Episode Summary
Xu Zhi advocates for a raise for Chen Luzhou, confusing him as he thought she disliked him. She later declines her boss's suggestion to move to a bigger city, citing her responsibilities. Chen Luzhou's attempt to have Xu Zhi meet his mother is thwarted by his mother's busy schedule. To create an opportunity for them, Chen Xingqi feigns needing mosquito repellent, leading to Xu Zhi and Chen Luzhou meeting. They end up having dinner together, where they bond over lemonade and discuss Xu Zhi's aspiration to study architecture, like her late mother. Chen Luzhou encourages her to explore opportunities beyond their local area. The group watches an Aries meteor shower, a meaningful event for Xu Zhi as her mother was an Aries. During the shower, Xu Zhi reveals her mother designed an underwater bookstore Chen Luzhou admired and admits she's reconsidering her decision to stay local. Later, Xu Zhi insists on splitting the bill for a late-night snack, leading to a slightly tense conversation about her meticulousness with money. The episode ends with Chen Luzhou telling Zhu Yangqi he will pursue Xu Zhi if she's still single when he returns from abroad.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 4 Recap & Spoilers: Lemonade, Meteor Showers, and Budding Feelings
Episode 4 delves deeper into the slowly blossoming connection between Xu Zhi and Chen Luzhou, peppered with misunderstandings, shared vulnerabilities, and a touch of celestial magic.
The episode kicks off with Xu Zhi speaking to her boss about Chen Luzhou, arguing that he deserves a raise for his work. The boss teases her, noting Chen Luzhou’s romantic photography style while Xu Zhi seems solely focused on the monetary aspect. Xu Zhi stands her ground, insisting the boss had promised a raise and she intends to hold him to it. Chen Luzhou, within earshot, is perplexed by her actions, wondering why she’d advocate for him if she supposedly dislikes him.
Later, the boss chats with Xu Zhi, questioning why someone with her excellent grades would choose to stay in their current location when she could easily go to major cities like Beijing or Shanghai. He mentions that her father has long since recovered from his illness and that they would be happy to look after her grandmother. Xu Zhi, however, feels a sense of duty and expresses contentment with staying, saying, "These are things I should do, and I think it's quite good here." Meanwhile, Chen Luzhou attempts to arrange a meeting between his mother and Xu Zhi. He calls his mom, asking if she has any free time to meet a friend. Unfortunately, his mother is swamped with work until the following month and, assuming his younger brother Chen Xingqi is in trouble again, quickly ends the call.
Chen Xingqi then makes his appearance, complaining bitterly about mosquito bites acquired while sketching in the woods – a task Chen Luzhou had assigned him. He urges Chen Luzhou to find some insect repellent, clearly trying to create an opportunity for Chen Luzhou to interact with someone (implied to be Xu Zhi). Chen Luzhou suspects his friend Zhu Yangqi might be behind this scheme, but Chen Xingqi denies it, adding that Cai Yingying had been so loud at the bar the previous day that the entire mountain resort probably heard whatever she was saying.
Taking the cue, Chen Luzhou messages Xu Zhi, asking if she has any mosquito repellent for Chen Xingqi. Xu Zhi replies that she does and agrees to meet him in the lobby to give it to him. Zhu Yangqi, observing this, remarks that this is a perfect chance for Chen Luzhou. When Chen Luzhou arrives at the lobby, Xu Zhi is already there, observing the fish in a tank. She hands him the medicine, explaining it was brought by a friend of her father’s and that Chen Xingqi can "make do with it."
Seizing the moment, Chen Luzhou asks Xu Zhi if she’s had dinner. She hasn’t, so he suggests they eat together, and she agrees. At the restaurant, Xu Zhi considers ordering alcohol, but Chen Luzhou declines, admitting he’s a "one-drink lightweight." He recounts a childhood story where Zhu Yangqi’s father tricked him into drinking baijiu, leading to him animatedly chatting with Zhu Yangqi’s grandmother for the entire night. Chen Luzhou opts for lemonade. This triggers a memory for Xu Zhi: as a child, she wanted orange juice, but her mother, deeming it unhealthy, gave her lemonade instead. Following his lead and her memory, Xu Zhi also orders lemonade.
Their conversation drifts to academic aspirations. Xu Zhi reveals she wants to major in architecture, which surprises Chen Luzhou. He clarifies that his surprise isn't because he thinks women can't excel in architecture – in fact, he believes their typically more nuanced emotional sensibilities make them well-suited for it, even citing an underwater bookstore designed by a female architect. His concern is more about the quality of Qingda University's architecture program, which he feels isn't particularly strong. Xu Zhi states she has already made up her mind to stay local, but Chen Luzhou gently suggests that she could also consider opportunities further afield and see more of the world.
Later, a news report announces an Aries meteor shower expected that night. Zhu Yangqi tries to convince Chen Luzhou to join them to watch it, but Chen Luzhou initially refuses, claiming he has to edit footage. Zhu Yangqi then plays his trump card: Cai Yingying mentioned Xu Zhi would be there. Xu Zhi’s mother was an Aries, and Xu Zhi holds a touching belief that people become shooting stars after they pass away, making her eager to see the shower. Surprised that Xu Zhi believes in such things, Chen Luzhou changes his mind and decides to go.
The group, especially Xu Zhi, is overjoyed watching the meteor shower. In a quiet moment, Chen Luzhou asks Xu Zhi to turn around and captures a photo of her. As Cai Yingying and Zhu Yangqi wander off to another spot, Xu Zhi shares something significant: the underwater bookstore Chen Luzhou had mentioned earlier was actually designed by her own mother. She confesses that she has always aspired to be a designer like her. However, she also admits that Chen Luzhou’s earlier words about exploring other places have given her a lot to think about, and she’s now considering that she might indeed "go to other places to see."
After the meteor shower, Xu Zhi and Chen Luzhou grab a late-night snack. Xu Zhi immediately asks Chen Luzhou about the cost, wanting to pay her share. Chen Luzhou questions her need to be so precise about money, recalling how she once fabricated a story about having a boyfriend just to treat him to a meal and settle a debt with that person. Xu Zhi sees nothing wrong with her approach. Chen Luzhou then probes, asking if she intends to be this meticulous with future boyfriends. "Yes," Xu Zhi replies, but then pointedly adds, "But you're not my boyfriend, so what does this have to do with you?"
Chen Luzhou asks Xu Zhi to transfer her share of the bill via WeChat, which she does. Later, back at their accommodation, Zhu Yangqi observes that Xu Zhi and Chen Luzhou seem like a good match and directly asks Chen Luzhou if he genuinely doesn’t plan to pursue her. Chen Luzhou’s reply leaves a tantalizing hint for the future: "When I get back from abroad, if she's still single, I'll pursue her."
