, however, isn't convinced Wu Hao is marriage material.
Later that night, Wu Hao messages Luo Man, inviting her to a friend's wedding. This triggers a memory for Luo Man: back when they were together, Wu Hao was always reluctant to introduce her to his social circle.
Luo Man ends up going to the wedding reception with Wu Hao. While in the restroom, she overhears some of Wu Hao's female friends gossiping and bad-mouthing her. When she returns to their table, she then has to endure a barrage of crass and disrespectful comments from the men there. Fed up, Luo Man confronts them, tells them off, and storms out, officially done with Wu Hao (again!). She heads to a bar to drown her sorrows and messages Chen Kaixi. As she's getting drunk, she looks up and sees Zhou Musun. He's being quite warm and attentive, but Luo Man is understandably wary of him now. Still, under Zhou Musun's gentle persistence, Luo Man can't help but pour out all her frustrations and complaints to him.
