Episode Summary
Fang Yangtian hides his worsening brain tumor from the family while secretly investigating his car crash. Jiaxin tries to sabotage Lin Cheng by drugging her coffee and stealing her jewelry design for an important meeting. Fang Yangtian saves the deal by pitching the design himself. Gao Shen grows suspicious of Jiaxin and helps Zhijun out of legal trouble, causing her to see him differently. Lin Cheng's family drama intensifies as her brother sends debt collectors to the Fang residence.
Spoiler Alert
Golden Forest Ep 8: Sabotage and Secrets
This family just can't catch a break. Or maybe they just enjoy making each other miserable. This episode was all about backstabbing, secret illnesses, and some truly terrible decision-making.
Fang Yangtian's Downward Spiral
Let's start with the man of the house, Fang Yangtian. He’s not doing well. The doctors have a plan for his brain tumor, but he’s already preparing for the worst. He’s determined to keep his illness a secret from everyone. You can see why. The guy can barely stay upright.
After a hospital visit, he gets so dizzy that Jiang Huanqiu has to catch him. She sprains her ankle in the process. They get home, and of course, Old Mrs. Fang sees her injured daughter-in-law. She immediately blames Lin Cheng for not taking better care of her husband. Fang Yangtian steps in to defend Lin Cheng. This just makes his mother even angrier. The tension in that house is thick.
Later, Fang Yangtian gets an update on his car crash. The car was found in the water. The dashcam was removed. Someone clearly did this on purpose. The police are investigating, but it’s another secret he’s holding onto.
The Design Is Stolen
The main event was the big design presentation for Mrs. Li. Lin Cheng was already stressed. Her paper design drafts got ruined by spilled coffee, so she had to start over. She comes up with a new concept called "One Life, One Love."
This is where Jiaxin makes her move. She sees that the whole family hates Lin Cheng, but the patriarch, Fang Yangtian, protects her. Jiaxin decides to get on Lin Cheng's good side to win favor. She shows up at the office with bird's nest soup and coffee, acting like Lin Cheng's new best friend.
Lin Cheng is in a rush. She skips the soup but drinks the coffee. Big mistake. Jiaxin drugged it with sleeping pills. Lin Cheng passes out in the bathroom. Jiaxin then steals the "One Life, One Love" design and sends it to Fang Xueqin. She wants Xueqin to pass it off as her own. As Jiaxin sneaks out of the office, Gao Shen spots her looking panicked. He knows something is up.
Mrs. Li is about to walk out because Lin Cheng is a no-show. Fang Yangtian jumps in to save the deal. He pitches the "One Life, One Love" design himself. Luckily, Lin Cheng had told him all about it the night before. He mentions the 27 diamonds, which represent the 27-year age gap between the lovers. This hits home for Mrs. Li. Her husband is also 27 years older. She loves it and agrees to the partnership on the spot.
Jiaxin "discovers" Lin Cheng unconscious in the bathroom. When Fang Yangtian hears, he rushes back to the company. Gao Shen doesn't expose Jiaxin directly. He just warns Lin Cheng in front of everyone not to eat things from other people. The warning shot is fired. Fang Yangtian picks up on it and knows there’s more to the story.
Side Dramas and Shifting Alliances
Zhijun is still a hothead. She runs into an internet streamer who starts trashing the Fang family. Zhijun is about to physically attack her when a cop sees them. She ends up at the police station. Gao Shen bails her out. Zhijun is hurt that her own mother didn't come for her.
Gao Shen sets up a meeting to settle things between Zhijun and the streamer. The streamer tries to blackmail them for money. Gao Shen pulls out a recorder. He threatens to expose her ugly behavior to the public. The streamer backs down fast and signs the settlement. Zhijun starts to see Gao Shen in a new light. Her attitude toward him is finally changing.
Meanwhile, Lin Cheng's family problems are literally showing up at the door. She gets home and sees a broken cup on the floor. Her father claims it was an accident. Lin Cheng knows better. It was debt collectors. Her brother, Lin Yao, is still gambling and causing trouble from prison. He thinks his new rich brother-in-law will bail him out. He's even telling creditors to go to the Fang house. This is exactly the kind of chaos Dong Youwei wants. He's encouraging the other side of the family to use Lin Cheng's brother to bring her down.
