Episode 3 recap: The Price of Dreams
Nan Chu is a talented young dancer who considers her dance troupe, Dream Dance Society, as her dream. Even when Shen Guang Zong, a talent scout from an entertainment company, tried to recruit her, she refused to go. However, due to insufficient funds, Dream Dance Society was struggling to continue, and the president, Yue Zhi Wei, wanted to give up on the troupe. As a result, they gathered everyone for a meal to discuss the situation. Nan Chu decided to sublet her own house to help sustain the operation of Dream Dance Society with her own money, but she didn't anticipate Yue Zhi Wei's decision to give up.
The day after the gathering, the landlord came to Dream Dance Society demanding rent payment and also requested the troupe members to move out. Nan Chu didn't want to give up on Dream Dance Society and offered to take full responsibility for the rent. However, the landlord persisted and demanded Nan Chu to immediately pay nearly 300,000 yuan in rent for the year. Unable to afford such a large sum, Nan Chu reluctantly agreed to write an IOU to the landlord, requesting them not to take back the house.
Later that night, Nan Chu's mother called to inquire about her situation. Nan Chu, determined not to give up on her dance and her dream, chose not to answer the call. She passionately performed a dance and then called Shen Guang Zong, expressing her desire to sign a contract with him and receive an advance of 300,000 yuan to sustain Dream Dance Society's operations.
Nan Chu went to Bei Yao Entertainment to find Shen Guang Zong and coincidentally encountered Xi Gu, who was doing makeup. They had previously worked together and shared a special bond. Xi Gu believed that Nan Chu's dance had a unique style and would surely develop well if she persisted, which boosted Nan Chu's confidence. After reviewing the contract provided by Shen Guang Zong, Nan Chu agreed to their terms but requested that she be allowed to continue dancing in her spare time and receive the advance payment of 300,000 yuan.
Shen Guang Zong couldn't fulfill Nan Chu's requests, so he asked her to negotiate with Han Dong. Han Dong, due to Nan Chu's demands, reduced the project but also required Nan Chu to sign a ten-year contract. In order to save Dream Dance Society, Nan Chu agreed to Han Dong's terms. Upon learning that she would be assigned an assistant, she requested Xi Gu from Shen Guang Zong. Meanwhile, Xu Zhi Yi, who was doing makeup in the dressing room, overheard the news of Nan Chu signing with Shen Guang Zong and felt a sense of discontentment.
While Nan Chu and Shen Guang Zong were discussing contract details, chaos broke out on the set, leading to a fire and causing thick smoke to fill the area. Nan Chu, with her experience in dealing with fires, took immediate action upon learning about the danger. She arranged for everyone to gather in the dressing rooms and wait for rescue. She also learned to block the door gaps with objects to prevent smoke from entering, saving many people.
Shen Guang Zong was struggling from the smoke, fearing that he wouldn't last until the firefighters arrived. However, Nan Chu firmly believed that the firefighters would find them, calming everyone's hearts. Lin Lu Xiao led the team into the set to rescue the people, successfully saving everyone. When Nan Chu was being carried onto the ambulance, on the verge of passing out, she saw Lin Lu Xiao, the one who saved her, and felt even more grateful.
Shao Yi Jiu and Qin Shi Quan were new recruits who were assigned to observe from the vehicle by Lin Lu Xiao. However, Qin Shi Quan didn't want to sit in the vehicle and watch, so he took Shao Yi Jiu into the scene, resulting in an accidental injury. Lin Lu Xiao acknowledged their mistake as new recruits but didn't harshly punish them. He simply reminded them, while Lou Ming Ye didn't let them off easily.
After Xu Zhi Yi recovered, she specifically went to check on Shen Guang Zong's condition and wanted to return to the company with him. However, Shen Guang Zong refused because he was still receiving medical treatment. After being rejected by Shen Guang Zong, Xu Zhi Yi pretended to be friendly and greeted Nan Chu to display her friendliness. When Nan Chu went to buy water for Shen Guang Zong, she encountered Lin Lu Xiao. She sincerely thanked him and expressed her hope that all firefighters would return safely from every mission.
Lou Ming Ye arrived at the station and criticized Lin Lu Xiao and Yang Zhen Gang. He demanded that they reflect on the incident where someone was injured during this mission and announced the cancellation of their station's qualification for evaluation. Upon learning that their qualification was canceled, Yang Zhen Gang anxiously explained to Lou Ming Ye, but Lou Ming Ye didn't listen. Liu Ru Yi, due to the cancellation of the qualification, sarcastically mentioned the two new recruits who had made a mistake and broke the station's zero casualty record, making them feel particularly uneasy.
Shao Yi Jiu and Qin Shi Quan realized their mistake and went to the gym to apologize to Liu Ru Yi, blaming themselves for their recklessness. Liu Ru Yi stated that not everything he said was solely their fault and advised them not to take it to heart. After Liu Ru Yi didn't blame them, Shao Yi Jiu and Qin Shi Quan immediately asked him about his daily fitness routine. Liu Ru Yi took this opportunity to teach them a lesson.
Liu Ru Yi explained that fitness was a voluntary practice for him, aiming to do a little extra when going on missions to ensure his own and his comrades' safety. This deeply moved Shao Yi Jiu and Qin Shi Quan upon hearing it.
This is the ideal firefighter, but don't expect it in reality. A couple of years ago, there was a fire in the neighboring community. A girl was trapped inside her house, and it took nearly an hour for the firefighters to enter the house.
Once inside, it only took about 5 minutes for them to bring the girl out, but it was already too late. So in a real fire situation, try your best to escape and save yourself. Don't count on firefighters to magically appear out of thin air.
Well, I must say, after watching the first two episodes, I found this drama quite enjoyable. It deviates from the original work and feels fresh. However, I have a tiny bit of dissatisfaction with the portrayal of the female lead (this is just my personal opinion, and please don't take offense if you disagree).
In the novel I read, I perceived the female lead as someone more enchanting, you know, that kind of type. After all, you can usually get a sense of the female lead's image from the beginning of the novel.
But the actress who plays her appears too pure and innocent, which doesn't quite align with my impression of Nan Chu. So, I can't help feeling a bit disappointed.