A Date With The Future Story Summary

A Date With The Future has a total of 36 episodes. It begins with an earthquake in Huining. A teenage girl named Xu Lai was trapped under the rubble. She was saved by a young firefighter, Jin Shi Chuan. The trauma was too much for her to bear after being rescued. Jin helped Xu Lai to overcome it by using his rescue dog to encourage her to eat and regain her strength. Hence, Jin left a deep impression on Xu Lai. She saw him as her light in her darkest moment of her life. Before he left the rescue camp, Xu Lai made a promise with him that they will meet again in 10 years time.

Fast forward 10 years later, Xu Lai is now a reporter with the local TV station while Jin is a brigade commander. She has set her sights on him all these years and has never forgotten the promise she made. Her work as a reporter gives her the opportunity to approach Jin. Xu Lai is upfront about her intentions and blatantly pursues him. However, Jin has no recollection of her initially. Even after he remembers through her hint, he makes it clear that he has no intention to date. Jin is an icy man who has shut himself off love and relationships. His past experience makes him believe that love is not for him because he cannot offer a woman promises of a future due to the dangerous nature of his job as a firefighter.

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Jin’s Tragic Past

Jin’s father was also a firefighter but died while on duty. His mother died in a car crash while on the way to the hospital to see his father for one last time. He was in the car with his mother but survived the crash. Thus, Jin was brought up by his grandfather who is hoping to see him get a girlfriend.

When he became a firefighter himself, he got to know Fang Huai who became his comrade and best friend. Fang Huai also died during a firefighting mission when he pushed Jin away from a falling beam. But Fang Huai was hit instead. He got badly burned and subsequently died in the hospital’s emergency room. Fang Huai left behind a wife, Dr. Zang.

Love And Its Pitfalls

Therefore, it is understandable why Jin is not keen on dating and starting a family. However, Xu Lai’s relentless pursuit thaws his icy heart. Jin begins to care more and more about Xu Lai although he refuses to admit it at first. He also starts to feel what jealousy is like as Xu Lai is close to Lao Huo who is her childhood friend and a rich entrepreneur. Lao Huo also has deep feelings for Xu Lai but has kept it hidden for a long time. While she couldn’t sense it as they have been best friends for so long, Jin is aware of Lao Huo’s intentions.

As Jin falls for Xu Lai, they eventually become a couple as expected. But a severe injury to his knee causes Jin to break up with Xu Lai. There is a risk that he will become permanently disabled. As he is afraid that he couldn’t protect her anymore and will drag her down with him, he pushes her away to Lao Huo without telling her why. Things only become clear to Xu Lai when Jin further aggravates his injury and requires immediate surgery when he goes to save her from danger. They reconcile thereafter and enjoy a very loving relationship.

Work Related Matters

Apart from the romance, A Date With The Future also has substantial screen time allocated to the leads’ work matters. Xu Lai is a talented reporter and her success at work earns the jealousy of her senior, Jiang Xin. Jiang Xin keeps trying to sabotage Xu Lai’s efforts. She also instigates Xu Lai’s intern to betray her.

As a result, Xu Lai suffers a crisis of confidence in her career and has wanted to quit. She runs away to escape but is caught in another earthquake. Being in the epicenter of the disaster compels her to do her job as a reporter and this re-fuels her desire and commitment to her profession. Jiang Xin is eventually arrested when she tries to harm Xu Lai to the point of trying to take her life. Xu Lai is promoted to be the Chief Editor in recognition of her capability.

As for Jin’s work, it ranges from routine daily training to going into dangerous firefighting and lifesaving missions. 3 subordinates that get featured prominently are Lu Fang Qi, Liu Xu, and Zhang Yang. The most dangerous mission is saved for the last few episodes whereby they have to battle a fire at an oil refinery. For those who don’t want to know the ending, you can skip the last part.

Second Couple

The second couple pairs up Lu and Dr. Zang. After Fang Huai’s death, Dr. Zang has turned into an unsmiling workaholic. She has no interest to find another man and couldn’t seem to move on. There is also resentment in her because she was stopped by Jin from seeing Fang Huai on his deathbed. Jin was simply carrying out his best friend’s final wish but it ended up causing Dr. Zang much regret and bitterness. Fang Huai didn’t want his wife to see his badly burnt body. He wanted her memories of him to be happy ones.

Lu quickly becomes attracted to Dr. Zang after meeting her. He pursues her relentlessly and tries to brighten up her life despite a few rounds of rejection. His persistence, sincerity, and warmth finally melted her heart. Just as Lu was there for Dr. Zang to help her to move on, she is there for him when he suffers from PTSD after the fire at the oil refinery. However, while Lu has plans to get married, Dr. Zang is not keen on a second marriage. Being the older partner and having been married before, she doesn’t want to bind Lu to her. This becomes a point of contention between them.

Third Couple

The third couple is Lao Huo and Shi Shi who is a celebrity. Lao Huo’s love for Xu Lai is deep-rooted and complex. He couldn’t let go of Xu Lai for a long time although he knows she is dating Jin. He also knows that Xu Lai would be uncomfortable with him after his confession and her rejection because they have been friends since childhood. So, in order to get rid of the awkwardness between them, he pulls Shi Shi into the picture as his fake girlfriend. That way, Xu Lai will not hesitate to meet up with him as a friend and he still has a chance to see her.

However, Shi Shi starts having feelings for Lao Huo for real and thinks he is a fool where Xu Lai is concerned. But Lao Huo is unperturbed. He will quietly help out Xu Lai when she faces problems related to her work. He even got himself injured trying to protect her. When he finally realizes that he has no chance with Xu Lai, he accepts that they could only be friends.

By then, Shi Shi also has had enough of his antics which have disappointed her again and again. She wants out of the fake couple arrangement and her endorsement contract with his company. But this time, it is Lao Huo’s turn who wants her to stay. She has changed him which causes him to fall in love with her at last. He confesses to her but Shi Shi has decided that it is time to leave the country for a while and find her direction in life.

The Ending

The last couple of episodes sees a major fire at an oil refinery. Liu Xu and Zhang Yang are paired up to turn off the valve of a leaking tank. With fire surrounding them, they could only be saved from the top. Liu Xu lets an injured Zhang Yang to be pulled up first. But his own life is then taken away with an explosion. Lu, who is pulling Zhang Yang up from the top, witnesses Liu Xu falling into the depths of the fire. Being the acting brigade commander, he is adversely affected by the event. He ends up with PTSD and got over it with Dr. Zang’s support.

Jin wants to go into the burning building to get Liu Xu out. An explosion throws him back and he lands in a coma. Xu Lai is devastated but pulls herself together to take care of Jin and lift up his subordinates’ spirits following Liu Xu’s death.

Jin wakes up from his coma after a period of time and resumes his duties as a brigade commander. He also proposes to Xu Lai and they have their wedding ceremony. A year later, Jin and Xu Lai are happily married and enjoying their life together. Lu and Dr. Zang are still dating with an understanding that they will be dating for a lifetime. Shi Shi returns from abroad with Lao Huo waiting for her at the airport. She has found what she is looking for in life.

The drama ends with the main couple’s romp in bed cut short by the call of duty due to a major accident. As they carry out their respective roles as reporter and firefighter respectively, they are also each other’s pillar of support. They also there to light up each other’s path as the city’s guardians.