Episode Summary
Fang Xin publicly exposes Zhang Zhiming as Dong Yi Yan's son and reveals his past malpractice, leading the board to oust Dong Yi Yan and install Fang Xin as the new chairman. Dong Yi Yan then discovers her real son died years ago and she was deceived. Just as she hits rock bottom, a high-profile surgery provides a chance for a comeback, and a guilt-ridden Zhang Zhiming decides to help her succeed.
Spoiler Alert
The Boardroom Coup
Fang Xin went straight for the jugular. She walked into the Minglang Group board meeting and dropped a bomb. She announced that Zhang Zhiming is Dong Yi Yan's biological son. Then she twisted the knife. She brought up his two past medical malpractice incidents. The accusation was simple and brutal. Dong Yi Yan knew about her son's past and covered for him so he could work on a major surgery at their hospital.
Dong Yi Yan was completely blindsided. Before she could even process it, Fang Xin played her trump card. It was a recording of a private conversation between Dong Yi Yan and Zhang Zhiming. The entire board heard her plan to take over Minglang to avenge her father. That was it. The board members immediately turned on her. They kicked her out of the meeting. Just like that, Fang Xin became the new chairman of Minglang Group.
The Fallout
The reactions came fast. Wang Qi Cheng was furious with Dong Yi Yan. He believed she really did cover for a son with a checkered past just to seize power. Chen Li Xue, however, wasn't so sure. She felt Dong Yi Yan wouldn't knowingly hide something that serious. Wen Yi Jia decided to stay neutral for now. Her daughter needs both doctors, so she chose to tentatively trust Dong Yi Yan.
We also learn why Zhang Zhiming was a part of this. It turns out Fang Xin had him trapped. His girlfriend was seriously ill and needed a lot of money for an operation. Fang Xin loaned him the cash, and he walked right into her scheme.
A Devastating Truth
Just when it seemed things couldn't get worse for Dong Yi Yan, they did. She received a letter from overseas. It contained the truth about her actual son. He died in a car accident three years ago. The realization hit her hard. She had been so desperate to believe Zhang Zhiming was her long-lost child that she never bothered to confirm it. That single mistake gave Fang Xin the opening she needed to destroy her. While Dong Yi Yan reeled from the news, Fang Xin was already sitting in the chairman's office, looking greedy and powerful.
Elsewhere, other players made their moves. Ke Yongcheng was thrilled. With Fang Xin in charge, he knew he would profit. Chen Li Xue was warned to be wary of Fang Xin. She decided to watch from the sidelines but sent flowers to the new chairman anyway. Wang Qi Cheng and his wife found themselves under a secret investigation. They also made a disturbing discovery. Ke Yongcheng's nameplate was now on the Minglang board table.
Dong Yi Yan's Last Hope
This is where it gets interesting. Dong Yi Yan isn't completely out of the game. She has an ace up her sleeve. A very important patient's family is demanding that she, and only she, perform a critical surgery. Fang Xin knows this is Dong Yi Yan's lifeline. Minglang Hospital needs a top surgeon like her to maintain its reputation.
Then, Zhang Zhiming has a change of heart. He's in Malaysia with his sick girlfriend, eaten up by guilt. He goes to Dong Yi Yan and tells her everything. He explains about his girlfriend's injury three years ago and his desperation for money. He also reveals that he appealed his old malpractice case and expects to be cleared soon. He tells her a good person like her shouldn't be framed like this.
His confession gives Dong Yi Yan new resolve. She decides to live at the hospital to focus entirely on preparing for the surgery. Zhang Zhiming, now on her side, helps her with the research. He essentially saves her from being completely erased from the medical world. Dong Yi Yan knows this surgery is her one shot at a comeback. She promises the patient's family, who are flying in from Germany, that the patient's safety is her absolute priority. Her second priority is cleaning out the parasites on the board. The family agrees. The fight isn't over yet.
