Episode Summary
Shen Dai discovers her father Shen Zhuoran's romantic relationship with Lian Yilian through a leaked confession video, triggering explosive family conflicts. A tense family dinner escalates into emotional confrontations about grief and loyalty, while Lian Yilian struggles to find acceptance. Passive-aggressive battles over scented candles and password locks highlight the fragile truce between Shen Dai and her father’s new partner.
Spoiler Alert
"Love Again" Episode 4 Recap: Family Feuds & Fragile Truces
Well, folks, this week’s episode of Love Again delivered more family fireworks than a Fourth of July barbecue gone wrong. Let’s dive into the chaos.
Shen Dai Strikes First
After stumbling across a cringe-worthy video of her dad Shen Zhuoran confessing his feelings to Lian Yilian on Sun Baoqin’s WeChat feed, Shen Dai goes full detective mode. She storms into the family group chat, unleashes a verbal typhoon, and rage-quits the chat like a pro — "I’m never coming home again!" she declares, because nothing says healthy communication like a dramatic exit. Meanwhile, Shen Zhuoran hides behind his kids Shen Qing and Liu Lina, who help him ghost Shen Dai by switching his phone to "night mode." Classic dad move.
Lian Yilian’s Exit Strategy (Foiled)
Witnessing the meltdown, Lian Yilian panics and tries to peace out of Shen Zhuoran’s house. But Shen Zhuoran, armed with a PhD in sweet-talking, convinces her to stay. Meanwhile, Liu Lina confronts Sun Baoqin — the mastermind who leaked the Lian Yilian intel to Shen Dai. Turns out, Sun’s goal was to sabotage the relationship. Liu Lina threatens divorce (because nothing says "healthy marriage" like weaponizing it), leaving Sun speechless.
Domestic Bliss… Sort Of
Lian Yilian throws herself into caretaker mode, organizing Shen Zhuoran’s meds and cooking Instagram-worthy meals. The man’s living his best life, folks. She even prepares jiuniang yuanzi (sweet fermented rice balls) for Shen Qing’s family and plans a weekend family dinner. But Liu Lina, fearing Sun Baoqin’s chaos, fibs that they’re "busy at a farmhouse" to dodge the drama. Shen Zhuoran, however, isn’t taking no for an RSVP.
The Dinner From Hell
Cut to the family feast: Lian Yilian’s spread could rival a Michelin-starred restaurant, but the vibes? Not so much. Just as everyone starts awkwardly clinking glasses, Shen Dai storms in from the U.S. and has a full-blown meltdown at her late mother Jingmin’s portrait. Cue the record scratch.
What follows is a masterclass in passive-aggressive warfare. Shen Dai snubs Lian Yilian’s food ("Only Mom’s egg dumplings count!"), calls Shen Qing and Liu Lina "traitors," and declares that no one can replace Jingmin. Lian Yilian, playing peacekeeper, insists she never wanted to replace Jingmin — she just wants Shen Zhuoran to be happy. But Shen Dai’s having none of it. She rage-quits (again), slamming doors like a soap opera villain.
Cold Wars & Passive-Aggressive Candles
Post-dinner, Shen Dai escalates her campaign: She installs a new password lock to freeze Lian Yilian out (spoiler: it fails), and lights memorial candles for Jingmin. Unfortunately, Lian Yilian’s allergic to the scented wax, leading to a sneeze-fest. Shen Zhuoran, caught between his daughter’s grief and his new love, keeps snuffing out the candles — which Shen Dai relights like a petty arsonist.
The Verdict
This episode was all about grief clashing with new beginnings. Shen Dai’s raw anger feels painfully real, but Lian Yilian’s quiet resilience steals the show. Will Shen Zhuoran ever bridge this emotional minefield? And will someone please invest in unscented candles?
