Episode Summary
The Fang family's charity gala ends in disaster when a video of Jiaxin's plastic surgery is leaked to the media. The fallout is immediate and brutal. Jiaxin, devastated and publicly humiliated, attempts suicide after a manipulative reconciliation with her husband, Fang Xueqin. At a press conference meant to control the damage, Fang Xueqin betrays Gao Shen. He plays a doctored audio recording to frame Gao Shen for encouraging Jiaxin's suicide attempt.
Spoiler Alert
Golden Forest Episode 17: A Gala Goes Down in Flames
You know, I thought this family couldn't get any messier. I was wrong. The charity gala was supposed to be a show of unity. Instead, it became a total train wreck that ended with a faked suicide attempt and a frame job. Let's get into it.
A Party Nobody Wants
The episode kicks off with the charity gala approaching. Fang Xueli and Fang Xueqin decide they're going to boycott it. They think this is a good way to make a statement. Their lawyer, however, points out how dumb that is. He tells them they need to show up and not just show up, but take over hosting duties. It's all about projecting an image of a happy, united family.
While they're plotting, Gao Shen arrives at the venue. He finds total chaos. Kwong Shan Tsuen, using his power as the charity's chairman, has torn down the stage and changed all the procedures. It’s a mess.
The only one trying to make this work is Fang Xuexian. He even pulls some strings to get a huge pop star, Shen Tianwang, to perform. For a minute, you see the three brothers laughing together. Their father, Fang Yangtian, watches them and seems almost proud. He says it reminds him of fighting with his own father. But he's also completely confident he can still beat his sons at their own game.
The Big Reveal
The gala starts. The whole Fang clan poses for a "happy family" photo for the press. Everyone is smiling, but you can feel the tension. Then the first problem hits. The superstar, Shen Tianwang, has the flu. He’s going to be late. Fang Xuexian thinks fast and moves his performance to the end of the night.
For the opening act, Fang Xuexian puts Kwong Shan Tsuen and Jiaxin on the dance floor together. These two are always at each other's throats. But somehow, their dance is actually good. The crowd loves it.
And then, disaster.
The giant screen behind them suddenly starts playing a video. It's a before-and-after of Jiaxin's plastic surgery. Jiaxin’s face goes white. The media swarms her immediately, flashes blinding her. She instantly assumes Gao Shen leaked it. Fang Yangtian, to his credit, jumps in to protect her. He shuts the whole party down.
The Aftermath and a Suicide Plot
After the gala, everything falls apart. Jiaxin locks herself in a bathroom, completely devastated. Fang Xueqin doesn't comfort her at all. Instead, he screams at her for lying to him. When Gao Shen tries to intervene, Jiaxin turns on him. She accuses him of working with someone named Mary to humiliate her. Fang Zhijun is there, of course, adding fuel to the fire until Jiaxin has a total breakdown.
Gao Shen later explains to Fang Yangtian what happened. He says he traded the surgery video for Fang Yangtian's doctored drug test report. He swears the video was password-protected and that someone must have hacked his computer to get it.
Jiaxin goes to her parents' house to hide. While she's gone, Fang Xueqin's lawyer tells him to use the scandal to his advantage. At the same time, a furious Fang Xuexian confronts Gao Jing. He accuses her and her brother, Gao Shen, of being hypocrites and working with Mary. Gao Jing is crushed.
Things get even darker. Jiaxin calls Gao Shen for a secret meeting. She's desperate. She asks him who leaked the video and begs him to help her fix things with Fang Xueqin. She even talks about killing herself to win him back.
Soon after, Fang Xueqin shows up at Jiaxin's parents' house. He completely changes his tune. He tells her he loves her for who she is, not what she looks like. It's a touching moment, right up until he walks into her room and finds her unconscious from an overdose. He panics and calls for an ambulance.
The Ultimate Betrayal
The family was supposed to hold a press conference. Lin Cheng wants to cancel it because Jiaxin is in the hospital. Gao Shen argues against it. He says canceling will only make them look guiltier.
So, Fang Yangtian goes to the press conference. Meanwhile, Fang Xueli and Fang Xueqin go to the hospital to yell at Jiaxin, calling her a fake.
At the press conference, Fang Yangtian claims someone is intentionally trying to smear the Fang family name. Then, Fang Xueqin drops a bomb. He stands up and accuses Gao Shen of pushing Jiaxin to attempt suicide. He plays an audio recording as proof. It’s been clearly edited to make Gao Shen sound like he was coaching her through the whole thing.
Later, Lin Cheng confronts Gao Shen with the recording. Gao Shen is completely calm. He denies everything. He says his only goal is, and always has been, to win the lawsuit.
