Episode Summary
Zhao Youzuo realizes his connection to Xun Weilai and Zhao Liao, just as Xiao Xue returns to hunt them down. While his family hits financial rock bottom, Zhao Youzuo pivots, starting a successful social media video business with his friends. This new success brings both hope for his family and a painful reunion with a struggling Chen Ming. The episode ends with Xiao Xue overhearing a crucial conversation, giving her a new plan to find her targets by altering the past, and then mysteriously vanishing before Zhao Youzuo's eyes.
Spoiler Alert
The Big Reveal and a Killer's Return
Zhao Youzuo Connects the Dots
The episode kicks off with a huge moment. Zhao Youzuo finally puts it all together. He realizes that Xun Weilai and Zhao Liao are not just random strangers. They are future versions of himself. Just as this sinks in, an alarm blares through the monitoring system. Mr. Gao rushes to shut it off. While he's at it, he discovers something disturbing. He sees a log of all the illegal things Xiao Xue has been doing behind everyone's back. He does not look happy.
Xiao Xue's Shady Mission
Speaking of Xiao Xue, she finds Zhao Youzuo again. She's desperate. She demands to know where he found Xun Weilai and Zhao Liao. Zhao Youzuo is suspicious. He asks her how she even knows Zhao Liao. Xiao Xue has a cover story ready. She claims she met him during a flood relief effort last year. It's a decent lie. But Zhao Youzuo already knows it's a lie.
You should know she's also clutching a bottle of pineapple juice. Her plan is simple. Find Zhao Liao and kill him. After her failed interrogation, she quietly goes back to her desk. She expertly covers her digital tracks. She thinks she's slick, but she misses one thing. Mr. Gao is watching her every move.
Hitting Rock Bottom
Trouble at Home for Zhao Youzuo
Xun Weilai is on the run. He uses the last of his money to rent a shabby little room. He knows Xiao Xue is back for him. He knows she came prepared to finish the job.
Zhao Youzuo gets home later, clearly stressed out. He stops at the door when he overhears his parents talking. His mother just lost her job. Her position was given to their boss's son. His father is also unemployed. The pressure on them is immense. All they can do is hold onto each other for comfort.
A Humbling New Job
That night, Xu Tutu calls Zhao Youzuo. She's excited about making a video. But Zhao Youzuo knows how tight money is for his family. He turns her down flat. The next day, he goes out looking for any work he can find. He ends up at the same coffee shop where Xu Tutu works.
The manager doesn't really have a spot for him. But he gives him a chance to hand out flyers. Zhao Youzuo spends the whole afternoon at it. He only manages to give away a few. He brings the huge stack of remaining flyers back to the shop. The manager sees that he didn't just trash them. He respects the honesty. He gives him a little pay, mostly because Xu Tutu begged him to. Xu Tutu even offers to give Zhao Youzuo her job. The manager tells her to look out for herself. He also says that with his work ethic, Zhao Youzuo might end up doing better than her someday.
A New Career is Born
The Social Media Pitch
Xiao Xue is relentless. Every single night, she travels back in time. She searches every corner, desperate to find Zhao Liao.
One day, Xu Tutu calls Zhao Youzuo again. She's super excited and tells him to check out a post online. This gives Zhao Youzuo a brilliant idea. He rushes to the coffee shop the next day. He confidently pitches a new plan to the manager. He wants to use social media to promote the shop. It has to be better than handing out flyers. The manager has never heard of anything like it. He thinks it sounds new and interesting. He agrees to give it a shot.
Zhao Youzuo directs the project. He has Wang Yiman and Xu Tutu act as "store explorers," basically influencers. He handles all the filming and editing. It works. The videos bring a ton of new customers to the coffee shop. Soon, other local shops are calling. They all want to hire him and his team. The three of them have finally found their calling.
An Uncomfortable Reunion
The new business is going well. The team is at a new client's shop, helping them with a promotion. That's when they see Chen Ming. He tries to hide from them. But they recognize him immediately. He looks exhausted and completely worn down. Seeing him like that makes them all feel incredibly guilty.
Family Drama Explodes
Wang Yiman Breaks
Wang Yiman is at home, feeling terrible about Chen Ming. Her mother starts yelling at her. The crime? Making too much noise while cutting a steak. Her mom calls her uncultured. She then pulls up one of Wang Yiman's videos and criticizes her for being classless. Wang Yiman has had enough. She finally snaps and defies her parents.
Her mother pounds on her locked bedroom door. Wang Yiman, feeling trapped, grabs a hammer. She smashes her bedroom window to get out. Her mother hears the glass break and panics. She thinks her daughter is trying to kill herself. She is suddenly filled with regret for being so hard on her.
The Zhaos Find Some Hope
Zhao Youzuo's parents, Zhao Donglai and his wife, get home late and exhausted. But there's good news. The dad found a job buying groceries for a film crew. Then Zhao Youzuo steps up. He gives his parents a stack of money. He proudly tells them he's an online celebrity now. He earned it all by making videos. His parents go online to check. They realize they're out of touch. Their son is way more capable than they knew. They can't help but smile.
The Hunt Continues
A Slip of the Tongue
While the Zhaos celebrate, things are grim elsewhere. Zhao Liao is still unconscious. A worried Xun Weilai sits by his side, eating dry bread with tears in his eyes. On another front, Mr. Gao and the company executives have started a secret operation. They are now actively monitoring everything Xiao Xue does.
The video business hits a creative snag. Zhao Youzuo, Xu Tutu, and Wang Yiman are trying to brainstorm new ideas. They all say how much they wish Xun Weilai was there. He always had the best ideas. Zhao Youzuo quickly shushes them. He's worried Xiao Xue might be listening.
She is. She overhears the entire conversation. This gives her a new plan. She'll go to the future. She just needs to change one or two key moments in Zhao Youzuo's life. She's sure that will lead her right to Zhao Liao.
The Disappearing Act
Zhao Youzuo gets a bad feeling. He follows Xiao Xue to a phone booth in an old scrapyard. He clearly sees her walk inside. He follows her in. But when he gets inside, the booth is completely empty. He's left standing there, totally confused.
