Original subtitles

(Smile Code)

(Episode 27)

Here's the thing.

Her signing fell through, and she had a huge fight with her family.

Since you guys broke your promise,

letting her stay here for now shouldn't be too much to ask.

- Am I obligated to take her in? - No, you're not.

But you ran away from home yourself.

Surely you can empathize with her.

Don't forget,

you were the one who dumped her problem on me in the first place.

Good night.

You can stay in the guest room.

But move out as soon as you can.

I don't feel comfortable living with people for too long.

Thanks.

I'll move out as soon as I find a place.

Do you have any money?

No money,

yet you still fought with your family?

It's rare to see someone mooching off their parents

to this extent.

If you want to have a say in your life,

you have to be financially independent first.

Only when you can support yourself can you stand tall.

Do you know why I made up with Huang Wen Da so quickly

after we broke up the first time?

Because

I couldn't afford to rent a place with its own bathroom.

Of course,

everyone goes through that phase

where they want to be self-reliant but can't quite pull the trigger.

The sooner you cut the cord, the sooner you'll be financially independent.

I get wanting to escape the mess of your family,

but remember this,

I'm not obligated to help you forever.

Why are you still standing there?

The guest room's over there.

There's a jewelry exhibition at the Peninsula Hotel this evening.

Influencers, socialites, rich ladies,

and, of course, us media and magazine folks

will be there to promote their stuff.

You're coming with me.

Got it. Do I need to prep any interview questions?

Interview who?

You think I'm taking you there to do interviews?

The people attending are all from partner brands,

your future target clients.

When you're an editor-in-chief someday,

are you still going to be talking partnerships

and swapping files on a laptop?

Should I change my outfit?

Just change your shoes.

No matter how much you dress up,

you won't outshine those rich ladies anyway.

Ms. Zhang, you're personally here to secure jewelry sponsorships?

Think you can manage that?

Mr. Huang,

I heard your English is amazing.

Can you understand all the presentations?

Of course.

Even if I don't, it's still better than not being able to afford anything.

Mr. Huang, there are some friends from new media over there.

Let's go say hi.

Let's go.

Hi, Mr. Peng.

- It's been a while. - Yes, it is.

This is my friend, Mr. Huang. And this is Mr. Peng, a director.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Peng. I'm Huang Wen Da.

Nice to meet you.

I heard you've been busy prepping for a variety show.

I've been to your office several times but couldn't catch you.

Don't get me started.

We've locked in the filming schedule and finalized the cast,

but one of the female guests dropped out last minute.

Now everywhere I go,

I'm surrounded by influencers

pitching themselves.

None of them fit the bill.

It's impossible to find the right kind of fresh face.

Sounds like you're just being too picky.

How fresh does "fresh" have to be?

Just someone with a natural edge, unpolished,

a little wild even.

Even if they're controversial, that's fine.

You think we're scared of criticism in the variety show business?

If that's what you're looking for, Mr. Peng,

how about I introduce someone to you?

Sure.

Pages 88 and 89 lost their ads.

Do we have any replacement content ready to fill the space?

Look, you keep going back to the same few writers over and over.

Even if the readers aren't tired of them, I sure am.

Can't we come up with a fresh topic? Is it really that hard?

We'll talk about it later.

Speak.

I've got a topic on domestic accessibility designers.

The industry's exposure is really low.

I've got the info ready,

and I can present a draft in two days.

Submit it to me in two days.

You got it.

Mr. Peng, she should be here soon.

She's here.

Perfect timing. Come have a drink.

No.

Didn't you say you had something important to discuss with me?

Of course I do.

Listen, I'm introducing you to a big-name director,

just recently divorced.

And?

That's the "important matter"?

What else?

If I told you to come over just for drinks, would you have shown up?

- Come on. - Huang Wen Da!

Do you think I'm some pet bird you keep around?

Is dragging women to entertain men

part of you middle-aged men's idea of fun?

Wait.

Mr. Peng.

Is she a fit?

Miss Guan, please calm down.

Mr. Huang was just helping me with a quick screen test.

Are you interested in joining a dating reality show?

I don't have any talents. Plus, I have a boyfriend.

Just keep it from him.

In reality TV, the only thing real is the people,

everything else is scripted.

As long as you know how to date, you're good to go.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

You've been standing in heels all day.

You must be exhausted.

Here, change into these.

Thanks.

I'll take you to a nice dinner later.

It's fine. I'm full.

Let's focus on business first.

I have a few interview questions for you.

Regarding accessibility design, what's the main idea you want to convey?

What products have you launched so far?

What challenges does the industry face?

I've secured two pages for you in Nextmonday.

Whatever you want to convey, I will put it into the article.

What's wrong?

Is there something you're worried about?

No, it's just...

The studio doesn't really have much to show for itself yet.

Li Ai's online program is still burning through money.

Right now, we're robbing Peter to pay Paul,

using funds from one project

to prop up another.

Doing a magazine interview right now feels

a little unworthy of the attention.

Liang Dai Wen,

you're not just a freelance designer anymore.

You're leading a team.

You need to stop being so hard on yourself.

Besides, if people don't know what you're doing,

how can you convince them to support and join you?

Okay, I'll listen to you. Let's talk more when we get home.

All right then.

Gu Yi.

Move back to my place.

I can't.

My mom will come home one day.

I'm worried she can't get in if I'm not there.

Then bring me home with you.

(Progress Summary of Accessible Design Project)

(Context of the Project)

If you want a drink, pour it yourself.

Do you have a moment?

I'd like your advice on something.

If it's personal stuff, talk to your best friends.

- I'm not great at giving advice. - It's not that.

I got offered a spot as a guest on a dating reality show.

I'm not sure if I should take it.

As you know,

I ran away from home.

I'm worried my parents will find out and make a scene.

Things are already really tense between us.

Funny how someone so filial ran away from home.

My family is complicated.

I was blind when I was little.

I had a corneal transplant.

The parents of the donor

have always treated me like I'm their late daughter.

They've invested

so much in me.

My parents and I

have always been deeply grateful to them.

Grateful? So, basically,

you've benefited too much from them

that you feel guilty and can't bear to cut ties, right?

You've got four parents.

I have one aunt.

The circumstances are different,

but the dynamics aren't that far off.

Back then,

I jumped out of a window,

ran away to this city,

and never went back.

I send money home, but I don't visit.

We keep the peace by leaving each other alone.

I don't think I have your courage.

Beauty can be a resource for women,

but mindless beauty

is a liability.

Right now, you've got a window of opportunity in front of you.

Whether or not you want to take the risk

is your call.

I'm not going to teach you how to live your life.

But

I have a boyfriend.

Let me guess, the type your parents disapprove of?

And the relationship probably isn't that solid,

or else you wouldn't be crashing at my place.

If it were you,

would you go?

That's a pointless hypothetical.

I'm not you.

I can't fully relate to your situation.

But what I see

is a woman bold enough to publicly confront the backlash

over her sex video scandal.

Your boyfriend might not like it,

but the audience definitely will.

So, why did you and Huang Wen Da break up?

You've had polyps and tumors removed before,

and you just had surgery for a breast cyst.

Given your current health condition,

there's no way you can carry a pregnancy to term.

Honestly, how did you let your body get to this state at only 28?

Is your partner here?

Talk it over with him first.

(Sorry. The number you're calling is unavailable at the moment.)

That's it?

He just broke up with you without explaining it?

He explained himself.

Over and over. Said it was a misunderstanding.

But I told him I'd had an abortion,

and we just ended things without hesitation.

No,

I don't believe you had an abortion.

If you had, why would you even consider discussing it with Huang Wen Da?

You're right, I didn't.

The pregnancy ended because of my health issues.

Saying it was an abortion was just an excuse.

It doesn't matter.

What mattered was that he believed it.

Our breakup

was the result of years of wear and tear.

Even without that misunderstanding,

we would've ended the same way.

You mustn't tell Huang Wen Da a word of what I just told you.

I'm avoiding him

as much as I can.

However,

when it comes to work,

he's someone you can trust completely.

(Today's Step Count)

Liang Dai Wen?

Liang Dai Wen?

You're barefoot.

Let's go back to sleep.

Liang Dai Wen...

What exactly are you looking for?

Gu Yi?

Gu Yi?

You were having a nightmare.

This hotel's entrance has specialized steps and ramps.

Their accessible elevator and service counter are decent.

But their bathroom doors in the rooms

have too much rebound force.

They could be replaced with swing doors or sensor-operated ones.

Got it.

Adjusting the height of the vanity mirrors might be tricky,

but we could install

multifunctional rotating mirrors instead.

Also, adding a doorbell indicator light at the door would make it easier

for deaf guests to know when someone's at the door.

That's a great idea.

That's about it for now.

Let's estimate the budget first.

Sure, I'll go over your requirements first.

- Hello. - (Is Gu Yi with you?)

No, I'm at work. What's going on?

(She's supposed to do the opening at Fuzzy tonight, )

(but she hasn't shown up.)

(She's not answering her phone, and she's not in her office.)

(Do you have any idea where she might be?)

(The first month of the year, )

(it's New Year's Day, )

(the first day of the Lunar New Year...)

She really is here.

Liang Dai Wen...

I don't know how to do

Errenzhuan.

This is my mom's favorite thing.

And yet I don't know how to do it.

I listened to her sing it countless times growing up,

but I never learned even one line.

And when she was here,

I barely paid attention to her.

Now that she's gone,

everything reminds me of her.

Phone's ringing.

(Hi, Liang.)

Hi, Madam.

(Where is Gu Yi?)

Madam,

Gu Yi... She's drunk.

- (Is everything okay?) - (Yeah.)

(Hand her the phone. I'll talk to her.)

Mom...

(What's with all the wailing?)

(I just went on a little trip, and look at you crying like that.)

(What are you bawling for? All right, stop crying.)

(I wanted to show you my new dress.)

(Here.)

(Check it out.)

(Isn't it pretty?)

(Your Uncle Yun picked it, a floral one.)

(How do I look?)

You look great.

(All right, stop crying.)

(Gu Yi, listen to me.)

(Close your eyes.)

(A young girl sees her lover off, )

(sending him east of the gates.)

(Just as the heavens whip up)

(a northeast wind.)

(A strong wind, )

(better it rain)

(a little instead, )

(For if it rains, it might make my love stay)

(just a few minutes longer.)

(Please take her home, boys.)

(You don't need to stay with her.)

(She has to get through this herself eventually.)

(Thank you.)

I'll call a cab.

Gu Yi is wasted.

Who's going to take care of her tonight?

I'll stay.

You should go home.

Well, I don't have anything pressing.

I'll stay too and help look after her.

I'll go to the editing room early tomorrow morning.

Sorry, I'm staying at Gu Yi's place tonight.

Liang,

what's up with your WeChat step count?

I took a glance and saw it's over 2,000 steps this early in the morning.

Did you get a dog or something?

Maybe the app is glitching.

Liang Dai Wen, what are you doing?

What's going on?

It's the middle of the night,

and he's going back and forth, over and over. It's freaky.

Relax, he's probably sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking?

Shen told me before about his sleepwalking episodes abroad,

way worse than this.

He kept knocking on his door in the middle of the night.

Shen couldn't sleep a wink because of it.

I didn't know it'd still be happening now that he's back.

Now I know where those WeChat steps came from.

He's like a robot vacuum.

How long is he going to walk?

I've got to be at the editing room early tomorrow.

Is he going to do this all night?

Let him pass.

Well...

Looks like he's finally settled down.

That's a smooth move.

What are you doing?

- I should ask him for tips. - Shut up.

All right, don't bother to hide it.

You're writing a piece for Liang Dai Wen. No need to keep it from me.

Lunch.

Thanks.

I've been tied up with exhibition performances lately,

busy managing the on-site coordination.

How are things going with your robot?

We've been great.

Really?

The exhaustion look on your face is telling me otherwise.

Is everything okay with you?

I'm fine.

Liang Dai Wen is working full-time on accessibility design now,

but it hasn't been going well.

I noticed Nextmonday has an open slot next week,

so I thought I'd write an article for him.

Just a bit pressed for time.

Accessibility design is meaningful,

but Liang Dai Wen needs to accept that life is full of regrets.

I don't know how he got alexithymia,

but I'd guess it's tied to his fixation on accessibility design.

Maybe he lost someone really important.

Just a guess.

So now he's promoting accessibility design

to help others.

It's a noble motivation,

but one person's efforts are limited.

Real life is full of regrets.

The sooner he learns to accept and live with that,

the sooner he'll heal.

Some regrets

are impossible to get used to, even in a lifetime.

(A young girl sees her lover off, )

(sending him east of the gates.)

(Just as the heavens whip up)

(a northeast wind.)

(A strong wind...)

Mr. Li Ai,

I'm not feeling well.

I might need to take a break.

- Thank you! - Yeah!

I haven't even started yet.

You over there, sir, your cheering's the loudest!

Stay after the show, all right?

Swing by the backstage, leave me your info,

and be my hype guy next time. Deal?

Deal!

So, as we all know, being a stand-up comedian

and having a girlfriend

is already a rare achievement.

But...

Seriously, some people are just born for this.

No matter how funny our jokes are,

we can't beat a face that's naturally hilarious.

Without passing the marriage trials,

there's no way to go to heaven.

During this period...

Come on, give me something.

Don't just sit there looking dead.

How about I'll tell you the story of Liang Dai Wen sleepwalking

and chasing me again?

It's fine.

Guan Xing Xin told me.

A 6-foot-tall guy like you

being chased around the room by a sleepwalker,

nearly in tears, huh?

Gu Yi, let me set the record straight. First of all, I'm 6'1".

And second, I did not cry.

The situation was like an escape room, only more intense,

and Liang Dai Wen was like the ultimate NPC.

You've been to escape rooms before,

you get what I mean, right?

Totally.

I've written some jokes about Liang Dai Wen's sleepwalking before.

I won't get a chance to share them anymore. I'll give them to you later.

Why? Thinking of retiring from the stage?

We'll see.

Remember when I borrowed your ID

to register that public account

to post long-form comics?

I used Liang Dai Wen's popularity as a hook.

The stats weren't bad,

so I'm thinking of posting a few more,

growing the account,

and then selling it at a high price to Jacqueline.

Ambitious idea.

I've got some news, part good, part bad.

I'm debating whether to tell you.

If you're going to show off your couple stuff with Xing Xin again,

just go ahead and spill it.

I'm not someone like that.

Here's the good news,

Ounce's open mic nights are back.

The new owner even asked

if I'd like to return as a host.

The bad news?

The new owner is Zhang Qing Ya.

You know, Liang Dai Wen's senior.

The one who treated us to that Christmas dinner.

Still,

at least...

At least Ounce is back, right?

I've packed some bean buns in the fridge and stocked up on instant meals.

Prep takes less than five minutes.

Also,

I've stocked up on cat food,

paid the utility bills,

and saved the contacts for the property management, local police station,

and neighborhood committee on your phone.

Just in case.

Just in case of what?

Don't jinx me now.

Oh, and I still need to record my fingerprint for your door.

In case you get drunk and go MIA,

I'll still be able to get in.

How did you get me in last night when I was drunk?

You were drunk, but you still have fingerprints.

Fine. For the sake that you've got the house

so meticulously tidied up,

I'll give you half ownership of it.

Deal.

Let's eat.

Liang Dai Wen?

(Hello, the number you are calling is currently switched off.)

(Please try again later.)

(Hello, the number you are calling is currently switched off.)

Here, have some water first.

Thanks.

Don't worry.

Liang Dai Wen has disappeared without notice before.

It's a self-protection mechanism tied to his alexithymia.

He struggles with emotional fluctuations.

He doesn't know how to express or share them.

That's why he would temporarily cut off contact with the outside world.

You're saying he's hiding

because he doesn't want to burden me with his negative emotions?

You could put it that way.

Liang Dai Wen's emotional awareness is just starting to recover,

and his understanding of human emotions

is still very linear.

When he faces major setbacks,

he can't vent outward like most of us would.

Instead, he internalizes everything,

which can come across

inexplicably selfish,

cold, and indifferent,

like he only cares about his own feelings but not others.

But actually, someone like him,

who even blames himself for his mother's death,

has never really considered his own feelings.

That's actually his biggest problem.

So what should I do?

Give me a minute.

There's something I want to show you.

These are drawings

Liang Dai Wen made during his hypnotherapy sessions abroad.

Can you tell what they depict?

This is...

A hallway?

A hospital hallway.

Liang Dai Wen was sitting in the hallway waiting

when his mother was being resuscitated.

Back then,

he never got to see her come out of that room.

Now, the present-day Liang Dai Wen

is still stuck in that hallway.

To us, this drawing looks

endless,

dark,

and oppressive.

But in his subconscious,

it's the only place where he feels safe.

I know what he's looking for now.