Hidden Love Episode 4 Recap
> Hidden Love Recap
Yin Zhenru approached Sang Zhi after school, asking her to accompany her to buy something. Meanwhile, Duan Jiaxu waited at Sang Zhi's school gate, but the security guard informed him that all students had left. Duan Jiaxu asked the guard to tell Sang Zhi to wait for him if she appeared. He then asked a vendor if they had seen a high school girl with an injured leg, and the vendor directed him toward an alley.
Zhenru led Sang Zhi away from the stationery shop, suggesting they go to a cyber cafe instead, despite Sang Zhi’s protests that their teacher had warned them it was dangerous. When Sang Zhi refused, Zhenru guilt-tripped her by saying she would go alone. Concerned, Sang Zhi followed her into the alley, where three older girls were waiting. They immediately confronted Sang Zhi, searching her bag and demanding money.
When Sang Zhi said she had no money, they called her a "cripple" and threatened her, instructing her to bring money the next day. A tearful Zhenru then apologized to Sang Zhi, explaining she had been extorted and was forced to bring Sang Zhi along. Realizing she had been used, a disappointed Sang Zhi confronted Zhenru about her recent indifference, reminding her how she had been ignored after Fu Zhengchu's birthday and during the sports day.
Sang Zhi told Zhenru to go home, tell her parents everything, and ask them to inform the school, assuring her the bullies were just trying to intimidate them. Despite Zhenru's repeated apologies, Sang Zhi limped away alone. In the alley, Duan Jiaxu finally found Sang Zhi. He asked why she hadn't answered his calls, and noticing her injured hand, he gently asked if she had been bullied. Sang Zhi initially tried to downplay it, not wanting to trouble him.
However, seeing his concern, she promised to tell her parents and confessed that the girls had tapped her cheek and taken her wallet, though she claimed her hand injury was accidental. She explained that a classmate, scared after being extorted, had brought her along. Duan Jiaxu advised Sang Zhi to distance herself from that classmate and emphasized that she should always tell her parents when something happens, as they would always protect her.
Duan Jiaxu took Sang Zhi home on his bicycle. On the way, Sang Zhi asked about Sang Yan, and Duan Jiaxu mentioned he was busy with graduation approaching. Sang Zhi wondered if he would return to Yihe for work, but he said he hadn't decided and liked Nanwu too. Duan Jiaxu encouraged her to find ways to de-stress, urging her not to bottle up her feelings and to talk to him or Sang Yan if she was overwhelmed.
He then gave her some money to replace what was stolen, insisting she tell her parents everything. As Sang Zhi walked into her house, she felt happy despite the ordeal. Later, she wrote a secret in her diary on October 27th: "As much as I hate to admit it, I think I might be in love with him, with Duan Jiaxu. He's so handsome." She then folded the paper into a star and placed it in a wish bottle.
The next day, Sang Yan, Duan Jiaxu, and two of their roommates arrived at Sang Zhi's school. Sang Yan told Sang Zhi to lead them to the bullies, declaring that no one gets away with messing with his family. Upon seeing the bullies, Sang Yan was surprised to learn they were girls and hesitated, saying he couldn't fight girls. One of his friends, Qian Fei, pointed out that four boys confronting three girls was inappropriate.
So, Sang Yan and another friend went to confront them, while Duan Jiaxu and Qian Fei stayed behind with Sang Zhi. Sang Yan confronted the girls for extorting money from his sister. He took back the 50 yuan, lectured them about studying instead of wasting their lives, and sternly warned them that only the weak bully others.
Afterward, Sang Zhi asked Duan Jiaxu how they handled it, and he jokingly claimed he told the girls he had a monthly quota for killing people and would be back for them next month. He then teased Sang Zhi for looking like a pufferfish when she ate. Sang Zhi offered him the money he had given her, but he refused. Qian Fei then playfully remarked that Sang Zhi seemed more like Duan Jiaxu's sister than Sang Yan's.
Privately, Sang Zhi wished that Duan Jiaxu were her real brother, reflecting that he was the warmest person she knew, always offering care and strength. She wanted to grow up faster to become a better person, someone who could bring warmth to others, just like him. At school, the teacher announced that Yin Zhenru had transferred for personal reasons. Sang Zhi found an apology note from Zhenru on her desk but had a muted reaction.
The teacher also addressed the class about the recent extortions, assuring them the school and police had handled the situation and reminding students to always inform adults about such incidents. Sang Zhi’s parents reviewed her final exam transcript and were concerned about her barely passing Physics grade. Sang Zhi admitted she disliked Physics, but her parents insisted on hiring a tutor for the winter break.
To her dismay, the tutor was Sang Yan, who boasted about his high score in the subject. Their first lesson quickly devolved into arguments, with both demanding a replacement. Their parents agreed to find a new tutor to stop their bickering. That evening, Sang Zhi’s mother told her a new tutor would arrive at 10 AM the next day.
Dismayed, Sang Zhi decided she would sneak out early in the morning to make the new tutor think she was a difficult student and quit. Meanwhile, at Duan Jiaxu's workplace, his colleague Xun, also from Yihe, informed him about a project at the company's Yihe headquarters and invited Duan Jiaxu to join him after the Chinese New Year. Duan Jiaxu promised to consider it. Just then, Qian Fei approached and asked him to do him a favor and pick up his sister.
