Episode Summary
Zheng Bo receives funding and encouragement from Sun Jiaqi, while Zhang Chi's birthday brings up painful memories of his mother's death and his estrangement from his father. A tense hostage situation at a gas station forces Zhang Chi and Qi Ji to work together under extreme pressure, saving a critically injured woman and confronting a dangerous, knife-wielding man.
Spoiler Alert
This episode sees career aspirations and personal relationships intertwine for the emergency medical team. Sun Jiaqi helps Zheng Bo connect with an expert, Song Yuncheng, who shows keen interest in Zheng Bo's pre-triage project. Seeing Zheng Bo's potential, and perhaps fueled by her own feelings, Jiaqi gives Zheng Bo her life savings to support his venture. Zheng Bo, deeply touched, wants to confess his feelings to Jiaqi but hesitates, swallowing his words.
Meanwhile, it's Zhang Chi's birthday, and Qi Ji goes all out, decorating their home and preparing a feast. She even gifts him a rare, hard-to-find puzzle set, knowing how much he'll appreciate it. Zhang Chi is clearly moved by the gesture. While they enjoy the meal and work on the puzzle together, Zhang Beihai, Zhang Chi's estranged father, sends a picture of a longevity noodle, a traditional birthday dish. Qi Ji encourages Zhang Chi to respond, but he stubbornly refuses.
The episode delves into the painful backstory of Zhang Chi's strained relationship with his father. Zhang Chi recalls a childhood birthday celebration with his father and his father's colleague, Sun Yimo. The absence of a reply from Zhang Chi leads Zhang Beihai to eat the noodles alone. Qi Ji, aware of some tension between father and son, encourages Zhang Chi to open up.
He recounts the tragic events that fractured their family. His mother, Xiao Qin, a cardiac surgeon, and his father, Zhang Beihai, an emergency responder, constantly clashed due to their demanding careers. One snowy night, while Xiao Qin was sick at home, a young Zhang Chi, left to care for her, dozed off. He awoke to find his mother gone and, venturing out into the snow, discovered her lying injured after a car accident.
Zhang Beihai and his team arrived at the scene, but, in a devastating turn of events, prioritized rescuing a young girl from the肇事 vehicle, leaving Xiao Qin unattended in the freezing conditions. This image is forever seared into Zhang Chi's memory, fueling his deep-seated resentment towards his father. He blames Zhang Beihai for his mother's death, even accusing him of being a murderer when he was accepted into university. A heated argument and a slap from his father led Zhang Chi to leave home and live with his grandfather, severing ties with his father.
Qi Ji is deeply affected by Zhang Chi's story, her empathy evident as she gently touches his head in a comforting gesture. Zhang Chi, misinterpreting the gesture, jokingly compares it to petting a dog, creating a moment of awkwardness for Qi Ji. Later, Zhang Chi visits his mother's grave, confessing his growing feelings for Qi Ji but his uncertainty about how to express them.
The episode takes a dramatic turn as the workday nears its end. Qi Ji and Zhang Chi's team haven't received any emergency calls, and they happily discuss dinner plans. However, their domestic bliss is shattered when a call comes in about a volatile situation at a nearby gas station. A man, referred to as "the irate man," is tracking his ex-wife, who is taking her mother to the hospital. The man sneaks into the ex-wife's car while she's refueling, threatens her with a knife, and demands they get back together. When she tries to trick him, he abducts her and stabs his mother-in-law in the car.
The police, led by Officer Liu Yang, arrive to find the scene doused in gasoline, with a kindergarten nearby, posing a significant threat. A negotiation expert is called in, along with requests for fire (119) and medical (120) assistance. Director Lu contacts Qi Ji, who, along with Zhang Chi, is close to the gas station. They rush to the scene.
The negotiator tries to reason with the irate man. When the man's mother-in-law collapses, the negotiator suggests medical intervention. The man reluctantly agrees. Ding, the initial doctor on scene, discovers the woman is bleeding profusely and needs immediate stitches, a procedure he's unable to perform. Zhang Chi and Qi Ji arrive, and Zhang Chi volunteers to suture the wound. Qi Ji insists on accompanying him, despite the danger.
Inside, the situation is tense. The irate man is agitated, holding the knife to his ex-wife's neck. Ding, terrified, claims he needs to get anesthetic and flees. Qi Ji, without hesitation, grabs the medical kit and assists Zhang Chi. The man lights a lighter, threatening to ignite the gasoline. As the elderly woman loses consciousness from blood loss, Zhang Chi and Qi Ji perform emergency resuscitation. Realizing he's cornered, the man attempts to drop the lighter and take everyone down with him, but his ex-wife pushes him away. The police storm in and subdue him.
Exhausted but determined, Qi Ji and Zhang Chi continue to work on the injured woman, finally managing to revive her. The episode concludes with a sense of relief and the quiet satisfaction of a life saved through courage and teamwork.
