Episode Summary
Chu Shaohua outsmarts her competitors in a major business deal, securing enough capital to open her own pharmacy. Her success attracts a powerful business offer from Xia Yuan, which she declines in favor of building her own brand. Meanwhile, family pressures mount as her mother-in-law meddles, her own family asks for jobs, and her useless husband returns after losing their other businesses. The episode ends as Yi Dajin plots against her and Xia Chu announces his departure for France.
Spoiler Alert
The Aster Standoff
A Lowball Offer
The episode kicks off with Yi Dajin trying to corner Shaohua. He wants to buy her aster, offering forty cents a jin. That’s double last year’s price, but Shaohua isn't biting. She knows what her product is worth. She tells him she’ll just sell it in Shanghai, which sends him into a panic. He threatens her, but she doesn't even flinch. He leaves with nothing.
Xia Yuan Steps In
Yi Dajin immediately runs to his boss, Xia Yuan.He’s convinced Shaohua has backing from the powerful Tian family in Shanghai. Xia Yuan believes it. He thinks the Tian family is using Shaohua to monopolize the local aster market.
For days, Shaohua’s stall is dead. No one is buying. Her employee is getting nervous, but Shaohua is calm. She knows they'll come to her. And she's right.
A New Business Deal
The Negotiation
Xia Yuan shows up at her stall himself. He tries to get information about the Tian family, but Shaohua isn't there to chat. She’s there to do business. She lays out her terms. He buys everything she has. The price is forty-five cents a jin. And he pays in full, today. Xia Yuan agrees to everything.
Mutual Respect
Shaohua makes one thing clear. She has no connection to the Tian family. The price is high because she needs to pay the final amount she promised to the medicine farmers. She tells Xia Yuan that if he hadn't come to her, she would have gone to him. She gave the farmers her word she'd pay them in three days.
Xia Yuan does some quick math. He figures out she’s about to make at least six thousand silver dollars from this one deal. He’s seriously impressed. He tells her he’s sure they’ll work together again.
Later, Xia Yuan introduces Shaohua to Yi Dajin and Gao Qianyi.Gao Qianyi recognizes her. She’s the woman who snatched a military supply order right out from under Xu Hongnian. This only makes Xia Yuan admire her more. He's completely fed up with Yi Dajin's incompetence and even considers letting Shaohua take over the struggling Chichun Tang pharmacy.
A Pharmacy of Her Own
Huashun Pharmacy Opens
Shaohua takes her earnings and invests them right back into her future. She opens her own pharmacy, "Huashun Pharmacy," in the best spot in Qizhou.The opening is a big deal. All the major pharmacy owners show up, including Xia Yuan and Gao Qianyi.
Gao Qianyi is skeptical. He calculates that with the high rent, it will take her at least a year and a half to break even. Shaohua confidently tells him she’ll do it in one year.
Xia Yuan sees her ambition. He thinks this little shop is just the beginning for her. He formally invites her to join his company, Shouyuan Pharmacy. He offers her control of Chichun Tang now, and promises her all the Qizhou pharmacies in two years, plus shares. She politely turns him down. She wants to see how far she can go on her own. He respects her choice.
Family and Other Problems
Trouble at Home
While Shaohua is out making deals, her sister-in-law Song Ping is dealing with their mother-in-law, Mrs. Chen. Song Ping hasn't been able to get pregnant, and Mrs. Chen forces her to drink bitter folk remedies. When Song Ping hesitates, Mrs. Chen threatens to make her husband, Chen Ershun, take a second wife.
When Shaohua gets home late, Mrs. Chen is annoyed. But Shaohua hands her a big stack of cash from her business deal. Suddenly, Mrs. Chen is her biggest supporter.
New Threats and Old Baggage
Yi Dajin is furious that Xia Yuan wants to give his position to Shaohua. He decides to take matters into his own hands and sends men to run her out of town.
At the same time, Shaohua's own family shows up. Her mother and sister-in-law, Caifeng, visit the new shop. Caifeng tries to sweet-talk Shaohua into giving her brother, Chu Shaozhong, a job.Shaohua refuses but says she'll think about it after her mother begs.
Then, just as things couldn't get more complicated, Chen Ershun stumbles back home. He announces that he was scammed and lost both of their pharmacies in Beijing.Mrs. Chen is devastated. Shaohua is just done with him and walks away.
The episode ends with another surprise arrival. Xia Yuan's son, Xia Chu, is back.But he's only there to say goodbye. He's leaving for France.
