Episode Summary
Hu Manli successfully sells insurance to Ai Zhonghua while also starting a controversial online fundraiser for Ding Zhiyuan's financially troubled uncle and aunt. Ding Zhiyuan is furious upon discovering the public appeal, leading to a confrontation where Hu Manli forces the aunt to apologize to Xue Xiaozhou. Desperate, Ding Zhiyuan compromises his principles by doing a commercial for money. Qiu Lisu manipulates the situation and reconciles with Ding Zhiyuan by revealing she is pregnant. Meanwhile, Zhong Ning confides in Hu Manli about her terminal illness and worries about her son's future. The episode ends tragically with the sudden death of Xue Xiaozhou's mother, leaving him devastated.
Spoiler Alert
Hu Manli: The Hustler with a (Maybe?) Heart of Gold
First off, Hu Manli is seriously hustling. She's not just chasing new insurance clients; she's making sure her existing ones feel the love. She drops by to visit Ai Zhonghua, bearing gifts. Turns out, Ai Zhonghua is riding high because his son, Ai Linjiang, has a new girlfriend, and it sounds like things are getting serious – wedding bells might be in the future! Manli smoothly congratulates him, then pivots like the pro she is, mentioning some new discounted insurance plans. She asks if he knows anyone who might be interested. Ai Zhonghua is actually intrigued by the new plans himself. Manli gives him the full rundown, and bam! He decides to buy a policy right then and there. Gotta respect the hustle!
The Crowdfunding Catastrophe
But Manli's activities aren't just about sales. She's also started an online fundraiser for Ding Zhiyuan's uncle and aunt. Noble gesture, right? Well... Wang Xue shares the link in her social circle, and it lands right in front of Qiu Lisu. Qiu Lisu immediately suspects Manli is behind this, knowing full well that Ding Zhiyuan is fiercely proud and would never publicly ask for money – his reputation means everything to him. She figures Manli is trying to stir up trouble between him and his relatives. Qiu Lisu's secretary, Xiao Huang, wisely suggests maybe Qiu Lisu should intervene to protect Ding Zhiyuan's image. But Qiu Lisu? Oh no, she sees an opportunity. She decides to sit back, watch the drama unfold, and potentially benefit from the chaos between Ding Zhiyuan and Hu Manli. Crafty.
Things escalate quickly. Ding Zhiyuan's department head sees the fundraiser and, bless his heart, even offers Ding Zhiyuan some cash! Ding Zhiyuan is completely baffled. It's only when Wang Xue and some classmates also approach him with collected money that he finally sees the online post. And he. Is. Furious. Like, seriously livid.
Adding fuel to the fire, the uncle and aunt get a call from their son. His girlfriend saw the fundraiser and is threatening to break up with him over the public embarrassment. Total panic mode. They immediately call Ding Zhiyuan, desperate.
Showdown at Manli's Place
Meanwhile, where's Manli during this initial storm? She's out looking at cars with Xue Xiaozhou, promising to help him become the top salesperson so he can legitimately win the company's luxury car prize. Ding Zhiyuan calls her, but she's feeling annoyed and deliberately ignores him, even having Xue Xiaozhou take pictures of her.
When Manli and Xue Xiaozhou get back home, reality hits. Ding Zhiyuan is there, demanding she take down the crowdfunding post immediately. Manli refuses point-blank and tells him to take his relatives and leave her house. The uncle and aunt try to stand their ground, but Ding Zhiyuan starts grabbing their luggage. As they're being ushered out, the aunt does something truly nasty – she spits at Xue Xiaozhou and mutters insults.
Manli witnesses this and goes into protective mode. She stops the aunt and demands she apologize to Xue Xiaozhou. Ding Zhiyuan protests, but Manli plays a cunning card: she claims Xue Xiaozhou was the one who posted the fundraiser online (a lie, but effective!). She tells them the post stays up unless the aunt apologizes. Cornered, the aunt reluctantly apologizes to Xue Xiaozhou before leaving with Ding Zhiyuan, tails firmly between their legs.
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures (and More Scheming)
Ding Zhiyuan feels completely stuck. He ends up agreeing to do something he clearly hates: inserting a sea cucumber advertisement into his intellectual talk show, "Zheren Shuo." The things you do for family, right? He gets a 200,000 yuan advance from the company for his uncle and aunt, who are overjoyed with the cash.
Later, Ding Zhiyuan treats his relatives to dinner. Qiu Lisu shows up uninvited, spinning a tale about being away on a business trip and blaming her secretary, Xiao Huang, for... well, it's implied she's blaming Xiao Huang for not handling the fundraiser situation or perhaps just covering her own tracks. Qiu Lisu makes a big show of wanting to fire Xiao Huang. Xiao Huang plays along, begging the uncle and aunt for help. They fall for it and plead for her job, allowing Qiu Lisu to "mercifully" keep her on. Master manipulator at work!
Reconciliation... Thanks to a Bombshell
After dinner, Qiu Lisu follows Ding Zhiyuan to his university office and finds him sleeping on a makeshift cot. She begs him to come home. He refuses, finally telling her he sees through her act – she doesn't love him; she's been using him from the start. Qiu Lisu launches into a tearful defense, insisting she loves him deeply and pleading for understanding. Then, she drops the ultimate bombshell: she's pregnant. This completely changes the game for Ding Zhiyuan. His anger dissolves, and he softens, agreeing to go home with her.
Troubling News and Tragic Losses
In a different storyline, Zhong Ning shows Hu Manli the video of Ding Zhiyuan's incredibly awkward sea cucumber ad. Manli can't help but find his stiff performance amusing. But the conversation takes a dark turn. Zhong Ning mentions wanting to buy an education annuity for her son, Junjun. Manli, sharp as ever, remembers Zhong Ning already purchased one. Forced to be honest, Zhong Ning confesses she has a terminal illness and likely only has two years left. Manli reminds her about the overseas medical insurance policy she has, which would cover treatment abroad, fully paid by the insurance company. However, Zhong Ning seems resigned, more focused on getting Junjun's affairs in order before she dies, particularly ensuring her ex-husband can't get his hands on her house or money. She asks Hu Manli for help figuring out how to manage this.
Just as Manli is processing this heavy news, tragedy strikes Xue Xiaozhou. His mother's health suddenly deteriorates rapidly. Despite the medical team's best efforts, she passes away. Xue Xiaozhou rushes to the hospital, but he arrives too late – his mother is already gone. He's absolutely devastated. He never got closure with his father (missing his final apology) and now missed saying goodbye to his mother.
Hu Manli gets a call from Wu Ya about Xue Xiaozhou's mother and immediately goes to the hospital. She finds Xue Xiaozhou completely broken and brings him back to her place. He collapses onto the bed, lost in grief, torturing himself with regret that he didn't earn enough money sooner to afford potentially life-saving surgery for his mother. Hu Manli tries her best to comfort him, but he's inconsolable.
Phew! So much happened! Family drama, financial desperation, manipulation, shocking health news, and heartbreaking loss all packed into one episode. It really feels like everyone's life is hitting a critical point. Can't wait to see how they navigate the fallout in the next episodes!
