Episode Summary
Xiang Beichuan loses his teaching job and, despite a lucrative but demeaning offer from a friend, struggles to find suitable work. Ye Xining, also jobless, finds a position in her field at a new clothing factory. After securing a major order for her new company, Xining moves into a new apartment, coincidentally in the same building as Beichuan. The episode ends with them sharing a meal of instant noodles after Xining is driven from her room by a noisy roommate.
Spoiler Alert
A Job Offer You Can Refuse
So, Xiang Beichuan is in a tough spot. The school won't let him teach anymore, and he's completely out of options. He turns to his good friend, Yan Jun, for help.
Yan Jun comes through with what sounds like a dream job. He offers Beichuan the title of "Creative Director." He also offers him a salary of two thousand yuan a month. For the 90s, that's a massive amount of money when the average person was making just a few dozen.
But here’s the catch. The job is to wash dogs, take their pictures, and create promotional materials for them. Beichuan is a university teacher. He has his pride. He just can't bring himself to do it, so he turns the offer down. He wants to find work that actually fits his professional background.
Hitting the Pavement
Beichuan's Job Hunt
Beichuan heads to a local job fair, but it's a dead end. He looks for a long time but finds nothing suitable. It’s a rough reality check. The guy needs a job, but nothing feels right.
Xining's Second Chance
At the same job fair, we find Ye Xining. She’s in the same boat, looking for work. Beichuan's friend, Yan Jun, is also there recruiting. He spots Xining and is impressed by her. He tries to hire her as a secretary, but she politely declines.
Then, Xining’s luck turns. She runs into an old friend, Director Lu, from a previous clothing factory. He has since gone into business for himself. He knows her skills are top-notch, so he invites her to come work at his new factory. It’s a perfect fit. She gets to do what she knows and earn a living. She’s thrilled to have a real chance to get back on her feet.
New Digs and Old Tricks
Even though Beichuan is still jobless, his friend Yan Jun finds him a place to live. Beichuan comes from a poor family, so just having a roof over his head is a huge relief. He's not about to be picky.
Xining goes back to her old factory to pack up her personal belongings. While she's there, she overhears that the factory is working on a huge order. An idea sparks. Her new factory desperately needs a big contract like that. She starts paying close attention and quietly looks for a manufacturing partner who can handle a massive order of five thousand units. She finds one, and the partner is so happy about the deal that they even solve her housing problem for her.
Well, Look Who's Neighbors
Here's where it gets interesting. The new place Xining moves into is the same building where her grandmother once lived. And, by pure coincidence, Xiang Beichuan is living just down the hall. They both feel a bit lost and cheated by their circumstances, creating an unspoken bond between them.
Xining's new living situation isn't perfect, though. She has to share a room with a woman from the Northeast. The roommate is loud. She listens to the radio and talks on the phone late into the night. Xining can't get any peace to work.
So, she leaves her room and wanders over to Beichuan's door. She finds him making instant noodles. He offers to share, and she takes half. The two of them just sit, eat, and talk. It’s a simple, quiet moment shared between two people who could really use a friend.
