Episode Summary
Yu Leshan secures a crucial loan through a clever bluff and finally convinces the skilled technician Xie Jingsi to join the factory part-time. While his professional life is looking up, his personal connection with Sheng Xuezhu deepens, causing jealousy from Wang Xiao. Meanwhile, a disgruntled Xiao Erbao, urged on by Xiao Shude, plans to cause trouble for the new factory.
Spoiler Alert
A Factory Needs Cash
The new Qiaotou Hardware Factory is officially a big deal. The county leadership decided to manage it directly. It no longer falls under the local commune's control. This puts a few people in awkward positions.
The Old Guard's Disappointment
Secretary Ma puts Qiao Zhengjun in charge of propaganda for the factory. This is not what Qiao Zhengjun wanted. He was hoping to use his connection with Liu Dasheng. He thought he could get a transfer back to the city.
But Liu Dasheng sticks to his principles. He refuses to pull any strings for him. This leaves Qiao Zhengjun feeling pretty disappointed. He gives up for now and just asks for leave. He says he needs to go to the city for wedding photos.
The Money Stunt
Yu Leshan has a problem. He bought a bunch of production equipment. The factory is almost ready to go. But he has no startup money. He and Chen Zhiqiang decide to ask the credit union for a loan.
So he comes up with a plan. It's a pretty wild one. He invites the credit union leaders for a tour. Right on cue, a driver from the steel factory shows up with a payment. Yu Leshan then "accidentally" drops one of the boxes. Cash spills all over the floor. He tells the driver to bring in the other boxes too. The credit union guys are floored. They think he's loaded.
Of course, it was a complete setup. The other boxes were full of bricks. The whole show was meant to do two things. First, it gave the workers confidence. Second, it tricked the credit union into thinking he didn't really need their money. He sends Chen Zhiqiang to take them to dinner. The mission is to lock down that loan. And it works. Chen Zhiqiang gets it done.
Building a Team
Now Yu Leshan has money and equipment. He just needs a skilled technician to get things running. He has his eyes on one person. Xie Jingsi.
A Failed Rebellion
Remember Xiao Erbao? He and a few of his relatives listened to Xiao Shude's bad advice. They took their back pay and quit the factory. Their big idea was to form their own construction team and find work in the city.
It doesn't go well. Xiao Erbao's wife is about to have their baby. She begs him not to go to the city. She wants him to go back to the factory. He flatly refuses. Then, his own brothers back out of the plan. They all make excuses. They don't want to leave. Xiao Erbao is left alone and absolutely furious.
The Hard Sell
Yu Leshan goes to find Xie Jingsi. He asks him again to come work at the factory. Xie Jingsi turns him down flat. But Yu Leshan is persistent. He decides to just wait outside Xie Jingsi's dorm.
While that's happening, Chen Zhiqiang is busy hiring more workers. A young woman named Xiao Yueling shows up to apply. Chen Zhiqiang worries she isn't cut out for factory work. But she is incredibly persistent. She even offers to work as Yu Leshan's secretary. Worn down, Chen Zhiqiang finally agrees to hire her.
Tests of Integrity
Getting the factory running isn't just about money and people. It's about doing things the right way. This becomes very clear for Xie Jingsi.
An Accident and a Bribe
A cheap welding machine at the factory malfunctions. It causes an accident in the workshop. Xie Jingsi hears about it and immediately rushes over to help. He works late into the night until the problem is fixed.
Later, his boss, Section Chief Hou, pays him a secret visit. Hou asks him to lie on the official accident report. He even offers Xie Jingsi a fat envelope of cash to keep quiet. Xie Jingsi refuses the money. He tells Hou to get lost.
The Noodle Negotiation
Xie Jingsi gets back to his dorm very late. He finds Yu Leshan still waiting for him outside. He feels a little bad for the guy. He invites him in and makes him a bowl of noodles. Yu Leshan hasn't eaten all day. He scarfs it down.
Yu Leshan makes his pitch one more time. Xie Jingsi is honest with him. He says he didn't like how Yu Leshan tried to just throw money at him before. Yu Leshan explains that all that money was borrowed. He says his only goal is to build up the factory and help the villagers have better lives.
Xie Jingsi has a stable job as a cadre at the machinery factory. He doesn't want to give that up. But he's moved by Yu Leshan's dedication. He offers a compromise. He will come to the hardware factory one day a week to help out, for free. Yu Leshan says he can't let him work for free. He offers a salary of 100 yuan a month. Xie Jingsi agrees.
Personal Entanglements
With the factory's future looking brighter, personal lives get more complicated.
A Dinner and a Confession
Xiao Yueling starts her new job bright and early. She cleans and organizes Yu Leshan's office. Later, Yu Leshan visits Sheng Bijie's family to thank them for their support. Sheng Xuezhu gets home from work and invites him to stay for dinner. Her father, Sheng Bijie, is very impressed with Yu Leshan.
After dinner, Sheng Xuezhu walks with Yu Leshan. He can tell something is bothering her. He asks what's wrong. She finally admits that Wang Xiao won't stop pursuing her. Yu Leshan suggests she should just give him a chance. But she says they're too different. She wants a mature, responsible man. Yu Leshan jokes that those are hard to find.
Sheng Xuezhu then turns the tables. She offers to introduce Yu Leshan to someone. He says he wants to find someone just like her. She is secretly happy to hear this but just teases him about it.
The First Day
The next morning, Chen Zhiqiang drives to pick up Xie Jingsi. He also gives Sheng Xuezhu a ride. Elsewhere, Wang Xiao is playing with Nuan Nuan. The little girl casually mentions that Yu Leshan visited and made Sheng Xuezhu laugh a lot. Wang Xiao gets visibly jealous.
Back at the factory, Yu Leshan proudly introduces Xie Jingsi to the workers. Xie Jingsi gets right to work and starts their technical training. Just as things are looking up, trouble is brewing. Xiao Erbao's plan has failed. He's feeling lost. Xiao Shude finds him and encourages him to go make trouble for Yu Leshan.
