Episode Summary
In this episode, Qian Hongming's risky financial ventures and the crashing market push his wife, Shen Jiali, to a mental breakdown. Liu Jun provides support to both, while his father, Liu Shitang, cashes out of the stock market. To avoid lending money to Qian Hongming, Liu Shitang impulsively buys a mansion, causing a major rift in his relationship with Qian Hongying.
Spoiler Alert
"Created in China" Episode 29: Financial Woes and Fractured Trust
As financial pressures mount, the lives of two families begin to unravel, testing their bonds and pushing individuals to their breaking points.
The episode opens with Shen Jiali, who is clearly in emotional distress, once again giving money to Liu Jun for a bank deposit. Concerned for her well-being and that of her child, Liu Jun invites the child over to play with his own daughter, Paopao, offering a brief respite. Meanwhile, Shen Jiali's husband, Qian Hongming, is still trapped in a gambler's mindset, pouring money into investments. With a crucial bank loan still not approved, he desperately turns to Liu Jun for a six-million loan. Liu Jun explains that his company, Tengfei, is short on cash due to the expansion of its heat treatment center, but he manages to help by opening a three-month letter of credit, temporarily easing Qian Hongming's crisis.
Concerns grow as Qian Hongying can't reach her sister-in-law, Shen Jiali, fearing for her mental state. At the same time, Liu Shitang remains glued to the stock market, convinced it will rebound. Qian Hongying, however, understands the grim reality of the falling real estate market and knows it will inevitably drag the stock market down with it.
The pressure finally becomes too much for Shen Jiali. While her husband is away, she wanders through a supermarket and sees a hairpin that triggers a memory of one he once bought for her. In a moment of distraction, she walks out without paying and is detained as a shoplifter. Liu Jun rushes to the police station to bail her out, vehemently defending her character. The ordeal leaves Shen Jiali shattered, and she breaks down sobbing in Liu Jun's car as he tries to comfort her.
By the winter of 2007, the stock market has been in freefall for over a month. A worried Liu Shitang decides to sell all his shares at the first sign of a rebound. In stark contrast, Qian Hongming remains stubbornly optimistic. He has invested heavily in a building project and taken on the high-risk endeavor of holding shares for clients. Qian Hongying discovers her brother is using high-interest private loans and begs him to stop, but he refuses. He is haunted by his past poverty and is determined to seize any opportunity to avoid returning to it.
Later, while playing ball with Lu Huadong, Liu Jun vents about his father's obsession with stocks. Lu Huadong is sympathetic and gives him an assessment report for reference. When Qian Hongming calls to say his funding issues are resolved, Liu Jun feels something is amiss but doesn't probe further. That evening, Liu Jun struggles to make sense of the economic trends. His wife, Cui Bingbing, offers sound advice: focus on managing the factory based on the present reality, as the future is impossible to predict. She encourages him, sensing his lack of confidence since the expansion project began.
The story moves into 2008. Liu Shitang, having sold his stocks, is in high spirits. Qian Hongying approaches him to invest in her brother's project, but he flatly refuses. To avoid being asked again, Liu Shitang asks Liu Jun for advice on how to spend his five million yuan quickly. Liu Jun's offhand suggestion to buy property is taken seriously; Liu Shitang promptly buys a luxury mansion for four million in cash and proudly gives Liu Jun and Cui Bingbing a tour.
This act infuriates Qian Hongying. Her brother, Qian Hongming, cynically tells her not to have any real hope in Liu Shitang, claiming he is only with her out of convenience and lacks genuine feelings. The episode closes with Liu Shitang confiding in his son that Qian Hongying hasn't spoken to him in a week, all because he refuses to trust Qian Hongming's project or become financially entangled with him.
