Episode Summary
Yi Tianyu's basketball career comes to a tragic end, a fact that is hidden from Gu Xuejiao. Meanwhile, Gu Xuejiao and Lin Zhihua's relationship deepens, leading to a secret kiss in the lab and a grand romantic confession orchestrated by Zhihua. Professionally, Xuejiao achieves a major breakthrough with her AI research project. The episode concludes two years later, with their project launching but a new conflict emerging at a business dinner, prompting Xuejiao to rush to Zhihua's side.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with Gu Xuejiao on the phone, checking on Yi Tianyu's condition after his injury. His father, Yi Dafa, puts on a brave face and tells her that the injury isn't serious. He even fabricates a story that Tianyu has been scouted by an overseas basketball league and will be heading abroad for training soon. Hearing this, Xuejiao is genuinely happy. Although she doesn't have romantic feelings for him, she's pleased that in this lifetime, both of them seem to be on a path to becoming better versions of themselves.
The reality, however, is much harsher. Back in the hospital room, Tianyu thanks his father for protecting his pride. The truth is, the injury has ended his basketball career. The trip abroad is for rehabilitation, not for playing in a professional league. Heartbroken and despondent, Tianyu smashes a framed photo of his basketball team.
Meanwhile, at the university lab, a topic selection meeting is held, but Xuejiao was never notified. When Lin Zhihua later questions Lin Jiadong about it, Jiadong dismisses Xuejiao as a mere freshman who didn't need to be included. The slight reminds Xuejiao of her past life, where she was relegated to passing out lunch boxes while her colleagues held important meetings. This time, she is determined to change her destiny.
Seeking advice on his confusing feelings for Xuejiao, Lin Zhihua meets with his sister, Lin Zhiyue. He vaguely describes the situation as if it's happening to his "roommate." Zhiyue astutely points out that without a formal confession, a girl would be unwilling to enter into an undefined relationship.This gives Zhihua the clarity he needs, and he immediately rushes to the lab to find Xuejiao, only to be told by Lin Jiadong that she has already taken leave.
At home, Xuejiao is struggling with her research proposal. Her brother, Gu Mingze, boasts about his budding romance with Zhou Shiyun, but Xuejiao, annoyed, tells him not to get ahead of himself. After shooing him away, she remains frustrated, as all the topics she can think of have already been researched, and her attempt to take on an advanced subject was shot down by Lin Jiadong.
Later that evening, Zhihua is at the lab checking on equipment when he sees Xuejiao sneak in. He quietly follows her and watches as she scrolls through past research topics on a computer. He startles her by speaking, advising her not to be so anxious, but she insists that opportunities are fleeting. Their conversation is interrupted when Lin Jiadong arrives with bubble tea for Zhihua. The two quickly hide together in an office. After Jiadong leaves without finding them, Zhihua and Xuejiao share a sweet, intimate moment, culminating in a hug and a kiss.
With their relationship taking a new turn, Xuejiao asks Zhihua for help with a data model for her project. His guidance sparks a brilliant idea for her related to artificial intelligence from ten years in the future. Her innovative topic is later selected by Professor Tan to be a key project in a school-enterprise partnership. She even gets approval to integrate her framework into the C1 structure system that Zhihua is in charge of.
The romance escalates when Gao Rui calls Xuejiao about a supposed malfunction in the AI system. She rushes to the location, only to find her car parked in a beautiful sea of flowers with a bouquet waiting inside. Lin Zhihua appears and reveals it was all a setup for a date. He formally asks to confirm their relationship, and Xuejiao happily agrees. When she asks about the system "glitch," Zhihua demonstrates the gift he prepared: the AI's voice assistant now speaks with her voice, a present she adores.
A time jump of two years reveals that Shu Lan has joined their self-driving car lab, and the project led by Lin Zhihua is being officially launched. During a business dinner with Bochi Motors, a representative named Zheng Qin aggressively pressures a non-drinking Zhihua to have alcohol. Seeing him in a difficult position, Gao Rui sends a text to Xuejiao, who immediately rushes to the restaurant to help.
