Episode 16 recap: Zhuang Jie confessed her past to Chen Mai Dong.
Since then, Chen Mai Dong no longer contacted Zhuang Jie and would even pretend not to see her if he saw her. Zhuang Jie took the initiative to apologize, admitting that she had said something wrong and should not have used those words. However, Chen Mai Dong pushed Zhuang Jie away, stating that if she didn't want to, she didn't have to say insulting things and that he also had his dignity.
Because of this, Chen Mai Dong didn't want to continue getting entangled with Zhuang Jie, which made Zhuang Jie angry, and she fainted. That night, Chen Mai Dong took Zhuang Jie back home. He Niao Niao had already sensed that her older sister had some unknown concerns and advised Liao Tao to care more about Zhuang Jie.
Chen Mai Dong was also feeling uneasy and often drowned his sorrows in alcohol, while Zhuang Jie still wanted to salvage their relationship. Chen Mai Dong returned to their new home and picked up the broken clay doll fragments, leaning against the wall and shedding tears alone. After Zhuang Jie returned from Chengdu, while Chen Mai Dong was not at home, she gave the gift she had bought to Grandma Chen, fearing that she had caught a cold and didn't want to infect the other person, so she left after staying for a while.
Later, Zhuang Jie and Chen Mai Dong were invited to a class reunion. They sat at the same table but felt a great distance between them. Zhuang Jie smiled and dealt with the teasing of their old classmates, but her gaze always followed Chen Mai Dong. Chen Mai Dong's father's business was growing, and his attitude of treating money as dirt made their classmate Liang Wei somewhat discontented, feeling that he was too arrogant.
Listening to Liang Wei's sarcastic remarks about Chen Mai Dong, Zhuang Jie interrupted and scolded him, and Chen Mai Dong couldn't bear it either, leading to a tense confrontation. Everyone stood up to stop them. Chen Mai Dong left the table directly and went out. Zhuang Jie hurriedly followed, apologizing for her previous remarks and admitting that she shouldn't have used those words.
Chen Mai Dong ignored her and kept walking forward. Zhuang Jie quickly grabbed his leg and pretended to have leg pain, and Chen Mai Dong indeed reacted. Chen Mai Dong told Zhuang Jie that if he hadn't wanted to at the time, she could have brought it up, and there was no need to say insulting things because he also had his dignity.
After saying these words, Chen Mai Dong let go of Zhuang Jie's hand and expressed that he didn't want to continue getting entangled with her. Zhuang Jie, in a fit of anger, fainted. That night, Chen Mai Dong took Zhuang Jie back home and anxiously waited outside until Zhuang Yan came out and told him that everything was okay. Only then did he feel completely relieved.
He Niao Niao had long noticed that her older sister had some unknown concerns, so she and Zhuang Yan advised Liao Tao to understand Zhuang Jie and pay more attention to this seemingly strong but actually fragile eldest daughter.
With the persuasion of their two children, Liao Tao gradually accepted Zhuang Jie and Chen Mai Dong's relationship. In her view, if you're in a romantic relationship, you should take it seriously, and long-distance relationships are not a problem at all. She asked Zhuang Jie how she distinguished her feelings for Ji Tong and Chen Mai Dong. Zhuang Jie stated that her feelings for Ji Tong were self-centered love, while her love for Chen Mai Dong was genuine and wholehearted.
Chen Mai Dong drowned his sorrows in alcohol at home, his mind filled with the scene from New Year's Eve. When he realized that he couldn't truly let go of Zhuang Jie, he mustered up the courage to message her, letting her know he was outside her door. Zhuang Jie was overjoyed and ran outside, throwing herself into Chen Mai Dong's arms. Finally, she confessed the reasons for her previous hurtful words, but fortunately, Chen Mai Dong accepted Zhuang Jie's explanation, and they turned a new leaf.
Afterward, Zhuang Jie wrote a post on her social media account, reminding Chen Mai Dong to check it, indirectly announcing their relationship. Zhuang Jie, feeling the nourishment of love again, was in a great mood and cooked breakfast for the whole family. Even her cold had completely recovered, and the family sat at the dining table, laughing and talking.
Because they had been kept awake by a rat's noise, after finishing their meal, everyone went back to their rooms to catch up on sleep, leaving Zhuang Jie to come to the store alone. Chen Mai Dong had nothing to do and personally came to help. He suggested having a grand and formal date with Zhuang Jie, and both believed it would go smoothly.
In the evening, Chen Mai Dong prepared fine wine and food in their new home and thoughtfully peeled shrimp for Zhuang Jie. Zhuang Jie had a sudden realization and mentioned a book she had read, which had given her a new understanding. She believed that one must love oneself first in order to truly understand how to love others. Furthermore, even blood-related family bonds couldn't be relied upon, and if one gambled their entire life on love, it would be a burden for both parties.
Zhuang Jie told Chen Mai Dong that being in love doesn't necessarily mean getting married, and sometimes maintaining a relationship doesn't require a piece of paper as proof. The two cuddled while watching the snow, and Chen Mai Dong prepared bathwater and a cane for Zhuang Jie. He suggested that she take a bath and spend the night in the new house, but he politely refused Zhuang Jie's seduction, reminding her that he wasn't ready yet and that he could wait.
On the way back, Chen Mai Dong received a call from Zhuang Jie. She revealed that she had a boyfriend during her university days, and when they were about to become intimate for the first time, the boyfriend's shocked and disgusted expression upon seeing her prosthetic limb deeply hurt her.
Due to financial constraints when she had just undergone the amputation surgery, she couldn't afford to stay in the hospital until the wound healed, leading to an infection that almost caused her to have a high fever and die. Although she survived, the amputation appeared gruesome and ugly, and she was deeply afraid of being seen in that state. Chen Mai Dong finally discovered Zhuang Jie's vulnerability and comforted her with his own experiences. He expressed that he had come to understand many things and that if Zhuang Jie was willing, he could accept the roles of confidant, lover, and even affair partner, as long as he could be with her.
Moved by his words, Zhuang Jie suddenly asked him to come back.
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