Smile Code- Episodes 17-18

Episode 17 Recap: New Year Nostalgia, Smashed Cakes, and Confessions

The emotions were off the charts in this episode of Smile Code! From Gu Yi navigating family expectations to Liang Daiwen grappling with his emotional walls, the tension between them reached a boiling point. Let’s recap the highlights:

A New Year Call and Hidden Worries

As Chinese New Year approached, Gu Yi’s mom called to ask when she’d come home—while casually applying a facial mask, of course. Gu Yi, dodging her mom’s probing questions, wondered if her mother was enjoying a second spring of romance. The sight of someone helping her mom fry fish sparked a flicker of curiosity and novelty.

Unbeknownst to Gu Yi, her mother was hiding an illness, hoping to secure her daughter’s future through a blind date. Meanwhile, Gu Yi daydreamed about Liang Daiwen, missing the comfort of his sofa, as though he’d cast a spell on her. As soon as the call ended, her mom turned to call Liang, offering him food and care—classic matchmaking mom behavior. Liang, stunned by her warmth, began reflecting on his own feelings.

On Stage, Hidden Messages Fly

Yu Dule encouraged Gu Yi to perform well at her talk show, hinting that there’d be someone special in the audience. Gu Yi’s curiosity peaked, especially as her performance touched on themes of love and longing—sending a not-so-subtle message to Liang Daiwen, who was watching from afar. Liang, however, remained hesitant, his emotions trapped under layers of self-doubt.

Smashed Cakes and Birthday Surprises

Gu Yi rushed to Liang’s house, only to find the door locked. Liang, sitting in his car to keep warm, had prepared a birthday cake for her but accidentally dropped it after a motorcycle knocked it over. Embarrassed and disheartened, he still presented the ruined cake to Gu Yi, who found his effort endearing, even joking that he’d stolen it from someone. Liang’s drunken complaints finally let Gu Yi see a new side of him—a vulnerable, emotional Liang Daiwen.

Liang confessed that while he struggles to feel emotions, he’s starting to experience them, albeit awkwardly. He likened Gu Yi to sunlight piercing through darkness, giving life to what was once bleak and cold.

Conflicted Hearts and Painful Goodbyes

Despite these breakthroughs, Liang couldn’t bring himself to fully accept Gu Yi’s love, citing his emotional disorder. When Gu Yi jokingly bit him for calling her stubborn (at her mom’s urging), the humor turned bittersweet. Liang, feeling unworthy of her, left her in tears. Their backs turned to each other, Gu Yi realized the impossibility of warming someone who refused to let the light in.

Workplace Distraction and a Stirring Talk Show

The next day at work, Gu Yi was visibly shaken, her mind elsewhere. Xu Guanrui stepped in to help, his concern evident. Guan Xingxin suggested Gu Yi channel her emotions into her talk show, and Gu Yi took the stage, deliberately shocking the audience in an attempt to provoke Liang. The tactic worked—kind of. Liang hesitated, clearly affected, but it was Xu who jumped in to support Gu Yi.

Drunken Confessions and Provoked Emotions

Exhausted and emotionally drained, Gu Yi drank herself into a stupor, leaving Xu Guanrui heartbroken as he watched her devotion to Liang. When Liang finally arrived, Xu provoked him, forcing Liang to confront his feelings.

In a climactic moment, Liang admitted that he liked Gu Yi—something he’d been struggling to say all along.

Episode 18 Recap: Tooth Marks, Flying Saucers, and Confessions Under Surveillance

This episode of Smile Code brought a whirlwind of hilarity, heartfelt moments, and just the right amount of romantic tension. From playful accusations to awkward work drama and a late-night confession, Gu Yi and Liang Daiwen's dynamic reached new heights of chaos and charm.

Mornings, Misunderstandings, and Matching Tooth Marks

Gu Yi woke up furious—her clothes had been changed, and she immediately accused Liang Daiwen of being shameless. But Liang, calm as ever, explained that she’d been so drunk the night before that he had no choice but to bring her to his place since she couldn’t even remember her home password.

Feeling embarrassed, Gu Yi shifted her focus to the room. She noticed the layout was eerily familiar—it hadn’t changed since they’d lived there together. Though she left with a smile, her heart was tangled in complicated emotions.

Later, during a talk show, Gu Yi discovered Liang moonlighting as a bartender. Liang cheekily accused Gu Yi of biting him and then running off without taking responsibility. When Xu Guanrui arrived, Liang didn’t miss the opportunity to show off the tooth mark on his collar. Xu couldn’t help but note that Liang seemed more emotionally expressive than anyone gave him credit for.

Workplace Woes and Love Troubles

At work, Gu Yi accidentally committed a major faux pas by bypassing Zhang Junjie and reporting an issue directly to higher-ups. Realizing her mistake, she apologized sincerely, promising to correct her ways. Yu Dule stepped in to help revise her report, though his heart wasn’t in it either—both he and Gu Yi were clearly love-struck and distracted.

Yu teased Gu Yi about her phone addiction, but their banter showed how their shared struggles kept them connected.

A Surveillance Surprise and Sweet Confessions

Gu Yi was caught off guard when Liang visited her home, leading to a cleaning frenzy as she tried to hide her “poor storage skills.” Liang revealed he’d installed surveillance cameras outside her door—not to monitor her, but to ensure her safety. To further deter unwanted visitors, he even left a pair of men’s shoes outside her door. While Gu Yi found this both sweet and strange, she couldn’t help but tease him later on stage. Liang, however, wasn’t thrilled about being the butt of her jokes.

Later, in a rare emotional moment, Gu Yi confessed to Liang in front of the camera that moving out of their shared home left her with an unshakable emptiness. Liang, hearing her heartfelt words, finally opened up, leaving Gu Yi smiling from ear to ear.

Flying Saucers and Heartfelt Connections

In a playful moment with friends, Gu Yi was hit by a flying saucer, but the lighthearted atmosphere was a reminder of how much Liang’s presence had changed her outlook. Meanwhile, Liang’s recurring dreams of his childhood took a new turn—this time, it was Gu Yi pulling him back from the darkness, showing just how much she’d come to mean to him.

DramaZen's Opinion

I feel so sad that my prediction was right! 😢 Gu Yi's mom is sick and it looks like it is no small illness. I'm hoping there is no bad ending to her mother and she pulls through.

At this point Gu Yi as more than made it clear to Liang how she feels. The girl has worn her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see when it comes to her feelings towards him. Yet, he is still hesitating and at this point I just want to hit him. It's obvious that they need each other and that she is his saving grace in life. Why oh why is it taking him so long to see!!!!!!

However, I'm glad that Xu Guanrui has finally sparked enough jealousy in Lang, causing him to finally admit that he likes Gu Yi. It's about time he says it outloud for the world to know and hear!  The morning after wake up was hilarious as Gu Yi realized that Liang had brought her home while she was drunk. Maybe there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for these two. 

On a side note: I loved Lin Yi in the drama Put Your Head On My Shoulder a lot and that's how I first got to know him as an actor. However, I wanted to say after watching this drama he has truly grown in his roles. They all paint him in a stoic sense at times, but his emotional abilities to portray the characters has definitely gotten better through his acting career.