The Gift of Time
Season 1
TV-PG
A tycoon Lin Huoyan and mechanic Lan Shuimiao reconnect at a clinic as cancer patients. Enemies become friends as they help other terminal patients while making peace with themselves. Huoyan finds a lost love and learns that his nurse Xiatong is his daughter. Shuimiao holds a farewell party on his wedding anniversary but goes missing on the day. Both men learn to love, forgive and say goodbye.
Where to Watch The Gift of Time • Season 1
20 Episodes
- Episode 1
E1Episode 1The rich Lin Huoyan is surrounded by women but has no family. The retired mechanic Lan Shuimiao is poor but beloved by his family. Four years ago, Huoyan ruined Shuimiao’s chance to fulfil his dying son’s wish by tearing his lottery ticket. They reconnect at a clinic as cancer patients now. Huoyan tries to buy Shuimiao’s slot with the doctor. The nurse Xiatong stops him and hits a raw nerve. - Episode 2
E2Episode 2Shuimiao gives his slot to Huoyan, who learns that money and connections can’t change his fate. Lost, he turns to Daisy for support. When Yaolin brings Shuimiao to the clinic, sparks fly between him and Xiatong. To Shuimiao’s dismay, he fails to convince Jinmei to tell her parents about her diagnosis. Huoyan humiliates and drives Daisy away when she betrays him, leaving him alone and friendless. - Episode 3
E3Episode 3Huoyan finds out Shuimiao saved him when they were kids. When Xiatong runs into her ex and his new girlfriend, Yaolin helps her out by pretending to be her suitor. Jinmei’s parents find out she has cancer when she faints. Sparks fly when she runs into her old crush Liu Tianyu. Huoyan gifts Xiatong an expensive bracelet for exposing Brandon. While returning it, she sees him getting fired. - Episode 4
E4Episode 4Xiatong tries to cheer a downfallen Huoyan up by suggesting he pay her back with a dessert but gets upset and leaves when he asks about her mother. In his bid to leave a legacy, Huoyan tries to get Jinmei a boyfriend. She goes along with it so not to disappoint her parents. Tianyu and Jinmei reminisce a past youth. Jinmei brings Tianyu to her parents and tells them they’re dating. - Episode 5
E5Episode 5Jinmei and Tianyu pretend to date. When Shuimiao suggests attending a talk on palliative care, Qiaomei refuses to accept her husband is dying. Yaolin helps Huoyan and gets hired as a PA, to Qiaomei’s unease. Huoyan finds out Jinmei isn’t really dating Tianyu and tells her father, leading to an honest confession and her parents’ understanding. As Huoyan returns to work, another betrayal ruins him. - Episode 6
E6Episode 6Betrayed and ruined, Huoyan blows up in public and starts feeling unwell. He decides to set up a squad to help patients fulfil their final wishes. Shuimiao and Yaolin join him. Meanwhile, Jinmei and Tianyu grow closer while she worries about being a burden. Qiaomei gets scammed into buying fake magical healing wood that could cure her husband. - Episode 7
E7Episode 7Qiaomei buys the fake healing wood in bulk. Shuimiao realises she’s acting oddly but lets her be. The squad’s first mission is to help Bangxiao reconnects with his estranged son. They unveil a past of domestic abuse. Shuimiao persuades a reluctant Junsheng to reconcile with Bangxiao. Shuimiao’s condition worsens suddenly. Qiaomei seeks help, only to find that the scammer has vanished. - Episode 8
E8Episode 8Qiaomei uses the fake healing wood on Shuimiao. She has an outburst at the sceptical Yaofeng and breaks down recalling Yaolong’s death. Jiahui supports Bangxiao moving in with his son. Huoyan asks Yaolin to find his lost love Zhenya and learns that she’s dead. He runs into Xiatong while mourning Zhenya at thel park, sees her grandfather’s photo and notices his resemblance with Zhenya’s father. - Episode 9
E9Episode 9Huoyan digs into Xiatong’s past. The clues point to her being his and Zhenya’s daughter. He gets Yaolin to extract her DNA secretly, sparking Yaolin’s misunderstanding and jealousy. Meanwhile, the sickly Ruoxi risks her life to bear a child. Huoyan regrets breaking up with Zhenya over a misunderstanding. Jiahui pawns Bangxiao’s watch. Junsheng sets her up, resulting in the couple’s falling out. - Episode 10
E10Episode 10When Qiaomei is hurt in a tussle with her scammer, her family realises that they’ve neglected her. Yaolin finds out that Xiatong doesn’t know whom her father is. Huoyan hesitates over telling Xiatong the truth. Shuimiao and Yaolin fail to get Jiahui and Bangxiao to patch up. Junsheng returns home injured. Bangxao tries to pay off Junsheng’s gambling debts with his savings and by selling his flat. - Episode 11
E11Episode 11Qiaomei blames herself for Yaolong’s death and spirals into depression. Shuimiao secretly learns the waltz to fulfil her dream. When Huoyan tries to tell Xiatong who he is, Daisy turns up and causes a scene. Junsheng swindles Bangxiao of his money and house. Shuimiao, Huoyan and Yaolin tell Junsheng that Bangxiao knew that was his plan all along. Terrible news arrives then. - Episode 12
E12Episode 12Jinmei dies. Tianyu’s eulogy moves everyone to tears. Xiatong tells Shuimiao she has no desire to meet her father. Yaolin suspects Huoyan’s intentions after knowing his past. To change Xiatong’s view of him, Huoyan tries to find a doctor to help Ruoxi and Yongjie conceive, to no avail. Sparks fly when Yaolin asks Xiatong out for a meal. Their date is interrupted by Huoyan’s frantic call. - Episode 13
E13Episode 13Yaolin and Xiatong fall down a slope while searching for a puppy. Sparks fly. Moved by Ruoxi and Yongjie’s love for each other, Pantong agrees to help them conceive. Yaolin uses jogging and breakfast to get to know Xiatong better. They grow closer. Xiatong finds out Yaolin has been sending her photos to Huoyan. Betrayed, she confronts Huoyan. She refuses to acknowledge the distraught Huoyan. - Episode 14
E14Episode 14Huoyan and Yaolin fall out when he accuses Yaolin of telling Xiatong who he is. Ruoxi finds out Yongjie doesn’t want to lose her. Shuimiao and Qiaomei convinces her to give up on conceiving and reconcile with Yongjie. The squad gets a request from a girl Xinyu who wants her parents to divorce. Shuimiao and Huoyan’s show of concern to an unwell Xinyu leads to her mother Ruiying’s misunderstanding. - Episode 15
E15Episode 15Huoyan and Shuimiao try but fail to mend Ruiying’s marriage. Huoyan joins an experimental treatment when his condition worsens. This leads to Xiatong finding out the truth. She mistakenly thinks Huoyan is paying for the drink stall owner’s rental. Huoyan denies it and guesses it’s Yaolin’s doing. Yaolin’s efforts pay off. He and Xiatong start dating again, but Huoyan disapproves of Yaolin. - Episode 16
E16Episode 16Huoyan puts up photos of Ruiying and Zimo dating in an exhibition hall and plays the video of Zimo’s proposal, ironically reminding Ruiying of her unhappy marriage. The couple fight. and demand a divorce, to everyone’s shock. They find out that Xinyu fainted and is hospitalised. Her cancer has relapsed and her chances of survival are low. Xinyu presses harder for her parents to divorce. - Episode 17
E17Episode 17Yaolin and Huoyan visit Zhenya’s columbarium and run into Xiatong. They quarrel. Huoyan gets worked up and faints. Xiatong accuses Yaolin of telling Huoyan her whereabouts and falls out with him. When Shuimiao says Yacai’s bias towards his daughter may have affected Xiatong’s views towards Huoyan, Xiatong reflects on the strange incidents in her childhood and realises she’s been deceived. - Episode 18
E18Episode 18Xiatong forgives Huoyan. They reconcile. Xiatong joins the squad. Zhenxiang tells them the terminal Longrong plans on becoming rich and famous quickly after losing Yuxian. They send Yaolin to befriend Longrong. He finds out Longrong’s plan to rob Huoyan’s jewellery store and the past grudge between Longrong and Huoyan. Huoyan suggests calling the cops on Longrong. - Episode 19
E19Episode 19Yaolin realises Longrong intends to rob the rich to save the poor. When Huoyan learns that Longrong donated Yuxian’s estate, he changes his mind and tricks him into robbing his mansion. Yaolin lies and tells Longrong he knows the combination to the safe. Things go sour when Brandon and Wang appear. Xiatong is taken hostage. Huoyan tries to save her and is saved by Longrong, who sacrifices himself. - Episode 20
E20Episode 20Yaolin gets an urgent call from Qiaomei tricking him into coming home. Worried that Yaolin will put his family above Xiatong, Huoyan tests him with a prenup, upsetting Xiatong. Shuimiao and Qiaomei confront Huoyan, who insists he’s doing what’s best for his daughter. Shuimiao’s condition worsens, but he insists on attending the farewell party, only to faint during an emotional moment.