Episode Summary
Feng Qingming and Qin Tianyue analyze Dong Jiajia's profile, suspecting her feelings for Zhang Shiqi might be real. Zhao Xiaoman cancels plans with Cheng Xu due to his mother; Zhang Jing overhears and visits, impressing Zhao's mother. Zhang Jing proposes a one-month trial as a paid live-in nanny to see if romance develops with Zhao Xiaoman, which he accepts. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaoman's ex-wife confronts him, demanding compensation for the three years she spent caring for his mother, sacrificing her career. Witnessing this and Zhao Xiaoman's entitled attitude, Zhang Jing calls off any potential romance. Zhao Xiaoman asks Cheng Xu for a new match, but Cheng Xu refuses, criticizing his lack of respect for partners. Feng Qingming introduces Zhang Shiqi to a new potential match, Fan Chuchu, and he agrees to meet her.
Spoiler Alert
Episode 26 Recap & Spoilers: The Matchmaking Mess Gets Messier
First up, over at the Sitini matchmaking agency (or maybe just their usual hangout?), Feng Qingming and Qin Tianyue are deep-diving into Dong Jiajia's background info. The consensus? She seems pretty legit. Yeah, her academic credentials aren't Ivy League, but they're solid and hold real value. They're starting to lean towards the idea that maybe, just maybe, her feelings for Zhang Shiqi were genuine after all. Interesting...
Now, onto the main event: the Zhao Xiaoman saga. Our guy Zhao Xiaoman has to bail on plans with his matchmaker buddy Cheng Xu because – you guessed it – his mom's having one of her episodes. Cheng Xu happens to have the call on speakerphone, so Zhang Jing (the potential blind date) gets an earful of the drama. Instead of being scared off, Zhang Jing is intrigued (or maybe just incredibly kind?) and decides to tag along with Cheng Xu to Zhao Xiaoman's place.
And honestly? Zhang Jing handles the situation like a pro. She's super attentive to Momma Zhao, even wheeling her outside for some sunshine, which actually lifts the mom's spirits. Seeing this initial connection, Cheng Xu tries to nudge them towards a real date – dinner out, just the two of them. Zhao Xiaoman is totally down, even suggesting they go that same day. But Zhang Jing, ever the pragmatist, points out it's tricky to leave his mom. Her solution? She offers to cook at their place.
And cook she does! Zhang Jing whips up an impressive spread. But before she leaves, she lays her cards on the table. She tells Zhao Xiaoman this whole thing feels less like a date and more like a job trial. So, she makes a wild proposal: she'll work as a live-in nanny for him for one month, paid at the standard company rate. If, after that month, they've actually developed feelings for each other, they can keep dating. If not? Well, she could either continue as just the nanny or simply leave. Zhao Xiaoman, probably floored, agrees on the spot. Yikes!
While this is unfolding, the Sitini crew is apparently trying to figure out how to rekindle things between Dong Jiajia and Zhang Shiqi.
We also get a glimpse into the life of Zhao Xiaoman's ex-wife. Turns out, she's seriously grinding – working two jobs and taking night classes. Her life sounds packed. But when she hears from Xia Wanqing that Zhao Xiaoman is already being set up on blind dates, she is livid. She marches right over to his apartment.
The confrontation is intense. She reminds him that she spent three years caring for his mother, putting her own career on hold, working tirelessly without complaint or recognition. They divorced over their differences (she desperately wanted her freedom and left with nothing), but now she's back. She argues that she lost crucial career opportunities during those three years, and now it's incredibly difficult to find suitable work. She wants compensation for that lost time and potential. Oof.
After the ex-wife leaves, Zhang Jing emerges (she must have been laying low during the fireworks!). She tells Zhao Xiaoman that whatever spark she might have felt is gone. Why? Because she finally gets it. She sees his core problem: he truly believes it's a daughter-in-law's inherent duty ("heavenly principle," as the text puts it) to serve her mother-in-law. He completely dismisses the immense personal sacrifice and value of his partner's efforts, essentially erasing his ex-wife's three years of dedication with the excuse of "duty." Zhang Jing finds this fundamentally unfair, and frankly, so do we. She's out.
Predictably, Zhao Xiaoman goes running back to Cheng Xu at Sitini, claiming he and Zhang Jing just weren't compatible and asking Cheng Xu to find him another match. But Cheng Xu has finally had enough. He doesn't hold back this time, confronting Zhao Xiaoman head-on. He tells him the real reason things aren't working out: Zhao Xiaoman has zero respect for his partner's value and takes everything for granted. He expects his wife to treat his mother like her own flesh and blood, but shows absolutely no reciprocal respect or filial piety towards his partner's parents. Cheng Xu lays down the law: he's done trying to find matches for him. Mic drop!
To wrap things up, Feng Qingming meets up with Zhang Shiqi. Is Sitini giving up on the Dong Jiajia reunion? Because Feng Qingming introduces Zhang Shiqi to a new potential match, Fan Chuchu, who apparently ticks all of Zhang Shiqi's boxes. After thinking it over, Zhang Shiqi agrees to meet Fan Chuchu the day after tomorrow.
So, Zhao Xiaoman is finally being called out on his behavior, Zhang Jing dodged a bullet, the ex-wife wants payback, and Zhang Shiqi is moving on to the next candidate. What a whirlwind! Can't wait to see how this all plays out.
