Episode Summary
Gu Xuejiao gets lost in the mountains during a storm and is rescued by Lin Zhihua, which deepens their connection. After university admission results are released, Gu Xuejiao is accepted into her dream school but accidentally confesses her budding feelings to Lin Zhihua. The episode also concludes the high school chapter, showing the differing paths of the friend group, and ends with a surprising reunion between Gu Xuejiao and Lin Zhihua at university, where he is her temporary instructor.
Spoiler Alert
The mountain weather proves dangerously unpredictable when a sudden gust of wind twists a signpost, sending Gu Xuejiao in the wrong direction on her way back from the restroom. When she doesn't return, a worried Lin Zhihua organizes a search party. He sends the other girls back to the hotel for safety while he, Gu Mingze, and Yi Tianyu split up to find her.
As a thunderstorm warning echoes through the area, Gu Xuejiao finds herself deep in the woods. The wet ground causes her to slip and sprain her ankle, leaving her stranded. Meanwhile, Lin Zhihua, driven by a desperate fear of losing someone important again, pushes deeper into the forest. He eventually finds a rain-soaked Gu Xuejiao and, without hesitation, wraps his coat around her and carries her back to the hotel.
Back at the hotel, a frantic Gu Mingze is relieved to see his sister return safely in Lin Zhihua's arms. Yi Tianyu quickly helps to dry her hair. Gu Mingze suspects Zhou Shiyun saw Gu Xuejiao before she got lost and confronts her, demanding she apologize. Zhou Shiyun defiantly refuses and leaves.
Later, as it gets dark, Gu Mingze, still worried, drives to pick up Zhou Shiyun. In the car, she finally breaks down, admitting that she saw Gu Xuejiao by the signpost. She confesses her intense jealousy of Gu Xuejiao and the immense pressure she feels from her mother. Gu Mingze comforts her, even drawing a smiley face with ketchup on a slice of bread to make her smile. He advises her to be honest with her feelings, whether it's love or hate.
While recovering, Gu Xuejiao eats instant noodles with Sun Tiantian, who teases her about the "excitement" of being carried by Lin Zhihua. Their conversation is interrupted when Qi Lei announces in their group chat that the university admission scores have been released. Gu Xuejiao anxiously checks the results for Beijing University.
Overjoyed with her acceptance, she rushes to share the news but mistakenly barges into Gu Mingze's room, which Lin Zhihua is currently using to take a shower. Thinking she is talking to Sun Tiantian, Gu Xuejiao pours her heart out, admitting she wanted to share the news with Lin Zhihua the most and that being rescued by him made her heart flutter. Just then, Lin Zhihua steps out of the bathroom. Mortified, Gu Xuejiao flees the room.
Later, Lin Zhihua leaves a congratulatory note on Gu Xuejiao's door for her acceptance into Beijing University. The good news, however, highlights the failures of others. Zhou Shiyun's mother, Zhou Wanjun, harshly scolds her for scoring lower than Gu Xuejiao. Having failed to get into her dream university, Zhou Shiyun disappears and isn't seen again for several years. In contrast, Yi Tianyu is accepted into Beijing University of Finance and Economics, while Gu Mingze fails his exams again and decides to spend the summer developing a AAA game with friends. Sun Tiantian starts an apprenticeship at a dessert shop.
The story then jumps to the start of the new semester. On her first day of military training, Gu Xuejiao is singled out for extra drills. Back in the dorm, she clashes with her roommate, Shu Lan, over using the air conditioner, using data to argue her point and winning the support of Zhao Feifei, a fellow graduate from her high school. The next day, Shu Lan reports her to their instructor. Gu Xuejiao is stunned to see that the substitute instructor is none other than Lin Zhihua. He asks why she has been avoiding him, but flustered and unable to answer, she makes an excuse and runs away, leaving their relationship hanging in the balance.
