Episode Summary
In this episode, Ying Tao navigates her feelings of loss over Jiang Qiaoxi's disappearance while building relationships in her college dorm. A misunderstanding with her friend Yu Qiao forces her to reveal her long history with Jiang Qiaoxi to her seniors. After a devastating call with Jiang Qiaoxi's mother, who tells her to stay away, Ying Tao receives unexpected support from her departing friend Sisi, who gives her a tutoring job and a meaningful gift. The episode closes with Ying Tao starting her new job and mentoring a student with familiar family troubles.
Spoiler Alert
Our Generation: Episode 17 Spoilers
In the wake of Jiang Qiaoxi's disappearance, Ying Tao finds solace and confusion among her dorm mates.She grows particularly close to her senior, Lijun, and they often discuss life and relationships. Lijun is practical, supporting their friend Sisi's decision to return to her hometown, viewing separation as a normal part of life. Ying Tao, however, struggles with this idea, believing deeply in the importance of emotional connections. When asked, Ying Tao admits she has feelings for a childhood friend, while Lijun lightheartedly claims her crush is a celebrity.
Meanwhile, Sisi cries secretly in the dorm each night, and Ying Tao, who is relentlessly texting the silent Jiang Qiaoxi, feels helpless to comfort her.A strange incident in the library offers a fleeting moment of hope; when a book Ying Tao just shelved vanishes, she immediately thinks Jiang Qiaoxi has returned.The culprit, however, is her friend Yu Qiao, who was only trying to pull a prank to cheer her up. Their friendly moment is misinterpreted when Lijun spots them together and immediately assumes Yu Qiao is Ying Tao's boyfriend.
Back at the dorm, Ying Tao is cornered by her curious seniors. To clear up the misunderstanding, she finally opens up and recounts her entire history with Jiang Qiaoxi—from their first meeting as children, a brief separation, her efforts to get into the same school, and his recent, sudden disappearance. The story elicits a sharp reaction from the direct and outspoken Lijun, who, much like Qin Yeyun, angrily calls Ying Tao foolish for clinging to a lost cause.
As Sisi's departure nears, the four girls go out for a farewell meal. On the way, another male student confesses his feelings for Ying Tao, but she gently turns him down. Before joining her friends, Ying Tao makes a difficult call to Jiang Qiaoxi's mother, Auntie Liang. The conversation is heartbreaking; Auntie Liang tells her to stop trying to make contact, claiming she doesn't know where he is and cruelly adding that as long as Ying Tao stays out of his life, she and her son can maintain their relationship.
At the dinner, a more supportive Sisi offers Ying Tao her tutoring job, encouraging her to save money to find Jiang Qiaoxi. As a parting gift, Sisi leaves her a copy of "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" and a doll, explaining that the main character's journey mirrors Ying Tao's situation and hoping it will inspire her to grow. Taking the job, Ying Tao meets a new student who reminds her of Jiang Qiaoxi. The boy is struggling with feeling neglected by his parents, who favor his younger brother. Drawing from her own pain, Ying Tao advises him to start focusing on himself and prioritizing his own feelings.
