Episode Summary
To protect Ming Sheng's future before the crucial college entrance exams, Qiao Qingyu painfully ends their relationship, claiming she hates him. They both channel their energy into studying and coincidentally rank 13th and 14th. A misunderstanding involving a photoshopped picture and street harassers leads Ming Sheng to violently "defend" Qingyu, resulting in a fight. The episode concludes with a major revelation: Ming Sheng learns from his mother that she chose to leave his father, shattering his long-held resentment.
Spoiler Alert
Reborn Episode 15 Recap & Spoilers: A Painful Choice and a Violent Storm
As the pressure of the national college entrance exams mounts, the relationship between Qiao Qingyu and Ming Sheng is pushed to its breaking point. This episode delves into the painful sacrifices of youth, escalating misunderstandings, and shocking family revelations that change everything.
A Note and a Painful Rejection
The episode kicks off with Ming Sheng, deeply concerned about the oppressive atmosphere in Qingyu's home, passing her a note in school. His offer is drastic and heartfelt: if she can't take it anymore, he's ready to run away with her at a moment's notice. While Qingyu is touched by his concern, she is also a pragmatist. She recognizes that their different backgrounds and family situations mean their paths are destined to diverge. Believing she is a burden on his future, she decides to make a clean break.
After asking her younger brother to cover for her, Qingyu arranges to meet Ming Sheng under their familiar large tree. She lays out her reasoning, telling him that their lives are on different tracks and he needs to stop worrying about her. When he insists on the runaway plan, she delivers the final, devastating blow. To protect his future, she tells him that his constant attention is making her life harder, not easier, and that she "hates" him. She demands they cut all ties. A heartbroken Ming Sheng respects her decision, and the two go their separate ways, seemingly for good, turning all their energy toward their studies.
The Race to the Top and an Awkward Reunion
With their connection severed, both Qingyu and Ming Sheng channel their emotions into studying. Ming Sheng, who was previously known for his laid-back attitude, becomes intensely focused. The effort pays off for both of them when the exam results are posted. In a twist of fate, their scores are nearly identical: Qingyu ranks 13th, and Ming Sheng comes in right behind her at 14th.
The proximity of their names on the list doesn't go unnoticed. Ming Sheng's friend jokes that their rankings—"13" and "14"—sound like the Chinese phrase for "one life, one lifetime", a term loaded with romantic meaning. The comment draws snickers from other students, but Ming Sheng is not amused. He coldly tells his friend to shut up before turning and walking away, his stoic expression hiding a storm of unresolved feelings.
A Misunderstanding Turns Violent
The drama follows them out of the school gates. As Qingyu's mother picks her up, a group of local troublemakers recognizes Qingyu from the gossip circulating on campus and begins to harass her. Unbeknownst to them, Ming Sheng is watching from a nearby shop, hesitant to intervene directly and cause more trouble for Qingyu.
The situation escalates due to a vicious online prank. A friend shows Ming Sheng a photoshopped picture on the school's online forum, depicting Qingyu with a creepy-looking man. Mistakenly believing the punks harassing her are responsible for the photo, Ming Sheng's protective instincts take over. He rushes back to the scene and, seeing some vegetable leaves scattered on the ground, assumes a violent struggle took place. Fueled by this misunderstanding, he and two friends attack the troublemakers. The fight ends with Ming Sheng and his friends bruised and beaten. It's only later that they learn the truth: the photo was fake, and Qingyu was never in any real danger, having been protected by her mother.
The Truth About a Broken Home
The fight lands Ming Sheng in trouble, and his father is called to the school. Ming Sheng watches his father get a long lecture from the principal, not with sympathy, but with a sense of satisfaction. However, his perspective is about to be completely shattered.
That evening, during a video call with his mother, Ming Sheng finally confronts her about his lifelong resentment toward his father. His mother reveals the true reason they separated years ago. His father's demanding job led to constant arguments, and she had wanted to leave and take Ming Sheng with her. However, his paternal grandfather refused to let him go, forcing her to leave her son behind. The revelation that his mother left by choice—and that his father didn't abandon her—hits Ming Sheng like a ton of bricks. This new information completely upends his understanding of his family and his father, setting the stage for a potential re-evaluation of their fractured relationship.
