The Love Equations (致我们甜甜的小美满) is one of those dramas that talk about college romance and the innocence of first love. It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. However, I always see such dramas as fillers to pass time or a good break from epic tales like Eternal Love Of Dream. They can be short and sweet which is just nice for a relaxing watch. Whether this would be the same remains to be seen. I will have to watch all the 27 episodes before I can make that judgment in The Love Equations review. In the mean time, the episode summary for The Love Equations is as below.
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Episode 1
Zhou Xiao and Cai Ya Si are close friends. They have been admitted into Nan Fang University. Zhou Xiao is a student in the Chinese Studies Department and writes detective novels in her free time. She is a huge fan of mystery novels and has a bubbly personality. Ya Si specializes in programming.
Zhao Fan Zhou is a handsome forensic science student and chairman of the Student Union. He is aloof with a no-nonsense personality. Professor Hu has high hopes on him due to his talent. He always encourages Fan Zhou to socialize to help dispel the notion that medical examiners are weird people. Fan Zhou gets to know Zhou Xiao when he helps to receive new students for the term. But Zhou Xiao is late and other incidents cause Fan Zhou to feel annoyed with her. At the same time, Zhou Xiao thinks Fan Zhou is unbearably cold.
Zhou Xiao’s parents always fuss over her. They help to bring her luggage to her dorm but her father accidentally drips a few drops of water onto her dorm mate’s painting. This dorm mate is Zhu Lu who is an art student and seems cold and unfriendly. Her other dorm mates are Tao Ling who is her good friend and Luo Wei. Being new at university, they miss home.
Episode 2
Zhou Xiao and her dorm mates have to attend a military training camp. Fan Zhou is the commander’s assistant. He begins to take notice of Zhou Xiao when she is punished together with Tao Ling to do push-ups for trying to feign illness to escape the harsh training. Then, Fan Zhou and Jia Yi Chun together with the camp commander come by to inspect the students’ dorms. Yi Chun and Fan Zhou are neighbors in their hometown and she is in love with him. She notices Zhou Xiao throwing a hair straightener outside the window as it is a banned appliance in the dorms. However, Fan Zhou denies seeing anything.
Later, Zhou Xiao bumps into Fan Zhou when she goes downstairs to look for the appliance. They end up being tasked to pick up all the discarded items together. Zhou Xiao and her dorm mates’ relationship with Zhu Lu begins to improve as they help the latter when she becomes less than sober after taking too much medication. Yi Chun is jealous of Zhou Xiao because she is attracting Fan Zhou’s attention. However, Zhou Xiao thinks he is creepy when he starts to smile at her.
Yi Chun breaks Zhou Xiao’s walkie-talkie when she purposely steps on it. Ya Si is annoyed with her attitude towards Zhou Xiao. During the camp closing ceremony, somebody hacks the electronic board to put up an embarrassing message aimed at Yi Chun.
Episode 3
Zhou Xiao is looking for a club to join at university but couldn’t find anything suitable. Fan Zhou silently observes Zhou Xiao from a distance and starts to develop interest in her. But he still pretends to be cold and unaffected by her. Xie Yi Xing is a star badminton player and first year Physical Education student. He is also the new dorm mate of Fan Zhou. Yi Xing has a self-inflated ego and thinks that everyone is his fan. This creates a misunderstanding between him and Zhu Lu who thinks he is a jerk.
Zhou Xiao decides to set up a Detective Club but needs the approval of the Student Union. Hence, she needs to convince Fan Zhou that the club would be beneficial to the students. Since the university administration wants the Student Union to investigate the hacking of the electronic board, Zhou Xiao sees it as an opportunity to prove that a Detective Club has its benefits. She seeks Ya Si’s help since he is a talented programmer. But he declines to help her. In the end, she cooperates with Fan Zhou and discovers that the culprit is actually Ya Si.
Yi Chun thinks Zhou Xiao is the guilty party. Zhou Xiao apologizes to her to avoid trouble for Ya Si. But Yi Chun still reports her to the university administration. Ya Si admits his guilt to spare Zhou Xiao. Fan Zhou also brings in the evidence to prove Zhou Xiao is innocent. He also allows her to establish her Detective Club. Zhu Lu joins the badminton club at Chen Yu’s invitation.
Episode 4
Tao Ling thinks that Ya Si likes Zhou Xiao because he always treats her differently and they have a close relationship. Zhou Xiao needs 5 members before she could establish her Detective Club. Fan Zhou volunteers to join as the 5th member. Ya Si also agrees to join but on the condition that Zhuo Xiao treats him to a VR game.
Zhu Lu is cold towards Yi Xing and rejects his special spray when she hurts her ankle during a badminton match with him. But she accepts Chen Yu’s help instead which makes Yi Xing questions his own looks. Zhu Lu’s admiration for Chen Yu increases when she hears him reprimanding other girls for gossiping about her. Zhu Lu also attracts an admirer in Fang Wei who sends her sanitary napkins in a bag of gifts. Zhou Xiao tells him off for having such perverted behavior.
Fan Zhou is on his way to the library. Zhou Xiao thinks he is following her and finds it creepy. But Fan Zhou actually works part-time there. It is his way of avoiding his mother’s calls who seems clingy and unhappy. Zhou Xiao falls asleep while at the library. It is closing time. Fan Zhou touches her hair but pulls back when she awakens. He keeps thinking about Zhou Xiao and tries to get close to her. Tao Ling suggests to Zhou Xiao to test out Ya Si feelings towards her. So, Zhou Xiao brings him to play VR games together but finds that they are hardly compatible.
Zhou Xiao gets scared when she senses that someone is following her near the lab rooms. She then gets trapped in the lift.
Episode 5
Zhou Xiao calls Fan Zhou to help her get out of the lift. He asks her to treat him in return if she wants to thank him. Then, they see Tao Ling with Fang Wei. It turns out that they are already a couple and the bag of gifts was meant for Tao Ling and not Zhu Lu. It is merely a misunderstanding.
Zhou Xiao borrows money from her dorm mates to treat Fan Zhou. But he brings her to an expensive restaurant as he doesn’t expect her to pay. She tries to order the cheaper dishes. However, the bill is still high as she has made a mistake on her order. In the end, Zhou Xiao doesn’t have enough money and Fan Zhou settles the bill. Zhou Xiao insists on paying him back. He is forced to agree to a monthly installment repayment. Fan Zhou is trying to court her but she remains clueless.
Zhu Lu still finds Yi Xing annoying and refuses to talk to him when he sits beside her in class. Yi Chun notices that Fan Zhou is showing interest in Zhou Xiao. So, she tries to scare Zhou Xiao with the story that Fan Zhou’s mother is very possessive of her son and had been against their relationship. But Zhou Xiao has no interest in her story and tells her that Fan Zhou is merely a friend. Ya Si pretends that Zhou Xiao is his girlfriend to deter potential suitors.
Zhou Xiao’s Detective Club is officially approved and given a meeting space. Zhu Lu invites Chen Yu to attend the members’ activity with her but Yi Xing turns up instead because Chen Yu is down with stomachache. Ya Si refuses to partner Fan Zhou for the activity and leaves early.
Episode 6
Zhou Xiao has arranged for the members to hunt for an item based on several clues. Fan Zhou is able to decipher the clues easily and gets the item needed. He brings it back to Zhou Xiao who is waiting outside the forensic lab room. She had wanted to end the game in the lab room but the area is out of bounds for outsiders. Fan Zhou quietly brings her inside to take a look. He accidentally kisses her forehead as they quickly hide in a confined space when a security guard does his rounds.
Zhu Lu stumbles and falls after hitting Yi Xing who is teasing her. He uses his hand to prevent Zhu Lu from hitting the back of her head against a shelf. 2 students are recording their interaction but Yi Xing pleads with them to delete it. When Zhu Lu has to become an art model in an exhibition, Yi Xing volunteers to do the same to stand next to her. He also covers her up when she falls asleep.
Fan Zhou changes seat with a classmate to have a better view of Zhou Xiao who is in the opposite classroom. He creates opportunity for himself to accompany her to the supermarket. He also purposely orders the book that she wanted on behalf of the library and borrows it for her.
There is a contest for the most creative dorm. The 3 of them try to beautify their dorm but it turns out like a mourning hall which leaves Zhu Lu flabbergasted. Ya Si wants to keep some high-wattage appliances in the Detective Club. These include an expensive projector. Zhou Xiao drops it when she stumbles while standing on a chair.
Episode 7
Ya Si hugs Zhou Xiao as she falls off the chair. He is affected by their close proximity. Yi Xing is trying to woo Zhu Lu. He spoils her plans to go out alone with Chen Yu which irritates her. Yi Xing asks her to consider him if she wants a boyfriend but gets rejected outright.
Zhou Xiao tries to borrow a skeleton from Professor Hu to decorate her dorm room for the creative dorm contest. He is not keen to lend it to her but relents after Fan Zhou subtly helps her out. Fan Zhou helps her to carry it back to her dorm. Zhou Xiao begins to get suspicious about Fan Zhou’s motivation to get close to her. She concludes that it must be because he feels apologetic for accidentally kissing her on the forehead previously. Fan Zhou is frustrated with her conclusion and asks her what if the kiss was intentional. It leaves Zhou Xiao even more confused.
Chen Yu wants Yi Xing to play for their club in the inter-college badminton competition. But Yi Xing declines and gets into a quarrel with Zhu Lu. Ya Si is encouraged by his dorm mate, Zhan Ling, to confess his feelings for Zhou Xiao. He goes to the forensic lab to look for her as she is returning the skeleton to Fan Zhou. Both guys try to compete for her time. Eventually, she chooses to go with Ya Si who says that he has something important to tell her.
However, Ya Si doesn’t have the courage to confess to her directly. He ends up telling her that they should have a friend’s agreement to be a couple if both of them are still single after several years. She treats it as a joke.
Episode 8
Yi Xing offers to train Zhu Lu for the badminton team competition. She learns a bit more about Yi Xing during the training. The reason he declines to compete is because he is still nursing an old injury. Chen Yu asks Fan Zhou to be the team doctor but he isn’t interested.
Fan Zhou recommends Zhou Xiao for an interview to become a part-time librarian. Yi Chun is miserable when Fan Zhou admits to her that he likes Zhou Xiao. She vows to stay close to him. Hence, Yi Chun volunteers to do more than her fair share of work in the Student Union to get his attention.
Fan Zhou volunteers to be the badminton team doctor at the last minute when he learns that Zhou Xiao will be there to cheer for Zhu Lu. During Zhu Lu’s match, she sprains her ankle and lost. With her loss, the score between the 2 teams is tied. The men’s singles match will decide the winner. Yi Xing steps forward to take on his main rival and wins for the team. But his shoulder injury is aggravated although he pretends he is fine which makes Zhu Lu feels bad.
The clubs have to think of a performance for the upcoming university anniversary celebrations. Zhou Xiao asks Ya Si for ideas. Fan Zhou solves her problem by asking her to do volunteer work for the Student Union during the celebrations to avoid having to do any performance. Then, he rushes her off to do her librarian duties to Ya Si’s disappointment. Tao Ling advises him to seriously pursue Zhou Xiao if he doesn’t want to lose her to someone else. Zhou Xiao begins to admire Fan Zhou while watching him skillfully mending the library books.
Episode 9
Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao are working in the restricted antique books room. When the library closes, they are stuck there overnight. They build an igloo-shaped shelter with the books from the shelves to provide some warmth for the night. Zhou Xiao falls asleep on Fan Zhou’s shoulder. Ya Si overreacts when he hears from Zhou Xiao that she has spent the night with Fan Zhou in the library. He only calms down when she explains what happened to them. Zhou Xiao notices that Ya Si’s classmate, Bei Guan, has interest in him.
Zhou Xiao opts to help move supplies for her volunteer work for the Student Union. So, she ends up having to move boxes of bottled water to the auditorium. She meets Fan Zhou there who is testing the spotlight for the stage. Zhou Xiao finds herself looking at him as he stands under the spotlight and he stares back at her in return. Ya Si arrives to break their attention towards each other.
Zhou Xiao promises to help Fan Zhou to think of an alternative performance when a speaker couldn’t make it on that day. As Luo Wei is a good dancer, the 4 dorm mates end up putting up a dance performance as an alternative. Ya Si also gives a speech for the anniversary celebration. At the end of the speech, he confesses his feelings for Zhou Xiao. But she thinks he is just making use of her to make another girl jealous like in the past and rejects him. Fan Zhou is happy but Ya Si is heartbroken.
Episode 10
Fan Zhou gets tips from a book on love psychology to woo Zhou Xiao. Zhu Lu is being pursued by an insistent classmate who gives her a scare. Yi Xing helps her to fend off her pursuer. Zhu Lu offers to treat him to a meal to thank him for his help.
Zhou Xiao wants to help a fellow student to look for her lost cat which is pregnant. Fan Zhou agrees to help her as per the tips in the love psychology book. He encourages her to look for the cat together in an abandoned building although it is already night time. He thinks this will enhance his chance to make her fall for him. But the experience scares Zhou Xiao needlessly and she ends up crying which makes Fan Zhou feel regretful.
Yi Xing takes a peek at Fan Zhou’s love psychology book. It advises guys to take their dates to dim places to make them lower their guard. So, he arranges to be seated at the dimmest table when Zhu Lu treats him to dinner. But this annoys Zhu Lu instead which worsens when he steers her onto dim pathways on the way back.
Yi Chun approaches Fan Zhou to help her with her assignment. Zhou Xiao sees them physically close to each other. Yi Chun clarifies that it is a misunderstanding but Zhou Xiao insists it has nothing to do with her. She also pretends that she doesn’t care when Fan Zhou tries to explain. They go out to look for the cat again and finally find her in a drain. Fan Zhou takes her back to the lab to operate on her to deliver the kittens. But Professor Hu punishes him for bringing a cat into the lab which amuses Zhou Xiao.
Episode 11
Fan Zhou is busy helping Professor Hu with a project. Zhou Xiao hasn’t had any communication with him for a few days. She wonders why he is not replying to her messages. Zhou Xiao is relieved when she learns that Fan Zhou has applied for leave from his librarian duties because of a project. She is worried that he might have quit and wouldn’t be able to see him.
Zhou Xiao and her dorm mates are planning to watch a meteor shower. Zhu Lu invites Chen Yu to join them. Yi Xing insists on coming along. Ya Si is stuck in an intensive programming workshop but still invites Zhou Xiao to a detective exhibition. Fan Zhou finishes Professor’s Hu project and invites Zhou Xiao to the same exhibition but is one step too late. He is disappointed.
On the day of the exhibition, Ya Si couldn’t leave the workshop. She ends up going to the exhibition with Fan Zhou. They have a good time together until Ya Si sneaks out to meet her. Both of them bought her gifts which makes her feel a little awkward. After the exhibition, she tells them she is meeting her dorm mates for the meteor shower. Both guys insist on tagging along. They bump into Yi Chun who has been calling Fan Zhou to watch the meteor shower together.
Episode 12
They end up going for the meteor shower in a big group. It becomes awkward when Fan Zhou directly hints he is interested in Zhou Xiao right in front of Yi Chun during a game. In the end, Zhou Xiao feels affected when she sees Fan Zhou talking to Yi Chun. But Fan Zhou’s message to Yi Chun is that there could never be anything between them. Ya Si has planned to seriously tell Zhou Xiao about his feelings for her but decides not to when he realizes she loves Fan Zhou. He is heartbroken.
It is the spring holiday. Zhou Xiao returns to her hometown. When it is time to go back to university, Fan Zhou messages her to say that he will pick her up from the train station. But Zhou Xiao is unsure how to reply. She is keen but also nervous at the prospect of seeing him again. Zhou Xiao is discussing her feelings with Tao Ling but mistakenly sends her message to Fan Zhou. She quickly deletes it but Fan Zhou has seen it.
When Fan Zhou goes to pick up Zhou Xiao, he pretends not to have seen her deleted message. But he purposely asks her about it to toy with her. Fan Zhou begins to be more direct in pursuing her which leaves her feeling flustered and shy. Yi Xing is jealous that Chen Yu and Zhu Lu is getting closer to each other. Zhu Lu plans to confess her feelings to Chen Yu.
Episode 13
Zhou Xiao tries to avoid Fan Zhou as much as possible as she is feeling nervous and shy. When they are asked to clean a section of the library together, Fan Zhou locks Zhou Xiao up in a glass room to force her to listen to his confession. Zhou Xiao admits that she likes him too and they begin their courtship. They start off slowly as both are still a little shy. Fan Zhou finally gathers up his courage to hold Zhou Xiao’s hand after purposely asking her to fix his cuff. When they are fooling around while working in the library, Fan Zhou pulls her close to try to kiss her. Zhou Xiao tells him not to as they are in the library and then quickly scoots off.
Ya Si sees Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao together in the dining hall. He calls her to confirm if she is dating Fan Zhou. She tells him yes and he feels miserable although he pretends otherwise. Zhu Lu asks Chen Yu out for a meal by giving the excuse that she wants to treat him for helping her to string her racquet. She bumps into Yi Xing while on the way to meet Chen Yu. Zhou Xiao has to tutor a foreign student called Ren Yi Yang who is a handsome Korean guy.
Episode 14
Yi Xing tails Zhu Lu to her date with Chen Yu. They are having a meal at a fancy restaurant. Zhu Lu and Chen Yu confess their feelings to each other. Yi Xing overhears Chen Yu’s phone conversation and suspects that he might be cheating on Zhu Lu. Yi Yang thinks Zhou Xiao is cute and wants to treat her to a meal. But when he finds out that she has a boyfriend, he quickly bails out. Zhou Xiao is astounded by Yi Yang’s quick change of mind which leaves Fan Zhou feeling astonished as to his girlfriend’s cluelessness. Fan Zhou is also a little jealous of Yi Yang.
While spending time together, Zhou Xiao is busy writing her novel. Fan Zhou feels neglected. After a while, he pulls her close to kiss her. As it is Zhou Xiao’s first kiss, she doesn’t know how to react afterwards and feels embarrassed. She keeps thinking how can Fan Zhou be so calm and wonders if he has many girlfriends in the past.
Yi Xing tries to look for clues on Chen Yu’s cheating. He finds a lipstick and hair elastic band in Chen Yu’s lab pocket that the latter has left behind after he moved out of the dorm. Yi Xing tries to warn Zhu Lu but she tells him off. When Zhu Lu asks Chen Yu about the items that Yi Xing has found, he tells her that they belong to his cousin. Yi Xing refuses to give up and relates his suspicion to Zhou Xiao. She gets Ya Si to help them to track Chen Yu’s other girlfriend’s whereabouts with his programming skills. Yi Xing and Ya Si then arrive at her block residence.
Episode 15
Yi Xing fails to get evidence of Chen Yu’s cheating. Zhou Xiang, Tao Ling, and Luo Wei try to talk to Zhu Lu about Chen Yu but she tells them not to worry about her. Fan Zhou arranges to go on a date with Zhou Xiao during the weekend. He has everything planned out which impresses her. They go to a DIY workshop but Zhou Xiao sneaks away halfway through when Tao Ling calls. Zhu Lu has received the contact details of Chen Yu’s other girlfriend from Yi Xing and is going to confront her. Tao Ling and Luo Wei are worried.
Together with Yi Xing, they tail Zhu Lu to a cafe and quietly watch over her. Chen Yu arrives but Zhu Lu has set him up by having his other girlfriend listening in to their conversation. Chen Yu’s two-timing behavior is exposed. He tries to put Zhu Lu down. Yi Xing rushes to defend her. Zhu Lu drags Yi Xing away to prevent a fight. Yi Xing leaves her alone to cry it out to give her some privacy.
Fan Zhou tells Zhou Xiao that she is his first girlfriend. He makes her a pipe from the DIY workshop since she is into detective novels. Zhu Lu is depressed over her break up with Chen Yu. Yi Xing tries to get her to go to an amusement park to cheer her up but she rejects him. He gets Zhou Xiao to help him out. She manages to convince Zhu Lu to go by offering to accompany her. Zhou Xiao also pleads with Fan Zhou to cooperate with her to set Zhu Lu up with Yi Xing. She wants to help Zhu Lu to get over Chen Yu.
Episode 16
Zhou Xiao, Fan Zhou, Zhu Lu, and Yi Xing have fun at the amusement park. Yi Xing tries his best to cheer Zhu Lu up. She starts to soften her attitude towards him. When it is time to leave, Zhou Xiao says that she wants to stay a little longer to give opportunity to Yi Xing to send Zhu Lu home.
Zhou Xiao and Fan Zhou continue their date. She learns that he had an unhappy childhood as his parents were constantly quarreling. Even the scar on his upper arm was the result of a knife being accidentally flung towards him when his parents were fighting with each other. When night time comes, Fan Zhou delights Zhou Xiao with some fireworks. Then, he shows her the playground that used to be his secret base when he was a kid to escape the unhappiness at home. They share a kiss at that playground.
Yi Chun notices Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao together on a bicycle and feels jealous. Chen Yu’s exchange program at the university is coming to an end. He will be passing the badminton club duties to Yi Xing. Chen Yu also asks Yi Xing to tell Zhu Lu that he is sorry for hurting her. Yi Xing passes Chen Yu’s message to Zhu Lu but mentions to her that he has rejected the apology on her behalf. Zhu Lu is more accepting of Yi Xing now but they still tend to argue during their interactions.
Episode 17
Zhou Xiao gets to meet her idol author, Qin Meng, who is at the university to give a talk to the forensic science students. She requests Qin Meng to offer a talk to other students as well which she agrees. Qin Meng is impressed with Zhou Xiao’s preparations and wants her to be the co-host for the event. This makes Yi Chun jealous as she feels that Zhou Xiao has snatched away not only her position but also Fan Zhou. When the opportunity presents itself, Yi Chun blocks Fan Zhou’s number on Zhou Xiao’s phone.
Fan Zhou’s mother is involved in an accident and also diagnosed with mental instability. He gets a call from the hospital while Zhou Xiao is hosting Qin Meng’s talk. Fan Zhou rushes to see his mother and takes care of her. He tries to reach Zhou Xiao but couldn’t do so as his number has been blocked on her phone. Zhou Xiao couldn’t reach Fan Zhou as well. She tries to look for him at the lab and Student Union. Yi Chun sees Zhou Xiao and purposely tells her that Fan Zhou has called her to tell her about his mother’s condition. Even Yi Xing has received a call from Fan Zhou when he calls him to pass a message to Zhou Xiao since he couldn’t reach her.
This leaves Zhou Xiao feeling heartbroken that Fan Zhou has called everyone else but her. She thinks that they have broken up. When she meets Ya Si, she cries her heart out. She begins to experience a roller-coaster of emotions from the assumed break up. In her anger, she takes Fan Zhou’s student store value card to buy meals for everybody as revenge.
Episode 18
Zhou Xiao’s dorm mates bring her to a badminton match to make her forget about her break up. But she is still feeling miserable. She begins to pay more attention in class and take up additional work which is out of her character. She also indulges in self-pity to force her dorm mates to give in to her fancies.
Finally, Ya Si calls Zhou Xiao out to meet him. But he is in fact helping her to patch things up with Fan Zhou. Ya Si had gone to see Fan Zhou earlier because he is not happy with how Fan Zhou was treating Zhou Xiao. When he finds out that it is all a misunderstanding, he agrees to help Fan Zhou. Fan Zhou shows Zhou Xiao his phone records to prove to her that he has been calling her non-stop. They clear up their misunderstanding. Fan Zhou also buys Zhou Xiao a new phone while she gets for themselves a couple phone case in return.
Yi Chun pays Fan Zhou’s mother a visit. Fan Zhou is surprised when he sees Yi Chun in his home. He directly tells his mother that he already has a girlfriend to prevent any misunderstanding. His mother is supportive of his decision. Zhou Xiao’s language professor admires her writing skills and recommends her for a one-week workshop in Beijing. Zhu Lu also has a sketching project in Haicheng. As the place is on the way to Zhou Xiao and Tao Ling’s hometown, they decide to travel together since it is the start of their summer holiday.
Episode 19
Yi Xing knows Zhu Lu will be going to Haicheng and wants to follow her. Zhou Xiao asks Fan Chou to tag along with them. At the supermarket to buy food for the trip, they bump into Ya Si. Tao Ling invites him along to Fan Zhou’s annoyance.
They have booked 2 rooms at Haicheng – one for the girls and the other for the guys. During the barbecue at night, the 3 guys end up drunk. The girls send them back up to their room. But Ya Si vomits on Fan Zhou’s bed. Zhou Xiao helps Fan Zhou to move to another room and settles him in place. When she wants to get back to her own room, she discovers that she doesn’t have her room card while Tao Ling is not picking up her phone.
Hence, Zhou Xiao and Fan Zhou end up sharing a bed for the night after a few awkward moments that include a showering incident and watching a scary movie together. Fan Zhou remains a gentleman but has a sleepless night. The next morning, they help Yi Xing to express his love for Zhu Lu by flying kites with love wordings. Zhu Lu finally accepts Yi Xing’s love.
Fan Zhou sends Zhou Xiao home after spending time at Haicheng. She has not told her parents that she is in a relationship. Just as Fan Zhou is about to kiss Zhou Xiao before letting her go home, her father catches them in the act.
Episode 20
Zhou Xiao’s father is not happy to know that she is dating. He is a possessive father and hence, disapproving of Fan Zhou. So, he asks Fan Zhou to make dinner for the family to look for a chance to criticize him. However, Fan Zhou turns out to be a good cook. Zhou Xiao’s father also invites Ya Si over for dinner and praises him in comparison to Fan Zhou. But Zhou Xiao starts to reveal Ya Si’s not so good traits to nullify her father’s low opinion of Fan Zhou.
While Zhou Xiao’s father is disapproving of Fan Zhou, her mother likes him a lot. She invites him to stay for the night and he ends up sleeping with Zhou Xiao’s father. He has a hard time sleeping because of her father’s snoring and dreaming. But Fan Zhou is also envious of Zhou Xiao’s loving and close-knit family.
Fan Zhou receives a call from his father and has to rush home. Zhou Xiao wishes he could stay to keep her company before her trip to Beijing. Fan Zhou promises to see her again before her trip as he thinks his mother is just feeling a little down as usual and he should be able to find time for Zhou Xiao.
However, Fan Zhou notices that things are all over the floor when he reaches home. His father wants a divorce because he couldn’t stand his wife’s insecurities and aggressive behavior anymore. Fan Zhou’s mother then lost control of her emotions and his father fed her some sleeping pills as a last resort. Fan Zhou is reminded of the doctor’s recommendation for his mother to get a psychiatric assessment when she was admitted to hospital after her accident. He tells his father that they should send her to the hospital.
Episode 21
Fan Zhou’s mother is diagnosed to have bipolar disorder. Yi Chun bumps into Fan Zhou as she is doing internship at the hospital as a psychology student. The doctor recommends that his mother goes to a Beijing hospital for treatment. His father is busy with his business and is unable to accompany them. Thus, Fan Zhou lies to his mother that his father is waiting for them in Beijing.
When Fan Zhou’s mother finds out that she has been lied to at the hospital, she becomes uncontrollable. Her mental disorder needs to be controlled via medication. Fan Zhou is also advised by the doctor to do a genetic test as his mother’s mental disorder is hereditary.
Zhou Xiao also leaves for Beijing for her writing camp. She bumps into Fan Zhou at the hospital when she hurt her hand. While Zhou Xiao vows to be with him no matter what, he reassures her that everything is fine. But he still hides from her about the hereditary nature of his mother’s illness. Fan Zhou tells his father that he will break up with Zhou Xiao if he also has the same mental disorder genes as his mother. He doesn’t want to put Zhou Xiao through the same pain as what his father has gone through with his mother. He gets himself tested but the results will only be available in 2 to 3 months.
When Zhou Xiao visits Fan Zhou’s mother at the hospital, the latter refuses to take her medication and becomes aggressive all of a sudden. It scares Zhou Xiao but it didn’t put her off. Her commitment towards her relationship with Fan Zhou remains strong. She waits for him at the airport late at night when he returns for the registration of the new semester.
Episode 22
Fan Zhou is angry with Zhou Xiao for sneaking out so late at night. He is worried about her safety. But she manages to soothe his anger and make him smile again. They remain sweet and loving. Yi Xing purposely posts a picture of him and Zhu Lu on his social media account. He wants everyone to know that Zhu Lu is his girlfriend. Although Zhu Lu appears annoyed, she could also feel Yi Xing’s love for her. Tao Ling is frequently quarreling with Fang Wei as they spend less and less time together.
Fan Zhou’s mother is transferred back from Beijing to the local hospital. Zhou Xiao pays her a visit and they strike up a warm relationship. She begins to keep Fan Zhou’s mother company at the hospital often. Yi Chun gets back Fan Zhou’s genetic testing result which turns out to be good news. But she hides it from him when she sees that Zhou Xiao is getting closer to his family. Then, Yi Chun learns from Fan Zhou’s father that Fan Zhou is preparing to break up with Zhou Xiao if his genetic testing result is unfavorable.
When Fan Zhou gets his testing result, it shows a high probability of him having the same mental disorder. He tells Zhou Xiao that he wants a break up although he loves her very much.
Episode 23
Zhou Xiao doesn’t want to break up with Fan Zhou but neither does she want to beg him to stay. She cries in front of Ya Si who tries his best to comfort her. Zhou Xiao is heartbroken and still pines for Fan Zhou. But she tries to lead her life as usual and pretend that she is not too affected by the break up. Fan Zhou is also hurting but he feels he cannot be so selfish to drag Zhou Xiao into such a serious matter. He quits his Detective Club membership as well as his position at the Student Union and part-time work at the library.
Ya Si confronts Fan Zhou over his poor treatment of Zhou Xiao. They get into a brawl. At the end of it, Fan Zhou asks Ya Si to take good care of Zhou Xiao. Ya Si replies that he will definitely do a better job than him. He also takes up work at the library to accompany Zhou Xiao. Fan Zhou has to hand over his library duties and gives instructions to Ya Si on what needs to be done. When Zhou Xiao hurts her finger while cleaning the shelves, Fan Zhou automatically shows his concern before Ya Si rushes over to check on her. Fan Zhou then withdraws from the scene and leave them alone.
Fan Zhou’s mother is questioning him on why Zhou Xiao has stopped visiting her. He gives the excuse that Zhou Xiao is busy with her classes. But Fan Zhou’s mother calls Zhou Xiao directly. She goes to see her at the hospital and then Fan Zhou arrives.
Episode 24
Zhou Xiao pretends that she is still in a relationship with Fan Zhou in front of his mother. She is also willing to keep up the pretense when his mother asks her to drop by again the next day. However, Fan Zhou decides to tell his mother that they have broken up. Zhou Xiao is hurt that Fan Zhou is so direct. She leaves the room and asks Ya Si to accompany her out of the hospital as she feels lost. Fan Zhou rushes after her with her bag that she has left behind. Ya Si grabs it off him and gets into the lift with Zhou Xiao.
Ya Si takes Zhou Xiao go-karting to cheer her up. She tells him directly that he must confess if he has feelings for her. This way, she would be able to reject him properly. This forces Ya Si to pretend that he is not interested to prevent their friendship from becoming awkward.
Fan Zhou’s mother’s condition suffers a relapse because she thinks she is to be blamed for his son’s break up with Zhou Xiao. The doctor recommends that she undergoes a long-term treatment in Beijing. Fan Zhou applies to suspend his studies to accompany his mother to Beijing. Zhou Xiao pretends to be fine when she hears the news from Yi Xing. But privately, she is suffering from heartache. Fan Zhou leaves for Beijing with a heavy heart.
Zhou Xiao’s detective novel is officially published. Ya Si accompanies her to sit at the bookstore to check out if her book has any buyers. Fan Zhou cannot resist the temptation to see Zhou Xiao any longer. He flies back and waits for her outside her dorm. But then he sees her with Ya Si and they are teasing each other.
Episode 25
Fan Zhou walks away and bumps into Yi Chun. She is reluctant to follow her family abroad because of him and reminds him that he has broken up with Zhou Xiao. But Fan Zhou tells her bluntly that he has never been interested in her. He flies back to Beijing. A letter from Yi Chun arrives but Fan Zhou has no interest to open it. It remains in his mother’s hospital room.
Another half a year has gone by. Fan Zhou’s mother has recovered and they are preparing to leave the hospital. As they pack up, his father finds Yi Chun’s letter and opens it. It is Fan Zhou’s genetic testing result which shows he is not at risk of mental disorder. Fan Zhou calls Yi Chun to question her. She admits that she has tampered with the result back then to make him break up with Zhou Xiao. If he didn’t hate her, he would have opened her letter and known the real result sooner.
Fan Zhou’s mother encourages him to woo Zhou Xiao back. He returns to university and also helps out at the library to compete with Ya Si for Zhou Xiao’s affections. He pleads with her for a second chance but Zhou Xiao declines. She is angry that he sees her as someone who couldn’t share his sufferings. Tao Ling also proposes to Fang Wei that they break up as he is always busy with his projects.
When an earthquake occurs, Zhou Xiao dashes back into the library to look for Fan Zhou. Ya Si follows her. Fan Zhou takes a hit from a falling ladder to protect Zhou Xiao. When they exit the building, Ya Si keeps quiet about his injured arm when he sees Zhou Xiao fusses over Fan Zhou who is bleeding.
Episode 26
Zhou Xiao accompanies Fan Zhou to the campus hospital to bandage his wound. She helps him to wear back his shirt. Tao Ling also hurt her ankle. Fang Wei tries to show his concern but Tao Ling still ends up unhappy over his lack of time for her. He then decides that it is best that they break up as they are not suitable for each other which leaves Tao Ling miserable.
Zhou Xiao messages Ya Si to ask his whereabouts as she haven’t seen him around. He pretends to be having a good time. He also replies that he has no idea when Zhou Xiao seeks his advice on her relationship with Fan Zhou.
Fan Zhou’s mother invites Zhou Xiao over to her place for a meal. She convinces her that it would only be the 2 of them. But it is a set up to try to get her son and Zhou Xiao to reconcile. Fan Zhou and Zhou Xiao then end up being locked in the apartment by his mother. He plays along to try to woo back Zhou Xiao. They eventually reconcile when Fan Zhou apologizes and pleads with her to give him a chance. When she cries, he pulls her close and kisses her.
Tao Ling is still affected by the break up with Fang Wei. Yi Xing and Zhu Lu are going strong and steady. While Zhou Xiao is back with Fan Zhou, she still feels uncomfortable and awkward about the reconciliation.
Episode 27
Zhuo Xiao tries to avoid Fan Zhou. She is supposed to attend classes with him but bails out at the last minute. In actual fact, Fan Zhou has planned to bring her to the amusement park and the classes is just an excuse. He has also applied for leave by telling Professor Hu that he has family matters to handle. But the lie is exposed and both Fan Zhou and Zhuo Xiao are made to clean the lab as punishment.
Zhou Xiao suddenly breaks down while cleaning. She recalls the time when Fan Zhou asked for a break up. Zhou Xiao admits that she is feeling insecure. She is afraid that Fan Zhou will break up with her again all of a sudden. Fan Zhou then proposes that they get married and lays out his plan for their life together. Zhou Xiao is taken aback that the marriage issue has cropped up all of a sudden. But she finally feels reassured of Fan Zhou’s commitment towards her.
It’s graduation day. Zhou Xiao still has not inform her parents that she has long reconciled with Fan Zhou. When they turn up at her graduation unannounced, they find out about the reconciliation. Her father is angry because of how Fan Zhou has hurt Zhou Xiao in the past. But Fan Zhou’s mother manages to convince him to accept their relationship.
Tao Ling has got over Fang Wei. Yi Xing proposes to Zhu Lu on stage. After graduation, Yi Xing opens a gym. Fan Zhou is waiting for Zhou Xiao at the station to go to the gym for the opening ceremony. He has memories of how they first met and their relationship journey as they travel to Yi Xing’s gym. All their friends are there for a happy conclusion to the story.
Extra Story
Fan Zhou is now working as a medical examiner. Zhou Xiao is busy writing novels. They are getting married in 3 days’ time. Fan Zhou is still short of a best man given his lack of friends. Zhou Xiao asks Ya Si to help out which he willingly agrees. On their wedding day, Zhou Xiao’s father walks her down the aisle. He is reluctant to let go of his daughter’s hand. Fan Zhou reassures him that he will take good care of Zhou Xiao. As the groom kisses the bride, a flashback of all their previous kisses in their relationship journey is shown.
Yi Chun is secretly watching the wedding from afar. She is shown to be happy for them. While Yi Xing has proposed to Zhu Lu during their graduation, she is still considering the timing before settling down with him. Ya Si is still single. When Zhou Xiao throws her bouquet, it lands on Luo Wei who doesn’t want it. Tao Ling is working in her hometown and has just earned a promotion. Fang Wei asks Ya Si about Tao Ling’s relationship status to which Ya Si replies that he should ask her instead.
The story ends with Fan Zhou having a funny drunken conversation with his parents and in-laws before enjoying his wedding night with Zhou Xiao.
Other College Romance Rom-Coms
If you like dramas with a college romance theme, there are definitely plenty to choose from. Many seem to think that Put Your Head On My Shoulder is a must-watch as far as college romance goes. I have a differing view but if you like The Love Equations, then that drama should be equally sweet as well. However, if you prefer more depth to your stories rather than just depictions of ups and downs of a simple college romance, then Skate Into Love would make a better watch. Le Coup de Foudre will be the go-to drama for those who like coming-of-age stories that start from high school all the way to adult life.
Image Credit: Tencent
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