Episode Summary
In this episode, Liu Yan's career soars with a promotion, but she is immediately arrested for illegal work and bailed out by He Sheng. Lu Tianchi suggests a marriage of convenience for her visa but struggles with his own feelings. Meanwhile, his legal case for a group of protestors implodes when his partner, Jiang Fang, reveals her greedy intentions, causing a bitter fallout between them.
Spoiler Alert
Liu Yan's culinary talents finally receive the recognition they deserve as her new dish is successfully added to the menu. This success, however, makes the restaurant's veteran chef of eight years feel threatened. He complains to He Sheng, who advises him to stop complaining and focus on improving his own skills to stay competitive.
That evening, Liu Yan happily tells Lu Tianchi that the shop owner has agreed to sell her dried fish, unaware that this is only because Lu Tianchi went back to plead with the owner on her behalf. He quietly supports her career from behind the scenes.
The next day, Lu Tianchi decides to take Jiang Fang's suggestion and legally represent a group of people. A long line of clients quickly forms outside his law office. The landlord, angered by the crowd, cuts off the power. Despite this, Jiang Fang remains enthusiastic, using a flashlight to help Lu Tianchi record case details.
Wang Daxiang, who has been missing for days, suddenly returns to Highland. Showing no remorse, he coldly repays the money Liu Yan had lent him. He reveals that he was only able to return to work because He Sheng helped him gather the money for his mother's medical fees.
Lacking a proper law license, Lu Tianchi hopes his senior female colleague can take the lead on these complex cases. She is pessimistic, however, noting that the cases are incredibly complicated with very little evidence, making them nearly impossible to win. Meanwhile, He Sheng takes Liu Yan to another restaurant to taste Chef Fabio's cooking for inspiration. They are surprised to find Filippo there, now working in partnership with Fabio. He Sheng reveals his true intention: he encourages Liu Yan to enter an upcoming competition, having already prepared a custom work uniform and taking her shopping for new outfits.
Thanks to her excellent performance, Liu Yan is promoted to head of the hot kitchen team. But on her very first day, she is unexpectedly taken away by the police for suspected illegal employment. A frantic Lu Tianchi rushes to bail her out but is rejected. Ultimately, it is He Sheng who uses his connections to successfully secure her release. Worried about the kitchen, Liu Yan discusses her visa situation with Lu Tianchi as they hurry back to Highland. Lu Tianchi believes her rapid promotion led to someone maliciously reporting her. To help her get a visa as quickly as possible, he suggests she marry a local citizen.
The following day, Lu Tianchi presents several potential "fake boyfriends" to Liu Yan, explaining they'll need to take intimate photos to make the relationship look real for the authorities. Liu Yan casually picks one, but Lu Tianchi immediately changes his mind, finding various faults with the candidate, clearly unwilling to see her with anyone else.
Later, while Liu Yan and Tang Shuangshuang are having fun at a pool, Tang Shuangshuang notices Liu Yan's expensive earring and correctly guesses it was a gift from He Sheng. She also reveals a secret: Lu Tianchi once confessed to her that he feels he isn't good enough for Liu Yan, which is why he deliberately keeps his distance, not wanting to hold her back.
The next day, Lu Tianchi leads a protest with the defrauded clients at the Pu Tai Group headquarters, demanding justice, but the day ends with no progress. That evening, the vice president of the group meets with Lu Tianchi and offers him a sum of money to distribute among the protestors. Realizing the meager amount would only cause more conflict among the greedy gamblers, Lu Tianchi tears up the check without hesitation. Afterwards, Jiang Fang furiously confronts him for making the decision alone, revealing she wanted to keep the money for herself to live a good life. Disgusted to learn her true intentions were never about helping people, Lu Tianchi angrily kicks her out of his car.
