Episode Summary
Gu Yunsu faces unemployment and homelessness, seeking refuge first with her pregnant mother, Wu Limei, and then with her fitness-obsessed father, Gu Kangqi. Both visits are fraught with tension and unresolved issues. A flashback to Yunsu's childhood reveals the strained relationship between her parents and the societal judgment they faced, culminating in a disastrous school awards ceremony.
Spoiler Alert
In Episode 3, things get complicated for Gu Yunsu. After a pregnancy scare (she's not pregnant), Yunsu finds herself jobless and without a place to live. She heads to her mother, Wu Limei's, newly renovated home, hoping for a place to stay. But it's not that simple. Limei is two months pregnant and focusing on her own health. Plus, the spare room in Limei's new place is already reserved for Li Jianxiong's son, Li Yan, who needs a quiet space to study for his college entrance exams.
Dinner at her mom's turns into a disaster. Yunsu shares her recent struggles, but instead of support, she gets a lecture from Limei. They argue about her lost job and, surprisingly, about money – something that hadn't been an issue between them before. Hurt by her mother's reaction, Yunsu leaves before finishing her meal.
As she leaves, Yunsu forgets a box filled with childhood memories. This box mirrors a similar one Limei held when she moved out years ago, highlighting how Yunsu is, in some ways, becoming like her mother. Limei opens the box and is flooded with memories of Yunsu's upbringing. She begins to reconsider her harsh words. Li Jianxiong, proving to be a reasonable man, encourages Limei to welcome Yunsu. Together, they start preparing a room for her.
Meanwhile, a heartbroken Yunsu seeks refuge with her best friend. After a night's stay and some advice, she decides to visit her father, Gu Kangqi. Kangqi, still single and obsessed with fitness, welcomes his daughter. He still lives in their old home, but Yunsu's room is now a storage space. He offers her the sofa bed for the night, promising to clear out the room the next day. The old house triggers a flood of childhood memories for Yunsu.
The episode flashes back to Yunsu's eighth birthday. She wins an award for an essay about her mother, portraying her as a gentle fairy. The reality, however, is quite different. Limei, with her red lipstick and love for dance halls, is a subject of gossip among neighbors and Yunsu's classmates, who call her promiscuous. When confronted, both mother and daughter defiantly splash water on their accusers. This younger Limei is bolder and more defiant, a change brought about by life's challenges.
Yunsu wants her mother to dress like the "fairy" in her essay for the awards ceremony. Limei agrees to play along, but things go awry. She rushes from her factory job, only to find Kangqi with several people at a dance hall. Demanding child support, Limei confronts him. Kangqi explains he'll pay her when he gets his payment, but Limei doesn't listen and starts searching his pockets. A fight erupts with Kangqi's secretary, leaving Limei's clothes torn. She buys a replacement outfit at a street stall, choosing a style more suited to a dance hall. Arriving late at the school, she finds Yunsu already finishing her reading. Yunsu, embarrassed by her mother's appearance, rushes off stage without completing the essay, and they don't even take a commemorative photo.
