Episode Summary
In this episode, Yu Leshan makes a risky move by taking over a debt-ridden factory and promising to pay back the workers, while Yu Leying's romantic pursuit of her teacher hits a major and very public roadblock.
Spoiler Alert
A Rough Start for Romance
Leying's Crush Hits a Snag
So, Yu Leying has officially caught feelings for her teacher, Xie Jingsi. You know how it is. She starts finding any excuse to be near him. She even borrows a new dress from Zhang Yadan's clothing stall to try and catch his eye.
After night school, she hangs back to ask him a question. It's a classic move. He takes her to his office to talk. But then, a middle-aged woman storms in. She starts yelling and says she's Xie Jingsi's wife. Talk about awkward. Leying sees this trainwreck happening and gets out of there fast.
It turns out, Xie Jingsi is furious. He's already told this woman, Cui Xiujuan, that he wants a divorce. She won't accept it. She came all the way from the countryside just to confront him. He ends up forcing her to leave.
Later, a bummed-out Leying gets home. She takes off the new dress and tells her brother, Yu Leshan, to return it for her. He has no idea what's going on. He asks his friends Guo Hongqi and Zhang Yadan about it. They guess she's probably having boy trouble at work.
Leshan's Big Gamble
Taking on a Mountain of Debt
While his sister deals with her drama, Yu Leshan is making some of his own. He decides to go inspect the Qiaotou Hardware Factory. He's thinking about taking it over.
He meets with the leaders of the Qiaotou Brigade. They don't have the authority to make a deal. They have to go to their boss, Qiao Zhengjun. Qiao Zhengjun clearly wants to scare Leshan away. He tells Leshan he can have the factory, but only if he also takes on all its leftover debt.
This is where Leshan goes big. He doesn't just agree to pay off the factory's external debts. He also promises to pay all the back wages owed to the workers. His friend Chen Zhiqiang tries to talk him out of it. He thinks it's a terrible idea. But Leshan's mind is made up. He signs the contract right then and there.
The Scramble for Cash
Of course, making a promise like that is one thing. Actually paying for it is another. Leshan needs 10,000 yuan just to get started. Sheng Xuezhu finds out and immediately says she'll support him however she can.
Leshan goes to his friend Guo Hongqi to borrow money. He's not around, but Zhang Yadan tells him to come back that night. When Leshan shows up, he lays it all out. He needs 10,000 yuan and he only has 600. Guo Hongqi worries Leshan will lose everything. So, Zhang Yadan lies. She says all their cash is tied up in new inventory and they only have a thousand to spare.
Leshan isn't an idiot. He can tell they don't want to lend him the money. He politely turns down their offer and leaves.
Sheng Xuezhu, on the other hand, is serious about helping. She doesn't have that kind of cash herself. She goes to Sheng Bijie and Bai Yufei. They're impressed with Leshan's plan and agree to give him their 2,000 yuan in savings.
The Workers Revolt
A Promise Isn't Enough
Things get more complicated. Wang Xiao's editor orders him to cover the story about the factory takeover. Wang Xiao really doesn't want to. He wrote a story about that same factory before, and then it burned down. He still feels awful about it. But his editor tells him the city's Party Secretary is watching this story closely. Wang Xiao has no choice. He has to go.
Meanwhile, Leshan is striking out everywhere. He can't raise enough money to even cover the workers' back pay. Chen Zhiqiang tells him to just give up. But Leshan has another idea. He'll promise to pay the workers in a few months, with interest, after the factory starts making money. He asks Chen Zhiqiang to call a meeting.
Before the meeting, the workers gather with a guy named Xiao Erbao. Another man, Xiao Shude, shows up and starts stirring up trouble. He tells the workers to demand their money immediately and then quit. He talks a lot of trash about Leshan.
A Last-Minute Save
Leshan stands before all the factory workers. He promises to pay back every cent they're owed in three months. The workers are not convinced. Xiao Erbao is the first to speak up. He demands their wages now. If not, he says they'll tear the factory apart and sell it for scrap. All the other workers agree with him.
Leshan tries to bargain. He changes his offer to two months. It's no use. They won't budge. Just as the whole meeting is about to explode, Sheng Xuezhu arrives. She steps forward and tells everyone she will personally guarantee Leshan's promise.
