Episode Summary
Xia Yuan pits Kang Erniu against Chu Shaohua in a business war over their respective medicines, Yushu Pill and Wanlingdan.Shaohua outmaneuvers them both by securing a powerful partner, Tian Tongdao, through a dramatic demonstration of her product's effectiveness. Her business thrives, but she uncovers that her associate Wen Zhiqiu is secretly part of the revolution. She helps him evade inspectors during a clandestine medicine delivery. The episode concludes with Shaohua publicly upstaging Erniu at her birthday party and flatly refusing a business deal with a Japanese investor.
Spoiler Alert
The Pill War Is On
So, Xia Yuan decides to stir the pot. He takes Kang Erniu under his wing, supposedly to teach her business.But it's a setup. He gives her a new product, the Yushu Pill, and basically tells her to go crush Chu Shaohua's Wanlingdan.
Erniu doesn't hold back. She goes into full attack mode. She slashes prices and offers huge discounts to pharmacies. Then she signs exclusive deals with over eighty shops, forcing them to stop selling Shaohua's product. It's a brutal strategy.
Shaohua isn't stupid. She sees right through Xia Yuan's plan to make her and Erniu enemies.She goes straight to Erniu to clear the air. Erniu, finally feeling like she has some power of her own in Shanghai, agrees to a direct competition. It's on.
Shaohua's Counterattack
Shaohua gets her team together. Her plan is clever. She wants to pay newsboys to slip a Wanlingdan flyer into every newspaper. She also comes up with a loyalty program. Old customers can get a discount by returning their empty bottles. They also get a kickback for referring new people. It's smart marketing. Cheng Hui and the other shareholders are all in. They believe their improved Wanlingdan is way better than the Yushu Pill anyway.
The battle for Shanghai's pharmacies begins. Shaohua convinces over a hundred shops to stick with her. But Erniu plays hardball and locks down over two hundred with her exclusive contracts. Xia Yuan is still not happy. He pushes Erniu to finish Shaohua off within a month.
The Showdown for a Partner
Shaohua knows she can't win alone. She needs a heavy hitter on her side. She decides to approach Tian Tongdao, a major player in the city. Turns out, Kang Erniu had the exact same idea. They run into each other right at his office.
The meeting is awkward. Erniu lays the flattery on thick. Shaohua is professional and gets straight to the point. Tian Tongdao is annoyed by both of them. He just wants to sit back and watch them tear each other apart.
Erniu offers him a massive discount. Shaohua presents a solid business proposal. Tian Tongdao is unimpressed. He makes it clear he has no interest in partnering with either of them. He just wants to enjoy the show.
That's when Shaohua does something wild. She takes out a knife, slices her own arm, and puts Wanlingdan on the cut to prove how well it works. Everyone is stunned. She tells Tian Tongdao that with the country in crisis, this is no time for petty price wars. Her move works. Tian Tongdao is genuinely moved. He not only agrees to partner with her but also invests in her factory as a shareholder.
A Web of Secrets
With Tian Tongdao's backing, Wanlingdan becomes a massive success. People are literally lining up to buy it. The demand gets so high that Manager Shen from the huge Yongxin Department Store comes to Shaohua personally to get the pills on her shelves.While there, Shaohua runs into an old acquaintance, Ni Xiangying, who is now married with two kids.
Meanwhile, Xia Yuan tells a defeated Kang Erniu that she lost because she wasn't ruthless enough. He then dangles a new idea in front of her. He suggests she should just steal the formula for Wanlingdan.
Things get even more complicated. Yin A'mei, a woman Shaohua thought was long gone, suddenly reappears. She's now involved in the revolution, inspired by Xia Chu. She needs to buy a large quantity of Wanlingdan for soldiers on the front lines. Shaohua offers the medicine for free, but A'mei insists on paying full price. She tells Shaohua to deliver the medicine to Wen Zhiqiu's trading company.
This is a huge revelation for Shaohua. She finally realizes that Wen Zhiqiu has been hiding his true identity. Like Xia Chu, he's part of the revolution. She immediately goes to confront him. He flatly denies everything and tries to push her away. Shaohua is furious and yells at him for his deception before storming off.
Later, as Shaohua and Cheng Hui deliver the medicine, a group of inspectors shows up. Wen Zhiqiu calmly lets them inspect the boxes, and they find nothing suspicious. But just as they're leaving, the leader gets a gut feeling and turns back. Thinking fast, Shaohua creates a diversion. She pretends to be a woman scorned, loudly accusing Wen Zhiqiu of abandoning her. The inspectors, bored by the domestic drama, finally leave for good.
A Party and a Hard Line
The drama doesn't stop. It's Kang Erniu's birthday, and Xia Yuan throws her a lavish party. The first dance is being auctioned for charity. After a few bids, Xia Yuan offers a thousand dollars. Then, Shaohua crashes the party. She bids three thousand dollars and announces the money will go to the city's infectious disease hospital. The crowd loves it.
She tries to use the moment to talk to Erniu, but Xia Yuan pulls Erniu away. The chance for reconciliation is lost.
The episode ends with another confrontation. A Japanese businessman, Komura Moriichi, approaches Shaohua. He wants to partner with her to sell Wanlingdan around the world. She shuts him down instantly. She makes it crystal clear she will never sell her medicine to the Japanese invaders.
