Episode Summary
Li Wu crashes a dinner date between Cen Jin and Dr. Lu, making things incredibly awkward by showing off how well he knows Cen Jin. Dr. Lu senses the threat and prematurely asks for a relationship status check. Later, Cen Jin discovers Li Wu has been lying about needing sleeping pills; he admits he just wanted an excuse to be near her. A flashback reveals Li Wu's massive high school exam success and his desire to stay near Cen Jin, which she discouraged. In the present, Li Wu leaves town to find a missing friend.
Spoiler Alert
The Art of the Humblebrag and the Power Strip Lie
Li Wu is getting way too comfortable. He wakes up at Cen Jin’s place again. He’s about to make breakfast when the door lock beeps. It’s Cen’s Mom. She’s early. Panic mode engages. Li Wu dives into the bedroom.
Mom is there to prep for a Saturday dinner with Dr. Lu. Li Wu hears this and decides to stop hiding. He walks out and claims he was just borrowing a power strip. It’s a weak lie, but Mom buys it. She mentions the dinner with the doctor. Li Wu doesn’t back down. He invites himself over to "help" in the kitchen. The kid has nerve.
Meanwhile, we get a quick check-in with Shen Yiyang. He’s heading out on a business trip. He stops by the bar to see Chun Chang. She’s drinking with customers, so he steps in and downs her drinks for her. Back in the break room, he tries to have a moment with her. He realizes he cares. He leans in for a kiss. Then he passes out cold. Swing and a miss.
The Dinner From Hell
Saturday arrives. The kitchen tension is high. Mom, oblivious as ever, tells Li Wu he’s 25 now. She says he should be aggressive when he likes a girl. Li Wu says being too pushy might backfire. Cen Jin is listening while washing veggies. She turns the water down to hear better. She knows exactly who he’s talking about.
Dr. Lu shows up with gifts. He’s trying hard. Then we get to the fridge wars. Cen Jin goes for water, but Li Wu beats her to it. He points out a jar of strawberry jam she hasn’t eaten. He tells her to toss it if she doesn’t like sweets. He says this loud enough for Dr. Lu to hear. It’s a power move. He’s showing the doctor he knows her habits better. Cen Jin is mortified.
It gets worse. They need a corkscrew. Cen Jin can’t find hers. She marches over to Li Wu’s apartment to get one. She punches in his door code without thinking. Dr. Lu watches this happen. He realizes these two have zero boundaries.
Dinner is a battlefield. Cen Jin spills hot soup on her hand. Li Wu grabs a towel to wipe it. Dr. Lu shoves medicine at her. They are fighting over who gets to care for her. Dr. Lu tries to regain ground. He invites everyone to his housewarming party next week. Mom agrees. Cen Jin just looks tired.
Desperate Measures and Pill Bottles
Dr. Lu walks Cen Jin to the gate. He feels the heat. He asks her how she feels about him. He admits he wanted to wait until he met her parents, but he’s panicked now. Cen Jin freezes. She doesn’t have an answer. He tells her to take her time. He knows he’s losing.
Cen Jin goes back inside. Li Wu cleaned the table. But she saw something when she grabbed that corkscrew earlier. His medicine bottles are full. She confronts him. Why lie about the insomnia?
Li Wu drops the act. He admits he doesn’t need the pills. He used the insomnia as an excuse to get close to her. If she thinks he’s a burden, she can drop him. He tells her the real insomnia started six months before his college entrance exams. He was terrified of dreaming about her. He forced himself to stay awake. Cen Jin is stunned. She sends him home. They lay in bed on opposite sides of the wall, both wide awake.
Flashback: The 718 Score
We jump back to 2017. The college entrance exams are done. Top universities are blowing up Li Wu’s phone. Cen Jin is bursting with pride. She asks him where he wants to go. He asks where she went. She says she stayed in Yi City.
Li Wu wants to stay close to home. He wants to be near her. Cen Jin shuts that down. She tells him his scores are too good for a local school. He needs to go to Huaqing University. He needs to see the world.
That night, Li Wu stares at her ID photo. The scores officially drop the next day. He got a 718. It’s an insane score. He texts her. She runs out and hugs him. He awkwardly pats her back. This is the moment their paths started to diverge.
Back in the timeline (or shortly after the scores), Mom is already pushing Cen Jin to get married now that the "kid" is sorted. Cen Jin says she’s fine being single. Mom disagrees. She wants Cen Jin to expand her social circle.
The Cliffhanger
Li Wu is at work when he gets a call from Cheng Rui. Their friend "Mosquito" is missing. The family is freaking out. Mosquito texted Cheng Rui saying he’s in Yan City, but told him not to tell anyone.
Cheng Rui wants to go find him. He drags Li Wu along. Li Wu tries to call Cen Jin. She doesn’t answer. He sends a text and heads to Yan City.
