Episode Summary
Zhou Shui and Dai Daji face relationship challenges as they struggle to balance their dreams with the pressures of reality. They argue over buying a house and making a film, leading Dai Daji to question their future. Later, Dai Daji demands to be recognized as a co-director of their movie.
Spoiler Alert
"Such a Good Love" Episode 22: Reality Bites (Recap & Spoilers)
Alright, folks, buckle up because things are getting real in "Such a Good Love." This episode hits us with some hard truths about love, dreams, and the ever-ticking clock.
The year is 2016. Zhou Shui and Dai Daji are at a crossroads. Zhou Shui makes a practical decision that surprises Dai Daji: he chooses to film an advertisement instead of a movie. His reasoning? He wants to knuckle down, earn a million, buy a place, and be a "responsible" man. He even takes Dai Daji to try on wedding dresses, but instead of romance, Dai Daji gets a dose of Zhou Shui haggling for discounts and swiping his card. She's starting to see a different side of him, and she doesn't quite like it.
Zhou Shui puts a deposit on an apartment, but Dai Daji secretly cancels the ad deal and gets the money back. They end up at their old, empty Beijing apartment – their first place together. It's dusty, abandoned, but the memories are still there. Dai Daji drops a bomb: no apartment, no ad, and maybe… no wedding. She feels like their lives have become all about work, losing sight of what brought them together. Zhou Shui, however, is fixated on his promise to Dai Daji's mom to buy a house by year's end. He thinks they're thirty now, time to face reality and make sacrifices. Dai Daji isn't buying it.
Up on the roof, Dai Daji reminisces about their early days, how their love was intertwined with their passion for filmmaking. She believes they need to rediscover that passion to save their relationship. Zhou Shui, ever the optimist, pulls out a soda tab and proposes, but Dai Daji refuses. She doesn't want a half-hearted marriage. They need to make their movie, remember why they came to Beijing in the first place. Zhou Shui, a little scared, pulls out a real engagement ring he had been holding onto. He agrees to pursue the film, hoping it will reignite their love.
Fast forward to 2024. The Chinese film market has exploded. Dai Daji is moving apartments, and her friend Tong Leyi is helping. Su Zihao, now a boyfriend, runs into Zhou Shui and a woman named Xiao Juan with a child. Turns out, Zhou Shui isn't the father, but he's heavily invested in the kid's schooling. Meanwhile, Tong Leyi reminds Dai Daji that she's missed out on a fortune by not investing in real estate.
Dai Daji and Zhou Shui pitch their script, "Worthy of Love," to a producer named Chao Jie, who trashes it as "low-class" and wants to turn it into a cheesy romance. They struggle to rewrite it, but Chao Jie hates their efforts and kicks Zhou Shui off the writing team. Defeated, they temporarily close their company, pay their employee Xiao Yu, and decide to reunite their old filmmaking crew. But Chao Jie has replaced their team and treats Dai Daji like an assistant, sending her on errands. Shen Jingshu helps Dai Daji out and announces she's leaving for school abroad, taking control of her own destiny.
At the movie's press conference, Man Jiaxin hands Zhou Shui a script that completely omits Dai Daji's contributions. Shen Jingshu, pregnant, negotiates with Mr.Liao's wife for money to attend NYU for her MBA. The money is to ensure her and her daughter's inheritance. After the press conference, Dai Daji realizes she's tired of being in Zhou Shui's shadow. She wants to be recognized for her equal contribution and demands to be a co-director. Zhou Shui is surprised but agrees, unaware that Dai Daji has already spoken to Man Jiaxin about it.
So, what's the takeaway? This episode is all about the clash between dreams and reality, love and ambition. Can Zhou Shui and Dai Daji find a way to balance their personal and professional lives, or will their relationship crumble under the pressure? Stay tuned!
