A Date With the Future – William Chan, Zhang Ruonan

When Xu Lai was fifteen years old, she encountered an unprecedented earthquake. She was trapped in the ruins, enduring the darkest night. At that time, she thought she would silently die at the age of fifteen, gradually consumed by the endless darkness. Until a beam of light illuminated in front of her, the firefighter who saved her life was called Jin Shichuan. Through this rescue, Jin Shichuan left a deep impression on Xu Lai's heart, and she stubbornly insisted on making a ten-year promise with the man who saved her life. Jin Shichuan treated it as a joke and casually agreed. For Xu Lai, this beam of light never disappeared in the following ten years. After ten years, Xu Lai applied to return to the country from the overseas branch of Huai Harbor TV Station to fulfill the ten-year promise.

Xu Lai became a journalist and international dog trainer. Her first task after returning to the country was to disguise herself as a delinquent girl and infiltrate illegal workshops and shops that produced counterfeit medical and beauty products to collect a large amount of material. The head of the news department of Huai Harbor TV Station admired Xu Lai's hard work, but he didn't understand why she applied to return to the country from the overseas branch. Xu Lai smiled and said that she had an important appointment. A major traffic accident occurred on the southbound 307 National Highway, with power poles falling and crushing two vehicles, resulting in extensive congestion. Jin Shichuan, the station chief of the Special Operations Brigade, received the notification and immediately led the team to change into their uniforms and rushed to the scene of the highway accident for emergency rescue.

Upon arriving at the accident scene, Jin Shichuan found that the situation was more complex than the information provided in the dispatch order. He decided to cancel the original plan and let Shi Lei report to the command center and contact the power company to cut off the power. Liu Xu, wearing insulated boots and gloves, conducted the inspection with him, while Lu Fangqi led a team and stood by on the west side, ready to extinguish fires at any time. Under Jin Shichuan's arrangement, the firefighters worked in an orderly manner. As a journalist, Xu Lai immediately brought the cameraman, Lao Zhang, responsible for filming, to the scene to capture the news. She had good professional qualities and wrote her news materials well. The power pole at the scene was broken, and the risk of electric leakage was high. Jin Shichuan decided to use conservative dry powder firefighting, first testing the electrified and non-electrified areas, and then using water guns for comprehensive firefighting after the power was cut off.

Rescue and electrical testing were carried out simultaneously. At the moment the power pole fell, Jin Shichuan saved the trapped masses in the vehicle. The onlookers didn't understand and accused the firefighters of not using water to extinguish the fire. These scenes were captured by the cameras as materials. Jiang Xin, an experienced reporter from the station, had a dislike for Xu Lai and believed that the materials she filmed were useless. So she crossed the cordon and started filming with her camera. As a result, an explosion occurred at the scene, and her camera fell beside a white SUV. She was rescued by the firefighters. After Xu Lai learned about the incident, she risked her life to retrieve the camera. When Jin Shichuan saw her rushing in, he grabbed flame-resistant cloth and rushed in to save her. Fortunately, both of them were not in danger in the end, but Jin Shichuan regarded Xu Lai as an unscrupulous reporter because of this.

Jin Shichuan did not remember that Xu Lai was the girl he had saved years ago, but Xu Lai was not discouraged. She was confident that she would make him remember. After the news report, someone deliberately took a portion of the footage out of context, deliberately magnifying and smearing the firefighters of the Special Operations Brigade, which caused a great controversy online. Jiang Xin blamed Xu Lai for it. Xu Lai immediately showed a video of Jiang Xin editing the material, leaving her speechless. Although Xu Lai didn't want to take the blame for this, she was willing to bear the consequences and produce a special report on the firefighters to clear their name. The team leader agreed to let her do this special report, but he wouldn't use it if it didn't have any highlights. Jiang Xin, relying on her qualifications, looked down on the new intern Zhou Tingwei. Coincidentally, Xu Lai needed a cameraman, so she recruited Zhou Tingwei.

Childhood friends Huo Yanzong and Han Fang came to the TV station to pick up Xu Lai after work. They grew up near the train station and had a deep bond. Huo Yanzong was a young and promising entrepreneur, while Han Fang was a notorious playboy. Huo Yanzong had feelings for Xu Lai, but Xu Lai only saw him as a buddy. After chatting with them for a while, Xu Lai was about to go home to walk her dog. She had a Labrador named Ping'an. Although Huo Yanzong knew that Xu Lai liked Jin Shichuan, after all, so much time had passed, he didn't believe that Xu Lai could find Jin Shichuan, let alone replace his position in Xu Lai's heart. As a resident journalist, Xu Lai went to the Special Operations Brigade Station, and Jin Shichuan still didn't remember her. He only knew that she was the unscrupulous reporter, and the other team members had lost their trust in Jin Shichuan, so they were unwilling to accept Xu Lai's interview.

The political commissar gave the order that even though the recent tasks were heavy, Jin Shichuan had to cooperate with the interview from Huai Harbor TV Station. Xu Lai had a chat with the political commissar. Having been in the fire department for many years, the political commissar had long been familiar with people's misunderstandings of firefighters. However, it was the first time he saw a reporter actively standing up to defend firefighters' reputation. He reminded Xu Lai that Jin Shichuan was a tough nut to crack and would only stick to his principles. It wouldn't be easy to win him over. Xu Lai was full of confidence. She had anticipated encountering difficulties on this trip. However, the subsequent interview didn't go smoothly. Everyone tacitly refused to accept Xu Lai's interview, and Zhou Tingwei didn't manage to capture a frontal shot. Xu Lai had a principle, which was to capture the leader first. As long as she could win over Jin Shichuan, the rest wouldn't be a problem.

Recently, the two of them stayed in the fire station, but they arrived late and found that the cafeteria had run out of food. Xu Lai shamelessly ate from Jin Shichuan's plate. Jin Shichuan had never met a woman like her before, so he pushed his plate towards her and accepted her interview. However, Xu Lai's questions were not serious, giving Jin Shichuan the feeling that she was prying into his personal life. Jin Shichuan noticed this and stopped answering her questions. The alarm bell rang, and the firefighters, led by Jin Shichuan, quickly went on duty. Lu Fangqi stayed at the fire station and answered a few questions from Xu Lai. Firefighters were not only responsible for rescue missions. They would go wherever help was needed, whether it was dealing with a bee sting or helping remove a stuck ring, people could always count on firefighters for assistance.

To capture the firefighters removing a beehive from up close, Xu Lai carried her camera and went in to film. She got the footage she needed, but she also got stung on her forehead. In the end, Jin Shichuan swatted away the bee that stung her. It was a rewarding day for Xu Lai, and she was happy. As she left, she greeted everyone, even though they didn't pay much attention to her. Jin Shichuan gave her some ointment for her scratch and told her not to come again tomorrow. In the evening, Xu Lai spent time with Han Fang. They unexpectedly ran into Huo Yanzong, and Han Fang tactfully created a private moment for them and left, saying he had something to attend to. Huo Yanzong escorted Xu Lai home. The next day, everyone thought Xu Lai wouldn't come, but during a social rescue operation, Xu Lai and Zhou Tingwei appeared before everyone's eyes.

This time, they were rescuing an elderly man who got his head stuck while trying to catch a chicken. The firefighters used hydraulic pliers to cut the iron frame and rescued the man. The man was worried about his chickens and didn't feel at ease going to the hospital. Jin Shichuan and the man assured him that he could go to the hospital without worry, and they would take care of the chickens for him. Xu Lai asked Zhou Tingwei to capture this scene, and she also joined in the effort to catch the chickens. One chicken was stuck in a crevice, and Xu Lai, with her slender arms and legs, successfully rescued it. Jin Shichuan thanked Xu Lai for her help, so she took Jin Shichuan's phone and called her own phone, thereby saving his number. While catching the chickens, Xu Lai never took her eyes off Jin Shichuan, and everyone felt that Xu Lai definitely had feelings for Jin Shichuan.

Xu Lai received a call to return to the station for a meeting, but having chicken feathers all over her, she found it inconvenient. Xu Lai came up with a solution. Taking advantage of the fact that the team members were having their meal in the cafeteria, she sneaked into the shower room to take a shower, with Zhou Tingwei standing guard outside. In the middle of it, Zhou Tingwei had stomach pain and went to the restroom first. Coincidentally, Jin Shichuan entered the shower room and met Xu Lai. Two more team members came in afterward, and Jin Shichuan instinctively pulled Xu Lai inside. They stayed in the shower room until the two team members left. It was Xu Lai's first close contact with Jin Shichuan, and she was very happy about it. Back at the station for the meeting, Team Leader Qin was dissatisfied with the topics submitted by everyone, but Xu Lai presented her own feature, which everyone thought was excellent. Team Leader Qin decided to use her feature.

Jiang Xin felt dissatisfied and tried to sarcastically remark about Xu Lai, but Xu Lai lightly brushed it off. After getting Jin Shichuan's phone number, Xu Lai would send him messages whenever she had free time. At first, Jin Shichuan glanced at them, but since Lu Fangqi was around, he stopped looking. After various experiences, Lu Fangqi and others began to see Xu Lai in a new light. They didn't expect her to be able to keep up with them so energetically these past few days.

Xu Lai's firefighter feature became popular, and the topic gained a lot of attention. Lu Fangqi showed the news to everyone. Although they claimed not to forgive Xu Lai, they had actually started to change their opinion of her. Jin Shichuan also saw the news and wondered how Xu Lai knew about something that happened to him ten years ago. Political Commissar Wen called Jin Shichuan and ordered him to go on a blind date. Jin Shichuan wasn't interested in dating, but he had to accept the arrangement. So he came up with a plan and asked Lu Fangqi to go in his place and deliver a message to the blind date.

After the firefighter feature was released, many people online developed a one-sided admiration for the handsome Jin Shichuan. Xu Lai saw the comments and couldn't help but declare her sovereignty over Jin Shichuan, even though they hadn't even begun a romantic relationship.

Lu Fangqi was rehearsing a scene where he would pass a message when the woman arrived. She also wasn't interested in the blind date and was just going through the motions. Just as she was about to leave, a customer nearby suddenly had a respiratory obstruction. As a doctor, the woman saved the patient's life in time. But when the patient was lifted onto the ambulance, Lu Fangqi had already disappeared. Taking advantage of Xu Lai's absence, Jiang Xin distracted everyone and used Xu Lai's computer to like the explosive post by Mo Da. Xu Lai rode her motorcycle to the fire station and met Lu Fangqi on the way, learning that Jin Shichuan didn't go on the blind date. Xu Lai was thrilled and headed straight to the fire brigade. She straightforwardly asked Jin Shichuan if he wanted to date her, but he coldly and firmly rejected her.

Xu Lai was drinking with Han Fang when she received a call from Team Leader Qin. Due to the TV station's official Weibo account liking Mo Da's post, Mo Da believed it had damaged their reputation and sent a lawyer's letter to the TV station. Xu Lai rushed back to the station, but Chief Lv was angry and didn't listen to Xu Lai's explanation. Afterwards, Team Leader Qin expressed belief in Xu Lai, but explained that it wasn't the time for explanations. The most important thing was to minimize the negative impact on the TV station and reduce the losses. Yun Kai had a long-standing cooperation with Mo Da, but now that Mo Da was surrounded by negative news, CEO Huo Yanzong defied public opinion and decided to terminate their cooperation and file a lawsuit against the company. Huo Yanzong learned from Han Fang that Xu Lai had liked Mo Da's post.

In order to help Xu Lai, Huo Yanzong specially went to Huai Harbor TV Station to meet Chief Lv and promised to participate in the station's prime-time advertising, hoping that Chief Lv wouldn't pursue Xu Lai's responsibility this time. Jiang Xin eavesdropped from outside and then followed Huo Yanzong into the elevator, talking about fairness. Huo Yanzong said only a few words, but Jiang Xin couldn't hold back her anger. Before leaving the TV station, Huo Yanzong met Xu Lai. At eleven o'clock in the evening, Xu Lai remembered that she wanted to message Jin Shichuan, but considering the time, he was probably already resting, so she ultimately didn't send it. Meanwhile, Jin Shichuan was still on a mission, rescuing a girl who threatened to jump off a building after a breakup. Jin Shichuan and several team members safely saved the girl.

The team members then discussed Xu Lai being rejected by Jin Shichuan and wondered if she would take it badly. Unintentionally, Jin Shichuan also had such concerns and thought about messaging Xu Lai, but ultimately decided against it. Jiang Xin spread rumors in the station that Huo Yanzong was backing Xu Lai behind the scenes. Colleagues discussed this in the restroom, and Xu Lai overheard it. Xu Lai went to find Huo Yanzong and asked him not to help her in this way. She already had a solution. Xu Lai disguised herself as a factory worker, recorded the unauthorized operations of Mo Da's subsidiary company, and made a phone call to report the factory for violating the storage of prohibited items. Jin Shichuan received a notice and rushed to the company, where he unexpectedly found Xu Lai anxiously running on the rooftop.

A female worker noticed that Xu Lai was behaving strangely, so the factory security and two men chased after her. Jin Shichuan quickly went upstairs and rescued Xu Lai, carrying her down when she sprained her foot. Xu Lai expressed her gratitude to him and learned that he had read the messages she had sent him.

Back home, Xu Lai was so excited that she felt like flying. She sent a message to Jin Shichuan to let him know she had safely arrived. This time, she received a reply from Jin Shichuan. Xu Lai showed the collected information and materials to Team Leader Qin. She believed that Mo Da indeed engaged in falsifying ratios, violating production regulations, and deceiving consumers. Xu Lai wanted to take this opportunity to thoroughly investigate Mo Da's internal production. With Team Leader Qin's confidence in her, they decided to take a gamble. As expected, once the report was released, netizens praised Huai Harbor TV Station, and numerous companies expressed their willingness to cooperate with the station, hoping that it could help improve their brand image. Xu Lai's merits and faults canceled each other out this time, and she didn't receive any punishment for liking the post.

Afterwards, Xu Lai had a private conversation with Jiang Xin. She had checked the surveillance footage and, although she had deleted it, Jiang Xin overlooked the surveillance video in the corridor. Based on the timing of the likes, the only person in the office area at that time was Jiang Xin. Xu Lai warned Jiang Xin that just because she didn't hold her accountable this time didn't mean she would tolerate it again in the future. Team Leader Qin called Xu Lai into the office and reminded her that being too aggressive in the workplace was not a good thing. Today was the open day at the fire station, and Xu Lai and Team Leader Qin applied for the opportunity to go on an external assignment at the fire station. The girl who was rescued by Jin Shichuan last time had developed feelings for him and specially came to the fire station on the open day to see Jin Shichuan. Lu Fangqi hurriedly called Xu Lai to inform her.

Xu Lai rushed over and intercepted this romantic opportunity for Jin Shichuan, claiming to be his reserve family member. She took the girl aside and talked to her about some principles. The girl left in a huff, and Jin Shichuan walked over, commenting that Xu Lai never stopped lying. Ignoring his sarcasm, Xu Lai put her hairpin on his hand. Jin Shichuan recalled his former comrade, Fang Huai, and the dog, Chasing Wind, that had been his companion for a long time. Fang Huai had died, and Chasing Wind had sacrificed itself during a rescue operation, becoming a pain that Jin Shichuan could never erase in his life. Jin Shichuan received a call from Old Pan while exercising and rushed to the base. He unexpectedly saw Xu Lai at the base, who was training a dog that looked very similar to Chasing Wind.

Old Pan said Xu Lai was an international dog trainer who often came to the base to train her dogs. She had even won awards in dog training competitions. Jin Shichuan seemed to see the scene of him training Chasing Wind again. The dog she was training, Ping'an, looked a lot like Chasing Wind. Jin Shichuan saw a photo of Chasing Wind in his wallet and finally remembered that Xu Lai was the girl he had saved in the earthquake ten years ago. He explained that his promise of the ten-year reunion was to ensure her health and happiness, and it wasn't a definitive commitment. Xu Lai held onto his clothes, knowing full well that her feelings for Jin Shichuan were not based on dependence but genuine love. Jin Shichuan appeared cold on the surface, but his heart was stirred because of Xu Lai. Xu Lai was drinking with Han Fang when she received a mission and hurriedly left. Huo Yanzong chose not to drink in order to see Xu Lai off.

There was a fire in Huizeyuan Community, and a private car was blocking the fire lane. Jin Shichuan tried contacting the owner but failed. With lives at stake, Jin Shichuan ordered the car to be forcefully moved. Xu Lai entered the community with Zhou Tingwei and provided real-time coverage of the scene. They rescued the trapped individuals, and an elderly lady rushed over, crying that her son was still upstairs. Jin Shichuan made a decisive decision and led his team back inside to rescue the person. Xu Lai spoke with the elderly lady and learned that her son rarely went out and had gained a lot of weight, weighing over 200 pounds now. Jin Shichuan instructed the other team members to bring the person out first while he stayed behind to continue searching. Xu Lai saw an explosion upstairs, and her heart tightened with worry for Jin Shichuan's safety.

After the explosion, Jin Shichuan was pinned down by a falling cabinet. He struggled desperately, smashing an aquarium to free himself from under the cabinet. However, due to the decreasing oxygen, he gradually lost consciousness. Xu Lai, wearing a firefighter suit, bravely entered the fire scene to rescue Jin Shichuan. When Jin Shichuan saw her appearing, he instantly regained consciousness. The team members outside arranged a ladder to assist them. Just as they were climbing the ladder, a violent explosion occurred in the fire scene. Jin Shichuan held Xu Lai tightly, protecting her. In that moment, Xu Lai felt fearless and only sensed the warmth of this genuine embrace. Everyone was rescued, and Jin Shichuan and Xu Lai were unharmed. As the team regrouped to prepare to return, the owner of the private car came over, instigating trouble and pushing Jin Shichuan, who had just come back from the brink of death.

They had escaped the explosion and fire but couldn't escape the baseless accusations from this arrogant and unreasonable car owner. Xu Lai couldn't stand it and kicked the troublemaker in retaliation. The man quickly fought back, but Jin Shichuan held Xu Lai in his arms, shielding her. However, he ended up being struck in the back. Later, the man realized he was in the wrong, and fearing police involvement, he reluctantly left. After this incident, everyone could see that Xu Lai was serious about Jin Shichuan, considering she risked her life to save him in the fire. With unanimous agreement, everyone began calling Xu Lai "sister-in-law." Jin Shichuan reproached Xu Lai for her reckless behavior in entering the fire scene, even though she had received rescue training. In his presence, Xu Lai obediently admitted her mistake.

Everyone created an opportunity for them and intentionally left Jin Shichuan behind. Xu Lai followed Jin Shichuan like a shadow, while Huo Yanzong waited for her in place. Xu Lai took the opportunity to ask Huo Yanzong to accompany Jin Shichuan to the hospital for treatment. Upon learning that this man was the one Xu Lai liked, Huo Yanzong couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis. He wanted to confess his feelings to Xu Lai, but she interrupted him and quickly pursued Jin Shichuan. Lu Fangqi was also receiving an injection at the hospital and unexpectedly encountered Zang Qiu, the female doctor from last time. Jin Shichuan also saw the female doctor and recognized her. When they talked, Xu Lai secretly watched from a corner, unable to figure out the true relationship between Jin Shichuan and the female doctor.

After the nurse finished treating Jin Shichuan's wounds, Xu Lai eagerly offered to help him get dressed. Jin Shichuan felt helpless and ordered Lu Fangqi to pull Xu Lai away. Instead, Xu Lai drew closer to Lu Fangqi and asked him to find out about the relationship between the female doctor and Jin Shichuan. Huo Yanzong drank a lot of alcohol and thought that if he hadn't missed that bus in 2012, he would have been the one to save Xu Lai, and Xu Lai would have been the person he held dear. But fate played a trick, and Xu Lai fell in love with Jin Shichuan. Just as Xu Lai's feelings for Jin Shichuan were persistent, Huo Yanzong was also deeply attached to Xu Lai. He was willing to lose everything except Xu Lai, and he wouldn't allow anyone to take her away from him.

The kitchen of the fire station failed to prepare meals on time. Seeing this, Jin Shichuan personally cooked for everyone. It was a rare occasion for everyone to enjoy a meal cooked by Jin Shichuan, and they were all excited. Lu Fangqi was hospitalized and inquired about Zang Qiu's situation through the nurse. He learned that her ex-boyfriend was a firefighter and had won first place in the national firefighting competition. Zang Qiu quickly found out that Lu Fangqi was inquiring about her at the hospital and angrily forced him to leave. To save his life, Lu Fangqi ran out wearing patient clothes and informed Xu Lai about everything he had learned. Xu Lai suspected that Zang Qiu was Jin Shichuan's ex-girlfriend, but she quickly realized that it didn't matter. After all, they had already broken up, and Xu Lai still had a chance.

Lu Fangqi returned to the fire station and went to probe Jin Shichuan's intentions. Jin Shichuan didn't tell him directly but started reminiscing about the past. Zang Qiu wasn't his ex-girlfriend; she was the wife of Fang Huai. During a rescue operation, Fang Huai sacrificed himself to save Jin Shichuan. That's why Jin Shichuan felt guilty towards Zang Qiu, and Zang Qiu couldn't let go of Fang Huai's death or forgive Jin Shichuan.

In the fire scene, Fang Huai pushed Jin Shichuan aside, but she herself was tightly pinned down by the fallen eaves. By the time she was taken to the hospital, she was already at the brink of death. Gasping for his last breath, Fang Huai told Jin Shichuan that the person he was most concerned about was Zang Qiu. He hoped Jin Shichuan would convey to Zang Qiu that she must be happy. Huo Yanzong obtained some information and had someone contact the fire station. Cloud Open Group could provide a training ground for the fire station in the new shopping mall. Jin Shichuan then brought his team members to the new shopping mall to identify and address the fire safety issues, providing valuable suggestions for the fire safety of the new mall. Huo Yanzong had the opportunity to see Jin Shichuan again. He originally wanted to invite him for a meal to discuss matters, but Jin Shichuan had to return to the station, so he declined.

Huo Yanzong took a step back and had a private conversation with Jin Shichuan, intending to remind him to maintain a distance from Xu Lai. Jin Shichuan politely expressed that Xu Lai was an adult and had her own judgment and choices. These words should be said to Xu Lai by Huo Yanzong himself, as he and Xu Lai were friends. In the evening, Jin Shichuan invited Xu Lai for dinner to have a frank conversation with her. His mission was to save people and fight fires, and he had no time or energy for romantic relationships. He would not start a family either because he couldn't make any promises or commitments to anyone. Xu Lai respected his ideals and mission, but she would not give up. She asked him one last question, whether he truly had no feelings for her at all. Jin Shichuan fell silent for a few seconds and resolutely said no. Xu Lai's eyes turned red.

She drank glass after glass of alcohol, demanding that Jin Shichuan compensate her for the ten years of her youth. Before Jin Shichuan could react, Xu Lai leaned over the table, grabbed his collar, and kissed him on the lips. It was a brief moment, and then Xu Lai let go of him, got up, and left without looking back. Jin Shichuan didn't sleep well that night. The next morning, his face looked pale during his morning run, and he seemed absent-minded while cleaning the station. Lu Fangqi believed it must be because of Xu Lai. Xu Lai told Han Fang that she gave her first kiss to her first love, which was Jin Shichuan. At that time, they were mainly influenced by alcohol and some stimulation, so she couldn't control herself. She planned to change her strategy and no longer passively sacrifice her self-esteem to pursue him.

The political commissar informed Jin Shichuan that the higher authorities decided to form a professional earthquake rescue team. Before that, a series of training work needed to be conducted, and Jin Shichuan was appointed as the team leader. Jin Shichuan thanked the higher authorities for their trust, but he refused to accept the dog training part of the job. However, the political commissar's order was not a request for his consent. Jin Shichuan had to step back and stated that he would only lead the team members in training and not personally handle the dogs. The search and rescue dog, Zhaifeng, was injured and exhausted after saving Jin Shichuan. It died from its injuries. This caused a great psychological trauma to Jin Shichuan, leading him to transfer from the search and rescue dog team to the fire brigade, completely avoiding any work related to search and rescue dogs.

Xu Lai received an offer and became a professional search and rescue dog instructor for the earthquake rescue team. The team leader, Qin, readily approved her request for a month-long leave. Jiang Xin saw Huo Yanzong waiting for Xu Lai and deliberately told him that Xu Lai became a dog trainer for Jin Shichuan, reminding him not to end up empty-handed. Huo Yanzong was in a bad mood and told Xu Lai during dinner that he had just experienced heartbreak. Xu Lai was unaware of his feelings for her and reminded him to be brave and fight for love if he liked someone. Xu Lai appeared in front of Jin Shichuan and others in her new role as an instructor, and she reminded Jin Shichuan to address her as Instructor Xu.

Lu Fangqi and Liu Xu could both tell that Xu Lai had become much colder towards Jin Shichuan. Jin Shichuan couldn't stand Lu Fangqi's constant nagging in his ear, so when he got angry, Lu Fangqi quickly slipped away. After Xu Lai finished washing up and said goodbye to Lu Fangqi, she had only taken a few steps when she heard Jin Shichuan approaching. She turned back intentionally and stood next to him, pretending to clean her towel. Jin Shichuan wanted to bring up the incident of their kiss, but Xu Lai didn't care and acted as if it never happened. These words kept Jin Shichuan awake all night, and he secretly went to the dormitory of his teammates to seek advice from Lu Fangqi. Based on his experience, Lu Fangqi gave two possible answers and suggested that Jin Shichuan watch more idol dramas.

The next day, each team member selected their own dog. Xu Lai demonstrated a set of simple actions with Ping'an and then let everyone train their dogs. Lu Fangqi, who was afraid of dogs, specifically chose the most gentle-natured dog and named it Xiaohei (Little Black). On the first day, there were many challenges in getting the people and dogs to adjust to each other, and Xu Lai was in charge of taking photos to document the process. From morning to night, everyone felt more exhausted from chasing after the dogs than from the actual training. After the training session, Jin Shichuan, after struggling internally, called out to Xu Lai and said he wanted to discuss the next step of their work. They agreed to meet in the conference room at 9 p.m. Xu Lai proposed combining the training for firefighters with the training for search and rescue dogs to improve efficiency.

However, Jin Shichuan disagreed because he didn't want to handle the dogs personally. Just then, the sky suddenly flashed with lightning and thunder, and it started to rain. The power went out at the base, and Xu Lai got scared and threw herself into Jin Shichuan's arms. Ever since the earthquake, she had been afraid of rainy nights. Jin Shichuan gently comforted her until the power came back on. After the rain stopped, Jin Shichuan went to inspect the training equipment for the next day, while Xu Lai went to the dog kennel. When the inspection was over, it started to rain again, and Xu Lai huddled under the eaves. Jin Shichuan knew she would be scared, so he came over and specially offered to escort her. Together, they ran across the lawn and playground, with Xu Lai understanding that since ten years ago, she had already set her sights on Jin Shichuan, and every step she took was to enter his heart.

During dog training, Lu Fangqi got bitten and Jin Shichuan immediately had someone take him to the hospital. Lu Fangqi was scared of getting shots and discussed with the nurse if it could be done more gently. Zang Qiu, who was in the next bed, recognized the voice and pulled back the curtain to find Lu Fangqi. Zang Qiu stepped forward to help when she saw a woman being dragged by her abusive husband, and the husband even tried to attack Zang Qiu. However, Lu Fangqi swiftly restrained him. Zang Qiu had a change of opinion about Lu Fangqi, and Lu Fangqi also started to look at her with admiration for standing up against the abuser. In the middle of the night, Jin Shichuan gathered the team members, and Zhang Yang arrived late and refused to accept it. Jin Shichuan made him do one hundred push-ups. Jin Shichuan caught a glimpse of Xu Lai, who was wearing very little clothing, and immediately went up to cover her with his own coat.

Lu Fangqi's fear of getting shots reminded Zang Qiu of some memories related to Fang Huai. She reminded Lu Fangqi to come back in three days to get the stitches removed. Zhang Yang proposed a rope climbing competition with Jin Shichuan, and Jin Shichuan agreed. The inevitable result was that Zhang Yang lost, and Xu Lai couldn't help but cheer for Jin Shichuan. However, she didn't understand why Jin Shichuan had agreed to the challenge. Jin Shichuan said that Zhang Yang had a too arrogant personality and needed to have his edge dulled. Zhang Yang and Liu Xu, who were both dissatisfied with each other, even left the dog kennel unlocked and went to compete in skills, without even bringing a safety rope. Lu Fangqi informed Jin Shichuan about this, and Jin Shichuan went to stop them and made everyone except Zhang Yang do push-ups. Then, Jin Shichuan said something that made Zhang Yang feel ashamed and remorseful.

Zhang Yang and Liu Xu returned to the dog kennel and found that Guanjun and Wu Di were missing. They searched the entire base but couldn't find them, so they had to look for Xu Lai. It was about to rain, and the rain would dilute the scent, making it even harder for the dogs to find their way back.

Xu Lai immediately decided to take Ping'an to the back mountain to search for the dogs, and Liu Xu went with her, while Zhang Yang was responsible for informing Jin Shichuan. Xu Lai and Liu Xu split up to search for the dogs. Inadvertently, Xu Lai slipped and fell down a small slope. There were ear-piercing thunder and lightning flashing across the night sky. Xu Lai crouched down, trembling and unable to move. Jin Shichuan saw Ping'an and was led to Xu Lai by him. Xu Lai saw Jin Shichuan, who seemed like a god descending by her side, and immediately hugged him. Jin Shichuan took her to a small cabin in the mountains and planned to go find the dogs after the rain stopped. Although the dogs were important, Jin Shichuan didn't want Xu Lai to risk coming out in the rain without considering her safety. As an instructor, Xu Lai treated every dog as a companion and wouldn't leave any of them behind.

Jin Shichuan knew that Xu Lai was afraid of dark spaces, so he gave her a Ultraman-themed small flashlight. Xu Lai knew he was reminded of chasing the wind, and she hoped that she could also illuminate Jin Shichuan's heart like this little flashlight. Liu Xu found Guanjun and Wu Di, and Zhang Yang called Jin Shichuan to inform him. Jin Shichuan said he was currently with Xu Lai. Jin Shichuan stood outside the door for a while, and when he entered, Xu Lai had already fallen asleep. Jin Shichuan sat next to her, and Xu Lai rested her head on Jin Shichuan's shoulder. Ping'an also rested his head on Jin Shichuan's leg. Both the dog and the person leaned on him, and Jin Shichuan suddenly felt very content. The next morning, it was bright outside, but Jin Shichuan couldn't wake Xu Lai up. When he touched her forehead, he realized she had a fever, so he immediately took her to the hospital.

Xu Lai held onto Jin Shichuan tightly, even when she was being examined, Jin Shichuan held her in his arms. During Xu Lai's unconsciousness, she kept holding Jin Shichuan's hand, and Jin Shichuan stayed by her side, with the intravenous drip for several hours. Zang Qiu said the fever had subsided but she still needed to stay in the hospital for observation. This would affect the training, and Xu Lai didn't want to stay in the hospital. However, Jin Shichuan insisted on going to handle her admission procedures. Lu Fangqi cared about Zang Qiu, but Zang Qiu didn't need his concern. Jin Shichuan received a call and returned to the base. Huo Yanzong learned from Han Fang that she was hospitalized and specially bought Li's pan-fried dumplings to visit her. Xu Lai asked him to cover for her and sneaked out of the hospital. Lu Fangqi happened to witness this scene and hurried back to inform Jin Shichuan.

Although Jin Shichuan pretended not to care on the surface, he was actually very concerned. He arrived at the base gate and happened to see Huo Yanzong and Xu Lai standing very close together. He immediately ran over and pulled Xu Lai away, while Huo Yanzong also held Xu Lai's other hand unwilling to back down. Xu Lai expressed helplessness and let go of her own hand. She continued to say a few words to Huo Yanzong at the door and then entered the training base. Jin Shichuan's coat had the hairpin she had given him before, which he not only didn't lose but also carried with him. Xu Lai's mouth lifted in happiness, and Jin Shichuan said he forgot to throw it away, but Xu Lai could tell he was saying one thing and meaning another. That night, Jin Shichuan remembered how close Xu Lai and Huo Yanzong were earlier, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, so he threw the hairpin into the trash can.

During dinner the next day, Jin Shichuan learned that Lu Fangqi had cleaned his room and also took out the trash for him. Jin Shichuan suddenly became anxious and went to rummage through the trash can to find the hairpin. Lu Fangqi searched through the trash can with him for a long time and finally found the hairpin. Liu Xu and Zhang Yang apologized to Xu Lai. If they hadn't lost the dogs, Xu Lai wouldn't have been caught in the rain while searching in the mountains, and she wouldn't have gotten a fever and stayed in the hospital. Xu Lai generously said it was alright. Considering that Xu Lai hadn't fully recovered, Jin Shichuan canceled today's dog training session. Xu Lai smelled the unpleasant odor on Jin Shichuan and Lu Fangqi and Jin Shichuan didn't allow Lu Fangqi to mention that they were rummaging through the trash can, so he took him to take a shower. While bathing, Jin Shichuan even wore the hairpin.

When everyone saw Xu Lai just leaving Jin Shichuan's dorm, they teasingly entered and joked with Jin Shichuan. Jin Shichuan, who was straightforward, said that he and Xu Lai were just simple colleagues. Xu Lai, who happened to be returning after picking up medicine, overheard what he said and became a bit angry. After putting down the medicine, she left. Jin Shichuan knew he was at fault, so he prepared food in advance for her in the cafeteria. But Xu Lai was still angry and didn't accept his gesture. Worried that Xu Lai would go hungry at night, Jin Shichuan specially prepared food and went to her dormitory to find her.

Huo Yanzong called Xu Lai and learned that she hadn't eaten yet, so he asked her to come out, bringing her a lot of food she loved. At the same time, Jin Shichuan was also cooking for Xu Lai. When he saw Xu Lai enjoying her meal, Huo Yanzong recalled the fond memories of their childhood together. They sat together in the car, gazing at the starry night sky. Huo Yanzong felt that the moment was beautiful, but unfortunately, Xu Lai only saw him as a friend. Jin Shichuan took the noodles and went to find Xu Lai, but when he arrived at the dorm, only Ping'an was there, and Xu Lai was nowhere to be found. After calling her for a while, Ping'an took the initiative to lead Jin Shichuan to find Xu Lai, and that's when Jin Shichuan saw Xu Lai and Huo Yanzong together. This misunderstanding made Xu Lai even angrier, especially since Ping'an always followed Jin Shichuan around.

That night, Xu Lai and Jin Shichuan had an unpleasant argument. Xu Lai returned to her dorm and saw Jin Shichuan's dropped keys on the floor, along with a bowl of noodles on her desk. Jin Shichuan noticed the missing keys and searched everywhere, while Xu Lai ate the noodles right in front of him. The next day's training was about helping the dogs overcome their fear of open flames. Xu Lai demonstrated it perfectly with Ping'an. However, Zhang Yang's champion dog got injured while jumping through a hoop of fire. Jin Shichuan held Zhang Yang accountable, and Zhang Yang admitted that he neglected the champion's physical condition and trained him privately, leading to the injury. Jin Shichuan ordered Zhang Yang to be temporarily transferred to logistics for further handling. Xu Lai pleaded for Zhang Yang and mentioned "Chasing the Wind," which changed Jin Shichuan's expression. From then on, he refused to train with any other dog, considering it as his punishment.

Jin Shichuan received a call from Wen Qingguo and learned that the higher-ups approved Ping'an's application to join the rescue dog team. However, Ping'an had to pass the graduation assessment like the other dogs before being officially included in the duty roster. Jin Shichuan relayed the message to Xu Lai, but she didn't want to talk to him and used Lu Fangqi as a messenger. Jin Shichuan assigned Liu Xu to help Zhang Yang with moving things. Zhang Yang accidentally learned about Xu Lai's frustration with Jin Shichuan because of his transfer and took the initiative to explain things to her. Xu Lai realized her mistake and wrote a letter, asking Ping'an to deliver it to Jin Shichuan. At eight o'clock in the evening, Jin Shichuan arrived at the playground on time to meet Xu Lai. They had a heartfelt conversation, and Xu Lai confessed her feelings to Jin Shichuan once again, kissing him on the cheek.

Jin Shichuan slowly developed feelings for Xu Lai. The next day, when he saw Xu Lai during basketball practice, he didn't even play and rushed over to talk to her. Xu Lai planned to take the team and the dogs to the seaside the next day to change the training environment, and Jin Shichuan readily agreed. The training at the beach was very effective, and everyone, both humans and dogs, were happy. Lu Fangqi secretly told Liu Xu that Jin Shichuan had been smiling more ever since Xu Lai arrived. As everyone got into the car, Jin Shichuan remained at the beach, contemplating who should be Ping'an's instructor. Xu Lai had already decided that she wanted Jin Shichuan to be Ping'an's instructor. However, Jin Shichuan stated that he couldn't handle any dog other than Chasing the Wind. Suddenly, someone fell into the water, and Jin Shichuan jumped in to save them but ended up being grabbed and unable to move. Ping'an witnessed this and also jumped in.

Later, they were rescued, and everything was fine, but Ping'an collapsed on the beach. Jin Shichuan and Xu Lai rushed Ping'an to the hospital for treatment. Xu Lai said that Ping'an was just like Chasing the Wind, coming to heal him, and she didn't want Ping'an to wait too long. Lu Fangqi brought the drowning person to the hospital for treatment and took the opportunity to visit Zang Qiu. Zang Qiu had been in surgery all day without eating and was hungry and in pain. Lu Fangqi wanted to take her to eat directly.

Zang Qiu decisively rejected Lu Fangqi's kindness and pushed him out of the office. She saw the note he left on the table, with a potted cactus as a gift. Zang Qiu felt the goodwill from Lu Fangqi, and since he hadn't left yet, she invited him to eat together. Every time Lu Fangqi saw Zang Qiu, she always had a cold attitude, but after this interaction, he realized she had a fiery side. Their relationship progressed further because of this encounter. Jin Shichuan and Xu Lai stayed by Ping'an's side all the time. Xu Lai fell asleep waiting, and Jin Shichuan rested her head on his shoulder. When Ping'an woke up, she continuously licked Jin Shichuan's hand. The next day, Jin Shichuan and Xu Lai brought Ping'an back to the base.

Ping'an's recovery was going well, but she still struggled a bit with the upcoming assessment, and Xu Lai was very worried. Jin Shichuan announced to everyone that from that day onwards, he would be Ping'an's instructor, and he believed Ping'an would pass the assessment. Zhang Yang told Liu Xu not to visit him anymore and to focus on training, as there was only one week left until the assessment. Zhang Yang didn't think Jin Shichuan would transfer him back to the team so soon, but Jin Shichuan suddenly appeared and notified him to return to the team, asking Liu Xu to help him catch up on the training progress. Under Jin Shichuan and Xu Lai's careful care and training, Ping'an made rapid progress, and all the team members passed the assessment, officially joining the earthquake rescue team. As the training ended, Xu Lai also prepared to leave the base.

That night, everyone teased Xu Lai and Jin Shichuan to sing love songs together. Jin Shichuan felt embarrassed to sing, but Xu Lai took the initiative to sing a song and kept her eyes on Jin Shichuan. After the song, everyone shared their initial intentions of becoming firefighters. On the night before leaving the base, Xu Lai was reluctant to part with Jin Shichuan, so she arranged to meet him at the playground. When they first joined the training team, she secretly brought a bottle of wine, but according to the rules, Jin Shichuan didn't drink a drop, and Xu Lai finished the entire bottle. Drunk Xu Lai was very cute, and Jin Shichuan carried her back to the dorm. The next day, Xu Lai woke up and regretted what happened last night. Today was the day Xu Lai would leave the training team, and Huo Yanzong sent her a message to pick her up. Xu Lai replied with a yes. Huo Yanzong had no interest in the dinner arranged by Han Fang and even less interest in the actress Yu Shishi. He drove straight to the training base to pick up Xu Lai.

On the day of her departure, Xu Lai entrusted Ping'an to Jin Shichuan's care and, taking advantage of his distraction, kissed him to complete what they didn't finish last night. It was always her "ambushing" him, but this time Jin Shichuan "counterattacked" slightly by placing his hand on Xu Lai's neck, pulling her closer, and kissing her on the lips. Huo Yanzong happened to arrive in his car and witnessed this scene, making him very upset. However, when Xu Lai asked for an explanation, he didn't clarify the reason. Xu Lai returned to the TV station and reported her work to Team Leader Qin. Team Leader Qin had high expectations for her and planned to assign her to host the program "Huai Gang Interview," with Huo Yanzong, Jin Shichuan, and popular female star Yu Shishi as guests.

During the dinner gathering, Yu Shishi fell in love at first sight with the handsome Huo Yanzong, while others were toasting and chatting, but Yu Shishi remained unmoved by Huo Yanzong's charm. At that moment, Huo Yanzong's heart was focused on Xu Lai, and he had no interest in the beautiful and charming Yu Shishi. However, when she mentioned escaping, Huo Yanzong immediately thought of Xu Lai.