Episode Summary
Jiang Mu learns the truth about Julia's identity and reads Jin Chao's brutal medical history. They go on a hike where Jin Chao struggles physically, leading to a confrontation where he admits he pushed her away to protect her. Later, despite being sick and on an IV, Jin Chao forces himself to meet Jiang Mu for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Spoiler Alert
The Doctor Is In
Jiang Mu gets straight to the point with Julia. She sees a call from Julia's son and asks if Jin Chao is the father. Julia shuts that down fast. Her son is a college graduate. She is nearly fifty years old. The kid on her lock screen isn't Jin Chao's either. The misunderstanding clears up instantly. Julia reveals her true role. She is Jin Chao's private doctor.
She takes Jiang Mu into the rehab room. A photo of a young Jin Chao and Jiang Mu sits there. Julia explains the last six years. The car accident left Jin Chao in constant agony. He needed heavy sedatives just to function. In his drugged haze, he only ever called out for Jiang Mu. Julia is actually relieved Jiang Mu is finally back in the picture.
Reading the Receipts
Jiang Mu needs to see it for herself. She travels to Man City and retrieves Jin Chao's medical records. The file is a horror show. She realizes the extent of his injuries. Everyone kept her in the dark. Jin Chao pushed her away to protect her, not because he stopped caring. She breaks down alone with the paperwork.
Jin Chao calls her later. He wants to give her something. Jiang Mu suggests they go hiking. It feels like a test.
Jealousy on the Trail
They meet at the mountain. Jin Chao hands her a brand new phone. Jiang Mu decides to push his buttons. She worries her "boyfriend" might mind the gift. Jin Chao offers to buy the boyfriend one too. She doubles down and says her guy spends all his money on gaming gear. Jin Chao buys the lie completely. He gets annoyed and starts climbing the stairs alone.
The physical toll hits him quickly. Jin Chao runs out of breath. His leg pain flares up. He grabs the railing for support. Jiang Mu notices his struggle immediately. He tries to play it cool and pretends to take photos. She flashes her pendant at him. She challenges him to a race but then says she will wait at the top.
No More Secrets
Jin Chao reaches the summit looking like a ghost. Jiang Mu drops the act. She tells him she read the medical report. She knows everything. He stops hiding. He admits he planned to find her once he recovered. But the recovery took too long. He had no money and no home. He refused to let her suffer with him.
Jiang Mu asks the big question. Are they getting back together? Jin Chao stays silent. He clenches his fist and just looks at her. He doesn't say yes.
A Risky Holiday
Flashbacks show us how bad it really got. Jin Chao once escaped his handlers to see Jiang Mu. San Lai couldn't stop him. He saw her from afar and immediately collapsed. San Lai had to rush him back to the hospital.
Back in the present, the hike wrecked him. It is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Jin Chao is stuck on an IV drip with a high fever. He refuses to miss the holiday with Jiang Mu. He cranks up the drip speed to finish faster. This is incredibly dangerous, but he doesn't care.
Jiang Mu visits his café. The staff mentions the boss is sick and can't eat cold food like crabs. She walks out and bumps right into him. He ripped off his IV patch to hide the evidence. She asks if he still has a fever. He leans his face right into hers. He dares her to touch him and find out.
