Episode Summary
Gan Yang, a disciplined man living by routine, unexpectedly crosses paths with his ex-girlfriend Ding Zhitong, who returns from Hong Kong for business. A mistaken book swap at the airport triggers a series of near-misses and emotional flashbacks, hinting at unresolved feelings between the two. As they navigate work, memories, and a heart-rate challenge, it's clear their past isn't as buried as they thought.
Spoiler Alert
A crisp morning in the city. A man, a routine, and a run that leads straight into his past.
Welcome to the world of Eat Run Love, where discipline meets destiny, and an early morning jog might just change everything.
♂️Meet Gan Yang: The Man Who Has Life on a Stopwatch
Played by Chen Feiyu, Gan Yang is the kind of guy who makes you feel guilty about skipping your morning run. He’s got life down to a science: wake up early, run 10K, eat a perfectly balanced breakfast, and crush it at work. He’s all about doing things right — running right, eating right, living right.
But this picture-perfect rhythm is about to get disrupted.
✈️ A Message, A Smile, and a Missed Connection
One morning, after hitting his 10K goal, Gan Yang checks his smartwatch (because of course he has one) and sees a message — someone is boarding a flight. He smiles. Clearly, this is someone important. A car pulls up (pre-arranged, obviously), and he heads to the airport.
He’s there to pick up his old friend Wang Yi, but before that, she texts him to grab a latte. While waiting, he leaves his book on a seat. Enter Ding Zhitong (played by Zhuang Dafei), who picks up the book by mistake. It’s the same title, but not the same copy — hers has personal notes and a bookmark that isn’t his. Realizing the mix-up, Gan Yang rushes after her... but it’s too late. She’s gone.
Meanwhile, Wang Yi lands and is not impressed. No welcome coffee, no warm greeting — just a phone call saying, “I’m in the parking garage.” She gives him an earful, but Gan Yang is too distracted by the book mystery (and, let’s be honest, the girl who took it). To shut her up, he dumps a pile of work tasks on her and bolts.
Business, Secrets, and an Unexpected Reunion
Ding Zhitong isn’t just here for nostalgia — she’s come from Hong Kong to talk financing with Qin Chang. But there’s a twist. Gan Yang’s company has already decided not to raise funds. So when his assistant tells him Qin Chang is secretly negotiating anyway, Gan Yang storms toward his office — furious.
Qin Chang, hearing word that the boss is coming, quickly ushers Ding Zhitong out before Gan Yang arrives. Zhitong, suspecting the “big boss” is someone she might know, loops back — only to be stopped at the door by the secretary. Another near-miss.
While waiting, she heads to the restroom. Gan Yang exits the office. Another missed moment. Again.
Memories, Paper Cranes, and Shared Spaces
Not one to wallow, Ding Zhitong takes her assistant Li Jiaxin out for Shanghai eats. Jiaxin assumes she’s a local, but Zhitong admits she only knows the city so well because of her old relationship — with Gan Yang. They made memories all over Shanghai. In a familiar convenience store, she folds a paper crane — something she used to do with him.
Later, Gan Yang enters the same store. He sees the crane. His eyes say it all: She was here.
That night, they both end up staying at a mutual friend’s house (because of course they do). She drinks red wine, eats cherry tomatoes, reads a book — only to realize it's not hers. Inside is a familiar bookmark. His bookmark. Meanwhile, in Gan Yang’s room, a photo of the two of them still sits quietly on his shelf. He stares at it, lost in thought.
Girls Talk, Resentment, and Denial
The next morning, Zhitong brings a toy to her best friend Song Mingmei’s daughter, Yulin, who lights up with joy. In that moment, Zhitong envies her friend’s seemingly perfect life — loving family, adorable kid — while she’s still single and stuck in the past.
Mingmei teases her: “This financing guy you’re meeting… same name as your ex. Coincidence?” Zhitong isn’t having it. “I hate him,” she says, flat-out. “There’s nothing left between us.”
Sure, Zhitong.
♀️Heartbeats, Games, and a Flashback to First Love
To get closer to Gan Yang — now a company exec known as “Gan Zong” — Zhitong joins a team-building program by his company. There’s a heart-rate monitor game. As soon as she straps on the device, Gan Yang walks in. Her heart rate spikes. She’s not ready for this.
They spot each other. Long eye contact. No words. Just tension.
The game starts. Everyone’s moving. Zhitong keeps pace with Gan Yang, until she nearly collapses from exhaustion. He catches her. Her heart rate explodes. And we’re pulled into a flashback...
College days. Zhitong’s in her dorm, ignoring her roommate Mingmei’s matchmaking quiz app. The app says her soulmate is someone named “A Gan.” There’s a blurry silhouette. She scoffs. “A shadow doesn’t mean anything.”
Cut to: Zhitong biking to a part-time job. She rides past a runner. They lock eyes. It’s Gan Yang. Something clicks. But she keeps riding. He watches her go, heart racing.
Back to the present. So much has changed — but some things haven’t.
Episode 1 sets the stage for a slow-burn reconnection between two ex-lovers whose lives have twisted and turned — yet somehow still circle back to each other. With missed chances, lingering glances, and unresolved feelings, Eat Run Love is shaping up to be a heart-tugging ride.
Next episode? More running. More questions. And maybe — just maybe — a conversation.
