Episode Summary
Young Zhang Chi is nearly killed in a cooking accident, leading to a major fight between his parents. Zhang Chi learns of his mother's suicide and suspects his father's infidelity played a role. Flashbacks reveal Zhang Beihai's early career, his innovative solution to ambulance communication problems, and his first encounter with Qin Shuhua, whom he helped after an accident. The episode ends with Zhang Beihai rescuing Qin Shuhua from a ditch.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 19 of "The Top Speed" throws us deep into the chaotic lives of the Zhang family. Qin Shuhua, a dedicated doctor, is constantly pulled away from home by emergencies, leaving her young son, Zhang Chi, to fend for himself. Zhang Chi, a resourceful kid, has grown up learning to cook, but all he really wants is his mom's egg fried rice. One evening, Qin Shuhua is finally home early and about to make his wish come true when duty calls – a critical case at the hospital.
Zhang Chi, left alone again, decides to cook for himself. He gets distracted by homework, though, and completely forgets about the stove. The pot boils over, extinguishing the flame, and the house fills with gas. Luckily, Zhang Beihai, Zhang Chi's father, arrives home in the nick of time and rushes his son to the hospital, saving him from carbon monoxide poisoning. This incident sparks a huge fight between Zhang Beihai and Qin Shuhua, witnessed by a distressed Zhang Chi.
The aftermath is tough. Zhang Beihai leaves, and Qin Shuhua, already struggling with housework, takes her frustration out on Zhang Chi. Meanwhile, Qi Ji learns a devastating secret from his father: Qin Shuhua's death was a suicide. He's unsure how to face Zhang Chi and asks Xu Chengyuan to talk to him. Xu Chengyuan, along with Zheng Bo, tries to cheer Zhang Chi up with a meal, but Zhang Chi is in no mood for it. During the dinner, Zhang Chi overhears Xu Chengyuan and Zheng Bo talking about how much Zhang Beihai cares for him, which only adds to his confusion.
Qi Ji eventually finds Zhang Chi to offer support, but he struggles to find the right words. Zhang Chi, overwhelmed by the revelation of his mother's suicide, can't bring himself to talk, and Qi Ji leaves, feeling helpless. Zhang Chi starts suspecting that his father, Zhang Beihai, was somehow responsible for his mother's death. He confronts Liu Zhigang, who admits to hearing rumors about Zhang Beihai having an affair. Zhang Chi remembers childhood taunts about his parents fighting over an affair, solidifying his belief that this drove his mother to suicide. Liu Zhigang, bound by a promise to Zhang Beihai to keep the truth hidden, quickly ushers Zhang Chi away and calls Zhang Beihai.
The episode then takes us back in time, revealing Zhang Beihai's past. He learned basic medicine while working in the countryside and later trained at a health school. He landed a job at the Jiangdong Emergency Station, where the director recognized his potential and gave him the responsibility of driving the station's only ambulance. This irked Sun Yimo, who felt he deserved the position. Zhang Beihai noticed a communication gap between the emergency station and the ambulance during rescues. He cleverly solved this by having the director install a car phone, revolutionizing their emergency response system.
A pivotal moment in Zhang Beihai's past is shown: Qin Shuhua, on her way to take the college entrance exam, falls off her bicycle and injures her arm. Zhang Beihai happens to be passing by and provides first aid. Without plaster, he improvises with two books to support her arm. He urges her to go to the hospital, but she's determined to take the exam. Zhang Beihai ends up giving her a ride to the exam hall on his bicycle, and they share a lighthearted journey.
However, Zhang Beihai's act of kindness gets him in trouble. He's reprimanded by the director for abandoning his post. Sun Yimo seizes the opportunity to demand Zhang Beihai's driving privileges be revoked, and the director agrees. Zhang Beihai is relegated to doing odd jobs around the station while Sun Yimo takes over the ambulance, constantly taunting Zhang Beihai.
Qin Shuhua, having successfully gotten into Jiangdong Medical College, visits Zhang Beihai to share the good news. Sun Yimo, who turns out to be Qin Shuhua's childhood neighbor, claims they are close and tries to impress her, much to Zhang Beihai's annoyance.
The episode concludes with Zhang Beihai, working late to repair the roof, receiving an emergency call. He rushes to the scene and learns that a female doctor has fallen into a ditch. He descends to rescue her, only to discover that it's Qin Shuhua.
