Episode Summary
Facing total financial collapse, Qian Hongming makes desperate moves: he sends his partner abroad, tries to sell all his properties to his friend Liu Jun, and secretly plans to flee with his sister. His sister, Qian Hongying, is left devastated by his actions but finds emotional support from an old admirer, Liu Shitang. The personal and business turmoil is set against the backdrop of the historic Wenchuan earthquake, which prompts a compassionate response from Liu Jun. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as creditors close in on Qian Hongming's company, signaling his time has run out.
Spoiler Alert
Created in China: Episode 31 Spoilers - The Brink of Collapse
With Qian Hongming drowning in debt, his sister, Qian Hongying, grows deeply concerned that his partner, Shen Jiali, will be harassed by creditors. She plans to have Jiali move in with her for safety, only to discover that Hongming has already secretly arranged for Jiali to go abroad. The news sends Hongying into a spiral. After all her frantic efforts to borrow money and save him, she unleashes her fury on her brother for his selfishness, realizing with sudden clarity that this time, there might be no coming back from the brink.
On the drive back, the mood in the car with Liu Jun is heavy. To break the tension, Cui Bingbing asks for some gossip. Liu Jun recounts how Lu Huadong, after breaking up with Chen Qifan yet again, quickly got involved with a TV host. However, preoccupied with work and still unable to forget Qifan, the rebound relationship ended just as fast as it began. In truth, Lu Huadong is still in love with Chen Qifan and asked Liu Jun to have Cui Bingbing test the waters. Bingbing agrees to find an opportunity to talk to her friend.
A weary Qian Hongying returns home. She barely has a moment to rest before a call from "Wei Jie" comes through, demanding the next interest payment. Hongying pulls herself together, smoothly promising the payment will be made and placating the caller. But after hanging up, she stares at Liu Shitang's name in her contacts and finally breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, Qian Hongming sits alone in his car downstairs from his apartment and turns off all of his phones. Watching a man collecting scraps for a living, he is overcome with emotion and gives the man all the expensive gifts he had in his trunk. Elsewhere, Liu Jun reads in the newspaper that Jinyi, a major industry player, has gone bankrupt. A wave of concern for Qian Hongming washes over him, but his calls go unanswered as Hongming's phone is off.
The situation at the Tengfei factory is also dire, with an increasing number of clients canceling their orders. Fortunately, Liu Jun had adjusted their production schedule two months prior to avoid overproduction in a declining market, which has prevented even greater losses. Still, he must continue to scale back, causing widespread panic among the factory workers.
That night, a worried Shen Jiali, unable to reach Qian Hongming, asks Liu Jun for help. Just then, Liu Jun receives a text from Hongming asking to meet. When they meet, Hongming hands over all his property deeds, desperately asking Liu Jun to buy his real estate. Liu Jun's initial instinct is to offer a loan, but seeing Hongming's insistence, he reluctantly takes the documents home.
In a moment of tenderness, Liu Shitang calls Qian Hongying to comfort her. He tells her warmly that he will always be there for her and, despite his age, he is capable of taking care of her for the rest of her life. His words move her to tears. After reviewing the property contracts, Cui Bingbing tells Liu Jun that Hongming's asking price is fair, proving he truly sees Liu Jun as a friend. She fully supports his decision to help.
The next day, Cui Bingbing takes the contracts to Chen Qifan to have them verified. While everything appears to be in order, she can't shake the feeling that they've been handed a hot potato. Noticing fresh flowers on the windowsill, Bingbing learns that Chen Qifan and Lu Huadong have reconciled. As they are talking, the ground suddenly begins to shake—it's an earthquake, and they rush outside to safety.
News of the devastating Wenchuan earthquake quickly dominates the television broadcasts, showing its immense impact on the nation. The compassionate Liu Jun, knowing he has employees from Sichuan, asks Old Zhu to contact them and organize a donation drive. Although the employees confirm their families are safe and don't require personal aid, Liu Jun decides to donate company funds and supplies to the disaster relief efforts in Wenchuan.
In the days that follow, Liu Jun frequently checks in on Qian Hongming, fearing he might do something drastic. Hongming puts on a brave face, but in reality, he has hit a dead end. He and his sister have finalized a plan to flee, and he gives her the last of his money. The episode closes as Cui Bingbing, passing by Hongsheng Real Estate on her way home, finds the building surrounded by angry creditors. She quickly snaps a photo and rushes home to ask Liu Jun if he knew how bad things had gotten.
