Episode Summary
Cen Jin supports Li Wu through his exams and work life, but romantic tension spikes when he admits he sleeps better at her apartment. Chun Chang deals with family rejection but gets closer to Shen Yiyang. Cen Jin tries to enforce boundaries after a physically close moment with Li Wu.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 15
Work Wins and Exam Prep
Cen Jin is crushing it at work. She finishes the preliminary work on a new ad campaign. Her boss loves it. He even thinks she might win an award for this one. Cen Jin uses this leverage immediately. She asks for time off. Li Wu is about to take the Gaokao, and she wants to help him prepare. The boss agrees and takes over her remaining tasks.
Later, Cen Jin hits the supermarket with Chun Chang. She mentions that Li Wu hasn't been home much lately. He is fully focused on studying for the exam. Cen Jin picks out a fountain pen as a gift. It’s expensive. Chun Chang worries Li Wu won't accept it because of the price tag. Cen Jin insists. The Gaokao is a major life event. The gift needs to match the weight of the moment.
The Morning After
The exam flies by. Li Wu walks out of the testing center and spots Cen Jin instantly. It feels like seeing family. He tells her he thinks he did well.
We jump back to the reality of 2024. Li Wu sleeps like a rock at Cen Jin's place. He wakes up to a massive spread of food Cen Jin prepared. He feels that sense of domestic happiness again. She suggests he take a few days off to rest. Li Wu refuses. His company is in a busy season.
Secret Admirers and Pushy Parents
Chun Chang is streaming every day. She notices a "die-hard fan" who is always watching. She decides to send gifts to her top supporters and asks for addresses. She doesn't realize this fan is actually Shen Yiyang.
Cheng Rui crashes at Shen Yiyang’s place after working late. He wakes up and catches Shen Yiyang glued to his phone. Shen is sending gifts in the livestream. Cheng Rui teases him for being obsessed. Shen Yiyang panics and grabs his phone back. Two days later, he gets Chun Chang's gift. It’s a delicate small comb with a card. He tosses it into his passenger seat drawer, but you can tell he cares.
Cen Jin goes home for a meal. Her mom immediately asks about Dr. Lu. Cen Jin says it's going fine. She wants things to progress naturally. Her mom has zero chill. She ignores Cen Jin’s wishes completely. She texts Dr. Lu right then and there. She invites him to dinner on Saturday.
Disappointments
The Tongchen Company passes its first round of testing. The team is hyped. Old Yi suggests a celebratory dinner. Li Wu skips it. He just wants to go home.
Chun Chang plans a trip back to Cheng City to see her mom. She calls to arrange it. Her mom drops a bomb. She is going on a trip with Chun Chang's stepfather. Her mom offers to cancel the trip. Chun Chang doesn't want to be a burden. She says she will visit another time. It’s a sad moment.
Awkward Encounters
Cen Jin leaves her parents' house with a bag of purple crystals. Her mom bought them from a "health group" and claims they help with sleep. Cen Jin takes them home and immediately re-gifts them to Li Wu. She knocks on his door. Li Wu answers wearing nothing but a towel. He just showered. Cen Jin gets flustered. She shoves the crystals at him and runs back to her own apartment.
Shen Yiyang finds Chun Chang at her bar. She looks down. He asks what’s wrong. She doesn't give details, but he guesses it’s family drama. She regrets missing a camping trip because of her failed travel plans. Shen Yiyang pulls out a star projector he prepared. They watch the artificial stars together. It’s cozy. She asks him to always watch stars with her.
Breaking Point
Li Wu finishes a model at Shen Yiyang’s lab. He treats Shen to dinner. Shen suggests Chun Chang's bar. They arrive and find Cen Jin is already there. The four of them drink together.
Back at the apartment complex, Cen Jin gets ready for bed. Li Wu knocks on her door. He claims he can't sleep at his place. He sleeps better at hers. She lets him in. She sets up the purple crystals on the table to help him. Li Wu gets real. He tells her the crystals don't matter. It’s the familiar environment that helps him sleep. He means her.
Cen Jin panics. She tries to leave the room and knocks over the table. A glass bottle shatters. Li Wu worries she will get cut. He scoops her up and carries her to the dining area. He cleans up the mess himself. Cen Jin realizes things are getting too intimate. She draws a line. She tells him they need to keep their distance.
