Episode Summary
Yu Leshan is released from prison, leading to an emotional reunion and a tense welcome-home dinner. Sheng Xuezhu gets drunk and confesses her guilt to him, which a jealous Wang Xiao witnesses. This causes a major confrontation between the three of them. In a separate storyline, Qiao Zhengjun appoints a corrupt man, Xiao Shude, to manage a new factory, causing unrest among the villagers.
Spoiler Alert
A Fresh Start and an Old Flame
Yu Leshan Is a Free Man
The big news is that Yu Leshan is finally out of prison. His family is there to pick him up. The reunion is intense. He sees his mom and immediately drops to his knees to apologize. They both break down crying. You can feel the weight of the last four years in that moment.
Sheng Xuezhu wants to go to his welcome-home dinner. She asks Wang Xiao to watch Nuannuan for her. Wang Xiao is obviously not thrilled about this. He really doesn't want her anywhere near Yu Leshan. But Sheng Xuezhu has made up her mind, so he has to suck it up.
The Welcome-Home Dinner Gets Complicated
The dinner is a small affair. It's Sheng Xuezhu, Zhang Yadan, Guo Hongqi, and Yu Leshan's family. Everyone is trying to be cheerful. Sheng Xuezhu even asks for hard liquor to celebrate. Then Guo Hongqi drops his own bombshell. He announces that Zhang Yadan is pregnant. So, lots of congratulations go around.
Guo Hongqi offers Yu Leshan a job working with them at the clothing stall. But Yu Leshan turns him down. He wants a stable job. His mom wants him to have a stable job. He feels like he needs to get his life back on track the "right" way. Sheng Xuezhu thinks he has a knack for business. But she supports his decision to find a regular job first. He's been out of society for four years. He needs time to adjust.
The Love Triangle Heats Up
Sheng Xuezhu's Drunken Confession
Sheng Xuezhu drinks way too much at the dinner. She gets completely wasted. On the way home, Yu Leshan walks with her. She finally lets everything out. She tells him how guilty she has felt all these years. She believes she is the reason he went to jail. His release feels like a massive weight has been lifted off her chest. Yu Leshan just stays by her side and listens.
Wang Xiao's Jealousy Boils Over
While this is happening, Wang Xiao is waiting downstairs for Sheng Xuezhu to get home. He put Nuannuan to bed. He then sees Sheng Xuezhu outside with Yu Leshan. You can practically see the steam coming out of his ears.
He marches over and tells Yu Leshan to get lost. He tries to take Sheng Xuezhu home himself. But she's not having it. She starts shouting for Yu Leshan, saying she wasn't finished talking to him. She then turns on Wang Xiao. She tells him that he doesn't understand anything. Then she storms off home by herself. Wang Xiao is left standing there, looking completely gutted.
Business, Politics, and Bad Decisions
The Hardware Factory Gets a Shady New Boss
Let's talk about the other plotline. Qiao Zhengjun is trying to impress his girlfriend's powerful father, Liu Dasheng. He mentions a rundown hardware factory in the village. Liu Dasheng decides to help get it rebuilt.
The commune leadership agrees to the plan. They just need a factory manager. A guy named Xiao Shude secretly shows up at Qiao Zhengjun's place with gifts and cash. He wants the job. Qiao Zhengjun acts like it's not up to him. But soon after, he publicly announces the new factory manager. It's Xiao Shude. The villagers immediately protest. This guy has a history of corruption. Qiao Zhengjun just says the leadership committee made the decision. It's final.
Not-So-Friendly Competition
Back to our main group. Zhang Yadan pulls her husband, Guo Hongqi, aside. She tells him she doesn't want Yu Leshan working with them. She's worried he will steal their business. She also makes Guo Hongqi promise not to lend Yu Leshan any money. He agrees. So much for friendship.
Meanwhile, a heartbroken Wang Xiao is drinking alone on a street corner. He disappears for a few days. Sheng Xuezhu figures out she must have hurt his feelings with her drunken rant. She goes to the newspaper office where he works to find him. She apologizes for what she said. It seems to smooth things over, at least a little.
