Love Again: Episode 1 Recap and Spoilers

Episode Summary

Retired professor Shen Zhuoran struggles to cope after his wife Jingmin’s death. Amid family tensions (including a disastrous funeral interrupted by a wildly inappropriate ringtone), his eccentric friend Lao Gou urges him to remarry. Daughter-in-law Liu Lina embarks on a chaotic matchmaking journey, while a compassionate nurse, Lian Yilian, sparks tentative hope for healing.

Spoiler Alert

Episode 1 Recap & Spoilers: Death, Grief, and the Awkward Art of Senior Dating

Let’s kick things off with a family that’s equal parts heartwarming and chaotic. Meet Shen Zhuoran, a retired university professor whose life with his late wife Jingmin was the definition of #CoupleGoals. Their adult children, Shen Qing (son) and Shen Dai (daughter), seem to have inherited that wholesome family vibe—Shen Qing and his wife Liu Lina even gave them an adorable grandson, Shen Duole. But life, as it often does, decided to throw a grenade into this cozy setup.

The Funeral Fiasco

Fast-forward to Shen Duole’s high school years: Jingmin loses her battle with cancer, and the family gathers for her funeral. Tissues are mandatory here. While Shen Qing and Shen Dai stoically greet mourners, Liu Lina hustles to organize everything, aided by her ride-or-die friend Zhou Jing. Enter Liu Lina’s parents—Sun Baoqin and Liu Debao—who arrive with all the subtlety of a reality TV duo. Sun Baoqin, weepier than a K-drama lead, clings to Shen Dai until Liu Lina drags her away.

But the real chaos arrives via Shen Zhuoran’s interesting friend, Lao Gou. This guy shows up with his much-younger, Instagram-ready girlfriend, prompting Sun Baoqin to side-eye him like he’s a cockroach at a buffet. Lao Gou, ever the "helpful" pal, advises Shen Zhuoran to "move on and find a new wife ASAP." Sun Baoqin, of course, launches into a public rant about his "disrespectful nonsense."

Just as the funeral begins, tragedy meets dark comedy: Sun Baoqin’s phone blares "Today Is a Good Day"—a peppy Chinese pop banger—during the solemn farewell. The room freezes. Shen Zhuoran, overwhelmed, faints. Cue panic, shouting, and Lao Gou’s girlfriend probably filming the whole thing for Douyin.

One Year Later: Grief, Clutter, and Matchmaking Mayhem

Flash forward a year: Shen Zhuoran remains a shell of himself, wallowing in grief. Liu Lina and Shen Qing hatch a plan to declutter Jingmin’s belongings, hoping to ease his pain. But Sun Baoqin—now a regular visitor—decides to play "Grief Cop," sneakily placing Jingmin’s old slippers by the door to "ward off homewreckers." Subtle, she is not.

Lao Gou returns, this time doubling as a geriatric TikTok coach, showing Shen Zhuoran viral videos to "cheer him up." His solution? "Get a new wife, bro!" Shen Qing, allergic to this advice, flees to his room and watches old videos of Jingmin. Cue the silent tears.

Meanwhile, Liu Lina runs into her old classmate Lin Fengyun, who’s dating a guy half her age. Lin, sensing Liu Lina’s stress, suggests… drumroll… finding Shen Zhuoran a new partner. Thus begins the world’s most awkward senior matchmaking mission.

Poetry, Panic, and a Glimmer of Hope

The family drags Shen Zhuoran to a university poetry event, where he reads a melancholic ode to Jingmin titled "Tombstone." The crowd shifts uncomfortably as dancers literally prance onto the stage mid-poem. Shen Zhuoran, emotionally wrecked, collapses again.

At the hospital, nurse Lian Yilian (a divorced single mom) cracks open a window to let him smell osmanthus flowers—a small gesture that thaws his icy grief. Sun Baoqin, after much nagging, finally agrees to help find Shen Zhuoran a match… by spamming her social media groups with a cringey "Senior Bachelor Alert" post.

By episode’s end, Shen Zhuoran bonds with Lian Yilian over shared loneliness. She even asks to hear his poetry. Is this the start of a gentle, late-life romance? Or just another emotional minefield? Either way, grab popcorn—this family’s drama is just getting started.

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