Episode Summary
In Episode 18, secrets, sacrifices, and emotional confrontations take center stage. Jia Fan and Han Yijing struggle with career choices, lingering past relationships, and their growing bond. Despite pressure from CEO Ling to break up, they choose to walk away from the company together, hand in hand, embracing love over fame.
Spoiler Alert
Wanna Be – Episode 18 Recap & Spoilers: Secrets, Sacrifices, and a Walk Into the Unknown
Just when you think Wanna Be can’t pack more tension, romance, and career drama into a single episode — boom, Episode 18 delivers again.
Poker Faces and Secret Deals
We open with Dong Xiaoru’s mom pulling an all-nighter playing poker. The next morning, who does she find working at the food stall? None other than Jia Fan — bruised and battered, with a suspicious cut on his lip. They quickly strike a silent pact: she won’t tell Xiaoru about the gambling, and he won’t mention anything to her dad. Deal.
There’s a bittersweet moment where Xiaoru's mom quietly regrets stopping Jia Fan from going to France to become a head chef. Her daughter’s modeling career, while glamorous, is unstable and short-lived. Just as the moment lands, Han Yijing appears and asks about Jia Fan’s injury. He brushes it off, of course.
Dreams, Doubts, and a Whole Lot of Tension
Yijing seriously urges Jia Fan to reconsider — it’s not too late to go back to cooking. Even Xiaoru’s mom agrees, she says. But Jia Fan’s not just chasing his own dreams — he’s fulfilling his mom’s vision and trying to make up for his dad’s lost ones. Yijing says if they land the magazine cover, it’s a win for everyone.
But Jia Fan sees through her. “If I never wanted the cover,” he asks, “why are you going through all this trouble?” She’s been shopping and styling him like it’s a full-time job. Yijing snaps — if he doesn't care, why should she? Jia Fan, ever the sweet talker, pulls her into a hug and promises to do it.
What really bothers him? Her working with her ex. He just can’t stand it. Yijing, clearly frustrated, tells him to set his ego aside and treat it like just another gig.
Despite the spat, Jia Fan still walks her to the car. Halfway there, Yijing’s old leg injury flares up. Jia Fan tries to carry her princess-style, but she refuses — and boom, their moment is caught in full view by CEO Ling, watching from his car.
Office Politics and Unwanted Love Triangles
Ling tells Wu Ming: no Jia Fan, no Yijing on the cover. Patience. Wu Ming warns You Ning to stay out of trouble, but when You Ning hears who’s on the cover, her gossip-loving heart lights up. Love triangle? Drama? She's so here for it.
Later, Jia Fan takes Yijing to the hospital. While waiting, he remembers something Liao Jinyuan drunkenly said: “No one comes back from retirement in under three years — unless it’s fake.” Is Han Yijing just putting on a show for the haters? The doctor reassures Jia Fan there’s no need to worry, but he doesn’t buy it — and he can’t reveal who he really is to push for more info.
Old Flames and Brutal Truths
Meanwhile, Xing Mo and Liao Jinyuan are shooting hoops when Yijing and Jia Fan both call. Xing Mo is done with the back-and-forth and tells Liao Jinyuan to fix things — fast.
Later, Xing Mo clears out a bar just to talk to Yijing privately. She’s exhausted. She tells him Jia Fan won’t listen to her, and she needs Xing Mo to talk some sense into him. Turns out Jia Fan asked Xing Mo to do the same thing — to talk to Yijing. Classic.
Yijing admits something heavy: she might not make it to next year. She knows her time is limited, and she just wants to help Jia Fan succeed while she still can. She says being with him showed her there’s life beyond being a top model — that even without the fame, she’s still worthy of love.
Liao Jinyuan overhears this entire conversation. He follows her out and finally admits it — he ruined their relationship. He doesn’t expect forgiveness, just professionalism from now on. Yijing notices a bruise on his face. He confesses he fought Jia Fan… and lost.
Later, Xing Mo updates Jia Fan: Yijing’s in — she’ll go along with his decision.
The Final Straw
Then comes the bombshell.
CEO Ling publicly announces that Jia Fan has been dropped from the elite modeling team. Jia Fan confronts him, demanding a reason. Ling calls out the obvious — he knows Jia Fan and Yijing are dating. Jia Fan doesn’t deny it. He’s not like Liao Jinyuan. He’s not afraid of anything.
Ling threatens his modeling career to force a breakup. But before Jia Fan can respond, Yijing storms in.
Jia Fan says, “Kids pick one. Grown-ups pick both.” If they're out of the company anyway, why keep hiding? Then, in a moment that feels like a mic drop, he grabs Yijing’s hand — and the two of them walk out of the company, hand in hand, leaving a trail of stunned coworkers behind.
Final Thoughts
Episode 18 is a turning point. Jia Fan and Yijing are no longer hiding — not their relationship, not their feelings, not their sacrifices. With careers on the line and personal battles looming, they're choosing each other over everything else.
But with CEO Ling plotting, Liao Jinyuan still in the picture, and Yijing’s health uncertain, the road ahead won't be easy.
