Episode Summary
In this pivotal episode, Ying Tao confronts Jiang Qiaoxi about his emotional distance, leading her to decide to leave. Her departure forces Jiang Qiaoxi to realize he cannot lose her, and he chases after her taxi. After she returns, he finally confesses his feelings, and they officially become a couple. Later, Jiang Qiaoxi reveals the traumatic events he has endured over the past few years, including his family's financial ruin and his cousin's tragic accident.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Ying Tao watching over Jiang Qiaoxi. She stacks cups between them on the bed, confessing she was too scared to sleep the night before but now feels safe enough to finally rest. Jiang Qiaoxi reminds her that this is just a rented apartment, not a real home. Before falling asleep, she makes him promise not to run away while she's sleeping.
They both get a peaceful night's rest, but it's cut short when Jiang Qiaoxi has a nightmare and wakes up crying. Pained by the sight, Ying Tao tries to comfort him, but he avoids her gaze. She gently urges him to share what's troubling him, but he insists it's not the right time and flees the apartment.
Heartbroken, Ying Tao cries for a moment before chasing after him, finding him sitting on a set of stairs. Her sadness turns to anger as she confronts him about his lifelong habit of waiting for the "perfect moment" to act, a moment that never seems to arrive. She tells him she can see how exhausting his life is, weighed down by the pressure to be perfect and wait to be loved. She wishes he would just accept himself for who he is. Jiang Qiaoxi admits he knows her well; if he were happy and successful, she might not stay, but if he's suffering, she would never leave his side. This is why he keeps his distance. He then lies, claiming he's no longer in contact with his cousin and his wife, discouraging her from visiting and telling her she should just go home.
Tired of the emotional rollercoaster and the endless waiting, Ying Tao decides she can't love him anymore. She packs her bags to leave. As she gets into a taxi, Jiang Qiaoxi stands frozen, unable to even look at her. But the moment the car pulls away, panic sets in. He desperately chases after the taxi but can't catch it. Just as he thinks he has lost her for good, the taxi returns. Ying Tao gets out, explaining that she saw him chasing them and asked the driver to circle back.
This is the final push Jiang Qiaoxi needs. Realizing he can't live without her, he follows her lead and finally asks her to be his girlfriend. They are officially a couple. To celebrate, they walk through the streets, openly sharing snacks—a simple joy they couldn't have before, when they had to hide in an alley just to eat jujube steamed buns together.
With the wall between them finally broken, Jiang Qiaoxi opens up about the hardships he's faced. He explains that when he arrived in Hong Kong, he was hit by the subprime mortgage crisis. During this difficult time, his parents divorced, leaving him to fend for himself. His cousin was his only support, even offering to pay for his studies abroad so he wouldn't have to give up on his education. Tragically, his cousin was pushed from a building and has been hospitalized ever since. His cousin's wife has been holding the family together, selling their large house to afford a smaller one and pay for the mounting medical bills. They even had to take his aunt and uncle out of a nursing home. The uncle's health has since declined, and he now struggles to recognize his own family. Through a friend, his cousin's wife managed to defer his university enrollment for a year, a year he spent working tirelessly to save money. Ying Tao is stunned, having had no idea about the immense struggles he had been enduring alone.
