Episode Summary
The president of Shifeng Group is arrested during a signing ceremony, causing Jinda Group's stock to crash. Shen Haoming takes over as chairman and fires a veteran employee, who then tries to stab him. Xu Yan is wounded protecting him but is rewarded with money, creating a rift between them. After being warned by Sun Siwei and seeing Haoming with a flirty Fang Lei, Xu Yan feels isolated. The truth is finally revealed when Fang Lei, after being used by Haoming to secure a deal, tells Xu Yan that Shen Haoming is actually Shen Haochen's father, not his brother. Xu Yan realizes her marriage is a sham.
Spoiler Alert
Shen Haoming's Corporate Coup
The episode kicks off at what's supposed to be a big contract signing between Jinda Group and Shifeng Group. It doesn't go as planned. Instead, the police show up and haul the president of Shifeng away right in front of the press. It’s a total disaster. As you can guess, Jinda Group's stock immediately tanks.
Shen Haoming uses the chaos to his advantage. He goes straight to his dad and basically says, "I told you so." He reminds his father that he warned him this would happen three months ago.He claims he has a plan to save the company. His dad, seeing the mess they're in, agrees to step aside and lets Haoming take over as chairman.
Haoming doesn't waste a second. His first move is to fire a long-time employee, a guy named Wu. It’s a cold, calculated power play.
A Price for Loyalty
The fired employee, Wu, doesn't go quietly. He shows up looking for Shen Haoming, clearly wanting revenge. He pulls out a knife and lunges at Haoming. In a split-second decision, Xu Yan throws herself in front of her husband and takes the blade for him.
You'd think this would bring them closer. You would be wrong. Shen Haoming's response is to give her a pile of money. It feels less like a thank you and more like a transaction. Xu Yan is clearly hurt by this. She feels like there's a huge distance between them, as if every action has a price tag. To make it worse, Haoming then ignores her calls to go spend time with Shen Haochen.
Harsh Truths and Green-Eyed Monsters
We also check in with Sun Siwei. She's been demoted and is miserable, running errands at restaurants. Xu Yan finds her and offers some practical advice about wearing sneakers for work. Sun Siwei isn't having it. She lashes out and tells Xu Yan to be careful. She says Haoming is just using money to make up for a lack of real feelings.The words sting because Xu Yan knows they're true.
Then there's Fang Lei. She shows up pretending to be hurt just to get Haoming's attention. It works. He fusses over her and takes her home. Later, Xu Yan sees them playing a game together, looking perfectly happy. She feels like a complete outsider, just there to pick up the ball. She later tells her friend Qiao Lin that it’s like there's a glass wall between her and Haoming.
The Mask Comes Off
Fang Lei decides to make a bigger move. She pretends to be drunk and tries to seduce Shen Haoming. He plays along, but only for a moment. He gets a phone call confirming a business contract has been signed. The second he hangs up, his entire demeanor changes. He drops the nice-guy act and reveals his cold, calculating side to Fang Lei. He just used her to close his deal. She's stunned to see how ruthless he really is.
Later, Xu Yan finally gets a moment with Haoming. She's ready to confess something she's been hiding. Before she can, he cuts her off. He tells her not to say anything that might displease him.She's silenced once again.
The final blow comes from Fang Lei. Furious at being used, she finds Xu Yan and tells her the biggest secret of all. Shen Haoming is Shen Haochen's biological father, not his brother.
Xu Yan is shattered. She realizes Shen Haoming has been using her from the very beginning.The whole marriage was a lie to protect his secret.The episode ends with her looking at Shen Haochen. The affection she once felt is gone, replaced by a sense of avoidance.
