Episode Summary
In this episode, Tong Xia's attempts to woo Zhao Jia Di at a bar fall flat as he remains preoccupied with Li Zhi Jin. Zhao Jia Di then helps Zhu Hong Zhi, who is selling his car due to debt, and this leads to an emotional reunion with Li Zhi Jin. Meanwhile, Li Min Xian grapples with a moral dilemma involving Wei Jing Hai and allows Fan Long Quan to take temporary command. Zhao Jia Di and Li Zhi Jin face a threat from Jiao Ye's men, leading to police involvement and an encounter with Fan Long Quan. Wei Jing Hai, angered by Jiao Ye's unauthorized actions and Fan Long Quan's promotion, blames Zhao Jia Di. The episode culminates in a heartfelt dinner where Fan Long Quan expresses his renewed respect and continued willingness to invest in Zhao Jia Di, sharing a poignant story from his past and solidifying their bond.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with Ma Xiao Tiao and his crew hitting a bar to unwind. But Tong Xia? She's only got eyes for our main man, Zhao Jia Di, and pretty much strong-arms Ma Xiao Tiao into getting him there. Smooth move, Ma Xiao Tiao. Once Zhao Jia Di shows up, Tong Xia goes full-on hostess-with-the-mostest, offering to comp their entire bill. Not stopping there, she hops on stage and belts out a tune, basically serenading Zhao Jia Di with all her heart-eyes. Sweet, right? Well, not so much for Zhao Jia Di. He's clearly not picking up what Tong Xia's putting down because his mind is still 100% on Li Zhi Jin. So, instead of romance, we get a slightly bummed-out Zhao Jia Di.
Meanwhile, we catch up with Zhu Hong Zhi, who's in a bit of a financial pickle. He’s so broke he’s about to sell his car to some dude named Dong Ge. Ma Xiao Tiao and the gang, Zhao Jia Di included, tag along to see the deal go down. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Zhu Hong Zhi isn't just any guy; he’s the son of Zhu Feng Ping, a big shot at the Fan Long Group. Seeing an opportunity or maybe just being a good dude, Zhao Jia Di steps in. After Ma Xiao Tiao and Dong Ge head back to the bar, Zhao Jia Di tells Zhu Hong Zhi he’ll buy the car instead.
Curiosity piqued, Zhao Jia Di finds out Zhu Hong Zhi is selling the car because he’s in debt. So, Zhao Jia Di takes him back to his rental place to grab the cash. He even gets Shang Bao to whip up some noodles for Zhu Hong Zhi – a true bro move. But hold onto your hats, because who’s waiting inside Zhao Jia Di’s place? None other than Li Zhi Jin! The moment Zhao Jia Di sees her, he practically flies into the room, and they have this super sweet reunion hug. Aww! Later, he takes her grocery shopping, even calling her "Xiao Jin Yi" – his little pet name for her. It’s clear these two are still very much an item.
Shifting gears a bit, we see Li Min Xian looking like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. He’s just received some damning evidence from Fan Long Quan. Turns out, years ago, a friend asked him to look after Wei Jing Hai. Now, if he goes after Wei Jing Hai, it’s like betraying his old pal. Talk about a moral dilemma! For now, Li Min Xian decides to let Fan Long Quan take the lead as chief commander to handle the immediate fires, while other, more complicated issues will have to be sorted out internally.
Back with our lovebirds, Zhao Jia Di and Li Zhi Jin are returning from their shopping trip when things take a dark turn. In the parking lot, they get cornered by Jiao Ye’s thugs, who are clearly there to threaten them. Zhao Jia Di, ever the protector, quickly tells Li Zhi Jin to get out of there and call the cops while he handles the goons. Smart girl, Li Zhi Jin, makes the call. Word gets to Zhu Feng Ping, who hightails it to the police station. After Zhao Jia Di and Li Zhi Jin give their statements and are about to leave, they spot Fan Long Quan waiting outside. Zhao Jia Di tells Li Zhi Jin to head over to Fang Jie's restaurant and wait for him. She agrees, but not before giving Fan Long Quan a little look. Hmm, wonder what that was about?
Over on the antagonist side, Wei Jing Hai is not happy. He rips into Jiao Ye for going rogue with the whole loan sharking business and trying to mess with Zhao Jia Di. He orders Jiao Ye to keep his head down and his crew in line. Jiao Ye, who was itching to teach Zhao Jia Di a lesson, has to back off. After Jiao Ye leaves, Wei Jing Hai gets more bad news: Fan Long Quan has been promoted to chief commander. And who does he blame for his plans going sideways? You guessed it – Zhao Jia Di. This guy just can't catch a break.
But then, something pretty cool happens. Fan Long Quan actually invites Zhao Jia Di for a meal. He’s surprisingly candid, admitting that if Zhao Jia Di had been upfront about who he really was from the start, they probably would never have crossed paths. But, after some soul-searching, Fan Long Quan realizes that a person's background doesn't define them and his earlier prejudice against Zhao Jia Di was out of line. He then lays it on the table: if Zhao Jia Di still wants to start his company, Fan Long Quan is still willing to invest. Zhao Jia Di is genuinely touched but, ever the considerate guy, doesn't want to drag Fan Long Quan into his messes.
During their meal, Fan Long Quan opens up and shares a pretty heavy story from his early days trying to make it big. He talks about one of his "brothers" who was so desperate because his mother and child were gravely ill that he intentionally got his arm mangled in a machine to get a 20,000 yuan compensation payout. Back in the 90s, that was a fortune, but it was only enough to save one of them. The family chose to save the child, and tragically, the mother passed away. When Fan Long Quan found out what happened, he tried to give the man more money, but his brother refused and instead kowtowed to him three times in gratitude.
That whole experience, Fan Long Quan explains, was a turning point. He swore he’d make something of himself so his brothers could live well. He tells Zhao Jia Di he sees a bit of himself in him – both are good at heart, maybe not natural-born businessmen, but with enough grit, they can go far. By the end of the meal, these two have really cleared the air, and their bond seems stronger than ever. It looks like Zhao Jia Di might have found a powerful, and surprisingly understanding, ally in Fan Long Quan.
