Episode Summary
In the past, Cen Jin defends Li Wu from a school bully. In the present, Li Wu protects an intern from a creepy investor, while Old Yi chases money over morals. Li Wu gets jealous when Dr. Lu makes strawberry jam at Cen Jin's apartment. Chun Chang aggressively pursues Shen Yiyang during a camping trip.
Spoiler Alert
Schoolyard Brawls and Mama Bears
We start with a trip down memory lane. Li Wu is just trying to get some water at school. He sets his freshly washed sneakers aside. Gao Yiqiang walks in and chooses violence. He picks up the shoes and throws them right on the floor. Li Wu isn't taking that. He fights back.
Cheng Rui walks in at the perfect time. He actually bought snacks to apologize to Li Wu for previous issues. He sees the scuffle and jumps in to help Li Wu. Gao tries to claim he is doing this for Cheng Rui. Cheng Rui shuts that down immediately. He knows it is just a lame excuse.
The school admin drags everyone in. They call the parents. Gao’s mom is loud and sharp. She tries to dominate the conversation. Cheng Rui drops a bomb though. He reveals Gao has been bullying Li Wu for two weeks. He admits this fight was just another instance of harassment.
Cen Jin is shocked. Li Wu never told her about the bullying. She switches into protective mode instantly. She demands an injury check. She demands to see the security footage. Gao’s mom suddenly loses her confidence. Cen Jin doesn't stop there. She drags Li Wu back to the classroom. She announces to the whole class that she is his guardian. She warns them that she won't tolerate anyone bullying him again.
Corporate Culture Is the Worst
We jump to 2024. Lin Xue joins Tongchen as an intern. Li Wu introduces her. She was his junior when he studied abroad. Her tech skills are solid. Old Yi sets up a dinner that night. He suggests bringing Lin Xue along.
The dinner is awkward. Mr. Qin, the potential investor, keeps staring at Lin Xue. Old Yi tries to butter him up. He tells Lin Xue to toast Mr. Qin. He pushes her to drink multiple cups. Li Wu steps in. He tells Lin Xue to go check on the food in the kitchen to get her away from the table.
Li Wu tries to talk business. He highlights the company's technical advantages. Mr. Qin doesn't care about tech. He only cares about quick profits. Old Yi just agrees with everything Mr. Qin says. Cheng Rui tries to keep the peace.
Later, Li Wu voices his concerns. He tells Old Yi that Mr. Qin’s values don't match the company. Old Yi doesn't want to hear it. He thinks getting the investment is the only thing that matters. He says ideals are useless without money.
The Strawberry Jam Standoff
Cen Jin takes Dr. Lu out to dinner to say thanks. They seem to click on career and life balance. Dr. Lu buys some fresh strawberries. He insists on delivering them to her door.
Things get tense at the apartment elevator. Li Wu and Cen Jin get on. Dr. Lu is there too. Cen Jin introduces them. Li Wu gives the doctor a look that could kill.
They all go to their respective apartments. Dr. Lu claims the strawberries take up too much fridge space. He offers to make jam right then and there. Cen Jin feels bad refusing. Making jam takes forever. Li Wu spends the entire time staring through his peephole. He watches Cen Jin’s door like a hawk.
Finally, Dr. Lu leaves. Cen Jin walks him to the elevator. Li Wu panics. He thinks they are going out again. He rushes out the door. He runs right into Cen Jin coming back. He has to think fast. He claims he needs to borrow water. He follows her inside. He sees the jars of jam on the table. He points out that she usually likes sour things. He asks if she really wants all that sweet jam. Cen Jin just says she couldn't say no to Dr. Lu's kindness.
Camping Trip Moves
Spring is in the air for everyone else. Chun Chang signs up for a camping trip. It's the same group Shen Yiyang joins often. She introduces herself to the group. She mentions she runs a bar and offers a free private room to the group. But she has conditions.
She asks two questions. First, is Shen Yiyang single? His friends yell yes. Second, she asks why he hasn't accepted her WeChat friend request. The crowd cheers. Shen Yiyang has no choice but to hit accept.
Night falls. Shen Yiyang notices Chun Chang’s tent is thin. He offers to swap with her. Later, he can't sleep. He sits outside drinking water. He starts scrolling through Chun Chang’s social media. She catches him in the act. He slams his phone shut immediately.
