Episode Summary
In the penultimate episode, Li Jinyu rescues Ye Meng from a fiery trap set by his mother, Li Lingbai, which is unexpectedly foiled by Wang Xingsheng's double-cross. With the antagonists arrested, Li Lingbai confesses her tragic history and the jealousy that fueled her revenge against Ye Meng's mother. Li Jinyu clears the family name, steps down from his company to live a quiet life with Ye Meng, and mends his friendship with Gou Kai, bringing all major conflicts to a heartfelt resolution.
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with high tension as Li Jinyu, while at the hospital, receives a horrifying text message: a photo of Ye Meng tied up. He immediately drives to the pier indicated in the message, only to be met by his mother, Li Lingbai. In a rage, she accuses him of betraying her by siding with outsiders and orders her men to douse his car in gasoline. Using Ye Meng's life as leverage, she demands his company shares. Without a second thought, Li Jinyu agrees to the transfer.
However, a stunning twist unfolds. Wang Xingsheng, seeking his own revenge against Li Lingbai, had already secretly turned her henchmen against her. They knock Li Lingbai unconscious just as the gasoline is set ablaze. As the fire rages, Li Jinyu heroically rushes into the inferno to save Ye Meng, pulling her from the car just moments before it explodes. Watching the chaos from a distance, Wang Xingsheng simply smiles under his umbrella and walks away.
In the aftermath, Li Lingbai, Wang Xingsheng, and all others involved are arrested. Li Jinyu visits his mother in the detention center, where the long-buried truths finally come to light. He assures her he will take care of her brother, Li Lingfeng, and that he is beginning to understand the reasons behind her destructive actions.
Li Lingbai confesses her tragic past. She reveals that when you are suffering, you see the world as a dark place.She and Shu Yi, Ye Meng's mother, were once the best of friends. Her adoptive father, Li Changjin, had intended to adopt Shu Yi, but Shu Yi gave up the opportunity, believing Li Lingbai longed for a family more. But the "family" Li Lingbai received was a nightmare. After being taken abroad by Li Changjin, she was drugged by his business partner, Chen Guosheng, and became pregnant with Li Jinyu. For the sake of his business interests, Li Changjin forced her to marry Chen Guosheng.
This traumatic experience planted the seeds of bitterness. Years later, when she encountered Shu Yi again and saw her happy life, the pain and jealousy became unbearable. It was this envy that drove her to instigate Wang Xingsheng to frame Shu Yi, hoping to make her friend feel the same pain she had endured. She tearfully admits she never imagined Shu Yi would take her own life. Li Lingbai reflects on a brief period of happiness with her second husband, Li Mu, believing that if not for a tragic car accident, her life might not have taken such a dark turn. Listening to his mother's story, Li Jinyu is left heartbroken.
Meanwhile, Ye Meng wakes up and is frantic when she can't reach Li Jinyu.She returns home to find a letter from him, in which he has revealed the entire truth, finally clearing her mother's name. After paying his respects to Li Mu alone, Li Jinyu is found by a searching Ye Meng on a mountaintop, where the two share a deeply emotional embrace.
In a quieter storyline, Fang Ya'en acknowledges Cheng Kairan's feelings for her but admits she isn't ready for a new relationship so soon after her divorce. Though disappointed, Cheng Kairan respectfully agrees to give her time.
Putting the past behind him, Li Jinyu calls a meeting at Hanhai Group. As the largest shareholder, he takes full responsibility for the company's recent negative press and announces his intention to step down and find a more suitable leader. His one condition is that the Hailan Port development plan must preserve the original fishing village. Afterward, he leaves the "CEO" life behind, choosing a simple, happy existence with Ye Meng in their hometown of Ningsui.
The episode concludes with loose ends being tied up. Cheng Kairan has converted the Sapphire Bar into a restaurant. At its opening, Gou Kai arrives and is shocked to learn that Li Jinyu and Ye Meng are a real couple. He storms out, but Li Jinyu follows, explaining everything. After years of misunderstanding, the two best friends finally reconcile, putting their old grievances to rest.
