(Supporting characters from left) Shen Jian Hong as Yin Cheng, Fang Si Yu as Jiang Zhen En, Coco Jiang as Wei An, Ke Huan Ru as Pan Nan, Chen Chen as Jie Ni, Patina Lin as Shen Qiang
Xiao Cheng has been stressing over a suitable birthday present to give to their mom for her 40th. In a bid to gift something new, he excitedly suggests to Xia Mo that they compete in a local singing contest. In fact, it would be even more fun if Luo Xi participates with them! Luo Xi instantly turns him down and although Xia Mo is less than excited to sing in front of so many strangers, she cannot bear to disappoint Xiao Cheng. Thinking to humor Xiao Cheng and that the contest will be overrun with better contestants anyway, Xia Mo is mildly horrified when they pass onto the next stage due to the fact that not many people showed up for the contest.
Although Xia Mo is not in the contest to win first place, neither does she wish to embarrass herself and Xiao Cheng in public and so increases her efforts at practicing. Luo Xi offers to help her practice although he makes it clear that she’ll owe him later. Xia Mo takes Luo Xi up on his offer and the two practice together with Luo Xi playing his guitar and Xia Mo singing, Xiao Cheng sometimes joining in. However, when Xia Mo asks Luo Xi for his honest opinion of her practices, Luo Xi busts up laughing.
The day of the competition.
Xia Mo is increasingly nervous as she and Xiao Cheng wait for their number to be called. Although she has been practicing with Luo Xi, her stage fright seems to increase every second that she is waiting. Knowing that Xiao Cheng’s mood will follow her’s, she desperately tries to calm herself down. The point of the singing competition is to sing well and long; whoever can sing the longest will continue to advance (I slightly did not understand the setup of the competition here although I do know that it is timed). When it is Xia Mo and Xiao Cheng’s turn, they begin to sing Luo Xi’s Black Cat song – in R&B, stretching out the time with rap.
Unbeknownst to Xia Mo and Xiao Cheng, Luo Xi is also at the studio watching them and even he is impressed by Xia Mo’s strategy. As time passes though, Xia Mo is suddenly at a lost – she can’t remember the remaining lyrics! The more she struggles to calm herself down and remember the words, the more she blanks. Just as it seems that she and Xiao Cheng will have to give up though, a warm and gentle voice from the audience starts singing as he slowly makes his way to the stage.
It is Luo Xi! Smiling at Xia Mo, Luo Xi moves to stand between her and Xiao Cheng, wrapping an arm around them both. As Xia Mo leans in gratefully, drawing on Luo Xi’s strength, he continues to sing and the three finish together with the longest running time.
While flipping channels at home, Ou Chen stumbles upon the competition and watches silently before deftly turning the television off.
Xia Mo is ecstatic and celebrates with Luo Xi later that night at home, the two drinking merrily while Luo Xi seems to magically produce one beer after another for her. Xia Mo can sense herself fast becoming drunk but she is too giddy to care, leaning heavily on Luo Xi. As the two bond over drinks and laughter, Xia Mo realizes that Luo Xi has somehow gotten very close to her – so close that she can feel the breath from his lips on her own. Luo Xi himself is not quite sure of what he is feeling; just that he has never realized how warm Xia Mo was until this night. Leaning closer and closer to her, Luo Xi’s lips are about to meet Xia Mo’s – until she passes out and falls asleep on him.
The days go by so fast. Xia Mo, Luo Xi and Xiao Cheng now arrive and depart school together every day, the three spending much of their time together. Ou Chen has become more withdrawn from Xia Mo and although she knows that he is smarting from her contest participation with Luo Xi, she cannot bring him out of his mood. Ou Chen tells Xia Mo that he will be going to France for a month and not to worry; he will bring her back a gift.
Xia Mo’s dad stumbles home in a panic the next day; Luo Xi can no longer live with them. Xia Mo instantly asks if it is Ou Chen’s doing and Xia Mo’s dad cannot respond – he has this job because Xia Mo had asked Ou Chen for it. Realizing her error in letting Ou Chen stew about her relationship with Luo Xi, Xia Mo contacts Ou Chen. Although she cannot change Ou Chen’s mind about Luo Xi, the very least she can do is make sure that Luo Xi will not have to go back to the orphanage.
Xia Mo accompanies Luo Xi to the airport, where he will be studying abroad in England. Luo Xi bitterly remarks how nice it is that garbage like him gets such a generous donation from Xia Mo and Young Master Ou Chen. Xia Mo is sincere but not apologetic; she cannot let her dad be fired and she will do anything it takes to protect her family. Luo Xi asks Xia Mo if she has fallen for him. If not, why would Ou Chen go to such lengths to get rid of him?
Xia Mo tells Luo Xi to become stronger – and then return and prove to those who have hurt him that he is better than them. And then she will truly not have any regrets. Luo Xi promises Xia Mo that he will return – and to tell Ou Chen that he will pay him back double-fold everything that he fears today. Seeing the intense look in Luo Xi’s eyes, Xia Mo involuntarily takes a step back – and Luo Xi pulls Xia Mo in and kisses her deeply.
Chapter 5
5 years later.
The same day that Xia Mo was with Luo Xi at the airport, her parents were killed in a car accident and Xiao Cheng was critically injured. She never saw Ou Chen again as he mysteriously disappeared after leaving for France. Left to her own devices, Xia Mo has taken care of Xiao Cheng, taking on endless miscellaneous jobs to pay for their school tuition and his health bills. Although stressful and forced to become completely independent, she and Xiao Cheng have leaned on each other during this time and continue to just barely get by.
Xia Mo has also become good friends with Jiang Zhen En, the daughter of Ou Chen’s old chauffeur. Although Zhen En used to be bitter about her father being asked to serve Xia Mo, she has come to realize that Xia Mo is nothing like the superficial and spoiled girl she used to think of her, and the two spend much of their time at school and working odd jobs together.
Zhen En stumbles upon a job listing for personal assistants to Yao Shu Er, a rising pop star and fellow classmate to Zhen En and Xia Mo (this character is currently missing from the cast listing for Summer’s Desire although I believe she is briefly shown in the series trailer). Although Zhen En balks at being a “servant” to a fellow classmate, Xia Mo does not mind so much because it is just another job to her. When Shu Er’s rival, Wei An, also argues for a personal assistant, she is given Zhen En by the recording manager, Jam. Both Xia Mo and Zhen En throw themselves into their work although Zhen En is dismayed to find that her time with Xia Mo has been shortened considerably now that Shu Er is also becoming close friends with Xia Mo.
When Wei An attempts to push her own cousin to enter the record company, Shu Er also decides to support Xia Mo for auditions. Although Xia Mo is reluctant to enter auditions – she still clearly remembers the last time she was on a stage – Zhen En convinces her to try anyway as the financial opportunity is too good to pass up. Realizing that this career could comfortably support both her and Xiao Cheng, Xia Mo decides to try the auditions although she purposely keeps it from Xiao Cheng.
At the auditions, four other girls are in attendance along with Xia Mo. While the others measure her accordingly, one girl instantly introduces herself to Xia Mo as Pan Nan.
Jam informs the girls that they will be choosing two winners out of them to enter the company. In addition, in an effort to increase motivation, they have invited the hottest rising pop star to perform a duet with one participant. As the girls clamor excitedly, wondering if it will be Shu Er or perhaps Wei An, Jam announces the name –Luo Xi!
