Episode Summary
Yu Leshan and Guo Hongqi's return to Liangchuan creates tension, especially during a disastrous dinner where Wang Xiao's jealousy boils over. Sheng Xuezhu's fight for integrity at her hospital strains her relationship with Wang Xiao even further. At the factory, Xie Jingsi stands up to the corrupt Hou Ming, who tries to drastically undervalue company assets.
Spoiler Alert
Sheng Xuezhu vs. The World
A Fight at Work
Sheng Xuezhu is completely fed up. She cannot stand how her hospital's leadership is neglecting their duties. She complains about it to Wang Xiao. He tells her she should just mind her own business. This does not go over well. They get into a huge argument and part on bad terms.
Things get even more intense at the hospital. During a staff meeting, Sheng Xuezhu directly confronts the director. She demands they replace the faulty ultrasound machine. She says if they don't, she'll just start referring her patients to other hospitals. Then she brings up how the administration had no problem spending money on new cars. The director is speechless. Her department head, Director Tang, tries to shut her down. Tang is retiring next month. She was planning to recommend Xuezhu for her position. After this public confrontation, that promotion is almost certainly dead. Sheng Xuezhu insists she doesn't care.
An Awkward Dinner Party
Later, Yu Leshan is visiting Sheng Bijie for business advice. Sheng Xuezhu and Wang Xiao show up. Wang Xiao immediately gives Yu Leshan a dirty look. Yu Leshan tries to be friendly and greets them both. Sheng Bijie invites him to stay for dinner. You just know this is going to be a disaster.
During the meal, Sheng Bijie and Yu Leshan get deep into a conversation about business. They're totally hitting it off. Wang Xiao can't get a word in. He turns his attention to Sheng Bailing and her show. He gives her some good advice. But he also throws some passive-aggressive jabs at Yu Leshan. He implies Yu Leshan is uncultured and only cares about money. Sheng Xuezhu tries to change the subject. Bai Yufei then tries to set Yu Leshan up with someone, and he makes up excuses to get out of it.
After dinner, Sheng Xuezhu is furious with Wang Xiao. She saw how he was targeting Yu Leshan all night. She goes home and lets him have it. She tells him he has no manners. Wang Xiao fires back. He says he looks down on Yu Leshan. He also accuses her of still having feelings for him. Sheng Xuezhu refuses to argue anymore and just ignores him.
The Boys Are Back in Town
A Tense Reunion
Yu Leshan and Guo Hongqi have been in Shenzhen. They worked hard and made their factory branch a success. But they're homesick. So, they finally head back to Liangchuan.
Yu Leying and Xie Jingsi throw them a welcome-home dinner. During the meal, Yu Leying casually mentions that Manager Shen has cancer. Hou Ming is now in charge of the machinery factory. Yu Leshan worries that Hou Ming will give Xie Jingsi and Yu Leying a hard time. Xie Jingsi isn't concerned. He says he just focuses on his technical work, so Hou Ming has no reason to bother him.
Zhang Yadan also shows up for the dinner. The second she sees Guo Hongqi, she gets angry. She picks a fight with him on purpose. Then she storms out without even eating. Yu Leshan can tell she still has feelings for Guo Hongqi. He tells his friend not to take it to heart.
New Moves and Old Flames
Guo Hongqi isn't giving up on Zhang Yadan. He goes to the clothing wholesale market to find her. She isn't there yet. He starts giving sales tips to her employee, Xiao Yun. When Zhang Yadan arrives, the neighboring shop owner, Chun Ge, is trying hard to flirt with her. Guo Hongqi gets annoyed and starts complaining. Zhang Yadan gives him the cold shoulder. He gets frustrated and leaves. Later, we find out he rented the apartment directly across from hers. She discovers this when she gets spooked by someone following her home late at night. It turns out to be Guo Hongqi.
Power Plays and Problems
Trouble at the Factory
Xie Jingsi is leading a team to assess the factory's assets. Hou Ming prepares the final report. He deliberately changes the valuation number. Xie Jingsi's team calculated it to be 8.6 million. Hou Ming changes it to 860 thousand. That's a tenth of the real value. Xie Jingsi absolutely refuses to sign off on it. Hou Ming forcefully kicks him out of the office. Hou Ming then decides to pressure Yu Leying instead, hoping she'll be an easier target. Xie Jingsi warns his wife not to give in. He tells her that caving would cause a huge financial loss for the factory.
New Jobs and New Faces
Qiao Zhengjun is tired of his dead-end government job. He wants to make more money. He decides to take a position as deputy general manager at the city's most profitable construction company. His friend Zhao Xianzhi advises him to think it over, but his mind is made up. This whole thing started because his wife, Liu Tianyao, spoils their son. The kid wanted a gaming console from Hong Kong, and she demanded Qiao Zhengjun find a way to buy it.
Meanwhile, a new face appears at the newspaper office. Tao Xiyun is a recent college graduate. She is a huge fan of Wang Xiao's writing. She can even recite passages from his books. She also likes to write and asks him for feedback on her own novel. The two of them have a lot in common. They get along very, very well.
