Episode Summary
Wen Yifan continues to face emotional abuse from her aunt's family. Sang Yan witnesses her struggles but avoids direct intervention to prevent further harm. Yifan's sleepwalking returns, and Sang Yan reveals that she previously kissed him while sleepwalking. A past classmate's reappearance reminds Yifan of her past trauma and the hurt she caused Sang Yan. Moved by Sang Yan's kindness, Yifan is overwhelmed with emotion. In a climactic sleepwalking scene, Yifan kisses Sang Yan again, leaving him stunned and the episode on a cliffhanger.
Spoiler Alert
In episode 10 of "The First Frost," the strained relationship between Wen Yifan and her aunt's family continues to be a major source of stress. Sang Yan, deeply caring for Yifan, makes his weekly trip to Beiyu to see her. They spend time studying together, but Yifan is called away by her aunt to run errands. Knowing Yifan's difficult home life, and aware that his presence would only worsen her situation with her aunt, Sang Yan follows discreetly. He sees her enter the house and, wanting to help without causing more trouble, leaves her books in the mailbox.
Later, Yifan's aunt shows up at her workplace, intending to set her up with a wealthy businessman. Yifan, overwhelmed and reminded of the past abuse she suffered, is at a loss until her coworker, Fu Zhuang, steps in to rescue her. That night, Yifan's sleepwalking resurfaces. She wanders into the living room, sits on the sofa, and repeatedly rubs her left arm. Sang Yan, concerned, approaches her, thinking she's upset, but she abruptly returns to her room. The next morning, Yifan is confused about when Sang Yan came home, revealing she has no memory of the night's events.
A chance encounter with a high school classmate, Cui Jingyu, brings up painful memories. Jingyu, who had a crush on Sang Yan in high school, pointedly mentions that her son is named Yanyan, a nod to her past pursuit of him. It's a reminder of the time Sang Yan publicly rejected Jingyu, calling her persistent, in front of Yifan.
The episode delves deeper into Yifan's past trauma. We learn that her aunt and uncle, with whom she lived, were emotionally abusive. They deprived her of basic comforts, like nourishing soup, and constantly shamed her for her teenage relationship, claiming she brought disgrace to the family. Even her own mother refused to take her back and criticized her for the relationship. This constant belittling and rejection left Yifan feeling unworthy of anything good. Although she distanced herself from Sang Yan, she recognizes that he was the one person who treated her well, and she hurt him in the process. Her friend, Zhong Siqiao, encourages Yifan to apologize to Sang Yan, and Yifan takes this advice to heart.
Sang Yan, attempting to comfort Yifan, prepares chicken soup and brings up the topic of sleepwalking, referencing a TV show. Yifan explains that sleepwalking involves performing meaningless actions during deep sleep and admits she used to sleepwalk after her father's death. Sang Yan reveals he saw her sleepwalking, leading to a highly charged moment. Yifan apologizes, assuring him she doesn't do anything significant while sleepwalking. Sang Yan, however, reveals that she did something more than once: she hugged him and kissed him. Yifan, mortified, asks where she kissed him. Sang Yan points to his cheek. Yifan, trying to rationalize the situation, suggests a "reenactment," arguing that given their height difference, she couldn't have reached his cheek without standing on her toes or him bending down. Sang Yan immediately leans in close, catching Yifan off guard. She stumbles back, flustered, and retreats to her room, telling him to "protect himself" in the future.
Yifan visits her father's grave, sharing that she's doing well and that her mother is also doing fine, with her Uncle Zheng taking good care of her. Meanwhile, Xiang Lang, a past acquaintance, has left Nanwu, transferring back to Hong Kong. Later, Sang Yan brings Yifan chicken soup, mirroring a past grievance. Yifan is visibly moved, her eyes welling up as she thanks him. That night, determined to prevent another sleepwalking incident, Yifan barricades her door. However, she still ends up sleepwalking. Sang Yan, watching over her, clears the obstacles she set up. In her dream, Yifan sees Sang Yan's face. She rises, stands on her toes, and kisses him, then leans into his embrace. Sang Yan, completely stunned, turns to her and says, "Shuangjiang, you just kissed me." The episode ends on this cliffhanger, leaving the audience to wonder about the implications of this unconscious act of affection.
