Episode Summary
Cen Jin returns to work to find her mentor has quit. Li Wu uses a camping trip as leverage to move back to school but gets jealous when he sees Cen Jin with her boss. This leads to a confrontation, a first kiss, and them officially becoming a couple. They go camping, where Li Wu publicly displays his affection. Later, Cen Jin gets a job offer to join her mentor's new startup.
Spoiler Alert
Sniper Butterfly Episode 20 Recap
Office Politics and Bento Boxes
Cen Jin is finally back at the office after being sick. She walks right into some heavy gossip. Shen Yun is gone. Apparently, Shen Yun just got divorced, and her ex-husband made a massive scene at the company about child custody. The higher-ups at Bei Ao didn't like the noise, so Shen Yun left. Cen Jin shuts down the chatter. She respects Shen Yun too much to listen to rumors and decides she’ll ask her friend directly when the time is right.
Lunchtime rolls around. Everyone is confused because there is a massive spread of food on Cen Jin’s desk. Her coworkers are jealous of the four-course meal. Cen Jin knows exactly who did this. She texts Li Wu to say thanks. He tells her she needs the nutrition to recover properly. He insists on handling her meals for a while.
The Camping Ultimatum
Back at the apartment, Cen Jin tries to put her foot down. The food is great, but Li Wu needs to focus on his studies, not playing house husband. She tells him to stop cooking. Li Wu counters with a deal. He agrees to move back to the dorms, but only if she joins him on a camping trip this weekend. His professor is organizing a stargazing event. Cen Jin knows she’s being played, but she wants him back in school. She agrees.
The Jealousy Spark
Friday hits. Cheng Rui tries to drag Li Wu and Shen Yiyang out for dinner. Li Wu bails the second he finds out Cen Jin is free. He rushes home.
On his way, he stops at a crosswalk and sees Cen Jin. A man is fixing her hair. Li Wu loses his mind. He assumes the worst, runs over, grabs Cen Jin, and drags her away. He demands to know what is going on. Cen Jin explains the guy is just Ted, her boss. She calls Li Wu out for being childish and impulsive.
Li Wu admits it. He is impulsive. He tells her he can’t help himself when he sees her. He confesses he wanted to kiss her the whole time he was nursing her back to health but held back out of respect. Cen Jin sees how serious he is. She steps up and kisses him first. She tells him they can stop anytime if he regrets it. Li Wu definitely does not regret it. He pulls her in for a real kiss right there on the street.
Making It Official
Things are weirdly awkward when they get back inside. Cen Jin breaks the silence. She opens up about her past. She talks about her college romance with Wu Fu, their marriage, and the eventual betrayal. She thought that part of her life was dead. She didn't think she could trust anyone again. Then Li Wu showed up. He gave her something to look forward to. She asks him plainly if he wants to be her boyfriend. Li Wu nods so hard his head might fall off and pulls her into a hug.
Later that night, Li Wu is too wired to sleep. He texts Cen Jin to meet him in the living room. They start making out again. Li Wu tries to steer things toward the bedroom. Cen Jin pushes him away. She sets a boundary. Not yet.
River Crossings and Fireflies
The camping trip is a go. The group has to cross a small river to get to the campsite. Li Wu refuses to let Cen Jin touch the cold water since she just recovered. He scoops her up and carries her across. Cheng Rui watches this happen with his jaw on the floor. He asks when this happened. Li Wu casually mentions they got together last night. Cheng Rui immediately starts roasting Shen Yiyang for being slow in his own love life.
That night, they go for a walk. Cen Jin spots some fireflies. She loves them but won't go near the riverbank to get a closer look. She heads to her tent to sleep. Suddenly, a shadow appears outside. She opens the flap to find a glass jar glowing with fireflies. Li Wu caught them for her.
A New Career Path?
Back in the city, Cen Jin meets up with Shen Yun. Shen Yun was the one who got Cen Jin into Bei Ao originally. They are close. Shen Yun explains her exit wasn't just about the ex-husband drama. She felt stuck. The higher she climbed at Bei Ao, the less creative work she actually got to do. She isn't sad about leaving. In fact, she’s starting her own firm. She wants Cen Jin to come on board as a partner.
Cen Jin hesitates. She doesn't see herself as an entrepreneur. Shen Yun pushes back. She has the resources, but she needs Cen Jin’s creative brain. She promises Cen Jin full freedom and decision-making power. She asks her to think it over.
The episode wraps up on a lighter note. It’s the weekend, and the new couple is on a proper date. Cen Jin asks Li Wu why he likes her. She asks if he ever imagined dating an older woman when he was a kid. Li Wu doesn't have a deep answer. He just sits there, grinning like an idiot.
