Episode Summary
In this episode, Gu Xuejiao is held captive by an obsessed Yi Tianyu after her attempt to expose him backfires. While she cleverly sends coded messages to Lin Zhihua, he independently discovers that Siqi is the corporate mole. The episode builds to a tense climax as Lin Zhihua races to find Siqi before a press conference, while Gu Xuejiao manages to steal what she believes is the crucial evidence, only for Yi Tianyu to reveal he has the real proof safely locked away.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 22 of Summit of Our Youth begins right in the middle of a crisis at Huachuang. Based on evidence from Zhou Shiyun, it's clear they have a tech-savvy traitor in their midst. Gu Xuejiao knows they need to find the culprit before the upcoming press conference, which is their best shot at damage control. Lin Zhihua, feeling the pressure, steps out for some air, but Gu Xuejiao is confident he'll figure something out.
Back at his place, they try to piece things together. Gu Xuejiao suspects Yi Tianyu orchestrated the whole thing to get to her. Lin Zhihua tells her not to worry, reassuring her that they'll get through this together, just like they always do.
To solve the problem, Gu Xuejiao decides to go straight to the source. She visits Yi Tianyu at his home, pretending she's there to help him recover after his hospital stay. When he pretends to be drunk and passed out, she tries to unlock his phone using her birthday as the password. It works, but it's a trap. Yi Tianyu jumps up, revealing he was faking. He then pulls out a USB drive containing the C2 virus program, threatening to leak it and turn the brake failure incident into a public crisis if she calls the police. Gu Xuejiao has no choice but to stay.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhihua recovers some data from Dr. Tan's computer and discovers the real insider is Siqi. He tries to call her, but her phone is off, and HR tells him she's on a long leave. When he calls Li Sitong, he learns Gu Xuejiao hasn't been home in a while, and he immediately guesses she's being held captive by Yi Tianyu.
We learn that Siqi's mother is hospitalized and is now on expensive imported medicine. When her mom asks where the money came from, Siqi lies, saying Gu Xuejiao helped her get company shares.
Unable to find Gu Xuejiao, Lin Zhihua heads to Yi Tianyu's apartment. Yi Tianyu forces Gu Xuejiao into the bathroom and makes her run the shower, trying to trick Lin Zhihua into thinking they're together. To get her hands on that USB, Gu Xuejiao plays along. Before leaving, Lin Zhihua manages to hint to her that Siqi is the mole and then waits in the building's basement.
Gu Xuejiao realizes that being confrontational with Yi Tianyu won't work, so she changes her strategy. She tells him she's not interested in guys who are obsessed with romance and encourages him to focus on his career. Surprisingly, it works. He agrees to let her go out for a bit, with his driver, Qi Lei, keeping an eye on her.
In the car, Gu Xuejiao notices all the navigation apps have been deleted. She finds a blood test report from the First Hospital and secretly pockets it. Later, at a clothing store, she cleverly uses Lin Zhihua's phone number as the membership account ID when she pays, making sure Qi Lei doesn't see. Back at his apartment, Yi Tianyu is pleased to see her spending his money and starts cooking for her.
That evening, Gu Xuejiao tries to reason with him again, but he gets angry when she defends Lin Zhihua. He finally reveals the real reason for his obsession: he overheard her and Lin Zhihua talking about how he was her boyfriend in a past life. Gu Xuejiao understands his bitterness now, but he's too far gone, saying he'd do anything to have her back.
Lin Zhihua knows Gu Xuejiao was trying to send him a message. Looking at the store receipt, he converts the numbers of the prices into code, using a phone's T9 keypad to spell out "First Hospital." He now suspects Siqi is hiding there. As Yi Tianyu gets drunk and passes out, Gu Xuejiao seizes her chance and takes the USB drive he wears around his neck.
With only an hour left until the press conference, Lin Zhihua rushes to the First Hospital's hematology department, only to be told Siqi's mother has already been transferred. He gets Lin Zhiyue to track down a specialist, Dr. Wei, who has recently checked into a hotel near Concord Hospital.
Thirty minutes before the conference, a confident Yi Tianyu is already in Huachuang's office, telling Lin Jiadong to throw away Lin Zhihua's awards. He then glances at a safe, revealing the final twist: the USB drive Gu Xuejiao took was a fake. He had the real one all along. Just then, Lin Zhihua finds Siqi at the new hospital and confronts her.
