Episode Summary
Lu Tianchi pushes forward with his ambitious lawsuit and his romantic plan for Liu Yan, but both are thrown into chaos by the sudden return of Liu Yan's estranged mother, Jiang Fang. Claiming to be terminally ill, Jiang Fang manipulates her way back into her daughter's life. While Liu Yan is quickly won over by the gestures of maternal affection, her stepbrother Li Zan remains highly suspicious. The emotional upheaval leaves Liu Yan distracted and vulnerable, leading to a deliberate act of sabotage against her at work.
Spoiler Alert
"Her" Episode 17: A Mother's Deception
The episode kicks off with Lu Tianchi making a bold move. He turns down a hefty $500,000 settlement from the Pu Tai Group. His ambition is much larger: he wants to inspire more victims to come forward and sue the corporation for fraud, a move that would also make him a household name in the legal world.
Later that evening, Lu Tianchi delicately approaches Liu Yan, telling her he’s found a potential boyfriend for her—secretly referring to himself. Liu Yan, calm as ever, mentions her eventual plans to return to Beijing and expresses her hope for a clean break when that time comes. Just as they are talking, He Sheng conveniently appears and offers Liu Yan a ride. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Tianchi hops in as well. In a clear display of possessiveness right in front of He Sheng, he drapes his jacket over Liu Yan and even sips from her milk tea.
The next day at the Highland Restaurant, a customer specifically requests a taste of their hometown noodles, a dish only Liu Yan knows how to prepare. After the meal, the customer asks to see the chef. Liu Yan, thrilled by the compliment, happily walks out to the dining area, only to freeze in her tracks. The customer is her estranged mother, Jiang Fang. All joy vanishes from Liu Yan's face, replaced by pure resentment as she quickly hides, wanting nothing to do with her.
After her shift, Liu Yan runs into a sharply dressed Lu Tianchi, who is ready to talk about them moving in together. However, Liu Yan is still reeling and confused from the sudden appearance of her mother. Their conversation is cut short when Jiang Fang herself shows up, luggage in tow, and attempts to win Liu Yan over with a counterfeit toy. Lu Tianchi steps in to mediate but is harshly warned off by Jiang Fang. When Liu Yan realizes the two already know each other, she feels betrayed and turns to leave. In a desperate act, Jiang Fang blurts out that she is terminally ill and doesn't have long to live. Though Liu Yan suspects it's a lie, she can't find it in her heart to turn her away and reluctantly takes her home.
At their home, Liu Yan's stepbrother, Li Zan, is immediately suspicious of his stepmother, Jiang Fang. He interrogates her like a criminal, trying to poke holes in her story about being sick. Unwilling to expose her mother's lie, Liu Yan sends Li Zan out to buy new bedding. Left alone with Liu Yan, Jiang Fang launches into a tearful tale of her tragic life, insisting she never stopped thinking of her daughter and only showed up now because she had nowhere else to turn.
Lu Tianchi's grand plan to reveal himself as the cohabitation boyfriend is completely shattered by Jiang Fang's arrival. The following morning, Jiang Fang is up early, cooking a lavish breakfast for the family. Li Zan, ever the skeptic, immediately checks to see if anything is missing. But for Liu Yan, the sight of a warm, home-cooked meal is enough to melt away her resentment, and she happily digs in, seemingly having forgiven her mother completely.
Lu Tianchi later finds Liu Yan and apologizes profusely for not telling her that he had met Jiang Fang before. He urgently warns her not to fall for her mother's manipulative stories. But Liu Yan, swept up in the joy of a maternal reunion, doesn't care whether her mother is lying or not. This emotional turmoil follows her to work. With an important guest expected at the Highland Restaurant, Liu Yan is distracted, consumed by the fear that Jiang Fang will disappear again. Her colleague, Kuan Tai, notices her distress and offers to watch the stove while she steps out to make a call. However, he breaks his promise and deliberately walks away, allowing Liu Yan's dish to burn.
