Episode Summary
Wen Zhiqiu's elaborate proposal is ruined when Chu Shaohua unexpectedly reunites with her supposedly dead first love, Xia Chu, who now has a new girlfriend. To hide her pain, Shaohua asks Zhiqiu to pose as her fiancé, crushing him. Meanwhile, Shaohua devises a risky but brilliant plan to save Xia Yuan's political campaign by giving away 500,000 boxes of unsold medicine to factory workers. This brings her back into Xia Chu's orbit as he helps her distribute the medicine during his revolutionary activities. The episode culminates in a violent police crackdown on a protest led by Xia Chu, where he is shot and falls into Shaohua's arms, an event witnessed by a heartbroken Zhiqiu.
Spoiler Alert
A Proposal, a Ghost, and a Massacre
This episode was a lot. Just when you think things might settle down, they absolutely do not. We have romance, heartbreak, business, and a full-blown political crisis all crammed into one hour. Let's get into it.
Wen Zhiqiu's Big Romantic Gesture Goes Wrong
Okay, so Wen Zhiqiu is completely in love with Chu Shaohua.He knows her dream is to open pharmacies all over the country. So, he does this incredibly sweet and elaborate thing. He gets a props department to build models of all these future pharmacies. He even makes a model of the house they could live in together. He stays up all night carving the little shop signs himself.
His plan is to surprise her in a fancy hotel room at the Licha Hotel. He sets up all the models. He wants her to hang the signs on the model pharmacies herself. It's a very thought-out, very romantic proposal.
Of course, it all goes terribly wrong.
A Ghost from the Past
Chu Shaohua arrives at the hotel. And who does she see? Xia Chu. Her first love. The man she thought was dead. He also thought she was dead after falling from a cliff. They are both completely stunned to see each other. The reunion is intense.
But there's a huge problem. Xia Chu isn't alone. He's with his new girlfriend, Zhou Jieru. Seeing them together just guts Shaohua. To save face and hide how awkward and hurt she is, she grabs Wen Zhiqiu and introduces him as her fiancé.
Zhiqiu immediately understands what's happening. He sees the connection between Shaohua and Xia Chu. He drops his plan to propose on the spot. Shaohua begs him to play along as her fake fiancé just for the moment. He refuses at first but eventually gives in. You can just see how crushed he is.
The Aftermath
Shaohua goes home feeling miserable. Her friend, Kang Erniu, is waiting to hear about the proposal she thought was going to happen. Shaohua explains that she ran into Xia Chu and he has a new girlfriend. Kang Erniu realizes Zhiqiu never even got to confess his feelings. It becomes clear that Shaohua only sees Zhiqiu as a business partner, not a romantic one.
Kang Erniu goes to find Zhiqiu. He's gotten completely drunk. She's mad at him for not taking his chance. But he explains that he saw the look on Shaohua's face. He knows she's still in love with Xia Chu and he didn't want to force things. He throws away the little carved sign for their "home" but then, heartbreakingly, goes and picks it out of the trash. That night, Shaohua, Zhiqiu, and Xia Chu are all awake, each dealing with their own mess of feelings.
Business and Politics Get Messy
Xia Yuan's Big Problem
The romance drama takes a backseat to a business crisis. Xia Yuan is running for chairman of the National Medicine Association, but he's trailing in support.He has a bigger issue, though. Three months ago, he secured a deal to sell 500,000 boxes of epidemic prevention powder to an army. That army promptly lost the war. Now, he's stuck with a mountain of medicine he can't sell. He asks Shaohua and Zhiqiu for help.
It's a tough spot. The medicine was made specifically for the southern climate. They could sell it at a huge loss, but it would take forever.
Shaohua's Radical Plan
Shaohua comes up with a wild idea. She suggests they give all 500,000 boxes away for free to Shanghai's industrial workers. Her partners, Xu Hongnian and Mei Sandu, think she's crazy. It's a massive financial loss.
But Shaohua has a strategy. She points out that Xia Yuan's political opponents are spreading rumors that he's just in Shanghai to make a quick buck. Giving away the medicine would be a huge public relations win. It would show he cares about the people and boost his reputation for the election. After thinking it over, Xia Yuan agrees. It's a big gamble.
Worlds Collide at the Wharf
A Revolutionary Reunion
Shaohua goes to her old workplace, the Baoxing Mill, to start organizing the donation. She finds Xia Chu there, giving a passionate speech to the female workers. He's calling for them to rise up and build a new, equal government. Shaohua is captivated. Her old friends, Yin A'mei and Luo Cuiying, see her and bring her to Xia Chu.
He is thrilled to hear about her plan to donate the medicine and agrees to help distribute it. He asks her to print a slogan on the boxes, calling for workers to unite for their rights. She agrees immediately.
Zhiqiu's Jealousy Boils Over
Later, Shaohua goes to the Zhabei wharf to coordinate the delivery. Xia Chu is there, too, giving another speech to the dockworkers. At the same time, Wen Zhiqiu needs Shaohua to settle a bill, so he drives to the wharf to find her.
Just as he arrives, a worker falls into the water. Xia Chu doesn't hesitate. He dives in and saves the man's life, even performing first aid. The workers erupt in cheers. Shaohua watches him, completely in awe. Zhiqiu sees the look in her eyes. He wrongly assumes she came to the wharf just to see Xia Chu. He gets bitter and sarcastically tells her she should probably let Xia Chu know she's single now. Shaohua can tell he's upset but is too overwhelmed to explain.
A Protest Turns Deadly
The March to the Police Station
Things escalate quickly. Shaohua sees Xia Chu leading a street protest with workers and students. They're marching to the Laozha police station to demand the release of arrested students. Shaohua can't join because of work, but she promises to bring them all food.
She goes to Kang Erniu's new restaurant and orders 400 meals. But then Mu Ziru bursts in with terrible news. The Indian police have been given permission to open fire on the protestors.
Massacre on the Streets
Shaohua doesn't even think. She runs to the police station to warn Xia Chu. By the time she gets there, it's already a massacre. The police are shooting into the crowd.
She sees Xia Chu rescue an injured student and he tells her to get the student to safety. She does, but when she gets back, she finds Xia Chu has been shot. She runs to him, and he collapses into her arms, holding on tightly.
From a distance, Wen Zhiqiu, who had rushed over in a panic, sees the whole thing. He watches Shaohua desperately bandage Xia Chu's wound. He hears Xia Chu say he has to get back to his command post and Shaohua promise that she will wait for him. Zhiqiu is relieved she's okay, but the image of her and Xia Chu together is devastating. He tries to take her to dinner afterward, but she's completely distracted. He leaves without eating, heading off to find Xia Chu himself.
