Episode Summary
Li Wu starts college and confesses his love to Cen Jin after she finds his diary, causing her to distance herself until an injury forces her to accept his care again.
Spoiler Alert
Freshman Year and Proud Parents
It is finally time for college. Cen Jin drives Li Wu to school for the big drop-off. She introduces him to his roommates and helps him settle in. Li Wu handles his bed-making with military precision. Another parent watches this and assumes Cen Jin is his mother. She praises Cen Jin’s parenting skills. Cen Jin corrects her immediately. She didn't teach him anything. He’s just naturally capable. Still, she beams with pride. It turns out Li Wu has a familiar face in his dorm. Cheng Rui is there too. They were roommates in high school and now they share a major. Fate works in mysterious ways.
Cen Jin heads back to the grind. Li Wu and Cheng Rui explore the campus. They spam Cen Jin’s phone with photos of landmarks. Then comes his birthday. Cen Jin drives all the way to Yi University with a gift. They grab dinner. Li Wu talks about his classes and a new project with his mentor. He is thriving. Cen Jin sees this and finally relaxes. Her investment is paying off.
The Muse and the Diary
Back at Aoxing, the vibe is terrible. Ted shoots down the latest ad campaign. He thinks the creative is too abstract. The team is crushed. Cen Jin tries to rally the troops, but it’s tough. Li Wu crashes at Cen Jin’s place that night because he has a part-time gig nearby. Cen Jin pulls an all-nighter to fix the proposal. Li Wu quietly pours her some water. She stares at him. Something clicks. She gets a sudden burst of inspiration and fires off a new idea to her work group.
The next day, Li Wu acts as her chauffeur. His driving skills are solid now. That night, the weather turns. A strong wind blows through the apartment. Cen Jin goes into Li Wu’s room to shut the window. She knocks over a stack of books. A diary falls open. It is filled with her name. Page after page. Li Wu walks in and catches her. He doesn't deny it. He confesses his feelings right there.
Cen Jin shuts him down. She tells him he is confusing gratitude with love. She reminds him she funded his education. She admits his presence helped her through her divorce, but that’s it. It was a transaction with benefits. Li Wu pushes back. He has liked her for a long time. He stayed quiet because he wasn't independent yet. He tells her he will wait. He won't look at anyone else.
The Milk Tea Incident
Cen Jin panics. She vents to Chun Chang. Chun Chang thinks it is no big deal. Boys like successful older women. It’s a phase. Cen Jin insists she only sees him as a little brother. Chun Chang tells her to relax. He will meet a hot girl on campus and forget all about her.
That theory gets tested immediately. Li Wu’s part-time job is at a milk tea shop right near Cen Jin’s office. Word gets out fast. The young women at Aoxing start ordering drinks just to gawk at the handsome new guy. Ted calls a meeting. Li Wu delivers the tea right before it starts. The office buzzes with gossip. Cen Jin pretends she has never seen him before in her life.
Then the power goes out. The building needs a full day for repairs. The team needs a place to work. Someone suggests the milk tea shop downstairs. Cen Jin can’t say no.
The Inevitable Injury Trope
The team crowds into the shop. Cheng Rui is there too, blabbering about patching things up with Tao Wanwen. Li Wu ignores him. A coworker spots Li Wu and suggests he model for their campaign. He has the look. The air gets thick. Li Wu stands in front of Cen Jin. Neither speaks.
Cen Jin texts him to meet outside. She drops the hammer. She wants him to quit the job. He argues that he only works one day a week. It doesn't affect his grades. She threatens to transfer a hundred thousand yuan to him so he doesn't need to work. He stops her. He gets the message. He promises to disappear from her life. He rides his bike back to school in a daze. He leaves Cheng Rui in the dust. He is crying.
Silence follows for a few days. Then Chun Chang calls Li Wu. Cen Jin fell and hurt her foot. She is home from the hospital but can’t move well. Li Wu tells Cheng Rui to cover for him in class. He sprints to her apartment. He hesitates at the door. Chun Chang lets him in. She has to get back to her own shop, so she leaves Li Wu in charge. Cen Jin is mortified. She doesn't want her parents to know she is hurt. She is stuck with him. Li Wu knows the drill. He cared for his grandfather for years. He props her leg up on a pillow. Then he sits on a stool by the bed, looking completely lost.
