A Beautiful Lie – Chen Xingxu, Zhang Yuxi

Qin Fei is an actress who has been in the industry for five years. She played the lead villainess in "Legend of Mingyue", and the drama's success made her widely known. As she was about to leave the airport, she was informed that a tabloid had fabricated rumors that she was a homewrecker after she introduced a lawyer to her friend Jin Na.

The paparazzi had taken pictures of her with the lawyer, and reporters were already waiting outside the airport for her. Her assistant, Ka Fei, called to tell her she was stuck in traffic and couldn’t pick her up, but she had already arranged for a private car. Before Ka Fei could finish telling her the license plate number, Qin Fei hung up the phone.

Recognized by reporters, Qin Fei hurriedly fled and spotted an Audi in the parking lot, jumping into the car in a panic. Xing Zhizhi, the driver, recognized her immediately as Qin Fei. Seeing that she was being chased, he quickly drove off. On the way, she received a call from her manager, Ren Siqi, who scolded her for introducing Jin Na to a lawyer, causing rumors of her being a homewrecker.

Ren Siqi complained that since Jin Na hadn’t been photographed, she had stayed silent, worried that the company might terminate Qin Fei’s contract. Qin Fei insisted the photos were just a matter of angles and suggested she and the lawyer, He, issue a joint statement to clear things up. Her manager demanded that she apologize publicly, but Qin Fei refused, believing she had done nothing wrong.

Meanwhile, Ka Fei called again, asking why Qin Fei hadn’t gotten into the car, and mentioned that the private driver she had arranged was a female driver. Qin Fei then realized she had gotten into the wrong car. She suspected that Xing Zhizhi was a paparazzi journalist and that he had a recording device. She threatened him with pepper spray, demanding he hand over the recorder.

Xing Zhizhi explained that he was on his way to catch a flight but, seeing her being chased, had decided to help. He added that his flight had already been delayed because of this. Seeing his flight information, Qin Fei realized she had misunderstood and reluctantly got out of the car with her luggage.

Shortly after, Qin Fei’s mother called, scolding her for getting involved with a married man, saying that even her father’s spirit in heaven would blame her for not being raised properly. Frustrated, Qin Fei hung up the phone, feeling distressed about how to find another car. Unexpectedly, Xing Zhizhi returned and offered her another ride. Qin Fei received a message from Jin Na, who expressed that she had her own difficulties. Annoyed, Qin Fei blocked her.

Feeling agitated, Qin Fei grabbed a pillow from the car, only to find it printed with her own face. Xing Zhizhi explained that the pillow was a gift from a friend. To lighten the mood, Qin Fei asked him to play some music, only to find out that the song playing was one she had sung herself. This made Qin Fei suspect that Xing Zhizhi might be a fan of hers with ulterior motives.

Despite Xing Zhizhi's explanation, Qin Fei remained unconvinced, and they ended up at the police station. After an investigation, the police confirmed that Qin Fei had voluntarily gotten into Xing Zhizhi’s car and had delayed his trip. Her manager urged her to apologize, so Qin Fei begrudgingly wrote an apology on a napkin for him. Xing Zhizhi is a doctor at He Xi Hospital.

He had a meeting at the hospital to discuss the donation of a gamma knife to a supporting hospital. At the hospital, he encountered a patient who had always booked appointments with him. As she did her rehabilitation exercises, she was also watching a drama starring Qin Fei. The patient was unimpressed with Qin Fei’s acting, but Xing Zhizhi took her phone away, warning her not to look down at her phone while exercising.

The patient was pleased that he cared about her and offered to treat him to a meal. However, he declined, saying he had to discuss the gamma knife donation with the hospital foundation staff. The patient offered to inquire about the cost of donating a gamma knife, and Xing Zhizhi told her it would cost two million. She immediately fell silent. Xing Zhizhi later found out that Qin Fei had consistently donated to the hospital foundation in the past.

He contacted the hospital director and Ren Siqi, proposing that Qin Fei make a two-million-yuan donation for the gamma knife this year. In return, she could serve as a celebrity volunteer at the hospital’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. However, due to the negative rumors about her being a homewrecker, Qin Fei had been dropped from several dramas and variety shows. Ren Siqi believed that becoming a celebrity volunteer and getting some media coverage could help restore her image.

Qin Fei agreed to the donation but refused to participate in the publicity, preferring to ruin her career than to resort to such self-promotion. Qin Fei, accompanied by Ka Fei, secretly took a high-speed train to Lin Kang County. At the station exit, she found Xing Zhizhi, and the three of them set off for the hospital by car. On the way, Qin Fei told Xing Zhizhi that she knew everything he had been doing.

She believed he was trying to get close to her, but she made it clear that she would never fall for one of her fans. On their journey, they encountered a landslide, and a small roadside shop collapsed, trapping a little girl under the debris. Xing Zhizhi and Qin Fei worked together to treat the injured girl and stay by her side until the rescue team from the hospital arrived. Afterward, Qin Fei fainted.

After Qin Fei woke up, she felt pain in her arm. Ka Fei told her it was probably because she had held up a coat to shield Xixi from the rain for two hours. When Qin Fei learned that Xing Zhizhi was in Xixi’s hospital room, she decided to go visit Xixi. At the hospital, she overheard Xing Zhizhi and Xixi discussing her acting, calling it exaggerated. Xixi had just had the steel rods removed from her legs.

Xing Zhizhi offered to prescribe painkillers if her leg hurt, but Xixi said she didn’t want to take any medication. Qin Fei entered the room, defending her acting style, saying it was a performance technique they didn’t understand. She performed a skit for Xixi, which made her laugh, and then told Xixi that if she stopped speaking badly about her, she would share some behind-the-scenes gossip about Jin Na on set.

Due to the urgency of Xixi’s condition, transferring her to another hospital wasn’t an option, so she had to undergo surgery at Lin Kang County Hospital. Qin Fei asked Xing Zhizhi to lend her a couple of books to read to Xixi, knowing that Xixi’s surgery would take place at this hospital. She initially thought Xing Zhizhi would be the one performing the surgery, but he explained that he worked in the rehabilitation department and didn’t perform surgeries.

Both Xixi and her father were fans of Jin Na, and they had planned to attend one of Jin Na’s competitions together, but her father passed away unexpectedly. Now, Xixi had no parents, and her only uncle and aunt lived far away and couldn’t come. Qin Fei empathized with her, missing her own deceased father. Under the streetlights, she began dancing.

During the day, while the hospital's medical team was offering free consultations, Qin Fei wanted to help in any way she could, but the doctors and nurses were unimpressed, thinking she was just putting on a show. In the end, the only task she was allowed to help with was distributing medicine. She hadn’t seen Xing Zhizhi around and later learned he would be performing surgery on Xixi.

She started to doubt his skills, especially after hearing that while he was a protégé of the hospital’s director, he hadn’t performed a surgery in five years. The hospital’s operating room was ready, and everyone was waiting for Xing Zhizhi to begin the surgery on Xixi. Due to past experiences, Xing Zhizhi felt nervous about the operation, but he eventually completed the surgery. Outside the operating room, Qin Fei and Ka Fei anxiously awaited news.

After the surgery, they rushed to ask how it went. Xing Zhizhi assured them that the operation had been successful. Overjoyed, Qin Fei dragged Ka Fei along to buy Xixi her favorite tomato-flavored chips. Since it was late and the nearby shops were all closed, they had to drive far to find the chips. When Qin Fei returned to the hospital with the snacks, she saw Xing Zhizhi standing outside with a serious expression.

She asked what had happened, and learned that while Xixi’s surgery had gone well, she had developed a high fever afterward that wouldn’t subside, which could lead to tissue necrosis and, ultimately, amputation. Qin Fei was devastated, but Xing Zhizhi tried to comfort her by saying that at least this way, Xixi’s life could be saved. Xixi still hadn’t regained consciousness, and seeing her suffer from the high fever, Qin Fei felt deep sorrow.

She angrily told Xing Zhizhi that if he couldn’t keep his promises, he shouldn’t have made them in the first place. Qin Fei went to Xixi’s bedside to encourage her not to give up, telling her to hang on. She saw herself in Xixi. Qin Fei shared how she had once been a dancer and loved dancing, which felt completely different from her current experience as an actress.

However, before her most important performance, she was caught in a terrorist attack that left her unable to dance again, leading her to pursue a career in acting instead. She didn’t want to see Xixi give up on running and dreams, just like she had to give up on her own. For several days, Qin Fei was in a cold war with Xing Zhizhi.

Ka Fei tried to persuade her to forgive him, pointing out how much Xing Zhizhi had done and that it wasn’t his fault. When Xing Zhizhi came to find Qin Fei and overheard their conversation, he became worried that she still hadn’t forgiven him. He reassured Qin Fei that Xixi’s fever had broken, and she wouldn’t need to have her leg amputated. With proper recovery, she would be fine. Qin Fei, relieved and happy, finally let go of her resentment.

She apologized to Xing Zhizhi and shared her own experience. She admitted that when she learned she would never dance again, she wished that the person who had saved her hadn’t, so she could have died instead.

Xing Zhizhi was the person who saved Qin Fei during the explosion in the terrorist attack five years ago. When he heard Qin Fei say that she would have rather died in that explosion than be saved, he didn’t quite understand her feelings. Xing Zhizhi asked Qin Fei to be a model and demonstrate rehabilitation exercises for the hospital patients. He deliberately extended the training session to make her do more movements.

One of the patients recognized Qin Fei and took a picture with her, then started showing off the photo around the hospital, which caused everyone to learn that Qin Fei was there. As a result, Qin Fei had to hide around the hospital to avoid crowds of onlookers. Ka Fei found Yu Zhecheng and asked him to temporarily suspend Qin Fei’s work to prevent her from being constantly surrounded by people.

Yu Zhecheng reminded her that there would be a power and water outage at 10 PM that night, but Ka Fei forgot to inform Qin Fei about it. After everyone finished washing up, Qin Fei went to wash her hair, but halfway through, the water and power went out. Xing Zhizhi, holding a flashlight, found her. He helped by pouring hot water from a thermos into a watering can to rinse the soap from her hair.

Xing Zhizhi gave Qin Fei his clothes to prevent her from catching a cold and made seafood-flavored instant noodles as an apology. He explained that because he had asked her to model, it ended up drawing too much attention, affecting her daily life. Qin Fei mentioned that she really liked seafood-flavored instant noodles, which were hard to come by.

Xing Zhizhi told her the noodles were actually a gift from Ka Fei to Yu Zhecheng, but he had taken them from Yu Zhecheng. He then suggested that instead of avoiding people, Qin Fei should directly face the hospital’s 100 or so patients. He said that after seeing a celebrity for a long time, people would get bored and stop being so excited. Qin Fei said she would think about it.

Because Xixi was a big fan of Jin Na, Qin Fei asked her agent for Jin Na’s contact information or her agent’s number, hoping to get Jin Na to record a video message for Xixi. The agent was worried that Jin Na might try to sabotage Qin Fei again, but Qin Fei assured her that Jin Na felt guilty toward her now, so she would agree to the request.

The hospital had poor phone signal, and everyone was anxious because they couldn’t watch the Mid-Autumn Festival Gala. Qin Fei had the idea of hosting a Mid-Autumn Festival show at the hospital herself to cheer everyone up. Ka Fei dragged Yu Zhecheng to help move equipment, and Qin Fei decorated the venue with lanterns. She noticed a patient secretly taking pictures of her and told them they could take a picture together, but only after she finished her work.

Soon, a group of patients started helping with the preparations, and Qin Fei happily took photos with all of them. The patients praised her, saying that for a big star, she was very down-to-earth and approachable. At the Mid-Autumn Festival show, Qin Fei sang for the audience. Unexpectedly, it began to rain, but she continued singing on stage.

Xing Zhizhi held an umbrella for her, and when the audience saw this, no one left; instead, they all stood under umbrellas, watching the performance. The show ended successfully, and everyone was overjoyed. Afterward, Qin Fei felt good about her singing performance, but when she looked at the photos, she realized her eye makeup had smudged, which upset her. Ka Fei teased her, saying that her singing was so bad that no one probably noticed her smudged makeup anyway.

Xing Zhizhi came to check on Qin Fei and noticed she had a slight cold. He reached out to feel her forehead, and the atmosphere between them became a bit ambiguous. Ka Fei, seeing this, went to Yu Zhecheng to ask if Xing Zhizhi had a girlfriend and if he had dated before, wondering if he was a player.

Yu Zhecheng said that Xing Zhizhi had never had a girlfriend but admitted that he had a crush on a famous actress, though he didn’t reveal which one to Ka Fei. Xing Zhizhi invited Qin Fei to go sightseeing in Lin Kang County. During the outing, Qin Fei twisted her ankle, so Xing Zhizhi carried her on his back and helped massage her foot, bringing the two of them even closer.

Later, Qin Fei visited Xixi and found her watching a video of Qin Fei’s Mid-Autumn Festival singing performance. Xixi teased her, calling her tone-deaf and saying her singing was off-key. As the two playfully bantered, a nurse entered to tell Qin Fei that she had a package delivery.

Qin Fei sent a message to Ka Fei, saying that the signal receiver she ordered had arrived and she was going to pick it up. However, due to a lack of signal, her message didn’t get through. Ka Fei searched everywhere in the hospital for Qin Fei but couldn't find her, so she anxiously sought help from Xing Zhizhi and Yu Zhecheng. They eventually learned that Qin Fei had gone to the county's supply depot, but she had already left.

Worried about the treacherous mountain roads and potential dangers, Xing Zhizhi drove out to look for her. On her way back, Qin Fei got a little lost without GPS. Suddenly, a car tumbled down the mountain, and a man crawled out from it. In the passenger seat was an unconscious Frenchman. The man tried to rescue him, but the Frenchman was trapped, and the man couldn’t reach him.

Qin Fei stepped in to help, cutting the seatbelt with a knife, but she accidentally cut her hand, causing it to bleed. Together, they managed to pull the man out, but the car was leaking oil and was about to explode. Xing Zhizhi arrived just as the car was about to explode and saw Qin Fei near the vehicle. He shouted for "Xiao Fei" and rushed over, thinking the worst when the car exploded.

However, Qin Fei emerged unharmed, and Xing Zhizhi, overcome with emotion, hugged her tightly, scolding her for running around and putting herself in danger. Just then, the man from the car interrupted their conversation—it turned out that this man was Liu Yanze, Xing Zhizhi’s friend and a rescue team member. The unconscious Frenchman was a journalist, and they had rushed over because of the landslide in Lin Kang County. Xing Zhizhi treated Qin Fei’s injured hand.

Qin Fei could tell he was upset, but she didn’t understand why. Liu Yanze asked Xing Zhizhi about his relationship with Qin Fei, learning that Xing Zhizhi hadn’t told her that he was the chubby boy who had been her classmate in childhood. Later, when Qin Fei brought Liu Yanze some food and saw Xing Zhizhi was also there, Liu Yanze introduced himself. Qin Fei then recalled how Xing Zhizhi had once claimed to be her fan.

But after some teasing, Liu Yanze admitted that he was actually a fan of Luo Xiaoxiao, not Qin Fei. Realizing his lie had been exposed, Xing Zhizhi quickly dragged Qin Fei away. Qin Fei asked Xing Zhizhi if he was really her fan, wondering if everything he did—like holding an umbrella for her and feeling sorry when she was hurt—was because of his admiration for her.

Xing Zhizhi admitted that he was her fan, but said it wasn’t just about being a fan. At this moment, Ka Fei drove up and informed them that the Frenchman had woken up, but there was a possibility he had HIV. Since Qin Fei’s hand was injured while saving him and came into contact with his blood, there was a slight risk of infection.

Qin Fei became extremely worried about being infected, but Xing Zhizhi reassured her that the likelihood of infection was only one in a thousand. Moreover, the Frenchman hadn’t been confirmed as HIV positive, and if the test results came back negative, there would be no issue. Xing Zhizhi promised to get a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment, which would be very effective if taken within 24 hours in case of an infection.

He urged her not to worry and to wait for him to return with the medicine. After learning about Qin Fei’s situation, many people at the hospital came to offer her comfort. Doctor Bai brought her a pack of sour plum candies and paper cranes left for her by Xing Zhizhi. Seeing these items, Qin Fei suddenly remembered that the chubby boy from her childhood could very well be Xing Zhizhi now.

Meanwhile, Jin Na sent Qin Fei a recording of an encouraging message for Xixi, which made Qin Fei happy. She took the recording to Xixi, who was deeply moved by Jin Na’s words. Xixi then asked Qin Fei, after hearing her mention Xing Zhizhi so often, if she was really waiting for the medicine or waiting for Xing Zhizhi himself.

Qin Fei thought that Xing Zhizhi would be hungry when he returned, so she cooked instant noodles and waited for him. When Xing Zhizhi finally came back, looking tired, he told Qin Fei that he didn’t bring the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medicine and that the earliest it would arrive was tomorrow. Qin Fei, pretending not to care, suggested they eat first.

Just then, her agent Ren Siqi called, informing her that she needed to leave Lin Kang County the next day. Qin Fei asked Xing Zhizhi about her blood test results, and he told her that they would also be available no sooner than tomorrow morning. Frustrated, Qin Fei said she hated waiting. Xing Zhizhi asked her what she wanted to do, offering to accompany her.

Xing Zhizhi took Qin Fei to the rooftop to look at the stars, but it turned out to be a cloudy night with no stars visible. Seeing her disappointment, Xing Zhizhi promised to make sure she could see the stars. He had prepared some star-shaped string lights, but due to long use, they were faulty and stopped lighting up with just a slight touch.

Then, Xing Zhizhi had Qin Fei lie down while he used his phone to show her stars, but the phone died because of low battery. He assured her that he had brought a power bank, and they could continue watching soon, but the power bank was also out of power. Just as he said he would go get another one, Qin Fei broke down, telling him to stop.

She admitted that she always acted like she didn’t care about anything, but in reality, she was scared to death. She added that she often had bad luck, and the things she looked forward to always turned out poorly. Seeing her so vulnerable, Xing Zhizhi felt heartbroken and hugged her. At that moment, the star-shaped lights suddenly lit up again. The Frenchman came running excitedly, telling them that there was finally a signal.

He had received his test results, confirming that he did not have HIV, so everyone was safe. Qin Fei told Xing Zhizhi that she had already recognized him as the chubby kid who used to follow her around. Xing Zhizhi asked her why she had agreed to participate in the singing competition with him but didn’t show up on the day of the competition and transferred to another school instead.

In reality, Qin Fei transferred schools because her father had died in a car accident while buying her ballet shoes, but she brushed it off, saying it was just a childhood promise. She teased Xing Zhizhi, calling him her little follower who grew up to be her fan. Xing Zhizhi responded that he didn’t want to just be her fan—he truly wanted to pursue her.

Seeing the surprised look on her face, he quickly said he was joking, and Qin Fei let out a sigh of relief. Xing Zhizhi suggested that Qin Fei cancel her flight, reminding her that she had promised to volunteer for five more days and that a new batch of medicine had arrived, needing her assistance with inventory.

Meanwhile, the French journalist live-streamed his story on social media, giving special thanks to Qin Fei and sharing photos of her volunteering at the hospital. This went viral, and the public began to recognize Qin Fei's sincere volunteer work, improving her reputation. Qin Fei's agent urged her to leave the hospital immediately to attend a charity gala, saying it would elevate her career.

Qin Fei felt reluctant to leave, and Ka Fei encouraged her to say a proper goodbye to Xing Zhizhi. Qin Fei dismissed the idea, saying they were just old classmates and hadn’t kept in touch for years, so there was no need for a special farewell. However, Xing Zhizhi overheard this as he was coming to confess his feelings to her. Hurt and disappointed, he left quietly.

Everyone at the hospital, having heard that Qin Fei was leaving, wanted to give her a surprise farewell party. Since they thought Xing Zhizhi had the best relationship with Qin Fei, they asked him for gift ideas. He coldly responded that his relationship with Qin Fei was just like his relationship with everyone else—nothing special. Qin Fei later went to say goodbye to Xixi, who urged her to find Doctor Xing to say a proper farewell.

Qin Fei denied needing to confess her feelings to Xing Zhizhi, saying it was actually Xing Zhizhi who had never let go of his feelings for her. Xixi teased her, saying that she had finally admitted she liked Doctor Xing. Qin Fei tried to find Xing Zhizhi to say goodbye but couldn’t locate him.

Before she left, Xing Zhizhi told her that Li Meilan and the others had planned a surprise farewell party for her but got too busy, so they would celebrate another day. Qin Fei, noticing Xing Zhizhi’s cold attitude, asked him whether this was a “once-in-a-lifetime encounter” or if they would meet again in the future. Remembering the words he had overheard earlier, Xing Zhizhi stayed silent. Frustrated, Qin Fei left in anger.

Qin Fei returned to the company and ran into Jin Weiwei, who sarcastically complimented her on her recent crisis management, accusing her of stepping on the medical team to climb up the ranks and using charity as a stepping stone. Jin Weiwei asked Qin Fei to introduce her to some contacts so she could switch her team members.

Infuriated, Qin Fei retorted that Jin Weiwei should change her mindset instead, stating that everything she had achieved since her debut was through her own hard work. She emphasized that not everyone, unlike Jin Weiwei, takes shortcuts. Unbeknownst to her, Jin Weiwei had recorded their conversation. At the charity gala, the host asked Qin Fei about the details of the rescue and how she felt knowing she could have contracted HIV.

Qin Fei responded sincerely, saying she would continue to do her best to help people living with HIV in the future. Suddenly, a journalist played a maliciously edited recording, accusing Qin Fei of staging everything for show, using the medical team to craft her public image, and directing the whole situation herself. Qin Fei immediately clarified that the recording had been deliberately edited, but the reporter pressed further, asking how much she planned to donate that night.

Qin Fei defiantly responded that she would donate however much she wanted and asked how much the reporter had contributed to charity. Her blunt response left many attendees displeased with her. Ren Siqi later scolded Qin Fei for losing her temper and advised that she should have let him handle the situation instead of confronting the journalist publicly. However, Qin Fei refused to bow to malicious editing and insisted she would not apologize.

Luo Xiaoxiao came to comfort Qin Fei, telling her not to listen to the negativity and that the truth would eventually come to light. Qin Fei mentioned that she wasn't the only one involved in the rescue—Liu Yanze had also played a part and was a fan of Luo Xiaoxiao. She then asked Luo Xiaoxiao for an autographed photo to give to Liu Yanze.

Feeling upset about the charity gala incident, Qin Fei was comforted by messages from the hospital's medical team. When she opened her suitcase and found the gifts everyone had given her, she was deeply touched. However, the fact that Xing Zhizhi hadn’t reached out to her left her feeling sad. Meanwhile, Xing Zhizhi confided in Liu Yanze over drinks, saying that he had decided to give up.

He felt that Qin Fei didn’t need him, and her attitude made it clear she was rejecting him. While Xing Zhizhi was helping Xixi with her rehabilitation, Xixi told him that Qin Fei wasn't as strong as she seemed—she had cried secretly many times. Seeing the drawings Qin Fei had made for Xixi, Xing Zhizhi went back alone to look at them, thinking of Qin Fei but lacking the courage to contact her.

Similarly, Qin Fei missed Xing Zhizhi, but out of stubbornness, she refused to reach out first, waiting for him to make the first move. Qin Fei later checked Xing Zhizhi’s Weibo and saw the photos of the star-shaped lights he had posted. Realizing that he did care about her, she received a friend request from him on WeChat but chose to reject it.

She told Ka Fei that the easier something is to get, the less it’s valued, so she wouldn’t accept the request too easily. Just then, Yu Zhecheng called Ka Fei, informing her that Xixi had come to the hospital and wanted to see Qin Fei. Qin Fei and Ka Fei headed to the hospital to visit Xixi. In the parking lot, Qin Fei’s clothes got caught in the car door, and Xing Zhizhi rushed over to help.

Mistaking him for a hater, Qin Fei accidentally hit him in the eye. Xing Zhizhi, pretending to be weak, asked her to help him apply medicine. Seeing through his ploy, Qin Fei questioned his real motives, suspecting he was using Xixi as an excuse to see her. Xing Zhizhi was embarrassed. Qin Fei’s mother then called, telling her that she, her stepfather, and her younger brother were coming to visit.

Qin Fei offered to book them a hotel, but her mother refused, insisting they all stay at Qin Fei’s place to "build their relationship. " Annoyed, Qin Fei rejected the idea, but her mother said they were already on their way and left it up to Qin Fei to figure out. Xing Zhizhi noticed that Qin Fei didn’t look happy and asked what was wrong. Xixi came over, and both she and Qin Fei were delighted to see each other.

Xing Zhizhi asked Qin Fei about her plans for accompanying Xixi during rehabilitation, and Qin Fei agreed to do so but said Xixi couldn’t stay at her house. She explained that she didn’t want to stay at home for a while and planned to rent a place near the hospital to live with Xixi. Xing Zhizhi immediately offered to help find a place.

Ka Fei heard that Qin Fei was going out with Dr. Xing and thought something might have happened to Xing Zhizhi’s eye, so she wanted to call Qin Fei to ask. Yu Zhecheng quickly stopped her, suggesting that she give Qin Fei and Xing Zhizhi some personal space so they could talk. Yu Zhecheng then directly confessed his feelings to Ka Fei, saying he wanted to be her boyfriend.

Just as Ka Fei was about to agree, they were interrupted by a call from the hospital. Yu Zhecheng asked her to think it over and then hurried back to the hospital. Xing Zhizhi took Qin Fei and Xixi to his place, saying that since his apartment was close to the hospital, it would be convenient for Qin Fei to take care of Xixi.

He offered for them to stay at his place instead of renting an apartment, and he would move to the dormitory. Qin Fei, satisfied with the apartment, agreed to stay there. To prevent Qin Fei from seeing the replaced billboard outside and getting upset, Xing Zhizhi quickly drew the curtains, but Qin Fei still noticed. She realized that Xing Zhizhi had been watching her billboard every day from the rooftop, showing how infatuated he was with her.

Embarrassed, Xing Zhizhi denied it and asked to add Qin Fei on WeChat, saying it was to discuss Xixi’s follow-up examination. Qin Fei responded that if he needed anything, he could just message Xixi directly, as they were just regular friends now and didn’t need to add each other on WeChat. Xing Zhizhi helped move Qin Fei’s things into the new apartment and settled her and Xixi in before leaving.

The next day, when he came to deliver breakfast, he found that his apartment was almost on fire. Upon entering, he discovered it was because Qin Fei had been making breakfast for Xixi. The property management came by to check if the fire alarm was working properly. Xing Zhizhi used this situation to insist that Qin Fei add him on WeChat, and he resolved the issue with the property management.

Xing Zhizhi then told Qin Fei to change her clothes and tidy up, as he would be waiting for her downstairs. Qin Fei thought he was asking her out, but Xing Zhizhi quickly clarified that it wasn’t a date—Xixi had a rehabilitation appointment. Qin Fei accompanied Xixi to the hospital for her rehabilitation. She stayed by Xixi’s side, encouraging her, but Xixi kept complaining about the pain and couldn’t continue.

Qin Fei hurriedly called Xing Zhizhi and told him about Xixi’s situation. After reviewing Xixi’s medical reports, Xing Zhizhi explained to Qin Fei that the pain might be psychological. They took Xixi to see a psychologist, who told them that Xixi had deep-rooted memories of the pain and was also afraid that her leg might not fully recover.

Xixi loved running marathons and had made a promise with her father to run one together, so this fear became a mental block, and she lacked the courage to face it. Suddenly, Xixi developed a fever, and Qin Fei called Xing Zhizhi to come over.

After checking on Xixi and confirming there was nothing serious, Xing Zhizhi was about to leave, but Qin Fei, feeling it was hard to take care of Xixi alone in his apartment, asked him to stay and sleep on the couch. Ka Fei went to pick up Qin Fei’s mother and her family at the airport. However, Qin Fei’s mother kept asking Ka Fei to take photos for them.

After several unsatisfactory attempts, Ka Fei, anxious to complete the airport pickup, declined to continue, which upset Qin Fei’s mother. Only then did Ka Fei realize that the people she was picking up were the same ones asking her to take photos. After bringing Qin Fei’s family to her apartment and settling them in, Ka Fei told Qin Fei’s mother that Qin Fei had been very busy lately and wouldn’t be staying there.

Upon hearing this, Qin Fei’s mother became furious and tried to call Qin Fei, only to find that her phone was turned off. Later that night, Qin Fei saw the missed call from her mother and called back. Her stepfather answered, telling Qin Fei that they knew she was busy and wouldn’t be staying long, but they still hoped she could come home for a family reunion dinner.

Seeing that Qin Fei hadn’t agreed, he added that if she truly didn’t have time, they would understand. Eventually, Qin Fei agreed to come back for a visit.

Qin Fei looked at the happy photos her mom sent of her, her stepfather, and her brother, feeling down. Xing Zhizhi noticed her drinking alone and came over to accompany her. She asked Xing Zhizhi when he grew up, and he replied that it was when a friend didn’t keep their promise to attend a singing competition with him.

Qin Fei said that the friend who didn’t show up also grew up at that moment, as she had lost her father. Qin Fei then told Xing Zhizhi she wanted to delay Xixi’s psychological counseling because Xixi wasn’t keen on attending. Qin Fei felt that, even though they had grown up, she hoped Xixi could grow up a little slower and continue doing things that made her happy.

She decided to take Xixi shopping, and Xing Zhizhi offered to accompany them during his vacation. Qin Fei took Xixi and Xing Zhizhi shopping, and they attracted a lot of attention along the way, with many people staring at Xing Zhizhi. Even when Qin Fei went to buy three hats, the cashier, distracted by Xing Zhizhi’s good looks, forgot to scan her items for payment. Qin Fei, feeling a bit jealous, paid and quickly left with Xixi.

They stopped in front of a large screen, and Xixi was instantly drawn to it. The video showed a girl running, and Qin Fei asked Xixi if she liked the running shoes. Xixi replied that she didn’t like them and wanted to leave quickly. Xing Zhizhi hurriedly pushed Xixi away. After a long day of shopping, Xing Zhizhi ordered milk tea for Xixi while waiting for Qin Fei to finish.

He also ordered something for Qin Fei, but she said she doesn’t usually drink milk tea. After taking a sip, she realized Xing Zhizhi had actually given her a cup of plain water. Yu Zhecheng had planned to watch a movie with Ka Fei after finishing surgery. When he arrived and didn’t see her, he thought she had left after waiting too long, feeling disappointed.

However, Ka Fei had bought tickets for three showings in a row, telling Yu Zhecheng that she just wanted a life-saving doctor as a boyfriend. They officially confirmed their relationship and sweetly watched the movie together. Ren Siqi, who was negotiating a collaboration for Qin Fei, wanted her to participate in the show "Rescue Battle. " However, the show’s producer mentioned that the program required a high public reputation for celebrities.

Knowing it wasn’t going to work out, Ren Siqi left disappointed. Ren Siqi later saw photos of Qin Fei, Xing Zhizhi, and Xixi shopping and drinking milk tea that had been taken by passersby. He wanted to use the photos in a news release to show that Qin Fei wasn’t pretending to care about public welfare but was genuinely involved. He called Ka Fei back from her movie to send out the release.

At the same time, Qin Fei was preparing to take the gifts she had bought back home for dinner but had to send a message to her mom saying she couldn’t make it. Qin Fei’s mom was furious when she saw the message. Qin Fei rushed back to the office to stop Ren Siqi from using the photos for the news release.

She knew Ren Siqi was doing it for her benefit, but she didn’t want to drag Xixi and Xing Zhizhi into it. Ren Siqi realized that Qin Fei had special feelings for Xing Zhizhi and asked what their relationship was. Qin Fei said they were just regular friends and that she wasn’t in the mood for a relationship right now.

Xing Zhizhi asked Qin Fei if her mother had come and if she had initially planned to go home for dinner but didn’t because something came up. Qin Fei felt indifferent about her family relationships, saying she’d just go with the flow. Xing Zhizhi advised her that some relationships fade away if left to fate and that letting things go is sometimes a way to avoid trying and failing.

Qin Fei teased Xing Zhizhi, saying he sounded like a romantic leading man and jokingly suggested he take up acting. Xing Zhizhi pressed her, asking if she would dare to accept him if he wasn’t just acting. Qin Fei evaded the question, saying she wasn’t cut out to be the lead character and wasn’t interested. Qin Fei researched some rehabilitation knowledge and spoke with the psychologist about psychological sensitivity, realizing that Xixi’s fear likely stemmed from how much she cared.

She planned to rent a stage, and since Liu Yanze had connections, he could help her with the arrangements. She told Xixi that they would go camping next time and that Xing Zhizhi would take her this time. Qin Fei was happy with the stage she saw for the performance but was troubled by the high rental cost for just one day.

Ka Fei was puzzled about why Qin Fei needed such an expensive venue and asked who she was dancing for. Liu Yanze told Xing Zhizhi about Qin Fei’s financial concerns.

Ren Siqi helped Qin Fei negotiate a role in a film by Director Chen. Although Qin Fei pretended not to care and didn’t want to act in the project, she was actually worried about whether she would get the role. In the end, due to her recent negative publicity, the deal fell through. Feeling disappointed, she asked Ren Siqi and Ka Fei to leave. Xing Zhizhi, knowing that Qin Fei needed money, borrowed some from his sister.

Meanwhile, Qin Fei went to find Ren Siqi to ask for a loan. Ren Siqi insisted that she should stop worrying about Xixi, but Qin Fei was unwilling to let that go. However, in order to borrow money, she held back her feelings. At that moment, Xing Zhizhi called her to offer a loan. After hanging up, Qin Fei told Ren Siqi that she would take care of Xixi’s matters. Qin Fei invited Liu Yanze and Xing Zhizhi out for dinner.

Liu Yanze mentioned he had to participate in the show "Rescue Battle" and couldn’t make it. Qin Fei had dinner with Xing Zhizhi instead, sharing her concerns about whether Xixi would like her performance or dislike her because of the stage. Xing Zhizhi reassured her that if he were Xixi, he would definitely like her, which touched Qin Fei deeply. Xing Zhizhi took Xixi to watch Qin Fei’s stage play, encouraging Xixi to muster her courage and dance with Qin Fei.

Finally, Xixi took her first step towards accepting psychological counseling and trying to stand up. Xixi’s improvement was significant; she was even able to sleep soundly at night, which made Qin Fei feel that her efforts were not in vain. Later that evening, Ka Fei came to inform Qin Fei that the program "Rescue Battle" was not suitable for her, as Mr. Ren had suggested she rest at home instead.

Qin Fei sensed that something was off since Ren Siqi had previously said the show was a perfect fit for her. She asked Ka Fei to check social media and found out that Qin Fei's name was absent from the list of participants for "Rescue Battle. " Many netizens commented that it was fine without her. Qin Fei claimed she wouldn’t let such small matters bother her and that she needed to rest, pushing Ka Fei to leave.

Xing Zhizhi noticed that Qin Fei was pretending to be strong and indifferent. Xing Zhizhi and Xixi discussed ways to help Qin Fei. Qin Fei took Xixi to see Dr. Ge Wu for treatment. After the session, Dr. Ge Wu reported that Xixi's indicators were better than before, and the next step was rehabilitation.

She hoped Xixi could stay, and Qin Fei also wanted to stay to accompany her, but Xixi refused, saying that Xing Zhizhi had a big surprise for Qin Fei that evening. It turned out that Xing Zhizhi had contacted an advertising company to launch a star support advertisement featuring Qin Fei’s recent efforts represented through Xixi’s drawings. Upon seeing it, everyone began guessing who Miss Hedgehog was and realized that Qin Fei’s previous actions were not just for show.

Finally, public opinion turned in favor of Qin Fei, clearing up the misunderstandings. Ren Siqi met with Mr. Xiao from "Rescue Battle" again, hoping to convince him to let Qin Fei participate in the show. However, he was still rejected. Just then, he noticed the ad playing on the big screen and called Qin Fei to tell her that good deeds would be rewarded, and she couldn't be unlucky forever.

He realized why she had stopped him from releasing Xixi's photos; she had help behind the scenes. Shortly after, "Rescue Battle" also called to agree to have Qin Fei as a permanent guest on the show. When Qin Fei returned home, she found the place empty. She had been hoping for a surprise from Xing Zhizhi but instead discovered that no one was there. At that moment, Ren Siqi informed her about the advertisement on the big screen. Finally, she saw the drawings and understood the surprise Xixi had mentioned.

Xing Zhizhi returned to find Qin Fei drinking alone while watching the big screen outside. Qin Fei invited him to join her and expressed her gratitude. Xing Zhizhi told her that she was important and deserved to be seen. Qin Fei was deeply moved; she felt warmth from him. Xing Zhizhi mentioned that the warmth he once received came from a little girl who left without saying goodbye.

He wanted to know why Qin Fei had disappeared instead of accompanying him to the singing competition. Qin Fei explained that it wasn’t intentional. On the day of the competition, her father had a car accident and passed away. After that, she and her mother moved around and changed schools frequently. Later, her mother remarried, which she found hard to understand and integrate into.

She used dance as an excuse to come to Huhai, but then the incident happened, preventing her from fulfilling the promise she made to her father. She felt that promises meant nothing to her because she could no longer achieve her dreams, and the future was uncertain. Now, she just wanted to avoid things that could go wrong. Xing Zhizhi reassured her that he would hold an umbrella for her in the future and that his promises would never change.

Qin Fei was very touched and rested her head on his shoulder. Qin Fei went to accompany Xixi for rehabilitation. She asked Xing Zhizhi to deliver the gifts she had bought for her mother’s family, as they were about to leave. When Xing Zhizhi delivered the gifts, Qin Fei's mother praised him and expressed hope that he could help Qin Fei more in the future.

He noticed that Qin Fei's mother still cared about her, so he urged Qin Fei to go see her off in person. When Qin Fei met her mother at the airport, they both felt awkward. Qin Fei's mother told her not to shoulder everything alone and to share her difficulties. Although she didn’t understand Qin Fei’s industry, she didn’t want her daughter to be criticized online. Qin Fei participated in the recording of "Rescue Battle.

" She trained hard and gave her all in the competition, ultimately being the first to reach the finish line, unlocking a new character—Jin Na. Ka Fei, realizing Jin Na was also in the show and that Qin Fei was unaware, quickly pulled Ren Siqi to prevent him from leaving. Sure enough, after finishing the recording, Qin Fei confronted Ren Siqi.

He acknowledged that if she had known Jin Na was there, she wouldn’t have participated, especially since Jin Na had previously let her down. He insisted that Qin Fei didn't need to be afraid of Jin Na. However, Qin Fei claimed she didn't care. In the show, Jin Weiwei was also participating and often clashed with Qin Fei.

When Qin Fei approached to get her makeup done, Jin Weiwei occupied the makeup station and asked the makeup artist to do her makeup instead. After a fierce confrontation, Qin Fei firmly told her to do her makeup properly, reminding her that she was naturally beautiful and didn’t need any enhancement. Afterward, Ka Fei complimented Qin Fei on her exceptional presence this time. Xing Zhizhi asked Liu Yanze to send a gift to Qin Fei.

She was delighted when she saw the doll. Xing Zhizhi also reminded Liu Yanze to be careful with the training intensity since Qin Fei had a back injury. When Jin Weiwei saw Liu Yanze coming to teach combat, she refused to partner with Qin Fei and insisted on practicing with Liu Yanze instead, but he turned her down and assigned her a female instructor.

Jin Na practiced with Qin Fei, but due to her back injury, she ended up falling to the ground. Liu Yanze told her to rest. He then announced that anyone who had confidence in their ability to take him down could come and try. The group exchanged glances, unsure of who would step forward, until Luo Xiaoxiao finally spoke up, saying she would give it a try.