Episode Summary
An editor named Du Xiaoxi fails to get a book published and finds solace in a book bar. She finds a note in a copy of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" claiming it snowed in Shenzhen. She argues with the note, only to realize she is communicating with a man named Chen Mo from the year 2016. They strike up a friendship across time, and Chen Mo eventually asks to meet in person.
Spoiler Alert
The Publishing Grind
Du Xiaoxi is trying to make things happen at her publishing house. She finds a manuscript she loves called "First Reunion." The author goes by the name Suantang. This writer already has two bestsellers. Yet, nobody really knows who they are. Xiaoxi takes it straight to Chief Editor Wen. She thinks it's a winner.
Wen shuts it down immediately. He doesn't care about pure literature. He only wants books that promise quick success and easy money. Xiaoxi tries to argue her case. It’s useless. Wen won't budge.
The Magic Book Bar
Xiaoxi leaves work feeling defeated. She doesn't know how to break the bad news to the author. She wanders the streets and ends up in a book bar. It looks cozy. She grabs a copy of "One Hundred Years of Solitude."
She finds a sticky note inside. Previous readers left comments. She adds her own. Then she sees a really weird message. It says, "Miracle happened, it snowed in Shenzhen." That sounds impossible. She writes a long reply debunking it. She gets so into it that she runs out of space. She has to ask the owner for another sticky note to finish her rant.
A Ghost in the Machine
She wanders around the shop and comes back to the book. Someone has already replied to her note. She looks around the room. Everyone is just reading. She decides to stake out the shelf. She waits for the mystery writer to show up.
She falls asleep. The owner wakes her up at closing time. Xiaoxi begs to see the security footage. She wants to catch the person. The video shows nothing. No one touched the book but her. The owner mentions something interesting though. It actually did snow in Shenzhen once. That was back in the winter of 2016. Xiaoxi remembers that year. It was when she first started her job. She writes back asking for the year.
The Guy in the Past
We see the other side of this conversation. Chen Mo is miserable at his job as an editor. He wants to be a writer. He quits on the spot. Fun fact: Xiaoxi is the one who takes his empty desk later.
Chen Mo goes to the same book bar. His mom calls him. She wants him to move back home and get a government job. He refuses. He tells her he is waiting for snow in Shenzhen.
Then it happens. Snow starts falling outside. Chen Mo is ecstatic. He writes that initial note in "One Hundred Years of Solitude." He sees Xiaoxi's reply later. He writes back "2016."
They figure it out. They are communicating across time through these sticky notes. They keep writing to each other. They talk about everything. They become best friends through the paper. Chen Mo decides he wants to meet her. He leaves a note asking to meet up.
