Episode Summary
Jin Chao and Jiang Mu survive a dangerous street race, posing as a couple to secure prize money. Jin Chao reveals the desperate financial pressure he faces due to his family's poverty and Xinxin's heart condition. Jiang Mu offers to support him if they return to China, but he refuses. Her mother arrives and warns her to stay away from Jin Chao. Later, Jiang Mu discovers Jin Chao kept all her old letters, proving he never wanted to cut ties.
Spoiler Alert
High-Octane Drifting and Hard Truths
The Race is On
We start right in the thick of it. Jin Chao is behind the wheel, and the tension is palpable. He isn't driving alone, though. Jiang Mu is right there in the passenger seat. It turns out these two have a history with speed. Jin Qiang was a racer back in the day. The kids grew up around engines. Jiang Mu even used to be Jin Qiang's navigator.
Jin Chao hands her his phone. He needs her to call out the route. He drives like a maniac. Suddenly, two other cars box them in. It looks like a trap. They hit a sharp turn. Jin Chao gives a weird instruction. He tells Jiang Mu to grab the wheel after he counts down. She doesn't ask questions. She just does it. Jin Chao leans out the window. He grabs a bag hanging off a bamboo pole on the side of the road. Another car tries to ram them. Jiang Mu yanks him back inside just in time. He flashes her a grin. They survived.
Fake Dating and Real Hugs
They roll up to the finish line. The crowd is confused. Jin Chao wasn't supposed to race. He claims a lackey from Wansheng Bang forced his hand. Then he drops a bomb. He points to Jiang Mu. He tells everyone she is his girlfriend. He says she isn't an outsider.
He claims he only did it for the cash. He proves it by handing the prize money straight to Jiang Mu. The crowd goes wild. Liang Yanfeng shows up and makes a snide comment. He asks if the navigator has a price. Jin Chao shuts him down. He says she is priceless.
The adrenaline wears off. Jiang Mu whispers that she is cold. Jin Chao doesn't just offer a jacket. He pulls her into a hug. He wraps his coat around her. She gets shy. He gets possessive. He holds her tight against him. It’s a show for the crowd, but it feels real.
The Cost of Survival
Later, the mood shifts. Jiang Mu doesn't get it. She hates this dangerous life. She asks why he risks his neck. Jin Chao gets serious. He talks about money. He reminds her of the early days with Jin Qiang. They lived in a basement with no windows. When it rained, the room flooded. They slept on tables to stay dry.
He talks about Jin Qiang getting scammed. They slept on the streets. They slept under bridges. Money isn't a luxury to him. It is survival. Jin Qiang eventually became a chef and married Zhao Meijuan. They opened a restaurant. But rent is a killer.
Then there is Xinxin. She has congenital heart disease. The surgery costs a fortune. The recovery costs even more. Jin Qiang carries that weight alone. Jin Chao refuses to let his dad drown. Jin Qiang never gave up on him, even at rock bottom. Now, Jin Chao wants to pay him back.
Old Wounds
Jin Chao will do anything for a paycheck. Jiang Mu tries to stop him. He shuts her down. He tells her she has no right to interfere. She doesn't carry the "Jin" surname anymore. That one hurts.
She pushes back. She asks if he hates her mother, Jiang Yinghan. Her mom made Jin Qiang leave with nothing. Jin Chao doesn't answer. Silence speaks volumes here.
He tells her to go home. She refuses. She says she will only go if he gets a legitimate job. He decides to sleep in the car. She softens up. She offers a different plan. She wants to take him back to China. They could live in the old house. She says she will work and support him. It is a nice dream. But Jin Chao knows better. He can't go back.
The Mother Returns
It is the middle of the night. Jiang Mu wakes up in the car. Jin Chao is down by the water playing with a lighter. He tells her the bad news. Jiang Yinghan is here.
Jiang Mu confronts her mother. She stands her ground. She refuses to move to Canada. Jin Chao watches from a distance. He stays away. Jiang Yinghan sees him. She warns Jiang Mu. She says to keep her distance from Jin Chao. She reminds her daughter they aren't blood siblings. The implication is nasty.
The Secret in the Letters
Back at the garage, He Zhang tries to talk to Jin Chao. Jin Chao ignores him. Jiang Mu is inside, feeling restless. She throws darts in Jin Chao's room. She hits the board hard. Something falls from behind it.
It is a stack of letters. They are the letters she wrote to him years ago. She thought he ignored her. She was wrong. He kept every single one. He even drew sketches of her face on the envelopes. He didn't ghost her because he wanted to. He did it because Jiang Yinghan warned him to stay away. He was protecting her peace.
Jin Chao and Jiang Mu survive a dangerous street race, posing as a couple to secure prize money. Jin Chao reveals the desperate financial pressure he faces due to his family's poverty and Xinxin's heart condition. Jiang Mu offers to support him if they return to China, but he refuses. Her mother arrives and warns her to stay away from Jin Chao. Later, Jiang Mu discovers Jin Chao kept all her old letters, proving he never wanted to cut ties.
